A Hearth's Warming to Remember

Chapters

1 Luna and Rarity Step Out
2 Misreporting and Misunderstanding
3 Words Overheard
4 Just Like Old Times
5 Bad Magic
6 Cause for Celebration

1 Luna and Rarity Step Out

The midnight blue mare reclined luxuriantly on her ample bed, purring in exquisite delight as she felt the brush rub through the soft fur of her chest and underbelly.
“Now hold still” chimed the prim fashionista with pretend firmness, “I want you to look at your very best and I don’t want to have to start this all over again.”
Rarity smiled as she play-acted being dominant with her marefriend, who turned her head just enough to open one teal eye and shoot her a gaze that said, you just keep on doing what you're doing …

The white unicorn melted under Luna’s look and planted a tender kiss on her dark blue fur, dropping the brush and moving closer.
“What happened to the grooming, then?” sighed the Princess of the Night in mock exasperation.
“I’m weak-willed, darling” she offered by way of explanation, tossing her mane out of her way behind her ear and leaning in to give her marefriend a full body hug.

The couple had been together for over six months now and were looking forward to their first Hearth’s Warming together, both rejuvenated by the magic each drew from the relationship. However, before they could settle down to enjoying the festivities by themselves, there were numerous events to be attended, not that either minded. In fact, they both enjoyed seeing the excitement dancing in the eyes of the youngest fillies and colts as they heard the stories of the Windigos for the very first time and sang traditional songs to ensure that all of Equestria stayed happy and protected during the season.

Right now was one of those occasions. Celestia had noticed that the couple had begun to retreat earlier and earlier to make their preparations prior to going out on formal events and smiled happily at the love the two were sharing, although she herself was still currently on her own. They would all share the season’s festivities of course, but Celestia had already reconciled herself that it would not be the precious one-on-one sisterly bonding they had enjoyed since her sister’s return. Luna had been through a lot and Celestia begrudged her nothing, but in the back of her mind was still a slight feeling of sadness that they would not be as close as she would have liked, at least for the foreseeable future.

Rarity had certainly made an impact on the Royal castle like no other and was partway through overhauling the staid decor to give the building a new look, striking perfectly the balance between the formality of the grand rooms used to receive foreign dignitaries, whilst providing a more homely feel to the private apartments. She had even rescued tapestries from the Castle of the Two Sisters and painstakingly repaired them herself, hanging them in pride of place in Canterlot’s throne room where they provided a welcome memento to the two Princesses of their happy upbringing so many hundreds of years ago.

Ever since Rarity and Luna had become an item, they had wanted to spend time together, but given that Luna’s responsibilities were nocturnal and Rarity’s business interests necessitated her being available during the daytime, a compromise had to be struck. Their problems were further compounded by being geographically distant, so Rarity set up a dressmaking workshop within the castle and stayed over for days at a time.

Rarity had been concerned about Sweetie Belle feeling deserted, but in practice she had loved the idea, thanks partly to Luna issuing the Cutie Mark Crusaders an open invitation to the castle. Luna had also insisted that if the three fillies were to visit, then they shouldn’t fall behind on their studies and enrolled them at the same school that Twilight had attended when she had lived in Canterlot, back before the return of Nightmare Moon.

Tonight was a special occasion; the school was putting on a carol concert, and Sweetie Belle would be taking one of the solos.

It was also a special occasion for the two lovers, because it was the first time that they would be expected to be seen together at a formal event and Rarity was getting nervous. The fact that they were an item was an open secret, known amongst friends who had no interest in spreading gossip, but rumours were beginning to circulate more widely and the Princess could not be seen to be spurning her partner at such an event.

Luna caressed Rarity’s immaculately conditioned and sweet smelling mane gently with her forehoof as they snuggled together, the hour of their commitment growing nearer.
“But how would the other parents feel if they found out that you were Sweetie Belle’s stepmother?” fretted Rarity, “You know how cruelly stepmothers are portrayed in nursery stories, and that wouldn’t play well with the whole Nightmare Moon thing, would it darling?”
“Oh Rarity” whispered Luna affectionately, “Sweetie Belle is your sister, not your daughter, so the issue does not arise. Besides, both your parents and my Sister approve of our match, so there really is nothing to worry about.”
“Yes, but gossip, darling …”
Luna leaned over and silenced any further protests with a gentle kiss. When finally she allowed their lips to part, the midnight blue mare smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling brightly, “Besides you are practically a Princess yourself; surely you should show it off, just a little.”
Rarity smiled happily, and pulled her marefriend tenderly back down next to her to continue their kiss.

At the allotted hour, Luna emerged in her opulent gold lined lilac and purple cape accompanied by Rarity in a fabulous dress copying the key motifs on the Princess’ cape but in slightly more pastel colours; designed to be eye-catchingly attractive but without overshadowing her marefriend’s outfit.

They stepped out of their apartment together, heads held high as the guards posted by the doors snapped sharply to attention.
Once their charges were out of earshot, the two guards relaxed once more, the more junior of the two continuing to stare wistfully down the empty corridor long after they had gone.
“Beautiful ...” he thought out loud.
“I shouldn’t let anypony overhear your daydreams if I were you” chastised his sergeant lightly, “She’d eat you for breakfast; don’t forget she turned into Nightmare Moon.”

The Princess and her consort arrived at the school where they dismounted their chariot following the short ride from the castle and were met by the headmaster of the school who bowed reverently to receive his guests of honour.

The eaves and the bell tower of his fine old school had all been decorated with strings of twinkling lights in white, jasmine and pale pink, accentuating a fairytale theme, whilst in pride of place at the front of the building stood a fully decorated Hearth’s Warming tree, far higher even than the roof of the school itself, its multicoloured lights shining like brightly coloured stars.
As they alighted from the chariot, Rarity sighed at the chocolate box perfection of the image and briefly nuzzled her marefriend who smiled back at her.

“My, Headmaster” greeted Luna warmly, “I swear you make this fine old school look better every year.”
“Thank you, your Majesty” he replied proudly, “Perhaps you and the Lady Rarity would like to accompany me into the hall where the fillies and colts are ready to perform?”
If Rarity was still nervous about keeping their romantic status a secret, then she didn’t show it as she glided next to her marefriend, relishing the warm welcome from the crowds of ponies whose numbers were increasing by the minute in the excited clamour sparked by the arrival of Luna’s chariot.

As they turned towards the school building, the crowds parted as if by magic; the mares looking on in awe and exchanging hurried words behind raised forehooves while the young ones looked up spellbound at the real-life Royalty parading before them.

They entered under the gothic styled stone door in silence and suddenly their senses were struck by the bright interior and the sounds of the last ponies in the audience getting respectfully to their hooves. All at once a ripple of applause began and spread quickly through the hall welcoming the special guests. All eyes were on them; the fillies and colts, their parents, local dignitaries and special guests; hundreds of pairs of eyes watching as Rarity stepped out with Princess Luna. It was too late for either of them to change their minds now.

Once they had been shown to the specially reserved VIP area and been seated, the applause died down and the audience sat as one. Then a flurry of whispers began, forehooves pointing discretely and eyes shooting fleeting glances at the couple. All at once, the rumour mill cranked into overdrive, everypony taking in what they saw and with every passing minute, adding little embellishments before the story could get retold as soon as the performance was over.

Sweetie Belle waved cheerfully from her place in the choir, oblivious to the feverish gossipmongering taking place throughout the audience and innocently basking in the attention when so many eyes suddenly turned to her.

Luna remained impassive and serene as events developed all around her; in fact even if she had been blushing, very few ponies would have noticed due to her rich, deep midnight blue hue. Rarity, however, was a much more obvious focus of attention as even the slightest hint of embarrassment shone forth from her pure white cheeks like a bright red beacon. Right now, she was doing a passable impression of a stoplight and the more she thought about it, the worse her predicament became.

It wasn’t that she was embarrassed to be with Princess Luna, or that she was ashamed by her little sister, but moreover that any hopes she had of keeping her two most important relationships separated from public connection had now been totally destroyed.

Much to Rarity’s relief, the lights dimmed hiding her embarrassment and the concert started. Her mind whirled; had it been worth it to leap into the public arena so brashly, or should she have been better advised to have remained in the shadows instead? As if in answer, she felt a comforting wing fold around her reassuringly in the darkened room and she snuggled gratefully into her marefriend, a happy smile finally returning to her face.

