Chaos Theory

Chapters

The Map's Mysterious Mane 6 Mission
Governor Crimson Lance
A Trifold System
Home Sweet Home Away From Home
Principles of Magic

The Map's Mysterious Mane 6 Mission

In which the Cutie Map sends out a call.

With one swift, expert kick, Applejack bucked open the door to Twilight's castle. Her glowing cutie mark was making impatient circles around her head as she barreled down the hall with Fluttershy flapping nervously at her heels.

"Yee-haw!" she panted loudly. "Finally the map's callin' someone again!"

"I know," Fluttershy breathlessly agreed, "I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever have another mission to go on. And," she whispered on, as both ponies slowed to a walk to converse, "I'm really excited to be called with you, Applejack. With the two of us, who knows how many adorable animals we might meet!"

Applejack laughed. "Gee, I reckon so. Whatever it is, I just know it'll be something excitin'...whoa!"

Three butterflies and three apples went soaring down the hall and around the corner, with two ponies galloping after. They skidded into the throne room - and screeched to a halt.

"HI!" cheered Pinkie.

Wide-eyed, Applejack looked from one throne to the next, then said, in surprise that quickly became delight: "All of us?"

"It sure looks that way," said Twilight. Rarity cast a benevolent eye in her friends' direction, and Rainbow Dash was slumped in her chair, her eyes chasing her lightning bolt mark around the shimmering crystal map.

"Oh, dear! I guess this must be awful important."

"I'm sure it is. Ooh, this is so exciting!" The princess kicked her hooves and took to the air. "I wonder where we're going. Manehattan? Las Pegasus? GRIFFONSTONE?"

"Uh," said Applejack tactfully, "we've been sent to all those places already." Dash nodded.

Annoyed, Twilight pawed at the table. "So what? No reason we can't be called there again...right?"

"Riiiiight. Oh, hey, look," Dash said quickly, "They're settling down!"

Indeed they were. Six shimmering cutie marks formed a dutiful line, then a ring - they swept past Appleoosa, glided over the Everfree Forest, and finally circled over one spot.

The ponies stared in confused astonishment.

"Ponyville?" asked Twilight, baffled.

"Ponyville!" shrieked Pinkie happily.

"Ponyville?" groaned Rainbow Dash.

"Ponyville," announced Princess Celestia, alighting regally on the balcony of Twilight's castle.

The six ponies respectfully turned and listened expectantly to whatever the ruler of Equestria had to tell them.

Governor Crimson Lance

In which the ambassadors arrive from Pomphay.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried. "What are you doing here? If I'd known you were coming, I'd've--"

"No need, Twilight. I'm here on official business. I've only come to pick you up - and, of course, tell you all what's going on," Celestia added, gazing at the nervous faces around the table.

Applejack waved her hoof courteously. "Please do!"

The six settled down into their thrones as the ruler of Equestria stepped regally about the room, to indicate how serious she was - or possibly just to help her think.

"Very soon, a group of emissaries will arrive in Ponyville from the village of Pomphay, which lies beyond the Everfree Forest. These ponies have not been in contact with the rest of Equestria for many moons now, and they are anxious to re-establish relations with its princesses - that's Luna, me, and you, Twilight."

Twilight looked terribly confused. "Me? But I've never been...a ruler...not like you, at least. What about Princess Cadance?"

"The ponies of Pomphay, I believe, are not ready yet to go beyond Ponyville and Canterlot. From what I've heard, they're barely keeping themselves together as it is."

"Pardon me, Princess," interrupted Applejack, respectfully, "but why haven't we heard about these ponies before?"

Celestia bowed her head. "I lost contact with Pomphay after a nearby volcano flooded the whole area with lava. Only now have they rebuilt enough to spare a group of ambassadors for these talks.

"Pomphay lies in the wake of the Everfree Forest's unnatural magic. The weather fights their pegasi, denying them the rain and sunshine they need for their crops. The earth is still recovering from the effects of Mount Ruin. Worse, the volcano has attracted a swarm of dragons looking to move in, which the ponies much constantly fend off. Despite all this, we believe the village is looking up. They will arrive from the Everfree Forest shortly, and Luna is on her way. We should be too, Twilight." The princess paced to Twilight's balcony and spread her magnificent wings to the forest.

"WAIT!! Aren't we coming? Can't we come?" yelled Pinkie Pie, bouncing onto the map-covered table.

"Hey," Spike muttered, pointing at Pinkie's hoof, "you stepped on us."

The two princesses nodded brightly, and everyone with a pair of wings leapt off the balcony; those without them seemed to prefer the stairs and the front door.

As she trotted alongside her dearest friends, it occurred to Twilight Sparkle that this would be her first real role in a diplomatic mission. Had she been looking forward particularly to this day? ...No, not really. Twilight had been totally content as the Princess of Friendship, being sent all over the world to solve friendship problems. Even she had to admit that diplomacy seemed rather less fun.

But why had the Cutie Map sent all six of them to meet these ponies? This wasn't a friendship problem. This was another kind of problem entirely.

The kind of problem that keeps ponies from communicating with the ruler of their whole country for moons upon moons. Twilight wondered what sort of ponies she'd be encountering. Would they be burned from lava and dragonfire? Would they be cold, overworked, hungry? Yes, she thought, they'd probably be hungry, if the ground and weather were both refusing to cooperate. Hungry, and tired - and disheartened by a disaster and a long time with no outside contact or help.

"It's too bad," she remarked to Applejack, walking beside her, "that Pinkie Pie didn't have time to plan anything for the Pomphay ponies' arrival." If anyone needed a party right now, she thought, they did.

Celestia paused about a furlong from the mouth of the Everfree Forest as her sister Luna alighted at her side. They spoke to one another with simple nods of their heads, glances and blinks. Sometimes, after thousands of years living together, words seemed simply inefficient.

Walking quickly to take her place at Celestia's left flank, Twilight cleared her throat. "Princess Celestia?"

"Yes?"

"What do I...what do I do when we get there?"

The princess laughed gently. "You know all the formalities, Twilight. Beyond that? Just be yourself. That is what you do best."

The ponies raised their heads, and slowed their steps to a patient halt. A glowing crimson light was now visible from deep within the forest.

Twilight glanced back to her friends for support. Four ponies smiled back. Pinkie Pie seemed to have disappeared.

"Pinkie?" she called, concerned, searching the landscape.

"Go on, Twilight," whispered Celestia. "I think you should greet them first. After all, Ponyville is your home."

A proud look came into the young alicorn's eyes, and she strode royally toward the three figures emerging from the shadows.

"Ambassadors of Pomphay!" she proclaimed.

"As the Princess of Friendship, and a local resident, may I be the first to say---"

"WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!!!" shouted a voice, and the ambassadors leapt backwards in alarm as about a hundred party cannons went off in unison.

Pinkie Pie had appeared from absolutely nowhere with a heap of presents and a towering seven-layer cake. "And WELCOME to your WELCOME TO PONYVILLE party!! As you can see, we really hope you feel welcome! In Ponyville!"

"Pinkie! How did you manage this?" demanded a startled Rainbow Dash. "We only heard about this, like---"

"A few minutes ago! Pfft, that's plenty of time. C'mon, guys, let's mingle! Nice to meet you all! Most of the presents are balloons," she gleefully whispered to the unicorn at the head of the pack. "I wasn't sure what to get you, since I've never met you or even heard of you before. But I can't wait to get to know you!"

"Er...likewise," said the unicorn.

Now that the confetti had begun to clear, the Ponyville ponies got their first real look at the newcomers.

