The Elements of Love

by UnweptSchlipps

Rating: teen
Tags: Scootaloo, Adventure, Braeburn, Cheerilee, Dark, Alternate Universe, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Soarin, Other
Length: 65449

With a new kind of dark evil surfacing and the Elements of Harmony gone, six other ponies are called upon to deal with the problem. The kind of problem that involves magic shadows, insane mages, and lots of bagels.

The world is a big place with big problems, and frankly, the Elements of Harmony can't always be there to fix it. When a dark magic threatens the Crystal Kingdom, Princess Cadance is forced to bring together six complete strangers into a group called the Elements of Love. Unfortunately, battling an unknown entity together may not be the easiest thing for a couple of strangers to handle...

Pic from Akili-Amethyst on DeviantArt.

Gave this an AU tag, since this story was written before the Crystal Empire backstory was established. Assumes that the Crystal Empire has always been there, and Cadance ruled for quite some time.

Published 2012-08-19 04:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-20 20:43:33 UTC

Six Strangers

For the young ponies of Ponyville Elementary, it was just one of those days. It was one of those days that seemed to drag on into eternity, one that boredom so great they would rather stick needles in their faces than bear through it. Today, Miss Cheerilee was delivering a “riveting” discussion about photosynthesis. Half (if not more) of the students had tuned out the spiel thirty minutes ago, the eyes glued to the ticking clock that always seemed to move too slow. A few colts had their heads plastered to their desks with little specks of drool seeping out of their mouths.

“No, Snails. Leaves are not green because they’re jealous, although I like your creativity,” Cheerilee said gently. She tapped the blackboard and continued, “Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, a pigment in the leaves embedded in the thylakoid-.”

The teacher was interrupted in mid-sentence by the ringing of the final bell. Her students immediately jumped out of their seats, hastily heading towards the door as one huge mob. As the students rushed out of the school, Cheerilee called out, “Don’t forget to do Assignment Forty-Two in your workbooks!” As the last student shuffled out the door, she whispered with a sigh, “Bless their little hearts.”

The schoolteacher turned to her desk, putting away the books and lesson plans stacked on top. She stuffed a stack of soon-to-be-graded tests into her pack, as well an apple given by one of her students. Although Cheerilee had grown very tired of apples, she simply couldn’t leave behind such a touching gift.

“Alright Cheerilee,” she uttered while slinging her bag over her back. “You’ve got a date…with a delicious apple tart.”

She turned to leave for the day, but she was stopped short by the sight of a small filly standing in the doorway. She had purple-rimmed glasses and a frazzled red mane, and the poor thing looked very disappointed. The young pony said with a noticeable lisp, “Oh…I didn’t know you were busy.”

The teacher put down her pack and asked, “What’s the matter Twist?”

“Well, I wanted to ask you a question about tonight’s homework, but you said you had to get home…I don’t want to be a burden…”

“Oh it wouldn’t be a burden at all, sweetie!” Cheerilee exclaimed. She motioned the young pony to come forward, saying, “I’d be happy to do anything for one of my students. After all, that’s what I’m here to do!”

For the next few minutes, Twist began to explain her questions, and the whole time Cheerilee looked on with utmost tolerance and respect. The thought of her pie waiting at home had been pushed back, and the thought of helping the young filly had taken its place. This was her special talent; this was what she was born to do. And by Celestia’s mane, she was going to do it right!

Finally after helping Twist solve one or two problems, the filly scooted out the door, saying, “Thank you Ms. Cheerilee!”

“You’re welcome Twist!” Cheerilee replied lovingly. “And remember, I always have time for my students.”

The bell had just rung, and the entire yard was swarming with young ponies eager to get home. Part of that mob was three fillies with bare flanks, talking excitedly about their next venture. They pulled out their patchy, ragged capes while calling out their signature cry, “Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

The orange pegasus told the others happily, “Hey girls. Check this out, I’ve been practicing!” Scootaloo began to buzz her tiny wings, her face scrunched up in effort. Exerting a vast amount of energy, she began to slowly hover up a few feet in the air as her friends watched with admiration. Unfortunately, the valiant attempt didn’t last very long. The filly’s small wings gave up on her, and Scootaloo was sent face first into the dirt.

As she spit out some pebbles, Sweetie Belle said encouragingly, “Wow Scootaloo, that was higher than last time!”

“Ah bet you’ll learn ta fly in no time!” Applebloom added.

Scootaloo opened her mouth to thank them, but she was interrupted by a wretched sound in the background. It was as appealing as the sound of hooves scraping against a chalkboard, a bomb exploding, and a dying cat combined. This was the sound of Diamond Tiara’s nasally giggle.

The pink pony strolled up to the pegasus on the ground, eyeing her distastefully. Then Diamond said, “Oh look, it’s the Flightless Wonder. Don’t you ever get tired of falling flat on your face Scootaloo?”

The orange filly got up, wiped the dust off her fur, and replied, “Don’t you ever get tired of being an annoying brat?” She began to flap her wings once again, but this time she landed on her bottom.

“Come on Scootaloo, just give up. A foal can fly better than you. Don’t embarrass yourself any further. Or actually, keep going. It’s a real good laugh.”

Scootaloo just sneered and said, “As if I care what you think.”

“At the rate you’re going, you’ll never be able to fly.”

At this, the pegasus simply had it. She stormed up to the mean filly, stuck her snout in her face, and stared her down with a glare that could bore straight through diamonds. With her voice dripping with venom, Scootaloo said forcefully, “I don’t care what you say or what you do, but I am never going to stop trying. And some day…I’ll be zooming circles around you, flying around with the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash. I just know I will. So why don’t you just make like the insect you are and buzz off! I need to concentrate.”

The filly turned around, leaving her nemesis with her mouth open from shock. Scootaloo made her way down the road, with her two friends following suit. The three had huge grins on their faces, not daring to look back at the distressed, angry filly they had left in the schoolyard.

“Oh boy, ya sure showed her, Scootaloo!” Applebloom remarked.

Sweetie Belle snickered and added, “Yeah! Did you see the look on her face after you called her an insect? Priceless!”

“Thanks girls,” Scootaloo thanked happily. “Now, let’s get back to earning our cutie marks!”

The three friends jumped in the air simultaneously, clapping their hooves while shouting, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER HEART SURGEONS YAY!”

“Three laps to go folks, and the Wonderbolts are barely hanging onto the lead with the Thunder Clouds close on their tails!” the announcer cried over the raucous crowd. The mob of ponies had their eyes a trained on the blurs zooming around Cloud Coliseum, cheering on their idols as the race began to come to an end.

Three of these blurs were Spitfire, Soarin, and a rookie; all of them representing the proud, first-ranked Wonderbolts. Closing in behind him was the number two team and their bitter rivals, the Thunder Clouds. It had been a grueling hundred-lap race, and now the finish-line was in sight.

Soaring and Spitfire led the pack, with the rookie, who was appropriately called Rookie Blue, dragging just a tad bit behind. “Faster!” Spitfire commanded. And on cue, all three slowly began to pick up speed, trying to lose the enemy on the final stretch. But the Thunder Clouds were able to match the Wonderbolts’ acceleration, and they still remained close behind.

“Two laps to go!” the announcer yelled as the teams simultaneously crossed the line.

The Clouds began to make a move for the lead, but Wonderbolts would have none of it, cutting them off. They made another move in the opposite direction, but the elite fliers clad in blue kept their small lead. Soarin yelled at a particularly buff pegasus, “Hey Tiny! Your wings too small for that fat head?”

The brawny pegasus gritted his teeth, and flew toward the savvy veteran. Soarin swiftly dodged out of the way, and the not-so-bright stallion crashed into the stands, effectively eliminating him from the race.

“One down, Spits!” the blue pegasus called. At that moment, the two teams crossed the line again, and the final lap was underway.

The leader of the Thunder Clouds, a sleek black pegasus, had set his sights on the rook, trying to overtake her. However, Blue was a skilled maneuverer, and she cut him off at every turn. The overzealous stallion made a desperate move to take the lead, but the rookie dispatched him with a tap of her hindleg.

Finally, the leader of the Thunder Clouds couldn’t take it any longer. He would not let this…this stupid rook make him look stupid. The stallion lowered his head, and suddenly charged towards Blue, roaring in anger. The rookie looked back to see the pegasus’s face flushed with pure rage, barreling straight for her like a missile. She tried to escape, but it seemed that this time, the stallion’s attack would not be evaded. So the rook closed her eyes, and braced for impact.

Thud!

The newbie opened her eyes to find that she was still in the air, soaring at high speeds. She glanced behind her see the leader of Thunder Clouds being tackled out of the air, by none other than Soarin. The two barreled into the other member of the Cloud team, and all three went spiraling into the track.

And before she knew it, Rook Blue found herself over the finish line, with the announcer crying out, “And the Wonderbolts win!”

Xxx

Rook sat in the hotel lobby, peeling back her hood to reveal a blue slicked-back mane. Spitfire was sitting across from her, nibbling on a bagel. A gold medal hung around their necks proudly. The rookie was beaming at her first victory, as well as anxious for more races to come.

Suddenly, Soarin walked into the room with a slight limp and a welt on his cheek. He had just gotten back from the infirmary. The young flier saw this, went up to the vet and said, “Soarin! Are you alright?”

“Heh. There isn’t anything those stupid Clouds can throw at me that I can’t handle,” he replied confidently.

“Jeez Soarin, that was a nasty hit you took back there. You could have easily just let that guy run into me. Why-why’d you do it?”

Despite the massive bump on his face, Soarin gave the mare a cool smile. He told her, “You’re the newbie, right? Well, how ‘bout I’ll teach you your first real lesson.”

He slipped off his goggles, revealing a set of eyes that looked perpetually relaxed. He began, “You see kid, we are a team, and we put the team first. We’ve gotta do what we can so that at the end of the day, we come out on top. And if that means taking a few extra bruises, then fine by me.” He then gave a short chuckle and added, “And that’s something flight school never teaches you.”

“And let me tell ya, Soarin’s taken quite his share of bumps and bruises. But without him, I doubt we’d be able to win,” Spitfire added, having swallowed the last of her snack.

The leader teased, “Now come on Soarin, ya big baby. We’re supposed to be at the Coliseum for press interviews. We would’ve been there already, if you hadn’t taken so long whining to those docs about that measly little bruise.”

Rook smiled as the two veterans strolled out of the room, leaving her to ponder her first lesson.

In the dry, dry desert town of Appleloosa, the sun’s hot rays baked the cracked ground until it was almost bleached white. It had been a hard summer for the Appleloosians, what with the excruciating heat being almost unbearable. But, just as they had always done, the hardy cowponies had bared through the harsh weather. And with winter coming up, things were looking mighty fine.

Braeburn strolled through the dusty town, making his rounds as he usually did. He gave a friendly tip of the hat to every pony he saw, saying kindly, “How d’you do?” The cowpony smiled at every horse-drawn carriage and horse-drawn horse-drawn carriage that passed him by. Basically, he took in every little aspect of the modest settlement, and how they had grown so much since its inception almost two years ago. T’aint much, but it’s home, Braeburn thought, as he walked into The Salt Block saloon.

Sitting alone at a table, taking a swig of a cool glass of apple cider was Sheriff Silverstar. The mustached pony saw Braeburn walk in, and he greeted, “Well howdy, Braeburn. Quite a hot day, if I do say so myself.”

“Well, it ain’t nothing we haven’t seen before, sir,” the yellow stallion replied happily, taking a seat across from the sheriff.

“What can I do for you today, son?” Silverstar asked gruffly.

Braeburn took off his hat, wiped some sweat off his brow, and got straight down to business. “Well ya see sheriff…the tree orchard’s been plagued with them pesky venomfang rat critters. Ah was hopin’ y’all could lend a hoof to help clear ‘em out.”

Sheriff Silverstar put down his mug of cider, glanced quickly at the floor, and replied, “Sorry Braeburn, but I’m afraid there’s been a bit of trouble with some buffalo down south. I don’t have time to help you right now.”

But as the sheriff said this, Braeburn caught wind of something. It was a certain glint in the sheriff’s eye, and the way he had glanced away for just a split second. Braeburn could sense a smidge of uncertainty in the old stallion’s voice, so small it was almost non-existent. But it was there. By golly, it was there.

The yellow cowpony gave a small chuckle and said, “Come on now Sheriff, you and Ah both know that ain’t the complete truth.”

The mustached stallion opened his mouth to defend himself, but then the two stallions locked eyes. Silverstar looked straight into that smug little glare Braeburn was so good at doing. Unwavering. Unmoving. Unmatchable. Finally, the sheriff broke into an embarrassed grin and said, “Well, I should’ve known not to try and pull a fast one on good ol’ Braeburn. I don’t know how you do it, but you can spot a little white lie a mile away.”

“Ah guess honesty sorta runs in the family,” Braeburn replied with a tip of his hat. “Now come on, help me clear out them critters. Then you can go watch them dramatic detective shows you love so much.”

Ponyville wasn’t exactly the busiest hospital in Equestria. In fact if it wasn’t for the pegasi crashing into buildings and Pinkie Pie’s “firework extravapaloosa”, the staff probably would never have work. But today was a different day. Today, the doctors were about to attempt a rare feat in Ponyville. A surgery.

The procedure: Open heart surgery. The patient: a month-old foal.

The poor colt was born with severe heart defect, and needless to say, the doctors were anxious to perform the life-saving surgery. They were prepping themselves for the patient, slipping on their rubber hoof-gloves and surgery masks. The elite team was ready. That is, if the patient would actually arrive.

Back in one of the hospital rooms, the tiny colt cried hysterically. The baby flailed his hooves to and fro, not allowing any nurse to get near him. One young nurse was absolutely flabbergasted, not knowing what to do with the shrieking foal. The painful screaming pierced her very heart, and the nurse stepped out of the room on the verge of tears.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of galloping hooves down the hallway. Rounding the corner with a stretcher was a white earth pony with a big red cross on her flank. Her pink mane was tied up in a bun, and her face was one of urgency.

“Nurse Redheart!” the young nurse exclaimed, relieved to see some help. “Thank Luna you’re here! I just can’t get the poor thing to calm down!”

Redheart nodded, telling her associate, “Just get the stretcher prepped and ready.” Then the white mare slipped into the room, coming face-to-face with the crying foal.

For a moment, the nurse could see the pain in the frail figure’s eyes. The pain, the sadness, the fear. She returned the glare with a sad gaze of her own. Then the nurse slowly made her way to the bed, whispering, “Shhh…there, there sweetheart. It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

For some reason, the foal ceased his flailing, still continuing to cry out. Redheart was able to gently carry the young pony, and she took him in a warm embrace. Despite his fearful shrieks, the nurse held the poor figure close, tenderly rubbing his barely-formed mane. She continued to whisper, “Shhh. Everything will be okay.”

This continued for about a minute, as the young nurse outside watched intently, hoping for some kind of breakthrough. The foal’s crying slowly began to cease, becoming just random spurts of weeping. Finally the sound of the colt’s misery faded away, and the poor child rested his head on Redheart’s shoulders, his eyes closed in gentle slumber. Redheart gave a calm smile, and whispered, “Good night, sweetheart.”

The pony walked out of the room holding the colt carefully in her hooves. She slowly lowered the child onto the stretcher. Redheart looked at the serene, innocent child’s face, and she couldn’t help but shred a tiny tear. So small…so fragile, she thought as she began to whisk the colt away.

The nurse and her tiny passenger arrived at the surgery room, where other nurses took over. Redheart gave a curt nod as the sleeping baby was wheeled away, not knowing the intense operation he was about to undergo.

The other nurse had followed the white mare, and she asked, “Redheart…how…how were you able to get him to calm down? He’s been crying nonstop for days!”

Redheart took off her nurse’s cap, heaving a long sigh before replying, “It just takes a gentle touch and a kind heart. The poor thing. He’s in so much pain. It just breaks my heart seeing a poor foal like this. But…I can tell he’s a strong one. He’ll pull through.”

“What makes you say that?” the young nurse questioned.

With an unwavering voice, the mare answered, “I can see it in his eyes, Tenderheart. I’ve been here a long time, and believe me; I understand what that child is going through. Seen it one too many times. And I also know he’s going to come out fine.”

Xxx

Only a day later, Redheart watched as a giggling little colt was swept up in the embrace of his crying mother.

“Hit me,” uttered a unicorn stallion, tapping the table with his cards.

The place was Las Haygas. More specifically; Maynn casino, the swankiest casino in the entire city. Only the high-class elites paid a visit to the Maynn, both literally and figuratively. Only the richest of the rich ever saw the ivory fountains and golden light fixtures that graced this dazzling hotel. Here, the casual wear was silk tuxedo jackets and long silk gowns. Here, the rich tycoons and business moguls came to share a drink or waste their bits on a game of blackjack.

One such player was a gray unicorn stallion, who sat quietly at a blackjack table. His black mane was spiked back, and his sky-blue eyes gleamed with self-assurance. Three four-leaf clovers graced his flank.

The unicorn shared the table with four other contestants, all them just looking to spend some pocket-change. But this stallion wasn’t like the others. Sure, he wore the designer vest, the pinstripe shirt, and the red Istallian neck tie. But he was no business tycoon, no stock-market stallion. If one didn’t know him any better, they would call him a self-made stallion. He, on the other hand, would rather describe himself as a pure winner. His domain was the gambling room; his entire earnings won by skill…and a bit of luck.

After all, they didn’t call him Lucky for a reason.

The dealer handed him his next card. Lucky gave a quick glance at his opponents’ faces, before giving another to his cards. A two, a five, and a queen. 17. His face was absolutely emotionless, and his sleeves were rolled up as though he was about to get to work.

Behind him, a Trottingham pegasus with a fedora and a bowtie whispered, “I think you should stand, friend.”

But the unicorn just raised his eyebrows, and tapped the table while saying, “Hit me.”

“Are you crazy Lucky?” the pegasus chided.

But Lucky gave his friend a confident smirk, and addressed the dealer, “You heard what I said. Hit me.”

The dealer passed him another card. The pegasus held his breath as Lucky revealed the card for only them two to see.

A three.

The pegasus let out a sigh of relief, and whispered, “Don’t push your luck, friend.”

Lucky paused for a second, taking to time to survey his opponent’s faces. Two had already elected to stand, and one was so drunk he could barely comprehend what was going on. But the last opponent, a savvy looking unicorn, had a noticeably different air about him. Lucky had played this game too long to not notice these types of players. That stallion just emanated smugness, and Lucky didn’t like that one bit.

Then the unicorn stared at the deck in the dealer’s hooves, and for some reason, he could feel something coming from those cards. An instinct. A gut feeling. Whatever it was, Lucky seemed to be convinced it was good.

“I’ve pushed my luck further before, mate,” Lucky told his fellow Trottingham stallion. Then he tapped his cards and said assertively, “Hit me.”

The other ponies turned towards the daring unicorn, staring at him in shock. Even the half-drunk stallion stared at him with his mouth agape. After all, Lucky already had four cards in his hoof. Surely the unicorn couldn’t be serious.

But Lucky was as serious as serious could be. Reluctantly, the dealer handed out the final card.

The gray stallion stared at the card intently, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. However, with Lucky, one could never tell what he was thinking. So the opponents held their breath.

Finally, he flipped his cards to reveal…

An Ace of Spades.

Lucky smiled at the other players triumphantly, uttering a single word. “Blackjack.”

xxx

The Trottingham duo strolled out of the hotel with their huge bags of gold in tow. The pegasus hovered in the air and began to cheerily twirl around, absolutely beaming from their winnings. Lucky gave a short chuckle, being a bit more subtle. That is, as subtle as he could be while levitating multiple bags of cash near his face.

The pegasus said in disbelief, “I can’t believe it, Lucky! You won on the final hit five times in a row! How do you do it, mate?" The unicorn's friend lowered voice and inquired, "You don’t…count ‘em, do you?”

The unicorn immediately scoffed at the notion, and he replied, “Come on Snake Eyes, you know I’m not a counter. You can watch my horn if you want, but I was raised to play the game fair and square. Always have, always will.”

Snake Eyes flew backwards, facing his partner. He said, “Alright, I believe ya friend. But still…you never cease to amaze me. How do you manage to win it all?”

“I’m pretty sure I told you this before, Snake,” Lucky answering, giving a friendly wink. He continued, “Sometimes…sometimes you just gotta believe that what you’re doing is right. It’s a…a gut feeling, you know? And a pony has to go with his gut, am I right? Besides, they don’t call me Lucky for nothing!”

“Haha! I swear mate, you’ve got more luck in your left ear than anypony in the entire country!”

Lucky returned his friend’s light-hearted laughter with a bout of his own. Then he shook one of the bags of bits and offered, “Now then, why don’t we head down the street and get some bagels? I’m buying!”

“Well? What do you think? I know how to pick ‘em, right?” Cadance asked as the projection faded away.

“I suppose so,” Celestia replied. “But they hardly know each other! We would need time for them to train.”

“I’m afraid there’s no time!” Cadance interrupted. She beckoned a Royal Guard to come forward and deliver a message. Then the love princess added, “Besides, Twilight and her friends were able to do it. I’m sure these strangers can too!”

And now for my first real A/N. A bit of info on Lucky...
He was nothing more than a background pony with a fanon name, but his clover cutie-mark intrigued me. And yes, he doesn't have a horn in the show, but I decided to add it since I realized the group was lacking a bit of magic. So after a bit of brainstorming...BAM! Here he is, a background pony infused with a bit of backstory. I suppose he could be classified as an OC...
So yeah, just wanted to tell you guys that info. Don't forget to comment, favorite, and/or thumbs-up. Thanks for reading! And as always, keep on flying bronies; keep spreading the love!

Bearers of Love

The gray unicorn marched down the seemingly endless hallway, surrounded on all four sides by a Royal Guard. He made a show of straightening his tie nonchalantly, even though in actuality, he was utterly terrified. To his right, a pegasus guard wouldn’t stop glaring at him angrily. And if looks could kill, Lucky would have been obliterated into bits and pieces five times over. When the guards came to deliver a message in Las Haygas, the unicorn immediately panicked and tossed a multitude of bagels at the guard’s face, sending him into the Maynn fountain. It’s not my fault he looked at me funny, Lucky thought.

Suddenly, he was harshly shoved in the flank through a large door. He muttered, “Watch it buddy. This suit probably cost more than you.” But then the unicorn turned around to see not one, not two, but three alicorn princesses standing before him.

“Whatever it is, I swear I didn’t do it,” Lucky quickly said, his eyes darting nervously between the pink alicorn before him and the two standing in the back. “I mean…yes, I may have run with some bad groups before but-.”

Cadance shook her head and smiled gently at the misguided unicorn. She told him, “You’re not in trouble Lucky. I just called you in to talk.”

“Oh…” Lucky muttered, his ears drooping and his cheeks turning red. He gave an embarrassed smile, cleared his throat, and continued, “Well then…disregard what I just said, heh. So…with all due respect, what was it you wanted to talk about Princess?”

“Just a few moments. There’s a few more I’m waiting for. Wait there,” Cadance replied, pointing to the table where her aunts waited. Lucky obeyed, and took a chair just a few feet away from the royal mistresses.

He stirred in his chair uncomfortably, unsure of how to address the situation. After all, he was sitting right across from royalty, and surely he couldn’t just nod his head awkwardly and greet them with, “Um, top of the morning.” But, in the end, that was exactly what he did.

Lucky was saved from more embarrassing conversation when another stallion strolled through the doors. Doesn’t look like much, Lucky thought, sizing up the second guest. He looked like just a regular farm-pony, staring in awe at the wonders of Canterlot Castle.

Braeburn gazed at the glimmering silver chandeliers, the majestic throne, and the intricate stained-glass bordering the room. He took in the building’s sheer elegance, something that Appleloosa lacked. It was all so new, in fact, that he had failed to notice the pink princess standing in his path.

Braeburn suddenly collided against Princess Cadance, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see the alicorn’s gleaming purple eyes staring right back at him. Then he caught a glimpse of the golden crown on her head, and the cowpony immediately kneeled before her presence, stammering, “Y-your Majesty! Ah-ah’m sorry. Ah didn’t mean to bump into you like that!”

But to his surprise, the pink alicorn helped the stallion to his feet, and answered sweetly, “Although I am flattered, Braeburn, there’s no need for the formalities. Please, you may call me Cadance.”

“Ah course Yer Majesty…Ah mean Cadance.” Braeburn tipped his hat and shuffled over to take a seat next to the gray unicorn. The two sat together silently, not even acknowledging each other with some kind of nod or wave. The stallions certainly couldn’t look any more different; Lucky wore an expensive vest and a tie, while Braeburn wore his simple farm work clothes.

Meanwhile, just outside, three mares walked towards the throne room. One of them, an orange filly, hopped along while examining the stone sentries lining the walls. Scootaloo exclaimed, “Wow! Look at those statues! This place is so cool!”

“Now Scootaloo, please calm down and mind your manners. We’re in Celestia’s Castle, and we have to show her some respect,” a purple mare said.

“Okay,” the filly said rather unenthusiastically. Scootaloo rejoined the other two mares, staying close to her schoolteacher’s legs.

Nurse Redheart eyed the filly tenderly. The nurse had traded in her scrubs for a woolen green sweater, but she still wore her signature cap proudly. She told Cheerilee, “She’s a cute one. You must be proud.”

“What? Oh sorry, I’m not her mother. I’m just her teacher.”

“Well where is her mother then?” Redheart questioned.

Cheerilee immediately looked away and pretended to clear her throat. But seeing as though the nurse was expecting an answer, the teacher began, “Oh…ahem…well you see...oh look, it’s the throne room! We’d better not keep the princesses waiting!”

The teacher quickly burst into the room, slightly surprised to see Cadance standing before her and not the other two sisters. She was about to bow respectfully, but Cadance interrupted, “There’s no need, Miss Cheerilee. Please take a seat over there.”

With almost everypony present, Cadance was anxiously awaiting for the final member to arrive. But the seconds soon turned to minutes, and minutes…an hour. By now, the pink alicorn began to tap the ground, biting her lip impatiently. She locked her eyes on the empty chair at the table, her thoughts going back to her ruined kingdom. But nonetheless, Cadance had to play it cool, and she retained her calm demeanor in front of the others.

She told them quietly, “We only have one guest left, but apparently he’s running a bit late. I wonder where he-.”

Right on cue, a light blue blur bursted through the ceiling, spinning wildly into the marble floor. He skid along the polished ground on his stomach before coming to a stop at Cadance’s hooves.The stallion was dressed in his formal blue attire, with his sleeves rolled high and his tie hanging loose. He might have looked quite dapper, if it wasn’t for the cherry filling splattered all over his collar.

Soarin' quickly hopped upright, wiping off a few crumbs lining his mouth. He sputtered, “Sorry I’m late Princess! A little bakery had this awesome cherry pie in their window and I had to…”

Soarin' saw the others’ narrowed eyes glaring right at him. He attempted a cool smile, trying to divert their attention from the giant gaping hole he had left in the ceiling. He raised a hoof in greeting and said, “Um…'Sup?”

“Yes, well, I suppose we shall get a few guards to fix that,” Princess Luna spoke. “But until then…Cadance, ‘tis your turn to speak.”

“Thanks Auntie,” the pink alicorn replied, relieved to finally get this important meeting underway. She addressed the six figures sitting idly before her, “I suppose you’re probably wondering why I summoned you here. And trust me, I will explain the entire situation soon. But it's important that you first come with me.” Princess Cadance made her way to a spot by the throne. She casted a magical spell on the chair, and with a click, the throne raised up to reveal a secret passageway. “Don’t be shy,” she said kindly, beckoning them to follow. Although all six exchanged confused looks, they all stood up and followed the alicorn deep into the recesses of the castle.

As the group treaded through the dark hallway, Cadance iterated, “Perhaps you have heard of the Elements of Harmony, yes? They are the symbols used by the Royal Sisters to keep peace across the land. They have bearers as well, and some of you probably know them personally.”

She led them into a stone room, almost barren except for a large stone altar in the middle and two carvings in the wall. One depicted a six-pointed star surrounded by five orbs, each containing a different design. The other looked similar, with six orbs and a heart replacing the star. For some reason, each orb was blank, as though whoever had made the carving had left it unfinished.

As the six ponies took their place around the stone altar, Cadance continued, “Well, there is another set of Elements. A sort of…extension of the first six if you will. They are called the Elements of Love, and they are used to spread compassion and understanding throughout the land just as the Elements of Harmony spread peace and tolerance. And also like the Elements of Harmony, they need bearers.” She cast her kind gaze upon each of the six and stated, “And those bearers, my little ponies, are you.”

Cheerilee exchanged a surprised glance with Redheart, with Scootaloo caught in the middle. Braeburn whispered something to Soarin', who just raised his eyebrows. Finally, Lucky uttered what everypony in the room was thinking. “You can’t be serious.”

“I understand that this may come as a shock to you all,” Cadance replied patiently. “I have personally selected each and every one of you. I have seen you do great things for your friends, family, and even complete strangers. And you all embody one of the six Elements better than anyone else.”

Her horn began to glow with a deep purple magic. First it flowed from the carving to her horn,then suddenly, Cadance directed the magic towards Soarin'. At first, it took all his willpower to keep from jumping back in surprise. But then a warm feeling overcame the pegasus, travelling through every corner of his body. His heart rate slowed, and every muscle in his body felt as relaxed as they could be.

The love princess said, “Love is full of sacrifices. One must be willing to give up a part of themselves for the sake of another. Soarin', your willingness to carry a burden for the betterment of others, even if it means physical harm, has earned you…the Element of Self-Sacrifice!” On cue, one of the orbs in the carving lit up, casting a bright light on the dim room. The glowing soon subsided, revealing a new carving in the orb in the shape of a winged lightning bolt.

The pegasus gaped at the marking and uttered a single word, “Rad.”

Cadance turned the magic to the schoolteacher, and recited, “In true love, there is a flame. A spark that gives a pony the will to do whatever they can for another. Cheerilee, your complete devotion to your students and love for what you do makes you…the Element of Passion!” Another glow, and another new carving. This time, in the shape of a flower.

The cowpony’s turn was next. “In love, one cannot have secrets. One must always be able to tell the truth, as well as see the truth. Braeburn, your uncanny ability to see past the veil of lies and deceit, as well as the ability to stay true to yourself, earns you…the Element of Truth!” Braeburn watched as his cutie mark joined the others’, taking some comfort in knowing his cousin had gone through this before.

“With love, a pony is able to know what another is going through, revel in their joy, and comfort them in their pain. Nurse Redheart, your ability to feel another’s happiness and despair, as well as ease their sadness, gives you…the Element of Understanding!” The medic saw her cutie mark appear on the wall, acknowledging it with a polite nod.

When Lucky’s turn came along, the look of anxiety was plain on his face. But like Soarin, he felt the magic rush through his veins and began to calm down. That, plus Cadance’s naturally soothing voice, allowed the gambler to relax. “When it comes to love, there is much to be unsure about. But one has to be able to push aside uncertainty and leap into the unknown, believing that there’s goodness ahead. Lucky, your uncommon belief that fortune will come your way even when things seem grim makes you…the Element of Faith!”

Finally, the alicorn turned to the filly, smiling compassionately while saying, “And little Scootaloo. True love is able to pass through trials, put behind the hardships, and stand against the tests of time itself. And your ability to keep trying even after what seems to be failure earns you…the Element of Perseverance.” This time however, unlike the others, the orb remained blank. Scootaloo couldn’t help but look at her flank sadly, feeling just a slight bit embarrassed.

But nonetheless, Cadance continued, “Each of you represents an element that true benevolence needs to survive. Without any one of these, compassion ceases to exist. Together, you are the Elements of Love!” Upon saying this, the now-completed carving exploded in a flash of light that enveloped the entire room. The flash swallowed the group in its warm embrace, and a magical gust of wind flowed throughout the stone chamber.

When the light died down, each of the six found a mystical circlet wrapped around their necks. Each of the golden artifacts had a jewel matching their cutie marks, practically glowing with magical power. The newly-crowned Elements of Love were in absolute awe, trying to grasp the newfound power thrust upon them.

Scootaloo marveled over the beautiful necklace, fawning over the flawless emerald embedded into the gold. But then she said, “This is cool and all but…now what do we do? Go around and kiss everypony we see?”

“I’d be down with that,” Soarin commented.

“No Scootaloo. There is a reason as to why I’ve chosen you now,” Cadance answered solemnly. “You see, I need you all to defeat a deadly unknown force threatening to swallow the land in darkness.”

Lucky uttered, “Oh cool…wait. What?”

What...is...up my loyal readers? Hope you liked the elements I picked out. I suppose you could pair 'em up with the existing Elements of Harmony, but I'll you guys decide how that would go. Also, SHOUTOUT to my pre-reader Frenchie! Thanks for the help and the advice, and everyone better give him a looksie! Seriously, or else...
Anyway, remember to track, favorite, like, and comment. And as always, keep on flying bronies; keep spreading the love!

The Opposite of Love...Is Bagels

“Sorry, I must have misheard you there, Princess. I could have sworn you said we were fighting a ‘deadly unknown force’,” Lucky said, punctuating his words with nervous laughter.

“Oh no, you heard it correctly,” Cadance answered.

Lucky’s attempt at a smile deflated into a scowl. He waved his hooves to and fro, shouting, “Are you daft?”

Braeburn subdued the unicorn’s incessant flailing, uttering, “Now now mister. Why don’t ya calm down an’ show some respect?”

“Well pardon me, but I didn’t sign up to go into deadly battle with an unknown force,” spat Lucky.

“This kind princess bestowed this…this honor on you. The least y’all can do is hear her out.”

Princess Cadance immediately casted a calming spell on the two stallions, and they slowly released their grasp. However, the two continued to glare at each other in annoyance while the alicorn said, “I’m sorry I had to do that. But there this is no time to be fighting, so please listen.”

Braeburn and Lucky opened their mouths to reply, but Redheart interrupted, saying, “We’re listening, Princess Cadance.”

The princess gave the nurse a benevolent smile. But the smile soon turned into a bitter grimace as Cadance began to recant her awful tale. “Two days ago, my kingdom was suddenly attacked. Not by invaders or bandits, but by something I can only explain…as dark magic.”

The six gasped in unison, and Cadance shook her head grimly. With her ears drooping and her eyes shut, she continued, “All of a sudden, the skies turned black, as though a shroud had encased the kingdom. Then…it started to attack. It struck my castle first, devouring it into its deep darkness. Then it moved on, striking populated areas such as the Equestrian Embassy and Gemstone Plaza.”

“It was unlike anything we had ever seen before. A huge shadow washing over the land, weaving through the streets like it had a mind of its own. We tried to fight it, but every time we struck it with magic, it grew and grew.” She turned back to the Elements with a resentful glare, and finished, “So in the end, my subjects...the remaining ones...were evacuated. And my kingdom…abandoned.”

Lucky raised his hoof skeptically, capturing the princess’s attention. With a twinge of doubt lacing his voice, the gambler said, “And what makes you think we can stop it, huh? You said it yourself, magic doesn’t work.”

Cadance replied, “Like I said before, this…entity…was the work of dark magic. And after seeing the way it seemed to move around targeting key landmarks before attacking the rest of the city, I came to the conclusion that this was a planned attack. After all, magic has to come from somewhere, right? The question is: who or what is causing this dark magic?”

She waved her hoof towards the six and stated, “And that’s where you six come in. You must find the source of this evil, and use your powers to destroy it.”

“Okay…but how will we locate it?” Soarin asked, slouching forward on the stone altar.

“I’m glad you asked, Soarin. For that is your first destination. Rumors have it that tomes and scrolls of dark magic are stored somewhere inside a place called The Frost Star Sanctuary. It’s home to the Frost Star Mages, a very…reclusive group dedicated to studying ancient magic. Not surprisingly, they’ve denied all claims of it. You must find out where those tomes are and bring them back here.”

“I’ve heard of that place,” Cheerilee commented. But she furrowed her brow confusedly, meekly saying, “But, um…Princess? Isn’t that place off limits to everypony except the Mages?"

Princess Cadance scratched the back of her head and bit her lip, and her attempt to hide that measly little detail was dashed by Cheerilee’s intellect. Finally, the pink alicorn confessed, “Well…yes. Things are going to be...difficult...”

Xxx

“Well I most certainly cannot believe this,” Lucky uttered, sitting in the castle courtyard with his head cradled in his hooves.

The six were gathered just outside of the castle awaiting further orders. They were, for the most part, speechless from the task Cadance had just given them. Each one glanced unsurely at the strangers they were to call “friends”, and most kept their mouths shut. Lucky, however, was a bit more active, muttering to himself while shaking his head.

Finally, Scootaloo told the worried unicorn, “Jeez mister, take a chill pill or something.”

Lucky replied in disbelief, “How is it that a little filly is saner than me right now? In fact, how are you all so calm?”

“Relax man. The princess said to take this time to rest and get ready,” Soarin said. He flapped his wings and began to hover above the ground, watching the others from above. With his hooves tucked behind his head in relaxation, the pegasus told them, “Besides, I think if we’re gonna be stuck together, we might as well introduce ourselves. Name’s Soarin. I’m a-.”

“A Wonderbolt!” Scootaloo squealed, watching the athletic pegasus in awe. The filly then gave an embarrassed smile and apologized, “Sorry, I’m just a-a fan and all.”

“Never heard of 'em,” Lucky muttered to nopony in particular.

Soarin didn’t hear the unicorn’s subtle remark, and he said to the orange pegasus, “Thanks kid. Always good to see the younger fans. What’s your name?”

“My name’s Scootaloo.”

“That’s a nice name,” a white mare said benignly. “Mine is Redheart. I’m a nurse down at Ponyville hospital.”

“Pleased ta meetcha ma’am. Ah’ve always had a lotta respect for nurses an’ doctors,” the cowpony said politely, giving a kind tip of the hat. “As for me, mah name’s Braeburn. Ah live down in Appleloosa, working an apple orchard.”

“Psh, what a surprise,” Lucky scoffed, this time a bit louder than the last.

Braeburn caught this, and gave the gambler a spiteful glare. Scowling, the earth pony asked, “Excuse me?”

“Oh. Nothing.”

Not willing to let the conversation go, Braeburn spat, “An’ what about you, Mr. Sasspants? What’s yer name? Ah can already tell by yer fancy clothes that you’re one of them rich, stuck-up fellas.”

The unicorn stood up, adjusting his tie snidely. Then he stomped over to the yellow stallion and replied, “Well my name’s Lucky, first of all. And second, I don’t need some apple farmer to call me stuck-up.”

“Someone oughta call you ‘Lucky Ah Don’t Get Bucked in the Face’.”

The two stallion’s foreheads pressed together as Braeburn got up in his opponent’s face. They simultaneously gritted their teeth in anger, stamping at the ground as though they were ready to charge. Some of the static from the meeting earlier had definitely carried over, manifesting itself into mutual rage.

But before the two could spew some more particularly venomous comments at each other, the purple mare popped up and shouted, “And I’m Cheerilee!” The stallions backed off and turned their attention to Cheerilee, who breathed a sigh of relief. She continued, “I’m a teacher down in Ponyville Elementary.”

“The nicest teacher in Equestria!” Scootaloo added.

“Oh, you live in Ponyville too? Why haven’t we met?” Nurse Redheart asked.

“Well actually, we have. You almost…ran me over with your ambulance…” Cheerilee’s voice died down, and both mares looked away awkwardly, pretending some imaginary figure had caught their eye.

Finally, Lucky threw his hooves up, rolling his eyes apathetically. His slowly ran his hooves through his spiky mane and began to make his way toward the town, saying with mock-enthusiasm, “Well I’m certainly glad we’ve gotten to know each other. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have got to find a place with some good bagels.”

“What’s with the bagel addiction, bro?” Soarin asked from above, slowly trailing the unicorn.

“It’s not an addiction. It’s my favorite snack. I can’t go a day without one.”

“Why?”

“It’s a long story. Let’s just say…I’ve been to places.” And with that, the unicorn casted the pegasus away, ready to journey into the streets of Canterlot.

He didn’t get very far. He was barely a few feet away, as a matter of fact, before Braebrun said, “Why doncha jus' get from the castle?”

“Oh please. They’re the rulers of Equestria; they’d never eat peasant food like bagels,” Lucky dismissed, pausing his stride to answer.

Soarin contemplated, “Come to think of it, I’d really like to finish off that pie…”

“And I haven’t had my coffee this morning,” Redheart commented.

“Aww shucks, fellas. Who knows when Cadance’ll come back?” Braeburn scolded. He turned around to take a gander at the gorgeous striped spires that seemed to touch the sky; the literal pinnacles of the beautiful castle. He said, “An’ besides, why would anypony want to leave this…”

But when Braebrun turned around again, he found himself alone in the courtyard, talking to the statues lining the walkway. “…palace.” Braebrun finished glumly, exhaling a long sigh. Seeing as though he had no other choice, the hardworking stallion trotted out of the courtyard, mumbling his complaints under his breath.

