Fugue - Volume 1

"Thank you both for giving us your time," Huey stated gratefully, while giving the two burly stallions a hoof-shake. "It means a lot to all of us."

Drill Bit and Crafty Crate both grunted in acknowledgement. While both pegasai were light brown in coat colour, Drill Bit had a dark brunette mane, while Crafty Crate's was light, goldish gray. Crafty also had a very prominent lower jaw and heavy stubble, which helped further differentiate him from Drill Bit.

"Well, since the pleasantries have been exchanged, let's begin!" Twilight chirped, while levitating a quill, inkwell and parchment towards her in preparation for taking notes.

"Quite!" Mayor Mare agreed. "We invited you two to be members on this restoration committee due to your being influential ponies in logistics and construction. With the destruction of much of the town, we are certain that your expertise will be instrumental in expediting a swift recovery."

"Huh... Sounds simple enough," Drill Bit mumbled thoughtfully. "What did you all have in mind for me and Crafty?"

"In the case of yourself," Huey replied. "I was wondering whether it was possible that, due to your being a construction worker, you and your colleagues would be able to act as foremen. We seem to have the entire town on board, but they will need expert guidance when rebuilding homes and the like... Otherwise, we'd be at risk of seeing homes collapsing due to the work being done by those who have no intimate knowledge of how to build."

"And what about me?" Crafty Crate grumbled. "What do you need me for?"

"Logistics," Huey explained. "I've been told that you own a moving company. As such, you would, undoubtedly, possess a myriad of methods that allow the movement of heavy loads. It is undeniable that there will be a need to move a lot of ponies around, along with heavy building equipment, to get this job done."

"Fair enough," Crafty murmured. "The only question now is how is are you going to pay for all this?"

"P-Pay!?" Twilight spluttered. "Surely you're not seriously considering that you can profit from this calamity!?"

"No, no, no!" Drill Bit protested. "Craft don't mean that. He's talking about the cost of materials and such. We may not expect payment for labour, but you'll be needing a lot of materials. Bricks, mortar, wood, the list is huge."

"Oh," Twilight muttered sheepishly. "S-Sorry for overreacting."

"It's fine," Crafty reassured her with a dismissive wave. "I was never that good at making myself clear anyway."

"Although, that still doesn't answer the question you posed," Mayor Mare mused. "Where can we obtain the funds necessary for this?"

The group collectively hummed in thought.

"What about we ask everypony to chip in?" Drill Bit suggested. "If we were to all put forward our own bits, we could raise the money needed easily!"

"What if we run out though?" Twilight countered. "We have yet to figure out how much the repairs will cost! We could end up running out before we finish, leaving ponies homeless at their expense!"

"Fair points," Drill agreed, before turning towards Crafty Crate and Mayor Mare. "Any ideas?"

"I got nothin'." Crafty mumbled.

"I could send a letter to the princess asking for financial help," Mayor Mare wondered. "But-"

"No!" Twilight suddenly yelped, causing everyone to look at her in surprise. "I-I mean... No, I don't think that will work. I studied a little bit of Equestrian law, while I was studying in Canterlot. I found out that their control over the nation's funds is not as far-reaching as one would expect."

"I can testify to that," Huey added. "I actually met the Chancellor of The Exchequer, Fiscal Policy, while I was there a few days ago. The country's piggy-bank is not controlled directly by the monarchy."

"So, we would have to instead make a plea to The Exchequer directly, or those in charge of allow the funds to be provided," Mayor Mare deduced. "They could take days, or weeks, to make a decision!"

"And we need to start work now," Huey sighed. "We have scores of ponies downstairs. Most of them without a safe home to live in. Where are they meant to sleep for the time being?"

"That's a good question," Crafty remarked. "Until Drill Bit and the crew inspect the damage to Ponyville, we couldn't possibly let them go home... It's too dangerous!"

Drill Bit nodded in agreement at Crafty's assessment, earning a grimace from Twilight and Mayor Mare. Huey hummed softly as he wandered over to the bedroom's window and gazed out at the wrecked town.

