"I would like to take a temperary absense, sir."

Frostbite looked up from his coffee at Silver Star, who nervously stood in frount of his table in the guard messhall. "Why?"

"Personal reasons. I have reasons to belive there may be a commune of batponies in the Everfree forest. I would like to have permission to persue them and assure their safety... sir," Silver Star said, not wavering from her stature.

"Well, that is your job, isn't it?" Frostbite said. "And where exactly did you aquire this information?"

"The batpony at the bar, Clover, sir."

Frostbite smirked. "So, that's why I saw you sneaking back into the barracks after curfew, Silver."

Silver paused, "I..."

"Oh, go ahead, have some fun or whatever. Just understand what matters is your job, espeacially with everythng that's been happening as of late. And when you find this... 'commune' as you put it, direct them in this direction. There is no way they have a working sheild spire. Just be prepared for the worst, even if they have a working spire, they most likely are low on supplies and have no guards. This is the only known spire township in the Everfree Forest." Frostbite sighed. "Keep flying, if you go on the ground that could be death, just remember that. Are you sure you don't want backup?"

"I think it would be better if I go alone. I'll wear my armor and bring my sword, don't worry, Captain. I'll make sure those batponies are safe and sound." Silver said, trotting off.

Silver hasteily trotted off to her room. Ever since she woke up, regardless of how long she actually had been sleeping, she planned out what she would need to scout out the Everfree forest for... whatever could be out there. She had the essentials ready, a saddlebag full of food, three bottles of water, a rain jacket, some matches, and her short sword. Then she put on her armor, the Silver status guard armor. She even had a helmet with a wavy dusty pink mohawk to match her mane.

Cracking her neck and walking out of the barracks, she was ready.Wings wide spread, she flew off into night high into the clouds. flying a little away from the walls of Stone Hoofed, she sighed to herself. "Okay Silver, your really doing this, aren't you? Come on, just take another little gust forward. I mean, it's only the Everfree forest, it's no big deal... a little big though..."

Autumn sighed as she trotted up the stairs of the housing building. Coffee with Whirlwind was very awkwardly silent, and she was freezeing. At least she got whatever spontanous urges that came about the night prior out of her system, she thought as she took the final stretch of stairs. She didn't know what hit her, but then again maybe this happened all the time. It's not like she goes drinking all the time.

With the door to her and Zian's room in sight, she got out her key with her mouth and accidentily got a smell of herself, and that alone nearly made her topple over. 'So much for that bath last night...' she thought, the only thing on her mind a simple cold shower to wash away last night.

Opening the door, she was surprised to see Grella and Mech waiting for her inside, Cherry on the floor doing some kind of arts and crafts. "What are you guys doing here?" Autumn studdered, closeing the door behind her.

"Zian asked us to wait here in case you came back." Mech said, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Oh." Autumn trotted around. "She was pretty worried, huh?"

"Yeah." Grella said, putting a claw on Autumn's back, then leaning in a scruffing her mane. "But I can see that some little pony was very busy last night, so I'm sure she'll understand..." She laughed as Autumn dunked out of her grasp.

"Huh?" Autumn shuttered.

"Oh, come on, it's pretty obvious." Grella smirked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It... No! I mean... maybe..." Autumn sighed and sat back in a chair. "I mean... I was emotional, and a little drunk, he was emotional and drunk, one thing led to another..." She shook her head. "Oh, it's silly, it's not like it meant anything..."

"Oh, pony feathers..."

"Huh? What, I'm not lying..."

Grella laughed and brushed a claw on her mane. "Nope, pony feathers. In your mane."

"Oh..." Autumn threw her hood up over her head.

"Hey, no reason to be embarassed, you are a full grown mare. And besides, it's not like you'll see this mysterious pegasus Stallion again..."

Mech leaned over an dlooked at the feather Grella plucked out of Autumn's mane. "That's one of Whirlwinds feathers."

Autumn blushed and hid herself even further into her jacket. "H-how would you know if it's Whirlwind's?"

"Are you serious? How many medium blue stallion pegasi around here do you know here that have feathers as clean as these?" Mech said. "It's a nervous habit of his. Ever since Galestorm got sick he's been nervous about catching some kind of disease, even after he knows she didn't get sick that way."

"Galestorm?" Autumn pondered.

"Whirly's mom!" Cherry said, catching onto the conversation, not looking up from her work.

"Oh..." Autumn glanced away and sighed. "Sorry your wife is sick, hopefuly she's okay..."

"Oh, no. She died." Mech said with a sigh.

"Oh."

"It's alright. She's in a better place now." Mech took a drink of coffee. "So... you and Whirlwind, eh? I can see it."

"Huh? No... it was nothing..."

Mech frowned. "I don't know. I mean, you can feel however you want, but Whirlwind tends to take things pretty seriously. Just... well, try not to hurt his feelings."

"I didn't even think I liked stallions... or mares..." Autumn sank back. "I mean, I'm still not sure."

"No one's ever sure about anything!" Grella laughed.

"It's true. being confused is pretty much a nessesity for life." Mech said.

"Well... I don't know, aren't things supposed to be..."

"Nope!" Grella said.

"But I didn't even finish my-"

"That's because life is complicated, it sucks I know, but... well how to put it..." Grella got up. "How about I teach you a few things about life?"

Starburst quietly watched the door to the medical center open, Rose peaking through the door. "Your late."

Rose blushed. "Um... actually, I'm early? See, the... sun is riseing?"

Starburst offered a deadpan glare. "Somepony came here for you last night. We were waiting all night for you. We even went down to your work, but we couldn't find you anywhere."

"Somepony for me? Oh, I doubt that." Rose laughed it off nervously as Starburst glared. "Fine. Does this mysterious pony have a name?"

"Yes, it's Muffinass, and she was looking forward to seeing you again." She frowned. "Why did Primmrose have you work so late? Aren't you engaged or whatever?"

"She talked it over with Dragonsblood's father, it won't be valid until the situation passes. So, she has me working to try to..."

"Just stop." She felt herself fume with anger. "This is wrong."

"It's for the good of Equestria, Star!"

"Equestria would be a much happiler place without places like that, and without mothers that would do something like that to their own daughter," she glared even harder. "Do you think this is okay? Rose... do you really like comeing here every week and letting them do this to you?"

"The rates of the country are getting smaller and small-"

"Stop it! She's been telling you all this bullshit ever since I can remember!" Starburst looked in Tea Rose's eyes. "Can you say your happy? Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you want to put your own daughter through this when the time comes?"

Rose frowned uncomfortably. "No... I can't..."

"Then do what is 'good for Equestria', Rosey." Starburst smiled. "Runaway with me. In a few days, I could get us a cart to Ponyville. They won't find you. I wouldn't let them find you. You could make your own decsitions, Rose. Like you always talked about doing." She waited, but the expression of thought and concern on Rose's face didn't wane. "Just a few days. We'll go to Ponyville together... or I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay here alone. Dragonbutt is coming with me, he wouldn't let the staff let me go otherwise." She frowned a little. "Autumn... is coming with us too..."

Rose's face lit up. "Autumn's alive?"

"You didn't get my hint earlier?" Starburst grimmly laughed to herself. "I knew that would convince you."

"I... I'll consider it. Just, please, let me just go to my room and sleep off this headache." Rose said, trotting past Starburst.

Frostbite nervously paced the room, a small council of watch ponies gathered around a spire. "Any word from Night Guard SilverStar?"

"No, sir," one of them said, "nopony has seen any trace of her."

"Unsettling," he sighed, "what of outside reports? Any news from Canterlot, Dawn Guard Pebbles?"

The small white pegasus mare, Pebbles, raised her head respectively. "We have gotten quite a bit of information on Princess Celestia's findings. The full report has been recorded by secrectary Bluebelle. They may be helpful in protecting the barrier and better equiping search teams for any missing survivors, Captain."

"Excelent." Frost bite bit back. "Now, back on the issue of the day."

"Well, there are a group of carriges taking off today, Captain, to transport extra ponies to Ponyville. Four carriges in total, mostly." Pebbles said.

"What time do they depart?"

"This morning, time non specific."

"Behold, the great and powerful flying machine!" Starburst announced after Autumn gathered everypony there, waveing her frount hooves at the large carrige, it's wheels and bottom covered in misty clouds and colors light and airy like the sky. "I know, you love it. Far suppirior to those dirty carts those other ponies are useing, a I right?"

Whirlwind stared in awe, a smile forming across is face. "Oh. My. Celestia! Where in Equestria did you get this?!"

"Oh, a mare has her ways. I convinced them that we would need something light that can magically ballance the weight of EVERYpony, especially after Autumn... surprised me when she said how many of you were coming allong." Starburst smiled, opening the carrige door. "Buttt... we might still need two flyers to carry all of us effortlessly..."

"Me, me, me!" Whirlwind said, nearly skipping to the carrige's harness. "Oh, it's so perfect! That's real Cloudsdayle luxury!"

Grella laughed, flying to the other harness. "Oh, you ponies and your 'compfort' and 'luxury'. What matters is if it's FAST."

Zian was a bit surprised, and glanced to Mech. "Aren't you going to vollenter?"

"Oh.... no..." Mech said, yawning. "Might just lay down once we get inside. I' just took my medicine... that stuff always makes me a bit... drowsy. Might not be in best flying condition."

"Oh, well, okay..." Zian said.

Starburst stood there, smileing, the carrige door wide open. After several minutes of everypony just standing there, Dragonsblood spoke up. "I think she wants all of you to go inside..."

"Oh." Autumn blushed, trotting up the three steps to the inner core of the carrige. It didn't take her long to be hugged by a mysterious pink blur.

"Autumn! Oh my gosh, your really okay! Oh, I'm so sorry I invites you to that stupid party!"

Autumn opened her eyes and saw Rose smiling down, hugging her with full force. "Rose?"

Rose let go of her and smiled. "Yep, it's me! Come over here, sit by me! I want to hear everything that happened!"

Still a little dizzy, Autumn went to the very back and huddled herself in the corner, putting her saddlebag under her seat. "What happened to your mane... and tail?"

Rose nervously shriviled. Her mane, once long and straight, was cut a little shorter and tied off into a braid. Her mane and tail themselfs were lightened from their original silky redness to a lighter off pink, but not quite the pearly pastel pink of her coat. Rose giggled a little as she sat next to Autumn and ponies started coming in. "Oh, Primrose always had me dye my hair ever since I was a filly! Since we cant exactly go to the salon every other day now to use the cheap temperary stuff we always used, and I got to let it come back to it's natural color! And as for the style, well... I guess I wanted to start off freash in Ponyville."

Cherry trotted in and looked nervously around. Glanceing at the corner, she noticed Autumn and quickly gallouped over, sitting between her and Rose. "Wow!" She giggled, looking at Rose. "Your horn is so big! I bet yuo know alot of magic! Are you a wizerd?"

Rose blushed at the sudden apearence of a small child. "Well, no... Autumn, did you go out and have a filly in all the time you were gone?"

"Huh? No!" Autumn said. "She's... well it's a long story."

"Oh..." Rose smiled. "No, my magic isn't really stronger than any pony elses. I just know basic levatation and all that."

"Well..." Cherry sat back with her bag in her lap. "Do you know any other magic?"

"Well um..." She glanced away. "Nothing I can show in here anyway. I'll show you a few tricks in Ponyville, how about that... you...?"

"Oh!" She smiled. "My name is Cherry! I used to live in Hoofing Hills, my daddy ran the museum!"

Rose's eyes widened. "We have a museum?"

"Who's your friend there, Autumn?" Zian said, sitting across from her.

"Oh, well... this is my fillyhood friend, Tea Rose." Autumn said.

Zian smiled. "Please to meet you."

"Charmed, I'm sure."

Starburst closed the carrige door, firmly locking it so it wouldn't open mid-flight. "Okay, get compfy. It's gonna be at least a days flight." She laid down on a bench, folding in her wheels and sticking them under her, then strapping in. Autumn didn't even notice the seatbelts, but she doubted there were enough straps for everypony.

Outside, after struggling to adjest the harness for her size but finnally manageing it, Grella was ready to go when a bat pony guard rushed over. "Excuse me, but if it isn't to much to ask, one of my gaurds had left five days ago into the everfree forest in search of a commune of bat ponies. if you see her along the way, her name is Silver Star and should be wearing shiney silver armor."