As it would happen, Canterlot was a lot bigger than he had imagined. To him, the bustling village had to have been at least ten times bigger than Appleloosa. The bright sun shone down on the equine citizens, although the weather seemed to always be at the perfect temperature. The streets swarmed with elite ponies, hastily making their way to who knows where. Carriages rolled up and down the stone-paved streets, carrying cargo and passengers alike. And it was noontime; the time when everypony was trotting around, looking to grab a bite.

Braeburn spent at least an hour roaming the streets, trying to find a hint of his lost comrades. And as every minute passed, the cowpony’s annoyance grew. Where in the hay is everypony? he thought, scanning the busy street before him. But trying to find the others in a mob like this, was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Finally, his eyes lighted on a small building at the corner of the block. A large plastic donut stood above a sign that read “PONY JOE’S”. Inside, Braeburn could faintly make out two figures having a heated argument, one of which wore a silk Istallian tie. With steam coming out of his nostrils, Braeburn galloped over to the shop.

“What do you mean you don’t have bagels here, mate? You’ve got donuts! Why not bagels?” Lucky complained, tapping his hooves on the counter.

Pony Joe replied gruffly, “This ain’t no coffee shop, mister! We make sweets here, not bagels! If you don’t like it, you can take your tacky, prancy vest and get outta my shop!”

Needless to say, Lucky wasn’t too happy with somepony insulting his outfit. His horn began to glow and donuts began to levitate off the shelves, surrounded by light green magic. “Tacky?” he cried indignantly. “Why this vest probably cost more than your entire shop, you little-.”

Before he could finish his sentence, somepony suddenly pulled on his tail, and the donuts fell onto the floor. He fought against the pull, but Braeburn’s strong body was able to drag him out of the donut shop. Lucky rubbed his rump and tried to defend himself, but Braeburn quickly told him, “Cadance told us to stay at the castle, what in tarnation do you think yer doing?

“Calm down Saddlesore, I was just grabbing a bite,” the unicorn replied, wiping off his sleeves as he stood up.

“Really? Because it looked ta me like you were given that man a hard time!” Braeburn returned. “And also, we’re a team, Lucky. You can’t be wanderin’ off willy-nilly. We’re supposed ta stick together.”

“It’s not like I asked to be a part of this, mate! I don't even know you guys, why should I have to listen to you?” Lucky answered angrily.

Just on cue, Soarin and Redheart strolled in, the former holding a cherry pie, and the latter holding a hot coffee cup. The commotion had caught their attention, and Soarin whispered, “Who put a turd in their coffee?”

Redheart looked down at her drink distastefully. Spurred on by the other two’s fighting, the nurse said irefully, “That’s real mature. We’re in a serious position; you shouldn’t be joking around!”

“Jeez, chill out nurse!”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t be relaxed all the time like you!” Redheart replied, waving her coffee around. In her incessant flailing, she accidently slapped the plate Soarin was holding. To his horror, the delectable cherry-flavored treat was sent twirling to the ground, landing in a heart-wrenching splatter.

Soarin crouched down, scooping up the remains of his pie sadly. “You…monster…” he uttered, tentatively licking the sweet nectar.

At that moment, Cheerilee and Scootaloo decided to join in, having taken a short learning tour about the history of Canterlot. Scoots’s face had drooped with boredom, but seeing Redheart smack the Wonderbolt veteran’s pie made her leap up and shout, “Hey, don’t talk to him like that!”

The filly rushed off towards the group with Cheerilee calling out, “Scootaloo!”

But the teacher was too late to stop the incoming madness that was about to ensue. Scootaloo bumped wildly into Nurse Redheart, causing her to lose her grip on the cup. The lid flipped open, and the hot liquid flew through the air before happening to land directly on Soarin’s exposed face.

Unsurprisingly, the Wonderbolt didn’t enjoy having scalding hot coffee poured on his skin, and he instinctively shot into the air, grasping his face in pain. The pegasus, covering his eyes with his hoof, barreled blindly into Lucky and the two stallions tumbled along the ground. Braeburn attempted to back away from the utter wreck, but he slipped on the remains of Soarin’s pie and ended up crashing straight into Miss Cheerilee. At that precise moment, Pony Joe stormed into the battlefield, yelling at the six about how they had “splattered an entire supply of éclairs across the damn floor”. Then the volatile scene erupted into a flurry of arguments that certainly had nothing to do with love or harmony.

And surrounding the six Elements were Canterlot’s elite, unable to take their eyes off the “absolutely hilarious” fight.

xxx

Meanwhile, from the safety of Canterlot Castle, another elite group of spectators were viewing the antics of the Elements of Love. Cadance had opened a magical portal to keep surveillance on how the six were doing. And frankly…they could have been doing better.

“Well they look like they are having fun,” Luna commented, slightly amused.

“Perhaps this isn’t going to be as smooth as I thought…” Cadance uttered as she watched her newly crowned Elements of Love act extremely…uncompassionate.

“Are you sure they can handle infiltrating the Frost Stars?” Celestia asked. “By the looks of it, they can’t even handle finding something to eat.”

“Maybe I will have to guide them, but I know they can pull it off,” Cadance replied, although she was unable to hide the anxiety in her voice. She added, “Besides, I have to trust them. If we wait any longer…there won’t be any Crystal Kingdom left to save.”

What...is...up my loyal readers? So, with summer coming down to an end (and for some of us, it's already finished), you know what that means! Schoolwork! I 've already gotten a few chapters on the standby, but after that, I'm not sure if I'll be able to post chapters as regularly. But if I don't, please don't give up on me. I'll be working as hard as I can to finish this story, you have my word.
Oh well. Anyway, remember to track, favorite, like, and comment! Keep on flying bronies; keep spreading the love!

Just a Buncha Old Mages

The following morning after the “donut shop incident”, the six ponies found themselves standing idly outside the borders of Canterlot. They waited near the base of a shimmering waterfall, next to the city’s cool, pure river.

Scootaloo sat with one hoof in the river, letting the water rush past her limp leg. Cheerilee and Redheart watched quietly, each having a few scrapes all over their bodies. Soarin splashed his bandaged face with water, his scalp still tingling from the scalding-hot latte. Braeburn stood with his hat on his back, basking in the morning sun. And making sure he was separated from the cowpony by everypony else was Lucky, who paced back and forth.

Finally, after minutes of awkward silence, the sound of somepony clearing their throat caught their attention. Appearing out of the Canterlot gates was Princess Cadance, who levitated a few extremely small sacks with her. The ponies stared guiltily at the ground, unable to face the royal’s gaze.

But to their surprise, Cadance’s voice held no animosity, and she addressed them with, “Good morning, everypony! How did you sleep?”

Braeburn was the only one who responded, mumbling, “Alright.”

“Well…I hope you all had some time to prepare. Today’s a big day, and I don’t think I need to warn you how urgent this mission is,” the princess told them, distributing the burlap sacks to each of the six.

Each of the packs contained only a few apples and some bandages, only enough supplies to last for a day. Lucky took a glance at the meager rations, and asked the princess, “Is this all the things we’ll be taking?”

Cadance replied, “One must travel light, especially when you’re sneaking into someplace you’re not supposed to be.”

“Thanks fer the supplies, Princess,” Braeburn said, equipping his cap as though he was ready for some adventure. “Now if you’ll tell us where the sanctuary is…”

“Oh…about that,” the princess replied, giving a rare sarcastic chuckle. She revealed another saddlebag hanging by her side, and she told them, “After yesterday’s…episode, I shall be accompanying you to the outskirts of the Sanctuary.”

The ponies froze in their tracks, stepping back in shock. Their agape mouths and wide eyes all said the same thing. They simply could not believe that a piece of Canterlot royalty would be watching their every move. Not realizing that she had been doing that for a year, of course. But the pink alicorn took no heed, and the Elements had no choice but to venture into the open world. And not only were they travelling with complete strangers, but with royalty at their backs too.

They ended up marching along a paved road for miles, taking up most of the morning. Luckily for them, the cool winter breeze made the march tolerable, and the sun was able avoid the few puffy clouds that dotted the sky. Soon, the winding path through the mountains leveled out into a grassy expanse that seemed to stretch into infinity.

Lucky had been craving some bagels for quite some time, but with zero of the treats in his sack, he made due by nibbling on an apple. He looked back skeptically at Princess Cadance, who was currently in a friendly conversation with Scootaloo. He whispered to the nearest pony, “What is she…our babysitter?”

The pony happened to be Miss Cheerilee, who replied, “Actually, she was the Royal Babysitter at one point. When she was young, Celestia did this to teach her the lesson of…” She turned around to find she was lecturing to thin air, and she finished disgruntledly, “…responsibility.”

Redheart strolled politely next to the princess, making idle conversation. In the meantime, Soarin had decided to take Scoots on a little fly-by. With the orange filly holding on to his neck tightly, the Wonderbolt soared high into the air, much to the filly’s glee.

“Whoo! This is so awesome!” Scootaloo cried, marveling at the bird’s-eye view of the terrain. “This is just like when Rainbow Dash took me up to Bronco’s Bluff!”

“Rainbow Dash, huh? Now where have I heard that name?” Soarin pondered, keeping perfectly steady despite the filly on his back. “Oh yeah, she was the one who won that Young Flier’s Competition! You know her?”

“Of course I do!” the tiny pegasus exclaimed. “She’s only the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria!”

Soarin broke out into a mischievous smile, saying, “Oh really? Well I bet she can’t do…this!” Then the Wonderbolt veteran began to corkscrew and somersault his way across the sky gracefully, with Scootaloo shouting in pure joy.

Meanwhile, Braeburn walked out of formation from the rest, remaining uncharacteristically silent. He looked up at the two pegasi, twirling their way through the air as though they had not a care in the world. Then he stared at the vast expanse before them, shuddering.

Cadance could sense this, and she asked, concerned, “Pardon me, Braeburn. You’re looking a little shaken. What’s wrong?”

He hid his anxiety with a shy smile, and he answered, “Ah ain’t never gone far from Appleloosa. Ah guess…I’m just nervous. Ah ain’t really sure what to expect. Don’t get me wrong, it’s excitin’ to be serving you like this, princess. But still…”

At that moment, Soarin decided to fly down from his spot high above the group. Braeburn watched the pegasus swoop down next to him and deposit Scootaloo with Princess Cadance. The Wonderbolt told her, “While I was up there, I saw this forest about a mile down the road.”

“Good. Then we’re getting close,” the pink alicorn replied.

Braeburn asked, “How ‘bout you Soarin? You’ve seen the world, right? Been all around the place?”

Soarin blinked, being caught just a bit off guard by the cowpony’s question. But as usual, the pegasus just crossed his hooves and smiled coolly. Braeburn could hear just a twinge of sadness as Soarin spoke, “Me? You'd think that being a Wonderbolt means travelling around the world and getting all the ladies, right? Well...that's completely true. I guess you could say I’ve been all around the place.”

The pegasus turned around and looked at the horizon longingly. He trained his eye on the spot where the sky met the earth, reveling in the possibilities that lied beyond that unknown border. He continued, “But everywhere we go…we just stay for a show and then take off for the next one. We never really get a chance to just hang around, y'know? I guess…in a way…I’m thankful for a break. Now maybe I can finally have a chance to see the world like I want to.”

“The world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” a voice muttered. The cynical whisper had come from Lucky, who had apparently been marching next to them the whole time.

“Really?” Braeburn said sharply. “Ah take it you’ve been somewhere.”

The unicorn replied, “Yeah, I get around. Seen the big lights of Los Pegasus to the forests of the Amarezon. And remember this…it’s a pretty dangerous place. Gotta keep a good head on your shoulders.” Then with a sly nod and a coy wink, Lucky added, “And of course…a little faith.”

Just as Soarin had said, the path soon diverged into a dense forest. To their dismay, this “path” was completely covered by years of moss growth and leaves, causing the group to tread through the thick foliage. Cadance and Lucky led the way, parting the thick branches with their magic. The crooked limbs seemed to reach towards the Elements, trying to grab the ponies in their wretched claws. In fact, the forest would have looked as eerie as the Everfree if not for the sun streaming through the foliage.

Soon, they came upon a clearing, a rare area where sun was able to break through uninterrupted. Here, the group sat and rested after their long march.

It was here that Princess Cadance informed them, “I’m afraid this is as far as I can go. Just up ahead at the edge of this forest is the Frost Star Sanctuary. There, you must find a way in and scour the place for any tomes or books on dark magic. The best entrance would have to be an old cellar door in the back. It leads into an abandoned part of the catacombs underneath, so I’m guessing it is very loosely guarded. Once inside, I’d suggest searching the Arch Mage’s quarters, located at the top of the building, and the Arcaneum, far below the surface.”

“You know quite a lot about this place, Princess,” Cheerilee remarked.

“Well a gal’s gotta do her research!” Cadance stated. “Now remember, these mages are masters of the arcane. Who knows how dangerous they will be? So I’d advise you all to be careful, and stay out of sight as much as possible. And, er, I’d suggest you take these.”

The princess levitated a small black case out her pack, holding it out for all to see. She opened the container to reveal three tiny pink darts, which looked very cool, and very deadly. The princess said rather timidly, “These are…poisoned darts. Not deadly, mind you. Just a small paralyzing mixture that will knock a pony out for about an hour.”

Soarin reached longingly for the container only for Cadance to slap it shut. She said curtly, “Only use them as a last resort. If you get spotted, or are in danger, you may use them.” The pink alicorn gave them to Nurse Redheart, who carefully placed the darts into her pack. “And umm…don’t tell my aunts I had those. I didn’t exactly obtain them…conventionally.”

The ponies nodded their heads in response, but one thing still nagged at Braeburn’s mind. “But Princess, why can’t you stay and help us out?” he asked, scratching his head.

“Well…” the love princess began. She cast her gaze to the side, pursed her lips, and told him, “My magic is so powerful, they will…easily detect me if I tried to sneak in with you.” She then gave them the wide innocent grin she was oh-so good at, her purple eyes gleaming. But her poker face was almost as bad as cousin Applejack’s, and Braeburn could sense the deceit hidden in the princess’s voice.

But he decided not to make a fuss about it, and sat back as Lucky whispered, “A bit conceited, no?”

With her mission briefing complete, Cadance turned to leave, placing utter trust in her freshly-selected Elements. As she was about to trek back through the foliage, the princess gave one last parting message. “And remember…you are the embodiments of the Elements of Love. Use that to your advantage. Because when it comes down to it…nothing can overcome the power of love.” With that, the princess disappeared through the green forest, leaving the group to start their first mission.

As they trudged towards the Frost Star Sanctuary, Soarin commented lightly, “They’re just a buncha old mages. No way they’ll find us!”

Xxx

The Sanctuary was a tall stone tower, looming far above the trees like a sentinel. It had to have been about 40 stories high, not including the catacombs hidden underground. Balconies jutted off the square tower randomly, where the ponies could make out telescopes and astronomy tools. And at the tip of it all was a stone dome-like structure, no doubt the Arch-Mage’s quarters Cadance had told them about. The exterior was visibly old, with the stones cracked and worn from the tests of time. However the building was still an ancient architectural marvel, somehow able to stand centuries of wear and tear. Hanging above the main doorway was a blue banner adorned with a silver star; the symbol of the Frost Mages.

The group sat just at the edge of the forest, concealed by low shrubs. “Whoa, that place is huge!” Scootaloo said, trying to peek over the larger ponies. “How are we supposed to find those dark magic things the princess was talking about?”

“Well the princess said to check the Arch-Mage’s quarters and the Arcaneum. That’s probably the Arch-Mage’s up there,” Cheerilee replied, pointing to the rounded top. “As for the Arcaneum, well, your guess is as good as mine.”

“You haven’t read any books about this stuff, teach?” Lucky uttered.

“I’m a language major, not a history buff,” Cheerilee answered.

While they were conversing, Soarin and Braeburn had been making their way around the tower, trying to figure out a way in. Not surprisingly, the large doorway up front was under constant watch by guards, who patrolled the entire yard. The back door, with two guards standing in front, didn’t seem like a viable option either. However, just a bit of ways from the tower in a wooded area, the stallions could make out a small wooden trapdoor, concealed by leaves.

Braeburn motioned for the rest of the group to follow their lead, and he whispered, “There’s that cellar Cadance talked about. We can get over there if we move quickly.”

The six waited patiently for a guard to turn away. When the guard began to patrol the other way, the group silently crept their way towards the door, using the shrubs for cover. Once, Scootaloo had accidently ruffled some leaves, and the guard perked his ears, causing the whole group to lay in wait. But then the armored stallion just shrugged his eyebrows and continued his march. After everypony gave a stern glare to the filly, they moved on until they stood next to the unused door.

“This thing looks like it ain’t been used for years,” Braeburn said, brushing the leaves off. “Ah wouldn’t be surprised if those guards had no idea this existed.”

With a gentle, silent touch, Braeburn lifted the door open just enough for them to squeeze in. He ushered the mares in first, then Soarin and Lucky, and finally himself. With one last glance to make sure they hadn’t been seen, he slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

The place was, unsurprisingly, pitch-black. “Whoa, this place is dark,” Soarin said loudly, which prompted a quick “SHH!” from everypony else. Light began to emanate from Lucky’s horn, filling the dank room with a dim glow. The room was very small, crammed with disused barrels and shelves, forcing the Elements to squeeze together. Cobwebs lined the wall, much to their disgust.

“Let’s get out of this place,” Lucky whispered, pointed towards a door hidden behind a stack of crates. Using his magic, the unicorn silently unblocked the door, and he stuck his head out to survey the interior. For the time being, the hallway seemed just as abandoned as the cellar. To his left, all the way down the corridor was a spiral staircase leading up. To his right, at the opposite end was a stairwell leading down.

“Which way do we go?” Redheart asked after everypony had taken a peek.

Braeburn spoke, “Well, ah think we’d be able to cover more ground if we split up. How ‘bout me an’ Redheart find the Arcane…whatever it’s called. Lucky an’ Cheerilee, y’all can take the Arch-Mage’s quarters. An’ Soarin…” Braeburn looked questioningly at the grown pegasus, then to the little pegasus standing next to him.

Soarin could see the worry on the cowpony’s face, so the flier rubbed the filly’s mane and said, “Don’t worry, Brae. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Alrighty then,” Braeburn replied. “Well then, y’all, let’s make the princess proud!”

“You take good care of her, okay?” Redheart uttered toward the Wonderbolt.

“Yeah. I’ll make sure she’s safe,” the Element of Self-Sacrifice assured.

But before the team broke up, Redheart stopped them while pulling out the black case from her pack. She said, “Oh, one more thing! Each group should take one of these, huh?” She handed the small darts over to each duo, keeping one for her herself. “When we’re done, we’ll meet back at that clearing, okay?”

The six murmured their agreement, and with that they scattered into duos, unknowing of the secrets that lay deep within this mystical Sanctuary.

Extremely Compassionate Trespassing

“Would it kill these mages to have some torches or something?” Lucky whispered after tripping over some stairs for the tenth time. He and Cheerilee were doing as they were told, journeying up the spiraling staircase to get to the observatory-like room at the top. However, this meant traversing forty flights of stairs, which was a difficult challenge in itself. To them, it seemed their biggest opponent wouldn't come from the mages that lived here, but gravity.

“Oh my, I’m tired,” the schoolteacher panted, leaning against the stone wall.

“Come on, Miss Cheerilee, this is only the tenth floor! I mean, I’m tired too but...” Lucky uttered, trying to help her up.

But Cheerilee held a hoof to her lips, telling the unicorn to be silent. At first, he strained his ears trying to hear what Cheerilee was hearing. But soon it became clear; the sound of hooves clopping up the stairs. And by the sound of it, they were only a few floors below.

“Oh shoot, we need to hide. Um…ummm…” Lucky stammered, scanning the stairwell for some kind of hiding place. But to his dismay, there was nothing to hide behind, nothing to conceal them. He pulled on the closest door, only to find it was locked tight. The hooves were getting closer, and the voices of two old ponies began to resonate as well.

Cheerilee began to tense up, and she whispered frantically, “They’re coming! What do we do? Use the dart?”

Finally, Lucky’s eyes lit up in revelation, and he told her. “No, I’ve got an idea. Stay behind me!” The two squeezed against a dark corner of the stairway, trying to lay as flat as possible. One flash of Lucky’s horn later, and the two faded into the shadows until they were completely invisible.

Perfect timing too, for at that moment, two mages appeared from below. They were shrouded in dark blue robes with the Frost Star embroidered in the middle, and only their wrinkled snouts were exposed. One chatted to the other, “And so I told that flat-flanked oaf, ‘How can you expect to use the formula of Soul Arcane Harmonics, if you can barely understand the basic Draconic Principles of Magic!’”

“Doh-hoh-hoh! You told him!” the other stallion heartily laughed. “That mule can’t tell the difference between synchronic energy and symbiotic energy!”

It seemed the two would keep climbing, and run straight into the invisible duo. But at the last moment, the old magicians swerved around, headed for the locked door. One levitated his key, and with a small click, the elders slipped through the doorway and out of sight.

As soon as the mages disappeared, Lucky dissipated his spell. The two gave a sigh of relief, and Lucky uttered, “Pfft. Nerds.”

“How did you do that?” Cheerilee asked as the two began to climb once again.

But the stallion just looked at her as though it was no big deal, and with a cocky smile he replied, “Are you kidding? That old trick? This isn’t the first time I’ve had to hide from somepony, you know.”

The teacher eyed him with eyebrows raised, and she just answered awkwardly, “I’m…not even going to ask."

xxx

Meanwhile, while Lucky and Cheerilee moved up, another duo was headed in the opposite direction, going deep underground. The tower above may have been narrow, but underneath it all was a huge expanse of catacombs that seemed to expand endlessly.

Braeburn and Redheart had been tirelessly treading down stairwells, which were randomly scattered every which way. But every floor they had passed had no sign of the Arcaneum, and every time they had thought they had reached the bottom, another staircase beckoned. “Shoot! How far does this thing go down?” Braeburn said after coming up empty yet again. “We’ve been checking every floor, an’ still no sign of that Arcan-whatsit the princess talked about!”

Redheart was fazed by this as well, although not as visibly as her cowpony companion. Her face was still composed with a serene half-smile, and she told him, “Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing was located at the bottom.”

“If only we knew where the bottom was!” Braeburn replied.

The duo ventured deeper into the underground maze. Torches lit the hallways, which seemed to get dimmer as they got deeper. A few times they had some close calls with some wandering mages, but with some quick use of the shadows, the two managed to slip by undetected.

Turns out, Redheart’s hunch was correct. They had arrived at the bottom floor, which was at least thirty stories down, and a small arrow with Arcaneum was written on the wall. The two ponies sighed, relieved that they had finally found the elusive library.

The victory was short lived however. When they got there, the room was sealed off with a large metal door that looked strangely out of place with the rest of the ancient corridors. And attached to the side was some sort of black contraption with a keyboard. A red screen said “PASSWORD VERIFICATION”.

“What is this? One of them password doo-hickeys?” Braeburn whispered, inspecting the new-fangled gadget suspiciously.

“Huh, you would’ve thought this place wouldn’t have this kind of technology,” Redheart added, confused as well. “Well, it doesn’t seem we can get in unless we find that password.”

“How in the hay are we supposed ta...” Braeburn began. But suddenly, there was the sound of a gasp behind them. The two whirled around to see a hooded figure, who glared at them suspiciously.

“You’re not supposed to be here!” the hooded stallion cried. Then he turned around, trying to escape to tell his comrades.

“Oh no you don’t!” Braeburn hissed, chasing the stallion down the corridor with a head full of steam. The mage tried to elude the cowpony, even launching a small shard of ice. But the stallion was no match for Braeburn’s strong legs, and the cowpony tackled him down, wrangling him like a hog.

“What’s the password to this thing?” Braeburn demanded, pinning the mage to the ground. His hood slipped off, revealing a pony that looked quite younger than his ancient counterparts. His eyes were wide with fear, staring into the cowpony’s stolid face.

“I…I don’t know,” the mage stuttered. Braeburn watched the stallion’s eyes intently, searching for so much as a flinch or a flicker, anything that would indicate fabrication. And sure enough, he found one, plain as the apple on his flank.

The cowpony brought his face closer and said intensely, “Listen partner, these hooves are able to buck hundreds of trees without so much as a crack. Imagine what it’d do to that squishy little snout a’ yours!”

“Please, just let me go. Only the highest-ranked mages can go in there! I don’t have the authority!” the mage asserted, shying away from the cowpony’s snout. But Braeburn could still spy the tell-tale flicker of deceit, and he wasn’t about to let go.

Now, with his snout just grazing the mage’s cheek, Braeburn told him, “Come on, if yer gonna lie, at least make it realistic. You an’ I both know that symbol on yer cloak means yer a high-ranked mage, so jus’ spill it!” He pointed at a small red emblem sewn into the stallion’s hood accusingly, and the mage reacted with a whimper.

Then Braeburn drilled him with what he called “The Truth Stare”. His eyes burned with the intensity of the sun, unfaltering and unmerciful. As he described it, “Nopony can look me in the eye and tell me a lie.”

The case was certainly true here, for only a few seconds into the Stare, the mage relented. “Okay, okay, stop!” he sputtered. “Th-the password is ‘password’!”

“Huh, ah coulda thought of that,” Braeburn uttered, sensing the truth this time. He backed off from the stallion, who breathed a relieved sigh. But before the mage could get up, the cowpony told him, “Oh, and uh, Ah can’t let you go tellin’ yer friends now, so…”

Before the mage knew it, a pink dart pricked his leg. The magician gave a slurred mumble before lying back onto the floor, completely knocked out.

“A bit rough, don’t you think?” Redheart told the cowpony, who was readjusting his hat calmly.

He responded, “When you’ve lived your life dealing with cider-hogs causin’ a ruckus in a saloon, you gotta learn to be a little rough.”

“How’d you know that mark meant they were high-ranked?” Redheart asked.

“Oh, that? Ah just guessed. Not bad, huh?” Braeburn began to type in the aptly named password, only to find himself stamping multiple buttons at once. “Darn it! These buttons are too small.”

Redheart gently brushed the stallion aside, saying, “Don’t worry. It just takes a soft touch.”

Braeburn raised his eyebrow skeptically, but to his surprise, the keypad turned green and the metal door slid open. The cowpony was duly impressed, and he asked, “How’d you do that?”

“Told you. Soft touch,” Redheart answered, wearing a smug grin. “By the way…don’t you think we’ll need that dart for later?”

“What? Naw, we’ll just go in, find those tomes, an’ get out before anypony sees us!" Braeburn answered confidently, leading the way into the Arcaneum.

xxx

“Where are we going?” Scoots asked as she and Soarin wandered down a random hall, with seemingly no particular goal.

The Wonderbolt replied, “Well, since we’re here, I figured we ought to search the place for anything. Make ourselves useful, you know?”

After twiddling their hooves near their entry point for a few minutes, the pegasus duo had made their way up to find anything useful. Now they were on the fourth floor of the tower, which at the moment, seemed to be deserted. Perfect for them, because they took the time to scour the rooms that lined the passageway. Most were just sleeping quarters and beds, and held nothing that was of use.

But finally, they came upon a certain door at the very end of the hallway. Upon going inside, they found a tiny little room with shelves stacked with books and containers filled with files and reports. It was an information jackpot.

“Check out all these files!” Soarin remarked. He began to search through the shelves, looking for some sign of dark magic.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo had wandered off, investigating a metal door in the corner. She found it propped open, so she peeked her head inside cautiously. Inside, there were four large windows, which provided a view to four barren little rooms. “What’s with all these rooms?” Scootaloo uttered. “They’ve just got…tables. That’s it.”

But the curious filly had no time to investigate further, as Soarin called from the file-room, “Hey Scoots, why don’t you search that chest, see if you find anything? I’ll keep checking these.”

“No prob!” the orange pegasus replied, leaving the metal door open. She made her way over to a container located underneath one of the desks. To her surprise (and delight), the chest was already unlocked. The filly sifted through the contents, scanning everything with a close eye. Junk. Junk. More junk, Scootaloo thought, tossing the unwanted stuff aside. But then, at the very bottom of the chest, a small purple book with a strange emblem on the front caught her eye.

Satisfied with what she had found, Scootaloo called out, “Hey Soarin, I found this journal thing! It says ‘Dark Magic Investigation: Photos’.”

The Wonderbolt said happily, “That’s awesome Scoots, you found something!”

But they had no time to revel in the accomplishment. Just outside, they could hear the sound of hooves tapping along the ground.

“Somepony’s coming!” Scootaloo said urgently.

Soarin thought quickly, ushering the filly through the metal door. “Quick. Into one of those rooms.” They slipped into one empty little rooms, and Soarin hovered themselves upward, hugging close to the ceiling.

From outside, they could befuddled mumbling, followed by the sound of ruffling papers. “That rat, Glovis! Always going through my stuff! I’ll give him a piece of my mind…” the voice said. To their relief, the voice faded away, not bothering to check the open metal doorway.

The two pegasi fluttered down to the floor, with Scootaloo clutching the purple journal tight. Soarin went to peer out of the window, only to find himself looking at his own reflection.

He smiled at himself, taking the time to examine his wind-blown mane, and said, “Hey, it’s like one of those one-way mirror things. Like the ones they use in interrogation rooms in those dramatic detective shows.”

“Why would they have that here?” Scootaloo replied, leaning against the table leg.

Soarin glanced around the room; however there wasn’t much to see. A small camera was attached to the corner positioned directly at the table, and two metal chairs were stacked at the side. At first glance, nothing seemed too interesting. But upon closer inspection, Soarin noticed something staining the metal table’s surface. Some kind of substance had spilled…or spattered across the table. The Wonderbolt found the very same substance coating the legs of the metal chairs, as well as dotting the floor. It was crimson red, unmistakable for the athlete, who had seen many gruesome injuries in his time.

This was blood. Dried blood.

What have these mages been doing? Soarin thought grimly. Reaching for the exit, he said out loud, “Come on Scoots. We need to get out of here.”

That was when a metal covering slid shut, almost amputating Soarin’s hoof.

Escape From Fort Frost

Braeburn and Redheart wandered through the huge library dubbed "The Arcaneum". The place was one big catalogue full of whatever books you would ever need. It was a size that rivaled even the Canterlot archives, as shelf upon shelf came into view.

Braeburn whistled in awe, whispering, “Dang, this place is huge!”

“I-I don’t even know where to start!” Redheart replied, scanning the archives. The two got to work, rummaging through the shelves for information on dark magic. They found cookbooks, spell books, books about gardening, even books about how to train dragons. But no sign of books about forbidden magic.

They spent thirty minutes randomly shuffling about, searching the Arcaneum to no avail. Frankly, the library was just too big for two ponies to search. So the duo gathered next to what seemed to be the librarian’s desk, frustrated from their empty findings.

“There has to be some easier way to search this place,” Braeburn uttered, knocking on the desk in annoyance.

Suddenly, a voice coming from behind a shelf said, “Perhaps I can help you find something?”

And old mage appeared from out of nowhere, levitating a book up to his snout. He wore different robes from the other mages they had seen; a regal purple with golden trimming. He began, “The Arcaneum is a huge place. So I understand-.” He lowered the tome he was reading to find the Elements of Love staring at him in shock. The old stallion furrowed his bushy eyebrows, and he said accusingly, “Wait…you…you two don’t belong here!”

Redheart began, “Please sir, we can explain-.”

“There's no need to explain. You’re intruders! Why, I ought to call my guards! No, wait, I’m the Arch-Mage! I’ll take care of you myself!” The magician’s horn began to glow red, and the ball of fire began to from in the air above him.

In a quick moment of defense, Braeburn raised his hoof innocently and said, “No, please! We’re just here for a book! That’s it!”

“Or…or you could be trying to rob from our sanctuary! Bandits targeting some poor defenseless mages! Too bad for you, we’re not so defenseless as you might think!” the mage said, slowly making his way towards the desk.

Braeburn replied, “Ah swear! All we want is somethin’ about some dark magic, that’s all!”

At that statement, the Arch-Mage immediately ceased his spell, and the fireball sizzled out in the air. With his snout scrunched in disgust, he said spitefully, “That…that book! That thing has been nothing but trouble! First somepony breaks in, kills two of our finest mages, and steals it! And now this!”

“Wait. What happened?” Redheart inquired.

“We found that book during one of our excavation sites near Trottingham. We suspected it contained spells dating back thousands of years. Who knows what wonders we could have learned from that ancient tome. But before we could study its contents, it was stolen. The thief ran away...and our two best historians, murdered!"

Redheart was about to retort when Braeburn stepping in, whispering to her, “He’s telling the truth.”

“Well what are supposed to do now?”

“Maybe Ah shouldn’t have used that dart…”

However, as the duo muttered between themselves, they failed to notice the Arch-Mage slowly making his way to the desk. The sly elder’s hoof slid underneath the table, pressing a small button hidden in the corner.

And that little button was the first step to utter chaos.

Suddenly, the sound of an alarm pierced the quiet sanctuary, resonating throughout the tower. A red light began to flash rapidly. The sound of running hooves pattered above. Braeburn and Redheart jumped with shock, turning their eyes to the coyly smiling mage.

The old stallion remarked, “At least the breach gave us a reason to install this security system. The old stone walls were…much too outdated, hmm? Good luck, intruders. My mages will be here soon.”

The duo had little time to berate or argue. Braeburn took the nurse’s hoof, yelling, “Aw shoot, we need to get outta here!”

The steel door of the Arcaneum began to slowly close shut, threatening to trap them in the gigantic library. Braeburn ushered the mare ahead, and nurse was able to gallop through into the hallway. However, the Arch-Mage wasn’t about to let them escape without a fight. He launched at fireball at the lagging cowpony, and it exploded at his legs, causing him to stumble.

“Hurry!” Nurse Redheart cried, the steel door closing ever so quickly. Seeing this, the cowpony quickly regained his footing, trotting towards the exit. The door was just about to close, and with only a few feet left to spare, Braeburn had no choice but to lunge forward.

The cowpony swiftly slid underneath the steel trap, losing his hat in the process. With amazing dexterity, he reached under and pulled the hat to safety just as the door sealed shut.

Braeburn flipped the hat dashingly onto his head, but the moment was interrupted by the nurse shouting, “Now is not the time, Brae!” She pointed across the hall, where a few mages were beginning to stream out. They caught sight of the two ponies, and with an agitated roar, they began to take chase.

The duo swiftly galloped down the maze-like corridors, trying to elude their captors. “I don’t even know where to go!” Redheart exclaimed as a lightning bolt sizzled overhead, burning the top of her nurse’s cap.

“Jus’ keep moving up!” Braeburn answered.

Heeding his advice, the two kept trotting up every staircase they came upon, hoping to somehow make it to the surface. Many times they had run down a corridor, only to find it was a dead-end, forcing them to somehow maneuver past the mages trying to impede their path. The climb was tedious, but with the unicorns trying to intercept them at every corner, there was no time to stop.

Soon, the sanctuary ponies caught wind of the twos' plan, and they perched themselves at the top of a stairwell. When Braeburn and Redheart came into view, the mages opened fire, spewing spells and incantations down at the defenseless duo. The earth ponies pressed themselves flat against the wall as pieces of stone flew around them. Fireballs scorched the ancient walls, cracking them and sending shrapnel into the air. Under the guise of the dust, Braeburn took the nurse’s hoof and began to slowly move forward. Even though spells threatened to vaporize their very being, the two pushed on towards the top.

After a minute of relentless attack, the mages ceased their barrage. The dust completely dominated the cramped stairwell, obscuring whatever view they had. The magicians began to lower their guard, hearing no sign of trotting hooves below.

But suddenly, as the dust began to settle, a yellow hoof bursted out of the cloud. The strong leg bucked the lead mage’s snout hard, sending him backwards into the mage behind him. This caused the rest to fall like dominoes, tumbling down the staircase.

“Never mess with Señor Bucks de la Kickaroo!” Braeburn called triumphantly before continuing upwards with Redheart in tow.

Soon they had made their way to the abandoned cellar where they had first come in. Making sure no one had followed them, the two ventured into the dark, cobwebbed room. They stumbled about in the dark for a bit, trying to find the secret door. Finally, after much tripping and cursing, Braeburn creaked open the cellar entrance. The cowpony lifted the nurse out first before pulling himself out into the forest.

The two glanced back at the blaring sanctuary, where they could still hear the endless shrieking of the alarm. “Ah hope the others are alright,” Braeburn whispered.

“Don’t worry Brae. I know they’ll make it out,” Nurse Redheart replied.

The duo then made their way to the clearing, hoping that their teammates were doing the same.

xxx

Soarin swiftly pulled his hoof away just as the metal door slid down. He leapt back in shock, listening as the alarm blared outside. The sound of mages stomping away could be heard outside, but nopony seemed to be storming into the file room where the two pegasi were trapped.

Soarin examined the high-tech metal door, uttering, “For a buncha old mages, they’re pretty advanced in technology!” The menacing whine of the alarm echoed outside, and he added, “It won’t be long before those mages find us!”

Scootaloo began to bang her hooves on the steel door, looking for some kind of weakness. Realizing the solid steel plating wasn’t going to budge, the filly turned her attention to the mirror-like window. Determined to escape, she began to charge against the glass, using her tiny wings as leverage. She continued to throw her body against the window, and soon Soarin joined in to help.

However, the twos’ effort seemed to be futile, and the window looked no worse for the wear. Soarin backed away from the wall, trying to search the small compartment for any way to escape.

“Scootaloo, this door ain’t gonna budge,” Soarin said, not wanting the young mare to overexert herself.

But Scoots ignored the Wonderbolt’s command, replying, “No, it’s gotta. We can’t just give up!”

“Scoots, stop! You’re just going to hurt yourself!” Soarin said, this time with more force.

This time, the tiny pegasus paused. But when she turned around, Soarin could see something brewing in her eyes; a certain hardiness that, frankly, he had seen in only a handful of ponies. Scootaloo told him defiantly, “That’s never stopped me before!” Then she kept banging against the window, showing no sign of letting up. If anything, it seemed she was going stronger. The thought of being trapped never even crossed Scootaloo’s mind, and her determination powered on.

And she kept going and going. It seemed she would keep going until her tiny wings gave out. And as Soarin watched this little filly, this young, inexperienced child, charge on relentlessly, he couldn’t help but give a grin.

Scootaloo watched the grown pegasus stand next to her, and Soarin said, “You’re scrappy, kiddo. I like that.” Then, working as one, the pegasi rammed against the one-way mirror. Every attack was synchronized perfectly, almost like a true Wonderbolts’ routine. And soon enough, a tiny spider-web crack began to spread from the top corner.

“It’s working!” Scootaloo exclaimed excitedly.

“Just like you said it would, kid,” Soarin said, giving the filly a playful nudge. “Now stand back Scoots. This thing’s gonna crack any moment now. Wouldn’t want you to get cut.”

The filly took her place at the far corner of the room as Soarin grabbed one of the metal chairs. With a loud grunt, the stallion tossed the chair against the hard glass, only for it to fall to the ground with a harmless thud. The pegasus hauled the other chair and tried again, only for the same result to occur.

Soarin turned his attention to the heavy table in the middle of the room. “Hey Scoots, can you help me flip this thing over?” The filly obliged, and the two turned the table on its side, with the table top facing the cracked window.

The Wonderbolt positioned himself so he was against the back wall, his hindlegs coiled like a spring. With the metal table positioned in front like a shield, the flier said, “Get down, kid. This one’s coming in hot!” The flier pushed off the wall with all his might, beating his wings as hard as he could. With a mighty heave, Soarin propelled the metal projectile straight into the glass pane.

xxx

A certain mage by the name of Glovis had taken advantage of the commotion to rummage through his nemesis’s belongings. In doing so, he realized the interrogation room’s door was propped open. Curious, the unlucky thief stepped into the room at exactly the wrong moment.

The mage caught only a glimpse of the table before it crashed through the window and barreled straight into his face, knocking him unconscious. And right after, an orange-blue blur zoomed out of the broken window, flying out of the room and down the corridor.

At the end of the hallway was a window, and beyond that the pegasi could see the tops of trees. However, in their way were hooded unicorns, casting their magical spells and doing whatever they could to impede their flight. Soarin dodged the incoming spells, trying to navigate the narrow hall while keeping the filly on his back steady. Luckily for him, he had done this before in his Wonderbolt training, flying through jagged rocky canyons with cramped crevices and tiny gaps. With the skill of only a trained expert, the flier gracefully maneuvered around the mages, leaving them in his dust.

Finally, the opening was getting closer and closer. And the closer it got, the more Soarin realized how small the window really was. “Hug tight kid, this one’s gonna be close!” he commanded.

At the very last moment, the pegasus folded his wings and tucked in his legs, and the two barely slipped through the tiny window. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves gliding over the treetops, having safely escaped the treacherous tower. Feeling the fresh air flowing through their manes once again, the two pegasi let out a simultaneous, “Whoohoo!”