"So, we need somewhere large," Huey mused. "Somewhere many ponies can live temporarily."

"What about the local theatre?" Mayor Mare suggested. "It's large, and the backstage area is quite spacious. So, there would be plenty of space for ponies to sleep there."

"That could work, but I don't think it would have the space to hold all of Ponyville," Twilight commented. "We could split the town between staying here and the theatre."

"And when specific homes are repaired, the displaced ponies will reduce in number," Huey added. "However, it still comes down to money."

The quintet gave a collective hum of agreement. Silence then fell across the room as they withdrew into their own thoughts, considering the issues that had been raised and discussed thus far. After a few minutes, Huey eventually broke the silence.

"Drill Bit, Crafty Crate," He began thoughtfully. "Could the pair of you begin a town-wide survey of the buildings? Ascertain which are more dangerous than the others?"

"Wait, why am I bein' included?" Crafty enquired. "I ain't no builder."

"True, but if there's a particularly unstable building, one would need to move in heavy equipment to stabilise it," Huey replied. "Which would be right up your street."

"True." Crafty agreed before giving Huey a salute. "Well, we'll get right on it, Chief."

The two stallions swiftly trotted downstairs. Huey turned towards Mayor Mare and Twilight.

"How will we prioritise the building work?" He asked. "Do we repair the buildings that require the least amount of work or...?"

"Well, I'd say we focus on getting the essentials fixed up first!" Twilight said. "The theatre for accommodation, and any work needed for the local hospital and such."

"Naturally!" Mayor Mare concurred. "Once that's done, we could go with Huey's idea, but..."

"But what, Madam Mayor?" Huey probed. "Is there a problem I'm unaware of?"

"Well, I'm wondering about the foals," She mused. "I'm not sure if they are able to cope with this disaster better than the adults."

"Fair point!" Huey chirped. "Perhaps we should focus on the homes of those who are pregnant, or have kids, followed by those who are neither. Accompany that with the 'least damaged to most damaged' ethic and that should work out fine, right?"

"I don't see any problems with that." Twilight said, while Mayor Mare concurred with the lavender mare by nodding in agreement. Huey smiled and turned towards the window again.

"Excellent!" He remarked proudly. "With us all working together, we should have this town rebuilt in no time!"

"But what about the bits?" Mayor Mare asked. "We've yet to figure out how to pay for this project!"

Huey's heart sank at this revelation. He had forgotten all about the need for funds to pay for the vast amount of equipment needed. Sighing, he rubbed his temples in exasperation, frantically attempting to find a solution to this monumental problem.

"Madam Mayor," He murmured. "Would it be possible for you to tell the rest of the ponies downstairs about the survey Drill Bit and Crafty Crate have embarked on? I don't think it's appropriate to keep them in the dark, and they'll be overjoyed to hear that some action is being taken so quickly."

"Of course!"

"Could you also ask Spike to come upstairs?" He added. "I might need to send a letter."

Twilight's eyes widened at the mention of letters, but swiftly hid her shock to ensure the mayor didn't notice.

"I most certainly will!" Mayor Mare replied. "If you have any ideas about the finances, I'll be delighted to hear them when the committee's back together!"

"If you have any brainwaves, keep them safe," Huey shot back. "We might need them."

The mayor chuckled lightly before giving the pair a friendly wave and heading downstairs. Huey immediately whirled round to face Twilight, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Twilight," Huey began gravely. "Do you honestly think it's worthwhile to continue to hide your panicked lie from Celestia when the entire town lies in ruins?"

"W-What!?" Twilight spluttered. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Drop the act," Huey snapped, causing the unicorn to immediately flinch. "I cottoned onto your fear as soon as the suggestion was made to ask Celestia for help."

Twilight looked away, her ears drooping in shame.

"I even backed you up on the difficulties of asking," He continued. "Remember?"

Twilight sniffled and nodded submissively. Huey's heart immediately softened at the unicorn's sadness. He didn't want to upset her, just force her to reevaluate her priorities. However, it seemed he had gone too far. Slowly, he approached the mare and gently scratched one of her ears, causing her to gasp in surprise.