Act followed act and Rarity clapped excitedly as Sweetie Belle appeared with the choir for no less than three different songs, but saved her most enthusiastic applause for the long awaited solo that came at the end; her little sister belting out a popular carol with power and enthusiasm to bring the evening’s entertainment to a close. As the lights came up once more, the other fillies and colts joined behind the star soloist on the stage and took their bows as Sweetie Belle beamed triumphantly out over the audience, her happy smile locking on her wildly applauding sister and more restrained but equally happy sister-in-law.

As the rapturous applause faded into happy memories, the headmaster rose and after bowing to his Royal patron gave a short speech of thanks, praising especially the colts and fillies smiling happily behind him for such marvellous performances, before introducing Princess Luna.

The midnight blue mare rose to her hooves. She wasn’t one for public speaking; that was what her sister did, and did very well; so she kept it short, thanking not just the young performers but also recognising the contribution made by their teachers, their headmaster and the parents for attending before rounding off by wishing everypony a Happy Hearth’s Warming.

While Luna spoke clearly and confidently, Rarity did not know whom she felt most proud of; her marefriend or her sister and stared starry-eyed at each in turn, savouring the unbreakable bonds of love that tied her to both.

Luna’s speech was not particularly demanding by Celestia’s standards and she didn’t smile like her sister did, but it hit the mood just right and left everypony present feeling happily disposed towards her. This was just as well considering each and every one of them would be shortly rushing out to tell all of their friends and acquaintances about Princess Luna and Rarity together, and that Luna’s sister-in-law was enrolled at the same school!

The Princess and her consort walked out, heads held high amid another tumult of applause, now both feeling a tangible warmth that glowed around them as they set hoof back out into the chill night.
“Well?” asked Luna, turning her head to see two of the clearest blue eyes in Equestria sparkling back admiringly at her.
“They all know now” replied Rarity, “And I don’t know whether to feel nervous or excited. My friend Pinkie Pie has a word for it – nervouscited!”
“Ah, Pinkie Pie” concurred Luna cracking a smile as she stepped up into the waiting chariot “She is something of a law unto herself, that one!”

Suddenly the sound of galloping hoofsteps behind them caught their ears at the same time; a white unicorn filly was running towards them.
“Can I have a ride too?” she implored, “Pleeeeeease …”
“Sweetie Belle” chided Rarity, “What do you think you’re doing? This behaviour is most unladylike!””
“I got let out first so as I could catch up to you before you left” panted the white filly.
The crowds were already spilling out, so Rarity knew the time to tell off her little sister was not now.

Luna extended a forehoof graciously and helped Sweetie Belle up into the chariot, her short white legs scrabbling to gain a hoofhold. When she had finally climbed in, she turned around to face the gathering throng that had followed from the school and presented a beaming smile as a photographer emerged from the sea of faces and fired off flash after flash.
“Can we have one of all three of you together?” he asked, and in response, Rarity stepped up, a little of her foreleg showing from under her dress and again the flashes went off. Unaware of how she appeared from the camera’s perspective, she gave a sultry smile and held the pose before continuing on up to be with her other two dearest ponies.

A shower of flashes erupted all around them as the two grown-ups flanked the excited young filly with the largest smile anypony could ever remember seeing. Then Luna coughed gently, and Rarity caught the hint, drawing her sister back into the seats so as they could make their exit past the cheering crowds.
“Oh my!” gasped Rarity, “What an event! We’re bound to make the society pages now!”
“Yes” agreed Luna, recalling from past experience that dealings with the press did not always bear the intended results.

“Thank you Princess Luna!” chirped the young white unicorn excitedly, earning a benign smile in response.
“Sweetie Belle, you really shouldn’t have done that” said her sister as sternly as she could manage, “I know we’re almost family now, but you really shouldn’t cut across Princess Luna’s formal appearances. She is the star, not you.”
“Oh, I see” retorted the filly angrily, “Its nothing to do with taking the spotlight off you then?”
Rarity spluttered. Admittedly she was a little vain, but that wasn’t the point; this outing had been planned for months as a way of gaining public acceptance of the match upon which they were both set, added to which Rarity was protective of any public backlash to their love being directed back through her little sister.

The fact that Sweetie Belle had completely misunderstood her big sister’s motives on this most crucial of occasions left Rarity fumbling impotently for words of sufficient magnitude to address her little sister’s cruelly misjudged outburst.

2 Misreporting and Misunderstanding

Early the next morning during their regular handover meeting, Celestia pried as to how well the much awaited evening had gone, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“It was a good concert, thank you Sister” began Luna, “The colts and fillies all sang beautifully …”
“That isn’t what I meant, Luna” interrupted Celestia resting her forehooves on the table, propping her chin atop the pinnacle of the triangle they formed and fixing her with her lilac stare, “… and I think you know it.”
Luna was definitely blushing now; not that the redness was obvious under her fur, but her mannerisms had become self-consciously inarticulate and her gaze unable to fix on her inquisitor quite as it should have.

“I have to say you made a stir” continued Celestia, sliding a copy of the Canterlot Chronicle over the table “Front page news, no less.”
Luna’s heart skipped a beat. What had they reported?
She picked it up in her magic, grateful that she didn’t have to use her hooves which would have doubtless shaken so much as to make the pages rustle with her nerves.

The large picture staring back out at her showed Luna doing a good job of looking regal, while Rarity pouted as she flashed a disproportionate amount of leg and Sweetie Belle stood proudly, showing off her widest smile and appearing larger from the camera’s angle than the midnight blue Princess she appeared to be overshadowing. This was not what she had been hoping for.

Under the simply worded headline of “Princess Eclipsed”, the article used the photograph as the basis of a story, in not so many words questioning Luna’s judgement in choosing to become involved with two sisters who appeared to be in competition with each other to claim her limelight.

Unfortunately, the picture did lend itself to that particular interpretation, given Rarity appearing to coquettishly show off he perfectly formed foreleg from under her dress and Sweetie Belle’s triumphant beaming with her forehooves resting on the side of the Royal chariot as if she was the star of the show.

“I had embarrassing incidents with past partners too” reflected Celestia wistfully, “But over time, I made sure that any records of those events disappeared from the libraries all over Equestria, and now it is beyond the scope of even the most diligent researcher to find any trace of such events.”
“Yes, Sister, but that was before the invention of cameras. That changes everything!”
“Not really, Luna. You see, they’re just records printed onto paper and will degrade or become lost over time. I think the more important issue here, is do you still want Rarity to spend her life with you?”
Luna blanched, “Yes, yes of course I do.”
“Then ride out the storm. Actually it’s barely more than a slight breeze if we’re honest” said Celestia supportively, then shot her sister a conspiratorial glance before adding “Did I ever tell you about the time with the delegation from Saddle Arabia, when I …”

The beginnings of a bawdy story she had heard before were cut short by the clip clop of hooves entering the room. Rarity knew about the importance of allowing the two Royal sisters their time together to discuss matters of a confidential nature before meeting with her true love.
“Princess Celestia, how delightful to see you this morning” she greeted, flashing her stunning deep blue eyes, “You’re looking particularly well.”
Then she advanced behind the seated Princess of the Night and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before pulling back a fraction and whispering, “Good morning, my love.”
The show of affection was designed to show her fondness without becoming an overtly sickly spectacle, and she struck the tone with finely balanced precision.

“Good morning to you too, Rarity” replied Celestia, “If you will forgive me, I have fallen a little behind and have affairs to which I must attend, but I must say how much I admire your plans for sprucing up the main hall with new décor; we must discuss it in more detail when you have time.”
Then she rose and dabbed her lips with a serviette before politely saying her goodbyes and walking out to face her day.
“Hello Rarity” said Luna, pouring out a fresh cup of tea for her marefriend, who was still swooning over the compliment paid to her by Celestia.
She sat, picking up the finest china cup in her magic and closed her eyes momentarily to take in its subtle infusion before turning to her companion.
“Well?” she enquired eagerly, “Did we make the society pages?”

