The Forest Pony

Chapters

Chapter 2: A Scar and a Scarf
Chapter 3: Stories of the Past
Chapter 4: A New Day
Chapter 5: A Day at the Festival
Chapter 6: Headfirst Dive
Chapter 7: Earth Pony Ways
Chapter 8: A Serious Business
Chapter 9: A Fish Out of Water
Chapter 10: Horsing Around
Chapter 1: Night Watch

Chapter 2: A Scar and a Scarf

Slowly shifting her weight, Princess Luna found herself lying on something soft and downy. The air felt warm and smelled pleasantly like raw wood. She rubbed her head against the soft thing below her and mumbled a few words.

A sudden wave of pain shot through her whole body. The last events rushed into her mind. All her drowsiness subsided in an instance, and her eyes shot open.

She couldn't see much of her surroundings.

A fireplace flickered to the side, its light revealing only about half of the room she was in. She managed to make out a large bookcase accompanied by a desk below a window. Assuming it was still dark outside and the glistening glass was really a window pane.

The hearth was in the opposite wall from the desk, somewhere next to her. She could hear the crackling of logs burning inside it. The one who ignited it couldn't be far.

Luna felt a lump in her throat. If that pony didn't kill her when she was asleep, they wouldn't do so now, right? Right?

With a groan, she turned her head to take a peek at the part of the room bathed in shadows and, by extension, at her injured wing. Her sore body protested. For a moment she just stared into the darkness, waiting for the new surge of pain to subside.

After a while, her eyes became accustomed to the dimness. Her body tensed as she caught a glimpse of movement in the dark. Cold sweat budded on her forehead, and the tiny beads slowly leaked down to her muzzle. Maybe the throbbing in her head was just playing tricks. Her pupils shifted back and forth as she tried to accommodate her vision.

Suddenly, the flames in the fireplace flared up and lit more of the room.

Luna looked in horror at the glints of light in two large, unmoving eyes. Below the eyes shone bared teeth with their ends covered in blood. Luna gasped.

The stranger raised their head from her injured wing joint and neighbouring wounds.

Adrenaline rushing through her system, Luna shot a hoof forward with lightning speed.

Surprisingly, the hit never landed. The stranger hopped away just before the princess could deal a blow to their face.

The pain from the abrupt movement followed almost immediately. The regal alicorn was forced to curl into a fetal position, a muffled shriek escaping her lips.

Crouching, the stranger crept to the lit part of the room. Hooves shuffled on the floor, and pupils shrunk in the light of the fire, a young mare emerged from the darkness.

"No. Drinking. My. Blood. Get. AWAY!" Luna stammered, shooting her a glare.

The young mare stepped out of the dancing shadows completely. She tilted her head to one side and cocked an eyebrow, the movement causing locks of her mane to bob up and down against her forehead and horn. She watched the princess wriggle and writhe for a moment. Slowly, she lifted her hooves off the ground and firmly pressed them down on Luna's shoulder and hip.

The princess twitched slightly, teeth clenched. She reluctantly relaxed her limbs and put her head back down, her gaze firmly fixed onto the glistening amber eyes of the mare.

Assured the alicorn wouldn’t start thrashing again, the unicorn backed away. Calmly, she said, "I’m glad to know you are awake.” She turned her head to her side, drawing out a large, silvery-blue dagger with her mouth.

The blade shimmered in the firelight, its glints beaten only by that of two blue gemstones set in the weapon’s crossguard. The hilt was masterfully crafted into the form of an owl spreading its wings, with the gemstones making up the bird's eyes.

Luna would have regarded the blade with amazement, as she could easily imagine it being a museum exhibit or a prized item at one of the Canterlot auctions. However, now it was pointed at her, throwing all the beauty out the window.

The unicorn bowed her head and dropped the blade. Both mares watched it clatter to the ground. “I'm not some wild savage pony,” said the mare, breaking the awkward silence. “In other words, you can talk normally to me. And to prove I pose no threat, here is my only weapon.” She nudged the dagger on the ground towards the princess.

Luna nodded her head silently, wincing as the movement sent another lance of pain through her.

The mare continued, "I may get away if you wish so, but that also means I won't be able to finish cleaning your wounds, Your Highness." She bowed slightly to emphasize her last words.

"I-I am sorry?" the princess offered. She noticed the bits of cotton lying around her wounded wing joint. "Of course you may continue. I was just... puzzled by your look and the blood on your teeth."

The mare bent her head, her hoof drawing away a short lock of dark mane from her eyes. She sighed at the sight of her coat caked in mud, topped by a filthy rag tied around her neck and a torn saddlebag at her side.

"Seems like I can't really blame you for your assumptions," she muttered. A smirk crossed her features. "Making sure you are okay seemed more important than taking a bath.” The mare started chewing her lip mindlessly, tiny crimson beads shimmering where teeth met the tender skin.

Luna lay quietly, giving her a wary look. After a few moments, the mare just shrugged and shook her head.

She bent down to the princess’ side, slowly maneuvering one of the cotton pieces with the tip of her horn back and forth.

"Could you try lying back and relaxing the wing? I can't get around it."

"I-I can," Luna said, slightly puzzled. "But why do you not use your horn?"

The unicorn straightened back up, eyes twitching between the wound and her horn. The lump of cotton hung haphazardly from its tip.

"But I'm using—heh. You mean like why don't I light it up?" The mare rubbed the back of her head.

"Exactly."

"Long story short, I can't... I could use my mouth, though I find it better to touch something possibly contaminated with my horn." She bent back down, carrying on wiping the edges of the wound.

"Does it have anything to do with the attack earlier toda—was it even today?"

"Please, Your Highness, try to lie still and don't talk.” The mare waved a hoof over her. “It was tonight, but my horn issues have nothing to do with that. Right now there are more important matters at hoof. By the way, I've already sent a letter to your sister, explaining what happened. So, worry not about your duties."

"How have you managed to send a letter to my sister in such a late hour?” Ignoring the hoof waving through the air, the princess tried to sit up. “And is it not dangerous to have a fireplace in a room made wholly of wood? Would it not be better if you escorted me to a hospital?"

The mare gasped, her horn nearly penetrating Luna's chest.

"So much for not moving..." She sighed and rubbed her temple. "At least it's certain that your mind stayed intact after what you have endured tonight." She chuckled.

Dropping the cotton, she turned around and trotted across to the hearth. "About the letter... I've quite an influence on a few postal birds who can then transfer some easy tasks onto other birds. So, I just gave a sealed letter to my owl messenger who later passed it to another bird along with information about the addressee. I guess by this time your sister's phoenix—it was her phoenix that caused the little mishap sometime ago in a nearby village, right?—should be pulling her out of bed with a letter in its talons," she said, shuffling around the fireplace with a poker in hoof.

Luna nodded slowly, and the mare continued, "Your injury is something I and my companion can easily handle. In fact, escorting you now at night through the Everfree would be only asking for trouble.” She hissed as a few burning embers slid the wrong way.

“My companion's an expert when it comes to fixing wing shoulders. I think I can hear him coming already.” Her ears perked up. “He was just making sure there weren’t any more unwanted guests in the forest. That's another reason why it would not be wise to send you to a hospital. I think you know yourself that you can't trust anypony now." She kicked a log in the fireplace, a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

There was a rustle of leather and a gust of wind. The window burst open, clicking shut again almost immediately.

"Everything safe and secured. Timberwolves surely took care of at least one of them,” said a slightly cheeky male voice from the windowsill. “I set up the protection spell around the whole tree, just to be sure."

Princess Luna stared at a small dragon folding his wings on the ledge. Light blue scales shimmered in the light of the fireplace and so did the tufts of darker blue hair on his head, chest and tail. "Another baby dragon? And which spell?"

The drake lifted his head and glided next to her across the room. Luna’s eyes widened at how large his wings actually were.

"Her Highness Princess Luna, Regent of the Moon, if I'm not mistaken." The dragon gave her a light kiss on her hoof. He held up his claw. "It’s adult small northern dragon, to be precise. We don't grow bigger than pony foals, though we are far leaner." He smirked, then cocked his head. "I'm not sure what you mean by ‘another’."

"Probably the baby earth dragon. What was his name... Spire? Pike?" added the mare, circling her hoof through the air. Luna nodded slowly.

"About the protection spell, that's dragon magic," continued the drake flatly. He shifted next to Luna’s wing, scales shimmering with each agile movement. Gently, he took the bruised appendage into his claws and tugged on it, pulling the feathers apart. He ran his tail back and forth over the limb and occasionally tapped on bones and joints.

"The same explanation goes for your question about fire safety in a room made out of wood; dragon magic," the mare called from a corner of the room, rummaging through a cabinet. Luna shifted her head between them, not sure which one of them would start the next sentence.

"Hmm… dislocated, nothing broken… effusion?" The dragon prodded the joint with a claw.

Luna kicked back with a cry.

"Anything else you wanted to say?" The dragon eyed her, unamused.

The princess shook her head, trying to regain what little composure she had left. In hope to direct the surge of pain somewhere, she bit down on the furry blanket below feverishly. Only now did she notice the black and yellow markings on it.

She spat it out, backing to a more upright position. "Was… was this once a real living animal?"

"Yes, it was a gift from our Zebrican friend. If you have issues with it, you can just throw it off and lie on the hard table below, Your Highness." The mare returned with a few bottles and bandages on a tray.

"I second that," the dragon called, hanging down from her wing.

Luna sighed, putting her head back down. Her bemused frown made it clear she hadn't said her last word on this topic yet.

She watched the dragon twist and fiddle with her shoulder, a hiss occasionally escaping her lips. With a loud pop, the bone clicked back into place. She tried to extend her wing fully, but quickly returned it to the original half-folded position with a howl of pain.

"Don't tell me you were expecting it wouldn't be sore, Your Highness. It'll be better if you let it rest under a bandage." The dragon patted her wing, smearing some sort of acrid salve over it. Her wing twitched slightly, and her eyes watered at the stinging feeling.

"We are going to move on to your open wounds now." The dragon motioned to the various scratches and slashes marring her blue coat. "It's possible you'll feel a bit chilly, I need to play a little with the molecules of air around your wounds. Dragon magic can't build barriers out of nowhere, like you unicorns do, after all."

"You are stating it as if this magic of yours was common knowledge." The alicorn cocked an eyebrow, biting her lower lip. The small reptile only chuckled in response, flexing his claws above the largest wound.

Luna's eyes widened in amazement as she saw thin, silk-like strands form between the edges of the flesh, slowly pulling them back together.

"Dragon magic," she whispered absentmindedly, a faint smile nesting on her lips.

"That's not all." The mare smiled and motioned with her head. Luna looked back at the wound and saw the strands getting denser and knitting together in certain areas, creating small, branched tubes.

"Veins?" Luna gave her a quizzical look, earning a nod of approval.

"They are not necessary here, it's just an unskippable part of the spell." The dragon turned his deep blue eyes to her and opened his mouth. With a sharp click his two long fangs moved to a more upright position. "This is much more useful."

He turned back, letting drops of yellowish liquid form at the tips of his fangs.

"What is he doing?" Luna cocked her head, pointing a shaky hoof at his head.

The mare just sighed, rolling her eyes. "He’s using his venomous teeth..."

The alicorn winced and swiftly covered the wound with a hoof.

The unicorn continued with a reassuring smile, "…to channel the healing solution into the wounds." She extended her own hoof, trying to gently push Luna's out of the way. The princess gave her a puzzled look and slowly drew back the limb herself.

"Sorry, Your Highness—uh, would you be okay if I just called you ‘Princess’?" After receiving a hesitant nod, she remarked, "I often forget that small dragons are unknown to most ponies. Anyway, know that all of them are venomous. However, a part of the liquid kept in their venom glands can also accelerate the healing process, which comes in handy when the dragons, who are of course immune to their own toxins, get hurt. When a dragon hatches, they have only this part of the venom, the other is gathered by licking their parents' teeth or sequestering it from certain plant species in their diet. Once the venom gets in the gland, it initiates its own production.

"Sev never had the opportunity to get the venom in by any of these ways. The ability can be obtained only within two weeks after hatching, so he is left with just the healing liquid in his teeth."

"That's a sad truth. But since no one can guess that it isn't venom, it's still useful as a scare off." Sev grinned and turned to the mare. "What about your neck? Don't try hiding it. After all, I can smell that it is still bleeding." He licked his nostrils and tapped a claw on the table impatiently.

The mare straightened up, untying the piece of white fabric around her neck, all the while muttering quietly.

Luna watched the thing that looked like a thick scarf unfurl. Her eyes widened at the sight of a fresh deep slash over the neck and chest of the mare. "You dared to tend to my superficial scratches with this on your neck? I take it that living in Everfree Forest with a half-venomous dragon can harden anypony, but moving around with blood literally streaming down your chest?"

"Please, don't exaggerate so much, Princess. I made sure it's stable before I started doing anything else. I wouldn't really be of help if I passed out here on the floor, now would I?" The mare chuckled, pricking up her ears.

She tried to stand up, but Sev sat her back down with a simple growl. His magic was already working miracles on the mare’s chest.

She sighed and looked over to the window when its pane shook with a dull thump. "Could you please try standing up and opening the window?” She motioned with her horn, earning a huff from the dragon at her side. “It looks like my messenger has some trouble getting inside. Also, I think that letter is for you."

With a hesitant nod, Luna slowly slipped from the improvised bed and gingerly took a few steps. One of her hooves was sore, the bandage pushed against her wing a little, and her right side tingled from lying still for so long, but she was able to move. Trudging to the window, she tried pulling the handle with her magic. Just a few short-lived sparks escaped her horn. She eyed her reflection in the glass. Her mane hung limply, missing any sign of the excess magic that usually overflowed it and caused it to move and sparkle. She blinked a few times and shook her head.

She lifted her hoof and nearly fell to the floor from the sudden change of stability. Regaining her composure, she opened the window, immediately getting something soft right in her face.

The soft thing appeared to be a barn owl that didn't lose any time after finding itself again, simply leaving a scroll slid onto her horn and disappearing into the next room.

The princess shook her head and caught the falling letter in her mouth, took it to the table and then read it aloud.

Dear Miss Greenlock,

I sincerely thank you for saving my sister's life and letting me know about what happened.

I will immediately launch a secret investigation on the whereabouts and motives of the three stallions. If they really were members of the Royal Guard, we cannot trust anypony now. That is also the reason why I would be immensely thankful to you if you let my sister stay at your place for a few days till this contemptible act receives its well-deserved punishment. I gathered from your letter that you know your way around taking care of injuries, and I believe that my sister's condition is stable now. If there is any form of medication you would need, do not hesitate to request it. I and Philomena will do our best to deliver it in the fastest way possible. Furthermore, my sister does not have to worry, I can take care of all her duties during her absence.

I will inform you if we find any new piece of evidence, and I beg you to do the same.

My warmest thanks to you once again,

Princess Celestia

P.S. Just for Luna: Does this mean I can sleep in your bed again? You know how much softer it is…

P.P.S. I apologise, that was a very inane joke. Still, I hope it lifted your spirits a little. Hold on, dear sister.

Luna chuckled and shook her head, then turned to the pony. "So, Miss Greenlock, am I allowed to stay here?"

"This will definitely turn into a nasty scar," the mare mumbled, inspecting the now treated wound on her neck. With a flick of her head, she snapped out of her reverie. "Oh… I forgot to introduce myself." She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "Please, call me Hedvika, my second name isn't something I'd like to hear every time somepony addresses me. And this is Sev." Hedvika motioned to the dragon.

"To your question, well, do we have any other option? I can’t really throw you out into the Everfree. There are many… uncommon animals around and all, but you'll get used to them really quickly, believe me." She smiled.

Luna gave her a quizzical look, but didn't question anything. After all, she had just endured a week with a bunch of ill-mannered griffon delegates, this couldn't be much worse. She shook her head, removing a lock of limp mane from her face. "Could you two now just sit down and explain what happened tonight, how does it come that you live in Everfree, and why don’t you use your horn?" Her eyes bored holes through Hedvika. The mare shrunk back slightly.

"If you don't want to sleep, we can try to explain. I'll just fetch us something to drink and eat." Sev stood up and disappeared through the door. He stuck his head back inside the room, looking at the mare with a smug grin. "And Hedvi, you should take a bath."

A few minutes later, Luna sat by the fireplace wrapped up in a blanket—this time of clearly non-animal origin—with a mug of tea next to her, ready to listen to the story she unwillingly became a part of.

Quiet clings and clangs resonated through the room. A silver teaspoon slowly circled in a cup, driven by a small spark of magic.

A white mare stood behind a window overlooking the capital city below. She watched the very last red hues of the day fade into the western horizon.

She didn’t turn an inch when the door creaked behind her, eyes fixed to the western sky, and her horn still peacefully channeling magic.

"Your Highness?" a solar guard spoke up, then immediately bent over in a fit of coughing and gurgling. His armor was scratched and crumpled like it was made of paper. Its owner looked tired, beaten and extremely dirty. The unmistakable odour of sweat and moist fur wafted from him.

"What happened to your fellows?" the mare said, still intently staring out the window.

"Th-there was a young mare, sh-she must control some sort of d-dark magic. The timberwolves and other creatures seemed to a-attack at her command. I at least managed to land one hit at her and then retreat, but my companions—I don't think they survived."

"I must admit, that is making me curious. We better keep an eye on her…" The mare turned to the guard slowly, a hint of a smirk on her face. Her magic danced around the stallion's chin, slowly raising it. "Does this mean you don't know what happened to… your target?"

The stallion sputtered over the lump in his throat, "I… don't, Your Highness. But the timberwolves probably took care of her too. She was nearly unconscious. And if they didn't, she would be out of the way for a few days for sure—"

With a rattle of armor, he collapsed to the ground.

“You wish so.” Her Highness turned her attention back to the scroll that arrived not so long ago, stepping over the fallen soldier.

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.

My earnest thanks go to PonyPoet21, labba94, and Boulder for pre-reading.

Chapter 3: Stories of the Past

"Okay, where to start?" Hedvika sighed. Her eyes' distant look wandered around the room, tracing the grains on the wooden planks lining the wall.

Most of the mud from her body was gone, leaving just an occasional smear on her, now visible, green coat. Her teeth chafed at her lip, tiny red beads shimmering there again. Water dropped from her fur, pooling into small puddles on the ground.

Luna watched with amusement as the unicorn's gaze shifted, her expression changing every few seconds.

Hedvika pawed at the ground, her hooves drawing uneven lines and circles into the floor. In the end, she pulled her ears back, straining a smile. “I’m sorry, I’m not the best storytelle—”

"Who wants a late midnight snack?" whooped Sev, abruptly ending Hedvika's mental self-torture. Eyeing the water pooling beneath the mare, he added, “And you’d deserve a midnight towel.”

Hedvika blinked a few times and looked at her reflection in the puddles. “Oh.” She stood up and with a sheepish smile trotted away and into the bathroom.

Luna turned to the dragon, slightly annoyed by the sudden end of her current entertainment. She had to chuckle at the sight of him the next moment.

Sev's wings were unfolded and bent at strange angles, carrying the weight of a large tray laden with half a dozen sandwiches. A large pile of peeled carrots swayed dangerously from side to side next to the sandwiches.

The meal was far simpler than the delicate cucumber sandwiches and crunchy salads the royal chefs usually prepared, but at least the portion seemed big enough to actually sate a pony. Also, one didn't need a magnifying glass to see the food on the plate.

"Thank you." Luna clumsily grabbed and maneuvered one sandwich to her mouth with her hooves, a few pieces of tomato nearly escaping the confines of the bread slices. She took a gentle bite, her gaze automatically searching for a napkin.

The flavor of a hefty coat of butter and salad exploded in her mouth. With her empty stomach screaming to her mind, she ditched all her delicate royal manners. She dove headfirst into the carrots, knocking the tray from Sev's hold. Munching on at least three of them at once and sputtering tiny orange bits all around, she caught the puzzled stare of her scaled host.

With a crunch, she slowly swallowed the last carrot and blushed awkwardly. "Uh, sorry?"

"And I was afraid I wouldn't be able to be classy enough around you," Hedvika deadpanned. Luna jumped slightly, turning to the mare standing in the doorway with a towel around her neck. Seeing the blush on Luna’s cheeks, she stifled a chuckle and trotted into the room.

"You have really great mouth-working skills for a unicorn." Luna wiped the leftover crumbs from her face with her healthy wing.

"Fank fou," Hedvika replied and spat out the needle her teeth were holding. "My grandma was an earth pony, and I spent quite a lot of time with her when I was younger. She taught me how to do many things the earth pony way, not knowing how useful it would prove later." She turned to Sev and back to the now fixed piece of fabric she was fidgeting with. An annoyed huff left her lips. "Hmm, the blood stains are still visible. I'll have to find something red or orange to dye it over..." She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle.

Luna looked at her curiously. "Why are you wearing a scarf in the middle of summer, if I may ask? You don't seem to be cold or have a sore throat."

"Mere nostalgia. Let's just say that this piece of cotton saved my life more than once.” Hedvika gently stroked the ragged cloth. She rolled her shoulders, eliciting a few quiet pops from them, and continued, “Anyway, we’ll get to that. You deserve to know what happened tonight, and I’ve been keeping you waiting long enough."

"Leave that to me… or we will be here till the morning before you get off the fence," Sev chimed in, unhindered by the two carrots sticking out from his mouth on his biggest fangs.

Hedvika smirked at him, giving him a thankful nod.

Luna supported her chin with a hoof. "I'm listening."

"So… This evening was really unique, because we were finally able to fully observe the timberwolves’ mating ritual—"

“You did what?” Luna straightened up, her eyes wide. The drake cleared his throat. "Uh, I meant to say, that must have been... really interesting and... satisfying?"

"Okay, you might think we're crazy doing a thing like this. It's just... you'll find that many legends surrounding the Everfree Forest are just myths and half truths. But you probably won't understand till you see for yourself," Hedvika interjected, her voice weary.

Luna opened her mouth, but Sev's cough drew back her attention.

"Then we went to see Zecora. She’s a zebra living in the Everfree as well," he explained at the princess' questioning look. "She is ill, so we decided a little company would cheer her up. When the storm clouds started to build up that fast, she sent us home, hoping that we would manage to arrive home before the downpour started."

(\*/)

"I wonder how Zecora managed to catch the flu in this scorching weather. I hope it will get at least a little colder after the rain."

"Maybe if's becaufe she waf born in Zebrica and if heredifarily ufed to their condifionf." Hedvika turned to Sev swooping behind her, a pencil in her mouth. "And yeah, fe weafer if killing me foo, foo warm and sficky."

"Come on, can't it wait till we get home?"

"Whaf? Nfo." The mare looked up from the weathered notebook, releasing the pencil from her teeth. "These facts are too important to not be noted down immediately. And I don't want to hear anything about devastating my eyes."

"You know such a sight is unforgettable. Especially when captured in your memory. And maybe not your eyes, but your book will mind, it's starting to rain."

"Okay, okay..." Hedvika closed the notebook against her chest and slipped it into her saddlebag.

"Sev?" She turned to him, only to spot his tail disappearing up a nearby tree.

"There is something off with the clouds," came an answer muffled by the leaves. She sighed, rearing up and planting her hooves against the tree trunk.

"Do you always have to choose the trees with the smoothest bark?" Hedvika groaned as she pulled herself between two thick branches. A few twigs stuck out of her wet mane, her muzzle and mouth covered in moss and lichens.

"I know you like a good challenge." The dragon smirked. His face fell more serious in the next moment. "It almost seems like the storm was built by pegasi."

The mare rolled her eyes, hopping over to him. Her hooves slipped slightly on the wet wood. "Isn't something shimmering over there?" Hedvika pointed to the dark sky, leaning on a branch for support.

"Let me see." Sev flew forward, eyes squinted. "Night guard armor. Those bat ponies always tickled my curiosity. I bet they are related to dragons in a way. Though their amateurish style of hiding is clearly that of a pony."

"Their style of what?" Hedvika's ears shot up.

"You see, those two can't even take their polished helmets off when sticking their heads out of the cloud cover." Sev landed on a branch, poking his head through a tuft of leaves and turning his neck from side to side comically.

Hedvika ignored the show he put on, carefully stepping further away from the main trunk. "But why? Did those bigheads in Canterlot decide to guard the Everfree twenty-four hours a day?" She gasped as the branch bent slightly under her.

"Seems more like lurking than guarding to me," Sev remarked as he climbed up her back and leaned against her neck.

"Hmm... Waiting. For prey.” Her eyes narrowed. “I don't want to miss out on that."

"I was afraid you would not say that." Sev spread his wings, their leathery membranes fluttering in the picking up wind. “Ready?”

“Ready.” The mare pumped her legs and rebounded from the branch into the depth of open air.

"You think they went down at the Castle Gorge?" Hedvika tried to make herself heard over the wind and rain gushing around them.

"Either there or really close-by."

"Can you turn left here?"

"You know I'm not as swift in maneuvering with you as when I'm flying alone?"

"Drop me at the nearest clearing. I don't know which side we are on yet, but a little help might be needed."

"You have enough apples?"

"Yep."

"Three... two... one... I'll stay close!" Sev started ascending while Hedvika dropped to the ground with a splash.

"You got a whole pack?" Sev dashed above the overgrown path, watching the sight below through the downpour.

"Apparently it's going to be a tough winter when timberwolves are going after any zapple they spot. Good for us! Now, can you give me a lift again?" Hedvika panted as she slid in the mud.

A few timberwolves barreled behind her, teeth clapping and claws sweeping. All tried to snatch for themselves one of the zap apples attached to the mare's tail. A blue blur descended to the ground and pulled their prey up into the air.

"Not so high, or they'll lose interest!" Hedvika yelled, twisting in Sev's grip.

"Okay, okay... You know I can't fly directly through the treetops, right?"

"Just stay slightly above."

The hungry pack rushed below them, lagging slightly. The sounds of galloping hooves and occasional glint of armor drew nearer and nearer.

"I think I can see one hugging a tree down there. Interested?" Sev called and momentarily slowed..

"No, I want to know who they are after."

"So be it."

Sev landed with his pony burden at the edge of a small clearing. Silhouettes of a few ponies in the distance were clearly visible in the moonlight. He let go of her back and snuck into the nearest bush.

"Oh, chickencoop." Hedvika growled at the scene playing out before her. She put her dagger into her mouth and crawled the other way than her dragon companion. She knew they had half a minute at most before the timberwolves arrived.

She pushed her back against a tree, listening to the guard slashing his blade through the air above the limp pony.

Hedvika bit her lip. Guards. It was always a dicey business with them. One wrong move, and she might be accused of disrupting their operation. On the other hoof...

The guard chuckled. "Don't worry, Princess, it'll be much more painful for you than me."

Hedvika’s eyes widened, a gasp almost escaping her lips.

Without thinking, she jumped from her hideout, throwing and skewering a zap apple on the middle of the guard's wingblade. "I don't think so," she growled.

A timberwolf jumped after the apple immediately, jaws snapping shut on the fruit and blade alike. The creature dragged the guard to the underbrush by his wing. Hedvika, stepping over the fallen form of the limp pony, watched the guard flail and cry for help.

"No, no, no!" The remaining guard threw himself forward, both blades pointed at the green mare.

She blocked one of the blows with her dagger, both weapons shimmering on impact. Turning, she aimed a buck at his chest. His second blade hit flesh, just before her hooves connected with him.

The kick only crumpled his armor, causing him to stagger a little.

The guard grunted, nostrils flaring. The image of the weakened mare, pressing a hoof to the gash on her chest, reflected in his eyes. She was hurt, only barely holding onto her weapon. She seemed just as helpless as a filly armed with a toothpick.

He gulped, glaring at the bunch of green eyes glowing behind the mare. Rather these than Her Highness being displeased with him. He crouched down, ready to charge.

"Oh, I think you forgot you wanted to run for your dear life from the timberwolves, didn’t you? Let me help you on this one," a cheeky male voice chimed behind him.

Something small, yet surprisingly strong grabbed him and lifted him to the air. He flailed his bladed wings around, hoping to hit the assailant. All he managed were a few scratches on his own body. Suddenly, the grip around him loosened, and he sank to the canopy below.

"One would think those guards would have a better knowledge of handling their own weapons than that one. He almost cut off his own… oh," Sev remarked as he returned to Hedvika. The mare acknowledged him with a flick of her ear. He bent down to the fallen alicorn. “How is she?”

The mare crouched over Luna's unconscious form and ran a hoof across her wing.

"Just exhausted and bruised, I hope. Help me get her up." Hedvika gritted her teeth as she dragged the princess on her back. Balancing the alicorn on her shoulders, she moved her hoof to her large white scarf. She tightened the fabric, letting out a hiss as the cloth chafed on her irritated flesh.

Licking his nostrils, Sev gave her a disapproving look, but said nothing. He hovered above her, eyeing the unconscious mare. She breathed calmly, her legs occasionally twitching. Her wet mane cascaded down in messy strands, curling on Hedvika’s muddy coat.

"A princess... betrayed by her own guards. What are we gonna do with her?" Sev ran a claw across Luna’s cheek, revealing a fur make-up and eye shadow of the finest brand under the layers of dirt and mud.

"Take her home and see if we can put her back together. After that, no idea."

"Maybe I should carry—"

"No. I need you to watch out for any incoming threats. We are knee-deep in this mess now, whatever it is.” Hedvika growled, pushing the alicorn’s head over her shoulder. Princess Luna snored, drool dripping from her mouth on Hedvika’s coat. The mare sighed. “All I know is that it’s not gonna be a pleasant mess."

/)*(\

"Ah, at least I know that it would be useless to fill out reports to the Weather Patrol Office to calm down the Everfree weather." Luna twisted in her seat, rubbing the remains of her cut tail.

"I still can't believe I’ve sent an angry timberwolf pack at a bunch of royal guards. At least I hope they had some better excuse than just your sister wanting to occupy your comfy bed." The green mare winced and groaned, casting a glance at her neck and torn scarf.

"Princess, you are not surprised by our use of zapples?" Sev chimed in, his voice much more lighthearted than Hedvika's.

"I am not going to be surprised by anything this evening—” Luna turned around, trying to spot some clock. “Or early morning, my dear non-baby dragon."

Hedvika cleared her throat. "Shall I continue with the story of a non-baby dragon that wasn't that much non-baby back then?" She gave Sev a smug grin.

Luna cocked her head, carefully watching the little dragon. "I would be more than happy to hear it, but he does not seem to approve."

Sev was slamming his head against the nearest wall.

"Did calling him non-baby insult him in a way?" Luna turned her worried gaze to Hedvika.

She just shook her head and smirked.

The dragon grunted, his growl turning into a roar. "Can. You. Finally. Get. OUT?!" The slamming continued, Sev’s horns slowly carving grooves into the wall.

"We?" Luna cocked her head, confusion and indignation written all over her face.

"At last!" Sev spat out the carrots, his two longest fangs still embedded in them.

"Are you okay?" Luna extended a hoof to him.

"Are you surprised?"

"Sev!" Hedvika growled, clapping her hoof.

"What?" He gave Hedvika an innocent grin, surprisingly with a full repertoire of his teeth.

"Okay... Here we go, explaining. Again." Hedvika sighed and turned to the princess. "Dragon venom has slightly unpleasant consequences on their teeth, so the inner enamel around the channel renews and renews, pushing the older layers to the perimeter of the fang. Thus dragons more or less periodically shed off the outer layer of their teeth, especially after using a larger amount of the liquid. Sev misses the teeth-corrupting component, but his genes stil command his body to do this."

"Once the outer layers start separating, it's really annoying. Better help them out." Sev ran his claws over his new pristine white fangs and tapped on them.

Luna turned to the fang-infused carrots and examined the hollowed-out teeth.

"Just start with the story already. I fear he will try to surprise me again," she muttered, collapsing back on her blanket. "Or, wait for a moment. Where did you get that dagger?" She motioned to the weapon, still lying abandoned on the floor after Hedvika’s theatrical greeting.

“Oh, that.” Sev picked it up and gently handed the ornate weapon to Luna. “A honorary gift from the Dragon Margrave himself to mark his friendship towards ponies.”

Luna turned the blade in her hooves, the cogs in her brain spinning. Her mind went through the cornucopia of little obscure states and their rulers. High Priestess of Okapis in Central Zebrica, multiple warlords of the nomadic hippogriffs, even the self-coronated king of dolphins of the Horseshoe Bay, but no Dragon Margrave whatsoever. “Pardon, Dragon Margrave?”

"Jaggertooth the Third. A tiny bit of the story ahead," Hedvika said. “If you ever meet him, please don’t mention I use his special gift as a kitchen knife. I don’t think he’d be pleased.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, but nodded. The unicorn before her sighed, slowly starting to unfurl the tale.

"It was during my first years in elementary school. Let's say that I was a little different than the other foals… Simply the weird one that touched every slimy creature and was immensely happy about it.” Hedvika chuckled, her gaze growing distant. “After all, it stayed as my occupation up to this point.” She rubbed the fur blanket gently. Luna grimaced.

"My curiosity for nature aside, I'm not too proud of my past, so please just note that I was not very popular in my class, as long as my classmates weren’t in need of copying homework. I think it could be useful to understand the story properly... that is also why it might seem like I’m beating around the bush quite a lot; I just want the events to come out as clear as possible in the given context.” She rubbed the back of her head and adjusted the scarf around her neck.

Clearing her throat, she finally started, “Freshly after Autumn Wrap Up, we had a school trip to the ancient crystal mines at the base of the local mountain range. Who could have known that the mines were the only remains of the now newly returned Crystal Empire?"

(\*/)

A group of foals hustled before the entrance to the cold, darkened cave. Eager hooves adjusted the heavy helmets they were given, and the chatter of a few ponies mixed to create a dull hum. The noise slowly quieted down as a guide mare trotted to the group, clearing her throat.

A small filly tried to push her way through the crowd, rearing to get to the front so not a word of the guide escaped her ears. She stopped midway, catching a glimpse of her classmate with face green as a fresh spring leaf. “Hey, Pinie, feeling better?”

Pinie looked back at the filly, her eyes glassy and unfocused. “Kinda.” Her cheeks seemed to bulge out a little for a moment, the mere memory of the nauseating train ride flipping her stomach once more.

“Well,” the filly pawed at the ground, “I have to say, I have never seen a pony literally turn green from feeling sick. I mean, I don’t know what terrible kind of food would be able to do that.” She moved a loose lock of her mane from her eyes. “But you remind me of one sea gastropod. It gets all green from eating algae, and then it can photosyn—”

Pinie waved her hoof through the air. “Hold your horses, Hedvika. Green gastro— What?”

“A gastropod. You know, a creature like a snail or slug. Those slimy little animals that leave the mucous smelly trails on lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes...” Hedvika cocked her head, watching as Pinie turned even more green and pale before running off. “Huh, maybe she doesn’t like molluscs. Maybe I should have mentioned greenflies instead...” She scratched her head and trotted after the slowly departing crowd.

A voice of the guide drifted above their heads, "...It's unbelievable, but these huge chunks of gemstone were delivered to the nearby villages, and it was not until they arrived there that they were worked on, carved and refined to be used as building material or turned into jewellery.”

“Some brave historians say that there was a whole city dedicated to doing this work. Would you believe it? A huge town for carving gemstones! It had obviously just disappeared without leaving a single trace!”

The foals moved past the colossal crystal clusters, each easily as big as Princess Celestia herself. Hedvika shivered as a few water droplets fell on her back, the filly retracting deeper into her large white scarf. She watched her face’s reflection distort and twist on the surface of the gems.

The group continued forward, jumping over rusted rails on the ground. The guide stopped before a wall displaying various picks, buckets and burners. "Those tools were used here for centuries till the great dragon disaster happened. The mines were then closed for a decade until the Canterlot mines ran out, and the need for gemstones brought new workers back here…

“Now you’ll experience the conditions under which the miners had to work here. When their burners ran out, they couldn’t just leave and obtain a refill. Instead, they had to finish mining the crystal they were working on and only then could they return to the surface. This was meant to ensure the miners worked fast in hopes of getting their daily quota done before they lost their only source of light. Everypony, please turn off your helmet lights.”

“Ah, chickencoop!” Hedvika cursed lightly, trying to force her magic through her horn. She grunted, pushing with all her willpower, but not a single spark touched the switch in the headlamp. She moved her hoof to the manual switch with a quiet grumble. In the dimming light, she saw most of her classmates weren’t faring much better. She kicked at a tiny gemstone on the ground. Waiting for the moment when she was old enough to use her horn properly was a pest.