"I'm sorry," He said apologetically. "I didn't want to upset you. I only wanted to make sure you focused on the bigger picture, not yourself."

"But..." Twilight murmured sadly. "I lied to her. I can't... I don't... What would she think of me!? I panicked! I didn't mean to lie to her!"

"Shhhhhh..." Huey interrupted and knelt down to give her a hug, which she eagerly accepted. "I was there when you made that lie, Twilight. It was a mistake and I hope you never do it again. Celestia wouldn't have been angry at you."

"I know... I don't know what came over me."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not asking you to bear your soul to Celestia," Huey soothed. "I have an idea that will allow us to get the funds we need."

"Y-You do!?"

"Yes, which is why I asked the mayor to send Spike up."

As he finished his sentence, the aforementioned dragon waddled into the room.

"Speak of the devil!" Huey chirped, while disengaging from the hug he and Twilight were sharing. "Spike, I am in need of Twilight's number one assistant's special talent!"

"One letter to the princess coming up!" Spike replied jovially, a proud smile plastering itself onto his face as he gathered up the necessary resources Twilight had been using previously.

"To Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna," Huey began. "I apologise fo-"

"Princess Luna!?" Spike and Twilight repeated in surprise. "But why?"

"Two reasons," Huey replied calmly. "She is the only monarch in Canterlot at this time, since Celestia is in Fillydelphia sorting out an infestation. Also, I know that she has a great deal of money, which she wishes to donate to worthy causes. Suffice to say, I do believe rebuilding an entire town counts as one, don't you?"

"Huh..." Spike muttered. "Fair enough! You were saying?"

"I apologise for sending a letter to you so soon after we last saw each other mere hours ago," Huey dictated. "However, I have encountered a calamity that requires a vast amount of bits to remedy. To provide a basic overview, Ponyville has been subjected to a massive amount of damage that has left many of the residents without a safe home to live in. I, along with Princess Celestia's protege, Twilight Sparkle, and a few select individuals, have already begun properly surveying the damage, however it is plain to even the average equine that this will require a large amount of bits to fix. As such, I wish to request, in the most humblest of terms, that you provide financial support to this worthy cause.

Forever yours,
Huey."

"Forever yours?" Twilight probed inquisitively. "Why not use a normal 'Yours Sincerely'?"

"'Yours sincerely' comes across as very..." Huey explained thoughtfully. "Mechanical. After all, it's the basic ending one writes automatically at the end of a letter to a friend. Personally, I consider Princess Luna to be worthy of something better."

"Ohhhh! Yes, I can see that point of view." Twilight mused, while Spike rolled up the parchment and set it alight with a blaze of green flame. Huey smiled weakly as he watched the flames evaporate into a mere puff of smoke that flew out of the window.

"Still, with that letter sent... All we can do now is wait until the survey's finished and Luna sends a response."

"If that's the case," Spike said nonchalantly. "Why not come downstairs and have some food? Pinkie was able to rustle up plenty of grub for the town!"

Huey and Twilight glanced at each other, silently communicating whether they had anything else they needed to do before they agreed. After Twilight gave a nod to indicate they were truly done, Huey looked back at Spike.

"Sounds like a great idea!"

"It was horrible! Horrible!"

Huey grimaced as Rarity and Pinkie Pie relayed to him the devastation that their respective dwellings had endured. Pinkie Pie lived in the attic of Sugarcube Corner, her place of work, thanks to her employers, Carrot and Cup Cake. Meanwhile, Rarity had her own location, which Huey had already been made aware of, the Canterlotian styled Carousel Boutique. The two mares had discovered that both locations had been totally destroyed by the parasprites.

"What will Mr and Mrs Cake do!?" Pinkie panicked. "They're expecting a foal soon!"

"What?" Huey exclaimed in surprise. "One of your employers is bearing a child!?"