"Oh, that little guard pony is in the Everfree forest? I'll be on the look out."

"Good. Tell her to abandon her mission and return here as soon as possible." He sighed. "Just follow the lead cart, They've made travels to Ponyville before and know the fastest, safest route."

Grella sighed. "Alright. I'll do that."

"You better be off then."

And with that, Grella and Whirlwind took off after the carriges already in flight, towards ponyville and an uncertain future.

The crackle of burning embers filled the air as Silver Star woke, her bed slammed to the wall as the floor rumbled. She looked around the little bedroom that she had grown aqqainted with as hers all her short life, part of the ceiling fell to the floor and a fire was creeping in from under her bedroom door. Dizzy and disoriented, Silver grabbed her blanket and her favorite night time stuffed animal and flew through the hole in the ceiling. She would go to the fire department, the police, somepony around here had to be able to help her house, she thought.

She was wrong.

With a full veiw of the town, she looked over the town scape in horror. The entire town had sunken through the ground, buildings crashing onto the floor and smashing like glass. There was nopony there to help. Everypony was probably dying before her eyes. The Hallowed Shades was dying.

Silver woke up with shallow breath. She couldn't remember where she had been, but she did realize one thing right away. "Where's my armor?!"

"Shhh, relax."

Silver bursted out of her bed and flew so hard her head hit the ceiling and she crashed right back down. She looked around and her eyes eventually focused on a nurse pony. "Where am I? Where did you put my armor?"

"Oh!" The nurse pony sniveled. "I'm Nurse Patch, and this is Paradise Estate."

Silver gave her a funny look. "Paradise Estate is just an old mare's tale, where am I really?"

"Our community is called Paradise Estate, miss. It is based off of the ledgend and the teachings of Lady Paradise. You flew into our sheild and hurt yourself, so try to stay calm." Patch said in a hushed, soothing voice. "Your armor is right there, but you may have no need for it out here. Lady Paradise keeps us safe, we have little need for guards."

"Who is this 'Lady Paradise' your going on about?"

Patch stumbled a bit. "Oh! Lady Paradise founded our safe haven long ago, however if you wish to speak with her she unfortunately is long dead. Her Decendent, our leader Lady Paradise, is always here for ponies in need, however!"

"Where is this unrecognized town located?"

Patch frowned a bit. "We make our settlement here in the Everfree, the families here have lived here for generations. Unfortunately a plague brought on by some wicked creature is harming us, but Lady Paradise assured us that we are safe."

Silver Star stood up. "Your a bat pony... have you seen a bat pony named Cotten Candy? She's pink, and may have some here recently with a unicorn and a group of other bat ponies..."

"Miss Cotten? Why yes! Lady Paradise has saved her from that wicked place, she helps with tending to the farms! The harvest festival is coming up soon, so we are making ourselves ready to bring in the winter! She should be busy right now, but once your dressed I could take you to her."

"Dressed?"

Patch flew over to a small closet in the hospital room. "It is disrespectful not to wear traditional clothing in the presence of Lady Paradise. Even if you do not wish to stay, an appropriate outfit is customary." She gave Silver a long yellow shirt with some kind of faulse pancho over the collar. "It might seem silly at first, but this is just what it is we do here. I imagine you wouldn't wish to be rude."

Although still having a hard time processing it, she did notice even Patch was wearing something simmilar, but a bit more uniform. Just playing along for the moment, Silver slipped the shirt on and poked her wings out of it. "My name is Lunar Guardspony Silver Star. I have been sent by the ponies of Fort Stone Hooved to ensure that the ponies here are safe and to do an overall inspection."

"Sounds wonderful, but I can sure say that everypony here is happy, Lady Paradise cares for all of us!" Patch smiled, fluttering to the door. "Infact, I'm sure that Lady Paradise would just love to meet you first to disscuss some things. Would you please follow me?"

Author's Note

Oh, yay, another unedited chapter. Sorry, I haven't had the chance to go to the library and edit, so please try to bare with me until I can get it done.