Luna levitated the Canterlot Chronicle and placed it on the table in front of her partner.
“Now, let me see ..” chimed Rarity as she opened it fully, saw the picture and then the headline. Then she looked back at the picture again and just stared, horrorstruck.
“I’m so, so sorry …” she wailed, “I didn’t know … I didn’t mean to …. Oh, that Sweetie Belle …”

“Well” she stammered, fighting to pull herself together, “I rarely wear a dress, so seeing my legs is nothing shocking, it’s just a little unfortunate that picture captures the moment when I just happened to be climbing up into the chariot wearing a full length dress. And Sweetie Belle …”
“… was the star of the concert” completed Luna, “Would you not say?”
“Yes, but … still it’s simply no way to behave …”

Luna drew Rarity close for a hug, a gentle smile on her face, “I have weathered far worse. Let it not distract us from what really matters.”
Rarity was dumbstruck with Luna’s kind words and actions. In her own mind she could have pictured herself being thrown out of Canterlot for what had happened.
“And I thought I was the Bearer of the Element of Generosity, not you …”
She nuzzled in close, feeling the warmth of Luna’s fur and that oh so intoxicating alicorn scent.
“I will be retiring to our chambers” said Luna, “It would be nice to have my fur brushed before I turn in for the day, unless there is anything else you would rather do …”
Grateful for the reprieve, Rarity sighed happily and accompanied Luna to their bedroom where she proceeded to ensure that her marefriend went to bed with a happy smile on her face.

***

“Rarity! Rarity!” panted the white unicorn filly as she burst in to her sister’s workshop, hooves scrabbling for purchase on the stone floor.
The seamstress peered over her trademark red glasses and simply observed the ungainly entrance.
“I’m on the front page of the newspapers!” she squeaked excitedly.
“Indeed you are” replied her sister in a measured voice.
“And after you tried to tell me off too! You see, I knew it would work out alright!”
“And did you stop to read the article that went with it?”
“I didn’t need to. It’s a great picture of me, and you’re there as well!”
“What about Princess Luna?”
“Yes, she’s in there too!”

“Sweetie Belle, dear” Rarity addressed with unusually starched formality, “Do take a seat, and I will read the article to you.”
Once she had her sister’s attention, she read the piece out to her, maximising a rather severe eye contact while she did it. The young unicorn’s brash self-confidence dropped as Rarity read the story through for her benefit, and by the end she was looking distinctly awkward.
“Does this mean we’re still friends with Princess Luna?” she asked awkwardly.
“Would you blame her if we weren’t?”
“I guess not” replied Sweetie Belle, adding defensively, “But it wasn’t like the paper says it was.”
“I know that darling, but the public at large doesn’t. You see we have rather unintentionally put Princess Luna in a very difficult position. Do you see now why I tried to stop you?”
“Yes, Rarity” she said, looking up with her big green eyes, “I’m sorry.”
“I think we can both behave a little more thoughtfully around her in future” agreed Rarity, then adding as an afterthought “If she forgives us.”

She knew of course that Luna had already forgiven them, but didn’t want the point to be lost on her little sister.
“Can you … you know, talk to her ...” enquired they young unicorn.
“I think it would be better coming from you” affirmed Rarity, “But I will try and stop her if she wants to send you to the moon for a thousand years.”
“Oh Rarity” she pleaded, “Don’t let her do that, please!”
“Well, if I were you, I should come to meet Princess Luna and tell her in person how sorry you are, and maybe she’ll be generous, just this once.”
“Yes, Rarity.”

Sweetie Belle started to cry bitter tears of regret at her thoughtlessness and looked up again to her sister, who although being torn apart on the inside by the pitiful sight in front of her, kept her stern face in place.
“She won’t be ready to receive you until tonight, Sweetie Belle; remember she sleeps during the day.”
“So I’ve got to wait all day before I can say sorry?”
“I’m afraid so” confirmed Rarity, “There’s nothing else for it. Be sure to meet me in here no later than 5 pm, and maybe bring along a little peace offering of some kind too.”
The sad little unicorn filly walked out of her sister’s workshop, head hung down as she contemplated the awful wait of the next few hours.

As soon as she had left, Rarity took her glasses off and placed them carefully on her work table before leaning forward and sobbing into her forehooves, her firm resolve finally breaking.
After a few minutes, she became aware of a foreleg around her, hugging her gently. She didn’t want to face anypony at the moment, especially as her eyes would be bloodshot and her mascara would be in black streaks down her face, her polished sophistication in ruins, but she cracked one tear soaked eye open to see strands of a pink and purple mane.

“Sweetie Belle” she choked out between sobs, why ever did you come back?”
“I didn’t know what kind of peace offering to take to her” she replied simply.
“Oh, Sweetie Belle, I love you” she said, wrapping a foreleg around her sister too.
“And you love her lots too, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes I do” she admitted, “More than anypony else, ever.”
“Well, let’s see if we can’t make it up to her then.”

3 Words Overheard

Princess Luna awoke to the tender caress of a forehoof on her neck; not so soft as to tickle and not forceful enough to be intrusive. She opened one eye and found herself focusing on the face of her marefriend in the dim light permeating the bedroom. She smiled in recognition and leaned over for a kiss, finding Rarity eager and responsive.

Half an hour later, Rarity heard the barely audible click from the alarm clock that she had been listening out for; her cue that the preset time had been reached for her marefriend to rise. Since she had switched off the alarm on her way in to the bedroom, this was the only notification it was going to give the two lovers over whom it kept vigil, but from whom it faced tactfully away.
“Come on darling, time for you to get up” she whispered into the alicorn’s ear.

They stepped reluctantly out of the warmth of the bed they left behind and the intimacy of the bond so recently shared, exchanging one last delicate kiss before Rarity set to work fussing over Luna’s appearance until she put to shame even the most flattering of portraits of her ever painted.

She surveyed herself in a full length mirror, admiring the effort the fashionista had gone to on her behalf and strode out of their chambers with a spring in her step to be confronted by three fillies dressed in gold lined, maroon coloured capes, each adorned with a yellow silhouette of a prancing pony on a blue background.
“Um, Princess…” Sweetie Belle spoke up, stepping forward from her friends, “I hope you’ll accept this gift from me, but on behalf of us all.”
At this, two heads behind her nodded enthusiastically.
“Thank you fillies” said Luna, genuinely surprised, “Is this for Hearth’s Warming, or should I open it now?”
“Now, if it’s convenient, Princess” replied Sweetie Belle, expectantly.
Luna turned to Rarity who just smiled knowingly, indicating that this wasn’t just a secret shared between three, but in fact between four; in short everypony present except her.

She was quietly pleased she didn’t have to wait, as whatever this peace offering was needed to be opened sooner rather than later to maintain the momentum that the four of them had begun.
“Very well” she acquiesced, tearing into the wrapping with distinctly fillyish relish.
As the friends watched, they saw a piece of maroon and gold material fall out, only to be caught in Sweetie Belle’s green aura before it could land on the floor. They all giggled happily as Luna took the garment and held it up, allowing it to unfold in its true glory; an adult sized cape just like the three friends wore!

“I thought” said Sweetie Belle, “That since you and Rarity are close friends, and I’m her sister, that maybe that makes you my sister, kind of, and we all wanted you to be part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, you know, like we help others and you are always helping others, kinda makes us the same, sort of …”
Luna smiled at the young unicorn’s rather rambling speech and donned the cape in her magic, while Rarity heaved a sigh of relief as she saw that she had guessed the size just right and that it fitted her just like a scaled up version of the ones being worn by the three excited fillies in front of her.
Sweetie Belle cleared her throat officiously and announced; “Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! We do solemnly invite you to join the exclusive order of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
Luna stepped forward in a gentle parody of her regal bearing.
“I accept” she replied, and reached down to give all of her fellow CMCs a large hug as Rarity looked on, beaming happily. She had made amends, and done it in style.

“Now we are all members of the same elite club” announced Luna, “May I invite you all to witness the raising of the moon?”
The fillies all cheered excitedly and swarmed around their newest member as she led them out to the Royal balcony where Celestia was already waiting.