The party mare nodded sadly and pointed towards a yellow stallion with a ginger mane, accompanied by a small, pudgy sky blue mare with a two tone pink mane.

"They're over there," Pinkie sighed. "If only I'd been quicker in getting those instruments. I could have saved Sugarcube Corner. Mrs. Cake's been so nice to me, and I don't want her to be stressed! It's bad for her and the foal!"

"You're right," Huey concurred. "However, the committee have prioritised the rebuilding of homes that belong to households with children, or expecting children, so they are near the top of the list."

"Really!?" Pinkie chirped merrily. "That's great! I'll go tell them right now!"

Huey swiftly reached out and grabbed Pinkie as she began to bounce towards her employers.

"No!" He stated authoritatively. "You cannot tell them."

"Why not!?" Pinkie asked in confusion. "They'd be absolutely thrilled to hear the good news!"

"Because it's possible that some may feel like they're second class citizens due to the fact that we're prioritising the needs of the foals over them!" Huey explained. "Rarity, how do you feel about being left at the back of the queue, simply because you don't have foals?"

"Perfectly fine, Huey!" Rarity said indifferently. "I can definitely understand why you'd want to do that. After all, my sister would get her home fixed sooner!"

"You have a sister?"

"I do! Her name's Sweetie Belle. She's still a foal, bless her, but she's my sibling all the same."

"Fair enough, that kind of biases you in favour of the decision though," Huey remarked. "But you both can see how that might be seen as unfair, right? After all, what about households that can't have foals or they haven't decided to have any yet? They're hardly going to be too pleased that their inability or choices mean they have to endure being homeless longer than those who decided to start a family!"

"I guess you're kind of right," Pinkie mused. "Seems a bit selfish to me."

"That's a matter of perspective, sadly," Huey countered. "Regardless, I'll see about having a quiet word with The Cakes to inform them of this. However, I must ask that both of you say nothing of what you've heard to anyone."

"Okay..." Pinkie replied sadly. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Huey watched in surprise as Pinkie made her promise with a vast array of flamboyant gestures. Once the ritual was over, he scratched the back of his head.

"Um... Okay..." He said slowly. "I guess that works. Is that something particularly special?"

"It's a Pinkie Pie Promise!" She explained. "That means you will never ever break it!"

"And if one does break a Pinkie Promise?"

"Well, that has to happen first!" Pinkie chirped. "No one's broken a Pinkie Pie Promise they made to me... And I've never broken one either!"

"Okay then!" Huey said in exasperation, before turning to Rarity. "What about you? Do you promise?"

"Of course, darling! My lips are sealed!"

The human glanced towards Pinkie Pie, and then back at the fashionista, before narrowing his eyes.

"Pinkie Pie Promise?" He said slyly. Rarity's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but quickly recovered, sighed and performed the ritual.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Rarity promised, her tone showing signs of annoyance at the lengths Huey was taking. Huey smiled once the promise had been made.

"Meanwhile, I must thank you for acquiring all this food, Pinkie! You really beat all expectations."

Pinkie Pie had been able to set up a number of buffet tables around the perimeter of the room, and furnished them with a variety of comestibles. In addition, Vinyl was busy performing her talent of crafting electronic music. However, it was incredibly subdued, providing a quiet veil of background music instead of the loud, thumping that dominated the action.

"It's nice to see Vinyl is helping too," Huey remarked. "I should consider getting her a gift to show my gratitude or something."

"A gift?" Rarity repeated. "That's a rather forward gesture to make."

"How so?" He asked. "She provided the microphone that allowed me to broadcast the rallying call to the entirety of the town. She's helping with maintaining a relatively calm atmosphere, even though things are pretty grim. All of this she did without being specifically asked, I must add!"

"That's hardly anything special," Rarity countered. "It's normal for ponies to help one another like that."

"Really?" Huey asked, earning him a nod. "Huh... My kind aren't so altruistic."

"Altru-what?" Pinkie asked.

"Altruistic," Huey repeated. "It's the act of being selfless, charitable, caring about others to the point where you would help them... Even if it means you're worse off in the end."

