A grey unicorn colt approached a cliff over the ocean. Seeing the pony he was looking for sitting near the edge he quickened his walk up to the cliff.

"You know why I am here", he declared in a respectful tone to the other pony and bowed, letting his wavy brown mane touch the grass on the ground.

The other pony - A male unicorn with unkempt black mane and a coat so stained from dirt that the original color wasn't visible anymore snorted:" And you know the answer."

The grey colt rose up again, showing no visible sign of hesitation firmly said:" I do indeed, but I will ask you again: Teach me how to use magic."

"Eighty-one with today.", the unkempt stallion mumbled.

"What?"

With a big sigh the older pony rose up and stirred up a small cloud of dust. Refraining from turning around to face the colt he said:" Forget it. Let's get it over with."

After hearing this words the young pony promptly sprinted towards the older stallion, who was still not turning around to make eye contact with him. As he was only a few feet away his advance came an abrupt halt, when an force started holding him in place. The colt immediately began fighting with all his might against the invisible shackles, he knew it'd be over if he failed to free himself quickly.

Without wasting more time he tried utilizing what little magic he was able to manifest. His horn flared to life and a greyish aura surrounded it a spreading over his whole body. Once again yanking hard against the unseen force, he somehow managed to lessen the restrainments placed upon him strong enough to move again.

Continuing his path the azure eyes of the colt were focussed on the unmoving unicorn in front of him, while trying to anticipate the next obstacle he'd have to overcome.

Slowly but surely distance towards his goal began shrinking and the colt grinned at his progress. "Today might be the day I can reach him.", he thought, as he stretched out his hoof to touch the stallion.

His hoof only grasped air. The stallion had vanished into thin air.

"Still too slow little one", the older pony commented sternly behind him.

Feeling the remaining weight on his body disappearing the young pony spinned around and was finally face to face with the other unicorn. Two dark blue eyes tiredly looked directly in his azure ones.

"Quite stubborn, aren't you?", he said to the colt with an hint of a smile on his lips.

"So I failed the test again?", the colt asked and tried hiding his frustration behind a stoic fassade.

"Failed? This 'test' you are reffering to was merely a way to see how determined you are."

After hearing this words the colt's heart stopped for a second and he began stuttering:" S-So the whole promise about teaching me magic if I'd manage to touch you was just a farce?"

The colt couldn't belive what he just heard. Why would he do such a ridiculous test?

"I must admit I'd have waited until your hundredth attempt to finally tell you the truth, but you really managed to impress me today.", the dirty unicorn explained. "It was quite entertaining to watch you struggling over the last months."

Shocked by the sudden revelation the colt opened his mouth to say something. After waiting a few moment he decided to closed it again and instead bursted into hearty laughter.

Sighing the older unicorn continued:" I already told you the first time you came to me, you could easily find a pony better suited for teaching you how to use your horn. I highly doubt I am able to teach you more than the basic forms of magic. You are talented as far as I can tell, why don't you look for somepony better than me?"

The laughter stopped and the only noise within earshot was comming from waves hitting the bottom of the cliff. The colt simply pointed at his blank flank and said:" I have made up my mind the moment I saw you protecting the town against the big storm last year. You are the pony who can help me find my talent. I am certain of that. "

Shaking his head, the stallion walked away and scoffed:" So you are still insting? Good! I give you time until tomorrow morning to say goodbye to your family and friends or to reconsider that decision. I'll be waiting at the usual place, if you are too late I am leaving without you."

"That won't be necessary." said the colt without batting an eye and earned a questioning look from the stallion.

"I am the only unicorn living in the orphanage, thus I obviously don't have any parents or even friends that I could say goodbye to. Nopony will be missing me, we can leave immediately.", he continued.

The look the older unicorn gave him shifted to a more sympathetic one.

"Follow me.", he mumbled and walked down to leave the cliff at a moderate pace.

With a small grin on his face the foal followed the older pony. Their path was leading towards a conifer forest near the town the colt was coming from. After passing the first few trees of the trail they took the sight was already narrowing down and bekame more shady.

"Why are you so dirty?", the colt asked casually. His hooves crushed a few dry twigs on the ground as he followed behind the steady pace of the older unicorn.

Slightly annoyed the stallion replied:"This is your first question? No 'Where are we going?' or 'When do we start with training?' You are wondering about the dirt."

"It bothered me since the first day I met you.... Master.", the grey colt said, hesitantly adding the last word.

The stallion stopped in his tracks.

"Please don't call me that.", the stallion requested. His tone of voice was hard and almost devoid of emotions. The sudden shift of the older unicorns mood perplexed the colt. "Come on, we are almost there.", the older pony declared and continued walking again.

They arrived at a small lake. Reeds grew near the edge of the shore and surrounded the whole lake like a ring fence.

"Wow.", the colt said seemingly impressed by the view.

The stallion waded into the lake and uttered: "You wait here. I'll just wash my coat."

He dove into the water without waiting for a response and left the mildly puzzled colt behind. "Did he planned that or is he doing this because I asked?", he pondered quietly.

With a splash the bathing pony surfaced again. While rubbing his fur he asked the colt:" Still no doubts about leaving?"

The colt chuckled. "Isn't the first time I left the orphanage, this time I hopefully won't have to come back.", he said and tried to catch a glimpse of the bathing ponies cutie mark. It turned out to be a futile effort, since he was barely able to make out the color of his color that came out under the dirt - a greyish tint, not unlike his own coat.

Out of pure curiosity he waited until the older unicorn turned his back on him. He took a faint step forward.

"Don't try anything funny boy.", the bathing pony scolded immediately.

Caught in the act the young colt huffed: "How do you always do that? This is unfair! After all this time I know next to nothing about you. Are you still refusing to tell me your name?"

Taking another dive underwater the now relatively clean stallion said: "I don't bother with such trivial matters anymore, I discarded my name decades ago. Just call me anything."

With gaping mouth the colt was thinking what to do with this information.

"Master...?", he started.

"Anything BUT that.", the nameless unicorn commanded and continued with a shaking head: "We can deal with that later."

The stallion had apparently finished bathing and was swimming towards the shore again. Water was dripping from his wet fur as he asked: "Since we are currently at the topic, what is your name again?"

"You can't remember? I told you it's - "

It took a long time for Seeker to collect enough strengh to stand up. A burning sensation shot through his body as he opted to make a step forward.

"As expected the pain is getting worse. I am getting weaker... again.", he thought and placed his hoof on his forehead, where most the agony was residing.

It was nearly noon. He was trying since daybreak to get a hold of his situation and simply deal with it. Growing more and more impatient he forced another step. His head felt like it was going to split in two, yet he took another one. The world immediately started spinning, he fell to his knees and began panting heavily as even more pain emerged.

"And? Regretting it now?", Ortus asked with a calm, almost reassuring voice from Seeker's coat pocket.

Seeker grimaced and attempted to stand up again. "Everything going as planned.", he deadpanned, managing to find his balance once again. "How much did I use?"

"Approximately more than ten years worth of magic. Maybe eleven."

"And how much was taken from the forest while I was out?", Seeker mumbled and looked around. Dead wood was piling up everywhere, the lively flora from the foreday was replaced with nothing but waves of decay. "I have managed to destroy the whole ecosystem in only a few hours, at least I didn't kill somepony again."

"Barely enough to keep you anchored... for now at least. Your little 'improvisation' in Cloudsdale has shortened your deadline considerably. Now you only have a few months left to spare - You have to pay a visit to the Tree in the near future."

Seeker's eye twitched. "Yes. I can feel me nearing the brink, I even had to remove my wings to remain in control." He stood up again - this time the world wasn't spinning. "Good. I should have overcome the worst parts."

Beginning with a few steps he managed to slowly walk a short distance. Disregarding the pain that came with each single movement he stopped at a large tree for a break and leaned against it. Sweat was dripping from his body and his heart was racing.

"Then that means we will also visit Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in their castle?", Ortus asked and moved a bit in his pocket.

"I have to make my report and need to deliver this little fella to Celestia. No mayor changes of the plan, I only sped up my return.", the gray stallion said and patted his bag softly.

"Don't overdo it. If the sisters find out what you did after the Pillars vanished it will break their hearts."

Shaking his head Seeker assured the red crystal:" Even if they would know, it's hundreds of years too late for them to interfere. I trust that they can control their emotions. They are strong.... so much more than I am." Feeling recovered enough to start moving again, he pushed himself away from the tree.

"Also I need to discuss some things with Luna regarding Snowdrop and the letter she sent me."

Dear Seeker,
If this letter reaches you, then it means you are in Equestria again. I urgently request your expertise to aid a dear friend of mine. My sister and I have arrived at a dead end, even with our combined efforts we were unable to help.
With Starswirl long gone, you are the only pony which might be able to find a solution. Please help her.

p.s If you accept and succed give her the other letter inside the envelope.

"Luna made a friend?"

The pegasus holding the letter smiled and flipped to the backside, as expected everything necessary written on it. Luna was prepared as always.

"Snowdrop..... Blind since birth..... " he mumbled and began already narrowing down the possibilities he had. "Cloudsdale? It's been decades since I was there the last time."

Finishing the letter he pondered for a moment. "That sounds interesting."

Seeker put the letters he received in his pocket and pulled a small piece of paper and a feather with some ink from his saddlebag and wrote a few words on it. He place the paper in his hoof and channeled magic.

"To Luna"

The piece of paper vanished and with it Seeker's smile. "But if everything's falling apart... -" Seeker stretched out his wings and immediately started flying. "- I just have to kill myself a little bit faster."

Luna had finished her daily attempt on sending her contact letter. Usually the letter would return in a matter of seconds, but it was already a few minutes since she inflamed it. "So he's inside the boarder?" She snorted, getting more and more impatient.

"Good, that nopony is watching." Luna thought. She and her sister had to be an example in front of everypony else, there wasn't much room for error so she relished the little moments of informality whenever she could.

The nightblue alicorn saw that the sun was slowly beginning to rise, indicating the begin of Celestia's shift and the end of hers. Growing more tired she drew the curtains with magic and went to her bed.

Luna felt something landing on her muzzle. Illuminating her horn she saw the thing - a small piece of paper.

'I will see what I can do'

Instantly forgetting about her tiredness she sprinted towards her desk. "I need to inform Snowdrop and Primrose.", she murmured and began writing.

Author's Note

The story is meant to be a bit confusing btw.