Soarin glided over the clearing, where Braeburn and Redheart had been waiting anxiously. “Where’s Lucky and Cheerilee?” the blue pegasus asked, depositing the filly safely on the ground.

“Ah don’t know. Ah think they’re still inside, probably at the Arch-Mage’s quarters!” Braeburn replied.

It was all the information Soarin needed. Despite the singed fur and the bleeding wounds from the window, Soarin shot up into the air, his sights set on the looming stone tower.

“Where are you going?” Redheart inquired.

“To get Lucky and Cheerilee! Don’t worry, I’ll be back!” Soarin shouted as he swiftly zoomed away.

xxx

A few minutes earlier

Lucky and Cheerilee found themselves at the very top of the tower, in the Arch-Mage’s bedroom. The entire ceiling was painted to look like the starry sky, complete with diagrams of constellations and galaxies. Shelves lined the walls containing the Arch-Mage’s most private collection of spells and incantations. A mini botanical garden was located in the center of the room, lit up by conjured orbs of light. And a balcony with a single lawn chair hung off the building, no doubt the place where the Arch-Mage did his tanning. Or at least, that’s what Lucky said, much to Cheerilee’s disgust.

As they rummaged through the head mage’s not-so-secret-anymore collection of tomes, Lucky asked, “So…you’re the Miss Cheerilee?”

“What do you mean?” the schoolteacher asked, checking some writing desks.

“Well, I’ve been to Ponyville a couple of times…and the word around the street is that a certain schoolteacher’s single. And you’ve been single for quite some time,” the gambler said smoothly, his voice laced with intimacy.

Surprisingly (for Lucky anyway), Cheerilee snorted and replied sarcastically, “Oh-ho, is that right? And why would you know that?”

Magicking a few books towards his hoof, the unicorn continued, “I’m just wondering how a sweet little darling such as yourself could lack a relationship.”

“Well I assure you, Lucky, that I remain single by choice.”

“And why would that be?” Lucky inquired. He turned around to find the purple mare standing right behind him, her eyes spewing lasers.

Prodding the stallion’s snout angrily, Cheerilee replied, “So I wouldn’t have to go out with snobby, pompous stallions like you."

“I see…” Lucky said, rubbing his nose. Cheerilee went back to the task at head, rummaging through the shelves, thinking she had won this battle. But suddenly, Lucky said coyly, “Has anypony ever told you how dazzling your eyes are when you’re angry?”

His comment was met with a rather large book to the face. Sneering, Cheerilee called, “I found some books here, but they’re all in old Equestrian Language."

After groaning angrily while grasping his eye in pain, Lucky uttered, “Well that’s a bummer now, isn’t it?

Suddenly, a cacophonous sound began to wail throughout the tower, causing the two to jump. The alarm had been sounded, which meant time was running short. And this certainly was not good, especially since the two were trapped in the very brain of the tower’s operations.

As the sound of running stallions rumbled outside, Lucky said urgently, “You said you had a major in language right? Then get translating!” He began to levitate some wardrobes and desks to barricade the door, while Cheerilee quickly scanned the books in her hooves.

Multiple hooves began to beat on the door, and angry shouts were heard outside. The mages outside tackled the door, threatening to break down the make-shift barricade being held together only by Lucky’s magic. The unicorn focused harder, but the mages beat harder and harder as well. Finally, Lucky was forced to throw his body against the wardrobes, shouting, “Come on Cheerilee, I can’t hold them off forever!”

Finally, Cheerilee exclaimed, “This one! Tenebris Magicae et Mysteria! Dark Magic and Mysteries!

“Gee, that’s great. Now we have to get out of here alive for the others to see it!” At that moment, the door was blasted open by the mages combined magic. Lucky felt the brunt of the impact, sliding across the floor.

Cheerilee helped the unicorn up as he shouted, “Keep holding on to me!”

Five mages began to pour into the room, with one proclaiming, “We have you now, intruders!” But to his surprise, nopony was there. The room was obviously ransacked and rummaged, with desk drawers wide open and shelves cleaned. But the one thing it lacked was an actual intruder.

“Search the room, I know they’re here,” the lead stallion commanded. The five heeded his orders and fanned out, scouring the room for the duo.

Unbeknownst to them, Lucky and Cheerilee were hiding in plain sight. The two were crouched low next to the bookshelves, rendered completely invisible by Lucky’s magic. “Let’s move,” Lucky’s voice whispered, emanating from nowhere. With the teacher keeping contact with his body, the unicorn began to slowly tip-toe his way towards the exit. The duo had to weave their way around the five mages, almost brushing against them more than a few times. But it seemed their ruse was working, and they would escape the room with their lives.

Their minds were so clouded with excitement that they had failed to notice the books strewn across the ground from the initial blast. Cheerilee tripped over the small obstacle, giving a shriek as she toppled to the ground, bringing the gambler down with her. Lucky’s concentration was broken, and the two began to fade back into existence, their eyes wide with fear.

Lucky was no novice to escaping sticky situations, however. Before the mages could react, the unicorn shot up, grasping Cheerilee’s hoof tightly, and made a mad dash for the balcony.

The two ponies galloped into the outside air, gusts of wind blowing heavily due to the high altitude. Lucky trotted to the edge, peering down at the ground below…and the forty stories of nothing but air separating them. The unicorn turned back towards the inside, only to find they were trapped by the mages. The five magicians were closing in slowly, with wicked grins plastered on their wrinkled faces.

Cheerilee looked back at the edge uneasily, saying, “What do we do?”

The gambler took a long look at the forty-story plunge behind them, contemplating what he was about to say. The unicorn weighed the situation in his mind, anxiously switching back and forth between the mages and the edge. It was then that he realized that, amidst all the adrenaline and terror, he felt a certain feeling in his gut. That feeling he’d always get during a game of cards.

With no more time to think, Lucky uttered, “We’ve gotta jump!”

“What?” Cheerilee retorted, looking at the stallion like he was insane. “No! Y-You’re crazy!”

“Cheerilee, it’s the only way!” Lucky replied, stunningly calm.

“I can’t…” the schoolteacher muttered, stepping away from the edge.

“You can! I know we’ll be safe!” The unicorn stretched out his hoof as the wind blew through his spiky mane. With the most soothing tone he could muster, Lucky pled, “You just have to believe me!”

Cheerilee stared into Lucky’s light blue eyes, which seemed to tug at her very heart. And for some reason, they compelled her to believe him.

With a shaky nod, the mare took the stallion’s hoof, holding ever so tightly. Then, closing their eyes, the two took a leap of faith.

Frankly, Lucky no idea how they’d be safe. Perhaps he’d try a teleportation spell, or some kind of spell that would sprout wings. Of course, he had never done any of those in his entire life. Well, there’s a first time for everything, Lucky thought as the duo fell through the sky, with the ground coming up devilishly fast.

Fortunately for him, there was no need for sprouting wings. For they already had a pair, or more accurately, were dangling off of them. At that moment, Soarin swooped in, catching the falling ponies with his strong body.

“Gotcha! Pretty good catch, huh?” Soarin shouted, flying around the tower, nimbly dodging incoming fireballs and lightning bolts. Cheerilee had landed safely on his back, while Lucky dangled off his hindlegs. However, the impact had caused Cheerilee’s pack to fly open, and the Dark Magic book flipped out, tumbling through the air.

“Soarin! That book-!” the teacher cried, pointed towards the falling object.

“I’m on it!” The pegasus darted towards the falling tome, snatching it in his teeth. Then, like a whip, he quickly jutted back up at breakneck speeds. The turn was so abrupt that Cheerilee’s grip began to slip. Finally, with Soarin’s speedy acceleration, the teacher simply couldn’t hold on any longer.

She felt her hoof release the pegasus’s fur, and her heart seemed to stop as cruel gravity began to take over. Cheerilee braced herself for her plummet to her imminent doom.

But doom would just have to wait. Before she could slip away, Lucky wrapped his foreleg firmly around hers, shouting, “I gotcha!” The teacher looked up at the fancy stallion, whose face was lit up with a relieved grin. A grin that, for some crazy reason, calmed her.

Soarin flew the duo down to the edge of the forest, saying, “Phew, you guys are heavy!” He gave the book to Cheerilee, who thanked him with a kind nod. The pegasus turned back to the tower, and to his shock, he saw mages streaming out of the main doorway, no doubt looking for the escapees.

Without hesitation, Soarin ordered, “You two run ahead! The rest are waiting at the clearing! I’ll keep ‘em off you guys!”

“What if they catch you?” Cheerilee asked worriedly.

The Wonderbolt gave a confident smirk and replied, “You kidding? I’m one of the fastest pegasi in the entire world! I’m not gonna let some crusty magicians lay a hoof on me!” Then the pegasus launched himself into the sky, preparing for a fly-by over the tower.

Lucky and Cheerilee only stayed long enough for a glimpse of the Wonderbolt daringly dodging the incoming spells, providing a perfect distraction. The last thing the saw before they ventured into the forest was Soarin looping through the air with a thundercloud streak trailing behind him.

Xxx

The sun had traversed past its apex, and was now beginning to slowly descend over the land. It had been about thirty minutes since the escape, and five ponies sat at the far edge of the foliage, away from that blasted sanctuary. Frankly, they had wanted to get as far away from those Frost Star Mages as possible, if it wasn’t for the fact that Soarin wasn’t back yet.

Scootaloo sat on a smooth rock, worry printed on her young features. She uttered, “What if something happened to him?”

“Don’t worry Scootaloo. He’ll be alright,” Cheerilee answered, disguising the worry she had with a kind smile.

Suddenly, the sound of bushes rustling caught the groups attention. The two stallions, Braeburn and Lucky, sprang up. Lucky’s horn was glowing, and he said impatiently, “You’d best not be trying to pick a fight, mate! We’ve had enough!”

A voice from behind the bush answered, “Chill out, dude. It’s just me.” The figure stepped out from the foliage into the light, revealing himself to be none other than the lovable Wonderbolt.

The group breathed a sigh of relief, and Redheart exclaimed, “Soarin! Thank Celestia, you’re all right!”

“See? I told ya I’d be-argh!” The Wonderbolt doubled over, wincing as pain shot up his side. Redheart immediately rushed over to steady the pegasus, only to find a deep burn running up his hindleg.

“Soarin, you’re hurt!” the nurse told him, examining the wound.

“Yeah. I guess one of ‘em grazed me with some kind of spell. Luckily, they didn’t get my wings. Doesn’t seem too bad.” He tried to lower his damaged limb to the ground, only for another jolt to make his leg cringe.

The nurse held him steady, saying calmly, “Now hold on, Soarin. I can fix you up.” Redheart took some bandages from her sack, and began to meticulously work her way around the wound. With a steady touch and a keen eye, the medic did exactly what she was born to do: heal.

While she fixed Soarin up, Cheerilee said jokingly, “I thought you said those ‘crusty magicians’ couldn’t lay a hoof on you.

“Well, technically it was a spell,” the Wonderbolt replied coolly.

Braeburn chuckled and said, “You’re jus’ getting burned all over the place, ain’t you?”

Redheart had almost finished her treatment, with only one final step to go. Grasping the bandage tightly in her mouth, the nurse warned, “Now I’m going to warn you. This is going to hurt!”

“How bad could it be-YEEEEOOOW!” Soarin shouted as the nurse jerked hard on the bandage.

“OWWWwww….ahhh,” the flier sighed as the searing pain which had dug deep into his body began to slowly fade away. Before he knew it, he was flexing his leg without any trouble at all. If anything, it was almost as if he was better than before. “Wow, I feel…awesome! Thanks nurse!”

“No problem. But…you know…try not to scream like a little filly next time,” Redheart said with a light-hearted wink.

Seeing that the nurse’s work was finished, Braeburn immediately leapt to his hooves, saying , “Well now that we’re all here, let’s head on back to Canterlot! Ah can’t wait to show the princess how well we did!”

“I’m not sure how almost getting captured or tortured or killed constitutes as ‘doing well’, but I’d be happy just to get as far away from this forest as possible,” Lucky uttered snidely, rolling up his sleeves.

With the sun now setting over the horizon amidst a crimson sky, the Elements of Love headed down the path they had come from, their sights set on Canterlot.

Xxx

Back at the Frost Star Sanctuary, and old mage sat in his room atop the tower, sifting through his trashed belongings. A robed pegasus accompanied the Arch-Mage, helping to clean up the mess.

The pegasus said brashly, “Surely you’re not going to let those intruders escape are you? After what they did to this sanctuary?”

But the elder mage’s voice was not panicked, nor angry. It was deep, quiet, and above all, calming. He told the stallion, “On the contrary, young one. That is exactly what we are going to do. Well almost…”

Staring out the balcony window, the Arch-Mage’s dark hood concealed the wicked smile on his face. He uttered, “Hear me, my loyal servant, and follow my orders. For they will all be of use to us…whether they know it or not.”

Trotting to Trottingham

The march back to Canterlot was, all in all, as uneventful as the journey away from it. Aside from Scootaloo getting them lost (Lucky complained, “Whose idea was it to let a filly give directions anyway?”), the six somehow managed to find their way back to Equestria’s capital.

To their surprise, they weren’t greeted with a warm welcome from their princess commandant Cadance. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The moment the six walked through the gates, they were swarmed by Royal Guards who proceeded to tear off their packs and roughly prod them towards the castle.

Once they had arrived (or more accurately, been thrown) into the throne room, their packs were given back to them (once again, thrown). Once the six had indignantly picked themselves up off of the floor, they found Cadance sitting in the throne patiently.

“I’m sorry for the…hastiness of the guards,” Cadance said apologetically. “When there are three princesses residing in a single castle, security tends to be extremely tight.” Motioning towards their bags with a nod, the alicorn added, “I trust you come back with good news.”

“We do, Your Majesty,” Cheerilee said joyously. She plucked her pack from Soarin’s eye, grabbing the book inside with her teeth. She placed the tome before the alicorn’s hooves, giving a slight courteous bow. Next, little Scootaloo hopped over to Cadance, giving her the photo journal with a jubilant smile.

Finally, the princess turned to Braeburn and Redheart expectantly. But all the two had to show for their work was two pairs of empty hooves and some singed fur. Out of habit, Braeburn took off his hat respectfully and began, “Ah’m sorry Princess Cadance. We weren’t able to come back with anythin’.”

“Actually,” Redheart interrupted. “I do remember something. The Arch-Mage said they unearthed a spell book of dark magic near Trottingham, seemed to be thousands of years old. But it was stolen weeks ago, and we didn’t get the chance to ask who the thief was. But they said he murdered two ponies.”

Upon hearing this, the pink alicorn’s expression hardened, her brow furrowed in dire urgency. She began to magically flip through the journal Scootaloo had given her, uttering, “Well this certainly is unwelcome news. That is a lot of power to put in the hooves of some mysterious...and murderous thief. And I’d be willing to bet that this is connected to the shadow sucking up my kingdom.”

Cadance held the book up for the others to see. It held photos of the spell book in question, some strange artifacts and carvings, as well as random scribblings and ruminations made by the journal’s owner. “That book was unearthed in Trottingham, and these photos you recovered validate that point,” she recited. She flipped over to a blurry photo of a shadowy figure, whose face was practically obscured by the hazy picture. “They also tell of a pony known only as ‘Shade’, who seems to be the expert who identified this dark magic tome.”

The princess snapped the book shut, and surveyed the fine group of ponies before her. Although her features were hardened, her eyes told a story of anxiety and fear. “I suppose that’s the best lead we’ve got. I’m so sorry to ask you to do this so soon after your last mission, but with every second the shadow continues to grow. You six are to travel to Trottingham and find this ‘Shade’, get him to tell you everything he knows. If he’s the number one expert in dark magic, it wouldn’t surprise me if he knows something about the shadow.”

Lucky, who had until now been taking it in apathetically, raised his eyebrows upon Cadance’s order. He repeated nervously, “Trottingham?”

Cadance replied patiently, “Yes…that is what I said. Is something the matter?”

“What? No, I’m…positively dandy. It’s just…do we have to go? I mean, can’t you send some guards or something?” Lucky replied.

“If I had the resources I would, but that’s not the only reason. I need you six to come together as one team, and the only way to do that with the amount of time we have is to throw you into the heat of battle. Figuratively of course.”

“Well…do I have to come?”

This time, Cadance waved her hoof dismissively, telling him, “Well of course you do! You’re a crucial part of the Elements of Love! Where they go, you go. And vice-versa!” Lucky wanted to make up another excuse, but a stern glare from both Brae and Cheerilee sent him grumbling his complaints.

The regal princess continued, “You are to travel as soon as possible. Feel free to take any supplies from the castle kitchen. I will not be there to guide you this time, so be on your guard. In the meantime, my aunts and I will translate this book. Anything else to say?”

“Ah’m just sorry we let those mages see us,” Brae said. “It got pretty crazy in there.”

“Crazy…like ‘almost captured by merciless mages’ crazy. We had to jump off a building, you believe that?” Lucky muttered with his hooves crossed, still obviously disgruntled.

“Hey, I caught you didn’t I?” Soarin remarked.

To this, Cadance gave a bright smile that could liven up even the darkest of rooms. She said light-heartedly, “On the contrary, Braeburn, I couldn’t be happier. This wasn’t just a mission to find the information, but a test to prove whether or not you could handle being a team. And, despite the problems, I think you passed with flying colors.”

Going through the elements one by one, the pink alicorn remarked, “You all showed why you are deserving of the Elements of Love, using your unique talents to escape. Braeburn, you used the truth to get into the Arcaneum. Redheart, you showcased understanding when helping Soarin with his injury. Scootaloo, you persevered to escape from that interrogation room. Soarin, you were willing to risk your life so your friends could get away safely. And Lucky, you took a leap of faith, even though you didn’t know what was at the bottom of that fall.”

“This was the first time your skills have been put to the test, and it most certainly won’t be the last. You are all skilled in your own way, and you have proven your mettle and your might. So go, my Bearers of Love, and use your talents to put a stop to this evil!” Spurred on by Cadance’s riveting speech, the six ponies scrambled out of the throne room with their next objective tucked into their brains. As her bearers went off, Cadance gave a short chuckle and sat herself on the throne, searching through the Tenebris Magicae.

However, while the others marched out the throne room, one pony lagged behind. The mare was Cheerilee, who had something gnawing at the back of her mind. She went up the Cadance timidly, and said, “Princess, back when you said we all used our elements to escape…I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.”

“And why would you think that?” the princess questioned, keeping her regal air about her.

“Well, you said how the others used their elements…except me. How did I fit in all of this?”

To Cheerilee’s surprise, Cadance broke away from her princess-like behavior, shutting the book with a coy grin. Her eyes were wily and sly, and her voice was all-knowing and low. "Besides the whole translating thing?" the love conjurer said. “Believe me, you showed passion…just probably not in the way you had expected.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh-ho-ho…I mean…the way you looked into Lucky’s eyes on that balcony. And again when he saved you from falling…”

“Excuse me?”

The princess leaned against the throne nonchalantly, with one brow raised. “Cheerilee, I’m the Princess of Love. I know these things when I see them.”

“Are you…are you saying that I…him…” Cheerilee’s voice trailed off in shock.

“All I’m saying is that passion can manifest in more ways than one. It could be through your work, your talents or…well…you know.”

Cheerilee could only give a nervous chuckle, scratching her leg awkwardly. She could practically feel her cheeks glowing, which she tried to hide from the grinning royal. “No offense princess, but I think you’re blowing it out of proportion,” the schoolteacher said. Then she scuffled her way out the room, muttering, “Me…him…that pompous stallion…no…”

Behind her, Cadance shook her head slowly at the teacher’s plight, unable to stifle the gentle grin she would always give when she saw this kind of thing. Ah yes...it’s complicated, she thought smugly as she grasped the ancient book for translation.

xxx

Lucky stood idly in the courtyard, leaning on the fountain just as he had done the previous day. This time, however, it was the others who conversing quietly, while Lucky stayed silent. The gambler’s mane was more frazzled than before, and he stared blankly at the ground. The word Trottingham kept echoing in his mind, filling him with anxiety, fear, nervousness, and basically making him feel completely terrible. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice Scootaloo poking his flank with a stick.

“Scootaloo, you should probably stop doing that,” Redheart said sternly.

“Whatever,” Scootaloo replied, giving the unicorn an odd stare. She hopped over to Soarin, who began to tell her a partially true story about a Wonderbolts race.

Then Cheerilee appeared out of nowhere, looking very occupied with something. Soarin saw this, and asked, “Oh there you are Cheerilee. Where’d you go?”

Happy that it wasn’t Braeburn asking the question, the teacher lied, “Ahh…to the mare’s room.”

“Well, we got you some stuff from the kitchen,” the flier said, tossing her a bag of treats. “I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just got you a bunch of pies.”

The teacher inspected the bag’s contents, only to find that every single one had a huge bite taken out of them. “Soarin…why are all these pies half eaten?”

The pegasus only answered with a cool smile and snicker. Then he whistled towards the quiet unicorn, saying, “Hey Lucky, you never told us what you did for a living.”

“That’s because it’s none of your business,” the unicorn spat on impulse, looking away from the blue pegasus.

Braeburn certainly was none too happy with Lucky’s attitude. Before Soarin got a chance to reply, the cowpony swaggered over to the unicorn, and with a sarcastic smile, he said, “Whoa, somepony’s a lil’ cranky. What’s wrong partner, somepony spit in yer bagel?”

Meeting the yellow stallion’s hardy gaze with one of his own, Lucky said, annoyed, “Listen friend, I’m not too excited about being dragged along in all this…especially since I’m being dragged to Trottingham.”

“What’s in Trottingham?” Scootaloo piped.

“Like I said, none of your business.”

“Well Ah beg to differ, Lucky. How are we supposed to trust you if yer keepin secrets from us?” Braeburn inquired.

The unicorn turned around, staring sadly into the fountain’s rippling water. He watched his own distorted reflection whirl in turmoil, much like his own muddled thoughts. Finally, he said quietly, “Sometimes those secrets are more of a…personal matter. Let’s just say I’m a very rich stallion, okay? And Trottingham was…where it all started.” He whirled around, looked Brae straight in the eye, and added, “And that, mate, is the truth.”

Braeburn decided he was satisfied with the answer, nodding his head. And he had also decided that there was no more time for rest. Suddenly, he slapped the unicorn’s back playfully, proclaiming, “Well then, since you know where Trottingham is, why don’t you lead on?”

Seeing as though his choices were practically non-existent, Lucky rolled his eyes and uttered, “Haven’t got much of a choice, mate. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to like it.”

Scoots cried out, “Yeah, time for an adventure! My friends are gonna be so jealous!” as the six began their journey to Trottingham, with Lucky leading the pack.

xxx

An hour later, the group had traversed far from Equestria’s capital, walking along one of the many dirt roads that sprawled throughout the land. To one side, there was a small stream running parallel to the trail. The opposite side was bordered by tall maple trees, still furnished by orange and yellow leaves despite the fact that winter had begun once again.

Lucky had been silently leading his companions, who had no choice but to trust the unicorn’s instincts. So far, the gambler hadn’t steered them wrong yet, as they hadn’t faced any problems since their departure. Lucky bit heartily into a poppy seed bagel, while the ponies behind him nibbled on whatever snacks they had decided to bring along.

“I wish I had my scooter,” a tired Scootaloo said, her hooves dragging across the dirt. “It’d be so much easier than walking.”

“You ride, Scoots?” a flying Soarin asked, who, unsurprisingly, showed no sign of fatigue.

“Heck yeah! They don’t call me ‘Scooter-loo’ for nothing!” the filly replied, bounding up and down, imagining the wind through her mane as she whizzed through the forest on her set of wheels.

“Really? Who calls you that?” Cheerilee asked.

“Umm…myself?”

Suddenly, Lucky came to a stop in the middle of the road. The unexpected halt caused Braeburn to crash into the unicorn, and Redheart into Braeburn, and so on until five ponies lay on the ground, dazed. Soarin hovered over his fallen comrades, gave a quick chuckle, and said, “And I thought I was the one with the hard landings.”

Lucky quickly picked himself off the dirt, scrunching his snout at his now dusty vest. And he tediously brushed the dirt off his signature outfit, Braeburn asked, “Why’d we stop?”

“Because,” Lucky said while rolling his sleeves back up. “We need to go that way.” The stallion pointed down a path the others hadn’t noticed before, almost covered by low-hanging bushes and branches. But though the foliage, one could plainly make out a pale, dark forest further down the dirt. An eerie, haunted wooded grove known to many as the Everfree forest. And for some reason, they swore they could hear thunder, even though there was not a cloud in sight.

Most of the group stared at the gloomy forest and back to Lucky as though he had gone completely insane. The unicorn, however, was completely oblivious, and he began to trek down the measly path.

Before he could get any farther, he felt a small hoof tug on his tail. He veered his neck around to see little Scootaloo grasping his tail, with the others staying behind. “What’s wrong, mates? Never gone into a forest before?

“Don't you know? That place is totally haunted! Nopony ever goes in the Everfree!” Scootaloo said, followed by the roar of thunder.

The unicorn began, “Don’t sweat it. The Everfree…” However, Lucky was suddenly interrupted by the sound of thunder emanating from nowhere in particular.

“The Everfree…” Another roar.

“Ahem…That place, is completely safe. There’s a shortcut through here; I know what I’m doing,” Lucky replied assuredly, dismissing the others with a shake of his head. “Well? You coming or not?” Seeing as though there was no other possible way, the rest grudgingly followed Lucky down the dark path, but not without giving sharp scowls.

The moment the group crossed into the Everfree, everything immediately became darker. Even though it was not even noon yet, the place was as dark as night. Scootaloo shrank timidly, but Lucky assured, “Don’t worry, that happens all the time. We can still see, right?”

“Doesn’t make this place any less creepy,” the orange pegasus replied, taking refuge near Soarin’s legs.

From above, the faint hooting of an owl resonated, and below, the chirping of multiple crickets rang out. The trees were so dense; it was a miracle the six could even pass through. Their branches were long, crooked and bare, reaching towards the path like claws searching for a meal. Thick roots littered the path, causing the ponies to stumble. And for some reason, the trees seemed to be laughing at them, mocking them.

Suddenly, Cheerilee stopped. “What was that?” she whispered, perking her ears.

“What was what? I don’t hear anything,” Nurse Redheart said, trying to pick up what the teacher was hearing.

“You sure you aren’t overreacting, teach?” Soarin whispered.

“There it is again!” Cheerilee said anxiously. She looked at her companions and asked, “Can’t you hear it? It’s like a…like a…moaning.”

Suddenly as if on cue, black shapes began to seep out of the darkness, appearing as though they were part of the shadows themselves. They seemed to have no features whatsoever, just a pitch-black body in a sea of darkness. The only visible features were pairs of red eyes, which contained no emotion or feeling, only the carnal instinct of a true predator. The group felt as vulnerable as prey, taken completely off guard by the creepy beasts. Then without warning, the monsters swiftly began to charge towards the six, giving off an eerie guttural groan.

One tried to make a move for Redheart, but Braeburn’s hoof connected with the beast before it could come close. “What in tarnation?!” the cowpony screamed as he protected the group with a flurry of bucks.

Soarin gave Scootaloo to the care of the nurse, and began to help Braeburn hold them off. The Wonderbolt swooped around, dodging the lunging beasts while handing out a few hits himself. Cheerilee even tried to help, shoving the shadows away so Braeburn or Soarin could dispatch them. At this point, Lucky joined in, trying to destroy the shadows with a bout of arcane fire. But for some reason, the stallion’s magic seemed to do nothing. In fact, it made the beasts grow bigger and faster.

“What the heck are these things?” Lucky exclaimed, realizing that his spell weren’t doing a thing.

“This forest is haunted!” Scootaloo shouted fearfully.

After knocking another shadow away, Braeburn cried, “Ah thought you said this shortcut was safe!”

“I’ve been through here numerous times, but I’ve never seen these things before in my life!” the unicorn answered, frustrated. “Cheerilee, you know anything?”

“No!” the teacher yelled, using her bag of pies as a weapon.

“I know what they are,” Soarin stated, tackling straight though a shadow, causing it to evaporate into nothingness. Then with a stern voice, the pegasus uttered, “They’re bad news, bro.”

EDIT: Update right before server change...hope this is a good idea...

NEVER Go in the Everfree

“Why can’t we ever get a break?” Lucky screamed angrily, having resorted to using his bare hooves to attack the shadowy beasts. The six were surrounded on all sides, with the attackers showing no signs of letting up. The forest was as black as midnight, making it difficult to see the already dark shadows.

Braeburn was using his hindlegs to buck the monsters wildly. The cowpony backed into something and impulsively lashed out at the object. A quick shout was heard above the commotion, and Lucky’s face appeared out of the darkness, grasping his jaw. “Watch it, mate. I’d like to keep my teeth intact, thank you very much,” the unicorn said angrily before turning back to the fight at hand.

But it seemed like a futile effort. Everywhere there was darkness, and out of it spawned the nasty creatures. Cheerilee realized this first, shouting, “Every time we destroy one, another takes its place!”

After dispatching another shadow, Lucky glanced around the foliage, trying to remember the way out. Thinking quickly, he launched a bolt of fire into a few trees, toppling them over and creating an exit. “C’mon, mates! Follow me!” the witty unicorn shouted, hopping over the fallen trees.

But before she could follow, Redheart cried, “Wait! Where’s Scootaloo!”

At the mention of the filly, Soarin quickly wheeled around, scanning the commotion. Finally, he spotted the orange pegasus, who was backed into a wall by a few of those shadows.

“Soarin!” the filly cried as one began to reach out for her, four tendrils sprouting out if its back.

“You stay away from her!” Soarin cried, willing his wings to zoom towards the filly. The monster’s tentacles inched closer and closer, until it was almost touching the filly’s maroon mane.

That was as close as it got. In one swift move, Soarin lowered his head and bashed straight through the shadow, scattering it into the darkness. Then he scooped up the tiny pegasus and quickly veered away from the surrounding beasts, weaving through the large tree trunks. One monster leapt towards the Wonderbolt, causing him to sharply turn. He escaped the shadow’s attack, but in doing so, a large branch pierced his flank, leaving a gash in his side. But it didn’t seem as though Soarin cared, and he and Scootaloo whizzed into the path where Lucky and the others had gone.

The pegasi soon caught up with the other Elements, who were zigzagging their way through the forest. Ignoring the pain, Soarin placed the filly on Redheart’s back, giving the group some support from above.

Up ahead were Braeburn and Lucky, who were mercilessly shoving the shadows that got in the way. Although they had been galloping through the Everfree for only ten minutes, it felt more like hours to the tired elements.

Swatting a shadow away for what seemed to be the hundredth time, Braeburn complained, “Ah thought you said this was a shortcut!”

His voice oozing with sarcasm, Lucky answered, “Sorry mate, I had to make some route changes with those BUGGIN’ MURDEROUS BEASTS CHASING US!”

Another ten minutes of running, and Braeburn was beginning to wonder if the unicorn really knew was he was doing. But before long, Lucky called, “I see sunlight up ahead!”

The others looked forward where, sure enough, the noontime sun was peeking through the dense forest. They galloped faster towards the exit, relief flushing their bodies. The light began to glow brighter and brighter, until finally the group jumped through the foliage and into the warm sun.

Having escaped the Everfree and the evil monsters, they immediately collapsed into the green field they found themselves in. Never before had any of them felt so happy to be in sunshine.

“Whew, that was quite a run,” Braeburn uttered, wiping the sweat on his brow with his hat. He glanced around at his teammates with a relieved smile.

But that smile soon disappeared. The cowpony immediately jerked up, saying, “Wait a sec’, where’s Cheerilee?”

Lucky shot up as well, gave one glance back at the forest, and muttered, “Oh you’ve gotta be buckin' kidding me.”

The unicorn was ready to gallop into the forest, but he was held back by somepony biting on his tail. Behind him, Braeburn said, “Ah’m comin with you!”

Lucky gave the cowpony a skeptical glare, none too pleased with the way Braeburn treated him. But in the end, the gambler rolled his eyes and said, “Okay fine. But the rest of you, stay here!” With that the two shot into the woods together, neither one particularly enjoying the other’s company.

xxx

As much as she didn’t want to say it, Cheerilee was one thing. Hopelessly lost. To make matters worse, she was lost in a forest with shadowy monsters lurking around, and the only ponies who knew she was there were missing. Not to mention she was only armed with a sack of half-eaten pastries and an extensive knowledge of language and biology. I’m a teacher, not a fighter, the mare thought, stepping over roots and fallen trees.

Suddenly, she heard a moaning. The very same moaning she had heard before. “Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Cheerilee whispered, clenching the bag between her teeth. To her horror, the shadows began to creep out of the darkness, their red eyes piercing the gloom. They were slowly coming towards her, like a predator who knew its prey had no chance of escape.

Cheerilee tried her best to hide her fear, swinging her bag while saying, “S-stay back! I’ve got pies!” But her hooves were shaking, and her eyes gave way to pure terror. This isn’t exactly how I imagined I would go, the teacher thought grimly. The primal shadows had her surrounded, and every step they took was one step closer to doom.

Then, all at once, the beasts shot forward. Cheerilee closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact.

There was a loud thud, the first thing that ran through her mind was, I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead. It took Cheerilee a few seconds to realize she was still standing. It took her another few seconds to find the courage to actually open her eyes. She found herself underneath a dome of light green, a force field, and the shadows had completely vanished due to the impact. More were beginning to seep out of the surrounding area, their sights set on the mare encased in the magic bubble.

“Absorb that, you damn freaks,” Lucky’s voice shouted from the foliage. Suddenly, the unicorn jumped out, using the force field to repel the incoming attackers. He made his way to the mare curled up on the ground, while Braeburn dealt with the rest of the beasts.

Lucky dissipated the bubble and help Cheerilee up. She responded dreamily, “Thank you…”

Then, realizing what she had just did, the teacher cleared her throat and said, “I mean…ahem…thanks for the…assistance.”

“No time for dilly-dallying Cheerilee!” The unicorn ran towards the way he had come, saying, “You have time to thank me later!”

The duo was followed by Braeburn, who with a final kick, shouted triumphantly, “Nopony messes with Señor de la Kickeroo! YEEHAW!”

xxx

The trio bursted out of the Everfree, surprising the other trio. The group unanimously decided to take a break away from the forest, so the six ventured a little bit further until they came upon a grassy knoll. There, they laid down together, basking in the glory of Celestia’s great orb of fire.

For a while, the six were quiet, some trying to get a nap. Finally, Soarin stated, “Well that was…unexpected.”

As much as she wanted to push the memory of those shadows out of her brain, there was something about those beasts that made Cheerilee feel uneasy. Despite their lack of features, for some reason they felt…familiar.

The teacher asked, “Was it just me, or did those things…look like ponies?”

“I thought so too,” Redheart agreed, and Cheerilee felt relieved that she wasn’t going crazy. “Those shadows seemed to move around like…like us. On four legs.”

Speaking calmly, Braeburn told the others, “Whatever they were, the princess said something about shadows attackin’ her kingdom. An’ those things seem to fit the bill.”

“Well the princess did say something about a deadly unknown force. So there ya go,” Soarin added, almost too casually.

Lucky asked in disbelief, “You’re telling me that that thing taking over the Crystal Kingdom is chasing us now?”

“Well…If you put it like that, it sounds pretty bad.”

With a scoff, the unicorn muttered, “Buggin’ understatement of the year.”

Soarin scooted on over to Scootaloo, who laid on her belly with her head cradled in her hooves. The stallion asked softly, “You ‘ight Scoots?”

The young pegasus gave a small smile and replied, “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Takes more than some stupid shadows to break me.” However, the shadows and their glowing red eyes were still fresh in her mind, as well as the thought of Soarin rescuing her. She looked up at the Wonderbolt’s strong green eyes and whispered, “But um…still…thanks.”

“No problem, kiddo. I got your back,” the stallion said confidently, trying to take seat next to her. But when his bottom touched the ground, pain flared up into his body. Soarin had completely forgotten about his wound, which was still very much open and bleeding.

“Soarin, you’re hurt!” the filly exclaimed.

Away from the rest of the group, Nurse Redheart motioned for the pegasus to come over, calling, “Soarin! Let me take care of that cut for you.”

The stallion fluttered over to the nurse, and sat so his rump was facing her. He was a bit embarrassed, but the Wonderbolt nonetheless said politely, “Thanks Redheart.”

Redheart didn’t answer, completely stone-faced. “Umm, thanks?” Soarin said again, still to no reply.

His wound was bright red, and the branch had cut very deep into his flank. Redheart worked unfalteringly, taking out some stiches she had requested back at Canterlot.

“You’re not fazed by much, are you?” the pegasus uttered, looking at Redheart’s stolid face.

This time she answered, saying quietly, “I’ve seen all kinds of injuries, Soarin. I don’t get very surprised by anything nowadays.” She manuevered her needle carefully into Soarin's cut, working with a precision not even a magic-user could emulate.

Soon the wound was all stitched up, and yet Soarin still felt a jarring pain in his flank. But then Redheart did something quite unusual. She pressed her hoof against the sealed wound, closing her eyes. To the pegasus’s surprise, his pain suddenly washed away, leaving him feeling as though nothing had happened. The nurse took her hoof off the wound, exhaled a deep breath, and opened her eyes. Soarin thought he saw a quick flicker in Redheart’s eyes, but they soon reverted to the usual calm, stolid expression.

The duo stood up, and as though she was making idle conversation, Redheart said, “So looks like Scootaloo’s taken quite a liking to you.”

Soarin answered, “Scoots? Yeah, she’s a feisty one if you catch my…”

Suddenly, the nurse pulled hard on his collar, so that his face was close to hers. “Drift?” he uttered, staring into the nurse’s now fiery eyes.

With her voice low, the mare warned, “If anything happens to that filly…I don’t care whether you’re a celebrity or not, there will be consequences, understand?”

She let go of Soarin, her face reverting back to its composed state. Soarin, who was taken completely aback by Redheart’s sudden change, began to back away slowly. With her warning still ringing in his ears, the Wonderbolt uttered, “H-how can you say that with a straight face?”

Meanwhile, while that pair of stallion and mare talked, another pair conversed. Lucky strode over to Cheerilee, who was glaring up at the puffy clouds traversing slowly across the sky. She saw the unicorn coming toward her, and immediately began to look completely uninterested.

“Starin’ at the clouds, are we now?” Lucky inquired charmingly, winking at the mare.

Feigning lack of interest, Cheerilee replied, “Huh? Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you coming.”

The unicorn sat down next to her, following her eyes to the clouds above. Lucky told her smoothly, “Quite a close call back there, Cheerilee. Good thing I came along when I did.”

“Yeah…” was all the mare could muster. Decided that her answer was insufficient, Cheerilee asserted, “Well, um, to be fair, I probably could have gotten out of there anyway without your help.”

“Well I hardly think so,” Lucky disagreed, giving her a look that could only be described as, What in the bloody hell do you mean?

“Well you…never know,” the teacher quickly said. Then, trying to change the subject, she claimed, “I think I hear Redheart calling me.”

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“No, no, I heard her. COMING REDHEART!” Cheerilee swiftly got to her hooves and began to walk towards the white mare.

A confused voice said, “I didn’t call-“

“Of course you did!” the teacher interrupted, while Lucky was left watching her in puzzlement.

Next to him, a little filly spoke, “Jeez, Miss Cheerilee’s really weird.”

“You’re telling me, kid,” the unicorn replied. He began to venture off, trying to find a bit of alone time, something he had been severely lacking since the beginning of this adventure. He took out a bagel and began to eat it absently, but to his surprise, the pegasus began to follow him.

“Don’t you have some Wonderbolt to cling to?” the unicorn asked.

“I would, but Soarin’s actin’ all weird and stuff too. So I guess I’ll just hang with you,” Scootaloo shrugged.

“Why hang with me?”

With a laid-back tone, the filly answered, “Well, because you don’t seem too bad of a guy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you ain’t bad mister. And believe me, there are some pretty mean ponies at my school. But you…you’re alright.”

The stallion could only shrug his eyebrows, the little filly’s comment making him think more than it should have. He didn't know why, but it made him feel...decent. It was a little odd.

The duo stopped atop a grassy knoll, where the unicorn levitated his bagel away, floating a handkerchief out of his vest to dab at his mouth. He looked down at the orange pegasus, only to see her staring off into the distance. When he followed her eye, he immediately dropped the items in shock. The filly’s face shone with excitement, while the stallion’s drooped with anxiety.

They stood atop the knoll, with the stone cottages of Trottingham waiting below.