Slowly but surely, darkness enveloped them all. Dripping water, tripping hooves, and quiet whispers were all that disturbed the deafening silence. Hedvika slowly moved forward, occasionally stumbling into another pony or the cold, smooth wall.

Suddenly, a voice reached their ears. “I’m… Nightmare Moon! Bow before my night! Mwaha—ha—uh.” The fumbling crowd stopped. Hedvika could feel the foal closest to her shaking.

“Sugar Lump, that wasn’t very funny!” A spank and a hiss echoed through the caves, followed by a booming laughter.

A quiet, urgent voice spoke through the darkness, “Um, guys? I think I’m feeling unwell again.” It was Pinie. The whole group turned, ultimately running away from the filly.

A few cries from the guide and a few reassuring words of their teacher later, the wild herd was organised once more. The foals slowly moved forward through the darkness, holding each other by the tail. "And now we are nearing our last stop; The Lake Dome!" the guide called from the front of the group.

The huge cavern lit up with the glow of the guide's horn. The children stepped on the suspended bridge, amazed and terrified by the sheer vastness of the place. The gargantuan crystals radiated with the light spell and mirrored in the limpid water below.

"Now, who can tell me what are these nearly translucent insects floating in the water?" the guide asked and pointed into the lake underneath them.

The following silence couldn't be louder. Just one small hoof shakily rose up.

The guide’s eyes shimmered as she looked at the filly. "Yes?"

"They are the quartz niphargi, but actually these aren't inse—"

"Thank you, Greenlock, that's enough. The guide surely knows her job." The teacher groaned, casting the guide an apologetic look. The mare just grimaced.

"But—" The filly turned to the teacher, only to see her tail moving away.

"Pretty disgusting, those bugs," a light blue filly said, turning to her friend.

"Yeah, it's a miracle Pinie hasn't thrown up again at the sight," a beige filly added.

Hedvika peeked over the edge of the bridge, gazing into the water. "They seem interesting to me. And they aren't bu—"

"Oh, don't you want to take a better look at them then, Greenlock?" The blue one pushed her against the railing. Their classmates streamed around them, trotting down the bridge.

"Let me be, Bluebell! And you know my name's Hedvika, you don't have to call me by my surname like a teacher." Hedvika groaned, pushing back.

"Oh, so you still haven't noticed that she's trying to teach you how to be a mare and not an animal, one of the many things you still don't comprehend? Right now it was a lecture in proper postural habits. You fall, you fail, Greenlock," the beige one finished, stomping a hoof into a puddle on the floor. Hedvika flinched as the ice cold droplets hit her face.

"Come on, girls, you can now try your magic at gemstone inscribing!" the teacher called from the other side of the bridge.

"Yeah, you should go and try it. We know you're good at it, too good that you don't want to show your magic to anypony!" Bluebell grinned at Hedvika before cantering away. The filly lowered her ears, trotting after the rest of the group.

"Watch out!" Pinie, now back to her healthy, orange self, yelled at the nearest colt, aiming a snowball at him.

A fight erupted just as the clock on the visitor centre started to tick down the hour of free time the foals were given. The snow-covered terrace on the side of the mine hill provided lots of ammunition and cover as well. The sunrays danced across the snow, shimmering and stinging in the eyes. Soon all the foals engaged in forming and throwing snowballs, all of them already wet to the bone.

Hedvika was about to throw her ball when—

"Revision!" A pair of blue and beige hooves hit her side.

Unprepared, she fell squarely to the ground, hooves slipping. She grasped for support. Neither the half-melted snow nor the ice could hold her. With a small yelp, she tumbled backwards into the void below.

Standing near the hill's edge seemed tactical to cover her back from flying snowballs, yet it proved a wrong choice for ice skating. She rolled down the hill, bumping over stones and ice clusters. Her body stopped in a snowdrift, lying limp.

"Fell and failed!" Bluebell victoriously cried. "Come on, Maize, she can get back up without our help."

"Um, we should run away quickly, she isn't moving." Maize was already backpedalling from the edge.

Hedvika groaned and stood up shakily. Her vision swam, and her grazed skin stung at the touch of water. She shook the snow from her coat along with most of her soreness and looked up.

She was calm on the outside, but her mind raged. Part of her wanted to cry at the duo's cruelty, another was prepared to go back, yell at them, and buck them down, and the last tried to persuade her hooves to just run away.

In the end, she decided to not risk climbing the frozen hill. Spending the rest of the day with bullies and blind minds wasn't a welcoming thought either. It'd be best if she travelled back to the train station by herself and went home alone. She could even leave a note for the teacher so she wouldn’t worry! She bit her lip, kicking at the snow with a hoof.

Travel back to the train station. Nice idea, worse realisation. Upon their arrival to the train station, she had noticed a few roads leading into the connecting valleys. However, she had just a vague idea of where she was, and she knew even less of where those roads were. With a sigh, Hedvika turned her back to the mines and set her eyes on the mountains towering before her. Ears aback, she gulped audibly and started forward.

There seemed to be no end to that hill. The station surely wasn't that far. It didn't make any sense, there had to be a way! Not just all those ravines and cliffs. The filly huffed as another obstacle appeared in her supposed right way.

Clouds built up in the sky and locked the warm rays of the sun away. It started to snow.

She burrowed her head deeper into her huge scarf. It still smelled of her grandma’s living room: Hearth's Warming cinnamon and dried lavender. Only this time the scent of wet fabric and condensed saliva was mixed in, pushing the pleasant memories to the back of her mind. At least it blocked out most of the cold.

How she wished for her spell-casting ability to be stronger. She could name at least five spells to warm herself up, yet she still wasn't able to perform even the simplest telekinesis. Her horn was good only for icicles to form on.

Bemused, she watched solid waterfalls and columns of ice pass around her. Normally she'd be excited by such an enchanting sight. Not now. One couldn't climb these. They just sat there, further narrowing the thin ledge between the wall and the tricky snowy overhang above the chasm that gaped underneath her.

With a groan of rage and despair, she bucked the nearest tree. A tree that was more like a sickly bush that overestimated its ability to grow in such a hostile place.

It bent over the edge, the frozen wood creaking. With one final screech, it snapped and fell, its roots taking half of the cliff for a ride.

"Oi. Sorry," Hedvika cried to the depth below, holding onto one of the frozen cascades. She slid down with a thud, the path behind her crumbling down as well. She sighed. One more change of course.

She trudged over the frozen plain. Tiny tornadoes of snow danced around her, fed by the wind from the mountains. Waves of snowflakes raced across the icy ground and gathered into towering dunes. Gone was the blinding and shimmering snow. The sun was concealed by thick clouds directed only by the wild winds of the Frozen North. Pristine white was replaced by gloomy gray. Hedvika shielded her cheeks from the biting wind. A snowstorm was coming.

Holes in the snow left by her hooves were refilled almost immediately. Wind whipped her face and hurled sharp crystals of ice into her eyes. Locks of her mane and tail wildly flapped in the air, the strands of hair slowly freezing together. Snowdrifts collected on her eyelashes as she fought to keep her eyes open.

She was no longer trying to fix her course. All she could do was hope that she was still walking straight, and that some cover would show up soon. If that was true, she should still be able to backtrack, at least in theory.

Head bent down, she pressed on. "You mustn't stop. You can't fall asleep. You won't wake up," she muttered, until she felt saliva freezing on her tongue.

Suddenly, the snow from below her vanished, and she slid forward with a shriek. She landed before a small overhang. It was lined with huge icicles looking like prison bars. Not hesitating a moment, she crawled inside. Still cold, but at least the wind was gone.

She felt sleepy. She no longer had the will to resist it. And that one snow pile, looking like a fluffy pillow, was so tempting. She'd relieve her hooves just a little, rest her head, and close her weary eyelids...

Crack

Her ears shot up, swiveling to the snow pile.

"Probably just a crunching piece of frozen snow..." She muttered as she put her head back down.

Her eyes stared out into the raging storm. "Will they be looking for me?" The question resonated between the icicles. "But why would they? My classmates make fun of me, and our teacher isn't even trying to stop them. Not caring would be better both for me and them."

Tears started to form at the corners of her eyes, immediately turning to ice.

Crack

The small pile beneath her shook, a cloud of steam rising from it.

Despite her weariness, Hedvika jumped up and backpedalled further into the frozen cave. Pressed against the wall, she eyed the pile with fear and curiosity. She'd read about geysers streaming out hot water once in a while... Most of them were in the Badlands, but there were mentions of some in the Crystal Mountains as well. Was this one of them? If it started to pour, should she stay nearby to warm herself up or run before it boiled her?

Too late.

The pile erupted in a small shower of snowflakes. There, in its epicenter, satan egg.

A crack egg with a goo-covered reptile inside. The creature eyed the filly curiously. It seemed to be expecting something.

Then it started to wriggle and rub feverishly on the eggshell, ridding itself of the clinging mucus. Shimmering blue scales began to poke from beneath the brownish sludge. Small bat-like wings slowly unfurled from its sides, looking like fins of fish that had been pulled out of water.

The freshly hatched dragon blinked a few times and licked the remaining slime from its nostrils. Then, with surprising force, it leapt forward.

A row of glimmering, sharp teeth caught on the fabric of her scarf. Hedvika stood still, remembering what a friend told her. Stay calm, trust the animal, it will trust you.

Yeah, that was efficient when you had a thorn-tailed lizard on your shoulder, not this thing that could probably burn a hole through a pony's neck with a single sneeze. She mentally kicked herself for calling the dragon a 'thing' in the next moment.

Luckily it didn't sneeze. It just curled in her scarf and twisted its tail around her neck. Her hooves were beginning to freeze to the ground when the restless wriggling around in the scarf ceased, and the drake started to climb up her chest and neck again. It stopped to explore her muzzle with its tongue, hanging on her jaw with its talons.

“I just hope your saliva isn't acidic or something,” she muttered over the claws digging into her lips. She tried to hold her head still, even with a burden of nearly the same size.

The small reptile didn't seem to notice. It was too fascinated by her horn. Its round pupils turned more slitted, the reflection of the emerald green tip still clearly visible in them. The filly's own eyes narrowed as its nose drew closer and closer to her forehead.

Its movement was slow and shaky, yet steady.

Suddenly, in a bright flash of light, a stream of sparks arched over the remaining distance.

It was the second time that day she was coughing up snow and picking herself off the ground. Though the tingling in her body and the dragon cowering in her scarf were new.

She lowered her eyes to look at the small creature. Her gaze met a smoother part of the icy ground. She winced at the sight. Her horn was singed black.

Her hoof found its way into the many folds of her scarf where it tenderly caressed the dragon. The little one seemed to radiate even more coldness, sending chills down Hedvika's frozen spine.

She thought that she was hallucinating as the snow around her seemed to move. She blinked. It did move. Stuck to the coats of two polar foxes.

They stopped between the icicle bars, eyeing the filly. Not with fear, but respect for the unknown creature before them. Hedvika cocked her head to the side, returning their look. The little one tried to hide even further into the scarf.

Slowly, the two predators approached the pair. Hedvika's mind flashed the images of rabies and other illnesses, but she was too tired to move. The foxes came nearer and lay down by her side, shielding her from the cold.

Trust and respect, it is shared both ways. You must never show fear. Remember that.

She remembered, but it was only now that she fully understood.

"This is something that makes me different from the puppy and kitty cuddlers," she muttered to herself. "Respect and trust for animals. Understanding."

She felt a tingling wave of heat wash over her and settle in her flank. When she turned to it, she noticed a leaf shape with a stylized owl in its center appearing in a flash of light.

As the plain green fur disappeared to make way for her cutie mark, the snow and ice around them melted, leaving a small patch of moist grass under the overhang.

A small smile wormed its way to Hedvika’s lips. Now just to find a way back and also some good explanation for keeping a dragon and its smelly eggshell. The first could be solved quite simply, it was still refusing to leave her scarf... but the second... Would stopping to beg for an ostrich egg be enough?

/)*(\

"It was a small miracle, but we managed to get to the train station. The teacher planned to be angry, but she just embraced me, tears streaming down her eyes when I showed up. And after a newspaper ad about Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns using dragon hatching as an entrance exam, my parents let me keep the dragon.”

“I named him ‘Severhak’ after an ancient god of the north winds that appeared in lots of my fairy tales. But since pronouncing something from the ancient language is not exactly easy, he usually goes with ‘Sev’.” Hedvika extended a hoof, searching for the dragon blindly. Her eyes were bound to the flames of the fireplace.

“What else to say? My family later moved to the central parts of Equestria, I managed to have received approval for a research project focusing on small northern dragons, which led to the discovery of Dragon Margraviate far in the Frozen North, where I was able to learn more about them." Her hoof found Sev’s scales and rubbed them lightly.

"A few years ago, I was wandering around the edge of the Everfree when I spotted a smoldering timberwolf. Somepony tried to kill it by burning it alive. It escaped at the first sight of me. I started to look for all the information I could find about them and the Everfree in general. Just a few tomes of the Classical era were what I found.” Her eyes narrowed, still intently staring into the flames and shimmering embers.

“It started with small expeditions to this forsaken place, continued with meeting the zebra herbalist living here, and ended with us moving into an old forester station on this ancient tree."

With a snore, Luna fell headfirst into the remaining sandwiches.

A weary sigh escaped Hedvika’s lips. "Sev? How long is she...?"

"Not long... I think." The dragon grinned, slithering past her.

"I'm really looking forward to repeating all of this tomorrow." Hedvika grimaced. "But still, she is our chance to show the outer world what really lies in the Everfree..." She looked at the peacefully sleeping alicorn with butter and breadcrumbs caking her dark coat.

"Let’s get her some place to sleep. And you need rest too." Sev turned to her, smiling faintly.

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.

My earnest thanks go to PonyPoet21, labba94, and Boulder for pre-reading.

Chapter 4: A New Day

Rays of sunlight danced on the outer side of closed curtains; the room behind them still bathing in pleasant dimness.

Crowing could be heard from outside, resonating through the glass panes. It soared through the darkened room, right into the ears of a calmly sleeping alicorn. The princess’ ear twitched, and the mare mumbled a few incoherent lines into the plump pillow.

Another round of crowing burst into the room, sounding almost desperate this time. Luna abruptly straightened up, pulled out of her peaceful slumber. Light peering into the room in a few tiny columns stung her unfocused eyes.

Her pupils narrowed in horror as the realisation hit her. "Sunlight? The moonset!” She started scrambling out of bed, her hooves automatically groping for her crown. “Tia will be so vexed that I have overslept aga—" Her hooves grasped only air where her crown stand used to be. She froze, slowly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Taking in her surroundings, she fell back on the mattress. She was lying in a bed that wasn't her own, again. Truth be told, the previous evening it was a table with a furry blanket, but technically still a bed.

“That was a weird dream... Something about snow... and foxes?” Luna muttered, shaking her head to sort out her thoughts. She shifted, tucking herself in again, and turned on her side, only to face a pair of glistening orange eyes.

The creature sniffed a few times and poked Luna with its wet, cold nose. It extended its long tongue, giving the princess' face a proper bath. Then it gently bit down on her hoof and tugged. The princess eyed it through her half-lidded eyes bemusedly and simply rolled on her other side. A lance of pain shot from her wing as the weight of her torso momentarily rested on it.

There were a few more pokes to her back, accompanied by quiet squeaking and whining. The blanket slid from Luna and snaked to the floor. The little creature turned in the door to release an impatient bark, picked up the blanket again, and disappeared into the room. Luna just watched after its bright orange tail with white tip.

"Foxes." She groaned, shifting back and forth on the bed. Spotting that the pillow was generously sprinkled with red hair, she decided to get up.

With a sigh, Luna groggily rose to her hooves. Her legs wobbled for a moment and pain rushed from her left wing shoulder. To her delight, it was far more bearable than before.

The room she was in was similar to the one she found herself in yesterday. She froze. Hopefully it was yesterday. She shook her head and took in her surroundings.

The room was a smaller one with a solid wooden floor and walls made of layered wooden planks. In one corner was the now-uncovered bed, the curtained window adorned the opposite wall. A small desk, akin more to a lectern, rested under the window, and a cupboard filled with skulls stood just next to it. Luna winced and directed her gaze to the floor for a while. Luckily the rest of the cabinet held only a few tarnished medals and certificates, books, and some tiny trinkets. The only remaining furniture was a small circular carpet in the middle of the room, another closet, and wardrobe with a mirror attached to its side.

Luna strode straight for the mirror. From the reflection stared at her a mare with bags under her eyes, faded eye shadow, some scratches on her face, and a slightly dusty coat. However, there was something else odd about her. At first she wanted to blame that feeling on the absence of her crown and neckpiece, but then the realization hit her. It had been such a long time since she had such a messy bed head that she forgot what it looked like. Her limp mane stuck out in puffy and messy curls, and a few loose strands fell into her eyes.

Luna glanced into the wardrobe, but couldn't find a comb or a brush anywhere. How could she use such things without levitation anyway? How did earth ponies do it?

Shaking her head, she went for the door and cautiously poked her head inside the portal. It was the living room with the fireplace and a huge table. Luckily it was clean of postal owls and blanket-stealing foxes. Luna breathed a sigh of relief.

Passing through the room, she noticed the spotted animal fur lying on the ground. She glanced around warily, then kicked it out of her way in disgust.

She cantered past a stairwell into a small hall with an open door leading to another room. Pleasant smells of raspberries and frying wafted through the portal. Luna stuck her head inside, drooling slightly. Nopony and no food in sight, just a table with an empty plate, a pair of chairs, and a kitchen countertop. Luna headed back to the corridor, wiping the saliva from her mouth, annoyed.

Trotting to the edge of the stairs, she craned her neck and called into the space above her, "Is anypony up there?"

No answer. The princess shrugged and started to descend the stairs.

"Seems like every inhabitant of this house can just appear and disappear to their liking..." Luna muttered to herself, leaning against the wall to ease the pain pumping in her left side as the new terrain tested her sore limbs.

After what seemed like an eternity—which in fact was not that long for a pony who spent a thousand years on the moon—she arrived at a small balcony built between two thick branches. The warm morning breeze ruffled her fur and tickled her feathers, beckoning her outside. Light filtering through the leaves stung her eyes as she left the pleasant shade of the stair’s portal. With the creaking of boards under her hooves, she approached the railing. Not a bad view, if a little boring. Treetops and open skies simply couldn't best the view from Canterlot’s many spires. Shaking her head, she dropped back onto all fours. The only stairs leading from there were the ones snaking back up to the house between the branches. On the opposite end of the balcony was a pulley system connected to a small railed platform.

Luna cocked her head and trotted to it. She cautiously took a step forward, scouting it. It shook slightly, but seemed sturdy enough. Something cold nudged her side. She quickly turned. Her legs wobbled in a surge of pain and gave up. The platform swung dangerously under her fallen form.

The princess looked up shakily, spotting the fox from before. It eyed her curiously for a few seconds, a rope in its teeth. Luna was sure that a smirk escaped its lips before it tugged on the rope.

With an ear-splitting screech, the platform tumbled down.

"Gofcha!"

A small glistening insect found itself pulled out of water. It clung to the net beneath its legs, remaining in the same position as the surroundings turned upside down. Its grip loosened only after something big and green tapped on the other side of the net, sending the creature into a huge water-filled jar.

Hedvika's ears shot up at the screeching followed by a muffled thud. A few moments later a dazed blue alicorn stumbled from behind the large trunk of the tree housing their home. Swaying from side to side and tripping over small pebbles and her own legs, Luna faceplanted into the water right at her hooves.

"Goof morninf, Pfincef." Hedvika pulled the strainer out of her mouth and gently tossed it aside. Then she quickly picked up Luna's head and tugged her out of the small river.

"I'm sorry, but we don't use the lift much. I should probably check on the ropes and pulleys." Hedvika grimaced, rubbing her hooves against her coat.

As Luna's vision stopped swimming, she could recognize the silvery smears on the mare's fur. Apparently the rest of her eyeshadow was gone.

Hedvika drew away a few strands of mane from her eyes and continued, "I promised a local teacher to bring some wildlife to show at some festival. And since you were still asleep, I decided to leave you to Jester and get these prepared." She pointed a hoof at the jars. "The events of last night kept me from sleeping peacefully anyway."

"My apologies—"

"You don't have to apologise. Getting attacked wasn't your fault." Hedvika waded back into the water and ran her hooves over her legs, washing off the detritus from her coat.

Luna watched the water flow silently, eventually turning her eyes to the small shimmering waterfall nearby. "Hopefully not, but it made me forsake my duties. My sister may have taken care of the moonset, but I am the only one protecting ponies’ dreams from nightmares." She took a more regal stance, but lowered her eyes almost immediately. “The very nightmares I helped create.”

"That seems really interesting; can you tell me how it works?" Hedvika asked, throwing off a few strands of water-crowfoot tangling around her legs.

"I can try, but I am not sure if you will be able to understand." Luna started dusting herself off profusely.

Crawling out of the water, Hedvika narrowed her eyes.

Luna stepped back, Hedvika’s serious gaze still locked on her. "No offense, but it is really complica—"

"Don't…” Hedvika began, raising her hooves to the air, “...move." She sprung forward.

"Wha—ouch!" Luna jerked her head, pulling a lock of her mane free from Hedvika's grip.

"Finally!" Hedvika grinned at her hooves. There sat a needle-shaped insect with huge jagged front legs and a long spike on its abdomen. She shoved it in front of Luna’s muzzle. "This was the last one missing. Thank you for catching it. Now where did I put the strain—"

The princess glared at it, then raised her head and looked at the mare mere centimetres from her face. "Miss Gree—Hedvika, I understand you are possibly confused and sleepless, but please. Respect. My. Personal. Space!" The last word had some royal voice tinge to it as well as some hidden bitterness.

Her anger retreated almost immediately at the sight of the young mare backpedaling into the river, fear glinting in her eyes.

"I-I apologise, I did not mean to... I-I am grateful for what you did for me. It is just that... I am still a little tired and used to a different kind of approach." Luna rubbed her temples, forcing an unconvincing smile to her lips.

Hedvika gave her a wary look. With a sigh, the princess lowered her head to the ground again. "Can you please take a look at my mane to see if there are any more bugs from the filthy river?"

"Eh, sure." Hedvika approached her, still slightly deafened. She sprayed the bank with water as she jumped out of the stream. "Also, don't worry. The river of Erlot is not as filthy as it used to be, and it's still far cleaner than in the capital. Nearly the same could be said about Cant, if it wasn't flowing through the fields and pastures..."

"Pardon, Erlot? Should it not be larger at this point?" Luna uttered, watching the sun mirroring in the water. Small fish chased each other in the shallow stream, raising grains of sand in their wake.

"Part of it actually flows into the bogs just a few kilometers upstream." Hedvika gingerly ran her hoof through the wet dreaded mane.

It reminded Luna of the primitive monkeys from the Canterlot zoo. She just hoped the mare wouldn't eat anything she found in her mane.

At least this inferior act allowed the princess to make out more features of her host than did the scarce light of the hearth yesterday. Hedvika’s dark mane was actually purple with streaks of dusty orange. Her green coat, clear of any mud, now shone in the morning sun. A worn harness lined her sides, and the formerly white scarf around her neck was shortened and more of a reddish color, barely covering the injury. A trail of water with a crimson hue slowly dripped down her chest.

"Ooh, another one!"

Luna watched the bug fly to the jar and plummet into the water. Unmoving, it floated on the surface for a moment before swimming down.

"Anyway... When did I doze off yesterday?"

A chuckle resonated between the leaves above their heads. "It's no use asking her, because she doesn't know either."

Both mares looked to the branches overhead. Sev lay there, limbs and tail lazily hanging down. A huge sack filled with something sharp-edged sat next to him.

"Good morning, Princess." Sev bowed his head. "Did you sleep well?"

Not waiting for an answer, he glided down and tossed the sack into Hedvika's waiting saddlebag. The mare's legs visibly shook from the impact.

"Do you think it's enough?" Hedvika groaned.

Sev snorted. "If you think otherwise, go back to the mines yourself and find more gems."

"Okay, okay... I believe you." Hedvika scratched his chin, the dragon purring quietly.

"In the gemstone mines?” Luna stretched her back and her healthy wing, stepping closer curiously. “For what? Does he need such a large snack for one day?"

"Do you always ask so many questions at once? You're still better than Hedvika though. Her first words to the Dragon Margrave were 'May Windigoes bless Your Excellency, could you please explain how does your thermoregulation work?'" Sev knelt down on her head and bent his neck ceremoniously.

The mare just rolled her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her muzzle, blushing.

Sev straightened up, continuing with his innocent grin, "The gems are not for me and not for eating. Far better than a sapphire for breakfast would be a fresh fish. Just like the one that's impaled on your horn." He pointed a claw at the alicorn.

Quickly, Luna's gaze shifted upwards to a small fish hugging her horn with its mouth.

The princess screamed, trying to pull it off. Her hooves slipped on the slimy and wet creature, the fish sinking its tiny pointy teeth into her horn and flapping its gill covers angrily. Luna let out a howl of pain, her horn lighting up for a moment with blinding light.

"Fresh is good, fried is even better." Sev gingerly removed the smoking fish off her horn and began munching on it.

A few scorched scales still clung to her horn. The alicorn turned to Hedvika, disgusted.

The mare just put the jars and sack of gems in the saddlebags hooked to her harness, the old leather straining bravely. She didn't even try to close their flaps, buckles now hanging limply among the many outer pockets, loops, satchels and various tools attached to the main bag. Another two bags hung over her flanks, one filled with many round and, judging by its sagging look, quite heavy objects, while the other seemed moderately empty.

Luna chuckled, Hedvika reminding her of an over-decorated Hearth's Warming tree. However, she swallowed her planned remark, along with a complaint about the mare's choice of bag material.

"So, magic already returned?" The unicorn gave Luna an encouraging smile.

The princess eyed her horn for a while, then dusted off the remaining fried scales. She then focused on the strainer lying on the ground, calling on her magic. She squinted, beads of sweat forming on her brow. A single spark left her horn and blinked out of existence almost immediately.

The princess sighed, grabbed the tool with her mouth, and offered it to Hedvika. "Feemf like it if not," she mumbled over the handle.

Hedvika’s smile faltered. "I'm sure it will get better soon." She fidgeted slightly, adjusting her harness and saddlebags. "Now just one question remains: do you want to stay here or go with us?"

The princess let out a sigh of resignation. "What is safer?"

"Well, you'd be alone the whole day here, with only a few animals keeping you company. But if you go with us, we risk that somepony hostile might see you around Ponyville or Trottingham where we need to run a few errands. Though, I highly doubt that traitors to the crown would go to a festival for little fillies or such, but the possibility is still there. Either way, let Sev cast an anti-tick spell on you, there are hundreds of them around."

Luna looked back to the house sitting in the branches of the majestic crooked tree. An orange furry creature flashed past one of the windows.

"I think I will go with you. Just give me something to cover my wings and cutie mark, so that ponies could not recognise me at first glance. After all, I am a Princess of Equestria, I will not sit here like a coward and wait till my big sister solves everything!" She stomped her hoof and raised her chin to the skies. She huffed and trotted forward into the underbrush. A branch hit her squarely in the face.

"Ah, here they are!"

Luna nearly bumped into Hedvika, who abruptly halted and bent down in the middle of the forest path to pick a few plants growing near a puddle of water.

It was about the tenth time already. Stopping every few minutes just because there was something to be gathered. Luna glanced around and frowned. If at least the surroundings were interesting, say some unusual rocks, a vast sunny valley with a stream or two, anything. All there was was this gloomy deer path, shielded with overgrown bushes and trees. Luna was already tired from stumbling over the roots and tripping on brambles. It was only now that she realized how comfortable her horseshoes, still resting in her chambers, were.

The princess sighed, eyes rolling. "You really cannot use magic?"

Hedvika straightened up and carefully tucked the plants away. "No, Princess, I really can’t. Or, well… Sev, please keep watch for a moment."

The unicorn shut her eyes, sweat shimmering on her forehead. She twitched and strained as if trying to lift a whole wagon with the tip of her horn. But nothing happened. Not a single spark of magic left her horn.

Luna shifted around slowly, looking for anything out of ordinary. Bushes, vines, trees, eyes glowing in the darkness nearby… nothing unusual for the Everfree. She felt a slight tug on her ear. She turned to the dragon sitting on Hedvika’s back and she followed the direction his talon signaled.

There, on the ground, lay a pebble. It shifted haphazardly from side to side, as if an invisible foal was trying to pick it up with its mouth. Ever so slowly it rose above the ground, shaking wildly.

“I give up!” The pebble fell down, Hedvika nearly following in its wake. “Here...” she panted, “here you… you see why I... don’t use... it.”

Luna stared at the mare, completely dumbstruck. “But… how did you do it? There was no magic present around your horn or the pebble!” She gestured to the poor stone.

Hedvika calmed her breathing and slowly trotted down the path. Her coat was drenched in sweat. "Well, I used dragon magic.”

Luna gave her a confused look. Sev smirked.

“It most probably started when a freshly hatched Sev tried to touch my horn. From what I have seen, dragon magic is quite similar to unicorn magic, just more focused on molecule manipulation." Hedvika crawled through a bush, holding the branches out of the way and waiting for Luna to catch up.

"Similar to any pony, zebra, timberwolf or breezie magic, dragon magic has its roots in common Equestrian magic, derived in the creature's body to the specific type." She turned around, her ears swiveling wildly. A flock of birds flew above them, swarming the canopies.

“Breezies?” Luna gave her a curious look, shaking off a few leaves clinging to her coat.

“Rare and obscure fairy-like ponies. Some species have minor amounts of magic.” Hedvika cleared her throat, trotting by the alicorn’s side. "Dragon and pony magic can't mix under normal conditions as they are contained firmly in the creature's body. But when one of them is released, it can be sucked in by the other. When a creature is born or hatched, it can't control its magic, which flows freely around, half soaking into its bearer, half impatiently looking for another target. Just like electricity during a storm.

"And as I told you yesterday, I found Sev's egg in the plains of the Frozen North. I was a perfect target for the magic of a dragon hatchling.”

Reaching a small stream, they continued along its bank as Sev took the reins, continuing from Hedvika’s back, “If there was an adult unicorn, nothing would have happened, probably. Because, when these two magics meet, they are like water and fire. Which of them remains depends only on the amount… Oh!” Sev dove into the brook, his scales flashing in the waves.

Hedvika stopped and smiled. Luna settled beside her in the moist grass. “Another fish?”

“I think something far more special.” The unicorn chuckled, watching the dragon roll in the water. “Anyway, let’s finish before he is done. The magic of a regular unicorn foal was nothing against the free dragon magic. But somehow, it survived.” Hedvika stopped, placing a hoof against her chest. “It got stuck deep in me, tied by the dragon magic, yet simultaneously holding the dragon magic back. At least that's what one professor proficient in magic channels told me. To be honest, it seems believable.”

Luna slowly nodded. "That… explains a lot. Do you at least feel it?"

Hedvika gave her a questioning look, her hoof pawing at the ground.

"I mean, unicorns usually feel the magic even when not casting a spell. They know about their horn just like about a hoof or tongue."

"For me it's just a dead weight." Hedvika shook her head and looked away, her ears moving to the sounds of forest.

Luna stared at the stream, a slight frown on her face.

“No!” Sev hopped out of the water, a blur of blue and orange shooting away from the waves. “And there goes our kingfisher.” He growled, returning on the path, wings scraping the ground. The princess started after him, Hedvika in her wake. Silence settled over the group.

Luna stuck her head out of a tunnel cut through a bush. "So, where exactly are we heade—" She froze on the spot. Her form slumped back rigidly. A hoof clasped her mouth, nearly choking her. Her healthy wing flared up and waved through the air.

"Shh. Don't forget that you're not alone here. Pay more mind to your surroundings." Hedvika loosened the grip, the princess pulled against her shoulder. The mare pointed at the small clearing before them, where the ground was dotted with patches of moss and grass and deep claw marks running through the soil. The clearing was lined with dark and tangled trees, eclipsing all but a few faint rays of sunlight.

Luna turned her gaze in the direction Hedvika indicated. A pair of glowing eyes watched back, slowly inching nearer.

Hedvika stepped forward, leaving the princess behind. Her hoof slowly moved to her bag. The eyes seemed to falter.

The tip of her hoof nearly touched the flap. The eyes blinked. A quiet growl resonated through the trees. Luna skulked back into a nearby bush. Hedvika’s hoof dove into the bag.

A brown blur shot out at them. The princess froze in place, sealing her eyes shut.

With a wet chomp, droplets splashed all over her face. Quiet growling and crunching sounded nearby. She shakily raised her eyelids, ready to close them at first glance of the horrific scene. But there was no dead pony around. Just a huge creature made of wood, munching on something colorful.

Luna licked one of the little drops from her muzzle. "Juice?"

Hedvika turned, ears rapidly falling back. “Watch out!” she cried, her hoof moving back again.

A colourful smear dashed across Luna’s vision. It landed in the tunnel with a muffled thud. Luna watched the fallen zap apple with confusion. A smaller creature emerged from the shadows, snatching it.

It was barely bigger than a filly. A small timberwolf pup, rolling the colourful apple from side to side. Its twig-like teeth barely scraped the surface as its leafy tongue trailed around the fruit. Root-like paws with tufts of needles tried to hold it steady. The pup raised its head, the eerie glowing eyes giving Luna a curious, almost playful look.

Despite the bizarre sight, the princess smiled. Mesmerized by the small creature, she extended her hoof. Her ears flicked to a gasp behind her.

"Don’t you dare!" Hedvika tackled Luna to the ground and started dragging her away.

"But—" Luna wriggled in her grip, bending to avoid a few branches.

"I know, personal space. But please, Princess, listen to this. In the matters of nature, I don't care if you are royalty. Neither does the Everfree." Hedvika pushed Luna against a nearby tree, her tawny eyes turning ice-cold. She was almost muzzle to muzzle with the alicorn. Her lips curled up, revealing two rows of clenched yellowish teeth.

"Even though it might seem like it, I'm not controlling these creatures. I have been studying them for a long time, and they nearly accepted me as a member of their pack. Yet as you see, they always expect zap apples from me. Then I'm allowed to pass through their territory. Try to touch their young, and they'll attack you in no time, especially in times of feeding. Come here without zap apples, and you are dead. Because you'll be invading their personal space, their territory."

The alicorn’s ears drooped a little, yet she retained her composure, giving the mare a simple nod. Hedvika turned with a huff and a whisk of the tail and continued down the path.

Brushing herself off, Luna started after her. To her annoyance the pain in the wing returned, and her messy mane tangled into every bush. "So... What exactly are you doing here?"

"Biological research.” Hedvika's voice softened. “I hope to somehow bring Equestria to notice that the wildlife here is more than a bunch of monsters."

"But haven't you said before that these are not... pets?" Luna cocked her head to the side, jumping over a few roots.

Hedvika turned, her ears falling slightly aback. "Are there only 'pet' and 'monster' labeled groups of animals in your mind? Then I suggest adding 'the ones to respect' to the list," she said, holding a branch out of the way for Luna to pass.

"No, but... why are you doing this?" the princess inquired, fidgeting with the bandage running from her wing.

"Because nopony before me did such a crazy thing, at least not in this millennium. But mainly because I want to know how and why this forest works as it does. So I can protect it from ponies.” The unicorn stopped, pondering her words. “And maybe even ponies from it. Some ponies, anyway.” She stared off into space for a moment, then turned to Luna. “There should be a clearing ahead of us, let's stop there for a minute. I can see how you struggle with your wing."

Luna rolled her eyes, pushing through a bunch of bushes. "I think you should sort out your priorities."

"I have them sorted very well, Princess." Hedvika snorted. Entering the small clearing, she dismounted her heavier saddlebags, leaving on only the straps and pockets of the harness. Muzzle pressed to the ground, the green mare crawled away into the tall grass.

Luna wanted to lie down, but then a thought stopped her. "Can I sit down, or is this some kind of sentient grass that will mind my presence?" Noticing Sev had caught up with them and was now fluttering above her, she turned to him, her hoof pawing at the ground.

"Feel free to sit down, but say goodbye to your flanks. It can easily bite them off." He landed next to her, chuckling. "It's safe, don't worry."

She gingerly stroked the straws a few times, circled in the grass, and clumsily plopped down. Sev hopped up on a tree growing nearby, watching their surroundings.

