Antecedent

by Anonymous Pegasus

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Changelings, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 124846

Raindrop needs to reunite the Elements of Harmony to cure herself of her affliction. But the journey will become so much than the destination.

The Elements of Harmony are missing, and Raindrop needs them to quell the rising curse of her ancestry that threatens to consume her. Paired with a Royal Guard, and with a strong mutual loathing, Together, they will have to try to reunite the elements and find their new bearers...If they don't kill eachother first.

Cover art by infernowyvern!

Published 2012-05-08 16:44:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-01-19 20:24:56 UTC

History

Raindrop was not a pegasus given over to overt displays of emotion. She didn’t cry, or wail, or grunt and groan. Generally speaking, she was a quiet pony, preferring to suffer her emotions and misgivings in silence rather than just letting everyone around her know about how she felt.

Therefore, the pegasus spent very little time feeling bad for herself. She knew what she had to do, she knew what was next. She had to go and see Princess Celestia, ask her about the Elements of Harmony. It was perhaps a pipe dream, magically fixing herself using the Elements of Harmony, but at that point, she was grasping at straws. It was the only plan of action she had, and she was not wont to give up on something she wanted without a fight.

But first thing first. She had to see it herself. She had to return to the place that she had seen only twice before.

She had to see Evergreen and Cee’s grave.

~ ~ ~

The forest seemed to be hushed here. The birds didn’t chirp, the woodland creatures didn’t rustle, and the wind itself seemed to blow through the grass as gently as possible in reverence of the black marble cottage that lay nestled in the treeline.

Raindrop could hear the blades of grass under her hooves snapping and bending under her weight, and she unconsciously lightened her steps, to make as little noise as possible. It was a very tranquil area, with no sound except the faintest whisper of wind in the leaves. Peaceful.

The marble edifice that had once been a cottage bore no marks of time. It had been years since it had been transformed, but the forest seemed unwilling to reclaim it. Firewood was still stacked up outside the cottage, and a pair of rocking chairs facing the forest stood in a mute reminder of the two simple ponies who had lived there.

But Raindrop knew the truth now. Cee had been no simple pony. She was a changeling. A changeling queen. How could no one have told her?!

Scowling faintly, the pegasus stepped over to the window, lifting her hooves to the window sill and peering inside.

The house was the same as it had been when it was transformed. Raindrop could see everything just as she remembered it from when her father had bought her here the first two times. The first had been when she was seven, and the second was after he had broken up with his wife, leaving her for a much younger musician pony who came through town and stole his heart. It had fractured Raindrop’s family, and she had been forced to stay with her father while her mother moved to the east, into the griffon state Transavian.

‘Transavian is no place for a young pony to grow up,’ she said. And that was that.

Raindrop scowled further, reminiscing. After she landed a job on the weather team, she had moved away from the ‘happy family’ to Ponyville.

She still remember standing here, at the front door of the house where her grandparents had died, listening to her father try to explain why he had betrayed her mother so readily, for a much younger pony.

‘See...sometimes yer think yer in love...but then a love comes along that’s stronger than that. Yer mother understood that, and that’s why she left.’

Well, maybe her mother understood, but Raindrop was quite certain she’d never understand why somepony would leave a pony they’d been with for nine years. She’d only been with Shine for two years now, and she would never leave him. Even his flat-spoken blunt hurtful words didn’t phase her. He was depressed, and given to mood-swings. Even that was her fault. She couldn’t think ill of her love at all.

Raindrop forced her thoughts back to the present, peering in at the bed where her grandparents lay.

They were posed as though sleeping, resting under the blankets. Evergreen was laying on his side, the age lines on his face softened, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his muzzle even in death.

Raindrop had never really known Evergreen. Most of it was from when she was too young to remember; but she remembered him showing her the flowers of the countryside, and the one magical field of blue nightblooms that both Cee and Evergreen insisted that the entire family see at least once. Cee said it was where she had truly fallen in love with the dumb oaf she called her husband. And even as she insulted him, she embraced him openly.

Cee, for her part, was laying opposite Evergreen, her nose almost touching her eternal lovers own, a hoof thrown carelessly over his neck, her eyes closed, and a soft smile on her muzzle. They were the picture of contentedness. Two old ponies that had died knowing they had lived a full life.

But it was a lie.

Raindrop’s eyes hardened as she stared at the marble form of her grandmother. A grandmother whose curse was flowing in her veins. She wasn’t even a unicorn! Raindrop felt betrayed. Lied to for so long. And even her father hadn’t felt it prudent to tell her. Surely he had to know his mother was a changeling? That wasn’t exactly a secret that was easy to keep.

Scowling, the pegasus dropped her hooves from the window and turned away, stalking a few steps down the path and then sitting down on her rump, staring out over the forest towards the smoke rising from fireplaces in Ponyville. Coming out here was a bad idea. It was just bringing up memories that she’d prefer to keep hidden, and causing her to be agitated.

Not to mention it wasn’t bringing her any closer to what she needed to do. She need to get to Canterlot and speak to Princess Celestia. She needed to find the Elements of Harmony, and get healed by them. It was simple, really. Simple, but hard.

Setting her shoulders, the young weather pony rose to her hooves, and then spread her wings, launching into the air without even a single glance back to the cottage where Cee and Evergreen lay, eternally together.

~ ~ ~

Walking up to the castle was awkward. Raindrop had never visited the royal castle before, and she found herself growing very self conscious. Her feathers were mussed up, and her fur bore streaks of moisture from clouds she had flown through.

The royal guards at the front entrance, a unicorn and pegasus, looked her up and down as she approached.

“U-uhm...I’m here to see the Princess?” Raindrop offered nervously, her ears splaying backwards.

“Do you have an appointment?” the pegasus asked of her, a brow raising under his helmet.

“U-uh...no. I didn’t know I needed one,” Raindrop said uncertainly, wincing. “Princess Celestia told me to come see her if I needed to speak to her...”

“Oh, Miss Raindrop?” the guard inquired.

“That’s me,” she responded with a blink.

“Go on through,” he said, returning to his straight stance.

The pegasus stared for a moment, before stepping between them, pushing open the large doors and walking quietly across the entrance hall to the door at the far end. There was a faint, magical chime as she opened the next door, and a sign asked for quiet and patience, the princess was a busy Alicorn.

Raindrop seated herself on a couch, and pulled up a magazine from the table besides it. It was Aeronautical Monthly, and had a front-page feature of the inside-story of Blaze, the new Wonderbolt Captain, presumably the youngest Captain since Spitfire herself.

Flicking to the article, Raindrop settled in to read, resting her head on her hooves.

She had barely made it past the first few paragraphs when the door leading from the room opened, and Princess Celestia poked her nose in, raising a brow. “Raindrop?”

Raindrop nodded, closing the magazine and tossing it back onto the table. She had read the article in question a few months ago, when it first came out. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Indeed. This way,” Celestia said, turning and walking down the hall towards the east wing of the castle. “I assume you intend to go after the Elements yourself?”

The pegasus nodded grimly. “I’ll find the bearers. I don’t care what it takes.”

“I admire your passion,” the princess said simply, as she lead the pegasus up a long staircase and to a long, decorated hallway with stained glass windows lining it. “This...is the Hall of Harmony. The artwork here shows the history of the Elements as we know them.”

Raindrop looked at the windows; they showed various scenes. First was Discord, whom she knew from her history lessons, with a puppeteer device controlled a pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony each, to represent his miserable rule.

Next was the two Princesses, Celestia and Luna, fighting, or perhaps sealing, Discord away.

Next was Nightmare Moon, and the six young ponies who took up the Elements of Harmony to defeat her, and return her to normal.

And then was a sombre stained glass window, showing five of the original ponies around a casket, interring the Elements of Harmony to the gravesite as a sign of respect for the deceased.

Celestia waved a hoof at the windows. “We, that is to say, Luna and I, no longer maintain control over the Elements of Harmony. We discovered them in a time of great unhappiness, when Discord ruled the land. We did not create them, we merely used them. And even since Nightmare Moon, the ability to control the Elements has been lost to my sister and I.

“As you can see from this window. When Rarity passed away, the other five bearers of the Elements of Harmony placed them at the site of her memorial. They were no longer needed to maintain the order of Equestria. Discord is a back to being a stone, and without the Element of Generosity...the other Elements have no worth,” Celestia shook her head, giving a faint sigh. “I...don’t even know if you can unite the Elements without a period of strife. There would be no harm in trying...but I fear I am sending you on a fools errand.”

Raindrop looked from the stained glass window, to the Princess. Celestia’s eyes were a little bit misty, like she was about to cry.

“A-are you okay, princess?” the pegasus asked uncertainly, staring at her for a long moment.

Celestia took a long, deep breath, and then nodded. “Indeed I am, Raindrop. I just...All this talk of the past is bringing up memories...my former students...friends...”

Raindrop gave a slight nod at that, shifting uncertainly. “You knew the bearers of the Elements?”

“Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. I remember them all fondly. Especially Twilight. But...they’re all gone,” she said with a sad shake of her head. “Victims of time.”

The pegasus shifted uncomfortably, not quite sure what to say. There was obviously a deep sadness to the Princess, a sadness that she tried her hardest to not let become visible. “You don’t have to show me where the Elements are...or go get them yourself. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll go retrieve them.”

Celestia gave a hesitant nod, looking down at her hooves for a moment, and then back up at the pegasus. Her horn began to glow, and a piece of paper and quill levitated down the hall to a stop in front of them, a quick map beginning to be drawn.

“The place you’re looking for is an overlook in the western mountains ranges, at the border of Equestria. It’s a pretty unassuming place...Let me send a guard with you in my stead, to ensure you can find the place,” Celestia said quite firmly, her horn glowing for a moment. After a long pause, a pegasus guard pushed his way into the room, standing straight and proud in front of them.

“This is Sentinel. He was there when they laid Rarity to rest. He knows where it is,” Celestia said, turning away from them, beginning to walk away. “Come find me when you have them...And we’ll discuss the next steps.”

“Thank you, princess Celestia,” Raindrop said, before turning to the guard.

Sentinel bowed in greeting. “When will you be ready?”

The pegasus cast her gaze left and then right, before shrugging. “Now’s good.”

“Indeed. Let us go then,” Sentinel stated, turning about and heading off in the same direction the Princess had gone.

Raindrop fell into step besides the guard, but didn’t say anything. His attitude didn’t exactly lend itself towards ease of conversation.

As they passed down the hallway, Raindrop saw the Princess standing in front of a large picture, faded with age, showing a picture of the six ponies that Raindrop knew were the previous bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The picture showed them all smiling and laughing, wearing the elements, standing with the two princesses. Various other pictures lined the walls, showing assorted groups of ponies with the princesses, some of them yellow with age.

But the thing that Raindrop noticed most was how Celestia stood. She had one hoof lifted, resting against the photo frame, and her nose almost touching it, her head inclined forwards, staring at the picture with a look of heart-breakingly deep sadness, a single, silent tear tracing its way down her cheek.

Raindrop wanted to stop, to offer comfort to the Princess.

“Leave her be,” Sentinel stated flatly, his tone leaving no room for question, and Raindrop nodded meekly, continuing to walk.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Raindrop thought to herself, a phrase that was popular with her mother.

This was the first step. But she hoped this journey wouldn’t be that long.

Elements of Harmony

The two pegasus flew in silence.

Clouds passed by beneath them, and Raindrop amused herself trying to find patterns in their swirls as the she coasted along quietly behind sentinel.

Whatever small talk Raindrop had tried to initiate had been answered simply and curtly; usually in a single word response. Yes. No. Later. Maybe. Tomorrow.

Raindrop couldn’t shake the feeling that for some reason, Sentinel disliked her. She got the feeling he disliked her a lot.

And so they flew in silence, heading west, towards the mountain ranges marking Equestria’s western border. Beyond the mountain range lay a long, flat savannah, but from what information Raindrop had gleaned from Celestia, their destination was the mountains, not the savannah.

Sentinel was flying in front of her, high and to the right. He wasn’t even panting, not winded at all from the stress of flying, even though he was dressed in full armour. Raindrop didn’t have any problem keeping up with him. Flying was her job; and she was, like so many pegasus before her, training for the Wonderbolt’s. The same way an earth pony trained to be a master gardener, really. She intended to try out for the Wonderbolt’s at some point, but between her Storm Chaser duties and a good ability to procrastinate, she’d never really trained to a point where she felt she’d be good enough to join their ranks. And after she met Shine, a silly pipe-dream like ‘joining the Wonderbolt’s’ hadn’t seemed so important any more.

Raindrop still kept up with the training regime that the Wonderbolt’s posted on billboards. The wing stretches, the circles, and the speed runs. She didn’t really have any illusions about joining them any more...but it was fun to dream. She was too lazy for the Wonderbolt’s anyhow.

And so the time passed in silence, with Raindrop having given up on brokering a conversation with the surly guard.

~ ~ ~

The air was still. A strong warmth radiated from the ground, reflecting up from the rock and the dirt to distort the air.

As they descended from above the clouds, the air went from cool, to hot. It was so warm down here that the air seemed to barely work as air to Raindrop’s lungs. She felt it filling her body, but somehow it didn’t seem to be doing anything.

Sentinel didn’t seem to have any problem with the heat, and landed heavily on a length of upthrust rock looking out over the edge of the savannah, striding towards a cracked rock with purpose.

It was a quiet, unearthly place, and the flowers and framed picture leaning up against the cracked rock looked very out of place.

Sentinel paused by the broken rock, and then sat down, awaiting Raindrop to do what she came to do.

Raindrop landed as well, and then tentatively stepped over to the cracked rock.

It seemed that, once upon a time, it had been a standing finger of stone, resting at the edge of the upthrust rock, overlooking the savannah. But at some point, it had been cracked down the centre by some external force, leaving it cracked in half, with both halves resting, facing away from each other, like an egg cracked down the middle.

Inside the rock, there was a series of depressions, angular and deep. It seemed as though gemstones had once rested inside the rock, but had long since been removed. In their place, rested a jewellery set. Five golden necklaces, and a crown.

Wreathes of flowers, some of them old, some of them fresh, rested at the foot of the split rock. Gifts of remembrance. A framed picture leaned against the rock, showing a beautiful unicorn with a curled blue mane smiling for the camera. Rarity. There was no sign of the actual grave site where Rarity was buried, but it couldn’t have been far; likely closer to the foot of the rock upthrust, since there was no dirt around to inter a body to.

Raindrop shifted uncomfortably for a moment, looking down at the picture, and then up at the Elements of Harmony. She felt...strange. Like she was stealing from the dead. These had been left here as a sign of respect, a sign of the friendship the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony had. And here she was, about to disturb the final resting place of somepony for her own gain.

The pegasus almost considered turning around and heading home...but she had come here for the Elements, and she couldn’t leave without them. Taking a deep breath, she leaned over, and scooped up the Elements, three from either half of the split stone, and then deposited them in her carry pack. She paused then, to lean in and self-consciously whisper ‘thank you’ to the picture of Rarity, aware of Sentinel watching her. “I’ll bring these back to you. Promise.”

With that done, Raindrop turned around, and then spread her wings, giving Sentinel a glance. The royal guard shrugged a moment, and turned as well, leaping into the air before she could, leaving the female pegasus to follow.

Raindrop took a running leap and didn’t look back as she began the journey back to Canterlot.

~ ~ ~

There was no fanfare to announce the arrival of the Elements of Harmony to Canterlot.

It was evening, and it was only the lights of the castle and the surrounding houses that allowed the two pegasus to find their way back to the castle.

Forgoing the front entrance completely, Sentinel led Raindrop to the guard entrance, a tower set on the east side of the castle. They entered through one of the upper arches with a clatter. Immediately, Sentinel began to descend the long spiral staircase. Uncertain where to go from there, Raindrop followed after him.

Sentinel took a right turn at the bottom of the staircase, and Raindrop went to follow him, but he paused and stared back at her, before raising a hoof towards the left, and then stating flatly, “That way.”

The pegasus stared at him for a long moment, and then blurted; “Why do you hate me?”

The guard raised a brow back at her for a long moment, before snorting once and turning away, beginning to walk away without a word.

“Well...you’re a surly bastard!” Raindrop called after him, huffing a moment, before shaking her head and then turning the way he had indicated. Pushing open a door, she found herself in the entrance hall. From there, she could remember the way to the Hall of Harmony, and immediately began to long walk.

~ ~ ~

Celestia looked back over her shoulder as she heard the pegasus returning, turning to face her. The princess was in her waiting room, looking at the pictures of her old friends and ponies she had considered family. That was all she really had apart from ruling; memories of ponies who were no longer part of the world.

“Did you find them alright?” Celestia asked of the young pegasus.

Raindrop nodded, moving over to the table in the centre of the room, and delicately pushing aside a photo frame so she could begin gently placing down the Elements of Harmony on the table.

First the five necklaces, and then the crown. The pegasus gave a smile over the glittering jewels to the princess. “Now we just need to find the bearers, right?”

Celestia frowned slightly, stepping over to the table and lifting a hoof to drag the necklace with the lightning-bolt motif towards her, appraising it.

Raindrop raised a brow for a moment, unsure. “Did I do something wrong?”

The princess raised a brow, and then shook her head. “No. You haven’t done anything wrong, Raindrop. But I fear your trip was for nothing.”

Celestia held up the necklace representing ‘Loyalty’, and then brought it down, hard on the table, causing it to shatter, sending pieces of gemstone to go scattering across the table and dropping onto the floor, bouncing away into the corners of the room.

Raindrop stared at her, mouth gaping slightly. “What did you do?!”

The princess looked down at the broken gemstone, grimacing. “Your trip was a waste of time. These aren’t the Elements of Harmony. These are fakes.”

Plans

“Fake?” Raindrop asked blankly, staring at the princess.

“Indeed,” Celestia responded, frowning and staring down at the five remaining fake Elements of Harmony, tossing aside the broken sixth in her hoof. “But the question is who took them...”

The young pegasus stared up at her for a long moment, her ears splaying backwards. She was unable to keep a note of whining out of her tone as she said, “But...I need the elements.”

The princess nodded once in response, beginning to pace back and forth. “Indeed...but there are bigger issues here now. I knew it was a mistake to leave the Elements so far from my influence...”

Trailing off, Celestia turned, and her horn began to glow. A pair of guards arrived momentarily, saluting her.

“Damascus, go into the garden, and check to see if Discord is still there.” She turned to the next guard. “Steelhooves, I want you to take the looking glass and fly above Equestria. Look for Wendigo’s.”

The two guards nodded, saluted, and then left to go about their designated tasks.

Raindrop stared up at the princess. “You think it was Discord?”

“I’m not ruling out any possiblities,” Celestia stated, picking up the fake Element representing generosity and staring at it for a long moment, before whispering, “The Diamond Dogs...”

“Diamond dogs? But you said it was Discord,” the pegasus said, quickly losing grasp on what Celestia was thinking. She had heard of Discord before; he was the lord of Chaos, a malevolent entity who cared for no one but himself.

“No...but the Diamond Dogs are the only race I know with access to gemstones of this quality. These gems could almost fool a dragon...” she trailed off then, as though coming up with a sudden idea. She turned to the pegasus. “There were flowers at the grave site, correct?”

“Uhm...a few?” Raindrop answered uncertainly.

“Fresh?”

“One of the wreaths looked a few days old...”

The princess gave a thin smile. “Indeed...Are you still willing to chase the Elements of Harmony, young pegasus?”

Raindrop paused a moment, weighing her options. After a few seconds, she realised she could either go after the Elements, or spend the rest of her life alone. She nodded.

“Good. I’m sending you back out to the grave site. There’s a dragon you have to meet.”

The young pegasus blinked once, her eyes widening. She squeaked slightly as she asked, “...A-a dragon?”

“Indeed. A dragon. He goes by the name of Spike. He and Rarity were quite close. I believe it was he who left the flowers at her grave. Sweetie Belle hasn’t been in Ponyville for two months at least, so it had to be him...” she said, as though to herself, before shaking her head to clear it, before adding, “Wait at the grave site for Spike. He’ll show up to leave flowers sooner or later. I’m sending Sentinel with you.”

Raindrop winced. “I think I’d prefer to go alone...and he would prefer it as well. I get the feeling he really doesn’t like me.”

“I have my reasons to send Sentinel with you, and he had his reasons to dislike you. That is between you, and he. You are finding the Elements of Harmony. A childish dislike of eachother is just something you’ll have to learn how to deal with,” she stated rather flatly, leaving no room for argument.

The pegasus sighed and nodded. “Yes, Princess celestia.”

“Wait for spike. And once you find him, ask him if he noticed any change in the Elements. Anything strange about them; or other visitors to the grave site. Anything that could give us a lead to who took the elements, or when.”

Raindrop nodded in understanding. The princess lifted her horn, and it glowed faintly for a moment. A minute or so later, Sentinel arrived.

“Sentinel. Pack things for a trip. Maybe a week or more. The Elements have been stolen. I think we’ll need your....” she cleared her throat for a moment, “Special talents.”

Sentinel nodded, saluting.

“You want to find Spike. It’s a slim chance that he noticed the Elements were switched. But being a dragon...” she trailed off, shaking her head once. “We need to follow up all loose ends.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Sentinel responded, nodding once.

“You’ll be going with Raindrop. I trust that won’t be a problem?” Celestia enquired.

The pegasus guard paused a moment, to look sideways at Raindrop, scowling a moment. “I shall endure.”

“Be nice, Sentinel. It’s not her fault,” Celestia cautioned, her eyes narrowing.

“Indeed, your majesty. I shall try my hardest to be cordial,” Sentinel responded, bowing.

Celestia shook her head. “Shoo, you two. I need to speak to Luna about this.”

Raindrop frowned a little bit, and then shook her head to clear it, turning to Sentinel. “I’ll need to get things from my home if we’re going for any extended amount of time.”

Sentinel nodded once. “I shall accompany you.”

The young pegasus frowned a little bit at that, before turning and nudging open the door, walking out it. A guard passed her, the one named Damascus. Raindrop heard him say to Celestia; “Upon closer inspection, the statue is a fake. It’s hollow.”

Raindrop looked left at Sentinel, raising a brow, wondering what he thought of this information.

The male pegasus looked worried, his ears splaying backwards, frowning. He looked at Raindrop, snorted, and then faced the front again.

Raindrop scowled back at him, but he was already facing the front again silent. Shaking her head, she bounded down the stairs to the front doors of the castle, and launched herself out of them, wings splaying wide to catch the air. Immediately, she began to head down to Ponyville, to the home she and Shine shared.

Night was falling, and the street lamps were already lit. Shine’s home, however, was dark. He wasn’t there.

Raindrop frowned as she backwinged to a neat landing at the front door. She wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to see Shine right now. She kind of wanted to tell him that she was working to get herself ‘fixed’, but his attitude towards her...she wasn’t sure if she could handle speaking to the stallion right then.

The young pegasus pushed open the front door with her nose, and then began to gather her things up for a long stay at the gravesite.

By the time Sentinel landed, Raindrop was already closing the front door and brushing roughly past him, taking several bounding steps and taking to the air again. The guard just shook his head and then followed after her.

~ ~ ~

Night flying had always been a favorite thing for Raindrop. The skies were always clear, for the most part, so she could just focus on the shadowed ground as she flew over top of it. The occasional yellow glow of a window denoted a house that still had occupants awake. Moonlight glimmered off the winding body of a river, and dark clouds edged in moonlight scudded along beneath her.

Once again, it was a quiet trip, with Sentinel not saying a word to her. But this time, Raindrop knew the way to the spot, and so didn’t need his guidance. Therefore, she took the lead, not wanting to have to even look at the guard. In the back of her mind, she wondered why she had earned his ire, but the other, more brash part of her mind just didn’t care. If he wanted to treat her with dislike, she could dislike him in return. It wasn’t like she had to be friends with the surly bastard.

~ ~ ~

It was near midnight when the two ponies arrived at the gravesite. The air was cold, and their exhalations misted in the air.

Raindrop looked back at the guard for a moment, and then snorted and unslung her bags from her back, placing them on the ground, grabbing a blanket out of one of them and settling herself down on one side of the upthrust rock, huddling in under the blanket to keep warm as her body began to cool.

Sentinel didn’t say a word, merely removing his armour and placing it in a neat little pile, stretching and arching slightly for a long moment, and then crawling in under a blanket he himself brought. Raindrop noticed that he was a well-built pegasus. He obviously worked out, a lot. A big, dumb, surly pegasus. His cutie mark was a strange green glow, and she couldn’t quite work that out. But maybe she didn’t see the entire thing in the gloom.

Huffing faintly, she laid her head down to sleep.

Rage

Raindrop sighed and stretched unhappily, grimacing a little bit and then placing down the next card in the sequence, finishing her game of Solitaire. That was at least twenty games she had beaten now; she had lost count after seven or so.

Boring.

There was nothing out here. Just an old, empty gravesite, and a high-strung, surly pegasus guard.

Even now, Sentinel was working out. He was running in place, and then doing wing push-ups. And then he was doing an inverted front-hoof lift. He went through a series of training motions again, and again, and again.

If it wasn’t for the utter contempt Sentinel showed towards her, Raindrop would have been certain that he was trying to impress her.

“Will you stop that?” she asked with a sigh, as she began to re-lay the cards, peering at the royal guard and shaking her head.

“I will not,” Sentinel stated in response, glaring at her for a long moment and then beginning to work out with increased fervour.

“You’re making me tired just looking at you,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head. “Get a deck of cards or something!”

Sentinel snorted at her, and then began to do vigorous wing push-ups, keeping his fore-hooves folded in front of him, glaring at her.

Raindrop rolled her eyes and shook her head again, pursing her lips and returning to focusing on her card game.

“I hate you,” Sentinel said after a few minutes of silence.

The young pegasus lifted her gaze from her cards to give him a long, patronising stare, before stating calmly, “...Yeah, I kinda got that.”

Sentinel scowled, returning to a resting state, and narrowing his eyes at her. A long silence stretched between them.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why?” Sentinel blurted after a moment.

Raindrop glanced at him coolly, flipping over another card. “Not when it’s obviously eating you up inside so much, no.”

“You’re a changeling!” Sentinel accused with a scowl, his eyes narrowing.

The young pegasus blinked at that, her ears splaying backwards. She gave voice to a stunned protest, “...I am not.”

“Yes you are,” Sentinel spat, lifting a hoof to point at her accusingly. “I don’t know why Celestia wants to help a changeling find the Elements of Harmony, but I know what you are. I can sense it.”

“I’m not a changling!” Raindrop protested, rising to her hooves, bristling with anger, her eyes narrowing.

“I was raised from birth to find your kind. You think I can’t tell?!” Sentinel demanded, rising to his hooves as well, head lowering aggressively.

“I’m not a changling!” Raindrop repeated, her tone hurt. “I can’t help what my grandmother was! It’s not my fault, and I’m not a changeling!”

“You admit it!” Sentinel cried, triumphant.

Raindrop recoiled slightly, shaking her head, her ears splaying backwards fully. “I-I’m not a changeling...I’m not...”

Sentinel advanced on her, striking her chest with his hoof. “You’re a changeling. I can sense it. Stop. Lying.”

The young cloud chaser pegasus recoiled from his hoof poking her chest, turning her head away, biting back the tears threatening to well up.

“I’m not a changeling!” she cried defiantly, and lifted a hoof to strike the guard across the face.

Sentinel wasn’t ready for the attack, and bore the full brunt of her blow across his unprotected brow and cheek. Her hoof hit with surprising force, stunning the royal guard with the sudden impact, sending him reeling sideways unsteadily, seeing stars.

By the time he recovered, Raindrop was already a speck in the sky, quickly lost among the heat haze rising from the savannah.

Raindrop ground her hooves into the rock beneath her, scowling deeply at the swaying grass in front of her. She was angry. She didn’t cry. That wasn’t her. Instead of crying, she got mad.

Her teeth were gritted, and she was trying her very best to squeeze the boulder beneath her until it cracked and shattered. Of course, she wasn’t nearly strong enough for that. But it was satisfying to imagine that her anger could make her that strong.

More accurately, she wanted to grind Sentinel’s face under her hooves. Squeeze his armour together and crush him inside it.

Raindrop heard the heavy sound of something landing behind her, but she refused to turn around. If she caught sight of Sentinel again, she was going to hit him. She was going to hit him until the yelping stopped or he knocked her out. One or the other.

“I know you’re a changeling,” Sentinel said quietly. “I was trained from birth. Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to make our entire generation of guards immune to your magics. And we can sense you. We are the first line of defense against your kind. And if I wasn’t told to help you by Celestia herself, then I would have you in the Canterlot dungeon already.”

Raindrop scowled, remaining facing forwards, refusing to answer, or even acknowledge the guard.

“Your kind injured my mother when she was a filly. And she died giving birth to me. My father abandoned me to the royal guard because of that. Your kind ruined whatever life I could have had. There will be no friendship between us. I will not be cordial with a demon and pretend like you’re some normal pony!” he exclaimed, his tone harsh.

“I have one thing to tell you...” Raindrop murmured, her tone quiet, level. But there something in her tone that made Sentinel recoil a little bit. There was something in her tone that spoke of danger.

The young cloud chaser pegasus turned around to face him, launching herself at him. She screamed at him as she beat him across the face with her hooves, slamming her hooves into his form again and again, punctuating each word with a fresh blow. “I! - Smack! - Am! - Smack! - Not! - Smack! - A! - Smack! - changling!”

On the final word, Raindrop spun and kicked him hard with both of her hindhooves, smacking them into his chin and jaw as hard as he could, sending the guard reeling backwards.

She rounded on him again, incensed, her chest heaving with her anger. Her eyes, normally a rather pretty light pink colour, seemed to glow with her anger, a shadow of green visible in their depths.

Sentinel bore her fury calmly. He was dressed in his full armour, and it deadened most of her blows, though she still caused damage with her vehemence. He merely stood there, watching her, blood slowly dropping from his nose.

“Defend yourself!” she screamed, raising a hoof to strike him again.

The royal guard just smiled smugly at her, and then gave a patronising thoughtful expression, before turning his head and spitting out a glob of blood into the dirt at her hooves in a completely contemptuous way, shaking his head. “I will not.”

Raindrop’s eyes narrowed, and she snarled, striking him across the cheek again as hard as she could, stumbling the royal guard, who just bore the blow, recovered his balance, and then stood tall again.

“Defend yourself!” she screeched again.

“I will not,” Sentinel stated, again with that smug smile.

Raindrop scowled, braying at him, incensed. She was so angry. She wanted to just wipe that smug smirk right off his muzzle. But her hooves were already hurting from the blows against his armour.

Instead, she turned away, staring out across the savannah, growling in her throat. Quietly, she stated; “I’m done.”

Sentinel just smiled, tilting his head slightly to the side, spitting out another small amount of his blood. His tone was utterly subservient as he said, “Very well, ma’am. If that is your wish.”

Raindrop grit her teeth, but didn’t say anything in response. She didn’t say a single word, waiting impatiently, standing stock-still. After several long moments, she heard Sentinel turn, and then take to the air. Moving back towards the rock.

The young storm chaser stared out over the savannah, filled with rage. She wasn’t going to do anything with the royal guard. She was on her own. Celestia be damned. Sentinel be damned. She would find the elements herself.

Discord

Sentinel spat out another line of blood as he trudged back towards the gravesite. The entire left side of his face was aching, and a black eye was blooming spectacularly under his armour. A blood vessel in his nose had burst, and blood was slowly dripping down from his right nostril. He hadn’t had such a thorough beating since the first few weeks of guard training, when he was but a cheeky colt.

The pegasus rubbed a hoof against his cheek as he walked, wrinkling his nose and spitting out another splat of mingled saliva and blood. He could taste the metallic overtones of blood in the back of his mouth, and it was making him nauseous.

How could Celestia have thought he would stand to escort a changeling? Maybe she had been testing his ability to sense the changelings? But then, that left the question of what the changeling was doing going along with the princess. It made no sense at all. And her adamance that she wasn’t a changeling was amusing. He could sense the changeling blood in her. It was strange; he had never used his ability before, but he could just sense what lurked inside her. It was like a glow of green inside her eyes, or her aura, or something. He didn’t understand it, but he knew.

Sentinel decided that it was a test. If there was some reason for him to not to harm her, then Celestia would have said so.

Deciding that his head was clear, and concussion-free enough to fly, the young pegasus took to the air, launching himself upwards and spreading his wings.

Cool air stinged against his wounds, burning, reminding him of the damage and cooling the blood. He needed to get clean before anything else. The golden glow of the setting sun bounced a reflection up off the winding form of a river, and the pegasus headed for it.

As he splashed down in a shallow bend of the river and began to discard his armour, he scrubbed a hoof up over his face to try and clean some of it, wincing as he touched at the wounds the changeling had given him. She had a pretty strong hoof, that one. Mentally, he berated himself for thinking of it as a female. It was a changeling. They didn’t have a set gender. They were it’s.

The guard swilled his armour in the shallow stream, before sliding it all back on, once more shiny and no longer sticky with droplets of his blood. He bounded a few metres along the shore and then took to the air again, heading back for the gravesite.

After a few minutes, the pegasus dropped neatly to a stop in front of the grave site, moving over to his supplies and sitting down, beginning to shed his armour. He placed his chest piece against a rock and used it as a mirror, admiring his new look in the distorted, blurry reflection. Even with the imperfect reflection, his black eye was quite visible. Scowling to himself, he picked up the helmet and slid it over his head, squinting at the reflection again. At least, beneath his helmet, it wasn’t so obvious.

The pegasus shook his head and took his helmet off, digging around in his backpack, and coming up with a packet of novelty peanuts to snack on. They were all different colours, denoting the different flavours they’d been soaked in. He had just gotten the top open when a shadow fell over his form. At first, he thought it might be Spike, and he turned to look up at the figure, his eyes slowly widening.

“Why hello there, little pegasus. Fancy meeting you all the way out here...alone,” the creature said with a warm smile, leaning closer. “Tell me, little pegasus, do you like chaos?”

Sentinel swallowed hard, and rolled backwards, snatching up his helmet and jamming it on his head, squaring his stance to face the Draconequus, head lowering in readiness as he hissed, “Discord!”

“Discord plus three,” he said with a smile, waving an arm in a presenting fashion to reference the three Diamond Dogs behind him, who stepped out of his shadow casually, their eyes narrowing.

Raindrop took a long, long time to calm down. Her hooves hurt both from both smacking the stupid guard and from grinding them into the rock beneath her. Her insides burned with the injustice of it all. She couldn’t help what she was, but that guard had made his mind up about her instantly. She was a changeling, she wasn’t to be trusted.

It was unfair and made the inferno of her rage burn hotter and brighter. And it took her a long time to calm down. But when she did, she was ready, fortified. She would find the Elements of Harmony, and then all of this would be fixed. All of this would be just a bad memory.

She stared out over the dark savannah as the sun set, and gave it another half hour for Sentinel to have gone to sleep, before she went back to get her stuff. Spike was the only lead to the Elements of Harmony. Possibly. But Celestia would have other leads. Raindrop didn’t need to wait at the gravesite for a dragon who might, or might not even be coming.

Rustling her wings with a huff, she bounded a few steps and then threw herself into the air, squinting against the darkness and the rushing wind as she coasted low and fast towards the grave site. Hopefully, Sentinel would be sleeping, and she could get her stuff and be gone before he even knew she was there.

Raindrop landed quietly, creeping a few steps across the rock, before pausing. Something wasn’t right. Sentinel wasn’t there. But all of his gear was.

The pegasus scowled faintly. Hopefully, the stupid guard had gotten lost finding his way back, and would end up wandering the savannah for a few days, lost.

It was as she was gathering up her supplies, however, that she caught a reflection of moonlight glancing off something shiny an metallic. She strode over to the edge of the rock, and peered down at the object, reaching out with a hoof and picking it up, her brow furrowing deeply. It was a helmet, a guard helmet.

Sentinel’s helmet.

Frowning deeply, she placed the helmet down, and then cast a glance over at the guards supplies. Now that she looked closely, they looked disturbed, like they’d been kicked...or like somepony had been thrown against them with considerable force.

And oddly enough, there were a few strange-coloured peanuts scattered around. Raindrop blinked at them, picking one up and sniffing at it curiously, before tossing it aside. Sentinel had obvious run into actual, tangible trouble.

She cast her gaze about, and then spied a yellow peanut sitting at the end of the rock. She crept down off the rock and walked a few metres towards the direction the peanut was in, and found a red one. A trail.

Raindrop scowled for a moment, before moving over to her gear and packing it up. She bundled it all into her packs’ and slipped it onto her back, taking wing again, heading away from the gravesite. She settled instead on a hilltop a good distance from the gravesite, far enough away that she wouldn’t be seen by anyone at the gravesite itself.

She fully intended to follow the trail of peanuts to see whom had taken her ‘valiant defender’. Maybe she would shake their hoof when she found them. But it was a strong possibility that whoever took Sentinel had a good reason to. A reason related to the Elements of Harmony. It was a slim lead, but it beat heading back to Canterlot and asking for further information from the princess.

It was too dark for her to find peanuts, even if there was a trail and not just one or two that were thrown free. Either way, she wasn’t going to lift a hoof to help Sentinel. Not that night. Maybe not even if she found him.

She would show him what a changeling was like.

Breadcrumbs

Sunlight awoke Raindrop, and she yawned softly, stretching. Her blanket was warm, but the air was not. The first weak rays of morning light were touching the hilltops, highlighting them in liquid gold.

Shuddering at the cool morning air, the young pegasus rose and slipped off the blankets, tucking them into her bags and straightening up, looking out towards the grave site. In the morning light, it looked peaceful and calm. The small bundles of Sentinel’s things were still visible.

Raindrop leapt from the hilltop, and glided over the long savannah grass to the gravesite, backwinging to a halt in front of the split stone and looking around. Everything was just as she’d seen the previous night. His gear was slightly spread out as though it had been disturbed during a scuffle, and there were several multicoloured peanuts, as well as Sentinel’s helmet sitting in the centre of the rock where she’d left it.

The pegasus stepped over to Sentinel’s packs, tipping up the flap of one of them and peeking inside. Within the pack was a collection of long-lasting food, a spare set of straps for his armour, a small hoof-dagger, and a thick book. Raindrop hummed to herself as she pulled out the book, peering at it. It was a thick, leather-bound thing She flipped the pages open with mild curiosity, seeing a few pages of hoofwriting about some magical fantasy place across the seas.

A picture tumbled from the book, and flapped onto the ground. Raindrop stooped to pick up the picture, peering at it for a moment. It was an old, grey picture of a pair of ponies. One male, one female, in the hospital, smiling for the camera. The female was heavily pregnant, ready to give birth.

Raindrop peered at the photo for a moment, considered tossing it aside, and then shrugged and tucked it into her pack, placing the book aside and rummaging in the second bag. This bag was filled with food, again, a travel blanket, pillow, and a strange red gem that pulsed faintly with a strange inner light. It was as large as her hoof, and seemed warm to the touch.

Giving a thoughtful hum, Raindrop pocketed the large gem, took a food pack, and then closed the lid of the back, turning her back on it and then stalking to the edge of the rock, peering down at the edge. There were signs of a scuffle in the grass, and then nothing. But a little bit further on, she spied a hint of green among the swaying brown of the grass.

Raindrop took to the air, sweeping her wings slowly to maintain a low altitude as she swept across the grass, keeping an eye out for the little coloured specks that were the peanuts.

It took her an entire hour just to get out of the grasslands, and she was sure that she had missed several peanuts along the way, but they were all strewn in a straight line, heading for a mountain range in the distance.

So instead, Raindrop headed for the mountain, seeking out the odd speck of strange colour. It was easier the closer she got to the mountains, as the grass grew shorter and sparser, until it was rocky ground strewn with stretches of sand. And then the peanuts disappeared altogether. In their place, she found pieces of armour instead, as well as scuff marks. It seemed that Sentinel had still been struggling.

Raindrop moved quietly here, keeping low to the ground, coasting between mountain valleys on silent wings. After a time, the armour pieces seemed to stop appearing as well, but Raindrop found one partly hidden underneath a rock. Sentinel’s little trail had been found, it seemed, and his captors had started hiding the armour pieces.

Giving up on following the trail, Raindrop flitted up to the mountaintops to look for a likely place.

Perching upon a peak, the young pegasus cast her gaze down the other side of the mountain, frowning as she observed and odd sight.

A flat valley lay between her mountain and the next, and there, the ground was perforated. A series of large holes lay in the earth, with mounds of dirt besides them. They seemed as though giant mole hills. Each of them had a circumference wide enough for Raindrop to fly inside with her wings open without fear of touching the side.

Raindrop knew what these were. They were Diamond Dog holes. They were holes created when Diamond Dogs dug for the precious stones that Equestria was so famous for.

A glimmer of light near the entrance of one of the holes alerted Raindrop to the presence of a piece of Sentinel’s armour. It was his chestpiece and backplate, the largest pieces of his armour. Likely the last pieces he had been wearing.

As far as Raindrop could ascertain, Sentinel had been dragged down into the tunnels by Diamond Dogs. So the Diamond Dogs maybe had a clue what had happened to the Elements of Harmony. It wasn’t a whole lot to go on.

At that point, Raindrop could have just gone home. Could have just turned around and gone back to Celestia, told her what she had found out. Pretended that Sentinel had wandered off and gotten ‘lost’.

Instead, Raindrop sighed and leaped from her mountain top, coasting down the face of the mountain and then backwinging to a stop at the holes. She stepped over to the one that had Sentinel’s armour at the entrance, and kicked aside the heavy metal plates, peering down into the darkness. She frowned slightly, and then reached back with a hoof into her pack, digging out the red gem she had ‘borrowed’ from Sentinel’s pack, and held it above the hole. The glow from inside the gem was sufficient to light up the tunnel to the edges, but not much further.

Raindrop sighed and shook her head at what she was about to do, taking a few steps back from the tunnel entrance, sloughing her packs, and then holding aloft the red gem as she dropped down into the tunnel.

Raindrop entered a new world. It was dark down here, and quiet. There was a clammy feel to the air, cool and moist. A faint current of air was carried from deeper inside the network of caves. The tunnel she was standing in was smooth around the edges, patted down by the passage of many paws and hooves. The marks of something being dragged, though, were visible, as were scuff marks. Sentinel seemed to have been struggling the entire way.

The young cloud chaser lowered her head slightly, and transferred the gem to her mouth, to leave her hooves free, beginning to head down the tunnel, keeping her hoofsteps light, so they didn’t make any noise.

It was only a hundred or so metres of downward-angled tunnel before it terminated in what seemed to be an antechamber. A pair of flaming torches lit up the large circular room, which had tunnel entrances set going off of it from all angles. Looking around at all the tunnels, Raindrop turned and beat her hoof against the wall several times to leave a mark she would recognize on the way back through, to mark her tunnel.

The obvious way to proceed was a single tunnel set in between the two flaming torches. The pegasus stepped down the tunnel warily, keeping her eye out for any Diamond Dogs that might be around. But the tunnels were all quiet. Creepily quiet. It was scary how little habitation the tunnels saw.

It was a good two hundred metres before Raindrop found out why. The tunnel leveled out, and then opened up into a wide chamber. Torches here were scattered everywhere, and even though there was no sound, Raindrop could sense that there were creatures in the chamber. She slipped the gem from her mouth, to her wing, hiding it among the pinions there to keep its glow from being seen, and crept to the end of the tunnel.

The tunnel widened out into a massive chamber, and like the smaller one preceding it, the outside of it was perforated by dozens of tunnel entrances, and it was filled with Diamond Dogs. A simple wooden stage sat in the centre of the chamber, surrounded by the Dogs. They milled about here and there, in groups of three or four. Large, small, all shapes and sizes. It looked like an army.

“Come, my children!” a voice was calling across the crowd.

It was coming from the wooden stage, where Discord stood, reared up on his hindlegs, mismatched paws spread wide, presenting the Royal Guard strung up in chains on the pedestal. His hooves were tied to a brace that crossed over the back of his neck, in what looked to be an extremely uncomfortable position. It was Sentinel, of course, devoid of his armour.

Raindrop saw that he looked like he’d been beaten up, but she noted with pride that the most damage done to him seemed to have come from her own hooves.

The diamond dogs stood to attention as Discord spoke, and Raindrop peered over at the stage for a moment as the god of chaos began his spiel. He was talking about Celestia, and taking over Equestria, and other evil things. Raindrop didn’t really pay attention. Somehow, for the god of chaos, Discord wasn’t so impressive to her. No magic, no lightning, no random events of chaos happening all around. Maybe he was trying his paw at subterfuge for a change?

And then his triumphant monologue about taking over Equestria was done, and the Diamond Dogs began to disperse. Raindrop withdrew into the shadows, sheltering behind a boulder. The chamber was massive, and keeping it all lit was impossible. The few torches provided light enough to see shapes, but not much else. At least, not out on the edges of the chamber.

And then, it was quiet. Everyone was gone.

Raindrop peeked out around the boulder, at the centre stage. Discord was gone, as were the Diamond Dogs, seemingly to do their daily evil business. Taking candy from foals, stepping on flowers. Or whatever it was they did during the day.

The young pegasus grimaced slightly, peering over at Sentinel. She could have turned around then, and made her way out of the tunnels. But no, here she was, playing the hero.

Setting her shoulders, Raindrop stepped out from behind the boulder, and bounced her way over to the centre stage, looking about furtively and then pulling herself up onto it, sliding over to the Royal Guard. He looked exhausted and out of it. He was bound in heavy chains, and a pair of padlocks secured him to the post. She stepped closer, and immediately, his eyes opened, and his head lifted, his eyes narrowing on her.

“You’re one of them,” he hissed.

“Yeah yeah, we established I’m a changeling already, idiot,” she hissed, having no patience for this conversation.

“No. You’re in league with Discord!” he accused.

Raindrop slipped over to him and clasped a hoof over his mouth, staring into his eyes, glaring. “You are going to be quiet or so help me Celestia, I will knock you unconscious and drag you out of here by your tail. The only thing I want to hear come out of that stupid mouth is where the keys are to your locks.”

The young pegasus removed her hoof, glowering at the guard, and he scowled back at her for a moment, before jerking his head towards the tunnel behind the stage. “One of the Diamond Dogs has the keys, changeling.”

“Welp, I’m off to play the hero, then. Don’t go anywhere, honey,” Raindrop said, gently tapping the guard on the cheek with her hoof and then slipping past him to begin creeping down the tunnel he had indicated.

Time to play the hero.

Taint

Raindrop crept down the tunnel, keeping to one side, and keeping her new gem tucked neatly in the feathers of her wing to keep the glow from revealing her. She could hear movement all around; Diamond Dogs going about their daily business, whatever it was they did. She heard the sounds of digging to the right, the kind of rapid scratching associated with any canine’s digging efforts. To her left, she heard the sound of footsteps, muffled through the wall.

It was surreal, creeping down a tunnel, with nothing but a glowing red gem for company, walking towards Discord himself, with the intent of stealing a key from a guard to release a guard from his shackles that she would quite happily watch suffer.

And when she summed it up like that, Raindrop actually paused, turned around, and began to head back down the tunnel the way she had come. Why was she even trying to save the stupid guard? He could just rot down here with the Diamond Dogs as far as she was concerned.

And then she caught sight of him again, strung up like that on the cross. And she smiled.

It filled Raindrop’s heart with an odd satisfaction to know that the guard was completely at her mercy. Without her, he was done. He was utterly powerless, and she held all the cards right in her hoof. She controlled what happened with his very life from that instant onwards.

And that scared her.

Raindrop took a deep, shuddering breath, and then turned around, bounding a few steps back down the tunnel, her head held low, her breathing a little faster than normal. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel like this?

Never one for cruelty, Raindrop was more known for acts of random kindness than acts of malicious intent. She was the kind of pony who would pay for a strangers drink if she saw they didn’t have enough for it themselves. She was the kind of pony who would go out of their way to help someone, and then leave before they had a chance to offer something in the way of thanks. It was how she was wired.

And here she was, delighting in Sentinel’s suffering. She actually wanted to prolong his pain!

The sheer knowledge of it disgusted her.

Shuddering in disgust at her own emotions, the young pegasus stepped back down the tunnel, lightening her hoofsteps as she did so, keeping to one side of the tunnel, where the shadows could keep her hidden. Every now and again, she would splay her wings a little so that the glow of the red gem would light up her path, making sure she wasn’t going to trip over something.

Up ahead, she could hear snoring, and the glow of torches were visible around a bend in the tunnel. Muffled voices murmured from the room around the bend, and Raindrop crept right up to the corner, not daring to peek around it, listening with bated breath.

“Come, Spike,” A smooth, feminine voice was saying. Raindrop’s ears perked; Spike was the dragon she had been sent to find! “I need you to activate it again.”

There was the scrabble of claws on stone, and then a low, soft humming. The light of the torches was suddenly overshadowed by a much brighter light, red in colour, pulsing in a firm rhythm.

Raindrop blinked once and turned to look at her wing, her brows furrowing. The stone clasped in her pinions was growing hot!

Even as she watched, the stone was beginning to glow and pulse in time with the one around the bend, brightening so much that it actually became visible through the thick layer of her feathers covering it.

Quickly, the pegasus threw her other wing over it and held it to her chest, gasping breathlessly at how hot it was against her, gritting her teeth and riding out the burning heat until it began to dissipate.

Raindrop gasped once as she released the gem, baring her teeth and rubbing at her chest with a hoof, wrinkling her nose at the scent of singed fur in the air.

“Good, my little Spikey-Wikey. I think you’ve earned yourself a reward,” the feminine voice purred, and it was followed by the smack of a kiss.

“Yesss....” a male voice hissed in return, vapid and eager.

Obviously, Spike was fraternising with the enemy.

Raindrop entertained the idea, for a moment, of a dragon and a Diamond Dog together, until the mental image made her stomach churn and she forced it from her mind. She sincerely hoped it wasn’t a female Diamond Dog that the dragon had become entangled with. Maybe...maybe it was Discord himself? Or herself as it were? Raindrop had heard that Discord could do that kind of thing. And as the god of Chaos, it was perhaps not such a giant leap of faith to think he could do so.

Hearing footsteps leading away from the tunnel, and deeper into the earth, Raindrop risked a peek around the corner. There was a rather bare room ahead, and a glowing red gem on it, like the one in her wing. Except this one was somehow better. It was more lustrous, brighter, and infinitely more beautiful.

Raindrop crept forwards into the room, and cast her gaze about. She blinked once in surprise and balked as she caught sight of a Diamond Dog sitting in a chair by a tunnel entrance ahead. A loud snore made her sigh in relief, and she relaxed visibly.

Carefully, the young pegasus eased forwards, and looked the guard over. He was larger than the others, and looked to be rather, well...stupid.

Biting her bottom lip, Raindrop reached down with a hoof and began to, very gently, and very carefully, disentangle a keyring from the guards hip.

The keys jangled once, and the guard snorted, sitting up a little bit straighter.

Raindrop held her breath, eyes clenching closed, standing stock-still. The guard lapsed back into sleep, and Raindrop heaved out the breath she had been holding. Her hoof shook violently as she slipped the keyring off its hook, and then turned around, walking with steps that seemed light and weightless to her after the massive surge of adrenaline.

On instinct, she made her way over to the glowing gem. It was sitting on a black three-pronged, twisted holder of some kind that actually looked kind of cool. Trust the bad guys to get the good furniture.

A hoof reached out to gently touch the gem, and then snatched back as the gem went dark. Mist seemed to coalesce inside the gem, and then explode outwards until it reached the surface of the gem, turning it to stone.

Raindrop frowned, looking left, and then right, and then snatching the now-stone gem, placing it in her other wing. Casting one more glance about, she turned and then began to quickly, but quietly, make her way back to Sentinel.

Sentinel was still hoisted up in his restraints when Raindrop returned, and she entertained the idea, for a few moments, of placing the keys on the stage in front of him, just out of reach.

Raindrop then swallowed down the dark impulse, and made her way over to him.

She didn’t know why she was being so mean all of a sudden? Maybe it was the Changeling blood resurfacing inside her. Maybe it was just stress? Would the changeling traits even change her personality? Goddess knew she was a much more short-tempered pegasus since all of this had started happening. Sentinel’s face told her that.

“I’m here,” she whispered gently as she slipped up behind the guard. “Can you walk?”

“I don’t know,” Sentinel spat in response, scowling slightly. “I haven’t exactly had a chance to test it, have I?”

Raindrop’s eyes narrowed slowly. Leaving the key on the stage in front of him was seeming like a better idea with every second. “A simple ‘I don’t know” would have sufficed.”

“Whatever,” Sentinel responded with a short huff. “Just get me out of these damn things.”

Raindrop stared up at him for a long moment, before drawing away. “No...actually, I think I’ll leave you there.”

Sentinel watched with narrowed eyes as the young pegasus laid the key to his manacles on the stage in front of him, just out of reach of his hooves.

“Don’t go anywhere honey, you make a nice wall ornament,” she stated flatly, as she turned and began to stride away calmly.

Anger

The tunnels were an entirely new place when the Diamond Dogs inhabited them. The very same tunnels that Raindrop had gone down earlier were now completely cut off by Diamond Dogs digging or lazing in them. It seemed that everywhere she turned, there was another Diamond Dog lurking under a torch to block her escape. It was beginning to fray her nerves, being surrounded by so many of them, and she was almost stunned that she hadn’t been discovered yet.

And all while she looked for an escape route, Sentinel’s words echoed in her mind.

“Get back here!” he had hissed after her as she walked away from him. He had been angry; subdued and quiet, but angry. “Get back here and get me out of this you besotted changeling!”

And each one of his words had made her angrier. She wanted to go back, take the key, and literally shove it down his throat with her hoof. It was as if there was a violent creature waiting inside her, waiting to attack at the tiniest provocation. And while she was angry, she had no control over it.

Or maybe Sentinel was just a massive dick.

Raindrop consoled herself with the fact that the guard wouldn’t be a problem much longer. They’d find her theft of the stone soon enough, and the key right in front of the pegasus there on the stage. And then they’d raise the alarm and that would be that. Raindrop intended to be long gone by that time, though.

The young pegasus had to cut right down a new tunnel, as the one she’d previously used to enter the system of tunnels was now filled with Diamond Dogs. This tunnel was lined with dull blue crystals, too dark to be used in decorating, and thus, pretty much useless. She crept down the length of the tunnel, frowning to herself as it started to slope gently downwards. She needed to go up, not down. The tunnel evened out after a little while, and terminated in a large room heaped high with gems and treasures. There were fat rubies the size of her hoof, sapphires, and even a few clear diamonds.

At the front of the pile of gems, sitting on a pedestal, were the Elements of Harmony. Glittering and shiny, they each had their own pedestal, six in a row. Each of them were shaped as she remembered, from when she had first collected them. But somehow, Raindrop knew these weren’t the real Elements. They didn’t feel right. Somehow, she thought the Elements of Harmony would feel..magical. These just felt inert. They were fakes, like the ones she had brought back to Celestia.

Frowning, Raindrop turned around and headed back up the tunnel she had come from. Her wings were growing sore from carrying the weight of Sentinel’s gem, and the strange stone she had taken on impulse. Something told her that it was important.

Raindrop slunk back into the large chamber where Sentinel was strung up. The guard was trying vainly to reach the key with a hoof, panting for breath. He looked rather...pathetic like that, strung up and straining against his bonds to reach the key sitting so close to him, and yet so hard to attain that it might as well have been at the bottom of the ocean.

And somehow, it filled her with joy to know that she had placed him in that position. That she had this power over a strong male. That she could exert her strength in such a way.

Raindrop shuddered as she realised that she was enjoying putting another pony in pain, and she rushed over to him, bounding a few steps and picking up the key, slotting it into the shackle at his ankle and unlocking it, swapping the key to the next padlock and unlocking it as well.

Sentinel stared down at her, frowning slightly, apparently wanting to say something. Wisely though, he kept his mouth shut.

Raindrop stood up next to him, to where his hooves were bound, supporting his weight on her shoulders to cause the chains to go slack so she could unlock the padlocks, and let them drop to the ground.

The guard slumped as he was freed, and then pushed away from her, dropping down onto his hindlegs first, and then his forelegs, the limbs shaking and then giving out instantly, sending him sprawling out on his chest with a grunt of pain.

“Get up!” Raindrop hissed, moving to his side and nudging him upright. “We have to go.”

“Really?” Sentinel hissed in response, baring his teeth in pain and trying to rise, before saying in a slightly panicked tone, “I...I can’t move my forehooves!”

“Useless!” Raindrop hissed, gripping his mane in her teeth and dragging him off the stage bodily, moving to rest his chest on her back. She moved towards the tunnels again, already regretting her decision to set the guard free, “Now walk!”

Sentinel harrumphed, but gave a few staggered steps as Raindrop had instructed, his upper body supported on her back as she bore him towards the tunnels. The female pegasus nudged him upwards and slipped out from under him, letting him collapse to the ground, snorting at him.

“Gonna hit me again?” The guard asked with a grimace, as he tentatively tried to support his weight with his forepaws.

Raindrop scowled, and then turned away, before thinking better of it and turning back towards him, giving him a ringing blow to the side of the head with a hoof.

Sentinel winced and closed his eye on that side, shaking his head. “Forget I asked...”

The female pegasus scowled at him, her tone dangerous, “I should have left you in the damn chains.”

“But then who would you beat up?” Sentinel asked dryly, as he managed to lift himself to his hooves.

Raindrop paused in her looking about to aim another heavy blow at the side of his head.

Sentinel caught her hoof in mid-air, and then smiled at her.

“I can walk now,” he stated, and then seemed to pause, looking thoughtful, before jabbing her, hard, in the nose, with a rather heavy blow from his own hoof. “And defend myself.”

Raindrop recoiled from the stunning suddenness of the blow, blinking slowly and lifting a hoof to rub her nose.

“That is for leaving me in the chains,” he stated flatly, eyes narrowing at her, taking a step backwards before she could recover enough to retaliate.

The young pegasus took a deep breath, gritting her teeth, turning to face him, biting her words off as she said quietly, “Let’s wait until we get out of here to continue this.”

“Agreed,” Sentinel stated, flexing his forehooves to regain mobility in them.

Raindrop scowled at him, touching her nose with a hoof and looking down at the blood there with a thoughtful expression, before stating, “I might have deserved that.”

“You did,” Sentinel concurred, walking past her and starting down the tunnel. “You forgot to change your eyes back, by the way.”

Raindrop blinked once at that, mystified as to what he had said, before trailing after him as he moved down the tunnel. “There are Diamond Dogs near the entrance. We can’t just walk past them.”

“...Tell me, Raindrop. Do you have wings?” Sentinel asked flatly, peering at her over his shoulder.

The pegasus flushed faintly, her ears splaying back in embarrassment. “Uh...yeah.”

“Use them,” he stated, pointing a hoof forwards. “You fly out of here, distract the guards, I’ll walk out afterwards.”

“You fly out first!” she hissed in response, brows furrowing.

“I don’t even know if I can fly right now. We can’t walk out. So either fly out, or we both stay here skulking in the tunnels until they discover you set me free and find us. Then we can exchange barbed words in chainsm” Sentinel stated coolly.

“Fine,” Raindrop hissed, shaking her head and then dropping the stone and the gem from her wings, directly onto the guards forehooves.

Sentinel bared his teeth, growling faintly at her, before looking down at the two objects, and then looking up at her with a scowl. “The Seeker Stone...You stole that!”

Raindrop shrugged, but didn’t say anything, stretching her wings.to get them ready for flight.

“And this...” he added, lifting a hoof to rest on the stone, his eyes widening. “The Element of Loyalty!”

Raindrop paused at that, turning to look at the guard, and then down at the stone, snorting once, and then pointing out, “The Element of Loyalty is a red crystal on a gold necklace, shaped like a lightning bolt.”

“The Seeker Stone glowed and throbbed when it got close to this, yes?” he asked, nudging the red gem.

“...Yeah?” Raindrop admitted, not understanding.

“Then this is the Element,” he said, picking up the dull grey orb and slipping it under his wing for safekeeping. “We have to get this out of here. Were there any others nearby?”

Raindrop shook her head. “Just the one.”

Sentinel frowned, wrinkling his nose slightly. “That’s not good...they must have been split up...”

“That’s your problem now. Toodles,” Raindrop said, taking several bounding steps down the tunnel and then leaping into the air, spreading her wings.

There was barely enough room for her to flap her wings without hitting the sides of the tunnel, angling her wings to gain speed, coasting above the bottom of the tunnel, leaving the guard to watch her until she slipped out of sight around the bend in the tunnel.

A cry of alarm rose from a Diamond Dog as Raindrop flew overhead, her hooves almost clipping his head as she moved. The tunnel widened out into the entrance chamber, where a pair of dogs were digging for gems, and they both looked up at the cry of alarm.

Raindrop’s eyes widened and she cried out in dismay as she saw a net thrown in front of her. Her reaction was a little too slow and she collided with the leading edge of the heavy netting, halting her escape almost instantly. She came down hard on the ground, tangled in the netting, struggling feebly for a moment.

Diamond Dogs converged on her, three in total, standing on the edges of the net to keep her in place, so she couldn’t struggle out from under the netting.

Raindrop struggle anyway, planting her hooves and trying her hardest to straighten her hooves and force her body upwards, quivering and shaking for a moment before she collapsed. Growling, she looked around, and saw Sentinel standing in the tunnel, half in darkness, uncertainly watching as the guards held her down.

“We got another pony!” one of them cawed with a grin, prodding her with a claw.

“Let me go,” Raindrop hissed, her tone vehement.

“Oh sure pony. We’re sorry, we’ll just let you go since you said so,” the dog said calmly, crossing his arms and staring down at her with a patronising expression.

“This one is female!” one of the dogs said from behind her, a wide grin evident on his face, his tone elated. “We could have fun with this one before taking her to the others!”

“I warned you!” Raindrop snarled, her body twisting as she rose suddenly to her hooves. Muscles rippled under her hide visibly as she straightened her hooves, causing the three dogs to become unbalanced by the sudden shift in weight. With a snarl, the pegasus reared up on her hindlegs, ripping the net from under the Diamond Dog in front of her, and allowing her to toss it off.

The dog tried to tackle her, throwing himself at her form, arms outstretched.

Raindrop bared her teeth, and smashed her hoof into his face and stopping him in his tracks. Turning, she aimed a double kick with her hindlegs into the chest of another of the dogs, and hit him square, centre-mass.

The poor diamond dog was sent literally off his feet, hitting the third and last diamond dog with a force far above what Raindrop should have been able to produce, sending them both tumbling away until they came to rest against the wall of the chamber, unmoving.

Raindrop stood in the centre of the chamber, limbs splayed, breathing hard, her muscles still rippling under her hide. Her eyes were fully green now, demonic and wild. Her teeth were clenched hard, and she seemed to be trying her hardest to keep her muscles from clenching. Her back arched, and her wings snapped out wide, tensing and quivering as her head locked into place. She arched and shuddered, biting down until she tasted blood, jaws locked, unable to control her own body.

Her muscles rippled again, and she gave a stifled cry, feeling as though all the bones in her body were about to break. The strain was incredible.

Sentinel moved towards her cautiously, nudging the Diamond Dogs to ensure they were properly unconscious as he moved over towards her, pausing a few steps from her. His tone was more curious than concerned as he asked, “Are you...okay?”

“H-help m-me..” Raindrop managed to whimper from between her unyielding jaws. Her body was no longer under her control, and each ripple of her muscles hurt, like her bones were trying to rearrange themselves.

The guard looked her over for a moment, his brows furrowing. Rather calmly, he stepped over to one of the guards, drew a club from besides his body, and then moved back over to Raindrop, smacking her over the head with the club.

Instantly, Raindrop slumped to the ground. Her muscles relaxed, her entire form dropped, and she went completely limp. Sentinel lifted one of her eyelids, and checked her eyes; they were still green and slit-pupilled. And the young pegasus was unconscious, her eyes glassy and unmoving.

Harrumphing, Sentinel considered leaving the pegasus there, before sighing faintly and shaking his head, gripping Raindrop’s hoof and throwing it over his shoulders, starting to drag her from the tunnel system.

Explanations

Raindrop groaned and stirred fitfully, weakly shifting a hoof to try and touch her head, where a throbbing epicentre of ache was demanding her attention.

“Don’t try to move, Raindrop,” A soothing feminine voice said. She recognized the voice, but it took a few moments for it to click over in her mind that it was Princess Celestia.

One of her eyes opened and she groaned again at her complete inability to move. Moving hurt. Breathing hurt. It was as though she’d managed to pull every single muscle in her body at once.

As soon as her eyes opened, she realised she was in the dungeon. The bars of a cell rose in front of her, and Celestia was standing in the open doorway, frowning down at her.

“Hurts...” Raindrop managed to whimper from behind her uncooperative lips.

“I know, Raindrop, I know. From what Sentinel told me, you attempted to change. Your body wasn’t designed for it, Raindrop. It almost killed you,” Celestia explained, leaning down to be more on her level. “I need to know you’re still Raindrop before I can let you out of here.”

Raindrop winced slightly as she tried to lift her head, and snorted at the Princess for a moment, before just splaying out again.

“Give it a day or so, you’ve been through a lot,” Celestia said, withdrawing and motioning for a guard, who stepped over to the cell door and closed it, sealing her inside.

Raindrop didn’t even react. She just closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Consciousness returned slowly to Raindrop, and she groaned again. Her muscles all hurt. It was as though she overused every muscle in her body and none of them wanted to work. She felt weak and utterly powerless. It took her a few moments to realise that it had been a visitor that brought her back to consciousness, and she opened an eye weakly to figure out who it was. She was expecting Celestia, but instead, saw the receding flank of a royal guard in full dress, walking away from her.

She tried to phrase a question but was too weak, and just closed her eye again. She opened it again and squinted at the source of a scent of an oddly sweet fire. A small cake was sitting in front of her, with a candle burning atop it slowly. The guard must have left it there for her, she surmised. But why would a guard leave her a cake? That was the oddest meal to serve a prisoner.

Pushing the thought out of her mind, Raindrop returned to unconsciousness.

Ravenous.

Raindrop was absolutely ravenous when she woke up next. She devoured the cake in front of her without a second thought. It was now old, stale, and cold, but she barely tasted it. Vanilla icing atop chocolate cake. She almost ended up eating the candle as well.

The sugary goodness slid down her throat and helped a little bit, but it was only moments before she was at the bars of her cell, rapping her hoof of them, calling, “Uh...hello? I want food!”

One of the guards wandered down the stairs at the end of the hall, and ambled towards her, raising a brow. “You’re awake?”

“No. Sleepwalking. Food. Now.” Raindrop stated, rapping her hoof on the bars again.

The guard rolled his eyes, and then squinted at her for a moment, staring into her eyes.

Raindrop kept his gaze for a few moments, before beginning to feel uncomfortable, looking down at her hooves.

“...I’ll get you some food,” the guard said after a moment, turning away and returning back upstairs.

The pegasus sat down on her haunches in front of the bars impatiently, tail twitching back and forth in agitation as she waited.

A salad sandwich, a hoofful of sugarcubes, and a cup of water. It was simple fare, but it was the best meal Raindrop had ever had. Her protesting muscles didn’t even stop her from scoffing down the food as fast as she could, washing down the unyielding chunks of bits with mouthfuls of water.

She was just finishing up the sandwich when Celestia came to the door, opening it with a touch of her horn, and stepping into the smal cell.

“Careful, Dangerous changeling in here somewhere. Could be any of us. Even me,” Raindrop stated, as she finished off the cup of water and then wiped her mouth daintily with a hoof, peering up at the princess.

“Then cell is merely a precaution, Raindrop,” Celestia chided, shaking her head.

“It’s a cell nonetheless,” Raindrop pointed out, moving over to the cot stiffly and pulling herself onto it. She winced as she crossed her forepaws and laid her chin on them, “...Any idea why I hurt so much?”

“You tried to change, Raindrop,” Celestia reiterated, shaking her head for a moment.

Raindrop wrinkled her nose, scratching behind her ear with a hoof. “You said that...but...changing? I’m not...How could I even do that?”

Celestia sat down, giving Raindrop a look up and down, before shrugging helplessly. “I...Honestly don’t know. A case such as yours has never existed. It is possible that you are developing changeling powers. Your experiences with Shine are indicative that you are draining love energy from your partner in the same manner as a changeling. That energy has to be going somewhere.”

The pegasus nodded at that, thinking back. “I...don’t remember a whole lot. But my muscles were being stupid. I couldn’t move them. And it hurt.”

“Likely the changeling magic trying to change your form. Your body isn’t designed for it. What was happening was probably the latent magic in your blood trying to turn you into something...larger?” Celestia offered as an explanation.

“I did get a pretty big boost to my strength before the blinding agony hit,” Raindrop pointed out thoughtfully.

“Sentinel tells me you were quite angry at the time,” Celestia added.

“I have anger issues,” she stated in reply, in an off-hand way.

“You didn’t used to,” Celestia pointed out, raising a brow.

“I...how do you know that?” Raindrop asked, frowning deeply.

“I’ve watched you and your family, Raindrop, remember?” the princess asked, raising a brow at her and smiling faintly.

“I...I have been getting angrier easily recently. I’m sure Sentinel could tell you how easy,” she admitted, looking down at her hooves.

“I didn’t need to ask him, it’s written on his face,” Celestia pointed out dryly.

Raindrop winced at that, ears splaying backwards. She huffed, grinding her hoofs into the cot, “He started it. Kept calling me and changeling and acting like I murdered his whole family.”

“And you didn’t clarify that you were born a pony but that your grandmother was Chrysalis,” Celestia added.

“But...well...I guess I didn’t,” Raindrop admitted with a frown. “Still. He deserved it.”

“Sentinel’s mother was but a filly when Chrysalis and her army attacked Canterlot. She was injured in the attack, not a fatal injury. But it complicated her first birth; and she died,” Celestia explained, her voice sad. “His father tried to raise him for a few years by himself, but eventually turned to hard cider. A week before most foals start school, he gave his son the choice of an orphanage or the Royal Guard. He handed him a train ticket to Ponyville with a connection to Canterlot, fifty bits, and never saw him again.”

Raindrop blinked, her ears splaying backwards. “That’s....kind of harsh...”

“His father fell from a cloud over Cloudsdale one day. It was perhaps a drunken accident, but most likely suicide. He was holding a picture of Sentinel’s mother.” Celestia said with a sad shake of her head. “And all of this is due to changelings. He has great reason to hate them. It was unwise of me to send you with him without explaining what you are. Likely, he sensed the changeling within you and got the wrong impression. I corrected those impressions. He will no longer trouble you.”

“But...but...who will I hit now?” Raindrop asked with a frown, looking down at her hooves.

“I believe he hit you, as well? How is your head?” Celestia inquired.

“Oh, this?” Raindrop asked, raising a hoof to her head and rubbing it about. “Can’t even feel it now. Like it never happened.”

“It’s been a few days,” the princess explained. “Probably why you were so hungry, too.”

Raindrop winced a little. “A few days? What happened with the Element of Harmony?”

“We recovered the Element of Loyalty. But Sentinel had to abandon the Seeker Stone to carry you back here,” Celestia said, shaking her head for a moment. “A wise trade off.”

“The Seeker Stone? Was that that red gem?” Raindrop inquired, raising a brow.

“Indeed. I created one for each of the Elements. I intended them to act as a kind of compass...but I never managed to get the magic to that level. Instead, they react by proximity. Perhaps within a mile or so and they start to react. Especially more so when the Element is active. At present, the Elements are dormant, stone. So the Seeker Stones need to be literally next to them to react.” Celestia explained, looking Raindrop over carefully.

“Not true,” the pegasus responded with a shake of her head. “When I came across the Element, it was glowing and red, like the stone Sentinel was carrying. It only turned to stone when I touched it.”

Celestia frowned deeply at that, looking down at her hooves for a moment, seeming confused. “But...Then how?”

“Don’t ask me. I just went looking for the Elements. Got one of them.” Raindrop said with a smile.

“No, you don’t understand. As soon as someone touches an unguarded Element, they revert to stone. The only people able to even handle them were the former bearers. After Luna became Nightmare Moon, the Elements all reverted to stone until the former bearers activated them,” Celestia explained, still frowning deeply.

“Well...they found a way to move them around and activate them?” Raindrop offered helplessly, shrugging her shoulders.

“Indeed...now to figure out how,” Celestia said, rising to her hooves properly and turning towards the cell door. “I deem you fit to be released, but...you might want to get a pair of sunglasses. Come see me when you’re ready. We’ll discuss the next steps.”

Raindrop frowned at princess’s tone, and rose to her hooves as well, stepping stiffly off the coat and hobbling towards the door, stepping out of it and moving over to the guard. She lifted her hoof, making a motion with it. “Turn your head to the side.”

The guard complied, and Celestia gave her a sympathetic glance as she walked past. Raindrop leaned in to the polished armour and peered into the reflection, her eyes widening and her heart beating against her throat as she caught sight of her reflection. Her natural pink eyes were gone, and in their place, were a pair of vibrant green, demonic changeling eyes.

Whimpering faintly, she rubbed at her eyes with her hooves, as though she could maybe rub the change out of them, shuddering.

The young pegasus stared at her reflection for a long moment, and then slumped a little bit, head hanging low as she started up the stairs and out of the dungeon.

They only had one Element, and already, her changeling blood had almost killed her. They still needed the other five elements, and the new bearers, just to have a chance to heal her. She sighed softly to herself.

Why could it never be easy?

Changes

Raindrop kept her head lowered and her eyes on the ground as she walked through the castle, ears splayed back in apparent shame. She didn’t want anyone to see her eyes. Her demonic eyes.

keeping her gaze on the floor, she meandered throughout the castle and to the female toilets, locking the door after her and hurrying over to the sink, placing her forehooves on the edge of the sink and staring at her reflection. A pair of green eyes stared back at her, and her ears splayed backwards. She was turning into a demon. First had been hurting Shine, and now, she was actually physically changing. Her eyes, and her entire musculature earlier.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, she leaned in until her nose bumped the mirror, leaving a small smudge, and stared into her own demonic eyes.

“Change,” she whispered commandingly, staring deeply into her own gaze.

Her eyes remained resolutely green.

“Change,” she murmured again, resting her nose against the cool glass, eyes narrowing further.

Again, her eyes remained the same.

“Change!” she hissed, banging her hoof against the glass.

And still, her eyes did not change.

Raindrop began to breath harder, gritting her teeth, her expression turning dangerous.

“Change!” she screeched, her next hoof strike against the mirror causing it to crack across its length, sending a jagged black line through her reflection.

The young pegasus stared into the cracked mirror, banging her hoof weakly against it a few times, feeling a lump rising in her throat. Her voice was broken as she murmured helplessly, “Change...just change back...please...”

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she took a deep shuddering breath, trying to fight them down, swallowing thickly and composing herself, closing her eyes and calming her breathing. She wasn’t a cryer. Crying wasn’t something she did. It just wasn’t.

Her eyes opened, and stared into her own cracked reflection, and her own green eyes. Her changeling eyes.

Raindrop slumped, meandering over to the cold, tiled corner of the room and sitting down in it, crossing her forehooves and resting her chin on them. She needed to think. Needed to compose herself before she went back out there and faced the world as Raindrop, the untouchable pegasus.

Her breathing stuttered and she took a shuddery inhalation, holding it for several moments. It was a few moments before the tears began to spill down her cheeks from her closed eyes. It wasn’t fair. She had been going to get married. And then something she couldn’t even control had come in and taken everything away from her. She didn’t have a family any more. Shine was gone from her. She couldn’t even be near him without magically hurting him. It was something inside her. And the one way she could fix it had been robbed from her by Discord.

It wasn’t fair.

And so Raindrop left her head on her hooves, and cried quietly to herself. She didn’t sob. She didn’t make a noise rather than the increased intensity of her breathing. She wasn’t one to make a scene. But the sheer unfairness of it all just stung.

And she was turning into a monster. Soon, she wouldn’t even be able to fit in with other ponies. She’d have to find a cloud to live on. A cloud far, far away from any other pony who could see her.

Alone.

Forever.
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/square/000/003/619/Untitled-1.jpg

It took Raindrop a good hour to get over her tears. Luckily, no one had come to the door hoping to use the toilet. She wouldn’t have opened the door if they had. She wasn’t going to let them see her tears, wasn’t going to let them see her hurt.

And once she fought down her tears, she rose shakily to her hooves, and then stepped back over to the mirror, resting her nose on the glass and staring into her red-rimmed, puffy eyes. She set her jaw, concentrating and whispering, “Change...”

Four entire hours later, Raindrop emerged from the bathroom, looking exhausted and drained, but now with a pair of vibrant purple eyes. It had taken her a while to get the colour just right, but it was close enough to her previous eyes for them to be passable. She was happy. Proud even. She had fixed her eyes.

There was a bounce in her steps as she made her way up to the stairs leading to Celestia’s rooms. By the time she got to the stairs though, she was huffing softly, breathing heavier. Her legs were already shaking like she had tried to run a great distance. It seemed as though her recovery would not be as fast as she liked.

Wrinkling her nose, Raindrop leaped out a window and instead winged her way up to Celestia’s tower, entering through an open window and backwinging to a stop.

She was in Celestia’s memorial room. Pictures of previous students littered the walls, varying in sizes and greyness of age. The table in the centre of the room now bore the Element of Loyalty on a pedestal, grey and lifeless. Five gems nearby sat next to it, each of them with their own pedestal. They were all different colours, but they were familiar to her. Seeker Stones, if her assumptions were correct.

The door opened, and Raindrop looked up guiltily, as though caught red-hooved. Celestia stood in the doorway, giving her a patronising look.