Of Snobs, Pickpockets, and Moles

Trottingham. A town where the wealthy met the filth. On one side, the posh mansions of the affluent ruled the streets, where gas lamps lined the cobblestone roads and classy ponies clopped along with their nose held high. In the middle of it all were the stone cottages of the middle-class, with brick chimneys that seemed to perpetually bellow white smoke. The houses were built on a hill, with the road slanting downward gradually. This part seemed much more welcoming than the high-class district, mostly due to the humble workers going about the place with a modest smile.

Then, at the very bottom of it all (both geographically and socially), were the poor. This part was surrounded by chain-fences, as though the rest of Trottingham didn’t want anything to do with it. Here, the housing was meager little shacks, and the heating came from the wood of old broken furniture. Not surprisingly, the ponies had a layer of dirt coating their bodies, and whatever clothes they owned were ragged and worn. If they had any to begin with, that is.

The Elements found themselves near the junction of middle-class and high-class, watching the citizens of Trottingham go about their business. In way, it was much like Canterlot, except the streets were (thankfully) a bit less crowded.

The six strolled along the paved streets, sauntering past a marketplace. At the time, they felt more like tourists than a team of heroes sent to vanquish an evil. The voice of a colt waving a newspaper chanted, “Read all about it! Crystal Kingdom Under Siege: Cadance and Shining Armor Nowhere to be Found!”

Unlike the others, Lucky was not there to just take in the sights. Every now and then he would peer over his back wearily, his eyes skirting around everypony they passed. He uttered, “Never thought I’d be back here so soon.”

“Ah don’t see what the big deal is, Lucky. This place don’t seem all that bad,” Braeburn retorted.

“You’ll soon realize just how stupid you sound, mate,” Lucky replied cynically, only loud enough for Braeburn to hear. The cowpony gave him an ireful glare, but the unicorn was too busy glancing over his shoulder to see it.

The Elements soon found themselves underneath a gazebo in a large square garden. One side was a large menacing building that could only be Town Hall, while across the street was an inn.

“Now that we’ve checked this place out,” Cheerilee began. “How are we going to go about looking for this Shade person?”

Although they all were eager to start investigating, one very big problem still remained. “How are we supposed to do that? Trottingham’s huge!” Scootaloo remarked, whirling her hooves for emphasis.

“Ah dunno, the princess never really clarified on that part,” Braeburn stated, perplexed. All the six were unfamiliar with this new town, much like the Frost Star Sanctuary but on a grander scale. Well...all of the six except…

As if on some imaginary cue, the Elements slowly turned their gaze to Lucky, who was wearily watching a jacketed stallion. The unicorn turned back to find his companions gawking at him expectantly. It was enough to make him feel quite unnerved, and he asked, “What?”

Finally, Lucky realized the purpose of their eager gaze and said, “Oh, I get it. Well just because I come from here doesn’t mean I know everypony. Besides, it’s been years.” He turned his head toward the familiar building of City Hall, and with a restrained voice he uttered, “Most of the ponies I knew…are long gone.”

Cheerilee sensed a quiver in Lucky’s voice, and she found that rather odd coming from a normally prideful unicorn such as himself. But before she could pry, Redheart spoke up, suggesting, “Perhaps we should just ask around, see if anypony’s seen him?”

It wasn’t exactly the best plan, but in this case, the six had to make due. They began to wander around the rich district, asking the citizens as to Shade’s whereabouts. Most of the time, the snooty ponies passed them by with their noses stuck up in the air as though they were superior. And if they did answer, it was with the derogatory, “Peasant,” remark.

Fed up with their rudeness, Scootaloo said loudly, “What’s wrong with these ponies? It’s like they’ve got a pole up their butt or something!”

“Ah can see where you got yer personality from, Lucky,” Braeburn poked, prompting Lucky to scowl, clearly not in the mood.

The six moved on over to the middle district, strolling along the gentle slope, trying to converse with other pedestrians. These ponies were obviously much nicer than their moneyed counterparts, offering as much help as they could. They were met with as much success as their previous attempt however, and the whereabouts of Shade was still unknown.

“Well, at least they actually talked to us,” Soarin said, trying to brighten the mood. Redheart, stone-faced as ever, stifled whatever cheeriness Soarin tried to create, and he could only wince at her as she ignored him.

Soon the group found themselves slowly marching towards the run-down shacks below. Lucky quickly stepped in front of them, saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You don’t wanna go in there, mates. That place has always been bad news.”

“Can’t be that bad. Besides, what if Shade’s in there?” Braeburn answered, continuing on. The rest of the group followed suit, and seeing as though they weren’t going to stop, Lucky has no choice but to sulk in the rear.

They first thing they noticed was that the streets here were much more crowded than in the rich district. Not to mention the streets were narrow and unpaved, and a strange smell of grime and sweat fumed from the premises. It was almost sunset, and the only light source came from burning piles of scrap wood. The eyes of the other pedestrians followed the Elements wherever they went, almost as though they were sizing them up.

“Hey, watch it!” a stallion growled, almost stepping on poor Scoots.

“Yeah, yeah, move it or lose it, bub!” the defiant pegasus replied, earning her the evil eye.

Soarin quickly swept up the filly, whispering, “That’s…probably not a good idea, Scoots.”

Suddenly a mare, probably only a few years older than Scoots, bumped into the Wonderbolt, putting him off-kilter. He watched the pony speed off down the street, a wily grin on her face. “Hey, can’t you watch where you’re going?” he shouted, regardless of his advice earlier. “We’ll see who’s laughing when I air-tackle you to the ground!”

The Wonderbolt cursed under his breath, reaching into his bag because all the shouting made him hungry. But Soarin realized his bag felt much lighter, and after taking a peek inside, he said, “Wait a sec…that mare took some of my food!”

“Told ya this place is bad news,” Lucky replied, munching into a poppy-seed bagel for no apparent reason, leaning against a run-down wooden fence. Between bites he continued, “You’d have more luck…back at the rich district…than trying to get some info from these blokes.”

Unbeknownst to him, as he chewed on his favorite treat, a mischievous stallion was sneaking behind the fence. Thinking Lucky wasn’t paying attention, the pony aimed his magic at a tiny carved-out hole, lifting up the flap of Lucky’s saddlebag.

Suddenly, the thief tensed up, unable to move his body due to the light green magic surrounding him. Lucky casually mopped his mouth with his handkerchief, and without turning around he said, “How cute. You think that just ‘cause I’ve got this designer vest, I’m another stupid lunk with too much cash to notice some stupid idiot sneaking a few coins out of my pocket?”

He whirled around to look at the would-be pickpocket and threatened, “Now bug off before I magic your hoof up your arse.”

Lucky dispersed his telekinesis spell, causing the thief to fall flat on his flank. The ragged stallion snarled at the unicorn, saying, “You better watch your back mister.” Then he stared at Lucky straight in the eye, and a sudden look of realization flashed across his face. “I’ve seen you from somewhere…” the thief uttered. Without elaborating further, he scampered away into a dark alley.

“Pssh, these guys are all bark, no bite!” Scootaloo remarked as she watched the stallion disappear.

Lucky replied, “Believe me, little one. That guy was just a street rat. Let’s hope you don’t meet the real thugs.”

The gambler began to wander down the sidewalk, with the rest of the group trying to catch up. Cheerilee was the first to reach him, walking by his side. She inquired, “He said he’s seen you from somewhere. What’s that about?”

She could have sworn she had seen something flash across Lucky’s face. But it swiftly replaced by an indifferent shrug, and he answer, “Oh that? Probably has me confused with some other poor stallion he stole from. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, okay sweetheart?” As Lucky said this, Cheerilee could only go with it, wishing that she had Braeburn’s ability to detect lies.

Soarin piped, “I’ve got feeling the only thing these crooks are gonna give us are empty pockets. This place is a bust.”

Cheerilee turned to Lucky and asked, “Are you completely sure you can’t think of some way to help us out?”

The unicorn gave a deep breath, this time trying to think harder than he had last time. He began to scan the surrounding buildings, eventually settling on the inn sitting atop the hill. “Well…I do remember that inn over there being a place for gossip,” Lucky began. “And believe me, that place probably has more info than City Hall itself.”

“Hey man, I’m all for it,” Soarin commented. “Besides, it’s gettin’ dark, and after what happened in the Everfree, I can't even trust my own shadow!” His feeble attempt at a joke fizzled out one again, and Redheart glared at him questionably.

The two probably would have glared at each other until they bore holes into each other’s skulls. That is, if Braeburn hadn’t said, “Then it’s settled, folks. Let’s get to that inn an’ get some rest. Cadance gave me some money just in case.”

Travelling from Ponyville to Trottingham in a single day was no easy feat, especially with a bunch of shadow monsters chasing you along the way. So although nopony showed it, they were all relieved to finally get a good night’s rest. They made their way up the slope, night beginning to fall. However, as they wandered up the street, something caught Scootaloo’s eye. For split second, she glimpsed something, or someone, lurking in an alleyway across the street, barely visible in the moonlight. But when she tried to get a better look, the figure was gone.

Did I just…?, Scootaloo thought. Was she imagining things? It was only a split-second after all. Yeah…imagining things, she decided, shaking her head, only half-believing her statement.

The Elements of Love sauntered into the inn’s first floor, and they were greeted with a lovely little eatery where ponies sat to drink some apple cider. A warmth hearth lit up the room, and multiple citizens gathered around it to bask in its warmth. Standing at a bar/desk in the front, wiping it down with a cloth, was a unicorn who seemed to be the innkeeper.

She was definitely…not the most beautiful mare in Equestria. She was quite on the portly side, with her ginger mane tied up in a messy, frizzy bun. Her teeth were crooked and yellow, and she wore enough make-up to suffocate a clown. But her most prominent feature was a big hairy mole located on her left temple.

With a gritty voice that probably would have sounded better from a stallion, she greeted, “Welcome to the Seventh Street Corner Club and Inn. We’ve got cool cider and warm beds, the only thing a pony needs. How can I help you folks?”

For a moment, all six didn’t answer, fixated on the black, hairy monstrosity planted on her face. Finally Braeburn cleared his throat and, looking down at the desk, he said, “Come on now y’all…don’t be shy. We’d like to, er, rent a room. Two rooms actually.”

“You must be travelers then, huh? Never seen you folks before. Well anyway, that’ll be 30 bits sugar,” the innkeeper replied gruffly, showing off a crooked smile.

What did she jus’ call me?, Braeburn thought as he reached into his pack. He placed a few coins on the table, and the mare swept them into a box located underneath. As she did this, Braeburn inquired, “Oh an’ by the way…we’re lookin’ for this pony named Shade. He prolly walks around with a hood over his head, pretty reclusive. Might have some kind of fascination with ancient magic or somethin’. Have you heard anythin’ like that?”

The innkeeper put her hoof under her head in contemplation. Her face was puckered and scrunched from thought, making her mole look larger than life (just like her). Finally, once the six began to feel hopeless, she answered, “Actually…I think I have heard of something."

“Really?” Braeburn said, surprised. “Well let’s hear it then, ma’am.”

But the mare shook her head, and with a wily grin she uttered, “Sorry, I can’t give you that info. Not without a price…”

“What?” the cowpony replied in utter disbelief. “We already paid fer two rooms, miss! How much more do ya want?”

“For a handsome stallion like yourself…20 bits.”

Rapping the table angrily with his hooves, Braeburn stared straight into her mole…eyes…and began, “Well now listen ta me, miss. Yer jus’ full a shi-.”

He was interrupted by a subtle tap on his back. The voice Cheerilee whispered from behind, “Just do it Braeburn. We need every clue.”

After much persuasion by the others (and a few choice words from Lucky), the yellow stallion reluctantly uttered, “Fine.” He fished out a few more coins out of his saddlebag and tossed them on the table, saying, “There’s yer darned 20 bits.”

Smiling triumphantly, the mare placed the gold coins underneath the table and began to talk. “So a couple a’ workers down by the mines have been telling stories of how a buncha’ robed mages came along and dug up some kind of book. Since then, this hooded fellow’s been snooping around that place, askin’ about some ‘umbrella magician’ or something like that. Seemed pretty knowledgeable about that stuff, could be the one you’re lookin’ for. You could try asking some miners, see if they know anything. You can usually find a few hanging around the entrance down at the poor district, being all lazy and such.”

After staring into her eyes with his Truth Glare, Braeburn nodded his head, satisfied with the clue. “Hear that guys? Looks like we’re headed to that mine tomorrow mornin’.”

“Pleasure doin’ business with you, sweetums,” the innkeeper said, giving the cowpony a wink and mouthing two words that made him gag.

As he walked away from the innkeeper and her mole, he muttered, “Is everypony in this town a swindler?”
Lucky answered warily, “You don’t how right you are.”

“Oh, almost forgot! These are the keys to yer rooms!” the mare at the desk called out. She levitated two keys over to Redheart. “First and second door on the right!”

“Good, now we can finally get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow,” Redheart commented. They split into two bedrooms, one for stallions, the other for mares, and all six were anxious for when morningtime came along once again.

Xxx

Somewhere miles away, an old mage and a pegasus resided in a room atop an ancient tower, only lit by a small lantern on a table. The elder sat stood complacently next to the table, his wicked features highlighted by the dim light. The pegasus’s face, however, was completely shrouded by the dark.

“So what have you brought me, my minion?” the Arch-Mage asked.

The pegasus replied curtly, “They reside in the inn at the top of the hill, my liege.”

The Arch-Mage responded with a slow nod and nothing else, sipping out of a cup of broth. The messenger tilted his head, asking, “Aren’t we going to do something about them?”

“No, no. Now is not the time. Too many witnesses.” With voice that was both calm and sinister, the Arch-Mage added, “Besides, it is much too early to get them now. They haven’t even met our dear friend Shade yet.”

The old unicorn made his way to his balcony, standing at the very same spot where Lucky and Cheerilee had eluded their grasp. “For now, go back to your post, young one. That is all I need to know for now. Keep a close eye on them.”

When the old pony turned back to his room, the pegasus was already gone.

Since y'all are here, why don't you go check out my blog? It's good stuff. Highly important. Seriously, Read it. NOW!!!!
'Kay, thanks.

Lucky Break

It was about 6:00 AM in Trottingham, just about the time when Celestia began to raise her precious sun, signaling another new day. Another day of investigation, another day of the shadow swallowing up the Crystal Kingdom.

It was only natural that Braeburn, being the hard-working farmer that he was, woke up first out of the group. He had slept upon a cushioned chair, letting Soarin and Lucky take the comfy beds. Now he silently stretched his limbs, waking up to his own natural alarm clock. Through the curtain, he could see the pale light of the wee hours of the morning beginning to peek through.

Picking his hat off the floor, Braeburn hollered to his companions, “Alrighty then, fellas! Rise an’ shine! We’ve got a big day ahead of us!” But to his dismay Lucky just groaned and turned over on his mattress, while Soarin snored too loud for him to even hear.

Rolling his eyes, the cowpony decided to take matters into his own hooves. Taking one end of each of his companions’ blankets in his mouth, Braeburn suddenly yanked the cloth away from his comrades. Lucky’s eyes quickly shot open in irritation, and Soarin, who slept on top of his sheets, was yanked right off his mattress and onto the floor, immediately ceasing his phlegmy snorts.

“Gah! Reporting for duty, Spits!” Soarin cried, shooting up and giving a salute. He was hit with the sudden realization of not being in training camp, and he uttered, “Oh…’sup?”

“Oi! What’s wrong with you mate? Can you see it’s…six in the morning?” Lucky chided while burying his head underneath a pillow, obviously annoyed.

“It’s much better to get this done bright an’ early, Lucky! Mah Granny always told me, ‘The early buck gets the apple!’ Err…somethin’ like that.”

Barely understandable, Lucky uttered, “Mmph...just let me sleep!”

“Ain’t you had enough sleep?”

Shooting an accusing glare towards the Wonderbolt, the gambler said, “Sleep? Not with Soarin’s snorin’!”

“Heh, clever,” Soarin said absent-mindedly. It took a few seconds for Lucky’s remark to register in the pegasus’s drowsy brain, but when it did, he retorted indignantly, “Oh come on, bro. It can’t have been that loud."

“Actually partner…it was,” Braeburn said with a slight chortle. “Luckily Ah’ve shared a room with mah cousin Big Mac. May not talk much, but hoowee! Snores way louder than you!”

Focusing on the problem at hand, Braeburn tossed a pillow at the unicorn and stated, “Enough dilly-dallying. It’s time fer you to get up an’ get yerself freshened up. We’ll be talkin’ with dirty miners all day! Wouldn’t want yer fancy vest to get smudged.”

Realizing the futility of trying to get back to sleep, Lucky crawled out of his bed, immediately making his way towards the restroom. Too tired to give Braeburn a glare, he slammed the door without saying a word.

Soarin stifled a yawn and proceeded to lay back on his mattress with his hooves behind his head. Braeburn, who was slipping into his own farmpony vest, said quietly, “Hey Soarin?”

“Yeah?” the pegasus replied casually.

“What do you think a' Lucky?”

“What do you mean?”

The cowpony moved closer to Soarin so Lucky couldn’t hear him. Then he began, “Ah mean…Ah find that pony to be a lil’…odd. He’s been actin’ mighty suspicious since we got here, not mention he ain’t told us anything about his own story. Ah’m wondering if we should be worried.”

Soarin gave a small sigh, staring up at the ceiling while he thought about Braeburn’s question. Propping himself up on the headboard, Soarin replied, “Yeah, now that you mention it, Lucky’s been acting kinda strange. Maybe a little paranoid and jumpy. But I don’t think he’s a problem. The way I see it, he’s given us no reason not to trust him. In fact, if anything, he’s been pretty reliable, even though he can be a downer sometimes.” Waving the cowpony’s suspicions away, the pegasus finished, “Just leave him, Brae. If he wants to tell us his past, he will. If not, then whatever. We’ll just keep goin' like we’ve been goin'.”

“That may be yer philosophy, Soarin,” Braeburn said hardily. “But Ah just can’t let this thing go unanswered. Ah’ll be keeping an eye on that unicorn…”

xxx

After fifteen minutes of muffled complaining, Braeburn was the first to step out into the hall, looking fresh as a daisy. He was followed by Soarin, who hovered his way out of the room wearing a messily-buttoned shirt and a loose Wonderbolt tie. Finally, out lumbered Lucky, who let his unbuttoned vest hang loosely, not even bothering to knot the tie draped around his neck.

The trio ventured out into the lobby, where to their surprise, the three mares were already sitting at a table, their eyelids drooping low. “G’mornin’ fellas! How’d you girls sleep?” Braeburn exclaimed happily. Cheerilee responded with a groan, letting her head smack against the wooden coffee table. The cowpony added quietly, “I take it wasn’t very good?

“We could hear somepony snoring through the wall,” Scootaloo muttered. “At first I thought it was a...a dragon or something.”

“It was something with wings, I’ll give you that,” Lucky subtly accused, casting a sleepy yawn.

Scoots sat slouched over the table, looking utterly bored and tired. While the adults conversed over their mugs of coffee about talking about who-knows-what, the filly began to scan the room aimlessly. But her surprise, something caught her eye once again, this time visible through one of the far windows. It was only a tiny glimpse, true. But there was no doubting the filly's gut this time. It was a dark hooded figure pressing against the glass, just like the one she had seen yesterday.

Feeling alarmed, Scootaloo tugged on Soarin’s sleeve and uttered, “H-hey! I think I saw something!”

But when the orange pegasus pointed towards the window, there was nothing but the view of Town Hall. The mysterious figure had vanished without a trace, not even leaving a hoofprint on the window.

Soarin gave her a befuddled look, and Scootaloo could only reply, “I…I guess not.” But she was sure she had seen something in that window just moments before. But now…there was nothing at all. Scootaloo shook her head, hoping that she hadn’t lost her mind.

Before Scoots could make herself look even more odd, Lucky called out to a waitress, “Excuse me, miss? Can a stallion have some bagels over here?”

At that moment, she uttered probably the worst thing she could have possibly said. It was just a single sentence, and yet it propelled Lucky’s already unbearable crankiness to a whole new level. Whipping around to face the unlucky waitress, the unicorn shouted, “What do you mean, you don't have bagels!?”

xxx

The Elements of Love had begun to head towards the outskirts of town, where Trottingham Mine was located. Braeburn led the pack while looking extremely miffed, and Lucky trailed in the back, magically tying his tie as though he could care less.

Scootaloo, who was sitting atop Soarin’s back, told the unicorn, “Gosh Lucky. I’ve never seen somepony get so angry over food before. And I've met Applebloom's family."

“We’re lucky that innkeeper didn’t kick us out a’ there,” Braeburn scolded. “If we hadn’t pulled you outta that lobby-.”

“I wasn’t going to hurt anybody!” Lucky defended, interrupting his cowpony nemesis. “It’s just that…is there no place where a stallion can get a decent bagel around here?”

Cheerilee attempted to diffuse the situation, saying, “I know you love bagels Lucky, but I think we’ve got bigger problems on our plate. You know, like finding Shade and figuring out how to stop this madness.”

“Speaking of which, check it out,” Soarin piped, nodding towards a small camp located just down the road. Trottingham was built atop a group of grassy knolls, of course. The mine was carved into one of these hills, a huge gaping hole amidst piles of dirt and rock. Dust wafted out of the tunnel, polluting the surrounding air. Small make-shift shacks were built around the mouth of the cave, no doubt the miners’ quarters. A few of the miners were actually wandering around the outside, either smelting the ore they’ve found, eating their meals, or being a lazy bum.

“This place doesn’t look too safe,” Redheart commented, seeing the thick brown dirt particles being carried by the wind. “What is it they mine here?”

“Coal,” Lucky said quickly, requiring no time to think.

Miss Cheerilee looked over to the unicorn and realized he was sweating, eyeing the mine’s agape mouth anxiously. Although she couldn’t hear it, she could tell his heart was racing. The concerned teacher asked, “Lucky? Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

The unicorn snapped out of his trance, first biting his lip, then answering, “No, I’m absolutely fine.”

“He’s lying,” Braeburn uttered.

“That’s none of your buckin’ business, mate!”

“Quit your fighting you two!” Redheart demanded, stepping between the two hotheads. “We’re fighting dark magic, not each other!”

The two stallions huffed at each other before whirling around and marching in opposite directions. Cheerilee found herself following Lucky (although she had no idea why), Redheart paraded behind Braeburn, and the two pegasi stuck together as usual.

“So where do we begin? I dunno if these miners will be willing to talk,” Lucky said, glaring nervously at a few of the helmet-wearing stallion.

“Oh please. How hard can it be?” Cheerilee said. The teacher strolled up to one of the hulky stallions leaning against a railing, who immediately leapt up to face her. With a professional tone, Cheerilee began, “Hi there. I’m from out of town, and I’m looking for somepony. He’s…”

“Look no further, sweetcheeks!” the miner rudely interrupted. Unsurprisingly, he wore a giant grin, simply unable to resist the charming looks of the fine little mare standing before him. He began to flex one of his large, sinewy legs, showing off a tattoo that read ‘Mom’. “I’ve got all you need right here!”

The two stared at each other for a moment, neither exactly sure what to do. With a bored expression and not a single word, Cheerilee sauntered away while the stallion cried, “Hey, where ya going?”

She came to find Lucky trying hard to hide an amused smirk under his hoof. The teacher muttered indignantly, “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

Cheerilee and Lucky made their way to the mouth of the cave, being careful not to inhale too much of the swirling dust. “I almost can’t bear to go back to this place,” Lucky murmured, giving a hacking cough. “I think…I think I’ll check towards the exit, thank you very much.”

While Lucky shuffled his way towards fresh air, Cheerilee continued her path forward. To her surprise however, she was suddenly stopped by a strong stallion, the very same one she had tried to ask earlier. He still glared down at her…posterior end longingly, saying, “It isn’t very nice to walk away from a romantic conversation.”

Trying to keep a calm face, Cheerilee replied, “Sorry, but I just came here for some information, not a date.” She tried to back away, only to find two other stallions, likely his cronies, stepping out from behind him. Outnumbered, Cheerilee could only stand her ground and do her best not to panic.

One of the stallions told her, “How could somepony like you pass up a fine stallion like me?”

“Ehem…I’m flattered, but really…I think I should get going.” Unfortunately for the teacher, with three stallions making their move towards her, there was nowhere to go. The leader, the one with the ‘Mom’ tattoo, seemed as though he was about to try to grab her, raising his hoof.

But the stallion didn’t get an inch off the ground before a green bolt of magic knocked him off kilter, causing his other two friends to topple over. Cheerilee glanced down the tunnel to see Lucky, who was slowly marching angrily towards the group. “Oi! Step away from the teacher, mate! She’s with me,” the unicorn said, his horn glowing.

“What’s wit the stiff, lady? He your coltfriend?” the lead miner said, rubbing his now tender legs.

“Well I am a stallion, and I am her friend I suppose,” Lucky replied smoothly, grabbing Miss Cheerilee’s hoof. “But I’m afraid that ain’t your business, mate. So I’d suggest you step away and grab some fresh air. That coal dust is givin' ya' a swollen head.”

Lucky began to escort the teacher out of the dank mines, putting himself between Cheerilee and those buffoons. Luckily, it didn’t seem as though the miners were willing to fight, and they let the duo go off towards the exit. The leader called out, “Your friend’s an asshole, miss! Kinda reminds me of a guy I knew I while back. Come to think of it, he dressed all slick like your friend there.”

Cheerilee whispered, “What did he say?”

“Good to know, mate,” Lucky shouted, pretending not to hear the schoolteacher’s inquiry. “You’re a real charmer, you know that? Just bugger off.”

The two distanced themselves from the trio of miners, standing right underneath the mouth of the cave. “Thanks for the, uh, help back there. I don’t think those stallions were planning on being very…gentle,” Cheerilee thanked for what seemed to be the umpteenth time.

“Yeah…yeah…no problem,” Lucky replied, seeming extremely preoccupied. Shuffling his legs, the gambler said, “You should stay out here, in the open. I’ll go ask around an’ see if I can get anything useful.” The unicorn whizzed off into the mine, not waiting for Cheerilee’s response. She couldn’t help but notice Lucky’s odd behavior, and something deep inside her yearned to ask him about it. But by the time she worked up the nerves to say it, Lucky was already deep inside the shaft.

The conversation was much shorter than Cheerilee had anticipated. And to her surprise, she felt just a tad bit upset.

Xxx

Two hours passed as the six wandered about the premises, interrogating the obscene amount of miners working. and after some time, they soon grew sick of it. Perhaps it was the dim cave, the coal fumes, the constant failures to get information, or even some combination of all three. Whatever it was, the Elements decided enough was enough.

Braeburn and Redheart resurfaced, meeting their friends near the miners’ quarters. Sweating, Braeburn tossed his hat on the ground in frustration, saying, “Ah can’t believe it! Nopony’s ever heard of a stallion named Shade!”

Stoic as ever, Redheart commented, “Not really surprised. Now that I think of it, an informant of dark arts probably wouldn’t go around telling everypony what he’s doing.”

“Well Ah’m glad you told us that after we asked, nurse,” Braeburn said with a twinge of sarcasm. “But really now, we’ve got no clue where to go next. If we don’t find anythin’ soon, we’ll hafta go back to Canterlot empty-hoofed.”

“Poor Cadance,” Scootaloo uttered sadly, her face smeared with coal.

Soarin patted the filly’s head, scanning the dejected faces of his comrades. Only there was one more problem. One face was missing. “Don’t mean to make things even worse,” the Wonderbolt began reluctantly. “But…where’s Lucky?”

The six had been so caught up in wallowing in despair that they hadn’t noticed Lucky was nowhere to be found. “Now where’s that pony gone sulking off to now?” Braeburn said while gritting his teeth. “The fool’s been acting weird ever since we got here!”

The cowpony began to rant, “Don’t y’all find it weird that he ain’t told us a single thing about himself ever since we started this whole journey? Please tell me Ah ain’t the only one now! Ah tell ya, Ah’m starting to wonder if we can trust him after all.”

Cheerilee, who had been quiet for the last few minutes, suddenly piped, “Of course we can!” The others gave her a strange look, and all of a sudden she felt just a tad bit embarrassed. But despite her blushing cheeks, the teacher said logically, “I mean…he’s saved my life at least now, and I know he wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t trust us. Besides, he did tell us this was his hometown. Perhaps he just feels…nostalgic.”

“Bah! Ah don’t really care what the hay he’s hidin’ behind that designer vest and thick skull of his. Ah just know that we gotta find him, because whether we like it or not, we need every one of us together,” the cowpony replied matter-of-factly, ready to go unicorn hunting.

“I’ll try to get up in the sky and look for him,” Soarin offered, priming himself for take-off.

Scootaloo quickly hopped up to the pegasus, asking, “Oh, can I come?”

“Well of course!” the pegasus answered, letting the young one jump onto his back. but before he could launch, Soarin was caught off-guard by the forceful glare Nurse Redheart was giving him. With the mare’s intense eyes watching his every move, Soarin added, “Just…y’know…make sure you’re holding on tight.”

After a curt nod from the nurse, the pegasus shot up into the air with the filly in tow while the others split up on the ground. As they shot up, the filly glimpsed a certain shape hiding in the shadows. A shape she had witnessed twice before. “Soarin!” she called out, now heavily concerned.

“What is it?”

“There’s that guy again!” she exclaimed, pointing downwards. “I keep seeing him all over the place! He’s always wearing a black hood, and he’s been following us around ever since we got here.”

But when the two pegasi followed her hoof, there was nopony there. Only the empty shade of the coal mine. “I don’t see anypony, sorry. No Lucky or hooded guy,” Soarin answered, squinting as though perhaps he had missing something. But even with this, there was still nopony to be seen.

“But I know I saw him!” Scootaloo said, visibly distressed.

Something his mind told him it was just a filly’s overactive imagination, so Soarin just replied calmly, “I’m sure ya did, kiddo. But for now, keep an eye out for Lucky, okay? I’ll make sure that hooded stallion won’t follow us!” Then the Wonderbolt began to playfully twirl though the air while Scootaloo screamed in delight.

xxx

Meanwhile, somewhere in a far corner of Trottingham, there was a tiny fenced off field. Among the field were large white stones popping out of the ground, all of which were inscribed with names. It was a graveyard, a modest little area of solemnity and reverence. A calm breeze blew through the lush, green grass, adding to the calmness of the humble little field.

Sitting on a bench underneath a thin sapling was a unicorn stallion. He stared down at one of the gravestones, clutching a small daisy he had taken out of his designer vest. With a sigh, Lucky levitated the flower gently to the foot of the stone, next to the multiple remains of the same flower, wilted as though they had been there for years.

Lucky couldn’t take his eyes off the grave. The image of this field haunted his memory ever since the group had arrived in Trottingham. His thoughts went back to last night, to the horrible nightmare that kept him tossing and turning and drenched him in cold sweat…

~~~

He was a colt again, running through an alleyway in the dead of night. There were voices calling out to him, ragged and low. But none of it made sense to him; it was just random gibberish. He ran on into the endless darkness, not caring about where he was going. Only that he was getting further away from where he was…

At least, so he thought. But no matter how fast he galloped, the image kept following him. Even inside the pitch-black darkness, he could still see that horrid thing. Pale…limp…stained with red…

Suddenly, his legs were unable to carry him any further, and the colt collapsed on the ground. His legs seized up, and he curled into a tiny ball as warm tears streamed down his dirty face. He had no idea how long he had run, or how far. At the moment, all he knew was the searing pain deep inside his chest. The colt saw the torturing image of the thing rotting deep inside his head. He sat in that darkness, the biting cold pricking his uncovered skin. At that moment, Lucky buried his face in his hooves, realizing that this lingering agony was the feeling of being truly alone.

And no matter how many times he closed his eyes, he just couldn’t wake up.

~~~

“Lucky?” a voice from behind him said. Hearing his name, the unicorn snapped out of his trance, turning to find none other than Miss Cheerilee beckoning him.

“What-oh! Oh, hello Cheerilee. I was just…taking a bit of a walk,” Lucky said, moving away from the headstone he had been observing. “The coal dust was really…making me woozy, you know?”

“Lucky…” Cheerilee began. “Why would you take a walk through a graveyard?” She eyed the surrounding graves nervously, certainly not expecting to wind up in a place like this. And she most certainly didn’t expect to find her unicorn companion here as well.

“Umm…I’ve been to places?” Lucky stammered, giving a tense grin. “Sooo…why don’t we just head on back, shall we?” He began to shove the mare against her will, trying to push her away from the headstone he had just visited.

Before the two could stroll out of the graveyard, Cheerilee tried to get a look at the stone Lucky had been standing by. Carved into it were the words “Justicia Ragsnout-Dime: Rest in peace”. Whoever this Justicia was, Cheerilee didn’t know. But one thing was for sure, Lucky had wandered off without telling anypony. And that in itself was a bit shady.

She was unable to get a further glimpse at Justicia’s headstone, as Lucky had managed to push her back out onto the road leading back to Trottingham. Here, the teacher planted her hooves, not wanting to move another step.

The duo stood there at an impasse, with Lucky struggling to move, and Cheerilee being able to stand her ground. Finally, after a few minutes of struggling, the unicorn gave up and leaned against a lamppost. There the two stared at each other silently, the sun already beginning to set once again. The setting ball of fire cast an orange hue on the couple, and the cool breeze sweeping through the tall grass provided the only sound.

Finally, unable to take the silence, Cheerilee whispered tenderly, “Lucky…we’ve all noticed you’ve been acting…different since we got here. Braeburn’s been complaining the most.”

Rolling his eyes, the gambler replied, “I’m not surprised.”

The teacher walked closer to the leaning stallion, who kept his eyes trained on the ground. Cheerilee asked, “Tell me…are you…okay?”

“Well I ain’t sick if that’s what you’re asking.”

“You know what I’m asking, Lucky,” Cheerilee said caringly. “Are you really okay?”

The mare slowly placed her hoof underneath Lucky’s chin, who surprisingly didn’t put up a fight. She turned his head so that he met her gaze, and she asked again, “I mean, really okay?”

Lucky stared into her gray-blue eyes, unable to resist the passionate twinkle he found in them. Gently taking her hoof in his own, the stallion bit his lip hesitantly. Then, he began to whisper, “Well Cheerilee…I…I…”

That was as far as he got when the teacher was sent crashing to the ground, a magical bolt impacting into her side. Lucky watched her hit the ground, sliding up against the fence of the graveyard. But the stallion had no time to react, and before he knew, he found himself pressed up against a lightpost, held there by some kind of spell.

Lucky looked down to see a figure whose face was mostly obscured by a dark hood except for his gritted teeth. The gambler had no idea who this pony was; for all he knew, it could be another one of thos shadowy creatures who had come back to kill them.

Cheerilee scrambled to her hooves and began to charge at the figure. But the hooded pony turned his head and commanded, “CALM!” For some reason, although her mind still screamed to keep running, Cheerilee felt her legs turn to mush. She involuntarily lied down on the road, unable to will herself to get back up.

With the teacher incapacitated, the mysterious figure turned to the levitating unicorn. Through clenched teeth, he whispered angrily, “Why are you asking for me, huh? Are you planning to steal my research? Kill me?”

“Who-who are you?” a panicked Lucky stammered.

The hooded pony shook the unicorn quickly, replying, “Who do you think I am, you nit-wit? I’m the one you’ve been looking for, the one you call Shade! Now the question is…who are you?”

“We’re…travelers, f-from the Crystal Kingdom. We…want to know about that book you uncovered here.”

The mysterious stallion tilted his upwards, and Lucky could see just a smidge of purple eyes underneath the hood. “Really? You don’t look like any crystal ponies I’ve ever seen,” the stallion uttered suspiciously, bringing Lucky’s face close to his.

Realizing his lie had failed miserably, Lucky quickly said, “Listen mate, we’re not here to fight or kill, all right? We just know that that book is full of bad things, and we need your help in order to stop it!”

“We’re not the bad ponies, sir. Please don’t hurt us,” Cheerilee added.

The stallion continued to hold Lucky in place, and the gambler could feel the stranger’s eyes burning straight through his hood. Lucky tried his best to hold his gaze, trying not to look as scared as he really was.

Finally (and suddenly), the magic surrounding Lucky dispersed, and he fell to ground, bumping his head on the light post. Cheerilee found herself freed as well, and she rushed over to help her unicorn companion up, who was rubbing his noggin vigorously. The hooded pony backed away from the two, keeping his horn trained and ready. He uttered, “Fine. I suppose you may be telling the truth. But we’ll meet later, at a place more secluded.”

He suddenly shot a beam at the duo’s hooves, causing them to leap back. When the dust dissipated, there was a small glowing message that read 23 Baluchi Place. “Tomorrow at noon, at this address. You’d best memorize this now, because it’s not going to be here the next day.”

He explained, “When you get there, tell the one at the door, 'The shadows, my brother'. Then he will let you in. Bring the rest of your group too, I don’t like repeating myself.”

Lucky, whose temple was still aching, said, “Wait! So that’s it? You’re just going to tell us where to find you, just like that? No catch?”

“Listen, mate,” the figure began mockingly. “Frankly, I can’t tell whether to trust you or not just yet. But if what you’re telling me is true, that you wish to stop that book and you really aren’t seeking to abuse its power… then it is my duty to assist you.”

As he turned to trot away, he added one final statement. “But if by the off chance you are lying to me, and you try to pull anything stupid, remember this. I can obliterate all six of you in a heartbeat.”

With that, the figure galloped down the road, his cloak blending into the night. Cheerilee and Lucky crouched by the lonely streetlamp, thinking about “Shade’s” final warning. For although the mysterious stallion couldn’t tell if they were lying, the two were positive that he was telling the truth.

Without wasting any more time, the two hobbled towards Trottingham, eager to tell their comrades the news.

Shady

The next day, as the clock struck noon, the Elements of Love found themselves in the midst of the poor district with Cheerilee and Lucky leading the way. The low-lives glared ominously at the passing ponies with ireful scowls. The six didn’t belong in this greasy garbage-hole. This was the thieves’ turf, and both the pickpockets and the Elements knew it.

“Are you sure this is where he said to go?” Soarin inquired, tucking Scoots under his wing. “Or did you guys take one too many hits on the noggin?”

Lucky replied calmly, “I’m sure, mate. I’ve got a photographic memory.”

“Really?”

“Well…no. But Cheerilee does,” the unicorn replied sheepishly, diverting the attention to the teacher.

Rolling her eyes, Cheerilee began, “23 Baluchi Place. That’s the place he wrote…erm, glowed in the dirt.”

“Exactly!” Lucky exclaimed. “And if I remember correctly, that should be right…here!”

The unicorn pointed to left, as though expecting some grand palace. Instead, all he found was a run-down little building with boarded-up windows and cracked paint. There was a small, bent billboard located on the roof, teetering on the verge of collapse. Lucky’s smile deflated, much like the spirits of the rest of the squad.

“This can’t be it,” Redheart uttered, examining the shoddy paint-job. “It doesn’t look too…safe.” As if to prove her point, the billboard slowly tilted off the building, unable support its weight any longer. The metal rigging crashed down the side, almost crushing Redheart in its path.

Seeing this, Braeburn began, “Ah think you’ve got the wrong place Lucky. There ain’t no way Ah’m going in there!”

But the unicorn pointed at the address painted in black on the side of the door, saying, “But it says right there, mate! 23 Baluchi Place. This is definitely where Shade told us to meet him.”

“Maybe he was pulling our leg,” the cowpony suggested.

But Soarin, who couldn’t wait any longer, made his way towards the door, telling the others, “There’s only one way to find out.” Leaving Scoots in the care of Redheart, the pegasus stood in front of the run-down shack. He rapped his hooves on the door, which made a hollow clanking sound. For a few moments, there was no answer. Soarin tried his knock once again, but still he received no answer.

But just as he turned to shrug at the others, a panel inside the door slid open, revealing a pair of eyes staring back at him. The pegasus was caught a bit off guard, and began, “Oh hey…um…’sup?”

The six piled around the door, their curiously rightfully piqued. Suddenly, a gruff raspy voice said back to them, “What is life’s greatest illusion?”

Perplexed, Soarin replied, “Umm…the one where you saw the lady in half?”

“Darkness?” Redheart chimed.

“Being happily married…” Cheerilee muttered under her breath.

Trying to jump over the rest, Scootaloo exclaimed, “Some kind of choir! With chanting!”

“Scootaloo, Ah don’t think that makes much sense,” Braeburn told her confusedly.

“Oh for crying out loud!” Lucky complained, pushing the others aside. He couldn’t help but feel just a bit agitated with his comrades’ snappy (and perhaps dimwitted) answers. Facing the doorway, the unicorn straightened his tie and answered, “The shadows, my brother.”

Upon hearing this, the door-stallion slid the panel shut. Lucky could hear the sound of multiple locks being twisted and turned, going all the way down to the floor. Finally, the metal door slowly swung open, with a muscly earth pony standing in the way. “You folks come on in,” he said. “But I’m warning you, this place ain’t the place for kids.”

He said this while looking down at Scoots, who returned with a defiant glare. Showing a brash attitude rivaling Rainbow Dash’s, the filly pranced into the building with her head held high, while the others followed suit.