"Ohhhhhhhhh!"

"Why would your species not want to help their fellow kind?" Rarity enquired. "You're all the same, surely?"

"Many humans would disagree," Huey explained sadly. "It's common for my kind to be incredibly tribal regarding particular things. Some believes that one skin colour is better than the others, some believe that their religion should be adhered to, even if it means forcing others to do so."

"I don't understand," Rarity muttered. "Skin colour? Religion?"

"How to explain this... Imagine that there was a group of ponies who had varying shades of white as their coat colour. This group firmly believe that they, by having a white coat, are better than everyone else." Huey explained. "They believe that they should rule over everyone else, because they are 'better' than those who are not like them."

"But... What makes them special?" Pinkie mused. "Rarity has a white coat and she's not automatically special because to that."

"That's the insanity of it," Huey sighed. "My kind can have some very silly views. There are a group who believe that people that have the same skin colour that you can see on me are better than everyone else. Many do horrible things to people that aren't like them. Hurting them, tormenting them... Killing them."

"Killing!?" Rarity spluttered in alarm. "But why!? That's stupid!"

"I don't know, Rarity," He replied. "My kind are capable of kindness and evil in equal measure. However, it is more common for us to focus on our own personal interests, instead of the interests of those around us. Along with harbouring incredibly narrow-minded and cruel views for the most nonsensical reasons."

"I don't like the sound of these humans," Pinkie commented. "You're nice, Huey, but other humans sound reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally mean!"

"It's a mixed bag," Huey added. "Some are nasty, some are nice, some can be nice and nasty... Depending on the situation."

"Still, lording it over others just because they have a particular feature!" Rarity exclaimed. "That's positively dreadful! It's a good to see that we ended up with you, Huey, you're an absolute delight... In comparison to what you've said other humans can be like."

"Yeah, an absolute delight." Huey repeated quietly. His heart felt heavy due to the comment reminding him of the fact that Rarity didn't truly know him. He didn't truly know himself either. The memories locked away within him could reveal that he was the very monster he had described. Could he truly be a racist or a bigot in reality?

"Huey?"

"Huh?" He exclaimed in surprise, his quiet musing interrupted by Spike. "What?"

The little dragon held out a scroll.

"Your reply arrived!" He said. "Just thought you'd like to read it now, rather than later!"

"Thanks, Spike," Huey murmured before turning away and unfurling the parchment. Much to his surprise, a smaller slip of paper slipped out and began falling to the floor once he had opened it. After catching the runaway paper, he began to read the letter.

"Dearest Huey,

We are most distressed to hear that Ponyville has been subjected to such hardship! Naturally, we could not refuse your plea for help. As such, we have enclosed a signed cheque with this reply. Once you are aware of the extent of the funds needed, just write it onto the cheque and take it to the nearest bank branch. As for your concerns regarding the sending of a letter so soon after leaving, do not worry, we are ecstatic to hear from you. We must admit that we are already missing you terribly and, privately, we wish you had not left. However, we cannot allow our desires to interfere with yours.

Hoping to hear from you soon,
Lulu"

Huey's heart swelled at the confession, personal ending and the usage of her nickname. He felt honoured and privileged that Luna had seen fit to be so informal, if one disregarded the usage of the royal 'we'. Glancing at the blank cheque he had been given, he smiled and pocketed it before noticing a curious Pinkie Pie staring at him.

"Good news?"

"Excellent news, Pinkie Pie!" Huey corrected, while kneeling down to give her a hug. "It is fantastic news! The best news ever!"

"Hurray!" Pinkie chirped and wrapped her forehooves round his neck to return the hug. "I don't know what the news is exactly, but hurray!"

"Money, Pinkie!" Huey explained. "The question of how to pay for the supplies needed to rebuild Ponyville has been answered! We can begin any time we want."

"Yay!" Pinkie squealed with joy, her embrace tightening. "When do we begin?"

"As soon as Drill Bit and his crew return. They're inspecting all of the buildings in town to see how damaged they are. We can then begin organising crews and rebuilding!"

