The Broken Toy

Victor entered the dark apartment and felt the warmth of affection spilling into his chest. Poor Lyra, she probably hadn't waited and had gone to bed, exhausted after a day of fun. What else would she do but have fun? Maybe I should buy her a communicator. Right tomorrow. Actually, I should have done it first.

Well, the family reunion dragged on. Grandpa's decision to retire came as a surprise to everyone. I wonder who will take care of the business...?

After tidying up, Vic decided to check on the little pony and cautiously peeked into the living room. The couch was empty and it didn't look like anyone was lying on it today. Walking around the apartment, Victor didn't find Lyra in the bedroom or anywhere else.

Still hanging out, I guess, the man thought fondly of the unicorn and sat down at the terminal.

The Solaire was usually closed for the night. Only Princess Celestia, who legally belonged to no one, stayed in the club, and most likely Serge Troyanovsky, who often slept with his ponies in the common bronies’ house.

The hoop of the neurointerface came down on his head, and Vic felt the world explode in a riot of colors and images.

Cyberspace entered human life after the Internet, becoming the next stage of immersion in virtuality. Dreams became more real, information more available.

But, as usual, when the novelty got tiresome, people stopped being surprised by computer miracles.

Waving away the annoying banners, Vic's avatar flew over the virtual Gigapolis. Finally he descended into the building of the Solaire's cybersite.

The main chat room was nearly empty. A few avatars were talking quietly in private, but Vic caught everyone's attention with a marker.

Vic: Hey guys, let Lyra go home, it's past bedtime.

The answer came a while later.

Zelda: Vic, your pony didn't show up today. Did something happen?

Vic: Uh, no... she probably went to Galaxy Plaza and got carried away. Thanks, Zelda. Say hi to everyone tomorrow.

Suddenly, another member entered the chat room. Vic even averted his gaze, for the new avatar shone so brightly with pure white light. No nickname was needed to tell who it was.

Solar Pony: Victor, keep us informed, will you?

Vic: Yes, Your Highness.

Cyberspace shattered into a million pieces like a world made of fragile glass.

Back in reality, the man opened the safe and took out the remote control. Touching the power sensor, Victor felt his heart pound alarmingly in his chest.

Red light. No chip signal...

For a while he stared silently at the remote's screen. It was as if a tornado had ripped through his head, sweeping away all thoughts. What should I do? How do I find Lyra? Call the police?

The thefts of synthets weren't that uncommon. Especially in Gray City, where a four-digit sum seemed astronomical to most people. The problem was always to reset the ID chip. But with the equipment, nothing was impossible, and Victor sincerely hoped that Lyra hadn't poked her curious nose outside of White City. Or at least outside the safe, quiet district where the Solaire was located.

Claws of fear for the defenseless pony, who could easily fall into the clutches of slave traders, gripped his throat.

Calm down, Vic thought, just calm down...

The police accepted his application, but advised him not to get his hopes up. Yes, the mint-green synthet pony would be put on the wanted list, but by the time the investigation was underway, the criminals would have time to repaint her and sell with a reflashed chip somewhere in the depths of the Gray City.

Maybe I should fly around the district in a hovercar and try to find the unicorn with my eyes? But it's night, I won't be able to see anything... However, I think I know someone who wouldn't be indifferent to others' misfortunes...

* * *

A few hours later, two hovercars landed near the Solaire with a slight time difference. One was Victor's silver Lightning, the other was some designer model, stylized like an old city car almost to the last detail. Only instead of wheels, the cones of the antigravs gleamed in a matte glow.

At night, the club's holograms did not light up. The rich decorations and the tower with the fire on top of it disappeared. Without the veil of illusion, the club still looked unusual, but already not like a magical mirage from a fairy tale.

“How symbolic," said Steven Aguilar as he got out of his car.

He slammed the door and walked over to Victor, who was shuffling impatiently from foot to foot.

Not long ago, Vic had called Steven and confusedly told him that Lyra Heartstrings was lost and that the console was flashing red. Without letting the sleepy Steve get a word in edgewise, Vic set up a meeting at the Solaire Club, where the bronies would probably understand and help. Then, without waiting for an answer, he cut off the connection.

Needless to say that a few minutes later, Steven was already in the cabin of his hovercar, on his way to a place that was, to put it mildly, not his favorite.

Vic's handshake was nervous.

“Tell me about this," Steven ordered, "and let's go inside, since we're here.”