“Good evening Sister” greeted Luna happily.
“Hello Luna” replied Celestia, picking up on the bonhomie among the party that her sister led out onto the balcony, “That’s a lovely new cape you have, Luna. And, oh my, our three young friends have ones just the same too; I am guessing this is no coincidence?”
“You are quite right Sister, I am the newest member of the esteemed Cutie Mark Crusaders.”
“Such an august organisation” replied Celestia, “I am so pleased for you. Now that they have allowed you into their ranks, I wonder if they are here by chance, or perhaps whether they would like to see the lowering of the sun?”
The fillies were beaming fit to burst as Celestia beckoned them up to join her as she projected her magic out towards the sun, lowering it lovingly to its rest at the end of another day. Luna then summoned her caped friends to watch as she called out to the moon and lifted it up against the deepening purple of the darkening sky and proceeded to place the constellations in their familiar places, introducing each by its name and telling a short story about each in turn.

Celestia stepped over to keep Rarity company as the Princess of the Night entertained her young friends.
“It’s lovely to see the new lease of life you and your sister have given Luna.”
“I’m so sorry we made such a dreadful faux pas yesterday” replied Rarity, “I’m so ashamed of the way we behaved.”
“Don’t worry” replied Celestia giving her a kindly smile, “The press are good at making up a story where there isn’t one. I believe it was just a slow news day and they could see an opportunity to make a little mischief.”
“Thank you Princess” said Rarity humbly, “I have spoken with my sister and we will be much more careful in future.”

Luna turned away from the balustrade as the fillies followed her heading back to the balcony doors where two white mares were waiting for them.
“Perhaps, as our young friends appear already dressed for dinner, they should all join us tonight?” enquired Celestia, “What do you think Luna?”
“Oh, can we?” they all chimed as one.
“Of course you may” concurred Luna, “Please accompany us in.”

By the time they entered the hall where a team of serving staff waited, they all noticed that the extra places had already been set at table. Either the staff were psychic, or this had been planned in advance; only Celestia and Rarity knew the answer to that one.

The usually serious and business-like two-way handover meeting that underpinned the purpose of this combined breakfast/dinner meal became a refreshingly animated and entertaining event. For one night only, the grown-ups all gave their young guests the opportunity to regale them with stories of the colts and fillies they had helped gain their cutie marks, with maybe just the slightest embellishments added along the way.

At the end of a delightful meal during which Celestia and Luna had both gained a deeper respect for the CMCs and their altruistic activities, Rarity announced that she had to take them back to Ponyville on the last train, so they could participate in activities with Miss Cheerilee the next morning. Celestia gave individual hugs to everypony and wished them all a safe journey before departing to her chambers for the night, while Luna thanked the fillies again for their kind gift and for having accepted her into their club; she reserved a much more passionate farewell to her marefriend, already beginning to count the minutes until she would return.

Rarity and her party of three caped fillies just made it to the station before the train arrived, although it was a much closer call than she would have chosen. They walked through the surprisingly crowded train right to the last carriage which was practically deserted apart from two parties of ponies, a friendly but noisy group at one end and a smaller, quieter group at the other. Rarity directed them towards the quieter group, knowing this was already past the fillies’ bedtime and gratefully, they filed in to a group of four seats together with a table between them. Here, they would be free to relax, tell their stories about the events in Canterlot and then fall asleep as was the usual order of events at this time of night. Indeed, Rarity had a sketch pad and a few pencils out ready, so she could jot down a few design ideas when the fillies fell asleep and she could keep herself usefully occupied once there was nopony left to talk to.

The train pulled out of Canterlot station with loud chuffing noises that were all but overwhelmed by the sound of their excited chatter. After a few minutes, Sweetie Belle put her head to one side and became strangely silent.
“Sweetie Belle, darling” enquired her sister, “What’s wrong?”
“Listen” she whispered, “Just listen to what they’re saying.”
“Sweetie Belle, you know it’s unladylike to eavesdrop” chided Rarity, “I thought I’d taught you better than that.”
The unicorn filly reached forward and abruptly tore off the top sheet from her sister’s drawing pad and a pencil and started writing.
“Honestly, Sweetie Belle!” huffed Rarity, “Why are you being so disobedient?”
By way of a reply, the filly turned round the piece of paper she had been writing on and showed her sister the three words she had written, whilst holding a forehoof up to her lips in an obvious quiet gesture.
· MAGIC
· ENSLAVE
· EQUESTRIA
Rarity stared speechless, tilting her head to one side and within ten seconds was frantically writing on the next sheet down in her drawing pad. Sweetie Belle meanwhile had stopped writing words and had drawn five horizontal parallel lines closely together, onto which she was adding strange symbols.

Raised voices were indicating that the mood of good natured, if loud companionship they had heard from the other party of travellers when they had boarded was developing into an argument and Rarity was pleased she had chosen seats as far away as possible. Not only that, but they were also close enough to the mysterious group apparently plotting quietly behind them to still be able to just about make out what they were saying, even if was only about one word in four.

Suddenly, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom noticed that half of their number had stopped talking and quietened down too, at which point the sinister discussion that the two sisters were overhearing suddenly became quieter too; so quiet that they could no longer listen in. Sweetie Belle made UP motions with her forehoof, trying to get her friends to resume their noisy conversation. Suddenly put on the spot, they couldn’t think of anything to say and tried to hang random unconnected thoughts together loudly, but this lacked the coherence of a proper conversation and shortly the subterfuge fell apart, the opportunity lost. Sweetie Belle looked at Rarity and shrugged, her older sister responding by pulling a face that seemed to say “Eeek!”
Quickly, she drew the others together across the table and whispered what they had overheard, their eyes growing wide as they learned what had been going on only a few feet away from them.

Throughout the rest of the journey, they were on tenterhooks, listening for anything else discernible, but there was nothing further to be heard. Rarity was however, grateful to acknowledge that differences among the group at the other end of the carriage appeared to have been resolved and they had quietened down too.

When the train reached Ponyville, they all got out; the large friendly group heading into town while the smaller group of three went the other way, hoods raised against the settling evening chill.
“Come on” encouraged Rarity, looking around the fillies for the support she knew would be forthcoming, “We have to see where they’re going.”
They kept a safe distance from their quarry, but when they disappeared into the thickening foliage of the Everfree, had to close up further lest they lose them. Before long, it was impossible to keep up, and even under the full moon, Rarity had to take the decision to abandon the pursuit, aware that she was responsible for getting not just herself but also three fillies safely out of the Everfree at night, the time when dangerous animals were on the prowl.

To her great relief, Rarity successfully retraced her steps and headed back into town, straight to the welcoming sight of the Castle of Friendship.
They were met by Twilight who received them all warmly, despite the hour.
“Hello Rarity, how nice to see you, and you three fillies too; love the capes by the way!”
“Oh Twilight, darling” began the seamstress theatrically, “Of all the worst things that could happen …”
“Uh huh” interrupted Twilight, knowing how much her friend sometimes succumbed to the over-dramatic.
“No, really Twilight, this truly is!”
“Right” humoured the librarian, “Shall we talk about it over a nice cup of tea?”
“No time darling, no time!”
“OK, spill.”
Rarity then summarised what had happened on the train, especially the words she and her sister had overheard. Twilight looked pensive, “Sweetie Belle; what else was it you noted down?”
“I heard some singing” she replied, “Not words, just a repeated melody, so I wrote it down as sheet music so I could sing it back.”
“Oh well done, darling!” gushed her sister proudly.
“Can you sing it for us?” asked Twilight, her brow now distinctly furrowed.
Sweetie Bell cleared her throat and repeated the seductive sounding ten note refrain that had been barely audible to her on the train over all the other noise.
Twilight froze in shock.
“Sirens” she said.

“Spike! Spike!” she called, then adding as an aside to nopony in particular, “Oh, I do hope he hasn’t gone to bed yet.”
The unmistakable form of a baby dragon clutching a comic book and rubbing his eyes appeared after a few moments.
“Hey Twi” he greeted his mistress, “Oh, Hi guys. Sounds important - what can I do?”
“Take a message, please Spike:

Dear Luna,

Rarity has just reported a chance encounter with what sounds like sirens. They started to sing on the train down to Ponyville, a tune that’s very familiar to me following the Battle of the Bands with my Canterlot High friends. I think there’s only four of us in Equestria who have heard their song; you, Celestia, Spike and me, and we all know what it means.

She pursued them into the Everfree before it got too dangerous to follow them any further and is now safely with me along with the fillies in the Castle of Friendship.