Pinkie Pie squeed in excitement and almost crushed Huey's neck with a vice-like hug. She then gave his cheek a quick kiss before disengaging.

"Goodie!" She squeaked. "I'm gonna go and tell the others!"

Huey blushed and touched the cheek Pinkie had pecked. The sudden act of intimacy surprised him, due to the fact that there was a definitive species divide between himself and the hyperactive equine. However, it hadn't fazed her in the slightest as she zipped towards Vinyl's DJ booth and snatched the microphone.

"Good news, everypony!" She declared ecstatically. "I've just found out that the problem of paying for the stuff needed to rebuild Ponyville has been solved! Things are gonna be A-okay!"

The crowd inside the library erupted into a raucous cheer. Huey grinned nervously. He would have preferred it if Pinkie had not broadcast that revelation, but there was little he could do. It was not long before he spotted Twilight wading through the crowd towards him.

"Huey!" She called out. "What's going on? What did Luna say?"

"What do you think, Twilight?" Huey asked sarcastically. "She gave us a blank cheque!"

Twilight gasped as Huey presented the slip of paper that Luna had bestowed upon him.

"Oh my gosh!" She wheezed in surprise. "But... How?"

"Long story," Huey said. "A law over a thousand years ago limited royal control over the treasury, but provided both princess' with a monthly stipend to allow them to buy personal items."

"Luna used her money?" Twilight mused. "But, she's only been here for a few days!"

"The law was passed long before she was banished, Twilight," Huey explained. "She's got a sizeable personal fortune saved up."

"W-Wow..." The lavender mare exclaimed. "I... I've got to send her a thank you letter!"

"We can send one together later, Twilight," Huey interrupted. "For now, let's wait until Drill Bit finishes his preliminary work before we do anything."

"Alright."

"Meanwhile, how are the others?" He enquired. "I heard that Pinkie and Rarity's homes got demolished, but what about the others?"

"Fluttershy was able to escape with only minor damage to her belongings," Twilight stated. "Applejack and her family tried to protect their farm, but the parasprites ended up consuming her barn! As for Rainbow Dash, her home is made of clouds, so her house could be rebuilt in a few hours without help."

"Clouds?" Huey repeated. "She has a house made of clouds!?"

"Mhm! Pegasai are able to manipulate clouds, not just for weather control, but for construction too!"

"Wow..." Huey said in surprise. "That's a sight I must see!"

"There's an entire city made of clouds that many pegasai live in called Cloudsdale."

"Can I go there?"

"I doubt it," Twilight replied with a grimace. "Pegasai are the only species, apart from griffons, that can naturally walk on clouds. I don't think humans can."

"Oh, humans definitely can't walk on clouds." Huey concurred. "In fact, it's amazing that pegasai can walk on clouds! On Earth, clouds aren't solid... So nothing can manipulate, or walk on, them."

"Another difference between your world and ours," Twilight mused. Huey nodded and folded his arms before looking out across the crowd. They had yet to start the gargantuan task of rebuilding the town, but Huey felt confident that the task could be done. There was a dedicated crew of professionals surveying the town, Princess Luna had graciously provided unlimited funding, and the town's morale was clearly high.

"I have a good feeling about this, Twilight," Huey said quietly. "I think we'll be able to pull through this."

"Me too, Huey," Twilight agreed. "Thanks to you."

"Me?"

"You secured the funding for this, and brought us all together," Twilight explained. "I don't know what you're thinking, but this initiative exists because of you, in my view."

Huey grimaced. He had never thought of it like that. As far as he was concerned, this was a disaster that warranted a swift recovery. If that meant that they all pulled together to fix it, then so be it. At no point had it occurred to him that he was special or noteworthy for spearheading the effort.

"I guess that's true," Huey admitted. "But, I'd rather that it's not mentioned. We're all in this together, plus my home survived unscathed compared to many others! So, I'd rather not take any credit for this."

Twilight hummed and nodded before standing beside Huey to watch the crowd with him.

