Magic of the Heart

by Pegasus Rescue Brigade

Rating: teen
Tags: Derpy Hooves, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sparkler, Dinky Hooves, Romance, Sex, Pipsqueak, Adventure
Length: 338957

In the final installment of the "Shipping and Handling" trilogy, Ditzy and Dinky once again wind up in the center of one of the greatest trials Equestria has ever faced.

A few years have passed since the events of Hocus Pocus, and the lives of Ditzy Doo and her daughter Dinky have never been more exciting. Dinky's final year of study at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns is about to begin, and Ditzy's relationship with her coworker, Autumn Breeze, has blossomed into a beautiful partnership.

But when a figure from both ponies' past reappears, events quickly escalate out of control, and soon, Ditzy and Dinky find themselves wrapped up in what may be the greatest crisis Equestria has ever faced.

In this final chapter of the Shipping and Handling trilogy, two ponies learn about the greatest magic of all.

(Excluding the prologue and epilogue, takes place 3+ years after Hocus Pocus, and between seasons 8 and 9 of canon MLP.)

Published 2019-08-31 16:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2021-01-31 23:00:03 UTC

Chapter 1

Author's Note

CHRONOLOGY INFORMATION:
Excluding the prologue and epilogue, this story takes place between seasons 8 and 9.
That means the School of Friendship, and all canon events before that, have happened, but Twilight has not yet been asked to rule Equestria and the Grogar arc has not yet begun.

Chapter 1

The freshly fallen December snow that blanketed the Everfree Forest never stayed pristine for long. Even in winter, all manner of woodland creatures, both great and small, scurried and shuffled along the ground and clambered through the snow-laden pine boughs. Every manner of mark, from the smallest mouse's footprint to the largest manticore track, crisscrossed in a dizzying maze around the forest floor.

It was, however, quite unusual to see hoofprints in the snow, except perhaps on the somewhat-cleared forest pathway leading to the Castle of the Two Sisters. While the Everfree was perhaps not considered quite as dangerous as it once had been, most ponies still typically gave the forest a wide berth.

If anypony had been around to see it, they may have thought it a bit strange to see multiple sets of hoofprints, clearly belonging to a team of several ponies, snaking through the snow and disappearing into those sinister trees.

On a hillside deep in the woods, a determined young unicorn mare trudged through the wintry terrain, seeking a high point to get a view above the Everfree's thick canopy. Bits of melting snow that had fallen from the branches drew cold, wet lines along her grey coat, but she hardly seemed to mind. Cantering to the top of the rise, she stood looking out at the forest and the quaint buildings of Ponyville, barely visible a bit further beyond the trees. Her messy, light blue mane whipped about in the winter wind, but she paid no attention to it. A small golden hair clip, embedded with a shimmering pink gem, kept her windblown locks out of at least one of her eyes.

"Clarity! Please, wait up!"

Clarity turned from her vantage point and looked back down the hill. "I'm just getting a look at where we are," she called back. "Take your time, I'll wait right here."

There was some shuffling in the brush below, and then another young mare emerged from the trees. In contrast to Clarity's stronger, slightly stocky build, the other pony's frame was much leaner and more effeminate, which seemed to be making it a bit harder for her to push through the snow-covered underbrush. With a little gasp of surprise, she stumbled into the clearing and onto the hillside, barely managing to keep her footing.

Clarity frowned. "You okay there, Honeydew?"

Honeydew nodded and paused to shake the snow off her pastel pink coat. Her mane, the same shade of light green as the fruit that was her namesake, save for the stripe of white running through it, was threatening to fall out of its usual neatly-tied buns. She plodded up the hill, panting slightly as she came to stand beside her friend. A star sapphire, affixed to the silver ring near the end of her braided tail, glinted in the unobstructed afternoon sun.

"This isn't working," she said sourly, earning a curious look from Clarity. "We should meet up with the others and get back to town."

"Aw, you think so?" Clarity asked. "You were the one who wanted to go out today to gather some of the plants you needed for your research with Professor Chestnut."

"Yes, and I found several of them," Honeydew reminded her, patting her saddlebag. "But we haven't found any of the remaining species yet, and it's cold, and this forest gives me the creeps."

"It does?" Clarity replied, chuckling slightly. "Isn't nature supposed to be your thing?"

"It is," Honeydew admitted, glancing at her cutie mark, a green leaf overlaid with a gold star. "It's just this forest I don't like. I feel like something's gonna jump out and try to eat me any time now."

Clarity's chuckle grew into a laugh. "Come on, Dinky said it would be fine," she reassured her. "We've been out here all day and nothing's tried to eat you."

"Yet," Honeydew replied dryly. "And you and I both know Dinky's definition of 'perfectly safe' is a little different than ours."

Clarity gave in. "Well, let's go round up the others and let them know we're ready to head back. And don't worry, even if something bad does happen, Dinky's around here somewhere and, well... let's be honest, nothing in this forest is scarier than she can be when she really wants to."

Honeydew chuckled and started to follow her friend down the slope. They'd scarcely reached the bottom when the sound of something moving frantically through the undergrowth reached them. A few seconds later, a brown unicorn with a short, unkempt tan mane burst through the hanging vines, panting hard. His horn was glowing with slate blue energy.

"Scuffle?" Honeydew asked. "What's wrong?"

"Uhh, we kinda sorta have a slight problem..." Scuffle managed between gasps. "I may have accidentally woken up one of the grumpier forest creatures while I was poking around for those plants..."

A thundering roar shook the snow from the nearby trees, and Scuffle scampered over to stand with his friends. Honeydew sighed and looked at Clarity nervously.

"So remember what I said about the whole 'getting eaten' thing?"

"Relax, we got this," Clarity replied, cinnamon red bursting to life around her own horn. "Scuffle and I know some battle magic, and you've got a couple tricks of your own."

Before Honeydew could reply, Scuffle's pursuer came into view. A towering, translucent, blue-furred beast pushed down a tree as effortlessly as a pony might shove aside a branch, snarling as it approached the trio. Spots of white glimmered on its coat like constellations, which shone brighter each time it roared.

"An ursa minor!?" Clarity gasped, backing up a few paces. "Really Scuffle? I figured you meant something like a Timberwolf, or even a Manticore, but..."

Rather than reply, Scuffle erected a glowing blue shield around the three of them. The magical dome shimmered like glass, but it held firm even when the ursa minor charged into it. It wasn't surprising that the spell could take some heavy damage; Scuffle, as his iron cage cutie mark reminded those around him, had grown into a true expert in the field of shields, traps, and other defensive magic.

"Alright Clarity, get some attack spells ready," the young stallion ordered, taking care not to break his concentration. "I'll cover you. Dewey, you just do your thing; I'm sure that big blowhard won't like it when the forest itself starts fighting back."

The two fillies nodded. Clarity lowered her head as a low hum started to pulse from her glowing horn. Honeydew's pale green magic flared to life as well, though there wasn't any immediately apparent effect.

"Alright, let's scare this thing off!" Scuffle yelled, wincing slightly as the ethereal bear hammered its paws against the shield again. "Ready Clarity? Aim, and..."

A round opening appeared in the barrier, giving Clarity a clear shot at the raging bear.

"Fire!"

A bolt of red lightning blasted from Clarity's horn, rocketing through the opening and striking the ursa minor. Scuffle closed the shield again immediately. The three ponies watched the great bear shake its head in discomfort, trying to dispel the stunning spell. Unfortunately, rather than backing off, it threw itself at the shield again with renewed fury. Scuffle cringed as a long, narrow crack appeared on the surface of the magical dome.

"Dewey, you got a connection with that big tree yet?" he asked nervously.

Honeydew's horn and tail ring both glowed brightly as she concentrated. After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes.

"Ready."

"Then do it!" Scuffle urged. "I can't hold it back much longer!"

The cone of light around Honeydew's horn grew, and suddenly, the forest itself seemed to come alive. Roots burst from the ground and branches reached down from above. Before the beast knew what was happening, it was quickly being pinned down by the tree's onslaught.

"All right!" Scuffle yelled. "By Luna, you're getting good at that spell, Dewey!"

"That's seriously impressive," Clarity added.

"Um, don't celebrate just yet..." Honeydew squeaked, a look of panic creeping over her face.

Clarity and Scuffle wheeled around just in time to see the furious bear's struggles snap a few of the roots. With a roar, it rolled to one side, the sheer force of the movement uprooting the entire tree and sending is crashing into another one. With its connection to the earth broken, it immediately ceased to respond to Honeydew's spell, and it just moments, the ursa was back on its feet, clawing and hammering at Scuffle's weakening barrier.

"Um, Clarity," Scuffle started, trying to maintain some semblance of calm as the bear's latest blow sent a spider web of cracks through the shield just inches from his face, "got any ideas here? 'Cause we kinda need one. Now."

Clarity opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly, she stopped. A big grin slowly spread across her face.

"C-Clarity?" Honeydew asked, shaking.

"Don't worry, guys," Clarity announced, pointing to the gem in her hair clip. "This little enchantment says the cavalry's on its way! And it should be here in three... two... one..."

A loud crackle of energy from nearby made all three ponies jump. The sound was a bit like the lightning bolt Clarity had conjured just moments before, but somehow sharper and more jarring. The sound grew, and suddenly, a bolt of writhing blackness shot through the forest. It passed straight through the trunk of a tree, sending splinters of bark flying in all directions and leaving a clean-cut, smoldering hole, before striking the ground just inches from the ursa minor, instantly melting all the snow for half a pony length around the point of impact and charring the grass beneath. Surprised, the monstrous bear turned to face whatever had assaulted it.

A smoky, churning darkness grew atop a mound a few pony-lengths away. After a moment, a forehoof, covered in deep purple fur like the sky on the verge of night, stepped out from within it. Another hoof followed, and out strode something resembling a unicorn. It took only a passing glance to determine that this, however, was no unicorn. Not quite, anyway.

The newcomer's mane and tail, neither fully hair nor fully smoke, swirled and churned of their own accord, jet black like the darkness from which the creature had emerged. Its eyes had slit-like pupils and glowed yellow from within the darkness of their sockets, and were surrounded by a violet mist, snaking off them in wisps before vanishing into the air. Its horn was quite unlike that of a unicorn; lacking the typical spiral groove entirely, it curved backward a bit as it rose from its owner's forehead, rather than sticking straight out like those of the three ponies nearby. More importantly, the horn was surrounded with an angry aura of black and purple, humming and sparking threateningly as if trying to escape and consume everything around it.

The frightening creature lowered its head. "Next time I won't miss," it hissed, glaring at the ursa.

The bear issued a low growl and took a step toward its attacker. The newcomer's response was immediate; darkness billowed from its extremities and the evil-looking aura upon its horn grew.

"Don't," it commanded the beast, baring its fangs. "Get out of here. Now."

The ursa minor took a single step back, staring at its oppressor uncertainly.

"I said now!" the creature demanded, its hissing voice suddenly magically amplified. The darkness upon its horn grew so much that the bare branches above began to contort, shying away from the corrupt energy.

Finally realizing the extent of the threat it was facing, the ursa minor gave a dissatisfied grunt and turned tail, lumbering away into the forest.

For a few moments, the only sound was that of the bear disappearing into the distance. Eventually, the dark creature turned its head, its piercing eyes coming to rest on the three ponies still contained in what was left of the shield.

Scuffle's magic flickered out. Instead of fleeing in fear, Clarity trotted right up to the strange monster, rolling her eyes.

"Thanks, Dinky, but jeez, a little dramatic, don't you think?"

All at once, the churning black energy on the creature's horn ceased. Almost instantly, its body dissolved completely back into lightless black smoke. Only a second or two later, it coalesced back into a solid form, but this one was utterly unlike the one that had stood there just a moment before. Now, a unicorn mare in her late teens, with a lilac coat and cheerful golden mane tied back in a ponytail, stood atop the earthen mound instead. All traces of the smoky blackness vanished in a heartbeat.

"Dramatic was kind of the point, though," Dinky countered, stepping down to stand beside her friend. "I didn't want to actually hurt the thing if I didn't have to. Fortunately it was smart enough to back down when it realized it was facing an angry wraith."

Clarity chuckled. "I guess that's fair. It's not like anypony's out here to see you in that form anyway, save for us."

"You spoiled my big entrance though!" Dinky complained, pretending to be annoyed. "Swooping in to save the day loses a little 'oomph' when your magic hair clip lets you know in advance that I'm on my way."

The two fillies shared a laugh.

"Eh, we totally had that thing on the ropes anyway, Clarity," Scuffle declared, puffing out his chest and smirking. "Dinky just showed up to steal the glory like always."

It was Dinky's turn to roll her eyes. Scuffle trotted over to her and patted her on the back with a forehoof.

"But for real though, you saved all our rears back there. Thanks, Dinks."

"You always seem to be able to get us out of trouble when it really matters," Honeydew admitted. "Of course, you're, um, usually the one who gets us into trouble in the first place, but..."

Dinky laughed as her meek friend managed a weak smile. "I guess that's true," she chuckled. "Even mom says I've become a bit of a magnet for trouble."

"Maybe, but we love you anyway!" Clarity reassured her. "Now how about the four of us get back to Ponyville? I'm beat."

Dinky's three friends turned back to the trail, lighting their horns to counter the fading light as the sun set. Dinky's own horn sparked briefly, letting a few final black sparks loose before her more standard yellow magic burst forth and surrounded her own horn. Smiling, she followed her friends into the trees again.

As the ponies walked and chatted together, Dinky couldn't help but feel a wave of appreciation for her friends. After all, the four of them had been through some incredible trials together since meeting. In their first term at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns, an evil entity masquerading as a colt had tricked Dinky into aiding him with his sinister plans. Unwittingly, she'd helped him resurrect Scorpio, a member of the ancient zodiac and master of dark magic. With the help of her friends and family, they'd managed to seal the villain away back in the stars, but not before Scorpio's dark magic had consumed Dinky's body entirely, leaving behind a shadowy creature known as a wraith.

Normally, such a creature would be a malicious, scheming enemy of Equestria's peace and harmony. Dinky, however, had resisted her gradual corruption for its entire duration, and the strength of her character and heart had preserved her original personality even after her pony form was lost. Even her cutie mark reflected that fact; a ring of tiny dark stars surrounding a much larger yellow one decorated her flank, a proud reminder that the spirit of a pony with a heart of gold lived on inside a body made of darkness.

Through this and all the trials since, though, Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle had remained by her side throughout their years at the Academy. Concealing the fact that beneath her pony disguise she was now one of the most hated and feared types of creature in Equestria, was a far easier burden to bear with her loyal classmates lending a helping hoof. She did, however, have to be exceptionally careful with her use of dark magic; while the princesses themselves believed that Dinky would be able to use the black, corrupted magic for good, it didn't change the fact that it could be a dangerous tool that she had to wield with utmost caution, especially since doing so would risk exposing her true form to the unknowing ponies all around her.

A pony fell into step beside her, bringing her out of her moment of introspection. While Clarity and Honeydew chattered away a few paces ahead, Scuffle had fallen back to walk with her.

"You good, Dinks? You've been quiet for a couple minutes."

Dinky smiled. "I'm just fine," she reassured the colt. "Just thinking about the Academy and the adventures we've had there."

"Ugh, I don't wanna think about school," Scuffle grumbled. "It's not even Hearth's Warming, Dinky. We have more than two months yet until our fifth term begins."

"Yeah..." Dinky admitted. "I just can't believe this is gonna be our last term already. Time sure does fly, huh?"

Scuffle shrugged, glancing around at the gradually thinning trees. "I guess," he eventually agreed. "But hey, that's why we spent last year's winter break at Clarity's place in Whinnychester, and this one here in Ponyville with you. Might as well get our kicks while we can, you know?"

Dinky nodded, and then it was Scuffle's turn to lapse into a few moments of silence. Dinky followed his gaze. Unsurprisingly, his eyes were locked on the pink unicorn a few pony-lengths ahead, still engaged in her conversation with Clarity.

"...Speaking of doing stuff while we can, though..." she continued hesitantly, "...shouldn't you, you know, hurry up and tell Honeydew something? Something important?"

"I'll get to it," mumbled Scuffle gruffly, avoiding Dinky's gaze.

Dinky sighed. "Scuffle, it's been three years. You've had feelings for Honeydew since the end of our first term. We just finished our fourth. You really ought to say something to her one of these days."

Scuffle opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment, Clarity turned around, beckoning to the two ponies trailing behind.

"Come on, you two! Ponyville's just ahead. "Let's go relax at Dinky's place and warm up."

"Coming!" Scuffle called back, trotting quickly ahead. "And Dinks, We'll talk about it later, don't you worry."

Dinky smiled slightly. "Alright. We'll put it on hold for now."

Scuffle took off, and a moment later, Dinky joined in, cantering after her three friends.

On the other side of town, Ditzy Doo, a grey pegasus mare with unique eyes that never quite pointed the same way, smiled at the quiet clinking of bits, jingling in their pouch with each flap of her wings. It was not out of greed, of course; having lived on the verge of poverty for much of her life, having some extra spending money was a luxury she never took for granted. It was more because the sound, to her, was an indication of a job well done, a satisfied pony thanking her for helping them with their relationship.

Bits, some ponies might argue, were hardly valuable enough to repay such a service, but the pegasus carrying them didn't seem to mind. After all, that's how things worked at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services.

Ditzy carefully landed in front of the workplace, remembering the very first time she had come here. Back then, she'd just lost her job as a delivery pony, and desperate for income, she'd accidentally accepted a position at a different kind of "shipping" company. It hadn't taken long for her to realize, though, that she had real talent as a pony matchmaker, and the whole experience had netted her a few close friends, more than enough bits to support her small family, and a new coltfriend, the strong and compassionate red pegasus, Autumn Breeze. The only trouble she'd ever faced at work came in the form of a certain blue and teal unicorn, but she was now just a distant memory.

Ditzy merrily trotted into the unimpressive building that she'd come to adore so much. On her way down the hall, she stopped by a small office, its door slightly ajar.

"Hey Doc, the assignment was a success," she chirped.

Dr. Candyfloss, the aging unicorn CEO of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services who sat within, smiled at the news. The old stallion looked much as he did they day Ditzy had met him, from his airy, flyaway mane to his neatly tied bow tie.

"Excellent, Ditzy," he replied, with a twinkle in his silvery eyes. "I do believe you're approaching another milestone in the total number of successes in your career here, you know. Considering you've been here just over five years, you've reached a rather astronomical number."

Ditzy blushed. "Aw, you know I don't care about the numbers, Doctor Candyfloss," she reminded him. "I get paid to make ponies' dreams a reality! I don't really need more than that."

"And that, perhaps, is why you're my best employee," her boss replied, his wispy magenta mane swaying as he nodded. "Now feel free to take a moment to catch up with the others upstairs. I'll be up shortly to say some final words before the holiday."

Ditzy nodded shut the door to Candyfloss's office, trotting up the stairs to the employee lounge. The sound of two voices echoed from above, though one voice was rather more enthusiastic than the other.

The mare poked her head into the lounge to see two stallions seated on the couches there. A white pegasus in a green beret wearing a bewildered expression sat on one side, while a loud, animated earth pony told some sort of story with a far-greater-than-necessary amount of gesticulation from the other.

"Hi guys," Ditzy interrupted. "What did I walk in on?"

In an instant, the earth pony shot off the couch with supernatural speed, stopping on a dime about two inches from Ditzy's face. Thoroughly used to it at this point, she didn't even flinch, instead just cracking a smile at the jittery bright yellow stallion in front of her.

"Not much at all!" the earth pony announced, shaking his head quickly, which caused a tiny arc of electricity to dance through his spiky brown mane. "I was just talking about my latest assignment! But I can get back to that in a minute. How are you, Ditzy?"

Ditzy chuckled. "I'm fine, Watt. Glad to see you're as chipper as always."

Kilowatt Hour, or Watt to his friends, was Ponyville's only electrician, as well as Ditzy's coworker and long-time friend at the shipping company. Bursting with what was probably a rather unhealthy amount of electrical energy at all times, his speed and enthusiasm took some getting used to, but after five years, Ditzy barely paid it a second thought.

"Erm, Watt," came an accented voice from the couch nearby, "perhaps you should step back a bit. It's a bit hard for Ditzy to get through the door with you standing directly in front of her."

Watt finally seemed to realize how far into Ditzy's personal space he had encroached. "Right you are, Cloudcover!" he agreed, quickly backing off. "Sorry 'bout that, Ditzy."

"No worries," Ditzy replied casually as she trotted over to greet her other friend.

In contrast to Watt, Cloudcover was a rather calm and down-to-earth pegasus. The most senior member of the Equestria Speedy Shipping Services staff besides Dr. Candyfloss, Ditzy had always considered him a great pony to turn to, not just for advice about their job, but about life in general. She'd been seeing quite a bit more of Cloudcover outside of work in recent years, too, ever since his nephew Pipsqueak had become Dinky's coltfriend.

"Ditzy, old girl, good to see you," Cloudcover greeted in his Trottingham accent. "Watt here was just telling me all about a rather unusual assignment he just finished."

"I got sent to Cloudsdale!" Watt announced, pointing to the ceiling as if to point out where Cloudsdale was located. "Considering three pegasi work here, that seems kinda strange, but you know the boss! Sometimes he just knows which pony is right for the job, and this time, it was me!"

"Fortunately, Pinkie Pie was more than happy to let him borrow the hot air balloon she uses to make her occasional trips to Yakyakistan," Cloudcover cut in. "I imagine an earth pony might have had a spot of difficulty with the task otherwise, even when that earth pony is somepony like Watt."

"I can't fly," Watt declared. "Usually."

Ditzy changed the subject. Sometimes, with Watt, that was the best option.

"Anyway, where's Breeze?"

"He should be back any second," Cloudcover said after a glance at the clock. "He's finished his assignment for the day, but if I recall, he had a short errand to run."

As if on cue, there was a clatter of hoofsteps in the stairwell, and Autumn Breeze stepped into the room. He was windswept and looked a bit worn out, but he smiled broadly when he saw Ditzy was present.

"There's my favorite mare," the red pegasus greeted, walking up and nuzzling her softly. "Everything go okay today?"

"Yup!" Ditzy replied happily. "And I'm glad you're back. I wanted to ask the three of you something once you were all here."

Breeze flopped down on the nearby couch. "Sure, what's up?"

"We're all ears," Watt affirmed.

Ditzy hovered a few feet off the ground to address the assembled ponies all at once. "So, the renovations on my cottage are finally done," she announced. "Mr. Hard Hat cleared away the last of the debris just yesterday. It's taken me a long time to save up for it, but it's amazing to finally see that run-down little shack looking like I always wished it could."

"That's wonderful, Ditzy," Cloudcover congratulated. "I seem to recall you were kind enough to house Dinky's little school friends for the winter break this year; I'm sure they appreciate the extra space."

Ditzy nodded. "The renovations were the main reason I agreed," she admitted. "Cooping myself and four teens up in the cottage together would've been a nightmare otherwise."

Breeze chuckled. "I imagine it still might be," he said with a wry grin. "Don't forget, Cloudcover, all four of them are students at a prestigious magic academy. Can you imagine putting four unicorns with that much power and skill in one place?"

"And they're teenagers," Watt added. "Which is probably a bigger contributor than the whole 'being magical prodigies' thing."

"Believe me, I don't need reminding," Ditzy grumbled, swiveling one eye up to glance at the first strands of grey appearing in her sunny mane. "Honeydew's really well-behaved, but Clarity and Scuffle are pretty exuberant ponies, and Dinky..."

"Has a reckless streak a mile long?" Breeze finished.

"Well, yeah."

"Comes with the territory I suppose," Cloudcover observed. "If I recall, Princess Celestia did say that Dinky's personality wouldn't change, but she might develop a bit of a short fuse and more than a little impulsiveness."

Ditzy grinned. "Well, to be completely honest, I still haven't really figured out how much of that is because she's a wraith and how much is just because she's almost eighteen," she giggled. "But I'm getting off topic. I mentioned the renovations on the cottage for a reason. Hearth's Warming is in just two days, and so I'm holding a Hearth's Warming Housewarming! I'd love it if all three of you would join me, Dinky, and her friends for a holiday party to celebrate our newly finished home. Oh, and any housewarming gifts would double as Hearth's Warming ones, of course; it'd be rude to expect two!"

"I'm so there!" Watt cried, vibrating with excitement. "Pinkie's gotta spend Hearth's Warming in Canterlot anyway, so this'll be the perfect way to spend the day."

"I'd love to come," Cloudcover added, "as long as you don't think Pip will feel I'm... how do the foals say it? Cramping his style?"

"Pip adores you, Cloudcover," Ditzy reminded him. "So does Dinky, for that matter. She never would've even known about Celestia's Academy until it was too late to apply if it wasn't for you, remember?"

Cloudcover smiled. "Right you are," he agreed. "I'd be delighted to attend, Ditzy."

Ditzy turned to Breeze. "And you as well?"

"I haven't missed a Hearth's Warming with you in years," Breeze replied, "and I'm sure not gonna miss this one either."

Ditzy smiled warmly. "Then that just leaves..."

There was a quiet cough from the hall, and everypony turned to see Dr. Candyfloss standing in the doorway. The unicorn had a habit of appearing unexpectedly, his presence unknown until he spoke up.

"Dr. Candyfloss!" Ditzy finished, smiling. "Would you like to come to my Hearth's Warming Housewarming this holiday?"

Candyfloss smiled cordially. "It's so kind of you to offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline," he admitted. "Love never sleeps, especially on days like Hearth's Warming. You'll all have the day off of course, but the work of a pony like me with a special talent for matchmaking is never quite complete. I'll be a bit preoccupied making sure a few blossoming relationships around Equestria get that final push they need to truly bloom. But please, you four have a lovely time. No need to hold back on my account."

Ditzy nodded, her eyes focusing together on the unicorn for a second or two. "I understand. I hope you have a great Hearth's Warming, though."

"I always do," Candyfloss assured her, pausing to adjust his bowtie. "Nothing makes an old pony like me happier than seeing true love take flight. In that sense, every day is a holiday."

Ditzy and the other shippers smiled at the boss's usual enigmatic positivity.

"Now, one final order of business before you all leave," Candyfloss continued, levitating his clipboard up to his face. "As I'm sure you're all already aware, you have the next two days off. I'll expect you all back here the day after Hearth's Warming for your usual shift. We've had a very successful year, so to show my appreciation, please drop by my office on the way out; I have a small bonus for all of you. Oh, and please enjoy the short break, and may we all have a healthy, happy, and heartwarming holiday."

Candyfloss was quickly surrounded by thankful employees. One more round of goodbyes and well-wishes later, Ditzy took to the evening skies, ready to prepare for what she hoped would be the best Hearth's Warming in years.

The door to the cottage swung open, and four unicorns trotted inside, each shaking the snow from their coats in turn.

"Looks like mom's not home yet," Dinky observed. "It's almost sunset, so I can't imagine she'll be long."

"Let's head to one of the cafés in Ponyville for dinner, then," Clarity suggested. "Mrs. Doo will probably have a lot of work to do preparing for Hearth's Warming anyway."

"Cool, wake me up when we're doing that," Scuffle grunted, flopping down on the couch. "I'm gonna pass out for a minute, since, you know, we were just fighting for our lives like an hour ago. Wears a pony out, believe it or not."

Dinky was about to agree with him, but was quickly distracted when she noticed a note in her mother's hoofwriting sitting atop a stack of envelopes.

"Hey, there's mail for us," she called to her friends. "Mom left a note about it here. The envelopes have the Academy's seal on them."

Honeydew stepped up next to Dinky, peering over the envelopes. "Our class schedules, maybe?" she theorized.

An aura of blue surrounded one of the envelopes, and it levitated over to Scuffle, who clearly had no intention to get off the couch. He tore it open and unfolded the long paper inside. "Dewey's right on the money," he reported. "It's the whole lineup for the upcoming term."

Curiously, Dinky opened her schedule. A few familiar classes were the first to catch her eye; she had Magical Biology again, as well as Transformation and Conjuring. A grin spread across her face when she spotted Advanced Enchantments printed on the schedule as well. Enchantments had always been her favorite field of magic, and she couldn't hide how much she was looking forward to learning to apply some truly powerful ones.

"Heck yeah, Magical Combat!" Scuffle cried from the couch. "Man, I've been waiting to take that class since the day I first stepped into that school."

Honeydew scrunched up her nose. "You have fun with that," she grumbled. "I took Elementary Battle Magic with you three last year because it was a required course, and that was quite enough of that."

"I will have fun with it, thank you very much," Scuffle affirmed, waving the schedule around in his aura. "It's one thing to learn how to cast a combat spell. It's another to learn how to use them to duel. Dinks, tell me you have Magical Combat this year at least."

"I do, actually," Dinky confirmed. "You know, for when we wind up in bad situations that actually involve other ponies. The ones I can't just dark magic my way out of."

"I took it too," Clarity admitted.

Honeydew smirked. "I figured. Don't worry, I'm sure I can find a way to keep busy while you three are in class. Professor Chestnut almost always has something for me to do anyway."

Dinky lowered her schedule to the table, and was about to turn away when something else caught her eye.

"Wait, Clarity, there's a second letter from the Academy here for you."

"Clearly an expulsion notice," Scuffle joked, rolling onto his back on the cushions.

Clarity trotted over, cocking her head as she examined the second envelope. Curiously, she tore it open, pulling a personalized, horn-written letter from within. Her red eyes darted left and right as she quickly read it. Suddenly, she gasped, nearly letting the paper fall from her aura.

"Is everything ok?" Honeydew squeaked, eyeing the letter suspiciously.

"Did you actually get expelled?" Scuffle chimed in.

"No, it's..." Clarity began, her voice shaking slightly. "W-well, here, let me just read it to you..."

Dinky peered over Clarity's shoulder at the delicate writing as the filly read aloud.

To the esteemed Miss Clarity,

Here at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns, we take great pride in a number of exemplary qualities that we all hope our students will display. There is, of course, great value in intelligence and magical aptitude, and we strive never to overlook leadership, kindness, enthusiasm, and careful decision making. And it should go without saying that having a well-oriented moral compass is essential. We hope to see these qualities most of all in our fifth-term students, who serve as role models to the underclassmen. The entire staff at the Academy extends their most sincere of praises to you for serving as a shining example of all of the above traits for these past four years.

Therefore, when it came time to make an important choice about our senior students this year, the outcome was obvious. It is with our heartiest congratulations that the staff of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns has decided to deem you this term's female Student Overseer. Another letter will be arriving after the holiday with further information about your new duties during the coming year. We know you'll be the perfect pony to guide your fellow students in their pursuit of both moral and magical excellence.

Congratulations again, and have a very happy Hearth's Warming,
Dean Spiral Script
Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns

"Heck yeah," Scuffle cheered, leaping to his hooves. "Clarity's the fillies' Overseer? Think of all the stuff we'll be able to get away with!"

"I'm... the Overseer?" Clarity managed, ignoring Scuffle entirely. "But how? Why?"

"Cause you're good at everything, Clarity!" Dinky said brightly, patting her friend on the back. "The Dean isn't just making things up, you know. You're the only pony I know who has every one of those qualities she talked about. I really can't think of a better choice."

"You'll be wonderful," Honeydew assured her, joining Dinky in leaning against the stunned filly. "I think having a pony like you in charge in the dorms is the best way to make for a safe and comfortable year."

Clarity blushed. "Y-you girls are too nice, you know that?" she asked, spreading her forelegs wide to pull them both into a hug. "It's gonna be a huge responsibility though. Not even my sister Lucid was Overseer in her fifth year."

"Some ponies are real good with responsibility, though," Scuffle chimed in, trotting over to the three fillies. "You're one of 'em, Clarity. You've sorta been the unofficial leader of our little friend group since we were in our first term. All you gotta do now is extend that leadership to cover half the students in the school. Piece of cake."

"Don't forget, you'll be able to collaborate with the male Overseer on everything, too," Honeydew reminded her. "I'm sure the two of you will be able to make everything run smoothly."

"Unless it's somepony like me," Scuffle snickered as he picked up his own envelope again. "But the staff at the Academy isn't stupid enough to... to... hang on a sec..."

Scuffle fiddled with his envelope for a moment, and peeled away a second envelope that had been stuck to the first by some residue left over from the post office. He exchanged a panicked glance with his friends before tearing it open and reading it aloud.

To the most respectable Mr. Scuffle,

It has come to my attention that you did not return your copy of the advanced transformation textbook lent to you this past term. Please return it to me when the new term begins or the Academy will be forced to charge you seventy-five bits for its replacement.

Regards,
Professor Flux
Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns

Scuffle blinked, and the fillies around him burst into laughter. The colt just snorted.

"Like I was saying, there are definitely some better choices for male Overseer," he finished, tossing the letter aside. "Whoever it is, Clarity, I'm sure you'll be able to count on them. Now come on, let's stop standing around here and go get some food already. I need a hayburger."

"Sure," Dinky agreed, quietly glad that the incident with Scuffle had helped break Clarity's initial tense mood. She led her friends out into town for a well-deserved meal.

~Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again~

It was the following afternoon, and Ditzy Doo sang a popular holiday carol as she fluttered around her home, merrily cleaning and hanging decorations. With the Hearth's Warming Housewarming barely 24 hours away, and a much bigger cottage than she was used to to tidy up, she had her work cut out for her. Yet despite the work ahead, she didn't seem concerned. After all, Breeze would be over to join her for dinner, and help with the last of the preparations.

The mare's ears stood on end as the sound of a hoof rapping at the door reached them. That must be Breeze now.

Still humming softly, Ditzy pulled open the front door, only to find an entirely different pony on the other side. Specifically, a rather familiar pinto earth pony.

"Oh! Hello, Pipsqueak."

Cloudcover's nephew Pipsqueak used to be one of the smallest colts in Ponyville, but some ponies change a lot as they grow up, and if Ditzy hadn't watched Pip grow alongside Dinky, she'd have hardly believed he was the same pony. His name was now more ironic than anything else; between a hoofful of growth spurts in his teens, and the typical earth pony penchant for physical size and strength, the strapping young stallion was now noticeably bigger than even Dinky's male schoolmate Scuffle.

"Wotcha, Mrs. Doo," Pip greeted in his usual Trottingham slang. "Dinky asked me to drop by today. Is she home?"

"She's in the den with her friends," Ditzy replied. "Hold on, I'll go get her."

"No need," came Dinky's voice, as the filly trotted into the foyer. "And hi Pip! Happy Hearth's Warming!"

"Same to you," Pipsqueak replied, hugging her briefly. "I've been so busy with my new job, I was starting to wonder when we'd get to see each other for more than a few minutes."

The three other unicorns emerged from the den a moment later, and Ditzy backed off a few paces to make some room in the quickly crowded foyer.

"'Ey, it's Pip," Scuffle greeted, hoof-bumping the other colt. "It's been a while."

"It sure has," Pip replied. "And Clarity, Honeydew, good to see you both too, of course."

Honeydew nodded politely, but Clarity unabashedly gave Pip the once-over. "Wow, Dinky was right," she chuckled, grinning mischievously. "She's always talking about how macho you look these days, but I didn't quite believe her."

Dinky snorted. "Hush, Clarity."

The five ponies talked and laughed as they made their way back down the hall together. Ditzy chuckled quietly to herself as well.

I'm so glad that Dinky has so many close friends, she thought, letting a smile creep across her face. I've always given her everything I can, but being surrounded with other ponies that care for her, well... I always hoped things would be like this for my little muffin someday.

Another knock at the door shook her out of her thoughts. Returning to the now-empty foyer, she opened it this time to find the pony she'd been expecting.

"Hi Breeze!"

"Somepony's cheerful today," Breeze observed, shaking a bit of snow off his wings before tucking them at his sides. "Dinky and her friends have been giving you some peace every now and then, I guess?"

Ditzy waved the comment off. "They haven't been home much, to be honest," she admitted. "Dinky and Pip grew up here, but for the others, Ponyville is a foreign place. They've all been eager to explore, though they'll probably settle down a bit after the holiday."

Breeze nodded. "Well, while they're keeping themselves busy, let's take advantage of the quiet and have something to eat. I'm starved."

Ditzy's stomach growled in agreement. "I have some stew simmering in the kitchen," she informed him. "Come on, let's have some."

The mare trotted from the foyer. Breeze set his saddlebags down, and flipped one open with a wing. Looking left and right to make sure he was now alone, he withdrew a small box, briefly glanced inside, smiled, and returned it to the depths of his bags.

"This is going to be one heck of a Hearth's Warming..." he chuckled to himself as he followed his marefriend into the kitchen.

Luna's moon hung in the clear night sky, illuminating the snow with bright white, contrasting the warm yellow glow from the windows of the Doo cottage. The back door of the quaint home opened, and two ponies trotted outside.

"Thanks for spending the day, Pip," Dinky said softly, keeping close to her coltfriend for warmth in the winter air. "I know I'll see you again tomorrow at the party, but it's nice to spend time doing something a little more low-key, you know?"

"Of course," Pipsqueak agreed. "Besides, before you know it, you'll be off to the academy again, so we might as well try to spend time together before that, right?"

"Right," Dinky affirmed. "I just hope you've been getting along okay with Clarity, Scuffle, and Honeydew."

"'Course I have," Pip said with a smile, glancing up at the illuminated second-story window into the room where Dinky's friends were getting ready for bed. "They're good sorts, those three. But I wouldn't expect anything less if they're friends of somepony like you."

There was a pause. The two ponies stood in silence, huddled together, gazing at the undisturbed snow.

"Listen, Dinky..." Pip continued. "There's something else I need to talk to you about..."

Dinky looked up at the colt, curious. "Okay, what's up?"

"Well, I've been talking to my uncle, and..."

He trailed off. After a moment, he turned and gave Dinky an apologetic smile.

"You know, perhaps that's best saved for after the holiday," he admitted, looking a bit embarrassed. "I should probably nail down the last of the details first."

Dinky frowned. "Well great, now you just have me worried."

Pip leaned down and nuzzled Dinky affectionately, earning a quiet, content sigh from the young mare. "There's nothing to worry about," he assured her. "No matter what, we'll always be there for each other, right?"

Dinky pretended to think about it. "Well, considering you were right there by my side even after I turned into a wraith, helping me save Equestria from a megalomaniacal dark arch-mage that could've killed us all in an instant, I guess I can believe that," she said with a sly grin.

Pipsqueak laughed. "Good, because it's true," he insisted. "Now, I've got to get home. Get a good night's sleep, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

Dinky nodded, snuggling into Pip's side for a moment as he draped a foreleg over her in a quick hug, and then stepped aside and watched him trot off into the night.

By the time he'd disappeared from view, the filly was already beginning to shiver. She turned to make her way back into the cottage, but she'd hardly taken a step when a quiet sound came from behind her. Her ears perked up, listening. There was a few flaps of wings, followed by the crunch of hooves alighting on the snow.

"Who's there?" she asked, whirling around and flooding the yard with yellow light from her horn.

A red pegasus squinted in the face of the illumination spell. "Don't worry kiddo, it's only me."

"Breeze?" Dinky asked, letting the spell fade out. She'd long since dropped the habit of referring to her mother's coltfriend as "Mister" Breeze, like she had when they'd gotten together over four years ago. "I thought you went home a little while ago. Did you forget something?"

"Nope," Breeze said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head with a wing. "Actually I... needed to talk to you about something real quick. I need your help with your mom's Hearth's Warming present."

"Um... isn't it a bit late for that?" Dinky asked, tilting her head. "Hearth's Warming is tomorrow, and you're just now asking for advice on what to get mom?"

"No, that's not what I mean," Breeze said, shaking his head. "I have the present already. I need your help preparing it. You're good with enchantments, right?"

"Not to brag, but probably the best in Ponyville," Dinky said proudly. "At least, when Princess Twilight isn't around."

Breeze reached into his saddlebag and withdrew a plain-looking box. "I need you to enchant this so that it only opens when I want it to," he explained. "Can you do that?"

Dinky laughed. "A pony-specific lock charm? Here I was worried you were going to ask for something difficult. Give me the box and one of your feathers and I'll have it done in just a second."

Breeze gingerly set the box on the ground, then reached his head around, pushing his face into his outstretched wing. With a sharp tug, he pulled a feather loose and passed it to Dinky.

Dinky paused, holding the two items in her magic's grip. "So, can I see mom's present now, or do you want me to wait for the party tomorrow?" she asked.

"I think it's probably better if you see it now," Breeze admitted. "Just keep it secret, alright?"

Dinky nodded and flipped the lid of the box open for a moment. Her eyes widened and she snapped it shut again just a second later, staring at Breeze in awe.

"Is... is that...?"

"Yep," Breeze said, smiling and pawing nervously at the snow. "Err, hopefully that's okay with you, Dinky?"

Dinky nodded enthusiastically. "I'm all for it! Mom's going to... to... I don't even know how she's gonna react, but I can't wait to see for myself!"

Dinky placed the box on the snow in front of her, and gently laid the feather on top. Light burst from her horn, and a golden circle appeared around the gift, shrinking until it met the box's sides and disappeared. The filly picked it up and demonstrated that it was, in fact, quite thoroughly sealed shut.

"You could take a crowbar to that and you wouldn't be able to get it open," she declared, "but tap it three times with your wing and it'll pop open immediately. Sound good?"

"Perfect," Breeze assured her, as he took the gift back and leapt into the air. "And promise you won't tell your mom, or anypony else, until tomorrow!"

"I promise!" Dinky called up to him, performing a series of hoof motions to replicate Ponyville's legendary 'Pinkie Promise'.

Breeze flapped again and soared off into the night sky. Grinning broadly, with her slight concerns about Pipsqueak quickly forced out of her mind by the event, Dinky turned and trotted back into the cottage.

The chime of Ponyville Clocktower's great golden bell rang out over the little town. It was mid-afternoon on Hearth's Warming, and at a newly renovated cottage on the outskirts of town, a party was about to begin.

Ditzy Doo floated in the air, looking over her long-time home. She had to admit, she hardly recognized it. Sure, it was still a thatched roof cottage like so many others in Ponyville, but the ratty old roof was freshly redone, the cracks and marks in the walls were all repaired, and a whole new wing of the home was complete, giving the mare ample space not just for her and her daughter, but for plenty of guests as well. Festive pine garland hung from the outer edge of the roof. Watt had offered to string up some colored lights earlier in the week as well, but Ditzy had politely declined. Sure, Watt was the best electrician in Ponyville, but to be fair, he was also the only electrician in Ponyville.

As the chimes of the bell reached Ditzy's ears, she fluttered to the ground and trotted into the house to prepare to greet her guests.

The inside of the cottage looked even better than the outside. Tinsel and ribbon decorated each room, and everything had been cleaned and arranged perfectly. In the den, a stately fir tree was perfectly trimmed with a huge assortment of ornaments and baubles. Ditzy made a mental note to thank Dinky and her friends for that; when four unicorns with exceptional magical finesse worked together, an entire tree could be decorated in minutes.

The pegasus trotted past the tree and reached the base of the stairs. Several muffled voices could be heard above.

"Hey everypony," she called. "Our guests will be here in just a moment! Come on down for the gift exchange.

Almost instantly, Dinky appeared right next to her mother in a flash of yellow light, making Ditzy jump in surprise. "I can't wait!" the filly squealed. "This is going to be such a great Hearth's Warming."

Ditzy smiled. "I haven't seen you this excited for Hearth's Warming in years, Dinky," she commented.

"That's cause this Hearth's Warming is gonna be extra special," Dinky said, flashing a grin. Ditzy couldn't help but feel her daughter knew something she didn't, but before she could pry, she was startled once again as Clarity burst into the room in a reddish flash.

"You kids are gonna scare me to death one of these days with those teleports," Ditzy panted, shaking her head.

Clarity blushed slightly. "Sorry about that, Mrs. Doo."

"If it helps," came Honeydew's gentle voice as she trotted into the room, "Scuffle and I haven't really mastered teleporting with pinpoint precision yet. So at least you don't have to worry about us popping in unexpectedly.

No sooner had she finished her sentence when there was a burst of blue light. Scuffle materialized about a pony length above the ground, crying out in surprise as he fell to the wooden floor with a dull thump.

Honeydew sighed. "Well, you don't have to worry about me popping in unexpectedly," she corrected, smirking a bit as Scuffle hurriedly scrambled to his hooves.

Before Ditzy could reply, there was a knock at the door. Or rather, a series of knocks fast enough that they sounded like the tapping of a very large woodpecker.

"You four wait by the Hearth's Warming tree," she instructed. "All our other guests will be here in just a minute."

Trotting away from the group, she returned to the foyer, and pulled open the front door, where, unsurprisingly, Watt was waiting. The earth pony had decorated himself in the tiny colored lights originally meant for the cottage's facade. Despite the lack of any immediately obvious power source, every one of them was lit.

"Happy Hearth's Warming!" her hyper coworker cried, prancing in place.

"Same to you, Watt," Ditzy chuckled. "Are the others all on their way?"

"Right here, actually," came a voice from further down the walk.

Ditzy peered around the multicolored spectacle in front of her and spotted Cloudcover and Pipsqueak trotting up together, with brightly wrapped presents in hoof.

"Afternoon, Ditzy," Cloudcover greeted. "I hope we're not too tardy."

"Not at all," Ditzy reassured. "Breeze isn't even here yet. Why don't the three of you make yourselves at home while I wait for him?"

Watt blasted past, the rush of air blowing Ditzy's mane like a gust of wind. Pipsqueak and Cloudcover exchanged an amused glance and entered rather more reservedly than Watt had. In a moment, it was Ditzy was alone again in the foyer.

A minute or two later, a bright red streak shot through the clear blue sky, angling downward until it came to a rest on the cottage's lawn. Breeze looked windswept as always, but he beamed as his gaze met Ditzy's.

"Everypony here?" he asked.

"Everypony's been here," Ditzy teased. "We're waiting for you."

"Well then, let's not wait any longer," Breeze replied, taking the teasing in stride. "After you."

In just a few moments, everypony was settled around the Hearth's Warming tree. Ditzy took a moment to take in the cozy scene. There was Dinky, happily tucked between Clarity and Pipsqueak, the two ponies closest to her, engaged in discussion with them both. Honeydew was seated nearby, contently gazing up at the decorations and occasionally offering a quiet comment to Scuffle, who responded with his usual playful arrogance. Then there was Watt, the lights wrapped around his frame blinking erratically as he tried very hard to stay in one place for more than a few moments. Cloudcover sat in a chair tucked in the corner, content to keep away from the center of the excitement and simply observe. And of course, there was Breeze, now seated just to Ditzy's left, who appeared just as pleased with the assembly of ponies as she was.

The grey pegasus fluttered up into the air, catching the attention of the eight other ponies around her. "Welcome everypony!" she greeted. "I think this is the first time all my friends and all of Dinky's have gathered in one place, and I can't think of a better time to do it. After all, ponies of every race from all walks of life coming together in harmony is what Hearth's Warming is all about!"

"Hear, hear!" Cloudcover called. "Thank you Ditzy, for bringing all of us together for the holiday."

"And for all the hospitality you've shown us all season!" Clarity added, brushing her bright blue mane out of her eyes. "Scuffle, Honeydew, and I come from three very different parts of Equestria, but I think we can all agree that it's easy for Ponyville to feel like home."

The other gathered ponies voiced their agreement. Ditzy couldn't help but beam.

"Well now that we're all settled in," she continued, "let's open some Hearth's Warming presents, everypony!"

Over the next half hour, Ditzy's guests trotted from pony to pony, exchanging gifts with those closest to them. All manner of items changed hooves, often warm winter garments, books, or food items. Watt had assembled an entire collection of tiny clockwork toys that he passed among the other guests, Dinky had enchanted more than a few trinkets to exchange with her friends, and even Honeydew had brought delicious dried, candied fruit from her family's farm. Watching every gift given with sincerity and accepted with genuine gratitude brought a tear to Ditzy's eye. It really was shaping up to be the perfect Hearth's Warming.

At last, the activity started to die down, as everypony busied themselves with conversation or examined their new gifts. Ditzy fluttered over to an open spot near her coworkers.

"So, is that all then?" she asked. "Everypony has given all their gifts out?"

"Yes indeedy!" Watt confirmed as he sifted through a box of new tools he had received for his work at the power station that his coworkers had all pitched in to get him.

"I do believe Watt's right," Cloudcover agreed. "It looks like everypony has finished."

"Now wait just a moment you two," Breeze cut in. "There's actually one gift left. I haven't given Ditzy her present yet."

In all the excitement, Ditzy hadn't even realized she hadn't received anything from Breeze. The grey mare watched with curiosity as Breeze trotted to the front of the room to address the whole crowd at once. The other ponies quieted, realizing he was about to speak.

"Hey everypony, before we finish up, there's one last gift to give," he began. "But before that, I wanted to take a moment to say a few words."

Ditzy spotted a tiny movement elsewhere in the room. Keeping one eye on Breeze, she swiveled the other to glance at Dinky. The filly had a twinkle in her eye, and seemed to be suppressing a grin.

Whatever this is, Dinky's in on it... Ditzy realized.

From the front of the room, Breeze gestured towards Ditzy. "I know we've all already thanked this wonderful mare over and over for bringing us all together for Hearth's Warming," he said, "but we have so much more to thank her for then just that. All of us in this room have one thing in common; all of our lives have become so much better, either directly or indirectly, because of the actions of our Ditzy Doo."

He looked toward his other coworkers. "Watt, Cloudcover, I know you two agree that Ditzy is a phenomenal asset to our workforce. Life at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services has become such a joy in the time since her arrival."

"For sure!" Watt agreed. "Whenever Ditzy and I are paired for an assignment, I just know we're gonna have a great time, and a satisfied client on our hooves at the end."

"And Ditzy's as excellent a friend as she is a matchmaker," Cloudcover added, nodding.

"Right," Breeze continued. "And Candyfloss would agree, I'm sure, about all of that. But it's not just those of us who work with her who've had their lives enriched by Ditzy. There's also Dinky, who's been able to enjoy the best magical education Equestria has to offer because of her mom's selflessness."

"And there will never be enough thanks in the world for that," Dinky declared. "Especially considering all she had to go through to make it possible."

"Then there's Clarity, Scuffle, and Honeydew," Breeze added. "While their connection is more indirect, think how different things could be if Ditzy hadn't worked so hard to bring Dinky into their lives.

"Clarity would probably be a nerd, spending all her time trying to get out of her sister's shadow," Scuffle laughed, earning a playful glare from Clarity. "Honeydew might have had serious trouble making friends, or might have even dropped out of the academy by now. And I'd almost certainly be just another dumb thug like my brothers."

"Exactly," Breeze confirmed. "But that's still not all. Without Ditzy's involvement with the shipping service, Pipsqueak may never have even gotten a chance to become friends with Dinky, let alone become her coltfriend."

Pipsqueak leaned down and nuzzled Dinky's mane a bit. She smiled contently.

"And last of all, there's me," the red pegasus said finally. "If not for that day five years ago when Ditzy Doo stumbled through the door of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services for the first time, I'd never have wound up with the world's greatest marefriend."

Ditzy, overcome by emotion at the love and appreciation of all the ponies around her, was unable to reply. She watched as Breeze reached into his saddlebags and withdrew a small box, and then motioned for her to join him at the front of the room. Slowly, she rose to her hooves and approached, wondering what sort of gift she was about to receive. Breeze smiled broadly as she arrived beside him. He handed her the box, allowing her a moment to try to open it. When she discovered she could not, she simply looked at the stallion questioningly.

"Ditzy, these last few years have been the best of my life. I was worried, at first, that both of us might struggle in a new relationship. After all, you're a widow, and the effects of my own prior relationship continued to haunt me for many years after it had ended. Both of us suffered emotional blows that seemed impossible to recover from. But I gave it a chance, and it's been... just beyond words. Do you... feel the same?"

Ditzy nodded, sniffling slightly. "Absolutely, Breeze."

"I hoped you'd say that," Breeze admitted, "because there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Breeze extended a wing, and tapped the wingtip against the lid of the sealed box once, twice, and then a third time. On the last tap, there was a small flash of golden light (evidence of Dinky's handiwork, Ditzy quickly realized) and the box snapped open. Ditzy gasped, only just barely managing to avoid dropping her present.

Nestled on a cushion inside the container was a golden band, just wide enough to slip around her forehoof. It had been delicately engraved with beautiful patterns, and affixed to it was a diamond that shined with a rainbow of colors in the afternoon light streaming in the windows. Absolutely stunned, Ditzy looked back up at Breeze. The stallion's expression conveyed so many emotions at once: hope, joy, and no small measure of anxiety. But somehow, his voice didn't even quaver as he spoke a few more words.

"Ditzy Doo... will you marry me?"

Chapter 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3

There was nothing Ditzy could do but watch the scene unfold. Her gaze, and for that matter, all eyes in the room were locked on the unicorn that Glow had invited into the hall. Sparkler, however, was focused solely on the pony that had addressed her.

"It can't be..." she breathed, tilting her head as if her vision was deceiving her. "Dinky Doo? Is that really you?"

Glow raised an eyebrow. "You know Ditzy's daughter?"

"You know Dinky's mom!?" Sparkler cried, much more loudly.

"I don't care who knows whom!" Mayor Mare yelled, stamping a forehoof. "Let us get back to the topic at hoof. Cosmic Glow, you're saying this unicorn, Sparkler, is the daughter of you and the groom, Autumn Breeze?"

"Exactly," Glow snarled. "I'm disgusted by the idea of these two ponies starting a life with each other when I know firsthoof how carelessly one of them can cast away his own child."

"Glow, you're twisting this to your own benefit!" Breeze argued.

"You're just trying to worm your way out of your mistakes!" Glow shot back.

"Oh, I'm the worm now? That's rich, coming from you."

"Don't insult me when you know I'm right, you—"

"Stop!"

A wave of pale purple magic washed over the room, so bright and distracting that it grabbed everypony's attention. Even the two bickering exes finally quieted as everypony turned their attention back to Sparkler. Silently, the young mare stepped forward, pushing past her mother and continuing until she stood just as the base of the stage where Mayor Mare, Ditzy, and Breeze were still rooted in place.

"So... is it true?" she asked, staring at Breeze with an expression that betrayed no emotion. "You left my mom suddenly, all those years ago?"

"I didn't know she was pregnant!" Breeze said desperately.

"That's not what I asked," Sparkler said, frowning. "Are you the pony who was dating my mother twenty-some years ago, or aren't you?"

Breeze stepped back, looking a little intimidated by the mare's no-nonsense interrogation. "I... well, yes. That's me."

Sparkler's frown deepened. "Then you're, at best, a careless, fickle pony," she said levelly. "I can't tell you who to love, or who not to love, but it sounds to me like you handled that loveless situation poorly. My mother has resented it all my life and I resent it too."

Breeze's wings drooped. "I... I know. Sparkler, I'm sor—"

"Don't bother," Sparkler said, turning away. "You're no father of mine, Autumn Breeze. Don't try to apologize to a pony you don't even know."

Ignoring the stunned expressions of the crowd, Sparkler made her way down the aisle toward the exit. Glow grinned devilishly again as she glanced at Ditzy, who was still standing silently on stage.

"Well now, Ditzy, that sure is a shame, isn't it?" she began, her voice dripping with exaggerated fake compassion. "If Breeze is any sort of decent pony at all, then he'll at least set the situation with his current family right before he goes marrying into a new one. Perhaps there won't be a wedding today after all."

"Glow, I don't understand," Ditzy mumbled. "It's not like this incident is going to make Breeze suddenly take you back. What could you possibly have to gain from this?"

Glow scoffed. "Sparkler deserves to know the truth," she barked. "Naturally, I'm looking out for my daughter."

"...No, I don't think you are, mom."

All eyes turned yet again to Sparkler, who had stopped just a few steps from the door. "Breeze did have a point," she continued, stoic as usual. "You knew both who he was, and where he was, years ago. And you waited until today to bring me to him."

"Like I said, I wasn't going to do that to you when you were just a teen," Glow replied, frowning. "You didn't need that sort of baggage distracting you during your first few years of study at that Academy."

"That excuse is a load of horseapples," Sparkler snapped, beginning to grow angrier. "If you didn't want to tell me back then, fine. The problem is that you waited until now, until specifically today, during a wedding, to do this."

"Well, how else was I going to break up the wedding?" Glow growled.

Sparkler raised an eyebrow. "Why... did you need to?"

"What else could I do?" Glow snarled. "Even if I can't win your father back, but there's no force in Equestria that could make me stand idly by as that dim, walleyed pegasus gets him instead. If I can't have him, then she's certainly not worthy of him either!"

Sparkler's eyes went wide. "You... you're worse than Breeze is!" she cried, lifting a forehoof slightly and leaning back as if encountering something rancid. "This was never about me! This wasn't even about setting the record straight with Breeze! This whole debacle was just your revenge ploy against Ditzy Doo!"

Ditzy could see Glow's expression change as she realized she'd said far too much. "W-well, Sparkler, that—"

Sparkler's horn flared with pale purple, causing Glow to step back. "You tried to raise me to avoid forming a bond with anypony!" she screamed. "You told me I should learn to put feelings aside, like you do, because it was the only way to avoid hurt and disappointment, but you've been a hypocrite this whole time! You've just been manipulating me and everypony else to sate your lust for vengeance! That's not a pony who has put her bitterness aside at all! That's a pony who's consumed by it!"

"Sparkl—"

"No!" Sparkler roared, magically amplifying her voice so much the windows of the hall shook with its force. "Apparently, I've been born to a careless, flighty father and a disingenuous slimeball of a mother! I want nothing to do with either of you for one second longer!"

In a brilliant violet flash, the furious unicorn teleported away, leaving the hall in stunned silence. Glow continued to stare at the spot where Sparkler had been a moment before, looking rather shell-shocked.

"Erm..." Mayor Mare muttered finally, "so... regarding the ceremony. Are we planning to continue, or...?"

Ditzy glanced at Breeze, and was able to see the answer in his expression. She sighed, tears forming in her eyes, and shook her head.

"No, Mayor Mare. We have to take care of..." she fished for the right words, "...of some other concerns first. Sorry for wasting your time."

Mayor Mare nodded and gave the pair of pegasi a sympathetic glance as she stepped forward to address the crowd. "Unfortunately, this wedding is postponed until further notice," she declared. "The bride and groom will contact you again when, or if, a new date is chosen.

There was the usual clamor of dozens of ponies rising to their hooves and making their way to the door. Ditzy stepped down from the stage and walked over to Glow, who was still staring into space. The unicorn slowly turned to look at her.

"Well, you got what you wanted," Ditzy murmured, making no attempt to hide her tears. "You stopped the wedding, at least for now. You also gave Breeze even more reason to resent you than he already had, and lost any shred of respect your daughter may have had for you. I hope you're satisfied, Glow."

Glow stared at Ditzy for a long moment. Suddenly, her expression grew enraged and she reared up as if she was going to strike the other mare.

"This is your fault!" she declared.

"I... what?" Ditzy stammered, raising her wings in surprise. "All I did was stand here while you trampled all over our wedding day, and now you're blaming me for your misfortune?"

"Yes, because it shouldn't have to come to this in the first place!" Glow shrieked. "Each time we interact, I lose something else. First, it was my top record at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. Then it was my job. And now, Sparkler! You've done nothing to deserve that stallion you're so enamored with, but somehow, everything just works for you. All I'm doing is seeking justice, making sure that we both get what we deserve, but somehow, you're still the one with the job, the company record, and the stallion!"

Ditzy struggled to come up with a response to Glow's terribly twisted logic, but fortunately, she didn't have to. A third pony stepped up behind the two mares.

"Glow, perhaps we can have a word?"

Glow wheeled around and found herself staring into the calm eyes of Dr. Candyfloss. "Oh, it's you," she spat. "Sorry, Candyfloss, I have no interest in whatever Celestia-damned mumbo jumbo about the power of love you're about to try to force on me."

Candyfloss shrugged. "Very well, then," he said simply. "In that case, I believe you're quite done with what you came here to do. Now leave my employees in peace, please."

Glow harrumphed and galloped to the door, pausing one last time to glare at Ditzy and the rest of her coworkers. "This isn't over, Ditzy Doo," she threatened. "Justice will be served one of these days, just you wait!"

Before Ditzy could reply, the unicorn turned tail and bolted into Ponyville.

A few minutes later, Ditzy and her friends and family stood outside the town hall. Each pony looked rather agitated, though Ditzy felt quite a bit more sad and shocked than angry. Breeze stood by her side, scowling, while the rest of the shipping crew lingered nearby. Dinky and her friends remained huddled together near the side of the building, busy with their own discussion of the incident.

"I'm so sorry, Ditzy," Cloudcover said, placing one of his wings over Ditzy's back for a moment. "I never thought we'd see that ghastly mare again, much less in a way such as this."

"Cosmo really doesn't know when to quit," Watt grumbled, referring to Glow by the nickname she hated so much.

"We'll figure it out," Ditzy said softly, trying to force a small smile. "Breeze and I have to, um, re-evaluate our situation a little, but I'm sure in a couple of weeks, we'll be back here again to do this for real."

"I'm quite certain you will," Candyfloss said reassuringly. "As I said before, the two of you have a bond that could weather almost anything. Cosmic Glow, on the other hoof, appears to have broken another of her tenuous bonds today..."

Breeze stamped a forehoof. "She keeps going out of her way to mess with our lives," he said indignantly. "I hate to say it, but she kind of deserves it."

"Sparkler doesn't, though," came another voice.

Ditzy quickly turned her head when she realized Dinky and her friends had made their way over to the group. "How do you know Sparkler anyway, Dinky?" she asked, tilting her head.

Dinky shuffled a hoof shyly. "Well, uh," she said, lowering her voice considerably, "remember that filly I almost killed with dark magic, the night Scorpio came back? That's her. Though I never knew she was related to Glow until today."

An image flashed through Ditzy's mind of a thoroughly beaten, unconscious unicorn lying in one of the infirmary beds at Celestia's Academy. So that's why she looked a bit familiar...

"Mom," Dinky continued, her eyes full of concern, "I know what just happened was really bad, but... please, can my friends and I go look for Sparkler? I'm sure you and Breeze are feeling hurt too, but you have each other, and your coworkers and friends, to help you. And Sparkler... doesn't. She's alone, and I want to make sure she's okay."

Ditzy couldn't help but smile. "Honestly, Dinky, I agree with you a hundred percent. I'll be okay; you all go make sure your friend is too."

"One second, Dinky," Clarity quickly cut in. "I entirely agree that Sparkler deserves somepony's attention, but, well, we know she can be a little..."

Scuffle smirked. "She can be kind of a bi—"

"Her personality can be a little volatile," Clarity finished, derailing Scuffle. "She's tricky to talk to. I think it might be a lot more effective if we don't overwhelm her, and unfortunately, a whole group of her old schoolmates showing up to talk to her at once would be quite overwhelming."

"You think we should just leave her be?" asked Honeydew worriedly.

"No," Clarity clarified. "But I think just one of us should talk to her. She responds to that better. And although we parted with her on good terms at the end of our first year, only one of us really got past her self-imposed barriers enough to really get to know her."

"So you think I should go by myself?" Dinky asked, looking to her other friends for their opinions.

"Clarity does make a good point," Honeydew admitted. "I know I wouldn't really know what to say to Sparkler, but you might."

"I'm gonna trust the pony with the talent for figuring out how other ponies really think and feel," Scuffle agreed, pointing to the Cutie Mark on Clarity's flank. "You go, Dinks. That'll be best."

Dinky nodded. "See you all back at the cottage then," she called as she scampered off into Ponyville.

Ditzy watched as her filly ran off in one direction, and her friends slowly ambled off in the other. Now, only the members of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services remained outside the town hall.

"I suppose we should get going too," Breeze sighed. "We need to start sorting this whole mess out."

"Before we go," Ditzy said, glancing back toward Doctor Candyfloss, "Doc, what were you going to say to Glow back there if she had let you?"

Dr. Candyfloss looked troubled. "Cosmic Glow could not understand why her schemes always hurt her in some way," he began. "I wanted to try to warn her, try to explain what keeps happening so that perhaps even she could find some peace herself, instead of stripping that peace from the lives of others."

"Unfortunately, Glow's never been particularly inclined to believe any of your philosophies," Cloudcover pointed out.

"Quite right," Candyfloss admitted. "What Glow needs to understand is that the magic that forms not only the bonds of love, but those of friendship and family too, is very powerful. As matchmakers, we treat that magic with respect; we are honored to have the chance to spread it further across Equestria and implant it deeper in the hearts of the ponies we encounter. But Glow, during her days as a shipper, spent her time manipulating ponies, bringing them together with subterfuge. Today she went even further, trying not to just tamper with, but to actually break those sorts of bonds for her own aims."

"If everything you've told us over the years is right, Doc, then that sorta behavior's probably not without consequences, huh?" Watt asked.

"Quite perceptive, Watt," Candyfloss praised, "When respected, and spread with sincerity and goodwill, love and friendship are the unifying forces of society in Equestria. But those who try to douse the flames of love, break the bonds of family, or even destroy friendship itself have always met with misfortune in the end."

"And Glow thinks she can beat those odds?" Ditzy questioned.

"That's why I wanted to at least try to show her her folly," Candyfloss answered, nodding. "What you all need to remember, and what Glow desperately needs to learn before it's too late, is that in our beautiful land of Equestria and all the realms beyond, there is no magic greater than the Magic of the Heart. I go through life with such a sense of contentment because I truly believe that not just romantic love, but all forms of the heart's magic will always prevail. If Cosmic Glow continues to abuse it, to impede it and attack it, it will continue to retaliate until she is left with nothing. At present, she is so consumed with an obsessive desire for revenge that she has blinded herself to that fate. I only hope she can see this someday, before it's too late."

Ditzy looked to the pale winter sky as she considered Candyfloss's words. "For all our sakes, Dr. Candyfloss, and for hers as well... I hope so too."

Dinky dug her hooves into the ground, skidding to a halt in the Ponyville marketplace and glancing around for any sign of Sparkler.

"Why Dinky, I haven't seen you in a while!" came a familiar voice.

Dinky turned and spotted a purple earth pony waving at her from one of the stands: her old teacher, Miss Cheerilee, from her days at Ponyville Elementary years ago.

"Miss Cheerilee, good to see you!" the unicorn greeted. "Sorry to be so curt, but I'm really in a hurry; I need to find a unicorn that probably came through here a few minutes ago."

Cheerilee chuckled. "Let me guess. Pink and purple, with a few gems for a cutie mark?" Cheerilee asked, surprising Dinky. "She rushed through here just a minute ago. The poor dear, she seemed really upset."

"That's her," Dinky said urgently. "Please, do you know where she went?"

Cheerilee pointed. "She galloped right into that diner," she directed. "I think she's still in there, unless she left by magic. I certainly haven't seen her come out on foot."

"Thank you," Dinky said, already galloping away. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Miss Cheerilee!"

"Same to you!" the mare called as Dinky sprinted away.

Dinky slipped into the establishment Cheerilee had indicated as inconspicuously as she could. It only took a second to spot Sparkler; facing away from the door, the older filly was seated in a booth in the far corner, her head resting on the table next to a still-untouched, steaming mug of hot cocoa. For a few moments, Dinky stood still, considering her next move.

Alright, she mentally coaxed herself, I need to be prepared. In the past, Sparkler's been very easy to anger. If I'm gonna be helpful, I have to watch what I say.

Cautiously, she approached the table. Sparkler didn't seem to notice somepony standing next to her, so Dinky made the first move.

"Um... hey Sparkler."

Very slowly, Sparkler lifted her head off the table. As she looked at Dinky, her intense, violet eyes betrayed a wide array of emotions.

"So it was you," she said flatly. "I shouldn't be surprised; of course you'd be the pony who'd show up right after something like that happens. It's like my last year at the Academy all over again; every time there's some sort of chaos in my life, there's Dinky Doo, somehow involved, regardless of whether or not she caused the problem."

Dinky grinned sheepishly. "Old habits die hard, I guess," she responded.

Sparkler glanced out into the aisle. "So you didn't bring Autumn Breeze? Or my mom? Or some small army of ponies to try to cheer me up or something?" she asked suspiciously.

Dinky shook her head. "Just me."

Sparkler said nothing, but the relief in her expression was obvious. Dinky made a mental note to thank Clarity later.

"Sit down, I guess," Sparkler grumbled, gesturing to the vacant seat across from her. "I know better than to try to get you to go away."

Noticing Dinky's grimace, she softened a bit. "And I guess... you did end up being a good pony to confide in, back in our days in school together," she admitted. "Sorry for being rude. As you can probably tell, today has been... less than ideal."

"I can imagine," Dinky said, sliding into the booth across from her ex-overseer. "But I thought bottling it up might not be the best idea. I figured you could use somepony to talk to."

"You have nothing to gain from trying to help, but here you are anyway," Sparkler said with a smirk. "Old habits really do die hard."

The pink pony paused and flagged down the waitress. "Hey, could you bring another hot cocoa over for my guest here?" she called. "Oh, and put some marshmallows in that one please."

"I don't think I have any bits on me," Dinky admitted.

"It's on me," said Sparkler simply. "Now... to start, how do our moms know each other? I'm hoping you can shed some light on that at least."

Dinky frowned. "It's not a very pleasant story, Sparkler."

Sparkler rolled her eyes. "None of this has been pleasant," she pointed out. "Just fill me in. Please."

Trying to stick only to facts and leave any opinions about Glow out, Dinky recounted the story of Ditzy and Glow's time together at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, going into particular detail about Glow's attempt to sabotage Ditzy's assignment for Princess Luna. Sparkler listened silently until the whole tale was through.

"So when mom worked at that matchmaking place, she literally saw my father every day for a couple years and said nothing?" Sparkler asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

Dinky nodded solemnly. "She spent her whole last year there trying to keep my mom away from your dad," she said sadly. "You would've been in your..." she paused to calculate, "...fourth year at Celestia's Academy while that whole incident was going on, but your parents were coworkers even before my mom entered the picture."

"So you met my mom before we ever met at the Academy then?" Sparkler inquired.

"Not just that," Dinky admitted. "I used my first spell ever when trying to defend my mom from your mom. Ironically enough, if not for Cosmic Glow, I probably wouldn't have demonstrated my magical abilities enough for Princess Celestia to accept me into the Academy."

"Well, I'm glad something good came out of it for you at least," Sparkler grumbled, finally taking a sip of her now-lukewarm cocoa.

"Not just me!" Dinky argued. "I know that was a rough year for you, Sparkler... and that a lot of it was my fault, however unintentionally, but I still remember what you said to me on the last night of that term."

Sparkler looked wistful for a moment. "With a fair amount of wit, a lot of heart, and a little bit of Hocus Pocus... there's nothing you can't accomplish," she recited, as if she'd just uttered the line yesterday.

"Right!" Dinky affirmed, clapping her forehooves delightedly. "Even before I knew who your mom was, it was clear she'd steered you down the wrong path growing up, but you were ready to break free from that, to let friends into your life. You and Presto were going to—"

Dinky didn't even get to finish her sentence; Sparkler's entire expression changed at the word "Presto." She stared down into her cocoa, suddenly acting as if Dinky wasn't even there.

"Sparkler?" Dinky asked, casting a bit of yellow light across the table. "Are you okay?"

"I wanted... so badly to change, to be better, Dinky," Sparkler said hoarsely, a tear or two rolling down her muzzle. "Although you were just a filly at the time, I thought you'd shown me the way to do that, the way for me to reach my goals, to accomplish whatever I set my mind and heart to. I thought I still had one more chance to be better than this bitter, reclusive mare I am."

"W-what are you talking about?" Dinky stuttered, taken aback. "You did! You still do! What's wrong?"

"I can't—" Sparkler choked. "I can't bring myself to talk about it. If you want to know so badly, I can show you."

Dinky reached out and placed a forehoof on Sparkler's. "I want to help, Sparkler," she said resolutely. "Just help me understand what's got you so upset."

Sparkler sniffled a few more times. "F-fine," she managed. "If you've never been on the receiving end of a memory spell before, then heads up: it's a bit weird the first time."

"Memory spell?" Dinky questioned.

Rather than elaborate, Sparkler's horn burst into purple light, and she leaned forward until her horn met Dinky's. The younger filly felt a sudden rush of magic, and everything went white.

"Sparkler?"

Dinky shook her head to clear her blurry vision. Disoriented, she looked around at her distorted surroundings. The place that came into view was not the dim diner from just a moment before. Now it was a vast hall with stained glass windows depicting famous unicorns.

The main hall at the Academy, she realized. Am I looking into Sparkler's memories?

A translucent shape passed right through Dinky, causing her to jump in surprise. It took only a moment to realize that the apparition was Sparkler herself, trotting slowly through the hall and glancing around nervously. Dinky quickly noticed how different this Sparkler looked; she was a few years younger than the Sparkler that had been sitting with her in the booth a minute before, and her coat was covered in small, whitish marks. Dinky cringed when she realized they were barely-healed cuts, remnants of her dark magic assault on the poor Overseer years before. Clearly, the memory she was witnessing happened only a short time after she and Sparkler had last seen one another.

"Hey, Sparkler!" Dinky called, but as she had kind of expected, the hazy image of Sparkler showed no indication of hearing her. With no other option, trotted after the other filly.

For a few moments, Dinky silently watched Sparkler wander the crowd of gathered fifth-term ponies, not pausing to speak with anypony. The young mare was on a mission; she was looking for somepony, and Dinky had a pretty good idea who.

"Sparkler?"

Sparkler's head snapped to the right as a green stallion approached. Dinky knew the pony very well; he was Professor Morningstar, one of the teachers she'd grown quite familiar with.

"Hello, Professor," Sparkler said softly.

"What are you waiting for?" the stallion asked. "The graduation ceremony is going to begin in just a few minutes. As the Overseer and the valedictorian, you'll be one of the leading ponies in the proceedings, so you should probably go get ready."

"That's just it though," Sparkler replied, glancing around with increased urgency. "It's very important that I speak to my fellow Overseer before we begin. Have you seen Presto?"

"Err, Presto isn't here I'm afraid," Morningstar revealed, shifting his weight awkwardly.

Sparkler's expression barely changed, but Dinky suddenly felt a wave of desperate panic. Stunned, she realized the memory spell was allowing her to experience Sparkler's emotions as well, at least to some extent.

"He's not?" Sparkler squeaked, in a voice more feeble than Dinky was used to hearing. "Then where...?"

"If you recall, he missed the end of term ceremony a few days ago due to an urgent family matter," Professor Morningstar pointed out. "We received a letter just this morning that whatever has happened in his home town is much more substantial than he first thought. We sent his diploma out in this morning's mail; there's simply no way he can be here to attend graduation."

Dinky suddenly felt quite sick, and judging by the look on the ghostly Sparkler's face, she felt much the same. She blinked at Professor Morningstar in the state of shock.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure the two of you had quite an alliance as Overseers this year," Morningstar said. "There's little time to dwell on that, though. Chop chop, those of you who are here need to prepare to graduate!"

He trotted off. Sparkler stared after him for a few moments, shaking slightly. Struggling to remain standing, she staggered to an unoccupied corner of the room, quickly trying to rub any tears away from her face.

"Too late..." she gasped, sobbing. "I'm too late. She told me... Dinky Doo told me to trust somepony, to let somepony in. But the one pony who can show me how, who even wanted to show me how..."

Dinky felt her own tears begin to flow freely, and she couldn't help but feel they weren't entirely due to the emotional link created by the spell. She quickly trotted closer to the distraught pony, reaching out to try to help. But she was only a spectator; all she could do was watch as Sparkler's feelings of loneliness and hopelessness crashed over her in waves. Her eyes were so clouded by tears that she hardly noticed as Sparkler, and the whole scene around her, began to fade once again to white.

Dinky sat bolt upright, a few stray tears hitting the wood of the table. Sparkler returned to her normal sitting position, watching morosely as Dinky tried to recover from the memory spell.

"I was... worried that was what you were going to show me," she said finally, wiping away the last of her tears. "But couldn't you write to Presto? Contact him in some way?"

Sparkler simply shook her head. "I knew Presto for five years, and never once asked him anything about himself," she mumbled. "I don't even know what city he lives in, much less an address. I know nothing about his family, or even what his plans were after we graduated. By the time you convinced me to finally accept his advances, it was already too late. He didn't come back to school, and since I never showed him any hint of interest, he probably assumed I just didn't care for him. I never... I never saw him again."

The older filly rested her chin on the table, staring at Dinky with glassy eyes. "It's pathetic," she sighed. "The reason I always end up telling you this stuff is simply because you're the only pony who'll listen."

"Sparkler..." Dinky said softly, still feeling the last lingering effects of the emotional link in the memory spell. "I'm so sorry, and I know you really cared about Presto deep down, but... there's no way he's the only pony in Equestria who would want to be your friend. You didn't manage to make any friends after leaving the school?"

"I tried precisely twice," Sparkler admitted. "That's how long it took for me to realize I'm an awkward, mopey unicorn that naturally drives all but the most tenacious ponies away. Maybe Presto could've helped me fix that, but..."

"That's not true," Dinky said gently. "You're a good pony."

Sparkler said nothing. Dinky reached out to touch her forehoof, but she batted it away.

"Look," she said flatly. "I'm gonna spend some time alone. My mother's an absolute shrew of a pony. My father's not somepony I feel I can really try to get to know right now. My old friend is long gone. That just leaves you, Dinky, and while you're a confidante, I don't know that it's exactly accurate to say we're friends. Plus, you're going back to the Academy in two weeks."

Dinky frowned. "What are you going to do next, then?"

"I don't know," Sparkler admitted. "Just please, try not to dwell on me. You've got your own life and your own problems. Go help your family and friends recover from the havoc my mother just wreaked. I'll be ok."

Dinky shifted uncertainly. "Are you sure?"

Sparkler gave Dinky a wooden stare. "Just go, Dinky."

"Bu—"

"Go. Please. I need to be alone."

Sighing, Dinky scooted out of the booth. "Just... take care of yourself, Sparkler," she said softly. "Things will turn out okay, you'll see."

Sparkler, as usual, said nothing. Dinky felt her gaze follow her as she turned and trudged out of the diner.

It was nightfall. The door to a Ponyville cottage much like any other slammed open, and a furious and miserable Cosmic Glow plodded inside. It was immediately apparent that the interior of her home had changed drastically since she was out. All the furniture was still there, but everything belonging to Sparkler that could be carried on one's back had vanished.

Sparkler was gone, and she'd taken every one of her possessions with her.

Glow screamed in frustration and hurled herself onto her bed, staring up at the blank ceiling. She glanced to one side, catching sight of her disheveled appearance and pitiful expression in the mirror.

"What are you looking at?" she snarled at her reflection, flinging an apple core from her bedside table at it with magic. Unfortunately, she used a bit too much force, and the projectile left a series of cracks radiating out from the point of impact. Glow stared at her distorted reflection, the uneven sections of the mirror making her eyes appear offset.

"Oh, now even you're sympathizing with that pitiful pegasus?" she asked the image. "She doesn't need anypony else. She's still going to get the stallion she wants eventually, and now I've lost the last pony who still gave me any respect."

The reflection didn't have anything to say to Glow's complaints. She rolled over, facing the wall. "Maybe today isn't the day this ends," she continued aloud, "but someday, someday I'll get back the good life I deserve. And when that day comes, Breeze and Watt and Cloudcover and Candyfloss, and most of all, that infuriating Ditzy Doo, will finally get put in their place."

There was a single loud rap on Glow's front door. "Sparkler?" she called, lifting her head in the vain hope that her daughter had changed her mind. But there was no reply, only silence.

Slowly, Glow rose to her hooves and pulled open the door. She was greeted by nothing more than a rush of cold night air. She snorted, and made a move to close the door, but paused. A note was attached to the wood, tacked on by a shard of some sort of pinkish, glass-like substance.

What in Tartarus is this? she thought, yanking the paper down with magic. She stepped into the brighter light of her home, and scanned the message, painstakingly written in beautiful cursive with a quill.

Dear Miss Glow,

I couldn't help but overhear of your predicament today. I know you're feeling angry and upset, and it seems like all those feelings stem from the same source: the pegasus Ditzy Doo. Clearly, you really hate her, and you'd love nothing more than to get revenge, to finally put her in her place.

...It seems we have something in common.

I'd like to propose a partnership of sorts. An alliance. We don't know each other, but trust me, finally getting your revenge against Ditzy Doo will be a win for both of us. If you're interested, leave a reply on the back of this note, and return it to where you found it.

Consider it. I'm looking forward to your response.

The note was unsigned. Glow raised an eyebrow.

And here I thought I was the only pony in all of Equestria who couldn't stand that wretched Ditzy Doo, she thought. She stared at the note for a few moments more, thinking. She knew nothing about the pony who had written it, or what sort of plan he or she had. The only thing she knew was that this pony was apparently just as interested in revenge as she was.

And really, that was all that mattered.

"What have I got to lose?" Glow muttered, flipping the note over and grabbing a quill. She scrawled a short reply on the other side.

I'm interested. What do you have in mind?

The dour unicorn carefully tacked the note back where she found it, and with a final glance out to the dark streets of Ponyville, softly closed the door.

Two weeks later, the lives of Ditzy and Dinky began to return to something resembling what they had been before the wedding. Glow had not shown herself again since crashing the ceremony, and Sparkler seemed to have disappeared entirely. For Dinky, however, circumstances were about to change once again. It was a Monday morning at the beginning of March, and that meant her final term at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns was ready to begin.

Dinky, Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, and Pipsqueak stood on the platform, listening for the distant whistle that would signal the arrival of the train.

"Well, here we go," Scuffle sighed. "It was a nice break while it lasted."

"C'mon, Scuffle," Dinky chided. "You like magic as much as the rest of us. You can't tell me you aren't at least a little excited."

"Besides, you've got that, erm, what was it? Dueling class this year?" Pipsqueak added.

Scuffle brightened a bit. "Right, combat magic," he corrected. "I can't wait to finally sling some spells at an opponent again! I don't think I've been in a proper duel since the four of us took on ol' Sparkler in our first year."

"Just keep the battle spells in class," Clarity warned. "I'm your friend, but starting today, I'm also your Overseer. I'd hate to have to report you to the dean or something."

Scuffle waved away the warning. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be good," he droned.

Clarity sighed. "I don't know, I'm worried I sound harsh," she said, her eyes flicking left and right self-consciously. "I really hope this whole Overseer thing turns out okay."

"You have nothing to worry about," Honeydew affirmed, nuzzling Clarity. "We'll support you, just like when any of us have to face something unfamiliar."

"Oh, that reminds me, Dewey," Scuffle piped up. "You said something last night about considering trying something new this year. What was that about?"

Honeydew blinked and blushed slightly. "Oh, um... just a new look I was... toying with," she mumbled.

"A new look?" Dinky asked, cocking her head. "What do you mean?"

Honeydew nervously shuffled her hooves. "Well, you know how, in the little farm town I come from, fillies and mares are expected to keep their manes tied back in public?" she asked. "I've always kept mine like that, but nopony at the Academy, or most of modern Equestria for that matter, would think it was a problem if I didn't. And Clarity always says trying new things will help me learn to be a little more confident. So I was, um, trying out some styles in the mirror this week, and..."

She hesitated. Squeezing her eyes shut in apparent anxiety, she lit her horn and tugged the various ties free from her hair. With a delicate shake of her head, her long, wavy mane fell free.

"...and I was thinking of wearing it down like this?" she finished with a questioning note, as if asking permission.

Dinky had seen Honeydew's mane down plenty of times in the privacy of their dorm, but she was always amazed at exactly how much mane Honeydew really had, since she usually did an exceptional job of bundling it up very tightly into two matching buns at the sides of her head. When loose, it hung down much further than one would expect, reaching almost to where her forelegs met her body. It also almost never seemed to tangle, which was practically a miracle; Honeydew's special talent may have been for magical biology, but if ponies could have a secondary Cutie Mark, Dinky felt positive mane-styling would be Honeydew's.

"W-wow," Scuffle stuttered, his eyes wide. "Last time I saw your mane down, we were just foals. It looks... really nice like that."

"Absolutely ace look for you, Honeydew," Pip added. "I think your classmates will like it."

Honeydew blushed. "If you say so... I guess I can give it a try for a few days."

"See, we've all got new things to try this year!" Clarity announced. "I'm going to be an Overseer, Honeydew's got a new look and some new research to begin, Scuffle's finally getting the chance to show off his battle magic skills against his classmates, and Dinky—"

She stopped. Dinky glanced at Pip and sighed.

"And I get to find out what it's like to go months at a time without seeing Pip," she muttered.

A distant whistle rang through the winter air. The train was coming, and at last, the reality of the moment forced itself to the forefront of Dinky's mind. She quickly pulled Pipsqueak into a tight hug.

"I really don't want you to go," she whispered.

"I'll be back before you know it," Pip promised, nuzzling her forehead comfortingly. "And till then..."

Pip reached into his saddlebag and pulled his diamond pendant free, slipping it around his neck. Dinky hurriedly did the same with her magic. As soon as they were both in place against the ponies' chests, they began to glow with golden light.

"They still work as well as ever. Good thing you're such a great enchantress," he said with a wink.

Dinky smiled. "Sparkler's emergency enchantment is probably still on them, too," she pointed out. "Though I suppose you can't exactly come dashing to my rescue if you're at sea."

"You aren't going to need rescuing," Pip laughed. "You've got three friends there who have the magical know-how to protect you way better than I ever could."

He lowered his voice. "And if things were to get real bad, well... come on, you're a wraith. There's hardly anything in Equestria you couldn't vaporize if you really needed to."

Dinky rolled her eyes. "You're as bad as Scuffle."

"Nuh-uh!" Scuffle argued, interrupting their tender moment. "I always assume you're gonna blow stuff up, not vaporize it. There's a difference."

Dinky attempted to make a rather dark comment about blowing a certain somepony up if he didn't shut up, but the train pulled into the station, making a racket that drowned out any conversation for a few moments.

"All aboard for Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!" the conductor called.

"We're gonna get on board," Clarity said quickly. "Come join us once you and Pip have finished up."

She hopped onto the train, and Honeydew and Scuffle followed suit. Dinky turned back to her coltfriend, her eyes wet.

"You ought to get going," Pip said gently. "Promise you'll show me all your new spells next time we're together."

"Only if you show me all your Navy stuff," Dinky replied with a smirk. "I bet you'll look great in that uniform."

Both ponies laughed, and then Pip paused, looking around the station platform curiously.

"Say, Dinky, is your mum here to see you off today?"

"Nope, she had to work," Dinky informed him. "Why?"

Pip leaned forward and quickly kissed Dinky, sending a bright blush across her face.

"'Cause it's sort of awkward to have your mum around when I do that," he chuckled.

Dinky giggled. "Fair," she admitted. "I guess this is goodbye for now, Pip. Be safe, okay?"

"You too, Dinky," he said as he turned to go. "Hurry up now, that train's about to leave."

Dinky paused for only an instant longer, and then, determined to keep her mind on a joyful future instead of the somber present, she spun around and leapt onto the train.

"I'll be back before you know it"

Dinky stared out the window at the foothills of Canterlot mountain as she sat beside Clarity. The two of them had been separated from their friends for the time being; Ponyville was the second-to-last stop on the way to the Academy, so finding four seats in close proximity was rare.

"You're really lucky," Clarity said finally. "Pipsqueak really cares about you. There's no way being separated for a while will change that."

Dinky smiled. "I know," she said distantly, clutching her pendant. "He's probably right. I should focus on the Academy for now, and time will fly. It always does."

"Right!" Clarity affirmed, patting Dinky on the back. "When we met, four years ago today, we were two little fillies with big challenges waiting for us. We're older, wiser, and more magically talented now, but things haven't really changed, have they? This year has some new challenges for us, and I hope my best friend is ready to tackle them with me."

Dinky grinned and gave Clarity a hoof-bump. "We got this," she declared, sounding more upbeat. "Now, time to face the first one. What's expected of you as the Overseer today?"

"Well, technically my role doesn't officially begin until the opening ceremony tonight," Clarity said pensively. "Tango Trot and I will introduce ourselves to the school and lead the students to the residence towers. After that, I need to try to be available to help the fillies with any problems, and make sure everypony follows the rules. They told me at orientation that, for the first few weeks, I'll mostly be busy helping first-term students find things."

Dinky opened her mouth to reply, but a tiny sound caught her attention. She swiveled one ear, listening carefully. There was a sniffle, and then a quiet sob. Somepony nearby was softly crying.

"Do you hear that?" she asked in a low voice. "Sounds like it's coming from the seat right in front of us."

"I'll take a peek," Clarity announced, casting one of her favorite illusions and turning completely invisible almost instantly. Dinky waited silently for a few seconds, and then her friend flickered back into view.

"It's the filly in front of us," she whispered. "She looks small. Probably a first term student. I hope she's okay..."

"If only there was somepony around whose job it is to make sure the new students are okay," Dinky giggled, smirking sarcastically.

Clarity blushed. "Oh, right. Duh. Wish me luck."

The grey filly stepped into the aisle and cautiously trotted forward. Dinky discreetly peered over the back of the seat.

The filly on the other side was a bit unusual looking. For one thing, she was a pinto, the only one Dinky had ever seen besides Pipsqueak, though the shades of her coat were quite a bit darker, with a grey base color and big, irregular spots that were nearly black. Her mane was a ruddy red-brown, with two long braids that gradually darkened to black at the tips. Dinky caught a brief glimpse of her teary eyes, which were a soft yellow-orange.

"Hey, is something wrong?" Clarity asked.

Realizing she had company, the pinto unicorn sat up quickly and hastily dried her eyes with the side of a forehoof. "Um, no. Well... yes. Maybe," she stammered.

Clarity raised an eyebrow. "That's not much to go on," she chuckled. "But if you need something, maybe I can help. Is it alright if I sit with you for a minute?"

The filly scooted over toward the wall of the train, giving Clarity some space. Clarity sat down and produced her most welcoming smile.

"I'm Clarity, by the way," she greeted, extending a forehoof. "And you are?"

"Inkwell," the filly replied. "Sorry if I was bothering you, ma'am. I'm just a little stressed out. I didn't mean to disturb the older students."

"You weren't bothering me!" Clarity said hastily. "I just wanted to check on you. I'm one of the academy's student Overseers, so if you need some help, and there's no professors around, I'm your pony."

Inkwell sniffled again and smiled. "That's a relief," she breathed. "I know next to nothing about Celestia's Academy. I'm glad there's at least one friendly pony on staff there."

"Is that why you were upset?" Clarity asked, placing a foreleg around Inkwell's shoulders. "Because you're scared and alone in a new place?"

Inkwell nodded. "I'm the youngest of seven sisters, but all six of the others are pegasi and earth ponies, so I'm the only one going to this Academy," she explained, idly twirling one of her braids. "I'm used to being surrounded with older, more experienced ponies who already know what's going on, so being alone all of a sudden is scary."

"I know a pony like that," Clarity told her. "She was the only unicorn in her whole town; she didn't have even an inkling of what other unicorns were like, let alone what she would find at the Academy. Now she's a brilliant magical biologist and incredibly loyal friend."

Inkwell quickly began to look much more cheerful. "Maybe it won't be as strange and intimidating here as I thought," she said brightly. "Thank you, ma'am. I'm feeling a lot better."

Clarity beamed. "I'm more than happy to help. Oh, and please, call me Clarity! No need to be so formal."

Inkwell mirrored the Overseer's smile. "So, if you're in charge of all the fillies, does that mean you're a super-powerful unicorn mage, Clarity?" she asked.

Clarity laughed. "I don't know about that, but I do love magic," she replied. "You've had some practice with magic already, right Inkwell? What sort of magic is your favorite?"

Inkwell chewed her lip. "Err, my favorite is kind of a weird one," she admitted, pulling a wide sketchbook from her saddlebag. "Take a look."

She flipped the book open. From her viewpoint over the back of the seat, Dinky couldn't help but be impressed. The page was covered in dozens upon dozens of intricate symbols, written in shiny black ink with some of the most beautiful, adept horn-writing she had ever seen.

"Oh, runes!" Clarity gasped, surprised and delighted as she leaned in to examine the page closely. "Did you make all these yourself?"

"Uh huh!" said Inkwell excitedly. "I'm a wiz with a quill. It's my special talent, see?"

She turned a bit to show off her flank. On it was an image of, unsurprisingly, an inkwell, with a decorative, wavy smear of black ink running across it from left to right.

"That's really cool," Clarity said sincerely. "Using runes as part of spells is a higher-level topic, so they won't teach you much about it this year, but if you want, later this week when there's some time... maybe I can show you a few little tricks you can use when pairing them with simple enchantments."

Inkwell squealed. "That would be amazing! Thank you ma'am... err, Clarity!"

"No sweat," Clarity said casually. "Now, I should probably make a quick round of the train and make sure no other fillies need my help. Keep an eye out for me at the opening ceremony, ok?"

"Can't wait," Inkwell cooed. "See you soon."

Clarity slid out of the seat and stepped back over to where Dinky was sitting. The purple filly gave her a grin.

"Still wondering if you're fit to be a great Overseer?" she asked playfully. "Seems like that filly sure thinks you are."

Clarity smiled. "Maybe this won't be so hard," she said hopefully. "Look out, Celestia's Academy! A new Overseer is on her way!"

With a deafening whistle and a screech of wheels, the train pulled into the subterranean station that was the only access point to the Academy grounds. Inkwell, encouraged by Clarity's words, eagerly ran off with a group of other foals her own age. Dinky, Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle reunited at the station's exit, on the balcony overlooking the castle.

"I'm so happy to be back," Honeydew said dreamily, gazing at the school fondly.

"Me too," Clarity agreed, "but right now, I can't hang around and enjoy it. I need to go meet with the dean and the colts' Overseer before the opening ceremony. See you three later!"

She disappeared almost immediately in a flash of red light. The other three friends looked at one another.

"We've got a while till the ceremony starts," Scuffle pointed out. "Let's just walk."

The trio of ponies started down the ramp. For once, Honeydew was the first to speak.

"By tomorrow, Professor Chestnut and I will be planning out this year's research," she stated. "I really can't wait to show her the notes I wrote up over the winter break."

"Does Professor Chestnut still have that rude talking bird?" Dinky asked with a grin.

"Cornelius? Of course!" Honeydew exclaimed. "And he's quite friendly under all that strutting around and acting tough. You know, like Scuffle."

Scuffle glanced at the pink filly out of the corner of his eye. "Shush, Dewey."

Dinky laughed. "Don't deny it Scuffle, she's got you all figured out."

"Gah, now they're gangin' up on me," Scuffle grumbled, smirking. "I just can't win when it comes to you two, can I?"

Dinky could easily tell by his expression that he didn't mind his friends' teasing at all. Just like Honeydew had said, he just liked to put on a show.

"Ooh, hang on," Honeydew said suddenly, hopping off the path and into the grass on the steep hillside. "Let me just check on the bush the professor asked me to plant last term. I'll be right back."

Honeydew cantered off toward a grove twenty or so pony-lengths away, her long mane trailing in the air behind her. Once she was out of earshot, Scuffle spoke up.

"Dinks, d'you remember when me and Honeydew were foals?"

"Of course," Dinky responded. "You two were pretty different when we first arrived here. You were a bully, and Honeydew was almost paralyzingly timid. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with you."

"Right," Scuffle said with a slight nod. "Look at her now, though. She isn't gripped by those intense panic attacks she used to have anymore. I mean, she's no Clarity; I don't think she'll ever be that confident. But she jokes along with you two, and she's willing to try new things or go on adventures, as long as her friends are at her side. She's genuinely excited and passionate about a lot of things. I'm really happy for her; turned out all she really needed was some good friends."

Dinky smiled. Scuffle had his rare moments of mature insight, though he only ever seemed to share his thoughts with her when Clarity and Honeydew weren't present.

"Scuffle, the day after the whole Scorpio incident, you told me that you were gonna wait to tell Honeydew you like her as more than a friend, because both of you were still learning how to nurture a strong friendship with other ponies," she reminded him. "But think about what you just said; Honeydew has grown so much since then, and so have you. Clarity and I would be devastated if we had to say goodbye to either of you. Now that she's become so relaxed around you, I just don't understand why you're so afraid to tell Honeydew how you feel."

Scuffle kicked the dirt. "Well, that's just it, Dinks. This little group of ours, it's real close-knit, y'know? We've had each other's backs for years. If I tell Honeydew that I'd..." his voice dropped to barely more than a whisper, "...I'd like her to be my fillyfriend, and she doesn't feel the same, what if that hurts this group dynamic we've got? I've been over the moon watching Honeydew grow comfortable with having me around. What if that makes her withdraw around me again?"

"But if you don't say anything, this is about as far as you're gonna get with her," Dinky pointed out. "Clarity and I see you blush every time she's near you. I can't imagine you'll ever be really satisfied if you don't at least try."

Scuffle looked thoughtful. "You got a point, I guess," he mumbled. "I can't pretend I haven't thought about getting to cuddle up with a special somepony of my own like you do with Pip."

Dinky snickered. "If it turns out Honeydew likes you too, I think you might get a bit more than just some cuddles," she said mischievously, waggling her eyebrows. "You know what they say about the quiet, shy ones."

Scuffle blushed ferociously. "S-shut up, Dinks. You're the worst."

"I know," Dinky sang, flicking her tail playfully.

Both ponies quieted as Honeydew came galloping back toward them. "Sorry for the wait!" she called. "I just wanted to pick a few berries; I'm going to be trying out a new potion recipe with them this week and—"

She paused, frowning. "Scuffle, you look very flushed," she said, concerned. "Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine," Scuffle said quickly, while Dinky stifled a laugh. "C'mon, Dewey, let's just get to the castle, yeah?"

Honeydew nodded, and the three ponies resumed their march toward the front gates.

It's amazing what a pony can get used to. In her first year, the Academy's grand main hall, with its vaulted ceiling, shimmering illumination orbs, and ornate stained glass displays, had left Dinky breathless, overcome by wonder at its sheer grandeur. But after four years spent here, she trotted into the colossal chamber as casually as she would her own living room.

That being said, watching the current first-term ponies react as they stepped inside was rather entertaining.

"Guess we better find a seat," Scuffle admitted. "We took our time getting here. Looks like the ceremony's about to start."

The trio of unicorns hurried to a few open seats. They'd only just gotten settled when the usual blare of trumpets signaled the start of the day's proceedings. As he had for every year of Dinky's education, Professor Morningstar stepped up to greet the students.

Dinky quite liked Professor Morningstar as a pony, but she'd taken only very few of his classes over the years. His main role was to teach the critical Practical Magic class to students in their first term, and every course he offered past that was an elective that built on those topics. Dinky had overlooked those electives in favor of subjects that interested her more. On the other hoof, since Professor Morningstar was the Academy's most accomplished illusionist, Clarity had naturally taken nearly every course he offered.

"Good evening, everypony, and welcome to Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!" the professor greeted, waving to the audience. "Those of you who have been here before know the drill by now, I'm sure, but for those who don't, we'll kick things off with a word from none other than the mare in charge, Dean Spiral Script!"

He hurried away as a middle-aged mare strode onto the stage. Her coat was a washed out blue-grey, and her curly mane was purple, with two stripes of bright white running through it. She smiled out at the large gathering of ponies before her.

Dean Spiral Script had been a professor at Celestia's Academy for many years, but her time as its dean had begun at the start of Dinky's second term, since the prior dean, the corrupt, arrogant, and power-hungry Bright Spark, had been ousted at the end of the year prior. Spiral Script, fortunately, was nothing like her predecessor; her greatest priority was making sure the Academy provided a quality education to the ponies lucky enough to attend. Her pride in the school was always on display in the form of her dean's robe, a thin white cloak trimmed with the purple and yellow colors that represented Canterlot and the Academy. Bright Spark had rarely bothered to don the ceremonial vestment, while Spiral Script, in contrast, almost never took it off.

"Welcome, welcome!" Spiral Script greeted, waving to all the students. "It's so wonderful to see so many familiar faces back here for another year, and just as exciting to see all the new ones. I know most of you have heard my speech in years past, so please sit tight for a bit while I give your youngest classmates a proper introduction."

Dinky inevitably let her mind wander a little bit as Spiral Script recited the usual lines about the importance of magic in Equestria and the hard work and dedication it took to master it. By the fifth time around, the Academy's opening ceremonies, while grand, did begin to become a bit routine. She paid more attention when it was over, of course. After all, the next guest was somewhat more highly anticipated than the dean.

"Now, to formally begin our new term as always," Spiral Script said with a smile, "let us all stand and welcome our fair academy's founder, Princess Celestia!"

Right around that moment, the light of the setting sun struck the stained glass windows at just the right angle to illuminate a section of the stage with a rainbow of colors. A bright light suddenly erupted from the center of the spotlighted area, fading a moment later to reveal the regal form of Princess Celestia.

"Good evening, everypony!" Celestia greeted. "At the start of each term, for hundreds of years now, I've had the honor of being one of the first to address a new class of Equestria's brightest young unicorns, and I have to say, even after all this time, seeing this crowd of eager faces each year has never become any less joyous."

Many of the foals in the youngest class looked on in awe. Most of them, Dinky assumed, had probably never been this close to one of Equestria's princesses before.

"Although there is much entailed in ruling Equestria," the princess continued, "I will always make time to give the Academy my attention throughout the year, as will Princess Luna and, occasionally, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Although, Twilight has her own school to run now, so her interaction with our Academy is, unfortunately, limited. The education of the brightest young minds in Equestria is one of the highest priorities of all the princesses, though, and with the help of our wonderful dean and dedicated professors, we're happy to be able to provide that education to all of you."

After a few more minutes, Princess Celestia's words of encouragement for the students concluded, and after she departed, the students were directed to the dining hall for the opening feast.

"So what d'you think Clarity's up to?" Scuffle asked a few minutes later, through a mouthful of sweet potatoes.

"I'm sure the dean's just making sure the Overseers know the procedure for tonight," Dinky said. "Each of them has to lead a couple hundred ponies to the residence towers, and make sure everypony gets situated in their dorms. I'm sure there's a lot of details for them to remember."

"We'll see Clarity soon, though," Honeydew reminded them. "They always introduce the Overseers right after dinner, right?"

"Yup," Scuffle attempted to say through an even larger mouthful of food.

"Um, excuse me..." came a small voice. Dinky looked around, confused, before spotting a small filly standing behind her bench. Specifically, a familiar pinto unicorn.

"Hi there," Dinky greeted. "Inkwell, right? What's up?"

"You're the pony that was sitting with Clarity on the train, right?" Inkwell asked, gazing up at Dinky quizzically. "I figured I'd be polite and introduce myself! If you're friends with a pony as nice as Clarity, you're probably a great pony too."

"Nah, Dinks sucks," Scuffle chortled before Dinky could reply. "We keep Clarity around to keep her under control."

Fortunately, Inkwell wasn't oblivious to the sarcasm. The filly giggled as Dinky shot Scuffle a glare before looking back to her.

"Anyway, the name's Dinky Doo, and these ponies with me are Honeydew and Scuffle," she introduced. "We're all in our last term like Clarity is, so don't be afraid to ask us for help if she's not nearby."

"Okay," Inkwell affirmed. "Will Clarity be around soon, by the way?"

"Any minute," Honeydew assured her. "You'll be able to check in with her again when we get to the residence towers, don't worry."

Inkwell pranced in place for a moment. "Great!" she said as she trotted away. "Thanks for being so nice to me, Miss Dinky! See you later!"

Dinky smiled as the filly disappeared into the crowd. "I get the feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of that pony this year," she said with a chuckle.

Spiral Script appeared at the front of the room, waiting patiently as the students' din quieted. "Now, our last order of business for the evening is, of course, our student Overseers," the dean explained. "It is at this time that I'm going to hand the reins over to two of our most capable and skilled fifth-term students. First, our fillies this year will be managed by our beloved senior student, Clarity."

Predictably, Clarity teleported into view, earning a few delighted gasps from the younger students. She waved to the fillies as many of the youngest ones pushed closer, eager to meet their Overseer.

"And for the colts," Spiral Script continued, "we have a pony I'm sure is a popular choice. Join us on stage please, Tango Trot."

From somewhere, or perhaps everywhere, there was the reverberating sound of a single strum of an acoustic guitar, followed by the distinct, momentary clatter of castanets. In a teleport spell accompanied by an over-the-top puff of blue smoke, Tango Trot materialized onstage.

Dinky didn't know Tango Trot very well, but there was no denying that he was a suave and attractive young stallion. His coat was a vibrant royal blue, and his mane, slicked back and perfectly groomed, was a rich brown. His alluring smile and sky blue eyes had a tendency to leave many of his peers swooning. Though his entrance, Dinky thought, was a pretty clear sign that he might have been a bit too earnest in doing things with dramatic flair.

Or maybe she just had a thing for the often more grounded nature of earth ponies like Pip. Clarity spoke highly of Tango Trot, so Dinky reserved any judgement so soon.

"Hi everypony!" Clarity greeted. "The two of us are here to make sure you all have a safe and worry-free term this year. We'll both be available all evening to help you get settled in, and around tomorrow morning to direct you to your classes."

"Please gather at the ends of the room and join us for our walk to the towers," Tango Trot instructed in his silky, well-enunciated voice. "Fillies at the front of the room with my lovely co-overseer, and colts at the back with me. Once we get there, we'll deliver further instructions."

Both ponies teleported in unison, appearing at opposite ends of the room. The students all rose to make their way to their respective positions.

"Here's where we go our separate ways for the night, girls," Scuffle stated. "See you at breakfast, yeah?"

"Of course," Dinky said with a nod. "Have a good night, Scuffle."

"Sleep well," Honeydew added with a smile.

Dinky and Honeydew trailed along at the back of the great group of fillies as they made their way out of the castle and up the side of the valley to the residence towers. Once everypony was crammed into the lobby, Clarity spoke again.

"Alright, this is the fillies' tower," she called. "New students, take note: there is a powerful spell surrounding this place that makes it impossible for colts to enter. Likewise, their tower won't let you in, no matter how hard you try. To your right is the door to the lounge, where there is no such spell. That's where you should go if you're planning to relax or study with one of your male friends. Simple, right?"

There were a few nods. Clarity seemed satisfied.

"Now, there's plenty of room upstairs for all of you to make yourselves at home," she continued. "I'll be making the rounds for a few hours, so don't hesitate to come and get me if you need anything. Welcome to your new home-away-from-home, everypony!"

Clarity gestured to the stairs, and the fillies began to gather their luggage and disappear up the steps. Dinky spotted Inkwell among the crowd; the little filly paused long enough to wave to Clarity, and the Overseer responded with a grin and a wink before the advancing herd of fillies swept Inkwell up the stairs. When the room was finally empty, Dinky and Honeydew made their way over to her.

"So... how'd I do?" Clarity asked. "Did I miss anything? Was everything clear?"

"It was just about the best Overseer intro I can remember," Dinky declared. "Now come on, let's go unpack so you can go check on all the other fillies."

"Um, Dinky," Honeydew gently interjected. "Unfortunately, Clarity can't stay with us this year. She needs to stay in the Overseer suite so it's convenient for the other students to find her."

Dinky's face fell. "I completely forgot. The three of us have shared a room for years..."

"Now hold on, you two," Clarity chuckled, trotting to the nearby door to her suite. "It's true that I need to stay in the Overseer suite, but I checked with Dean Script, and there's nothing in the rules that says I can't invite ponies to stay there with me."

She kicked open the door with a hind hoof, revealing the large, comfortable dormitory. It contained not only the usual bed meant for the Overseer, but a set of bunks from elsewhere in the tower as well.

"What do you say girls?" Clarity asked, giggling at her friends awed expressions. "Wanna live it up in the Overseer suite together this year?"

"You have to ask?" Dinky questioned, her levitating luggage already halfway through the door.

Chattering excitedly, the three fillies set to preparing for the next morning, when their last term at the Academy would truly begin.

At dawn the next day, when most of the Academy's students were still asleep, two particular pegasi were already wide awake, and seated in a quiet law office near Ponyville.

"Honestly, Mr. Breeze, you have nothing to worry about," the attorney said, closing the large book of Equestrian statutes on the desk in front of him. "Your daughter is considered an adult by Equestrian law. As such, you legally owe her nothing, and the same goes for her mother. In order for either of them to demand anything of you, they would have had to come to you with the matter before your daughter's eighteenth birthday, which, as I understand it, passed more than four year ago."

Breeze's stiff posture relaxed. "That's what I expected, but it's still a relief," he breathed. "You're positive there's no circumstance in which Glow could snare me in any kind of legal trap with this?"

"The only thing I can think of is if she would claim you were aware of your daughter prior to her reaching adulthood," the attorney replied. "She wouldn't really get anywhere without proof, but she'd certainly create an annoying hassle for you until that got sorted out."

"Half of Ponyville witnessed Glow introduce Sparkler to Breeze two weeks ago," Ditzy pointed out. "Glow's been pretty delusional, but I don't think she's quite crazy enough to try to claim otherwise; there were too many witnesses."

"Then all is well," the stallion said, rising from his chair. "Have a good day, you two."

Ditzy and Breeze left the law office and were quickly in the sky over Ponyville. Ditzy opened her mouth to speak, but Breeze cut her off.

"Hold on, Ditzy. Let's wait until we get to work. Cloudcover and Watt will want to discuss this too."

Ditzy nodded, lapsing into silence until Equestria Speedy Shipping Services came into view. Breeze alighted smoothly in front of the door. Ditzy overshot slightly, and had to flap hard to stop herself running into the front edifice.

"You alright there?" Breeze asked her.

Ditzy nodded. "You know how it is," she said casually, trying to momentarily align her eyes before they drifted apart again. "My depth perception isn't the best. Now, head upstairs. I'll meet you there in a second; I just want to give Dr. Candyfloss an update first.

Breeze nodded and disappeared up to the employee lounge. Ditzy trotted into her boss's office, humming idly.

"Morning, Dr. Cand—"

She stopped, surprised, as she took in the unicorn in front of her. Dr. Candyfloss sat hunched at his desk, his head resting on one forehoof while the other idly flicked at his tiny drinking-bird desk toy. The old stallion's wispy mane hung limply, and there the dark circles under his eyes were rather hard to ignore.

"Ah... good morning, Ditzy," he said hoarsely.

"Doc, are you alright?" the pegasus asked in alarm, trotting up to his desk.

"Nothing to worry about, my dear," her boss replied, smiling gently. "I've come down with something rather rough, it seems. Happens to the best of us."

Ditzy did not look convinced. Candyfloss forced himself into a more upright position.

"Now, was there something you needed, Ditzy?" he asked, after clearing his throat.

"Err, I just wanted to let you know that everything went well with the lawyer," Ditzy admitted. "So we don't need to worry about Cosmic Glow. Now we just have to figure out how we're going to handle the whole situation with Sparkler."

Candyfloss started to nod, but paused when he was gripped by a coughing spell. He took a few gulps of water before resuming the conversation.

"That's good to hear, Ditzy. I'm sure it will take you and Breeze no time at all to figure out how you'd like to handle that bit."

Ditzy nodded. "Not to change the subject, but are you sure you're ok, Doctor Candyfloss? Maybe you should take the day off and rest."

Candyfloss waved a dismissive forehoof. "I'll be fine," he said, turning away to levitate his shipping journal up onto the surface of his desk. "Head upstairs, and I'll call you when a job comes in."

Ditzy nodded and closed the door, cringing as she heard the poor stallion begin to cough again behind it.

Three stallions' heads turned expectantly as Ditzy stepped into the lounge. "Morning guys," she greeted, smiling slightly.

Watt jetted up onto the back of the couch, perched precariously with all four hooves on the narrow space, and leaning forward in a way Ditzy felt certain would've put the center of gravity of a more average pony well past its tipping point. "So spill the beans, Ditzy!" he chirped. "What's going down with old Cosmo and her daughter?"

Ditzy and Breeze quickly brought their coworkers up to speed on the matter. Watt grinned widely at the good news, while Cloudcover simply looked relieved.

"Well, that's one matter off your plate," Cloudcover said. "Does this mean the two of you are going to begin to arrange your wedding again?"

"...Not quite," Ditzy admitted. "Being legally in the clear is great, but we've far from sorted this whole mess out."

Cloudcover nodded solemnly. "I suppose it's the matter of poor Sparkler that is still weighing on you two?" he asked.

Breeze sighed. "It's not an easy thing to just take in stride," he explained, as Ditzy put a comforting wing over his back. "I mean, think about it. All of a sudden... I have a daughter. I brought a pony into the world more than twenty years ago, and I had no idea until just recently. Glow doesn't show any sign of repentance, so I couldn't care less how she feels about the whole thing, but... well, now I'm living with the knowledge that an innocent filly grew up without a father, under the care of..."

"A sociopath?" Ditzy finished for him.

"Well, yeah," Breeze mumbled. "Dinky knows Sparkler better than any of the four of us, and you heard what she said about her; Sparkler's often an angry, bitter, and antisocial pony. And these last few weeks, all I can think about is how maybe, if I'd known, if I'd been able to do something sooner, I could've prevented that."

"You couldn't have known, old friend," Cloudcover soothed. "Cosmic Glow was so determined to keep her pride intact that she kept Sparkler from you until revealing her existence could be used to hurt you. It's tragic that poor Sparkler was used as a pawn in Glow's game, but all the guilt lies with her."

"That's what I've been saying," Ditzy added. "You didn't do anything wrong, Breeze."

"Maybe so," Breeze said, his voice growing more resolute, "but you know what? Just because I'm not responsible for it doesn't mean I can't do my part to right the wrong. Before Ditzy and I pledge to spend our lives together, I want to tie up this last loose end from my past relationship. I want to find a way to make things right with Sparkler."

He looked at Ditzy imploringly. The mare smiled at him. "Then I'm with you," she announced. "Let's make an attempt to clear the air with Sparkler."

"Aww, you two are the most selfless ponies I know!" Watt declared, flicking his short, spiky tail back and forth rapidly in apparent delight. "No wonder Candyfloss is so proud of everything you guys have accomplished!"

"But don't get too ahead of yourselves," Cloudcover warned, gesturing with a wing to mimic a waggling finger. "You can have all the good intent in the world, but Glow has certainly demonstrated that some ponies simply aren't receptive to it. Try as you might, Breeze, Sparkler may simply choose to shut you out, no matter what. And you'll need to be prepared to accept that possibility."

Breeze looked at the floor. "I know," he said levelly. "I've been bracing myself in case it comes to that."

"Maybe it won't though," Ditzy reminded him. "Dinky managed to reach the scared, suffering pony under that stoic outer shell. Maybe we can too."

"Maybe we can, and maybe we can't," Breeze said, turning to gaze out the window at Ponyville. "But by Celestia, we're certainly gonna try."

The grating sound of the intercom filled the room. Ditzy perked one ear, waiting for Candyfloss's voice to follow. It didn't come.

"That's odd," Cloudcover muttered. "Maybe the intercom's on the fritz?"

"Again?" Watt whined. "I just fixed that thing last month."

"I'll go see which of us Candyfloss meant to call," Ditzy said, trotting to the door. "Be right back."

With a brief flap of her wings, Ditzy fluttered down the stairs and carefully pushed open the door to the office.

"Hey, Dr. Candyfloss?" Did you try to call—"

Her train of thought was derailed by Candyfloss's vacant stare. Although only a few minutes had passed, he somehow looked noticeably more unwell.

"Ditzy, my friend..." he said, in a voice that was now barely more than a whisper. "I seem to have underestimated things a bit. Could you be a dear and contact Ponyville Urgent Care?"

Before Ditzy could reply, the old unicorn swayed dangerously in his seat. Instinctively scrambling to keep his balance, he jerked a foreleg forward over his desk. The action sent his unlucky glass desk toy tumbling to the floor, shattering against the tile.

"Oh, Mr. Feathers..." Candyfloss groaned, not even seeming to care as he too slid out of his seat and ended up sprawled on the floor.

"Doctor Candyfloss!" Ditzy gasped, darting to his side. "Hang on, I'll call for help right away!"

Candyfloss hardly seemed to hear her. He feebly stretched out a foreleg, trying to reach the glimmering shards of what was once Mr. Feathers. Ditzy carefully stepped over him, shaking as she grabbed at his desk phone.

"Hello, Ponyville Urgent Care? Please, send paramedics to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services right away! It's an emergency!"

Chapter 4

"Ohh, whatever they're doing, why can't they do it faster?" Watt moaned, pacing the room so quickly and fiercely that he was beginning to wear a track in the thin rug.

Ditzy, Breeze, Watt, and Cloudcover occupied the waiting room of Ponyville Urgent Care. Upon their arrival at the hospital, Candyfloss had still been conscious, though admittedly very weak and thoroughly miserable. For the moment, there was nothing his employees could do but wait for an update from one of the nurses.

"Please calm down, Watt," Breeze urged. "We're all on edge. No need to make it worse than it already is."

"The ponies here are experienced professionals," Cloudcover reminded them. "Whatever Dr. Candyfloss is suffering from, I'm sure they can stabilize it."

"You guys saw him, didn't you?" Ditzy asked quietly, taking slow, deep breaths to keep her nerves at bay. "That's no common cold. I sure hope Cloudcover is right and everything will be fine."

"Fortunately, Mrs. Doo, it appears it will be," came a female voice.

Nurse Redheart, head of the nursing staff, trotted into the waiting room. "You four are the ones who are here for Mr. Candyfloss, right?" she asked.

"Doctor Candyfloss," Watt corrected.

Redheart checked the patient information on her clipboard. "Err..."

"Just go with it," Ditzy explained. "Candyfloss is a self-proclaimed doctor of love, and honestly, I've never seen anypony do what he can do as well as he does. He deserves the title."

Nurse Redheart just nodded. "Anyway, we aren't entirely certain yet what Dr. Candyfloss has come down with," she hesitantly admitted. "We suspect it's simply a nasty virus that hit him hard in his advanced age. We've already administered everything he needs to keep the fever and cough under control, and I'm quite pleased with how he's doing. He is awake and alert, resting comfortably in his room and making idle conversation with the other nurses. You four may see him, as long as you keep any conversation soft and low-key, of course."

She stared at Watt specifically. He seemed to get the hint, and held his frantic movements in check as much as he could.

"Thank you, Nurse Redheart," Cloudcover said politely as she led the four of them into the hallway.

"My pleasure," the nurse replied, smiling. "You'll find Mr... um, I mean Dr. Candyfloss's room just around the corner, at the end of the hall."

Ditzy wanted nothing more than to dash to her boss's bedside as fast as her hooves would carry her, but she respected the rules and trotted ahead at a normal pace. Watt moved along at only about twice the speed as the rest of them; for him, that was a sluggish plod that Ditzy didn't doubt was taking all his concentration.

The ponies turned the corner and almost bumped right into Nurse Sweetheart, the often upbeat purple-and-white earth pony that diligently watched over many of the patients.

"Oh, excuse me!" the nurse apologized, chuckling as she stepped aside. "Go on in. I must say, what a charming friend you have in there. I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you all."

The four matchmakers peered into the room she had left. It was a large, comfortable room with a wide window letting in plenty of morning light, and its occupant was lucky enough to have it all to himself. Dr. Candyfloss was lying quietly in bed, his eyes scanning the text of a novel suspended in his silver aura. After a moment, he looked up.

"Ah, there you four are," he said, his typical calm smile spreading across his face. "Come in, come in. I'm feeling much better at the moment."

Ditzy let her wings fall limply at her sides, relieved. "It's good to see you, Doctor Candyfloss," she breathed. "For a little while there, we were getting really worried."

"Bah," said Candyfloss with a chuckle. "Some health struggles are inevitable at my age. The ponies here are excellent at what they do, though. I'm sure with some continued medicine and a few days of rest I'll be right as rain."

"Just don't try to get back on your hooves too quickly," Cloudcover advised. "I know the medication is helping, but the last thing you need to do now is overexert."

"I'm no fool, dear Cloudcover," the boss said with a small smirk. "I shall stay put until the doctors are convinced that I am well enough to leave."

Ditzy smiled. "We're all glad to hear that!" she chirped. "I know you're job is important, but if you aren't well enough to do it, it's not a good idea to force it."

"Speaking of which, Doc," Breeze cut in, "is Equestria Speedy Shipping Services temporarily closed, or is one of us gonna manage the office while you're out?"

Candyfloss pointed to the phone at the bedside table. "I've actually had the office's number re-routed to here," he explained. "Clients can call me, and I'll call you four at the office to send you on assignment. You will, however, need to take turns covering the other office duties and paperwork. I can't be there for that, but I can certainly answer a few phone calls."

"I call first office shift!" Watt declared, jumping in place.

"Watt, you... you hate covering the office..." Ditzy pointed out.

Watt stopped. "Oh yeah," he said, blushing. "I guess I got caught up in the helpful mood."

Candyfloss smiled. "Between the four of you, and with no incoming calls except for my assignments for you, I'm sure none of you will be too overworked, but I do apologize for any inconvenience."

"Psh, don't worry about us, Doc," Breeze said with a wave of his wing. "You get well. We'll handle the rest."

Candyfloss nodded. After a moment, his smile seemed to grow smaller and sadder.

"Before I send the four of you back to work, there is one other thing we must discuss," he said quietly.

"Oh?" Cloudcover asked. "Is something else amiss?"

Candyfloss shook his head. "No, but as Ditzy witnessed, my poor Mr. Feathers met his tragic end early this morning, and that event has set me to thinking about some more... somber topics."

Dr. Candyfloss paused to stare out the window for a moment, choosing what he wanted to say. Ditzy and the others waited in tense silence.

"While I'm sure we're all glad that this didn't turn out to be a terribly serious illness after all, there are some facts we can't ignore," the old unicorn said finally. "I've spent more than three-quarters of a century in our land of Equestria, and while I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, there's no denying the fact that, someday... and that day is perhaps not so many years away... I too will be gone, just like Mr. Feathers."

Watt frowned. "Aw, Doc, we don't need to plan for that right now," he whined. "Dont'cha think we should wait till we're all back at the office for a staff meeting or something if we have to touch on that topic?"

"We'll certainly discuss it in more detail there once I am well," Candyfloss agreed, nodding slowly. "But I feel I should share the essentials now, while it's on my mind."

There was a small pause as his employees simply nodded, waiting for him to continue. "For many years, I have been the owner and CEO of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services," he began. "While the four of you are some of my most successful and longest-term employees ever, none of you, not even Cloudcover, the most senior among you, are the ones I first opened the company with. As the founder, our matchmaking company has never run without me for more than a short time."

"So what will happen when that has to change?" Ditzy asked slowly.

"To be completely certain, I don't know," Dr. Candyfloss sighed. "When the day comes that I either pass on, or am simply unfit to work any longer, something will need to change. And regarding that change, I have only one request."

"Which is?" Breeze asked.

Candyfloss smiled as a look of nostalgia crossed his face. "Over these many years, I've seen so many ponies find a bond with those they love. Helping ponies who are scared or doubtful realize that they can meet the pony of their dreams is the single greatest thing I've experienced in life. And so I ask you... no, I beg you, when I can no longer play my part in making that happen... don't let it end. I don't know if one of you would be the one to take my place, or perhaps a new pony will come along with a talent like mine or something similar. But no matter what option, please... don't let Equestria Speedy Shipping Services end when my career concludes. Equestria deserves the service you four provide. All I ask is that it lives on after I'm gone."

Ditzy smiled broadly. "Dr. Candyfloss, I think I speak for all of us when I say this is the best job we've ever had," she assured him. "We'll do everything we possibly can to keep the company running when that day comes."

"But that day is a ways off," Watt announced. "It's good to have a plan I guess, but the Equestria Speedy Shipping Services we're all used to isn't going anywhere just yet!"

"Quite right," Candyfloss chuckled. "Now, I'd like the four of you to get back to the office; I'll contact you if any calls come in."

The four matchmakers trotted to the door. Ditzy turned back and waved briefly.

"Bye Doc! Feel better!"

"Goodbye, Ditzy."

Candyfloss sent her one last smile, his silvery eyes sparkling, as she gently closed the door.

"Dinky, I know you're used to sleeping in over the break, but you might want to get up now..."

Dinky's eyes fluttered open. Mid-morning sun streamed through the Overseer suite, but as Dinky was in her usual spot in the bottom bunk, she was shielded from most of it. Honeydew stood at the bedside, smiling shyly. The pink filly's mane, left hanging loose once again, was nevertheless expertly brushed and groomed.

"Morning Honeydew," Dinky said, smiling. "One sec."

Dinky rolled over and knocked on the base of the bed above her. "Rise and shine, Clarity!" she called loudly.

Honeydew suppressed a giggle. "Clarity's not up there," she explained. "She's already awake and outside."

Dinky gawked. Clarity was absolutely never awake before she had to be. She was the deepest (and often most disheveled) sleeper Dinky knew.

"Why?" she asked, bewildered.

"Um, cause she's the Overseer?" Honeydew reminded her. "It's the first day of classes. She had to be up in case the other fillies needed help or directions. To be fair, I did have to wake her at the right time. She wasn't, um, exactly thrilled to be up at that hour, but she has to be until the first-term students get used to being here."

Dinky laughed. "Ah, right. Where are we meeting her?"

"At breakfast," Honeydew replied. "Scuffle's probably already there too, so I'm gonna head to the castle. Come join us when you're cleaned up?"

Dinky nodded and hopped out of bed as Honeydew quickly stepped out into the tower. After a shower and brief grooming, she made her way to the dining hall in the castle. Clarity waved almost as soon as she entered, patting an open seat next to her.

"'Sup Dinks?" Scuffle asked as she sat down.

"Nothing much," Dinky admitted. "I'm sure we'll all be busier after our first classes though. What's on your schedule?"

Scuffle held up the paper in his aura while he munched on his toast. "Advanced Summoning, with Morningstar," he said. "Not the most riveting thing on here, but I needed to take a couple electives. Besides, my teleportation accuracy needs work, and summoning uses the same kind of spell. It'll be good practice."

Dinky nodded. "And you, Clarity?"

"Transformation and Conjuring," Clarity answered. "Are we in the same class?"

Dinky shook her head. "Looks like we're taking T&C separately this year," she said. "I have it in the middle of the week."

"As for today," Honeydew said, swishing her tail excitedly, "Dinky and I have Magical Biology together again! We'll be heading to Professor Chestnut's classroom right after breakfast."

Dinky's eyes lit up. There was nothing quite like watching Honeydew in her element. Seeing her meek friend get the chance to really shine, and show off just how brilliant she really was, was always a delight.

Clarity had just about enough time to wish her friends luck before a group of young fillies gathered around her, asking for directions to various parts of the castle. With a brief wave, she trotted off to help them.

"Looks like it's time to get started," Scuffle decided, hefting his saddlebags across his back. "Dinks, Dewey, go talk to some plants or whatever it is you do in that class. I'll seeya later."

Honeydew giggled as he trotted off, and then the two fillies hurried to class as well.

Early in Dinky's first year at Celestia's Academy, it wasn't uncommon to see Honeydew skulking through the halls, as if fearing somepony would attack her at any moment. So watching her literally skip into Professor Chestnut's classroom was nothing short of heartwarming.

The Magical Biology classroom, unlike Honeydew, hadn't changed a bit. The earth-toned, wood-paneled room was very different than the ornate brickwork that made up most of the castle, and one east-facing wall was made fully of glass, letting the morning sun stream over the great multitude of plants in the room. Professor Chestnut, the stocky brown unicorn mare that had become Honeydew's mentor, grinned broadly as the two fillies approached.

"Girls! So good to see you both!"

Honeydew beamed. "Hello, Professor," she said sweetly. "We're finally in the highest class! I hope you're going to show us some of the most intricate ins and outs of the field this year."

Professor Chestnut laughed. "I am, but as usual, you'll already know half of them," she admitted. "I just can't stay ahead of your appetite for the subject, Honeydew."

"Yeah, you're two steps ahead of the old bat," came a squawking voice, as a bright green, talking bird fluttered down from the rafters and perched on Chestnut's sun hat. "I suppose you're gonna be here all hours of the day like usual, doing another research project for elective credit?"

"What do you care, Cornelius?" Dinky cut in, smirking. "Honeydew gives you all the birdseed you want every day. You're in no position to complain."

Cornelius took off again, leaving the professor's hat in favor of perching on Honeydew's horn, using the notch near the base as a grip for one of his talons. "Fine," he crowed, "I guess there's worse ponies to have hanging around the place than little Honeydew."

"We can talk all about this year's research after class, Honeydew," Chestnut reassured her. "For the moment though, we have to get started on the lesson."

Dinky and Honeydew quickly took their seats. Cornelius seemed content to remain firmly attached to Honeydew's horn, only finally returning to the professor's hat when the filly lit it to retrieve her school supplies.

"Welcome once again to Magical Biology!" Professor Chestnut called, quieting small group of assembled students. "If you're here, you should have taken the first two levels of the subject sometime during your first four years here. If you haven't, I'm afraid you may have arrived at the wrong class."

She chuckled, but Cornelius scowled. "Nah, these are the right ponies, Chestnut," he grumbled. "I've seen every one of these ugly muzzles in here at least twice before."

"Cornelius."

Dinky smirked. Cornelius was nothing if not consistent with his insults.

"Anywho," Chestnut continued, "in the past, all of you have learned a more than a little about using your unicorn abilities to tap into the innate magic of living things. Every one of you knows the spells necessary to connect on a subconscious level with plants and animals, as well as how to use natural magical ingredients for your own purposes, such as preparation of potions. What remains now is to put those skills to use in some more advanced applications."

"Such as?" Cornelius interjected. "C'mon, Chestnut, you're boring them. Get to the point."

Professor Chestnut lit her horn and slowly rotated her wide hat until Cornelius faced away from the class. "In this course, we'll be learning about some of Equestria's rarer magical species and the powers or properties they possess," she continued, ignoring the bird's grumbling. "We'll also be fine-tuning the skills you've already learned in your earlier years; by the time this term is concluded, my hope is that all of you will have a deep appreciation for just how intimately connected all life really is, bound by a magic that only a very lucky few in Equestria... specifically, the ponies in this room, are able to truly fathom."

Dinky watched out of the corner of her eye as Honeydew squirmed delightedly in her seat, with a quill at the ready for the moment Chestnut would begin her lecture. Her friend noticed the glimpse and smiled slightly.

"Well, let's not waste any more time," Professor Chestnut said, clapping her forehooves together. "We've got a lot to cover, and just one more term to do it. Let's get started!"

Dinky felt the water, creeping slowly through the roots. She felt the sun, nourishing the leaves. The air surrounding the tree, while quite cool, was fresh and clean.

What's the problem, then? she thought to herself, concentrating on experiencing the tree's state of being as fully as possible.

Remembering what Honeydew always told her, she pushed her more concrete thoughts out of her mind, focusing only on wordless sensation. After a few moments, she began to feel a faint disturbance in her joints. Not quite pain, but certainly a sort of weakness. A tiny intrusion, that felt as if it were eating away at her strength, though at an extremely infinitesimal rate.

...Eating away?

Dinky ceased her spell and opened her eyes. "Insects?" she asked finally.

Honeydew nodded. "Definitely. Pretty sure they're wood-boring beetles."

Dinky let out a tired sigh. "This is hard, Honeydew."

"It just takes practice," Honeydew said simply, idly scribbling a few notes about the beetle-stricken tree in her notebook. "Of course, it's easier to diagnose ailing life with magic when you've had time to cultivate a bond with it."

"Well, sure," Dinky admitted, "but this is a tree. It's hard to get to know a tree on a personal level."

Honeydew didn't seem to hear, as she was already using her magic to use the same diagnostic spell on a nearby birch. "Oh, I see," she said, after just a few seconds. "Go on, Dinky, see if you can figure out what's wrong with this one."

Dinky shut her eyes and once again reached out with magic, tapping into the essence of the old birch. Systematically, she ran all the same checks, but try as she might, she couldn't find anything amiss. Puzzled, she glanced at Honeydew.

"I can't feel anything wrong."

"Well, it's a less obvious one," Honeydew admitted, stroking the bark with a forehoof for a moment. "It's struggling with a bit of micronutrient deficiency. Maybe the soil is too alkaline for it to absorb them well..."

Dinky stared blankly. "Honeydew, you're a pony," she said slowly. "How does a pony know what a micronutrient deficiency would even feel like?"

Honeydew just shrugged, smiling at her friend apologetically. "The professor and I have worked with a lot of trees these last few years..." she mumbled a little self-consciously. "Like... a lot of trees."

Dinky laughed. "Hey, more power to you," she praised, leaning up against Honeydew and nuzzling her playfully. "Seems like you're gonna breeze through even the highest level class."

Honeydew blushed. "Maybe," she squeaked. "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not showing off or anything."

Dinky shook her head quickly. "There's a big difference between showing off and just being good at something," she pointed out. "Don't worry, it's easy to tell you're good at this simply because you love it and worked hard to master it."

"Alright, class!" came Professor Chestnut's voice from some distance away. "Class is over for today! Remember to bring along reports next week regarding your findings, including the position of any ailing plants, the problems identified, and suggested treatments. See you then!"

Dinky's classmates began to disperse, heading back toward the castle. Honeydew swished her tail eagerly, but glanced at Dinky before moving.

"Would you like to stay behind with me for a bit while I talk to the professor?" she asked.

"Sure," Dinky replied. "It'll be cool to hear what your research is about."

Honeydew quietly trotted across the grass until she was standing beside Professor Chestnut. The mare gave her a smile.

"Honeydew, how are you?" she asked cordially. "Judging by your letters, it seems like you had an excellent winter break in Ponyville."

"I did," Honeydew replied. "Dinky here let us stay with her all winter. Ponyville is lovely, and not half bad for collecting research specimens, either."

Professor Chestnut smiled at Dinky. "I'm glad to see you and Honeydew are still thick as thieves, dear," she commented.

"I don't think that will ever change," Dinky assured her. "So, I hear she's doing some more new research with you this year?"

Surprisingly, instead of thrilled, Chestnut looked a bit concerned. "Yes, of course," she said, turning back to her star pupil. "But Honeydew, the proposal you sent me a few weeks ago is... erm, rather lofty. Spellweaving is difficult in any context, but something of that caliber..."

"Oh, I know," said Honeydew in an unusually casual manner. "But think of the impact it could have on the whole field of study if we can pull it off!"

"Hold on," said Dinky, shaking her head. "Honeydew, exactly what kind of project are you designing? And what is 'spellweaving'?"

Honeydew and Chestnut exchanged a glance. "You haven't explained the magnitude of this project to your friends yet, I see," the professor chuckled.

Honeydew tapped her chin with a forehoof, thinking. "Well, Dinky, spellweaving is basically magical pioneering," she explained. "Rather than learning to cast an existing spell, or finding a new way to apply it, a pony who is spellweaving is trying to figure out how to control magic to create an entirely new, undiscovered spell. It, um, usually requires a very high aptitude for at least a certain type of magic, and a whole lot of trial and error, in order to come up with something even partially successful."

Dinky's jaw dropped. "You're designing your own spell?" she asked, aghast. "Does Clarity know about this? I don't think she'd ever stop talking about it if she did."

Honeydew shook her head. "No, I just came up with my research proposal near the end of the break, so I hadn't really talked to anypony about it yet. I did bring it up to Scuffle one afternoon when we were alone, but um..." she paused, giggling softly, "err, Scuffle doesn't quite get it. He hasn't wrapped his head around how big of a project it would be."

"Spellweaving is one thing," Chestnut added, "but the spell Honeydew is hoping to design is..."

"Insane?" Cornelius cut in.

"Rather ambitious," Chestnut corrected.

Dinky cocked her head. "How so?"

Honeydew fidgeted anxiously. "Well, one of the most common spells used in this subject is the one used to connect with and sense another living thing. You and I were using it today."

Dinky nodded. "Yes...?"

"Over the last few years, one thing I've learned about magical biology is that every living thing has its own unique needs," Honeydew continued, looking at some of the trees she and Dinky had been casting spells on not long before. "Even in similar conditions, some plants or animals may respond really differently to the same thing. That makes it really hard to detect a subtle problem affecting a whole ecosystem at once; the only way around it is to connect with many, many individuals to look for similarities until a pattern emerges. And I, um... aim to change that."

Dinky's ear twitched. "What do you have in mind?" she asked.

Honeydew tried to look confident, but Dinky could tell she was growing more nervous. "Well," she mumbled, "I thought there might be a way to develop a sort of scanning spell: something that would allow a pony to trade a deep connection with an individual for a less intimate connection with a whole community at the same time. It would make biological or chemical trends within small areas much faster and easier to detect, and make measuring the scope of the problem trivial. I call the concept Lifesense."

Dinky knew enough about magical biology to realize Honeydew was describing a monumentally powerful spell. Stunned, she looked at Professor Chestnut.

"I've been perusing the literature almost nonstop since Honeydew sent me the proposal," the mare admitted. "While a spell like this has never been successfully cast, I honestly can't find anything in any study of unicorn magic mechanics suggesting it would be impossible. As far-fetched as it is, if Honeydew wants to try to develop a Lifesense spell... then I'm happy to work with her on it this year."

Honeydew beamed. "Thank you, Professor!" she squealed. "Together, we just might stand a chance!"

"If there's any way I can help, I will," Dinky promised. "Come on, let's go tell Clarity and Scuffle; they may not know a lot about the subject, but friends' support is valuable no matter what."

Professor Chestnut nodded. "Well, meet me on one of your free periods this week and we'll begin brainstorming," she instructed. "I'm looking forward to it! After all, Honeydew, you're one of the most talented biologists I've ever taught. And before this term is over, I think you might be teaching me a thing or two of your own."

"So... Honeydew wants to talk to more than one plant at the same time?" Scuffle asked, scratching his head.

"You really don't have even a basic understanding of what Honeydew does, do you?" Clarity asked flatly.

Scuffle's eyes flitted nervously. "Uh⁠—"

"There's nothing wrong with that," Honeydew said absently, scribbling in her notes. "Scuffle doesn't care that I have no appetite for battle magic. Why should it matter to me that he isn't a magical biologist?"

Scuffle's relief was apparent. "Yeah, Clarity, gimme a break," he mumbled, earning an eye roll from the grey filly.

Dinky and her friends were gathered in the shade of a big tree near the residence towers. As Dinky had predicted, Clarity's enthusiasm for Honeydew's spellweaving experiment was nearly boundless.

"So Clarity, you know a lot about magic in society," Dinky began. "How rare is it for a unicorn to design a new spell?"

"Most unicorns never do," Clarity said simply. "Though the ponies we're surrounded by don't really count as 'most unicorns', since this place is for some of Equestria's most magically talented ponies. Those that do design spells usually don't design a lot; each one takes a lot of time and effort. Princess Twilight is a spellweaver of course, as are most of the professors here. Even my sister Lucid has created a custom illusion or two. But it's not an art everypony at the Academy will learn."

"Now, maybe I still don't quite get it," Scuffle said hesitantly, "but Dewey isn't 'just' designing a spell, right? She's designing like... a big spell."

"Right!" Clarity yelled, causing all her friends to jump. "Honeydew's making an attempt to bring something to the table that could turn a whole magical discipline on it's head! Isn't that amazing?"

Honeydew, who had been gradually sinking lower and lower as Clarity's feverish excitement built, placed her forehooves over her face. "Stop talking about it like I've already done it," she whined. "Even with Professor Chestnut's help, it's more likely that this will end up being a study on how not to create an ecosystem-wide spell. I'm excited to try, but I know I might not succeed."

"Clarity's not trying to jump the gun," Dinky said reassuringly, looking down at Honeydew's green eyes peering over the tops of her forehooves. "You know her. She's just really excited about new and powerful magic."

Honeydew slowly sat up. "I know," she said quietly. "I guess I just don't want to set everypony's expectations higher than I can meet. I feel like it would help if I could talk about the subject with a peer besides the three of you. I need some unbiased input from another magical biologist."

"Oh?" came another voice. "Perhaps I can help with that."

The strum of an acoustic guitar and the clack of castanets echoed through the air as a deep blue unicorn strode around the corner of the nearby tower, greeting the four surprised ponies with a gleaming grin.

"Tango Trot!" Clarity gasped, leaping to her hooves. "Good to see you! How are things going as the colts' Overseer?"

"Oh, simply splendid, Clarity," the colt replied. "Just ask your fine friend Scuffle there. He'll tell you last night went smoothly for all the colts."

"Yeah, Tango's got the Overseer shtick down," Scuffle said, nodding slightly.

Tango Trot paused as his gaze shifted to Dinky and Honeydew. "Ah, and I see your other friends are here too," he said, flashing the girls a smile. "We've been in class together before, but I'm afraid I have little more than a passing knowledge of either of you. If I recall, it's Honeydew and, erm..."

"Dinky," Dinky finished. "Clarity's already had a lot of good things to say about you."

Tango Trot laughed. "Ah, you flatter me," he said smoothly. "Of course, I've heard only the best about all of you from her as well. Clarity insists you're simply some of the most talented unicorns she knows."

"We all have our specialties, I suppose," Dinky admitted.

"Which reminds me," Scuffle interrupted, "what's your talent, Tango? We've been living in the same tower for years, and I never thought to ask."

"I should think that would be obvious," Tango Trot chuckled. "Without my favorite magic, my entrances would never be quite as dramatic!"

The Overseer struck a dashing pose, which was inexplicably accompanied by a chorus of guitars and tambourines. Scuffle raised an eyebrow.

"So you're good at like... being a total ham?"

"Scuffle!" Clarity scolded.

Tango appeared amused rather than offended. "I'm something of a savant with sound magic, my friend," he chuckled. "By no means is it limited to music; I can use magic to vibrate the air to produce almost any sound... or mimic any voice."

He spoke the last four words in a voice that was entirely indistinguishable from Scuffle's own, causing the colt to step back in surprise.

"But enough about me!" Tango announced before anypony could comment on his abilities. "I know I'm not the only one here with some unique magical abilities. I stopped to chat because⁠— oh and do pardon me for listening in⁠— I couldn't help but hear that Honeydew here is seeking somepony with a bit of a background in magical biology?"

Honeydew nodded shyly. "Well, yes," she admitted. "Professor Chestnut has mentioned you before; I guess you're no stranger to the subject, huh?"

Tango Trot's brilliant white grin appeared again. "Well Honeydew, if I may be so bold, perhaps I could lend a hoof toward whatever research foray you've undertaken," he offered, slicking back his mane with a forehoof. "The professor, of course, has made it no secret that you're simply brilliant with such matters, but two heads are better than one, after all."

Honeydew blushed slightly at the praise. "Um, I s-suppose that could be nice," she stuttered.

Tango Trot seemed to pick up on her hesitation. "Ah, but I'm being too hasty, perhaps?" he asked. "Silly me, I'm being terribly forward for somepony you just met."

Honeydew tried to reply, but suddenly, Tango Trot's eyes lit up, and he quickly pulled a flyer from his saddlebags with a flicker of magic.

"I've got an idea that perhaps the four of you would entertain," he said, displaying the flyer for the four friends. "Tomorrow, after classes are over, there is a special train running from the Academy to Canterlot. It's an opportunity for students who may have forgotten to pack something on their journey to the Academy to pick up a replacement from the shopping district. And of course, this also presents an opportunity for students to simply spend an evening roaming Equestria's fair capitol. If you all can spare the time, perhaps the five of us can take advantage of it to have a bit of fun and get to know each other better?"

Clarity smiled. "That sounds fun, actually," she replied. "You and I should probably go anyway. It'll be good if there's at least one Overseer there in case anypony needs us. What do you all think?"

"I haven't been to Canterlot in a while," Dinky agreed. "I'll go."

"I'm in," Scuffle added.

Tango Trot turned to Honeydew. "What do you say?" he asked softly. "Care to join us, and perhaps discuss a bit of biology on the way?"

For all his flowery speech and dramatic flair, Tango Trot seemed quite sincere with his welcoming demeanor, at least in Dinky's mind. Honeydew apparently was feeling the same; in spite of her guarded behavior around new ponies, a hopeful smile crept across her muzzle.

"That sounds nice, Tango Trot," she said, nodding. "I'll be there."

"Wonderful!" Tango declared, causing another cascade of music to fill the air with a tiny flicker of his horn. "In that case, ladies— and Scuffle— I shall see you tomorrow. Have a pleasant evening!"

With a final grin, Tango Trot teleported away, a lingering clatter of castanets hanging in the air behind him.

"Dinks," said Scuffle under his breath. "Seriously. This guy."

Dinky sat beside Scuffle as the train rumbled toward Canterlot. Across the aisle, Tango Trot sat with Honeydew, slowly swaying his tail and listening patiently as Honeydew explained the details of the Lifesense project she was about to start.

"What about him?" Dinky asked.

"He's so goofy," Scuffle laughed. "What a showboater. He's an alright dude, but still."

Clarity's head popped up from the row behind them. "Scuffle, exaggerating your personality around other ponies is literally how you socialize," she said dryly. "It's awful hypocritical to call Tango out on doing what you do."

Scuffle snorted. "A fanfare doesn't play every time I enter a room," he said flatly.

"And Tango doesn't take every opportunity to point out how he's clearly the best at whatever he's doing," Dinky snickered. "Face it Scuffle: different method, same style."

"Whatever," Scuffle grumbled. "There's worse ponies to have around than pretty boy over there. Looks like Dewey's comfortable around him now, so he can't be that bad."

There was a loud whistle as the train arrived at the artificially-lit Canterlot station. The five unicorns stepped out onto the street and were greeted by gentle snow flurries: likely one of the last snowfalls of the season. It decorated the colorful rooftops and awnings of the grand city, giving everything an almost whimsical appearance.

"Ah, home," said Tango Trot contently. "My family may hail from Maregentina, but we've lived in Canterlot since I was but a foal."

"Lead the way then," Clarity invited. "Let's hit the shopping district."

Tango Trot did just that. Dinky, near the front of the group as well, listened to his continued conversation.

"I must say, Honeydew, this concept is utterly fascinating," the colt complimented. "Feel free to disagree, but based on what you've told me, I would imagine a good place to start would be figuring out how to wrench the connection spell away from a single target and split it up, as we would with, for instance, levitation spells."

"That's the first hurdle, yes," Honeydew agreed. "The problem is that the typical way to cast the life connection spell is to block out all outside sensory interference. I've started jotting down some theories on a workaround for that."

Tango turned his head to glance at Dinky. "You're not a stranger to the subject either, my friend," he pointed out. "Any suggestions?"

Dinky thought about it. A moment before she replied, Tango Trot stopped dead, standing stone still and staring straight ahead.

"Um, Tango?" Honeydew asked, tilting her head.

"What's wrong?" Clarity asked, trotting forward.

Tango's horn suddenly surged with light. Strangely, it wasn't his normal sky blue aura, either. Instead, it was a brilliant white one.

"A spark once thought extinguished may still burn..." he said softly.

There was a long pause. Dinky and all her friends were at a loss for words. A moment later, Tango Trot suddenly got a hold of himself, noticed their stares, and cringed.

"Err... my apologies. That tends to quite ruin the mood sometimes."

"What was that supposed to be?" Scuffle asked.

"I know what it was," Clarity breathed, looking flabbergasted. "Tango Trot, are you... are you one of the rare ponies with precognitive powers?"

"'Powers' is putting it generously," Tango Trot said, embarrassed. "Technically... yes, on rare occasion, certain unicorns are born with some level of clairvoyance. It's a highly unusual magic, and one of the only types that can't be learned through study. You either have it or you don't."

He sighed. "Mine doesn't allow me to see the future, in case you're wondering," he continued. "Most of the time it doesn't even give me a clear idea of what I'm predicting. All it does is generate some cryptic phrase relating to a future event. The event in question could happen in five minutes or five years, so even if I can decipher the meaning, I don't know when to expect the result. All in all, it's more of a hassle than a gift."

"You think so?" Dinky asked. "Sure, maybe the clues you create are kind of esoteric, but I've never met anypony with precognition before. I think it's really cool."

Tango Trot shrugged the compliment off. "What do you suppose that nonsense about extinguished sparks means, then?" he asked.

Dinky shrugged. "I dunno," she admitted. "But I'm sure if we keep it in mind it'll be apparent sooner than we— oof!"

Poor Dinky was so engaged in her conversation that she ran right into the backside of a mare standing outside one of the shops. "Excuse me!" she apologized, quickly backing off. "I was distracted, I didn't see—"

The pony Dinky had run into slowly turned around. She was a rather aged unicorn mare with a yellow coat and a straight, silver mane. A familiar image of an oil lantern was emblazoned on her flank. Her eyes, aided by a pair of small spectacles, met Dinky's, and at once, her gaze morphed into a glare.

Dinky gasped and backpedaled frantically, hearing the similarly surprised utterances of her friends behind her.

"B-Bright Spark!"

"Dinky Doo," the mare replied, narrowing her eyes further. "What an unpleasant surprise."

Bright Spark, of course, was the ex-dean of Celestia's Academy. During Dinky's tumultuous first term, the old mare had done everything in her power to remove her from the school, especially once dark magic became a factor. Her downfall had come around after Princess Celestia got wind of her attempts to blackmail Overseer Sparkler into framing Dinky. But here she was, years later, looking no less furious than she had been on that fateful day.

"So," Bright Spark said sharply, "it seems I've once again crossed paths with the dangerous magical criminal that is for some reason still permitted to study at the Academy. And with all of her little troublemaker friends in tow, too. Lucky me."

"Why, Professor Spark," Tango Trot said in his politest tone, presumably to defuse the tension, "I'm certain you've got the wrong ponies. Dinky and her friends are some of the Academy's most upstanding students."

Bright Spark laughed. "Please," she spat. "These four ponies did nothing but break the rules, ignore orders, and put other ponies in danger, and this one—" she pointed an accusational hoof at Dinky, "—is a dark mage. A criminal who destroyed property and assaulted other ponies with dark magic, and got away with all of it."

In Dinky's mind, it was actually a relief to be called a "dark mage". Bright Spark knew all about Dinky's struggles with dark magic, and even about the accidental resurrection of Scorpio, but— and Dinky thanked the stars for it on a daily basis— she was not among the extremely few ponies who was aware that there was a wraith hidden beneath Dinky's false pony exterior. The current staff of the Academy all knew her secret, of course; that was a necessity, for reasons of safety in case anything ever went amiss.

Tango Trot laughed. "That's nonsense," he chuckled. "Imagine, Dinky of all ponies, casting dark magic."

"Um, actually, Tango, that part's true," Dinky admitted awkwardly, cringing a bit at his surprised expression. "But what she's referring to happened years ago."

"And Princess Celestia is aware of everything that happened, and pardoned Dinky for all of it." Clarity added quickly.

Bright Spark scowled. "Yes," she hissed, flicking her tail angrily. "Rather than expel a student using dark magic, they expelled the dean who tried to stop her. Brilliant move, Princess. Really well done."

Dinky stamped a forehoof. "That's not why she booted you out of the Academy and you know it," she growled.

"Ooh, feisty," Bright Spark chuckled darkly. "I suppose I better watch myself, or you'll try to murder me with dark magic like you almost did to Sparkler."

Some animalistic part of Dinky's mind kicked to life as the ex-dean fueled her growing rage. A moment later, she felt Clarity's hoof on her shoulder.

"Temper, Dinky..." the grey filly said quietly. "No need to stoop to her level."

Dinky took a deep breath and gently calmed the churning darkness inside her. She was its master, and she knew better than to let it loose in public, even when her temper flared.

Scuffle took a step forward. "Buzz off, Bright Spark," he snapped. "Dinky won, and you lost. It doesn't matter what you think of us anymore."

Bright Spark turned up her nose. "Fine," she said haughtily. "I'll be patient. One day, somepony's going to get killed at the hooves of this little maniac and her dark spells. Perhaps then Celestia will realize how foolish she was."

The old mare stormed off and was lost among the crowd.

"...My, that was something," said Tango Trot finally. "I suppose we know which Spark my prediction was referring to now."

"Tango Trot..." Honeydew mumbled, looking at him imploringly. "Please don't think of Dinky any differently just because she once had a run-in with dark magic. She's a good pony, we promise."

Tango Trot's beaming grin appeared. "Not to worry," he said, "I can already tell our good friend Dinky's devotion to her friends is far stronger than a few dark spells. While it's a surprising tidbit about her past, it's clearly no issue now."

"Thanks, Tango," Dinky replied, smiling appreciatively. "Now come on, let's all have a great night out, just like we planned."

The door swung open, and the lights in the apartment flickered on. Bright Spark shut the door with a swift kick of her hind hoof, and sighed. An old, somewhat overweight tabby cat meowed at her from the back of the couch.

"Yes, yes, Boris, I'll get your dinner," the old mare snapped, plodding into the kitchen and filling her pet's dish. Her cat, as cats do, sauntered into the room and began to eat, ignoring her entirely.

"Boris, you won't believe who I ran into this evening," Bright Spark began, while the cat paid precisely no attention. "That forsaken filly Dinky Doo is still lurking around Canterlot. That pony is the very definition of injustice! If she'd never stepped into the picture, the world would still know me as Bright Spark, dean of Equestria's most prestigious academy of magic, instead of Bright Spark, bitter old nag of Hickory Lane in Canterlot."

Boris, apparently having eaten enough for the moment, abandoned his dish and wandered off. Bright Spark followed him back into the parlor.

"If only there was some way, Boris, to show Equestria what a horrible little pony that Dinky Doo really is," she ranted. "But the princesses are all on her side! There's no getting around that."

Something hit the front door of the apartment, creating a single, sharp knock. Raising an eyebrow, Bright Spark stepped forward and pulled it open. There was nopony there, but a plain-looking piece of paper was tacked to the door by a strange shard of pink crystal. The old mare examined it, confused, before tearing the note free and scanning it.

Dear Ms. Bright Spark,

This evening, in the Canterlot marketplace, I heard a rumor that you have suffered a terrible injustice, due in no small part to a certain filly that everypony seems to adore. Nopony cares about her past, choosing to regard your valiant outcries against her as petty lies.

Don't worry. I believe you.

It's a bit early to go into detail, but I can assure you, you and I would both benefit from exposing Dinky Doo for the criminal she is. And I think I may have a way to help you do just that. Reply on the back of this letter, and return it to where you found it if you'd like to know more.

I hope to hear from you. Maybe together, we can end that filly's lucky streak once and for all.

A sinister smile slowly crept over Bright Spark's muzzle. "Imagine that, Boris," she whispered. "It seems I'm not the only pony in Equestria who feels this way after all."

A quill was quickly engulfed in the ex-dean's aura. She penned a reply on the back of the letter as quickly as she could.

What an intriguing offer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Bright Spark wrenched the curious crystal out of the wood, and tacked the note back in place with it. Chuckling with devious delight, she disappeared back into the apartment and softly shut the door.

Soon it was Wednesday morning. Back in Ponyville, Ditzy sat behind the desk, chewing the end of her quill as she pored over some of the company's finance reports. She and her three coworkers had been taking turns covering office duties during Candyfloss's absence, and right now, it was her shift.

There had been little time to think about the plans to locate Sparkler, or even about what Dinky may be up to during her first week of the new term. Shipping requests had been coming in more frequently than usual, all four employees had their hooves full keeping up.

The phone rang, disrupting the quiet of the office and making Ditzy jump. She quickly snatched up the phone, fumbling with the receiver to hold it to her ear.

"Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, Ditzy speaking."

"Ah, Ditzy," came the airy voice of Dr. Candyfloss. "Just the pony I wanted to hear from. We've got another shipping request in, and I can tell, this one is definitely best left in your hooves. Your style of shipping is just what this client needs."

"Sure thing, Doc!" Ditzy piped up, grabbing the notepad. "Just tell me where to go and who to look for."

"Fortunately, this one's very nearby," Candyfloss stated. "A teen student at the Ponyville School of Friendship seems to be feeling a little more than just friendship for one of his classmates. He's asked for a shipper to meet him behind the student dormitories, so since that's on school grounds, I'd contact the head mare and let her know you're coming first. Your client shouldn't be hard to find at all, though; to my knowledge, there aren't many griffons at the School of Friendship."

Ditzy jotted down the instructions. "Client is a griffon behind the School of Friendship dormitories," she repeated. "Got it. Anything else?"

"That should be all," Candyfloss replied.

Ditzy heard a female voice on her boss's side of the phone. "Mr. Candyfloss, your lunch is here," she said sweetly.

"Ah, Ditzy, I've got to go," the old stallion said. "They're planning to let me out of the hospital tomorrow, but for now, keep doing what you're doing. As always, the lovesick citizens of Equestria are counting on you."

Ditzy giggled. "Don't worry, I won't let them down," she replied. "Bye for now, Dr. Candyfloss."

"Goodbye, Ditzy my dear."

The pegasus hung up the phone. Looks like somepony else will be covering office duty for a bit, she thought, smiling.

Head mare Twilight Sparkle, who was a family friend of the Doos ever since her brief stint as Dinky's private magic tutor, was more than happy to give Ditzy a visitor's pass to the School of Friendship once the situation was explained. In just minutes, she was on her way to the designated spot. With a few quick flaps, she touched down on one of the many stone pathways snaking throughout the campus.

"Let's see..." she mumbled to herself. "It can't be too hard to spot a griffon, right?"

Something grabbed Ditzy's tail and yanked with surprising force. The poor pegasus yelped as she was unexpectedly dragged around the back of a huge tree. Spinning to face her assailant, she came nose-to-beak with a blue griffon, flicking his tail back and forth as he stared at her.

"Are you the pony that matchmaking place sent?" he asked.

"Y-yeah," Ditzy stuttered, slowly regaining her composure.

"Good. Up here."

With a catlike leap, the griffon propelled himself up into the branches of the tree. Surprised, Ditzy quickly fluttered up and perched carefully on a sturdy bough across from him.

"Sorry about the rude intro," her client said quickly. "I'm trying to keep this whole thing kinda under wraps, you know?"

Ditzy giggled. "Honestly, I get this sort of thing all the time," she admitted.

The griffon looked momentarily relieved. "The name's Gallus," he said, extending a talon in greeting.

"Ditzy Doo," Ditzy replied, placing her forehoof in his grip. "What sort of job do you have in mind, Gallus?"

"Well, personally, I think I could've handled it myself," Gallus said, sounding slightly annoyed, "but a friend of mine insisted I try calling you guys. Isn't that right, Ocellus?"

Ditzy nearly fell off her perch as a large bird sitting in a nest one branch over suddenly burst into blue flame, vanishing an instant later to reveal a slender, aqua-colored changeling. "Don't give me that nonsense," the insectoid creature chided. "You're running out of time, so it was time to call in some help."

Gallus rolled his eyes while Ditzy paused to get over the second startling surprise in the last 30 seconds.

"This is Ocellus, by the way," he said curtly, gesturing to the changeling as she gave a delighted chirp and a wave of greeting. "She thinks maybe Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is just what I need right now."

"See, there's a big school dance coming up," Ocellus explained, "and Gallus really wants to go with a certain friend of ours, but he hasn't worked up the nerve to ask her."

"I never said anything about wanting to go with her," Gallus corrected, crossing his arms.

"You didn't have to," Ocellus replied, grinning playfully. "I'm a changeling, Gallus. You can't hide your feelings for her from me. I can taste them from ten pony-lengths away."

"Ugh, fine," Gallus grumbled, turning back to Ditzy. "So I've grown very close to my friend Silverstream, okay? She's a hippogriff I met right after I first enrolled here, and I wanna take her to the dance. Can you help me or not?"

"You came to the right pony!" Ditzy declared, noticing Ocellus's widening smile on the edge of her vision. "I handle requests like this one all the time. If you already hang out with Silverstream anyway, then a good place to start is to take her to do something casual that you two already do anyway. Something she really likes. Her reactions are a good way to gauge her interest in you, and once you're confident you've got her in a good mood, enjoying spending the day with you, then ask her to be your date."

Gallus frowned. "With anygriff other than Silverstream, that would work just fine," he grumbled. "But there's one tiny problem. It's impossible to tell when something is really meaningful to her, because she likes everything."

"I can confirm that..." Ocellus admitted, flitting her wings nervously. "True, Silverstream gives off lots of positive emotions when she's near Gallus. But she also does that around me. And our other friends. And also around ice cream, and flowers, and staircases, and plumbing fixtures, and just pretty much just everywhere when the weather's nice, and⁠—"

"I get the picture," Ditzy cut in. "But won't that just make it easier? Sounds like she'll probably say yes, provided you ask her before somepony else does."

Gallus's grumpy expression gave way to one that looked a little depressed. "I mean, that's true..." he sighed, "but that's just it though. How do I know if it's meaningful to her if it's that easy? How do I sift through the massive amount of positive feedback she gives to find the things that actually matter the most?"

Ditzy was caught off guard. "That's, um, a good question," she admitted.

Gallus slumped on the branch. "I'm just worried that, if everything is amazing to Silverstream, then really, nothing is. Especially not me..."

"Don't say that!" Ditzy and Ocellus cried in unison. Ocellus smiled sheepishly and backed off a pace or two, motioning for Ditzy to take charge.

"Gallus, if you're willing to do as I say, I think I've got a plan," the pegasus announced, smiling as a curious Gallus met her gaze. "If all goes well, we'll find out what really matters to Silverstream soon enough. It's just gonna be a little... complicated."

Changelings, as it turned out, were capable of transforming into inanimate objects. This became awfully convenient when there was no reasonable vantage point to watch Gallus interact with Silverstream without being spotted. At this particular moment, Ditzy peeked out from her hiding spot, crouched behind a large berry bush that was, in reality, Ocellus.

"So what's the plan, exactly?" Ocellus somehow whispered, despite being in a form that lacked any sort of mouth.

Ditzy couldn't answer right away, as she needed a moment to mentally adjust to the situation. The concept of inanimate objects talking to her had been one that hadn't sit right with her for quite some time, ever since a particularly strange duo shipping assignment she'd completed alongside Watt years earlier, that she'd been trying her hardest to forget ever since.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Ocellus asked nervously.

"F-fine," Ditzy stuttered, shaking the thoughts of her nonsensical past adventure from her head. "The plan is pretty simple in theory; Silverstream is going to be joining Gallus for an afternoon together, under the pretense that it's all part of a friendship assignment for one of his classes. Gallus's job is just to make Silverstream happy. Our job is to discreetly make sure the little adventure the two of them are about to go on goes as planned."

"Got it," Ocellus chirped. "Just tell me what to do and when to do it."

A moment later, Gallus wandered into view, and alongside him trotted a creature that Ditzy knew at once must be Silverstream. From the waist forward, her anatomy was a lot like Gallus, with a hooked beak and a set of claws on each foreleg. Her back half though, in contrast to Gallus's catlike body, much more closely resembled a pony. Her pink feathers stood out against the still mellow colors of the approaching spring season.

"So what kind of assignment is this, exactly?" Silverstream asked.

"Some kind of a friendship treasure hunt, I guess," Gallus answered. Ditzy noticed he was awfully good at playing it cool around the object of his affection. Better than most of her clients, anyway.

Silverstream cocked her head slowly. "Which is...?"

"We have to follow a series of clues or something that will lead us to the treasure at the end," Gallus explained. "Of course, the school's made it into some kind of teamwork exercise."

Silverstream's eyes widened. "That sounds like literally the most fun thing ever," she breathed in apparent awe.

"Right, sure," said Gallus absently, glancing at the first clue, that Ditzy and Ocellus had provided him with earlier. "Come on, looks like we have to go to the library to start."

"Lead the way!" Silverstream sang, flapping along behind the griffon as the two of them disappeared into the school.

Once the coast was clear, there was a brief, fiery flash as Ocellus returned to her original form. "Do we follow them?" she asked.

"Yep," Ditzy said with a smile. "The treasure hunt will serve as an inconspicuous way to get Silverstream to reveal her interests. We need to be ready at each stop to deliver the next clue without being noticed."

Ocellus grinned. "Don't worry, ma'am," she said excitedly. "Changelings are great at that!"

Ditzy took to the air. "No time to lose, then," she declared as Ocellus buzzed up to hover beside her. "Hurry, let's get to the library!"

By the time Gallus and Silverstream stepped into the library, Ditzy and Ocellus were already huddled on the second story walkway, peering down between the bars of the railing.

"We need to see if there's a difference between Silverstream's reactions to various things she likes," Ditzy explained, glancing at her assistant with one eye while the other remained on her targets. "I'm sure there must be a way to tell which ones are really her favorites."

Ocellus looked unsure, but she kept quiet, watching the griffon and hippogriff below.

"So," Gallus said, squinting at the piece of paper, "the first clue says 'a good book is a treasure in itself, but one of these books will lead you closer to the treasure you're looking for'."

Silverstream looked left and right. "So the next clue is in one of the books?" she asked. "But there's like... a bazillion books here!"

"Eh, I'm sure it's hidden in one we already like," Gallus said casually. "Come on, Silver, go grab some of your favorites."

Silverstream raced off, and was back in just moments with an armful of books. "These ones!" she declared, dumping about twenty of them on the table.

Gallus raised an eyebrow. "There's a lot of different types of books here," he said, spreading them out a bit so he could see the covers. "What genre do you like the most?"

Silverstream thoughtfully tapped a claw to her chin. "Hmm, well comedy is always great," she admitted. "What's better than a good laugh after a long, stressful day?"

Gallus opened his beak to reply, but he was cut off. "Oh, but romantic tales are so great too!" Silverstream continued. "A real prince charming sweeping a lucky somegriff off their hooves! It's so heartwarming."

Gallus nodded. "Well, that—"

"Wait!" Silverstream cried, her voice turning several heads in the quiet library. "Mystery! Mystery books are great. They really push you to try to solve the case before the main character does. The intrigue! The suspense! They're so much fun!"

Ditzy watched and Silverstream went on and on about nearly every genre she could think of. She turned to Ocellus, who was shaking her head slowly.

"This is the problem," the changeling whispered. "She seems to like all of them, so there's no way to tell what genre is really her favorite."

"Lucky for us, we've got some other things to try," Ditzy replied. "I think it's time to move them along to the next station."

She handed Ocellus a second clue, written on a small slip of paper. "Get this to Gallus without catching Silverstream's attention," she instructed.

Ocellus nodded and darted down into the library. After she was hidden behind a bookshelf, Ditzy saw a small flash of blue light.

As Gallus continued to sit, listening to Silverstream's excited monologue, a book suddenly fell from the shelf behind him. He turned around and spotted a copy of the ever-popular adventure novel, Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue. A few shelves above, a tiny, pale blue mouse waved at him from a gap in the books before disappearing back into the darkness behind them.

"Hey, Silverstream, how about adventure stories?" he asked, picking up the well-worn book.

"Ooh, those are super-incredible!" Silverstream gasped, ignoring the shushes of some nearby students trying to study as she snatched the book from Gallus's claws. "An epic quest all across Equestria sounds like fun. Reading about one is almost as fun as being on one and..."

A slip of paper fluttered out from between the pages as Silverstream opened the book. She caught it before it was even halfway to the floor and gasped.

"Gallus! The next clue!"

"Imagine that," Gallus intoned, trying to fake at least a little surprise. "What's it say?"

"You won't have to run, jump, swim, and fly to reach the treasure like Daring Do does, but to find the next clue, go to the part of the school where you can do all those things with your friends," Silverstream recited.

"I guess we're heading to the athletic fields then," Gallus assumed. "C'mon, let's check around the Buckball field or something."

With Silverstream leading the way, the two of them quickly exited the library. Ocellus plopped down next to Ditzy again once the coast was clear.

"I don't know if this is gonna work, ma'am," she mumbled sadly. "So far, this just like Gallus was worried it would be."

"We just need more data," Ditzy encouraged. "I've been shipping ponies for years now, and I've had to read a lot of ponies' reactions to a lot of different things. There has to be a way to determine which things Silverstream likes more than others. Let's head to that buckball field, and soon, I'm sure we'll find it."

Ocellus gave her wings a short, uncertain buzz, before following Ditzy into the air again.

This time, Ditzy and Ocellus were stationed under the bleachers well before Gallus and Silverstream arrived.

"Silverstream seems pretty active," Ditzy observed as the two students approached the field. "Let's see how she responds when Gallus brings up different sports and activities."

"Hmm," Silverstream hummed, flying several pony lengths into the sky for a bird's eye view of the buckball field and surrounding athletic facilities. "Where do you think a clue could be out here, Gallus?"

"In with the sports equipment or something, I guess," Gallus answered dully.

Silverstream stopped. "What's wrong?" she asked gently. "Not enjoying the treasure hunt?"

Gallus blinked. "Uh... no, nothing's wrong!" he squawked. "Come on, let's find the next clue."

"Silverstream can be a little scatterbrained, but despite that, she's not oblivious to her friends' feelings," Ocellus whispered, earning a slow nod from Ditzy. "Gallus needs to keep up his part of the act or she's gonna catch on."

"Don't worry, I think he's figuring that part out for himself," Ditzy pointed out.

"Hey Silver..." Gallus began cautiously. "You're fast, and pretty strong, so I guess you've gotta be into some athletics, right?"

"Well sure!" Silverstream sang. "Obviously I've always had a soft spot for swimming since, y'know, I grew up as a seapony."

"So swimming is your favorite?" Gallus chanced.

"Well, maybe!" the hippogriff replied. "But the organized sports the ponies play here are loads of fun too! Oh, and I just love flying; whether it's a race or an obstacle course, I'm always happy to stretch my wings!"

"Do you... have a favorite though?" Gallus asked.

"Gee," Silverstream said pensively, tapping a claw on her chin again. "They're all so great, Gallus. They're really just all my favorite!"

Gallus frowned and stifled a sigh. "Yeah, that's about what I expected," he said with a shrug, watching Silverstream dig through a bin of Buckball equipment.

"Shoot," Ditzy grumbled. "No luck here either. But we can't give up!"

"What else can we try?" Ocellus asked, furrowing her brow.

"I've got another idea, but we have to get the next clue to Gallus," Ditzy replied, hastily scribbling the next clue down on a sticky note and attaching it to a buckball she'd swiped from the equipment bin the moment they'd arrived. "See if you can get his attention while Silverstream's distracted."

Ocellus poked her narrow body out from between two levels of the bleachers and waved frantically to Gallus with both forehooves. Once the griffon met her gaze, Ditzy passed her the ball. Ocellus balanced it carefully on her back, and with a springlike flick of her elytra, catapulted it to Gallus before slipping back beneath the stands.

"You sure are... versatile, Ocellus," Ditzy complimented, garnering a beaming smile from the little changeling. "This whole operation would've been really tricky without your help."

Ocellus watched as Gallus shared the latest clue with Silverstream and led the two of them to their next destination. "I just hope it's not all for nothing," she squeaked anxiously. "Come on, let's get to our next hiding spot!"

Silverstream eyed the plethora of options in the cafeteria, her gaze darting from item to item almost too quickly to follow.

"Fish! No, no... maybe vegetables? Fish and vegetables! Wait, no, obviously dessert is the most tasty. But not really the most satisfying, you know? Sometimes you need a good balanced meal."

"So you don't really have a favorite?" Gallus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Silverstream ran her tongue along the rim of her beak hungrily. "Gosh, Gallus, I think we're just lucky to have so many amazing things to try!" she admitted. "We didn't have nearly this many options in Seaquestria. I love all of them!"

Ditzy groaned and placed her head in her forehooves as Ocellus awkwardly patted her back. "It's just no use," she mumbled to her assistant. "I've been on hundreds of assignments, and I've never seen anything like this. I have no doubt that Gallus could get Silverstream to go to the dance with him, but... I can't seem to get what he really wants out of her."

"Don't give up, ma'am," Ocellus encouraged. "There's one clue left. Maybe the last stop will be a breakthrough!"

"It's worth a shot," Ditzy agreed. "Sneak the last clue onto Gallus's lunch tray, and we'll give this one more try."

Ocellus assumed the appearance of one of the lunchroom staff. As Gallus passed by with his lunch, she gave him a wink and slipped the last clue into the groove of the tray right next to the mashed potatoes. As Gallus and Silverstream sat down to eat, she darted back to Ditzy's side.

"Great work," the pegasus praised, patting Ocellus on the head briefly. "I've got one last task for you, if you're up for it."

"If you think it'll help Gallus, I'm on it!" Ocellus declared, saluting.

Ditzy whispered the plan to her helper, and the little changeling nodded and zipped away, leaving Ditzy alone to wonder if there was still a chance of saving this assignment.

"The treasure awaits you in the school's main hall," Gallus read.

"Oh my gosh!" Silverstream screeched. "We're almost at the end already. You're so good at this, Gallus!"

Despite his worries, Gallus smiled at her boundless enthusiasm. "Come on, Silver, you helped too. In fact, why don't you do the honors and open the doors to the end of the treasure hunt."

"Can do!" Silverstream sang, giving the School of Friendship's large front doors a push.

From a high balcony overlooking the entry hall, Ditzy watched as the doors swung open and the two arriving friends realized what was waiting for them. Now, there was nothing to do but watch, and see how things played out.

"Surprise!"

Ocellus, along with three other individuals that Ditzy later learned were Yona the yak, Smolder the dragon, and Sandbar the earth pony, waved to Gallus and Silverstream from the middle of the grand hall.

"You guys!" Silverstream gasped, flapping frantically over to meet them. "Did you beat us to the treasure?"

"Not quite," Sandbar laughed. "We are the treasure!"

"Well, to be more precise, the friendship we share is," Ocellus giggled.

"What a surprise," Gallus said with a roll of his eyes as he joined the rest of the group. "I never would've guessed friendship would be the treasure."

"I know, right? What a great lesson!" Silverstream cried, sounding every bit as sincere as Gallus did sarcastic.

"It may have been kinda obvious, but I guess it's not so bad," Smolder chimed in, shrugging. "I mean, hanging out with all of you is pretty awesome."

"Yona think we're very lucky to have each other!" Yona added, stomping her front legs in affirmation.

"We totally are," Silverstream agreed. "I got to spend all afternoon on an awesome hunt with an awesome friend!"

She turned to Gallus, bringing her voice down to a less shrill level. "Gallus, thanks for bringing me along for the treasure hunt," she said, smiling. "I had a ton of fun. Hanging out with you might be my favorite way to spend an afternoon."

Gallus's eyes widened. "Your favorite?"

Silverstream grinned. "Yup! And my other favorite is racing with Smolder, or exploring with Sandbar, or smashing stuff with Yona, or⁠—"

"Ugh."

Gallus turned away. Silverstream cocked her head.

"What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

"Nah," Gallus mumbled. "I'm fine. Think I'm gonna head back to the dorms, though. Later, guys."

Most of Gallus's friends looked on in confusion, but Silverstream rocketed into the air and planted herself in front of Gallus before he could exit. "You aren't acting fine," she said, taking hold of the griffon's shoulders. "You seemed kinda down during the treasure hunt too..."

Gallus tried to resist, but Silverstream's big, sad eyes quickly seemed to get the better of him. He looked at the floor.

"Look, Silver, I just... I mean, first I just wanted to ask you to the dance, and then—"

Silverstream's beak curved into a huge smile. "The dance? With you? That sounds like so much fun, I'd love to! We can—"

"Silver!" Gallus interjected, silencing his excited friend.

She blinked. "Hmm?"

Gallus sighed. "Silverstream, I know you'd love to be my date to the dance," he said slowly. "But what if, for instance, Sandbar had asked you? Or Smolder? Or Ocellus? Would you have said yes to them too?"

Silverstream glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her friends. "Well, of course," she chirped. "You're all my best friends. Why would I say no to any of you?"

"And that's the problem," said Gallus dully.

Silverstream suddenly looked quite offended. "You're... mad at me for appreciating my friends?" she asked incredulously.

"What? No!" Gallus gasped, putting up his front claws defensively. "It's nothing like that! I just, y'know..."

He stopped, and for a moment it appeared he was about to give up on explaining himself. To Ditzy's relief, Ocellus gestured at him from the background, urging him to continue.

"I... I just get worried. I really like you, but you like everygriff so much that it just seems like I'm just another face in the crowd."

There was a lengthy silence. Silverstream appeared to be contemplating Gallus's words.

"...Who says having lots of close friends makes them any less special?" she asked finally.

Gallus faltered. "Uhh..."

"Gallus, since the Storm King was defeated, I've had a chance to meet a whole bunch of creatures that live here in Equestria," Silverstream explained in a surprisingly calm, controlled voice. "And it didn't take long for it to become super obvious that every single citizen of this land is different— and amazing— in their own way. I put value in almost everything because I know what its like to have no variety in my life. No library of amazing books. No smorgasbord of amazing food. And also... no amazing friends, who are all unique and interesting and fun in their own special ways."

"I never thought of it that way," Gallus admitted, his wings and tail drooping. "Man, I'm sorry Silver..."

Silverstream chuckled. "It's fine," she cooed. "Just promise me you'll remember that loving all my friends doesn't mean I love you any less, alright?"

"Yeah," Gallus said, standing back up and smiling confidently back at her. "Yeah, I think I can handle that."

"Alright, you two, that's enough of that mush," Smolder grumbled, flying to the door and beckoning to the rest of her friends. "Come on, let's all go do some planning for that big dance."

"Yay!" Silverstream cried, racing out the door after Smolder. She was quickly followed by Sandbar and Yona, leaving just Gallus and Ocellus behind. Gallus passed a small sack to Ocellus, mumbled something to her, and then took off after his friends.

On the balcony, Ditzy sat in awe of what had just happened. After a few moments, Ocellus floated up to her hiding spot and alighted beside her.

"Gallus said to thank you for the help, even if things didn't quite go how we expected," she giggled, tossing the little sack to the pegasus. "Here's the payment he owes you."

"I was thinking about this all wrong," Ditzy admitted, shaking her head. "Fostering love and friendship is my job, but I've still got a lot to learn."

"Everything worked out in the end though," Ocellus chirred, happily flitting her wings. "Now you can take what you learned and use it to make your future assignments better."

Ditzy smiled as she led the way outside. "Speaking of assignments, Ocellus, you really helped make this one go smoothly," she complimented. "You're one talented changeling. If you're looking for work after you graduate... maybe stop by Equestria Speedy Shipping Services."

Ocellus beamed. "I just might take you up on that someday, ma'am!"

With another client's request complete, Ditzy took to the skies again, waving goodbye to her new friend as she disappeared into the clouds.

"Hey guys, I'm ba—"

Ditzy cut herself off, glancing around the employee lounge in surprise. This late in the day, it was normal for everypony to be returning from the afternoon's assignments, but Breeze and Watt were nowhere to be found. Only Cloudcover was present; he stood staring out the window, watching the clouds drift by.

"Hey Cloudcover," Ditzy greeted, trotting toward her friend. "Where are the others?"

"Out," said Cloudcover, unusually curtly.

Ditzy cocked her head. "On assignment?"

"No."

There was a pause. Cloudcover simply continued to stare at the sky.

"So... what's going on then?" Ditzy ventured.

Cloudcover took a slow breath. "Ditzy, every once in a while, life decides to throw a wrench in the works," he said levelly. "Now and then, things happen. Wild things that simply don't make sense."

"Um, y-yeah..." Ditzy stuttered, taken aback. "Life has thrown me a few curveballs in recent years. I had a million-bit debt charged against me once, and my daughter is a powerful dark creature pretending to be a pony. But scary as those moments are... things usually turn out okay, don't they?"

Cloudcover didn't reply. Ditzy flattened her ears against her head.

"Err... Cloudcover?"

"It came out of nowhere," Cloudcover said suddenly. "No more than a few hours ago, everything was fine. There was no indication that anything was wrong. Everypony is simply baffled."

Something in Cloudcover's voice sent a pall of dread creeping over Ditzy. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Cloudcover finally turned away from the window enough to glance at her from the corner of his eye. He wore an almost haunted expression.

"We received a call, not thirty minutes ago," he said softly. "It was Ponyville Urgent Care. There's been a... a change in the boss's condition. We decided Breeze and Watt should be the ones to rush over to talk to the hospital staff, while I waited here for you. Though honestly... I'm not sure, at this point, why there was even any rush."

Ditzy paled. "D-don't..." she stammered, feeling her insides knotting with horror. "The doc talked to me just this morning. P-please don't tell me..."

Cloudcover turned back to the window just as a passing cloud blocked the sunlight, seeming to drain the brightness from the cozy lounge and leaving everything dull and faded. His voice quavered just a bit as he spoke.

"Ditzy..." he said hoarsely. "Dr. Candyfloss is dead."

Chapter 5

For March, the weather was way above average. Although it was technically still winter, a southerly breeze brought uncharacteristically warm air to Ponyville. Only a few small, white clouds dotted the sky, giving the sun a chance to shine down in full force, melting away a lot of the remaining snow and letting the colors of the town's architecture shine through. All in all, it was a beautiful Thursday morning in Ponyville.

Ditzy felt like it was mocking her.

As the townsfolk went about their business all around her, the grey mare slowly trudged down the street in silence. She was clothed in a simple, lightweight black dress; one she'd had to dig to the very bottom of her bureau to find, slightly dusty but neatly folded beneath everything else. It made sense, she supposed, for it to be there; after all, she'd worn it only one other time, seventeen years earlier.

The park near the center of town came into view. Ditzy noticed dully that a few strings of flowers hung from the park gates, as they always did when there was to be a funeral.

"Hey Ditzy."

Ditzy turned her head, forcing a small smile as Breeze trotted up to her. Her coltfriend wore a dark suit jacket. He looked quite dashing in it, but this wasn't at all the time or place for trivial compliments.

"Hey," the mare replied quietly, "seen Watt and Cloudcover yet?"

"They're usually really punctual ponies," Breeze reminded her. "They're probably already here."

Ditzy simply nodded. Side by side with Breeze, she walked silently into the park.

The ceremony was set up not far from the fountain. Candyfloss had very little living family, and thus, not an awful lot of ponies were expected to attend, so there were no more than two dozen chairs set up. This had proven to be a mistake; the park was full of ponies, many of which Ditzy didn't recognize. Only upon closer examination did she realize that these weren't Candyfloss's friends or family, but his clients. She spotted a few ponies she herself had shipped over the years, and a good number more that she distinctly remembered discussed by her coworkers. A number of much older couples were there as well; ponies, Ditzy assumed, that Candyfloss had brought together himself, during his days as a private matchmaker before the inception of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services.

Candyfloss always seemed like something of a loner, she thought, her eyes drifting to each pony in the crowd, but he touched the lives of so many, and now they're here to pay their respects...

At a small portable pulpit in front of them, Ponyville's elderly minister, Mr. Waddle, carefully organized a hoofful of notes and other papers. To his left, set up right before the fountain, was a long table with a group of ponies gathered around it. Ditzy quickly spotted Watt and Cloudcover among them.

As the two pegasi quietly approached, Cloudcover turned around, giving his coworkers a somber nod of greeting. He was dressed in a coat much like Breeze's, and had respectfully removed the green beret he was almost never without. "Watt, the others are here," he said, giving the other stallion a gentle nudge.

Watt turned around, and Ditzy was slightly taken aback. She had, after all, known the earth pony for five years now, and in all that time, this was the first moment she'd ever seen his electrically-charged mane and tail respectfully combed and styled. Unlike Breeze and Cloudcover, he had chosen to wear just a black bow tie to the service. His eyes, usually intensely alert and flicking all about, instead gave Ditzy and Breeze a solemn, level stare.

"Not, uh... how any of us were expecting to spend the day, is it?" he asked sadly.

Ditzy closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "Not at all, Watt."

"Let's step aside, old friend," Cloudcover said softly. "Ditzy and Breeze should take a moment with the boss."

The two stallions moved a few paces away, and a lump formed in Ditzy's throat as she got her first real look at the table behind them. On it was a large casket, made of fine polished wood, and lined inside with white satin cushioning. Dr. Candyfloss's body was lying peacefully inside. The old stallion's forehooves rested together on his chest. His airy mane swayed gently in the morning breeze. Although his eyes were closed, a gentle smile, calm and mysterious as always, was on his face.

A tear hit the table, and then another. Ditzy leaned forward, supporting herself with her forehooves and squeezing her eyes tightly shut, gasping and trying to stem the inevitable flow of tears. She felt Breeze's wing stretch across her back, holding her body against his.

"It just doesn't make any sense," she whispered between sobs. "He had come down with something, sure, but we saw him in the hospital. He was getting much better. He was supposed to be coming back to the office with us today, and now..."

Breeze's wing flexed, clutching her tighter. "I know, Ditzy," he mumbled back. "Sometimes... the unexpected just sneaks up on you. I see Nurse Redheart over there with some of the other guests; maybe she knows a little more about what happened."

Ditzy rubbed her eyes with a forehoof and nodded, unable to tear her gaze away from Candyfloss's body just yet. After a few more moments, she reached into her bag and withdrew a tiny pouch. The clinking of glass could be heard as it moved.

"What's that?" Breeze asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Just before we lost Candyfloss, he lost a friend of his own," the mare replied, opening the bag to show Breeze the shattered, but unmistakable, remains of Mr. Feathers, before closing it again and placing it carefully inside the casket. "I'll think he'll be happy to have the company. At least one friend can go with him."

Breeze managed a smile. "He'd really appreciate that, Ditzy," he assured her.

Ditzy glanced at Candyfloss once more. "Let's go talk to the nurse," she said, quickly turning away to try to avoid crying again.

Breeze followed, allowing a few more of the guests to step up to the casket. The two pegasi trotted over to Nurse Redheart, who was already talking to Cloudcover and Watt. She nodded in silent greeting once all four ponies were in front of her.

"I'm so sorry," she said, sighing. "I told you all, earlier this week, that Dr. Candyfloss would be fine. And barely a day ago, it still seemed that way. It happened so fast. We really tried to save him, but..."

She trailed off. After a few seconds, Breeze managed to speak.

"Nurse Redheart, what actually happened? Why did his health fail so quickly?"

The nurse frowned. "I can tell you what happened, but even we couldn't determine why," she admitted. "Yesterday afternoon, all was well. Dr. Candyfloss made a few calls to the office you four work at. He seemed a social sort, and had a few casual conversations with the nurses as usual. When he ate his lunch, his appetite seemed fine, and he was aware enough to read the novel he kept at his bedside. He seemed no worse off than a colt getting over a cold might be."

"So what changed?" Cloudcover asked.

"Late afternoon yesterday, he calmly complained that he was feeling a bit ill again," Nurse Redheart continued, shaking her head. "Just to be safe, we decided to run some tests. We weren't even finished hooking up all the equipment to measure his vitals when things suddenly started failing. Heart rate, temperature, blood pressure... it's like his body rebelled against him all of a sudden. We administered emergency medication, but it had almost no effect."

"And he was gone, just like that?" Ditzy asked, cringing. "Was there anything else?"

"There was something else a bit strange," the nurse admitted. "Throughout the whole ordeal, with doctors and nurses rushing around him, and instruments hooked up to him going wild, Candyfloss remained strangely calm. He watched almost as if he was passively observing the event, rather than the subject of it."

"Did he have anything to say in those last moments?" Breeze pressed. "About us? About Equestria Speedy Shipping Services?"

"I was about to get to that," Nurse Redheart replied. "As his vitals began to go critical and it became clear he would soon lose consciousness, he weakly motioned for my attention. And then he looked right at me and quietly instructed 'Give them the journal.' He said the phrase about three or four more times before he slipped out of a waking state and we... couldn't, um, resuscitate him after that. I don't suppose you all know what journal he was referring to?"

Ditzy exchanged a knowing glance with her coworkers. "Candyfloss kept a journal about his matchmaking work in his desk," she explained. "It was never something he shared with us before, but we saw him write in it almost every day. I can't imagine he was referring to anything else."

Nurse Redheart looked relieved. "Then it shouldn't be hard to honor his dying wish," she said. "With his passing, Dr. Candyfloss's journal apparently now belongs to the four of you."

Somepony cleared their throat loudly, commanding everypony's attention. Mr. Waddle stood up at the pulpit, and motioned for the mourners to be seated. There weren't nearly enough chairs, but most of the crowd seemed content to sit quietly on the grass.

"Today," he began, his elderly voice straining to project to the crowd, "we have gathered in the name of Ponyville resident of many years, Dr. Candyfloss. Although he worked out of the public eye, Candyfloss nevertheless spent years and years providing a unique service to the citizens of Equestria. Many, many ponies owe him thanks as the catalyst that led to their long, happy relationships. And so we have gathered to celebrate his life, and bid him farewell as he moves to the next one."

Ditzy hung her head as the minister's monologue continued. She tried to push the troubling thoughts out of her mind: thoughts of the changes that would have to come to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, and of never seeing the strange and wonderful pony that was Dr. Candyfloss again.

"And now, the time has come to say goodbye," Mr. Waddle said as his speech drew to a close. "Until we meet again, Dr. Candyfloss. May your travels to the next realm be easy."

Two stallions stood and, working together, slowly lowered the lid on Candyfloss's casket. Unable to be held back any longer, Ditzy's tears, and those of her friends and the whole grand assemblage of ponies around her, flowed freely as the stallion disappeared from view for the last time. Emblazoned on the lid of the casket was a shimmering image of a golden bow and arrow, identical to the one that had adorned Candyfloss's flank.

Ditzy clutched at Breeze, sobbing softly as the ponies carried Candyfloss away. "What do we do now?" she choked out. "What do we do without Candyfloss?"

"We do what he asked us."

Surprisingly, it was not Breeze, or even Cloudcover, that had answered. Ditzy looked up in surprise at Watt; despite the tears on his face, the earth pony looked more resolute than she'd ever seen him.

"What?" she asked, bewildered.

"I know, I know. I'm the wacky one. Hardly the one who has the important, meaningful stuff to say," Watt continued, glancing between the other three ponies, "but though my style's always been a bit different, I cared about Candyfloss and the company just as much as you three. And just a few days ago, Candyfloss told us directly that the only thing he wants us to do once he's gone is keep Equestria Speedy Shipping Services alive."

He turned and looked out of the park toward Ponyville. "Now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna do just that. I had way too much respect for the Doc to do otherwise."

"I agree completely, Watt," Cloudcover declared. "Candyfloss isn't truly gone until we let his legacy vanish as well. I, for one, certainly don't intend to let that die too."

"Same," Breeze said, nodding. "What do you say, Ditzy? Are you in too?"

Ditzy felt a wave of admiration for her coworkers engulf her. "Are you kidding?" she asked. "Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is one of the best things that's ever happened to me! There's no way I can give up now. Especially not with Dr. Candyfloss counting on us to carry on."

"That's the spirit!" Watt cheered, a bit of his usual pep returning. "It's still morning. Let's get over to the office and decide where to go from here. We can do it! For Candyfloss!"

"For Candyfloss!" Cloudcover and Breeze parroted.

Ditzy glanced at the now very distant pallbearer ponies, watching sunlight glint one last time off the receding casket before it disappeared from view. Her tears hadn't abated, but in spite of them, the tiniest of smiles crossed her face for the first time that day as she spoke.

"For Candyfloss!"

Equestria Speedy Shipping Services had never been a bustling place. Tucked away on a little-used back street of Ponyville, and employing only a few ponies, it was always a quiet environment. But today, a silence seemed to hang in the air far more than usual.

The four matchmakers, forlorn but determined, sat at the meeting table in the employee lounge.

"So, if we get a call today, do we tell them we're closed?" Ditzy asked. "I don't think any of us are in a state to go on a shipping assignment today."

"Already taken care of," Cloudcover said, nodding. "I already changed the message last night so that anypony calling in will receive a notice that shipping ponies will not be available for the remainder of the week. That will give us a few days to get affairs in order here before we return to business."

"The first thing we're gonna need to do is hire somepony," Breeze reminded them. "Ever since Glow was fired, it's been just the four of us and Dr. Candyfloss, and that's been just barely enough. There's no way four ponies can run the office and complete all the incoming assignments; we need either a new shipper, or a new office manager."

"There's a help wanted sign in the boss's office," Watt pointed out. "Let's grab that bad boy and slap it up in the front window."

"Do you remember the last time we tried to hire somepony?" Cloudcover mentioned. "We waited months without a single applicant until our dear Ditzy arrived, and if you recall, she thought she was applying for a mailmare position."

"It's a shame," Ditzy admitted. "Just yesterday I met this little changeling who had all the right skills to be a shipper, but she's still a student; even if she wanted to work here, we'd have to wait a couple more years to hire her."

"Even if she's out, we've got to start somewhere," Breeze said, flapping once or twice as he got to his hooves. "We'll make sure to be more aggressive with advertising the position, but let's at least get the help wanted sign up."

"And we can grab Candyfloss's journal while we're in his office," Ditzy added. "Maybe he left something in there for us in case this day ever came. Some sort of guidance, maybe."

"He had to have!" Watt said loudly, leaping out of his chair. "The boss was always one step ahead of me, and considering I'm usually a lot of steps ahead of most ponies, that's pretty far ahead. He wrote something to help us in that journal of his, I know it!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cloudcover asked. "Let's see what's hidden in that battered old book of his."

Ditzy led the way as the four ponies trotted downstairs and crowded into Candyfloss's small office. Breeze quickly grabbed the dusty help wanted sign off the top of the filing cabinet, while Ditzy bent down to open the drawer of the boss's desk. She gave the drawer handle a tug, but nothing happened.

"Uh oh," she said, glancing between her coworkers. "It's locked."

"The key's gotta be around here somewhere," Watt said quickly, jumping in place to try to see on top of some of the larger pieces of furniture.

"Erm... there's a possibility Dr. Candyfloss kept it on his person," Cloudcover realized, his wings drooping. "If that's the case, it's now a few pony lengths underground."

This garnered a moment of worried silence from the others, but surprisingly, Ditzy smiled.

"Well, there is a second option," she said hopefully. "If we wait two more days, Dinky can come home for the weekend, and she knows more than enough magic to unlock a locked drawer."

Breeze knocked a hoof to his forehead. "Why didn't I think of that?" he mused. "Getting Dinky's help is probably the easiest option."

"Then perhaps it's best if we reconvene here in two days time," Cloudcover suggested. "If Dr. Candyfloss has indeed left us a starting point on the road that now lays ahead of us, then let's wait until we can see what he has to say. For the moment, perhaps we should all go and be with our loved ones; the events of the last day have taken a toll on all of us."

"Yeah..." Watt agreed. "Pinkie Pie will have definitely made a 'sorry for your loss' cake by now, so that'll help a little."

"See you guys on Saturday," Ditzy called as the two of them made their way out. A moment later, she was standing alone with Breeze. With a long sigh, she leaned against her coltfriend, and felt his wing drape over her.

"Our to-do list sure is getting long, huh?" Breeze asked softly. "Get Equestria Speedy Shipping Services back up and running, then find and apologize to Sparkler, and then plan the wedding again."

Ditzy nodded slowly. "Even if we aren't going to be married for a while, it's not like we have to be apart," she pointed out, closing her eyes and cuddling under the other pony's wing. "I've always put the needs of the ponies I care about before my own. This is just another one of those times."

"I know," Breeze said comfortingly. "That's one of the reasons I love you."

Despite the depressing events of the day, Ditzy smiled a bit. "Come on," she said finally, "we have one more thing that needs to get done today. Let's go write a letter to Dinky."

That same afternoon at Celestia's Academy, the mood couldn't have been more different from the somber one in Ponyville. Grinning ear to ear at the thought of what was to come, Dinky galloped down several staircases as she made her way to the castle's lowest level, deep underground. She soon skidded to a halt in front of the door to the only classroom located on this floor; the battle magic arena.

"It's finally time!" came a male voice, echoing from a different set of stone steps leading to the same corridor. "C'mon, Clarity, hurry up!"

Scuffle rounded the corner at breakneck speed, his hooves knocking against the stone as he charged over to Dinky. "Oh, hey Dinks!" he greeted. "You ready for this?"

"You bet!" Dinky replied. She had to admit, she'd really shared Scuffle's excitement for battle magic lately. She was itching for a chance to duel with one of her classmates, though maybe that was just the naturally-aggressive wraith in her talking.

Clarity finally appeared, trotting at a much more normal speed. "You two are ridiculous," she chuckled, tossing her mane out of her eyes so Dinky could see her give them a roll. "Class doesn't start for a few minutes. Getting here faster isn't gonna change that."

"Yeah, make fun of me all you want," Scuffle said, smirking. "We'll see who's laughing once we've dueled. You won't know what hit you."

"That implies you can hit me in the first place," Clarity cooed, returning his smug grin. "I know so many illusions now, you'll be beaten before you can even figure out where the spells are coming from!"

Scuffle laughed haughtily. "Oh, bring it, Clarity. There's nothing you can cook up that I can't fight my way through."

"It certainly sounds like you three are eager," came a smooth male voice.

With the usual strum of a guitar and clack of castanets, Tango Trot entered the corridor. "I take it all three of you have Magical Combat now too?" he asked, smiling.

"Hey Tango," Dinky greeted. "Yeah, we're all in this class."

Tango Trot looked between the three ponies momentarily. "And... what of Honeydew?" he asked. "She won't be joining us?"

Scuffle snorted. "You could offer Dewey a thousand bits and she still wouldn't take this class," he chuckled. "She's not exactly the combative type."

"Except that one time she almost killed you with a tree when we were foals," mumbled Dinky dryly.

"Yeah, but I deserved that," Scuffle said extremely casually.

Tango Trot raised an eyebrow. "As intriguing as that story sounds, it will have to wait," he reminded them. "Class is about to start."

The four unicorns trotted inside. Dinky had seen the battle magic classroom last year, but it was still an impressive space. Arranged much more like a school gymnasium than a regular lecture hall, the room consisted mostly of open floor space, with several uniformly-sized duel arenas painted on the floor. Against one wall was what was essentially a set of bleachers, as one would see at a sporting event, but they'd been modified into a rather curious construction that provided a narrow table at the front of each row for the ponies to take notes at. Small alcoves cut into the high stone walls on all sides of the room each held an illumination orb; the combined light of dozens of them left the huge chamber brightly and warmly lit, despite the fact that it was technically a dungeon beneath the castle.

"Ah, there you are," came a voice. "I knew there was no way in Tartarus that Scuffle wouldn't be in this class."

Dinky turned to face the speaker, a pale green unicorn with a very short, straight, dark grey mane, and a crumbling brick wall as a cutie mark.

"Professor Surge!" Scuffle hailed, quickly trotting over and hoof-bumping the stallion. "You're definitely right on that account. I've been waiting to take this class for years.

Storm Surge, the battle magic professor, was a lively pony that Dinky had met the year before when she took Elementary Battle Magic with the rest of her friends. He was one of the Academy's youngest professors, and almost reminded Dinky of Scuffle's older brothers... save for the fact that he wasn't a total jerk like they were.

Dinky, Clarity, Scuffle, and Tango Trot slid into one of the unoccupied rows of the bleachers and waited for the lesson to begin.

"Ok, now that we're all here, welcome to Magical Combat!" Professor Surge called, his voice echoing around the room. "Now, I know the lot of you are a bunch of feisty fifth-term ponies who are finally mature enough— and skilled enough— to take the one class at the Academy where you're allowed to use magic against each other. A group like that hardly seems the type who wants to sit around and listen to a lengthy introduction, so I'll try to keep it short."

"Taking notes on the introduction would be Honeydew's favorite part, though," Clarity whispered, making Dinky grin.

"When you chose this elective while creating your schedule for the term, you all had to sign a waiver stating that you understand that battle magic can be dangerous, and that you plan to use all spells in this class in as fair, mature, and safe a manner as possible," the professor continued. "In Elementary Battle Magic, you learned how to cast various attack and defense spells, but here, the focus will be on utilizing them in real time, to overcome an opponent. Much of this will be accomplished by sparring with your classmates, and sometimes, by actually dueling."

Dinky raised her hoof. "What's the difference, exactly?" she asked, ignoring the disappointed look Scuffle shot her.

"Sparring is just an exercise," Surge explained. "For instance, you may be asked to use a certain type of spell, over and over, while your sparring partner practices defending against that spell. When sparring, there's no way to win or lose; both ponies are expected to communicate what type of spell they are about to use and when they're going to use it. Dueling, on the other hoof, is a competition between two ponies to best one another with magic. This is where that waiver comes in handy; as I'm sure you all understand, there is a possibility that you will be mildly hurt during some duels. If everypony follows the rules, though, even the worst outcome in a duel should be nothing the nurse can't fix up in a heartbeat."

"Got it," Dinky said, scribbling the difference down in her notes.

"Now, our first class will be a pretty simple one," Professor Surge continued. "We're going to do some sparring to practice defending against the most basic of unicorn attack magic, a simple undifferentiated energy bolt. Pair up, and I want each pony to cast a basic magic bolt, and their partner to shield, counter, or deflect the attack. Keep the power level low; if somepony does get hit with a spell, we don't want it to cause any more harm than a few seconds of uncomfortable stinging."

Dinky and her friends stepped down from their seats and made their way toward the battle arenas. "How should we pair up?" Dinky asked.

Tango Trot chuckled. "I couldn't help but notice Clarity and Scuffle seemed rather eager to sling a few spells at one another at the start of class," he noted. "Perhaps, Dinky, you'd like to practice with me, while those two face off with each other?"

Scuffle cast a sidelong glance at Clarity. "Bet you can't get past my shields," he challenged.

Red light was already building around Clarity's horn. "We'll see about that."

Dinky laughed as her friends hurried off to an unoccupied arena, before following Tango to one of their own.

"Would you like to attack or defend first?" the colt asked, letting icy blue magic shimmer around his horn.

"Let me try defending first," Dinky said. "I've always been better at offensive magic, but Scuffle's been helping me with a few new tricks."

Tango Trot flashed a gleaming grin. "Very well. En garde, my friend. Let's see what you can do."

As the professor had instructed, the colt loosed an energy bolt in Dinky's direction. Concentrating hard, she threw her head back as she conjured a golden wall of light, shielding herself entirely from the incoming spell.

"Nice work," Tango complimented. "Shall we try a stronger strike, to see how well it holds up?"

Dinky nodded, widening her stance and focusing hard on keeping the spell active. "Do it. I'm ready."

Tango Trot hurled a noticeably bigger, brighter bolt of magic at the shield. There was a fairly loud sound as the spell collided, and the shield wavered, but didn't collapse. The colt raised his eyebrows.

"It seems Scuffle is quite the teacher, if he's the one who helped you learn to cast a shield like that," he commented, clearly impressed.

Dinky glanced across the room, where Clarity was frantically hurling bolt after bolt at one of Scuffle's shields, while the brown colt stood yawning behind the safety of the impenetrable wall of light. "Yeah he's... pretty good at this stuff," she admitted.

"Step aside now," Tango Trot instructed. "I'm curious to see if I can break it if I give it all I've got. We don't want you to get hurt though, should I succeed."

Dinky moved out of the line of fire, keeping the shield in place. Tango Trot reared up for a moment and threw a blazing blue spell as he brought his hooves back to the ground. It screamed through the air and punched through Dinky's shield, like an errant buckball through a window. Dinky watched, startled, as the shards of solid magic fell to the ground and vanished into nothing. Her partner looked quite pleased.

"I see any opponent you face is gonna have to be more creative than just blocking everything," she said finally.

Tango just chuckled. "Shall we switch roles?" he asked. "There's a few defenses I'd like to try that don't involve shields."

Dinky built up a bolt of magic in her horn. "Sure, tell me when to fire," she replied.

Tango Trot paused for a moment to run a hoof over his slick mane and take a dramatic defensive stance. "I'd like to show you my signature defense," he said with a smile. "Cast your spell, and watch closely."

Dinky took aim and fired a bolt at the pony across from her. His horn suddenly flared, and a long narrow pillar of light, almost a whole pony length long, projected from his horn. Gracefully, he swung his head, using the blade-like projection to slice right through Dinky's spell an instant before it reached him, causing it to fizzle out in midair.

Dinky's jaw dropped. "I've never seen anypony do something like that..." she breathed.

"There's a bit of history behind it," Tango admitted, staring wistfully into space for a moment. "Back in Maregentina, my great-grandfather, may he rest in peace, was an excellent duelist. Not in the sense that unicorns duel, though. He was an earth pony, and was known far and wide for his skills with a rapier he held clutched in his teeth. I grew up in awe of his legacy, but I simply didn't have the strength or dexterity to follow in his hoofsteps in the same way, so when I began to learn magic, I came up with a little something of my own."

"How skilled are you with it?" Dinky asked.

"I do hate to boast about my skills," the colt replied, with an expression that implied quite the opposite, "but I'm quite handy with it actually. Perhaps you'll get a chance to see a bit of magical swordplay, once we start dueling in this class. But let's shelve that topic for now and get back to work; we have plenty more defenses to try."

An hour later, the sparring session ended and the class returned to their seats. Panting, Clarity flopped down beside Dinky and rested her chin on the long table in front of them.

"For future reference..." she mumbled, not bothering to push her mane aside as it swung in front of her eyes, "if you ever have to duel Scuffle one-on-one... don't try the direct approach. It doesn't work."

Scuffle, who in contrast didn't even look winded, sat down on the other side of Dinky. "That was a nice little warm up," he said smugly, casting an exceedingly complacent grin at Clarity.

"Alright, quiet everypony!" Professor Surge called. "Class is almost over, but there's one more thing to talk about before we go. It's an event the Academy holds every year, so many of you may already know what it is."

Dinky glanced at Scuffle. She wasn't sure what the event was, but based on the colt's expression, he sure did.

"Each year, the Magical Combat students have the opportunity to show off their skills in the school's very own battle magic tournament!" Surge announced excitedly. "Over the course of the year, there will be a series of duels, made up of random match-ups of the students, until the final bout between our two most successful battlemages occurs near the end of the term. We'll have one duel a week, just before the end of class, with a few weeks off in between rounds in order to make the tournament last the entire term. In these duels, you'll be permitted to use not just battle magic, but any magic at your disposal, to come up with creative strategies to best your opponents. Each pony will also be permitted one enchanted accessory or potion per match; choose wisely, and that could give you the edge you need."

There was excited chatter among the students immediately. Scuffle knocked his forehooves together, grinning darkly. "This is what I was waiting for," he said in a low voice. "I'm gonna rock this whole class, Dinks. Better hope you get eliminated before you get matched up with me."

"Now, these duels can sometimes get a bit rough!" the professor warned. "We will have the Academy's medical personnel standing by in case anypony needs first aid. Duels end when one pony either announces a forfeit... or is knocked out. You're certainly encouraged to forfeit if you realize your opponent has gained an insurmountable upper hoof, but the duels don't always end that way. Though, if you signed up for this class in the first place, I doubt most of you are concerned with a little roughness."

"Will we find out which pony we're facing before the day we have to face them?" a red filly in the front row asked.

"Yes, of course," Professor Surge answered. "Studying your opponent is an important part of dueling; you'll all be expected to take time outside of class to talk to other ponies around the school, to try to get to know your opponent before you must face them. In fact, we're going to create the match-up bracket right now, so you'll all know in just a moment who the first pony you will duel is."

The instructor lit his horn, and a huge hidden panel in the far wall slid open, revealing a scoreboard with sixteen blank spaces lining the edges of an empty tournament bracket.

"I want every one of you to fire an energy bolt at the reflective part at the center of that board," the professor explained. "It will identify your magic, and once all sixteen of you have entered, it will randomly pair you up, creating our match-ups for the year. Go on, do it!"

Dinky excitedly charged up her horn and loosed a yellow bolt at the scoreboard, as many other bolts in every color of the rainbow traveled through the air alongside it. The board began to hum as it was charged with all their combined magical energy. A moment later, the blank spaces were suddenly filled with images of the heads of each of the students.

"We have our bracket!" the professor announced. "Find your first opponent, everypony."

Dinky spotted Tango Trot's face first; it was on the left half of the bracket, and was the only face of anypony she knew well on that side. Before she could scan the other half, there was a gasp from Clarity, and a laugh from Scuffle.

"Dinks, look!" Scuffle shouted, pointing.

Scuffle's face was at the bottom of the right side, paired up with a pony Dinky didn't recognize. A few rows above, she finally spotted her own face, and immediately below it, her opponent, an unmistakable grey and blue filly. She turned to Clarity, who was wearing a stunned expression.

"Oh, this is gonna be something!" Scuffle whooped, banging a forehoof on the desk. "Dinks vs. Clarity! I've wondered for years which of you would win in a fight, and now I get to find out!"

"I'm sure it will be a riveting match," Tango Trot added, smiling at the two shocked fillies.

"One last thing!" the professor called, quieting the chattering students. "This tournament is open to spectators! If you have friends outside the class, feel free to invite them to watch your duels! Now get out there, and get practicing, because next week, the battle magic tournament begins!"

"I, uh... didn't think we'd have to face each other in a duel so soon," Clarity admitted as she and Dinky ambled along the edge of the treeline of the Academy's forest. "But you know, we've known each other for years. We both have a big variety of tricks to pull in a battle. I guess it is about time to try 'em out, huh?"

Dinky smiled. "It'll be fun!" she assured her friend. "We've got a couple more weeks to prepare before its time for our match anyway. Let's just both do our best, and there'll be no hard feelings no matter who wins, right?"

Clarity returned the smile and nodded assuredly. "In that case, you'd better study up, Dinky!" she warned. "You know me well enough to know what kind of strategy I'm gonna use. The question is, can you beat it?"

"I'm sure Scuffle will show me how," Dinky teased, giggling at her friend's indignant pout.

"Scuffle only had the upper hoof because that exercise was about direct attack and defense," Clarity argued. "In a duel it would be a different story. Besides, Scuffle's gonna want our match to be as intense as possible, so even though he's probably gonna help you prepare to fight me, you can bet your last bit he's gonna spend just as much time preparing me to fight you."

"Well, true, but—"

Clarity suddenly pressed a forehoof against Dinky's muzzle, silencing her. "Hold that thought," she whispered, her left ear twitching. "Do you hear that?"

Dinky listened. In the distance she heard a small, familiar female voice ringing out.

"Ow! Hey! Please, stop!"

"Somepony's in trouble," Dinky realized aloud, "and they sound familiar..."

"Because that's Inkwell's voice!" Clarity cried, already dashing toward the source of the commotion and forcing Dinky to break into a full gallop in order to keep up.

Not far away was a small garden, surrounded by hedges and decorative unicorn statues. The two young mares came to a halt and peered through one of the trellises on its perimeter. Little Inkwell was indeed inside, squirming and protesting as a grey-green colt with a surprisingly bright pink mane and a color wheel cutie mark used magic to tug on her auburn braids, laughing harshly.

"Quit it!" Inkwell whined. "What are you, in elementary school? Leave me alone already!"

"Don't pretend you didn't start it," the colt snapped, causing Inkwell to squeak as he pulled on her mane again. "I'm just teaching you to watch what you say, you loudmouth. Unless you think you can stop me with those piddly spells of yours."

Dinky didn't even flinch as Clarity teleported from beside her, choosing to simply watch as she reappeared an instant later in the garden right beside Inkwell and the bully. "Maybe she can't, but I can," she said sternly, her cinnamon aura engulfing the colt's entire body and lifting him up to her eye level.

The colt just stared, speechless, before quietly dropping the ends of Inkwell's braids from his magic's grip. "O-overseer Clarity..." he mumbled, his dark purple eyes widening. "Uh, hey."

"Clarity!" Inkwell gasped, darting behind the much bigger filly once her mane was finally freed. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Yeah, I bet you are," the floating colt mumbled. "You're all buddy-buddy with the Overseer, so I'm the only one who's gonna get in trouble."

"Neither of you are off the hook until we talk about what's going on here," Clarity replied levelly, eliciting a slightly surprised look from Inkwell. "Now, if I set you down, are you gonna be civil and talk this through with me? Because the alternative is a trip to Dean Script's office, and she's definitely stricter than I am."

Clarity's captive nodded slowly, and she gently lowered him to the ground. Inkwell cautiously crept out from behind the older filly to face him.

"Now, why were you two acting like that?" Clarity asked.

"Fiberglass wouldn't stop pulling on my mane," Inkwell grumbled. "Even if he's mad at me, come on, we're not foals, we're thirteen. How childish can you get?"

"Stop acting like I'm the only bad guy!" Fiberglass growled, stamping a forehoof. "It's not my fault Clarity wasn't here when you were the one being a jerk."

"And what did Inkwell say that made you so mad?" Clarity questioned, tilting her head slightly.

Fiberglass blushed slightly. "She... made fun of my mane. Like everypony does."

"I just said it was... unusual!" Inkwell squeaked.

"No. You said it was weird," the colt countered. "And that's awful hypocritical coming from somepony with two paintbrushes dangling from her head."

"Stop, both of you," said Clarity firmly. "Inkwell, did you say that or not?"

Inkwell's gaze faltered. "Um... yeah," she admitted. "But I really didn't mean for it to come out quite so... mean? I've just never seen a colt with such a feminine color before."

"That's what everypony says," Fiberglass huffed. "I just, you know... I got tired of everypony picking on me cause my mane is light pink. I get it, it looks stupid."

Clarity sat down so her head was closer to the two students. "Y'know, I have a friend just like that," she commented.

Fiberglass raised an eyebrow. "What, a colt with a pink mane?"

"No," Clarity chuckled. "A friend who acted like a bully to try to stop other ponies from bullying him instead. One day, he made one of the fillies he was bullying really, really upset, and realized he didn't like having to act that way."

"And... did he stop?" Fiberglass asked.

Clarity smiled. "Considering that filly is now his best friend, I think you can figure it out," she replied as she stood back up and turned back to Inkwell. "Now Inkwell, can you watch what you say, please? The best way to stay out of trouble is to try not to upset anypony in the first place."

Inkwell nodded. "Got it. Sorry Clarity."