I was thinking of flying reconnaissance over the area to see what I could find before they can get too far, but wanted to check in with you first.

Twilight

Send as soon as you’re ready please Spike.”

“Sirens?” questioned Spike incredulous, “I thought you defeated them at the Battle of the Bands and they weren’t a threat any more?”
“So did I. Our CHS friends keep an eye on them and I haven’t heard anything from them to suggest that they’re anything but harmless teenage girls in their world, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. Perhaps more have hatched here in Equestria?”
“Hatched?” gasped Rarity.
“Yes” replied Twilight, “Their natural form is reptilian in appearance, so it would be sensible to assume that they are laid as eggs and then hatch, but there haven’t been any reported in Equestria for a thousand years, as far as I know. Either these eggs have had a really long incubation period or there are other sirens alive and well that we haven’t found yet. Perhaps they have managed to conceal their presence by mastering shape-shifting like the ones we met, you know, in the same way that the changelings do?”
They all shuddered at this last idea.

Before they could continue the discussion any further, Spike burped a gout of green flame and a letter appeared amid a puff of grey smoke.
“Want me to read it out Twi?” he asked.
“Yes please Spike.”

“Dear Twilight,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. So glad to hear Rarity and fillies are safe. We will be with you within one and one half hours including Thestrals practiced in tracking. We think it would be too dangerous for you to take on this task alone.

Luna”

“Well, it looks like we’re going to have visitors this evening” observed Twilight with masterful understatement, “Now, shall we all have tea before they get here?”

4 Just Like Old Times

About an hour and a half later, the Royal Sisters wearing battle armour dismounted Luna’s chariot and strode towards the main entrance to the Castle of Friendship while a large contingent of Bat Ponies and Thestrals landed soundlessly within the castle grounds.

Luna led her sister up the stairs leading to the main door of the castle and was met by Rarity rushing to welcome her.
“I could not bear to be parted from you” said Luna light-heartedly, although there was a large slice of truth behind her greeting.
“My, darling” replied Rarity, admiring her marefriend’s battle armour “The look is a little severe, but you carry it off so well!”
Celestia stood back while the two lovers kissed briefly before announcing her presence too.
“Celestia” greeted Rarity, giving her sister-in-law a hug “When Luna said ‘we’, I thought she was speaking in olde Canterlot; I hadn’t realised she meant that you would both be coming.”
“I’m afraid to say the situation is potentially that serious” replied Celestia.
“Oh, and I really like your armour too” Rarity commented as an afterthought.
Celestia smiled; only her sister-in-law could look at battle armour and think of it in terms of a fashion statement!

“Princesses!” called out Twilight, emerging from a door at the other side of the entrance hall, “Would you like to come through?”
“May we bring our senior officers, so they can brief the guards?”
“Of course, Princess” replied Twilight, “We have plenty of room in here for a briefing.”
A Thestral stationed respectfully at the doorway acknowledged and led a dozen guard’s officers through to join their Princesses.
“Come, follow me” invited Rarity, and the Royal Sisters fell in as she led them through to where the others were waiting.

Once the Princesses and their senior officers were seated, Twilight began the briefing, explaining what had happened with The Dazzlings during the Battle of the Bands. She then went on to describe the events on the train earlier in the evening drawing on support from Rarity and Sweetie Belle who sang the siren’s song that she had heard.

“Twilight?” Luna enquired, “Your knowledge of the sirens is more recent than ours. I propose to take you up on your offer of leading us where you can.”
“Thank you Luna” she acknowledged, “I suggest we start searching where the suspects were last seen entering the Everfree, and hope we can follow their tracks to find them. We beat the sirens during the Battle of the Bands by singing together as friends using the Magic of Friendship. I’m not sure what to do this time.”
“Could you bring together the other Element Bearers?” asked Celestia.
“Yes, that’s a good idea, but we would need somepony who knows how to look after animals or we wouldn’t be able to spring Fluttershy. Do you have anypony among your guards?”
“I have somepony in my platoon who may be able to help” replied one of the officers. Two others also offered possible animal lovers, so Luna requested all candidates be mustered to follow Twilight to Fluttershy’s Cottage where the most appropriate could take over her duties. Twilight and Rarity divided up which of their friends each would rouse, and Rarity set off first to find Pinkie Pie and Applejack while Twilight waited for the three guards to arrive before going to round up her two Pegasi friends.

Once the three guards had reported, Twilight took them to see Fluttershy and knocked on her door. Harry the bear answered and grunted a smile of recognition at the lilac alicorn, then looked sideways at the Bat Ponies, sniffed the air, growled a little, shrugged his shoulders and went to fetch his mistress. The demure primrose pegasus stuck her head tentatively round the door shortly afterwards.

“Oh hello Twilight, I was just in the middle of putting the critters to bed and reading bedtime stories. How can I help?”
“Sorry about the time Fluttershy, but we’ve got a bit of an emergency and could really use your support. I’ve brought some trusted friends along, and I was hoping you could choose one or even all of them to stand in for you?
“Oh, I don’t know about that. The critters are very sensitive and I know exactly what each one wants. Can’t we do this tomorrow?”
“Uh, no. Sorry about this. Do you remember we researched the sirens that Star Swirl the Bearded banished a thousand years ago and suddenly appeared at Canterlot High School …?”
“Oh yes, they sounded awful ...”
“Well, I think we’ve got some of our very own and I believe we stand the best chance by taking them on using the Elements of Harmony.”
“Oh. Oh I see …”

“Sooooo” said Twilight awkwardly, “How would you like to meet my animal loving friends?”
“Just so long as they’re nice and kind, then they can come in” acquiesced Fluttershy reluctantly, “I don’t want them frightening my critters.”
She pulled the door a little further open and her visitors traipsed in under Harry’s watchful eye.
“Oh” whispered Fluttershy as an aside to Twilight once she had a close look at the Bat Ponies, “They don’t drink blood, do they?”
“No Fluttershy” reassured Twilight, “And I’m pretty sure they won’t eat any of your critters either.”

“Oh. Oh I see …” repeated Fluttershy moving closer to Twilight and suddenly becoming more assertive, “Because if they do, I’ll get to hear about it!”
Twilight was taken aback at her friend’s sudden change in character and hoped they were as trustworthy as she had promised.
“Gooood” said Twilight, giving her friend a distinctly uncomfortable smile and then adding optimistically, “We’re good to go then?”
As Fluttershy fixed her with a stare, Twilight felt the corner of her eye begin to twitch and hoped her friend hadn’t noticed.
Once Fluttershy turned to assess the suitability of her babysitters, Twilight stayed frozen for a moment with the faux smile starched in place, an expression that looked so insincere, if not downright creepy, that it made a pair of otters tumble over each other as they ran for safety.

Although dwarfed by the three strangers, Fluttershy was on a roll, motivated by her protective nature towards her critters, especially as it was their bedtime and they were at their most vulnerable. She ripped into each of the three in turn, asking tougher and tougher questions, her eyes bulging as she pointed and prodded with her forehoof, making the points she felt needed to be made. Forcefully.

By the time she had finished, each of the Bat Ponies was quivering, their initial impressions of this petite pegasus having been totally inverted.
“They’ll do” she confirmed sweetly to an open-mouthed Twilight, who was unable to do anything except stare at the emotional destruction she had unleashed.
“Okayyyy” said Twilight still reeling internally, before turning to the guards and confirming “You’ll be alright here will you?”
They stared back, their eyes begging her to take her friend with her so they could start to rebuild their lives, even if it meant reading stories to injured hedgehogs all night long. Harry saw the two friends to the door and bade them farewell with a wave of his paw, before turning his scrutiny to the three pressganged volunteers inside.

Twilight next flew on to Rainbow Dash’s Cloudominium, apprehensive of what she may find. She knew Rainbow worked hard and liked to play just as hard too, and although she had heard the same rumours that everypony else had, she wasn't entirely sure what form her friend's relaxation took, and had never wanted to ask. Feeling more than a little awkward, she gripped tightly onto what courage she could muster and knocked tentatively on the door, praying that her friend wasn't in the middle of anything too personal. Before her heart had the opportunity to skip another beat, a familiar voice rang out from inside, "C’mon in. Door’s open.”