“Given your previous violent interactions with my guards, do you think it wise to make uninvited entrances through my windows?” she asked calmly, stepping over to the table, pausing in front of it and resting a hoof on the Element of Loyalty.

Raindrop looked chagrined for a moment. “The stairs looked endless when I was at the bottom of them. I doubt the guards would have carried me.”

“Indeed. Mind that you inform the guards before you do it again. They were ready to break the door down before I stopped them,” Celestia stated, shaking her head.

“My apologies, Princess Celestia,” Raindrop said with a gentle incline of her head.

“Do you remember what I told you last time you were here?” Celestia asked, raising a brow.

Raindrop blinked once, thinking. “Uhhh...which thing specifically?”

“I asked you to call me Celestia. The ‘princess’ is unnecessary.” Celestia said with a wave of her hoof.

“But...” Raindrop trailed off for a moment, raising a brow, mystified. “With all due respect, Princess Celestia, you never said that to me.”

“I didn’t?” Celestia asked thoughtfully, staring into Raindrop’s eyes for a long moment, searchingly, before saying suddenly, “Welp, I guess I didn’t. Disregard that.”

Raindrop stared at the princess, confused. She was acting very strangely.

“Your eyes are pink now, did you know?” Celestia asked, raising a brow.

Raindrop nodded. “I spent a good four hours in the bathroom staring into the mirror trying to figure out how to fix them.”

“I am pleased you succeeded,” Celestia said, looking up again, staring into her eyes probingly.

The pegasus stared back for a moment, before averting her gaze uncomfortably.

“I know you put on a brave face, Raindrop. But it’s okay to let people see you when you’re not at your best. You’re only a pony after all,” Celestia said, examining the Seeker Stones.

Raindrop balked at that, snorting once. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Celestia shook her head slowly. “Take it from someone who’s been wearing the same painted face for near two thousand years...let the mask down once in awhile if you can.”

The young pegasus regarded the princess for a long moment, her ears splaying backwards. “I...I’ll take that under advisement...but you said something about the next step?”

“Ah, yes,” Celestia said, lifting a hoof and stroking the Element of Loyalty. “Given your serendipitous find of the Element of loyalty, we now have one of the Elements in our possession. We also know they’ve split them up. I was developing these Seeker Stones to try and react to the Elements. I think I’ve got them fixed now...but they’ll only work if the Elements are active.”

Raindrop looked at the stones, reaching out and touching a purple one with a hoof. It was glowing and throbbing just faintly. But the orange one beside it was mostly dull, a faint glimmer visible in it.

“As you can see, the Element of Generosity is active. But the Element of Truth is not. You can use one of these stones to find your way to one of the Elements. It’s a very...general directional magic. It’s not precise. But it’ll give you a ballpark area to search.”

“So...just pick one and away I go?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow.

“Indeed. Any you’d like to start with. And while you’re doing that, I’ll experiment some more and see if I can find a spell that will help you find the new bearers.”

Raindrop nodded, picking up the Seeker Stone for the Element of Generosity, slipping it under her wing. “I’ll be back when I find the Element then, I guess.”

Celestia nodded, inclining her head towards the pegasus. “Hurry back.”

“And uhm...something I didn’t mention. I heard a female voice while I was in the Diamond Dog tunnels...and it...kinda sounded like Spike was there with a girl,” she admitted, her ears splaying back slightly.

“Spike was in the tunnels? With a girl?” Celestia asked, confused, before a slow look of dawning realisation came across her face.

“You just figured something out, didn’t you?” Raindrop asked accusingly.

“Find the next Element, Raindrop. I have to investigate some things,” Celestia stated, waving a hoof.

Raindrop nodded, and sighed faintly. “Very well.”

Celestia watched as the pegasus bounded to the window and then launched herself out of it, spreading her wings, before the princess turned to the door, her horn glowing. A pair of guards arrived momentarily.

“Sentinel, follow her,” she stated, pointing at the receding speck of the pegasus. Sentinel nodded, and then galloped to the window, leaping out it as well.

“Damascus. Organize the guard. I want you to sweep the entire castle from top to bottom. Send a search party into the gardens, I want to know what happened to Discord. Look for clues on how he escaped. And rouse Luna, I have business to attend to.”

Damascus nodded, saluting, before adding a querying, ‘Princess?’ in referral to the rousing of Princess Luna.

“I have to go to Ponyville,” Celestia explained, her eyes narrowing. “I need to visit the gravesite of a pony named Cee.”

Tipsy

Raindrop had to collect things from her home. Again.

Given that Sentinel hadn’t known to pick up her pack, all of her supplies were sitting out at the entrance to the Diamond Dog tunnels. It was too far for her to fly on a whim, and it was just easier to go back home and get the things she needed.

Digging up an old, frayed pack, she slipped it over her haunches and began to place things into it. The first thing to go inside was the Seeker Stone. It was glowing blue, and the swirling mist in it seemed to be glowing brightest towards the west; the Everfree Forest.

Next up were food items, another blanket, a pillow, and a Cloudsdale Chaser, a magical instrument that was attuned to Cloudsdale. It always pointed towards the pegasus city, and at this distance, could be used for orientation.

Deciding that she had everything she needed, Raindrop stepped out the front door, closing it behind her.

The young pegasus spared a thought for Shine. He hadn’t been home either of the times that she had been there. Huffing faintly to herself, she turned around and went back inside, picking up a piece of paper and a hoof-pen, and writing the unicorn a note.

The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon when Raindrop closed the door again, and she sighed faintly. She considered just walking back inside and going to sleep, but the big house Shine and her shared seemed so empty without him there. She wouldn’t get any sleep at all in that big bed all alone.

Instead, Raindrop kept to the ground, heading down the main street towards the local inn. She would be able to drink herself stupid to make herself feel a little bit better, and sleep in a bed that wouldn’t remind her of Shine.

The inn was as crowded as always when Raindrop pushed through the doors, meandering over to the bar, squeezing between patrons sipping cider from mugs to place her hooves on the counter.

“What’ll it be?” asked the large-chested stallion behind the counter.

“A room for one for the night, please,” Raindrop said, pushing a hoofful of bits across the counter with her nose

The innkeeper nodded, took the bits, and then returned with a key, sliding it over to her, “Room 15, enjoy your night, ma’am.”

Raindrop nodded, taking the key and heading up the stairs in the back of the inn and to the long hallway. Room 15 was right at the end.

The pegasus was pleasantly surprised to find that her room had a large bed and a small couch to laze on. Raindrop had never had cause to stay in an inn before.

Dumping her bag on the bed, and slinging her bitpurse over one of her wings, she left the room and locked the door behind her.

Downstairs, a cloaked figure was also buying a room for the night, face hidden behind his hood. It wasn’t uncommon to see ponies dressed up like that in inns. A rich pony slumming it for the night, someone who didn’t want to be recognized, or just someone who liked their privacy.

Raindrop didn’t even take notice of the figure as she came downstairs, but the hooded pony definitely took notice of her. He paid for his room, and then turned to follow her without so much as a thought towards checking his room first.

Raindrop wandered the dark streets of Ponyville, with no set destination. The nightlife of Ponyville was all around her. Ponies playing with glowsticks or sparklers, couples laying in the warm grass stargazing...After the events of Nightmare Moon, it seemed a collective consciousness had arose in the pony populace for them to appreciate the night more.

The pegasus found herself at a cider stand at the edge of town, buying three bottles and then meandering off to the lakeside to stare out over the water. The full moon shone bright overhead, and cast sufficient light for her to see all around with no problem. And so she sat, gently sipping cider from one of the bottles while staring out over the water, watching small nocturnal animals coming down to drink, breaking the still surface of the water with the ripples of their actions.

It was peaceful, and peaceful was what Raindrop wanted at that moment. After the tenseness of creeping through a Diamond-Dog infested tunnel system and whatever it had been that she had done to herself with her changeling blood, she just wanted to relax. Wanted to relax and forget about all of her troubles.

In reality, she wanted to go back to a time when she could curl up with Shine in front of a nice, warm fire. But those times seemed a lifetime away now. They had one of the Elements of Harmony. They need all six. And their bearers. And by the time they found all of that, she’d already be a full-blood changeling. Or whatever it was that would happen to her.

Raindrop took a hefty swallow of the cider, and then set the bottle aside gently, stepping down to the shoreline and staring into her moon-lit reflection. It was murky and hazy with only moonlight to see by, but she could definitely see her own eyes. They looked normal. Pink.

Focusing for a long moment, she let her eyes change, turning green this time, back to what they looked like before she had ‘fixed’ them. But inside, she knew that wasn’t the case. She hadn’t fixed them, per se. She had merely changed them. Pink eyes felt like a lie now, like a mask she put on to blend in with other ponies. A facade. The green eyes were her true eyes. At least, for now.

Shuddering, she focused, and changed her eyes again, back to pink, not wanting to look at her own accusing gaze any more. After a few moments, she scrunched up her nose, and then changed her eyes to blue, and then red. It almost terrified her the ease at which she had picked up the trick to changing her own body. the first time had been hard, but now, it was as easy as pulling off a complex flight maneuver.

Thoughtfully, she stared down into the reflection, and focused on changing her eyes again. But this time, she focused on a cats eyes. Immediately, the entire lakeside became more vivid, more bright. The pegasus blinked, stunned a little by the intensity of the brightness after the gloom of only moonlight, and then cast her gaze around. With a cats eyes, she could see pretty much as far as she wanted; from the lakeside, to the gloomy streets of Ponyville where the lamps didn’t shine.

She also saw a Royal Guard in full armour watching her from the shadows.

Panicking slightly, Raindrop turned back to her reflection and changed her eyes hastily back to pink, backpedaling away from the water and trying to act as though she hadn’t seen the guard watching her from a distance. A wave of dizziness hit her as she straightened, and she scrabbled at the grass and soft silt on the side of the lake before falling bodily into it with a yelp.

Instantly, she swallowed water, and began to cough. Several long, long moments passed before a pair of strong hooves tugged her up out of the water and onto the bank again.

Raindrop cough again, and retched slightly for a moment, panting in air and then laying her head on her hooves with a groan. It felt like she had a hangover already.

“Alcohol and swimming do not mix,” Sentinel stated with a frown.

Raindrop waited several long moments to collect herself before she lifted unsteadily into a sitting position and stared at the stallion. “Really? I hadn’t noticed. Are you stalking me?”

Sentinel snorted in response, flicking water and mud off his hooves. “You wish. Celestia ordered me to guard you.”

“Well thank you for saving me from the terrifying lake, I am forever in your debt,” Raindrop snorted, standing up and taking a total of two steps before she crashed down on her stomach heavily, groaning.

“How much have you had?” Sentinel asked, staring at her for a long moment.

“Not even half a bottle!” Raindrop protested, rubbing a hoof against her temple and then rising to her hooves again, locking her legs together and waiting to see if she got dizzy.

The guard laughed softly, shaking his head. “Can’t handle your cider, huh?”

Raindrop bristled, rounding on him, her eyes narrowing. “You really mustn’t like the current arrangement of your facial features.”

“No, it’s not that. I just doubt your ability to affect them in any great way,” the guard teased.

The pegasus snorted, and took a swing at him with a hoof.

“Swing and a miss!” Sentinel chimed as he smoothly bobbed his head back out of the way, causing the mare to overbalance and sprawl untidily on her side.

“I hate you,” Raindrop stated, staring up at him.

“My heart bleeds for you,” Sentinel stated, picking her up roughly and setting her back down on her hooves. “Now, can you kindly move yourself away from the water? It’s going to make me look really stupid if you drown on my watch.”

“Why are you even following me?” Raindrop asked, huffing as she picked up her bottles of cider and began to walk back towards the inn, not even sparing a glance for the guard.

“I guess she thought you might do something stupid like drown in the lake?” he answered with a thoughtful sound. “She is a remarkable judge of character, you know.”

Raindrop snorted derisively at him. “Tell her to find someone less...obnoxious to guard me.”

“And you were just starting to grow on me, too,” Sentinel simpered.

The mare spared him a look of pure venom as she pressed her way through the front doors of the inn. Sentinel followed silently, watching her ascend the stairs.

The guard moved over to the counter, and pushed across a royal writ with Celestia’s seal on the front. The innkeeper handed him a key, and the guard moved after Raindrop.

Sentinel caught her just as she fumbling with the key and keyhole, having trouble lining it up, it seemed.

Raindrop scowled, hitting her hoof against the door once or twice in frustration, and then trying to fit the key back into the hole.

The guard shook his head for a moment, and then stepped over, snatching the key from her and inserting it into the hole neatly. “Jeeze. Maybe you need to lay off the cider.”

Raindrops backhand strike with her hoof caught him across the brow before he could duck out of the way, and she harrumphed at him as she pushed the door open, stepping inside. She tried to close the door with a hindleg but ended up overbalancing again and ending up sprawled on the carpet.

“...Are you...okay?” Sentinel asked uncertainly, head tilting slightly to one side.

“Perfectly fine!” came the muffled response from the floor.

Sentinel shook his head again, and then stepped into the room, nudging his nose under the mare to help her to her feet.

“I’m going to hit you again,” Raindrop said weakly, as the guard pushed her into the bed, staring at her.

“I’m beginning to assume that is the normal greeting fashion for your family,” he said, deadpan, and then leaned closer to her, frowning. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“What do you even care?” she spat, swiping at his nose with a hoof, not really intending to connect.

Sentinel neatly tilted out of the way, before stating, “Celestia told me what you are.”

“I’m a dirty, filthy changeling, remember?” Raindrop asked, huffing and rolling over onto her side, turning her back to the guard.

“No, you’re not,” Sentinel said with a frown, his voice softening a little bit. “Look...I’m sorry for the way I treated you...it was wrong of me. I should have...I don’t know. Asked you or something, first?”

“Oh hello there, you seem to be a changeling, are you?” Raindrop asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.

“I’m not sure if you’re defending my actions or insulting me,” Sentinel stated, mystified.

“Neither am I,” Raindrop admitted with a sigh and a shake of her head, rolling back over to face him. “Look. I understand why you did what you did. You thought I was a changeling. I didn’t bother to correct you.”

“Indeed. And I am apologizing for that. I feel bad about the way I treated you,” he stated, his ears splayed backwards, his expression placating.

“Duly noted. I forgive you, I guess. But me and you? We’re never going to be friends. Now get out of my room before I beat you senseless,” Raindrop said, deadpan, pointing a hoof at the door.

Sentinel chuckled at that, shaking his head. “Sleep well, Miss Raindrop.”

“I hope you have horrible nightmares,” she responded as she rolled back over, pulling the pillow under her head.

The guard just shook his head as he stepped out of her room, removing the key from the door and throwing it onto the bed before closing her door and heading for his own room.

Raindrop for her part stared at the wall for a long, long time. There was a peculiar buzzing in the back of her mind, like the start of a migraine. It could have been the cider; but something told her it was the changes. She wasn’t a lightweight when it came to cider; she had drank Shine under the table on more than one occasion. And the only other thing it could possibly be was fooling with her eyes. So even her own changeling blood exerted a toll on her body when she used it.

Raindrop sighed to herself and pulled the pillow closer, trying to imagine it was Shine’s body she was lazing against.

Tomorrow, she had to find the Element of Generosity.

Attack

Raindrop gave a faint groan as she rolled over onto her hooves, and then straightened slowly, stretching, her ears splaying against her skull and her entire form quivering. She felt strange. It was as though she had run a marathon, but without any of the associated muscle aches and pains to accompany the sensation. It was still dark, obviously very early morning.

Snorting to herself, Raindrop crawled off the bed, and stumbled over to the floor-to-ceiling mirror set into the wall beside the bed. She lifted a hoof to rest beside it and steady herself as she leaned in to stare into her own reflection in the gloom. A mousy-maned pegasus stared back at her, pink eyes tired, with bags under her eyes. It was impossible to tell that a changeling hid under her eyes. Hid inside her.

But Raindrop was starting to come to terms with it all. She was a changeling. No amount of bitching or feeling sorry for herself was going to change that. She had the ability to change that, and she would stop at nothing for the chance to be rid of her changeling blood. And she was starting to realise certain things about her ‘powers’.

She was using love energy.

Changelings used the energy to exist. They used it for sustenance like a pegasus used food. But Raindrop didn’t need love energy for sustenance, as food performed that duty for her. So the energy she had taken from Shine, it had been kept in her. And she was using that to change. That was the only explanation that Raindrop could come up with. And she had exhausted that energy, and so now, any kinds of changes she attempted were trying to draw from energy she simply didn’t have. And that was making her drunk.

The last bit needed some polish. But the rest of it made sense!

Raindrop sighed and shook her head, moving over to the bed and scooping the key off the covers, inserting it into the door and twisting it. It was certainly easier now than it had been. The previous night it had seemed like there was three different keyholes, all of them rotating around one-another.

The door clicked, and the pegasus pulled it open, taking the key and slipping it into the crook of her folded wing. So long as she didn’t need to fly anywhere, she wouldn’t lose it.

Not paying attention, she bumped straight into Sentinel, who was standing outside her door. Strangely, he hadn’t been facing the door, but rather, facing outward, standing guard.

Raindrop snorted, and then pushed the guard with both of her hooves, sending him tumbling onto his side clumsily, coming up after a moment, shaking his head and trying to rub a hoof against his face past his helmet, making a confused sound.

Raising a brow, Raindrop leaned in close and peered at him, before snorting again and shaking her head. He had been asleep, or dozing, at least.

“If you’re going to guard me, you’re not allowed to fall asleep,” she stated flatly.

“Sorry ma’am,” Sentinel replied groggily, saluting in her general direction and then moving to stand by the door again.

Raindrop gave a derisive snort. “You’re not even properly awake yet, are you?”

“No ma’am,” Sentinel replied instantly, completely truthfully.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, and then lifted a hoof, bringing it crashing down on the top of his helmet, making the entire metal covering vibrate with the force of the blow. The guard stiffened slightly, his eyes widening, wincing at ringing so loud in his ears, and then turning his head to look the female up and down for a moment, wrinkling his nose.

“Ugh, you look even worse in the morning,” he stated.

Raindrop scowled, self-consciously rubbing a hoof through her spiked mane. “Shut up. Now go to bed, stupid pony. If you’re going to be hounding my steps tomorrow, I’d rather you not slow me down.”

Sentinel lifted a hoof, and then pressed it under his helmet, rubbing at his forehead, before looking up at her and stating, “But I must guard you.”

“And whoever will protect me tomorrow when you’re asleep?” Raindrop asked, stepping closer to him, poking her nose against his own, raising her brows.

“I have not thought that far into the future,” Sentinel stated, shaking his head once.

“Don’t worry baby, thinking obviously isn’t your strong suit,” Raindrop said, gently rubbing a hoof against his cheek, and then shoving him sideways into the wall. “Now go get sleep, Sentinel. The adult pegasus is going to go do grown-up things.”

Sentinel scowled after Raindrop as she sauntered down the hallway, rubbing a hoof against his temple.

Raindrop poked her tongue at him over her shoulder before descending the stairs and entering the bar room of the inn, pulling herself up onto a chair and looking about. The entire place was deserted; no patrons, no innkeeper. Raindrop assumed that this was one of the inns that didn’t have 24 hour service. Many of the inns kept their bars open right through the night. There was a bell on the counter, but she figured that that was for late arrivals seeking a room for the night.

Scowling to herself, Raindrop ascended the stairs to her room. Sentinel was no longer in the hallway, obviously having retired to his room for the night. Raindrop transferred the key from her wing, to a hoof, lifting it to insert it into the door. But something made her pause.

The young pegasus looked slowly down the hallway. At the end of the hallway, a cloaked figure stood, watching her, head lowered, features hidden in the shadows cast by their clothing.

“Can I help you?” Raindrop asked, canting her head a little bit to one side. Her heart was starting to beat faster, and she was trying her best to appear nonplussed.

There was no response from the hooded figure, as it began to advance down the hallway towards her.

Raindrop bit her bottom lip for a moment, and then began to fumble with the key to get it into the slot, trying to watch the hooded figure out of the corner of an eye. The key kept slipped from its mark as she fumbled it, and Raindrop scowled, eyes narrowing. She paused, took a deep, calming breath, inserted the key neatly, and then twisted it.

As she lifted a hoof to push the door open, she looked down the hallway again, blinking once. It was empty. The hooded figure was gone.

Confused, Raindrop stepped into her room, and then poked her head out of the doorway, looking down the hallway, frowning. Maybe the figure had gone into one of the rooms and that was their intent the entire time?

Shaking her head slightly, Raindrop withdrew and closed the door behind her, locking it and withdrawing the key, turning around to sprawl on the bed.

The first strike caught her completely unaware. One moment, she was about to collapse into bed, the next, there was a hoof suddenly filling her vision. It caught her across the cheek and eye, a neat blow that rocked her back on her haunches.

The hooded figure stepped in and delivered another rapid blow from his other hoof, sending the pegasus reeling backwards until she overbalanced and sprawled clumsily on her back, seeing stars, blinking rapidly as she tried to assimilate what was happening.

Her ears were ringing, and the room was spinning just slightly at the corners. She tried to roll over, but a heavy hoof landed on her chest, forcing the air from her lungs. The hooded figure stood over her, leaning in with a dark smile, eyes narrowing.

“Weak pegasus,” the figure said with obvious amusement. “I almost forgot how easy it was to crush your kind.”

Raindrop wheezed for a moment, lifted her hooves to try and remove the hoof from her chest, but her opponent just pressed down harder, squeezing the air from her lungs. Scrabbling at the hoof on her chest, Raindrop cast her gaze around desperately for something she could use to try and smash her opponent over the head with. The nearest thing she found was the key, but it was too small to do anything but annoy the stronger opponent.

Black spots were starting to form in Raindrop’s vision, and there was a burning in her compressed lungs, as she tried vainly to suck in air. And the figure was watching her the entire time, enjoying her suffering. Her gaze cast to the door, closed and locked. It might as well have been a mile away, for all the good it, or anyone outside it could do.

Raindrop’s wings fluttered weakly as she began to lose consciousness, and the young pegasus squirmed slightly back and forth in an attempt to get out from underneath the crushing weight compressing her chest. the figures entire weight must have been resting on single hoof, pressing down on her so hard.

The young pegasus gave a breathy snarl of anger, and on instinct, went into offense mode. She had wrestled with other pegasus her entire life. It was part of growing up in such a physical society. And if she was going to die, she was going to make sure it was as hard as possible.

Instead of pushing at the hoof, Raindrop wrapped her own around it to hold it steady, and then twisted slightly, curling and using her wings to push off the ground a little bit, allowing her to bring her hindlegs up, hooking them around her opponents chest and neck. Using the last of her strength, she twisted with her hooves, pushed with her wings, and brought her hindlegs back down to their original position, which overbalanced the pony atop her. With Raindrop holding his hoof, he couldn’t put out any limbs to arrest his fall, and slammed down hard on his side.

Raindrop rolled away from her opponent and thudded into the wall clumsily as glorious air flooded her lungs. She immediately began coughing, panting hard and trying to get her breath back, her eyes wide as she took in huge, grateful gasps of air.

The hooded figure rose, and then neatly twisted his hood off completely, revealing a dark-furred body and shiny blue-grey armour covering his form.

Raindrop took a deep, steadying breath, and then turned to face the figure, her eyes narrowing. It was an earth pony. So she wouldn’t have to contend with magic, at least, and if she could get enough separation, she could smash her way through one of the windows and fly off while her opponent would be unable to follow.

She didn’t have much time for thought though, as her opponent was on her again in a flash, launching across the distance between them with a hard thrust of a hoof.

Raindrop ducked out of the way of the blow rather easily, but wasn’t ready for the sudden twist and kick from a hindleg, catching her right in the ribs, sending her limping away for a moment, winded. She leaned against the bed, gasping for air, a hoof holding her side, while her opponent slowly turned, grinning cockily.

The pegasus watched him with narrowed eyes. She wanted to wipe that smug expression off his face, and for the first time, she found herself wishing she could change; wishing that she could increase her strength and mop the floor with her opponent.

The earth pony lunged again, but raindrop was ready for him this time. She ducked under the hoof strike he leveled at her head, and then slammed her own hoof into his hindleg when he tried to catch her with it, managing to get it just above the joint in that one perfect spot.

Her opponent limped backwards, away from her, getting enough distance that he could pause and check his hindleg, attempting to put weight on it and wincing. His eyes narrowed as he glared at her, and he snorted a moment. “Touche.”

“You got some nice hits yourself,” Raindrop panted, nodding her head towards her opponent in respect. “But I’ve got a royal guard in the room next door, and he’s gonna beat the crap out of you, if he ever wakes up!”

Raindrop called the last words out loudly, to try and catch Sentinel’s attention.

“No matter. This’ll be over soon,” her opponent stated, as he reached a hoof down to his chestplate, and then drew a long, wicked-looking dagger from inside it.

Raindrop’s eyes widened, and she backed away a little bit, to put the bed between them. “Uncool man, totally uncool.”

The pony just licked his lips, eyes narrowing at her. He stepped up onto the bed calmly, and began to walk across its surface towards her. “Scream if you want, pegasus. I think I’ll enjoy that.”

Raindrop backed up against the wall, and then began to slide along it, away from the dagger-wielding pony obviously out for her blood.

“U-uhm, Sentinel!” she called loudly as she began to bound towards the locked door. “Now might be the time to do some of that guard stuff!”

The figure on the bed grinned, and then lunged after her, swiping with the dagger and catching Raindrop across the flank, drawing a deep, but superficial wound across her haunch, just forward of her cutie mark.

Raindrop snarled in pain, twisting to face the other pony and limping slightly, grimacing as she felt a trickle of blood beginning to dribble down her leg.

“No screaming?” the pony asked, seeming disappointed.

“I’m gonna make you scream,” Raindrop stated, deadpan.

The figure snorted derisively, and then lunged at her again, dagger scything towards Raindrop’s face with deadly intent. The pegasus ducked out of the way, weaving away from the blow, and then dropping down onto her chest as her opponent tried to side-swipe her across her face with the blade when his first strike missed.

The dagger came within an inch of Raindrop’s face, and she watched with wide eyes as a large portion of her fringe mane just fell to the floor in front of her, neatly cut.

Grinning, the pony took a step towards her, smug in his confidence that the dagger gave him an edge over the pegasus. He gave a half-hearted swipe at her again, forcing her to back up further.

Raindrop’s eyes darted left and right, and she picked up a lamp to throw at her opponent. The pony merely ducked his head and let the thin porcelain shatter across his helmet-covered forehead, protecting him from harm.

He gave another swipe, and another at the pegasus, not even really trying to hit her. Raindrop was just starting to cotton on that there was something wrong with her opponents striking pattern when her rump hit the far wall.

A moment later, the other pony was on, bringing the dagger down in a great overhead stab.

Raindrop reared up and quickly made a motion with a hoof, catching her opponents hoof in mid-strike to try and deflect it. She was off-balance though, pressed up against the wall, and instead of deflected it entirely, she merely managed to alter its trajectory. Instead of ending up in her chest, the dagger went left, the tip catching at the edge of her shoulder and driving in.

Raindrop screamed in pain as the dagger found its mark, digging through flesh and muscle until nearly an inch of it was buried in her shoulder.

The other pony grinned, and brought his nose up to her own, eyes staring into hers as he whispered, “Scream for me.”

Raindrop did scream as pressure was exerted on the dagger, beginning to sink deeper and deeper into her shoulder, a white-hot lance of pain edging into her form.

The door to the room burst open in a shower of splinters as a heavy form hit it from the other side.

First through was Sentinel, launching himself into the room in full splendor, dressed in his entire set of armour and eyes looking around wildly for a target. Next through was the inkeeper, and then a patron of the inn, a large unicorn, obviously come to help when he heard the screaming.

“Get him off me!” Raindrop screeched, trying to push at her opponent with her hindhooves.

The pony atop her tried to retrieve his dagger, to pull it out of Raindrop’s shoulder so he could use it on the intruders who had come to break up his fun little game, but Raindrop stopped him. Blood-streaked hooves pushed at his own hooves, and she rolled to the side to keep him away from the dagger.

In the space of time it took Raindrop’s attacker to realise that he couldn’t get his dagger back, Sentinel was on him. And the ensuing fight was all one-way traffic.

Sentinel opened with a heavy blow to the back of the ponies neck, right when the armour joined, deforming the thinner armour there and giving the earth pony a blow that he would feel even through the armour. By the time he had finished that blow, he was already swinging himself around the ponies front, and delivering a harsh strike to his chin with a hooked hindleg, smashing his head upwards and sending him reeling backwards, stunned.

This placed Sentinel between Raindrop and her attacker, and he turned to look her over, making sure she wasn’t in mortal danger before facing her attacker again.

Sentinel launched himself across the short distance between them, wings flapping once to give him extra speed and, conversely, more impact, his hoof coming down hard on the helmeted head of his opponent. He transformed the strike into another, a simple conversion of momentum. As he brought his hoof down, he turned around entirely, facing away from the earth pony, and then leaped into the air, wings flaring, and then snapping closed, angled just right to send him into a full backwards somersault. It was an impressive technique that a lot of pegasus managed to master in their younger years; but this technique ended with both of Sentinel’s hind-hooves smashing down over his opponent’s skull.

Before his hindlegs even touched the ground, Sentinel’s forehooves planted to the floor, and he arched and then lashed out with both hindhooves with all the strength in his form, catching the other pony in the chest, with enough force to pick him up and send him skidding into the far wall with a heavy thud. In an instant, the innkeeper, and the patron were on the pony, pinning him to the floor and stretching out his hooves so he couldn’t move. But it hardly mattered; Sentinel’s double-hindhoof smash had knocked him unconscious.

Deeming the threat dealt with, Sentinel rushed to Raindrop’s side.

Raindrop was staring at him, open-mouthed, her eyes slightly fogged with pain and a hoof weakly holding the dagger buried in her shoulder.

“You kicked his ass,” Raindrop muttered weakly, her tone awed.

“And you got yours handed to you,” Sentinel stated flatly, leaning down to inspect the embedded dagger with a look of worry.

“Hurts,” Raindrop stated unhelpfully.

Sentinel snorted, and then looked from the dagger, to her. “Are you okay? Can you feel your hoof?”

“No I’m not okay!” Raindrop said indignantly, frowning down at the dagger in her shoulder, and then tossing her mane. “Did you see what he did to my mane? This’ll take weeks to grow back!”

“All we need now is for you to hit me and I’ll know you’re perfectly fine,” Sentinel stated sardonically.

A ringing blow caught Sentinel across the cheek, and Raindrop winced slightly as it stretched her hurt shoulder. The pegasus scowled, and then hissed between clenched teeth, “That’s for getting here so damned late.”

“You!” Sentinel said, pointing over his shoulder at the patron, “Find a pegasus. Knock on doors until you find one. Send them to Canterlot and tell them to bring a detachment of the Royal Guard, fast fliers. And tell them to send down a combat medic!”

“Combat medic?” Raindrop asked, confused, rubbing at her eyes with her good hoof.

“He’ll be able to get this dagger out of you,” Sentinel explained, frowning at her.

“And here I was just going to leave it in there,” Raindrop stated, giving a weary sigh. “This hurts, you know.”

“I know, I know,” Sentinel said soothingly, gently stroking at her foreleg. “Just a few minutes and we can get this out of you.”

“Hit me,” Raindrop stated.

“...What?” Sentinel asked, blinking once.

“I don’t need to be awake for this, hit me,” Raindrop stated, waving a hoof. “Knock me unconscious. Then this thing stops hurting.”

“I’m not sure that’s wise,” the guard replied helplessly.

“Celestia help me, if you don’t hit me, I’m going to pull this dagger out and shove it so far up-”

Raindrop was cut off by neat strike from the guards hoof to the back of her neck, right at the base of her skull, sending her into blissful, painless unconsciousness.

Delictum

Raindrop was still tired when she woke up next. Sunlight was streaming through the window, with the quality she associated with morning. There was the shuffle of quiet movement in the hallway outside her door as nurses went back and forth in their daily duties.

Her jaw hurt where Sentinel had hit her, and she lifted a hoof to gently press against it, wincing slightly. Her tongue slipped to the inside of her cheek on that side, nothing the metallic taste of opened flesh there. His blow had split her lip, and probably bruised her cheek as well. The throbbing pain in her cheek was a constant reminder of the blow.

Reflecting back on the previous night, though, Raindrop decided that she had probably deserved it. She would have never said anything if she knew that two of the guards had died. Her mouth run away again.

Raindrop stretched carefully, extending her hooves, testing her reach. Her shoulder twinged as she reached full extension, reminding her of the wound there.

A nurse entered the room as she was stretching, and opened the window to let in the fresh morning air, before turning to the pegasus and gently laying a hoof on her shoulder. “Relax, Raindrop, I’m going to clean your wound and change your bandages.”

Raindrop nodded, and then stretched out carefully on her side, lifting her foreleg to allow the nurse easy access to the bandaged portion of her body.

“How long will I be out of action?” Raindrop asked, tone tinged with worry.

“A few days at least,” the nurse soothed, gentle hooves beginning to unwrap the bandage. Raindrop sighed faintly in delight as the pressure on her body began to be released, and fresh air hit her clammy flesh.

“The wound isn’t very large, but it went deep, and the shape of the blade made it make quite a mess,” the nurse added, tutting faintly as she unwrapped the last of the bandages, gently peeling the sticky wound covering underneath away from the flesh. “It’s coming along nicely though.”

Raindrop twisted her head to peek at the wound, and then wrinkled her nose deeply. “How big of a scar will I have?”

“It’ll be visible if you know it’s there, but a cursory glance won’t notice it,” the nurse responded, as she threw the covering in the bin and began applying a new one. “You’ll need to put new coverings on this at least once a day, and give it a period of around about a half hour each day to let the wound breath. I’ll give you some ointment to apply as well...but other than that, you’re free to leave whenever you want to.”

“Am I free to fly?” Raindrop asked anxiously, her wings giving a little bit of a quiver. She was concerned about the load-bearing muscles in her chest and shoulders.

“Absolutely not for the first two days,” the nurse stated flatly, as she wound the bandage over the pegasi’s shoulder, cinching it down firmly and then placing the little clasp over the end of the bandage to keep it in place.

“Two days?” Raindrop asked, wrinkling her nose and then sighing, giving a shake of her head, grumbling, “...Setbacks.”

“You aren’t the only one searching, you know,” the nurse said sympathetically.

“You know about what I’m doing?” the pegasus asked, blinking once.

“Raindrop...everyone knows,” the nurse said with a shake of her head. “And the royal guard are off searching for them as well. I think Celestia wanted to keep it on the down-low, but you know how gossip is in Ponyville.”

The pegasus sighed faintly and rolled onto her stomach, rubbing her chin between her forelegs in annoyance. “Yeah...you kiss a colt on one side of town and by the time the rumour hits the other side of town, you fucked him.”

The nurse blinked once and snickered at Raindrop’s blunt words. “Something on your mind? You seem a little...tense.”

“...I was stabbed,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“Granted,” the nurse replied, inclining her head. “But I noticed that guard storming out earlier. Are you two close?”

“About as close as the moon is to the sun,” Raindrop replied bitterly, snorting once and resting her head on her forehooves.

The nurse hummed thoughtfully, and then smiled faintly, “I’m willing to bet that Celestia and Luna would have something to say on the subject of how close the sun and moon are.”

“Yeah, and look at them now. Even their guards aren’t allowed to interact any more,” Raindrop pointed out with a shake of her head.

The nurse gave a sigh and a nod, giving a helpless shrug of her shoulder. “You know what I mean, though.”

“You’re trying to imply that I somehow have feelings for Sentinel?” Raindrop asked with a wry grin. “That’s like asking if ice likes a hotplate.”

“But what if you’re trying to be water?”

Raindrop stared at the nurse for a long, long moment, giving her her best blank stare. “...What is this, the Kung Fu Filly? Yes master, the cobra strikes through swaying grass.”

The nurse chuckled faintly and then petted Raindrop gently on the neck. “It’s our job to make sure our patients are in the right place mentally.”

“I don’t need my head read,” Raindrop rebuked instantly, brows furrowing.

“But the body doesn’t heal properly if the mind is in the wrong place,” the nurse pointed out calmly.

“And what possible bearing would my relationship with that idiot guard have on being stabbed in the shoulder?” Raindrop queried flatly.

“Who knows?” the nurse said with a smile, and another shrug, as she began to move around the bed and towards the door. “But it might affect it, if it weighs heavily on your mind or your conscience.”

Raindrop scowled as the nurse moved towards the door. The pegasus snorted once, and then turned towards the window, before admitting, “I kind of disrespected the Royal Guard.”

The nurse paused at the doorway, looking over her shoulder. “And Sentinel didn’t take that so well, huh?”

“You could say that,” Raindrop stated, looking out the window still.

“Did you apologize?”

“He kind of hit me and stormed out.”

“He hit you?!” the nurse asked, her eyes widening and the narrowing darkly.

“I started it,” Raindrop said with a wave of her hoof. “And I deserved it.”

“That still doesn’t give him license to hit you!” she retorted angrily.

“Hey, I believe in gender equality.”

“I do too, but you do not hit mares!” the nurse responded angrily.

“I hit him. Repeatedly,” Raindrop said with a shrug. “We’re equals. So he gets a few hits in. That’s fair, right?”

“Well, when you put it like that, but-”

“Then good. What was your point, again?” Raindrop cut across the nurse, halting her rebuttal.

“I forget what I was going to say. Something nice about you finding him and apologizing for your behavior, but I really don’t care seeing as he’s a marebeater,” the nurse stated, growling.

“Oh calm down,” Raindrop said with a dismissive flick of her hoof. “I beat him over the head with the intent to cause bodily harm on several occasions.”

“And you have any problem with what he thinks of you?” the nurse asked with a snort.

Raindrop paused a moment, thinking for a moment, and then sighing. “...I kinda wish I didn’t.”

The nurse rolled her eyes, “Well find him, apologize, and then give him a black eye for me and tell him not to hit mares.”

And with that, the nurse turned around and stalked off before Raindrop could say anything else.

Raindrop just shook her head, and then sighed, resting her chin on her forelegs again.

Apologizing. That was definitely not her strong suit. Maybe she could just buy him a cake or something and call it even?

Wrinkling her nose, Raindrop stepped down off the bed gingerly, beginning to walk towards the front desk to get her things and the medicine for her shoulder. She had a Royal Guard to find.

But in all honesty, she would have prefered to be headed back into the Diamond Dog tunnels.

Surprise

Raindrop grumbled as she adjusted her pack with her good hoof, her wings giving an irritated little flick.

She was definitely not used to having walk everywhere. Or, to be more accurate, she was annoyed at not having the option to fly. It was amazing how much of a chore it was to walk when you get told not to fly.

Harrumphing, Raindrop stalked down the main street of Ponyville towards Sugar Cube Corner, wracking her brain to try and think what would be the best kind of apology gift. Cupcakes? A mini-cake? Pastries? Which one would work the best so there was the least chance of her having to apologize openly?

Raindrop still hadn’t made her mind up when she pushed open the door to Sugar Cube Corner. A bell on the top of the door jingled faintly to announce a visitor, while she moved to stand in front of the counter, waiting for service.

The glass display case was filled with cakes and cupcakes and donuts and all manner of wonderfully tasty-looking foodstuffs covered in so much icing sugar that Raindrop’s teeth hurt just looking at them.

After a few moments, a white pegasus came barreling down the stairs from the second level, bounding over towards the counter and then bouncing in place, staring at Raindrop. Her voice was high-pitched and happy as she leaned in and cooed, “Whatcha looking for, frownyface?”

Raindrop raised a brow slowly at the bouncy pegasus. She looked like she was in the midst of a sugar-rush. Her blonde mane and tail were frazzled and looked more like the nesting area of a small animal than anything found on a pony.

“I’m looking for...I don’t know,” Raindrop admitted, her ears pinning back. “Something that says ‘I’m sorry’ emphatically enough that words won’t be needed.”

“Apologies?” the pegasus asked, giving a thoughtful hum, a hoof at her chin. “Hmmm...I think flowers are best for that! But we don’t have flowers here...maybe if you got cupcakes for the petals...and a sparkler for the stem! Everyone loves sparklers! But ohhhh, sparklers aren’t so good for apologies unless it’s a filly or colt...is it a filly or colt?”

Raindrop blinked slowly, head tilting slowly to one side, before she blinked once them. “W-what? No. He’s a stallion.”

“No sparklers then!” the pegasus declared, peeking down through the glass at the array of cakes, cupcakes and donuts in the display case. “What are you apologizing for?”

“I kinda beat him up and then insulted his recently deceased coworkers. He took it pretty badly,” Raindrop said, rubbing at her mane with a hoof, chagrined.

The pegasus leaned right over the counter to peer at Raindrop with one eye suspiciously. “Are you sincerely apologizing? Or is this one of those ‘I’m only apologizing because to do otherwise would be socially unacceptable and I really hope you choke and die’ kind of things?”

Raindrop’s ears splayed backwards, and her cheeks flushed faintly as she muttered, “Uhm...kinda...both?”

“Ohhhhhh...a passive aggressive cake!” the pegasus said with a grin, clapping her hooves together. “Let’s see what I can do!”

Raindrop canted her head to the side as she watched the pegasus dig around under the counter for cakes and the like. All that was visible of her over the counter was the curve of her rump, her back, a cutie mark consisting of purple balloons, the tips of her white wings, and her shock of yellow tail swaying happily back and forth.

“There!” The pegasus declared, pulling up a vanilla cake, slapping down a circular base on top of it, and then adding a cake on top of that. “See, if he wants to mix the flavours, or even get at the bottom cake, he had to pull it apart and make a bit of a mess and inconvenience himself. But he can’t be mad, because it’s cake. The perfect passive-aggressive cake!”

A soft laugh left Raindrop, and she shook her head, before pulling up her purse to pay the pegasus.

In a few moments, the cake was placed in a pink box, and then pushed across the counter towards her.

“Come again!” the pegasus said, waving a hoof cheerily and then bounding back upstairs.

Raindrop waved her hoof in response, pushing the door open and stepping out into the sunshine. She looked left, towards Canterlot, visible on the mountainside. Her eyes traced the long, winding road up to it, and she groaned.

Raindrop stepped down off the train, stretching and arching slightly. Thank Celestia for trains. There was no way she was going to walk from Ponyville all the way to Canterlot.

Adjusting her load as she straightened up, Raindrop began to make her way towards the palace. There was a quietness to the air, like it was a holiday. There were no ponies in the street, and the shops were all mostly closed. It was eerie.

As she got closer to the palace, Raindrop began to hear trumpets, blaring out a mournful series of notes.

The giant arched gates in front the palace were open, and a great deal of ponies were sitting on chairs in rows just inside, in the courtyard. A military procession was making its slow way out of the gates. Raindrop paused on the other side of the road from the palace, watching awkwardly as the procession carried a pair of caskets towards the Canterlot graveyard.

Not spying Sentinel amongst the casket-carriers, Raindrop made her way over to the front gates, and pushed her way through the crowd that was spilling out into the streets to follow the caskets towards the graveyard.

Sentinel was standing on a raised stage that had apparently been erected just for this occasion. Celestia was stepping down off it to follow the procession towards the graveyard, and Sentinel was standing in a salute posture, dressed in full armour, watching his two fallen comrades being carried away to their final resting place.

After a few moments, Sentinel lowered his hoof, and then lifted his helmet to wipe at his eyes guardedly, before turning around and walking back into the castle.

Raindrop hobbled after the guard, crippled by her three-legged walk, carrying the cake on one hoof carefully as she limped after him.

“Sentinel, wait!” she called after him.

Sentinel paused, looking back over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. “What do you want?”

“I just...uhm...” Raindrop trailed off after a long moment, suddenly feeling very stupid, holding the cake and standing in front of the guard.

“Spit it out,” Sentinel stated flatly, turning to face her and planting his rump on the ground, his expression completely blank under his helmet.

“I...Well...I got you a cake,” Raindrop said helplessly, holding the box out towards him.

Sentinel slowly tilted his head to the side, raising a brow and then looking from the box in her outstretched hoof, to her face. “...A cake.”

“Two, actually,” Raindrop said nervously, holding out the cake still.

“It’s not a joke? There’s no hidden spring that will send a puff of smoke in my face, or explode? It’s not poisoned or laced with laxatives?” Sentinel asked blankly, as he shuffled over closer.

“You realise, of course, that you’re merely giving me devious ideas, right?” Raindrop asked flatly.

Sentinel raised a brow, giving a thoughtful hum as he reached out to take the box, popping it open to inspect the cakes within. “I think this is devious enough.”

“How is this devious? It’s cake,” Raindrop pointed out, harrumphing.

“Yes. It looks quite good. But it’s a cake from you,” Sentinel pointed out with a wave of a hoof. “And so I will be forever tormented by the fact that I’m holding a tasty cake but cannot eat it for fear of some horrible trick you employed with this cake. And why does it have a double base?”

“The shopkeeper put in two cakes. So there are two bases,” Raindrop said with a dismissive wave of a hoof.

“But they’re both on the bottom...a single base would have been better. And lighter,” Sentinel said with a wise nod.

Raindrop growled faintly in the back of her throat. “Just eat the damn thing.”

“I’ll get fat,” Sentinel protested, huffing.

“Eat a piece then!” Raindrop corrected, waving a hoof in annoyance.

Sentinel looked her up and down once, and then took on a guarded expression. “You’re pretty eager for me to eat the cake, how do I know you don’t just want me to eat it because you poisoned it?”

Raindrop gave a sound that was somewhere between exasperation and anger, dipping a hoof in the cake and then licking some of the icing off her hoof, poking out her tongue in proof. “There. Not poisoned. Now eat it.”

“But you ruined it.” Sentinel held out the box to show Raindrop the hole she’d made in the cake.

“Sentinel. I am going to start hurting you, and I’m not sure when I’m going to stop,” Raindrop stated flatly, her ears pinning back.

Sentinel snorted a moment, and then set the cake aside, straightening up and looking at Raindrop levelly. “Say it.”

“Say what?”

“What you came to tell me.”

“I came to call you an arrogant, dim-witted, useless excuse for a-” Raindrop’s tirade was halted by Sentinel’s hoof over her mouth.

“Repeat after me,” Sentinel said, lifting his hoof as though to swear a vow. “Sentinel.”

“Sentinel,” Raindrop repeated, glowering.

“My name is Raindrop,”

“My name is Raindrop,”

“I am but a lowly pegasus,”

“I am but a lowly pegasus,”

“You are more clever and ever-tempered than I ever will be,”

“The urge to hit you is rising fast,”

“Close enough,” Sentinel said with a grin, “And I’m sorry.”

Raindrop blanched, fuming at the other pegasus.

“I’m...” she wrinkled her nose, and then shifted her hooves slightly from side to side.

“Say it,” Sentinel sing-songed, raising a brow.

“Sentinel...I’m...” Raindrop scowled up at him, and then gave a faint sigh, deflating. “I’m...I’m sorry, okay? Happy?”

“Undoubtedly,” Sentinel stated, as he dipped a hoof in the cake and then licked it off slowly, before dabbing some on Raindrop’s nose playfully.

“Can I go now?” Raindrop asked, scowling.

“Don’t you want to hug and make up, first?” Sentinel asked with wide, innocent eyes.

“...Do you want a concussion?” Raindrop asked flatly.

“Later, then,” Sentinel said with a grin, licking the last of the icing from his hoof.

Progressing

“So...”

“So?” Asked Sentinel, as he dipped his hoof in the now thoroughly ruined cake and happily swallowed down the mix of icing and moist cake.

“Well? The pony who stabbed me,” Raindrop stated with a faint huff.

“Princess Luna denies that she has any knowledge of the guard at all, so it’s a stalemate. Personally, I think that Celestia is being rightfully cautious in not trusting her sisters every word, and Luna understands what he sister must do...though that might be a clever ruse to try and keep Celestia pliable and off-balance,” Sentinel said with a wave of an icing-covered hoof. “But s’far as we known, the guard just...vanished. Melted into thin air.”

“Ponies don’t melt into thin air. Somepony must have seen him trying to escape,” Raindrop said with a frown. “I mean, he killed two guards.”

Sentinel gave a sad nod, and went silent for a moment, looking down at his hooves. Raindrop paused awkwardly, contemplating lifting a hoof to rest on his shoulder, her hoof hovering half-off the ground uncertainly.

“But the road between here and Ponyville is pretty empty. If he was lucky, he wouldn’t get seen. I’m rather more bothered by why he chose to target you of all ponies.” Sentinel paused at that, and looked her up and down, before adding, “Your stunning personality notwithstanding.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes. “Well apparently everypony knows I’m chasing the Elements of Harmony...”

“News travels fast,” Sentinel said with a wave of a hoof.

“So...why aren’t you...you know, at the graveyard?” Raindrop asked quietly.

“I injured myself fighting off that dark guard,” Sentinel admitted ruefully, rubbing a hoof against his chin.

“Injured?” Raindrop asked, frowning. “He didn’t get you with the dagger, did he?”

“Oh no...It was uhm...kinda stupid,” Sentinel said with a nervous laugh.

“You chipped a hoof?” Raindrop asked flatly.

“No, but I did pull a muscle in my inner thigh. Nothing too serious, but it makes walking a bitch.”

“...A muscle in your inner thigh. Don’t you do training so that sort of thing doesn’t happen?” Raindrop asked, head canting to the side.

“Sure. But I just woke up. I didn’t do my morning exercises. Hadn’t even had my coffee yet,” he said with a wrinkled nose.

Raindrop shook her head and then waved a hoof. “A dagger wielding maniac and you manage to pull a muscle.”

“Hey!” Sentinel said defensively, giving Raindrop a pout, “I still beat him up for you!”

“Indeed you did,” Raindrop stated, looking thoughtful for a moment. “And well...thanks. I’m kinda happy to be...you know, not dead.”

“It was nothing,” Sentinel said with a dismissive wave of his hoof.

Raindrop stared at him for a moment, shaking her head, before she said softly, “No...it wasn’t. He had me down...repeatedly. It was like a game to him. He could have killed me at the start if he was in a hurry, and you wouldn’t have even known until morning.”

Sentinel nodded, and then lifted a hoof to rest on Raindrop’s shoulder soothingly. “I got there in time, Raindrop. I’ll always get there in time. I promise.”

The pegasus snorted a moment, and then nodded slowly, lifting a hoof to rest on Sentinel’s own. “That’s...far more reassuring than it should ever be, coming from you.”

“Thank Celestia, I thought you were going to get sappy on me,” Sentinel said, withdrawing his hoof and then waving it, “So...when are you going hunting for the next element?”

“I was thinking when I’m allowed to fly again, because walking. I don’t like walking,” she stated with a shake of her head.

“We have guards out searching for the elements of Laughter and Honesty. The Element of Kindness isn’t active at the moment, so the seeker stone is dead, useless. Maybe you should give one of the teams your seeker stone? If you’re just going to be lying around,” Sentinel suggested, trying to sound reasonable.

“I’m going to go get it!” Raindrop protested with a huff. “I’m just not allowed to fly.”

“And until then? You’re just going to lug it around? That’s very impractical,” Sentinel pointed out.

Raindrop snorted faintly. “Impractical. But it’s my seeker stone for now. I’m going to find the element.”

“You don’t trust the guard to find them?” Sentinel inquired, raising a brow.

Raindrop paused a moment, giving the guard a long stare. “I have met two guards so far. One of them stabbed me, and the other one is...you.”

“Touché,” Sentinel said with a bow of his head.

“Well, now you’ve eaten the cake laced with slow-acting poison, I’m going to go find an inn to rest in,” Raindrop said with a wave of a hoof.

“You came all the way over here just to apologize?” Sentinel didn’t seem to be very convinced.

Raindrop peered down at her forehooves for a moment, mincing them back and forth uncomfortably. “You kinda saved my life...and then I went and insulted your fallen coworkers or comrades or whatever you call them...”

Sentinel frowned deeply, and then pressed in close, laying his cheek against her chest.

Raindrop stared down at him for a moment, brows slowly raising. “...What are you doing?”

“I’m making sure you’re not developing a heart! Celestia knows what having one of those would do to you!” He tapped his hoof against her chest once, and then pulled back, smiling. “Nope, no heart. Situation normal.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes at him and then turned about, heading towards the front of the palace. “I trust you’ll turn up and torment me sometime in the near future?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Sentinel called after her.

Raindrop groaned faintly and shifted, stirring fitfully. There was the sensation of warm hooves around her, and she snuggled herself back into the embrace with a happy sigh.

It was several long, long seconds before she realised that she wasn’t at home with Shine.

The pegasi’s eyes widened, and she squirmed out from the embrace and spilled clumsily onto the floor, before sitting up and whirling around, her jaw dropping. “..Sentinel?!”

The guard gave a faint, groggy sound, opening an eye and peering at her for a long moment, before closing it and going back to sleep.

“Wake up!” Raindrop insisted, pushing him with a hoof. “What are you doing in my bed?!”

“You don’t remember anything, do you?” Sentinel asked tiredly, sitting up and rubbing at his temple with a hoof, shaking his head to try and wake up a little bit.

“No, I’m asking because I’m stupid! Now what are you doing in my bed?!” Raindrop almost squealed.

“You told me to,” Sentinel stated with a wave of a hoof, rolling over.

“I did no such thing!” Raindrop retorted heatedly.

Sentinel gave a low groan, and then rolled over to face her again, eyes narrowing a little bit. “You apparently have bad reactions to sedatives and certain types of medications.”

“How does that result in you being in my bed?!”

“You don’t remember a thing, do you? Not even a scrap of anything that happened last night?” Sentinel queried, raising a brow.

“Of course not! Now tell me.” Raindrop hissed, lifting a hoof threateningly.

“Okay, okay, fine! You took some pills, downed some cider, got really loopy, and I rescued you from your misguided attempts to seduce a colt, and dragged you upstairs to your room. And then you seduced me and nature took its course, and here we are.” Sentinel said, waving a hoof matter-of-factly.

Raindrop stared at the guard for a long, long moment, her head canting to the side slowly, her mouth slightly open. She choked out, “Y-you’re joking...”

“Of course I’m joking,” Sentinel said with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

Raindrop hit him, rather hard, in the shoulder.

Sentinel rolled his eyes, rubbing a hoof against the shoulder she hit as though injured. “But in all honesty, you did take pills and they did unbalance you. I found you holding up a unicorn in the bar demanding that he give you a banana and a roll of yarn for insulting your family.”

Raindrop blinked once. “...That...sounds decidedly odd.”

“Oh, it was. And of course, you insisted I stay up here in your room,” Sentinel added.

“This is where the story becomes a bit less believable,” Raindrop stated.

“No, seriously,” Sentinel insisted, “You erm...well. You wanted me up here because you were a little...hesitant to sleep alone?”

“...What? I always sleep alone,” Raindrop pointed out, shaking her head. “You’re not making sense.”

“Well fine! If you want the truth, I managed to wheedle it out of you that you were afraid of the dark guard coming back to finish you off,” Sentinel admitted, frowning.

Raindrop paused, and then nodded gently. “But...I...made you sleep in my bed?”

“Indeed,” Sentinel stated with a snicker. “You were delirious. Barely coherent; said it was my duty to protect you and that I was lucky you weren’t going to make me stand inside the door all night, and I should be thanking you for your grace in allowing me to lay down and rest.”

“That sounds more like me,” Raindrop said with a smug smile. “But I still find this whole story hard to swallow. I...Don’t remember anything after leaving the palace.”

“We kissed,” Sentinel said with a short nod.

“Liar. I see no signs of where I threw up afterwards,” Raindrop said with a wave of a hoof.

“You’ll never know, will you?” Sentinel asked with a sly grin.

Raindrop snorted. “I have naught but your word that any of this is true in the first place!”

“Inside of your left foreleg,” Sentinel said, pointing with a hoof.

Blinking once in confusion, Raindrop tilted her head and lifted her hoof, eyes widening at the neat length of writing down the inside of her foreleg.

You asked him. Sentinel smells. Unicorn with blue mane owes you a banana and roll of yarn.

“Believe me now?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this in the first place?!” Raindrop demanded.

“And miss Raindrop’s meltdown adventure?” Sentinel asked with a soft laugh.

“I hate you,” Raindrop said, deadpan.

Sentinel gave a wry grin. “Not what you were saying last night, under the influence of drugs and alcohol.”

Raindrop snorted and then shook her mane, rolling her eyes. “That’s about what it would take for me to say anything about you that is in any way positive.”

The guard nodded with a grin, rolling out of bed and beginning to pull on his armour. “So, last night, you were talking about catching the train back to Ponyville. The stone is pointing out towards the Everfree Forest or beyond.”

“Sentinel,” Raindrop started, mincing her hooves slightly.

“Hmm?” the guard asked, as he neatly slid his helmet into place.

“...Thank you,” Raindrop said quietly.

The guard raised a brow under his helmet.

“No...really. Thank you for...staying here with me when I was out of my mind on drugs,” Raindrop said hesitantly.

“I’m sure you’ll go back to hating me in a little while,” Sentinel said with a warm smile, saluting her with a hoof.

“I already am,” Raindrop stated, and then lifted a hoof. “Now get out of my room!”

A wry smile crossed the guards face as he turned and headed for the door, pulling it open and then peering at her over his shoulder. “Train leaves at midday.”

“More than enough time for breakfast, now shoo,” Raindrop said, making a motion with her forehooves.

Flirting?

Raindrop grimaced as she pulled the bandage away from her wound to inspect the handiwork of the dark guard.

It was just after midday, and the pegasus was rocking back and forth slightly to the sway of the train as it took the gently curves down towards Ponyville. It was a short trip; but long enough for her to change her bandages.

It was the first real look she’d had at the wound since it was a gaping opening in her flesh. The area surrounding the injury itself was inflamed and puckered, and the hole in her flesh where the dagger had penetrated her was still quite visible, with raw, red flesh showing clearly, weeping a thin clear liquid.

The cream she had to apply to the wound was a notoriously fast healing agent, but it also, as a by-product of the accelerated healing process, kept the wound completely open. As such, any poking and prodding in the area was painful and caused the pegasus to gasp and grit her teeth. Already, the wound was beginning to close, and soon, it would be no more than a thin sliver of scar tissue hidden underneath her fur.

Raindrop grit her teeth, and then pressed the mouth of the ointment tube against the wound, closing her eyes and then squeezing, several stuttered gasps leaving her as the cool liquid contacted raw, open flesh. The pegasus quivered, her wings stiffened and fluttering just slightly as she swallowed down the yelp that tried to escape her.

The door to the train cabin slid open, and Sentinel stepped through, closing the door after him.

“Don’t you ever knock?” Raindrop asked between gritted teeth, her ears splayed backwards as she pulled the tube of ointment away and then pressed her hoof over the wound.

“And give you a chance to refuse me entry?” Sentinel asked with a slowly raising brow.

Raindrop rolled her eyes a moment and then tentatively dropped her hoof, capping the tube of ointment and throwing it back into her bag. She folded the bandage up as neatly as she could, and then stuffed it into the trash area, before digging out a fresh bandage to place over her wound. “Don’t you have your own cabin?”

“I find it difficult to guard somepony when I’m not in their general vicinity,” Sentinel stated, as he moved over to one of the seats and sat himself down on it, stretching out languidly and adjusting his helmet.

“We’re on a moving train, Sentinel. Do you really think there is a chance one of those guards could get on here without being...you know, seen?” Raindrop asked flatly, frowning at him.

“Expect the unexpected,” Sentinel stated with a raised hoof. Obviously, it was some kind of motto.

Raindrop rolled her eyes again. “That’s an oxymoron.”

“But it sounds clever,” Sentinel said with a wise nod.

“So do you. Until you speak,” Raindrop stated, as she undid the bandage and began to wind it awkwardly around her shoulder. It was difficult to get it over her shoulder and around her chest, especially with only one hoof.

Sentinel made a faint, derisive sound, and then slipped down off the seat, moving over to the other pegasus and then halting her motions with a hoof.

“Look, you need the bandage to be firm. You’re making it all loose. It’ll slip off in a half hour after you start walking,” he stated, as he unwound the bandage completely and began to wind it correctly.

Raindrop arched and bit her tongue until she tasted blood as Sentinel pulled the bandage firmly over the wound. She gasped and spluttered a few times before she managed to get control of herself, grinding her teeth in pain.

“Wow, anypony would think you got stabbed,” Sentinel quipped as he heard her grinding her teeth like that. He continued to wind the bandage over her shoulder, kneading his free hoof soothingly between her shoulderblades. “Relax. Breath shallowly; it’ll put less pressure on the wound.”

Raindrop nodded helplessly, panting for a few moments before evening out her breathing, subconsciously leaning into the soothing kneading of Sentinel’s hoof.

The guard finished winding the bandage about her, and then neatly stretched the toothed elastic strip over both sides of it, keeping it in place. He patted her shoulder gently, “There, done.”

“Th-thank you,” Raindrop growled between gritted teeth, limping over to the bed and sprawling across it untidily, lifting a hoof to lay over her wound, just resting it there, not applying any pressure, but giving her something to focus on to dull the pain.

“That ointment always sucks when you first apply it,” Sentinel said with a wise nod, watching her.

Raindrop nodded in response, “In spite of my inclination to argue with you on every point possible, I agree. This sucks. I bet you get injured plenty as a guard.”

Sentinel gave a laugh and a shake of his head, “Actually, the royal guard is a very sedate job. Basically, I stand around and look intimidating. The armour helps. Most of my supply of accidents and mishaps came from my days off.”

“So you’ve never been stabbed?” she queried, perking an ear upwards at him curiously.

“Well...kinda? I guess?” Sentinel responded, making a circular motion with a hoof to indicate that he was unsure. “I’ve been impaled, but stabbed...no.”

“Impaled?” Raindrop asked, looking him up and down. “Like...with a spear?”

“A fence,” Sentinel said calmly. “You know the ones in front of the palace with the big, pointy black spikes on top? One of those.”

Raindrop winced sympathetically. “I’m willing to bet that hurt...did you scream?”

“No!” Sentinel replied instantly, looking affronted.

The female pegasus slowly raised a brow at him.

“Okay, fine,” Sentinel stated, shaking his head, “I bawled like a foal and screamed like I was being murdered.”

“An appealing image,” Raindrop stated with a nod and a wry smile.

Sentinel shifted, and slipped off the armour covering his right forehoof, tilting his hoof to show her the faintly visible scar running from the inside of his elbow to almost the end of his hoof. “Went in one side, and out the other.”

“I don’t blame you for screaming,” Raindrop said, staring at the scar for a long moment. “How in the name of Celestia did you manage to do that to yourself?”

A soft laugh left the guard, and he waved a hoof, “I was fleeing from the kitchens. I was on a strict diet of bread and water because I might have ruined one of Celestia’s favorite statues. So I snuck into the kitchen and got some sugar cubes. One of the kitchen staff saw me, and I ran away. Tried to fly out the back door, clipped my wing, bounded up over the fence, and came down on one of the spikes.”

Raindrop wrinkled her nose, “I bet your teacher or whatever you call it was unhappy with you.”

“Oh for sure, but not for the same reasons you’d think,” Sentinel said, waving a hoof airily. “He was more angry that I got caught than the fact that I was sneaking in there in the first place.”

“Then what’s the point of disciplining the younger guards if he’s expecting them to sneak out and get sweets?” Raindrop asked, bewildered.

“...That’s the point,” Sentinel said with a snicker, shaking his head. “See, he denies us things we want, and then hints at ways we can get them back. I learned more sneaking into the kitchens than I ever did sneaking past a training partner who knew I was there.”

“That...makes so much twisted sense,” Raindrop stated, prodding at her shoulder gently to see how much pain it would give her.

“Indeed it does,” Sentinel stated, narrowing his eyes at her after a moment, watching her prod at her bandaged shoulder. “Stop that. You’ll just irritate it.”

Raindrop snorted, and then dug around for the Seeker Stone in her backpack, pulling it out and inspecting it.

“Worried its going to disappear?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow.

“It’s changed,” Raindrop stated, staring at it for a long moment. “I’m not sure how ‘general’ of a direction it points in...but look at it.”

Raindrop held out the Seeker Stone for Sentinel to see.

“It’s pointing east,” Sentinel stated unnecessarily.

“But it was pointing further south than east while we were in Canterlot!” Raindrop said with an excited little bounce.

“...And?”

“And. If there’s such a drastic change in direction from Canterlot to Ponyville, then the element must be close to Ponyville!” Raindrop pointed out.

Sentinel stared at the pegasus for a long moment. “If you say so.”

“Ugh, this is like talking to a fish,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

“But I’m better looking than a fish,” Sentinel rebuked.

“Only by a little, hun,” Raindrop stated, patting the guards cheek gently.

“So you think the element is close to Ponyville?” Sentinel queried.

“I can’t be certain...” Raindrop admitted, shaking her head, “But s’far as I can tell...in the Everfree forest somewhere?”

“The canopy deep in the Everfree is too thick to really get through if you’re flying,” Sentinel stated knowledgeably.

Raindrop raised a brow at him slowly.

“Hey. I liked to sneak away every now and again, plus our Captain taught us that the forest is the first place to try and stop an escaping fugitive from reaching, because once they’re in there, it’s ground patrols only. Not to mention all the dangerous things that live there,” he said with a short nod.

“Yes, lets not forget the pony-eating monsters,” Raindrop agreed, sliding the Seeker Stone back into her pack. “Why can’t this be...simple? I mean, what kind of asshole just goes and hides these things? It’s inconvenient.”

“Discord,” Sentinel stated flatly. “Though, I must say, knowing his history...I’m surprised he hasn’t jumped up on a pedestal and declared his intent and power.”

“He’s the element of chaos. That’s kinda what he does,” Raindrop pointed out.

Sentinel nodded, frowning. “Well the last time he came back, he just took over Equestria. Turned it into pure chaos.”

“Plays get boring if they repeat the same thing over and over again. He’s Discord. If he did the same thing over and over again, then that would be order...and it would be the opposite of chaos, yes?” Raindrop suggested, raising a brow.

“...I personally don’t think that Discord would ascribe himself to any kind of patterned randomization. Because that would make him predictable and therefore not chaotic.” The guard nodded smugly.

“We’re going to go in circles,” Raindrop stated flatly. “But he hasn’t gotten up and announced his presence and taken over all of Equestria, so obviously, I’m right.”

Sentinel opened his mouth to protest, and Raindrop placed a hoof over his mouth.

“Sentinel. It has been a grand total of three days since I last hit you. I’m sure my being unconscious in the hospital for a third of that and drugged out for another third has something to do with that, but if you continue arguing with me, then three whole days is going to be the new record for ‘not beating Sentinel up’.”

The guard paused a moment, tilting his head at her, and then giving a smug smile. “You hit me when you were loopy. Said I was making unwanted advances on you by hopping into your bed, and then ordered me out of it. And then you asked me why I got out of the bed and demanded I get back in it.”

Raindrop took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a long moment, and then gave Sentinel a ringing blow to the cheek with her hoof.

“Annnd back to zero,” she stated, pursing her lips.

Sentinel grinned, his helmet having absorbed most of the blow. He lifted a hoof to gently bop her nose. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”

Raindrop scowled, and then paused a moment, staring at the guard and slowly tilting her head to the side. There was a long pause before she asked, disbelievingly, “...did you just try to flirt with me?”

The guard smiled and shook his head goofily, before blinking and then looking up and to the left at a corner of the room, pondering deeply. “Oh sweet Celestia I think I did...Quick, hit me again!”

Raindrop gave him a ringing backhand with her hoof, on the opposite cheek, before leaning in and staring at him. “...Better?”

“The urge to make nice with you has definitely faded,” Sentinel stated, rubbing his cheek with a hoof and frowning.

“Good. Flirt with me again and I’ll put you in hospital,” Raindrop stated flatly, turning away to hide the inexplicable blush spreading across her cheeks.

“Still cute when you’re mad,” Sentinel said with a sly grin.

Easy

Armed with the Cloudsdale Chaser and the Seeker Stone, Raindrop and Sentinel strode through the underbrush of the Everfree Forest, pushing aside bushes to forge a path. Sentinel was walking ahead of her, making a path wide enough for Raindrop to follow after having seen her wincing as she pushed aside a branch herself.

The Cloudsdale Chaser was a simple instrument that at first seemed quite hard to use. There was the little icon on the outer ring that showed the direction of Cloudsdale, and then, outside that, two different dials that had to be manually set. The first inner ring was rotated until it the marker was pointed straight at Cloudsdale, and the second outermost ring was set to point towards an object of reference; usually something high and static, like a mountain range. Then, with a little bit of dead-reckoning you could use the Cloudsdale Chaser to find direction.

Or, in this case, to make sure the two of them didn’t lose the direction of Ponyville. With Cloudsdale so far away, even if they travelled dozens of miles through the forest, the angle of the marker pointing towards Cloudsdale wouldn’t shift more than a few degrees. Therefore, they could just turn the Cloudsdale Chaser until the inner ring was lined up with the pointer, and then head in the direction of the outer ring to give themselves a travel line that would take them pretty close to Ponyville. Simple trigonometry.

The Seeker Stone was clasped in Raindrop’s good hoof, and she looked at it every now and again to make sure they were on the right track. Already, they were a good few miles into the Everfree Forest, heading deeper towards where the forest became a bog. Already, they were having to leap over the occasional point where bogwater crossed their impromptu path.

“I don’t like this,” Sentinel whispered, slowly down.

“It’s a bog. That’s the general impression it gives to everyone,” Raindrop stated, shaking her head.

“No, this bog is inhabited by the hydra,” Sentinel pointed out, his tone low and careful.

“Oh, a hydra. Wonderful.” Raindrop shook her head slowly, rubbing a hoof against her forehead for a moment. “Let me guess, it’ll be guarding the Element of Harmony and we’ll have to fight it.”

Sentinel paused a moment, and then heaved a sigh. “...knowing Discord? Yes.”

“I’m going to knock him the hell out when I meet him,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“I’ll hold him, you beat on him,” Sentinel agreed, as they bounded across the ever-diminishing lengths of dry land between the watery parts.

“If only it were that easy,” Raindrop sighed, stretching her wings slightly, fluttering them. “I am so just aching to fly.”

“Nurse says no,” Sentinel warned. “You were stabbed. You’ll probably only get off the ground and then end up falling back down.”

“That sounds fun,” Raindrop replied sullenly, folding her wings again.

“What’s the Seeker Stone say?” Sentinel asked as he sloshed around a half-sunken cart that had been abandoned to the bog. The odd discarded object floated amongst the murky water; old buckets, a leather coat, mugs, tables. Everything and anything that had been abandoned by wagons in days gone by trying to cross through the bog. There were even entire wagons sunk to their axles, abandoned where they were when they became too bogged down to move.

“It says to keep going that way,” Raindrop stated, waving a hoof in the direction the stone was indicating.

Sentinel grumbled and bounded to the next island.

“Soooo...what do we do if we find the hydra?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow. “Does the guard training cover that?”

“We attempt to make the heads attack each other,” Sentinel stated immediately, “But that’s plan B.”

“And plan A?”

“Running.”

The Seeker Stone continued to lead them further into the bog, until the forest opened up into a rather sparsely vegetated series of still water holes choked with algae. The water holes were hidden in the lee of a steep cliff-face leading up to a mountain range at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

As they carefully bounced from one tiny island to the next, Sentinel said, “So...I’ve been thinking.”

“I can see how this is rare enough of an occurrence that you felt an urge to notify someone,” Raindrop responded dryly.

“No, seriously,” Sentinel snorted.

“I am being serious.”

“About the dark guard,” Sentinel explained, shaking his head.

Raindrop raised a brow as she leaped to the next island. “And?”

“...It was too easy,” Sentinel stated flatly.

“I certainly didn’t get that impression when he was choking me...or stabbing me,” Raindrop retorted.

“No...take it from someone who trained with the dark guard...that was way too easy,” Sentinel reiterated, frowning deeply. “I just...can’t figure it out.”

“I was rather...confused that he kinda played with me,” Raindrop admitted, pausing on another small island to peer at the Seeker Stone.

Sentinel nodded in understanding. “If it had of been me, I would have done it silently and before you had a chance to react.”

“Okay then, talking about murdering me is kinda creepy,” Raindrop replied with a wrinkled nose.

“No. Seriously.” Sentinel lifted a hoof to halt her. “The royal guard is the only militia in Equestria. Outside of the Wonderbolts.If Equestria is invaded, we are the first line of defense. Princess Celestia is a kind, benevolent, peaceful ruler...but she’s also wise. We learn to do some very...despicable things in the name of protecting Equestria.”

“Like how to murder someone silently?”

“Like how to murder someone quietly,” Sentinel replied quietly. Something in his eyes made Raindrop drop her tone immediately.

“So you’re saying that...given what he did, he wasn’t a dark guard?” Raindrop asked helplessly.

Sentinel made a sound that conveyed uncertainty, “That’s what I feel. If it was a trained royal guard or dark guard, then they would have broken your neck and been gone before your wings stopped twitching. And then there’s the fact that he had trouble with you and yet took down two guards and faded into the night. Not to mention a dagger is a rather...uncommon thing for a pony to use. Especially a kris blade. The guard is only trained in straight blades, kris blades don’t carry a strike very well, and are prone to deforming.”

“So I’ll take your word for it,” Raindrop stated with a shake of her head. “What’s the bigger point you’re trying to get at?”

“...I think Luna is telling the truth. I don’t think that dark guard was one of hers,” Sentinel stated, sitting down on his rump and staring at Raindrop.

“Okay then...so why would a dark guard be attacking me?” Raindrop asked blankly, not understanding.

“Someone wants to drive a wedge between Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. That’s the only thing I can think,” Sentinel said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“So...a dark guard, attacks me, with the intent of causing Celestia and Luna to stop speaking to each other and mistrust one another or something. And the person that you think did this had no problem overthrowing both of them at once before, when they knew where the Elements of Harmony were? Why would Discord bother attacking me?” Raindrop queried, staring at the guard, raising a brow.

“I have no idea. I don’t know all the answers. I’m just going to say it all now so I can say ‘I told you so’ at some unforeseen point in the future,” Sentinel admitted, standing back up and waving a hoof towards the cliff. “Do you think it’s close?”

“The glow moved a fair amount in the last leg of our trip. Seems like we’re getting pretty close...Maybe over that hill,” Raindrop said, pointing towards a hill to their east.

Sentinel nodded, and then launched from his little island, flying over to the island and landing lightly, padding up over the hill to peek over the edge. He was frozen for a few moments, before very, very carefully drawing back and creeping as quietly as possible down the hill.

Raindrop bounded over the last few bits of land and to the large hill Sentinel was on. The guard lifted a hoof to halt her, his eyes wide behind his helmet as he hissed, “The hydra is right over that hill!”

“I’ve never seen one of those before,” Raindrop said calmly, stepping up the hill, ignoring Sentinel’s hissed rebukes.

Raindrop’s eyes widened as she stared down the hillside to the scene beyond.

The cliffside ahead had been hollowed out, into a kind of lair. Random detritus had been gathered around the hollowed out section of cliffside, leaving a wide ring half-submerged in the oily bogwater that lay at the mouth of the hollow. Further back in the hollow, there was a portion of the ground that was raised above the waterline, flattened by constant trampling. There was a treasure trove of shiny objects there; random pieces of metal, coins, gems, jewellery, what even seemed to be a severed unicorn’s horn.

And in the centre of the pile, placed there seemingly at random, was the Element of Generosity. It was just like the Element of Loyalty, except the swirls inside its centre were blue rather than red.

It would have been a perfect scene, if not for the hydra curled around the treasure pile.

It was huge. Each of its four heads were larger than a pony by themselves, and its long, slender necks had an impressive length. A body that looked to belong to a full-grown dragon was curled around the treasure pile protectively. Three of the heads were laid down, apparently resting, and the fourth was awake, alert, looking around.

“They take turns watching out for prey or dragons in the sky,” Sentinel whispered as he crawled up beside her. “And that would be the Element of Generosity down there, wouldn’t it?”

Raindrop nodded grimly. “It sure looks like it. How are we gonna get to it?”

“We could try sneaking past it...but that’s unlikely. We’ll need to distract it. Since you can’t fly, I’ll go flit round above it, get its attention, and then draw it away so you can grab the element. Then we’ll meet up on that mountaintop,” Sentinel said, pointing a hoof towards a peak in the distance.

“I can’t fly,” Raindrop stated flatly, wiggling her wings for emphasis.

“I’ll see you coming,” Sentinel stated with a shrug, dipping his head forwards to remove his helmet, and then starting to slough off the rest of his armour, dropping it quietly into a neat pile.

Raindrop paused a moment, an ear perking at the guard. “And if you get eaten?”

“Well, I’ll be dead and I won’t care. See ya on the other side,” Sentinel said with a mock-salute.

The guard took a running start to the edge of the hill, and then leaped off it, spreading his wings wide, gliding down the edge of the hillside. His hooves almost touched the brackish water as he swept across the shallow length of bogwater and then skimmed across the edge of the hydra’s tail, swiping at it with a hoof.

Raindrop laid her ears back and winced as a chorus of angry roars rose throughout the bog.

The hydra was awake.

Causality

Snarling roars rose throughout the hillsides as the hydra awoke suddenly. A pair of roars rose in symphony as the already conscious head and a second head both jerked around to stare at the intrusion on their sleep, jaws parted, rows of teeth visible in bestial snarls.

Sentinel grinned as he skimmed away from them, wings splayed wide, keeping low to the ground, where the hydra would be hesitant to attack him because it would be more likely to smash its many heads into the bushes and twisted trees rather than the pegasus.

A second pair of challenging roars rose to join the first as the two remaining heads awoke properly, realising the threat to their territory, no matter how minute. With a fierce snarl from three of the heads, the hydra lumbered to its large feet, and began to pound after the pegasus.

Raindrop watched with wide eyes from atop her hilltop, standing with her forelegs splayed slightly, her wings twitching slightly in reflexive nervousness.

She had absolutely no idea how Sentinel could just attack a hydra like that without being scared half to death at the prospect. It would have taken her hours to gather up the courage to do that.

The hydra snarled in impotent anger at its prey, which seemed to stay just out of its reach, tempting it further and further from its horde. But the small mind and attention span of the hydra was focused on one thing: anger. It wanted to hurt the pegasus, to crush him to a pulp beneath its feet or share its limbs between each of its angry heads.

Deciding that the hydra was far enough away from the horde, Raindrop bounded over the crest of the hill and began galloping down the other side, heading for the Element of Generosity sitting on the top of the pile.

Elsewhere, in Ponyville, a lone unicorn was stirring.

This unicorn was oddly coloured; a silvery white, with a jet black mane with what appeared to be glowing white highlights in it. Something about her appearance spoke of magic. It was almost a palpable thing that rolled off her.

Her eyes, when they opened, were a vivid, deep blue. They were so bright and intense that it was almost eerie to look into them. Her name was Stardancer, and she was utterly insane.

Ever since she was a foal, she had resided at the Ponyville Insane Asylum, quite at home with the other strange, broken ponies. In a constant state of near-catatonia brought on by mind-numbing amounts of drugs, she was often found whispering to herself in the corner about causality and effects.

But today was different. Today, she had refused her medication.

It was perhaps an odd thing that she refused her medication. She willingly took her medication, and seemed to rely on it to function. When Stardancer was old enough to make decisions for herself, she had been given a session with a Psychologist to see if she was fit for integration back into society.

After an hour of discussions, it was deemed that the unicorn was ‘beyond intervention’ and she was sentenced to willing incarceration in the Ponyville Asylum until such time as she sought a second session with a psychologist.

Today was that day.

One of the orderlies came by to take her to the session, carefully helping her ease out of the straight jacket she had been placed in, allowing her unrestricted movement. The jacket was a precaution, but everyone at the asylum knew that it was unnecessary. Stardancer was a willing tenant, and her only respite from the demons of her mind were the drugs she regularly imbibed.

And everyone who knew Stardancer, and knew her history, knew that if she really wanted to get out, then she could do so whenever she pleased.

“F-five, seventeen, twelve,” Stardancer murmured hoarsely, her voice raspy from disuse.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” the orderly asked, raising a brow, turning towards her.

“N-nothing,” the pony rasped back, turning her head and mumbling to herself.

The orderly frowned as he led the crazed pony towards the room where she would meet with the psychologist. But she had eyes only for the orderly. She watched him intently from beneath her sparkling black mane, eyes narrowing, watching his expression as thoughts rolled through his mind.

At first, his thoughts turned to the numbers, pondering on them, wondering what they could mean. And then that thought then turned to the lottery, and the ticket he had in it, waiting to be checked. It was sitting in the office where he had his breaks, and he had to take it into the store that afternoon, as he’d forgotten it three times already this week.. He had almost forgotten it again! Phew.

The orderly paused as they passed by a room, and Stardancer ran right into him, gasping in surprise and putting her hooves up to balance herself, entangling them in his mane by accident.

“You should watch where you’re walking, Stardancer,” the orderly said kindly, as she disentangled her hooves. His mind was so preoccupied with asking his fellow orderly to remind him about the lottery ticket, that he didn’t even notice that Stardance came away with his hairpin in her hoof.

“Yo, remind me to take that ticket in this afternoon, yeah?” the orderly called, while Stardancer hid the hairpin in her mouth.

“Yeah, sure!” came the response, and the orderly smiled before continuing down the hallway.

“So why today, Stardancer? You’ve been here what, ten years now?” the orderly asked of her, looking at her sideways.

Stardancer just grunted in response.

“Well don’t talk to me then,” the orderly said with a shake of his head, sighing and then pushing open the door to the psychologist's office, peeking in.

“I’ll be waiting outside, don’t wreck anything,” the orderly said, narrowing his eyes at her.

Stardancer shrugged, stepping inside and calmly draping herself across the couch inside.

The psychologist looked up from his notepad, raising a brow at her. “Ahh, Stardancer? I understand that you wished to speak to me? Ready to get out of here, huh?”

Stardancer merely nodded in response, remaining quiet, watching him.

The psychologist perked his ears up at her, and then jotted something down on his notepad, moving out from around the desk and moving to sit down across from her.

Stardancer watched him with narrowed eyes, waiting. She knew it was coming. She had known it for weeks.

The psychologist stumbled slightly, and then winced, a hoof lifting to grip his stomach, his face screwing up slightly in pain. “Ugh...oh wow...that hurts...”

Stardancer merely watched him, tilting her head to the side.

With a groan, the psychologist stumbled to the door, pushed it open, and then bolted for the men’s room, shoving open the door to a stall before he began to be violently ill into a toilet. The orderly looked into the room where Stardancer was, giving her a surprised look.

Stardancer shrugged, giving a bewildered look in response.

The orderly turned and then bounded down the hallway to the door of the men’s room, peeking in to see if the psychologist was alright.

Of course, Stardancer knew this was coming. She had known for a full two weeks. It had started with an innocent word to an orderly: ‘cake’.

It wasn’t cake that made the psychologist sick though, no. A week before that, the psychologist had given the orderly a piece of cake for lunch. The forgetful orderly hadn’t remember that until today, and gave him a piece of home-cooked pie instead.

What the orderly didn’t know was that the psychologist was mildly allergic to rhubarb, which was an ingredient in the pie.

Stardancer calmly rose to her hooves, and stalked into the hallway and then to the door leading to the front of the asylum, spitting out the hairpin and looking down at it. With a quick twist of her hoof, she had it bent in half. The unicorn then picked it up, inserted it into the lock, and twisted it. It took her under three seconds to get the door unlocked, and then she was gone. By the time any of the orderlies noticed, she was long gone.

Raindrop bounded down the slope, crashing through the knee-deep brackish water, and then back up the slope leading to the treasure horde. Up close, it looked even larger. Shiny piles of metal, silver, gold, simple stainless steel, even an old sword or two, formed a complex net draped with jewellery and other random bits of shiny things. Some of it was pure junk, but amongst the junk, were some very real treasures.

She could see a treasure chest, spilled open with gold inside. There was a tiara perched upon an old cart whose contents included metal plates used for what appeared to be shield material, as each were in the three-pointed shape of an old shield. And old stove was laying half-on a walking brace used for helping old ponies who had trouble walking.

And on top of all these mixed tangle of metal things, was the Element of Generosity. It was held high by the struts of an old foals playground, the paint chipped away to reveal rusting metal beneath.

Raindrop clambered up this haphazard pile, sending various objects bouncing down from the pile as she disturbed the weight distribution. And then, she had it! She quickly transferred the element from her hoof, to under her right wing. Very quickly, the element dimmed and turned a stony grey.

Unable to believe how lucky she had it so far, Raindrop leaped down off the pile and landed at a full gallop, speeding away from the horde with her prize clutched under her wing.

But that’s where it all went wrong.

Sentinel was merely playing with the hydra now, juking between the trees and actually laughing as he dodged the angry behemoths ponderous attacks. It was like watching a sloth try to catch a fly. The hydra just wasn’t too fast to catch the pegasus, even with all four heads vehemently trying to snatch him from the sky.

But his cockiness was his undoing.

Sentinel rolled over as he flew, and blew the hydra a kiss as he circled around a tree trunk, waving at the giant beast coquettishly.

The hydra snarled its anger at his insolence, and two of the heads tried to attack him at once.

Sentinel laughed, righting himself in the air and juking out of the way easily. But he didn’t dodge the tree so easily.

The hydra’s two heads smashed into the tree he had been circling around, causing it to tilt, its root system tearing out of the ground as it began to lean and tip. Another strike from a third head causing it to tear itself out of the ground and fall completely. Sentinel was too close to the tree, and as it fell, it struck him across the back, raking down his wings and spine with its spindly branches, like clawed hands tearing at him.

Feathers were torn from the pegasus’ wings and he was dropped instantly, like a bird caught in a net, forced down by the weight of the tree. He slammed into the ground and rolled free under his own momentum, coming to a halt in a tangled mess of leaves, torn feathers, and mangled flight surfaces. He groaned and stirred faintly, his wings giving a feeble twitch. It didn’t take a doctor to know that he wouldn’t be flying on those wings any time soon.

The hydra roared in triumph, and began to circle around the fallen tree to get at the fallen pegasus, all four heads focused on him entirely, eager and ready for a meal.

Raindrop watched with wide, horrified eyes, looking from the scene in front of her, to the element under her wing, biting her lip. Everything in her told her to run away, to stay safe. She couldn’t even fly, and that was a hydra.

But there was something in her that was stronger than her impulse to flee. With a heavy sigh, Raindrop set down the Element of Generosity, rolling it into the fork of a tree. The pegasus then turned on her heel, and began to sprint towards the hydra, her wings automatically flaring for balance against the wind. Her shoulder was still too sore to fly, and even running caused twinges in it, but she ignored it. It was time to save the guard. Again.

Raindrop skidded down a slope, catching a decent sized stone in a hoof as she skidded, and then landing neatly on all fours, spinning in place, using her momentum to hurl the stone in the general direction of the hydra.

Her aim was true, and the stone caught the back of one of the gigantic heads, bouncing off it.

The hydra paused in its attack on the unmoving Sentinel, and three of the heads slowly turned towards Raindrop, while the fourth whined and tried to snap at the form of the downed male pegasus, a few metres short of being to reach him, whining.

Raindrop stared up at the giant beast, swallowing hard. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. All she had been trying to do was stop it from eating Sentinel, and now, it was focused on her. And she couldn’t fly!

Raindrop backpedalled instantly, turning around and beginning to scramble up the slope she had finished sliding down, her mouth dry and her heart beating in her ears. She could hear the heavy thuds of the hydra’s footsteps as it pursued her, and she could see, in her mind, the four heads eagerly stretching out to bite at her.

The ground began to tremble under Raindrop’s feet as she ran, cresting the slope she had slid down and then rapidly bounding down the other side. A heavy grating sound echoed behind her, and she stole a glance back to see the hydra sliding down the slope after her!

One of the heads snapped at her, and she sidestepped, feeling the pressure wave of the jaws closing where she had been but a few moments before, her eyes widening at exactly how close it had been to sheering off her wings or just chomping her in half.

Unused to running in any setting, Raindrop realised instantly that the hydra was faster than her. Just running wasn’t going to cut it. It would catch her and tear her to pieces before she managed to get into any substantial cover. So instead of running away, Raindrop turned and leaped at the hydra.

Confused at the sudden change in tact, two of the hydra’s heads completely missed her with their clumsy bites, while the third head waited a few moments before attempting to catch her. Raindrop leaped as high as she could, and spread her wings on reflex, her hooves grazing across the side of one of the hydra’s necks, the pegasus slipping between two of the long limbs in an attempt to confuse it.

Raindrop’s plan worked, and the hydra was momentarily confused. To further the chaos, the third head that was waiting to attack her attempted to curl between the two necks of its fellow heads. The gap was too small though, and its teeth grazed against the two necks as it narrowly missed snapping closed on Raindrop’s trailing tail.

A snarl rose from one of the heads as a long gash in its yellow hide became apparent, and it snapped at the head that had caused the damage, headbutting it bickeringly.

Raindrop, for her part, landed on the hydra’s back, bounding down the length of it, hardly able to believe she was running on a living creature. The hydra snarled in anger as it realised that its prey was getting away, and turned, writhing in an attempt to twist around and snap at her once more.

Raindrop felt the motion underneath her, rolling like a ship in high seas, upsetting her balance. She resisted the urge to clamp down with her limbs to keep herself from falling off. A sudden impact caught across her breast, and she gasped, all the air leaving her body. The hydra’s thick tail had whipped across her form as the lumbering creature turned, and the motion of the whippy limb sent the pegasus high into the air.

The world tilted crazily for Raindrop, and her wings spread automatically to catch the air, snapping taught to arrest her uncontrolled tumble through the air. A snarl of pain left the pegasus as the muscles in her shoulder were forced into action far too soon, the wound there making itself known with a vengeance. Automatically, Raindrop folded her wing to avoid the pain, and her fall turned into a tumble once more.

Baring her teeth, Raindrop spread her wing before she lost too much altitude, feeling a crunching bite coming down on the air where she had just been, as she began to glide painfully towards the ground, putting distance between her and the hydra.

Aching, piercing pain burned in her shoulder constantly, and she wanted to just fold her wing and drop to the ground in a heap, but she grit her teeth and fought through it. If she gave in to the pain, then she was going to end up a very small entré to four different mouths.

Raindrop hit the ground running, each step sending a jarring bolt of pain through her shoulder, making her bare her teeth, the pain most definitely clearing her head.

“Sentinel! Get up!” she called as she bounded at an angle away from where she had seen the pegasus go down. She hoped that he could hear her, but she had no idea if he was even conscious, or mobile. And she certainly didn’t have the time to stop and ask questions.

Sprawled out in a few centimetres of murky water, Sentinel stirred fitfully, his wings giving an uncertain flex and flare. His brows twitched, and then his eyes blinked open, clouded with pain and possibly a mild concussion from his impact with the ground. The sounds of the hydra pounding after Raindrop seemed to echo from a long way away.

Raindrop was already panting hard from her exertions. Running was not high on a pegasi’s ‘to do’ list, and generally speaking, on the ground, they were slower and had less endurance than even the unicorns. The price of wings, it seemed. The pegasus’ breath was coming in harsh pants, and her hooves were getting heavy, harder to command.

Another crashing bite from the hydra almost caught her tail, and Raindrop stumbled slightly, almost losing her footing and ending up on the ground.

Raindrop could almost sense the next strike coming, and she backpedalled, skidding to a stop and throwing herself backwards. The hydra’s bite slammed into the ground where she would have been had she not stopped so suddenly, and the next strike hit to the side of her, causing the entire ground to tremble underneath her.

The strikes seemed to stun the hydra, as two of its heads came back up from the ground looking distinctly dishevelled, stunned by their impacts. Instead of running away from it, Raindrop took the opportunity to duck between its forelegs, standing beneath it.

At first, the hydra was confused, apparently having lost track of her, before one of its heads dipped down to peek underneath itself, eyes narrowing evilly at her. A large foot lifted, shifted, and then began to come down on top of her. Raindrop leapt to the side, and the crashing blow hit bare earth instead, vibrating the earth underneath her. A second and third strike were dodged like this before the hydra tired of the new ‘game’.

Another head curled down on the opposite side, and the remaining two shifted to come from the front, boxing her in, leaving her with only place to go: backwards.

Raindrop turned to run that way, finding that the hydra had hiked its tail up slightly, as though offering her a route of escape. But she saw it for what it really was: a trap. As soon as she tried to exit that way, the tail would come down, and weight of it would crush her.

Raindrop bit her bottom lip, looking left and right. Four heads stared at her. Eight unblinking eyes watched her. It knew it had her, but it was toying with her now, exulting in its victory.

A muted shout echoed from the other side of the hydra’s form, and the large beast seemed to pause a moment, one of its heads lifting and curling away to peer down at the second pegasus.

Sentinel was back on his feet, limping towards the hydra. His right front leg was cocked in front of him, and he wasn’t putting any weight on it. His wings were bedraggled, and trailed on the ground at his sides, seemingly unable to close properly. His form was streaked with mud, leaves, and clods of dirt, and, in one spot, blood. He was beaten. But he was still hobbling after the hydra, calling out to it in angry, challenging tone of voice.

“Come and eat you, you oversized lizard! I got one leg for each of your ugly mouths!” he was calling, completely fearless.

Raindrop looked left, at the head there, and then down at her hooves. The fourth head had moved, but three of them still watched her, making sure she didn’t go anywhere.

She looked up again, gauging the distance, and then flicked her hoof, lifting a generous amount of sand with the flick, sending it directly into the hydra’s eyes. the head she hit with the sand recoiled, and Raindrop slipped out through the gap she created, lended a second wind by pure adrenaline, bounding away down the slope towards Sentinel while the hydra roared its fury at being duped and gave chase.

Raindrop intercepted Sentinel halfway up the slope, skidding past him. The guard didn’t even pay her any attention, continuing to hobble towards the hydra resolutely.

“What are you doing?!” Raindrop screeched as the heavy thuds of the hydra’s footfalls grew closer and closer, and a roar rattled their eardrums.

“Run,” Sentinel said urgently, waving a hoof at her to entreat her to run. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Raindrop scowled, gripping his tail in a hoof and tugging at it. “Run you stubborn mule! We’re going to be eaten!”

Sentinel frowned at her as the shadow of the hydra fell over them, and he harrumphed at her. “So...I’m going to get eaten and you’re not even going to get away? Typical female.”

Raindrop gave an exasperated sigh, “This is hardly the time or place!”

Sentinel looked up at the hydra, and the hydra stared back, all four heads watching the two pegasus. A slimy tongue slipped from one of its mouths, licking across its teeth, savouring the moment.

And then, the hydra paused. It realised its prey was no longer looking at it, but rather, past it.

One of the heads turned, and that single head had time to register that there was a massive spire of rock levitating above it, before the rock swung down and smashed across four heads in a single massive swipe.

The heavy body of the hydra keeled over sideways, ponderously tipping until it crashed to the earth with a resounding thud, unconscious. Sentinel and Raindrop could only stare.

The large spire of rock was carefully set down with a touch of magic at the top of a hill, and a figure appeared. A white unicorn with a flowing black mane rolled a rock up to the side of the giant spire she placed there, and then nudged the rock once or twice, making sure it was just so, before heading back down the hill, apparently talking to herself.

“That just happened, didn’t it?” Sentinel asked blankly.

“Eeyup,” Raindrop replied, looking from the fallen hydra to the strangely placed rock. She then peered down at her shoulder, and winced slightly. Blood was seeping through her bandages from her stab wound. Sometime during her headlong run, she had managed to reopen the wound. Mud and dirty water caked her bandages, and she was suddenly wary of an infection.

Sentinel gave a low groan, and then slumped, just splaying out flat on his stomach. “I wish that thing ate me. I hurt all over.”

“Oh shut up,” Raindrop scowled, beginning to stumble her way towards where she had left the Element of Generosity. The unicorn had already faded from view, lost to the trees. Raindrop was certain she’d be able to find out who it was, though, as she had a very distinctive look to her.

Sentinel groaned and pulled himself to his feet to follow after her, limping heavily.

“You know, I was all set to be the hero, too. And there you went crashing my parade and not running away,” Sentinel stated flatly.

“Yeah, and then you’d be eaten. I’d surely die of regret if that was to happen,” Raindrop rebuked flatly.

“I would be eaten and I would not care,” Sentinel said in an offhand way.

Raindrop slid over the element and pulled it up, hiding it under her wing again and then turning to him, smiling weakly. “Well, we got the element.”

“And injured. Don’t forget injured,” Sentinel interjected.

“And injured,” Raindrop agreed, nodding once and then prodding at her bandages, frowning. “Can you walk like that?”

Sentinel stared at her for a long moment, and then shook his head sadly. “Nope, sorry. Can’t do it. I’ll just have to levitate back to Ponyville like I did to get over here.”

“Looking for more injuries?” Raindrop asked flatly, glowering at him.

“Can it wait until after we’re a long, long way away from that thing?” Sentinel asked, pointing at the hydra.

“Agreed,” Raindrop conceded, turning and starting up the hill towards where Sentinel had left his armor. “You don’t happen to know that unicorn, do you?”

Sentinel shook his head, and then raised a brow at her. “What makes you think I would?”

“She seemed...to be a very crazy pony. I can’t picture you hanging out with a normal pony,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

“I find it amusing that you say this to me while in my company,” Sentinel replied instantly.

Raindrop just glowered at him, before adding threateningly “You know...I owe you a black eye.”

“Owe me?” He asked, perking an ear at her. “Are we keeping a tally now?”

“Well if you keep getting injured ‘in the line of duty’, then we’re going to need an IOU system for all the times you piss me off when you’re too injured me to inflict grievous bodily harm upon you,” Raindrop pointed out, raising a brow at him.

The guard rolled his eyes, pausing, and then beginning to gingerly slide his armor on. “I’m sorry that my constant state of injury is inconveniencing your violent nature. Your boyfriend must be in a constant state of concussion.”

“Actually, I tend not to hit him,” Raindrop said with a shrug.

Sentinel slipped on his helmet, and then hobbled over to her, gingerly patting her shoulder with a hoof. “Don’t worry. I bring out the best in ponies.”

“You bring out my violent streak,” Raindrop reminded him with a scowl.

“And how is that a bad thing?” Sentinel asked, as he turned and began to limp back down the hill and towards the Everfree forest.

“You’re usually on the receiving end of my violent streak,” Raindrop protested.

“And I’m not complaining,” Sentinel stated, looking at her over his shoulder.

Raindrop sighed, shaking her head. “You’re a glutton for punishment, aren’t you?”

Sentinel raised a brow, pausing and then glancing over himself suggestively. “I just took on a hydra. And I was laughing...at the start at least. What do you think?”

“I think you’re borderline psychotic,” Raindrop responded, shaking her head at him again.

“We’re on the same page then,” Sentinel said with a grin. He was watching Raindrop, and so he didn’t see the carefully-placed stone in his path that rolled underhoof. Thankfully, it didn’t strain anything in his good leg, but it did off-balance him enough that he ended up sidestepped clumsily, ending up nose-to-nose with Raindrop.

The two of them paused like that, unsure, neither of them really willing to break the sudden awkward silence.

Sentinel was the first to make a movement though, and he leaned in to place a kiss directly on the end of her muzzle.

Raindrop blinked slowly, stunned by the sudden motion, her eyes wide.

Sentinel drew back after a second, and then inclined his head. “Thanks for, you know, trying to make me not die.”

And then the guard continued to limp down the path towards Ponyville as though nothing had happened, leaving a blushing, confused Raindrop in his wake.

Friendzone

It took several hours for the two pegasi to limp into Ponyville, and by that time, night had fallen once more. Sentinel was in the lead, and Raindrop was still trailing behind, uncertain.

Sentinel had kissed her. And she hadn’t even given him a concussion afterwards. She just...didn’t know how she felt about that.

Both of the pegasi headed for the hospital. They were both injured in one way or another, and Sentinel was a lot worse off than Raindrop. He still hadn’t managed to get his wings up off the ground, and they were constantly trailing, unmoving.

Sentinel pushed the front doors of the hospital open with a heave of his forelegs, and then collapsed right there in the doorway, giving a long sigh and then just laying his head on the floor, closing his eyes.

“Uhm...nurse?!” Raindrop called, as she stepped over to the fallen guard, nudging him with her nose in a weak attempt to stir him.

A nurse came stalking out from one of the doorways, frowning and then slipping over to the guard, kneeling at his side, inspecting his wings. “What happened?”

“Disagreement with a hydra,” Raindrop said with a helpless smile.

“Help me get him to a bed,” the nurse said hurriedly, and Raindrop nodded, slipping to Sentinel’s side to help support him as the nurse did the same on the other side.

With the two of them, they managed to get the guard back on his feet, and then into a room, pushing him up onto a bed.

Raindrop withdrew then, and stood in the corner, watching, holding a hoof against her freshly-bleeding shoulder wound. The nurse began to remove the guard’s armour, piece by piece, setting it aside in a neat pile and then inspecting his wings.

With a worried look, she hurried out of the room to go and get supplies.

Raindrop stepped over to the bed while there was a lull in the activities, and raised a brow at Sentinel. “Are you awake?”

A muffled mumble answered her. “Do I have to be?”

“You look as bad as I feel,” Raindrop stated, shaking her head at him and looking at his wings.

“That bad, huh?” he asked weakly in response, stirring slightly and lifting his head to peer back at her.

Raindrop nodded mutely, lifting a hoof to gently arrange the guard’s wings into a more comfortable position.

“I meant what I said,” Sentinel said after a moment, watching her. Even though his gaze was a little ‘off’, and he was obviously in pain, he seemed lucid and aware of what he was saying.

“You said a lot of things,” Raindrop pointed out, frowning as she set his wings down neatly.

“No...about trying to make me not die...I still remember that you left me in those tunnels the first time around,” Sentinel responded, watching her expression.

Raindrop shook her head, looking down at her forehooves uncertainly. “I was angry...and you weren’t exactly trying to make nice.”

“And yet, this time, you didn’t even hesitate to take on a full-grown hydra just so I wouldn’t get eaten,” the guard said with a smug smile.

“I was scared you’d come back as a spirit and haunt me. Then I’d have Sentinel twenty-four-seven and wouldn’t be able to hit you to make you shut up,” Raindrop pointed out with a shake of her head.

“Oh come on. Just admit it, Raindrop,” Sentinel said with a weak wave of a hoof.

“Admit what?” Raindrop asked, lifting her gaze to stare at him, mystified.

“Admit that you liiiike me,” Sentinel sing-songed, grinning.

“Why are you being stupid? You’re not even drugged up yet,” Raindrop stated flatly.

The guard rolled his eyes, grunting as he shifted to stare at her further. “Why is it so hard for you to admit that you don’t want to see me die?”

“I don’t want to see you die,” Raindrop stated immediately, “The girly, high-pitched screams of your final breaths would haunt me forever.”

Sentinel rolled his eyes again, shaking his head. “So that’s how it’s going to be, huh?”

“Yup,” Raindrop responded immediately.

“Any reason why?”

Raindrop paused a moment to collect her thoughts. “...You kissed me.”

“It was a friend kiss,” Sentinel said dismissively.

“We’re not friends,” Raindrop stated flatly. “Ergo, we cannot have a ‘friend’ kiss.”

“So what was it then if it wasn’t a friend kiss?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow at her.

“I...I don’t know.” Raindrop shook her head as she admitted that to him, looking down at her forehooves.

“So we’re not friends, we’re definitely not romantically involved, we’re not acquaintances...what exactly are we?” Sentinel queried, perking an ear back at her.

“I...I just don’t know,” Raindrop protested, her ears pinning back, her gaze shifting uncomfortably.

“I can’t leave this bed, you know. So if you want to run away and go hide somewhere like most fillies do in this situation, feel free,” The guard stated, watching her with interest.

Raindrop rolled her eyes. “You know I’m not that kind of pony.”

“Do I?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow. “I thought you were the kind of pony who could take a friend kiss without getting all crazy.”

Sentinel’s flippant tone grated on Raindrop’s nerves, and she growled at him. “I swear, I’m going to go back on that whole silent deal we had where I didn’t cause you bodily harm.”

“We had a deal?” Sentinel asked, blinking.

“It was silent!” Raindrop rebuked, her tone exasperated.

Their conversation was broken up by the nurse returning with a doctor, with bandages and bottles of ointment clasped in their hooves. Both of them immediately set about medicating and bandaging up the pegasus’ wings, splinting them to keep them from moving, and giving him a shot of local anaesthetic so they could set the bones where they’d become misaligned.

Sentinel watched Raindrop throughout the procedure, his gaze unwavering. Raindrop tried to return his gaze, but after a few moments, was unable to, staring down at her hooves instead.

And then the doctor and nurse were done, and the two pegasi were left alone again.

“Well? What’s it gonna be?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow at her.

“I still don’t know,” Raindrop stated flatly, glowering at him, moving to stand closer to the bed, inspecting what the nurse and doctor had done to his wings. “And every time you ask me, the urge to hit you rises.”

“Oh come on,” Sentinel said, exasperated. “I was deliberately flirting with you and dropping little hints because I know the first thing you girls do with a male you don’t really like, is friendzone him, hard. How is that you haven’t friendzoned me?”

Raindrop shook her head slowly at him, her ears splaying back. “...That isn’t the truth and we both know it.”

“Nope. Want that friendzone,” Sentinel insisted. “It has benefits. Like cake, and cookies, and a lack of violence.”

“We both know what you did, Sentinel,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head, her tone soft. “You started something...”

Raindrop trailed off for a long moment, unsure what to say.

“Ugh, are you going to get all sappy and emotional and girly on me?” Sentinel asked, staring at her, aghast.

Raindrop growled for a moment, glowering at him. “I’m female, remember?”

“Oh, sorry. Easy to forget sometimes, my mistake,” Sentinel quipped, grinning at her.

“You’re not making this easy, Sentinel,” Raindrop whined, her ears flattened against her skull.

“It’s real easy, see, you friend zone me. Then, I’m only your friend and that’s it. Everyone wins!” Sentinel pointed out matter-of-factly.

“Quiet, you,” Raindrop protested, lifting her hooves to rest over his mouth, so he couldn’t speak.

Raindrop looked down into his eyes for a long moment, and then went to say something, before thinking better of it.

“It...it wasn’t a friend kiss,” she stated, slipped her hooves to the side and then leaning in to kiss him full on the mouth, her soft lips meeting his own.

Sentinel didn’t try and stop her at all, just letting her hold the kiss as long as she wanted. It was a warm, long affair that last far longer than a ‘friend kiss’ ever would.

Raindrop drew back when she deemed it was sufficiently long enough, and looked down at him, tears in her eyes. “I-it wasn’t a friend kiss...A-and I just need time to think...”

And before Sentinel could respond, Raindrop had turned and bounded away.

“So...not friendzoned then?!” Sentinel called after her.

Raindrop gave a helpless giggle in between her confused sniffles as she pulled open a supply closet and hid herself inside, curling up in the corner away from the world. She needed time to think. Needed time to figure out exactly what she and Sentinel were to each other.

Butterfly Effect

Raindrop hid in the supply closet, blocking out the world with her hooves. She needed to think. She needed time to ponder on where her life was heading.

There she was, entertaining ideas about Sentinel when her entire existence at that moment was focused on finding the Elements of Harmony. And the only reason she was chasing those was because they would fix her, so she could be with Shine again.

But if her and Shine were through, then where did that leave her and her quest for the elements? What was the point of it in the first place?

When it came right down to it, she needed to talk to Shine. Needed to see him, to sit down and figure things out with him. And she knew where he would be.

Stardancer whined faintly in the back of her throat, grinding her hooves against her temples in an effort to keep out the mindbreaking possibilities. It had been too long since her last dose of meds, and she was at breaking point. Her mind simply couldn’t handle the influx of information. There was no filter, no reprieve. Everything she looked at, everything she touched. She saw it all.

The bee buzzing in the tree, the scent of a flower on the breeze, the sound of a dog barking in the distance. It all had ramifications for the future of Ponyville. No one understood just how much the things everyone took for granted shaped the world around them. Small events could snowball into large events, and a small event diverted or caused at the right time could either shape, increase, or eliminate a large event entirely.

The butterfly ahead of her, Stardancer had already seen. She knew what it was. It was the herald of the dooming of a couple. She could see how each flap of its wings interacted with the air around it, how it changed them. The possibilities spiked off in an endless cacophony that filled her mind with incomprehensible white noise. She could see it would somehow affect the relationship of Mr and Mrs Iron, the two Ponyville blacksmiths. But she couldn’t see what eventualities would be prevented if she destroyed the butterfly before it reached them.

Indecision ate at Stardancer’s mind, and she bit her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, trailing after the butterfly, trying to focus her muddled mind on what would happen if the butterfly broke up the marriage. White noise of air currents intruded on her senses. She could see where the air currents would change, how that would change how a sparrow dipped his wings and aligned his feathers. How that one small shift in air pressure would snowball into a larger shift that would cause a storm over the everfree.

It was all causality, and she couldn’t escape it now. Her life was the butterfly. She had to concentrate.

The butterfly would land, and cause the breakup. But what if the butterfly didn’t land? What lineage would be reproduced if the two ponies stayed together?

But that line of thought was moot. The two were destined for a falling out sometime. But their arguments had weight in the immediate future. Should she destroy the butterfly, or allow it to live? Would it cause more suffering if she destroyed it? If the fight caused a meeting between two ponies, she could destroy the butterfly, and destroy the event that led to two ponies meeting and giving birth to a brilliant foal. Or she could cause two ponies to meet whose genes would result in a child who caused as much harm as possible.

Stardancer paused, grinding her hooves against her temples again, wincing in pain. Her mind was tearing itself apart trying to keep up, and failing miserably.

“Are you okay?” a voice was asking, seemingly from far away.

A billion possibilities trailed off from her possible answers. She was going to affect so many things no matter what she did.

“T-the A-Asylum...” Stardancer choked out, before falling to her stomach and covering her head with her hooves, feeling tears starting to fall from her eyes. Her head hurt so much.

The unicorn lapsed into a trance-like state, and all anyone could get out of her was ‘medicine’ and ‘butterflies’.

A butterfly flitted through Ponyville, chased by a unicorn. Uncaring, the butterfly continued on its way, fluttering past a tree, and then settling down on an anvil, flitting its wings once or twice.

The blacksmith’s hammer paused in its motion, holding steady above the anvil, while its owner peered down at the butterfly, canting her head to the side. She was a strong earth pony, and was one of the finest blacksmiths in all of Equestria.

“Why’d you stop?” her husband of a year asked, his tone short. They had a deadline to meet.

“There’s a butterfly,” the mare responded with a shrug.

“It’s a damn butterfly!” the stallion snarled, sweeping a hoof across the anvil and sending the butterfly spinning off it, wing crushed.

The earth pony mare stared at her husband coldly for a long moment, “You know...I’m sick of this, you’re just a dumb brute!”

Raindrop lowered her ears as she heard a pair of ponies yelling at eachother, and ducked down a side street to avoid seeing the confrontation. She was heading for Shine’s workshop, where he blew the glass and made his little lights by hoof. It was really quite amazing to watch, but Raindrop had never gotten the hang of glassblowing, no matter how much she tried.

With her head lowered, she didn’t see him until it was too late, literally walking into his chest and bouncing off. Raindrop ended up on her rump, and blinked, looking up.

“S-Shine?” she asked, staring for a long moment.

“Uhhh...Hi Raindrop,” Shine said, looking down at her and inching away just a little bit.

“I found you!” Raindrop breathed, quickly standing up and then wrapping her hooves around the unicorn.

Shine didn’t return the hug, standing there in stony silence, his eyes hard.

“Shine...?” Raindrop asked uncertainly, drawing back, ears splaying.

“What do you want?” Shine asked flatly.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Raindrop said softly, looking down at her hooves for a moment, and then back up at him.

The unicorn stared at her for a long moment, and perked a single ear. “Well? Spit it out, then.”

Raindrop stared up at the unicorn for a long moment, feeling tears beginning to well up in her eyes. “Y-you don’t care, do you?”

Shine shook his head slowly. “No. I care. But what you are...I can’t look past that.”

“So that’s it, huh? you’re just going to...to just leave me?” Raindrop asked, feeling anger rising in her.

“I thought I made it perfectly clear already,” the unicorn stated bluntly. “You’re a changeling. Maybe other ponies would look past that, but not me.”

Raindrop’s hooves began to slowly grind against the ground as she resisted the impulse to strike him over the head with a hoof.

“Move on, Raindrop. We’re over. That’s all there is to it.” The unicorn snorted once, and then moved to step past her.

Raindrop’s wing extended, blocking his path.

“So after an entire year...this is it?” Raindrop asked, slowly lifting her gaze to focus on him.

“Yes. This is it. I’m not sugar-coating it. I want a pony, not some half breed who’s going to suck me dry and kill me. I don’t love you that much.” And with that, the unicorn brushed her wing out of the way and stepped past her, calmly walking away.

Raindrop began to breath harder and harder, her hooves slowly grinding into the ground even further. Her eyes flashed green, and she rounded on the unicorn, a snarl in her tone as she roared after him: “That’s not it!”

Shine paused, peering back over his shoulder nonchalantly.

Raindrop leaped at him, and smashed a hoof across his cheek with a lightning-fast blow, causing the unicorn to stagger and then stumble, dropping onto his side, blinking in confusion.

Moving to stand over him, Raindrop stared down at him, breathing hard in her anger, every muscle in her body tensing and relaxing in ripples of anger.

“Sentinel is a better pony than you will ever be!” she snarled, resisting, with difficulty, the temptation to lift her hoof and strike him again. “His parents died because of changelings, and yet he found it in himself to not hold that against me. While you, my coltfriend of a year won’t even give me the time of day!”

Shine was too stunned by the blow to his to answer her sufficiently, and Raindrop growled her anger at the unicorn. She hated him in that moment, hated every single little thing about him. She wanted to hurt him, to abuse him and leave him bleeding on the side of the road.

A quick smash of her hoof against the unicorn’s brow finished the job of sending him unconscious, and she spat on him before rising and stalking away.

Raindrop didn’t even know how she got there. But when she finished fantasizes about tearing Shine limb from limb, she realised she was panting. She had walked a very long way. And Evergreen’s cottage was in front of her.

The entire black marble cottage lay there, nestled amongst the trees, eerily quiet. Raindrop was too far in her anger to even care at that point.

A quick kick of her hindhooves smashed the marble door inwards, causing it to bounce off the bed and to the floor with a loud clatter. For the first time in many, many years, Raindrop stepped into Evergreen’s cottage.

It was a very simple setting. Everything was how it was when the two of them had died. There was a pair of mugs on the table, a large book, a kettle next to the fire, some wood stacked next to the fireplace, and the bed itself. Various tools and the like were hung up on hooks along the wall. But other than that, the cottage was bare. They had lived a simple existence.

Raindrop ignored it all, striding over to the bed and staring down into the closed eyes of her grandmother, her own narrowing as she whispered vehemently, “I hate you.”

“I hate you for what you did to me, you bitch,” she whispered, her hooves resting on the covered form of Evergreen. The small smile on Cee’s muzzle seemed to mock the pegasus, gleeful at her misfortune.

“Why did you do it? Why did you do it?!” Raindrop demanded of the cold black marble. “You ruined my life!”

Raindrop wanted to grab Cee’s marble head and twist it off her shoulders, and then grind it into the ground. She actually tried to, but the marble was cold and slippery, and her hooves couldn’t get a grip.

Frustrated, Raindrop pushed away from the bed, and then just collapsed onto the floor in the middle of the cottage.

Lying on the floor next to the bed holding her grandmother and grandfather, the source of her cursed blood, and the direct reason for everything in her life having gone wrong, Raindrop began to cry.

There was no more anger. No more hiding behind rage to get away from the hurt.

No more Shine, either.

Her entire life had been derailed by what Cee had done. By what Chrysalis had done. Why had it to be her who bore the brunt of the misfortune? She had no friends, too focused on her duties on the Weather Patrol, and spending time with Shine to make any friends. She hated her father for leaving her mother, and her mother was in the griffon state. She had no shoulders to cry on. There was no comfort to be found. Just cold, empty loneliness.

The Element of Generosity rolled away from Raindrop as her wing relaxed its hold on it. She didn’t even care any more. There was no point to it. No point to any of it. Her hunt for the elements went from one failure to the next. From the tunnels with Discord, barely escaping, to their fight with the Hydra. They had two elements, no bearers, and no way to find them.

Raindrop hiccuped softly, trying to dry the tears that never seemed to stop, before snarling in anger and knocking the Element of Generosity away from herself, burying her head in her hooves. She just wanted to go back to what it was, before she was a monster, back to when the world was simple and happy.

But the harder she tried for it, the harder it was to attain. The entire world was conspiring against her. And she was done.

No more hunting for the elements, no more pining after Shine.

Raindrop was done.

Relationships

Raindrop didn’t know how long she laid on the floor for. It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. Even the sting of a mosquito at the inside of her ears didn’t bother her enough to get her up. She was just done. Her job on the weather patrol was secure. She could go back to that, but even that seemed hollow now. There was no ‘higher purpose’ to what she was doing. Ever since she graduated from Flight School, she had a set goal in mind. First it was being with Shine, and then even when problems came between them, like the inconvenience of her being a devil spawn, her new goal was to fix herself for him.

But he didn’t even care.

He had just brushed her aside like it was nothing. She wanted to be angry, to be violent and break things. But even that seemed too much effort. She would break things tomorrow, when she could actually muster up the wherewithal to care about anything.

“You look like your dog just died,” Sentinel said, from the doorway, peeking in past the chipped doorframe.

“What are you doing here?” Raindrop asked flatly, not even lifting her eyelids to stare at him.

“I got a note,” Sentinel said proudly, extending a hoof to present the folded piece of paper to her. “Some nurse found it tucked in sandwich, somehow. It was addressed to me, so she passed it on...said I’d find you here on it.”

“How utterly fascinating,” Raindrop stated, her tone indicating the exact opposite.

Sentinel stepped further into the cottage, carefully walking through the doorway, wings folded tight to his side so they didn’t brush against anything.

“Shouldn’t you be in hospital?” Raindrop asked, still with her eyes closed.

Sentinel shook his head, “Nope, I’m all clear. They let me go.”

Raindrop opened a single eye to peer up at him, and then snorted. “You snuck out, didn’t you?”

“Yep,” Sentinel admitted immediately, grinning and then sitting himself besides her, before dropping onto his stomach in the same position as she was. “Gotta admit, this black marble sure is comfy. And warm. I can see why you’d be so eager to lay across it.”

Raindrop felt the urge to growl at him, but just sighed faintly, shaking her head and remaining silent.

“Oh come now. Your dog didn’t really die, did he?” Sentinel asked seriously, peering at her sideways.

Again, the mare remained silent.

The guard pegasus frowned a moment, and then leaned sideways to kiss her cheek.

Again, Raindrop didn’t react.

Sentinel frowned deeply, and then rested a hoof on her forehead, checking her temperature, before humming thoughtfully to himself. “Not sick, not responding to overt advances... You need a hug.”

After his diagnosis, the guard pony shifted a little bit closer and pulled Raindrop into a hug.

Raindrop stayed limp in his hooves, unmoving, uncaring, eyes closed. She might as well have been dead, if not for her steady breathing.

“C’mon Raindrop, tell me what’s wrong?” Sentinel implored, raising a brow.

Raindrop remained silent again, and Sentinel awkwardly stroked her mane. “You know, I’m running out of options here. I’ve almost exhausted my supply for touchy-feely things for the entire year already.”

“He left me,” Raindrop spat, huffing and trying to roll away from her.

“Left you?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow. “Celestia told me you had a strained relationship with your boyfriend, when she was trying to get me to be all sympathetic towards you.”

Raindrop snorted at this information, shaking her head.

“Was it was one of those touchy-feely ‘I love you but we can’t be together’ things or a ‘I want you die in a pit of agony and fire and brimstone and fire’ things?” Sentinel asked, nudging her once with his nose in a reassuring way.

“The latter,” Raindrop stated flatly, her ears splaying as she shook her head.

“Need more hugs,” Sentinel stated calmly, pulling the pegasus against him and hugging her like a colt hugging a ragdoll. “This kinda works better when you hug me back and cry and say stuff like ‘it’s not fair’.”

Raindrop opened an eye to peer up at him, and then snorted derisively. “Do I have to?”

“It’d help,” Sentinel said with a slow nod, leaning down to kiss her nose gently. “See look, friend kiss.”

Raindrop shook her head, bopping him on the nose with her hoof, giving a weak smile. “You’re a goof.”

“And yet you say that in a good way,” Sentinel said with another nod, grinning at her and tilting his head to the side.

“So, what’s the real problem? From what I heard, your arrogant asshole of a boyfriend already made his mind up a fair while back,” Sentinel said knowledgeably.

Raindrop sighed faintly, deflating and leaning against the guard heavily. “I just... I don’t have a direction any more. I wanted to get the elements to fix myself. But now... There’s no point. Shine doesn’t want me back. And I don’t have any desire to fight a hydra. I just want to go curl up in a hole somewhere and sleep forever.”

“Sooo, basically every single guy on a saturday night?” Sentinel offered, an ear perking.

Raindrop shook her head, sighing faintly again. “You don’t understand.”

“I understand,” Sentinel said softly, nosing gently at her mane in a reassuring fashion. “You were doing all of this for that boyfriend of yours... And now he’s gone, and you’re not even sure why you should bother continuing with it all, what with the hydra’s and the assassin’s and the screaming and hurting and pain.”

“Why do your serious speeches come out sounding like something a colt would say?” Raindrop asked flatly, peering up at him.

“Because bland, unfunny humour is my way of coping with pressure,” Sentinel admitted with a shake of his head. “Not all of us have the liberty of being female and emotional and whatnot.”

“You expect me to go crying on your shoulder because I’m female?” Raindrop asked flatly, her eyes narrowing up at him.

Sentinel paused for a moment, mulled it over, and then nodded once. “You’ll be all brave and fight it off for as long as you can and then give in to it and have a good hearty cry.”

Raindrop snorted once, shaking her head. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you.”

Sentinel raised a brow at that, his head canting to one side. “And what exactly is wrong with crying?”

“It’s girly,” Raindrop stated flatly, glowering at him. “What makes you think I’d do anything girly?”

“I dunno. The whole fact that you’re female might be a dead giveaway,” Sentinel said with a short nod.

Raindrop sighed, and shook her head slowly. “Will you just let it drop?”

“Probably not, no,” Sentinel said with a slow shake of his head. “What with you being all depressed and found all dejected-looking in what is, for all intents and purposes, the mausoleum holding your dead grandparents. Existential crisis and whatnot.”

Raindrop growled faintly, pushing her hoof against his chest. “I’m just sick of it. I don’t want to be a changeling, I didn’t ask to be a changeling, and I sure as hell don’t want to continue being one. But I am. And it cost me my coltfriend of a year. He just... Left me. I was doing all of this for him and he just threw me away like an old mug he doesn’t need any more.”

Raindrop continued to push on Sentinel’s chest with her hoof, her tone and demeanor angry, her ears splaying backwards and wings flexing angrily. “What does any of this even matter? Even if I get cured, I can’t go back to Shine. It’s just... Over. Everything I based my entire life on is over.”

Sentinel nodded, stroking a hoof soothingly down her form, making a soothing sound, letting the female rant.

“And all because that bitch lying up there in the bed decided to go make a bunch of half-breed babies with some stallion she met in the middle of nowhere,” Raindrop growled again, pushing on Sentinel’s chest with both hooves, before just burying her head against his shoulder and sobbing faintly. “It’s not fair.”

Sentinel made that soothing sound again, rubbing his muzzle against her cheek slowly. “I know, I know.”

“I just want it to be over. I want it to be done. I don’t want any part of it any more. I don’t want to go chasing the elements, or chasing after their bearers. I’ll go find a nice quiet cloud to myself and live all alone,” she spat, her ears splaying backwards as she sobbed against his shoulder. Her hooves tightened around him, and he sucked in a breath, wincing as her hooves tightened over his injured wings.

“There, there,” Sentinel soothed, nosing down against her mane gently. “Let it all out.”

“A-and you’re watching me cry,” Raindrop stated flatly against his shoulder, her ears pinning back flat against her skull.

“Who knew you had a heart?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow and then stroking a hoof through her mane reassuringly, leaning in to whisper, “I won’t tell anyone, promise.”

“I hate you,” Raindrop murmured wetly, shaking her head, and then hugging him fiercely, squeezing him tight.

Sentinel gave a muted gasp, and squirmed slightly at the grip she had on him.

“I swear, if you weren’t handsome, I’d rip you into little pieces,” Raindrop stated, laying her head against his chest.

“There’s the Raindrop I know and love,” Sentinel said in a strained tone, grinning down at her.

“Go throwing the ‘L’ word around like that again and I will tear you into little pieces,” Raindrop growled, her hooves squeezing threateningly.

“Yup, definitely the Raindrop I know,” Sentinel gasped out, before prodding her forehooves gently. “Can you stop squeezing. I kind of like to breath every now and again.”

Raindrop nodded and sighed, releasing her grip of him. Sentinel took in a deep gasp, and then panted for a moment, while Raindrop drew back to lay on the floor, watching him with sad eyes.

“You know what we should do?” Sentinel offered.

“What is that?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow in a disinterested way.

“We should get wasted and play with fireworks,” Sentinel said with a grin.

“I don’t believe you talked me into this,” Raindrop said, shaking her head, her ears splayed back. “What are we even doing?”

“We’re mixing alcohol with highly dangerous objects that cause harm to many ponies every year. So... Basically any males idea of ‘fun’,” Sentinel responded with a grin, pulling out a box of matches.

Sentinel had lured Raindrop to the guard outpost at Ponyville, where they had a leftover box of fireworks from Hearth Warming’s Eve. It had taken a very short trip to the local inn to get the alcohol, and Sentinel was insisting that Raindrop get drunk on it. Now, the two pegasus were at the highest tower, with a crude firework sitting on a stick in front of them.

“Wanna light ‘er up?” Sentinel offered, holding out the matches.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Raindrop asked sarcastically, but, took the matches against her better judgement, took a swig of her cider, and then lit the match, applying it to the fuse.

Immediately, the cord began to sparkle and burn, until it hit the base of the firework. The red rocket spluttered once, and then fired off, whizzing away into the air and then exploding against the night sky in a brilliant starburst of red.

“I forgot how pretty those things are,” Raindrop said, watching the red sparks fizzle out as they trailed towards the ground.

“Indeed. These are just the cheap ones though... The mortars are the most fun. So loud and big,” Sentinel said with a wistful sigh. “And the most expensive. Cost so much.”

“Expensive, loud, dangerous...” Raindrop trailed off, taking another swig out of her bottle. “I’m surprised you haven’t tried to bed it.”

Sentinel rolled his eyes. “Your insults are getting less coherent the more you drink. Even I’m not that stupid.”

“Well your face is less coherent,” Raindrop huffed, pushing him with a hoof.

Sentinel chuckled faintly, and then set up the next firework for her. “Fire away!”

Raindrop hummed as she lit the next firework, sending it spiralling away into the darkness to explode into a starburst of orange and yellow.

“So what happens if one of these misfires?” Raindrop asked after a moment.

“Pain. Screaming. Lots and lots of both, really,” Sentinel said with a thoughtful expression.

“Lovely. Bring on the next one,” Raindrop said after a moment.

Sentinel grinned, and then set up a total of five, twining their fuses together. “Set em all off at once.”

Raindrop nodded, and then lit them all with a match, stepping back and looking up.

The five fireworks all went off simultaneously, spiralling into the sky and then exploding with a fizzling series of pops, lighting up the better part of Ponyville with all the different colours of the rainbow.

“What will Ponyville think of the fireworks?” Raindrop asked suddenly, blinking sideways at Sentinel.

Sentinel shrugged faintly, raising a brow at her. “Who cares?”

“Right you are!” Raindrop said, raising her glass in a drunken salute. “Bring on the next firework!”

Eventually though, they ran out of fireworks, and Sentinel began steering the thoroughly wasted Raindrop towards the inn.

“You’re alright, Sentinel,” Raindrop crooned, leaning against him heavily as they walked. “I mean, you’re cute, and you have this really hittable face and muzzle and you don’t even try to hit me back.”

“I hit you once or twice,” Sentinel corrected, shaking his head as he lead her through the doors of the inn and towards the stairs.

The mare stumbled up the stairs with the guard behind her to make sure she didn’t end up falling and tumbling down them.

“That way,” Sentinel said, pointing with a hoof towards the right.

“Right,” Raindrop said, stumbling in that direction, humming to herself until she got to the door, pushing it open and pulling herself over to the bed, splaying across it.

“Sleep well, Raindrop,” Sentinel said, moving to close the door.

“Waaaait!” Raindrop wailed, waving a hoof at him.

“Hmm?” Sentinel asked, peering in at her.

“Where are you going?” Raindrop asked flatly.

“I am going to return to the hospital. I’m not technically supposed to be anywhere other than the hospital at present,” he admitted, tilting his head at her.

“No. You’re coming to bed with me,” Raindrop stated, patting the bed beside her. “I am drunk. And if I remember correctly, you sleep in my bed when I’m drunk. You guard me from my drunkenness, that’s it.”

Sentinel paused a moment, looking in at her, and then hummed thoughtfully. “No funny business?”

“There won’t even be any smiles,” Raindrop stated with a single short nod.

“Very well, then,” Sentinel said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him with a hoof, stepping over to the bed and then carefully crawling up onto it, moving to lay beside her.

Raindrop rolled over to face him, looking up at him, her head tilting to the side slightly, a strange smile on her muzzle.

“This is unnerving,” Sentinel said after a moment.

Raindrop just continued to smile, before leaning in and kissing him full on the mouth with a low, eager purr.

Sentinel allowed this, even lifting a hoof to gently stroke her mane as she did so.

After a few moments, Raindrop pulled back, staring into his eyes, her own having a hazy, cloudy look to them. “You knoooow...Shine is out of the picture now.”

Sentinel nodded, but didn’t respond, watching her carefully.

“And I’m drunk,” Raindrop added, inching closer to the guard, looking up at him. “And we’re alone. And did I mention I’m drunk? It wouldn’t be too hard to take advantage of me.”

“You’re right,” Sentinel said, agreeing with her, leaning in to kiss her nose gently.

“Do you have any clue?” Raindrop asked, exasperated.

“‘Fraid not,” Sentinel admitted with a small chuckle.

“I need you, you idiot,” Raindrop stated, wriggling closer and wrapping her hooves around him, pulling him closer until their noses were touching. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and he pressed their hips together, staring into his eyes as she breathed, “I know you want this.”

Sentinel gave a nod of admittance, staring back at her in return.

“I want you to ravage me,” Raindrop whispered heatedly, her hooves squeezing at him eagerly.

“Such prim and proper words,” Sentinel teased, kissing her nose once.

Raindrop growled, pulling him closer and then leaning up to whisper into his ear, her words a stream of pure filth that made the guard’s eyes widen with their brazenness.

As she pulled back, she stared at him, grinning coquettishly. Sentinel stared back at her, and as she leaned in to kiss him, he saw her eyes flicked. For a moment, they went from stunning pink, to a demonic, slit-pupilled green.

Sentinel jerked back in surprise, but as soon as he saw it, it was gone.

“I want you,” Raindrop reiterated, wrapping her hooves around him tighter.

The guard paused a moment, and then shook his head, gently pushing against her chest with a hoof. “No, you really don’t.”

“But I do,” Raindrop insisted, whining faintly.

“Oh, I’m sure you want someone,” Sentinel stated, pulling her into a gentle hug. “But it’s just a desperate grasp to validate that you are feminine enough to be wanted by a big, strapping male such as myself after being rejected by your boyfriend.”

Raindrop wrinkled her nose, hitting weakly at his chest with a hoof. “Why are you being so damn... Female? You’re male! I’m supposed to the one telling you no!”

“I break the mold,” Sentinel stated with a grin, kissing her nose gently.

“I hate you,” Raindrop sulked, splaying her ears backwards.

“Hey, tell me that again tomorrow when you wake up having not drunkenly seduced me,” Sentinel said with a smile.

“I won’t remember any of this in the morning... Sure you don’t wanna take advantage of me?” Raindrop offered, trying to inject a little seductiveness into her tone.

“I’m sure,” Sentinel reiterated, hugging her a little tighter. “I’d never hear the end of it in the morning.”

“Ugh, you are so going in the friend zone,” Raindrop stated, snorting and pushing at his chin with her nose.

Sentinel grinned, kissing her nose once in response. “I’m sure you’ve woken up next to one or two colts before. Imagine waking up next to me. You’d be scarred for life.”

Raindrop raised a brow at him slowly. “Well, at least you’re honest.”

“You’re not supposed to agree with me!” Sentinel complained.

“Hey, you just turned down a night of drunken, clumsy lovemaking. I get free insults for at least a week,” Raindrop pointed out, nudging him against with her nose, and then sighing faintly, resting her nose against the hollow of his throat. “Thank you Sentinel.”

“Jeeze, make your mind up, lady. One moment you hate me, and the next you’re thanking me,” Sentinel said with a long-suffering sigh.

“I hate you because you turned me down... But I kinda get it. I’d probably regret it in the morning. You probably saved me from a suicide or a life of prostitution,” she said with a sage nod.

“I love how your compliments are wrapped up in insults. It’s like getting a rock thrown at you and finding a bit inside when it smashes against your skull,” Sentinel explained with a grin, licking her nose sweetly.

“If I was a sweetsy mare who just threw around compliments, I’d be boring,” Raindrop pointed out.

“You most certainly aren’t boring,” Sentinel said with a nod, smiling and settling down against her.

“And you are a handsome, insufferable fool,” Raindrop stated, sighing faintly and hugging around him tightly. “You know we used to hate eachother like... A whole week ago?”

“And I almost ended up bedding you about five minutes ago,” Sentinel added with a grin. “Can’t resist animal magnetism, babe.”

“You turned me down!” Raindrop growled, pushing at him with a hoof, “And I can still pin you down and have my way with you if I please.”

“Suuure you can,” Sentinel said with a grin, pulling the mare close and kissing her cheek. “Wanna make out before you pass out?”

“Will it lead to sex?” Raindrop asked bluntly.

“‘Fraid not,” Sentinel said with a sad shake of his head.

Raindrop huffed. “Fine. But I get to grope your cutie mark at least.”

Sentinel grinned, “Deal.”

Interlude

Raindrop arched faintly as she awoke, forehooves pushing against the bed, her back arching and wings fluttering just a little. She paused then, as she felt a warm form against her, and the weight of a hoof thrown over her shoulder.

Wiggling back against the form for a moment, Raindrop then rolled over to raise a brow at the sleeping Sentinel, rubbing her head with a hoof. “Ugh, why do I always seem to wake up next to you after I’m drunk?”

“It’s the universe giving you bleak warnings of the dangers of alcohol,” Sentinel replied sleepily, one eye open, peering at her for a long moment.

“It’s succeeding,” Raindrop groaned, rubbing her temple with a hoof. “My head hurts.”

“I kept telling you to stop, but you wouldn’t listen...” Sentinel said in a long-suffering tone, heaving a long sigh.

Raindrop made a dismissive sound, pushing her hooves against his chest. “You did not. I remember enough in that long blur to know that it was you trying to get me drunk.”

Sentinel snickered faintly at that, watching her for a long moment. Raindrop’s expression changed slowly, starting off indignant. But then her eyes widened, and her pupils dilated slowly, her mouth opening in an expression of dismay.

Raindrop leaned in closer to him, choking out a whisper, “D-did we? I mean, we couldn’t have, we didn’t, did we?!”

Sentinel raised a brow at that, a single ear perking upwards at her, his head tilting slightly to the side as a slow grin spread across his muzzle. “Did we... What?”

“You know what I’m talking about!” Raindrop hissed, pushing her hooves against his chest.

“Welllll...” Sentinel grinned at her mischievously, and then shifted closer, to whisper into her ear, “It started all with such needy phrases like: ‘I want you to ravish me’.”

Raindrop shuddered, her cheeks flushing,protesting weakly, “I-I said no such thing!”

“Oh, and then you pushed our hips together, quite suggestively, I might add,” Sentinel said with an innocent little nod for affirmation, pressing their hips together in example.

“Oh no...Please tell me we didn’t...” Raindrop murmured helplessly, her ears pinning back fully.

“At which point I told you quite firmly ‘No.’,” Sentinel said with a snicker.

Raindrop growled, and hit him lightly across the brow with a hoof. “I hate you.”

“You’d hate me more if I’d let you seduce me,” Sentinel pointed out with a grin, head tilting slightly to one side.

“I might be a really cheery person after I get laid,” Raindrop said with a huff.

Sentinel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. I can see that happening. Now, can I leave yet? I’m supposed to be in hospital.”

“I’m not stopping you!” Raindrop protested, pushing at him again with her hooves. “Get out!”

The guard rolled out of the bed, and then gingerly adjusted his wings into a more comfortable position. “Don’t forget to bring the element to Princess Celestia. She’s been waiting for it.”

Raindrop blinked once, and then cast her gaze to the end of the bed, to where the Element of Generosity was sitting, neatly placed on the covers. She looked back at Sentinel, and then paused, before nodding once. “Okay, I’ll get it to her.”

Sentinel nodded once in response, and paused in the doorway, peering back at her. “You’re going to be alright, yeah?”

Raindrop snorted, waving a hoof at him. “I stared down a hydra not long ago. I’ll be fine.”

“Feel better, then,” Sentinel said, lazily saluting her with a hoof and then pushing the door open, stepping out it. The door closed after he was gone, and Raindrop was left in the bed with the Element of Generosity.

Raindrop rolled over, and then sat up, pulling the element up against her and staring down at it. It was the second element she’d managed to find, and both of them had been fraught with danger. There was no indication that the next four would be any better. Running away was still seeming like a good plan.

The young pegasus rolled over onto her hooves, picking up the element and sliding it neatly underneath her wing. She would do the right thing, and hand in this element. But she wasn’t going to go chasing the next four. There were other ponies in the kingdom, and she was a cloud chaser, not an element chaser.

The guards at the front door of Celestia’s palace stepped aside for Raindrop, admitting her to the entrance hall. Raindrop walked across the large hall, heading up the stairs at the end of it, heading for the Hall of Harmony.

Celestia was in the room where the Element of Loyalty was interred, as well as the six fake jewelled elements. Several different ponies milled about, chatting amongst themselves and referring to large blackboards that had been erected, with various mathematical equations sprawled across their surfaces.

“Ah, Raindrop?” Celestia asked as she peered back over her shoulder, pausing in her work at a partly blank blackboard.

“I uh...brought the Element of Generosity with me,” Raindrop said, sliding it from under her wing and then hefting it onto the table, placing it delicately on top of a stand there. It was at that point that Raindrop noticed two other elements sitting on the table.

“Good, good. We have four now. My guards retrieved the Elements of Honesty and Laughter while you were gone,” Celestia said with a warm smile, before frowning slightly. “We’re still having trouble with the last elements, though. The Element of Magic is dormant. We can’t find it with the Seeker Stone. I have a team retrieving the Element of Kindness as we speak. They ran into a slight problem, what with it being hidden past the Gate of Tartarus. Not to worry though!”

“Oh... You don’t need me any more?” Raindrop asked quietly. Even though she had been planning on giving up the search for the elements, it still felt... strange to not be needed.

“Actually, we do need your help,” Celestia said, rounding on her and looking her up and down, smiling slightly. “I want you to track down the bearer of the Elements of Harmony for me. I assure you, there should be very few monsters in this service.”

“Well... I...” Raindrop trailed off, looking down at her hooves for a moment, and then back up at Celestia, hardly believing what she was saying, “What do you need me to do?”

“I managed to amplify the Seeker Stone for the Element of Laughter. It’s definitely picking up a strong hit. But it’s pointing at Transavian. My guards followed it to the border,” Celestia explained, pushing the Seeker Stone towards her with a hoof.

“Why is that such a problem?” Raindrop asked, oblivious, taking the Seeker Stone and slipping it under her wing.

“The Royal Guard is the largest militia organisation in Equestria. The griffons would not look kindly to seeing members of its ranks flying across the border. They might even take it as an act of war,” Celestia explained further. “I need someone who is not officially affiliated with the crown to complete this task, and... You have a vested interest in the success of this venture. I know you won’t let me down, Raindrop.”

Raindrop nodded, turning away, before pausing, and then turning back to the princess. “Uhm...Celestia?”

“Yes, Raindrop?” Celestia asked, raising a brow at the pegasus.

“Can...Sentinel come with me?” Raindrop asked tentatively.

The princess paused at that question, frowning, opening her mouth, and then closing it again, thinking. “I...Don’t see how it could harm anything, so long as he leaves his armour and his duties as a Royal Guard behind at the border.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” Raindrop said with a slight bow, turning to leave.

“One moment, Raindrop,” Celestia said, halting the pegasus. “Why do you wish for Sentinel to accompany you?”

“Oh?” Raindrop asked, peering back at the princess for a moment, feeling her cheeks flushing with warmth. “W-well I... Just... You know.”

“No, I do not,” Celestia responded blankly, “Or I would not have asked.”

“Well, I just...” Raindrop trailed off, before heaving a faint sigh. “Shine broke up with me and-”

Celestia cut across Raindrop with a smile, raising a hoof, “Say no more.”

“No! It’s not like that!” Raindrop protested heatedly, before saying in a small voice, “Just... I don’t want to be flying across Transavian alone.”

“Ah, I believe you,” Celestia replied with a smile, inclining her head, even though her tone said that she didn’t believe what Raindrop had said.

Raindrop sighed faintly, shaking her head. “So this stone will let me know when I’ve found the bearer?”

“Indeed,” Celestia responded, waving a hoof, “There are few ponies in Transavian, it should be quite easy.”

“And I’ve just gotta convince them to... What? Come back here?” Raindrop asked uncertainly.

“They are a bearer of one of the elements, they would need to be in close proximity to the element, yes,” Celestia explained, before turning back to the blackboard. “Now, you have a long flight ahead of you.”

Raindrop nodded, turning about and pushing open the door, leaving the princess and her team to pour over the blackboards, doing whatever it was they were doing.

When Raindrop came upon Sentinel in the hospital, he was laying on his stomach in bed with a large thermometre in his mouth and a frowning nurse at his side.

“You!” the nurse exclaimed, scowling. “I take it you are the reason my patient has been running around Ponyville rather than being treated for his injuries?”

Raindrop shifted uncomfortably, her ears splaying backwards. “U-uhm...maybe?”

“Wasn’t so much her fault in that I-”

Sentinel was cut off by the nurse clasping a hoof over his muzzle, forcing his mouth closed on the thermometre. “Quiet, you!”

“I guess I might probably be?” Raindrop offered tentatively.

The nurse scowled, pulling the thermometre from Sentinel’s maw and peering down at it, and then pointing a hoof at Raindrop accusingly. “If he had gotten an infection and a fever because of you, then I would have put you in a bed right next to him!”

The nurse huffed, stalking past the female pegasus, grumbling under her breath darkly.

“I think she missed her coffee break,” Sentinel said with a helpless shrug of his shoulders.

“Missed something,” Raindrop said, snorting, and then slipping over to the guard. “I got new orders from Celestia.”

“Celestia’s ordering you about now?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow.

“Kinda hard to refuse her when she asks for things,” Raindrop said with a heavy sigh, before pulling out the Seeker Stone to show to Sentinel. “She’s ordered you to accompany me to Transavian and find the bearer for the...erm...element of whatever.”

“Element of whatever?” Sentinel asked, an ear perking at her.

“I don’t keep track of these things!” Raindrop protested, waving a hoof. “And there’s six of them to keep track of, six.”

“Very well. So...Transavian?” Sentinel asked, mulling it over for a moment, and then shaking his head. “How am I supposed to get over the dividing range and into Transavian again?”

“I dunno. You could like...fly?” Raindrop offered, rolling her eyes.

“The nurse, and the doctor says I won’t be able to fly until tomorrow, at least,” Sentinel pointed out, peeking at her.

“That is so unfair,” Raindrop whined, shaking her head.

“Unfair?” Sentinel asked, peering at her curiously.

“You get your wings mangled, and can fly two days later. I get stabbed in the chest and I’m only allowed to fly just now! Days later!” Raindrop huffed, punctuating her words by slapping a hoof on the bed.

Sentinel snickered at that. “You got stabbed in the chest. Those muscles bear a lot of the weight of flying. If they’re not completely healed, then you’d end up tearing them mid-flight. You’d likely die.”

“Still unfair,” Raindrop sulked, shaking her head.

“Oh come on, we’ll be flying tomorrow. You can quit the sulkfest,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head, grinning at her.

“Very well,” Raindrop sighed, waving a hoof and taking back the seeker stone. She slipped over to a couch beside the bed, and curled up.

Sentinel raised a brow at her, “You’re going to just sleep there until tomorrow?”

“Nothing better to do,” Raindrop stated. “I could go get drunk again? You know how that ends.”

“Waking up next to some exceptionally ugly mug,” the guard replied with a slow nod.

“You just want me to contradict you,” Raindrop accused, waving a hoof at him.

“I wouldn’t mind it sometime,” Sentinel responded reasonably, nodding a little.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, “Well don’t expect it any time soon. I’m not drunk.”

“These meds are kicking my ass,” Sentinel stated, rubbing his head with a hoof. “I’m going to pass out. If the couch gets uncomfy, the bed is pretty big.”

“As if I’d get up there with you,” Raindrop snorted, waving her hoof at him again.

There was a pause of a few moments, before Raindrop pricked an ear upwards. She lifted her head, only to find that Sentinel was unconscious, passed out from his medication.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, and then laid her head back down on her hooves, closing her eyes. After a few moments, one of her eyes blinked open.

The pegasus huffed faintly as she pulled herself up onto the bed with Sentinel, rolling herself into his hooves, before poking his nose with a hoof, and murmuring threateningly to his unconscious ears, “And if I hear any nonsense about this in the morning, you’ll be spending at least a week in this hospital bed.”

Nightmare

Sentinel stirred slowly, a hoof lifting to rub against his brow as his eyes opened. The glow of the moon cast murky light across the room. It was so early that not even the birds dared sing their morning song yet, and the faint glow of the rising sun wasn’t even visible.

Shifting a little bit to get more comfortable, Sentinel found that Raindrop was curled in against his chest, having obviously taken up his offer of the bed sometime after he passed out. Her nose was buried in the crook of his neck, and her hooves were curled up between them.

Sentinel nosed down at the sleeping pegasus gently, shifting her a little bit away from him so he could get a good look at her. She looked peaceful, for a change. She probably didn’t notice it herself, but her expression seemed either frozen in a perpetual scowl or a frown of disapproval, with the weight of her problems a rather visible effect on her person. But now, she looked calm, serene. She really was quite cute. The guard smiled as he imagined what she would look like if she actually smiled herself. Sure, the edges of her lips lifted sometimes when she was insulting him, but he had never seen her truly smile.

Lifting a hoof, Sentinel gently pushed Raindrop’s mane out of her face and into a more ordered position. He couldn’t fathom what it was like for her at all. Finding out she was part changeling, her coltfriend leaving her, being forced to chase after the Elements of Harmony and now, their bearers as well. Not to mention assassins in the night trying to kill her for unknown reasons. And she couldn’t even really control her ‘powers’ as it were. Plus, they almost killed her.

One issue after another after another were just stacking up on the pegasus, and deep down, Sentinel knew that if it was he who had those problems, he’d have given up long ago.

Raindrop stirred faintly against him, and whimpered, hooves pushing at his chest and her expression changing to one of worry. Her eyes flicked back and forth under her closed lids, and it was obvious she was dreaming.

Green flames. Green flames everywhere.

Raindrop was underground. She could see dark, rocky walls all around her, and flames. The green flames surrounded her, eager to consume her flesh with their relentlessness.

A voice called to her through a break in the dancing flames.

Come to me, my child.

Raindrop’s ears perked, and she bounded through the flames, feeling their long tendrils clutching at her hooves eagerly, trying to drag her back. Searing burns found their way to her hindlegs, and she screamed in pain, trying to kick the fingers of flame from her hooves.

Burning agony filled her, and she cast her gaze left and right, trying to find something to sooth the burning of her flesh. A pool of water beckoned to her, and she leaped towards it, coming to a halt next to it. Encroaching flames followed her, eager to devour.

Raindrop inched closer to the water, a sense of foreboding coming over her. She knew if she looked down into that pool of water, then her reflection would not be her own. But the burning in her limbs demanded that she soothe herself, and so she took a deep breath, and leaned over the surface of the water.

A soft sigh of relief left the pegasus as she found her reflection to be normal, Her normal pink eyes gazed back at her. Without hesitation, Raindrop threw herself into the pool of water, sinking her hooves into, giving a low groan of relief as the burning in her limbs stopped.

A second reflection caught her attention, and her eyes widened. She could see a changeling staring at her in the reflection of the water.

With a start, Raindrop looked up. The young pegasus found herself nose-to-nose with herself. Only it wasn’t her. Raindrop could only stare at her doppelganger. The doppelganger stared back, a smug grin on its muzzle, vibrant green eyes narrowed with evil intent.

The green flames flickered at the edge of the water, and shapes began to step from them. Changelings. One after another after another. They surrounded her on all sides, giving her no avenue of escape.

Raindrop turned back to face the faux-Raindrop, but in its place, a new figure stood. In her heart, Raindrop knew what she was. She was the Queen of the Changelings. Their leader.

“Join us, my child,” Chrysalis hissed, smiling at her, revealing the pointed teeth in her maw.

Sentinel had absolutely zero warning. One moment, Raindrop was giving a little whimper and moving slightly, and the next, she was screaming and pushing herself away from him, wide-eyed, hooves scrabbling at the blankets in an attempt to get away.

Automatically, Sentinel tried to hug around Raindrop, to soothe her, managing to grab on around her shoulders and pull her against him, where her hooves could only scrabble weakly at his chest instead of get the full damage and reach of a flailing hoof. “Raindrop! It’s just a nightmare!”

Raindrop gasped heavily, and her hooves latched onto his chest, squeezing impossibly hard as she buried herself against him with a shudder, clinging to him as though for confirmation that he really was there.

“Just a dream,” Sentinel wheezed, wiggling a hoof against Raindrop’s own to try and get her to loosen her grip.

Raindrop began to calm slowly, her ears splayed back and her wings stiffened, obviously in the fight-or-flight reflex, and her grip slowly loosened on him.

“I-I could feel them,” she breathed against his neck, her eyes clenched closed and nose buried against him helplessly, seeking protection.

Sentinel wrapped his hooves around the mare, making a soothing sound. “They weren’t real, Raindrop. It was just a nightmare.”

“T-they were real,” Raindrop protested. “They’re me.”

Sentinel didn’t have anything to say to that, and lapsed into silence, settling for rocking the pegasus soothingly back and forth.

One image was burned into his mind though. The image of the wide-eyed Raindrop trying to push herself away from him, with wild, vivid green eyes.

Sentinel went back to sleep with no problem, but Raindrop found it impossible. Every time she became drowsy, the image of her own eyes, green and demonic, flashed into her mind and forced her back awake. After an hour or so of this, Raindrop decided to give up on sleep altogether, and instead crept through the quiet halls of the hospital and to the cafeteria, beginning to make herself a cup of coffee.

“Can’t sleep?” A nurse asked sympathetically as she stepped in to get herself a cup of coffee.

“Yeah,” Raindrop admitted hesitantly, picking up her cup and downing some of the liquid, ignoring the burning it produced in her throat and on her tongue.

“I can give you something to help you sleep?” the nurse offered, raising a brow.

Raindrop shook her head, shuddering and then mumbling, “I don’t want to sleep. Nightmares.”

The nurse nodded sympathetically at that. “I’m afraid there’s no real cure for those as of yet. Just try to remember that they’re only nightmares. They’re not real.”

Raindrop downed the rest of her coffee and set the mug aside, shaking her head for a moment. As she moved towards the door, she said over her shoulder, “That’s the problem... This nightmare is.”

Raindrop crawled back into bed with the sleeping Sentinel, settling in next to him, and then worming her way into his hooves. For all that she would never admit it, he was her one island of calm now. Somepony to depend on. Somewhere she could go when she just couldn’t handle it all any more.

The words to an old zebra song played through her mind. ‘Don’t worry, be happy’. The message it carried with it: Why worry about the things you can’t change?

It was a nice philosophy. But it was hard to follow.

But right then, Raindrop had a handsome guardpony to snuggle against, and she would have to content herself with that. She was doing all she could to fix her ‘curse’, and Shine was something she couldn’t effect. So she just focused on Sentinel. Maybe it was a faux friendship. He was only with her because Celestia ordered him to, really. There were hints of more, like when he kissed her, but it was soon after Shine that she had no idea whether or not she really felt anything for him or it was merely a product of him being the only pony she could actually depend on at that point in time.

Raindrop sighed faintly, and pressed herself closer to Sentinel, closing her eyes. She didn’t intend to sleep, but hoving in the sanguine abyss between sleeping and waking was a very appealing thing to her at that moment. Maybe Sentinel would be just another let down in the end, but right at that moment, it was good enough.

Wisp

The ocean far below was deceptively calm. A blue sheet stretched out in front of them, from horizon to horizon.

The two pegasi were riding thermals, conserving their energy as they crossed the eastern ocean and headed for Transavian. It was a journey that took upwards of a week in a large ship, but could be accomplished in a single day by a pegasus.

Raindrop and Sentinel both wore saddlebags and had a pair of goggles over their eyes. Usually, goggles were only needed by pegasi who were doing very fast manoeuvres, such as the Wonderbolts. But the goggles would be needed once they got to Transavian. The avian’s desert homeland was well-known for its proclivities towards sandstorms.

Raindrop looked to her left, where Sentinel coasted along the thermals, barely even having to flap his wings to stay aloft. He looked different without his armour, somehow smaller. It was odd to see him outfitted like herself, like a normal pegasus. It was almost like his armour was part of his natural form.

Sentinel sensed her watching him, and turned to smile at her, raising a brow.

Raindrop rolled her eyes and turned to face the front again. She had the seeker stone in her saddlebag, and occasionally had to twist and pull it out to make sure they were on track. It was going to be a long flight.

The first sighting of landfall came as the sun was beginning to sink out of view behind them. A wide brown line of desert beach began to grow in front of the two pegasi, spreading from horizon to horizon. Like all deserts, it was very sparsely populated with the odd cactus or hardy bush that was too stubborn to grow anywhere else.

As they got closer and closer to the shoreline, Raindrop slipped to the side to fly closer to Sentinel. She had to shout to be heard over the roaring wind. “Which way is the town?”

Sentinel reached back into his saddlebag, and tugged out a small compass. A picture of a coastal town was engraved on its surface. “To our North!”

Raindrop nodded, and the two pegasi peeled off to the north, following the line of the shore towards the port town of Sandy Shores.

Night had fallen by the time the town came into view. The darkness of the ocean was superimposed on the brighter colours of the desert sand, with a line of white dividing them where the waves crashed on the shore, leaving whitewash.

Sandy Shore’s lights shone bright in the darkness, a beacon in the darkness that the two pegasi glided towards.

The streets were largely deserted. Unlike Ponyville, or even Canterlot, the nightlife in Sandy Shores was very subdued. The sound of movement and muted voices echoed from the port itself, where griffin workers toiled the night to salt and prepare fish for transport to inland towns the next morning. Fish was one of Transavian’s most valued commodities, as the entirety of the continent was surrounded by ocean, and the griffins themselves were quite fond of fish.

Raindrop and Sentinel headed for the local Inn, a large two-story building on the outskirts of town, built like most buildings in the desert, of weathered sandstone deliberately painted white to retard as much of the midday heat as possible. The windows all consisted of rough holes hewn through the sandstone, with wooden shutters over them. The shutters were all open at the moment, allowing a cooling breeze to drift in through the openings.

The two pegasi stepped through the front doors of the inn, and pushed their goggles up. It was deserted. Unlike the inns back in Ponyville or other more travelled areas, there just weren’t many travellers here.

Sentinel knew what to do though, and stepped up to the bar, rapping his hoof on it for attention.

A few moments later, a griffin appeared from a back room. He was big and burly, and much larger than either of the pegasi.

Sentinel turned to look over his shoulder at Raindrop for a moment, and then back at the innkeeper. “A single room, please.”

The innkeeper looked between them, sizing them up, before nodding accepting a small bag of coins Sentinel passed to him. “Room 3.”

Sentinel nodded and then turned, ushering Raindrop up the stairs and to the room with the large ‘3’ engraved on the front. There was no key required for the door, and Sentinel just pushed it open. Inside was a modestly sized bed, with a small dresser to one side, a table with a candle on it and a box of matches, and a window with a white curtain over it.

Closing the door behind them, Sentinel swung the large wooden beam down until it slid into the latch on the other side. It was a very old style of door latch, but effective.

Raindrop stepped over the bed, sliding her saddlebags off and placing them carefully on the table, giving a groan and sprawling herself across the bed.

“My wings hurt,” Raindrop complained, the tips of her wings giving a little bit of a twitch.

“Your chest feels fine?” Sentinel asked, as he slid his own saddlebags off, and then curled up on the floor beside the bed.

“Surprisingly, yes,” Raindrop said, brow furrowing as she lifted a hoof to rub at her chest where she had been stabbed. There was nothing to even indicate that she had been injured now, except for a small line under her fur that was invisible unless you looked for it. “What are you doing on the floor?”

Sentinel raised a brow up at her, and said matter-of-factly, “It’s customary to give the female the bed and take the floor yourself.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes at that, and then shook her head, before patting the bed with a hoof, “Stupid colt. Get up here.”

“I am a stallion,” Sentinel snorted, growling at her a moment, before harrumphing and pushing himself to his hooves. “You won’t rest until I give in anyway, huh?”

“You know me so well,” Raindrop said with a sarcastic smile, grabbing his mane and tugging at it. “Plus, you’re kinda warm and all soft. You know, like a big, flabby pillow.”

“And now insulting my physical abilities, jeeze, lady,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head, pulling himself onto the bed and laying himself out besides the mare. “I was considering caving in to your constant sexual advances, but after that, nope. No sex for you.”

“Not even if I ask nicely?” Raindrop simpered, wiggling in closer to him and wrapped her hooves around his middle.

“I am a rock. Can’t even change my mind,” Sentinel said with a single nod, nudging her with his nose.

Raindrop snorted with amusement. “I’ll just have to settle for using you as a pillow then.”

The next day saw the two pegasi crossing over the desert, following the direction of the augmented Seeker Stone. It was leading them towards the depths of the desert, where very few creatures ever strode. Endless shifting seas of sand dunes stretched out in front of them.

An entire day of riding thermals later, and they were close to where the Seeker Stone wanted them to be. Harsh desert dunes had given way to rocky, jagged peaks.

As the two pegasis coasted up the side of a rocky outcropping, and then dove down the other side, they came across what could only be described as a junkyard.

Endless piles of debris stretched from one end of a long canyon, to the other, heaped high with jagged remnants of war machines from Transavian’s turbulent past.

Raindrop checked the Seeker Stone, but it no longer pointed in any specific direction. It pointed everywhere at once, like a kind of demented fractal. They were close. Motioning towards Sentinel, Raindrop dropped down to a path that had been made between the piles of rusted metal.

Sentinel dropped down beside her and then stretched his wings out a little bit, fluttering them and twisting them before folding them neatly to his back.

“Sore?” Raindrop asked.

“A little stiff,” Sentinel admitted, shaking his head and then motioning for her to lead the way.

The two pegasi headed for the centre of the junkyard, passing failed inventions of the griffin military. There were giant gliders, intricate walking devices consisting of what seemed to be hundreds of cogs connected to long pipes with small gauges on their sides.

They rounded a large pile of debris, and a clearing in the junk opened in front of them. There, in all its glory, was an airship. A bright bronze hull was visible. It consisted of what seemed to be three giant bubbles made of metal, with long black cables tethering a giant basket-like cabin underneath it.

A small figure was darting here and there, humming to itself, no more than a brown-and-white shape against the backdrop of the airship that dwarfed it.

Raindrop and Sentinel both approached the seemingly non-functioning airship, until the figure saw them, and stopped.

Now that they were closer, Raindrop could make out features. It was a female griffin, but a much smaller one than any griffin Raindrop had ever seen. She was the same size as Raindrop, if not then a little bit smaller than herself. She wore a long red-and-yellow banded scarf around her neck, and a brown coat of some kind that covered her wings. A black eyepatch completed her ensemble, covering her right eye. A ‘mane’ of longer feathers created a line down her head and the back of her neck, almost looking like a mane with how the feathers were all pointed backwards. The tips of the feathers themselves were ‘dipped’ in brown, but were solid white otherwise. Her chest and part of her back were covered in the white feathers, while her hindquarters were all a solid brown. Her long tail was surmounted by a fluffy tuft of fur, while a red bow, tattered and dirty, had been tied around her tail just below the tuft.

Strangely, the griffin was very small, and not just in stature. Most of the griffins were large-chested and powerful. But this griffin was small, and lithe. She didn’t give off an air of power at all.

“Hi!” called a high pitched voice, “Don’t get many ponies out here!”

Raindrop took a step forwards. “Uhh... Hi! There aren’t any ponies around here, are there?”

The griffin pondered on that for a moment, and then shook her head. “Plenty of rats, but no ponies!”

Raindrop strode over towards the diminutive griffin, looking her up and down for a moment, and then pausing, tilting her head. “Are you sure there’s no ponies here?”

“Quite sure,” the griffin replied with a nod.

Raindrop gave a faint sigh, shaking her head. “Well that’s... That’s not good.”

“Whatcha need a pony for?” the griffin asked, tilting her head to the side in a very raptorial way.

Raindrop chewed her lower lip for a moment, pondering on how much to reveal of their mission. “Well... I’m searching for the bearer of the Element of Laughter.”

“That’s a pretty big thing, huh?” the griffin asked with a giggle. “I haven’t seen any happy ponies around here, sorry.”

“So... What is this place?” Raindrop queried, watching the griffin.

“It’s an old military base!” the griffin squeaked happily, bouncing excitedly in place. “There’s so many cool things here that they just threw away. Can you believe they’d just throw all this stuff away?!”

“It is kinda wasteful,” Raindrop appeased, nodding in understanding.

“I’m Wisp!” the griffin said with a happy smile, offering a clawed paw for Raindrop to shake.

“Raindrop,” Raindrop replied with an incline of her head, “And that one back there is Sentinel.”

Wisp looked past her to Sentinel standing in the background, and waved a paw happily. “Hi Sentinel!”

Sentinel waved back uncertainly, “Uhh, hi.”

“Do you two like airships?!” Wisp enthused, bouncing in place happily.

“I’ve never seen one, honestly,” Raindrop admitted, casting her gaze to the bronze monolith of an airship.

“I’ve almost got it working!” Wisp squeaked, bouncing happily from paw to paw. “Just need the power source... The military took them all with them.”

Raindrop gave a sad nod. “That is a shame.”

Sentinel took a step forward then. “Where can you find one of these power sources?”

“Oh? They can be found everywhere!” the griffin affirmed, nodding eagerly. “But they’re pretty coveted. I know of a wreck that most likely has one. But no one goes near it because of the darkclaws.”

“Darkclaws? That sounds fun,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

“We’ll help,” Sentinel offered instantly.

“Oh you will, you will?!” Wisp enthused, bouncing in place excitedly. “I know where there’s definitely a power source! I can see the lights from on top of the canyon! ...But it is kind of dangerous...”

“We’re getting used to it,” Sentinel stated with a slow shake of his head and a rueful smile.

“Well... If you really are going to help!” Wisp said with a happy grin. “Just head over that peak!”

The griffin pointed with an outstretched talon towards a peak to the east, silhouetted against the darkening sky. “And then follow the light!”

“And these darkclaws?” Raindrop asked uncertainly.

“They’re giant creatures that live in the desert and they suck down anything that stands on top of them. They only need to eat once a month or so, and they hide around any part of the desert that has debris. They kinda learned that ponies and griffins go towards them, and other animals go there for shade. And then,” Wisp made a horrible slurping and crunching sound, “No more ponies and griffins.”

“But we’ll be fine, since we can fly?” Raindrop asked hopefully.

“Should be!” Wisp assured with a happy nod. “I can’t really do it myself... My wing is kinda... Broken.”

Raindrop gave a cringe of sympathy.

“We’ll get you your power source,” Sentinel said with a firm nod. “You have my word.”

“Oh thank you thank you thank you!” Wisp said gleefully, bouncing around the two of them in a circle.

The two pegasi alighted on the peak of the rocky mountain, looking down into the dark desert, where the muted lights of a strange contraption shone bright in the gathering darkness.

“So... Why are we doing this?” Raindrop asked, looking down at the stricken wreck.

Sentinel perked an ear at her, and then looked back down toward the junkyard, and then back at Raindrop. “I think she’s the bearer of the Element of Laughter.”

Raindrop blinked at that, her head tilting to the side in a quizzical way. “Really? But she’s a griffin!”

Sentinel grinned at that, and the shrugged. “Who said that the bearers had to be ponies?”

“I... Celestia?” Raindrop offered weakly.

“Well the Seeker Stone is pointing towards the junkyard...” Sentinel trailed off, letting Raindrop make her own decision.

“I guess you’re right. But why do I feel like we’re going to have to fight a thousand and one darkclaws to get to the power source, end up horribly injured, and spend several days recovering from our horrific wounds?”

Sentinel grinned sideways at Raindrop. “Experience?”

Revelations

“Let me guess. Monsters?” Raindrop asked, with a long-suffering sigh.

“Nope, griffins. Maybe two dozen.” Sentinel pointed with a hoof out the window. “They’ll be on us in about five, maybe ten minutes.”

“Great. Once. Just once, I’d like to be able to do something for Celestia without the end result being massive injuries,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

Sentinel turned to Wisp. “What are the weakest points on the ship, structurally? Where would they likely attack first?”

“There’s heaps of them!” Wisp declared, looking out the window herself, ignoring the question.

“Yes, but where will they attack?” Sentinel asked, tapping the griffin to try and get her attention.

“Everywhere!” Wisp complained, bouncy in agitation. “They’ll attack everywhere and ruin my beautiful new ship!”

“We can defend against them,” Sentinel tried to assure the young griffin. “But I need to know where we need to defend.”

“But... I... The reaction chamber, I guess. And the control room. So long as we keep both of those I guess they’d have to sever the lines connecting us to the balloons to bring us down... But even then, that would take a fair while,” Wisp said, frowning thoughtfully. “And I’d be able to close the main valves, so long as they don’t get at the reaction chamber itself and remove it.”

“So they’ll attack the reaction chamber and the control room first?” Sentinel asked, ears perking at her.

“Yup!” Wisp said confidently.

“Can’t we just... Outrun them?” Raindrop asked wearily. “I really don’t want to get pecked to pieces. It just seems really unnecessary.”

“Do you think we can outrun them and get over the border to Equestria before they reach us?” Sentinel asked of the young griffin.

“I... Don’t know how far Equestria is. If I push the engine any further, I’d be risking breaching the tubes, and then we’d be dead in the air,” Wisp complained, bouncing again in annoyance.

Sentinel frowned a moment, and then looked at the young griffin seriously. “If you run the engine at full, we’ll still retain our speed, right? Even if the pipes burst?”

“I... Guess so. But my airship will be ruined!” Wisp whined, pushing at him with her paws.

“I’ll help you get another one,” Sentinel promised. “But first, I need to know if you can overload the pipes deliberately, all at once.”

Wisp’s eyes went wide. “But that’d cause steam to vent into the interior of the airship!”

“Yes, but if you closed the valves leading into the control room, and then overloaded the piping from the control room itself...”

Wisp’s eyes went even wider, and she began to bounce. “Yes yes yes! That’ll work! That’ll work!”

And with that, Wisp was off, bolting into the hallway and disappearing.

“Why do I get the feeling that something bad is going to happen?” Raindrop asked, her ears splaying back a little bit.

“Trust that feeling,” Sentinel said, as he followed Wisp out into the corridor.

Everything was set.

Raindrop, Sentinel, and Wisp all sat in front of the consoles in the control room, waiting.

Several thuds echoed from overhead, and then came the screeching of claws on metal, as griffins began to grimly claw their way along to access hatches that lined the airship.

“This is going to end badly and we’re all going to die horribly,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“We’ll be taking a lot of griffins with us,” Sentinel reasoned with a wry grin.

Raindrop huffed a moment, and then turned sideways, pulling Sentinel around to face her, and then kissing him passionately, wrapping her hooves around him to stop him from getting away.

Sentinel allowed the kiss, giving a hum of pleased surprise.

Raindrop drew back from the kiss, and then glowered at him, and then stating darkly. “I swear, if we live through this, I am dragging you to the inn.”

“If we live through this, I’ll let you,” Sentinel said grimly, casting a wary glance at the pipes overhead.

“You two are such a cute couple,” Wisp said with a wry grin, looking back and forth between them, bouncing happily in place. “I mean, you totally have that tsundere thing going to a ‘t’, and it’s really, really cu-”

The young griffin was cut off by Raindrop’s hoof over her beak. “Save it for when we survive. There’s lots of angry griffins about to tear us to pieces.”

Several more thumps echoed from above, and the first of the hatches lining the airship were thrown open. From their angle, the trio couldn’t see the corridors, but it was assumed that griffins would be entering about now.

“Do we really have a tsundere thing going on?” Sentinel asked of Raindrop, raising an eyebrow.

“I... Guess? Raindrop answered conversationally. “I mean, I do tend to hit you a lot.”

“But you haven’t hit me in ages. I don’t even think I have any bruises from the last time you hit me,” Sentinel said, humming thoughtfully to himself.

“So... It’s not tsundere then?” Raindrop gave an exasperated sound, shaking her head.

Sentinel nodded once, before quipping, “I don’t think so. Not any more. It’s more like you’re just a dominatrix.”

“I’m giving you a black eye if we get out of this,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“Annnd back to tsundere,” Sentinel teased, beaming.

“Can we focus?” Raindrop asked, and Wisp leaned past her to point.

“Look!” the young griffin pointed, to the corridors.

In front of the corridors, they had erected makeshift barricades, consisting of metal beams supporting the cut crystal doors that usually protected the main reaction chamber area. They were placed in such a way that getting a grip on them and pulling was out of the question, so the griffins would have to smash through them. A difficult prospect at best.

And a griffin was standing behind one of these barricades, watching them.

Wisp reached for a lever, but Sentinel stopped her with a hoof.

“Wait,” Sentinel cautioned. “We want as many to be inside as possible before we throw the lever.”

Wisp nodded tentatively, her ears pinning backwards. “I want to throw the lever though! I’m not letting anyone else kill my baby!”

Sentinel gave a soothing nod, “I’ll let you throw the lever, promise.”

A second griffin joined the first, and then a third, and fourth. And then they began to push on the crystal, using their considerable strength to try and force the barricade to cave in.

“Now?” Wisp asked urgently.

Sentinel paused a moment, letting the seconds tick by, before nodding grimly. “Throw the switch.”

Raindrop and Sentinel both ducked and covered, and Wisp reached for the lever, gripping it tight and tugging it down, all the way. She grabbed a control panel connected to the console by a length of wires, and then threw herself between the two pegasi. Both Raindrop and Sentinel huddled close, protecting the griffin with their bodies.

Several things happened with the throwing of the lever. Firstly, the pressure building in the tank above the reaction chamber was released. The tank was built to handle stresses far higher than the pipes were, and with the released pressure, it sent a great amount of steam powering into the pipes.

Simultaneously, the limiters placed on the reaction chamber were opened fully, letting the too-large crystal burn to its full power. Almost instantly, the pressure became too much for the pipes. Steam just continued to explode through the open valves, deliberately over-stressing the system.

And then the breaches came. First in one spot, and then another, and another.

Great, loud bangs heralded the failing of the pipes. Screams of agony echoed from the corridors as shards of magically strengthened metal exploded into the corridors and rooms lining the airship, followed by waves of steam. After a few bangs, the corridors were completely filled with steam.

Wisp stared down at her control console, and the lights on it, before twisting dials, closing valves leading to broken pipes. It wasn’t a measure designed to save the ship, it was a plan to cause more breaches by not allowing the steam pressure to diminish by escaping through the breaches.

More bangs echoed throughout the airship, and more steam was released. Wisp continued to fiddle with the dials, closing valve after valve, increasing the pressure as the overall amount of water, and steam, left in the system began to drop dangerously low.

The two pipes outside the control room burst with a surprisingly powerful pressure wave, cracking both of the crystal dividers, peppering their smooth surfaces with shrapnel and covering them in spider webs.

Wisp dropped the console then, covering her ears. “We’re out of pressure! It’s all gone!”

Underneath them, the main turbine was slowing, losing speed. The airship was suddenly an oversized glider with a buoyant set of balloons atop it.

And then, everything was quiet. Eerily quiet.

“Do you think we got them all?” Wisp asked, rubbing her forehead with a paw. It was getting hot inside the cabin.

“I hope so,” Sentinel said grimly, climbing to his hooves. Raindrop followed him.

Past the cracked crystal dividers, the corridors were all wreathed in steam. “Closest hatch is just over there, right?”

Sentinel pointed with a hoof, raising a brow back at Wisp.

Wisp nodded in response. “They opened it already.”

“Good, we’re leaving. We need to get outside of this room. Hopefully we caused enough confusion, and that storm is coming up fast,” Sentinel said, turning and then kicking the crystal divider with both hooves.

Normally, he wouldn’t have been strong enough to even mar the surface of the crystal, but with it already under sever stress from the pipe explosion, it caved in easily, sending crystal shards clattering across the floor. Steam began to billow into the cabin. “Let’s go!”

Sentinel, Raindrop, and Wisp all fled the cabin, and headed for the first hatch, finding it with blind groping and pulling themselves outside, getting in a good breath of fresh air after the clammy, swirling steam of the interior.

Raindrop was barely outside for a moment, with Wisp climbing up the side of the airship, and Sentinel below her, when she felt a hot rush across her cheek. Blood suddenly covered her eye, and she cried out in pain, a hoof lifting to her struck cheek.

A griffin war cry echoed, and a second attack came from the other side, slicing into her back, just above her folded wings. Raindrop roared in pain, feeling blood start to seep down over her wings.

Another war cry was called, but Raindrop was ready this time, flattening herself to the side of the airship. The whoosh of a talon passed close by, almost nicking her fur. The wind was too strong for Raindrop to open her wings, or she’d be plucked right off the side of the airship. It was howling, assaulting her form. Her eyes watered with the force of it. They were going fast.

There was a push at her rump as Sentinel urged her to move, and Raindrop began to climb upwards. She had to dodge again as another griffin tried to attack her.

And then, she was on the deck, pulling herself up onto stable ground.

She caught sight of Wisp, disappearing into what appeared to be a tiny cargo hold on the deck, so that she could hide. Raindrop didn’t blame her one bit.

Several thuds were heard as three griffins landed on the deck, all of them moving to surround the pegasus.

“We’re taking you back,” one of the hissed.

“Don’t like the desert, myself,” Raindrop said conversationally, stepping backwards.

The three griffins followed after her, “You belong with us.”

There was a screech as one of the griffins was dragged off the side of the airship and thrown into the howling winds below.

“She belongs with me!” Sentinel said, as he grimly crawled up onto the side of the airship, moving to stand beside Raindrop.

Raindrop gave Sentinel a wry smile. “That was kinda corny.”

“Shut up, I’m being a hero!” Sentinel said urgently to her over the wind, shaking his head.

The two griffins snorted, stepping closer, one of them lifting a paw to swipe at Sentinel.

Sentinel burst forwards. One moment, he was standing beside Raindrop, the next, he was at the griffin’s throat. his hoof hit the raised paw, blocking it, while his other hoof caught the griffin in the throat with a surprisingly strong blow. The griffin’s beak gaped, and it gasped a moment, giving a breathy hiss of seeming surprise. Sentinel pushed it sideways with his forehooves, causing it to tumble off the side of the airship, caught in the howling wind.

Sentinel then turned to the griffin.

The griffin stared for a long moment, and then took a step backwards. It looked the guard up and down, and then snorted, before turning and launching itself off the side of the ship, wings spreading to catch the wind and carry it to safety.

“Wow, even griffins don’t wanna mess with you,” Raindrop said over the wind, sounding impressed.

Sentinel turned to look behind himself, his eyes widening.

“Jump,” Sentinel squeaked.

“What?!” Raindrop called over the wind.

“Jump!” Sentinel reiterated, louder and more urgently.

Raindrop twisted to look over her shoulder, and her eyes widened as well. The side of a mountain was rushing at them with stunning speed. Turning back to face the front, Raindrop danced across the deck of the airship, reached into where Wisp was hiding, and tugged her out bodily, tossing her over the side of the ship without explanation.

And then both pegasi leaped off after her.

Their wings spread, catching the air. Raindrop snarled at the strain it put on the cut on her back that she had completely forgotten about until that moment. Both pegasi went into a steep dive, catching Wisp as she was tumbling, one hoof each on her coat, supporting her weight between them.

They backwinged to a gentle landing on a mountainside as the airship smashed into the side of the mountain not too far away. The entire front half of it just crumpled under the impact, compressing like an accordion, before it began to slowly fall and tumble its way down the mountainside.

“That can still be salvaged,” Sentinel said reasonably, watching it fall.

Wisp gave a nod, “As long as the reaction chamber wasn’t breached or the crystal wasn’t damaged.”

All three of them ducked, wincing, as a massive explosion ripped through the centre of the airship, lighting up the night sky with a ferociously intense fireball. They even felt the heat where they sat, hundreds of metres away.

“I guess the crystal was ruptured...” Sentinel said softly, shaking his head. He turned to Wisp, who was watching the burning fireball with wide eyes. “I’m sorry about your airship, Wisp.”

Wisp blinked once, and then turned to look at him, her expression blank. “Are you freaking kidding me?! That was the coolest thing I ever saw! It exploded! And it was so big! And I felt it from here! Oh please can we do it again?!”

Wisp bounced in place, pointing excitedly towards the rising fireball. Sentinel chuckled, and Raindrop joined in with a giggle of her own, wiping the blood from her eye.

It was perhaps because they were so focused on the explosion that the three of them forgot that they were being pursued by the griffins. Or perhaps they thought they would safe on Equestrian soil?

The last thing Raindrop saw before being knocked unconscious was Wisp pausing mid-bounce, staring somewhere behind behind the mare.

Raindrop groaned, stirring faintly. The first thing she noticed was that her hooves were bound in place.

Blinking her good eye open, the other being encrusted with blood, she cast her gaze around. She could see the form of Sentinel next to her, and Wisp further out. Both of them seemed to be unconscious.

“Oh, I see you’re awake,” a familiar voice said, a low laugh tinging it.

Raindrop raised her head and peered with one eye at Discord, blinking slowly, trying to process what was going on. He was surrounded by a small group of diamond dogs, griffins, and even a dark guard.

“It was very nimble of you to escape my assassin here. He’s never failed, you know,” Discord said conversationally, looking Raindrop up and down. “I had intended to just be rid of you, and those nuisance Elements of Harmony. They’re about the only thing that can stop me, now.”

Raindrop worked her mouth for a moment, swallowing thickly and trying to lift her head properly.

“You’re probably wondering why you’re not dead yet. Well, I figured I’d give you a choice to join your true family. If you choose to turn your back on your family, you will be killed,” Discord said calmly.

Raindrop muttered something, blinking slowly.

“Speak up, child,” Discord stated flatly.

“I said ‘I’ll never join you, Discord’,” Raindrop said louder, her head lolling slightly as she tried to shake the drowziness from her form.

“Ohohoho... You still haven’t figured it out yet, have you?” Discord asked, standing up and beginning to pace back and forth. “I must say, I found it hard to fathom why Chrysalis chose to reveal herself to the ponies at large. But now that I am in the same position, I will admit that there is a certain excited smugness I feel in knowing that I can reveal myself completely. So long have I hid in the shadows. Waiting. Watching. Biding my time.”

“Celestia already knows you’re free,” Raindrop said, with as much smugness as she could.

“Ohohohoho. I think Celestia suspects the truth, but has no evidence,” Discord said calmly, before making a motion towards the corner of the room.

Raindrop followed the motion, blinking a few times with her good eye. A statue stood there, looking scared and out of place.

It was Discord.

Raindrop turned back the Discord in front of her, frowning, not quite comprehending.

Discord made a motion with a paw, and the griffins, the diamond dogs, and even the dark guard assassin all changed in front of her eyes.

The faux-Discord leaned close, and his eyes flashed demonic green. A toothy grin stretched his muzzle as his form twisted and changed. Suddenly, it was no longer Discord.

The dark queen lifted her head, giving a fanged grin.

Raindrop stared up at her, stunned. Speechless.

The dark queen waved a hoof at her changed subjects. Her ‘Children’

“My name is Chitin. And I am the Queen of the Changelings.”

Glorious Exposition

Raindrop could only stare, mouth slightly parted, speechless. Changelings. At least a half dozen. And the Queen of Changelings herself. Right in front of her. And this wasn’t a dream.

“I do so love that look of utter stupefaction upon your muzzle,” Queen Chitin said smugly, watching her. “Now, do you intend to join us, or are we going to kill you?”

“B-but... H-how?” Raindrop asked weakly, bewildered. None of it added up. Some things made sense, surely. Discord using subterfuge. The diamond dogs behaving as they did. The griffins. But Sentinel was trained to sense changelings, and he had sensed it in Raindrop immediately. How could he have failed to sense it in these changelings?

Chitin gave a soft ‘psh’ noise, and leaned down to put her nose next to Raindrop’s. “Are you expecting me to ramble on about my conquests? Are you expecting a glorious exposition where I reveal my plans for world domination and my entire life history to you?”

“It would be nice,” Raindrop admitted weakly, blinking her good eye repeatedly.

“I’m afraid that real life does not quite work the same way as a fairy tale,” Chitin chided, turning away.

“You know you want to,” Raindrop cajoled. “It’ll feel good to tell someone. I bet nopony has heard your story...”

Chitin growled low in the back of her throat. “Why do I feel as though I am being manipulated? Very well.”

Chitin turned around to face Raindrop again, sitting down on her haunches, her delicate wings giving a little flutter.

“When the love bomb from Cadance and Shining Armor hit us, we were scattered. But moreover, we were damaged. The intrinsic bond we share as changelings was severed. Perhaps you have felt it yourself? The little tug you feel when another changeling in close... Either way, that bond was no longer permeable to changelings. We were forced to find each other through subterfuge rather than our link. I believe that a large amount of changelings took shelter in the Everfree forest, along with Chrysalis, while many more of us were blasted in the other direction.

“Those of us that managed to survive the horrific magical injuries inflicted upon our forms, wished to rally again with Chrysalis, and resume our plans of dominion. One changeling, I believe he was nicknamed ‘Messenger’ by Chrysalis herself, found the group of changelings I had saved and rounded up. I gave them the love I stole from different targets, to keep them alive. But when I came across Chrysalis, she seemed... Different. She had changed. I convinced Messenger and the other changelings to not speak of our existence. I was convinced that Chrysalis was unfit to lead us, and installed myself as queen of my own brood.

“And then Chrysalis murdered her brood. She did not condemn to death, she destroyed them, with her own magic.” Chitin paused then, scowling deeply, giving an agitated twitch. “And so I lead my changelings in secret. That is my story, and that is your glorious exposition.”

Raindrop stared at her for a long moment, her good eye lowering. “...I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”

“Do not pity me, whelp!” Chitin snarled, lifting a hoof as though to strike her. Raindrop winced and tried to brace herself against the coming blow.

The blow never landed, the queen instead beginning to pace back and forth. “I have made the changelings greater than they ever were. I have lifted them higher than they have ever gotten.”

“But why?” Raindrop asked, still confused. “And how have you avoided detection?”

“I will not answer your first question. A gazelle does not presume to ask a lion why it must eat. But how did we avoid detection?” Chitin gave a soft, mirthful laugh. “Princess Celestia is not quite as adroit as she tries to appear. I unraveled the mysteries of the Elements of Harmony, and we used them to shield ourselves from her guard’s senses. Why, I was on the stage beside this young guard here, and he didn’t even sense that I was not truly Discord. It was the first real success my kind has seen from this shielding magic.”

“And... What of Spike?” Raindrop asked uncertainly. “What did you do to him?”

“The dragon?” A low, mirthful laugh rumbling from Chitin’s throat. “I have done naught to the dragon. He divined my purpose the first time I approached him. He knew I was a changeling. But rather than be distrustful, he sought from us a service. I have feasted on his love for a long, long time. It is quite delicious. And being a dragon, it has done naught but stunt his growth.”

Raindrop shook her head slowly, trying to clear her head. “But why me? Why attack me? I have enough problems without having to deal with this.”

“Because, Raindrop. You are a threat. Your powers and abilities are unknown. And already, your mind has tried to join with the collective. You would have discovered us sooner or later,” Chitin stared into her eyes, watching her closely.

Raindrop felt it. Felt the minds of the changelings. Now that she knew what she looking for, it was obvious. It was like when one's eyes adjusted to darkness and shapes just suddenly appeared in the darkness. Her eyes were opened.

“Now, are your questions answered?” Chitin asked with a simpering smile.

“So many more questions...” Raindrop murmured, shaking her head slowly.

“I’m afraid they will have to wait. Actually, no they will not. You’re going to die very soon, Raindrop. And then your questions can be answered past the gate of tartarus,” Chitin corrected herself, an eerie smile on her muzzle.

“Heard all of that?” Raindrop asked of Sentinel as they were ushered along by a trio of changelings, towards the mouth of the cave.

“I did,” Sentinel murmured back.

Their hooves were still bound, and so walking was difficult. They were forced to take tiny, quick steps. Running was out of the question. Wisp trailed between them, her own paws bound.

“How many do you think there are?” Raindrop asked urgently.

“Does it even matter?” Sentinel asked, his tone strange. “We can’t sense them... There could be hundreds, and we’re going to die.”

“Sure looks that way,” Raindrop said with a sour note in her tone.

Sunlight assaulted their eyes, and the trio were lead towards a clearing, where they were evidently going to be killed.

One of the guards produced a dagger, looking at the three of them, trying to decide which to finish first.

Raindrop turned to look at Sentinel, and then said, with a heavy sigh, “...I love you.”

“Really?” Sentinel asked, perking his ears upwards.

“Nah, not really,” Raindrop admitted, shaking her head. “I mean, sure, I like you and all, and I’d totally let you have your way with me if it came down to it. But the ‘L’ word is a pretty strong thing.”

“I admit, it would have been fun,” Sentinel said with a nod, watching the dagger being swapped from hoof to hoof. “But sweet Celestia, lady, if I married you, your in-laws suck.”

“I’m not very fond of them myself,” Raindrop admitted, pursing her lips.

The changeling moved over closer to them, his eyes narrowing as he lifted the dagger above Sentinel’s form.

“I’m sorry I never dragged you into bed and let you have your way with me...” Raindrop whispered to Sentinel, her eyes sad.

Sentinel nodded mutely.

There was a clatter, and suddenly, the changeling wasn’t there anymore.

A small boulder caught the changeling in the face with a surprisingly powerful blow, knocking him sideways and sending the dagger clattering away across the ground. It had come seemingly from nowhere, with no warning other than the sound of it bouncing against the ground.

“Duck and cover!” Wisp squeaked, covering her ears and face with her bound paws.

Sentinel and Raindrop had barely enough time to cover their ears and faces before a massively powerful bang and flash of light happened before them. Sentinel was closest to it, and wore the blow the worst. The pressure wave alone gave him a black eye and stunned him, rocking him back on his haunches and deafening him for several long seconds.

The changelings were likewise affected.

Raindrop was already in motion, twisting her hooves. Her eyes flashed green, and her muscles rippled, and suddenly, her bonds snapped under her newfound strength. The pegasus dove forwards, smashing her hooves down on top of the two stunned guards, smashing their heads into the ground with her new augmented strength, and then turning to smash the already-injured changeling across the brow with her hoof, sending him reeling.

Wisp had already moved closer to Sentinel, and was working on undoing his bindings with her little claws, scything through them with surprisingly sharp talons. Raindrop moved over to Wisp, and literally tore her ropes off, snapping them with her hooves. Raindrop and Wisp then began to lead the barely responsive Sentinel away from the clearing and into the trees.

Raindrop thought they were in the Everfree forest, but she couldn’t be sure. She just began to urge Wisp to help her push Sentinel to the north, away from the cave where Chitin was.

Tsundere

Raindrop was fading fast. It had started with the hunger pangs, and then the weakness. And now, the mind-numbingly intense sensation of having run a marathon. All her muscles felt like jello and she was barely able to walk.

Thankfully, Sentinel had managed to regain his senses and was walking under his own power. He seemed to be slightly stunned still though, and was having trouble hearing.

“What the hell was that?” Sentinel asked, a groan present in his tone. A brilliant black eye was building around his right eye socket.

“Darkclaw deterrent,” Wisp said proudly. “I always carry one or two on me. Or well, I used to. I found a stash of those tiny reaction chambers in a hidden compartment on my airship. Someone musta been hoarding them. But anyhow, I figured out how to make them overload with a reverse-feedback loop. Takes a few seconds, but they explode so bright and loud that it just stuns you. Aren’t they awesome?!”

“And the boulder?” Raindrop queried tiredly, limping along behind the guard and the griffon.

“I dunno what happened there... It just came out of nowhere. Extreme luck?” Wisp offered helplessly.

Raindrop snorted at that. “No such thing as luck.”

“I’m actually going to agree there,” Sentinel stated, lifting a hoof to rub tentatively at his cheek. “And geeze, that deterrent really works. Gave me a shiner.”

“Sor-ree,” Wisp sing-songed, happily tossing her scarf over her shoulder to get it away from her forepaws. “I kinda hid it in my beak and spat it on to the ground. Didn’t spit it far enough.”

“You put a makeshift explosive device in your beak?” Sentinel asked, seeming impressed.

Wisp gave a sage nod, grinning.

“You crazy,” Sentinel pointed out, ruffling her crest affectionately.

“And proud of it!” Wisp squeaked, grinning up at the guard.

“I need to rest,” Raindrop groaned, pulling herself to a conveniently chest-high rock and just splaying herself atop it tiredly.

Sentinel moved over to sit beside her, gently pulling her up against him, touching at her sides gently. “Do you feel okay?”

“Change magic. Weak.” Raindrop gave a faint shudder, limp in Sentinel’s hooves.

Sentinel nodded and held the pegasus close, gently, soothingly stroking a hoof down her wing slowly. “Did you really mean what you said?”

Raindrop looked up at him, giving a mute nod, and then resting her head against his shoulder, murmuring, “I’d totally let you do me.”

“It means so much to me that you’d say that,” Sentinel said with a wry smile, licking her cheek once.

“You two have no chance of ever being normal,” Wisp said with a shake of her head.

As it turned out, Ponyville wasn’t far away at all.

Raindrop barely heard Sentinel when he told her that they were close to Ponyville, and by the time they reached the town, she was unresponsive.

Raindrop’s vision was blurry when she opened her eyes. It was a ceiling she remembered though, even blurry as it was. The hospital.

“-managed to fight off two dozen changeling griffons, crashed an airship into the side of a mountain resulting in that explosion you all saw, and then managed to get a ‘darkclaw deterrent’ go off in my face,” Sentinel was saying to a nurse, who was carefully inspecting his brand new black eye.

“Slow day, huh?” the nurse asked, as she began to apply ointment to his eye.

Sentinel gave a snort of laughter, which morphed into a wince and whine at the sensation of pressure on his swollen eye.

“Oh shush, big baby,” the nurse said with a shake of her head, applying more ointment. “So... Did you screw her yet?”

Sentinel spluttered at the matter-of-fact way the nurse asked. “Well, no!”

“Shame. She wants you,” the nurse said with a half-shrug.

“She keeps saying that, but I think she’s being utterly sarcastic,” Sentinel said with a gentle nod.

The nurse chortled a moment, shaking her head. “I know her type. She uses sarcasm to proffer her advances so she can hide behind the sarcasm if she’s turned down.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Sentinel asked flatly.

“Then you’ll be the one getting injured, not me,” the nurse said with a soft, evil laugh. “Celestia knows I could use some entertainment.”

“Talks of creepy violent voyeurism aside, what’s my eye look like?” Sentinel queried. “And is Wisp okay?”

“Your swelling is going down,” the nurse said with a gentle nod, inspecting his eye closely, “And after what happened out there in the Everfree, Celestia has taken Wisp under her wing, so to speak. Wisp was escorted to the castle by a fully armed contingent of royal guards.”

“Good,” Sentinel nodded, and then lifted a hoof to touch at his eye.

Raindrop groaned and stirred properly, rolling over onto her side.

“Hungry,” the pegasus groaned weakly.

A moment later, Sentinel was offering her a banana, having peeled it for her.

Raindrop groaned faintly again, and then shook her head. “Of all the shapes of fruit you could possibly get. Pervert.”

Sentinel rolled his eyes, but Raindrop barely noticed. She basically inhaled the banana, downing it in three neat bites. She even eyed the skin of it as though it might be edible.

next up was a mango, which Sentinel skinned neatly and then offered to her. Raindrop devoured the mango down, reducing it to a seed in record time. Grapes were next, and then apples. And then finally, the pegasus was sated.

“Sleepy,” Raindrop whined, laying her head down and closing her eyes. In seconds, she was snoring.

“A very proper lady,” the nurse said, blinking once.

Sentinel gave a faint laugh, wiping at the corner of Raindrop’s mouth with a towel. “She used her changeling powers. Last time she tried, it almost killed her. I think ravenous hunger and sleepiness are quite adequate.”

The nurse gave a nod, and then waved a hoof. “Well, there’s a bed in the next room over set out for you. I’d like to monitor you in case you suffered any more serious head trauma from that ‘deterrent’.”

“Are you kidding me?” Sentinel asked with a shake of his head, crawling up onto the bed with Raindrop and stretching out besides her, laying a hoof over her gently. “If Raindrop found out I was sleeping in another bed she’d kill me.”

The nurse just shook her head, pulling the door closed behind her as she left, with a parting comment of, “Grow some balls and screw her.”

Raindrop stirred weakly, giving a low moan and arching faintly. The warm weight of Sentinel was pressed close against her back, spooning with her.

“You’re learning,” Raindrop said with a weak smile, not bothering to open her eyes.

“I have a persistent teacher,” Sentinel said with a slight grin.

“Back in the hospital again,” Raindrop murmured.

Sentinel nodded against the back of her neck, “It’s almost like a second home.”

“Even the nurse is telling you to man up and screw me,” Raindrop said with a weak nudge of her shoulders back against him.

“I know, right? It’s really creepy.” Sentinel gave a faint shudder, and licked the back of one of Raindrop’s ears affectionately.

“And if I told you the same thing?” Raindrop queried.

Sentinel pondered on that for a moment, “I would attribute it to you being in the grips of post-change-magic euphoria.”

“I want to be euphoric for something other than being alive,” Raindrop said flatly.

The guard nudged her once with his nose, and Raindrop rolled over to face him, eyes blinking open, staring into his own.

“I can think of over a dozen reasons to have sex and ‘we just faced down two dozen griffon changelings, blew up an airship and narrowly escaped execution’ beats them all.” Raindrop nodded to affirm her point, nudging his nose once with her own. “And star above, I am so sick of hinting. You don’t understand anything more subtle than a brick to the face.”

“My duty as a guard, really,” Sentinel teased, grinning and leaning in to kiss her nose. “I still don’t think the time is right.”

Raindrop stared at him for a long, long moment, and then sniffed once, “‘Dont’ think the time is right’? What the hell was that? Are you trying to be a female? I swear to Celestia, if you deny me again, I’m going to ensure you stay in this hospital bed for at least a week.”

“Is that a promise?” Sentinel teased, pulling the pegasus closer to himself, and kissing her gently. “I think it’d be quite fun if you were here with me.”

Raindrop growled at him, and then returned the kiss with a fiery passion, her eyes narrowing. As she pulled back, she stated, “Me. You. Now.”

(Clop here: Rated mature, read at your own risk. Temp password: tsundere )

Raindrop gave a low moan as she awoke, pleasantly sore from what had transpired from the night before.

Sentinel yawned softly, stretching and arching, and then licking the back of one of her ears gently. “Morning.”

“Morning,” Raindrop murmured faintly. “You have no idea how much I needed that.”

Sentinel gave a faint laugh, nuzzling through her mane gently. “Any time, I can help...”

Raindrop gave a soft nod. “I figured. So, how’s it feel to be a stallion?”

Sentinel chortled and nosed at the back of her neck gently, “I dunno, ask me in a few years?”

“Foal,” Raindrop teased, rolling over to face him, and then wrapping her hooves around his neck, pulling him close to kiss him eagerly. “Last night was not a one-night-stand. So if I find you eyeing other mares, I’m going to use the feathers of your wings to make a nice new headress, understood?”

Sentinel nodded gently, kissing her in return. “Yes Ma’am.”

The door to their room opened, and the nurse paused, looking at them, making a ‘daaaaw’ sound and smiling. And then her gaze fell on the floor beneath the bed.

“Oh Lordy!” she squealed, turning around instantly and walking back out of the door.

Sentinel and Raindrop exchanged a glance, trying to contain their laughter.

The nurse returned not two minutes later, holding a bottle in her mouth and dragging a mop and bucket in her hoof. She stalked over to the bed and offered Raindrop the bottle of pills. Morning-after pills.

The nurse then turned to Sentinel, eyes narrowing. She pushed the broomstick handle towards him.

“There is no way I am cleaning that up,” the nurse said with a shake of her head, turning around and stalking out of the room.

Sentinel looked at Raindrop, stifling a laugh. Raindrop just shrugged and smiled at him, popping one of the pills into her mouth and swallowing it, watching him all the while.

Love?

The guards at the front gates of Celestia’s castle stepped aside to permit the two ponies entry. A strange pink bubble had been erected around the castle, and its leading edge was perfectly flush with the door, meaning that they had to step through it to get into the castle itself.

Raindrop shuddered, feeling the fur on her neck standing straight out as she stepped through. It was like stepping through a curtain of icy water, except it was completely dry.

Other than the weird sensation, nothing untoward happened.

“Is this some kind of shield?” Raindrop queried, peeking back at the pink barrier.

“I believe so,” Sentinel said, also peering behind himself. “The Captain of the Guard must be maintaining it.”

“I’ve never met the captain,” Raindrop admitted, shaking her head. “Or seen him, for that matter.”

“He’s an older unicorn. Sticks to himself a lot, and spends most of his time training the recruits. He doesn’t have a family as such,” Sentinel explained as they walked towards the Hall of Elements.

Raindrop wrinkled her nose slightly. “No family because of his job?”

Sentinel nodded mutely.

“So the captain is too busy to even have a social life?” Raindrop asked, blinking once.

Sentinel shook his head, and then cast a glance at her. “The Captain of the Guard is forbidden from engaging in romances. It was a measure put in place after the Canterlot attack by Queen Chrysalis.”

“That’s terrible,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

“It’s practical,” Sentinel counter, waving a hoof. “The Captain of the Guard should never be torn between duty and his personal life. It creates too many openings that can be exploited, and almost cost us Canterlot.”

“If I remember the stories correctly... It was that self-same bond that saved Canterlot,” Raindrop counter in response.

Sentinel gave a reasonable nod. “But it only fixed the flaw in the security that it created.”

“Semantics,” Raindrop said with a shrug.

“But I have a valid point.”

“I’ll concede that, but I just don’t feel like arguing.”

Sentinel paused at that, stopping, and then lifting a hoof to rest on her forehead. Raindrop furrowed her brows.

“Are you feeling sick?” Sentinel asked abruptly.

“...No?” Raindrop offered, confused.

Sentinel blinked once. “You don’t want to argue. That’s not normal.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes and pushed the guard over with a firm press of her hooves, sending him sprawling, before she continued towards the Hall of Elements.

Celestia looked up from the table holding the Elements of Harmony as Raindrop and Sentinel entered.

“Ah, Raindrop, Sentinel. It is good to see you well. We have much to talk about,” Celestia said tersely, looking back down at the elements, frowning deeply. Before Raindrop could say anything, Celestia added, “Sentinel sent word ahead already. I know about the changelings. I have suspected from the beginning.”

Sentinel looked to the right, refusing to look at Celestia. “Forgive me Princess Celestia, I failed you.”

Celestia looked up again, and then shook her head gently. “Don’t be daft, Sentinel. The queen had control of the elements for long enough to fool our magic. You sensed Raindrop’s changeling blood. You are not at fault.”

“But I still had a changeling, multiple changelings around me, and I never even knew...” Sentinel protested, shaking his head.

“And neither did I,” Celestia said sharply, her eyes narrowing. “Shame and embarrassment encourages you to do better, Sentinel. But right now, we need action, not self-pity. So shut up and stand at attention.”

Sentinel stiffened, and then saluted. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Raindrop, for finding Wisp. I was... Surprised to find that she is a griffon. I think, with a little time, she will come to accept her responsibility as a bearer. I am going to be sending you after the next bearer,” Celestia explained, waving a hoof for punctuation. “But first, we must discuss other matters.”

“Like the changelings?” Raindrop asked.

“Like the changelings.” Celestia looked up at Raindrop, her eyes narrowing. “You had no idea they were here?”

“I was just as shocked as everyone else,” Raindrop admitted, shaking her head a moment. “But it all makes sense now... The dark guard that attacked me. Discord’s behavior. The griffons attacking the airship. And why that dark guard got away so easily.”

Celestia nodded at that, and then frowned. “I am more worried about this new queen’s motives. She has had long to plan, and I believe that she was present during the previous invasion. After I determined that your grandmother was Queen Chrysalis in pony form, I managed to piece together events after the failed invasion. We knew that the magical blast decimated much of the changeling population, but we also knew there were survivors. I think that Chrysalis destroyed what she believed to be the last of the changelings by her own hoof, for reasons her own.”

Raindrop nodded. “I managed to trick Queen Chitin into revealing some of her history to me.”

Celestia looked up, raising a brow at that, and then nodding faintly, “Please, do tell.”

Raindrop explained everything that Chitin had revealed to her. The love blast, how it damaged their senses and stopped them from sensing each other. How she had believed Chrysalis to have changed, and therefore hid from the rightful queen. How she had turned queen of her own brood of changelings. And Chrysalis destroying the changelings she lead.

Celestia listened intently, and then nodded. “It is as I suspected. But it does not reveal to us the motives of this new queen. It doesn’t give us clues as to her ultimate intent. I fear that what she had planned will be far more unpleasant than merely installing her own form of new government.”

Raindrop looked up at the princess, and then added, “She also spoke of that dragon, Spike. She said that he came to her and asked for a service.”

A soft sigh left the princess, and she lifted a hoof to rest on one of the Elements of harmony, closing her eyes and shaking her head sadly, whispering, “Oh Spike, you fool...”

“I think Chitin must be feeding from him. Won’t it make him sick like it did for Shine?” Raindrop queried, an ear perking.

“I... Cannot say for certain. It is possible that, given he is a dragon, the effects of the draining could be slowed or negated entirely. It is not a subject I am familiar with.”

“So... What now? Can you hunt the changelings down?”

Celestia paused at that, and then shook her head. “Not at present, no. I might be able to invent some new spell to negate the magic they are using to hide themselves from my guards, but I would require all of the Elements of Harmony for that. At present, we only have five.”

“Oh, you found the other?” Raindrop asked happily, grinning.

“My guards retrieved it from beyond the Gates of Tartarus, yes. Several of them fell during the mission though.” Celestia gave a sad shake of her head. “We still cannot find the Element of Magic. I have sent the Seeker Stone with Damascus, our best flier. But a grid search of all of Equestria will take far too long. We need the Elements of Harmony to protect Equestria. Without them, we are vulnerable.”

Raindrop looked right, to peer at Sentinel at the news that more of his comrades had fallen. The guard looked subdued, and stared at his forehooves.

“Do you have further need of me?” Raindrop asked, looking up to the princess.

Celestia nodded gently. “I wish you to seek the rest of the bearers of the elements. The elements need bearers to channel their powers. I feel we will require the elements before this matter is resolved. This is a task my guards alone cannot do.”

“Why not?” Raindrop queried, confused. “I’m just a storm chaser. What can I do that the guards can't?”

“It is not your abilities that allow you to do what they cannot, it is your shortcomings.”

“How utterly reassuring.” Raindrop shook her head for a moment. “But it still doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Necessity breeds perseverance. And it is friendship that acts as a catalyst for the power of the elements,” Celestia explained, punctuating the sentence with a motion of her hoof.

“So... You’re saying that, because I need the Elements of Harmony to fix myself, I’m much more likely to persevere in finding them?” Raindrop asked after a moment.

“Indeed,” Celestia affirmed.

“And I have to become friends with the bearers in order for all of this to work?” Raindrop asked with a heavy sigh.

Celestia frowned like that, and then picked up a seeker stone from the table, handing it to her. The orb swirled with an amber light.

“Do not view making friends with those whose help you require to be a chore,” Celestia warned as she dropped the orb into Raindrop’s hooves. “Otherwise, you have already failed.”

Raindrop walked slowly down the corridor towards the front doors of the castle, Sentinel in step beside her.

“So... Are you coming with me?” Raindrop asked of the guard, her tone hopeful.

“Celestia did not order me to accompany you,” Sentinel pointed out.

Raindrop’s expression fell, and she quickly made a mask of her expression. She didn’t want Sentinel to see that she was hurt by his reluctance. “Oh... Well. That’s fine, I guess.”

Sentinel snorted a moment, and then pushed her shoulder with a hoof. “Without standing orders, I am forced to enact my previous duties. And my previous duties were to defend you.”

A smile lifted Raindrop’s face at that, and then leaned sideways to kiss his cheek. “I’m glad you’re coming with.”

Sentinel gave a wan smile at the kiss on his cheek, his expression and manner rather melancholy.

“Raindrop...” he started, as they walked down the corridor.

“Yes?” Raindrop asked, her ears splaying back at the tone of his voice.

“You’re not just... You know, with me because Shine left you, are you?” Sentinel asked suddenly, his tone worried.

Raindrop stopped walking at that, and extended a wing to stop the guard, halting his own walking. Raindrop pulled him around to face her, looking into his eyes with her own narrowed.

The mare leaned in and kissed the guard full on the mouth, staring into his eyes with such an intense gaze that the guard had to avert his own under the embarrassment of her scrutiny.

Raindrop pulled back from the kiss, and then nudged him once with her nose, pulling him close and wrapping her hooves around him. “I’m in a bad place. I have something deep inside me that I can feel growing stronger. It wants to get out. It wants to make me a monster. And sometimes, I want to be that monster. It’s already destroyed a long-lasting relationship. And yes, this is all traumatic, and sometimes, I just wanna curl up on a cloud and cry forever. But what I feel for you is real. Maybe it’s amplified by all these troubles I’m going through, maybe it’s more intense because of them. But I know the underlying feelings are the same.”

Sentinel nodded at that, and then stared at her, blinking once. “Wow. You know, with that long, touchy-feely monologue, I could almost think you were a for-real female.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes, pushing him with her hooves. “I really do like you, you know. Well, at least, when I don’t want to kill you.”

The guard nodded at that, grinning at her, his head tilting to the side.

Raindrop turned to start walking again.

“IthinkIloveyou,” Sentinel blurted in a rush.

Raindrop froze, mid-step, blinking once, her ears slowly splaying backwards. A look of dismay came across her face. She stared back at him over her shoulder, disappointment written all over her face.

Sentinel winced backwards, feeling a strong urge to cover himself with his wings. “Did I... Did I say something wrong?”

Raindrop gave him a pained expression, and then whined softly, turning about and stepping over to him carefully.

Sentinel sensed her disapproval of his admittance, and shirked away from her slightly, looking at the floor to the right of himself, chagrined. “I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Raindrop shook her head, pulling him into a hug, squeezing him tightly and forcing him to face her, gently rubbing her nose against his own. “I’m really glad you said that, Sentinel. But... I’m also sad.”

Sentinel looked up at her, not understanding. “This is another one of those female moments that are going to go right over my head, isn’t it?”

Raindrop nodded sadly.

“I like you Sentinel, I really do. But what you said... I know you want me to repeat it.” Raindrop shook her head sadly, averting her eyes.

“But you won’t?” Sentinel said, more of a statement than a question, the guard heaving a soft, disappointed sigh, pulling away from her.

“Sentinel, don’t be like that,” Raindrop said, moving up to press against his side, tentatively extending a wing to curl her pinions around his own in a show of intimacy. “It’s just... It’s too soon after Shine. I can’t be sure of my own heart. I’m not going to say that to you unless I absolutely mean it. Evergreen and Cee taught me that that is the one word that you never throw around lightly, lest it lose all its meaning.”

“I understand,” Sentinel said, his voice sounding slightly muffled past the sad lump in his throat.

“No, you don’t,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head, pulling him around to face her for a moment, and then kissing him again, tears sparkling in her eyes. “I really do like you, Sentinel. A whole lot. But I won’t use that word until I know I mean it. Otherwise, I cheapen it. As Cee told me, ‘You can wait a week to be sure, but regret lasts a lifetime’.”

Sentinel gave a short nod. “I understand.”

“Do you?” Raindrop asked urgently, wrapping her hooves around him and holding him close. “I don’t want to push you away. But I know if I don’t make you understand, you’ll think it’s because I don’t like you.”

“Well you don’t actually love me. Or you’d be able to say so,” Sentinel pointed out with a deep frown, his tone carrying a repressed note of hurt.

Raindrop sighed, shaking her head and loosening the hug, picking up one of Sentinel’s hooves and holding it in her own, staring into his eyes. “Just... Give me more time, okay?”

Sentinel nodded, pulling his hoof from her grasp and then turning away, murmuring, “You have a bearer to find.”

Ears splaying backwards, Raindrop lifted a hoof to try and comfort the guard, to reassure him that she wasn’t trying to hurt him, before she just dropped her hoof and nodded, turning away and walking alone towards the front doors of the castle.

Medical Aid

Raindrop pushed it all out of her mind. Shine. Sentinel. The L word. She just pushed it all aside to deal with it later. Instead, she focused on her next goal. The bearer of the Element of Honesty.

The Seeker Stone glowed faintly as she stuffed it into a saddlebag, checking the bearing on it before closing the flap and setting off into the morning sky. As far as she could tell, the stone was pointing to Cloudsdale. So it was in that direction that Raindrop flew, deciding to check the bearing when she got closer to the floating city.

Sentinel, however, could think of nothing but. The conversation played in his mind over and over again, taunting him with his foolishness and youthful impatience. Like a colt proudly declaring that he was the best flier in all of Equestria, he had just gone and blurted out such a stupid thing to say.

It was frustrating. Infuriating. He was angry at himself, and angry at Raindrop. It was a transient anger, that came and went, undirected but intense in its purpose. He would just be recovering and coming to terms with what he had said, rationalized it in his mind, when it hit him exactly how stupid he had been, and how stupid he still was, and the anger returned.

And he angry at Raindrop for denying him. They had faced down a hydra together, and all she could say was that she needed more time?

He tried to believe her. He wanted so badly to believe what she said. But there was a niggling little doubt that kept snowballing into an almost paranoid state of mind. He tried to tell himself that she was telling nothing but the truth. But his mind was a fickle beast, and his insecurities grew. He had soon convinced himself that what she had said was all a lie.

Raindrop had just broke up with her boyfriend, and now, this love-struck colt she barely even liked, a one-night-stand at best, had come at her throwing around the ‘L’ word like a cheap drunk trying to get a quick lay. Of course she had lied to get rid of him!

Anger welled up in Sentinel. Frustration mingled with self-pity and self-disgust, and he soon found himself mindlessly attacking the training dummies in the yard. They were built to be rough-and-tumble objects, but Sentinel was breaking them with apparent ease. Anger hardened his blows, but it also blocked pain from his mind.

By the time the captain came to order him to cease his ‘training’, his hooves were bloody and bruised. He was a mess, covered in dirt from tumbles on the ground, blood from his hooves, and bits of wood chips where the dummies had snapped under the combined weight of his angered blows and his own body weight.

Sentinel was ordered to the hospital, to have his wounds tended to, as the Royal Guard’s healers were busy instructing the new recruits.

Raindrop alighted on a cloud near Cloudsdale, popping her saddlebag open and peering back at the seeker stone. It pointed straight ahead, and the glow was getting stronger. She was close.

Following the line in the orb, Raindrop set off from the cloud, coasting in a smooth arc towards the white city. It had been many months since she had last been in Cloudsdale, but she remembered the lay of the skystreets well.

After only a few minutes of flying, she had already determined exactly where the stone was sending her: the Cloudsdale Coliseum.

Usually host to major events, the coliseum was, on its off-duty time, a training ground for the Wonderbolts. It had always been a goal of Raindrop’s to try out for the Wonderbolts; A dream many pegasi shared.

There was the echo of movement and voices behind the walls of the coliseum, and Raindrop backwinged to a pause in front of the main entrance, frowning. Checking the seeker stone again, she found it had gone a solid colour. She was close.

Wrinkling her nose, she stepped through the entrance, walking down a long hallway until she emerged onto the field proper. Ponies flitted this way and that, casting flickering shadows across the ground with their passage. Each and every one of them wore the standard Wonderbolt uniform, a blue and yellow covering that hadn’t changed in design in two generations.

Three Wonderbolts, seniors by the looks of them, hovered in the air, watching the others fly in circles around the arena, occasionally barking orders at the junior members: Instructions to fly closer to their partner, or straighten their wings in their strokes.

Raindrop watched this for several long moment, wondering exactly how to attract the attention of the Wonderbolts, or if she even wanted to. Any single one of the ponies could be the bearer for the Element of Honesty. Just how would that conversation go, anyhow? ‘Oh hi, do you think you’d be a good bearer for an Element of Harmony?’

“Hey, Rookie. Uniforms are down there,” a pony called to Raindrop, pointing with a hoof towards the locker rooms.

Raindrop gave a faint shiver, and then turned around, heading down towards the locker rooms, pushing the door open and stepping inside. A series of uniforms had been set up, waiting for recruits to use them. Raindrop stepped over to one of them, lifting a hoof to touch the fabric.

As she pulled the suit down off the hanger, she reflected that this was not how she had envisioned her first flight with the Wonderbolts. But at least, in the air with them, she’d be able to better gauge which of them were honest. Or at least she hoped she would be able to. She couldn’t exactly walk out there, stop them all one-by-one and question their personal values.

Sentinel winced as he limped into the hospital, wings fluttering slightly to try and avoid putting too much weight on his forehooves. A quick dip through a raincloud on the way to the hospital to clean his hooves had cooled both his body and his mind, and without the blind anger of self-disgust and rejection, the pain in his hooves had really hit him.

“I seem to find you wherever I go,” the nurse stated flatly as she came down a hallway and into the main foyer. She sighed, putting down a box of supplies she had been intending on transporting back to Ponyville. “Come on, this way.”

Sentinel grit his teeth, and then followed after the nurse, leaving a trail of small droplets of blood.

Very soon, Sentinel was seated on his rump, forehooves in the air as the nurse cleaned off his wounds, inspecting them. “There’s wood splinters in here. I’m going to have to remove them unless you want them to become a permanent part of your biology. Oh, and it’s going to hurt.”

Sentinel grit his teeth, ears splaying backwards, watching as the nurse produced a pair of tweezers and a splinter probe, beginning to excise the splinters. “Can’t you give me something for the pain?”

“Blunt force trauma?” the nurse offered, ears perking up at him. “Quit being a foal and hold still. What did you do to yourself? You look like you kicked in every door in Canterlot to get here.”

Sentinel snorted, and then looked away. “It was nothing.”

“This isn’t nothing,” The nurse said, and then gave a light press on a certain point of his hoof. Sentinel hissed and tugged his hoof back.

The nurse gave a smug smile. “You’ve bruised the bone. That takes a certain amount of force. And you’ve done it in a lot of places. What was it, did you get in a fight?”

As she spoke, the nurse began to clean his wound with a cleaning solution, inspecting them for extra splinters.

“Training dummies,” Sentinel admitted after a long moment.

“Those training dummies sure do hit hard,” the nurse commented, twisting his hoof over. Sentinel bared his teeth, blanching. “And you’ve managed to strain half the muscles in your upper hooves, as well.”

The nurse leaned closer, and then pressed on his chest, between his forelegs. Sentinel winced.

“Yep, done a real number on yourself. Now, what possessed you to beat on the training dummies until you wrecked half your muscles and tore your hooves up?” the nurse asked flatly, looking up at him accusingly.

Sentinel snorted again, looking down at his hooves, feeling like a colt again, mumbling “Just got angry.”

“This is a rage, Sentinel. And if you’re going about causing damage like this to yourself because you just got ‘angry’, then I’m going to be having words with your captain,” the nurse said immediately, sternly.

The guard growled faintly, his tail giving an irritated flick. “Fine. It was Raindrop.”

“I understand that she can be an annoyance, but this amount of damage...” the nurse trailed off, looking up at the pegasus for several long moments, the cogs working in her mind. “And not even last night, I was forcing you to clean up the mess you two left.”

A thoughtful hum left the nurse, and she went back to cleaning Sentinel’s hooves, tugging more splinters out of them.

“You told her you love her, didn’t you?” the nurse asked after a time.

Sentinel didn’t respond, but the nurse got her answer from his expression of surprise and chagrin.

“You’re not the first, males seem to fall in love with anything they take to bed. Pretty simple biological fact there. But this damage...” the nurses tone turned sympathetic, “She said she didn’t want to see you anymore, didn’t she?”

Sentinel shook his head, looking down at his hooves again. “Said she needed time.”

“And you’re angry about that? Lordy. If a guy did that to me, I’d turf him out of my life so fast his head would spin,” the nurse said with a shake of her head, beginning to apply the healing ointment to Sentinel’s hooves.

“She didn’t say it back,” Sentinel said petulantly.

The nurse stared up at him for a long moment, chewing her bottom lip. “...Were you expecting her to?”

Sentinel gave a soft sigh, and then shook his head. “...No. No I guess I didn’t.”

“Then you’re angry... At yourself?” the nurse concluded, ears perking at him.

“I feel stupid. I feel like a stupid colt bouncing around telling every filly he thinks looks cute ‘I looove you!’,” Sentinel scowled, grinding his teeth. “I wish I never said it.”

The nurse snorted a moment, and then shook her head. “Better to say the truth and regret it than never say it at all.”

“Raindrop said almost the exact opposite. Something about ‘better to wait a week and be certain, because regret lasts a lifetime’ or some nonsense,” Sentinel remembered, snorting and chewing his tongue in annoyance.

“But of course. She isn’t sure if she loves you. That’s a pretty simple concept. You, however, don’t have the same array of problems Raindrop does, therefore, different obscure ancient philosophies apply to you than to her,” The nurse said with a smile, beginning to bind Sentinel’s hooves in bandages.

“Still wish I didn’t say it,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head. “I feel stupid.”

“You sound stupid. You think you’re the first couple to have these problems? You’re not. And you sure as hell won’t be the last. Buck up, and act like a stallion, not a colt. Give her space if she needs it, or go galloping after her and drag her to a hotel room, or however it is you kids show affection these days. The fact that she hasn’t turfed you out on your ass speaks volumes. You can at least be certain she’s thinking about it. But pressuring her will just push her away. And being angry about it is putting you back here, annoying me!” the nurse scowled up at him, tightening his bandages and then deeming her work done. “If I have to give you two couples advice again, I’m going to start running a metre and charging.”

Sentinel snorted at that, and shook his head, looking down at his hooves. He took a deep breath, and then looked back up at her. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Raindrop. She’s the one who’s even considering spending more time with you. She must have the patience of a saint,” the nurse said with a shake of her head.

“You two have to be related,” Sentinel stated after a moment.

The nurse snorted at that, and then pushed him with her hooves, urging him to leave the room. “You must just have this effect on females. Now get out! And next time you injure yourself, try to hurt your tongue as well, so I don’t have to listen to your whining!”

Laughter

Raindrop’s wings hurt. Her chest hurt. Her shoulders hurt. Everything hurt.

Burning aches and pains heralded the unbelievable amount of stiffness she would be feeling in the morning. The Wonderbolts were not an easy group to please.

The suit she wore was clammy with her sweat, and the musky scent of it was strong on the air around her. She wanted nothing more than to fall into a lake and just float there for eternity. But the Wonderbolts were pushing her onwards.

“C’mon rookie! You’ll need to fly faster than that if you want to qualify!” the captain urged. She was a smaller pegasus, with a violently red mane and tail. White wings protruded from her sides, keeping her aloft. Her mane and tail flickered with the wing, giving her the frightening appearance of being constantly on fire. She was aptly named ‘Firebrand’.

The two ponies under her were both male. One of them was a blue pegasus with a black mane and tail, named ‘Velocity’. The second, ‘Windshear’, was a lightly-built male of a soft brown colour with two-tone green-and-blue mane and tail.

And they were all watching the rookies circling the arena, putting them through their paces. Already, five had dropped out from exhaustion or accidents. It was brutal. If this was the entrance exam, then Raindrop couldn’t even fathom how hard their daily training would be.

And still, she was no closer to discovering which of them were the bearer of the element. It could have been any of them, from the captain of the wonderbolts, to one of the recruits who had already left.

The scrape of a key in the lock resounded. The cogs inside the door clicked and turned. Stardancer saw it all happening. She knew what was going to happen next. But further out, the possibilities cascaded in a cacophony of uncertainty.

To Stardancer, time was a river. A roaring, rushing, unstoppable river. It could be forded. It could be dammed. It could be diverted, but it would always be flowing ever onwards. Stardancer could look ahead of the stream, and see the course it would take. It was a muchly oversimplified way of looking at it. For her to explain it adequately, she would have to explain to a pony that the river could split at any junction at any second. And that there were a billion different courses the river could take every metre.

Some events were easier to discern than others. She called these the ‘keys’. The keys were what grounded her. They gave her points to ‘jump’ to. Sometimes the keys were simple things, unobtrusive. Like a rock falling. But sometimes, the keys were different. Sometimes, the keys were deaths.

Today, the key was Sentinel. The key was also the key in the door, but the key she had to focus on was the conversation. The rules of observations and interaction were muddying the waters of the time river. She needed her wits about her to keep the course of the river from being diverted too far off course to be deflected. Lives and happiness depended upon it.

The door clicked again as the handle was turned, and the orderly opened the door to admit Sentinel into the room. The orderly gazed past the guard, raising a brow at Stardancer.

Stardancer merely nodded in reply. She knew the orderly was asking if it was fine.

“You already know who I am,” Sentinel stated simply, sitting down in front of her and watching her with narrowed eyes. “And I know who you are. You can see the future.”

“Anyone can see the future, Sentinel. I can merely predict it with a greater deal of certainty,” Stardancer replied cryptically.

Sentinel snorted, and then produced a coin from a pouch. “When I drop it, what will it land on?”

Stardancer watched him for a long moment, and then shook her head gently, “You will have to throw it before I will know.”

Sentinel flicked his hoof, and the coin rose into the air. Stardancer did not follow it with her eyes. She stared into Sentinel’s eyes, watching him.

“It is a two-sided coin,” she stated flatly. “What do you hope to achieve?”

“I needed to know that you’re telling the truth,” Sentinel said, retrieving the coin, and then slipping it back into his pouch. “How can you not know what I’m here for?”

“Because you have interacted with me,” Stardancer said, rubbing a hoof against her temple, brow furrowing.

“And?” Sentinel queried, staring at her, an eyebrow raising.

“And? Every time I interact with you, every time I speak, every time you think about me, or observe me in any way, with any of your senses, it changes how you think. And how you think changes your questions. There are billions of possible futures cascading past my mind’s eye right now and I cannot pluck a key out of them to accurately predict the flow. Such as when you flicked the coin. I could not know what it would land on because my answer of heads or tails would influence your throw itself, from the timing of it, to the angle of your hoof, or the strength you threw it at,” Stardancer explained tartly, staring at him. “Now ask what you came to ask.”

Sentinel paused at that, wetting his lips with his tongue, and then looking up at her for a long moment, and then down at his hooves. “...I need to know if Raindrop loves me.”

Stardancer gave a nod at that, and then peered up at him, frowning deeply. “I... Cannot say.”

“What do you mean, you can’t say?” Sentinel asked, snorting once and then staring at her, shaking his head. “Some prophet you are.”

Stardancer took several long seconds to respond, her eyes slightly glazed. She gave a start, and then blinked once at him, as though only just realising he was still there. “I cannot say. If I say one answer or another, it may trigger a set of actions that cause the opposite. I need to examine the keys. Need to test the waters and make the river flow backwards...”

Sentinel frowned at that. Everyone in the royal guard knew of Stardancer. She was a threat to the security of the castle, and thus, all guards were warned of her abilities. Mainly, they were warned to stay out of her way. If she wished something to happen, then it was widely known that she would get her way. The last time she had been denied a visit to the park, she had put the entire asylum staff in hospital with food poisoning and then escaped the skeleton-crewed facility and spent her day at the park before placidly returning to the asylum.

“You really can’t tell me?” Sentinel asked with a deep sigh, his head drooping.

The unicorn shook her head gently. “I am sorry, Sentinel. I wish I could comfort your troubled heart. But I need time. Need more time. Every time you speak with me, you expand the possibilities, and it takes longer.”

“How?” Sentinel asked, staring at her, head canting to the side.

“Because I have free will. And free will is my burden,” Stardancer replied with a wave of her hoof.

“How can free will be a burden?” Sentinel asked, staring at her.

“Do you know how I will react to every word?” Stardancer asked suddenly.

“Definitely not,” Sentinel replied with a shake of his head. “I was kinda hoping you’d just say ‘yes’ and I’d be on my merry way.”

“The world does not work like that. Time does not work like that. Every word I say has a different effect. Every explanation I give shapes a million events each in the future. It changes them in tiny ways. But even the tiniest ripple can become a wave, and wash away that which I hope to save. A single word could change your future, or the future of another pony whom you meet. This conversation may cause you to hold up a pony in the street, and the chance meeting with his future wife never happens, and their children are never born. With every word I speak to you, a billion possibilities throw themselves in my face and clamour for my attention. I cannot focus on them all.”

“But...Can’t you just tell me if Raindrop and I will end up together?” Sentinel pleaded. “You’re a prophet, you have to have some idea.”

Stardancer shook her head sadly, and then laid her head down on her forehooves. She went completely silent.

After a minute or so, Sentinel moved forwards to nudge her with his hoof. “Stardancer?”

When Stardancer looked up, her eyes were unfocused, glassed over. And she was mumbling under her breath.

“The fence. The cart. The keys are cascading. Five ponies. Bronsen. Mane tossed. Pebble. Hesitation...” she trailed off and winced, hooves lifting to rub at her temple, pressing with a strong pressure as she began to beat her muzzle against the ground, tears starting to stain her muzzle as a low wail rolled from her throat.

“The keys! There’s so many keys!” Stardancer wailed, beginning to sob, “The keys! Have to find the right keys!”

Sentinel drew back from the babbling pony. she sounded hurt, like someone close to her had just come to harm. The door unlocked, and the orderly gently tugged Sentinel away from the stricken pony, ushering him out into the hallway as another orderly entered the room, a large syringe in hoof.

“The ball! Throw the ball away!” Stardancer shrieked, as she tried to wriggle away from the orderly, kicking at him impotently with her rear legs. “Throw the ball! Anger of foal’s tears will show the way!”

The orderly closed the door, and the unicorn’s wailing was muted.

“Sorry you had to see that,” the orderly said apologetically. “Her medication isn’t as effective as it used to be. We’re still trying to work out the timing of her doses to keep her, well... Sane.”

Sentinel nodded in understanding, turning to leave. It had been a colossal waste of time. Even a living prophet couldn’t tell him if Raindrop and he would end up together. Maybe he was just a young colt pining after what he couldn’t have? Lingering doubts still swirled through his mind, even worse now after what Stardancer had said. He had just wanted some small reassurance. But even that was, apparently, too much to ask for.

The guard sighed and kicked a pebble, watching it skip away across the street, before he began to follow it, head lowered dejectedly.

Wisp looked up at Princess Celestia with a canted head, her expression confused.

“So... I just have to choose to take it?” the young griffon was asking, seeming bewildered.

Celestia smiled and nodded gently, motioning for Wisp to take the Element of Laughter from the table.

Wisp frowned a little bit, and then leaped up onto the table proper, padding over to the Element of Laughter and hefting it in her paws. It remained grey and stony.

“It’s just a rock,” Wisp complained, rolling the element back and forth between her paws, “Laughter isn’t even an element. Fire and water are.”

Celestia gave a smile at that, shaking her head gently. “It is an Element of Harmony. One of six, in fact. Tell me, Wisp. Why do you laugh? Why are you happy?”

The young griffon blinked at that, her ears splaying backwards. “I just... Am.”

“No, Wisp. You are happy for other reasons,” Celestia chided gently, leaning down to look the young griffon in the eye with a piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate her very soul. “You grew up alone, in the desert. You cannot fly. And yet, you are always happy, why is that?”

Wisp gave a little bit of a sigh at that, her head lowering. “I’m not... Always happy. Sometimes, I get really sad...”

Celestia nodded gently. “That is perfectly understandable, but why is it that you never let it consume you utterly?”

“Because... Well. Because it doesn’t do anything. What did being sad ever do for me?” Wisp asked, shaking her head for a moment and huffing. “It makes me angry and makes me depressed. It makes me feel... Weak and powerless and useless. When I’m sad, I just want to curl up and cry and not do anything.”

“And how is it that you keep from being sad?” Celestia queried.

“I just... I decide not to be sad anymore. The things making me sad are all in my past. I just... I just choose not to let the things I can’t change matter. And I smile. If it’s something I can change, then I let myself be sad, but if I’m being sad about something that’s all the way in the past, it just ruins my day. And that’s not acceptable. So... I just smile.”

Celestia smiled at that, and nodded gently. “That is a very good way to look at life, Wisp. And look,”

Wisp followed the line of Celestia’s gaze, and saw the orb in her paws suddenly seem to shift. The surface of it morphed, and turned a glassy black, while tendrils of vibrant pink began to build and glow within it. A sudden sensation of happiness filled Wisp, and she felt her beak opening in a grin as a pink light suffused her form.

Celestia smiled, watching the griffon staring vapidly into the glowing Element of Harmony, the orb reflected twice in her large, joyous eyes.

One bearer was already found. Now there were only five to go.

Honesty

Raindrop panted heavily, her head held low and ears splayed backwards, her wings half-extended, the leading edges limp and unresponsive. She had been flying for at least two hours, and every flight surface hurt. Her head was pounding, and her throat was insanely dry.

The trainees had all been ordered to line up at the base of the arena, and the Wonderbolts themselves were all wandering back and forth, selecting and moving about the pegasi they had been impressed with.

To Raindrop’s utter confusion, she had been put in the group of ‘prospective candidates’.

A water bottle was passed around to them, and they were urged to take but a sip. If they tried to take any more, the water bottle was taken away.

After the water bottle made its way around the trainees three times in a row, the group of pegasi who hadn’t been chosen were told ‘thank you for coming’ and implored to train harder.

And then it was just a handful of prospective candidates left in the arena, with the three members of the Wonderbolts.

“Well, rookies. Looks like you made the next step of the trials. Return here tomorrow and we’ll see if you have the wherewithal to remain with us,” Firebrand said with a grin that could easily be construed as ‘evil’.

Raindrop groaned faintly.

“Is something the matter, rookie?” Firebrand asked sharply, stalking over in front of Raindrop, almost nose-to-nose.

“No, ma’am,” Raindrop said immediately, straightening up and blinking once.

“You think this is a game rookie?!” Firebrand asked, eyes narrowing slowly.

Raindrop blinked once, and then worked her mouth slowly to try and get some of the dryness out of it, her tongue thick and heavy. “No, ma’am”

Firebrand scowled, and leaned in close, until their noses touched, lightning seeming to flash in her eyes. “Don’t you lie to me rookie!”

“You know, I can’t tell me new coltfriend I love him because I’m afraid of what it’ll mean, what do you think I should do?” Raindrop asked suddenly.

The wonderbolt captain blinked at that, her expression twisting into one of confusion. “First off, I don’t know you, and I hardly care for your personal life. Why the hell would you even ask something like that?!”