Their leader - she certainly looked like a leader, she stood like a leader, and she reacted to Pinkie's surprise party like the displeased and uncomfortable leader of an impressionable pack - was a tall, powerful-looking pony with narrow eyes and sharply curved features. Her body was alabaster pink and sheathed in silver armor. A neat, sharp crimson mane and tail gave her a strong military air, along with the magnificent red-and-white sword emblazoned on her flank. She pawed the ground with a steely hoof.

"Governor," said Princess Celestia, striding openly forward with her wings displayed. Luna and Twilight mirrored her.

The tall unicorn bowed respectfully. "Your Highness...we are most grateful."

She straightened, and looked grandly over three promised princesses and five extra ponies all craning their necks to see over one another. Something that wasn't really a smile but was probably her best attempt at one played over her face. "Good day to you," the governor said in a loud voice. "I am Governor Crimson Lance, commander of the Army of Pomphay...and your humble guest," she added.

"Pleased to meet you," Twilight said quickly.

Governor Crimson Lance, commander of the Army of Pomphay, took a few tense steps forward, looking as though she wanted to get as far away from the Everfree Forest as quickly as possible. A dutiful pegasus, done up in all shades of quiet blue, hovered at her shoulder, shaking streamers from her wings and tightly braided mane.

Pinkie was nosing around in a cluster of balloons, when suddenly her nose met another pony's nose and she smiled at the earth pony grinning back at her.

"Hello, You!"

"Hi!" the other pony whispered excitedly. She glanced side-to-side with her wide lime-green eyes. "What are these? They're so colorful! I love them," she breathed.

Pinkie giggled. "They're balloons, silly. I mean, come on, haven't you ever seen balloons before?"

The stranger shook her head. "We don't have anything colorful at home - except ourselves," she blushed, blinking at her hooves. Pinkie looked her up and down. She was a deep fuchsia color all over, wearing a faded tan vest; her shamrock mane and tail had been chopped very short. She kept glancing back nervously at Crimson Lance, looking as if she were breaking a rule, but her curiosity was too much for her. "My name's Berry Buzz. What's yours?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie Pie announced, bouncing in place. She stopped short when she noticed Berry Buzz gazing intently at the mark on her flank.

"More balloons? Did you paint those on?"

Pinkie's pink nose wrinkled in confusion. "What? No! Party planning is my special talent, that's all. And my super-duper favoritest thing to do!" she beamed. "Say, what's your special talent?"

"My…what?"

Twilight, Luna, and Celestia had meanwhile been introduced to the prim-looking pegasus and made the beginnings of an acquaintance with Crimson Lance. Now the governor seemed more anxious than ever to get into town, and she lifted her head so that her voice would sound more important. "Berry Buzz, come along. We're moving now."

"But, Governor!"

"Now, please," Crimson Lance intoned.

Berry Buzz's ears dropped and she gave Pinkie a sorry look. "I'm busy. Making friends, like we're supposed to."

"Petrichor, please ask Berry Buzz to join us."

The pegasus gave a salute, landed beside the earth pony, and began propelling her away from Pinkie and the forest with her head.

Twilight let her friends lead the ambassadors ahead to her castle, but as she walked behind she suddenly found Applejack at her shoulder. She pawed at the path awkwardly. "Um, Twi? I don't suppose you noticed anything…odd about that earth pony - and that pegasus?"

Twilight looked after them. At first she didn't see anything; then she realized that that was exactly the issue.

Berry Buzz didn't have a cutie mark. Neither did Petrichor, the pegasus. For that matter, neither did the small, shy-looking unicorn with the unkempt blue mane who had been hidden behind Crimson Lance the entire time.

A Trifold System

In which the ways of the Pomphayians are explained.

As the ambassadors, flanked on all sides by princesses and friends alike, approached Twilight's glimmering castle, Spike was standing just inside the massive front door practicing looking important. This would be his first experience as a sort of sub-host to foreign leaders, and he intended to make a good impression. "I'll stand here, and when they get to the doorstep," he announced to no one in particular, "I'll swing open the doors and say something majestic, like, 'Come in!' Don't you think that'll be awful impressive?" He ran a clawed hand over the spikes on his head. Receiving no answer, he glared upwards.

Owlicious was perched atop the door. In the time it took for Twilight to pick up Crimson Lance and her associates, he'd preened his feathers thoroughly and struggled into the bedazzled bow Rarity had made for him.

"Uh, hello?" prompted Spike. "Don't you think that'll impress them?"

"Who?" said Owlicious.

"Don't try that with me," the little dragon sniffed. "You just say that to everything! I caught on a long time ago, you know. I was just humoring you."

"Who," retorted the owl cattily.

Spike clambered onto the windowsill and grabbed a fold of heavy royal curtain. "Of course, maybe I could say more..." he continued, pressing his purple snout against the glass (which fogged up the window and made it quite difficult to see) - "I probably should. Right? I wanna make a good impression - for Twilight's sake. Oh, hey! There they are now."

The stark alabaster figure of Crimson Lance crested the hill before the castle. She strode down the path, her steel horseshoes clinking against pebbles in the dirt. Twilight watched her carefully and - she admitted to herself - a little suspiciously. For all her gracious humility, the governor walked as though she owned Ponyville. And what kind of pony leads a town of blank flanks anyway?

She glanced to her side and found someone staring at her: the fourth ambassador, the unicorn, whose eyes quickly darted away. Twilight awkwardly tried to get as much information as she could from a single glance. She wasn't much too look at. Her fur was a pale green, her face marred with a rather unfortunate spray of freckles, and her eyes were violet and sad-looking. As for her mane - more of a lion's mane than a pony's, really - it was striped blue, very long, and looked as though it had never been brushed or tamed and didn't much intend to be; the same went for her tail. She walked as noiselessly as a cat with her gaze downcast, as if she were afraid the ground might disappear if she looked away.

Twilight looked back up at Crimson Lance, flanked by Berry Buzz on her left and the pegasus Petrichor on her right. Her final attendant was behind her - far behind her. It struck Twilight that the governor might be ignoring her on purpose. Then she decided she didn't particularly care.

"Hi," she said to the unicorn with a big smile.

The unicorn flinched and looked up into Twilight's friendly face. A startled shudder ran through her body. "Hi," she said back, wondering whether she should add "Your Highness."

Twilight gave the unicorn's hoof an encouraging tap. "Who are you?"

"Sour Note," the unicorn responded shyly.

"Sour Note, huh? That's cool. So, what brings you to Ponyville?" the princess continued, with an exaggerated wink to show that she was joking.

The pony Sour Note kept her gaze fixed on the ground. "I wanted to come."

"Well, then, it's lucky you were chosen as an emissary, right?"

"No," mumbled Sour Note. "I just wasn't much of a loss back in Pomphay. So I came. I wanted to come. I thought it would be...um...exciting."

She didn't look very excited.

The shimmering magnificence of Twilight's Castle caught the light of the sun, and reflected it onto Crimson Lance's silver armor and milky fur. She looked down at herself, and for the first time a tiny smile played on her lips. The party had grown very close to the door. A tiny black figure in the foyer window leapt down to the floor, and Twilight was relieved to know that Spike was on top of things. She turned her mind back to puzzling out Sour Note's last response.

A few feet from the door, the governor halted. Her scarlet glance flew back at Princess Celestia - then Luna - then Twilight. She offered an approving look, and Twilight saw a hungry gleam in her eyes and a thrilled open smile - a smile Crimson Lance quickly concealed from Petrichor and Berry Buzz.

The massive door eeked slowly open, as if it were far too heavy for whoever was opening it. Then Berry Buzz, unable to contain her excitement, dashed straight ahead into the foyer; and screamed.

"DRAGON!" she shrieked.

"DRAGON!" howled Petrichor, and in terror shot up about five hundred feet at a speed which rivaled Rainbow Dash.

Governor Crimson Lance made no sound, but leapt into the foyer, her imposing horn charged with angry red energy. She took a powerful stance, armor gleaming, every muscle tense, eyes flaming with murderous fury.

"GAH! WAIT! DON'T!" squeaked Spike.

Twilight materialized between her assistant and her guest and threw up her most powerful magic shield, but Crimson Lance was quick to react. She powered down. The red glow left her eyes. She focused hard on Twilight and the baby dragon with its arms around her neck, but she took a few steps back as well.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she shivered. "With that dragon?"

Rarity charged through the door, scooping up Spike in a flash of blue magic. "That dragon," Twilight said sternly, "is my friend! His name is Spike. What were you going to do, anyway? Hurt him?"

Something clicked in Crimson's mind, and immediately she dipped her body to the ground in a penitent bow, ears back. "I beg your pardon, Your Highness. You must understand..." One eye slid open, watching the young lizard as the white unicorn fawned over his nervous self. "I have been fighting these creatures for moons upon moons. As a unicorn, it is my duty to protect my fellow citizens."

"Oh." Twilight blushed, thinking perhaps she should have thought of that earlier. "It's okay. Just leave him alone from now on. I raised him from an egg, and he is a wonderful little helper."

"As a...unicorn?" Applejack broke in. "What do you mean, as a unicorn?"

Crimson Lance looked from face to face. No one looked particularly angry with her. She relaxed somewhat. "I shall be able to explain much better in your conference area - wherever that might be."

"Of course," replied Luna, pointing her nose in Twilight's direction.

Twilight gave the governor a smile, and trotted over to Rarity and her dragon. "Spike," she announced, "show our guests to the throne room, please."

"B-but Twilight---"

"It's all right, Spikey-Wikey," droned Rarity, nuzzling his cheek. "I won't let them hurt you." She stood beside Spike as the caravan caught up. Petrichor refused to acknowledge the little guy, but the governor gave him an apologetic nod, and Berry Buzz even went so far as to offer him her hoof to shake. They trotted down the hall.

"As a unicorn, indeed," Rainbow hissed to Twilight.

"Now, look, Rainbow Dash. There's no reason to get all huffy. I don't care if you find Crimson Lance a bit suspicious - even a bit imperious..."

"What?" The pegasus looked confused. "No. I wasn't thinking anything like that."

"Oh." The princess gave a nervous laugh, blushing slightly. "Oh...of...course not."

Rainbow Dash continued. "I was talking about the other unicorn - she didn't seem to care so much about her duty."

Twilight looked where Rainbow was pointing with her hoof. Princess Celestia was walking with one wing raised as a sort of shelter, beneath which paced a quiet Sour Note. When Berry Buzz shrieked, the unicorn had quickly sought out the strongest pony in the area, and hidden shamelessly behind her.

As with everything else they'd seen since arriving in Ponyville, the throne room in Twilight's castle seemed to captivate every one of the ambassadors - all except Petrichor, the silent and somber pegasus, who hovered consistently at Crimson's side in a flutter of slate blue wings. Berry Buzz couldn't contain her excitement any longer - she capered about in circles around the Cutie Map, which was still lying open with six cutie marks hovering over the castle's icon. Crimson Lance gazed approvingly at the shimmering Map. And Sour Note stopped in her tracks and just stared, a kaleidoscope of crystal colors caught in her violet eyes.

"Welcome, ponies, to…er, my home," Twilight said. She stepped up onto her throne; her friends took her signal to do the same. The princess tapped lightly on the table, and the map dissipated.

"We are most honored, Your Highness," answered Crimson, so that her associates didn't have to.

Twilight rolled her eyes as subtly as possible. She'd spent the entire walk insisting she be referred to as just "Twilight", but no one really seemed to care. That is, Crimson didn't seem to care, and no one else's opinion seemed to matter.

There was a short silence about as relaxed as a barrel of dynamite, which Princess Celestia skillfully and effortlessly bridged with her most winning smile and a fine display of angelic white wings. "It has been so long since I've been able to speak with the leaders of Pomphay. I certainly look forward to working with you again. However, first I thought we might have some questions about each other...do we, girls?" She deferred to Twilight.

Options raced through the young alicorn's mind. Why doesn't Petrichor say anything? Why is Sour Note so frightened? Why don't any of you have your cutie marks?

But she was silent. The room was silent. Crimson Lance was looking as though she hadn't expected questions and didn't want to answer them.

Then Applejack spoke up.

"I have a question," she said. "What do y'all do back in Pomphay? For work, I mean."

A wave of relief rippled through the governor's attendants. Finally, something they were prepared for. Crimson Lance took the floor.

"Despite our best efforts, life in Pomphay is difficult. Everypony's help is required to sustain us. In response to the relentless magic of the Everfree Forest, we have developed a simple trifold system of labor. Pegasi," she began, motioning toward the expressionless Petrichor, "constantly and nobly battle the weather." She nodded her head toward Berry Buzz. "Earth ponies fight the soil to provide enough food for us." Finally the governor lifted her head proudly. "And unicorns make up the army to repel the dragon invaders who...er..." Crimson's explanation trailed off as she remembered Spike's existence.

Spike gave a courteous wave of a claw. "No offense taken. Most dragons are total jerks."

"But, Governor, are you saying that's all everypony does?" cried Rarity, who'd pulled off a quick costume change between the foyer and the throne room. "Who makes your clothes?"

Crimson Lance seemed to want this question to end. "Nopony does. We do not require dresses for survival," she explained, eyeing Rarity's diamond-studded ensemble. Rarity was suddenly feeling rather overdressed.

"I have a question," piped up Berry Buzz, ignoring the silent stare she got from Petrichor. "Where are we going to stay?"

She looked the Princess of Friendship right in the eye. Twilight fought a sudden spasm of panic - this problem hadn't occurred to her.

Once again, Governor Crimson Lance seemed prepared. "We have, of course, heard great things about you, Your Highness Twilight Sparkle, and about your magnificent friends. I would appreciate - with your permission, of course, Princess - if you would allow me to stay here, in your magnificent...home, and observe your magical techniques. I am certain I could learn powerful magic from you.

"I would, again, with your permission, place Petrichor with Miss Rainbow Dash." Petrichor gave Rainbow a look that was a little too similar to Maud Pie for Rainbow's comfort. "Your skill in flight and weather management is notoriously unparalleled. And Berry Buzz here might stay with you, Miss Applejack." Berry Buzz was sitting next to Pinkie Pie, both whispering excitedly to one another; but Berry's head jerked up at the mention of her name, and her smile melted into wide-eyed obedience. "You run one of the most successful farms in Equestria, so I've heard. I'm sure Berry Buzz can learn a lot from helping you."

She concluded. Applejack gazed at Berry Buzz. She said more with the droop of her ears and the disappointment in her eyes than she ever could with words. Her short, straight mane reminded Applejack of Pinkie's sisters back on the rock farm; she wasn't sure that what Berry needed was more time farming.

Rainbow Dash gazed at Petrichor. She said absolutely nothing at all. Her strict and soundless attitude reminded Rainbow of Pinkie's sisters; she wasn't sure she could stand having Petrichor living with her.

Twilight smiled. "I think that sounds like a great idea! And we'll make sure you all get a wonderful tour of Ponyville. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, I know you two don't mind," she coaxed.

"Of...course...not," Dash lied.

The princess appeared at her side. "Look, neither of us was expecting this. But what she's saying makes sense! Please, at least try to be courteous."

Crimson Lance bowed, and the throne room cleared surprisingly quickly. Even Celestia and Luna disappeared as soon as they could - back to Canterlot, supposedly to check up on their duties before returning to speak with Crimson Lance the next day. Berry Buzz and the other ponies had swept out past the governor as though she were a statue. Then Twilight remembered the small green-and-blue unicorn sitting quietly in one corner.

"Wait!" she called after Crimson, who had begun to leave with Petrichor. Crimson paused and waited respectfully.

Twilight galloped toward her, wings raised; she barely came up to the governor's white shoulder. "What about Sour Note? Did you want her to stay here, too?"

Crimson's eyes widened. She stared at the princess wonderingly, even going so far as to tilt her head to one side. It was as if she'd never heard the name in her life. Petrichor, on the other hand, flapped her wings a bit faster and looked - for the first time - furtive and upset, avoiding Twilight's gaze.

Finally Crimson spoke:

"You may ask whomever you wish to stay with you. It is your castle, after all."

Then, with a look of by-your-leave, she walked out of the throne room.

Home Sweet Home Away From Home

In which Sour Note, Berry Buzz, and Petrichor find their place in Ponyville.

Twilight stood stunned. In moments, the castle was clear, except for Spike, Sour Note, and herself. She stared at the pale unicorn, who, shy-looking as she was, couldn't very well blend into the background - not with that bright blue flyaway mane, not to mention the violet scarf. Yet it was as if her name had meant nothing to Crimson. Petrichor, on the other hand...

"Uh, Twilight?"

The princess snapped out of her thoughts to tend to her dragon. Spike was standing in front of Sour Note with his claw extended to shake, while the unicorn, more than three times his size, curled into a tighter ball and shook visibly.

With a reassuring smile, Twilight approached her. "Spike's not going to hurt you, Sour Note. He's friendly."

Sour Note's wide violet eyes looked shyly into Spike's slit pupils; he tried to look even less menacing than usual, which was only debatably possible.

"Are you okay, Sour Note?"

The stranger pony gulped. "No, ma'am - I mean - yes, ma'am. Your Highness."

"'Twilight' is fine."

"Twilight, ma'am. I'm just surprised you addressed me, is all. Um...I'm not used to being addressed."

"I can see that," said Twilight, frowning, and thinking of Crimson Lance. "Do you mind telling me why? I mean, they acted like you didn't exist."

The unicorn stared at the ground.

Twilight switched tactics. She turned sideways, facing the door, one wing raised. "C'mon. You can tell me all about it on the way to the library. I have a magic lesson with my friend Starlight."

Sour Note's face lit up in poorly-concealed excitement. "May I watch, Your - uh - Twilight?"

"Watch? Of course you can. I'd love you to! But first you have to tell me what's going on. I have a feeling it may be important." Six hovering cutie marks reflected in the crystal pillars.

"I seriously doubt that," said Sour Note.

Starlight Glimmer looked concerned when Twilight came through the library door. She stepped down from her stool and laid aside the spellbook she was reading. "Twilight? I heard the Cutie Map called you! Thought maybe you wouldn't be able to make it."

"Of course I made it, Starlight. I'd never miss one of our lessons! Sour Note, this is Starlight - my friend and student." Sour Note waved a shy hello from behind Twilight's dark tail. "Starlight, this is---"

"But where did you go? You were only gone a few minutes! Did you solve your friendship problem already? What---"

"Starlight!" Twilight almost shouted.

Starlight's ears dropped and she fell silent. "What?"

"I introduced someone to you," the princess said, sorry but meaningful. "A new friend - Sour Note."

"Oh, ehem, hi there," said Starlight, the tiniest bit ashamed at herself.

Sour Note trotted into the library. "Hello, um, Starlight. Princess Twilight says you're...almost as good with magic...as she is." She looked admiringly at Twilight, thinking of all that had been discussed in that labyrinth of hallways - questions about Twilight's exploits, the most trivial minutiae of alicorn magic - being answered when she spoke - a luxury she wasn't sure she ever wanted to lose again.

"Sour Note is going to study magic with us!" Twilight prompted. "She's from beyond the Everfree Forest, and...she'd love to learn what we have to teach her." She waited for this tiny bit of flattery to kick in, and it did. Starlight beamed.

"Really? That's wonderful! Are you really from beyond the Everfree Forest? I bet you know all sorts of spells we haven't discovered yet."

"Oh," Sour Note laughed nervously. She kicked at the corner of her square scarf, which was a lot bigger than it had seemed at first and was now being worn as a cape covering her blank flank. That was Twilight's idea - so as to keep questions to a minimum as long as possible. "M-Maybe." She scanned the room nervously. I know where this is going, she thought.

"Well, I'd be happy to exchange knowledge with you, er…ah! Sour Note. Right now," Starlight began excitedly, her voice almost a whisper as if she were keeping a secret from Twilight, "I'm working on something I found in the Crystal Empire's library. It's very difficult. Want to see?"

Sour Note nodded enthusiastically. Encouraged, Starlight began, taking up her spellbook in a glow of teal magic.

Twilight took a wary step back, considering the fact that even Starlight had never gotten this spell to work correctly once, but there was no fear in Sour Note, eagerly edging closer. Starlight grinned keenly, and the book clattered to the floor. A turquoise flame enveloped her horn. She rose into the air, an invisible blast of wind blowing papers off the tables and pushing open the windows. Wings of blue fire appeared at her sides - her mane went up in flames, her body turning a crystalline teal, and then - then she lost control, the magic aura disappeared, and Starlight tumbled to the ground, with her tail still on fire, while Sour Note clapped vivaciously.

"Gah!" Twilight summoned a bucket of water, and the party was plus one drenched Starlight Glimmer.

Starlight laughed sheepishly. "It's called Phoinix Arma. It's supposed to grant flight and elemental protection to the user. Maybe you can do it - here."

She offered the book. Sour Note backed away nervously. "Go on, take it," insisted Starlight.

Shivering, Sour Note closed her eyes tight and focused. A thin, pale violet light wrapped feebly around the spellbook; Starlight let go, and the greenish unicorn held on for a moment - but her magic flickered out. The book fell open on the tiled floor. Sour Note was panting.

Twilight stepped forward. "I was thinking we'd start with the basics."

"Oh," said Starlight.

She looked disappointed; then, catching the ashamed look on the unicorn's face, corrected this, and smiled generously. "No problem," she grinned.

"G'bye, Governor Ma'am!" hollered Applejack over the fence of Sweet Apple Acres. Berry Buzz hooked her forelegs over the wooden beams as Crimson, Petrichor, and Rainbow Dash walked farther and farther down the dirt road. The earth pony was breathless at the vast expanse of orchard before her. Every single tree, she thought, was laden with the most delicious apples of all vibrant hues, of candy-sweet reds and bright, tart greens, and all because of this country pony and her family this town had no chance of going hungry. Going hungry! Berry's stomach gave an annoyed growl, as it had been doing for exactly as long as she could remember. She crossed her legs, embarrassed, and Applejack, noticing, bucked a golden-delicious apple from a nearby cart in her direction. Berry took it in nearly one bite.

Applejack laughed heartily. "I love to see ponies enjoyin' our apples! Yeah," she continued, joining Berry at the south fence, "this here's Sweet Apple Acres, and we're mighty proud of our farmin'. You're welcome to go anywhere ya like here. But I don't think you'll find it all that interesting. I mean, I don't suppose you grow apples back in Pomphay, do ya?" she winked, nudging Berry to show she was telling a joke.

Berry looked around. "We grow those," she said, pointing with her hoof.

The farm's grove of prize zap-apple trees lay in the distance. "They're the most colorful thing in Pomphay, when they appear. But that isn't very much. I'm sure you know how they work - every so often they just start blooming! What Pomphay needs is a reliable food source. Not these expensive, rare luxuries, relics of a time when food was abundant and the wealthy among us could fritter away resources on such trifles---oh!" She clapped her hooves to her mouth. "I'm sorry." Applejack was looking very confused. "I'm beginning to sound like Red River. She's in charge of us earth ponies. She pushes us to work hard - just like Crimson Lance with her unicorns, and Sun Chaser with the pegasi…"

"Yeah, about that," Applejack drawled amiably. "I was wondering. Have you ever done anything other than farm work?"

Berry shook her head.

"Wow." A thought suddenly crossed Applejack's mind. "Well, uh..." She looked apprehensive. Berry was waiting expectantly. "Ah...as a matter of fact, we won't feel so good about askin' you to help us. We don't really need much help around here. Yeah, uh, the way the, er, soil is, we...hardly-hafta-do-anything-at-all."

"Really?"

"Sure," Applejack lied incompetently, looking everywhere except at the oblivious Berry. "As a matter of fact, we were...just goin'a take today off!"

Berry beamed. "That's incredible! I've never had a day off."

"WELL then!" said Applejack, relieved at how quickly she got out of it. "Tell ya what. Why don't you drop your belongin's off in the barn, and Ah'll walk ya downtown. Pinkie'd love to show you around."

The purple pony jumped for joy; then she bounded off to the barn with a small set of saddlebags over her shoulders, as Applejack tried to convince herself that this was worth the half lies. As much work as Sweet Apple Acres could be, it must seem easy compared to what Pomphay had to deal with. And she most certainly would feel bad if she asked this pony to work more. She smiled off in Ponyville's direction. Yes, thought Applejack, Pinkie was the pony for the job.

She heard a delighted noise behind her, and looked around to find Applebloom grinning up at her big sister.

"We're gettin' a day off? Whoo-wee! Ah better get to the clubhouse, pronto!"

"Oh, no, you don't!" interrupted Applejack, stepping in front of the yellow filly. "There ain' no days off comin' anytime soon! You best just wait here, 'til I get back. Then we'll get workin' again."

Applebloom looked disappointed, which she was. "Aw, Applejack! Ah jus' wanted to get workin' on more cutie mark probl'ms with the C-M-C." But her few short years at Sweet Apple Acres had taught her when to quit arguing, if little else, and she slunk back toward the farmhouse.

Suddenly, Applejack got another idea. This seemed to be a particularly good day for getting ideas.

"Uh, on second thought, Applebloom, maybe you oughta come with. You an' your friends might be able to help solve the Ambassadors'…er…cutie mark problem."

Applebloom's eyes grew very wide, and she stared at her sister in joyful astonishment. "Really? Ya mean it? Wow! Ambassadors! That's like solvin' cutie mark problems f'r royalty, almost!"

"Actually, it's nothing like that," Applejack began.

But Applebloom was already bounding down the path, shouting, "Wait'll Ah tell Sweetie Belle an' Scootaloo!"

Rainbow Dash was flying well under the speed limit. As a matter of fact, she wasn't sure the airspace over Ponyville had a speed limit, but she did know one thing: Petrichor was strictly obeying it, whether it existed or not. The slate-blue pegasus was infuriatingly slow. She didn't seem to put any effort into keeping up with her guide and the pony who'd (reluctantly) opened up her home, but flapped along at a leisurely pace, yellow eyes roving about, scanning the skies in a lazy, almost instinctual way.

Too slow. Rainbow groaned at her misfortune. Four ambassadors from the same place show up in Ponyville, and here she gets to share her room with the lamest of the lot. The two swept low over a dark heavy storm cloud crackling with electricity, making Rainbow's mane stand on end. Petrichor's stout, proper blue-on-blue braids defied such silliness. She seemed unimpressed.

For a moment, Rainbow had half a mind to tell her off, send her to go live with Fluttershy, maybe. Then she softened. Maybe there was more to Petrichor?

Petrichor?

The ambassador was slowly circling the lightning cloud. She inspected every inch of its murky surface. She breathed its electrified air. Then, very quietly, she reached out with one hoof, and tapped it. The cloud dissipated.

She looked contented. Rainbow's ears perked up. Of course! The weather! Every pegasus could talk about the weather. Here was something they had to have in common! She swooped down to the ambassador, donning a proud yet playful grin.

"Hey!" she called.

Petrichor looked up.

Rainbow fell back to fly beside her. "So…you're on weather duty back in Pomphay, right?"

"Of course," Petrichor said all of a sudden.

Hearing her voice was a bit of a shock - it was a fairly normal voice, but an unexpected one - but Rainbow continued.

"Well, you know, I happen to be a champion cloud-clearer myself!" She waited a moment for this to sink in. "Watch!"

All that was left of Rainbow Dash was a trail of all the most vibrant colors, that swerved and zigzagged through the sky as she knocked out clouds left and right. Her wings sliced cumulonimbus clusters clean through. She could no longer see her companion's expression, but was sure she was in top form. She pulled straight up, then bent sharply into a nosedive, pulling a trail of clouds in the wake of her half-made sonic boom; at the last second, she snapped out of her path, letting the clouds pummel themselves into nonexistence against the countryside.

"Pretty cool, right!" she shouted on her return.

Results were, somehow, less than satisfactory. Petrichor looked impressed, true - but she didn't look very impressed, did she, hovering patiently in place while the great Rainbow Dash made a total mule of herself showing off. Rainbow's blue cheeks flushed pink.

"Very impressive," Petrichor said unimpressedly.

"Well---well---" Rainbow stammered. "Well---you think you can do faster?!"

"Of…course not," said Petrichor. "You were…faster than any pony I've ever seen."

Rainbow's personal cloud home drifted into view, and Petrichor seemed to expend a little effort to get there quicker, as if she didn't want to continue on the subject.

"Then what is your PROBLEM?" snapped Rainbow Dash. "What are you so bored about? Flying is FUN!"

She touched down on her patio. Rainbow's house was an eccentric, reckless collection of white clouds, rainbows flowing like water over its banks and shelves. Petrichor dropped heavily onto it. "Not where I'm from," she said quietly.

"In Pomphay, clouds don't disappear at a kick of your hoof. They know what they're doing, and they fight to stay the way they are. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to stop our clouds," she said, folding her wings with a military snap. "Speed is NOT key."

There was a long, rather tense pause. Petrichor looked at her host sideways, and let her ears fall quietly. "That's why I never learned to fly very fast," she whispered.

She began stepping awkwardly to the part of the cloud that had walls and a roof. Rainbow suddenly felt a sort of pity for her. She flapped to her side in an instant. "Never too late to learn," she said. "Um…it's nice to have you staying with me," she lied through her teeth.

Petrichor looked up, and suddenly her piercing gaze ran through Rainbow's body.

"No it isn't," she said. "This wasn't your idea, and you were never pleased about it. You are letting me stay here with you because your princess ordered it." Rainbow blushed ashamedly. "And…and I can respect that, Rainbow Dash. I respect such obedience. I think…I think we are not so different, you and I. Although," she trailed off, "you are the better flier."

A look of near triumph spread across Rainbow's blue face. "Well, I am a Wonderbolt," she replied proudly.

"You know, I know flying - and you may not fly so fast now, but you've got potential, Petrichor. What say I show you the highlights of the Ponyville sky - where the clouds don't try to kill you?"

Petrichor considered this. Then, she smiled, slowly.

"Petri, please, Rainbow Dash. I'd like that very much."

"Now," said Twilight, "remember what we talked about. Body relaxed. Hooves apart. Close your eyes - picture the shelf in your mind."

Sour Note did as she was told, her ears flicking back and forth as Starlight paced around the room. "Now, all you have to do is make it move."

A heavy-looking book called 101 Mane Charms slowly inched its way off the bookshelf where it had sat for a good few moons. Sour Note's body quivered as its corner slipped off the support of the case, but she kept control. Grinning triumphantly, she handed the book to Twilight.

"Excellent!" cheered the princess. She deftly replaced the dusty tome and selected another: The Principles of Magic. And she was just trotting back to her two friends when a tall, porcelain pony figure peered through the door.

"Good evening, Princess," said Governor Crimson Lance.

"Hello, Governor," said Starlight. Twilight looked at her confusedly, and she shrugged. "Had to be her," she said.

Sour Note stared at the governor wide-eyed, knowing well she could go unnoticed. "I'm just turning in for the night," said Crimson. "Good night, you two." With that, she trotted away.

Starlight snorted. "'You two?' What?"

"Never mind," interjected Twilight. "Here, try casting this spell, Sour." She held the book open for the little unicorn.

Sour Note focused, and a few sparks fell from her horn, but nothing happened. "Er, Twilight, what is this meant to do?"

"It's a simple growth spell. See this little branch? That spell will make it grow longer," the princess said. Starlight was holding a twig snapped off an outside tree.

The ambassador looked terribly daunted.

"Growth spell?" boomed a voice - a male voice. "WHY, THAT'S EASY!" There was a sharp snap, and the branch burst into an enormous and dazzling bouquet of flowers, which promptly leapt out of Starlight's telekinetic field and ran out the door, past the tall, serpentine figure that stood in the very last glow of the setting sun.

Principles of Magic

In which Berry Buzz plans a party.

"What's he doing here?" Starlight stage-whispered to Twilight, smirking at Discord. Somewhere in the heart of Ponyville, the sounds of a wild party went unnoticed by those in the castle.

Laughing deeply, Discord stepped past the astonished green unicorn and scooped up both his "friends" in a dragonish hug. "Why, I'm here to see my old friend Twilight, of course." He bent his magnificent gray neck around to face Starlight. "I am allowed, you know."

Starlight pulled out of his lion's grasp. Then her eyes fell on the stunned Sour Note, whose tail was tangled with sentient flowers. "Oh! Sour Note, this is---"

"DISCORD, my dear," Discord announced grandly, extending his eagle claw, giving Starlight a sideways glare. Sour, wide-eyed, but not shaking, awkwardly placed her pale hoof in his gleaming yellow talons.

"Sour Note," she said in a hushed voice.

Discord got off a laugh like the wheels of a train screeching into its station. "Sour Note. That's cute. What's your special talent - singing off-key?"

"You're one to talk," Starlight snarled at him. Sour Note planted her hooves on the corners of the scarf-cape that covered her flank.

Discord humphed. "I was about to voice my approval," he said with distastefully lowered eyelids, flicking his red dragon's tail with a spray of clattering musical chords. "Well, no accounting for taste, as they say. Listen, Twilight, what I wanted to say---"

"What are you?" Sour Note said suddenly.

Her voice was louder than it had ever been, which wasn't saying much, but it was enough. Suddenly the whole room - all three of them - were staring at her. Usually this was a bad thing, reserved for the most grievous mistakes, but Twilight's coaching had given her a strange sort of courage. And, mistake or not, she had to know.

The wild creature before her reared to his full height, towering over the ponies, his mismatched limbs bathed in the young white moonlight. A tangle of senseless color spread across the window. His one fang gleamed, his eyes glowed, and Sour Note stared in awe, in something almost akin to respect. Flattered, Discord let out a yawning roar. "I," he cried, "am a draconequus, my dear. The Spirit of Chaos! Surely you've heard of me."

"Wow," whispered the unicorn.

"He's nothing but trouble," said Starlight fondly. "Leave the poor girl alone, Discord. She's an ambassador, and should be treated with respect."

Discord simpered down at the diminutive Sour Note, staring upward at his dragonish frame. For a moment he thought things over. Then he snapped his fingers. "Catch," he said.

A cute clay vase full of water popped into existence above her head. She caught it weakly in a violet glow. After a long day of training, it felt heavier than it really was. Discord watched with considerable interest, considering, as she struggled against the pull of gravity; she opened one eye, and met his; then, with a burst of magic, she straightened her legs and stood as tall as she could, threw out her chest, lifted her head, looking determined and feeling suddenly almost strong.

"Nice, Sour!" shouted Twilight. But Sour Note seemed more interested in the draconequus.

He looked - well, he didn't look impressed, but he did seem to approve. "Yes, quite. Now don't break that - Fluttershy will kill me." With that he shuddered, and teleported away across the room. "Your new pupil, Twilight?"

The princess giggled. "I guess so, at least for a little while. Sour Note just needs a little help with the basics of magic. We'll master as much of this book as we can while she's still here for negotiations."

Discord picked up the copy of Principles of Magic and flipped through it, snickering a bit, but said nothing. With each page, he snapped his talons, toying with some of Twilight's decorations. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem, should it?" he said finally, just as the book, apparently annoyed with him, snapped shut across his lion's paw.

"It shouldn't…" murmured Starlight, before catching Sour's eye. She gave a small smile, as if in sensible agreement with her hidden fears.

"Well then! Good luck to you all, I suppose. Goodbye," he leered, crossing to the door.

"Wait!" called Twilight. "What was it you wanted to say to me?"

Discord paused. "Oh, yes, that. Well, it's only that old Tree of Harmony of yours. Seems there's some sort of giant chasm opened up behind it. Very odd indeed."

"WHAT?!" shrieked Twilight, unfurling her wings with a snap and dashing off toward the forest. Discord smiled inscrutably and vanished.

Starlight Glimmer gave a little whimper, finding herself alone with the inept Sour Note. She wasn't sure what made the unicorn interesting to her - perhaps she understood what it was like to be around other ponies more gifted in magic than she, as Sunburst had been. She gave a tired smile - they'd been practicing simple levitation for hours already.

"C'mon, Sour," Starlight said. "Let's try that growth spell again. I'm sure you can get it this time."

With some difficulty, Berry Buzz opened her eyes; she couldn't decide whether she felt more thrilled or nauseated. The paneled walls of Sugarcube Corner were lying upside-down in front of her. A lightheaded sensation swept through her fuchsia body, and she scrambled to the floor, licking sugar from the corner of her mouth. Her hooves were sticky with paint and rock candy and kept getting stuck to the green linoleum.

An enormous yawn escaped her. Her fluorescent eyes opened wider, and the room came into focus. It was quite the sight. Masses of slowly deflating balloons drifted across the floor; a veritable torrent of last-night's streamers hung from the rafters. Berry stepped on a string, and an explosion rocked the bakery; one of Pinkie's confetti cannons had gone off. It seemed to rouse its titular sleeping pony. Pinkie Pie bounced like a spring down the stairs, greeting her new friend with the biggest smile she'd ever seen.

"Morning!" she hollered, her nose pressed against Berry's.

"M-Morning," Berry mumbled weakly. "That was…a lot more…exciting than the party you threw at the Forest. Wh-What a great time!"

Pinkie Pie squealed with delight. "I'm SO glad you think so!"

Berry yawned again, blinking lazily. As she gazed out the window onto the streets of Ponyville, now bathed in glittering gold from the newly risen sun, a sense of peace stole over her like the quietly twittering birds flitting past the window. She smiled, slow, even though something was nagging at the back of her mind. What was she forgetting?

"Oh, yes. But I think I could use a good long night's sleep…soon," she added. She was feeling as though she'd been woken up at two in the morning for drills.

"Ha HA! Silly filly, you can't sleep TONIGHT! Last night was only the practice party. Get you acquainted with the art of celebration! Tonight's the real thing. See, that's why we couldn't invite Twilight or Crimson Lance or Applejack or Fluttershy---"

Berry, who'd been trying to clean up last night's party in preparation for tonight's party, dropped a tray full of half-eaten cupcakes, which clattered to the floor.

She'd remembered.

"APPLEJACK!" she shrieked, leaping ten feet in the air splayed like a firework. "CRIMSON LANCE!"

She broke into a headlong charge for the door, tumbling over a table, streamers glued to her hooves, nearly tripping over Gummy the gator, lowering her head to ram through the door…and caught Applejack squarely in the chest.

The ambassador fell backwards, back into Sugarcube Corner. Applejack looked down at her sympathetically.

"Wa-yull, howdy there!" drawled Applejack. "I was just on my way lookin' for you. That musta been some party last night, Pinkie," she said approvingly.

Pinkie looked around herself. "Party? What party? I don't see any party, do you, Berry?"

"I do," said Berry.

"Shhhhhhhh!" Pinkie hissed. "Surprises!"

Berry took a shameful, sticky walk out the door to the cobblestone stoop outside, where she parked herself patiently. A sniff at the sky told her the weather was more perfect here today than it had ever been in Pomphay. Ponies, all with different marks blazoned on their flanks, were trotting about contentedly in the sunshine. She looked at Applejack with a sorry glint in her eyes. "I'm ready to go," she said. "Back to your farm."

Applejack laughed. "Why? You seem like you're havin' a great time. What'd you want to leave for?"

The other pony looked absolutely scandalized. "But---but I'm s'pposed to live at---at Acres! I mean...I mean, if Governor Crimson finds out I'm not learning alongside the greatest farmer in Ponyville, why---"

"Well...there's no harm if she don't find out, is there?"

As she finished reasoning through this not-untruth, Applejack was met with a blank stare. Then a moment of terror. Then, Berry's mouth split into a magnificent grin. "You mean that?"

"I...Ah do," said Applejack. "I know how important food is to Pomphay - er, us too, I guess - but I don't feel so right about you bein' stuck farmin' with me. Seems to me if you've been farmin' for years and ain't earned your cutie mark yet, maybe you're destined for somethin' different."

"My...my cutie mark? You mean your apples, like, or Pinkie Pie's balloons?"

"Yep," Applejack said.

"But almost none of us have those."

Applejack shook her head sadly. "Then maybe you just need a little help. My sister is a Cutie Mark Crusader - she helps ponies with their cutie mark problems. Maybe she can help you and your friends."

"I think I'd like that," said Berry Buzz, swishing her neon green tail.

"Good! Great. In the meantime, you enjoy yourself, Berry. You look like you've got a lot on your hooves right now, so I'll leave ya to it." The pony gave another glance at the aftermath of the previous night.

Berry glanced self-consciously at the torn pink paper stuck stubbornly to her hooves, and Applejack was gone.

Another cheerful explosion rocked the bakery. Berry Buzz turned around to find Pinkie testing her faithful confetti cannon after a night of partying. Her mane was even more of a frizzled mess than usual, and adorned with streamers. With a sigh, Berry shook her own mane, perfectly straight and sliced off short as if cut by one swipe from a sword. She couldn't remember a time before her hair had been so.

"Aw, c'mon, Berry! This might be my greatest party feat yet! But we better get working. Is there anything in particular you'd like to do?"

Berry considered this.

"Well...I would like to try your party cannon," she said.

A razor-sharp rainbow sliced through the approaching cloud bank; Rainbow Dash pulled off a tight barrel roll and dipped into a nosedive. There was Petrichor! Down at nimbus level, where she didn't have to deal with the jet winds that prevailed higher. Rainbow pulled up alongside.

"Didja SEE that one?" she howled. "Man, I love flying. Best job EVER!"

"Yes," Petrichor panted. But she didn't take her eyes off the expanse of sky ahead of her, so Rainbow Dash wasn't quite convinced.

The new roommates had begun their day quite late in the morning with a couple hours of friendly time trials, though it occurred to Rainbow that maybe this little tank of a cloud-buster wasn't quite ready for that kind of exercise - emphasizing speed and stamina. Not that Petri had complained all afternoon; you could see it in her eyes. They wore a glazed, determined look, and her blue body was drenched and shone with sweat as her tired wings beat heavily against the Ponyville air. But she never complained. Rainbow judged - rightly, as it was - that complaining was simply not in this mare's nature. She respected that.

"You doin' okay, Petri?"

Petrichor grinned suddenly at the nickname no one else would use. "Yeah," she gasped, adopting Rainbow's dialect as a kind of courtesy. She seemed a lot less uptight than the day before.

Below them, the land flew rapidly by, candy-colored roofs flashing past one after another. Rainbow dodged some air traffic - a small clique of pegasi toying with a fluffy cloud - Petri flew in the draft of her wing, trying to catch her breath. The lead pony pointed suddenly at the ground.

"Look! There's Pinkie down there! And that friend of yours - looks like they're headed toward the swimming hole."

Petri looked down.

Pink, purple, and green bounced down the tawny path gleefully, both ponies carrying enormous canvas bags of stiff, glittering cards. Some distance ahead of them lay the swimming hole. The midday sun that burned into the backs of the pegasus ponies shimmered off the clean water like a billion sequins scattered over a bed of deep blue cotton. The water looked so cool from above, so inviting...

"Hey! Did you hear me?" shouted Rainbow over a sudden gale.

Without looking back, Petrichor dove, picking up speed as she fell from the sky. Rainbow Dash froze a moment in surprise, then zoomed after her in a stream of color. The earth raced closer. "Pull up!" she cried. "You're not a Wonderbolt! You can't do stunts like that yet!"

At the last second, instead of straightening out as her friend had expected, Petri sent a small wind vortex into the pond with her wings. The surface tension softened, and the next moment she was engulfed in the water, sending swells and a magnificent crest up to the sandy edges - her dark form swished along through the pool, fishlike in its graceful swim. Berry Buzz cheered from far off. Petrichor emerged and landed in the grass; Rainbow touched down beside her.

"What'd you do THAT for?! You had me worried there!"

Petri laughed sheepishly. "I was hot," she said. "And cooling off in the river back home is my favorite thing to do. Sorry I scared you." She flapped her waterlogged wings, sending a fine spray in all directions. The sparkling mist fell on Rainbow's heated fur - she grinned good-naturedly.

"Ah, that's okay. Actually...pretty awesome, I'd say."

"I get the feeling you say that a lot," said Petri with a knowing smile.

That smile disappeared when Pinkie and Berry arrived at the scene. Petrichor stiffened, her eyelids lowered, wings folded neatly like ironed fabric. The earth ponies came springing down as careless handfuls of carefully-decorated invitations were lost to the summery breeze. Rainbow trapped one between her hooves - across a glittering pink background, it read:

"PINKIE PIE AND BERRY BUZZ

cordially invite you to a

PONYVILLE/POMPHAY FRIENDSHIP CELEBRATION

tonight at Sugarcube Corner

There will be games, music, cake, and a special surprise from Pomphay's own BERRY BUZZ

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!"

"Whoa. How many of these did you make?" whimpered Rainbow Dash, gazing at the hoof-painted invitations.

Pinkie beamed. "I don't know! I stopped counting after the third bag of glitter. Hey, Rainbow Dash, can we ask you for a little favor?"

"Uh, sure, Pinkie. What?"

She pushed her friend forward - Berry giggled nervously. "Would you mind flying all over Ponyville and air-dropping these invitations to everyone?" she blurted out. "It's really short-notice, and we're still getting everything ready. Pinkie Pie says you're the fastest pegasus in town. You could do it in no time at all, right?"

Rainbow Dash paused, and then grinned cockily. "You bet we can! Right, Petri?"

Her wings unfolding suddenly, Petrichor stepped back. Her yellow eyes opened wide and darted from side to side, as Berry looked on in amazement.

"'Petri'? She calls you Petri?" she cried.

A red reluctant blush showed through her blue fur. "Er...yes, Rainbow Dash. I am certain we could...I mean...yes, ma'am."

Berry was snickering hysterically, and buried her face in Pinkie's mane to muffle her voice. Her ears drooping, Petrichor began to slink away from the defiant earth pony in shame; her host was...confused, but the instincts inscribed in her soul leapt to her new friend's defense.

"Look!" yelled Rainbow Dash, "Ya don't laugh at people for no reason. That's hurtful. What's your problem, anyway? Lots of ponies have nicknames."

Suddenly Berry went hot with embarrassment.

"Pegasi don't have nicknames," she said. "They're the toughest of the tough. I'm sorry. I was just surprised, Petri...chor. We walked all that way here, and you never said a word or let on that you were alive. I wanted to talk to you, but you were kinda scary."

"Scary? I'm not scary."

"You were my hero," Berry insisted. "You stopped a twister once that would've plowed straight through the field I was in. You saved my life. I was so excited to get to know you on this trip, but you weren't interested. You just kinda kissed up to Crimson Lance the whole time."

Petri stepped awkwardly in place. "I...was afraid of being sent back home, if I didn't act the way a pegasus should. I wanted so badly to see Ponyville...to relax," she admitted.

The two stood nose to nose. Then Berry smiled, and then Petrichor.

"We'd love to hand out those invitations for you," said the latter, extending her hoof.

"AWESOME!" shrieked Pinkie Pie to remind everyone she was still there. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! And remember, you're ALL invited too, and you better be there, or else...we'll just have to throw another, right, Berry?" She slung her saddlebags down in the grass and began cantering back to Sugarcube Corner. Berry nosed through the bags and procured a larger-than-normal invitation, in purple with a large pink star on the back.

She passed the card to Petrichor. "This one goes to Her Highness Twilight's castle. Could you deliver it yourself? Pinkie said it's important."

"Certainly," replied Petri around the invitation between her teeth.

She looked around for Rainbow, who was already lugging the pink invitations into town. Then Berry Buzz was gone, too.

With a surprisingly relaxed sigh, Petri flexed her wings, tossing her braided mane over one shoulder; she took a moment to breathe; then she took to the sky.

"That's better...that's excellent, Sour Note...keep it up…"

Sour Note didn't open her eyes to receive Twilight's praise - she feared that if she did, she'd lose control of the applewood twig that was slowly growing longer under the influence of her foalish lavender magic. Her blue tail flicked back and forth in a sort of tense instinct. In her mind she pictured, as instructed, a branch full of leaves and the pale pink flowers that apple blossoms wore before turning into their fruit, ever scarce back home in Pomphay.

The library, clutter-free when the day began, was stacked with empty plates and castleish trinkets and decks of cards for dexterity practice. Spike lay in a bed of leather book bindings a few feet from the determined little unicorn. Sour no longer really feared Spike. He had let her stroke the spikes atop his head without biting; she had spoken with him rather intelligently on the subject of calligraphy; she had taken a lump of sugar - an elegant delicacy Sour Note only knew of through the stories told by her elder ponies - from his violet claws and she had eaten it. Spike's intentions were honest and the candy he offered poison-free; Sour was only sick from eating far too much of it. She was used to eating last out of all, whatever scraps might be left behind.

A gentle tap at the door was magnified through the cavernous hallways. Twilight gave Spike a nudge. The little dragon yawned, and trotted patiently off into the foyer.

Soon after, a pegasus flew into the library, hiding her pleased expression.

"Petrichor?" Sour Note whispered abashedly, folding her ears, opening her eyes, and dropping the overgrown twig.

The pegasus only looked in the direction of the voice for a moment; it was one of her weaknesses, she knew, for some reason, that she had trouble ignoring defective ponies the way Governor Crimson Lance expected of her. Petri turned and bowed to Princess Twilight, offering the castle invitation with her teeth. Twilight picked up the card with a swish of her horn.

Her eyes scanned the page. "Pinkie Pie and…Berry Buzz…why, Pinkie's gotten your friend into party planning, Sour Note! Just look at all those hoof-painted balloons."

"That's nice," Sour Note whispered. At the moment she and Petri were trying to look at one another without the other noticing; for just as Petrichor's rare smile had not escaped Sour's attention, Petri found herself contemplating the weakling unicorn who was not only using telekinesis successfully, but was learning to cast a spell as well.

Twilight cleared her throat and read on. "Pinkie Pie and Berry Buzz cordially invite the inhabitants of Ponyville Castle to enjoy VIP status at tonight's Ponyville/Pomphay Friendship Celebration at Sugarcube Corner. We hope you can come and have a wonderful time. Twilight, we were hoping you could say a few words before the cake is cut, about our new Pomphayian friends. Starlight, we could use your help setting up our big finale. Stop that, Starlight," Twilight scolded as her student rolled her eyes.

"But I didn't want to go to a party tonight. I've got work to do."

"Starlight," countered Twilight, "Pinkie needs your help. And this is a party to bring Ponyville and Pomphay ponies together. You really should go.

"Spike, Governor Crimson Lance…and Sour Note…please come and enjoy what we've got planned. There will be games, cake, and dancing. See you soon!"

Twilight looked up. Crimson Lance was standing in the doorway, looking as if she'd had something to say but had thought better of it. Instead she glared at Petrichor, who immediately resumed her usual military stance.

"Good afternoon, Governor," said Starlight, a little acidically, remembering that she'd been a kind of Governor herself once.

Crimson Lance bowed. "Good afternoon. I apologize for my absence today. I have been making preparations for our conference with the High Princesses tomorrow. This is extremely important to us," she added, still glancing at the hovering pegasus.

"You're invited to a party tonight, Governor," Twilight interjected cheerfully. "One of Pinkie Pie's parties. They're the best. You are coming, right?"

As she took up the invitation in her own red aura, the governor looked at the princess, Starlight thought, with almost a hint of distaste. "I am afraid not, Your Highness. This meeting must go well; I must be prepared. I trust you will enjoy yourselves without me."

"Oh, that's a shame," said Twilight, unsure whether she meant it or not. "Well, good luck, anyway. Come on, you three, and you too, Spike. Let's see what we need to do to get ready. Night, Governor."

"Goodnight, Your Highness," whispered Crimson Lance.

The room was empty when she looked over the invitation again. With her magic, at a distance, she tore a small strip - just two word days - out of the body of the message. They burnt up in a crimson flame. She laid the invitation down on Twilight's desk and walked out of the library without a word.