Twilight obliged and walked in to find Rainbow kicking back with two Persian blue mares she recognised from the Wonderbolts; Flitter and Cloud Chaser. They were all chilling out with a selection of wine and cider bottles lying casually around, bearing testimony to the fact that they had clearly been going some time already. The two Wonderbolts were seated close together on the sofa while Rainbow was stretched out languidly on the floor, a mixture of full and empty bottles of cider within easy reach.

“Oh, hey Twi” she greeted with a nonchalant wave of her forehoof, “Want to come join us? There’s plenty of cider to go round. Oh wait, let me guess, you’re more of a wine mare?”
“Just like me” said Flitter eyeing up the new arrival and squeezing a little closer to Cloud Chaser before patting a spare place next to her on the sofa.

Something told Twilight that she was definitely imposing far further than she had intended into Rainbow’s personal space. It wasn’t any shock that she felt, but just a severe sense of embarrassment that she was here to drag her away from whatever well-earned relaxation she may have had in mind with her friends.

“So what’s happenin’ Twi? Books out of order on the shelves again?” she chuckled, shooting her friend a crooked smile.
“Um, no” she replied, awkwardness rising inside her, “It’s just something we found in one of those books a little time back. Remember the sirens?”
“Yeah, they sounded pretty awesome in a scary sort of way. You sorted them out in that other world you travel to, didn’t you?”

The two Persian blue mares now started looking at Twilight in a new light; as expert fliers, they automatically assessed every pony with wings by their own flying standards and although Twilight had wings, it was obvious to every pegasus that her flying ability was barely beyond that of a filly. However, she was a Princess with a reputation for sorting out wrong-doers and would be sure to have a lot of interesting stories to tell, especially if she travelled to other worlds too. They stared up at her in rapt attention, their eyes begging her to stay.

“Well, I’m truly sorry to have to ask you right at this moment ...” she agonised.
“… but you want me to come and save the day, don’t you?” replied Rainbow.
“Well … um … yes … rather …” she smiled awkwardly.
“OK Twi, why didn’t you just come out with it? Rainbow Awesome Dash is at your service!”
“But we do look forward to seeing you again Princess Twilight” said Cloud Chaser as Flitter nodded in agreement.
“Thank you Ladies” replied Twilight, who was still not at ease being referred to by her proper title even though it was well meant, “Another time I’m afraid. So sorry to bust up your evening.”
“No problem - we understand” replied Flitter with a palpable hint of sadness in her voice.
“OK Twi, let’s go kick some butt!” exclaimed Rainbow who had managed to convert from fully relaxed to fully alert in a matter of a few short seconds.
They said their farewells, Rainbow assuring her houseguests that they were welcome to stay while she went off to save the universe.

As they flew back to the Castle of Friendship, Twilight kept apologising for taking Rainbow away from her friends, but all the cyan pegasus wanted to know was what was going on with the sirens and how she could give them a sound kicking. Had the flight been any longer, Twilight’s curiosity would have overcome her reserve to ask about Flitter and Cloud Chaser, but that question and indeed the answer would have to wait for another day as they lined up to land at the castle’s main entrance.

They walked in together to find everypony discussing strategy and tactics, and Twilight took the opportunity to get the four newly arrived Element Bearers up to speed with what was happening; Rainbow getting increasingly enthusiastic while Fluttershy became progressively more apprehensive.

Once she had finished, she made a beeline for the Royal Sisters who were at the centre of the planning process and confirmed the Element Bearers were mustered and briefed.
“Very well” confirmed Celestia, “I believe we are ready to go. Would you care to give a final briefing please, Luna?”
“Thank you Sister” concurred Luna facing the assembled officers and Twilight,
“Phase 1: Those guards providing air cover to get airborne immediately.
Phase 2: Twilight to lead the chariot to its first destination, Celestia and I will also accompany the chariot.
Phase 3: Those guards tasked with providing ground support take off immediately the chariot is airborne.
Phase 4: One unit of ground support to land where indicated by Twilight and secure the area.
Phase 5: Chariot to land and Element Bearers to conduct their business. All guards not in the unit designated to secure the area to continue flying air patrols; air cover units high, ground support units low.
Phase 6: Once the Element Bearers have conducted their business, the chariot takes off, followed immediately by the ground unit.
Phase 7: The specialist Thestral trackers break off in groups of two to scour the area for the sirens accompanied by units of air cover and ground support while the chariot circles accompanied by four units each of air cover and ground support.
Thank you and good luck!”

Immediately, the officers turned and left to relay the plan to their guards, followed closely by the Royal Sisters, while Twilight strode over to the other Element Bearers.
“Right girls, follow me” she ordered, leaving no room for dissent.

As they stepped out into the chilling air, they could see guards already taking off in formation and flying criss-cross patterns across the sky as they climbed to altitude. Celestia and Luna were talking to the charioteers and as Twilight drew closer she ordered, “Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity, into the chariot; Rainbow and Fluttershy with me up front.”

Twilight turned to look at Luna, waiting for her to confirm that the air cover was in position before she could start. After a few minutes, Luna looked in her direction and nodded.
“OK girls” she announced, “Here we go!”
Twilight sprang into the air flanked by Rainbow and Fluttershy while the chariot built up speed behind them, flanked by Luna and Celestia providing the best possible cover to protect the high value Element Bearers.
She looked behind to confirm that everything was in order behind her and saw the chariot following on with her three friends in and the last remaining Night Guard units rising to join them in a high value aerial armada protected on all sides.

It wasn’t a long journey, but walking it, especially with the necessary guard support would have cost valuable time they didn’t have. It wasn’t long before they saw the Castle of the Two Sisters rising up as Twilight’s reference point, indicating the start of her descent into the Everfree. She lined up next to a small winding canyon and signalled she was about to break formation before flying down to do a touch and go, indicating where she wanted the chariot to land, in a clear space next to the canyon rim. She rose up again and rejoined the chariot as it circled, watching the allocated Night Guard unit land and spread out, securing the area.

Next, the chariot made its descent and landed safely where she had indicated, and she followed it down with her pegasus friends, lining up next to the chariot and flaring so perfectly that her legs barely felt the landing, desperately wishing that Rainbow had seen her improved flying skills.
“Hey, good landing Twi” conceded the familiar rasping voice she longed to hear at that precise moment, and felt her cheeks colour up with the praise as she turned to face her rainbow maned friend, offering a shy smile.
“I credit your highly talented teacher!” declared the extravert weather pony with a cheeky smile.
“I’d have to agree” confirmed the novice alicorn, returning her friend’s smile.

Twilight turned back to watch as the last of the Element Bearers stepped out of the chariot.
“Right girls, we all know the way” she declared, directing the earthbound ponies to the stairs in the canyon wall while the three winged ponies flew down to the glowing mouth of the Cave of Harmony and looked inside at the silvery splendour of the Tree of Harmony. As the Bearer of the Element of Magic, Twilight knelt in front of the tree and gave thanks, requesting she and her friends may be able to borrow the Elements, but promising to return them at the first opportunity. The tree seemed to understand her and that such a request would not be made lightly, so when she reached out with her aura, it released its magical hold on the bright magenta six point star and mounted it into her tiara, placing it on her head. Then it released each of the other Elements in turn, returning them to their Bearers in their golden necklaces. Twilight remained a moment longer to offer thanks and keep peace with the tree before rising to join her friends and make their way back to the chariot.

They took off once more and watched as the Thestral trackers set off in expanding circles trying to get the first whiff of creatures that had not knowingly been seen in Equestria in a thousand years. They had little to go on, but the stakes were high; their motives were unlikely to be benign, and the longer they were left unchecked, the more powerful they would become.

5 Bad Magic

As they continued to circle in the night sky, the friends in the chariot started to grow cold. Worse, Rarity was doubting herself; after all, this entire operation was only happening because of what she had overheard and reported. It had been a noisy carriage, and in fact she hadn’t heard that much herself; she had mostly convinced herself that what little she had heard reinforced what Sweetie Belle had told her. In her mind, it was all starting to unravel, and she felt a horrible pit opening up in her stomach. Could Luna trust her anymore if she had made yet another faux pas in such a short time? Was she becoming too much of a liability?