Raindrop gave a single nod at that. “Well, you see...

“In the past month, I’ve discovered that I have changeling blood in me. Mainly because my grandmother was the queen of the changelings, Chrysalis. She’s dead now. Turns out she used the Elements of Harmony to get herself fixed. Whatever they did wore off recently, and caused me to begin sucking the love from my coltfriend. ‘Course, I wanted to fix myself. I went and got the elements, and then I found out they were fake. About this time, we found out discord escaped.”

A collective gasp rose from the pegasi on the field, but Raindrop ignored it, focusing on Firebrand entirely.

“Anyhow, Sentinel, an asshole of a royal guard, went with me to the grave site to wait for Spike to leave flowers there, because he might have some clue as to where the real elements went. While waiting, Sentinel, who I should mention hates changelings, and can sense the changeling in my blood, drove me away with spiteful anger. He was then kidnapped and dragged away. I was curious, so I followed after the kidnappers. After entering tunnels swarming with Diamond Dogs, I managed to rescue Sentinel. You know, after I left him for dead once.

“Since then, I have fought off an assassin who buried a dagger four inches into my shoulder and chest, faced down a hydra, travelled to Transavian in search of a bearer for the Element of Laughter, found the power source for an airship, and travelled on it back here to Equestria. Of course, we were hunted down by a pack of griffons, and we had to irreparably damage the airship itself to get away. We flew it into a mountain, causing what was probably the single biggest act of destruction for a generation.

“I’ve done all this, because, without the Elements of Harmony, I’m going to slowly kill anyone who loves me. Well, I won’t actually kill them, per se. More I’ll just suck the life out of them until they get so depressed that they commit suicide. Oh, and that asshole guard who hates me? He’s now in love with me. I’m not even sure if I like him because of who he is or because he’s my only choice in this nightmare of a life I’m having. Not to mention that yesterday, I came face-to-face with Discord, who revealed to me that the entire time, it wasn’t the god of chaos pulling the strings. No, Discord is still imprisoned in stone. It was Queen Chitin the entire time, the new Queen of the Changelings, and she wants me dead. Probably even more so now that I managed to escape her clutches.Oh, and my coltfriend, whom I’ve been trying to fix myself for, broke up with me. And now, I’ve been flying in a circle for two hours trying to figure out which of you is the new bearer for the Element of Honesty. So yeah, Firebrand. This is a game for me. This is a quiet diversion from the trainwreck that is my life.”

Firebrand stared at her for several long moment. Nopony said a single word. The entire arena was hushed.

“You’re... Not lying,” Firebrand said softly, staring at Raindrop with wide, awed eyes.

Raindrop shrugged and tossed her mane. “You wanted me not to lie. So I just laid it all out.”

“And one of us is the bearer for the Element of Honesty?” Firebrand asked, staring.

“Actually, I rather think that it’s you,” Raindrop said, pointing at Firebrand with a hoof.

“W-what? Why me?”

Raindrop snorted, rolling her eyes. “You just railed at me for telling a lie, and you have to ask that question?”

Firebrand blinked at that, recoiling slightly, and then looked back at the other two Wonderbolts. “I... I need to talk to her in private.”

Velocity and Windsheer nodded mutely, and the pegasi all watched in awed silence as Raindrop and Firebrand walked off towards the locker rooms for a private talk.

“You know when I’m lying?” Raindrop asked, as she calmly stepped into the showers and flicked the cold water on, without even taking off her uniform. A cooling cascade of water began to flow down her form.

“Most of the time,” Firebrand replied emotionlessly, seemingly stunned.

“Kind of a lot to take in all at once, huh?” Raindrop asked with a giggle.

“Just a bit,” Firebrand replied with a single blink.

Raindrop carefully lowered herself to the floor of the shower, spreading her wings to catch the water, pulling the goggles off and throwing them aside. “You know, a few months ago, I would have killed to be in the shower with the Captain of the Wonderbolts.”

“And now?” Firebrand asked, slipping over to the shower beside Raindrop’s, flicking the water on as she began to remove her uniform.

“I couldn’t really care less. There are so many more important things to think about,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head.

“It seems like it,” Firebrand admitted, laying her head on her forehooves. “The changelings are really back?”

“Almost got executed by three of them,” Raindrop said flippantly.

“And you’re looking for the bearers of the Elements of Harmony?”

“Eeyup. Found one, so far. A griffon, over in Transavian.”

“And you think I’m the bearer for honesty?”

“You’re the one with a massive problem with lying,” Raindrop said with a shrug.

“I... Guess that is correct. But... That’s a lot to take in all at once,” Firebrand said in a quiet murmur.

“Well you’d best hurry up. I still have to find four other bearers,” Raindrop stated.

Firebrand was silent for several long moment, “I... What do you need me to do?”

“Report to Princess Celestia. Just tell the guards that I sent you,” Raindrop said calmly.

“I’ll go there first thing after this is over,” Firebrand replied.

“Oh, and tell me something. Why did you choose me when half the other candidates outflew me?” Raindrop asked simply.

There was another pause, and then Firebrand admitted, “I kinda got the feeling that you were here for something more than just try-outs.”

“Good intuition,” Raindrop said, and then gave a soft, sad laugh. “I think you’ll have need of it again before all of this is over.”

Firebrand arrived at the castle long before Raindrop did. She told the guards that she had been sent by Raindrop, and after a short pause, she was allowed inside.

A guard escorted her up to the Hall of Elements, and she was presented to Celestia.

Immediately, Firebrand bowed. She felt naked without her flight suit. Especially in front of the Princess, of all ponies!

“Ah, Firebrand, I believe?” Celestia said warmly.

“Y-yeah,” Firebrand replied, wide-eyed. “You know who I am?”

“Everyone knows the Captain of the Wonderbolts,” Celestia said, smiling warmly.

“Raindrop sent me here,” Firebrand said immediately, her tone nervous.

“Indeed?” Celestia walked around the table, picking up the stony Element of Honesty, and handing it to Firebrand. “You know what this is?”

Firebrand stared down at the element, and nodded mutely. “Y-you think that I’m the bearer?”

“I trust Raindrop’s intuition,” Celestia said calmly.

“Shouldn’t it like, glow or something...?” Firebrand asked hesitantly.

Celestia nodded once more, “Once you accept its power, it will make itself known.”

“A-accept its power?” Firebrand asked uncertainly.

“Tell me, Firebrand... Why do you appreciate honesty?” Celestia asked, leaning down to be more on Firebrand’s level, peering into her eyes.

“Appreciate honesty?” Firebrand asked blankly.

Celestia nodded gently, “Indeed. Or, perhaps, why you abhor lies?”

“Lies are evil,” Firebrand said with a sniff. “They are a scourge and the world would be better off without them.”

“Please, explain why this is so,” Celestia urged, watching the young pegasus intently.

“Well... I had two brothers,” Firebrand said with a shake of her head.

“Had?” Celestia asked, a note of worry creeping into her tone.

“Had.” Firebrand shook her head for a moment, sighing. “A younger brother, and an older brother. My older brother lied to our parents. He told them that he was going to play with his friends, when really, he was sneaking into the rainbow factory alone, to try and gather enough rainbow juice to paint a prank across the sky. He slipped in, though. The pegasus who found him tried to say that it would have been quick and painless... But I heard them speaking amongst themselves later on. They were telling eachother that it would have taken hours, because of the consistency of the rainbow juice. Said that he would have been struggling and calling for help for hours after the sun went down. So while my parents were out questioning all of his friends, he was slowly drowning in the Rainbow Factory, alone.”

Celestia gently lifted a hoof to stroke soothingly through Firebrand’s mane.

“And my younger brother... He was so young and naive,” Firebrand sighed, her head lowering, looking down at the Element of Honesty, a single teardrop spilling onto its surface. “The bullies thought it would be amusing to set up a race course in the clouds. They set one of the rings really low though, so that when you came out of the cloudbank, you’d hit a mountain...”

“That was very disingenuous of them,” Celestia said with a deep frown.

“Yeah, especially since when he came out of the cloud bank, he hit the mountain, shattered his wings, and then tumbled down the mountainside for a good three minutes before coming to a stop. He suffered for four hours before dying of blood loss.” Firebrand’s hooves tightened on the Element of Honesty, and she growled in the back of her throat. “I have never come across a lie that helped anyone, ever. Lies are a coward’s way of protecting themselves and harming others, nothing more. And I will not suffer the designs of a coward, or a fool.”

Celestia nodded gently, and then wiped a teardrop from Firebrand’s cheek, making a soothing sound. The element between Firebrand’s hooves began to glow and shift.

“Some consolation prize,” Firebrand said bitterly, placing the glowing element back on the table.

Celestia nodded gently. “I’m sorry I had to make you bring all of that up.”

“No, no. It’s fine,” Firebrand said with a shake of her head. “I came to terms with it all a long time ago.”

Nodding gently once more, Celestia looked at the three remaining Elements without bearers, and the sixth empty position for the Element of Magic. She already knew who the bearer for the Element of Magic was. But the element itself was out of play. The best unicorn minds hadn’t been able to divine its location.

“Please, Firebrand, remain in the castle. You are a target now,” Celestia urged.

“I know, Princess Celestia,” Firebrand replied simply, and then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Love

Raindrop slumped faintly as her hooves hit the ground, and she took a shaky few steps towards a bench and collapsed across it wearily. Her wings burned, and her chest hurt. She had just flown back from Cloudsdale, and was sprawling herself across a bench in front of the Canterlot Palace. One thing was for sure about the Wonderbolts, they were a hard group to please.

It was near nightfall, and Raindrop was hungry, sore, and annoyed. Without anything to focus on, she had nothing to do but think. And all she could think about was what Sentinel said. It was depressing, and it made her want to curl up and cry. She didn’t love Sentinel. Deep down, she knew it. She liked him, a whole lot. And maybe that would develop into an actual love at a later point. But right now, he was just a handsome pony to rebound from Shine with. Any deeper feelings simply weren’t there yet.

Raindrop definitely felt strongly for the guard, but it wasn’t love. She owed him her life, several times over. And they had been through so much together, it wouldn’t even be surprising if she fell in love with him. But when he had said that to her, she was more concerned about the fact that she couldn’t say it in return, and that it would hurt his feelings because of that.

The young pegasus sighed and stretched out on the bench, resting her chin on her forehooves. It was an impossible situation. And she didn’t even have anypony to talk about it to. But there was also no escaping it. She would have to face it sooner or later, and given how often her and Sentinel were thrown together, it would be sooner rather than later. What could she tell him? That she wasn’t actually in love with him but really really liked him and thought he was a good guy? Everypony knew that was code for ‘hey, we’re never gonna happen’. And that just wasn’t how she felt. She needed more time.

But the look in Sentinel’s eyes when she had tried to let him down gently... He was hurt. He might be a Royal Guard. He might have been able to stare down a hydra without fear. But Raindrop knew that she had snuck a blow past his armour and hit him where it hurt. And that was the last thing she wanted.

It was all just so depressing! But as always, Raindrop didn’t get sad. She just got annoyed. Anger was a good coping mechanism, it blocked out everything else.

Raindrop pushed open the door to the private room in the Hall of Elements, poking her nose in. Celestia was sitting on her rump, staring up at a blackboard with complicated equations all over it, seemingly at a loss.

“Can’t figure something out?” Raindrop queried helplessly.

Celestia nodded to herself, and then looked up at the jumbled writing again, shaking her head slowly. “It is the formula for the magic used to contain the essence of the elements in the Seeker Stones.”

“You lost me at ‘magic’,” Raindrop admitted, slipping into the room and closing the door behind her.

“I must improve this formula so that the Seeker Stone will find the Element of Magic. But it is difficult.” Celestia turned around, shaking her head and rubbing a hoof against her eyes. She looked tired, and worn. “I must thank you for finding Firebrand. You have an exceptional intuition for finding those who would be fit as bearers.”

“Thanks,” Raindrop said with a sheepish smile. “Maybe I’m the Element of Searching or something?”

“It may very well be,” Celestia said with a gentle nod. “We now have only four elements remaining. I am quite certain to whom Magic belongs, but Loyalty, Generosity, and Kindness, I have no idea about.”

Raindrop frowned at that for a moment, “Well, Loyalty is guesswork, since we don’t have the Seeker Stone any more... But, I think that maybe... I think Sentinel is the Element of Loyalty.”

Celestia raised a brow at that, ears perking. “Truly?”

Raindrop nodded, “I think you should test him.”

“That would be pointless at this juncture,” Celestia stated firmly.

“...Pointless?” Raindrop asked, confused.

Celestia opened her mouth to respond, but at that moment, the door opened, and Sentinel himself stepped through.

The guard cast his gaze across the two of them, lingering on Raindrop for several long seconds, before he slowly walked up to the table, and placed his helmet upon it. “Princess Celestia, I request a day to myself.”

Celestia looked down at her guard for a long moment, before giving a gentle nod, “I shall grant you this.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” Sentinel said with a salute, and then turned, giving Raindrop another silent glance, before shuffling out of the room.

A silence stretched out for several long seconds as Raindrop stared after the guard, a strange expression on her face.

“You two are emotionally entangled?” Celestia asked, breaking the silence.

Raindrop jerked faintly in surprise, and then blinked once, looking down at her forehooves. “...I guess so, yeah.”

“I take it there have been problems?” Celestia queried, looking from Raindrop to the helmet on the table.

The young pegasus was silent for several moments, and then she gave a long sigh. “He told me that he loves me.”

“This is not cause for celebration?” Celestia asked, seeming genuinely curious.

“Not really, no. I... don’t love him,” Raindrop admitted.

“You do not love him, or you do not love him yet?”

“I... I honestly don’t know. The last person I gave my heart to basically ripped it out.”

Celestia nodded at that, and then gave a wan smile. “Even after several lifetimes, I find myself as well-versed in the matters of the heart as I was when I first entered the world.”

“Doesn’t get easier, huh?” Raindrop asked with a sad smile.

Celestia shook her head apologetically. “I’m afraid it doesn’t. The answers are never there to be given. They are to be found.”

“I’m not sure I want to find out the answer,” Raindrop admitted, shuffling her hooves. “And this sort of tops the ‘conversations I didn’t think I’d have with a Princess’ list.”

A soft snort left the princess, and she shook her head. “It is refreshing to think of mundane things during times of strife. It reminds me that the world outside the castle continues onwards without waiting with baited breath for my every decision.”

“That’s one way of looking at problems, I guess,” Raindrop said with a forced smile.

“I am sorry I cannot be of more help,” Celestia apologized, lifting a hoof imploringly to punctuate her sentence.

“No, no. As you said, the answers aren’t there to be given,” Raindrop said with another shake of her head.

A long silence stretched between them, before Raindrop stepped up to the table, and reached for a Seeker Stone. “I would like to chase Kindness, next.”

“Think not of it as a chase, and more as an adventure,” Celestia suggested.

“I’ll try,” Raindrop said, turning about to leave.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then opened it again. “Raindrop?”

Raindrop paused in the doorway, looking over her shoulder, “Yes princess?”

“I am horribly versed in the wiles of the heart... But a wise pony once told me ‘Truth is, everypony is going to hurt you. You just have to find the ones worth suffering for’.”

The young pegasus stared back at the princess for a long moment, before silently slipping out the doorway.

Raindrop frowned deeply as she left the castle, her ears pinned back and eyes on the ground in front of her hooves. She had something to focus on now, but even so, she couldn’t get her mind off Sentinel. What Celestia had told her echoed in her mind.

It was the truth, really. No matter who you chose, they were going to hurt you. It was inevitable. She just had to find somepony worth suffering for.

Was Sentinel worth suffering for?

Raindrop honestly couldn’t answer the question. She didn’t want to see him hurt. She didn’t like that she had hurt him. But the further question she had to ask: was she worth suffering for? She couldn’t even make her mind up on whether or not she loved him. Maybe it would be better if he gave up on her. She wasn’t fit for a normal relationship. She wasn’t even a full-blooded pony. She was a monster-cross-pony.

And that just made her feel worse. She was part changeling, Sentinel hated changelings, with a passion. And even with all of that, he still felt that strongly for her. And suddenly, Raindrop felt very small and petty.

Sentinel was in his quiet place. Not in his mind, but literally, his quiet place. There was a hill overlooking a lake, and if he was in the right position, he could gaze at the reflection of the moon and stars in the smooth, perfect surface of the lake. On a clear night, it was like looking through a portal, as though you could jump down into the star-strewn visage and just fall into the sky forever.

It was his favorite place for a night-time excursion. It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing he told everypony about, as it wasn’t exactly the most masculine thing for a Royal Guard to enjoy. Thus, his surprise at being found.

“You have no idea how hard this place is to find when you’re given such vague direction,” Raindrop stated with a huff, shaking her wings out and pausing a few steps from the guard.

“How did you find me?” Sentinel asked, without looking up.

“Your Captain knows a lot more about you than you think,” Raindrop said with a wry grin.

Sentinel sighed and nodded slightly. The Captain of the Royal Guard was almost eerily aware of his underlings habits.

“I... Wanted to talk to you,” Raindrop said, slipping over to him.

“So talk.”

Raindrop gently settled herself down beside the guard, and then rested her head on her forehooves, looking at him sideways. “I’ve been doing some thinking.”

“Must have been hard,” Sentinel said with a brave attempt at a smile, before wincing, holding up a hoof, “I’m sorry, I’m trying to be cute... But it’s just coming out bitter.”

A soft smile lit Raindrop’s face, and she pressed closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “We’ve been through a lot.”

Sentinel nodded, gently resting his chin atop her muzzle. “Indeed we have.”

Raindrop looked up at him for a long moment, letting a silence stretch out between them. She had decided already, that she was going to tell him that she loved him. It wasn’t a choice any more. It was time to stop being selfish. Sentinel was worth suffering for, and it was worth her saying a few tiny words to put him at ease and repair some of the pain she had put him through.

“Sentinel, I l-”

Sentinel lifted a hoof, gently placing it over her lips, stopping her words. He stared down into her eyes, and slowly shook his head.

Raindrop tried to protest, but Sentinel shushed her again, still shaking his head.

“No Raindrop,” he murmured sadly, looking down at her. “Don’t just say it to make me feel better. Wait until you mean it.”

Raindrop pulled back with a snort, and then drew herself up, throwing on the facade of being offended. “You presume to be able to read me well enough to know my actions so well?”

Sentinel looked at her sideways for a moment, and then gave a sad smile. “Like an open book.”

Raindrop deflated instantly, and then sighed, leaning against him. “I wish I was a good liar.”

The guard nodded gently, leaning some of his weight against her in a reassuring fashion. ”It means a lot to me that you’d come and find me just to try and lie to me to make me feel better.”

“We have no chance of ever having a normal relationship, do we?” Raindrop asked after a moment.

“Would you have it any other way?”

“I can’t say I would.”

A silence stretched out between them, and after a little while, Sentinel rearranged their bodies so that he could spoon with Raindrop. “I have decided to be content with what I have.”

“And what do you have?” Raindrop asked after a moment.

“A fiery, emotionally traumatised, masochistic pegasus whose bloodline includes one of the most feared villains of the last five generations and who has been known to increase her strength to freakish proportions when she’s mad, and has a strong proclivity to hit me when I annoy her,” Sentinel rattled off blankly.

Raindrop stared up at him for a long moment, and then blinked slowly. “Well, when you put it like that, I sound like a real catch.”

Sentinel laughed faintly and nuzzled her gently. “I wouldn’t trade you for a princess.”

“Because I’d eat your face if you did,” Raindrop stated immediately.

“Among other reasons,” Sentinel admitted with a smile, giving a sigh and closing his eyes, resting his muzzle against her.

The two ponies lapsed into silence, and Raindrop wiggled back against Sentinel to get more comfortable, laying her chin on an outstretched hoof, staring out into the lake, watching the pristine reflection of the night sky.

Raindrop couldn’t even remember what made her fall in love with Shine, or any kind of gradual change in her attitude towards him at all.

‘You can’t choose who you love.’ It was an old saying, and Raindrop didn’t even remember where she knew it from. But it was the truth. But why did she love Shine and not Sentinel? Sentinel was superior in every way.

But when Raindrop looked deep inside herself, she already knew the answer. She was scared. Scared that Sentinel would turn into Shine. That Sentinel would look up one day and realise that he had chosen a changeling. She was afraid of getting hurt again. It wasn’t even a question of if any more.

Raindrop rolled over, to find the guard dozing against her. She reached up a hoof to gently move a lock of his blonde mane from his face, leaning up to kiss his nose. A gentle push of her hooves against his chest was enough to rouse him, and his eyes blinked open, staring down at her questioningly.

The young pegasus stared up into his eyes for a long moment, and she felt it. Felt it deep inside her. Sentinel looked past her flaws. He understood her on a level that Shine never had a chance of attaining. He was perfect.

If trying to say it before was hard, it was even harder now. Raindrop’s hooves wrapped around Sentinel’s chest, and she pulled him close against her, burying her head against his chest to try and order her thoughts. It was just so hard to say it. Three tiny words that meant so much.

A lump rose in Raindrop’s throat, and she felt inexplicable tears springing into her eyes. She wiped them away hurriedly with a hoof, swallowing hard past the lump, and then clearing her throat, pushing and then pulling at Sentinel uncertainly.

“What is it?” Sentinel asked, gently nuzzling against her.

Raindrop swallowed thickly again, and then buried her face against his chest, feeling her cheeks burning. Her body was just going crazy all of a sudden. It had never been this difficult with Shine. But maybe that was the point? Maybe this was deeper than it had been with Shine?

Feeling her heart trying to smash through her ribcage, Raindrop lifted a shaking hoof to grip Sentinel’s muzzle, and then kissed him with furious intent, squeezing him close with her free hoof. After several long moments, when she had been deprived of enough oxygen to calm herself slightly, she drew back and then stared up into his eyes.

It took her three tries to say it, gaping at him like a stupid carp trapped out of water. But then she cleared her throat, and just said it, burying her face to in his chest to avoid his searching gaze,

“I love you.”

Request

Wisp hummed happily to herself as she toyed with a new piece of old technology, rolling it over and over in her paws and peeking at it. She was sitting in the courtyard off of the main palace itself, in what appeared to be a junk yard. Truthfully, Wisp had just demanded ‘amusement items’ and told Celestia that she was quite interested in old tech. Five hours later, she’d been given a veritable treasure trove of old devices originating from both griffons and ponies.

A cool breeze was rustling her feathers, and the end of her red-and-yellow banded scarf trailed in the wind as she worked, her gaze intent.

Still, the young griffon wore her eyepatch. It was a habit thing more than anything now. Previously, she had used it when she was working on the airship. When she was inside the airship, in the dark, she would cover her left eye with the patch, and when she went outside, she would cover her right. That way, as soon as she was inside the ship and swapped the eye patch over, her eye was already adjusted to the dark. It was an old seafarers trick.

Firebrand was going absolutely stir crazy. Just the knowledge that she wasn’t allowed to go out and fly around as she wished was torture in and of itself. It made her want to do exactly that, but she restrained herself. Without her flight uniform on, the Wonderbolt captain was startlingly white, and with her red mane and tail, she really did look like she was ablaze. Annoyed pink eyes watched Wisp as she worked at her little machines, trying to fathom what she was doing.

Eventually, it got too much for Firebrand, and she slipped down to the courtyard to watch the griffon closer.

“Wanna see?” Wisp offered cheerfully, holding out a strange device that seemed to be no more than switches connected with tubing.

“I find it very... boring,” Firebrand stated.

Wisp shrugged and gave a smile, “Can’t expect everyone to like old tech!”

“What is your name?” Firebrand asked suddenly.

“I’m Wisp, who’re you?” the griffon asked, looking up from her device.

“I’m Firebrand. I’m the Element of Honesty,” she replied with a slight incline of her head.

“Ever gone down on a pony before?” Wisp asked innocently.

Firebrand’s eyes widened and she flustered, “W-what?! I-I... That’s hardly a question for a young griffon to ask!”

“So you really are honest,” Wisp said coolly, grinning up at Firebrand with an oh-so-innocent expression. “Just how old do you think I am?”

“Not old enough to ask that question of someone you just met!” Firebrand replied heatedly, her cheeks flushed, the colour highly visible on her white hide.

“I was just checkin’ that you were truthful,” Wisp said with a nod and a grin, “And you didn’t deny it immediately like most ponies would. So I figure you’re truthful. Also, I’m likely older than you are... I’m just a runt.”

“That is hardly a word I would choose to call myself if I were in your position,” Firebrand stated, staring at the griffon.

Wisp shrugged faintly, “I am what I am. The labels ponies and griffons put on me don’t mean much more than words.”

Firebrand paused at that, and then looked the diminutive griffon up and down for a moment, and then said guardedly, “Why do I feel as though I could learn much from you?”

Wisp grinned at that, and then patted the ground beside her, “Well first off, come here and I’ll show you a steam gauge works!”

The tranquility of the moment was broken by a single, jarring statement. “If you get sappy on me, I’m going to beat it out of you.”

Sentinel gave a faint laugh, leaning down to nuzzle gently at Raindrop’s neck, humming quite happily in the back of his throat.

“And if you say the ‘M’ word, I will also beat you until you forget the meaning of the word. There are to be no ‘cutesy wutesey’ nicknames, no schmoopy doopy do, no sickeningly sweet platitudes, none of that, understood?” Raindrop asked, her eyes narrowed up at him.

Sentinel’s ears splayed backwards, and he pouted at her. “Not even ‘Rainy’?”

“Not even ‘Rainy’!” Raindrop protested, swatting at him with a hoof.

The guard was unperturbed, his ears splaying back further as he tilted his head down a little bit, letting his eyes widen, his bottom lip beginning to quiver. “But... But... Not even if I ask nicely?”

Raindrop splayed her own ears back, wincing at the expression on the guards face. “Nope. I’m a rock on this subject.”

“Pweeease?” Sentinel implored, gently touching at her shoulder with a hoof in a placating motion. “Don’t make me beg...”

Raindrop scrunched her hooves up and then threw them in the air, giving a huff. “Fine! But Rainy is the only nickname you can use!”

Sentinel immediately grinned, nuzzling against her nose with his own for a moment. “No one can resist the cute eyes.”

“You are so manipulative,” Raindrop said with a slow shake of her head.

“Isn’t it awesome?” Sentinel asked with a sly grin.

“It won’t be if you use it on me too often,” Raindrop warned, pulling him in for a kiss, and squeezing him with her hooves tightly. “If you break my heart I’ll break your bones.”

“I know, Rainy,” Sentinel said with a grin, drawing back and bopping her on the nose with a hoof, instantly causing the mare to deflate.

“And when I want sex, I get it. I don’t want any of this female recalcitrance you keep exhibiting!” Raindrop stated, stamping her hoof firmly.

“I solemnly promise that I will try my utmost not to be female,” Sentinel said with a serious salute.

Raindrop rolled her eyes and shook her head, nudging him once with her nose and wrapping her hooves around him, holding him close.

“Any more rules I need to be aware of?” Sentinel asked, perking an ear at her.

Raindrop shook her head, “Not that I can think of off the top of my head.”

The mare paused for a moment, and then her ears pinned back as she asked delicately, “U-uhm... Is there anything I need to do?”

Sentinel looked at her for a moment, and then shook his head, going quiet for a moment.

“There’s something you want me to do but are too afraid to ask, isn’t there?” Raindrop asked after a moment.

Sentinel snorted faintly and then nodded. “Yeah. But you’ll just think it’s stupid.”

Raindrop shook her head, gently pulling him around to face her again. “Try me. I won’t laugh, I promise.”

“Well... It’s just...” Sentinel trailed off, unsure how to phrase it, and too embarrassed to just ask for it.

“It’s some kind of freaky fetish, isn’t it?” Raindrop asked, her ears pinning back.

“No!” Sentinel said immediately, lowering his head a little bit, a pained expression crossing his face. He licked his lips a moment, trying to gather his courage, and then murmured faintly, “J-just... Once in a while... I want you to tell me that you love me...”

The stallion then buried his head in his hooves.

Raindrop blinked a little bit, recoiling at his request, her tone mildly hurt as she asked, “You don’t believe me?”

Sentinel shifted his hooves, and then shook his head gently at her. “No, it’s not that... I just... I like to hear it. It makes me feel... complete.”

Raindrop stared down at the guard, and she felt her heart just melt at the reasoning behind the request, inexplicable tears springing into her eyes again. She leaned down and pushed Sentinel’s hooves away from his face and then hugged him fiercely.

“That is the most female thing I have ever heard,” Raindrop accused, nuzzling against him fervently, and then pulling him up to stare into his eyes as she smiled and rested her nose against his own. “I love you.”

An Unlikely Candidate

“So...” Raindrop started, leaning back against Sentinel a little more firmly, looking at him over her shoulder. “Why the day off?”

Sentinel peered back at her for a moment, and then wrapped his hooves around her chest a little more firmly, squeezing gently. “I just needed some time to think.”

“I have that much of an effect on you?” Raindrop queried, blinking at him.

“Nope, I was just philosophising on the meaning of carrots,” Sentinel quipped, nudging her once.

“And did you come to any life-shattering conclusions?” Raindrop queried, ears perking.

“Carrots are orange.” The guard nodded sagely at the statement, as though imparting great wisdom.

Raindrop shook her head, and then rolled over to hug him, nuzzling gently into his neck. “You are such a goof.”

Sentinel grinned at that, and then rested his head against her own, looking out over the reflective lake. “I just needed time to figure out what was going on.”

“I was turning you down,” Raindrop said, rolling her eyes.

“I know that,” Sentinel chided, nudging the mare gently with his nose. “But I just... Needed to come to terms with it.”

“It can’t have really been so crushing to you, could it?” Raindrop asked after a moment, concerned.

“It kinda was...” Sentinel admitted, looking down at his hooves and then shaking his head. “I don’t have a whole lot. I’ve got my duties as a guard, and a picture of my mother and father. Other than that... I don’t have any connections with anypony, no real friends outside the guard, and no family.”

Raindrop’s ears pinned back, and she nuzzled up at the stallion gently, wrapping a hoof around him.

“You’re the first pony I’ve felt strongly for. I just... I needed to come to terms with the fact that I might not get what I wanted.”

The mare gave the faintest of sympathetic whines at that, and then kissed his cheek gently. “Well you got what you wanted. And oh boy, are you going to regret it.”

Sentinel gave a faint laugh, and then hugged Raindrop, nosing at the crook of her neck. “So which element are you chasing after next?”

“Going after Kindness,” Raindrop answered with a single nod of affirmation. “I checked the stone when I was flying over. It was pointing at Ponyville.”

“Any idea on what kind of pony it’ll be?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow.

Raindrop shook her head. “No idea. I’m thinking they’ll probably be kind.”

Sentinel rolled his eyes. “Really? How do you divine these things?”

“Practise,” Raindrop quipped, grinning and kissing his nose, looking up into his eyes. “You know... I think you’re the Element of Loyalty.”

Sentinel blinked once, and then tilted his head slightly to the side, a quizzical expression on his muzzle. “What makes you think that?”

“Because, well... You’re a Royal Guard. And even though you hated me and I left you for dead, you kinda continued your duties,” Raindrop said with a nod.

“That’s not loyalty,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head. “At least... That’s not what I think true loyalty is.”

Raindrop raised a brow at that.“Do tell.”

“Loyalty is... Well... Loyalty is sticking with someone even when bad things happen. Loyalty is choosing someone based on things that... Well...” Sentinel trailed off, chewing the inside of his lip for a moment. “I’m not sure how to explain it. It’s not something that I can put in words so easy. But... Loyalty is choosing to stick with someone even if its hard. When it would be easier for everyone, including yourself, to just walk away. Maybe it’s just an antithesis of cowardice. But it’s more than that, too... Ack. I suck at explaining.”

“I understand,” Raindrop said, gently stroking his cheek with a hoof.

“I was loyal to my responsibility as a guard. But I was not loyal to you. Not back then. I would have gladly left you in those tunnels,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head.

“And if I even think you’d contemplate doing that now, I’d beat you until you were properly compliant to my needs,” Raindrop said with a firm nod.

Sentinel grinned at that, and then nosed in against her happily. “It’s nice to know I’ve got somepony who’ll beat the crap out of me if I take a wrong turn.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Raindrop said with a grin, kissing him with a happy hum.

The two pegasi stayed at the lakeside for another few hours, just enjoying eachother’s company, until the chill wind chased them from the hillside. Raindrop and Sentinel ended up together, in a room at the inn, entwined in eachother’s hooves.

A lance of morning sunlight pierced the room, and forced Raindrop awake, her eyes opening and her form slowly stretching. She yawned heavily and rubbed at her eyes with a hoof. She peered up at Sentinel for a long moment, watching him sleep, smiling faintly to herself, before she pushed at his chest with her hooves, to awaken him.

Sentinel’s eyes snapped open, and he blinked at her, his pupils slowly dilating as he woke up, blinking once or twice and then looking around, askin groggily, “Did I miss anything?”

Raindrop pondering on that for a moment, and then nodded. “I woke up frisky and had an hour-long clop session because I couldn’t wake you up. You missed it.”

“Liar,” Sentinel accused, kissing her nose gently. “If you needed me awake that badly, you’d throw water on me until I was. You’d probably drown me if I didn’t wake up.”

Raindrop pondered on that for a moment, and then nodded, grinning. “You’re absolutely right. Plus, I’d eat you alive if you were heavy of a sleeper.”

“We are going to have so many domestic abuse complaints,” Sentinel stated.

“If you complain, I’ll beat you harder,” Raindrop said in a seductive tone, grinning and kissing his nose. The mare stretched slightly, and then slipped out of bed, arching. “Stop staring at my rump and get up. We have a bearer to find.”

Sentinel blinked once and then pointedly looked away, his cheeks flushing faintly.

Raindrop rolled her eyes again. “Oh come on. We had wild hospital sex a few days ago and you’re still acting all shy and blushy?”

“Not my fault!” Sentinel complained, huffing.

“I know a few ways to make you more comfortable with that kind of thing,” Raindrop offered, grinning and licking her lips, staring at him lustfully.

“Why do I suddenly fear for my safety?” Sentinel asked blankly.

“Experience?” Raindrop offered, grinning and then picking up the Seeker Stone from the bedside table. It was pointing somewhere to the east, towards the other side of Ponyville.

Sentinel grumbled and pulled himself out of bed, stretching and arching himself, shaking his wings out. “My armor is at the castle.”

“And?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow. “You don’t see me wearing a tin suit everywhere I go.”

“It’s tempered iron, not tin,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head.

“Iron, tin. Same difference. You don’t need your armor. We’re going after a bearer, not a fire breathing dragon,” Raindrop said, rolling her eyes.

“Actually, guards are taught not to wear armor if we have to engage a dragon. The fire heats up our suits and basically cooks us inside them,” Sentinel pointed out.

“Lovely.” Raindrop shook her head, and then tugged at his short mane with her teeth. “C’mon! The sooner we find the bearer, the sooner I can drag you off to celebrate.”

“Celebrate?” Sentinel asked blankly.

Raindrop pondered on that for a moment, and then grinned slightly.

“Well, I’m thinking maybe...” the mare wheeled around to bump her hip against his own, her tone mischeivous, “I might let you choose.”

Sentinel’s ears perked up at that, and he plucked the Seeker Stone out of her hooves and bounded out the door, shooting back over his shoulder, “Time’s wasting!’

Raindrop giggled and then bounded after him, grinning.

The seeker stone lit up towards the east of Ponyville, and the two pegasi walked down the street, following the directions of it. They passed Sugar Cube Corner, where the blond-maned proprietor was selling cupcakes with an almost gleefully happy smile; the Ponyville hospital, looking as somber as always; the Mane & Hoof beauty parlour, already with a line of unicorn patrons waiting to be serviced; and then they had to stop as they came to the Country Inn. It was one of three Inns in Ponyville, and this Inn was famous for its ‘country’ appeal.

The Inn looked to have once been a big red barn, but was converted and added to until it was a passable Inn. There were ropes hung up on the side of the doors, cowpony hats, leather chaps, and other cowpony related accoutrements. Off to one side of the Inn was a large, open-air dining area, set with a bar, stools, and a dance floor. Hay bales stood to one end of the dance floor, intended as a seating area, to give the entire area an old ‘hoe down’ feel.

Behind the dance floor was an open area set aside for a restaurant-type area, with tables and chairs set up. The Inn sold various ‘authentic’ meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But at present, it was almost deserted. There was only one patron there for breakfast.

And the Seeker Stone was pointing right at her.

As the two pegasi cautiously got closer to the mare, the white lines fractured, pointing everywhere.

The nurse looked up from her food, and then blinked once, snorting in annoyance. “You two just follow me everywhere I go.”

Kindness

“You two know it’s rude to stare, right?”

Sentinel and Raindrop both blinked, and then looked away at the same time, chagrined.

The nurse snorted faintly and shook her head, picking up a fork and slipping another piece of eggplant into her mouth, chewing on it placidly.

Raindrop and Sentinel exchanged glances, and the Raindrop took a tentative step forward, clearing her throat.

The nurse took a sip of orange juice, and then looked up, raising a brow. “Yes? Do you need more relationship advice? I’ll have you know, I’m going to start charging.”

“We would hardly interrupt your breakfast for just that,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head. “We uhm... Well, I’m not quite sure how to say it.”

The nurse perked an ear at that, and then rolled her eyes. “You open your mouth, move your tongue a bit, and exhale.”

“You’re the Element of Kindness,” Raindrop blurted, staring at her.

The nurse raised a brow at that, looking up at the two pegasi over the top of her breakfast, before sniffing faintly. “Preposterous.”

“Well, you kinda gave us good advice,” Sentinel chipped in, stepping forwards.

“Advice is not kindness,” the nurse said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Kindness is being nice to ponies. And I’m not usually that nice. I can actually be kind of a bitch.”

Raindrop exchanged another glance with Sentinel, not sure if she should agree with the nurse’s words. “But... The Seeker Stone was pointing right at you.”

“Let me see this ‘stone’,” the nurse said, lifting a hoof, making a beckoning motion.

Sentinel shuffled over closer, and offered up the Seeker Stone. It was still fragmented with white lies, pointing in every direction.

“It’s not even pointing anywhere,” the nurse said dismissively, pushing it back towards the guard.

“That’s what happens whenever we get really close to the bearer,” Raindrop pointed out.

The nurse sniffed again, and then shrugged slightly. “Seems a silly process, that. What if they’re in a crowd?”

“Then we have to search them out,” Raindrop said with a frown. “But either way... You’re not in a crowd. It was pointing at you.”

“Even so, I’m just a nurse. I have a job to do. I can’t go off on flights of fancy at a whim,” the nurse said with a wave of her hoof.

“You obviously know about the things that are going on, right?” Raindrop queried, perking an ear.

“You seem to have dark guards, griffins, and everypony else trying to harm you, and you’re searching for the Elements of Harmony. And their bearers, apparently,” the nurse said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Raindrop exchanged an awkward glance with Sentinel, and then looked back at the nurse. “...Nopony ever told you about the changelings?”

“Changelings?” the nurse asked, wrinkling her nose. Goodness gracious no. They got wiped out before I was even born.”

Raindrop gave a nervous laugh. “Funny story there.”

The nurse raised a brow slowly.

“The changelings are back. They’re kinda... Everywhere. From what I’ve seen. They’re part of the Diamond Dogs... Or maybe all of the Diamond Dogs were actually changelings... Their queen, Chitin, was masquerading as Discord. They also masqueraded as a griffon army. That’s why we ended up in hospital last time,” Raindrop said with a nod, watching the nurse.

The nurse absorbed all of this information, and then blinked once, raising a brow at Raindrop. “Quite a story there.”

“You don’t believe me,” Raindrop stated flatly, ears pinning back.

“Changelings? No. That’s silly.”

Raindrop sighed and then shook her head slowly.

“You wouldn’t take the word of a Royal Guard?” Sentinel asked, stepping up to stand beside Raindrop.

“I tend not to believe in that which I cannot see.”

“So... You don’t believe the changelings could possibly exist in this day and age?” Raindrop queried flatly.

The nurse nodded once.

Raindrop sniffed, and then turned to Sentinel. “Sentinel, hun. What’s your favorite colour?”

Sentinel blinked, and then pondering on that for a moment, before saying, bewildered, “White, why?”

Raindrop nodded and then turned back to the nurse.

The nurse blinked once, her ears splaying backwards as she stood up from her seat, taking a step away from the table. “H-how did you do that?”

Raindrop grinned, and blinked once. Her eyes went from a strange milky white colour, to their normal pink, in an instant. “I dunno. You’ll have to explain that one to me, I’m afraid. There aren’t any changelings left... So it can’t be that.”

The nurse looked back and forth between them both, her eyes narrowing. “Explain yourselves, now!”

Sentinel raised a hoof to try and calm the nurse. “Raindrop isn’t a changeling.”

“Not... Entirely.” Raindrop grinned eerily as she corrected the guard.

“Then what the hell are you?”

“My grandmother was Queen Chrysalis. So I guess that makes me... An eighth of a changeling?” Raindrop pondered on that for a moment, humming and rubbing her chin with a hoof.

“Wouldn’t it be a quarter?” Sentinel suggested.

“A quarter sounds about right,” Raindrop conceded, looking at the nurse again. “Do you believe us about the changelings yet?”

The nurse frowned deeply, and then cautiously sat back down, chasing a piece of eggplant across her plate with her fork. “I... I guess your story might make some things make sense.”

“Good. We need you as a bearer,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“But... Why me?” the nurse asked, frowning deeply.

“Because you’re a kind pony?” Raindrop suggested with a helpless shrug. “I know as much about the way bearers are chosen as I do on theoretical flight magic physics.”

“And if I don’t want to be a bearer?” the nurse asked guardedly, ears perking at Raindrop.

Sentinel stepped forwards. “We’ll have to keep injuring ourselves until you get sick of us.”

The nurse scoffed at that, shaking her head. “I wish I didn’t believe you two would willingly hurt yourselves to make me do anything. But fine. What is it that you would have me do?”

“Report to Celestia. She’ll know what to do next,” Raindrop said, waving a hoof slightly.

The nurse nodded gently, and then looked down at her plate, her ears splaying backwards. “Can I finish my breakfast first?”

“Surely,” Raindrop replied with a gentle nod. “Uhm... I never did quite catch your name.”

“No one ever asks the nurse her name,” was the quiet reply, followed by a faint sigh. “I’m Remedy. Nurse Remedy.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Nurse Remedy,” Raindrop said politely, her expression turning chagrined. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for your advice and for treating me.”

Remedy waved it off with a dismissive flick of her hoof. “No, it’s fine. I just hate it when ponies pussy-hoof around eachother. You two belong together, everypony can see it.”

“They... Can?” Sentinel interjected, perking his ears.

“If they know what to look for... Or if, you know, they have eyes.” Remedy smirked faintly as she ate another piece of eggplant.

“You’ll report to Celestia?” Raindrop asked.

“Yes, yes. I’ll go... But... Can you come with me?” Remedy asked, her voice no more than a murmur.

Raindrop raised a brow slowly. “You’re scared?”

Remedy scowled faintly in response. “I am not scared! I just...” her voice lowered, “It’s Princess Celestia. I don’t want to face her alone!”

“She’s not going to eat you,” Sentinel said with a soft chuckle.

“I know that!” Remedy protested. “But still...”

“I shall go with you to the castle,” Sentinel said with a laugh and a shake of his head. “Raindrop, do you want to come with?”

Raindrop pondered for a moment, and then looked to the right, at the Inn, a slow smile coming over her. “Actually, you have fun with that hun. I’m gonna do some stuff. Ask the innkeeper what room I’ll be in, okay?”

Sentinel blinked once, raising an eyebrow at Raindrop for a moment, before nodding. “Very well. I’ll be back once I’ve been to see Celestia.”

A short train ride later, and the two ponies were walking through the front gates of the Canterlot Royal Palace. Sentinel nodded to the guards as they moved aside to allow the pegasus and earth pony nurse into the palace itself. After that, it was a short walk up to the Hall of Elements, where Celestia was maintaining an almost permanent presence.

Remedy seemed to be getting more and more nervous the closer they got to the Hall of Elements, and she twitched slightly whenever a loud sound echoed.

Sentinel pushed the door open to the room where the Elements were stored, and ushered Remedy inside. The nurse stepped through the door nervously, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Celestia.

“Princess Celestia, I have brought Remedy to you. We believe that she is the bearer for the Element of Kindness.” Sentinel saluted as Celestia turned around.

“Ahhh, Miss Remedy. Welcome,” Celestia said, bowing her head smoothly.

Remedy flushed faintly, her ears pinning back as she bowed jerkily in response. “T-thank you Princess Celestia.”

“Take this,” Celestia said, offering Remedy the dull grey, stony Element of Kindness.

The nurse reached out, taking the element, looking bewildered.

“Now tell me...” Celestia paused for a moment, thinking. “Why did you become a nurse?”

“Because it pays well,” Remedy said immediately.

Celestia tutted faintly. “You will have to cease with the modesty, I’m afraid, or we will get nowhere. Why did you really become a nurse?”

“It’s... It’s a stupid story.” Remedy shook her head, moving to place down the element. “This is stupid.”

Celestia shook her head gently, and then lifted her hooves, pushing the element back against Remedy’s chest. “No, tell me, Remedy.”

Remedy sighed faintly, and then looked down at the element in her hooves, before closing her eyes. “Because of my grandfather.”

“He was kind?” Celestia enquired.

“Not really, no. He was a crotchety old bastard at the best of times. He often yelled at his wife. I didn’t like visiting him,” Remedy said with a shake of her head. “He had a very painful medical condition. It basically crippled him... He had to be constantly cared for.”

“That... Is not a very happy story,” Celestia stated.

“Oh, my grandmother gave as good as she got,” Remedy said with a faint smile. “They had a kind of... rapport, I guess? I think they took their problems out on eachother so that no other pony had to put up with them.”

“Indeed?” Celestia asked, frowning slightly. “Continue.”

“Well... One day, my grandmother got really sick, and ended up in hospital. I had to look after my grandfather while she was in hospital. My mother and father stopped by occasionally, but they were both really busy with their jobs. Anyhow, my grandfather got really drunk. He was really quiet for most of the time, until after he got really drunk. And then he just got... Kinda pensive or something. Started talking about the old days, before his condition.”

Celestia nodded gently, imploring her to continue her story further.

“Well... I didn’t really understand the two of them at the time, so I asked him why he hated my grandmother so much. Of course, he didn’t take the question very well. Told me that he didn’t hate her at all, and that he loved her more than anything he had ever had before. And that he didn’t deserve her. That he was pulling her life into the gutter by forcing her to care for his frail body. Told me that he would have killed himself a long, long time ago if he had the courage.” Remedy shook her head, sighing faintly. “And then he went quiet for a really long time, and I didn’t know what to say. And after a little while, he told me ‘What your grandmother is doing is the very best thing a pony can ever do for another pony. Caring for them when they can no longer care for themselves. That is the ultimate act of selflessness, and you should learn from that’. And so... that’s why I’m a nurse.”

Celestia nodded, looking down at the element. It remained stony and grey.

“Now... Was there anything else?” Remedy asked, placing the element back on the table on its stand, shaking her head.

“I... Do not know,” Celestia said, confused.

Remedy shook her head again, and then turned to leave.

“A second, Remedy... What is true kindness to you?” Celestia enquired, raising a brow at the earth pony.

Remedy paused in the doorway, a frown crossing her features, her tail giving an errant flick as she sighed softly, and then began to explain.

“I guess that true kindness is... Giving something of yourself without asking for anything in return. Even if it hurts you to do it. True kindness is just... Helping ponies. Even if they don’t know it’s help. Like if I have to hurt somepony by rebreaking their leg so it’ll set properly later on. If they didn’t know what I was doing, they would see me only as somepony who hurt them, somepony who injured them and caused them pain. That’s what kindness is to me. Just... Doing the right thing for somepony other than yourself, even if it hurts you as a pony to do it, and makes people hate you,” Remedy said, before her cheeks flushed hotly and she shook her head. “I sound stupid.”

Celestia shook her head gently. “Not at all, Remedy. Your view of kindness is quite noble. And look.”

The princess raised a hoof, pointing at the Element of Kindess, which now say, glowing and amber.

Remedy blinked, looking back at it, her ears pinning down against her skull. “...I did that?”

Celestia nodded gently. “You are the bearer of the Element of Kindness, whether you wish the title or not.”

“Kinda railroaded into it, huh?” Remedy asked with a sardonic smile.

“Indeed,” Celestia said with a nod. “Come, you should meet the other bearers.”

Remedy nodded gently, and then turned around, heading back over to the table, and then lifting a hoof to tentatively reach for the Element of Kindness. “M-may I touch it?”

Celestia nodded gently, smiling and motioning for Remedy to touch it. “Feel free. After all, you are its bearer now.”

Love and loyalty

Sentinel pushed open the door to room number five of the Ponyville Country Inn, finding it unlocked and slightly ajar. The innkeeper had told him that it was this room that Raindrop had hired out for the night, and, conversely, the entire day, as well. He had the Seeker Stone for the Element of Generosity tucked under one wing.

Sentinel sniffed at the air as he pushed the door open, listening to it creak faintly, stepping into the room.

The door slammed shut behind him, and he jumped, spinning around, coming nose-to-nose with a grinning Raindrop. She looked different. Partly because her blue mane was slicked down in a new style, straight and sleek rather than styled up like it was previously. And the pegasus was also wearing cowpony clothes and had a length of rope around her neck.

Raindrop’s hind-end was covered in bucking chaps, specifically made for ponies out to the farm, to protect their hindquarters when they bucked fruit trees or had to gallop at full speed through a patch of thorns or the like. They were made of smooth leather, a material made from bonded plant fibres carefully burned and pressed until the material was seamless. It covered her lower legs, her rump, and her lower back. There was a long area along her inner thighs and stomach where the material didn’t cover, so as not to restrict her movement.

It was an odd thing to see a pegasus wearing, as pegasi didn’t engage in treebucking or running through thickets of brambles or sharp sticks.

“Uhhhh... Hi.” Sentinel blinked once, pulling back slightly to stare at Raindrop. “Uhm... You look different.”

“I did something with my mane,” Raindrop said dismissively, beginning to unloop the rope from her around her neck with a wild grin.

“A-and some new clothes,” Sentinel said, suddenly nervous. Somehow, he regretted not retrieving his armour from the castle.

Raindrop nodded gently, transferring the rope to her mouth after saying, “Yeah. I figure they fit the occasion.”

“Occasion?” Sentinel asked warily, beginning to circle around the mare towards the door.

Raindrop deftly blocked Sentinel’s passage. “We’re celebrating.”

“I-I’m not sure I wanna celebrate right now,” Sentinel tried to protest, as Raindrop stepped towards him, raising the rope.

“Aww, I’m sorry hun, but ya gotta buck the tree if ya want the best apples!” Raindrop said with a grin, affecting a country accent as she deftly twisted the rope and threw it over Sentinel’s head. With an eager grin, she gripped the rope, and pulled him towards her with it, kissing him heatedly for a long moment, holding the rope taught.

Sentinel squirmed slightly in place, not quite sure how to react to this strange new Raindrop.

Grinning, Raindrop broke the kiss, and then with a simple movements twisted the rope, turned, and yanked upwards on the rope, bringing the guard’s legs out from under him, dumping him on his side so she could pounce on him eagerly, pinning him down and beginning to quickly hogtie him.

Sentinel snorted faintly, still unsure how to react, not knowing if he should struggle. “W-what are you doing, Raindrop?”

“Giving you a memorable time,” Raindrop said, looking up at him for a moment. Her eyes flashed green. She slid up his form, and then kissed him again with a hungry passion, her eyes green and demonic, refusing to change back to normal at all now. The mare leaned in close, testing the tightness of the rope, her warm exhalations mingling with his own as she grinned mischievously. “At least... If you beg me.”

(Clop. Warning: Mature! )

Sentinel whimpered weakly as he stirred, his eyes flitting open and his wings fluttering faintly. He blinked slowly down at Raindrop, whom was staring up at him, a sly grin stretching her muzzle.

“Was that... Was that a dream?” he asked faintly.

Raindrop grinned wickedly. “You dream of me tying you up with rope?”

“S-so it wasn’t?” Sentinel asked, giving a shudder as he cast his mind back. “I-I didn’t know it could be so... Intense.”

“Intense is a good word for it,” Raindrop said with a slow nod and a sly grin. “I trust you enjoyed it?”

“You made me beg!” Sentinel protested.

“And you loved it, didn’t you?” Raindrop insisted with a purr.

Sentinel’s cheeks flushed faintly, and he gave a shaky nod. “I-I guess.”

Raindrop grinned and nuzzled up against his chin slowly. “I’m glad.”

“I feel so weak and shaky though...” Sentinel panted, nuzzling against her slowly. “Is it always like this?”

“It is if I do a good job,” Raindrop said with a giggle, wrapping her hooves around him and holding him close.

The two pegasi emerged from the room a few hours later, and the innkeeper gave them a suspicious glance.

“I heard some thumping and yelling up there earlier,” the innkeeper said with a slow nod. “Ya’ll best not be wrestling all over my beds and furniture, y’hear?”

“No sir,” Raindrop said with a bow. Sentinel didn’t say anything, but averted his gaze, his cheeks warming faintly.

The two pegasi left the inn, and Raindrop stretched a little bit, kicking her hindlegs. “You know, those chaps were sexy, but they’re kinda constricting.”

“You were planning that for a while, weren’t you?” Sentinel accused, staring at Raindrop sideways.

Raindrop snickered innocently. “It only took me a few minutes to buy a pair of chaps. The rope was already hanging up in the room... Then I just had to wait for my prey and pounce.”

Sentinel snorted once, before grinning at her. “You make a sexy cowpony.”

“And you make a sexy ball of whimpering, hog-tied pegasus,” Raindrop replied with an innocent giggle.

It was already noon when the two pegasi made their way up to the castle, and Raindrop stopped in to see Princess Celestia. The two of them meandered their way to the Hall of Elements, and then stepped into the room where Celestia was observing the Elements of Harmony.

“One more to go!” Raindrop said with an eager bounce. “At least, until you can find where the Element of Magic is.”

Celestia nodded at Raindrop’s appraisal. “Indeed. Finding the Element of Magic while it is dormant is proving to be a difficult prospect at best.”

Raindrop gave a sad nod at that. “Well... I’ll go find the bearer for the Element of Generosity and then... Well... I dunno.”

“I wish you to become friends with the current bearers,” Celestia stated.

“You... What? Why?” Raindrop asked, blinking and shaking her head in confusion.

“I wish you to become friends with the current bearers. I feel this to be necessary.” Celestia waved a hoof as though to express the importance of it.

Raindrop blinked again, and then perked her ears. “But... Why?”

“The Elements of Harmony require friendship as a catalyst. It is the force that holds them together. I feel that you, Raindrop, offer the best chance of cohesion between so many rogue elements,” Celestia explained. “You are a likeable pegasus when you allow yourself to be, and you have need of the elements. You will succeed where others will fail.”

“Well... That sounds reasonable,” Raindrop said with a single blink, unable to bring up any viable protest.

“I wish for them to accompany you to find the next bearer, and the next two after that, circumstances permitting,” Celestia stated, looking back over her shoulder at the two pegasi. “You are very quiet, Sentinel.”

Sentinel blinked and lifted his head, as though only just realising that Celestia was in the room. “Awhu? Oh. Yes. I’m just... Tired.”

“Are you sick?” Celestia enquired, sounding worried.

Raindrop giggled and then shook her head, interjecting, “Nope, he just had some... Vigorous training with me earlier.”

Celestia looked back and forth between the two of them with a soft giggle of her own as she put two and two together, watching Sentinel’s face turn slowly pink. “I see. I remember when I had to order Sentinel to accompany you. It would seem his loyalty has shifted.”

“I am forever loyal to you!” Sentinel protested immediately, lifting a hoof to salute the princess.

Celestia leaned down to be more on Sentinel’s level, peering into his eyes. “As a Royal Guard, you are expected to be. But as a lover you should remember your priorities. Do not let being a guard interfere with love.”

“I... I...” Sentinel trailed off, dropping his hoof slightly, his ears pinning back. “Are you telling me to disobey you, Princess Celestia?”

Celestia giggled, “Goodness no, Sentinel! I merely mean to say that should I give you an order that directly causes your personal relationships to fail, then you should feel entitled to tell me to shove my orders up my flank and get somepony else to do it.”

The two mares laughed at the look of utter mortification spreading across Sentinel’s face at the thought of telling the princess to ‘shove it up her flank’.

“B-but,” Sentinel spluttered.

“Shush, hun,” Raindrop said, lifting a hoof to halt his spluttering. “I’ll make sure he understands what you mean, Celestia.”

Celestia bowed her head and then lifted the Seeker Stone for the Element of Generosity, a purple, glowing orb, from the table, and then handed it to Raindrop.

Raindrop took the orb, and slipped it under her wing, turning about. “Come, Sentinel.”

Sentinel looked back and forth between Raindrop and Celestia, giving a faint whine. He wanted to protest Celestia’s words, but he didn’t want to keep Raindrop waiting.

Celestia smiled at her guard. “You have much to learn, Sentinel. But my cardinal rule for being a princess is that my orders shall never interfere with love, lest I become a tyrant. Think on it.”

Celestia made a shooing motion with a hoof, smiling.

Sentinel nodded and saluted again, before turning about and heading out the door, trailing after Raindrop.

“So, uhm, where are the guest quarters?” Raindrop queried.

“East wing,” Sentinel stated, pointing with a hoof towards a door coming up.

“So even Celestia knows now, huh?” Raindrop said with a slight giggle.

Sentinel nodded gently, “It would seem so.”

“So... If it came down to a choice between me or your orders, what would you choose?” Raindrop queried.

Sentinel lowered his gaze to the floor, his ears splaying backwards.

“I would follow my orders,” Sentinel said quietly, with painful honesty, “But it wouldn’t be an easy choice.”

“Thank you for being truthful,” Raindrop said, extending her wing and nudging it against the guard’s own, entwining their pinions together as they walked, squeezing his wing reassuringly. “I’ll just have to make sure it never comes down to you choosing between love and loyalty.”

Discourse

Celestia lifted her head slowly, seemingly unsurprised as an unremarkable filly came bolting in through the door of her private rooms, looking about, panting hard with fear and exertion.

“P-Princess Celestia!” the filly squeaked, eyes wide as she stared up at the princess. “T-there’s a dragon in the courtyard, come quick!” The filly bolted several steps back towards the door, to lead the way.

Arching a brow, Celestia slowly rose to her full regal height, and then, strangely, turned away. The princess strode over towards the balcony calmly.

The young filly stared at her, blinking once and then bouncing place, pointing a hoof in earnest, “Princess, we need you!”

Celestia calmly tilted her head as she stepped onto the balcony. Her horn glowed, and a candle lit itself, the flame burning an eerie blue. The princess stepped up to the edge of the balcony, peering out over the palace grounds. All was quiet. The crumpled, unconscious forms of several of her guards leaned against the wall, tied up.

“I anticipated this eventuality, Chitin,” Celestia said with a shake of her head, not turning around. “Though I admit, I did not expect you to arrive so soon.”

A derisive snort left the filly, and with a quick shudder, her entire form changed, revealing the Dark Queen in all her splendour. Chitin stepped over towards Celestia, moving to stand beside her, looking out over the ground, sharing the view.

“Your pegasus, the halfblood. She revealed us... forced us to act quickly,” Chitin said reasonably. “And you, dear princess, have something that belongs to me.”

“You speak of the Elements?” Celestia asked, an eyebrow arching upwards as she regarded the changeling queen.

An eager nod was the response, “We need them if our plans are to succeed.”

“I can see that you are not well versed in politics. You do not reveal your intentions to your enemies so readily,” Celestia chided.

“Unless you have no fear of your enemy and wish only to gloat and enjoy your power over them,” Chitin responded calmly, locking eyes with the princess.

Celestia gave a reasonable nod at that. “Would you like something to drink? You do drink, don’t you?”

Chitin nodded in response, “Aye, I drink. It does not sustain my existence, but it is pleasing.”

Turning around, Celestia strode over towards the cupboard near the door. She saw several shadows in the corridor. They looked like armoured guards. Most likely, they were changelings masquerading as her guards. Reaching into the cupboard, she produced a dusty bottle filled with a clear, sparkling liquid. She levitated the bottle over to the table, and sat down in front of it, pouring out a measure of into both glasses, and then sipped at one of them.

Chitin calmly walked over to the other side of the table and picked up the glass, slotting it neatly into one of the holes in her leg like a drink holder, and then sipping it, nodding approvingly. “This is quite good, may I ask what it is?”

“It is wine produced from the Singing Orchid. I am pleased it appeals to your palate,” Celestia said with a respectful bow of her head.

Chitin settled back in the seat, sipping at the drink and watching the princess. “I am surprised you have brooked no argument with my coup of your castle.”

“I am hardly in a position to argue. My castle fell out of my control when you discovered how to bypass my protection magics. I have merely been a groundskeeper until you arrived,” Celestia pointed out with a thin-lipped smile.

“Ah, that. Your methods of detection are woefully inadequate,” Chitin said with a soft, mirthless laugh.

“Please, do tell me what I was doing wrong,” Celestia said with a bow of her head.

Chitin pondered on that for a moment, taking another sip of her drink. “...Very well. I believe that your methods detect the ‘link’ my kind uses to maintain the ‘hive mind’. We simply willingly severed the link and you had no clue we were amongst your ponies the whole time.”

Celestia frowned at that, looking down at her drink, lips pursed. “So that’s why I didn’t discover any of you after the attack on Canterlot during the wedding?”

“I believe so, though the link was severed by the magic back then. I didn’t even need the Elements of Harmony to fool you,” Chitin said quite smugly, smiling openly at the princess.

“Then are you coveting the elements merely to spite me, then?” Celestia queried, ears perking.

Chitin shook her head once. “No. I am merely removing them from your control. My kind knows no magic to counteract your elements. Therefore, we take the elements themselves.”

Something about the explanation didn’t sit right with Celestia, and it showed. “No... That’s not it. Why are you really after the elements?”

A soft snort left the changeling, and she shook her head. “You are much better at discourse than I am, I see. Do you really wish for me to bare my heart to you, Celestia?’

“If it’ll make you feel better,” Celestia said with a gentle nod.

Chitin snorted at that, and then gave a low growl in the back of her throat, standing up and beginning to pace. “To be perfectly honest, I would feel better to just lay it all out and get it off my chest, as it were.”

Celestia nodded gently, watching the changeling queen. “I am going nowhere, you have seen fit to that.” Celestia flicked a hoof towards where the guards stood in the hallway for punctuation.

“But of course,” Chitin said bluntly, continuing to pace, and then pausing to sip her drink, before continuing speaking. “You know of Chrysalis, yes?”

“Of course,” Celestia answered with a nod.

“And you know that she abandoned us?” Chitin furthered.

“I am rather sketchy on the details. I know she assumed the guise of a unicorn and lived out her life in the Everfree,” Celestia said, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Chitin growled and stamped her hoof. “Evergreen,” she hissed, her tone low and violent. “How I wish to stain the ground with his blood.”

“Why would you wish to harm a simple woodspony?” Celestia asked, confused, blinking once.

“Because he took our queen from us!” Chitin hissed, stopping and glowering at Celestia, her eyes narrowed. “She fell in love with the bumbling fool and abandoned us! A changeling. The blast from Cadance and Shining Armour must have addled her senses. Made her think she was in love with him,” Chitin stated, beginning to pace again. “We lost our queen, our army was decimated, and I was forced to lead what was left of the changelings from the ashes.”

“And... How is any of this relevant?” Celestia asked carefully, ears perking.

Chitin stopped in her pacing, and then turned to the princess, grinning slowly, revealing her fangs. “Because I’m going to use the Elements of Harmony to fix everything.”

Celestia slowly arched a brow at that. “I... Don’t see how that will change anything.”

“I’m going to build a time bridge,” Chitin said with a flippant wave of a hoof. “Go back to just after the wedding, and ensure that Chrysalis never meets Evergreen. She’ll remain our queen.”

“A... time bridge?” Celestia asked flatly. “I remember the last time that was attempted.” Celestia sniffed, wrinkling her nose, “It took quite a while to clean the ponies participating from the floor of the experiment room.”

“I’ve had a long time to study the elements, and I’ve been taking love from Spike for years now. I am confident I can make this work,” Chitin said with a wild grin.

“If you have harmed Spike, I will destroy you,” Celestia murmured softly.

“You needn’t worry about the dragon. I take good care of him, and he is quite willing.,” Chitin replied dismissively.

“And if you succeed with this time bridge, what will it accomplish?” Celestia asked flatly, staring at the changeling queen.

“I’ll have my queen back!” Chitin hissed, grinding her hooves against the floor in anger. “And that is a worthy goal.”

Celestia gave a slow nod of understanding. “I... sympathise with you. But Chrysalis is dead and gone.”

“Because she turned herself into a pony!” Chitin spat, giving a dangerous hiss. “As a changeling, she could lead us for centuries after now!”

“And if you succeed... you will cease to exist,” Celestia said with a wave of her hoof, giving a sad smile at the changeling. “Did you think of that?”

“I will live on,” Chitin said stubbornly, “As the old changeling that I was.”

“So that’s it?” Celestia asked, giving a slow shake of her head. “You’re going to attempt to change history just because you lost your queen?”

“I told Chrysalis that no matter what happened to our attack, I would remain her faithful servant forever. I will protect her from herself.” Chitin scowled, downing the rest of her glass of wine and then putting it on the table between them.

Celestia shook her head sadly. “I’m... sorry that you lost your queen. But a time bridge is not the answer. There was never any evidence to suggest that they are even possible. Moreover, I spoke to Chrysalis in her final minutes. She... she was happy. I didn’t quite understand at the time, but I think I understand now. She had done all she needed to do in this life, and was content for it to end. She saw that there was more to her life than just stealing love.”

Chitin shook her head firmly. “No. Her mind was addled after the blast. I know if I can get to her before she reaches Evergreen, then I can keep her from convincing herself that she loves him.”

“And you think the Elements of Harmony will help with a time bridge?” Celestia asked, her tone amazed.

“Indeed,” Chitin replied with a shrug. “They are a force of balance. Saving Chrysalis will keep balance in the world.”

“Your judgement is flawed,” Celestia stated flatly, rising to her hooves and placing her glass on the edge of the table.

“It matters not. When I succeed, none of this will have happened. I’ll rewrite our history,” Chitin said with a low, mirthful laugh.

Celestia shook her head, sighing and turning away. “Very well.”

“You will come quietly?” Chitin asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Celestia said with a wry grin, before turning back to the queen, her horn glowing bright gold and a bolt of magic spinning from it.

An explosion rocked the palace, followed by several aftershocks, and then more explosions as the queen and princess fought bitterly.

Elsewhere in Equestria, a blue candle, just like the one Celestia had lit upon her balcony, flamed to life all on its own. A hooded figure moved over to the candle, and stared at it.

Princess Luna shook her head sadly, and then extinguished the candle with her hoof, tightening her cloak around herself more tightly. The signal was what she had been waiting for, but she was not pleased to see it. The changelings had moved on Canterlot.

Luna pushed open the door of the small cottage and stepped outside, starting down the forest path.

Bombshell

Raindrop, Sentinel, Wisp, Remedy, and Firebrand stood in the crowded examination room as the doctor humming and looked over the injured stallion’s leg, checking his wound.

The doctor apparently assumed they were merely curious, or wanting to help him with the stallion, as he neither questioned nor commented on their presence.

“Yes yes, thiz iz a quite painful injury, but not so severe, yes?” the doctor said, tapping the stallion’s foreleg with a hoof, testing. “Ze bone iz intact. You vill merely be unable to walk on your leg for a few days.”

The stallion gave a sigh of relief. “Any idea how long that’ll be? I have a field to tend.”

The doctor nodded, and then lifted his head, his horn glowing faintly as a bell jingled somewhere in the hallway. A nurse came in after a few moments.

“Ze nurse will tend to you,” the doctor said with a gentle nod, straightening up. “I must tend to my other patients. But the nurse will see to your problems.” With that, the doctor was exiting the room, pausing to whisper to the nurse: ‘See if we can find him a helper for ze week’. He smiled back at the injured stallion, and then slipped out the door.

Raindrop immediately followed after him. The rest of her entourage followed after a few moments, leaving the stallion alone with the nurse.

“Doctor, wait!” Raindrop called.

The doctor paused in the hallway, looking back over his shoulder. “Yes?”

Raindrop paused, unsure what to say, before just blurting, “You’re the bearer of the Element of Generosity.”

Brow slowly raised, the doctor gave a snort. “And?”

Raindrop blinked, confused, as Sentinel moved to stand beside her. “That... doesn’t mean anything to you?” Sentinel asked, a single ear perking.

The doctor shook his head. “Indeed it does not. Now, if you please, I have patients to tend to.”

Blinking slowly, Raindrop stared at the doctor hurried down the hall, his horn glowing, and a bell jingling.

Sentinel snorted a moment. “Well that was... not how I expected it to go down.”

Raindrop shook her head slightly. “I wasn’t really expecting that either,” she admitted, looking down at her forehooves for a moment. She tossed her mane, and then stalked down the hallway, pushing the door to the doctor’s office. Opening her mouth to speak, Raindrop faltered. The doctor was sitting in his chair, rubbing his forehead with his hooves, looking quite old and tired.

The doctor looked up after a moment, raising a brow. “Yes?”

The pegasus snorted, and then stepped into the room. “We need you, doctor.”

“Need me for what, exactly?” he asked flatly, glowering up at her. “You come barging into my clinic and make demands, and you do not even announce yourself.”

“Well... It’s just,” Raindrop paused a moment at that, frowning deeply, trying to decide how much to tell the doctor. “We need you because the changelings are back, and Celestia needs the Elements of Harmony to make sure that we can beat them back to the dark ages if needs be.”

The doctor frowned at that, and then past Raindrop, peering at her friends, crowding the hallways behind her. “And I take it that zese are the other bearers, yes?”

Raindrop nodded once, peering over her shoulder. “That Sentinel, he isn’t a bearer. He’s my personal guard. Wisp is the Element of Laughter, Firebrand is the Element of Honesty, and Remedy is the Element of Bitc-I mean, Kindness.”

Each of the ponies nodded as their name was said, and Wisp waved a paw goofily. “Hi!”

“I see...” the doctor said with a frown, one ear perking slowly. “And vat is it that makes you zere leader?”

“I’m... Well, I kinda need their help. The elements, that is,” Raindrop said, lowering her gaze in shame.

“And vhy vould you need ze elements?” the doctor pressed.

Raindrop sighed faintly, and then looked up, her expression determined. “Because I’m part changeling. And I want it out.”

The doctor nodded at that, frowning. “Well... Zat is certainly an interesting problem. But I cannot leave my clinic. Unless ze changelings are a pressing issue, then you will have to come find me in case of emergency.”

Raindrop blinked at that, her ears pinning back. “But doctor... we need you at Canterlot.” she protested, waving a hoof for emphasis.

“And zere are dozens of patients needing my daily attention!” the doctor responded flatly, waving a hoof in a firm motion, leaving no room for argument. “Go, find ze other bearers. And then maybe I will have cleared some time in my schedule to see to your problems.”

With that, the doctor turned away, and stalked down the hall to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Raindrop stared after him, unsure. “I... That didn’t go according to plan,” she said quietly, heaving a sigh.

“We have the Seeker Stone, we can find him whenever we want,” Sentinel said with a sad shake of his head. “C’mon, we’ll come back tomorrow. We’ll just have to find a different bearer.”

Nodding, Raindrop turned around, and began walking down the hall with the rest of her group in tow. “So who’ll we find next? We don’t even have the Element of Magic yet. The Seeker Stone for loyalty is missing, and our bearer for generosity is well... He’s a dick.”

Sentinel gave a wry grin at that, looking sideways at Raindrop, and then leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Cheer up, Raindrop. We’ll find a way. Or we could all die horribly at the cottage-cheese-like legs of Chitin. Either way, there’s not a whole lot we can do about it.”

Raindrop’s eyes flicked green for a moment, and she murmured quietly, “I could knock him out and drag him to the castle. I’m sure I could convince you all to help. Which reminds me, we need a unicorn in this group already. Seriously. Magic.”

“Well, if we convince Mr Surly to come with us, we’ll be able to blackmail him into using magic for our every whim,” Sentinel said with a grin.

“Want me to try?!” Wisp said, bouncing along beside the pair. “I mean, I could talk him to death until he agrees!”

“We want him to join us, not go inside,” Raindrop said in her kindest tone to the diminutive griffon.

Remedy stepped up on the other side. “I could give him some really deep, meaningful things to think on and then slip a roofie into his drunk while he’s not looking.”

“Also helpful,” Raindrop said with a roll of her eyes.

“I don’t particularly care either way. Another non-winged pony will just slow us down further,” Firebrand stated with painful bluntness.

“Even more helpful!” Raindrop growled, lifting a hoof to rub at her forehead, pausing a moment. “I need a drink. I need like five drinks.”

“I would advise against drinking,” a voice cautioned.

Raindrop looked up, realising that they had made it outside during their conversation. A larger pony in a dark hood was watching them.

“I’ll do what I like, thank you very much,” Raindrop said with a very fake polite tone.

The mare snorted, and then threw back her hood, revealing her long flowing blue mane. “Listen, whelp. I am here to help to help you, but if you speak in that disrespectful tone again, I will gladly go back to my hole.”

“Princess Luna!” Sentinel said, immediately straightening and saluting.

Wisp stared up at the princess in confusion, “Who is she?” the griffon whispered to Remedy.

Remedy giggled under her breath, “That’s Princess Luna, she raised the moon.”

“Oh!” Wisp said with an eager bounce. “Hi, Luna!”

“Keep your voices down!” Luna hissed, stamping a hoof, glowering at them all. “Now shush, and come.” Without another word, Luna turned and began to lead them out of Ponyville.

The group followed in the trail of Luna’s hoofsteps, whispering amongst themselves.

“What’s up with her?” Raindrop asked of Sentinel.

“I’ve never really met Luna more than once or twice... I think she might just be bitchy?” Sentinel offered helplessly, giving an awkward smile.

“Sure does act like a spoiled princess,” Firebrand stated, far too loudly for a whisper. Luna scowled back at her.

It was several long minutes of pushing through the Everfree Forest, that they came to what appeared to be a deserted cottage. Pushing her way through the front door, Luna magicked the table out of the way, and then lifted the trap door concealed underneath. Luna lifted a hoof, beckoning them into the cellar.

Raindrop stopped immediately upon entering the cottage, her eyes widening. She felt something, something very strange coming from underneath, where Luna was urging them to go. She could feel it.

Behind her, Sentinel stiffened, his eyes likewise widening. He stared down at the floor, his eyes narrowing.

“Changeling!” he hissed, and then looked up to Luna. “There is a changeling below!”

Luna gave a nod, waving for them to continue down the stairs. “That is fine. I am the one who put her there.”

“A changeling?” Raindrop asked cautiously.

“Do not worry. She is very weak, and not long for this world. She has told me much of her race so far, and we will need to know more, if we are to defeat them,” Luna said, and then lowered her head, seemingly shamed. “...Please forgive us, Raindrop.”

Wondering what Luna could be asking forgiveness for, Raindrop cautiously stepped down the stairs. A lamp was lit at the base of them, throwing light across the small room.

Diagrams were pinned to the walls, hastily scrawled, detailing changeling anatomy, identifying marks, and weak points. Diagrams of the Royal Palace were spread out across the table that rested against one wall, held down by empty bottles of what appeared to be some of the finest, strongest wine that could be purchased in Ponyville.

A white unicorn with a flow blue mane and tail sat at the table, swaying unsteadily. She was a changeling. Raindrop could feel it. But as the changeling turned and peered over her shoulder, pink eyes regarding the pegasus, Raindrop knew she was far more than just a changeling.

Raindrop could only stare, eyes wide, slowly sitting down as her legs began to shake. Sentinel moved to stand beside her, watching the changeling guardedly.

The changeling’s entire form shook unsteadily as she turned to look over her shoulder. A piece of charcoal fell from one hoof as the changeling smiled warmly back at Raindrop, looking her up and down.

Her voice was weak, barely audible. She was the picture of a creature on its deathbed. But her gaze was still firm, and held all the power of her race behind it as she locked eyes with Raindrop.

“Yer’ve grown much, Raindrop,” Chrysalis said.

Reunion

“Grandmother?” Raindrop asked weakly, staring up at Chrysalis.

The unicorn nodded gently. “‘Course it’s me,” she replied with a wave of a hoof, before taking another hearty swig from her bottle of alcohol and slamming it back down on the table. She reached down, picked up her stick of charcoal, and continued to scrawl on the paper in front of her.

“B-but... how?” Raindrop murmured, looking left and right, as though the answer might be written down somewhere. “I... Just...”

“Celestia was... hasty, when she built the memorial,” Luna said, as she descended the stairs and stepped to the side, bowing her head in shame. “We merely reversed what our sister did, and used some of our magic to strengthen her. She is still very weak though. The alcohol doesn’t help.” Luna’s tone turned accusing on the last sentence.

Chrysalis snorted, taking another long swig from the bottle. “Yer’re the one who brought me back and didn’t bring back Evergreen. Yer don’t get a say in this.”

Luna’s ears splayed backwards, and she said quietly, “The male was too far gone...”

Raindrop rubbed a hoof against her temple in disbelief. “I don’t get it...”

“Your grandmother. She never actually died. Not before Celestia turned her to marble. Therefore, we could bring her back without too much trouble,” Luna explained, lowering her head again. “We did not wish to cause pain... but this is the only way we have of finding a solution to the threat.”

“Why now?” Raindrop asked, turning an accusing glare on the dark princess. “Why now?!”

“Because we have greater need of her,” Luna said, opening her mouth to continue, when Chrysalis cut across her.

“Why don’t yer tell her the truth?” Chrysalis asked quietly.

“The truth?” Luna asked blankly.

Chrysalis turned to look back over her shoulder her eyes flashing green a moment. “That ah was never in that cottage to begin with,” she said flatly, eyes narrowing. “That the body in the cottage wasn’t even mine.”

Raindrop stared at her grandmother for several long seconds, blinking slowly. “...r-really?”

Chrysalis gave a long laugh at that, slapping the table with a hoof. “Goodness no child!” she chuckled, and then clucked her tongue. “Ah had no idea my grandchildren would be so... gullible.”

“This is hardly a joking matter!” Raindrop scowled, her own eyes flashing green.

“Luna told me. Changelings ah back. They’re wrecking stuff. Yer got the name of their new leader, right?” Chrysalis asked brusquely.

“Chitin,” Raindrop responded automatically.

“Ahhh, Chitin... She was a very loyal changeling, that one. Ah kept her close just for that. It’s nice ter know yer’ll not get stabbed in the back by yer underlings. She was also very much against killin’,” Chrysalis said, rubbing a hoof thoughtfully against her chin. “She weren’t exactly the ambitious type, either. Not a leader... More of a follower. Probably doesn’t bode well that she’s the new queen... She wasn’t the type ter be ambitious. She wanted the changelings ter be happy as a race, and she kept trying to convince me that taking over Canterlot wasn’t the answer...”

Raindrop could stare as her own grandmother recounted her plans for taking over the capital city of Equestria in the same tone as she might discuss her apple pie recipe.

“She’s gotta have an agenda. She can’t just be takin’ the elements because. There’d have to be a bigger plan behind it. Very methodic, she was.” Chrysalis hummed to herself thoughtfully, and then went back to her scrawling.

“Chitin has taken over the Royal Palace,” Luna declared into the temporary lull in the conversation.

Sentinel stiffened, eyes widening.

A gasp behind her told Raindrop that Remedy had joined them, and she looked back over her shoulder to see Wisp lookin confused, and Firebrand looking rather flippant about the whole issue. Personally, Raindrop wasn’t sure how to feel about it. It was getting to be a bit much to take in all at once.

“That’s... definitely not like Chitin,” Chrysalis said, frowning deeply and slipping off the seat, beginning to pace slowly back and forth. “She’s not the type ter launch a full-out offensive. Though she mighta changed a bit since I last knew her.”

“We need the elements,” Luna stated.

“Yer elements, they’re just the solution to all yer problems, aren’t they?” Chrysalis accused.

Luna snorted once at the changeling. “They tend to be the most effective means of defusing a situation.”

“Raindrop, yer one of the bearers, right?” Chrysalis asked, perking an ear at her granddaughter

Raindrop recoiled slightly at that, and then she shook her head. “No, grandmother... I’m just... helping them.”

Chrysalis frowned deeply at that, stalked over to the pegasus and staring into her eyes. Raindrop withered under the stern glare. She felt that Cee--Chrysalis--, could always tell when she was lying.

“Yer lyin. Yer got a vested interest in the elements,” Chrysalis stated flatly.

“Your blood is starting to resurface!” Raindrop accused, lifting a hoof and poking Chrysalis on the nose. “It already cost me my coltfriend, and I want it gone!”

Chrysalis paused at that, raising a brow slowly, and then looking from Raindrop, to Sentinel.

“And yet... Yer got that one’s scent on yer,” Chrysalis said bluntly.

Raindrop flushed.

Chrysalis gave a soft laugh at that. “Already moved on, huh? And yer are just chasing the elements like ah did, hoping they’ll magically fix yer so yer don’t suck him dry?”

“I am immune to your kind,” Sentinel stated, stepping forwards, narrowing his eyes at the changeling.

“Whatever Chitin did to the elements removed the block on my magic,” Chrysalis said, giving Sentinel a bat of her eyelids. “So don’t go makin’ such bold claims ‘less yer willing to test em.”

“He’s a Royal Guard,” Raindrop stated flatly.,“Raised since birth to hunt down changelings.”

“Ah heard of your kind.” Chrysalis gave a faint chuckle. “Ah find it amusing that yer running with someone who was trained ter hunt us.”

“There is no us,” Raindrop said coldly, taking a step away from her grandmother.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Chrysalis asked, brows raising, her head tilting to the side slightly.

“Yes,” Raindrop stated flatly, sidestepped to stand next to Sentinel, weaving her pinions with his own.

“Yer can’t choose yer family,” Chrysalis said with a shake of her head. “But ah’m glad yer found someone, Raindrop. Now tell me, how many of the bearers have yer got?”

“We have three,” Raindrop said, motioning behind her. “The fourth is proving to be... difficult.”

“Well, yer’ll have ter go find him if yer expect them elements to do much good. Yer got leads on the other two, princess?” Chrysalis asked of Luna.

Luna nodded once. “Celestia was quite certain on who the Element of Magic bearer is, but we don’t have the actual Element of Magic in our possession.”

“Yer had all the others though, right?” Chrysalis countered, an ear perking.

“Indeed.”

“Then that’d be why Chitin attacked the palace. She done something with the elements to make its’ powers wear off on me and my kin, so she must be using em for something,” Chrysalis stated, lifting a hoof to rub at her chin again. “She wouldn’t attack the palace without having a plan. Too methodical fer that.”

“We need the Elements of Harmony,” Luna stated. “If Chitin is indeed planning something that needs the elements, then we need to take them away from her. Even if it’s just the one.”

“And the other bearers?” Chrysalis asked, raising a brow. “What yer gonna do about them?”

“I shall retrieve the magic bearer, while Raindrop and the rest infiltrate the castle and take the elements,” Luna stated firmly. “We’ll focus on the other two bearers once we have the elements safely in hoof.”

“Seems like a good plan,” Chrysalis said calmly, slipping to her hooves, stretching them out slowly in front of herself, and then tipping out the rest of her drink over the dirt floor. “Ah’m going with.”

“You’re old and weak,” Luna said with a shake of her head. “You’ll slow them down.”

Chrysalis snorted at that, and then stretched again, closing her eyes. Her entire form seemed to glow, and she stumbled a moment, before straightening up, standing just as tall as Luna now, in her ‘true’ form. Black form, sparkling, translucent wings, fangs. The Dark Queen once more. “We’re not going in there to fight.”

Chrysalis smiled, revealing her pointed fangs. “And I already know the way.”

Reconciliation

Luna scowled, looking thoughtful, before she nodded in acquiescence. “Yes... having someone who knows the routes in and out of the castle would be useful. But that is why I would have Sentinel lead the group to find the elements. As a royal guard, he would be most aware of the secret routes in and out.”

Chrysalis gave a reasonable nod at that. “Indeed. But ah know how to navigate the crystal caverns beneath Canterlot. Can you make such a claim, Sentinel?”

Sentinel scowled darkly at the changeling, standing between her and Raindrop. “I cannot. But I still wouldn’t want you coming with us.”

“That hate runs deep in this one. You realise, o’ course, that Raindrop is part changeling, do yer not?” Chrysalis asked with a soft chuckle.

“And she is trying to change what she is!” Sentinel countered, staring up at the Changeling Queen.

“And yer know my story, yes?” Chrysalis queried quietly.

“I... heard a little of it,” Sentinel said uncertainly.

Chrysalis chuckled, and then strode forward, lifting a hoof to gently stroke down the guards cheek. Sentinel recoiled in revulsion, making to push her away.

“Ah gave up being a changeling to be with Evergreen. Ah would still be Cee the unicorn if not fer what Chitin did to the elements. Or mayhaps it were Celestia who made the spell fail. Either way, I am not a changeling by choice.”

“That’s different,” Sentinel growled, eyes narrowing. “Raindrop is a pony, she doesn’t have a choice of who her family is.”

“And did I?” Chrysalis asked softly, narrowing her eyes. “Or do yer think I wanted ter be born a changeling?”

Sentinel’s ears pinned back at that, and he went quiet for a moment, before opening his mouth to protest.

A swift smack to the side of the head from Chrysalis’ hoof stunned him, quieting him.

Raindrop frowned and stepped in front of the guard, between him and her grandmother. Wisp squeaked and backed away a few steps from the violent scene, bounding up the stairs. Remedy had already seemed to have excused herself, and Firebrand was watching like a spectator at a sports event.

“Hit him again, and you’ll have to answer to me,” Raindrop said in a low growl.

“So young, so angry,” Chrysalis said with a soft sigh, and a shake of her head. “Were I but fifty years younger, I’d happily have wrestled yer to the ground and beat a submission out of yer. I had no idea my grandchildren would turn their back on their blood so easily.”

“You’re not my family!” Raindrop growled, and Sentinel rose to his hooves to stand beside her, showing a united front.

“Yer can’t choose yer family Raindrop. Yer gonna have ter come to terms with that, one way or another,” Chrysalis stated, shaking her head slowly.

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re a parasite that passed on a disease to me. Nothing more,” Raindrop stated, spitting on the ground at Chrysalis’ forehooves.

Chrysalis grit her teeth at the stinging words, looking away, closing her eyes. She didn’t respond.

“I’m glad you’re dying,” Raindrop said into the cold silence, before turning around and heading up the stairs, pushing her way past Firebrand.

Sentinel looked back and forth between the retreating form of Raindrop and her grandmother, before bounding up the stairs, following his mare.

Chrysalis sighed, hanging her head, a single teardrop making a trail down her cheek.

Raindrop paced back and forth in front of the cottage, a low growl bubbling from her throat, ears pinned back and wing half extended in a sign of strong annoyance.

“Why couldn’t she just stay dead?!” Raindrop snarled to no one in particular.

“I believe it was Luna who brought her back. Well, technically she just reversed whatever Celestia did. Chrysalis never actually died,” Remedy said, from where she was sitting beside the front door of the cottage.

“Semantics!” Raindrop hissed, stalking back and forth, hooves digging into the soft earth. “What are you doing up here anyway?!”

“Queens have always made me uncomfortable,” Remedy admitted with a half-shrug. “But Chrysalis being back isn’t such a bad thing, you know.”

“It’s bad,” Raindrop protested, pausing and lifting her hoof as though to hit something. Her eyes flashed green for a moment, and she dropped her hoof, scowling and resuming her angered pacing.

“It’s a chance to say goodbye to her, or, if she lives long enough, a chance for you to get to know her a little bit better,” Remedy suggested, an ear perking at the angered pegasus.

Raindrop growled again, refusing to respond, still pacing, growling low in her throat.

“How did you feel about Chrysalis back when she was... whoever she was before?” Remedy queried, tilting her head to one side curiously.

“Cee,” Raindrop said with another growl. “And I felt fine about her until I found out she was a complete bitch.”

The nurse nodded at that, humming faintly to herself, looking down at the ground thoughtfully. After a few moments, she looked up, and then asked, “So... Before you found she was Chrysalis, you had no problem with her?”

“She was the perfect grandmother,” Raindrop hissed, “But she’s a changeling, that’s what they do. They trick you into thinking they’re something they’re not!”

“...Don’t we all?” Remedy asked quietly.

Raindrop stared at the nurse for a long moment, incredulously. “What? If you’re going to compare us, to changelings, then I’m going to hit you.”

“Think about it, Raindrop. The perfect grandmother isn’t... well, perfect, is she?” Remedy asked, giving Raindrop a pointed stare.

Raindrop stopped in her pacing, scowling at the nurse. “Explain.”

“Did Cee ever yell at you? Did she ever hit you? Did she bake you cookies? Tell you wise wisdoms from ages long past?” Remedy asked curiously.

“I... Well no, not really. I barely even knew her apart from way back when my parents were still together. I was pretty young,” Raindrop stated with a dismissive wave of a hoof.

“But you remember she was kind, yes? You said she was the model grandmother,” Remedy pointed out.

Raindrop paused at that, and then gave a tentative nod. “I guess so.”

“So she was a good grandmother the few times you saw her?” Remedy pressed.

“Indeed,” Raindrop stated, “But I hardly see what that has to do with now.”

“Well, for starters. We all present somepony different to ourselves when we’re around others. You have to know somepony pretty well to realise who they are... Basically, whenever you meet someone, and interact with them... You’re not talking to them. You’re talking to their representative, and they naturally present the best side of the pony they’re representing,” Remedy explained, watching the pegasus closely. “Whether it be on a first date, or a grandmother doting on her grandchildren.”

“Okay, so, what?” Raindrop spat, eyes narrowing. “Cee was being a representative for Chrysalis.”

“Do you think Evergreen knew?” Remedy asked suddenly.

“What?” Raindrop asked, blinking once.

Remedy snorted. “Do you think Evergreen knew?”

“I... Honestly don’t know how he couldn’t know. But I don’t know the story. They didn’t talk much about the past,” Raindrop admitted, ears pinning back.

“And do you think Evergreen would have stayed with Cee if he thought she was evil? If you can honestly say ‘yes’, then I’ll shut up and let you go back to seething at her,” Remedy said with a shrug.

“I... I... “ Raindrop sighed and hung her head. “No. Evergreen wasn’t the kind to stand by and let an unkindness be done.”

“See, your problem is that you’re looking at it very shallowly, Raindrop. You’re looking at her as Chrysalis, not as Cee. What do you see when you looked at her?” Remedy asked, eyes narrowing at Raindrop.

A scowl crossed Raindrop’s face. “I see a changeling.”

“You want to know what I see?” Remedy asked.

“I get a feeling I’ll find out either way,” Raindrop spat.

Remedy chuckled at that, and then sobered. “I see a pony who gave up her life of power for love. I know the story, Raindrop. She gave up her entire existence to be with Evergreen. She didn’t just distance herself from her changelings, she destroyed them. And then she settled down and had kids.” Remedy paused then, and looked Raindrop up and down. “She’s the same pony you always knew. She just had a bad past. A bad past that has transcended death itself to bother her. Think back to all the bottles on that table, Raindrop. You think Luna drank all of those? Chrysalis, Cee, is drowning her sorrows with alcohol. And even though she’s hurting, she’s still trying to fix her mistakes. And all you’re doing, her granddaughter, is making it harder on her. You think she wanted to do this to you? You think that she knew this would happen? you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Raindrop’s ears pinned back slowly under the slew of chastisement, her cheeks warming and her head lowering.

“And what’s your excuse? Oh, ‘I lost my coltfriend’. And you already replaced him! It can’t have been that big a loss,” Remedy continued with a wave of her hoof. “And you still want to make things hard on her when she’s literally dying? Sweet Celestia, Raindrop. If you were my granddaughter, I’d beat the stupid out of you!”

Raindrop recoiled even further, her wings lowering and her head hanging, her ears burning with the thorough scolding.

“I... I just...”

“Do not give me that tone, young lady!” Remedy scowled, pointing a hoof at the front door of the cottage. “Now you swallow your insatiable urge to throw a tantrum, you get in there, and you reconcile with your grandmother before she dies.”

Raindrop’s head hung, if possible, even lower, as she slowly began to mince towards the front door, wings drooping.

Chrysalis was scribbling down something about changeling magic on a piece of paper when a hoof gently found her own, pausing it in its motions.

Raindrop looked up at her grandmother, noting the redness in her green eyes. She looked like she was holding back tears.

“C-Cee... I... I’m sorry,” Raindrop murmured, before quickly leaning in and wrapping her hooves around the demonic form of her grandmother.

Cee gave a faint sigh of happiness at that, biting her bottom lip and returning the hug, resting her head on her granddaughters shoulder in a hug. “Don’t bother yerself with it, child. Ah’m sorry this happened to yer.”

“It’s... It’s not your fault,” Raindrop said hesitantly, pulling back to stare up into Cee’s demonic eyes. “I guess... I guess I don’t blame you... But I just... I needed somepony to blame,” Raindrop murmured quietly.

“It’s fine, child. Ah understand. We’ll get yer fixed up. Ah’ll do everything ah can,” Cee promised, nuzzling Raindrop reassuringly.

Raindrop nodded, and then cast her gaze down at the piece of paper, to hide the inexplicable tears forming in her eyes. “I-is there anything I can do to help?”

“Ask yer coltfriend about any changes to the palace in the last fifty years or so. Ah’ll need to make sure we can get in and out without trouble. Might attract unwanted attention once we steal the elements,” Cee said with a wry grin.

Raindrop nodded, and lifted a hoof to rest on her grandmother’s shoulder for a long moment, before pulling away.

Sentinel was sitting in a chair in the cottage, perusing some pieces of paper that Cee had scribbled across: details on changeling anatomy and heirarchy.

“You heard all of that, didn’t you?” Raindrop asked quietly.

Sentinel nodded mutely.

“I... You hate her, don’t you?”

Sentinel nodded once more.

“I can’t ask you to like her... But I will ask you not to complicate things. Please, Sentinel. For me.”

Sentinel snorted at that, and chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, before sighing and nodding once. “I’ll tolerate her... but only for you.”

“Thank you, Sentinel,” Raindrop said, sliding over to him and kissing his cheek.

Remedy was still sitting out the front, humming idly to herself, when Raindrop exited the cottage, head held low.

“Well?” Remedy asked, raising a brow.

Raindrop pursed her lips, but slipped over to the nurse, wrapping her hooves around her neck in a hug, sighing and resting her nose in the other mare’s mane.

“I hate you,” Raindrop stated, shaking her head. “But... thank you.”

Remedy chuckled faintly, and then pushed Raindrop away with a hoof. “C’mon now, personal space. I’m not a big hugger.”

Raindrop nodded, and moved to turn away and head back inside.

“Fifteen bits,” Remedy said, holding out a hoof.

Raindrop looked back over her shoulder, blinking once, confused. “What?”

“Fifteen bits.” Remedy shook her hoof for punctuation, snorting once. “Told you I was gonna start charging for relationship advice.”

Schemes

Cee gave a thoughtful sound, looking down at the diagrams in front of her. The entirety of the group was ranged around her. Princess Luna, Raindrop, Sentinel (keeping careful distance from the changeling), Wisp, Remedy, and lastly, Firebrand.

Cee was formulating a plan.

“Yer say that there have been no changes ter the basement kitchens since yer training as a guard?” Cee asked over her shoulder, raising a brow at Sentinel.

Sentinel nodded once. “Indeed. I used to sneak down there for food all the time. It hasn’t changed a bit in the last decade or so.”

“That’s good,” Cee said, scribbling another line onto the piece of paper. “Now... Ah think we should separate.”

“Separate?” Raindrop asked flatly.

“Dividing forces is only useful when there are two objectives at stake,” Firebrand pointed out. “Unless you wish to create a flanking manoeuvre, which, frankly, is impossible in such close quarters.”

“We do have two objectives,” Cee responded with a shake of her head. “The Element of Harmony themselves, Chitin, and Princess Celestia.”

“What’re you on about?” Raindrop asked flatly, a feeling of foreboding making itself known to her.

“While yer all rescue the Elements of Harmony, I’m going ter go speak to Chitin. Failing that, ah will attempt ter release Princess Celestia,” Cee said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “Ah wish to know what Chitin is thinking with her crazy plans. Maybe ah can reason with her.”

Luna cleared her throat, silencing them all.

“Princess Celestia is of the same mind. She is where she wishes to be,” Luna stated.

Raindrop blinked once, an ear perking. Sentinel looked downright livid.

“You mean she wants to be a prisoner?” Raindrop asked uncertainly.

“Indeed,” Luna responded, giving a wan smile. “Celestia thinks there is a chance that discourse will solve this problem... but without an opposing party with which to broach such discourse, peace talks are rather hard to create.”

“But what can she possibly be intending to do?” Raindrop asked with a shake of her head. “They’re changelings.”

“I do not fathom my sister’s motives. But she has asked that I do not mount an attempt to rescue her, and I intend to honor her wishes,” Luna said with a sense of finality in her tone.

Raindrop snorted and shook her head.

“Either way. We must split up,” Cee said firmly.

“But why, Cee? What are you not telling us?” Raindrop queried.

Cee gave a wan smile, looking back over her shoulder at her granddaughter. “Surely yer must have noticed it... Being in yer presence, Raindrop. Ah’ve gotten stronger. Ah’m drawing energy from yer, from yer love.”

Raindrop blanched at that, wrinkling her nose and taking a step backwards. “Then stop it!”

“Yer don’t understand... It’s not something that ah can control. It’s like breathing, see? Even if ah tried ter ‘hold mah breath’, as it were, ah would still continue breathing,” Cee said with a shrug.

“But... If you’re stealing love...” Raindrop trailed off, putting two and two together.

“Eeyup,” Cee said with a sad smile. “Whatever the elements did ter me is well worn off. Ah’m back ter being a changeling.”

“Then you’re not... going to die of old age?” Raindrop queried, her ears splaying backwards, unsure what to make of the information.

“Ah don’t intend ter persist in this world. Hence, ah want yer ter leave me,” Cee said with a firm nod.

Raindrop snorted once, shaking her head. “But you’ll die.”

A soft laugh left the changeling, and she shook her head slowly. “Child... Yer just don’t get it, do yer? That’s the point. Ah want ter die. Ah’m done with this world. Without Evergreen, this world is just... It’s not bright fer me any more. It’s like all the colour been drained right out of it. None of this matters. Ah’m going ter fix mah mistake, and then I’m gone.”

Raindrop’s ears pinned back a little bit more at that, and she hung her head slightly. “But... I...”

“Child... When yer get ter be mah age, yer’ll understand. Life aint about living fer the sake of living. When yer lived everything yer need ter live, when yer done everything yer need ter do... then persistence is just selfish. Ah chose to leave this world with Evergreen. Ah failed him in that. Ah’ll not disgrace our love by choosing ter persist.”

Raindrop nodded quietly, understanding that she wasn’t going to be able to convince her grandmother away from her choices.

Cee passed over the map with a slight smile, lifting a hoof ter rest on Raindrop’s shoulder. “Ah’m proud of yer, Raindrop. Yer got thrown a curve ball by life, and yer facing it head on. There’s lotsa ponies who woulda gave up a long time ago.”

“I have good friends,” Raindrop said in a strained sort of way, giving a soft smile at her grandmother.

“Ah can see that, though ah’m not so sure about this one,” Cee said, pointing a hoof at Sentinel. “Ah can see yer two beating eachother up every time yer get into an argument.”

“We got past that point already,” Raindrop admitted. “Now we just have angry, violent sex.”

Sentinel stiffened slightly at that, Remedy rolled her eyes, and Wisp giggled.

“Atta girl,” Cee said, patting her granddaughter on the shoulder. “Now leave. Every minute yer here, is another minute ah’ll have ter spend in quiet reflection wait fer the end. Ah’m not one ter like waiting.”

Raindrop nodded, and then leaned forwards to hug the changeling, squeezing her tight. “Goodbye, Cee... I’m... glad we got to talk before... you know...”

“Ah know, ah know. Now go, yer got elements ter rescue!”

Raindrop, Sentinel, Wisp, Remedy, and Firebrand all walked up the path toward Canterlot. Raindrop held the map, inspecting it. Wisp was checking over her improvised explosive devices, Firebrand was flexing her wings, and Sentinel was stretching his fore and hind legs, getting ready for a workout.

“So what’s the plan?” Sentinel queried Raindrop.

“Well, these scribbles tell me how to get into the crystal chambers beneath the palace. From there, we break into the kitchen, knock out some changelings, and then head up to the Hall of Harmony, steal the elements back, and then we fly away. Anything else, we just wing it.”

“Winging it seems to be our favorite plan, doesn’t it?” Sentinel asked with a shake of his head.

“It’s the one that works,” Raindrop replied with a grin, nuzzling against Sentinel’s cheek gently as they walked.

“You guys fine with this plan?” Sentinel asked over his shoulder.

Wisp shrugged noncommittally, Remedy nodded once, and Firebrand snorted, rebuking, “I would have to be presented with an actual plan before weighing in judgement one way or another.”

“We have no idea what we’re walking in to. I’m going to assume that Cee will distract Chitin with whatever she’s going to do... Chitin will be just as surprised as we were. We’ll take back the elements. By the time we get back, Luna should have retrieved the doctor, and the bearer for magic. Then we just need to find loyalty, and then go and whoop Chitin’s ass back to wherever she came from,” Raindrop said confidently.

“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds easy,” Remedy said sarcastically.

“She hasn’t taken into account the law of probability. Whatever can fuck up, will,” Firebrand said with a shake of her head.

“I have improvised explosives for if we come up against a locked door!” Wisp said with a happy bounce. “I don’t even mind if you accidentally lock it so that it needs to be blown open!”

“Those are safe, right?” Remedy asked cautiously, taking a step away from the smaller griffon.

Wisp giggled again. “As safe as a sleeping dragon! Which is pretty safe if you don’t wake them up, uh-huh.”

“That’s what I thought,” Remedy said, taking another step away, bumping into Firebrand.

Firebrand huffed, pushing the nurse with a hoof, sending her stumbling back towards Wisp.

Raindrop turned around, stopping and growling at the three of them. “Alright, children, do you think you can possibly keep it together long enough for us to get this done?!”

“If Wisp doesn’t blow us up,” Firebrand stated immediately.

“If you keep that thing away from me,” Remedy said, pointing at Firebrand and scowling.

“If I don’t blow us up!” Wisp squeaked in affirmation, nodding earnestly.

Raindrop rolled her eyes once, huffing and turning to face the front again.

“This is going to go spectacularly wrong, isn’t it?” Sentinel asked of Raindrop.

Raindrop nodded once, sighing. “So spectacularly wrong.”

Interim

“You seriously intend to alter past events?” Celestia asked, a slight frown visible on her face.

The princess was bound in place by a sticky green resinous substance that the changelings had produced, immobilising her at her hooves, and encasing her horn, preventing her from performing magic.

“Indeed,” Chitin stated dismissively, looking down at the Elements of harmony. All six of them lay before her, spread out on a white cotton sheet. They were still grey and stony, inactive.

“And how do the Elements of Harmony factor into this?” Celestia queried, perking an ear.

“I intend to use them as foci, to increase the range of the time magic. It has been many years,” Chitin replied calmly.

Celestia nodded gently. “Indeed it has. Many years have passed.”

Chitin didn’t respond, looking down at the elements, and then dragging a book closer to herself, reading from the pages.

“You understand that time magic is a dangerous thing, yes?” Celestia asked, a note of worry in her tone.

“I understand the risks,” Chitin said with a wave of a hoof.

“And yet you would still risk your life for Chrysalis?” Celestia asked, frowning deeply.

“I will rectify her mistake. And we will be together again as Queen and Servant,” Chitin stated calmly. “Testing my conviction is pointless.”

“But why now?” Celestia asked after a moment. “When you have had the elements in your possession for so long?”

“I did not have your library at my disposal, and I intend for you to help me, princess,” Chitin replied with an eerie grin.

Celestia snorted, shaking her head. “I will not help you in this.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have much choice,” Chitin responded calmly. “If you help me go back... then much of what has transpired between our two races can be erased.”

“The past is not to be meddled with,” Celestia stated flatly. “Good rarely comes of it.”

“I’m afraid that that is not up to you,” Chitin scowled, waving her hoof again. She tapped her hoof rather firmly against the floor, calling out, “Spike! Come!”

Celestia turned to the door, her eyes narrowing, watching as the young dragon ambled through and into the room, making his way over towards the changeling queen, casting a single furtive look toward Celestia.

“Spike...” Celestia murmured, her ears splaying.

“My Queen?” Spike asked, bowing slightly.

He had grown much since Celestia had last seen him. He was now as tall as a regular pony, but he should have been much larger.

“Activate the elements, if you will,” Chitin said, motioning towards the orbs.

Spike nodded, stepping past Chitin and stroking each orb in turn, causing it to glow and then shift, beginning to shine.

“Ahhh, so you use Spike to overcome the problem of the bearers. How clever,” Celestia stated.

Chitin gave a smug smile. “I believe that he has spent enough time around their previous bearers that he is capable of handling them.”

“Don’t attempt this, Chitin,” Celestia implored, shaking her head slowly. “I do not wish to see you hurt yourself.”

Chitin scowled, baring her teeth a moment. “Do not lie so brazenly to me, Celestia. I have the upper hoof here.”

“I am not lying,” Celestia rebuked, eyes narrowing on the Changeling Queen. “I wish for our two races to co-exist, if it is possible.”

“We will never co-exist when your kind views us as a parasite! Or an influence to be removed,” Chitin growled, waving her hoof dismissively. “Quiet your overactive mouth princess, I must concentrate.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head, looking up at Spike and Chitin, before laying her head on her bound hooves and closing her eyes, contenting herself to wait.

Stardancer was long gone by the time her cell door was opened. It had taken careful planning, or, as it were with her, careful forethought. Her first tool was a hairpin, pilfered from a guard as he slept after ‘accidentally’ slipping on a splat of saliva that had ‘somehow’ made it onto the floor where he was walking.

With a few careful twists, Stardancer was able to fashion the hairpin into exactly the right shape to hide along her windowsill, and with a few more quick twists, made it into an effective pressure tool. It took but a single twist and press to pop the window open, and allow her to squeeze out and into the cool afternoon air.

The second part of her plan was the faint morse code ‘S.O.S’ she had been ‘unconsciously’ tapping out on the floor with her hooves. It didn’t alert anyone to help her, but it did remind a certain orderly of his days in the Foal Scouts. It had made him distracted at home at a crucial moment, and he had seriously insulted his wife. As a kind of apology, he had scheduled a date with her that evening. He was too busy checking his watch and worrying about his coming ‘date’ to notice the faint sounds of Stardancer opening her window and slipping out of the building. And then, Stardancer was free.

By the time the orderlies noticed she was gone, it was far, far too late.

With a careful hiding of one of her tablets, and an afternoon of sheer torture as time itself poked at her brain, Stardancer had a single tablet to sate her insanity with once everything was over. Despite being able to see the future, her own future was muddled. She knew she needed to be at a palace, to modulate what was to come. She needed to be there to ensure that all the key points happened the right way, so that many hundreds of ponies didn’t die in the future she foresaw. But every time she looked ahead, events became impossible to view, because she was a part of them. By viewing her own future, she changed it. Her own future was never certain.

Pinning down her own future was like trying to hold onto a nightmare tentacle. It was constantly writhing and twisting. And no matter how hard she pinned it down, it writhed out of her grip and moved along a different path. By viewing her future, she automatically changed it. The one time she had tried to view her future, the one time she had really concentrated on it, she had blacked out. It had been three days before conscious thought returned to her.

A hard learned lesson.

So Stardancer didn’t try to anticipate this future. She contented herself with being able to steer it, by being there. She wasn’t certain on what would happen with her involvement, but she knew what would happen without it. And that was not something she could allow to happen.

Strange reflections shone all around the four ponies and the single griffon. The torch that Sentinel held cast a strange, flickering light over everything, causing strange shadows and pinpricks of light to dance across the walls of the cavern as the flame’s light bounced off the crystals. It was a surreal place, and strange. None of them had seen anything like it before.

“What do you think they needed all these crystals for?” Firebrand whispered.

“I have no idea,” Remedy admitted, her tone likewise hushed.

Wisp stared up at the pink crystals, glancing from one to the other. “Preeeeetty. Can I keep one? Pleeeease?”

Raindrop frowned a moment, shaking her head back at the griffin. “They’re bigger than your entire body. Don’t be silly.”

“But I’d polish it and love it and everything!” Wisp protested, giving a faint whine.

“The answer is no,” Sentinel said sternly.

Raindrop snuffed a laugh, nudging Sentinel’s neck with her hooves. “You’re going to make a great father one day,” she crooned.

“And you are going to emotionally traumatise any child you spend more than five minutes with,” Sentinel responded immediately, kissing Raindrop on her cheek.

“Awww, you’re just saying that,” Raindrop cooed, nudging the guard once and then pointing ahead with her nose. “I say we just fly over that gap. I’m sure me, you, and Firebrand can support Remedy across the gap.”

“Are you sure Firebrand won’t drop her?” Sentinel muttered, his voice low.

“By accident? No,” Raindrop said confidently, “On purpose though...”

“What’re you two mumbling about?” Remedy asked suddenly.

“We’re pondering on what design would work best to launch you across that chasm,” Raindrop said, pointing ahead. “What with you not having wings and all.”

“Trebuchet, I’d say,” Sentinel affirmed, nodding once. “But Raindrop here is partial to the old-fashioned catapult. I keep trying to tell her that the catapult has too high a flight angle, but will she listen? Noooo.”

“What.” Remedy snorted once, stamping a hoof. “I will not climb into medieval siege weaponry.”

“We’re going to fly you across,” Raindrop corrected with a shake of her head. “Geeze, gullible much?”

Remedy flustered a moment, while Wisp and Firebrand both giggled.

Remedy rounded on Firebrand, staring at her. “Did you just... giggle?”

“I did no such thing,” Firebrand stated with a shake of her head. “I gave a slight chuckle. I am not girly enough to giggle.”

“Enough!” Raindrop said, shaking her head slowly. “Firebrand. You’re not going to drop Remedy, are you?”

“Not on purpose,” Firebrand stated immediately. “...Unless I feel a particularly strong surge of dislike for her. But I tend to be able to control my murderous impulses.”

“Good enough for me,” Raindrop said, turning back to the chasm. “Not afraid of heights, are you, Remedy?”

Remedy snorted and tossed her mane. “I’ve slept on enough clouds in my time.”

“Very good, I’ll get the right, Firebrand can get the left. And Sentinel, you can fly underneath her to catch her if we fall. And if I catch you peeking at her, I’m going to feed you to Chitin myself, understood?” Raindrop asked.

“Yes, mistress,” Sentinel said, saluting with a grin.

The three pegasus moved into position around the earth pony. Remedy looked a little bit unsure about it all.

“Don’t worry, Remedy. It’s just like falling!” Wisp squeaked enthusiastically. “Falling without going anywhere!”

“That is so reassuring!” Remedy growled.

The nurse didn’t have time to say anything else, as Sentinel, Firebrand, and Raindrop all herded her towards the edge of the chasm, leaping out over it and taking hold of the earth pony, supporting her between them all across to the other side.

Wisp watched them go, head tilting to the side slightly.

As they landed on the other side, Raindrop caught Sentinel’s attention, and in a few moments, they had returned to get Wisp, ferrying her to the other side as well.

“Forgot I couldn’t fly, huh?” Wisp accused the two pegasi, casting her one-eyed gaze from one to the other.

Raindrop gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah, kinda. But we’re here now.”

“I was waiting for Raindrop to say something, honest,” Sentinel said with a nod.

Wisp giggled and shook her head, before pointing on ahead. “C’mon! The sooner we get into the castle, the sooner I can find something to blow up!”

Confrontation

The four ponies and single griffon crept quietly through the castle, heading for the Hall of Harmony.

“I think that you winged ponies should take the elements and run,” Wisp whispered, looking around intently, ears perking, listening carefully.

“A sound plan if we are discovered,” Firebrand stated with a single nod. “Between the three of us, we should be able to carry all six.”

“And what about us?” Remedy asked with a faint snort.

Raindrop looked back for a moment, frowning. “I’m sure it won’t come to that.”

A shadow began to grow on the wall in the hallway, and all five of them ducked back around a corner to wait as a Royal Guard ambled down the passage, his face expressionless.

“Changeling?” Raindrop asked quietly.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sentinel admitted, frowning deeply. “How do we even know they have all the elements here?”

“Classic evil villain logic. Put all your eggs in one basket, that kinda thing,” Raindrop said with a confident nod.

Firebrand paused at that. “You realise, of course, that evil villains generally have no logic, yes?”

“I know!” Raindrop snapped, snorting one. “C’mon. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can leave.”

With that, Raindrop began to lead the way towards the Hall of Harmony. All five of them kept low to the ground and pressed against the walls, making themselves as inconspicuous as possible. The palace was mostly deserted though, except for the occasional patrolling guard. It was eerie, and quiet.

“Spike,” Celestia murmured.

The young dragon frown, the frills on his head that passed as ears flattening backwards. He was what Celestia would classify as a ‘teenage’ dragon now, and when standing straight up, he was on her eye level. Chitin had left a few minutes previously, leaving the princess and dragon alone.

“What?” Spike asked, growling faintly in the back of his throat.

Celestia paused, looking the dragon up and down. “...Why are you doing this? Why are you helping Chitin assault the palace?”

“Chitin didn’t assault the palace,” Spike replied calmly, shaking his head. “She harmed none of your guards. Even though it would have been easier for her to just kill them outright.”

“You’re avoiding my question,” Celestia said firmly, her eyes narrowing.

Spike frowned at that, heaving a soft sigh. “...You wouldn’t understand, Celestia.”

Celestia snuffed a laugh at that, shaking her head. “What would I not understand?”

“It wasn’t fair,’ Spike said immediately, frowning, staring down at his paws. “It took me so long to grow up enough for Rarity to want me... and we had so little time together...”

“You mean to tell me that I wouldn’t understand love?” Celestia asked flatly, her eyes narrowing slowly.

“What do you know of love?!” Spike demanded to know, rising to his paws and pointing at her, gesticulating wildly. “In all these years, you never even looked sideways at another pony!”

“And you presume that this means I feel nothing?” Celestia scowled, her gaze hardening.

“Given the evidence, yes!” Spike spat, huffing and turning away.

Celestia scowled deeply, working her hooves slowly in anger, stretching the goopy resin holding them in place. After several long, tense moment, she said quietly, “And what of Twilight? What of her final days, Spike? Who was at her bedside the entire time?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Spike asked, rounding on the princess, growling.

“You say I know nothing of love... I loved Twilight. You must know that,” Celestia replied, tossing her mane once and snorting.

“And yet you never spent time with her! Or is that what you think love is?” Spike accused, pointing with a claw towards her personal quarters, “All those friendship reports pinned to your walls?”

“You know why I didn’t get close to her, Spike. You should know that better than any other,” Celestia replied quietly, staring down at her hooves, grinding her teeth. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she was trying to hold back tears.

Spike growled, beginning to pace back and forth, hugging himself. “I... Just... It hurts so much...” Spike pleaded with the princess, his tone becoming helpless. “Chitin can... she can let me hold her again. She can make it stop hurting, even just for a little while... Can you look me in the eye and say that you wouldn’t do anything to just hold Twilight in your hooves again, even just for an hour?”

Celestia looked up at the young dragon for a long moment, and then back down at her hooves. “...I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t.”

Raindrop scowled deeply. The room that had previously held the elements, now held only a set of empty stands where the elements should be sitting.

“I feel as though I should have anticipated this,” Raindrop stated quietly.

“Felt too easy and yet you still walked right into it?” Chitin said from the doorway behind them.

The four ponies and the griffon all rounded on the changeling queen, looking surprised. Chitin merely laughed, shaking her head. “Did you really think you’d make it all the way through the castle without any of my changelings knowing?”

“I was kinda hoping,” Raindrop admitted, her ears splaying backwards. She made a quick motion with a hoof, towards Wisp, mouthing ‘explosions’ to the young griffon.

Wisp nodded once, and then began to slide a paw down towards her chest pouch.

“I’d prefer if I didn’t have to knock you all unconscious,” Chitin said with an airy wave of a hoof.

“You and what army?” Remedy scowled, taking a step forwards.

“My army,” Chitin stated, making a motion. The other door to the room opened, and a dozen or so Royal Guards filed in, forming a circle around the group, with spears pointing inwards.

Raindrop frowned deeply, her ears splaying backwards. “Well, this... kinda sucks.”

“Indeed,” Chitin said with a wry grin, waving a hoof. “Come, you lot. We have business in the library.”

Wisp looked sideways at Raindrop, her eyes motioning towards the small black objects she held in her paw. Raindrop shook her head imperceptibly. Wisp frowned, but palmed the objects back into her pouch.

Chitin paused a moment, staring down at the diminutive griffon, before holding out her hoof. “Pass it over.”

Wisp splayed her ears, but passed over her pouch and its improvised explosive contents, giving a soft huff.

Raindrop shook her head slowly as they were all herded towards the door. “Any idea on what to do?” Raindrop asked of Sentinel, finding herself pushed up against him.

“Not a one,” Sentinel replied, shaking his head. “It would seem they were waiting for us to try and take the elements back.”

“We did kinda walk straight into the trap,” Raindrop said with a growl, stamping a hoof against the ground. “It was stupid to think they wouldn’t have moved them.”

“All we can do is wait,” Sentinel stated, shaking his head and nuzzling his nose against her cheek gently. “Something will come up, we’ll have a chance to escape.”

“I sure hope so,” Raindrop whispered, as all five of them were marched down the hallway towards the palace library. “Last time we were here, she tried to kill us.”

“I remember. Vividly.” Sentinel shook his head, frowning deeply.

Raindrop turned to peer at Wisp, and Wisp gave her a wide grin, revealing the small black object she had managed to conceal in her beak.

“Stop stepping so close!” Firebrand snarled, turning and pushing at Remedy suddenly, sending her stumbling into the guard walking beside her.

Remedy scowled, rounding on the pegasus to argue with her, but Firebrand was already in motion.

Firebrand leapt backwards, backwinging hard to lift herself off the ground. She came down almost perfectly balanced on the back of the two guards behind them, her forehooves coming down hard on the backs of their heads. The two guards crumpled, one of them knocked out instantly, while the other was momentarily stunned by the attack.

As the guards around them turned to face the new threat, Firebrand picked up one of the spears and sidestepped, leaping nimbly from the crumpling forms of the two guards. She landed on splayed legs, holding the spear in front of her, between her and the guards, a wild grin on her face.

“I warn you!” Firebrand cried, brandishing the spear fiercely, “I am trained in martial weaponry!”

Chitin scowled and turned around, regarding the pegasus for a long moment. A simple lowering of her head sent a green bolt of magic from her horn. Firebrand tried to leap over the approaching magical bolt, but it swerved to hit her, smashing into her chest and sending the pegasus tumbling backwards in a puff of displaced feathers, her spear clattering to the ground.

Sentinel and Raindrop both stared, pausing in their motions, as they had both been about to assault the guards besides them.

“Are any more of you going to do anything stupid?” Chitin asked simply, raising a brow.

Raindrop, Sentinel, Wisp and Remedy all shook their heads vigorously.

“Very good. You two,” Chitin pointed, “Drag her along with us, you,” she pointed at another guard, and then at the unconscious guard,” take him to the barracks, wake him up.”

Firebrand was still unconscious when she was dragged into the library and dumped unceremoniously in front of the Elements of Harmony. They sat in a rough circle, surrounded by various books opened to pages containing pictures of magical spells and mathematical formulas.

Chitin moved to stand in front of the elements. Her guards all stood around the borders of the library, too far away for the ponies to attack them without finding themselves on the point of a spear, but too close for them to run away without worry of being caught. The few windows in the room were made of stained glass with metal outlines, meaning that attempting to fly through them would be a painful process.

“What do you want?” Raindrop asked, squaring her stance and staring up at the Changeling Queen defiantly.

“Why, I want your help, of course,” Chitin stated with an eerie smile.

“And why would we help you?” Raindrop asked, scowling deeply.

“I’ll never help you,” Sentinel affirmed, shaking his head slowly, moving to stand beside Raindrop, showing the queen a united front.

“You will help me, because it will help you,” Chitin stated, looking at both of them with a sly smile. “I intend to create a time bridge. I will return to a time before the wedding, and convince Chrysalis not to go through with her plans. She will never be defeated,” Chitin said silkily.

The queen turned to Raindrop, “You, Chrysalis is your grandmother, correct?”

Raindrop nodded uncertainly.

“And your changeling blood is a constant point of contention, yes?” Chitin asked with a sly grin.

“I... I guess so...” Raindrop murmured.

Chitin waved a hoof. “If I stop Chrysalis from ever meeting Evergreen, then you will not have changeling in your blood, correct?”

Raindrop pondered on that for a long moment, her ears lowering. “I... I... You’re right...”

Sentinel scowled deeply, staring at Raindrop. “You can’t possibly be thinking-”

“And you, Sentinel,” Chitin said with a slowly growing smile. “Your comrades tell me interesting things about you... about your past.”

Sentinel turned to the queen, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t you dare speak of my par-”

Chitin cut him off by placing a hoof carefully against his muzzle. “What if the wedding takeover never happened? Your mother wouldn’t have been injured, and you would still have a family, correct?”

Sentinel scowled deeply, his ears splaying backwards as well. He shook his head vigorously. “I’ll never help you. I’ll never help you, you filthy beast.”

“Sentinel...” Raindrop whispered, pleading gently. “I... Just... She’s got a point...”

“You can’t be serious,” Sentinel stated flatly. “After all we’ve been through, you’re just going to help her?”

“I’m considering it!” Raindrop retorted, her ears pinning back. “We could be together. We could be happy...”

“I’m happy with what I have,” Sentinel said flatly, shaking his head once, “If that’s not enough for you, then-”

Chitin cut him off again, placing her hoof over his mouth.

Sentinel’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and he growled, pushing her hoof away. “I swear, if you don’t stop cuttin-”

Chitin giggled and placed her hoof over his mouth again.

Sentinel looked absolutely livid, gritting his teeth, grinding them together.

“I can see why you have so much affection for this one,” Chitin told Raindrop, before turning to Wisp and Remedy. “I admit, I know very little of you two... or of your fifth member. The simple point is, you will cooperate with me. Spike cannot wield the elements, he can merely activate them. I need all of you to cooperate, and I have ways far less pleasant than simple talking to convince you.”

Remedy and Wisp exchanged uneasy glances.

“I will gain your cooperation, be it by force or coercion. I do not wish to harm any of you, but-”

“Bullshit,” Raindrop interjected. “You were going to have us killed!”

“Because it served my purpose!” Chitin scowled, eyes narrowing at the pegasus. “You knew of my existence. I did not wish to accelerate my plans too far. I wanted to wait for Celestia to have five of the bearers before I attacked. But it turns out that you are not as susceptible to the hive mind as I had hoped.”

“Hive mind?” Raindrop asked blankly.

“Yes, the hive mind,” Chitin responded with a dismissive wave of a hoof. “Were you susceptible, I would have bent you to my will and you would have carried out my plans.”

“Glad I didn’t inherit that then,” Raindrop stated, wrinkling her nose.

“Indeed,” Chitin stated, snorting once. “Either way, I do not wish to harm any of you... but I will.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes, “Oh, well, as long as you don’t really mean it-”

“Silence!” Chitin snarled, her horn glowing dangerously. Raindrop fell silent, her ears splaying back.

“Ah’m disappointed in all of yer,” Chrysalis stated as she pushed open the library door, stepping inside neatly. “Yer let herself get caught, Raindrop, and yer being daft, Chitin.”

The whole room fell quiet.

“C-Chrysalis?” Chitin whispered, her eyes wide.

Chrysalis nodded once, giving a sly grin. “In the flesh, Chitin.”

“B-but you’re dead,” Chitin protested, looking bewildered.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you she was still alive?” Raindrop asked, perking an ear, “Shoulda mentioned that, probably.”

Chrysalis strode towards the centre of the room. All eyes watched her, and several of the changeling guards tightened their grips on their spears.

“Ah’ve been listening fer a while now, Chitin. Ah’m here now. So maybe yer can convince me yerself exactly why yer don’t want me ter meet mah Evergreen?” Chrysalis stated, coming to stand in front of her. Raindrop looked back and forth between the two Changeling Queens. They looked like a mirror image.

“I... But...” Chitin stated, taking a step backwards, accidentally knocking over one of the elements, sending it rolling away to knock against a bookshelf.

“Yer must have practised yer speech, Chitin,” Chrysalis said with a sly smile. “Come, debate me.”

“You killed your changelings!” Chitin snarled, taking a step forwards, lifting a hoof as though to hit the other queen. “You turned your back on us! You’re not Chrysalis! You’re just something that Chrysalis became!”

“Ah don’t believe yer in a position ter be saying that,” Chrysalis said emotionlessly, disregarding the lifted hoof. “Yer never been in love.”

“Changeling don’t fall in love!” Chitin snarled, dropping her hoof and beginning to pace back and forth in front of Chrysalis, her wings stiffened and her horn glowing as though she was just itching to attack her.

“That’s what yer believe,” Chrysalis said with a shake of her head.

Chitin paused, and then rounded on Chrysalis, poking her nose with her hoof. “You were brainwashed! You were weak and gave in!”

“Ah was not weak,” Chrysalis replied, her lips growing thin.

“Then why did you turn your back on us?! Why did you turn your back on me?!” Chitin snarled, her horn glistening with green magic as she bared her teeth in anger. Raindrop and Sentinel cautiously began to back away from the queen, wary of an impending attack.

“It was the hardest thing ah ever did,” Chrysalis said softly, looking down at her hooves, shaking her head sadly. “But Evergreen was worth it. My life was worth it.”

“What about the hive?! You always told me that the good of the hive came before everything else!” Chitin snarled, her tone carrying notes of pain and betrayal.

“Ah did what was best fer the hive,” Chrysalis stated.

Chitin’s eyes narrowed, and she took several deep, angered breaths. “You killed them!”

“It was fer the best,” Chrysalis replied simply.

“How is killing them the best option?!”

Chrysalis paused at that, and then sighed once, shaking her head. “Because there was none ter lead them, Chitin. Yer know what changelings are like without the hive mind to bind them... we had no one ter take over the position of queen. Ah wasn’t going ter let mah changelings become prisoners and die of starvation... Ah wasn’t going to let them become murderers.”

Chitin scowled deeply, her ears pinning backwards. “You were brainwashed, it’s the only possible explanation.”

“Ah was never brainwashed, Chitin,” Chrysalis said sharply, eyes narrowing at the other changeling. “Yer know, there’s a way yer can be certain.”

Chitin recoiled at that, her ears splaying, shaking her head vigorously. “It’s a trick!”

“Ah won’t influence yer in any way... Ah’ll just show yer what ah experienced,” Chrysalis soothed.

“N-no! I won’t allow it! You’re brainwashed!” Chitin cried, taking a step back from Chrysalis, a single tear marking the black of her cheeks.

“Ah’m not brainwashed,” Chrysalis said, taking another step forwards, and then another, advancing on the other queen. “Defend yerself if yer truly think ah intend ter harm yer.”

“G-guards!” Chitin called, trying to retreat. Chrysalis bounded after her, as the room exploded into motion.

Sentinel and Raindrop both leapt towards the two queens, intersecting the three guards that were attempting to come between Chrysalis and Chitin. Wisp popped her beak open and dropped the improvised explosive device onto her paw, twisting it and then hurling it away, covering her ears and closing her eyes.

Remedy shied away from the action, and as Wisp threw the little device, her eyes widened and she took cover as well, likewise covering her ears and closing her eyes.

A blinding flash lit the room, following by the explosive of sound so loud that it caused literally put the guards off balance, sending them stumbling the ground. Raindrop, Sentinel, the two queens and the guards were far enough away that they weren’t adversely affected. Raindrop tackled her guard to the ground, while Sentinel tackled one of the other guards, and managed to tangle with the hooves of the next, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.

The five of them tumbled and wrestled, while Chrysalis tried to get close to Chitin, forcing the queen to return towards the back of the library.

“D-don’t make me defend myself!” Chitin snarled, her horn glowing as she squared off against Chrysalis.

“You doubt me?!” Chitin snarled, a green glow building in her horn. As Chitin lowered her head, the window above her smashed. A hoof-sized stone smashed down across her brow, sending a slick of green blood spilling from a gash as the changeling stumbled, stunned.

Chrysalis took the momentary break to lunge forwards and lock horns with the queen.

Chitin’s eyes widened as Chrysalis’ horn glowed. Chitin stiffened and gasped, baring her teeth, her delicate wings quivering and fluttering for a moment, before she recoiled with another gasp and just collapsed.

Almost instantly, all motion inside the library stopped. The guards wrestling with Raindrop and Sentinel stiffened and then rolled free, standing at attention. Raindrop and Sentinel scrambled to their hooves, squaring their stances, ready to fight again.

Everything got quiet, bar for the sound of Stardancer overbalancing in the tree outside and falling out of it, landing on her rump with a loud curse.

Chitin stared up at Chrysalis, recoiling from the hive-mind that Chrysalis had forced her to establish. Chrysalis had given her memories. So many, many memories. They were overwhelming in their intensity, and it was all Chitin could do to maintain coherent thought.

Images of lying with Evergreen and watching the snow fall out the window; Writing a book with the woodspony; swimming with him in the gentle stream; lazing with him as she watched the nightflowers bloom and puff their luminescent pollen into the air; all of this and more crashed through Chitin’s mind, bringing tears to her eyes as she tried to comprehend the enormity of the emotions behind the images.

“Yer see?” Chrysalis asked smugly.

Chitin’s ears splayed backwards as she was forced to understand, and she recoiled, backing away, looking about with wide eyes. “O-oh no... I-I’ve made a mistake...”

Chrysalis nodded gently at the queen.

“L-lead the changelings, take them and run!” Chitin ordered Chrysalis, pointing with a shaking hoof towards the door. “I’ll distract Celestia... I’ll... I’ll do something!”

Chrysalis shook her head gently, lifting a hoof to lightly touch at Chitin’s cheek. “Chitin... Mah time here is over. You are the queen now.”

Chitin shook her head rapidly. “B-but I’ve revealed us! It was going to be okay. I could fix it if I made the time bridge... I... But... Help me make a time bridge! Help me go back to before I revealed us!”

Once more, Chrysalis shook her head. “Chitin, stop. The time bridge is a stupid, childish thing ter attempt. Even the most accomplished unicorn’s could barely control them. Yer’ll kill yourself, and we’ll be worse off. Yer can still fix this though...”

Chitin covered her ears with her hooves, rocking back and forth slightly. “No I can’t! I revealed us! Celestia will hunt us down to the ends of the earth now she knows we’re here!”

Chrysalis stepped closer to the queen, gently sliding Chitin’s hooves from over her ears. “Listen ter me, Chitin. Yer are their queen. They’ll follow yer. Even if they’ve all attained singularity from having the hive mind severed, they’re still loyal to yer. Running won’t work any more, so what’s the last option yer have open to yer?”

“We take over!” Chitin said confidently.

Chrysalis slowly shook her head again. “No, Chitin. That won’t work. Yer know better than that. We rely on love fer power. Yer’ll never get love if yer try to use strength ter get it. What did ah teach yer?”

“Cunning before strength...” Chitin whispered. “Peace before war.”

“Yer’ll just have ter convince Celestia that our kind can be trusted,” Chrysalis said with a sad smile.

“B-but that’ll never happen! We’ll be destroyed!” Chitin protested, looking small and alone.

“Yer’ll be destroyed if yer try ter run or yer try ter take over. Yer must know that,” Chrysalis said gently. “It’s time fer us ter stop hiding in the shadows.”

“I’m not a leader...” Chitin said quietly. “I was just... just holding the position until I could get you back...”

“Ah’m not coming back,” Chrysalis said flatly, shaking her head, and then nudging the other queen soothingly. “It’s up to yer ter lead the changelings now. Take yer place as queen. And as queen, yer gotta make the hard decisions.”

“I’m scared...” Chitin whispered. “I just wanted you back...”

“Ah’m sorry ah abandoned yer, Chitin. Yer were my first choice fer queen if ah had to leave... But that’s in the past now. Make the right choice, Chitin.” With that, Chrysalis turned away, walking past the silent guards. Raindrop looked between Chrysalis and the impassive guards.

“What happened?!” Raindrop asked, looking back and forth between the two queens.

Chrysalis didn’t reply, and Chitin raised a hoof, pointing at the door, still staring down at her hooves. “L-leave,” Chitin said flatly. “Leave before I change my mind.”

Raindrop looked back and forth again, and Sentinel gave her a bewildered look. Wisp shrugged, and Remedy looked distracted, rubbing at her head and temple, looking drained. Raindrop assumed that she had been hit by the improvised explosive.

Raindrop slipped over to the prone form of Firebrand, and shook her until the pegasus awoke, blinking slowly up at the ceiling.

“C’mon!” Raindrop hissed, dragging the pegasus into a standing position, and then leading all four of them out the door of the library, moving after Chrysalis.

Chrysalis was collapsed in the hallway, her breathing shallow, eyes closed and wings limp.

“Cee!?” Raindrop squeaked, bolting over to the fallen changeling and wrapping her hooves around her, trying to pick her up. “C’mon! Before Chitin comes to her senses!”

The changeling queen gave a wry smile at that, opening a single eye to peer at her granddaughter. “Ah’m already leaving.”

“N-no, c’mon, we gotta go,” Raindrop protested, tugging at the queens neck firmly.

“It’s too late fer me, child,” Chrysalis said with a gentle shake of her head. “Ah used the last of mah energy showing Chitin what ah experienced.”

“Y-you’re dying?” Raindrop asked, ears splaying backwards, a whine building in her throat.

“Ah’ve been dying since ah was brought back here...” Chrysalis said weakly. “But ah’m content... ah got ter maybe convince Chitin ter help mah kind live peacefully.” Chrysalis gave a strained smile and lifted a hoof to rest on Raindrop’s shoulder. “One of mah changeling’s is even a bearer of an element... Ah couldn’t be happier.”

“B-but...” Raindrop drew back a little bit, sniffling. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Too late, child,” Chrysalis said with a sad smile, her head drooping to rest on her forehooves. “Stick around, Raindrop. Yer a link between ponies and changelings... ah suspect that yer’ll have some part ter play if Chitin doesn’t murder yer all. Her changelings will have developed personality by now, they get more self-aware the longer they go without a hive mind ter lead em, so make sure that Celestia sweeps the population centres fer changelings that’re hiding.”

Raindrop opened her mouth to say something, but Chrysalis stopped her. “Don’t interrupt, Raindrop. It’s rude. There was something else ah had ter say... Somethin... Ah don’t... Everythin’s all hazy...” Chrysalis trailed off, and then fixed Raindrop with a determined stare. “Don’t let Celestia kill the changelings. They deserve a chance ter prove themselves. And bury me with Evergreen. If yer bury me elsewhere, ah’ll haunt the living shit out of yer.”

Raindrop nodded shakily at that. “I will Cee, I promise.”

Chrysalis didn’t answer.

Raindrop blinked once, and then gently nudged the queen with her nose. “C-cee?”

But she was already gone.

Raindrop lifted a shaking hoof to gently close her grandmother’s eyes, laying her nose against the queen’s cheek and sniffling, holding back tears as she began to rock back and forth.

Remedy cautiously stepped closer to her, and then hugged the pegasus from behind, soothing her.

Sentinel, Wisp, and Firebrand could only watch as Raindrop dissolved into tears, cradling the head of her dead grandmother.

Confession

Celestia and Spike both looked up as Chitin pushed the door open, her head lowered and ears pinned back. “I... I... Spike. Leave us.”

Spike looked from Celestia, to Chitin, and then pushed himself to his feet, stepping out of the room and closing the door.

Chitin stared at the princess, biting her bottom lip uncertainly.

“So it has come to this,” Celestia stated, watching the queen impassively.

“Indeed, it has...” Chitin stated, looking down at the princess with a sad expression. “Chrysalis forced me to reinstate the hive mind... all my changelings will be here soon.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Celestia asked guardedly. “And Chrysalis? I thought I might have been a bit hasty in my appraisal of her passing...”

“Indeed. She was alive... was,” Chitin said, head lowering further.

“If you’ve come looking for sympathy, you’ll not get it,” Celestia stated with a shake of her head.

Chitin sighed faintly, and then took a deep, steadying breath. “I...I’ve not come for sympathy. I’ve come to ask... for forgiveness.”

Celestia raised a brow.

The Changeling Queen stepped forwards, her horn glowing. She directed a bolt of energy at the princess, which shattered against Celestia’s chest. The goo around her hooves and horn hardened and then shattered, falling to the floor like broken eggshells.

Chitin stepped back then, and frowned at the princess. “You... you are free. Your guards have been released. Your guard should be able to detect changelings now that the hive mind is active again... Either way, you have me at your whim.” Chitin lowered her front, and then prostrated herself in front of the princess, resting her nose on the ground in between her hooves. “I ask for your forgiveness, princess. On behalf of all of my race... we’re turning ourselves in.”

Celestia perked both ears upwards at this, looking, if at all possible, lost. “I... I must admit that this is not a possibility that I had anticipated. How do I know the guards you are ‘releasing’ are my own, and not changelings themselves? I cannot trust you.”

Chitin winced at that, her ears splaying backwards further. “I... I’ll find some way to show you. Lock me up. Throw me in a cell. I’ll prove myself to you.”

“Why the sudden change in heart, Chitin? You were quite content to take over my palace. What’s changed?” Celestia queried guardedly.

Chitin lifted her gaze to the princess again, dropping her haunches to the ground so that she was flat, resting her head on her forehooves. “Chrysalis came... she... she showed me what she went through. I... I thought she was brainwashed. I just wanted to get her back and I knew that if I got her back, everything would be okay... But... But she was truly in love. And now I’ve revealed us to you... and our only options are total control or compliance. I’ve... I’ve chosen compliance. It’s the only hope for the future of my race.”

“How many of your kind remain?” Celestia asked, eyes narrowing.

“Two hundred and thirty seven,” Chitin stated immediately.

Celestia blanched at that, eyes wide.

“We repopulated once we were certain it was safe,” Chitin admitted.

“This much is obvious,” Celestia stated, frowning deeply. The door burst open, and several of Celestia’s Royal Guard pushed in, panting faintly, fastening their armor.

“Princess, are you safe?!” one of the guards asked, brandishing a spear at Chitin.

“I am quite fine, thank you,” Celestia stated dismissively. “Take Chitin into custody. Lock her and any of her brood in the dungeons.”

“Yes your majesty!” the two guards affirmed, moving towards Chitin.

Chitin frowned deeply, her ears pinning back. “Celestia, please...”

Celestia turned away, electing not to respond as Chitin was dragged away towards the dungeon.

Raindrop, Sentinel, Firebrand, Wisp, and Remedy were all herded into a cell by the Royal Guard, left there until ‘your identities can be ascertained’. None of them had any idea what was going on. One moment, they had been trying their best to escape the castle, the next, they were surrounded by actual Royal Guards and marched to the dungeons.

There was movement all around them, the sounds of shuffling hooves and low whispers, likely from all the other prisoners the Royal Guard had attained when they took back the palace.

“What do you think is going on?” Raindrop asked of Sentinel, her voice low.

“No clue,” Sentinel stated flatly, his tone short.

Raindrop’s ears splayed back, and she stared at the guard for a long moment, her brows furrowing. “Is... is something wrong?”

Sentinel snorted once, shaking his head and turning his back on her. “Nope.”

Raindrop sighed and laid down on her stomach, resting her head on her forehooves.

Remedy, Wisp, and Firebrand were all at separate corners of the cell, doing their own thing. Firebrand was rubbing her head, inspecting the lump from where she had been knocked unconscious, and flexing her wings slowly to make sure they still worked. Wisp was pouting at the lock on the cell door, staring at it like she could will a small explosive device into existence so she could blow up the lock. Remedy looked a little distracted, mumbling to herself and shaking her head slightly.

The sound of footsteps echoed in front of them, and Celestia came into view, inclining her head towards the cell door. the lock clicked, and then opened, and Celestia waved a hoof. “Come, you are all free to go.”

“Princess?” Sentinel asked, clambering to his hooves. “Did we retake the castle?”

Celestia shook her head gently. “No, Sentinel. Chitin and her brood turned themselves in willingly.”

“It’s a trick!” Sentinel hissed immediately.

Celestia again shook her head. “No, Sentinel. I believe that they are sincere in their convictions to attain a peaceful resolution. But... I need to be certain. Will you allow me to try a new spell on you?”

Sentinel stiffened, saluting. “Yes, you majesty.”

“Good, come,” Celestia said, turning and moving back towards the stairs leading to the surface. “What were your parents names?”

Sentinel splayed his ears at that, “Shimmer and Cloudpeak.”

“Very good,” Celestia stated, and then turned to look back at the other four occupants of the cell. “All of you, please, remain within the bounds of the palace.”

Raindrop nodded gently. “Yes, Princess Celestia.”

Remedy frowned deeply, and then sidled up to Raindrop, giving a furtive glance left, and then right. “Raindrop... we need to talk. In private.”

“In private?” Raindrop asked uncertainly, watching the princess and Sentinel climbing the stairs.

“In private,” Remedy affirmed.

Raindrop looked back at Wisp and Firebrand, and frowned slightly. “You two will be fine without us?”

“I’ll try not to get lost,” Firebrand stated, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t have anything to blow stuff up with,” Wisp soothed, her tone part reassuring, and part disappointed.

“Good, then.” Raindrop walked with Remedy up to the palace gardens, finding a nice, quiet spot under a large, leafy tree.

“Now then,” Raindrop said, looking at Remedy for a long moment. “What is it that’s so important?”

“Sentinel will find out eventually...” Remedy said, her ears pinning back. “You’ll all find out eventually... but I need you to protect me from him when he finds out.”

“Protect you?” Raindrop asked, bewildered. “Why would I need to protect you?”

Remedy cast another furtive glance left and right, making sure they were alone, before she leaned in close to whisper to Raindrop. Raindrop knew it in the instant before Remedy said it, as the nurse’s eyes flickered green.

“I’m a changeling.”

Developments

Raindrop stared at Remedy for a long moment, mouth parted. “You’re... a... changeling?”

“Yes,” Remedy stated, nodding once. She stared into raindrop’s eyes, and let her own switch again, becoming green and slit-pupiled in the way that Raindrop had seen her own eyes do.

“I... wow,” Raindrop breathed. “And you’re... the bearer of an element.”

“You think you were surprised?” Remedy asked, shaking her head. “But it is immaterial. I need you to stop Sentinel from doing anything... crazy, when he finds out.”

“You’ve kept it a secret up until now,” Raindrop said, staring at the nurse in disbelief.

Remedy nodded at that. “Indeed. But that is mainly because nopony has been looking for changelings. I don’t exactly have much of a past. If one were to dig into my past far enough, they’d find gaping holes.”

Raindrop nodded once, continuing to stare at Remedy. “I just... you’re a changeling.”

“I believe we established this fact,” Remedy said, pursing her lips impatiently.

“And you’re a bitch... and you give me relationship advice... ugh. That’s like a dragon trying to teach manners!”

Remedy’s eyes narrowed and she gave a low growl .”What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“You’re a changeling!” Raindrop stated, waving a hoof for emphasis. “Your mode of operation is that you twist ponies’ emotions to get love from them. What do you know about relationships?”

Remedy’s eyes narrowed, and she scowled at the pegasus for a long moment. “I seem to recall that I saw what wrong with your relationships.”

“Dumb luck?” Raindrop offered, raising a brow.

Remedy snorted once. “I’m not even your species and I know more about relationships than you,” the nurse snickered.

Then it was Raindrop’s turn to scowl. “Whatever. I bet you’re not even a real nurse.”

“Of course not,” Remedy scoffed, wrinkling her nose.

“Then why did you pretend to be one?” Raindrop asked, exasperated.

Remedy looked down at her hooves at that, frowning slightly. “Well... I’m not sure if I’m comfortable talking about that.”

Raindrop gave Remedy a blank stare. “So you want my help, and yet you won’t tell me what I want to know?”

The nurse huffed once. “Fine. Chitin sent me into the general population of ponies to monitor changelings effects. I was the best at hiding myself, and probably still am. I was to find a position where I would know if ponies were killed by changelings; either from their magic, or by prolonged exposure to their emotional draining.”

“So you were damage control?” Raindrop queried.

Remedy gave a half-nod. “Kind of, I suppose. But mainly, I was there to make sure no changelings went rogue. Once the link was broken we were free entities. The hive mind is... strange. Pervasive. It’s like having a voice constantly governing your actions... and once it was down, it changed us. Normal tendencies that would be kept in check; violence, ego, arrogance, all of those traits that were suppressed by the hive mind could come to the surface.”

“And if you found a changeling that had become violent?” Raindrop asked curiously.

“I actually did find one. He was injured in a fight after putting three ponies in intensive care,” Remedy said with a soft sigh and a shake of her head. “I... accidentally administered three times the lethal limit of morphine to him. Misread the bottle, you know?”

Raindrop took a step backwards, staring at the nurse. “You killed him?”

“Indeed,” Remedy said, her ears drooping. “It was... difficult.”

“You’re the Element of Kindness!” Raindrop protested, her eyes wide.

“And what was more kind?!” Remedy hissed, stamping a hoof, anger quickly surging to the surface. “That I let him live and harm more ponies?! You think it was easy to do? You think that that was a choice I took lightly?”

Raindrop just shook her head. “So... you just kill any changelings that go rogue?”

“They are a threat. To us, and to ponies,” Remedy said, her eyes hard. “Without the hive mind to govern their actions... we really can’t take the risk. A civil war amongst the changelings would destroy us.”

“That’s just... brutal,” Raindrop said, shaking her head. “What if a changeling went rogue and decided to be normal? To try and live like a pony?”

Remedy laughed at that. “That is what I am, Raindrop.”

“You’re rogue?” Raindrop asked, blinking once.

“Indeed. I am a rogue changeling,” Remedy said with a half-shrug.

“So if Chitin found you... she’d kill you?” Raindrop asked, aghast.

“I find it unlikely. I have no violent tendencies. I am no threat to ponies,” Remedy stated, before she frowned slightly. “I’d rather not find out first-hoof, though.”

“But then... how... how are you the bearer of kindness?” Raindrop asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I have no. Idea.” Remedy shook her head for a moment, mincing her forehooves back and forth. “I mean... I kinda like helping other ponies. Even if I’m a bitch about it. But I’m not very kind.”

“I can confirm the bitch part,” Raindrop said with a nod and a sly grin.

“Not helping,” Remedy stated, snorting. “But it’s happened, and here we are. I need you to promise me that you’ll protect me if Sentinel does anything... stupid.”

“I can’t promise you that,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head. “I can promise that I’ll try...”

“That’ll have to be good enough,” Remedy said with a deep frown.

“So, how is it that Chitin didn’t find you?” Raindrop asked suddenly.

Remedy canted her head to the side. “How do you mean?”

“Well, she sent you into the pony populace to monitor us... she must have known you were a nurse. Not particularly hard to track you down after that,” Raindrop stated.

Remedy gave a nod at that. “Indeed. At first, I was a doctor,” the nurse said with a sly grin. “Doctor Splint, an elderly trauma doctor who was getting on in years and beginning to forget some essential parts of his job. Needed refreshers. Once I went rogue, I kinda just became a nurse... I liked helping the hurt ponies.”

Raindrop perked her ears at that, frowning deeply. “Then... uhm...”

“Yes?” Remedy asked.

Raindrop leaned closer, and then whispered, “How do you know which gender you are? If you can be both?”

Remedy chuckled at that. “Gender identification is not so cut-and-dried with changelings as it is with ponies,” the nurse admitted with a wry smile. “I am female though. It is the gender I identify most with.”

“That is so... strange,” Raindrop stated, staring at the nurse.

“For you, perhaps. A changeling merely chooses their gender upon reaching the correct age... while under the influence of the hive mind, many of us never choose a gender to which to stick to. It’s only since the hive mind was broken that I decided I was female.”

“‘Decided I was female’,” Raindrop repeated, shaking her head slowly. “So changelings can hide from the hive mind?”

“Yes, that is going rogue. Breaking from the hive mind. Most don’t drum up the willpower to do so... but since the hive mind was broken, there are likely many more rogue changelings now,” Remedy stated with a deep frown. “I felt Chitin try to re-establish the hive mind earlier... I blocked it out.”

“Why would Chitin do that?” Raindrop asked, bewildered.

“Chitin turned herself in... so perhaps she re-established the link to try and tell all changelings to turn themselves in?” Remedy offered helplessly.

“Would that even work?” Raindrop asked, perking an ear.

Remedy went quiet for a moment. “Back when the hive mind was always active yes, yes it would have worked. But now?” she trailed off, frowning deeply. “I... the changelings will have their own minds now. Their own goals. They’ll be able to decide for themselves if they want to come in or not.”

“Changelings are weird,” Raindrop stated with a shake of her head.

“Ponies are weird!” Remedy countered.

“They are,” Raindrop admitted, giving a faint, amused snort. “And I’m half-n-half, I’ve got the best of both worlds.”

“It does explain why you’re so fucked up,” Remedy stated.

“Well thanks for the emotional support, Mrs. Element of Kindness,” Raindrop said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

“Tough love, Raindrop, tough love,” Remedy said with a slight smile. The nurse trailed off for a moment, and then sobered. “Thank you, Raindrop... for not, you know... running away or something.”

“I’m part changeling,” Raindrop said with a helpless shrug. “I’m desensitized to changelings I guess.”

“Still,” Remedy stated, “I’d expect the others to take it less... calmly.”

“I disagree,” Firebrand said, as she ambled over to the pair.

Chitin looked up as a key scraped in the lock, and her cell door slid open.

“You requested to see me?” Celestia asked, as she stepped into the cell. The door was closed behind them, the lock clicking.

Chitin rose to her hooves, nodding once. “We have a problem, Celestia.”

“We have two hundred and thirty seven problems, in fact,” Celestia corrected tartly.

Chitin scowled at that, her eyes narrowing. “We have more of a problem than that, Celestia. A large group of changelings did not reintegrate into the hive mind. I can’t find them. They’ve all gone rogue.”

“How many?” Celestia asked flatly.

The dark queen splayed her ears back, and lowered her head. “I estimate fifty.”

Proud

Stardancer watched the ant crawl over the blade of grass with utter fascination. The ant did not know it. Nopony knew it. Nopony but her knew it. But the ant had a destiny. Stardancer could see it clearly; the guard who would get stung by the ant. He would pause in his walk, and that single, infinitesimal action would cascade into a long chain of events that culminated in lives being changed.

She could see the turning points. Sometimes, a turning point was so solid, so anchored within the timeline that it was almost impossible to change. Nightmare Moon coming back and trying to cast eternal night? There was no single action that could stop that. Not a single one. But there were actions that could have changed the eventual outcome, of that she was sure. But most turning points, like this one, were fluid. They were easy to manipulate.

The guard would be stung by the ant, and he would pause to brush it off. He would be delayed from arriving at his post for a crucial few moments, and his wife, whom was waiting for him, would become more annoyed than if he had arrived those meagre few seconds earlier. Her mood would be changed enough that the guard would not get laid that night. Frustration at being denied would keep him awake, changing his mood the following day. He would delay a pony from seeing Celestia for a few minutes, just to take his aggression out on something. That interruption would cause that pony to be late for a conversation with a passerby that evening, and he would never hear the words that he would tell his future wife.

Possibilities cascaded past Stardancer’s inner eye like a movie played at a thousand times normal speed. Images and possibilities assaulted the unicorn’s mind. She winced at the sharp, blinding pain building in her temple, swaying slightly. A trickle of blood dribbled from her nose, and she collapsed.

Remedy took a step backwards as Firebrand intruded, the nurse’s expression guarded. “Disagree with what?” she asked carefully.

“That I would not take it calmly that you are a changeling,” Firebrand stated simply, shrugging.

Remedy’s expression become alarmed, and she stared at Raindrop for a moment, as though seeking help.

Raindrop shrugged her shoulders helplessly in response, just as alarmed as the nurse was.

“But... I’m a changeling,” Remedy said, staring at the wonderbolt.

“...And?” Firebrand asked, arching a brow calmly. “So?”

Remedy stared at the pegasus, her mouth parted slightly, completely off balance at the mare’s reaction to her secret. “But... I steal love...”

“Not my love, certainly,” Firebrand pointed out with a derisive snort. “I care not if you are a changeling. If your kind were dangerous, then I would certainly be more apprehensive.”

Remedy stared at Firebrand for a long moment, head tilting to the side slowly. “You don’t think I’m dangerous?”

Firebrand shook her head slowly. “Perhaps you may be dangerous as a single entity, but on the whole, changelings are not so dangerous.”

The nurse scowled at that, shaking her head. “Element of truth my ass.”

“It is the truth,” Remedy stated with a shrug.

“They really are dangerous,” Raindrop said, her tone worried. “You’re deluded.”

“And yet, we have heard nothing of the changelings for a generation, yes?”Firebrand queried.

“That’s correct,” Raindrop admitted, an ear perking. “But what does that have to do with-”

“-ergo, they’re not dangerous. If they were dangerous, then there would be a slew of unexplained murders in the major settlements or even in the isolated ones,” Firebrand pointed out, raising a brow.

Raindrop shook her head. “Still don’t see where you’re coming from.”

Firebrand rolled her eyes, sighing once. “If changelings intended on harming ponies, then they would expose themselves,” she tried to explain, waving a hoof as she hummed thoughtfully. “Think of it like this. You only know a dragon is sleeping in the cave if you see the smoke. But if he burns down a town, everypony knows about it.”

“So you’re saying they’re not dangerous because they haven’t been murdering ponies?” Raindrop asked flatly, her eyes narrowing slowly. “What planet have you been living on?”

“The changelings are all locked up now, correct?” Firebrand asked. “Present company excluded, of course,” she added, before Remedy could say anything.

“I should hope so. But without access to the hive mind, I can’t say for sure,” Remedy said with a shrug.

“And you, as a rogue changeling, really can’t draw attention to yourself, right?” Firebrand pressed, turning to Remedy.

Remedy scowled. “That would be correct. I’ve only told one pony, and one filthy little eavesdr-”

“-then I do not fear changelings. At least, not you, specifically.” Firebrand said with a smug smile.

