Dawn Of The Silver Sun

by Nameless Narrator

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure
Length: 139918

Too old for the orphanage Straw Basket grew up in, the hippogriff sets on a journey to become one of the fabled Royal Guards. Too bad things never work out as planned and he will end up facing forces which terrify even gods themselves.

Now featured and with cover art by ProjectRabbid

Two decades ago the city of Cloudsdale passed over a growing town on the southwestern outskirts of Equestria called Wild Bastion. Several months later a newborn hippogriff appeared on the doorstep of a local orphanage. It wasn't dark and stormy night, the date wasn't a mythical number reoccuring once a millenium, and the little bundle of solitude was nopony special.

Discord, Nightmare, and Harmony, the three deities supposedly behind the creation of Equus are infinitely older but during recent years they learned to appreciate the value of mortals and understand their threat. Unfortunately for the gods, the secret they kept from everyone else is about to be revealed and old hatred and games will have to be forgotten.

Published 2015-05-07 09:40:03 UTC
Last updated 2023-02-12 19:49:48 UTC

Prologue: Nightmare Within A Dream

Mist swirled around the top of a mountain overlooking large stretches of flat land below it. A casual observer might have noticed suspicious lack of birds who would usually be circling or nesting on the landmark like this. The same observer, if knowledgeable enough, could understand that the blurriness of the mountain's surroundings was not caused by the lack of oxygen in their lungs, but by the fact that this place was not entirely real. There were no casual observers though. This place was reserved for those invited by its owner or those who found the way through means specifically designed for such visits. So, while it was possible to get here without the permission of the owner, simply wandering here by accident was not.

Not that it mattered. There was no pony, griffon, or any other species at this time and the mountain was calm.

Out of nowhere, the serenity was disturbed by a female scream, a very female scream, a scream made in such voice that would make a statue blush and zombie take a cold shower. While the message in the sound was the one of terror, the harmonics of the voice brought with it the images of sweat, steaming bodies, and pure, undiluted lust.

The shriek came from a cave near the mountaintop, the entrance to which was a sheet of inky blackness rather than a passage happily obeying the laws of physics. Behind it laid rather unsurprising sight - piles of skulls neatly stacked at random spots; just like anyone would see in the cave of a dragon with hardcore OCD besieged by adventurous treasure hunters. What WAS surprising were the clean, gold-embroidered red carpets all over the cavern floor. What was positively shocking was the realization that the skull piles served as sofas, fainting couches, tables, beds, and other household accessories and behaved as such, which could be seen from a skull bed upon which two ponies rested - a male and a female. The mare breathing heavily with eyes wide open, while the stallion held her in his front legs and patted her mane.

On the closer look the two ponies proved to be alicorns, fine examples of a demigod race closely tied to the natural forces of the real world. Larger and stronger than ponies, bearing both horn and wings, these beings possessed the finest traits of all three major pony races in addition to their unaging nature and control over magic and divine power.

Disregarding all that, one of them was terrified.

The alicorn stallion knew his mate far too well to simply ask if she had a bad dream. Besides, tact would be his middle name if he had one and he knew the problem would be shared with him as soon as the main shock was over. Unfortunately for this saying, as alicorns aged, they usually assumed only one name at least partially bound to their aspect. This demigod's name was Void and his charcoal black coat, purplish-black mane and tail, a black hole cutie mark on his flank barely visible against his fur, and yellow eyes glowing with immense amounts of divine power clearly stated that his fate had never been to be the alicorn of something nice, like flowers of summer breeze. Void was the alicorn of Death, Order, and Peace, and contrary to the post mortem decorations of this place this was not his home.

The mountain pocket dimension belonged to the alicorn mare who was struggling to stop her trembling and while Void's embrace was helping, it clearly wasn't enough. Contrary to her partner's color scheme, hers was much brighter and contrary to his somber aspect, hers... hers made everyone who knew about them wonder how they had ended up together. Sadly, at the time that had happened there had been only alicorns and other Old Gods' experiments around so these days there was almost no one besides the duo themselves to remember. The mare was called Scream which, coupled with her dream dimension, might make one think of horror and night terrors, but in reality the name had been shortened from Ecstatic Scream, the alicorn of Lust, Desire, and Deceit, the patron and protector of changelings.

Those who got to know the two alicorns made the mistake of believing Void to be the evil one with Scream bringing sanity into their timeless relationship, but reality was the exact opposite. Well, if there ever would be someone capable of thinking while in Scream's maddening presence. The bringer of wet dreams and devourer of released sexual energy was proud of her golden coat and white mane flowing more like quicksilver rather than obeying guidelines of existence. Thus, it was understandable that her current state of being drenched in sweat from both her rude awakening and the 'activities' that had exhausted her in the first place irritated her greatly. Unfortunately, the dream had been worse so she decided against a shower and just relaxed in her lover's embrace and kept thinking.

Alicorns with immense divine power were usually rather inept in matters of magic as the subtle manipulation of existence was too difficult while keeping the boiling mass of a much stronger power under control. Those alicorns were usually tied to some natural force or flow and no amount of knowledge about the workings of magic would allow them to use it effectively. Void was one of those. The others Scream knew about were the elemental alicorns of Wind and Fire, Zephyr and Celestia. The only exception was, of course, the new alicorn of Magic herself.

The other kind were alicorns tied to mental forces such as Love, Lust, or Insight. Those were the ones capable of the greatest feats of magic, more thanks to having time to study and experiment for eons rather than natural talent outclassing unicorns. From the three Scream could contact she was the oldest and most powerful mage and her skill had allowed her to create this dimension, which amplified it and achieved the forbidden dream of seeing the future, something no one aside from the alicorn of Time had ever been able to. The ability had its crippling limits but it came in handy from time to time.

What spoke volumes about her dream was that even here, side by side with the most dangerous alicorn ever in her own seat of power, she did not feel safe anymore.

Scream took a deep breath.

"We got it all wrong."

First Steps

The lone clip clop resonated between the walls of a shabby lobby belonging to an orphanage in a small city called Wild Bastion. The sound was punctuated by scratching, a very unusual combination of noises accompanying a walking pony. That's because despite having wings the grey-coated creature attempting to leave the orphanage unnoticed was a hippogriff, someone looking similar to a normal pegasus with the difference being his front legs ended in griffon talons rather than pony hooves.

         "Heya, Straw!"

         The squeaky greeting came from behind the hippogriff who choked, spasmed his talons, and scored a groove in the wooden floor. Much like his name hinted, Straw Basket's mane was yellow, but the faded kind which didn't contrast with his coat too much.

         "Heeey, you little pest!" Straw Basket turned around and grinned apologetically at the scarred floorboard, "Good thing I won't be here anymore when old Bluewing finds out."

         A completely pink filly stomped the floor, staring at the wood nervously for a moment, but then looking up into Basket's brown eyes. Her name was Bubble Gum, but she was simply one of twenty orphans waiting for adoption.

         "Eeeem... so it's true? You're leaving?"

         Twenty-one years ago had tiny Basket appeared on the orphanage's doorstep with nothing aside from a pouch of bits, a cloth blanket, and, of course, a basket made of straw. Orphanage workers had not been too blessed with imagination at the time. Those were the happy ones because the first thing a leftover like Basket learned was that empty dreams were the root of unhappiness. No one from an orphanage like this had ever achieved anything big in life.

         "You know how it is, ponies come and ponies go. I've been allowed to stay for this long only because I was paying for my schooling and I helped with you all."

         There were several older colts and fillies helping around the orphanage and their time would come eventually, unless they found a job and moved out themselves or somepony who would want them. Needless to say, adopting a pony older than twelve years was an extremely rare occurrence.

         "Soooo... what are you gonna do now?"

         Straw Basket considered himself sort of lucky to have come to the orphanage during Bluewing's ownership. The old pegasus was harsh but it was well-known, at least to someone with somewhat mediocre education, that pegasi were naturally the most blessed with parenting instinct. As such, Bluewing had insisted on Straw going further than just elementary school when the young hippogriff had become able to bring the occasional bit home. Thus, Straw Basket assumed neither of his parents was a pegasus, leaving his best bet on a griffon and an earthpony because his birth date coincided with the city of Cloudsdale passing above Wild Bastion. It wasn't unheard of the inhabitants of the floating metropolis to grow tired of their kind and have a tryst with some of the 'land dwellers'.

         "I've got some bits saved up. I'm going to try going to Canterlot to become a Royal Guard. Ponies at the inn were talking about them needing more recruits and taking anypony."

         "Wooooooow!"

         The filly's excitement was understandable: The idea of Straw Basket, an orphan like her, as one of the princess' protectors. felt distant and impossible even to him, but for a filly growing up on tales of heroism and valor it must have been a miracle waiting to happen.

         "I hope it works out. The money should last for a while, depending on how high the prices there are."

         "W-What if it's not enough?" Bubble's eyes grew wide in shock.

         "I can always return here and work as a forester or something. My talons are great for that and there aren't many unicorns around for subtle work. I... I just want to try, you know? To reach out for the stars and so on," Straw scratched his own head now and blushed, knowing how dumb he sounded.

         "Hey!" the filly smiled, all worries forgotten, "That means we might see you again."

         "Yeah," Basket ruffled her mane one last time, "When princess Celestia herself comes here to see where her best new guard came from."

         Both of them chuckled and Straw continued.

         "I have to go now, my train leaves in ten minutes. I'll send a postcard back here when I'm swinging a sword around and- hm?"

         It took him a while to shake off the filly hugging his leg without regard for the talons. Her scrunched muzzle and watering eyes were too much to bear and Straw looked upwards so she wouldn't see his getting wet as well. After all, this was the only home he knew.

         "Umm, the train?"

         "Huh?" Basket shook his head, realizing he'd been looking around for too long, "Oh damn, gotta go!"

         "GOOOOD LUUUUUCK!" the filly waved him off as he madly galloped towards the station.

         There weren't many passenger trains coming to a backwards town like Wild Bastion and the one currently leaving before Straw Basket's eyes wasn't one either. Basket had spent yesterday studying the traffic schedule and, being in a situation where every saved bit counted, he had decided to jack a spot on a train carrying lumber straight to lower Canterlot. It had been just an unfortunate accident of Bubble Gum catching him at the wrong time that had him now standing and panting heavily while watching his future go down the drain.

         Many trains passed through Wild Bastion but a passenger train to Canterlot came only once a week. Normally, that wouldn't pose a problem but Straw, trying to cut corners wherever he could, had chosen his departure two days before the official recruitment into Royal Guard was going to start.

         A big mistake, as it was now proving to be.

         He wasn't going to let this chance go to waste though. Gasping for breath after running all the way here he had to at least try and jump onto the accelerating train no matter how dangerous or generally stupid it was. Too bad he had to do it in front of the few ponies walking around the platform.

         "Youcandoit!" Basket grumbled to himself, sent a short prayer to princess Celestia, and started sprinting alongside the train.

         At the moment he could still match the train's speed, but that advantage was diminishing with every second so he watched for an opening between cargo cars. One was coming up. Taking a deep breath, he jumped and hoped to either hit the lock linking the two cars or the short ramp used to access it during ride itself if necessary.

         Fortunately, his estimate was correct and he jumped far enough. Unfortunately, not high enough. Who could blame him though, he'd never jumped on a several-ton heavy moving construction made of iron before. His chest collided with the edge of the ramp and the loud crack made his stomach turn more than the pain.

         The impact knocked the breath out of him and through the fire spreading from his lungs to the entirety of his chest he immediately knew that some of his ribs must be broken as well. Mustering his rapidly fading strength, he pulled himself up the safety ramp.

         "Dam-"

         He groaned as he lost control over himself and coughed, splattering blood all over the ramp. Thankfully, the train's momentum kept him from rolling down from it and when he finally regained control of himself, mostly thanks to having no strength left, his shallow wheezing and a thin, unrelenting trickle of blood coming from his mouth were clear sign of a pierced lung. As his eyes rolled back and darkness descended on him he was able to think only one thing:

"Nopony from the orphanage has ever gotten far in life and I didn't even manage leave the town."

"Piece by piece we assemble what was broken. What would this piece be good for? No, don't get ahead of yourself. Having a pawn is enough for now. Time is running out."

         A whisper hissed inside Straw Basket's head.

"Make your choice, hippogriff!"

"Whuh?"

         The voice grew aggressive.

"Choose, now! Life or death?"

         "-ife!" Straw sat up, ripping out a patch of grey fur on his muzzle where blood had dried up against the metal of the train car ramp.

         He could breathe although every attempt still sent spikes through his torso, there was no blood in his mouth anymore, at least after several spits, and he was still on the triangle of metal on the front part of the train car. Few more exploratory prods revealed there were some black streaks on his chest which didn't feel or smell like dye but were the same as the rest of his coat. Careful not to move too much, he simply pressed his back against the cold iron of the car and rubbed his forehead.

         With the cargo train not going at express train speed, even being outside wasn't that much of a problem. The large backpack lying next to him contained a waterproof tarp, which should be enough in case the late autumn weather got worse during the night. Not dying anymore, or at least thinking so, Straw looked around for a way to make his trip more comfortable.

         The freight cars were simply large rectangular metal boxes, both open and enclosed on top depending on the cargo, with ladders on the sides and triangular utility ramps on the ends. The best Straw could do was put a sweater on, wrap himself in the protective tarp, ignore his growing headache, and relax with wind whistling around.

Lower Canterlot

"Why didn't I just fly?"

That was the first thing on Straw Basket's mind when he groaned, trying to make his protesting body get up. Lying curled up on a rather hard piece of iron, the whole night and a big part of the next day had been a grueling experience, but despite his unusually long sleep he still felt exhausted.

"Probably just like the time when a falling tree broke my wing. The body needs its sleep."

Banishing the memory of his younger self barely dodging a mass of wood set on crushing him, he yawned and looked at the little bit of sky he could see from the empty space between the freight cars. Before he could gather his wits a cacophony of noises coming from brakes told him everything he needed to know. Barely keeping his balance when the train started slowing down, Straw stuffed his tent/blanket/raincoat/flying carpet wannabe in one into his backpack and waited for the movement to stop completely.

As the train reached walking pace, Straw spread his wings and, careful not to clip anything in the rather small space protecting him from prying eyes, took flight. Several suspicious glances in his direction gave him a pretty precise answer why being sneaky was better than safe. Right now, at the end of the trip, nopony cared about a silhouette leaving, but had he tried that back home he would have had a pony on his back soon enough.

Soaring through the sky, he still hissed as his wing muscles tugged at his wounded chest, but aside from pain itself his movements hadn’t been hindered in the slightest. Canterlot mountain towered above him with its peak lost in the clouds. At the base there was a city where he'd arrived, an unremarkable collection of houses without the tall walls and white spires the name Canterlot promised - downtown Canterlot. What made his eyes go wide and mirror his smile was the larger part of Canterlot, the bastion of law itself. About halfway to the clouds there was the miracle of architecture, the city built on the side of the mountain where the rulers of Equestria and the highest nobility lived secure within high, white walls. Straw couldn't see much more than just a half-circle casting shadow under it from down here, but his imagination filled the blanks rather easily.

His plan for today was clear - find a quick route towards the castle, ask around about the recruitment details, and return back to downtown Canterlot for the night.

For ponies able to fly there was no obstacle but as Straw got higher and higher he noticed a long line of carts and travellers heading up a highway carved in the side of the mountain. There was a second set of train tracks leading that way as well, meaning that wealthier clients could take a ride straight to the city itself. When Straw landed on the city walls, startling a unicorn guard snoozing on watch, he realized he grossly overestimated the time he'd need to get to the castle. The white fortress was separated from the city by a second set of walls, although smaller than the city ones, and from up here he could see large stretches of well-kept greenery, which had to be the legendary gardens.

The city was clean, white, white, and more white, although some ivory towers were decorated with gold and ornate brass. The ethereal feeling of the entire place was lessened somewhat by shabbier houses close to the mountain itself, which must have been built by and for the less noble part of the population. In short, Canterlot was a bustling metropolis, the like of which Straw had never seen before. Before he could get lost in watching ponies, mostly unicorns, going after their business or simply lazying around, the slowly fading sun reminded Straw he should rush to the castle before the Royal Guards might consider him a possible burglar.

He didn't need to follow the long line of guests and visitors queuing on the long gravel road leading from the inner walls to the castle gate. After all, he just needed to find some guard and ask them few simple questions. Strangely enough, or possibly due to the supposed lack of personnel, there were only two or three pegasi flying around and one squad of guards roaming the grassy grounds around the castle. Not wanting to disturb them, Straw slowly landed in front of a side entrance guarded by a brown earthpony mare with dark brown mane sticking in places from underneath her golden helmet. On the other side of the door there stood a strange, sleek metal construction resembling a very slim pony.

The guardsmare watched him carefully as he floated down, trying to look as harmless and non-intrusive as possible. Straw bowed when the mare took a step towards him and coughed.

"Ummm, can you help me, miss?"

"Wellll, you are at the service entrance without a discernable reason so I should probably beat you up and drag you to the dungeons, but I feel charitable today and you don't seem dangerous," the mare snickered. From the voice and her stature Straw realized she had to be few years younger than him.

"Errrrr," he took several steps back and the mare burst out laughing.

"Just teasing you, it's not illegal to walk the castle grounds, at least not for two more hours. What can I help you with?"

"My name is Straw Basket. I-I'm here to join the Royal Guard. I read in the news that the recruiting happens tomorrow so I wanted ask around who to look for so I didn't seem stupid."

"Oh right!" the mare smiled again, "The second pre-training event was supposed to start this week, riiiight."

"Pre-training?" Straw interrupted.

"Yeah, the official training starts after new year, but last year, due to some serious scheduling trouble, there was a group of ponies who arrived here in Canterlot for retraining and general physical fitness tests early. Since the Royal Guard had free space in the barracks, they offered them a chance to train for few extra months and then join the official recruits. I was one of them, although for a very different reason. So, you're here for that?"

"Ehhh, yeah?" Straw was currently repeatedly facehoofing- facetaloning mentally. Had he misunderstood the Royal Guard ad in the newspaper? Was he here at the wrong time and would he have to live in Canterlot until some spaces in the Guard open?

"Good for you, coming in on the first day! Anypony can join at any time during the pre-training but the trainers like ponies who take things seriously.-"

"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! I almost died for this and it wasn't necessary at all?"

"-Are you okay?" the mare asked concernedly while looking at pale Straw whose talons drew deep grooves in the lawn.

"Well, I had an accident on the way here and now I know I didn't have to rush."

"Chin up! As I said, ponies who are here on time usually get few bonus points towards the monthly evaluation exams."

Straw Basket's smile was way too forced.

"Thanks, miss-"

"Dawn."

"Miss Dawn. Where and when does the whole thing start?"

"Uhhh, Bucket?" Dawn looked at the statue.

"No need to curse, I'll ask somew-"

The metal statue hummed quietly and moved like a panther ready to pounce. Blue circles appeared where a pony would have eyes, but the 'whites' around were very much 'blacks'. The blue circles disappeared for a moment and Straw realized with horrified fascination that the statue blinked at him.

Raspy, slightly distorted, but somehow pleasant voice came from it:

"The first phase of Guard recruitment starts tomorrow at thirteen o'clock for the Royal Guard and twenty-three o'clock for the Nightguard. The meeting place for both groups is the visitor's entrance of Canterlot castle. Applicants will be shown a tour of the training facilities, accommodated in the barracks, and their physical prowess evaluated. Tomorrow's tour guides are private Dawn-"

"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Dawn hit the metal pony softly.

"-and agent Bucket. Officer responsible for recruit accommodation is sargeant Oakenshield.-"

"Hey, he had me last year. Oaks is a pretty cool guy unless you try really hard to piss him off," Dawn winked at Straw.

"Good to know."

"-The trainers performing the physical evaluation are ambassador Cromach and drill sargeant Rising Thunder," Bucket, the mechanical pony, ended his report.

"Oh dear," Dawn blinked.

"What's w-w-w-wrong?" Straw stuttered. Dawn's sudden panic was super contagious, "Are they going to kick me out on the first day or something?"

"Huh?" Dawn shook her head, "No, that would be counterproductive now, would it? Why would they refuse a recruit for knowing nothing before they taught him anything? It's gonna be fine, just... just get ready for some serious beating. Ambassador Cromach makes you do some crazy physical exercises and sargeant Thunder just enjoys his recruits beating the living daylight out of one another."

"Sooo... it's alright? Do I have to bring something with me to the meeting?"

"No documents are necessary," explained Bucket, "After first week, new recruits will present themselves for examination needed in order to make their temporary guard badges. This and much more information will be presented during orientation tour. Do not worry."

"Thank you."

"May Celestia's light shine on your steps," Bucket 'closed' his eyes again and returned to his disguise as a strange decoration.

"See you," Dawn waved as Straw jumped to the air, "And don't be so scared!"

Flying out of the castle grounds, Straw landed in the city itself, decided to walk his way downtown to get the feel for its layout. After all, Royal Guards had to know their city's streets by heart he supposed.

Posh unicorns all around, a nice guardsmare, scents never before encountered by the frontier village colt, and mechanical ponies who could talk! Canterlot was everything he'd dreamt of and much more on top. Smiling nervously but happily, he wandered his way through upper Canterlot to the gate leading to the mountain highway heading down.

Back at the castle, when Straw was out of sight, Dawn nudged Bucket.

"What was that supposed to be?"

"What was what supposed to be?" the mechanical pony answered in a much less official tone.

"The I'm just a beep boop machine talk you did in front of the poor guy. Even I didn't find it funny and I know you. It wasn't possible for him to get the joke."

"That wasn't a joke, Dawn. I didn't want to lose the element of surprise. There's some divine power inside him. Hostile, from what I can assess."

"Should we tell somepony or follow him?"

"I will deal with it. As far as I can tell he isn't dangerous or in immediate danger. We've met some straight up deadly forces before and this is insignificant compared to those. I'll go warn our Black Ops friend, he'll know what to do."

"Don't laze around too long, I don't like having to talk to myself."

"Of course," the service entrance shut behind Bucket.

With the sun setting, Straw Basket entered downtown Canterlot and looked for the nearest tavern. There was way too much new stuff for him to digest so he decided he should sleep on it and get into the rhytm of the big city step by step whenever his training allowed. Unfortunately for him, the tavern closest to the entrance was also a place which somepony looking for fun at lower price than in Canterlot city would choose.

The inn was filled to the brim with ponies enjoying themselves after a day of work and Straw was more sure with every step that he wouldn't find a room for rent here. His worry came true when the bartender shook his head and explained that due to the yearly event of guard recruits graduating, the hotels and taverns in both parts of Canterlot had been filled to the brim for past two days. His head low, Straw sighed and got ready to spend another night outside.

"What's a half-breed doing here in Canterlot?" snickered a white unicorn as Straw plodded back to the entrance. He was sitting at a table with mares on both sides watching him and giggling. The ornate and mostly empty bottle of wine on the table told a sad tale of money being the biggest aprodisiac known to ponykind.

"I just needed a place to stay for the night before joining the Royal Guard tomorrow," Straw smiled politely. There was no reason to be hostile to one of the locals, possibly a member of nobility.

"YOU, a Royal Guard?" the unicorn slammed the table with his hoof, laughing, "Listen to me, hick. The Guard is a sacred institution devoted to the protection of Equestria. Only the best of the best should be allowed to join. Somepony like me, for example. Your kind can never stand up to a real unicorn anyway so why don't you save yourself the hassle and go home... plant some carrots or something."

"Hmm, there's posh and then there's downright insulting. No reason to waste time here. Wait... did he say he wanted to join the Guard as well?"

"Uhm, sure," mumbled Straw noncommittally and walked onwards.

*Thud!*

At least to the point when his muzzle met the floor to the open laughter of the sycophantic mares around the rude unicorn.

"Inbreds," the unicorn shook his head, "can't even walk straight."

"You tripped me!" scowled Straw, standing back up and dusting himself off.

"Are you talking back to your betters, drifter? I'll have to teach you a lesson then."

Straw gritted his teeth as he took in the details of the unicorn in front of him. Even slightly off balance, the enemy stood up from the table with his clearly toned muscles mirroring his every move. Cocky grin, long horn, and blonde mane roguishly falling over one of his eyes made it clear what the mares around him were here for.

Sneering unicorns aside, Straw took a step back to an area less congested with tables. He wasn't a weakling himself, hard work in a frontier town made sure of that, but compared to the unicorn in front of him he definitely looked out of shape.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Straw raised his talons defensively in front of him.

"A coward as well? Thought so," the unicorn hiccuped and crossed his eyes, "You should have thought of that before spitting your slander at me."

Unseen blow hit Straw's muzzle. There wasn't too much power behind it but it stung, not more than the unicorn's grin though.

"Just smash his drunk face."

A sudden wave of rage came over Straw and, without thinking, he swung his talons.

The untrained punch grazed the enemy who was now laughing openly.

"A guard, really! Seriously, go home and bang your sister or something you rednecks do. I'm sure she's gonna give you a bunch of retarded foals you so like."

Another invisible slap.

"Damn unicorn magic!"

"Just for now... a little will be enough."

A surge of energy responding to Straw's wish to cave the unicorn's head in burned through his body. Moving much faster than ever before, his right hook connected and knocked the unicorn down on the dirty floor.

With mud staining his golden mane, the unicorn's eyes now promised pain and murder rather than simple humiliation. Spitting a wad of blood out, he stood back up and his horn shimmered with a brilliant glow.

A crushing blow from above awoke all Straw's previous wounds and he screamed. Not for long though, as another blow made him bite his tongue. With growing concussion, he could only register his head being repeatedly slammed into the floor.

"Okay, that's enough," said a voice belonging to someone new.

It took Straw a while to realize the dull thumping of his muzzle on wood stopped. His world was swimming and his face was covered in snot, blood, and tears, but he believed he could, once all his thirteen legs cooperated, stand up. Maybe... tomorrow... next week in the worst case...

"Oh great, another half-breed. What did YOUR mother get knocked up by, a minotaur?"

*Click.*

"Go ask the barrel."

Finally standing up and able to turn his head without his stomach declaring independence, Straw measured the creature who saved him from more beating. The voice spelled female, but Straw didn't have enough knowledge about the world to tell him more.

She was standing on her hind legs, which were brown and furry just like pony ones, but longer. She DID resemble a minotaur, as far as some forgotten memory of his early school days said, but there were no horns on her head and her face lacked muzzle and any sort of hair aside from her brown mane. Her entire upper body was covered by a brown jacket lined with pockets and she held a strange metal tube aimed at the unicorn in one hand, making him breathe heavily and stand VERY still. All in all, she looked like a cowmare without a stetson.

"You wouldn't dare!" the unicorn snarled.

"Blow your head off? Nah. Shatter your kneecaps? Sure!"

The outside door clicked and the entire tavern went silent. Two sets of hoofsteps approached the standoff between the unicorn and... the minotaur-ish being. A tall and astonishingly well-built white griffon wearing a simple, long sleeved, black jacket followed by a grey, red-maned pegasus mare in full Royal Guard plate mail froze the atmosphere in the tavern. The griffon tapped the strange two-legged girl on the side.

"AAAH!" she screamed.

*Bang!*

The unicorn pissed himself, slowly turning his head to the smoldering hole in the wall. He collected himself rather quickly despite his hind legs still getting wet.

"Thank you, officers. Can you please lock this trash up for firing a gun in a public place?" his snooty tone returned.

The griffon ignored him and looked hard at the girl.

"Got anything to say, Fortune?"

"SORRY, SIR! THAT WASN'T INTENTIONAL," she saluted.

"Unintentionally aiming a pistol at a unicorn's head... how do you do that?"

"Um-" Straw coughed but was stopped by the griffon's glance in his direction.

"Later."

The offending unicorn's grin grew wider and wider.

"Sir, this unicorn provoked the hippogriff who was just looking for a place to stay the night," Fortune nodded at Straw, " and attacked him. When it became clear he didn't stand a chance I stepped in to stop the senseless beatdown."

The griffon sniffed around the unicorn, scowled, and waved at the silent guardsmare next to him.

"An assault while drunk. Ruby, grab him."

As the red mare reached for him, the unicorn slapped her hoof away.

"Don't you dare touch me! Don't you know who I am?" he barked.

"A drunk brat dangerously close to being charged with assaulting an officer," Ruby simply stated.

"My name is Leo Goldhorn, son of Elhart Goldhorn! I can't believe the Royal Guard would bother hiring a griffon or protecting a bunch of halfies."

Ruby scowled but the griffon just grabbed the unicorn's mane and tugged firmly.

"What an irony, your name is half griffon and so is your father's."

"My father will get your sorry flank kicked out of-"

"Waaaah, waaah, waaaah," the griffon started to pull the protesting unicorn towards the exit, "You say something but all I hear is 'I am nothing without my dad, I am completely worthless, blah blah blah'. I wonder how would old Elhart react to to his son being in a newspaper tomorrow."

Leo whimpered and stopped resisting.

"Good colt."

Straw Basket was in no position to object when the guard called Ruby pointed at him, at Fortune, and then at the door.

"Come!"

Wondering why no one was bothered by Fortune still being armed, Straw followed the other four outside and through the night streets of lower Canterlot.

With Leo, Straw, and Fortune obediently walking behind the pair of guards, the griffon nudged Ruby.

"So, how about you, me, my place tonight?" he said carefreely.

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Come ooooon!"

"No. Besides, aren't you going to Manehattan for next week?"

"Yeah, that's not for two more days though. So..."

"No!"

"You can't keep that trained flank to yourself, that's selfish!" the griffon slapped Ruby's behind.

*Tink!*

"OW!"

"I had a backplate added to my armor when I heard they paired me with you," Ruby snickered at the limping griffon sucking his talon.

"I'm not sure whether I should be glad I'm recognizable or mad at what I'm recognized for," he grumbled.

"See," Fortune grinned at Straw, "This is what you'll be working with in the Guard."

However, the griffon's attempts weren't over.

"How about I do this," he tripped Ruby and as she lost balance he slid under her mid-fall, hoisting her on his back.

Straw gasped at the griffon's strength when his addled mind finally reacted to someone carrying a muscular mare wearing a full plate armor without slowing down at all.

"Fiiiiiiiiiiine," Ruby grumbled, just hanging there in defeat, "Let's have a dinner and then we'll talk."

The griffon turned his head to the young trio.

"See, kids? Perseverance!"

Ruby just groaned.

"ONLY dinner!"

"That's what you're saying now but-"

"Grrrrr!"

"Nevermind."

After a while the group arrived at the lower Canterlot guard house where a very annoyed unicorn mare was eyeing the reception.

"What now?" she sighed when she saw three barely adult visitors led in by a pair of guards.

"The unicorn goes to the drunk tank, Holly," the griffon ordered, "give the other two a free cell."

"WHY?" Leo protested.

"Because they're not wasted. Now be a nice colt and sleep it off."

Straw was barely awake at that point so the prospect of not being rained at tonight was inviting despite having to spend it with a heavily armed female of unknown species and intentions.

Holly ushered the two into a cell next to the drunk tank while Leo got shoved into the company of five other mumbling, and fiercely stinking, ponies.

"This is both disgusting and unforgivable!" he objected loudly and quickly lowered the volume when a drunk pony swung his hoof at him, "Nnnngh!"

Holly just snorted.

"If you feel somepony grabbing your flank, just bite the bars and try not to make too much noise."

"You can't be seri- EEP!" Leo rammed his butt into the wall as the pony next to him put his muzzle on his back.

On the other side of the bars Fortune just propped her head using her backpack as a pillow and closed her eyes. Straw coughed nervously.

"I can lend you a blanket if you want. It's big enough for a pony but since you're so much taller..."

Fortune snored.

Well, at least he had a free place to stay. Despite, or maybe because of, everything around being so overwhelming, Straw drifted off quickly as well. Not that it stopped his internal chant of:

Canterlot is AWESOME!

Veil

Morning came accompanied by headache, leg ache, muzzle ache, and other signs of minor concussion and exhaustion.

Straw Basket wasn't in the best shape today but the constant whimpering from the next cell warmed him up nonetheless. The unicorn from last night... Leo, was it? He was measuring the ex-drunks busy fighting hangover around him with the expression of a janitor sent to sweep a rodeo track after heavy rain. To Straw, the best part was that the unicorn mare, Holly, who had let him in, considered Leo the same as the drunks around him.

"Wakey wakey!" yelled Holly loudly, watching the groaning ponies in the drunk tank with a sadistic grin, "That should teach you to drink responsibly. Also, it's twenty bits a head so grab your money pouches."

The annoyed grunting got louder and then much quieter as the noise sparked more pain in the temporary inmates.

Straw started rummaging through his backpack.

"Not you, kid," Holly waved her hoof dismissively, "You and the satyr girl were more like... evidence. Yeah, that's what I'm sticking with."

"Speaking of which," Straw looked around his empty cell, "Where is she?"

"She left about an hour ago. It's not like you were being detained or anything," Holly shrugged, "You'd better go though, I don't want anypony sniffing around and spreading rumors I let strays stay here for free."

Saluting, or more like putting his talons to his forehead while trying not to fall over, Straw smiled at the unicorn mare of the same color scheme as him.

"If things go right then I'll be a Guard recruit soon so there won't be any trouble for you, ma'am."

"Oh yeah," Holly realized, "a new batch is coming in today. Are you one of those?"

"I hope to prove worthy," Straw stood to attention, at least tried to since he had no idea what it really meant. Luckily, him flexing his chest muscles and imitating a stern expression more resembling constipation put a small smile on Holly's face.

Leaving the drunks to gather themselves, Straw followed Holly through the guardhouse.

"It's pretty rare to see somepony with enthusiasm in the Guard these days," Holly let him out and waved at him, "Off you go!"

Something clicked inside the hippogriff after yesterday.

"What, no breakfast?" he grinned.

Holly gulped and threw her front legs to the clear sky.

"You let Cromach near foals once, ONCE, and they're gone forever!" she cried theatrically.

Smiling widely, Straw took to the skies.

From the sun barely up he knew he still had more than enough time to make it to the recruit meeting. Breakfast was in order then. He had some long-lasting supplies which would have to last until he found out how much money he would need to live in Canterlot. With that in mind, he landed on the upper Canterlot city walls and grabbed some pressed hay biscuits to munch on. The remains inside his water bottle soothed his thirst and with the new day dawning and ponies slowly filling the streets he decided to have a casual stroll.

Wild Bastion, Straw's hometown, was a collection of thirty or so houses with the town hall and the tavern in the middle. The common houses were built from wood and the official places of business were at least partially from stone.

Lower Canterlot wasn't THAT different, although much more cramped. The wood gave way to bricks, the stone walls were covered by plaster to keep heat inside, but deep down it was just a collection of houses where ponies just hid away from the night.

Canterlot city, on the other talon, was... nothing like that. There were common houses, of course, but even those shone white and had windows decorated with wood or cast iron ornaments. What was more interesting were the large estates belonging to nobility, white mansions surrounded by gardens imitating the Canterlot castle itself. With the entire city built in a half-circle, the street layout was very simple - concentric half-circles criss-crossed with straight ones leading from the city walls towards the mountain, which meant there had to be a plaza where all the straight streets converged.

Straw's curiosity remained unsatisfied in that respect because he kept being distracted by EVERYTHING about the waking city. He waved at a passing group of schoolfillies, he drooled at the sight of Donut Joe's pastry shop, he spent an untold amount of time just sitting on a bench in a park and watching unicorns jog or play with their foals, he...

...almost choked when the clock on a nearby tower struck noon.

For once the overabundance of white spires rimmed with gold was annoying rather than stunning because now he had to fly towards the castle. The panic attack was averted as he realized how quickly he could get there while flying. The castle was in the eastern corner of the half-circle, which meant that getting there on hoof from the city gates had to be quite a chore as one couldn't take the straight route, but with wings that became trivial.

Canterlot wasn't a big city, its splendor made it look important, its location made it overlook large stretches of Equestria majestically, but it wasn't big. No amount of magic could overcome the logistics necessary to build a city halfway up the mountain.

With that in mind, Straw's eyes got used to seeing the important details about the white fortress. The buildings housing less wealthy ponies were situated either near the city walls themselves, mostly family houses, or near the mountain where large apartment complexes prevailed. Still, not even finally taking the rose-tinted goggles off and seeing the darker part of the city subdued Straw's excitement as he circled in the skies above.

When the clock tower above the castle entrance showed ten to one, he descended towards the official entrance. Several early visitors wearing strangely cut clothes looked at him with disdain but when he didn't try to get ahead in the queue they lost their interest. It seemed that every day the long gravel road from the outer walls to the castle entrance was filled to the brim. Finally spotting the helpful chocolate guardsmare from yesterday, Straw trotted over.

Dawn was sitting on the lawn and watching a bunch of ponies casually standing around. Some were scarred soldiers, who seemed more at easy than anypony else, and some were young ponies nervously stomping the grass. Right now, Straw felt somewhere in the middle. He'd met Dawn already, but he still had no idea what the future held. Thus, he decided to break the tension and act.

"Good morning, miss Dawn. Is this the gathering spot for the new recruits?"

"Oh hey! Hay Barrel, was it?"

"Straw Basket."

"Oops, I knew it was some container. Yeah, this is the place. We'll be starting in twenty minutes to give some more time to those who got lost in the city."

Following the calm mare's example, Straw lay down on the lawn and simply looked up at the sky.

The general orientation was nothing but boring. Straw would be shocked though if any of the newbies actually remembered something from it because they spent most of the time watching Bucket and gossiping. The pre-training group was surprisingly small, consisting of thirteen ponies, one satyr, one minotaur, and one griffon. Unfortunately for Straw, it also consisted of Leo Goldhorn, who wasn't exactly thrilled to see Straw on the training grounds. Aside from some angry mumbling, the unicorn didn't pay Straw any attention though. Straw could take a breath of relief when he saw Fortune, at least somepony would be on his side if Leo tried something then.

Dawn simply showed them a large stone building by the castle which had the glorious view of a stone wall on one side and a stone mountain on the other. The design was neither comfortable nor eye-pleasing, but it served its job - accommodating guards who had no place of their own. The inside was just a long hall with small rooms on both sides and a staircase at the end. As a bit of flavor information Bucket told them that since there were no latrines anywhere near Canterlot, the punished recruits would be cleaning the entirety of the barracks instead. Each room, while small, had a bunk bed fit for two ponies, but since there were so few recruits every one of them got their own place. For Straw, who was raised in a room just like that with the only difference being it hosted FOUR ponies, it felt like home.

There was little time to rest though. After showing the recruits their rooms, their guides led them back out and around the castle onto large tracks of lawn on one side of the road leading to the main gate where two guards were waiting for them already.

One was a middle-aged grey earthpony, whose stare was harder than a guy's rod in the morning- than steel and whose entire being screamed he was used to breaking ponies and reshaping them to a new purpose. He was wearing an official gold-plated armor, which Straw associated with the Royal Guard.

The other one was the white griffon from yesterday and with him not having his black jacket now Straw could see he was missing a front leg. In its place he had a mechanical prosthesis ending in talons, which looked more hi-tech than anything Straw had seen before and reminded him of Bucket. In contrast to his earthpony colleague, he wasn't wearing anything aside from a harness with a double-headed battleaxe on his back and an another, unattached, prosthesis hanging next to it.

"Perhaps a spare one?"

"Legacy of a traitor, a murderer," the growl in Straw's head came in a voice which would spit if it could.

Straw shook his head. He didn't intend to argue with a voice inside his head, which had saved him, probably, but the griffon had not seemed like a bad guy at all yesterday.

The grey earthpony came forward, making the recruits twitch and end their hushed conversations.

"Rookies, attention!"

His loud and firm voice killed any cocky thoughts that might have still been hanging in the heads of some younger newbies. The more experienced-looking ones simply saluted.

"My name is Rising Thunder and it falls to me to welcome you, at least temporarily, to the Royal Guard. Some of you are here because of family tradition, your own experience, or your military education," he looked at the more organized and saluting ones, "Others might not have any background to speak of. It doesn't matter. As long as you try hard enough, you will stand on even ground after a year's worth of training under me and agent Cromach. Now, due to the current state of the Guard you will get to know both of us more than well, you will learn to hate us, but, most of all, you will learn to obey us. Agent Cromach will be in charge of your physical exercises while I will teach you the basics of combat."

A raised taloned leg from the griffon recruit stopped Rising Thunder's monologue.

"Yes?"

"What weapons are we allowed to use?"

"During the first months, in order not to mess up the training schedule for those who will join after new year, you will undergo training with various weapons to make you comfortable using them or going against them. During the second half of your year you will get to choose your weapon and practice under a specialist. As for unicorns, you will attend a special class dedicated to the use of magic and telekinesis in combat. Teaching of less common weapons for griffons and pegasi, such as wing razors, is being negotiated with the Nightguard. Anything else?"

The lack of movement would make an unemployed tumbleweed jump at the opportunity.

"Good, that's all for now from me then. Agent Cromach will tell you the details of your physical exercises. See you at sixteen o'clock."

Rising Thunder saluted and left, leaving the recruits to watch the griffon.

"So, now that most of you are probably thinking about running away," Cromach smiled, "let's reinforce that. Fifty push-ups, everyone, and I'll be talking while you get your blood flowing."

When a blonde-maned white unicorn stepped up and opened his mouth Straw facetaloned.

"Not pony enough to exercise with us? I guess the rumors about griffons are overrated after all," Leo grinned wickedly.

"Is that your concern?" Cromach simply raised an eyebrow, "Sure, I'm up for some warm-up."

His easy approach only served to enrage Leo further, but he channeled his racism- speciesism into sass. The griffon doing push-ups and ignoring him was just enough to make his self-preservation instinct go on a vacation.

"Well, that mechanical leg seems like cheating-"

"Okay," Cromach shifted his weight and raised his flexible mechanical leg up. He was now pushing himself up at the same pace but only on three legs, "Now, most of the others are already halfway done while you are standing and watching. This isn't the Canterlot opera, colt. This is the Royal Guard and if you want to stay here you better start working out."

Leo closed his mouth before something flew in and, with eyes wide, joined the others.

Cromach finished first and wasn't even breathing heavily so he went straight up to his lecture.

"So, guys, you'll be seeing me every morning at eight for two hours of exercise every other week. Don't worry, after that you'll have a chance to rest at the law lecture. We don't want you to just start beating citizens senseless because they looked at you funny. Got anything else to ask of me, your Highness?" he smirked at Leo.

The unicorn took a step back, grinding his teeth. After a moment of thinking he hung his head low and said:

"No, I apologize, sir."

"See, the power of inspiration!" Cromach ruffled his mane, "If you want to be in charge, then inspire those around you by being better, not bully them and shout at them that you are."

Leo glanced sideway at Straw and Fortune. The hippogriff could swear he saw a hint of wetness on Leo's face.

"One last thing, don't try this on Rising, kid."

"Huh, why?" Leo blurted.

Cromach sighed.

"I mean, why not specifically on him, sir?" the unicorn corrected himself meekly.

Scratching his head, Cromach noticed the small change in Leo's attitude.

"Well, I might not be the one to ask, since I'm not a pony, but you DO need all your teeth, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so..." Leo snickered.

Straw couldn't believe it, but the evil bastard from yesterday was now tame without any need for unpleasantness. The white griffon earned a lot of respect in his eyes just from those few words.

"Umm," he raised his leg, "sir?"

"Yes?" Cromach turned to him, "actually, no. We're not here to chat, we're here to train. EVERYONE, ONE CHILL LAP AROUND THE CASTLE, NO WINGS! We can talk while running."

"You're not a Royal Guard, are you?" said Straw between breaths. The group was running very slowly as everyone was curious about who they're working with, "You're here but you weren't wearing the official armor yesterday."

"Good observation...?"

"Straw Basket."

"Straw. No, I'm not a guard, I used to be one though. I work for the Order of the Silver Sun in Manehattan, but I have my responsibilities here in Canterlot as well so I help out when I can. That's why I'm here only every other week."

"You're really strong."

"Griffon Legion training. If you had to survive in the desert while carrying double your weight in equipment you'd be as well... or you'd be dead, either works."

Straw's eyes stopped on the mechanical leg.

"I've never seen anything this complicated before."

"You're not from a big city, are you?"

"Erm... no," Straw blushed.

"I didn't mean it that way. Sorry if it sounded like I thought you were stupid. You're just more open than most. Well, I can't tell you much but not many ponies or griffons, or no one else actually have ever seen technology like this. It's unique."

"And the spare one?"

"Spare one? I don't have a spare one," Cromach looked confused.

"The one on your back."

"Ooooh!" Crom snorted, "That old thing. It's a good luck charm. My... friend used to need it, I just feel like he's covering my back when I have it. Plus, it gives me hope that when I try hard enough things will work out somehow. You could say it reminds me to always give one hundred percent into any effort no matter how much it hurts."

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry, sir," it was getting hard to talk and run for Straw.

"You can't have known, it's fine. You better focus on your breathing now though, we're still only halfway there."

"Yes... sir..."

To Straw's utter horror those two exercises were really just a warm-up and the real training came after. Almost passing out in the end, he gratefully slinked back to his room at the barracks and collapsed on the bed. The promised lunch looked better and better as his muscles with the same amount of strength as noodles refused to restart.

"Fortune..."

After the training session, Cromach waved the satyr over to him.

"Yes, sir?"

"I... don't know where to start."

Fortune sighed.

"What went wrong this time?"

"We found out what happened to Apple squad. As a result, the Baker squad deployment is on hold."

Gasping, the brown-legged satyr almost jumped before coming to the conclusion that nothing good would be said today.

"Did at least somepony make it out?"

Cromach shook his head.

"You are the only one left."

Smiling sadly, Fortune sat down on the grass and hugged her knees.

"I guess closure is the best I could have gotten. So, what happened?"

"I went to the Manehattan slums myself after you escaped with the information about the cultists. It was a trap, which would have worked if we sent another group of trainees or called the guards, but they weren't ready for me. I... I have no idea who the cult were but at least one of them had to be a unicorn necromancer because your mates from alpha were waiting for me."

"You killed them?" Fortune rubbed her eyes.

"Would it be enough if I said I did?"

"No," she said firmly, "I want to know everything."

"Your friends weren't alive when I got there. Something was done to them after you got out. They weren't really ponies anymore. I really don't want to go into detail, sorry. I needed sedatives to be able to sleep for the next few days."

From what rumors Fortune had heard, the griffon in front of her had gone through unimaginable horrors during his rather short life and he was visibly shaken just talking about the events.

"Perhaps you should take a vacation, sir," Fortune's hand patted the griffon.

"I need to keep the Order together. Heavy Hoof has enough trouble on his plate after having his first training group killed and Blaze wanted to shut the operation completely, saying it should be me and him tackling this and not..."

"Who, us?"

"His words were: A bunch of foals with something to live for."

"That's stupid," Fortune scowled, "I mean, yes, that would have worked, but what if something were to happen to the two of you? We need the training only you can provide otherwise... otherwise more ponies would end like my squad."

Crom hugged her.

"Thank you, I needed to hear that. I wasn't sure about it myself but, please, tell Blaze the same thing when you come back to Manehattan. He took it really bad and blames himself... like he always does."

"Don't worry," Fortune forced a smile, "As soon as I can mouth off to an alicorn I'll do it."

Snorting, Cromach helped her stand up.

"How are things here, anyway? Has the target been acting strange?"

"Not at all. Is it possible your source made a mistake?"

"No, he can see dark energy directly, something nopony else can. Keep observing then. Orders are still the same - kill him if he acts up. We can't afford another host to arise."

"Yes, sir," Fortune saluted and went to rest before lunch.

Rising Thunder's lesson was completely different from what Straw was expecting although it explained what Dawn had said yesterday. Rising split the group into pairs and told them to face one another while he would observe and show each pair the ropes with either a practice sword or a staff. Unfortunately, Fortune refused to pair up with Straw, saying she would kick his rump so hard he wouldn't learn anything. That, of course, gave chance to Leo.

"Up for a challenge?" the unicorn sneered at Straw.

Well, at least he's not calling me names anymore.

"Ehm sure," Straw wrapped his talons around the hilt of a heavy stick with a guard serving as a practice sword. Rising's opening lecture had explained the reason for the dummy weapon being heavier then real one was to build the right sort of muscles, ones that standard physical training didn't focus, "I've never really done anything like this before though."

"There is no point then," Rising trotted over and pointed at a different unicorn getting ready to spar with an earthpony, "You, unicorn, switch with that guy."

"Why?" Leo frowned.

"Unicorns have much easier time using weapons early in the training, especially swords. Telekinesis is quite something in that respect. There's no way the hippogriff could stand against you without previous experience."

Straw shuffled aside nervously.

"So, why does the Royal Guard accept non-unicorns?" Leo pressed the subject.

"First, unicorns can't fly, at least not without significant use of magic. Second, earthponies are much better in terms of stamina no matter how hard unicorns train. Third, most weapon trainers are NOT unicorns, care to guess why?"

"I don't see a reason. Telekinesis triumphs over any physical agility. Shield spells work better than armor and don't slow the user down," Leo stood his ground.

"Have YOU ever tried using telekinesis and magic at once?"

"Errrm, no. I haven't been in a real combat before."

"Then you will see it is much more difficult than it seems. The only unicorn I've ever met who was really good at swordfighting was unable to use magic whatsoever. Unicorn strength lies in melding both abilities together or focusing purely on magic. Still, the point stands. Right now you would easily win. Later... things usually change. All of us have a place in this world."

Shooing Leo away, Rising paired Straw with an experienced looking earthpony, a military academy graduate as it turned out.

Expecting having his ass handed to him, Straw was warmly surprised that both Rising and his opponent spent most of the time showing him standard parries and attacks rather than beating him up.

On the other hoof, what would that achieve? He was there to learn after all, not to be a punching bag for somepony better.

A less pleasant surprise awaited Straw after the training. As it turned out, due to the lack of guards the recruits were to go on patrols like a normal guard would. They would, of course, be paid half of guard salary, which was great and all, but it also meant Straw wouldn't get too much rest tonight.

Looking at his name on the pinboard back at the barracks, he just sighed sadly when his schedule sent him out on an eight-to-midnight patrol inside the castle. His mood improved slightly when he saw he would be paired with Dawn. It seemed that every recruit was paired with a more experienced guard who would show them the usual beats.

Hurting all over, this time not only from exhaustion, he set the alarm clock in his room, firmly decided to have as much rest as possible before evening.

Groaning and limping, Straw made his way to one of the staircases leading up from the ground floor of the castle. Dawn was already waiting for him, her light brown coat sharply contrasting with the official golden armor. She apparently still had some trouble with her mane as there were strands of dark brown hair sticking out from underneath her helmet. In contrast to Straw trying to stop his nervous shaking, she was simply leaning on the railing and whistling a lazy tune.

"Here you are... Grass Crate?"

"Seriously?" Straw sagged and facetaloned. Sadly, his cynicism wasn't strong enough and thus couldn't cover the fact that he managed to dislodge his helmet which tilted over his muzzle, "Stra-MHHHMPH!"

A pair of brown hooves released him from his predicament. A moment later Dawn remade the straps under his muzzle so the helmet could finally fit. Together they went up the stairs and Dawn led the way through the tall corridors of the castle.

"You looked like you needed a distraction."

"Thanks, I guess," Straw shook his head slowly, "It's just all new to me, I can barely move, and now I have to watch everything around because if somepony steals something it'll be on me. How do you deal with the pressure?"

Dawn's eyes bulged, soft snorting followed and ended in open laughter resonating within the empty halls.

"It's not THAT bad, especially when you get the castle duty. Just wait till you get to patrol lower Canterlot or the mountainside, then you'll have to keep your eyes peeled."

"I heard the Guard was understaffed."

"The Royal Guard is, the Nightguard not so much. Batponies aren't exactly welcome everywhere so they find their place by princess Luna's side in the Nightguard and most of them stay there no matter what happens. For Royal Guards it's just a job though."

"Batponies?"

"Huh, never met one before?"

"No. There are mostly earthponies where I come from."

"A frontier town?"

"Yeah."

"A big city like Canterlot must be pretty exciting then?"

"More like terrifying. Did you grow up here?"

"Mhm, my mom was princess Celestia's maid. She died a year ago and I had nowhere to go so the princess herself allowed me to join the Guard. I must say that since then I've seen my fair share of weirdness but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Do you mean the mechanical pony... Bucket?"

"Bucky? For one, yes. He 'joined' the Guard shortly after I did and I sort of got stuck watching over him. I think I made princess Luna mad about something, can't really remember what it was," Dawn blushed and coughed, "But hey, we've been to the Griffon Empire and back, fought a possessed alicorn, got shot at by Legion soldiers, and ran away from immortal zombies. Bucky's awesome!"

Straw felt the presence inside his head shift uncomfortably. He tried something.

"Know anything about that, whatever you are?"

"Save your questions, pawn! And yes... I do. None of your concern though."

The presence inside him felt strongly annoyed by that simple question so Straw didn't push it further. He had no idea how much of Dawn's little tale was true but since he got sort of a second opinion on that he had to admit it was a little surreal.

"That's... quite something."

"Yep," Dawn grinned, "Aren't you happy you're here watching empty hallways now?"

He couldn't help but brighten up with Dawn's contagious smile by his side. As they walked through the lower floors Straw noticed some of the windows were more ornate decorations than daylight sources. In this part of the castle the pictures on them were easy to see in the flickering light of torches hanging on the walls every few paces.

"What are these? They look important," he pointed to a window depicting six ponies sending beams of light at a black alicorn.

"This one, exactly, is the memento of the Elements of Harmony purifying princess Luna from Nightmare's control."

"A big mistake you ponies will pay for soon," growled the voice.

"I thought that was just a legend," Straw's head spun from the information. That can't have happened more than four-five years ago.

"Nope, all true. I've never met any of them aside from princess Twilight Sparkle herself though. You know what's funny? She's the one who built Bucky."

"Wow, really? Isn't she, like, about our age?"

"Mhm, she's super smart and... sort of a shut-in which would explain some stranger of Bucky's... parts. Let's leave it at that."

Straw had never had enough time to consider the usual mare-stallion chemistry so it took him a while to decipher what Dawn said. He blushed profusely when he did.

"How-how do you know?"

Dawn looked at the ceiling and whistled innocently. Straw was now threatening to set air around him on fire.

"So, ehm, what about that one," he pointed to an another ornate window, turning his head everywhere but to Dawn. This one showed a purple alicorn fighting a strange four-legged beast with minotaur torso and head.

"That's princess Twilight fighting Tirek, a dark beast locked in Tartarus who could steal magic and divine power from ponies. The princesses gave Twilight their power because they knew Tirek would go after them first. Without stealing their magic, Tirek was vulnerable and princess Twilight found a way to defeat him. That was... a year and something ago, if I remember correctly."

Their slow-paced patrol through the lower floors led them to another staircase where the white and gold decorations gradually turned into dark blue and silver ones. The halls grew considerably darker as the amount of torches on the walls went lower. Even Straw, as lacking in knowledge as he was, could make the connection that the upper floors were the domain of the princess of the night.

As the darkness thickened Dawn pulled a small lantern out and hanged it on her belt. Her eyes stopped on another window painting for a moment, making Straw take notice. He couldn't recognize any of the ponies there...

...at least not at first. His mouth was agape.

"You... you have a window here in the castle?" he kept looking from Dawn to the window.

The scene was mostly theatrical but Straw could make out an airship on which a laughing white pegasus was standing while watching a group on the ground. Dawn was there, the chocolate mane and brown coat being the greatest clue. Cromach was there, the white of his body contrasting with his bright green eyes. Bucket was there as well, making Straw wonder how the artist managed to make him easily distinguishable from the real ponies and a griffon. The last three, no... four, ponies were unknown to him.

Straw was going to ask about them but then he saw the next picture and stopped.

"TRAITOR! MURDERER! THIEF! HE WILL BRING ETERNAL SUFFERING TO ALL LIFE."

Groaning, Straw was seeing double as the waves of pure hatred and rage rammed against his skull from the inside. He was about to fall but whne his legs gave up he just leaned against Dawn's side.

"You okay?" her voice was weak but it still made its way in.

The pain was gone as quickly as it came. He nodded carefully.

"Just... just tired, sorry."

"We can have a break if you want. It's not as if anypony would sneak in here anyway. As far as I know there's a Nightguard on watch up here as well."

They sat down by the wall and Straw looked at the window which had set whatever was inside him off.

Four ponies and a griffon were the focus of that one but in much greater detail than the last one. It was simply an ornate portrait rather than a scene with an alabaster griffon, a blue-maned, white earthpony, and a red-eyed, red-maned, black pony with bat wings sitting in front of an orange, blonde-maned alicorn with wings spread around them. One of the wings was made of fire and the other of black ice. By the alicorn's side there stood a blue-maned, black unicorn looking at the group shyly.

"So, the griffon is agent Cromach, right?" Straw pointed his talon at the window, "Despite him having both front legs."

"Yeah, he lost his leg just over half year ago."

"Who are the others though? I haven't heard of an alicorn other than the royal sisters."

"Well, most of what I can tell you about the alicorn is hearsay and gossip. Remember the previous picture, the airship one? Me and Bucket accompanied Heavy Hoof, the blue-maned earthpony, on a rescue mission to find Cromach, commander Darky, and Blazing Light who got lost in the Griffon Empire. The pegasus on the airship got all of us out of there... well, almost all of us."

"So, commander Darky... she's that batpony you talked about, the wings and sharp teeth?"

"Yeah, Heavy Hoof is now a baron who leads some strange order in Manehattan. Darky is the head of the Nightguard here in Canterlot but I heard she was looking for a replacement. Can't really tell you anything about the alicorn, sorry."

"What about the shadow unicorn?"

"Oooooh... can't help you there either. Apparently, his name is Mistake, that's all I know."

"A name befitting an abomination created from stolen power. Stand up and get out of here! Ths place makes me sick."

Not waiting for another fit, Straw stood up.

"Well, we're not gonna finish our rounds by sitting here."

"If you're feeling better," Dawn just shrugged and led the way again.

The night progressed and a clear white orb brightened up the sky. Moonlight and torches lit the top floor of the castle as the duo walked onwards. A quick glance around made Straw take notice of a strange shimmer behind a clear window. It looked as if a long, see-through wine was hanging outside.

Straw opened his mouth to ask about it.

"Be quiet!"

The pressure in the voice reeked of... despair?

"Don't let it know you see it."

"What is it?"

"Look deeper into the hall but, no matter what, don't look straight at it."

In the same way as the invisible wines there was something moving further down the hall. Dawn went on and on about some servant gossip without noticing it whatsoever. He had no choice but to follow her. Stopping here would mean acknowledging the presence slowly getting closer.

"WHAT IS IT?"

Straw tried not to look, he really did, but when invisible tendrils slid over Dawn's back he couldn't help himself. As soon as he looked in the direction of... shimmering nothing it stopped. The air tensed and the shimmer moved closer to his neck.

"Fool..."

Dawn shivered and sneezed.

"Whoa, it's drafty in here. Somepony must have left a window open."

Straw jumped at the lifeline thrown to him. He had no idea whether it would work but it was the only chance. He turned his head from the shimmer onwards and squinted into darkness.

"Yeah, I was looking around to see if there was one but I can't make anything out in this darkness."

The invisible tendrils moved and left Straw. It meant the creature understood their language and felt safe again.

"Hmm, weird. Perhaps the Nightguard saw somepony outside and followed them through the window."

Trying not to imagine a strangled batpony hanging from the 'wines' outside, Straw mustered his self-control and simply answered:

"Probably."

"Okay. Talk."

"Do not address me like that, servant!"

"TALK! It almost snapped my neck and ate her."

"They are called observers. Noone and nothing can see them other than those who came directly in contact with them before. You can see them because of me."

"What are you?"

"The one who has saved you multiple times now."

That topic was closed.

"What do those things want here then?"

"They herald the coming of our kin. Our grasp over this world is weakening and there are those who want it."

"Can't we do something?"

"When I think of something I will act. Right now there is nothing we can do to stop their incursion. Fortunately, they will not threaten anyone unless engaged or seen."

"That's at least something."

Apparently, smalltalk wasn't the voice's strong side.

Looking straight ahead and barely listening to Dawn, Straw got through the patrol and returned to the barracks. Then, he drew the curtains, locked the door, set the alarm clock, wrapped himself in a blanket, and hid his head under a pillow.

Somehow it didn't feel enough.

True Test

For a growing lad, the month was over in a blink of an eye, the signs of coming winter crept around, and the monthly recruit evaluation was just around the corner.

Specifically, right around the corner, then straight through the hall leading out through the castle service entrance, across the wide lawns around, and onto the training grounds where a group of nervous recruits stood already, waiting for their first test.

Straw shuddered as he walked through the crunching grass under his hooves and talons. He wasn't feeling well despite constant reassurance from Fortune over past few days.

"It's going to be fine," she'd said.

"It's just a simple combat evaluation and another physical training," she'd said.

"If you at least show up you're gonna pass," she'd said.

Right now, still fifteen or so minutes before the announced start, he had enough trouble forcing his trembling legs to take step after step. Not that he had any real reason to feel as if his breakfast decided to go out for a stroll, he really didn't. He simply wished somepony told that to the swarm of raging butterflies in his stomach.

Despite him having trouble recognizing one end of a sword from the other mere weeks ago, Straw improved at a rapid pace. Granted, balancing on hind legs was still more an experiment than practice but with Cromach and Fortune's help he and other non-unicorn recruits jumped leaps and bounds with every lesson. He'd lost some weight early in the training but Cromach's brutal exercises coupled with hours spent at the castle gym and the cooking at Royal Guard cantine made him gain far more later, in the right places though.

All in all, Straw no longer looked like a sinewy, poorly fed orphan but more like a healthy fresh adult ready to tackle the world and, if the newly built bulges under his coat were any indication, definitely able to. Despite that, he was still shivering like a leaf in rough wind.

The recruits already sitting around on the lawn didn't look better. Straw noticed none of the older ones were there yet so the entire group consisted of terrified young newbies. For a moment it put him at ease. Then, ufortunately, he looked back at the castle. The castle which, to his eyes, shimmered with tendrils and movement sticking to its walls. Pretending to just admire the white walls and ornate windows, he examined the shapes squirming all over them.

The observers hadn't made a single move since his first watch but there seemed to be more and more of them around, or possibly he was just getting used to seeing them. What worried him was that, apparently, he was the only one able to see them. If the strange voice in his head was to be believed then it was because they inhabited a different plane of reality close to the one Straw was in and were able to watch his while hidden in their own.

His only question concerning them was answered by a deep feeling of regret coming from the voice.

Well, while the observer tentacles spread onto the barracks nothing had happened to anypony during the month so at least that eased Straw's troubled mind.

"Scared, halfie?"

The rude question dragged Straw back to reality. To be exact, back to the reality of a white unicorn grinning at him. Leo Goldhorn stood up and patted Straw Basket's back. The nickname no longer felt like and insult. There was no bile, no venom, and just a little hint of superiority in Leo's voice. After all, nothing could completely change a unicorn born and raised in Canterlot. That said, emissary Cromach had apparently done a reasonable job.

Straw recalled Leo's first week when he'd tried to prove his unicorn dominance in various things to both the recruits and the trainers. It hadn't gone well. While Cromach had laughed it off and simply overshadowed Leo in every challenge or debate, Rising Thunder's fuse had been much shorter and after beating the unicorn up several times he'd though up a much better plan. Rising had taken a fresh earthpony recruit called Black Soil, one whom Leo had insulted in front of the rest of the group, for personal training. In a week, Rising pitted Leo and Soil against each other, first in physical contest and then in a contest of skill.

To pour salt on the wound, Straw had been one of the recruits carrying the stretcher with the barely conscious unicorn to the infirmary that day. The next day, bandaged Leo had come to the training, hadn't said a word, and asked Cromach for personal training. Evening after evening, Straw had seen the unicorn come back to the barracks on the verge of collapse but said nothing.

The result was there though. If Straw grew and bulked up then Leo's sleek and toned physique got a massive boost as well. The handsome, spoiled, and bratty unicorn had changed into a rugged, even better looking, and almost sufferable warrior who, for some strange reason, actually liked Straw... possibly... despite all the half-breed jabs.

Maybe it was because Straw, unlike the others Leo had insulted, didn't hold a grudge too long.

"What tipped you off, the chattering teeth or the noodle legs?" Straw's open smile was the answer to Leo's evil grin.

"Maybe the fact that in this cool autumn weather you're sweating like a draft pony about to take on his next mate?" Straw's eyes bulged and steam started coming from his ears. Leo continued though, "Speaking of which, are you and Fortune finally banging?"

Straw could swear a part of him died that moment. Especially what little remained of his brain cells after his heart stopped beating. Unfortunately, Leo STILL wasn't done.

"I wonder," the unicorn scratched his chin, "If you two halflings had a foal, the foal grew up and had a foal with another pony... you know, mathematically... how many generations would it take to reponify?"

As Straw would be the first one to reiterate were he not broken on far too many levels right now, Leo had become ALMOST sufferable.

"T-t-t-there's n-n-nothing b-between us," answered Straw after Leo checked whether the hippogriff was still breathing.

"Between who?" came a female voice from behind, and above, Straw.

"Between me and F-YAAAAAAAAAAH!" he jumped upwards and flapped his wings like a hummingbird on crack while watching the snickering unicorn and the surprised satyr.

"Still bothering the poor village colt?" Fortune scowled at Leo.

"Who? Me? NEVER!" he huffed indignantly, "By the way you insinuate such a thing I could believe you've got something against me."

Fortune patted the pistol holstered on her hip.

"Yeah, this."

Ignoring her remark, Leo twitched to attention and saluted. Straw, Fortune, and other recruits turned to Cromach, Rising Thunder, and the more experienced ones of their group. Straw gulped when Fortune joined Cromach's group and winked at him.

"So, your first evaluation exam is here. Both me and Rising know you well enough to tell that today should be a breeze," the griffon smiled and Straw almost broke into tears. Whenever Cromach said something like that all recruits knew they'd end up limping and cougning ther lungs out, "The first part is simple. We've selected several of you who actually know what they're doing with weapons and it's up to you, the less experienced ones, to show us how far you've gotten in your first month. So, there's going to be a standard duel with practice weapons, just like you know from your lessons. This time these guys won't hold back though."

Leo raised a hoof.

"Yes?"

"Will you or sargeant Thunder be 'evaluating' personally?"

Shrugging, Cromach turned to Rising.

"I won't, there's no real point. How about you, sargeant?"

"I'm willing to discipline anypony directly asking for it," Rising looked sternly at Leo, "Are you volunteering?"

"Yes," he said firmly, but wasn't able to hide his quick breathing, "I'd prefer sparring with emissary Cromach but your skill is well-known as well, sargeant."

Cromach shook his head.

"Let me offer you an alternative. Fortune has been training for over half a year with me in Manehattan before coming here. If you can beat her I'll smack your rump as much as you like. You've come a long way in a month but Rising is still out of your league."

"Deal," Leo's bloodthirsty grin said it all. During the first weeks Fortune had been the one to turn Leo's insults and pranks aimed at Straw against him. Now, while the situation had changed drastically, he quite obviously still wanted a payback.

"Alright, pair up then. As for the rest of you..."

Rising and Cromach paired the newbies with the veterans and the duels started.

Facing off against a pegasus, whom Straw knew as Light Breeze, armed with a spear, Straw grabbed a practice sword and stood up. Sword wielding griffons, minotaurs, satyrs apparently, and hippogriffs tried to balance on their hind legs while blocking or dodging the enemy's blows. After just a month, Straw's sense of equilibrium was way off but at least he could stay up and not keel over when struck anymore. He'd asked about holding a sword in his mouth but the grabbing utility of his talons offered him a much better option so he stuck with it.

He managed to block several blows of the pegasus spinning on his hind legs and hitting him with wide blows before one came with such momentum which made him drop back on three legs. On reflex he held the 'sword' horizontally above his head and slowed another strike which only bruised his back. The pegasus backed off to give him time to breathe.

He used the time to go over what Cromach had told him about polearm users. They used either short, stabbing attacks or wide swings powered by turning their entire body. Both options were weak to closing the distance quickly and grappling the defender. Straw knew that in a battle of pure skill he'd lose, every recruit would against a way more experienced opponent. However, he was strong and tough, probably not much weaker than the pegasus.

Recounting his options, he opted for a gamble. As the pegasus spun around for another wide swing, Straw lunged straight at him, talons outstretched. The duel turned into a melee which rapidly ended with Straw's talons digging into Breeze's neck.

"Interesting," Cromach said while passing by, "A good gambit but I'd be more careful next time."

Straw followed Cromach's gaze towards his crotch where Breeze's hind hoof threatened to give him a free sex change.

"Damn," Straw let Breeze go and stood back up, "I knew I couldn't win a straight fight so I-"

"So you went all-in. Yes, sometimes it's the only option," Cromach nodded and tapped on the prosthesis on his back, "Most of the time it's not though. The first step of winning is believing you can."

"I don't really believe that faith alone will bring out superpowers in me," Straw smiled nervously.

"Oh that? Yeah, it won't," Cromach waved his talons, "Still, sometimes hope is the only thing left. Never give up. You can't know what lies behind next corner."

Breeze coughed and the duel resumed.

Cromach's advice was trite, it was obvious, but it was more and more difficult to stick to as Breeze's spear made Straw's body hurt and itch. Practice spears didn't end in sharp points, they ended in a pom-pom which stung like nettles when hit with. After about ten minutes, Straw felt as if he'd been rolled through a very aggressive meadow filled with thorn bushes covered in lemons.

On the other talon, Breeze was breathing heavily as well and his approving nod when Rising Thunder asked about Straw's performance made the hippogriff's chest swell with pride. The first stretch of his dream was almost behind him.

Waiting for lunch back at the castle cantine, Straw was smiling like an idiot. It felt as if nothing could break his sunny disposition there and then...

...and nothing did.

Seeing Leo with black and blue bruises easily visible against his alabaster coat, Straw couldn't help sitting at the unicorn's table which had always been empty.

"Got wrecked?" Straw asked while patting Leo's back and enjoying his every pained gasp, "You know what they say about us halflings - alloys are always stronger. Anyway, what did she go with? Sword, staff, spear?"

"A blackjack and a shotgun," Leo groaned, "I think I'll be massaging the bean bag marks out of my hide for weeks. She just shot me in the chest through my magic barrier and then knocked me out. It was... a joke, I couldn't do anything. All that training with Cromach, all the physical exercise was useless against her."

"Hey, didn't he say she trained with him for a long time? I got my ass handed to me as well. It's not as if we were in a position to win today, we just had to last long enough. Wait... did she let you pass?" Straw explored the distant possibility of Fortune being lot less forgiving than him.

"Yeah, she did... when the ringing in my ears stopped. It's just... I don't know... I'm tired of it."

"Of what?"

"All of it. Being a son of a noble, having to keep up appearances, showing how awesome I am, and then having to turn and run because I'd just get my teeth knocked out. I KNOW I can be better than anypony else... now I just know I'm not."

"Don't be too hard on yours-" was Straw's attempt at cheering Leo up.

"Yet!"

Straw sighed. He should have seen it coming. Shaking his head while still smiling at the unicorn's drive, he just said:

"When you are the best then I hope it'll be as you, not as the spoiled brat I met a month ago."

"HAH!" Leo smacked Straw's forehead, "I'll make sure I walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Next time I'll kick Fortune's wide ass, tie her up, and lock the two of you in one room."

Straw choked on a piece of lettuce.

"Why... us...?" he pushed out in between coughs.

"All nobles need a hobby. Some breed dogs, some breed halfies- HAH!" Leo stood up and levitated his empty tray while grinning at burning Straw clawing himself from underneath the table, "I knew you had the hots for her. And stop blushing, Strawberry!"

I could just tell Fortune what he said. It would be easy and nopony would see him ever again.

...I wish the same didn't apply to me.

Relaxing before the physical exam, Straw wondered about the satyr.

Fortune seemed outgoing enough but firmly refused to talk about herself before coming to Canterlot. He knew she used to do some work for ambassador Cromach in Manehattan but that was about it. Every attempt at finding out what had been blocked by a light joke or changing topics. Still, Fortune was what he could consider a close friend... it was just too bad she shared the title with Leo. As far as romantic interests went, not even the unfortunate fact often mentioned by Leo that Fortune's... nethers were just below muzzle height for Straw could make the topic clear in any sense of the world.

The official statement from Straw's brain went like this - there was a big, wide world to experience, the grabbing ability of his talons was enough if the desire became irresistable, and there was no reason to ruin a perfectly healthy relationship with whatever female satyrs were called. Plus, guns were involved and, as Straw came to a quick conclusion, firepower had final say in any relationship advances.

So, very confused.

The hour of rest washed away and remaining worries or embarrassment Leo's words had brought and, sunny on the inside again, Straw made his way back to the training grounds for the physical exam. He wasn't too nervous anymore. While his combat prowess was questionable, or unquestionably terrible, he should be more than fine during whatever task Cromach had for them.

The griffon led them around the castle to the utmost edge of Canterlot where the city walls met the mountain and presented them with tracks of land made into mud to run through, barbed wires to crawl under, ladders leading up the walls, and rope netting following them. The goal was simple - finishing the crash course. Straw liked simple. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't even too uneducated. He enjoyed reading, especially when recruit salary, and a body in searing agony after a day of training, didn't offer him too much opportunity to do much else. Still, simple tasks cleared his mind and allowed him to focus on the road ahead of him.

He would become a Royal Guard, he would visit Wild Bastion again, and he WOULD show the other orphans that they could make it if they tried hard enough. Anything was possible.

Needless to say, the exam was quickly over. With only fifteen newbies there was no reason to wait for his turn and in mere half an hour he was standing in the common showers of the castle gym and washing out the remains of dirt from his coat.

The last part of the monthly evaluation was a well-kept secret. Not even Fortune knew what it was supposed to be and the jitters returned to Straw as it drew closer. All the recruits knew was that they were supposed to show up at the entrance to the castle garden maze in two hours. With the winter being almost possible to feel in the air, there wasn't too much daylight left. The saving grace for the day was that there were no scheduled recruit patrols tonight so that they could enjoy their well-deserved evening off.

Shadows and gloom ruled the gardens as Straw trotted towards the center where the maze was, ignoring all other marvels the groundskeepers and gardeners worked on day after day. For a stallion from a logging village the sight of greenery was, while mildly interesting, just something in the way. This was IT! The final exam.

Well, not exactly it it, which would be the real final evaluation and entering the Royal Guard, but the first piece of the big and desired IT.

Cromach was waiting for them at the entrance to a hedge maze roughly the size of a small city block. The walls were about four ponies tall but the passages were wide enough to make it comfortable enough to navigate.

"So, this is the big finish, guys. Come here and take one each," he gestured to the group and stretched out his mechanical leg on the talons of which hanged a bunch of white bandannas," This exercise isn't strictly a part of the exam but the top three will recieve a day off tomorrow in addition to tonight. Your goal will be to gather as many bandannas as you can before you get out. The only limiting factors are: one - you will not be armed, two - no serious wounds are allowed, and three - no damaging the maze itself or princess Celestia will teleport all of us into the sun. Keep your original bandanna visible at all times if you still have it. The ones you captured you can store wherever you want, just present them at the maze entrance. Now, get to the center of the maze, the pool there has been temporarily filled with green dye, colour your bandanna, and come back. No attacking anypony without a green cloth on his neck and no flying above the walls, as for unicorns - telekinesis only, there's a trio of Nightguards watching you from above in case somepony breaks the rules. Any questions?"

Everypony was working on a strategy increasing their chances of victory when Straw raised his talons.

"Umm, sir, can we team up?" he looked around at the other recruits, specifically two of them.

"Anything outside of what I mentioned goes. The point of this exercise is to learn how to operate in unknown conditions and under pressure. You can never know who is working with whom or who might be lurking behind next corner."

With the question slowing him down enough, Straw was the last one to enter the maze. It didn't bother him much, he was safe as long as his piece of cloth was still white. While he guessed that everypony had gone ahead to gain a chance to prepare, being late would still mean that some of the competition would be thinned out and he would only have to fight one or two ponies who would be tired from previous fights as well.

The labyrinth was quite simple. After all, it was supposed to be a place of relaxation, not a prison.

What he saw in its center surprised Straw. In the heart of the labyrinth there was a square clearing with benches on the sides and a reflecting pool on the middle. On one of the benches, with a still white cloth around her neck, Fortune was sitting and watching the grey sky.

Approaching her, Straw said smartly:

"Uuuuh."

Fortune raised an eyebrow and pointed at a free space next to her.

"I noticed you stayed behind, asking stuff. You're really scared of messing up, aren't you?"

Straight to the point.

"I... this is my one chance to show that an unwanted colt could make something out of himself. It's not as if I have a life to return to if I fail."

"It can't be that bad," Fortune scratched Straw behind his ears, "You're a hard worker. That will earn you points anywhere."

"Sure, I could become a lumberjack back home but I've been cursed with education and want to see more of the world, not keep pulling tree trunks until I can't walk anymore."

Fortune chuckled, stood up, and walked over to the green water of the pool. A moment later her bandanna was dyed and wrapped around her hand.

"Well, no reason to waste a potential free evening. shall we?" she assumed a defensive stance with arms in front of her chest.

Sighing, Straw knew there was no way around it. A day off was a day off. Keeping an eye on the satyr's movements, he held one end of the desired cloth in his mouth and dipped the rest in water. As soon as he fastened it around his neck, Fortune circled around him and tackled him to the ground before he could even measure her up. An opponent moving steadily on two legs, twice his height, with long reach, and apparently far too much experience in disabling other ponies was in a completely different league.

With her lying on his back and locking her arms around his neck in a choke hold, he struggled a bit and then gave up when it proved useless. He expected to have his wannabe scarf stripped off, but after a moment of confusion there was one more hanging around his neck.

"What is this?" he asked when Fortune jumped off him and he stood back up.

She shrugged.

"I don't care about a day off. I know Canterlot through and through and, after all, I'm here just to observe Royal Guard training practices. You, on the other hand, perk your ears whenever somepony nearby talks about Canterlot opera, theater, or even new machinery imported from the Griffon Empire. So, go beat up some of the others and enjoy yourself, clock is ticking."

"I..." Straw felt moisture on his face.

"Oh come on," Fortune rolled her eyes, "Don't go all soppy on me now. This is going to be pointless unless you kick some serious ass tonight."

Shaking her head, she disappeared in the maze.

"Woooow," a snarky voice came from a different entrance, "You CAN be a charmer when you want to. Let me ask again... banging when?"

A blonde unicorn walked out of the shadows and grinned at Straw. There were three trophies around Leo's neck already. Several bruises on his muzzle proved it hadn't been easy to get them.

"Your head into the ground? How about right here and now?" Straw growled. He knew Leo wasn't mean because he didn't like him. It was simply because he'd been raised as a spoiled noble colt and not even Cromach's training could erase all of it in a single month.

Straw was ready this time for the unseen blow to his face and crossed his front legs in front of him. Unicorn telekinesis was just a simple manipulation of force, as hours of training taught him. The same amount of effort necessary to move muscles also applied to telekinesis and concentration. As a rule, unicorns weren't good hoof-to-hoof fighters, but most of the time it didn't matter because the good ones never let you get close.

Fortunately, Leo was a beginner as well and as Straw's mane scraped against another invisible movement, he knew he predicted at least one attack and was now going for Leo's nose. Rather less fortunately, neither of them were good at unarmed combat because Royal Guard training didn't revolve around finesse, and they ended in a ball of pain and punches rolling around on the grass and groaning.

Ending up on top when the movement stopped, Straw raised his hoof to slam Leo's head repeatedly into the dirt as promised when...

...a rapidly approaching shimmer in the air nearby made him roll to the side and drag Leo as well.

A shower of grass and soil hit both of them and, against his better judgement, Straw looked straight at the quivering air.

"What the hay?" Leo jumped up, looking at the deep scar in the ground. As his gaze followed Straw's, the hippogriff yelled at him:

"DON'T LOOK!"

The sheer terror in the voice made the unicorn freeze.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly but firmly, staring at the grass underneath his hooves.

"It's an observer, something really bad. I don't know much but if you don't acknowledge their presence they shouldn't go after you. I think it works like this - the more you know about them the clearer you can see them. Now, ignore everything, get out of the maze, find ambassador Cromach, and get help while it's focused on me."

From a corner of his eye, Leo saw a shimmering tendril slither towards him over the lawn. He forced himself to look at the nearest exit and pondered helping Straw with whatever the invisible thing was. It could all have been a joke to make him look like an idiot, but the tone of Straw's voice... was all Leo needed to be sure that getting somepony with more experience was vital.

That's why he bolted as soon as he heard:

"Show yourself, you ugly bugger!"

Letting out a sigh of relief at Leo's escape, Straw forced his brain to focus on the shimmer seemingly trying to fade away and move towards him at the same time. In the end, the creature gave up and the shimmer gave way to a confusing grey form.

Its torso was a long, fleshy tube ending in a leech-like mouth from which the long tentacles slightering all over the place originated. Four 'limbs' served to move the creature around and ended in saucer-wide suckers. When it was stalking around predatorily and eyelessly watching Straw, it was about his height and two or three ponies long. Strangely enough, aside from the tentacles, it didn't look too dangerous.

Straw's eyes twitched back to the cleaved ground next to the observer. He didn't know how fast the thing could move in an emergency but, unarmed as he was, he didn't intend to stay and fight.

Voice? Voice!

Nothing answered.

Suddenly, all of the tentacles retracted back to the 'mouth' with a whip-like crack.

Straw looked inside.

A large, green eyeball looked back at him and the world around shattered.

Green skies. Purple mountains in the distance. Creatures of unrecognizable shapes moving around, slithering, flying, walking, blinking in and out of existence.

The rules of known world didn't apply here. A gigantic beast of tentacles and spider-like, thin legs roamed over herds of small ones who, in despair, crawled up the beast's legs and torn long strands of flesh out over and over until only bones remained and the behemoth keeled over, crushing even more of the small things. The beast exploded into heaps of worms who dug their tiny mouths into anything nearby and devoured it. Several minutes of smacking later, the worms reformed the original beast who continued its path.

The vision moved upwards and Straw saw cities of angular achitecture, creatures of various shapes and sizes moving between the physics-defying buildings.

He went up and up, saw the world, saw the giants as ants.

He was dragged through the skies into the darkness beyond until the planet below him was just another tiny rock orbiting a nearby star. The glittering cloak of the night spun until another star came closer, another planet came closer, another city came closer. There, in the mountainside bastion of white spires and walls, sat a grey-coated hippogriff, staring with wide eyes and mouth agape at the sky.

And the sky looked back at Straw. Not Straw, the nameless, unimportant, imperfect creature.