As it would turn out, the bouncer (as that stallion would come to be known) was correct. The place was more like an underground tavern where all the lowlifes and hobos came to drink and chat in piece. The walls were so old that they had begun to turn yellow, and tiny white patches showed where holes had been. The table themselves seemed sturdy, but every chair seemed to have been missing a leg. However, unlike the outside where all ponies stared at the outsiders with disgust, the ponies here were ironically much more hearty and welcoming. Whether they were because they were happy or drunk, well, that was for the Elements to decide.

Finally, after getting a good look at the place, Lucky spied a familiar black hood sitting at a booth. Pointing him out to the others, the unicorn made his way towards the hooded pony and said, “’Ello, mate. I believe we ‘ave an appointment.”

“Do we now?” the stallion said, turning to face him. He paused for a moment, as though he was trying to remember something. Then finally, he began to nod and stated, “Oh yes. You’re the one that I almost choked out yesterday. Yes, welcome.” Braeburn snickered, and luckily for him, Lucky wasn’t in the mood for berating.

The mysterious stallion took off his hood, revealing an old wrinkled face. The stallion obviously had quite a bit of years under his belt, with his slicked-back mane and frazzled tail showing signs of grey. His deep purple eyes drooped into the folds of his skin, looking perpetually tired. For the first time, the Elements laid their eyes on the elder’s cutie mark, some kind of black rune printed on his dark blue flank.

“So you’re Shade, huh?” Braeburn said, tipping his hat kindly. “Truthfully, I was expecting someone a bit…younger.”

“Well I’m sorry if I don’t meet your expectations. But I always say things get better with age. And that certainly applies to this thing right up here,” the elder replied, pointing to his noggin.

After examining the shoddy discolored walls, Scootaloo blurted, “Do you really live in this place?”

“Scootaloo, that was rude!” Cheerilee said.

But the old stallion just gave hearty chuckle, replying, “Well, technically yes, I suppose. I don’t actually live in 23 Baluchi Place. I live…underneath it.” Slowly making his way towards the bar area, he told the others, “Please. Come with me.”

Shade led the six down a slim hallway, and at the end of it was a tiny room with only a few chairs and a bookcase. The elder unicorn’s horn began to glow, encasing the shelf in a dark, ominous glow. They heard a soft click, and slowly the bookshelf began to slide into the floor, revealing a hidden staircase.

“Come on down. Watch your step,” Shade beckoned, slowly descending down the steps.

“I don’t know…what if he’s leading us into a trap?” Redheart whispered cautiously, just as the old stallion got out of earshot.

“Then we either run away or kick his flank,” Soarin replied matter-of-factly. Throwing caution to the wind, the pegasus trotted down the stairwell with Scootaloo in tow, much to the nurse’s dismay. However, curiosity got the best of them in the end, and the others followed suit.

But if Shade had any intention of doing any harm, he certainly didn’t show it. The quarter he led them to wasn’t some kind of stone cell or horrid torture chamber. If anything, the place was rather homely. Aside from being underground, the place had an aura of coziness and comfort that almost rivaled Fluttershy’s cottage. It was home underneath the streets, complete with a flaming hearth, a humble den, and even a make-shift kitchen. Shade took a seat on a rocking chair next to the fireplace, looking very much like an old grandfather.

Taking the time to make sure the underground cottage was safe, Lucky began, “So what was the point of bringin’ us down here, mate? You ain’t gonna kill us, are you?”

“Kill you? Well that certainly was not the reason, although I’d be happy to oblige if you give me cause to,” the mage replied, his tongue still sharp even in old age. “No, no, I brought you all here to see if you were serious about this and not some scholarly fanatic trying to get some free advice. And since you’ve gone through all this trouble to find me, plus the fact that you haven’t killed me yet, suggests that you six really are trying to help. And besides, I can’t simply tell you this info out there, in the open. I may be old, but I’m not ready to die just yet…One moment please.”

The elder clapped his hooves, calling out, “Nightwish? Could you please fetch me my tea?”

Answering his call, another figure crept out of the kitchen with a few jars on her back. The mare’s most distinguishing feature was her black mane and tail. They were dotted with tiny specks that seemed to shimmer with the fire’s flickering light, almost rivaling Princess Luna’s ethereal mane. The rest of her body, however, was simple and plain. Her mane flowed over her eyes, which stared blankly at the ground. She make no sound other than a few grunts, pouring some herbs into the concoction over the fireplace.

“The poor thing. Found her in the gutters a few years ago. She was so skinny; it was a miracle she was still alive. No sign of her parents anywhere, so I decided to take her in,” Shade began, his purple eyes glistening with sadness. “I decided to call her Nightwish, after me granny. I’ve spent all this time trying to find her parents, but to no avail. She’s quite peculiar, indeed. Never seen a pony’s mane shine like that one.”

At that moment, the mare fumbled her stirring spoon, dropping it into the steaming pot. She gave a small grunt and hobbled out of the room while Shade continued, “Tsk-tsk. She’s a decent assistant, but she’s bit…too slow to be able to do anything else. She’s only capable of grunting and nodding, and sometimes it takes a few tries for her to get what I’m saying. But oh, she never does any harm.” Finally, Nightwish brought the hot cup of tea to her master, who levitated it to his lips and said, “Thank you Night.” The mare bowed her head slightly, and she began to stumble out of the room, still keeping her eyes on the floor.

Redheart piped, “With all due respect, sir, we didn’t come down here just for tea.”

“Straight to the point, aren’t you? That's good…good,” the elder muttered. “You folks said you were from the Crystal Kingdom, so I’m guessing you want to know about…the shadow eating that place up.”

“How do you know about that?” Cheerilee questioned.

Shrugging his eyebrows, Shade answered, “Well haven’t you seen the newspapers? It’s front page news, oh yes it is. Tell me, what have you seen so far?”

Redheart, who had taken the responsibility of being spokespony, replied, “All we know about that thing is that it’s swallowing the Crystal Kingdom and everypony living in it. Two days ago were attacked by these shadowy creatures that…well…looked like ponies. Can you explain that to us?”

Placing his cup on a side table, the old stallion said sadly, “Yes…unfortunately. But you might want to take a seat. This is quite an interesting tale.

Nightwish brought out a few more cushions, and the six sat around the old mage just like foals would gather for story time. The only difference: this fairytale was not going to have a happy ending. Shade began, “To put it simply, that shadow is the work of an ancient spell created about a millennium ago.”

He began to conjure shapes in the air, illustrating his story. The first was of a familiar dark being, surrounded by robed unicorns. “Just after Nightmare Moon was banished, a group of mages formed what could only be described as a dangerous cult. They called themselves the ‘Nightmarists’, worshiping their ‘Goddess of the Dark’, trying to manipulate the night just as Nightmare Moon had. Although they did not have the power to control the moon itself, they were able to control something else. Shadows.”

The shapes morphed into two ancient books with matching purple binding. Shade continued, “They compiled all their findings on this Shadow Manipulation into two volumes called the Umbra Magicae. And with these spells, the Nightmarists tried to accomplish what Nightmare Moon could not. Swallow the world in eternal darkness using the power of the shadows.”

He manipulated the shapes once more until it became a picture-perfect image of the Crystal Kingdom. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a black blob began to sweep through the projection, until it the projection was just a big dark nothingness. The elder uttered grimly, “They created the entity that is swallowing the Crystal Kingdom now, its purpose only to keep washing over the land until every last speck of light has been wiped out. This force is known only as The Shadow.”

The dark blob split into smaller figures, taking on the form of the creatures from the Everfree. “This Shadow doesn’t just take its prey into the fathoms of the unknown. They suck away their very souls, transforming their spirits into dark entities called ‘Shadowmares’. Those are probably the pony-like creatures you fought in the Everfree, yes?” The Elements of Love nodded their heads, trying to take in every word he was saying. “They were the corrupted souls of the ponies already spirited away by the Shadow. They thrive only in the darkness, which is why you were safe once you escaped the forest and into the sun.”

“In the end, despite having an army of Shadowmares at their disposal, the Nightmarists met as much success as their goddess. Princess Celestia, with the help of the Elements of Harmony, dispersed this shadow, shedding the sun’s rays back onto the land. And as for the insurrectionists, they were quickly locked away, and the Umbra Magicae was confiscated.”

“The Canterlonians tried to destroy that blasted book, but for some strange reason, whatever magical spell they threw at it simply dispersed. The book had become more than just some dusty old tome. It became a vessel for the dark magic, the embodiment of the Shadow itself. It contained a power so immense, that not even Celestia and the Elements of Harmony could destroy it.”

Shade adjusted his spectacles, casting a somber glare over the six ponies. “So in the end, Celestia found it best to put the books under lock and key, and stash them away from all those who might use it. The first volume’s whereabouts has been unknown for quite some time. But the second…”

The old stallion paused for a moment (for dramatic effect, as Lucky would have put it). Then he pointed a hoof down at the floor and remarked, “The second was unearthed right here in Trottingham! And for a scholar such as myself, I couldn’t have been more surprised and excited!”

“Who found it?” Soarin asked.

“Ahh yes…there’s that little detail. It was dug up in the mines by a group that called themselves the Frost Mages.”

“But why would the Frost Mages be interested in that book?” Redheart inquired.

“That is the part that worries me, my dear,” Shade replied nervously. “You see, back when Celestia imprisoned the Nightmarists, a few managed to escape persecution, escaping into the forest. As time passed, these few remainders of the cult spread their views secretly through generation upon generation. Nowadays, their descendants live in seclusion and utter disgrace. You may know them as the Frost Star Mages.” He uttered those last three words as though they were acid in his mouth.

The scholar stood up hastily, and began to pace around the fireplace while shaking his head feebly. “Those Frost Mages asked too many questions for their own good,” he uttered. “Even with Princess Luna back on the throne, they still believe in their idiotic plight. But in the end, they amount to nothing but radical fanatics and crooks. I should know…I almost joined them.”

Having remained quiet for most of the conversation, Lucky finally bellowed, “You…you what?!” He turned to the yellow cowpony next to him and said, “Braeburn, please tell me this guy ain’t telling the truth. Because I don’t think we should trust someone who worked with the ones we’re fighting!”

Holding up his hoof peacefully, Shade said, “I understand your concern. But let me finish telling my side of the story.”

“He’s been pretty truthful so far,” Braeburn shrugged. Lucky mumbled his dissent, but soon enough he slowly lowered himself onto his cushion, giving the elder the benefit of the doubt.

“Like I said, I almost ended up joining the Frost Mages. I met them a few weeks back when they were investigating the mine for the Umbra Magicae. At first, I was so impressed that somepony was as interested as in ancient magic as I was! But then…their true intentions soon came to light.”

The old pony stared into the flickering fire, reliving the events in his mind once again. “I tried to stop them from unearthing the book, tried to lead them off the wrong path. But they threatened to kill me and Nightwish unless I helped them excavate! What other choice did I have but to comply?”

“That is why I live here underground now, and why I wear this hood when I do have to go out. To hide from those Mages, in case they ever try to come back and kill me. That is why I was so hostile to you two when we first met. I couldn’t take the chance.”

Shade turned to the six heroes, staring into each of their vigilant faces. His eyes almost seemed to plead as he said to them, “You six seem to be the only ones who are capable of stopping those mages. Tartarus knows you’re the only ones trying. Please…you need to stop them. Do what I failed to do. I’ve given you all the information I know. What you need to do now is to find that second Umbra Magicae book. Go back to your princesses, perhaps they could provide some help.”

For some strange reason, Cheerilee found her ear starting to twitch. Something felt off about what Shade had said, although at the moment, she struggled to put her hoof on it. And it certainly didn’t help her thinking process when Braeburn interrupted, “Thank you Mr. Shade. Fer everypony’s sake, Ah hope we don’t let you down. Come on y’all. We gotta head back to the inn.”

“You six be careful now. The Shadowmares could be anywhere,” the old stallion warned as the Elements stood up. “And if you need advice, you know where I’ll be.”

“Of course, mister. And of course, thank you Nightwish,” Braeburn said to the mare, even though he knew he wouldn’t be getting any response.

The group each said their thanks, and with after a kind smile from Shade, they exited back up the stairs.

Once they had disappeared up the dark passage, the elder’s smile turning into a tired grimace. He let out a long sigh while rubbing his cheek with his hoof, his thoughts someplace else. Suddenly exhausted, Shade sat back down on his rocking chair, slowly careening back and forth.

“Nightwish, please get my tea. My migraines are acting up again,” he asked, closing his eyes.

But suddenly, his chest began to tighten, and his appendages became rigid and immobile. Shade’s eyes shot open, and he glanced down to see a dark apparition slowly making its way up his body. As his body was consumed by the apparition, a deep ache flowed through every muscle in his body. Soon, only his head was visible through the shadow, his eyes wide with surprise.

The sound of multiple hooves began to clop behind him. He didn’t need to see to know who it was. “You…”

“Good evening,” a voice uttered, almost mockingly.

“What are you doing?” the stallion uttered, his purple eyes darting around the room. “I did everything you asked. You saw!”

A sinister laugh answered his plea, echoing in his mind. “Of course you did,” the voice said, coming closer to the chair. “And I suppose I should thank you for that. But do you know what happens to dogs that have served their purpose?”

The voice placed itself close to Shade’s ear, and in a voice barely above whisper, it said, “They get put down.”

After a brief moment of pain, all he saw…was darkness.

xxx

The Elements of Love sat in the Corner Club, munching down on some late dinner before going to bed. They had decided that tomorrow they would head back to Canterlot and tell the princess everything they had uncovered. Perhaps then they would be able to figure out a plan to find the Umbra Magicae (or as Scootaloo put it, the U.M).

But while the others have been biting heartily into their dandelion sandwich, Cheerilee had barely taken a nibble. Seeing this, Lucky asked, “You’re not hungry, Cheerilee?”

“What? Oh, no Lucky, it’s not that,” the teacher replied. “You know, something’s been bugging me since we left Baluchi Place. I think I’ve finally put my hoof on it.”

“Wharr doo ya meen?” the unicorn inquired through a mouthful of his bagel sandwich.

Ignoring the fact that she actually found that kind of cute, Cheerilee began, “Shade told us to go back to the ‘princesses’, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, didn’t you tell him we were from the Crystal Kingdom? Because the only princess from there is Princess Cadance. Unless he knew we were lying, how would he know…”

Here her voice trailed off, interrupted by the sound of the inn’s door slamming open. The mole-mare at the front desk dropped a glass of cider, and the resounding shatter caught all of the tavern’s occupants’ attention.

Standing at the front were six burly stallions, a few of which looked eerily familiar. The leader, whose foreleg was graced with word ‘Mom’, strolled up to the Elements’ table with his cronies in tow. “Hullo there, mates. You remember us?” he gruffly said. Giving a coy wink to Cheerilee, he uttered, “How ya doin’ sweetcheeks?”

The miner wore a mischielvous grin, and he leaned in on the table with one hoof reaching into a bag at his side. Upon seeing the miners enter the room, Lucky had begun to slowly shrink down behind Braeburn and Cheerilee, the anxiety plain on his frowning face. The lead miner began, “As it would happen, you’ve been travelling around with somepony we know. And that very same pony…cheated us a long, long, long time ago.”

The unicorn slowly began to crawl away from the table, trying to stay unseen behind Braeburn’s big hat.

“It took us a lil’ while to put our hoof on it. But now…well…it’s about time he paid the price.”

Lucky could feel his brow moisten with sweat, and his eye begin to twitch from fear. Nonetheless, he continued slowly, the back door in his sight.

He didn’t much further than that. At that moment, the leader let out a whistle and cried, “Oi Lucky!”

The rest of the Elements parted away, staring at the funny-looking unicorn who was trying to skitter across the floor. Lucky froze, and his heart stopped along with it. The others looked at their companion, then to the miners, then back to Lucky again, obviously confused.

But the miners knew all too well what they were doing. With an evil smile, the leader uttered, “You like games right? Well then, why don’t we play a little game?”

With a nod of his head, the goons revealed items they had concealed in their packs. They had pickaxes, broken pipes, makeshift clubs, and even the leader levitated two broken bottles. The mole-mare screamed and shot out of the room, along with the few remaining costumers. Soon, it was just the six Elements facing the six miners and their deadly make-shift weaponry.

Sheltering Scootaloo behind him, Soarin uttered, “I don’t think I’m gonna like this game…”

Okay guys. Finally got my laptop back after cleaning up a virus. But I just wanted to tell you guys...it's getting to the point where I'm putting out more chapters faster than I can write them. So don't be surprised if the time between each chapter gets longer, okay? I'm doing my best to keep it going, all I ask is a little patience.
~Schlippy

Like Cornered Rats

It's been a while since the last update, yeah. But I've got a feeling this one's worth the wait...

The tension was at its peak in the Seventh Street Cornerclub, with neither side daring to make a move. The miners were easily at an advantage, with their menacing weapons poised for a fight. As for the Elements, only one pony seemed to be ready for a fight, and she was a tiny filly who could barely fly.

Braeburn, making sure he was shielding Redheart and Cheerilee behind him, reasoned, “No need to do anything rash. Ah think you’ve got the wrong ponies, partner.”

The leader just scoffed, and levitating the broken bottles around menacingly, he answered, “Oh I’m sure we’ve got the right one. That one! Lucky! That’s the scumbag we’re looking for.” He pointed to the unicorn with his shattered bottle, and Lucky did his best to look innocent. But while the leader turned to his companions, the unicorn plotted his escape.

“What do you mean?” Cheerilee asked in disbelief.

“You mean you don’t know?” one of the thugs replied. “That piece of trash isn’t anything but a gambler and a thief!”

The leader began to explain, “A few years back, he swindled us out of a month’s worth of bits each! I’m ashamed that we even called that guy our friend. Every time we’d meet for a ‘friendly’ game of blackjack, his pegasus crony would sneak some of our money out of our pockets while he kept us busy with his cards. But you bit off more than you could chew, didn’t ya?”

Braeburn staggered back, stunned by this sudden revelation. The cowpony turned to the unicorn, and Lucky could see the anger flaring up in Brae’s eyes. Looking at the newly-revealed thief, Braeburn uttered distastefully, “You did what?

A rather skinny pegasus with a high-pitched voice chided, “Yeah! He thought he could pick the pockets of every single pony in Trottingham. But we caught you red handed, mate.” But then the pegasus whipped out a disproportionately large wooden club, shouting, “We let you escape last time. But this time, you ain’t gonna be so lucky, Lucky.”

“So why don’t you step aside and let us have our way?” the leader quipped. “You’re better off without him anyway.”

Cheerilee gave an insolent sneer, not even contemplating the notion of giving up her newfound ally. And although the others probably had different motives for protecting Lucky, they seemed to stand in agreement.

At least that’s what it seemed. But out of the blue, a callous voice announced, “Ah don’t see why not.”

The schoolteacher turned to the cowpony in surprise, chiding, “Braeburn! You’re not serious, are you?”

“Oh please, Cheerilee. The pony’s a thief, an’ Ah hardly think we’ve got room fer a thief in our group. So Ah say let ‘em handle this.” Then with uncaring chuckle, he added, “And if Lucky makes it out in one piece, then he’ll know where ta find us.”

It took Cheerilee all her willpower not to slap the cowpony across his face. The cause for this, however, was something she did not know. Yes, perhaps Lucky was a thief. But for some strange underlying reason, the schoolteacher felt the urge to protect this stallion. Yes, he was brash, pessimistic, and just a tad bit shifty. But somewhere under all that complexity, Cheerilee knew something was in there worth protecting. She had no idea what it was, and frankly, she didn’t need to know.

The schoolteacher stepped forward, stating, “I’m sorry Mr. ‘Mom’, but Lucky isn’t going anywhere.”

“Aww come on Cheerilee, don’t make this worse than it already is,” Braeburn said.

“You should listen to your friend, Cheerilee. Your boyfriend ain’t worth the trouble,” Mr. Mom added.

But the teacher defiantly stomped the ground and replied, “They why don’t you thugs get out of the way?”

“Cheerilee, if you ain’t gonna let em through, then Ah’ll do it mahself!”

Braeburn and Cheerilee were poised to add fuel to the already blazing fire, but then Scootaloo propped herself up on the table, grabbing the two’s attention. “There a problem with that, Braeburn,” she uttered, staring at the miners’ menacing weapons. “Lucky’s…not here.”

“What!?” Braeburn and the lead miner cried simultaneously. Sure enough, the two turned to find nopony behind them, and the back door swinging back and forth.

“That unicorn’s running for it!” one of the miners cried, peeking through one of the windows, his eyes following a small shadow galloping down the road.

“You two get after him!” Mr. Mom commanded, sending them out of the tavern. Then the riled stallion turned to the remaining Elements, giving them a fierce glare that could bore straight through the wall. “You…you helped him escape didn’ you?” he accused.

Soarin replied, “What? No, bro, we didn’t do anything!”

“You’re his mates, ain’t you? Of course you helped him!” He and his remaining crew drew their weapons, pointing them towards the five.

Soarin, whose face was staring down a pointed rusty pipe, began, “Whoa…we didn’t do anything to you guys. Let’s just chill out and…”

Suddenly, a yellow hoof lashed out at the stallion with the pipe, smashing into his cheek. The miner fell into one of the tables, knocking the wind out of his lungs. The owner of the bucking leg cried, “Who needs logic when you’ve got Senor Kickaroo, yeah?”

And with those wise words, everything in the Seventh Street Cornerclub became utter madness.

In one swift move, Soarin grabbed Scootaloo and shot up, trying to get as close to the ceiling and out of reach as he could. Redheart let out a scream before narrowly dodging a swipe of a club. Pushing the stallion away, the nurse quickly trotted in the direction of where Soarin was going: the front door.

The leader of the goons tried to swipe at Braeburn with his broken bottle, only managing to slice part of Braeburn’s Stetson. The cowpony retaliated with a swift kick to Mr. Mom’s lower leg, just enough to put him off-balance. Seeing this opening, Braeburn darted to the exit, his eyes burning with anger for both the goons and Lucky. Cheerilee followed along, ducking underneath a flying pickaxe, only pausing to deliver a kick the thugs’ leader’s chest.

“So long, sweetheart,” Cheerilee chimed before following the group outside. Seeing as though it were already nighttime, one would have thought the streets would be deserted. But as the sun went down over Trottingham and the posh went to their beds, the streets began to crawl with urchins and shady characters. Unfortunately for the Elements, this meant they had to run through the already volatile crowd.

The voice of Mr. Mom yelled, “After them!” from inside the tavern. Taking this as a cue to run, the Elements did just that, taking off down the hill with the miners tailing them. They began to weave and barge through the urchins that were unlucky enough to be in their path, hearing curses and shout spewing around them. But the insults flew right over their heads, mostly because the thugs were flying closer and closer.

“Where’s Lucky?” Cheerilee inquired, glancing back at their pursuers.

“Who the hay cares? We need to get outta this city!” Braeburn chided. Suddenly, the cowpony felt something rough impact against his leg, causing him to hop in pain. One miner had begun to toss lumps of coal and stone with impeccable accuracy, nailing Braeburn once again in the leg. This caused the yellow stallion to stumble into a random pedestrian, which gave two miners enough time to catch up.

Redheart and Cheerilee saw their friend stumble, and doubled back to fend off the attackers. Redheart, in sudden bout of bravery, swung her saddlebag into one of the miner’s snout whilst Cheerilee (who had left hers back at the inn) helped Braeburn off the pavement. One attacker let out a loud cry as he poised his pipe to bring it down on Cheerilee’s head. But as he was being helped up, Braeburn swept a leg underneath the assailant, sending him tumbling.

After the scramble, the trio took off down the hill, turning down a road that led to the outskirts of Trottingham. In the commotion, however, they seemed to have lost something. Or more precisely, someone.

“We’re missing Soarin!” Braeburn realized.

Redheart gave half-worried, half-annoyed look and said, “That pegasus must’ve taken Scootaloo with him. We need to find them!”

Meanwhile, two pegasi sneaked through the dark alleyways of the poor district, away from suspicious eyes. Soarin had lost the others in the chase, taking Scootaloo along for the ride. The orange filly’s hooves were wrapped tightly around his neck, her eyes checking behind them. The poor district was even creepier at night, and the lack of lanterns or torches left parts of the streets pitch-black. Soarin had to navigate the alley using only the moon’s light and his own instinct, and even his honed instincts couldn’t stop him from bumping straight into a wall multiple times.

Finally, after stubbing his nose for the fifth time, Soarin spied a sliver of moonlight showing the alleyway’s opening. Placing Scootaloo behind him, Soarin said, “Stay here, okay? I’ll make sure it’s safe.”

Scoots gave a silent nod, and Soarin began to edge his way towards the exit. The Wonderbolt peaked his head out, seeing a dirt road leading out of Trottingham, a few roguish ponies, and not a single miner in sight.

“I don’t think I see them Scoots,” the stallion whispered, turning back. “We should be safe.”

The pegasus was stopped in his tracks, however, and his mouth became agape with dread. Before him was Scootaloo floating in the air, not by her own accord, but by the unicorn stallion behind her. A broken bottle was held to her throat, and the foreleg holding it had the word ‘Mom’ inked onto it.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” the miner leader said, giving a cheeky smirk. Scootaloo struggled in the force field wrapped around her, futilely kicking as though it would break the spell. But she remained in place, and the miner couldn’t help but be slightly amused.

“Don’t you dare touch her,” Soarin uttered, inching closer to the two. The miner saw this and drew Scootaloo closer to the broken bottle, her face almost touching one of the shattered points. Scootaloo’s terrified squeal was enough to stop the Wonderbolt from advancing. The tiny filly gave Soarin a look of pure panic, almost on the verge of tears.

Soarin tried to keep his voice from trembling as he said, “You try anything, and…and I swear…”

“Swear you’ll what? I’m the one with the kid, remember?”

“Listen man, don’t hurt her, alright? Please…don’t kill her.”

The miner cackled at the pegasus, and replied, “Don’t worry, mate. I’m not going to kill her. I’m just gonna…cut her up a bit so she ain’t so cute!” At this, the miner flicked the bottle just the tiniest bit, cutting open Scootaloo’s cheek, causing her to howl in pain.

And quite frankly, this was the stupidest thing the miner could have done.

Seeing Scootaloo’s blood set something off in Soarin, a primal instinct that couldn’t be stopped. The desire to protect at all cost flooded his mind, soon travelling down to his powerful wings and legs. With complete disregard for injury, Soarin pushed off and flapped his wings, heading straight for the one who hurt his kid.

The pegasus smacked into the miner, sending the two into the dirt. Scootaloo was realized from her magical binding, and she crawled away from the brawling stallions. Soarin’s rage was unstoppable, unleashing a flurry of blows onto Mr. Mom’s body. The two rolled around some more, until Soarin was on top, holding his enemy down by the throat. “You’re messin’ with one of the fastest pegasi in the world bro,” the racer uttered, bringing his face in close. Then he raised his hoof, about to deliver a devastating right cross.

But suddenly, Soarin felt a jarring pain in his belly. The pegasus only had a second to glimpse down at the bottle piercing his stomach before he tumbled off the miner with a grunt. The pegasus’s headed lulled to the side, barely able to stay conscious.

“Soarin!” Scootaloo cried, trying to gallop towards her newest idol. However, a battered, bruised, and seriously angry miner stood in her path, gritting his teeth in rage. The miner still had his other bottle grasped in his teeth, and it seemed as though she would be its next target. Scootaloo could only watch helplessly at the brawny stallion as he crept towards her, poised to kill.

But just when it seemed she would be doomed too, the miner was suddenly thrown against the wall by an unknown force. He smashed his head and crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold.

Scootaloo peered down the alleyway, seeing a dark figure trotting out of the darkness. It was another unicorn…and he wore the ragged cap that the other miners wore.

“You…you better stay away from me,” the filly said. “I’m…I’m gonna scream! H-help-.”

But the stallion interrupted, “Oi, wait Scoots, it’s me! It’s me!” The unicorn tossed off his cap to reveal none other than Lucky, who had apparently dispatched the two sent after him.

There would be no time for reunion however, for Soarin still lay on the floor, his blood seeping out through the gash in his stomach. Scootaloo ran up to him, caressing his head while pleading, “Lucky, you have to help him. Please…”

Lucky didn’t need to examine to wound to know how serious it was. “We need to find Nurse Redheart,” the gambler decided. “Scootaloo…I’m sorry but I need you to let go so I can carry him.”

Although the filly was extremely reluctant to let go of her friend, she had no choice but to release him. Lucky carefully magicked the stallion onto his back, and realizing that Soarin was still partially conscious, he said, “Come on up, mate. Stay with me now, alright? We’re going to get you outta here.”

With the strong pegasus draped over his back, Lucky began to trot as fast as he could without tipping over. Scootaloo followed close behind, unable to take her eyes off her bleeding companion. Soarin’s face was already beginning to pale, and his mouth lulled open as his blood seeped onto Lucky’s vest.

He’s gonna be fine. He’s gotta be, Scootaloo thought as they headed to the outskirt of this blasted city. But no matter what she said, the filly couldn’t push that terrible possibility out of her mind. For the poor young mare had gone through this not once, but twice before.

Xxx

Cheerilee, Redheart, and Braeburn were ready to turn back into Trottingham when they spied two figures poking through the night. One was small, in the shape of a small pony. But the other was remarkably wide and big. As the figure got closer, the trio realized it was a pony carrying another on his back. And as they got even closer, they realized it was Scootaloo and Lucky, who was carrying…

“Soarin!” Cheerilee cried, running towards the other half of their group.

Braeburn and Redheart helped the wounded pegasus onto the ground, and an exhausted Lucky sat on his haunches, trying to regain his breath. Scootaloo threw herself around Cheerilee’s leg, weeping. The teacher tried her best to comfort the filly, nuzzling her head lovingly.

Meanwhile, Redheart immediately began her work on the wounded Wonderbolt. Soarin was barely conscious, and the nurse whispered, “Hold still Soarin, I can fix you.” With her trusty saddlebag at her side (thank Celestia she had brought it along), the skilled nurse began to stitch up the wound.

Shards of glass were still lodged in his side, so Redheart had to carefully pick them out. Once they were gone, the nurse was happy to see that the weapon hadn’t pierced any of Soarin’s vital organs. However, the amount of blood he had lost on his way here was substantial, so Redheart knew she needed to work fast. With the skill of an experienced doctor, she began to weave her needle and thread around the wound using only her teeth, which was a feat in itself. With Soarin’s blood staining her hooves, Redheart worked urgently to save her friend’s life.

Finally, the nurse tied off the final stitch, and the ruptured vessel was clamped shut. With Soarin’s wound healed, Redheart sat up and said, “There Soarin. That should be…enough?”

But something was still off about the wounded pegasus. His eyes were shut, and his pale head hung limply to his side. Realizing something was amiss, the nurse pressed her ear against Soarin’s chest, and her eyes widened in horror of what she found. Or rather, what she hadn't found.

Soarin’s chest was still. No heartbeat to be found.

Healing Hearts...in More Ways Than One

“His...his heart’s stopped,” Redheart uttered when Soarin's chest refused to make a single sound. Realizing just how urgent this was, the nurse began to rhythmically beat on the pegasus’s muscled torso.

Hearing the nurse’s strained voice, Scootaloo cried, “What! What do you mean…Soarin? Soarin?”

The filly tried to run to the unconscious flyer, but she was snatched by Cheerilee, who said, “Scootaloo, we…we need to give the nurse space!”

Casting one worried look at the Wonderbolt, Cheerilee dragged the struggling Scootaloo away, who screamed, “No! Soarin! No!”

Lucky and Braeburn couldn’t keep their eyes on their dying companion. The unicorn sat silently with his face buried in his hooves, while Braeburn held his hat sadly, pleading, “Please let ‘im be okay. Please…”

If Redheart could count the number of times she had watched a patient’s heart stop, well, she would have needed dozens more hooves to count them on. In her years, she'd witnessed an unfortunate number of ponies go into cardiac arrest on the operating table. And she knew that, when a pony’s heart stopped, it was usually time to start mopping up for the next patient.

But this time, she couldn’t just let this one slip away. Sure she wasn’t surrounded by heart monitors, advanced surgical equipment, or for that matter, a doctor. But despite the amount of things that worked against her, she just had to get Soarin back.

The diligent nurse worked hard to resuscitate the wounded pegasus, reaching into her mind for every medical trick she could remember. She gave him CPR, counting off her beats, pausing only to check his heart. Braeburn and Lucky could only watch and hope while Scootaloo’s cries sounded over the hills.

With every second that ticked by, Redheart knew his chances of reviving were getting slimmer and slimmer. It wouldn’t be long until the probabilty of recovery would be reduced to nil. Seeing as though CPR wasn’t doing any good, and with no other tools at her disposal, the nurse had no choice. She was about to try her last resort. She was about to try something she had never done before. Under any other normal circumstance, she never would’ve done it. But of course, this wasn’t any normal circumstance.

The nurse once again placed her hooves on his chest, this time pressing them tightly over his heart. She shut her eyes and began to take in deep breaths, as though she were slipping into an immense slumber. To Lucky and Braeburn, it seemed as though she were finally giving up. But in Redheart’s mind, she was far from done. To the stallions watching, the only change they could see was a faint glow near Soarin’s wound. But unbeknownst to them, they were witnessing so much more than just a simple surgery.

Her hoof was like a channel, connecting her own body with Soarin’s. The first thing she felt was the anguish. The searing agony stabbing straight into her chest. Her heart was ready to pound right out of her body, every thump sending pain everywhere.

But soon the torture was replaced with another feeling, one that was practically inexplicable. It was almost as if she was…disconnected from the world itself. For a moment, she was flying above everypony, looking down from the sky. Looking down at her own body. Redheart felt like she was floating in an endless abyss, slowly ascending upwards to the unknown. The nurse tried to call the names of the pale ponies below her, but they paid no heed. She was made of nothing, and yet she saw and felt everything all at once. And frankly, it was the scariest thing the mare had ever faced.

And just as suddenly as it started, the nurse was thrust back into her body, and reality began to take hold once again. A jarring pain shot through her head, and she fell backwards with a scream. The nurse lay on the paved road clutching her temple and her heart, unable to comprehend what she had just experienced.

Lucky rushed to the nurse while Braeburn ran to the pegasus lying on the floor. Truthfully, the cowpony had expected Soarin to be motionless and silent. But what he found was, quite literally, the opposite.

Soarin’s eyes fluttered open, staring up at the darkening sky. He brought his hooves up to his face, moaning as though he had just awoken from a deep sleep. Braeburn, in awe of Soarin’s miraculous recovery, uttered, “Sweet Celestia…she did it. Yer alive!”

“Why…why does it feel like somepony’s been punching me in the chest?” the stretching Wonderbolt asked, perplexed as to how he got here.

He rolled over and tried to stand up before Braeburn stopped him, saying, “Whoa…you need to sit down partner. You just had yer heart restarted.”

“What are talking about?” the pegasus replied, his eyebrows raised.

“Redheart got yer heart beatin’ again, partner.”

“…M-my heart?” Soarin sat back down on his haunches, putting a hoof over his chest. He delicately rubbed the area over his heart, but to his surprise, he felt no pain at all. “B-but I feel fine, Brae!” he said in disbelief. “Actually, I feel good as new. What're you...”

As he looked down at his body, his eyes widened in panic as he saw the large gash traversing across his belly. “Where the hay did this come from?” he stammered, marveling at the wound.

“You got it from one of those nasty goons that were chasin’ us.”

“I-it doesn’t even hurt,” Soarin whispered, looking around to find they were in the middle of nowhere. The reality of what he had just gone through sank in, and the normally easygoing pegasus said, “Oh man, what the buck happened to me? H-how did we get here? The...the thug...what did he do? And Scoots!”

Behind him, a tiny scared voice said, “Soarin?”

Recognizing it immediately, the Wonderbolt replied, “What…Scoots? What are you doi-?”

Before the stallion could turn around, the orange filly leaped straight at him, knocking him to the ground. The filly’s tears dripped into Soarin’s light-blue fur, and she gripped his body as though he would disappear if she let go. Ignoring the tears gently rolling down her cheek, Scootaloo breathed quietly, “That was so scary, Soarin. Redheart…Redheart said your heart stopped beating. I thought you…I thought that you were…y’know.”

“My heart…I…” he muttered, still quite confused. But the sweet little filly burying her face into his fur snapped him out of his trance, and the athlete began to stroke her purple mane, comforting her. “Well, don’t worry kid. I’m okay, see? I’m…I’m just fine. You don’t need to cry,” he said, taking her into a gentle embrace.

Still wracked with sorrow, Scootaloo whispered, “I don’t want you to go Soarin. Not like my parents.”

“Your parents? What do you…oh…”

The impact of the young pony’s simple plea dawned on him. The pain hidden behind her innocent face, the sadness that consumed the back of her mind, all of it came to fruition in that single embrace. For the first time since their pairing back at Frost Sanctuary, Soarin looked at not just a kid, but his kid.

“Don’t you worry, Scootaloo,” the pegasus uttered. “I promise you, I’m not gonna go nowhere. I’ll always be right here, whenever you need me. Besides, you’re my flying buddy, remember? And what’s a flyer without his co-pilot? Shh, don’t cry, kiddo. You know I’m not going anywhere.”

Closing her eyes, Scootaloo whispered, “I know.”

She cuddled up in his embrace, until finally, the young one drifted off to sleep. Hearing her quiet snores, Soarin gently placed her on the ground, using his shirt as a blanket. With nothing but grass surrounding them, the pegasus had to make due.

With Scoots safety tucked at the side of the road, Soarin began to lay back himself. But before he could get himself comfy, he spied a white mare sitting down the road, alone. Giving his companion a pat on the head, Soarin began to float over to the nurse. And to add to his amazement, the Wonderbolt was able to fly perfectly despite having been pierced by a bottle only an hour before.

“Hey, Nurse Redheart?” the Wonderbolt began, touching down. The nurse continued to look down towards the horizon, paying no heed to the pegasus.

But Soarin didn’t seem to notice, and he continued, “You…you saved my life. Scoots told me my heart stopped. I can’t even…that’s just…oh man.”

Looking up at the stars, the flyer shook his head and continued, “I should be dead. I was dead. I-I can’t even comprehend that. I…was…dead.”

Then he gazed back down at the nurse’s stolid face and said incredulously, “You…you saved me! And I don’t even feel like I just came back from the dead either. If Brae and Scoots hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have even known I just went through, like, surgery.” With a content grin, he inquired, “How…how did you do that?”

However, his grin was not to be returned. Instead, the nurse suddenly rose up and began to walk across the road, ignoring her patient.

“W-wait, where are you going?” Soarin asked, trying to follow suit.

Without looking back, Redheart replied, “Stay put, Soarin. You’ve just had a serious life-threatening injury.”

“Well sure, nurse. But only if you actually answer me for once!”

“Go away!” the nurse snapped, whipping around. Soarin met her face-to-face, and the Wonderbolt got a good look at her face. The mare had dark bags under her eyes, which seemed to sink into her face as though she were exhausted. Although it was dark, Soarin could see her pink mane had lost some of its hue, and her bun was frazzled and messy. He noticed a few wrinkles around her mouth eyes, something he hadn’t seen before. All in all, Redheart seemed to have aged in a matter of hours.

Realizing what Soarin had just seen, Redheart turned back around and whispered, “I…need to be alone.”

She began to slowly tread towards the hill, when the Wonderbolt’s voice stopped her in her tracks. He chided, “What’s your deal Redheart? You’ve never talked to me except when I’m either bleeding or screaming in pain. You just saved my life, man! I would be dead if it weren’t for you, and I’m just trying to thank you! I feel like I just woke up from a nap, for crying out loud!”

“You’re a miracle worker Redheart, but you don’t act like one. Is this…is this about Scoots?” he questioned, his voice bearing no anger, just puzzlement.

The nurse stood still for a moment, closing her eyes and heaving a sad sigh. But despite this, the nurse simply answered, “I said get some rest Soarin. I don’t feel like talking.”

Redheart continued walking, and this time, it seemed she wasn’t going to stop. Realizing it was futile to try and stop her, Soarin began to turn back to Scoots, but not before shouting, “By the way, you’re the one who looks like she died, not me!”

For a moment, Soarin could have sworn Redheart had glanced back at him. But alas, the pegasus just turned his back on her, just as she did to him.

xxx

When Scootaloo jumped into Soarin’s arms, Lucky and Braeburn rambled away from the two pegasi. The stallions ended up over one of the hillocks, neither one really acknowledging the other’s existence. One was anxious for the other’s reaction, hoping that Soarin’s scare had jolted his mind off what had just occurred. But the other stallion knew there was still unfinished business.

“So those thugs were tellin’ the truth then?” Braeburn uttered, casting a sharp glance at the unicorn.