Victor was about to speak when Steve's car door slammed again and hooves clattered on the pavement.

With Steven came two ponies. And Vic had seen both of them before. The black Thunderlane and the silver Snowdrop. The pegasus was frowning and nervously rubbing the hilt of his sword with his hoof. I still don't know what he'll draw and hold it with if anything happens, the man thought.

Snowdrop, meanwhile, unmistakably looked straight at him.

“Hi, Vic.”

“Hello, I...”

“We know. Lyra's lost. We're going to help, too.”

They walked through the welcoming doors of the club. Victor had noticed when he'd arrived that the lights were still on in some of the rooms, including the Princess's chambers.

“I'm not sure coming here for help was a good idea, Victor," Steven said suddenly.

Their footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.

“Why?” asked Vic. “This is the place where the bronies gather, isn't it?”

“Yes, Vic, they gather..." Aguilar replied, but as if he meant something completely different.

The main hall wasn't too crowded. No one liked to stay out late, except Serge Troyanovsky. But he hardly slept at all, having modified his body at some point.

Nevertheless, tonight a large number of ponies and humans were up late playing some kind of game.

When Steven and Victor entered, everyone turned in their direction. A panoramic map was unfolding on a huge holoscreen. Apparently, they were playing some timeless step-by-step strategy game by the Sid Meier Company. Victor, however, found such games a little boring.

Now the screen showed a city of white stone, with some primitive infantry under purple banners marching up to it in regular columns. "New Canterlot," read the sign above the city. The control terminal was now at the side of Twilight Sparkle in a blue dress. With a stylus floating in a purple glow, she deftly poked at the control sensors, and the armies closed in on the city.

Victor knew this Twilight. She lived with Serge Troyanovsky and was a genius at all kinds of mind games.

Judging by some man's nervous fidgeting, this "New Canterlot" was obviously his and had little chance of survival.

“Hi, Vic," came several voices at once. “Hi, Steven... You haven't been around lately.”

“Guys," Victor said in a helpless voice. “Help, please... Lyra is missing. There's a red light on the remote.”

“Wow!” Zelda Miras jumped up and her Rainbow took off excitedly, hovering in the air. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“I was at a family meeting and she was out having fun in the city. I told her to go to Galaxy Plaza, but according to their security report, she didn't go there either... I don't know what to do! It seems she was stolen and her mark was overridden...”

The game was immediately halted.

“Holy crap," said Shannon McStout, "how did this happen?”

“I bet the Pony Play scumbags did it," said an unfamiliar chubby guy in a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.

“And that's because you shouldn't have groped the pony," said Alan Little, a well-known Solaire's moralist, suddenly and coldly.

Vic stared at him dumbfounded. But instead of indignation, there were quiet but approving remarks among the bronies.

“First they get loose and then they're surprised when the ponies run away...”

“Damn cloppers...”

“You knew the software was glitchy, what else did you expect?" someone said in an indifferent tone. "Are we playing or what?”

Vic looked helplessly at Steven, who remained standing a little farther away, looking Olympian calm. Thunderlane and Snowdrop went to talk to the other ponies. Stewart noticed that the black pegasus was talking to Rarity, who was dressed in an elegant blue gown.

Soon she was clomping her shoe-shod hooves toward the door that led to the stairs to the second floor, hurried but with the dignity of a lady.

Shannon McStout put a hand on Vic's shoulder.

“You can't find the synthet without the mark," he said. “If she was stolen, her chip should have been reflashed right away. Check the Net, there may be an ad for Lyra Heartstrings for sale soon.”

“Eeyup," said Big Macintosh, chewing on a candy straw instead of a real one.

“You filed a police report?” questions were heard. “Posted a missing person's notice?”

“Hey, Vic's here for help!” Zelda was outraged. “Stop giving him excuses!”

Rainbow Dash Miras was not left out either, but she was not addressing the humans.

“Hey, ponies, why don't you say anything? Rar, tell them... where is she, by the way?”

Most of the ponies remained silent, hiding their eyes.

“The chances of finding a single pony in a city like Gigapolis are a tiny fraction of a percent,” said Twilight Sparkle Troyanovsky. “Even if we all started looking right now.”

“Steven, you've always found your ponies!” another Rainbow Dash suddenly exclaimed. Apparently, she was Forman, judging by her colorful pigtails and denim suit that matched her fur.

Steven smiled and shook his head.