"The damage ain't as bad as it looks," Drill Bit explained. "Sure, most of the buildings have great big chunks bitten out of them, but the fact that some are still standing shows that these homes are real tough cookies."

"That's fantastic!" Mayor Mare exclaimed. "What of the theatre and hospital?"

"Oh, the theatre needs a bit work," Crafty Crate stated. "But Drill and his crew were able to fix up the hospital themselves."

"Even better!" Huey chirped before giving the two stallions a firm hoof-shake. "Gentlecolts, you have my deepest thanks. I must also inform you that while you were away, we were able to secure unlimited funding. We are, in essence, ready to begin work as soon as possible!"

The group murmured in excitement and delight at the news of the funding problem being solved. The quintet had retreated back upstairs to Twilight's bedroom once Drill Bit and Crafty Crate had returned to discuss the next step to take.

"Great!" Drill Bit said. "Just say the word and me and my crew will begin work!"

"We can begin work tomorrow," Mayor Mare stated. "It's already nearing the end of the day, and the townsfolk will, undoubtedly, be tired. We should rest and be up bright and early tomorrow!"

"No objections here." Twilight said, while Huey hummed in agreement. The two stallions nodded too, finalising the decision.

"Good!" The mayor remarked. "We'll begin tomorrow. However, we need to provide beds for all of these ponies!"

"Is there a place we can obtain sleeping bags?" Huey asked. "With unlimited funding, we could buy a pile of them for emergencies like this one."

"We don't have anywhere that sells sleeping bags," Twilight said. "But we could speak to Davenport!"

"Davenport?"

"He runs 'Quills & Sofa's'. Sells beds too!" Crafty explained. "We could buy or borrow plenty of mattresses and blankets from him!"

"And make up the rest with mattresses, pillows and blankets taken from the unsafe homes." Mayor Mare added. "After all, I doubt he'd have enough to provide the entire town with one!"

"Mhm," Drill Bit murmured. "Some of those houses we inspected were still habitable. The rooms that got chewed into weren't bedrooms, so... We could move some households back in now and patch up their homes as soon as we wake up tomorrow."

"Brilliant!" Huey said happily. "That sounds like a plan to me!"

The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"Then let's get straight to it!" Mayor Mare declared. "I'll head downstairs with Crafty Crate and Drill Bit to explain this to the rest of the town. You and Twilight can get some shut-eye, we'll have a lot of work to do tomorrow!"

Got it!" Huey replied as the three equines wandered downstairs. Once they had disappeared, he turned towards Twilight, who was looking out of the window.

"Twilight?"

"Hmmm?" She hummed in response. "Oh! Sorry, I was just wondering about this."

Huey approached the window and looked out at the orange and pink sky Twilight was pointing at.

"The sky?"

"Yes," She muttered. "I've never seen anything like this before. Nothing I've read has shed light on why the sky's orange and pink... Or why the sun and moon are so slow in changing places."

Huey smirked and knelt down beside the lavender unicorn.

"What you're seeing is an effect caused when the sun is rising above, or falling behind, the horizon," He explained softly. "It's nothing to be afraid of. Humans see this every single day due to our day and night cycle being dictated by physics, not the intervention of magical beings."

"What?"

"The sun and moon move by themselves," Huey clarified. "I divulged what I knew about this to Luna, while I was in Canterlot."

"You've got to tell me about it too!" Twilight demanded with a sharp intake of breath. "I must know!"

"And you shall!" Huey declared. "But first, I'd like to enjoy this event with you. I trust you can appreciate its beauty, now that you're not afraid."

Twilight looked out of the window and looked at the sea of vibrant colour. After a few moments of contemplation, she nodded.

"It is beautiful," She agreed. "But there's one thing bothering me."

"And what's that?"

"Do your kind have a name for this?" She asked, her hoof gesturing towards the sky.

"They do," Huey murmured. "The name will surprise you."

"It will?"

"Undoubtedly. You see, humans call what you see right now... Twilight."

The unicorn merely gasped in response.