“Listen mate, I…I never meant for this to happen,” Lucky muttered, unable to meet his gaze. “You guys were never supposed to know…”

“Ah outta buck you into next week!” the cowpony interrupted, getting into Lucky’s face. Braeburn had to use all his willpower to keep his hooves on the ground and to not plow them into Lucky’s cheek.

The cowpony was still seething with rage, however, and he lashed, “Yer a swindler! Yer a no-good, money-grubbing hack! I’ve worked mah hooves to the bone building mah city, and you…you’ve probably never done an honest day’s work in yer life!”

Raising his hoof, Lucky tried to reply, “Now listen here, mate.”

“No! You listen ta me, partner!” Braeburn quarreled, throwing his hat on the ground. “Those stallions almost killed us because of yer stupid petty thievery! You…you hid from them while we were left to clean up the mess! Look at Soarin; he almost died because of those goons.”

“Don’t think you’re all high and mighty, Brae!” Lucky argued, no longer able to take Braeburn’s venomous comments. “We all make mistakes! Yes, I’m a thief. Now you know!”

“Ah know we make mistakes, Lucky! That ain’t the point! Why don’t you get this through yer thick head?”

Lowering his voice while bringing his face closer in, Braeburn began, “I ain’t mad just because yer a swindler. I’m mad because y’all had the gall to keep it from us. I’m mad because we found it out from some stupid miners, not from yer own mouth! To me, that shows you’re not just a crook…but a liar and a coward as well. Now look at us. We just had a buncha miners rough us up. We can’t even go back to Trottingham anymore, not with those goons still prowling the streets for us.” He finished with a small but rough shove, pushing Lucky back on his haunches.

The unicorn stared into the farmer’s hard gaze, which flickered with a resoluteness that was unrivaled by anypony he had ever met. This was the sort of gaze that would have annihilated him ten times over if it could. Through clenched teeth, Braeburn uttered, “Princess Cadance didn’t choose you jus’ ‘cause you believe in others, but because she believes in you. You’re the darn Element of Faith, Lucky, an’ it’s time you started acting like it.”

Backing down over the hillock, the cowpony gave one final statement, “Ah think it’s time you put a little faith in us fer once.”

Lucky sat on his hindlegs as the cowpony slowly marched down the hill. He could hear Braeburn barking out orders, saying, “Alright everypony. Looks like we’re sleeping in the fields tonight. Tomorrow, we start heading back. But we ain’t heading through the Everfree again. We can go around, and make a stop at Ponyville. Ah got family there that can give us a place to stay. Then, we’ll take a train back to Canterlot.”

The gambler spied the others scattering about, laying down on the cold ground. Lucky sat silently atop the knoll, only able to stare down at the ground, completely alone.

That’s what he had hoped for, anyway. But behind him, the quiet sound of breathing pierced that silence. He turned his head to find who else but Cheerilee, standing peacefully behind him. By the looks of it, the teacher had been there for quite some time, unable to speak a word. And so, Lucky broke the silence, chiding, “What? You’ve come to scold me too? Yes, now you know who I am! I’m a gambler, I’m a thief, I’m a damn crook! What else do you what me to say?”

To his surprise, the schoolteacher hadn’t come to mock him like Braeburn had. Instead, she murmured, “I just…I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Okay?” Lucky repeated with a cynical chuckle. “I’ve never been okay! Never in my whole life…”

Standing next to the unicorn, Cheerilee asked, “What do you mean? You’ve the money-.”

“Money, huh? Before, I thought that was the solution to all my problems. But now…if only you knew…”

“If only you’d tell me,” the teacher answered, her voice tender and kindhearted.

Biting his lip, Lucky replied, “Perhaps some other time Cheerilee. But right now, after being run out by those bullies, I don’t think I’m much in the mood.”

Lucky’s noticed Cheerilee’s eyes were nothing like Braeburn’s. His was harsh, uncaring, cruel. But hers...they just shone with passion and affection, which filled the gambler with guilt. “I don’t mean to be brash,” he apologized, unable to meet her gaze. “It’s just that I think…I think it would be best if we all had some alone time to ourselves, okay?”

Although she felt reluctant to leave him so distraught, Cheerilee knew it was for the best. So with a tiny smile, the teacher nodded her head and whispered, “Alright Lucky. But please…tell me if you ever need somepony to talk to.” Then she hiked down the grassy knoll, just as Braeburn had done.

Suddenly, Lucky’s voice called from behind, speaking, “Hold up.”

Although he would never admit it, Lucky was on the verge of tears. Keeping his voice steady, the unicorn asked, “Why would you help me? Why would you bother to talk to me, even though the others have probably written me off as a crook? Why would you, a loving, hardworking schoolteacher, want to help a stallion who’s never made an honest bit in his life? If anything…you should hate me too. So why don’t you?”

With a loving smile, Cheerilee sincerely replied, “Because I know you’re more than that, Lucky. Your heart’s in the right place, even though your head might not see it that way. It might not seem like it to the others, but a real criminal wouldn’t have gone out of his way to protect me the way you have. Back at the Frost Mage Tower…you asked me to believe in you. Well…I still do.”

“I know you can put faith in yourself, Lucky. But don’t forget…you need to put your faith in others too.”

The teacher’s words hit Lucky hard, and he bowed his head, shutting his eyes. With a sigh, the unicorn looked at the mare with glistening eyes and uttered, “Cheerilee…I’m sorry.”

Cheerilee stared deeply into Lucky’s face to find not the pompous stallion she had met a few days before in the Canterlot Courtyard, who looked down on his companions like they were garbage. Instead, she saw a pony wracked with guilt, regret, and sadness. She saw a pony who only wore designer vests to cover up the scars he hid deep inside. And most importantly, she saw a pony who had made mistakes, and for the first time ever, he wanted to fix them.

At long last, she saw the stallion she had fallen in love with.

She could have wrapped her arms around him tenderly, taken into a tight embrace and never let go. But the schoolteacher knew it was not the time for such sentiments. She knew that the best thing for Lucky at the moment wasn't romance, but simple solitude. So with a nod, the teacher granted Lucky’s wish, to be alone with his thoughts. After all, that’s probably for the best. For all of us, Cheerilee thought, staring up at the full moon and the glimmering splendor that was the night sky. For despite the unwelcome events that occured today, the stars were shining brighter than ever.

xxx

Somewhere far away, at a time when most ponies would be sound asleep, two figures looked up at the same starry sky from a large balcony. “I’m so sorry, my liege. If it wasn’t for those thugs blundering it up…”, the pegasus minion apologized, bowing before his master.

The Arch-Mage simply waved his hoof, replying, “It is alright, young one. Do not fret. Some things just do not go as planned. But the time will come soon enough.”

He slowly made his way toward the edge of the balcony, casting his sights on the view before him. Without looking back, the old magician uttered, “So they will be going back to Ponyville, yes? Then that is when we shall begin.”

The Arch-Mage slowly turned around, pointed towards the horizon. “In the meantime, go back to the tower, and tell the others to gallop here as fast as they can. Our partner wants Phase 2 to begin…tonight.”

“Yes, my liege,” the pegasus replied, saluting valiantly, crouching for take-off.

Before he could fly, however, the elder added, “But take it easy, will you? Wouldn’t want you to overwork yourself…”

“Y-yes…my liege…” the younger pegasus stammered. With that, the strong young flyer took off into the air, zooming at breakneck speeds towards the Frost Star Sanctuary.

With his messenger gone, elder magician levitated a glass of tea, a sinister smile playing on his lips. The Arch-Mage sat back on the hotel’s balcony, with the spires of Canterlot Castle in his view.

Sheesh, essay writing sure is hard work! I finally found time to post this, so sorry 'bout the wait!

Interlude 2: The End is Nigh

It was almost midnight in Canterlot, and yet the Crystal Kingdom’s benevolent ruler was still wide awake. Cadance was alone in her quarters, with only a single lantern to illuminate the room. She had turned down her aunts’ offers of a lavish bedroom, instead preferring a simple tiny compartment in the corner of the castle. Not because she was particularly modest, but because she needed to be alone, far away from the distractions that came with being royalty. Of course, she’d never say that out loud, because that would have been rude.

The princess sat a desk much like the kind used in a regular office, hunched over as ancient words trickled from her lips. She levitated an ink-dipped quill over a parchment scribbled with paragraph upon paragraph of information. Her eyes moved rapidly across the inked paper, working at a fervent pace rivaling even Twilight Sparkle. The Tenebris Magicae et Mysteria lay open next to her, and a pile of papers were stacked on the floor, also written on. Cadance had been spending all this time translating the ancient spell tome, studying up on its secrets.

Finally, after many hours of studying, the princess flipped the book closed and placed her quill down. She let out a cute little yawn, stretching out her limbs which had become rigid from hours of staying motionless. There was still much of the book to go through, of course, but Cadance had figured she’d be much more alert after a good night’s rest. After all, even immortal dieties needed their beauty sleep.

She shuffled to her bed and took a seat, staring at a locket hanging on one of the bedposts. It was simple golden locket in the shape of heart, and inside was the picture of two young ponies still in their school days. One was a pink mare who tied her colorful mane in a braid, smiling with a mouth full of pink braces. The other had his hooves wrapped around his sweetheart, his blue mane parted neatly over his face, and his smile just oozing with confidence.

Cadance beheld the solemn memory, her lips pursed in sadness. “Buonanotte, Shiny,” she whispered, laying back on her pillow. “Essere sicuro. Please be safe.”

The love princess had only shut her eyes for a moment when a loud knocking sounded at the door. I thought this place was secluded , Cadance thought as she lifted herself off the mattress. Despite the fact that she was desperate for some sleep, she responded with, “I’ll be there in a moment!”

She tiredly made her way over to the door, opening it to find one of Luna’s Royal Guards standing by. His tufts for ears were twitching, and his arched back seemed extremely tense. The stallion uttered in a low voice, “Princess Luna requests your presence, Your Majesty.”

“So late at night?” Cadance replied, furrowing her eyebrows. “What did she want?”

“She did not tell me, Princess Cadance. Only that it was of an ‘urgent matter’,” the guard answered monotonously.

The princess yawned before muttering, “Probably wants me to tell her what I found in the book. So impatient…” After magically fixing her frazzled mane, she said, “Very well. Take me to her.”

The guard silently nodded and began to briskly march down the long, dark hallway. Cadance, with her longer than normal limbs, managed to keep up with the stallion's pace. However, that didn’t stop the pink alicorn from remarking, “Shall we slow down? What’s the rush? Luna can wait a few more seconds.”

She received no verbal reply from the Royal Guard, however he did slow down just a tad bit, which Cadance was grateful for. After all, she was much too bleary-eyed to strut around the castle in the dead of night.

They continued on in silence, with Cadance casting subtle looks at the guard strangely. Back at the Crystal Kingdom, the guards were much more sociable and, well, friendly (although she'd never tell him this out loud). And frankly, she couldn’t really remember the Canterlot guards being so formal all this time.

Seeing as though Cadance despised awkward moments, she struck up a conversation, saying, “My, I’m tired. I’ve been up studying that spell tome all night. I wonder how many spells I’ve translated in the past hour…probably at least a hundred or so. Although I’m not sure if Auntie Luna would approve me telling you this. But, oh well, what’s the harm, am I right?”

She finished with a small chuckle, waiting for some kind of response. But the guard just kept walking on with his face as still as rock and cold as ice, and his ear was still twitching slightly. Cadance continued, albeit uncomfortably, “So…did you know they had a whole chapter decided to the art of manipulation? They had this spell that allowed the user to manipulate the shadows so it looked like an actual pony! Imagine that? A perfect copy of another, created out of nothing but darkness. It’s interesting…and perhaps a bit frightening.”

Still no reply. Might as well be talking to a stone, she said in her mind. But she supposed it didn’t matter anymore, since the two had finally arrived at the large looming door of the throne room. Underneath her calm exterior, the princess was relieved that she had to no longer strike up random conversation to a rock. But of course, she only said out loud, “Well, thank you for accompanying me. I’ll make sure to put in a good word to Auntie Luna.”

Just as she was about to part open the doors, she added, “Oh…you look quite dark by the way. You should probably stay out of the sun or something.” But strangely enough, when she turned around, the guard was already gone, with no sight of him on either side of the hall. Shrugging tiredly, Cadance dismissed the stallion, figuring it was just another wierd thing Canterlot guards did.

But stranger still was when she stepped into the throne room, only to find it completely empty. No Luna, no Celestia, and even more suspicious, no guards. Shouldn’t this place always be on watch? Princess Cadance thought, scanning the room for any sign of life.

“Auntie Luna? Auntie Tia? Where are you?” she called. “Didn’t somepony call for me?”

Suddenly, a voice emanated from nowhere, echoing, “You are correct princess.”

Cadance didn’t not recognize it belonged to, only focusing on the fact that it seemed to be echoing inside her own head. She glanced fearfully around the throne room, trying to find the source of the ominous voice. “You don’t recognize me? Well, how disappointing,” it uttered. “Then again, it’s not like I expected you to remember me. It’s been quite a long time…”

“Who are you? Where are you?” Cadance uttered, hiding her fear behind defiant eyes. “Where are my aunts?”

Although the owner of the voice was not visible, Cadance could sense a wicked smile grinning down at her. With a small chuckle, it replied, “Look up.”

Despite every fiber of her being telling her to look away, Princess Cadance slowly turned her head to the ceiling. What she saw caused her to reel back in shock, and she let out a gasp of terror. There were her aunts, plastered to the ceiling, unconscious. They seemed lankier and older, looking more like impoverished peasants instead of immortal deities. Surrounding them was something she had known all too well, something from which she had barely escaped with her life. The Shadow.

Immediately, Cadance’s instincts took over, and she galloped towards the doorway, which she had left wide open. However, to her dismay, a group of hooded mages appeared from nowhere, blocking the only exit with a force field. The princess tried to shatter the magical barrier with a spell of her own, but the combined power of the mages was just too much, and the spell was quickly dispersed. Desperate, the alicorn threw herself against the solid bubble, but she met as much success as before. The alicorn harmlessly bounced off, which sent her sliding across the ground.

The throne!, Cadance thought as she scrambled upright, remembering the secret passageway. But when she whipped around, the Shadow had already spread across the opposite half of the throne room, covering the gleaming palace in its unwavering darkness. The alicorn began to fire bolts of magic into the darkness, despite the fact that she knew it was futile. Every attack was simply absorbed, and the Shadow continued to slowly creep across the floor.

Backed into a corner with no way out, Cadance could only watch as the black entity began to wrap itself around her body. The princess fought and struggled to break free, but the dark magic’s bonds were simply too strong, encasing her until only her head poked out. Defiant to the end, she refused to let out a single scream or squeal, even though fear still wracked her brain. She was brought to the center of the room, where a single being rose out of the darkness.

Like a demon from another world, a figure appeared from the dark writhing abyss. It appeared to be a pony, and a rather petite one at that. The pony wore a shroud as dark as the Shadow itself, covering its features so only its smirking mouth was visible.

The being stepped towards the captive royal, laughing wickedly at Cadance’s defeat. The princess could only utter, “You…who are you?

The shrouded pony replied, “Oh don’t worry about that…you’ll remember soon enough. But I know you, princess. All too well.”

Cadance shouted angrily, “You’ll never succeed! My Elements are…”

“Your Elements will be dealt with soon enough, Cadance,” the figure interrupted. “But as for you…I’ve got a surprise for you…”

“Are you going to kill me?” the alicorn asked solemnly.

With a cynical laugh, the pony uttered, “Don’t get too excited, my dear. All in good time.” It began to walk away towards the throne, all the while saying, “I hope you’re an evening pony, because that’s all you’ll be seeing for a long…long time.”

The figure took seat on the now darkened throne, with tentacles of darkness seeming to stem from its side. With a sinister wave, the Shadowmaster spoke, “Good night…Mi Amore."

“You miserable wench!” was all Cadance could scream when the Shadow covered up her mouth and her face, dragging her into the depths of the unknown.

Outside, the denizens of Canterlot slept soundly, unknowing of the horrors about to unfold once again.

Short-ish chapter this time around.

Fallout

The night had given way to another Equestrian morning, this time overcast with gray clouds. It was a sign of colder weather, and perhaps even a bit of rain ahead. For now, however, it was the perfect temperature for travel, especially for six tired and bruised ponies. Despite the mild conditions, they knew this trek to Ponyville wouldn’t be an easy one. For although the road was easygoing, their minds were anything but.

As usual, Braeburn led the ragtag group, his face hardened and his lips pursed. Redheart followed right behind with her head drooping and with tiny wrinkles now present on her white face. Soarin, who was told not to fly for fear of tearing his stitches, carried Scootaloo on the ground. A cool smile hid his uneasiness of being literally dead just a few hours before. And in the rear was Cheerilee, who was a few paces in front of the moping Lucky.

Braeburn gave disdainful glance back at the convoy, the anger in his eyes carrying over from last night’s fiasco. “Hey Cheerilee. Couldya tell Lucky ta pick up the pace?” the cowpony ordered, not even trying to look at the unicorn’s face. “He’s lagging behind more than a turtle in a sea of molasses.”

The teacher, too tired to argue, said, “Hey Lucky, Braeburn said to speed up.”

The unicorn stuck his nose up in the air resentfully and replied, “Redheart, could you tell that farmer that maybe he should slow down so the rest of us normal folk can keep up.”

“You heard him, Brae,” Redheart said quietly.

Raising his voice, Braeburn replied, “Tell that thief that he ain’t the one callin’ the shots.”

Not to be outdone, Lucky retorted, “Ask him who died and made him leader!”

“Tell him pretty much everypony here!”

“Well tell him his Stetson is tacky and stupid.”

“Why don’t y’all tell him bagels are gross and disgustin’.”

At this, Lucky sprang into action, trotting towards the front of the line while exclaiming, “You take that back!”

“Only after you apologize ta mah hat!” the stubborn cowpony replied, stamping the ground as though he were about to charge himself.

Before they could fling themselves at each other, they were stopped by the remaining four ponies. With Lucky’s tail clenched between her teeth, Cheerilee began,” Guys! You are both acting like foals! Scootaloo acts more civilized than you!”

“Hey!” the filly yelped as she held onto Braeburn’s hooves.

The schoolteacher continued, “We’re team, remember? We need to work together. This…this is not what a team does. I don’t care that you guys don’t see eye to eye, but can you just put those differences aside and call it a truce?”

Wrenching himself from his comrades’ grasp, Braeburn responded, “No! Ah ain’t doing one thing with that swindler ‘til we get back to Canterlot.”

“Right back at ya, mate!” Lucky replied as Cheerilee released his tail. Not even wasting their energy to give a hateful glance at each other, the two resumed their positions on opposite sides of the convoy, while the others got back in place. An outburst like this certainly wasn’t a good sign for times ahead, especially since this was the third one in an hour.

“How do I put up with this?” Cheerilee whispered whilst shaking her head.

Soarin, who happened to be standing next to her, responded, “Just do what I do. Think of something that makes you happy. Y’know…like Lucky’s eyes.”

Cheerilee’s eyes grew wide, and she jerked her neck to the side and uttered, “What did you say?”

“Like pies. Yeah…pies,” the Wonderbolt lied. Then with a mischievous smile, he slowly began to distance himself from the vexed teacher, who now couldn’t stop thinking about Lucky.

Next to the Wonderbolt was Scootaloo, who was now following him around like a lost pup. The filly refrained from glancing up, for fear of glimpsing Soarin’s wound. The memory of the attack was still fresh in her mind, and she certainly had the cut on her cheek to prove it. She remembered how Soarin jumped into the thug to save her. How he took the bottle in the stomach…to save her. It had all left a bitter taste in her mouth, a taste that she both knew well and loathed. It was the taste of guilt, perpetually inside of her, just waiting for the moment to strike. And unfortunately, that moment was now.

“How’s…it…feeling, Soarin?” the filly asked quietly.

“You mean the stitches?” Soarin replied, smiling down as his companion. “Feels like nothin’s there, kid. But then again, it hasn’t really changed since the last time you asked me…about thirty seconds ago.”

“Right, sorry,” Scoots replied, blushing. “I’m just…making sure, y’know?”

“Naw, it’s fine, Scoots. But thanks for lookin’ after me.” The stallion began to whistle a random tune to take his mind off everything that had happened in Trottingham. Off the miners, off the thieves, off the chase, off of basically everything. Soarin knew it was a horrible place, and yet he couldn’t get rid of that aching feeling in his head, the one you get from anxiety.

Finally, after realizing it was not working (and that he stunk at whistling), the flier inquired, “How ‘bout you? You alright? How’s your cheek?”

“Oh, it’s fine,” the filly replied, gently tracing the cut with one of her hooves. “It kinda stings, though.”

“Sorry to hear that, kiddo. Maybe Redheart’s got something for that.”

“No, I’ve asked already. Besides, I’ve scraped myself before, so it isn’t that bad,” Scootaloo replied, showing a fraction of the confidence of her old self. “By the way, speaking of the nurse…”

“What is it?” Soarin asked in a hushed tone.

“You’ve been looking at Redheart all weird ever since we left the Everfree. You don’t…like…have a crush on her or something, do you? Gross,” she uttered, scrunching her face up as though she was allergic to the word “crush”.

But the Wonderbolt, calm as ever, replied, “No, that’s not it. It’s…ah…complicated.”

“That’s even worse!” Scoots cried, her eyes wider than ever.

“No no Scoots, not like that,” Soarin reassured, trying to hide a smirk.

“Whatever. As long as you guys don’t kiss or anything…” Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, the filly replied, “By the way…she’s kinda been acting all funny since we woke up.” Then she added loudly, “Did you two, like, have fight?”

In a panic, Soarin cupped his hooves around the young mare’s mouth, shaking his head. “Shhh…not too loud, okay? I don’t think we need any more drama here.”

“Sorry,” Scoots replied. Now whispering, she continued, “But still, you need to answer my question. Did you guys fight?”

Heaving a sigh, the Wonderbolt rubbed his mane and said, “You’re pretty observant, kiddo, I’ll tell you that. Well…I wouldn’t call it a fight, really. I dunno if you’d understand.”

“Of course I’d understand! I probably know more about fights than you’d think.”

“For some reason, I don’t have a hard time believing that,” Soarin replied, lowering his voice so no one else could hear. He cast a glance towards the nurse, his head pounding from the many thoughts swirling in his brain. Soarin hadn’t stopped thinking about his roadside operation. But strangely enough, the pony he worried for the most wasn’t himself.

“If anything, it should be me looking like crap, not her. I know something’s wrong with her. But the thing is…I just don’t know what it is.”

From the whirling cloud that held all his feelings, one thought was clear. And I’m sure as heck not gonna stop until I find out.

xxx

By some sort of divine mercy, the Elements of Love managed to make it Ponyville without tearing each other apart. Braeburn steered them towards a homely farm where luscious apples hung from trees as far as the eye could see. With Sweet Apple Acres in sight, the cowpony uttered, “Alright y’all. This is mah family’s farm, the finest slice o’ heaven on this side of Canterlot. We’re gonna spend the day here, an’ maybe head down to town an’ get us supplies. But tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we’re taking the first train right out to Canterlot. Understood?” The others mumbled their assent, nodding simultaneously. Then, giving a harsh glare at Lucky, the cowpony added, “An’ no stealin’, you hear me? Mah family don’t take too kindly to thieves.”

The group marched up to the fence of Ponyville’s first and most prosperous plantation. Rainclouds loomed in the horizon, but that didn’t stop the farm’s tenants from doing their duties. Farmers were still bucking away at trees, harvesting as much as they could before the storm came. An old mare sitting on her rocker outside the farmhouse oversaw everypony, finally spying the Elements coming up the road. Straining her old eyes, she finally made out the tell-tale Stetson on the lead stallion’s head.

“Well now, ain’t this an unexpected surprise! If it ain’t Li’l Brae!” Granny Smith hollered at they sauntered up to the porch.

Putting on a hearty smile for the family, Braeburn replied, “Howdy there, Granny! Still callin’ me Li’l Brae ah see. Ah reckon you can jus’ call me Braeburn, you know.”

Braeburn leaned in for hug, instead getting a big sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. While he reeled back to wipe the saliva off, Granny said, “You know Ah’m gonna call you whatever Ah want. Besides, to me, you’ll always be the li’l colt who always kept getting apples dropped on his head.” Setting her eyes on the five behind him, she asked, “Well now, who’re these folks? Ah don’t remember inviting no guests.”

“Granny, these are some pals Ah’ve been traveling with fer a while now. Ah know it’s on short notice, but we were hoping you could give us a place to stay until tomorrow.”

The six anticipated the elder’s answer, who appeared to be deep in thought. But after a few minutes of…well…nothing, it became apparent that Granny had gone into another one of her trances. Braeburn issued a sharp whistle, snapped the old mare out of her episode. Shaking her head, she answered, “Wazz-huh?…Oh, well a’course y’all can stay here! Li’l Brae’s friends are welcome here anytime!” Pointing a crooked hoof towards the barn, Granny Smith said, “Ah’ll get Applebloom to set up some mats in the barn over there.”

“A barn?” Lucky squawked in disbelief.

Braeburn wasted no time shooting a wrathful glare at Lucky, who proceeded to shut his mouth. After all, the unicorn was just as tired as the others (although the Braeburn’s Death Glare certainly helped to convince him as well).

The cowpony quickly replaced his smothering frown with a grateful smile. Tipping his hat, he said, “Thanks Granny. Ah knew I could always count on ya fer help!”

“Well you are mah Li’l Brae, you know,” the old mare said, which made the cowpony blush. “It’s just too bad Applejack ain’t here to see you. Ah’m sure she’d be happy fer the visit.” With those final words, the six headed towards the apple orchard, leaving Granny Smith to nap in peace.

“Alrighty then, y’all. We’ve got until next morning to rest and relax, and then we’re off. Why don’t you guys head into town fer a spell, maybe find some food or something,” Braeburn said.

“What about you, Brae?” Cheerilee asked.

“Listen, no offense to any y’all, but ah think I’ll just stay here. Alone.” As he headed to the forest of apples to find the rest of his family, the cowpony uttered, “Ah suppose we could all use a break.”

With one of their own members off doing who-knows-what, the other five figured they might as well follow suit. “I guess I’ll do what he said and head down into town. Heh, that’s a first,” Lucky muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

As he began to drag himself towards the gate, Cheerilee said in a soft voice, “I think I’ll, um, join you. I mean…if you’re okay with it.”

The unicorn turned towards his companion, showing just a tiny flicker of suspicion in his eyes. But this cynical flicker vanished within a second upon seeing the mare, and for once, he let his tense muscles relax. With a hint of a smile, the first he’d had in days, Lucky replied, “Of course I am.”

As the duo headed down the path to the sleepy little town of Ponyville, Redheart decided it was time to check out their make-shift quarters. Without a word, she slipped away to the barn, leaving who else but Soarin and Scootaloo in the field.

Soarin had the urge to follow up on the promise he had made to himself, and follow the nurse. But one thing was stopping him; a cute, rambunctious little pegasus with knack for action and adventure. “Come on Soarin! There’s this hill over there that me and my friends always go to. You can see everything there!” Scoots suggested, tugging on the Wonderbolt’s shirt sleeve.

“Huh, you know a lot about this place, don’t you?” Soarin asked.

“Well duh, my friend Applebloom lives here! I come and visit all the time. It’s kinda like a second home,” the filly replied, remembering all the secrets the CMC had found in these acres of rolling hills and trees. Just thinking about all the cool stuff made Scootaloo hyper, so she said excitedly, “So whaddaya say? Let’s go! Or maybe I could show you my tricks on the scooter or something!”

Soarin rubbed his side and answered, “Gee, kiddo. I would, but my injury’s killing me. I think I’ll just go and rest…”

“But I thought you said it didn’t hurt,” Scootaloo said, lilting her head to the side questioningly.

“Right…uh…I…” Soarin stammered. But damage had already been done; Scootaloo had seen through the lie. Her lips began to curl up in a pout, and her head remained tilted in dejection.

Soarin couldn’t help but feel guilty, and yet he couldn’t let this rare opportunity to slip away. Ruffling the filly’s mane, the Wonderbolt said, “Sorry, kiddo. I’ve just gotta do something for a little bit. Why don’t you go find your friend Applebloom, tell her some stories about how we kicked some mages’ butts, yeah?”

Heaving a big sigh, Scootaloo answered, “Okay…later Soarin.”

The Wonderbolt watched as she slowly hobbled away, heading towards the farmhouse they had just visited. Once the filly was out of sight, Soarin made his way to the barn, determined to actually converse with Redheart.

But when he crept through the door and saw her sitting atop a pile of hay, that determination was replaced by something else. Anxiety. And Soarin never would have guessed that something as simple as talking would feel like he was gearing up for the hardest race of his life.

At first, Redheart seemed to be deep in thought. But when she saw Soarin peeking through the barn door, she quickly stood up. “Soarin? W-what are you doing in here? Are you looking for something?”

“Well actually…” the Wonderbolt began, closing the door behind him. “I am. I was looking for…for you.”

Redheart instinctively began to back away, replying, “Really? If you don’t mind me asking…why?”

But Redheart’s darting eyes sold her out, and Soarin said, “Uhh, I think you already know why.” Leaning himself against a wooden beam, the flier continued smoothly, “Listen to me Red, I’ve been keeping my mouth shut for a while now, and I figure now is a better time than ever to get this over with.”

“What do you mean?” the nurse answered obliviously.

Sighing, Soarin shot back, “I mean it’s time dropped the act. What do you got against me, huh? Why are you like a rock when I talk to you?”

“Really Soarin, I don’t know what you mean. I think I should be going,” the mare said, turning her back towards him. But before she could take another step, the pegasus flew overhead and plopped himself right in her path. “Soarin, I really think you shouldn’t be flying-.”

“Come on, nurse,” Soarin interrupted, keeping his voice low. Acting a bit more stern than usual, the pegasus uttered, “I’m not dumb, and neither are you. If I—we—are going to work together for a long time, we need to be able to do it with a clear mind. A clear conscience. Not clouded with…with…this. Huh, I don’t even know what it is, but it’s clouding my brain so much I can’t even think straight. You need to tell me. For both our sakes.”

Redheart stared into Soarin’s eyes, and the two locked on each other for what seemed to be forever. The nurse’s face was stolid as usual, showing no signs of breaking. In fact, neither pony seemed ready to crack.

But finally, one pony simply couldn’t keep up the charade. Heaving a tired sigh, she replied, “Okay. After everything we’ve been through, I suppose I owe you some answers.

“Don’t you ignore—wait…really?” Soarin uttered, more than a bit shocked at Redheart’s sudden turnaround.

But the mare’s tone was sincere, answering, “Yes. You’re right…you deserve to know.”

Sitting atop a bale of hay, she began, “I hope you don’t mind a sermon, Soarin. As you can probably tell, I don’t exactly like to talk about myself too much.” Taking off her treasured nurse cap, she said, “This is going to sound crazy Soarin, but unicorns aren’t the only ponies with magic. Sure, they can cast spells and wield it and whatnot. But certain other ponies, like me, have a…a special kind of magic flowing through them. And it gives the pony a unique special ability.”

Redheart peeked up at the Wonderbolt, who was staring at her with a rather unsettling look in his eyes. Perhaps it was the lack of light in the barn, but Soarin’s eyes seemed to have gotten darker. “You’re still with me, right?” the nurse whispered.

The pegasus blinked once, and his eyes flickered back to their normal green hue. “Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” he replied, shaking his head. “But, uh, what does that have to do with me?”

With a muted voice, Nurse Redheart explained, “Let me put it this way, Soarin. When I heal others, I do not simply make the pain go away. After all, that pain must go somewhere, right?” Suddenly, right as she finished her sentence, the mare shot out her hoof and plucked a feather off Soarin’s wing. The Wonderbolt gave a yelp of pain, and a stinging sensation began to throb in his side.

But before he could complain, Redheart laid her hooves upon the side where his feather was torn from his skin. She closed her eyes, and for the first time, Soarin could see a faint glow where her hooves touched his skin. When she took them away, the pain was gone, almost like…magic.

Befuddled, the flier looked back up the mare, recognizing that her face was slightly winced in pain. Clearin her throat, Redheart continued, “Do you see? When somepony is in pain…I can feel that pain as well. And that is how I am able to take it away. I take their pain…and put it inside of me.”

The mare gave a strained chuckle, adding, “I probably sound crazy, and I understand. But what I’m saying is the whole truth, Soarin. That is why I know what my patients are going through, because I’ve felt it all myself. I’ve felt what it’s like to be burned, to be cut, to have a limb amputated, and once…”

Her voice trailed off with a slight tremble. Redheart continued to stare at the floor, remembering that horrible, horrible feeling she had back at Trottingham. Turning her gaze at the Wonderbolt, she uttered softly, “To die.”

At first, Soarin didn’t get what Redheart was trying to say. I can’t even imagine, he thought, pitying the poor nurse. But then, almost like a freight train, it hit him. What she had done back at Trottingham, how she had saved his life; Redheart’s point was clear. She died…so that he wouldn’t have to.

“Oh…oh my Celestia…I put you through that?” Soarin questioned.

“That is why I have learned to conceal my emotions,” the mare continued. “So I can hide the pain I feel inside. That is my blessing…and my curse.”

“So…all those times you’ve healed me…that time when I…died…” Soarin couldn’t help but feel he was at fault. He had known something had happened while he was unconscious; the sudden aging of the nurse made that obvious. But knowing that it was because of him…

The pegasus sidled out of the barn, while his companion followed close behind. The white pony placed her hoof tenderly on the distraught pegasus, consoling, “Please Soarin, don’t be hard on yourself. I’ve been doing this for my whole life! Besides, it isn’t all bad. It allows me to feel their joy, their innocence, and their love as well. And perhaps that is what makes it all worth it.”

The duo took a seat in the grass next to the barn, with Redheart’s hoof still rubbing Soarin’s broad back. As guilt coursed through his veins, the flier whispered, “Why? Why do you help me? I must have put you through so much.”

“That stint back at Trottingham; that was the first time I’ve ever done something like that. And…and I hope I should never have to do that again. But I knew that I had to try something, not just for your sake, but for hers as well.”

With her head, she motioned towards the orchard, where two fillies could be seen relaxing under the shade of a tree. Scootaloo was happily chattering away, while her friend listened with wide-eyed wonder. With a content smile, Redheart said, “Scootaloo looks up to you, Soarin. I can sense the happiness she feels when she’s near you. And frankly, I think you’re the only reason she’s still going. She’s a strong one, yes. But you…you’re her protector, her rock. If something were to happen to you…”

“I help you, because you’re the only one who can help her.”

The duo cast their gaze on the pastures of Sweet Apple Acres, where Scoots and Applebloom had begun to run around in glee. Soarin took in Redheart’s words, realizing just how much trust she had given him in one swift moment. As they both laid their caring eyes on the orange filly below, they began to slowly nod their heads. And despite their differences, for the first time, the two realized they shared something in common.

“Y’know Red, what you do is crazy. Uncanny, really. But then again, that’s what the Element of Understanding’s supposed to do, huh?” Soarin conversed, a laid-back grin spreading across his face. “You’re on the border of miraculous, Red. What’s the point of keeping it a secret? You help ponies. Why keep all the good you do to yourself?”

Pursing her lips in the thought, the mare stared up at the sky as she searched for an answer. Finally, with a subdued tone, she answered, “I guess I don’t really know Soarin. I suppose I’m just afraid of what others might think of me. How’d you feel just now, when I told you were causing me pain?”

“Uhh…bad, I guess,” he replied sheepishly.

“Well, that’s one of the reasons why I don’t tell anypony,” Nurse Redheart answered. “That way, I’m the bad guy, not you. Besides, if the only way I can impact somepony’s life is by telling them I can do magic tricks, I’m not really doing my job, am I?”

Satisfied, the Wonderbolt placed his hooves behind his head and lay back on the soft grass. To his surprise, the normally stiff nurse did the same. Soon, the two ponies were staring solemnly into space, taking in the sheer beauty of peace and quiet. Although the sky was overcast, a nice breeze made up for the gloom, carefully blanketing the two in its comfort. Aside from the cheers of the two fillies and Winona’s faint barking, the world was quiet. No Shadows, no dark magic, no mystery. Just two simple ponies unwinding together, realizing that maybe…just maybe…they’re not as different as they once thought.

Still watching the clouds, Redheart broke the silence, stating, “I can tell you care for her just as much as I do Soarin. Element of Understanding, you know? You’ll do just fine. I can trust you.”

She turned her head and stared into the Wonderbolt’s emerald eyes, giving him a kindhearted look. And at that moment, Soarin realized she was giving him a glimpse of something most ponies never saw. It was a glimpse into the heart of the Element of Understanding; a heart that held benevolence and concern for not only Scoots, but the rest of her companions as well.

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t just care for her, you know. I care about everyone else too,” the devoted nurse said, living up to her name. With a chuckle, she added, “So try not to sacrifice yourself too much, okay?”

“I’ll do my best, Red,” Soarin replied. “And, uh, thanks.”

Redheart nodded her head before lying back on the grassy hillock with her pegasus companion, where the problems they had been facing seemed to vanish. And as it would happen, neither pony wanted to leave.

Calm Before the...

It was about that time again in Ponyville. The time when the orange sun started to dip below the horizon, leaving the beautiful moon to take its place in the starry sky. Or at least, that’s what would have happened, if it wasn’t for the thickening clouds looming overhead.

Most of the citizens of the now-famous village were headed to their houses, enjoying their supper, getting ready for another modest day tomorrow. Unbeknownst to these ponies, however, there was a whole other life going on after the sun went down. The night life. Sure, it probably wasn’t the sort of business seen in Canterlot or Las Haygas, but by Ponyville standards, things were quite interesting. And caught in the midst of it were two ponies, a stallion and a mare, who had gone into town looking for a bite to eat.

Lucky had only swung by Ponyville once before, and that was only to stay in an inn on the outskirts of the city. So, naturally, it was Cheerilee leading the way. “So I take it you’ve never been in Ponyville before?” she asked, strolling through the thinning crowd of ponies.

“In town, no. I have, however, passed by once or twice for a rest,” Lucky replied. “This place is nothing like back home in Las Haygas, you know. On some nights, we wouldn’t even be able to hear each other speak!”

“Yeah well…it might not be much, but it’s still home,” the teacher replied contently. “Besides, I don’t think I’m much for the bright lights and commotion and all that.”

“Maybe you should try it sometime,” the stallion suggested quietly. With a short nod, the two wordlessly continued down the road with no particular destination in sight. Cheerilee looked to her side, pretending to clear her throat while looking preoccupied. Lucky stared forward with pursed lips, sometimes giving a quick glance at his companion. Once, their eyes accidently met for a split second, and their immediate response was to look the other way and act like nothing had happened. Frankly, to the other pedestrians, the duo probably looked quite odd.

Finally, after the silence had gone on far too long, Lucky uttered, “So…do you know anywhere we can…grab a bite?”

Relieved, Cheerilee replied, “Yes! I mean…yes, there’s this restaurant not too far from the school I work at. They don’t close until ten.”

“Sounds good to me,” Lucky said. With that, the two began to stroll along the moonlit sidewalk with Cheerilee at the helm.

And although she kept telling herself it wasn’t a date, that didn’t make her feel any less giddy.

Xxx

The thumping of hooves against bark resounded throughout the orchard, the source of which was an angry yellow cowpony venting his frustration. Standing next to him was a strong red stallion, who did nothing but simply listen. As he slammed the trees with Senor Kickaroo, Braeburn asserted, “What was ah supposed to do, Big Mac? Our mommas always taught us that thieves were no good, right?”

“Eeyup,” was the simple answer.

“We’ve farmed our flanks off fer a living, an’ it just ain’t fair for somepony to get theirs off another’s work, right?”

“Eeyup.”

Stopping to take a breath, Brae quietly asked, “But…I dunno, cousin. Ah wasn’t too harsh on him, was I?”

“Eeyup.”

“Wait…yup I wasn’t, or yup I was?”

The two stallions’ one-sided conversation came to an end when an old mare scooted up to check on her grandsons. Her face was wrinkled in worry (more wrinkled than it usually was, anyway), and she said, “Braeburn, we can hear ya ranting from the house. What’s the matter?”

Heaving a sigh, Braeburn replied coldly, “Nothing, Granny.”

“Now Braeburn,” the elder began in a scolding tone. “You know we don’t take too kindly to liars. Remember what ah said?”

Drooping his ears, he answered guilty, “You’re right, Granny. Ah…ah’m sorry.” He took off his hat like he always did when he was troubled, and slid down the side of the tree tiredly. “It’s troublin’, all this travelling around business. All the stress, the drama. Ah just ain’t well enough to handle the group right now. Especially one in particular…the unicorn.”

“You two don’t see eye to eye?” Granny Smith asked.