“I've never looked for them on purpose," he replied. “Just look around and don't pass by others' sorrow, and you won't have to look for anyone. Especially in Gigapolis.”

“Aren't we going to help?” asked a bright yellow pony with an orange mane, whose name Vic did not know. The girl she was talking to had taken the story of the disappearance rather coolly.

“Hush, Carrot," she said in a low voice, stroking the pony's mane. “You see, the pony ran away from the man who had abused her, and then he came here to ask us to help him find her.”

Victor felt like he'd been doused in cold slop. Not that he'd actually imagined what it felt like, but the sensation evoked just such associations.

He even took a step back, feeling so dirty all of a sudden. Just like... yeah, just like at the family meeting.

“So this is the friendship you're so proud of?!” he exclaimed, looking around at the humans and ponies in amazement.

“It's not for a clopper to judge us," Alan interjected again. "You should have gone to the Pony Play with that attitude.”

Victor looked around again. He hadn't expected such a welcome, where the magic of friendship seemed to reign. There was an "I told you so" look on Steven's face, but he himself remained as calm as his pony. Although Thunderlane did have a frown.

“Shame on you, friends," came a soft voice. "It looks like you want to get rid of Victor so he can search for Lyra alone.”

Accompanied by Rarity, Princess Celestia entered the hall. Everyone present bowed slightly, immediately turning to face the alicorn. Vic noticed that some of the ponies sighed with relief.

“Your Highness, I understand," he said, "everyone has their own problems, I shouldn't have come here.”

“No," the solar pony said firmly, glancing around again. "You cannot do that. This is not the magic of friendship. We have to do everything we can to help Vic. He has just made friends with Lyra, joined our family, and we are turning our backs on him at a time like this? Friendship in joy is not magic. The true test of friendship is in sorrows and trials. And only then do miracles happen.”

The hall fell into a shameful silence.

Finally, Zelda stepped forward.

“Vic, I'll ask my friend from the sports club for help. She's a taxi driver and knows Gigapolis like no one else. She's been all over the Gray City. She'll be at the Solaire tomorrow morning... if she agrees, of course.”

“This is much better, Zelda, thank you," the Princess replied, tilting her head slightly.

Victor felt himself blush under the gaze of the lavender eyes.

“Thank you," he said. “It really does mean a lot to me.”

“You're welcome," Zelda said and looked back at Rainbow, "but that's what friends are for, isn't it?”

Victor glanced around the room. The bronies were careful not to meet his or Princess Celestia's eyes.

“Excuse me, Your Highness," Alan spoke up again, "but we think it's Victor's fault that Lyra ran away from him.”

“She didn't run away! Your Highness, I—”

The alicorn closed her eyes for a moment.

“Alan, you are behaving unworthily," she said. “Lyra may be in real trouble, and you are just making Victor the guilty one? Have you reached a verdict?”

But the champion of morality did not relent.

“Your Highness, ponies never run away unless they have a reason to. And it's always a human's fault. You know, when something happens between a pony and a human, it's always—” he turned to the stunned man, "you hear, Victor, it's always the initiative and invention of the latter. Even if the pony feels sincere feelings in return. Ponies have private lives, don't doubt it. But I, you, or any other human being is not a part of it.”

“When a small target is brought too close to the eye," Steven said in a low voice, "it obscures the world, and one forgets that in the defense of the good, it's not the defense that matters, but the good.”

He said it so quietly that Vic barely heard him. The others either didn't pay attention or didn't hear at all. Only a few colored ears twitched warily.

“I expect you to be at your best, my friends," Princess Celestia said in a stern voice, "and since tomorrow will be a busy day, I'm going to ask everyone to break up for tonight.”

“What time is it?” Twilight suddenly called out in concern.

All eyes immediately turned to the watches or communicators. Quiet, joking curses and laughter could be heard.

“I've missed the last maglev," someone said with a smile. “Serge, can I take a nap in the hall?”

“No problem," the chairman replied, "but it would be better here. Or maybe someone will take you. Guys?”

“I'll drop off the tardies," Zelda Miras spoke up. “I have a hovercar.” She winked at Victor but turned to her pony, "Dee, can you fly your own way?”

“Huh, we'll see who gets home first!” the rainbow-haired pegasus said.

Vic grinned to himself. The Rainbow Dash synthet model was indeed the fastest of all the ponies, though of course she couldn't compete with a hovercar — but only when it was in a speed mode forbidden over the city. So at normal altitudes, Zelda stood a good chance of being left behind by the fast and incredibly maneuverable pegasus.

Everybody made a fuss. They saved the game and started picking up things scattered here and there.

Celestia was the calmest of all.

“Tomorrow I expect everyone who is willing to help Victor," she said sternly, turning back to her chambers, "first thing in the morning. Please don't be late.”

“Your Highness," Victor called, and the alicorn looked at him questioningly. “Thank you.”

The solar pony made no reply. She nodded and strode back to her room, her dress rustling and her golden slippers treading softly on the carpet. How she managed to make so little noise was a true mystery.

“Let's go," Steven said, putting a hand on Vic's shoulder. “You also need to get your strength up before tomorrow.”

By the time they left the club, its lights were already out.

“We've ruined the whole game." Victor forced a smile.

He felt lousy. Somehow it seemed that he and Steven would arrive at an empty club tomorrow. Considering the way the bronies had dealt with his misfortune, it would be naive to expect help.

Well, people never change anywhere. Even if they say otherwise.

“I hate this place," Steven said, as if he had read Vic's thoughts. “People here talk about mutual aid and support and the magic of friendship, but less than half of them actually believe in it. I only come here for the ponies — they sometimes want to interact with others in person.”

“I'm sorry I dragged you out of bed late at night," Victor sighed, "I was hoping to find support here... I didn't realize I'd need Celestia's help for this.”

“Thunderlane and I will look for Lyra from the air," Snowdrop said, "and Rainbow will help us, won't she?”

“Just be careful," Victor said.

“Took that right out of my mouth," Steven smiled, swinging the door of the hovercar open for Snowdrop and Thunderlane. “Don't worry. I'll send the pegasi to patrol the skies and Twilight to the Cybernet. In case someone does post an ad about Lyra Heartstrings for sale. Or if she suddenly... shows up on a list somewhere...”

Victor shuddered inwardly at the horrible speculation about the fate of the kidnapped pony.

“Do you have Twilight Sparkle too?” he asked, not at all what he had in mind.

“She lives at my place," Steve corrected, "but she's not mine, nor are the others. You'd be surprised. But we'll talk about all that later.”

“We're all going to help," Snowdrop said firmly, with the directness of an inspired child, "whatever we can. Online or offline... if we see Lyra, we'll let you know.”

Victor sat down and held out a clenched fist. “Thank you, little one.”

Before he could think that the blind pegasus wouldn't see it, she touched her hoof to his knuckles.

“You're welcome. And I'm not little," Snowdrop pouted jokingly.

Steven looked at the pony and the tensed expression left his face. He smiled and reached out to pat the filly, but she giggled and dodged, running off to the car.

Vic glanced at the black pegasus and remembered something he'd wanted to ask for a long time.

“You promised to tell the story of Thunderlane," he said, "and I keep forgetting to remind you of it.”

“You really think it's the right time for that?” Steven raised his eyebrows in surprise. “When we find Lyra, I'll tell you. But I warn you, it's not a pleasant one.”

“I can tell him myself, Steve," said the black pegasus, who had heard everything perfectly well.

“I hope it's not too personal?” Victor suddenly caught himself and met Thunderlane’s yellow eyes.

“No, not too much," he replied. “To begin with, I was raised by a decent man. Very young, but with iron principles. We grew up together. And our favorite game was him playing the shogun, and me playing his loyal samurai. But we grew up, and what was a game gradually turned into something... more. Sven didn't want to accept the injustice of the world around him, but he didn't believe in the justice of the authorities and decided to go another way.”

“Another way?” Victor asked. “Does it have to do with the law?”

“Not at all. Sven chose the path of a masked vigilante. And I was his faithful assistant. His eyes and ears. A storm from heaven. There were no teenage gangs or drugs in the district where Samurai worked. Because everyone knew he would come and there would be no mercy.”

“I'm sorry, but that seems kind of... childish," Victor said. "You'd be found out in a heartbeat!”

“That's right,” the pegasus continued with a sigh. “It couldn't last long, and one day the thugs of one of the criminal bosses came to our home. As you can imagine, even a very brave teenager with a katana can't do much against blasters... And his parents, simple employees, can't do much either.”

Thunderlane fell silent, and Victor couldn't find it in himself to hurry him up. What had happened that day left no doubt.

“Before your question," the pegasus finally said, his voice taking on the hardness of steel, "I... chickened out and flew away. Looking back, I can still see the red flashes of lasers following me. I guess I was saved by the fact that I'm black. They never hit me in the night sky. I ran as far away as I could. As I wandered the streets, I despised and hated myself for abandoning my friend and mentor. I wanted to commit seppuku, if only to restore the honor of a samurai, but I couldn't find the courage. So I decided to jump off a skyscraper with my flight feathers clipped.”

“Don't tell," Victor asked, his heart bleeding at the look on Thunderlane's face, "you're in too much pain. I'm sorry I insisted...”

“I haven’t finished. So when I flew up some spire, I saw Fluttershy. And a man sharpening a huge knife.”

“He was going to kill her," Victor guessed.

“No," Thunderlane said, "he wanted to eat her.”

A short curse escaped Victor's lips. He had, of course, heard of the cruelty some humans inflicted on sentient synthets, including ponies. But, like everyone else, he often chose to ignore the fact that many humans took a perverse pleasure in cruelty and permissiveness.

“What kind of maniac would want to eat a pony?” he asked rhetorically.

“A human," Thunderlane replied calmly. “But he will not want anything else. Ever.”

Victor looked guiltily at Steven, but Aguilar seemed as calm as ever. But then Stewart had a sudden thought.

“Wait a minute," he said, "I've read that synthets can't raise a hand... or a hoof... on a human. It's one of those behavioral imperatives, like a robot program or something.”

Thunderlane made an uncertain gesture with his hoof.

“I can't explain it. When I saw the pleading look on the helpless Fluttershy's face and the drawn blade, I shattered the glassteel of the window with my hooves. And at the same time, it seemed to me that the clinking of the shards separated my past life from my present one. And I knew of no imperatives. My leg with the sword didn’t waver.”

“Everyone thought Trixie had a block too," Stephen said. “But it proved useless against the strong feeling.”

“If anyone finds out that synthets can overcome the block, the OBE will be in trouble," Victor said.

“Come on," Steve replied, "they'll just chalk it up to a program failure, that's all. They've already had a few lawsuits, especially in the early stages. They will release the synthet with a new version and claim that the problem is fixed. So you can buy it. And the old ones will be recycled under the next upgrade program. It's cheaper than just updating the behavioral software through the chip.”

“It's inhumane, even for a corporation.”

“Concepts like kindness, faith, hope... things that make us better than we are, do not apply to corporations. All they care about is profit. And profit doesn't mix well with forgiveness.”

Snowdrop's voice suddenly joined the conversation, as she had rolled down the hovercar window and could hear everything.

“I don't think you should divide people like that, Steve. Whoever wanted to eat Fluttershy wasn't wearing an expensive suit with a company logo on the lapel.”

“Yes, you're right," Steven said. “My apologies.”

Thunderlane closed his eyes. He recalled that moment. The frightened, pleading, hopeful look in those huge eyes. The helpless yellow body crucified on the table. And the crazed expression on the face of the skinny man who had just finished sharpening a primitive butcher's cleaver and took a step toward his future victim...

Then the pegasus shattered with a single blow the glassteel that was supposed to withstand a shot from a hand-held kinetic weapon. The sword, clutched beneath his hoof, swung from its sheath as if by itself and, before the man had a chance to realize it, cut short both the cleaver's deadly swing and the villain's life.

That was a quick death, the pegasus thought once again. He didn't deserve one like that.

Neither then nor now did Thunderlane feel any remorse. He'd seen a lot of things in the time he and Sven had been policing the district of Gray City. But to see something like this, and in the shining cleanliness of the Spires, was too much for him.

“I couldn't leave her there," the pegasus said slowly. “I've been responsible for the life I saved ever since. I carried her away after setting that bastard's apartment on fire. Then I met Steven. And now, after a while, my life has... made sense again. I think so.”

With these words, the pegasus climbed into the car, indicating that the conversation was over.

“And that's why I call him Ronin," Steve summarized.

Victor, shocked to the core by the samurai pegasus's revelations, remembered Steven's words. “Well... what's up with Trixie?”

Steven shook his head. “Enough stories for today. Try to get some sleep, Vic. We'll all have a busy day tomorrow.”

“So, good night then?”

“Good night.”

Steven shook Vic's hand and sat down at the wheel of the hovercar where the two ponies were waiting patiently.

Vic followed the flying machine with a glance and headed for his silver Lightning. Somehow he wanted to believe that the Princess was right, and miracles did happen...

* * *

“You see, not all people are bad," Lyra said.

“But most people are," Jerry, this time riding a mint unicorn, countered. "Though, admittedly, that Martha was a rare exception.”

The orange pony, munching on an apple, muttered with a full mouth, "Agfee!"

They had given Scootaloo all of their morning porridge, limiting themselves to apples. As Jerry put it, there was no telling when they would be able to eat enough, and the foal's body was just entering the teenage stage and needed energy for intense growth.

“But just think about it," Lyra said, "even in a place as bleak as this, people can still keep the goodness in their hearts. It's as true as a rainbow after rain.”

At these words, Scootaloo choked on her apple and pinned her ears back.

“What's the matter?” Lyra asked.

The little pegasus coughed. "Y'know, I'm not really hungry anymore."

“What's wrong, Scoot?” Lyra's voice sounded alarmed. "Scoot?”

She wanted to ask something else, but Jerry tugged on the unicorn's mane and she stopped.

"Mommy-y-y-y-y!" cries a child of about seven, clutching a hand over a rapidly growing bruise on his cheekbone. “She hit me-e-e-e-e-e...!"

"How many times have I warned you to listen to Nicky?” A huge shadow looms overhead. “Bad pony!"

The ginger filly doesn't answer, but tilts her head stubbornly. Squealy and whiny, Nicky loves to play games, which he always wins. And when he doesn't win, he cries. He also enjoys pulling Scootaloo's tail and wings. This time he even pulled out a feather. Tired of taking it, the pony kicked her young master, giving him a nice bruise on his cheekbone.

And now it seemed that the mother was really pissed off.

Then a ride somewhere through the winter night. The wheeled car stops on a bridge, and Scootaloo has no idea of her fate. Only when rough hands grasp her mane and tail, does it all become clear.

The little pegasus cannot fly yet.

And when she is thrown headlong into the blizzard, into the black water, fear grips her heart with icy claws. A desperate cry can be heard over the river....

The stubby wings cannot hold even a foal's body in the air. The water seems scalding, but is actually ice-cold. Her hooves beat on the water, then she frantically tries to climb out onto the ice floe... Fortunately, she succeeds.

After a while, Scootaloo jumps from one ice floe to another, then gallops down the street. She is galloping just to keep warm. She doesn't know where to run, but it's too cold to stop. What will happen when her strength is gone, the little pony tries not to think.

Suddenly, a bright flash grabs her attention. A holographic rainbow stretches over the street, attracting the attention of passersby... Scootaloo ignores the letters appearing in the colorful glow.

Hope flares with renewed power in her desperate heart. Now she knows what to look for. Or rather, who. After hours of asking and running around the city, she comes across a building where humans and ponies come in. Together.

Scootaloo walks up to a man standing at the entrance, just below the “Pony Play” sign.

“What ya want, li'l one?” the man asks.

“I'm looking for Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo replies, shivering with cold.

“Which one?” is the expected question, but the answer is long prepared.

“The real one, the coolest of all!”

“Okay, li'l filly," the guard relaxes, "she and Alex should be here in about an hour...”

...Scootaloo sits in the lobby, waiting for her idol. Her memory flashes back to Equestria: her school fan club and camping trip, fun and even dangerous adventures.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders — the inter-dimensional travelers, yay...!" echoes the inseparable trio's last adventure in Ponyville...

This is the longest hour of waiting Scootaloo can imagine.

A stocky man with kind eyes and soft hands comes into the hall, bringing with him a warm blanket and a large mug of hot coffee with cream. There's clearly a drop of alcohol in it, and the chill is gone in no time. The man pats Scootaloo's wet mane and leaves almost immediately, but the little pegasus feels a wave of soft affection along with the warmth for a long time.

Scootaloo feels sleepy, but she is overexcited by the anticipation of her idol and can't sleep a wink.

Before long, two walk through the doors of the club: another azure pegasus with a rainbow mane, accompanied by a strong young man speaking into a communicator. Rainbow, her leather garments creaking, walks over to her fan, who is sitting in a chair and gazing at her with rapt eyes. Scootaloo doesn't even notice that Rainbow's usually tousled mane has been trimmed to a short comb and that there's a lot of makeup on her idol's muzzle.

Dash, walking up to Scootaloo, says, "Jackie said you're lookin' for the coolest, most authentic Rainbow Dash ever?"

“Yes, yes, yes!" the little pegasus almost jumps for joy.

A wry, evil grin appears on Dash's face. And an approving one on the face of the man who arrived with the azure pony...

“Well, you found her.”

The young pegasus doesn't know yet that she has made the worst mistake of her life...

“I don't want to talk about it," Scootaloo said, turning away and quickening her pace.

Lyra glanced at Jerry questioningly, but he shook his head again.

“Just give her some time. She'll tell you when she's ready.”

They walked in silence for a while through the chilly morning. The first cars and passersby, hurrying about their business, appeared on the street. The sun, hidden by the towering high-rise buildings, lit up the sky, but didn't even think to show itself.

“Do you think Martha won't be offended when she sees the empty pot?” Jerry asked suddenly. More to break the silence, really.

“Don't worry," Lyra said, "I left her my money.”

The mouse almost fell off her mane at these words.

“You did what?!” he exclaimed.

“I left her all the money.”

Jerry opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds, looking like a beached fish.

“Even Scootaloo couldn't do something that stupid!” he finally squeezed out.

“Hey," the pegasus who had gone ahead looked back, "I can hear everything!”

Lyra remained calm. “Vic told me I could only have a day or two at Galaxy Plaza for that money. Well, it's no big deal...”

This time it was Scootaloo who looked shocked.

“A DAY at Galaxy Plaza? The biggest and most expensive entertainment center in the WHITE City...?”

“...or four months of the good life for guys like us," Jerry continued in a dejected tone. “That's two thousand, no less! Was...”

“It was... just under three," Lyra said, blushing.

She immediately realized that she had made things even worse when she saw Jerry's facepalm and Scootaloo's facehoof at the same time.

“Next time, give me the money!” the ginger pony almost yelled in frustration.

“No, don't give it to her," Jerry said.

“Why?!" the ponies asked in unison.

“Because your eyes glisten at the mere mention of Galaxy Plaza.”

“Stop it, both of you!” Lyra said angrily. “Have you seen how this poor woman lives? She sheltered us, fed us, and gave us a place to sleep, even though she can barely make ends meet! And now you tell me I should be like those who live in this world? Aren't you ashamed?!”

Scoot and Jerry both lowered their eyes.

“I'm sorry, Lyra," Jerry said. “It's not nice to count other people's money, of course... It's just when you spend half your life in need, you start valuing money.”

“I guess we could have spent the night in a hotel with that, couldn't we?” said the unicorn.

“I don't think that's a good idea," the mouse decided after some thought. “Hotels have scanners, our broken chips would be detected right away. But the question of food or other things would be solved for a long time, yes.”

Lyra blushed. “I'm sorry. It was... just a good impulse. I probably should have left something for us, too.”

“Oh, come on," Jerry said, waving his hand, "we'll be fine. Forget it.”

The unicorn glanced around to distract herself.

The districts surrounding the shining splendor of the Spires were left over from the Great Construction. They looked more like the cities of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries than anything else. It was as if nothing had changed here: gray concrete and black asphalt, rough clothes and angular wheeled cars. It didn't look like the magical world of technological wonders Victor had shown her via the visor!

A crumpled scrap of newspaper clung to her hoof, but the unicorn didn't bat an eye. Her attention was drawn to an orange pegasus gazing dreamily upward.

Jerry, following the unicorn's gaze, called out, “Scoot...” She continued to walk with her eyes to the sky. “Scoot!”

Lyra giggled, and the mouse bellowed, “Scootaloo!”

“Oh, what?” the pegasus perked up.

Her mind was fully occupied with what she would spend so much of others’ money on.

“Pick up the drool. I know what you're thinking. A fifty-credit-per-minute flight VR. With full immersion.”

“Well, why no-o-o-ot?" said the little pony capriciously. "Can't I even dream...?”

“Damn the day I gave you that hundred," said the mouse. “I said no!”

Moisture glistened in Scootaloo's eyes.

“I can't believe you're serious," Lyra said in surprise. “You must be familiar with the dire need as well. How can you think of... toys under these circumstances?!”

But a pleading look made the unicorn hesitate.

Lyra Hearstrings, she said to herself, you and your companions have been through a lot, and you still have a lot to go through, but don't forget one thing. No matter how much Scootaloo boasts, she's still a foal!

She thought for a moment, then added, "When we get to Galaxy Plaza, we'll make something up for you, I promise."

Scootaloo beamed, and Jerry muttered something under his breath. Lyra couldn't hear much of it, but she could make out the word "sneaky.”