“I’m a liability!” she suddenly cried, burying her tearful muzzle in a rather surprised Pinkie Pie next to her.
“No you’re not, silly” replied the party planner, “You’re Rarity! The cold must really be getting to you.”
“Um, Rarity” chipped in Applejack, “Is there somethin’ you’re tryin’ to tell us?”
“I’m a failure!” she wailed pathetically, rubbing her muzzle in Pinkie’s chest.
“Oooh, stop it!” she giggled, “That tickles!”

Rarity withdrew her mascara streaked face from Pinkie Pie and turned to face Applejack, leaving Pinkie to try and rub off the surplus makeup that had become an abstract tattoo on her chest. She dabbed at it, but it only smudged worse, so she lifted her head back and looked at it from different angles, like admiring a work of art before sitting back, happy with the result.

“It’s just” began Rarity between sobs, “What if I’m wrong about this whole sirens thing?”
“Well, I don’t believe we can afford to take the chance if they’re half as bad as Twilight says” reassured the farmer, “Besides, didn’t Sweetie Belle note down their spooky song and sing it right back to Twilight? Now, ain’t no way she could have known that, is there? I’m stickin’ right by you Rarity.”

“Oh Applejack!” cried the seamstress, throwing herself into Applejack this time and sobbing into her chest. The farmer cringed at the prospect of having a matching mascara tattoo to Pinkie’s, but patted her friend’s head with as gentle of a “there, there” as she could muster, feeling Rarity’s forelegs squeeze her tighter.
“Oooh!” exclaimed Pinkie, “I wonder what pattern you’re going to get?”
Applejack shot her an exasperated look, but Pinkie proudly displayed her chest, starting a game of tic tac toe on what passed for a rough 3 by 3 grid.

“There!” shouted Luna, her shrill cry piercing the night, before she peeled away from the formation and headed away at full speed. All eyes strained to see where the Princess of the Night was heading, but her eyesight was so attuned to the darkness that she had an immediate advantage over everypony else. The convoy surrounding the Royal chariot changed course and headed after the sharp-eyed Princess, Rarity perking up at the thought she may not be a liability after all.

In truth, Luna was being guided not so much by what she could see on the physical plane, but a disturbance on the ethereal plane, the place that accommodated the dream realm that she patrolled. A magical imbalance had opened up coincident with the search begun by the Thestrals, and she was not prepared to accept these two events as unconnected.

The wingbeats resounded with the effort now being put behind them, no longer a relaxed rhythm designed to optimise long endurance cruising, but reflecting an urgency that from one pony alone would have been impressive, but when it came from everypony around, became an experience that wasn’t so much heard, but actually felt.

“Get into the chariot!” ordered the lead charioteer as Fluttershy fought to keep up with the others.
“Are you sure …?” she replied tentatively, “I mean, all the extra weight and everything …”
“Leave that to us!” came the gruff reply, “We’ve got to get you to where your friends need you!”
“Oh … OK …” whispered the primrose pegasus.

Pinkie witnessed the conversation in front of her and then watched as Fluttershy all but stopped flying, suddenly making her a whole lot slower than the chariot. Pinkie watched intrigued as the primrose flank suddenly seemed to speed up towards her as the chariot moved to pick her up and she slid over to one side, measuring an exact distance with a steel tape she just happened to have materialised from nowhere. Rarity chose the exact moment to look forward, the merest instant before Fluttershy hit the back of the seat next to her and let out a shriek of surprise to see her vision filled with primrose, throwing herself into Applejack’s lap to avoid collision with Fluttershy’s flank.

Next instant there was a thump and the trio of friends suddenly found themselves to be a quartet as a rather dazed animal lover landed between them.
“Oh, hello ...” she whispered apologetically.
While Rarity stared on horrorstruck from Applejack’s lap, Pinkie extended the steel tape once more to measure the distance between her and Fluttershy, then nodded and beamed happily before making it vanish back to the place where it had first come from.

By now, even the most untrained eyes could see there was a faint red glow up ahead that seemed to be pulsing with an unearthly energy. Fluttershy chose her moment to be brave and instantly regretted her decision as she peered forward tentatively and realised that was to be their destination.
“Oh, I don’t think I like this very much” she whimpered, recoiling at the prospect and screwing her eyes firmly shut.
“Maybe not, Sugar Cube” said Applejack with determination, “But even the Elements of Harmony ain’t goin’ to save the day if your kindness ain’t up there with us.”

The light grew brighter as they approached and suddenly they began to make out the forms of ponies fighting each other on the ground, more and more of them, in fact enough to make up the numbers of the two units of Night Guard despatched to protect the Thestral trackers.
“Flee!” shouted Luna at the head of the pony armada, but just then they were assaulted by the same ten note refrain that Rarity now clearly recalled having heard in the carriage and which Twilight knew all too well.

The Night Guard covered their ears and screamed, but the sound would not stop burrowing into their heads. The charioteers shook their heads frantically trying to stop the sirens’ song affecting them and dove down hard to make an emergency landing, impacting rather than landing on the clearest ground they could find, driven by the knowledge that the only chance for them and for the whole of Equestria was that their precious cargo was safe.

The Night Guard fell from the air, even Luna and Celestia were unable to defend themselves and began to succumb, but yet the Element Bearers remained unaffected. Rainbow Dash and Twilight looked at each other and quickly headed for the ground too, so as not to become obvious targets for who or whatever was at the centre of the malevolent magic. They joined up with their four friends by the chariot and stood shocked to see good natured rivalries spilling over into arguments and fights among the Night Guard all around them.

It was now clear that it had to be sirens behind these events, as based on Twilight’s previous experience, she could see that their modus operandi was just the same; sow disagreement and grow strong on the negative emotions. Given the number of ponies that the magic was working on, it was clear that the sirens would not be far off full strength by now and whatever their ultimate aim, was close to being realised.

“OK girls” instructed Twilight, “All hold hooves.”
They stood in a circle, holding hooves and concentrating on their Elements.
“Friendship is Magic!” called out Twilight, waiting for the surge of energy to pulse through her and vanquish the sirens and their malevolent brand of magic. Indeed, all of them stood resolutely awaiting the magical culmination of the unification of the Elements of Harmony, but the sirens’ song continued unabated.

One by one, they opened their eyes to see that nothing had changed.
“Er, Twilight” enquired Applejack, “Wasn’t that supposed to do somethin’?”
“It should have!” cried Twilight in frustration, “Why didn’t it work?”
“Tell me, darling” enquired Rarity, “How exactly did you beat them in the other world?”
“We sang …” recalled Twilight, “We sang! Of course, the only way to defeat the sirens is with their own magic – we have to sing!”
“But we don’t know any songs” said Applejack.
“I do” stated Rarity,” I’m a regular with the Pony Tones and we sing lots of songs.”
“Yes, but does anypony else know them?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“I know some of them” confirmed Fluttershy.
“I don’t think just the two of you is going to be enough” said Twilight, “We’ve all got to sing together – as friends!”
“Wait a minute” interjected Rarity, ”It’s almost Hearth’s Warming Eve! We all sing carols don’t we?”
“But which is the right one?” asked Rainbow.
“It doesn’t matter” said Twilight, “As long as we all sing it together!”
“I know a good one” suggested Rarity, “The one we sang at the end of the play we put on at Canterlot about the founding of Equestria a few years back!”
There were nods and murmurs of approval all round, then Rarity began acapella.

“The fire of friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart …”

As she sang, her Element began to glow and as the others joined in, their Elements glowed too.

“Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few
Laughter and singing will see us through
We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end.”

A multicoloured band of light formed like a fast moving ribbon around them as they sang, and the more they sang, the wider the circle grew. When the feuding ponies caught by the sirens’ spell were covered by the expanding circle, they found themselves freed from the curse, and as they recovered they joined in too, strengthening the power that was building to challenge the evil magic.

Eventually, the circle grew so strong and so wide that it completely surrounded all of the ponies and once the last of them had recovered and was singing, the spinning ribbon of magic that formed the circle split into two streams which rose high into the sky, circling around each other before reuniting at the top and diving straight down to a focused point in the forest.

Immediately, the Night Guard took to the air and followed where the bolt of magic had struck the ground. The Element Bearers also flew in to see what had happened, three grateful Bat Ponies carrying in those who did not have wings of their own.

On a small rocky outcrop projecting up from the forest, three unicorns lay where they had fallen, all gasping for breath.