Braeburn exhaled another slow breath, collecting his thoughts. Finally, after deciding he need to let off some steam, the cowpony began, “You want me to be honest, Granny? I’ll be brutally honest. I hate his guts. I hate how he’s made his living off of other people’s fortunes. And I absolutely hate his sarcastic, snarky little attitude. We ain’t never gotten along since we started travelling, and I don’t think we ever will. He’s just…caused us problems.”

“Why do you travel with him then?”

“Because we have to,” Brae replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “No matter how much I don’t like ‘im, he’s here to stay.”

With an all-knowing smirk, the old pony said with a chuckle, “Well then you don’t have much of a choice then, doncha Brae!”

She gave Braeburn the look of a pony who seemed to knew everything. And it was true; Granny Smith always had something to say about everything. It practically came with the all-encompassing knowledge only an elder pony with years of experience could possess. Braeburn knew this, and listened intently as the wise grandma said, “We all meet ponies we don’t get along with, Braeburn. Now ah ain’t been around him as long as you have, so I can’t judge him. But before you go and do so, sometimes you gotta take a step back and look at him again from a different perspective. Maybe there’s more to ‘im than just meets the eye. Sure, a pony can be harsh. But perhaps there’s a reason why he’s the way he is.”

The elder slowly began to turn around, clacking her walker through the grass. As Braebrun watched her go off, she finished, “You know what they say. Before you can judge a pony, walk a mile in his hooves. If you do, maybe you’ll find some way to get along. Least for now.”

Mentally the cowpony told himself to follow Granny’s advice. But yet they seemed so utterly different; how could they manage to get along? Braeburn leaned against the tree, wondering if what the elder said was right. He wondered whether a farmer and a thief could ever get along, after all the bickering they’ve battled through.

And as if on cue, a deep voice quietly said, “Eeyup.”

xxx

Soft music lulled throughout Ponyville’s Dandelion Café, which was where Cheerilee had taken Lucky to dinner. Discounting the few costumers sitting at the bar, they were the only patrons eating in the entire restaurant. Lucky’s head was lowered over his plate, biting into a bagel dandelion sandwich. He closed his eyes as he swallowed the savory confection, having craved for the doughy pastry for the past few days. Sheer ecstasy flooded through his body, and his appetite certainly didn’t feel like going away any time soon.

Cheerilee sat across the table, and compared to Lucky, she looked extremely subdued. Her own sandwich lay half eaten on her plate, covered by a barely-used napkin. She idly began to trace the edge of her glass with her hoof as boredom crept into her mind. Oh well, she thought, staring at her overly-excited companion. At least somepony’s enjoying himself.

Finally, Lucky happened to glance up from his all-important sandwich, meeting Cheerilee’s eyes. They stared at each other intently, and for a moment one could even see the awkwardness exchanging between them. After a full minute of great anticipation, Lucky said though a mouthful of plants, “Man, I love bagels.”

Exasperated, the teacher just rolled her eyes and plopped back onto her chair with the mightiest pout nopony could ever hope to replicate. Realizing his mistake, not to mention all the hardships he had put them through, Lucky apologized, “I’m…I’m so sorry about this. It’s quite rude of me really, especially since I’m in company of such a fine lady.”

Softening her gaze, Cheerilee replied, “It’s alright, Lucky. It’s not you that’s getting on my nerves.”

“Really? You’ve got a pretty good reason to hate me after all,” Lucky uttered sadly.

Cheerilee grasped the stallion’s hoof in her own and replied, “Don’t do that to yourself, Lucky. I don’t hate you, and neither do the others for that matter. It’s a heat-of-the-moment thing, you know? In time, this’ll pass, and everypony will cool down.”

The gambler didn’t seem too convinced however, slipping himself out of Cheerilee’s grasp. Propping his head on his hoof resignedly, he asked, “So why are you down in the dumps then, if it’s not because of me?”

“Well…it's everything, I suppose,” Cheerilee whispered. “I’m just…I’m just a teacher. I don’t save kingdoms or go on adventures, I teach kids about the ones who do. All this being chased around, near-death situations…the looming threat of a shadow monster eating us alive…I don’t know how much more I can take. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if Cadance never picked me…”

“You never would have met me,” the stallion answered.

With the barest hint of a smile, she replied, “Believe it or not Lucky, that would be one of the best parts, not the worst.” The duo shared a quick laugh together, and both could feel their cheeks beginning to heat up. If one didn’t know any better…they’d probably say they were two lovebirds on their first date.

After a few minutes of more idle conversation, Lucky’s eyes wandered out the window “Say, I didn’t know this town had a pub!”

“Oh yes, the Moonshine Tavern. That place just opened up a month ago. I’m not sure how much business they get though, I’ve never gone,” Cheerilee replied, seemingly disinterested.

“Well…why don’t we then?”

“What?” the mare questioned, scrunching up her face as though it were out of the question. Giving her best ‘You’ve-Gotta-Be-Kidding face’, Cheerilee continued, “I-I don’t know, Lucky. I’m a teacher; I can’t be seen going to bars and gambling rings…”

“Oh come on, Cheerilee. I want us to have a fun night out together for once. This could be the last chance we get," the stallion begged. “If you don’t like it, we’ll go out right away.”

The teacher eyed the tavern anxiously, its bright neon lights blaring out through the dark night. Admittedly, Cheerilee wasn’t too familiar with going into taverns and gambling and all those shenanigans. Or dating for that matter. Heading down to a regular restaurant with a date was hard enough, let alone going to a bar with him. With the grubby alcoholics, shabby interior, gruff looking patrons…

Finally, Lucky’s voice rang out, “We’ve got time; let yourself hang loose for once. You’ll have fun.” Extending his hoof towards the schoolteacher, he whispered, “You can trust me.”

There it was again. That word: trust. After all that had happened, everything that Lucky had caused, any other pony wouldn’t have given that sort of gift lightly. But as Cheerilee looked into the unicorn’s sincere eyes, she saw something that no other pony could. A spark, a flame, a glimpse of something truly marvelous. And it was this sort of passion that told Cheerilee that she could trust her companion more than anypony else.

Anxiety washed clean out of her system, and she and Lucky’s hooves intertwined tightly. With a charismatic bow, the Trottingham stallion led his mare out of the restaurant, each wearing a huge grin on their faces. “No thieving, I promise,” the stallion said jokingly.

“I think you’ve stolen something already, Lucky.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“My heart.”

Xxx

Meanwhile back at Sweet Apple Acres, Soarin and Redheart had separated. Redheart had retreated back into the barn to make herself comfy, while the pegasus headed down to the orchard. He passed by Braeburn silently, who was busy blowing off steam by bucking the trees. Soarin decided to leave him alone, mostly because the cowpony looked angry enough to snap one of the hardy trees in half.

Finally he came upon an orange filly lying down atop a hill all by her lonesome. Her head was tilted upward and her hooves were crossed behind her head, much like the pose her rainbow-maned idol would make. But when she heard the Wonderbolt’s hoof sifting along the grass, her face immediately lit up with a wide grin.

“Sup kiddo?” the stallion whispered, laying down in the same pose. “What happened to Applebloom?”

“She had to help her granny inside,” the young pegasus replied glumly.

The flier ruffled Scootaloo’s mane playfully and remarked, “Aww, don’t be so down in the dumps. You can talk to me now, right?”

The filly gave a short laugh as she shook her mane back into place. But her glee was soon replaced by a shy frown, as though she were unsure about something. Still looking at the sky timidly, the filly whispered, “Soarin…you promised you’d always be there to help me, right?”

“Well of course, kiddo,” Soarin replied matter-of-factly.

“So…can I ask you something?”

“Fire away, Scoots.”

“After all this is over,” Scootaloo began, trying to put her words she had been pondering over for hours together in her head. The young pony was nervous indeed, despite the warm smile exuding from her friend. Finally, after a few moments of stammering and stuttering, Scootaloo asked, “Do you think you’ll still come and visit me? And y’know…maybe…maybe I could stay-.”

But Scootaloo’s thought went unfinished. Soarin abruptly sat up erect, letting out a quick gasp. His pupils contracted as he stared out at the dark sky blankly. It was as if he had been attacked by some unseen force, and was now frozen in time.

“Soarin? What’s wrong?” Scootaloo whispered, tilting her head questioningly.

Then suddenly, as though he had been shot, Soarin gave a short gasp and collapsed to the ground. His eyes were still wide open, and mouth seemed to chant some unintelligible noise. Scootaloo could only watch in horror as her friend underwent a mysterious and terrifying transformation.

When the filly tried to reach for him, Soarin’s leg shot out, smacking the filly’s hoof away. Without warning, Soarin shot up to his hooves, gnashing his teeth into a wicked scowl. Scootaloo looked into his eyes to see pure anger, not the tenderness she had witnessed only minutes earlier.

Before she could make a confused comment, the stallion yelled, “Get away, villain!”

“W-what?” Scootaloo stuttered, trying to back away.

Suddenly, Soarin flew into the air, dashed towards the filly, and put his face close to hers, knocking her on her rump. Through clenched teeth, he commanded, “You heard me, you stupid foal! Get out of my sight!”

“But Soarin, I-.”

“Find Redheart or something , just-argh! Just leave!”

And just like that, with no other explanation, he zoomed away into the dark clouds, leaving Scootaloo in the field alone. On the verge of tears, she began to run towards the barn, not even looking back at her so-called friend. In fact, she was so distraught that she hadn’t noticed that Soarin’s eyes were black as night.

Xxx

“Oy mate! Get me a glass of cider for the missus and a maretini for me. Stirred, not shaken,” Lucky shouted to the bartender, leading Cheerilee into the pub. He pulled out a chair for his companion, then he sat himself down at one of the poker tables, winking at the players already there. A cold maretini was set down next to his hoof, and with a satisfied smile he said, “Now this is more like it.”

One of the players, a rather plump looking stallion with a jolly face, welcomed him, “Hello, fella. Don’t think I’ve seen you around these parts.”

Turning up his slick charm, the Trottingham stallion gave a cool smirk, answering, “Aye, I’m new here. Does it really matter, though? A pub’s a pub, am I right?”

With a hearty chuckle, the jovial player cried, “Aha, amen to that, brotha! Amen!” His eyes then lighted on the mare sitting timidly behind Lucky, sipping out of her mug of cider. “Say, I know you! You teach down at the elementary school, no?”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened and she could only respond with a curt nod. But the mare had nothing to fear, for the stallion just gave another bellowing laugh and reassured, “Aw don’t worry about it, ma’am. I won’t tell anybody.” He raised his own mug of cider and began loudly, “What happens in the pub…”

The rest of the patrons raised their glasses in response and shouted, “Stays in the pub!” The sound of joyous laughter and the clanking of glasses filled the modest little tavern. Somepony had begun to play a piano in the corner, accompanied by a few others singing a song. Soon it became a mish-mash of dancing, the swilling of glasses, games, companionship, and basically one helluva time. Everypony in the pub seemed to be in high spirits. Even Cheerilee, much to her surprise.

Above all the noise, Lucky shouted, “So boys, how about a good ol’ gentlecolt game of hold’em?”

The plump stallion and a few others answered the call, placed the few coins they had on the table. Lucky, being the trained professional he was, swiftly dealt out the cards while Cheerilee watched. She couldn’t help but marvel at how easily Lucky managed to fit in with the others. The way a sharp-dressed stallion could fit in with a bunch of simple village ponies; even Cheerilee had to admit it took a certain amount of charm. And here he was, chatting away with the others as though he had known them for life. The schoolteacher could only smile at the goodness exuding from the so-called “thief” sitting next to her.

Finally, the last card was flipped over, and the rest of players revealed their claim for the money. However, with an all-knowing smile, Lucky revealed his own cards, exclaimed, “Haha! Ten high straight, mates! Looks like Lady Luck’s on my side tonight!”

He reached for his glass, only to find it was dry. Levitating the glass off the table, Lucky got up and told his date, “Hey Cheerilee, I’m going to get another. Play for me okay?”

She jerked her head towards Lucky, shouting, “What? Play for--are you mad?”

But Lucky was already on his way to the bartender, leaving a wide-eyed Cheerilee stuck at a table with four gamblers waiting for her to make a move. “You know how to play, doncha?” a skinny shrill stallion asked.

“Well yes…I believe so,” she responded sheepishly. “But this is my first time-.”

“So you gonna stand or fold or what?” he interrupted, tapping the table impatiently.

Cheerilee took a peek at her cards, then to the cards on the table, then back again. She felt all eyes glaring at her, pressuring for her to make a move. Finally, after much internal deliberation, the teacher blurted out, “I’ll stand.”

“Risk taker huh?” the plump stallion said jovially. He dealt the last card onto the table, finishing off the five in the middle. Two other players had already folded, leaving Cheerilee, the skinny one, and the plump one left to play.

Giving a malicious smirk, the skinny one pushed his chips towards the middle, saying confidently, “I’m all in.”

“Bah, you drive a hard game. I fold,” the plump stallion resigned, throwing his cards back onto the table.

With the jolly old gambler out of the game, it was Cheerilee’s turn to make her move. She felt the shrill one’s eyes drill into her, his smirk telling her to call it quits. And with Lucky’s money on the line, she wasn’t sure she should take the risk.

But suddenly, the skinny stallion remarked, “You feeling lucky, sweetheart?”

That word hit her with the force of a freight train. Sweetheart. And with it came the memory of that dirty, rotten, stinking, creepy, smelly, good-for-nothing miner she had run from back at Trottingham. The way he had come onto her in the mine…frankly it was a memory she would have liked to forget. In fact, just thinking about it made her blood boil as hot as the sun.

Matching the smirk painted on her opponent’s face, Cheerilee said defiantly, “I’ll match it.”

A collective gasp came from the rest of the gamblers as the newbie slid a pile of chips down the table. The skinny pony’s smirk disappeared, and face began to blanch white. He began to stutter something, but was interrupted when the teacher flipped over her cards, saying, “I think...I got a full house,”

“W-what? But I…you were supposed to fold,” her defeated opponent whispered, his mouth agape. He could only watch as his chips were swept away from him and into the newbie’s triumphant hooves.

“Well would you look at that! You won, Cheerilee! Not bad for a first-timer!” the jolly stallion said.

At that moment, Lucky came in levitating two maretinis and a mojito near his head. Seeing the rather large pile of chips on his side of the table, he gasped, “Whoa, what happened here?”

“Turns out she’s a pretty good player, son. She won!”

“Yeah…I-I guess I did,” Cheerilee replied, more in shock than anything.

“Haha! Would you look at that, mate! You’re a good luck charm, ain’t you Cheerilee?” Lucky exclaimed, putting his hoof around her shoulder.

Feeling his warmth around her body, Cheerilee said with a soft smile, “Yeah…we make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

xxx

Redheart sat inside the barn on the walkway above the stalls. A large window-like opening gave way to the bleak night, where it had begun to drizzle. As she scanned the open landscape while soft raindrops moistened her fur, she felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. That eerie feeling somepony gets when something big was about to happen…

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed the filly plopping down next to her. Scootaloo’s wet mane hung low over her face, and her coat seemed to have lost some of its color. Concerned, the nurse asked, “Scootaloo, what’s wrong? You look sick. Did something happen?”

Stifling a sniffle, Scootaloo replied quietly, “Yeah…S-Soarin…he got really mad. He started to yell at me…” She hid her face behind her pale red mane, covering the tears beginning to form on her cheek. “I-I asked him if he’d still visit me after this is over…and then he yelled…”

Redheart, looking very disturbed, uttered, “What? Soarin? Well that just can’t be.” She looked out at the orchard, trying to see if she could find the Wonderbolt in question. “I talked to him two hours ago, how could he…”

She didn’t get to finish that thought, however, spying something over the hillocks. It was not Soarin, but something much, much worse. Scrambling to her feet, all she could utter was, “Oh no…”

“What is it?” the filly inquired sadly, slowly getting to her hooves.

With great urgency, the nurse pulled the small pony swiftly into her back, commanding, “Scootaloo, stick with me. We need to find the others.”

Without waiting for a reply, Redheart shot down off the walkway and out of the barn, knowing there was little time to find her companions. But heck, she was going to find them, even if it killed her.

Xxx

A pair of shadowy figures stood underneath an old gazebo, shielded from the rain that was beginning to fall around them. Despite the inclement weather, the two acted like nothing was happening, clutching onto each other for warmth. They had wandered away from the raucousness of the Moonshine Tavern, finding this little patch of perfect silence. It was just a mare, a stallion…and a huge sack of bits plopped right next to them. Basically, the perfect night.

Watching the empty street, Lucky said softly, “My, what a night, huh? It was fun.”

Unable to hide her joy, Cheerilee gave a benevolent smile and said, “Yeah. Probably the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.”

Turning towards her companion, she said, “It’s getting late. Don’t you think we should be heading back?”

“I don’t know. Maybe…maybe I should rent a room here or something tonight,” the stallion replied, slowly shaking his head.

“What?” Cheerilee uttered, trying to get Lucky to face her. With her brows raised, she questioned, “This isn’t about the others, is it? You have to face them sooner or later.”

“Then why don’t we make it later?”

Letting out a glum sigh, Cheerilee told him urgently, “Lucky…I can’t let you go on like this, letting the others think you’re nothing but a gambler. Something tells me there’s more to it than just that. That gravestone you visited, whose was that? Who was…Justicia?”

The mention of the name made the unicorn wince, and he shrugged his companion off. “Come on, Lucky. We’ve been travelling together for miles…you saved my life more than once!” Cheerilee said, trying to get his attention once again. She had noticed the way he had reacted at the word “Justicia”, piquing her curiosity.

Softening her voice, she whispered, “I can trust you, and you know you can trust me.”

Lucky slowly turned back to his passionate friend, staring into her shining green eyes. He could see the tenderness, the sincerity radiating from those harlequin orbs. For the hardened gambler, this kind of sincerity was something he hadn’t come across in a long time. The words of Braeburn came to mind: Ah think it’s time you put a little faith in us fer once. At that moment, Lucky realized just how right the cowpony was.

After biting his lip hesitantly, he finally uttered, “Well Cheerilee…you’re right.” Leaning onto the railing of the gazebo so that his hooves were drenched from the rain, he said, “I didn’t just one day decide to rob everypony of their cash. I began to do what I do…out of necessity.”

Facing the cold bleak night, the gambler from Trottingham began to recant his tale. “My real name is…or was…Silver Dime Jr., after my dad. How ironic, since we didn’t have a single dime to our name. My pop was an investor or something like that. Not that it mattered; he was never there. He left when I was just a colt, so it was just me and my sweet old mum. Every day my mum would make me some stale old bagels with homemade jam, because that was all we could afford. But we got by, and for a while, everything was…alright.”

The warm smile he had from remembering his favorite childhood confection soon faded. Looking down as though he were paying respects, Lucky continued, “But then one day, my mum…she got sick. She worked down at the coal mines all day until dusk. She had been breathing in that nasty dust her whole life. At first, I thought it was some kind of cold. But she…she just kept getting worse. We didn’t have the gold to help her, so I tried to take her place in the mines. But they wouldn’t let a young one even near the tunnels.”

“So I…I did the only thing I knew. I began to steal things. Sneak ‘em through one of them tiny little vents, and pawn the valuables for a bit of cash at one of them underground markets. Ain’t nothing to brag about or anythin’, but I was a pretty good little thief.”

“But the vendors never took me seriously. Who would? I was just some…some blank-flanked little colt trying to sell some silver platters he stole from a damned eatery. Sure, they gave me some gold. But it was never enough…to save her.”

The stallion began stroke his mane, which was now wet from the unforgiving rain. The weather was starting to become a full-blown storm, and a chilling wind swept passed the duo under the gazebo. But nonetheless, Lucky kept going, with Cheerilee listening quietly. “Then one day, after a particularly bad day of selling, I was so mad…that I just ran. I didn’t come home for three days, just wandering the alleys. And in doing so, I stumbled into one of those underground gambling rings. They were playing poker, and boy were they heavy spenders. I saw all those coins stacked on the table…I had never seen so much gold in all my life!”

“I’ll never forget when this stallion wearing a top hat said, ‘Hey kid. You wanna join?’ I was hesitant; I only had about fifty coins in my pocket. But something about that stack of money told me, ‘Screw it. I’ve got nothing to lose.’”

With a short chuckle, he said, “That first round…my first game ever played…and I ended up with a royal flush on the final turn. They looked at me like I was a cheater, but the stallion who invited me said, ‘Let the kid go. I doubt he even knows what that means.’ So I kept going. And the wins just kept coming and coming. The coin kept flowing in, and at the end of it all, I had to get three bags to carry all that money.”

“They were hesitant to give a kid all that cash. But that top-hat stallion (his name turned out to be Hoofington, like the city) stopped ‘em. As I was heading out, I could hear him say, “Lemme tell you boys, that kid is something special.”

“Another one said, ‘He ain’t special. He’s lucky.’ And let me tell you, I really liked the sound of that.”

He puffed out his chest, reliving the excitement from winning his first load of cash. “When I walked out of that poker room, I had 5000 bits…and a cutie mark to boot. That first time…it will always be the best feeling I’ve ever had. I was so excited; it was more than enough to pay for my mum’s healthcare. I ran home as fast as I could. It would have been the first time I had been home in three days.”

But his temporary grin was wiped away once again, and the stallion found himself unable to stand up. He sat down on the steps of the gazebo, paying no heed to the raindrops spattering onto his head. He whispered, “But when I got there…I found her lying face-down on the floor, with blood pouring out of her mouth.” His voice was shaky, and he hid his face from Cheerilee so that she wouldn’t see the tears sliding down his cheek. Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath and added, “Flies had already found her. I-I didn’t need a closer look.”

He sat there in the cold rain, trying to push out the memory of his mother’s bloodied face out. Miss Cheerilee could only sit down next to him, unable to think of any comforting words. Lucky barely made any sound, trying to stop the flow of tears trickling from his eyes. He did his best to control his breathing, which was mostly a collection of shaky gasps.

Finally, once he was sure the tears we gone, Lucky raised his reddened eyes and continued, “So I…I didn’t know what else to do. I found Hoofington, told him I’d like to play some more. He asked me where my parents were, and I just told him I ran away. He asked me my name, and I said ‘Lucky.’ And just like that, he took me under his wing. Taught me the rules, how keep a poker face, even how to count cards.

“And…that’s how I became a gambler. The only pony who ever beat me was my best friend, Snake Eyes. He was an orphan too, met him when I caught him counting cards. We were…still are…the best duo of gamblers anypony’s ever met. We made a name for ourselves in Trottingham; we emptied the pockets of almost everypony in that entire city, whether it was from gambling or petty thievery.”

He could feel Cheerilee’s eyes glaring at him, so he shrugged and said, “Yeah, we still couldn’t resist sneaking some poor sucker’s wallet right out of his pocket. What can I say? Old habits die hard.”

“I’m guessing that’s how you and those miners met, huh?” Cheerilee whispered.

“Yep. Turns out, thievery and losing are two things ponies absolutely hate. Some didn’t take too kindly losing half their week’s savings on a game of roulette, then realizing we had taken the other half when they weren’t looking. Sent some thugs to kill us, so we had to book it out of there as fast as we could. Made it out by the skin of our teeth. We ended up at the Mareongo Casino, near Los Pegasus. Made a lot of coin there too. Until, after a while, we were bounced out again.

“Finally, we found our way to Las Haygas. We saw the bright lights and the jingling pockets, and we knew it was the perfect home for street urchins like us.”

Wiping his snout and pursing his lips, Lucky quietly added, “I liked it, sure. But…I still have nightmares of my mum…seeing her all pale…the floor stained with blood. When you saw me at that graveyard, I felt so angry at my father. Angry…at myself. I just wish I could’ve been there. I wish…she wasn’t alone.”

“I’m so sorry,” the teacher replied, placed her hoof on his.

But Lucky moved it away, giving a callous chuckle before saying, “Heh, you and everypony else I’ve heard that from.” The gambler quickly caught himself, however, apologizing, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound rude. Trottingham was just a lot of bad memories.”

Lucky and Cheerilee stood up together, moving back underneath the safety of the gazebo. “When Cadance selected us, I never thought it would lead up to this,” Lucky confessed. “I’ve never cried about this before, probably because I’ve never told anypony about this before. I guess if I’ve learned anything from all this, it’s that things catch up to you eventually.”

“I thought being rich would solve everything when I was little. Heck, I guess I still believed it. But it didn’t solve nothin’. Just…covered it up,” the unicorn whispered while shaking his head. Looking down with a shy smile, he uttered, “I…I don’t know why I’m telling you this, Cheerilee. I guess…I just had to get that off my chest. It felt…it felt good.”

Cheerilee once again took his hoof with hers, and this time, Lucky didn’t jerk it away. He was surprised at the warmth radiating from her, breaking through the cold veil that surrounded them. With the smile that earned her the title of Passion, the mare told her friend, “Thank you for telling me Lucky. I know it must be so hard for you. But…I want you to know that we’re your friends now too. I know Braeburn can be harsh, but he cares just as much as we do. We’ll always be there for you.”

The two’s faces were near each other’s, and for a few seconds, they stared profoundly into each other’s eyes. Lucky saw the sincerity, the love, the kindness, the passion that made Cheerilee the remarkable mare she was. As for Cheerilee, she found a pony that she could finally understand. A pony whose thick skin was simply a façade, covering up the sadness that hid underneath.

Putting her lips up to his ear, she uttered, “I’ll always be there for you.”

“Know what?” the unicorn asked.

“What?”

Moving his lips closer to hers, he whispered, “I believe you.”

The two were tied together, their warm embrace enough to tackle the harsh storm blowing around them. They closed their eyes, and their lips slowly began to inch closer to the other’s…

But sadly, it would have to wait. For out of the freezing wind and pattering rain, a frantic voice called out, “Lucky! Cheerilee!”

The duo opened their eyes and began to scan the area, a task easier said than done due to the curtain of fog and darkness. But finally a shape formed out of the mist; a mare wearing a wet nurse’s cap on her head.

“Redheart!” Lucky exclaimed, releasing Cheerilee. “What are you-?”

Suddenly, two more figures appeared, a filly and a cowpony. Braeburn pointed behind them, trying to shout something over the sound of rain. Lucky turned his gaze to the direction of Brae’s hooves, unable to see what was there at first. But suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the area, revealing a mass of dark figures swarming the tiny village. And not only that, but shrouded figures as well, carrying a blue star on their robes.

With horror, Lucky could finally understand what Braeburn was shouting. “The Frost Stars. And the Shadowmares! They’re coming!”

Storm

The rain was pattering, the thunder was booming, the storm was picking up in its fervor. Night had long since fallen in Ponyville. But this time, a new kind of darkness was invading, the likes of which the citizens of the little village had never seen. And caught in the midst of it were five ponies frozen their tracks as the horde of shadows swarmed the town.

“Oh no...no no no,” Lucky uttered as shapes began to form in the darkness. Taking Cheerilee’s hoof, who in turn grabbed the heavy bag of loot on the ground, the unicorn galloped into the pattering rain, shouting, “We need to move!”

The duo raced through the raging storm, the huge raindrops blurring their vision. They struggled to keep their wet manes out of their eyes, visibility getting worse and worse as seconds went by. The two narrowly dodged the Shadowmares rising out of the ground, doing their best to navigate the slippery terrain. Finally, Lucky and Cheerilee met up with the other three, who were busy fending off the shadowy creatures.

As Lucky ran a Shadowmare through with his horn, he cried, “How did they know we were here?”

Braeburn, who had just bucked two of the eerie assailants into oblivion, cried angrily, “Gods, I don’t know. No time for ponderin’, let’s go!” With that, he swept up Scootaloo onto his back, took Redheart’s hoof, and ran down the rain-riddled street. Lucky followed pursuit, with Cheerilee holding on to him tightly.

By now, the rest of Ponyville had awoken from all the commotion. Horror overtook the small village as crowds of ponies began to flood the streets. Terrified screams filled the air; frantic yelps for help rang through the storm. Thick fog and heavy rain left many unable to tell who was an ally and who was an enemy. Soon, the streets were filled with mages, shadows, and Ponyville residents, running around in utter chaos. And amidst all the insanity, the Elements of Love were doing their best to not lose each other. A task easier said than done.

“Where’s Soarin?” Cheerilee shouted, swinging the bag of loot into the face of a mage.

Dodging incoming bolts of ice, Redheart cried fearfully, “I don’t know! Scootaloo said he flew off!”

“He…he flew off,” Scootaloo repeated, almost mindlessly. “Soarin…he…he left me.”

“Scootaloo, don’t think like that,” Redheart said as she ran beside the cowpony.

“H-he left me. He promised he’d always be there for me…just like my parents! And he left me. Just like them.”

“Scootaloo, please—,” was all Redheart could say, unsure of what else to say.

The five found themselves in the middle of a dirt road, with houses and buildings lining both sides. Lucky was sniping magic bolts into the crowd when he spied a narrow passageway between two buildings, blocked by a cluster of Shadowmares. An idea popped into his head, and he cried, “Cheerilee, open the bag!”

“I don’t think this is the time to count our loot, Lucky!”

“Just do it!” Lucky shouted. Cheerilee opened the bag of coins, and the unicorn levitated a good sized chunk up into the air. With a yell, Lucky sent a burst of energy into the chunk, turning each little piece of gold into a tiny high-speed projectile. The cloud of bullets sprayed into the clump of shadows, dispersing the crowd in one fell swoop. Seeing as though his improvised shower of bullets worked, the unicorn commanded, “Into the alleyways!”

However, amidst all the loud commotion, Braeburn, who was still carrying Scootaloo on his back, did not hear Lucky’s cry. By the time he realized what they were doing, the rest were inside the alley, calling his name. And standing between Braeburn and the alleyway were Frost Star Mages, shooting magic in all directions.

“You’ve got yer work cut out fer ya today, Braeburn,” he muttered to himself. Stamping the ground like a bull, the cowpony began his charge.

As he weaved, kicked, and leapt his way through the crowd, Braeburn could hear Scootaloo muttering something unintelligible. In fact, it almost sounded like she was weeping. “Are you okay Scootaloo?” Braeburn asked, looking back for a split-second.

And as it would turn out, a split-second was all it took for things to fall apart.

With his head turned, Braeburn didn’t see the huge fireball racing towards him. The flame struck the ground near his hooves, and the ensuing explosion sent the two ponies flying into the air. Braeburn was propelled straight forward, tumbling into the alleyway with a yelp of pain. Scootaloo was not as fortunate, the little pegasus being flung off to the side, thudding against one of the houses.

The filly slowly got to her hooves, the impact leaving her dazed and disoriented. Everything seemed to be a blur, and every sound seemed to be muffled. As everything slowly began to clear up, one noise began to stand out. The sound of a worried mare crying, “Scootaloo!”

Shaking her head, the filly looked up to see Redheart fighting off some mages at the mouth of the alleyway, calling her name from a couple of yards away. With the world still slightly blurred, Scootaloo began to slowly creep towards the sound. Her body was aching, and the filly struggled to keep from crying from the pain. But despite all this, the filly pushed on, her goal in sight.

But then, just as Scootaloo began to near the alleyway, one of the mages spied Redheart standing in the alley. With a wicked sneer, he launched an enormous fireball up at the building next to her, causing the entire side to crumble down. Rubble began to fall, and Redheart would have been crushed had it not been for Lucky pulling her out of the way.

The four ponies stared at the mountain of debris blocking off the alley in disbelief, while a scared little voice called from behind, “Redheart!”

Her eyes wide with horror, the nurse ran up to the pile, trying to find some way to dig through. The stones were much too heavy, however, and the pile was too thick for even Lucky to make a dent.

“Keep trying, Lucky!” the nurse said, pounding the stones with her bare hooves.

“I’m doing my best! But this stuff’s gotta weigh tons!” the unicorn replied, trying to levitate the demolished building.

The nurse was able to find a small hole near the side of the alleyway, only big enough for her to get a peek at the scene behind the filly. Shadowmares were beginning to converge on the alleyway, and Scootaloo was trying futilely to claw at the debris.

Knowing that time was running short, Redheart shouted fearfully, “Scoots...you need to fly over the rubble!”

“Fly? But-but I can’t!” the filly replied, looking up at the towering mountain of cement and stone.

“C’mon Scootaloo, you can do it! Fly, just for a little bit!” the nurse encouraged.

Seeing no other choice, the filly began to buzz her little wings, jumping up into the air. Her first attempt ended with her falling back down on her back, as did her second and third. “I know you can do it!” Redheart called.

Taking slow deep breaths, the tiny pegasus closed her eyes. She gave a short leap into the air, and then she began to flap her wings as hard as she could. She began to kick her hooves, exerting all she could into making herself get higher and higher. The filly was hovering now, her face scrunching together in sheer exhaustion. And sure enough, she was moving upwards, inch by inch. “I…I…” she began to utter, her tiny wings buzzing harder and faster than they had ever gone.

But then, despite having her eyes closed, she could still see Soarin's blackened eyes. That wicked scowl, right before he flew away to who-knows-where.

“I’ll always be right here, whenever you need me”

But now, when she needed him most…

The filly opened her eyes, seeing a streak of lightning brighten up the night. Her wings stopped flapping, and she fell flat on her belly. Her wet mane hung over her face, her tears blending in with the rain. Shaking her head slowly, she whispered, “I…can’t. I j-just can’t. I’m not strong enough.”

“Scootaloo?” Redheart uttered, watching the shadows get closer and closer.

But despite the impending horde, Scootaloo remained motionless on the wet ground, repeating over and over, “I’m not good enough.”

And that was when the Shadowmares fell onto her, swallowing the tiny figure up in darkness.

From behind the rubble, the nurse could only watch helplessly, howling, “SCOOTALOO!” She began to beat against the rocks, letting out a terrible wail.

Braeburn watched numbly as the despondent mare pounded against the debris, not even moving an inch of the stones. The shadows had already begun to creep through the rubble, and yet Redheart seemed to pay no heed. Realizing there was no time to grieve, the cowpony grabbed the nurse, saying, “We need to go Redhea-,”

“No, no! Let me go Braeburn. We need to help her!” Redheart replied incessantly, fighting to break free.

“Stop it, Red! She’s gone already…don’t you understand?” Braeburn commanded, looking up at the tendrils coming down upon them. Suddenly, pain shot through his body as Redheart clamped her teeth into the very same leg that had been burned. Braeburn impulsively shot backwards into Lucky, relinquishing his grip on the manic nurse. The tendrils of darkness began to wrap themselves around the mare, who was still trying to smash through the rubble. And she never ceased, not until the Shadow finally encased her in its unknown grasp.

“Oh no…no no no,” Braeburn whispered as he watched Redheart get swallowed up.

Lucky quickly helped him to his hooves, saying, “They’re closing in us, mate! We’ve gotta move!”

Cheerilee and Lucky began to trot ahead, with Braeburn slowly limping behind. The cowpony tried to move as fast as he could, but every step sent pain rocketing into his burnt leg. Lucky stopped, asking, “Are you okay, Brae?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Braeburn replied, ignoring the searing pain, clenching his teeth while trying not to scream.

“Are you sure, mate? You look-.”

“Lucky, we don’t have time fer this! Ah can walk! It’s nothing!” he yelped, waving the unicorn away. But to his surprise, Lucky ran up to support the injured pony, putting the injured front hoof over his back.

Braeburn stared at the unicorn with wide green eyes, as though some sort of miracle had just occurred. But Lucky just stared back with his eyebrow raised, saying, “Well don’t just stare at me, move!”

The duo began to slowly trudge forward with the Shadowmares beginning to reform behind them. Cheerilee was already at the end of the alleyway, beckoning them to hurry. Every now and then Braeburn would stumble, but every time Lucky would catch him and put him right back on his hooves.

Finally, the trio of ponies broke free of the narrow alleyway, seeing the looming tower of Town Hall before them. They had made it to Town Square, where countless of Ponyville’s residents were fleeing, and even more mages and shadows were attacking. With the entire area around Town Hall swarmed, Lucky shouted, “Come this way, mates. Along the side!”

While they snuck around the horde, Braeburn uttered tiredly, “Why don't you leave me, Lucky? I’m jus’ slowin you down.”

“Never even thought about it,” Lucky replied, zapping an incoming mage. “We’ve lost half our group already; I’m not going to let you go too. I always got my mates’ back, mate.” Giving a weary glance behind him, the unicorn finished, “I know you don’t trust me. But I assure you, that’s the truth.” And to this, Braeburn could only give a slow nod, unable to speak a single word.

Spying a stack of crates up ahead, the unicorn shouted, “We can climb up on the rooftops from there.” Cheerilee and Braeburn nodded in agreement, and the three raced towards the crates, fighting the horde along the way. The storm was its peak now, with thunder booming and lightning flashing high above the town. The trio was completely soaked, and yet they still pushed on, their wet fur and clothes starting to weigh them down.

Finally, they made their way to the pile of crates. Cheerilee went first, clambering up the unsteady pile onto the rooftop. Lucky told his injured companion, “I’ll get up there and pull you up, yeah?” Braeburn uttered his agreement, so the unicorn quickly climbed up the crates.

Leaning over the edge of the rooftop, Lucky extended his hoof, shouting, “Grab on, mate!” But to his shock, Braeburn simply shook his head. “What are you doing?”

“I’m only gonna slow y’all down. This leg is all but useless,” the cowpony answered calmly.

“What? Are you crazy?”

“You two gotta get outta here, alright? Get to Canterlot and tell the princesses! Don’t worry ‘bout me!” Braeburn yelled. “You’re just gonna hafta trust me, Lucky!”

The two stallions locked eyes with each other, their soaked manes hanging low over their faces. Sure, they might never have been the best of friends. But as chaos reigned around them, both knew what had to be done. Lucky gave a single nod, slowly backing away from his companion below. “And Lucky?” the farmer called. Giving a sly tip of the hat and a wide smirk, he said, “We’re cool, ya hear?”

And with that, Braeburn kicked the crates over, knocking them onto a few Shadowmares. He began to yell defiantly, kicking out with his hindlegs, paying no heed to the pain in his front. This was his last stand, and by Celestia, Braeburn was going to go down fighting!

And yet, Lucky didn't say to watch Braeburn’s valiant efforts. He took Cheerilee’s hoof and trotted across the rooftop, making sure his last glimpse of the cowpony was of him bucking a mage in the face with Señor Kickaroo.

With their numbers dwindled down to two, the Braeburn and the Cheerilee galloped over the buildings, with swarms of enemies below them. Fortunately, thanks to Braeburn’s sacrifice, the duo had much room to run.

Cheerilee found the rather noticeable gingerbread roof of Sugarcube Corner in the distance, high above the enemies on the ground. Tugging on her companion’s hoof, she stated, “We can run across there. It’s higher up.” Seeing as though they didn’t have any better plan than that, the two set their sights on the pastry house.

Lucky was the first to make it to the candy coated building, gingerly trotting over to make sure it was stable. Once he figured it was safe, he motioned for Cheerilee to come across. The teacher took a few steps on the moistened gingerbread rooftop, her outstretched hooves just a few feet away from Lucky’s. The train station was in sight now, and beyond that they could see the tracks leading away from this nightmare. From there, it would be a long march to Canterlot, clear of any Shadows or Mages. It seemed as though the two would finally be free.

Then, as if by the cruel hands of nature itself, lightning struck.

It found the tallest thing in the vicinity, which happened to be the Sugarcube Corner's pastry roof. The sudden bolt of electricity struck between the duo, forcing Lucky to fall backward. The unicorn’s senses were numbed, and a wicked headache pounded near the point where his horn met his skull. But Cheerilee, who had similarly been thrown backward, was in a far worse position. The lightning bolt had split the already weakened rooftop, and cracks began to creep through the bread like a spider web. By the time Cheerilee looked up, it was too late.

She only had time to scream, “Lucky!” before the roof caved in, bringing her with it.

The panicked scream jolted the unicorn back to his senses. He tried to quickly stand up, resulting in a massive migraine stabbing through his head, forcing him back down. Unable to stand straight, Lucky crawled towards the huge hole, through which he could see Cheerilee on her back. But, perhaps more importantly, he could see the Shadowmares seeping through the windows, having been alerted by the sudden crash.

“Lucky…” the teacher moaned feebly, stretching her hoof up to him.

Panting heavily, he muttered, “D-don’t worry, I’ll get you up here.”

With a groan, he concentrated his magic on the teacher below, his horn glowing his signature green hue. The same aura began to surround the injured schoolteacher just as Shadowmares were about to set upon her. Slowly but surely, she began to levitate up. Lucky’s eyes were shut tightly, and he bit into his lip until warm blood began to trickle out. The pain in his head seemed to multiply with every second Cheerilee remained in the air. But Lucky knew he couldn’t fail this time, not when his last companion hung in the balance. Especially her.

Come on, come on…don’t fail now…, Lucky thought as he concentrated harder, putting every ounce of magic into the simple levitation spell. But the harder he tried, the more his head pounded, the more the knife in his horn twisted and pushed. He could feel the strength being sapped out of him, the magic around his horn sputtering away. Just a few more inches…five…four…three…two…

But then, without warning, the green aura vanished with a whoosh. The stallion impulsively shot his hoof out towards the mare’s open hooves. He swung…only to catch thin air.