Luna motioned to the purple and orange tail sticking from the vegetation. "Why is she picking all the plants?" she asked, turning to Sev. Her hooves worked their way through her mane, pulling out leaves, twigs, and even a stray feather.

"That's all for the festival. She believes that through teaching the foals, she can teach the parents. I know she'd hate to admit it, but she truly trusts only the little ones. I think she sees a part of herself in them." Sev chuckled to himself. "Though sometimes she goes a little overboard with what she expects."

"How could I know that they wouldn't be able to recognize the basics?" Hedvika stuck her head out of a huge tuft of grass.

"Because your basics aren't... everypony's basics." Sev groaned, rubbing his temple.

"Yeah, ignorance is bliss." Hedvika put down a large sheaf of plants, sorting them to smaller heaps.

"It was for that foal," Sev said, mildly aggravated.

Luna’s ears shot up. "Foal? What happened?"

"Nothing lethal…” Hedvika rubbed the back of her neck. “Also, I haven't thought that your mane would be so long when it's not all flowy. Don't you want to tie it somehow?"

"Do not change the topic that quickly, young mare.” Luna waved her hoof, her eyes piercinging Hedvika to the core. “Although, you have some ideas for what to do?"

"I'll get to it... eventually. Well, styling manes was never my field. I think I remember how to do a simple braid." Hedvika stared into the distance, moving a hoof through the air as she dug through her memory.

"Can you do it? I do not think my horn would be capable of such delicate movements right now." Luna motioned to her forehead.

"Like there was nopony else with the same problem... though I might have a handy solution." Hedvika looked down at Sev, giving him a devilish grin.

"...and that's when Zecora told us that three little fillies came begging for a bouquet of poison jokes. When she refused, they surely went looking for them by themselves. Luckily there are lots of patches of quite similar, yet harmless, plants called blue archer all around. We found the three before they managed to stumble upon the real joke," Hedvika finished, drawing out a blue flower from her saddlebag and presenting it to Luna.

"Why would somepony look for such a plant?" Luna cocked an eyebrow, examining the petals.

"They said it was supposed to be a 'gift' for some other filly in school. Luckily for her, they found the wrong species. See, nothing lethal. I proposed to teach them about plants, and since then I have them on my tail all the time."

"And their families are okay with it?" Luna cocked an eyebrow, ushering a few annoying louse flies with a hoof.

"They seemed quite relieved to get rid of them from time to time... aside from one mare boasting about how dirty they always return. As far as I know, anyway. I didn’t really bother asking them.” Hedvika rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “But believe me, there is a far larger chance you'll get ran over by a wagon in Manehattan than eaten by a cragadile in the Everfree. All you need is aware—whoa—ness!" She hopped over something on the ground. "Sev, we have another one!"

A rustling of branches was heard as the dragon descended to the two mares.

"Is he... dead?" The princess took a few steps back, nose scrunched.

"With this slice through the throat?" Hedvika raised her eyes to Luna, then lowered them again. "Tsk, tsk. My dear, you should know that crowing in territories of others has consequences."

She poked the dead rooster with her hoof, toying with it from side to side. "Blow flies... nothing else..." she muttered, waving off a swarm of metallic green insects. "He's been dead for about half an hour or so. I doubt that the creature who killed him is still somewhere around here, so we don't have to fear it coming for us." She gave Luna a reassuring smile. Despite that, the princess backed against a tree, her eyes twitching around frantically.

Hedvika pulled out an empty sack and maneuvered the bird inside. "When there are chickens, it means we're not far from the forest’s edge. My lab coat should be enough to hide your wings, and I'll at least have some space for this guy in my saddlebags."

"You want to carry a dead rooster?" Luna said, disgusted.

Hedvika turned to Luna, her hoof rummaging through the bag. "I'm not doing research just on timberwolves. This one," she said, nudging the rooster in the sack, "was attacked by a cockatrice angered by his crowing. And when the intruder didn't seem like joining in the territorial stare-off, he was punished by a slash of talons. Right now I'm trying to find out if cockatrices aim at something in particular or not. That's why I’m taking this sorry one home to dissect him.

"Here is the coat, I hope it's big enough. And take these goggles too." Hedvika hoofed Luna a crumpled ball of off-white fabric and thick crystalline spectacles.

Luna clutched the cloth and pulled the goggles over her horn. "But what will the ponies think when they see me like that? Huzzah, the crazy forest scientist has been doubled!"

"Sorry, Princess, just multiplied by one and a half!" Sev interjected.

Hedvika tapped her chin with a hoof. "Hmm... with your coat color... Oh, when someone asks you, say that you are a marine biologist!"

"But I do not know much about seas. Except for high and low tide." Luna growled as she struggled with the strap around her head. With a sigh, she left the goggles resting on her forehead.

"Like most of those ponies know anything…” Hedvika sighed. “There are some constellations of fish and dolphins, right? Just talk about them in fancy. They won't recognize anything."

"And if they ask about the stains on the coat?" Luna said, rubbing the brownish-red blotches on the fabric.

Hedvika rolled her eyes. "You had hayfries with ketchup at Hayburger. Oh, and try not to rummage through the pockets too much. I’m not sure what I left in there."

Sev landed on Hedvika's back, his wings twitching nervously. "Let's go, I think I can already hear the little devils from here..."

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.

My earnest thanks go to PonyPoet21, labba94 and Boulder for pre-reading.

Chapter 5: A Day at the Festival

The air was still fresh after the night’s rain, now tinged with boiled corn and apple fritters. The sun shone with all the force it could muster, drying off the last drops of morning dew and promising another muggy day. A slightly out of tune country band tried its best on stage and occasionally managed to lure a few passers-by to sit and listen to their bouncy music.

Ponies gathered and chatted in small groups with their children shuffling impatiently and doing anything they could to catch their parents' attention. A few colts inhaled helium from the balloons they were given at a clown booth and ran around, giggling and shouting in their high-pitched voices. Various stalls of filly scouts, local artists, and farmers dotted the gentle rolling hillsides covered in many checkered blankets waiting for their picnic-hungry occupants.

Ribbons hanging from the branches of a small grove swiveled as two mares passed between them.

"Too much ponies. ‘Too many’ would have been an understatement." Hedvika groaned at the sight of the meadow littered with stalls and ponies.

Luna only murmured in response, not really thinking about what the mare said. Her eyes roved around after anything that seemed like armor.

"Thank Celestia! You are here just in time!" A mulberry mare galloped to them, a wreath of daisies nearly falling off her head.

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee." Hedvika smiled as she waited for her to catch her breath. "This is my old friend and colleague, uh... Clam. She stopped by on her return from Baltimare, and I thought it would be a good idea to bring her here too. I hope you don't mind..." She grinned nervously.

"Not in the slightest. Welcome!" Cheerilee shook Luna's hoof and placed a small cornflower into the lapel of her lab coat.

The princess winced slightly as the stem pressed onto one of her scratches.

"So, Clamie, anything new in research of the dolphin's melon?" Hedvika nonchalantly turned to the disguised Luna and bumped her side.

“No.” The normally calm and melodic voice of the alicorn was replaced with a more high-pitched, raspy version. "Thou knowest I am more into sea cucumbers..." 'Clamie' forced a smile to her lips.

Hedvika cocked an eyebrow at that and cleared her ear with her hoof.

"Ah, I'll leave you to your discussion then. The stall for wildlife is over there. If you need anything, just call.” Cheerilee motioned to a few bare desks waiting up the hill. Suddenly, her brows furrowed, eyes glaring at a group of foals in the distance. “Snips! Stop bowling with Lily's hedgehogs!" The mare rushed away, staring at the unicorn colt.

"Seriously?" Hedvika turned to Luna as they started walking towards the stall.

"I hath told thee I am not a scientist," the princess retorted and pushed the sliding goggles back on her forehead.

"I am not talking about sea cucumbers, I mean the voice." Hedvika ceased her trot and waited for the princess to catch up.

"This? I thought it would be good to use this fillyhood one for ‘Clam’. Although ‘tis... uh, it is making my focus on new Equestrian even harder. I have been studying it a lot lately. Is it good?" Luna asked, an expectant grin on her face.

"Yeah, sure it is. If I haven't heard you before, I wouldn't think you spoke differently. Though for what does a young princess need such a weird voice?"

"Believe it or not, this one originally belonged to the cook's assistant in our old castle. When I came for a midnight snack into the kitchen, I sometimes encountered the staff already preparing breakfast. Luckily, the chef himself spent most of his duty heavily pondering in the corner..." Luna lowered her voice, giving a nervous smile and wave to a mare passing by them.

"Inconspicuous as an apple on a pear tree." Hedvika rolled her eyes, starting forward again.

"Did you say something?" Luna inquired, ruffling her healthy wing under the coat.

"Nothing. Please, continue with the story of yours."

"All right... so, heavily pondering in the corner. When some sound woke him up, he did not bother to open his eyes. He just called and waited for the assistant to reply. I learned to imitate her voice perfectly not to raise any suspicion. Later I added a full body transformation to it. Albeit that spell took a darker twist when I got older..." She sighed, her eyes flitting about again. "What did you mean that you heard my voice before?" She gave Hedvika a wary look.

"Well, when a certain pony yells during Nightmare Night at the edge of the Everfree so much that even unripe zap apples fall to the ground, it's likely I'll remember it." The mare chuckled, yet her gaze remained serious, locked with Luna's.

"How long exactly have you been in the Everfree? Also, where has our dragon friend gone?" Luna shook her head and glanced around.

"He's probably hiding somewhere..." Hedvika smirked and twitched slightly, swiftly heaving up her saddlebags. Luna would swear one of the previously empty pockets was now straining with its contents. Hedvika's voice drew back her attention. "How long? Long enough to see Nightmare Moon's actions and your return, if you are asking that. To be honest, lots of ponies started wandering into the Everfree after that." Hedvika unhooked her saddlebags and set them near the assigned desk with a sigh.

"Oh…” Luna cocked her head, a curious spark in her eyes. “You know what happened that night?"

"If we can notice one princess falling into the Everfree, what are the odds that we won't take note of six mares shouting and singing around? There was just no reason for me or Sev to interfere... though watching them was quite a show." Hedvika pulled the jars and plants on the desk along with a quill and some cards.

"A show, you say?" The princess smirked, eyeing the jars and their inhabitants warily.

"Guys, guys she is here!" a voice rang across the meadow.

Luna's ears perked up. "I know that—"

Three small colourful blurs rushed to Hedvika.

"Hey, you have a new scarf! Cool!" One of the blurs, which now slowed down considerably to be recognized as a pale yellow filly, jumped around the two mares.

"Oh, oh, is that the water stinger bug?" An unicorn with a swirly mane poked one of the jars.

"Eh, almost, Sweetie." Hedvika gently pushed the filly away. "Shoo, girls, give me some space to breathe! Actually, Apple Bloom, it's not new—"

"Yay, you brought a friend with you?" The last filly jumped in the air, wings buzzing. The other two turned to Luna as well. She waved awkwardly.

"Yes, Scootaloo... that's Clam. She's a marine biologist," Hedvika said, pawing at the ground ever so slightly.

"That's awesome! Nice to meet you!" Scootaloo stated, her eyes scanning intently every hair of ‘Clam’s’ coat.

Luna felt droplets of sweat form on her forehead. How long was it since she talked to that foal in a dream? A week? Two weeks? Would the filly recognize her?

"So... You like... marinate something in a lab?" The small pegasus cocked her head.

"No Sc—little one, it is more about seas—" Luna started, only to be cut off.

"Wow, I really like your mane! I bet that if you didn’t tie it up, it'd be looonger than that of Princess Celestia! And if it was windy, it'd be moving gently just as hers!" Sweetie Belle let out a squee, tugging on her braid.

"Well, I doubt that." Luna chuckled. "But it is still pretty nice and wavy when I swim underwater."

"My sister says that simple braids are only for earth ponies, something about protecting the mane from getting sweaty, but yours is extraordinarily nice! Can you teach me how to do it? Pwetty please?" Sweetie Belle's face almost disappeared under the sheer size of her eyes, hooves clinging to the braid.

"Actually, you will have to ask Sev, he created this masterpiece." Luna swung her head, the massive braid flying behind her. The filly only giggled at the unexpected mane ride she was given.

Luna winced as the weight of the filly tugged on her mane, her lab coat shifting along with her. The bandages crossing her chest in order to stabilize her wing poked out of her neckline.

"Aww, where is he! Can—" Sweetie Belle squealed merrily in Luna's ear, still hanging onto the braid.

Apple Bloom stepped forward and sternly pulled the excited unicorn away. She then gazed at Luna's chest with a frown. "What happened to y'all?"

"Oh, that? That was just—" ‘Clam’ waved her hoof dismissively through the air.

"She came here through the Everfree! I bet she got a little hurt doing something AWESOME! Like... like exploring a diamond dog den or removing ticks from a hydra or—or maybe she was herding timberwolves, but something went wrong, and they hunted her to the edge of a cliff, and all she could do was jump down and swing on a vine, but it snapped in half, and she fell into a bog with cragadiles, but luckily a swarm of parasprites saved her!" Scootaloo panted heavily, grinning from ear to ear.

"Something like that?" Luna shot Hedvika a pleading look.

"Yeah, just like that, Scootaloo. She had really endured a lot, so give her some time to rest." Hedvika patted the orange filly, maneuvering all of them from the princess. "You can help me label the invertebrates." She withheld the cards and the quill between her lips, pointing her head to the jars.

The fillies watched for a while, various degrees of annoyance written clearly on their faces. Then Sweetie Belle shot forward, the other two following suit. “Cutie Mark Crusaders labelers, yay!”

They started milling around the desk, grabbing hooffuls of the labels and scribbling the names Hedvika was telling them with haste. Luna watched their improvised dance with a motherly smile, happy sparks shimmering in her eyes.

Reaching out to put a label to one of the jars, Apple Bloom stumbled. She fell backwards, landing on the saddlebag lying on the ground.

The bag moved, and something inside shuffled quietly. Apple Bloom yelped and dashed off.

"I—uh—can't take it anymore!" The dead rooster poked his head out of the saddlebag.

The fillies fearfully squeezed between Hedvika's legs, each hugging one of them.

Sev rolled out the saddlebag, coughing up feathers. "You have no idea how hard it is to lay curled with nostrils pressed up to that bird. And as if that wasn’t enough, now somepony stomped on me!" His eyes narrowed at the sight of the Crusaders. “Windigoes damn me!”

"Sev!" the three little ones called in unison, swarming around him.

"Please, style my mane!" Sweetie Belle tugged on his tail, holding it like a prized toy.

"No! First show me that trick with your wings!" Scootaloo joined in, pulling at his leg.

They dragged him away, the dragon silently pleading with his eyes for the torture to end. Grooves left by his talons marked the ground.

"These were the fillies with the poison joke?" Luna turned to Hedvika, rubbing her sore neck and mane. A few locks of her hair glided to the ground, pulled out by Sweetie's weight earlier.

"Yep."

"I should have thought so." The princess gingerly sat down in the grass and stared after the fillies downhill.

Hedvika fished out a small magnifying glass out of her bag and attached it to her horn. She began inspecting the assorted plants closely, writing down the rest of the names on the labels and leaving Luna to her own thoughts.

The princess wriggled and circled in the grass before lying down. She rolled around cozily, caressing the tall straws with her hoof. She turned her face to the shining sun overhead, and her mind wandered to the beach in Fillydelphia she visited a few weeks ago. Oh, how she would have liked to spread her wings and sunbathe again! Did Tia really have to tempt her like that with such a beautiful day?

The confines of the lab coat brought her back to reality. Stirring again, she drew her hoof across the dirt beneath her, mindlessly charting lines between the pebbles lying on the ground.

"Mommy, daddy!" A pegasus filly zigzagged to the stall. "Daddy! They have animals here!"

"Zippy, wait!" a heavily pregnant mare called, leaning on the broad shoulder of a large, bearded stallion. Both slowly approached the stall.

Luna raised her head from her pebble-constellations, ears pricking at the squeaky voice. Her eyes shrunk to pinpricks. She clutched the coat tighter to her sides as she watched the large stallion. His shining white coat, short cut mane, well-kept wings, and toned musculature hinted at a properly trained royal guard. He was wearing glasses, but just like any insufficient coat or tail color that would violate the uniformity of the most representative soldiers, any eye defects could have been easily fixed by the spell cast on the guard's armour.

However... he had facial hair, which was prohibited among the guards. But perhaps he was on vacation, not caring about his look until he had to return? If such was the case, that would mean he was most probably uninformed about the current affair, posing a lesser threat. And also, they were not seeking her that actively if a guard was allowed to stay on family vacation. And even if he knew, he surely wouldn't want to spoil his free time, right? Or what if he was there undercover, using an artificial beard, ha! Or maybe not all guards turned against her... or he wasn't a guard at all...

Luna rubbed her temples, trying to tie down the swirling vortex of thoughts in her head. She was never good at this. During all the political lessons they received as fillies, Celestia was able to weave her way through every argument, while Luna got tangled in every statement. She sighed and turned her gaze to the ecstatic squeaky filly.

"Water wildlife?" the filly exclaimed, buzzing around the jars. "Do you have the water vole? Muskrat? Or a cuddly otter? I've read about them all in my encyclopaedia! Do you have any?"

"No, I'm afraid... I have only invertebrates, water bugs, mostly..." Hedvika beamed at her.

"You mean those with nippers and a breathing tube on its abdomen?" The filly adjusted her glasses, nearly dropping them into the jar.

The mare gave her an eager nod.

"Now, Zippy, where are your manners?" Her mother panted, still trying to catch her breath as she caught up with them.

"Oh, right..." The filly blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "Hello, miss, I'm Zipporwhill!" She extended a hoof.

"Hedvika. Nice to meet you." The unicorn returned the gesture.

"Can I take one of them out?" The filly cocked her head to the side, eyes pleading.

"Sure, just be careful. Those round ones bite." Hedvika pushed the jar towards the filly.

The filly giggled as a familiar needle-shaped insect marched on her hoof. "This is just like the one time Fluttershy let me cuddle some butterflies!" She squealed happily.

"Oh, it must have been nice..." Hedvika massaged her temples, eyes tightly shut.

The princess watched the conversation for a while, then pulled back into the wall of grass, mentally scolding herself for being scared by the possibility of a might-be-guard standing near, just because she had been injured by one. It was such a cowardly act, sitting there and waiting till something happened. She had to get her powers back! She turned around and halted her gaze at a bush of yellow flowering buds.

She tried to call on her magic, hoping to at least pull the plant from the ground. A sharp spike of pain rushed through her forehead and a few sparks escaped her horn. She muffled a cry as a burning sensation ran down her spine. A few petals flickered in her magical hold before fluttering away.

But still... her magic was returning! Luna focused once more despite the throbbing headache, happy to see the leaves of the plant shaking in her—if faint—blue aura.

She turned around to see if anypony could see her or her magic. Spotting nopony around and the hypothetical guard with his wife paying full attention to their daughter, she focused more, tugging on the plant. It swayed slightly. She channelled more magic into her horn, pain pumping in her temples.

Another irritating sound from the filly broke her concentration. Luna huffed and glared at the foal. Seriously, if that little squealing siren enjoyed sticking her head in the jar, let her be. But did she really have to produce all those bubbling and sloshing sounds?!

The princess sighed again and flexed her shoulders, positioning herself against the defiant plant. She squinted her eyes and focused on all the magic channels inside her body. She cracked one eye open. The stem swayed slightly in her magic. More magic. Maybe she could tear the plant to make it easier. No! Her magic was capable of such an easy task as picking up a whole plant, no need to cheat.

"Fluttershy..." Hedvika growled, plopping down next to the concealed alicorn. She watched after the leaving pair and the wet filly with algae in her mane zipping around them.

Luna curiously raised her eyes, horn still lit. "What? She is a kind and well-behaved mare."

"To ponies maybe... haven't really met her in person. But letting somepony cuddle butterflies is akin to their murder. Just like feeding ferrets vegetables. Or relocating a huge populace of frogs and nearly destroying the bog ecosystem..." Hedvika sighed. "That filly seemed like she had potential... at first. Though maybe—"

In a flash of light, the plant in Luna's magic broke into chunks, splatting orange liquid all around.

"Good job, ‘Clam’. I'm glad your magic concussion is ceasing... mostly." Hedvika rolled her eyes. "Can you please perform such spells somewhere else than in the middle of an overcrowded meadow? Just in case you'd manage to fry some foal. I don't want the parents to sue me or some non-existent unicorn.” She looked at the orange splotches on Luna’s coat. “By the way, that's the juice of the greatest celandine. If I were you, I'd get rid of it before it peels away your fur..."

Wiping the orange mucus from her magnifying glass, Hedvika chuckled at the sight of Luna rolling around in the grass frantically.

"And there goes any inconspicuousness whatsoever…” Hedvika rubbed her temple and gave Luna an apologetic smile. “That was a little exaggerated, the spots will be just a little itchy. Also, aren't you hungry? I'm not sure if Jester was generous enough not to eat your breakfast..." She pulled out a zap apple from her bag.

Luna gave her a nod, her expression a mix of annoyance and eagerness.

Hedvika drew her dagger from its scabbard at the side of her bag and let it sink in the apple, slicing it unceremoniously. Rubbing the blade clean of the rainbow liquid on her coat, she thrust it back into the scabbard with haste.

"I hate the silvery aftertaste," she muttered and tossed one half of the apple to Luna.

The princess was caught off guard, the apple splatting on her forehead. The impact sent the goggles tumbling down over her eyes, protecting them from the sweet rainbow-coloured river.

Hedvika turned away, choking on her half.

The princess released an irritated huff, then extended her tongue. Somehow, she was able to reach the juice on her forehead and lick it clean. She shook the apple into her hooves, ready to take a bite.

"Hmm... I'm afraid this might not end well." Hedvika scanned the meadow below them, her eyes moving between a group of foals and a road winding down the hill.

"Whaf?" Luna mumbled, stuffing the apple in her mouth before walking up to her. No matter what happened, nopony was going to eat her brunch again.

Thousands of windows glittered in the mid-morning sun, the light reflecting off of them and danced around the alleyways surrounding the Canterlot Castle.

If the passers-by in the streets below looked up and wouldn’t be blinded by the flashes of light, they’d witness a truly majestic sight; a good dozen window washers dangled from the roof and spires of the castle, mercilessly fighting off any filth that dared to stick to the glass.

Hayseed Turnip Truck was rubbing one such window feverishly with the cloth, attacking one extra defiant smudge. When he took this job, he was determined to do it dutifully. His resolution stood unchanged to this point, and no small spot on a window was going to alter it.

He wiped off the sweat beading on his forehead and adjusted his cap. While doing so, his bucket tipped over, plummeting to the ground. Without thinking, Hayseed dove after it.

A young mare walked down the castle hall, trying to read through a variety of documents at once.

She jumped at the sudden slam next to her right. Scrolls of economic diagrams and land deeds glided from her magic grasp.

She turned her head with a grunt, expecting to see another pigeon plastered on the window. She made a mental note to urge Celestia to hire a new falconer before the castle grounds below became a cemetery of dead birds.

But there was no pigeon. Instead, a dirty young stallion dangled upside-down just outside the window, an empty bucket in his grasp. Spotting her, he wiped off a lock of wet mane from his eyes and grinned from ear to ear, revealing his overgrown yellowish teeth.

The mare gave him an awkward smile and a wave of hoof, picked up the documents she dropped and rushed down the hall far faster than needed. Stopping a safe distance away from the window, she pushed her glasses up her muzzle and straightened her crimson tie and white collar.

"Miss Raven?"

"Yes?" She pricked her ears, turning to face Kibitz, the royal schedule advisor. The elderly stallion galloped towards her.

He skidded to a stop before her, panting heavily. The stack of papers he carried burst in all directions.

Raven jumped forward, catching them with her magic. A few drops of sweat appeared on her forehead as she tried to maintain the spell around the paper stack of her own.

Kibitz coughed and continued, "I am glad I finally found you! But it's no surprise with all the rescheduling and extra work I now have due to our dear Luna's urgent departure to Las Pegasus. Why couldn't they have told me sooner?"

The mare opened her mouth, though he cut her off immediately.

"But I sought to ask you," Kibitz lowered his voice, "as her personal assistant, do you know why Celestia is acting in such a strange manner? She has already cancelled half-a-dozen courts for this week! Instead of a dinner with Manehattan upper class, she arranged a meeting with Captain Armour, which was formerly planned for next month! And now she has locked herself in her private chambers! All this since the night Luna left." He motioned down the corridor to the golden door.

The mare before him blinked and adjusted her glasses again.

"I haven't noticed any big change in her behavior. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Luna left just yesterday?" She raised an eyebrow and continued, "I'd say it's simply all the stress after the griffons' visit and now all the extra duties, preparations for the Equestria Games, and such. Actually, I wouldn't mind locking myself away to just relax with a cup of tea and some snacks, but not all of us are that lucky." She eyed the pillar of papers next to her with a sigh.

"I guess you are right, and I am just being paranoid." Kibitz shrugged, took the bunch of his scattered papers from her magic, and resumed walking down the hall.

"Probably." The secretary stared after him for a moment, then trotted in the opposite direction.

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.

Chapter 6: Headfirst Dive

Hot summer air whizzed among the many spikes and spines protruding from a messy brown-greyish ball barreling directly at a group of small ponies. None of them moved an inch. All were smiling happily, their bright eyes missing any sign of fear.

The spiky ball unmercifully accelerated forward. Showers of stones and dirt darted around it. Decimated grass and jagged ground lay in its wake. The ball sped down faster and faster, individual spikes blurring in with their brethren.

And still, none of the ponies moved. Nopony rushed to their aid. The ball accelerated more and more.

Suddenly, it hit a bump in its path and soared high through the air. A large shadow fell on the group as the ball blocked out the sun. There was no place to escape now. With a quiet squeak and a crunch, the ball landed in the middle of the group. A few ponies fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Snails! Do you think that what I forbade Snips to do doesn't apply to you, young colt?" Miss Cheerilee dragged the unicorn away by his ear. “It’s Lily’s pet, not a bowling ball!”

The spiky ball slowly unfurled, a small nose peeking out. It sniffed at the fallen pony-shaped skittles, leaving wet spots where it touched them. Finding that the figures possessed no danger, the creature unfolded more, revealing a head of light beige fur and a belly infested with fleas. The hedgehog scanned its surroundings and pleaded with its beady eyes to anyone to be picked off its back and returned to a normal position.

"Aww, here you are, Mr. Prickles!" A small pink filly hugged the critter. It desperately sneaked into the den of her large pigtails.

The filly frowned as she spotted one pony figure sticking to Mr. Prickles' spines, some of them bent or downright broken. She gently shushed and whispered to the creature while removing the skittle. "Aww, did he throw you too ha—"

She fell back in awe and clutched Mr. Prickles to her chest, a few of his fleas changing owners swiftly. Feeling the creature tremble, she grasped him even tighter, ignoring the sensation of the hedgehog’s spines probing her skin.

A large blue and black spiral of pegasus magic trailed into the sky, the filly’s eyes widening at the sight. The ground trembled under her hooves, and a sharp swishing sound filled her ears. Mr. Prickles curled up again. Gently, she started trotting up the hill, eager to see more.

“What?” Luna repeated as she gobbled the rest of her apple. She looked down the hill as well, spotting nothing out of ordinary. A few families bathed in a pond in the distance, a group of ponies enjoyed an early lunch in the grass, and some colt demanded ice cream from his mother, throwing a slight fit. She even spotted Sev and the fillies under a tree nearby the ill-bred foal.

“Nothing, hopefully… It’s just that Sev and his behaviour draws unnecessary attention… I’m probably just being paranoid.” Hedvika shook her head. “Anyway, my job is done here, so we can go now.”

She snapped the buckles of her, now remarkably emptier, saddlebags shut and loosened the screw of her magnifying glass contraption, then folded the device against the side of her horn. Without another word she started down the gently sloping hillside.

Luna cocked her head and wiped off the sugary zap apple juice stuck on the fur near her lips. She trudged and skipped after the mare. The new terrain induced daggers of pain over her whole body, and the tight coat chafed on her shoulders.

"So, you take this strand"—Sev’s claw gently tugged on the hair—"and place it in the middle."

"Then we take the one on the other side!" The orange filly pulled on the lock of pink mane.

"Ouch! Careful up there!" Sweetie Belle called from behind the veil of her tangled mane.

"Right, Scoots, just less force." Sev gingerly wrestled the hairs from the eager pegasus' hooves, patting her with a wing. Carefully, he slid it across the forming braid, waiting for Apple Bloom to move the next strand.

“Hey, have you noticed your horns have grown up another twist?” An orange hoof ruffled the small tuft of hair on Sev’s head and stroked said pointy appendages.

“No way, Scoots, I’m not growing anymore. You just never remember how many twists I already had.” He chuckled, shaking the little personal space invader off.

Scootaloo swung around his neck, hoof still mounted on his head. “Are you suuuuure? Because I’m pretty suuuuuure you had four last time, not five!” the filly singsonged, staring him right into his eyes, muzzle to snout.

“Yes. My head would fall off otherwise.” He pulled away, craning his neck and popping the spine within. A sharp pang rushed through his back, and his wings locked in place momentarily. He made a mental note to never again lift one of these pony tin cans called guards. The added weight of their armour was too much on his body.

Sweetie Belle turned around, her unfinished braid doomed to turn back into her natural curls. “Aww, really? If they were larger, you could carve something in your horns, or get some glitter on them or put a ribbon around them or—”

“Or ya can put an elastic between ‘em, creatin’ a catapult!” Apple Bloom tackled Sev from behind, causing him to almost topple over as she dangled on his horns.

He crouched down, spread his wings, and craned his neck. “And do you know what I’d use that for? I’d pick a whole heap of acorns and shoot them at you three!” His tail swept behind him, collecting the nuts lying around, and bombarded the fillies.

They squealed, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle running around and cowering on the ground as the acorns drummed staccato around them; Apple Bloom still clung to him from behind, laughing.

“Don’t you think that you’ll escape!” Sev bent backwards, letting his teeth click shut just before they could scratch the yellow filly’s muzzle.

She giggled playfully and grabbed Sev by his neck and knocked him over. They crashed into Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, all tumbling to the ground. The sprawled in the grass in a heap of hooves, claws, and manes and laughing as they stood up.

“Will you finish my braid now?” Sweetie ran a hoof down his back.

“More like start over ag—” Sev twitched, emitting a quiet purring sound. “Ah, stop—” The small unicorn simply rubbed his scales once more. “I’m seriou—” The dragon fell on his back and wriggled, claws grasping the air. A deep purr resonated from within his chest.

Slowly, he dragged himself back up, panting. “Never. Again. Do. That!” He grunted and straightened out his wing membranes, shaking off the dirt.

The fillies giggled and shifted back into position around the remains of Sweetie’s braid.

Sev sighed and took hold of the tangled mane once more. “Here we go, again.”

“And here you go, three bits back!” The stallholder bent over the counter, a few coins in her hoof. She offered a slightly forced smile as the white pegasus before her grabbed the change, leaving with a wing curled around her prized son.

The pegasus mare huffed slightly, tucking the coins away in disgust. She was almost afraid to touch a feather to their scraped and mangy surface. Of course, she couldn’t expect bits fresh out of Las Pegasus mint, but there could still have been some level of decent cleanness.

She turned to her son and watched him stuff his face with ice cream. “I know it is common carnival fare, but do you feel at least a little more colder?”

“Yes, Mamma. Though the taste is terrible. Far more intensive than the food at home.” The colt smeared the cream over his lips, vanilla clinging to his blue fur.

“Don’t you worry, darling, we will soon be back home and back to the trademarked cloud milk. But you know that Uncle Rich really wished to see us again. Though why he wastes time, money, and his business talent in this filthy hole is beyond me. Maybe it has something to do with his name, after all.” The mare tapped a manicured hoof to her chin.

Staring blankly into the distance for a few moments, she shifted in her slightly sweat-drenched dress and hissed at the touch of her silver jewellery. The metal, heated by the summer sun, felt as if it could burn holes into her. She wiped off the sweat from her trimmed brow to regain her dignified composure.

They headed down the hill among the various stalls, the mare casting an occasional haughty glance at the ponies and displayed goods. Despite his expressed disgust, her son was eating the ice cream feverishly.

“Oh, there is your father and uncle!” The mare delicately motioned forward to the grey pegasus and brown earth pony, both of whom sported a collar and a tie.

Her son followed the direction of her gaze, but instead of the two stallions, he stopped on a group of three fillies and a strange reptilian creature under a large oak.

"Hey, I didn't know ponies in such a small village had shrew slaves to serve them. Mamma, I want one too!" He tugged on his mother's wing, halting the mare.

"Darling, it would be dangerous to bring one of those... creatures into your room,” his mother said, fighting the urge to paw her hoof impatiently. The only thing that stopped her from the act was the slightly muddy surface of the road.

“Mammaaa!” the colt cried, shaking her wing wildly.

“Okay, darling. But you have to wait by these foals here, I'll go ask your father." She bent down and straightened his bowtie, gave the group a dismissive glare, and strode away to the two stallions.

The colt started for the group eyeing him suspiciously now.

“Don’t stare at me like that, especially not you, shrew!” he ordered, planting his hoof forward.

Sev only cocked an eyebrow at that, still intently folding the strands of mane. "Shrew is a pejorative title, mostly for a dragoness. Which you can clearly hear I’m not. To be precise, ‘shrew’ refers to the drakes with multiple heads and wits that wouldn't be sufficient even for one head, let alone a dozen."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I never thought somepony could be so cruel to make a colt—or whatever you shrews call it—do such a girlish job as playing around with manes!" The colt chortled.

"Hey, let him be!" Scootaloo buzzed her wings and propelled herself muzzle to muzzle with the colt, who stumbled back in disgust.

Apple Bloom stepped from behind her orange friend. "Y'all seem ta be from a posh family. Shouldn't yer manners be a bit better?"

The colt turned to her, eyes narrowed. "I thought that my cousin's relatives were very well-known in this..." he looked around and continued as if the words were toxic, "... countryside. Such an inferior act as introducing myself shouldn't be necessary. But very well, ladies, I allow you to call me Twister."

He took a regal stance and stroked his black and blue-streaked mane with a hoof.

"Speakin' in fancy, ain't ya?" Apple Bloom's eyes narrowed even more than his. "Who’s yer cousin?"

"Girls, don't pick any fights. It's not worth it." Sev was still staring right into Sweetie's mane, his tail pulling back on Apple Bloom’s.

Twister smiled smugly. "Ah, so at least some-no-pony is acquainted with the power of the Rich family!"

Sev handed the braid to Apple Bloom and shook off the grass clinging to his scales. He made sure that a few loose straws hit the colt. "No, honestly I don't care if you are from a rich or poor family. I can just see that any argument with a brat like you is a waste of time."

Twister seemed shocked at such impertinence. He quickly countered back, "I'm not talking to you, shrew!"

"Sev, he's a cousin of the school bully. Didn’t you just tell us not to pick fights?" Sweetie Belle whispered and clutched his neck tightly.

Ignoring her, the dragon flared his wings and looked at Twister. "Who are you talking to then?"

"To this foal!" The colt shoved away the intently staring Scootaloo, causing her to fall back with an 'ow'. "Hey, aren't you that weird pegasus Tia told me about?" Twister bared his teeth, a smug grin on his face as the pegasus rubbed her wings.

"W-weird? T-Tia? Like in Pr-Princess Celestia? She told you—" Scootaloo almost sobbed, looking at her feathered appendages with sorrow in her eyes.

Apple Bloom approached the colt again, dragging Sweetie Belle along by the mane. Sev halted her with a wing. A few young passers-by stopped to watch the scene.

"No, Tia is my cousin..." Twister's grin faltered. "But I have seen Princess Celestia once in Las Pegasus!"

"Listen, boy..." Sev glanced around with a sigh. Spotting no adult pony nearby, he continued, "Looking at your flight muscles, I can tell you are not the best flier yourself."

"Says a slave that probably had his wings shortened so he couldn't fly away!" Twister countered.

A deep growl resonated from within Sev's chest. His scales bristled up a little. "Watch your tongue, little one. I wonder if I spat just a little flame, would there be any roasted meat on you or would it be just crackling?"

"If-if you don't believe me, I can show you how strong my muscles are!" Twister pulled back and closed his eyes.