The nurse took a deep, steadying breath, and then turned to Raindrop. “Can I hit her, please?”

Raindrop shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid not.”

“Not even once? I’ll bandage her up good as new afterwards, promise!” Remedy pleaded, her tone hopeful.

Raindrop shook her head again resolutely. “Sorry, remedy. No can do.”

Remedy sighed and then pursed her lips wryly, before turning to Firebrand. The nurse stalked up to the wonderbolt, and poked her in the chest with a hoof, her eyes flaring green. “I swear, if you tell anypony about what I really am, then I will-”

The nurse paused then, staring at the pegasus for a long moment, frowning deeply. She drew back, looking away, and then back to the pegasus, shaking her head slowly. The nurse then turned to Raindrop, and said quietly, “Can I speak to Firebrand alone, please?”

Raindrop looked Remedy up and down for a moment, frowning. “No murdering, right?”

“No murdering, I promise,” Remedy said, making a shooing motion with a hoof.

Raindrop sighed, and turned away, flicking her wings once, irritably. “If I hear even a single scream, I’m gonna come running,” she stated, before stalking off.

Remedy waited until Raindrop was out of earshot, and then turned to Firebrand. The pegasus perked an ear at her, brow raising. “Well?”

The changeling nurse stared at the pegasus, walking around her in a circle and then leaning in close to hiss accusingly, “You like me!”

Firebrand paused at that, looking up and to the left thoughtfully, chewing her bottom lip, before nodding once. “I guess I do.”

“What the hell are you doing that for?” Remedy hissing, poking the pegasus in the chest.

Firebrand shrugged helplessly. “It’s complicated.”

“You’re crazy!” Remedy whined, rubbing a hoof against her temple, scowling.

Firebrand shook her head slowly. “No, not crazy.”

“Then explain yourself!” Remedy demanded, waving a hoof angrily for punctuation.

Firebrand took a deep breath, giving a soft sigh. “You really want an explanation?”

Remedy scowled deeply. “I wouldn’t have asked if I did-”

The pegasus lifted a hoof to stop the nurse from speaking. Remedy glowered angrily.

“In truth... it’s a very recent development,” Remedy said with a soft nod, her tone thoughtful. “Actually, since I just heard you’re a changeling.”

“You like me because I’m a changeling?!” Remedy asked, staring at the pegasus incredulously.

“That... is a very vague way of explaining the convoluted process,” Firebrand admitted.

Remedy opened her mouth to speak, but Firebrand shushed her again. “I hear a lot, you know. I don’t think people really realise when I’m listening, because I don’t take the time to let them know I am. But... either way, I heard what you said to Raindrop. Back at the cottage. You convinced her, with some very short words, to reconcile with her grandmother, whom she hated, as far as I could tell. Sure, you tried to cover up your soft side by demanding payment... But you really just want to see ponies happy, don’t you?”

Remedy shirked backwards at that, her ears splaying. She paused, and then gave a slow, gentle nod. “I guess so...”

“Now, that’s an admirable trait. Not enough to make me like you, because your attitude is detestable-”

“-And right back to wanting to murder you-”

“-But then... I hear that you’re a changeling. A rogue changeling. You have no family, no friends. You can’t take a lover because you’d end up killing them eventually. And you’re a nurse, of all things. Your current life is dedicated to helping ponies... ponies who aren’t even your own species. You’re the Element of Kindness. And even though you do hide it rather well, you care. You’re empathic to a species that you should see as nothing more than food. We’re basically your prey. You are the lion that protects a gazelle from a coyote. And that is very admirable to me. Sort of even tips the scale of whether I like you or not over to the ‘like’ side.”

“Lies and slander,” Remedy stated, sniffing once.

Firebrand gave a wry smile, and then shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Element of Honesty here, remember?”

“You might just be deluded, I’m a bitch, ask anypony,” Remedy said with a slight shrug.

The pegasus gave a smile at that, and then lifted the nurse’s chin with a hoof, staring into her eyes. “Be proud of what you are, Remedy.”

Remedy snorted at that, rolling her eyes. “Proud to be a bitch? Sure am!”

Firebrand sighed, shushing the nurse with a press of a hoof against her lips. “No. You’re not a bitch-”

“-Boy is this logic going in circles-” Remedy said with a slow shake of her head.

“-You’re a pony that cares about others. And that’s becoming far too rare.”

“I’m not even a pony,” Remedy said with a defeated sigh, hanging her head.

Firebrand shook her head. “No, you are not. And that’s what makes you special. I am disappointed in my own species that there are not more ponies like you kicking about.”

“I feel like I should say something profound about how you’re giving me advice when that’s my job,” Remedy said with a weak chuckle.

“I’m not giving you advice. You wanted to know why I like you, and I told you,” Firebrand said simply.

Remedy scoffed at that. “Oh don’t even try that bullshit line on me, lady.”

“Element of Truth, remember?” Firebrand said with a sly grin.

Remedy rolled her eyes, pushing at the pegasus’ shoulder with a hoof. “And I’m the Element of Kindness. Doesn’t mean I won’t beat the crap out of you.”

“I would prevail over you,” Firebrand stated simply. “But you asked, and I told.”

“So you think I should feel all special because I’m like, the only changeling ever to grow a conscience?” Remedy asked, raising a brow skeptically.

Firebrand gave a sad smile at that, shaking her head once. “I can’t answer that question for you, Remedy. That’s up to your mind to decide. I admire you for it, but my opinion means little.”

With that, Firebrand rose to her hooves, and left, leaving Remedy to stare at her hooves quietly.

Negotiations

Celestia sat on the other side of the cell door that Chitin was imprisoned within, staring within at the changeling queen, watching her.

“What am I to do with you, Chitin?” Celestia asked, shaking her head slowly.

“I... I do not know,” Chitin admitted, hesitation, lifting a hoof to tuck a strand of her green mane behind her ear, to keep it out of her eyes. “I only ask that you do not unduly harm my changelings for my actions.”

“Tell me why you turned yourself in,” Celestia stated, lifting a hoof in punctuation.

“I... I dedicated my entire life to the time bridge,” Chitin said, looking away and shaking her head sadly. “I didn’t... I never just thought of the possibility that Chrysalis was happy where she was. I knew she was brainwashed, and that if I could go back and fix it, everything would be fine.”

“But that is not the case,” Celestia stated.

“Correct,” Chitin admitted, sighing and hanging her head. “I never bothered myself with the consequences of my actions because I didn’t think that they would have any bearing on anything... If I went back and changed things, then none of it would have mattered...”

“Then why did you not just not kill all ponies who opposed you?” Celestia asked bluntly.

Chitin paused at that, and then frowned deeply. “When I ordered my changelings to kill the two ponies and the griffon... I kept telling myself that it wouldn’t matter. That none of this would have happened when I went back. None of this would have existed. Ever.” Chitin shook her head and then sighed, flopping down onto her stomach and burying her nose in her hooves. “But that didn’t stop it from eating away at my mind. I felt terrible. When Scimitar told me that they escaped, I felt... relieved. We are not heartless monsters, Celestia. No matter how much you wish to believe that.”

“If you were beyond redemption, I would have put you all to death immediately,” Celestia said candidly.

Chitin’s eyes widened, and she gave a soft shudder.

“You understand, of course?” Celestia asked, arching a brow. “You are dangerous. You have proven yourself a strong adversary, and given what I know of changelings... if you wished to be out of this cell, there is very little that I, or my guards, could do to stop you. My only leverage is your conscience.”

“Good thing I’m not heartless then,” Chitin said with a weak laugh.

Celestia nodded. “Good indeed. But that still does not answer my question. Why did you turn yourself in?”

“When Chrysalis showed me her feelings... I had to abandon my plan. I couldn’t take that from her. She knew a happiness that my kind will never have. An unthinking happiness. I envy her for that. But... I had already gone too far. You knew we were still here,” Chitin said with a shake of her head. “Running was not an option. You would have hunted us down.”

“You held all the cards,” Celestia stated, waving a hoof. “The elements, the bearers. We had no chance of defeating you in a straight up battle... and yet you surrendered yourself. Why?”

Chitin took a deep breath, and then sighed softly. “I surrendered because Chrysalis convinced me it was the only way for us to continue as a species. If we assumed total control... we would have had to turn you into no more than cattle. We would have to destroy your kind, as a species. We are not a warrior race, Celestia. We are thieves. It was wanting to be in control that scattered us in the first place... I did not intend to repeat Chrysalis’ mistakes...”

Celestia nodded, watching the changeling with narrowed eyes. “There is more you are not telling me.”

“I... I am the queen. I considered it an interim position. I was just... I was waiting for Chrysalis to return. But now that I’m in charge... I’ve already made so many mistakes. I revealed us. And as a species that feeds on love... we require stealth to exist. I’ve ruined that. We have no hope of continuing the old ways,” Chitin said, beginning to pace back and forth in her cell anxiously.

“So... you hope for peace between our two nations?” Celestia asked flatly.

Chitin heaved a sigh, and then shook her head. “I... I don’t know. I know it’s too much to hope for... but I can’t help but want it. I don’t wish to be the last queen of my race. I don’t want to see the end of my race...”

“You’re trying to atone for your mistakes,” Celestia said with a wise nod.

“I... I guess so. Our fate is in your hooves,” Chitin stated, bowing to the princess.

Celestia frowned. “I have half a mind to have you all put to death.”

Chitin shuddered softly, her ears splaying backwards.

“But... I fear I cannot bring myself to give the order, knowing that some of your kind may be genuinely apologetic for your inherent sins.” Celestia rose to her hooves, beginning to pace herself, walking back and forth in front of the cell. “You must promise me something, Chitin.”

“Anything,” Chitin said immediately, bowing her head.

“Look me in the eyes, and tell me that, if you could be cured, you would live life as a normal pony,” Celestia demanded, stopping and staring at the changeling.

Chitin stared up at Celestia for a long moment. “I... I would live life as a normal pony, if it were at all possible,” she said softly.

Celestia slowly shook her head, beginning to pace back and forth again. “You lie.”

Chitin gave a wry smile and then sighed softly. “I had to try...”

“I know,” Celestia replied, shaking her head helplessly. “I would have done the same in your position.”

“What will you do with us? We cannot live for long like this... I could last many weeks with the love that Spike has been giving to me, but my subjects are not so well-off,” Chitin admitted, casting her gaze towards the other cells.

“I have no idea what I could do with your kind... there is no way that our culture could offer yours any kind of sustenance. Not willingly,” Celestia said with a slow shake of her head.

“That is... correct.” Chitin sighed faintly, laying her head on her hooves and closing her eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath. “My kind are doomed, aren’t we?”

Celestia frowned deeply at that, scowling and pacing rapidly back and forth. “Give me an alternative!”

“There are certain positions whereby a changeling can survive on passing affection. Caring positions. Babysitting... health workers... teaching...” Chitin suggested.

“I will not turn changelings loose upon foals!” Celestia hissed, scowling deeply.

“Then kill us,” Chitin stated flatly.

“There is still the problem of your rogue changelings. My magic still cannot detect your kind without the hive mind active. And I retain doubts as to whether or not these changelings are really rogue,” Celestia stated, pacing back and forth while staring at the queen.

“I did not order them to do anything,” Chitin stated, shaking her head.

“I cannot trust you,” Celestia said immediately.

“I know...” Chitin said, sighing and trailing off.

“M-My queen?” one of the changelings said from across the hallway, reaching a hoof through the bars. He was disguised as a young unicorn, with a monocle over one eye.

“Why do you interrupt us?” Chitin asked flatly.

“I have an idea... if I may share it?” the changeling offered.

Chitin nodded gently, closing her eyes. After several long seconds, her eyes blinked open, and she stared up at Celestia.

“I... there is a possibility. For changelings to live. And not violate the free will of ponies.”

Celestia tossed her mane. “I doubt this.”

“Your kind... you retain links to your passed loved ones, yes?” Chitin asked delicately.

“If this involves dead bodies, then the answer is surely no,” Celestia stated instantly.

“Hear me out,” Chitin stated, waving her hoof once. Her eyes seemed to glow for several long moments, and she gave a delicate nod. “You lost somepony, someone close to you.”

Celestia snorted and tossed her mane again. “I have lost a great many ponies over the years.”

“This one was different,” Chitin stated knowingly, watching the princess intently. “You still harbour regret over it... I can feel it in the surface of your thoughts when you remember... her.”

The princess waved a hoof firmly. “This conversation is over,” she spat, before turning to walk away.

“What if I could give you the chance to be with her again?” Chitin said quietly. Celestia froze. “What if I could give you a day with her? Let you speak to her again? Let you hold her in your hooves and bask in her presence?”

“I will not be seduced by your trickery,” Celestia growled.

“It is not trickery... How would I be able to leech love from Spike if I did not create a realistic interpretation of Rarity for him to love? He knew I was a changeling. But he could put that thought aside while we were together. For just a little while, he was happy, together with his beloved once more,” Chitin said, keeping her voice low.

“I...” Celestia trailed off, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “This is a trick.”

“It is no trick, Celestia. This is what I offer. This is what my kind offers. We will give to you your beloved ponies, be they lost, or just far away. And all we ask in return is continued existence...” Chitin raised a hoof to rest on the bars of her cell, staring at the princess. “That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

Celestia swallowed audibly, and then closed her eyes again. She grit her teeth for a moment, and then stalked away.

Chitin sighed, hanging her head, and then moving back over to the simple bed she was allotted, splaying herself out on it. She had failed.

The sound of returning hoofbeats jarred Chitin out of her sudden sad trance, and she lifted her head to find Celestia looking back through the bars, a guard standing behind her.

“If you wish for this to work, you will have to convince my guard,” Celestia said, motioning behind herself.

The guard stepped forwards, removing his helmet. Chitin frowned deeply. She knew that pony.

“Hello, Chitin. Your future is in my hooves... so I think you should probably know... your kind killed my parents,” Sentinel said as the cell door was unlocked and slid open.

Talents

“This is... highly unfair,” Chitin stated, as she walked in a circle around Sentinel, inspecting him.

“Life isn’t fair,” Sentinel growled, eyes narrowed.

Chitin snorted, tossing her mane. “Indeed. But my ‘talents’ will not work on you while you are resistant to my magic.”

“You expect me to allow you to cast spells upon every pony you wish to feed from?” Celestia asked flatly, her eyes narrowing. “I’m afraid you’re deluded.”

“You do not understand, Celestia,” Chitin said, waving her hoof. “My kind feeds upon love. Even if I were to enter your guard’s mind, and become that which he loves the most, he would still not love what I am because he knows that I am a changeling.”

“This is a problem, then,” Celestia said calmly. “We are back to square one.”

“Undo your magic, Princess Celestia,” Sentinel said quietly.

“Excuse me?” Celestia asked.

“Undo it,” Sentinel repeated, watching the changeling queen with a vicious expression on his face. “Undo your magic so that I can let this thing do her little spell. And then I can have the pleasure of telling her to her face that her kind will never coexist with ours.”

“Your guard seems rather... biased,” Chitin stated, frowning.

“Sentinel, if I-”

Sentinel cut Celestia off, “-just do it!”

Celestia gave a sigh, and then strode over to the guard, gently laying her horn on his flank. The cutie mark glowed faintly, and then morphed, changing from a green glow, to a shield and two crossed spears, his original cutie mark. Like all of the guards specifically trained to hunt changelings, their cutie marks had changed when the spell had been placed upon them, to denote their new direction in life.

Sentinel wiggled his haunches for a moment, and then gave a soft shiver at the sensation. “Thank you,” he said curtly, not taking his eyes off Chitin.

Chitin’s eyes narrowed, and she stared into Sentinel’s gaze unblinkingly. Her horn glowed suddenly, and her eyes seemed to flash with magic. Sentinel reeled backwards, covering his face with a hoof, blinking rapidly.

“Hold my gaze, whelp, or I’ll hold it for you,” Chitin stated flatly.

Sentinel growled, lifting his eyes once more to Chitin’s own.

Celestia moved to step between them, but Chitin silently held up a hoof, halting her. The princess paused, and then receded, allowing the changeling to continue.

“Sentinel has been fed upon already,” Chitin said softly, still staring into his eyes, tilting her head slightly to the side. The guard seemed stuck in place, transfixed and unable to look away.

“How? I designed the magic specifically to counteract that,” Celestia said in disbelief.

Chitin gave a thoughtful hum, her eyes narrowing as she delved deeper. “Raindrop,” she whispered after a few moments. “Raindrop took energy from him, when they were... well,” she trailed off, uncertain of a delicate way to put it.

“While they were screwing?” Celestia offered with an arched brow.

Chitin nodded once, still not breaking the gaze with the guard. “The act seems to have broken its way through your magical defenses. It is unsurprising. It is the physically closest and emotionally closest you can get to a pony.”

“You say this as though through experience,” Celestia said guardedly.

“I do speak from experience,” Chitin said silkily.

Celestia went quiet at that, fathoming the implications.

Chitin said no more, and then she blinked.

Sentinel reeled backwards again, the trance broken, gasping and shuddering, lifting a hoof to his eyes and rubbing at them helplessly, like he had just been punched in the face.

The guard’s eyes were tinged with green when he opened them again, and he looked up at Chitin, his eyes slowly widening.

Chitin tilted her head gently to one side, watching him. Her form shimmered, and then seemed to melt, becoming that of a pegasus with a green body and a blue mane, with a cutie mark comprised of a sewing needle and a length of string twined around it.

“M-mother?” Sentinel asked, his wings flaring and stiffening in fight-or-flight reflex, a sudden lump rising in his throat as he danced nervously from hoof to hoof.

“I’m here, baby,” the pegasus cooed softly, motioning for Sentinel to step closer.

Sentinel made a helpless sound, stepping closer to the pegasus, and then bounding forwards the last few steps and capturing her in a powerful, firm hug, burying his face in against her neck, clinging to her.

Celestia watched with wide eyes, her brows furrowing in concern. Chitin, in the guise of Sentinel’s mother, waved her hoof at Celestia, motioning for her to leave.

Frowning deeply, Celestia rose to her hooves, and then stepped out of the cell, closing the door behind her and locking it. She stepped to the side, out of line of sight of the cell, and then sat down, to wait for Sentinel and Chitin to be done.

“Celestia?” Raindrop asked, as she strode down the line of cells to where the princess was sitting.

“Ah, Raindrop,” Celestia said with a smile. “We are very close to being able to cure you. We have all the elements in our possession again.”

“So I’m done?” Raindrop asked with a sigh of relief.

“Well... I do not require your help in our search for the elements any more,” Celestia said with a gentle nod and a warm smile. “Thank you for all your help, Raindrop.”

Raindrop frowned deeply at that, her eyes narrowing. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

Celestia sighed and hung her head. “The changelings turned themselves in... but Chitin tells me that a group of maybe fifty or so have gone rogue. They’ve cut themselves off from the hive mind.”

“This is... bad?” Raindrop asked uncertainly.

“I am not sure of their intent,” Celestia admitted uneasily.

Raindrop gave a long sigh at that. “So much for going back to weather duty...”

“I get the feeling you enjoy this more than you let on,” Celestia said guardedly.

Raindrop gave Celestia a long stare. “I’ve been assaulted by a changeling assassin in the guise of a Dark Guard, faced off against a Hydra that almost killed me, crept through changeling-infested tunnels trying to rescue your damned elements. I’ve been stabbed, beaten, ended up in hospital countless times, blown up an airship and what appears to be several acres of forest. Not to mention my grandmother came back from the dead just long enough to steal my thunder, deus-ex-machina the fuck out of my grand rescue and solve the greatest problem of the most recent generation mere minutes before she just upped and died.”

Celestia stared at Raindrop for a long moment, and then gave a wry smile. “You wouldn’t trade it for the world, huh?”

“Not a damn chance,” Raindrop said with a wild grin.

Celestia smiled at that, and then lifted a hoof to rest on the pegasus’ shoulder. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for this nation, Raindrop. We are in a time of transition, I feel... And I feel that we will have need of your services again.”

“Kinda amusing that you don’t have a special task force for this kind of thing already,” Raindrop pointed out with a grin.

“You are my special task force,” Celestia admitted quietly. “You and Sentinel go above and beyond what I could ever ask anypony to do for us.”

Raindrop gave a wry grin. “We just do it for the money.”

Celestia shook her head and smiled.

“But speaking of the elements... we kinda found the pony who is supposed to bear the Element of Generosity. But he... well. He wasn’t very generous with his time,” Raindrop said with a frown, rubbing a hoof against her temple helplessly.

“I see. That is... not such a problem. We can afford to wait for him to free up some time in his schedule. There is no longer a threat looming over the castle so grimly,” Celestia pointed out.

“No threat of imminent doom is nice. Gonna make a welcome change of pace. But it’s gonna feel weird not running everywhere. What do you even want me to do?” Raindrop asked helplessly.

Celestia hummed thoughtfully. “I do not require your services at present. Nor in the immediate future. You are welcome to stay in the castle if you wish. We still do not have the seeker stone for the Element of Loyalty. We have no bearer for Magic, Loyalty, or Generosity.”

“Oh! Luna was going to go and try to get the bearers of magic and generosity while we were at the castle. You know, consolidate our forces or something. You should send her a message letting her know everything up here is hunky-dorey,” Raindrop said with a firm nod.

“I shall do so,” Celestia said, bowing her head.

“You don’t happen to know where Sentinel is, do you?” Raindrop asked.

At that moment, the cell door slid open, and Sentinel stepped out, his head lowered, ears splayed backwards. He didn’t even look at Raindrop as he turned to Celestia, leaning up to whisper something into her ear.

Celestia paused a moment, and then nodded gently, blinking and staring down at her hooves.

Raindrop stepped closer to the guard, but Sentinel sidestepped her, turning away as he began to walk down the hall. Raindrop caught a glance of his face as he passed her. His downturned eyes with puffy around the edges, as though he had been crying, and that worried her. Sentinel didn’t cry. This was the stallion that had smiled as she beat him to a pulp!

“Princess... what’s going on?” Raindrop asked, bewildered, looking from Celestia to the retreating form of Sentinel.

“He just needs to be alone,” Celestia said gently. “Give him some time.”

“What’s happening?” Raindrop asked flatly, brows furrowing, looking towards where Sentinel had already disappeared from sight and the cell where he had come from.

“Sentinel helped me to confirm a method with which the changelings could live with ponies without needing to use subterfuge... I’m afraid it hit a vulnerability that he himself was not aware of,” Celestia said quietly.

Raindrop’s ears splayed backwards, and she frowned deeply.

“I must take my leave,” Celestia said quietly. “I have much to discuss with Chitin. I will call on you again, Raindrop. But for now, relax. Enjoy some leisure time. The danger has passed.”

“The danger to the castle has passed,” Raindrop stated, sighing once. “I’m still part changeling.”

“But we are very close to having all the bearers. I know who the bearer of magic is, you know who the bearer of generosity is. We just have to bring them to the castle, and find the bearer of loyalty,” Celestia explained with a smile. “Take some time to rest, Raindrop. You have done much in very little time, you deserve some downtime.”

“I... I guess you’re right,” Raindrop admitted, nodding once and turning away. She paused then, “Can you ask Sentinel to find me at the inn later?”

“I shall do so,” Celestia said with a gentle nod.

Raindrop smiled, and then bounded away to enjoy her new-found leisure time.

Soul Searching

Raindrop sighed faintly, sinking down into the warm water of the tub with a low groan. It had been so long since she’d had the privilege of a good soak in hot water.

Raindrop was at the local Canterlot Inn, a place she had never stayed at before. It was very posh, with white walls and paintings of skylines and the like hung along them. The baths were quite large, and Raindrop was sure she could fit Sentinel in there with her when he arrived. The water was so lulling and calm though that she was having trouble staying awake.

The click of the door opening jogged the pegasus out of her trance, and she looked up as Sentinel pushed his way into the room, sliding off his helmet and placing it besides the door.

The guard was dressed in full armor, but Raindrop noticed that he was quiet. He seemed very subdued.

Sentinel sloughed the rest of his armor, dropping it into the floor and then making his way towards the bathroom, holding a brown bag in his mouth. It jingled merrily with coins.

“Got paid, huh?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow.

Sentinel shook his head, making the bag swing. He dropped the coins in front of the bathtub. “That’s actually your pay.”

Raindrop stared at him, and then blinked once. “Whatever for?”

“You are now officially in the employ of the empire,” Sentinel said with a wry grin, as he pulled himself up onto the edge of the tub and then just flopped into it with a splash.

Holding up a hoof to keep the spray from getting in her eyes, Raindrop peered at her coltfriend. “I guess it’s official then, huh? I suppose I should tell my weather patrol that I won’t be around...”

“It would be a good idea,” Sentinel replied, nodding once as he pressed in close to the mare, curling around her so that he was resting against the tub and she was basically in his lap.

“What happened in the cell?” Raindrop asked, leaning sideways to kiss his cheek.

“I... I don’t know how to explain it,” Sentinel admitted, frowning deeply, his ears splaying back.

Raindrop gently nuzzled at his cheek. “You can tell me, I’m your fillyfriend, after all.”

Sentinel nodded in response, wrapping his hooves around her middle and nosing gently at her neck. It was several long moments before he spoke. “Chitin was... she became my mother.”

“Changeling are named changelings because they, you know, change,” Raindrop pointed out.

Sentinel shook his head. “This was different... I knew she was my mother. Knew it in my heart and soul. For a little while, I was with my mother...”

Raindrop nodded gently, turning around to face the male, gently nudging her nose against his chin and neck. “You’re bothered that she got to you so easily?”

Shaking his head once more, Sentinel gently kissed her nose. “No... I’ve always known that changelings can do that. That they can make you see and believe things that you shouldn’t.”

“Then why are you so...” Raindrop searched for the right word, frowning slightly. “Why are you so disturbed about all this?”

“I just... I don’t know what to feel,” Sentinel admitted, sighing and shaking his head in a helpless way. “I... I was with my mother. I got to feel her hooves around me... I got to hear her voice. I heard her apologize for never being there, for having to go away... I got to memorize her face, her scent. She was there.”

Raindrop nodded, stroking a hoof against Sentinel’s chest soothingly.

“And then... and then she was gone. And it was a changeling all along. It was one of those things that made it so that I don’t even have a mother any more... cheap irony, huh?” the guard asked with a pained note in his voice.

Once again, Raindrop nodded, letting him speak.

“And... and just...” Sentinel bit his bottom lip, his voice wavering. “I don’t... I just... I’m thankful that I got a chance to have all of that... that I could be with her for a few minutes... But I also hate her because-not because changelings killed my parents-but because she didn’t give me more time with her...”

Raindrop gently nuzzled against her coltfriend, wrapping her hooves around him in a soothing hug. “You’re confused, hun, it’s understandable.”

“I don’t know what to feel,” Sentinel admitted, frowning deeply, staring down at his hooves. “I’ve always just... it was easier to hate them. To blame them. I’ve built my entire life on hating them... but now they’re going to be part of the empire, and I... I don’t know what to do.”

Raindrop nodded, squeezing around the guard tightly, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. “I know how you feel,” she said with a weak laugh. “Whole life just gone and turned upside down.”

“Do you miss it?” Sentinel asked suddenly, turning to stare at her.

The pegasus frowned deeply. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wonder sometimes how it would have turned out if I hadn’t been half-changeling...” she trailed off, and then shook her head. “But then I remember that because of all that, I found you. I’d do it all over again if I had to.”

Sentinel gave a wry grin at that. “I’d do it all over again, too, I guess... well, I’d learn how to block facial blows easier, first.”

Raindrop giggled, rubbing her cheek against Sentinel’s own. “Well, my life was all reformed. Time for you to do that, too.”

“I... don’t know if I can,” Sentinel admitted, his ears pinning back. “I’m a changeling hunter... that’s my life. That’s what I trained for. That’s what drove me. And now it’s just... gone. How can I just turn my back on a lifetime of preparation?”

“Well, there are the rogue changelings to go after,” Raindrop pointed out, nuzzling against him. “An adjustment phase, perhaps?”

“I... I guess,” Sentinel said, before going quiet again. After several moments, his ears slowly perked up. “She cast a spell on me.”

“Hmm?” Raindrop gave a soft, enquiring sound.

“Chitin. She put a spell on me,” Sentinel said with sudden confidence. “She made me sympathetic to the changelings!”

Raindrop shook her head slowly. “Listen to yourself, hun, you’re being paranoid.”

Sentinel sighed, hanging his head. “I want to hate them... I really, truly just want to hate them...”

“I know hun,” Raindrop soothed, hugging around him again. “But you have to let it go. It’s unhealthy to hate them without cause.”

“They killed my parents,” Sentinel pointed out. “Cause.”

“Touché,” Raindrop admitted, and then peered up at him. “But does it really further your goals to hate them?”

“I... no. But it makes me feel better,” Sentinel stated.

“You have me to make you feel better,” Raindrop said with a wry smile, leaning up to kiss his nose.

Sentinel sighed, wrapping his hooves around the mare and holding her close. “You really are too good for me...”

“I know,” Raindrop said, grinning up at him and gently nudging her nose against his own. “But you’re the only pony who can take a punch so good.”

“My one redeeming quality,” Sentinel said wryly.

“Plus you’re cute,” Raindrop added, nuzzling up against him.

“I’m just... why don’t I hate them any more?” Sentinel asked suddenly, squeezing Raindrop reflexively with his hooves in irritation. “It doesn’t make sense!”

“It does make sense,” Raindrop pointed out, shaking her head.

“Please, explain,” Sentinel entreated.

Raindrop paused, collecting her thoughts. “Ever since you were born, changelings have been the target of your hate. You worked them up as... as monsters in your mind. To you, they could do no good. They were a pure destructive force. They were everything evil in the world.”

Sentinel wrinkled his nose. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

Raindrop shushed him with a hoof. “But now... Chitin gave you something. She showed you something wonderful, even though... even though it was probably pretty painful to go through, it was still something that nopony else could ever show you. She let you be with your mother again, for just a little while. And she wasn’t doing it for herself. She wasn’t doing it as part of some big plan to be evil...”

Sentinel snorted once, his ears splaying back. “I... I guess...”

“You have valid reasons to hate them, Sentinel,” Raindrop said, kissing his nose gently and then hugging him close. “I’m proud that you can look past it rationally.”

“You’re proud of a lifetime of...” Sentinel stumbled over the next word, as though doubting its veracity, “of undeserved hatred?”

Raindrop shook her head gently. “No... more the fact that when presented with evidence of the opposite, you don’t just disregard it out-of-hoof. It’s actually conflicting with your nature... and it’s disturbing you. Shows strength of character.”

Sentinel gave a faint whine, rubbing at his forehead. “You’re starting to sound like Remedy.”

“She’s rubbing off on me,” Raindrop said with a shrug, rolling back over and wiggling back against her coltfriend. “Now quit being such a girl and use that soap over there as an excuse to put your hooves all over me like a real stallion should.”

“Yes ma’am,” Sentinel said, saluting her sarcastically before picking up the bar of soap, beginning to work it happily into Raindrop’s mane.

Disloyal

Luna deftly caught the letter in an outstretched hoof as the air in front of her flared green, and the rolled paper fell from mid-air suddenly.

Unrolling the paper, Luna found that the entire situation at Canterlot had been resolved, as was evidenced by Celestia’s neat hoofwriting, and the single keyword they had decided upon ‘banana’.

Luna was quite happy with this turn of events, as she had spent the better part of the day searching for the escaped Stardancer, and trying to convince the completely uncaring Doctor to come out of his practise and help.

Luna carefully rolled up the letter, and then reduced it to ash with a simple touch of her magic. The princess shot one last dirty look back over her shoulder at the practise, before bounding away towards the Ponyville Asylum, to see if they had found Stardancer yet. She had been missing for the better part of a day, and her most recent dose of medicine would have worn off hours ago.

Wisp bounced in place, trying to see over the banister and down to the stairs where Princess Celestia was ascending the steps with chitin in tow.

“Princess Celestia!” Wisp squeaked.

Celestia looked up as she climbed the staircase. “Ah, Wisp.”

Wisp bounced in place happily, and then sped around the banister to meet the princess and queen at the top of the stairs. “I uhm... I’m not sure where to go! My home was in the desert across the ocean and my airship got blown up so I can’t stay there and I don’t have any money to get an inn and I don’t know if ponies here would let me do work for a room for the night and even then that doesn’t exactly answer the question of food and I suck at foraging in anything that isn’t the des-”

Celestia cut Wisp off with a raised hoof. “You are welcome to stay in the castle, Wisp. Or if you wish, I can pay your board at the local inn.”

“You would do that for me?” Wisp squeaked, head tilting to the side and ears pricking upwards.

“Indeed, little griffon. It is my fault that you were displaced from your home. I seem to owe you an airship, too,” Celestia said with a gentle nod.

Wisp’s eyes widened, and she bounced in place excitedly. “Ohhhh! I would love another airship to work on! But it must have broken bits I can fit!”

Celestia nodded gently. “But if I am to do all this for you... I must ask something of you in return.”

Wisp’s ears pinned back at that, and her head lowered. “I... I guess that’s fair.”

“There is a door you must open for me. The door is locked, and I have lost the key. I must remove the door so I place a new one there,” Celestia said with a slowly growing smile.

Wisp’s eyes widened, and she gasped. “I... I have just the thing!” the young griffon squeaked, bouncing in place rapidly in excitedness. “I’ll go get it!”

Celestia just smiled as Wisp shot off towards the temporary room she had been given to collect her things.

Chitin just raised a brow. “So... bouncy.”

“She’s cute,” Celestia stated, waving a hoof.

“Cute and very, very annoying,” Chitin corrected.

“Come, we have much to discuss,” Celestia said, motioning for the queen to follow as she continued towards the Hall of Elements.

“It’s... it’s gone,” Stardancer whispered, staring wide-eyed up at the orderly.

The unicorn had been moved when she was unconscious, and was in a hospital bed in the Canterlot hospital with machines monitoring her vitals. Two orderlies were in her room, as though they could somehow stop her escape attempts if she wished to leave.

“It’s a new serum,” one of the orderlies explained, checking the readings on the machines. “It was developed from an artificial isotope that blocks magic. Same one we use to keep the unicorn’s from doing their magic. Of course, what we put in you was a stronger dose.”

“You don’t understand!” Stardancer exclaimed, rolling herself out of the bed and wiggling her hoof at the air. She tossed her mane, and then grasps a few strands of the black hairs in her muzzle, tugging them free and then tossing them onto the ground, watching them with wide eyes. “I can think again! I can observe without knowing!”

“Very interesting,” the orderly said in in a tone that conveyed the complete opposite.

Stardancer jumped in place a few times, grinning from ear to ear and then pouncing on the orderly, squeezing him in a hug. “You simply must get me more of this serum!”

“It’s expensive to produce,” the orderly stated, wincing slightly at the squeeze and taking a step away from the unicorn. “From what the doctor said, you’ll only be able to get a single dose a week.”

“A week?!” Stardancer asked, aghast. “That is unacceptable!”

“Well unless you want to produce it yourself...”

“I will do just that!” Stardancer protested, snorting once and then staggering slightly. With a huff, she stepped over to the bed, and pulled herself back up onto it. “I am going to rest now,” she stated haughtily. She didn’t want the orderlies to know, but she was tired. Years of sitting in a small room and watching the dust interact with itself had greatly reduced her muscle mass.

The orderlies just looked at her, and then turned away, already planning on playing cards once she was asleep.

“We’ve arranged transport for you,” one of them said, “Should be here by tonight. You’ve got a review booked for tomorrow afternoon to see how this new medicine affects you.”

“Whatever,” Stardancer said noncommittally, yawning heavily and then just laying her head on her forehooves. For the first time, she felt normal. And she was too tired to even enjoy it.

Raindrop sighed and stretched out against the edge of the tub, rubbing a hoof against her cheek. “Ugh, I wish I was a unicorn.”

“Why would you want a horn?” Sentinel asked lazily, draping a hoof over her.

“The water’s getting cold,” Raindrop whined, wrinkling her nose. “And I don’t wanna get out.”

“Well you’re the changeling. Give yourself a horn,” Sentinel suggested, wrapping his hooves around her properly and drawing her close to him.

“Y’know, if I was sure it wouldn’t kill me, I’d give it a try,” Raindrop said with a nod.

“But then you’d be an alicorn,” Sentinel pointed out.

“Changeling are alicorns!” Raindrop protested, huffing and nuzzling against Sentinel’s cheek.

“Alicorns are overrated,” Sentinel said with a wry grin.

“Says the one who works for an alicorn,” Raindrop said with a roll of her eyes.

Sentinel shrugged, “Unicorns used to raise the moon and sun before the princesses came along.”

“But alicorns do it by themselves. Ergo, alicorns are awesome,” Raindrop said with a sage nod.

“Why are we even arguing about this?” Sentinel queried.

“We don’t have anything else to argue about and arguing is our default state,” Raindrop explained matter-of-factly.

Sentinel gave a nod and an ‘ahhh’ at that, resting his nose against her cheek. “We should go out and do something fun.”

“I can think of a lot of fun things we can do right here,” Raindrop said in a definitely sultry tone.

Sentinel grinned, bopping her on the nose with a hoof. “I can, too. But we can do that whenever. It’s not often we’ll get an entire afternoon to ourselves. No doubt something will happen at the palace tomorrow and we’ll be called in to deal with changelings or something.”

“You’re probably right,” Raindrop said, heaving a sigh and shaking her head, before she crawled out of the tub and tugged a towel down over top of herself.

Sentinel pulled himself out of the tub after her, pulling out the plug to let the water drain, and then beginning to scrub the towel across the mare’s wings and back, to help dry her.

“Your cutie mark changed,” Raindrop said suddenly.

“Oh... that, right,” Sentinel said with a single blink, his cheeks warming. “I uhh... well, I got Celestia to remove her enchantment. The one that lets me sense changelings.”

Raindrop stared at him for a long moment, pursing her lips. “Why did you do this?”

“So that Chitin could use her magic on me. Somepony was going to have to get it turned off so that Chitin could properly work her magic. I was just the... uh, first volunteer,” Sentinel said with an attempt at a smile.

“And she couldn’t turn it back on?” Raindrop asked flatly.

“Funny thing that,” Sentinel said awkwardly, giving a strained smile. “She needs all of the bearers in cooperation to do that, apparently.”

“Well, once we get the bearers, we won’t even need to put the spell back on you,” Raindrop stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

Sentinel gave a sigh of relief at that. “Oh thank heavens. I thought you were going to hit me or something.”

“I’ll just have to tie you up and deny you any pleasure for a few hours,” Raindrop said with another dismissive shrug.

Sentinel just stared at her, shaking his head slightly. “And you never explained what your cutie mark is for,” he accused, pointing at the raincloud on her rump.

“I’m a weather pony,” Raindrop pointed out. “My name is raindrop. Do I need to explain this?”

“I... Well, I guess not,” Sentinel said with a wry grin.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, bopping him on the nose again and shaking her head, before hugging him close. “I like this. We don’t get to... laze very often.”

“Lazing is fun,” Sentinel admitted with a nod. “But so is staring down a hydra. They both have their pros and cons.”

“Dying is a definite con,” Raindrop stated, shaking her head.

“So where are we gonna go?” Sentinel asked of the mare, as he tossed the towel back onto the rack.

“I dunno, you’re the one who wants to go somewhere, mare,” Raindrop accused, slapping her rump with a hoof and wiggling it at him. “Coulda had all of this, but you wanna go out and have fun.”

Sentinel grinned and just shook his head, pulling the mare back around to face him and planting a warm kiss on her muzzle.

“We should go to the castle and get you all connected with the Element of Loyalty, so that we can fix me. I’d rather you didn’t die, actually,” Raindrop stated with a nod after they broke the kiss.

Sentinel gave a wry grin. “Still think I’m a bearer huh?”

“You are loyal to a fault,” Raindrop stated with a smile, nudging his nose once with her own.

“Actually... I’m not, really,” Sentinel said with a helpless smile.

Raindrop raised a brow. “And what makes you say that?”

“You’ll think I’m flattering you. Or buttering you up,” Sentinel stated, shaking his head once.

“You turned down my blatant sexual advance earlier, what could you possibly be buttering me up for, pocket money?” Raindrop pointed out, perking an ear.

“Touché,” Sentinel admitted, before taking a deep breath and then giving a faint sigh. “I just... I’ve come to realise that I lied to you.”

“Super not loyal there,” Raindrop said, waving a hoof in an awed way.

Sentinel snorted, placing a hoof on her mouth to quieten her. “When you asked if it came down to you, or my orders, which would I choose...” the guard trailed off, giving a wry smile. “I’d like to pretend that I’m loyal enough to disregard you, even if it hurt. But... I know in my heart that if it came down to a choice like that, I’d choose you. Every time.”

Raindrop snorted once, and then hugged the guard fiercely, squeezing him tightly and kissing him with a fiery intensity. “You absolute mare,” she accused, nudging his nose once and then smiling warming, staring into his eyes. “If you weren’t such a mare, I’d totally give you the most depraved sex you’d ever dreamed of.”

“But we have to have dinner and a movie first,” Sentinel whined, before giving her a goofy grin.

Raindrop just shook her head. “Dinner and a movie first. If you promise kinky, depraved sex afterwards.”

“Deal!” Sentinel said, kissing her nose swiftly.

Raindrop smiled, and then rubbing a hoof against Sentinel’s wing. “I love you, you fool.”

Sentinel grinned, kissing her cheek. “I love you too, you sex-crazed monster.”

Double Date

Remedy adjusted her mane nervously, dancing in place with uncharacteristic anxiousness. It was 6:45, and she had already been in position for a full five minutes. Somehow, the prospect of going on a date with Firebrand disturbed her. If it wasn’t for that fact that she was the element of honesty, then Remedy would have just not shown up at all, for fear that it was all some kind of ruse or game.

Even now, she just wanted to turn around and go back to the castle. There were so many better things she could do than stand around waiting for Firebrand, or watching the pegasus gorge herself at some buffet or whatever it was she had planned.

Remedy was a moment away from leaving when a flurry of movement appeared besides her. Firebrand, having winged her way over the castle walls.

“Hiyas!” Firebrand said cheerfully, stepping over towards the nurse, “I see you didn’t stand me up!”

Remedy blinked once, eyes widening.

The pegasus’ white body was covered in long, flowing orange, multi-layered tresses that terminated in a very fancy white frills. Her mane and tail were unbound, the red contrasting well with the colours of her dress. Her entire form conveyed warmth and energy: as though she were alight. And she looked good.

After several moments, Firebrand raised a brow, “Is this okay? It’s not... silly, is it?”

Remedy blinked once, and then shook her head mutely.

Firebrand looked Remedy up and down in return: the nurse was wearing a simple short pink dress and had a flower behind one ear, tucked into a lock of her pink mane.

“You look... nice,” Firebrand said awkwardly.

“Nice?” Remedy asked, snorting once. “That’s it?”

Firebrand bit her bottom lip, and then gave a helpless shrug of her shoulders. “The first word to come to mind was ‘attractive’, and then ‘sexy’, but I settled with ‘nice’ because it was the most socially acceptable.”

The nurse blinked at that, and then smiled. “Well, you look positively ravishing. I’m afraid you’re going to look pretty bad stuck with this tacky nurse tagging along. Where’re you taking me anyhow?”

“To see a play at the Blueblood Theatre!” Firebrand said brightly, “It’s supposed to be the next big thing!”

Remedy’s expression turned uncertain, and she peered at Firebrand. “A movie?”

Firebrand gave a grin at that, and then waved a hoof, before leaning closer and whispering conspiratorially, “I got us the skybox, so we’ll be all alone, with a bottle of wine. We don’t even have to watch the show!”

The nurse paused at that, raising a brow at Firebrand suspiciously. “And how did you manage to get tickets to the skybox?”

The pegasus gave the nurse a stare. “I’m the Captain of the Wonderbolts,” she said with a faint giggle. “I could get basically anything I want.”

Remedy gave a nod at that, and then perked a single ear upwards. “And yet you choose the changeling to go on a date with?”

“Anything I want,” Firebrand said with a grin, wiggling a hoof at the other mare.

“So were you serious about the dinner and a movie thing?” Raindrop asked, as she straightened up her mane. She didn’t have any fancy dress to put on, and Sentinel wasn’t one to dress up in anything other than armor.

“Sure was!” Sentinel said with a grin.

The two of them were walking down the road towards the amphitheatre, side-by-side.

“You are such a mare,” Raindrop accused, shaking her head at the guard.

“But you love me nonetheless,” Sentinel replied with a sly grin.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, “Somehow.”

Sentinel stepped closer to her, and his wing extended lightly touching at her own, before the pinions wended their way through her wing and tugged it out to hold the interlocked feathers together.

Raindrop paused at that, her cheeks flushing with warmth. The reassuring sensation of his feathers interlocking with her own so perfectly was something that she had never expected to feel.

Sentinel raised a brow at her, “Raindrop... are you okay?”

Raindrop blinked once, swallowing past the sudden lump in her throat, and nodding jerkily. “Y-yeah, it’s nothing.”

The guard leaned in to peer at her closely, head tilting to one side slightly. “Are you sure? You’re not about to get sappy on me, are you?”

Raindrop silenced him with a furious, intense kiss, holding his cheek with a hoof to keep him from pulling away. “I just love you so much right now,” she almost sobbed.

Sentinel blinked, bewildered, staring at her as she let him go. “...Sure you’re fine?”

Raindrop pursed her lips, looking away for a moment. “I just... it’s stupid. It’s silly. Forget it.”

Shaking his head, Sentinel squeezed her feathers with his own reassuringly, “You can tell me, Raindrop. I’m your coltfriend, after all.”

Taking a deep breath, Raindrop bounced slightly in place, agitated, and then peered sideways at Sentinel, biting her lower lip. “I just... when I was with Shine, I was always wishing, somewhere deep down, that I could just take his wing in my own... It’s stupid, I know. It’s just... It’s just a winghold. But it felt more important than that to me...”

“Shine was a unicorn, right?” Sentinel queried, squeezing her feathers gently.

“Yeah... which just made it all the more stupid,” Raindrop said with a rueful smile. “It’s childish...”

“No it’s not,” Sentinel assured, smiling and wrapping his hooves around her shoulders in a hug. “You’re just a mare, is all.”

“But you’re the mare in this relationship,” Raindrop stated, blinking once.

“I know, but you’re muscling me out of my spot. Now shush, or we’ll be late. You can sob on my shoulder and cry and do all that mare-ish stuff when we’re at the theatre.”

A small explosion rocked the upper floor of the Canterlot Palace, sending the guards and visitors rushing this way and that to take cover or try to find the source of the disturbance.

A small griffon wearing an eyepatch, covered in a fine dusting of white plaster powder, and with wood chips in her crest.

“I think I used too much!” Wisp squeaked to Princess Celestia, a grin plastered across her beak.

“It was sufficient,” Celestia said with a bow. “I trust you enjoyed the process?”

Wisp nodded eagerly, bouncing in place. “I’ve been wanting to try them out on something for a while now!”

Celestia gave a knowing smile.

Chitin waited until Wisp had disappeared down the nearby staircase and headed towards her personal quarters, before arching a brow at Celestia. “You did not really require the door to be blown apart, did you?”

Celestia smiled. “Of course not, I could have unlocked it with magic.”

“And yet you asked the tiny bouncy one to blow it apart?” Chitin asked flatly.

The princess nodded again. “Indeed. It brings joy to her heart.”

“You could have just unlocked it,” Chitin stated flatly.

“And then Wisp would not have been happy,” Celestia replied simply.

The amphitheatre was a recent construction built using the finest unicorns’ magics after a fire claimed the original Blueblood Theatre. It was a giant half-circle construction, with many layered tiers as seating for those who wished to view the movies that played on the large wall in the centre of the theatre. The entire upper tier of the amphitheatre was set out as a restaurant, one of the best in Centerlot, serving fine wine and food to those who were wealthy enough to afford it.

The prized jewel of the theatre were the skyboxes: A trio of box-shaped rooms lined with red velvet suspended above the amphitheatre below, with a perfect view of the screen. Magically suspended on pylon’s specifically farmed from the same rock as that which held up the Cloudsdale buildings, they were rock-steady and safe. A long staircase ascended to each box. The boxes themselves were private, cozy, with indirect lighting controlled by a console inside the box giving them a soft, warm feel.

“I’ve never been somewhere anywhere near this fancy,” Remedy whispered to Firebrand.

Firebrand just giggled, and then whispered in response, “I’m a regular.”

Sentinel pulled Raindrop’s chair out for her, smiling.

They were on the top floor of the amphitheatre, getting settled in to eat dinner and watch the movie.

Raindrop sat down, smiling at Sentinel, and he moved to sit down as well, before pausing, blinking once.

“Raindrop. Is that... Remedy and Firebrand?” Sentinel asked, pointing with a hoof.

Raindrop turned, leaned to the side and stared, raising a brow slowly. “Why... yes. Yes it is.”

Just then, the two mares who were ascending the stairs caught sight of Raindrop and Sentinel at the table.

Drama

Remedy blanched, Firebrand looked completely unperturbed, Sentinel rose an eyebrow, and Raindrop gave a soft, amused giggle.

“Oh please... please don’t tell me you two are here on a date?!” Raindrop asked, a hoof covering her mouth.

“Yes.”
“No!”

Two replies echoed at the same time in discordance.

Raindrop giggled again. “Oh wow. And here I was worried about you two trying to murder eachother.”

“We’re just seeing a movie!” Remedy protested, her ears pinning back.

Raising a brow slowly, Raindrop grinned, and then narrowed her eyes. “Firebrand... what exactly are you and Remedy doing here?”

“We’re on a date,” Firebrand stated automatically, nodding once in affirmation.

“That’s no fair!” Remedy hissed at Raindrop, her expression murderous.

Raindrop gave an innocent giggle. “And Firebrand... who was it that... instigated the date?”

Firebrand paused at that, humming faintly and tapping her chin with a hoof. “I think Remedy was.”

“That is a lie!” Remedy retorted, aghast. “And from the element of honesty no less!”

The wonderbolt captain shook her head slightly at that, peering sideways at the nurse. “You were the one who came up to me all shy and nervous,” she said, with brutal honesty, “And I saw you lurking around getting up the courage to come over to me... or perving.”

Remedy looked positively livid at that.

“You’re awful quiet, Sentinel,” Raindrop stated, raising a brow at her coltfriend.

Sentinel turned towards her with a solemn gaze. “I have no particular feelings about it one way or another.”

Raindrop perked an ear at that, blinking once.

Remedy pushed at Firebrand with a hoof, to make her walk, urging in a haughty tone, “Walk, mare, walk!”

In moments, the two ponies had ascended the stairs to one of the skyboxes and disappeared from view.

Raindrop rounded on Sentinel then, staring at him. “ ‘No particular feelings either way’?” Raindrop parroted in a tone of disbelief.

Sentinel laughed faintly. “Oh c’mon, there were two of them! And you! I’m not stupid enough to say what I really think with those odds!”

“And what do you really think?” Raindrop asked, leaning closer and turning an ear towards the pegasus.

Sentinel gave a wry grin. “Those two are perfect for eachother. One of them will either murder the other in their sleep, or they’ll end up happily married.”

“So... basically us, a month or so ago?” Raindrop asked with a giggle.

“That about sums it up,” Sentinel admitted, as he slid a menu across to Raindrop with a smile.

“Now we just need to find Wisp a passive-aggressive partner,” Raindrop said, peering down at the menu thoughtfully.

“Can ponies and gryphons even...” Sentinel started.

“Screw?” Raindrop suggested, raising a brow.

Sentinel scoffed, looking away a moment. “I guess that is a pretty stupid question.”

“The males are all pink and have feline things on their junk. Spines or something. Apparently, it’s quite painful,” Raindrop said knowledgeably, not even looking up from her menu.

The guard stared at her. “You don’t... know from experience do you?”

“Thankfully no,” Raindrop said with a giggle and a shake of her head. “But you think there isn’t a Playcolt equivalent for mares?”

“And they have gryphons?” Sentinel asked, staring.

Raindrop nodded. “Gryphons, pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies... they even had a minotaur once.”

“A minotaur?” Sentinel blinked slowly, shaking his head. “How would you even get one in a photoshoot? They’re huge.”

The female pegasus nodded sagely, “Big like this,” she said, holding her hooves out the length of the table.

Sentinel’s jaw dropped.

Raindrop gave a soft giggle, covering her mouth again and shaking her head. “Oh boys and your toys. They’re not really that big. Actually, ‘comically small’ better describes their anatomy.”

“Why are we even discussing this?!” Sentinel demanded to know after a moment.

“Because you’re going to lose your appetite and I’m going to steal food off your plate” Raindrop said calmly, perusing her menu.

Remedy and Firebrand ascended to the skybox, the pegasus pushing the door open and holding it open for the nurse, who stepped through with a huff.

“What’re they even doing here?” Remedy asked with a snort.

Firebrand closed the door behind them, stepping over to the viewing couch and pulling herself up onto it, settling down carefully to get comfortable, brushing her beautiful dress out so it sat flat and wouldn’t get wrinkled. “I believe that they are here to watch the movie.”

Remedy scowled, her ears splaying back as she stepped around the couch and then carefully pulled herself up onto it, brushing her mane out with a hoof self-consciously, and then peering out over the ledge and towards the movie screen set up in the middle of the amphitheatre. “Still... of all the places they could have gone...”

“Are you truly that bothered to be seen with me?” Firebrand asked calmly, raising a brow.

The nurse blinked at that, her ears splaying back. “Well... no. It’s just... awkward.”

“Awkward to be seen with me,” Firebrand added delicately.

Remedy sighed, rubbing a hoof against her forehead slowly. “That’s not it. It’s just... I dunno. I did want to murder you not long ago and I have appearances to keep up.”

“Very well,” Firebrand said with a single sniff, resting her head on her hooves and casting her gaze towards the screen as the lights dimmed and the screen itself came to life.

The title screen came on, followed by the beginning of the movie. It was a pretty generic plot to begin with, a pegasus and a unicorn in love.

“This is the second time I’ve seen this movie,” Firebrand said with a slight smile, waving a little bell. A few moments later, the door to the skybox opened, and a waiter appeared, holding a menu.

Firebrand ordered a cabbage stew, while Remedy stared down at the menu and the prices, her eyes wide.

“My treat,” Firebrand said with a smile, noting the nurse’s expression.

Remedy gave a sigh of relief. “I’m not used to this kind of prices before. Did they grow the hay in gold-encrusted soil?”

“Actually, it was sprinkled with crystals imported from the crystal empire, gives the bread a very nice taste, especially to dragon-folk. But it’s also expensive,” Firebrand explained with a nod and a smile.

Very carefully, Remedy chose something that wasn’t too expensive, before passing the menu back, settling down to watch the movie with the pegasus.

Raindrop and Sentinel’s menu was far less fancy, but still had some expensive dishes on it.

“I feel like splurging,” Raindrop said with a hum, peering down the list. “So... red wine with minotaur cheese, and the crystal garlic bread for a main course?”

Sentinel blinked down at the menu and then gave an uneasy smile. “Sounds a little too... sophisticated for me.”

“Oh come on,” Raindrop said, rolling her eyes with a single snort. “Anything that isn’t stewed to a uniform colour and consistency is ‘too sophisticated’ for a guard.”

“S’not my fault,” Sentinel said with a grin. “They train us to be rugged, and I guess the food is another form of torture.”

“Well tonight is fancy-night, so you’ll be eating what I’m eating,” Raindrop said with a sense of finality. “And you’ll be sharing an extra-large ice cream sundae with me, chocolate and caramel flavour, with a straw for both of us.”

“Yes ma’am,” Sentinel said with a mock-salute.

The movie continued. There were various action sequences, a romance scene, and then the female, the unicorn, was taken hostage by a group of shadowy figures.

Firebrand hummed faintly, and then her head jerked up, her eyes widening. She stared sideways at Remedy for a long moment, suddenly realising her mistake.

The nurse was quite happily chewing on a piece of bread, watching the screen, when her chewing slowed, and then stopped.

On the screen, the true villain was finally revealed. The pony had become a changeling. A very fake, very terrible changeling.

“Muwahahaha, I have tricked you all!” the changeling on the screen was saying, waving a hoof and grinning slyly. “All your love belong to me!”

Remedy paused, her ears visibly warming as she slowly turned her gaze towards Firebrand.

“I-I can explain,” Firebrand began.

“I’ve seen all I need to see,” Remedy spat, growling and tossing her drink at the mare.

Firebrand winced backwards, getting soaked with the crystal wine, her beautiful dress stained forever with the liquid, while her face and mane were drenched in stripes by the flying liquid.

And then, the door to the skybox slammed, and Remedy stormed down the stairs, growling deeply in the back of her throat.

Raindrop and Sentinel both looked up, a straw each in their mouths, suckling away at the chocolate and caramel sundae between them. Remedy was stalking down the stairs, taking them two at a time, visibly angry and distressed.

“I guess she’s back to wanting to murder her then,” Raindrop said with a helpless giggle, licking her lips clean of the icecream.

Remedy didn’t even give the couple a glance as she stalked past, audibly growling, dissapearing down the stairs into the crowd.

Firebrand came bounding down the steps a few moments later, her mane wet and her dress stained with red. “Remedy, wait!” The pegasus paused in front of Sentinel and Raindrop, looking back and forth. “Which way did she go?!”

Sentinel pointed with a hoof lazily, while Raindrop perked an ear upwards. “So what did you do to make her want to murder you again?”

“The movie,” Firebrand said, her ears pinning back, “The changeling bit obviously didn’t gel with her.”

“Remedy likes changelings?” Sentinel asked curiously, perking an ear and peering at where the nurse had disappeared to.

Firebrand’s eyes widened and she twitched. “Y-you could say that.”

Sentinel’s eyes narrowed, and Raindrop tried to distract him, pushing the menu in front of his face. “Want something else, hun?”

Sentinel pushed the menu out of the way, eyes narrowing at Firebrand. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Firebrand stammered, completely caught off guard. “W-what? What a-aren’t I telling y-you?” she asked so fakely that not even a filly would beleive it. “I... nothing! Remedy is a perfectly normal... earth... pony...” Firebrand struggled to get the words out, biting them off unnaturally.

Obviously, Sentinel didn’t believe her. It took him all of four seconds to put two and two together.

“...Remedy is a changeling...” the guard murmured, staring at Firebrand. “She is, isn’t she?!”

Firebrand shuddered, biting her tongue hard and chewing on it. “N-no... she’s a... a... normal pony.... gotta-go-bye!”

Without waiting for a response, Firebrand bounded away and then threw herself into the air, wings spreading to catch the air.

Raindrop silently banged her forehead with the menu.

“You knew?” Sentinel asked quietly.

Raindrop sighed faintly and then nodded. “Aye, I knew.”

“And you didn’t tell me that Remedy was a changeling?!” Sentinel almost snarled.

Raindrop frowned deeply, trying to shush her coltfriend. “C’mon hun. This isn’t a conversation to have in public,” she said, seeing the looks they were attracting.

“You didn’t tell me!” Sentinel growled, incensed.

“Of course I didn’t tell you!” Raindrop hissed, keeping her voice just above a low whisper. “Because you’d probably try to kill her!”

Sentinel gave a mutinous growl at that, turning his head and crossing his forehooves, his lips a thin line.

Raindrop sighed and shut the menu, pushing it off the table completely. “Well, this isn’t awkward.”

“Bloody. Changeling.” Sentinel growled under his voice, shaking his head angrily.

Raindrop rose to her hooves, and then grabbed Sentinel by his mane, ignoring his protests. “C’mon, you. We’re gonna pay for dinner and discuss this somewhere private. Somewhere with lots of alcohol.”

Forgiveness

Sentinel paced back and forth, growling in the back of his throat, his wings stiffened and flapping intermittently with his steps. He held a bottle of alcohol in one hoof, and occasionally took deep swallows of it.

Raindrop sighed softly, holding her own bottle against her forehead, letting the cool glass sooth a building headache. “You’re going to wear out the floor, hun.”

The rest of the patrons of the bar were giving the angry pegasus a wide berth, and the music from the jukebox was drowning out enough noise for Raindrop to be pretty sure they wouldn’t be heard.

“She’s a bloody changeling!” Sentinel hissed, having regained enough sense to keep his voice at a low growl, so that the rest of the bar wouldn’t be privy to their conversation.

“And?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow slowly.

“Changeling,” the guard reiterated in a growl.

Raindrop rolled her eyes, and then sighed faintly. “You’re going to growl and hiss and snap and then wait a few days before finally coming to terms with the situation and forgiving her for being born like she is, right?”

“Something like that,” Sentinel growled distractedly, taking another deep swig of his drink. “She could have told us!”

“She told me,” Raindrop pointed out, a single ear perking.

“She could have told us both!” Sentinel responded with a snarl.

Sighing faintly, Raindrop shook her head again. “No she couldn’t have. Because this would have happened.”

“I need to use the toilet,” Sentinel spat, stalking away towards the other side of the bar.

Raindrop heaved another sigh and then laid her chin on the counter, staring at her half-empty bottle of beer with a sad expression.

It was a full ten minutes before Raindrop started to get suspicious that Sentinel wasn’t coming back. A quick bribe of a free drink to a passing unicorn gave her the news that the toilet was empty and the window was open.

Sentinel was gone.

Sentinel stood in the personal records room of the Canterlot Palace. Records for every employee of Equestria stood in filing cabinets on the walls. The place was deserted at this hour of night.

A single filing cabinet was opened, marked ‘hospital staff’. A manilla folder bearing the name ‘Remedy Nightshade’ stood open on the desk. Remedy’s personal information was written down there in neat lettering.

Name: Remedy Nightshade
Occupation: Nurse
Age: Unknown
Marital status: Single
Address: 25 Numoiu Lane, Ponyville
Next of Kin: None

Note: Immigrant. Orphan. Medical knowledge, though with no prior certifications in any field.

It was very little information, and none of it surprised Sentinel. Her orphan status and unknown age were to be expected as she was a changeling. The immigrant status was a nice touch, any questions could be allayed by ‘I don’t remember’ and there would be no records of her anywhere for cross-referencing.

But Sentinel had what he needed. Her address.

25 Numoiu Lane was a modest little house with wilting flowers in the garden, overgrown grass, a picket fence in disrepair, and the faint light of candles flickering in one of the windows.

Sentinel calmly leaped over the picket fence, and then stalked up to the window, peeking in it with narrowed eyes.

Remedy was sitting in the middle of the lounge room floor, looking rather unimpressed with life in general. An overturned wine glass was sitting besides her, with a small stain showing where she had spilled it. The nurse was drinking straight from the wine bottle, holding it up to her mouth with a hoof and then thudding it back down onto the floor. The bottle still had a fair amount left in it, but the nurse was quickly make inroads.

Changeling, Sentinel reminded himself, his eyes narrowing slowly as he stared at her.

She looked just like a normal pony, dealing with the date-gone-wrong. Sentinel stared at her, his hoof slowly kneading at the ground, grinding at the dirt, leaving a gouge in the overgrown grass.

He tried to think of what he would say when he walked in there. Would he open the door? Or would it be more impressive to just kick it the hell down?

Would he accuse her of being a liar? Or even make snide comments until she realised that he knew what she was?

The pegasus growled in the back of his throat, his wings flexing in anticipation as he stalked towards the front door. Trying the door handle, he found it unlocked. The door pushed inwards silently, everything she'd told them over the past few weeks. Every single thing. It was all a lie. What would Celestia say, finding out that the Element of Kindness was a changeling?

Sentinel stepped inside, letting the door close behind him, carefully twisting the handle so that it closed completely quietly. Growling ever-so-softly, he then started to stalk towards the living room, poking his head around the corner.

Now that he was closer, he could see that Remedy was crying quietly as she took great gulps of the wine, her cheeks slightly rosy with her tipsiness. Twin shining trails of tears spilled down her cheeks, and her eyes were red. She wasn’t sobbing, but the tears were fresh.

Sentinel stared at the changeling, his eyes narrowed and his tail twitched slightly back and forth. His wings were half-erect, ready to pounce out from the shadows and lay down his accusation.

“What do you want?” Remedy spat, turning her gaze towards the doorway, her expression unhappy. “Come to laugh at me as well?”

The guard blinked at that, deflating instantly at being found out so easily. His ears splayed backwards as he meekly stepped out of the doorway and then stared at the nurse. “Why would I laugh at you?” he asked blankly.

The nurse snorted at that, looking away, seeming to realise something. “I... it’s nothing.”

Sentinel realised then, that Remedy had remembered that he didn’t know she was a changeling. Or so she thought. “Firebrand was... she knew that the movie would insult me. That I wouldn’t like it. But she still took me there. She just wanted to make fun of me. I thought she liked me... but she was just being mean in a stupid, petty, underhoof way... she knew that movie would insult me!”

Because you’re a changeling! Every fibre in Sentinel’s being told him to yell the words at the nurse. It was the perfect opening.

Rather than shout the accusation though, Sentinel found himself quietly say: “Firebrand lied for you.”

Remedy blinked at that, sniffling once and placing down the wine bottle. "W-what?"

“She lied,” Sentinel stated matter-of-factly. “I caught her in the lie.”

“B-but... Firebrand doesn’t lie...” Remedy stated quietly, her ears splaying back.

“Firebrand seems... very clumsy with the whole dating thing,” Sentinel said with a wry smile.

Remedy didn’t respond, sighing faintly and then taking an even larger swig from the wine bottle. “Screwing everything up...”

Sentinel gave an awkward sound at that, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

“So... you’re telling me that she liked me enough to lie for me and I went and threw my drink in her face and ruined her gorgeous dress for absolutely no reason? She probably hates me now...” the changeling trailed off, staring down at her hooves and giving a faint whine, tears building in her eyes again.

The guard winced slightly, cringing, before he awkwardly stepped closer to the nurse and wrapped his hooves around her in a soothing hug, beginning to gently rub his hoof through her mane. “I’m sure you’ll be able to talk it out,” he said reassuringly. “If she likes you enough to lie, then she’ll understand, right?”

Remedy splayed her ears backwards, leaning into the hug slightly and staring down at her hooves. Sentinel was struck by how different she accepted hugs to Raindrop. Raindrop sort of clung to him, Remedy just sort of... leaned.

“I... I guess you’re right,” Remedy murmured, rubbing her hoof against her nose and then wiping her tears from her muzzle. “Gotta stop being so emotional...”

Sentinel nodded gently, pulling back and then peering at the nurse for a long moment.

"What did you come here for anyhow?" Remedy asked after a moment, looking up at him with red eyes.

"I... it doesn't matter," Sentinel said with a shake of his head, giving a wry smile and then rising to his hooves to leave. "I might tell you some other time."

The nurse snorted once at that, sniffling again and rubbing at her nose, and then calling out to Sentinel before he could leave, "I... thank you, Sentinel."

Sentinel paused in the doorway, looking back at the nurse, before he slipped out the door into the darkness.

Progress

Raindrop rolled over to the face the door as Sentinel quietly slunk in.

A single arched brow came from the female, and Sentinel sighed faintly, his ears drooping. “Was kinda hoping you’d be asleep,” he admitted with a shake of his head.

“You have some explaining to do,” Raindrop stated, glowering at him. “Especially after climbing out a bathroom window to get away from me.”

“Evasion tactics. They taught it to us in the guard,” Sentinel said proudly, a hoof at his chest, striking a pose.

“They also taught you how to smoothly change the subject?” Raindrop inquired flatly.

Sentinel deflated. “I missed that lesson.”

“So, what did you do?” Raindrop asked simply.

“I... I confronted her,” Sentinel said guardedly, his ears pinning back. “Went to her home and everything.”

“And?”

“And... and... I wimped out,” Sentinel admitted, lowering his head, his wings drooping.

“Big bag Mr Guard,” Raindrop taunted with a giggle.

Sentinel huffed at that, pointing a hoof in retort. “What was I supposed to do?! She was crying!”

“Yes, because leaking liquid from one's eyes is the ultimate defensive tactic,” Raindrop replied, rolling her eyes.

“She was crying!” Sentinel repeated, pursing his lips. “How am I supposed to deal with that?”

“And if you confronted her?” Raindrop asked simply.

“I.. Well I sure wouldn’t want her to cry,” Sentinel stated, chewing his upper lip uncertainly. “I mean, if she took a swing at me and that, I’m trained to deal with that. But a crying mare is just...”

“Crying changeling,” Raindrop reminded.

“Changeling,” Sentinel agreed, sighing faintly and stepping over closer to the bed, pulling himself up onto it and splaying out besides the other pegasus.

“So? Did you just leave?” Raindrop queried, rolling into her stallion’s form, nosing her way in under one of his wings.

Sentinel shook his head. “She heard me coming with that freaky mare hearing.”

“And? You wimped out?” Raindrop asked, preening at the underside of his wing idly.

“I kinda... hugged her and told her that Firebrand lied for her and then left,” Sentinel said, ears lowering again.

Raindrop laughed at that, shaking her head. “And there you were all ready to go and snarl at her, and you ended up trying to help her relationship.”

“I didn’t look at it like that,” Sentinel said, averting his gaze, staring at the wall, resting his head on his hooves.

“Oh?” Raindrop asked curiously, gnawing playfully at one of his wing-joints. “And how exactly did you look at it?”

Sentinel twitched his wing on reflex, peering back at his mare. “I... Well. When she spoke to me like that, all hurt and offended for no reason... I didn’t see her as a changeling. I just saw her as... a hurt pony.”

Raindrop giggled faintly. “Who knew you had a heart?”

“I couldn’t go and confront her when she was already hurting from that...” Sentinel trailed off, sighing and shaking his head. “So go and call me a mare or whatever.”

Raindrop snorted once, pushing her way up his form and then pulling him around to face her, laying a warm kiss against his lips. “That was very sweet of you. You might be a total mare but you’re my total mare,” she stated with a grin, licking his nose once.

Sentinel huffed and wrapped a hoof around Raindrop, holding her close. “I think you’re the only pony I’ve ever met who can insult me and still make it sound like a compliment.”

“Practise,” Raindrop said with a grin, kissing him again.

Wisp hummed happily as she bounced down the street, a bag of coins jingling at her neck: a stipend from Celestia seeing as the young griffon was now in the employ of the state. It was a modest amount, but it was enough for her to get whatever she wanted. And now that it was morning and the shops were open, Wisp wanted a cake.

The young griffon came to a stop in front of Sugarcube Corner, and then pushed her way through the front door and made her way over to the front counter. She had to stand on her hindlegs to get her eyes above the level of the counter. She dropped the bag of coins on the counter, and then exclaimed, “I want a cake! A big one!”

The pegasus working behind the counter turned and beamed, bouncing slightly in place. “What kinda cake do ya want?!”

“Big!” Wisp repeated, waving a paw for emphasis.

“Chocolate? Walnut? Banana? Vanilla? Raisin?” The blonde pegasus ticked off various flavours.

“Uhm... uhm... I dunno!” Wisp whined, her ears lowering.

Grinning, the pegasus waved a hoof. “I’ve got just the thing!

The pegasus disappeared under the counter for a moment, all that was visible of her being the purple balloons on her white flank and the blonde tail, before she came up with a special cake tin with six different spaces inside it, like a pie-shape cut-out. “I’ll make ya a cake with all the flavours!”

“Deal!” Wisp squeaked, slapping the counter with a paw.

The shopkeeper nodded and smiled happily, pulling out the cake batter and beginning to mix it all up into the different flavours.

“I’ll be back to pick up the cake later!” Wisp squeaked, as she bounced towards the door.

The pegasus nodded and waved a hoof in between pouring flour into the mixing bowl.

The griffon stepped outside, and then immediately started down the road towards the private hospital. It was time to find the bearer of the Element of Generosity and convince him to help them.

Firebrand was back at work, putting the new recruits through their paces. Around and around the training grounds they went, flying through loops in a specific order. Firebrand was there in the iconic Wonderbolt flight suit and goggles, her fiery mane and tail making her stand out in the crowd.

Her second-in-command, Velocity, flew through the air besides the recruits, ordering them ‘faster!’ and ‘harder!’ while making sure that nopony fell behind or couldn’t keep pace. They’d already culled two dozen or more ponies from the recruits, and the hoofful that were left were the best that was on offer for that month.

Firebrand’s keen eye picked out one pony that was having trouble, his wings faltering every now and again.

Immediately, the Wonderbolt Captain gracefully flitted over to the group of panting, sweating candidates, sliding in amongst their ranks.

“Oi, rookie!” Firebrand called, sliding in besides the labouring pony. “Give it up, you’re not strong enough.”

The pegasus tried to pant a reply, his words catching in his throat and his wingbeats faltering.

Easily keeping pace with the struggling pony, Firebrand raised a brow, pushing her goggles up so she could look him in the eye. “C’mon, you honestly expect to be one of us?! You’re weak!”

The pony grit his teeth, a low growl building in his throat. With a sudden surge of energy, he was at the front of the pack, his brows furrowed in concentration.

Firebrand watched the pegasus powering ahead and smiled.

Firebrand stretched slightly, curling around to tug down the zipper of her flight suit, wiggling slightly with glee as her sweaty fur was greeted by a cool gust of air. Leaning up against one of the lockers of the Locker Room, hanging her goggles over one of the locker doors and starting to undress as she headed for the showers.

“U-uhm, Firebrand?” a timid voice asked.

Firebrand looked around, half-in, half-out of her flight suit, expecting to see one of the rookies or perhaps even a fan looking for an autograph. Instead, she was quite surprised to find Remedy sitting in the corner, looking mildly nervous. A pair of wings graced her otherwise normal form, a rather jarring addition to her familiar look.

“Uh... hi,” Remedy said lamely.

“Well hi,” Firebrand said coolly, slipping off her flight suit completely and kicking it aside, striding into the showers and flicking them on. Steam immediately began to fill the locker room.

Remedy minced over to the doorway, peering around it nervously. “I just... uhm... wanted to talk.”

“Then talk,” Firebrand said, from somewhere in the shower room, hidden by the steam.

Remedy cautiously stepped into the steamy shower room, closing the door behind herself, speaking over the sound of water hitting tiles. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Oh?” Firebrand asked, appearing through the steam in front of her, a brow raised.

“Yes,” Remedy admitted, splaying her ears back. “I... may have acted a tad too hastily.”

“Just a little bit?” Firebrand asked, pointing at her own face.

Remedy blinked, and then leaned a little bit closer, her eyes widening as she saw a faint line in Firebrand’s white fur. A wine stain.

“O-oh wow... I didn’t think it would stain your fur... I’m sorry!” Remedy whined, pinning her ears back.

“You owe me,” Firebrand stated, her eyes narrowing.

“I... guess I do,” Remedy replied meekly.

“Change.”

“W-what?”

“Change.” Firebrand repeated, waving a hoof calmly. “We’re alone. No one else will see. Change. I want to see what you really look like.”

Remedy gave a soft sigh, and then nodded once. She took a step back, and then closed her eyes, seeming to wince slightly. There was a flash of green light, and when it faded, it revealed a changeling standing in Remedy’s place.

She was a standard changeling, though a little smaller than Firebrand, with black chitin covering her entire form. Remedy licked between her two large canines nervously, peering up at Firebrand and shifting her weight nervously from hoof to hoof.

Firebrand walked a slow circle around the changeling, looking her up and down appraisingly. “You’ll do,” she said finally.

Remedy blinked once. “...what?”

Firebrand smiled and then hugged Remedy.

Remedy squirmed in place uncomfortably for a few moments, before relaxing into the hug, not quite used to being touched in any way in her natural form.

“Apology accepted,” Firebrand said with a nod and a smile, waving a hoof. “Now get the hell out of my locker room, I have a scary last-day-of-trials speech to prepare for!”

Klinge

Wisp pulled herself up onto the examination table, stretching out, reaching with her forepaws and arching her back a little bit, delicately unfolding her wings. Without her coat on, it was quite visible just how badly mangled her wing was. The leading edge of her right wing was broken in at least two separate places, quite badly, and the bones had already healed. The wing itself wouldn’t extend past the half-way point.

Doctor Heilung Klinge stood beside the examination table, a clipboard in hoof, humming thoughtfully down at the information there.

“Wisp, is it? You have no other given names?”

Wisp nodded. “That’s the name my uncle gave me, because I’m so small!”

“And you have lived with zis condition all your life?” the doctor asked.

Again, Wisp nodded. “As long as I can remember.”

“Does it cause you intermittent pain at all? When you try to move ze wing, or use it?”

The diminutive griffin splayed her ears at that. “I’ve kinda gotten used to never using it, to be honest.”

“The muscles have atrophied from lack of use, and ze bones are set in place, it would be most difficult to set them right again, and inv-” Wisp cut him off.

“-Hey hey, Doctor. You know all about me, time for me to know about you! I’m not gonna let you know all this personal stuff without getting to you know first!”

The doctor gave a soft sigh at that, shaking his head slowly. “Very well. Vat is that you wish to know?”

“What’s your name, for a start!” Wisp said with an earnest nod.

“My name is right on my tag,” the doctor said, pointing at his chest with a hoof, raising a brow quizzically.

Wisp looked away, her ears splaying. “I... well, I can’t really actually read.”

“Ahhh, very well. I am Doctor Heilung Klinge,” the doctor said, lifting a hoof to touch at his own chest.

“What does that mean?” Wisp asked, blinking once and peering up at the unicorn.

Klinge paused, pursing his lips. “Do you really vant to know?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t!” Wisp said with a happy grin.

“It means ‘healing blade’, in pony language,” the doctor replied grimly.

“Healing... blade?” Wisp asked, bewildered. “But, blades don’t heal!”

“It is a contradictory name designed to reflect my own contradictory nature,” Klinge responded calmly, gently taking Wisp’s wingtip in a hoof and tugging at it slowly, beginning to extend it.

Wisp gritted her beak, but didn’t complain, squirming slightly in place as the stiffness and pain that began to make itself known, her tail giving an irritated flick.

After a few moments of stretching, Klinge had her wing extended as far as he was comfortable with, and quite further than Wisp was comfortable with, the griffon panting slightly, her ears pinned back and her free wing quivering in sympathetic irritation.

“You have had this injury as long as you remember, yes?” Klinge asked, to make certain.

Wisp nodded mutely.

“Very well,” Klinge responded, starting to take measurements of the lengths and angles of her wing, measuring the bones and how far she could extend them. Once he was done with this, he released her wing, allowing the griffon to close it back against her side with a sigh of relief.

Klinge moved around to her other side, tugging her good wing out to examine it, and Wisp took several deep breaths before pressing him for more information.

“So... why do they call you ‘healing blade’?” she queried, peering at the doctor. “Do you stab people?”

“Once,” Klinge said, quite bluntly. “Vell... it was more slashing than stabbing, and it was several different ponies, but it was only the one ‘incident’.”

Wisp worked her beak in distaste. “Why did you slash ponies? You’re not gonna slash me are you?”

Klinge laughed at that, shaking his head. “No, little griffon. I am not going to harm you. I may have cause to put you in significant pain in coming days, but I will not harm you.”

Wisp bit the tip of her tongue at that, her ears splaying. “That doesn’t sound very nice either way. But... why did you slash them?”

Klinge paused at that, biting his bottom lip and then sighing softly. “You must understand, my country is... different to Equestria. It is very much more strife-stricken than this land of peace. There were some very bad ponies who broke into my practise there, and wanted to steal morphine. Morphine that I vould use to treat patients, to keep ponies alive. I had foals there that needed that morphine. Ze guards were nowhere to be found, and so,” Klinge paused then, frowning slightly as he looked down at her wing, his gaze hardening. “I took ze scalpel from ze cupboard. The same scalpel I use to save lives, and I used it to end them.”

Wisp frowned deeply at that, her ears pinned back, one of her forepaws lifting to gently stroke against Klinge’s shoulder soothingly. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

Klinge shrugged inwardly. “It vas necessary, and I do not lose sleep over it.”

The small griffon blinked at that, frowning, her ears pinning back. “But... but... they were ponies. You shoulda had nightmares at least!”

The last was said with such confidence that Klinge leaned in and stared at her. “You haff taken the life of a pony before?”

Wisp splayedher ears again, looking away, before shaking her head. “No... I never killd anypony. Well, any pony.”

Klinge furrowed his brow at that. “A griffon then?”

Wisp nodded slowly.

“And vhy did you do zis?” Klinge asked, peering down at the griffon curiously.

Wisp went quiet for a moment, and splayed her ears back. “My... uncle. He took me in when my parents abandoned me... but... he was a very bad griffon. He beat me and made me work on his old airship for hours and hours without food or water. And every time I got it wrong, he would pluck some of my feathers or grab at my wing, or tie my tail in a really really tight knot and squeeze it until it hurt...”

“Zis vas not a nice griffon,” Klinge agreed, frowning deeply.

“And he was always drunk. So I made him chase me. I can’t fly, so he... he knew I couldn’t get away. I pretended to be all winded and slowed down, so he followed after me over the sand...”

Klinge nodded, to show that he was listening. “And?”

“Well, I led him across some really nasty sand. He was drunk, so he didn’t see the darkclaw hole...” Wisp trailed off meaningfully.

Klinge gave a single blink, not understanding.

“Darkclaws are desert-dwelling beasts. They’re kinda mean and nasty, like big grasshoppers that live in the ground. And when something falls in their hole, they jump up and-” Wisp made a terrible crunching noise. “And even though I heard him screaming and yelling for help... I just walked away...”

Klinge gave a nod at that, frowning slightly. “I... understand. Maybe ponies from here vould not. But ze have not such a turbulent life, yes?”

Wisp nodded slowly, but then perked up. “So! Now that we know eachother so much, why won’t you give us any time?”

Klinge raised a brow, turning back to her good wing, inspecting it closely. “Time?”

“You wouldn’t even come out of here for the princess!” Wisp said with a soft huff.

Klinge nodded. “Certainly. I am a very busy pony.”

“But... why? Do you really need to earn so much money? You’re supposed to be the element of generosity!” Wisp declared, waving a forepaw.

Klinge frowned at that. “Zis... vas all a front to ask me about this, yes?”

“Seemed to be the only way to get you to give me some time!” Wisp said, batting her eyelashes at him.

A soft sigh left the doctor, and he shook his head. “Very well. You had a hard life, yes?”

“I... guess so? but I’ve only had one! So I don’t have anything to compare it to,” Wisp said with an earnest nod.

Klinge nodded at that. “But it had hardship, yes? You vould have given much to not be in hardship? You vould wish not to be in hardship, yes?”

Wiosp frowned at that, pondering. “I guess so?”

“And zat is vhy I have no time,” Klinge stated with a wave of a hoof, turning back to her wing calmly. “There is much hardship I must change.”

“But there are other doctors!” Wisp protested, huffing.

“I am not just healing hardship with my talents, but with my coins as vell. How can I in good conscience, rest on my laurels while I could be using my time to work and earn coins and heal hardship? Every pony I see gives me coins, I can then dispense these coins and ease the burden of anothers pain.”

Wisp stared at the doctor, her ears pinned back. “You can’t be serious?”

“I am very serious,” Klinge stated, writing something down on his clipboard and then releasing her good wing. He gently draped her coat back over her wings, and then cinched down the straps that held it on. “Your eye, zare is nothing wrong with it?”

Wisp shook her head, blinking. Her eyepatch had become such a part of her that she barely even noticed it any more. “Nono, it’s a... well, a fashion statement!”

Klinge nodded, ushering the griffon off the table. “I vill converse with my nurses tomorrow. Come back tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll see about fixing your wing.”

Wisp stared up at him with one wide eye, her tail giving a slow, errant flick. “You can heal it?!”

“Perhaps,” Klinge said with a soft smile. “And in between ze screams, you can try to convince me to part with more of my time, yes?”

Wisp frowned at that, feeling like she was being seen right through, and nodded slowly. “That’s my plan, then!”

Klinge gave a wry smile, waving a hoof at the griffon. “Now shoo! I haff more patients to see!”

A Proposal

Raindrop stared down at the piece of paper in front of her, blinking slowly.

It was titled: The living Will of the soon-to-be-dead Queen Chrysalis

Underneath that, were a set of very concise instructions and information on who was to get what.

It was her grandmother’s will.

Sentinel looked over her shoulder, tilting his head to the side.

The envelope had been delivered a few moments previously by one of Luna’s Dark Guards with the message that the Will had been found amongst the papers that Chrysalis had written before her death.

“Huh... she actually had time to write a will?” Sentinel asked, blinking once.

Raindrop nodded dumbly, feeling slightly numb.

“Are you okay?” Sentinel asked, frowning and nudging her with his nose.

Raindrop nodded hesitantly. “I just... it’s so surreal... she was alive. She saved us. She saved us from the changelings, reformed Chitin, and now... she’s just some words on a piece of paper.”

Sentinel nodded quietly. “When a fellow guard is killed in the line of duty, we drink to their name, and their memory... but most of all, we look at the pony that passed. We meditate upon a single lesson that they have taught us, and we vow to better ourselves based upon that lesson, so that a small part of them lives on through our actions.”

Raindrop looked up at him, her ears splaying. “That’s... actually very sweet.”

“It is a fitting way to remember the fallen,” Sentinel said, placing a hoof over his heart.

“You probably just think she was a bug,” Raindrop said, staring down at the Will, her head dropping.

Sentinel frowned at that. “I can’t... I can’t like her. I can’t. She was... she’s the reason I lost my parents, however indirectly... But I can respect her. I can respect who she was and what she did.”

Raindrop nodded gently. “And now she’s gone.”

“And now she’s gone,” Sentinel repeated, placing a hoof on Raindrop’s shoulder. “It’s how you choose to remember her that matters.”

“She left me the cottage,” Raindrop said suddenly.

“You mean... that cottage that is currently turned to marble where your still-alive grandmother spent several decades lying next to her deceased soul mate?” Sentinel rattled off.

Raindrop nodded.

“Creepy.” Sentinel hummed, rubbing a hoof against his chin. “It’d make a nice change for you though, not living out of inns.”

Raindrop frowned at Sentinel, her brow furrowing. “Sentinel. We’ve been together long enough that you can talk about ‘us’ without weirding me out.”

Sentinel’s ears splayed back, and he lowered his head a little bit, chagrined. “Well, when you put it that way... I’ve never really... thought of living anywhere with somepony.”

Raindrop stared at him. “Not even when you have a serious relationship with an abusive mare?”

“I thought it’d be more a case of you living in inn’s all the time and leaving me locked up in one of those giant portable circus cages.”

A thoughtful hum left Raindrop. “Interesting. I’ll have to ask around.”

Sentinel flailed a hoof at her. “I was joking!”

Raindrop giggled, leaning sideways to kiss his cheek. “I know. But still...”

“Anyhow. Cottage!” Sentinel said, changing the subject. “Do you want to live in the cottage?”

Raindrop shook her head. “Not permanently. Hell, I don’t want to live there temporarily. I want to move back to Cloudsdale. I had a nice house there... before Shine. But I sold it so we could move in together, and ugh, I don’t want anything to do with the house he and I shared.”

Sentinel nodded once, looking sideways at her, his expression turning sheepish. “I... ah...”

Raindrop raised a brow at him. “Spit it out.”

Splaying his ears back, Sentinel lowered his head again. “I... well. I don’t smoke, I don’t really drink a lot. I don’t have a home. I work for the Royal Guard and don’t really have any hobbies... Nothing to really spend that much money on.”

Raindrop tilted her head. “Trying to woo me?”

Sentinel snorted once, nudging her with a hoof. “I’m rich.”

Tilting her head to the other side, Raindrop snorted once. “Rich.”

“Rich. Not wealthy, but rich,” Sentinel stated.

Raindrop frowned. “There’s a difference?”

“Wealthy ponies sign rich pony’s paychecks,” Sentinel said with a wry grin.

“So... you’re telling me this... why?” Raindrop asked, mildly bewildered.

“Well... I’m... vaguely rich. Not excessively. I’m the kind of rich you can lose with a wild weekend in Las Pegasus, but still. I have money... and you want a house in Cloudsdale...” Sentinel trailed off.

Raindrop blinked slowly. “You’re... offering to buy a house with me?”

“No, actually,” Sentinel said, rubbing a hoof against his neck self-consciously.

“Then what?” Raindrop asked, confused.

Sentinel pursed his lips. “I have enough money to have a house built. Just for you and I.”

Raindrop stared, her ears pinning back.

“Quite a step up from moving in together, I know,” Sentinel said, his tone a little bit strained. He shifted nervously, and then looked away. “You know what? Just forget I said anything, it’s a stupid idea.”

Raindrop threw her hooves around him, pulling him into a hug and kissing his nose gently, smiling at him. “I’m sorry Sentinel... it’s just a lot to take in. And with everything going on recently...”

Sentinel smiled, giving a relieved sigh and leaning forwards to kiss her gently. “You can think on it, if you’d like.”

Nodding once, Raindrop leaned against him, laying her cheek on his chest. “I just... I’ve been having some pretty dark relationship thoughts recently.”

“Dark?” Sentinel asked, raising a brow.

“Just... pondering on the inevitability of it all. Life in general,” Raindrop said with a strained smile. “Best case scenario, when you meet someone new, is that you’re going to marry them and then one of you dies.”

“That’s pretty defeatist,” Sentinel said, frowning.

“But truthful,” Raindrop replied, giving a sad smile. “Every time you date somepony... you’re either going to live with them happily ever after or break up with them in varying degrees of pain.”

“I don’t ever want to break up with you,” Sentinel stated immediately.

Raindrop blinked up at him, an ear perking.

“I get the feeling it would involve sharp objects and tender parts of my anatomy getting rather more acquainted than I’m comfortable with,” Sentinel said with a sage nod.

Raindrop giggled softly, before sobering, staring up at him. “I don’t want to break up with you, either...”

Sentinel smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek, looking thoughtful. “Did we just decide to spend the rest of our lives together?”

A short nod was his answer. “Pretty much.”

Sentinel went quiet for a few moments, frowning slightly.

“Something wrong?” Raindrop asked.

“Oh... nothing. Just a stupid little thing.”

Raindrop perked an ear. “Well spit it out.”

“I just... that was such a perfect opening for a marriage proposal, and I’ll never see one like that ever again,” Sentinel said with a deep sigh.

Raindrop splayed her ears back, her cheeks flushing. “A-are you proposing to me, Sentinel?”

Sentinel blinked rapidly. “What? No!”

Raindrop gave him a stern look at how quick he denied it.

“W-what I mean to say is that I wouldn’t be adverse to the idea i-in the proper time. I-I mean, I’d love to get married t-to somepony someday, somepony like you! N-not specifically y-you exactly but somepony really like you and oh sweet Celestia I’m making a fool of myself and please-don’t-hit-me,” Sentinal said, fumbling over the words and cowering, covering his face with a hoof.

Raindrop gently pulled his hoof away from his face, a look on her face like somepony watching a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. “You are so cute when you’re flustered!”

Sentinel huffed.

“And anyhow, ‘somepony else’? You already said you don’t want to break up with me, ever,” Raindrop pointed out.

Sentinel’s ears pinned back, and he looked away, not answering.

“And you said that you’d like to get married, someday. So you must be talking about me,” Raindrop added calmly.

Sentinel splayed his ears backwards. “Okay, okay... I slipped up. Just call me a mare and make fun of me so we can move on.”

Raindrop stared at her coltfriend for a long moment, her head tilting to one side, eyes narrowing. “Why don’t you just come out and ask me?”

Sentinel spluttered. “W-we’ve barely known eachother all that long! Our foreplay consists of violence, we were under attack by changelings and still have like, fifty of them to go find, you’re still a changeling underneath all that sexy bootay and I just... I don’t want to feel like a complete idiot when you turn me down.”

“You’re afraid of rejection?” Raindrop asked with a soft smile.

Sentinel nodded mutely.

Raindrop was quiet for several moments, before she whispered softly, “I’d say ‘yes’...”

Sentinel rolled his eyes. “Obvio-Wait, what?!” The pegasus spluttered, his eyes wide, looking stunned.

“I’d say ‘yes’,” Raindrop repeated, louder this time.

“I... I...” Sentinel froze, his ears pinning back, and he whined faintly, bouncing in place. “This is so unfair!”

“How is it unfair?” Raindrop asked, now sounding bewildered.

“I don’t have a ring or anything!” Sentinel exclaimed, waving a hoof wildly. “Two perfect proposal points, for me to get down on my stomach and ask, and I don’t have a bucking ring!”

Raindrop giggled softly at that, shaking her head and then stepping close to the guard, kissing his cheek softly. “Just... say that you’ll marry me.”

Sentinel pressed back against her, kissing her with a firm eagerness. “I’ll marry you, Raindrop. I’ll marry you so hard that they’ll need to write a new form of magic to divorce us.”

Raindrop smiled, kissing him in response, her eyes sparkling and misty. “Til death do us part.”

“Til death do us part,” Sentinel repeated, nodding in affirmation and then silencing himself by kissing his fiance eagerly.

Raindrop pulled back from the kiss, peering up at him. “I expected a little more resistance, really.”

“What can I say? You broke my spirit,” Sentinel said with a wry smile.

Raindrop hummed happily, worming a wing against his side and interlocking the feathers of her wing with his own, squeezing them tightly. “I love you, Sentinel.”

“I love you too, Raindrop,” Sentinel responded with a giddy smile.

“I can’t wait for the wedding day,” Raindrop said with a dreamy sigh.

Sentinel nodded once, and then raised a brow. “Imagining it already, huh?”

Raindrop nodded, squeezing his feathers with her own. “Just picture it, us on a hill... overlooking the sea. Or a cloud! A cloud sprinkled with rose petals! Walking down the cloud-aisle, organ music playing... a soft, cool breeze kissing against our bodies as we walk side-by-side to the officiator... just me and you...”

Sentinel gave a wry grin. “And not to mention your bridemaids and streamers and whatnot.”

“Oh it’s going to be so awesome. I can see it now! There’ll be cake, and flowers, and frills. And pink,” Raindrop said, bouncing slightly in place. “And on our honeymoon, I’ll carry you over the threshold of our room, tear off your dress and make you scream my name.”

Sentinel blinked slowly at that, snapping back to attention.

Raindrop giggled and leaned forwards to kiss his nose. “Seeing as you’re such a mare, we can wear matching dresses!”

Sentinel stared at her for a long moment, giving a nervous laugh. “I-if I give you depraved, kinky sex before the honeymoon, can I wear my regal armor?”

Raindrop gave a long-suffering sigh. “But they were gonna be matching!”

“We’ll even have a safe word,” Sentinel whispered into her ear enticingly.

“Deal, then!” Raindrop shivered and kissed him with a fiery eagerness, giggling, “You know me too well!”

Author's Note

Woops, minor technical difficulties. If you see some weird stuff, refresh!

New Beginning

Heavy winds assaulted the blue pegasus as she wended her way through the stormclouds, rolling peals of thunder and the flashing brilliance of lightning assaulting her senses.

Her name was Raindrop, and she was a junior member of the Cloudsdale Weather Patrol.

A little small for a pegasus, Raindrop was a solid blue from hoof to nose, with a two-tone cyan mane and tail styled up in an imitation of a background Wonderbolt she had seen in a very old magazine. Small stature was anything but a hindrance in her line of work though. As a storm chaser, it was her job to ensure that any clouds from the Everfree Forest or beyond didn’t get into Equestria and cause problems with the scheduled weather.

Being of smaller stature, Raindrop was an excellent flier. Not as far as most of the other pegasus, she made up for it in pure maneuverability. She could fly circles around other pegasus with ease.

At that moment, the diminutive pegasus was racing through her duties as a storm chaser, cleaning up a rather large storm that had been slowly creeping towards Equestrian lands.

The reason Raindrop was hurrying, was that her coltfriend of nearly a year had an appointment to see a well-respected unicorn doctor. A young unicorn known as Shine, he was a lightmaker, specialising in coloured lamps. He had invented a lamp that shifted colours randomly, and was already raking in the profits of his invention as every dance club in Equestria wanted one.

Raindrop and Shine had been dating for almost a year, after meeting up by chance at a party that neither of them wanted to attend. It had been a whirlwind romance, and Raindrop had moved in with the unicorn the first chance she got. But that’s when the unicorn had started to get sick. It was an odd illness, characterised by nausea, distractedness, and fatigue. It was taking a massive toll on his health, and his mental well-being. At the first signs of depression setting in, she had booked him an appointment with the most knowledgeable (and expensive) doctor she could find.

And so, Raindrop was rushing through her duties, beating back stormclouds from the Everfree forest as fast as she could so she could get to Canterlot before Shine arrived there for his appointment.

~~~~~~~~~~

A very winded Raindrop appeared in front of the doctors office a half-hour late, the pegasus panting and walking back and forth for a moment with wobbly legs to steady her breathing, before she pushed open the door to the doctors office and stepped inside.

Greeting her immediately was a short hallway terminating in a large waiting room, with plush purple furnishings and a receptionists desk, where a young, pretty unicorn sat, sorting sheets of paper into folders with deft magical work.

The young pegasus stepped up to the counter, and asked in a sweet tone; “Hi there, my coltfriend was due for an appointment, goes by the name of Shine?”

Looking down at a sheet for a moment, the receptionist smiled, raising a hoof to point down the hallway, offering, “He’s in there right now, I can ring you in if you’d like?”

Raindrop nodded eagerly. “Yes please. I’m a little bit late, sorry.”

“It’s fine.” the unicorn said, her horn glowing as a bell inside the room tingled for a moment. A second bell on the outside of the door glowed and then jingled merrily. The receptionist turnedback to Raindrop. “Go in whenever you’re ready.”

Nodding and thanking the receptionist, Raindrop walked down the hall, and then opened the indicated door, slipping in and closing it quietly behind her.

“Very interesting.” the doctor was saying. He was an older unicorn with a frizzy grey mane and a stethescope around his neck. He was peering into Shine’s open maw and inspecting his teeth and tonsils with narrowed eyes, speaking in a heavy foreign accent, “Ze sickness haz hallmarks of magical maladies, yes. But ze symptoms are all wrong for zis. One vould expect magical maladies to have magical residue on zem, yes?”

Shine made a non-commital sound in response, giving Raindrop a ‘please help me’ expression over the top of the doctors head. He couldn’t speak with his mouth propped open, and he wasn’t allowed to move his head, so nodding was out of the question, too.

“So...you haven’t figured it out yet?” Raindrop asked, disheartened. Moving to stand beside the doctor, she peered past him into her coltfriends mouth, trying to determine what he was looking for.

“Vell, I cannot say vat is wrong vith your coltfriend. It vould seem that he iz suffering from a magical ailment. But hiz magic is perfectly fine. Zis is baffling!” the doctor said, drawing back and sitting on his haunches, observing Shine with a thoughtful hum, rubbing a hoof against his chin.

Shine closed his mouth immediately, and lifted a hoof to rub at his jaw, working it back and forth once or twice with a harrumph. He was a unicorn of comparable age to Raindrop, though he was just a little bit older by a year or so. He was a steely grey from top to bottom, with a flowing deep blue mane and tail. His cutie mark was a lit lightbulb, a rather fitting mark for his profession.

Blue unicorn eyes met pink pegasus ones, Raindrops holding Shine’s gaze hopefully. The unicorn gave a subtle shake of his head, his eyes sad. The pegasus nodded slightly in response, her expression glum.

“Ve vill need a return visit. I vill run bloodwerk, and ve shall get to the bottom of zis.” the doctor stated with a wave of a hoof. “Make appointment with receptionist, and try to lay off ze magics at home, yes?”

Shine sighed faintly, before raising a hoof in acknowledgement, and then stepped down off the examination stand.

Raindrop moved over to him, nuzzling up against the side of his snout slowly for a moment, breathing a sigh. “Sorry I’m late, hun. There were some sneaky clouds about this morning.”

The unicorn nodded in understanding, nuzzling her gently in return, before saying with a sigh, “I was just hoping for a magical fix, I guess.”

“Oh well, maybe the bloodwork will reveal something that the other doctors missed?” Raindrop offered placatingly.

“We can only wait and see,” was the only response from Shine.

“Vat are you vaiting for? Shoo!” the unicorn doctor said, pushing a hoof at them.

The couple ambled out into the hall, and then to the receptionist to book another appointment for Shine.

Pausing a moment, the receptionist turned to the doctors room and magically opened a small slot in the wall, from which a sheet of paper floated over to the desk, laying itself out so that the female unicorn could peer at it, reading the words written there.

“You account will not be charged this appointment,” the receptionist said with a sympathetic smile, before she inquired, “He couldn’t figure out the problem?”

Shine blinked slightly and then dipped his head in affirmation. “How did you know?”

“He never charges if he can’t figure out the problem. The doctor believes that you should only pay a health worker when you’re healthy, as it’s his job to ensure that you remain at that level of health,” she shrugged helplessly. “He’s foreign, what can I say?”

Nodding once in understanding, Shine signed the piece of paper offered to him, and then waved a hoof in farewell.

Raindrop walked besides Shine, with her wing half-extended so that the soft feather tips brushed and pressed against his side in a reassuring fashion. It was something that pegasus sometimes did, interlacing the feathers of their wings intimitely with their partners’. Sure, Shine didn’t have wings for her to lace her feathers with, but she forgave him for that transgression.

Shine stumbled faintly as they crossed the threshold of the outer doorway, and Raindrop deftly leaned in under his chest to catch him, frowning deeply.

“...They’re getting worse, aren’t they?” she asked gently, her expression one of unhappiness.

The unicorn didn’t answer for a moment, and Raindrop was surprised and dismayed at the look of fatigue on her stallions face. Shine just looked tired. Deep fatigue lines wound across his face, and there were barely visible bags hidden underneath his eyes; eyes that were slightly unfocused and glassed over.

“Geeze...are you okay, Shine?” she asked, concerned, as she pushed the unicorn up with her shoulders and then gently drew back so he could take his own weight.

Shine nodded in response, rubbing at his forehead with a hoof for a moment, and then grinding it against the centre of his forehead firmly. He put his hoof down and began to walk again, his tone clipped as he answered, “I’m fine.”

“No...No you’re not,” Raindrop said with a deep frown, her ears pinning back slightly. She could see through the veneer he was placing around himself to ward off her questions.

“You’re right,” the unicorn admitted, seeming to deflate right in front of her, his steps becoming plodding and fatigued, dropping his act under the face of her accusations. “It’s just...it’s getting worse. I’m finding it hard to concentrate on anything and I’m just...so...tired..”

Raindrop shook her head, and moved in quickly to support her mate as he staggered and weaved unsteadily for a moment, walking with a wobbly gait to a bench and just splaying across it, closing his eyes and throwing his hooves over his face.

The pegasus frowned deeply, leaning in to nudge gently at his cheek with her nose.

Shine lifted a hoof to stare at her for a long moment, his expression glum. A single teardrop spilled from one eye, tracing down his cheek as he brokenly admitted, “I’m just...so sick of this. I can’t remember the last time I felt happy...or the last time I laughed. everything is just bleak and gray and I’m sick of it.”

Raindrop frowned deeply at that, leaning forwards to grip her coltfriend with her hooves and pull him into a reassuring hug, nosing against his cheek slowly. “Cheer up, Shine. It’s just the sickness making you sad. We’ll figure it out, promise.”

The unicorn just sighed faintly, leaning against her limply. “I want to care, I really do...but...”

Frowning, Raindrop nosed against him soothingly again, just holding him close. She didn’t say anything, because she couldn’t find the words to frame anything she might tell her depressed coltfriend.

~~~~~~~~~~

The two ponies were barely home more than a few minutes when there was a knock on the door.

Raindrop set down the kettle on a porcelain mat, pushing aside the medicinal herbs she had bought to help try and treat some of Shine’s symptoms. The pegasus moved towards the door, pulling it open, and then blinking up at the person standing at her door.

Princess Celestia.

After picking her jaw up off the ground, Raindrop tried to compose herself, stuttering a greeting, “U-uhm hi!”

“Good day, Raindrop. May I come in?” Celestia asked without preamble.

The pegasus stared, before asking dumbly, “...You know my name?”

The princess nodded once in response. “Indeed.”

Raindrop continued to stare, before she interpreted the look that Celestia was giving her; impatient.

“O-oh. Come in,” she stammered, opening the door wider for the alicorn to walk inside.

Celestia looked around the entry hall as she stepped through the doorway, giving a thoughtful hum. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

“T-thanks.” Raindrop said, still stunned.

The princess was here. In her house.

“U-uhm why a-are you here?” the pegasus asked, staring at Celestia.

The alicorn gave her a long look, pursing her lips and then tilting her head towards the kitchen. “You want to sit down. We need to talk. It would be better if Shine wasn’t here to hear it, either.”

Raindrop blinked once, accepting the offer to sit down in her own kitchen, pulling herself onto the bench and laying on her stomach, peering up at the princess. “Shine is resting upstairs. Though why you need to speak to me privately...”

Celestia sat down on her haunches, watching the pegasus for a long moment, before shifting closer to lay a hoof on Raindrop’s own in a reassuring fashion.

Feeling tears welling up in her eyes, Raindrop whispered, “I-it’s my mother, isn’t it?”

The princess blinked once, recoiling slightly in surprise. Her tone was confused as she said, “Your mother? No. Actually, it’s your grandmother.”

Raindrop swallowed hard for a moment, taking a deep breath. “O-oh my...I thought you were going to say...just...you’re so serious. But Cee passed on years ago...”

“Indeed,” Celestia stated, looking into Raindrop’s eyes for a long moment. “Shine is sick, isn’t he? He’s getting worse, and no one can figure out why, can they? He’s distracted, fatigued...?”

The pegasus stared at her for a long moment, before asking quietly, “How do you know...?”

“Don’t move,” Celestia stated, as she turned her head downwards, her horn beginning to glow.

A golden light washed of Raindrop, and she shivered slightly at the sensation of magic washing over her form. The light shimmered, before beginning to change hues, turning a deep, vibrant green.

Raindrop blinked slightly, while Celestia gave a knowing nod.

“What?” The pegasus asked, raising a brow in confusion, giving a slight harrumph. “What was that?”

“If you paid attention during history class, you would know that Princess Cadance and Shining Armour thwarted an incursion attempt by Queen Chrysalis, leader of the changelings.” Celestia stated.

Raindrop nodded, before saying dismissively, “That was years and years before I was born though.”

“Indeed. But there is something that was...omitted from the history books. Something that only myself, Cee, and Evergreen ever knew,” she added in a gentle tone.

“So...a really big secret?” Raindrop asked probingly.

“An epic secret.” Celestia stated bluntly. “Cee is Chrysalis.”

The pegasus stared at Celestia for a long moment, the words just not registering.

“Cee was Chrysalis? As in...my grandmother? Hah,” a faint laugh rolled from Raindrop’s throat, “That’s good. Now why are you really here?”

Celestia gave Raindrop a long, hard look. “I’m not joking, Raindrop. You want to know why I know your name? I’ve followed your family. For the past two generations. I’ve been watching and waiting in case something like this happened.”

“Something like what?” the pegasus asked, mystified.

“For the changeling traits to resurface. I almost didn’t believe it when I heard that Cee and Evergreen had a child...I didn’t think it would be possible, given that she was a changeling...” Celestia explained, making a motion with a hoof. “But it happened.”

“This doesn’t make sense,” Raindrop stated flatly. “You turn up on my doorstep and tell me that my grandmother was a changeling. What does that have to do with my Shine, anyhow?”

The princess paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. “I knew that Chrysalis had survived the magical blast from Shining Armour, and I suspected that she was leeching love from someone in Ponyville. By the time I figured it out, though...Chrysalis-Cee-and Evergreen, were already in love. I could see it in her eyes. Even when faced with the Elements of Harmony, she only had eyes for Evergreen. I think she was scared of losing him. And I’m quite certain that she destroyed the last of her changelings for him.”

Raindrop raised a brow at that. “But...that still doesn’t make any sense.”

“I believe that Chrysalis was sucking Evergreen dry. When he came to me to tell me that he knew of Chrysalis’ location, I could see that he was...drained. He was tired, and distracted. He couldn’t focus properly, and looked like he hadn’t slept for days.” Celestia explained, giving Raindrop a sympathetic look. “I think Chrysalis deliberately set out to make me cause the Elements of Harmony to be used on her. And they must have done something to her. Changed her somehow. Because I never saw any sickness in Evergreen after that.”

The pegasus stared at the princess for a long moment, trying to absorb all of this information, before asking, “Why are you telling me all this now?”

“Shine is sick, Raindrop. And it’s not a disease. The changeling inside you is coming out,” Celestia explained gently. “You’re killing him.”

Raindrop swallowed hard a moment at those words, before drawing herself up with a low growl. She raised a hoof, pointing it towards the door, ”Get out of my house.”

Celestia rose to her hooves, and shook her head sadly at the pegasus. “I’m sorry, Raindrops, But it’s the truth. You’re making Shine sick. Why do you think the doctors can’t discover the cause of the sickness?”

The pegasus didn’t respond, just pointing mutely with a hoof until the princess bowed respectfully and began to show herself out.

“It still doesn’t make sense. If you knew Cee was the queen of the changelings, you would have done something about it.” Raindrop hissed.

Celestia paused in the doorway. “Indeed...I contemplated throwing Cee in a cell. But when I found them, they were lying in the grass together stargazing. They were content. They were in love. I had no right to take that from them. And even on the day that she died, Cee’s thoughts were of Evergreen. She wasn’t a threat to anyone in Equestria any more.”

“But you expect me to believe that Cee’s changeling blood is somehow coming up in me and making Shine sick?” Raindrop spat.

“I...don’t know how to put it any more eloquently than that,” Celestia said sympathetically. “The spell...I developed it after the insurgence. I needed to make sure there were no more changelings hiding among us. Gold is normal, green is changeling.”

Raindrop paused at that, staring down at her hooves a moment, her wings shuffling uncomfortably. After a few moments, she protested, “But...I’m....I’m not a changeling. I’d know it!”

Celestia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Raindrop. I don’t know how these things work. I won’t pretend to. But you deserve to know why Shine is getting sick. And...the only way for him to get better is for you to distance yourself from him.”

The pegasus splayed her ears backwards, shaking her head in denial. “No. This doesn’t make any sense. It’s not true!”

The princess could only watch the blank denial of the pegasus, sympathising.

Raindrop shook her head again, turning away to the fireplace and staring into it for a few long moments, not speaking.

“Raindrop...I’m sorry,” Celestia offered.

“You come in here, tell me that I’m a...a...thing, and that’s all you have to say?” the pegasus snapped in response.

A mute nod was the only answer from the princess.

“What about Cee? If what you said is true, then the Elements of Harmony can just...do whatever it is they did for her, and fix me.”

“It...is possible,” Celestia admitted after a moment. “But the elements have not had bearers for nearly a decade now. After Rarity passed away...”

Raindrop bit back her tears, shaking her head. “No. I’ll get fixed. If what you said is true, I’ll get fixed. I’m not letting some stupid changeling stuff take Shine away from me.”

The princess looked on helplessly for a moment, before moving over to the pegasus and wrapping her up in a soothing hug. “Come, child. This is a lot for you to absorb at once. But you need to understand what’s happening. Denial will help nopony.”

The pegasus fought against the hug for a moment, before just falling limp against the princess, staring at the floorboards. “I...I know.”

Celestia nodded gently, drawing back and giving the pegasus a long look. “Are you going to be okay?”

Raindrop nodded once. “I...I think so. But...I need to talk to Shine. He...he has to know I’m making him sick.”

The princess nodded, and then drew back, turning towards the door again. “If you need me...you know where to find me.”

Nodding mutely, the pegasus turned away, staring into the mirror above the fireplace for a moment, appraising her own reflection.

Staring into her own eyes, Raindrop couldn’t help but imagine the demonic eyes of a changeling staring back.

~~~~~~~~~~

Monster.

The accusation hung heavy in the air as Raindrop stared at her coltfriend.

Shine was sitting up in bed, forehooves on the mattress and eyes narrowed at her. He looked tired, but determined, and was scowling at her.

“You’re a monster,” he repeated, shaking his head at her. “A demon.”

Raindrop recoiled slightly at the tone of his voice, protesting; “Y-you don’t mean that...”

“No. No Raindrop. I really do mean that!” he hissed, his eyes narrowing further. “For weeks now, I’ve been getting more and more sick. And it’s been you all along! You and your...demon blood!”

The pegasus recoiled even further, her ears splaying backwards, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

“Get away from me!” Shine continued, trying to crawl out of bed, struggling with the sheets for a moment and stumbling, almost ending up tripping. “Get away before you kill me, monster!”

If Shine had anything else to say, Raindrop didn’t hear it. She was already bolting out of the house and up into the sky.

A few moments later found the pegasus curled up on a small cloud, crying quietly with her head in her hooves. Her entire life was falling apart all around her. Everything she had worked so hard for, taking away by something she had no control over. And there was nothing she could do about it. It wasn’t as though she could just make the blood coursing through her veins magically fixed.

Or maybe there was?

Sitting there on the cloud, Raindrop sniffled once and then wiped her eyes and nose with a hoof, composing herself. She had a new plan.

She was going to use the Elements of Harmony to fix herself as her grandmother had done so many years previously.

Even if she had to find new bearers herself.

Intermission

Raindrop groaned faintly and lifted her head weakly from the soft pillows it was lying upon, her eyes straining to blink open.

A firm hoof held her down, keeping her from moving, and she looked up woozily for a moment to see the stern face of Sentinel hovering above her, seemingly floating in a haze of grey nothingness. The entire world was foggy and hard to bring into focus.

Raindrop was aware of movement at her side, and twisted slightly to stare nonplussed at a doctor threading the flesh of her shoulder together with a needle and sutures.

“That looks painful,” Raindrop said thickly, blinking slowly. “Whoever you’re doing that to has to be hurt a lot.”

Raindrop stared for another long moment, her eyes widening. “Wait...that’s me! You’re hurting me!”

She wasn’t really in any pain at all, but her mind was stuck in neutral, refusing to work properly.

“Got anything to sedate her?” Sentinel asked, a request rather than a query.

“Sedative,” the doctor said calmly, as he magically dropped a small syringe into the guards hoof.

“Relax now, Raindrop,” Sentinel said, his voice soothing.

“But...but...he’s stitching me up! I’m not clothing!” Raindrop protested helplessly, before the syringe was plunged into her other shoulder. Raindrop struggled a moment, and then went limp, unconscious.

Thirst.

All consuming thirst was the first thing that was on Raindrop’s mind as she awoke. Her mouth hung open slightly as she cast her gaze about. She looked to be the hospital, but most importantly, she spied a jug of water sitting on a tray nearby, and dove for it. The first thing she felt was pain and restriction. Bandages crossed over her chest, keeping pressure on her wound. A bandage also wound over her flank, covering the gash that had been given to her there.

And then Raindrop felt the splendiferous sensation of water cooling her parched throat. she gulped greedily at the mouth of the jug of water, almost inhaling the contents, uncaring of the slicks of liquid that spilled from the corners of her muzzle. After several long moment, Raindrop came up for air, gasping in a hard breath and then panting faintly, grinning goofily.

“You look happy,” Sentinel stated sleepily, rubbing a hoof against his eyes.

Raindrop became aware that she wasn’t alone in the room, and spun around to raise a brow at Sentinel. He was devoid of his armour, though it was sitting on a chair besides him, and he looked tired. There were bags under his eyes, and the faint outlines of bruises were still visible; probably from Raindrop’s own hooves.

“You look like I feel,” Raindrop stated.

“Hey, I have this thing that prevents me from needing to look pretty at all times of the day,” Sentinel replied flatly.

“A...thing?” Raindrop asked, raising a brow.

“Yeah. A penis.”

Raindrop snorted once, eyes widening at the bluntness of the guards words, before she gave a helpless giggle, shaking her head. “I don’t know whether to laugh or hit you.”

“If you’re going to hit me, do it with your left hoof. You’re not supposed to be using your right hoof for anything,” Sentinel said with a dismissive wave of his hoof.

“How long was I out for?” Raindrop asked suddenly.

“A day and a half,” Sentinel responded calmly. “You kinda woke up a few times though. You had a bad reaction to the sedative. You got...violent once or twice.”

“Violent?” Raindrop asked, ears splaying backwards.

“I managed to subdue you, though, and put you back in bed like a good little filly,” Sentinel said with a firm nod and a wry grin.

“I don’t remember any of that,” Raindrop admitted, frowning and rubbing her head with a hoof. “I didn’t...hurt you, did I?”

Sentinel slowly arched a brow upwards, staring at her.

Raindrop blinked once, and then rubbed her temple harder. “Oh sweet Celestia. Did you hit me in the head or something? I’m not acting like myself.”

“Indeed. And no, I just wrassled you to the ground. Was quite fun making you eat your peas, too,” he said with a snicker.

“Oh shut up,” Raindrop said with a wave of her good hoof.

“And you said some interesting stuff when you were delirious,” Sentinel added, rubbing a hoof against his chin.

“...What?” raindrop asked, eyes slowly narrowing.

“You were screaming and yelling about...stuff,” Sentinel said evasively, grinning, seemingly quite happy to have something over her.

“Ugh. Whatever. How long have you been sitting there for, creep?” Raindrop queried, changing the subject.

Sentinel stretched and yawned faintly for a moment, and then shook his head rapidly to clear it. “I think...twelve hours?”

“Twelve hours?” Raindrop asked, staring at him. “You’re insane.”

“Eeyup,” the guard replied with a faint shrug.

“Go to sleep,” Raindrop stated, pointing a hoof towards the door.

Sentinel rolled his eyes, “I just woke up.”

“Yeah, from lying in an uncomfortable chair. Go to sleep,” she reiterated, pointing more firmly.

“Are you feeling yourself? Or are you actually bothered about my well-being?” Sentinel asked probingly.

Raindrop scowled, her eyes narrowing, “After saving my life, I thought maybe you deserved a day without being beat up or insulted.”

“Regretting it?”

“You have no idea.”

Sentinel snickered, and then waved a hoof. “Very well. Try not to die while I’m asleep.”

“I’ll try my very best!” Raindrop said sarcastically, straightening and saluting, before wincing at the strain it put on her shoulder.

The guard rolled his eyes and then slipped down off the bed, moving towards the door.

“Wait!” Raindrop said, rubbing at her forehead with a hoof. “In all the excitement and insults I completely forgot I got stabbed last night. Who was he?”

Sentinel paused, looking back over his shoulder, his ears splaying back a little bit. “I was hoping to break the news to you a little bit...later. After you’d recovered some more.”

“...I’m a big mare now, Sentinel. I can take it,” Raindrop stated flatly.

“He was a Dark Guard. One of Princess Luna’s personal guard,” Sentinel said quietly.

Raindrop blinked slowly, her eyes widening as she gave an audible swallow, her throat suddenly dry. “I-It’s not...Nightmare Moon?”

“There’s no way to know,” Sentinel responded with a shake of his head. “Celestia has put the palace on full alert. The guards from the two castles no longer mix or exchange information. Princess Luna denies the accusations that she’s helping Discord...but Discord went after Princess Luna before...”

Nodding gently, Raindrop pulled her pillow closer to her chest, her ears splaying backwards. “What does the guard have to say for himself?”

“...He escaped,” Sentinel admitted bluntly.

“Escaped?!” Raindrop almost screeched, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “You mean to tell me that you useless royal guards managed to let an unconscious pony escape?! A pony who tried to murder me?! For Celestia’s sake! How usel-”

Raindrop wasn’t aware that she got hit. All she knew was that there was a sudden strong ringing in her ears and the world was tilted crazily to one side. A strong pain began to make itself known at the side of her face, and she worked her jaw, afraid momentarily that it had been broken.

“-you dare insult the royal guard! Two of those useless guards gave their lives trying to escort that guard to the castle!” Raindrop caught the end of Sentinel’s sentence as she looked up at him woozily, her eyelids heavy and her vision doubled for a moment as she stared up at the guard. He was standing over her, a hoof raised threateningly.

Raindrop gave a noncommittal sound, unable to really think coherently beyond the throbbing in her cheek and face.

“If they’re so useless then I’ll tell the guards outside the door to just leave and let the dark guard wander in here and finish what he started!” Sentinel snarled, turning and spitting at the foot of the bed in utter contempt before turning about and stalking out of the room.

By the time Raindrop managed to get conscious thought back, he was long gone. The pegasus sighed faintly, pulling the pillow close against her chest again, resting her chin on it, her ears splaying backwards. For once, she actually felt guilty about running her mouth. She was always outspoken, but she didn’t want to disrespect the guards. Especially if two of them had been killed..

Raindrop laid her head down to sleep; but between her thoughts and the fears of a dark guard assassin lurking somewhere out there, free, she found it very hard to rest.

Clear Skies

The two pegasi dropped off the top of the mountain, skimming down the side of it, their hooves almost touching the ground as it whistled past. They evened their flight path out as the skirted around an upthrust of rock and then flew into the desert itself again, flapping their way up the side of dunes and coasting down the other side, heading ever onwards towards the lights in the darkness.

As they got closer and closer, dark shapes resolved themselves into an actual machine. It was old and rusted, with metal struts jutting from a structure half-buried in the encroaching desert sand. Some of the struts still have glowing crystals atop them, some white, some red, and some blue. Still others had long-since failed, their ends dark, dead.

A main cabin lay half-filled with sand, and the gentle hum of motion was audible beneath the desert dunes as the giant machine kept going about its normal duties as intended, showing no signs of stopping.

The two pegasi alighted on the deck of the large ship. There were several large harpoon guns sitting on the railing that was still above the line of sand, with giant brass arrow-like objects stuffed in their muzzles.

“What was it that that griffin said was out here?” Raindrop asked nervously, looking around.

“Darkclaws,” Sentinel confirmed, looking about as well. “I guess the power source will be big and shiny.”

“Maybe we should have gotten more concise instructions,” Raindrop admitted, rubbing a hoof through her mane.

“Can’t be too hard,” Sentinel said, moving over to the cabin and nudging the door open. “C’mon, there’s steps in here.”

Raindrop trailed after Sentinel, pushing the cabin door further open, fighting the weight of the sand sitting against it. “We won’t have to dig it out, will we?”

Sentinel shook his head, peering down the stairs. “No, I don’t think so, there’s barely any sand in here.”

The mare gave a sigh of releif at that. “Did I mention I don’t like sand?”

“Not even at the beach?” Sentinel asked, staring back at her.

“It’s sand. It gets in everything,” Raindrop complained.

“Oh grow up,” Sentinel said with a roll of his eyes. “Quit acting like a filly and get down here.”

Raindrop huffed and stepped down the stairs after him, ducking her head and folding her wings.

Once down the stairs, the narrow corridors, lined with pipes, were lit by glowing white and blue crystals in the ceiling.

“You don’t have a problem with enclosed spaces, do you?” Sentinel asked suddenly, sounding worried.

“I’m not a claustrophobe, no,” Raindrop responded, with a touch of annoyance. “I rather like small, dark spaces.”

“I could definitely twist that into something sexual,” Sentinel replied immediately, giving her a rakish grin.

The pegasus snorted, and then pushed his rump with her hooves. “Shush, you. We’re here to get the power source, remember?”

Sentinel nodded. “Yeah, I remember, but this thing is a lot larger than it looks.”

“It looks small and cramped,” Raindrop pointed out with a faint snort.

“There are eight levels down here. It must be mostly buried,” Sentinel pointed out, lifting a hoof to point towards a map.

Raindrop pushed past him, and then stared at the map, squinting in the gloom. “There. Engine room, level 6. That’s gotta be the best place to find the power source, right?”

Sentinel leaned past her to look at the map, frowning. “I dunno. But if it’s a main power source, I’d say it’d be closest to the control centre and in the middle of this entire thing, on level four, or maybe five.”

Staring at him for a moment, Raindrop raised an eyebrow. “Well, which are we gonna check first?”

“Why not level four and five? They’re closer, and less likely to be washed with sand,” Sentinel reasoned.

“looks like there are staircases that way,” Raindrop murmured, pointing with a hoof. “How did the griffins fit in here? It’s tiny.”

“Practise?” Sentinel offered, shrugging his shoulders. “They’d be able to fit through here. It’d be a tight squeeze, but they’d manage.”

“Wouldn’t be very fun,” Raindrop said with a shake of her head, before heading down the long corridor towards the staircases.

“I kinda miss my armour right now,” Sentinel said with a shudder. “I feel exposed, walking into some place naked like this.”

“It does look good on you,” Raindrop conceded.

Sentinel blinked at that, head tilting to the side in confusion. “A compliment with no barbed jibe behind it? What the hell was that?”

Raindrop gave a soft giggle. “Just shut up and accept it.”

“Well, in that case,” Sentinel began, before grinning at her innocently, “I like it when you walk in front of me.”

Raindrop rolled her eyes at that, and then turned to poke her tongue back at him. “Pervert.”

“Not my fault. You have very hypnotising hips,” Sentinel commented, lifting a hoof and making a side-to-side motion with it. “And that lovely tail. I do so love long tails.”

Giving a snort, Raindrop deliberately swished her tail back and forth. “And why is that?”

“I dunno. I had to shorten mine for the Royal Guard. Long tails don’t fit in our armour properly. Same as our mane. But lovely long tails and manes that you can just bury your hooves in are awesome,” Sentinel enthused with a grin.

Raindrop peered back at him again, and then furrowed her brows, before warning, “Don’t you dare fantasize about my mane and tail.”

“I won’t even think about it,” Sentinel replied, pausing to salute her seriously, before grinning, “At least, not again.”

“You’re horrible,” Raindrop stated, as she rounded a corner and found the staircases, beginning to descend down them.

It took them very little time to climb down the staircases to the lower levels. A collection of crystals, lit up blue, denoted which level they were on. They both got off at level four, and then perused the handy schematic beside the stairs.

“That way,” Sentinel said, pointing with a hoof. “Seems to be the headquarters, it’d be the most highly-guarded area of the thing.”

Raindrop nodded, and allowed Sentinel to lead the way through the enclosed corridors and to the central command area. A low humming energy greeted their ears the closer they got to the centre of the machine. They rounded a corner and came across a large wall-to-wall crystal wall. It was carved thin, and polished so it was transparent. A glowing white diamond-shaped metallic structure was visible inside some kind of large chamber, suspended between two large pipes.

Above and below the suspended metal structure were large tanks. The bottom tank appeared to be filled with water, and the top tank seemed to be filled with some kind of mist, or steam.

“I’ve seen these before,” Sentinel said, as he pushed open the crystal door and they both slipped inside. “First we have to isolate the reaction chamber.”

Sentinel reached up to close off the valves for the water tank first, and then waited several long moments before twisting closed the valve for the steam tank above.

“So... How’s this all work?” Raindrop asked curiously.

Sentinel lifted his hooves to grip the diamond-shaped reaction chamber, and then twisted and tugged it out of its slot, holding it up triumphantly. “This is where the magic happens. Literally.”

Raindrop raised a brow, staring at the strangely shaped metal chamber. “But how?”

“Well see, it’s a fire crystal in there. It’s a magical crystal that’s always hot. A group of unicorns can create one if they have the right materials and know-how. They’re pretty expensive for how complicated it is to make them. But because they never lose heat, you can put one in a reaction like this. If you place the crystal in water, it boils the water and creates steam,” Sentinel explained, shaking the reaction chamber slightly for emphasis. “It’s pretty damn dangerous though.”

“Why’s that?” Raindrop asked, honestly curious.

“Well it never loses heat. They need a special kind of chamber around them, and if that chamber breaks, they bleed heat into the surrounding area. If this reaction chamber was broken, then the crystal inside would turn this entire machine into a glorified, complicated oven,” Sentinel said with a grim smile. “Do you wanna hold it?”

“I’ll be fine,” Raindrop said, taking a step backward. “How do you know all this stuff?”

Sentinel gave a faint, half-amused sound. “Because the Royal Guard is trained to get into machines like this and destroy them from the inside-out. You know, if the griffins ever invaded.”

“How utterly reasurring,” Raindrop said with a shudder. “So... We’re not going to get eaten this time around?”

Sentinel paused and then cocked his head, listening closely. “Actually, I think we’re safe this time. No crazy monsters have even tried to eat us yet.”

“Well that’s boring,” Raindrop said with a huff, turning around and beginning to walk back the way they came.

The return to the junkyard was utterly anti-climatic. No darkclaws (that they saw), no monsters, no injuries. Just a quick climb to the surface and then they returned to the downed airship that Wisp was working on.

“You got it?!” Wisp squeaked when she saw that they had the reaction chamber with them, bouncing in place in excited glee.

“Right here,” Sentinel said with a grin, handing off the reaction chamber to the excited griffin.

“Oh boy oh boy oh boy!” Wisp squeaked, hefting the heavy chamber in both of her paws and then beginning to drag it towards the airship.

“Is it what you needed?” Sentinel queried, looking up at the airship. “Wouldn’t want the pipes bursting if you ovepressure them.”

Wisp paused at that, looking back over her shoulder. “You know about airships?”

Sentinel nodded. “I’m an enthusiast. I noticed that that reaction chamber is about two sizes too big for this airship.”

“I’ve got limiters!” Wisp squeaked happily, returning to dragging the large chamber into the ship. Even though Sentinel had hefted it with one hoof, it seemed too heavy for the diminutive griffin to carry herself for any long period of time.

The two pegasi followed after her, and Sentinel moved ahead to help the small griffin carry the reaction chamber into the airship.

Raindrop trailed after them awkwardly, not able to help, and having no clue how to lend a hand.

The three of them moved into the airship proper, and Wisp lead them straight to the engine room, where a large walled off area waited, with two pipes sitting there for the reaction chamber to fit into.

The griffin began happily setting up the reaction chamber, twisting threaded valves open and closed to fit it all in neatly.

“So, tell me about yourself, Wisp,” Sentiel asked.

“I’m a griffin! And I love these old airships,” Wisp enthused, as she neatly threaded one of the valves into place atop the reaction chamber.

Sentinel helped her lift the reaction chamber onto the pipe, and held it still while she began to thread it into place. “And what of your parents?”

The griffin didn’t respond immediately, instead focusing on matching the threads and getting them nice and tight.

“I... I don’t really have any parents. They abandoned me in the desert when they learned I wouldn’t be able to fly,” the little griffin said sadly.

Sentinel’s ears splayed back, and he frowned deeply at that, dropping his grasp from the now-secure reaction chamber, and then slipped forward to hug around the little griffin.

Wisp blinked several times, the eye that was visible wide and confused. “W-what are you doing?”

“I’m hugging you,” Sentinel stated. “You need a hug.”

The young griffin blinked again, and then looked down at her paws, wrapping them hesitantly around what amount of the guard’s chest that she could. “Oh... I-It’s kinda nice.”

“You’ve never been hugged?” Sentinel asked as he pulled back, expression aghast.

“Well...My uncle took me in after my parents decided I wasn’t worth raising. And he kinda... He wasn’t the hugging type,” Wisp said, shifting uncomfortably, her own ears splayed backwards.

“Well geeze. How’d you end up out here?” Sentinel asked, frowning at her slightly. “Is your uncle around?”

Wisp shook her head gently. “He’s a long way away. Where he belongs.”

“Did he do something wrong?” Sentinel asked flatly.

“He was mean,” Wisp said simply, turning back to the reaction chamber and then opening the steam valve, and then the water valve.

Water flooded the reaction chamber, and immediately, it began to boil, and then evaporate, sending steam shooting up into the next chamber, where pressure began to build. Crystal lights began to glow all around them, and the floor beneath them shifted in a very unsteady way that reminded Raindrop of a ship on the open ocean.

“It’s working!” Wisp said with an eager bounce, quickly barelling out the door and down a corridor.

The two pegasi jogged after her down the long corridor, only to find her in what had to be the control centre, looking at different steam gauges. She was tapping one, looking a little worried. “The rear bubble isn’t filling properly... Can you two watch these while I check on it? Thanks!”

Before the two of them could even reply, the young griffin had popped open a window on the side of the airship and clambered out, climbing up the side of the ship, completely uncaring of how far it was to the ground. Already, the airship was beginning to right itself as the first two bubbles filled, a magical reaction inside them beginning to take place, reducing the weight of the contents until it was a negative amount, causing lift.

Wisp crawled nimbly up a set of ropes, and to the third bubble, quickly twisting the valve into a closed position and looking around the bubble carefully. She crawled up the outside of it with a surprisingly tenacious grip. She popped open a hatch on the very top of the bubble, and crawled inside, closing the hatch behind her and then swapping the eyepatch to her other eye. She looked about, and then set to work.

Sentinel and Raindrop watched the young griffin disappear outside, and then turned to look at the dials and controls, surmounted by the metres reading the steam pressure.

“Any idea what any of this means?” Raindrop asked.

“Not really,” Sentinel admitted, frowning down at the gauges. “We were only taught how to recognize the reaction chamber, some basics on their function, and how best to blow them up.”

“Well that’s helpful,” Raindrop said with a huff, sitting down and staring at the gauges. “I’m guessing if they hit red, we die?”

“Well, the pipes will explode at their weakest point, showering the area with shrapnel. If it’s inside this room, we’d be hit with deadly shards of magically strengthened metal and likely broiled alive by the steam,” Sentinel explained, pointing up at one of the pipes lining the ceiling.

“Lovely.” Raindrop just shook her head.

Wisp returned a few minutes later, panting faintly as she slithered in through the window, wiping muck out of her feathers, squeaking, “I forgot how dirty these things got!”

The two pegasi looked at her, ears perked.

“Oh, it was nothing though!” The diminutive griffin said with a happy grin and bounce. “One of the steam lines was tangled, and when it got pressure, it sheared right through another two. I had to reconfigure the steam lines to bypass them until I can really get a good look at them. The third bubble will only run at seventy percent of potential, but that’s well within parametres!”

The two pegasi stared at her. Raindrop turned to Sentinel. “Did you catch any of that?”

“Something about steam lines,” Sentinel replied, bewildered.

“You two are so slow,” Wisp said with a giggle, bouncing over to the control console, and hovering a paw over the controls. “Can I test it? Pleasepleaseplease?!”

Sentinel and Raindrop exchanged a look, before Sentinel took a step forwards, and nodded. “I guess it’ll be fine.”

“Yipee!” the griffin squealed, quickly flicking a series of eight switches, and then shifting a large lever down to engage the main engines. Somewhere deep in the airship, a large, steam-powered turbine began to spin.

A low rumbling built in the depths of the airship, until it began to vibrate the floor beneath them. And then, gloriously, the large ship lifted off the ground. An odd sensation of weightlessness was imparted to the occupants of the large ship as it lifted off from the ground, beginning to power forward.

“So where are you going to head?” Sentinel asked of the young griffin.

“I dunno!” Wisp said with a joyous bounce. “I’m just happy that I got this working!”

“You must have had a destination in mind,” Sentinel said, raising an ear at her.

“I guess... I kinda just wanted to explore?” Wisp said with a happy shrug, checking her instruments.

Sentinel stepped up closer to the griffon. “Why don’t you come back to Ponyville with us? We think you’re... Well, to be perfectly honest. We think you’re the bearer for the Element of Laughter.”

“Element of Laughter?” Wisp asked, blinking and canting her head in confusion. “Wind, water, fire... They’re elements. Laughter is just laughter!”

Sentinel shook his head for a moment, giving a laugh. “I guess you really don’t know, do you?”

“Don’t know about what?” Wisp asked, confused.

“About the Elements,” Sentinel pointed out.

“I just told you about elements!” Wisp whined, pushing at him with a paw.

Sentinel laughed again. “Why don’t you come back to Ponyville, and we’ll see if you’re one of them, okay?”

“Ooookay,” Wisp conceded, spinning a small dial on the console and then throwing a lever. The entire airship began to turn. “But if you’re thinking that laughter is an element, then you’re pretty dumb.”

“How long will this thing take to get to Ponyville?” Sentinel asked.

“Uhm... I don’t know!” Wisp admitted, bouncing in place in annoyance. “I’ve got bearings for it but no distance.”

“Oh well. Is there anywhere where Raindrop and I can rest?” Sentinel queried, looking back down the passage they had come from.

“Sure!” Wisp squeaked, bounding down one of the corridors, motioning for the two of them to follow.

Raindrop and Sentinel fell into step behind her, trailing after her to a large room with a pair of old, ragged beds in it.

“Thank you.” Sentinel rubbed a hoof against the griffin’s crest affectionately.

Raindrop yawned and stalked over to the bed, dropping down onto it. The blankets were moth-eaten and patchy, obviously old. But Raindrop didn’t even care at that moment.

Sentinel made to move toward the unoccupied bed, and Raindrop raised a brow at him.

“If you intend on sleeping on that bed, then I’m going to be dragging you over here by that shortened tail,” Raindrop stated calmly.

“Affection through threats of violence, huh?” Sentinel asked, an ear perking at her as he swapped direction to pull himself up onto the bed with her.

“Something like that,” Raindrop stated, wrapping her hooves around him and pulling him close. “Plus, I’m lonely.”

Sentinel nodded gently at that, and then nuzzled her once with his nose. Raindrop hummed happily, nuzzling him in return.

“Now lay down properly, pillow. I wish to sleep.” Raindrop fluffed him gently with a hoof, like she would a pillow.

Sentinel chuckled faintly and the wormed into position beside her, pulling her against him properly and closing his eyes.

Raindrop woke up with a gasp in the middle of the night, holding a hoof against her chest, panting faintly, sweating. It was the nightmare again. Green flames, changelings, and Chrysalis. with a faint groan, she laid herself back down, closing her eyes to sleep again, trying to ignore the image of vivid green eyes.

“Uhm, uhm! You two!” a small voice squeaked near their ears. “Wakeupwakeupwakeup!”

There was a sense of urgency in the voice that got them both awake instantly.

“Something wrong?” Sentinel asked groggily.

Wisp whined softly, and then nodded vigorously, bolting to the hatch window on the side of the room, pointing with a paw. “Big big problem!”

Sentinel groaned faintly and crawled out of bed, pulling himself over to the window and peering out.

The ocean whipped by beneath them at an incredible speed. But more noteworthy was the building storm on the horizon.

“Can this thing weather a storm like that?” Sentinel asked, sounding worried.

“Storms are fine, look at them!” Wisp squeaked, pointing with a paw urgently.

It took Sentinel a long moment to recognize them, picking out the dark shapes against the backdrop of the darkening stormclouds.

A collection of maybe two dozen figures, flying in formation. Sentinel narrowed his eyes, squinting. “They’re griffins...”

Wisp nodded urgently. “And they’re going to catch up to us! I think they’re going to attack us!”

Sentinel cast his gaze over to Raindrop, and then gave a wry smile. "Remember how you mentioned something about getting the reaction chamber being far too easy?"

Raindrop gave a tired nod, rubbing her eyes.

Sentinel's smile turned grim, as he looked out at the advancing forms of the griffins. "You were right."

Inveterate

The two pegasi walked down the hallways leading to the east wing of the Canterlot Palace, where the three current element bearers were presumably biding their time.

Pushing open the door to the guest quarters, they found the three of them ranged around the room. Wisp was in the corner, facing out, humming to herself as she played with her steam pipes and gauges, presumably trying to get something working.

Firebrand was sitting in the opposite corner, dubiously staring at her own collection of parts, shooting furtive glances towards Wisp, as though she were competing with the griffon.

Remedy was sitting on a couch, forehoof tapping impatiently, jerking back and forth in agitation as she chewed on the rim of her free hoof nervously.

All three of them looked up as the two pegasi entered, and Raindrop and Sentinel looked back at them.

“Well,” Raindrop started, looking from one face, to the other. “We’re off to find the bearer for the Element of Generosity, and Celestia wants all three of you to join us.”

The three females exchanged glances at that. Wisp carefully placed aside her collection of pipes, and rose to her paws. Firebrand carelessly tossed aside her own set of piping, rising to her hooves and moving over towards the pair.

“Finally!” Firebrand stated flatly. “I’ve been going stir crazy in here!”

“Oh shush,” Remedy said with a shake of her head as she stepped over closer as well. “We get it. You like flying. We got it the first five times time you said it.”

Scowling, Firebrand rounded on the nurse, “You are a quite detestable pony, you know?”

“Oh please, I’ve had foals use worse insults,” Remedy said with a contemptuous snort.

“Your usual choice of companions?” Firebrand retorted bluntly.

The two ponies continued to bicker, with Wisp standing between them, looking back and forth as each one spoke, giggling.

Raindrop turned to Sentinel, and then perked a single ear. “We... never argued like that, did we?”

“Nah,” Sentinel said with a shake of his head head. “Not like that.”

Raindrop snickered slightly, and then stepped towards the arguing mares, stuffing her wings against their mouths to make them cease. “Shush, both of you! Don’t make me give a sappy speech about how we need to pull together.”

The two mares gave Raindrop a mutinous look, exchanged a glance, and then huffed and looked away from each other.

“Good. Now come, we have a bearer to find.” Raindrop removed her wings from the mares’ mouths, turning away from them. “And no arguing. If I catch you two arguing again, I’m going to tie you both together,” Raindrop shot over her shoulder.

Sentinel grinned a little bit at her, nudging her once with his wing. “That was kinda mean.”

“Remedy is the Element of Kindness, she should know better. And Firebrand is the Element of Honesty, so I’m not gonna mince words with her,” Raindrop replied with a flippant shrug.

“You realise we’re right here?” Firebrand asked heatedly, narrowing her eyes.

Raindrop looked back over her shoulder for a moment, and then rolled her eyes. “Nope, I’d forgotten completely. Now hush.”

Firebrand snorted once, pursing her lips, but remaining quiet.

Wisp pushed past Remedy and Firebrand, looking between them with a grin and a giggle, and then looking up at Raindrop knowingly. “They’re gonna be the bestest friends ever, aren’t they?”

Raindrop gave a slow, wise nod, “If they don’t murder each other first.”

Remedy and Firebrand looked at eachother for a long moment, eyes locking, before they both snorted and tossed their manes, turning away from each other, and saying, at the exact same time, “Never!”

Wisp just giggled.

A train trip was required to reach Ponyville, as both Remedy and Wisp were unable to fly, and they all agreed that walking would take far too long.

Firebrand, however, elected not to bother with the train. Instead, she produced a pair of goggles seemingly from nowhere, and took to the skies. She followed the train in a long, looping circular flight pattern, to keep pace with it while still being able to stretch her wings.

Wisp watched her out the window of the train, her beak pressed against the glass and ears splayed against her skull, looking slightly sad.

“You wish you could fly out there with her, don’t you?” Remedy asked of the young griffon.

Wisp nodded sadly, giving a long sigh and lifting a paw to press against the glass. “I’ve never really flown before. I just kinda feel... I dunno, attracted to it?” Wisp shook her head uncertainly and then turned back to Remedy. “But there’s no use pining over something I can’t have.”

Remedy nodded in response to that, casting a glance over at Raindrop and Sentinel, sitting on the other side of the carriage, a tangle of wings and hooves as they laid together.

“What do you think of those two?” Remedy quieried the griffon.

Wisp gave a thoughtful hum, peering over at the pair for a long moment. “I think they’re right for eachother. They’re both kinda... Odd.”

Remedy gave a laugh and nodded in response, “Exactly my thoughts.” The nurse cast her gaze back to the two pegasi, and then shook her head. “I’ll never understand ponies.”

Wisp nodded once. “Neither will I.”

The four ponies and single griffon all followed the Seeker Stone’s guidance through the streets of Ponyville. Raindrop could tell they were getting close, as the glowing portion of the orb kept ‘sliding’ away to the left as the walked up the main street.

Turning down the street and following the guidance of the stone, Raindrop soon found herself standing in front of a building she recognized. It was the doctor’s practise where she had taken Shine what seemed like years ago now.

A crowd of ponies, earth, unicorn, and pegasus, all milled about in the waiting room at the front of the building. There were at least a round dozen there. Any single one could be the bearer.

“So, uh... How does this thing work?” Firebrand asked, raising a brow and peering at the seeker stone. The pointer on it was ‘fractured’ again, pointing in every direction.

“One of the ponies in there is the Element of Generosity,” Raindrop said, looking at the front of the building with a frown, and then giving a soft little sigh. “I guess we could wait and watch them leave... And then follow whichever one of the stone is pointing at?”

Firebrand snorted at that. “I was not eager to leave the palace so I could just sit around. Let’s go find this bearer. The sooner we’re done with this, the sooner I can get back to the Wonderbolts.”

Raindrop frowned after the Wonderbolt captain, snorting once. While Remedy seemed to have calmed greatly now that she was removed from the castle, Firebrand was just as annoyed and bitchy as ever.

“We should follow. Or we could sit here and watch and giggle?” Raindrop suggested half-seriously to Sentinel.

Sentinel shook his head sadly, “As amusing as it would be, we really should find the bearer. There’s a lot at stake. It’d be pretty dumb if we all got wiped out because we were having a good giggle at the expense of Firebrand.”

Raindrop heaved a heavy sigh, shaking her head. “I guess you’re right.” Raindrop strode forwards, and pushed through the door and into the hubbub of the waiting room.

The four ponies and the griffon all milled about in the waiting room, seeking the bearer of the Element of Generosity. None of the ponies there really fit the bill.

Raindrop even considered the doctor himself; but that seemed untrue. His prices were quite high, and he wasn’t exactly known for being generous. He was kind and helpful, but ‘generous’ was rarely a word used to describe him. There was a commotion a few minutes after they arrived; a pony hit by a runaway cart down the street, and the doctor himself sprinted out to see if he could lend assistance.

Eventually though, the five of them had to admit defeat in the face of their task. Finding the bearer of the element amongst the crowded waiting room was a daunting prospect, and just out-and-out asking if people were generous was a way to get nowhere, fast. Most generous ponies didn’t go out of their way to bring it to other’s attention, for fear of being manipulated or mobbed.

It was as they were leaving that Raindrop noticed that the Seeker Stone was pointing out the door.

Raindrop snorted her annoyance, and motioned towards Sentinel. “Looks like the bearer already left,” she said, showing him the stone.

Sentinel nodded, and then blinked, looking up at the door alertly.

Peering back down at the stone, Raindrop saw that the ‘signal’ had fractured, becoming many spikes again. She lifted her gaze to the door as it opened.

First through was a large earth pony with a makeshift splint on his foreleg and a strained expression on his face, obviously in pain, blood leaking through his bandages. And behind him, the one whom the Seeker Stone was pointing at.

“To ze back room,” the unicorn said, ushering the earth pony towards the doors leading off from the reception area. “Ve need to get you lying down.”

Raindrop stared for a moment, exchanging a glance with Sentinel. “You don’t think...”

“Sure looks like it,” Sentinel said with a flippant shrug.

Of course, Sentinel didn’t know that the Seeker Stone was pointing at the self-same doctor that Raindrop had taken Shine to see, before she even found she was a changeling.

The bearer of the Element of Generosity.

Freedom

Blue eyes slid open, and Stardancer saw the world in a grain of sand. She saw every blade of grass. She saw how the eddies and swirls of the air molecules would wend their way through the blades of grass. The sun’s rays altered the way the air behaved, the photons cast off by the giant mass of burning gas intersecting with the wind in a way that only Stardancer could see.

She saw everything at once, and nothing. There was so much information that it was impossible to process, like a filly’s first brave stab at algebra, trying to absorb the complicated information and failing utterly.

Everything hurt. It felt like there was a sharp spike being driven between her ears, and her skull felt as though it were going to explode under the pounding headache putting unbearable pressure on her very mind itself.

The sharp sting of a needle in her flank did nothing to jog Stardancer from her stupor. The unicorn was far too busy watching the dance of atomic particles around a single grain of dirt.

Slowly, thought flooded back into her mind. She could actually think now, rather than process endless possibilities. Suddenly, Stardancer was aware of three guards around her, and an orderly in front, holding an empty syringe. The stinging in her rump became apparent, and she became acutely aware of the dryness of her throat.

“Water...” Stardancer croaked, before coughing dryly at the effort, her head spinning.

The orderly bounded away, coming back with a cup of water to hold at her lips. Stardancer let some of the water slip down her burning throat, much of it dribbling from the sides of her mouth. After one or two painful swallows, she collapsed again.

Freedom!

Firebrand flew in a tight circle, wings flapping hard and fast against the air. The burn in her muscles invigorated her, and she exulted in it. It had been days since she had been able to fly like this. Somehow, being constrained in any way made her antsy. Already, she was looking forwards to getting back to Cloudsdale and rejoining her interrupted training.

It had been mid-trials when Raindrop dragged her off on this quest after the Elements of Harmony. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her underlings to get the trials right, it was more that there was a certain sense of pride in training the cadets herself; weeding out the good from the bad.

All Firebrand was waiting for now was a meeting with Celestia, to be given actual permission to go back to Cloudsdale, as much as she wanted to just fly there immediately.

After some more enthusiastic laps, the pegasus dropped back to earth, trotting along the grass in the courtyard of the Canterlot palace, before just sprawling out on her back. The pegasus’ wings were spread out against the grass, and her chest was heaving, with sweat matting
her fur. But there was a giant grin plastered on her muzzle as she stared up at the sky.

“You look happy,” Remedy stated, appearing upside-down at the top of Firebrand’s field of view.

The pegasus gave a goofy grin and stretched languidly, before sighing and just splaying out flat. “Endorphins.”

Remedy gave a nod at that, and then sat down on her haunches, watching the pegasus.

“Whatcha out here for?” Firebrand queried, rolling over onto her stomach and peering up at the nurse.

“Oh I... uh... just thought you could use a drink is all,” Remedy said, extending a hoof with a water bottle in it.

“Could I ever!” Firebrand said, taking the water bottle and swallowing down several mouthfuls before passing it back to the nurse. “Thanks.”

“It’s no problem,” Remedy said, shifting awkwardly.

A long silence stretching between them, before Remedy said, “Getting warmer, huh?”

“Sure is,” Firebrand responded, watching the nurse with a raised brow.

Once more, the pair lapsed into silence, before Firebrand perked an ear upwards. “Well?”

“Well what?” Remedy asked, blinking once, nervously.

“You didn’t just come out here to offer me some water,” Firebrand stated knowingly.

Remedy’s eyes widened, and she stammered a moment. “N-no, I was just passing and you looked all hot and sweaty and oh for goddess’s sake. Fine!” The nurse huffed, tossing her mane. “I was kinda... kinda just getting up the courage to come say stuff to you.”

“Well you’re here now, so spit it out,” Firebrand said with a grin.

“I...” Remedy trailed off, staring down at her hooves. “I... just forget it.”

Firebrand lifted a hoof, laying it on Remedy’s shoulder. “Tell me. You’ll feel better.”

“I know... I just... I wanted you to know that I... well, I don’t want to murder you any more,” Remedy said with a sigh of relief.

Firebrand slowly raised a brow at Remedy, before nodding gently. “Thank you for that, Remedy. That was a really good, emotional bonding moment between us.”

“Was that a lie?” Remedy asked suddenly.

“It was heavy, heavy sarcasm,” Firebrand said with a snort, tossing her mane.

“Anyhow, now that I got that off my chest!” Remedy said brightly, rising to her hooves.

“Woah back, pony,” Firebrand said, grabbing at Remedy’s tail. “Is that the best you can do? ‘I don’t want to murder you’?”

Remedy grimaced. “I’m afraid so.”

“Oh I think you can do better,” Firebrand said with a shake of her head. “And you have until... let’s say seven o’clock to think up better. Front gates. Capiche?”

Remedy blinked, staring at the pegasus over her shoulder. “Are you... are you asking me on a date?”

“You say that as though such a thing would be insane,” Firebrand said calmly.

“I’m a changeling,” Remedy hissed.

“I know,” Firebrand stated with a sly grin. “There are so many naughty things we could do, what with you having the power to shapeshift...”

Remedy blinked once, slowly shaking her head. “I don’t what’s more off-putting, the fact that you’re making sexual allusions or the fact that it’s the freaking element of honesty that’s doing it!”

“I think you should be equally disturbed by both,” Firebrand said, waving a hoof. “Now shoo. And don’t you dare stand me up.”

“So, have you made your decision yet?” Chitin asked calmly.

Celestia sighed once, and then shook her head. “I... I am leaning towards setting you free. I realise I could hardly hold you captive if you wished to escape. Chrysalis taught me that when I fought her. But I have... reservations.”

“Scared that we’ll make a big secret plot to overthrow you, quietly taking out key positions and replacing them with changelings?” Chitin put forth rather bluntly.

The princess nodded once. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

Chitin sighed in response. “No matter what I say, the threat will always be there that my kind is capable of these things.”

“That is exactly what bothers me,” Celestia admitted quietly. “After all is said and done... your kind has all the power.”

“Limit our power,” Chitin stated, tossing her mane. “I will acquiesce to any security measures you wish to put in place, within reason.”

“Tell me how you think this will work, Chitin. What do you think will happen? How will your kind even survive? There are... nearly two hundred changelings. How will all of them feed?” Celestia asked, watching the changeling queen carefully.

“I already told you my proposal,” Chitin said, waving a hoof calmly. “My kind will offer yours a service. In return for that service, as a result of that service, we will take from your kind, the gift of your love; and our continued existence.”

“How often must your kind feed?” Celestia asked carefully.

Chitin gave a thoughtful sound at that, biting her bottom lip. “Once a fortnight, at least. That is bare minimum, and it would require quite a lot of energy to sate a changeling after that. Of course, we can absorb far more love than that... but a fortnight’s worth is what it takes so that we don’t... hunger.”

“So you expect to get nearly two hundred ponies coming through here once every fortnight?” Celestia asked flatly.

Chitin shook her head at that. “No, Celestia. We could take what we need from far fewer ponies, and spread it out amongst ourselves. I think one ‘session’ would be enough to garner energy for five ponies.”

Celestia blinked once. “For the full two weeks?”

The changeling nodded. “Indeed. Though undue exertion is liable to put a greater strain on a changeling’s energy reserves.”

Celestia gave a thoughtful sound. “And how many changelings would you think it would require to keep your kind sated?”

“If we had the cooperation of ponies, I think maybe a dozen changelings would be able to safely take energy and distribute it to others,” Chitin said, tapping her chin with a hoof.

“Are there any dangers?” Celestia queried warily.

“There are always dangers,” Chitin replied bluntly. “When we do this, we are actively draining magic from our targets. The magic makes them more... pliable. But it also greatly increases the amount of energy drained. Originally, this magic was mainly used so that our kind could quickly slip in while a pony’s spouse was away, drain energy from them, and then leave quickly. If a pony were to visit too many times in a short period of time...” the queen trailed off and shrugged helplessly. “They would become quite drained and lethargic. Depression and death would follow.”

Celestia shuddered. “And how am I to protect my guards and other ponies from your magic? I can hardly line them all up in front of the Elements of Harmony.”

“I will help you develop methods to sense changelings and shield yourself from our magics. I am determined to make this work,” Chitin said, placing a hoof against her own chest in a sincere way. “You can stop us from becoming enemies, Celestia. Give us a chance...”

Celestia pursed her lips, looking the changeling queen up and down once, before she sighed and rose to her hooves.

The cell door slid open, and Celestia stepped out of it. Pausing at the entryway, the princess looked back over her shoulder, raising a brow back at the changeling. “Well? Are you coming?”