Cheerilee seemed to float in place, with Lucky letting out a surprised gasp. The two lovers locked eyes for a second. The mare’s harlequin eyes said everything. Fear, disbelief, sadness, disappointment. All in a single second. A single second that seemed to last an eternity. Then, with a short yelp, she began to fall. Time seemed to crawl for Lucky as the mare slowly descended back down. Until finally, she disappeared, lost to the sea of darkness below.

“Cheerilee!” he cried, the name echoing over and over in his head. He didn’t stop looking at the horde of shadows below him, not even when tendrils began to reach up, wrapping around his still-extended hoof. Her eyes…her harlequin eyes still lingered in his head, scolding him, taunting him, screaming at him. That look of pure shock and despair . That was all it took for him to break.

The unicorn fell limp on the rooftop, unable to move an inch. The Shadow began to consume him, and for some reason, he didn’t fight back.

Author's Note

I sense an "End of Act 2" coming up...

Good Night...

When Lucky awoke, the agonizing pain in his head was still very much present. He didn’t want to open his eyes, partly because of the pain, partly because he didn’t want to look at wherever the hell death took him. Everything was dark, and for once, he wanted to keep it that way.

But soon it became apparent he wasn’t going back to sleep anytime soon, so he reluctantly began to open his eyes. And to his surprise, he didn’t see any pearly gates (or flames for that matter). Instead, he was in some sort of dimly-lit palace, with black crystals lining the walls. A single throne made of the same material hugged the wall. Everything was simply black. In fact, it was so black, Lucky hadn’t noticed that he wasn’t alone. A petite figure sat curled on the throne, her dark purple fur almost blending into the black. But what stood out the most was her mane and tail, dotted with shimmering silver specks. Immediately, Lucky perked his head up, realizing he had seen that mane before.

“Nightwish? You’re dead too? The Shadow got Trottingham too, then?”

He didn’t expect her eyelids to flick open, revealing beautiful purple orbs that shimmered like her mane. He didn’t expect her to flip her mane away, revealing an equally striking face and a unicorn horn. And he certainly didn’t expect her to answer. With a smooth...almost seductive voice, the mare said, “Hmmm? Oh good, you’re awake. I was getting tired of acting like a dumb nit-wit all the time.” The mare slid off the throne, and suddenly there were two Shadowmares on either side of her, acting as her guards. She seemed young, almost too young, barely on the cusp of adulthood. But despite her age, Lucky knew she wasn’t one to be trifled with. He hadn’t met his death. In fact, he was far, far from it.

The unicorn tried to stand up and run, only to find his hooves were stuck to the ground by the Shadow. Almost reading his mind, Nightwish said, “Believe me Lucky, if I wanted you dead, I would have killed you by now.”

Something in the corner of Lucky’s eye caught his attention, and he turned to see his companions being dragged in by a few mages, led by none other than the Arch-Mage himself. Redheart and Scootaloo looked completely disoriented, and Lucky couldn’t tell whether they even knew what was going on. Braeburn struggled in the mages’ grip, but a sharp twist in his burnt leg made him cease. And then there was Cheerilee, who attempted to give a weak grin. But for some reason, Lucky couldn’t bring himself to look her in the face.

But there was one more pony being brought in. Her tall, slender body was slouched over tiredly, and her patchy pink fur and matted mane showed no sign of her regal ties. Her crown was missing, and her wings and horn were bound by some sort of dark magic. When she looked up to see her Elements of Love captured, she could only let out a slow breath, shaking her head in despair. Although Princess Cadance knew she’d be seeing her bearers once again, she had never thought it would be like this.

Once the final guest had been brought in, Nightwish gave a sly grin and began, “Well surprise, surprise. Looks like everypony’s awake."

“Nightwish?” Braeburn whispered. “What…how are you talking? I thought you were…”

“What? Mentally challenged? Stupid? Wonky in the head?” the dark mare uttered. “Well of course you did. That was the point.”

“Who are you? What did you do with Shade?”

“Oh…you mean that old thing?” the mare said, waving her hoof dismissively. “Frankly, I was surprised that old man lasted that long with the Shadow feeding on him. But don’t worry about him…he’s no use to either of us.”

“You-you killed Shade?”

The mare rolled her eyes, looking at the six before her as though they were mere foals. “Don’t you get it?” she chided. “That old man was a pawn; he’s not Shade. I am.”

Princess Cadance narrowed her eyes, asking, “Who, or what, are you?”

Giving an all-knowing grin, Shade answered, “I’m glad you asked that, princess.” She began to pace around the group before her with her Shadowmares close behind, saying, “I am, for lack of a better word, a mutt. My mother was a simple earth pony. And my dear old dad was a crystal pony. But not just any crystal pony. He was an ambassador…to you, princess.”

“What? Impossible. I never...” Cadance began, her voice trailing off as he began to think.

“He was sent to Trottingham for a few months. There he met my mother, a few details that I don’t wish to bore you with happened, and voila! I came into existence,” Shade continued quietly. “I was told my mother died during childbirth, so my dad took me in. But of course…having an illegitimate child wouldn’t look too good for one’s image, no? And in this world, image means everything. Isn’t that right, my princess?” She cast a cynical glare at Princess Cadance, who did her best to try and meet her gaze. But the princess couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen those purple eyes before.

Shade continued, “Oh, but don’t think that he didn’t love me because of that. Far from it actually. He worked so hard to make sure I was okay. But while my father tried his best to care for me, there came times when he simply had to do his duties. So when he had to go to the castle, I would be free to wander off into the kingdom. I loved the wilderness, you see. I loved exploring the outskirts of the town, where nopony would be bothered by a little street rat like me.”

Suddenly, Braeburn called out defiantly, “Ya mind cuttin’ to the chase?”

A mage started to lash out, but the Arch-Mage shot out his hooves to stop it. With a slightly-amused smirk, he stated, “My, you’re quite the impertinent one, aren’t you?” Without warning, the old stallion grabbed Braeburn’s burnt leg and began to twist, causing the cowpony to cry in pain. The Arch-Mage’s face shone with an insidious smile, grinning at Braeburn's pain. But Shade, Cadance noticed, didn’t share the same enjoyment. In fact, she could have sworn she had seen the dark mare wince.

Finally, once the Arch-Mage had finished and Braeburn’s groans faded, Shade continued, “But one day, after noticing a tiny alcove of trees, I came across a secret passageway. A passageway that led right underneath the Crystal Castle itself. And so, the basement of the Crystal Castle was my playground, where I could be the closest to my father. After going down there day after day, I soon stumbled across an ancient door. And behind that door…was the key to ultimate power. A book. A book you six know as Umbra Magicae. And this tome seemed to...call me. It was but the first volume, yes. But just looking into the book, the power, the spells…it was all so…invigorating.” The villain closed her eyes, feeling that power flowing through her body once again. “I went down there every day, learning tirelessly the wonders of the shadows. I learned of power most fillies could only dream of. It was the humble beginning to becoming the master of darkness I am today.”

With gasp, Cadance finally uttered, “It is you.”

The dark mare suddenly looked at Cadance once again, but this time, her purple eyes were burning with hatred. With her voice slowly rising, Shade continued, “But then one day, you and your damned guards had my father arrested. You took my father and me captive, and assigned for us to be executed. Just like that, with no warning or reason, you murdered him. I watched his neck snap in that hang-mare’s noose from this very same building.”

“Shade, listen to me,” Cadance tried to say.

“My father…he did nothing wrong! And you…you ended his life like he was a dog!”

“You have no idea why we executed your father!”

“Shut up, you miserable mule!”

“That magic twisted your mind to the truth, Shade! Your father was a—” Shade’s hoof suddenly shot out, slapping the princess across her face. Braeburn and Lucky instinctively tried to leap towards the two, but they were halted by the mages and the Shadow holding them back.

“You killed him! And then you tried to kill me! But oh, you should have known better than to try and kill a mistress of the dark arts. Using the rather limited skills I had, I escaped your blasted kingdom and sought refuge in Trottingham, all the while planning my revenge. I realized the second volume of Umbra Magicae was located in the Frost Star Sanctuary. Once I got a hold of that, my plan could not be stopped.”

Cadance gave a whimper, her face stinging from Shade’s blow. But the princess still stood up strong, never giving way to the fact that she wanted cry out. While she shook off the blow, her enemy continued, “This power that I wield in my hooves…it is unlike anything I've ever felt before. It is the kind of power you fools cannot even hope to understand. You tried to hide it away from the world, keep it stashed deep underground where nopony could see it. But in the end, Cadenza, some things were meant to be unleashed.” She motioned towards a window, which gave way to a black sky. “And that is exactly what I did to your kingdom. And Canterlot, Trottingham, and soon, all of Equestria. My father was worth thousands of your subjects. Consider this…retribution.”

“You…how could you do this? You’re the murderer!” Cheerilee yelped.

“Silence, worm!” the Arch-Mage shouted angrily, to which the schoolteacher had no choice but to comply.

Lucky wanted to defend her, but the swollen area around his horn suddenly started to throb. Through clenched teeth, he asked, “H-How did you know where we were?”

The Arch-Mage gave deep chuckle, as though he had been waiting for this moment to come. Giving a nefarious glare at the captives, he replied, “The answer is quite simple. Bring him out.”

On cue, two mages appeared from a doorway by the throne, dragging along a ragged figure. His blue shirt had been torn to tatters, revealing cuts and burns all over his skin. His blue mane was messy, tangled, and seemed to have clumps torn away. The same restraint around Cadance’s wings was surrounding his wings too. His tired appearance certainly paid no homage to the winged lightning bolt emblazoned on his flank.

He looked up at the six before him, a task which was almost too much for his aching body. With tears in his eyes, Soarin muttered, “I’m…I’m sorry.”

The mages threw him on the floor, at the hooves of Scootaloo. But to the others’ surprise, the filly didn’t even seem to notice their friend lying on the ground. Cheerilee cried, “What did you do to him?”

“Ah yes, your friend Soarin. He was a little experiment of mine, on a spell that I’ve been conjuring for quite some time. It’s amazing what a bit of magical persuasion can do to a stallion. That fool tried to take us on by himself, back when you infiltrated our sanctuary. That was when we…implanted him.”

“You brainwashed him,” Lucky whispered.

“I suppose you could call it that. At night, it was as simple as a tiny spell, a summons if you will, and Soarin would report back to us. Then he’d go back, and when he’d wake up in the morning, he would have no idea what he just did. Your friend here was like a moving surveillance cam. He provided us your position everywhere you went. Once we heard you were going to Trottingham, Shade placed herself in that shack to throw you off. We probably would have nabbed you then, if those thugs hadn’t run you out of there first.”

“Wait…but you told us the thief ran away before you could figure out what the book was about,” Braeburn said.

“Well obviously if you had known the truth, you wouldn’t be in this predicament, would you?” the Arch-Mage replied, as though he were scolding a foal.

Giving the cynical chuckle, Shade added, “Looks like your instincts failed you this time, Braeburn. It’s a shame. Perhaps you could have stopped this.”

Braeburn lowered his head with a frown, her words lingering in his ears. Cadance saw this too, and she told him, “She’s only trying to get into your head, Braeburn. Don’t listen!”

Suddenly she received another slap across the face by the Arch-Mage, who said scowling, “Stay quiet, worm, if you know what’s good for you. You see, Ms. Shade did come in for the book. However, when we found her, she told us of her plan. In exchange for our help in capturing you, she will allow us Frost Mages to fight alongside her in the new world. We shall live in the darkness, just as our ancestors wished! Together, we will conquer all of Equestria!”

Suddenly, Shade’s purple eyes flicked over to the old mage, a menacing eyebrow raised ever-so-slightly. “Together? Tsk-tsk, I thought you knew me better than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I said I would let your little mages in on things. But that agreement…didn’t include you.” Without warning, dark tendrils rose up from beneath the mages’ hooves. Before they could even react, the underlings were gulped up and disappeared from sight, leaving the Arch-Mage to cast spasmodic glances around the room.

With his minions replaced by Shadowmares, the mage’s eyes began to widen as Shade slowly began to approach. He let out a grunt as he tried to back away, only to be snared by the tendrils forming beneath him. The trembling stallion let out an erratic bolt of electricity at the mare, only for it to be blocked by her own dark magic. It would be the only attack the old mage would be able to launch, for soon the Shadow had swarmed over his body, leaving only his face uncovered.

His hood was pulled back to reveal the wrinkled face of an elderly, weak stallion. His mouth was pulled back into a grimace, and his eyes seemed to bulge out of his sockets. The Arch-Mage stuttered meekly, “But we…we had a deal!”

“Yes we did, and I intend to follow through with it. Your Frost Stars will fight for me…as part of my Shadowmares,” Shade answered, staring coldly into the former-ally’s terrified eyes. She stamped her hoof, and the mage let out cries as black tendrils started to wrap around his face. “I’ve never liked you. Brutal, rough, hot-tempered, unsophisticated…”

A crack pierced the air, sending a horrible chill through each of the captives. The mage sunk into the shadowy blob and into the floor, his limp head cocked in an unnatural angle. Shade uttered icily, “And…expendable.” Then with a wave of her hoof, she commanded, “Shadowmares! Take the six to the dungeon. And leave Cadance to me.”

Her newest minions forced the rag-tag group away to the dungeon, prodding them and pushing them with their dark tentacles. Soarin stumbled along, unable to even walk without Cheerilee’s assistance. The same blank stare persisted on both Redheart’s and Scootaloo’s face. And Braeburn and Lucky, normally the strongest ones of the group, had their heads held low, dragging their hooves along the ground.

Soon, it was only Shade and Cadance, who stood rigidly after what she had just witnessed. The princess breathed heavily, trying to tell herself that she wouldn’t be the next one to be swallowed up just like the old mage. But to her surprise, Shade simply walked towards a window, paying no heed to her captive. She cast her gaze upon the once-shining Crystal Kingdom, now transformed into a gloomy, barren wasteland. She cast a sullen eye beyond the city walls, towards the darkness extending far past the horizon, knowing that all of it was hers. And to this, Shade could only glower at it, letting out a long, tired sigh. All of it was now her kingdom. Her bleak kingdom.

“Why don’t you just kill me now?”

The question was sudden, bringing Shade back to the task at hand. Her new kingdom would have to wait. For when the dark mare turned around to see her enemy defeated and worn, her purple eyes began to burn once more.

“Because Mi Amore Cadenza,” Shade uttered, slinking towards her prisoner like a snake. With her striking eyes narrowed to slits and her mouth pulled into a poisonous scowl, she hissed, “I want you to watch as your world crumbles, just as I watched mine. I want you to suffer the bitter agony of losing the ponies you love, the cruel sting of being utterly…alone. And when your soul is shattered…then I will kill you.

Author's Note

And with that...it's the end of Act 2.

Gosh, I suppose I owe you guys an explanation; it's been so long. First of all, this chapter's been done for quite some time, but I didn't feel confident enough to post it. But now, I figure 'what the heck', I'll put it up anyway and roll with it. Truthfully, I've wanted to take a break from this story to work on a few other things. It's hard to be focused on one story for a long time, so I decided to place my attention somewhere else so I could recuperate. But now, I've decided to come back and try to finish this one up. So let's hope I stay on track, yeah?

So that's all I have to say about that. Next time...the third and final act of this epic story begins! How will our heroes escape Shade's shadowy kingdom? What will Shade do to Cadance? Well, you'll just have to read on to find out...

These Past Few Months...

From the writings of Ms. C. Cheerilee…

I’m not entirely sure why I’m writing this. Perhaps to distance myself from the things happening outside. It’s a futile attempt of course, but it’s better than nothing. I’m surprised the guards gave me this piece of coal and some parchment. I guess you can’t really break out of prison with them…which is a shame.

That cruel harpy Shade has kept us locked up for a month now; we haven’t seen the sun ever since we were dragged here. Not that it would matter anyway. As much as I can tell, the Shadow has spread far past the horizon, and every inch of land in between has been swathed in darkness. We’ve been given a view of it all, atop this cursed tower, where no one can help us.

Soarin has been sharing a cell with Scootaloo. But whenever Soarin attempts to try and comfort her, she just shies away from him and sits alone in the corner. The poor thing. It’s almost as if she’s given up on everything. To think of the cruelty of that statement, to think of all the horrors she’s seen! Seeing her completely drained of her will…it’s something that I can’t bear to watch. I don’t think Soarin can either. He’s blamed himself for all this, for being a pawn for Shade’s wicked plans. But no matter how many times I tell him it’s not his fault, he won’t listen.

Braeburn and Redheart share the cell next to me. The two have begun to bicker at each other, even though at times they don’t even remember what they were fighting about. Until a week ago, Braeburn has been spewing out denials and utter lies, saying that “it ain’t that bad”. But it finally hit him, and since then he’s been so irate and frustrated. Redheart hasn’t been any better. Sometimes she just lashes out in anger only to break down crying, as though those emotions pent up inside of her has finally come flooding out.

But the worst by far is Lucky. He just sits same spot by the barred window, staring out blankly. Whenever I attempt to talk to him, he just responds with, “It’s over...” Every night I hear him thrashing about in his bed, no doubt having nightmares about this whole catastrophe. And sometimes, when all is quiet…he weeps. And I have no choice but to watch him, a once confident and energetic stallion, break down like a young foal. It’s as though he’s…he’s…I can’t even bring myself to describe it.

I love him. That’s what makes this so difficult. Seeing the one I love shattered…it makes my heart want to shatter as well. I love him, l love him, I love him, I love him. I feel like I have to keep saying that every single day. Because as time wears on, I fear that I will forget what it feels like. How scary is that? Forgetting what it’s like to love and be loved? Already I am starting to wonder. After all that we’ve been through, all the trials we’ve face together, all those times when he helped me…I want to be there for him. But I’m starting to feel numb…

I can hear our captors coming up the stairs now. This is highly unusual, considering they’ve already delivered our meal of stale bread and stagnant water. It looks like this will be all for now…

Cheerilee stuffed the parchment underneath the piece of styrofoam which functioned as her bed. She glanced over at Lucky, who sat against the wall, his head leaned back and his eyes closed. A part of her wished to wrap her hooves around him and kiss him. But instead, she simply crept over to the bars to peak at the guards marching up the stairway.

The only other pony to stand up was Soarin, who besides Cheerilee, seemed the most sane out of the group. His wings were still messy and slightly off kilter, but he had been slowly recuperating during this month of captivity. However, meager rations made it extremely difficult for him to get stronger. Cheerilee could see that Soarin’s muscly legs have shrunk, and some of his ribs were visible.

The pegasus tried to give a small smile, and Cheerilee returned the gesture. “Think they’re bringing up some extra snacks?” Soarin said hopefully.

“If only we were so lucky…”

The dungeon gate swung open, clanging loudly against the stone wall. The sound of clopping hooves echoed through the cells, catching the attention of Braeburn and Redheart. Finally, the Shadowmares came into view, their dark heads adorned with Crystal Pony armor. They did not carry any food or water. Instead, they dragged along a cloaked figure, who was limp in their grasp.

They stopped in front of Braeburn’s cell, taking out their keys. When the cell opened, neither of the captive ponies made any attempt to escape. The guards tossed the shrouded figure inside, slammed the door shut, and promptly trotted away without a word. The unknown pony thudded against the ground, and lay motionless.

“Is…is he dead?” Soarin asked.

Braeburn poked the body, and to his surprise, it began to twitch. The figure let out a painful groan, slowly getting to his hooves. “Where am I?” the masculine voice muttered.

He flipped back his hood to reveal a messy blue mane, with a large white horn protruding from his forehead. His light blue eyes were narrowed, darting around the room suspiciously. His chest was puffed out and his legs were like trunks, cutting an intimidating figure. “I said, where am I?” the stallion repeated, this time in a commander-like tone.

“What does it look like, partner, a fiesta? This is prison,” Braeburn responded, keeping his eyes trained on the ground.

“I feared so.” The stallion wrapped his hooves around the bars, trying to stare out into the hall. “Then this must be the Crystal Tower Dungeon, correct?”

“Unfortunately.”

Shaking his head, the unicorn responded, “Can’t believe I almost didn’t recognize this place."

“You’ve been here before?” Soarin asked.

“Yeah. Was here for a year. One of the most impenetrable dungeons I've seen."

Soarin raised an eyebrow, backing away from the bars. Pausing for a moment, he finally asked, "So you were here...I mean, you're not a...a..."

With a snicker, the stallion replied, "Oh sorry. I was a guard, not a criminal. Probably should of mentioned that first.”

“A guard, huh?”

“Yeah. Sent here when I was a grunt. Celestia figured the Crystal Ponies could use some help.” The former guard turned his head towards the cowpony. “And who are you fellows?”

“This ain't the place fer formal introductions, partner,” Braeburn muttered bitterly, clawing at the stone with his hooves.

“Don’t mind him. We’ve been in here for a while now. It’s been rough.” Cheerilee stood up, struggling to give a welcoming grin. “I’m Cheerilee, those ponies you’re sharing a cell with are Braeburn and Redheart.”

“I’m Soarin,” the pegasus called, waving. “Back here is Scootaloo.”

The stallion’s eyes widened when he saw the little ball of fur curled up behind Soarin. “Wow…she’s just a child…” he whispered, shaking his head. “And what about that one behind you, Cheerilee?”

The grin disappeared from the teacher’s face, replaced by a melancholy frown. Looking at her cellmate from the corner of her eye, she replied quietly, “Oh. That…that’s Lucky.”

“We’re the Elements of Love...if that means anything,” Soarin quickly added, trying to draw stallion's attention.

The statement certainly did its job, as the cloaked pony’s ears perked up, and his eyes brightened. “The Elements of Love? You’re the Elements of Love?” he inquired, a smile playing on his lips. The others nodded. “Amazing! I’ve heard stories…Cadance told me she was going to Equestria to find you!”

“You know...Princess Cadance?”

“Well of course. I love her to death. I…I hope she’s alright,” the stallion said solemnly, his voice tender and compassionate.

Soarin was surprised to hear such words come from a huge, daunting stallion. “What did you say your name was again?” the pegasus asked, his eyebrow raised.

“Oh, sorry. I never did." He pulled off his cloak, revealing a bright blue shield with his family crest emblazoned on his flank.

"I’m Shining Armor.”

“Do not worry Cadance! We are immortal! She cannot kill us.”

“That may be true. But when I’m through with you…you’ll wish you were dead.”

These voices rang throughout the dreary Shadow Castle hallways. Two princesses, the rulers of the sun and moon themselves, were being dragged out of the throne room by large shadowy beasts. They had dark magic surrounding their wings and horns, rendering them completely useless. Celestia and Luna had no choice but to limp away, while Cadance watched from afar, unable to bring her eyes off the floor.

That vision never left Cadance’s mind the entire month she had been held captive. Now she sat in that same throne room, her head and her ears drooped low. The light from her normally sprightly eyes were gone. A pair of guards stood on either side of her, prepared for the off-chance that she might decide to escape. Unfortunately, they would not be getting such satisfaction.

Finally, a voice called from behind, “Cadance. I’m so glad you could drop by.”

Without turning around, the alicorn replied, “I don’t think I had a choice in the matter.”

“It’s not very polite to turn away from the one you’re addressing.”

“Neither is taking one’s family and kingdom and turning it into a barren wasteland.”

Expelling a sigh, Shade muttered, “Very well. I suppose I should come to you.”

There was a muffled swish, and when Cadance opened her eyes, she found Shade standing before her, black smoke dispelling from her hooves. “There are others who will stop you,” Cadance said, her eyes hardened.

Shade crept towards her nemesis, a cynical grin plastered on her dark face. Every step she took, she left a black swirling circle in her wake. Her striking purple eyes glared straight into Cadance’s soul, and she uttered, “You’re not referring to those…Elements of Harmony were they? The Shadow is spreading across the continent, Cadance, and Celestia isn't around to prod them along anymore. They're probably fleeing the country right now. And if they haven’t been swallowed already, they soon will be. Just like everyone else.”

Shade rubbed a hoof along Cadance’s chin for good measure, but the alicorn quickly shrugged it off with a grunt. “How old are you, Shade?” she replied through clenched teeth. “You are but a child! Don’t tell me—”

Suddenly, a pair of hooves grasped her jaw shut. A snout was thrust into Cadance’s face, close enough for her to feel Shade’s breath crawling down her face. It was surprisingly warm. “Do not. Call me. A child,” the Shadow Queen whispered, relinquishing her grasp.

The pink princess rubbed her stinging jaw, which had been slightly darkened by Shade's touch. “Okay, okay. But that still doesn’t change a thing.” Cadance attempted to step forward, but was quickly stopped by two pairs of shadow tentacles jutting from the guards, which grabbed onto her hooves. She let out a tiny gasp, but managed to maintain her stolid expression. “You are still young, with much to learn. How can you say that this is what you want?”

“Please don’t give me a clichéd speech about my age, princess. I’m not a confused teenager who wants someone to talk to. All that matters is that I’ve had my sights set on revenge for a long time.”

“This isn’t revenge!" Cadance shouted, pounding the floor angrily. "This is murdering innocent ponies who’ve done nothing to you. You have me, why kill everypony else?”

For the first time, those striking purple eyes seemed to falter. They blinked for a moment before being directed to the ground, unable to meet Cadance’s own glare. “It’s…it’s an unfortunate consequence,” Shade whispered.

Taking advantage of the sudden change, Cadance retorted with a smirk, “You don’t sound so sure about that.”

“Silence!” Shade yelled, her eyes swiftly lighting back up with fury. Pointing her hooves to the doors, she ordered, “Guards. Take her away.”

"What happened? I thought you wanted my company?"

"I said, silence!" Shade's voice echoed through the black chamber, as mist flared up from her stomping hooves.

The Shadowmares put their tendrils around Cadance and slowly began to lead her out of the throne room. But as they turned around, the shadow princess and the love princess locked eyes. “I’ve seen a lot of things these past few months, Cadance. You’re not the only one,” Shade hissed. Then, she quickly disappeared into her own shadow, leaving Cadance to be escorted away.

However, as she exited the throne room, the alicorn couldn’t help but be puzzled by what she had just heard. Glancing down at the floors of her once-glimmering Crystal Castle, a pair of striking purple eyes remained emblazoned in her mind. But they weren't the cold eyes of a murderer.

After years of foalsitting, Cadance knew what those eyes said, even if Shade didn't know herself.

Prologue: In Dire Need

The gleaming streets of the Crystal Kingdom were absolutely dead. The road seemed to warp and twist as the terrible blackness moved across the land. Carriages and chariots were left in the streets, abandoned in a hurry. A few homes had messages hastily painted on their walls, scribbled on by shaking hooves, all of which shared the same message, “GET OUT.”

Although it was just past noon, the once-beautiful kingdom was shrouded in darkness. It was a swathing darkness, unrelenting in its devastation, a devourer of light itself. A force that knew no friend or foe, benevolence or hatred, pleasure or fear. No, this entity knew only the corrupted bleakness it spread. It had only been twenty-four hours since the darkness swallowed up the Crystal Kingdom, since the lives of the ponies inhabiting it were changed forever. When it struck, it struck hard, quickly swallowing the ones unlucky enough to have been in the town's square. It began so fast and so unexpectedly, flowing through the busy streets like a living wave. Within twelve hours, the kingdom was but a husk of its former self. Some of its denizens were able to be evacuated and flee, but others weren't so lucky.

On this bleak night, a giant, melancholy, cloud-like shroud covered the prosperous city. Only a tiny sliver of light shone through the malicious clouds, providing dim illumination to a shadow evading another shadow.

The small shadow was a young pony; a mare only on the cusp of adulthood. She was a crystal pony, her mane and fur glistening and twinkling despite the overcast. However, despite her almost ethereal appearance, the mare’s features were stricken with fear. She galloped through the streets of her abandoned home, looking for any sign of salvation. Behind her, some kind of dark entity advanced, silently but swiftly chasing the poor pony.

The crystal mare turned into a ruined house, half of which had been reduced to rubble since the kingdom's abandonment. Panting heavily, the mare looked back to find the shadow still chasing her, looking to devour her just as it did her friends. Letting out a shriek, the gleaming pony hopped over the mounds of rubble, trying to escape the darkness’s grasp.

She made her way through a back door, heading once again into the open world. She came upon a chain-link fence blocking her path. But the unmerciful being trailed close behind, gulping the small house behind her into oblivion. Seeing no other way out, the mare's adrenaline kicked in, and she quickly grabbed onto the metal barrier and began to climb. The shadow extended a long, gangly tentacle towards the climbing figure. It was just about to wrap around the crystal pony’s hind leg when she slipped over the fence, landing hard against the ground.

The pony was just about to take a breather, thinking that she had escaped the shadow’s wrath. But to her horror, tiny black tentacles began to seep through the fence, grasping for her body. Thinking fast, she proceeded to trot down the alleyway, with the entity picking up speed.

But to her surprise, the alleyway culminated into a dead end. Panicked, the mare turned the other way, only to find the shadow blocking her path. The dark being raised itself up in the air, almost as though it were mocking the trapped prey. The shimmering pony smacked her hooves desperately against the wall, but to no avail. Then, the shaking pony turned around to see the last sight she would ever see: two red eyes, staring maliciously at her.

The crystalline pony let one final fearful scream before the black entity swallowed her in darkness.

xxx

Celestia marched down the long hallway in the dead of night, her eyes drooping from the loss of sleep. The moon’s light faintly illuminated the corridor, dimly shining through the stained glass windows. Stars twinkled proudly over the mystical jewel of Equestria, providing no hint to the horrors that were taking place in a far-off land.

The Princess of the Sun had been suddenly awoken by one of her Royal Guards, who simply said it was a “dire” emergency. When questioned, the stallion simply shrugged and trotted off, just as clueless as she. Ignoring the guard's impudence, Celestia sleepily walked down the corridor. Part of her wanted to get back to bed and let Luna sort this one out. After all, it was her shift. However, Celestia could just sense something was off, so she willed herself to keep walking to her throne room.

She swung the mighty door open to find not her sister, or even one of her subjects, but Princess Cadance pacing around the room. Now if her sister had called her in, she would have understood the interruption. But her niece issuing the summons; that was quite peculiar.

At that moment, Princess Luna flew into the throne room from her watchtower, completing the trio of alicorns. The sisters exchanged confused looks at each other, obviously not knowing the purpose of Cadance’s visit. Rubbing her eyes, Princess Celestia said tiredly, “Cadance, what are you doing here so late?”

“Something is happening, Auntie. And...and I need your help,” Cadance replied, looking quite distraught.

The regal ruler could sense the fear laced in her niece’s voice, and she asked gently, “Whatever is the problem, dear?”

The pink pony sat on the ground with her hoof held up to her mouth, her eyes trained sadly on the ground. Cadance said quietly, “It’s…it’s the Crystal Kingdom. Something terrible is happening. I-I’m afraid there isn’t much time to explain.”

“Where is Shining Armor?” Luna questioned.

“He stayed behind to lead the evacuation,” the princess replied, showing concern for her beloved husband. “I hope he’s alright. The darkness…it was terrible Auntie. All of sudden, it rushed in and...” Cadance found herself unable to continue, the foul memory still fresh in her mind. The sight of her kingdom…swallowed up under her watch.

Celestia asked quickly, “Well what would you have us do, Cadance? Shall I send a legion of my guards?”

“No,” her niece replied. “Believe me; we have tried battling it head-on. But this sort of threat is nothing we have ever seen! You see, I came here because I…” She paused, as though she were about to admit she was going to drop a bomb.

Finally, she uttered, “Well…I need to use the Elements.”

Celestia, obviously confused, told her niece, “The Elements? Well, I’m afraid Twilight Sparkle and her friends are off on an ambassador mission in Veneighzuela. I can’t just-”

“No, no, no. Not those Elements. The other ones,” Cadance interrupted.

The co-rulers’ eyes widened, and they looked at Cadance as though she…well…dropped a bomb. Now it was the two goddesses pacing around the throne room, glancing anxiously at their niece. “Surely you don’t mean…? Are you sure?” Celestia muttered. "For what purpose?"

"I told you, there isn't much time to explain," the pink alicorn answered. "I will tell you, but I need you to send out some messengers now!"

“To whom? You don’t even have any bearers!” Luna added.

To this, Cadance's horn began to glow, projecting a magical image onto the throne. A scene began to emerge, and the sight of a humble little building began to form. The love princess beckoned her aunts to come forward to watch, and she said, “Actually…I do.”

Who are these Elements of Love? More to come next...

Interlude 1: Thy Love...

Canterlot was shrouded in darkness, a kind of darkness that differentiated from the cold evil that plagued the Crystal Kingdom miles away. This darkness was pure, inviting, beautiful. It was a kind of darkness woven by the soft, graceful touch of a goddess. One that told everypony that even though the warmth of day was gone, the beauty of the night was still there to comfort them.

The creator of this tapestry of light strolled through her castle as she usually did, looking absolutely bored. There was never much to do in the wee hours of the morning, other than talk with the members of her elite Dawn Guards. Her sister was already asleep, and Luna knew all too well the terrors that would follow should Celestia awake from her slumber. So, seeing as though there was nothing else to do, Luna wandered about aimlessly.

She soon came across a doorway that was strangely left open. It led into a spiraling staircase, which ascended into one of the tallest spires in the castle. Curious, the princess of the night slipped through the door, quietly climbing up the stairwell. Who could possibly be up here?, Princess Luna thought, carefully making her way up the dimly lit tower.

Finally, she made her way to the top, where a door was propped open. There, she found a slim figure standing out on the balcony, her front hooves planted in the railing as she looked out at the land below. In the dim light, the pink alicorn looked so small and young, but her face was racked with enough worry for an eternity. Her glistening eyes showed that she had been crying. The figure whispered sadly, in a dialect unknown to Luna, “Maledire questa oscurità. Mio regno…”

Luna said softly, “Cadance? What art thou doing up here?”

Her niece jumped a little, and she wiped her eyes and hastily levitated a book towards her face. Covering her face, Cadance replied, “Zia…I mean, Auntie! I was…reading. Translating this thing.”

“Up here? At midnight, in the dark, with the cold wind?” the older alicorn replied. She made her way to her niece, a concerned look on her face. She placed her hoof on the floating book and slowly brought it down, revealing an innocent face wracked with tears.

“Cadance…thou were never a good liar,” Luna said, trying to make a joke. Seeing as though Cadance was still frowning, she placed her hoof fondly on her niece’s shoulder and whispered, “I can sense something is on your mind.”

The love princess slinked away from her aunt, moving back to her position by the balcony. She stared out at not just Canterlot, but the entire kingdom of Equestria. She took in the infinite expanse of land before her, the breath-taking view mingled with the dazzling stars in sky. From the Badlands to the forests to the spot where the horizon touched the sky, it was a sight that could be summed up with one word. Amazing. Everything seemed so tranquil, so happy. And yet…Princess Cadance knew it was too good to be true.

It took Cadance a while to realize her aunt was standing right beside her. Luna said, “What is wrong, Cadenza? You can tell me.”

Not even daring to glance away from the view as though it could disappear, the pink alicorn began, “Remember when I was younger, auntie?” Her eyes lit up as though she had mentioned something she shouldn’t have. Realizing Princess Luna had only been back for a few years, she apologized, “Oh, I’m sorry. I-I had forgotten…”

But the night princess showed no sign of animosity. Waving her hoof benevolently, she responded, “'Tis alright, my beloved niece. That is…old news. Please, continue.”

Hearing this, Cadance went back towards the open world. She turned her gaze to that sky as she began to reminisce about days long gone. Days when there was no worries, no cares. Days of an innocence now lost. “Well auntie, I was sent here to learn how to rule a kingdom. I was the newest in line of rulers, and ponies had very high expectations of me. But I was so scared. The responsibility of having thousands under your care, not to mention trying to make them like you; it was too much for a young teen to take in. Heck, I could barely organize a bed, much less a kingdom.”

She gave a fond smile, shaking her head sadly. “One day, Auntie Tia realized I had skipped out on the day’s lesson. I probably should have known better than to try and hide from a goddess, but you know, I was a...bambina. She found me hiding in my room, under some covers. But for some strange reason, she wasn’t mad.”

“Instead, Auntie Tia took me up to this very spot, and she showed me this…this amazing view. And she stretched her hoof towards the horizon and said, ‘Do you see everything, Cadance? Everything here, Canterlot, Ponyville, even the Everfree forest…this is my land. And this is yours too.’” The pink alicorn mimicked Celestia’s movements, stretching her hoof towards the grand kingdom below.

“‘Someday, you will have a kingdom much like this one. And I know that, right now, it must be terrifying to have such a responsibility weighing down upon you. But I want you to know, that this is not a burden, but a blessing. And someday, just like me, you will look down upon the smiling faces of your subjects, and you will realize that…you love it.’” Cadance let those final words trail off, remembering Celestia’s warmth. She realized she was on the verge of tears, and furiously began to wipe her eyes, trying to remain composed.

But in the end, even almighty alicorns have to cry.

A single tear began to flow down her cheek, threatening to become a steady stream. But nonetheless, Cadence continued to speak, “I…I believed her. And you know what? She was right. And that’s why it makes this so hard. I’ve treated the crystal ponies like they were my own kin. And to see them swallowed up…is like watching your entire family die.”

With her voice picking up in intensity, Cadance continued, “I don’t know where my husband is, and I cannot do anything about it. All I can do is pray that he is still alive. Sitting here, reading this cursed book of evil as my kingdom crumbles hundreds of miles away…I’ve never felt so useless in all my life. I’m like a princess waiting hopelessly for her knight to come and save her. And that…Dannazione! That is not who I want to be!”

She buried her face in her legs, resting against the stone balcony. With a voice that held utter despair, Cadance whispered, “Without Shining Armor, without my loyal subjects…I’m nothing.”

Princess Luna gently brushed her niece’s head as though she were her own child. Cadance’s quiet sobs were the only sounds atop that dark balcony. The moon goddess could not help but feel for the poor alicorn. Cadance has never witnessed a tragedy like this before, not like Celestia and she had. Seeing her niece like this…was too much to bear.

Finally, once Cadance’s crying had died down, Luna whispered, “My dearest niece…I suppose I am not the best at comforting ponies, but umm…”

After contemplating her words for a moment, Luna started, “I hath ruled this kingdom for almost as long as Celestia. I hath faced disaster upon disaster befall this kingdom. And what is worse…I became one myself. And I hath learned this; thy subjects you speak of are much more resiliant than one might think. And in the end, somehow things manage to work out. Rebuild. Prosper. Dark times never last for long.”

Princess Cadance raised her head to look at her aunt’s dark blue eyes, which shone with compassion. “Do not mistake thy love for your subjects as a sign of weakness. It was thy love that dispelled the Changelings and saved Canterlot. It was thy love that prompted you to come here, to find the Elements, and devise a plan to save your kingdom. So do not ever think that you are powerless. You are a Royal Alicorn. We are resilient, we are noble, we are powerful, and we will do everything we can to protect our subjects.”

Still stroking Cadance’s colorful mane, Luna added, “Besides, you are not as alone as you might think. You have my sister and I to guide you, and you still have six loyal servants willing to do anything to help you. Perhaps they need some time to mesh, but I am certain those ponies will succeed. After all, the power of love can vanquish anything, yes?”

With the barest hint of a smile, Cadance whispered, “Yes.” But then she continued, “But…my husband. He’s still out there somewhere, and the shadow still roams free.”

The night princess held her niece’s hoof tightly, giving her the most assuring smile she could muster. “Do not worry for thy husband, Cadance. He did not become the captain of the Royal Guard because he was another handsome face. He is a leader, and possesses a bold spirit. I am sure he hath led the survivors someplace safe. I am also sure that he worries for you just as you worry for him. But for now, you, Celestia and I have a job to do here.”

Sniffling, the pink alicorn finally got up from her position on the balcony. Wiping away the last of her tears, she stood regally next to her relative and said gently, “Thanks Auntie Luna. That…actually made me feel a bit better. But I still wish I could be doing something.”

“Well why don’t we start translating that tome?” Princess Luna replied, levitating the Tenebris Magicae towards her. “Perhaps then we can devise a plan.”

Cadance gave a polite nod, and Princess Luna shuffled through the door, beginning her descent. The pink alicorn was extremely grateful for her aunt’s loving words, she really was. And she supposed it did make her feel loads better. But despite this, Cadance couldn’t shake the anxiety deep in the pit of her stomach. Not with her husband still out there.

Giving one last glance outside, Princess Cadance thought, Il mio amore…Mi manchi…I miss you…

Consider this interlude the end of Act 1! Act 2 is sure to have more action, secrets, bagels, and even more stuff that I'm not allowed to spoil! So if you want to find out what happens next, you'll just have to stay tuned!

Next time...on the Elements of Love.....