To the one truly watching, the tiny hippogriff might as well have not existed.

The hippogriff kept sitting there long after the observer had slithered away, drooling and catatonic. His eyes saw the purple moon which turned around, split in half, and revealed a bruise-purple pupil staring straight at him. He saw the clear shapes of dozens of observers crawling on the walls of Canterlot castle. He saw the ponies inside, completely blind to the world around them.

There just was nothing in his head to process it.

When a trio of batponies following a white griffon descended from the sky and grabbed the body, it didn't even flinch.

It was empty.

"He might be okay with this but I'm not. The traitor must be stopped and this vessel provides adequate protection."

Red, hot, searing rage coursed through Straw Basket's veins when he sat up on a bed he didn't remember getting into. His head was spinning and he didn't feel all 'there', but all that faded in comparison to his surroundings.

The room wasn't lit but Straw could somehow see in shades of darkness. The sweet scent of rotting flesh made his stomach revolve but a part of him felt... hungry. The room resembled a ward in Canterlot castle infirmary wing with its three beds next to the wall separated by cloth curtains. Dark and slick cloth curtains. He had to draw his hoof away as soon as he touched one and something inside him brought images of cows being slaughtered and devoured by griffons.

Something inside pushed him to run, but when he moved towards the door he felt a movement behind him. A grey tentacle hanging on the other side of the window moved and phased through the glass. His heart was beating in his throat and he tasted iron. None of that mattered though, he had to get away from whatever grotesque morgue he was in.

The rusty iron door screeched as he opened it but the sickly yellow light pouring into the room didn't bring respite or answers. Inside each of the room's beds there was a flayed pony, and Straw noticed a brown smear leading to a drainage grate in the middle of the floor. His eyes involuntarily slid back to the 'curtains' separating his bed from theirs.

By all means he should have felt sick to his horseshoes, but all this felt distant somehow. Perhaps it had something to do with his pounding headache. He remembered talking to Fortune, fighting Leo, revealing the observer... and waking up here.

Shaking his head vigorously and regretting it instantly, he stepped out into the hall and jumped away as a movement from the right flashed through his vision. Another skinless pony was opening its mouth at him and making the sounds of a slit throat bubbling with foam. As it stretched its legs towards him, Straw screamed and blind panic won for a moment. When he regained control, he was already halfway through the rusty hall towards a familiar sight of a staircase leading down.

A third walking corpse trotted up the staircase. This time it didn't groan at Straw, though, but looked across the hall at the window...

...which shattered, letting a grey observer inside. The bleeding bag of flesh screeched like a banshee as the observer's tentacles slammed it into the wall, and then Straw's rage returned without him having any idea why.

Power surged through him as black, vein-like, strands of fur appeared in his coat and his talons lenghtened. He roared and lunged at the observer. The rock-hard skin gave way and Straw's razor-sharp talons ripped the pulsating flesh inside apart. Clawing at the grey skin, he stopped only when the observer melted into the stone floor and disappeared without a trace. Still growling, he turned to the zombie the observer had attacked. It was running away and still screeching.

Straw followed. He couldn't let it alert more of those abominations to his presence. He followed the exact layout of Canterlot castle to the main gate and outside where the zombie collapsed on the lawn nearby.

The great eyeball in the sky was still gazing straight at him but he gave it only a passing thought because two more constructs made of decaying skin approached slowly. One was a hulking, minotaur-like thing while the other...

...the other...

...Straw wasn't sure how it looked because it was obscured by an outline of blue fire resembling... a griffon?

And then the world exploded.

"AAAAAARGH!" Straw clutched his side where something had hit him with the force of a falling meteor.

His groaning was his only company for a moment, but when the worst of the agony was over he looked up through teary eyes. The bleeding walls were gone, the zombies were gone. There was only Fortune, still aiming a smoking, double-barreled shotgun at him, Leo, rolling on the lawn and clutching his head, and Cromach, looking around while gripping his double-headed battleaxe.

"This is going to take some explaining," Cromach gritted his beak, "Or maybe he didn't notice-"

An explosion of light scattered the gravel of the main road far and wide.

"-fuck."

"RUN! RUN! GET AWAY! FLEE!"

Standing up an hissing at every stab of pain, Straw's jaw dropped at the sight of who was standing in the place of the explosion. There were four beings, one of which was a black shadow that immediately disappeared. One was a griffon, clearly younger than Cromach, armed with a kite shield and a sword. The penultimate threat was a unicorn mare levitating a greatsword.

All those paled, all details about them were unimportant in comparison to the last one. The blonde-maned, bronze alicorn wearing a blindfold and yet somehow looking straight at Straw.

"Kill him!" he ordered, making Straw forget everything concerning ornate windows and stories about living legends.

"Whoa, wait-"

Cromach's objection was cut off as the alicorn flapped his wings and a black, sharp shard of something whizzed next to his head and buried itself where Straw had been a second before.

Fortune looked at Cromach questioningly.

"Sir?"

"You hold Connie and Walter off. I'll try to talk some sense into him. STRAW? YOU OKAY?"

"FREAKING OUT BUT NOT SEEING ZOMBIES ANYMORE, SIR!" he barely jumped away from another barrage of black icicles. Fortunately, whatever allowed him to see in the darkness inside of the castle gave him a chance at avoiding the hostile alicorn's projectiles.

The alicorn lost his patience as a swirling hailstorm of sharp shards surrounded Straw and closed in on him. A mountain of white feathers charged through, and a pair of wings wrapped around the poor hippogriff.

The storm faded and Straw found himself in Cromach's tight embrace.

"Don't protect him!" the alicorn yelled, "He must die!"

"Nope," Cromach faced him, smiling, "The kid did nothing wrong. Fortune kept an eye on him the entire month and nothing out of ordinary happened... until today that is."

"Exactly! Now get out of the way. I promise it will be quick and painless."

"No."

"Are you trying to make me mad?"

"Yeah. Angry, apologetic sex, best sex," Cromach just shrugged.

The alicorn soundlessly opened and closed his mouth over and over. Cromach snickered and pointed at the alicorn's muzzle.

"That's where a dick goes... a diiiiiick."

Just like that, Straw wasn't the main target anymore.

The alicorn charged Cromach with impossible speed, and both of them ended on one side of the main road. Cromach was no pushover, and the alicorn's charge left both of them slightly dazed.

With a moment to breathe, Straw rushed to Leo lying motionlessly on the grass.

"Leo! LEO!"

"The... thing... like the one in the maze..."

Straw slapped Leo, gently but repeatedly.

"Whuh, whah, hey! I'm okay, halfie. I'm okay!" the unicorn turned his head around, visibly unable to comprehend the situation. Sadly, asking Straw for explanation was like looking for alarm clock in an insomniac's house.

In the manic cheer of somepony about to die and having no real options, Straw answered.

"As far as I know, the orange alicorn and the weird guys are trying to kill me. Fortune is holding the griffon and the unicorn off, and Cromach is messing with the big guy himself. Care to join?"

Leo groaned, but stood up.

"Nopony messes with my halfling crossbreeding project!" he levitated his guard issue sword from the sheath on his belt towards Straw, "Take this, I've got magic."

The two of them instantly came to the conclusion that fighting an alicorn was a terminally stupid idea so they rushed to help Fortune.

"Why? Seriously! Why?" the alicorn followed every word with a blow of his front hoof encased in black ice against the handle of Cromach's battleaxe.

"Because... I... know... you'd hate yourself... if you... had to kill... a young, defenseless, innocent... colt. Sucks... being... around you... when you're... all mopey."

The alicorn stopped punching and quickly spun around, his wing reinforced with the same icy material sending Cromach flying. A second later the wing shattered to pieces when hit by a red beam of light coming from the castle entrance.

"Attack on Royal Guard officer detected. Entity: Blazing Light. Threat level: deadly. Damage type: divine, physical," droned a familiar robotic voice of Bucket, "Countermeasures deployed."

The alicorn's icy wing regrew just in time to block another barrage of beams.

"Good timing, Bucky!" Cromach gathered himself and taunted the alicorn, "About time to get serious, Blaze, isn't it?"

The alicorn just sighed.

Fortune's shotgun barked again, but the rust-colored griffon with white head was ready and his shield held against the scatter.

She had no time to reload as a flying greatsword stabbed at her. Quickly spinning away, she only got in the way of the white-maned, black-coated unicorn mare's horseshoe. The hit to the stomach sent Fortune to the ground, but before the unicorn could finish the fight something slid from underneath the satyr.

Both the griffon and the mare made the mistake of looking straight at the black disk right as it-

*FLASH!*

-exploded with blinding, brilliant light.

Straw and Leo were some way away, but even they had to rub their eyes while walking blindly forward for a moment. When even the eye sockets of their grand grand grandfoals stopped burning, they carefully approached Fortune who was smiling at them.

"Are you okay?" Straw asked quietly, and gulped when he was presented with a barrel of a pistol, "I'm not crazy anymore, I promise!"

"Good," she smirked in satisfaction and pointed behind her, "I'll explain later why you still have all the bits of your torso. Now, let's go help Cromach before these two stand back up."

"Two?" a growl came from behind her and a set of sharp claws wrapped around her neck.

"FORTUNE!" both Leo and Straw shouted in unison. They couldn't see much, but there was a dark shape of a pony standing on her hind legs behind Fortune. What they COULD see were the pony's talons tightening the grip when the duo moved.

"Three..." Fortune groaned.

The pony chuckled, and her voice sent strange shiver through everyone.

"Good," her voice was coming from a distance, distorted, "Now be nice and come with me."

Straw tried to move when the pony released Fortune, but all he could do was groan and follow as the pony dropped back to all fours and walked to where Cromach and Bucket were slowly losing.

The alicorn lost interest in the duo as Straw, irresistibly following the strange pony, came closer. With Cromach dripping sweat, shaking, and Bucket with limbs encased in black ice, the bronze-coated demigod stared at Straw Basket.

Straw realized that there was no hatred or disgust in those eyes, only deep-seated sadness.

"I promise it will be quick," he said simply.

"KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

EVERYONE collapsed on the ground as their eardrums exploded with an extremely high-pitched screech. It stopped as quickly as it came but while most recovered in mere fifteen seconds or so from the feeling of their brain running through a wringer, the bronze alicorn kept squirming and thrashing  in pain on the ground.

The air next to him wobbled, and a black, red-maned mare with bat-like wings appeared. Straw knew only unicorns and alicorns were supposed to be able to use magic, which meant the batpony had to be somepony important. She sat down to the alicorn, put her front hooves over his ears, and started rubbing them. A while later he stopped groaning and his breathing slowed down.

"Shhhh," the batpony mare whispered calmly. Turning to Cromach, her voice became harsher, "Princess Luna is freaking pissed at ya for ruining her dreamwalking, Crom! I hope ya're good at packing cause I heard the moon was really lovely this time of the year."

"In my defense, Darky," Cromach raised his front legs and dropped his axe, "It was the young recruit who flipped out, and when he summoned Nightmare's power Blaze's emergency teleport here in Canterlot must have gone off. Fortunately, a hefty dose of vitamin buckshot cured the symptoms. Less fortunately, the kid can apparently see the observers and now they know it."

The batpony facehoofed, and booped the recovering alicorn's muzzle.

"Ya, dummy!"

With his floppy ears and big eyes, the alicorn could give a kicked puppy a run for its money.

"Don't ya make that face at me. First, no killing Royal Guards, got it?"

He nodded.

"Good. Now, get him and the Goldhorn's colt to Manehattan. I sure as hay can keep the observers away from me, but nopony can keep watching the two. Since Canterlot is full of the damn creatures, there's little safety for them," she looked at Straw and Leo, "Ya two will be going with the nice and totally not homicidal alicorn to Manehattan. Officially, ya're being reassigned because of lack of staff. Unofficially, ya're being moved so that the big, strange crawlers don't eat ya. Any questions?"

"What are we going to do in Manehattan?"

"Ya're gonna use the ability to see the damn things, learn how to fight them, and hopefully figure out why the hay they're here."

"Who will be teaching us?" Leo proved he was still awake, "Ambassador Cromach?"

The batpony smiled wickedly.

"Among others, yes. But mostly," she patted the alicorn's head, "this guy."

Both Leo and Straw facehoofed, hoping it would either make them wake up or knock them out.

"Yeeeah," the alicorn sighed tiredly, "I'm about as excited as you are. But hey, welcome to the Order of the Silver Sun, the place where we teach young mares and stallions how to fight hostile divine forces, and then send them off to die because not even we have any clue what we are doing."

He shook his head and turned to Cromach.

"I hope you're happy. Two more names for the grave."

Interlude I: Looking For Answers

Peace and calm ruled the little cottage on the edge of the Everfree forest. Despite the chill running through the trees and the nearby town of Ponyville, there were no clouds hanging over the cottage itself and the sun was shining brightly through what looked like a circle cut out in the middle of billowing clouds. What the solar rays illuminated explained this unusual phenomenon.

A strange creature looking like a large snake with legs, arms, and equine-shaped head adorned with two different horns lounged and levitated in the air. He was sipping tea and listening to a story told by a yellow, pink-maned pegasus sitting across the table. The twisted creature's name was Discord and, by all means and rights, he was one of the three gods of Equus. While his looks confused all mortal minds and his thought process would reduce a pony's brain to butter, the yellow pegasus mare didn't seem to mind and happily chatted on and on about how she was going to help the forest critters hibernate.

The world around them darkened and the pegasus' words slowed down, eventually stopping. All colour drained from their surroundings and the flow of time itself shut down. Two alicorn silhouettes stepped out from the monochrome landscape, walking straight to Discord.

He sighed. There was nothing in his voice outside of minor irritation.

"You know how I feel about my tea with Fluttershy being interrupted, Void."

The blackfire alicorn looked from the pegasus to Discord.

"I apologize. Our presence here is of utmost importance though, Discord."

The god of chaos nodded at the golden alicorn standing next to Void.

"It always is. What is it now? My time is precious these days."

Scream didn't look distressed by Discord's barely hidden threat.

"First of all, could you turn Void into a mare for a while again? He's immune to my magic."

Void blushed, staining the black coat with patches of red, as he remembered his last brush with the god of chaos. Granted, it had happened right after his release from Tartarus, meaning he'd been at his weakest point, but even now, when his power was back, he wasn't going to provoke the god. The history between Void and Discord was long and strange, just like one would expect from the conflict between the primal force of Chaos, Life, and Change standing against the first creation of his nemesis. Both of them respected the other's role in history though.

Discord, however, growled at Scream. The alicorn of Lust just smiled back

"Alright then, let's get to the more important thing. You said your time was precious. Now, what could make a god of your caliber pressed for time?" she asked playfully.

"None of your business, whorse," Discord spat on the ground and turned back to Void, "I'll talk only to someone above the intelligence of a rabbit in heat. Get to business, Void, I have no patience for games."

The usually capricious spirit was surprisingly serious today.

"Scream had a strange premonition, something to do with the Pact of Harmony, you, and Nightmare. Her vision showed something coming, something dangerous. With you not having, as you said, enough time, I have to assume you know something about it."

Discord looked at the picnic blanket above which he was floating, sighed, and  said in a tone of voice that, if he was a mortal, would mean sitting in a shower and drinking copious amounts of alcohol:

"Void, just... just spend your last days with your loved ones," he nodded at Scream, "No matter how irritating they might be. Make the best of what little is left."

"Discord?" Void asked carefully.

"What do you know, Discord?" Scream scowled.

The god snapped the fingers belonging to the hand on his tail and the air around blurred. Time started trickling back to the frozen reality, albeit slowly. Void's presence held against the deity's attempt to resume normality.

"Discord, if it is something too personal for you then we can help," said the alicorn of Death calmly.

When Discord looked up, Void knew there would be no more talk about the matter. The god was about to cry.

"If... If I ever want a chance at something like this again," Discord pointed towards Fluttershy, "then I mustn't stand in his way. I'm sorry, Void. The time of this world is up. All of my and Nightmare's creations, alicorns, ponies... it's time for you to go. W-We knew it wouldn't last forever, the Pact gave us limited time, but you know how it is... when you have eons then you don't count days until it's too late."

Both Scream and Void just stared at the god's breakdown.

"You know, when I made the alicorn of Life, my first creation, I had no idea Nightmare would be jealous and try to MAKE something herself. I thought she would just try to destroy my little pet in various ways, but she didn't, she made you. The primal forces of creation and destruction stopped fighting and started competing. We enjoyed it, we also enjoyed how you little alicorns also competed with one another. We made more and more creatures, you made some yourselves. Some of them died, some of them survived until today. We were shocked to discover that the end of some of our creations brought on the coming of more alicorns, who somehow, over time, grew tied to the natural flow of the world even without our explicit wish."

Void wasn't stupid. He noticed something off about the story.

"What is Harmony's role in all this. There is more to the Elements' existence than holding you on a leash, is it not?"

Discord just shook his head.

"The Elements... they do exactly what they are supposed to. They are the safeguard keeping me and Nightmare from gaining too much power. Some of the more research-inclined ponies, such as my dear new princess and 'friend' Twilight Sparkle, falsely believe it is to protect THEM. OH well, it was fun while it lasted."

"I WILL fight any threat to this world, Discord, even if you do not. You, yourself, said my power posed danger even to you, the gods."

"How do you intend to fight something outside of the cycle of life and death? How do you stop the perfect being? You can't, you just bow to its will and hope it gives you another chance."

When the reality returned completely, the alicorn duo wasn't there anymore. Discord just sighed again and sipped his tea.

"So, will you help me prepare the dens for the hibernating animals, Discord?"

"Of course, Fluttershy," the god smiled.

Back at the mountain dimension, Scream was mumbling to herself while pacing back and forth on the red carpet. Void just sat down on a nearby skull sofa and rubbed his temples. Whatever was coming had something to do with Harmony and 'the perfect being'. Who could be outside of his reach, who could be completely immortal?

His guess revolved around the three gods. Divine power was supposed to be eternal and indestructible. Alicorns possessed fractions of it and they could return after their physical death unless the power was siphoned away or they got rid of it themselves. The gods WERE the divine power, and as such it wasn't feasible to steal it. Void knew about only three beings posing real threat to the divines.

The first one was Tirek, a centaur currently chained in Tartarus with the ability to steal magic and divine power in exceptional quantities. He didn't seem like a dangerous threat though, Void could always stop him because stealing the power of true death was fatal. The second one was Void himself, his power being the only thing able to disperse divinity in any form. The final one...

"No, that's not possible. He suffered way too much in order to protect this world," Void mumbled to himself, "There is no way he could be the enemy."

He kept going over recent events revolving around the gods. After a thousand years of peace and quiet, Nightmare had managed to break her host out of the prison on the moon. Possessed princess Luna had been stopped by the reawakened Elements of Harmony. Three years later, the Tree of Harmony had been attacked by Discord in order to... what? In its defense, the Tree absorbed the physical manifestation of the Elements back, leaving only a lingering trace of their power in the Bearers. Then, Nightmare had tried to take Luna over again, but she had been stopped by the combined effort of the Nightguard and changelings despite locking the Element bearers in stasis to prevent divine interference. The next big event had led Nightmare south to Zebrica, where she had gathered an army of slaves and undead servants under the banner of a corrupted alicorn called Holy Light.

She'd been stopped again, her chosen host destroyed, and her army scattered. Nightmare's latest defeat had left her weak and barely able to affect even the most desperate of minds. For all means and purposes, there should be a period of peace and quiet coming. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.

The common theme was Nightmare and Discord's gradual effort to destroy the Tree. Everypony assumed it was to give them absolute rule over Equus, meaning unbridled chaos for Discord and the death of everything for Nightmare. Harmony's protection had prevented all that.

Void shook his head, being no closer to an answer than before visiting the god of chaos.

Scream stomped the floor angrily.

"Get up, honey!"

"Did you think of something?" the alicorn of Death asked.

"It's simple. If Discord won't talk and Harmony isn't around then we need to find and contact Nightmare."

"I fear that is not possible. After Blazing Light destroyed her last avatar she is greatly diminished and might not even seek to enter the world again for some time. I would suggest talking to young Luna, she has got the most recent experience with the deity."

"That won't be necessary. Come here!" Scream focused, and a small golden spark from her horn passed through Void standing up and walking to her, "Good, that'll be enough."

"What was that?"

"A tracking spell. Since the Nightmare's power is close to your own I can just let a standard spell track you, ignore this place, and see where it takes me. I have enough power to feel even the smallest of echoes. GOT IT!"

"Impressive, where-"

They disappeared.

The overnight train to Manehattan was usually a calm place where ponies could rest because it was almost always near-empty. This time, a door to one private suite slammed open and shocked the six passengers inside. Two unicorns, a satyr, a changeling, a griffon, and a hippogriff looked as one towards the entering duo.

Void, in his disguise as a black unicorn, shook his head and pulled Scream out of the suite.

"We apologize, wrong door."

As the door closed, he followed Scream pacing through the train.

"Did the spell not work?"

"It worked. It's still working. I KNOW something belonging to Nightmare is on the train. It's just hiding too well."

"It could possibly be just somepony under her minor influence, not a growing avatar."

"I guess. I suppose we're not gonna just shake every passenger-"

"No. We have no idea if stealth is necessary, but I am not risking an open confrontation threatening the bystanders."

"Fiiiiine," Scream sighed and both of them teleported back home where she resumed her pacing around.

After a while she stopped, staring at Void.

"You're the oldest living alicorn, right?"

"Keyword - living. Yes."

"Who came next?"

"Hm?"

"It's simple. The god of creation and chaos created the alicorn of Life using his own power. The god of destruction and order created the alicorn of Death the same way. Who came after you?"

"Oh? Oh! You are right, honey. My memory is hazy on that one, but I believe Harmony's first creation was... Magnus, probably?"

Yes, the god of creation, the god of destruction, and the god of life inbetween - will and potential. And what was the ability of will to shape reality? The potential to do anything? Magic. Discord, Nightmare, Harmony.

Magnus, the original alicorn of Magic was their best bet now. Fortunately, both Void and Scream knew where to find him.

"Epic!" the golden alicorn spread her wings and teleported both of them with a 'whoosh'.

"At least let me-"

The restaurant called Zeph's was situated somewhere in the constantly changing reality of Griffon Empire deserts. Its location kept changing partly due to the remaining magic left in the sands after griffon-pony wars and partially, well - mostly, due to the fact that it was a place where ponies of certain... special qualities could meet and talk about the events of the last century. As some old song went - sometimes you need to go where everypony knows your name.

In short, Zeph's was an alicorn bar on the edge of reality.

As Scream gracefully landed in front of the entrance, Void, having been lying on a sofa before the translocation, planted his face into a nearby dune. Spitting sand, he entered the small diner.

Somepony normal would have expected the place for demigods to be strange, impossible to understand by mortal minds, but to one with experience the cool, shady interior, the simple counter surrounded by high barstools, and the round tables scattered around were completely normal.

Okay, the seven alicorns sitting around and chatting would probably impress a casual observer.

"Ey' lads, c'mere! Long time no see," came from a brown-maned, orange one behind the counter with the cutie mark of a tornado.

"Hello, Zephyr," Void smiled and waved back.

"Yo, Zeph," Scream raised a wing as a greeting.

The alicorn of Winds was, unsurprisingly but maybe a little irritatingly, an excellent chilli chef, and he owned a diner accessible only by other alicorns or travellers lost in the desert.

What did shock Void was the presence of the Equestrian royalty here. From what he remembered, this place had always been almost empty before his return from Tartarus, with Scream drowning her sorrow, Zephyr cleaning the glasses, Chronos, the alicorn of Time, being here because, well, he was everywhere in a sense, and Magnus, the first alicorn of Magic, who left the real world in order to focus and 'get some real freaking research done because the damn ponies never stop pestering me about stuff'.

Speaking of the devil himself, he was currently sitting in a corner, leaning backwards on his chair, and trying to fuse into a wall with an expression of utter horror bordering on disdain. The white, considerably tall, blonde-maned alicorn was facing a much smaller, and a VERY enthusiastic, purple one talking with machine gun cadence and the expression of a teen filly being near her favourite pop idol.

"Say, how did it feel when you relinquished your divine power? Did it hurt? Did it feel good? Did you see the light and turned back or did you simply become a normal pony? There are no books on the subject of alicorns and very little revolving around divinity itself. I mean, Star Swirl the Bearded wrote them, but outside of those there's nothing."

Magnus just sat there, trembling, with his annoyance growing to Celestia's 'love for cake' levels.

"Greetings, Magnus," Void came over, levitated a chair, and sat down while Scream chatted with Zephyr.

"Finally, some decent company," Magnus unceremoniously shoved his hoof into the purple alicorn's mouth mid-word, "What brings you here?"

"Serious business," Void nodded, shoved the purple alicorn back to her chair so that Magnus could pull his one back to the table, "Speaking of which, what are the royals doing here? I do not think I have ever seen Luna or Cadenza here. Not to mention Twilight Sparkle talking your ears off."

"So that's the twerp's name?" Magnus didn't even turn back to the purple princess, "She just came in with Tia, Luna, and Cadance. The next thing I know she's sitting on the table, asking me about the meaning of life and the ultimate power of geometry."

"She is the new alicorn of Magic, forgive her."

He probably shouldn't have said that because Magnus looked at Twilight again and GLARED. She giggled nervously.

"Hello, my name is Twilight sparkle. I'm the alicorn of Magic and the bearer of the Element of Magic, personal student of princess Celestia. Sorry for not introducing myself first, I got a bit carried away."

Magnus turned to Void, the expression of pure dread returning.

"She said Celestia was teaching her magic," he said slowly.

Void knew where this was going.

"Yes, yes."

"That's like Scream teaching somepony to cook," Magnus burst out laughing before hiding his muzzle into a mug of blueberry juice.

Void rolled his eyes.

"My ears are burning," Scream appeared behind Magnus with a sadistic grin. He literally froze, patches ice forming in his fur from the shock. All of it turned to vapor instantly as Scream leaned in and slowly, sensually licked the side of his muzzle, "Or it might be like you teaching somepony to socialize with mares, Maggie."

The alicorn of Magic sat there like a statue, staring into nowhere.

"I think you broke them," Void facehoofed, turning to Twilight staring at Magnus and drooling. It seemed that all alicorns of Magic had a peculiar way of interacting with the opposite sex.

"Easy fix," Scream grabbed Magnus' head and kissed him, not sparing her long tongue.

"AAAAAAaaaaaaaa-mrhmrrhr-POP!"

Magnus teleported a short way away, mouth silently open and pointing at Scream.

"You, Celestia's whatever," Scream waved Twilight away, "Go bother your fat ass teacher for a while. We have important things to talk about. Magnus, stop being a colt and shut that mouth before I stick my tongue down there again."

The white muzzle shut with enough speed and force to bite through a metal bar. Scream snickered.

"First, can you turn Void into a mare for few days?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now, what do you know about the Pact of Harmony?"

The white alicorn thought for a moment and then shrugged.

"As our windy alicorn friend would say - fok all?"

"Really?" Scream's voice dropped into the depths of annoyance, "One of the three primal alicorns doesn't remember anything about his god?"

"Hey, Void," Magnus rolled his eyes, "Keep her on a leash, will you? Do YOU have any of Nightmare's memories?"

Void shook his head.

"Only blurs here an there. Nothing significant."

"See?" the ex-archmage sipped his juice again, "It's not that simple, Scream. Our creation was... focused. We possess a certain aspect of our gods, but not everything that made them them. To get a deity's memories directly you would, in pure theory, need-"

"-somepony able to steal divine power of any sort in its raw form, not just take what specific part he is given," Void finished the thought, his voice turning worried and very exhausted.

"Exactly, gods are pure divine power, which means stealing a part of their power is taking memories as well. It would make an interesting research whether the memories get truly stolen or just copied. From your reaction I take it you know of somepony with said ability. Tirek?"

"No, Nightmare's power would kill him. It is a... friend to whom I owe a lot. Unfortunately, he is a mortal... WAS a mortal. His ability to steal said power made him into an alicorn, but his mind was still young and unprepared so the memories were locked away. If we force him to share... it might destroy him."

Scream's focused gaze didn't do much to relieve his worry. Her voice, though, was careful and caring.

"Void... my vision was a dream and as such I don't remember that much from it anymore. The thing I know for sure is that it was worse than when Nightmare tried to destroy all life. This is more important than one individual. We have to take the risk."

"Scream, I swore to protect him. You know he is the reason I am no longer in Tartarus, he is the reason why you are not hunted by Celestia, he is the reason Nightmare failed in the attempt. He has been through so much..."

"Oooooh," Scream grinned, "the unicorn thief. Funny, I didn't put it together until you said that. Well, I guess we have a friend to visit, don't we?"

"Scream..." Void growled, making both his lover's and the alicorn of Magic's hair stand on edge.

Scream took a deep breath and raised a hoof.

"I promise I will take any precaution necessary not to hurt him, I will bring any and all allies or experts on mind magic I can gather in case we attempt it, and I will not do it without his approval. Anything else?"

Her answer was just Void grinding his teeth.

"Now, where is he? His magic resistance makes it impossible to find him."

"The Light family mansion in Manehattan. I can take us there," Void gave up.

"No need," Scream shook her head, "I'm gonna have to make some preparations in order not to make his brain melt out of his mouth. It'll take some time."

"Oh, Scream. You wanted Void to be a female, right?"

"Riiight, almost forgot. Thanks!"

Magnus focused and his horned glowed. A spark flew out from it, but it didn't hit Void, it hit Scream. Her muzzle lenghtened and in a short moment there stood a male, albeit very feminine, alicorn instead.

Scream, unimpressed, just raised an eyebrow.

"Nice try, but I could have done that myself. You have no idea what I turn into for some wet dreams when Luna's not looking."

She focused, but her magic failed.

"Can't dispel this one," Magnus snickered and grinned at Void, "Also, she'll obey anything anypony asks her to do, which means even if you tell her not to remember. Have fun, Void!"

Scream knew she should be livid but... she was also very, VERY curious about her submissive side.

Saying their goodbyes to everypony around, the duo disappeared.

In their haste, they missed one peculiar thing that might have bolstered their need to do things fast. In a different corner, hidden in the shadows, Chronos, the alicorn of Time, was drinking himself into oblivion.

As soon as Void and Scream disappeared, Twilight slingshotted back to Magnus' table, took a breath, opened her mouth, and-

-got frozen in a block of ice immediately.

Magnus chipped few fresh cubes into his juice.

"Chill out."

A resounding 'BOOOO!' from the other alicorns just made him take another sip.

"Mares..."

To Manehattan!

With a happy 'thud' 'thud' of its wheels, the overnight train to Manehattan was on its way. It was carrying a group of travellers who were very much on edge after the events of earlier. One of them, specifically, was nervously keeping all the others either close, if they were friends, or in his field of view, if he wasn't so sure.

"Calm down, Straw," Fortune, sitting on a bench next to him, noticed his fidgeting, "They aren't supposed to hurt you... anymore."

"Yea, Strawberry," Leo chimed in, "Anyway, even if they try then we just beat the crap out of them."

Straw was happy for the attempted morale boost, but the fact that neither Fortune nor the strange trio looked impressed didn't get his hopes up. The three 'they' the brown satyr was talking about were sitting on the bench on the other side of the table in their private suite.

The first one, a rust-colored griffon with white head, was cleaning his sword with gusto and, at least to Straw, didn't look too unfriendly compared to the other two. He caught Straw's gaze, nodded at him, and kept polishing his weapon. The hippogriff wasn't too good at reading griffon expressions, due to the beak and all, but he could swear the griffon smiled.

"His name is Walter Grant," Fortune filled Straw's gap in knowledge, "He joined the Silver Sun some two months ago-"

The griffon raised three talons.

"-okay, three months ago. Ambassador Cromach found him in a bar one evening and offered him a job because, don't ask me how, he managed to understand that Walter used to be a Griffon Legion soldier like him. Walter was working in some warehouse at the time and, when Cromach explained what the Order did, Walter jumped at the opportunity. Soldiers who survive Legion punishment are pretty rare."

Straw looked blankly at Fortune and then at Walter. The griffon opened his beak wide. Something was off about it.

"The Legion rules aren't too forgiving and they ripped his tongue out. I have no idea what for."

"I'm sorry," Straw scratched his chin in embarrassment. Walter just waved it off and returned to working on his blade.

The faint feeling of companionship Straw got from Walter disappeared completely when he looked at the second member of the group who had attacked them at the castle grounds mere hours ago. It was a unicorn mare with charcoal black coat and contrasting white mane. She seemed asleep, but-

-as soon as Straw looked straight at her, she opened her eyes and, like a mouse meeting a snake, he was presented with a pair of eyes, one black and one bright blue. As intense as her gaze was, Straw felt she didn't care about him at all... as long as he didn't do anything stupid like, for example, breathe too loudly.

"A unicorn. eh?" Leo stated, with the self-confidence of a true Canterlotian, what Straw would consider a prelude to suicide by a furious mare, "I guess you're in charge of these-"

"I am the captain of what will eventually become the Baker squad," the unicorn mare said firmly and inexplicably looked at Fortune. The satyr sighed when two more pairs of eyes, one belonging to Straw and one to Leo, turned to her as well.

"Ehm," she coughed, "Connie here-"

"Contradiction," the unicorn mare growled. Straw pondered the possible history between the two. It apparently wasn't too good.

"-Contradiction joined the Silver Sun shortly after I did, but she used to have a lot of trouble keeping up with the usual training routine and controling her power, which is why she was prevented from joining the Apple squad."

"Apple squad?" Straw asked.

"It's just an alphabetical naming griffon soldiers use for easier radio communication. Apple is for A, Baker is for B, Cupcake is for C, and so on," Fortune explained, "Connie here has tremendous telekinetic strength and precision, but it takes a toll on her body and magic."

"So, you lead the first Silver Sun squad?" Leo looked impressed for the first time, "That's pretty cool for a halfling. Even if we have no idea what they do or how difficult the training for it was. Ehm... you're not some street cleaners, are you? I mean, I would rather get eaten as a Royal Guard than live as a... normal pony."

To the surprise of everyone, Contradiction smiled. It wasn't a nice smile.

"Fortune LED the first squad-"

"Connie..."

"-before she ran away and left them to die," without further explanation she looked at Leo, "And you, you overprivileged little shit, can rest safe in the knowledge that the Order of the Silver Sun existed way before your entire family and its members worked closely with princess Celestia. Its role has changed recently, but we still work under indirect oversight of the royal sisters."

"What is its role now?" Straw was dying to know more about the ponies who, having attacked him earlier that night, were now tasked with 'guarding' him.

"Killing ponies like you," said the last member of the enemy trio, who had until now been silent. There was no enmity or threat in the statement, just a clear, concise explanation.

She was a female, and her deep, harmonic voice reminded Straw how easily she had made him, Leo, and Fortune lose control over their bodies before. Straw had seen only one or two changelings during his recruit month and she definitely resembled one. There were differences though.

Like all changelings, she didn't have a coat, but rather a chitinous armor all over her body. The natural black plating with dark blue hue contrasted rather drastically with her bright, almost glowing from the inside, blue eyes. What was different from changelings was the fact that she actually had a sandy blonde mane while the normal ones had none.

"Like me? Hippogriffs?" Straw gulped.

"Nightmare's hosts," she said, "No matter how small Nightmare's presence is in you, it will grow until it takes over, until you're just a shell. I won't let it get to that."

"So, you can help me?" Straw took a leap of faith. Too bad he didn't have any left.

"In a way... it will be a relief, yes."

"Stop scaring him, Three," for the first time, Fortune sounded uncertain, "After all, Blaze did grant him a chance."

"For now," Three shrugged, "All Nightmare's hosts slip up eventually."

"Oh, like Blaze himself?"

Fortune's cheeky question froze the atmosphere of the room. Walter took a sharp breath, Contradiction gasped, and Straw knew immediately that Fortune regretted what she'd said. There were so many questions racing through Straw's head, but none of them was as clear as:

"How long will it take before Three rips Fortune's head off?"

Three and Fortune stared at one another, the air around them getting colder and more threatening with each passing second. The satyr was the first to give up.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I said too much."

Suddenly, Straw knew who the voice of authority was, even if the voice was quiet most of the time.

With the silence going on, Walter tapped the table several times with his talons and, when everyone looked at him, he made several gestures with his front legs.

"Good idea," said Fortune.

"Good idea," said Contradiction at the same time and looked hard at the satyr.

"How about you translate for us unable to read minds or sign language?" said Leo with light sarcasm.

"Ehm," Fortune started dramatically, "Since we've sort of... gone over the introductions, it might be a good course of action to get some rest. I have no doubts Blaze and baron Hoof will want to see us as soon as we get to Manehattan. All in all, tonight was pretty hectic, but there doesn't seem to be anything following us from Canterlot."

Walter looked at the padded benches they were sitting on, then at the floor, and finally he started standing up. Three quickly moved and lay down on the floor, leaving enough space for Walter and Contradiction to comfortably stretch on the bench. On the other side of the suite, Fortune did the same.

Straw tried to convince himself it was so he could stretch his legs, but deep down he knew what the real reason was - he couldn't leave the suite without either going through the window or alerting at least one of them.

An hour of restless breathing later, Straw had to stand back up. Whether it was the events of earlier today or the close presence of possible threats, the desired sleep evaded him. Unwilling to wake everyone up by opening the coupe window, he slid the door open and carefully stepped over Three and Fortune.

He had no idea how he 'heard' the impossibly quiet sound of something standing up coming from the coupe, but there it was. Decided not to give Three the satisfaction of looking at her creeping up on him, he just opened a nearby window and took a breath of fresh, night air.

"A lot to take in, is it?" Fortune's soft voice relaxed him.

"I'm just a leftover who tried to become a Royal Guard," Straw summarized his life until now. It was simple, but the underlying concept of stuff being too much to handle was painfully easy to spot, "How did it come to this? I thought that if I could just break a tavern brawl and spare somepony a bruised muzzle it would be enough. Now a demigod wants to kill me because..."

Straw sat down and waved his talons, fear and confusion giving birth to the helpless expression on his face.

"Because a god wants you alive," Fortune finished the thought and patted his head, "Look on the bright side - three of your friends didn't die because you crapped your pants and couldn't think of anything other than saving yourself."

With fingers running through his mane, Straw only rubbed his muzzle against Fortune's thigh. He just needed to feel some warmth after the unreal events at Canterlot. She looked at him surprisedly, but understood.

"Thanks for not shooting me, by the way. You know, back when I went crazy."

"I did shoot you. One guy at the Order makes certain kind of ammo, something or other about quicksilver in the alloy, which can temporarily disperse divine power. It's not a great weapon, but it's the best we've got," she shrugged, "If it hits a mortal target by mistake it's not as damaging, but it can still be fatal. Luckily, sir Cromach guessed correctly and my shot pulled you out of your frenzy. Otherwise... you would have met his more serious side. Speaking of frenzy, when did you become Nightmare's host?"

"Well, it's a bit stupid," Straw giggled stupidly, "I got the recruitment date wrong and jumped onboard a moving train the day before we met at the tavern. I broke my ribs, but a voice in my head asked me if I wanted to live. I said yes and woke up later, still breathing. The voice didn't really do much more after that..."

"I know that part. When I told ambassador Cromach you wanted to join the Royal Guard he said to keep an eye on you and kill you if necessary."

"He knew something was wrong with me? How?"

"Remember Bucket, the robot?"

"Oh yeah, I met him before I met you."

"He... can 'sense' various traits of ponies, including divinity."

"Wow! How did they make him do that?"

"They didn't, he... evolves? He can somehow improve himself like a pony can, maybe more. I heard a story from baron Heavy Hoof about him, Dawn, and Bucket fighting Blaze while Nightmare was controlling him. They lost, of course, but Blaze was able to stop himself, and Bucket understood the signs of divine power after analyzing the fight over and over. He talked to Cromach who, in turn, told me to stay close to you and, well, kill you if Nightmare tried something."

"So, he went through what awaits me... supposedly? How can he just attack me like he did then?!"

"I... can't say, Straw, I really can't. Blaze doesn't socialize much with anypony. I haven't had a chance to talk to him in person once. Perhaps you'll have a better chance with you going though the same thing. Maybe you could ask sir Cromach or the other Silver Sun members."

"Or the batpony who stopped him. Who was she?"

"That's commander Darky, princess Luna's bodyguard. Never ask about her full name or she gets either really, REALLY scary or sick. Too bad they wrote it on her statue in Manehattan, sort of spoiled the secret."

"Statue?"

"There are several statues all around the Silver Sun mansion. I've only found Heavy Hoof's, Cromach's, and Darky's. It is said that whoever finds all of them gets some sort of a treasure," she chuckled, "When I asked ambassador Cromach about it he told me the treasure was a coupon for some sandwiches."

"Really..."

"Apparently, it really is."

"You seem to be close to him."

"He... helped me with getting over my failure. I couldn't do anything after it happened. Even getting out of the bed was almost too much. I got beaten up by fresh recruits, the good thing being I could barely feel it. I just-"

Straw poked her butt. Sitting on the floor, that was the only place he could reach which would stop her and also wouldn't make her throw him out of the window... maybe.

"You saved me," he simply said.

"Honestly, I tried to kill you."

"That doesn't matter. In the end you saved me."

"It sure as hay does matter!"

"Not to me."

Sighing, Fortune shook her head.

"You really are simple. I like that."

"I just try to focus on what ISN'T falling to bits around me, not at what is," Straw puckered his lips, pretending to be insulted.

There was no arguing with that logic, so Fortune didn't. Instead, she nodded back to the coupe door.

"Let's go back. I'm pretty sure Three is hiding somewhere and watching us. If you're still scared I can keep watch. I doubt she would disobey Blaze though."

Straw took one last breath of the fresh air, closed the window, and followed Fortune back. Three was nowhere to be seen, making Fortune smile evilly while lying back down. As Straw lay down on the bench, he felt his eyelids grow heavy, and this time he was out like a candle almost instantly.

Morning light failed to wake Straw up. However, the handle of a greatsword poking him did the job.

"Hurk-?" Straw swallowed a string of drool and blinked in the dark gloom slowly evaporating with the coming of a new day.

Contradiction was unceremoniously jabbing him in the ribs while Walter and Leo were slowly waking up as well, although with much more comfort.

"Get up, we're here," she stopped pestering him as he gradually regained his senses.

In few short moments, the group was walking to the nearest exit. As Straw looked out for the first time, he missed a step and only his wings saved him from falling flat on his face.

He didn't notice... at all.

The entirety of his mind was overwhelmed with the sights and scents of the metropolis all around. Ignoring everyone else, he flew up and up, unable to process anything other than a loud, multicolored blur.

Manehattan.

Canterlot might have been big, it might have seemed full of ponies, it might have had class and prestige... but the jungle of skyscrapers, blinking lights, masses of ponies rushing everywhere in thick streams, and the smell of food and sweat was something else. A pegasus carrying a mail bag missed him by a hair, but neither of them minded. Up here, in the height from which ponies looked tiny dolls, there were still buildings towering above him. As Straw turned his head, he spotted a pony looking at him from inside of a tower which looked as if made of pure glass and metal.

He couldn't help himself and waved at the onlooker, his grin growing and growing.

Then came a terrifying but also invigorating thought - Canterlot was nothing compared to this city. What if there was someplace even bigger, with even more life?

Straw wanted to see that. No... he needed to see that.

As soon as the new and almost physical desire set in, a shiver passed through his body, originating from his flank. He blinked, the city around him forgotten for a moment, and looked there. The cutie mark of talons reaching for a bright star now sat where for some twenty years was nothing but grey fur.

A tap on his shoulder returned him to reality.

Walter was hovering next to him and pointing at the group of little ants who had to be Fortune, Leo, Connie, and Three.

With a sigh full of joy, relief, and some doubts, Straw descended from cloud nine back on the train platform.

"Woooooooooooooooooow..." was all he could say when Leo's raised eyebrow greeted him.

"So, what do you think of a REAL city?" Fortune grinned, "Not a little unicorn gated community like Canterlot, is it?"

"So big..."

Realizing nothing coherent would come from Straw for a while, Contradiction took point and led the group through the streets. She had to backtrack several times as Straw got either caught in the traffic or stopped to look into a shiny store window. Despite having to return for the hippogriff, even the stoic dual-coloured unicorn couldn't stop herself from smiling at Straw's foal-like wonder.

Eventually, they made their way to a calmer part of the city where ponies talked in much more hushed tones and where surprisingly high amount of armed forces stood around. Straw didn't recognize the uniforms, leading him to the conclusion that the security forces here had to be private. It made sense. The further they walked, the more nearby houses turned to wide open spaces walled off from the outside world. Through bars of guarded gates the group passed, Straw saw white mansions which would put any Canterlot noble to shame. The mountain city had to rely on tall buildings due to lack of inhabitable space, but here, on the plains, the architects could really let themselves go.

His curiosity didn't go unnoticed, and the gate guards looked at him threateningly whenever he leaned his head towards them.

In the end they stopped in front of a gate guarded not by scarred veterans, but by a duo of sharp-looking earthponies of about Straw's age. They saluted when Conradiction approached them. Levitating some strange ornament from her saddlebag, the monochromatic unicorn returned the salute, and the guards let them in.

"Welcome to the Order headquarters," Fortune said, smiling to herself. Canterlot was nice, but it was a relief to be back in a place she could call home.

Frankly, Straw was... disappointed.

After the shock from the nature of Manehattan graduating into Canterlot-esque luxury of this part of the city, he'd expected magical lights, fortress walls, elite squads of hunters able to deal with the supernatural... not simply another mansion.

Not to say that the mansion wasn't beautiful, white, and pristine, that the wide lawns and gardens weren't emerald green and seemingly breathing. It was just that... the headquarters itself was nothing special... in comparison to the surrounding ones. Perhaps his senses were just overloaded from before, or perhaps it was his knees shaking from who would he eventually have to meet inside.

But, he was here and not dead, that was a plus. Possibly a temporary one, but still a plus.

As the group walked on the road made of white cobblestone towards the stairs leading up to the mansion itself, Straw couldn't help noticing a familiarity, a sense of deja vu. Turning his head from side to side, it didn't come to him until he heard the clanking of metal from the right.

Somepony built this place to resemble Canterlot castle training grounds!

Yes, there it was. He was walking on the road, to the left there was a wide, open lawn leading to a garden maze, and to the right there was slightly less kept lawn on which ponies were sparring under the oversight of a tall, black batpony.

They stopped under the short stairs leading to the mansion when one of its wooden wings shot open, revealing a white, blue-maned earthpony of almost Cromach's size and a build which would make ancient sculptures cover themselves in shame. What was more impressive, was the fact that said earthpony was levitating about a meter above ground.

The mystery of the earthpony mage was solved quite quickly when an alicorn with orange glowing horn ran out of the door, dragging the earthpony behind him.

"NO, I'M NOT HAVING A VACATION! THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH TO DO, WE'RE STILL-" the earthpony resisted the telekinetic pull.

"The sisters know how much pressure you are under. Princess Luna especially asked if there was something she could do to help and I told her to delay the repaying of the debt," the alicorn continued stubbornly, ignoring the group and walking towards the practicing ponies.

"Sir-" Fortune raised her hand.

"Sir-" Contradiction started, gritted her teeth, and growled at Fortune.

"In a moment," the alicorn said distractedly and left with his immobilized cargo.

Rolling her eyes, Contradiction stopped and looked at Straw.

"Well, we were supposed to get you here, so... you're Fortune's problem now, I guess. I wouldn't try to run if I were you," without any further ado, she went inside the mansion.

Walter coughed, or wheezed, and raised his front leg towards Straw.

"Eeerm?" the hippogriff looked at Fortune and uncharacteristically quiet Leo.

Seeing no answer, he mirrored the gesture, Walter grabbed his talons, and vigorously shook them. Smiling, or smirking, - Straw still wasn't too sure - Walter made some strange gestures in the air again and left as well.

"He said 'good luck'," Fortune explained, "Well, heartwrenching goodbyes aside, let's see what Blaze and baron Hoof were doing."

Rushing over to the practicing soldiers, Straw could finally get a good look at the alicorn who had attacked him previous evening. Blaze, was it?

He was about as tall as princess Luna and more bronze than orange. His wings were extremely unusual, as if somepony took normal ones, plucked all the feathers out, and in their place put replicas made of thin, orange glass... or ice.

Straw shivered at the memory of dodging approaching black icicles.

The other 'disfigured' part of him was the left front leg. Straw couldn't describe it accurately, because he'd never seen anything like that before. It was a black amalgamation of hairless, twisted muscle covered in scales which, for some reason, made Straw think of... the observers.  The leg/arm ended in a set of talons similar to griffon ones.

It's as if somepony tied several observer tentacles into one thread and left the ends loose.

Sharply contrasting with the eldritch visage, the feeling Straw got from Blaze was... Blaze looked... grubby. He'd seen princess Celestia from afar several times and he'd walked by princess Luna during night watch once, but Blaze really felt... small, common.

Recalling the fury aimed at Straw in the darkness of last night, he decided never to tell Blaze that to his face.

"You need a break!" Blaze said firmly, "Shadowstep, mindzap him!"

Straw had been too focused on Blaze to notice a strange being who had to be a changeling, but one unlike any other he'd seen before. As she leisurely strolled around the fighting ponies, whose training turned to pretense as soon as the threater started, Straw laid his eyes on a queen-type changeling for the first time. Shadowstep WAS just a little shorter than princess Celestia, if one counted the gnarled, black horn on her head, and her broad build revealed that, no matter how changeling physiology worked, she was a warrior. Her amethyst purple eyes matched the additional plating around her belly and the magic aura forming a point on top of her horn.

"Don't you dare!" the levitating earthpony shook his hoof, "CROSS, STOP HER!"

The instructor apparently responsible for watching the practicing fighters quickly dashed through them and looked hard at Blaze, then at Shadowstep. He was a purple-maned batpony with dark grey coat and yellow eyes.

No, Straw's eyes were seeing one thing, but his head refused to believe it. The batpony looked in his late thirties, but there were no signs of weakness coming with age. Plus, he had no cutie mark.

A changeling in disguise then?

Of course, pawn. I... had a brief conflict with him before.

"Commander, why are you threatening to mind control my coltfriend and, a small and unimportant detail which might be drastically misinterpreted by any newspony, the leader of this entire shindig and an Equestrian baron?" the 'batpony' made a circle with his hoof, encompassing the entire mansion grounds.

The changeling queen just shrugged.

"Blaze insisted, and it looked more fun than throwing balls of fire at the recruits.-"

The batpony and the levitating earthpony looked at her with an expression of utter disbelief while Blaze had hard time keeping himself from grinning.

"-Plus, there is literally no possibility of him wanting to hurt your precious lover. So, alicorn, why did you want me to make the baron himself a bit more agreeable?"

"He needs a break-" Blaze started.

"I'm FINE!" the earthpony raised his voice.

"Zap him!"

*Bzzt!*

A flash of purple light made the earthpony go limp. When Blaze lowered him carefully on the ground, he wobbled unsteadily, trying to keep himself from falling.

"Commander!" the batpony facehoofed.

"Calm down, Cross," Blaze rolled his eyes, "I just need you to go out with Heavy tonight, opera or something you two enjoy. He's been running himself ragged trying to keep us going through the first year. We still need to find a decent accountant, but while we don't have one it's me and Heavy who have to do it. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have an unexplainable source of power keeping him going. So, go out and have fun tonight, that's a damn order!"

Cross was obviously split between the earthpony called Heavy being forcefully mellowed by mental magic and a day off with his... coltfriend. Blaze levitated a jingling pouch to Cross and said:

"Do whatever you want, I'm paying. It's not like I go out anyway... ever."

All of a sudden, Cross grinned widely, put Heavy on his back, and rushed towards the main gate.

"You should rest as well," said Shadowstep, "Or perhaps remedy your own statement."

"Nah," Blaze shrugged, "I'll be going to Canterlot in two weeks and spending time with Crom and Chokey. Until then, I can manage inventory until I drop. We're almost breaking even. If we can get few more recruits or fill in for Manehattan police department we'll finally be able to start repaying the royal loan. By the way, I don't say it often, but... good job. You, Cross, and Antares are keeping this thing going while Crom and Chokey are in Canterlot."

"Hey, I've served in the changeling military, I'm used to it. The only positive reinforcement those guys give is - 'You're not dead yet? You must be skilled then! To the front line with you!'. Speaking of the front line, those three have been watching us for a while," Shadowstep pointed at Straw, Leo, and Fortune.

Blaze sighed.

"Yeah, I thought that if I put it off long enough I would just wake up and my only enemies for tomorrow would be ledgers and the numbers inside," he turned to the trio, "Okay, what did Crom tell you?"

"That we can either go here or get eaten by the observers in Canterlot," said Leo when Straw was paralyzed by Blaze's presence and Fortune worked on an explanation of everything.

"Why?"

"Me and Strawberry here," Leo wrapped a front leg around the hippogriff's neck, "can see them directly. From what I gathered, they don't like it."

"Right, rightrightrightright," Blaze scratched his chin where a patch of fur formed a small goatee, "Let's do this quickly for now. Are both of you guards or something? You look trained."

"Recruits."

"Good. Crom will be coming back from Canterlot tomorrow and then we'll decide what to do with you. Until then, stay within the Order grounds. Fortune,-"

"Yes, sir!"

"-show them to some unoccupied room and then meet me at Heavy's office. I'm going to need somepony smart to help me with this week's cash flow."

And he left for the mansion, just like that.

"...what?" Straw stuttered out.

"I wouldn't keep him waiting," Shadowstep grinned, "otherwise he might decide you need some persuading as well."

Unwilling to be the targets of any more mind control, the trio went to the mansion as well. Once again, Straw was disappointed. The main hall leading from the wooden double door ended in a large, circular room with long staircases on the sides accessing the upper floors. The part which didn't sit right with him was that there were no decorations whatsoever, no luxury items, no ornaments, no paintings, anything, only bare, white walls.

"I've never been in a noble's mansion but... is this normal?"

"I can assure you it's not," Leo looked around with a mix of curiosity and disgust, "Even our servants in Canterlot had more furniture than these guys. I was expecting a bit more from a supposedly government agency."

Fortunately, heh, Fortune came to the rescue as they made their way up the stairs and through long halls with doors on the sides.

"From what I heard the original mansion was like that. A year or so ago this place was attacked by somepony and it resulted in destroying the entire building and killing the family living here in a huge explosion. Some time later, baron Heavy Hoof got this place along with his title from the princesses for some important service regarding the failed invasion from Zebrica. I don't know much more. Now the Order serves as a place of training for those wanting to apply for a guard job anywhere in Equestria. You'll find out later that most ponies teaching here are either ex-guards or soldiers. That's the... official purpose of the Order and the way they make money. Colts with wealthy or noble parents are sent here rather than go through a recruit bootcamp. Funnily enough, the training at the castle is much easier than here as they find out while crying for their mommies," she glanced at Leo, who looked surprisingly reflective and focused, "The unofficial purpose is finding those who are willing to stand against... heavy odds. Mostly those who have nothing to lose and nowhere to return."

She stopped in front of an unremarkable brown door.

"This room should be free. There's a bunk bed inside and some clean clothes if you want to stay warm outside. I know it's not everypony's cup of tea, but the winter in Manehattan, while not as rough as in Canterlot, is still pretty tough."

The room was about as personal as the rest of the building, which meant not at all.

"Top or bottom?" Straw asked Leo, looking at the beds.

"Don't care. Pick whichever you want," the unicorn just mumbled. It was obvious he was deep in though about something, but Straw didn't want to pry. As Straw flapped his wings and landed on the top bed, Leo wordlessly lay down on the bottom one.

"You're not going?" Straw asked when Leo didn't show any desire to leave the bed.

"No, I'll walk around later. Have fun, halfies! Don't make too much noise and be back home before ten!" he yelled half-heartedly towards the door.

Shaking his head, Straw left.

"What was that about?" Fortune, standing outside, asked.

I'm-

"Well..."

-gonna-

"Leo sort of thinks..."

-get-

"We're an item... as in... doing stuff together... bed... stuff..."

-killed.

"Pleasedon'tshootme!" he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable doom.

"That's the worst case of projecting I've ever seen," Fortune just mumbled.

"Is that a no?" Straw asked weakly.

"No, as in 'I am not going to shoot you', or 'no, I am not interested in... bed stuff'?"

"Eeeeeeeeerm... which no is less bad?"

"Straw, I like you. I like your curiosity, I like your optimism, and I like the way you think about the world. No, I don't like you in THAT way."

"Phew!" Straw smiled, immediately noticing Fortune's curious and uncertain expression.

"Well, now I'm not sure whether to be relieved or angry."

"What? No! I mean... you're awesome. You've got guns, some sort of cool and mysterious past, you can beat a pony senseless, and you know a lot of stuff. It was just a 'phew' of not being under any kind of pressure. I don't really know anything about that sort of stuff. In my orphanage you either studied, got adopted, or worked to keep the place going. I haven't gotten past holding hooves... ever."

Covering her mouth, Fortune forcibly stopped a giggle.

"Well, I'd be a pretty bad teacher myself, to be honest. Not many ponies are interested in someone like me... mostly because they've never seen anyone like me. It tends to put the nice ones off and attract the creepy ones. Needless to say, I'm not on the market right now. What I need more than anything are friends."

"Cool, I'm glad to count myself as one."

"I'm not sure you should," she muttered.

"Oh come on!" Straw bumped into her, "It can't be because you're a satyr. I'm a half catbird myself."

"It's not,-" Fortune massaged her temples, "You know what? Just follow me. I'll show you something important."

Following the distressed satyr out of the mansion and behind it to simple, yet surprisingly well-kept gardens, Straw matched her long strides until she stopped in front of a stone slab with carvings on it.

They read:

Rock Candy

Two

Rolling Thunder

"These guys though of me as a friend. They relied on me to lead them. Cromach relied on me to lead them. Then the bucking Vigil guys killed them and twisted their remains into monsters. I'm the sole reason Cromach had to destroy the abominations made from his own trainees. All because I failed to keep my cool, because I lost my head in the first combat situation we were in... because I persuaded myself I was more important than all of them and devised a plan which would lead to me surviving... only me. THAT is what I did to my closest friends."

Standing there, fists shaking, with tears streaming down her cheeks, Fortune stared at the grave as if daring it to contradict her.

Begging it to contradict her.

"Meh," Straw waved his talons.

"WHAT?"

"It's too much. I don't care about all that. You're nice to me. You didn't kill me when you could have. You and Cromach are actually the reason Leo is less of a dick than he was before. To me, none of what you said happened. You are just a really nice pony-minotaur girl who might have made a dumb mistake which I don't care about. You're my friend and, if Leo is to be believed, a second potential subject for his future halfling breeding experiment."

Shock, disbelief, utter horror, and a bit of anger at the single-mindedness of stallions passed her face, eventually settling on endless gratitude.

"Idiot," she mumbled, smiling widely, "You simple idiot."

"I'm not simple, I'm just un-edu-maca-ted, as they say!" faked Straw, "Now you, the wise and intelli-gentle lady, can help cure me of my ignorance and tell me everything about Manehattan."

Laying on the grass, Fortune pointed at a tall rectangular tower visible over the garden wall and started talking.

She'd spent most of her life in Manehattan, from her first nights at the orphanage through working at a cart repair shop and finally to being recruited by a gorgeous, green-eyed, white griffon into the Order. Now she had somepony willing, and wanting, to listen to everything she had to say about the city. It wasn't all nice, Manehattan was still bureaucratic and corrupt, but it lasted into the late hours of the evening.

As the night caught Straw back in his room, Leo was already asleep. Straw, once again, found it difficult to follow his example though. He didn't know whether it was his new surroundings or the sword of Damocles hanging over him in the form of Blaze's final decision, but he just couldn't end his day, so he, against his better judgement, decided on a trip around the mansion.

During the first few minutes it was obvious that the security here was on par with Canterlot castle, if not much better. Possibly it was because there was only one estate to guard instead of the entire fortress, but the duo of guards passing by looked alert and dangerous. Straw wandered down to the entrance hall and, thinking imitating last night would be useful, opened the mansion door to get some fresh air.

As he walked through the estate gardens, he heard rustling from nearby bushes. He couldn't tell if it was because of his Nightmare-heightened senses, but the slow crunching and the occasional whisper of leaves being pushed away didn't escape his attention. Somepony, someone, or something was following him. However, aside from the sound itself, nothing appeared as he walked, ears perked. His steps unconsciously led him around the mansion, and a bright, orange glow coming from the gravestone Fortune had shown him caught his attention.

Straw cursed his curiosity, but followed the orange glow towards a veil of living flame. When he got close enough, the veil parted, revealing itself to be Blaze's wings, burning brightly in the darkness of the night. Suddenly, the alicorn didn't look so common, more like a living inferno turning its attention to Straw. His bronze coat flickered with the reflected flames of the wings, and his blue eyes glowed like sapphires.

"Ah... you," he said calmly.

"Uhhhhh, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just... couldn't sleep."

Blaze smiled.

"I know the feeling. A lot on your mind, I suppose."

"Well, yes... sir," Straw added. Somehow it felt fitting now, "I just wanted to show the other orphans they could make it in the big world if they tried hard enough. And now?"

"And now you are the harbinger of doom. Life is strange like that," Blaze snickered, "Trust me on that one."

Suddenly, molten anger welled up inside Straw, a rage he couldn't hope to subdue, the raw hatred of somepony seeing their worst nemesis and being helpless to do anything.

With dark mist rising from Straw, the Nightmare surfaced.

"NO! YOU ARE, YOU FOOL!"

Blaze curiously looked at the hippogriff baring his teeth and spitting black acid.

"Speak," the alicorn said quietly.

"I shall do no such thing, traitor! You will be eradicated-"

Sets of black and white chains tore the ground around Straw and bound his legs before he could pounce at Blaze. The hippogriff felt the power inside him wane into manageable amount. As he regained the control of his body, he realized he was shaking and sweating all over.

What was worse was the sight that awaited him when he turned his head, seeing that Blaze was looking behind him.

A mouth full of white, sharp teeth was slowly closing a hair's length away from his neck. He could feel Three's breath, he could sense her desire to end him right there and then, he whimpered when she moved away and melded back into the night.

Breathing heavily, he could only stand there and tremble.

"Dreamlings know what Nightmare's plan is better than I do. They don't forgive easily."

"D-dreamlings?"

"Three and her small hive. They come from a different reality where Nightmare's plan succeeded. I don't have to say more than that the eight," Blaze looked at the grave and corrected himself, "seven of them are the only ones left, do I?"

"Just now, you stopped it from controlling me. Can't you help me somehow?"

"Possibly. I've never drained somepony of their divine power completely before. I don't know whether I could even do it or whether you'd survive it. It would be a threat to both of us," he shook his head, "We know so little about the deadliest enemy Equus has. We know quicksilver hurts them and their creations, something about the unstable nature of the element makes them lose control. We know alicorns can control limited amounts of their power, and... that's all. We are so small, so weak, so insignificant... and yet," he looked straight into Straw's eyes, as if trying to look at the divine being inside him. His voice turned thoughtful, "we sometimes win. Almost as if... they either aren't as big of a threat as we percieve them to be-"

Another unwanted growl escaped Straw's mouth. Blaze only grinned deviously as an answer.

"-or things are exactly what they're supposed to be, there is a plan in place to which we're all just pawns. Even the terrifying Nightmare itself."

HE KNOWS?!

Only shock remained in Straw. He was vaguely in control, but the sheer power of the deity's emotion bubbled through his expression.

Raising his disfigured arm, Blaze summoned a ball of darkness bound in chains of golden-red fire.

"Speak," said Blaze quietly again.

Straw's talons reached for the sphere of energy and Nightmare's voice rang once again from his mouth.

"You may have thought you saved the little sparks of life on this rock, but in truth you have only delivered them to a fate worse than their rightful end. Now their sheltered existence will taste perfection, eternity... everything. You did your job perfectly, traitor. Your master must be proud."

"Hippogriff!"

The sharp tone returned control to Straw, who shyed away from the chained sphere. When Blaze stretched his arm towards him, he bit the bullet and touched it. As if a lock had fallen into place, Straw heard a roar inside his head, but he remained in control.

"Huh?"

"This should help you stay yourself for now. If it fails... well, you know what will come."

"You," Straw whispered.

"Exactly. Keep it contained, keep it under control, and moreso... if my suspicion is correct... keep it safe."

Hmmm... a dog biting its master. Perhaps the traitor is the key. We will talk later, pawn!

The pressure inside Straw's head disappeared completely.

"What was that all about? Nightmare seems to think you're important."

"Well, I DID stop it multiple times," Blaze grinned, "It sure as hay should show some respect. Now, are you feeling tired yet?"

"No, not really, just super confused. I still don't know anything about what's going on."

"That makes two of us. But hey, feel free to ask me anything. If it's not a secret then I'll tell you. The only thing waiting for me is an empty bed and a stack of ledgers after all."

Since the gravestone was the closest thing, Straw's mind brought forth the first question, and he nodded towards it.

"Who were the guys? Fortune just told me they were her unit."

"She blames herself for their death. In truth, she should blame me."

"How come? She said she left them to die."

"Who do you think sent them on their mission?" Blaze bit his lip, "About three months ago, a strange cult called the Vigil appeared in Manehattan. Normally, we wouldn't be in a position to bother with them, but a police unit sent to investigate a warehouse supposedly belonging to them disappeared. Few days later, one of them, a unicorn, returned. He looked heavily tortured and he couldn't sleep despite administered sedatives. He was a normal guy, not a soldier or some patriotic fanatic, but just a stallion who liked the uniform and tried to help. He died of exhaustion after three days. From the wounds, the police suspected the Vigil employed at least one necromancer, and since the Canterlot mages refused to investigate, it fell to us. It took us a month to find their new hideout, mostly because they somehow knew about me, Cromach, and other high-profile Order members. In the end we had to send a group of guys we've been training for half a year. We believed they would be able to face any normal spellcaster. After all, we trained them to fight users of divine power."

"Not enough training?"

Blaze shook his head.

"When Fortune returned, we questioned her as much as we could before she broke down completely. What she told us suggested that the squad encountered a very powerful source of divine power. Crom's recent raid confirmed it," Blaze stared at the grave, "Rock Candy, a minotaur girl whom I met in a Griffon Foreign Legion fortress. She wanted to see more of the world than northern blizzards. Two, Three's... sister, if I use the term loosely, the most powerful dreamling right after their queen herself. She wanted to help me with rooting out anypony willing to serve the Nightmare. Rolling Thunder, sargeant Rising Thunder's daughter. A girl whom I taught basics of combat at the Canterlot castle. All of them joined the Order because of me, because they knew me. Nothing that happened was Fortune's fault. I sent them all to their death. Now, Connie thinks there's going to be a second unit, but I'm not willing to risk it happening again. I can't be everywhere, but since I'm the only pony with enough experience to face divine avatars then I will have to."

"You seem to be right in the middle of this whole mess, sir."

"Yes, Blazing Light, the idiotic unicorn whose meddling caused the death of his family, some of his friends, and who got turned into a demigod by accident. Now I'm the alicorn of Hope or something, the only shield against more and more aggressive deities, and apparently a pretty good accountant."

"Sir," Straw started. He had no idea about the depth of the alicorn's story, but the sheer misery in his voice gave him enough of a clue, "I saw your windows at the castle. I think I recognized some of the ponies with you. All of you are heroes."

"We might be, but we're still just ponies... and a griffon. We're tired, we're overwhelmed, and we don't know where the next blow will come from. We can't really trust anypony, we have to keep looking behind us. It's only a matter of time before we break."

"Then train others who can help! Don't just write them off as if they were incapable of anything. Don't try to do everything by yourselves! Don't stop Fortune from trying to get back in shape!"

"And what if they fail again?"

"Then at least they won't have to sit in their room feeling sorry for themselves! They all want to help, to protect! LET THEM!"

"Maybe this will help you see," Blaze hung his head low and summoned a flame on the other side of the gravestone.

On the bottom, where no casual observer would see it, there was a hoof- handmade carving... one more name.

Fortune

Straw immediately knew who'd scratched it there, and he had no idea what to say.

"All this power," Blaze's wings flared into flames again, "can't help her. All it can do is destroy. All I can do is hope that if I destroy the right enemy then the rest of us will feel better."

"Sir..."

"I'm sorry," Blaze smiled, "I always get like this when I think too much. Sometimes it's best to just let it go, at least for one night. You might be working under me pretty soon so... just consider it an order."

"Yes, sir," Straw knew when not to push it.

As he walked back, once again stalked by Three, he heard:

"One last thing to do, one more duty to fulfill. Like always."

Hoof Of Fate

*Knock knock knock!*

The sound was firm, and told the listener that whoever the knocker was, he had important business to attend to.

"Aaaaah!"

*Thud!*

Unfortunately, it came far earlier than even the orphanage-hardened Straw was ready for. The fall from the top bed wasn't too painful, though, and it served to wake the dizzy hippogriff up, at least a little bit.

Leo, a noble used to working about as much as a sloth on Sunday, didn't even skip a snore, only mumbled something doubtlessly racist.

*Knock knock.*

"Comiiiing," groaned Straw, crawling on the floor. Considering his last night's meeting, it had still taken him a while to go to sleep, but at least he'd felt safe enough to do so. Several painful and confused moments later, he dragged himself far enough to reach for the handle.

*Click.*

Straw looked into green and very confused eyes.

"Good morn...ing?" Cromach snorted, successfully fighting off a fit of laughter, "Had a rough night or are you pretending to be slug?"

"Slug... sir," Straw mumbled, willing his legs to obey him. In the end, he managed to perform at least a two out of ten salute, "I haven't had much sleep in last two days."

"Did something happen on the train? I had to wrap some things up at Canterlot, so I couldn't come with you."

"Aside from Three and Conservation or what's her name hating me on first sight? Not much, sir. I just couldn't sleep."

"Heh, Contradiction. She's a nice mare, she just takes things too seriously," Cromach ruffled Straw's mane, "I felt the same when running from the Empire. It's just nerves, don't worry about it. Good thing I was used to it, our drill sargeant loved surprise night trainings. Well, I guess it's your time to learn now. Speaking of learning to deal with hard nights, is Leo finally up?"

As both of them looked into the room where the unicorn slept peacefully, Cromach winked at Straw fiendishly, put a talon to his beak, walked over to the unicorn's bed...

...and took a deep breath.

"GET UP, RECRUIT, OR I'LL TELL CELESTIA TO MAKE IT SO THERE'S NO PLACE HER SUN DOESN'T SHINE!"

"Go home eat a candle, peasant," the sleepy unicorn mumbled.

Precisely two seconds later Leo's eyes burst open as he realized what he'd said... and to whom.

"Aaaaaah!" he woke up faster than a certain rainbow-maned, blue pegasus on crack, and his leg spasm sent him upwards...

...horn first into the wooden frame of Straw's top bunk.

"A noble AND a useful drill? You are a pony of many talents, Leo. Hope one of them is home repair, otherwise Straw is sleeping in bed with you tonight," Cromach looked at the ceiling and hummed thoughtfully, "Note to self - give Cross an idea for a new clop story. A unicorn noble and a hippogriff recruit in a military setting."

Leo couldn't control his telekinesis. Honestly, who could blame him.

His attempt at wiggling himself free from the bed frame ended up with the entire top bed exploding into bits of wood.

Cromach, protecting himself from the shower with his wings, looked unimpressed...

...although very amused.

"I know, I know," he patted Leo's back, "The nights are long and cold without a warm, soft, pliable body next to you willing to make the blues go away, spoon you happily while saying sweet nothings into your ear twitching under his hot breath. The hot breath which trickles down your neck, through your chest begging for the dominating grasp of sharp talons, and down... down where a pressure builds until you can resist no longer and release it in an act of beastly and rough..."

Both Leo and Straw could only stare with mouths agape. Their brains had stopped working a while ago, but the embarrassment seemed to have a had of its own, making both of them excellent aspirants for a future as ketchup bottles.

Cromach leaned down and breathed wetly on Leo's muzzle.

"...rutting."

The unicorn shot out of the bottom bed, panically taking the nearest way out. Unfortunately for him, Straw, still paralyzed by Cromach's speech, was in the way.

Stepping over the tangled mess of two bodies, Cromach facetaloned, "That didn't mean right here and now."

The two bodies suddenly became very interested in getting as far away from one another as possible. Each one trying to fuse to the other side of the hallway and looking at one another suspiciously, they followed Cromach through the mansion.

"I have no problem with protecting them until we sort this out, but this is pointless. Look at how it ended last time!" Blaze said heatedly.

Leo, Fortune, Straw, Contradiction, and Walter were watching as the main business of today didn't go as smoothly as planned. The inside of a plain, spartan office was burning with conflict.

"I admit it looks bad, but we know so much more than before!" Cromach disagreed, "We have a survivor, who has experience now and can share it. We have a Legion soldier who went through the same training I did. We have a unicorn, whose power is remarkable and still growing, despite developing slowly. What more do you want? It's much more than we had last time."

"Really? Can you compare them to Two, even all three of them? I mean yes, Rocky wasn't the best warrior, but she was tough from growing up in the northern wastes. Rolling was just a guard, granted, but she went through both Royal Guard AND police training. But Two... do you actually think the two new ones add more power than we had before?"

"It's not just Connie and Walter, that's why I'm here!" Cromach slammed the table behind which Blaze was sitting and fuming.

"This. Is. Dumb."

"You give me no choice," Cromach turned to Fortune, "Fortune, go get Heavy. He has final say in this."

The satyr rushed away.

"What do you mean 'he has final say in this'?"

"No matter this was your family's mansion. No matter you're the most experienced at dealing with divinity. This is still a government institution which is led by Heavy, which means I can try persuading him when you're being dumb."

With the bronze alicorn grinding his teeth, Straw spotted they were sharp ones. Once again, Blaze didn't look like an alicorn, but like an amalgamation of various traits and parts. From the depths of his mind a question popped out:

"Who made him?"

Nightmare just chuckled.

"Okay okay. You two!" he barked, looking at Leo and Straw, "Do you want ot join the Order as... a part of a unit which would consist of you, Contradiction, Walter, and Fortune, or do you want to join the Order as normal recruits, recieve standard training, and NOT DIE A HORRIBLE AND PAINFUL DEATH?"

Leo and Straw traded glances. In the end, the unicorn sighed and put his hooves on Blaze's table.

"When ambassador Cromach told me that I was nopony, just a little sum of my father's money and influence, that I haven't done anything in my life worth mentioning... I wanted to punch him so hard he would be crapping horseshoe bits even today. Heck, I tried to... which worked out about as well as you can imagine. Now I know he was right, and I want to make something out of myself. I don't want to be a streetpouding grunt though. I am a noble, and it is my duty to protect those in my shadow. I can't do that right now, but I want to be able to... one day."

Blaze's expression would make a statue reevaluate the material it was made of. Cromach, on the other hoof, was watching the unicorn proudly. The focus shifted to Straw as Blaze turned his head to him.

"Sir," Straw coughed and shifted nervously, "I... I don't know about all that and I would be happy just being in princess Celestia's guard. The thing is that if I return to Canterlot I will get eaten and if I don't, at least according to what Three said, I will fall to Nightmare anyway. Last night you gave me a way to control it, at least to a certain extent, and if my time here is limited then I want to do something important while I can. I have nowhere to return the way I'm now. I don't want to go back home as a nopony. I'd rather not return at all than dash what little hope is left in those growing up in the orphanage. I want to give them and example that there is more to life than a dry bed and something to eat every other day. That's why I don't want to go through a normal bootcamp until the day Three decides to slit my throat while I sleep. If I don't have much time then I want to make that time count."

"YOU IDEAL-WORSHIPING IDIOTS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT DYING MEANS, HOW IT FEELS? THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE FAILED, THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER CHANCE, THAT ALL YOU KNOW WILL FALL NOW THAT YOU'RE CHOKING AT THE END OF A ROPE, BURNING TO DEATH, OR BLEEDING OUT WITH NO STRENGTH TO EVEN CALL FOR HELP?" Blaze yelled, and his wings, this time the black ice version, shot out.

Next to him, a bookshelf cleanly cut into bits crumbled on the floor. When he noticed, he just sat back down to the table. Levitating a pen which snapped under his telekinesis, he took a deep breath, and buried his muzzle into his hooves.

"New... bucking... bookshelf... sixty... bits!" he growled to himself as, on a second attempt, he wrote something into a ledger in front of him.

"I'll... take that as a yes... maybe?" asked Cromach weakly and sqeakily, waving the rest out of the office.

A moment later he quietly backed out as well, and carefully closed the door.

"Sorry, he's not usually that scary," his obviously faked smile greeted the group when he turned around, "So... the Baker squad."

"I refuse to be named after some sort of bread militia," Leo grumbled.

"How about the suicide squad number two?" came from the titanic, blue-maned earthpony from yesterday coming down the hall, followed by Fortune. His tone was serious, but the small smile on his muzzle warmed Straw up. Walter and Connie bowed, while Straw and Leo just stared. If Cromach was a handsome guy, then Heavy, while of an extremely well-trained build, possessed soft features which had to make him incredibly popular with the ladies... until they found out he was taken and, on top of that, by a stallion.

"How about... the Hoof Of Fate? I mean, since you all got here by a stroke of - let's say good - luck," baron Heavy Hoof offered, "Saying 'I am a member of the Hoof Of Fate' would sound boysterous enough, wouldn't it?"

"You just wanted to name something after you, Heavy, didn't you?" Cromach poked the earthpony.

"Something like, let's say," Heavy grinned, scratched his chin, and circled his hoof all around, "the Hoof family mansion?"

"Pfff, you win. Let's show the dreaded, powerful, and almighty 'Hoof Of Fate' the ropes," Cromach stopped, "Okay... now it sounds just silly, but wait AFTER you slay your first dark lord of chaos from a millenium-old prophecy."

The group followed the baron and the ambassador out of the mansion and to the training grounds where yesterday the normal recruits had been practicing. The batpony-transformed changeling who, as Straw remembered, was called Cross stood next to a crate of weapons and watched the grey, morning sky.

"Hey, Tio," Heavy Hoof said warmly, "Are you ready?"

"Hmm?" the changeling turned around, "Sure. It's just that after so many centuries in the Empire where it's hot all the time the morning gloom here in Equestria feels new, exciting."

"Glad you like it here. Well, here's something of a routine which might make you comfortable," Heavy led Cross' gaze towards the group, "Our new special squad needs some serious beating so they don't end up like our old special squad. Unfortunately, as Cromach told me, none of them are proficient with a staff or an oversized weapon, so me and Crom can only teach them so much. Most of them are used to a sword, which is right up your alley."

"Shouldn't Blaze be teaching sword? He's ridiculously good at it."

"True," Heavy nodded, "but his abilities aren't something you can just learn. Special talent is a special talent, after all. Style-wise you are better. Plus... I wouldn't really bother him right now. He's not in the brightest of moods."

"Fine," Cross just shrugged, "Grab something from the crate, guys."

No one of the experienced part of the group objected, so Leo and Straw had to believe the changeling was a real deal when it came to weapons. What was a rather terrifying realization was that the weapons were real, not practice ones.

"Eeeerm," Straw looked at the sharp blade held in his talons nervously, "I've never used the real thing before."

Cromach patted him on the back.

"The most important thing on surviving a fight is being able to take a blow. Nopony's defense can be perfect, and you're of no use when a scratch paralyzes you completely. We have some very good healers here who can patch you right up... unless you get killed instantly, but that's always a risk."

Straw's grey fur didn't cover him paling well enough. He started shaking. What warmed him, at least a little, was that Leo looked exactly the same, although it was hard to tell under his pristine, white coat. Cromach sighed, but smiled reassuringly.

"Guys, what Blaze said wasn't just some psychotic and terrified nonsense. He died... several times, thiking he'd failed all those around him. No one of us knows how it feels, but I've had the chance to talk to him about it over and over. The risk is always there. What we are doing isn't easy, safe, or standard in any way. Our enemies are powerful individual while you are not. That's why there is five of you. Nopony can be omnipotent, but each of you can serve as a part of an extremely powerful unit. That is why you will be taking all exercises as a group right from the start. In the beginning, you will fail most of them. Later... who knows."

"Why not take it slower in the beginning then?" Contradiction asked politely, "I mean, you haven't done anything of that sort with us before."

"And look what it led to," Cromach just sighed, "No, you might be powerful in few years, but to assure... increase the chances of you getting there you have to guard each other's back. You'll learn to take a blow that way. Now, the training is scheduled for every other day because we still have to deal with the normal recruits. The physical part will be what you are used to, either from Canterlot, as Leo and Straw, or from here. The weapon practice will be different. Me and Heavy will be here to teach you how to fight against somepony of our weapon proficiency while Cross can improve your style, since most of you prefer a sword. Fortune, you can still train hand-to-hand combat with Antares. The rest of you, and this is important, ask for help or explanation if you ever need anything. We're not that much older than you, aside from Cross, we can't think of everything on the spot, and we can't see what troubles you. Don't make me go into some dark cellar and slaughter your reanimated and transformed corpses again."

He shook his head, but everypony was silent until he continued.

"The next part will be your training of combat synergy against Antares, Shadowstep, and Cross, which is the part we expect you to fail miserably over and over. Don't mull over it too much, any experience you can scramble from it will be useful. The final part will be magic training for Leo and Connie. The rest of you will be practicing against various things experienced spellcasters can throw at you. Starlight and Mistake will be leading those sessions. Speaking of which," he looked questioningly at Cross, "Why isn't Starlight participating in the squad training instead of Antares?"

"She's lazy," was his simple answer.

It was clear Cromach wanted to say something, but in the end he just shrugged.

"That's all then. Any questions?"

"No, sir!" said everyone. With the exception of Walter, of course.

Despite it being early in the morning, it was much warmer here than in Canterlot. The metropolis filled with large houses, where everypony's heating unit was burning the winter cold away, had a naturally higher temperature than the mountainside city. Still, the air stung Straw in his nose as he ran around the mansion while Cromach shouted random changes in direction or running style. Supposedly, it was to make them used to quickly dodging in combat. In reality, it was annoying to the point of-

"On your hind legs and backwards!" yelled the griffon.

*Thud!*

"Ow..." came from multiple throats.

Aside from Fortune, everyone had to scramble themselves off the lawn in confusion at the movement their bodies definitely were not supposed make. It didn't help that Cromach fulfilled his own instruction without skipping a beat, grinning in satisfaction.