Twilight landed next to them and the sand coloured one stirred, painfully lifting her head up and brushing away her brown mane to see more clearly who had beaten her.

Their eyes met.

Not for the first time.

“Twilight Sparkle” she groaned wearily, “Why do you always have to spoil my plans?”
“Adagio Dazzle!” gasped Twilight in surprise, “How did you get here?”
“If I tell you, will you let me go?”
“Not a chance!”

Celestia and Luna arrived, landing on the rocky outcrop next to the Element Bearers and the defeated sirens.
“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I should like you to meet Adagio Dazzle and presumably Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze; the three sirens banished by Star Swirl the Bearded a thousand years ago and more recently by my Canterlot High friends and myself.”
“Adagio Dazzle is it?” confirmed Celestia pointedly, “I didn’t expect to see you in Equestria again.”
“It was easy” came another voice, “We just went through the portal …”
“Shut it!” growled Adagio.
“What did I say?” asked a light blue unicorn, trying groggily to regain her balance and failing “It’s what we did, right?”
“You didn’t have to tell them that, you idiot!” snarled Adagio.

“Twilight” remarked Celestia, continuing to stare imperiously down at the sand coloured pony who was clearly the sirens’ leader, “I think it’s time you reviewed security on the Crystal Mirror. I, meanwhile, have three new playmates to send down to Cerberus.”
With that, her horn glowed and the three sirens in their deceptively harmless pony form were surrounded by a ball of yellow magic that shot away like a shooting star, straight down to a cage waiting in Tartarus.

Luna looked at Rarity proudly, even though her makeup had run and smudged all across her face, but right at that moment, she was the most beautiful sight in the whole of Equestria.
“I think, Sister” said Luna, “That this victory would not have been possible without the courage and quick thinking of our six friends here.”
“And one in particular for having had the foresight to bring it to our attention” concurred Celestia with a mischievous smile, adding under her breath, “Well, go on then!”
Everypony tactfully converged around Twilight, asking her about the sirens when she had faced them in the human world, giving the two lovers an opportunity to share a precious moment uninterrupted.

All around, the sound of Hearth’s Warming carols continued, very much as when the three tribes had first come together to defeat the Windigos and agreed to bury their differences at the founding of Equestria.

Rarity briefly considered her actions in having reported her suspicions about the sirens and how even up to a short while ago it had made her feel like a liability, not worthy of her marefriend’s love. Now, fully vindicated, she stared confidently up into her sparkling teal eyes, no longer with anything she felt she had to apologise for. For her part, Luna had never lost faith in her marefriend and knew she never would. Her thoughts drifted as she allowed herself to become consumed by the warm glow of the lovelight in Rarity’s deep blue eyes and leaned slowly forward, closing her eyes so she could feel the tender surprise of meeting her marefriend’s lips.

As soon as Rarity felt the delicate touch of Luna’s lips on hers, she felt any last reservations crumble and reached forward with her forelegs, drawing her lover close; two ponies in love, being serenaded by carols and silhouetted against the full moon.

6 Cause for Celebration

Once Twilight had made good on her promise to the Tree of Harmony and returned her Element along with her friends, she invited everypony back to the Castle of Friendship as it was just a short distance away. With the threat passed, Luna dismissed the Night Guard as their numbers were too large to be accommodated with Twilight and so they made their way back to Canterlot with written orders from Celestia that they be treated as the heroes they were.

When they arrived back at the castle, they were met by Spike and Twilight shared the good news of their victory with her number one assistant.
“That’s great, Twi” he replied, “You remember Apple Bloom and her friends are staying over tonight; want me to wake them?”
“If I know them” interrupted Applejack, “I’d wager they ain’t even asleep yet anyway. Might as well let them come and join in the fun.”
“Sounds like it’s time for a party!” trilled Pinkie, and nopony felt inclined to disagree.
“OK then” chuckled Applejack, “You go get them and I’ll help with the caterin’ down in the kitchen.”

Pinkie summoned a do-it-yourself emergency party-in-a-can from apparently out of nowhere and immediately put on some music while she and Rarity busied themselves setting up the remainder of the party essentials with Rainbow hanging up the decorations that couldn’t be reached from the ground.

It was fortunate that Twilight had ensured they were well stocked for Hearth’s Warming, because there was a plentiful supply at hoof of everything needed to provide a sumptuous feast with very little preparation. Before long, the young fillies, who, as Applejack had suspected, were still nowhere near being asleep, were helping out by bringing out a stream of plates piled high with tasty treats and laying them out on tables in the main hall.

Twilight was going to go and talk to Celestia, but stopped when she saw her and her sister in deep discussion and thought better of interrupting, choosing instead to catch up with Fluttershy who was now worried about how well the volunteered Bat Ponies were looking after her critters. Shortly, everything was as Pinkie wanted it and she helped herself to a mug of cider before going to load up her plate.

Just as she sprang forward to pick up the first of her canapes, she heard the sound of a spoon striking a glass in a way that commanded her attention. Stopping literally in mid-air, she turned to see Celestia standing in a commanding pose ready to make a speech. Immediately she rewound her herself and landed back on the ground exactly where she had started from, and scooted over to turn the music down before turning to face the Sun Princess with the respect she was due.

“Before we start on this marvellous spread, I should like to thank all of you for having dropped whatever plans you had to rally to the support of Equestria. These sirens presented a very real threat to our security and I am most grateful that they are finally where they belong, a result that would not have been possible without the commitment of all of you. However, there is one pony among us tonight who has earned something special, and I should like to hand over to my sister to make the announcement.”

Luna stepped forward as Celestia moved over to one side, the vaguest hint of a smile on her face.
“Thank you Sister” acknowledged Luna, “We are most fortunate that we were able to conduct this evening’s operation with no casualties. This is due in no small part to the diligence of Rarity for recognising the threat and her promptness in bringing it to our attention.”
Applause echoed all round the hall as everypony showed their appreciation, Rarity turning a bright shade of red once more.
“I think it appropriate that Rarity come forward to receive the recognition she has earned for so long now. Rarity, if you please?”
Stunned, the white unicorn walked up to Luna who smiled back at her affectionately. None of the other ponies present had any idea what was coming, but all knew it had to be something special; only Celestia didn’t appear to be in any suspense as she continued to wear her inscrutable smile.

With Rarity staring up expectantly into her eyes, Luna knelt in front of her and took her forehoof in her own.
“Dearest Rarity” she said, now looking up to her “I see in you somepony whom I admire, respect and love deeply. “
A smile Rarity couldn’t control suddenly broke out across her face and she felt her hooves beginning to dance on the spot – surely she couldn’t be …?

“And you could make me the happiest mare in Equestria …”
She’s actually going to! Rarity screamed inwardly.

“… if you would consent to marry me.”

Silence descended throughout the castle.

Random thoughts flew round inside Rarity’s head, none of them seeming to connect with anything as they flew faster and faster and her mouth worked up and down, stammering incoherent sounds. For Luna, the silence was not awkward, because although words had failed her beloved, her wide eyes radiated her answer.

She gripped Luna’s forehoof tightly and suddenly the thoughts in her head coalesced and she whispered, “I do ...” before launching into a passionate kiss, accompanied by loud cheers and whistles from all those present.

How long they remained locked together sharing the joy of the moment was not recorded, but applauding hooves were starting to feel tired when they finally broke their kiss and pulled back just far enough to take in the beauty of the other and appreciate how lucky each felt. For them, time had stopped as they finally came out and announced their intentions to their friends and family.

Sweetie Belle suddenly looked up to Twilight and tugged gently on her to get her attention.
“Um … Twilight?” she asked.
“Yes, Sweetie Belle?”
“Does this mean I’m a Princess now?”
“I don’t know” she replied with a gentle giggle, “Isn’t it enough to say that you’ve now officially got two Princesses as sisters?”

She was just about to press Twilight further on this point, when she noticed that Luna was looking in their direction and beckoning her over. She made a quick apology and in a flash had joined the happy couple as they moved apart just enough to allow a little filly between them.
“This could not have happened without you too” said Luna, welcoming her as the third member of their new family, "Happy Hearth's Warming, little sister."

Author's Note

Happy Hearth's Warming everypony

:ajsmug: :yay: :pinkiehappy: :raritywink: :twilightsmile: :rainbowlaugh: