The Stink Bug

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 6

Chapter 2

When Twilight turned around to head back to Ponyville, she noticed something had changed while she had been busy talking. The path the bug had taken had been altered. Green grass was starting to turn blue and the soil had gotten muddier. Weeds in varying shades of purple, red, and yellow were beginning to grow at an accelerated rate.

“That’s new,” Applejack remarked.

“See anything familiar?” Twilight asked.

“Sandbur and thistle. Watch your step. Do you think that weevil did this?”

“I’ll check. Hang on.”

Applejack grinned. “To what?”

Twilight shook her head. “Oh, you.”

Twilight directed a diagnostic spell at the ground, studying the nature of the magic that had been scattered across it. The magic that the bug carried was potent and served a single purpose, which was the creation of a specific type of environment. It did not require any upkeep and would remain active without drawing any additional energy from the caster for an amount of time that Twilight could not immediately determine. The magic could move a few hoofs from the spot it had been laid on. Some of the magic was also in the air around them, which explained the sudden increase in humidity.

A hint of concern crept into Applejack’s voice. “Is this somethin’ you can fix with magic?”

Twilight could tell that she was worried about her farm. “Yes. This isn’t permanent. I want to have a closer look at that beetle before we go back to the castle. There are a few things that I need to be sure of.”

They changed their pace to a gallop, avoiding the path the bug had taken to evade stickers. Twilight cast the barrier spell she had used earlier. Some of the smell had clung to her coat and managed to find its way into her bubble. She endured it. All the ponies who had been lying unconscious in the streets earlier had regained their senses while Twilight had been gone and had managed to get away. To see the town empty so early in the morning was unsettling. The birds that usually hung out around town had cleared out way ahead of the ponies. Twilight only heard herself and Applejack as she made her way forward.

Unusual plants were springing up around where the bug had sequestered itself. Turquoise vines with strange orange flowers were beginning to overtake the exterior of the library. The nearby houses hadn’t fared any better. Thatch roofs were covered in pink moss.

Twilight came to a stop within twenty hoofs of the bug, which remained motionless. She could not tell if she was approaching it from the front or back. Clear ooze continued running down the pores on the shell. There was no end to it. Twilight crept closer to the bug, hoping she would not agitate it. The shell teetered for a moment, bringing her to a full stop.

“Be careful,” Applejack said.

“It’s okay,” Twilight said. “It’s just scared.”

Twilight cast the spell she had in mind. Her aura hugged the body of the beetle and she was given basic understanding of her target, which came with an immediate surprise. “She’s scared.”

Mud erupted from the ground, coming right at her. Twilight dodged, avoiding all but a few stray specs of the wave that had been thrown at her. The front of the bug was now visible. Eight red eyes looked down at her as the bug roared in fury, emitting a noise that reminded Twilight of a cicada.

“She isn’t scared anymore!” Applejack said. “She’s madder than a wet hornet!”

A sucking sound came from its mouth. Twilight knew what it was doing. And she was too late. Green fluid shot from its mouth and hit Twilight square in her muzzle. Twilight’s head snapped back at the force of the impact and the rest of her body followed. She tumbled twice in the warm mud before coming to a stop. The force of the blow had taken her concentration along with it, but she was far more concerned with the mucus hardening on her face. Twilight pulled the goo off before it could suffocate her, yanking out tufts of the hair around her muzzle. Having exhaled the moment she had been struck, her lungs were now petitioning her to take a nice, deep breath. Twilight could not stop herself. It was only a little one and she cut it short the second she realized she was doing it, but the damage had already been done.

It had been bad before. Twilight had not imagined it could get any worse. She had never been so ignorant.

She looked up at the sky and gasped, trying to get in air through her mouth so she could avoid smelling it. She could taste it. Her back molars tried to jump out of her mouth. Tears streamed down her face. She was on the verge of fainting, but to do so would not be acceptable. Celestia wouldn’t be brought down by the bug and neither would she. Twilight stumbled away from the bug as it continued shrieking. She tried to retreat to the safety of her bubble, but the glue on her face smelled like Spike’s breath after he had gone a week without brushing his tongue, which had ended when Twilight had told him Rarity would never kiss him if she could taste what he had eaten for breakfast three days ago. A quick spell wiped every bit of it off her body.

Applejack was suddenly at her side since it was safer to breathe right next to her. “Holy moly. You could knock a full-grown dragon over if you threw that thing at it.”

“We’re going to need to take that bug back with us,” Twilight said. “It’s an indispensable part of the ecosystem of the swamp.”

“Say what, now?”

“That bug is naturally enchanted with earth magic. It’s a little like what earth ponies have, only it’s much more amped up. If we don’t return it, the swamp will perish once the magic wears off.”

“I’m sure there’s more than one of them, Twi.”

“Can you till a field all by yourself?”

“Ah, I see what you’re sayin’. We’re going to need a lot of scented candles for this trip. By the way, can you give me back my own bubble?”

Twilight conjured Applejack’s apple scented bubble back into existence. Behind her, Big Mac and Spike seemed to materialize in the distance. Twilight rubbed the tears out of her eyes and confirmed that they were heading towards them. Big Mac was carrying a saddlebag bulging with disposable respirators. Spike already had two of them in his hands, which he displayed by waving them around in the air. Twilight accepted hers and lowered her bubble. The respirator did not completely filter the odor, but it helped and would allow her to save her energy. Applejack took the other one and Twilight stopped maintaining her shield.

Twilight gave Spike a brief nuzzle. “Thanks for coming back.”

His chest swelled a little with pride. “No problem. I’m glad we found you. We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Sorry.” Twilight adjusted her mask to make sure the filter was perfectly centered. “We were outside the town for a few minutes. Have you been leading ponies back to the castle?”

“Yup. The main hall is packed. It’s easier to breath in there than it is outside.”

“I need you to get a letter to Princess Celestia immediately. Do you have a scroll and a quill with you?”

Spike reached behind his back. Twilight held her breath in anticipation. A touch of concern crossed Spike’s face. Spike didn’t bother trying to hide his failure and showed her his empty claws.

“I guess I need to brush up on that trick since I haven’t had to do it for a while,” Spike said.

“It’s fine. We’ll stop by the print shop. Climb up on my back, I’ll carry you.”

Spike did as he was told. Twilight turned to address Big Mac, but he had already gone down the road in search of survivors. Twilight nodded in approval. He would make a great adventurer. Twilight would have to ask him about it some time. She took off towards the print shop with Spike clinging to her back and Applejack a step behind. She could feel Spike’s heart beating fast against her back as they neared their destination.

Once they were inside the shop, Spike dismounted. The front of the store was a bit of a mess as several customers had dropped what they were doing to get to a spot where they could breathe without throwing up. Twilight and Spike went further into the store while Applejack stayed behind to watch the entrance. They wandered over to the section selling stationary, a spot they were so familiar with that they would dream about it often, sometimes together in the same evening if Luna was particularly bored.

Spike pointed at the various designs on display and let his claw wander in the air. “Which one of these do you think really captures the essence of Ponyville being in danger?”

“It doesn’t matter, just pick one.”

Spike grabbed a sheet of paper with a crimson back. The front had a white face with a red border that matched the back. The seal was white with a red ribbon.

Twilight winced at the thought of sending something so ugly to Celestia. “Why did you pick that one?”

“It’ll really grab her attention,” Spike replied.

“Any letter I send will grab her attention. Get that soft, white one there with the red seal and the golden ribbon.”

“Okay, but I think it lacks a certain sense of urgency.” Spike added the piece of paper Twilight wanted to his inventory.

Before they had a brief debate on what pen should be used, Twilight picked a ballpoint pen loaded with black ink and gave it to Spike. She went behind the counter and found the store ledger under the cash register next to a notepad. She made a brief note of the transaction and instructed the owner to send her the bill. Twilight placed the note under the tray inside the register and shut the drawer tight.

Spike jumped up on the counter and held his pen an inch above the paper, mentally preparing his wrist to write straight without the help of lines. “Ready when you are.”

“Urgent. Immediate action required. An unexpected guest has arrived in Ponyville due to the misuse of magic. This visitor likely came from the swamp mentioned in the twenty sixth chapter of Beyond Equestria. It is a beetle bestowed with earth magic that has altered Ponyville’s environment. We’re going to need a ship to carry that bug across the ocean back to where it came from. We will probably need some members of the royal guard to go along with us since we will be visiting a continent outside of Equestria and searching for the pony responsible for this disaster. I’ll need at least three royal unicorn mages to take shifts keeping a barrier in place over the bug so the crew doesn’t jump ship to get away from the smell. They will also need to suppress the magic of the creature so that vegetation can’t overtake the vessel. Please meet me at the Castle of Friendship so we can continue planning this expedition. Are you making this sound professional?”

Spike stopped writing and began reading from the top of the page. “Princess Twilight Sparkle hereby formally requests the use of a fully crewed ship for the urgent purpose of ---”

Twilight held up a hoof to stop him. “Great work, as usual, Spike.”

“Do you really have to go through all that trouble?” Applejack asked. “Can’t you just teleport the creature back to where it came from once you find out where its home is?”

Twilight almost laughed at her. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but you do know how it works, right?”

“Maybe. Tell me anyway.”

“Alright. If you’re teleporting just yourself, that requires a lot less energy than if you are carrying passengers. I don’t know how many miles it is from here to that swamp, but I’m sure it exceeds the record for a single unicorn carrying one passenger. There are several reasons why teleportation is not a feasible means of traveling great distances. The main one is if a unicorn exceeds their own unique level of magical energy, they are going to severally hurt themselves and the spell might result in a miscast. When we apprehend the unicorn responsible for this mishap, I will be very interested in seeing their formula, because they had to have significantly upgraded the spell to do what they have done unless this was the result of a miscast since a miscast can still result in the desired effect at great cost to the unicorn.”

“Shucks howdy.”

“Indeed. Any questions?”

“Only one. When you say at great cost, do you mean what I think you mean?”

Twilight didn’t even want to consider that possibility. “I do.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, I sure do hope that ain’t the case.”

Spike finished the letter. He rolled it up, sealed it, and wrapped the golden tassel around the tube just the way Twilight liked, which had taken some practice to get right. After the usual burst of fire from his mouth, it was on its way to Celestia.

“All finished,” Spike said.

“Good. I’ll carry you again, so get on.”

A glint appeared in his eyes. Spike did a back-flip and landed squarely on Twilight’s back. Her spine popped, but it didn’t hurt enough to complain. She wasn’t impressed.

“Five outta ten,” Applejack said.

“I’m glad that’s out of your system,” Twilight said.

“Me too,” Spike replied.

Their next destination was the Castle of Friendship. From a distance, they could see Pinkie Pie had organized a game of Bingo on the front lawn of the castle to keep the displaced citizens occupied. Some of them weren’t wearing masks, which Twilight took as an indication that it was safe to breath around the castle. Twilight removed the mask hugging her muzzle and became thankful the wind was blowing south. Spike took her mask, Applejack’s, and his own and held on to them.

Waves and smiles were exchanged as they passed through the crowd. Some ponies cheered and whistled at the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. She could not have asked for better subjects. One front door had been left propped open to appear inviting. As Spike had mentioned, the main hall was full of visitors. Food had been brought out and some of them were receiving treatment for minor injuries. A murmur was in the air as the voices of those grateful to have gotten away from work for a little while mixed with other ponies who were wondering if Ponyville could ever hope to go a full month without seeing any excitement.

The pleasant aroma of wood burning in a fireplace accompanied by the distinct scent of a pine tree filled the area. Twilight recognized the scent. The Hearth’s Warming Eve candles she had hoarded were set up at specific intervals throughout the main hall.

Rarity stepped out from the talkative crowd. She was looking lovely, which was par for the course, but her mane was slightly out of place thanks to the humidity. “Am I ever glad to see you three. I trust some of us are in for another adventure?”

“That’s probably a safe bet,” Twilight replied.

“Fabulous. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are waiting to speak with you in the map room. By the way, I know the candles I have used were limited editions. I have some of them myself. I’ll give you the number I have used out of my own collection later this week.”

“Thanks.”

“Think nothing of it. If you need me, I’ll be out here socializing and keeping spirits high.”

Rarity left and effortlessly slid into a conversation a group of ponies were having. They were trying to figure out at what point a beloved long running franchise became a parody of itself.

“Spike, could you pull the fifth edition of Beyond Equestria and have it open to the twenty sixth chapter for me?” Twilight asked.

“No,” Spike said defiantly as he began heading towards the library.

Twilight decided to play along. “I thought we were friends.”

“Shows how much you know, nerd.”

Twilight smirked and shook her head. Finished with the dramatic exchange, she made her way to the map room with Applejack. DJ-Pon 3 was standing outside the door to the map room and held it open for her and Applejack. Respectful nods were exchanged. Pon 3 shut the door after them.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were at their respective seats, ready for the meeting.

“Hey, girls,” Twilight said as she made her way to her seat.

Dash muttered an intelligible reply. She had one hoof on the table and another underneath her chin while a cloud of disappointment hung above her. “I think you’ve got a message waiting for you.”

When Twilight took her seat, she noticed an impression of her hoof had appeared on the map. It was blinking and urging her with a bouncing arrow to slide the symbol to the right. Twilight put her hoof on the map and pulled the symbol in the direction it had requested, not knowing what to expect. A red circle appeared over Ponyville. Red hyphens began forming on top of the map. They were an inch apart and marked a path stretching far to the southwest region of Equestria. It began crossing the ocean. Upon approaching the edge of the magical hologram, the map zoomed out and revealed the tip of a continent that had yet to earn an official name. Twilight knew this was coming, but could not stifle a small gasp now that it had happened. She would really be leaving Equestria.

Another red circle appeared over a spot Twilight guessed was around thirty miles from the coast. It was going to be quite a walk, but Twilight wasn’t deterred. Mohu, the home of the Salamanders, appeared above the circle. The map adjusted itself to center the path it was currently displaying, sending the rest of the world into shadow. Geological coordinates appeared beneath Twilight. They were easy enough for her to memorize on the spot.

“Where are our Cutie Marks?” Fluttershy asked. “Don’t they usually appear by now?”

“This must not be a friendship problem,” Twilight replied. “I guess I’m free to pick whoever I want to go along with me on this one.”

“Don’t even ask me if I can help,” Dash said. “I’ve got to be in Canterlot early tomorrow morning. Some kids stuck in the magical therapy ward at the Hope hospital wanna meet a real life Wonderbolt and I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”

Twilight couldn’t dream of asking her to cancel her appointment. “There’s always next time. That’s not what has you so upset, is it?”

“What? No way.” Dash sighed and lowered her head. “I was the first one to see that thing and I flew away from it before I could think of helping.”

Applejack waved dismissively. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Dash. If you had figured it posed a real threat, I think you would have reacted differently.”

Dash fell forward on the table, scraping her hoofs across its surface. “Yeah, well, if they write a book about this I don’t wanna go down as the pony who flew away like a huge coward.”

Twilight chuckled. “Is that all? That is the last thing you would ever go down as in a book. Trust me.”

Dash straightened up, her confidence restored.

“Could you tell me what happened?” Twilight asked.

“Sure,” Dash replied. “I was doing some cloud maintenance in the meadow right before I was supposed to meet you at the library. I was really getting into it since this cloud was in sore need of attention. All of a sudden there was this popping noise. Like when you take a needle to a balloon. Just pow!” Dash hit her front hoofs together. “Like that. I looked down and saw that a section of the meadow I see nearly every day had miraculously become completely different. I also caught a glimpse of who I’m sure is destined to become our new best friend.” Dash sighed and grimaced. “And then the smell hit me. I shoved my face into the cloud I was fixing to try and get away from it. A bolt of lightning came out of the cloud and struck the ground next to the bug. That caused it to freak out and it started heading right for Ponyville. I tried my best to stop it, but I couldn’t get very close without dry heaving. That’s when I decided to fly through town and try to warn everyone.”

Dash’s story was about what Twilight had expected it would be. Her attention turned to Fluttershy. While animals were her main forte, she had displayed some command over spiders and other insects in the past, which stamped her passport so hard the ink bled through two pages.

“What do you think, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“That poor bug is probably really scared,” Fluttershy said. “I’ll come along and keep it company.”

“I’ll take care of your buddies when I get back while you’re away,” Dash said.

“That would be fine.” Fluttershy swallowed hard. “Umm, I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining or whining, but I’ve been wondering something.”

“Go ahead and ask,” Applejack said. “What’s on your mind?”

“Do you girls ever think that we naturally attract events like this?” Fluttershy asked.

Having had the same thought in the middle of the night on more than one evening, Twilight had an immediate answer for her. “If we do, it is a good thing all of us are here to deal with them together because it isn’t something we can change.”

Fluttershy nodded, satisfied with the reply.

“So, off the top of your head, why do you think that bug smells so bad?” Dash asked.

“It probably feels threatened,” Fluttershy replied. “The odor must ward off predators where it’s from.”

Excited murmuring drifted in from the hallway outside of the map room and diverted their attention to the door. The noise dropped off as quickly as it had begun. A moment later, the door opened. To no one’s surprise, Celestia and Luna had arrived from Canterlot as quickly as a combination of their wings and magic had allowed. Pon 3, who had removed her headphones at the sight of the two princesses, closed the door behind them after they stepped inside. The two princesses came to a stop a few hoofs from the table.

“Good afternoon, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said. “You have my condolences. It is a shame that the opening of your library has been interrupted by such an odd problem.”

“Your requests have been granted,” Luna said in a manner that left no doubt that the two sisters had rehearsed who was going to say what before they arrived. “However, there are a few things we should discuss before you leave.”

“Of course.” Twilight was glad she managed to stop herself from stammering. “By all means.”

“We would say pull up a chair,” Applejack said. “but the spare thrones we have on order from the Crystal Empire haven’t gotten done yet and Rarity would have a stroke if she knew there were aluminum foldin’ chairs anywhere in this castle. You’re welcome to what’s open, though.”

Celestia managed to keep herself from laughing for the sake of Rarity’s dignity, but Luna snorted and followed it up with an expression daring anyone to question if she had just lost her composure.

“We’re fine,” Celestia said. “Thank you.”

A section of the floor popped open. Pinkie Pie was beneath it, wearing a hat that was at least fifty pounds as if it were made of hay. She extended an arm to Luna and in the hoof of the limb she held a large thermos.

“Coffee?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Certainly.” Luna accepted the thermos and began drinking from it. She kept it levitated in front of her.

Pinkie Pie vanished beneath the floor faster than the slab could fall. When it finally did collapse back into place, it did so with an audible grind that stabbed Twilight’s ears in the same manner metal scraping against metal did. No evidence that what had just happened could be accessible to any of them except Pinkie had been left behind.

“I’m afraid the details of this conversation are to remain a secret,” Luna said. “We have full faith in your discretion.”

Twilight’s horn lit up. A bolt clicked as she locked the door to the room. Only Pinkie Pie would be able to barge in unexpectedly.

“Our records indicate that no unicorns who have chosen to leave Equestria currently reside on the continent you will be visiting since the land is not considered tame,” Celestia said.

There were plenty of places still left in the world that did not enjoy the order Equestria did. Beasts, wraiths, and dangerous remnants of whatever had come before their age were topics that were saved for stormy summer nights.

Twilight could not think of one of them that could send a chill down her spine quite like the question she had to ask. “Does that mean the Salamanders have magic?”

“Perhaps,” Celestia replied. “You will be the first to know.”

Luna stepped forward and placed her thermos on the table “There is another possibility. The number we have for those who have decided to expatriate only includes those who followed the rules and let us know they were leaving. I am sure you can deduce what a unicorn desperate enough to completely disappear from Equestria without leaving a trace usually has on their mind.”

“Dark magic,” Twilight said.

“Precisely.”

Having seen a sample of the work of the unicorn she would be confronting, Twilight could not take the potential encounter very seriously. “I can assure you whoever cast that spell is a few years behind on their meditation and concentration exercises. They’re not going to get very far.”

Luna scoffed. “I would not be so quick to underestimate a hapless dunce with little regard for their own safety as they are usually always more dangerous than a regular idiot. Renegade unicorns know what awaits them if they are captured and the Salamanders might not be willing to listen to us if they have just discovered magic.”

“Do the Salamanders not like us?” Fluttershy asked.

Luna shook her head. “We have tried to set up a relationship with them for quite some time, but our efforts have not been successful. Every five years, my sister has taken it upon herself to venture into their land and see if they have changed their minds and each time they have chased her away. If they have magic, they no longer possess the luxury of having a choice. If they wish to keep it, they will need to accept our guidance. We do not need a bunch of stubborn, incompetent novices sending their problems our way or accidentally destroying themselves in a manner that renders their land completely uninhabitable for a few centuries.”

“What about the language barrier?” Applejack asked.

“I’m glad you asked,” Luna replied.

Luna’s horn lit up. A crimson scroll materialized in front of her. It flew gently across the table and landed in front of Twilight, who accepted the scroll and unrolled it. A matching border was on the front of the piece of paper. White was where the actual writing was to be done. Spike and Luna needed to hang out more often.

The spell Luna had given Twilight was high level. Sound had to be changed into recognizable words on the fly. It was an active spell, which meant it lingered for a few hours until it had to be refreshed. Essentially a high-level enchantment, it would not draw any additional energy from the caster after it had been invoked, but the cost to use the spell made an interpreter more practical in situations where one was available. The spell had been meant for one pony and one target, but the usual trick to getting it to work on multiple targets did not render the spell impotent.

An important note had been left at the bottom of the page. Since the spell worked by converting sound after it had left the mouth, their lips would not synchronize while they were talking, which would make them look a little funny. Twilight’s face scrunched up. She didn’t like that and she was certain she could tweak the spell to eliminate the problem. The targeted area was in front of the mouth. It seemed feasible to pad the entire thing with a haste spell to speed the whole process up. If it backfired, they would sound like they had inhaled helium and drool all over the place uncontrollably. The benefits outweighed the risks.

“Have you finished memorizing the spell?” Luna asked.

“I sure have,” Twilight replied.

A blue aura surrounded the red paper as Luna took control of it. She guided it away from Twilight and into the air. A brief burst of fire reduced it to ashes.

Twilight could hardly believe what she had just seen. Burning knowledge was more disgusting than grazing raw grass. “Why did you do that?”

Luna did not leave her in distress for too long. “In response to Starlight Glimmer’s temper tantrum, it is time for us to reconsider what spells we can allow to be commonly known. That formula is one such spell. We would prefer you keep it to yourself.”

“Isn’t that. . .” Twilight’s lips tingled as she worked out the word. “Censorship?”

Celestia nodded. “I understand how you feel, Twilight, but a certain degree of it is always necessary.”

“Especially if it means more stability, which we have been sorely lacking lately, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Luna added.

Dash scoffed. “If someone blew the lid off this the only ponies who would get upset about it would be the same ponies who go around telling everyone to put tinfoil on their hoofs to soak up the residue left behind on the ground by magic to keep from getting sick and nobody listens to them anyway.”

“That’s not true, is it?” Fluttershy asked, looking at Celestia. “I mean, since we’re talking about it. I always wondered.”

“It’s been proven to be false for years,” Celestia replied. “It’s just an ugly myth.”

“The only reason you still hear about it is because there are dishonest ponies out there who are looking to sell you useless garbage at an exorbitant price to alleviate your ignorance,” Luna said.

“And that’s the truth? This isn’t a secret you have to keep?”

“I give you my word,” Celestia replied.

“That’s a relief.”

“Who told you that?” Applejack asked. “Does his name start and end with a D?”

Fluttershy started fiddling with her front hoofs. “It might.”

“He should get bucked for that,” Applejack said.

Twilight brought order back to their conversation. “How soon can we leave?”

Celestia and Luna looked at each and smiled. The gleam in their eyes was intriguing. They were sharing a secret.

Luna was still smiling when she looked at Twilight. “You will be able to leave in ninety minutes.”

That seemed a bit short to Twilight, but she didn’t argue.

“Did you two already take care of all the packing?” Fluttershy asked.

Luna nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“Twilight, it might not hurt to use this time to review the relevant chapter in Beyond Equestria with the companions you have chosen for this voyage,” Celestia said. “You should also pull any books you might like to read while you’re on the trip. My sister and I will be by the new library. Meet us there early. We were planning to take some samples of the vegetation for study before we repaired the area. Would you like to help us, Rainbow Dash?”

Dash was by Celestia’s side with a fast, blurry maneuver typically reserved for Pinkie Pie.

“I believe that’s a yes,” Luna said.

Applejack prepared to get out of her seat. “Is this meeting adjourned?”

Celestia gave her a nod.

“Since we’re all headed out, let’s walk out together,” Dash suggested. “They’ll love that.”

“I hope nobody takes any photos,” Fluttershy said. “My eyes always turn out red in them.”

Luna chugged the rest of her drink. Twilight couldn’t blame her. Pinkie’s espressos were the stuff of legend. Luna sent the thermos to the kitchen while Twilight left her seat and unlocked the door. When they were ready to depart, Twilight opened the door. As expected, the citizens of Ponyville were delighted to see their heroines and their leaders ready for work. Celestia parted with her company towards the front door while Twilight led her team towards the library. More displaced ponies lingered in the hallways, making the place as lively as it usually was during parties and formal events.

“The book we will be reviewing today was written before there were cameras, which drove Grizzle to take up drawing in addition to writing,” Twilight said. “There are a few nice illustrations of what we can expect.”

“This book sounds a little old.” Applejack paused for a moment to smile at two colts looking up at her with a stupefied expression.

The parents of the colts wore the same look. Twilight had seen it before. It revealed what they were. Tourists. They couldn’t have arrived at a better time since they were working on saving Ponyville again. A unicorn with hope clouding up his eyes levitated a pen and a piece of paper in front of Twilight suggestively.

Twilight gave him the autograph he desired without a second thought. “It is, but given what Princess Celestia has told us, they haven’t changed much.”

A pegasus mare and an earth stallion collaborated with a unicorn mare to get a picture of themselves in extravagant poses as Fluttershy walked by. She offered a smile with sad eyes that would undoubtedly come out red when the picture was processed.

“Would you like one with all three of us?” Fluttershy asked.

Their squeals served as an answer. Twilight grabbed the camera with her aura and every tourist they had encountered gathered around them for a group photo. She took three pictures to ensure that at least one would look good in a frame. That was more than enough to satisfy all of them. Twilight returned the camera to its owner and kept walking with her friends in tow.

The mesmerized tourists were kind enough to stop following them once the door to the library was closed. And locked.

“By the way, are you ever goin’ to staff this castle with some guards?” Applejack asked. “You know. Just in case some dastardly villain gets lucky and manages to catch you when you aren’t lookin’ like when Chrysalis punted Celestia?”

“That’s scheduled for next month.”

Spike had prepared the book Twilight had requested at the center of her reading area with a pen and a notebook. He had also taken the time to snag some strawberry fig rolls from the kitchen and had even made them each a cup of tea, which was flavored with jasmine judging by the sweet aroma.

While Fluttershy and Applejack sat down on the same sofa together and enjoyed the snacks, Twilight sat on a different sofa at the head of the group and held the book in front of her with levitation. Grizzle’s section on the swamp covered ten pages. Twilight’s eyes flew across the words, cutting out the chaff and highlighting the relevant bits most likely to appear on an exam. She didn’t find anything to add to their discussion until she reached the part containing Grizzle’s illustrations, which had been printed on photo paper and touched up for the edition she was reviewing. A drawing of a male Salamander greeted her.

The Salamander was a bipedal creature with a stocky build. Muscles were prominent due to their lifestyle, but not overly pronounced. Their snouts were short and sharply defined, giving their face a naturally fierce expression. A beautiful pattern of colors adorned the sleek black skin of the reptile. According to the note at the bottom of the page, the patterns and colors were random. Most of their torso was a muddy brown color. Much like ponies, they were above wearing clothing. Four fingers adorned their hands and just as many toes were on their feet. They had short, stubby tails. A random mare was drawn next to the Salamander for a comparison in size. The Salamander was larger, but not by too much.

A drawing of a female Salamander was on the accompanying page. They were smaller and less muscular, but bore the same glare their men had been given.

“Here we are.” Twilight held the book open and displayed it in front of her friends so they could get a good look at it.

“They look tough,” Applejack said.

“They have to be,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight took the book back and carefully flipped to the next page. Even with the aid of magic, books that mixed photo paper with regular paper tended to crease easily. There were few things Twilight thought less of than books with damaged spines that always wanted to open to the part where they had been wounded, which typically occurred in the least interesting section.

The next image was a drawing of what Grizzle had managed to see of their village. Their cabins were made of wood and constructed above the wet ground. The structures were simple and lacked variety. What differentiated them was the arrangement of flowers on each house. The Salamanders had an affinity for gardening. Seeds from flowers deep inside the swamp had been harvested and made to grow in the village. There was no shortage of variety. They also held trees in high regard.

“It looks like they use flowers to cover up the natural odor of their environment.” Twilight had paraphrased a bit of what she had read earlier as she held up the picture again. “I wonder how they got that idea?” She had to smile slightly at her own wit.

Applejack and Fluttershy were visibly intrigued now that they both had something in common with the Salamanders.

“Those look like azaleas,” Fluttershy said, pointing at the picture.

“In clay?” Applejack asked.

“Their plants have to be tough, too,” Fluttershy concluded. “I hope they will let us bring some home with us.”

Applejack nodded. “Maybe we’ll catch them in a good mood this time,”

Twilight took the book back and flipped to the last illustration. She was met with an image of a male Salamander wielding a spear, ready to fight. To his left was a female Salamander in the process of notching an arrow to the bow she held. A female child was also on the page. She held a ball of muck that one of the attached notes said was made from mud mixed with a powerful irritant. It went on to state that every Salamander had exceptionally good aim and that their pitch carried a lasting impression.

She showed her companions the illustration. “I’m sure they’re not entirely above reason.”

The chapter ended after the picture of the child carrying the ball.

Twilight closed the book and placed it where Spike had set it. “I guess that’s all we can learn without going there ourselves. You girls are dismissed for now.”

“I think I’ll stay here and have you help me get some books for the trip,” Applejack said.

Twilight was overjoyed to hear that. Applejack spent a great deal of her spare time filling it up with more work, so Twilight had a long list of potential titles she wanted Applejack to have a look at. “You’ve come to the right mare, Applejack,” Twilight said.

“I know. Just about everything you recommend is a good read.”

“Are you going to stay, too, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll have you pick out some books for me, as well, if you don’t mind.”

“What? No way! I’d be thrilled to help you.”

A flurry of titles ran through Twilight’s head. She knew their tastes well. Applejack usually stayed at least fifty years in the past surrounded by classics when she wasn’t busy checking out biographies or the latest bestseller while Fluttershy always enjoyed a good mystery. However, there was one genre they could all agree on.

A smile of a different nature crossed Twilight’s lips. “I think I might have just the book for both of you.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow, rising to the challenge in Twilight’s voice. “You think so?”

“Have either of you read Forty-Two Variations of Silver yet?”

Chapter 3

Equipped with the respirator Spike had given her, Twilight left the castle and made her way to the new library with Applejack and Fluttershy. The odor hadn’t gotten any less offensive in her absence and their guest had made quite a home for herself. Nature had successfully overtaken the entire section of the village it resided in. Vines and moss thrived off the wooden structures. Weeds, tall grass, odd flowers, and brambles had appeared. The humidity and dew point were still working together against anybody who wasn’t crazy for swamp life. A lot of magic would be needed to fix the mess.

Despite the adverse conditions, activity in the streets had almost returned to normal. Some ponies were wandering into the mess to check on their homes and fetch any objects of value they couldn’t afford to lose. A few birds had returned and were watching the drama unfold from the rooftops in the company of squirrels and a few butterflies.

Celestia and Luna were standing in bubbles of their own creation, unwilling to wear masks. Twilight created three for herself and her companions to follow their example and teleported their respirators out of the way. She noticed a glowing blue line on the ground. It had stopped the spread of the insect’s influence. Judging by the color of the aura, Luna had been responsible for it.

“You’re right on time, Twilight,” Celestia said. “I trust you’re ready to leave?”

“Yes, but I left some of my stuff at the castle in the foyer with Spike because I didn’t want any of it to get damaged by the atmosphere our sightseer has brought with her. It won’t take long to retrieve our things once we know what method of transportation we’re taking to get where we’re going.”

“That’s fine,” Celestia said.

Something collided with Twilight from above. Fluttershy and Applejack gasped as she was pulled into the air. Twilight had the mental image of a hawk snatching a lazy bullfrog from its Lilly pad while it was wondering how many mosquitoes it could eat in an hour. She was carried up into the air and looked down to see two familiar blue hoofs wrapped around her chest.

Twilight struggled to get comfortable. “Rainbow? What are you doing?”

“Are you ready? Because I don’t think you’re ready,” Dash replied, full of excitement. She could barely keep her voice steady.

“Ready for what?”

“Oh, you’ll see. Start flying and follow me.”

Dash tossed her forward into the air. Twilight spread her wings and began working them while her hoofs instinctively tried to find the ground they had never tired of seeing. She quickly found her balance within the air and followed Dash for a few miles until an odd vessel came into view. Twilight felt her wings stop working. She coasted forward for a moment as her brain desperately tried to process what she was seeing until she suddenly started falling to the ground. After conquering her momentary confusion, Twilight was back in the air again trying to stay afloat on numb wings.

It was a full-length ship. Flying through the sky. Effortlessly. Without a blimp. Without helium.

Dash flew a few circles around Twilight. “Is this even real life?” She came to an abrupt stop and put both of her hoofs against her cheeks. “How fast do you think it goes?!”

A sense of wonder that Twilight had not felt since she was a foal entered her heart. It was almost powerful enough to keep her afloat without the aid of her wings. She didn’t care that she could not immediately pin how the airship worked. She just was thrilled it was possible.

The ship had been constructed out of wood and the strength of the craftsmanship came out in its overall design. It could fly through the worst storm Twilight could imagine with ease. White paint covered the exterior. Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark was emblazoned on the stern, leaving no doubt as to who the airship belonged to. The deck was completely flat, like a runway. It would be easy for pegasus ponies to land and take off from it. A single mast near the stern displayed the flag of Equestria proudly. Next to the mast was a compartment leading down into the ship. No helm was visible. A large window had been placed at the front of the ship beneath the deck. The captain was likely in there, just like a conductor would be at the front of their train looking ahead at the tracks in front of them.

“This is. . .” Twilight didn’t bother finishing the sentence.

Beautiful? Unbelievable? Historic? Her commentary was unnecessary. The vessel spoke for itself, as much a character as the princess it had been made for.

Twilight watched as an earth stallion with a cinnamon coat and a jet-black mane with specs of white mixed in wandered out onto the deck. He gave them a friendly wave. The stallion was in full armor and bore five silver stars arranged in a circle on his chest plate. Only the General of the Army was given five stars, but it wasn’t him. It was the stallion who had come before him known as Onyx Adamite. Not one for galas or parties, Twilight had never met him and knew very little about him. He was supposed to be retired and enjoying the rewards for his years of service under Celestia and Luna, who likely had something to do with reinstating him for the mission ahead of them.

Dash flew in closer and hailed the general. “Rainbow Dash requests permission to come aboard!”

Onyx shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

Dash did a short spin. “Awesome!”

After coming in for a smooth landing on the deck, Dash joined Onyx and started to make the most out of her limited time aboard the ship. Twilight let her be and flew back to Celestia and Luna. The appearance of the airship had drawn everyone out into the open. Ditzy Doo flew past her followed by several other pegasus ponies and a few of the more magically inclined unicorns who were particularly adept at levitation. All of them were eager for a closer look while earth ponies stood on the rooftops with the birds she had noticed earlier. Anyone who owned a camera had it out and those who didn’t were out of luck since the only shop that sold them was currently on the bad side of town.

Luna and Celestia were both beaming with pride by the time Twilight landed in front of them. They had every right to. An airship free of a helium blimp would revolutionize travel, trade, and defense. Applejack and Fluttershy were as transfixed as Twilight had been. She joined them in watching the airship come to rest above the library.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Luna asked. “It gives us great pleasure to present, albeit a bit early, the Eclipse.”

Since the initial jolt of excitement had started to wane, Twilight needed answers. “How does she fly?”

Celestia chuckled a little at Twilight’s eagerness. “The airship has been bound to a crystal capable of holding a magical charge.”

“So, it’s basically enchanted wood?”

“Yes, but I think it would be appropriate to give it a little more credit than that.”

A tinge of dread entered Twilight’s heart as she started wondering if she had upset Celestia. She had to get rid of it immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”

“I know you didn’t,” Celestia said, easing Twilight’s paranoia.

“What spell keeps it in the sky?”

Luna scoffed. “There is no way you are that ignorant.”

Twilight almost felt like a fool to give such a simple answer. “Is it a levitation spell?”

Celestia nodded. “A simple solution usually hides behind a complicated problem.”

“How much effort does it take to keep that ship from crashing into the ground?”

“Some strain is involved, but it is nothing compared to the effort it took to bind the crystal to the ship,” Luna said.

“When did you intend on revealing this ship to the public?”

“During the celebration of the new year,” Celestia said. “Now is fine as well. This airship will enable you to reach your destination more quickly than you would if you had to cross the ocean by boat since you will be needed back as soon as possible.”

Luna clicked her tongue. “Royal obligations can be so tiring. How I wish I could go with you. Perhaps some other time.”

That prompted Fluttershy to join their discussion. “You should ask Discord about that.”

“About what?” Luna asked. “Me going out on some grand adventure instead of stalking the halls of the castle at night? What would he know about that?”

Fluttershy smiled. “Quite a bit, actually.”

“Are you talkin’ about those theories he has about alternate universes and such?” Applejack asked.

“Not that I’m too eager to take his side, but those might be more than theories,” Twilight replied.

“Some of them are pretty strange,” Fluttershy said. “It’s difficult to tell when he’s making things up. For me, at least. Anyway, you should ask him about the Malum when you get a chance to.”

“I will do that,” Luna said.

“Have you taken that ship through a storm quite yet?” Applejack asked.

Celestia nodded. “Since the crystal is bound to the ship, it can absorb the energy from a bolt of lightning. There will be plenty of pegasus soldiers on board as well, so do not be too concerned with the weather.”

“I reckon unicorns will be piloting the ship, right?”

“Nine of them, to be exact. In eight-hour turns. All of them are students from my school of magic. You can trust in their experience. One is a grand master. Six are masters. There is also one intermediate and a single promising novice. All but the intermediate and novice have had a turn flying the ship. Despite how it may look, it is not a complicated matter to learn.”

“Do not be bothered by the presence of the novice,” Luna said. “She will do fine. We enjoy presenting such opportunities to those with enough talent.”

“Would Twilight be considered a grand master?” Fluttershy asked.

“Twilight is an alicorn and is above that system,” Celestia replied. “However, if she was still a unicorn, I have no doubt she would have already earned that rank.”

Twilight almost blushed. “How are we going to get the bug on the ship?”

“First, we will send Fluttershy in to calm the bug down,” Luna replied. “Then my sister and I will teleport the bug into the cargo hold. The aforementioned grand master will be present to make sure that the bug’s influence does not destroy the ship.”

Twilight examined the mess in front of them. “Where did the bug go? I can’t see her.”

“You might find this particularly distressing,” Luna said to Twilight. “Are you ready? The bug has crawled inside the library and has made a lair for herself behind the front desk.”

It only seemed natural to Twilight. “Of course she did.”

“Do you think she’s lookin’ for a book?” Applejack asked, trying to add humor to the situation.

Celestia’s horn lit up. A crate appeared in front of them. The lid came off by itself, manipulated by her aura. Galoshes were inside.

“There are stickers in the grass past the barriers,” Celestia said. “You should put these on before going any further.”

As Twilight was putting on the boots she had been given, a few stallions arrived pulling carts containing more crates. While the contents of most of them were a mystery to her, the one with the fresh apple sticker stamped on the center had a clear indication of what it most likely carried.

“I see our gifts have arrived,” Luna said. “I am not sure what good they will do since the Salamanders have yet to be swayed by kindness, but perhaps you will have better luck. I will send these up to the cargo hold once the bug is safely on board. Fluttershy, I do believe we’re ready for you.”

The blue line Luna had been maintaining vanished.

All eyes fell on Fluttershy, who produced a crooked grin that failed to hide her apprehension. “Here goes nothing.”

Fluttershy took the lead while the others fell into formation behind her. Burs crushed under the rubber boots they wore. The front door of the library had been broken off its hinges and was nowhere to be found. Twilight quickly solved the case of the missing door when she spotted the bug eating it behind where the front desk used to be. It had quite an appetite for wood, which explained where all the missing shelves and portions of the floor had run off to. A few tattered books were discarded on the floor, serving as monuments to the five seconds the bug had spent trying to figure out if books tasted good. Twilight breathed in for four seconds, held her breath for seven, and then exhaled for eight to recalibrate her mood. It was a valiant effort, but it did nothing for her.

The bug tucked the door underneath itself and began hissing, channeling fear and confusion into anger. Fluttershy continued onward as the others remained behind. Twilight neglected to mention the bit about how the bug slimed whatever it didn’t like if it got too close and did not think now was the best time to bring it up. She would be sure to get Fluttershy out of the way if she thought it was coming.

Fluttershy put on a smile, which did not have an immediate calming effect on the bug. “Look at you. You’re having a bad day, aren’t you?”

Her tone got through to the bug, causing its hiss to end in a sharp, quizzical grunt. A shorter hiss followed and Fluttershy stopped where she was to give the bug plenty of space.

“Don’t worry,” Fluttershy said. “We’re not mad at you at all. We know you’re very far away from home and all we want to do is help you go back.”

The bug gave a brief buzz as a reply and looked at the other ponies. Twilight took it as a cue to nod and soon all of them were agreeing with what Fluttershy had said.

“Do you see those two pretty ponies over there?” Fluttershy pointed at Luna and Celestia. “They are going to put us both on a big ship we will use to take you home. It will be scary for only a moment, but I know you can be brave. I’ll be right here with you the whole time, okay?”

Her genuine care for the well-being of their uninvited guest managed to get through its thick shell. Fluttershy moved a little closer to her. The bug didn’t object. She reached out and gave it a brief pat on its shell, producing a sound akin to tapping a boulder. It uttered a sharp squeak of protest and moved the door it was protecting underneath itself.

“Oh, you want to take the door with you?” Fluttershy asked. “Sure. It must taste really good, huh?”

The bug buzzed warmly. Never having developed a taste for wood, Twilight could only assume that since the door had to have been expensive, it was undoubtedly quite delicious. The bug didn’t want to give it up. They could make another one. Fluttershy turned, looked at Celestia, and nodded. She then smiled at the bug to melt away its fear and keep it focused on her. The two princesses closed their eyes for better concentration and in a moment the atoms that made up their two passengers were flung across their current dimension into the cargo hold of the Eclipse.

The potential consequence of their decision was voiced by Applejack. “We just put a termite on a ship made of wood.”

“Indeed,” Luna said. “Twilight, you will need to stop the ship and gather a few trees before you cross the ocean.”

Twilight nodded, foreseeing no difficulty with tree hunting unless the bug was a fussy eater. They left the library together. The absence of a door made their brief trek substantially easier. Twilight thought she heard music coming from somewhere above them, but ignored it. Once outside, they formed a circle in the mud.

“After we’ve sent up a few additional supplies, you’ll be ready to leave Equestria,” Celestia said. “Be very careful. I know I have said this before, but this time I really mean it. I can’t overstate it. Our military has worked tirelessly since it was first organized to bring our land under control. Due to their efforts, Equestria very well may be the safest country in the world. Do not hesitate to rely on the guards I have assigned to protect you. Every single pony on that airship has earned their right to be there.”

“Speaking of protection, I feel this might be the best time to bring up one last bit of information,” Luna said. “While I am sure you will have everything in order for a stunning show of diplomacy, there is still a possibility you will run into unpleasant complications should you encounter something much bigger than the ship. If that happens, you can use the crystal to amplify a simple stun spell that should incapacitate any opponent you must fight. If that isn’t enough, you could also string together enough teleportation spells to jump fifty miles away if needed.”

“About thirty percent of its capacity will be dedicated to keeping the ship operational while it is in the air,” Celestia said. “Do not rely entirely on the crystal. It has a limit. If that limit is exceeded, it will break. You can’t string together a whole book of spells using the crystal. Don’t let the amount of power at your disposal go to your head, either. I was even tempted by it.”

“I promise I will be careful,” Twilight said.

“I know you will,” Celestia said. “Have a safe voyage.”

“I sincerely wish you and all the other members of the ship the very best of luck,” Luna added.

Celestia and Luna gave them both a slight bow and left to take care of all the last-minute details that needed to be addressed before the ship could leave. Twilight looked up at the airship and began visualizing herself on the flight deck in preparation for casting her teleportation spell.

“Are you ready to make the leap?” Twilight asked Applejack.

Applejack held down her hat. “Take me away.”

Five seconds later, Twilight and Applejack were out of the makeshift swamp and safely aboard the airship. The noise associated with the instantaneous reassembly of their atoms attracted the attention of Onyx, who had been gazing over the safety railing at the town beneath him. Twilight cast another spell to clean their boots so they wouldn’t trek goop all over the polished deck.

Onyx came to a stop in front of them. “Hail, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Applejack.” He bowed. “It is an honor to serve under both of you.”

Twilight had to blush. Here was a stallion who had spent most of his life fighting to keep the kingdom safe, very nearly prostrating himself in front of her.

“Well met, General Adamite,” Twilight said. “There’s no need to be so formal. And you don’t serve under us. You serve alongside us.”

“In that case, just call me Onyx,” he said as he stood up. “I have to admit, I’m somewhat of a fan of your exploits.”

“He’s also a great singer!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Pinkie stepped in-between Applejack and Twilight with no warning. They gasped in shock and backed away from her to give her more room to stand in. Her presence on the airship made no sense, but Twilight knew better than to question it. She could only be impressed that Pinkie had managed to acquire a parachute, a saddlebag, and a pair of goggles since she had last seen her lurking underneath the castle with caffeine.

“You just missed a rousing song about what it’s like to be a royal guard for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Don’t worry, I’ve got it all on tape.” Pinkie Pie produced an old Poni Trotman with a cassette tape stuck inside and then put it back in her saddlebag. “You can listen to it when you get back. It will give you something to look forward to.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Twilight asked.

“Me? I’ve got a super big party to plan for. Well, don’t let me hold up the end of this chapter. Bye!”

Pinkie leaped off the side of the ship. Her effortless jump was accompanied by an odd noise only she seemed capable of producing that nobody had enough courage to ask her about.

“Thanks for reading this story, everybody!” Pinkie Pie shouted to the heavens on her way down.

It was impossible to tell who she was addressing. Dwelling on it would be a waste of time.

Rainbow Dash flew up from where Pinkie Pie had just fallen and landed in front of Twilight and Applejack. “This ship is incredible! Just wait until you see your rooms. I really wish I was going with you guys. Maybe next time, right?”

Twilight nodded.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, okay?” Dash gave them a wink, galloped to the end of the deck, and took off with a burst of speed.

They could hear Dash hollering in the distance from where they stood.

“I’d say we’re ready to drift away,” Onyx said. “You two should stay out here for a while. When you get bored, you can find me on the bridge down below. It shouldn’t be too hard to find. Anyone will be able to take you there.”

Onyx left Twilight and Applejack alone on the deck. They both wandered over to the railing and looked down at Ponyville. Twilight could barely make out the figures of Luna and Celestia as they worked with a team of unicorns to remove the environmental alterations the bug had caused.

A few minutes later, the airship started to move. Twilight felt anticipation building in her belly and rushing through her chest as the reality of the situation became apparent. Her pulse quickened. She could hear it beating in her ears. Twilight opened her wings slightly, but stopped herself and tucked them back in before Applejack noticed.

The airship gained speed faster than Twilight had anticipated. Onyx was being a showoff. Applejack held her hat down to her head as the wind picked up and began flowing past them.

“Land sakes alive!” Applejack’s accent had slipped. “Ah always figured we’d wind up doin’ somethin’ like this eventually, but ah still can’t hardly believe that day’s finally here!”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself!”

Though the journey ahead was fraught with uncertainty, Twilight was sure of one thing. When she got a chance to tell her brother about this, he would easily be more jealous than Dash.

Chapter 4

Twilight stirred. She had come out of a dream so pleasant that it had left her feeling ready to take on the rest of the day. Twilight pushed a hoof out from the white microfiber blanket covering her, found the alarm she had turned towards the wall, and flipped it so she could read the time. Even though the day they were scheduled to arrive at the village of the Salamanders had arrived, she still had thirty minutes she could dedicate to sleep. If the previous five out of eight hours hadn’t been enough, she couldn’t figure how another half hour would make any difference.

“I will do my best to make today a great day,” Twilight whispered to herself so she could start the morning off right.

A rumble of thunder eased through the ship. They were flying through a storm. Since she hadn’t been alerted, it couldn’t be serious. Twilight hopped out of the bed. A quick look through her cabin window revealed plenty of clouds, but none of them looked like they were carrying anything dangerous. She stumbled towards the sofa and threw herself on top of it. It would take her at least fifth teen minutes to fully wake up since she was suffering from an insomnia hangover. Her nerves hadn’t done her any good the prior evening and the only reason she had gotten any sleep at all was due to the Valerian root she had fetched from the medical bay.

Twilight cast a simple illumination spell that she aimed at the ceiling and the room was immediately given light. The spell had a noticeable effect on the paint and furniture around her. All of it began warming up, as if she were in the middle of her own personal sunrise. By the time the enchanted decorations had reached their full effect, Twilight had been fully invigorated by the light therapy around her. With a small sigh, she decided to see if Applejack wanted to join her for breakfast even though the odds were good that she had already been up for an hour or two.

Twilight walked through a door located at the side of the room into a bedroom that had been made specifically for Luna. There was a bet going around that the bottom of the deepest cave in the world had more light in it than Luna’s room. Applejack had been given a firefly lamp to keep her from tripping over everything. The lamp had been left on the bedside table and it was the only source of light in the room. Applejack had made Luna’s bed before leaving the room. Twilight let a huge yawn loose. It was time to close the door to Luna’s room.

Applejack was most likely with Fluttershy and the bug in the cargo hold. It had taken a while for the bug to get comfortable with the other ponies, so Fluttershy had chosen to sleep with it in the hold on a makeshift bed of hay even though there had been room for two in the beds of the princesses. Twilight would have to check down there a little later.

After putting on some coffee and having a quick peanut butter sandwich with a pinch of salt for breakfast out of her private supply of rations, Twilight trotted over to a desk situated in a corner that had been overtaken by books and notes. Five sheets of paper containing her notes regarding how she intended to negotiate with the Salamanders were waiting for her next round of scrutiny. Twilight reached for a pencil with her right hand and then remembered what body she was in. She caught the pencil with her aura as it rolled off the desk and then read all her ideas for the twentieth time. Nothing was out of place and she was certain she had accounted for as many possibilities as she could imagine.

Her note checking was not quite finished. Another five pages awaited her perusal. Twilight had pulled a volume on fixing magical maladies and working with enchanted crystals. Brushing up on her knowledge of both subjects had been a delightful way to pass the time and had made her feel more prepared to face all the unknowns ahead of her, of which there were many. Novices had an entire book worth of ways to screw themselves over and working with magic rocks was as delicate as performing surgery.

Twilight set her notes aside and breathed a sigh of relief. She still had some time left before she was scheduled to appear on the bridge for a short, daily meeting with Onyx. Confident she could allow herself to read for pleasure, she wandered over to a small bookcase she had already examined. Celestia devoured classics. A few horror novels were in the mix as well, thanks to Luna. Twilight had read all of them, which was a situation she was beginning to encounter more often and one that would only get worse if she continued to remain immortal.

A sudden knock came from her door, preventing her from remembering which classic she had reread less. Twilight wandered over to see who her visitor was. Two earth stallions dressed in armor were on the other side of the door. One was a little bigger than the other.

“Good morning, ma’am,” the taller stallion said. “May we speak with you for a moment?”

Twilight couldn’t place either of them. She had met all the soldiers that were now technically under her command, but these two hadn’t stuck out. “Sure. Is this important?”

“It sure is,” the smaller stallion said. “We’re not here to gawk at you. This has to do with our mission.”

The taller stallion looked down the hallway to the left. “I think somebody is coming,”

“Excuse us,” the smaller stallion said.

Twilight took a step back and raised her eyebrows in moderate alarm as the stallions rushed into her room. The smaller one closed the door with his hind leg.

“I’m Wedge,” the smaller stallion said, keeping his voice low.

The introductions were halted for a moment when Wedge and his friend looked at the bottom of the door leading into Twilight’s bedroom. They appeared to be watching for a shadow. When one failed to materialize, they relaxed and turned their attention back to her.

Wedge gestured at the taller stallion. “This is my best friend, Biggs. We were both wondering if it would be possible to be on the landing party and serve as your personal escorts.”

Twilight had not spent any time thinking about what they were asking. “I don’t know if I need any extra help. If everything works out, I won’t have to leave the ship for very long.”

Their hopeful expressions turned sour. She was about to console them when a memory played through her mind. Chrysalis had managed to knock Celestia back a considerable distance while they had all been distracted. It was said that thinking of something fiddled with the brain in the same manner that it would if the fantasy was happening. She had been doing a great job of repressing that memory and keeping it out of her nightmares, but Applejack had brought it back.

“Then again, it might not hurt,” Twilight said. Four ponies would be easier to manage than six. “What are your ranks?”

Wedge couldn’t look her in the eyes. “We’re first class initiates.”

While that was better than being a second-class initiate, it still meant that they hadn’t moved beyond public service in Canterlot.

“Have any of your assignments been risky?”

“This would be the first one we’ve been on that has involved any real danger,” Biggs admitted. “We are only here due to our high marks.”

Wedge grinned and blushed. “We might have done some begging as well.”

At least they were above lying, which was more than she could say for some ponies who had tried to earn a spot in the junior varsity league of her private platoon. Zephyr came to mind. Twilight bucked him out and decided to tease the two soldiers a bit to see how they would react. “Are you trying to gain rank?”

Biggs recoiled in disgust. “That is the least of our concerns.”

“General Adamite already knows who he wants to send with you,” Wedge said. “We’re pretty sure it isn’t us. We’d give anything to be the ponies he picked, though. We could protect you just as well as they could, if not more.” His lips bunched up in a scrunch. “Probably. More than likely.”

“You could always switch us out if you do not like our performance,” Biggs said.

“If I had the chance to,” Twilight said.

Neither of them could think of a way to argue with her.

She had been expecting that and decided to move the conversation along before they could stutter a reply she could easily rebuke. “What if I insist on just doing this with my friends like I always have before?”

“The general has been ordered by Princess Celestia to make sure you’ll be accompanied by escorts at all times while you are on the ground,” Biggs replied. “No exceptions.”

“Interesting. I haven’t heard about that yet.”

“He is going to tell you when you meet with him this morning,” Biggs said.

“There was a rumor going around about it,” Wedge said. “We didn’t know it was for real until we overheard him talking about it earlier.”

“Do you know who else you would be protecting if I let you come with me?”

“Yes, of course,” Biggs replied. “Fluttershy and Applejack. Kindness and Honesty. They’re just as important to Equestria as you are. That’s why we both really want to serve under you.”

“Alongside me,” Twilight corrected. “Why did you two join the guard?”

“Do you remember when Queen Crystalis attacked Canterlot?” Wedge asked.

Twilight nodded. “Lately it has been impossible for me to forget.”

“Biggs and I were both attending Canterlot University at the time. We met while helping some of the royal guards defend the campus. Afterwards, we decided to join the guard together. I wasn’t really feeling my area of study and Biggs wanted a break. We spent a whole year preparing for it and here we are.”

“What do you two get out of this hypothetical adventure?”

Wedge gave her a look of confusion as if the answer was obvious. “What we signed up for.”

“And what exactly was that?”

“To uphold, promote, and protect the best interests of Equestria,” Biggs replied. “With our lives, if necessary.”

Twilight would have loved to point out that he was being a little dramatic, but it didn’t seem appropriate. She mulled over everything they had told her while they fidgeted in front of her. Since Equestria wasn’t at war or in a state of emergency, new recruits were eased into less desirable scenarios such as Hydra wrangling as they gained experience. The two stallions were one promotion from being sent away to tackle more intense work, but what they were volunteering for was still further down the line than they wanted. Still, they had been picked for their potential and they seemed to have the right attitude for the job. That didn’t mean they wouldn’t lose it under the right circumstances.

She smiled, inadvertently giving them the answer before she spoke. “Alright. I’ll let you two come with us, but you had both better be prepared to pull your own weight. You two aren’t due for escorting a princess through territory known to be hazardous for a little while longer, so you will have to give this double your best possible effort. I’m pretty sure you can, so congratulations, and welcome to the team.”

Wedge’s bottom lip quivered. His eyes started getting misty. “Thank you. You won’t regret this. We promise.”

“By your leave, ma’am,” Biggs said, heading towards the door.

Twilight gave him a nod. The two earth stallions bumped into each other and stumbled into the hallway in an elated daze as they left the room to get back to what they were supposed to be doing. Troop management had taken away the urge to read for fun, so Twilight decided to head to the bridge after waiting a few minutes for her new recruits to vacate the area.

The section of the airship reserved for the princesses was kept in the best possible shape. Some soldiers had already polished the floor of the hallway, cleaned the windows, watered the plants, renewed the spell maintaining a pleasant temperature in the area, and checked to make sure the silk drapes had not been knocked out of place. The fragrance of pumpkin seeds dipped in caramel had been set into the hallway. It was all a little much, but that didn’t keep it from being something to have been proud to earn. Twilight opened the double doors at the end of the hallway. She stepped away from the illusions her status had afforded her and out into reality.

Her path to the bridge included a look at the stairwell connecting the decks together. A single unicorn soldier was waiting on the landing leading up to the flight deck. Five pegasus soldiers came in from the rain and were quickly dried off by a simple spell cast by the unicorn soldier. The pegasus soldiers began heading for the bridge while the unicorn soldier went below. Noticing Twilight, the pegasus soldiers gave her a bow that she returned before they went back to work.

The shift was changing aboard the bridge. Three sleepy unicorn mages came wandering out. Since they were out on an assignment, they were all in uniform, which consisted of wearing a silver cloak associated with the rank of master. A golden brooch in the shape of a sun denoted the rank they had achieved. They all gave Twilight a respectful nod and wandered off to retire in the chamber where the entire crew slept together.

The pegasus soldiers stopped short of the entrance and gestured for Twilight to go in ahead of them. She shook her head and gestured for them to go in ahead of her. They accepted her invitation and walked past the crystal that powered the ship to the front of the room where Onyx stood watch at the windshield. Twilight noticed that Red Iris, the only novice unicorn aboard the ship, had finally been allowed to have a go at the crystal under the guidance of the sole grand master among them, Hocus Pocus. Both were also in uniform. The novice wore a midnight blue cloak with a brooch in the shape of a moon while the grandmaster sported a white cloak with a golden hem and wore a brooch that combined the two astronomical objects that were so popular in their kingdom. If they were letting Iris work with the crystal, the storm outside was nothing to worry about. While the pegasus ponies gave a report on the weather to Onyx, Twilight watched Iris and Hocus.

Even though the crystal was bound to the ship, the enchantment was not permanent and needed to be renewed three times a day. While a permanent enchantment would have been easier to work with, a temporary one ensured the crystal could be used elsewhere since rocks capable of holding immense magical power weren’t carted out of mines by the ton. At first glance, the crystal behind the protective case at the center of the bridge was a regular chunk of alexandrite about ten hoofs high and three hoofs wide. It had been carefully cut in an emerald style. The spell in effect was tied to a wheel an earth stallion was operating.

The aura of the novice, a dark shade of red, radiated from within the crystal rather than around it and interacted with the natural color changing properties of alexandrite. Iris had her teeth clenched together. She was on the ropes, but Iris wasn’t giving up and had failed to notice that Twilight was watching her. After a moment, the crystal became completely purple as Iris’ aura danced around inside of it. A bolt of energy traveled into the floor beneath the crystal and a purple stream of magical energy traveled through all the cracks and crevices in the ship, making for an interesting light show. The ship would float for another eight hours.

Twilight tapped into the crystal and evaluated the power of the spell that had just been used. The usual problem with all cast spells was present, but did not significantly alter the outcome.

“Nice cast. Be more confident next time.”

Iris blushed while panting from the exertion she had just undergone.

Hocus chuckled. “Iris, you need to learn how to relax.”

“Believe me, I’m trying,” Iris said.

The five pegasus soldiers Twilight had seen earlier left the bridge, having finished giving Onyx their report. Onyx gave Twilight a salute. She returned the gesture.

“Good morning, Onyx,” Twilight said. “How’s the weather?”

She managed to get the faint smile she wanted out of him.

“Cloudy with a slight chance of precipitation,” Onyx said.

“Great, we need the moisture,” Applejack said.

Applejack entered the bridge with Fluttershy at her side.

“Is everything alright with our bug?” Twilight asked Fluttershy.

“She’s used to storms,” Fluttershy replied. “She’s getting a bit bored, though.”

“Have you tried reading to her?” Twilight asked.

“No, but that’s a great idea.”

“Start her off on the classics,” Applejack said. “On second thought, we might not have a copy of Green Eggs and Barley aboard this ship.”

“Celestia has The Wild Beckons,” Twilight said.

“Is that the one about the dog?” Applejack asked.

“I think that one might be a little too violent,” Flutttershy replied.

Onyx hadn’t said a word, but it was clear he was waiting for them to finish.

Twilight smiled a little. “Sorry, general. You may proceed when ready.”

A microphone covered in a khaki aura courtesy of Hocus appeared and hovered in front of Onyx. The device was not hooked up to anything, but it had been enchanted to carry the voice of the speaker throughout the ship.

“Stand by for morning announcements,” Onyx said. “The storm has slowed us down. The worst of it was about to blindside us, but that has been cleared up. We predict we will reach our destination in four hours. Expect to defend this ship. Pegasus soldiers will be sent out first to subdue any aerial threats we come across. Earth and unicorn soldiers will focus on being ready to defend the interior of the ship in case it is boarded by a hostile presence.”

Twilight tried to imagine a battle inside the airship. It was a frightening thought. The interior wasn’t too cramped because Celestia and Luna hated moving beds, wardrobes, and canons through narrow spaces just as much as anyone else. There was plenty of room to maneuver around in, but all the work that had gone into making the interior shine would be ruined instantly.

“Princess Twilight intends to meet with the Salamanders first to see if they have come into possession of magic or know of someone in the area who has. This may mitigate the need to use magic to locate who we are looking for, which is important because they might be enlightened enough to figure out they are being hunted if a spell is cast looking specifically for them.”

It was nothing that hadn’t been said before. No soldier on the airship could claim ignorance. The real fun would arrive when they had more information.

Onyx smirked. “Now for the moment you have all been waiting for. There have been rumors circulating throughout the ship that I have been asked by Princess Celestia to make sure Princess Sparkle and her companions are accompanied by at least two soldiers whenever they leave the ship. I have not said anything yet because I didn’t want them to be bothered by any of you, but that rumor is true. I have reviewed all of your files and have carefully selected two of you to be in her party.”

Twilight waved at Onyx before any names could be mentioned. She leaned forward so the microphone would catch her voice a little better. “Actually, I have already picked who I want to go along with us.”

Onyx raised an eyebrow. “You have?”

“Yes. Biggs and Wedge.”

Onyx narrowed his eyes as if he was trying not to fail a vision test. “Who?”

“They are two earth stallions who are first class initiates,” Twilight said.

The stallion at the wheel had to stifle his snickering. Onyx signaled Hocus to cut his spell and the microphone returned to wherever it had been fetched from. Two documents appeared in front of Onyx, manipulated by Hocus. It was somewhat reassuring to see that the two stallions under review had done enough to get a thick staple in the left corner of their files.

“They spoke with you, didn’t they, princess?” Onyx asked.

“They were very polite,” Twilight replied. “Maybe a little naïve, but their hearts are in it. That’s usually enough.”

“I can appreciate that they showed initiative, but they knew better than to bother you. Are you absolutely sure you would like them to come along with you?”

“Yes. We could always switch them out if we had to.”

“Your safety is not a team sport. Have you discussed this with your friends?”

“I’ll support her decision, general,” Applejack replied. “While I’d rather be down there with someone who has been in a few real fights, I’ll give those two a chance to prove themselves.”

“Everyone I’ve spoken with has been really talented,” Fluttershy said. “We all have to start somewhere.”

Onyx sighed. “Well, if that novice unicorn can keep this yacht in the air, those two might have it in them to be decent escorts. I hope.”

“Princess Luna picked them out,” Hocus said.

“I’m sure their tearful dissertations were quite moving,” Onyx muttered under his breath. The microphone from earlier reappeared. Onyx smiled, but there was no joy on his face. Only reluctance. “Congratulations Wedge Timber and Biggs Medley, you’re our lucky winners. Spear Mint and Frigid Squall, you two will be warming the bench. As for the rest of you, continue with your duties and be ready for anything.” The microphone vanished. Onyx turned to address Twilight. “There’s one other thing I believe we should discuss privately since I want my soldiers focused on now and not when.”

“Food and water, right?” Twilight asked.

Onyx nodded. “We’ve got enough to last twelve days. If we need to stretch it out, we can, but soldiers perform much better on full bellies.”

“We shouldn’t have to improvise,” Twilight said.

“Just keep it in mind,” Onyx said. “Morale is at the highest I have ever seen it. It would be a shame if that changed. Do you girls have anything for me?”

“Shelly has run out of trees and she’s getting awfully hungry,” Fluttershy said. “We will need to make a quick stop when we hit land to get some more wood.”

“Done,” Onyx said.

“You named that thing Shelly?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy looked at her hoofs. “She didn’t like any of the other choices.”

“Let me know when the storm is over,” Twilight said. “I’d like to be out on the flight deck again, especially when we reach land.”

“As you wish,” Onyx said. “Anything else?”

They shook their heads.

“I’m glad you three are so easy to work with,” Onyx said. “If you have any other concerns, bring them directly to me.” He turned to face Hocus. “Hocus, cast a map and give me your take on our surroundings.”

Twilight was intrigued. A unicorn at the grand master level was expected to be able to get a feel for the terrain within a thirty-mile radius of where they stood. With a partner, Hocus would be able to cover more ground. Boosting morale by speaking with the soldiers as they worked or going over her notes again could wait until she knew if there was an end to all the water beneath them.

“Would you like a spotter?” Twilight asked.

“Why, it’d be an honor, Princess. I was planning to use the crystal to get additional range. Have you had a chance to tinker with it yet?”

“Yes, they even let me fly the airship for a few minutes on our first day. I don’t think you were here for that.”

“I must have been down in the cargo hold. No matter. Should I lead?”

Twilight gave him a nod. They stood together, closed their eyes, and linked their auras together. Twilight possessed a substantial advantage over her partner. It came with being an alicorn. They directed their auras into the crystal, adding more colors to its mix. Since map was a psychic spell and they had no need to project a display of what they were seeing at the front of the room, there was no fancy indication that the spell was working for their audience other than a subtle glow from their eyelids.

Muddied images of the ocean blurred with a white tint rushed through Twilight’s mind. Gaps appeared, preventing stretches of land from being seen. It was a typical start. To adjust the tracking and produce a clearer image, more focus was needed. Twilight provided it. The gaps filled in and the white blur lessened, giving them a better view. Just as Twilight had a general feel of the area surrounding Applejack’s farm or Sugar Cube Corner, she now had a good idea of what she could expect if she flew thirty miles in any direction. The effect was only temporary. Since she didn’t live in the area, her brain would pack away the information once it was no longer needed and stick it in the same cabinet it filed away how many jackets Sunset Shimmer owned.

Hocus brought in the power of the crystal. A rush of raw magical strength ran through Twilight. She could part the sea and make the ship do a flip if she wanted to. The intoxication wore off quickly. She would only get halfway through the flip before the crystal shattered and everyone got to see how seaworthy their airship was if they were lucky enough to have it land properly. Celestia and Luna would probably de-alicorn her for that. The added power almost eliminated the white blur and not a single gap was in the area they were scanning.

A nice surprise waited for them.

“Land ho!” Hocus announced. “Ten miles!”

Those on the bridge cheered and whistled, causing the image to tear slightly due to the distraction. Hocus gave an indication that he wanted to finish the spell, but Twilight kept him linked. She strained to get a better image of the shoreline. Something about it didn’t look right and Twilight was certain the limitations of the spell were not to blame. Twilight signaled she intended to end the spell. She and Hocus released their command of magic at around the same time, ensuring neither of them would be dizzy.

Twilight was ready to move immediately and addressed Onyx. “We might have a problem. Stop the ship the moment we hit land. I need to go down there for a few minutes and have a look around. Begin descending.”

Onyx looked at Iris. “You heard her.”

“Count me in,” Applejack said.

“I’ll stay with Shelly,” Fluttershy said. “If you need us, just let me know.”

“We had better get our boots on before we head out,” Applejack said.

With a simple spell, Twilight put on her boots and made sure Applejack was wearing her set as well.

“That’s fancy,” Applejack said as she admired the snug fit.

Twilight made her way to the stairs that led up to the deck. It was still raining outside. Her coat was more than happy to absorb the water and she knew it served as a prelude to how filthy they were going to get. The deck was slippery, which slowed her haste. Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight saw a bolt of lightning cut across the sky. It hadn’t missed the ship by much. The crack of thunder was deafening and punctuated her entrance into the storm. Twilight took a moment to look up at the flag and saw it hadn’t considered submitting to the wind. She approached the railing and looked down at the ocean below as the airship began descending.

They would reach land shortly. Twilight’s worries were present and accounted for. Forcing herself not to focus on any of them hadn’t yet gotten to the point where it took less than half of her mental effort. It probably never would.

The sound of hoofs hitting the deck took her concentration away from the approaching shoreline.

“Wait for us!” Wedge called out.

“General Adamite insists you do not leave this ship without escorts!” Biggs said.

They were still in full armor, but the pair now sported brass hoofs, which would help get their point across if they had to buck something stubborn. Both stallions also carried a black saddlebag that hung over to their right.

“What have you got there?” Applejack asked, gesturing towards the saddle bag.

Wedge reached into his bag. “We’re carrying sleep discs. Here, see?”

He let Applejack have a good look at it. The disc was dark blue. A white gem as bright as a full moon had been put into the center of the disc. No further examination was necessary to tell Luna had enchanted them herself.

“It works like a boomerang,” Biggs said. “All you have to do is throw them. The magic does the rest.”

“What if your target is bigger than a pony?” Applejack said.

“It would take a few extra hits, but it would still go down and have a pleasant nap,” Biggs said.

“Alright, what if your target catches the disc, then?”

“It gets so cold that the target will be forced to release it,” Wedge replied as he put the disc back into his bag.

“Have you ever used them before?” Applejack asked.

Wedge grinned and pretended to have not heard her. Biggs shook his head.

Applejack face hoofed. “What happens if you get hit in the face because you didn’t catch the disc when it comes back at you? Do you get knocked out?”

“No, it stays in front of you until you grab it,” Wedge replied.

“Thank goodness. Could Twilight and I use them if we had to?”

“We could,” Twilight replied. “Hopefully none of us will have to.”

Applejack barked a laugh and bit her tongue. Twilight turned around to see the ground coming into view. She had to rub her eyes. It didn’t help. A thick mist hung above the soil. Various shades of brown and grey stretched on for miles. Few trees or plants were in the immediate area despite the abundance of water. Trees that had managed to grow lacked leaves and were slumped to the side, eternally weeping over memories of the beauty that had once been. Birds and fish were absent. Even mosquitoes couldn’t bear to live in such a dreary place.

“Did I miss the part where Celestia mentioned this?” Applejack asked.

“You didn’t,” Twilight replied.

The ship came to a smooth halt near the grave of a large tree that had to have looked majestic when it had harbored clear signs of life. It would do Twilight no good to teleport into a cleverly hidden pit of water, so she sent out a scan to ensure she wasn’t jumping into the deep end of the pool. Her search was temporarily interrupted by the sound of multiple hoofs landing on the deck. Pegasus soldiers had been sent up and began taking their positions across it in case they were called into action.

Once she found a suitable place to land, Twilight readied her magic. “Alright, we’re going to go have a look around. Are all of you ready?”

They nodded. Twilight beamed them down to the tree. Their hoofs were submerged, but they could bear the discomfort. Rain fell all around them, making gentle noises as it struck the stagnant water they now stood in.

“Sure is dreary,” Wedge said.

“Our coats stand out well here,” Biggs said.

Twilight couldn’t argue. A predator would zero in on them without much trouble. If there were any around.

Applejack scraped at the ground with a hoof and brought a sample of mud up to her face. “You’re not growing anything in this. And I’d bet you ten bits. . .” She trailed off as she approached the tree. Applejack kicked it hard with one hind leg, knocking off a chunk of bark with the force of the blow. She leaned in to survey the damage. “. . . that this tree would agree.”

“Would you win that bet?” Twilight asked.

“Yup. Look and see. No green. This didn’t happen yesterday.”

Twilight cast a quick spell on the tree and a small sample of the surrounding area. “The only forms of life I can detect are extremophiles that are unique to this environment.”

“Micro critters, huh? At least there’s that.”

“Life always finds a way.”

Wedge yelped as he suddenly fell into a pit of water. His armor was an anchor strapped to his body and sent him straight to the bottom. Twilight caught him with her aura and levitated him to safety. Wedge began shaking in complete embarrassment as water dripped off his mane and coat.

“Watch out for that first step, it’s a doozy,” Wedge muttered.

“What were you doin’?” Applejack demanded.

“I saw a blue light twenty yards away,” Wedge said, pointing to the south. “I thought it might be a wisp.”

The trio looked. Whatever Wedge had seen or thought he had seen was gone.

Applejack scoffed. “It was probably just gas.”

Wedge closed his eyes and sighed. He looked like he knew he was about to be fired. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Oh, don’t feel bad,” Twilight said. “We’ll sweep this one under the rug. Onward and upward, Wedge.”

The bandage she slapped over his wounded pride took hold. Wedge went back to his post, his confidence halfway restored. Twilight returned to the tree and glanced to the south one more time before deciding there was nothing to worry about. She looked at the dead branches. A theory began forming in the back of her mind.

“Shelly definitely won’t want to eat those,” Applejack said.

Twilight’s thoughts slipped through her mouth. “Unless she can bring them back to life.”

“Uh-oh,” Applejack said. “That doesn’t bode well, does it?”

“Not at all.”

Twilight trimmed several branches. Breakfast was going to be light for Shelly. They could make it up to her with a large lunch. While holding several branches in the air with levitation, Twilight zapped Wedge with a quick drying spell to make it look less obvious that he had tried to go swimming.

“We’re finished here,” Twilight said. “Next stop: The cargo hold.”

In a blink, they were all together in front of Shelly. Twilight’s sudden appearance caused several guards working in the hold to cry out in surprise. Shelly was also startled by seeing her pop into existence, but Fluttershy was there for her. A unicorn mage stood nearby and had Shelly confined to a comfortable magenta cell. The carpet Shelly had chosen to lay down in her temporary studio apartment was made of moss. Purple oyster mushrooms had sprung up in a few places. Applejack nudged Twilight and pointed at a regular bald mushroom that had found its way into the ship through Shelly. It was a relief they seemed to be the only two ponies in the room who knew the mushroom needed to be chucked over the side of the ship.

Twilight stepped inside the cell and laid down the branches in a bundle off to the side.

“She’s not going to eat those,” Fluttershy said.

“Wait,” Twilight whispered.

Shelly regarded what had been presented to her with mild interest. In a matter of seconds, life returned to the severed limbs. The branches regained a dark brown color. Pink clovers sprouted out of the wood. That was Shelly’s signal to begin dining. Twilight had not yet been present to hear the noise Shelly made when she ate and it gave her the impression that there was a chainsaw inside her mouth.

If a particularly stringent judge had been on the fence about adding Shelly to the list of protected species, they would not hesitate to do so now. The beetle possessed an unusual degree of restorative magic. It could not only create, but revive. Celestia and Luna would order it to be studied without a second thought.

“Can we keep her?” Applejack asked with a smirk.

“We’ll fly her in for a visit once every six months,” Twilight replied.

“I guess you already know what this means,” Applejack said. “If Grizzle and Celestia didn’t mention anything about that eyesore out there and if Shelly can turn a desert into a swamp just by crawlin’ across it, then there were more of them at one point in time.”

“She’s endangered?” Fluttershy asked.

“Given what I just saw while on the ground, I’d dare say she’s mythical,” Applejack replied.

Twilight felt her gut twist with worry. Anxiety had just gotten off probation. Twilight stilled herself. Acknowledging it always seemed to make it stronger, but exposed its weakness by allowing her to choose how she needed to react.

“We’ve got to get to the village as soon as possible,” Twilight said.

She took off without announcing where she was going. Her concentration was fixed on the monumental task ahead of her. Only when she reached the bridge did she notice Applejack and her two personal guards had come with her.

Onyx stood at the window. He wasn’t going to like what she had in mind. Twilight was prepared to argue with him. She positioned herself in front of the crystal.

“I’m going to teleport us as close to the village as I can,” Twilight announced. “I’ll do this by myself and I will only use a small portion of the power I can draw from the crystal in case we happen to jump directly into danger and need to get away quickly.”

“Our top speed would cut our arrival time by half,” Onyx replied without looking away from the window. “Isn’t that a better option?”

“We can do that after I’ve flung us forward as far as I can. Even if I can only shave ten miles off our trip, that’s a distance we can cover in an instant as opposed to a few minutes.”

“Princess, I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but you are teleporting an entire ship that is nearly fully crewed through unknown territory. You would be very lucky if you could gain the distance you just mentioned and you will certainly be burnt out after that.”

“This is an emergency.”

Applejack stepped in. “Now wait a minute, Twilight. Just because the wetlands are in bad shape does not mean the rest of the swamp is.”

The troublesome theory weighing down on her back and constantly jabbing two clawed fingers into the soft spot at the back of her skull might as well have been visible to Applejack. Now that it had known it had been seen, it spurred Twilight to force her to defend it while squealing loud enough in defiance to wake the dead.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Twilight said.

“We know nothing,” Onyx said as he turned away from the windshield and joined the group loitering around the crystal. “You’re operating on a guess that assumes the worst possible outcome.”

Twilight realized with some horror that she was going to have to flex her authority to get what she wanted. “This is not up for debate.”

“Princess, I know you outrank me, but I will not allow you to do this unless you honestly answer two questions,” Onyx said.

That would be easy enough, especially with Applejack standing right next to her.

Twilight accidentally gulped, subconsciously attempting to swallow her anxiety. “Sure. What are they?”

“If I let you cast this spell and you botch it, are you going to explode?” Onyx asked.

Twilight barely stifled a snicker. It had been decades since a unicorn or alicorn had accidentally exceeded their magical limits in a manner that led to such a festive demise.

“No,” she replied. “The worst thing that is most likely to happen is we don’t even get ten hoofs ahead and I get to spend the rest of the day with the worst headache I’ve ever had.”

“Good, because I don’t think any of us could bear having to scrape you off the walls. Can you guarantee that not a single member of the crew will come out the other end with their tails fused to their uvulas? I’m due to be a great grandfather soon and I wish to make a positive first impression on my great granddaughter.”

“Everything will be fine. You have my word.”

“Fine,” Onyx said. “While I do not approve of this method, I will defer to it.”

Applejack moved a little closer to Twilight. “How much is this goin’ to take out of you?”

“A lot,” Twilight replied. “I might need to drink a restorative elixir to be able to perform at my normal level once I have done this since I won’t be able to take a nap for a while. The medical ward is stocked with the brew I have in mind.”

“There ain’t no point in trying to stop you, is there? Do what you can to cut our time down, but don’t hurt yourself. Also, just so you know I’ll personally tie you up before I let you go on if I don’t think you’re fit to continue.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

If it came down to that, Twilight wouldn’t be able to use her magic to get away from her because Applejack would come find her and everything would be much worse. The elixir would help take the edge off, but the fatigue would still be there. Twilight wasn’t sure at what point Applejack would stop her and couldn’t predict how much power she would need to get through the rest of the day. She only needed to get them ten miles ahead. Then they could sail towards their destination as fast as the ship could travel.

Hocus brought the microphone back and let it dangle in front of her mouth. “You might want to let the crew know about this.”

Twilight took the microphone in her aura. “Attention. This is Twilight. I’m going to see if I can speed up our trip a little bit with teleportation. This might feel a little different, but don’t get scared. We’ll be fine.”

Chapter 5

All eyes were on her. Twilight took a deep breath and exhaled. She began by configuring the crystal to serve as her anchor. If she exceeded her limit, it would end the spell for her before she could take it any further. With the preventative measure in place, she moved on to the next phase of her spell and covered the exterior of the ship in her aura. A quick change in the formula enabled her to seize everything inside of the ship without covering any of it in her aura. She sensed the crushing weight now held by the tip of her horn. The strain produced by the spell came right before the object being manipulated was reduced to atoms and made to move forward and persisted so long as the spell remained in effect.

Twilight cast the teleportation spell. Her horn felt like it had been shoved an additional inch into her skull. The reward for bearing with the blow was a gain of ten miles in less than five seconds. It was impressive, but it wasn’t enough. She used the crystal to be sure no errors had occurred and prepared to jump forward another ten miles before any of them could stop her. Twilight achieved her goal without losing a single sliver of the ship in the process.

Her horn began heating up. Even worse, she could feel the strain creeping into her brain much earlier than she had anticipated. Once it got there, it was only a matter of time before it reached its target. Twilight knew the risks. Casting the spell would hurt her. She had to bear with it. Even if the Salamanders wouldn’t understand what she had gone through to get to them.

Twilight got them through to the next checkpoint. She couldn’t stop to rest while she was doing well. Her face flushed and her brain began burning, mimicking the symptoms of a high fever. Sweat covered her coat. She could no longer stop herself from barring her teeth and clenching her jaw.

Their next jump took them nine miles ahead instead of ten. Unacceptable. Twilight was slipping. If she couldn’t stick to ten, she might as well quit while she was ahead. Her heart was pounding against her chest so hard she wondered if any of them could see it bulging out against the skin of her body. Twilight’s eyes wandered for a moment and found Applejack, who was smiling at her despite how worried she was. A few more jumps could be made before the spell became dangerous. Another ten miles were gained in the blink of an eye, but it did not come without a cost. Twilight felt her bottom right molar on the right side of her mouth crack under the strain of her clenched jaw. A trickle of blood escaped out of her lips. Numbing the pain would draw her concentration away from the spell.

The strain from the spell had reached the top of her chest. Her heart skipped a beat. Another missed beat would activate the anchor. While she had covered an impressive distance, it was not enough.

No.

She could not stop now. She would save the swamp. The strain backed away from her heart. She would prove once again that she was worthy of her title as princess and her status as an alicorn. The pressure inside her skull released. The stories of her accomplishments would be told for centuries and all those who heard them would feel inspired to never give up hope in themselves and others. The heat inside of her horn dissipated. Twilight prepared to make another jump.

The airship erupted into the physical realm with a deafening pop. Points would have been deducted for style if she were being judged. Something about the last jump had felt different. She knew she had accomplished her goal. While her ears rang, she checked their location with the aid of the crystal and discovered she had just broken her former record. Twilight quickly healed her shattered tooth, brushed aside all her sweat, and cleared away the blood that had pooled beneath her tongue. Her second wind gave out after she had tidied up her appearance, dropping the full weight of what she had just done on her all at once. It seemed to take more effort to remain standing than it had to cast the spell.

A smirk appeared on her face as she looked around the bridge. Applejack couldn’t stop herself from checking to make sure her hat was still there. Biggs and Wedge made certain all their limbs were intact. Onyx had his mouth open and was pointing at it for Hocus to examine.

Twilight cleared her throat to get their attention. “Unless I’m mistaken, we are now fifth-teen miles away from the village.”

Elated cheers and the stomping of hoofs in applause filled the bridge with an air of euphoria.

“Incredible!” Red Iris exclaimed. “You did all that by yourself? It must have been nearly impossible!”

Twilight gave her a wink. “Nah, it was a piece of cake.”

Onyx moved back to the window. “It looks like this portion of the land is healthier than where we were a moment ago. Since we’re so close to the village, would you like us to stop the ship for a little while so you can have some time to review your plans once more?”

There was no fooling Onyx. Twilight needed to get out of the room for a few minutes before one of them would have to carry her out.

“Yes, that’s a great idea,” Twilight said. “I won’t be long.”

“Take all the time you need. We’ll ascend so that we are out of sight and remain stationary until you return,” Onyx said.

Twilight desperately wanted to see what was going on outside, but she needed to rest. Dizziness and disorientation set in the moment she started moving. Her horn felt uncomfortably hot even though she wasn’t working with magic. She knew without looking that a welt had formed at its base. Retracted bangs were for a lot more than just looking good.

It took all her focus to trot in a straight line. Disbelief followed her. Had she really managed to get them that far? If she had, it was only because of her second wind. Being able to activate it on command would be immensely helpful. She wasn’t going to get that lucky twice in the same day.

The hallway was devoid of ponies. A quick glance revealed that those on the bridge had returned to their tasks. There were two other ponies to get rid of before she could stop being elegant.

Twilight addressed her escorts. “Could you guys go down to the infirmary and get me an Elixir of Concentration? They will know what it is. I’ll be in Celestia’s room. Please knock when you get back.”

The pair bowed and left Twilight in the hallway with Applejack. It occurred to her that she had just been working with every plank in the stairs they were taking and a burst of pain streaked across her skull.

“Are we alone?” Twilight asked.

Applejack double checked before answering. “Looks like it.”

“I’m going to lean into you.”

“Be my guest.”

Twilight pressed up against Applejack, who stood firm to offer her support. It was disappointing to be reduced to such a weakened state. If Celestia or Luna had done the spell, they would have been ready for more. Giving her anxiety what it had wanted had made it inject her with a healthy dose of guilt and shame. She never learned.

“Can you get those double doors for me?” Twilight asked.

Applejack guided Twilight through the doors leading into the hallway just outside the rooms reserved for the princesses and shut them behind her with a light buck from her hind leg. It was only a little further until they got to Celestia’s couch. Twilight could hardly wait. Once in the room, Twilight collapsed into the couch while Applejack took a seat across from her. Though she had not fallen into a comfortable position and had the bone of a wing against her side, the cushioning still sucked the weariness out of her joints and invited her to have a nap.

After a deep sigh of relief, Twilight rearranged herself so she was on her back and moved her right wing slightly underneath her to work the pinch out. She put one foreleg over her eyes and placed the other hoof on her belly. Using magic, she removed her boots. Applejack followed her example. Twilight took a deep breath, being sure to use her stomach and not her chest, and held it for a moment. Cadance swore by such exercises. Twilight exhaled. Her humiliation was still there.

“I hope Princess Celestia has had this happen at least once in her life,” Twilight said.

“Ah, don’t fret none. I’m sure she has.”

“What do you think would be the politest way to ask her about it?”

“Not in a letter. Think of it this way. At least it will be easier the next time you have to do it.”

A weight had been lifted off her chest. “That’s true.”

“I hope you haven’t forgotten the lesson you taught me about bitin’ off more than you can chew.”

She felt their circumstances were completely different, but she didn’t want to start an argument. “To live is to struggle.”

“I hear that.”

A knock came at her door. Her potion had arrived. Twilight moved to get a better view while Applejack answered the door for her and blocked the guards from entering. Biggs had a glass bottle in his mouth.

“Is everything okay in there?” Wedge asked.

“Yes, why wouldn’t it be?” Applejack replied.

“Sorry. We’re both just really concerned.”

“I know. Guard the door. No boys allowed, y’hear?”

Wedge nodded while Biggs set the bottle down. Applejack picked the bottle up with her teeth. Twilight saw Applejack tuck her tongue down tight so she wouldn’t inadvertently kiss a stallion she had known for less than a day and smirked. Applejack closed the door with a light tap from her hind leg and carried the bottle over to Twilight, who took it from her with her aura.

A white and black striped ribbon was around the neck of the worn glass container containing a thick blue liquid. Zecora had made and sold the drink, leaving no doubt regarding its potency. Twilight popped the cork and started chugging before she could hesitate; doing her best to forget what was in the potion. The taste alone was enough to get her ready to cast a few more spells, but that was just her tummy desperately screaming at her brain to trick her into thinking she didn’t need it. Zecora had been thoughtful enough to add a touch of peppermint to the concoction, which made it taste a little less like pond scum and a lot more like pond scum with a touch of peppermint added to it.

It would take a little while for the potion to reach its full effect, but Twilight had already used up every second she felt she could spare to relax. She had recovered enough to be able to stand on all her hoofs and she would have to make it work.

Applejack studied her carefully. “Are you going to get back to it already?”

“I will be fine unless I have to cast a major spell, which isn’t likely.”

“You’ll blow any chance you have at swayin’ those Salamanders to set up a sister city with Canterlot if you pass out while you’re talkin’ to them.”

“I am in much better shape than that. Speaking of which, do I look presentable?”

Applejack gasped. “Absolutely not, my dear! Your hair is out of place!”

She was mimicking Rarity. Applejack gently messed with the hair around Twilight’s horn. Her hoof brushed against the blister Twilight had sprouted, but she was so caught up in her impersonation that she didn’t notice it.

“A unicorn mare should always display her horn with pride.”

Twilight didn’t need to use magic to see Rarity emitting a sneeze violent enough to knock her sewing glasses off back in Ponyville. “That’s rich.”

“Yeah, I’ll open for Trixie.”

They left Celestia’s room and headed towards the bridge followed by their escorts. Hocus was at the front of the bridge having a conversation with Onyx. Twilight’s unexpected return caused him to trail off. Onyx turned his attention to her. The frown on his face did little to hide how much he wanted to order her to get some more rest.

“Back so soon?” Onyx asked.

“There’s a lot more work to be done,” Twilight replied.

“Maybe. Applejack, would you say she’s ready for the task ahead?” Onyx asked.

“If it’s just for a debate,” Applejack replied.

“I see. Do you think Princess Celestia would agree?”

Applejack stood a little taller. “I reckon she would. Twi’s been through worse. Sure, that might have seemed like quite a show back there to us, but I don’t think it compares to chasin’ Starlight Glimmer through several alternate universes.”

She was right. That had been a bit more challenging.

“Fine,” Onyx said. “Princess, how would you like to handle this?”

“Let’s fly in low, but not too low,” Twilight replied. “Park us in the center of the village so we are clearly visible. Also, do we have binoculars?”

Hocus closed his eyes and began casting a spell. A box full of binoculars appeared nearby. Short, blue lanyards were attached to all of them.

Twilight smiled. “Perfect. I’m going out to the deck.”

“I’ll get you a good view,” Hocus called after her.

She used her magic to put binoculars on the members of her party and kept a pair levitated in front of her while she headed for the stairs leading outside. Goosebumps appeared underneath Twilight’s coat. A mix of anticipation and dread swirled around inside of her stomach. What had seemed so far away a day ago was finally about to be right in front of her.

While in the hallway, the voice of Onyx could be heard as if he was standing in front of her. “All pegasus soldiers will now report to the deck and remain on alert.”

Once outside, the humidity in the air instantly attached itself to her muzzle, making each breath feel as if it were being drawn through a wet cloth. They had flown past the storm, but dark clouds still hung overhead and the scent of rain was in the air. Heat stuck to her coat. Wearing armor would have only made it worse. Twilight looked over the safety rail as the ship began descending while still moving forward.

A light mist came into view. It failed to obscure the terrain. Much to her relief, the environment was flourishing. The temporary backdrop of Ponyville had not done the lush colors of the vegetation any justice. It was a sign of hope, which was welcome considering how much more work remained to be done.

A single negative aspect could not resist making itself known. Her teleportation stunt had not been necessary. Twilight knew they were all thinking it, but none of them wanted to say it. She had wasted a substantial chunk of her energy on nothing. Twilight refused to acknowledge that fact as it crowned her with a paper dunce cap and danced in front of her. Her decision had to have been for something, even if it was as simple as speeding up their trip. She only needed to regret it if she ran into a few more situations that required advanced magical intervention.

Pegasus soldiers joined them on the deck. Onyx was with them. He added himself to Twilight’s entourage and stood next to Wedge.

Onyx gestured beyond the rail. “The village should be coming into view any second now.”

Twilight accidentally banged the binoculars against the rail in her haste to get the specs in front of her eyes. She had to fiddle with the settings for a moment before she brought everything into focus. The Salamanders had decided to do a little construction since the last time the ponies had stopped by to say hi. Twilight had been ready for many things, but a wall was not one of them. A great deal of effort had gone into making the wall as strong as possible. Sharpened tips discouraged nimble tourists from climbing over the barrier. Twilight narrowed her eyes. The wall had seen plenty of abuse. Thick gashes decorated it, giving off the air of offensive graffiti. Something had been trying to get in. She had to amend that thought immediately.

Something had gotten in.

A portion of the wall had been destroyed. The Salamanders were not at the top of their food chain. She could sympathize with them. Her suspicion quickly gave to way to elation when she spotted several of them working around the area, setting up the necessary supplies to rebuild the wall. There were even a few in watchtowers that had been built to allow them to see beyond the barrier surrounding their village. Twilight gasped and tried to zoom in further only to be met with an annoying click that told her she had reached the limit of the binoculars.

“Look!” Twilight exclaimed. “I see one! I see a Salamander! He’s right there!”

She sounded like a filly at a petting zoo, but she could care less. Twilight used her magic to gently adjust the necks and gazes of those next to her until they saw the Salamander she was looking at, which elicited a chorus of grunts, each pitched with their own unique level of surprise.

“They’re so pretty,” Twilight said. She could tell her teammates were exchanging looks, so she had to follow that up with something less vague. “I really hope we can become friends.”

Twenty Salamanders with different colors on their backs were moving lumber closer to the damaged section of the wall. One of them happened to look up at the sky as he popped his neck to relieve the tension that had gotten into it and spotted their giant white boat. He cried out, stumbled back a few steps, and fell flat on his butt. He shouted something in his own language to his friends, who became aware of the descending behemoth and reacted in the way Twilight had hoped they would not. They panicked.

It seemed only natural and it was a bit fun to watch from an analytical perspective. Twilight kept her eyes on the Salamander that had spoken as it ran through the muddy streets until it reached a pole. A set of metal bells was attached to the top of the pole. The Salamander grabbed a piece of rope dangling from the bells and shook it, sounding an alarm. Throughout the village, Salamanders began emerging from their homes and sounding more alarms until the whole place was on full alert.

“This is goin’ well,” Applejack said, her voice almost collapsing under the weight of the sarcasm in her tone.

Twilight had a moment to admire their evident love of gardening while they ran around in circles. Flowers and plants were everywhere around the houses they had built. Large trees were abundant, ready to provide shade on warm days. With as close as they were connected to nature, it seemed strange they would banish an insect responsible for maintaining it. Whoever had cast Shelly out could not have known how important it was to keep her around. Or they simply did not care.

A house larger than the rest was at the center of the town. Flowers in varying shades of red adorned it. No other house had used red flowers. The owner had to be someone important. The pilot of the airship had to have been thinking the same thing and parked the vessel a short distance from the home.

“Princess, they’ve got a catapult,” Onyx said. “Can you do something about that?”

She had to look around for a moment until she saw it. Twelve Salamanders were pulling it out of an open warehouse. A large boulder was already in the bucket. Twilight sent her power down to the ground and seized the rock in her aura. The sight of the boulder being enveloped by a purple mist sent those who were operating the catapult scattering for cover. She teleported the rock to the edge of the village with the rope the catapult relied on to function wrapped around it and tied up in a bow so they could easily fix the contraption after they calmed down.

“Nice,” Wedge said. “They probably have more than one of those, though.”

“And if they have them, then that means they have had the need to swat something out of the sky,” Onyx said.

“Or at range,” Biggs said.

The boys were merely background noise. Twilight watched as the Salamanders brought weapons out of their homes. Beefier Salamanders carried bludgeoning weapons while their smaller counterparts stuck to archery. A few carried crossbows. Children had joined the effort. They carried buckets full of mud balls packed with irritants. None of them looked like they didn’t know what they were doing. If any of them were afraid, they were doing a fantastic job of hiding it.

“I think we should let them blow off some steam before we go down there,” Biggs said.

Twilight gave him a nod in agreement, only partially listening to what he was saying as her mind continued racing towards an unspecified finish line. The hole in their defenses really needed to be fixed. She wasn’t sure how quickly they could get it done, but it would be hard work. So long as she was there, she could give them a break from it.

Her aura took control of the wood the Salamanders had set aside. She gained an audience as she worked. The villagers were completely transfixed by the sight of the logs driving themselves deep into the ground so easily. It was a big job, but pieces of wood lacked overly complicated accessories such as souls, which made them a pleasure to work with. Though she would have preferred not to, Twilight shaved the tops into pointed tips and aligned them as precisely as she could with the rest of the wall. While doing so, she realized the wall wasn’t completely even. Some pointed tips down the line were higher or lower than their neighbors. Her OCD broke the glass and pulled the fire alarm. She resisted the urge to correct the whole wall. If they were nice enough, she would do that for them before heading home. Two Salamanders approached the new wall tentatively and gave it a poke with their staffs to see if it would do anything.

“That’s kind of you, but don’t think it’s going to earn you any points with them,” Onyx said.

She stepped away from the railing, keeping the binoculars levitated in front of her for the moment. Wedge kept watching the Salamanders, but the other ponies joined her.

“I thought this village was going to be a lot larger,” Twilight said.

“They would probably like for it to be, but the land ain’t tame,” Applejack said.

“They aren’t the only reptiles out there, are they?” Onyx asked.

Twilight shook her head. “There are other reptiles, but not like these guys.”

“Isn’t a smaller community better?” Biggs asked. “They are less likely to run out of resources that way.”

“That’s true, but there should still be more of them down there than this,” Twilight said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we left right now and came back five years later to find none of them left.”

Wedge waved a hoof at them without moving from his spot. “Hey, I think they’re signaling us.”

“Are you sure they’re not just being obscene?” Onyx asked.

“A few of them are, but this red one isn’t.”

Twilight stood beside him. Wedge pointed a hoof towards where he was looking and Twilight put her binoculars over her eyes. A Salamander with red markings all over his back had stepped out of the house decorated with red flowers. He was waving at them. If they accepted his invitation, they would teleport smack dab in the middle of a horde that had gathered outside of his home, which was a thrilling prospect.

She needed a pinch of humor. “Who’s being obscene?”

“Right there, across from the red one at four o’ clock,” Wedge replied.

Twilight followed Wedge’s directions. Sure enough, one of them was acting like a pony, much to the amusement of his spectators. His tongue was hanging out, making him look stupid. A few of his friends ran up and slapped his rear. An X had been painted on his left hip. He had been too lazy to put another one on his other hip. Accountant. Archaeologist. Mathematician. Twilight could bore him with a list of at least twenty other reasons why an X would be a desirable mark, but she was certain he would not care. Their insensitivity conveyed an impressive degree of ignorance.

“Wait a minute. They can’t see us all the way up here. How do they know that we’re ponies?” Twilight asked.

Wedge snickered. “Have you checked what’s on both sides of the back of this ship?”

“Yes, Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark. What does that . . . oh.” Twilight blushed profusely.

She returned her eyes to the red Salamander and began weighing her options. He was taller than the rest by a head. The expression on his face did not convey warmth. He was ready to get this over with. It would be rude to keep him waiting.

“What do you make of their chief, Applejack?” Twilight asked.

Applejack took a minute to get a good look at him. “Impatient and ornery. Probably drives a hard bargain. Looks like he got to where he is because of the red on his back, which means he’s part of a family. If not for that, I’d tell you he got to where he was because he’s bigger than most of them. It’ll be hard to talk him down, but you’re up to the task.”

“I thought all we had to do was ask him if there was a unicorn around here,” Biggs said.

“Yeah, but if there ain’t and they happen to be the ones shootin’ off magic, they won’t fess up easily.”

“Somehow, I think that’s more plausible than a unicorn living around here,” Wedge said. “How many nefarious charlatans can you think of who would pick a miserable place like this to study?”

Applejack and Twilight replied at the same time in the same tone. “Queen Chrysalis.”

“I mean, besides her. She’s like a bug, isn’t she? She’s not a real pony.”

“And where would you go, Wedge?” Onyx asked.

“A cave. The middle of a forest inhabited by monsters I could easily wallop if I wanted to. I’d make them serve as my guards.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think he has a point,” Onyx said. “Keep that in mind, Princess.”

Wedge couldn’t have grinned wider. He tried to hide it by averting his face while Biggs gave him a bro hoof.

“I guess that would mean they might have found a relic somewhere,” Applejack said.

“A what?” Wedge asked.

“A relic,” Biggs replied. “An item that has been enchanted that can be used by anyone.”

“Oh, yeah! Sorry, I thought you said something else.”

Applejack rolled her eyes so hard her neck popped.

“If it isn’t a relic, they might have acquired magic after having lived in a land saturated in it for so long,” Biggs said.

“Those are all decent possibilities, but we won’t know until we talk to them,” Twilight said.

“Yup. We should go down there now before he hops in a catapult and comes up here,” Applejack said.

“I think I’d like to see that,” Twilight said.

“Twilight, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten, but allow me to remind you they were ready to swat us out of the sky not less than ten minutes ago,” Onyx said.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Twilight replied. “They could have just been taking preventative measures of some kind in case they were attacked.”

Onyx sighed, aggravated that she wasn’t listening to him. Twilight walked away from the railing and put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. His eyes went wide in surprise and he looked down at her hoof to make sure he wasn’t imagining her touch.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” Twilight said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to talk with somebody who’s a little grumpy and I highly doubt it will be my last.”

She felt him relax and then lowered her hoof to the deck.

“You’re really something else, Princess Sparkle,” Onyx said, shaking his head.

Twilight smiled. “I’m no different than anyone else who is willing to do what needs to be done.”

Since they were finished looking, Twilight teleported all the binoculars back to the case they had come from. Wedge had still been using his and was momentarily blinded when they were taken away. He stood to attention with Biggs once his eyes regained focus.

“Applejack, you’ll hang back with Fluttershy for a moment while I introduce myself with Biggs and Wedge,” Twilight said. “You’ll be coming down with Shy and Shelly once I get to that part. I’ll be sure to give you girls a warning before I pull you down.”

“We had better go fetch our boots, then.”

Twilight sent her magic through the ship into the rooms reserved for the princesses, located the boots, and rearranged reality to reflect that their boots were once again protecting their hoofs.

Applejack examined her right foreleg. “We could have just as easily gone back down to our rented rooms, Twi.”

“Walking takes too much time. We’re all going to the cargo hold a minute before we hit the ground. I need to talk to Fluttershy.”

“Whenever you’re ready, ma’am,” Biggs said.

In a flash, they were all down in the cargo hold with Fluttershy and Shelly. Their abrupt appearance interrupted the two of them while they were in the middle of passing a ball back and forth.

“Fluttershy, we have arrived at the village,” Twilight said.

She smiled. “I know. That was quite a cast, Twilight. You should be proud.”

“Maybe later. Get your boots on. I’m going to need you down there with me when I am ready to present them with the reason for our unexpected visit. You will have to keep Shelly calm. Applejack will join you. I’ll give you a ten second warning before I grab you, alright?”

Fluttershy nodded.

Twilight turned to address her guards. “Okay, this time it’s the real thing. Be ready.”

Chapter 7

A crowd had gathered near Aramak’s home. Shelly and the other members of Twilight’s current party were there. A few children were poking at Shelly’s shell while Fluttershy watched. One pegasus soldier was allowing several spectators a closer look at his wings. A Salamander that had seen Twilight’s scuffle was relaying it in a rather animated manner to those who hadn’t been there. A blurry X was on one of his hips. The general mood of the crowd had elevated significantly now that nobody was being chased by a hungry plant monster. It was the setting Celestia had no doubt dreamed of when she had tried to get through to them. Twilight found it somewhat discouraging. Their suffering would have been considerably alleviated if they had been less territorial. Desperation had caused them to change and while Twilight could feel Aramak warming up to her, she knew there were still some villagers who weren’t convinced they should be there.

It was the perfect time to feed them, which she would have done even if they weren’t hitting it off. Someone else had to have been thinking the same thing. Crates containing apples and vegetables had been brought down. Biggs and Wedge were helping pass out food while a unicorn mage was busy making duplicates of the available supplies. Cloning food came at the cost of a slight decrease in taste and nutrition, but they wouldn’t be able to feed everyone without it and it didn’t look like any of them cared. The base of Twilight’s horn throbbed at the thought of duplication. She couldn’t let it bother her. But it did anyway. It was more important to trick those watching her into believing it did not, which would pass the act on to them and keep the party marching forward.

Fluttershy joined them as they mounted the steps to the front deck of Aramak’s house. “Would you mind if I sat in on the meeting?”

“Sure,” Twilight said. “Aramak, this is Fluttershy and that’s Applejack. I’m sorry I haven’t introduced them until now. They have helped me save Equestria numerous times before in the past.”

“I figured they must have been important if they were with you,” Aramak said. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, but what about the kiburigo? Is it safe to leave that demon by itself?”

Twilight noticed Shelly was wandering around. Without Fluttershy’s direct supervision, Shelly crawled up to a corner of Aramak’s home and stared at it. Gluttony became evident in her shiny eyes. Fluttershy whistled sharply. Shelly gurgled in disapproval and went to keep Biggs company.

“How did you do that?” Aramak asked.

“Shelly is actually very smart,” Fluttershy replied. “She was really easy to tame. You could do that, too. I’d be happy to show you how. You just need to learn how to love her.”

“What about the zasoi? Could you tame those?”

Fluttershy’s ears lowered. “Not when they’re hungry.”

“Then you cannot tame them because they are always hungry.”

Aramak went into his home ahead of them. Twilight stepped into an entryway that was recessed into the floor. A bucket full of fresh water was next to the door. Two baskets kept it company. One was full of fresh rags. Aramak sat down on the wood paneled hallway and began cleaning his feet. He tossed the dirty rag into the empty basket when he was finished.

Aramak gestured at the clean towels. “Please wash your hoofs. We do not track filth into our homes.”

They removed their boots and did as he instructed while he watched them from the hallway. Twilight could smell incense burning somewhere inside the house. Aramak led them into his living room. A variety of maces were mounted to the wall next to the entrance to the hallway. He preferred to smash whatever he didn’t like. Several bows accompanied the maces a few feet away. They did not look as if they had been touched in a long time.

The incense was stronger in the living room. Twilight spotted a fireplace. A pot was being boiled. It added heat to the room, but the pleasant aroma was coming from it. Vases filled with plants grabbed light from outside through the windows. Tapestries had been hung on the walls. Red was once again a favored color.

Aramak pulled a few blankets out of a closet. He laid a red one down near the fireplace and set three brown blankets down for his guests a few feet in front of where he intended to sit.

“Wait here,” Aramak said. “I will be back in a moment.”

A minute later he returned with a wooden bucket and a tray full of cups. Though Twilight had never witnessed the ceremony he was attempting to perform, she could tell he had not done it often. A glance at the bucket revealed that the tea had a light flavor to it judging by the clarity of the water. Twilight could taste several different flavors in the back of her mouth as she waited for a chance to try it. Aramak used a ladle to fill a clay cup with tea and Twilight took it with her hoof after it was offered to her.

“How are you holding that?” Aramak asked.

“Like this. See?” Twilight replied, showing him.

“That doesn’t look like it should be possible.”

“We spend a great deal of time ignoring things like that.”

Twilight took a sip while the others were served. As expected, the flavor was light. There was a tinge of natural sweetness to it.

“This is exquisite,” Twilight said. “It tastes a lot like jasmine blossom. I’d love to bring some seeds back with me.”

“I’d say that’s a fair trade for all the work you have done so far. Enough with pleasantries. You may ask me anything and I will reply truthfully.”

“I will grant you the same favor. To begin with, do you remember when I asked you if there were more of Shelly’s kind in the past? There were, weren’t there?”

“Yes. We never had any idea they were magical. If we had known they were, we would have taken steps to protect them.”

“I’m a bit surprised you accepted that explanation so quickly. I figured you would have been a bit tougher to convince.”

“I’m not an idiot, Twilight. Do you think I haven’t ever agonized over what caused that mess down there? Your answer made more sense than the land being cursed, which is what everyone else has always thought despite my insistence that it wasn’t. The beetles that once lived in that area looked a little different, but they must have been in the same family. After we stopped finding them, it took a year for the wetlands to deteriorate.”

“Do you have any idea what happened to them?”

Aramak paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer. “We eat the male and so do many of our neighbors. We have always been careful not to hunt them out of existence, but the monsters around here lack foresight. It also does not help that the eggs the female lays are also very delicious.”

Twilight shuddered. “I might regret asking this, but how do they taste?”

“They are sweet. I can’t compare them to anything else. If there were more of them, I’d recommend you try one. They may look revolting, but they certainly don’t taste bad.”

Twilight imagined the yellow guts of a beetle exploding into her mouth as she bit down on it like an éclair filled with raspberry jelly and almost gagged. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“What about the girls?” Fluttershy asked. “Do you eat them as well?”

“They are an acquired taste. I have never tried one. They are not as in demand as the male is.”

Applejack chimed in. “We’ve got a record of your village before you had to build that fence and the princess who last paid you a visit didn’t mention anything about it. When you stopped findin’ Shelly’s friends, you started gettin’ hit a lot more often, didn’t you?”

“Yes. At first, we thought it was a blessing that we didn’t have to wake up to our houses falling on top of us, but we soon had bigger problems to deal with.”

“The zay-soy?” Applejack asked.

“You catch on quick. They are part of the reason we abandoned the jungle that used to be our home to live in this swamp. I don’t know why they followed us here. By the way, why do you insist on calling the bug Shelly?” Aramak asked.

“She likes her name,” Fluttershy replied.

“Is that really the answer you’re going to give me?” Aramak asked.

“Well, you like your name, don’t you?”

“It is something that makes me who I am, isn’t it?”

“See? Mr. Aramak, sir, I’ve been thinking about all that’s happened and what we’ve talked about so far and I think you should breed Shelly’s kind and keep them as pets. They are quite intelligent for insects. I know they have an odor that can’t be accurately put into words, but they are trying to get by just like you are and both of you could really benefit from working together.”

Aramak glared at Fluttershy. “And how exactly are we supposed to ask them not to eat our homes? I’m pretty sure several of us screamed that at them while we were chasing them away. What did we do wrong?”

“Nothing,” Fluttershy said. “I will talk to Shelly. You won’t have to worry about it anymore after that.”

“If you could make it work, I’d be willing to give it a try. I’m not sure any of us would think of them as pets, but we will live with them if we must. There’s a problem with your plan, though. We’re not going to get far if we don’t have a male and I haven’t seen one in a few months.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard to find one,” Applejack said. “Have Twilight take her spell of Shelly and he’ll come runnin’.”

“You think that stuff oozing out of her shell is pheromones?” Twilight asked.

“If it isn’t, I couldn’t imagine how they would be able to stay together for longer than five seconds.”

Aramak nodded to himself. “She might have a point.”

“I think we should focus on finding Izu first,” Twilight said. “Once we have that taken care of, we’ll find Shelly a boyfriend.”

“That might be easier said than done,” Aramak said.

“You can say that about anything. I’m interested in how Izu developed his talent for magic. It must have come as quite a shock.”

“It did. As much as I hate to use the term miracle, nothing else could describe what happened to him. He doesn’t have a horn and there is nothing about him that’s radically different from anyone else.”

“Having a horn is not required for the use of magic and ponies are not the only beings who are able to use it. You might have had the ability to do so for years and you just have not realized it until now. It must take a far greater amount of effort for you to unlock it, unless your son woke up one day and started using magic haphazardly like a unicorn foal. Is that how it started?”

“No. He was inspired by your queen the last time she was here. During her brief visit, she used a little bit of her magic. Izu was fascinated by it. He was jealous that we could not use the same power and figured most of it had to deal with concentration, so he came up with a regiment of bizarre exercises that he felt boosted his ability to remain focused. It seemed like a bad habit that needed to be corrected, so I punished him for it. You might feel comfortable judging me from your lofty position, but I was afraid if he kept it up and enough of our people found out about it they would never take him seriously and my family would lose its position of power.”

“He kept at it, though,” Twilight said.

“Yes, and it paid off. His breakthrough came while he was sparring with one of my best warriors. It pains me to admit this, but he has always been a lousy fighter. He had taken quite a beating and was about to lose the match when he tossed his opponent aside as if he weighed nothing. This sent everyone into an uproar. Some were saying he was cursed and it would bring ruin to us if we did not cast him out.”

“Your people must be superstitious,” Twilight said.

“They are. It’s disgusting. My family has tried to get it out of everyone, but it is still there to this day. Allow me to explain. When we lived in the jungle, we answered to five elders who ruled over us with fears and lies. It was easy for them to blame our calamities on anything but their own stupidity. My great grandfather saw through their excuses and took a group with him to this swamp. He was considered a pariah due to the red on his back, but there were plenty of my kin who were willing to follow him if it meant not having to keep giving offerings to the zasoi’s.”

Fluttershy leaned in. “Are there more of your kind still living in the jungle?”

Aramak opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. He looked away from his audience and closed his eyes. “Not anymore.”

It was a simple answer, but it carried a lot of weight.

Twilight figured it would be best to move on. “You mentioned earlier that Izu is out in the wild.”

“Yes. As he continued experimenting with magic, he discovered he could make certain things vanish. He got it in his head that he would go out there and make all our problems go away. I figured by letting him do this he would be able to show everyone he wasn’t cursed or a coward, so I ordered my best warriors to go out with him. It seemed better than shunning him.”

This wasn’t going anywhere good.

“How did he intend to make all of your problems go away?” Twilight asked.

“He just did.”

“Yes, but how?”

“He would find something he didn’t like and make it disappear. I’m sorry, but that’s the best way I can describe it. Pretend I could do what he does for a minute. When I first met you, I would have simply made you go away by snapping my fingers.” Aramak performed the gesture to emphasize his point. “That would have been the end of it.”

Twilight had to hold her tongue and remind herself that Izu didn’t know any better. She was certain she knew what Izu had done. He had made his decision out of ignorance. It was possible to trap a passenger in the middle of a teleportation spell forever in what was called the void. Casting something into the void was not considered ethical and was only allowed under extreme circumstances.

“How long has he been out there?” Applejack asked.

“Three days.”

An invisible force dumped a bucket of ice water all over Twilight’s back. “Wow. That’s impressive. Have you sent anybody out to make sure he’s okay?”

“When any of us go out into the swamp, we mark our path with colored rocks so we don’t get lost. The group I sent out yesterday followed the trail Izu left behind and found nothing. If something bad had happened, there would have been evidence of it, but like I said, they did not find anything. I was about to go out there myself and look because I figured maybe one of my scouts had missed a rock, but then you showed up.”

Familiar with how spells misfired, Twilight could almost be sure of what had happened based on what she had been told. It was always possible for a unicorn to get themselves stuck while teleporting. Distraught parents of magically inclined unicorn foals always had it in mind when their children went missing. Pulling something from the void was a well-documented procedure, but there was somewhat of a time issue involved. During teleportation, a target was reduced to its atoms. Early unicorns had found out the hard way that the atoms tended to wander the longer they were left in the middle of the spell. If they remained unassembled for too long, it was not considered possible to put them back together.

The good news was Izu and anyone who had gone in with him wouldn’t know it. In a manner of speaking, they were still alive and would remain frozen inside the fabric of their universe until it inevitably ended. The bad news was the rescue procedure drained energy from the user continuously. Fetching scattered atoms, forcing them to reassemble correctly, and finishing the teleportation spell was an active task.

Or she could be completely wrong. Izu could have turned himself and all his companions into birds for all she knew. However, if that had happened, they would have returned to the village. Unless he had failed to correctly transfer their individual spirits. Then they could be anywhere. If that had happened, their personal belongings would have been left behind. He could have also teleported himself halfway across the world like he had done with Shelly, but that didn’t seem as likely as her first guess.

“You look like you know something,” Aramak said.

Twilight jerked out of her trance. “I have an idea, but I can’t say for sure until I examine the area where Izu went missing.”

“I would be happy to take you there,” Aramak said.

“That would be fine, but I did not plan to go on hoof. Foot, I mean. We will be able to find where he last used magic from the airship and I have a feeling doing so will take us near where he dropped his last rock.”

Aramak stood up. “Then let’s go there right now.”

He wandered over to the rack he used to display his weapons. Aramak gripped the handle of a heavy mace, but did not take it off his rack. He instead picked a blunt quarterstaff covered in scratches that would incapacitate whatever was pestering him in a manner far less permanent than anything else he usually equipped himself with.

“Do you want me to put together a quick band of fighters or are you comfortable with the force you’ve got under your command?” Aramak asked.

“We’ll have this taken care of in under an hour if we’re lucky,” Twilight said. “It shouldn’t require brute force. If it does, we could always come back, but you’re welcome to bring some of your friends along now if you would like.”

Aramak tapped his left shoulder with the quarterstaff. “No. Forget it.”

Twilight saw through him. He was thinking ahead. Aramak wouldn’t want anyone to see him if they happened to be unable to rescue his son. It would be ugly. All the progress she had made would be retracted in an instant. The possibility would be there to demean her at every turn until the deed was done.

“Let’s get going, then,” Twilight said.

Twilight grabbed Applejack and Fluttershy with her aura and teleported all three of them outside the house with their boots back on. Her skull was beginning to feel like it might pop out through the blister around her horn. The need for haste clashed poorly with the relaxed atmosphere in front of them. More cheering and waving were to be had. Twilight forced a smile and remained dignified.

Aramak joined Twilight on the deck. “I thought you might have left without me.”

“Sorry. It was quicker than walking.”

“One is far better for your heart.”

Applejack snickered. “We’ve been tellin’ her that for years.”

X came bounding up the steps to the deck and stopped in front of Aramak with a fresh apple in his hand and one he was working on in the other.

His mouth was still half full of an apple when he chose to speak. “Chief, you have got to try one of these. They are amazing.”

Aramak shook his head. “Later. I’m going to be leaving for an hour. Do you think you can stop being an idiot for long enough to make sure the whole village isn’t in flames by the time I get back?”

“I mean, probably, yeah.”

Applejack took the fresh apple from X and held it up. “You shouldn’t go adventuring on an empty stomach, Aramak.”

With a click of his tongue, Aramak grabbed the apple from her and bit into it. The annoyed expression on his face gave way to surprise. “Hey, these are just about as sweet as the kibu --- ”

Twilight held up a hoof before Aramak ruined apples forever. “Don’t.”

Biggs and Wedge met Twilight as she stepped away from Aramak’s house. Two stallions had replaced them to continue distributing food. Shelly was absent. Fluttershy whistled and she appeared from out of nowhere and scuttled over to them. The area around her mouth wasn’t covered in splinters or sawdust. She hadn’t done anything she shouldn’t have. There would have been more screaming if she had.

Wedge gestured upward towards the airship with his head. “Time to leave?”

Twilight nodded.

Biggs looked back at the ration line. “General Adamite wants to leave some soldiers on the ground while we’re traveling to continue distributing food. Two of the fastest pegasus soldiers we have will also remain in the sky above the village. They will help monitor the perimeter for monsters.”

“Sounds good,” Twilight said. She looked at Aramak. “Will my soldiers be safe?”

Aramak gestured for X to come over to him. “Some of the ponies will be staying behind. Make sure they are treated well, alright?”

X nodded eagerly. Reassurance from someone who had been so quick to condemn them earlier was hardly enough for Twilight, but the vibe she was getting from the villagers was a lot different than the one she had felt when they had arrived. So long as they continued feeding them, there wouldn’t be a problem.

“Alright, we’re going to make the jump to the bridge,” Twilight said. “Aramak, since this is your first time being teleported, you might feel slightly disoriented after you get through to the other side.”

“Try me,” Aramak said.

In a matter of seconds, they were all on the bridge. Fresh pain was there to greet Twilight. It kept her from opening her eyes. She resisted the urge to put a hoof to her horn. So long as the strain didn’t start creeping back down to her chest, she would be fine. A sharp thud caught Twilight’s attention. She forced her eyelids open and was met with more light than she was prepared for. Aramak had driven his staff into the floor to help his balance. It didn’t keep him from shaking as the tingling sensation brought on during reassembly tickled him. Twilight silently cast a spell on him that settled his stomach so he didn’t spew the apple he had just eaten all over the polished floor, which made dancing sparks appear in her vision.

“I don’t suppose you have a ladder for when I need to go back down, do you?” Aramak replied.

“No,” Twilight replied. “You’ll have to endure it at least one more time.”

A snicker came from Red Iris, who was still standing by the crystal with Hocus. The same pony who had been at the wheel earlier had not gone anywhere. None of them could hide their interest in Aramak, who put a hand over his heart and gave them a nod.

Onyx left his post at the front of the ship to come join them. “Welcome back, Princess. I see you have brought a friend with you.”

“Yes, this is Aramak. He’s the mayor of the village. We’re going to be looking for his son, Izu.”

Onyx offered Aramak a hoof, which he shook.

“I’m sure we’ll find him,” Onyx said. “I take it his kid can use magic?”

“That’s right,” Twilight said.

“And he went and got himself into trouble?”

“Given everything I know so far, yes.”

“Figures. Don’t worry, Aramak. This sort of thing happens all the time. Kids and magic don’t mix. It’s almost always too much power to give to a child.”

Onyx had done a fine job of getting Aramak to relax. It was funny how fast his opinion of the Salamanders had changed. Twilight didn’t doubt he preferred words winning over force.

“Anyway, what’s our next move?” Onyx asked. “Are you going to scan the swamp for the last spot that magic was used?”

Twilight nodded.

“Before we do, I need to ask Aramak something important,” Onyx said.

Aramak puffed up, causing Twilight to roll her eyes.

“Certainly,” Aramak said. “What do you wish to know?”

“Did you see how large this airship is from the ground?”

“Yes, I did have a good look at it. Why?”

“Is there anything in this swamp that can fly that is at least half the size of this airship?”

“No. There are beasts with wings and some of them are big, but I couldn’t imagine they would be able to force this ship out of the sky. From out there, at least. Given what I have seen from your princess and her friends, your warriors would be capable of fighting them.”

“Good, that makes me feel a little better,” Onyx turned away from Aramak and headed back to the front of the room. “Hocus, Iris, check the swamp for the spot where magic was last used.”

The two unicorns worked together and drew power from the crystal to make the spell easier to manage. A tingling sensation rushed through Twilight’s body as her magic became visible to them. They would have to isolate Salamander magic from Shelly’s unique signature, which would not be too difficult. Twilight caught them flinching. The whole area had to be lit up like a pine tree on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Gazing into it would be like uncovering the tarp off a spotlight while standing right in front of it. It was nice to have Hocus advance the plot of their latest adventure, but Twilight still had the urge to jump in and help even though it would hurt.

Applejack wandered towards the front of the bridge while they were still having their intermission. “Hey, Aramak. Come over here for a minute.”

Aramak, who had been transfixed by the crystal, followed Applejack to the window. Twilight went along as well.

“Have a look at that,” Applejack said, gesturing to the view of the village with her hoof.

Seeing his village from above for the first time moved him enough to get him to cover his mouth for a moment to stifle a gasp.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Applejack asked.

He nodded in reply. A grim scowl appeared on his face.

“It will get better, Aramak. With time,” Twilight said.

“Your optimism is overwhelming.”

“Glad I could help.”

Aramak’s scoff was followed by a smirk.

“We’ve found what we’re looking for,” Hocus announced. “Here. Allow me to project a map.”

A floating screen that was a snapshot of Hocus’ imagination appeared at the front of the room. His aura served as the border and his control over the spell was good enough to provide everyone with a clear, colorful image that covered thirty miles in all directions. The airship was in the exact center of the map, hovering over the village. A red arrow was drawn on the map to indicate which direction was north and another red circle appeared over their next destination, which was thick with vegetation.

“The evidence of magic having been used was very faint,” Hocus said. “It will probably fade away completely in another day.”

“Does that look about right?” Twilight asked Aramak.

Aramak studied the map. “Yes, but what can you do that my warriors have not already done? There’s nothing there. They looked.”

“We will use recall magic,” Twilight said. “It will allow us to peer into the past and see exactly what happened.”

“It might be better if you had somebody else cast that spell for you, Twi,” Applejack said.

Twilight nodded. “Hocus, will you come along with me and help with that?”

“Why, yes,” Hocus replied. “In fact, I’ve had to do this sort of thing before to help apprehend a few thieves.”

“Shelly and Fluttershy should also come down with us since we’ll be in the wild,” Applejack said. “We don’t need to get snuck up on while we’re workin’.”

“I wouldn’t want that to happen,” Fluttershy said. “Shelly can be brave this time. She’s a fast learner.”

Shelly didn’t squeak, attempt to hide, or scurry away at the suggestion that she would be coming with them. Twilight took it as a good sign.

“We’ll begin moving after I have briefed the soldiers and a messenger has told those currently active where we’re going,” Onyx said.

Iris made his microphone appear and Onyx began repeating information they already knew to everyone who didn’t have a front row seat. Twilight wished she could allow herself the luxury of lying down in Celestia’s bed until they reached their destination, but she had to be better than that. Another elixir would have the same effect. Having more than one a day was not recommended as it increased the debt owed to the body. Her mind raced to justify having another one, brushing aside the addictive nature of the elixir. If she did drink a second elixir, she would crash sleep for at least a day.

She needed a distraction. Twilight returned to Biggs and Wedge, who were chatting with each other. She decided to interrupt them. “How are you two doing? Have you gotten what you signed up for?”

Wedge laughed a little. “It’s been pretty wild. It sure beats the post office.”

“The brochure didn’t lie, ma’am,” Biggs said. “Discover what you’re capable of. See the world. Protect the best interests of the princesses.”

“And then they got a little asterisk right at the end and you go down to the bottom of the page and it says all of this just might be a little dangerous, but it’s good for you because it builds character. Or so they say.”

“It does,” Biggs insisted. “If I wasn’t here I’d be trying to figure out how to explain algebra to ponies who have no grasp on the subject. All of this is far more interesting.”

“Good,” Twilight said. “Hang in there, guys.”

Wedge gave her a salute. “We’ll manage.”

Twilight caught a glimpse of the messenger that had been sent down to the ground flying in front of the ship on her way to the landing strip. Onyx gave the pony at the wheel a signal and they were off. It would be a matter of minutes before they reached their destination. Applejack and Aramak remained at the front of the room and watched the world go by beneath them.

There was nothing left for Twilight to do. The urge to drink another elixir teamed up with her fear of failing to save Izu and slammed up against the fort of confidence she had built around herself. Trying to count to a hundred didn’t work. The infernal screeching of her doubt kept her head running through multiple scenarios. She had to stop herself each time she dreamed of a new one. There wasn’t enough information to justify panicking.

How much money had been spent to finance their expedition? If she couldn’t figure out one problem, she would solve another that would put more pressure on her to solve the previous problem she had put aside. It didn’t matter how much Celestia had spent. Magic was involved. A force used from something so minor as putting on socks could also level mountains under the right circumstances.

“You look worried,” Fluttershy said.

Now that someone was talking to her, the pressure her anxiety had been putting on her was alleviated. It wouldn’t last.

Twilight had to enjoy the momentary relief. “Thanks. I am.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t think we have enough time to go over everything,” Twilight said.

“Oh. How long do you think it would take to tame this swamp?” Fluttershy asked.

“Less than five years. Then we would have to worry about whatever is lurking just beyond the border.”

“I bet they would want to go back to the jungle at some point since that’s where they came from.”

“We’re going to be here for a while, then.”

Biggs heard them speaking and offered his own input. “Celestia would want a base here.”

Wedge shushed him and pointed at Aramak. “Don’t say that so loud.”

Fluttershy lowered her voice and drew in a bit closer. “I think it would be safer to move them to a swamp in Equestria.”

Twilight wasn’t convinced. “Yeah, but it won’t be what they are used to. They could get sick,”

Fluttershy looked at her like she was an idiot. “That’s what Shelly is for.”

Shelly squeaked.

Twilight blushed and smiled. “Oh, right. Whew, boy. I need a nap. And a bath.”

“I second that,” Wedge said. “For all of us, I mean. Not just you, princess. But yeah, there’s plenty of swamp land to the south, isn’t there?”

“Yes, and most of it is considered tame,” Fluttershy replied. “They would only have to deal with the occasional hydra or group of wisps down there.”

“We would be overriding an environment that is already thriving if we did, though,” Twilight said. “I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do.”

“Then they could pick a jungle. We’ve got plenty of those. Right?” Wedge asked.

“Not really,” Fluttershy replied. “The jungle Equestria does have is protected land since there are remains of an ancient civilization there. It might not be like their jungle. They might get sick, like Twilight said.”

They were talking like they had already won. As if everything would fall into place for them. Twilight couldn’t have misdirected optimism clouding their minds. “These are all good suggestions, but we might be getting ahead of ourselves.”

“Maybe, but it can be nice to have a good idea early,” Fluttershy said.

“We’re coming up on our destination,” Hocus announced.

Twilight hadn’t realized it, but Fluttershy had managed to take her mind off failing her mission. That had to have been her intent. She would remember that for later. Aramak and Applejack came back to join them.

“Sheesh, I don’t think our house ever got this stuffy durin’ any of the summers I have been on the farm,” Applejack said.

“This is fine,” Aramak said.

“Must be nice. Hocus, get on over here and beam us down.”

Hocus tried to conceal his excitement, but the eager grin on his face gave it away. “With pleasure.”

“Wait,” Twilight said. “Onyx, have all the mages on board gather on the bridge while we are gone. Even those who are on the night shift. I’ll have orders ready for them when I come back up.”

Onyx gave her a nod.

“Alright, Hocus,” Twilight said. “I’m ready.”

Chapter 8

In a blink, they were back on the ground. The chorus of insects and animals calling out to potential mates was as deafening as the noise produced in a busy tavern in Canterlot on the eve of Hearts and Hoofs day. They were in a small clearing. Dead grass was scattered haphazardly throughout the area. It began reviving in Shelly’s presence.

“That grass must have been from Ponyville,” Applejack said. “This is the spot.”

Twilight looked up. The airship was floating safely above them. A brown cicada landed on her muzzle, turned to the right, and launched off her nose with a noticeable push. She rubbed her muzzle and watched Aramak as he walked over to a specific spot. He bent over and picked up a rock that had been painted red.

“She’s right,” Aramak said. “This is the last marker that was left behind.” He tossed the battered rock to the ground. “Whatever happened to my son and those who were with him had to have occurred around here somewhere.”

“I think that’s your cue, Hocus,” Applejack said.

Hocus’ horn lit up as he began gathering power. “I’m glad to be of service.”

A white flash of light hit the area like a camera taking a picture. They waited for something to happen. Even the insects and animals had gone quiet at the interruption of their party. This was usually the part where an orphaned Changeling would jump out in one of Dash’s stories. Twilight looked around for what she knew they would be able to see. Patience was needed. The patrons of the outdoor tavern resumed their party since nothing interesting was happening.

Biggs pulled his disc out. “Something is coming!”

A mere second later, a large spectral beetle with a spiked shell entered the area and ran right through Wedge, who uttered a shriek. Everyone else got out of the way just in time to give room to a thin Salamander who was following the beetle. Shelly squeaked in recognition and almost ran towards the beetle, but Fluttershy held her back.

Aramak pointed at the lanky Salamander. “That’s him! That’s Izu!”

The beetle stopped and turned to face Izu, ready to fight. He appeared to shriek, which failed to intimidate Izu.

“That’s the male kiburigo,” Aramak said. “Izu must have wanted to catch it and bring it back.”

Izu reacted to an unseen figure and accepted a large net.

“How many buddies does he have with him?” Applejack asked.

“Twenty,” Aramak replied.

“Shall I reveal them as well?” Hocus asked.

“No, save your energy,” Twilight replied. “What you have already revealed is more than enough.”

Things were not looking good for Mr. Shelly. The sharp tips on his shell were his most obvious defense against predators, but they weren’t going to help much if his target dodged and he found himself covered by a net. Something came between the two, causing them both to take a step back. Izu covered his nose with one hand and was knocked back by the force of a blow to his face. Without having to be asked, Hocus revealed another layer of the past to reveal the new combatant.

Shelly had scuttled in to protect Mr. Shelly.

Izu dry heaved a few times. He had been struck by Shelly’s goo attack and was taking it about as well as anybody really could while the two bugs stood together against the world, fighting extradition. Izu held up a hand, stopping those with him from dealing with the insects. He got on his feet while Shelly and Mr. Shelly continued shrieking. Izu wiped the mud off from his mouth and made three quick gestures at Shelly. She was sent on a one-way trip to Ponyville.

Twilight knew what was coming next. Izu convulsed as if having been shocked. The demand for the spell had been too great. He managed to retain his dignity for three impressive seconds before succumbing to the inevitable and falling to the ground. Without thinking, Aramak dropped his staff and swooped in to catch his son before he collapsed. They hit the ground together. Mud splashed into the air. Twilight closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. She didn’t want to watch him back away from the apparition of his son in defeat.

Mr. Shelly charged at Izu while he was down with renewed determination now that his friend had been taken from him. Someone managed to catch him from behind with a net that went taut just before Mr. Shelly slammed his shell into Izu, who had not yet recovered from the spell he had cast. Izu had both hands over his heart and his mouth was open in a silent scream. A knot formed in Twilight’s chest. She could almost feel Izu’s heart fighting to regain its normal rhythm. Those who were pulling Mr. Shelly away from Izu failed to contain his rage and lost their grips. He went on a beeline straight for Izu’s head.

Izu had to react. He made the same three gestures he had made when dealing with Shelly. Twilight noticed that the third gesture was performed in a slightly different manner. It was where he had made his mistake. The pair vanished.

“That was a little dramatic,” Wedge said, breaking the silence.

Aramak rushed over to the spot his son had once occupied and put a hand on the ground as if doing so would provide him with a clue. “Where did he go?”

The distress he had gained from watching his son in danger caused him to start shaking.

Twilight had to be delicate. “Just hold on a little longer. Hocus, determine if the spell he cast was finished. If it was, attempt to determine where he went. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“That’s right,” Applejack interjected. “You’ve got a bunch of friends up there on the ship who would love to help.”

The rule was simple. Twilight wasn’t going to be able to cast anything unless it was an emergency if Applejack was around because she had shown too much weakness, which had brought out Applejack’s leadership qualities. There wasn’t much time to dwell on it. Hocus did as he was asked. Izu appeared on the ground again, less solid than he had been before. Hocus had pinned him a moment after he had completed the spell, which was less than a second prior to his disappearance. A broken magic circle appeared around him. It was a bit difficult to see in the mud. Hocus projected the image in front of them so they could examine it.

“How come that doesn’t look like math?” Fluttershy asked.

“There’s two ways to write and read magic,” Twilight replied. “What you’re seeing right now is the traditional way of doing it.”

“I prefer this style,” Hocus said. “It’s fancier.”

“And those squiggles mean what, exactly?” Applejack asked.

Twilight was happy to reply. “Half a ring of power. That’s bad. Very bad. The spell misfired. He was hurt, out of energy, and desperate. He wanted to get away and he didn’t care where he went. Can you see the symbols? Starting from the top and going to the right, here’s what they mean. The location of the caster is confirmed. The spell selected is teleportation. There’s no rune after that. The rune that should be there symbolizes a confirmed location. If what happened isn’t already apparent, that leaves no doubt. Moving right along, --- ”

“Thank you, Professor Sparkle,” Applejack said. “I am sorry I asked. Listening to all that makes me feel like I could almost grow a horn. He’s stuck in a limbo, isn’t he?”

“Yes, and it is possible to get him out,” Twilight said.

Aramak laughed a little. “Possible? You’re not sure? What kind of an answer is that?”

Twilight needed to keep him calm. “Aramak, we will do whatever we can to save your son.”

“There is then a possibility you cannot, right?” Aramak asked.

“Yes,” Applejack replied before Twilight could think of a less blunt way to put it.

Aramak threw his hands into the air and turned his back to them. “Unbelievable! I should have known better than to trust you so blindly.”

His guard was coming back up. If things got any worse, he would walk back home.

“Hey bud, she didn’t get your kid into this mess,” Wedge replied.

Applejack looked at Wedge, put a hoof up to her lips, and dragged it across them. Zip it.

“Don’t panic,” Fluttershy said.

“Don’t panic?” Aramak asked. He lunged at Fluttershy and put his face a mere inch away from hers as if to share a secret, but his voice was too loud to conceal what he had to say. “What am I supposed to do if he isn’t coming back? My son is all I have left!”

Twilight winced. She wished he hadn’t said that. It had been better before when it was just a hunch.

Aramak started pacing. “Am I supposed to let my halfwit nephew run the village? Or maybe I should just find a new wife and hope the demons we have to deal with don’t find her quite so --- ”

“Aramak, that’s enough!” Applejack shouted. She marched up to him and hit his chest with her hoof. “Don’t.” Applejack struck him again. “Panic.” She took a step back. “It’s not helpin’, alright?”

“Twilight is kind of a professional,” Fluttershy said, trying to lighten the mood. It would have helped if her voice wasn’t wavering. “She might not admit it herself, but she is. Her newborn niece almost destroyed an entire city, but she figured out how to stop it from happening. She could have failed, but she didn’t. That’s just one example. I’m not saying she’s perfect, but you couldn’t ask for a better pony to be helping you right now.”

“Yer lucky,” Applejack said. “That’s a very good start.”

Aramak sighed and stepped away from them. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. I tend to do that. I’m sure you’ve noticed. Don’t let it keep any of you from working. Please.”

“It’s fine, Aramak,” Twilight said. “I understand how you feel. I don’t want to give you a promise I don’t think I can keep. We should leave it at that.”

“That’s very considerate of you,” Aramak said.

Twilight nodded and turned to Hocus. “I think we’re done here. You may take us back to the bridge whenever you are ready.”

She closed her eyes to blink just as Hocus cast the spell and opened her eyes to see the crystal powering the airship floating above her. Her ears popped. Hocus hadn’t adjusted for that, likely conserving energy for his upcoming duty. Onyx had gathered the mages like she had asked and they snapped to attention now that she had returned, ready to receive orders. Twilight spotted the unicorn studying at the intermediate level, who was on the afternoon shift. Her brooch was an eclipse and her cape was light gray.

Twilight didn’t keep her audience waiting. “Okay, everyone. There’s only one thing left to do before we can all go home. We’ve got to perform a Void Rescue. It’s a common spell you can find in any manual. I have never had to use it and I don’t think any of you have either, so your knowledge of the spell might be a little rusty. Hocus, could you project it for them?”

He did as he was asked. Twilight studied the floating formula and confirmed it was correct. If a single variable was out of place, they were all in trouble.

“It has been three days since the accident has occurred. As any of you should be able to guess, the atoms we are looking for have scattered far beyond the limits of what the spell would normally be able to reach. We will need to draw power from the crystal to increase the effectiveness of the spell. I’m going to have Red Iris monitor the crystal while the rest of us work. We’re going to do this in the cargo hold since we will have a lot of room to work with down there. Is there another microphone we can use so I don’t have to keep going back and forth from the bridge to the cargo hold?”

Iris nodded and produced what had been requested out of nothing. Twilight took it from her with her own aura, nearly dropping it during the exchange as a sudden burst of pain interrupted her concentration.

“Our target is Izu, Aramak’s son. He is the only Salamander who can use magic. Prior to getting himself stuck in the void, he was trapping unwanted creatures inside of it. We might wind up pulling them out while trying to save him. If we do, we will send them off the airship before they can do any damage.”

“At least it won’t be boring,” Biggs said.

“Before we begin, I want to get the book this spell is in from Celestia’s room so I can have it with me,” Twilight said. “The rest of you should go on ahead to the cargo hold and wait for me there.”

Four of the mages in front of Twilight teleported to the cargo hold. The members of the evening crew didn’t use magic and shambled towards the bottom of the ship with the elegance of intoxicated rubes.

Twilight turned to her companions. “Fluttershy, Mr. Shelly is not going to be very happy when we pull him through. Be ready for that. Go on ahead.”

“Come on, Shelly,” Fluttershy said. “We’re going to save your boyfriend.”

Shelly chirped and followed Fluttershy as she left the bridge.

Twilight levitated her microphone in front of Applejack. “Hang on to this for me, please.”

Applejack took off her hat and offered it to Twilight, who dropped the microphone into it. She put her hat back on.

“Is there any way we can get Cadance, Luna, or Celestia down here within the next day?” Applejack asked.

“No. This must be done now. The longer we wait, the less likely we are to succeed.”

“Are you going to help?”

Twilight sighed in reaction to Applejack’s concern. “If they can’t manage to pull him out, I’ll have to step in and see what I can do.”

Applejack muttered something that sounded like a potent oath. Twilight ignored it.

“Biggs, I’ll need another Elixir of Concentration. If they aren’t willing to give it to you, turn it into a direct order from me. Meet me in Celestia’s room. Knock first.”

He hesitated for a moment, but then proceeded to carry out the task he had been given.

“Iris, lower the ship until it almost touches the tree line since that will make the spell easier to cast,” Twilight said. “Onyx, have the pegasus soldiers focus on defending the deck so anything we cast out to the swamp doesn’t make its way back inside. That should be it. I’ll meet the rest of you in the cargo hold in a few minutes.”

Aramak let Applejack and Wedge take the lead before he went with them. Twilight travelled back to her room, being sure to take off her boots before she tracked swamp goo all over the floor. It seemed alien to be in a place of refuge at a time of conflict. Someone had been in the room while she was gone to tidy it up. The maid had even touched her desk.

With a click of her tongue, Twilight went over to the spot where her organized chaos had once been. The books she had brought with her were arranged into an alphabetical stack. She had piled them up in their order of importance. Twilight retrieved the definitive edition of the Encyclopedia of Magical Mishaps, which had previously been at the top of her precarious tower of books. She sat down in her chair and turned to the page dedicated to the spell she was about to supervise. The equation, notes, and illustrations of what to expect greeted her. A successful attempt was depicted as two parents rescuing a foal in diapers sucking on a pacifier. Everything was in order.

Twilight needed a saddlebag. She retrieved one from Celestia’s closet. The haggard apparition she noticed out of the corner of her eye in the full-length mirror near the closet caught her attention. Rarity would have passed out if Twilight walked into her shop in her current condition. A few white petals from earlier hadn’t fallen out of her coat. Her eyes were bloodshot. The bruise around her horn was starting to creep out from under her bangs. Her mane needed to be washed. A quick spell would fix most of it, but then she would wind up looking better than everybody else. Her gritty appearance had to count for something. Those around her would be more willing to work harder if they saw how dirty she had become.

A knock at her door distracted her. Twilight stuffed the book she had come for into her saddlebag and answered it. The potion she wanted was in front of Biggs on the floor.

“They weren’t happy,” Biggs said. “It turned into an order.”

“Wait out here a moment.” Twilight scooped the potion up in a hoof and closed the door with her shoulder.

With as much dignity as the act would allow, Twilight guzzled Zecora’s potion. Her body anticipated the boost it was about to receive and alleviated her fatigue of its own accord. She failed to stifle a burp that brought back the taste she was actively trying to forget as she placed the empty potion bottle on her desk. The deed was done. She could continue using magic without experiencing pain for a little while longer.

Biggs accompanied her on her brief journey to the cargo room. He looked worried, but said nothing. Twilight gave him a reassuring smile. His lips scrunched up as if he were about to cry. It wasn’t the reaction she had been expecting.

“You’ll feel better if you stop worrying so much,” Twilight said.

Her friends would have thrown such an audacious statement right back at her.

Biggs didn’t have that luxury. “It pains me to see you straining yourself.”

Twilight came to an abrupt stop. “Biggs, it’s part of the job. If Celestia were here, she would be working just as hard as me. Maybe even harder.”

Biggs smirked. “That’s true, ma’am. I’m sorry I couldn’t figure that on my own.”

She envied how easy it was for him to switch his negativity off. “You’re fine. There’s no need to apologize.”

When she reached her destination, she discovered that Hocus had started without her. The crates and boxes containing supplies had been cleared away to give them a larger area to work in. One of them had demolished Shelly’s playground.

Eight unicorn mages stood together in a circle. All their horns were glowing. In front of them was a large transparent container. Atoms would be forced to reassemble inside of it once they reached that step in the process. Someone had decided to make the container grey in color since the combination of all their auras would not have resulted in an attractive outcome.

Applejack took her hat off and stood in front of Twilight, revealing the microphone she had been carrying inside of it. Twilight took the device with her aura and placed it inside her saddlebag.

“Is there anything I can do to help with this spell?” Applejack asked. “I’m an Element of Harmony. That must count for somethin’. Can you use what natural magic I have to lessen the burden on yourself?”

“Yeah, but it would be dangerous. I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

A sour expression appeared on Applejack’s face. “If you were concerned about me gettin’ hurt, you shouldn’t have asked me to come along with you on this trip.”

Twilight nodded. “You’ve got me there. Alright. I’ll link your earth magic up with mine and convert it into something I can use, but it won’t be comfortable.”

Applejack sighed. “I grew up on a farm, Twi.”

Fluttershy stepped forward to join in with Shelly following her. “I would also like to help. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Twilight chewed on her bottom lip. “Do you two know what will happen if this goes south? You might lose some of the abilities you were born with. That means not being able to farm as effectively or walk on clouds. If that were to happen, it could be fixed, but it would take a little while.”

Fluttershy laughed a little. “You could have kept that to yourself, you know.”

“That doesn’t change my mind,” Applejack said. “I trust you, Twilight, and I know you will make this work.”

Such confidence. With as much success as Twilight had enjoyed over the years, she was due for a huge failure. “Okay. So long as you remain in the circle, I will draw power from you, but only if I must. When you can’t take it anymore, step outside of the circle. Don’t wait for me to tell you when you should leave. Once you have left the circle, do not step back in.”

Aramak stepped forward and put a hand on his chest. “I want in on this.”

“I would much rather you help Biggs and Wedge fight off whatever we rescue if we can’t send it off the ship fast enough,” Twilight said.

“Fine. Do I need to stay out of your circle?” Aramak asked.

“Only when we’re putting something together. You’re free to move around inside of the container when we’re gathering atoms. You might feel like you’re being tickled, but that’s completely normal. I’d also like you to be ready to greet your warriors when they arrive. They haven’t been conscious since the spell was miscast, so they will be disoriented.”

“How many animals do you think Izu trapped?” Fluttershy asked.

“If I had to guess, I’d say less than twenty, but more than one,” Twilight replied.

“What happens if you pull somethin’ through that is taller than this room?” Applejack asked. “Say he put one of them zay-soys in there, for example.”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “One half would need to be pulled in, placed in another limbo, and then put back together in a specific spot once the other half was ready.”

Doubtful murmurs went through the circle of unicorns.

“Is that even possible?” Hocus asked.

A spell to do what she had proposed popped into her head. “Yes. If we must save a zasoi, let me do it.”

“Will it be in any pain?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, but only for less than a minute. It will survive,” Twilight replied.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said. “I hope that doesn’t happen.”

“Why bother saving one of those things?” Aramak asked. “Let it remain condemned.”

“I understand how you feel, but what has happened to it is not a fate that anyone deserves,” Twilight said. “There are better ways to deal with hostile creatures that can’t be tamed. Are there any other questions before we begin?”

Wedge raised a hoof and Twilight pointed at him. “Can you guys tell what you’re catching?”

“We can tell what atoms go where, but we won’t know what we have unless we modify the spell to show us that, which would increase the energy needed to maintain it.”

Biggs took out his sleep disc. “Be ready for anything, then.”

“That’s always a good philosophy,” Aramak said.

“Applejack, take my right,” Twilight said. “Fluttershy, you’re on my left.”

Fluttershy turned to Shelly and gave her a reassuring pat near her mouth. “Okay, Shelly. It’s time. No matter how scary things get, don’t run away. Let us handle it. We’ll do what we can to save your friend.”

Shelly squeaked and moved to the entrance of the cargo hold where she wouldn’t be in the way.

“Let’s make this circle a little wider to give our guards a shot at what we’re rescuing,” Twilight said.

Everyone got into position. Aramak stood right behind Twilight, holding his staff ready. Biggs and Wedge were a little apart, but had a clear shot at the center of the circle. Both had their discs ready to throw.

Twilight took the microphone out of her saddlebag and let it float in front of her. “Iris, can you hear me?”

“Yes. Onyx says we are ready whenever you are,” Iris said.

If there was ever a perfect moment to begin, Twilight knew she was experiencing it. She felt a hand come to rest on her flank and almost jumped five feet into the air. Twilight looked behind her and found Aramak.

“Before you do this, I want you to know regardless of the outcome, I won’t cast aside our friendship. All of you have put more effort into this than I thought you would have. So long as you never claim any part of our swamp as yours, you will always be welcome in it as our guests.”

Indeed, they could roast marshmallows over a camp fire together and sing about how tedious work could get while drinking mugs spilling over with cider. That would be more than fine. But the fact she had failed to save his son would never be erased. It would be there, ready to drag its cold tongue slowly up her spine when she crawled into bed and just started getting comfortable. Would Aramak keep his word, or would he eventually come to resent her and change his mind once his people were no longer starving? She didn’t want to find out. Her reaction to his statement was a smile. Always a smile. It set everyone at ease.

“Thank you, Aramak. I am looking forward to working together with you. And your son.”

That bit at the end should have been left out, but her resolve needed to remain firm.

“I will now join the spell as a spectator and give orders,” Twilight said. “If help is needed, I will intervene.”

Her horn began glowing. She now had a sense of how much energy was at their disposal. The night crew would be the first to go when the spell got rough, but that’s what the crystal was there for. She spoofed her own energy level, tricking the unicorns into thinking she had a little more power than she did. They didn’t need to worry about her.

“Let’s link up with the crystal,” Twilight said.

They sent out a collective connection to the crystal. A lavender tail sprouted from the container, snaked to Twilight’s left, and slithered out of the room. It didn’t take long for the tail to reach the bridge and plug into the crystal. Goosebumps erupted underneath Twilight’s coat.

“Alright,” Twilight said. “We won’t call in any energy from the crystal or my friends until it is necessary. Let’s start by pulling in everything from a fifty-mile radius by ourselves.”

That was the current record, but Twilight didn’t say anything. Hocus took the lead. She watched as he moved the spell forward with the other unicorns. The container was encouraged to draw in atoms, which would be made visible in the form of marbles to let the caster know they weren’t wasting their time. None appeared immediately. She wasn’t deterred. Saving Izu would require little effort. He’d pop out like toast with a pacifier, a diaper, and a rattle. Just like what was in the book.

Lying to herself had rarely felt so good.

Chapter 9

“Is that thing on?” Wedge asked.

“Increase the range of the spell by twenty-five miles,” Twilight said.

The group gathered their collective energy and put more power into the spell. Atoms erupted into the container from the bottom of the circle. All the beads were the same color. Black. They had hit a vein. She had to think quick.

“We’ve got something huge,” Hocus announced.

“Make the container larger,” Twilight said.

They backed up to increase the size of the container to accommodate their wayward passenger. Twilight bumped into the side of a crate. She thought she heard a squeak coming from inside of it, but dismissed it as a figment of her imagination. More pertinent issues were demanding her attention. The circle had gotten as large as they could make it, but the rate the atoms were pouring in hadn’t slowed down.

“Does this call for a fractured reassembly?” Hocus asked, looking at Twilight.

“It does. Leave it to me,” Twilight replied.

Her power surged ahead of her teammates. A bright, silver explosion occurred as the atoms reassembled and the teleportation spell was forced to finish early. They had caught a zasoi. Everything beneath its lower jaw was missing, which wouldn’t have been so gruesome if it hadn’t been conscious. Twilight grabbed what was available with her aura and held it in a delayed teleportation spell before it could start screaming.

More black marbles flooded into the container. A sensation of knowing enough had been gathered to bring the rest of the victim through entered Twilight. She materialized the lower half of the creature, which she immediately sent into the limbo where the other portion of the monster was waiting. The pieces snapped together like a jigsaw puzzle. She checked to make sure everything was in place. Satisfied with her work, she sent the zasoi to the swamp. The scream it made as it ran away in terror was barely audible.

“Make the circle smaller,” Twilight said. “Get it down to what we started with.”

Twilight held back, letting the rest of them do all the work. More atoms began gathering in the container at a manageable rate. Her chest was starting to sting. She hadn’t expected to burn through her boost so quickly. It would be fine. It had to be fine.

One member of the night crew collapsed to her knees. Down for the count. She stood up only to fall again.

“Sage, what are you doing?” Hocus asked the struggling unicorn. “You’re going to get yourself hurt.”

“No, I can still help,” Sage said. She managed to get back on her hoofs, but her legs were shaking and her body swayed as dizziness overtook her. “We only just got started.”

“Sage, it’s alright,” Twilight said. “You have given this your best effort. I won’t ask you to continue.”

Her lips curled back as she uttered a pitiful whimper. “I’m sorry, princess.”

Twilight knew exactly how she felt. “I don’t want you to be ashamed. You don’t have to leave us. If you would like, you can help us from the sidelines. Just please don’t hurt yourself.”

Sage sniffled. “Alright. Hocus, I’m leaving.”

Hocus made up for the power they would use by drawing energy from the crystal as Sage exited the circle so none of them would feel her exit the spell. She stumbled over to Biggs and stood with him while he observed the rescue.

“Fifty percent of the crystal is currently in use,” Iris announced. “Let’s try to keep it below seventy-five, okay?”

If they lost a few more participants, they weren’t going to be able to honor her request. The two remaining members of the night crew had their eyes shut the tightest. Even Hocus was starting to sweat. The sooner they got to Izu, the better. Sensing that a new group of passengers were ready to be rescued kept Twilight’s worries at bay for a few precious seconds.

“Get ready,” Hocus said. “Let’s see what we have.”

Another silver explosion ripped through the cargo hold. Points would be deducted for style. They were being sloppy. A dozen unusual insects of the same type appeared packed into each other like a set of toy stallions in a cardboard box. They were a cross between a tarantula and a locust with thick torsos, long antennae’s, matted fur, and impressive fangs that kept them from being interested in peanut butter sandwiches.

“Zobumo!” Aramak said. “Those things are dangerous. Get rid of them!”

While they prepared to teleport the insects recovering from the shock of being kicked into and pulled out of purgatory, a chunk of power dropped from the spell as one of the unicorns cut her connection to the team by backing out of it. Those who lacked the unique disadvantage of having arachnophobia cried out as more effort was unexpectedly forced out of them. Twilight spotted the culprit. It was the intermediate.

A slight delay was all that was needed. The zobumo scattered as fast as roaches that had been hit with light. The talons at the end of their legs produced a clicking noise as they moved across the wood. Twilight began building a spell to send all of them off the ship by herself, but had to stop when she noticed one of the bugs was coming right for her. Aramak maneuvered in front of Twilight and hit the insect with enough force to earn a new mark on his staff.

It was then that she learned one of his deepest secrets. He was ticklish. Aramak had to stifle a giggle, but not before Twilight heard it.

“Keep the circle together,” Twilight said. “If we stop now, we’ll be back at square one!”

The sound of bells filled the air as Biggs and Wedge scored hits on the skittering zobumos. A terrified scream cut through the cargo hold. The mare who had let her fear get the best of her had been pounced on while trying to flee the area. Biggs struck the zobumo on top of her with his disc. The intermediate made no effort to shove the inert spider hopper off her back. Given how horrified of arachnids she had proven to be, Twilight could only conclude that something was wrong.

Twilight went back to tagging all the zobumos in the room. Her exhaustion was the only thing hindering her speed. She could swear that she was trying to force a ball bearing through her right ear and out the other with a spork. Many of her targets had been stunned while others were trying to get away. Shelly blocked the last one Twilight had to grab from leaving the room. Having gathered her targets, Twilight forced the zobumos off the ship. Her aim was a little off and she wound up making them reappear ten feet in the air, causing them to fall to the ground. The lack of a gentle touch could be forgiven. In the end, they would live.

Aramak ran over to the unicorn who had tried to escape and examined her. “She’s been bitten. The venom isn’t fatal, but I doubt she’s going to be of much use to us until she has recovered.”

Hocus took off his cape and tossed it aside, inspiring the other unicorns to follow his example since there was no longer any need to be so formal. “Sage, get her to the medical ward.”

Sage nodded and teleported herself and the intermediate to the doctors who had yet to deal with anything more serious than motion sickness, insomnia, and princesses in need of more magical energy than they possessed. The tension lessened as Hocus made up for their recent loss with more help from the crystal. Iris had to be chewing her mane.

The rate atoms were flowing in had decreased. An increase in distance would soon be needed. The moment Twilight’s backups became necessary had arrived.

Twilight looked at Applejack. “I’m going to begin drawing power from both of you. I’m sorry that I could not avoid doing this.”

Applejack clicked her tongue. “I would not have volunteered if I didn’t want to help. Draw away.”

“Please be gentle,” Fluttershy said.

She took energy from them slowly. They reacted as she expected they would. A stranger to physical labor and indifferent to exercise due to her overactive metabolism, Fluttershy bunched up and grunted at the sudden exertion. Applejack knelt and lowered her head as if to charge the discomfort head on.

“That all you got, Twi?” Applejack asked.

Twilight accepted Applejack’s challenge and pulled a bit more from her, which also allowed her to ease up on Fluttershy.

Applejack snorted. “So? Was I right?”

“Yes. Right now, it’s as if an extra novice unicorn was with us. If I were to draw a little more, you would both probably amount to a novice ready to take the test required to become an intermediate.”

“Don’t get carried away,” Fluttershy said.

“Feel free to keep this in mind in case there’s a need to do it again in the future,” Applejack said.

Enough atoms had been gathered to assemble another lost soul. Increasing the range would hopefully not be necessary.

“At this rate, let’s just assume whatever comes out that isn’t a Salamander or a Shelly is going to attack us,” Twilight said.

Hocus gave Twilight a nod and the unicorns pulled in what they had captured. The customary silver explosion washed over Twilight, sending all the hair in her coat on edge. Ten creatures of the same type appeared, arranged like stuffed exhibits at a gallery. They weren’t Salamanders. Instead, they had the general appearance of geese, but their wings looked like they belonged on a dragon.

Fluttershy recognized them for what they were immediately. “Cockatrice!”

There were many ways the animals could have chosen to react to what they had just experienced, but none satisfied their instinctual need to survive quite like engaging in self-defense. One bellowed in anger and focused its gaze on Hocus. The absurd noise it made caught his curiosity. Wedge hit it with his disc, sending feathers flying everywhere. He was too late. Hocus had become a statue honoring his own memory that would look perfect as a lawn ornament on Nightmare Night.

Twilight stepped in, filling the hole Hocus had left to keep the spell from failing. The wind was knocked out of her. Hocus had chosen to carry a little more of the burden than he should have. Twilight was tempted to spread it out equally, but resisted the urge and kept the spell running as Hocus had intended. Her horn felt like it was trying to pull her skull out through her face.

She kept her eyes focused on the floor beneath her to ignore the gaze of the dragon geese. It pulled at her, but her prior petrification kept her from being drawn to its look as that was an experience she never wanted to repeat. Twilight heard the crack of Aramak’s staff as it knocked the geese off their feet. Bells ran out again as Biggs and Wedge worked together to protect the circle. The geese needed to be bucked off the ship. Twilight did not think she could manage to maintain the spell and teleport the geese at the same time. A risk needed to be taken.

A sharp burst of fresh pain delayed her action as another unicorn mage was turned into stone. Twilight responded by placing the weight of Hocus and the other unicorn on the crystal, exceeding the limit she had been asked to avoid. The ship physically dropped, jostling everything inside of it. Crates shifted, grinding against the floor. Screams were let loose. An audible crunch was heard as the bottom collided with the trees directly beneath it. The crystal quickly adjusted to being asked to work overtime and remained in the air.

“Princess Twilight,” Iris said, her voice heavy with worry, “I don’t know what’s going on back there, but you absolutely cannot take any more power from the crystal or you will overload it.”

Aramak knocked out the only cockatrice that was still conscious, which made sending all of them back to the swamp a lot easier. Natural selection would take care of the rest.

Twilight reclaimed her spot in the spell. “Alright, that could have been a lot worse. Who here can turn Hocus and that stallion back to normal?” She hadn’t expected all of them to volunteer at once. Twilight didn’t bother checking to see who had the most energy. She pointed at the first pony she saw. “Get to it. Make it quick.”

Exhaustion had crept into her voice. Breathing had become difficult as a knot of pain formed inside of her heart. She only needed to hold out until Hocus and the other unicorn were ready to rejoin the effort. The unicorn mage found the weak part in the curse and reversed the hex on Hocus and the other stallion. Upon being freed from their stone shells, they immediately put their hoofs against their chins and pushed them to the right. Their necks popped three times. The rest of their joints would do the same thing when they got to them.

The mages rejoined the group without taking any additional time to recover.

“That was sufficiently embarrassing,” Hocus said.

Relief overtook Twilight as some pressure was taken off her chest, allowing her to breathe easier. “That’s nothing, Hocus. Anyway, we’ve stopped gathering atoms. I think we need to increase the range again.”

“Twilight, I hate to say it, but I think we are quickly approaching our limit,” Hocus said. “We’re going to need to think of a way to get more support from the crystal or I fear we won’t be able to pull this off.”

“I’m all ears. Does anyone have any suggestions?” Twilight asked.

“Can you land the ship?” Biggs asked. “You won’t have to keep it levitated if you do that.”

Celestia had been correct. Simple solutions were usually hidden behind complex problems.

“That’s just crazy enough to work,” Applejack said.

Twilight took out her mic. “Iris, I need you to dock the airship in the swamp.”

“Could you repeat that?”

“Dock the airship in the swamp. You should be able to settle it into the mud. Make sure the area is clear of animals so we don’t squash anyone while we’re doing this. We might have to use a spell to keep the ship balanced, but it shouldn’t draw as much from the crystal as the one we are using to keep it in the air. If we do this, we will have the power we need to finish the Void Rescue.”

Silence. Onyx and Iris had to be chatting.

Onyx was the first to speak. “Twilight, we’re going to be a lot more vulnerable when we are on the ground. Whatever you intend to do, you must do it fast.”

“Hold on to your tails,” Iris said.

A tremendous noise rocketed through the ship as it crashed through the trees. Twilight thought something might come through the wood floor, but the hull remained intact. Some of the crates that had been stacked on top of each other fell. One dropped a bit too close to one of the unicorns and spilled medical supplies all over the floor. A wet splash followed. The wood creaked and groaned as it was forced into the earth.

“We’ve landed,” Iris announced, her voice heavy with fatigue. “I’ve been able to cut down the draw from the crystal to ten percent.”

The power now available to Twilight and her companions was immense. Their rescue attempt had gone on for long enough. If they were going to pull it off, they would need to do so before anything dangerous became interested in their ship.

“Alright,” Twilight said. “All of you have done remarkably well. It’s time for us to wrap this up. I say we go all in and leave enough power left in the crystal for Iris to defend the ship if she has to. The rest goes to us. Maintain your current level of concentration and let the crystal do the rest of the work. If anyone has a better idea, I’m open to suggestions.”

“It’s risky, but I still like it,” Hocus said.

There were no objections. The right decision had hopefully been made. If not, the aerial forces of Equestria would be out one airship and possibly a few guards by the time help arrived.

“Then do it,” Twilight said.

Hocus increased the range of the spell. Only four percent of the power the crystal could provide remained available for them to manipulate.

“What are you doing?” Red Iris demanded.

Atoms began collecting inside the capsule again.

Applejack turned to face the microphone floating in front of Twilight’s mouth. “Desperate times call for desperate measures!”

“I know you can’t see this rock from here,” Onyx said, “but I think you trust me enough to believe me when I tell you it’s shaking.”

“If we do not go beyond its maximum capacity, we will be fine,” Twilight said. “Celestia builds everything to last. Stay calm.”

The next passenger had to be Izu or one of his traveling companions. Some sort of victory was needed to keep all of them going, especially the night owls, who had proven to be highly adapt at overcoming mental fatigue on less than four hours of sleep.

The moment had arrived. Twilight felt her jaw pop as she gritted her teeth, trying to will the universe to bend to her whims and give them what they needed. “Please let this be a Salamander!”

The silver explosion had lost all its luster. A single, muscular reptile was in the middle of the container. More atoms continued gathering above him. Twilight felt her mouth drop open and hang suspended in disbelief. For once, something had gone right.

Aramak reacted first. “Kenrama! Is that you?”

“Chief?” Kenrama asked. “What’s going on? Where am I? Are those horses?” Kenrama noticed the floating marbles above him, gasped, and started rubbing at his body frantically. “Is this horse voodoo? Get it off me! Nobody will ever want to marry me now!”

“They just saved your life,” Aramak said. “Show some respect. Get out of their magic, you’re holding up their spell.”

Kenrama whimpered and ambled over to Aramak, doing his best to give the ponies a wide berth.

Twilight couldn’t care less. She took her microphone out, unable to contain her excitement. “We got one!”

Cheers and hollering erupted from the circle of unicorns. Their work was beginning to pay off. Spirits were high once again. Twilight knew they could do this. They were going to win. She looked over at Aramak, who was busy slapping Kenrama to get him to stop rubbing himself. He caught her looking at him and gave her a smile. One final slap upside Kenrama’s head got him to keep his hands at his sides.

“Great work,” Onyx said. “Now get the others. By the way, three of those ugly weeds with mouths have gotten a bit too close to the ship and we have also managed to attract what I can only describe as giant spiders with wings. I’m going to have Iris repel them before they get in here.”

They were either out for revenge or attracted to the magic. Either way, they were not going to get very far.

“Can you give me just a little more room to work with?” Iris asked.

“I’ll do what I can,” Twilight replied.

Her right foreleg started to go numb as she put more of the burden on herself, but she didn’t let it bother her. They had gotten to the Salamanders. She was only going to quit if she fainted.

Iris tapped into the crystal. The curiosity of the crowd hoping to have a look inside the giant tree that had descended from the heavens was replaced with a profound desire to get away from it as quickly as possible.

Twilight felt her brain slam against her skull like a migraine rebelling against the thought of aspirin. The unicorns around her cried out in surprise, having shared the same unpleasant sensation. Her connection with the crystal faltered and began dropping. Something had gone horribly wrong. The crystal had lost a significant amount of power. What remained was slowly draining away. Twilight rerouted the draw from the spell to herself to keep it from failing. For a moment, she was quite sure she was going to explode. There were worse ways she could cut her immortality short. Her epitaph came to her without much thought. How many alicorns does is take to save a single Salamander?

“Princess Twilight,” Iris cried out, “I’m so sorry!”

Hearing Iris made Twilight realize two facts. For one thing, she hadn’t exploded, which was a good start to addressing the second item on her list. Iris had done something so bad that an apology had been offered as a means of making up for it. She could hazard a guess, but for now she put all her effort into stopping her body from collapsing in on itself. There was an old notion that pain began to hurt less the longer it was endured. Whoever had thought that one up could not have been a unicorn.

“Twilight, a piece of the crystal just fell to the floor.” Onyx sounded calm enough to be chatting with her about the weather. “A colorful scab has formed over the damaged area.”

Onyx could be forgiven for not knowing what he was looking at. His blunt description was enough for Twilight to understand what he was seeing. The crystal had been designed with a failsafe that kept it from losing its enchantment the moment it was harmed. It wouldn’t last very long. One more condition had to be present to make their current predicament perfect.

“Twilight, I don’t know if I can fix this by myself! I’m too afraid to touch it! I might do more harm than good!” Iris said.

Now it was perfect. Clairvoyance didn’t seem too farfetched.

“Stop this spell before we wind up havin’ to swim back to Equestria!” Applejack demanded.

“We can’t,” Hocus said. “The damage to the crystal has rendered the spell unstable. If we don’t hold it together, it will surely result in a miscast. It is impossible to predict what will happen then, but whatever it is, it won’t be good.”

“Who here can glue that chunk back on?” Applejack asked.

“I fear it might be a little more complicated than that,” Hocus replied.

Since there were no volunteers, Twilight had to step forward. “I read up on how to fix enchanted crystals on the way here. If none of you know what you would be doing, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Fine. Twilight will go fix the crystal. We’ll stay put and keep this spell active. Sound good?” Applejack asked.

The mages agreed with Applejack’s plan. They would regret their consensus once they had to make up for Twilight’s absence, but it would be better than being responsible for why they weren’t going to be able to fly home.

“I’m not going to lie,” Twilight said. “This is going to hurt. Remember, none of you can leave this circle until I get back.”

“Do hurry, princess,” Hocus said.

The team of unicorns braced to receive the full brunt of losing an alicorn’s support. Twilight removed herself from the spell. None of the participants could keep themselves from crying out. The capsule shrunk in size and became more transparent. Some of the atoms that had been gathered began leaking outside of it, becoming invisible the moment they left the circle. If she spent too long watching the failing spell, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from jumping back in.

Twilight galloped out of the cargo hold. She slammed into the doorway and stumbled, almost falling to the ground. The spell had left her dazed. Her body needed to rest. It wasn’t going to be able to support her desire to save Izu much longer. The boost she had received from saving a single Salamander had eroded. She had no time to mourn it.

Leaving Iris without a fellow unicorn had been a mistake. Twilight had wanted every bit of power she could get for the spell. Part of the blame was on her. Iris was only a novice.

Iris was on her haunches with her hooves covering her eyes when Twilight entered the bridge. Onyx was right beside her, keeping her from having a total meltdown by helping her focus on her breathing. He and Cadance had to meet. Finding the broken piece was easy. It had separated from the crystal with so much force that it had lodged itself into the floor. Iris turned at the sound of Twilight’s entrance, scattering some of her tears to the side.

“I-i-it’s a clean break,” Iris said. “Is that a good thing?”

Twilight didn’t answer her. Wood splintered and cracked as Twilight yanked the chunk of rock from its resting place. The fragment was around the size of a watermelon. Twilight turned her attention to the crystal. As Onyx had mentioned, it was shaking. An odd humming noise was also coming out of it. A quick inspection of the damaged area at the top of the crystal revealed that the break was indeed clean, which would make fixing it less complicated. Three familiar auras had formed over the damaged portion of the crystal.

The task before Twilight was deceptively simple. All she had to do was snap the jigsaw piece into the rest of the puzzle in the exact right place and use her aura to weld it back on. The precision required couldn’t be overstated. A minor difference could limit the power of the crystal.

She levitated the chunk above the damaged area. Before she could prepare her approach, the three auras reached out to the missing piece and took it from her. Twilight gasped and backed away. A white light that Twilight had to look away from formed around the edges of the missing piece once it was in place. The crystal was then whole again. Her fellow alicorns had managed to give the crystal the ability to heal itself. They had to have figured the crystal would eventually be pushed beyond its limits. Celestia must not have mentioned it to keep anyone from experimenting with how much power they could get away with using, which was fair.

A sharp thud coming from the windshield signaled even more trouble. Up against the glass was the lovable zobumo, otherwise known as the cricket tarantula. A pegasus soldier had thrown it into barrier. The insect remained on the glass like an ornament for a moment before peeling off and falling to the ground.

“Iris, I thought you sent those things away,” Onyx said.

“There must be a lot more of them out there,” Iris said. She sighed and looked away. “Or maybe I didn’t cast the spell right.”

Two more were thrown up against the glass. Spittle and venom erupted against the surface from their fangs. One of the soldiers in the air waved enthusiastically at his audience on the bridge before going back to work.

“You don’t think they’ll get in here, do you?” Iris asked.

On some wicked, highly specific cue, one of the locust spiders burst onto the bridge. The zobuma was locked in a scuffle with an earth stallion. Two hairy legs were wrapped around the flank of the stallion. It was trying to shove him further into its mouth. Its mandibles were struggling to tear off the helmet the stallion wore since its fangs weren’t sharp enough to get through his armor. The spider locust managed to get the helmet of the stallion off and began chewing on it, which provided its prey with an opportunity to escape the grapple.

Onyx entered the fray and bucked the zobumo hard enough to almost knock it out of the room. He grabbed the discarded helmet with his mouth and tossed it back at its owner. “Get back into the fight, colt.”

The stallion nodded, put his helmet back on, and left the bridge.

“We need to get this ship back in the air as soon as possible, Twilight,” Onyx said.

“Give me ten more minutes,” Twilight said.

“That’s quite a bit of time to spend fighting,” Onyx said. “Can you repel these things with the crystal?”

“I would, but I am running low on energy and I don’t know how much longer I can keep going.”

“Fine. We should be able to hold them back. In ten minutes, I’ll have Iris raise the ship into the air. I’ll warn you before I have her do it.”

“Wait,” Iris interjected.

Twilight noticed she was shaking. Her confidence had taken a massive hit.

“I don’t know if I can do that,” Iris said.

Twilight grabbed Iris by her chin and made her look into her eyes so she would stop examining the floor. “Then you’re just going to have to find out. Send me back to the cargo hold. I’m not taking the stairs again.”

Iris nodded. Getting her to do something simple would restore some of her ego. Twilight half expected to be teleported outside the ship. The magic circle was a comforting sight. No other Salamanders had been saved, but the locust spiders hadn’t scuttled into the cargo hold yet. Small blessings had to be cherished, especially in difficult times. Twilight stepped back into the circle.

“Princess, I know you just got back, but I can’t keep this up any longer,” Hocus said. “None of us can. It will have to be all you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Applejack said. “I can still take this.”

“Me too,” Fluttershy said. “I’ve had high fevers that have felt just like this. I can keep going.”

Many atoms had been collected, but there was no signal to put them back together. They were missing the last bits. Quitting now when they were so close was unacceptable.

“Stay with me until we rescue whoever or whatever we have now. I’ll provide what support I can. Biggs, Wedge, Aramak, we’ve been boarded by the creatures we have saved. They will be down here momentarily. Be ready.”

Twilight threw every bit of energy she still had left at the spell. The blister forming around her horn ruptured. Drainage leaked into her eyes. She could give Izu another minute. Seconds took hours to pass. Blackness creeped into her vision. She had been hoping to carry on after the other unicorns had left for the ten minutes she had asked for, but she wouldn’t be able to. Twilight was dangerously close to reaching her absolute limit. Her body would shut down without notice even if there was more work to be done.

Her jaw collided with the floor. She couldn’t remember falling. Her heart felt like it was trying to force a gear out of her aorta. She could barely breath. Getting back on her hoofs wasn’t going to be possible so long as the spell was active. The demand created by the range they were covering was too much. Someone needed to modify the spell to work better under extreme circumstances. Twilight would be sure to see to it.

The signal to pull the atoms through clicked in the back of her mind. Assembling them would be her final act. Twilight shut her eyes when the silver flash went off to delay finding out what the result of all her work had been. Some of them were cheering, but they could have just been happy the spell was over with. Shelly squealed at something. Twilight kept her hope in check and prepared for the worst.

“Twilight, you did it!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Get up off the floor and have a look,” Applejack added.

Fluttershy and Applejack helped Twilight get back on her hoofs and supported her so she could remain upright. She opened her eyes and was met with the sight of a group of confused Salamanders.

Kenrama leapt in front of Twilight, laughing. “You saved all of my buddies, pony!” He danced into the group of Salamanders, slapping backs merrily to let his friends know they were safe.

Fluttershy gasped. “You even saved Mr. Shelly, Twilight.”

The Salamanders had made plenty of room for Shelly and Mr. Shelly to reunite with each other. Mr. Shelly wanted to continue the fight he had been in, but Shelly used her body to block him from starting trouble. She made gentle clicking noises to calm him down. The fate of the swamp was secured. It would continue to thrive.

A few of the Salamanders moved out of the way, opening the middle of the circle for inspection. It was then that Twilight finally saw what she had been looking for. Aramak had locked a smaller Salamander into an inescapable hug, weeping openly despite the crowd around him, completely overtaken by his emotions.

Tears began streaming down Twilight’s face. Everything it had cost to witness Aramak’s love for his son had been worth it. The insomnia. All the struggling with her self-doubt. Even the pain.

Then she remembered there were pests on board rooting around, determined to find a meal. Twilight gently broke free of the support her friends were giving her and reached into her saddlebag with a hoof to retrieve the microphone. “We have successfully rescued Izu, Shelly’s boyfriend, and all the other Salamanders who were trapped in the void. Get us back into the air immediately.”

The scratching noise of hairy cricket legs on wood brought their attention to the group of bugs that had made their way to the cargo hold.

Applejack whistled sharply. “Our break is over!”

Chapter 10

Shelly and Mr. Shelly ran past all of them, squealing. The line of advancing locust spiders hesitated and took a few steps back. Mr. Shelly slammed into one of them and knocked it into the wall while Shelly picked off two by hitting them with the goo she enjoyed spewing out of her mouth. Their combined ferocity succeeded in pushing the scuffle into the hallway away from their friends.

“Huh,” Applejack said. “They make a great team.”

Twilight spoke into her microphone again. “Iris, I want you to use the crystal to repel our enemies off this ship.” There was no reply. “Iris? Onyx, are you there? Hello?”

Sounds of a struggle in the hallway drifted into the cargo hold as they waited to hear a reply from the bridge.

“They’re probably in trouble,” Fluttershy said.

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Applejack said. “Geez, one thing after another. It looks like we’ll have to make our way to the bridge.”

Twilight had to step in before Applejack led the charge herself. “Hocus, can you and the other unicorns look after the Salamanders while we’re gone?”

Hocus nodded. “Go on ahead, princess. We can still manage to defend ourselves if we need to.”

One final issue had to be addressed before they left. Twilight approached her target. “Izu, we will talk a lot more later, but for now, whatever happens, stay here and please do not try to use magic.”

“You saved me, didn’t you?” Izu asked.

“Not now, Izu,” Aramak replied. He ran to the opening of the cargo hold and motioned for Twilight to follow. He seemed to have grown a few inches taller now that his son was safe. “Come. I’ll lead.”

Twilight followed Aramak into the hallway with her entourage. She glanced back at Hocus and watched as he sealed off the cargo hold with a magic barrier. Satisfied, Twilight returned to the task at hoof. Scratches and nicks in the wood signaled that fighting had occurred. They were late to the party. Five locust spiders were in the corner, attempting to dig their way out of the airship. Those smart enough to retreat through the broken windows they had come through already had.

Four green tentacles came slithering through a broken window. Twilight felt one of them wrap around her body as she watched Aramak stop and turn back in response to the noise the appendages had made. A zasoi had managed to catch her. All Twilight had to do to get away on her own was teleport herself out of its grip. A pitiful spark shot out of her horn as the spell misfired, sending a colorful assortment of dots into her vision. Twilight felt herself being pulled toward the window. If the zasoi had not gotten its tentacles stuck in the tiny opening, she would have had to focus on being swallowed whole instead of in chunks.

The construction of the ship held against the zasoi as it tried to make the hole larger by breaking it. Either the wood was just that fantastic or part of the ships defense included being strengthened by the crystal. Twilight didn’t have too much time to ponder it as she was slammed into the floor.

“We’ve got to do something!” Fluttershy cried.

“Help me buck it!” Applejack said. “Boys, this show ain’t free! It’s five bits a gander!”

Applejack and Fluttershy bucked the tentacle holding Twilight captive while Biggs and Wedge repeatedly slammed their discs into the two grabbers trying to seize them. A tired groan came from the zasoi. The magic from the Sleep Discs caused the tentacles to fall asleep. Twilight felt the grip the zasoi had on her loosen. She wiggled, desperate to escape on her own.

“I’m going to need one of you to pull me out,” Twilight said.

Aramak set his staff down, got on his knees, and grabbed Twilight by her forelegs. He pulled with all his might. A noise completely unfit for a princess emitted from the gooey tentacle as she popped out of its grip. The tentacles withdrew seconds after Twilight escaped.

Biggs looked out the window. “It’s falling over. We’ve put it to sleep.”

A crash was heard from outside that confirmed what Biggs had said.

Aramak put his mouth in Twilight’s ear. “I told you we shouldn’t have saved it.”

Twilight spit out some of the goo that had gotten in her mouth. “I’m glad we did. Wasn’t that fun?”

That shut him up nicely. Twilight relished in the stupefied look he gave her. Applejack and Fluttershy helped Twilight get up off the floor.

“Lyin’ down on the job again, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“What can I say? It has been a long day,” Twilight replied.

Applejack smirked. “Spike has rubbed off on you.”

Aramak picked up his staff and motioned for Twilight to follow him. “Let’s keep going.”

The warpath the kiburigos had been on ended in the stairwell leading up to the bridge. They had been reduced to stone statues. Healing them would have to wait until later. A spider locust fell down the stairs as Twilight ascended them, spraying spittle each time it hit the floor. Fighting could be heard throughout the ship. Judging by those audibly keeping tally of how many spider locusts they had beaten into submission, Twilight concluded their side was winning.

The unconscious body of a goose based cockatrice was waiting for them on the floor below the bridge. Its tongue hung out of its mouth. Aramak shoved it out of the way with his staff, causing it to gurgle. Twilight figured she knew why Onyx and Iris hadn’t replied to her. She made her way to the front of the group to ensure that she was the first one on the bridge.

The battle had been fierce. Feathers were everywhere. Iris had been the first casualty. Her shocked expression proved she had been turned immediately. Onyx had lasted for a little longer until he had finally been tempted to look. One eye was open to allow for a mere peak. That was all it had taken. The sole surviving goose who had beaten him was perched atop his head like a king on a throne and had two seconds to squawk at Twilight before Wedge’s disc came sailing at it through the air. The disc struck the goose on its bill, knocking it off its perch and rendering it unconscious before it hit the floor.

“Good one,” Applejack said.

“That looks like it was the last of them. The bridge is secure,” Aramak said.

Twilight stood in front of the crystal. “I only need your help for another minute.”

She tapped into the crystal and used it to temporarily ease enough of her pain and fatigue to save the ship. Plenty of power was at her disposal without the Void Rescue hogging all the crystals resources. She easily targeted every foreign body aboard and teleported them a mile from the ship. A few had injuries that she healed before switching tactics and hitting them with a wave of disgust causing all of them to flee further away from the airship.

More work had to be done. She checked outside in the immediate area and found two pegasus statues that were slowly sinking into the mud and teleported them to the infirmary. To save the medical staff some time, she lifted the curse off the two soldiers. Only Shelly and Mr. Shelly remained in significant distress. Once the effects of the cockatrice’s stare had been reversed, Twilight put Shelly’s restraints back in place.

Finished with saving the crew and the ship, she put it on an ascent straight to its maximum altitude so she could finally have a minute to think. Twilight broke her link from the crystal and leaned on it for support, trying to avoid passing out.

Wedge took a quick look around the bridge. “Is that it?”

“That depends,” Applejack said.

“On what?” Aramak asked.

“In an alternate universe, not quite unlike the one we are in now, Twilight doesn’t save Izu, so she has to use that crystal to open up a portal into a universe where she did save Izu so she can steal Izu and bring him back to the one where she didn’t manage to save him.”

Twilight couldn’t say whether she would do something like that or not because she wasn’t in the proposed situation, but it seemed plausible. “Iris, get Izu up here and put a ward on him that negates all incoming magic. Don’t say for how long it is. Do it right this instant.”

Iris gave her a nod and brought Izu up from the cargo hold. He yelped as he burst back into the world. Iris shot a beam at him. Izu grabbed the area of his chest that had been hit, lost his footing, and fell on his rear. A small magic circle formed beneath him. Twilight kept herself from checking the runes so she could avoid figuring out how to get around them.

“How long do we have to wait for this renegade Princess Twilight to appear?” Biggs asked.

“Beats me,” Applejack replied.

“I think it’s safe to relax,” Twilight said.

“Don’t say that too loud,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight sighed. “If renegade me comes and steals Izu, we will just have to go get him.”

“Wouldn’t two of you make it easier to save Izu in a universe where he hasn’t been saved?” Fluttershy asked.

“Probably. Four of me would be ideal.”

“Well, you and that other Twilight could go get more other Twilight’s and then you certainly would stand a chance, right?”

“Yes. Four alicorns would make a huge difference, even if they are just variations of me.”

Applejack scanned the deck, waiting for a portal to appear. “I think we’ve tempted fate enough. If it was goin’ to happen, it probably already would have.”

“And we have a good plan if it does,” Twilight said. “So long as that specific scenario is what occurs.” Certain that diplomacy would not be interrupted by a desperate copy of herself, Twilight prepared to address Izu. She needed a bath or at the very least a splash of perfume, but that would further delay their conversation. “Hello, Izu. I am sorry I haven’t had a chance to introduce myself until now. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and I have journeyed from Equestria to meet you.”

“That’s quite a trip,” Izu said. “I take it something went wrong when I tried to teleport myself, didn’t it?”

He had put that together rather quickly. Twilight was impressed. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. She gave him a nod.

Izu looked away from her, ashamed. “I’ve caused a lot of trouble for everyone, haven’t I?”

Twilight smiled. “We’re past all that. Right now, we need to focus on the future. You have been given a great gift, but you need to learn how to use it properly. We can teach you.”

“Isn’t our magic different?”

“Not entirely. If it was, we would not have been able to help you.”

“Then I will learn if you will teach me.”

“We will. I have been given permission to send a tutor here to instruct you. We’ll talk more about that later. For now, we will head back to your village.”

Izu got down on one knee and put his right hand against his chest. “Thank you for saving me and the companions I was with.”

His gratitude sweetened her victory. Aramak had raised him to be polite. Twilight noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The kiburigos were standing outside of the bridge. They were a bit apprehensive about joining in on the festivities. She could fix that.

Twilight looked back at Izu, who was still bowing. “You’re welcome. I do not deserve all the credit, though. Every pony on this ship was involved with your rescue, as was your own father and a certain bug.”

Izu looked up at her, searching the expression on her face for a clue eluding to what she was talking about. Twilight motioned for the kiburigos to step forward, turning the spotlight on them for a moment. Ms. Shelly was at Fluttershy’s side in an instant with Mr. Shelly trailing behind her. Mr. Shelly kept his gaze locked on Izu. He couldn’t be blamed for not planning to become food anytime soon. Izu stood up and met Mr. Shelly’s challenging glare with one of his own. Twilight shook her head. Boys would be boys.

Knowing the truth would ease their tension, Twilight continued. “If you had not somehow managed to teleport Shelly to Equestria, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Who?” Izu asked.

“They gave the female kiburigo a name,” Aramak replied. “They do things like that.”

“She alerted us to your mistake,” Twilight said. “She is worthy of your gratitude, especially since she has been responsible for keeping your swamp healthy for much longer than you can imagine. You can reward her and all of us by not devouring the partner she has chosen like you originally intended to do.”

Izu looked at his father.

“What she says is true,” Aramak replied. “If we don’t leave them alone, we will lose the swamp.”

“Then we can live without eating them,” Izu concluded.

“Indeed. The ponies have something with a comparable taste that we can import,” Aramak said. “We’ll be fine.”

The luxurious mattress waiting for Twilight in Celestia’s room was calling out to her. She had to get to it fast. “It has been good to speak with all of you. I need to return to my room for a little while. If any of you have any questions, Applejack or Fluttershy will be happy to answer them in my absence.” Item one was scratched off her list. She turned to her two escorts. “Wedge, you and Biggs are now relieved. Thanks for keeping us from getting our hoofs too dirty. You both performed better than I thought you would and you should be proud of yourselves. Continue serving Equestria. It needs ponies like both of you who can work through their fear.” Item number. . .something. They would sing of the nap she was about to take for years. “Applejack, come along with me.”

Izu turned his attention to Fluttershy. “Tell us more about Shelly.”

“Oh, she’s just the sweetest thing,” Fluttershy began. “You’ll learn to love her in no time.”

Twilight left the bridge with Applejack. She felt like she was floating. Twilight had to remain awake. Applejack didn’t need to drag her across the floor by her tail and throw her into bed.

Applejack waited until they were out of earshot to speak. “Are you finally goin’ to lie down?”

“You bet I am.”

“Good, because you look like you’ve been pulled through a knothole backwards.”

Twilight snickered. “Thanks. I’ll set my alarm for three hours ahead of the current time. Don’t wake me unless it’s an absolute emergency.”

“I take it you’ll want us to stay parked above the village while you’re out?” Applejack asked.

“Definitely. There’s quite a bit left to discuss now that we’re allied with another race. We’ve got at least another full day here before we leave.”

“Sure. Should I make sure Izu doesn’t mess around with magic until his tutor gets here?”

“With intuition like that, you could be a princess, Applejack.”

Applejack laughed. “No thanks. I don’t even know what I would do with wings. I like the ground too much.”

“I bet you’re already a princess. In an alternate universe. Not quite unlike the one we are in now.”

“You’ve got me there, I guess.”

Twilight opened the doors to the hall outside of the royal rooms and stepped back into luxury. It had escaped damage during their minor scuffle. The temperature was a bit too high for her liking, but that would get fixed once Onyx had a schedule back in order.

“I’m going to check and make sure you don’t have any stowaways, so don’t mind me, alright?” Applejack said.

“That’s fine. Just don’t take the alarm clock on your way out. I don’t need to sleep for half a week. I’ll be alright with three hours, a bath, and some coffee.”

Applejack checked under the bed. “I won’t take the clock, Twilight.”

Twilight took the clock from the bed stand and wound it manually. “Make sure that nobody else does as well, alright?”

Applejack called out from the closet. “I will. Take a load off. You’ve earned it.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard.”

Twilight crawled into the bed. She would have to have the sheets washed later. A powerful sensation of relief overcame her. With a small groan, she wiggled over to the left side of the large bed and got comfortable. Finally. Sleep was the reward for a hard day of work. A temporary retreat from the hectic world. She spent a minute trying to figure out another way Applejack might trick her into sleeping longer than she had set the alarm for before submitting to her fatigue.

The king of headaches was ready to knight her before she even opened her eyes. Twilight had managed to sleep with her mouth open after rolling over on her back, inviting cavities to ruin her perfect smile. One of her wings had found its way through the sheets and was hanging over the side of the bed. As her eyes adjusted, she noticed a pitcher of tea had been brought to her and placed on her bedside table next to the alarm. The ice in the container shifted upon being spotted. It could not have been there for too long. Three different potions had also been placed on the table. A white sheet of paper had been folded in half and placed in front of the potions like a name plate. ‘Drink us’ was written in eloquent cursive on the note.

Twilight conjured telekinesis despite her headache and seized her clock with her aura. The veins near her horn pulsed twice and her ears popped. There was a brief flash of intense pain in the middle of her skull that dropped off to a manageable level within seconds. Twilight flipped the alarm clock around. She had forgotten to switch the alarm on before falling asleep. Applejack had probably danced out of the room laughing. Twilight slammed the face of the alarm down on the table next to her, causing it to ding audibly in distress.

She followed two glasses of green tea fused with white tea with the potions that were waiting to be consumed. Twilight trotted over to the mirror in her closet and recoiled at the mess that was waiting for her. She pulled her bangs back and checked the area around her horn. A fresh wound winked back at her, but it would heal. She would have to keep it hidden. Not wanting to waste another minute, Twilight sat down on her haunches and cast an upkeep spell that would save her the hour it would take to wash up. A shower would have to wait. She watched herself transform in front of the mirror, paying attention to how well her mane looked. Satisfied with the results, she raided Celestia’s stash of cosmetics and hit herself with a splash of cherry blossom fragrance before heading out the door into the hallway.

Biggs and Wedge had been stationed outside of her room.

“Good evening, princess,” Wedge said. “Did you have a nice nap?”

“Sort of. How long was I out?”

“You’ve been asleep for a day and a half,” Biggs said. “It is now half past six in the evening.”

She was lucky that she hadn’t been out longer.

“Nothing serious went down while you were sleeping,” Wedge said. “Shelly and her good friend are living in the village under the protection of the Salamanders. Applejack and Fluttershy have already made it clear that they can’t kick Shelly out once Izu gets good with magic. So far, Shelly has kept a lot at bay. Anything with a nose, that is. Those stupid spider things came back, but they were nothing with all of us working together.”

“Your language spell wore off shortly after you went to sleep,” Biggs said. “We’ve been communicating with gestures and grunts ever since.”

“Has anybody been learning new words?”

“They didn’t have a word for airship, but they do now,” Wedge replied. “They’ve got to work on their pronunciation. When they say it, it sounds kind of like something else.”

Twilight’s stomach growled. The two stallions pretended not to hear it. Eating alone would not be much fun.

“Are Applejack and Fluttershy still onboard our ship?”

“Fluttershy is hanging out in the village down below,” Biggs replied. “She’s still watching over the kiburigos and trying to figure out a way to tame a zasoi.”

Given her prior encounters with the zasoi, it seemed unlikely that the monster could ever be domesticated. She couldn’t imagine finding one with an even temper. “If Fluttershy can’t do it, none of us can.”

“Applejack is probably on the bridge again,” Biggs said. “If she isn’t you could always have her report to it.”

“What about Aramak? Is he still on board?”

“He’s down below,” Wedge replied. “That reminds me, one of the last things he said before your spell wore off was that he wants you to talk to him the moment you’re up. Even if it’s super late, he is still willing to chat.”

“How are the soldiers who were bit by those spiders or turned into stone?”

“They are all fine,” Biggs replied. “It’s a blessing. Onyx says that you’re good luck. I’m inclined to believe him.”

Twilight stood in place for a moment, calculating time. She predicted that her meeting with Aramak would take at least four hours to complete. If he didn’t have a problem with that, then neither did she. Eating would come first, though. Then a quick bath.

“Will you two have my bed washed?” Twilight asked. “After that, you’re free to do whatever.”

“Sure,” Wedge replied.

“You guys really didn’t have to wait outside of my door until I was up. Did either of you bring a book to read while you were standing out here?”

“We weren’t here the whole time,” Biggs replied. “You somehow managed to get up during the right shift.”

“Uncanny, isn’t it?” Twilight asked.

Biggs nodded. “The odds are quite something.”

“Alright. Don’t have too much fun.”

Twilight stepped out into the real world. A ship full of soldiers with nothing to do meant that the hallway had been cleaned and polished. It was difficult to tell that a fight had occurred in it, but Twilight spotted a few chips in the wood that added character to the structure.

Applejack was already on the bridge when Twilight arrived. She had cleaned up while Twilight had been asleep. Judging by the laughter, she had been at the end of a joke with Onyx, Iris, and Hocus. All of them brightened up as Twilight arrived, causing her to blush.

“Good mornin’!” Applejack said with a wink. “Did Luna send you a dream?”

“Nah, we’re out of her range. I had that stupid one again where my magical certifications have been revoked and I’m back in magic kindergarten because there was a new semester I had to take to get my credentials back. Also, I was a human and I couldn’t change back until I graduated again. Have you eaten yet?”

“Not really. Before you get to that, Aramak said that he had somethin’ very important to ask you the second you got up.”

That caught her off guard. “I suppose I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

“We can head down to the cafeteria once he’s finished sayin’ whatever it is he has to say. We’ll pick up Fluttershy on the way back, too.”

Hocus stepped forward. “Allow me to send you down, Princess.”

“No, you don’t have to. My extended nap was great. I can use basic magic on my own.”

“He insists,” Applejack said.

“Oh. Well, if you really want to do it, then I guess I’ll let you. Go ahead whenever you are ready.”

She was sent down to the swamp the moment she had finished speaking. Twilight found herself dropped into a predetermined spot in the gathering area outside of Aramak’s house with Applejack at her side and clean boots on her legs. She spotted several fireworks all around her that soared into the air mere seconds after her arrival. Sparks of various colors decorated the sky. One somehow managed to display her Cutie Mark for a few precious seconds before dissipating.

Only one pony could have planned her entrance like this.

Pinkie Pie came sliding in on her knees out of nowhere with her front legs held up high in joy. “Congratulations, Twilight!” After coming to a stop, she stood upright on her hindlegs and stretched her forelegs out as far as they could go. “Ponies and Salamanders are officially best friends forever!”

It was a bit early to declare that, but they were on the right track, so Twilight didn’t bother correcting her. Having known Pinkie for as long as she had, Twilight was only slightly surprised. She should have seen it coming.

“Alright, how did you get here?” Twilight asked.

“Remember when I jumped off the ship?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I was only pretending to parachute my way back down to Ponyville. One of the unicorns teleported me back into the ship as I was falling and I hid inside one of the crates. You actually bumped into me while you were saving Izu.”

“But Pinkie, what if I had failed?”

Pinkie chuckled. “You’re funny!”

Twilight face hoofed. “I guess that’s about the best answer I can possibly get.”

“We shoulda checked the manifest,” Applejack said.

“What, do you think I put myself down as party supplies or a box of joy?” Pinkie asked. “Only an amateur would do that. I’m not even on the manifest.”

“Then how were you loaded onto the ship?” Applejack asked.

Pinkie laughed. “That’s a secret. I’ve told you enough already. A good magician never reveals her tricks. Look, there’s cake!”

Multiple tables had been set up for the victory celebration. Cake, punch, candy bowls, sandwiches, and other assorted goodies were everywhere. Villagers began heading towards the spot. The fireworks had to have been their cue. A few of the Salamanders had donned party hats that were far too small for their skulls. X was among them. He had positioned his so that he resembled a unicorn.

Shelly’s odor was in the air. Twilight had to ignore it. The flowers could only do so much. She concentrated on breathing through her mouth.

Fluttershy appeared in the crowd and made her way to Twilight. Shelly wasn’t with her, but the filter around her muzzle proved that they had been around each other earlier. Someone had made a wreath of flowers for her that she was carrying around her neck. She removed the filter as she came forward.

“Hello, Twilight. Did you sleep well?”

“I’m fine. I still have a headache, but that’s normal. Where’s Shelly?”

“She’s waiting for us outside of the village. I figured I’d wait until you got here so you could put that barrier over her before I brought her to the party.”

“Sure. We’ll go get her in a few minutes.”

A few pegasus soldiers landed and got in line for cake. They were followed by a unicorn mage who had taken some earth stallions with her. A few of the Salamanders exchanged garbled pleasantries with them. The ponies tried to greet them in their own language, but failed. They laughed heartily at each other.

A flicker in the corner of her eye directed Twilight’s attention to Aramak’s house. He stepped out of his home with Izu. The two Salamanders waved at Twilight, who returned the gesture. She cast the spell that would enable them to speak with each other once again as Aramak approached her.

Aramak rubbed his mouth and smacked his lips together a few times before speaking. “Twilight! I am glad you could join us. Your overly energetic friend predicted you would be up right about now. I’m grateful for that. It has been hard to stare at all this food without being able to eat any of it until after you had arrived. I’m sure there’s still a lot you have left to talk with me about, but let’s forget that for now and enjoy ourselves. Our village hasn’t been able to celebrate like this for months.”

“That sounds wonderful, Aramak,” Twilight said.

“I’ve been dreaming of this day for a long time,” Izu said. “I never thought it would come true.”

Twilight gave him a wink. “Maybe you’re clairvoyant. We’ll check. In the meantime, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“Hey, everyone!” Pinkie shouted, her voice loud enough for many of them to hear without the aid of any amplification. “It’s time to get started on being best friends forever!”

Epilogue

Twilight stamped the due date sheet taped behind the cover of another copy of Beyond Equestria from behind the front desk at the Sparkle Library and passed it to Scootaloo.

“I’m so glad you were able to get more copies of this book,” Scootaloo said.

“We have a few of them on loan from some of the other libraries in the area,” Twilight said. “Couldn’t you have borrowed the copy that Sweetie Belle has?”

“Nah, I wanted my own. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about losing it, or something.”

“Speaking of Sweetie Belle, I haven’t had the chance to talk to her since I got back. How good was her presentation?”

“She made a big deal about Grizzle’s exploits in the swamp among the Salamanders, which is where you were headed at the time. Remember how he kind of disappeared? She focused on that as well.”

“Did she share her grade with you?”

“Yeah, she got an A. It would have been an A plus, but she went over ten minutes.”

Cheerilee could be hard to please.

Scootaloo placed the book in her saddlebag. “Aren’t you going to update that section?”

“I’ve been working on that when I haven’t been recommending books.”

Scootaloo’s wings buzzed. “Really? How soon do you think you’ll be finished with it?”

Twilight chuckled. “I’ve got a lot of other things to do, Scootaloo. Writing is more of a hobby. I can’t say when it will be finished. I don’t want to get your hopes up.”

Scootaloo looked down at the ground. “Oh.”

“However, I will be giving a speech on my experience with the Salamanders over the coming weekend in the community room we have in here. It won’t be as one-on-one as it will be in my essay, but it should tide you over until then.”

“I am so there,” Scootaloo said. “What time?”

“At seven in the morning on Sunday.”

Scootaloo grimaced. “Eww, that’s really early. I’ll still be there, though. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

“I was going to put some fliers up later, but you can spread the word now if you like.”

“Gotcha. See you later, Twilight.”

After Scootaloo left, Twilight took a moment to appreciate that she wasn’t soaked in her own sweat since there were no other patrons to assist. No giant mutant plant creatures were lurking around the corner. Spiders grew to be about the size of her hoof and couldn’t jump high enough to clear the deck of a ship. She could take a deep breath without gagging. One could easily forget the little things that made life comfortable until they were taken away. With any luck, Twilight would never let that happen to her again.

Royal obligations could be tiring, just like Luna had said, but for the time being they were relaxing. If Twilight had the luxury of choosing when her next grand adventure occurred, she’d schedule it six weeks in advance. They did make her feel more alive than writing papers and shuffling books, but that was only because many of them had placed her life in danger.

Twilight grabbed a notebook with a teal cover and flipped it open to the equation she was working on. She had managed to make the Void Rescue a slightly less taxing procedure. In theory. Testing would have to come later after she received permission to do so. The Griffin Octagon seemed like a great place to try it in. Perhaps Grizzle the Wanderer had gotten himself caught in a void of some sort. Twilight smirked at her own daydream. They would need all the magic that had ever existed and would exist to save Grizzle.

Spike entered through the front door, carrying a large manila envelope with him.

Twilight straightened up and pretended that she hadn’t been slacking off, even if it was only for five minutes. “Hey, Spike. What’s up?”

He shook the envelope as he approached the front desk. “I’ve got some documents for you to approve. I figured you would want to look at them right away.”

They had to be very important. Spike wouldn’t have come to see her from the castle otherwise.

He pulled out a piece of paper and set it in front of her. “First up is a letter from Hocus Pocus. He is volunteering to be the unicorn who will return to the swamp and mentor Izu. Red Iris wants to go with him. She will continue her studies under Hocus. She thinks it might be nice for Izu to study with somebody near his level. She knows she will have to wait for him to catch up to her, but she is fine with it.”

Twilight skimmed through the letter for a moment. “I approve. Let’s be sure to have him on the airship when General Onyx goes back to lead the effort to tame the swamp.”

“No problem.” Spike pulled out four documents and held them up so that all Twilight could see were the blank backs. “Bet you can’t guess what these are.”

“How about a hint?”

“A resume and cover letter for our open security positions.”

“They didn’t!”

Spike laid the documents down. Wedge Timber and Biggs Medley. Twilight sighed and shook her head, smiling.

“To their credit, they manage to word their qualifications in a way that doesn’t directly say they were hanging out with you a week ago,” Spike said.

“Would you hire them?”

“I can already tell that you’re going to. I think it will be okay so long as we balance the rest of the unit with soldiers who have more experience.”

“Send them both the good news, then.”

“There’s one last thing. For now.” Spike reached back inside the envelope and pulled out a small box that looked like it had just gotten back from the adventure she had been on. “This is from Discord. I haven’t opened it yet. I figured I’d have you look at it first after what happened last time.”

A quick scan for traps yielded no results. She opened the box with her magic. A small, black stone was inside. Twilight brought it closer to her face with her aura. “It’s a rock.” She flipped it around and saw a waxing crescent on the other side. “Did he paint this on here?”

The moon formed into a number. Thirty-seven. Twilight dropped the stone on the front counter in surprise. A cloud of red smoke erupted from it. She held her breath to avoid coughing to give Discord less pleasure, but Spike wasn’t so lucky.

Discord stood upright on the front desk, looking down at her. “Yes, Twilight. Thirty-seven. That is the exact number of universes where you failed to save Izu.”

Twilight stopped thinking about that after Izu had managed to go three days without being kidnapped. “Thanks?”

Discord reached down and grabbed her by her chin. He stretched her neck clear up to his face so he could look her in the eyes at his own height. “Do you want to hear about what happens to you in them?”

He let go of her chin, causing her neck to shrink down to its normal size and crash against her muscles with a pop. Her teeth felt like they were shaking inside her mouth.

“Not particularly.”

Discord crossed his arms. “No worries, then. You achieved what is colloquially known in some circles as the happy end. But not in five of them.”

“I don’t care to hear how things played out where I failed. If you keep this up, I’m going to ask you to leave.”

He hopped down from the desk and stood with Spike. “There is one thing you really should know, though.”

“And what might that be?”

Discord reached down, took Spike’s envelope from him, and pulled out a full-sized book that couldn’t have fit inside of it by normal means. He slammed it down in front of Twilight. The familiar abstract cover of Forty-Two Variations of Silver greeted her eyes.

“This doesn’t count as literature in any known universe. Anyway, do you have the sequel? Fluttershy asked me to come pick it up. Come on now, I don’t have all day.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re in a hurry.”

“Am I?”

Fluttershy had been in for the sequel and several similar titles earlier. Discord was lying.

Twilight leered. “This book is for you, isn’t it?”

“I don’t suppose you’ve ever come across something that was so bad that it was good, have you? A train wreck you just couldn’t stop looking at? No, of course not. You’re above such things, aren’t you?”

Twilight pulled a thoroughly read copy from the shelf it was on with her aura, brought it over to her desk, and stamped it with a due date. She pushed the book towards him with a hoof. “Enjoy.”

Discord snatched the book from the desk. “You mares are sick equines.” He vanished, being certain to add the sound of a whip cracking at the point of his exit to stir up memories of the book in Twilight’s mind.

“I hope he gets stuck,” Spike said.

Twilight grinned and shook her head. She leaned forward, supporting her chin with a hoof. “It happens to the best of us.”

Author's Note

My sister provided the cover art and if she hadn't slipped out the back door of the Internet when everyone wasn't looking this would be the part where I'd link to more of her stuff.
You might remember when Fluttershy tells Luna to ask Discord about the Malum. She's referring to the events that transpired in The Virtuous Sister, which is the previous story I wrote for this fandom that can be viewed on my fanfiction.net account under the same name that I use here. The Stink Bug is its spiritual successor and was supposed to come out shortly after its release.

A slight delay occurred.

"A pegasus mare and an earth stallion collaborated with a unicorn mare to get a picture of themselves in extravagant poses as Fluttershy walked by." Extravagant poses that wouldn’t look out of place in a crazy, noisy, bizarre town like the one featured in the Diamond is Unbreakable OP.
Here’s a quick list of people who deserve to be thanked.

* The team over at Equestria Daily.

* Those who read the story after the first round of editing while it was still under development.

* Everyone who stuck around before I managed to get featured.

* Anyone who made it to the end of this story. I hope it didn’t sting too much.

Further Reading.

Here are three other fics inside this fandom that I think are super neat.

For I Am A Jelly God by Posh. One of my all-time favorites.
Sweet Apple Capers by the RPGenius. A comprehensive study in how to show and not tell. I obviously have only read it twice.
Snuggle Bug by Overload. Society collapses, but it’s okay because it could have been a lot worse.

Chapter 1

“No, Spike, this can’t wait until we’ve come to a complete stop,” Twilight said as she followed Spike across the wobbling gangway connection of the train they were riding into the car containing the luggage they had packed.

Spike’s response had to wait until the door had been closed. “Sweetie Belle’s report isn’t due for another two days.”

“Yes, but she requested this book a week ago. I want to give it to her the moment I see her.”

A plethora of cardboard boxes had been stacked neatly in the compartment. All of them were full of books. Plenty of care had gone into packing them. Spike had been responsible for labeling the boxes and had done so using the Hewey Decimal System.

Spike pointed at a box towards the middle of the third tower. “It’s in that one. Are you sure you want to give her the book before she gets a library card? We might forget to check it out to her and then the new library will have a missing book during its first week of operation.”

His wit had been in top form all day long. Knowing that a twelve-hour shift was ahead of him typically sharpened it to a fine edge. Twilight could bear with it.

“Would you really like for that to happen to me?”

Spike sighed. “No.”

“Then don’t bother thinking about it.”

Using her magic, Twilight grabbed the copy of Superstar Stallions, Magnificent Mares and pulled it through a temporary hole in the box. She checked the table of contents and came across the name of the historical figure that Sweetie Belle had dedicated her report to.

The thrill of the small discovery was not lost on Twilight. “Here he is. Grizzle the Wanderer, professional wayfarer and author of Beyond Equestria.”

“Why don’t we pull that for her as well so she has more material to work with?”

“Great idea.”

“That one is right over there.”

She had two books to give to Spike. He grabbedthe first one she had retrieved from her aura. A backpack was waiting in the corner near the door for such an occasion. Spike put the book inside the backpack and carried the satchel on one arm. Twilight let Beyond Equestria remain suspended in the air in front of her. It was an older copy. A golden globe stood out against the red binding of the encyclopedia. Twilight opened it up to a random page and gave the inside of the book a brief smell. Her eyes closed and a smile spread across her face. Knowledge smelled like dust that had been gathered through age. It was an aroma that lingered until the end of time.

“You’re strange,” Spike said.

Twilight gave the book a playful shove as she placed it inside his backpack. “Hush.” She then thought better of her decision and retrieved the book. “Actually, maybe I’ll have another look at this one. It brings back memories.”

“What, did you do a report on him as well?”

“I did. I remember getting a ninety-eight on it because I talked too fast so I could fit in everything I wanted to share in under ten minutes.”

“How traumatic.”

She flicked her tail at him and cracked the book open again. She knew exactly what passage she wanted to reread. Twilight opened the book to the Griffin Octagon, which had been a key part of her presentation. It was a section off the coast of the Griffin kingdom notorious for ships that had gone missing and where Grizzle’s curiosity had gotten the better of him in his old age. Having long ago mastered the art of reading and walking at the same time with Spike’s help, she kept her nose glued to the book as she made her way back to her seat.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if she did a report on her sister?” Spike asked as he climbed into his seat ahead of her. “Rarity fits the requirements, doesn’t she?”

“The pony can’t be a modern figure,” Twilight said, sliding in next to him.

Every word was the same as she remembered it. Grizzle had managed to make the book an easy and entertaining read. Twilight began flipping through pages rapidly, pulling out key information in chunks. An island that was mostly a swamp inhabited by reptiles to the southwest. Strange lines in the sand outside of Saddle Arabia. The mysterious circle of stones in the middle of nowhere that could not be moved. Their world was a strange and beautiful place. She had devoured the book when she was a filly and decided she would give it a proper reread later that year since it still held her interest and might be more relevant to her now than she imagined.

The nostalgia helped her contain her excitement for the task that was ahead of her. By the time her mind wandered back to it, the train came to a stop at the Ponyville station.

“Finally,” Twilight said as she passed the book to Spike. “This ride seriously took longer than it usually does.”

Spike dropped the book into his backpack. “You’re just imaging things. We’re right on schedule.”

The train wasn’t very crowded and they made their way to the exit without having to form a line.

“I’m so glad Ponyville is finally getting a new library,” Twilight said as she stepped off the train and unto the boarding platform.

“I still think the one we run inside the castle is big enough.”

“It does have quite a selection, but it’s unbalanced. There’s more nonfiction in our castle library than fiction.”

“Whose fault is that?”

Twilight ignored him. “If we put more fiction than nonfiction in the new library, it will balance everything out and I won’t have to get rid of any books.”

Applejack appeared from out of the station office. Twilight gave her a wave that she returned. She had asked Applejack to help her move the books into the new library a few days prior to her return to Ponyville. Applejack’s work ethic would keep her motivated throughout the process. With any luck, it would rub off on Spike.

“Howdy, Twilight,” Applejack said. “Are you ready to get started?”

“Am I ever.”

“We’ve got a cart nearby that Big Mac will pull.”

Twilight’s horn lit up and six large cardboard boxes materialized above their heads floating inside purple bubbles. Her unlimited enthusiasm had the cart waiting just outside the station loaded to its capacity before Spike and Applejack even managed to get a single box to it.

“You’re in a bit of a hurry, aren’t you?” Applejack asked.

“Can you blame me? I haven’t had the chance to see this building yet. What does it look like?”

“I ain’t about to spoil it for you, but there was at least one shelf and three trolleys in there the last time I took a gander inside.”

Big Mac strained a little against the weight he had to pull. Twilight was about to teleport a few boxes back to the train car when he took off at a steady pace. Satisfied, she let him take the lead and fell in line behind the cart with Applejack and Spike as Big Mac made his way to the new library. A few onlookers stopped and watched them with interest as they passed. Their requests for free access to the latest bestsellers had finally been granted.

It was the perfect day to be working outside. Fall was approaching, but the warmth from summer was still lingering, coating everyone in a snug blanket. Clouds were drifting by in the sky, which would give them something to look at when they took a break. Leaves were starting to fall, providing the grass with a means of covering itself to hide from everyone that it was losing its youthful sheen. Winter would be there before anyone knew it.

About the only thing out of place was the peculiar aroma lingering in the air. Something eventually always managed to conspire against anyone having to do work outdoors. Twilight spent ten seconds trying to place the source of the scent and then decided it wasn’t anything to worry about. She wasn’t going to let it ruin her homecoming celebration.

“How have your new classes been goin’?” Applejack asked.

“I’m thrilled to be back in school. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance were supposed to begin training me six months ago, but scheduling conflicts kept getting in the way.”

“When you say schedulin’ conflicts, do you really mean savin’ Equestria?”

Twilight nodded.

Applejack smiled. “That’s a nice way to put what we do. I’ll have to borrow that one from you.” “Be my guest.”

Big Mac hit a hole in the road that almost knocked a box off the cart, but Twilight caught it with her aura and put it back where it had been without stopping.

“I’m sorry I didn’t write very often. I used that time to study so I could get home sooner.”

“I thought you would be gone for a lot longer than you were.”

“I finished ahead of schedule, but I still have a long way to go.”

“How tough were the tests?”

“They were very easy. I was already familiar with most of the material. I used to read about spells that only alicorns could use and try to make them available to unicorns, but there’s no way around the amount of power required.”

“A new library must be some graduation present.”

“It is. How did they get it done so quickly?”

“Mayor Mare had a few unicorns from Celestia’s School of Magic come down and help with the construction. I wish I coulda been there when you heard the news. Spike, how did Twilight react when she found out?”

Spike scoffed. “Do you have to ask? If it hadn’t been for Luna, we would have been up all night picking out books, planning events, and deciding what kind of kiosks we were going to have where even though we weren’t given a floorplan. It almost took a spell to calm her down enough to sleep.”

Twilight held her breath as they rounded the last corner they needed to navigate before the building came into view. The sight of the new library struck Twilight with enough force to stop her in her tracks. She couldn’t help but grin broadly, dance in place, and vocalize her excitement with a sharp squeak. While nothing could ever replace the Golden Oak Library, whoever had designed the building had come up with a proper successor.

Darker materials had been used in its construction to make it stand out. It was not as large as Twilight had hoped it would be, but its size had been limited to encourage the head librarian to only carry books that would lend themselves to rentals. More would have to be done with less.

Twilight rushed ahead of everyone. She gave the front door a sharp pull with her aura that failed to make it budge. The door was locked since the library wasn’t open to the public yet. Only then did she become aware that Mayor Mare had been watching her the entire time. Rainbow Dash was supposed to be with her since she had agreed to help move in books in exchange for the privilege of being the first pony to get a library card, but she was absent. Something had to have come up.

Mayor Mare held up a golden key. “I think you’ll need this.”

Using telekinesis, Twilight snatched the key from Mayor Mare’s hoof. “Yes, please!”

Twilight unlocked the front door and burst into the library. She was met with the inviting scent of new oak floors. Having used the previous library for guidance, the interior had been decorated in a way that made it feel like it was run out of the home of a book lover and not by a committee of librarians. Borrowing a book from a friend’s private collection and reading it in the sunlight next to an open window while enjoying tea from their kitchen was a preferable atmosphere to the regal experience patrons received at the Castle of Friendship. Twilight would have to ask to be allowed to run the place every now and then.

The front desk was at the end of the foyer. Patrons in search of a book did not have to look hard to find the librarian on duty. Once they had the book they were looking for, there were plenty of nooks and crannies for them to sneak off into and read in. Off to the right and left were two large rooms full of mahogany shelves that stood to attention, eager to fulfill their purpose.

“Check around the back,” Mayor Mare said.

Twilight wandered towards the back and discovered that a garden had been set up outside. Benches rested near trees that gave them cover. Birds were singing when they weren’t eating out of any of the houses that had been set up around the garden to encourage their stay and provide ambience for those who preferred to read under the comfort of the sun.

“Do you like it?” Mayor Mare asked.

“I love it!” Twilight replied.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Spike wandered into the conversation. “What are you going to call this place?”

“We held a vote and an overwhelming majority of our town decided to call it the Sparkle Library.”

Having a library named after her was an honor on par with becoming an alicorn. “Wow. I almost don’t know what to say. If they feel that sounds better than Golden Oak Library Junior, then I can’t argue with them.”

“Sparkle Library has a nice ring to it,” Applejack said.

“When will you be able to open it to the public?” Twilight asked.

“We could technically start letting ponies in after we have finished filling the shelves,” Mayor Mare replied. “However, we are waiting on a nameplate, a sign, and a few additional decorations that will help this building live up to its name.”

“We can’t let little things like that stand in the way of reading,” Twilight said. “Let’s open it when the books are ready to be given out.”

“Are you sure? We don’t have a head librarian yet. I’ve been having trouble picking one from the list of applicants. We do have a few volunteers and three staff members who would be ready to begin working within a day, though.”

“That’s plenty,” Twilight said. “Ponies in this town are honest. We could let them in even if we didn’t have a librarian here and they would be able to rent the books out to themselves.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Mayor Mare said.

“Then let’s get started,” Twilight said.

The moment Twilight wandered back outside, the stench hit her. It seemed to be coming somewhere north of town and could no longer be easily ignored. A few ponies were outside with a hoof to their noses while others were carrying clear expressions of disgust on their faces as they went about their business. Hopefully the smell would dissipate before they took a break for lunch.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Applejack asked.

A rumble of thunder came from somewhere nearby. The forecast had called for clouds, but not for rain. Twilight shrugged it off as a fluke.

“Do you smell that?” Twilight asked.

Applejack sniffed the air, but was not affected by the lurking stench. “Yeah. I wonder what it is?”

“I have no idea. Rotten fruit? Body odor? Discord?”

“All of the above?”

A raspy scream echoed through the sky.

Rainbow Dash appeared, flying low to get everyone’s attention. “Run! It’s coming! Run away as fast as you can! This is not a drill!”

Dash flew by, heading in the direction of the Castle of Friendship. A blood curdling scream of mortal terror escaped the throat of a male pony in the direction she had just fled from. Other ponies quickly echoed it, creating a horrifying cacophony to comfortably panic by.

Applejack sighed and clicked her tongue. “Well, I guess we had better go see what they’re runnin’ from.”

“Hold that thought,” Twilight said.

Twilight stepped back inside the library with Applejack at her side. Mayor Mare, Big Mac, and Spike were waiting in the foyer.

“That sounds like the usual brand of excitement our growing hamlet has become famous for,” Mayor Mare said.

“How come we still don’t have a town watch for this sort of thing?” Spike asked.

Mayor Mare grinned nervously. “But Spike, we do have a town watch.”

Spike crossed his arms. “We should get badges.”

Applejack barked a laugh. “Maybe after you learn how to use power and authority responsibly, bud.”

“Speaking of which, I have a job for you, Spike,” Twilight said. “Go with Big Mac and make sure Mayor Mare gets to safety. Applejack and I will find out what’s going on.”

Outside, Bulk Biceps had cleared out the cart they had used to carry their books in. Berryshine, Minuette, and Lyra hugged each other for comfort as they sat in the cart trembling in fear while Bulk began pulling it. Other citizens were stampeding, doing their best to get as far away from the source of the smell as possible. Dust had been thrown into the air and the ground shook slightly under the force of all the hoofs raining down on it. Spike and Big Mac began heading down the street with the mayor traveling behind them. Their retreat was by far the most orderly.

The lurking odor began getting much more intense. Twilight’s eyes started watering and Applejack had covered her muzzle with her hat. It had started getting a lot more humid as well. Sweat began collecting on Twilight’s coat as she wondered if a magical calamity was to blame for the sudden change in the weather. No other explanation made sense.

“Can you do somethin’ about that smell?” Applejack asked. “I don’t know how much more of it I can take.”

Twilight cast a spell that put a protective purple dome around her body and altered the air inside of it to temporarily carry the soothing aroma of lavender. She replicated the spell for Applejack, but filled her bubble with the homey odor of apple strudels.

“Better?”

Applejack returned her hat to its original position. “Much.”

They galloped down the street, dodging other ponies as they made their way to the source of the problem. A few of them were enjoying themselves so much that they were laughing until they started gagging. Only two other unicorns had figured out Twilight’s trick. No other pegasus ponies were in the area, likely having fled to Cloudsdale. When they broke free of the crowd, they came across the ponies that had not been quick enough. Twilight counted at least five bodies lying unconscious in the street and imagined there were more boarded inside the houses and storefronts.

The grass under Twilight’s hoofs was getting wet as she continued onward. After rounding a corner, their visitor came into view. It was heading right for them. Twilight had enough time to give Applejack a telekinetic shove to get her out of the way and launch herself into the air before it tore past them, squealing.

In the safety of the sky, Twilight checked to confirm that Applejack hadn’t been hurt. She appeared from out of the store she had been shoved into and gave Twilight a quick tip of her hat. Twilight looked down at the thing that had almost hit them. It was some type of beetle that was larger than any she had ever seen. The beetle was running scared and had not caused any devastation in its wake. Its shell was dark blue, but flecks of gray, purple, and red were mixed across it. A coat of transparent goo covered its shell. The nightmarish odor had to be coming from it. Even with her protection, Twilight’s head swirled a little at the prospect of standing downwind and catching another whiff of the insect.

She watched it scuttle down the street and bit her bottom lip as it approached the library. The beetle came to an abrupt halt and had a look around. Twilight could see that it had many legs underneath its shell, just like a pill bug. She could also see what was coming next. It was like watching a scary movie and knowing that the creature from the black lagoon was about to jump onto the deck where the ponies were sunbathing and cause a ruckus.

“Oh, please don’t stop there!” Twilight said, extending an imploring hoof towards the creature.

The bug turned around and took up a defensive position in front of the new library. It dug its legs into the ground and stopped moving. Under the right conditions, it could be mistaken for a colorful rock.

“Great,” Twilight said to herself. “They’ll have to keep the windows open for a month to air out the place.”

Twilight looked in the direction the beetle had come from. They were at the edge of the town and looking out into the rolling fields. She could see something peculiar in the distance and signaled for Applejack to follow her as she began heading towards the oddity for a closer look. It didn’t take too long for her to realize what she was looking at. She gasped. If she had been by herself, she would have increased her speed. Applejack was currently in her party. Twilight needed her to arrive at the scene of the accident at the same time she did. She decided on a suitable method from the list of available techniques and landed on the wet grass in front of Applejack with a loud splash. Applejack came to an abrupt halt and had to rear on her hind legs before regaining her balance.

“Did I miss a signal?” Applejack asked. “I had my eyes on the road.”

“Close your eyes,” Twilight said.

“What?” Applejack asked.

Twilight hoisted Applejack into the air with her aura and flew towards her destination with Applejack spinning a few hoofs behind her.

“Put me down!” Applejack said.

“There’s no time!”

“Dagnabbit, I ain’t kiddin’, Twilight!”

Twilight swooped down and landed poorly. Pain shot up to her knees. A bone in her right hind leg shifted slightly underneath her skin, letting her know it would have snapped if any more pressure had been applied to it. She had a split second to stop Applejack from slamming into the ground. All it took was proper timing. Applejack hung suspended in the air for a moment, curled up into a ball and shaking violently with her eyes shut tight. She opened one eye and saw that the wild ride was over. Twilight settled Applejack down to the ground in an upright position.

Applejack glared at Twilight and checked to make sure her hat was on right. “How about we schedule another one of those for never again?”

“I’m sorry, but, I mean, look!”

A section of the soil twice the size of the bug had been permanently altered. Blue grass, purple weeds, and pink dandelions were growing out of ground that was drenched in water.

“Are you waitin’ for me to ask you what this is before you launch into an explanation?” Applejack asked, still a little miffed.

That response was all Twilight needed. “You mean you don’t already know? This piece of land was teleported here. Quite poorly, I might add. That bug is lucky to be alive.”

Applejack glanced at the new terrain and then looked back at Twilight. “Looks fine to me.”

Twilight guffawed. “Looks fine?!”

Now that they were far enough away from the bug, Twilight lowered her protective dome to save her energy. The odor was still noticeable, but she could tolerate it. She thought she might be used to it at this point, but she was mistaken. It still struck her as remarkably offensive. Applejack winced and rubbed at her nose when Twilight lowered her dome.

“Do you see those patches of our grasslands that stick out like a hole in your dress? That indicates a lack of focus. Have you noticed that the sample of land is crooked and not perfectly square? That’s a lack of control. This is outrageous. There are so many reasons why this is bad. I could literally give a three-hour lecture on the subject right now without any notes or prep.”

Her anxiety was getting worse. Twilight felt pressure crushing her chest. She knew she was getting worked up, but she had crossed the point of no return and could no longer stop herself from venting.

Twilight cast a quick spell on the slice of land to learn more about what had happened. “This was not done confidently, which is odd since a lot of power would have been needed to pull this off. Self-doubt and magic do not mix. There are two sources of magic here, but they are so fragmented due to how violent the trip was that I can’t make sense of them, which is as impressive as it is terrifying. Furthermore, where is this even from?”

Applejack nodded in agreement. “It sure ain’t within a hundred miles of here. Do you think this was done by some putz tryin’ to make a name for themselves by beatin’ your record?”

Twilight cared enough to devote a moment to remembering the time she had fled from the dragons that had chased her, Rarity, and Spike when Spike had refused to smash the eggs of a Phoenix bird so many months ago. “It’s a possibility. If that’s the case, they’re in big trouble. Attempting to teleport something beyond the recommended distance would be considered experimentation and you have to use inanimate objects whenever you are playing around with magic.”

“You sure they weren’t tryin’ to send a daisy over and then they just goofed up?”

“That insect was clearly the passenger, which is slang for the thing you’re moving.”

Applejack smirked. “Never woulda been able to guess that myself.”

“I can show this to you while the magic is still fresh. Here.”

The spell she cast revealed a ghostly image of the beetle covered in a green aura. Twilight took a step back as the edge of the new sample of land was highlighted.

“Notice how the target is. . .” Twilight stopped talking and groaned in irritation before she could manage to finish her sentence. “The target is off center! This is thoroughly unbelievable. Whoever cast this spell is biting off a lot more than they can chew. If they don’t wind up hurting themselves, they’re going to hurt someone else.” She began pacing back and forth nervously, which drew a glare from Applejack. “If you botch a teleportation spell, you could wind up summoning something you don’t want to deal with if you somehow manage to avoid opening up a black hole or putting the head of a fly on your neck.”

Applejack planted herself in front of Twilight so that she bumped into her while pacing and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Twilight, I love you dearly, but you have got to stop frettin’ back and forth because it is drivin’ me up a wall. The world is still spinnin’. It doesn’t need your help. Calm down.”

Twilight shuddered as she took a deep breath. It was a momentary relief. She could feel the care radiating from Applejack and was a little sad when she withdrew her hoof.

“There. That’s more like it. Now listen. The way I see it, all we gotta do is find out where that bug came from and then everythin’ else will follow.” Applejack approached the new terrain, dug at it with her hoof, and brought a clump of it up to her muzzle. “This is pretty much clay. It’s mighty tough to grow plants in this kind of soil, but it can be done. I think this had to come from a swamp or maybe even a jungle. Nah, not a jungle. It’s got to be from a swamp. Or a bog. Somethin’ like that. What do you think?”

Twilight’s mind cycled through information as if she were rapidly flipping through a book. Strange insects. Exotic locales. Notable magical disasters. Nothing stood out. The encyclopedia in her brain was too large to provide an immediate answer.

She decided to focus on what was obvious. “Terrain like this can’t be found in Equestria.”

“Maybe it’s from somewhere beyond Equestria, then.”

There were times when finding the answer to a problem felt exactly like coming up for air after spending a too much time underwater.

“That’s it!” Twilight exclaimed.

“What is?”

“Beyond Equestria by Grizzle the Wanderer. I was skimming through it earlier this morning on the train in search of the good bits when I came across the section dealing with a swamp far to the southwest on an island inhabited by reptiles referred to as Salamanders. Grizzle drew a portrait of the land and it looks a lot like this piece in front of us.”

“I guess it’s a good day to buy a lottery ticket. Do you have a copy of that book in the castle library?”

“Naturally. I’ve got the first edition in special collections and all five of the reprints in non-fiction.”

Twilight and Applejack watched as a large, fuzzy caterpillar with dark orange hair crawled out of the blue grass and began inching along unfamiliar ground. The caterpillar managed two scoots before packing everything up and heading back home.

“So, there’s a green hoof out in a swamp somewhere who didn’t like that bug stinkin’ up the place and they wanted to send it as far away as possible as quickly as they could,” Applejack said.

“That’s a decent hypothesis.”

“And somebody has to go all the way over there just to give them a swat on the fetlock?”

“It might be more serious than that. Since they put at least two living entities in danger, they might lose their right to cast magic for at least a month. They might also be forcibly compelled to return to Equestria for a little while since Princess Celestia does not tolerate unicorns that leave Equestria to evade the rules they have to follow to maintain the right to use magic.”

“Who gets to take this trip and bring them back?”

Twilight hadn’t stopped to consider that yet. “Hopefully me. I think I’ll volunteer.”

Applejack looked amused at how quickly she had answered her question. “You don’t have enough to do as a princess?”

“My plans for the week have already had a wrench thrown into them. I was supposed to be at the library for the next five days helping fillies and colts find books that they would be interested in reading, but that’s not going to happen. The other items on my agenda can wait. Besides, Beyond Equestria could really use an update and I’d be qualified to make it.”

Applejack took another look at the sample of where Twilight was headed. “Those colors sure are unique for plants. You had better pack some salve because that overgrown dandelion looks about as friendly as hogweed. You should also bring some galoshes with you. I wouldn’t walk through that bare hoofed for anythin’ less than a million bits.”

Twilight’s gaze drifted towards Applejack’s flank. Her Cutie Mark wasn’t blinking. That had always made organizing her party much easier. Nothing lasted forever.

“Would you like to come with me?”

Applejack looked shocked at the offer. “How do you think I would be able to help? You’re. . .what’s that word Big Mac uses? Oh, yeah. Overpowered. You could do the whole thing yourself.”

“That might be true, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t get lonely.” Twilight looked away from Applejack and blushed a little. “Besides, I could use your common sense in case I come up against something that gets me into one of my tizzies.”

Applejack chuckled. “In that case, I guess I could go along. It does sound like fun. Have we set up trade with them Salamanders?”

With them. Applejack could be a real gem.

Twilight had to keep herself from smiling. “We haven’t. They have elected to live in isolation.”

“I think I might be able to get them to change their minds. Maybe we could get them to help us hunt down that renegade unicorn in exchange for a crate of apples. It would make the task a lot easier since they’re bound to know that swamp better than we do.”

“It might be a bit difficult. They don’t speak our language and they aren’t known to welcome outsiders.”

“Yeah, well, everyone still needs to eat and I’m sure you’ve got a spell to keep us from playin’ charades.”

“I do. Somewhere. Anyway, let’s head back to the castle. We can plan the rest of our expedition there.”

Chapter 6

The reality of her situation did not become fully evident until Twilight finally appeared in the middle of a circle surrounded by a group of disgruntled natives who didn’t want her there. The Salamanders hissed at them while their chief stood motionless a few hoofs from Twilight. She regretted having teleported so close to him, but there was no turning back now. Those with staffs held them up in the air and shook them. A few arrows had even been notched, but they were pointed at the ground. Retreating to safety would require minimal effort, but it would paint them as cowards in the eyes of their hosts. Their reception was much more negative than Twilight had anticipated. If the chief wasn’t standing there, a fight would break out in an instant.

Biggs and Wedge stepped closer to her. Standing so close to the Salamanders revealed something to her that she did not notice in the air. They weren’t as muscular as they were in the book. Some of them were quite lean. The chief looked like he could bench Bulk Biceps, but that was only natural since being the person in charge meant he got first dibs on all the carbs.

The chief waved his hand through the air and the noise that the crowd produced died down. He shrugged at Twilight. She would have to make the first move since they could not speak to each other naturally. The sight of her horn lighting up sent a ripple through the crowd. Twilight decided to put all her bits on her third choice regarding how to proceed and cast the modified language spell she had created earlier. She amplified it to include their immediate area so some of the crowd could listen in. A few of them touched their lips as a ticklish sensation brushed across them. Several notched arrows were sent straight into the ground.

She noticed the chief was eyeing the saddlebags that her guards were carrying. Twilight levitated the saddlebags off her guards and let them hang in the air for a moment before pulling the discs out, causing the crowd to stir. Tension mounted at the revelation that they were armed. Twilight sent the weapons back to the cargo hold. She had hoped a pleasant murmur might go through the crowd, but she received no audible credit for disarming her guards.

Biggs had his mouth in her ear in a flash. “What are you doing? Do you expect us to spit at them?”

“Relax,” Twilight replied. “Everything will be fine.” she took a step closer to the chief. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am a princess of Equestria. Can you understand me?”

“I can,” the chief replied. “I am Aramak, leader of this village.”

Twilight’s ears twitched at the sound of the untranslated word. If the pronunciation of the name was any indication, Salamanders were fond of emphasizing their vowels and their R required them to roll their tongues.

“Where is the white horse?” Aramak asked.

Twilight frowned. She could tell he meant for horse to be derogatory, but it sounded so silly she couldn’t find it offensive. “She is safe in her castle.”

“You’re beneath her, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but I am speaking for her. My words carry just as much weight.”

Aramak scoffed. “At least you are easier to understand. Unless I’m mistaken, it hasn’t been five years since you equines last graced us with your presence. So, tell me. To what honor do I owe your early return?”

“I have traveled this far to return something to you,” Twilight said.

“Oh?”

Twilight sent a signal to Fluttershy, allowing her friend just enough time to get in one belly breath to calm her nerves before she was dropped on the stage. Fluttershy, Applejack, and Shelly joined the festivities. Twilight had been sure to contain the smell that Shelly was emitting with a barrier spell. The crowd went into an uproar of irritated shouts. Shelly squealed at the sight of the Salamanders. They knew each other. Some of them began throwing mud at her. She scooted a little closer to Fluttershy, which brought the mud flinging to a halt. It was a promising result.

“We found this bug outside of Ponyville, a village a little larger than yours that is in the suburbs of our nation’s capital, Canterlot,” Twilight explained. “We decided it would be best to return the bug to its homeland after seeing the effect it has on its immediate environment.”

“Then why did you bring it back?” Aramak demanded. “It is good that it was sent away. That thing is a pest! They reek, they eat away at our wall, and they have reduced our village to twigs in the past.”

“I’m afraid that none of that matters.”

A vein in Aramak’s forehead bulged out. “Why not, horse?”

This wasn’t going according to any of the plans she had spent so much time making during her downtime on the flight, but she still had plenty of cards to play. “I think you might have misunderstood me. I’m sorry. Let me start over. We did not bring Shelly back because she ate our homes. We brought her back because she started turning our valley into a swamp.”

“Are you certain that wasn’t due to your own voodoo?”

“You were not aware that Shelly’s kind can turn any environment into a swamp?”

“No. That’s preposterous. This swamp has been here since before we came down into it from the jungle. Do you actually expect me to believe that a kiburigo is responsible for creating and maintaining our swamp?”

“I can prove it to you. While I was in what were once your wetlands, I gathered some branches from a dead tree. I fed some of them to her, but I saved one just so I could show you how important she is. I’m going to take the spell off her that restrains her influence, so you might want to hold your breath.”

Twilight grabbed the branch she saved and lowered her barrier spell. She held the branch in the air as some members of the crowd screamed. The sound their feet made as they all shuffled back a few steps filled the air. Shelly looked up at the branch hopefully, but Fluttershy put a hoof on her shell and shook her head.

“When a unicorn uses magic, their horn is illuminated by their aura,” Twilight said. “This is always the case. You will always know when a spell is being cast. I am not going to use any magic for what I am about to do.”

She tossed the branch next to Shelly. Fluttershy held Shelly back as the branch sprouted with life violently enough to cause it to shake. Fluttershy took her hoof off Shelly and Applejack gave her a swat on the back to ease her forward. Shelly gobbled up the branch eagerly while Twilight put the barrier over her again.

“Horse voodoo!” someone in the crowd shouted.

“Quiet!” Aramak yelled back.

Aramak covered his mouth for a moment as his eyes narrowed. She had gotten him to think. Twilight had to hold back a smile. She had him where she wanted him.

“That bug could fix our wetlands?” Aramak had a hint of hope in his voice.

“Absolutely. She is an enchanted creature. I know that you have had problems with these bugs in the past, but if you wish to continue living in this swamp, you will have to learn to live with them as well.”

Twilight took a moment to look back at the crowd. Those who could understand what was being said relayed the information to those who could not. Arrows had been returned to quivers. Staffs were now held at ease. Something would ruin this. She had to be sure it didn’t come from what she said.

“I can’t say that the wetlands will look the same as they did when they were alive, but at the very least they will be an extension of your current environment. Were there other members of Shelly’s species in the wetlands?”

“That is none of your concern. Let us worry about that,” Aramak had brought his defenses back up.

Twilight wasn’t fazed. If she needed to make him squirm, she had a way to do so. “That’s fine. However, returning Shelly is not the only reason for our visit. Shelly was forced into Ponyville with a poorly executed teleportation spell. I must find whoever cast that spell. I know you would not allow unicorns to live around here, but is it possible one or more of them could be living out there without your knowledge?”

“In the wild? That’s highly doubtful. Our random encounters with the less civil beings we share this swamp with have increased dramatically over the past few years. It has taken everything we have to contain them. I do not think a pony would last very long out there.”

“Are any of those beings magical?”

“Only in regards to the rate a few of them reproduce.”

Twilight kept herself from snickering. “What about your kin, then? Is there one among you who can use magic?”

“I’m afraid we don’t have that gift. It probably has something to do with the lack of a calcified boil protruding from our skulls.”

The answers she was given were not up to par. “Is that so? I guess you wouldn’t have to worry about your village vanishing from existence, then. Magic is not always kind. I’ve personally seen it corrupt ponies to the point where they are driven to harm those they love. If you think that you have problems now, an inexperienced mage would only add to them. Exponentially.”

“Then I am glad we have no mage,” Aramak said. “Are you finished?”

Twilight looked at Applejack, who shook her head. She hadn’t bought any of it either. That would have to be enough to go on. The next round wasn’t going to be pleasant.

“You are hiding something,” Twilight said. It sounded much better than directly accusing him of lying.

“Am I?” Aramak said.

“You sure are,” Applejack said.

“Did you find a relic?” Wedge asked.

Twilight shushed her team gently. Their eagerness was admirable, but they would do more harm than good by participating in the current argument.

“Horse, you can waste your time searching our swamp for another one of your clan if you would like,” Aramak said. “None of us will stop you. Consider that my way of repaying you for your lesson regarding the kiburigo. Unless you have something else to say, I’m afraid it is time for you to leave.”

She could tell she was on to something and she couldn’t believe how easily he had jumped into her trap. “Really? I had been hoping to stay for dinner.”

“A pity. I guarantee you our diets are not the same.”

“They aren’t?”

She closed her eyes and sent her energy back to the airship. The crates packed with food were her target. A container of apples appeared beside Twilight’s party. She popped the lid off and levitated several of them into the air. The crowd cried out in surprise. Twilight sent the crate back after they had all gotten a good look at its contents, which was an action met with howls of horrified confusion from her audience. It had been a little brusque, but the act would almost guarantee Aramak would change his tune.

A Salamander came running from the crowd right at Twilight. Biggs and Wedge reeled up, kicking their hoofs out at him. He backed away and threw up both of his hands to surrender. Twilight spotted a red X on his hip.

“That’s close enough, pal,” Wedge said.

“Speak to her from where you’re standing,” Biggs ordered.

The comedian dropped to his knees. “Please give us food, Princess.”

“Have you not been eating well lately?” Twilight asked.

“Not at all. It has been horrible,” the comedian was struggling with his admissions. “Will you give us food?”

“We do have some with us right now that we can spare, but we might not be able to feed all of you. If you would be willing to cooperate and help us find who we are looking for, we could fly in more later.”

X ran to Aramak and knelt in front of him. “Aramak, this is not worth it. Not when food is involved. Please tell them about your son!”

An alarm went off. Uneasiness spread through the crowd as they began looking around. Twilight spotted a single Salamander running towards them. He tripped and fell hard on his face in his haste, but got right back up.

He waved at them as he approached. “A zasoi has --- ” A tremendous crash came from behind him, interrupting his warning. Color drained from the messenger’s face. “--- just broken through the weak section in the east wall.”

Ponies were no longer the stars of the show. The crowd dispersed as each occupant of the village rushed to take care of the problem. Twilight knew of no creature in the world going by a name as goofy as zasoi, but it had to be a formidable foe. She followed the Salamanders, ready to do whatever she could to help.

Screaming could be heard in the distance. It was quite different than the kind she was immediately familiar with. Mortal terror was evident in the pitch. She did not know what she should expect, but she knew she could deal with it. She had to. Archers began popping out on the roofs. Children carrying extra quivers filled with arrows accompanied them. A few Salamanders ran past Twilight and her party, heading in the direction they had come. They were after something else.

Twilight did not have to travel very far to meet their new opponent. It came barreling down the street right towards them. Those in front of Twilight scattered to avoid getting run over. The minx known as the zasoi was handsome enough to get Twilight to lower her ears, drop her mouth, and stare ahead in fascinated horror.

It kind of sort of looked like a plant if she titled her head right, but it didn’t get most of the energy it needed to survive via photosynthesis. The zasoi was large enough to make an easy living inspecting roofs and determining if they needed new shingles if it could ever manage to control its appetite. Its body was a mass of writhing tentacles it used to move around like an octopus on land. A tremendous, gaping maw lined with teeth meant for something less refined than vegetables and fruit sat atop the writhing appendages. Some of its teeth were missing and a few of its tentacles had been reduced to stumps during previous heated disagreements with its swamp mates. Two black orbs that Twilight figured were compound eyes sat in the middle of the circular mass that made up its face. Mucus poured from its nose, which was a small concave hole just beneath its eyes.

Twilight noticed it had caught two Salamanders in its tentacles. They were both struggling to break free. In a single fluid motion, the zasoi brought the head of a Salamander close to its teeth. Delicious close. Her magic surged forward in an unrestrained burst of power. The adrenaline coursing through her veins instantly alleviated any strain involved with teleporting the captives to safety next to an archer on a nearby roof. The tentacle that had been curled around its prey went into its mouth as its jaw slammed shut. It howled in pain and disbelief, emitting a noise that reminded Twilight of fillies shouting at each other through wrapping paper tubes.

The zasoi checked its wounded tentacle to see if it had missed the appetizer it had held. There was no tasty snack waiting for it in any of its slimy appendages. Perplexed, the zasoi scanned its surroundings to see what bogus brand of tomfoolery was afoot. Twilight felt its gaze settle on her. Her valor had been rewarded.

Wedge gulped. “Our colors are brighter than those Salamanders, so that thing should think we are poisonous and ignore us, right?”

What hope his assumption inspired was quickly swallowed by the grin the zasoi produced. Twilight knew she and her friends would be considered delicacies to the creature. It would stop at nothing to have a bite. Before it could charge them, a pegasus pony wearing full armor bounced off its body. The soldier hit the beast with enough force to produce a loud crack. Three more followed. One was brave enough to hit it directly above its right nostril. The zasoi moved back as welts formed where it had been hit. It held a few tentacles in front of its face while it tried to process the new threat.

Arrows began raining down on it from the rooftops. Not even one missed its mark. The archers aimed for the zasoi’s tentacles and the inside of its mouth. Since their arrows were limited, it was not a total onslaught. The giant creature was not having a good time, but it was a wild animal. It would endure pain rather than go to bed on an empty stomach.

“Princess!” Biggs shouted, finally managing to get her attention. “We would really like our discs back, please!”

“Wait,” Applejack interjected. “Ah’ve got a better idea. Twilight, take yer spell off Shelly ‘n throw her right in front of that thing. That should send it right back to where it came from!”

Twilight’s eyes lit up in stupefied amazement. “Applejack, that’s absolutely brilliant!”

Applejack clicked her tongue and grabbed Twilight’s horn with her hoof. “Before we’re lunch, Twi!”

They turned around, expecting to find Shelly. She and Fluttershy were gone. They had managed to sneak away during all the excitement. Applejack’s grip on Twilight’s horn went limp.

“Oh, dear,” Twilight said.

Wedge chuckled nervously. “Who could have known that we should have put bells on her?”

“It will be incredibly easy for me to locate her since my magic is still on her,” Twilight said. “I’ll give you your discs back, but don’t use them unless you have to. We have to show the Salamanders that they need Shelly!”

Twilight returned their weapons and located Shelly. She was close enough that they could just go and get her, which Twilight found preferable to using more of her power since the boost the potion had given her was about to reach its peak and begin tapering off.

“Shelly ran into that house right over there,” Twilight said, pointing at the home.

The zasoi charged right for them. It wasn’t going to leave the village without at least one head to bite off and the food on the ground wasn’t giving it as hard of a time as the food on the roofs and in the air.

“Forget what I just said, hit it only once!” Twilight ordered.

Wedge took the disc out of his saddlebag with one hoof. “Please work, please work, please work.”

The disc shot out of his hoof like a bullet the moment he threw it, leaving a blue trail in its wake. An odd sound like a bell being struck emitted from the disc the second it collided with its target to confirm the hit. After delivering the blow, the disc traveled back to Wedge, only slowing down enough for him to catch it once it was a mere hoof from his face. The zasoi recoiled and roared in fury.

Twilight imagined it was endlessly frustrated by the fact that its food always fought back. “One more time! Knock it off balance and make a run for Shelly!”

Biggs threw his disc and hit his target. Twilight’s desired effect was achieved. She made a break for the house they needed to get to and kept an eye on the zasoi as she galloped. It stumbled into a house as its tentacles fought to regain stability from the sudden lethargy that had overtaken them. The structure withstood the tackle. Pink flowers that had been decorating the home sent petals flying into the air. The house offered support for the monster to steady itself, which was an effort that was interrupted by another flurry of strikes from the pegasus soldiers determined to bring it down. A single tentacle almost caught one of them as he broke away, but a split-second change of direction ensured the zasoi only came away with muggy air.

Twilight jumped up the small set of steps leading up to the front of a house decorated entirely with white roses. She stopped, looked up, and used a spell to amplify her voice so she could address the soldiers in the sky. “Keep it busy! I only need five minutes and then I’ll have that thing running out of here!”

The pegasus soldiers spun to the right to indicate they had heard her. Twilight darted inside the front door, which had been left open. The entrance was a storefront that had been marred by mud as Shelly had rushed through it looking for a place to hide. Most of the barrels and shelves were empty. Supplies were low. Twilight jumped over a counter, slipped through a doorway, and darted into a living room. She had enough time to identify an overturned rocking chair as she rushed towards the bedroom where Shelly was hiding.

In a room with a few windows where the entire family slept on mats that had been knocked out of position, Twilight found Fluttershy. Tears flowed freely down her face as she faced a closet Shelly had decided was a relatively safe place to be. Their attention was drawn to their new arrivals.

“Twilight, I’m so sorry,” Fluttershy said. “I promise I didn’t run away. Shelly got scared and I --”

“Shelly,” Twilight said, ignoring Fluttershy for the time being. “You’ve got the power to drive that monster away.”

At least, Twilight was pretty sure she did. If not, two or three more hits from Luna’s discs would get their fiend to call it an early night and then she would have to think of another way to get the Salamanders to love something that stunk to high heaven.

“Fluttershy, tell her that!” Twilight demanded.

Fluttershy didn’t doubt her for a second. “Shelly, I know it’s really hard, but it’s time to be brave. You don’t have to be afraid. You can make that nasty plant go away. Don’t worry, I’ll be right by your side when you do, I promise.”

A tentacle came crashing through a window, groping desperately for a prize. It found its way into the closet and grabbed Shelly, who squealed in an ear-splitting pitch of absolute terror. Fluttershy jumped on the tentacle, trying to find a way to unravel it as it withdrew towards the mouth of the beast. Twilight leapt through the new hole in the wall, pushing through a curtain of falling white roses.

With her jaw clenched in determination, Twilight seized control of Shelly and teleported her out of the grip of the zasoi. Shelly struggled against Twilight’s aura, her pointy legs flailing in a desperate attempt to escape. Before more of a reaction could be had, Twilight levitated Shelly directly underneath the zasoi’s nose. She took a deep breath of humid air tainted by the smell of her sweat and sweetened by the flowers nearby while it was still safe to do so, held it, and shut off the spell that suppressed Shelly’s natural odor.

Fluttershy dropped out of the sky like a wet brick. A few pegasus soldiers joined in, making it far less embarrassing for her. Twilight provided all of them with soft landings.

“Make sure they’re okay,” Twilight said to her guards, using as little as the breath she had held as possible.

The monster made a gagging noise and backed away from the carnage it had caused as if it had been caught doing something terrible by its mother. Applejack took off her hat and held it in front of her nose as she made her way towards Fluttershy’s inert body. Wedge and Biggs followed her example and popped their helmets off while they went to check on their fallen comrades. Twilight moved towards the zasoi and sent Shelly sailing through the air after it. The monster continued backing away, but Twilight’s magic was faster. Enough fun had been had for one day. She wedged Shelly in the left nostril of the monster. The zasoi turned away from Twilight, screamed, and threw some of its tentacles into the air as it fled.

Twilight kept her breath held as she followed the retreating behemoth. A few stray arrows crushed under her hoofs. Shelly seemed to understand what was going on and dug her legs into the flesh of the creature, making it easier for Twilight to keep her cradled. Twilight eventually had to exhale and take in another filling of air if she wanted to keep galloping. Since it was now apparent they were going to be using Shelly to get through the swamp safely, Twilight decided against shielding herself from the odor and breathed in without using a filter.

In defiance of logic, Shelly smelled even worsethan she had before. Twilight’s tongue tried to jump out of her mouth in a desperate attempt to try to get away on its own, but she fought through it. Twilight could see the gate the zasoi had created coming up in the distance. Lurking just beyond the new entrance was a second zasoi, who had sensed something was up and hadn’t decided if it should go hunting elsewhere just yet. It was quickly brought to a decision to go home early after seeing the state its friend was in. Twilight pulled Shelly out of its nose as it slithered across the broken wood of the wall and set her down nearby. Shelly turned to watch the zasoi flee and kicked up the wet ground beneath her at it.

A peaceful silence came over the village. Elation soared through Twilight’s soul, rising to such a height that Shelly’s unpleasant smell wasn’t even noticeable. Her wings rose slightly. She didn’t bother trying to restrain them. She had helped save an entire village with no casualties and minimal violence. Even better, she had directly demonstrated why it was necessary to keep Shelly around. It was perfect. Being absolutely filthy had never felt so great. A white petal that had been stuck in her bangs fell in front of her face, landing quietly on the ground beneath her.

Twilight turned around to see if anyone needed help. A large group of Salamanders had followed her. They had brought axes, swords, and a catapult with them. There was no longer a need for their weapons. All at once, they began bowing. To show their appreciation, they knelt on one knee, held their right hand against their heart, and tucked their left hand behind their back. The archers on the rooftops also bowed.

Aramak made his way to the front of her congregation. Without taking his eyes off her, he also bowed. There was nothing hasty or rigid in his open display of submission. He had performed the gesture willingly.

Applejack appeared, took one look at the scene, and looked at Twilight. Her little smile did a poor job of hiding the zinger she had on her lips. “You think your kids will ever get tired of your stories?”

Twilight blushed a deep shade of red and burst out laughing along with Applejack. Children had been the last thing on her mind. She didn’t have too much time to think how many kids it would take to break the average stallion before her brain decided that it was time to stop releasing enough serotonin to cover up Shelly’s scent. She put the barrier around Shelly again and rubbed her nose to get it to find something else to focus on and earned a far wetter muzzle soaked in the sweat that had been hiding in her coat.

“Is Fluttershy okay?” Twilight asked

“Right as rain,” Applejack replied. “Looks like you were right to get us here as fast as you did. That tussle wouldn’t have gone nearly as well if you hadn’t.”

“You’re right,” Twilight said. “I hadn’t thought of that quite yet.”

Even though she had been waiting to hear her decision hadn’t been foolish, it did not come to her with as much relief as she had hoped. When one problem was solved, ten more came to occupy the space it had taken up. Her mounting exhaustion and the headache she was suffering from were slightly alleviated by the realization they had not been for nothing. That would not last long. Twilight looked towards the mess the zasoi had made when it had barreled into town like a bat out of Tartarus. Another section of the wall was in desperate need of repair.

“Looks like they left the backdoor open,” Applejack said. “Anything could just waltz right in. How about lettin’ Hocus or some other unicorn close it for them?”

“I can do it,” Twilight replied.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

“I’m right here. I’ll do it.”

Twilight wandered forward to get closer to the area she would be working in. Aramak and Applejack chose to follow her. A bow and an empty quiver had been discarded at the bottom of a watchtower that had been left intact. Twilight stepped on the handle of an axe that had been sleeping in the mud. She watched a stray Salamander enter the area and pick up a weapon he had left behind when he had fallen back. His jaw dropped when their eyes met.

“Don’t gawk,” Aramak said. “She’s my guest.”

The Salamander nodded and scuttled away. No spare lumber was nearby this time, but there were plenty of trees just beyond the gate within her range. Some of the logs could be easily repaired, which would lessen the amount of work to be done. She closed her eyes and her horn lit up. More energy was needed then what she started with. Twilight grunted in pain. A sharp spark shot out of her horn and sizzled on the ground before it dissipated. Applejack had seen the entire show.

Twilight grinned sheepishly. “It happens.”

Applejack didn’t look impressed. Twilight didn’t let it bother her and conjured her magic. She had to be careful. In addition to what the repair would cost, she now had to worry about the loan she had taken out earlier that her body was just beginning to pay off. She triple-checked her confidence and concentration before moving on to the next step. Her endurance wavered in confusion, wondering where the boost it had been given had gone. A few of the logs she was manipulating dropped unexpectedly. Twilight lowered her head and willed the magic to hold, strengthening her control over the spell.

Rather than let her spectators watch her bumble around like she was intoxicated, she pulled from her reserves and risked a serious backfire by forcing the spell to finish instantaneously. A purple explosion erupted from the area she had targeted. The wall was back to what it had been, although portions of it were still glowing with her aura. Sloppy. C minus. Then again, that was a bit harsh. She had accomplished her objective without any adverse side effects. The logs were even properly aligned. That deserved a solid B. Minus.

Aramak stepped forward and put his hand on the wall. He pinched a bit of her aura a couple of times before he learned he couldn’t grab it. Aramak slammed himself against the wall, testing it. He nodded and looked at Twilight. “Thank you.”

They were making good progress. Twilight smiled slightly. “Not a problem, Aramak.”

“Your command over magic is impressive. How long did it take you to get this good?”

“Getting good with magic is the same as getting good with anything else. It takes a lot of practice and commitment. Basic proficiency can typically be achieved within two years, less if the subject is naturally gifted.”

“Can someone with basic proficiency do what you just did with the kiburigo and our wall?”

“The kiburigo, yes. The wall, maybe.”

“And I’m guessing not every mage is capable of being as good as you, are they?”

“That’s correct. There are some users out there who will never be experts. The schools we have that teach magic are very good at finding a happy balance for nearly everyone.” Twilight figured that now was as good a time as any to coax out his secrets. As gently as she possibly could, Twilight brought up the subject Aramak had wanted to avoid. “How long has your son been able to use magic?”

Aramak sighed and did not answer immediately. He crossed his arms and bit his bottom lip.

“I am here to help, Aramak,” Twilight said. “I promise you can trust me.”

“Three months,” Aramak said.

That explained everything.

“Aramak, I want to teach your son how to use magic properly. He will hurt himself or those around him if he is left ignorant. He does not have to come back to Equestria with us. We can send some instructors here if you would feel more comfortable with that.”

“I would, but I doubt any of them would want to come here. Our village isn’t exactly safe any longer.”

“We would be happy to send some soldiers here to help you get your land under control.”

“This sort of generosity rarely goes unpaid,” Aramak said. “Nothing is free. Are you going to ask us for land in return for your services?”

Twilight almost snickered. “Aramak, I don’t mean to be rude, but I can say with full authority that you can keep every millimeter of this place to yourself.”

“Then what do you ultimately hope to get out of all of this?”

“Your friendship.”

Aramak laughed at her. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“No. I am being serious. It would be nice if you could provide us with compensation through trade, but we will do all of this for free if you are truly desperate and we would only expect you to return the favor if we were in trouble.”

“Because that’s what friends do, right?”

“Exactly. Aramak, let us help you. Let us help your people. Let us help your son. Will you be my friend?”

Aramak grabbed the back of his neck and sighed again. “Yes, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I will.”

Applejack gave Twilight a nudge, clicked her tongue twice, and smiled. They had him in the bag. From here on out, it was sure to be smooth sailing.

“Do we shake, or do you not do that?” Aramak asked.

Twilight temporarily removed her boot and made sure the hoof of her left foreleg was clean before offering it to him. “We can shake.”

He grasped her hoof and shook it. “This feels a little weird.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

Twilight put the boot back on with magic when they were finished.

Aramak pointed behind his shoulder. “Let’s go to my house. We can talk more in there.”

“Sure. Will I get to meet your son?”

“Eventually. He’s. . .” Aramak hesitated.

The pleasant glow that had been hugging Twilight’s chest was chased away.

“Izu is out in the wild right now,” Aramak said.

“Do you know where?”

“I do not. I would rather talk about that in private, Princess.”

“I understand. Lead the way.”