As the training continued, the butterflies in Straw's stomach settled down. The wind rustling in his fur, the heat of burning muscles inside him, and the humming of breath signalling he was close to passing out were all too familiar to what he'd been doing for the past month. What helped the most was that Walter was the only one keeping up with Cromach's and Heavy Hoof's tempo. The hippogriff, to his astonishment, was doing pretty well himself, certainly much better than Fortune, Leo, and Contradiction. Fortune's strong points were her agility and the natural movement on hind legs. Granted, she was strong as well, but she didn't possess the core strength all ponies naturally have. Leo was huffing and sweating, looking like a swimmer leaving a pool, but the determination in his eyes didn't allow him to complain a single time. Connie, though, was gasping for breath and shaking all over when the training session ended. She didn't look weak or scrawny, as far as appearance went. She was close to Leo's physique, but it seemed the practice drained her far more than the rest. Straw recalled Fortune's words on the train.

Overall, Straw considered the first session relaxing. His every muscle was tense and weak, but not in pain, which could mean only one thing - Cromach didn't want them to pass out before the real practice came.

The second part of the session was far worse. Straw didn't have any time to watch the others improve their individual skill because he had his talons full with escaping the strikes of Heavy Hoof's staff. Straw suspected the earthpony to somehow be using magic because the way his staff moved was way too fast, way too weird, and the blows hurt way too much for having almost no wind-up. Heavy's reactionary style exploited every loss of balance, every uncovered spot, and every misstep the hippogriff made.

When the trainers rotated, Straw was faced with a far different style of Cromach. He immediately realized Heavy was far more skilled than Cromach, which unfortunately didn't make the practice any easier. Cromach was bigger, way, WAY stronger in his swings, and the grabbing ability of talons allowed him to make wide and deadly strikes. Faced with an enemy whose blows he couldn't block or parry, Straw was out of ideas, but he had to keep going, he couldn't just give up. After his sword being knocked out of his grasp far too many times, the trainers rotated again.

This time he and Connie were the ones on a break. The unicorn looked locked in her own world while quietly looking at the lawn and breathing heavily. The surprising part was that, in contrast to everyone else, she had suffered no cuts and only several bruises. Decided to learn by watching other ponies' mistakes, Straw turned to the continuing beatdown. Leo was sparring with Cross, whose levitating sword kept scratching the unicorn with every blow. It felt weird, watching a batpony with a silhouette of an invisible horn glowing faint purple, but his skill was undeniable. Walter was facing off against Heavy Hoof and having about as much luck as Straw in getting past the earthpony's defenses. Apparently, even Griffon Legion training wasn't tough enough to give Walter a noticeable edge. Still, he looked happy whenever he broke the baron's balance or even when he ended on his back himself. Fortune was having a rough time, and Straw immediately knew close combat wasn't her true calling. She was using some sort of metal gauntlets to counterattack Cromach whenever his swing went wide, but the fact that she had to dodge every single blow or be split in half wasn't giving her much chance to be proactive. Cromach's ridiculous strength, on the other talon, allowed him to swing his two-handed battleaxe with ease rivaling a unicorn levitating a toothpick. That, and his unreal stamina. With Fortune barely able to move her legs in front of him, the griffon was only slightly damp from sweat.

The final round for Straw was against Cross. He had no idea what to think about it. Heavy Hoof was fast, strong, and immensely skilled, but he still looked beatable. Cromach's style didn't allow his opponent to make a single mistake, otherwise there would be two opponents of half the original size very quickly. Cross... looked as if he wasn't even trying. He corrected Straw mid-swing, he gave helpful tips whenever the hippogriff got cut again, but even after thinking about them and having them beaten into him over and over, Straw had to give up. There was literally no chance, no amount of luck, no unnatural coincidence which would make him win against Cross.

The changeling's only answer was:

"Of course, but if you meet somepony like me after this then you'll know to run immediately and you'll be easily able to cut your way through those of less skill."

He wasn't just blowing smoke. The final switch, during which it was Straw and Leo resting, assured him of it. Contradiction was fighting Cross, and while her style was similar to Cromach's, only a unicorn version as she was levitating a greatsword just like Leo used a longsword, Cross didn't even have to move, hidden behind a flashing blur of steel.

When the torment was over, the group slumped on the grass and relaxed. Heavy Hoof was applying bandages where necessary, and Cross administered healing magic where it wasn't enough. There was to be an hour-long break before, Straw came to the irritating conclusion, the 'Hoof Of Fate' were to be broken again.

The five faced the three. Leo, Fortune, Straw, Walter, and Connie stood in a half-circle around Cross, Shadowstep, and a grey griffon whose name was Antares, another changeling in disguise as Nightmare showed to Straw. The fact that the trio's combined age was somewhere around two millenia didn't bother our heroes because, well, they didn't know.

The fact that they were supposed to have a fight DID bother them, and Leo voiced it immediately:

"Okay... seriously?" he rolled his eyes and tilted his head, "I mean, we've just got scrapped by Cross and... seriously? Like... seriously?"

"Yes, I admit it looks unrealistic," Shadowstep chuckled and her amethyst mane swayed in the wind, "but the point here is for you to understand your roles in a unit against an enemy you can't beat in terms of individual skill. We will, of course, limit ourselves not to make this exercise completely pointless. Now, you should choose the best way you, as an individual, can add to the unit as a whole. Some of you, we already know."

Connie, Walter, and Fortune bowed slightly under Shadowstep's gaze.

"Long-range support," Fortune shifted the long, metal, tube-like construction on her shoulder which Straw had been told was a griffon weapon called an assault rifle.

Walter stood on his hind legs, raised his kite shield, and slammed the handle of his sword into it several times. Straw was stumped, but everyone else apparently understood.

"Leader and shieldbreaker," Connie nodded. This one Straw saw clearly. Contradiction's huge blade and supposed telekinetic power had to be excellent against slower, armored opponents.

Shadowstep looked at Leo, who levitated his sword, looked at it, and sheathed it again. With a snort of contempt, he looked at the rest of the group.

"Since nopony wants to do it, I'll go with magic shields. Can't let the commoners get hurt, somepony has to make me lunch."

Seemingly, Straw was the only one who got the joke, at least he believed it to be one. The rest of the squad were either surprised or, in case of Connie, visibly mad.

When Straw stood up, Shadowstep was watching him curiously.

"I don't know... cannonfodder?" he chuckled, "I don't really have any special power or talents, aside from you know what..."

Antares looked at him, thought for a while, and then threw something from his belt to Straw. It was a griffon pistol.

"Utility. If you have free talons and don't want to carry a shield, use this."

"I've never even fired a bow," Straw objected.

"Good, this is easier," Antares just snickered, "You point, it goes boom, you miss, and you hold it steadier next time to compensate for the recoil."

"Now," Shadowstep continued when everypony at least marginally knew what they should be doing, "Most units have some sort of similar composition. The key point is to understand it and pick off priority targets first. Generally, those are spellcasters, since they either provide protection or make it rain fire on you. If not, then it's the enemy tactician. As they say - cut the serpent's head off and the rest will follow. The second highest priority are medics, either magical or mundane. Healing spells usually drain ridiculous amounts of magic, so their users can't protect themselves while working. Normal medics, on the contrary, can shield themselves or fight back. Last are the grunts who fight directly. Unfortunately for you, those ones are the ones you usually need to take out first to get to the important ones. The tactician's goal is to set the situation up so that's not the case. Soldiers worried about utility tasks are usually doing what needs doing at the time. Their skillset is mostly unknown, which might be either because they are kept secret or because they don't excel in anything particular. In this practice I will be the tactician and spellcaster."

"Close combat expert," Antares raised himself on his hind legs, put his talons together, and bowed.

"Utility," Cross smiled, "Or as Straw Basket would say - cannonfodder."

"The goal of this session will be to disable the enemy tactician under unknown circumstances. You have no idea what we will limit ourselves to, and only Cross has met you before, so we're not sure about you as well. Since we haven't really had time to prepare a combat scenario, this entire flat lawn will be the battleground. At least you will learn something about zone control as well. You get few minutes to prepare a tactic."

Straw was very sad when the groups spread out on the large stretch of grass, mostly because he had literally no idea what was going to happen.

"Walt, you stay close to me and we'll take on Cross. Leo, you and Straw slow Antares down. Fortune, cover fire."

"And then we all get utterly wrecked," Fortune rolled her eyes, "Let me give you a short lesson in the amount of expected crushing, Connie. Antares will immediately disable anypony who gets in melee range, trust me on it. The only way to slow him down enough is for you unicorns to handle him. Walt and Straw both have pistols, so they might get Cross. I'll wait for a distraction and snipe Shadowstep."

"I need you to cover me. If I get hurt then we've lost," Contradiction reminded her.

"Damn," Fortune cursed, "A leader and a melee fighter, what a blunder."

"Just shut up and cover me!" growled Connie and ended the group huddle, "WE'RE READY!"

As soon as Shadowstep fired a purple flare from her horn, the fight commenced.

Antares launched himself into the air, and divebombed straight towards Connie and Leo approaching him. He was a prime target for Fortune's rifle, but she didn't shoot.

"The real threat doesn't show itself this early. It makes the enemy forget it is there," she mumbled to herself while crouched, hidden from Shadowstep's line of sight by the fighting group.

Connie growled as Antares wasn't picked off mid-air.

"Damn idiot, gonna kill us all one day. Leo, slow him down!"

She dug her hooves into the ground and her white glow engulfed her horn.

Leo opened his mouth to object, but when he realized she wasn't listening at all, he just focused as well. Golden shields appeared in the air in Antares' path. The griffon crushed through them with ease, making Leo grind his teeth.

"How long is this going to take?" he huffed as the griffon's divebomb continued.

Nothing. Only a black and white unicorn whose horn was now a pure white hole into another reality.

"Fine..." he grunted, "I'll do it... myself!"

Angling the rapidly breaking barriers, he grinned evilly. Antares laughed as the shields fell faster and faster, at least until his regained speed sent him into the last one right in front of Connie. It didn't shatter, but bent into a U-shape, and the griffon found himself rapidly rising. Temporarily unable to control his flight, he flapped his wings, trying to slow himself down.

As he slowed down enough to turn back, he was faced with one furious unicorn whose eyes glowed with power. On the lawn far down under Antares, Contradiction swung her blade at him. A crescent of telekinetic shockwave came from the blade and surged towards the griffon. Faced with a train's worth of force coming at him, Antares turned back into a changeling and fell like a rock.

"Heh, I'm not THAT stupid," Contradiction smiled and swung her blade again, "Now for the real one."

The second shockwave hit the changeling as soon as he met the ground. A cloud of dust obscured him.

"Good job!" Leo said, eyes wide, "You pack quite a punch, lady. High one?"

"Bucking idiot!" Connie charged at him, "A mortar!"

Leo realized too late that a shadow was over him. A purple ball of energy was gathering speed from great height. There was no way to get far enough. Connie was trying to push him out of the way. The ball would hit her. They would lose.

"Throw me!" he yelled, pushing against her with his telekinesis.

Like a golf following a curve, a force much greater than he'd ever mustered shoved him away. All he could do was hope his was enough to get Connie out as well. The explosion threw him even further. As the energy and dust settled, Leo saw two things. Antares was sitting in his crater back in his griffon form, legs grudgingly folded in front of his chest. Apparently, he considered himself defeated. Connie, on the other hoof, was covered in dirt and dust, coughing but standing upright.

"Wohoo!" Leo yelled cheerfully.

Shadowstep looked straight at him.

"Crap."

*Blam!*

*Tink!*

The amethyst queen's head involuntarily moved an inch to the side and something bounced away from her chitin armor. It was a long, sharp bullet. It HAD BEEN a long, sharp, sniper round. Now it was just a scrunched bit of lead. Shadowstep rubbed her head.

"Ouch..." she frowned and raised her voice, "Good job, round two?"

"No," came from Leo, sitting on the grass and grinning. He could barely keep his magic flowing.

"No," mumbled Connie, suffering from the same physical and magical exhaustion.

"No," whispered Fortune, lying on her stomach on the lawn, and put down her rifle.

"No," grunted Straw, hanging upside down, held by one leg in Cross' telekinesis.

"Nnnngg!" grumbled Walter, lying on his back with Cross' hoof on his chest, and watching the sky.

"Well," Shadowstep coughed, "We got a bit carried away this time. It appears we have to take you at least a bit seriously."

As they went for another hour-long break, Contradiction snarled at Fortune.

"What did you think you were doing? We needed the distraction!"

"Well," Fortune chuckled, "So did I. It worked, didn't it?"

"Umm," Straw raised his front leg, "Why are WE here?"

The final part was magic training, which was an essential part of Leo and Connie's combat prowess. Why were Straw, Fortune, and Walter there as well, they had no idea.

*Whoosh!*

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Straw rolled on the ground, trying to douse the small fires all over his coat.

The sparkling white, purple-maned unicorn mare called Starlight, also one of Shadowstep's changelings in disguise, didn't even look away from Leo as the glow of her horn gradually faded. Straw didn't recognize her expression, he couldn't. His experiences with the softer part of pony population were too limited. Unfortunately, Leo, as a VERY experienced noble, DID recognize a gold digger on first sight, and the hunger in Starlight's eyes said clearly this one brought her own pickaxe and mine carts.

"Ehm," the second unicorn in charge of the magic training smiled nervously. His coat was grey, fading to black, and his blue mane complimented it well. Whenever Straw looked at him he had the feeling of watching some ethereal shadow, probably thanks to Nightmare, which allowed him to see many hidden things about Order members, "The only way we've discovered until now to protect yourself from spells is to be hit by them repeatedly. It sort of builds your magic tolerance. Baron Heavy Hoof is a fine example of it working, so, if you're bored, try to throw some fireballs at him and see what happens."

Straw liked not having to eat a liquid lunch, so he decided against the idea of making a staff grandmaster mad. Granted, it's not like he could use any magic, but still. Mistake continued, his form shifting and quivering in front of Straw's eyes like some sort of a wraith. To the others, he had to look completely normal, because no one commented on it.

"Am I tired or something? I mean, today's been a lot, but I still don't feel like passing out. Is it you, voice?"

"Call me Nightmare, slave. The 'unicorn' is a fragment of the alicorn traitor's mind given life by stolen divine power. Quite a unique being. The only part still uncorrupted by..."

"By whom?"

"I cannot say. I am far to weak to stop him, and so is Discord. Right now, my only option is to watch the end happen and then try again elsewhere."

"HEY, what end? I like living, can't you at least hint at something I can do to, I don't know, help?"

"As you can deduce yourselves, magic is manipulation of the world via force of will. All creatures possess it, but only unicorns, dragons, changelings, and some more obscure species can use it directly. The others can counter those by, sort of, refusing the change in the world the spellcaster suggests. For example, not believing you are on fire, mister Straw."

"Well yeah, at first I really couldn't believe somepony would set me on fire for no reason!" Straw complained, "My burning coat presented some irresistible arguments though."

"Umm, yes. It's not as simple as that," Mistake scratched his head, "Over time you should be able to prevent minor magical effects and lessen the stronger ones though. There really isn't much more to it, it's sort of an experimental method. I will-"

Starlight shoved him away.

"I will take care of the teaching of magic. After all, I have a lot more experience in ALL fields," she trotted over to Leo with the grin of a schoolfilly meeting Justin the Reaver, a famous demonic pop idol from Tartarus, "My lessons will be difficult, but I am happy to provide long and hard personal training. If you're willing to work me- under me then I'm sure I can make the experience most pleasurable for both of us, and the rewards... bountiful."

At this point, even Contradiction knew what was going on and leaned away with utter disgust written on her face. Leo, close enough to feel Starlight's hot breath on his muzzle, just shrugged. He was WAY too used to her sort.

"I will do whatever it takes to get better, miss Starlight, and dig through the deepest holes the world has to offer to be able to protect my charges."

"Not afraid to get dirty, are you? I like that."

"No. Also, if I get good enough then I might persuade my father to reverse his decision to disown me," Leo lied his ass off, carefully watching Starlight's expression. To his utter horror, he realized he'd underestimated her.

"A young ex-noble seeking redemption? Even... better..." she swiftly licked his nose and returned back to Mistake, not bothered by everybody's incredulous stares in the slightest.

Leo just whimpered.

"Look at it this way - from what I've heard she's REALLY good," Connie leaned to Leo and whispered.

"At what part of what she offered?" he panically whispered back.

With an evil smile which would put any usual dark lord to shame, Connie just shrugged and returned to ignoring him.

Straw couldn't really follow the Starlight-Leo chronicles any more, because Mistake's lesson started. He wasn't allowed to dodge the spells thrown at him, he was supposed to just stand there and take them.

It wasn't fun.

It hurt.

It burned.

It ended.

Still smoldering, Straw crumbled on the grass. The only good part was that he wasn't alone. Walter had lost some of his feathers

and fur as well, and Fortune's clothes hung from her in tatters. Straw liked what he saw, very much so.

Contradiction and Leo weren't better off. Starlight hadn't been lying when she'd said the training would be difficult.

Looking on the bright side, at least Leo's future looked interesting.

Thinking about the five of them lying on the grass, exhausted, Straw pondered a second meaning of Hoof Of Fate. They weren't the hoof, they were what was left after it went away.

Leo and Straw carefully read the slip of paper which came under the door of their room.

Meet me on the training grounds an hour before dinner. Come fully armed.

"More training? Cromach didn't say anything about it," Leo wondered.

"No idea," Straw shrugged, "but I think I'm getting used to being run through a wringer. I mean, how much worse can the day get?"

"After just two days here? I'll hazard a guess and say a lot."

"Worse than getting repeatedly set on fire? I doubt that."

Walking through the mansion, they noticed other recruits returning from their duties all over Manehattan. The way the official part of the Order operated was that the recruits had a day of training and then a day of duties. Straw had no idea how it would work for his group, but nopony had said anything yet. Fortune, Walter, and Connie met up with them at the mansion entrance. Walter flashed a piece of paper in his talons.

"Yeah, we got it as well," Straw nodded, "I don't suppose you, as the more experienced members, have any idea what it is about, or do you?"

The united shaking of heads and shrugging was a definite answer.

Straw gulped when he saw a familiar veil of golden-red fire covering a spot where they had been practicing several hours earlier.

"This can't be good."

When they got closer, Blaze's fire wings darkened and shifted into black ice. A second later a wall of ice surrounded all of them, creating a large, circular...

...arena.

"I was right, more training. This time with the big guy himself."

"I'm not so sure. Remember, you are his mortal enemy. It might be a training to them, but something can very easily happen to you. Be wary."

"What's going on, sir?" Contradiction asked.

"I'm going to correct several mistakes I made in the past," Blaze said simply, looking at Straw.

"Wha-?" Connie's eyes went wide as a barrage of black shards came towards her.

They got blocked by Walter, who jumped in front of her, shield at the ready. When the shards evaporated, Walter threw the shredded shield away.

"Oh no..." Fortune whimpered.

"Finally figured it out, Fortune?" Blaze grinned and sent a shower of small icicles at Leo. The attack looked weak, but Leo's golden barrier pulsed with every hit, and the unicorn's strained groaning proved that divine power worked in diffferent ways.

"Cromach told me you wanted to stop the training after my squad... got killed. He and baron Hoof were against it."

"Exactly," the alicorn nodded, "But when they all see how easily you fell when faced with divinity for the first time, they won't have any other option than to stop this nonsense. I will have to deal with gods myself, but at least I won't be sending any more foals to be tortured. Your lives... will serve the greater good."

"No... it's not just that. This is our fault."

"No," said Straw, "You just want me, don't you?"

"You know, two birds with one icicle," he jumped into the air, spun, and shot a long shard at Walter. The griffon tried to dodge, but his movement only put him right where Blaze was aiming. A thick, golden shield appeared in front of him and Leo groaned in pain.

It wasn't enough. The shard shattered the protective barrier and pierced Walter clean through his back.

"Walt?" Connie could only stare at the griffon, the flowing blood making his fur even more rusty.

"YOU BUCKING IDIOT!" screamed Fortune, primed her rifle, and unloaded a hail of bullets at Blaze.

As he covered himself with his wing, the bullets shattered more and more parts of it.

*Click click click click.*

The blackfrost wing was gone, but Fortune needed to reload. The instant she lowered her eyes to her weapon, Blaze's other wing shattered to razor-sharp bits aimed at her.

She didn't see it. She only saw golden glow of Leo's barrier in the way.

The unicorn spat out blood, and bright, yellow cracks appeared on his horn.

"Don't... touch... my subjects..." he groaned.

"Foals fighting gods, what a pointless effort," Blaze didn't look impressed.

A frosty stalagmite burst from the ground under Leo and came right through his skull.

The unicorn's body hanged in the air, impaled by the head. No longer could anyone pretend this was just a training.

"Wait!" Straw begged, "There's no reason to do this... more of this. I'll go willingly. I won't resist, just don't hurt them. They won't even want any more training, right? You'll stop this thing easily like that."

"DODGE, YOU MISERABLE SACK OF FLESH!"

Without thinking, Straw rolled to the side, showered by dirt from another stalagmite.

"Okay, I can't do much, but I should have enough power to either protect you a little, or to get through his barriers."

Through teary eyes, Straw saw Leo's body.

"He just killed him..."

"Then let's return the favor! The traitor's death is far beyond schedule."

That was it. Straw charged, and felt a surge of energy in his talons and sword.

"Fortune, COVER FIRE!" yelled Connie, finishing stuffing something into Walter's wound.

Using Straw as a distraction, she circled Blaze from the other side.

Several more bullets rained through the air at the alicorn, and Walter got up, his griffon pride not allowing him to fall.

When they focused, got over the initial shock, they could get close and survive.

At least that's what they thought. Unfortunately, no training could prepare them for meeting reality.

Contradiction, attacking from behind, got swatted away by Blaze's sharp wing, leaving it splattered with blood.

Walter howled and took the point, acting as a distraction for her and Straw. A large, black warhammer appeared mid-air, spun around, and its head met Walter's. The sickening crush snuffed out one more life.

It worked, though. Even Blaze's attention couldn't be everywhere, and Straw got close enough to stab him in the neck.

The alicorn gurgled, stumbled, and his wings melted.

"Youuuuuuu!" Straw pulled his sword out and...

...Blaze's wing burst into flames, the fire coming from inside him and cauterizing his wound.

Fortune understood and stopped firing.

It was over.

This was just her delayed judgement for leaving her friends to die.

They couldn't even touch the alicorn. This was the sort of enemy they were supposed to fight.

It was pointless.

She started banging on the ice wall, not noticing the sharp edges cutting her hands.

"Help...!"

"Cromach, help...!"

"Sir..."

"Don't leave me here..."

"I love you..."

Her hands were gone, only bleeding stumps and smears on the black wall remained. She fell on her butt, and cried until the bloodloss took her away.

Connie was focused and waited for her opportunity. She knew she wouldn't have more chances. Not bleeding too badly, she was still growing weaker. Pretending to be helpless, she waited while Straw occupied Blaze. When she felt completely forgotten, she jumped up, charged her blade with energy, and swung at Blaze from behind.

He had no idea.

Black blur shot through the air, and Connie felt several cuts, impact, crunch, and then nothing anymore.

Straw took several trembling steps backwards as Connie's severed head hit the ground. In a mere second, Three had appeared, jumped at Connie, transformed the armor on her legs into blades, cut the unicorn's body up, bit her head off, and landed perfectly while transforming back.

Only Straw remained. His head was spinning, he couldn't look at the other four bodies.

Blaze said something.

Straw didn't hear, busy with throwing up.

"I promised it would be quick," the alicorn repeated.

Black ice encased his healthy hoof, forming a set of talons.

The only thing Straw felt was an impact, and then the acidic taste of vomit in his mouth went away.

The Watchful Eye

"What...?"

"Haaaah... haaaah... haaaaah..."

The rushing blood, the searing pain in his every muscle, the rumbling avalanche of air coming in and out of his mouth reassured Straw Basket that, despite all the evidence to the contrary his memory was presenting, he still existed. That, in itself, was enough to make his eyes shoot open and force him to gasp as the agony in his neck answered the movement.

He was lying on the mansion lawn, green grass swaying slightly in the chilly winter air. He wasn't alone. Straw couldn't stop his tears. No, he wasn't alone. Leo was lying nearby, trembling in a pool of his waste and gasping for air as well. Connie was sitting a bit further, gurgling noises revealing she was throwing up, ignoring the brown pool she was sitting in. Quiet sobbing from behind him told Straw that Fortune, while catatonically hugging her legs, was also okay, at least physically. Only Walter was standing up, staring into nowhere and breathing heavily.

Straw couldn't admire the mental fortitude the Griffon Legion training had to instill in the griffon, enough to cope with his own gruesome death, as Walter twitched in tune with every step coming from ahead of him. Still, even the griffon was obviously terrified beyond belief, despite being the only one not stinking of vomit and crap.

Blaze was walking towards them, and Straw noticed several more things about the alicorn. His sandy blonde mane was filled with frequent strands of silver, and there were small patches of shedded fur in his coat. More than anything, the alicorn looked exhausted. Straw was smart enough to realize it had nothing to do with whatever resistance they had mustered against him.

His body reacted on instinct when Blaze got close. Stomach twisting inside him, Straw joined Connie in throwing up, partially on the grass and partially on himself. It was the pressure of survival, the pressure of terror the alicorn had shown him, and moreso the pressure of responsibility. In his last moments, Straw had understood what Fortune was going through. He'd died, knowing full well the deaths of his companions happened only because of the Nightmare inside him.

Blaze had done everything to make the fight, the inevitability of the end, the helplessness, feel real. Looking at the others, undoubtedly scarred for life, Straw knew the alicorn had succeeded.

"Do you understand now, at least a little?" said Blaze loudly enough to snap even Fortune from her paralyzed state, "There is no heroism, this is no story for foals, and there is no good ending if you don't keep going until you can't move anymore.-"

Straw understood. They weren't supposed to fight for an idea, for a banner or country. They fought for life itself. If they failed then there would be nothing left.

"-This is what you face. Our enemies lie, our enemies cheat. You cannot trust what you see, and you cannot afford to see everything and leave with your sanity intact. They do not fight, they kill. There is no honor, there is no mercy, and, most of all, there are no second chances. If it looks that way then they are just using you to get to the ones close to you. Our enemies cannot be reformed or changed. If they could then others would have already done so. We are the last resort. We have to watch our backs and not issue forgiveness freely," Blaze looked at Straw, who involuntarily shivered, "The worst part is that they have the initiative. Take this lesson in any way you want, the important part is that it happened."

Still, despite the gravity of what Blaze said, Straw couldn't feel anything other than hatred towards him. He knew it was the shock, but it came and it wouldn't let itself be controlled.

"Is he telling the truth? You know something about it, don't you?"

"Not even he knows how right he is."

"Nnnngh," Connie couldn't even talk. Instead, she just pushed herself out of the way as Blaze walked towards Fortune, who whimpered loudly as he approached.

"Fortune," the alicorn said sharply. The satyr's eyes were pinned on him, "You are not the reason why three of our first unit are dead, that is me. You are the sole reason why at least one is still alive."

He didn't say anything more as Fortune buried her face into her palms. With Blaze leaving, Straw's mind finally allowed itself to see something other than the alicorn and his, thankfully alive, friends. Cromach and Heavy Hoof were watching the group sadly. While the blue-maned baron came to help the others stand back up, the white griffon ambassador kept staring daggers at Blaze.

"Was it really necessary?" he hissed.

"Yes," Blaze answered simply, "I did this so you didn't have to. Fortune loves you, confused little girl. Leo respects you to his spoiled hooves, although he wouldn't admit it directly, and so do Connie and Straw Basket. Walter sees his hope for the future in you, one of the few griffons who had survived Legion bounty hunters. I'm just... a weird alicorn-ish thing to them. If they can get over this then they'll be much stronger. If they can't... then at least they will hate me, not you. Now go help them, they'll need all the support they can get over next few days."

Cromach sighed.

"Do you realize you might have just hurt them so much they'll never forget it?"

"Better one fake death than what I went through."

"It still hurts, doesn't it?" the griffon wrapped a wing around him.

"Not so much when you are here."

"Are YOU okay? I mean, not going to drink yourself stupid after 'killing' the foals?"

"You mean the foals who are six years younger than me and three younger than you? No, I think I can handle the guilt for once," Blaze smiled softly, "Go help wherever you can. All of them need your and Heavy's positive approach, especially Fortune."

"You know... sometimes you say and do stuff which really tests my feelings for you. Then you always make me remember. I think Fortune needed to hear that."

"Oh shut up, Romecolt, and go be useful."

"Yes, sir!" Cromach saluted. Blaze just shook his head and left, fire feathers slowly fading into mere orange glass.

By all rights they should have been too far for Straw to hear, but whether or not it was his Nightmare-heightened hearing, he caught the exchange of words. Perhaps it was the crushing burden of Nightmare or Three's death threats, or possibly he was just too stupid to understand the situation in its fullness, but he just smiled when Cromach offered him help in getting up, and pulled himself up on his own hooves and talons. All that had happened in last three days was a lot, but it wasn't the breaking point, although Straw could definitely feel it with the short fur of his muzzle.

While Heavy Hoof was stroking shaking Connie's head, Cromach carrying Fortune off on his back, Walter walking to the mansion on his own, Straw gently poked Leo's shoulder. A vomit-stained muzzle turned to him, and Leo's desperate look almost knocked him back down. The noble's newborn resolve to protect had gone through a difficult test, and nopony could be certain if anything remained.

"I think this needs a shower," Straw offered Leo his talons, just like Cromach had done to him, "Can't have the commoners think you're one of them."

"Y-yeah..." was all Leo said, but he accepted the help.

All the members of Hoof Of Fate, Straw chuckled at the silly name again, would have to work through the mess in their heads eventually, but at least they didn't have to do it while stinking like a hobo after a rough night.

Evening darkness set in as Straw lay on his bed, watching the ceiling. Once again, after he had showered, he'd tried to get some sleep before dinner. Once again, he'd failed, so now he was just thinking while listening to the rushing water in the shower where Leo was making himself presentable again.

It was taking a while.

Surprisingly enough, Straw wasn't thinking about the enemies of the world or even his own future as Nightmare's host. All those things were something he wasn't able to do anything about at the moment. What was important was an achievable goal, something he could work towards. There still was the dream of serving in the Royal Guard, which meant spending the remaining year being trained by the Silver Sun, but even that was now too much thanks to Three and Blaze's uncertain position on his continued existence.

He needed something simpler, something he could feel with his talons. His front leg moved instantly, not making a gesture of grasping, but one of holding a specific item - the handle of a sword. Right, the first step was actually being able to ward off even a minor threat to his health. After that, yes... after that, he could learn about guard duties, nobility, and a lifetime of service. Right now, as Leo had understood, their first duty was to protect.

Speaking of unicorn supremacists, the shower door opened and Leo walked back to the room, smacking his mouth.

"Feeling better?" Straw asked.

"Meh, at least I don't taste vomit anymore," Leo shrugged, "How about you?"

"Too much to handle. Right now, I'm just wondering how the hay are we supposed to kick sir Cromach's ass during weapon practice."

"Not one to overthink things, are you?" Leo sneered, but there was no malice in it, "But I guess you're right for once. There's no reason to dwell on what happened too much. I'm sure we'll see it enough times in our nightmares, after all."

"Yeah... I can't even close my eyes without seeing something sharp and black in front of my face."

Leo thought for a moment, then he nodded towards the closet.

"Well, I have a cure then, at least for tonight. Grab a shirt, or whatever low-class clothes are in there. We're going drinking.-"

Straw's stomach rumbled. Leo jingled a sack of bits.

"-And eating, my treat. The stuff here isn't bad, considering other recruits cook it, but I'm up for something special after today."

"I've never really... gone drinking," Straw coughed nervously, "Never had the bits."

"You've never had alcohol?" Leo's eyes bulged in disbelief.

"Nonono, I've had beer and wine several times, just never in an amount which I would consider going drinking."

"Whatever, just put something on, and let's go! I know for sure I'm drinking something other than juice or water tonight, and I'd rather not do it alone. I'll do it if I have to!" Leo threatened, hoof pointing at Straw.

Chuckling, the hippogriff jumped from the top bunk and put on a surprisingly well-tailored white shirt. His average, yet toned, build made it fit rather snugly, but it was still comfortable enough.

Following Leo out of the mansion, Straw was once again showered with the bustle of Manehattan. This time, though, it was stunning. Flashing neon lights, yelling, laughter, everything was clear against the evening darkness, and it make Straw's head spin again. He could even swear that a pretty, although a bit too heavy on makeup, mare waved at him from an alley acros the street.

"Stop drooling, villager," Leo grinned at Straw's unfocused stare, "Or at least don't buy anything too obviously fake."

Straw just smiled back, shook his head, and continued.

"You seem to know your way around Manehattan, I thought you were from Canterlot," commented Straw as Leo led them down some stairs leading to a door below street level. A glowing sign of a two dancing ponies, each holding a mug, was hanging above it.

"I am, these places just look the same no matter in which big city you are," Leo opened.

Straw was momentarily deafened by voices and music coming from the inside, but he got used to it during the short walk to the counter. Following Leo's lead, Straw jumped on a high barstool.

"Are you of age, guys?" the earthpony bartender looked at them suspiciously.

"Of age, status, and money," Leo jingled his money pouch in front of the pony, "Wine, beer, or some cocktail, Straw?"

"Umm, beer?"

"Two beers and, let's say, grilled cheese with herbs?"

Persuaded by the gold, the bartender just shrugged.

"Go find a table in the back room. One of the girls will be there shortly."

They were given a number, and when they pushed through the mass of ponies to a much cleaner and calmer room they commandeered a table for themselves. Surprisingly, with the amount of ponies inside the club slash restaurant, the waitress came with their drinks only a minute or two after they had sat down.

"Pheeeew, that's what I needed," Leo wiped the foam off his muzzle.

"I thought you preferred wine," Straw raised an eyebrow after momentarily raising his mouth from the mug.

"Nah, that's just when I have ladies with me. They go for that stuff. Speaking of the ladies, how are things between you and Fortune?"

"Nonexistent, I think? Last time we talked she said you should stop projecting, whatever that means."

"Proje-? Who's projecting? Damn halfling thinks she's so smart," Leo grumbled, blushing like a schoolfilly, "How can she think a pure unicorn like me would have a crush on her? She's projecting!"

"Okaaaaay?" Straw leaned away from Leo, careful not to be splashed by the beer still at least partially inside the unicorn's shaking mug.

"Ehm," Leo coughed, sipped the remnants of his beer, and calmed down, "Forgive my temporary... astonishment. Of course a commoner would succumb to a delusion that I would go for her, it makes sense. What do you think she drinks?"

"Motor oil?" Straw shrugged, thinking about all the advanced weaponry Fortune was used to carrying around, "So... are you sure you haven't got hots for her?"

"How dare you?! She- I- me-"

"She's pretty, isn't she? Even for not having fur or anything."

"EEEEHM!" Leo coughed loudly, trying to collect himself once again, "Yes, despite her usual boorish beaviour and unusual proportions she is quite the sight. Yes, that's my official opinion and I'm sticking to it."

"I thought you wouldn't be THAT shocked by female interest... or lack of interest in this case."

The waitress came and refilled Leo's mug, giving him a dirty glance at how fast the first one had disappeared.

"Well, things have changed, right? I'm quite used to mares of all shapes and standings being interested in my money or status, all that fake giggling and other nonsense. It's sort of... refreshing to meet one who isn't immediately throwing her body away for a promise of the high life."

No matter how much Leo tried to avoid the subject, Straw wasn't stupid enough to fall for it.

"Do you want her to?"

Finally, Leo just sighed slowly.

"Maybe...? I mean, yeah, she's unique, but think of all the things her fingers can do, how hot her skin must be without all the fur in the way, how round her hips are, and, most of all," Leo waved his hooves in front of his chest. The half-circles were quite clear in revealing what he meant, "No mare has them that huge. Well, aside from that one milkmare from Trottingham, who I honestly think is just an urban legend made up to lure tourists."

Compared to some female minotaurs in the Royal Guard, Fortune wasn't THAT endowed, but Straw could see Leo's point. Breasts weren't really that big a deal for mares. He blushed as he connected Leo's words about soft, furless skin and Fortune's... chest.

"I must admit I'd love to see her without her pants before any of that," Straw covered his reddening muzzle.

"A traditionalist, I see," Leo gave him a knowing stare, "Aiming for the good old marehood above all else."

Straw put down the beer, which didn't have the cooling effect he was hoping for.

"Not really, that's where she carries the grenades."

"We... are still talking about the pants, right?"

"Yes!"

"Just checking."

"I'm not THAT inexperienced."

"Good, good.-"

The silence lenghtened.

"-You see, when a mare and a stallion love each other very much- YAAAH!"

Leo fell backwards with his chair. On the other hoof, he DID dodge the thrown beer mug.

"I'd like to see you do that when YOU are paying," Leo gathered himself from the floor.

"I'll be drinking water and sticking to bread sticks."

"HAH! Thought so."

Before Straw could choke the unicorn, the waitress appeared, giving each one a deliciously smelling plate. Smiling as meekly as he could, Straw explained how he 'accidentally' spilled his drink. Leo's wide smile, and a very generous tip to the waitress, stopped all and any further questions the mare might have had.

Washing the food down with another beer, Straw was beginning to feel a little woozy. The food and his physique helped resist the alcohol, but he still wasn't used to drinking this 'heavily'. Having some time to himself, Straw wondered why, and noticed that Leo was staring into his beer rather gloomily.

"Whass... what's going on?" Straw shook his head.

Sighing, Leo pushed his mug away and looked Straw straight in his eyes.

"I feel useless."

"What? Why?"

Leo, the less unicorn and more just an ego covered in fur, in doubt? Straw was too stunned to say more than that.

"You saw how useful I was during the 'training', right? Oooooh, I made things glow yellow," he waved his hooves in the air parodically, "Insert earth-shattering kaboom here. Shields nowhere, protection nowhere, only a stupid unicorn bleeding out of his nose because his magic sucked a bag of zebra dicks. Quick pain that made me shit myself, darkness. I hope I at least looked funny, hanging there impaled by my face."

The venom in Leo's voice was something Straw had never encountered before.

"Leo... all of us ended like that. There was literally nothing we could have done. No magic, no protection, no way to attack. For Celestia's sake, I stabbed his throat clean through and he just healed it. Walter got his skull crushed, Three cut Connie to ribbons and bit her head off. There was nothing for us to do aside from 'dying'. And hey, at least you and Connie stopped Antares in the practice before. I just got smashed by Cross, and if that wasn't enough, none of that would have happened if I wasn't there. All that was just because of Nightmare. If worst came to worst then the others would have just been told to join the regular guards. I shouldn't even be here, I'm just-"

Straw's body jerked upwards and his neck tightened up. Eyes bulging and struggling for breath, the hippogriff looked at Leo's horn blazing with yellow. A second later he was slammed back into his chair.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Leo growled, "You are a hippogriff trying to become a Royal Guard. You got far enough to be able to learn from the best there are. Your companions are a Griffon Legion soldier, one of the guys who make Equestrian guards crap inside their plate armors, a satyr orphan who knows more about gun mechanics than an unholy spawn of griffon and unicorn engineers, if those nerds ever actually thought about procreation, and a unicorn mare who will one day become powerful enough to lift Celestia's cake-filled rump. YOU got here with YOUR determination and YOUR skills. Granted, a bit of luck helped, but something had to balance you being possessed by an ancient god of destruction. It is me who shouldn't be here. I was raised to be a leader, but hey, Connie actually has a brain for strategy and tactics. I can't even do financial things coming with being nobility. I'm not a freaking fighter like Walter, who can traverse a desert with a mouthful of water and a wet tissue. I can't even say I got anywhere on my own. I went to a good school because of my family's money, I got into the Guard recruit program because my father gave bits to some important charity in Canterlot. Whenever I try to be companionable and relate to you commoners on a personal level I just come off as an arrogant loudmouth. So don't ever again say something like 'I AM JUST SOMETHING - BLA BLA BLA!"

Straw leaned away from Leo, who stood with his front legs on the table. The other patrons looked curiously at him, so the unicorn lowered his voice and continued:

"You are somepony I can look up to, Strawberry. Don't change that."

Nothing more was said. Straw had to disagree on some points, but the realization of Leo's situation made him believe he might be wrong.

"Water, please," Straw pointed at both Leo and himself when the waitress came again to take their plates away.

Quiet shuffling nearby made Straw look up from his glass. A brown earthpony sat down to their table and smiled at them companionably.

"I couldn't help overhearing you are dissatisfied with the way you are. I don't mean to pry, but I can help."

"First of all, that came off really creepy," Leo rolled his eyes, glancing at the earthpony with suspicion, "Second of all, I doubt any of our business is your business."

"Third of all, what do you mean?" Straw finished the thought.

"I work for an organization set on discovering the true power that lies inside ponies, finding their true potential and releasing it. As you may have heard, there's magic in all of us, manifesting itself in our cutie marks," he looked at Straw's star-grasping talons and Leo's blank flank, "Our goal is to harness the power assigned by fate into any endeavour an individual might attempt. Simply put, our goal is pony perfection, the forging of beings bound only by their own decisions and will."

"That sounds impossible... and highly illegal," Straw tilted his head.

"Not at all, actually. The princesses aren't against ponies striving for personal growth... no matter how big that growth might become," he added sinisterly, and laughed, "I apologize, I just get giddy every time I remember how close we are."

"You seem crazy," Leo patted the earthpony's back, "let us not delay you further-"

"Let me show you," the earthpony shoved Leo's hoof away.

Their beer mugs levitated upwards and switched places.

"How did you-?" Straw gasped.

"Big deal, so you have a unicorn somewhere nearby, who is doing this charade," Leo sighed, "Straw, don't be so taken aback by parlor tricks. After all, this is Manehattan. There are tons of 'illusionists' in the streets who can do this for few b... i... t... s."

Leo's voice drifted away as the earthpony put his hoof on Leo's head.

"HEY! What are you doing?" Straw jumped from his chair.

"So you DO admit it's me," the earthpony laughed, "You seem smarter than your unicorn friend. I just slowed his perception of time."

He put his hoof away and Leo shook his head.

"What happened?" he thought for a second, "Oooookayyyy... how did it happen?"

"I just used a bit of my magic, the one existing within earthponies and making them sturdy, to perform a bit of what unicorns call 'their' magic. It is but a fraction of what the other members can do, but I couldn't help myself when I heard how miserable you felt. I apologize for that. There seems to be an obstacle in front of you, what sort of pony would I be if I didn't offer help?"

"Born in Manehattan?" Leo grinned. The earthpony snickered as well.

"Maybe, maybe."

"So," Straw was confused. Matters of magic were unknown to him, but he still felt something was off, "What is the group you speak of, the ones who can do such miracles?"

"We are called The Vigil."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

It appears that Nightmare really was on Straw's side, because as soon as he even thought about opening his mouth, it froze him.

"Calm down, slave!"

"One of them... the guys who killed Fortune's friends."

"Exactly, one of the guys who were capable of killing a dreamling, a minotaur warrior, a trained guard, and who made an expert in projectile weaponry run away in horror. Do you really want to show that you know about them?"

Straw took a deep breath. Only on the inside though, on the outside he was still paralyzed by Nightmare.

"Never heard about it," Straw just shrugged when he regained control, "Some sort of drug dealers?"

"Drugs? No, everything we do is natural."

"I heard the things Cromach had to kill during the last raid were so 'natural' he still needs sleeping pills sometimes."

"Technically, he's not lying. I doubt he understands what's really going on though."

"But you do, don't you? You know EXACTLY what's going on. Blaze suspects something, but he doesn't have any clear clue."

"Smart slave. Both me and Discord cannot be 'seen' to act in any compromising fashion. Discord's new... 'friend' made him blind and weak, so he'll just spend his remaining time playing pretend tea parties. I, on the other unspecified limb, am willing to help, as long as it doesn't put me in direct danger of retaliation. With you, if worst comes to worst, I can easily just say I protected my only remaining host. It's not my fault you got involved in all 'this' while I was too weak to control you."

The voice inside his head chuckled.

"So you're playing this on both sides, whatever they are."

"I, my little slave, am only on my side, and I like to keep my options open. Unfortunately, I am running out of those rather fast. For now, you can trust me when I say I want to stop what's coming just as much as you will when you understand. After that, we shall see."

"You know what?" Leo suddenly turned to the earthpony, strange determination burning in his eyes, "After the asskicking we got, I sure could go for some - did you say completely legal? - improvement. So yeah, I'm listening. Umm, wait, I'm too full to listen. Give me a moment."

He trotted away towards the toilets.

"He can't be serious!"

"Unicorns and power, it's always the same."

"Damn, right," Straw hiccuped, "I'll be right back, sir drug dealer. You've got pretty good beer here in Manehattan."

Pretending to stumble on his way, the hippogriff rushed after Leo.

What he wasn't expecting was the white unicorn trembling in front of a mirror while filling the sink before him with cold water.

"Leo?"

"The. Vigil."

"You know about them?"

"Yesterday, when you went out for a walk, I wandered around the mansion, trying to find out more about the guys who 'saved' us. I stumbled upon a conversation between Fortune and Cromach. It was about some massacre those two were connected with. I listened through the door, pretending to be exploring the mansion whenever a patrol came. It turned out Fortune was sent to Canterlot to recover after a failed mission against the Vigil guys. I really don't want to bother you with details about what they sent against Cromach, and what he did to them."

"I know most of it, Fortune told me herself. During the walk yesterday I met Blaze, who filled me in on some more details. To be honest, I came here to persuade you not to go with the guy."

For a second, Leo looked hurt, then he just chuckled to himself.

"I... I do come off as somepony who would do that, don't I? Can't really blame you, the more powerful unicorns are the more they want, be it magic, influence, or wealth."

"Leo, you know what the best part is?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wrong," Straw hugged the unicorn.

"Hey, hey, calm down, Strawberry! I'm fine, I'm fine!" he pushed the hippogriff away, but smiled and patted him on his back, "Now, I also have a really dumb idea."

"Me no like."

"Come on, we can prove we aren't totally useless. We might not be able to fight the half-immortal cheaters using broken amount of magic, but can we refuse an opportunity to find them like this?"

"Okay, what if this is a trap? After... Blaze, we really know we can't fight them. Granted, the Order members have no idea where the Vigil guys are now, after the last raid, but-"

"Good, then we can be useful! Logically, do you think we've been here long enough or that we are important enough for them to know who we are? If we come off as Order members then we'll just say we're there to train to become Royal Guards. After all, I'm a spoiled, rich brat, whose wealthy parents just don't want him to spend time away from them in some filthy barracks, right? What can possibly go wro-"

Straw put a talon on Leo's mouth.

"I'm willing to try, but I don't trust the 'plan' enough to let you finish that sentence."

"Hah! Knew I'd get you to agree. Now we can prove-"

"To Fortune that you're actually doing this for her, not the Order," Straw grinned evilly.

"-SHUTUP!"

Pretending to be a tomato once again, Leo marched out of the bathroom. Snickering to himself, Straw followed.

"So, lead the way, mister Vigil," Leo was swaying, pretending to be a lightweight, "Time to put your mouth where your words are  *hic*  your bread where your mouth is... or whatever the commoners say these days. You know? If ponies don't keep their word, we nobles just send them off to prison."

"I'm sure you will not be disappointed," the earthpony smiled.

Straw didn't talk much during their trip through Manehattan, mostly because he was trying as hard as he could to remember the way for later, Leo was pretending to be barely awake after drinking far too much, and the earthpony seemed just happy they were following him.

"If you thought what I did at the bar was amazing, just wait till you see what the older members and grandmaster can do."

"Hmm?" Straw mumbled, "Sorry, first time in Manehattan. If I don't watch where I'm going I'll never get back. This is a pretty huge city."

"Don't worry about that. If you want to stay over night then we have some lodgings, it's not far."

"Oh, thanks. So, you said you could use magic. Doesn't it somehow, I don't know, weaken you as an earthpony or something?"

"Good guess! Yes, since earthpony magic concerns stamina, me using spells is pretty exhausting. It's a start though. From what I heard, the older members can change their bodies to suit what they want and even use magic without any drawbacks."

"Changelings?"

"No, real ponies, no bugs. They have recieved more gifts from the Watcher than us, the newbies."

"The Watcher?" Straw shivered. There was something nagging him, but he couldn't remember what exactly. Something... something from the maze?

"The Watcher... eyes... Observers?!"

"Pretend ignorance, slave!"

"Who is this Watcher? Somepony like the princesses, an alicorn or something?"

"Not at all. The Watcher has watched this world since its creation, leaving all species evolve and perfect themselves. He left us means to protect ourselves from all threats, we just had to prove we were capable of using them. Since we are still here, we've apparently done a good job. The alotted time is nearing the end though, and since we haven't proven ourselves evolved enough, he comes to allow us, the worthy, to ascend. He brings change which will be fueled by the lives of the unworthy."

"Well, that couldn't sound more evil even if somepony really tried," Straw muttered.

The earthpony, apparently, had very good hearing.

"Heh heh, that's true. That part is supposed to be a long-term goal, for now we just recieve the potion and show how much we can grow."

"Potion? I KNEW it was drugs!" Straw chuckled.

"Drugs are temporary, Watcher's gift is eternal. It is said the Grandmaster is immortal and can command powers beyond the understanding of the royal sisters."

"Cool!"

Straw knew he'd changed in Canterlot, but he would have never guessed that he would be only playing the dumb, awestruck hick, not really being one.

With that, he returned to remembering every step they took.

Right until they reached a large, square building, made partially from wood and partially of metal, in an industrial part of Manehattan.

"A warehouse?" Leo sneered, "I was expecting something more from ponies commanding powers out of this plain of existence."

"Physical possessions mean very little to us. After all, the veterans do not need to eat or drink, and they can change their bodies to be comfortable under any circumstances. What use would some extravagant mansion be? But hey, you will soon understand."

They entered a small door, a side entrance to the warehouse, without any control or password. The inside was mostly open space, with several large containers, but a part of the warehouse had been walled-off, probably to serve as office space. There wasn't too much bustle around, only several ponies sitting and staring into nowhere.

"This looks like a crack den... without the fun part," Leo mumbled.

"The Watcher's gift grants enhanced senses, among other things. They are exploring the worlds within themselves. I, for one, find it restful. Oh well, do you wish to come with me for the potion or do you want a moment to gather yourselves? The first experience is always... taxing."

"So, you'll just give it to us, no questions asked?"

"Yes. I'm not lying, this is just an another way of reaching your true potential, which is the Watcher's wish."

Leo stumbled and dropped on his rump.

"Brrrr, as long as yoo come back with a mug, I'm fine wit 'nything."

"Erm, I should keep an eye on him. Does your potion thingy have any side-effects when combined with alcohol?"

"Yes, eventually," the earthpony nodded, "Just like all poisons, it allows your body to become immune to it."

"Woooow," Straw smiled and sat down to Leo, while the earthpony left. Watching him carefully, Straw saw him go through a wooden door to a walled-off area of the warehouse.

"Okay," all hints of Leo's drunkenness were gone, "What now? This really looks like some back alley behind a cheap disco."

"I don't know, wait for the famous potion? How bad can some moonshine be?-"

Leo looked meaningfully at the wasted-looking, unaware ponies.

"-Point taken. Can we punch our way out if things go south?"

"I still have my telekinesis, and you have your talons. It's not much, but as long as they don't come heavily armed it might be enough. I'd prefer seeing their Gift, quietly sneaking out, coming back to the mansion, and sicking the crazy alicorn on them."

"Sounds like a plan. Terrible, but I don't have a better one. Should we work out some secret signals or-"

"Shush, he's coming back," Leo hissed, looking behind Straw. He put his goofy smile back on, and waved to the earthpony carrying some sort of a corked vial in his mouth.

When he approached them, he laid the vial down. It was filled up to the cork with some sort of grey mist, swirling and billowing inside its glass prison.

"That doesn't look like-" Straw mumbled.

"Shut up! It appears like this only to your eyes. The unicorn just sees it as water."

"So what is it?"

"Hmmm... he is taking a risk with this. Perhaps he isn't as powerful as I percieved him? Or perhaps he is just still too far..."

"NIGHTMARE!"

"It is distilled divine power. Their... 'Watcher' really granted them some of his power. Not much, though, seeing they still look like ponies. Their minds are drifting off as they should. Mortals aren't strong enough to bear his 'perfection'."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Will the potion hurt us, or what?"

Straw felt the presence inside him shift. Somehow, he could feel Nightmare thinking hard about its next words.

"His influence over this world might not be as strong as I believed, which means these Vigil ponies might be instrumental in his return. I can't tell you much more yet, it would endanger me too much. For now, all you need to know is that you mustn't drink that thing. With me inside you, it will tear you apart."

"How about Leo?"

"Hmmm, a small amount like this shouldn't cause too much trouble. It will undoubtedly affect his natural abilites, telekinesis and his preferred magic, but the side-effects should be minor at best. I wouldn't stay around for a second dose, if I were him."

Nightmare moved Straw's head towards one of the mumbling, dizzy ponies.

"So, this is your first step towards perfection, guys. Who's taking the first swig? The vial is enough for both of you."

"Erm," Straw hesitated, "I think my noble host should do the honors."

"Of courrshe," Leo waved his hoof, "Let nobility do all the work, pea- *hic* -sant!"

Golden glow appearing around the vial, it flew towards Leo's mouth. Even the unicorn couldn't hide his curiosity. After all, lust for power was something of a natural trait.

"HRK-" Leo's eyes bulged as he got about halfway through the vial, and he collapsed on the floor, spasming, twitching, and gasping for breath. The container remained floating in the air, likely held by the earthpony's unseen magic.

"LEO!" Straw reached to him, but the earthpony put his hoof on the hippogriff's shoulder.

"This is normal, the body is absorbing the Gift. It is... taxing, but he will be fine."

"He better be..." Straw muttered, grinding his talons into the stone floor.

"Don't bring attention to yourself! I can sense the change, and his magic is flowing more freely, which requires the ethereal 'paths' inside his body to widen. It's not enough to tear him to bits. Unless something unexpected happens then he should just be more like the eye-hurting unicorn mare, Connotation, Coincidence, or whatever her name is."

"Contradiction."

"Amusing, you say it as if I should care."

Straw twitched in sympathy with every groan and gasp of the obviously tortured unicorn. He wondered how it must have felt, insides stretching to the breaking point without being allowed to blissfully pass out. He quickly gave up on that line of thought, and just prayed to Celestia he hadn't made a horrible mistake.

"So, how about you?" the earthpony smiled, and Straw froze.

Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! What now?

"Think of something or you'll envy the damn unicorn for the rest of your very short existence!"

"Errm, yeah, right," Straw grasped the vial.

"Sorry, Leo."

Hoping he wouldn't hurt the unicorn too much, Straw stumbled drunkenly backwards, raised the vial to the air, and proclaimed loudly:

"Bottomsh up- HYAH!"

And, just as planned, stepped on Leo while backing up.

He felt the tug of the earthpony's magic on the vial in his grasp, but refused to let go. Reflexively, he tried to slow down his fall with his taloned foreleg. Specifically, the one holding the glass. While the essence inside the vial might have been eternal, the container itself wasn't, and it shattered, cutting Straw as he fell right on the scattered shards.

"Oopsh... s-shorry, I'll pay for it or sumthing," he looked desperately at the earthpony.

"It... it's alright. I'll come back with more. Wait a moment, and keep an eye on your friend."

"I'm really sh- sorry!"

As soon as he was in the clear, Straw pulled all the shards out of himself. The strange mist was still clinging to the floor.

"Okay, we got a minute or two. Any ideas? Should we somehow gather the grey stuff and bring back to the Order?"

"Hmmm, good idea."

The mist swirled, and gradually formed a ball in Straw's talons.

"This should hold for a while. Put it in your bag and think of a way to get out of here as soon as possible."

Unfortunately, this time the earthpony came rushing out of the office space almost immediately.

Grinding his teeth, Straw noticed he wasn't carrying anything.

"Well, it seems we're out of the Gift for now, but don't worry, we should have more in an hour or so."

"So, you're not mad?"

"It is just a matter of time, and time is on our side."

"Thanks. How long does this usually take?" Straw softly nudged Leo.

"Several minutes. I can leave you alone if you want. He won't be too thrilled to see me when he wakes up. Just tell him to take things slowly and he'll be fine. I have to go out again to look for lost souls in need of help. Somepony will tell you when the new Gift is finished."

"Good luck."

With that, the earthpony marched towards the warehouse exit.

Minutes of Leo wheezing and pawing at the floor passed, and finally his erratic breathing slowed down.

"Leo?" Straw leaned down to his muzzle.

"Punch... you..."

"Sorry, but Nightmare told me drinking it would kill me."

"Still... punch... face..."

"Just breathe, you big hero. I know you took it just because I was worried," Straw lied.

"Felt... like shit. Needed... no, wanted... power."

Dumbstruck, Straw just stared.

Not looking at him, Leo just lay there.

"I like my version better," Straw smiled, and patted Leo's side.

"Simpleton..."

"I COULD have stepped on you harder."

"...retracted."

The promised hour was up. Fortunately, nopony had arrived with another drink yet. Even more fortunately, Leo was finally able to stand up again.

"Feeling better?"

"Weird, more likely. The quick nap, well, passing out, helped, though."

"Are we getting out of here then?"

"Yeah," Leo looked around, "I see the druggies are still out of it."

"They haven't moved since we came. So, is your telekinesis better or something?"

"Eh, what?"

"Nightmare said the potion should have improved your magic somehow."

"Oh... kay?" Leo looked at the hippogriff suspiciously, and focused on the money pouch on his belt.

*Thud!* *Clink!*

"OW!" Straw rubbed his muzzle after being hit by a fist made of gold coins.

"Craaaaaap..." Leo groaned, slowly collapsing on the floor again.

"Yeah, it also said you'd suffer the same problems as Connie."

"Should have... punched you... harder," huffed the unicorn, trying unsuccessfully to gather himself again.

"Still, that HURT!"

"Yeah, I just meant to throw it at you, not rip my belt clean off and slam it straight in your face."

"Well, more rest?"

"Yeah, I can barely stand, much less run somewhere."

"Right. We're leaving as soon as we can."

The click of the office door opening again made Straw turn his head. It seemed their luck was running out as a hooded unicorn was levitating another vial and walking meaningfully towards them.

"You could just tell them you got cold hooves," Leo whispered.

"For some reason, I'm pretty sure I'd end up staring at walls and having no clue who or what I am."

"So..."

"If they start something then I'll sling you over my back, and you'll blast anypony or anything that comes too close."

"And you said my plans were stupid."

"What plans?" the unicorn took his hood off, and smiled, "Did our friend tell you that the Gift also improves your senses? Such as... you know... hearing?"

From behind the nearby freight containers two more 'ponies' stepped out.

"Or the ability to move unnoticed," one of them finished the thought.

Straw could wonder about the strange padding on their hooves allowing them to move without making a sound. He could also wonder about how their tails looked more like reptile ones, ending in blades. Or possibly about the one of them whose coat was changing into scales as he walked towards them. All that was stored for later reference, because each one of the Vigils was missing their left foreleg. Instead, there was a limb of twisted, black muscle ending in tentacle-like talons.

"Just like Blaze?"

"Putting it together, slave?"

"No, he can't be an ex-Vigil. Isn't he supposed to be a founding member of the Order or something? The Vigil came quite recently. Does it have something to do with you calling him a traitor?"

"I'll take that as no. You'll have to work harder if you don't want to end like them."

"Fine, I don't have time to argue. Can you just empower me like you did against Blaze?"

"No, not now. To preserve my secrecy and the integrity of my cover, I can only protect you a little, not give you the power to antagonize his servants directly."

"DAMN! Do that then."

The strange trio surrounded Straw. It seemed that Leo, still lying on the ground, was not threatening enough for them.

"Would your 'Order' be, by any chance, the Silver Sun?" their apparent leader chuckled, "It seems that last time it wasn't enough. No matter, now that we know what the griffon is capable of we are prepared."

Straw knew one thing - if they were allowed to get closer then they would immobilize him easily. He had to take the first step.

Spreading his wings, he launched himself straight at the leading unicorn, talons ready.

Something wrapped around him and plucked him out of the air. Turning his head in panic, he identified the tentacles binding him right as one of the ponies behind him faced him. His twisted leg had apparently lenghtened, and each muscle strand had transformed into what was now Straw's prison.

"Silly creature, we are the harbingers of perfection," said all three of them in unison, "We are close to becoming the ultimate creature, one mind, one goal, many entities. You cannot kill us, you cannot fight us."

"Wanna bet?" growled something behind the one holding Straw, and the air blurred.

Green sparks flashing out of nowhere, Straw recognized a familiar black shape lunging at the Vigil member. The blades on the back of Three's forelegs cut into the Vigil just like they had done to Connie hours earlier, and her teeth quickly parted the body and the head.

Before Three even touched the floor, she threw something to Straw.

"Make two interlocking circles. Black and white."

She couldn't continue as another tentacle arm attempted to catch her.

"COME!" proclaimed the trio's leader loudly. A quick glance revealed that the mindless ponies slowly awoke from their stupor, the door to the office space shot open, and many more came running to the storage area.

With the two more transformed Vigils chasing after Three, Straw had to punch several normal ponies, but with the amount coming inside he knew he wouldn't last long.

"Take the filly horseshoes off if you want to live. KILL THEM!"

The moment of confusion was enough for Nightmare to make the suggestion a reality. Before Straw could regain control, his talons impaled the closest attacker.

"Wha-?" he stared at his bloody talons, world around him momentarily forgotten.

"WHY? He was just a pony!"

"It's about time you understood - you are not a knight in shining armor. Remember what the traitor alicorn said. If you don't trust me, trust him, at least for now."

Biting his lip, Straw punched one of the many closing in on him.

"NO! I'm not a murderer, and I won't become one! I wanted to become a Guard to protect others, not harm them."

"Foalish thoughts! There is no victory without a sacrifice! KILL OR BE KILLED! You and everypony around you will suffer if you fail."

The tugging on his mind was almost irresistible... almost. Focusing on the feeling he remembered from when Blaze gave him that 'something' to chain the Nightmare inside, he suppressed the red veil around him. He would kick and punch, but he wouldn't slice or impale...

...and he would lose.

As the wave of ponies washed over him, he ended up on his back, every leg being sat on by a different pony. One straddled his chest, and punched.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Ag-

The punch was stopped by a golden haze surrounding the hippogriff.

"Leo?"

The pony raised his front legs to stomp at the magical barrier. A surge of energy passed through the shield.

The hooves came down.

The shield exploded, scattering everypony all over the warehouse.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," mumbled the unicorn, barely able to move his mouth, and drooling on the stone floor.

"Thanks!" Straw dizzily got back up, and looked for the thing Three had thrown to them.

It was a bag full of black and white stones.

"Circles, circles."

He knew what the ornament was. He hadn't looked at it directly before, but he knew it was Blaze's cutie mark.

It was almost done when something hit him hard in his side.

Realizing the wave of ponies had temporarily failed, one of the elder Vigils stopped fighting Three and focused on Straw.

"Resistance is futile, mortal. We shall-"

*BOOM!*

Orange light erupted from Leo, who was looking at the Vigil exhaustedly.

"You should... watch your surroundings instead of... gloating," the unicorn was sitting in front of the finished stone circles.

"You worthless whelp!" in a blink of an eye, the Vigil shot out his arm tentacles straight at Leo. Right through the orange glow.

Something deflected the blow, and the tentacles shattered the stone floor nearby.

"Don't touch my students, no matter how annoying or stupid they are," Cromach stepped out of the light, battleaxe at the ready.

"Hahahahahaha, you presume we haven't learned since last time, griffon."

Charging straight towards Cromach, the Vigil's coat turned to scales. The ambassador's double-headed battleaxe met with the armor in a shower of sparks, but while the Vigil got flung away, he was not hurt in the slightest.

"That can't be good," Cromach shook his head, "Straw, grab Leo and get out. The portal is one-way only."

He couldn't say more as the Vigil attacker's long fangs snapped an inch away from his neck.

"Leo, you are awesome," Straw rushed to the sitting unicorn.

"Heh, I know. Now carry me, slave!"

"I don't need another being calling me that," smiling like an idiot, Straw pulled Leo on his back.

"Stop them!" yelled the Vigil fighting Cromach. For his wavering attention he recieved a blow to his neck. The armored scales held, though, "Fine, I'll deal with you first."

The common Vigils who had been scattered by the explosion of Leo's shield were Straw's only problem now.

"We have a wounded, commence extraction," yelled Connie, stepping out of the portal.

Walter, jumping right behind her, didn't take even a second to recollect his thoughts and rushed straight to Straw. Before the hippogriff had to turn his head back to the wave of ponies stopping him, he saw a long barrel following Walter through the portal.

A second later the nearest pony's head exploded.

Fortune's expression, as she was reloading, was terrifying. Normal ponies or not, they were Vigil members. Thus, they were... responsible.

Several fallen ponies later, the Vigils realized they weren't immortal like the older members, left Straw and Leo, and ran towards the main entrance.

"No," Fortune mumbled to herself, counted to three, and threw a grenade, "You don't deserve to live, filth."

They had no idea what happened.

Straw, still inching towards the side entrance, had. Charred bodies and blood splattered everywhere, the few who survived just crumbled on the floor, sobbing.

"They are just ponies!" Straw yelled.

"No, they are the fuel of progress," said another elder Vigil, coming out of the office space. With a flick of his twisted arm, all non-elder Vigils collapsed. Even Leo groaned on Straw's back.

"Damn... that... hurt!"

Straw breathed out, realizing Leo wasn't affected as much as the others.

With no more obstacles, the duo got out of the building. The fresh air of Manehattan night was invigorating beyond belief, especially after Fortune's revenge. Few moments later, the rest of Hoof Of Fate followed.

"I will leave all insults for later. Now, let's get back to the mansion," ordered Contradiction.

"How did you find us?" Straw asked.

"Three was following you on Blaze's orders. When you got here, she ran back to the mansion and told him everything."

"Well, I guess I should be thankful she wants to bite my head off that much," Straw mumbled, "Wait, we need to help! Neither Cromach nor Three could even hurt the Vigils when they armored up, and it's three on two right now."

"No," Connie said firmly, "Our orders are to get the two of you out and get back."

"Fine, grab Leo, he can barely move, but we can't leave Cromach and Three there alone. No matter how much I want to crap myself whenever the dreamling is around."

"Orders," Contradiction's oversized blade floated to Straw's neck, "They know we would only get in the way."

"THEY CAN'T HURT THEM, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

"And why do you suppose we can, then?"

"We can be a distraction!"

"Protect me, Nightmare."

"For whom? Hey-!"

Straw stepped straight against Connie's blade, which clanked harmlessly against his neck.

"Cromach and Three can do much more than we can, that's why we need to make sure they are alright. Take care of Leo!"

Without further ado, he dropped the unicorn from his back,-

"Gnng... buck... you!"

-ran back inside,...

...and felt like a moron.

At the speed the two Vigils facing Cromach were moving, Straw knew his only achievement would be taking a blow for the ambassador at best. Three was dodging the best she could, but neither of them was able to hurt their opponent. It was only a matter of time before fatigue claimed them.

The portal was gone, which meant nopony else was going to come. Nopony followed him inside, which also meant the rest of the group was following orders, while he was just standing there like an idiot.

"They will lose."

"Then you better run, I'm not involving myself."

"I'm going to help."

"You'll get smashed."

"Not if you help."

"No, even if I do."

"What?"

"The stupid traitor's act drained me far too much. I can protect you from one or two blows, but I can't get through their armor. They are infused with more divine power that I can muster right here and now. I don't know how it is possible, but they are bringing the end closer willingly. Well, Harmony has always been a good liar..."

"Harmony?"

"I SAID NOTHING!"

"I will either go back to the Order, leave Cromach and Three here to die, and tell Blaze and baron Hoof everything you even hinted at, or you can help me here and now. The result is the same, you have nowhere to hide anymore. Whoever this Harmony is will know you are the source of what little I know, and your safe way out of this will be gone."

"What do you want?"

"Can you show yourself like you did back at Canterlot?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just do it! Control me or something!"

"I can't! The damn alicorn bound me."

"Then just flaunt your power! Show everypony miles away that you are here."

"I don't-"

"No more hiding. We are the only side willing to let you live right now."

"We will have words, hippogriff."

Something like a shockwave came out of Straw. It didn't move anything, it barely rippled the air around. It succeeded in bringing everypony's attention to him, though.

"Uhh, hi? You see, this was supposed to-" he spun towards the door...

...which wasn't there anymore.

"Reality is as we make it," said the three Vigils in unison, "As the Watcher comes closer, his influence makes our wishes come true. Power, perfection, immortali- GLK?!"

Incredulously, he looked at the black shard coming out of his neck.

"You wanted to lure the traitor? Hahahahaha, smart slave."

"Crom, Three, take Straw Basket and go home," said Blaze, appearing out of the reopened portal, "I'll clean this up, since the fools finally decided to come into the light."

Using the moment to breathe Blaze's teleport gave them, both the griffon and the dreamling rushed towards Straw. Turning around, he saw the door was right where it should be again, and ran.

As Cromach and Three caught up to him, he saw a hint of anger in the ambassador's eyes, but that was drowned in gratitude.

"Sometimes rules are just guidelines," Straw grinned.

"Thanks."

Behind them, the warehouse burst into flames, consuming it and wiping away every memory such place had ever existed.

The Grandmaster

Straw, Connie, Walter, and Fortune were currently standing at attention while watching the bronze alicorn uncomfortably. It wasn't helping that they had been doing so for past five minutes without any result, and by now their nerves could be used to restring a guitar.

After they had returned to the mansion from the semi-successful rescue of Leo and Straw, the afflicted unicorn had been carried away somewhere by Cromach, and the rest of the group had marched right up into Blaze's office where the alicorn had been waiting already.

At last, whatever had Blaze been doing with the papers on his desk was done, and he looked up at them. It was obvious he had something unpleasant to say, but that he didn't really want to.

"So," he said quietly. Contradiction, of all ponies, twitched, gritting her teeth, "What should I do with you?"

They stayed quiet, barely breathing.

"First of all, what were you and mister Goldhorn thinking? Especially when you knew what the Vigil was capable of."

It wasn't just a rhetorical question masking an insult, Blaze was actually waiting for Straw's answer. Straw pondered making up something which would make the alicorn blow up less, but he wasn't a liar, and from all he'd managed to gather about Blaze, it felt as if he valued truth and honesty above everything.

"Leo... we thought that if we just followed the Vigil member, said we got cold hooves, and went home, then we would return with the information about their new base. You said they went to hiding after sir Cromach raided their last base. At worst, we believed we would be able to cause a distraction and run away if they somehow knew about us. To be honest, we didn't think too much about what they had done to your... first group. It sounded like something blown out of proportions to scare us so we didn't involve ourselves with them. On top of that, we were a bit drunk. I'm... sorry."

"Out... of... proportions?"

There was only one being who could grab Straw's mane and pull so hard he hissed in pain.

"Calm down, Fortune," Blaze's words stopped the satyr from ripping parts of it out, "Words rarely convey their meaning to the hard-headed. I suppose this was Leo's idea, am I right?"

"Do I have to answer that?" Straw looked aside nervously. It was true, but he didn't want to cause his friend trouble, especially after what Leo had said at the bar.

The silence went on and on.

"-Yes. I wanted to leave, but Leo presented some good arguments. It didn't look that dangerous, honestly."

"What did you want out of it? Fame, thanks, some reward?"

"We- we just wanted to help, to be useful. After the training... it was stupid, but neither of us did anything. Leo just got stabbed, and the only thing I did without Nightmare's help was stare like an idiot as the rest of us... died one by one. If we couldn't be of any use in real fight, then we could at least bring some information. We don't have fancy tools like Fortune has, we don't have telekinesis able to raze a building like Connie, and neither of us went through a life-threatening training like Walter. All that, and none of it mattered anyway. We wanted to be useful in the only way we thought possible."

Looking at the floor, Straw just heard Blaze sigh.

"Well, at least I messed you up less than I thought, but what's done is done. Next time just remember that all the others have been training far longer than both of you. You need each other, because none of you can go against these enemies solo. Not even Crom could anymore, which brings us to the next thing, the scary one. Since last time, Vigils have adapted to a certain level of physical damage, which means that they can communicate and share knowledge without words. So, now they know about all of you, AND are highly resistant to physical damage someone as strong as Crom can cause. Do you realize what MY presence there might have caused?"

"That can't be..." Connie put two and two together.

"Unfortunately, I don't know how likely it is. However, if they can really figure out a way to resist my abilites, then may heavens help us all. That means one important thing - we might only have one more chance at dealing with them before I have to reveal all I can do. That also means that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES you are to repeat what you did tonight. Unless we can figure out how they can adapt, then we have to show as little as possible."

"OH!" Straw's eyes shot open. He quickly grasped for his saddlebag, "Would this help?"

Presenting a grey, swirling cloud, Straw couldn't help but smile. They HAD brought something useful.

"What is that?" Blaze furrowed his brows.

"Why is that water levitating?" asked Connie at the same time.

"Hm? Water?" Blaze looked at her, not understanding.

"Right, Nightmare said we'd see it differently, and Leo saw it only as some sort of drink. To me it looks like-"

"A grey, shifting mist?" Blaze finished to Straw's quick nodding, "I see. This is divine power, an indestructible substance forming gods and, to a lesser degree, alicorns. Something about it feels off, though. I wonder..."

Forming two small puddles, he put one on his hoof, and one on his twisted arm.

"Now, I should be the only being capable of doing this," immediately, one of the puddles' greyness seeped into Blaze's hoof, and the rest trickled down as water. Blaze's eyes went wide for a second, "That can't be right. What would be... the... point...?"

"Sir?" Straw carefully broke the deepening silence.

"No... it makes perfect sense! Just like Discord, just like Nightmare... Harmony is EXACTLY the same! We're just their parts! Creation, destruction, and the existence inbetween, but too much of each breaks the system. Too much power for Discord means boundless creation, dead ends of all evolution branches, beings which live for a second because they can't survive longer. They HAVE to die in agony, because their bodies just don't work. Discord is the force of BLIND creation. If Nightmare becomes too powerful then the cycle is too short, existence too unbearable, the life drains away faster than it can return. However, BLIND destruction leaves nothing in the end, not even the god itself, because it dies last, but still dies. What is Harmony then, blind Harmony? Perfect 'existence inbetween'... adaptation... evolution."

Blaze's eyes glowed, turning into large, blue spheres.

"Siiiiir?" Connie prodded the motionless alicorn.

"Screw this," Fortune aimed her rifle at him.

"Wait, what?!"

*BLAM!*

"YOU CAN'T SOLVE EVERYTHING WITH FIREPOWER!" Connie yelled, her magic bending the gun's barrel.

Too late.

In the microsecond of the gunpowder explosion, something like a black unicorn shadow stepped 'out' of Blaze and caught the bullet mid-air. As its darkness regained color, the blue mane and pink eyes revealed the appearing unicorn as Mistake, the magic teacher accompanying Starlight.

"Okay, what the hay is going on here, and why are you shooting at us?"

Straw just pointed at Blaze locked in his trance, mumbling incoherently to himself.

"Oh buck me!" Mistake disappeared.

A moment later, Blaze snapped out of it, sweat pouring off him and breathing heavily.

"Note to self," he wiped his forehead, "Infinite knowledge is still a bit too much for normal minds to handle. Thank heavens Mistake noticed-"

His gaze fell on Fortune's still smoking gun.

"-did you trigger my emergency safeguard spell?"

"Errrrm," Fortune took a step towards the door, "What answer is less likely to corpsify me?"

Blaze's eye twitched. Fortune's back scraped against the door.

"In my defense, you looked like Straw when he was possessed back in Canterlot pleasedon'tmakemyeverythingblowup!"

"Just that... no remaining resentment for making you relive your entire unit dying again," Blaze said, surprisingly calmly.

"Maybe... just a little?"

*Thump!*

Blaze slammed his face into his desk.

*ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump!*

"Should we... do something?" Straw asked.

*ThumpThumpThump!*

"I've still got a shotgun."

*ThumpThump!*

"NO MORE SHOOTING!" Connie smacked Fortune over the head with her oversized sword. Luckily for the satyr, it was still sheathed.

"But it WORKED!"

*Smack* *ThumpThumpThumpThump!*

"Don't be jealous just because my leadership decisions are better than yours!" Fortune sneered.

"What did you say?!"

"Ummm, Walter? Perhaps we should get out of the blast radius," Straw commented uncertainly.

To credit the griffon, he only hesitated for a moment, then firmly shook his head. Straw sighed.

"I said that if Straw obeyed YOUR decision back at the warehouse, Cromach and Three would have been dead now!"

"Umm, I wasn't really THAT useful-"

Well, at least, when all this was over and they dug through the rubble of the mansion, Straw could honestly say he'd tried to stop it.

"I didn't see YOU disagreeing when it was time to turn tail and run. For having only two legs, you sure outran me, coward! After seeing how you acted tonight with my own eyes, I'm REALLY SURE that your reason for deserting your team last time was to 'at least return with information'. The brown streak you left behind you could have fooled anypony."

The hoof quotes were too much.

Quite obviously, because before Contradiction could react, she started, lived through, and happily ended, an intimate relationship with Fortune's fist.

"Assaulting a superior. Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this!" Connie sucked a bit of blood out of the corner of her mouth, and slowly grew a smile.

*ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump!*

"Ladies, we're not in a military, technically speaking-"

"SHUT UP!"

"QUIET!"

"Oooooh-kaaaay..."

With how bright the glow of Connie's horn was, Straw had no doubt she could rip Fortune in two with a thought. Some little semblance of self-control must have remained, because the satyr still had all four limbs-

"Enjoy? The only thing you enjoy is humping your collection of griffon dildos while gagged and smacking your ass with a book of Order rules!"

-nevermind.

Walter blushed.

Connie looked at him. Everything would have been fine if she just looked him in the face.

Unfortunately, the very clear mental image Fortune had presented made the poor black and white mare look... elsewhere.

Walter looked away and shifted nervously.

Tears welled up in Connie's eyes.

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!" she screeched.

Chaos.

When the grey cloud of crumbling walls settled down, Straw breathed out.

The entire wall of Blaze's office was gone, and there were cracks in the hallway behind it. They were standing in the wreckage of bookshelves and papers strewn everywhere, BUT, one big but, all of them were still standing, although probably not of their own volition. In front of Fortune, there hovered a blackfrost shield which melted when there was no threat of a second strike.

Both Connie and Fortune were trembling.

Fortune fell on her butt.

Connie ran away.

Walter's gaze alternated between Blaze and the empty hall echoing with hoofsteps. A single set running away at first, but gradually more and more coming towards the ruined office.

*Thump!*

The alicorn performed a well-practiced ten out of ten facedesk, and then just waved Walter off.

"Just go after her and don't let go until she calms down," he looked at the mess of papers and destroyed books, "Heavy will kill me. As for you two..."

Straw nudged Fortune, who just leaned against him.

"Contradiction's decision was technically correct. The overall plan for dealing with Vigil was to not involve me until a decisive confrontation can be arranged."

Straw hung his head low. Fortune bit her lip.

"I am sorry," he whispered.

"Three's orders were to sacrifice herself for Crom, and she knows how important he is to me. However, I know the idiot well enough to realize he would have never followed such a plan and fought until the end. Straw," Blaze smiled. It was the happiest he'd ever seen the alicorn be. Granted, he'd seen Blaze only several times before, but it had to count for something, "you prevented that. I cannot thank you enough. If something happened to him... the world could rot for all I care."

"Huh?"

"I said you and Fortune were going to help me with the damn accounting! Contradiction and Walter will join you as soon as I'm sure THIS won't happen again, or at least not in the office."

"Why meeeee?" Straw wailed, but it was mostly for show. He didn't mind learning something new.

"Do you want to leave your teammates just to save yourself?"

Straw nudged Fortune.

"Where and when?"

The next week was a blur. Between training, helping Blaze with paperwork, and spending a ton of time bedridden from wounds and aching muscles, Straw didn't have time to enjoy Manehattan. Unfortunately, when his body got used to going through a wringer and when he became proficient enough NOT to get seriously hurt during every combat practice, he realized one very important thing.

He had no money.

Aside from what little bit he'd saved from his recruit pay when he'd been at Canterlot, he had nothing. The Order took care of food, clothes, and a roof over his head, but unlike Canterlot, they didn't pay him anything.

So, here he was, on this early winter afternoon, still aching but bored, watching Blaze and Cromach go against each other on the training grounds. It was better than lying on the bed in his room, but not by much. At least this spectacle had some really nice special effects. However, he was doubtful, just like many times since the Vigil thing, anything he could see here would be helpful during real practice, but there was always a chance.

Blaze wasn't attacking much, just dodged and blocked the blows of Cromach's double-headed battleaxe as well as he could. Straw had asked about it the first time he'd watched them, and the answer was simply that Blaze's attacks were too deadly to use for practice. Having gone through the 'death' scenario, Straw had to agree. Apparently, the arena in which the Hoof of Fate got completely and utterly crushed had been created with the help of Starlight and Shadowstep, and it was a too draining procedure to be used for casual sparring.

As Cromach's axe cleaved through both Blaze's ice wings, scattering shards everywhere, Straw pondered the meaning of 'casual'. Once again, his mind returned to Canterlot, the place he'd ran from in fear of the Observers.

"Do you think I could return there and be able to take care of myself?"

"You? Of course not. With my help? Probably. You gaining strength allows me to use more power while inside you."

"I'm flattered and worried at the same time."

"Unfortunately, it seems we're in this together until the bitter end. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I believe it might be time to share some of my knowledge, although the damn betrayer knows all of it anyway. By the way, don't lie to yourself and say you're here for your protection anymore, you're a prisoner."

Straw just smiled sadly, but nodded.

"I know, but they are just scared of me... well, you. They are truly nice ponies, although sometimes it takes a good eye to see it."

He looked at Blaze, who had just tripped Cromach, and was taunting him by flaunting seductive poses. Straw wasn't sure how to feel about their relationship, but despite some of the normal recruits complaining about their gender or species, he just liked how open both of them were about it.

Eventually, he'd simply come to a conclusion that requited love was love, no matter between whom, and hoped fate had something good in store for him as well one day.

Alright, Blaze shaking his rump and Cromach saying that now he had both axe and a spear at his disposal was a little too much. Grinning, he yelled:

"Get a room, you two! I mean, get a room, sir- sirs!"

His talons hit his face as their only answer was:

"Later! And you better use heavy duty earplugs tonight."

At least they didn't act as if he was just some immature colt. Granted, from what he'd heard they weren't that much older, but still. During his jobs back home in Wild Bastion he'd recieved his fair share of patronizing, and he'd never felt anything like that during his stay here.

"WOOOOOW!" he couldn't help himself when Cromach, dual-wielding one-handed axes in his talons, swung the one held in his mechanical arm so hard it gave him lift, spun around mid-air, hit Blaze's blocking wing with the other one, and still had enough time floating with spread wings to tear the double-sided axe from the straps on his back, and use the rotation to shatter Blaze's defense completely.

It had to be pure skill and muscles of steel, but to Straw it may as well have been magic.

What WAS magic, was the bolt of lightning from the grey, but clear, sky striking Blaze right after the blow broke his wings.

The faintly smoldering alicorn shook his head, and shakily stood up.

"W-w-w-w-w-whaaa?" Blaze squealed loudly.

Blue, crackling sparks danced in Cromach's fur and feathers before fading. The duo then turned to poking and prodding each other to see what had just happened.

"What was THAT?"

"Heh, the thief felled by his own gift, what an irony."

"Could you, you know, stop talking in riddles, or is this just another thing you can't share yet?"

"This one is history. When me and the betrayer last clashed, he tried to siphon the divine power out of my last host, so I gave him all I had at the time in order to burn him alive. It was a good plan, and it SHOULD have worked. It would have worked, no mortal or even alicorn should survive bearing that much of my power without my control."

Straw raised an eyebrow at Nightmare's tone. Was the deity sulking?

"What happened?"

"The damn griffon happened! He chucked himself right into the flow of power between us without thinking, and the betrayer poured part of it into him. The amount of my power wasn't great enough to burn both of them in time, and my host got killed by somepony else while I was distracted. By all means the griffon should have died anyway, but it appears my possessing him for a short while before, coupled with his body's resilience and his willpower, allowed him to keep a little bit of me inside him. Now he's apparently grown enough to make it manifest, although still unintentionally."

"Can you control him, then?"

"With just that? No... too much willpower, too much dedication, too much drive. As long as the alicorn exists, the griffon's mind is like an untouchable fortress."

"So, Cromach used to be your host?"

"No, only the betrayer, but before he broke and gave in completely, he was saved by your blue-maned baron. My influence over the griffon was minor in comparison."

"Baron Heavy Hoof?"

The Nightmare just grumbled something in a language Straw didn't understand, but before he could ask anything more, a hoof landed on his shoulder.

"Hey! Watching the firefly and the ball lightning?" Leo's voice cut through the darkness. It seemed that Straw's internal conversation had taken more time on the outside. Either that, or the night had just come in one fell swoop.

Curious at the comment, Straw looked at the clanking of steel, and realized Blaze had switched into his phoenix form while Cromach's axe now slowly pulsed with blue sparks. Apparently, Blaze's fire wings had no defensive potential, but he moved much faster with them, so the two specks of colored light kept dancing in the night.

Leo had recovered quickly from the Watcher's Gift, but now he had to take the same classes as Connie to control his increased telekinetic power and NOT crush anything he tried to levitate.

"Hi, Leo. How was the 'special' magic training?"

Starlight had apparently offered Leo even more magic classes. Being a curious, and fairly horny, unicorn in his early twenties, he'd agreed. Their third lesson was supposed to be today.

"Don't YOU start as well! I get enough of it from the others."

"Even Walter?"

"Especially him! If he gives me the 'knowing look' one more time I'm gonna feed him to the damn changeling instead of me."

Straw couldn't help himself. Flustered Leo was just too precious.

"So... there was feeding..."

"I've never felt more like a piece of meat in my entire life," Leo sighed in defeat.

"Oh? Come on, you can tell me."

"No."

"Pleeeeeeeease!"

"Why? I didn't think you were into this stuff so much."

"I'm not! I'm just sooooooooo boooooooooored!"

"How come? This is Manehattan. The only ponies who are bored in Manehattan are those who live here."

"Or those who don't have two bits to rub together to have them make a third one."

"PLEASE... no more innuendos... ever."

"Starlight giving you a hard time?"

"That counts as one."

"THAT bad?"

"Okay, we've been here a week, and I've seen her 'accidentally' spill oil over herself eleven times, drop semi-explosive substances in front of me far too many times for me not to duck and cover when a leaf falls off a tree just so she could wave her rump in front of my face, and she's groped me under the guise of checking the progress of my physical training to report in case of health problems so much that if she does it one more time I get a free sandwich. Seriously... the damn changeling is a gold digger without the gold part. She would sleep with a three-legged crossbred colt who's been played basketball with after birth if he had some sort of a title. Every time she offers to make me a drink I have to watch her so she doesn't slip something in it!"

"So... THAT bad. Why don't you tell anypony?"

"Well," Leo blushed, "she's really good. I mean, she could easily teach other mages even in the most prestigious orders of Canterlot. She has centuries of experience, damn lucky changelings, and... okay, what do you want to hear? She's damn hot!"

"So, not THAT bad."

"Stop that! It's just frustrating to come back from the practice unable to think about anything other than a big, white flank until... ehm."

"Note to self - go for a walk before returing back to our room after training. You unicorns have it easy.-"

"Said the guy with the talons."

"Point taken. So... what's stopping you from saying yes to Starlight? I mean, if she's not in it for the money."

"Sure, a four centuries old changeling with apparently insatiable libido SOUND awesome, but-"

"Fortune," Straw interrupted.

"I will murder your entire family!"

"Go for it," the orphan shrugged.

"Damn leftovers and their immunity to threats against blood relatives! Please don't tell Fortune I said that. I'll give you money, everypony wants money, right?"

"Let me rephrase then, why don't you ask FORTUNE out then, if you're not comfortable with a free romp?"

"Don't be an idiot, she hates me."

"EVERYPONY hates you-"

Leo's eyes bulged.

"-until they get to know you."

"I'll, erm, think about it."

"Come on, follow your dreams, reach for the stars!" Straw wiggled his cutie mark.

"Stop shoving your rump into my face, I get enough of that as it is."

"Just try! What's the worst that can happen?"

"Face plus shotgun equals hole."

"Don't muddy the issue with your fancy mathematics! At least with the holes you'd be more attractive to any changeling."

"I hate you..." Leo admitted defeat, "Well, if you're so bored, why don't you ask for some guard shifts like the normal recruits do? Better than nothing, right? Or you could just do what the poor guys do - look for the statues."

"Statues?"

"Yeah, the hidden statues of Order members. I've got four already. Some are crazy hard to find, and are only easy to get for unicorns. Some, apparently, you need wings to get to."

"Let me start ya off," said a deep, sultry, and seductive voice out of nowhere. Something grabbed Straw's and Leo's heads, pushed them together, and then a pair of black legs appeared, each sporting a horseshoe with a blade pressed to their neck, "To get to mine, ya need to have the eyes of a Nightguard. Now, good night, and don't let the Observers bite."

Both of them froze, at least until the mare quickly kissed both of them, and the blades on her horseshoes slid back inside.

Red mane, black coat, red eyes with slit pupils, and several Nightguard insignia - it was the batpony mare who had saved Straw from being killed by Blaze back in Canterlot.

Ruffling their manes, she laughed, pushed them away, and walked towards Blaze and Cromach with tempting swaying of her hips.

"Darky!"

"Chokey!"

She hugged the duo doubtlessly sweating rivers without care.

With the commander of the Nightguard and princess Luna's bodyguard here in Manehattan, Straw knew the show was over for tonight.

Two days later, Straw broke and started his search. Unfortunately, walking aimlessly through the mansion apparently wasn't the way to go. With Leo 'suffering' during another magic lesson, Fortune doing something in the Order armory, Walter and Connie being nowhere to find, and the normal recruits going about their guard duties, Straw turned to his only company.

"Okay, the eyes of a Nightguard, what does that mean?"

"Go to the kitchen, grab the biggest spoon you can find, and slip a sleeping pill into Choking Darkness' drink."

"Anything LESS likely to lead to horrible pain for the rest of my shockingly short life?"

"Fine, I can see several weak traces of illusion magic all over the mansion. That must be the statues your unicorn friend, currently feeding the changeling whorse, meant."

"Are they really-?"

"Don't know, don't care in the slightest. Not worth wasting power watching."

"So, magic... damn."

"The spells are weak, probably meant to only work under certain conditions."

"Oh? So it might be possible for non-unicorns to find the statues."

"Quite likely."

The Nightmare sounded completely uninterested. Granted, Straw was doing this only out of crushing boredom, but a spark of curiosity was slowly growing as well. The statues were supposed to have uplifting and important insights written on them, so there was a chance for Straw to find a hidden meaning which would help him with his current predicament. After all, Nightmare knew all the Order members, perhaps they knew something about it as well.

He pulled out a small notepad with Darky's clue written inside.

"Nightguard eyes... perhaps I need to see well in the darkness. I've been taking a walk through the mansion every evening, though. Perhaps the building itself has to be dark? No, they wouldn't have a game interfere with security. So... outside."

He smiled.

"What do batponies do? Fly, patrol the night sky!"

With the course of action in front of him, he scribbled a note 'the roof at night?', and...

...what? He still had to wait, which meant returning to staring at the city into which he couldn't go anyway.

Perhaps it wasn't possible to find the statues without a clue, or it was too dependent on an accident. Recalling something, he trotted to the mansion entrance. In the main hall, there was a large pinboard filled with notes offering guard shift switching and other trades.

Indeed, some were the locations of Order statues or clues to them. Indeed, all of them required either bits, more clues, or services Straw wasn't really willing to perform. Strangely enough, most of the ponies asking were missing Blaze's statue.

"Damn it!"

Something came to him. Where was it said the clues were secret? Commander Darkness had given him hers without a care, so... perhaps he should just ask?

"That can't be right," he muttered to himself, "Somepony would have finished it if it was THAT easy."

He looked around at the empty mansion-

"Meh, better than this."

-and walked upstairs into baron Hoof's office.

"Ah, Straw! Blaze told me you're helping put my paperwork back together. Thank you," the white earthpony smiled from behind his desk, "Do you need anything?"

"Actually, it's a bit silly, but... can you give me a clue to where your statue is?"

Covering his muzzle with a hoof, Heavy snickered.

"Of course, of course. The clue is - right next to the mansion's main entrance."

"What? There's no statue there!"

"You heard me. Anything else?" Heavy added with a shifty smile.

"Erm... do you actually give these clues to anypony?"

"Yes," Heavy nodded.

"And nopony has found all of them yet?"

"The game is not THAT interesting, but no, we still have the free sandwich coupons in the vault. You'd be surprised how few ponies find the courage to come up to me and just ask."

"Oh..."

"Good luck, Straw! Don't let me detain you further."

As soon as Heavy returned to examining the ledgers in front of him, the hippogriff knew his audience was over.

Writing the clue down while walking, he left the mansion...

...and there it was, the life-sized statue of a large white, blue-maned earthpony, down to the long blue fur around his fetlocks. No, it hadn't been there yesterday or any day before. On the short pedestal holding it, there was a metal plaque with something written on it.

[It takes a lot of courage to admit your weakness and ask for help.]

Had Heavy Hoof ever been in a position where he was unable to deal with something around him? Who had helped make him into a great teacher, open pony, and a member of nobility?

Straw didn't know, but his next steps were clear now.

With new vigor and interest, he talked to every Order member he could find, and wrote down what they said. Surprisingly, none of them seemed bothered by his questions. Despite that, it wasn't as simple as it looked.

He looked over his notes.

Choking Darkness - "Eyes of a Nightguard."

Heavy Hoof - "Mansion entrance."

Blaze - "No idea. Somepony stole it."

Mistake - "Together we are one."

Cromach - "I can't be everywhere, but to protect all those I love, I try to."

Shadowstep - "Ask me later."

Starlight - "Bring your unicorn friend and I'll tell you."

Cross - "In solitude, you are the only one you have to beat."

Antares - "Where your regret is the strongest."

Three - "I am your worst fear. You don't know what I can bring, but you need me."

The night fell during his search, but he ticked Heavy's statue off the list and noted the saying on his plaque. Now he could go for the Nightguard one.

It was fairly easy, but he had to admit that without the clue he would have never noticed. On the roof, there was a statue which was clearly visible, but disappeared whenever a cloud eclipsed the moon. The attention to detail on the Nightguard mare's statue was astonishing, but Straw was there for the plaque.

"Now, what sort of secret can the mare to whom I owe my life show me?"

[I don't know, just write something inspiring there or whateve- hey, are ya writing THIS?! Meh, just leave it there, I'm not asking Luna for fifty more bits because ya screwed up- STOP WRITING IT DOWN!]

"Yes, that suits her about right," Nightmare laughed on the inside of his skull.

Perhaps he'd overestimated the value of the heroes' experience.

His next chance came in two days, as he believed Starlight's clue was fairly simple, but he didn't want to trick Leo into working with the changeling obviously worrying him. So, he just came during their scheduled training. It was supposed to be happening in a tent, which seemed far too small for just two ponies.

He opened a tent flap, and stepped into a room about the size of the Order mansion's main floor.

His face tomato'd.

Starlight, coat sleek with liquid, was draped over Leo in a manner befitting an exotic dancer, and openly grinding herself on his muzzle. Strangely enough, the real unicorn was just sitting there with eyes closed.

"I'll... I'll come later."

"Oh, hi!" Leo's eyes opened, "WHAT THE BUUUUUUUUUUCK?"

"You said it, not me, honey," Starlight licked her lips and slowly drew her nipples over Leo's nose before jumping off him, "We're just steadying your friend's concentration. Smell and touch are the first steps."

"I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A SCENTED DUSTER IN FRONT OF ME!"

"Well, it was-" Straw grinned.

"NOW I SURE AS HAY KNOW WHAT IT WAS!"

"You seem upset, my noble master," the purple-maned, white unicorn facade of the changeling female said coyly, "Perhaps a full-body massage would relieve some of the tension. If not, I know how to to easily get rid of the rest."

"Noooooooooooope!"

"Miss Starlight, Leo has a crush on somepo- someone, and your ministrations make him feel 'unfaithful' before even asking the mar- girl."

Apparently, their 'magic' sessions hadn't led Leo to learning shooting beams of pure death out of his eyes, because he certainly tried. Starlight, however, took it in stride.

"Oh, somepony I know?"

"Not saying anything. Don't want her to wake up transformed into a chicken," Straw said firmly.

"Ah, I believe you misuderstood my position on the subject," Starlight smiled, making both of them look at her in confusion, "Your 'romantic' interest cannot possibly measure up to me in certain areas, of that I'm sure. I can fill those easily, and if your relationship was to fail, then I offer taking her place in due time. I might not be immortal, but time is not my concern. Coming from the Griffon Empire, I am well-versed in the management of concubines. Now, what can I help you with, since you've made my student fail his assignment."

"There was an ass in there somewhere, sure," Leo muttered, "WHA-MMMRF?"

Without flinching, Starlight shoved the unicorn on the floor and unceremoniously sat down on his face.

"Punishment for wasting my time," she said clearly.

"You said you'd give me the clue to your statue when Leo was here."

"I told you to BRING him here so I could enjoy some extra time with him, but let's not dwell on the details, or your friend is going to suffocate in quite the enjoyable manner. You will see my statue after you've unlocked both Shadowstep's and Cross'. It is in this camp, but since it was me putting the illusion magic in place, it is much stronger than on the other ones, so you can't stumble on it on accident."

"Oh, thank you, miss."

"Right, and... if by any chance you earn a title and land, feel free to visit me. Hippogriffs are VERY rare, even in my book."

"No insult intended, but buck that."

"Yes, exactly. What do you think I was talking about? Oooooh," she smiled pleasantly as choking Leo thrashed underneath her, "I guess it's time for you to go. Or, you could stay a while, I like my new cushion. So... energetic."

"Sorry, Leo," Straw rushed out of the tent.

"-ILL YOU!" he heard the cry of the released unicorn.

At least Leo was having fun.

Straw spent most of the weekend wandering through Manehattan, because he had no luck in finding more statues, no matter the clues. He knew where at least two of them had to be, he just wasn't able to see them. Frustrated, he let it go for now, and slowly circled above the metropolis, enjoying the view.

He wasn't alone. A black dot kept following him, changing directions whenever he moved towards it, but it was clumsy and slow in the air. He couldn't believe his eyes when, as he finally gathered the courage to approach, he saw Three wobbling unsteadily in the air, trying to look anywhere but down.

The terror of the night wasn't as good in the air as she was on the ground.

"Still following me?" he pushed himself not to laugh, as her fly-like wings buzzed and her legs waved in tandem with them, air whistling through the holes.

"Orders -WHOAH- are orders. You are -EEP!- a threat."

"You know, considering it was me from a different reality who created them, I'm starting to believe my defeats here may have been at least a little substantiated."

"A changeling who has trouble flying, how come?"

"Dreamling! Nonononono don't come too fast!" she flailed her forelegs at Straw, "It's genetics. Some of us take it harder than others."

"You don't look hurt or anything, if you just calmed down you'd be fine."

"Crazy vertigo, if I ever look down, my wings just lock up and- great, now I'm giving the enemy vital information.-"

Sadly for her, she hung her head low in defeat. Doing that in mid-air, it meant she had a nice, long look at the tiny ponies far, faaaaaaaaaar down.

"-Shit."

Before gravity could claim her, two sets of talons grabbed her under her forelegs and no fall came. Straw couldn't let her go, even despite what she'd meant to his freedom. Nopony could ever blame him for her failure, but...

...but he would get out of this with clean slate, eventually. That's what he had to believe. Three wasn't doing this because she hated him, she was doing this because she was terrified of him, and on Blaze's orders no less. Would he be able to stalk his greatest fear day after day AND stop himself from getting rid of it, given the chance?

The trembling dreamling in his embrace didn't say a word as they descended long way on the pavement, and Straw held her until she could walk again.

Biting her lip, Three stared repeatedly at him and at the road under her hooves. She took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and shut it again. In the next moment, green sparks rushed through her chitin, which turned completely see-through, and she was gone.

Well, Straw knew she was still watching him, only invisible, so he decided to walk for the rest of the day, and not torture her further.

The day drew to a close, and he returned to the mansion, frustrated to no end with not being able to 'partake' in anything the city had to offer, but still happy he got to see a lot of the bustle.

The official way of entering the headquarters was through the main gate, despite him being able to fly. One time, Straw had slammed his face into an invisible, one-way dome protecting the air space after accidentally passing through it on the way out. He wanted that to be the only time, ever.

"Straw Basket?" asked the guard.

"Yes."

"You are to report immediately to sir Cromach's office when you get back."

"Wow, what's wrong?"

"No idea."

"Okay, thanks!"

"No problem."

There didn't seem to be a clear reason for somepony needing exactly him.

"Perhaps they found a way to purge you out of me?"

"Don't sound so excited, they've probably just decided that I'm too deadly and dangerous to let you fly around, and now they want to kill you."

He slowed down.

"Ummm..."

"THEN you'll learn to appreciate my power!"

"The power which didn't do anything against either Blaze or Vigils, and is just the reason for me being stalked twenty-four seven by a deadly, and shockingly cute when embarrased, dreamling?"

"Such insolence!"

"Hey! You are threatening and scary, but you aren't the most useful when push comes to shove. You aren't even willing to share knowledge even now that you've revealed yourself."

"You have no idea what I am capable of, slave! You are just a lowly thing I am using to fulfill goals beyond your understanding! I still... I can still do this. I can outsmart him... possibly... maybe. I CAN WIN... or at least not lose."

Straw just shook his head and entered the mansion.

There was only him and the griffon himself in Cromach's office.

"Finally!" Cromach stood up from his desk, "The others have already gone through the briefing and are getting ready, so it's just you left."

"What's going on, sir?"

"Shadowstep's unit, with the cooperation of Manehattan police force, have located what seems to be the Vigil's headuarters."

"What? Already? But didn't they hide so well last time?"

"Exactly, that's why we believe it's a trap, and so does the police. That's why they're leaving the action to us at the moment. Speaking of the police, I know you had nothing to do with it, but they are sort of suspicious about us killing ponies at the last warehouse. Blaze said he left no traces, but I'm sure there are some witnesses who spotted us either coming in or running away."

"Why are they letting us do this then?"

"As I said, they, thankfully, have no evidence. Plus, they lost a squad to the Vigils before we sent Forutne's team in. So, law is telling them to keep us under inspection, common sense wants them to have us deal with the Vigil first."

"Honestly, compared to the ponies who don't get hurt by a battleaxe, AND Nightmare haunting me, the police is sort of low on my danger list."

Cromach chuckled.

"I agree. Now, there's going to be me, Darky, Heavy, Blaze, Three, and your squad involved in this operation."

"With all due respect-"

"EHM!" Cromach coughed.

"Sorry, sir. If this is a trap, why don't we grab whoever we can get and just overpower them? I mean no insult to sargeant Cross and the changelings, but if the Vigils can deal with you, then they'll be able to deal with anypony who remains here anyway."

"You've been here a while, and you still think me and Heavy are the best combat force we can muster?" the griffon grinned, "Shadowstep's unit will be protecting the mansion while we go in. If... we don't return, then they are to tell the royal sisters what little scraps of information and suspicions we have. If we return and this place is demolished, they are to leave some kind of message about what happened."

"Sorry, sir."

"What for?"

"For doubting your judgement while I have no clue about strategy and stuff."

"Input is important. You might have brought up something we overlooked. Don't worry about that, at least not here. If you ever get into the military, then you'll learn the hard way how things should NOT be. Now, let's finish this off quickly. In short, your group will be carrying portal stones like we used last time. Connie will be in charge of deciding when to use them, because calling Blaze might be exactly what the one behind all this wants."

"Wouldn't your judgement be more accurate, since you've fought them already?"

"It would, but me and Heavy will be going through the main entrance, Three and Darky will watch us in case something goes horribly wrong. Your group will sneak behind the enemy and look for their leader. If it turns out he's not there, Fortune will shoot a flare, signalling us to retreat. That is the only time the police will attempt to help - our extraction. If you engage whoever their head is, you'll open a portal for Blaze, and do anything he tells you."

"What if... what if they're... more prepared," Straw bit his lip.

"Then it's been nice knowing you. Your openness and honesty are your greatest strengths. I wish Blaze was more like you in that respect. Now, go grab whatever you think you might need for the mission. Dismissed!"

"Good luck, sir!"

"Good luck, Straw!"

Armed with a pistol and sword, and wearing light leather armor, Straw grouped up with the others outside the mansion. In the darkness of the night, the only clues to their location were few flickers of light, as each one of them carried a small lantern in addition to Leo and Connie's magic.

With him being present, Contradiction sat them all down on the lawn.

"Okay, guys, here's what we know. Their hideout is an another warehouse in the industrial part of the city. Commander Choking Darkness of Canterlot Nightguard and Three are already there, watching the area with the police. Baron Hoof and sir Cromach will be going the fastest route there, while we should arrive about five minutes later from behind the building. Once sir Cromach signals us that he's leaving, we're going as well. We are to avoid confrontation as much as possible. Firstly, because we have no idea whether we can actually take anypony on, and secondly, to have the elephant of surprise."

"Terrible. Go on," Leo nudged her.

"Not shaking anymore, spoiled brat?"

"I'm barely able to keep my horseshoes from clanking, but if you yell out a target, I'll make sure they don't mess up your lovely manecut," Leo snickered.

"The rest you know. Shoot a flare if we don't encounter anything. Lay down the portal stones if we do, and watch the fireworks. Any questions?"

"How do we fire a flare INSIDE a building?" Straw scratched his head.

"Either a me or Leo will conjure a magical light which can pass through walls, or Fortune has a little surprise in store."

"Duck and cover surprise?" he looked at the satyr.

"Duck and cover surprise," Fortune nodded, smirking.

"One last thing," Connie looked hard at Fortune, "Heavy Hoof and Cromach are acting as a bait. Our orders are to retreat and leave them to their own devices if things go FUBAR-"

"Eeeeerm," Straw lowered his head, "Sorry?"

"Fucked up beyond all recognition. A griffon military saying," Fortune explained. Connie didn't bat an eyelid.

"-Exactly. BUT... aside from Walt, I don't like any of you. MY order is to do everything we can to save them. If any of US gets into a position where their extraction would endanger said goal, they will be on their own. No matter what your little, or big in case of Fortune and Leo, egos might tell you, we are expendable, Cromach and Heavy Hoof aren't."

Only crickets wearing mittens and sweaters could be heard after Connie's order.

"How... how are we supposed to obey a leader who would throw us to the wolves?" Straw muttered.

Connie looked ashamed for a second, but then her expression hardened.

"That is the best course of action. You will obey, or I will cut you down personally and deal with the fallout later myself."

They sat in silence until a crackling noise and a blue spark above the mansion shot out into the city.

"Move out!" Connie ordered.

The front door of the warehouse crumbled inside, and the white earthpony and even whiter griffon carefully walked inside.

Or maybe, just maybe, they might have charged in, right into the ranks of waiting Vigils.

Straw had no idea, because the Hoof of Fate was currently poised by the side entrance, hidden in shadows from the street lamps' light. All standard warehouses had the same layout, same wide front entrance made for large containers of shipments, same side entrance for others to use and not disrupt the working ponies, and the same office space containing ledgers and shipment manifests the clerks worked with.

Which was exactly why Straw tapped on Connie's shoulder before she could order Walter to open the door.

"There has to be somepony stationed here. That's how we got in last time."

"We don't really have time to look for another entrance," Connie hissed at him.

"Even if we got in this way, we would end up in the back of the main storage area where the action is. Somepony is bound to notice us if we do that."

"Alright, got a better idea?"

"Actually, the back of the warehouse is office space. I'm not sure how it looks inside, but if we make a hole in the back wall, we can get inside without upsetting any patrol. You could do the same thing you did in Blaze's office."

To her defense, Contradiction actually blushed.

"Opinions?" she asked.

Walter just shrugged.

"Gotta go with Straw here. I'm not too keen on either having to fight a newer Vigil member or getting my legs tied up behind my back by the unkillable ones," Leo said his two bits.

"Fortune?"

"Meh, pick something, and don't chicken out or blame somepony else later."

"Fortune!" Straw nudged her hard, "She's actually TRYING to do this right!"

"Fiiiine," she rolled her eyes, "I'm not really good in enclosed spaces, so I'd mostly just get in the way if there's a trap set on the other side of the door. Plus, if you and the idiot work together on ripping a chunk of wall out, it might not even be that loud."

Nodding, Connie led the group behind a corner, and looked up at the blank wall with a row of small windows on the top. The office space had to have at least two stories, but only the top one let outside light in for some reason, possibly due to the risk of somepony breaking in? Only one window was lit from the inside.

Walter, going first, raised his talons, pointing towards the windows and spreading his wings.

"Hmmm," Connie rubbed her chin, "Okay, Walt, grab me, and let's check the first window."

Holding her breath, Fortune steadied the rifle in her arms, and aimed it at the glass, ready to snipe anything going out.

The glass pane slowly slid open, and Connie crept inside while Walter held steady in the air. The rest of them had to get inside now. With Leo on Straw's back, and Fortune riding Walter, they heard a sharp groan which made them rush.

Connie was lying on her back, punching a large earthpony, who was standing above her, hooves at her neck. Unfortunately, they couldn't get inside quickly enough without making too much noise, and as Leo, being the first one to go inside, was halfway through the window, Connie's horn flashed, and the earthpony's head turned far too many degrees in far too little time.

The crack shook Straw to his bones.

The second crack made him whimper, because despite him seeing the earthpony's head snap back, accompanied by creaking of regrowing tendons, he still had to go inside and deal with the clearly dead pony growing sharp, long teeth, and aiming for Connie's jugular.

Golgen glow flashed through the room.

*Crack*

*Thud*

*Thud*

The earthpony's body dropped on Connie once again, neck spewing blood all over her black coat. Leo breathed heavily, eyes locked on the head his telekinesis had ripped away from the body a moment ago.

"It seems," Connie grinned sheepishly while cleaning the mess from her muzzle and trying not to throw up, "we had the same idea."

Leo, on the other hoof, was going green.

"I... killed... a pony."

"Hey, you did the same thing last time when you shot the Vigils away from me. Thanks again, by the way," Straw carefully patted him on the back.

"Yeah, I know... I just wanted them away from you at the time. Now... I wanted him dead, more dead, I mean. I... sick," he ended in a whisper.

His shock faded the moment when Contradiction stood back up, put her hoof under his chin, looked the slightly taller unicorn in the eyes, and smiled briefly.

"Thank you."

Despite the attention of everypony, the body stayed down this time.

Heavy Hoof's metal staff sent a crunch through a brown unicorn's ribcage, making him collapse on the warehouse floor and throw up.

"This is FAR too easy," the baron furrowed his brows, dodging to the side to avoid an earthpony lunging at him like a wolf, teeth bared, "These guys are like wild animals, no organization or training to speak of."

Cromach was being far less gentle, instantly breaking the muzzle of yet another unarmed attacker in front of him.

"They ARE faster and stronger than normal ponies, but not by much. Even our recruits would easily deal with this after few weeks of training," he groaned, simply punching out several of new pony's teeth with his metal arm, "Yeah, this is a trap for sure. So, are they just trying to tire us out?"

Standing back to back, both the griffon and the earthpony cleared a half-circle around them with a single wide swing. The attacking Vigils now had serious respect for their weapons. Fortunately for Heavy and Cromach, there was enough space in the main warehouse storage room to move around when necessary.

Slightly less fortunately for the Vigils, the amount of sheer endurance the two warriors gained during their 'misadventures' in the past was far beyond their own, no matter what divine drugs they had taken.

"I see no other reason," Heavy nodded, tripping a pony with the bottom of his staff, "They can't win, and yet they keep on getting up. Somepony must be controlling them."

"Soooo, what do we do about it?"

"Wait."

"Your plan sucks!"

"I had only few HOURS and almost no information to go on. Just be happy we're not sending wave after wave of recruits through the main door."

"Don't hate on my idea!"

They both chuckled, and returned to smashing the attackers with renewed vigor.

Finally, with too many of them too wounded to do more than just drop on the floor and pray, the tide of enhanced civilians stopped, giving the defending duo time to take a breath. The Vigils still able to move tried to walk, limp, or crawl into the nearest corner. Due to the amount of restraint on Heavy and Crom's side, none of them were dead or dying.

The lights went out.

"Soooo, is this it?" Cromach asked, strangely undisturbed by the turn of events.

"Probably," Heavy took a deep breath, and twirled his staff in a circle in front of him.

They heard muffled hoofsteps from around, and random whimpering coming presumably from one of the previous victims. The hoofsteps were resolute, definitely not from somepony limping. A new threat was coming.

Luckily, all villains had the tendency to gloat.

"We are perfect," a hissing voice started, "We are one. We are invincible. We are the pinnacle of evolution. We can see in the dark, but can you? You-"

"Talk too much," said Heavy dryly, and yelled, "POTATO!"

A bang.

A flash.

Screaming.

Cromach, still shielding his eyes and holding a gun in his talons, shot several flares around the warehouse to see what's going on after the blinding flashbang.

Once he recognized the pony, or the type of pony standing unpleasantly close to him, he didn't hesitate for a second, and hacked for the first time.

*Clink*

The battleaxe almost flew out of his talons as it hit something with hardness between a rock and steel - the pony's skin.

Struck in his back, the elder Vigil's confusion was quickly fading.

"So, yeah, Heavy? The indestructible guys? What now?"

"Oh yeah, I was curious about those," Heavy's blue mane swirled as he spun on his hind legs, and hit the nearest Vigil to the side of his head. The pony just shrugged it off, and finally focused on the white earthpony in front of him.

"What now, mudpony filth? The Grandmaster will have your hea-"

*Click*

"-grawrhhgh!"

The elder Vigil was stunned by Heavy pushing his staff into his mouth mid-word. Speaking of status effects, he was momentarily shocked when Heavy pushed a small spot on his staff, resulting in curved blades coming out of both ends, effectively turning Heavy's weapon into a double scythe. In the end, the elder Vigil just decided to not question the blade coming through his brain from inside his mouth, and died.

Swinging the corpse off his bladed staff, Heavy smiled at the elder Vigils stunned by the fast end of one of them.

"You still need soft bits to exist, otherwise you wouldn't be able to move, AND you need concentration to maintain your endurance," Heavy's smile turned sadistic, "Crom! Mouth, ears, joints."

One of the elder's mouth dropped open at Heavy's instant analysis. Before he could react, the top of his head flew off in a shower of sparks.

"Hey," Cromach raised an eyebrow, "it really works. What if it turns out that their magic doesn't have to obey biology though?"

"Don't ruin the moment."

And thus, they attacked the ten remaining elder Vigils first.

Covering the back, Straw saw the light show coming through one of the windows, but his attention was on anything that could be moving in the vicinity, getting ready to jump the Hoof of Fate from behind.

They had finished checking all the rooms on this floor aside from one. As planned, it was the only one with the lights still on. There had been nothing of note between the documents in the past ones, only ledgers and invoices.

"Inside!" Connie hissed from the front.

The room was just another office full of bookshelves, some crates, and a desk with a lamp casting light on a small, open book. Connie rushed to it immediately.

"Straw, watch the entrance! Walt, you get the window. Fortune and Leo, have a look around! I'll check this thing out. Here! There isn't too much, but..."

Connie took a deep breath, and started reading:

"My home is destroyed, my wife is dead, both my sons are dead, and their murderer roams free, even rewarded by the false princess while I am being hunted for high treason. How could princess Celestia allow that to happen? How could she not see the snake she calls her sister coiling around her? The Nightmare's slave and her agents ruined princess Celestia's influence, and even allowed the return of the bat filth. Mudponies and nocturnals are everywhere these days. Thank heavens that Brazen Stones' loyalty is far beyond slander and lies about me. I at least still have quite the sum of money, so staying here, in Brazen's small apartment, isn't as unbearable as it otherwise would be for two quite large ponies."

She flips few pages.

"Every time I'm alone I hear their voices, but none of them are here anymore. A new one started coming recently, calling itself the Watcher. I must be finally going insane, and my mind is taking its own path to happiness. I want to be with them again, and so does it. That, or I'm just going senile in my early sixties. The Watcher keeps showing me things about my family's murderer I cannot possibly know. Are they illusions, or is some force truly interested in me having justice?"

More scratching of paper.

"I know who the Watcher is! My princess must have been sheltering me from the false one's judgement. I saw the murderer again. The white and blue mudpony who dared touch me betrayed the princess, and worked together with minotaurs, DAMN SAVAGES, against her alongside the murderer. Still, despite their efforts, my princess succeeded in driving the Zebrican army out of Equestria and crushing their leader. I mean, the details are not open to public, but she herself incinerated most of the enemy army."

"How old can this be?" Leo interrupted, "The invasion happened about a year ago. I had no idea that minotaurs were involved in any way."

"Shush!" said Connie, and continued after flipping to the next entry, "The Watcher really must be princess Celestia herself! She offered me her power and a chance to avenge my family. The amulet which appeared in the apartment one morning must have been delivered by one of her agents. It gave me so much power! I feel young again, stronger, faster, and I can think clearly. No more depression, no more empty thoughts of blind revenge. I now know I can do it, all I need are ponies who want to purify this land as well."

"Sooo... simply crazy- OUCH!" Connie smacked Leo's head with the journal, and moved to the next entry.

"The damn mudpony was awarded MY ESTATE, MY LAND, AND MY TITLE! Does the false princess' treachery know no bounds? But my princess knows about it, and the Vigil grows. The amulet allows me to share her gift with others. Now there can be no subponies, only aspirants. The new ponies will thrive in her Majesty's light, and the fakes who still dare to call themselves Silver Sun and tarnish the name by their mere existence will fuel our change. We are the Vigil, and we will watch over new Equestria."

This piqued Straw's attention.

"I thought baron Hoof founded the Order?"

Connie shook her head.

"The Order is an ancient organization pre-dating princess Luna's banishment. Baron Hoof is just the last of their leaders. I'm not sure who was in charge before, but I heard he died in the explosion which destroyed the original Order mansion. Oh damn!" she muttered when skimming through the next entry, "Finally, at least a part of my revenge is finished. One of the murderer's offspring is dead, so is one of his minotaur minions, and one mudpony loyal to him. Unfortunately, the unholy abomination of minotaur and pony escaped. No matter, if more of his minions come, they will see the bright tomorrow the Vigil brings. With the Watcher's eyes spreading over Canterlot, the false princess will soon be unable to move."

"Fortune...?" Leo asked quietly. His reward was a steel gaze of the brown-haired, clothed, leg-coated, and generally brown-everythinged satyr.

"Whoever is behind this is clearly insane. There is no way princess Celestia would have anything to do with this," she said in a very measured and careful tone discouraging any more questions.

"They might be connected to Blaze. The Nightmare always calls him a traitor, a thief, or a murderer," commented Straw.

"EHM!" Connie coughed meaningfully, "The murderer's minions are becoming smarter, and managed to raid one of our bases. We lost three of our loyal brethren, but they managed to show us their experiences before... somehow disappearing. Through that, we now know what the murderer and his new cohorts are capable of. Unfortunately, only I will be able to stand up to him if he engages us directly. Still, the Watcher understands my plight, and gave his amulet something which should help me finally get my revenge. We have spotted one of the traitor's abominable minions trailing our members, and decided to make this our stand. He will not survive our encounter, and my family will finally rest in peace."

"Uh oh."

"Soooo, at which point of this operation were we thinking this would be a good idea?" groaned Cromach, as the handle of his axe creaked under a swing of one of the elder Vigil's leg.

"I may have misjudged them," Heavy heaved, standing on his hind legs with a Vigil hanging by his teeth on his staff, and slammed him into the floor. Both blades on Heavy's weapon had been broken. Apparently the elder Vigils were much tougher than expected, "But we still have to hold!"

"I know," grunted Cromach, ramming one of his steel talons into the eye of a lunging Vigil.

The lights had returned after the Vigils had realized that the darkness just made them vulnerable to more flashbangs. Crom and Heavy had managed to kill four of them, but the ferocity, unending endurance, and the threat of imminent death if they messed up even once were taking their toll on the duo.

Cromach could do nothing more than block the next hoof swing aimed at him, despite knowing the risk to his axe, and the polished wooden handle finally gave in and broke.

"Shit!" the griffon immediately reached for the two axes hanging on the belt around his waist, "I sure hope this doesn't take much longer. I've never thought I'd need a steel handle as well."

Two Vigils focused on Heavy, while the remaining four, sensing victory draw near, prepared to overwhelm Cromach. Normally, Crom could deal with a one on four situation, even with the enhanced resistance and endurance. It would be difficult, of course, but he could manage. The Vigils, though, felt as if they shared a mind, and were able to attack and block each other's weak spots despite not having any real style or skill, so he had very little opportunity to counterattack.

On top of that, he wasn't really used to wielding two weapons at once, and while he had the strength to do so fairly easily, he didn't have the coordination. It wasn't long before he got tripped up, and a Vigil jumped on top of him, teeth bared. He quickly realized he was repeating a mistake one of his brethren had done before, and died with a mouth full of talons. Unfortunately, third time wasn't the charm, and spikes grew from the hooves of the remaining three, ready to disembowel the griffon.

Cromach cursed, and could only watch...

...as the Vigils around him stopped, their chests contracted far too much, and they coughed blood and bits of their lungs out.

Behind them, Three, breathing heavily, appeared.

"Whatever is controlling them isn't used to it, and their mental defenses aren't that strong if they have you to deal with as well, sir!"

The two Vigils fighting Heavy stopped abruptly, and retreated a short distance.

"What did you do?" Cromach gathered himself and his axes from the floor.

"I planted a suggestion in them to change into something that can't live under this sky, namely breathe the air properly, sir. Well, at least parts of them."

"Can you do it to the other two?"

"Not if they know about me AND aren't distracted."

The door leading to the office space opened. Whoever was behind this must have been hiding there, waiting for the right moment to come out. Unfortunately, it was after his minions were dead or defeated.

"Final boss?" Cromach grinned.

"About time," Heavy matched the grin and raised him a smirk, "Sadly, if he's better than those guys I think we should beeline for the exit."

Hoofsteps followed the tall, white unicorn with golden mane and scars running through his coat as he entered the large room. On a chain on his neck, there hanged a silver disc with an emerald in the middle.

Three and Cromach only tilted their heads.

Heavy lost grip on his staff. He had seen this pony only once before, but the memory still burned him with its injustice.

"Blinding Light..." he croaked.

Straw walked out of the room when he heard the sounds of fighting from below stop, and looked carefully through the window into the main storage area.

"Guys? We might have a problem," he said, loudly enough for the rest of the group to hear him, but not too much in case somepony on the lower floor of the office space was still present.

Connie was still skimming through the journal, but the urgency in Straw's voice made her come over and watch. Down in the main room, Cromach, Heavy, and Three were desperately trying to dodge and inch themselves back to the entrance without exposing a weak spot to the new white unicorn with a greatsword levitating in front of him.

"Damn, we're out of time! We know it's a trap though, so we can just send the signal and leave. Give me a second," she ran back inside, "Did anypony notice toilets on this floor? Yeah? Good. Get there, and bring me a roll of toilet paper."

Straw heard few confused objections from inside, but a second later Walter and Leo rushed past him towards one of the other rooms.

"Ummm, the retreat might not be an option anymore. Contradiction?"

"Oh Celestia, what now?" she ran back.

She saw what Straw meant. The two remaining elder Vigils stood motionlessly by the front entrance, their forelegs fused into the heavy metal door. Cromach's one attempt at moving them forcibly just ended with his axe showering the floor with sparks. The Vigils obviously couldn't move, but escape really wasn't an option anymore.

Fortune walked over. Unfortunately, just in time to see flanking Three getting carelessly kicked away by the white unicorns's hind leg at the same time as Heavy blocked a wide swing of the flying blade, grunting under the force. Cromach, closing the triangle formation surrounding the unicorn had been thrown away like a ragdoll a moment ago, and was getting back up.

"So, what's the pla-oh crap! We're calling Blaze now!"

"No, we're not," Connie said sternly, "Now that we know it's a trap, we have to ensure the extraction."

The unicorn showed his skill and experience when Cromach got disarmed by several quick punches, and had to block a sword swing with his metal arm. Three took the opportunity to assault the unicorn from behind, but got simply plucked out of the air with telekinesis, and slammed into the floor without the enemy even looking.

Blocking another swing, Heavy Hoof didn't manage to hold his staff in his hooves, mostly because the unicorn's blade turned it into two smaller parts. Heavy breathed heavily, taking one of the halves into his mouth and returning back on all fours.

That was all Fortune needed to see, and pulled out a pistol, aiming at Connie's head.

"We're doing the summoning, now."

"No," Connie refuted calmly, but Straw could see little strings of magic circling Fortune's trigger finger and her neck.

"I'm not letting them die because you can't see past printed mission objectives."

"I'm not sacrificing our only chance of winning when it counts to save few, albeit extremely important, pieces of the plan. We will signal the extraction, and go there to help. We're NOT calling Blaze."

"Yeah? What do you think we can do? That guy is effortlessly beating much better fighters than we are."

"We do what we can. This is what the damn squad trainings were for, and you need to listen for once, not just go for some solo action that might or might not work. This is where it counts!"

It was clear neither of them would back off.

"Can I say something?" Straw asked.

Two heads, one pony and one satyr, turned to him.

"I don't know how much you know or care about Blaze, but I know for sure he wouldn't willingly let Cromach get hurt. Blaze even cares about Fortune's silly little dream of loving him. Sorry, you screamed it before passing out during the training. That's why it was HIM who went through with the 'death' practice, not Cromach. He doesn't care what we think of him, but he was fine with Crom being sort of your hero. If it wasn't absolutely necessary for Blaze to keep hiding, he would be down there with them, taking every blow for them. I'm with Connie this time."

"Hey, what's going on?" Leo and Walter came, carrying several packs of toilet paper.

"I just needed one," Connie facehoofed, "Now, Fortune, will you put all of us in risk, or will you swallow your damn ego and follow a plan prepared by somepony other than you?"

"If ANYTHING goes wrong, we're making the portal," Fortune lowered her gun.

Nodding, Connie ran back into the office, and came out with a glowing roll of toilet paper.

"Hide this," she said to Walter, "I'm not taking the journal, but I put a linking spell on it, so we'll know about anything new written in it. Now, Fortune, stay here and look for a chance to shoot. Walt, Straw, Leo, we're going down there."

"I'd prefer staying up here," Leo objected, "First, Fortune will need somepony to protect her in case there are Vigils hiding up here. Second, I can use shield spells from here just fine."

"I'll be fine," Fortune rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm staying!"

"Coward, you're just scared of getting your hooves dirty."

"Sure, call me what you want, but I'm watching your back."

"My ass."

"That too."

"We don't have time for this!" Connie interrupted them, and after biting her lip, she gave Leo the bag with portal stones, "You two stay up here and cover us. It might be useful anyway, as we probably won't have the time to prep the teleport. If you use it prematurely, I'll beat both of you to pulp, understand? Let's move!"

"This... is... bad..." muttered Heavy, trying to breathe heavily with a piece of steel in his teeth.

"Stating the obvious here, Heavy," Cromach got past the flying sword, and hacked at Blinding Light, knowing full well it would be pointless like many times before. The unicorn was fast, immensely strong, much more experienced than both of them put together, and, most of all, even tougher than the elder Vigils.

Crackling in the air and the sharp smell of ozone followed the strike.

The desperate attack made Blinding back off and examine the blue sparks harmlessly fading into nothingness.

"Catbirds thinking divine power is for them, how silly. All you are good for is to be unleashed like dogs and caged when not needed anymore."

"That's pretty racist," Crom commented, jumping away.

Only Three had been somewhat successful in attacking. Successful in this case meaning that she had landed more hits than anypony else, revealing Blinding wasn't used to fighting wild animals, but rather pony and griffon opponents. Unfortunately, her hits did about as much damage as anything else.

"SIR! WE'RE HERE!" Cromach heard Connie's voice, and saw her, Straw, and Walter rush into the main storage area out of the small door leading to the offices.

"More pests?" Blinding raised an eyebrow.

*Blam!* *Tink!*

His head jerked sideways.

"OH COME THE HECK ON!" Fortune's annoyed scream from above followed the ineffective shot, "WHY IS EVERYPONY IMMORTAL?!"

"Well, it seems that the murderous trash is sitting in his fortress, hiding and using others to do his dirty work for him. Perhaps your deaths will send a clearer message."

In the same moment, several things happened.

Fortune was pulled through the upper floor window, and left falling towards the concrete floor.

A shockwave of force knocked everypony off their hooves, paws, and other appendages.

Three got pulled upwards by her neck, and all the mental force previously unleashed on the others squeezed.

The dreamling's corpse dropped to the floor with a soft thump.

Seeing all that from above, Leo conjured a small barrier to prevent Fortune from breaking something, mustered all his self-control and shakily assembled the white and black circles of small stones.

The burst of light was instant, and Leo felt himself dragged down to the main room and laid carefully on the floor.

"There you are," growled Blinding Light, maniacal smile growing on his muzzle, "Finally I can-"

When he gathered himself, unhurt but surprised, from pieces of wood and metal from shattered crates on the other side of the room, he only saw the bronze alicorn rubbing his muzzle against Three's.

"For killing my family, I will destroy everything you hold dear," Blinding advanced on Blaze again, "This is only the beginning."

When Blaze acknowledged Blinding's existence for the first time, and looked at him, all everypony could see in his eyes was raw annoyance.

"You know?" Blaze said, unprecedented exhaustion in his voice, "After everything that has happened to me since I ran away from home... I assumed the universe just exists to piss me off, and now... now I know I was right. Everything, EVERYTHING I try to do is marred by YOU! You were a worthless father, an ungrateful husband, and a selfish prick ever since I was born. Now, now you're just insane, trying to destroy the land which gave so much to somepony so undeserving."

"I AM NOT YOUR FATHER, AND I ONLY WANT JUSTICE!"

"Justice?! Do you have any idea what actually went down when our mansion was destroyed? I was there, HEAVY was there, CROM was there, MY MOM was there, only you RAN AWAY INSTEAD OF TRYING TO STOP YOUR INSANE SON!"

"STOP SLANDERING MY FAMILY WITH YOUR FILTHY MOUTH, YOU MURDERER!"

"Out of what little remnants of mercy I still feel for you I will at least explain things to you before I end your miserable existence. Perhaps for once in my life I will hear you say 'I was wrong', and I might even consider turning you to the authorities instead of ripping you slowly to pieces for killing my... daughter, or however this thing works with changelings and similar races. Crom knows part of it from my journals and stories, Heavy knows the most of what happened, because was almost at the start of all this."

Blinding froze mid-step, hooves locked in black ice. No amount of struggling helped him, so he had to listen, spitting on the floor and snarling.

"My name is Blazing Light."

"NO IT ISN'T!" roared Blinding.

"SHUT! UP!" Blazing's outburst left everypony shaking. The alicorn took a deep breath, "My name is Blazing Light. I ran away from home because I thought I failed my parents far too many times to rely on their support anymore, and I wanted to find out what I could do on my own - either make something out of myself and return home as a stallion, not a worthless parasite, or die away from home where there would be nopony to identify my corpse. I managed to find a simple job in Canterlot, and even made few friends who stayed with me despite my insufferably 'positive' outlook on everything."

He looked at Heavy Hoof.

"A lot of things happened, but shit hit the fan during one Nightmare Night when a unicorn doppleganger of princess Sparkle attacked her and princess Luna in Ponyville. I jumped in front of a spell which would have killed Sharp Biscuit, princess Luna's bodyguard, and the side-effect of the spell was that it locked a being called Void, a prisoner in Tartarus at the time, inside me. A day or two later, due to shocking selfishness of one low-ranked Nightguard called Choking Darkness, I got hanged in Canterlot gardens, and Void was released out of my body. Not long after, I got resurrected by an alicorn called Scream, who later told me that the fake Twilight Sparkle was from somewhere called the mirror world. Long story short, I eventually ended up there, found out that there was an invasion into our Equestria being planned by their king Sombra, and stopped him by causing a huge explosion which killed Scream, me, and Sombra."

Blaze shook his head.

"Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, who knows, the spell Scream used to revive me was the legacy of the alicorn of Life, which gave me an incredibly resilient body. Due to that, after the explosion I still existed... my soul did, and Void, who turned out to be the alicorn of Death and Scream's lover, gave me an option to travel into a different reality to seek a result where he and Scream would once again be together, and I could have another chance at finding happiness for myself. I agreed, and after some unpleasant events resulting in the creation of dreamlings I ended up here. Here is where Blinding Light is sort of right. To stay in this reality, I had to kill the original Blazing Light by throwing him into the dimensional portal which brougth me here. With my knowledge, I managed to stop the invasion again and stay alive at the same time."

For some reason he looked nervously at Heavy again.

"I did a lot of things I regret after that, but those are not important to what's going on now. As it turned out, part of my resilience was me, and the original Blazing returned after somehow survivng between dimensions, insane from pain and suffering, and took over the Silver Sun in order to get his revenge on me. He sent his/mine - take your pick - brother to get a weapon able to kill me forever, but Cromach was there to stop him. Unfortunately, said weapon is deadly to unicorns wielding it if their magic is powerful enough, which is why I am one of the few able to use it effectively, because I cannot use standard magic at all. Blazing didn't tell that to his brother, and it killed him. In the end, I fought against Blazing in our mansion, and defeated him. Before dying, he wanted to wipe all of us out in a big explosion. I protected Heavy, Crom, and Chokey, but everypony else - servants, my mother, the mansion itself... evaporated."

He looked sadly at Blinding.

"And that's how it was. Got anything to say... not-father? I don't know how you got here, I don't know why you are a member of the Vigil, and I just want to hear something-"

"Shut your shithole full of lies..." Blinding growled, and finally broke out of the ice.

"You are irredeemable, and you can't think clearly when your emotions get hold of you," Blaze stepped between Cromach and Blinding, smiled at the griffon briefly, and shattered what fantasy Fortune might have still held about her and the ambassador, "I guess that runs in the family."

Without any warning, Blaze's wings turned to ice, and black shards peppered Blinding...

...shattering on impact.

"You think I'm not ready for you, scum?"

Blinding's amulet glowed green, and then everything went dark.

Leo, Cromach, Straw, Fortune, and Connie felt their legs touch something cold, and then reality presented itself to them. They were standing in a stone room filled with rows and rows of ceiling-high, filled wine racks.

Quiet mumbling was coming from the distance.

Carefully, they approached the source of the noise. It was a bronze unicorn who couldn't be more than sixteen, saying something incoherent to a bottle of wine in his hooves.

"Is that...?" Straw started.

Cromach tried not to laugh, not to make a sound, but the gurgling noises from him clearly betrayed he was failing miserably.

"Blaze?" he snickered, approaching.

"Wuzza? Kittybird!" the unicorn looked at the bottle suspiciously, then back at Cromach, and then poked the bottle, "Toomush? Toomush!"

"Why are we here, where is here, what are we supposed to do, and where are Walter and baron Hoof?" Connie asked loudly with nopony particular in mind.

"Juuuust let me get my crystal ball," Fortune facepalmed, "Oh wait, I left it back at the mansion!"

"I meant," Connie hissed at her, "Any ideas?"

"This looks like one of the mansion cellars, only not wrecked. Plus, him," Cromach poked the young version of Blaze, "Possibly a memory? If I had to guess, then we're somehow locked in a memory while Blinding Light is savaging us in the real world. Heavy is naturally drastically resistant to magic, so the reason we are alive might be him defending us. I'm not sure about Walter. We have to get out fast."

"Dad's upshtairs if yoo wanna shee him."

"We might have to deal with Blinding in the memory first..." Fortune took a guess.

"I'm not so sure," Cromach sat down to the tiny unicorn, at least compared to him, and asked softly, "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for t'morrow..."

"Why?"

"I messhed up today too mush... t'morrow might be lessh... bad."

"Come on, it couldn't be that bad. You're a nice guy."

"Thanksh! Ye'r a naish hal-halush-halushinashun!" he hugged the griffon's leg. Cromach really tried, but the grin on his face threatened the top of his head to fall off, "It's jusht... nothining I do ish good 'nuff, ya know? All I hear ish - why aren't you the besht, what did you messh up thish time? I shuck... they desherve a better son."

"I feel you!" Leo sat down as well, "It's like - you're gonna inherit all of this one day, you must be the best there is, you must do this, that, be this tall, this wide, have this long horn. It's stupid! I used to hear it over and over and over, dumb stuff."

"Yer right!" Blaze shoved his bottle to Leo, "It's dumb... but shomepony better would do it, jusht not me."

"Yes, you can't," Leo agreed, "But the thing is that they just want you to be better. They're doing a shit job of it, but that's what they want. I'm pretty sure that at your age they were as dumb as you think you are. You are at least smart enough to realize it while they live in their fantasy about them being perfect."

"Thanksh," Blaze stood up on his wobbly legs, "I... I'm gonna jusht... go to bed, and try to suck less 'morrow."

Cromach scratched Blaze's chin, making the unicorn giggle surprisedly, "Never give up, one day you'll make it all right."

The cellar disappeared.

"-will you go out with me?" they heard Blaze's voice.

In a familiar hall of a standard Canterlot apartment building, there stood Blaze. Not as unicorn though, but a being similar to changeling, only with bronze chitinous plates instead of black ones, a red corset-like belly plate of a changeling queen, and a normal pony mane.

Suddenly, all of them realized the similarity between Three and him.

"I'm sorry, Blaze," said Choking Darkness, and closed the door, leaving him standing in the hallway.

"It's fine. I... I just had to try at least once," he whispered to himself, and looked at the group, "Sorry, I was just visiting a friend. I'll be going now."

"She refused you, eh?" Fortune stepped up.

"Yeah," Blaze smiled inwardly, "It was pointless, but after years of waiting I had to at least try while I still had the chance."

"Well, at least you found the courage eventually," the satyr ruffled Blaze's mane, "In my case, there was no hope as well, but I couldn't open my mouth even before I knew."

"For me, she was the only hope at finding happiness. Nopony else has ever even looked at me in that way, but she's apparently found somepony better, which... to be honest... can't have been THAT difficult."

"You never know who cares or will care for you in the future. It might be nopony, but what's the point of thinking only about that option since you can't do anything about it."

"You're right. I have... important things to do, and I might never see her again. I knew I would fail, I just wanted to see her one last time and say goodbye in the dumbest way possible."

"So, what now?"

"Head-first into danger, miss. I have no unfinished business left," he replied with the most determined look Fortune had ever seen, "I wish your heart gets a better end than mine."

"I'll just have to take what I can get," Fortune smiled, and for a moment looked... elsewhere.

"Beam me up, Scream," said Blaze, and disappeared in a flash.

The Crystal Empire castle was a beautiful sight from both outside and inside. The throne room, where a bronze changeling/unicorn faced off against a tall, grey unicorn with red, curved horn and long, black, flowing mane, was absolutely stunning.

The flow of time slowed when the group appeared, and Blaze turned to them. He looked utterly exhausted, barely able to stand or even see.

"That's king Sombra!" Cromach's eyes went wide, "This must be the end of the second invasion. Nopony knows what really happened, just that Sombra suddenly disappeared and his army went to disarray."

"What are you doing here? Nopony should be here, Twilight is guarding the entrance!" Blaze frowned.

"We're friends," Cromach raised his talons, "So, the big final boss. What's the plan?"

"Plan?" Blaze laughed crazily, "Everypony hates me, because that guy mind-controlled me and made me lead the attack on Canterlot! I have nowhere to return to, and nopony who wouldn't want me dead if I somehow survived. I'll just have to wing it, throw everything I have at him, and hope. He's so much better at magic than anypony else in this world, my spellbreaking doesn't even work properly against him, and I haven't slept in almost two weeks. Honestly, I just don't care anymore, if it weren't for Chokey who worked out what happened, I would let the world just burn."

"Sir," Connie saluted him, "Can I say something?"

"I am no sir, miss. Say what you want."

"My family is low nobility, but they kicked me out of my home because I was physically weak. Everywhere I went they saw just a frail, worthless unicorn who couldn't control her magic. Day after day, I wanted everything to end, but I didn't have the strength to do it myself. I spent two years on the streets of Manehattan selling myself in the back alleys for few bits so I could get some food. Not that the 'customers' had to pay, some of them just did it out of pity. I couldn't defend myself against anypony trying to take what I earned."

"More reason to just let the world deal with this guy without me. I've been through too much to care to continue."

"I wouldn't, because one day a griffon found me on the streets, saying he was looking for somepony with nothing to lose to go on a dangerous assignment. Honestly, I said yes just to get a free meal and to run away in few days before they sold me to some brothel as a punching bag for some more violent customers. Then I found out the griffon wasn't lying, and really needed somepony to go somewhere with very little chance of returning. I believed I found my way out, that I would either die, but be useful for the first time in my life, or succeed and prove, at least to myself, that I can make it. And then, I failed."

"Hmm?" Blaze raised an eyebrow, apparently not expecting the ending.

"I was too weak to join the mission without being more a burden than an asset. I failed everypony again, but I wasn't kicked out back no the street. A pony told me the reason my body and magic were failing was because my telekinesis was abnormally strong, and I just needed to learn to control that before focusing on the rest."

"Indeed," Blaze nodded, "Your horn is particularly long for your size. Any unicorn with a shred of brain could see it."

Connie smiled.

"Well, some can see it, most apparently can't. The reason I'm saying that is because sometimes, when all seems lost and pointless, you just have to throw everything out there and see what sticks. Now, after all that, I have a place I can call home, a good purpose, somepony I can hate and compete with to avoid boredom, and someone who likes me with all my... flaws and unique tastes. What I mean is... I don't even know... I'm just happy, and if I got here, than anypony can, no matter how bleak things are."

"That was far too trite," Blaze said dryly.

"Well, sorry for trying!" Connie rolled her eyes.

"I'm not saying it was bad... only too storylike. Good endings... sometimes they just don't happen. Thanks for taking my mind off things for a moment though."

The flow of time returned, and Blaze went towards the throne and the waiting Shadow King.

"Sir, calm down! I think you knocked on the wrong door," Choking Darkness pushed the bronze unicorn away and closed the now familiar door to her apartment.

He just stared in utter disbelief.

"Oh," Discord appeared in the grey world, "I forgot to tell you your friend Void wiped her memories of you."

"Why would he do that?"

"Well, she couldn't deal with losing you so he gave her the choice of giving her new wings and allow her to forget you completely. She agreed."

"She... did that... willingly?"

"Of course. After all, the only thing you brought her was pain."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"And spoil the surprise? Don't be silly."

The god disappeared with an echoing laughter.

"You should have seen the look on your face."

The laughter continued.

"Priceless!"

The bronze unicorn slowly sat down. Bit by bit, his coat lost its colour, turning ashen grey, blonde mane darkened into shades of midnight blue, and sapphire blue eyes, crying tears of blood, became pink.

When Straw touched what he believed to be the form of Mistake, the magic teacher, the unicorn crumbled into dust.

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" Straw jerked away, and panically looked around.

Cromach just patted his head.

"I... I don't think there was anything anypony could do here."

The memory ended.

The small, grey apartment was a place Cromach knew like the back of his talons. Blaze, in the grey form of Mistake, was scribbling something into a small book, which he slammed shut when he saw the group appear.

"Crom, what are you doing here? You should be at the castle."

The griffon thought for a moment, then his eyes narrowed.

"This is before you went to Manehattan to fight real Blazing, isn't it?"

"Wo- wa- we- what, how?"

"This isn't real, just a memory or something. By the way, do you have any idea how much you pissed me off with that? I was so damn scared I'd never see you again!"

"Well, I couldn't... can't... whatever the terminology for what has already happened but not really yet... put you in danger like that. On the other hoof, since you're here, I guess it turned out fine?"

"Sort of, your father is trying to kill all of us, and is the leader of a cult threating to destroy the world or something, we're not really sure, but we expect the worst. I'm only telling you all of this because I think it will have no effect on the real world."

Blaze facehoofed.

"I know that's cheating, but can you tell me what's really going on in Manehattan?"

"I could, but we really need to hurry, I think. You only need to know one thing."

"Yes?"

"I will get there in time."

With the duo smiling at each other, the reality faded once more.

There was no scenery this time, only blackness. One by one, the group materialized, standing in a circle.

A tall alicorn stood in front of them, bronze coat reflecting light and making him look like a living flame, blonde mane with clear strands of silver in it, and sapphire-blue eyes cooling the entire visage down.

Blaze curiously looked at his new, real wings, and, as typical for him, sighed.

"Too bad those don't exist on the outside."

"That's a pretty cool look," Cromach looked him from eye to eye, examining them being the same height, "Can you make yourself look that way?"

"Nope, back there I'm just a shabby, featherless, decrepit, sort-of-alicorn whose coat is falling out. Now, we need to break the spell."

"How?"

"I thought you might know... I just saw a green flash and appeared here a while ago. It seems the spell is tailored for me, so I can't break it myself. Wait, where are Heavy and Walter?"

"They didn't get pulled in with us. My guess is that Heavy resisted the spell somehow, and is protecting our bodies out there from Blinding. No clue about Walt."

"Damn... they can't fight him. There's way too much divine power in him. I can go against him because I can drain him, but they sure as hay can't!"

"Well, all the memories revolved around you, sir," Connie explained, "Perhaps this is the same?"

"What memories?"

"We went through some of your memories where you almost lost hope, sir, and we had a talk. Is something bothering you now?"

"Aside from my father trying to kill all of you because of me? No, not really..."

"Blaze!" said Crom firmly.

"Alright, I'll leave out the usual stuff about me not being good enough for you or Chokey, because... that will not change. The thing is, I've gone through most of my adventures on my own, with only me on the line. Now I have the responsibility for the recruits, the Order's future and reputation, and all of you. Last time I made a choice like that, three of my friends died. That's why I don't want this to continue, I don't want to put anypony else in danger. I want it just to be me and the bad guy..."

"Sir, with all due respect-" Connie started.

"Damn it, I know what that phrase means!"

"Sorry, but that's stupid beyond belief. Without your intervention, Leo and Straw would have been eaten by observers, or controlled by Nightmare in Straw's case. I would have still been blowing ponies just so I had something warm in my stomach that day. Fortune would still work at the cart repair shop, which, granted, wouldn't be a bad fate, but..."

"Boring as hay," Fortune shrugged, "I don't want to work somewhere for ten years before the ponies around me stop looking at me with suspicion or barely contained disdain. Here, as long as I cover somepony's back, they will like me. I know getting attached is bad, because what we do is dangerous, but it is dangerous because it's a good thing. I messed up... very badly, and I might never forgive myself, but after seeing the half-immortal bastards I'm pretty sure things would have been worse if my unit didn't go there."

"Sir?" Straw raised his talons, "May I say something?"

"Why not? Everypony else is."

"The general theme feels to me like you want things to be perfect, peaceful, and solved, but it's not your fault problems keep cropping up-"

"Should I remind you that MY father is trying to kill us right now."

"It's HIS fault that he can't understand what happened, not yours. What I mean is that without you, things would have been worse. You had nothing to do with me becoming Nightmare's host, you just wanted to deal with it in the only way you knew how. It was the wrong way, but you got the hint in time, and now I'm here, alive, and actually cooperating with the dark god from time to time, because it doesn't want to die as well."

"Enough of this!" Nightmare's voice left Straw's mouth, making everypony jump, and Blaze and Cromach assume combat stance, "Harmony is our enemy now, betrayer! Your actions limited the influence of me and Discord, so the least you can do is balance the power again!"

"Harmony resurrected me, made me an alicorn, and gave me the opportunity to see my loved ones again, Nightmare," Blaze said calmly, "I feel something is off about the situation, but you are still on a different level."

"The only reason Harmony would do something like that is to have you as a willing pawn."

"Like you wanted to?"

"Exactly. This time, for once, I simply ask one thing of you - do the same you have been doing until now. That way, we might have a chance. What do you think is the right thing to do at the moment?"

Blaze closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Not overthink things. Right now, we have to get out and stop Blinding Light."

"Huh?" Straw shook his head, feeling Nightmare fade away, "I hate when that happe-"

The reality exploded into million shards.

The first thing Blaze said resonated with everyone waking up from the spell.

"No mercy, go for the kill."

The idea was there, but...

...the time on the outside hadn't been kind to the defenders.

Two heaps of rust-colored fur lay on the floor nearby alongside a split shield, and the drying blood on Blinding's greatsword told a clear tale of how the griffon had died.

Heavy Hoof was panting, holding the battered remains of his staff in his bleeding mouth.

"WALTER!" Connie's reslution broke the instant she saw Walter's corpse, and she ran towards him.

"Huh? Thank heavens," Heavy turned his head, just to see Blinding's sword fly towards the running unicorn, "CONNIE, GET AWAY!"

The blade hit, cutting deep into her chest, but not enough to slice her in two. She collapsed in shock immediately.

"Huh?" Heavy mumbled weakly, and blood splattered from his mouth. Everything felt suddenly slowed down and distant.

"No no no no no no no no no no NO NO!" Blaze screamed, but it was too late.

Tentacles had erupted from Blinding's hoof, and pierced Heavy Hoof's broad chest. Then they heaved and shrunk back, bringing a piece of red mess with them.

For the three seconds he remained conscious, Heavy Hoof looked at his heart in Blinding's tendrils, and knew that while he'd seen this story begin, he wouldn't be there to see its end.

Blaze jumped at Blinding, only to be faced with a wall of green flames coming from Blinding's amulet. When he landed, the white unicorn was nowhere around, only the slowly fading sea of green flames latching onto him remained.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The alicorn collapsed, rolling on the floor, covered in flames.

Scorched and smoldering, Blaze crawled over to Heavy's body, and hugged it tightly.

He didn't let go until the extracting police squad carried both of them back to the mansion.

Not Enough Time

Straw raised an eyebrow as he entered Cromach's office and saw the griffon in the middle of packing a bunch of documents into a large bag. It was three days after the semi-successful raid on the Vigil headquarters, and the somber atmosphere still lingered heavily around the mansion.

"Wrong time, sir?" he asked carefully.

"Hmm? No, I'm just getting ready to go back to Canterlot. What do you need?" Cromach didn't even look up from his business.

"Oh right, week's up. Speaking of which, how is our training going to continue when baron Hoof is... gone and you're back in Canterlot? Is Blaze going to practice with us?"

"I suppose Shadowstep's group will arrange something to suit both you and the guard recruits. It's likely you'll just have to do your physical exercises on your own, and take what you can from the shortened lessons with the changelings."

"That's why I'm here, sir. Am I allowed to find a part-time job, considering my sort-of-a-prisoner status? I mean, I'm happy I get what I need for free, but I'd like to see a bit more of Manehattan before... well, in case something goes wrong."

Crom sighed and gave Straw a weary smile unbecoming somepony of his age and good looks.

"I think we can put the Nightmare thing on hold until we sort out the bigger issues," he chuckled to himself, "I can't believe I'm actually saying that. Well, I think you making few bits on the side isn't a problem as long as it doesn't interfere with your training. You'll have to find something outside of the Order business, though, or take somepony else's shifts. Our guard patrols are full, and the police department can't offer to spend more money to support us."

"Thank you," Straw nodded, "The statue hunting was getting boring."

"Got all of them?" Crom winked at the hippogriff knowingly.

"Only a few. As far as I know nopony has ever found Blaze's statue."

Cromach rummaged in his large bag.

"You mean this one?" he pulled out a fully-coloured small statuette. Its mane and tail were made of delicate gold and platinum strands, the coat was ornate bronze even made to resemble fur, and there were two tiny sapphires serving as eyes. Unlike other real statues, this was a work of a jeweller rather than a stonemason, "Blaze was really unhappy we blew most of the 'leisure' budget on this, but Darky and I insisted."

"The details are amazing," Straw looked at the small thing from all angles, "Was it really that expensive, though? There can't be that much raw material in it to overshadow the big statues and work put into them."

"Heh, that's observant of you. No, the real value is the magic inside it. Turn it upside down and back."

Despite it not looking fragile at all, Straw picked the statue up with extreme care and spun it around in his talons. The bronze gleamed, the light cast on it from the window glinted, and the entire statue darkened, coat turning obsidian black, mane and tail going dark blue, and the eye color changing to pink. The statue now depicted Mistake, the magic teacher. Straw wasn't sure what the exact nature of their relationship was, but had been suspecting they were the same pony... somehow. What he wanted to know more, though, was the message on the bottom.

A chll ran up his spine.

"Time, company, life. Don't be afraid to give your everything to protect those you want to, and never regret having done so," Straw mumbled.

"He died multiple times, never knowing if what he did would be enough to save those around him, never knowing whether the ones whom he saved would even know what he did. That's why it irks me too much when somepony sees him only as an irritable or gloomy shut-in."

"Sorry, sir."

"Well," Cromach took the statue from Straw's talons and packed it back into his bag, "You were a special case. Not everypony gets the 'he has to be executed' treatment from minute one."

"I can't hold it against him. Now that I've seen what he has to deal with on a regular basis, I know he was just afraid... and he still is of what might become of me. With baron Hoof gone, I know what he meant by telling me you were just normal ponies, or griffons, or changelings, you know what I mean, tired and overrun."

"I was a soldier, Straw. Not for long and not in any major engagement, but still. I know how fleeting life is, and it's still hard, even if we weren't always on the best of terms with Heavy. Well, I'll have a lot to think about when sitting back in my Canterlot office now. I should have been there two days ago already, but the raid and all the mess around the burial held me up," he looked around the office, scratching his head, "I think I've got all of the really important stuff. Was there anything else you wanted?"

"No, sir. Good luck in Canterlot," Straw saluted.

"See you in a week, Straw."

The next two days weren't about as boring as they could be for Straw. Cromach hadn't been lying when he said the squad were on their own now. Cross, Shadowstep, Antares, and Starlight had their hooves, or other transformed appendages, full with doing the paperwork as well as all of the recruit training. The good part was that, a bit morbidly, with Heavy Hoof's passing, Straw could take over some of the simpler tasks concerning accounting he'd done temporarily when Connie destroyed Blaze's office.

So, now he finally had some bits. Well, he would have some when he got paid at the end of the week, but the excitement was there already.

The door to 'his' temporary office opened without knocking, making it quite clear who the incoming unicorn was.

"Hey, Strawberry, up for a night in the town?" Leo hollered, but the enthusiasm in his voice was way too forced.

"Gotta read through these contracts first," Straw lay down his pen, "and bring the finished ones to mister Cross' office. It should take about half an hour, give or take."

"Oh... yeah, sure. I'll be in our room until then."

Straw was simple, and even that was quickly becoming less and less true, but not stupid.

"What's wrong, Leo?"

"Meh..."

"Come on, my door is always open since, you know, you act as if there wasn't any anyway."

The mantra of a terrible boss worked its charm once again and Leo sighed. It was pretty obvious the reason for wanting to go out tonight wasn't just to appreciate the intellectual and cultured conversation Straw could offer.

"I asked Fortune out."

"How did it go?" Straw asked. In retrospect, quite stupidly.

"She agreed and now we're gonna have adult kisses and a ton of weird satyr fillies or whatever the doubtlessly adorable little crimes against nature are called," Leo rolled his eyes, scowling, "How do you think it went?!"

"I'm sorry."

"I return to my previous statement - meh," Leo shrugged, "I had to try. Who can say if either of us will be here tomorrow, so I at least had to try despite knowing that without my family's money I'm not really anypony worth mentioning."

"Come on, she didn't say that, did she?"

"Well, no, she said she wasn't looking for anypony at the moment, but I know what she meant. Given that I unwisely asked her out in the armory, doing maintenance to all her guns and gadgets, I didn't push the issue."

She had told Straw the same thing, but now he knew it was only because she'd been living in a fantasy about her and Cromach. With that quite clearly off the table, she...

...what?

Straw didn't know, but there was only one word on his mind - stupid. Perhaps the death of a friend had hit him harder than he could understand, perhaps he was just mad at Fortune considering Leo the same spoiled brat he'd been when they first met. He just knew paperwork had to wait, at least few more minutes.

"What are you-?" Leo jumped at the hippogriff's sudden springing to action.

"Go have a quick shower and splash something that smells nice all over yourself!" Straw barked.

"You can't be serious!" Leo facehoofed.

"GO!" Straw repeated.

He didn't have a plan, he just stormed out of the office, leaving Leo standing there, completely stunned.

The armory wasn't inside the mansion, but in a separate one-story building by the outer wall near the training grounds so the recruits wouldn't have to go far for practice equipment.

Fortune, currently busy with something involving a screwdriver and several tubular cases around her, twitched as the door flew open and a grey, heavily-breathing hippogriff locked his eyes with hers.

"Oh for crying out loud!" she put the screwdriver on a workbench next to her, "Don't tell me the idiot blabbed-"

The intruder stopped in front of Fortune and firmly looked up.

"Why?" Straw asked simply.

"Why is the corporation tax rate in Stalliongrad over fifteen percent? No idea, I'm not a politician."

"FORTUNE!"

"Straw."

"DISCORD!" a fanfare came from nowhere, and quickly faded away.

Both participants looked around suspiciously.

"Why did you refuse-"

"Let me just stop you right there," Fortune waved her hand dismissively, "This is not your business in the slightest."

"Then just help me satisfy my curiosity. You said you weren't looking for anypony, which would be understandable if it was true and not, for instance, you drooling over sir Cromach and refusing to give anypony else a chance."

"STRAW! None. Of. Your. Business. Which part of that don't you understand?"

"The part where you hurt my friend," he said simply, "Not much, granted, but for no reason whatsoever, when your 'explanation' was clearly just an excuse for something you didn't even have the guts to say in front of him. I'm pretty sure that if a random good-looking white griffon, not naming names here, would have asked you then the entire 'not on the market' thing wouldn't even cross your mind."

"Stop projecting your stupid situation on other ponies!"

"I'm not doing anything like that."

"Yeah, right. You can't get anypony, so you just want to put me and Leo together to make yourself feel better."

"That's nonsense. Not that I wouldn't want to get to know some nice mare, but in my situation I might accidentally eat her, get her involved in this, or something worse. Do you really want to compare it to yourself?"

"Well..." Fortune hesitated, but shook her head quickly, "That doesn't matter. No matter what you say, I'm not going out with Leo, got it?"

"Why?" Straw repeated the point again, "Just tell me that, honestly, and I won't bother you again. I promise."

"By Celestia's holy sunbutt, you know him! How can you, of all ponies, be taking his side? He's an annoying, spoiled crybaby who bullies those around him if he doesn't get what he wants. Who would bother with him?"

"I see..." Straw looked at the floor and shook his head.

"Good, now will you please get out? I've got things to do."

"Have you talked to him after he beat me up in the bar? I don't mean in action, just face to face, as ponies."

"Not a lot, thank you. I prefer to keep our relationship on a business basis."

"So you're not even giving him a chance. I'm not talking about few happy years, a family, or anything, just a single date."

"I've just told you that-"

"You... you, who got really personal with Connie only because either of you got a good idea and she, as a chosen leader, didn't pick yours."

"Mine was clearly better!"

"Not from the perspective of anypony other than you! Can't you understand? Connie is trying her best to work with you, and you don't budge an inch! You still see Leo as the same pony you protected me from in Canterlot without even bothering to do the smallest thing to see if it's really true. You're pushing everypony away when you have to work with them, and what for? You don't have anypony else."

"Get out..."

"YOU are the problem and you can change it!"

"GET OUT!"

"Not until you give Leo a chance. And since we're at it, apologize to Connie. I'm pretty sure she won't be as stubborn as you, and apologize herself."

The cold fury in Fortune's face reached its peak. She picked one of the tubes lying next to her up, grabbed one end in her hand, and twisted.

"You have five seconds before we blow up. Get the hay out! I'm not dealing with this nonsense anymore, one way or the other. You can get out, or stay here. It's not like I care anymore. My friends are dead, so is baron Hoof. You are not them... I don't care about you."

"You're crazy..."

"Good, now piss off!"

"No," Straw didn't hesitate, "You're not like this. Leo isn't just a bully blessed with noble status. Connie isn't a heartless machine who only obeys orders. I'm not an idiot. You're hurt but you care, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered with helping me when we first met."

"Shut up!"

"You're not the hardened soldier you make yourself to be. You've seen too much, but you're a young girl like me."

"Uh, what?" Fortune's face betrayed genuine puzzlement.

"I meant-"

*POOF!*

Everything went pink.

The recruits standing guard at the main gate, as well as sargeant Cross currently sitting at the changeling camp and writing something into a large notebook, were just slightly shocked at the sight of a pink mushroom cloud rising over the armory. Strangely enough, none of them bothered checking it out.

The synchronized coughing inside gradually died down and turned to wheezing and gasping for breathable air. The usually pale-skinned, brown-furred satyr was now completely bright pink, same as the previously grey hippogriff, but where Straw's face portrayed a victorious grin, Fortune looked at him with so much annoyance that it couldn't be safely measured without special equipment.

"Soooooo...?" Straw tried not to laugh, mostly because the pink dust lingering in the air around would probably choke him.

"I was supposed to dismantle the special flares from the raid," Fortune grumbled, walking towards the unexpectedly unbroken window and opening it, "As you, and presumably half of Manehattan, can see now there was really no problem with us being INSIDE a building."

"Sooooooo...?" Straw nudged Fortune.

"Shut up and tell me where the idiot is!"

Straw didn't ponder the impossibility of Fortune's order.

"The common showers, I think. The one in our room is out of order and we haven't had the time to have it looked at yet."

"Come with me!"

With the unstoppability of an iceberg, the pink satyr marched to the mansion, a smaller pink cloud following her.

"One date, that's all he gets! Just to shut your damn face."

"No being nasty for no reason," Straw said firmly.

In the common room, by the entrance to the stallion showers, Fortune dropped all her clothes and underwear, completely ignoring everypony, and stormed inside.

"LEO GOLDHORN!" she yelled, embarrassing, and undoubtedly shocking them more than faulty wiring, every reddening stallion inside.

"Eeerm, yes?" the victim peeked out from behind a pillar, and, blushing profusely, covered his eyes.

"Look at me, you damn unicorn!" she stomped right to him, stopped only by her toned abs touching his muzzle, "This is what you get! Meet me at the mansion entrance in an hour! Don't be late!"

Not giving a single look to the stunned stallions standing around with mouths agape, eyes bulged, and their little stallions at half mast, she left as forcefully as she entered. The last thing she said when passing Straw at the entrance was:

"Happy?"

Being slightly smaller than Leo, Straw gathered himself and said firmly to Fortune's abdomen where skin of her torso met the fur of her lower body.

"Very. Thank you."

At last he realized he was trembling all over.

As he washed himself, turning the puddles around him into pink pools, Leo carefully coughed nearby, looking at him.

"What do I do now?"

"Be yourself."

"She hates me!"

"She hates the you from over a month ago. Nopony can hate you you, the you who practices privately with sir Cromach every evening, the you who chose to be his team's shield instead of trying to grab the glory of defeating an enemy himself. You know... the pony you are working hard to be."

"You know, you really have a habit of sticking your nose into other ponies' business."

"So I've heard. Aren't you glad that's the case?"

Leo snickered.

"Thanks for the chance."

"Don't blow it."

"Maybe something else will get blown ton-"

"Gentlecolt!"

"Just kidding!"

Followed by the muffled laughter of every stallion witnessing the spectacle, Leo rushed out. Straw could finally focus on not looking like a neon sign.

"Hope it works out for you, Leo. I hope one day something works out for me as well."

As the hot water flowed over him, he wondered about what he'd just done. He believed in Leo, being the most involved witness of his recent change. He liked Fortune, not her ability to be really nasty when she wanted to, but her desire to protect others, something she tried to suppress in fear of the death of her close ones repeating.

He smiled. That was what Leo and Fortune shared the most.

As for him, the shaking was slowly leaving his body. He would have never done something like that before, but...

...it was Heavy Hoof's death, Cross' desperate and yet happy expression when Void called Heavy's soul back for their last evening together, Cromach's bitter smile as he gave the eulogy at the burial and revealed he and the baron weren't always on the best of terms, Blaze, still seemingly in shock, not believing all that had really happened, the princesses, commander Darkness, and many others including recruits from both Order and Canterlot. The final push was seeing how carefully Cromach sheltered the statuette of Blaze.

He knew now. In comparison to what they faced, the knowledge that they could be gone next time they met a dangerous enemy, a little bit of apprehension, fear of making an ass of themselves was nothing.

Mere four hours later, with Straw reading a book in his room, the door quietly opened. He just peeked over the top of the page.

Leo was slightly drunk, a goofy smile plastered on his face.

"I bet you can't keep up the act for long. I'll strip your 'slightly enjoyable company' mask next time," Leo proclaimed, smile growing wider and wider, "That's what she told me about five minutes ago."

Straw breathed out veeeery slowly.

"Thanks, Strawberry," Leo continued, eyes misting over.

"It was just a first step," Straw commented timidly.

"It was more than I deserved."

"What, a spoiled unicorn noble and a mentally unstable hybrid of a pony and some unknown creature? I think it's a match made in heaven."

It wasn't enough to burn away the shadow of the recent loss, nor the threat of the Vigils, but it was something to help both of them sleep that night.

The amount of paperwork was neverending but manageable, and Straw found himself longing for some free time. Still, he was nothing if not hard-working, so he persevered until a firm knocking on the door of the office he still refused to think of as his interrupted his focus.

"Come in!"

The visitor was Contradiction, slightly surprised at seeing the hippogriff buried in documents.

"Blaze sent a recruit to ask if we wanted another squad training session against him, I said it would help. It's in two hours."

It wasn't a command, just a simple statement. Straw was a squad member, and as such he still answered to Connie. After all, his request for a job had been under the condition of not conflicting with his training.

"Oh, sure. Should I help get any equipment ready?"

"I think we can manage," Connie smiled, "Just be there on time and stretched already. I would really like to see something better than a massacre like last time."

"Oh Celestia, is it going to be another 'death match'?"

"As far as I know, no. Still, putting a scratch on him without having everypony knocked out or something would be enough a victory."

"I'll try my best."

"I'll be working on some sort of a plan, I believe it will help us more than any heroic feats."

"I'll finish these requision forms and get ready. Good luck with the plan. Have you tried asking Fortune for help? She might offer you a different perspective on things."

"Heh, your little 'everypony is extra buddy-buddy now' project? I might... consult my plan with her. After all, I don't want to wake up one day with a coltfriend I barely know and looking like a gay hooker."

Straw facehoofed, making sure to enjoy the pain. It was still much less than the incoming rumors which had to be circulating about him among the recruits.

"For the record, it was Fortune's fault... mostly."

"Been there, done that already," Connie grinned to herself, shutting Straw up as he remembered her little tale, "Not too much fun, but if you can find me a nice griffon..."

She winked at Straw meaningfully.

"Sorry about Walter."

"Yeah... but hey, thanks to him I can finally look at a guy again without wanting to cut his throat, although, as Fortune so crudely delivered, he might have left a bit more of a mark than I would like others knowing. I'm not going to let it go to waste. Soooo, do you think the natural disaster on two legs will be at least marginally sufferable about us working together after your 'pep talk'?"

"I don't know, really. I wasn't really thinking, it just felt all so stupid, these little squabbles, so unimportant. Honestly, though, I think the two of you can make it work. Both of you are really smart and can see things Leo and I can't. I just hope you can think of a good plan before you beat each other to death."

"Beat her to death... hmmm," Connie drifted off to a nice dreamland where cheerful rivers of satyr blood flowed for a second, "Just kidding! I'll try 'cooperating' with her one more time."

When she left, Straw sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to think of anything other than the coming practice. The paperwork would just have to wait.

"Yep, that's my boss, well, one of them," he mumbled, standing up and cracking his neck, "Better get my blood flowing before Blaze wrecks us."

It was little too early for lunch, but the recruits currently on 'potato duty', as they called the cafeteria service, recognized him as one of the special operatives, the pink division, and made quite the meal for him from the morning leftovers. All he had to endure was their incessant whispering and snickering.

Of course, after every meal there had to be an active rest, so he decided on a long flight above Manehattan. He shook his head as he caught himself looking behind him to see if there was anypony following him. No suspicious black dot in the distance.

He blinked, spun around quickly, and rubbed his eyes.

For the tiniest moment there had been something.

"Just nerves," Straw nodded his head when nothing suspicious followed, and smiled sadly, "She was sort of cute when not going for my neck."

With about half an hour to spare, he grabbed his guard-issue sword and gave it some practice swings until the rest of the squad arrived. He'd gotten better, that much was obvious. Beatdown after beatdown tends to do that to a pony, but the ease with which he moved on his hind legs and deflected all of the imaginary enemy's blows surprised even him. It seemed he was in a contemplative mood, just like last few days.

Contradiction told them the plan. It was a simple distract-and-flank maneuver where Connie and Straw were the frontline, Leo wasn't supposed to draw attention to himself unless some anypony else came under an unmanageable attack, and Fortune provided either smokescreen in case Blaze didn't move, or covering fire in case he did. Any more planning was impossible because they had no idea how much power Blaze would decide to unleash at them.

Straw realized how little that might matter as soon as Blaze stumbled out of the mansion. From their expressions it was pretty clear that, aside from the burial, no one else from the group had seen the alicorn since the incident. He looked barely able to walk, eyes sunken, more spots of shed fur in his coat, and ethereal wings nearly invisible. In short, he was an utter mess.

"Sir, with all due respect, you look terrible," Connie stepped up when Blaze approached.

"Don't think compliments will make me go easy on you," Blaze snorted, a twitch of his mouth betraying the tiniest of smiles, "We'd be here a long time if we waited for me to look better."

"No, seriously, you can barely stand," Fortune pushed past Connie and kneeled in front of him, "If you were my pet I'd have to put you out of your misery."

"Yes, I'm pretty sure that paying for a vet would be a waste for me," Blaze pushed her away, "But calm down, all of you, I'm just a little tired. Void's visit was pretty taxing for me, but I should still manage to be a decent challenge."

"Sorry, sir," said Connie, "I thought baron Hoof's passing-"

"Left me wasting most of the Order's budget on hard liquor?" Blaze finished her sentence.

Everypony took a step back. They knew the rumors.

"Errrm," Connie hung her head and muttered quietly, "Yes."

"Well, Chokey and Crom were here until I calmed down a little," Blaze took a deep breath and raised a hoof, "HOWEVER, I am now forced to defend my honor, you scoundrels!"

"What? Wait!" Connie was telekinetically yanked upwards into the air.

"The enemy rarely waits for you to be ready," Blaze's horn glowed, and Straw immediately knew they had underestimated the alicorn severely, "Now do your thing before I start shooting you randomly into Manehattan. Oops, too late!"

With a small boom, Connie got launched into the air. Arena of imaginary death or not, if she landed she would be badly hurt no matter what.

"Leave her to me!" Leo yelled, and had to dodge a ball of fire aimed at him.

Staying true to the original plan of deception, Straw faced Blaze in a one-on-one combat. Sword met gauntlets of black ice covering Blaze's front legs, which quickly met Straw's face and sent him to the ground.

Having conjured a barrier in shape of a water slide, Leo directed Connie's fall behind Blaze while Fortune occupied him by shooting him ineffectively over and over in the chest with her rifle, trying to outmatch a blackfrost shield appearing in the place of each hit.

Blaze might have expected a strike or a measured aggression from Connie after her descent.

What he definitely wasn't expecting was to Connie curl up in a ball while on the slide and hit him with the full force in the back. Straw barely had the time to dodge out of the way of the mass of grey and bronze limbs.

Blaze looked up at a sword, a barrel of a shotgun, and a golden barrier shaped like a spike.

"Okay, I guess I ran straight into that one. Up for a round t... w... o...?" he drifted off, eyes widening. His fake struggle to get up turned erratic, and he looked far past all of them, "No... nononono! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

An explosion of pure force scattered the squad members around while the alicorn jumped up, still muttering to himself over and over: "No no no no no."

The amount of power drawn into him scorched he ground nearby and baked the winter mud into glass.

"What's wro-"

In an eye-burning flash of light, he left only a fading fiery trail in the sky heading west.

"Did we win?" Connie, still dazed from being thrown far too much in far too little time, asked after several seconds.

"Eeeeeeh, I don't know, but I don't like this," Leo said somberly, eyes still on the sky, "Canterlot is that way."

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The next morning Straw stumbled out of the bed, promising slow and painful death to whoever was on the other side of the door of his and Leo's room. It wasn't that the one knocking was loud and unstoppable. It wasn't even the fact that they had interrupted a particularly interesting dream about satyr anatomy. It was the sound itself, as if the knocker's hoof was made of pure cast iron.

Also, it being not even six o'clock didn't help either.

"So LOUD..." groaned Leo.

Straw opened and his expression that only a large cup of coffee could cure immediately turned to raw panic.

"Sargeant Cross?" he quickly wiped his sweaty mane off his face and, with the precognition an average oracle would kill for, asked, "What went horribly wrong this time?"

The batpony/changeling levitated a white envelope sealed with a broken purple seal, a royal seal.

"The royal messenger came on the overnight train. Princess Twilight Sparkle needs you in Canterlot as quickly as your transportation allows it."

"Ehm, me?" Straw fidgeted nervously, one horrifying scenario involving the princesses knowing about the Nightmare inside him after another rushing through his head.

"Read it."

Straw pulled out a short and strange letter.

To any Order of the Silver Sun official,

I have a good reason to believe that today's events are connected to your institution. Send anypony capable of dealing with unusual magic, the unicorn you described as Blinding Light is involved and currently trapped in a stasis spell inside the castle.

This is a royal order to be executed immediately.

Princess Twilight Sparkle

After Straw read it aloud so that Leo could hear it, Cross took it away from him.

"Evidence. Now, with all the paperwork and recruit training, none of my unit can leave this place. It wouldn't do us any good if we helped the princess at the cost of not fulfilling our obligations to those who pay us money. Blaze is nowhere to be found, and Cromach is in Canterlot already, which is what worries me the most. He is supposed to handle all the business between the Order and Canterlot, which means he is out of touch for some reason. With that, Shadowstep and I have decided that it would be prudent to have your group go to Canterlot and see what's up. Contradiction and Fortune are at the armory, procuring any necessary equipment."

"Yes, sir!" Straw and Leo saluted.

"One last thing. It isn't public knowledge that Blaze and the princesses didn't always see eye to eye on all things, especially with him being the expert on divine threats and having to ignore law on occasion. Him missing might mean that your audience with the princess might not be on the warmest of terms, so be extremely careful about the whole thing. The princesses do not know about you being Nightmare's host, Straw, and them finding out might shake our position even more, so keep a low profile."

"What is the worst that can really happen?" Leo asked skeptically, "After all, it's Canterlot."

"Blaze, Cromach, and Choking Darkness are dead. The princesses are under Blinding Light's control, and the entire thing is a trap set up to destroy Shadowstep's squad. That's the worst case scenario we're working with."

"Okaaaay, and how likely is that to happen?" Leo was clearly working through the information.

"Not much, but... being careful has never hut anypony."

"Alright, sir!" Straw took a deep breath and looked firmly at Cross, "What are we supposed to do in case waste hits the windmill?"

"Get a clear message back here about what's really going on. It doesn't matter how, us changelings can easily recognize a fake messenger. As for dealing with the situation itself... just trust one another. You know what Blinding Light and Vigils can do better than anypony outside of the Order, better than my unit as well."

"And what if he's really just a prisoner there and Blaze's disappearance yesterday was completely unrelated?"

"Do everything in your power to prevent him from getting out, including defying royal orders."

Leo and Straw just stood there.

High treason.

"Anything else?" Cross asked.

"No, sir."

The Hoof of Fate didn't talk much on the express train to Canterlot, the possible seriousness of their deployment weighing heavily on their minds. They weren't worried about the chances of the apocayptic scenario to occur, because those actually weren't THAT high. It was more than likely they were coming only to testify against Blinding in the princess' court. Granted, that didn't explain why it was princess Twilight who had sent the message, or why neither Cromach nor Blaze were enough to settle that issue themselves, but it helped them not shake in fear the whole way.

Not that it stopped them from forming an escape plan, you know, just in case. Connie let Fortune handle that one because she had little idea about the layout of the city, much less the castle itself, and rested, listening to the others talking about breaking windows and escaping through the toilets.

"Celestia almighty!" she jumped up suddenly, opening her bag, "I completely forgot about this!"

She triumphantly pulled out a roll of toilet paper.

"The bathrooms are at the end of the car," Straw tried to be helpful, "but I think they're stocked."

Connie's withering look went completely over his head.

"The diary, you dimwit!"

"Ooooooh!" came from three mouths simultaneously, betraying Straw wasn't the only one left for dead on that train of though, "So, any new entries?"

"Hmmm hmmmm," Connie examined it, "too bad the spell didn't copy the old ones, we might have gotten something out of them. AH, here is one!"

She cleared her throat and started reading aloud:

"I have failed, and the murderer's minions stopped me from enacting justice. The Watcher has not forsaken me, though, and said that the murderer draws strength from those close to him. We have managed to get rid of the mudpony filth and the disgusting lovesucker pet already, but those are not the truly important ones. One of the remaining two I know - the damn vampony posing as a member of our princess' society - she should be easy to deal with, she's cunning but weak. The other one the Watcher showed me in the past in my visions - the white catbird - might be an issue. On top of being a soldier, he is protected by great power inside him. Heh, I must really be getting old if this worries me. The Watcher is spinning a plan to revive the Vigil into a much greater strength while I go get my revenge. He has given me all the necessary tools - my strength back, the amulet channeling his power. Now it is up to me to prove myself worthy so that my family can finally rest in peace."

"Cromach," Fortune bit her lip.

"Commader Darkness," sighed Straw at the same time.

"Does it really say he has the power to kill two high-profile civil servants right under the noses of the alicorn sisters?" Leo asked flatly.

"He might have done so already and caused a lot of damage. Perhaps that's why princess Sparkle sent the letter?" Fortune took a guess, trying not to think about one dead griffon.

Silence interrupted only by the thumping of the train spread through the coupe.

"You know, it's not good for morale to think about the worst possible outcome all the time," Connie forced a smile, and a small oblong levitated out of her bag, "How about a round of cards? To make it take your mind off things, how about we play for money?"

"I haven't really played anything of this sort before," Straw admitted.

"Maybe one or two rounds, I can barely remmber the rules," Fortune shrugged.

"Pff, servants used to play this to amuse themselves," Leo snorted, "but it should help pass time. One bit stakes maximum? I have to admit I'm not too familiar with games for common folk."

"Eeerm," Straw started.

"I'll cover yours, just try not to bankrupt me."

"Good," Connie's smile turned incredibly shifty, "I'll recap the rules for you."

When it was clear that even Straw, being the only one who hadn't played anything of that sort before, understood, they began.

Fortune had lied about her experience.

Fortune had lied a lot.

Fortune was about seventy bits richer when the train reached the Canterlot station.

"What?" she asked innocently when Connie, twenty bits lighter, glared at her, "How do you think we passed time at the repair shop when there was nothing to work on? Not my fault you wanted to take all the dummies' money and got baited."

A squad of Royal Guards was waiting for them on the platform, gathering around as soon as one of them spotted Fortune.

"Princess Sparkle is waiting for you at the Crystal Empire embassy."

"Whoa, why not the castle?" asked Connie.

The guard shifted uncomfortably while walking.

"The castle... is currently off limits. The princess will tell you all the details. I really don't know much about it aside from nopony being allowed to even go near it."

Cross' depressing scenario running through their heads, the Hoof of Fate had no choice but to follow the guards.

As they neared a building unique to Canterlot, a large, white manor decorated with angular crystals reflecting afternoon light into localized rainbows, Straw assumed they were reaching the place. What grabbed his attention the most were two life-sized statues of guards made of pure, dimly reflective crystal by the manor entrance. He quickly examined one, poking its mane.

"Wooooow! How did they make the mane gleamy and flowy? It's awesome!" Straw turned back to the others whose expressions were unreadable.

"Thank you, sir," the statue said, "It's crystal berry mane gel."

The second statue snickered loudly at Straw's 'AAAAH!' and taking up in the air.

"He's never seen a crystal pony close and personal before," Connie explained, covering her muzzle.

"Don't worry, ma'am. We get that a lot," the Crystal Guard smiled at Straw still hovering above him, "You can come down now, we don't bite."

Threatening to burst into flames out of sheer embarrassment, Straw landed.

"S-s-sorry, sir!" he saluted.

"No harm done," the guard returned the salute.

Spurred by a polite cough of the Royal Guard leading them, Connie's group entered the embassy. Straw's eyes wanted to leave his body and go for a guided tour of the building, because every surface sparkled in a different way, creating illusions of corridors and pillars in the empty air, crystal ponies were everywhere, and the entire place tickled Straw's desire to see something new.

New princess for one.

The purple alicorn strode to the embassy lobby down one of the spiral staircases on the side of the large room and, without a second of doubt, aimed towards the group.

"You're the Order members, right? You all look familiar."

"Yes, your Highness," Contradiction bowed, "We arrived as soon as we got your message. What's going on?"

"Follow me to the castle, I'll explain things on the way. Something happened yesterday, and I believe your Order is involved in some way."

They left the embassy again, much to Straw's disappointment.

"What way?" Fortune asked carefully, secretly reaching for a pistol hosltered on her waist.

"Some way. Sadly, I don't know anything else. Yesterday, in the hours of early afternoon, I felt an unprecedented massive pulse of force come from the castle. I was in the Crystal Empire embassy at the time, taking care of some documents for my brother. When I arrived back at the castle, things were... strange. You will see when we get there. First of all, I have to warn you to not go anywhere unless I tell you to, otherwise you'll end up like the guards and presumably the princesses."

They all felt it as they entered the familiar castle grounds, the main gate being guarded by an uncharacteristically large squad of Royal Guards. The air was still, there was no traffic in the skies above, and, most of all, the castle was completely silent.

"The phenomenon reaches about two and a half meters outside the castle walls, so before we go in I'll have to cast a spell which will allow us to get inside."

"What phenomenon, your Highness? I mean no disrespect by that, but you haven't told us anything yet," Connie said flatly.

"Didn't I say it in the letter? A large-scale stasis spell spanning the entire castle is preventing anypony from moving out or in. I used a lot of scrying magic to find the source, and the point of origin seems to be outside of princess Luna's suite. The ponies in the area are princess Luna, Nightguard commander Choking Darkness standing guard by her door, ambassador Cromach, and one unicorn matching your description of Blinding Light. Unfortunately, without getting there myself I can't do much more than guess what's going on."

"Aren't you the alicorn of Magic?" Fortune asked, "I mean, if YOU have no idea about what's really there, how can we help?"

"I explained it incorrectly. The stasis isn't caused and maintained by magic. It is raw and unrefined divine power. You see, magic can achieve more complex effects, delayed ones, conditions, long-term changes and such. Divine power is mostly unexplained, because the study of alicorns has never been... pursued too deeply, but from what I've gathered since my ascension divine power works more like a wish, which means all it takes is willpower, not knowledge. The entire situation feels as if somepony wished for... something to not be happening so strongly that their divinity answered. The alicorns relying mostly on their natural power I know about are princess Celestia, Void, and Blaze. Considering who is near the epicenter of the 'effect', I assume Blaze did this and disappeared somewhere. Why or where is completely beyond me. I can only guess that Blinding got inside the castle somehow, was going to do something, Blaze knew about it and wasn't able to prevent it, so he stopped time in order to... get more time to think."

Twilight scowled to herself at the lack of accuracy in her explanation.

"This might be a dumb idea but," Leo raised a hoof, "since we don't know anything, why don't we leave the stasis be and wait for Blaze to come up with something? I mean, he was somehow able to sense danger from Manehattan, get here in time, and stop everything before Blinding could do what he wanted to do. I can't even imagine how much power that had to take, but perhaps he's just resting now."

Twilight shook her head sadly.

"We can't do that. Most of the really important documents and high-ranked city officials are in the castle, as well as some important ambassadors. Letting this go on even for few more days might spark an international incident, possibly a war if somepony thinks we're holding their citizens hostage."

"Can't you, I don't know, explain things to the other countries? Perhaps they'd understand." Straw clutched at, ehm, straws.

"I wish that was the case, I really do," Twilight sighed, "but politics doesn't work like that. Quite often I long for the days where it was just me and my friends against some ancient evil. Unfortunately, I now have Equestria to think about while deciding anything, and Equestria needs its princesses and government. We need to stop the stasis and deal with Blinding Light as well as we can. That's one reason we need to act fast. The other one is that, from what little I could gather, the stasis is shoddy."

"What do you mean?" asked Connie.

"I, with my limited knowledge about divine power, believe the stasis is fading quickly. The scale is far too large, the time for preparation must have been too short, and the spellcaster inexperienced. This is a desperate, not thought through attempt at stopping something. With that in mind, I'd much rather deal with Blinding Light on our terms rather than have the stasis break randomly, allowing him to do what he wants and disappear."

"I have to admit we don't have the best track record against Vigil members, much less their leader," Connie said.

"That makes all of us," Twilight shrugged, "it's still better than the guards or anypony I can gather in such a short time."

High treason.

Straw pondered refusing, but Twilight's explanation didn't leave many holes for him to poke.

"Fine, what do you need us to do?" Connie was faster, "Get in a circle around Blinding and smack him over the head as soon as time starts flowing again?"

"It's not that simple. We can't get inside the stasis, the guards who tried got stuck like the ones already there. My magic is strong enough to travel inside... probably, but I can't risk getting stuck there as well. I need a way to get more power, preferrably divine, to make myself safe when entering the castle. What I say now is a secret you're not telling anypony, understand? The kind of lifetime-in-jail secret, right?"

"Yes, your Highness!" Connie saluted, showing she was ready for business.

"Good. There's a secret entrance to the castle through the vault. I can give you a temporary way to enter. Once there, you are to find and retrieve an artefact called the Alicorn Amulet. It looks like a necklace adorned with a red and black alicorn head and spread wings. Under no circumstances you are to use it, this is vital! When you're back here, I should be able to combine raw alicorn power and my magic prowess to create a spell allowing us to travel through the stasis to the point of origin and then break it."

"Isn't the vault under the spell as well?"

"The vault is protected by combined power of both royal sisters. The only time it was breached was when Discord himself stole the Elements of Harmony from there. It SHOULD be untouched, just like the underground entrance. If it isn't we'll know as soon as we enter the sewers."

"I thought you weren't coming."

"Not to the vault itself. I'll have to reveal the hidden entrance to you, though. If one of you gets stuck there then we'll know the stasis is stronger than I thought and I'll have to think of another plan. Do you need anything to help you on the way?"

"Is the secret entrance guarded by some strange and dangerous monsters who eat everything aside from alicorns?"

"No, although you'll have to take a short path through the Canterlot mountain. The route you'll be taking was originally designed to allow the nobles to hide in safe rooms inside the mountain. When the mining operations down there stopped the safe places were lost, and now only the sewer exit remains."

"What do you mean by 'lost'?"

"Eeeehm... the history books aren't clear about why the mining operations were stopped."

"Okay, what ate the miners?" Fortune snickered.

Nopony else found the humor in that.

"Well, don't worry about that. You'll be passing through the mountain for only a short while. If you don't stray from the reconstructed hallways you'll be fine."

"That wasn't really an answer," commented Leo.

"Answer or not," Connie stepped in again, "we're here to help. I think our equipment will suffice, so lead the way, your Highness."

Not too surprisingly, the entrance to the secret tunnel was on the opposite side of Canterlot, and masked by an illusion spell neither Connie nor Leo even felt. Straw, on the other talon, saw through it immediately, but stayed quiet, not wanting to reveal anything weird about himself. Nightmare's presence apparently had its advantages.

Of course, you worthless creature!

The heavy, steel door opened on well-oiled hinges. Princess Twilight gave Connie a wand shaped like a unicorn horn.

"There will be a hole in the middle of the door leading to the vault itself. Insert it inside and it should open. When you're done, meet me back at the Crystal Empire embassy."

"Yes, your Highness," Connie turned to the rest of the group, "Alright, guys, the goal is clear - find the Alicorn Amulet, grab whomever we can to help us stop Blinding Light, and finish this Vigil thing once and for all."

Timestop - Part I: The Alicorn Amulet

The heavy door quietly shut behind them, dousing princess Twilight's leaving hoofsteps.

"So, since we're not stuck in a state of unconscious timelessness, what's the plan?" Leo asked as the group fell into a steady pace of walking through the endless tunnel.

"I'm going first, Straw's got the back," Connie stated simply and Straw shuffled behind Fortune, "I'd like Fortune behind me, shotgun ready. She'll be much more useful in close quarters than my oversized sword."

"Speaking of oversized swords," Fortune snickered, moving behind her, "Your Bad Griffon package arrived two days ago, I hijacked it to blackmail you later."

"Dead... you're so dead," Connie whispered, not even trying to deny anything, "Not simply waking up one morning tied up in the basement. Acid... acid everywhere, steel baseball bats, nipple clamps, spikes."

Her mumbling escalated quickly and strangely.

"What's a Bad-?" Straw began.

"Tread lightly, friend, tread lightly," Leo stopped the question.

Leo and Fortune quite openly drew amusement from Straw's confusion and Connie's angry ramblings, but at least neither of them was being slammed into the ceiling repeatedly. After about fifteen minutes of walking, they passed a place where the bricks on the wall seemed slightly out of place, as if somepony built that part later than the rest of the tunnel.

"The barred entrance to the mountain mines?" Straw hazarded a guess.

"Likely," Connie nodded.

AN entrance, as it turned out quite soon. The barred places grew in number, and the group knew they had to be getting near the castle itself.

"-"

"Hmm?" Straw's ears twitched as they passed another mine entrance, "Did you hear anything?"

They all stopped, letting the sounds of hooves on stone fade away.

"-me!"

Hearing the high-pitched voice, they didn't dare breathe.

"Is anypony there?" it grew louder and clearly female,  "Help me, please!"

Without thinking, Straw charged the weak-looking wall. He barely made it few inches before being stopped. A faint white shimmer around his body was the answer to his sudden lack of movement.

"No," said Connie with deathly seriousness, "We can't afford to waste time."

"Somepony is trapped there!" Straw rebutted, still frozen by her telekinesis.

"According to princess Sparkle, nopony should be there and there should be no way of getting inside the mountain anymore."

"I can hear you, please answer me!" the desperate voice cried again.

"How did you get inside?" Straw yelled loudly.

"I don't know! Just come here, please! It's so cold and dark," the voice was getting closer, "I'm lonely... and hungry."

"Nope nope nope nope," Connie stepped away from the wall, not letting Straw go.

"Hey, Nightmare!" the hippogriff resorted to asking an unlikely ally, "You're a god, right? What's on the other side of the wall?"

"Heh," a much harsher voice left his throat, "Does blood magic ring a bell, little foals? The last wish of a dying soul to get its revenge? What could have possibly happened down there to make the high-ups run away from the mines mid-shift and bar the entrances with magic, imprisoning the miners forever? With Void locked in Tartatus for millenia, there was nothing protecting the poor souls from their own fear and from falling into wrong hooves. Who knows? Something might have listened to their wishes while they ate one another to survive, changed them into a much more suitable form for living in the endless darkness," a throaty laugh punctuated Nightmare's monologue, "Or maybe I'm just messing with you, and if you leave you'll let a poor adventurous filly who may have wandered there by mistake starve to death while cursing the name of those unwilling to save her. Take your pick, my little ponies."

"I hate doing this," Straw shook his head and coughed, "My throat always hurts. Still, that wasn't as helpful as I hoped it would be."

"Nightmare not helpful? Color me surprised," Fortune sneered.

Flay her, slave!

How about no?

How about I eat your foals one day?

"Yes, having a god inside me isn't as cool as it sounds at first."

"Back to the matter at hoof," Connie stopped their banter, ignoring the quiet crying and begging coming from behind the wall, "My order is to continue with the mission, but since I can't really afford to cut your legs off and carry you in my bag so I'm putting this up to vote and there will be no arguing with the result. Break the wall or go on?"

"Wall!" Straw said immediately.

"Castle," Fortune said with lack of interest.

"Castle," Connie nodded.

"You know, how was this supposed to work since there's four of us?" Leo snickered when Connie facehoofed, "but yeah, we can send somepony here later or do something on the way back. Right now I think we should get the amulet."

Grinding his teeth, Straw leaned towards the shifty wall.

"I'm sorry, but if you stay here we'll send somepony to get you soon. Promise me you'll stay here, please!"

"Help!" the voice just repeated over and over.

"I'm really sorry."

I love seeing my hosts broken and obedient.

Shut up!

Heh heh heh.

Straw spent the rest of the way arguing with himself, but ultimately he knew it was pointless. Logically, one lost pony wasn't as important as what could happen in the castle if they failed but...

...it didn't help his conscience the slightest.

Lit only by the glow of two unicorn horns, the group went on through the long tunnel until a door adorned with ornamental sun blocked their path. There was a hole in the middle into which Connie inserted princess Sparkle's wand. The door opened without issue.

"At least she was right about the vault being protected," Connie commented as they walked inside, "So, an amulet depicting an alicorn head and wings. Let's do this quickly and go back ot the embassy."

It didn't take long. Among pedestals with various oddities on them, ones glowing with immense amounts of magic according to Leo and Connie, there was one holding the necklace in question. Strange bead curtain hung from above it.

Straw looked up.

How about we go back and deal with the hungry amalgamation of the miners' souls first? Then we can tackle this... preferrably with purple smart herself here as well.

The vault was a big circular room. The bead curtain above the alicorn amulet pillar shifted slightly. The beads led up to the ceiling.

Towards the mouth of the biggest observer Straw had ever seen. Hanging like a grey spider, with eight legs spread along the wall of the vault, its mouth was right above Fortune, tentacles forming the 'bead curtain'.

Straw reacted instinctively.

"FORTUNE, GET AWAY FROM THERE!"

Not a smart thing, considering the observer now knew they were able to see it.

A large leg immediately stomped the floor where Straw had stood a moment ago, remains of shattered floor tiles rocketing everywhere.

"W-wha?" Fortune focused on the damage, gradually gaining enough knowledge to see the leg...

...the spindly, grey body...

...the tube serving as a neck...

...the tentacles coming out of the neckhole...

"DON'T LOOK INSIDE!"

Too late. The brown satyr's mouth flopped open, eyes widened, and her breathing slowed into a crawl. Like a statue, she just stood there.

Fortunately, the observer's attention was on Straw.

Nightmare, you willing to help?

What menial tasks wouldn't I do to ensure my continued survival...

Give me the chance to damage it!

The mass of tentacles coming from the observer's mouth scattered like an exploding can of worms when Straw's sword cleaved through them. Knowing what would come if he looked inside, he closed his eyes and blindly jumped to the side.

Jumped about five meters to the side, kicked by the observer's leg. Instead of him splattering all over the vault wall, the blow was softened by golden aura.

"Gotcha!" Leo mumbled, focused on the erratic movement of the eight spider legs, slowing and preventing their movement by cleverly placed shields.

Connie was blinking, coming to terms with the monstrosity all around her. However, when she comprehended what the enemy was and how it looked, she didn't wait long and her sword whistled through the air.

The screeching of steel on whatever material the observer was made of sent shivers through Leo and Straw, but one observer's leg, held in place by Leo's barriers, split messily away from the body.

The roar deafened them completely, leaving their ears ringing and their balance completely shattered. Leo couldn't focus and his magic faded. Connie couldn't stay on her legs. Fortune... was mentally gone. Straw, trying to get back on all fours, knew what she was going through, though, and knew that if they survived this they could help her.

The IF was becoming an issue. Another observer's leg swung through the air and slammed Leo against the wall. With the way the unicorn collapsed and groaned in pain, Straw knew some ribs had to be broken.

It's just an observer! Why can't we deal with this?

We made many creatures in the beginning of time, some of them reached levels of power dangerous even to us. Take Void for example. This one, though, would not be an issue if I wasn't in such diminished state.

Straw made a very dangerous choice.

Alright, protect me with everything you've got!

Interesting.

Dodging and weaving between regrowing tentacles and legs, Straw zig-zagged towards the pillar holding the alicorn amulet and, praying to whomever could be listening, put it on.

As if he ate too much icecream at once, drank too much soda or alcohol, his head burst with cold pain while his body was seemingly on fire surging through every vein.

The world aside from him stopped.

First, he hacked away all the observer's legs, then he split the body into pieces, and finally he carried all squad members to the vault entrance.

With this power he could make Blinding Light pay for killing Three and Heavy Hoof, he could make everything right. Even purging Nightmare out of himself seemed possible. He smiled.

The smile faded quickly.

Revered as a deity, losing everypony out of their fear, distanced from friends, target of everypony wanting power or fame. In the end, the face of one exhausted, world-weary, and sad alicorn came up. There was no way to inspire others by having superpowers, he just had to be himself and do what he could with his own strength.

Straw took the alicorn amulet off.

The flow of time returned and the observer's remains dispersed into nothing.

"Wh-whe-wha?" Connie blinked, "I just saw a blur, and then... eeeh."

"I had to use this," Straw said meekly, "I hope I didn't break it or spent all its power or something."

"You used it... and then took it off... by yourself..." Connie tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"We were losing really bad. Sorry?"

"You took it off..."

"Eeerm."

Connie raised her hoof.

"One moment!"

She walked over to Fortune, stood up on her hind legs...

...and punched with all her power.

"SNAP OUT OF IT, YOU DUMB HALF-MINOTAUR!" she yelled.

The satyr's groaning and slow reactions showed she was waking up. Connie examined her hoofprint on Fortune's face.

"That felt goooooooooooood..." she moaned and shuddered all over, and Straw heard something drip on the floor, "Now, Straw, you are supposed to drown in desire for power and go berserk when you put that thing on."

"Well, as far as power goes, I've literally got a primal god of destruction inside me, I'm not sure a NECKLACE could tempt me, although it tried. Also, Nightmare slipped up and said what the voice in the tunnel really was. I propose we go back to the embassy, and do it very quietly. Leo, can you walk?"

"Walk yes, breathe... not so much. Don't think anything is broken, though," he groaned.

"Good," Connie switched back to her official voice. She smiled softly at Leo though, "Let's slowly head back, no need to be in bad shape when facing Blinding Light."

After a short treatment at the embassy, princess Twilight got ready to cast a spell allowing them entrance to the castle. Unfortunately, the princess didn't want to use the amulet's full power in fear of losing control of herself, which meant she couldn't safely protect an additional squad of guards. As such, it was only Twilight herself and the Hoof of Fate walking through the marble halls of Canterlot castle. The eerie feel of nopony around moving gave way to chills going up everypony's spine as they reached princess Luna's quarters.

The door to the royal's residence was closed, the hallway was empty at this time of day - well, the point of time when the freeze had happened -, and there were only three figures around.

Choking Darkness, with all her silly red and black color scheme, about to lunge at Blinding Light with blades sticking out of her horseshoes.

Cromach, just two pony lengths away, running towards them on three legs with his mechanical one reaching to the harness with giant battleaxe on his back.

And Blinding Light, smiling as if everything was going according to his plan, with horn glowing green in sync with the amulet on his neck.

"So, what now, your Highness?" asked Connie as the designated leader of the operation.

Twilight circled Blinding several times, clicking her teeth in complete and utter dissatisfaction.

"I have no idea what the magic he's about to use is or even the barest grasp of how it works."

"It looks like the explosion he summoned at the warehouse. It burned Blaze quite severely."

"If there isn't an additional component, which there surely is, we could contain it simply by a strong enough barrier," Twilight slipped into a teacher's voice, "HOWEVER, since the effect should resemble one enough we should be able to at least mitigate it. So, you two unicorns, how good are you with barriers?"

"Getting better," Leo took several deep breaths in preparation.

"I can't use complex magic at all," Connie shook her head, "but I could create enough telekinetic pressure all around him to counter the spread of the explosion."

"I guess that since we don't have the time and ponypower to build real barricades it's the best we can do for now. Now, I will start weaving the spell which will take several minutes. In case I start acting strange due to the amulet just bash me over the head and we'll try again. I haven't done anything like this before, so I probably won't be able to help you as soon as time starts moving. Don't be afraid to unleash everything you've got against Blinding. He's already a convicted murderer, so while I would prefer making him see the error of his ways we might not have the opportunity. Anything else?"

The group shared glances, and Straw was the one opening his mouth first.

"What if we're not enough?" he asked.

Twilight, on the other hoof, looked confident.

"The princesses will wake up when the stasis ends. No matter who is behind Blinding, two elder alicorns should be more than enough to stop him. Nothing else? Good. Get ready."

She put the amulet on and the usually purple light of her horn took on a red hue.

Fortune aimed her rifle from a distance while Straw took his place in front of Leo and Connie.

The final fight was here, and the odds seemed greatly in their favor.

Timestop - Part II: ...And They Lived Happily Ever After

Twilight's horn bathed the area in red shimmer which stopped abruptly. The princess herself groaned, legs shaking and sweating.

The green glow of Blinding Light's amulet brightened as the flow of time gradually returned.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" a loud, terrified scream came from everywhere around, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

A blast of orange light signalling Blaze's teleportation appeared in the hallway.

In response to his shocked expression, the Grandmaster just snickered, green aura around him turning into a bubble of emerald fire completely undisturbed by all of Leo and Connie's preparation.

"You took my sons and my wife. I will take your everything."

The sphere of power burst, flames devouring everything in their path. Mortar, chiseled stones, stained glass windows, half of princess Luna's chambers...

...the shocked thestral mare who had saved Straw's life, and the white griffon who was more an older brother to everyone in the squad than anypony ever before.

Straw, the princesses, and the others were out of the explosion's reach, but the helplessness on Luna's face as all her magical protections disappeared said it all.

In the middle of a sphere of disintegration, one very unpleasantly familiar to Luna, cleanly cut out of Canterlot castle, Blinding Light hovered, smiling.

"You finally face the consequences of your deeds, murderer!"

With echoing laughter, the Grandmaster disappeared and everypony's heads turned to Blaze.

Suddenly, Straw wanted to be anywhere else...

...but somehow he knew, just from the moment of looking at the broken alicorn, that not even another galaxy would be far enough.

Tears streaming from his eyes, and his mouth soundlessly opening and closing, Blaze stumbled towards the two small piles of ashes which remained of Cromach and Choking Darkness, scooped up one of them in his hooves, and let it fall back on the floor.

No other pony, alicorn, satyr, or griffon dared move.

It didn't help.

Head hung low and snarling, the spirals on the bronze alicorn's horn flared up.

"YOU!"

Straw nearly soiled himself as Blaze's gaze passed him. He'd seen the alicorn exhausted, worried, frustrated, and annoyed, but never before he'd seen him furious enough to scorch the remaining floor just by walking. The almost physical concentration of power next to him made him want to jump away, but he felt the alicorn didn't even know he was there.

Unfortunately, princess Twilight Sparkle, being slowly levitated upwards, wasn't so lucky.

"YOU JUST COULDN'T KEEP YOUR STUPIDLY CURIOUS MUZZLE OUT OF THIS, COULD YOU? YOU COULDN'T SIMPLY GIVE ME FEW DAYS TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THE DAMN SPELL! YOU JUST HAD TO FUCK EVERYTHING UP, YOU PURPLE PIECE OF WANNABE-INTELLIGENT SHIT! WHY COULDN'T YOU PUT THE BITCHY NOBLES IN LINE FOR A WHILE? DO YOU REALLY NEED CELESTIA AND LUNA TO EVEN WIPE YOUR ASS? YOU WORTHLESS, LITTLE BITCH!"

*Crunch*

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" the princess screeched as she got slammed into the floor, trying to soften the blow with her legs.

Groaning and coughing blood, she didn't stand up, she couldn't, not with bones poking through her skin in multiple places.

"DON'T YOU DARE FADE OUT ON ME!" Blaze flicked his horn, and the purple princess crashed into the ceiling.

Fiery spikes appeared around her, and struck.

"Grrrng... grrr... hshgnng," Twilight grunted, seemingly unbothered by the disappearing needles, at least physically. Blaze didn't want to kill her... yet, the spell was just there to prevent her from passing out.

"YOU AREN'T AN ALICORN!" bronze glow enveloped Twilight's wings, and ripped, "I AM A BETTER ONE THAN YOU, AND I AM USELESS! STUPID! LITTLE! FILLY!"

Twilight was now just twitching in his magical grasp, blood streaming onto both wings lying on the floor. With eyes rolled up, Straw knew the only reason she was still even marginally conscious was Blaze's curse.

"Stop!" a blast of white light shot Blaze down on the floor.

The relief from finally hearing princess Luna's voice washed over Straw. At last somepony would do what he couldn't and stop this slow slaughter.

The fact that this might not be the case became obvious as the crackling of frozen glaciers accompanied the transformation of the hallway into an ice cave.

"You... protect... her...?" Blaze hissed, standing up with ice crystals forming on his breath.

The purple princess, still hanging in the air, croaked as her neck deformed under pressure.

"STOP IT!" another arcane projectile shot at Blaze, but dissipated before reaching him.

"Luna... after all they did for you..." he shook his head, then his eyes went wide and Straw saw nothing more than raging insanity, "But I get it now. Chokey wasn't the obedient bat slave like you wanted your guard to be, and Crom's presence forced you to finally get off your ass and focus on diplomacy instead of just waving any griffon ambassadors away. Now you are happy again, aren't you? Once more you can sleep all day, drool over wet dreams of your subjects at night, be nothing but an annoying blue eyesore, and send the damn purple trash out when you want something done!"

*Boom!*

Twilight got launched through the disintegrated wall into the wide skies above Canterlot.

"Well," Blaze ignored the string of his drool freezing on the floor, "Now what will you do?"

"You have gone insane..." Luna whispered, "I understand your pain, but this?"

"You...? You... understand? Ha... haha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You spoiled brat! Celestia protected you from everything after your return! The only time you had to stay strong was when I was forced to kill your bodyguard, and even then you just marched your ass to Nightmare and begged for the power to stand against me! You haven't faced a single hard day in your damn life!"

"Well, it wasn't like that, but I like where this is going."

"ENOUGH!" Luna's royal voice accompanied the gathering of magic Straw had never felt before.

However, for a moment he felt Blaze's attention wouldn't snap back to him and he acted on instinct. All this time he wanted to be a guard, and now he had the chance.

"Any physical boost will be enough, Nightmare. I must catch her!"

"Sure, but be quick about it, I want to see how this ends."

Lauching himself at a breakneck speed, he spotted the tiny dot of princess Sparkle slowly reaching the peak of her ballistic curve, and starting to fall.

Either Nightmare's sadistic desire to see the mad alicorn suffer more made it allow Straw to use far too much power, or he was in much better shape than he realized, but the desperate rush towards the falling princess was over much sooner than expected. Sadly, there was nothing for Straw to do about the massive bloodloss the princess was suffering. Careful not to aggravate the princess' wounds, Straw returned back to the scene of dying hope.

Staring in utter disbelief, princess Luna was barely standing, and her coat had been burnt to crisp in places. The landing of Straw's talons and hooves on the frozen floor grabbed Blaze's attention. The hippogriff stared into small pin pricks of the eyes belonging to somepony completely done. The constant *tink* *tink* of frozen tears hitting the floor wasn't helping.

"You too... heh heh heh," Blaze sniffled and shook his head, "So... yeah. In the end you win, Nightmare. Of course you would enjoy this, but did you have to make it hurt so much?"

Straw, Twilight Sparkle still on his back, took a step backwards. Blaze leaned towards him.

"DID YOU?!" he screamed.

"This has gone far too long, Blazing Light. I hope you can finally find your peace," Luna's loud whisper resonated through the hallway, and everypony felt sleepy...

...everypony but the spell's intended target.

Blaze just snorted in contempt at Luna's new attempt, and the makings of whatever final solution the princess was offering disappeared. Drained completely of power, Luna collapsed on the floor.

"I have spent most my days working out how to fight your magic, but you know way too much and have too much experience. So, it's much easier to just rip the divine power out of you directly." Blaze just said, "Now... the rest of this killer trash."

"Enough," announced a regal, stern, but warm voice.

"Oooooh," Blaze grinned widely, "I was wondering when the rump so fat that it makes the sun orbit it, so filled with cake that it developed its own ego, princess I-do-nothing-lestia herself would show up."

There was no warning. Steam burst from the ice under Blaze, and the area around turned into a miniscule version of the sun. It went on, and on, and on, while the solar princess focused on her dying student, and then at her carrier.

"No words can say how much I owe you, young hippogriff," Celestia smiled, horn glowing more and more as princess Twilight's breathing calmed down and the bleeding stopped, "This should give us enough time to get her to... the... hospital..."

She slowly turned her head, realizing something was very wrong.

The burning sun locking Blaze hissed out, and the alicorn walked out, unharmed.

"Funny thing," he said exhaustedly, "It's still so cold now. Why is it so cold? Why couldn't you save THEM? Weren't they important enough? I know you didn't like them like you love your student... but why did they have to die?"

Blaze's coat turned from bronze to gleaming black ice, same as his wings.

"Why isn't even the sun enough to warm me up when they're not here anymore...? I had one chance, and I failed. Like I always do."

Sitting down, Blaze spread his blackfrost wings, buried his muzzle into his hooves, and wailed uncontrollably, turning more and more into an ice sculpture.

"You win... I don't care anymore. Equestria can rot, or whatever Harmony wants. You can all go to Tartarus. There's nothing worth fighting for left."

The frost covering the hall melted along with him. Aside from Luna gasping for air, Twilight Sparkle locked in stasis by Celestia, and a sphere of missing masonry chewed out of the castle, nothing was left from what had just occured.

Apart from words that had been said.

"Why," princess Luna huffed, slowly getting up and narrowing her eyes at Straw, "Why did he call you a Nightmare?"

"Uhh, well..."

The combined burning stares of both princesses made Straw's heart skip a beat over and over.

"There's this voice talking to me, which Blaze said was called Nightmare."

For a second, Straw looked directly at two glowing points aimed at him, then the princesses' horns got blocked by something.

"I'm not even gonna bother casting a shield spell, because I know how futile it would be, but if you want to do something to him, then it's going to be over my charred corpse, your Highness," Leo, standing between princess Celestia and Straw, said shakily, "He got into this, whatever 'this' is, by accident, and he's been doing his best to not let it get him down. He's neither crazy, nor a monster. So stop with the evil glow, please, I can't keep this defiant stare up if my eyeballs start bleeding."

Straw's eyes misted over at the noble's intervention. However, his mouth fell agape when he noticed Connie was between him and Luna.

"Your Highness," Contradiction started carefully, "I know the matter of the god of destruction and you is a sensitive topic, but Straw's been under heavy scrutiny since Bucket alerted ambassador Cromach. As far as we know, Straw Basket might be Nightmare's last hope, and thus it is careful with him. They have been seen to even... cooperate for common good."

Luna just growled.

"If he's the last host then it's just more of a reason to get rid of him. You are advocating high treason here, especially after your leader's actions. It's regrettable, but he has to go."

"Our leader was baron Heavy Hoof, appointed by you," Connie's voice grew louder and firmer, "not a mentally unstable alicorn. Both sir Hoof and Cromach knew the risk and decided it was acceptable for saving an innocent life. After a bit more experience with all this, I have to agree. These guys are the only family which cares about me, not like the unicorn trash who threw me out of the house I grew up in because my magic and body weren't satisfactory, and I'll be damned if I let a unicorn or alicorn noble hurt any of them!"

"SILENCE!" Luna's royal voice silenced Connie's fiery rebuttal, "NIGHTMARE IS A PLAGUE WHICH HAS TO BE ERADICATED, NO MATTER THE COST! YOU WILL NOT RESIST JUSTI-"

Somehow, the click coming from Fortune's shotgun stopped Luna mid-word.

"Heroes... idiots," the satyr sighed, aiming the loaded gun at the head of unconscious Twilight Sparkle, "Blaze got one thing right - empty gestures, bravado, and ideals don't win you the fight. You know what they wrote on his statue, that you have to be ready to give everything to protect those important to you."

She had to be surprisingly strong to hold the weapon steadily with one hand while watching both princesses. Straw recognized the look on Fortune's face. It was the same look Blaze had when standing side by side with Cromach, the eyes determined to throw himself away at a moment's notice to give the griffon even the smallest chance to get out of trouble.

The fading death wish, threatening to return in case of the smallest disruption of recovering balance. The knowledge that the last chance at happiness was right there, and if it somehow got away then the world would forever be an empty, cold place. At that moment, the loss of Cromach or Blaze's death would be interchangable for the alicorn.

At last he understood what all of them really meant Fortune, no matter what she said. All it took was her facing two alicorn princesses while threatening to blow the third one's head off.

"-So, as Connie said, the Order is my family, not whoever and whatever my parents were. Some of them might be annoying to the point of madness," her eyes flickered between Connie and Leo, "but others are the reason why I'm here. Now, I don't know how good the quicksilver projectiles really are, but they are made to break through magic and weaken divine influence. They might not be enough to break the stasis spell, or they just might splatter her brains all over the floor. Are you willing to risk princess Sparkle just for petty revenge against somepony who didn't do anything to you?"

Luna was fuming, but Celestia's face betrayed her worry.

"Ehm," Straw took a step forward and gently pushed Leo and Connie aside, "I am willing to go peacefully and stay in the castle dungeons until you make sure I'm no threat, but last time I was here I had to run away from the observers, so I don't want to just sit there, defenceless. I will, if you really want me to."

"All of you will follow Luna to the special holding cells," Celestia said regally, "You may keep your equipment, at least until we decide what to do with you."

Fortune coughed menacingly.

"Execution is off the table." continued Celestia, "Although you'd do well to not attempt anything like this ever again, young satyr. Luna, take care of them, and then come visit me in the infirmary wing. We have much to discuss."

"Come," Luna said coldly, "and no sudden moves."

Timestop - Part III: Suspicions

The group's next two days were spent by standing on watch in case the Royal Guards marching tirelessly outside of their cell tried something suspicious. It seemed, however, that the princesses were set on keeping their word and not punishing the Hoof of Fate for being involved with Blaze. It may or may not have had something to do with Straw preventing Twilight Sparkle's death, but it was quite likely the case.

After the incident, Straw, Leo, Connie, and Fortune had been locked up in a roomy, well-lit, and fairly comfortable cell, more resembling a guest room than a place for criminals. Aside from the heavy steel door enchanted with enough magic to make princess Twilight cream her hospital bed of course.

Too soon? Probably.

Straw, currently on watch while Leo and Fortune were sleeping, was wearing a groove in the carpet.

"Calm down," Contradiction looked up from a book she was reading, "I'm pretty sure that if the princesses wanted us dead then we wouldn't be here anymore."

"I'm not scared of the princesses," Straw bit his lip, "I'm scared of the guy whom they couldn't stop. Blinding Light might be doing anything right now - rebuilding the Vigil, destroying the Order headquarters, or bringing the bunny apocalypse."

"It's not like we can stop him," Connie just shrugged, "The best of us are dead. Blaze himself... I don't really understand what happened but I'm sure he's not going to be on our side anytime soon. Better to stay well-fed and rested in case something happens."

"Hey! What about the toilet diary?"

Connie froze.

Connie slowly and very carefully put her book down.

Connie bashed her face against the wall several times.

"I forgot about it AGAIN! Damn it!" she opened the large sport bag underneath her bed, ignoring the reddening spot on her head, "Here it is... aaaaand yes, there's another entry. Wake the idiots up, please."

The room, being a repurposed cell in the dungeons, was equipped with only one bed, but three mattresses had been provided for the rest of the group. Connie, the big boss, took the bed while the rest were left sleeping on the floor. Well, carpeted floor... mattress on the carpeted floor. Leo and Fortune slept next to each other, their reason being that Straw and Connie were the group's frontline so they - screw you, I'm sleeping here and you're not stopping me because I have the biggest gun!

Quoting here.

"I was having a very nice dream, thank you for waking me up," grumbled Leo.

"We are aware," Fortune snickered and nodded towards a bulge under Leo's blanket "What's up, aside from his-?"

"I'm asking the guards for a separate cell after this," Connie rolled her eyes, "We've got a new message from our buddy crazy, evil unicorn guy."

"Blaze?" Leo blinked the morning daze away.

"The more evil than crazy one."

"Right, his father."

"Mhm, now shut up!" she ceremoniously levitated the roll of toilet paper, "My vengeance is complete at last. The murderer has lost everything just like I had, but where I stand victorious he crumbled and left this world just like he deserved, despised and unmourned. All that's left is for his divine power to fade into obscurity while he hides away wherever he's fled to. Now, however, it is time for me to pay my dues. My family rests in peace and I can focus fully on repaying the Watcher for all his assistance. There are enough rejects and lost ponies who want to be a part of the Vigil, and these wastes of oxygen will pave a way towards a bright tomorrow for ponykind."

"Not much to go on, I must admit," Connie shrugged, "but at least we can show this to the princesses and have them issue an official statement on the Vigil. That might dissuade ponies from joining. It seems the Order is gone though. I'm not sure how long can Cross and Shadowstep keep it going, but they were in it mostly because Heavy Hoof was."

"At least we have each other," Straw smiled hopefully.

"I'm throwing up already," Connie rolled her eyes.

She looked at Straw, who looked like a kicked puppy.

"You're acting like a little filly," she tried to ease the situation.

Straw's eyes reached the size of hoofballs.

"You're way too sappy."

The eyes looking deep into her soul were joint by slight wibbling of his lip.

"Stop that!"

He didn't.

"FINE! I'm happy all of you are around and I wasn't lying when I stared down princess Celestia. Satisfied?" Connie gave up.

"Group hug?" Straw winked at her.

"Don't push me..."

And, just as if nothing happened, Straw hopped onto his mattress.

"So, what do we do with the diary?"

"Find a book, link it with the toilet paper, show the princesses. That way they'll have some reading when in the bathroom, and we will have a book linked to Blinding's journal. Let's have a break from standing on watch for now. We'll ask the guards to let us talk to one of the princesses later."

After several hours, however, the guards seemed to want to talk to them first.

"Good morning," droned a raspy voice when the heavy door opened and Bucket, the mechanical guard, entered, followed by a chocolate fountain-themed earthpony mare Straw remembered was called Dawn.

"Good news, everypony!" Dawn said cheerily, "Despite trying to blow princess Twilight's head off you're being allowed to rejoin society again."

"Hi, Dawn, Bucket!" Fortune answered, uncharacteristically happy to see somepony.

"You know each other?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Dawn ate the hook, "Fortune was really curious about Bucket when she first came to Canterlot. I, as his 'caretaker', had to be with him most of the time."

"As you know," Fortune stepped in, "I have a particular interest in mechanical devices, something which brought me and ambassador Cromach together when he wanted to know how to repair his mechanical arm. It was my first time seeing a robot pony, so I sweet talked Dawn into allowing me study him a little. Needless to say, I failed miserably."

"Yep, that's why I allowed you to," Dawn smiled, "Not even princess Twilight knows fully how her clockwork soldier works."

"Not even I do," Bucket ended the chatter, "Now, let us finish our business here first. From now on you are allowed free movement around Canterlot. However, you are to report to the guest rooms which are being prepared at this moment every evening at eight o'clock. Failure to follow this order will result in revoking of your freedom of movement. You are to not leave the city under any circumstances. In addition to your temporary freedom, you are allowed to join the Royal Guard and continue your training if you so desire. You will also be eligible for a recruit salary if you do so."

"Nice," Leo stretched his legs, "I see no harm in getting my blood flowing again. You up for it, Straw?"

"Sure. Anypony else?"

"Can we use the castle gym even if we don't join?" Fortune asked.

"Yes," Bucket nodded, "The castle facilities used by the Guard are open to you."

"Then no, thanks. I'm not wasting my time going on patrols each night when I can stay fit on my own. Plus, I now have a colt toy who will buy me things if I as much as wiggle my hips suggestively."

Leo choked when she demonstrated a little of what she could do.

"Connie?" Straw tried again.

"I'm with Fortune on this one. I've got things to do."

"Alright," Bucket nodded, "Let us show you to your rooms and I will take care of your applications. Since both of you are familiar with the training schedule and Canterlot itself, I will not show you around. You can join the training groups tomorrow."

Just like Bucket said, the group were ushered to their own rooms and left alone. After two days of being cooped up in a small room, each one of them wanted nothing more than a bit of peace and quiet. Fortune and Connie, careful about not being associated with one another, immediately jumped at the opportunity to visit the gym, while Leo went to the city itself. Straw politely refused an invitation to join him, looking forward to a quiet evening at the castle library.

The next morning he and Leo attended the Royal Guard training under Rising Thunder who looked exhausted beyond belief from now having to manage all the recruit training himself. There were several moments during the practice which made Straw take a break and look back. While his stamina was on par with the recruits, he found himself easily carrying the equipment boxes which made even the earthpony recruits to wince. Plus, both he and Leo remained entirely untouched after combat practice.

Straw knew most of the recruits. Heck, he hadn't been away for even two months, but the Order training had borne fruit in terms of practical combat the others could only stare with awe in their eyes at. The hippogriff himself was simply happy that for once he didn't need to defend himself from an enemy who seemed to be attacking from three directions at once and who actually responded to getting hit.

What he wasn't too happy about were three Nightguards knocking on his door in the evening. At first, Straw simply expected they were checking up on him as per the arrangement about his freedom, but they had a different purpose for their visit.

"Princess Luna wants to see you in the interrogation room. Come with us!"

The room was simple, with no furniture aside from a table fastened to the floor and a pair of chairs. The Nightguards left the already waiting princess and Straw alone.

"I have gathered some information about you, Straw Basket, and in light of them I have decided to keep you alive and well despite your... predicament. However, there are things nopony aside from the Order members knows. You see, when baron Hoof and ambassador Cromach teamed up to rebuild the Order of the Silver Sun, I offered them as much help as they required, and they in turn reported to me any and all events they found important. For some reason, though, that stopped when a group called the Vigil appeared in Manehattan. Moreso, your problem had been covered up as well, leaving me only with a note about two ponies who had to leave Canterlot for unclear reasons. I would like an explanation of what really happened and, if possible, your take on things."

"That's a lot at once, your Highness."

"Princess is enough, Straw Basket."

"Princess," Straw corrected himself, "Nightmare, back when I didn't know what it was, warned me about beings called Observers hanging around Canterlot castle and allowed me to see them. They seem peaceful, but attack anypony who can see them. During the first month's exams I got attacked by one in the castle maze, and Leo saw it, which gave him the ability to see them as well."

"Elhart Goldhorn's son, right?"

"Yes, princess. When the Observer attacked me I covered Leo's escape, but it did something to me... showed me things I can't really recall. I woke up at the castle infirmary and everything looked weird... dead. I saw real ponies as walking corpses, and-" Straw's eyes widened, "Sorry, I'd prefer not remembering it too much. I believe I saw the world through the god of destruction's eyes. I panicked and ran away from the castle, getting attacked by an Observer on the way. Nightmare gave me the power to destroy it, and when I got out sir Cromach and Fortune stopped me. Unfortunately, or maybe not, Blaze appeared and tried to kill me shortly after because he sensed Nightmare inside me as well. Without sir Cromach's, Fortune's, and Leo's interference he would have succeeded easily."

"What stopped him?"

"Sir Cromach, mostly. He persuaded Blaze to take me to Manhattan for examination."

"I meant AFTER your, as you say, examination."

"I can't say, really. I talked to Blaze, who told me the Order were overwhelmed, and he drew Nightmare out of me somehow. They talked about the gods' purpose and plans, and Blaze's knowledge seemed to shock the god. Something about things going exactly like they should be."

"Hmmmmm..." Luna rubbed her muzzle, "I would like to talk to Nightmare, but not here and now. Let's leave that for later. Now, what do you think about Blaze's deeds here in Canterlot three days ago?"

"Can I speak freely, princess?"

"Yes, I need honesty more than anything right now."

"He could have destroyed both you and princess Twilight before princess Celestia even arrived. He might have been exhausted from creating the stasis, or the long teleportation from Manehattan to Canterlot, but after seeing him face Blinding Light I think he was our only hope of defeating him. Considering Blinding's spell melted your room, which Leo and Connie told me was protected by a ridiculous amount of magic, and that Blaze was only slightly burnt when hit by it back in Manehattan, I think you are alive only because deep down he didn't let his rage consume him completely."

Princess Luna smiled sadly and let out a long, tired sigh.

"I fear you may be right. Did you manage to find out something about Blinding Light's power? Our records about noble families say he's always been a unicorn with powerful telekinesis, but not a magician of any recognition."

"Oh! That has to be the Watcher's gift or something."

"The Watcher? Does it have something to do with these Observers you mentioned? I have been feeling strange energy around the castle for past year, but I haven't noticed anything clearly unusual. If what you're saying is true then one needs to be touched by something allowing them to spot the creatures or shown by somepony who can see them already."

"That's how Leo got to see them. As for the Watcher, we have managed to link Blinding Light's journal with a roll of toilet paper during the raid when baron Hoof, Walter, and Three got killed. Connie wanted to tell you soon, but with everything that happened she kept forgetting about it. The journal stated that the amulet Blinding Light wears is a gift from the Watcher allowing him to use the green spell thing."

"I see... anything else?"

"Well, we were supposed to keep this secret, but..."

"Right now, what we need the most is knowledge."

"Blaze said you wouldn't believe it or consider it a trap."

"Please..."

"Blaze believed the essence the Vigil, led by Blinding Light, are using to gain power is the divine power of a god called Harmony."

Luna just sat there.

"Princess?" Straw asked carefully.

"Keep this from my sister, Straw Basket, at least for now," she said, thinking about every word, "Now, let me share a little theory I have been working on for nearly two years. One which needed few missing bits and pieces to make even a little sense, something you have just revealed."

"Two years? Even before the Vigil?"

"Exactly. Are you familiar with Blazing Light's history?"

"Not in any sort of detail, princess."

"Hmmm, then I'll give you the short version. The Blazing Light, or Blaze - to distinguish between him and the original one, you know came from a different reality. To stay in this one he had to kill the original Blazing Light."

"That's why Blinding Light is so set on killing Blaze, right? Blazing Light was his real son."

"Mhm. Some time later, Blazing Light returned without any explanation and took over the Order of the Silver Sun. The first thing he did was to order an assassination attempt aimed at me. The assassin used exactly the same kind of magic Blinding Light is using now. Heavy Hoof, Blaze, Cromach, and Choking Darkness travelled to Manehattan where they confronted Blazing and destroyed him alongside the original Light family mansion. I am omitting a lot of details, but that's the core of what happened. According to Blaze's report, he killed Blazing Light the first time by throwing him into a dimensional portal from which he himself came. My theory is that something out there, outside of this world, touched both Blazing Light and Blinding Light and granted them its power. Possibly the Watcher. It seems that what happened to Blazing Light attracted the Watcher's attention to Blinding Light. Perhaps the journal might shed some light on the issue."

"Connie said the linking spell only shows new entries, but the journal at the warehouse said that the Watcher started talking to Blinding and showing him what happened to his son."

"Hmmm... how could Blaze know enough to assume Harmony could possibly be an enemy, though?"

"The two alicorns visiting us at the Order said he had drained all three of the gods of their power, thus gaining limited access to their memories. I'm not sure about the details, neither the alicorns nor sargeant Cross were too keen on talking about it."

"What two alicorns?"

"I met the one called Void. Sargeant Cross said the other one was called Scream. There was also one unicorn with them... Magus was the name?"

"Magnus."

"Yes, that's it! Blaze was extremely tired after their visit, but nothing seemed too threatening when Void talked to Nightmare and me."

"Jeez," Luna shook her head, "If even Void wanted to keep this from me and Celestia it really seems we are in some sort of a conflict with Harmony. I guess neither of them believes me or Celestia could act objectively."

"Nightmare called Harmony an excellent liar."

"And that's the problem, so is the Nightmare. We are dealing with the gods themselves who abuse our weaknesses and disregard our strengths. We don't know enough, and the only ponies who might are trying to hide it from us," said Luna bitterly, "I guess there's no reason to keep you here any longer. Every answer just begs more questions."

"Can't you just ask, your Highness?" Straw offered, "Void seemed very friendly."

She just shook her head.

"Void and Scream are working together, and Scream doesn't consider me able to do anything. The direct source of information, Blaze, is out of the question now. I'll have to think of something. In the meantime, don't tell my sister about the possibility of Harmony being our enemy. She would probably just consider all of us being manipulated and refuse to share anything she might know already. What's worse, that might actually be the case. You're free to go, just tell your friend to bring me the linked journal as soon as possible."

"Thank you, princess," Straw stood up to leave, "Oh! Can I visit princess Twilight? I want to  apologize to her for what Blaze did. He's... I don't know how to explain it, but I think sir Cromach and miss Darkness didn't just mean a lot to him, they WERE his life."

"Trust me, Straw, I know. I've been there since the beginning. Well, Twilight is still unconscious, so there are no visits being allowed yet. She has suffered a bloodloss enough to knock out an elephant. Alicorn regeneration can only do so much. Let her rest. When she's better you'll be able to talk to her."

Having nothing more to say, Straw bowed and left.

Why aren't you helping?

Oh, am I not? I am pretty sure that ME saying anything directly to Luna could be used against us. I believe staying silent at the right time is just as important as speaking up.

I really dislike everypony lying to everypony and hiding things.

Welcome to the world of adults, Straw Basket, you will grow to despise it eventually. Hmm? What is this?

Straw stopped walking on autopilot.

A blue... something was blinking in and out of existence on the second floor of the castle. Blue shadow, or a blur, was moving erratically from side to side as if it was looking for something. Straw tried to follow it for a while, but it just kept moving all over the castle, never staying in the same spot for long. He was barely able to keep up with it, but nopony else seemed to notice the quick, blue shimmer.

Nightmare, got any idea what it is?

The god just laughed, not stopping until Straw admitted defeat and returned to his room for the night.

I guess he DID learn something. Mortals never cease to amaze me.

Impossible - Part I: A Bit Of Hope

A month later, winter was already in full blast. The white spires of Canterlot turned even whiter with snow settling on the flatter ones, and the castle grew livelier and livelier. End of the year balls, guard parties every few days, and other events organized by those who didn't want to spend their time outside in the snow lit the castle from the inside.

Straw had just come back from his afternoon patrol and found out, much to his delight and surprise, that Leo and Fortune were out for a night in the city. It was their fourth, and it seemed that Fortune's former problems with Leo were disappearing at a rapid pace. With no plans for the evening, Straw decided on visiting Contradiction in case the 'not toilet diary anymore' divulged any new information.

They had gotten one during the past month, but it didn't say anything beyond the return and growth of the Vigil. The princesses had issued an official statement in the newspapers that the Vigil was an organization to be avoided, and that any information about it should be brought to the authorities. It didn't help in any way, but it was the only thing they had going for them.

Straw had never expected to be a part of a funeral, much more of three so close to one another. Much like Heavy Hoof's, Cromach's and Choking Darkness' funerals were filled with recruits and other guards, the princesses, Shadowstep's changeling squad, and several dreamlings accompanied by queen Guiding Light. With sargeant Cross now the head of the Silver Sun, Straw was now officially off the possible hit list and could breathe a little easier.

Not counting Nightmare still being inside him and laughing ominously from time to time.

So now, stuck in Canterlot, Straw had only three friends he could really rely on, and no tangible goal to strive for. Still, it was incredibly important to remain vigilant and on the lookout for any signs of danger. That's why he was now in front of Contradiction's room, ready to knock.

A pained groan from the inside stopped him.

"Connie?" he asked carefully.

Strangely enough, the door didn't answer. Perhaps its name wasn't Connie. The low-pitched noises coming from the inside didn't stop, though. A more high-pitched squeak made Straw believe it was time for action rather than guessing. The images of Contradiction being choked by Observer tentacles coming through the window crossed his mind.

He slammed the door open.

"Ummmmm..." his mind momentarily took an unpaid vacation.

Connie was sitting on something resembling a thick stick, with another one in her mouth. In front of her, there was a see-through form of Walter seemingly originating from a feather floating inside it. Connie's eyes went wide, the strangely shaped stick dropped out of her mouth, and her body became uncharacteristically blurry for some reason.

"Brbrbrbrbrbrbrbl!" came from Straw's flopping mouth.

The room's large window opened a fraction of a second before his body could break it, but he still left the castle at the speed of a small comet.

The hippogriff had no clue what had just happened, but was able to at least comprehend that:

a) he saw something he really shouldn't have

b) Connie was absolutely okay

and c) if his trajectory was left uncontrolled he would make a pretty cool red wallpaper over a small part of the mountain.

The impact of air as his wings spread open hurt but, once again, it was still better than turning into ketchup. As he slowed down, he noticed lean, grey shapes crawling on the castle roof. The Observers were back, although in much smaller numbers. It didn't fill Straw with optimism.

Perhaps I should go visit princess Twilight instead.

Nooooo, go back to the unicorn perv. More fun that way.

Finally controlling his flight again, Straw successfully repressed everything that had happened in the past two minutes and landed on a balcony leading into a hallway in the guest wing of the castle. All the aerial entrances to the infirmary wings were closed, what with one of the princesses now being a patient there.

He met the blue thing again. He was now positive it was quadrupedal, perhaps winged, but it was still too fast and too unfocused to allow observation in any more detail.

Well, one more reason to see if it was possible to visit the princess of Magic. Twilight Sparkle had woken up some two weeks ago, but the guards hadn't let Straw in yet. This time it was finally different.

"Ten minutes," said the Royal Guard at the door. Straw just nodded and entered Twilight's room.

Aside from several baskets of get-well cards and gifts, the room was just like any other in the infirmary. The bandaged purple mummy with her eyes glued to an ancient-looking tome on a lectern next to the bed was the main difference though.

"Your Highness?" Straw coughed politely.

"Hmmm?" she looked up, "Ah! I was told you saved me, mister Basket. Thank you."

"Oh," Straw stomped the floor nervously, "I... I actually wanted to apologize for what Blaze did to you."

"It wasn't your fault in the slightest. Blaze was right... in some things. I wanted to rush it because I wasn't sure I could handle running Equestria for even several days. I shouldn't be called a princess, honestly. All I do is fight evil from time to time, that's all. But hey, that's why I'm learning stuff first."

"How are your wings... and legs, your Highness?"

"Just Twilight, please. As for these," two shapes on her back wobbled slightly, "I won't be flying any time soon, but at least I have them back. I still need crutches to move around, but it's getting better every day. On the bright side, I have a ton of time to study some of the more obscure texts which I couldn't before," she nodded towards the lectern at her head-height.

"What are you reading?"

"Something which might help me in case... in case something like this happens again."

"Sorry."

"Once again, I'm not blaming you. In fact, I'm thanking you... again."

"Ummm... you're welcome?"

"Good. This is the transcript of Starswirl the Bearded's notes concerning the crafting of two weapons capable of removing any magic and even resisting the effect of the Elements of Harmony. Ever since I've heard about them I've been wondering about the reason why the resistance to the Elements was the key point. Oh well, I hope that there's something in here which might help both me and princess Luna resist the absorption of magic."

"Blaze said he couldn't resist princess Luna's magic, so he just somehow... siphoned her divine power away."

"A much worse result, but the point still stands."

"I doubt I can be of much help there, pri- Twilight. I'm just happy you're getting better. Wait... resisting the Elements of Harmony. Did Starswirl the legendary suspect something?"

"What do you mean?"

"Long story short, Blaze and princess Luna share the suspicion that Harmony might not be the saving force of all that is good as it is believed. I can't tell you more, princess Luna's orders."

Twilight scratched her chin, hissing with every movement of her legs.

"Hmmm... that might explain some things about this book. The magic resistance is not its focus, almost as if it was just a building block towards the bigger thing which is countering the power of the Elements. How did Blaze and Luna come to such a conclusion?"

"I'll tell you everything I told her if she says I can. Not until then, sorry, your- Twilight... ness."

"Hmph!" Twilight huffed, "Fine, I guess. No interesting magical mysteries for me until I'm better then..."

"Sorry. Speaking of mysteries, there is some blue blur moving around the castle which nopony aside from me can see, but whenever I ask Nightmare about it it just starts laughing."

"Possibly a ghost of some comedian," Twilight muttered, still pouting.

"I said I was sorry. Princess Luna doesn't want to go into any detail out of fear of being manipulated by... well, everyone. There might be at least two gods involved so I really don't want to go against her judgement."

"I know, I know," Twilight shrugged, "I'm just so frustrated! Everypony keeps things away from me out of fear I couldn't handle them, and when I finally try to prove them wrong I mess up THIS bad," her expression thawed when she saw Straw's depressed face, "Okay okay, about your blue thing... what behavioral patterns does it manifest?"

"Ummm..."

"What does it do?"

"Moves around really fast, mostly. It might, if I squint long enough, look like some sort of a pony... maybe?"

"Hmmm, that doesn't really tell me anything. Tell you what, go into my laboratory in the castle dungeons," her horn flashed, "this should allow you a temporary access. Find a device which looks like a necklace with a really big disc which opens and with purple glowing ridges on the circumference. Find the anomaly and open the disc. If it's magic or something similar the device should capture it and allow me to have a closer look."

"Okay, princess. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll tell the guards to let you come inside."

Straw nodded and left.

He'd never before been inside princess Twilight's laboratory, but as a guard recruit he knew the layout of the castle fairly well by now. The prisoner dungeons were a bunch of cells, one of which had been Straw's temporary residence, and utility rooms located on the sides of a long hallway which ended in a large steel door with glowing panel next to it. As Straw came close enough, it slid open by itself and allowed him into the confusing room behind it.

The only things aside from standard furniture Straw could even barely identify were a large and sturdy workbench and a blackboard filled with scribbles of a madpony, or a genius. Unidentifiable devices and documents lay on all flat surfaces, showing that despite seeming organized, princess Twilight forgot everything about order when she set her mind to something interesting. It seemed the more interesting subjects of the princess' research were marked by pedestals by the room's walls. Some were lying on them, some just levitated suspended in the air above, and some blinked in and out of existence in irregular intervals.

One caught Straw's attention, and he realized it's the only oddity he could recognize - a shard of black ice held by a magical field, emitting freezing steam into the air around.

"Huh... has the princess studied Blaze before?" he mumbled to himself and looked at a mess of notes next to the pedestal.

He quickly put it down. There were at most two sentences he could make sense of in the first paragraph, and those proved that while the princess might have studied the twin subjects - Blazing Light / Mistake she had less than little success getting any real information. In short, most of the notes were frustrated remarks about divine power being 'an illogical piece of garbage which does what it wants without any set of clear rules'.

Grinning at the language, Straw returned to looking for the magic capturing device. What he saw shocked him.

It hung on a chain around a grey neck of strange proportions. It was clearly the top of a statue of somepony who was not a pony. From what Straw could tell it was the muzzle-less head of a satyr. Where did the princess get it from? Could it explain something about Fortune's parents? Carefully taking the device and hanging it around his neck, he made a mental note to ask princess Twilight about it later.

With somewhat clearer purpose, he closed the laboratory door behind him.

Walking aimlessly around the castle didn't prove too rewarding, but it was the best idea Straw had. The anomaly's movement had seemed completely random during their every encounter, so there was nothing Straw could go on. His legs had a mind of their own, and led him to the upper floors where helping hooves and stonemasons were finishing the reconstruction of the disintegrated hallway.

Much to the annoyance of the lunar princess sipping a cup of coffee nearby.

"Good evening, princess," Straw bowed.

"I give you the permission to unleash the Nightmare at these workers!" Luna grumbled angrily.

"I apologize on behalf of the rebuilding crew... again, your Highness, but must we do this every evening? If we can do double shifts then in at most another week this place will look as good as new," the foreman rolled his eyes. Sneakily though, because rolling one's eyes on the princess could quickly result in one's head rolling soon enough.

Fortunately for the workers, something else was more important to the barely awake princess of the night.

"Straw Basket, what did you get yourself into this time? The device you're carrying should be locked in Twilight's laboratory and definitely not around your neck."

"Princess Twilight lent me this thing to look for some strange blue blur moving around the castle. This should be able to capture it or something. Too bad I have no idea where to start looking."

"She didn't explain how it worked?"

"No, just to open it when I get near the thing."

"Twilight, Twilight... always expecting ponies to know everything she does," Luna came over to Straw and pointed at the ridges on the circumference of the disc, "The ridges will glow purple to show you a direction of a disturbance it can detect."

"The entire thing is glowing purple," Straw pointed out a major flaw in the device's design.

"Yeeees," Luna had to admit hesitantly, "The prototype of this device comes from a world without magic. Twilight's copy has had its sensitivity toned down, but here in Equestria it's not too accurate. Still, it should glow much more strongly when it detects something unusual."

"A magic-less world?" Straw's mind worked overtime, "Could it be filled with creatures without muzzles and with only a bit of fur?"

Luna narrowed her eyes.

"Where would you get a notion like that?"

"The device was hanging on the neck of a statue which looked like that. The only pony similar to it is Fortune. I couldn't help thinking it could have something to do with her. Does it come from a world of satyrs or something?"

"Shhh," Luna lowered her voice, "I'm telling you this only because I know your curiosity might lead to something much worse if not satisfied. Yes, it might be possible that one of Fortune's parents came from said world, but there is no guarantee that is the case. Nor do we have any knowledge about anypony travelling into our world through a well-guarded gate. The beings on the other side are not satyrs though, and our time observing the other world has been fairly short, so I can only guess that somepony similar to them got into this world before we knew about it and had a filly with a pony, who inherited some pony characteristics and some... non-pony ones."

"I just thought that finding something out about her family might cheer her up."

"Listen to me! I have a dossier concerning all members of your group with some details possibly not even you know. Do you think Fortune knowing her parents... or at least about her parents would change anything? She has lived on her own all her life, are you really expecting a happy, tearjerking moment now that she is an adult? Nothing can give her back the lost foalhood, but she considers all of you the only family she can rely on now. Damn, she even risked everything to save YOU."

"Well, I mean..." Straw shuffled uncertainly, "I would like to meet my parents one day."

"Why?" Luna interrupted him sharply.

This was something Straw had to reconsider.

He had his life. Luna was right in nothing really changing with the knowledge. The best he could hope for was meeting his parents, if they even were together and Straw wasn't just a product of one night's passion, and seeing them from time to time for a lunch or something. What he really wanted was closure.

Then it hit him.

Fortune was over it. This was only Straw  trying to do things his way, hoping against hope that something good would come of it. He didn't even know what the good thing could be... he had nothing. Luna was still waiting for his answer, though.

"I don't know, princess. I just refuse to believe that there are only bad endings to that situation. They might have simply been a pony and a griffon who didn't have much money and thought the orphanage could raise me well enough, and, honestly, I don't think I turned out that bad," he chuckled.

"Or they might have been drunk, on drugs, or your mother could have been raped. Have you considered that?"

"YES!" Straw barked and then lowered his head, "Sorry, princess."

"Straw, I don't know you well, but one thing I can say for certain. You are a sweet, young stallion. A bit too naive, but smart in your own right. Consider your friend Contradiction's family. A quite high-class nobility used to being the top dogs of high society. I know who they are, but unless she herself decides to tell the rest of you I'm not going to stick my muzzle into it. They have everything - money, power, influence to raise their daughter properly, but instead they decide to simply not bother with her health problems further, disown her, strip her of their family name, and throw her out on the streets. The only two reasons they are not in jail are them being important Equestrian figures, and Contradiction's wish to forget her past. She chose her name in the darkest depths of depression where she was a frail street whorse coming from a noble family, and she wears it proudly. What I want to say here is that the only one who should matter is you. If you ever spare the time and effort to find your folks then it should be your choice, not some desperate need to understand where you're coming from. You are here and this is now. Only your choice matters, and everypony else has already made theirs."

"But what if it was the wrong one? I mean, Fortune hated Leo and now they seem to be having fun together. All I had to do was butt in rather directly."

"Hmm, is that the case? If that is the reason then all I can say is that you knew both involved parties and made a better judgement. In the issue of families we are talking about, you don't. You can't simply hope things will work out, and in this case you have neither enough information nor the consent of your friends. Stay out of this, at least until they show some interest themselves."

Straw had to admit defeat, but there was something like going down fighting.

"I would still like to at least know who MY parents are."

"If we get through what seems to be coming successfully then I might spare some time to be of assistance. After all, you could end up under my sister's command and we can't afford to have a servant with a completely unknown past, especially a Nightmare's host," Luna smiled softly, "I appreciate your trying to help wherever you can, I really do. You just need to show some restraint and patience."

"Yes, princess."

"Hmm, it seems my coffee has gone cold in the meantime. At least I have something better to wake me up than ENDLESS HAMMERING OF STEEL ON STONE!"

"WE SAID WE WERE SORRY!"

Straw couldn't help grinning.

"I think I should continue my search. Sorry for bothering you... and thank you for sharing your experience."

"Heh, you have no idea what family issues mean to the immortals, Straw. If you need anything concerning the 'blue blur' then feel free to ask. I am interested in unusual magic as much as Twilight is. After all, I still AM the Equestrian top mage."

"Good night, princess."

"Good hunting, Straw Basket."

Looking again at his magic compass, or whatever the device was, he spotted one side glowing a slightly brighter purple than the others. The more he followed its lead, the stronger the glow got, and eventually he spotted his prey. The blur zig-zagged from side to side of one of the castle's many corridors, and when Straw aimed straight towards it he got close enough to point the device at it.

Nothing happened.

The huge button in the middle of the disc may as well have coughed, slapped Straw, and yelled at him:

"Forgetting something, buddy?"

He pushed it, making the device open like a sea shell.

The anomaly flickered, slowed down, and seemed to be sucked into the device. It resisted, tried to get away, and fought for control, but its loss was inevitable. As it formed a small ball inside the device, Straw thought he could hear a very distorted voice from infinitely far away call:

"No! Wait! I need to find h-!"

And it was gone.

Now, I wonder what the purple smartass will do with it.

You know what it is, don't you?

Oh yessss.

It's something evil, isn't it?

My my, where would be the fun in telling you?

Straw grumbled to himself all the way back to Twilight's infirmary room.

A week later, a note left inside his room led him back to princess Twilight's laboratory.

The capturing device hung once again on the statue's neck, the princess of Magic was rushing from one table to another, and there was a blue circular wisp shining brightly inside a magical field surrounding the main workbench.

"Is that it?" Straw asked.

"Him," Twilight corrected him unconsciously, "Does a fly trapped in an amber mean something to you?"

"Oh yeah, I found several of the things when I was a colt."

"This is similar. It doesn't present any properties common to natural magic, but it reacts slightly to necromancy so I guess it might be a soul, not that I know too much about that thing. The blue glow is divine power interwoven with the 'entity'. Since divine power is eternal and indestructible by force, it seems to be keeping the 'entity' around. Now, do you know about anything or anypony possessing divine power which manifests itself as a blue glow or sparks of lightning?"

The phoenix and the thunderbird, dancing around each other.

It seems the habit of not staying dead-

"Ambassador Cromach..." Straw breathed out.

DON'T INTERRUPT ME!

Impossible - Part II: The Reaper

Straw found himself once again inside princess Twilight's laboratory. The combination of order and utter mess never ceased to amaze him, but this time he couldn't dawdle too much on his surroundings, as the princess immediately strode to him.

"Good evening, princess Twilight," Straw bowed, "Your note sounded urgent."

"It was. Certain developments involving our wisp friend here," her horn flickered with light, and the blue spark hovering above the main workbench flew over to Twilight, circling around her and never stopping moving, "are forcing me to take things faster than I originally wanted to. Have you noticed something different about it?"

Straw leaned closer. Ever since the anomaly had taken the shape of a small ball of lightning instead of a pony, or if Twilight's suspicion was correct - griffon, blur, it had shined much brighter and was visible without the need of magic. Straw had visited the princess several times in past few days, and now the glow seemed weaker.

"It looks like it's fading away," Straw guessed.

Twilight nodded, scowling to herself.

"I couldn't find out much more other than it, or him, responding to necromancy, and neither me nor princess Luna want to force our control onto it out of fear of damaging the soul trapped inside... if that is a soul. So, as things stand, we are running out of time, we have no real clue if our guess about the wisp's origin is correct, and we have no safe way of finding out."

Straw sighed to himself.

"I guess just hoping really doesn't do anything. Princess Luna was right."

"Hm? Nevermind. You are right, though. Wishing upon a star is not the way to go. How do you feel about a less 'safe' way of doing things, though?"

"I thought you didn't want to risk damaging the soul?"

"Yeeeeees... however I didn't say anything about not damaging you."

"What do you mean?"

"There is one pony who knows everything about death, and that is the keeper of the Underworld himself - Void."

"I've met him, he seemed nice."

"WHAT?! WHEN?"

"He visited the Order to ask Blaze something. I've already told princess Luna."

Twilight switched from talking to grumbling angrily to herself.

"It seems that everypony knows everything already but they refuse to share with poor old Twilight!" she coughed and recollected herself, "And does Void know about you being Nightmare's host?"

"Yes."

"FINE! I take everything back. It's not going to be a dangerous quest including the need to lie to the master of souls himself. So, you up for going?"

Straw gulped.

"Are you coming as well?"

"No, the time passes differently between dimensions, which means I'm willing to risk you getting stuck there for a year, not myself. The good news is that you don't have to go on your own."

After thinking for a moment, Straw shook his head.

"I rather would. I haven't told anypony about your findings because I didn't want to give them false hope. Not to mention that Fortune might return to her pining for sir Cromach and hurting her and Leo's relationship. I could ask Connie, but she's nowhere to be found. Plus, last time we met she seemed mad at me for some reason."

"Still, going alone is needlessly dangerous. If you get stuck or if I fail at the teleportation spell you might need to get yourself and the wisp out of a sticky situation."

"I suppose I could ask Leo for help. He admired sir Cromach more than any of us, aside from Fortune's unhealthy obsession."

"Then go for it. I'll need some time to get the relocation spell ready. You see, this isn't just a teleportation between two place on the same plane of existence, but rather a-"

Straw's mind wandered to his happy place, a place where there were no overly long words, equations, or explanations of absurdly complex spells.

He woke up from his daydream in front of Leo's room, thanking his legs for taking the steering wheel and carrying him there.

"Hey, Strawberry! What's up?" Leo smiled at Straw upon opening the door.

"Umm..."

"Oh come on, you should know that there is nothing like a 'difficult question' between us. I'm happy, really happy, and most of it is thanks to you."

"Well, are you willing to risk all of it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Princess Twilight and I found something which might, we hope, lead to..." Straw paused, "I don't know the right long words, right? It's possible sir Cromach's soul is still in this world and we want to find out if, or in a better case how, we can bring him back."

"Whoa! That's quite something. Sure I'm up for it, what did you think I would say?"

"Well, it could be dangerous and... you know... Fortune..."

"Strawberry, what I'm going to say now I'm saying with the utmost respect and a certain kind of love for you. You are an idiot."

"Umm..."

"I'm not done!" Leo raised a hoof and waved it in front of Straw's face, "As much as I... like Fortune, there are more important things at stake than her unresolved love issues. If she returns to crying herself to sleep while hugging a pillow and thinking of somepony who will never reciprocate her feelings, then so be it. It would mean I have failed in being a good friend, a good company, and a good possible... you know what. I have got to look at the bigger picture, though."

"The bigger picture..."

"Bros before hoes."

"What does farming have to do with anything?"

Leo didn't find anything other than honest surprise in Straw's face.

"Nevermind. We are in this together. Where are we going, and do I need to bring anything?"

"I'm just grabbing some food and my sword. It's not like any special equipment would be useful in the realm of Death. We shouldn't be there for long anyway."

Shaking his head, Leo slapped Straw's back

"You really have a talent of ending where you shouldn't. Give me few minutes to write a note to Fortune and pack some things."

"Just meet me at princess Twilight's lab when you're ready."

"Sure thing."

Ten minutes of princess Twilight comforting increasingly nervous Straw later, the door opened and let inside Leo carrying only a sword and a saddlebag just like Straw.

"Alright, you two," Twilight put a pair of safety goggles on, "I've never done a translocation like this on my own, so it might be a bit shaky."

"We could ask princess Luna to help-"

"NO! I can totally do this."

"You're just mad she's keeping information from you."

"Preposterous!"

"Oh real-"

"BRACE YOURSELVES!"

Straw felt as if he was being tugged at from all sides at once, and then his senses failed him.

"AAAAH- oof!"

He fell onto something soft. Strangely enough, the short fall was barely even uncomfortable.

"Leo?"

"I'm here," came from nearby, and Straw saw the unicorn getting up and spitting strange grey sand out of his mouth, "Bleh!"

"Are you okay?"

"Feeling fine, a little short of breath, but fine," Leo looked around, "You know, I was expecting bones, skulls, and other Nightmare Night props, but this is creepy... too real, too dead."

Straw had to agree.

They were standing in a desert of grey sand of grains so small it resembled dust. Their legs could barely feel they were standing on something, no wind made the dunes around them shift, and the air they breathed had no temperature their bodies could make sense of, as if they weren't breathing at all.

"At least we know we're at the correct place, right?" he forced a chuckle.

"Noooo," Leo's mouth dropped open as he pointed into the distance, "I think THAT might be the place."

What he was pointing at was a midnight black building, a temple looking like a drawing from one of ancient history books Straw enjoyed reading. As they came closer through the still sands, slightly weirded out by their horseshoes not making any hoofprints, they could make out most of the details. The black temple was simply a large triangular roof supported by numerous pillars on the sides set on a raised platform with short and wide stairs leading up to the 'entrance'. The place had no outer walls, so anypony could just go inbetween the pillars to get 'inside', but the barely see-through veil around discouraged both visitors from doing so. The only place with clear access was on the end of the stairs.

The movements they kept seeing out of the corners of their eyes weren't making them any more comfortable.

"My fur is standing on edge," Leo said disapprovingly.

Marching inside, their perception of things changed drastically. Strangely enough, it was for the better.

The inside of the temple was black, but everything was clearly visible and distinguishable even without any real light. The 'outside' behind the pillars contrasted clearly with the - 'dark light' was the only thing that came to Straw's mind - inside. From here, the desert looked more colourful and the starry night above much brighter.

The only features down here were a wide staircase leading somewhere into the depths sealed away by an ornate double door, and a simple obsidian throne on the other side of the temple.

The throne faded into the background in comparison to its occupant. Void, the alicorn of Death, the lord of souls, the one not caring the slightest about titles mortals bestowed upon him, calmly walked over to the shaking duo.

"Straw Basket, the Nightmare's host, and... I believe I have seen you around during my recent visit to Manehattan, but I do not think we have been introduced," the black alicorn commented warmly.

"Leo..." the unicorn gulped, overwhelmed by the alicorn's presence, "Goldhorn... sir."

"Welcome, both of you, to the Final Sanctuary. What brings you here?"

"Twilight Sparkle's botched spell, mostly," Leo muttered to himself.

The corners of Void's mouth moved imperceptibly upwards, but his golden eyes which had seen this world change from molten rock to a paradise of life betrayed his amusement.

"And what could the alicorn of Magic want from me that she needs to send others to get?"

"Information, sir," Straw took a step backwards. He wasn't too worried himself, but the deity inside him felt like it was trembling in terror, much like in Manehattan. Nightmare apparently didn't like Void, it didn't like anything, but it definitely respected him.

Or his ability to end both the god and Straw in an instant.

To focus on anything other than that distant possibility, Straw opened his saddlebag and let the wisp out.

A wrong move.

It screeched, distorted, and seemed to try to run away into all directions at once.

"Hmmm?" Void leaned back, clearly surprised, "What are you, little thing?"

The spiral of his horn lit up with clear, white light, and the wisp's movement slowed down. Eventually it stopped altogether, remaining hovering above Void's raised hoof. He examined it carefully.

"Oh dear," said Void somberly, "What did I miss?"

"Blinding Light attacked Canterlot castle. We're not exactly sure why, but it seems his goal was to kill Nightguard commander Choking Darkness and ambassador Cromach," Leo stomped his legs to stop the unnatural chill seeping from the floor to his legs, "Unfortunately, he succeeded. Blaze tried to stop it by, well, stopping time, but princess Twilight broke the stasis spell and allowed it to happen. Blinding teleported away after the attack, and Blaze went crazy, crippling princess Twilight."

Void just frowned and shook his head. With nothing filling the silence, Straw tried to.

"Few days later, I saw this blue thing run around the castle, but I had no idea what it could be. When princess Twilight recovered a bit, she lent me a device which allowed me to capture the anomaly and bring it to her. She thinks it might be connected to sir Cromach's soul, but she has no way to be sure and doesn't want to use magic in case it hurts it."

"Then she is intelligent as well as observant," Void took a deep breath and blew at the wisp softly. It started circling slowly around him, not erratic and jumpy anymore, "When a departed soul possesses anough willpower and a strong unfulfilled desire from life, it can manifest itself as a phenomenon you call a poltergeist. This indeed is Cromach's soul... or some part of it."

"Part of it?"

"Mortals, with enough help or willpower, can harness divine power, but in the same way they use it it leaves a mark on them. Cromach's power was bestowed on him by Blaze siphoning Nightmare's power directly, who had no real idea what he was doing. Fortunately, the bond between the two was strong enough, and Cromach's desire to save Blaze from Nightmare allowed him to shelter just enough divine power for Blaze not to be destroyed completely. Still, it was a lot for a mortal. It would not have been enough had the Nightmare's host not died before Nightmare could disintegrate both of them. From what they told me, Blaze has recently been helping Cromach use the power inside him. Much like during the incident when Cromach's desire to protect his lover allowed him to safeguard so much power without dying or... becoming something else, I believe the desire still burns within this soul, allowing it to remain in the world of the living. Sadly, right now there remains only a weakening wish and fading will drowning in the boiling sea of Nightmare's divinity."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" blurted Leo out without thinking.

"No."

The definitive answer sat Leo down on the floor, eyes watering.

"We were hoping..." Straw couldn't even finish the thought. Princess Luna had been right, just hoping was pointless.

"Yes," Void rubbed his muzzle, "Hope is a strange thing. Sometimes it exists only to be shattered along with the one hoping. And yet, sometimes it brings power beyond all understanding, spurring a weakling to great deeds out of nowhere. The thing is that hope cannot exist on its own, otherwise it is just a fool's wish. It needs to be side by side with desire and sacrifice. Desire without hope for the future is just instinct, and sacrifice without hope is just a death wish," Void smiled to himself, raised his hoof, and the blue wisp landed on it, "I wonder if your will is strong enough, young griffon."

"What?" Leo stood up, understanding little to nothing from Void's monologue.

"I wonder what the alicorn of Magic would be willing to sacrifice in order to make up for the dreams she shattered..."

"Princess Twilight said that what happened was her fault," Straw said, not knowing whether he was answering a question or what.

"Yes, words are just words, though. Only deeds matter, not intentions, but we shall see. Nowhere can it be said I do not understand hope. Now, young ones, let us see if there really is no way you can help."

His horn lit up, and everything else went pitch black. Not even Straw's enhanced senses could see a thing.

No, he saw changes in the alicorn's body. Hair-thin lines burning with purple flames appeared all over Void, lighting up. They were all ending in the same place - his horn. One by one, they started fading, making the horn glow brighter and brighter.

Cromach's wisp burst into dark flames, but it didn't seem hurt, nor did it scream like before.

Everything returned to normal, aside from heavily breathing Void, and Cromach's wisp now being dark blue and boiling like a thunderstorm.

"What's going on?" Leo came closer to the wisp and recieved a small bolt of lightning singing his mane as a reward, "HEY!"

Void chuckled.

"I poured a bit of my divine power into him. Normally, doing so would be deadly to a mortal, but since he has managed to survive the raw power of Nightmare itself it should be fine. What it does is give him more strength, if he can handle it that is, and as such more time. My power is very similar to the god of destruction's, but tame and stable. As they say - fight fire with fire."

"What does it mean for him?" Leo tried again, this time not getting shocked.

"Unlike magic, divine power responds to willpower rather than complex processes and research. If Cromach's soul wishes to return strongly enough, then the wish might shape the power inside it to do so."

"Is that it? Do we wait now or...?" the unicorn asked skeptically.

"Oh no, this is far from over. I cannot overload him with my power, and the amount I have given him is nowhere close enough. If you stop your efforts now then he will fade away again. All I have given you is time. How you use it is up to you."

Straw thought for a moment while Leo poked the wisp over and over. Eventually it started circling around him, dodging his hooves.

"Are there other alicorns who would help?"

Void smiled victoriously.

"That is up to you to find out. Whether or not there is enough power to get Cromach back without overwhelming him, I do not know. However, I suggest you make haste. The clock is ticking."

Turning away from them, Void started walking back to his throne. He stopped very soon.

"How do we get back?" Leo looked at Straw.

"I supposed that was why you were here, Leo Goldhorn," Void raised his eyebrows.

"Ummm, no? Princess Twilight just sent us here. Can't you send us back?"

"Ah, I see. No, I cannot. My divine power drastically limits my use of magic, and it cannot take you back where you came from. Pocket dimensions are linked to the real world through an access point there. If I sent you out then you would end up in the ruins of a lost temple city in one of many Griffon Empire's deserts."

"Crap," Leo facehoofed, "Got any water bottles... and water around... a compass... and a map?"

"I am afraid not," Void sighed, "Do not be so unprepared next time, young ones."

Thinking to himself for a second, Void grinned.

"On the other hoof, your time is very limited. I can transport you to a different pocket dimension belonging to somepony who can get you back and even possibly help with Cromach's problem... if you are persuasive enough. You might even enjoy the visit."

"Who is it?" Straw asked, somewhat unnerved by Void's sudden change from serene to mischievous.

The blackfire alicorn focused his power again.

"The alicorn of Lust and Desire, the patron of changelings, the mistress of the succubi, and my fair mate. I wonder what she will do with you."

When the duo were gone, Void sat back down on his throne, sending his mind to help the recently dead find their peace.

Impossible - Part IV: The Sisters

"She took Leo..." was the only thing Straw managed to say before collapsing on the floor of Twilight's laboratory.

The princess rushed away from a stack of papers and tried to help Straw back up. When it was clear that even sitting was too much for him, she levitated him on a mattress in the corner which she used to rest on when she needed to keep an eye on some project overnight.

"Who did? Where? What happened? You've been away for only about half a day. Well, night."

"Somepony... called... Scream," Straw was barely awake, "She said... she would keep him..."

"Come on, Straw, I've met Scream only once or twice, and I know she likes to play games, but what use would she have for your friend. There has to be something more."

"A payment... for helping... sir Cromach."

"Oh dear."

"She said... said it would be only for a night... but she is evil... I saw through her..."

"Calm down, calm down. First, how did you end up with her? What happened with Void? No, first things first, you need rest. Where is the wisp?"

"Saddlebag," Straw was just whispering now.

Upon Twilight's magic tugging on the saddlebag's buckle, the inky ball flew out, tentacles lashing out randomly.

"My dear mentor's fat plot, what happened to it? Well, him. Wait, did you say Cromach? Was I right then?"

"..."

What Straw said was so quiet Twilight couldn't make it out.

"Alright, alright. Are you still with me?"

A weak nod.

"Good. I think you should believe Scream and take it easy tonight. In case she doesn't keep her word then I'll ask the princesses for help in getting Leo back. You can sleep here."

Straw didn't answer, but his breathing calmed down. Twilight threw a spare lab coat over him.

"Now, what about you?" she turned to the black wisp floating around, "Are you really Cromach?"

The wisp flew up and down.

"Hmmm. Is it really you? I'm talking about continuity of you remmbering what happened after the explosion, or are you just some memory preserved by divine power."

The wisp stared... somehow. It didn't have any way of talking such a complex question through, nor did it have eyes, but it still managed to convey a clear meaning that Twilight deserved to be punched in the face.

"I have to explore all possibilities, but I guess you are right, there's no way you can answer that at the moment. I think I'm going to need Straw awake for this, so... will you stay alive until tomorrow?"

The wisp jerked up and down again.

"Good. You can stay here with him," Twilight nodded towards the sleeping hippogriff, "I'll be back here the first thing in the morning."

Straw was left alone in the laboratory.

You are overstepping your boundaries, hippogriff. The broken alicorn's gift will, however, not last forever. If you ever try what you did in that whorse's dimension again then I will make sure you regret it... for a very, very long time. Still, you have been more than useful so I might forgive you for this one. It is time to give up hope, though. What you are doing to the griffon's soul is torture. It is beyond his strength to come back, and all you are doing is burning him over and over with power beyond your understanding.

"We... can... save..." he mumbled, mostly asleep.

Hope dies last, I guess. Still, we need to make sure it does. Sleep well.

Straw was too exhausted to dream.

Hoofsteps woke him up, as well as something tickling his muzzle. He couldn't stop himself from sneezing.

A dark purple tail?

Twilight's hind leg sent him and the mattress against a wall.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" the princess repeated to the dazed and waking up Straw, "I completely forgot you were here."

"Forgot about me as well, your Highness?" said another voice.

THAT one woke Straw up instantly. His wings shot wide, he jumped up, and turned his head fast enough to give himself neck cramp.

"LEO!" he groaned, "You're okay!"

"That's a bit too early to say but yeah, I think I'm mostly fine," the unicorn smiled, "You look like you can barely stand, though."

"I'm fine," Straw waved his talons dismissively, but quickly put his leg down as he lost balance, "What did she do to you?"

"Eeerm," Leo blushed and scratched his head, "A lot of stuff. Let's just say that I know things about mare body that they have no idea about. She made me practice... over and over. I couldn't believe when princess Twilight told me I was gone only for the night."

"How long did it feel to you?"

"We... 'practiced', I went to sleep, we kept going. That happened over and over, so let's say... at least few days and keep it at that."

Leo wasn't telling them everything, that much Straw knew.

"And are you really okay, Leo?"

"Confused a bit, but fine, Straw. Definitely better than you, at least considering how you look."

"Right," princess Twilight interjected, "Why did you return here in such a bad shape, Straw? You couldn't even talk."

Straw and Leo exchanged glances. The noble was the one to talk.

"Nightmare is doing something to him. He drifts off whenever he's not focusing on some immediate danger. It's as if he just shuts down until somepony needs him again. See?" he pointed at Straw who had sat down after Leo started explaining, "He's doing it again."

Twilight waved a hoof in front of Straw's face. He caught on during the second attempt.

"Huh? Your Highness?"

"Nevermind, sorry," Twilight turned back to Leo. A second later she turned back to Straw staring blankly at the floor, "Aaand there he goes again. I see what you mean."

"He's never been one to push himself forward, but this is pretty weird. It started inside Void's dimension, but it was really bad at Scream's. He said it had something to do with Nightmare trying to be 'quiet'. It's just... I'm thinking about how he got me and Fortune together and what he said afterwards, that we had so little time and we didn't know what could happen at any moment so there was no need for fear."

Twilight sighed.

"Well, I can't help you with that outright, but I'll be happy to arrange some kind of research. First, though, I think I have an idea which might point us in the right direction, both with mister Cromach and with Straw's incapacitation."

"What is it?"

"Seeing that Cromach's state has changed, I suppose Void gave you some pointers, right?"

"Yes, he said that if we pour divine power of various alicorns into Cromach and if his soul is strong enough, it might succeed in forming a new body out of it. He said we can't use too much power of a single alicorn otherwise it would hurt it. Then he did something which tired him out, presumably the transfer, and sent us to Scream's dimension because we had no way to return and he couldn't send us back to the castle."

"No way to r-? HEAVENS, I AM SO SORRY! That's what happens when I try to one-up somepony," wailed Twilight, hooves flailing in the air.

"Calm down, your Highness, what's done is done. Scream helped by giving up some of her power as well, and, if I ever manage to get intimate with Fortune, by doing much more than that."

Twilight blushed. Leo just smiled to himself.

"No need for that, your Highness. Last night I lived every fantasy one could imagine. I can't even think of anything as 'dirty' or 'pervy' anymore. All I can hope for is Fortune being happy spending time with me... anywhere. If she screams a little, I won't mind."

Coughing violently, Twilight rushed over to her workbench.

"Right, ehm, I wish you good buc- luck and all, but we should return to the matter at hoof. Since our only chance is to ask alicorns for help, why not start with the closest ones, namely princess Luna. She might also help Straw with his condition. After all, she's been Nightmare's host for a millenium. If anypony knows how to recover from its influence then it is her."

Pffff, hahahahaha!

"Hey, Straw... zombie Straw... Zomberry," Leo snickered, "Let's go see the princess. If we're lucky then she's not asleep yet."

"Yeah, she'll surely help," Straw followed, more like a puppet than a living, breathing pony, "I've heard sir Cromach worked directly for her and some high-profile griffons. If there is a chance to save him then she can't refuse."

"Suuure, let's go with that," they left the lab, and took staircase after staircase through the castle.

"Braaaaains..." Straw mumbled.

"You're a pony, not a griffon. Although, you know, hippogrif... which part is which?"

"Graaaaains..."

"Much better."

They chuckled together.

"Do I look THAT bad?" Straw asked.

"Shuffling, blank stare, mumbling to yourself from time to time... yeah, pretty bad."

"I'm just tired. I've never expected to be a part of some movement fighting against gods. I don't know if I have it in me to see it through. Not that I have a choice, though."

"Come on, you just need a break."

"I can't afford a break!" Straw objected much more strongly than he wanted, "I mean, if we wait for me to get better then sir Cromach might run out of time. On top of that... who knows if I can get better anyway."

"Zomb- Straw- Strombie, yeah, that works. I'll punch the god out of you if I have to, or better yet - I'll pay somepony else to do so. We'll see this through together."

Slightly warmer inside, Straw knocked on princess Luna's door, expecting to be sent on a long vacation to the moon. Luckily, the princess had not gone to sleep yet, although she sighed heavily when she saw them at her door.

"Bad news?" she asked, looking at Straw.

"Just news," Leo took charge, "We need your help."

Cromach's wisp flew out of Leo's saddlebag where it seemed to spend most of its free time.

"What is this?" Luna leaned away, brows furrowed, when the wisp stopped in front of her muzzle.

"About that," the unicorn coughed, "Ehm, that is the soul of sir Cromach which needs a bit of your alicorn power to have a chance at regaining its body. That's the short version."

"And the long version?" Luna poked the wisp, it circled around and landed on her head.

"Basically the same thing. Void, the alicorn of Death, told us there was a slim chance of sir Cromach returning if we managed to gather enough power AND his soul itself was strong enough. Void and alicorn named Scream have infused the wisp already."

"I see," Luna shook the wisp off her head, "You are not lying, so I have no problem with helping you, although it is going to leave me weakened for several days, or maybe weeks. It all depends on the amount of power the soul can handle. Come inside," she gestured into her room, "This place is sufficiently protected, I hope, from any prying eyes. A princess of Equestria showing weakness could lead to all sorts of unpleasant things."

Luna's room was expansive, far larger than any other place in the castle, and Leo realized it had to be another pocket dimensions, at least parts of it, although much smaller than Void's or Scream's. The ceiling was covered in glowing star constellations, the interior...

...now pitch black.

Apparently, the princess was starting the ritual, and nothing was visible aside from brilliant white lines spreading through her entire body.

Leo realized he must have blanked out for some time, because as his senses returned he was standing yet again in front of the princess' room. Straw didn't seem concerned, Cromach's wisp now looked like a turbulent storm with small bolts of lightning flashing inside it, and the lunar princess was watching them curiously, sweat running through her coat.

"Uhh, what happened?"

"I... value my privacy," princess Luna answered, "Do you need anything else? It's been a long night, and I need my rest, especially after this. Speaking of rest, your friend looks as if he hasn't slept in days."

"Yeah, that's the other thing, your Highness. I'm not sure how to start. It's sort of sensitive."

"Don't you start as well! I've had enough of this kind of behaviour from the nobles during night court. Honesty is something I value in those close to me and, by pure coincidence, you belong to that category at the moment."

"Alright," Leo took a deep breath, "It's about you being Nightmare's host pleasedon'tsendmetothemoon!"

"Go on," Luna encouraged him, although the temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

"Nightmare is doing something to him. He doesn't react to much aside from imminent danger, and whenever we aren't doing anything he just... shuts down. He himself said he felt hollow."

"Aaaaah, I see," Luna nodded, "The Nightmare is devouring him. Taking away what makes him who he is. The same thing happened to me while I was imprisoned. It started like a little voice encouraging my doubts, fears, thoughts of revenge. It was easy to resist at first, but it grew and grew, steadily becoming my only company on the dead rock. I still knew I was Luna at the time, but whenever I wasn't focusing on it, it felt more and more distant. That is where he is right now. STRAW BASKET!" she suddenly barked out.

"Huh? Yes, your Highness?" he jumped a little.

"By royal order, you are to take a break from helping sir Cromach."

"But we don't have time," Straw looked at her desperately, "His soul might crumble before we can get enough power for him."

"So can yours. I've been through this even after my return. I just kept hiding in my room... well, not even hiding but simply letting time pass. I had no real idea who I was aside from some faint memories about my sister and myself. What helped me was... a thestral who became my bodyguard," Luna said the name in such manner that it may as well have been a hug to the dead pony, "Sharp Biscuit, and my sister who showed me what I used to like. My bodyguard and I spent months just going through things I might enjoy in this new age, we conversed for hours without a break, and he was there throughout the empty days of my return. You need to do what makes you the pony you are, Straw Basket. It will help you stay that way, not just an empty shell that Nightmare wants. As much as I loathe saying this - sleep is not your friend at the moment. What do you enjoy?"

"Uhhh..." Straw tried to think. Everything felt distant, unimportant. He couldn't remember when was the last time he really WANTED something. Finally, a little spark lit up inside him, "I... it was really fun seeing Manehattan for the first time, a really big city with so many ponies. I could feel and hear the hooves walking around me, it was like the heart of the city was beating," Straw's voice ended up much louder than the mumble it had started as.

"Hmmm," Luna puckered her lips in thought, "This close to Hearth's Warming, Canterlot should be full of ponies selling things related to the festivities. Why don't you visit a fair, have an evening off?"

Straw opened his mouth to object again, but Luna raised her hoof and continued:

"I will make sure my sister grants her blessing to sir Cromach's soul, so you will not be wasting time. After all, Tia would rather eat her crown than to be out-goodwilled by Scream. Now, I'll send a message to the recruit shift manager to find a replacement for the two of you, so go out and have fun for today. Relax, and do what you enjoy."

"Well, time to see all the visitors from various parts of Equestria, Strawberry!" Leo's cheer was rather forced, but better than nothing.

"Yeah, but you're paying," Straw chuckled.

"SO THAT'S WHY YOU'VE BEEN FAKING THIS WHOLE TIME!" the noble yelled at him, grinning.

"You'll never catch me aliiiiiveeee!" Straw ran through the castle.

Luna watched them run outside, through the training grounds, and into the city itself.

"A month at most..." she mumbled to the thunderstorm-like wisp sitting once again on her head.

Impossible - Part V: The Ancients

For the first time in weeks, Straw had gone to sleep with a smile on his muzzle.

What wasn't unique, though, was the knocking on the door of his room waking him up.

"Princess Twilight?" Straw recieved the mental equivalent of a cup of coffee when the princess looking as if she hadn't slept at all showed at his door. The more pressing matter was Cromach's wisp sitting on her head. It was visibly distorted, and it looked like a rising sun covered in pink clouds.

"How are you feeling, Straw?" Twilight's voice rang with concern, but also urgency.

"Good enough, What went wrong?" he asked with absolute certainty.

"Several things, as it seems. Princess Celestia transferred some of her power into the soul which had the usual effect of changing its appearance, but also an unusual one of... weakening it, maybe? I have no way to figure out what's wrong, nor the time to find one. My only two guesses are that either we are giving the wisp too much power too quickly, or that its time is running out much faster now that there is so much power inside. You see the problem with these two paths."

Straw scratched his head.

"If we find another alicorn to give up their power then it might destroy the wisp, and if we wait for it to get used to us giving it power it might fade away anyway. So, what do we do?"

"I- I have no idea."

"Come on! You are supposed to be the smartest princess, the living embodiment of knowledge. Do you really have no clue what to do? Please, princess...!"

"The best I could do was to eliminate all the less likely possibilities and focus on the two I've just told you. Right now, all we can do is basically flip a coin and hope. Since you are the one who came up with all this and without whom there wouldn't be even the smallest chance of Cromach coming back, I think it's up to you to choose."

"That can't be..."

"I'm afraid it is. Cromach was respected and liked by everypony, but his closest ones are... dead or out of our reach. Considering that without him you would not be here anymore... well, you know."

"Do I have to answer right now?"

"No, but if time really is running out then you'd do well not to wait for too long."

Straw needed to talk about it with somepony.

"I'll just talk about it with Leo."

Twilight shook her head.

"He's on patrol all day. With you having a day off to recuperate, he took both your and his today's shifts on himself. You could ask the shift manager where he should be at this time of day."

Having patrolled the city regularly, Straw knew that looking for a single pony even in a known district would be more about luck than anything. That meant looking for somepony else. Fortune was out of the question, which left only Contradiction.

"Damn! I'll think about it."

"I'll be in my lab, trying some more tests. Maybe there is something I overlooked," Twilight said without any real conviction.

"Thank you for your help, princess... no matter how all of this ends."

"Straw, I CAUSED this. There is now way I wouldn't try to make things right, or at least right-ish."

"What do we do in case I decide to rush things?"

"Princess Celestia took me once to a place where alicorns gather from time to time to meet somepony just like them. I can send you there," Twilight waved her hoof defensively, "This time WITH a way of coming back."

"Thank you," Straw bowed, and Twilight took the clue to leave him alone.

Shockingly, brushing his teeth did not give Straw the answer he needed. If he made the wrong choice then there would be no coming back, no hope for a second chance. There was no way of knowing what the right choice was, or was it? Nightmare was his 'guide', but its goals were not the same as his own. He needed somepony with a conscience, or at least some involvement in the situation.

With that, he knocked on the door of Connie's room.

Once again, he was greeted with muffled groaning. This time he banged harder.

"Connie, I need a bit of your time, please!"

"MMMMMMMHMMPH!"

"Connie?"

The sound of something breaking made Straw risk getting shot like a bullet again.

Confusion quickly gave way to combat focus when he realized the mess inside the room was mostly black tentacles wrapped around Connie, most noticeably - her neck.

The tentacles did not seem to have even noticed Straw as he clawed at some of them with little to no effect.

"Mmmmmmmmhh!" Connie screamed into one covering her mouth as she got slammed into a wardrobe, shattering its door.

Straw looked around for something, anything, sharper than his talons. Connie's greatsword lay in its sheath next to an overturned coat rack near the door.

The thing was HEAVY. Even with two sets of talons locked around it, Straw wasn't sure he would swing it with any kind of efficiency, and Connie could levitate it like a toothpick.

He swung the oversized blade, and one tentacle cleanly split into two and disappeared. A new one immediately wrapped itself around Connie's hind legs, crushing her yet again. However, the movement gave Straw a clue where the things were coming from.

It looked like a book hidden under splinters of a bed.

The black mass came out of it like a thick stalk, and not even a strong swing could damage it. Straw was determined not to ask Nightmare for help. He could feel the difference between today and yesterday, and he could think clearly, or at least clearer.

Clearly enough to solve the situation? Hopefully so.

Call for help? No, one or two guards wouldn't be enough, and Connie couldn't last much longer.

Keep hacking at the stalk? No, it kept regenerating too fast.

"MMhmmm..."

Connie went quiet with another squeeze of the tentacles.

He desperately looked around.

The castle was fairly old-fashioned with its lights, so despite electric lights being around, there still were coal hearths in many rooms. Hearths and emergency oil lamps, one of which lay on the bedside table, miraculously unbroken.

The flint and tinder sparked, the fire burst out, and the lamp landed on the book.

As if there had been only the book, as if the tentacles had been only a dream, the dry paper lit up and turned to ashes, leaving the black mass disintegrating without a trace.

Just like dead observers.

Straw rushed over to Connie. He didn't know where to touch and where not to, they hadn't taught him anything about saving ponies. The best he could do was clean wounds and apply a bandage, none of which mattered here. There were no visible injuries, but Connie didn't seem fully awake. As he rolled her over to see if there was something on her back, she pushed him away.

"Butcher..." she groaned weakly.

"Heavens, what was that? Wait, are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

A hoof on his muzzle shut him up. On a third attempt, Connie let out a croaking whisper:

"Everything hurts," she sat up slowly, "Nothing feels broken, though."

"What happened?"

"I... I think Blinding Light knows we've tapped his journal. I checked it for a new entry, and it started talking to me... writing. It laughed at me, and then tentacles happened. If it weren't for you... well... I would have gone through some things mares only dream about."

"Uhhh..."

"This makes us even."

"For what?" Straw reacted to something he at least marginally understood.

"For you walking on me when I was... you know what."

"Uhhh..." Straw shrugged.

"You can't be serious."

"What WERE you actually doing last time? It looked as if you were swallowing a really thick cucumber... and then you threw me out."

Connie opened and closed her mouth like a choking goldfish.

"You... you really have no idea?"

"Uhhh..."

"Have you ever been with a mare?"

"I've had lunch back home several times with a friend."

"SEX! HAVE YOU EVER HAD SEX?" Connie couldn't handle it anymore. Either Straw was the best actor in the history of Equestria or...

...or he really had no clue what she was talking about.

"Well... no," he lowered his head, blushing for a moment, "What does it have to do with anything?"

The unicorn facehoofed, walked over to the broken wardrobe, pulled out a box from the mess, and levitated a strangely shaped stick. It had a suction cup on the bottom followed by a bulbous area and then it slimmed down to a not too sharp point. Straw gave it a blank stare.

With utter disbelief on her face, she levitated a new stick, larger, thicker, an ending in a flared tip.

Straw knew this one. He would be a total idiot if he didn't. He looked at the replica of a stallion's... privates, then at the other one, than back, then once again at the unknown one. He recalled the semi-real image of Walter standing in front of Connie last time.

"That's a griffon one?" he asked, more puzzled than embarrassed, "But why?"

"Hello? I know this is the first time we're talking, and that nopony called Fortune had ever said anything incriminating about me, but I'm slightly tipped in favor of griffons, huh?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant. You're really pretty and all, why would you need these? Even if you wanted to spend time with two ponies at once then there are a lot of single guards around."

Connie finally realized Straw wasn't being sarcastic or making fun of her. He really had no idea.

She smacked him over the head with the pony dildo.

"One day you will make some mare really sad. Fortunately for you, if she doesn't give you a second chance then I will personally punch all her teeth out."

"Uhhh..."

"Stop doing that! I just don't want to look for somepony every time I want some, right? That, and spreading rumors, checking for diseases, using pills, and so on."

"Sorry, I don't know much about that stuff."

"I noticed!" Connie threw her stuff back inside the box, "Now, back to the topic of tentacles in my room trying to kill me. What did you want from me? Not that I'm the least bit regretful that you came, no pun inten-"

Connie stopped herself. What was the point in throwing out innuendos?

"Ehm, well, how to say it... there's a chance sir Cromach might be still alive."

Connie raised an eyebrow.

"I saw him turn into a pile of dust. Contrary to popular belief, you can't treat that with aspirin."

"His soul seems to be hanging onto his life, and we found out that if we use divine power on him then he might be able to reconstruct his body or something."

"We?"

"Princess Twilight, Leo, and I. I couldn't find you since last time, so it was just up to us."

"Why not Fortune?"

"You know... obsession."

For some reason, Connie grinned like a cheshire cat.

"I see. What do you want from me then?"

"I... I must choose in which way we continue trying to help sir Cromach. If I choose wrong then he dies, and we have no idea which way is the correct one. We can either keep infusing him with divine power, which might just suffocate him, or we can give him time to get used to it, but it's time he might not have. I just needed somepony to talk about it, and Leo wasn't an option."

"I see. Will waiting give you a better chance at finding the right answer?"

"It will either kill him outright, or possibly just bring him beyond the point of saving, or allow him to keep doing what we've been doing until now."

"Then I would keep going, Straw. Don't call me impatient, I'm not Fortune, but if it is a fifty-fifty then I would go for it. I also know that Cromach was more the action type, not the waiting and analysis one. Trust him, and put more and more on his shoulders, he's the type to rise to the level of his enemies."

"Yeah, I was leaning towards it as well. The alicorn of Death himself told us it could work, and Cromach seemed to know him. I believe Void is a good judge of character and strength. He wouldn't have sent us on a wild goose chase."

"Can I help in any way?"

"You could come with me on the next trip. Leo is busy, and we don't have time to spare."

"Cool, let me pack my stuff and leave a note to the cleaning staff."

"So... you're not going to tell somepony about the tentacles and a book talking to you?"

"I am one hundred percent sure that Blinding Light... or whatever was writing to me through the journal will still be there when we're done, and I would much rather face it with Cromach watching my back. Well, maybe I should tell princess Luna not to use the enchanted roll of toilet paper too much. You know what? I'll report to her and then meet you in your room, how about that?"

"Just come to princess Twilight's laboratory when you're ready."

"Sure."

Choices. Sometimes they end up wrong, sometimes they work out. The only important thing is that they have to be made. I, personally, would never choose to stand still.

That was what Straw had seen carved into sargeant Cross' statue in his personal training grounds. With little time to spare, he had to agree, although he had a sneaking suspicion that Cross' reasoning was a little different from his.

"Have you made up your mind?" Twilight asked when Straw sat down on the mattress in her lab.

"Yeah. I don't think waiting is the right option. So, what's the next place you thought of, princess?"

"It's an alicorn bar."

"Something like that actually exists?"

"Yes, it is run by the alicorn of Winds, Zephyr. Since most alicorns usually spend their time in some solitary place, they like to occasionally see somepony of similar state of mind."

"So, no weapons necessary, as usual."

"Yeah, there's no point."

"Who should we look for?"

"We?"

"Connie said she would come with me. She should be here soon."

"I see. Well, Zephyr is a good friend of Void and he should help if you ask and say it's Void's plan. After that, I don't know, talk to anypony who might be there."

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Twilight looked at Straw quizzically.

"Your alicorn power."

Twilight froze mid-breath.

"Wow... I haven't even thought of that. I guess I just thought of myself still as a unicorn. I don't know, sure I'll try to help, but I don't even know if I have anything to give. Say what, if Cromach isn't back when you return then I'll try to wring something out of myself."

"Everything counts, princess."

"I know, I know. I've just never done anything... alicorny. I'm still the same as before princess Celestia caused my ascension, only with wings now... and more responsibilities."

A polite knocking on the lab door interrupted Twilight's introspection. Connie was let inside, and Twilight gave Straw a little glowing cube with a single button. In the meantime, Cromach's wisp flew back into Straw's bag.

"When you're ready to come back just push the button, and you should appear right here," Twilight explained.

"So, where are we going?" Connie asked chipperly.

"A bar," Twilight grinned.

"What?"

"Brace yourselves!"

"AAAAH!"

Connie slid down a sand dune, miraculously able to keep her balance after another one of Twilight's shaky long-range teleportations. Straw, on the other hoof, was now experienced and simply transitioned from a ten out of ten landing into a careful walk.

Quite obviously, this place was a desert. It seemed to Straw that when an alicorn wanted a bit of quiet space they either decided on a desert or a mountain. Unlike Void's dead home, this desert look much more like Straw thought it should look. Aside from them being inside what looked like an eye of a very thin hurricane.

"What is this?" Connie examined the flowing wall of wind and poked it carefully, "It feels like dipping my hoof in cold water."

"This should be the home of the alicorn of Winds. I guess we're at the right place then."

A quick look around revealed a square, single-story building with several windows covered by drawn blinds. A buzzing neon sign hanging above the entrance spelled "Zeph's".

"Looks like a cheap diner," Connie commented as they got closer to take in some more details, "What now, 'boss'?"

"Let's just go in. All the alicorns I've met until now have been a bit weird, but quite nice in the end."

"Well, you're the expert now, I guess."

The main room of the diner was dark, with only rare rays of light coming through the blinds and illuminating the place. There were three ponies around, only one of which was an alicorn. Straw recognized one of them, though, and so did Connie.

"What brings ye to Zeph's, young lad and lass?" the brown alicorn behind the counter talking with a heavy country accent smiled at them widely.

"Erm, princess Twilight Sparkle sent us here to ask for help," Straw came over and sat down on a tall bar stool. Connie sat on the one next to him.

"Young Twilight, eh? But where are my manners, my name is Zeph. What can this fine estabilishment offer ye? In terms of what we serve, I mean."

"We just-"

Connie put a hoof on Straw's shoulder. She knew how the world worked better than he did.

"Got anything fizzy?" she asked, "Preferrably related to apples, possibly a little alcoholic."

"Are ye of age, young lass?" Zephyr asked, but laughed it off immediately, "Not a question I get to ask 'round here much. Just wanted to try it at least once. Two apple ciders coming up! That'll be six bits."

When they produced the required amount, Zephyr levitated a glass and started cleaning it with a marginally presentable cloth.

"About the help then," he commented out of nowhere.

Straw opened his bag and presented the shivering form of Cromach's wisp.

"In short, this is a soul which needs some divine power to be able to recreate its body. Void believes it should be possible, and he has already given up a little of his to help. so did both Equestrian royal sisters and an alicorn called Scream. It still doesn't seem enough, so we're looking for more help."

"Who is it?" Zephyr's horn glowed yellow, the wisp was enveloped in it, and put on the counter, "That he is so important that four alicorns seek to help him, especially the one set on preserving the balance between the dead and the living."

"His name is Cromach. He-"

"I KNEW THE LAD WOULD GET FAR!" Zephyr laughed and laughed when he heard the name, "KNEW IT THE SECOND HE WALKED IN HERE WITH NOTHING BUT A BAG OF GEMS. Of course I'll help, and I think ya'll be fine with the price as well."

"What do you want?" Connie measured him suspiciously.

"Nothin' big, lass, don't give me the evil eye. Just tell the young griffon to pay me a visit to talk about what he's been up to. If ye succeed, that is."

"They won't!" shouted an annoyed voice from a corner table. It was a white, blonde-maned unicorn Connie and Straw had recognized from the Order mansion.

Magnus, was it?

"Calm yer tits, Maggie," Zephyr objected, "I'm up for giving the young catbird a chance."

"Don't bother," Magnus came over, levitating a glass of something blue, "It's not gonna work."

"Void said it might," Straw said, trying not to lose what fragile hope remained.

"Then you didn't listen to him properly if you're doing something as dumb as just slapping divine power onto a soul over and over."

"You seem like you know what you are talking about," Connie stared at the tall unicorn defiantly, "What makes you think you know more than the alicorn of Death about souls?"

"How about being the best necromancer in existence, the best mage in existence, and the most knowledgeable researcher of magic in history?"

"Hey, who gave this oversized ego a pony form?" Connie turned to Zephyr, who looked surprisingly serious.

"Why wouldn't it work, Maggie?" he asked.

"Why should I explain something?" the unicorn shrugged non-commitally, "Void knows about magic quite a good fraction of what I do, so he should have given them the right clues to make this work. If they're not smart enough to work them out then it's their problem, not mine. I'm already doing you a favor by telling them what they were proposing can't work."

"Alright, why should we listen to this guy?" Connie scowled at Magnus.

"LASS!" Zephyr raised his voice, "'This guy' is the original alicorn of Magic, a title which now belongs to one of your princesses. The-"

The door to the diner slammed open, a pair of armed griffons ran inside and aimed their rifles at Zephyr.

"This is a stick-up! All gold and jewels on the table!"

"Not now!" Zephyr's horn glowed, and without even looking at the bandits, the alicorn threw them outside and bolted the door, "Where was I? Right. Maggie here is Harmony's first alicorn, just Like Void is Nightmare's and our dear passed sister is Discord's. He knows the most about the rules of this world and those connected to it. If he says Void's solution ain't gonna work then it ain't. If that's not enough for ye, then Maggie here is the only pony in existence who achieved immortality without divine power."

"Alright, what can we offer you for your help?" Connie rolled her eyes. Nothing in the world was really free.

"Help? You can't afford my help, little girl," Magnus snickered sadistically.

With Straw just sitting there dejectedly, Connie knew it was up to her to solve this. The alicorns felt as if they were playing a game. A game which had to have a solution, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered talking to them. Magnus definitely didn't seem like the friendly sort.

"Hmmm... can I afford information?" she tried again.

"Maybe," Magnus smiled at her a little more respectfully, "Zeph, give me a moment."

Magnus and Connie disappeared.

"Sir," Straw said quietly, "Gathering divine power is the only clue I've got. Can you give Cromach's wisp a bit of yourself?"

"Despite it being the wrong way to do things?"

"Void said to do that. I might have forgotten something else he said, but that part was clear."

"Alright. I'm not sure what Maggie wants from your friend, but I'll be damned if I say no to the needy," Zephyr looked at the third visitor, a grey earthpony with dark brown mane wearing a tie, "Chrony, ye gonna help too?"

"Hmm? Huh? What?" the earthpony looked up from his drink, "Sure, what's going on?"

"Power transfer, just a little."

"Oh?" the earthpony came over, looked at the wisp, and his eyes flashed green, "OH! Right, right, Twilight Sparkle's coming rule and Harmony's return, did I get it?"

"Twilight became a princess some two years ago, so about right, yeah," Zephyr answered, and turned to Straw, "That's Chronos, the alicorn of Time. He needs to recall where and when this form of his is currently existing. He likes travelling so he disguises himself as an earthpony most of the time."

"Alright, let's do this!" Chronos was strangely cheerful, "You first, Zeph. The wisp is going to look much better when I'm done with it."

Does he know what's going to happen?

Straw decided not to ask and push his luck. A voluntary help was more than enough.

The transfer ritual was over quickly. With Zephyr wiping the sweat off his forehead and Chronos returning to his table without any movement, simply making it as if he'd never left, Straw looked at the counter to see...

...Cromach.

A talon-sized, see-through, blue griffon with glowing, green eyes. It took Straw a little time to realize it still was just the wisp, only turned into a more 'real' past form using the alicorn of Time's power.

The cider inside Straw's glass rippled.

Connie and Magnus were back. While Connie was trying to stop a smile creeping on her muzzle, the ex-alicorn of Magic looked a little more 'tame'.

"So..." Connie sat back down and sipped her drink.

Magnus coughed.

"In your... hurry to save the soul you may have overlooked, or forgotten, a one very important thing. Souls which fail to depart are staying because of an unfulfilled wish. I would suggest that you should look for something which would remind your not-completely-dead friend why he doesn't want to depart."

It was at that moment Straw remembered one very important alicorn he had forgotten about, everypony had.

"We have to go, Connie!" Straw swept the griffon wisp into his bag and pulled out the teleportation device, "I know what mister Magnus here means."

"Not even a thank you?" Magnus frowned.

"You got your 'payment' already," Connie smirked at him. After his annoyed 'harumph!' she rubbed her muzzle against his, making him blush profusely and recoil, "Thank you."

Straw bowed, stood next to Connie, and pushed the button on the small box.

He didn't know where the next place he had to go was, but he knew WHAT it was.

Twilight Sparkle's power might be useful, but...

...without the alicorn of Hope this wasn't going to work.

Interlude III: All In

Scream woke up from her long stupor. Unlike normal ponies, the golden alicorn's mind didn't experience any existential uncertainty every being suffers after an extended period of sleep. Granted, most ponies don't sleep for weeks while sorting out the chaotic memories of three gods which had earlier been taken from somepony who had in even more distant past gotten them by accident.

In short, the alicorn of Lust woke up, didn't even yawn, and stood up from her notoriously comfortable bean bag made of bones with a clear result in mind. She didn't like how clear the result was, though. She had gone through every memory they had managed to pry out of Blazing Light's mind during their visit to Manehattan, and her worrying conclusion was:

There was no way to win.

The enemy was clear as well. One of the three gods of Equus - Harmony, who had been banished by the other two eons ago out of this reality into the emptiness which lies between different planes of existence, was coming back. That, in itself, would under normal circumstances not be an issue because as soon as he got back the other two gods would start their scheming again, and everything would just turn into a power struggle between the three where neither would be TOO powerful, and the mortals and semi-mortals would be able to live in relative peace.

The problem was that Harmony had outsmarted both the other gods and the mortals. Using the only weapon powerful enough to harm gods directly, the Elements crafted directly from its essence, the assorted races of Equus had over ages wrestled sovereignity over the land from the hands, or other appendages, of Discord and Nightmare. Now the two deities still remaining in this reality had been weakened enough to allow Harmony to return and win the eternal struggle between Creation, Existence, and Destruction. With no more beginning or end, and the inability of Harmony to create new gods, the only limitation of the deity's power, every living being present in this world when Harmony's power took hold would be locked in a hell of insanity without ever feeling the releasing touch of death. Possessing all knowledge, having a body existing in all dimensions, infinitely strong senses, and no way of controlling anything, because that was what only the god itself could, was the fate Scream wouldn't inflict on her worst enemy.

And there were ponies around she REALLY despised.

The point was that there would be no fighting. She had tried to fight Nightmare once, here in her own dimension, when the god had just barely awoken and its host was resisting... and she had still lost, leaving her a mindless sack of flesh. The only reason Scream was still here was that Nightmare wanted to torture Void with Scream's brainless body, not kill her. With Discord's help, Scream had recovered, but she knew how futile the struggle against a god was. All mortals, all alicorns combined would not even be a drop in the ocean against a single deity at its peak of power. The Elements were the only way to fight back, and now their creator was coming back to reap the harvest.

That left only two choices.

One of them was to find out how the Elements worked in full detail and reverse engineer them to build something similar which would work against Harmony, a feat for which they simply did not have the time. Harmony's return could happen in a week or in several decades, but there were no known sources of basic knowledge, no ways of obtaining it from the Elements or the Tree, nor enough ponies for the job.

The other one felt even less likely - enlisting the help of both Nightmare and Discord in a straight up fight against Harmony. Unfortunately, with Harmony returning on its own, Scream suspected it knew that even the united front of the others would not suffice. Still, it was her best shot.

Nightmare... Nightmare was managing to dig its own grave, so to get its assistance all Scream had to do was put its current host, the hippogriff colt, into a life or death situation from which Nightmare wouldn't be able to simply run away. That meant either acting before it got powerful enough to find and corrupt a better host, or putting it into a position where it would face something which would prevent its escape. Getting Discord to fight Nightmare was not going to happen because they needed to be on the same side, which left the only possible solution.

Scream had to arrange Harmony's return to happen soon. The coming god had time, they did not. She needed to put the scheme into motion while Nightmare was weak, but not too weak, while Blazing Light with his ability to steal power could act as a shield at least for few moments, and while Harmony's pawn, Blinding Light, had not yet gathered enough 'evolved' followers to make any action against him futile. That put a lot of constraints on her plan.

As for Discord... the road to him led through his biggest pain in the ass - Void. What the gods hated most was not having absolute power, the ability to play game after game with their little pieces without repercussions, and Void's existence was directly against that. In his Final Sanctuary, Void could hold against any of the three gods, but in the real world his most powerful weapon was knowledge. The last of the three primal alicorns could safeguard mortals, lead them, and teach them how to resist the gods' influence. Without any way to know the gods' true goals, the mortals would be just pawns in the big game. To make Discord cooperate, she would have to offer him a way to get rid of Void. A world without him was not a place where she would want to be, though. Still, the pieces were there for her. Gods, alicorns, mortals, all would dance to Scream's tune.

Too bad she knew it was going to be her requiem.

With a mere thought she disappeared from her mountain and reappeared in the obsidian temple over the entrance to the Sanctuary, or the Underworld as mortals called it.

Void looked up from a book and smiled.

"Hi, what brings-"

"Sleep," Scream's horn flickered, and Void crumbled on his throne.

The alicorn of Death was practically immune to magic, but she knew everything about him, all his buttons, and how to get to his heart.

Conjuring a piece of paper and a pen, she scribbled a short note and left it in Void's lap.

"I can't let you get in my way, honey, so please just have a rest. A week should be enough. If I come back then you can yell at me as much as you want, but if I don't... I know you will do what is right. I caused all of this - Blazing Light's rise due to my tampering with Sombra, the repeated destruction of Nightmare's hosts when faced with either Blazing or the Elements, and the insanity of his father causing him to become Harmony's prey. It's only fair I do all I can to make things right when push comes to shove. I hate to leave you here alone... I know how hard it gets when there is nopony around. Heh, I still remember the first time I met you, reaping souls of griffons after a volcano washed their village away," Scream realized there were tears streaming down her cheeks and shook her head, "Sorry I'm running my mouth like an idiot, honey. It's quite unbecoming of a powerful archmage, a schemer who is right now trying to outsmart gods themselves like me. Look on the bright side, though, if it works better than I think it will, I'll come back and you won't remember any of this."

A green flame washed over her coat and all imperfections from her face disappeared. Only a confident alicorn of Lust remained.

"I love you, Voidie."

She turned to leave.

She turned back and kissed the sleeping alicorn.

"Goodbye."

She wasn't the only one calling her the most powerful magic user in existence, although Magnus would violently disagree. Everypony who had ever dealt with serious Scream and lived to tell the tale knew how easy unimaginable feats of magic were to her. She proved it once again when her thoughts filled with intent to search found Blinding Light's location within mere minutes. In a blink of an eye she passed all the barriers surrounding him and appeared in a cheap Manehattan apartment.

The unicorn didn't bat an eyelid at the alicorn's presence.

"The Watcher was wondering when the two of you would act directly," Blinding greeted Scream, and stood up from the table where he had been casually reading a book, "So, should we end the pretense of politeness and go at each other's throat?"

"No," Scream shook her head, causing Blinding to raise an eyebrow, "I am here to offer you a deal."

"Begging for your life?" Blinding snickered, "The Watcher must have overestimated you."

"Call it what you wish, I want a part of this world where all living beings will be safe from Harmony's power under mine and Void's protection. In return, I can help you bring it back from the emptiness of its prison within two weeks. I know the barriers surrouding this reality better than anypony, and I can make it so they don't offer too much resistance when Harmony passes through."

Blinding was clearly taken aback for a second, but as if something calmed him down from the inside, complete confidence settled on his face once again.

"The Watcher, or as you call him 'Harmony', agrees. What is your plan, traitor?"

"Beyond the White Tail Woods to the west, there lie ruins of a pony civilization which used to worship the horrors which lurk between realities in the same way your 'Watcher' does now. Once upon a time, with a monstrous amount of pony sacrifices, they succeeded in ripping the protective veil of Equus apart and bring one here."

"Interesting," Blinding looked himself once again, "Is that some sort of a legend?"

"Huh?" Scream smirked, "No, no legend. They really did summon the horror, hence the ruins of their civilization. I believe Magnus and Void destroyed the evil one and used its remains for some research. If I set up the right sources of power in the right way they would disrupt this world's protection and act as a beacon for Harmony to get here faster."

"What about the others, wouldn't they resist?"

"I know best how futile any attempt to fight is, and I have already made sure Void will not interfere. Without him there is nothing that can stop us."

"I am intrigued by your firm belief in us keeping our word."

Scream sighed, and for once didn't look in charge of the situation. Just this once, she looked small and vulnerable.

"I... I have nothing else, no bargaining chips or allies. Only gods can fight gods on even ground, and neither Discord nor Nightmare will be mine or Void's allies after what we did to them through the ages," she smiled desperately at Blinding, "And I don't want that much, do I? Just a valley or some hidden place where Void and I can pretend everything we've grown used to isn't gone. Living with the guilt and lying to Void about what happened for the rest of our lives will be punishment enough."

"Heh. Throwing the world under a train just to keep your loved one and a bit of normality in your life. I would have done the same for my wife if some murderer..." his voice turned to a growl and stopped. Blinding took a breath to calm himself, "I mean, I can sympathize. So, about the power sources or whatever it was-"

"Right, right. I'm going to need several crystals cut in a precise fashion and filled with the right kind of magic. Getting them is going to take only few days. After all, I can pay anything the jewellers ask for. When they are done and charged, all I need to do is place them in the right vessels and aim at where the rift used to be. Then we just wait and watch Harmony's return from the best seats."

"Is it really THAT simple?" Blinding narrowed his eyes.

"With my knowledge and power? Yes. In secret? Yes. With ponies and alicorns trying to stop it? Not gonna happen, ever. The crystals will be fragile and in need of protection, which I think you can arrange."

"The Vigil will stand guard to oversee my master's coming."

Scream just nodded, and disappeared.

Blinding couldn't stop the grin on his face from widening. Did alicorns really consider mortals THAT stupid, THAT blind? But she would learn soon enough. He would let her go on with the charade, and possibly gain a little from it as well. If, by a random chance, she did what she promised, then the time of equality between mortals and immortals would come. If she didn't then...

...only Blinding truly knew how powerful he really was now.

He looked at his reflection in the big emerald embedded in the Watcher's necklace. The reflection gave him an exhausted smile.

"Soon, we will have our peace, and I will meet Precious Gift, Searing Light, and even little Blazing again."

The candle on his reading table hissed out, leaving the room in darkness. Blinding picked up his book without a second thought, and continued reading.

Mere four days later, he stood on the top of a ruined pyramid deep in the western jungles. Four large pillars several hundred meters away formed a square around it, each one tipped with a bowl holding one of the strangely shaped crystals Scream had brought. All four bowls were tilted so that the crystals were aiming at one spot in the sky. To Blinding's eyes, the place the crystals pointed at looked like a barely healed red scar shining from behind winter clouds. He could also feel the Vigil members scouring the area for any unwanted visitors.

The alicorn of Lust landed next to him, breathing heavily after adjusting the magical charges burning within the crystals. Until this point, Blinding was honestly convinced that all this was just Scream's ruse to get him to lower his guard, but now that he saw the sky unraveling before him, he had to admit the alicorn had to be desperate.

"How long?" he asked without looking at her.

"The veil is weaker than I expected, or I'm just better than I used to. A week at most. It depends on Harmony now, not us. As soon as it homes onto the beacon the big countdown starts."

"I guess you really DID deliver on your promise," Blinding shrugged, "Your reward is in order then."

"Hm? Isn't Harmony supposed to show me where the land-"

"Don't be silly, alicorn."

Scream flew upwards and aimed her horn at Blinding. He disappeared in a burst of green light and appeared next to her, punching her straight in the face.

That repeated itself several times.

She had anticipated this. It was clear her request was pointless, but...

...she had believed she would at least weaken Harmony's avatar for later.

He dodged everything. Every single spell no matter the area of effect. It was as if he knew beforehoof what she would do, how she was spinning magic inside her head. She could have dealt with just that, but Blinding wasn't subject to fatigue, confusion, or any side effects of magic overuse. He kept teleporting, dodging, levitating, and all that just to punch her over and over.

With the force of a falling star.

At was depressing how little all her magical barriers and shields meant, how little her telekinesis slowed his blows, how little all the power gained over millenia meant.

Finally, a blow to her chest sent her crashing into the long stairs leading to the top of the pyramid.

"My master can't have you and Void scheming, no matter how ultimately futile it would prove," Blinding landed on top of her, and a blade of emerald fire sprouted from his front leg.

"YOU PROMISED!" Scream played her heart out. She hoped it wouldn't come to this, but she knew it would. Her ability to see the future prohibited her from using it for herself. She didn't need it, though.

"The world will be cleansed from you overprivileged divine filth!" Blinding snarled, "Nothing is perfect, but existence will start over without you."

Scream pondered whether Blinding actually had no idea what was going to happen, or whether he just didn't care anymore. She settled for the second and continued her act.

"I helped you! You promised!" she repeated, tears streaking from her eyes.

"You did help me, alicorn," Blinding sighed, and patted her head gently, "I won't have to wait decades for this hell to end. Just few more days and I will be with my family once again. For that, I will make this quick," his hooves pushed her firmly to the moss-covered stairs, "You will rest in peace as well. The Watc- Harmony will purify the divinity inside you and rid you of the curse of immortality. Rest in peace, Scream."

The green fire of his blade entered her chest.

In the fraction of a second she had before everything that made her herself disappeared, she managed to force a bitter smile, gathered all her divine power, sent her mind wandering through various planes of existence looking for a certain pony...

...and she found one. A deceitful, tantric, and selfish pony who could become the embodiment of Lust, but also a protective and loving  one who understood responsibility and sacrifice. Scream's divinity left her before Blinding's strike, crossed to the realm of lost souls, and buried itself deep within her target.

"HAHAH-"

Her eyes glossed over, and then her body burned to ashes.

Blinding walked up on the top of the pyramid and sat down. Snow, frost, rain, nothing bothered him in the slightest.

All that remained now to wait for the sky to tear apart.

"-you here?"

Void blinked, and licked his lips glued together by a string of drool.

"What?"

He pieced together the last things he remembered. He had been siting on his throne, reading about a small-scale skirmish in the Griffon Empire, then Scream appeared, and... then he had woken up few second ago.

A piece of folded paper fell onto the obsidian floor. He unraveled it, his muzzle started trembling. In less than a second he scanned all the world of the living and the dead, and knew the most important thing - she wasn't there anymore.

He could act later.

He had been strong for eons, the rock supporting the weight of the world. There had been only one time where he had felt like he did now. Back in Tartarus when he believed it was Scream who had played him and imprisoned him there for all eternity. Hated by others and himself, all alone, younger, so much younger.

He could act later.

No amount of experience and resolve could prepare him for this happening again. He wanted to let go, to cry his eyes out, to let blind fury consume him, but he knew it wouldn't change anything, not for the better at least. However, Scream relied on him, the note was clear.

He had to act now.

One thing needed to be done, then... then he could... he could finally leave.

I know even you can be selfish. For once, follow your heart, not your honor.

He knew exactly what the note meant, and what it would lead to.

With a clear direction in mind, he disappeared from his temple.

The spot near Ponyville where sun shone through a hole in the clouds and where a pegasus and a god of Creation were having a picnic was familiar enough to Void. When time stopped for every creature around aside from Discord and Void, the deity put his cup of tea down and rolled his eyes.

"I hope you don't plan on doing this more often. I thought we sorted this the last time you so rudely-"

"I come with an offer."

"You have nothing I want."

"My knowledge, my power, and I will leave this world in exchange for your cooperation. You will be free to toy with the other alicorns and mortals as much as you like, and so will Nightmare. As long as-"

"Harmony doesn't win, am I right?" when Void nodded Discord snorted, "I hate to break it to you but I'm not-"

"Same goes for Scream. My sister is gone, Magnus has no interest in the world as it is, he will just go on experimenting on whatever is left when this is done, and the other alicorns have no clue what is really going on. With me gone, and if Harmony fails, all keeping you and Nightmare at bay will be each other and the Elements which might not even work if you win. No more protection of souls. Necromancy and dark magic will run rampant, causing so much chaos you like."

"What would you like me to do?" Discord said slowly, carefully measuring every word.

"Scream made sure we know where and when the return will happen. Be there and fight so that you have a world to play with later."

"Deal," Discord's tail hand scratched Void behind the ears. The god hissed as the black fire of the alicorn's mane sizzled when touched, "Under one more condition."

"Discord!"

"Just to make sure you trust me, and that I can trust you. You will not interfere until Harmony's return is resolved, no matter whether we win or lose."

Helpless, Void was completely helpless. What Discord didn't know about the alicorn despite clashing with him for ages was that as much as Void's presence beat some sense of responsibility into Scream, her influence over him left marks as well. Void didn't like underhooved tactics and playing with words, but sometimes it was all one had left.

"I agree."

"Good, then I won't have to mention that you offering me Scream leaving was pretty dirty from you."

"I apologize."

"You better," Discord took an uncharacteristically serious bow, "It was an honor to have you as my nemesis. No demigod or mortal had ever gotten as far as you, Void. The new alicorn of Death will never live up to the image."

Void returned the gesture.

"It should not, but that means a lot to me."

Both of them looked at Fluttershy, frozen in time.

"My sincerest condolences, Void," said Discord.

The alicorn of Death disappeared and, once again, time returned.

"Another tea, Discord?" asked the yellow pegasus.

"I'm afraid I must refuse, dearest Flutterbutter, I need to hit the gym."

Return of Harmony - Part I: High Treason

Giant Nightmare screamed as the battleaxe cleaved its back. Cromach jumped down, circled around, and buried his weapon over and over into the deity's starry surface. How that worked, Straw had no clue, but eventually the titanic Nightmare focused fully on swatting the griffon flying around it and ignored everypony else. That proved to be a mistake when familiar fiery chains appeared in the air and wrapped themselves all over it, slowing its movement down into a grinding halt. Nightmare screamed once again for good measure, but when its muzzled mouth could barely open anymore it ceased its struggling and shrunk into a pony-sized form.

Face to chained face with Straw. It glared at him, and disappeared.

"This is the best I can do right now. The safeguards I bestowed upon you when we first talked in Manehattan were almost gone, so I strenghtened them a lot, but it's up to you how much you can handle," Blaze wheezed and huffed from the effort, "You'll have to keep it inside yourself again."

"Can't you destroy it? Or at least just force it into a rock or something?" Straw asked, fully aware that Blaze would have done so if he could... probably. The alicorn didn't seem to like him much. Who could have guessed?

"No," Blaze shook his head, "Nightmare made sure of that. It's nested deep inside you, tangled with everything that makes you yourself. It's neither in my power nor my knowledge to reverse that. All I can say is that you should work really hard on remembering who you are otherwise... well, I have seen what happened to the last two Nightmare's hosts, and I was one for a short time, so I am positive you're not going to like it."

"Thank you, sir," Straw bowed, persuading his wobbling legs not to fail him again. Since the immediate danger seemed gone, he forced himself to focus on the important thing, "I... I can't even begin to say how sorry I am your bat friend died due to my and princess Twilight's mistake. I'm just not good enough with words, but will you accept a peace offering in the form of one really awesome griffon?"

Blaze walked straight to Straw and wrapped his wing around him, all that while looking at a white griffon standing nearby and still dropping sparks as he examined his body.

"You know him better, was he always like this and I just didn't notice?" he asked Cromach, as if the griffon hadn't been gone even for a second.

"He does seem a bit more forward and decisive," Cromach answered calmly, smirking and not letting his eyes leave Blaze, "So..."

"You, me, Mistake, here and now?"

"Whoa, were YOU ever this forward?"

"Is it really you? Not just some memory of mine."

"Feels like me, depends on how this thing works outside," Crom flexed his muscles, still examining his new-old body.

"I mean... I can't... if this is just another dream..." Blaze's words failed him.

"I can't say, buddy," Cromach scratched Blaze behind the ears, "things are a bit unclear and I'm still a little confused. I'm sure about one thing, though."

"What?" the alicorn of Hope wasn't sure there was any, but it was all he had.

"That what I want to do to you right now is illegal in most Imperial provinces and some stricter parts of Equestria," Cromach waved at Straw and Connie, "You two, we will talk when we meet again, but for now I want you to leave."

"Sir, princess Twilight-" Connie at least tried, but it was like attempting to stop a tidal wave.

"That is an order," Crom stopped her, "Thanks to you I got a second chance at having something I thought I forever lost. I promise I will contact you and we'll talk, I will cry my eyes out while thanking you, and I'll take both of you out anywhere you want, but for now, let me say it politely one last time, SCRAM!"

While Straw was taking a breath to push for answers one final time his surroundings changed back to the run-down apartment.

He frowned at Connie, but there was no malice in it.

"I guess we would just get in the way."

The unicorn's mind was miles away, though.

"Hey, Straw..."

"What is it?"

"Nevermind," she shook her head and smiled at him, "What do we tell the princesses? They are sure to ask."

"I guess we'll be straight with them. It's not as if they haven't worked with Blaze and sir Cromach before. The attack might put a crack in their relationship, but all of us are on the same side in the end."

"Heh, I probably would have lied until I got a message from Cromach about what I can and can't say."

"And princess Luna would know immediately. Her power allows her to tell if ponies are lying to her, at least according to some guard rumors."

"True, I wouldn't put it past her. Speaking of Canterlot, can I stay in your room tonight? Mine's busted."

"I'm sure the princesses will give you another one if you ask," Straw stopped himself when Connie just turned around and started walking to the apartment door, "But hey, if you... if you're worried about Blinding Light attacking you again then sure. I'll be happy to keep you company."

"Thanks, after Blinding and... the damn thing inside you... ah screw it!" she shook her head, "Let's just go back and have a good night's sleep."

"Connie..."

Straw had no clue what to do or say. The always-strong, even when burning with blind rage, leader of the Hoof of Fate wasn't herself now, and he felt just like a mere day ago when he had to decide how to proceed with Cromach's revival.

However, good intentions and openness can ignite a spark in those who believe they had lost it long time ago.

Contradiction just leaned against him without a word when he wrapped his wing around her. Granted, they had to hobble down the stairs and back to the castle, but the city festivities in full bloom all around them and mostly... Straw had to admit...

...the warmth seeping into him from her side was worth it.

The night passed, and Straw woke up. Not too surprisingly, it was thanks to somepony knocking on the door of his room.

Pushing himself up on the bed, his talons pressed against something too soft to be a mattress.

Connie snored.

With the slowness of a tree growing, Straw unwrapped himself from the blanket and shuffled towards the door.

"Heya, Strawberry," Leo's infectious smile greeted the hippogriff, "Ready for another day of hunting ali... corns...?"

The smile turned to a grin only ever encountered on the faces of the most insane dark lords as the door opened wider and Leo spotted Connie sitting up on Straw's bed, messy mane dangling from her head.

"You better wipe that damn smile off your muzzle or I'll shove it up your-" she grumbled loudly.

"Speaking of shoving things in places where the sun doesn't shine, what were YOU two doing while I was pounding the pavement?" Leo didn't even flinch at Connie's laser stare, only put a special inflection on the word POUNDING.

Sensing Connie was about to throw the bed at the other unicorn, Straw diffused the situation by using his unique trait of telling the truth.

"The usual - visited a fair, resurrected a griffon, and had a rest together because it was safer from anything Blinding Light might send at us... again."

The influx of information without any explanations overloaded Leo. His desire to press Straw and Connie about their night together, albeit an uneventful one, was forcing his jaw to open, but the rest filled him with relief and a little bit of dread. He decided to make Straw talk later when they were alone - after all, pissing off a pony who could literally tie all your legs in a knot behind your back was a terrible idea - and focused on the more or less important topics.

"Cromach is alive?! How? When? Where is he?"

"Yes, now piss off and see us in the guard cantine in twenty minutes!" Connie's horn flashed, and Leo had to quickly lean backwards to prevent the door from breaking his teeth. With the unicorn out of the picture, she gathered herself from the bed, "Got a comb or something in here? Let's make ourselves presentable before the idiot starts making cracks about me and strawberry jam on my morning toast," she shuddered.

"Oh... right... that's how it looked like, isn't it?" Straw facetaloned, still standing in front of the closed door.

"Not used to waking up like this, are you?" Connie kept rummaging through the room's supplies of things for guests.

"Well, I'm mostly used to waking up with HIM in my room, not you. I didn't even think that somepony could believe this was more than living together in the recruit barracks."

"Oh you can be sure of it. Still, not like what anypony says matters, right?"

Strangely enough, she looked as if she was eagerly waiting for the answer to this inconsequential thing.

"You're right," Straw shrugged and headed to the bathroom, "It's not as if I wouldn't spend a night with you if you needed it out of fear somepony might spread rumors. I mean, you're fun company and-"

"Warm and soft?" she couldn't resist.

Straw was, unfortunately, getting far too straightforward recently, thus ruining her fun.

"Do you mean the little things you say or are you just making fun of me?"

"What if I said yes?"

"To which part?"

"I dunno, pick one."

"Alright," Straw pondered the idea while Connie brushed her mane, "If you're just making fun of me then I don't mind, it makes the threats around us a bit more distant. I like it. And if you really want, I don't know, be more than friends then... then I have to say no. I know how hesitant Leo was at first when I told him we could resurrect sir Cromach. After all, it could mean him losing the growing relationship with Fortune. I... I mean that if it clicks between us and the Nightmare wins then you'd get hurt even more and it might even fall to you to... stop me."

"Geez... that's dumb," she trotted over to be face to face with Straw, "Stop thinking of everything at once or you'll never do anything out of fear of messing something up. Take it like this - did you like spending time with me on the fair?"

"Yes."

"Did you like me being in your bed?"

"Yes."

She kissed him before he could react. The soft touch of her muzzle and her probing tongue were barely requited from Straw's side, but at least he tried.

"Did you like this?"

"Umm... yes."

"Good," she closed his mouth with her hoof, "We can do it again some time. Not everything has to have lifelong consequences. I like you, and I know what would make you feel good. I've done those things to maybe hundreds of ponies, so don't be afraid I'd take it as some sort of a commitment. Damn, I even like Fortune, in a way, and she's pretty hot, and so is Leo. So, let me make this clear - you are not my coltfriend and I don't love you. I am your boss who likes you enough to want to have a more 'personal' relationship. If Nightmare gets hold of you and you lose yourself, I will not go crazy trying to save you like they do in books, I will just order Fortune to shoot you in the face. Now, feeling better?"

"I'm not so sure..."

"Excellent, now go wash up, we don't have much time."

Straw's head was spinning as he tried to digest Connie's words. Failing that, he let the day unfold and decided on digesting a decent breakfast instead. Leo was already waiting at one of the tables, nearly buzzing with nervous energy and unanswered questions.

"So-" he started as soon as Connie and Straw sat down to the table with trays of food.

"Cromach is alive and Blaze doesn't want to kill us anymore," Connie said matter-of-factly.

"The princesses-"

"Have no idea yet, we returned yesterday evening, tired as hunting dogs."

"You two-"

"Have spent the night together because my room is thrashed after Blinding Light attacked me."

"Blind-"

"He found out about us tracking him through the linked journal and he didn't like it. Straw saved me from a summoning spell which would have killed me."

"Did you two have-"

"No, I'll cut you!"

"So, what now?" Leo exhausted his questions regarding past two days and stopped, looking at Connie. Straw joined him.

"I... don't know? Do what we've been doing until now, maybe? Cromach said he would contact us before we were kicked out of... the curtain, carpet, rug?"

"Rug..." Leo frowned.

"It might be a good idea to tell you the details," Straw gulped down some tea, "The morning after the fair where you took me to 'regain myself', princess Twilight..."

And so they talked, satisfied Leo's curiosity, and eventually returned to their business, Straw and Leo undergoing the Royal Guard training, and Connie... doing what she had been for the past month since the attack - getting ready for the inevitable clash with Blinding Light.

A week or so later, Straw was returning from his afternoon patrol, only to be intercepted by a Royal Guard inside his room.

"Sir?"

"Pack your things, we're leaving Canterlot," the guard said.

"What?" Straw's fight or flight instinct kicked in. Something was off about the white pegasus, "Explain yourself!"

"Ah, right," the guard shook his head. A green gleam passed through his coat, turning it into black chitin with blue hue. The revealed dreamling bowed, "My name is Seven. Dad and Cromach are calling all four of you."

"We're still not allowed to leave Canterlot. If we do then-"

"I know, I've been keeping an eye on you. You have to choose what side you are on."

"Can you give me a moment to think about it?"

Seven nodded, and levitated a piece of paper towards Straw.

"A ticket for an overnight train," he explained, "If you're not there on time I'm going to assume you're not coming."

"Have you asked everypony else already?"

"Yes, they agreed."

Something clicked inside Straw's head.

"HEY, I noticed you back in Manehattan after Three died!"

"Yes, dad asked for an immediate replacement who could tail you."

"So... the order to kill still stands," Straw narrowed his eyes.

"Yeeees," Seven admitted hesitantly, "but the new arrangement gives you a little more freedom than the old one, if it's any comfort."

"Fine," a plan was beginning to hatch inside Straw's head, "Can I have a request, though?"

"What is it?"

"Can you leave me alone for a while?"

"Sure, just keep in mind that I WILL find you if you put my hive or my dad in danger, and I will make sure you live just a tiny bit longer than the order requires you to."

"Okay."

"In pain."

"I get it!"

"Just making sure in case Three didn't do the best job in making you realize we aren't your friends."

Seven was beginning to get on Straw's nerves, but he calmed down when he recalled how Three was when they first met. At least Seven tried to communicate, Three would have slit his throat without a word. With a simple nod towards Seven, Straw scanned his room for anything useful he could bring with him. He was, of course, going to meet up with the others on the train, but there was something he had to do first. In his own way, he loved all the other members of the group. Fortune, he had to admit he used to have a little crush on her, but now she was much more than that. Leo... was his best friend, as simple as that. Connie, she was confusing, but after he'd seen through her a little more he knew he would put himself in danger for her as well as for the others. That's why he couldn't let them become hunted outlaws.

Right now, it once again meant putting everything on the line.

Determined, and mostly relying on hope, he strode right towards princess Luna's room. The freshly awoken princess was surprised to see him, but her curiosity won quickly.

"I haven't seen you since you asked me about Blaze, what happened?"

"You Highness," Straw bowed deeply, "I would love to explain everything, but I don't have much time, so let me summarize it. We managed to resurrect sir Cromach, Blaze seems to be on our side again, and a dreamling told us that we need to leave Canterlot," he presented the train ticket, "I don't know where we're going, but I need to ask you a favor. Please, don't make the guard come after Connie, Leo, and Fortune. I will turn myself in if it is a problem when we're done, but-"

Luna put a hoof on his muzzle.

"Shhh," she shushed him, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I'm being tailed by a dreamling just like before. I stroke a deal with him to get few minutes alone so I could ask you this favor."

"And if he lied?"

"Then Blaze will deal with me later. I... I had to do this, I can't let the others get hurt for the wrong reason. We are on the same side, we shouldn't be wasting time by hunting each other."

Luna looked around, closed her eyes, focused, and then opened them.

"We are now safe. Nopony is watching us and nopony will hear us. Since your train is leaving in an hour, and I assume you need to get ready without raising suspicion, let's make this quick. I will lift the restriction on you movement under one condition," she quickly slipped back into her room and returned with a vial containing something on fire, "This is a phoenix feather. Anything you burn with it will be transported to me. I want you to inform me about everything you are doing, so I can be ready in case something goes wrong. I think I know you enough to trust you, but in case I'm wrong and you don't report to me for too long..."

She didn't need to finish the thought. Snatching the vial, Straw nodded, bowed, and turned away.

"Thank you, your Highness."

"Don't forget your own words, we're all on the same side."

Return of Harmony - Part II: Back Together

Straw was shaking due to his nerves usable as quitar strings. First of all, everything hinged on princess Luna staying true to her word. The second issue was that he had to periodically report to her without being discovered. The last but not the least worrying problem lay in the fact that once again he was being watched by a dreamling who, unlike the previous one, had no experience with him and could attack Straw after he sneezed the wrong way.

It wasn't all bad, though. As the three friendly faces of his squadmates greeted him after midnight on the train platform, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least the princess hadn't sent guards after them immediately.

"So, what is this all about?" Fortune looked at Straw firmly.

"Huh? Why are you asking me?"

"Leo said you led some crazy secret mission during the last week or so."

The mischievous look on the noble's face betrayed that Leo was leaving it up to Straw to tell Fortune that Cromach was alive.

"I think we should wait for Seven before we start anything. I assume you've been sent here by him as well."

"A dreamling disguised as a Royal Guard? Yeah," Fortune nodded, "Said something about Order business."

"Yeah, I don't even know where we're going," Straw shrugged, "Perhaps Seven should do some explaining first."

"We're going to Pine Hills, the dreamling hive likely," Connie waved her ticket, "Dodge Junction is our destination, and from there it's only few hours on hoof to the town. Since everything is snowed over it might take a bit longer, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out. Ever since we got detained in Canterlot I've been doing some digging on the Order."

"Found anything juicy?" Leo's interest rose a little.

"A lot of stuff, actually. Nothing I considered vital or necessary to share, though. The Order was founded around the time princess Luna got Nightmared, and the official knowledge is that it was Celestia's devoted followers who wanted to protect the crown from all followers of Luna, especially batponies. Their importance grew over the years into one of the most prestigious organizations ever. Later, when Luna was safely locked up on the moon ponies forgot what even happened, and the Order turned into just another high-class club for nobility to feel superior to normal ponies. A little bit of the old pride remained, however, and turned into some twisted zealotry concerning Celestia and the sun."

"Nothing too important then," Leo shrugged in disappointment, "aside from us breaking the racism mold of the Order."

"Not really, there was this one little note I found in an old history book and which I had to talk to princess Celestia directly about. It explained how the other history books are basically bullcrap. The name Silver Sun, as it is understood now, was used by the previous Order members to address themselves because they didn't want to seem too prideful and compare themselves to the gold of Celestia's sun. That's not the real meaning, though. The real reason for the silver part is that the sun shone its light at the moon, thus creating silver moonlight. Princess Celestia told me that the original Order was founded by various ponies - unicorns, pegasi, batponies, earthponies, and even some griffons, all from differens echelons of society - to show unity in the dark times of civil war and attempted regicide. Unfortunately, as the hateful voices of ponies, mostly unicorn nobles, grew during the civil was the Order lost the original purpose almost immediately."

"Hey!" Straw brightened up, "And we're making it right, aren't we?"

"What?" Fortune looked at him skeptically.

"There's us, a hippogriff, a satyr, and two unicorns, trying to kick the rump of the most racist guy I know, at least if we go by Blinding Light's journal. The Order was led by an earthpony - heavens protect baron Hoof -, an alicorn, and a griffon. The members are being trained by changelings, and right now we are following a dreamling's orders. From a noble," he looked at Leo, "to a lost orphan, we're what the Order was really supposed to be. Honestly, I feel pretty good after the little history lesson."

The others quite visibly didn't share Straw's excitement and pride, but couldn't bring themselves to disappoint him by saying how completely unimportant they really were. Nopony wanted to kick the world's biggest puppy-griff. Shockingly, it was Fortune who took his side first. Perhaps it was because she had joined the Order before anypony else present.

"Hey, if there was a minotaur, an earthpony, and a dreamling in my squad then the new Order has to be doing at least something worthwhile."

"Here you are!" a Royal Guard whom they recognized as disguised Seven passed by them and hopped onto the train, "Come on, let's find out seats."

When all of them were sat down in a private area and the train started its slow thumping on the track, Connie took the lead.

"So, Seven, what is this all about?"

He looked around if there was anypony within earshot. The overnight train to Dodge was mostly empty, and it didn't seem like anypony or anything would be able to hold onto the frozen sides of the train. With snow rushing behind the window, Seven quickly explained the situation.

"Dad and his griffon have a plan to deal with Blinding Light which requires you to participate. They'll tell you all the details after we arrive at the hive."

Connie smiled in satisfaction.

"Griffon... mate?" Fortune's face twisted into something unpleasant, "Well, Blaze got over Cromach quickly, didn't he? Or was it some bastard looking for an alicorn on a rebound as an exotic catch? After Cromach believed him despite everything-" she stopped herself, and just grumbled something unflattering.

"Ummm," was the smartest thing Straw could think of.

Connie, however, managed to conjure a predatory smile which would put a hunting lion to shame, and asked:

"Can I? Can I? Can I?"

"Please, don't blow anything up again," Straw muttered.

"What's going on?" Fortune looked at beaming Contradiction, then sternly at her probably-coltfriend, "Leo?"

"Can I? Can I? Can I?" Connie hadn't stopped.

"Well, it's like this. The griffon, ehm, you called a bastard-" Leo bit his lip.

"-is Cromach," Connie couldn't handle it anymore and went for the killing blow, "The 'crazy secret mission' as you called it was to give Cromach's soul still hanging on a new body. The morons didn't want to tell you because you'd cream your panties and leave your new loverboy in the dust."

"Leo?" Fortune looked at each of the others, stopping on the noble, "Is it true?"

He stared at the table.

"Of course it-" Connie began.

"SHUT UP!" Fortune slammed the table, "I want to hear it from him."

It dawned on Leo that there was no way out. In her rush to make Fortune uncomfortable, Connie messed up really bad. He could explain he hadn't wanted to tell her until there was a clear result and save his hide, but... but that would go against everything he had learned from the griffon soldier they apparently saved. He looked Fortune straight in the eyes and said:

"Yes. Straw and princess Twilight discovered sir Cromach's soul wasn't gone from this world, and we went to ask the alicorn of Death what to do with it. He said it was possible to give it a body, and if Cromach was strong enough he could use it. Straw was badly hurt by Nightmare not liking the places we went to at all, and needed rest. I took over his shifts, but it seems he wasn't sleeping, and instead of me he got Contradiction to help and finish what we started. Before you ask - yes, neither of us told you because... well, what Connie said."

"I see," she said in a tone colder than the night frost staining the train window, "So that's how much you trust me."

With Leo's eyes fixed on the floor, Straw broke the silence.

"Uh, how about we turn in for tonight? Who knows what Blaze is going to want from us."

"Good idea," Leo smiled weakly. He slipped from his seat next to Fortune down on the floor and unpacked a little pillow. The satyr meaningfully stretched her legs over the now free spot. Leo looked at her and muttered, "I'll... just tuck myself under here."

"I'll be right back, bathroom," Straw stood up and left for the end of the train car.

Using the toilet as a chair, he pulled out a notepad and a pencil from a smaller bag around his waist, and started writing.

Your Highness,

Straw Basket here. I'm sure you are busy, so I'll keep it short. We are currently on the way to Dodge Junction, and our destination is likely Pine Hills and the dreamlings' home. Blaze and sir Cromach should be there and brief us on their plan.

Good night. I'll write as soon as we know what's going on.

When he came back to the others, Connie and Leo were breathing quietly, already motionless. Seven was on the floor just like Leo, but his blue eyes followed Straw's every step, and Fortune...

...Fortune was propping her chin with her hands, making a small pyramid on the table. When she noticed Straw she shook her head and whispered:

"I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

"He was just afraid of losing you," Straw said quietly as well.

"He doesn't think I can control myself."

"To play devil's advocate, you WERE pretty crazy about sir Cromach."

"He has no idea how I feel about him."

"Do you?"

She twitched and smiled to herself.

"No. Cromach is my idol, I adore him, I dream about him, but... I don't love him. I can't see us walking hand to talon together, I can't see us sitting on a bench, just staring at the sunset. I can see us doing a lot of stuff in the bedroom, don't get me wrong, but that's not what I really want."

"Hey, sir Cromach is Leo's idol too, at least you have something to talk about," Straw smirked, "Besides, nopony can blame you for your dreams. I'm sure Leo dreams about the Trottingham milkmare with huge... breasts. For a pony, I mean, not like you. I mean... not that I'm looking..."

"I get it, I get it," Fortune covered her mouth, watching reddening Straw, "Hey, you want my... our seats?"

"What about you? I can squeeze next to Connie no problem."

Fortune carefully crawled under the table next to Leo and threw a blanket over the two of them.

"Can't leave the idiot without a reward for helping save my dream crush, can I?" she snuggled up to Leo.

Stretching over the free seats, Straw was sure more than any time before that his butting in was the best thing he'd ever done.

They spent the entire next day by trudging through frozen road between Dodge and Pine Hills. It was clear the wide path was made for transporting lumber to the train station, but at this time of year even the normally safe way was at least a little perilous. However, nopony stubbed a hoof or anything, so the main issue was arriving fairly exhausted.

Eight eyebrows got raised upon seeing an undisguised dreamling wearing a wooly beanie and high, furry boots. Four mouths dropped when the ling waved presumably at Seven who just raised a hoof.

"Are ponies not bothered by undisguised dreamlings?" Leo asked.

"No," Seven shrugged, "not really. When we first arrived they didn't like it, but eventually it helped in making them see us as we are, not as somepony who will shapeshift and steal their partner and friends. These days we are at most a curiosity."

Straw immediately liked this place. Just like Wild Bastion, Pine Hills was a logging outpost, and seemingly open and friendly enough to those who had nowhere else to go. Ten minutes of watching the sleepy life of the town taking a break after a long day around them, the group reached an unremarkable one-story house. Unremarkable at least to common visitors, if there were any, that was. Leo and Connie felt a slight touch of magic as they entered, but Straw once again suffered a direct reminder that there was something other than him inhabiting his body. To him, every stone of the building glistened with power he had never seen before, but which felt familiar to what Seven and Three felt like, only on a much greater scale. Either the protection surrounding the house was the collective work of the dreamling hive, or queen Guiding Light was immeasurably more powerful than any normal ling.

The second, and more important difference from any other building in the town was a system of caverns seamlessly connected to the cellar and lit up with blue crystals without any visible power source.

The third, and the most important difference lay in-

"SIR!" Fortune jumped and ran away from Leo who didn't look bothered anymore.

-Blaze, Cromach, and Guiding Light sitting at a table in a larger cave which looked like the dreamling throne room.

"Heyyy!" the griffon managed to stand up before she wrapped her hands around his neck, "Calm down, you're choking me," he complained, smiling.

Blaze stood up as well, and gave the group an exploratory look.

Seven bowed, Connie, Leo, and Straw saluted.

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting all of you to be here," he said, and the corners of his mouth twitched, "I'm glad I was wrong," when the group exchanged glances, he added, "I know all of you are doing it for Crom, not me, the Order, or some crazy world-saving heroism. I only wish Heavy was still alive so you had somepony other than him to look up to."

The usually depressed alicorn looked as if he hadn't slept for days. Bags under his eyes, a barely focused stare, all of it was there. Still, under all that he seemed calm and collected.

"Are you okay, sir?" Connie asked.

"Just a little tired. We've been thinking about our next step and-"

"Humping like rabbits each night?" she gave him the most evil grin she could.

"EHM!" Blaze coughed loudly, "...maybe a little."

"Good for you, sir. Nice to see you not completely crazy again."

He just sighed, and then proclaimed loudly:

"Attention, guys!" Fortune broke her inescapable hug and joined the group in saluting. It was clear Cromach wanted to say something, but Blaze just shook his head which stopped the griffon. The alicorn continued when the other were ready, "Have a rest tonight, look around the town if you want to. Anything goes. In the morning, I want all four of you here for the briefing. Just make sure you're in your best shape, because what's before us isn't going to be easy. That's all, go and hug Crom, everypony. Dismissed!"

He froze and his eyes bulged when Connie went straight up to him, wrapping her front legs around his neck.

"You are as important as baron Hoof and emissary Cromach, sir," she whispered in his ear.

He just smiled and requited the embrace.

"Not even close, but I appreciate the gesture, Connie."

She pushed him away and ordered:

"Hoof of Fate, ATTACK!"

Three ponies and one satyr immediately piled on the alicorn paralyzed with shock.

"Gee," Blaze chuckled, rolling on the floor and resisting only a little, "I get it, I get it. Now let me go and jump on Crom, seriously. I'm not made for foalsitting."

The griffon looked flatly at him, resisting the urge to smirk. The Hoof of Fate, none of them more than five years younger than Blaze, gave him a questioning glance.

"Give him another twenty seconds for the grumbling!" Cromach commanded.

They obeyed the voice of authority.

Next day, the Hoof of Fate assembled for the mission briefing.

"Alright, guys, the next step for you will be fairly dangerous considering you are now hunted by the crown for high treason," Blaze started the morning briefing on a happy note. To Straw this meant that nopony knew about his arrangement with princess Luna, and that there would not be any surprise dreamling neck biting from behind. The others paled a little, but it was clear they knew what they were getting into, "You need to go to the Everfree Forest, pass through a secret magic portal leading to a different reality, ask the supreme ruler of the place about the whereabouts of weapons called Blades of Balance, and bring those back if possible."

The briefing was taking place in the throne room under the oversight of Guiding Light, Blaze, and Cromach.

"Why?" asked Connie.

"We need those to fight Blinding Light, I believe," answered Blaze without answering anything.

"Sir, can you for once tell us everything? We have no idea what we're getting into," she pushed on.

"It would take too long to explain everythi-"

"Longer than it would take to get the weapons if we get caught, imprisoned, or something worse?"

"Connie, just listen! All you need to know about the plan-"

"Blaze," Crom butted in calmly, "Just give them the short version. They know literally nothing about the mirror world, the Blades, Iron Hoof Twilight, or your memories. Five minutes won't hurt, and they can be trusted."

"That's the problem, not all of them can," Blaze looked at Straw, "Our main strength is in gods underestimating our power and knowledge. If that goes away..."

Let me speak for a moment, servant.

The voice inside Straw's head was calm and measured for the first time ever.

"Sir, Nightmare wants to talk to you," the hippogriff raised a talon.

"Okaaay?" Blaze raised an eyebrow.

"Ehm," Straw felt the entity push itself forward with unusual care, "Alicorn, it is you who underestimates us. Your limited access to our memories is known to both me and Discord. Don't be a fool and assume Harmony is out of the loop. You being Blinding Light's target had nothing to do with the death of his wife and sons. If it wasn't a convenient excuse then Harmony would not have bothered taking Blinding's wish into account. We might not be sure about the precise extent of your knowledge, but that is not relevant to our plans. You do not have the mental strength and experience to piece together the entire picture and we can work around that. Your betters have tried and failed. Void, Faust, Magnus, the three primal alicorns, each one the first creation of one of us know the most about how the existence works, and yet their resistance to our rule is very limited. Do not presume that anything you say here will change the difference in absolute power between us. There is a limit you can reach, and that is nowhere close to what we can do in our prime. I might be weak right now, but that will change no matter what happens. Harmony's victory is... undesirable to all of us, though, so do your best."

Everypony froze, but Blaze just smiled.

"Heh, indeed. I will take that into consideration. Straw, you there?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he addressed everypony at once again, "I'll give you the short version. Equus consists of two worlds, not one, which are very similar and in which history used to take a mostly same course. Some ponies are unique to each world, but usually there is a version of everypony in each one. Whenever a pony reaches enough power in both worlds to create their own, they 'merge'... sort of. That happened to Void and Scream. In both realities Void was imprisoned in Tartarus, which is a prison dimension shared by both worlds, and his versions became one. When Scream, after being used by Celestia to bait Void into his punishment, left the worlds and locked herself in her own dimension she became only one as well. However, our Celestia did a deally dumb thing long time ago. Out of the eleven Elements of Harmony, which means balance, she took the 'evil'," Blaze popped the hoof quotes, "ones Harmony left in our world, shoved them into the mirror one, and stole the 'good' ones from there. Our reflection of the world was left with Kindness, Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, and Laughter, while their sort of got stuck with the bad parts of equilibrium - Imprisonment, Suffering, Destruction, Greed, and Betrayal. From what we know the Element of Magic, or Friendship, appears whenever one world's Elements become too powerful to bring unity to the other side and balance things out. Well, Scream used the darkness within the 'evil' Elements to force the mirror world under a single ruler who would punish Celestia for imprisoning Void and get him out of Tartatus. The ruler was called king Sombra. On our side, he was weakened a long time ago, and finally defeated by Twilight Sparkle, Mi Amore Cadenza, and Shining Armor using the Crystal Heart. In the mirror world, he won, and his armies invaded our Equestria twice. I stopped him both times, and finally, with the help of mirror Twilight Sparkle found a way to destroy the shadow king for good. With Void out of Tartarus, Scream stopped pursuing her vengence, and helped us several times since."

He took a little break, on the lookout for anypony having questions. Everypony just listened.

"Now, when I still had no idea who Void was or what his goals were, I used to spend a lot of time reading in the private Canterlot castle library, and I got into some notes from Starswirl the Bearded regarding a way to create a weapon able to lower the Elements' influence. A pair of weapons, to be exact."

"The Blades..." Fortune muttered.

"Yep. Their original intent was to counterbalance the Element of Magic in case it got abused. Starwswirl failed, however, and the Blades can mitigate an Element's power only a little. What they DO give their wielder is a complete immunity to any sort of magic, though. There is a price which you will have to bear in mind. If a magic user tries to wield the Blades they will die, quickly and painfully. As far as I know, I'm the only unicorn able to use them effectively due to my natural inability to use magic. I can only levitate stuff. If you get your hooves on the Blades, either split them up or make Straw or Fortune take them. They look like two greatswords, one with ebony hilt and white blade, and the other with ivory hilt and ashen blade. The last time I used them was against a Nightmare's host in the mirror world, which is why I believe mirror Twilight will know where they ended up."

He took a sip of water from a cup on the table.

"Why would she know that?" Leo tilted his head, "Sorry if I missed anything. It's all just like listening to a fairy tale, a bad one on top of it."

"Right, I forgot that part," Blaze scratched his head, "Mirror Twilight, who hadn't been alicorned by the way, was Sombra's head mage at the time, and took over the reigns of power after his death. We have a fairly good relationship with her these days. They have lost their connection to nature as a price for their advancements in military technology, so as far as I know we trade our natural inventions like the firefly lamps, natural medicine, or fertilizers for their advanced blueprints for engines and magic crystals."

"Why isn't there an open trade? Why does nopony know about this?"

"Well, opening a completely new world to public would likely have more drawbacks than benefits, but you'll have to ask the princesses about that, not me. As for the trade," he sighed as if trying to explain neurosurgery to a nine year old, "Nothing made in one world can pass through to the other world permanently unless there is a stable portal being maintained between both worlds. If the portal closes then everything would return to its world of origin. That's why we can only really trade knowledge."

"So, the portal you mentioned..." Connie stopped, looking into the headlights of an unpleasant train of thought.

"Yeah, you'll have to get through, and yeah, it is very well guarded by a garrison of elite soldiers from the Royal Guard and the Nightguard. That, however, is where Crom, Guiding, and I come in. We will disguise ourselves and cause enough of a distraction to lure most of the garrison away from the portal. On this side, there are only some barricades, makeshift barracks, and some more provisional buildings, so you should be able to knock out whoever is left and sneak through. On the other side, well," he chuckled to himself, "you should ask for Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They know me and will at least grant you an audience with Twilight. Explain to them what's going on, and get the Blades if possible. Since Blinding is filled with Harmony's divine power way too much they might not be enough, but I don't have anything better."

"Yes, sir!" the group saluted.

"Good, try to get the Blades back here as soon as possible. A report I got from Shadowstep in Manehattan said that the Vigil came back at large, but a lot of the more transformed members have been taking the train somewhere. Whether they are just trying to spread their influence or whether they are moving their base of operations I don't know, but I don't like it. Last thing, make sure mirror Element bearers REFUSE to use their Elements to help Celestia if she asks. I seriously doubt that Harmony would have left us a weapon which would pose a threat to it, and considering Celestia's track record she might do something dumb like trying to rainbow beam Blinding into oblivion," he paused for a moment, "If there are no questions then grab anything you need and meet us at the town gate in twenty minutes. Going on hoof through Everfree Forest from this side is going to take way too much time, but still less than taking the Dodge-Ponyville train and risking being discovered by the guards. I prefer blowing up a hydra or two instead of having to melt a pony who is just doing their job."

Everypony left to grab the necessities for the trip, aside from Fortune who approached Cromach and stared at him.

"Is anything wrong?" he smirked, "I believe you should be getting ready."

"Yeah, yeah, it's just... I haven't seen you without the robot arm yet. How come you look all natural now?"

Crom sat on his haunches and waved both his real arms, front legs, whatever griffons called their appendages.

"I guess I haven't had the prosthesis long enough for my 'soul' to consider it a part of me, so I got revived in my good old natural form. I guess you'd have to ask Void for details about how these things work, I just bash the guys Blaze points me at over the head," he chuckled.

"You look good," Fortune blushed, "I mean better than before."

"I know," he flexed his muscles to make a little show for the satyr, "Come on, is this about what I think it is?"

"No no no, I just... I was just taken aback by how good you look... on the outside of my head, especially after you were... gone."

"And young mister Goldhorn?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Leo," she sighed, scratching her head, "I really owe you everything, sir. You gave me a chance to see more than the inside of a repair shop, you-"

"I put you in danger, I made you go through losing your closest friends, and I will likely be the reason you will face death again. Let's be real here."

"You gave me a chance to grow, sir, no matter how much crap I had to wade through before I realized it. What's more, you made Leo grow, and now I have to catch up to him," she smiled widely, "I think I'll have to chip away at his more annoying aspects, but I think he'll do the same for me. I just wanted you to know how much everything you did mean to me, even when it wasn't for me."

"I simply believe there is good in everypony, it just takes some effort to find. If you do, though, then the reward usually is beyond your wildest dreams, Fortune. That is exactly why I stuck with him through good and bad," he looked at Blaze who was discussing something with Guiding Light, "and look what I got. Honestly, who on this planet can say he regularly bones a completely submissive alicorn, right?"

Their snorts of laughter made the queen and the alicorn shoot them a mildly surprised glance, but they quickly returned back to reviewing the diversion plan.

"I hate to break your beliefs sir, but what about the good in Blinding Light. Will you try to spare him if it comes to it?"

That took a moment for Cromach to chew through, but eventually he shook his head.

"No. I believe there was a point in time when Blaze and Blinding could have sorted their differences and worked through the horrors each of them had suffered. After all, the guy who killed his son WAS his son, no matter the dimensional nonsense. I know they hated each other even before, but... as far as I know from talking to Heavy, both of them respected each other even though neither would admit it. I guess being stubborn beyond all reason runs in the family. That ends here, though. Blinding is clearly insane and a victim to Harmony, and Blaze will never find peace as long as Blinding lives. For the sake of his future, my future... our future, I have to make Blinding disappear. I won't try to save him even if I get a sure chance of it working. If, in the end, I stand over an old, broken stallion who has lost everything I will not hesitate to cut his head off no matter what anypony else says, and deal with the consequences later."

"Sometimes you've got to be selfish, is that it?"

"Yeah, just don't overdo it."

"Thank you, si- Cromach. I'm gonna go and tell my little idiot what to pack for a trip through a frozen forest. I doubt he's set hoof out of a city before."

"Good luck, Fortune. Don't hesitate to put everything on the line for the ones you love, and never regret having done so."

With a bow, she ran off to pack.

Return of Harmony - Part III: The Mirror

A day and a half of freezing their rumps off and wading through chest-high snow later, the two unicorns, one hippogriff, one satyr, one griffon, one alicorn, and one dreamling queen got close enough to see the first wooden barricades of the Everfree portal garrison. Straw was praying quietly to any good force listening that his reporting this operation to princess Luna had not been a terrible mistake. He had written to the princess that Blaze would use his status as an unsuccessful regicide to lure the guards away so that the others could sneak in. What he was bothered now was the note that had appeared in his talons a moment later.

I will make sure the guards react "with proper severity".

And a smiley face... from princess Luna.

Straw shivered, and not due to the frost.

"Alright, as soon as the guards move out, you go in," ordered Blaze, "I'm gonna fly up to show the pegasi what's going on."

When everypony nodded, he took up to the clear, grey sky. Yells pierced the air as his fire wings flashed, clearly visible from afar.

"Uh oh," Cromach looked through the tree branches. He had dyed his coat and feathers brown, much to Fortune and Connie's displeasure.

"That is strange, and incredibly foolish," Guiding Light, who looked downright silly with her armor moss-green and a red mane, nodded.

All of them stared as wave after wave of guards stationed at the makeshift bastion flew upwards and converged on the burning beacon that was Blaze.

"Yeah, let's go before Blaze actually has to hurt them," Cromach waved at Guiding, and both disappeared in the trees.

I sincerely hope princess Luna warned the guards not to overdo it.

It's raining burned corpses, halelujah, it's raining dead, oh oooh!

Straw shrugged, at least Nightmare seemed in good mood. It likely wasn't a good thing, but he wasn't going to dwell on it with the now completely empty guard post in front of them. An empty guard post with walls three times as high as an average pony, and a sturdy, barred gate.

"I can carry you over," Straw offered.

"Get Leo first, we're gonna make it faster," Connie smiled. Straw didn't like females smiling like that. They were never up to anything good.

Still, he obeyed, and sat Leo down on the frozen ground cleaned from snow.

"READY?" they heard Connie.

"YEAH, I'M COMING FOR Y-"

"The hay you think you're do-" they heard Fortune complain.

*POOF!*

"CATCH!" Connie yelled happily.

A brown satyr wearing a furry coat came flying from over the barricade.

"I'mgonnakillyouuuuuuu!"

"Got you!" Leo reacted instantly.

"Phew!" Fortune stood up and glared at the barricade with such an angry gaze that the wooden logs nearly burst into flames.

They heard some incomprehensible talking from behind, and-

*POOF!*

One explosion of snow, and a unicorn flying on a ballistic curve flailing her legs in panic later, they were all inside. It was clear that if there was anypony inside the fortifications, they were in one of the three 'complete' buildings. Baracks, a storehouse, and a command post, Straw took a guess.

They didn't care, though. On a raised platform, in the middle of the triangle formed by the buildings, a wide, shimmering square hovered between two pillars.

An explosion followed by angry screams from above the trees made them forget the cautious approach, and they just ran.

Unspotted, maybe, unstopped, certainly, successful, eeehm...

"Stay where you are!"

The other side of the portal was not as makeshift as the previous one.

They stood inside a well-lit, enormous room suitable for a transfer of an army. The walls were of stone so solid this place screamed FORTRESS so hard it made the other side of the portal look like a crumbling shack.

The ten earthponies armed to the teeth right in front of them, the griffon snipers on the balconies with their talons on the triggers aiming at them, and the unicorns with horns crackling with power spread around ensured Straw that while princess Luna may have given them a chance on their side of the portal, she hadn't gotten to informing the mirror garrison of the unexpected visit.

After a rigorous training, the Hoof of Fate's members might have outclassed the soldiers in a one-on-one combat, or even in a small-scale skirmish, but now they were clearly outmatched, and outgunned, very specifically outgunned. The long-range weapons looked similar in design to griffon pistols Straw and Fortune had, and the satyr's combat rifle, but much sleeker and probably deadlier. Why deadlier? Because as the group were escorted to the interrogation room they got accompanied by a bunch of completely mechanical ponies similar to Bucket from Canterlot Royal Guard. If such technology was used here on daily basis, then Straw had no doubt the weapons would be a bit over the Equestrian norm as well.

"Alright, state your business!" said an important-looking unicorn when they were all sat down, disarmed, and shackled to the floor in a well-guarded room.

"We come on behalf of the Order of the Silver Sun, Blazing Light the alicorn, and ambassador Cromach. We need to talk to Twilight Sparkle about the Blades of Balance."

The interrogator shattered their hope quite quickly.

"No clue about anything you've just said, aside from Twilight Sparkle, of course. However, I am not going to bother the supreme leader with some foals jumping through the portal."

"Alright," Connie gathered herself surprisingly quickly, "In this case we were told to ask for Rainbow Dash or Applejack. They should be more familiar with our reason for being here."

The military unicorn didn't look convinced, but obviously wasn't too keen on starting an interdimensional incident. In the end he just shrugged.

"Alright, so some foals are here to ask about some bright light from silver sun ambassador and some swords."

Well, at least he was willing to listen, even if he wasn't paying too much attention.

"Just mention Blazing Light the alicorn. It should be enough to at least make them talk to us."

He nodded.

"Ten minutes," he called a soldier and instructed him to 'get the overseers on the line'.

"Whoa!" Straw's eyes went wide, "Aren't we in the middle of the Everfree Forest?"

"Oh, right. Your world is a bit on the hippie side, isn't it? We can communicate over long distances without using magic. Although unicorns can still do it without any pre-built infrastructure."

"That's so cool!" Straw completely forgot he was shackled and tried to wave his talons excitedly, "What about the machine ponies? We have one in Canterlot, but he looks different."

"The husks? They are a death row prisoners stripped of everything that made them pony, their organs just control the power armor and are controlled through a crystal in the head."

The hippogriff paled.

"Bucket isn't like that," Fortune calmed Straw down, "He's really a thinking machine. Princess Twilight and I were doing some maintenance to him a while ago and she explained it."

"So you guys are finally getting out of the stone age?" the interrogator smirked.

"Hey!" Fortune argued, "We have guns and machines too."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we got something from you," he flexed kicked his hind leg in the air, "I wouldn't still have this if we didn't get some recipes for herbal mixes from you. I mean, a mech prosthesis isn't bad, but a leg is a leg."

A blue, rainbow-maned pegasus mare with enough piercings to double as a maracas opened the door and entered. The interrogator bowed.

"Leave us alone," ordered her crackly voice. Shockingly, despite the world-weariness and scars crisscrossing her coat, she was about the age of the Hoof of Fate members. When they were left alone she went straight to business, "What went horribly wrong this time?"

That single sentence assured everypony that she really knew Blaze.

"The world is going to end, so Blaze sent us to find some Blades of Balance and tell you not to use the Elements of Harmony in case our princesses ask you to. He said Twilight Sparkle might know where the Blades are."

"Yeah, they're safely in the Crystal Empire. One question, though. Why didn't Blazing come himself?"

"He said he couldn't pass through the portal anymore without ruining it, so he and sir Cromach caused a distraction on our side so we could slip through."

"The griffon guy? They're banging, right?" she asked casually.

"They are. Wait, you know him?"

"Met him once, tried to shag him but he wouldn't budge. He was in a bit of a hurry, so I assume that was the reason."

"The one and only reason," Leo agreed diplomatically, "I hate to stop the conversation, but we were explicitly asked to get the Blades as fast as possible and return them to Blaze."

"That's up to Twi, not me," she banged on the door, "GUARDS, CALL A.J. AND TELL HER TO GET TWILIGHT HERE!"

A very nervous "Yes, ma'am!" and running hoofsteps were heard from outside.

"So, this world is supposed to be under one ruler, right?" Straw couldn't handle his curiosity.

"Mostly, yeah," Rainbow nodded, "Twilight is responsible for the big picture while local officials make sure laws are obeyed."

"That must be really difficult to control. I mean, the communication alone."

"It's not that bad," she shrugged, "Right, you don't have telephones."

"The thing that got you here so fast after we came?" Straw's head tried to make connections, unsuccessfully.

"What? No, that's due to these," she spread her wings and pointed at a necklace with her cutie mark around her neck, "I've always been excellent at flying, and the Element of Betrayal only amplified it. The distance between here and Ponyville is nothing. Speaking of which, we should stop sitting here and do something useful. GUARDS! OPEN THE DOOR AND GET A CARRIAGE READY!"

"Yes'm!" more hooves rushed away.

"Can you tell us more about this place?" Straw's eyes hadn't left Rainbow for a second. A unified world. What miracles they must have achieved that were unknown to his Equestria!

"Sure, It takes you scrubs about an hour to get to Ponyville. Plenty of time to chat."

Straw's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when he saw what admittedly was an armored prisoner carriage, but one pulled by husks. It had to weigh a lot more than normal carriages, yet the husks pulled it faster than any experienced Manehattan street pony. As they settled in, Straw's hunger demanded to be satisfied.

Rainbow Dash wasn't a good storyteller. She jumped from topic to topic, didn't know anything in much detail, but even the vague descriptions of cities one had to take the train to cross filled Straw with wonder, and infinitely more questions. After all, they made Manehattan look like a tribal village. The rest of the group didn't interfere, they knew their hippogriff.

The carriage entered a strangely rustic town, at least compared to the tales Rainbow had told them, and Rainbow explained it was because this used to be Twilight Sparkle's home, and she wanted it to remain the way she remembered it. That didn't mean the place was like in Straw's Equestria, however it meant all the technology advancement was well-hidden. Also, it was the site of the most ridiculously guarded library in all of the united world.

The major difference from 'normal' Ponyville was a large circular amphitheatre, the residence of Applejack, the Element of Destruction, and the town's beloved tourist attraction. Under king Sombra's rule, all prisoners were hauled off here to fight to the death for the amusement of ponies. These days only the volunteers fighting for fame and money, and prisoners sentenced to death or life imprisonment were sent in, but the Apple family arena still remained the heart of Ponyville.

An orange earthpony with two mechanical arms in the place of front legs was waiting for them at the arena entrance. As the carriage stopped, Rainbow immediately shot outside and kissed the other mare. From a necklace similar to Rainbow Dash's the group guessed that was Applejack. Well, Fortune didn't have to guess much, because she knew about the Element bearers in her world due to working at Canterlot on behalf of the Order, and not being dumb as a brick.

"Hold yer horses, RD, we got a business to sort out first," drawled Applejack.

Contradiction once again explained their business on this side of the mirror portal, and recieved the same answer of having to wait for Twilight's decision.

"So, what are ya'll s'pposed to be?" AJ still wasn't too convinced about their story, but reserved her judgement, "Some ghostbusters or such?"

"We're a unit specifically trained to fight against users of divine power and dark magic," Connie explained, "We don't have the best track record, but we're getting better."

"Are ya'll? Care to show me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah'm an Element of Destruction. How often do ya'll get a chance to practice without yer head on the line? Plus, a special showin' oughtta make ponies 'round happy. The reignin' champion against some otherworld special unit. How 'bout it?"

Connie looked at the others, who shrugged.

"It looks like we've got some time to kill," Fortune gave their common answer, "Got some practice weapons and stuff?"

"Ah think ya'll need to take the filly horseshoes off for this one. Besides, Blazing wouldn't need the Blades to fight some nopony. If ya'll are to be of any help then some hooves-on experience oughtta be useful."

"We agree then. Thanks for the help."

"Give me 'bout half an hour to inform the townsfolk 'bout the special showing and tell the pegasi to clear the sky."

"Of course. We'll need some time to get ready as well."

"You're not doing it just to boost sales, are you?" Fortune gave AJ a smug smirk.

The Element bearer returned the grin, unphased.

"Nothin' in the world's for free, gal."

Fortune knew the Element bearers were younger than she was, but the experience difference, the carbon dating of a soul measured in survived suffering told a way different tale.

Applejack ordered a husk to show the group around the arena and to lead them to a room where they could get ready for the upcoming practice. Connie planned and planned, but without knowing literally anything about AJ's power and skill she couldn't come up with any reasonable tactic. Settling for a generally cautious approach, she ordered the others to warm up and rest.

In a surprisingly short time, they were led out by another mechanical pony and ushered into the center of the arena, a wide, sand-filled circle under a grey but clear sky. The ponies sitting on the tribunes around weren't numerous, but they still looked happy at the cheap amusement they were about to recieve.

"ON ONE SIDE, THE MYSTERIOUS VISITORS FROM BEYOND THE DIMENSIONAL VEIL! CAN THEY STAND THE MIGHT OF OUR REIGNING CHAMPION? OF COURSE NOT! CAN THEY PROVIDE US WITH ENTERTAINMENT? SURE THEY CAN! WELCOME THE HOOF OF FATE!" a booming voice deafened the group trying to figure out where it was coming from and what the point of it was.

"Loooooooud," grunted Connie in utter annoyance.

"AND AGAINST THEM, OUR BELOVED CHAMPION! UNBREAKABLE, DEFEATED ONLY ONCE BY ANOTHER INTERDIMENSIONAL VISITOR AND THIRSTING FOR REVENGE, AAAAAAPLEJAAAACK!"

The augmented earthpony entered the combat area from the entrance on the opposite side, and waved her taloned appendages to the growing crowd.

Having no idea what to expect, Straw and Connie took to the front line while Leo and Fortune stayed back, magical shields and totally mundane guns at the ready.

However, before the fight could begin, the sand of the arena whirled and a glowing rift in space appeared. From there, a purple unicorn mare in a simple brown robe stepped out, followed by four husks. A heavy, metal crate hovered behind her. She looked coldly at the ponies ready to fight.

"AJ," Twilight ordered, "Capture the Nightmare's host for research, kill the others!"

Between the shocked gasps from the Hoof of Fate and curious expression of Applejack, the husks did not hesitate and each charged straight at the marked targets.

"Wait, we're not-" Straw's plea fell on deaf ears, and he had to avoid the precise slashes of a husk's bladed legs.

The machine attacking him suddenly stopped and its legs bent in abnormal angles.

He looked around and saw three heaps of scrap metal, the exclusive club which the husk sent after him joined instantly. It looked like Connie, Fortune, and Leo had not been so taken aback by the attack, and dealt with the attackers almost instantly.

Everything blurred as Straw got charged at by Applejack and thrown at Fortune. The Element hadn't counted on Leo, though, who used his barriers to create a slide bent in such way that Straw ended on all fours, only slightly disoriented.

There was no time to waste. Connie's large blade blocked AJ's vicious strikes, but the onslaught of blows was pushing the unicorn back.

Seems like the alicorn traitor misjudged the ponies he calls friends. How about you let me out to clean house.

Straw wasn't the type to get angry, he liked ponies way too much for that, but right now he wanted to listen to Nightmare so much it hurt. However, if Twilight just listened to why they were here then he was sure she would wait with the research or whatever. He wasn't sure about the precise nature of Twilight's hostility, but he was sure it had something to do with him and Nightmare.

No, we're not here to cause violence. Just protect me as best as you can. We can make them listen.

Feeling the power of Nightmare course through him, Straw returned AJ the favor she had given him a moment before. The gladiator was much more used to fighting, though, and swept him away mid-step with her powerful appendages. Still, it gave Connie time to recuperate.

"Aah!" they heard Twilight scream, and saw the archmage looking at a deep gash in her side. She recovered quickly, too quickly, "Magic piercing bullets?"

Fortune wordlessly reloaded he rifle, Leo standing by her side with his horn glowing.

"YAAAAAAAAH!" Connie's roar came as Straw gathered himself up, spitting out sand, and a shower of sparks came from her striking AJ trying to block with her arms.

Her blade glowed, charged with so much magic its edges dripped molten steel from AJ's augments. The earthpony stared in utter disbelief at her prosthesis cut in half. She still had the other one, but now her threat diminished greatly. There was only Twilight left now.

Or so Straw thought.

AJ's remaining prosthesis dug into the concrete under the sand, and the Element bearer kicked the ground so hard her entire body made an arc around it with steel hooves meeting Connie's head at breakneck speed.

Literally.

Connie was dead before she hit the ground.

"Stop toying with them, I have a god to dissect," Twilight rolled her eyes, leisurely shooting a beam of light towards Fortune. It got blocked by Leo's barrier.

Let me at them! Death for death!

NO, she just needs to listen! I have to MAKE her listen.

A bolt of force aimed at Straw dissipated harmlessly, much to Twilight's disappointment. Before she had to deal with a hippogriff clawing angrily at her face, however, Straw once again collided with an earthpony wall called Applejack.

He heard gunshots, he heard screams, but most of all he heard the slamming of metal on metal as his Nightmare-empowered talons beat against AJ's remaining prosthesis, sure that its destruction would completely remove one threat without killing.

Sadly, Twilight was out of patience.

A thick book appeared out of nowhere next to her, opened, and glowed.

Leo screamed and began throwing up blood as the magic of all of his protective barriers turned against him. After a moment of writhing on the sand he was no longer moving.

"Aaaand finally you-"

Fortune peppered Twilight with bullets which melted mid-air.

"If I can't reflect them, I can just destroy them, you foolish satyr."

A single telekinetic strike and a splatter of blood later, Fortune's lower body went missing. A soft thud as her remains dropped on the sand finally made Straw lose it.

Nightmare emerged from his body as a black cloud, forming a fanged wolf mouth. It pushed Straw aside, bit into AJ's remaining arm, and threw her all over the arena into the thick wall leading up to the audience seats. The deity just laughed at the cracking of bones.

Terrified screams of the audience were just a mirror of the physical panic the pushing and punching ponies trying to get out felt.

The protective spells of the most powerful magician of the mirror world stopped a single bite from the apparition before shattering.

Twilight focused and disappeared.

Black tendrils of smoke shot out from Nightmare into the empty air...

...and pulled something back.

Inch by inch, Twilight got dragged out of her teleportation, struggling pointlessly against the god's power.

Nightmare's mouth full of sharp teeth opened wide.

Blood for blood.

Chains of fire shot out from Straw and pulled the Nightmare back towards him.

No.

WHY? She killed all of them!

It is my fault... again. She is just terrified of you, all of us are... were. I suppose she just wanted you contained so you wouldn't threaten her world.

Twilight was cowering as the Nightmare lunged at her over and over, always stopped at the last second by Straw's chains. With the audience all gone, it was now just Straw, Nightmare's manifestation, and Twilight.

"RIP HER APART, DESECRATE HER CORPSE, AND AVENGE YOUR FRIENDS!" Nightmare screamed for the whole Ponyville to hear.

"No. I am not a bad pony. I can understand them. I am not a bad pony. They are just scared. It's all my fault, but I am not a bad pony..."

The adrenaline finally faded, and Straw's body gave out. Sitting and repeating 'I am not a bad pony' inbetween quiet sobs, the loss finally hit him hard.

Nightmare tried over and over to set itself free, but if there was a wish that still remained within its host it was one to not cause any more pain. The god, still growling at Twilight, finally realized the futility and its ghastly avatar dissipated into nothing.

Straw didn't know how long he sat there and cried.

When a hoof under his muzzle forced him to look up, he saw a concerned face of Twilight smiling at him.

A white pony leg punched the archmage so hard she stumbled backwards.

"Mhmmm-" Straw tried to say something, but seeing alive, although seriously battered, Leo Goldhorn only made him wail more, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... for Fortune... I'm so sorry..."

A mechanical click made his heart stop. He knew of only one thing which made such a distinct sound - the safety of a gun.

"We fell for this AGAIN?!" the angry voice of Connie made the cogs of his mind work again.

"What?" he asked weakly.

"THAT FREAKING HURT!" the unicorn yelled again.

"The days of fighting to the bitter end went away with Sombra's death. Unless the death row prisoners are fighting here, there are no casualties," explained Twilight calmly, although slowly as Leo's punch apparently did some damage.

"THIS WAS JUST A TEST?!" Fortune joined Connie, trigger finger of her rifle aimed at Twilight twitching.

"Applejack told me why you were here. A Nightmare's host comes here to take away the only weapon at least marginally effective against divine power, AND tells us NOT to use the Elements in case we are asked? A trap if ever I saw one, at least that's what I thought at first," she looked back at still sniffling Straw, "You remained in control, though. This wasn't a ploy of a god playing on our loyalties. You are the real deal."

The hippogriff just stared at his friends, ignoring every word.

Connie levitated him on her back and gasped as his legs wrapped around everything they could reach. Holding a clump of her mane in his teeth, Straw kept sobbing.

Several more husks carried Applejack away. It looked like the arena safeguard spell saved ponies, but not anything mechanical, and the earthpony couldn't leave on her own with just her hind legs left.

Finally, Straw's paralyzed mind came to the conclusion that they had succeeded, and he passed out.

Return of Harmony - Part IV: Revenge

Straw's sleep, or unconsciousness more like, was filled with nightmares about loss and defeat. Deep down, however, he knew it wasn't the work of the god inside him, but of the mortals not trusting him. Drenched in cold sweat, he woke up to a different reality, though, a much nicer one.

The barely equipped room resembling a precisely carved cave that greeted him when his eyes opened was filled with the scent of hot chocolate, and a hoof stroking his head made him think of something other than the corpses of his squadmates. In the morning daze, he rolled to the side and planted his muzzle into something soft.

"A bit more to the left and you'd have had a bite of morning pie," teased Contradiction's voice.

Straw simultaneously suffered a heart attack, a stroke, a nosebleed, and a full-body combustion. The unicorn mare sitting on the bed next to him took it with just a grin.

"Wha? How? Where?" he sat up and focused on the important thing, "SORRY!"

"Do you like plot pillows?" Connie grinned at him innocently.

Straw took a deep breath to calm himself down. He knew his boss.

"Yes, thank you very much."

Connie's smile grew wider, but her look gained a little more respect.

"You're not so much fun anymore."

Straw lowered his head.

"I'm just really happy you're here. I want you to know that more than anything. So, now that it's out I can go back to my usual self. "

She just stared, completely stumped. After a moment she patted his head.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way, Straw."

He hesitantly inched closer to her and put his head on her shoulder. He was bigger than Connie, but where she sat up tall and confident, he slumped a little, still lingering on what he remembered from his restless sleep. When she just sat there quietly, staring at the wall, he asked:

"What happened? I remember stopping the Nightmare from ripping Twilight to pieces, and then it gets a bit blurry."

"Well, Leo happened... mostly."

"Huh?"

"He went full auto when Twilight explained it was just a test and why she did it, after you collapsed into a mumbling heap. He started yelling at her about how you're the best guy he knows and that he's tired of everypony treating you like some sort of an infectious disease. Then..." she took a little break, "Then, in front of her roboponies and some guards he punched the living crap out of her."

"I see, so we died and this is heaven," Straw nodded, now everything made sense. Connie slapped him playfully.

"You've got pretty low standards if this is all it takes. No, we're alive, shockingly, and back home. The ruler of the united world just took the beating while Leo... let's say... explained your situation... very loudly. When he was done she opened the big case she brought with her, and the Blades were inside. It looks like she was planning to give them to us from the start, but needed to make sure we were really working for Blaze. We explained our situation, and she teleported us straight here. The mare knows some serious magic."

"Well, she DOES rule the world, apparently. So, what now?"

Connie sighed.

"Now I have to ruin your morning because Blaze wanted to see us as soon as you woke up."

"Can I go back to sleep?" Straw asked angelically, "On a pillow, preferrably."

"This one," she wiggled her hips. When Straw nodded hesitantly, she chuckled, "After all this is over, then maybe, but not now. Blaze seemed serious."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Yeah, it probably isn't. Do you need some time to get ready?"

"No, let's hear what he has to say first."

As they arrived at the throne cavern, a dreamling ran off to get everypony. He returned with Cromach and Leo, both sweating profusely. Fortune and Blaze came shortly after. Straw noticed that the alicorn was being followed by the floating Blades without seemingly noticing them.

"Alright, let's be quick here. While you were gone I recieved another message from Shadowstep. She has successfully tracked the Vigils and Blinding. It seems they are gathering somewhere west of White Tail Woods to do something big. Gather your gear, we're leaving for Dodge Junction as soon as you are ready. Grab everything and anything you think might be even remotely useful. Ask any dreamling for help carrying stuff."

"Is Seven going as well?" Fortune asked.

"We are all going," Guiding Light, standing next to Blaze, answered, "The report we got sounded urgent. The area we're going to is crawling with Vigil members. Six dreamlings including me, dad and Cromach, the four of you, and Shadowstep's squad is all we have."

"That sounds pretty grim."

"It is. However, we don't have a choice. If we fail, the world as we know it ends."

There really wasn't anything much to say after that statement.

Guiding had to finish off some business with the mayor of Pine Hills. Blaze and Connie had a little discussion regarding the Blades. Straw was surprised to find that Connie, due to her telekinesis making the use of magic impossible, was able to wield the Blades as well, although she wasn't trained and didn't have enough experience at using two weapons simultaneously. Fortune went to pack her mobile armory, and Leo presumably acted as her packmule.

Straw simply went to pack his little bag and brush his teeth. Some things just had to be done in the morning. Some things, like tipping the odds in their favor in any way possible.

Unpacking his well-hidden phoenix feather, Straw reported the state of things to princess Luna.

The group were ecstatic, as much as it was possible in such situation, that the entire trip would take just under three days because it would give them the time to rest and recover.

At the end of their journey, Nightmare's voice resonated within Straw.

Barbaric, but effective.

What?

The company was rushing through the snowy wilderness of White Tail Woods as fast as their hooves allowed. No one dared fly, as the slowly falling snow and trees all around were the best cover they had against any Vigils who were sure to patrol the forest. To Straw, the world faded to black for a quick moment. In complete darkness, Nightmare forced his head to look upwards into the distance where a red scar split the sky in two. Just as he blinked the real world came back, and he was now staring at the tree branches above them heavy with snow.

What was it?

Some device is drawing power from the land itself and using it to rip the protective veil around this world. Such power must be possible to 'sense' even in the emptiness between realities, which means the Vigils are speeding up Harmony's return by showing him the path as well as destroying all the obstacles in the way.

Good thing we hurried up then, right?

Quite so. Sadly, Harmony must be incredibly close after getting this 'boost'. We might have even less time than we thought.

Do you mind if I tell the others?

Oh? Is my opinion relevant now?

Look, if we really are in this together as much as you said, then I have to do anything I consider necessary no matter what. That doesn't mean I'm not grateful for everything you've done for me, no matter the reason. I am alive thanks to you, I saved other ponies thanks to you, and I have seen things and places others can't even imagine. In the few months that started with me almost dying on the train due to my sheer stupidity and panic I got to know more of the world than from the twenty years before. And, honestly, even if it means getting rid of one deadly threat just to make room for another one, I want to help you.

Deadly threat... I see you have finally learned some respect. Do not worry, though, I have learned as well from our little 'adventure' together, and I am beginning to see Discord's point of view. Plus, if we win here then there will not be any reason to purge this world of all life out of mercy... at least not for some time. Heh, share whatever information you deem necessary. I do not mind.

Nodding to himself, Straw wordlessly continued pushing through the thick layer of snow.

An exhausted hour later, they reached an unusually frozen and covered entrance to a cave, the ice of which melted before them. Inside, three tents formed a triangle with a burning fireplace in the middle. A white, purple-maned head of Starlight was peeking from one tent while Cross and Shadowstep walked towards the incoming visitors. The changelings saluted to Blaze and Cromach, while Guiding's dreamlings used whatever little space there was left in the cave to pitch their own tents.

"Don't bother, ma'am," Cross walked up to Guiding, "If you need to rest then just go to Starlight's tent. We are ready for your company," he turned to the listening Hoof of Fate, "Same goes for you."

"That's gonna be a bit of a squeeze," Connie commented, looking at the tent with ornamental jewels hanging all over it, "Especially with all these-"

She opened the tent flap, looked around the positively humongous hallway capable of accommodating dragons and the tens of doors on its sides, and sighed.

"-You know, sometimes I hate not being able to learn magic."

"Yes, not all of us can be perfect," the white unicorn disguise of Starlight smiled at her condescendingly, "The guest wing is through the second door on the right. Pick whatever rooms are empty. If you get lost or need anything, just call for a butler, and something or somepony will materialize to show you the way."

"This... this has been all made with magic? Is it a pocket dimension like the alicorns have?" Straw looked around in complete astonishment.

"No, no. Creating something like that is too impractical," Starlight stopped fading away, and explained, "Divine power allows it, but magic has its limits. This is my mansion in the Holy City of griffons, I just linked it to my tent using some very rare and incredibly expensive relics. I rent parts of it to fund my research, so don't go wandering around aimlessly."

"I doubt we'll have the time," Connie rolled her eyes.

She was right. Not even an hour after finding several suites, each one of which would put a diplomat guest room of Canterlot castle to shame, the squad was called to report in a place called 'conference room C'. A ghostly butler pony led them through the place, explaining that the rooms A and B were currently being used by griffon nobility.

As everypony sat down in overly comfortable and doubtlessly priceless armchairs, Shadowstep took charge.

"Alright," the amethyst queen started, "We've been observing the situation here for several days, and our conclusion is this - Blinding Light has been sitting the entire time on an ancient sacrificial altar atop some sort of pyramid, waiting for something. We believe said something is connected to four large pillars holding crystals serving as power sources of some sort. Each of the pillars is situated several hundred meters from the pyramid, forming a square."

A floating image cast by the purple glow of her horn appeared on a whiteboard Shadowstep stood in front of. Four red circles marked what Straw supposed were the pillars, and a black skull sat in the middle of them, likely pointing out Blinding Light's location. A little flag waving in the wind some distance away surrounded by ponies had to be showing the changeling cave.

Straw coughed, and all gazes turned to him.

"Nightmare told me that those pillars are some devices allowing Harmony to get to this world faster."

"That would explain them being guarded by the enhanced Vigil members while the initiates patrol the area. We estimate the total number of Vigils to be around a hundred-"

"Question!" Fortune raised her hand, "Do we have a way of dealing with the bastards? Last time I checked they were literally immune to anything we could throw at them outside of Blaze's fire."

"Baron Hoof's raid at their Manehattan base showed us one thing - even the veterans need their bodies to work at least marginally like those of normal ponies. The inside of their mouth, their eyes, and their joints are the weak spots we know of. However, they are heavily resistant to magic, and their skin is impossible to pierce with normal means. To what extent your quicksilver projectile weapons are going to work we don't know, but don't expect much."

Fortune scowled to herself, and Shadowstep considered the question answered.

"Our best shot is splitting enemy focus, and attacking all four pillar locations at different times. The good news is that as far as we know there is at most thirty Vigil veterans among all their forces. To us, it means that either making more takes too much time and effort, or that Blinding wants to limit their numbers and keep some sort of control over them. Speaking of the devil himself, Blinding Light."

She tried to keep a steady face, but the frown revealed she wasn't too keen on fighting the Vigil Grandmaster.

"Blinding has not moved since we came here. Quite obviously, he is completely immune to the elements out there, does not need to eat or drink, and it is likely he communicates with the Vigils telepathically. His combat power is completely unknown."

Blaze stood up and took Shadowstep's place.

"So, our plan goes like this-"

His horn cast light on one of the Vigil pillar stations, the one furthest away from the camp.

"Shadowstep, Cross, Antares, and Starlight are our best fighting force. They know how to fight together, and they possess the most raw power. As much as I would like to go against Blinding straight up, I doubt I would have a chance with all Vigils rushing to help. That is why the changelings will attack first and draw everypony they can towards themselves. If situation becomes too dire, Shadowstep, you are to retreat and strike again when the Vigils disperse to defend the other places."

Shadowstep nodded.

"Five minutes after the attack, Crom and I will fly straight to the altar where Blinding is. If he moves against Shadowstep then we will track him and attack him en route. Now, Guiding," he looked at the dreamling queen, "Your hive will move around the area and catch every Vigil initiate you can. If possible, put them to sleep. If not, kill them. I do NOT want this insanity to continue. The key is to do it as fast as possible to limit the number of bodies Shadowstep's squad has to deal with. After you think you're done, move to the pillar B," another point on the map lit up, "and destroy it. In the worst case, you will attract the attention of Vigil veterans and lighten the load for Shadowstep."

Guiding bowed.

"As for you, guys," Blaze looked at Connie, and all the Hoof of Fate's members' ears perked up, "After the fighting starts, you will attack the pillar closest to this camp. Do not hesitate to wait a little for the defenders to send somepony to help the main force. If you find out you can't fight, just try your best to destroy the channeling crystal and get out. Now, this leaves one pillar point free of pressure. I hate to put this on your backs, but you will have to take care of that one as well while the other squads are occupied with the retaliation."

"How much time do we have, sir?" Connie stood up and asked politely.

"None," Blaze shook his head, "If Nightmare's theory about the crystals lighting Harmony's path is right then we might be minutes away from its coming. We can't afford to stay and observe any longer. Once this briefing is over, you are to grab your equipment, have a light snack and a drink, and move out. I know it sucks, but I doubt we have a choice," he sighed, looking at everypony around, "Look, I wish I could give you some motivational speech so you could kick rump and chew bubblegum, but I can't. So... let's just do this today so there is a tomorrow for everypony else. Any questions?"

There was only one, but that one rang true in every single head in the room.

What happens if even a single one of us fails?

No one dared ask it.

"We could take them all out rather easily," Cross whispered, lying in the snow so high that only the tips of his ears poked out of it when his head was low, "and destroy the magic focus before they could muster any real resistance."

They were observing the watchpony pattern around a two ponies wide and about ten ponies tall stone construction with a bowl and a crystal in the middle of it on the top. The western ritual pillar was guarded by about ten or so Vigil members, and most of those were the casual initiates who had at most gotten a single infusion of divine power. Cross was right, if Shadowstep and her three companions wanted, unless the elder Vigils recieved a new and unknown boost, they could overpower the defenders and destroy the channeling crystal fairly easily. Sadly, that would leave no reason for the Vigils to stay here and fight.

"No, this focus must fall last," Shadowstep anwered in hushed tone, quieter even more by the snow falling down around them, "or the other groups won't stand a chance."

"I know the plan as well, commander, but..." Cross's hoof circled around the big pyramid few hundred meters away, "what if we're not in a position to break the crystal once the fight starts? Starlight, can you blow it up from a distance?"

"You can blow me, Cross," the white unicorn muttered, "Whoever made those crystals made them untouchable by me. Whatever I throw their way will just get sucked in and used to enhance their power. We need a way to damage it physically."

Cross looked at the Vigil ponies sitting on watch, and snickered.

"Antares, how's your throwing arm?" he asked the changeling currently transformed into a bluish-white griffon perfectly blending into the snow.

"Got enough power to lob something at Blinding Light from here, what's your plan?"

"We're gonna need something hard you can throw at the crystal. Just make sure you 'acquire' a Vigil member, you don't have to be gentle, but make sure they are alive so they can harden themselves against the impact."

"Will do."

"Alright, squad!" Shadowstep hissed, "Let's do this. Hit them fast and hit them hard, make sure they really NEED to call for help," she stood up and her horn flared, casting purple glow all around and melting the show, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

Bright, loud, and, most of all, explosive mortar shots of her magic signalled the beginning of the end.

The snow atop the sacrificial pyramid crunched as eight legs touched it at once, four of them ending with hooves, two with talons, and the final two with paws.

Blinding Light opened his eyes. Not that he needed it, but it was a reflex of his fading existence. Just to acknowledge Blaze's and Cromach's arrival, he threw them a lazy glance.

"So, this is the final desperate attempt at averting the unavoidable..." he said with a lack of interest.

Blaze didn't bother explaining, begging for understanding, or gloating. He said simply:

"If it's unavoidable, then I'd rather die here than face the future your owner brings."

Blinding stood up, and finally firmly faced the alicorn and the griffon.

"As you wish," an emerald blade of energy appeared next to him, "You and all your lapdogs will never attain the promised perfection. Your changeling pets, your mutant daughter and her spawn, the foals you so rigorously 'trained' to fight, the Royal Guards... none of them will be leaving today."

"Royal Guards?" Cromach blinked.

"Oh yes," Blinding beamed, "Don't try to play innocent, catbird, it insults my intelligence. I see EVERYTHING."

The sky went pitch black, but somehow there still was daylight. Cromach looked up and started trembling. Up above, eyeballs covered the dark veil, frozen tears falling from them instead of snow, and right above the altar a glowing, purple scar split the sky in two... and was spreading.

"Cro?" a soft voice brought the griffon back from the brink of mental collapse.

Cromach shook his head and took a deep breath. He didn't need to understand what was going on. He didn't need to wonder how they would defeat somepony... no, something that could change reality on such scale with a thought. He didn't need to worry, or doubt himself. All he needed to know was that the owner of his heart and the Light of his life was right next to him. He didn't need to think.

Standing on his hind paws, grasping a double-handed battleaxe firmly, and not shaking anymore, the lion roared and charged.

The phoenix and his inner darkness, each one holding one Blade of Balance with their mind, were right behind him.

And thus, Blinding Light's bloodthirsty grin invited Blazing Light, Mistake, and Cromach into his madness.

Smoking Candle, an earthpony down on his luck shivered as the explosions from a Vigil post to the west shook the snow off nearby tree branches. He had failed to gain a job in Manehattan, and the money was running low at the time, so he simply accepted the first offer which allowed him to get a cheap bed and a roof over his head even if it meant drinking some nasty concoction. He was just over forty, and for most of his life he had survived by doing odd jobs here and there, never staying in one place for too long.

He wasn't a bad pony, he'd never hurt anypony else in his life, and all he had to do in this Celestia-forsaken part of Equestria was keep walking in a huge circle alongside some other ponies of similar circumstances and report anything suspicious to one of the weird ones.

Did the strange light show on top of the pyramid count as suspicious, or was it just the reason he had been sent here?

MOVE!

His legs moved without his consent towards the western pillar.

"Wh-wha?"

Disappear.

His mind was immediately erased by an irresistible presence inside him.

It was probably a good thing, because several seconds later, and several dozen meters of the forced march of the exhausted body further, his walking corpse and several others met their swift doom.

The dreamlings didn't dwell in the bloodied snow too long. With a mental command of their queen, they moved to intercept more of the coming reinforcements.

The eastern pillar seemed unguarded, which was something of a disappointment to Contradiction who felt the righteous need to kick some cultist ass. The Hoof of Fate were freezing, but at least not wet due to Leo's excellent idea of using magical barriers as something to lie on instead of snow.

"Fortune, can you shoot that thing from here?" asked Connie, pointing towards the crystal.

"Nope," the satyr answered, trying very hard not to look at the hideous sky, "Can't aim properly with all the goop going down from-"

"The freaking eyeballs?!" Leo interrupted in a choked voice.

Fortune just put a hand on his head, and patted him over and over.

"Nightmare says the sky is just a symbol of Harmony's power. Also, that everypony knows we're here. The only reason that we see no defenders around the pillar is either that it's a trap, or that we're not relevant enough to be bothered with," Straw obediently parroted Nightmare's message, forcing himself over and over to believe it. He was failing.

"So they won't shoot beams of pure death goo at us? Because the tears and the quiet weeping just on the edge of hearing are... you know... unsettling enough," Connie quickly peeked upwards and then returned to watching the empty area around the western pillar.

"I think so... I mean, Nightmare does. I, honestly, have no clue what's going on."

The screaming and explosions from the distance continued, as well as the sparks flying above the pyramid. Finally, their alloted time for observation was over, and the group had to move.

"Alright, Fortune," Connie said firmly, "You and Leo trail behind us. As soon as you can, shoot the crystal, and then we run like a gossiping mare's mouth. That doesn't mean you should refrain from shooting anything that comes at us, understand?"

"Oh come on, it's not like I want to see you fail and humiliated anymore. Maybe later, back in Manehattan, if Leo is into that sort of thing."

"What?" Straw was lost once again.

"Nothing!"

"Nothing!"

Both girls answered at once. Leo just let out a tired sigh.

"Remember the birds and the bees, Strawberry?"

The hippogriff nodded.

"These are wearing latex."

Straw felt very, very stupid.

"You have no idea what any of us are talking about, do you?" Leo ended the thought.

"No..."

"You know," Connie slapped his side with her tail, "If we survive this, I'm renting a cellar in the Order mansion and taking you there for a week-long vacation."

"I like fresh air," Straw complained.

"Trust me, you're not gonna complain afterwards."

"Okay," he just shrugged.

"So," Fortune smirked, "Are you two an item now?"

"No," Connie shook her head, "Friends. I'll add the 'with benefits' part later."

"Good for you!" the satyr said with complete sincerity, "Now let's shoot some cultists."

Prowling through the snow, all senses ready for an ambush, they reached a cleared area with two ponies sitting around silently. They moved as one, standing up and facing the intruders.

Connie wasn't waiting, though, and sliced at one before he could stand up. Her greatsword only clanged as it hit the pony's skin.

"They're the supers!" she jumped away as the attacked pony's leg transformed into a tentacle and swiped at her.

"Good thing we don't have to deal with them then!" Fortune aimed her rifle and shot at the crystal.

Nothing happened.

"WHY CAN'T ANYTHING BE EASY?" she complained, "CONNIE, YOU'RE IN THIS ON YOUR OWN! LEO, COVER THEM!"

"Heh," the two Vigils snickered as one, "So, you're the weak part of the chain. Boring."

Sparks flew yet again as Connie's blade struck one of them. He seemed unhurt, but the impact still sent him flying.

Straw's longsword blocked a tentacle aimed at Connie's side, almost knocked out of his talons.

Nightmare, I don't know what you consider fun, but are you up for some-

CARNAGE? MASSACRE? BLOODSHED? And here I was afraid you wouldn't ask.

Straw's blade surged with dark energies and scored a deep cut into the Vigil's body. The wound healed in an instant.

"Pointless," the cultist laughed while slapping tentacles wildly at him, "Our god is-"

His hind legs and a part of his torso disappeared in a shower of red. Groaning and spilling his insides, the Vigil looked up into the eyes, and more importantly - a mouth full of sharp teeth, of a shadowy wolf form belonging to Nightmare.

"Your god is a relic of the past who should have taken the hint the first time," it growled...

...and crunched.

Tastes rather disgusting.

The dark avatar disappeared, leaving Connie furiously jumping away from the remaining Vigil flailing a bunch of tentacles at her.

Any more of the wolfy thing?

Manifesting myself in this state is exhausting. Give me a minute or two.

Okay, tell me when you're ready.

You will know.

Divine power coursed through Straw's veins. Apparently, it was easier for Nightmare to help him that way.

An explosion knocked everypony down...

...including the pillar holding the channeling crystal.

All eyes followed the slow collapse of the structure and the satyr standing up nearby, aiming a shotgun at the large, glowing gem.

"Eat this, geology!" the crystal shattered under Fortune's next shot. The satyr smiled at the shocked Vigil, and asked innocently, "Now can we go to the next one?"

"You are not leaving this place," he growled, bladed tentacles shooting from his back.

"Thought so," she put away the shotgun and aimed her rifle, "Don't just stand there. You've been a bad pony, and I'm willing to fill your sock with lead for Hearth's Warming."

The Hoof of Fate's combined onslaught didn't leave him standing for long.

The northern outpost was not left unguarded, and after the elder members transmitted the details of the attack on the eastern one at least some of the reinforcements returned to protect this channeling pillar. Five elder Vigils and twenty initiates were ready to immediately pounce at anypony threatening this place.

What they weren't ready for was a single griffon who stuck out like a sore thumb here in the snow. His fur was pink, his feathers bright yellow, and he whistled while casually strolling towards the pillar. The nearest elder Vigil lunged straight at him at breakneck speed.

Not even his eyes and mind could understand where the griffon pulled a baseball bat out of, but at a much greater speed he assumed a batting position and sent the jumping Vigil in the air. When the flying pony disappeared, still accelerating, into the sky, the griffon shielded his eyes, nodded his head approvingly, and said:

"Home run."

"Who the hay are you?" mumbled one of the initiates, and reached with his mouth for a blade on his belt.

"Agent Pranks, at your service," the griffon bowed, twirling his bat. He pondered something for a moment, and then stretched, "These things take it out of me. I'm hungry."

He snapped his talons, and all Vigil initiates transformed into piles of pudding. The veterans just stared in utter disbelief.

Agent Pranks gave his bat few practice swings.

"Come on, boys, don't tell me I've been doing the eye of the tiger montage over and over for nothing."

"Well, that's worse... much worse," Connie commented on the state of the south outpost when the group finally arrived there.

"Strange," Straw shook his head when Nightmare pushed itself forward for a second and showed him the opening rift in the sky through its eyes. Out of the four red links aimed towards the rift only two remained, "It looks like... two pillars have been destroyed. We broke the east one, commander Shadowstep should be still holding the west one, now we're at the south one, but nopony should have been attacking the north one yet."

"Perhaps Guiding Light's hive found a good timing to shut it down or something. It doesn't matter. What matters is figuring out how the hay do we get through THAT."

The southern pillar was swarming with Vigil initiates, thirty or forty of them. About the only good point of the situation was that there seemed to be only one elder member. Connie's assumption was that the others must have been sent against Shadowstep, and the rest returned when they realized they would just get in the way.

"How about we keep throwing grenades at the crystal from here, and hope one explodes at the right time?" Fortune suggested.

Connie turned her head from the pillar about hundred meters away from her with deliberate slowness. She could quite likely use her telekinesis to throw it, that wasn't the problem, the accuracy was. One wrong throw and they would have a small army right on their necks.

"Got any mines or something? We could try to lure them here."

"Do... do we really have to kill all of them?" Straw gulped, "I mean, they can't be all crazy, maybe just misguided."

"Alright, go out there and tell them what's going on," Fortune rolled her eyes.

Connie quickly shoved Straw back down to the snow when he actually started to stand up.

"Do you trust me?" Connie asked Straw, "Do you believe I'm a good pony, at least a little?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Then believe when I say we do have to stop everypony coming at us. I don't mind if they run. I'm not telling you to stab their backs. I, however, am sure they are not going to just let us stop them, and not trying to be overly soft on them is our best way."

"Straw!" Fortune grit her teeth, "These are the ponies who killed my friends, who are willingly helping those who threw away their equinity for power, who killed Walter and baron Heavy Hoof. They are murderers and this... is justice."

"I... I just don't like how much you sound exactly like Nightmare inside my head." Straw pressed his muzzle into the snow.

"Strawberry," Leo raised his voice a little, "I want to protect all of you. I want to protect the guys out there who lost their way, but right now the best way I can do it is protecting them from themselves. That is my responsibility as a noble. I know it's difficult, but think of those who are now in Canterlot, Manehattan, anywhere, who can't be here and fight for their future. Sometimes you have to make the choices and stick with them. If we return from here, we will likely be called traitors and sentenced to life imprisonment... but isn't it worth it? We can't give up now."

Day after day since he'd left the orphanage Straw was getting closer and closer to the realization that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. He felt it the most when he almost lost himself after the return from Void's home. His head simply refused to accept reality when Blaze told him he couldn't untangle Nightmare from him anymore. He knew that one day Nightmare would take over, no matter his efforts. A mind burdened with deliberate killing was the least of his problems.

No, he couldn't think like that, that wasn't him. But was it his growth, a kind of maturity he was refusing, or was it throwing away what made him himself?

Those questions were too difficult for him. He was simple and stupid.

So he decided to do the stupid thing.

"Let me go first, I'll lure them away so you can destroy the crystal."

Their collective "NO!" stopped him.

"We're not in a book, and there will be no noble sacrifice here today," Connie hissed at him, "But let's take into consideration the enemy are still ponies. Try to knock them out and don't go for lethal blows, even you, Fortune, please. Not for me... but for the idiot."

Punching her forehead repeatedly, Fortune grumbled something and reloaded her rifle.

"Dull bullets griffons use for hunting birds. Broken bones are still better than being dead, right?"

"Thank you," Straw whispered.

"Don't make me regret it."

Nightmare?

Such sentimentality makes me want to puke out my nonexistent eyeballs.

Just protect me as much as you can, please.

You are a fool. Those ponies chose their fate. Consider killing them a mercy, it is better than what will transpire if they win.

Just... protect me.

Not waiting for an answer, Straw rose up from the snow.

"This is dumb, this is dumb, this is dumb!"

And so did the others.

"COMMANDER!" Cross kicked away a Vigil veteran who had managed to sneak past the front line and attack Shadowstep. Green blood spilled from the queen's cracked carapace. Without another word he returned to using a variety of weapons appearing and disappearing in thin air around him.

Antares swatted another attacker away with the one he was holding in his talons. They had managed to kill five of the twenty attacking veterans, and most of the initiates were either dead or unconscious. Still, they were slowly getting hurt and tired under the relentless onslaught of enemies who literally fought as one entity.

The battle continued.

Some time later, Cross, Starlight, and Antares recieved a mental command.

I have contacted Guiding Light. Her dreamlings have cleared a path away from here. Anty, throw the damn thing and we're leaving. If they follow us, good. If they don't, we'll strike back in few minutes.

Before the order was over, Antares was already taking aim with the concussed elder Vigil in his talons.

The arc was beautiful. The shocked stares of the other Vigils even more so. The sparkling as the thrown victim crashed into a magical field generated by the crystal was almost the top. But the lightning blast shattering the pillar, the crystal, and the Vigil, was definitely the peak.

Running away as fast as possible, Shadowstep's squad kept being hunted by bloodthirty vigils.

The Hoof of Fate had screwed up, that much was clear.

The sheer pressure of bodies surrounding each one of them was far too much to handle. Connie had given up on preserving the idea of a peaceful end, and was now swinging her blade with reckless abandon, horn sparkling with telekinetic force.

The only reason they still hadn't been torn apart was Leo, knocking enemies away and shielding others with his magic when needed. However, he was quite obviously running out of stamina. Fortune was bashing the Vigils away from him with the handle of her rifle, having no time for reloads anymore.

Straw was the one dealing with the elder Vigil, but without Nightmare's offensive power he couldn't inflict any reasonable blow. Still, he was quite well protected, and stood against the Vigil in a fruitless struggle.

Sadly, they had no way of attacking the final standing pillar.

The burden of chosing whether or not to use lethal force against the Vigils was taken away from them by a hail of arrows wrecking the Vigil ranks. Thanks to Leo's quick reactions, no member of the Hoof of Fate joined them.

A contingent of armored ponies surrounded Straw and the Vigil, tentacles or not. Some of them regretted it instantly as they were swatted away, but more took their place, horns glowing with telekinesis exerted against the monstrous pony. Armor creaking under pressure, the Vigil couldn't defend himself against Straw's Nightmare-infused sword anymore.

Connie aimed her blade at the mixed circle of ponies wearing Royal Guard and Nightguard armors. Fortune and Leo inched towards her, but when the guards failed to move Fortune quickly threw several grenades towards the last pillar.

The guards watched stoically as the construction collapsed, and the satyr's shotgun shattered the final crystal.

Their leader, a tall, dark purple thestral mare wearing Nightguard armor took off her helmet, and saluted.

"Velvet Warden, leader of the royal task force," she said officially, "You must be Straw Basket. We are to listen to what you have to say, and help you in any capacity we can."

"Uhh, Straw?" Connie raised an eyebrow.

"Ohhh..." he scratched his head nervously, "Princess Luna and I had a deal. I couldn't let all of you become traitors, so I-"

And he told them everything.

The handle of Cromach's battleaxe hit Blinding's muzzle, knocking him away, unhurt but slightly disoriented.

"Come on, teleporting behind me every single time can't keep working, right?" Cromach sneered.

Blinding snarled, but a beam of fire slammed him into the pyramid's stairs, and scorched the stones beneath.

"Enough... of... this..." he growled while pushing himself up against the pressure of Blaze's power.

An explosion of green fire cut a sphere out of the stone pyramid. It hit neither Cromach nor Blaze, though, and both hovered in the air nearby.

As the fourth and final link to the scar in the sky got severed, Blaze and Crom smiled at each other and took a breath of relief.

"Heh," Blinding just shook his head, "Do you actually believe you have changed something?" his tone was completely uninterested, "We are so close, and the veil is so thin. You may have bought yourself a year or two, but that is it. No matter how much power you gain, how many allies you gather, the only two who matter, our brother and sister, will still be too weak to stop us. However, if you still harbor foolish hope, I care not enough to stop you. We will meet again."

Green flames enveloped him, and he disappeared.

Chains of gold and pink fire shot out from the pyramid and disappeared at the point of Blinding's teleportation. A moment later a struggling unicorn was dragged back into the real world.

"You are not getting away again!" Blaze grunted, pulling and pulling with his power.

Blinding simply smiled at him.

"As you wish. Time to get serious. We will enter the world today, and we will make sure you see what you caused."

The emerald talisman on his neck instantly sucked in all the air in the vicinity, and burst out with green fire once again.

Blaze and Cromach went blind.

Eyes burning, they blinked away tears of pain just to see a rainbow beam coming from the bottom of the pyramid aimed at Blinding Light. Six young mares including princess Twilight walked up step by step, always focusing their inner strength at Blinding.

The unicorn recoiled against the force of the Elements.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGHHH! IT BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURNS! IT BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURNS!"

"Keep it going, girls!" Twilight strained under the immense flow of power she controlled.

"Aaaaah, uhm, yes, I am dying, totally and completely, mhm," Blinding's voice filled with sadism, "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

The rainbow beam faded, leaving only exhausted Bearers and mildly amused Blinding.

"Oh, don't stop, it was going so well," the unicorn snickered loudly, "Come on, stand up!"

Raising his hoof, the rainbow beam resumed coming from the Elements, accompanied by pained screams of the Bearers.

"Crap, how did Celestia know we'd be here?" Blaze cursed, "We kept it as secret as possible just so this didn't happen!"

Everything went silent and dark. The rainbow glow faded, and the Bearers slowly collapsed and rolled down the long staircase leading down. Blinding, crackling with new power, laugned.

"Now you shall see what I truly meant, fools."

The same spear of multicolored force shot out of him and pierced the sky, ripping it apart further and faster than the channeling crystals had. In mere seconds, it faded, and black nothingness seeped through, followed by...

...gargantuan tendrils bearing the color of rust and dried blood. The tentacles grasped the edges of the spreading rift, and started pushing themselves through.

"Damn you, Celestia!" Blaze mumbled to himself, "What have you done?"

"Well, I have sometimes dreamed of being screwed by a princess, but not like this," Cromach raised his axe, "How about we finish this bastard off and then deal with the overgrown squid?"

"No," Blaze shook his head, "He's coming too quickly. If he gets through then it's all over," both Blades of Balance floated over to Cromach, "You deal with him," he nodded towards Blinding just watching them with amusement, "I gotta slow the giant tapeworm down."

"Can you do it?"

"Of course not, but where's the fun in going against POSSIBLE odds?"

The griffon chuckled, grasping a Blade in each arm.

"Come back to me, buddy."

"Cro, I need you more than air, I enjoy your company more than good wine, and I love you more than myself. With Chokey gone, there is nothing I want more than to be by your side."

"You love potatoes more than yourself!" Cromach gave the alicorn a final hug.

Blaze shot into the sky. Deep inside him, Mistake went over everything he had managed to gather from going through the gods' memories, every minor weakness, every advantage they could get, and every inner strength Blaze possessed. He was in his best shape, at peace with himself as much as it was possible, and capable of using power unknown to anypony other than the three primal alicorns.

Still, even temporary survival was going to be barely possible.

"Touching," Blinding commented as Blaze left the top of the pyramid, "However, I think your coltfriend simply chose a quick death. He cannot stand against our true form. You could barely hold your own against this host, after all."

"Oh?" Cromach smirked, "Perhaps I just wanted to spare him the sight of his father killed in front of him."

"Impudent... and foolish," Blinding shook his head, "Oh well, I suppose I should start cleaning up."

The green blade of fire reappeared, making Cromach tighten his grip on the Blades. He recalled his promise to Blaze back in the deserts of the Griffon Empire.

I am yours. Your life is my life and your end is my end. I promise I will stand by your side in anything you choose to do. You are more important to me than the princesses, the Empire, or my own goals. I will protect you from all harm in any way I can and I will fulfill your every wish. No god, no mortal ruler, and no danger will stop me. This is a promise I make right here and now never to be broken.

He intended to keep his word.

The Blades and a weapon of pure divine power clashed for the final time.

Straw and Connie rushed up the pyramid stairs.

Velvet Warden and the Royal Guards carried the unconscious Element bearers off while Blinding was occupied with fighting Cromach, and upon Straw's command went to help Shadowstep against the elder Vigils. Thus, it was up to the Hoof of Fate to support the fighting ambassador.

With all four channeling pillars destroyed, they had seen the light show at the main altar and didn't like it. The enormous rift above them leading into the darkness between stars where rusty tentacles met pink flames of the tiny dot which was the alicorn of Hope told them that it wasn't over yet.

The ascent was taking too long, so Straw shot into the air and flew straight up on the top.

Cromach was barely holding his own against an enemy untouchable by fatigue, and possessing ridiculous strength, speed, and skill.

Nightmare, give me everything you've got. This is it.

Very well, servant. Show Harmony who can pick better vessels!

It wasn't a flow of energy like every time before. Nightmare's power manifested itself in form of a black, full plate armor covering Straw from head to hooves and talons. His trusty longsword left dark lines whenever it moved, and the pistol held in his other arm sent spikes of raw divine power at Blinding Light, hitting him in the side.

For the first time, the unicorn was hurt.

"So, here you are, sister," Blinding scowled, "and I suppose my fool of a brother cannot be far away."

"But of course!" a pleasant, merry voice came from the air nearby, and in a flash of white light a pink griffon appeared, "I wouldn't miss this for the world, the end of the world, to be exact."

"Discord," Blinding spat on the stones underneath him, "I see that neither of you wants to be here tomorrow."

"Let us say," agent Pranks, or Discord shrugged, "that some things are worth fighting for no matter the result. Or better yet, some things are worth watching others fight for. GRIFFON!" he yelled at Cromach who was resting during the break as much as possible.

"Yes?"

"Throw those toys away," Discord pointed at the Blades in Cromach's talons, "You've never been one for style and finesse, but rather for raw power," Discord snapped his talons, and a rubber gavel of Cromach's size appeared, levitating before the griffon.

Cromach very carefully put the Blades down. He wasn't keen on trusting the god of Chaos and Creation, but the Blades had not been enough to fight Blinding on even ground.

"Ta ta," Discord waved at him, flew a fair distance away, summoned a levitating couch, and picked up his opera goggles, "Don't keep me waiting, both of you!"

Blinding didn't. As soon as Discord flew away he snarled and swung his sword at Cromach who snatched his new rubber weapon from the air, blocked, and prayed.

It held, and the impact knocked Blinding's sword away. With how light Discord's weapon was, Cromach was finally able to get close to Blinding and land a hit.

The unicorn was knocked on the ground, spitting blood over the sacrificial platform, front leg clearly broken. It passed quickly, and in a second it healed with the cracking of moving bones.

Straw wasn't waiting, and several more shots shattered the stones as Blinding took to the air where he had a distinct advantage.

Or so he thought.

Fortune's quicksilver shots were barely strong enough to even bother him, but the second of split focus as the satyr sniped him from the bottom of the pyramid was enough for Cromach to fly up and land another crushing blow.

"You buzzing flies are getting ANNOYING!" Blinding screamed, and sharp shards of ice started falling from the sky all around the pyramid.

The glacial rain shattered against golden barriers, and Straw saw Leo hiding behind Fortune, focusing solely on protecting his friends. Blinding was irritated, to say the least, and let out a bellow of such rage it took a physical form and shot Cromach back down on the altar platform. Unfortunately for him, he didn't notice Straw above him.

The hippogriff stabbed him clean through, and with all strength both he and Nightmare could gather he punched. Blinding's impact shattered the sacrificial altar completely, but the unicorn...

...was simply too strong.

With wounds healing faster than they could cause them he grasped Cromach with his magic and slammed him over and over against the carved stones of the pyramid's top. Straw raced down like a bullet, but without even turning his head, the green glow of Blinding's horn enveloped him and bashed him against the pyramid's side.

No matter the divine protection, Straw felt that one.

"This is what you don't understand," Blinding slowly walked towards Cromach trying to get back up and coughing blood, "All the struggling you mortals think will work is just a minor nuisance to me, something to pass time before I can enter this world fully," he pointed upwards where the mass of tentacles got so far through the rift, no matter Blaze's efforts, that something bulbous which had to be the central body was pushing through, "However, I believe it is time to end this petty game. Trust me, you and your little alicorn will soon enough be one and neither at the same time. All world will feel the perfection of complete unity."

"The only 'unity' Blaze and I need is when we're in bed wrapped under a single blanket!" Cromach tried to reach for Discord's hammer lying nearby, but Blinding's telekinetic pressure prevented him from doing more than kneeling.

"Well, than you can die right here and now, it matters little to me," Blinding's burning sword flew up, and swung in the face of determined and defiant griffon.

Blinding Light was not a bad father, or a bad husband. He yelled a lot, he got annoyed easily, and he was stubborn, but he loved his family, although an old-fashined and war-forged unicorn like him would never show it in a sappy way. He had always provided for his sons and wife, no matter how scary the future looked.

Then he became a noble. Through his friends and achievements he managed to get into a position in which his family would never want for anything ever again. And yet, it was not enough. He found himself having less and less time, aging, and being too exhausted after all the meetings and obligations to do more than just crawl home in the evening and read a good book.

His wife grew distant, his firstborn son moved out of the family mansion, and his second son barely knew Blinding as more than a drunk who sometimes yelled at newspapers.

But it was all their fault they couldn't appreciate it. He was just trying to make their life easier, to give them the opportunities he didn't have when he was young.

Or was it?

Searing Light, his first son, was too similar to Blinding - proud, smart, and driven, which was why when they fought both could point out each other's flaws and neither could win an argument.

Little Blazing, though, was different. He didn't fight back when reproached, he tried to change himself, to be better, but it was never enough. Day after day the little unicorn would turn on himself whenever he did something wrong, trying not to cause more trouble, but after some time...

...after some time he gave up.

Blinding hated somepony telling HIM what he did wrong, he tried to find excuses, and he had many. He threatened Blazing to disown him over and over whenever told what HE, the big father and noble, was not perfect, but when the little unicorn finally said he didn't care and that he was just saying it so that even Blinding could be a better pony, something changed.

After that, Blinding stopped talking to Blazing completely. It wasn't because his little son touched a painful subject, hurt his ego, or even lied. It was all true, Blazing never lied.

Blinding just was ashamed, and had no idea what to say. He was from a generation and occupation where admitting weakness could cause one to lose friends, or even die.

Still, even after Blazing ran away from home, Blinding believed himself to be a good father. And yet...

...and yet, he had never seen somepony so completely devoted to somepony else before. Not in his wife, not in his friends, not in his sons, had he seen the flames of borderline fanaticism which burned inside Cromach.

And all that fire blazed for only one pony - his son.

Suddenly, the wish and control of the entity inside him was irrelevant. At least he and his son had something in common - both were so stubborn that not even gods could stop them when they made up their mind. There was only one thing that mattered anymore. One last thing to do, one final duty to fulfill.