"Very well then. Girls, if you don’t mind… clear the field and try not to look back. This is not going to be nice." Sev turned, ushering the fillies away. Casting the colt a sinister glance, he spread his wings and took off as silently as he could.

Twister could hear a few faint clip-clops of hooves skittering away, muffled by the grass. Feeling brave, he dared to take a peek at his surroundings again. To his surprise, the dragon was nowhere to be found.

He looked around, spotting only a few foals walking by and sparing him an occasional glance or friendly wave. He didn’t return either. A small green pond shimmered nearby. He could even see his mother quarelling with his father and Uncle Rich.

It was a calm, ordinary view. Then why were freezing droplets of sweat sprouting on his head? He turned around quickly, hooves trembling.

Nothing, just one of those boring, early pastoral afternoons. He slowly relaxed, thinking about how the scaredy shrew was surely hiding somewhere, shaking in fear.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

A chuckle resounded behind him as sharp claws dug into his flesh. "Show me how you can fly."

Twister suddenly found himself in the air. His head spun from the almost vertical ride.

"So show me!" Sev's voice thundered over the whizzing of the air. He tilted his wings a little, now ascending in a spiral. It seemed as if he intended to keep flying until they collided with the sun itself.

With a yelp, Twister found the grip around him loosening. He gasped for air a few times, flailed his wings, and rocketed down. He wanted to yell, but it was impossible. His breath hitched. The wind stole all words from his mouth. It chilled his nose and immediately whisked away the tears forming in his eyes. His ears were buzzing, and his head throbbed.

Suddenly, the howling of wind stopped. He was still spiraling to the ground, wings and legs flailing uselessly. A terrifying silence permeated everything.

“So, this is your master way of flying?” The voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. “In case you were wondering how I can speak to you, it’s just a bit of magic and molecular physics in your ears. Though, I doubt you can understand that. It still doesn't make me able to read your thoughts, which is a shame. Anyway, if that’s how you fly, mister, I should learn as much as I can. After all, there is not much time left.” The howling of the wind returned, nearly deafening him.

Twister’s eyes widened in fear as the dragon appeared before him, wings and legs waving wildly around, resembling the colt’s own panicked movements. After a few moments, the creature straightened his wings, halting in the air. He shook his head and watched the colt rocket by.

The poor colt cast his eyes to the rapidly approaching ground. He didn’t dare to close them. It was terrifying, yet fascinating. He could now make out the faces of the ponies gathered below, watching the show. Was it only his imagination, or did they start to space away from him? He had to land any moment now.

A blue blur obscured his vision. He felt the grip of claws on his soft chest again.

Sev held him firmly, ascending again in a slight spiral. Twister looked back down, noticing a sparkling line of black and blue cascading from his mane and tail.

Reaching the apex of the spiral, Sev folded his wings, gripping the pony even tighter. They rushed to the ground. This time, Twister shut his eyes tightly. Suddenly, he heard the voice in his ears again. “Terminal station. Thank you for using dragon air transport.”

The grip loosened once more.

With a grunt Luna collapsed next to the base of a large tree and panted. It was pleasant to be there in the field, at the edge of a wood with no ponies and, mainly, no guards in sight. Despite craving and fighting for ponies’ attention, Luna still enjoyed moments of calm and solitude. Stirring in the grass, she noticed something small and talon-like poking out of one of the many pockets her lab coat sported. With a gulp, she pushed it back in and pressed the pocket closed, hoping to never see that thing again, whatever it was. She craned her neck and scanned the canopy above her.

“It would be nice to wait for once, at least I surely would not mind,” she cried into the treetop, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice.

Hedvika, standing on a branch up to this point, hooves wedged between various twigs and eyes fixed to the distance, shook her head and looked back down. "I'm sorry, Princess. Not really used to somepony trotting along." She rubbed the back of her neck, and her face scrunched awkwardly.

Luna reared back, planting her hooves against the tree. “I noticed that… Albeit I thought you mentioned those fillies often keep you company."

"Yes, but I'm mostly doing my work with Sev, and they are just running around. You have seen for yourself that they are like a tornado. They have no problem following me wherever I go. To be honest, keeping up with them is far more problematic for me," Hedvika responded, returning her gaze into the distance.

"I see. Is it comfortable up there?"

“For me, yes. Though I think you shouldn't try climbing up here. I don’t want you hurting yourself… more.”

Luna cocked her head quizzically. “Do you think I would fall?”

“Well, given your state and lack of experience… yes?” The unicorn folded back her ears and forced a grin.

“So, are you telling me that those are the reasons I would fall? And what about you? Can you not fall just by accident?” Luna said, her voice utterly plain. She lowered herself back to all fours.

“Many things can happen to me, but falling is not one of them, not anymore,” Hedvika strained through her teeth, her mind racing back to a certain cliff in the Frozen North.

“Really?” Luna couldn't help but smirk. This mare had been making fun of her the whole day, surely she could have a little fun as well. She bit her lip and braced herself for the pain in her side. She turned around slowly, then bucked the tree. And again. And again.

"Ah, chickencoop! Stop that!" Hedvika cried, clutched the branches around her, and planted her teeth into the trunk. Her vision started swimming as everything around her shook. Her hind hooves slipped off the branch trembling with each kick, now blindly groping for any indent in the tree’s bark. Leaves around her rustled wildly, some slowly gliding down.

Steadying herself, she gave up all her efforts to hold onto the tree. With a half-somersault, she jumped down. Landing on all fours, Hedvika spat out bits of bark from her mouth, her vision still twitching slightly.

A broken branch flew through the air, hitting the unicorn squarely in the horn and bouncing off from her muzzle.

Luna’s smile fell immediately. She let her hooves drop back to the ground and rushed to her side. “Oh, no. I apologize. I did not mean to—”

“It’s… okay?” Hedvika’s eyes stopped spinning and focused, the mare breaking into a fit of laughter.

Luna pulled back. “Are you sure?”

Coughing a few times, Hedvika managed to calm herself down, but a smile still danced across her lips. “I might have a bump there, but that’s nothing I can’t handle. My loupe,” she moved a hoof to the magnifying contraption still attached to her horn, “didn't break either, so nothing happened.”

“And your horn? Is it all right?” Luna slipped into a more serious tone. “It was a foalish act. I let myself be carried away with a simple joke, not realising the… possible outcome.” She gave the unicorn a sheepish smile.

"Well,” Hedvika sighed, “this is what I get for mentioning my magical issue. If I keep quiet about it, new ponies that I meet start asking about it by chance. When I tell them, they stare at my horn, express concerns about missing magic, compare... or make awkward jokes about it.” She slumped against the tree with another sigh. “Princess, I lost my magic before I could ever use it. I've always done things with my hooves. I simply don't miss anything." Hedvika stared at her. Her plain tone made it clear this was not the first time she used this statement.

She leaned against the bark and closed her eyes. "If I wasn't told that it would cause more problems than it’d solve, I'd have cut the horn off already, living like an ordinary, albeit weak, earth pony whom nopony would question about missing magic. I do not dwell in self-pity, that state of my mind is long gone. However, I think you should focus on your magic now.” She smirked, stifling a chuckle. Her hoof pointed towards the tree behind her back.

Luna gazed in her tawny eyes. Unable to decipher the emotions trapped in them, she shook her head and followed the direction Hedvika signalled.

There, among the crumpled lichens and cracks snaking through the bark, were multiple fresh, deep indents, roughly the shape of a pony’s hoof.

“A small voice from the time of my studies tells me alicorns have all three types of pony magic, but one of them is often neglected. Anyway, welcome to the earth pony club!” Hedvika bumped Luna’s shoulder.

The princess ignored the violation of her personal space this time. She raised her head, a wide smile spread across her features.

She trotted to the tree and prepared to strike it once more. Hedvika quickly scrambled out of her way. Then, Luna bucked. And indeed, where her legs connected with the bark, holes were formed.

Looking at her hooves, the princess chuckled. Then, her chuckle changed to laughter. Turning to a smiling Hedvika, she said, “You were right, it is a heavily neglected one. But I am going to change that!” She stomped her hoof, compressing the ground below greatly. “Still, I have never had this much force in my hooves… I mean, I have cracked a few floors with them, but never anything like this.”

She rubbed her forehead mindlessly, striking her horn with her hoof tip. Her eyes widened. She turned to the bulge of her bandaged wing underneath the coat. “Have you ever heard of magic derivation points?”

“Along with magic storage knots around the skeleton, magic vents in the mane and tail… yes, I have.” Catching Luna’s curious glimpse, the unicorn continued, “Well… let’s just say that there was a period of my life when I had been crazy about learning anything about magic, its channels, reservoirs, and drainage systems in the body of the user...” A hint of a blush crept on the unicorn’s cheeks.

“So, not truly content with missing magic apparently.” The princess smirked and gave her a small nod.

“Yeah…” Hedvika rubbed her neck awkwardly. “I even went so far to ask my zebra friend about some runes.” She extended her leg to reveal the sole of her hoof. It was interlaced with a plethora of various sharp slats and dents. “Turns out, zebra runes don’t work on a pony, but I decided to keep these as they make climbing far more easier than smooth hooves. That’s also why I didn’t want you following me up there.” She pointed into the treetop.

Luna took her hoof in hers and started curiously tracing the lines. “Back to my magic, I take it that you know that the derivation points in a pony’s body can be in the wings, base of horn, or hooves, depending on the tribe.” After earning Hedvika’s nod, she continued, “If this point is disturbed, for example by striking a unicorn’s horn that is alight with magic or using a nullifier ring, their magic retreats.” Hedvika nodded again. “But in case of me or any other alicorn, the other derivation points are still active and working.”

Hedvika raised her hoof, halting Luna. “Wait… you mean that your unicorn and pegasus magic—”

“Yes, my little pony, both were transferred to my hooves. Uh, that is a strange way of addressing ponies. Seems like Celestia’s vocabulary is rubbing off on me...” Luna trailed off, looking at her hooves again. “Anyway… you know the earth pony ways of life. Would it be possible to teach me a thing or two? I was not even able to brush my mane this mornin—”

Luna fell to her haunches, mouth agape. A sparkling spiral of black and blue ascended into the skies just behind a hill. She leaned against the tree, watching the display. “That has to be a really talented pegasus,” she mused. “Were the Wonderbolts also invited to the festival?”

Hedvika shook her head in response, planting a hoof to her face with a soft ‘plop’. “I wish so, but I’m afraid it’s one proud dragon showing off.”

Luna rose to her hooves, squinting her eyes to see better into the distance. “You can see that far?”

“No, I can just recognize the pattern of flight. Sev is not really keen on changing his repertoire too often.” Hedvika scrunched a leaf between her hooves. “Water?” She retrieved a canteen from her saddlebag, offering it to Luna.

The princess greedily took the flask in her hooves, splashing the liquid all around. Steadying her hooves on the slippery metallic surface, she gulped down the rest swiftly.

Hedvika observed the whole procedure intently. “Seems like you have the basic grip, just don’t use it very often. Might need to train your pasterns a little.” She supported her chin with a hoof.

Luna raised her head, water dripping from her lips. “So, are you up for the job? Of course, I am going to make sure you receive a royal payment of your choosing.”

The unicorn opened her mouth silently, her hoof moving to rummage through one of her many pockets. Luna caught a glimpse of a small brown notebook poking out. It disappeared as fast as it appeared, Hedvika apparently changing her mind. With a huff she bit her lip and shook her head. Finally, she said, “Well, it’s not like I have a choice. The only thing I ask from you in return is that you won’t get yourself killed. I don’t want your sister bringing back the death penalty just because something happened to you, and I or Sev was nearby.”

“Not killing myself? Ha, that should be easy!” Luna exclaimed, falling back against the tree with a thud.

The poor plant, previously tested by her hooves, gave just a grim creak of finality and collapsed down.

Hedvika waved a hoof through the cloud of dust and dirt, coughing. She cocked a brow at the alicorn sprawled on the trunk of the now-uprooted tree, chest heaving wildly and hooves frantically clutching the bark. “Easy?”

“Hedvi, I think you should tell her she’ll get a heatstroke if she continues sunbathing like that.” Sev landed on her back, scratching his chin. His scales were bristled and slightly damp.

“I… uh… am not sunbathing,” Luna babbled and slid down the fallen log.

Sev turned back to Hedvika, the mare scorching him with her gaze. “Why?” she said, her ears lowering dangerously. “You know what I mean.” The dragon slithered from her back swiftly.

“What was I supposed to do? That brat called me a shrew and hit Scootaloo!” Sev spat a small flame to his side, igniting a tiny patch of grass. Hedvika’s glare softened a little, her ears rising up.

“Which brat?” Luna stepped forward, her face a solid mask, the same as that of an emotionless judge that had sat through countless courts.

Sev sighed and moved his claws over the smoldering grass. “A spoiled upper class pigasus colt. I took him for a ride through the air a few times and then dropped him. Above a pond, mind you. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting his mother to jump into the pond for him, especially not while wearing a dress and half a jewellery shop’s stock.” He forced a grin, the grass under his talon now coated in tiny crystals of ice.

Hedvika glowered at him for a moment, then her face relaxed, and she turned to Luna. “Here you can see, Princess, another reason for why we live in the middle of the Everfree. If it wasn’t for that, Sev would make all the attempts possible to reduce the pony population when somepony close to him was endangered.”

Luna only turned her ears at that. She bent down and gingerly poked the frosted grass.

“It’s just the laws of physics and a bit of magic, Princess. All I did was slow down the particles of air around it. Doesn’t last long though,” Sev said. “Anyway, Hedvika has her peculiarities as well. Like kicking trees when she gets angry, but I assume you have already seen that. This one, however, is remarkably the largest I have seen fall to her. Usually it’s just those gaunt and withered ones.” Sev grinned sheepishly and hopped on the trunk.

“Actually, that’s my work,” Luna said, proudly puffing out her chest. She quickly turned and gave the tree one swift buck.

The dragon barely jumped off, the trunk dashing away and carving a ditch in the side of the hill.

Hedvika moved a hoof to her mouth to lift up her hanging jaw. “Sev?” She turned to him. “Do one thing for me, and I’ll forget anything with that colt ever happened.”

“Yeah?”

“Burn down that tree.”

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.

Chapter 7: Earth Pony Ways

“No, nothing!”

The door slightly shook on the impact, small flakes of gold lining falling off its jamb.

“How in the name of Equestria is this possible?”

The hinges creaked, the aged wood protesting against the harsh treatment.

“Your Highness?” Raven called, knocking on the door. “Princess Celestia?”

The door shook again, the stained glass above it nearly shattering. Only a few irritated grunts made it through the polished wood.

Raven scanned the empty corridor up and down, and with a sigh approached the door again. “Your Highness, it’s me, Raven Inkwell.” The secretary tapped the door again, much more forcefully this time.

The door stopped shaking, enveloping the corridor in awkward silence. After a while, a single word made it through the aged mahogany. “Password?”

Raven released an irritated huff, watching bits of dust flutter in the beams of light filtering through the windows. She muttered, “Winter Moon Celebration is just around the corner.”

A golden aura swiftly crept around the door, engulfing the unicorn mare in its warm, tingling grip. She shuddered at the touch of the raw energy probing her system. The door suddenly creaked open and the mare was thrust into the room with a strong draft of magic.

Once her vision stopped swimming, her eyes widened and her jaw hung open. The room was an utter mess. Small hills of documents dotted the floor. Among them lay a few dessert plates, sprinkled with occasional crumbles or drops of icing. The perfectly waxed floor and pristine velvet carpet were now stained by small scorch marks. Philomena was sitting in the middle of the fireplace, dust bathing in the ash. Tiny grey prints of her talons all around made it clear this had been her favourite activity for a few hours at least. It was incredibly warm and airless inside, not one window was open.

However, the room was still in pristine shape, compared to its occupant. Sitting under the silken canopy of her bed was Princess Celestia. Her soft, pastel mane was disheveled, its gentle waving replaced by furious tides lashing wildly around her head. Small sparks shot off her hair every now and then, falling down and sizzling through the bed sheets.

Her eyes, hidden under deeply creased eyebrows, twitched and shifted, her irises almost burning. Her magic hissed and crackled, lances of extra power occasionally shooting to the object tightly concealed in her telekinetic grasp. Small beads of sweat sprouted on her forehead, running down her muzzle and collecting into bigger drops. They evaporated almost immediately in the heat of her magic, leaving behind ugly and smelly yellow blotches on her fur.

“Princess… are you… alright?” Raven started to back out of the room, groping for the door with her hind hooves.

The regal alicorn shifted. With a cry of anguish, she flung the object across the room. It smashed into the door, the marks on the wood showing it was not the first time. It slowly rolled to the secretary’s hooves. Her eyes shrunk to pin-pricks. It was a helmet of a Solar Guard, its metal crumbled and the plume plucked out.

She was brought out of her gaping daze by Celestia’s voice. “What is the matter, Raven? Is there any news?” The princess was now sitting on her bed straight as a ruler, her features still a little unkempt, but now radiating with cool calmness. She slowly sipped from a cup that wasn’t there moments ago, and quirked an eyebrow at the small white mare, waiting.

“I… no. About Lu—” Fixed by Celestia’s stare, the secretary quickly corrected herself, “I mean, there is no news in the matters of operation Forest Pony. Pardon me my bluntness, Your Highness, but are these codenames and passwords truly necessary?”

“Of course, I received a quick letter from my sister. The journey to Las Pegasus was good and I am sure she is going to take care of these bribery accusations soon enough,” Celestia said rather loudly. In a hushed voice, she added, “Please excuse an old mare’s quirks, my little pony, but I am not going to take the risk that any classified information will leave this room. If you do not like the name, I am giving you all the freedom to change it. Still, I insist that the truth will stay only between you and me, understood?” Her deep, purple eyes bore holes into the smaller pony.

Raven nodded, fidgeting with her glasses. “Actually, that’s why I’m here. Older servants and officers can easily notice when something is off with you. Even Kibitz already suspects something, telling everypony he runs into how strangely you have been behaving.” She trotted to the bed, almost begging. “Please, Princess, go out among them and show them that everything's okay.”

With a delicate swig, Celestia finished her tea, gently setting the cup aside. She extended a wing, draping it over the unicorn. She sighed, gazing out the window. “No. At least not until I am done with that.” She pointed a hoof at the shattered helmet. “It was brought to me after we finished our briefing about the letter last night. Somepony fished it out of the lower terrace lake,” she said, not batting an eye.

Raven gulped, avoiding a glance at the helm. “Then a team of divers and guards should be launched to investigate the river of Cant for the body.”

“That would draw unnecessary attention and I do not trust anypony at this point, especially not the many officers of the guard.” Celestia gave her a sour smile. “If it calms your heart, I will ask the seaponies to keep an eye out for anything suspicious that makes it into the delta. However, I doubt there was somepony falling into the Cant in the first place. No, I have been analyzing the helmet the whole morning. A few spots survived the bath in the lake, revealing remains of resin… or Timberwolf saliva in the panache.” The princess levitated the helmet to her hooves, stroking its devastated plume.

Raven cocked an eyebrow at that, a doubtful spark passing through her eyes.

Celestia shook her head, raising the helm into the air. “I believe it belonged to… one of the attackers. That also means at least one returned back and disposed of the evidence. With a possible unseen murderer on the loose outside, I will not leave my chambers.” With a sigh, she turned the helmet in her magic. “However, there is something wrong with it. It looks exactly like the helmet of a Solar Guard, but there is not a hint of the spell matrix these are normally equipped with to track its owner. We are either facing a very skilled magician or blacksmith with a lot of classified knowledge. It is mildly irking me.”

Raven took in the sight of the devastated room again. “Very mildly,” she muttered, fidgeting with her collar. “Princess, don’t you want to entrust one of your mages with it and take a rest… just for a short while?” Raven forced a large grin to her lips, releasing a quiet squee. Celestia cast her a searing glare.

The unicorn mare rubbed the back of her neck, continuing, “Anyhow… I was also supposed to tell you that the special train from the Crystal Empire is scheduled to arrive in an hour or so, Your Highness.”

“Thank you, Raven. Once Captain Armor arrives, send him right here.” Celestia gave her a nod. “Can you please copy me another batch of documents reporting unruliness in the guard since Luna’s return? Those,” she gestured to the paper mess on the floor, “didn't provide any useful information.” The secretary just nodded meekly, turning to the door. “Oh, and please tell the royal bakers that I want something with lots of sugar in it. The cupcakes were great, but did not exactly replenish my energy reserves.”

The door clicked shut behind the secretary, the unicorn mare fixing a loose strand of mane escaping her bun. With a sigh, she started down the corridor. The ornate door behind her shook and cracked once more.

A gentle wind dashed across the fields, sending ripples through the molten gold mass of straws. A small blue blur occasionally streaked past them, chasing an unfortunate vole.

A large column of smoke rose to the sky in the distance. An occasional shadow drifted over the sun as a few pegasi flew overhead, quickly pushing rainclouds to extinguish the fire.

Two mares walked down the road among the fields, one glancing back at the smoke from time to time, the other seemed more interested in the road itself. A trail of stones crushed to bits marked their path.

Hedvika shook slightly, adjusting her saddlebag harness. She took another short look back, unease creasing her brow. Her mind raced on and on: was burning the tree a stupid idea? Did it divert the attention or point straight to them? Would anypony notice the fallen tree anyway? Or had somepony seen Luna knocking it over? Was any normal pony capable of such a feat? Would they go after Sev or after them? What if—?

Her hoof grasping only air broke her out of her thoughts. She chuckled, seeing she nearly fell into the roadside ditch. “I should really stop overthinking things.” She sighed, dragging herself back onto the road. “I hope the fire destroyed the hoof marks in the bark. Don’t want them to find out that there is a strangely strong unicorn on the loose, right, Princess?” She turned to her side, expecting to see the alicorn there. Only a few small whites fluttered in her place.

Fighting the urge to observe the butterflies, she looked back, removing a lock of mane from her eyes. There, in the middle of the road, crouched Luna. Her hooves attacked a larger stone in a quick succession, effectively pulverizing it to dust.

“Princess, your government pays a lot to the road maintenance ponies, I don’t think you need to do the job for them.” Hedvika tilted her head, slowly cantering to her companion.

“Oh, this?” The princess raised her head, bits of debris and sand coating her features. “I was just curious. It is said that every stone in Equestria holds a treasure of gems. It started with Princess Platinum’s fight over a little rock and ended in the construction of Canterlot.” With each word, another devastating blow was delivered to the stone.

Hedvika folded her ears back from the grinding sounds as Luna pressed down on the stone, then shielded her eyes from the sharp, flying bits as the stone popped. “You have in mind the plethora of gems required for jewellery shops in the capital?”

Luna chuckled, standing up. “No, the local ponies don’t even know that their mighty and proud city,” she pawed at the ground, plowing through the dust and dirt, “was a few hundred years ago a dirty mining settlement clinging to the mountain for dear life.” Carefully clasping her hooves together, she pulled a fine amethyst out of the soil.

Hedvika’s eyes widened, gazing at the small purple gem. “I wonder, what would happen if the nobles learned that was their history?” She snickered.

“I assume they would request an asylum to be built on the Moon so I could be sent there.” Luna let out a bitter laugh, rubbing the gemstone on the lapel of her lab coat, careful not to touch the cornflower she received from Cheerilee a few hours ago.

“Anything interesting going on?” Sev called, sticking his head out of the wheat. A terrified vole squirmed in his talons, biting his claws. “Despite the promised chase with guards and police, nopony was on my tail,” he pouted playfully, “and this little guy hasn’t been much fun, so far. Slow and incredibly unaware...” He grumbled, releasing the small rodent. It quickly scampered away, disappearing between the stalks of wheat. “By the way, Hedvi, I think that was because he was infected with the rare eartwig you were seeking.”

“What?” The mare bolted up, dashing into the field. Luna gazed after her, eyebrows arched. Hedvika galloped haphazardly through the wheat, appearing and disappearing from sight like a dolphin jumping out of water. Her tail swished from side to side as she hopped among the stalks.

Sev shook his head, chuckling lightly. “And one would think that with her brain capacity, she’d be able to discern past tense.” He stretched out his wing with a smirk, revealing a small ball of dirt. He held it up for the princess to see.

Luna curiously craned her neck, looking at the strange object.

Thin, silk-like strands snaked between the particles of the soil on the surface. With a wave of Sev’s claws, the dirt pushed away, leaving behind a small window into the cavity inside. The alicorn leaned forward, looking through the opening. There, crawling from side to side, was a creature, resembling a walking, segmented seedling with many tiny legs everywhere and large pincers at one end.

Suddenly, it jumped out its prison, right towards Luna’s face. Or, it at least tried to. With a quiet click it stopped mid-air, strands of magic shimmering around its body, slowly pushing it back. The earthy capsule enclosed it once more, shaking wildly. Sev swiftly pulled it back under his wing.

“Wow, seems like it’s angry.” The dragon gave her an apologetic grin. Luna just rubbed the bridge of her muzzle, shaking her head. A light, good-tempered smile played on her lips.

“Consider it a crash course demonstration of dragon magic,” Sev said, gently running his claws over the surface of the capsule, frosty crystals blossoming in their wake. The capsule stopped shaking almost immediately. “Do you want to hear more? I assume we are not moving from here anytime soon.” He motioned to the green blur of a pony, still madly jumping through the field.

Luna smirked. “Go on.” She unbuttoned her lab coat clumsily, carefully glancing around the deserted fields. She carefully extended her healthy wing, fanning herself with it.

“Well,” Sev started, drawing a claw through the air, “dragon magic works mostly just by manipulating molecules. Need to cool off? No problem, just slow the molecules around you down.” Luna felt her sweaty forehead freeze as he waved his talons before her. “Do you want to produce some sound?” Sev closed his mouth, pointing a claw over his right shoulder. From there, his voice spoke, his face unmoving. “A piece of cake. Just make the molecules move in periodic waves.”

He cleared his throat, opening his mouth again. “And of course, then there is the basic levitation, working by changing molecular density around the object desired to hover.” He chuckled, gesturing over the road. Small pebbles and dust particles gathered into a rough shape of a tiny pony, shrouded by a mist of white fibers blinking in and out of existence. As he gently moved his claws around it, the pony figurine started moving, jumping in place and waving at the princess.

Luna clapped her hooves at the display, her mouth unregally agape. With a final bow, the pebble pony collapsed back onto the road. Sev shook slightly, popping his spine and stretching his wings. “Though, it is also rather taxing,” he said, looking at the princess, “but I’m lucky to have my pony battery nearby.” He turned to the field.

With a groaning huff, Hedvika stumbled out of the wheat and fell into the roadside ditch cushioned with overgrown weeds. Her hooves and the tip of her horn were caked in mud and sprinkled with grain. Her teeth convulsively gripped a small trowel.

“So, was your hunt successful?” Luna trotted over to her, the flaps of the open lab coat flying behind her.

“Nfo,” Hedvika mumbled around the handle of the trowel, lowering her face between her hooves like a punished dog. Her ears hung limply at the sides of her head. She reluctantly released her hold on the gardening tool and continued, “You see, the eartwig is an extremely rare and invasive parasite. It attaches itself into the host’s ear with its pincers and slowly grows its fibers through it. Eventually, it roots the host into the ground and—“

“And it’s right here,” Sev finished, rolling the encapsulated creature to her.

Spotting the creature crawling inside the ball, the unicorn immediately jumped up with an excited squee. She seemed to prance on the spot, her ears standing perfectly straight once more. Luna would even say that the mare’s coat and mane and tail colours became a few shades brighter.

Seeing both Luna and Sev roll their eyes at her behaviour, the unicorn promptly pocketed her trowel with a blush. Processing a small vial from one of her bags, she slid the eartwig capsule inside and stashed it away.

It was such a nice day. Warm and sunny; not a single cloud in the sky. A really good one to finish the harvest; the grain already safely stored back at the barn with the help of local unicorns. But no, something had to happen and hinder the haymaking.

Wet Wheat shifted, wincing as the pain surged through his leg. “Celestia damned pegasuses,” he muttered, clenching his teeth.

“Pegasi,” a tiny voice squeaked behind him. The burly earth pony turned to his side, looking at the source of the voice. The filly next to him blushed, hiding her face behind the locks of her blond mane and the wide rim of her straw hat. “Ms. Chronicle told us, Daddy,” she continued, “that it comes from ancient times when all the pegasi stayed in their cloud cities and wore those strange bedsheets—I think they were called togas.”

“That’s nice, Sunny,” he said absentmindedly, patting her head. Another lance of searing pain shot from his leg.

The filly looked down on his sprained hoof, frowning. The limb was bent at a strange angle and swollen, with a purple-red hue peeping through the dark brown fur.

The stallion gazed in the distance, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the slowly dissipating smoke. A few pegasi danced through the air around it. “They should make some sound like a siren or somethin’ while passin’ by with them clouds. Just to warn them folks below,” he muttered, wincing again.

“Daddy, are you sure that I shouldn’t run back home or go fetch a doctor?” The filly sidled up to him, leaning on her scuffle hoe. It was quite a cute sight; the little filly clutching the tool easily twice her size, and her large, rich green eyes gazing expectantly at him.

“Nah Sunny, ah already told ya it’s gonna be alright. Just gimme a few more minutes.” He gave her a sad smile, draping his large, furry hoof around her. “Ya can go back to weedin’ the lower field and loadin’ the cart if ya like. Ah can manage here.” He patted the side of the patch of grass he was sitting on.

“Alright.” The filly turned, trudging across the field. Suddenly, she tensed up, galloping down the hill.

“Ms. Doctor! Ms. Doctor!”

Both Luna and Hedvika turned, looking at the white blur of a filly dashing up to them. The princess felt the chilly touch of dragon magic quickly buttoning her lab coat. She gave Sev a small nod, spotting only his tail disappearing in Hedvika’s bag.

The filly skidded to a halt, showering the mares with dirt and pebbles from the road. Before the cloud of dust risen in her wake dissipated, she was holding Luna’s hoof, pulling the disguised alicorn into the field.

The princess followed reluctantly, Hedvika in her wake.

“I’m so glad you walked by, Ms. Doctor! Daddy has injured his hoof and I wanted to go for the doctor in Trottingham, but that’s at least half an hour gallop away.” The filly rambled on, “I’m so happy you are here!”

The filly sped forward, Luna casting a pleading gaze to the unicorn galloping behind her. “Doctor?” she stuttered out, trying not to stumble over her own hooves.

They tumbled forward to a balk between the half-mowed fields of wheat and flax, where a large earth pony stallion was seated. He seemed to be sleeping, reclined against the low stone wall splitting the balk. An aged rake and half-tied hay bale lay next to him.

“Of course, you are wearing a white coat, you are a doctor! I’m Sunflower by the way, but everyone calls me Sunny!” Somehow, the filly managed to shake hooves with the alicorn while still clutching her and trotting forward.

“I… Clam,” Luna muttered, her mind fading back to the days of her and Celestia’s childhood. Sunny. She had to wonder when was the last time Tia used this nickname. Good old days before they started drifting apart, too preoccupied with their duties...

The stallion grunted, clasping a foreleg over his face. “Sunny… ah told ya ah can manage.” He slowly sat up straight, glaring at the group of ponies gathered around him.

“Sir, there has been a grave misunder—” Luna started, his hoof waving her eloquent words away.

“Yeah, yeah… Sorry for mah brash daughter.” Sunny hung her head low at his words, taking her scuffle hoe and trudging into the field. “Just tripped badly after ah got scared by couple firefighting pegasusi—or whatever the name is—flyin’ ahead with a bunch of awfully large clouds. Looked just like a dragon that nearly ate mah grandmama.” He looked at the two mares, casting Luna a serious glance. “But since ya are here…”

“Yes?” Luna felt a lump forming in her throat.

“Ya are a doctor, lassie.” He leaned forward. “Ya oughta know whatta do with this.”

“But I am not a—oh.” The disguised princess fell to her haunches, staring at the leg he pushed forward. The hoof itself weirdly stuck out to the side, covered by a muffin top of the swollen joint, shining with all colours from black to red. A cobweb of blood vessels pulsed across its bulging surface.

Luna felt a heavy hoof fall on her shoulder. She looked up to its owner, meeting Hedvika’s eyes. She gave the unicorn a small nod.

“Just give us a moment, sir. I and my assistant here,” she patted Hedvika on the hoof, the mare giving her a startled glance, “need to have a quick discussion about the… procedure.” She dragged the biologist a few steps away into the stubble field and out of hearing range. Looking her in the eyes, she asked, “Could you or Sev fix that leg of his?”

Hedvika shook her head. “I’m a scientist, not a doctor. As for Sev, I don’t think so. He knows how to fix wings because his life depended on it a few times, but this is far too different. And,” she glanced around, “I don’t think he will come out, especially not after the farmer’s remark about dragons.”

Luna rolled her eyes, looking at the bulging bag. “I still wonder by which miracle could he fit in there.”

“Magic,” the bag whispered, chuckling.

The princess just shook her head, her gaze turning serious. “Very well… I still remember the basic aid for injured warriors… eh, ponies. Do you have something that would help cease his pain?”

“The trowel? I sharpened it just the other day,” Hedvika offered.

“I am serious,” Luna whispered, casting a glance to the stallion and giving him a strained grin. “He is injured, I wouldn’t feel good leaving a pony in dire need of help without trying to provide him any aid. Besides, his daughter reminds me of somepony I once knew and cherished and I don’t want to see her sad.”

“I just hate spending more time that is necessary in the open. Feeling too exposed.” Hedvika sighed. “But if you wish… frontal side of the left saddlebag, third subpocket from the top. First aid kit.”

Luna clapped her hooves, grinning. She traced her hoof through the air, looking over the many pockets of Hedvika’s harness. The unicorn mare stood unmoving, and released a small sigh of frustration. Choosing one pocket, the princess stuck her hoof inside, giving the stallion another grin.

His eyes widened in fear, mouth hanging agape. Luna looked at the item she pulled out, an awkward blush crossing her cheeks. She quickly tucked the small, rusted bone saw back where it belonged.

“I said third from the top, not second.” Hedvika chuckled. Louder, she said, “But if you find this tool appropriate, I won’t object.” The stallion started shuffling away hopelessly.

Fishing out the small red kit, Luna trotted to him. “I apologize for my assistant’s… brashness.” She glared at Hedvika, the mare sticking out her tongue. “She still has a lot to learn.”

The farmer seemed to calm down a little at that. “Seems like we both have an unruly filly to look after.” He chuckled, the laughter withering on his lips with another searing lance of pain.

The princess sat down carefully, straightening her lab coat with dignity. Extending a hoof, she gently squeezed the stallion’s hoof. “Relax and do not look at the wound.”

Instinctively, he looked at the swollen hoof, gagging. Luna fought the urge to plant a hoof to her face. With a sigh, she said, “Look me in the eyes and tell me what’s your name.”

Reluctantly, he complied. “W-Wet Wh-heat,” he stuttered, gazing in her eyes. He felt as if the whole deep and ancient universe stared back at him. A chilling sensation ran up and down his spine, his fur standing on end. He could swear a faint tinkling filled his ears. Sparkling and swirling galaxies, planets and countless stars danced across his vision. It was a terrifying and welcoming sight at the same time. Beautiful and tempting, yet so cold, empty and endless. He was lost in the two turquoise orbs, barely noticing the hooves gripping his mangled leg.

Careful to maintain her eye contact with the stallion, Luna worked her hooves around the swollen joint, trying to assess the bones inside. Despite the stallion appearing to be more on the portly side, she could feel strong, taut muscles underneath his skin. The swelling itself was soft and squishy, radiating with unhealthy heat.

The cogs in her mind were turning, trying to recall what the Bone Crusher’s Lexicon of Battlefield Healing, Amputations, Obstetrics and Good Lawyers said on the topic. She definitely didn’t have a bag of leeches at her disposal, nor an axe or a telescope… whatever was the axe needed for anyway. Well, besides being a last resort. Sighing in defeat, she made up her mind. She grabbed his hoof, twisting it to the side.

Wet Wheat sealed his eyes shut, a muffled howl escaping his mouth.

Luna felt a gentle tap against her shoulder.

“Nice one, but for the next time, try using less force and stopping when the hoof is where it belongs,” Hedvika whispered in Luna’s ear, so close that her breath ruffled the hairs in alicorn’s ears.

Luna swore internally that once she got her magic back, she would cast a personal-space-shield spell on herself.

Breaking out of her trance, the princess looked down at the hoof, now sprained in the opposite direction. She observed it quietly, tilting her head from side to side and smacking her lips. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the hoof again and pulled.

The stallion bent forward, a voiceless screech emitting from his throat.

“Oh, that was just…” the princess trailed off, spotting Sunny peeking out from behind the stonewall, “... just a test of the joint’s ability to move. Everything seems good!” She strained a smile, looking at the poor leg in her grasp.

“Ice!” the alicorn called, extending an expectant hoof to Hedvika. The mare just rolled her eyes, lightly prancing on the spot. A few ice cubes shot out from her tightly packed bag, right into Luna’s waiting hoof. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Sunny’s eyes widening.

The disguised princess chuckled, rubbing the ice against Wet’s hoof. The stallion tensed at first, but soon released a deep sigh of relief.

Rummaging through the first aid kit at her hooves, the princess-turned-doctor found nothing useful. It seemed devoid of anything except a few painkillers, scissors, small plasters and a disinfectant, yet the injury desperately needed to be fixated and compressed. She huffed, turning her back to the stallion.

Wet Wheat cocked his head at that. “What are ya doin’, lassie?”

“Oh… just looking for some bandages, I believe I should have a few of them in my inner pocket,” Luna stated, trying to pull off the bandage holding her wing through her neckline. “I hope you would not mind it being a little worn.”

“Ah don’t mind anythin’, as long as it helps,” the farmer responded, rubbing his hoof.

Luna simply nodded and bent down, chafing the bandage with her teeth secretly.

Turning back, she started wrapping the tangled and tattered strip of fabric around his hoof. Fastening the bandage with her teeth, she then carefully patted the joint and leaned back to observe her work.

Wet Wheat bent forward, prodding his hoof gently. “Very nice job, lassie. Just one thing, why don’tcha use yer horn?”

Hedvika burst out laughing, quickly muffling it with her hoof. One of her bags emitted a quiet chuckle.

Luna only rubbed her forehead, adjusting the goggles resting forgotten against the base of her horn. “Well… unusual it may sound, but both my parents were earth ponies. So, I just grew up without the need to use my horn.”

Hedvika smiled at that, looking away for a moment. Sunny let out an excited squee, jumping from behind the wall. All the ponies turned to her, Wet Wheat giving her a scornful look.

“Young princess,” he started, Luna involuntarily tensing up, “Ah believe you had some job to do.”

“But Daddy, I can’t move the hay bales myself.” The filly pouted, ears pressed against her head.

“Alright, alright.” Wet Wheat started to heave himself up, stretching and popping his back.

A green hoof pushed him back down. “No,” Hedvika said, “you have to rest and the hoof should be propped up in the air. As Clam said,” she motioned to the princess, “she grew up almost as an earth pony. I bet that if Sunny guides her, she will be able to do the job.”

The stallion pondered it for a moment, hoof rubbing against his chin, glancing between the mares. “Alright, but if mah daughter does anything errant, please tell me.”

Sunny squealed in joy, beckoning ‘Clam’ to follow her.

“Sunny?” Luna said, looking at the filly trotting beside her.

The filly turned to the princess with an expectant grin. “Yes?”

“Why are you so ecstatic about me being around you?”

Sunny stopped, deflating a little. She took off her straw hat, crumpling it between her hooves. “Well… won’t you be mad at me?”

Luna chuckled, her smile fading at the sight of the filly’s distressed state. “Why do you think I would be mad, little filly?”

They neared an old cart with an ox attached to it. A pile of hay bales rose to the sky behind it. The filly was squirming and fidgeting the whole way over to the bales.

“Well… I…” The filly rubbed her leg awkwardly, her eyes ticking over the fields. Suddenly, she straightened up, grabbing the princess by the lapels of her coat. With steel resolution in her eyes, she dragged Luna between the stacks of hay bales, the princess once more reminded about the strength of earth ponies.

She tried to wiggle free, unable to bring herself to hit the little filly in defense… A single thought permeated her mind, sending shivers down her spine. Was this filly somehow connected to the previous attackers?

They tumbled to the ground together, Luna’s goggles falling over her eyes. Her fur stood on end, beads of chilling sweat budding on her forehead.

The filly straightened up, shaking off the dizziness, and sat across Luna’s chest. She said, “I didn’t want the old cow to hear us.” She clasped her hooves together, crying out in rapid succession, “Please, please, please-please-please, promise me you won’t tell anypony!”

Dazed, the princess lifted her goggles back up and cursed inwardly at her injured wing pinned beneath her back. “I-I promise,” she said, gulping audibly.

“Well…” the filly shifted, emitting a few popping sounds from Luna’s chest “... I have a dream.”

The alicorn’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slapped her face with her hoof.

“Oh no…” the filly clasped her mouth, mumbling her next words through her hooves, “... you think it is stupid?”

“Stupid? Stupid!” Luna cried, wiggling free and gripping the filly’s shoulders. “Dreams are wonderful, little one!”

“R-really?”

“Really.” Luna lifted the filly’s chin with her hoof. “They let you experience whatever you wish to do, your goals are set by your dreams, it is a wholly different realm where you can be yourself. Your own world limited only by your fantasy!” She motioned wildly through the air, nearly setting off an avalanche of hay.

Sunny beamed with joy, wrapping Luna in a tight hug. “I dream of becoming a doctor, but daddy wants me here, working on the farm. He doesn’t care about my good grades at all, too occupied with his rye and oats. It’s a living nightmare!” The filly sobbed, burrowing her face into Luna’s chest. Flabbergasted, Luna clumsily patted the filly’s back. “But you said you grew up on a farm, and you became a doctor! That means I can be one too! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The little white earth pony got up, hopping around.

The princess blanched at her words, offering an awkward toothy grin. With a sad sigh, she added, “Follow your dreams, Sunny, and let nopony stop you.” Ears lowering slightly, her lips released another sigh. “Mayhap it is true that a doctor is more important than a princess.”

Sunny released an excited squee, jumping around wildly. Locks of her blond mane cascaded behind her like a waterfall.

“Alright, alright, hold your horses, little one.” Luna slowly stood up, noting the slight pain in her wing. Giving away the bandage was not her best idea. “I believe we have a job to do,” she said, grabbing the nearest hay bale, maneuvering it out of the maze of its brethren.

The acrid earthy smell of slightly wet hay assaulted her nostrils, but after a few moments, it became rather welcoming. Swiftly she delivered the bale to the cart, its string cutting into her lips, and threw it abroad.

She moved around the cart and the slow chewing ox attached to it. As she eyed the huge pile of hay yet to be loaded, an idea sprung in her head. Turning to the ox, she said, “If I were to unhook you, would you care to lend us a hoof?”

He slowly turned, looking her up and down. “No,” the ox released a foul burp from his mouth, “me housing and food enough to keep me here and pull the carts and not think about joining buffalo rebellion, but not enough to do pinhead job.” He tapped his forehead with a hoof, motioning to a nonexistent horn.

“Fine…” Luna moved on, grumbling. “Even-toed bighead.”

“Watch out!”

She barely moved out of the way of a flying hay bale. Sunny grinned at her sheepishly, turning to buck another bale onto the wagon.

The princess’ eyes narrowed, a smirk crossing her features. “So, you want to play it like this?”

Sunny froze in half-buck. “Um… what?”

“This!” Luna raced forward, grabbing a few bales and throwing them above her head. She jumped up, striking all of them midair. She gracefully landed down, the bales plopping in a neat row on the cart.

Sunny’s jaw hung open as an unfortunate absentminded butterfly flew by, making its way inside her mouth, only to quickly exit a moment later.

“Earth pony ancestry, nothing special,” the disguised alicorn remarked nonchalantly, trying to hide her own astonishment at her feat. She leaned against the waiting stack of hay, wishing away the pins and needles budding in her unbandaged wing.

“Alllrighty!” The filly giggled, jumping up. She grabbed her scuffle hoe, sticking it under a bunch of bales as a lever. She jumped on the other end, sending them flying right onto the wagon.

Now it was up to Luna’s jaw to fall slack at the violation of laws of physics. The filly chuckled lightly. “Ancestry may be not enough.”

“Oh?” Luna widened her stance, nostrils flaring and hoof pawing at the ground. “Having a horn does not mean that I am weak.” She smirked, feeling the power gathering in her hooves.

The ox slowly chewed, facing the endless rolling fields lying before him. He blinked lazily once or twice, ignoring the ruckus going on behind him. The harness of the wagon shook slightly from time to time, an irritated harump escaping his lips occasionally.

He chewed on, his ears flicking back as another shout resounded behind him. He chewed on despite the shaking ground, a few sickeningly crushing sounds and a light sprinkling of straws and an occasional horseshoe falling on his head from the skies. Even the earthquake that pushed his cart to the side didn’t move him. The steadfast ox chewed on.

“What the hay is goin’ on here?” Wet Wheat called, limping by the side of Hedvika, leaning on the poor mare.

“Um, hay?” Sunny grinned, dropping the last hay bale on the ground. She stood next to Luna, both covered in straws and dust from head to hoof. The disguised alicorn removed the filly’s straw head jammed on her face and placed it on her forehead, the hem resting against her horn.

The stallion looked around, scanning the trampled ground and the cart fully loaded with a tower of hay bales. “Well, that’s what ah call a fast job. Thank ya, lassie. Ah’m in yer debt.” He bowed to the alicorn and limped to the front of the cart, trying to climb aboard.

Luna pulled the hat from her face, holding it to her chest. “Oh, it was nothing. Do not mention it.” She smiled at the sight of Sunny helping her father up on the wagon.

The filly turned her expectant eyes towards the blue mare. “Will you go with us back to the farm, Clam? Just for a little while, please?” She pursed her lips, rubbing her hooves together.

Luna opened her mouth, only to be cut off by Hedvika. “I’m afraid that’s not possible, we still have a few errands to run before the sun sets.”

“Aww,” the filly pouted even more, tears welling in her eyes, “but there is so much I wanted to ask you about being a doctor!” She trotted to the princess, rearing up and gently placing her hooves against the supposed healer’s chest. “Just for a teeny tiny while, please!”

Spotting Hedvika shaking her head through the corner of her eye, Luna sighed. “A good doctor knows when to attend to her duties, Sunny, remember that. Albeit, I promise we will meet again and talk.” She extended her hoof, passing the filly the weathered straw hat.

Looking at the piece of headwear, Sunny pushed her hoof back. “Keep it, Clam. You’ll give it back to me when we meet again.” The filly smiled, wrapping the princess in a tight hug before rushing away to the leaving cart.

Luna waved behind her, gently setting the hat on her head. She trotted back to the waiting unicorn. “You are aware that the forest will be still waiting for us, no matter how much time we spend outside, right?”

Hedvika smirked, cantering forward. “But we’re not going into the forest... the town of Trottingham is our next stop.”

Author's Note

The next chapter should be up by the middle of March! (to be specified)

Questions or comments?
Please report typos in the form of PM.
My earnest thanks go to the mighty MV for his editing services.

Chapter 8: A Serious Business

Small, beady eyes squinted back at them from time to time, their owners quickly scurrying away across the crumbled cobblestones.

Luna stared into the dark, narrow alley ahead, a feeling of unease settling itself comfortably in the back of her mind. “Are we headed... there?”

Hedvika nodded glumly, slowly cantering forward.

The princess stood mesmerized, bathing in the few sun rays that made it between the cramped houses. An elderly stallion slowly trotted past her, sweeping the street with a broom that had seen better days, and whistled an off-tune through what remained of his teeth. When his dirty, tangled mess of a tail brushed against her leg, Luna quickly followed the green mare.

“What happened here?” she asked, catching up to Hedvika. “The rest of Trottingham seems so nice… are we going through here because you fear someone might notice me?” Luna pushed back her newly acquired straw hat, looking back to the remarkably more welcoming street they just came from.

The younger mare released a deep sigh, shaking her head. “After everypony we have met today, I think we can call your disguise—surprisingly—sufficient. As for the town…” She beckoned the princess closer, motioning to a narrow alley.

“I do not want to sound disdainful, but are you sure some of those ponies would not mistake a draft stallion in dress for a mare?”

Hedvika only rolled her eyes at that, a slight smirk flashing over her face. She motioned to the alley again, trotting forward herself.

The alicorn reluctantly inched closer, adjusting her straw hat once more. “I mean, would it come to your mind that this filthy tatterdemalion in a laboratory coat is a princess?” Waiting for an answer that didn’t arrive, Luna peeked over the piles of garbage.

They stood on the edge of the pavement still bathed by the sun’s rays, the colorful, lively city lying below them; the dark maw of the slums gaping behind their backs.

“Beautiful, quaint town, isn’t it?” Hedvika said, the tone of her voice betraying the enthusiasm of the sentence.

Luna just cocked her head, trying to decipher the unicorn’s expression. The green mare just stood there, the afternoon sun lighting up her amber eyes and dancing on the orange locks of her mane. Her ears swivelled from time to time at the faint sounds of a busy marketplace from below, but her face remained cold, betrayed even.

Hedvika shook her head slightly, her eyes drifting to the few manors on the other side of the valley. “It didn’t deserve this fate.”

Luna tilted her head. “Can you be a little more specific, please?”

The biologist fidgeted a little, stepping back into the shadows. When she opened her mouth, the last hint of the light in her eyes faded. “It was the coal mines; the source of this town’s wealth, but also its downfall.” She motioned for Luna to follow, the princess reluctantly following her into the cool darkness of the alley.

“Trottingham coal was one of the best in the land, prized especially for train engines. The mines were expanding vastly, employing more and more ponies and even more unusual beings, like minotaurs. The tunnels are everywhere in the valley, probably under us as well.” Hedvika tapped the ground, a dull hollow sound confirming her words.

Luna raised her hoof, only to be stopped by the mare’s alerted gaze. “Truly safe indeed,” the princess muttered.

Seeing the alicorn put the hoof down without causing a cave-in, Hedvika continued, “A few years ago, the mines started running low and a massive layoff took place. Those lucky enough moved to nearby cities, such as Ponyville or Hoofington. Others were bound here, be it by health, family or money. It was all up to the countess to save them.”

Hedvika released another sigh. “Poor Countess Charred Coal did what she could, helping the needy with the immense wealth her ancestors gained from the mines, making the lives of her ponies better.” She shook her head, looking at an anatomically incorrect graffiti on a nearby wall. “I remember foals playing in her garden everyday and the aged, gaunt mare strolling among them. And the great oaks in her park, full of rare ants… and precious ant-eating spiders.” She pressed a tear out of her eye and smacked her lips, trotting down the alley. “Now only her mansion remains, slowly falling apart behind locked gates.”

The princess bowed gently, taking off her hat and pressing it to her chest. She took one last glance at the sunny town below, taking notice of the shadow of the once-grand house towering over it in the distance. It stood out against its surroundings like a bleak, grey spot with cracked facade, boarded up windows and roof succumbing to gravity.

Shaking her head, Luna plopped her headwear back on and caught up to the mare. “When I get back to Canterlot, I promise to barrage Celestia long enough until she yields and delegates me the key to the royal treasury.”

The unicorn chuckled, nodding respectfully. “There are more pressing matters at hoof right now,” she said, nudging one of her bags with her hoof. “Wake up, Sev, we need you out here.”

The bag groaned and squirmed, the flap lifting slowly. Sev stuck his head out, yawning and revealing his rows of teeth in the process. “What? I and Rocky here,” he pulled out the dead rooster, “were just enjoying our peaceful beauty sleep.” He grinned toothily, letting the poor bird drop back into the bag.

“Refreshed?” Hedvika extended a hoof, scratching his chin. “We need your sharp teeth for a moment.

“And Clam”—Luna snapped to attention, dropping a shard of glass she was inspecting—“give me your goggles. It’s best to hide anything of value before heading into the worse parts… and anyway, it looks ridiculous with your hat.”

The princess fidgeted slightly, faking a snobbish huff. “It tears a gaping hole in my heart to part with such a fitting garment!” she exclaimed, tossing it to the waiting unicorn.

Sev openly smirked, catching the flying glasses and swiftly stored them away. Hedvika’s lips curled into a slight smile, one that withered quickly as she looked towards the dark, winding alley.

“If anything happens, flee in the direction of the clocktower,” the unicorn said, motioning to the high building peeking over the rooftops.

The princess gave her a solemn nod, gulping audibly.

“Oh, don’t worry, running probably won’t save you anyway…” Sev chuckled. “But I will.” He stood on Hedvika’s head, wings spread wide.

He nearly fell off when the unicorn started moving. “Come on, I want to have this over as soon as possible.” She gently patted her bags, their contents rattling quietly. She frowned at the sound, her ears scanning the alley. “Oh, why it has to be gems…” she whispered, adjusting the straps of her harness. “Keep quiet, don’t do rapid moves and don’t look them in the eyes.”

Luna cocked an eyebrow. “From what you say, I would assume we were walking into Tartarus itself.”

“Our little Hedvi here just tends to exaggerate a little.” Sev patted the unicorn’s head. “It’s not like we are heading through Chimera territory.”

Hedvika groaned. “Chimeras are at least predictable. And I just like to be prepared. For anything.” She widened her stance, eyeing the dark alley before her.

Luna stifled a yelp as her horn tangled in yet another clothesline. She yanked her head back to pull herself free, only to send an old apron slapping her face.

Sighing, she focused on her horn, shuddering at the sensation of magic crawling from her hooves and up to her forehead. Drenched in sweat, she willed a small bolt of magic energy out of her horn, burning away the presumptuous rope.

She crouched down with another sigh, creeping below the plethora of lines spanning the width of the alley. They covered her view of the sky like a dirty, old cobweb. It swayed silently above her, humming with the gentle breeze from time to time.

The clip-clop of her hooves was the only sound permeating the street, the smaller mare before her moving unexpectedly quietly.

They passed by grey, soot-covered houses with peeling facades while skipping over the broken pavement.

Puddles of dark liquid pooled where the cobblestones were missing. Luna carefully maneuvered around them, her nostrils twisting at the foul smell. It tickled her throat, willing her last meal up her gullet.

She stopped, bending over and covering her muzzle with the lap of her coat.

“Clam?” Hedvika whispered. “Everything’s alright?”

The princess nodded a few times in a quick succession, her eyes aligning on something on the ground. Receiving the affirmation, the unicorn and dragon moved on, searching the intersection before them.

Poking the mysterious object with a hoof, Luna recoiled instinctively upon the touch of wet fur. The small thing rolled over, revealing a cracked button sewn to its surface.

“Aww.” The alicorn gently maneuvered the dirty plushie out of the water, looking it over. It was weathered and torn in a few places, leaving only a smudged plush mess with two buttony eyes.

A quiet growl emanated from behind her.

Luna’s ears perked up, her fur standing on end.

She caught a glimpse of a movement just to her side. Willing away her shaking knees, she slowly turned around, gazing at a boarded up door.

Two shiny, deep jade eyes gazed at her from between the planks.

“Um, hello?” Luna gulped, mindlessly pressing the toy to her chest.

The eyes widened, staring intently at her breast. A higher pitched growl resonated from the door.

The princess looked at the plushie she was clutching, back to the door and again at the toy. She slowly extended her hoof and offered the toy to the jade eyes, biting her lip, and braced herself for the worst.

A tiny red hoof appeared between the boards, snatching the dirty toy and disappeared just as fast.

“Clam, we are moving on,” Sev called.

Luna threw one quick glance at the door, rushing to the pair, her hooves splashing and skipping on the ground.

As the princess caught up with them, Hedvika looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing.

They trotted forward, hopping over piles of garbage and broken crates. Sev growled from time to time, his scales bristling ever so slightly. Still it was enough to send the scarce light reflecting off of them dancing across the walls.

The green unicorn only slowed at his warnings, her ears scanning the surroundings. Luna stopped every time, taking a few seconds to glance around before rushing to catch up with the two.

Luna turned back after another suspicious stop, spotting none of her guides.

Something big and furry scurried over the path in the distance. A lone shirt flapped on a line nearby.

A generic nightmare setting. “Come on, how many times have you seen this? You ought to be immune to such petty fears by now,” Luna whispered to herself. Prancing in place uncomfortably, she twisted her neck around, panic welling up inside her.

Slowly, she started trotting to the next intersection, barely keeping herself from galloping. “Sev?” she whimpered. “Hedvika?” Spotting nopony in the adjacent alleys, the princess hastily returned to her original spot. A broken shutter hanging just from one joint creaked above her head.

She looked around, trying to think of any way of finding her guides. Her ears perked up as her gaze fell on a cracked, rotten crate filled with compost. “Oh, there is a Timberwolf… Hedvika?” Luna tried, listening for any movement. Nothing. “And… it has a really interesting... mould on its head. Great for science!”

Her fur stood on end as a cold grasp took hold of her body. She tried to scream, but the air was frozen in her lungs. She wanted to push and breathe with all her might, but her chest wouldn’t budge. She tried to flail, but couldn’t move a limb. Her vision started reddening, growing dark from the corners.

A strong pull sent her tumbling into a wall, the familiar tingle of a cheap illusion spell passing through her. She landed against something soft and warm. With relief and delight, she could feel her lungs working properly again. Moving her head groggily, the tip of her horn was met with slight resistance.

“If you don’t pierce my lower jaw, I'd be grateful, thank you.” Hedvika groaned from above the princess.

Before Luna could open her mouth, Sev jumped in.

“I apologize, but we couldn’t risk you screaming seeing a hoof suddenly appear from the wall to grab you.” The dragon smirked, looking down at Luna propped up against Hedvika’s chest.

The princess heaved herself up, groaning. “Could you not just called me or stepped back out?”

“Shh,” Hedvika whispered, oblivious to Luna’s laments, “I don’t want them appearing here during our business.”

The princess tilted her head, unease welling inside her. “Business?” she whispered back.

The unicorn just nodded solemnly, stepping over to a door at the side of the alley. This one seemed far more intact than those they had passed by previously, bearing Hedvika’s knocks without a single creak. Luna groaned in annoyance, catching a glimpse of Sev mouthing an apology.

The green mare stepped back, waiting. Awkward silence befell the group, disturbed only by quiet dribbling of water over one of the walls. Luna shuffled around nervously while Hedvika’s hoof quickly checked her bags once more.

“Sev, how many fire rubies did you pick?” she inquired, her eyes piercing the dragon.

He released a tired sigh. “It’s gonna be enough, trust me. I’m sure he won’t make any troubles to his best customer.”

Hedvika started counting, her hoof tapping the ground with each number muttered. Her brow furrowed as the count went higher and higher.

Luna winced, Hedvika’s ears snapping to attention, when a voice suddenly reverberated through the door, “Everything ordered heads towards simplicity and chaos. How come such a complex thing as life still exists?”

Hedvika rolled her eyes, reciting, “Because we keep our inner order at the expense of raising the chaos around us.”

After a moment of silence, the door clicked open, revealing an empty, sloping corridor lit by a single flickering oil lamp.

Luna bent forward, eyebrows furrowed. “Is this some crazy order of Discord?”

Hedvika smirked, trotting forward. “Not at all. After you.” She held the door for the princess to enter, slipping in beside her. The clicking of various locks and latches filled Luna’s ears, her unease growing.

She turned back to the door, spotting Hedvika toiling with the mechanism. “Just a moment,” the green mare said. “We don’t want anypony else coming here.”

“Sure.” The princess’ voice was everything but assured. Taking a few timorous steps backwards, Luna’s whole body tensed as her hoof touched only air.

The alicorn stumbled back, rolling down a short flight of stairs. She landed in a heap on the cold floor, the straw hat falling over her eyes.

She could feel pillows of dust gracing her face, the sweet scent of aged paper and weathered ink penetrating her nostrils. Soft hoofsteps drew near her.

Luna pulled up her hat, raising her eyes to a young, lanky stallion in a grubby pullover towering above her.

He gazed at her curiously, his glasses slowly sliding down his muzzle. “Well, hello there.” He bent down, his brassy curls dancing around his head as he extended a hoof towards the perplexed princess. “Welcome to my antiquarian bookstore. The name’s Entropy.”

“C-Clam,” Luna stuttered as she leaned on his hoof, nearly pulling the stallion to the ground. “A bookstore?”

Entropy straightened up, backpedalling a little. “Of course. What did you expect?” He tilted his head, barely catching his falling glasses with his teeth.

“I… do not really know.” The princess looked around the faintly lit dungeon. Rows upon rows of battered, half-filled bookcases occupied most of the space, the rest was taken up by a few pulpits, armchairs and cobwebs.

“A cult of the Lord of Chaos.” Hedvika chuckled, carefully descending the stairs. “Nice to see you again.”

“Ah, Hedvika, I thought it strange for your friend here to find her way in here alone,” Entropy commented. “And Sev, didn’t see you back there, though I knew you wouldn’t be far.”

“So, about that trade...” Hedvika moved forward, obscuring Luna’s vision of him.

Entropy pushed his glasses up his muzzle. “Oh, straightforward as always. Follow me. Your friend is welcome to look around in the meantime.” He arched his neck past the unicorn, beaming at the disguised princess before he trotted off deeper into the bowels of the shop.

Hedvika sidled up to the alicorn, but still kept her space this time, letting Sev hop onto the princess’ back. She then proceeded to follow the lanky stallion.

“What kind of business it is that she deems it so important?” Luna asked, trying to twist her neck to get a good look at the dragon.

“Well,” Sev scratched his chin, “a book. Quite an old one.You know, just a regular rare book about nature. I don’t think it would interest you that much.”

“Ah, and I expected it would be on the history of music,” Luna uttered, walking between the aisles. She raised her hoof, running it over the dusty covers. A Pamphlet of Prehistoric Poetry. Towels, Trowels and Time Travel. A Collection of Griffon Cookbooks. “Eww,” the princess withdrew her hoof, “they really have everything here. Bound in leather too, it seems.”

Sev craned his neck, pulling out the last book with his wing. “Oh, really.” He skimmed through a few pages. “A roasted ram with cranberry sauce. Sounds delicious. Or this one,” he tapped his claw on one of the pages, almost coming through the weathered paper, “‘Ferret liver stuffed with rosemary and thyme’.”

The alicorn gagged, grabbing the nearest book, fanning herself with it.

“Come on, you should at least appreciate that they have there some greens and not just meat,” Sev added. He wilted under Luna’s gaze, slithering from her back. “A sore spot?” He grinned.

“Before… ahem… coming to your place, I spent over a week in the presence of a griffon convoy. Let us simply say that I do not want to hear of anything that has to do with meat, skin or dead animals in general,” Luna said, fixing the collar of her coat.

Sev’s eyebrows shot up. “That explains a lot… though, what about parchment?”

“Parchment?” the princess asked, leaning against a pile of gardening books and fairytale collections on a nearby pulpit. “What is wrong with it? It is just paper.”

“Paper, you say...” The dragon chuckled, hovering down the aisle.

“Is that not true? Sev?” Luna whispered, trotting after him.

“A tale for another day, I’d say, not sure how you may react… surrounded by all this parchment.” The dragon smirked, the princess giving him a slightly irked look.

An awkward silence befell them, disturbed only by the clip-clop of Luna’s hooves and the occasional flutter of Sev’s wings. A few words from the bargaining bookseller filtered between the bookshelves.

Sev turned mid-air, rubbing his neck. His gaze wandered over the surroundings, the cogs in his brain turning, his mind looking for anything suitable to say.

“Though,” he started, “I have to give it to you, you are brave. I understand that you are unsettled by meat, entrails or hides, many ponies are. Still, you seem genuinely okay in the presence of a potentially dangerous predator… not everypony can—or wants to—do that.”

Luna stopped, eyeing him quizzically. She sat her haunches onto a convenient nearby armchair, plumes of dust billowing all around her. “Oh, pray—” she stifled a fit of cough, tears welling in the corners of her eyes “—tell? What about those fillies or anypony else at the festival?”

“A tip of an iceberg.” The dragon huffed, climbing on one of the armrests. “And many of them were a little scared upon meeting me for the first time. I surely don’t look like a cute chubby dragon baby.” The princess bent down slightly, hoof stretched to stroke his scales. “And some even thought that I possessed Hed—”

An explosion took the words from his tongue, the bookcases around rattling as something big and dark landed against them. Books rained down from the assaulted bookshelves. Luna jumped out of the armchair with Sev in tow, barely avoiding a falling tome of Saddle Arabian legends. They both stood quietly, specks of dust slowly settling around them and the smell of ozone yielding to the funky odor of old paper.

Entropy’s curses echoed through the room, ricocheting off the vaulted ceiling, “Damned grimoire of dark arts, making a fuss again. Just stay away from it.” His voice slowly receded to the bargain with Hedvika, only a louder word or two disturbing the silence.

Luna’s ears sprung up. “A grimoire?” She leapt to the pile where the dark mass landed before, digging in the pile. “I will not allow for a potentially dangerous book to lie around unguarded.”

Sev hovered above her, his tongue flipping through the air. He ran it carefully over his palate, then let it fling out and wipe his nostrils. His eyes widened, a disgusted expression crossing his features. “Sulfane... Burnt fur... Wait!”

He hopped before Luna’s hooves, forcing her to back away. With tongue sticking out of his mouth, he started fishing through the pile of book and scrolls. “Ah-ha!”

With a strong pull of his claws, a blue horn appeared among the books, followed by the head and body of a young stallion.

The unicorn slumped onto the ground to Luna’s hooves, sweeping the floor with his shiny yellow mane. Tiny wisps of smoke rose from his body, his blue coat covered in blotches of dark singed fur.

“Hello, are you alright?” Luna shook his shoulder. No reaction.

Sev sighed, motioning for her to look at his claws. He balled them into a fist, running his knuckles across his own sternum a few times.

The princess eyed him quizzically for a few seconds, then mimicked the gesture with the tip of her hoof, rubbing it across the stallion’s chest.

He jumped up with a cry of pain, clutching his chest. Panting heavily, he glanced around till his eyes aligned on Luna and Sev. He blinked a few times before breaking into a fit of laughter. “H-Hedvika? What in Tartarus happened to you this time?” He guffawed, pulling a hoof around Luna’s shoulder. “Too many blueberries? Nice hat though.” His hoof reached out for the straw hat, only to be swatted away by the princess.

“I am not Hedvika,” the disguised alicorn growled, shaking off his hoof.

The stallion crawled back, releasing a quiet squee. “Are you sure? That lab coat looks pretty much like hers… and so does the dragon,” he strained through his forced grin. He glanced at Sev sitting on a nearby bookshelf, biting his tail to muffle his giggling. “Alright,” he made a futile attempt to groom his frazzled, yellow mane, “name’s Volt-Ampere, nice to meet you, Non-Hedvika.”

“Clam, Hedvika’s friend,” the princess stated plainly. “Would you care to tell me how—”

Volt-Ampere already turned around, starting to dig through the pile of books. “Nice name. Seen my glasses anywhere?”

“No—I—” Luna circled him, bending down so she was face to face with him. He paid her little mind, shuffling among some fallen scrolls. “What was that explosion? How many ponies are down here?”

“That’s a lot of questions. Ah, eureka!” He sighed, his horn coming to life with sickly yellow magic. A pair of crystalline goggles rose from the pile, identical to those that Luna sported just a while ago. Identical except the load of duct tape holding these together. “Much better,” Volt-Ampere commented as he sat them on his forehead. He then turned, walking away without another word.

Luna turned to Sev still occupying the bookshelf. “Is he an acquaintance of yours?”

“A friend, actually.” The dragon hopped down and followed after the pony, motioning for the alicorn to do the same. “And Hedvika’s too.”

“I gathered as much. Speaking of Hedvika...” Luna caught up to him, offering him a hoof to hop on her shoulder. “What is it with her being so nervous? Entropy seems like a very pleasant, if a little eccentric, companion.”

The dragon sighed, lying on his back and playing with a few loose straws poking out of Luna’s hat. “Stress… mostly. She might not let it on, but she is unsure in the presence of other ponies. Tends to act irrationally, just like with the burning tree nonsense. Coupled with this ‘business’ meeting of sorts… well, she doesn’t bear similar affairs well, not after her run-in with the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures and Academy of Sciences.”

Luna cocked an eyebrow, eyeing the dragon curiously. “A run-in? Could you spare me the cryptic game about it?”

“No can do, I wasn’t present and I just know it didn’t go well. It’s Hedvika’s story to tell, not mine.” Sev grinned, drawing a resigned sigh from the princess. “Besides, you should look where you are going, otherwise you’ll have a run-in with Volty’s backside.”

The princess raised her head, just in time to notice the blue stallion before her. He was fumbling with a bizarre tube-like contraption, banded with brass rings. A steady flow of sparks streamed from his horn and into the crystal atop the contraption, turning it around.

“Hello again. Shell, was it?” Volt said, levitating a pair of calipers.

Luna sighed. “Clam.”

The stallion just hummed, occupied with the device before him.

“Say, Volty,” Sev jumped over to the stallion’s head, “how are things going in town?”

“Hmm?” The unicorn looked to the dragon, lowering the caliper he was using to scratch his ear. Sev just drummed his claws on the pony’s goggles, a good-hearted smile gracing his snout. “Well, nothing much. My big brother returned from Tenochtitlan yesterday with some illness. Purple blotches all over and babbling nonsense. Was kinda glad for Entropy’s call for help with this beauty.” He patted the machine next to him.

Meanwhile, Luna plopped down on her haunches, tuning out the conversation. Only at the mention of the illness did she move a little bit farther from the two. She leaned against a bookcase, the uneven shelves pressing into her back and wings, pleasantly surprised that it caused just a slight discomfort.

The princess closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the funky smells of the place trickle between her lips. Opening her eyes again, she scanned the rows of books behind her.

Pulling out a thin booklet and noticing it to be a collection of Equestrian fairy tales, she hesitated, then eagerly started skimming through it. Since her return, all she read were books on history and laws, and an odd novel here and there… she surely didn’t have time for something so foalish.

The book itself was well-worn, with blanched cover and crumpled corners. Though by Luna’s standards, it was still fairly new. The illustrations were printed in colour and the language resembled modern Equestrian. But what surprised her most was how the stories themselves changed.

The little maremaid turning into foam on the waves. A reckless colt devoured by a wolf. A villain of the story sealed in a barrel lined with nails and kicked off a hill. Monsters turning into puddles of bubbling grease upon defeat… all of these disappeared from the pages.

She shuddered, a chill creeping down her spine. Countless nightmares and innumerable amount of pillows drenched with tears all over Equestria stemmed from these old tales alone. While she grew numb to the horrors over the years, a nagging feeling of unease still settled in her gut.

She flipped a few pages, smiling at the familiar illumination of a mare peeking out a window, locks of her mane and tail cascading into the unseen depths below. Still, she felt as if the stories were incomplete. Their dark nature used to serve as an unforgettable lesson. A lesson to prepare foals for the harsh world behind the walls of their parents’ house. Maybe it was no longer needed. Maybe. She let out a sigh, tracing her hoof across the page.

Suddenly, her periphery filled with blinding, white light. She winced, pressing the book to her chest and sealed her eyes shut. A sick crackling sound filled her ears… but in the background, she could hear… laughter?

Luna slowly opened her eyes, staring at the caliper embedded like a hatchet in the shelf above her head. It still crackled with energy, a yellow spark or two shooting off of it occasionally.

Her gaze promptly flitted across the room, settling on the young stallion and the drake. Volt-Ampere was laughing hysterically, an occasional swear word escaping between his chuckles. Sev was balancing on the unicorn’s head, panting. Wisps of steam twirled around the machine before them.

Luna stumbled to her hooves, starting for the pair. She then hesitated, doubling back and plucking the caliper out of the shelf. A tingle ran over her tongue as she grabbed the charged tool.

“I think you lost this.” She dropped it to Volt’s hooves. The stallion gave her a surprised look, calming down a little bit. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah… it just… imploded… a little. Caught it… in my… magic.” Sev panted, sliding limply to the ground, only for the princess to catch him. Luna glanced at his sorry form, then lifted her eyes curiously to the young stallion.

“It’s the capacitor crystal,” the pony groaned, “keeps on collapsing as soon as I charge it. Then, boom.” He kicked the pile of shimmering dust on the floor, causing it to spark. Tiny blotches of burnt fur could be seen as he retracted his hoof. “This was my last one,” he commented.

Luna just watched him quietly, blinking a few times. She raised her hoof to rub her neck when she felt a tiny stab near her heart. She looked down, noticing the cornflower from Cheerilee slowly withering in the lapel. Just below it was outlined a slight bulge in her pocket.

She cocked her head quizzically, groping in the depths of the pocket. Volt-Ampere turned around again, paying more mind to his machine.

Luna pulled out a purple gemstone, blankly staring at it. She slowly turned it around in her hooves before she remembered digging it up on the road. She looked at it again, chewing alternately at the inside of her cheek and her lip.

“Would this be of any help?” she said, holding out a hoof with the crystal.

The young pony turned around, giving her a curious, if a little dismissive, gaze. His eyes widened as she extended her hoof to him.

“Wow, you are a genius!” He levitated the amethyst to his eyes, pulling down his goggles simultaneously. His magic fluttered around the knobs of his glasses, adjusting his vision. “Fine quartz, not pure. Conducts magic just well.” The stone shimmered with light in his telekinetic grip. “Needs a li‘l bit of filing.”

His magic wrapped around the gem with a screeching noise, Luna’s ears immediately folding back and Sev giving a little grunt. As it dissipated, new facets graced the surface of the crystal. “Now let’s see how it works.”

The princess watched as Volt-Ampere inserted the gem into a socket in the centre of the machine, fumbling with the brass clasps around it. “Here goes nothing,” he announced, charging his horn. “Sev?”

The dragon groaned in response, still sprawled on Luna’s back with tongue hanging out of his mouth.

The stallion cast him a sideways glance. “Still flat? Too bad, let’s hope it won’t explode then.”

The alicorn’s eyes widened, her mouth hanging slightly agape. She dove for the floor, curling into a ball and pulling the exhausted dragon into her embrace.

She lay on the stony floor, feeling the cold emitted by Sev, even through the fabric of her lab coat. Her whole body was tense, her muscles starting to shake as endless seconds passed by.

But there was no explosion, not even a burst of energy. A quiet, rhythmic humming filled the dungeon, followed by boisterous, “Eureka!”

Luna slowly unfurled, dust bunnies dancing all around her. She stood up, grabbing Sev by his neck with her teeth. She mentally scolded herself for such animalistic behaviour, setting the dragon on her back. He gave her a quiet purr in response.

The blue stallion frolicked around the machine, its many rings and parts turning and moving. A beam of purple light pervaded through its centre, shooting off into the depths of the underground and bathing the surroundings in eerie hues.

“Let me say,” everypony turned in the direction of the voice and approaching hoofsteps, “this is phenomenal!”

Entropy was trotting to them on his spindly legs, his brassy curls dancing across his brow. Hedvika was following behind him with a visible spring in her step.

As they reached the group, Entropy squinted at the machine, polishing his glasses on his dusty pullover. He put them back on, covered by more soot than before.

Then, he did something that sent Luna’s jaw falling: he spread his wings.

The princess took a few hesitant steps back as the stallion’s greyed, baggy sweater seemingly billowed out, revealing feathers covered by cobwebs and dust.

The lanky stallion hovered through the air around the machine, his movement a little unsteady.

“So, I got what we came for.” Luna started at Hedvika’s voice just next to her. The unicorn heaved up her harness, a large book thick as a brick poking out of her bag.

Sev slowly raised his neck with a few audible pops, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the green mare. He tried to stand up, slithering to her waiting hoof, nuzzling it and then continuing down one of her bags.

Hedvika proceeded to step closer to Luna, only for the princess to raise a hoof in defense of her personal space. But the unicorn didn’t come even close to it, asking, “What made him so tired?”

“He managed to hold down an explosion… or implosion, if I understood correctly,” Luna whispered, her eyes glued to the bookseller flying around the machine. Hedvika just nodded knowingly, following her line of sight.

“There is one thing I can’t understand,” Entropy said, forgetting to flap his wings at that moment, “why is the ray purple?”

Volt-Ampere looked up from polishing his goggles. “Sorta ran out of pure crystals, but Shelly here,” he grasped Luna’s shoulder, the princess only rolling her eyes, “luckily had a purple replacement.”

“Oh, that was very nice of her,” Entropy commented. He pulled a torn, weathered scroll from the confines of his pullover, fixing it into a frame on the machine.

He then started turning the various rings and gears till the light aligned on the paper. Letters started appearing in blotches on the document in bold, shiny violet script.

“Seems to work as before, maybe even better in revealing the lost texts!” Entropy announced. “So,” he pulled out another scroll and a quill, “according to this annal, Commander Hurricane and his private in fact were… oh, let’s save that for later.”

He flew back down to the group, extending a hoof to the disguised princess. “Thank you for your help.” He shook her hoof. “Please, if there is anything in my shop that you’d like, consider it yours.”

The princess hesitated, then turned around, trotting to the spot where she left the fairy tale collection. “Well, I would hate to bother you, but may I have this book?”

Entropy took the book from her hooves, examining it through his lowered glasses. “Of course, great choice!” He beamed, hoofing it back over.

The dishevelled pegasus then took a step back, bowing to the two mares. “Thank you for your visit, it was nice meeting you, Clam. And Hedvika, once you feel it’s ready to go, come to me. Farewell.”

Hedvika just gave him a nod in response, turning for the exit, and Luna followed in her wake. The princess stopped multiple times, trying to balance the book on her back.

“Want me to carry it for you?” Hedvika said, her hoof pointing to her already book-filled bag.

“Oh, I would greatly appreciate that.” The princess slid the booklet next to the tome, catching a glimpse of its cover, Natura Equestriana. She pulled the flap over the pocket, only to come to an unexpected obstacle: the buckle. She fumbled with the strap, only for the metallic hook to escape every time. “I reckon this still is too delicate for my hooves.”

“I’ll deal with it,” Hedvika stated as she started up the stairs. Luna cast one last glance at the dimly lit underground, surprised to feel a little saddened by leaving it behind.

They ascended the stairway up to the massive door when the echo of rushing hoofsteps reached their ears.

Soon enough, Volt-Ampere appeared next to them, panting. “Glad I caught up to you, I just never remember the right combination out. Always have to think it up. Oh, hello, Hedvi, didn’t really notice you down there.”

“I noticed,” Hedvika said, rolling her eyes. A good-hearted smile crossed her lips for a moment. “Any news about your brother?” She grinned awkwardly, showing off her yellowish teeth.

The stallion seemed to hesitate before saying, “Well, he is back”—Hedvika seemed to light up at that, standing more alert—“but ill. And he doesn’t let anypony near him. Trust me, it’s not a nice sight.”

The green mare just sighed, hanging her head, and proceeded to unlock the door. As she shifted a few gears and levers, the whole mechanism started spinning with the door slowly opening.

They all squinted as the bright light assaulted their eyes. They hopped out with Luna almost blinded, blinking wildly. She bumped into Hedvika, who was fighting with the flap of her bag.

The unicorn yelped, stumbling a little and instinctively bucking back. The princess avoided her hooves, but one zap apple flew out of Hedvika’s flank bag. It rolled down the street and into a nearby alley.

“One would almost think you had a mug of hard cider each, ladies.” Volt-Ampere chuckled.

“Great…” Hedvika groaned, trotting after the runaway fruit, the others following suit. They rounded the corner, only to spot a little shadow disappearing with the colorful apple. “Hey!”

The green mare leapt forward and after the shadow. She skidded on the grime-covered pavement, hitting a wall with her side. Looking over her bag with the books and spying no damage, she pressed on.

The alley spat her back onto a bigger street. The culprit, a little grey filly, lay a few dozen steps away from Hedvika, surrounded by two other fillies. She clutched the apple in her hooves, trying to wiggle away from the ill words of the two bullies.

None of the foals seemed to pay Hedvika nor her panting companions any mind. She turned between the road back home, and the bullied filly, then her bag.

“Hedvika, you can spare a few of these apples. The foals are just hungry,” Luna said, meeting the mare’s eyes with an unwavering gaze.

The unicorn just snorted, stomping her hoof. “No, just one apple may be the difference between life and death in the forest!”

“And wouldn’t it be the same for that filly?” Volt-Ampere commented.

Hedvika turned back to the fight, watching the filly struggle for her food under the hooves of her attackers. They mocked her, tears welling up in the poor foal’s eyes. Hedvika turned back to her bag and then the street.

“Fights like this happen here all the time.” She tried to reason. “What difference would it make, stopping one? It spells only trouble in this part of town.”

Volt-Ampere just hummed in reply, on edge himself now.

“A difference similar to a pony with and without a heart,” Luna said, ears crossly aback. She secretly hoped this wasn’t over the line.

Meanwhile, the grey filly stopped moving.

Hedvika’s eyes narrowed, but not on the princess. She gazed over her shoulder, letting out a low, guttural growl. She crouched down.

One of the bullies took the zap apple while the other spat in the limp filly’s face, standing victoriously above her.

“Then let me be the heartless pony.” Hedvika snarled and pounced.

Soaring through the air, she bared her teeth. The bullies looked up as her shadow fell on them. Too late.

Hedvika curled up in her flight, able to grab the spitting filly from behind.

The foal yelped as the blunt teeth sunk into her neck. The pull sent her sprawling across the cobblestones, air escaping her lungs. The fellow bully landed next to her with an audible slap.

They both cowered as the mare towered above them. She bent her neck, slowly lowering her head till it almost touched their dirty muzzles. Saliva bubbled from the corners of her mouth.

One of the fillies shakily held up her hooves in defense.

“A needless gesture. I won’t lower myself to your level and hit a lying opponent. Now, get lost,” she strained through her teeth, standing back up.

As the two dashed down the street, she wiped her mouth and trotted to the bullied filly.

The foal was slowly standing up with Luna’s help, while Volt-Ampere just watched from afar, playing with his caliper.

As Hedvika reached them, the filly backed from her, shaking. She squeaked meekly, bending for the battered, dirty apple.

“No.” Hedvika stepped forward, the filly letting go of the fruit. The green mare glared at her, sweat beading on the filly’s face and trickling through the filth on her cheeks. “That zapple is not good for eating anymore. Take these.” Hedvika turned around, holding out two pristine apples.

The filly’s eyes widened, the little pony snatching the fruits. She then set out to one of the alleys, turning around with a small smile just before disappearing into the shadows.

Hedvika turned to trot back, only to be met with Luna’s smug smile. “What?”

“Nothing at all. I am just contemplating the meaning of the word ‘heartless’,” the princess remarked, pressing her hat to her chest.

The younger mare let out a frustrated sigh, moving away the lock of mane falling over her eye.

“I hate to interrupt your smalltalk, ladies, but we got a problem.” Volt-Ampere pointed his hoof, both mares turning their attention to the direction in question.

There, at the end of the alley, stood a group of earth ponies, easily a dozen and a half. They were all dirty, with dishevelled, greasy manes and torn, filthy clothes—if they had any. Their expressions varied from grim, to determined, to hopeful. The most prominent of them was the larger bully filly from before, her face adorned by a wicked smile. She whispered in the ear of the big stallion bent to her, pointing a hoof at the trio.

“Who is up for a tactical retreat?” Hedvika offered, ears aback. Volt-Ampere and Luna were already backpedalling.

The green mare broke into full gallop, soon catching up to them. The uproar of a few dozen hooves rocked the street behind them.

The cobblestones melted into one blur in their flight. Hedvika zoned out all sounds but the stampede behind and her own heartbeat. Like a well oiled machine, her hooves touched the ground in a perfect rhythm.

Clop. Clop. Sharp left. Clop. Clop. Flying crate from behind. Clop. Clop. Duck.

Splinters washed over her. She skidded on the ground, losing balance on the uneven surface. It broke her concentration, sending her stumbling. The mob drew closer, yet looked far smaller. That wasn’t right.

Luna passed her, extending a hoof and dragging her behind. After a few surprised steps, Hedvika broke into full sprint herself.

“A-alright?” Luna panted.

The green unicorn just nodded, catching up. Spotting a side alley, she took a sharp right, shoving the princess in. Volt hopped in behind them.

They pressed on, Luna taking the lead. A door at the side of the alley burst open, barely missing her. A few brutes poured out, tackling Hedvika.

Her chest pressed to the ground, her hind hooves bucked. No damage, her assailant just laughed, bending down.

“We were told you have some fancy food. Fresh,” the brute stated, drool dripping from his mouth. “Surely you can spare some.”

A beam of magic hit him in the chest. The pony froze, falling backwards. The rest of the gang stopped, seeing him twitch and writhe, only to be met with the same fate. Volt-Ampere jumped over them, Hedvika slipping from their hooves. The scent of burnt fur filled the alley.

They ran on, the main gang at their heels. A skip over a garbage bag. A slip in a puddle. They continued down the winding alley. Luna’s short tail swished before them.

A shadow flitted over them, a loose rafter falling off one roof. The blue colt just slid below it. Hedvika jumped up, attempting a wall run. Landing, she staggered slightly, but pressed on.

Half a dozen ponies followed behind them, pouring over the fallen beam.

Luna saw the shadow flash past her again. And again. The princess pumped her muscles as hard as she could. Her fur stood on end as hooves grabbed her sides.

A quick pull sent her off-course, face-first into a wall. She galloped on, her horn scraping the wall. Her attacker flailed behind her, his wings flapping.

The alley started to narrow. Luna zigzagged across the cobblestones, trying to shake the pegasus holding onto her.

The princess felt him slip, kicking blindly. Hedvika and Volt ducked as the colt soared above them and through a few walls.

The pursuers slowed down at the sight, but soon continued. The alley seemed to be endless.

“I-I don’t think... we can keep up... much longer,” Hedvika called, Volt panting behind her.

Luna looked around frantically. Her vision was swimming, but then something familiar caught her eye. A flash of jade in the dark. “Over here!” The princess pushed them into an ajar door.

They stumbled in, the alicorn shutting the door behind them. The whole house shook as their chasers passed by, windows rattling.

The trio lay in a heap on the earthen ground, most of the floorboards torn away.

A small, blood red filly stood before them, her deep jade eyes staring into their very souls. A black mess of a toy could be seen sitting on her back, even in the dim light. She motioned for them to follow.

The three ponies climbed to their hooves, Hedvika nearly collapsing back to the ground. Volt-Ampere sidled up to her, letting her lean on him.

“I can manage,” the green mare grunted, pulling herself back up. Luna circled her, gasping at the sight of her hind leg. “How bad is it?” Hedvika said, her voice showing only the slightest signs of discomfort.

Luna observed the hoof, corners of her mouth twisting in disgust. “Riddled with splinters and swollen, but it doesn’t seem to be bleeding.”

“Fine, let’s go then. Seems like our little saviour over there is getting impatient.” Hedvika trotted towards the filly, the little one hiding behind the silvery bangs of her mane.

Her tiny red hoof motioned to the boarded up door frame and the vast, vacant street behind. Sounds of the busier parts of the town drifted up to them.

She ran up to the door, knocking on the aged planks and then pushing with her whole body.

“I think she wants us to break the planks,” Volt-Ampere whispered in Hedvika’s ear. “Should I do it?”

The unicorn thought for a while, shaking her head. “Let Clam take care of it, she is stronger than she looks.” She gave ‘Clam’ a wink.

The disguised princess walked to the door, the filly shyly sneaking away. Luna eyed the door up and down, down and up. She let out a sigh, turned around and bucked.

The planks cluttered at the other side of the street. She gestured for the two unicorns to pass through. Turning to the filly, “Do you want our help with fixing the door?”

The little pony just shook her head, ripping another plank from the floor. She waved her hoof, ushering Luna outside. The princess exited the room backwards, pressing her hat to her chest and waving with it.

She joined the two on the street, slowly walking to the livelier parts of Trottingham. The hobble in Hedvika’s gait was now clear to see, the mare wincing anytime she shifted her weight on the injured hoof.

With a loud yawn, Sev stuck out his head from her saddlebag, teeth glinting in the afternoon sun. “Did anything interesting happen?” he mumbled, yawning once more.

The trio looked at each other, chuckling. “Nothing much, just angered most of the gangs in the slums. Oh, and I’ll need your cla—” Hedvika said, interrupted by a quickly approaching, rhythmic staccato of heavy golden horseshoes. “Oh, chickencoop…”

“Stop right there, criminal scum!”

Author's Note

The next chapter should be up by the beginning of Autumn.

Questions or comments?
Please report typos in the form of PM.
My earnest thanks go to the mighty MV for his editing services.

Chapter 9: A Fish Out of Water

It was a normal, lazy afternoon for Private Lance Rest. He stood guard before the royal palace of Canterlot Castle, watching the bustling courtyard.

Clerks ran to and fro, horseshoes screeching on the pavement while the odd document or two fluttered in their wake. Tourists mingled in between, gawking at the marble towers and golden spires. A pair of elderly pegasi caught the private’s eye, the guard fighting the urge to chuckle at the sight of a bored colt dragged in their wake. What Lance Rest assumed to be the grandpa seemed to be in the middle of a lecture of how he saw Princess Celestia a few centuries ago. Then his teal orbs wandered over to a few high class mares strolling by and polluting the yard with heavy, off-sweet perfumes.

Private Lance Rest saw all of that, but the whole hussle remained a mere restless background to him. He had to stay stoic and unmoving, his eyes fixed on one of the twenty-three cobblestones in his view. During calmer moments of his shift, he tried to get better at assessing his surroundings. Catching a glance of the said twenty-three cobblestones and four specks of some green muck among them was his record for staring without his pupils moving the slightest bit.

However, now he had a problem. It wasn’t another angry superior scolding him about his staring passtime—last time he tried to break the record, one swift pickpocket managed to mug a few ponies in broad daylight. But Lance Rest’s current problem wasn’t even the filly booping his nose, nor the other little nuisance trying to pluck the hair out of his tail. No, it was the single drop of sweat that had gathered under his muzzle plate.

His golden armor itself radiated unbearable heat, but it was just a mere bother when compared to the droplet of sweat that snaked through his fur to the ground. It meandered over his coat, tickling.

And yet, he couldn’t do anything. If he were to break his orders and looked up to let the sweat slither somewhere else, he’d see, through the slight haze of smoke from the royal kitchens, the old astronomy tower and the newly added reflective gallery at its top.

And if he were able to look through the one way mirrors of the gallery, he’d be met with the sight of gallons of water, a few fish and the curious gaze of one white alicorn.

Celestia floated in her spa, wings spread wide, tendrils of her wet mane swirling around her. She spared an occasional glance through the transparent floor at the courtyard and at a particular guard whom seemed to be having his training tested. She shook her head, returning to gazing over the sprawling city of Canterlot and the tiny ponies and carriages milling around in the streets. And from time to time, her eyes flitted to the plains below and the dark stretch of a forest on the horizon. Her brow furrowed every time she did so, her heart beating faster.

She let out a sigh, turning back into the room. Her horn flared to life, the golden aura enveloping a few strawberries from a nearby bowl.

Celestia’s magic flung the fruits through the air, the alicorn catching them mid-flight into her waiting mouth.

The princess then dove back into the pool, letting the warm water caress her fur. She slowly rolled around and spread her wings, feeling each feather bending with the drag of water.

She descended deeper and deeper till the back of her skull connected with the glass floor. A shudder ran down her spine, her hooves twitching as a tingling sensation waltzed back and forth over her body.

The little fish were doing their job, cleaning her fur and feathers off the tiniest bits of grime that still clung to her coat.

She let out a giggle, rolling around in the water. Her face contorted into a perplexed mask when she spotted one fish digging out a half-eaten, soaked biscuit from her mane.

She tried to snatch the pastry from the fish with another giggle, but the creature was faster. Shaking her head with a smile plastered on her face, the princess propelled herself back to the surface.

As she stood up, one unfortunate fish slid from her forehead and ricocheted off her muzzle. It never hit water again, disappearing in a flash of bright red feathers, pierced by unforgiving talons.

Philomena circled the room, landing on a nearby perch. Shuffling around on the perch, the phoenix bent her head back and pumped her throat, gobbling up the poor animal.

Despite the gruesome act, Celestia smiled at the phoenix and the twitching tail sticking out the bird’s beak. Waiting for the fish to disappear completely, Celestia cleared her throat.

The phoenix didn’t pay the princess any mind. Philomena chirped and gurgled softly, too preoccupied with nibbling at her talons.

“Philomena? Any news?” The bird finally turned, acknowledging her mistress, head cocked to the side.

The alicorn responded with a plain questioning gaze. Philomena blinked, then tilted her head to the other side and blinked once more.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Celestia remarked, disappointment creeping into her voice. She plopped back down into the pool, splashing all around. She lowered her head, only her nostrils and the top half of her face poking out, resembling a gloomy white crocodile.

The phoenix gave her a tiny squawk and dashed from her perch, catching another fish that was thrown above the water surface. She then disappeared out an open window.

“Selfish bird,” Celestia muttered, the water bubbling around her submerged mouth. The princess floated over to the edge of the gallery again, looking at the Everfree in the distance. She caught herself raising her hoof to her teeth, ready to start biting it. It was not really the events of last night that made her nervous, after all, it all could have gone far worse. It was the lack of contact that troubled her mind. Her thoughts were awhirl with possibilities. Had something happened to them? Had they found nothing worthy of writing about? Did her last letter reach them in the first place?

She couldn’t remember the last time she was so impatient to receive any word from the field, not even during the war with Griffonstone.

She waited for a moment, hoping that a messenger would barge in, carrying news, any news.

But the door of the gallery stood unmoving, obscured by the mist rising from the hot spa. With another sigh, the princess proceeded to another fishless section of the pool and started to wash her mane.

Her desire for a visitor was sated a while later. A timid knock on the door, almost too timid for the expected messenger.

“Password?” Celestia called. No answer, she stepped out the pool. She quickly skimmed over the magical wards shielding her body, circles and spheres of floating runes flickering around her, only to fade to their invisible state a moment later.

Content with her protection, she raised her head to see the door cracking open slowly. “Password!” she repeated, a bit of desperation edging into her voice. Still no answer.

Stiffening, the princess lowered her body, charging her horn. Widening her stance, her back hoof slipped on a wet tile. Celestia face-planted on the floor, her concentration faltering. The spell building in her horn released, shooting at the door, where wide-eyed Raven stood.

The secretary dropped the papers she was carrying, her magic forming a vivid red shield before her. It materialized in the last second, deflecting the beam of golden energy. The runaway spell bounced off the golden roof of the gallery before landing in the pool. The water inside evaporated instantly.

The mares stared at each other through the foggy clouds and Raven’s misty glasses, documents of utmost importance slowly turning to wet muck on the floor all around them. A few fish that miraculously survived flapped desperately on the bottom of the pool.

“The new, already fifteenth password today is ‘My carriage is full of eels,’ if you so want to hear it.” Raven released a sigh, rubbing her glasses on her tie and proceeding to salvage what documents she could.

Celestia responded just by slowly standing up, her head hung low. She looked up in a split second, dashing to the unicorn mare and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

The smaller pony let out a surprised gasp, but didn’t fight against the vast expanse of feathers surrounding her.

“R-Raven, I-I am so sorry,” Celestia sobbed, clutching the secretary even tighter. “I could have… I do not know what had possessed me…”

Looking down at the suffocating pony in her grasp, the princess cleared her throat, awkwardly standing back up. “Let us not talk about this mishap again, shall we?” Celestia offered, the ruffled secretary simply nodding in agreement. An uncomfortable silence befell the room again, punctuated by an occasional flap of fish out of water.

Raven adjusted her glasses and tie. “Anyway, I meant to tell you, Your Highness, that the train from the Crystal Empire was delayed slightly, but it should be arriving soon. I already prepared everything for your meeting with the captain in the blue suite.”

“Thank you, Raven. Though I wish to meet Shining Armor on the training grounds.” The secretary just nodded, summoning a notepad and quickly jotted it down. Though a doubtful frown betrayed her neutral professional facade.

Spotting her assistant’s bemused expression, Celestia released a sigh. “You can see that I am quite out of shape in terms of duelling. Luna was even worse for wear in this regard. Why, even an ordinary unicorn can deflect my spell and then could proceed unhindered to me before I managed to collect my bearings. I need to train, should my life be put in danger as well.”

“In your—and my—defense, Your Highness, my magical prowess is quite far from an ordinary unicorn. After all, I oftentimes carry a whole cartful of documents in my magic,” Raven said, glancing at the white-gray mess in her telekinetic grip. Drops of dark ink dribbled from it to the floor.

“True,” Celestia stated, proceeding past her assistant to a vanity mirror in a corner of the room. “However, magic is not your special talent, should you be faced with one of my students, I think you would battle fiercely, but they would overpower you in the end,” the princess added, looking at her assistant’s reflection in the slightly misty mirror. She then picked up a brush, running it through her tangled, yet still waving mane nonchalantly.

The secretary just huffed, but decided not to push the matter further. “Anyway, I have found two stallions of the Lunar Guard that hadn’t reported for duty last night.”

“Is that so?” Celestia growled, ceasing to brush her mane.

“Yes, though it also seems they have an alibi… Apparently, they have spent the night in some, eh, cheap watering hole.”

The princess dropped the brush held in her magic, pressing a hoof to her forehead. “And do we know if it was really them?”

“The other patrons confirmed they have seen the two thestrals there. Apparently the two frequented the place.”

Celestia shook her head. “Then the other patrons may as well be covering them. Or they could have still mistaken them for somepony else—after all, telling thestrals apart requires a rather keen eye and sober mind... and I doubt these two were the only members of the guard who ever set hoof in that place. What about something more definitive, like the identification marks on their armor?”

“Well, about that…” Raven rubbed the back of her neck. “They said they can’t find the armor. Probably lost it on the way home.”

“That’s a peculiar situation,” Celestia commented, her raised eyebrow almost touching her horn. “Let them pay for new armor, as well as have their commanding officer serve them a punishment for abandoning their duty.”

Raven’s quill just danced over her notepad. “Should I also suspend them?”

Celestia scratched her chin, pacing around the bathing room. “No, they may be the only lead we have at the moment. Just keep a close eye on them.”

“Will do.” The secretary nodded, a contented smile flashing past her lips. “With those two running loose, should I add in some precautions to your training in the courtyard? An isolated tiltyard, a protective barrier and so on?” When Celestia nodded her assent, Raven continued, “Furthermore, there has been a report marked ‘Totally unimportant, but address as soon as possible’. Came from one lesser noble just as I was coming here.”

Celestia sighed, rubbing her temple. “What does it pertain to?”

“A dragon attack, apparently.”

“How many destroyed houses?” the princess muttered.

“Just one colt thrown into a pond it seems,” Raven said, adjusting her glasses. She looked up at the unicorn mare questioningly. “The dragon apparently wasn’t far more bigger than the unfortunate foal.”

“Totally unimportant. Deal with it as you see fit,” Celestia concluded, walking back to the window. She sighed. “Wasn’t there, by any chance, any news about our Forest Pony or her entourage coming through the regular mail?”

“Nothing, Your Highness.” The secretary shook her head, the princess returning to gazing out the window. Raven deemed the meeting over, slowly shuffling around and starting to trot out of the room.

“Raven?” The princess cleared her throat. The secretary stopped in her tracks. “When you have the time, please look up anything you can find on Miss Greenlock. Call me paranoid, but I have a hunch that somepony living so far from normal society may not necessarily be a good pony.”

“Alright, Your Highness.” The secretary quickly and quietly exited the room, leaving behind the sullen alicorn.

Celestia pressed her face against the glass as much as she could, her long horn preventing her from getting much closer.

A tear formed in the corner of her eye, slowly rolling down her cheek. A lone sob escaped her throat. “Oh Luna, what have I done?”

“Stop right there, criminal scum!”

Turning to face the approaching guard, Hedvika assumed a wider stance. She could feel Sev do the same on her back. She caught a glimpse of Luna shrinking slightly, trying and failing to sneak behind her. Volt-Ampere stood right next to the green mare, watching on with cheeky curiosity rather than fear. His trusty caliper floated by his ear, scratching it.

The large earth pony screeched to a halt a few lengths before them, a few strands falling from the blanched panache of his helmet. He adopted a proud stance, marching up to the group, his hooves beating the ground in steady rhythm.

“Good to see you in one piece. Heard some ruckus in here,” the guard pony said to the blue stallion, then shifted his attention to the two frazzled mares, stopping closer to Hedvika. Huffing at the bitter stench of sweat coming off of her, he glared at her, then Luna. “Who are these two mares, Volt-Ampere?”

Hedvika’s ear shifted, noting the audible gulp from the princess. Staring at the guard, her eyes narrowed, scanning every hair of his form. Her judging gaze stopped at the tendon of his left foreleg, creating a slight bulge beneath his skin. An aftermath of the tough routine, too tough for an aging pony, she concluded. An imperfection the glamour spell of the guard’s armour failed to hide.

Her lips parted slightly, her tongue creeping out to wet them. It would take just a pinch of magic. There would be almost no blood, but the guard wouldn’t be able to move his leg for a while, yet alone pursue them.

It would be easy, if she could pull it off in the first place. And if there wasn’t another guard. She squinted at the glint of another armour in the distance, a frown creasing her lips. Would she be able to incapacitate both of them?

She finally looked up to the guardpony’s face, ignoring his annoyed, impatient expression and immediately noticing the slight shimmer of magic where the glamour failed to adhere. A scar running over his muzzle.

“Savage,” she muttered to herself, banishing the dark thoughts from her mind.

“Did you say something, miss?” the stallion fumed. “I hope so for your own good, ‘cause if I were in your spot, I’d start talking. Presto.”

Luna stepped forward, a frown on her lips. “I really do not like what you impl—” A green hoof to her chest silenced her.

Hedvika pushed the alicorn back and strained her neck, trying to get herself to eye level with the guard.

“You were looking for criminal scum, right? Well, I have some pond scum, if you wish. Not sure if it’s criminal enough,” she said with a smirk, whipping up a small glass from her bag. Something green and slimy swirled inside. She took a few tiny steps back.

The guard blinked owlishly at the glass, then looked up at Hedvika, then to Volt-Ampere, disguised Luna and back to the green mare. He didn’t even try to hide his confusion. Confusion that quickly seemed to turn into anger. “I also may have an idea where lost fillies in the Everfree usually linger,” Hedvika added, barely keeping herself from pawing at the ground. A sliver of doubt started nibbling at her mind. Luna muttered something very unroyal. Sev rewarded the princess with a chuckle.

The guardspony seemed as clueless as before, his stance growing more tense, muscles bulging and veins pulsing. His eyes widened in realization only upon spotting Sev peeking from behind Hedvika’s neck, the dragon giving him a toothy grin and a wave of his talons.

“Oh, I see now…” Luna’s jaw fell upon the stallion’s hearty laugh. “The elusive pony of shadows dare set a hoof out of her forest, along with her dragon! I take back all I said ‘bout you, but in my defense, you look a little… frazzled.” Hedvika just nodded, a slight smile crossing her lips as she waved it off with a hoof. She mentally berated herself for almost bucking this stallion’s face.

“I didn’t know you two were acquainted, Volt-Ampere,” the guard continued, turning to the blue unicorn, an audible pop coming from his joints as he did so.

“Oh.” Volty laughed, wrapping his hoof around Hedvika’s neck, dragging the mare closer so they were almost cheek to cheek. “We rarely see her there nowadays, so it’s no surprise.” The mare just sighed, trying to wiggle free of his hug, her fur standing from static as she rubbed against him.

The guard just nodded, his features turning more firm once more. “However, what were you doing in the slums? And who is the third… eh, lady?” He looked Luna up and down, noting her greasy mane and threadbare coat with suspicious red stains. Not to speak about the bizarre straw hat.

“My friend from Baltimare, visited Entropy’s together,” Hedvika stated plainly.

“Poor stallion, would be nice to see him in a less dangerous place… maybe then he wouldn’t have to dabble in… whatever it is that he does. Used to be a good colt, if a little bit of an oddball.” The guard shook his head, looking to Volty. “I guess you were helping secure the shop or something again? Regardless, I’d like to use your skills as well, if you are okay with leaving the company of two such special mares.”

He bowed slightly, Hedvika returned the gesture with a simple nod, while Luna reluctantly trotted next to her, her complexion still a little paler than before and her ears pressed against her skull.

He looked at them and cracked a good-hearted smile. “And let me apologize once more for mistaking you for… less than decent mares before, my eyes are not as great as they used to be, even with this magical thing trying to fix that.” He tapped his helmet.

“Apology accepted,” Luna forced a smile to her lips, battling her stomach from turning after the receding adrenaline rush. “Anything else you wanted from us, officer …?”

“Crinet. Lieutenant Crinet. Mainly went to investigate what all the ruckus was about. Heard the slums roaring from the other side of town as I was patrolling with the newbie. Speaking of that one...” He turned around, yelling, “Move it, greenhorn! What are you waiting for, a formal invitation?”

“Coming!” the pony in the distance cried, awkwardly trotting to the group on his tangly legs. Horseshoes waggled on his hooves, eliciting sparks from the pavement. He had to stop multiple times to keep his hoofwear from falling off.

Sev, now sitting on Hedvika’s head, chuckled at the sight. “To be frank, that colt doesn’t seem like a good asset to your garrison.” He propped his elbow on the green mare’s horn, supporting his head as he watched the young stallion fight and lose against his uncooperative legs.

Crinet sighed, shoving his helmet back and rubbing his forehead. “He’ll learn with time. Has plenty of theoretical knowledge and is a stickler for the laws, but is terrible in the field… and not exactly a thinker either.”

Hedvika just hummed in response, watching the younger guard stagger, still pretty far away. She moved her weight from her injured leg. “Anyway… it was nice meeting you, but we have a long road home ahead of us. And I’m sure Volty will be more than happy to help you,” she said, glancing at the electrician by her side. His eyes were fixed on the ground now, lines of his magic spread out on the pavement in intricate patterns.

She cleared her throat and when he didn’t respond, she elbowed the blue stallion.

“Oh, of course.” Volt-Ampere sprang up, his shaggy yellow mane bobbing up and down. “I guess it’s the polygraph circuit you need help with, isn’t it? Again almost fried somepony when detecting a lie?”

“Sort of.” Crinet moved his head from side to side uncomfortably. “Anyway, I won’t hold you up any longer, ladies and dragon. Have a lovely day.”

Hedvika nodded again, walking past the stallion, with Luna uttering a few words of thanks.

“That was closer that I would like it to be,” the princess whispered after a few steps.

“It’s just an old stallion, I’m sure we could escape him,” Sev mused, standing on his hind legs and holding Hedvika by the ears.

A hint of indignation crept into Luna’s voice. “I am serious, we need to have a plan should this situation repeat itself.”

“Wait a minute!” Both mares froze in their tracks, slowly turning back to the source of the cry. Hedvika’s hoof made its way over to the sheath of her dagger, her weight moving on her bruised hoof. She bared her teeth a little. Sev stiffened slightly, his claws nearly piercing her ears.

The younger guard—a barely grown-up colt—stood next to Crinet and Volty, brows furrowed, his glare twitching between the mares and his superior.

He marched up to Hedvika on his lanky legs, yet his short neck still meant that the mare had to bend down slightly to look him in the eye. Luna downright towered above him.

It didn’t seem to bother the small stallion. He pushed his face close to Hedvika’s, her muzzle scrunching at the smell of strong cheap cologne and armor polish coming off of him.

“Sir,” he turned his head slightly, glancing at Crinet from the corner of his eye, “have you taken notice of the message from Ponyville’s garrison?”

“Was there anything important, Private?” The lieutenant rolled his eyes, huffing quietly.

“There was, sir. I’m very surprised you don’t know. We are obliged to read these as soon as they arrive by ordinance 734, section F.” The private stomped his hoof. “They are looking for somepony.”

Luna arched her back, the warm feeling of power flowing into her hooves pervading her whole body. She would have no problem dealing with this rat of a pony the hard—

A shiver ran down her spine, her ears falling back. Disgust filled her at even thinking of such a thing, the magic dissipating from her hooves.

The private acknowledged the disguised princess’s unease by a side glance, staring back above Hedvika’s head. “They are looking for a dragon!” he filtered through his gritted teeth. “And I think there are not many of these around!” He pointed an accusing hoof at Sev.

The drake let out a quiet growl, bristling his scales. His tongue flicked out for a split second.

“You are accusing an honorary member of the guard, Private,” Crinet stated sternly. “One that is higher in rank than both you and me, so shut it.”

Sev’s eyes shimmered and he jumped from Hedvika’s head, hovering before the young pony’s face. “Thank you, Lieutenant. As for you, Private”—the pony in question gulped, sweat collecting beneath his helm—“what exactly has happened? Report!”

The colt blanched, his white coat somehow turning even paler. He saluted. “The dragon caused civil unrest, assaulting two ponies. Then it flew away, knocking over one tree in the process and setting it on fire.”

“Does the report say anything of eyewitnesses beyond the alleged victims?” muttered Crinet, rubbing his neck.

“No, sir,” replied the private.

“Good to hear. However, there are a few things I would like to clarify,” Sev stated plainly. He hopped to the ground, marching back and forth before the guards. “My race doesn’t usually set things aflame just because we can. First, did an expert asses the damage? Truly determining the source of fire damage is a fine art one has to study for at least five years.” Sev paused, letting his words sink in. “Even I would have troubles telling apart a fire started by a dragon from that caused by a fire salamander or even fireflies! Both of the latter are far more common in this area than dragons.”

The private sheepishly shook his head. “I… seem to lack that information, sir. It was just reported by the garrison.”

The drake nodded. “So I thought. Second, as you can clearly see, I am far from physically capable of pushing over a tree or assaulting a pony, let alone two, but there are other dragon species much larger than myself that could do so.” Sev finished, his features as firm as if they were carved from stone, the corners of his mouth pulled back, baring his teeth. “Do you think a bunch of guards from a small town, whose biggest achievement was catching a bunch of thieves stealing apples, would be able to discern the culprit with clarity?”

“S-sir, n-no, sir.” The private saluted. “But… permission to speak up, sir?”

Sev regarded him with a curt not. “Granted.”

“I’d like to report Lieutenant Crinet for abandoning his duty three times this week in order to, I quote, ‘get some shut-eye,’ and furthermore for not taking proper care of important documents and spilling coffee on them. His last misconduct was violating the ordinance 734, sections F and G, respectively,” the colt finished, his chest heaving up and down furiously.

Sev’s scales bristled and he lowered himself to the ground. Then he slowly stood back up, shaking his head. “I see… though what reason do I have to believe you, Private?”

“But he did all of it! Against the law!” The colt screeched, his knees shaking as a cold shiver ran down his spine, despite the hot anger bubbling within him. His armor suddenly seemed heavier, hugging his scrawny frame tightly.

“If Crinet did wrong a proper inquiry will look into it. And you're clearly proving that you're attempting to assign guilt without tangible proof and all the facts,” Sev stated, spreading his wings majestically.

“Thank you, sir,” Crinet said, staring the thick hoarfrost coating his subordinate’s armor. “We should get moving, Private,” he growled and saluted.

“Have a nice rest of your shift.” Sev saluted as well, then turned around, making sure his tail swished a healthy helping of dust on the private’s polished shoes. He started marching away, Hedvika and Luna in his wake. “I sincerely apologize for the unexpected delay, my ladies. General Fluffy Cotton will hear about this colt’s impertinence, I can assure you!” He turned to both mares, bowing slightly and made sure his loud statement reached the right ears.

The two guards looked after the trio for a while, with Volty by their side picking his muzzle with a screwdriver and regarding the scene with just a modicum of interest. Crinet motioned both for him and the private to follow, the latter moving up to his superior’s flank in a perfectly paced trot, as if nothing ever happened.

The dragon and two mares rounded a corner, stepping into another alley, though this time in a far more tidy and welcoming neighborhood of brick houses and small gardens with slightly overgrown hedges.

“Sev,” Hedvika started, a smile playing on her lips, “I promise I’ll serve you breakfast in bed for a month if you can start a fire using only salamanders or fireflies.”

“Does setting them ablaze count?” The dragon grinned, immediately being met with a raised eyebrow and a shake of Hedvika’s head. “Not like you trying to prepare breakfast would be anything to look forward to,” he added, sticking his tongue out. He then sniffed the air, his tongue twitching rapidly. He stuck it back in, letting out a small moan. “Hmm, blackberries.” His claws groped for something in Hedvika’s bag. “Be back in a few!” He then spread his wings, shooting down the alley and from sight.

Hedvika just spared him a passing glance and a sigh, turning to Luna as the alicorn cleared her throat. “Please enlighten me, what reason did the lieutenant have to deviate from his protocol and protect you by lying? Not that it is a bad a thing… Assuming the honorary guard part was a lie and my judgement of ponies hasn’t waned entirely.”

“Well…” Hedvika chuckled, “some time ago, a little filly wandered into the Everfree and ran into a pack of Timberwolves with a fresh litter. They took her in as their own. I… sort of wanted to see what would become of her if we left her there, but in the end decided to give her over to the guard that came looking for her—that guard was the lieutenant. Though I have to say, taking her from the Timberwolves was quite costly.” She rubbed her fetlock, revealing a scar snaking through her fur.

Luna acknowledged it with a slight frown. Then she smiled. “Oh, and there I was afraid for a moment that you decided to keep the filly as your own.” The biologist stopped dead in her tracks, staring into the distance. A lone chuckle bubbled up her throat, soon followed by a barrage of laughter. The princess joined in soon after.

“And I was afraid you didn’t have a sense of humour.” The green mare chuckled, a playful spark in her eyes.

“Your bold words offend us, impudent peasant!” The alicorn huffed, a puckish smile gracing her lips. “Let us make it known that we were once the bearer of the Element of Laughter!” she added, breaking into another bout of giggles.

Hedvika gave her a curious glance, navigating across the street to a small park. Luckily nopony seemed to be around to debate the princess’ claims. “Never truly thought about that… not that most ponies of today even knew about your existence before your return anyway. What other Elements did you carry?” She hopped over the kerb into a vast expanse of bushes and lawns.

Once her hooves touched the grass and dirt, the unicorn relaxed visibly, rolling her shoulders. She let out a contented sigh, her ears pivoting to the chirping of grasshoppers and muffled steps of mice scurrying through the shrubbery.

Luna followed her, waltzing through the stalks and settled beside the green mare under a large oak. “Loyalty and Honesty were the ones that chose me,” she remarked, gazing wistfully into the distance.

“The better of bunch, I’d say,” Hedvika mused, hoof groping through her saddlebags. “It also means that your sister was so kind and generous to magic you away to the Moon and then render your whole existence into a mere myth, correct?”

“Very bluntly said, but it can be seen that way.” Luna sighed, laying her head between her hooves. The green blades tickled her jaw, the earthy scent of wet grass gracing her palate as she continued, “Unlike me, Celestia has always excelled in the art of diplomacy, assuring our alliances with her favours and gifts. Most who opposed her at one point didn’t even notice they had signed a peace treaty before it was too late to change their mind.”

“Well,” Hedvika grunted, twisting her body to get her grazed leg to her head, “wouldn’t expect her to be that shifty, but I assume that’s part of the trick.”

Luna’s ears shifted dangerously low for a moment, the alicorn raising her head. “She had no other option but to be slightly deceitful, especially after my… departure. The country was too weak with just one ruler at that time.”

“So she erased you from history to pretend there was no other princess ever present? Lovely.” Hedvika turned up her green rune-inscribed hoof in all its bruised glory. “Though,” she added hesitantly, “has it crossed your mind that maybe after a thousand years of ruling as a monarch, she might not take well having to share the power with somepony else?”

Luna huffed, her hoof grinding a pebble underneath. “You surely have a keen mind, but your assumptions are incorrect. My sister would never do that.”

“I’m simply familiar with fighting for survival every day and night. And it was just a hypothesis. Let’s sum it up by saying that Princess Celestia has her own secrets and reasons.” The unicorn lowered her head, fighting with the tweezers in her mouth to pull out the splinters from her leg.

Luna smirked, bending forward. “And she is not the only pony that keeps secrets.”

“And who might the other pony be, Princess?”

“Somepony that has a very slick tongue when she wants to and no respect for authorities. And according to her dragon is, despite her alleged talents, not in favour of any of the larger scientific communities, such as The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures, and The Academy of Sciences.”

Hedvika released the tweezers, letting the tool stick out of her wound. “Oh, chickencoop,” she breathed, her hoof running through the grass. “What and why do you want to know?”

“If Sev is correct, these past events have left their mark on your psyche… they are a nightmare to you, if you wish. And I believe you can understand that is something I ought to deal with.” Luna raised her hoof and reluctantly lowered it onto Hedvika’s shoulder, the unicorn wincing. “I believe that you are a strong mare, but the fact that you felt the urge to mention how you were bullied the first night we have met leads me to the conclusion that you have plenty of inner demons to fight.”

“Not just inner…” Hedvika muttered under her breath. She rolled her shoulders, raising her head and continued out loud, “About the bullies, I didn’t know how to leave them out and simultaneously keep the story coherent. But I’m well past the stage of fretting about them.”

The alicorn raised an eyebrow. “So you are no longer afraid of falling and failing?”

“Wha— Yes, I mean, whatever.” Hedvika huffed. “What I wanted to say —excluding some small exceptions— is that my foalhood issues have not affected me that much, but maybe they should have.” She sighed, brushing off Luna’s hoof from her shoulder. “I ought to take them as a clear sign that I shouldn’t trust ponies, maybe then…” She shook her head. “I was desperate, the Academy didn’t want to allow me to lead the expedition and I trusted the wrong ponies.” She fidgeted, bending forward and nibbling at her wounded leg. “It cost me and my friends their job. And when we thought we could start over in Trottingham, the damned coal ran out!” she shrieked, a few birds darting out the treetop above her head.

The alicorn moved closer, forcing open her coat and slid out one of her wings, wrapping up Hedvika in it. The unicorn tensed up, but ultimately relaxed into the feathers. “Why didn’t they want the expedition to happen?” Luna whispered. “You discovered new intelligent species with unique magic, why would they throw away such an opportunity?”

“Because they no longer care about truth or knowledge, the stuck-up unicorns are only after their own image and prestige now. It doesn’t help that most of them have upper class ancestry. What was I to them?” Hedvika growled.

Luna looked at the mare, noticing how much older she suddenly seemed. Tendrils of the clammy mane hung down the unicorn’s face, a few silvery hairs shining through the purple and orange. Her chest heaved up and down, veins pulsing visibly underneath her matted fur. The princess’ gaze slowly scaled Hedvika’s horn, the horn that never channelled magic. It was only now that she noticed how uneven its surface was; peppered with dents and scratches. Its very tip seemed to be chipped off, the few greens hairs atop barely hiding it.

If I wasn't told that it would cause only more troubles, I'd have cut the horn off already, living like an ordinary, albeit weak, earth pony, Hedvika’s words echoed in the alicorn’s mind.

“I see.” The princess slowly withdrew her wing. The biologist bent back over, picked up the tweezers and dug into her hoof again. “And what about the Society for Preservation of Rare Creatures? Stuck-up unicorns there as well?”

Hedvika stopped, staring into the distance for a while. Then she chuckled. “Not really, mostly just a bunch of earth ponies. All strangely relaxed and… slow. Felt like talking to sloths... or any kind of office worker. Oh, and they just refused to acknowledge the fact that one of their members devastated a whole ecosystem by relocating a bunch of frogs.”

“Come on, not that old story again!” Both mares raised their heads up to the branches and the grinning dragon above.

“Hey, it happened just a year ago!” Hedvika protested, a traitorous smile creeping to her lips.

“Just a year ago?” Sev mocked and hopped from the branch, circling around the park. He touched down just before the two mares, readjusted his wings and removed a small brown paper bag from his back. “Something for you two, I think Hedvika would let you starve otherwise.” He nudged the bag closer to Luna and proceeded to Hedvika’s side, muttering under his breath.

The princess took it gently into her mouth, feeling the greasy fibers with her tongue. She slowly maneuvered the bag with the combined effort of her hooves and muzzle, almost managing to reach inside. Then her hoof slipped, tearing the paper down the side and causing one biscuit to roll out onto the grass.

She turned to Hedvika, pouting. The green mare turned her head to the side, shuffling forward to the annoyance of Sev trying to pull out the splinters from her leg. “It’s alright,” the unicorn said, picking up the fallen pastry with her mouth. “I believe there should be another one,” she said between bites, sending a few crumbs flying all around.

The princess just nodded glumly and dove headfirst into the crumpled paper, her teeth sinking into the dough and blackberries, and… paper?

The alicorn coughed, spitting out the rolled up newspaper. She nudged it with her hoof. It just tumbled over the grass. She grabbed at it again, only for the newspaper to slip out of her reach once more. Luna reared up, feeling the power course through her front hooves, only to stop before she could release it. She hung her head, dropped on all fours and admitted with a sigh, “I am afraid this is still out of my league. These delicate movements with hooves are far harder than they seem.”

“You tell me…” Hedvika stood up, flexing her leg that now sported nothing but another pale scar above her hoof. She walked next to the princess, resting the frog of her hoof on the roll of paper, the pages sliding neatly into the grooves carved within.

Luna grimaced, but still watched on with interest. “You know,” Sev crawled up on her shoulder, “you remind me a lot of the hatchlings I encountered in Kar—that’s the capital of the Dragon Margraviate, a lovely city in a geothermal valley.”

“How so?” Luna asked, rubbing his scales.

“I have been allowed to watch a flight lesson of the young ones, because, well”—he fidgeted, his scales bristling momentarily—“I wasn’t that much of a great flier at the time myself.”

“Growing up with a family of ground-bound ponies tends to have that effect,” Hedvika remarked. “Check this out, Princess.” She tapped one article in the newspaper thrown open on the ground.

Luna bent down, her eyes widening. “‘Grand Thundercloud Theft in the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. Five Employees Gone Missing. The great thunderstorm prepared specifically for an upcoming Wonderbolts’ show was stolen yesterday between—’” She massaged her temple. “They were prepared. It was a larger scheme than I thought,” the princess deadpanned, cautiously looking around and fighting to button her coat. “I do not think staying here much longer is a good idea.”

Hedvika nodded, following deeper into the park and towards the dark canopy of the Everfree looming over the edge of Trottingham. “You are not the only one. I feel like a fish out of water here nowadays,” she said, not bothering to turn back.

The princess started after her, waiting if she’d say something more. However, the sounds of the park seemed to be the biologist’s only concern, judging by her pivoting ears. “So, Sev, how does the story of yours continue?” Luna craned her neck, trying to look the dragon in the eye.

“Well,” he yawned, arching his back and sticking out his tongue, “pardon me. As I said, I was watching the hatchlings learn how to fly by a small pond. There was about a dozen of them, all various shades of blue and grey. Oh, and also quite fluffy as the older younglings tend to be.” He chuckled. “Anyway, the elder showed them what to do with their wings to achieve the smoothest lift off. Then she jumped up, made a few pirouettes in the air and flew over the pond into the treetop of a small pine growing in the middle of it. All she said was ‘Now get to me.’”

“And did they succeed?” The princess rolled her shoulders, forcing the dragon to move so he wouldn’t slide off her side.

“Of course they didn’t. Those few that managed to get airborne stayed so only for a few moments. All of them strained their wings, except one little drake. He just sat on the bank, looking up and down the tree in the middle of the pond and its roots reaching the water. He then dove in, swam to the other side and climbed up the tree. And he succeeded.”

“Because it was said they just had to get to the elder?”

“Exactly. There was no chance they could fly that distance on their first try and realizing that was the point of the lesson—the others forgot their legs for their wings, just like you have forgotten your hooves for magic.”

Luna nodded. “Lovely story and a very good point,” she said, a puckish grin on her lips. “Though tell me, were you the one lucky dragon?”

Sev laughed heartily, jumping from her back over to Hedvika’s. “No, I truly was just a watcher. Though I think the little one could have been a relative of mine, great brains run in the family.” He patted the unicorn’s neck. Luna could swear that she saw the green coat turn a few shades more vivid. She could only guess if it was due to the compliment or the familiar dark yet homely canopy that loomed over them once more.

“Hey, rookie, come here!” Lieutenant Crinet called, patting a stool next to him. Volt-Ampere stood beside it, picking his muzzle with his calipers.

The private saluted and marched forward, then plopped his rear onto the small chair.

“I suggest you take off your shoes, otherwise you might feel a little hotter than you’d probably like,” Volty said, trotting around him. The colt hesitated for a moment, glancing at his hooves and contemplating discarding a part of his uniform.

“That would be against the laws I have to abide as a guard on duty.”

“Well, just be prepared to meet with Ohm’s law then.” Four golden horseshoes clattered over the ground almost immediately. Volt-Ampere chuckled, pulling out the gem-infused straps of the polygraph over the private’s upper torso. “Ready?”

“Yes, sir,” the colt stated firmly. “What exactly is going to happen?” he added with a tilt of his head.

“Safety procedure,” answered Crinet, “if nothing happens to you, we can use it to detect lies once more. On the other hoof if it proves faulty… you have relatives in Manehattan, correct? Just so I know who to notify in case of some accident.”

The private flailed, hooves scrambling on the floor and teeth biting into the straps. “Get it off! Get it off!”

“Hmm, too late!” Volt-Ampere grinned and pulled down his goggles. Crinet just turned away as the electrician’s horn flared, a bolt of sickly yellow magic arching into the harness. The armoured colt twitched, but there was no pain, nothing. Just the occasional spark that fizzled on his coat.

The private opened his eyes, looking himself over. The straps of the harness hummed quietly. “Now,” Crinet put a hoof on his shoulder, “did it hurt?”

“Y-yes,” the colt stammered, his eyes drawn to the large gemstone on his chest in the next moment. It turned bright red from its opaque grey in the matter of seconds.

“Yup, looks like it works, good job!” Crinet patted Volt-Ampere’s shoulder. “Let’s meet back in the office and we will settle the bill.” The blue unicorn nodded and headed for the door, turning in the portal to wave at the duo.

“As for you, greenhorn,” the lieutenant turned his attention to the private, helping him out of the polygraph harness, “you should focus more on telling the truth.” He patted his shoulder as well. “Now, get working on those reports!”

The colt got up, mumbling under his breath as he walked into the broom closet-turned-office. He shuffled through the papers for a pen, accidentally knocking a small book off the desk. He picked it up, finding it to be an edition of code of law for dummies.

The private huffed, annoyed at such mockery of an official document. He turned away and to an unfinished report when his eyes drifted back to the book. The lieutenant’s disrespectful words flashed through his mind, along with images of Volt-Ampere… and those mares with that dragon.
He groaned, carefully moving the half-finished protocol out of the way and then slammed his hoof on the desk. Honorary dragon guard or not, evidence or not, that beast was still a suspect in his eyes … and so was his company. And as the dragon said, dragons weren’t common around here.

The colt hesitated, then pulled out the cleanest sheet of paper he could find, writing in the neatest script he could manage:

To the chief commander of Armed Forces of Equestria, I hereby report...

Author's Note

Questions or comments?
Please report typos in the form of PM.
My earnest thanks go to the mighty MV for his editing services.

Chapter 10: Horsing Around

A white hoof slowly meandered over the many lines and flourishes etched into the golden suit of armor, trailing over the occasional dent or scratch.

It stopped on a particularly large groove just below the left shoulder plate. Celestia released a quiet gasp, the memory of an axe speeding towards her flashing before her eyes.

She shook her head, trying to stray her mind from the path it hopped onto. The boisterous merriment of soldiers in what would be their last hours. The clash of steel and breaking wood on the battlefield. The dimming eyes of the bodies beneath her hooves. Her hooves.

Enough!

Celestia snorted and shivered, glaring at the armor with disdain as her reflection in the helm’s ruby centerpiece stared back. The princess swore the blood red doppelganger smiled maliciously for a split second. Blinking once and focusing on the gemstone, she absentmindedly tightened her grip on the metal and was met only with her own distorted face, her breath clouding the ruby.

Time seemed to slow down around her, the alicorn still grinding the golden plate between her hoof and pastern. She waited. And waited. Her breathing quickened, her nostrils flaring. And yet, nothing happened. Slowly, Celestia shook her head and forced her muscles to relax.

She sighed and lowered her hoof, duly noting the dent her ferocious touch left in the soft metal. Though gold made for more than decent enchanting material, allowing the caster to compensate the metal’s weakness with magic, the charms still needed to be replenished periodically. Her horn lit, she scanned the spellwork woven into the plates. A few of the runes flickered with residual magic, most didn’t react at all.

The princess took a few steps back, regarding the suit with contemplation. It gleamed in the light of a single torch, a ray of sunlight in the darkened armory. It looked welcoming in a way. In the end Celestia shook her head, opting for not putting it on. “At least not yet,” she muttered to herself. The wards on it had to be recast and adjusted, a good amount of polish was required and the flank plates ought to be refitted to accommodate for her… larger stature. She snorted bitterly.

Stomping over to a selection of her finest weapons, she gazed at them longingly. Each and every one filled her with memories of bloodsoaked victories. Each a step closer to peace and her absolute position on the throne, paid with the lives of innocent ponies. She sat herself quietly before the gilded rack, dust bunnies scattering away from her. The moist air, filled with the distinct scent of iron, fawned upon her nostrils.

Celestia shook her head and stood up, popping her joints in the process. Should she be caught off guard bare-hoofed, she couldn’t count on the immediate help of any of these. The princess turned around, about to proceed to the door, when a little shimmer caught her eye.

Her gaze followed the light of the torch to a trunk lying on the floor beside a smaller set of armor. The princess trotted over, gingerly placing the silvery suit out of her way, and shoved the lid aside with her magic.

There, on a pile of spare steel plates, lay a thin, sleek dagger. Its simple blade seemed to radiate all colours and none at the same time, Celestia’s eyes transfixed by its sheen. She lit her horn, the weapon promptly mirroring the blazing mix of gold and orange.

Raising it to her eye level, the princess turned it in her magic slowly, inspecting every little detail. It was far more utilitarian in nature than her own ornate weapons, designed purely for its deadly purpose and not show. Its crossguard was almost nonexistent, its hilt slender and short, ending in two thin silvery strings.

It was the kind of weapon hidden amongst a pony’s feathers during the day—be they assassin or lone mare travelling a quiet street—and pressed against another pony’s throat at night.

It had to be Luna’s, as she was the only other pony allowed entry in here, Celestia reasoned. Did the moon princess order such a weapon for herself? And did she carry another one on her this whole time? Celestia grimaced, turning the dagger around once more.

She bit her lip. It might make for a good back up plan should everything go astray. A shudder ran down her spine as she slipped and tied it between her feathers, the enchanted blade blending in instantly. It was incredibly light, only the cold radiating from the metal letting her know it was still there.

Folding and extending her wing a few times to make sure the dagger stayed where it should and didn’t scratch her side by accident, Celestia took a deep breath and discarded her regalia on a nearby stand.

She poked her head out the door, surveyed her surroundings and, spotting nopony, quickly exited the room. With a flick of her horn the torch inside dimmed and the portal blended seamlessly into the wall, leaving behind no trace of its existence.

With a deep breath leaving her lungs, Celestia made her way to the training grounds. Her bare hooves shuffled through the sawdust and dirt of the tiltyard, the princess twitching and wiggling, the frogs of her hooves not used to such tingly sensations.

The sun hung just above the horizon, casting the yard in a streaked array of golds, oranges and shadows, the sunlight stopped by the claws of the many spires and towers. The alicorn trotted forward, unfazed by the show of light, until she reached a small group of half dozen guards.

All of them immediately snapped to attention, six hooves shooting up to their helmets as one. “At ease, soldiers!” Celestia stated evenly, her gaze drifting over the two Solar and three Lunar Guards, till her eyes stopped on the last stallion. “Captain Armor, before we start, I’d like to have a word with you. Privately.”

The unicorn nodded and stepped forward, a flash from his horn immediately covering him and the princess in a bubble of semi-transparent magenta magic.

Celestia nodded approvingly, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked over his work. Shining Armor removed his helmet and brushed away the sweaty bangs of his blue mane clinging to his forehead. “I apologize for taking so long, Celestia. I was overseeing the construction of the Equestria Games stadium when your messenger arrived. I left as soon as I could. So, what is the emergency?”

“It is a tangled mess of fortunate and less fortunate events, Shining. How much information has Raven given you?”

“Mostly just reports of unruliness in the guard, to the point where ponies’ lives may be in danger. Oh, and the fact that you want to practice your self-defence, of course.”

Celestia nodded slowly, chewing her lip lightly. “Alright, that’s one way to put it,” she concluded. “I’d emphasize that mainly Lunar Guards seem to be involved, as far as our investigation goes.”

“Understood. Do you want me to…” He motioned to the guards outside the barrier, all stood perfectly still.

“No, no need to replace these soldiers for the training, if that’s what you wanted to suggest. It seems mostly the younger ones are supporting this budding rebellion. Possibly that is even an unnecessarily strong word to describe the situation.”

“I see. Princess Luna won’t train with us?”

The alicorn froze and narrowed her eyes, examining the stallion closely, giving him a stern look. “No, at least not for the time being.”

Shining gulped and backed an inch, but his face morphed into a mask radiating with a sense of cool professionalism. “Alright, Your Highness. I see you have decided to take no weapon with you. No problem. The soldiers are ready for a training in hoof-to-hoof combat, and I’m working on preparing a magic obstacle course for you if that’s alright.”

“Splendid. Now, shall we start?”

Shining Armor saluted her and dissolved the barrier, then coated both the princess and the five soldiers in a thin sheet of magic. It wrapped around them like a blanket and disappeared, an occasional spark of red magic among their hairs the only sign of its presence. Celestia shivered as her own charms activated, scanning the intruding spell. Deeming it harmless, they faded again.

“Just a quick spell to protect you from receiving any actual damage. It also tallies up the hits and will keep the wearer down once a damage threshold is crossed,” Shining explained, seeing the princess look herself over curiously.

Receiving an affirmative nod from Celestia, the captain turned to his subordinates. “Soldiers, to your positions and wait for my signal. Her Highness wants you to do your best. Do not let her down!” The ponies nodded, four of them splitting and trotting off into one corner of the tiltyard, with the largest bat pony staying in the center.

Celestia looked his hulking frame up and down, noticing his plating clung to his bulging muscles for dear life. Two tiny leathery wings stuck out of his back, strangely stiff and unmoving.

“Earfluff is in fact an earth pony who had decided to join the Lunars. They are still trying to make his armor’s glamor work properly,” Shining whispered to her. “Though don’t let yourself be fooled, he is as swift and light on his hooves as any true thestral.”

“Understood,” the princess whispered back and trotted into the center of the yard, face to face with Earfluff. They bowed and backpedalled slightly, giving each other a wider berth.

Shining Armor glanced between them and smiled, hopping over the fence lining the arena. Rising his hoof, he levitated a small whistle to his lips.

His hoof went down and with a sharp, ear-splitting whistle, the fight began.

Large ears folded back and apparently unfazed by the sound, her opponent charged forth. The princess staggered, barely dodging his trampling hooves. He pivoted on his front legs, rising a shower of sawdust and dirt, and aimed right back at Celestia.

She sidestepped slightly from his expected trajectory and he immediately corrected his course. His legs danced and tiptoed as she hopped and skipped away, the stallion chasing her in a mad dash.

Rolling away from him, Celestia winced at the sawdust prickling her skin. She bit her lip, chancing a glance at the other guards around the yard. All still in place. But Earfluff was barrelling at her again.

He was drawing nearer and nearer, each stomp shaking the ground beneath her hooves. She glimpsed at his swiveling ears and tiny wings fluttering on his back in excitement. She pranced away from him, picking up her pace into full gallop. Her hooves dug into the ground, reserves of long unused power springing to life.

Tufts of wood shavings flew into the air as she sprinted away, racing around the arena and the unmoving guards. Earfluff charged counterclockwise. Celestia looked up, knowing full well they’d collide.

Then, she stopped. Her opponent fueled in even more speed. They were four lengths away. She crouched down. Three lengths. One. She jumped.

Spreading her wings, Celestia glided above him. Moving as if in slow motion, she noticed his confused face turning towards her with a string of saliva flying from his mouth, a tidal wave rippling through his muscles as he skidded to a stop.

The princess flew over his torso and landed beside him. Grabbing hold of his tail, she yanked her head back and took to the air once more, her legs bucking into his exposed knees from behind.

He folded to the ground with a howl, Celestia staring at him for a moment. Her chest heaved, but a smile had found its way back on her lips. And then it quickly fell.

A quick glance revealed at least two empty corners of the yard. Her ear twitched and she rolled to the side, avoiding a pair of golden horseshoes to the head. She twisted her hind hooves, planting a buck below the guard’s jawline. He tumbled to the ground, his form cast in the shadows of the remaining guards circling above like vultures.

Celestia gulped, the two thestrals and one pegasus charging down at her. She curled into a ball, clutching her hooves over her head. A soft whimper leaving her lips, her horn surged, bathing the yard in a blinding white glow.

Slowly unfurling from the fetal position, the princess stood up, noting the golden helmet rocking at her hooves. She sighed with relief as she looked over the stirring guards, all of them sporting just a few bruises and minor burns. She offered the Solar Guard a hoof, pulling him back up, when Shining Armor galloped to them.

The soldiers gathered around him, showing little signs of tiredness as they saluted him. Celestia gazed at them and hung her head, muttering, “I apologize, I did not mean to do that.”

“Do you want to take a break, Your Highness?” Earfluff offered, earning a glare from his captain.

Celestia smiled at the large pony. “Thank you for the sentiment, but I believe I can fight on. Keeping an eye on all my opponents is what I need to remember. And furthermore, I need to keep my magic in check.” She tapped her horn and trotted back to the center of the arena, the rest of the soldiers moving reluctantly to their positions.

Another stallion bit the sawdust, a swelling bruise the shape of a hoof on his cheek.

Celestia panted heavily, trudging to the fence. The soldiers groggily clambered back up on their hooves. Parts of their armor and some teeth were missing, Shining Armor’s spell failing to take the stress anymore.

“Princess Celestia!” The addressed alicorn turned and removed a sweaty lock of mane from her eyes, smearing mud over her face in the process.

Kibitz was running across the yard, flaps of his red coat flailing behind him and his limp mustache hopping up and down with each step.

The princess sighed and rolled her eyes, waiting for the embodiment of annoyance to come closer. Shining Armor and the other soldiers just glanced at him, then returned to the bucket of coffee they had ordered quite a while ago.

“Princess Celestia!” the old stallion repeated, glaring daggers at the alicorn. “You are in some serious trouble, Your Highness!”

“Oh, is that so?” the princess said, a mock gasp escaping her lips.

“Do you have any idea what that is?” he shrieked, pointing a hoof to the sun still suspended just above the horizon.

“Seems like sunset to me.”

“Yes, Princess, I know what a sunset is. And I also know that it shouldn’t last a few hours!” He stomped his hoof, shoving his pocket watch in front of Celestia’s dirty muzzle.

“Oh…” The princess blanched, her eyes shrunk to pinpricks. “I shall deal with it immediately. Just consider the night a few hours shorter! Captain, you and your ponies are dismissed,” she called as she took to the air, shooting off towards her balcony.

Unnoticed by her, a guard, barely old enough to be called a stallion, galloped into the yard. He looked over the row of ponies before him and waved around a scroll of paper. “I bear news from Trottingham garrison! Where can I find the commander-in-chief?”

“Over there, boy.” Kibitz pointed in the direction of Celestia’s quickly disappearing form.

“Better get running, plenty of stairs to get there,” one of the guards remarked with a smirk, trotting away to catch up with his retreating comrades.

The messenger just sighed and his rear plopped to the ground, the colt gazing up at the towering spires and the white silhouette atop one of them.

Hopping over the gilded railing, Celestia looked over the sprawling city of Canterlot. More than a few ponies already took to the streets, some just confused, looking at the frozen sunset. Others, apparently, enjoyed the prolonged romantic evening with their cameras or in the parks. A few tired complaints about ‘not enough beauty sleep’ were carried to her on the breeze, the princess chuckling lightly at that.

Despite the confusion of her little ponies, it was a serene, beautiful sight. The many ponds and canals of the city shimmered with the sun’s golden glow. Even the tiniest waves sent specks of light fluttering across the marble mansions and spires, coating them in hues of red, orange and purple. The colours flowed through the city, as if dancing on an invisible breeze.

Now she understood why Luna refused to lower her moon so long ago. There indeed was a certain enchanting beauty to just stopping time. Sighing, Celestia lit her horn and channeled her magic through the deep space and to the glowing orb, letting it slip below the horizon. The moon ascended to the sky a few minutes later.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Luna folded back her ears and looked up, shivering as water dribbled down her neck and back, soaking into the lab coat clinging to her form. She stood next to Hedvika under a small overhang, the green mare pressing her canteen against the slimy, moss-covered wall where a small spring spewed forth.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The princess snorted as three more droplets hit her muzzle. Pawing at the ground, she stepped back into a small clearing, Hedvika still occupied with gathering every last drop of water. She blinked a few times, her eyes slowly adjusting to the crimson hues of sunset that bathed the glade. Settling down into the velvet grass, she gently removed the wilted cornflower from her coat’s lapel and maneuvered it into her braid.

Forcing her wings open, she unbuttoned the lab coat and, yanking at the sleeves with her teeth, she slid out of it. Hopping around a few times, Luna giggled and ruffled her wings, feeling the fresh evening breeze in her feathers. Stalks and blades caressed her chest and sore legs as she waded into the tall grass of the clearing. She bent down and poked at her limbs, trying to spy the damage the too tight, chafing sleeves may have done to her.

She paused, the flesh suddenly feeling much firmer to the touch. Examining the appendage closely, she noted it was much more defined than before, her musculature now visible underneath her fur.

“Strange,” the princess muttered, flexing her limbs and prancing in place. The warm feeling of magic flooding her muscles followed immediately.

“May that be a possible side effect of using so much earth pony magic?” Luna startled, turning to the dragon hanging just above her head. His tongue slipped out and wiggled, pulling back some loose orange hairs scattered around his snout.

“Could be. I wonder if similar results would follow after exercising more unicorn and pegasus magic,” Luna mused. “Had a good snack?” she added, motioning around her own muzzle.

The dragon hopped down next to her, wiping away the rest of the orange fur. “Just a meeting with one squirrel. Turns out, it was faster, though only barely.” He snorted and rubbed his snout, licking at it once more.

“Sure.” Luna smirked, gently running a hoof down his scales. He froze under her touch for a moment, then, purring quietly, inched closer to her. The princess smiled, carefully caressing the wiggling ball of blue scales and hair.

“To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t leave us, Princess.” They both turned to Hedvika trotting up to them.

“Leave you? How do you mean?” Luna cocked her head, eyeing the pony up and down. The green mare cast her just a glance and picked up the crumpled coat at her hooves with a sigh. She rolled it up messily and made a few futile attempts to push it into her bags, the fabric refusing to fit in more than halfway through, sticking out every which way.

“Sev, if you may?”

The drake hovered over to Hedvika’s back. He fumbled with the saddlebag for a moment, his tiny clawed hand groping inside, the bag bulging and deflating as if it were breathing. “It feels like something is clogging it,” he grunted, bending inside.

A strong gust of wind from inside knocked him up and to the ground. A threadbare pit helmet flew out the bag on the breeze, plummeting down to Luna’s hooves. The upper body of a beige mare followed out the bag, her hooves stretched forward. She froze mid-jump, now face to face with Hedvika straining to support the weight.

“Well, this is awkwa—” the pony remarked, her words silenced by a green hoof pushing her back to the bowels of the bag mercilessly.

“Do you think this was hers?” Luna mumbled around the pit helmet’s rim, perplexed.

“Most probably, I think she’d hate to lose it.” Hedvika took it in her hooves and dropped it after the pony, making a show of pushing it down.

“That was… definitely unexpected,” Luna said, her face contorted into a mask of confusion.

Sev rubbed his neck and climbed back up, pushing the lab coat in with ease. “I swear, that thing is going to open up a black hole one day,” he remarked, gazing inside. Luna and Hedvika joined him, met with the sight of a swirling vortex of darkness and darker darkness. “I’ll go and see where the coat went. Hopefully it’s gonna be somewhere better than last time.” He dove into the bag nose-first, disappearing completely.

“Where was last time?” Luna asked, still peering in.

“Never really mentioned it, but he returned after three days with his hair dyed neon pink. Along with him arrived a sack full of lobsters and socks.” Hedvika shrugged, gently closing the flap.

“That sounds peculiar to say the least… though pray tell, where have you gotten such a thing in the first place? Artifacts capable of magic oscillation were banned a few hundred years ago exactly because of how dangerous they were. Especially those messing up the spacetime.” The princess gave her a curious look, the smaller mare shrivelling slightly under her gaze.

“Eh…” The unicorn rubbed her hooves together, “let’s say I found it during one of my scavenging trips into some old ruins.”

The princess just rolled her eyes, but decided not to push the matter further. “Anyway, we have strayed away from topic. Why do you think I would have left you?”

The unicorn shrugged, her teeth creeping out to chew at her lip. “I’ve been dragging you around the whole day, expecting you to run off when everything seemed to be safe and sound. Turns out, it seems most ponies aren’t after your neck. So, you could have left if you wanted, back to the life you lived.”

“And risk running into the conspiracy aiming to end my life? Or ruin my sister’s investigation?” Luna shook her head. “Besides, I am glad to finally take a break from all the bureaucracy and whining nobles… and ponies staring at me.”

“Then consider what I said as a mere test of your determination.” The green mare rolled her shoulders. “Also, judging eyes are indeed something you don’t need to fear here in the Forest… nobody here cares if you are a monster or not.” Hedvika’s voice wavered slightly, the mare shaking her head.

“Want to talk more about… whatever burden is on your mind?” Luna offered, laying a hoof on her shoulder.

“Not really anything more to speak of,” Hedvika muttered. “I have a less than tame dragon on my hooves, cannot control my anger at times and my stupid actions have hurt my friends. So, I removed myself into the Everfree. The end.” A quiet growl resonated from within her throat. “Alright, and the fact that Timberwolves interest me also played a role.”

Luna sighed, but offered her a comforting, if a little forced, smile. “Could the dragon magic by any chance affect your psyche?” She rubbed the back of her head. “What you have done to that fillies back in Trottingham wasn’t really the action of a… normal pony.”

“In other words, you are calling me a madmare.” Hedvika chuckled, quickly motioning with her hoof to stifle the rising counterargument. “I don’t mind, you aren’t the first to title me as such and I doubt you’ll be the last, but at least you are polite about it.” She sighed. “I have been thinking about the possibility of the magic somehow messing with my brain… and found out that nopony knows how to test that.” Hedvika shook her head, removing a stray lock of mane from her eyes. She pulled out her dagger, polishing it nonchalantly on her scarf.

An awkward silence befell them, the princess giving the younger mare a worried look. Hedvika just shrugged, still rubbing the dagger on the red fabric as she turned her head to the skies. “Ever seen a black stork? Quite a gracious creature.” She motioned upwards to the large bird gliding overhead.

“Beautiful.” Luna looked up and smiled as it circled above them, her hoof simultaneously stopping Hedvika rubbing the blade. “And if I’m to stay here with you, let me teach you how to properly wield a weapon. I’m afraid otherwise somepony will get hurt, sooner or later.”

“Fair enough.” Hedvika swiftly pocketed the dagger. “And I believe I have promised to teach you about the earth pony ways.” She looked the princess up and down, flinching slightly as she did so. “Oh… Though thinking about it, I reckon maybe teaching you how to survive would be far more useful. Are you up for it?” she said, reaching out a hoof.

“That indeed sounds reasonable.” The princess smiled and attempted to shook the offered hoof. Only to find her own leg glued to the ground. She bent down, releasing a startled yelp. A puddle of a dark tar-like substance enveloped her up to her fetlocks, foul smelling bubbles popping all around her. She looked back up at the biologist. “What is the swear word you use?”

“Chickencoop?”

“Chickencoop!”

“Tea? Coffee? Anything else you want, Miss Inkwell?”

“No, no, it’s alright. Thank you, Ms. Scroll.” The petite mare looked at the gaunt unicorn archivist, smiling. Adjusting her glasses, the secretary bent back down to the seemingly unending stack of files before her.

“Still haven’t found a trace of her?” Ms. Scroll asked, giving her a sympathetic pat on the back. “Should I take a look into the zebra citizens of Equestria, just like Her Highness requested the last time? So I could be at least of some help.”

“That would be lovely, thank you. It is true that we don’t know for sure if this Miss H. Greenlock is a pony.” Raven sighed and nudged her glasses up her muzzle once more. She pulled closer another manilla folder, this one thick as a brick. “I just cannot understand how is it possible that there are so many Greenlocks. Still better than all the ‘Night Wings’ among the thestrals though.”

The older mare nodded and disappeared among the many aisles, leaving Raven alone in the dim room. The quiet and the still air were almost suffocating. The secretary shivered, moving closer to the small lamp before her—the only island of warm light in the sea of shadows cast by the many pillars and dusty shelves.

A shiver ran down Raven’s spine. Rubbing her hooves together and curling up in the aged armchair to preserve her heat, she reached for the next folder, one conspicuously thin. Opening it up, her eyes widened immediately. She skimmed through the two attached files back and forth, her eyebrow rising higher and higher with each page turned.

“Have you found anything?” Ms. Scroll called, the secretary jumping in her seat, raising plumes of dust along with herself.

“I believe so…” Raven said, running a hoof down the few reports. “Found a pony and apparently a dragon, although a lot of the information has been redacted.”

“Redacted? May I take a look?” Ms. Scroll took the paper in her magic, levitating it away from her face. “Golly, I’m starting to really need glasses!” she exclaimed when the report hit a wall a good few lengths away from them.

Raven’s red magical field took over, levitating the file back. “There, I can read it for you. Now, where was… oh, right there. ‘At Baron Whey’s request, the Supreme Court of Canterlot declares this information endangering the principles of Harmony as the citizens of Equestria follow them. As such, the documents are now subject to maximum confidentiality and were moved for safekeeping to…” Raven lifted her head, looking at the trembling pony before her.

Ms. Scroll adjusted her tie uncomfortably, uttering through the panic welling in her throat, “Whoever this pony you are looking for is, they surely have crossed paths with the wrong stallion. Baron Whey is not to be toyed with. I urge you, dear, don’t search further than you need to.” Her voice shook, tears threatening to flood her eyes.

The secretary shivered at the fear radiating from the pony like fever. “I have to, Ms. Scroll, Her Highness’ personal orders.” She lit her horn, levitating a small paper to herself and hastily scribbling down a few lines. “I’ll notify the bureau and ask them for permission to view these documents,” she said, teleporting the letter away.

“Do as you think best, child,” the archivist whispered somberly, a little unsteady on her hooves as she massaged her temple.

They both jumped as the sound of a door slamming echoed through the archives. Heavy horseshoes thundered on the aged tiles, a guard skidded to a stop before them and fell into a small bow. “Miss Inkwell, Her Majesty requires your presence immediately.”

“Oh, of course.” Raven turned to the older mare, motioning to the documents. “May I borrow these for a while? I’ll have them sent back to you once I had made copies.”

“Definitely, darling. Anything for the Crown. But as I said, be careful.” Ms. Scroll shook her hoof, leading the two ponies to the exit. “Farewell.”

“May I carry these for you, Raven?” the guard offered, motioning to the folders in her magic as they descended the stairs.

“No, thank you, I think I can manage.” The mare frowned, giving the stallion a sideways glance. He didn’t seem to pay her any mind, his eyes trained forward once more. She shook her head, looking forward as well.

Ms. Scroll watched them till they rounded a corner, disappearing in the darkness. Sighing, she hobbled back inside with popping joints.

A high-pitched wail sounded into the inky black skies, followed by muffled sobs. A few birds stirred in the treetops, and a few Timberwolves took the sound as their cue to howl at the rising moon. Amid it all, one blue alicorn writhed on the ground.

Biting her own hoof and fighting back tears, she slowly stood up and looked herself over. The corners of her mouth dipped down at the sight of patches of pink skin and tufts of blue fur dotting her legs.

“I don’t think I have ever seen anyone walk right into the fruiting body of a bubbleshroom, especially not without noticing,” Hedvika mused, wiping her tweezers off the black goo and blue hairs on the grass. “Though if you didn’t insist on getting rid of it, you’d have done us a great service, spreading all these spores.”

“Well, it was quite a sticky situation!” Sev snickered, rolling on the ground.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Luna grumbled, rubbing her hoof on the other.

“Sure thing, we stick together, after all.” Sev hopped over to her back, giving her a wink.

“I swear to the stars that if you make one more pun, I will personally send you to the moon!” Luna exclaimed, her words gaining a tinge of the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Well, that’s not too far.” Sev giggled, tapping with his tail on the crescent moon emblazoned on her flank.

Luna’s face turned deep purple, the dragon quickly retreating to the branches above. “Will you kick me so hard that I’ll see the stars?” he called from above, giving her an innocent grin.

The princess groaned, then with another glance at the dragon, a lone giggle escaped her throat. Soon she broke into a bout of laughter, Hedvika joining her merrily after a while.

The green mare was also the first one to quiet down, the alicorn following suit when she noticed her serious expression. Sev fluttered to the ground, facing the same direction as Hedvika’s ears. He licked his muzzle. “Good, wind blows in our direction. Do you want to go closer?”

Hedvika smirked. She lowered herself to the ground, slowly creeping to a nearby bush. She reared up, leaning on the tangled pillow of twigs and leaves. Luna followed her example and stepped next to her, peeking over the bush.

The princess strained her neck, but all she could see were glimpses of a rather large clearing. “What is—” she stepped forward, her hoof meeting only loose dirt. She pawed at the bush for support, her momentum tipping her down the small cliff.

She rolled between the branches and leaves, stopping with her mouth plowing through the ground of the glade. Spitting out the moss and decaying wood, and rubbing her tongue on what remained of her hoof’s fur, she slowly stood up and kicked away the bush still in her grip.

“Princess?” Hedvika’s voice reached her through the foliage. “Stay where you are. We will get to you once it’s safe.”

“Safe? How do you mean?” Luna called, looking around the clearing.

“Eh… you’ll see. Consider it a crash course on survival.” The princess huffed and ruffled her wings a few times, the evening breeze slithering over her skin. Her moon shone brightly, illuminating the circle of trees lining the glade, as well as the occasional tuft of grass, bathing it all in a soft white light. But despite its beauty, the resulting shadows seemed to claw at the ground with their dark, twisted appendages.

Luna shuddered, a stronger gust of wind getting through her coat. Misty tendrils slowly crept into the clearing, enhancing the cold the wind and dewy grass instilled on her.

The mare looked around and up to the sky once more, spotting but a slight glimpse of a pony-like figure flitting between the treetops. She shrugged, when another movement passed through the corner of her vision. She spun around. The mist seemed to stir slightly on the far end of the glade, a few white spots dotting Luna’s vision in the same place.

She blinked a few times, hoping they’d go away after a little while. “Probably just gazed too long at the stars,” she muttered to herself, rubbing her eyes. “Probably so, the positioning looks exactly like ursa minor.”

“Take a few steps back and assess your surroundings,” Sev’s voice echoed through her ears. She twisted around, spotting nobody. “And don’t just count on your sight.”

She backpedalled slightly and tapped her chin, looking the clearing over once more. Remembering Hedvika, Luna perked up her ears and scanned the forest for the tiniest sounds. She shivered as the breeze rustled through the velvet fur protecting her lobes, tickling. Clearing that sensation to the back of her mind, the princess focused again.

Quiet scurrying greeted her from the grass at her hooves and she quietly stalked around the glade, turning her head this way and that, till a barely audible rumbling reached her ears.

Instinctively, the princess raised her head, and, despite the gesture was generally seen as extremely indecent, she curled up her upper lip and sniffed. A plethora of smells flooded her senses, the mare stumbling back slightly at the sensory overload.

The foul aroma of the decaying wood and leaves still permeated the air, but it was now mixed with subtle hints of other scents. Her mind sorted through the various flower fragrances, noted the presence of a few bats and the modicum of scent of a young mare somewhere above her head. And then, there was something almost spicy, piercing her muzzle mercilessly. Ambient magic. Lots of it. Such amounts usually lingered in abandoned libraries or alchemist laboratories, but Luna never heard of such a large arcane presence in a forest. Still, this was the Everfree, where anything was possible.

Turning around, the princess gently drew the air in and out her lungs, trying to fully determine the direction of the phenomenon. And there it was. Right in the spot where the floating constellation of ursa minor still seemed to linger. Then, it moved.

Luna’s jaw dropped wordlessly.

Pulsing with a dark blue tinge, and fading to nothingness in the next second, there stood a hulking mass the rough shape of a bear. Ears falling slack, the princess stood frozen on the ground. Her hooves sprang back to life first, the alicorn scampering away and into a nearby ditch.

The ursa turned and growled, revealing its glowing white teeth. Its body lit up with dim blue light, its silhouette now easy to discern against the darkened trees. Luna peeked up from her spot, only to swiftly retreat when the bear turned in her direction.

She curled into a ball, hooves clutched to her chin. Her breath held in, her ears scanned the clearing.

Sniff.

A shiver ran down her spine at the wet, wheezing sound.

Sniff sniff sniff.

Luna raised her hoof to her mouth, nibbling on it.

Sniff sniff sniff.

Now she was furiously biting at it. A quiet growl froze her in place.

The princess flattened herself against the ground, unmoving. The soil around her shook and crumbled, streams of wet dirt falling in her eyes and nostrils.

The trembling slowly diminished and Luna dared look from the ditch once more, her ears catching just the faintest thuds of heavy paws stomping away.

Wiping her brow, the princess stumbled back up. Her muscles going slack, she spread herself eagle between the turfs of grass.

“Tired?” Sev bent down to her, his snout almost touching her muzzle.

She just nodded. “Seems like you have managed to completely turn around my inner clock. Though almost meeting your teddy bear has woken me up significantly.” She stifled a yawn.

“Sure.” Sev smirked and continued, “Anyway… we won’t make it home tonight, so we can as well stay here.” Luna shivered slightly, looking in the direction of the bent trees and snapped branches dotting the ursa’s path. She gulped audibly. Sev continued, “I don’t think it’s coming back. And well, we are not staying on the ground.”

“Where then?” Luna asked, pawing at the ground as she looked at the trees around. “I don’t think my wing is back in shape to carry my weight that high. Can’t we climb instead, on that tree, for example?” She motioned to a large patulous oak.

Sev raised his head, looking the tree up and down. “Do you want to get blown up?” he asked plainly.

“Uh… no? Why—” Sev’s raised claw silenced her.

“Do you see that little red and orange spots over there?” He pointed into the treetop. Luna squinted her eyes, nodding after a few seconds. “That’s feathers of a molting phoenix. When their renewation cycle nears an end, they are in a rather sorry state. Beak distortion, weak legs and wings, collapsing lungs… you get the idea.”

“Yes, I have seen my sister’s pet in such a condition. It is unfortunate for the bird, but what exactly is the problem?” she cocked the head quizzically.

“Well, normally after shedding all they feathers, phoenixes burst into flames as you sure know. Fun thing is that when you scare them before they molted fully, the reaction is far more stronger. Hedvika found out when she tried to examine one of them closely..." The drake chuckled. “You should have seen her, missing all the hair on her face.”

Luna stifled a giggle, her ears noting the distant irritated huff above her head. “So, climbing is out of question. How am I supposed to get up there then?”

“I’ll carry you. If I may, Princess?” He stretched out his clawed hand. The alicorn nodded and turned, letting him hop on her back. Gently grabbing hold of her wings, he moved and extended them from her primaries to tertiaries. “Now, hold ‘em like this.” A shiver ran down her spine as his talons dug into her flesh. “Ready?”

“Ready,” Luna called. She yelped as Sev dashed up with one powerful flap, her wings folding against her sides reflexively. The drake grunted, gripping her tighter.

They dipped down slightly, the princess forcing her feathers to extend. Their flight leveled, Luna relaxed, feeling the tips of her hooves rustle through the darkened sea of treetops just below them.

Sev tilted his wings, circling the glade before dipping back underneath the canopy.

They touched down in the crown of a large tree, Luna gingerly balancing her hooves on the rough bark. She made a few careful steps, her legs slipping left and right.

“Get back near the trunk, I don’t want to see you falling… again,” Hedvika called. “Sorry about that cliff, by the way. I didn’t want to attract the ursa to you by hopping down as well.” She waltzed over to the princess, moving with as if she was just going for a stroll on a beach.

“So much for teaching me how to survive,” the princess muttered and steadied her hooves on the bark, all for naught.

Hedvika caught her swiftly, holding her by the shoulders. “I’ll have to start teaching you properly.” The alicorn staggered slightly, the green mare giving her a thoughtful look. Her amber orbs met Luna’s turquoise. “Easy now, Princess,” she said, gently maneuvering the alicorn back up. “Do you know how to dance?”

Luna nodded carefully. “Of course.”

“Good. I don’t,” Hedvika said. “But it should work anyway. It’s all about finding the right rhythm, I guess. Now, push your left hind hoof backwards. Gently. See if it doesn’t slip.” Luna wavered, but her hoof moved ever so slightly. “Now, right front. Good. Right back. Fine. Left front. Repeat.” Hedvika slowly lowered her hooves from Luna’s shoulders, moving forward herself.

The alicorn inched her way backwards, swaying from side to side, till her back hit the trunk. She grabbed it with her hooves, hugging the rough wood.

“Very nice,” Hedvika remarked and patted her on the shoulder, Sev giving the princess a warm smile. “Now, time to hit the hay.” The biologist reached into her bag and pulled out a rolled-up blanket, throwing it to the alicorn. Luna caught it in her mouth, almost falling down in the process.

Hedvika gazed at her long enough to know that she’d stay standing, then fished the fairy tale book from her pocket. “In case you wanted to read a little before sleep.” She hoofed it over and walked away to one larger branch and lay down, strapping herself to it with a sturdy strap of leather. “Night.”

Luna eyed her curiously but said nothing, lying down where the trunk and twisting branches created a small platform. Wrapping herself in the blanket, she ran a hoof up and down her mane, loosening her dishevelled braid. She froze when she touched the top of her head, cold sweat budding on her forehead. “Hedvika, do you know where the hat—”

“It’s in my bag,” the mare called. “I was wondering when you are gonna notice you lost it. Do you want it back?”

The princess released a sigh of relief and settled back into her blanket. “It’s alright, I think it’s safe with you.” Hedvika just hummed in response and slumped down against the branch.

Luna looked at her dark form for a while, a gentle smile on her lips. She glanced at the fairy tale book lying at her hooves, in the end opting to crack it open for a while.

“Can you read it out loud?” Sev nestled behind her and curled up, waggling his tail. “Pretty please?” He cocked his head and gave her the largest puppy eyes she has ever seen.

“I give up!” The messenger slammed his head against the ornate wall, looking up at at least three more dozen doors to knock on, not to speak about a few more floors of similar size to go.

“A letter for the commander-in-chief!” Slam. “Deliver it directly to her hooves!” Slam. The plating of his helmet dented, curling outwards, but he paid it no mind.
“Seven hundred fifty-four stairs up and down!” He groaned, his helmet fell apart, and so did the stucco on the wall.

“What’s going on, Private?” The colt startled, turning to the approaching officer.

He blanched, a knot forming in his throat, and he barely forced his hoof into a salute. “C-commander?”

The large stallion glared at him. “What are you doing here at such a late hour?” he barked, advancing a few steps closer. The messenger backed against the wall.

“I was tasked with delivering an urgent message to Her Highness, sir.”

“Her Highness is not to be disturbed at such a time, Private.”

“But I—” the younger pony whined, on the verge of tears.

“No buts, Private!” The commander frowned, his eyes narrowing on the scroll. “Give it to me!”

The colt held back a sniffle, hoofing over the letter. The guard snatched it with his magic, his eyes quickly gliding over the few lines.

His trimmed eyebrows shot up theatrically. “Oh, interesting…” He tapped his chin. “This could indeed interest Her Highness. I will make sure to deliver it to the right hooves.”

The colt’s ears shot up, eyes gleaming and a sheepish smile creeping to his lips. “Will you? Oh, thank you, thank you!” The messenger squealed and jumped around his neck, tackling the baffled commander to the ground in a tight hug.

Author's Note

The next chapter should be out in early September. See the story progress chart for more information.

Questions or comments?
Please report typos in the form of PM.
My earnest thanks go to the mighty MV for his editing services.

Chapter 1: Night Watch

A swarm of fireflies danced and fluttered above the trees of the alley, more and more of their lights coming to life. As the fireflies’ lanterns flourished, the last illuminated windows of surrounding Canterlot blinked out.

"No! Let me go!"

A gentle evening breeze swept a few leaves across the deserted road.

"Argh! Come on!"

One of the treetops rustled, scaring the floating lights away.

"Yes! Yes, yes… no. Argh!"

Two blue legs dangled out of the treetop, along with a shimmering, waving tail. A chest with two uselessly flailing wings followed suit.

"I demand you to let go!" Princess Luna bellowed, both her hooves and magic trying to loosen the thin silver line snaking around her neck. It dug deeper with each movement, effectively squeezing the life out of her.

Stars started dancing across her vision. Her eyes bulged out, and her burning lungs cried for air.

With one final strain she let her body hang limp and focused the remains of her strangled willpower.

A faint flash of her horn was all it took. She rematerialized on the pavement below the treetop after her teleport. Taking full gulps of the sweet evening air, she let her body crumple onto the cobblestones, still warm after the scorching summer day.

Luna swept her head across the ground, wood dust and splinters from the day’s busy carriages clinging to her mane and coat.

She slowly stood up and chased off the trembling from her legs. Looking back into the treetop, she spotted the silver line menacingly swaying in the air, tangled between various branches.

Calling on her magic once more, she levitated the thin strap of fabric to her hoof, eyeing the golden name tag attached to it.

‘Princess Luna of Equestria’

She turned the small tag over in her magic, the shiny surface glistening in the light of the fancy lamps lining the street. She never understood why Celestia insisted on all these petty things. A thousand years ago, an Equestrian princess was an Equestrian princess, and a griffon ambassador was a griffon ambassador, without any name tags, guest cards, and other extra identification.

Oh, how was she looking forward to having a word with Celestia about this. She was certain that upon learning about how she was nearly strangled by one of those new ID tags, her sister’s expression would be priceless. Luna smirked, her smile turning into a pained grimace as she rubbed the faint line on her neck. She hissed quietly. It probably wouldn’t be enough to make Tia ban those, but it was still worth a try.

She sighed and trotted down the alley to a small plaza, its centre adorned by a statue of a large stallion.

"Be a dear and hold it for me, please!" She patted the statue’s broad shoulder and threw the name tag around its neck, then took off into the air.

She circled above the marble and golden city, then headed south. The evening breeze played with her mane, caressing it like a caring mother stroking her foal’s hair. The crisp night air chilled her coat, and her feathers ruffled silently as she flew higher and higher.

She was fully soaking in all the serene and quiet moments the Canterlot South Patrol Route could offer, glad to finally be away from the stuffy conference hall.

Just as the gate clicked shut behind the last griffon delegate, she rushed to her chambers, shed her regalia, and took off from her balcony. Truth be told, her wings were a little stiff after a week of her just sitting around, resulting in her encounter with the tree, but it was nothing to worry about.

With a squee, she made a few pirouettes in the air, glad to not be dragged down by any duties or her silver horseshoes and jewellery.

Contradictory to this, she was still performing duties, though not quite the ones that belonged to the position of a princess. Night patrols were a job made for the youngest privates of the Lunar Guard, usually as a punishment, which the highest-ranking officers had pointed out to her in their attempt to discourage her from partaking in such a humiliating task. Celestia wasn’t too fond of her night trips either. Yet, Luna couldn't comprehend why the newbie soldiers hated it so much. Sure, she flew along the route only when the weather was good and warm, but still…

Despite the rookies and their bias, she was happy to do it herself. It allowed her to escape into her own land of thoughts or just enjoy the serene scenery below her. Sometimes she checked a few dreams as she flew by the villages and small towns. All tonight’s dreams seemed to be nice and bright so far, plagued with no nightmares requiring her intervention. If the evening wasn't so beautiful, Luna would have easily joined in some for the ride.

She smiled as her mind’s eye caught a glimpse of a filly playing with a dog she could not have. There could never be enough of such simple, sweet moments. She angled her wings and flew closer to the tiny hamlet below, combing through the slumbering minds of all the sleepers there. Dreaming of being a famous popstar, funnily humiliating a scary teacher with a tight bun, she has seen it all so many times, and yet it never failed to draw her in again. Then… oh, stallions. That was enough for one night.

Luna was still trying to banish that particular dream from her mind the Whitetail came into view. Staring at the ground for a minute, she spotted a few hills at the edge of the woods, all dotted with telescopes ready to aid ponies in their astronomical hobbies or work. She eyed them quietly for a few moments until an insistent thought nestled in her mind. She smirked and started to descend, her fluffy wings silently fluttering in the wind.

"Um, Professor Notes?"

"Is something wrong, Miss Dancer?" said a unicorn stallion as he came closer to a yellowish ivory mare standing next to the eyepiece of a large telescope. Beads of late evening dew slid from the grass, effectively wetting his hooves. He shivered lightly and burrowed deeper into the confines of his worn sweater.

"Could you please take a look?" The mare motioned to the eyepiece. "I can’t tell what constellation is that. It looks like a cross between Centaurus and Delphinus, but the stars are acting… uh, funny, for lack of a better word."

"Funny?" He gave her a quizzical look and rolled his eyes, then approached the apparatus. Those constellations couldn’t be more different than the day was from night, every little foal knew that.

Sure, despite all the recommendation posters that littered the bulletin boards at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, the ‘elite’ project of Summer Astronomy Traineeship in Hoofington was a lot of things, but Professor Notes surely wouldn’t call it elite. That much he could tell after supervising dozens of students here for countless years.

Even Miss Moon Dancer, this year’s ‘elite’ student with good grades and various recommendations, apparently had trouble recognising the most basic of constellations. He hoped that she at least knew what the difference between astronomy and astrology was. Shaking his head, he clicked his tongue a few times and then finally enclosed his eye to the eyepiece.

Almost immediately, he pulled back and blinked a few times. “What?” He rubbed his eyes and then leaned back in. His hooves shuffled with the various adjustment knobs and diaphragms as he pressed his eyes on the small metallic ring of the eyepiece once more. He was met with the very same sight.

Stars waved and blinked out of existence before his eyes, only to appear the next second in a completely different place. He proceeded to untie his tie and scrub the lens of the eyepiece with it. "By Star Swirl’s beard, what’s going on?" he stammered, leaning against the base of the telescope.

"I don't know, that's why I was asking you," came a flat answer from Moon Dancer, the mare polishing her glasses as she spoke.

"That's… that's impossible!" The professor nervously looked at the sky. "In Princess Luna's name, I don’t even need a telescope to see that. The whole sky has gone crazy!" Twisting his head, he watched the stars swirl and waltz about. "I think… I’m feeling… dizzy." Professor Notes slumped to the ground, his eyes rolling around in their sockets.

"So, do I take it the lesson is over?" Moon Dancer bent down, poking him with her hoof. "If yes, then excuse me, I have the thirteenth tome of Hayscartes’ Treatise on Ponies waitingback at my room." She turned back up to the skies, now adorned by normal constellations once more.

"I think you should remind him at some point about how and by whom the night sky was crafted." A dark figure rose from the bushes behind Moon Dancer. She turned swiftly and gasped at the sight of a wide, smug grin revealing a row of shiny white teeth. "Said crafter is still able to play around with her stars as she pleases. Before you go, please provide him with a blanket. Good night." The figure waved the awestruck mare goodbye and took to the air again.

Halfway through the Whitetail Woods, the princess still couldn't catch her breath from her outburst of laughter. The professor's reaction was priceless.

"Maybe I should ask Tia to arrange a meeting with the teachers of her school, I would like to find that one and have a talk with him about constellations and their history…" She giggled again. Her eyes widened, and she quickly swerved to the side.

"Okay, Luna, concentrate, you nearly hit a tree," she scolded herself, shaking her head to sort out her thoughts. The already slightly red and yellow treetops created a colorful haze as she zoomed by, and the raw smell of wood and forest soil swirled around her.

Leaving the Whitetail behind her, she began to veer slightly. The silhouettes of vast apple orchards and the typical round town hall of Ponyville materialized before her.

She swooped down between the apple trees and through their threetops, rousing swarms of colorful fruit bats from their sleep. For a moment she reveled in the rainbow-coloured mob of small bodies that surrounded her before it started dissipating on its own. Gently shaking off the remaining fruit bats that joined for a ride on her back, Luna turned to the river snaking through the country from Canterlot.

Dashing just above the water surface, she tried touching it with her feathers. One slight bath later, she ascended back to the sky.

Nearing the edge of the Everfree Forest, she noticed the air stood still and became muggy and thick, pushing against her chest. Raising her head, she immediately noticed the storm clouds building in her path, overlying the whole horizon.

"Getting struck by lightning is the last thing I want today. Though it probably would not be as bad as getting hit with a full plate of salmon during one of the griffons' peculiar pastimes…" The alicorn groaned and pushed her wings harder.

"I wonder," she furrowed her eyebrows, "how did the storm even get there? It was not in the weather plans for this week. And I have never seen one of those independent storms from the Everfree that far from the forest itself."

There was no reason to risk flying straight through the storm. Flying over it didn’t seem to be an option either as the towering cloud wall reached far above the meadows surrounding the small towns and villages. The single clearer path was above the dreaded forest. Groaning, she turned her wings to the Everfree, ready to dodge any hungry monster coming from below. The stench rising from the bogs and the moist air made her scrunch her muzzle.

The air around her started to move again, but not in the form of the former warm evening breeze. This time it was a cold wind, buffeting her back and forth like a rag doll.

Luna gritted her teeth and began flapping her wings with all the strength she could muster. If the rookies had to endure this kind of weather on their night shifts, then it truly was a punishment.

A minute later she found herself in the pouring rain. She was soaking wet even before she managed to summon a waterproof barrier. A few lightning bolts crossed the sky nearby. She quickly turned off her horn, not wanting to draw the electricity to herself. A flood of raindrops hit her again. But Luna didn't care anymore. The only thing that now occupied her mind was a thought of a dry towel, a soft bed, hot tea in her chamber, and maybe a cucumber sandwich or two.

Suddenly, she heard something. Or at least she thought she did.

Her ears perked up. "That sounded like—" A lightning bolt struck just behind her. The following thunder nearly deafened her, and her vision blurred for a moment.

"Ouch." Luna flattened her ears against her skull, her head throbbing with pain.

"Prince—"

She definitely heard something this time, it was just obscured by the cacophony of the storm. Much more carefully, she raised her ears once again.

"Princess Luna!"

Even if the cry was muffled by the heavy rain, she was able to pinpoint the direction it came from.

And from where she could now the silhouettes of about three royal guards heading to her, their glinting armor noticeable even in the downpour.

"Here!" she exclaimed and propelled herself towards them through the strands of rain.

Luna stopped abruptly, her mind raced through the memories of the many meteorology reports that littered her balcony in Canterlot. Could it be that she overlooked a storm warning in her haste? Not likely, she was sure that the report for the whole week promised warm, cloudless nights. Anyway, the central weather patrol better have a good explanation and excuse for their inaccuracy this time, not like when they made it snow on Summer Sun Celebration just because ‘someone swapped the labels on the clouds’. She shook her head and let out a sigh, then tried to wipe away all the water blinding her. Maybe she shouldn’t be too hard on them; after all, they apparently sent an escort for her.

She squinted her eyes, scanning the nearing figures. There were only three guards, all very muscular stallions, two of them from her Lunar Guard and one officer of the Solar Guard.

They were drawing near really fast. So fast that it was impossible for them to not collide with her now.

"Do they really have wing blades strapped on?" Luna froze in place. "And they really do not seem to be slowing."

Her long-resting warrior instincts sprung to life, and she turned in her wake, diving straight towards the trees below.

One of the golden blades swished behind her with murderous intent, cutting most of the hair from her tail away.

She folded her wings against her sides, hoping to gain some speed in a free fall. A flung purple horseshoe hit her in the side. Luna winced and subconsciously spread her wings. Her trajectory aligned with the line of green canopy underneath. Too late.

A few twigs scratched her from below. Tufts of torn leaves fluttered in her wake. She maneuvered between the ragged treetops. A hoof across her face to shield her eyes from the sharp branches, she flew almost blind.

Luna wavered in the air, her hooves striking the trees below. She toppled over, plummeting headfirst into the dark maze of branches and leaves. Her last attempts at flight changed to fall. She hit a large tree, the bark chafing at her coat. Her body slumped to the ground, landing with a cracking sound on one side, the abrupt impact knocking the air out of her lungs.

"Get her!" snapped one of the guards.

In that moment she was back on her hooves, running as fast as she could. Her left wing hung limply by her side and the pain shooting from its joint made her want to vomit.

She bit her lip and continued to gallop further into the forest, ignoring her wing flailing by her side, her feathers catching in the underbrush.

She didn't dare to look behind her, but the pounding sounds of stomping hooves signaled that at least two of her pursuers were following her the terrestrial way.

She tried to cast a spell to throw them away, but she couldn't find the concentration or strength.

Her vision was starting to blur from both the rain and pain, and her stomach twisted and turned.

One more stumble after some roots.

One more slide in wet mud.

A change of direction to avoid a ravine.

A few more roots in her path.

A few scratches from a nearby branch. She already lost count of how many times that happened.

A jump over a fallen tree. Her legs wobbled after landing, but she pressed on.

Her mouth tasted as if she'd been chewing on iron. Her throat was burning, and so were her lungs.

Another slide in the mud saved her from an attack of the lunar guard that stayed airborne.

Instead of pony flesh his blades hit the bark of a tree, sinking in at least one third of their length, their owner meeting the tree in a tight embrace.

Her horn caught in a few vines hanging from a low-leveled branch. She galloped further, stretching the branch.

The vines snapped in half, hurling the branch at her closest pursuer.

It bounced off his helmet, but didn't slow him in the slightest.

Luna looked behind her to see the guards still on her tail. They slowly closed in.

When she turned back, there was no time to dodge the thick branch before her. It smacked her on her cheek and sent her flying headfirst into a nearby rock.

The tip of her horn scratched the stony surface. Her body landed in a heap before it.

She lay there, unable to rise to her hooves and move her sore limbs anymore. Blood flowed freely from her scratches and mixed with the mud all around her. She gagged. Because of the smelly mud and stale water she lay in. Because of the chase. Because of the guards and their broken oaths.

The two remaining stallions skidded to a stop in front of her, panting heavily.

The storm was now just a distant sound in the background, and the pouring rain faded into a light drizzle.

She could hear her heart beating in sync with the panting of the guards in a terrifying, yet oddly calming rhythm.

The second lunar guard stepped forward, slowly spreading his wing. He tenderly stroked the shiny sharp piece of metal attached to the edge of the limb. It glinted in the light of the full moon. His solar partner eyed him from behind with a sinister smile.

Luna watched them in horror. She looked up to the moon, her moon, one last time. Then she put her head down to the puddle of dirty water, awaiting the execution. There wasn't a way of pleading or talking herself out of this. She couldn't imagine what had brought the guards to break their oath, but she wouldn’t step down to beg for her life before them. Her magic retreated as the pain washed over her whole body. She tried lifting her hoof to push her assailants away, but it didn’t budge.

She heard a flutter of wings beside her and a light thud.

Luna didn’t bother to try and look for the source of the sound. She assumed it was probably the last guard, already freed from the bark of the tree he involuntarily embraced.

"Any last wish, Your Highness?" The guard smirked, running his blade just above her neck.

"Are you so foalish to think I would want something from you?" she spat.

"Your choice. Don't worry, Princess, it'll be much more painful for you than me." He chuckled. Fully stretching his wing, he prepared to deliver the killing blow.

"I don't think so," came a flat, surely non-stallion voice from behind her.

The blade was heading in full swing at her throat. Suddenly it diverted its course, towards the nearest bush. A large shadow dashed by, air wheezing past it. The stallion gave a blood-curdling shriek as something much bigger dragged him away.

"What?" Luna whispered in confusion as she looked up.

In that moment all of her energy vanished. She collapsed to the muddy ground with a splash, and her eyes glazed over. A lightning bolt struck nearby, emblazoning a silhouette on her retinas. A silhouette of a smaller pony with a dagger in its mouth.

Author's Note

Greetings! Just wanted to clarify a few things about this now rather old story. I came up with and started writing this shortly after season 3 ended, and so you might notice that the story is mostly set to take place in season 3 Equestria, even though I later on added little tidbits from newer seasons, such as cragadiles. Furthermore, the official map of Equestria was quite different back then, so many locations mentioned in this story do not correspond to their placement on the newer versions of the map. Due to this and a few other reasons explored later in the story, I decided to tag this as an AU, even though it does not divert from the original show that much. Or maybe it does, and I'm just messing with you?

My earnest thanks go to MV for editing the whole story and to PonyPoet21, labba94, SherryCherry99, and Boulder for pre-reading early drafts of this chapter.

Questions, observations, typos?
Please report typos and the like in PMs, not comments.