His burning sword hissed out, his horn stopped glowing, he leaned towards Cromach, and smiled at him.

"Make my little colt proud, noble griffon. End his loneliness, and my pain."

The moment of respite ended, and Cromach could see Blinding fight against himself. Without a second though he grabbed Discord's hammer and...

...had to block a furiously flying green blade once again.

Blinding unwillingly lurched away, one of the Blades stabbed in his side.

"What?" he turned his head just to see Connie, horn burning and levitating the second Blade of Balance.

"This is for Walter, buckface!"

Finally, finally Blinding's misery was over.

The sky sparkled and returned to its normal color. No more eyeballs, no more falling tears, still one rapidly closing rift, Harmony's real body halfway through it, and one alicorn dodging more tentacles than an underage schoolfilly.

Blaze noticed the rift closing on its own, and saw Harmony couldn't do more than slow the progress. That meant the god either had to push through completely, or return back. As the writhing mass of Harmony's body started pulling backwards, Blaze knew even the most powerful god could feel fear.

However, he couldn't just let it happen. Harmony would wait for some time and then all this would repeat again, only without such an obvious way of entering the world. He didn't know about Scream's plan, but he sure as hay would appreciate it if he did. He had the knowledge about different things, though. For example, he knew that to gods, power and matter were the same thing, so if he could just hold part of the god here in this world while the rift closed, Harmony would lose a drastic portion of its power, and would be sent drifting between realities just like when Discord and Nightmare banished him for the first time.

Burning chains shot from the ground far below him, and started pulling Harmony back into the reality of Equus.

"You impudent mortal," he felt the god's voice resonate in his head, "Are you really trying to match my power?"

"Hey, my special talent is and always has been using my enemy's power against them. If you didn't like it, perhaps you shouldn't have made me an alicorn in the first place, dumbass."

The rift was crushing Harmony's bulbous body hidden withing the squirming mass of tendrils, but Blaze didn't relent for a second. His body and mind were balancing the flow of the god's divine power and using it to augment his own, but it was like being a tipping hoof controlling a massive scales. One mistake, and kaboom.

"I cannot be stopped like this. I WILL NOT be stopped like this!"

"Too... bad..." Blaze groaned under the strain.

"Fine, worm," Harmony's voice was untouched by the agony of his body being split in half, "I shall take you down with me then. Did you forget only I have the power to purify? Let me rid you of the curse of immortality."

All tentacles shot out at the same time. Blaze, barely focusing on the real world anymore, could not dodge this time. The surge of power temporarily made Blaze the most powerful creature in existence. All divine power - his, the stolen forces of Discord and Nightmare, and the influx of Harmony's ignited at once.

In his final moments, Blaze learned one important lesson - the sacrificing hero never gets to see the result, he can only hope things worked out.

The deafening boom and a supernova of gold and pink flames woke Straw up, and he clutched at a piece of trashed stairs to stop himself from rolling down the pyramid. He looked up.

"Daaaaaaaaaamn it!"

Bits of Harmony's form still on this side of the closing rift were being cut off. He tried to move, but collapsed back. It looked like Blinding's attack hurt him really badly despite Nightmare's protection. More attempts at getting out of the way of the falling mass only resulted in him slowly sliding down the pyramid's steps, accompanied by broken masonry.

Something was getting closer to his blurry vision. At the last second he recognized Cromach carrying Connie on his back, flying as fast as he could. The griffon's talons reached towards him...

...but Straw, seeing nearly double, missed.

The sky was falling towards him.

Funny, those tentacles look much bigger from up clos-

The End: What's Left Undone

Straw Basket felt light, floating in endless darkness.

"Well, well, my servant, I must admit you exceeded my expectations."

Out of the his inky surroundings, a familiar form of a pony made of stars and galaxies materialized.

"N...Nightmare?" he groaned, throat parched and exhausted, "What happened? Did we win?"

"Oh yes, WE won," the god laughed. For understandable reasons, Straw did not like it. His struggle to get up was fruitless, and Nightmare walked closer, touching his head with a hoof, "Oh do not fret, you have done well, and Harmony is no longer an issue, at least temporarily."

"Good," Straw breathed out, and closed his eyes. It was over, "So, what now?"

"Are you not worried that Discord and I are now going to be a bigger problem, unopposed?" a mischievous smile graced Nightmare's mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Is there anything I can do about it?" Straw asked simply.

"Of course not," the god waved its hoof, "However, we still have one final thing to sort out - your... reward."

"Reward?"

"Indeed. You have been instrumental in my victory, and I can be grateful, as difficult to believe as it is."

"I didn't do THAT much," Straw smiled weakly.

"On the contrary, servant. You ended the era of the primal alicorns, you rid us of the pesky magic thief, and your involvement destroyed the oracle, all that AND you ruined Harmony's best chance to take the world for himself. Thanks to you, the fight which has been going on since the creation of Equus is finally over."

Straw understood exactly nothing from what had just been said.

"Oracle? Thief?"

"Let me give you the short version, our time together is nearing its end. Blazing Light, the alicorn whose special talent was stealing the power of others got purified, his divinity taken away, and destroyed by Harmony. Scream, the alicorn of Lust, Void's lover, and the only pony able to consistently predict the future is dead. And the alicorn of Death himself, Void, struck a deal with Discord where in exchange for help he would leave Equus forever and relinquish his divine power. Trust me when I say, we will not let another alicorn gain their kind of power and knowledge ever again. It is too... bothersome. Ponies are much easier to play games with when they don't know who is pulling the strings."

"We... are not... toys..." Straw once again tried to get up, and once again failed.

"Of course you are. Don't get ideas above your station. We made you, and we can unmake you just as easily now that our greatest enemies are gone. HOWEVER, I am not going to do so. And thus we come to your reward for giving me time to recover and regain strength. You will survive."

"Something... something fell on me."

"Yes, Harmony's body, the solidified divine power of a god. You are currently being protected from being crushed by my power. I will make it so that the scattered stones of the shattered pyramid will fall in such way that it will shelter you from the impact. You will get out, bruised and battered, but alive. I will even go as far as to make sure you succeed in finishing your training. Being a Royal Guard, that's what you wanted before all went to Tartarus, right?"

Straw just nodded. He didn't have the strength to do more.

"You will return to your little village and find out that the orphanage has been taken over by few crooks using the orphans as cheap workforce. You, sadly, will not want to break the law by killing them and using their corpses to scare others who would ever try to do the same. However, you will now have friends with far less... scruples, and bad experience from being used. Your noble friend will pay a small sum to the guards sent to investigate the disappearance of the abusers to not look too hard for their corpses. You and the little pink filly who secretly loves you will return the orphanage to the hooves of old Bluewing, and after his death you will take over. Wild Bastion will grow, which will be a feat of your orphans proud of being raised there and loving the place more than any other town. Eventually, you will die, but you will have left your mark on the new city. My real reward, though, will be this - I solemnly promise that during your lifetime I will not exercise my influence, and you will live through a period of peace. I believe Discord will do the same just to spend time with his pegasus... friend. Is that not enough for you?"

"Peace. Well, thank you. I just wish you had not spoiled it for me," Straw chuckled weakly.

"Do not worry, you will forget all this when I leave your body. I no longer need your... sanctuary."

"Then... I guess this is goodbye."

"Indeed it is. I believe our... cooperation has been benefitial to both of us. I have learned a lot about you ponies. Had I known that before... perhaps I would have won already and wiped all your kind out. I am glad that is not the case. You are too... amusing to disappear."

"I guess that won't stop you from making our lives difficult."

"I am the god of Destruction, after all. What would life be without struggle, right?"

Thinking about everything that had happened to him after leaving the orphanage, Straw had to agree.

"One last thing, will... will I get a chance to spend time with Connie? And will it work out for Leo and Fortune?"

"Heh, that's up to you and them to work for, isn't it?" Nightmare grinned.

"I guess," Straw smiled as well, content and happy, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, serv- Straw Basket."

Those seeing Void walking around his obsidian temple would never believe it was him. Gone were the black flames of his mane, tail, and wings, replaced by simple soft hair and feathers. Gone was the golden glow in his eyes reflecting knowledge, experience, and power beyond understanding of others, only yellow eyes looking curiously into the distance remained.

His power was fading, looking for an heir to alicornhood, as the alicorn said his goodbyes to souls of past's heroes who had chosen to remain with him and serve the world rather than passing to the great beyond. Not much remained before he would leave forever as well.

Two things, precisely.

Void hated lies and deceit, but understood their necessity, and these days he knew a pony who was similar to him in that and many more respects. A pony who suffered as much as he had in the past, burdened and haunted by himself more than anything else. However, he wished for the pony not to hurt more than he already had. Sometimes, though, sometimes what one wished was not the correct choice. The difference between said pony and Void was that the alicorn of Death had the experience of ages to make the right choice without emotions clearing his judgement.

Actually, he did not.

The correct choice would have been not to strike a deal with Discord, and do everything in his power to fight against Harmony, but he did not want that. Ponies like him had only once chance to be truly happy, and his disappeared with Scream. He could have helped himself, but he simply wished to see his beloved more than he wished ponykind to thrive. A life without Scream wasn't the life for him, not anymore.

Still, everything worked out.

He would have his 'retirement', and the world would continue. The gods would have their playground once again, and ponies...

...ponies would have to fight against impossible odds, over and over.

Void knew Scream was selfish, but not evil. She would not have wanted this, but everything she had done led to this outcome. Which meant there was something he had overlooked. Just to be sure, he used the remains of his power to locate her. The echoes of Scream's power came from one expected direction - a place where dead alicorns went to live their final wish, their paradise. However, there was a second trace, a trace coming from his Final Sanctuary. That meant Scream had chosen the successor to her divinity, but...

...the pony was dead.

Why would she do that?

He let his senses follow the divinity's trail, and stopped, staring in utter disbelief at the soul in question. Void burst out in mad laughter, finally realizing Scream's plan in its entirety. He gently hugged the mare's solid spirit, and with astonishment acknowledged that Scream knew him more than he knew himself. The final thing left to do, the thing he believed to be his doing, was simply just one of the events Scream's plan made happen.

The gods thought they won. And they did.

But... for how long? How difficult would it be to use their power and games against them?

Void grinned. It was not for him to find out, not anymore. The age of his stewardship was over. All he had to do now was pass the torch.

Once more he let his divine senses look through the world of the departed, and found a spark of power so similar to him it hurt, and so weak, so woefully weak it felt nearly gone.

"Young one, I had not lied when I said you could don the mantle of Death one day. After all, what is Death but Hope for those who have nothing left? Their Final Sanctuary, their only chance at ending their suffering. Do not forget, however, that final means you have to exhaust all other options, live through all possible experiences before taking my... your true path. You are my final chance, my Hope, that this vicious cycle of suffering will finally end. I... I only wish I could be there to lead you. The son I never had... no, the younger me I could impart my wisdom upon before it repeated my own mistakes."

Void shook his head, his power and knowledge leaving for its new host.

"But hey, it is not all just work, right?" the avatar of Death smiled, "After all, Scream understood who the next alicorn of Lust had to be if we are finally to grant ponies, griffons, and the other sentient races their freedom. A pony who would complete you and grant you strength just as Scream did for me. Unlike us, though, you... you had heart large enough for more than just one other."

An area in front of Void transformed into a window to a frozen landscape where a white griffon and three ponies dug through large chunks of rubble from a collapsed stone structure.

"After all, what is true love? Love... genuine love is when there is a single soul in two bodies," Void chuckled, "In your case, three."

The vision disappeared with the last remains of his divinity fading into his chosen heir. He looked curiously into his reflection in the black rock of his... not his anymore, he corrected himself, temple. Alicorns combined the traits of all three pony races due to divine power, but each of them was in heart like only one of them when the gods' influence was removed.

Earthponies, strong, proud, tough, hard-working, and tenacious.

Unicorns, curious, driven, inventive, and a little bit... imbalanced.

Pegasi, protective, sacrificing, loyal.

Thestrals, the embodiment of extremes, from traditionalists to ones of the loosest morals.

He had no doubt what Scream would be when he saw her again, far away from this world. Void spread his wings. He knew himself well enough to understand his inner nature. He had had eons to figure it out.

Feeling a tug deep inside his body, Void knew his time was over. There was nothing more left for him to do. With a deep breath, he stepped through an appearing glowing portal, and disappeared from Equus forever. He had left behind all he could to give the next generation the tools to grant ponies their true destiny.

To destroy the gods and earn their freedom.

Cromach, drenched in sweat, pushed away a huge chunk of rock remaining of the collapsed pyramid. Violent coughing from underneath lit a smile on his face. Harmony's remains had melted into the ground a while ago, and only the remnants of the shattered sacrificial temple littered the area.

"Straw!" Connie, telekinetically holding the closest pieces of masonry from crumbling again, yelled.

Fortune pulled the hippogriff away from the rubble while Leo helped Connie keep the largest of rocks away.

"Hi, guys!" Straw groaned between coughing up the loose dust of the ruins. Barely able to make his legs move, he asked shyly, "Can I ride you again, Connie?"

The unicorn levitated him on her back.

"In more ways than one."

"I like... learning new things."

Cromach sat down in the snow.

"Let's leave the rest to the guards, guys. I..." few tears fell melted the snow under him, "I need a drink."

"We are so sorry, sir, if we didn't-" Connie started, but Cromach stopped her with a raised talon.

"Do you... do you sometimes feel you get one big chance, the one real opportunity of your life to be happy?-"

They couldn't stand to look at the crushed griffon, slowly breaking into sobs and trying to wipe his eyes with no result.

"-I blew it."

Interlude II: Gods And Memories

The usual chatter of recruits walking around or relaxing inbetween lessons was gone this day, black curtains hung above the main entrance of the Order mansion, and Heavy Hoof's lifelike statue was clearly visible, standing on the fork where the path coming from the gate split into those leading towards the mansion and the training grounds. A figure sharply contrasting with the statue's pristine coat and dark blue mane was standing in front of it, looking at the gravel road with head hung low. With the purple mane and dark grey coat of his batpony disguise, sargeant Tio Cross just stood there, remembering.

That was until he felt another changeling pass by, walking steadily without even noticing him. She was taller than him, changeling queens were always taller than even the biggest changeling warriors, but this one wasn't as tall as queen Chrysalis. It might have been a disguise, or it might have been her real look, but in addition to black chitin with slight blue hue she bore a long, light blonde mane and dark blue belly plate with barely visible thin orange lines decorating it.

Cross had seen her only once before, and she had been trying to kill princess Luna at the time, but he had no doubt the dreamling queen herself was here to mourn the passing of one of her daughters. He didn't bother her with needless questions, he didn't even look again in her direction. She had her business here, and he had his.

Sitting down in front of the statue and bowing his head, Cross closed his eyes, thinking about the happiest times somepony as scarred as him remembered.

Behind the mansion, even behind the slowly regrowing garden maze, stood a white griffon and a black and white unicorn, looking at the wall surrounding the Order proper. Unlike everywhere else, the white stones here were covered in tiny scribbles. Cromach and Contradiction stared silently at the three additions to the Wall of Names.

Three

Walter Grant

Heavy Hoof

Only Cromach knew some of the other names, but barely few out of the hundreds, possibly thousands, miniature carvings into the wall. After rebuilding the Order mansion, it had been Blaze's wish that princess Celestia gave him the names of everypony who had died during both mirror Sombra's invasions and the conquest coming from Zebrica. Connie thought this was a memorial to those who had laid their lives for Equestria and Equus, but Crom knew the truth - those were the names of all ponies, griffons, and minotaurs who had died because of Blaze, at least that what's what the alicorn believed.

Grass crunched in the cold air, and the duo turned to the approaching dreamling queen, bowing slightly.

She shook her head, and joined them in staring blankly at the new names. After a moment, she sighed.

"Twenty years of destruction, from an egg to a starving husk like all of us used to be, and unfinished two years of hope. So much pressure from being our envoy in Canterlot and yet, in her letters home she's never been unhappy or regretful, even when she had to track the Nightmare's host. My third daughter, my best warrior, and a link between mine and queen Chrysalis' hive. Do you know where her changeling mate is?"

"His year of training in the Canterlot guard finished some two months ago, I think," Cromach scratched his chin, "You'll have to ask queen Chrysalis about him."

"I will."

She sighed again, and turned to leave.

"Guiding," Cromach stopped her, "Have you talked to Blaze yet?"

She shook her head.

"No, I've just arrived."

"Please do, he's... completely empty whenever I'm not around now. I hope it passes like everything else, but this time it feels different. Heavy's been one of his first real friends."

Guiding Light nodded, and left.

"We should go too. It's good to remember, but moping doesn't change anything," Cromach patted Connie's back.

"Yes, sir," she answered flatly.

"Come on, don't be like that," the griffon reached into his saddlebag, "I had Starlight make this. It's not much, but... it should work only for you."

He pulled a single rust-colored feather out, and presented it to her. It was clean, didn't show any sign of decay or unnatural dryness, and it gave off a faint hint of sweat. To Connie, as she took it into her hooves, it smelled like a hug from a friend so close to being a lover it didn't make any difference. She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from tearing up.

"Levitate it," Crom smiled.

Her horn lit up, enveloping the feather in soft, white glow.

The glow turned into mist, seeping from the feather into the air nearby, forming more and more see-through, white feathers. After the head appeared fully, the rust from the feather bled into fur, forming the rest of the ethereal body. The image of Walter smiled at Connie and waved a talon. Tears streaming from her eyes, she tried to hug it, but her magic failed, the image disappeared, and the feather floated to the ground. She gasped, and caught it in her hooves before it could touch the grass.

"Thank you, sir," she sniffed.

"We all need mementos, big or small," he pointed at the wall, "just don't let a memory blind you so much that you stop seeing reality."

"Thank you," she just repeated.

"I hope Guiding can stop Blaze from doing the same," Crom muttered, and they left the wall behind them.

The invisible barrier protecting the Order headquarters as much as the thick walls, the creation of a centuries old changeling archmage, and the amalgamation of divine power, changeling love-fueled force, and complex unicorn spell parted as if it was nothing before the coming of more visitors.

The forceful teleportation created an explosion of golden light, and the grass around rippled from a nova of air accompanying it.

Four figures taller than anypony else around stood on the main road when the lights died down. Immediately, four smaller figures surrounded them - Shadowstep's changeling squad protecting the mansion.

"At ease, Shadowstep," commanded one of the visitors, a green-eyed changeling queen. She frowned when Shadowstep refused to salute, and just waved Starlight, Cross, and Antares off.

"Chrysalis, are even you coming to pay respect to the fallen?" the amethyst queen raised an eyebrow, "And who are the others?"

By 'others' she meant the three alicorns accompanying queen Chrysalis.

A black alicorn, vastly bigger than the others, with purple flames dancing on the tips of his feathers started walking towards the mansion entrance, and promptly stopped when Cross got in the way, staring sternly at the alicorn's chest.

"I am not an enemy, young hybrid." the black alicorn smiled at Cross, "I need to see Blazing Light. It is of utmost importance."

"Stand down, Cross," Shadowstep ordered. To Chrysalis' annoyance, Cross performed a perfect salute, and let the alicorn pass.

Chrysalis knew Shadowstep's squad held barely any loyalty towards her, but she would be a pretty bad queen if she let it show in front of a possible, no matter how unlikely, future enemy.

"What did you mean by 'fallen'?" Chrysalis asked.

"Are you in a hurry?" Shadowstep nodded towards the small camp in the corner of the gardens where her unit lived.

"Quite so," said a white alicorn with blonde mane who had been silent until now, curiously observing everything going on.

"Not THAT much," contradicted him another one of the visitors, a golden alicorn mare with white mane, "After all, Voidie went ahead anyway, so he and Blazing will be busy for a while."

"Alright then," Chrysalis shrugged, "Let's hear it."

Two alicorns, two changeling queens, one hybrid superweapon, and two actual changelings sat down at a table in the middle of the campsite, and Shadowstep started talking.

Inside the mansion, the sound of polite knocking resonated within Blaze's office. The bronze alicorn looked up from the bottle of wine on his desk, and sighed dejectedly.

"Come in," answered his tired voice. He raised an eyebrow as the alicorn of Death entered his office, and pushed the unopened bottle aside, "Void? What went wrong this time?"

"Why so gloomy, young one?" the black alicorn asked with concern.

"Heavy is dead," Blaze said flatly.

"My sincerest condolences," Void closed his eyes and bowed his head in a moment of silence, "What happened?"

"I happened... again."

"Care to share the entire story? You have a tendency to assume the worst and take blame for things out of your reach. A very warped view of reality, if I may say so."

"A cult spreading divine power to ponies appeared in Manehattan, they killed some members of the police, then they killed several of our members. When we found their headquarters, we made a plan which involved Three, Heavy, and Crom going there as bait while a second group came from behind to gather information. Three and Heavy didn't get out."

"Something does not sound right. For as long as I have known you, you have been one to face things on your own. Why not this time?"

"The cult members can... adapt to threats. The first time some fo them faced Crom, they got cut down, but the next time his blows couldn't even penetrate their skin. I was worried the same thing would happen with my power, and didn't want to reveal myself until we found out who their leader was, so I could take them all out in one go. As a result, I sent my oldest friend and one of my... daughters, granddaughters, clutch, whatever the dreamling hive-like thing is, to their death. This IS my fault, nopony can say otherwise."

"Did they agree with the plan?"

"Are you really assuming I would force any of them to go there?"

"Then let me get this straight. You created a plan which took into consideration the most devastating possible threat coming from your enemies, and worked your way around it. Your family and... extended family agreed to do it of their own free will because they believed it was the best course of action. Am I overlooking something?"

Blaze gritted his teeth.

"MY FATHER, who was supposed to be dead, fused together with the burned rocks of the past version of this mansion, was... still IS the one leading the cult. I don't know why or how he got to where he is, and I have no clue how he's connected to any deity, but he is insane because I killed Blazing Light from this reality, his REAL son... twice."

"I... see your point of view, young one, but I am positive it is wrong."

"Really..." Blaze's disbelief was palpable.

"Everypony who agreed with you did that because they believed you made the right choice, and they did not have a better idea. Not doing anything, or simply attempting to fight a divine foe without a plan would quite likely have resulted in a much worse end. Trust me on that one, I crossed paths with Discord himself many times in the past, and it rarely ended well. The death of your close ones was as much their doing as it was yours, if not much more."

"I asked them to go..."

"And they agreed. That is why I am saying it was partially your doing, but I cannot in any fairness say that it was your fault."

"Well," Blaze sighed, smiling bitterly to himself, "tell that to Cross, because I sure as hay can't look him in the eyes."

"I will," Void's golden eyes locked with Blaze's sapphires, "but tell me, would the cult you were talking about have something to do with Harmony?"

"It might, in some form. One of our members brought a sample of a 'potion' they use to infuse their ponies with power. I tried to absorb it and got a glimpse of the past, but I can't handle the memories of the gods, it's just far too much. The same thing happened at the end of the Zebrican invasion, when I got the power of all three gods for few moments. How did you know?"

"Scream recieved a vision about Nightmare's past deeds being more than just blind destruction. Our visiting Discord revealed something big is about to happen, but he had to remain silent otherwise he would get caught in it. The only power threatening both deities as well as the alicorns remains - Harmony, or something connected to it. Thus, now we come to the reason for us being here. We need to unlock the knowledge you stole."

"We?"

The door to the office unceremoniously opened again, this time without any warning. The cynical stare Blaze aimed at the entering alicorn said something non-flattering about fate and its machinations.

"We have important business to attend to. If what Shadowstep told us is true then we might have even less time than I thought."

"Scream," Blaze scowled, not too visibly, but still. His expression brightened when queen Chrysalis and a white, blonde-maned alicorn looking as royal as it was ponily possible entered, "my queen, and...?"

"Pfff," Scream grinned, "You let a changeling mare transformed into a hermaphrodite ride you few times, and suddenly she's 'your queen' forever."

Blushing Blaze facehoofed, hoping to knock himself unconscious.

"My name is Magnus, and I used to be the alicorn of Magic."

"Wait, Twilight Sparkle is Magic now. Don't alicorns die when they lose their divinity?" Blaze raised an eyebrow.

"Being the sole immortal master of the arcane gives you few perks, one of which is not having to rely on only one source of power," Magnus smirked confidently, "My secret is blueberry juice."

"So, the changeling master of mind-control, the alicorn of Lust capable of seeing into the future and reading the darkest depths of any mind, the first alicorn of Magic, and Void. Three of you to put my brain into a juicer, and one in case I resist?"

It didn't help that only Void looked horrified at the assumption.

"Young one, I am, and as long as I can I will be, on your side."

"Sorry," Blaze lowered his head, "I trust you and queen Chrysalis, but I'm not too sure about Scream and Magnus, sure you can understand why."

Scream frowned but said nothing.

"Your trust will be necessary for this to work, Blazing," Void said, "You are the only one possessing enough knowledge to shed some light on Scream's vision. All of them are here to work together to lessen the strain on you, and increase the chance of success."

"Then why are YOU here?"

"To visit you," Void's smile was quite forced, but the thought was there, "although I obviously picked the wrong time to do so."

"Well, then you are not here to see me, but him," Blaze focused, "Mistake?"

The blue-maned, black unicorn form appearing next to Blaze was familiar only to Void, but even he furrowed his brows.

"Uhh, hello?" Mistake looked at the alicorns and the queen nervously.

"Mistake?" Void stepped closer and leaned down to the unicorn, "I thought this was just your temporary appearance because Nightmare's dark flames charred your body and soul, Blazing."

"Yeeeeeah, but when I returned to my normal look, some part of Nightmare's power remained, and joined with this little voice inside my head. As my power grew, it sort of drained into him. Eventually my divinity grew so much I could allow him to form a semi-real body. Now he helps me work around the 'divine power douses magic' problem. He controls the magic in my body, while I work with the demigod abilities."

"A split personality with its own body? And one able to circumvent the greatest problem of naturally powerful alicorns?" Magnus' eyes grew wide, "I don't have a big enough jar in my lab."

"Touch him in a wrong way and you'll be leaving in several jars yourself," Blaze growled.

"Do you think I don't have ways of working around anti-mages?"

"GUYS!" Scream rolled her eyes, "Don't compete about which one of you has bigger you-know-what. Besides, I've slept with both of you and know that Maggie wins that contest."

"Thank you."

"Although I'm pretty sure that Blazing would probably tear you a new one if you threatened him too much."

"Screw you."

"Not again, Void's much better," she said dryly, "Now... Mistake, if I understand it correctly then we will need you to unlock the three gods' memories inside Blaze."

"That will drive him insane or completely unaware of himself. As he said, it's too much."

"With our help, it shouldn't."

"What if I say no?" Blaze asked.

"Do you think you can resist two alicorns and a changeling queen?"

"Void?"

"I... will refrain from helping them if that is the case, but I implore you to cooperate with them. None of us have any reason to hurt you," the alicorn of Death answered carefully.

"Fine," Blaze slumped into his chair, "I have a request though. If anything happens, and I'm... not there when you're done, make sure that Crom, Chokey, Mistake, and Guiding are safe and happy. No matter what they might want - money, power, company, anything, they will get it. They are my real family now."

"Good," Scream said without hesitating for a second, "Now, does this place have a dungeon or something?"

"An empty wine cellar at best," Blaze shrugged, "but it's underground, and the door is sturdy. Why?"

"Because in the same way Mistake here got his body from divine power, the memories are inside the power you drained from the gods, and as such they might recieve corporeal form as well. They would still be bound to your proximity, but it's safer."

"Let's go then."

"Wait!" Void remembered something, "How do I find this 'Cross'."

"A changeling in a batpony disguise at Shadowstep's camp," Blaze explained.

"Aaaaah, I remember now. I will talk to him while you are busy."

"You're not gonna help them?"

"No, we don't need another being which naturally disrupts magic," Scream explained, "Getting through your resistance will be enough of a challenge."

Void left the mansion right as the screaming from the cellar started. Strangely enough, none of it was Blazing's.

The alicorn overshadowing everypony he passed caused more than few heads to turn his way, but seeing as today there was no training going on, nopony tried to stop him from reaching Shadowstep's small encampment. The four dark green tents sharply contrasted with the white wall surrounding the Order headquarters, but Void knew that such colour was perfect for hiding in the wilderness. He 'saw' the invisible barrier marking a dome around the camp, and as he passed it, a purple-maned head of a changeling queen peeked out of one of the tents. Shadowstep looked at Void curiously.

"Can I help you, mister Void?" she said with unprecedented politeness.

"I am looking for mister Cross on behalf of Blazing Light."

Frowning, Shadowstep pointed somewhere across the training grounds.

"Tio built his personal training course behind the gardens. He's there right now. To be honest, I was hoping Blazing would come himself and talk to him. Cross doesn't let it show, but Heavy Hoof was his first real relationship since his... creation, not just a brief fling."

"That is the healthy thing Blazing should do, but he is a coward in a certain sense. He believes the entire incident is his fault."

"Isn't it?"

"Let me correct myself, he believes it is ONLY his fault."

"Ah, I see. Well, I can only hope that you can help my sargeant deal with HIS guilt, at least a little."

"I can only try to lend a helping hoof whenever I see the need."

"Nopony can ask for more," the amethyst queen nodded.

Void just smiled back, leaving Shadowstep to return to her tent. He paid no mind to the two statues, one depicting Shadowstep, and one bearing the likeness of the female unicorn who had tried to stop him at the start of his visit, and headed across the lawns glistening with rime.

Behind the mansion, even behind the garden faded with the coming of winter, lay a cleaned square filled with tall, concrete shapes with metal bars sticking from various places of each. A purple-maned batpony was swinging between them without the help of his wings. As soon as Void came to view, Cross spun around a metal bar, and jumped down on the ground, steam rising from his coat.

"Sargeant Tio Cross, I assume," Void bowed slightly. When Cross nodded, he continued, "My condolences, young hybrid. The passing of a loved one is always a harrowing ordeal."

"Hmmmm," Cross raised an eyebrow, "We haven't met before today, and I've never met somepony who would come to simply say what you did. Why are you really here, Void?"

"Several reasons, one of which was to say I was sorry for your loss," Void smiled sincerely, "My second reason for coming here is a request."

"Yes?"

"I wish you would forgive Blazing Light for his role in your lover's demise."

"Done," Cross chuckled, "Anything else?"

The alicorn of Death looked taken aback.

"Just like that?"

Taking a deep breath, Cross started stretching to combat the cold.

"All of us knew what we were getting into. The plan was simple, but we didn't have the time or knowledge to come up with anything better. Heavy was the light of my life, which is a lot to say for somepony with whom I've been together for just over a year, and because I'm more than four centuries old. The thing is... look, I've spent most of my life in the Griffon Empire, seen the city states send thousands of soldiers to their deaths to gain power, money, or influence. I know how fleeting life can be, and I'm sure so do you. Scream explained who you are. In all honesty, at first I was furious at Blazing for not letting me go as well, but if the enemy struck here, then the recruits could have died, and they have families and loved ones as well. Who knows? In case Shadowstep, Antares, and Starlight weren't enough if this place got attacked, they might have been gone now. Blazing had the situation covered to prevent the most damage possible. All I can say is that I'm happy my coltfriend died for something worth it. I fought an avatar of Nightmare only once in my life, and I never want that to happen again. Who is to say those serving another deity are not the same?"

"I wish you would tell what you told me to Blazing. He blames himself more than he should, that is just how he is. One thing cannot be denied though, he has certainly surrounded himself with very level-headed individuals."

"Huh, is that the case? I can tell him when I'm done here."

"He will be busy for some time, and he might feel unwell after that. Scream and the others need a favor from him. Just, please, do not forget about it."

"Sargeant Cross!" came from a figure steadily walking towards them.

It was a hippogriff, brown-maned and grey-coated, who stumbled a little when he noticed Cross' company. However, to Void he looked as if chains of black mist swirled around his body, and he could feel power unpleasantly similar to his own inside the crossbreed.

"What do you need, Straw?" Cross asked.

"Am I interrupting something, sir?" Straw Basket's eyes darted from Void to Cross, "I can come later."

"Go on," said Void, seemingly deep in thought.

"Ehm, right. Is your statue around here?" Straw blushed when Cross just blinked in disbelief, "The thing about only needing to beat yourself. You're the only one who trains here. Did I get it right?"

"You're still on THAT?" Cross' eyes bulged, "Well, yeah, you should be able to see it now that you've worked that out."

Straw looked around, realizing after few moments that one of the concrete 'training blocks' is a grey statue holding a metal staff.

"Nightmare?" asked Void slowly.

Straw twitched.

"I KNEW we got the right place on the train!" Void exclaimed, "It was just too weak to spot outright, but now I can see you clearly. What are you doing here?"

"Calm down, Void," Cross interjected, "Blaze knows about him, and has allowed him to stay here for both his protection and ours."

"Hmmmm. You, Nightmare's host, don't move! I have one last thing to finish here."

"Erm, can I at least read what's on the statue?" Straw asked carefully.

Void just waved him off.

"Mister Cross, the last thing... I wasn't sure about it until I talked to you, but I am willing to 'bend' the rules a little, and offer you a chance to say goodbye."

"What?" Cross froze.

"Before meeting their true fate, all souls pass through my domain, and some need a little time to come to terms with their end. Necromancers use this to bind and enslave souls when my protection fails. I can use my power to give you several minutes, perhaps an evening, to say what would be otherwise left unsaid."

"You... can... return him to me?"

"No."

Cross shook his head, but even his firm voice couldn't hide the fact that he had no control over the smile growing on his muzzle.

"Sorry, I got carried away. I'll take what I can get... sir."

Void focused, and sticky, purple mist swirled around his horn. The surroundings darkened, and from the darkness a simple blue outline of a pony stepped out. It gained on complexity until it formed an ethereal earthpony who said:

"Tio?"

Cross immediately jumped for a hug, and ended with his face in the dirt. Heavy Hoof examined his state, and smiled sadly.

"Yeah... having heart ripped out by eldrich tentacles would do this to a pony."

"I will leave you two alone. How long you can stay depends your willpower, but it will not be more than several hours," Void explained, "But only you, mister Cross, will be able to see him. The rules governing this reality cannot be broken, not even by me."

"Thank you," Cross said quietly, still having eyes only for Heavy.

"As for you, baron Hoof," Void said in the most serious voice he could muster, "I thank you for being by Blazing Light's side whenever possible. You were a good friend and an example without whom things would have worked out in a much worse fashion. Possibly, not even I would be here anymore to do anything. You are responsible for the survival of this world as much as Blazing is. Speaking of survival, I have somepony to talk to."

Straw Basket hiccuped.

"Don't be too harsh with him," Heavy said warmly, "He is a good pony who just got dragged into things far beyond his experience."

"That is usually the case," Void grinned, "but I will take your words to heart."

Leaving Cross and Heavy's spirit alone, Void gestured Straw to follow him. Worried for his life, but excited about the opportunity to meet somepony who might know something more about his predicament, Straw walked side by side with the alicorn of Death.

"Now, who are you, little one?" Void asked curiously, "And how did you end up with Nightmare inside you."

Straw was trembling, his mind was overrun with thoughts not his, and it took him a while to regain his senses. Thankfully, the eternal alicorn was nothing if patient. Eventually, the boiling mess inside him subsided, and Straw understood. Nightmare was terrified of what Void could do, and resigned itself to whatever would come. Chased into a corner, with no power to change hosts, no escape plan, the god was out of options. It released any and all hold it had over Straw.

"My name is Straw Basket, and I'm here just to finish my Royal Guard training... if I ignore all the things I seem to have the misfortune of attracting, sir. As for the voice in my head, it offered me a chance to survive after I got hit by a train, in a way. It didn't want anything, and I woke up in one piece, so I didn't think too much about it, at least until some strange creatures in Canterlot tried to eat me."

"Strange creatures?" Void furrowed his brows for a second, and then shook his head, "I cannot sense anything unusual or unnatural in Canterlot."

"I was told they were called the Observers. When I, with Nightmare's help, killed one who attacked me, it just melted into nothingness."

"I have no idea what you could be talking about."

"Grey, tentacles coming out of their necks, four clawed limbs-GLK!"

Straw spasmed. Void's horn burst out with black flames, casting unreal dark shadows, and more importantly - aimed at the hippogriff.

"You will have to see with your own eyes, alicorn," said a completely different, and far more aggressive, voice coming from Straw's mouth, "After all, you hold no power over those outside of the circle of life."

"Nightmare..." Void growled, but then hummed thoughtfully, "Strange, Discord said the same thing."

"Discord is a coward! He pretends to care about this world, but when push comes to shove he would rather save his dirty hide than do what is necessary to keep his pawns alive."

"Pawns?"

"Friends... like that little pegasus of his. He would much rather start everything over than to risk himself. What he doesn't understand is that there won't be any new chance."

"I do not understand. Start over?"

"I will tell you, but I want one thing from you. A promise."

"To you? What makes you think I will keep it?"

"Because if a stallion doesn't keep his word, then he doesn't have anything," Straw/Nightmare chuckled at Void gritting his teeth, "Oh don't look at me like that, I know all about you and your little new alicorn friend. You thought you were learning about your enemy, but so was I. Now, I want your word to not harm my host until we deal with more pressing matters."

"I think I can manage that, as long as you do not divide your attention onto 'less pressing matters'. Let me say it simply, as long as you do not threaten me or those under my protection, I will not destroy you or your host. I can sense how weak you are now, Blazing's attempts must have cost you a lot."

"Do you think HE would be a problem on his own? Do you think YOU would pose a threat to me outside of your Underworld if it weren't for HIM?"

"For whom?"

"HARMONY, OF COURSE! Do you think neither me nor Discord would easily deal with you without being so greatly reduced by the pawns using his Elements, foolishly thinking they are saving themselves?"

"The Elements of Harmony exist to protect Equus from otherwise unstoppable threats, do they not?"

"Really? When have they ever worked against something other than us or beings capable of posing even a minor threat to us?"

"Ummmm..." Void drifted off, realizing he didn't have an answer. Discord, various Nightmare's avatars, Tirek, Blazing Light. Then something clicked, "The Elements are here specifically to stop you, Discord, and those able to use your power? Wait, all other threats were stopped without the need for them, no matter the sacrifices. Plus, the 'evil' Elements in the mirror world are commonly used to strenghten the position of the Empire."

"Of course, anyone able to harness a fragment of their power could use them. The solar alicorn did so in the past despite not being what is now called 'a compatible bearer'. However, their true power is in making US vulnerable."

"The point stands. The Elements have protected ponies from threats far out of their league, which means Harmony's legacy did. You have not yet given me a reason to not consider you a primary threat."

"WHY DO YOU THINK HE DID IT? Do you think it's because he CARES about the vermin crawling all over this floating rock? We all do what is our nature, we all do what is necessary. Forced eternal life is a curse, that's why I exist, and by extension you. The complete lack of life denies the universal chaos, and as such can't exist for long. The change leading from Discord to me, the existence and evolution must keep going as well. However, our power must be balanced, otherwise the system will go into extremes, and that's exactly what the liar's Elements are for. Your small and pitiful creatures - ponies, griffons, minotaurs, you name it - couldn't handle the importance of the cycle, and needed a way to break it to make their existence easier. Harmony heard their pleas and answered, giving them a way to fight their incoming death and the chaotic nature of universe responsible for the creation of things beyond their understanding. They saw it as a blessing, while he saw it as a way to gain advantage on us."

"Why? What could he gain as a god?"

"A victory. From his point of view, the perfect beings capable of knowing everything, immortal, omnipotent, and understanding are the pinnacle of existence, his goal. It's his nature."

"Why is that bad, or at least worse than YOUR goal of eradicating everything?"

"Me and Discord... we have learned over the eons, Harmony didn't, because we banished him for trying to break the balance by creating the Elements. I can't speak too much for Discord, but I only tried to prevent Harmony's goal from coming to fruition. I am not... heartless, metaphorically. We have learned the limits of you, small creatures, Harmony didn't. The traitorous alicorn is an example of what would happen to all those unable to hide well enough. All knowledge flowing into their heads... insanity, instant death, eternal life in agony? The perfect harmony, no conflict, no individuality, one hivemind... one completely insane hivemind. Forever without a chance of release. Bodies able to live under all circumstances just cannot exist, only amalgamations of survival traits, lungs, gills, each body an unaging, bloated, immovable, eternally self-sustaining system. Isn't swift death a better option?"

"I do not understand. Why could he not simply make them able to bear that?"

"Because it's not in our power to create more gods! Our most powerful creations are you alicorns, and even you have a choice between life and death, and the fear you can feel when you don't think you DO have the choice. You, of all ponies, should understand the most why it is important to let an exhausted body and mind finally rest."

"I think I do see your point now, but something is off. If Harmony's plan is coming to fruition in the near future, then why did you try to completely wipe life out many times before?"

"We... cannot resist our nature, not completely, and with Discord turned to stone and Harmony banished, I held far more... not power, but influence, which in turn influenced me too strongly. You see, the balance is important both for us and for all of you."

"Nothing like the creation of the Elements would have been necessary if you did not overstep your boundaries and make life completely unbearable!"

"OF COURSE! I, especially I, was foolish, and didn't understand that me trying to stop the living creatures' suffering by ending it was only making it worse. I hope you can at least appreciate the irony of YOU asking me this."

Void finally understood... but trusting Nightmare was something he had to reconsider. It, of course, would know about him killing thousands of beings during plagues, famines, taking away the lives of those unable to bear the suffering, but eventually coming to the conclusion that life was not worth living, and killing everything indiscriminately. He had been foolish when much younger, but time had changed that considerably. Still, he couldn't leave Nightmare's explanation without answer.

"Leave," he said simply, "I promise not to harm your host until I deem you too much of a threat, not just as a precaution."

"Is that the best I'm going to get?"

"Yes. One last thing, am I correct in assuming that Harmony's current goal is to return from his 'banishment'?"

"You are."

"How?"

"I don't know, but the Elements must be the key. You would need a way to tap into HIS knowledge to find out more."

"Well then, something seems to finally be going my way," Void grinned, "And then we will know how much of what you said is true."

"The traitor..." Nightmare gasped.

"Leave," Void repeated.

The black, ethereal mist around Straw dissipated, and the dark streaks in his coat disappeared. The hippogriff shook his head.

"That's quite something," he whispered in disbelief.

"Hmm? Were you aware all this time? I thought possession pushed the host's consciousness deep, unable to affect or sense anything."

"What? No, I could have stopped it at any point, Blaze gave me something which allows me to 'chain' the Nightmare, I was just curious."

"Alright then, take care of yourself, Straw Basket, and of the one inside you. If we come to the conclusion that Nightmare was telling the truth, your life might be the most precious one to protect."

"Well, at least for me," Straw smirked, "But what if it was lying?"

"Then our next meeting will be under much less pleasant circumstances, but I promise I will do my best to give you a chance of seeing the next day as a free hippogriff."

It was clear Straw wanted to say something else, but instead he decided on a simple:

"Thank you, sir. So, what now?"

"You will go about your business, while I will wait for my companions' return with information."

"I meant about the horrible mutilation of everypony alive."

"Find a way to prevent it, of course."

"I guess it was dumb of me to ask, was it?"

"A little. I cannot have all the answers the instant such question is asked. Once we know more, then we can come up with a plan."

"Sorry."

"It is no problem. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a plan to weave. I apologize for scaring you at first."

"Nice to have met you, mister Void."

"The pleasure was mine."

Much like Cross had done earlier, Void sat down in front of Heavy Hoof's statue. It didn't take too long before his three companions stumbled out of the mansion, drenched with sweat and covered in drying blood. Void thought very hard about his first words, and greeted the roughed up expedition with:

"So, how are we stopping Harmony from turning everypony into one big hive?"

Scream's eye twitched.

"How...?"

"I just asked."

The trio looked about to cry.

"Let me take you home," Void offered, seeing the two depressed alicorns and one queen, "Then we will piece together what we know."

They disappeared in a burst of black flames.

Impossible - Part III: The Succubus

Much like during the visit to the Final Sanctuary, Straw and Leo appeared somewhere new after a short time of their senses being completely blank. The teleportation was much cleaner this time, though, and neither of them needed to rub any bruised bodyparts. Sadly for their unhurt bodies, this place was cold. Not too surprising, considering they seemed to be on the top of a mountain. Well, near the top on a small plateau with its most important feature being a dark entrance to some sort of a cave.

"For a realm of Desire, or whatever this is supposed to be, it's so cold my junk is trying to call the Canterlot boutique and order some polar bear coats... followed not by a hot mare but a hot cup of tea. If Void's spell sent us to the right place then the alicorn of Lust is crap at her job."

"R-r-r-r-r-ight..." Straw's teeth were chattering loudly.

In not even a minute of being here, both of them were freezing.

"Inside!" Leo commanded when Straw's didn't seem to have any idea what to do.

"Y-y-yes..."

The cave entrance wasn't simply dark, it was a sheet of oily ink which rippled as they passed through. Thankfully, the temperature rose instantly to much more comfortable levels. Straw still didn't seem himself, though.

"You okay?" Leo patted his back.

"I..." Straw shook his head, eyes unfocused, "Nightmare is being weird. It doesn't like this place much more than Void's temple, and it feels as if it's trying to be quiet. It's really confusing, not having my head full of half-unreal feelings and thoughts. Sorry."

"Straw!" Leo pushed him when the hippogriff drifted away again, "I had no idea it was this bad. Why didn't you say something?"

"Didn't really want to be a bother," Straw smiled weakly, "Sorry, I just feel a bit... hollow."

This was Leo's time to understand. He couldn't comprehend the magnitude of what Nightmare was doing to Straw, but he finally got the gist of it. The god had been pressuring Straw ever since they got together, and now that it stopped for a while, what was remaining of Straw felt the consequences. Leo now knew why Straw didn't want to plan anything for the future, had no wish to fulfill, and only tried to help everypony around him. Without the god forcing its mind on him, the stubborn willpower keeping Straw going was gone, even if it was temporary.

Seeing Straw stare blankly nowhere yet again, Leo poked him to get his attention.

"Huh?" Straw shook his head confusedly.

"Focus, Strawberry!" Leo pushed him carefully but firmly, "Let's ask this alicorn to get us home and have a break. I'm shaking all over as well, probably because Void's place isn't really made for ponies who are still alive."

"Right, right, right," Straw's determined smile returned, "We can't leave sir Cromach hanging."

"Or sitting in my backpack next to some leftover hayburgers from yesterday."

"At least he's not hungry."

"I dunno, what do balls of energy eat?"

"Hehe," Straw chuckled, seemingly waking up the more Leo talked to him, "Thanks for coming with me, Leo."

"Can't let a peasant like you talk to alicorns on your own, can I? Who knows what you might say, and we can't affort to send Equestria to war with another dimension or something."

"I mean it."

"So do-" Leo stopped himself, "Straw, we're a team. What's more, we are friends. What's EVEN more, if you fail we'll probably all die."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah."

Taking a breath to bolster their courage, they ventured deeper into the cave.

They expected many things after being told the alicorn of Lust and Desire was the one they were to meet next, but not a well-lit cavern filled with piles of skulls and bones, pieces of expensive-looking furniture, and all of that underlaid by a red, soft carpet. Like a dragon protecting its hoard, an alicorn mare lay atop a bone pile in the middle, motionless.

Until the second her eyes opened, focusing solely on the incoming duo.

Both of them knew immediately that the trouble with Nightmare were only a part of what they needed to overcome.

Scream yawned, openly showing her sharp teeth and a long tongue coiling in and out of her mouth, the slit irises in her emerald eyes flashed, and she leisurely stood up from a surprisingly bouncy and comfortable bone pile.

Her every step towards them sent shivers through both of her visitors, in each one for a different reason, though. Leo was drowning in smell of hot and sweaty nights overwhelming his nostrils. He could think less and less as the images of the most depraved deeds and fantasies ran through his mind. With the pendulum of Scream's swaying hips paralyzing him, his mouth dropped open and his tongue rolled out. Mind blank and obedient, Leo's body took control and fearlessly moved towards the mare of everypony's wettest dreams.

Straw, on the other hoof, noticed Scream's more horrifying nature. Whether it was his enhanced senses or him being burned out on the inside, he just admitted to himself Screams was and ever would be the most beautiful mare he'd ever seen, and moved onto her more troubling features. With one gaze he saw Scream's sleek golden coat, shimmering white mane flowing like water with her every breath, and the perfect curve of her muzzle. At the same time, though, he took in the crushing weight of her magic power bending reality to her will, the ends of her milky mane split into spider silk ready to trap an unsuspecting victim into her web, and the black streaks in her coat neatly splitting it into segments similar to changeling queen's armor plates.

"A couple of stallion hunks out of nowhere? Is it my birthday already?" Scream seemed the most comfortable one in the situation. She flashed Leo still unsteadily walking towards her a predatory smile, "And one so eager to give me presents. But where are my manners... my name is Scream, and I hope you feel welcome in my humble home."

"Leo?" Straw asked. The unicorn didn't stop.

"Well, well, what have we got here?" Scream's smile widened as the unicorn half of her size stopped and looked up at her with blind adoration, "A reformed noble with a crush on a satyr? How unique! Can I interest you in something more... exotic?"

Leaning down, she blew a little pink cloud in his face. Leo breathed in deeply, shivered, and quietly moaned.

"LEO!" yelled Straw, moved towards him, and stopped when his body froze after few steps, "What are you doing to him?"

"Who, me?" Scream asked innocently, "His body, one particular part of his body, is doing all of his thinking for him right now. I just gave him a little nudge. After all, who WOULDN'T want to stay here with me instead of going back home, right? I know he is so pent up, so disappointed in his uncertain relationship with the 'imperfect' girl who can't decide whether to go further with him or not. He can have everything he desires right here and now. And that's what you want, isn't it, my handsome, entranced unicorn?" she turned back to Leo, "The certainty that you won't be left alone, the certainty that you will not fail the expectations your family has of you, all of that you can leave behind you and stay here... with me."

Nightmare, help me stop her!

No.

WHAT?

If you go too far she will kill both of us. This way she'll just play her game and steal the unicorn's mind.

No, that can't happen! He's just hypnotized or something. If he snaps out of it we can, I don't know, run or something. I'm not leaving him here.

Do whatever you want, I'm staying out of this, and without my help you won't even move. My efforts are not ending here.

"Damn it!" Straw struggled against the invisible bonds holding him, "Let him go!"

"I'm not doing anything," Scream's smile and the way she uncaringly kissed Leo made Straw's blood boil, "Don't YOU want to abandon all the struggle and suffering and give yourself to me? I promise you will enjoy your many rewards. Speak from your heart, Leo..."

The way she whispered Leo's name broke all that remained of Straw's hesitation.

Fortune will shoot me in the face if I come back without him. She will also shove grenades into my balls first if she finds out WHERE I left him.

Scream can end you much more... inventively. She can keep you as a confused slave here, with me locked inside you, and use my power. You have to get out of here and the only way is shutting up and letting her do what she-

Now it's my turn to say no.

Straw didn't know how the ability to force Nightmare's power to do his bidding worked, but now that he understood divinity responded simply to willpower, he could only wish as strongly as he could.

Whatever was holding him shattered, and black lightning coursed through his body just like the time Nightmare took him over in Canterlot.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" he moved before Scream could blink, trying to just push Leo away from her but flinging him into the nearest skull pile.

Scream didn't flinch, in fact, she wasn't even looking at Straw.

"Alright, just remove this obstacle and you can have me in any form and any way you want."

"Uh, wha-?" Straw was thrown away by Leo charging at him.

"I need this!" Leo hissed.

Scream sat down and spread her wings and front legs.

"Come and get it then."

"Fortune will shove a flare down your throat if she finds out! When sir Cromach was blown up the only times she smiled was when she was with you... or when she plotted some prank aimed at Connie! You can have more than just a roll in the hay, you can have a future, somepony who really loves you, somepony so dear to you that when you hold hooves it's more important than... than... crazy butt sex stuff!"

Leo stopped, shook his head, and looked at Straw incredulously.

His surprise, however, had nothing on Scream's muffled snorting. It didn't last long, and soon she was laughing like a madpony.

"Oh geez!" she facehoofed when her laughter died down, "Crazy butt sex stuff. Honest, simple, inexperienced, but definitely courageous. I guess my first impression wasn't wrong."

"Huh?" Straw's rush of adrenaline slowly dying out, he realized he was trembling more than in the frost outside, and he could barely stand.

The growing horror in Leo's face was something else, though.

"Straw..." the noble kept replaying recent events over and over in his head, "I'm so sorry!" he rushed over, propping the hippogriff to help him stand without realizing he hadn't hurt him in the slightest.

Still not completely sure of himself, he stood between Scream and Straw, and faced the alicorn defiantly.

"My offer still stands," Scream winked at him.

"So does my dong, and both of you can shove it where the sun doesn't shine."

"That can be arranged," Scream wiggled her hips.

Leo punched himself in the face.

"No! We are here-"

"To see if I can help you get home and give up a little bit of my power to give the recently deceased griffon Cromach a chance at returning to the waking world," Scream summarized to the shock of both visitors, "Oh dear, you stand here, in the home of somepony whom other alicorns call the oracle, and you think that there is even the tiniest corner of your mind safe? I know everything you know, I know you better than you know yourselves, and I know every lie you tell yourself to let you sleep at night. Speaking of nights, what you did to the Nightmare will come to haunt you, Straw Basket. Do not believe the god no matter what it says or does. It has its own goals which it will never share. Use it carefully, and never let it use you. Or-"

Straw felt a rush of relief when Scream's act changed and became more similar to Void trying to help. The cost, however, was his body slumping on the floor, unable to do anything more than breathe.

"Or you will end up like its last host," Scream sighed and her smile faded a little, "A royal griffon with the purest intentions of protecting his homeland from strife and divisive politics. In the end, even the most noble intentions can be twisted into destruction, all desires can. Now, you should take a little break while I tend to your little friend."

"Don't... touch... Leo..." Straw mumbled.

Scream ignored him.

"My help has a price," she waved her hoof, and Cromach's wisp flew out of its hiding place inside a saddlebag, "and the price is you."

Leo took a step back.

"What do you mean - me?"

"I will take you and make you mine. Your heart, your soul, and your body. Deep down you will never forget me and you will come if I call. I will be your ultimate master and owner."

"And... and if I do that... will you help sir Cromach?"

"Yes."

"Don't..." Straw tried to push himself off the carpet.

"Straw," Leo bit his lip, "I don't know if we can trust her. I don't know if I can trust my body right now to not just jump at her command. All I know is that I want to help the griffon without whom I would be just a dumb colt trying to order everypony around. Thanks to him... and you, Fortune, Connie, and Walter I've had the best months of my LIFE. If I didn't try to help then it would mean I haven't changed at all. Just... just tell Fortune a dragon ate me or something."

"You misunderstood me, Leo," Scream was watching him with curiosity, "I will take you for what will be one night in your world. That is all I need to make you my ever loyal servant. And who knows? Perhaps I am doing it for myself, perhaps you are a unicorn I want to spend some time with, possibly I am even doing this to help you for free... or maybe all of the above. Who knows? Well, I do, of course, but you don't."

"I agree to your price," Leo said firmly and bowed.

"Good," Scream's horn sent dark shadows which enveloped Cromach's wisp, brought it to her mouth, and she swallowed it.

Two pairs of eyes followed the bulge moving down her throat with utter horror. Scream crossed her eyes when it reversed its direction and slowly moved back up, making her spit it out.

A tiny bolt of lightning struck Scream's nose.

"Fine, fine, I get it, you're taken already!" she grumbled at the wisp, "Damn loyal griffons, no fun at all. I wonder if the alicorn idiot you're sworn to even understands how much he means to you."

The wisp shook in mid-air.

"Thought so. Well, Cromach, swallow it all, just like your mate must have told you more than once."

The living darkness around Scream's horn filled Cromach's wisp, turning it ink black. When the ritual was done, the now black ball wasn't flaring with lights, but sprouted small tentacles from time to time.

Just like Void, Screams was breathing heavily and dripping sweat after the transfer of power, but that only served to strenghten the chains growing inside Leo's mind. He felt it, and the more he understood her dominance over him the more he understood why she wanted to keep him around. Leo knew it was going to be a long night, and that he would never forget it.

Straw and Cromach's wisp disappeared.

It was to make him the perfect lover, the perfect pet, submissive and dominant when needed, knowing what buttons to push, when to let go and when to go further even after a loud 'no'...

...and it wasn't for Scream, although she was going to enjoy it for all its worth.

It was for Leo and Fortune.

After all, Scream might have been a scheming, sort of evil, mischievous, and ultimately selfish bitch, but she was a sucker for happy endings.

Impossible - Part VI: The New Generation

Straw's quiet prayer was at least for once heard, and when he blinked his surroundings changed from a dim diner to a messy laboratory. The cube held in his talons stopped glowing, and he stepped down from a raised metal pad. The mystery of at least one strange device in the lab revealed, Straw took one final glance to make sure Connie was standing right behind him, and a tiny see-through griffon flapped his wings, circling around.

Everything seemed in order.

"Whoa! That was quick," Twilight raised her head from a stack of notes she had been reading. She blinked several times, staring at the spirit griffon, "You know, I could start spinning theories about what happened and why is Cromach that tiny, but I'm going to wait for the whole story for once."

"This is still just the wisp, it only looks different, just like it did every time an alicorn infused it with power."

"Oh..." Twilight sighed dejectedly, "So it's still not enough. That's bad. Aside from me performing the ritual, I have no more ideas where to look. Princess Cadance and the Crystal Heart might be of some use, but I doubt we have the time to waste several days by going north and then who knows how much time by examining the Heart."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Straw came over and put the wisp on Twilight's back, "Your predecessor said we've been going about it the wrong way. I completely forgot that Void said the important part was the soul's wish to come back."

"I don't get it. Wouldn't just coming back to life be enough, or, you know, helping save the world as it seems to be necessary... for some reason which nopony wants to tell me?"

"No," Straw shook his head, "It took me a while to understand as well. You're thinking in terms of books, tales of heroes and noble sacrifice. We are ponies. We are not some avatars of good made to destroy evil and then disappear. We, and I have to thank princess Luna for helping me see this, are selfish. We have to be, otherwise we wouldn't be able to find value in anything. We HAVE to ask what's in it for us whenever we do something. Don't get me wrong, too much is too much, but a little bit is necessary. Cromach is not your story-like hero. He doesn't want to endlessly fight evil like a machine for the sake of ensuring a better tomorrow. All he wants is to be with the one he loves."

It finally clicked to Twilight.

"And so does Blaze, doesn't he? I thought they'd just band together to fight Nightmare, griffon threats, mirror Sombra, all to save Equestria and its ponies, but..."

"But that's exactly why Blaze said the Order were exhausted, overrun, and scared. You, princess Luna, even princess Celestia, all of you took that protection for granted while all they wanted was a bit of peace and each other."

"And I took it all away, just because I didn't want the responsibility. That kind of responsibility they got thrust onto them," Twilight hung her head, "Alright, Straw, you seem to have this figured out. Tell me what to do and I will do it."

"Ummm," Straw took a step back, "I mean, all I have is a theory, it might fail just like everything we've done until now, but I think we need to find Blaze. I don't have the slightest idea where, though, nor whom to ask."

Twilight shook her head.

"I don't even know what happened after I passed out during the attack, aside from Blaze disappearing. Try asking princess Luna, she's been watching Blaze ever since he came to Canterlot. Perhaps she knows something."

"Good! Connie, you coming?" Straw looked at the unicorn examining in confusion Twilight's scientific mess everywhere around.

"I'm not too keen on waking the princess AGAIN. She wasn't happy when I reported to her after getting tentacled."

Twilight blushed for some reason.

"T-tentacled? Did something escape my lab last- nevermind. What happened?"

"Blinding Light found out about us spying on him and tried to stop it," Connie rubbed her bruised spots... all over her, "Without Straw I'd be-"

"-I'd be-"

"Dead?" the hippogriff tried to help. As always, very directly.

"-strawberry jam."

And then the entire existence was deemed pointless by all three gods who united in their decision to destroy it in that single instant.

Twilight and Straw GLARED at Connie.

Can we kill her now? Pleasepleasepleaseplease!

ONCE! Just this once, I am leaning towards yes.

"What?" she asked innocently.

Their stares kept burning metaphorical holes in her.

"Fine," Connie rolled her eyes, "I thought you'd have heard worse already."

"I get your point, though, your very painfully delivered point," Straw made a mental note to visit a psychiatrist for some pills which would help him repress the past minute, "I guess we can wait until the evening."

"It will take me time to do the infusion anyway," Twilight chipped in, "I have no distinct divine abilities, so I'm going to have to prepare a way to transfer the power... if I even have any."

"Of course you do, your Highness," Straw bowed, "I'll be back in the evening if princess Luna gives me a clue. Connie?"

"Yeah?"

"I guess we're done for now. Thanks for coming with me. If you didn't agree to whatever Magnus wanted then I might have been still going in blind now."

"Oh," Contradiction waved her hoof and pushed Straw out of the lab, "Thanks for your help, princess!" she said before the door shut behind them, "He just wanted a kiss, that's all. I think he gets all weird around mares for some reason, probably because he's spending far too much time locked in his tower doing research. I guess our newest princess might suffer from similar condition later. We just talked and then I kissed him. That's all."

"Oh..."

"Don't get me wrong, I offered more for his direct help. I don't think he was expecting that, so he just laughed it off and mumbled something about him being too used to summoning succubi and stuff, and that I wouldn't be worth it. I highly doubt that, he's just shy beyond help. The personality can't be too helpful either."

"He seemed a bit strange."

"Strange or not, he did help in the end for basically free, so it's fine."

"Perhaps the kiss meant a lot to him."

Connie raised her eyebrows and her mouth twitched.

"Maybe. Hey, Straw..."

"Yes?"

"Got any plans for today?"

"Not really, I was expecting the trip to last longer. I think I'll visit a fair or something later. It seemed to help last time."

"Help with what?"

"It's getting harder and harder to keep Nightmare sitting still inside me. It got really bad during the past two days, and princess Luna told me to do what I enjoy. I went to the town with Leo yesterday to see the hustle. It was really cool, there were-"

Connie smiled as she followed Straw lost in his little world of strange costumes, tasty treats from various parts of Equestria, and ponies playing at stands providing games for the visitors.

"You really like seeing something new, don't you?"

"Of course! Most of my life I've been stuck in a tiny town at the edge of a forest. I've never even dared to hope I'd see Manehattan or Canterlot. To think there's even more!"

"How are you with movies?"

"Never seen one yet."

"Wanna go to the cinema? My treat."

"Sure. Will we be back here in time?"

"The movies usually last two hours at most. We have plenty of time. I've got one both of us might enjoy in mind. It takes place in the Holy City of griffons, the capital city of the Griffon Empire. It gets invaded by some fish creatures-"

"Isn't the city in the mainland?"

"You need to let your imagination take over for this one a little, yeah. Still, they DID film it in the city itself."

"Woooow, the biggest city in the world."

"And the most badass griffon in the world shooting a bunch of monsters."

"You really like griffons, don't you?"

Once again, there was only pure interest in Straw's voice, and Connie realized they had never 'just chatted' before. She grinned, teasing the innocent hippogriff was going to be fun.

"You know, they are so big and strong. Just the idea that one would break into my room just to find me helpless, couldn't find any valuables to speak of, and wanted me to pay in an another way..."

Straw stared firmly forward, ears burning, trying to stop the gears of his imagination...

...and failing, failing, and failing.

"Say," Connie suddenly shifted her gears, "You're part griffon, right?"

He turned to her, just to look into half-lidded eyes and panting mouth.

"Eeeep..."

"YOU'RE TOO EASY!" she burst out laughing, "Come on, let's go see a movie."

"..."

"As friends," she added.

Straw breathed out.

"With benefits," Connie gave him a playful wink, only to recieve a blank stare.

"What, healthcare and dental?"

"EXACTLY! Now let me tell you a story about the birds and the bees."

With probably the weirdest possible conversation topic between casual friends, they enjoyed a fairly mediocre movie far more than they should.

When the sun set and darkness enforced its rule over the land, Straw and Connie met once again, this time in front of princess Luna's door. They had taken several hours off, and now they were as ready for a possible long night as they could be.

"AAAH!"

As it turned out, princess Luna wasn't ready for them right after waking up.

"Sorry, your Highness," both of them bowed.

The visibly unsettled princess looked at Straw obviously dying to say something.

"What is it?"

"Do you know where Blaze might be right now?"

"No, why?"

"Damn!" Straw punched the floor, "I strongly believe we need to find him if we want sir Cromach back."

"Running out of alicorns to ask for power?" Luna scowled at the memory of her lying defeated on the floor, drained of all her strength.

"Your Highness, there is only one reason Cromach's soul hangs on and that is Blaze. If their meeting doesn't work then nothing will."

"I understand what you mean, however, I don't know why you are asking me."

"Princess Twilight said you have been watching Blaze since he came to Canterlot. Honestly, I don't even know what happened when he disappeared. Well, don't understand, really."

"I am not exactly sure either, Straw Basket," Luna shook her head, "When Blaze turned into an ice sculpture and melted, it felt like divine power leaving this world without the use of magic."

"I thought fire was his... special effect or something."

"I prefer the term 'manifestation'. The gold and pink fire you are referring to is Blaze's brighter side, the manifestation of Hope. Normally, alicorns can only hold powers which are complementary to each other. Blaze, however, due to being turned to alicorn in a very unusual way, one could say by accident, holds an another power directly contrasting to Hope which manifests like-"

"Black ice?" Straw hazarded a guess.

"Exactly. The dichotomy should have destroyed him, but he seems to be able to use both powers with the help of an entity called Mistake, a fragment of his mind which broke away under the immense mental pressure Blaze had gone through."

"Where is this going?" Connie asked, "I don't mean to be rude, but despite this being a fascinating topic we are in a bit of a hurry."

"I needed you to understand how manifested power looks like, miss Contradiction," Luna looked at her coldly, "in order for you to be able to grasp what happened. At least what I think happened. Now, alicorns can teleport without using magic by simply transferring their divine power between two points and reforming themselves. It is, of course, much more draining than simple teleportation, but requires no knowledge or preparation, and as such it is preferred by alicorns posessing great divine power which hampers their magic. For example, if my sister wanted to do that then she would disappear with a bright ray of sunlight. Blaze, being too young and inexperienced to control himself when struck with such tragedy, must have teleported somewhere... someplace which his unconscious would want him to go."

"Umm..." Straw might as well be trying to assemble a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle of clear sky.

"He couldn't keep his head clear, so his instinct sent him somewhere he could hide like a terrified foal."

"That doesn't help much, your Highness."

"It does," Connie stepped in, "Perhaps we could find some clues to where he might be in his room in the Order mansion."

Luna smiled.

"I was getting to that. I have a better proposition, though. Blaze has lived at the Order for only about a year. Before that, he lived here in Canterlot. First on his own, then with Cromach. I suggest you look in their apartment before rushing off to Manehattan."

"Where did they live?"

Neither Straw nor Connie were in the mood to ponder why the princess knew the address by heart, they just rushed off to a very shady part of the shining city.

The place they were looking for was a simple, cheap apartment complex. Anypony could enter and leave the main building, but the apartments themselves had very sturdy doors. The landlord, a chubby unicorn annoyed at the duo bothering him mid-dinner, presented them with a spare set of keys when faced with the Royal Guard badge and the Silver Sun insignia. Presumably, he had no clue what the latter was, but it was shiny and official-looking.

Few sets of stairs later, Connie and Straw entered a spartan, but functional, apartment. Turning the single ceiling light on bathed the main room in bright white glow. A single bed, a table after some recent home repairs, and several other pieces of furniture serving as a makeshift kitchen, all that in a single room, everything clean and well maintained. Still, even Straw, growing up in an orphanage, had some standards about personal belongings.

"Didn't know Royal Guards got paid THAT badly," Connie shoved her head into both smaller doors leading out of the room. One led to a bathroom and one to a small closet filled with spare blankets and household supplies.

"We don't," Straw wondered, "I could afford this place on a recruit pay, I think. If Blaze and Cromach really lived here together while they both were in the guard then it had to be for some other reason. Would you live in a place like this, Connie? I mean with, let's say, Walter."

She gave the room a once over, again.

"Yeah. I'm not really into... having stuff. If I had somepony I liked and not much money then I probably wouldn't mind staying here. To be completely honest, I used to spend summers sleeping in a dumpster so I could save some bits to afford living at somepony's house through the really bad weather. Most of the time I had to pay in more than bits, but it was still better than freezing to death, and they weren't always too abusive."

"Sorry for bringing it up."

"Hey, it still beats living with the asshat nobles I was born to," she shrugged it off, "So, found anything that could give us a clue?"

"I don't even know where to start. The whole place seems completely normal. Perhaps sir Cromach really didn't keep anything important here."

"Why don't you ask him?" Connie nodded towards his saddlebag.

"Clutching at... straws?" the hippogriff opened his bag, and the spectral griffon flew out.

"Stars above, I summon thee to smite this heathen and put a stop to his evil ways," Connie chuckled.

The griffon wisp flew around, sat down her and there, took back in the air, and generally explored the apartment. After its movements calmed down, it stayed hovering in front of the only window. It overlooked a dark alley and the side of Canterlot mountain. Aside from an earthpony smoking a cigarette down there, nothing looked out of place. Straw realized the wisp wasn't looking out of the window, but rather AT it.

Glass, wooden pane, a metal bar above it where the curtain was hanging.

An unusual, thick curtain.

Connie examined its mysterious workings.

"Who would keep a rug instead of a curtain? Geez, this thing looks pretty used."

It did. In contrast to all other pieces of furniture which might have looked banged up, but were repaired and taken care of, the stomped rug felt out of place.

"Perhaps it has sentimental value?" Straw took a guess, "The wisp seems to like it or something."

The tiny griffon touched the drawn 'curtain'...

...and disappeared.

"HEY!" Straw stared at the dirty cloth.

"Ooooh," Connie touched it with her horn. The rug rippled and sparkled, "Straw, do you trust me?"

"Yes?"

"Then jump straight through it. Don't think or hesitate."

Taking a slow, steady breath and with eyes darting from Connie to the window, Straw gathered all courage and hope, and jumped.

Connie watched him disappear into the rug.

"Hey, it DID work," she followed, leaving the apartment empty.

Straw was getting used to teleportation, and this definitely felt like one. Not like a clean one caused by Scream, or Twilight's bumpy ride, but as if he'd just left a thin pipe not wanting to let him through and failing in the end.

"Good guess, Connie. How did you know that would work for real ponies?" he asked when the mare appeared in a flash next to him.

"I didn't," she coughed, and smiled innocently, "But you've got wings. In the worst case you just jump through the window, get cut a little by broken glass, spread your wings and fly back. If I go in first and I'm wrong - tomato juice aaaaaall over the street."

Straw's eye twitched. Connie quickly continued.

"But hey, it turned out fine, didn't it?"

Never before had Straw wanted to just pick a piece of rubble and bash somepony over the head...

...wait, piece of rubble?

Somehow, he knew the ruins of tall skyscrapers, malls, and long promenades were Manehattan.  Broken slabs of concrete littered the wide highways, the shop windows were a broken mess all over the streets, and overturned carriages usually dragged by ponies lay motionlessly side by side with garbage cans.

"Why did it bring us here? What happened? Did the Vigil cause this? Wait, there was nothing in the newspapers."

"Yeah," Connie stopped Straw's rant by putting a hoof on his back, "This isn't real. It's a pocket dimension just like Zephyr's diner. No clue why it looks like Manehattan, or why it seens to have eaten a punch from an unholy spawn of an earthquake, a hurricane, and a tsunami."

"The reflection of a mind belonging to a mentally unstable alicorn who grew up in Manehattan?" a different voice chuckled, making the duo jump, "I wonder what it could look like..."

"Mistake?" Connie's eyes went wide at the sight of the black, blue-maned unicorn, "What are you doing here? I was expecting Blaze to greet us with fire and brimstone."

"He probably would do so, so consider yourself lucky I noticed the two of you first," Mistake's pink eyes were calm, although tired, "Why are you here then? I doubt you are as suicidal as him, and an apology is, sadly, really not going to help."

"We..." Straw looked around, "Where is it?"

As if called, the blue griffon landed on his head.

"What is this?" Mistake's brows furrowed, then he shook his head, "I appreciate the sentiment, but a magic shadow like Cromach gave to Connie is not going to cut it."

"No no no," Straw waved his talons, "This is the real thing. I mean, sort of. This is sir Cromach's soul reinforced with divine power. Void said there was a chance to bring him back if we pour enough power into him and his wish to come back is really strong. We've already visited all the other alicorns princess Twilight knows of and they helped."

"So you came here to get Blaze's power as well, right?"

"No, we came here to remind Cromach's soul why it doesn't want to pass away. If that fails, though, Blaze's power as well."

Mistake sighed.

"Alright, I will take you to him if you really want. The thing is... if he wants you dead then I won't be able to stop him. Are you sure about this?"

Straw looked around at the destroyed city, the representation of a broken mind, and then back at the black unicorn with conviction. His next words weren't aimed at Mistake, though.

"Connie, I-"

"Oh shut it!" she rolled her eyes, "If I was too set on staying alive do you think I would have tried to cut Blinding Light into pieces instead of crapping myself and running away after what he did to Walt? If worst comes to worst I might buy you some time to get out of here."

"Come on, you can't think like-"

"I said to shut it, Straw," Connie put a hoof on his muzzle, "You are important. Not because a god is sitting inside you, but because you bring ponies together. That's a leader's job, not thinking of good plans and strategy. Anypony smart can think of a good tactic which can work in a dangerous situation, but a leader can inspire ponies not to run away mid-plan or to break down."

"Come on, Connie," Straw blushed, shifting nervously.

"Not to mention, I'm still your boss, so you're going to do what I say or I'll kick your rump back to whatever backwater village you came from."

"Wild-"

"Bastion, I know!" Connie stopped, glaring at him from just an inch away.

"Sorry, Contradiction, ma'am!" Straw saluted, smiling and trying to stop his eyes from watering. Sniffing a little, he turned back to patiently waiting Mistake, " Lead us to Blaze, please."

"I've got to admire your balls," Mistake nodded, and led them through Manehattan, "It's not far. This looks like a city, but in fact there are only several places which truly 'exist'. Blaze isn't strong enough to maintain a full dimension, so his mind creates this place as needed."

Indeed, in just few minutes of them walking through the shattered city they entered a clearing free of rubble. A small circular  plaza surrounded by lush lawns with what looked like a tent and a fire pit in the middle of it. An ice sculpture of Blaze, blue and black, sat in front of the dying fire.

"What is this?" Straw wanted to touch the statue, but the frost was too biting when he got closer.

"He locked himself in a dream, reliving parts of his life when he was happy. He wants to stay like that until his divine power fades away and so does he," Mistake ran his hoof over the ice, unbothered by the cold, "To be honest, knowing him as much as I do, I sympathize."

"Then why are you helping us? If we fail here then he'll have to watch sir Cromach fade away without being able to do anything about it."

Mistake gulped.

"I didn't think of that. Still, I don't believe remaining here is the way forward," he pressed his muzzle against the statue's neck, "Wake up, buddy."

Both Straw and Connie had to try extremely hard to prevent themselves from trembling as the ice statue's black surface shattered, revealing bronze fur underneath. Both of them were fully aware of the futility of their effort.

Blaze stood up like a pony waking from deep sleep. In here, he looked different, more... alicorn-y. His coat was shiny and without any spots of lost fur or scars, his mane shifted between blonde and silver, and his wings were real, covered in his pink flames. Blaze wasn't lazily powerful like a cat toying with a mouse just like Scream felt, not somepony you could call a friend on a whim, just hiding his immense inner strength like Zephyr. Straw didn't even feel awe and an aura of caring like he felt from the royal sisters. This was like meeting Void all over again, only...

...only the alicorn of Death wasn't growing more and more furious with each passing second.

"Nightmare..." Blaze hissed, "So you've come to take the last thing I have left, my memories."

"No, sir, we-" Straw took several steps back.

Blaze's legs were enveloped in his flames, burning talons forming on the front ones.

"Mistake, why are you helping them?"

The black unicorn said surprisingly sternly:

"Pull your head out of your rump and at least listen to them! You know I don't agree with this being the right choice."

"What. Do. You. Want..." Blaze growled, fangs bared and walking towards Straw with head hung low like a predator on a hunt.

"Sir, I- we- we bring this," he looked around, "Where did the wisp go again?"

As if answering a call, the tiny blue griffon circled around the burning alicorn and landed on his nose. Blaze's flames weakened, filling the wisp and adding yellow undertones to its blue. Crossing his eyes, Blaze focused on the thing sitting on his muzzle.

"What?" he shook his head, but the wisp's miniscule talons refused to let go.

"That is, we think, sir Cromach's soul. Void said if we got enough alicorns to help and give a bit of their power to him, then he might reform his body or something. I thought that if he saw the reason why he doesn't want to die completely it would give him the strength to come back. That, and you being the only alicorn left that we know about."

Blaze stopped, took the griffon into his fiery talons, pondered for a moment, and then asked, lips trembling:

"So... if this fails... all I get to see is him... leaving me again..."

"Blaze!" Mistake barked.

Shaking his head distractedly, Blaze didn't even look up from the wisp. He whispered:

"Whoever or whatever might be listening, I know I'm not a good pony, a good friend, or a good leader, but if all I've done in my life can amount to one selfish wish... please... just please... make this work."

His wings flared, a purple and gold firestorm swirled around him, and finally died out, taking away the flames surrounding Blaze's wings and legs.

"No..." Straw fell on his rump.

The wisp was still just sitting there, staring at Blaze who looked completely and utterly crushed.

"Wait," Mistake grit his teeth, "I think it's time for me to do my part."

"I can't lose you as well..." Blaze whimpered.

"You're not losing me, I'm still the part of your head who has to kick you when you do dumb stuff. The divine power forming the body I use in the real world, on the other hoof, is a different story."

Mistake simply closed his eyes, the black in his coat drained to off-grey, and a small shower of inky dust got sucked into the wisp without any visible effect.

"Whoa!" Mistake shook his head, "Feels weird being a thought again, light," he blinked, "Crap, still not enough power?"

"Perhaps... perhaps he doesn't want to return to me," Blaze muttered bitterly, "After all, I wasn't the best partn-"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Straw yelled, "We just don't have enough power or something. There is no way sir Cromach wouldn't want to come back to you. He lived for you! Every time I talked to him the only thing keeping him from not packing his bags and running away from all the responsibility and weird mutants trying to eat him and us were YOU!"

Straw looked around in panic. There was no way it could end like this.

Oh it will.

Nightmare!

I told you you were just torturing the poor soul. I told you this was impossible.

Straw froze, his brain working overtime.

Nightmare...

Yes, yes, that is what you ponies call me.

And then he decided to flip a metaphorical coin, knowing that if he failed then nopony would come back from here alive.

No, no, NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONTROL! HOW? HOW DARE YOU!

What he saw before his vision blurred to the point of blindness and his legs gave out was a black bolt of lightning coming from his chest, striking the wisp in front of Blaze, and...

...blowing it up with a shockwave which scattered everypony around.

Something levitated him up.

"Heh, toying with powers far beyond your understanding. Thinking above your station, slave. Most importantly, how dare you TOUCH me, FORCE ME!"

Vision still swimming, he could make out the details of a towering creature holding him in its telekinetic grip. It was pony shaped, but that ws about it. Its surface was a shimmering purple vision of stars, galaxies, and nebulae, its eyes just white holes, and, the feature currently bothering Straw's exhausted mind the most, its mouth open in a wide, toothy grin.

"Nightmare," Straw mumbled, unable to put any fight against its grasp.

"I must thank you for bringing me into a place where the shape of a mind can take real... well, shape. However, you were being far too pushy these past few days, and thus I have decided your free will is no longer needed. I will just have to do with your body."

The darkness symbolizing the use of Nightmare's power tightened around Straw.

"I doubt anypony here will mind," Nightmare smiled victoriously at Blaze catatonically staring at his painfully griffon-less hoof, "I wasn't even expecting you to be able to completely break the one I myself had trouble with. Good job, and goodbye."

Straw knew he failed, and the darkness squeezed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" a scream rang through the ruins of Manehattan. To Straw's shock, it wasn't his. To Straw's even greater shock, he wasn't just a paste of flesh and blood...

...yet.

Connie's nose was bleeding as she strained all of her overbearing telekinetic force against the god's. She didn't know how long she could protect Straw from being crushed. She didn't know the long hours of her forcing all she had inside her against the overwhelming force were mere seconds for the others.

For her, it lasted eternity. An eternity of pain, of her magic muscles and veins tearing from the sheer volume of unfocused power inside her. An eternity of a single wish - not letting somepony worth it die. That was what connected the members of Hoof of Fate. Leo, Straw, Fortune, and her. Neither of them, no matter how messed up they were in the head, no matter how well they hid it behind the nihilism, selfishness, and pride, could stand to see an innocent pony get hurt.

After years and years of holding her own against the god, she was completely empty.

She blinked.

"That was an impressive two seconds," Nightmare hadn't stopped smiling, "I just might take you next."

No matter how much she tried, no amount of power came from her anymore, and Straw was left unprotected. All she could do was stand, barely, and watch.

"I'm sorry, sir," Straw whispered, air pushed out of his lungs by the god's pressure, "Sorry I wasn't good... enough."

Blaze sighed.

Straw closed his eyes.

"You have no idea how many times I have said that to myself. Crom wanted to give you a chance for a life when I just wanted to destroy you along with the god when I still could. If I let you die... I'm gonna have to say the same thing to him when we meet one day after Void's final judgement."

A deafening roar of agony woke Straw back up. He could see only red, blinking over and over. Warmth slowly spread through his limbs, and when his head stopped spinning from lack of air he saw Nightmare recoiling from him and the darkness around burning away in pink flames. Strength rapidly returning, he landed safely on the cobblestones.

"Well, well, well, perhaps you've learned something, alicorn, but it is not enough. My slave here has given me enough time to recuperate and squash both of you like the gnats you are!"

An eagle's cry pierced the skies.

The clouds above them boiled.

Lightning struck Nightmare straight in the back.

The god screamed.

"Anypony ever told you you love to hear yourself talk too much?"

The voice stunned Straw, making the corners of his mouth crawl up. Connie sniffed and rubbed her rapidly watering eyes. Mistake just smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

And Blaze... Blaze simply gave Nightmare a deadly, bloodthirsty stare, knowing there would be enough time to talk later.

In the middle of a lightning-scorched spot on Nightmare's back, there stood a smoldering white griffon rearing on his hind legs and holding a two-handed battleaxe above his head.

"My name is C-1000. Come with me if you want to live!" Cromach grinned, and swung.