"And Fiberglass," Clarity continued. "Instead of lashing out at ponies who hurt you, try surrounding yourself with ponies who like you instead! Trust me, I've seen ponies try both of those methods, and the latter definitely works better."

Fiberglass nodded. "So... I'm not in trouble?" he asked finally.

"Not this time," Clarity said. "I don't want to catch you doing something like that again though, okay?"

Fiberglass smiled a little. "I think, uh, I'll just take your advice instead," he said sheepishly. "It sounds smarter anyway."

"Good," Clarity concluded, nodding as she started to trot out of the garden. "I'll see you two later."

"Wait, Clarity," Inkwell called as Fiberglass started to wander off. "Uh, will you have any spare time in the next few days? We were gonna talk about runes, remember?"

Clarity smiled. "I'll tell you what," she answered. "I have my first Runic Syllabary class on Monday of next week. We'll meet up that evening and I'll share a little of it with you, alright?"

Inkwell grinned. "Can I bring friends?" she asked.

Clarity thought it over. "Just one or two," she said finally. "I'm just doing a little private session, not teaching a class."

Inkwell nodded. "Just a few," she promised. "I'll see you then!"

The filly happily trotted away. Clarity strolled around the edge of the garden and was greeted by a grinning Dinky.

"You're so much nicer than Sparkler would have been to us in that situation in our first year," she laughed. "Those kids are lucky to have an Overseer like you."

Clarity blushed. "I'm just doing my job, Dinky..." she mumbled, swaying her tail self-consciously and smiling slightly.

"Keep doing it like that, and those foals will look back on this place in their fifth year and remember you were their favorite Overseer," Dinky encouraged. "Now come on, let's go find Honeydew and Scuffle."

As the end of the first week of the term approached, the student lounge between the residence towers became a busy place, bustling with colts and fillies collaborating on projects or discussing new spells they had learned. In one unoccupied corner of the room, Dinky and Clarity sat crammed beside one another in an overstuffed armchair, poring over some Transformation homework. On the plush carpet nearby, Honeydew was lying with a blanket draped over her lower body as she paged through a complicated-looking botany text. Scuffle, in contrast, had busied himself trying to use magic to juggle a couple of his school supplies as he laid sprawled on the floor beside her.

"Oh, Dewey, I almost forgot," the colt said suddenly. "Me and Dinky and Clarity wanted to invite you to⁠—"

"⁠—Watch you participate in the battle magic tournament?" Honeydew interrupted, earning a surprised glance from Scuffle.

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"I ran into Tango Trot in Professor Chestnut's lab hours ago," she replied, smiling. "I may not have any interest in battle magic myself, but I do care about all of you. Let me know which days the three of you are scheduled to duel, and I'll make sure I make time to come and watch."

"Well, Scuffle's first match is at the end of the month," Dinky informed her. "And Clarity and I are dueling two weeks into April."

"Got it," Honeydew said, jotting the dates in her planner. "And what about Tango?"

"I didn't check," Dinky admitted.

"I'll just ask him the next time he checks in on my Lifesense research," the pink filly decided as she began to pack up her books.

While she was still speaking, there was a flash of green light, and a scroll materialized in midair. Dinky calmly caught it with magic on its way down; the sight of dragon mail was hardly an event of any particular note at a place like Celestia's Academy. She unfurled the scroll and read through it quickly.

"Wha... oh no!"

Clarity, who was still sitting just inches from Dinky, jolted at the outburst. "What!?" she gasped. "Is something wrong?"

"It's from mom," Dinky explained, concern quickly growing in her bright eyes. "Apparently... Dr. Candyfloss died suddenly yesterday."

"Who?" Scuffle mumbled, as a small, spiral-bound notebook he was attempting to juggle fell and bounced off his snout.

"The boss at the matchmaking company!" Clarity realized, staring at the letter in shock. "Oh, Dinky, I'm really sorry. Your mom must be crushed."

Honeydew put a forehoof over her mouth. "Is... is your mom's company going to be able to keep running without him?" she asked softly.

Dinky sighed. "Mom keeps repeating that I shouldn't let it worry me in the letter," she admitted, "but you know her; she's the type of pony who will take on any burden to keep it off her loved ones, especially me. And the whole situation is really weird, too. Mom was talking about Dr. Candyfloss like he was fine just last weekend."

"Then why tell you now?" Scuffle asked skeptically. "If it's not your problem, couldn't she have waited until the next time you went home?"

"Because she needs me to come home this weekend," Dinky replied. "She's supposed to retrieve something from Candyfloss's office, but its locked up in his desk. They want me to open it magically."

"Are you gonna blow it up?" Scuffle asked. "That counts as opening it, right?"

Dinky glared. Honeydew placed a hoof against Scuffle's foreleg. "I know you want to lighten the mood, but maybe... not like that," she advised.

"You should take your mom's advice for now, Dinky," Clarity suggested. "There's nothing in that letter than says her job is in jeopardy. Just try not to worry about it, and you can find out all the details this weekend."

"I'll try, but it's gonna be hard to focus in class tomorrow," Dinky sighed.

Surprisingly, Clarity cracked a smile. "I dunno about that Dinky. We both know what class we have tomorrow. I've known you long enough to know that if there's one thing that'll keep you distracted, it's some Enchantments."

Friday morning dawned, and Dinky awoke earlier than usual. As always, Honeydew was already awake, so the two fillies kept their morning conversation hushed as Clarity peacefully snored from the top bunk.

"So, it's finally your turn," Honeydew whispered, as she slowly ran a brush through her long mane. "We already had my favorite class, and you and Clarity joined Scuffle for his. None of us are in Clarity's high-level illusions class, but she seemed to enjoy that as well. Are you excited to study your favorite subject again?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Dinky chuckled. "I haven't quite dedicated my life to enchantments like you have with magical biology, but I still think they're really cool. I mean, there's just no other magic that's so... versatile."

She demonstrated her point by clutching her pendant against her chest. Despite the early hour, it glowed brightly; Pipsqueak was clearly already awake if he was responding to her magic, but perhaps that wasn't surprising; military ponies were usually up by sunrise, if not before.

Honeydew smiled. "I still think that enchantment you and Pip share is the sweetest thing," she cooed, gazing at the soft golden glow as it slowly faded from the diamond. "If I have a special somepony someday, maybe I'll have to make a pair of my own."

A knock on the window startled Honeydew slightly, and both fillies turned to see Scuffle standing just outside. Dinky shook her head; one thing that was different about living in the Overseer suite was that it was on the ground floor of the tower. Since Honeydew often opened the curtains to let in the morning sun, Scuffle had quickly begun using the feature as an efficient, if slightly invasive, way to get his friends' attention. She pushed the window open.

"What, Scuffle?"

"Is Dewey in there?" Scuffle asked, trying to lean his head into the room. He didn't get very far; the barrier that kept colts out of the fillies' tower stopped him after just a few inches.

Honeydew trotted to the window. "I'm here. What's up Scuffle?"

"I'm bored," said Scuffle flatly. "Clarity's still sleeping, and Dinks looks like she just crawled out from under a rock, so I'm guessing neither of them are ready to go out yet."

"And you clearly look so much better than me," Dinky retorted, patting down some of her messier strands of hair. "I see you spent at least four whole seconds on your mane today. What's the occasion?"

Scuffle smirked. "Anywho, Dewey," he continued, now that he'd finished amusing himself at Dinky's expense, "Wanna go for a walk around campus or something? We'll meet the other two slowpokes in class in like an hour."

Honeydew blinked. "Oh, uh, sure," she chirped. "Just let me grab my bag and—"

Scuffle's blue aura surrounded Honeydew entirely, and she gasped as she was unceremoniously lifted out the window and placed on the grass beside her friend, with her saddlebag arriving a moment later. "That... works too," she managed, looking befuddled.

"Alright, we're off!" said Scuffle, unusually quickly. "Later Dinks."

As Scuffle turned to go, he hastily flicked a scrap of paper through the open window with his tail, and then slammed it shut with magic before Dinky could comment. She watched Scuffle and Honeydew wander away for a few seconds before curiously unfolding it with her magic and reading the very short note within.

Gonna try to tell you-know-who the thing you've been telling me to tell her.

Wish me luck!

~Scuff

"Please," Clarity begged as she and Dinky approached the Enchantments classroom. "Please let Scuffle have gone through with it."

"It has been a long time coming," Dinky admitted. "How do you think Honeydew reacted if he did?"

"She really finds a lot of comfort in Scuffle's presence these days," Clarity pointed out. "Even if she says no, I don't think she'd be upset that he tried."

At that moment, Scuffle and Honeydew turned the corner and nearly ran right into the other two ponies. "Who tried what now?" Honeydew asked. "I just caught the end of what you were saying as we approached."

Dinky and Clarity glanced at Scuffle, who discreetly shook his head. "Oh, nothing Honeydew," Clarity said quickly. "Let's just head inside so we can get seats near each other."

Honeydew nodded and disappeared into the classroom. Dinky and Clarity's heads snapped to the nervous looking colt still standing with them.

"Let me guess. You bailed?" Dinky asked.

"I bailed," Scuffle confirmed, hanging his head so his tan mane obscured his eyes. "She was just enjoying the first signs of spring in the morning air so much, I didn't wanna risk ruining her mood by, you know..."

Clarity sighed. "Just get in there before she wonders why we didn't follow," the grey filly grumbled.

The three of them hurried into the Enchantments classroom and joined Honeydew at the table. Dinky scanned the room for a moment and quickly spotted Professor Luster. The mare was always easy to pick out; her delicately pink coat and beautiful pink and yellow mane really drew the eye. Most of Dinky's male classmates thought the professor was really hot.

Heck, Dinky thought she was really hot, and she was into colts.

That didn't change the fact that Professor Luster was brilliant beyond all compare in the field of Enchantments though, which was the real reason Dinky admired her so much. She quickly joined her friends at one of the tables. Clarity clapped her forehooves excitedly.

"I can't believe all four of us managed to get in the same class!" she raved. "I mean, when's the last time that happened? Practical Magic when we were foals?"

"I think we all managed to wind up in the same Transformation and Conjuring class in our third term," Honeydew reminded her.

"Even so, it's really rare," Dinky added. "Let's enjoy it; this is the last time we'll all get to collaborate on classwork."

"Attention everypony!" Professor Luster called. Perhaps redundantly, Dinky thought, for almost all eyes were already on her anyway. "Welcome to Advanced Enchantments. Are you as excited to be here as I am? In the coming months, you'll all be learning ways to imbue objects with magic so powerful and complex, only a hoofful of ponies in all of Equestria have even an inkling of their potential!"

As Clarity had predicted, the promise of new enchantments commanded Dinky's attention. She took her friend's advice and forced her worries about her mom's situation at home, and her frustration as Scuffle's failure to confess to Honeydew, both to the back of her mind and focused on the idea of learning more of her favorite type of spells.

"Now, because we're going to be working with such powerful enchantments," the professor continued, "it's extra-important this year that you're all proficient at disenchantment spells. After all, failure to fully and cleanly remove a powerful spell from an object can leave behind traces of the original enchantment, which can behave in chaotic ways. So to practice, I've hidden your textbooks with an enchantment you'll need to remove! They're on the desks right in front of you, but you can't see or feel them because of the spell placed on them. Remove the enchantment now, please."

Dinky smiled confidently; she'd done enough experimenting with enchantments on her own time to have plenty of practice with disenchantment spells. Yellow light only had to surround her horn for an instant before a wide, colorfully-bound textbook appeared in front of her.

"Once you have your textbook," Professor Luster instructed, "you'll find that, while the first half contains your lessons, the entire second half of the book is a compendium of complex, powerful enchantments. Since enchantments are often support spells used to aid in other tasks, I'm sure many of you are already thinking about how you can use them to aid in the work you're doing for other classes. And fortunately for you, I know better than to try to keep the attention of a room full of students who are distracted, so today's assignment is very simple. You have the whole class period to explore the enchantment compendium, and all you have to hand in to me is a single gem containing any one of the spells found there. If you're talented with these sorts of spells, that shouldn't take you more than a few minutes, and the rest of the class period is yours to experiment!"

Clarity turned to Honeydew. "Shall we see if there's any spells that can aid with Magical Biology in here for you?" she asked.

The pink filly smiled as she began to page through the text. "Sure, but I still don't think we're going to find anything as useful as the Life Empathy charm we put on my tail ring years ago," she admitted, swinging her tail so the bejeweled silver band was briefly visible. "What about you Dinky? Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"It's a secret," Dinky stated, waggling her eyebrows, "but don't worry, you'll all see it soon enough."

While Scuffle, Clarity, and Honeydew discussed spells together, Dinky flipped through the massive catalogue of spells, searching for something very specific.

We can bring a single enchanted item to our duels in the battle magic tournament, she thought, but what enchantment will help me cope with Clarity's illusions, and all the other tricks and fake-outs she's going to pull?

Dinky turned another page, and a big, mischievous grin slowly spread across her face.

Oh, now this could work...

The weekend arrived. Ditzy Doo trotted back and forth along the length of Ponyville's station platform, impatiently awaiting the arrival of the Academy's train. The others, she knew, would already be waiting at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services for her to arrive with Dinky.

At last, the train arrived, and Ditzy spotted her daughter's lilac coat as soon as she stepped out of the passenger car. Dinky cantered up to her mother and threw her forelegs around her.

"Mom! I'm so sorry to hear about Dr. Candyfloss..."

Ditzy petted the filly's mane for a moment before breaking the hug. "It'll be okay, muffin," she replied, smiling sadly. "We think the doc left us everything we'll need. We just need your help to get to his instructions."

"Still, our condolences, Mrs. Doo," came another voice.

Ditzy looked away from Dinky at the familiar grey and blue unicorn standing nearby. "Oh, Clarity, you're visiting for the weekend too?"

"Is that okay?" Dinky asked. "I thought I'd bring her along, just in case I need help with this lock you're talking about."

"Plus, I'd kind of love to finally see what Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is like," Clarity added, giving a quick nod that made her mane bounce.

"I'm afraid you're going to be a little underwhelmed," Ditzy confessed. "It's not anything exciting to look at, and the pony who gave it all its charm is..."

She trailed off. A moment later, she felt Dinky's body gently leaning against hers. She turned her head and found her daughter wearing a determined smile.

"He may be gone, but with those hints he left, and the enthusiasm you and the other matchmakers have, I'm sure the charm isn't going to disappear anytime soon," she declared. "Lead the way, mom! We have a lock to open."

"Right, follow me."

Ditzy quickly turned away to hide the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. Dinky may be grown up now, she thought as she led the pair of unicorns through town, and though she's become so headstrong and confident, the little unicorn who just wants to make the ponies around her happy is still in there. And as long as I have her, I can get through this.

"Is she here yet? It's only been two days, but it felt like two months!"

"I'm reasonably certain you just perceive time differently than most of us, Watt old boy."

Watt, Breeze, and Cloudcover occupied the employee lounge, waiting for Ditzy's arrival. Having not gotten the answer he wanted from Cloudcover, Watt turned to Breeze.

"Did Ditzy give you, like, an estimate or anything?" he asked, idly tapping a forehoof.

"The train should already have arrived in Ponyville," Breeze replied. "Just give Ditzy a few minutes and I'm sure she—"

Breeze was cut off by the sound of several sets of hooves in the stairwell. Ditzy strode in a moment later and smiled.

"Guess who brought not one, but two unicorns to help us out!" she announced.

Dinky and Clarity stepped into the room. Clarity took a moment to take in her surroundings, but Dinky, who had visited Equestria Speedy Shipping Services a small hoofful of times over the years, trotted over to the three stallions instead.

"Hiya, kiddo," Breeze greeted, patting Dinky on the back for a moment. "School going alright so far?"

"Exciting as always," Dinky admitted. "I'm sorry to hear the excitement here in Ponyville hasn't been the good kind."

"Yes, I'm afraid we'll be mourning the loss of Dr. Candyfloss for some time," Cloudcover sighed.

"We're not giving up though!" Watt added quickly. "The doc wanted us to keep this place alive, and by gum, that's what we're gonna do!"

"That's the spirit!" Clarity encouraged as the joined the group of ponies. "Now, can you take Dinky and me to this locked drawer?"

A few minutes later, all six ponies crammed into Dr. Candyfloss's small office. Dinky approached the drawer and lit her horn.

"Okay, so what kind of spell are we dealing with here? Do any of you know?"

There was a long pause.

"...Spell?" Ditzy asked finally, tilting her head.

"Yeah," Dinky replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Do you know anything about the enchantment that's keeping the drawer locked? Clarity and I can probably break it, but we need to know if there was any reaction when you tried to open it."

"I... think there may be some misunderstanding," Cloudcover said slowly.

"There's no enchantment that we know of," Ditzy clarified. "We just... don't have the key."

Dinky blinked, and glanced incredulously at Clarity, who was already beginning to snicker, before turning her gaze back to the team of matchmakers. "Wait, so... you literally just need me to open a normal mechanical lock?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Bingo!" Watt said.

"Dr. Candyfloss was a unicorn, wasn't he?" Clarity asked, eyeing the desk as if she didn't believe it. "Was he not much of a magic user?"

"I can't recall seeing him ever use it for anything besides simple levitation and the special magic that allowed him to perform his shipping duties," Ditzy explained. "If he knew any enchantments or anything like that, he kept it from us."

"I see," Clarity said, disappointment evident in her voice. "Well, um, you can go ahead and take care of that then, Dinky."

Dinky sighed and lit her horn for approximately half a second. There was a small, metallic click from somewhere within the desk. "There you go," she said flatly. "And hey, if I can make a suggestion: next time you guys hire somepony, try to get a unicorn. It'll save you all some hassle."

Ditzy trotted over to the drawer. "Thanks, dear," she said, nuzzling Dinky and managing to get her to smile. "Now, without further ado, the journal of Dr. Candyfloss!"

The mare pulled the drawer open with aplomb and looked inside.

Bare, grey metal stared back at her.

"Uh, hang on," she said quietly, leaning down and stuffing her head into the small space. "Dinky, could I get some light?"

Dinky lit her horn again, filling the interior of the drawer with a golden glow. Ditzy quickly scanned the area and felt her heart sink. There was no denying it; the drawer was empty.

"The... the journal is gone," she mumbled as she slowly lifted her head.

"What?" Breeze gasped. "But we saw the doc store it in that spot almost every day! I don't think he took it with him to the hospital..."

"Then where is it?" Watt asked, quivering nervously.

"Maybe it is hidden with an enchantment?" Clarity asked, turning to Dinky. "You don't think it's invisible or something, do you?"

Both unicorns lit their horns, scanning not just the drawer, but the entire office, for any sign of concealed magic. After several tense minutes, Dinky sighed and extinguished her magic.

"Sorry," she said, defeated. "I don't think there's any magic at work here."

"So... that's it then?" Ditzy asked finally. "That journal was Dr. Candyfloss's last message to us. If we can't find it..."

"Then we improvise," Breeze finished, stomping a forehoof with determination. "Maybe the journal will turn up somewhere, but if our only option is to go on without it, then that's what we have to do. The doc was counting on us. We ran this place by ourselves for a few days while he was in the hospital. Running it permanently will be a lot harder, but we've got to try."

Ditzy's big, misaligned eyes met those of her fiancé. "Do you think we can do it?" she asked.

"Can you do it?" Dinky asked, flabbergasted. "Mom, you worked your rump off to make enough bits to raise me, all by yourself, for years. You've taken on countless assignments, often with the odds stacked against you, to help ponies all over Equestria with their wild shipping requests. And all your coworkers are just as dedicated as you are. Do you really feel like the four of you can't keep a small business afloat when you can do all that?"

"The kid makes a good point!" Watt chimed in, grinning and waggling his spiky tail. "It's gonna be tough without the doc's help, but that's never stopped us before. If we work together, we got this."

The approving nods of Dinky, Clarity, and her coworkers stirred a glimmer of hope deep within Ditzy. "Alright," she said finally. "Starting next week, a new chapter in the story of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services will begin. And we'll make sure that chapter comes to the conclusion Dr. Candyfloss was counting on."

"I hate early morning classes..." Clarity mumbled, dragging her hooves as she trudged down the corridor the following Monday.

"Why stop at classes?" Dinky remarked, smirking. "I'm pretty sure you just hate mornings."

"You got me there," Clarity yawned. "It's not fair. Honeydew's up at this hour every day anyway, and yet somehow she didn't wind up with any classes this early."

"Well, once we get started, I'm sure you'll feel more alert," Dinky reassured her.

Clarity cast a sidelong glance at Dinky from the eye that wasn't currently obscured by her dangling mane. "It's Runic Syllabary, Dinky," she said flatly. "Not that it's boring, but it's gonna be a lot more reading and writing than actual spellcasting."

Runic Syllabary was the one class Dinky hadn't had yet, since the previous Monday had been the day for the students to move in for the term, rather than a day to hold classes. While she couldn't say she was as hyped up for the class as she had been for Magical Combat and Advanced Enchantments, the subject still piqued her curiosity; in four years of magical study, she'd hardly dabbled at all in the use of runes.

"So, I guess this class is just the two of us, huh?" Dinky asked. "Honeydew and Scuffle don't have a class during this period."

One corner of Clarity's mouth turned up in a small smirk. "Well, that's true, but there'll be one other pony we know keeping us company..."

Strummmm~

Clack-a-clack!

"As if on cue," Clarity chuckled as Tango Trot sauntered around the corner, looking far more awake than his fellow Overseer.

"Well, well, Clarity and Dinky," the blue colt said, flashing his usual grin. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Sleepy," Clarity deadpanned.

Tango Trot gave a silky, sophisticated laugh. "I suppose it is a tad early," he admitted. "But, alas, magical study waits for nopony. Now, shall we?"

He gestured to the classroom. The two fillies entered, with Tango bringing up the rear.

Dinky hadn't been in this particular classroom before, but it wasn't too far from what she expected. The desks were fairly close together, and there was no empty space in the back of the room for magic practice; as Clarity had predicted, this course appeared to be more about written work than anything else. The one feature that made the room unique was the number of bookshelves. They lined almost every wall, and were packed with strange tomes with titles written in characters Dinky didn't recognize. The three unicorns took seats near the middle of the room.

"So, how was your weekend in Ponyville?" Tango Trot asked casually.

"How'd you know we went to Ponyville?" Dinky asked. "It was a kind of last-minute thing."

"Honeydew, naturally," Tango Trot explained. "Rarely have I seen a pony so dedicated. She spent most of the weekend engrossed in her research. She sought me for a second opinion on Saturday afternoon, and we got to chatting."

"You must be doing something right," Clarity commented. "I haven't seen Honeydew open up to somepony so quickly in... ever."

Tango waved away the compliment. "I'm sure she's simply relieved to have a friend who can keep pace with her in biological discussion," he chuckled.

There was a short pause. The usual glamorous smile slowly faded off the colt's face.

"I must admit, since Honeydew is often so reserved, I find it... just a tad odd that she seems so comfortable around Scuffle," he mused, tapping his chin with a forehoof. "Not to speak ill of our dear Scuffle, of course! He simply seems... a bit far outside Honeydew's normal range of interests."

"Eh, Scuffle's harmless," Dinky chuckled. "And he's not oblivious to Honeydew's feelings, either. He doesn't act like such a blowhard when he's talking to her. He saves that for me and Clarity."

Hoofsteps in the doorway drew the students' attention. Dinky was surprised to see Dean Spiral Script trot into the room, adorned with Academy regalia as usual.

"Good morning, students," the dean greeted as she set her saddlebag on the desk. "As many of you know, while I've been the dean for only a few years, I've been teaching this particular class for two decades, and I don't intend to stop anytime soon. Welcome, all of you, to Runic Syllabary."

Spiral Script lit her horn, and a stack of the heftiest textbooks Dinky had ever seen floated off of one of the bookshelves and onto the students' desks. She cringed a bit at the thought of adding it to her already weighty saddlebag.

"I know this is a bit basic for fifth-term students, but let's begin at the very beginning," Spiral Script announced. "What is a rune?"

Clarity's hoof went up immediately, as usual. "A rune is a magical symbol that can be written or carved into an object," she answered. "Runes have inherent magical power that modifies the effects of spells used in their proximity."

"Exactly," the dean said with a smile. "The use of runes is an ancient art, almost as old as the use of magic itself. Can you tell me the historical figures who invented them?"

At this, Clarity faltered, but Dinky raised a hoof instead. "That would be the Gemini twins, of the ancient Zodiac," she replied proudly.

Spiral Script nodded, casting Dinky a knowing glance. She, like all the Academy's staff, knew exactly why Dinky was more familiar with the ponies of the Zodiac than most of her classmates, but this certainly wasn't the place to talk about it.

"The Gemini twins were a bit lacking in magical ability compared to their kin in the rest of the Zodiac," the dean continued. "But, unable to be deterred, they quickly invented a way to enhance their abilities, not with raw magical energy, but with a new way to channel it! Runes were born, and have become a staple component in especially advanced or powerful magic across all fields of study."

"Wait, runes can apply to all other magic?" a filly in the front row asked. "How so?"

"Well, to name a few examples," the dean said thoughtfully, "runes placed strategically around an area can allow for the enhancement of spells that affect a wide space. With the right runes in place around this room, for instance, I could cast an illusion so vast that it could fully disguise the classroom as another location entirely."

The dean's horn burst to life, and runes painted around the classroom glowed with the color of her aura, a gold strikingly similar to Dinky's. Everything became hazy, and soon, the classroom had been replaced with a near-perfect image of the throne room in Canterlot castle. Dinky glanced around, impressed. Clarity, ever the enthusiastic illusionist, appeared utterly delighted.

"Perhaps a battle magic application interests some of you more," Dean Script continued, glancing at a few particular students with a sly smile as the illusion quickly dissipated. "If you become skilled at projecting runes with illumination magic, the right symbols can upgrade the power of other spells."

The mare cast a spherical shield around herself, and then upon its surface, a rune formed of a series of interlocking quadrilaterals appeared. Dinky didn't even need to see the shield defend against anything to understand the effect; the width and brightness of the wall of magic became noticeably stronger the moment the rune was put on its surface.

"Of course, one use of runes is more widespread than all the others," Spiral Script said finally as the shield faded away. "Above all, runes are used in conjunction with enchantments. When the right rune is engraved into the surface of an enchanted object, it can modify or enhance the spell stored within in dramatic ways. Many of the most famous magical artifacts in Equestria contain some sort of rune-enhanced enchantment."

Briefly, Dinky imagined what sort of results she could get if she was able to engrave a rune into her pendant. The thought of adding another layer to her long-distance bond with Pipsqueak was enticing, but she'd have to wait until the next time she saw him in person; since the two pendants were linked, his would need an identical engraving.

"Now, perhaps, you see the reason this class is reserved for the upperclassmen," Spiral Script pointed out. "Runic Enhancement adds an additional layer of complexity and power to existing spells, so to make full use of their potential, a unicorn must already be versed in a wide range of magics. And there aren't many unicorns out there with more experience than a room full of fifth-term students at the nation's most celebrated academy of magic, are there? What you learn in this class may, on its own, be less gripping than the spells you learn elsewhere, but you mustn't fail to see the value in it. With the power of runes on your side, each of you has the potential to cast some of the most legendary spells Equestria has ever seen."

A thousand ideas began to circulate through Dinky's mind. Runic Syllabary suddenly seemed much more interesting than it had earlier that morning. Clarity, she noticed, seemed much to engrossed too appear drowsy anymore, at any rate.

"Open your textbook to the first section," Dean Script instructed. "We'll begin with the basic construction of a rune, your first step on the path to using them effectively. Practice drawing each shape with your magic as precisely as possible; the more perfect the rune, the more profound the effect. With that, let's begin."

That week began like any other for most of Ponyville, but for Ditzy, it couldn't have felt more foreign. For the first time in her career, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services was open for business without Dr. Candyfloss. The mare trotted nervously up to the front entrance, pausing to glance at the help wanted sign sitting in the front window before pushing open the door and making her way to the upstairs lounge.

"Ah, hey Ditzy," Breeze greeted as she entered. "Do you mind taking first office shift? Watt and I will be available for any assignments that come in, and Cloudcover is looking advertising the job opening."

"The quicker we get a fifth pony on staff, the better," Cloudcover added, as he carefully penned a note to send to the local newspaper. "After all, we once had six ponies here, but we made do without Cosmic Glow for years. Five ponies is fine, but just the four of us won't be able to keep up with the work indefinitely."

"Well, sure, I can cover the office," Ditzy offered. "As soon as a call comes in, I'll let you guys know."

"Thanks Ditzy," Breeze said, trotting to the table and glancing over Cloudcover's shoulder at his progress. "See you in a bit."

A few moments later, the mare slipped into the vacant front office. Trying to force any thoughts of the small room's absent occupant from her mind, she lowered herself into the chair and pulled the first few pieces of paperwork from the inbox on the corner of the desk.

Ding~

Ditzy had barely written the first letter on the page when the unusual sound reached her. Her ears perked up, and she glanced around.

Ding~ Ding~

"The bell," Ditzy said to the empty room, shocked. There was, in fact, a small service bell in the front reception area for walk-in customers, but almost all shipping requests that the company received were call-ins; with the exception of the occasional delivery of office supplies, almost nopony ever rang that bell.

Ding~ Ding~ Ding~ Ding~

"Coming!" Ditzy cried, leaping over the desk with a flap of her wings. She hurried down the hall and threw open the door to the reception area, causing the pony standing there to jump back in surprise.

"S-sorry about that," Ditzy stammered, straightening up. "Welcome to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. Can I help you?"

It took the startled pony on the other side of the desk a moment to find her voice. She was a pale orange unicorn, with a cute two-toned mane in shades of yellow and light blue, with the bangs held back by a headband embedded with a rainbow of small gemstones. Ditzy's gaze flicked from the mare's big, bright pink eyes down to her flank. On it was the simplest cutie mark she'd ever seen: a single white star.

"Um, hi," said the unicorn awkwardly, eyeing up Ditzy curiously. "I'm looking for the pony in charge. Is that you?"

"Sort of," Ditzy replied, biting her lip. "We're in the middle of some... reorganization right now. But I can definitely get somepony to handle your shipping request, whatever it is."

The other mare looked a little concerned, but managed an uncertain smile. "Err, no, I don't have one of those," she confessed. "I'm here about the, uh, job opportunity. I saw the sign last week and dropped by, but nopony was here."

Ditzy blinked. An applicant? Already? she thought, hardly daring to believe her luck.

The visiting mare seemed to notice her brief hesitation. "Sorry, do I need a resume or something?" she asked, taking a small step back. "I can come back later..."

"No, no, nothing like that," Ditzy said quickly. "But, um, just so we're clear before we start, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is a matchmaking company. We ship ponies, not packages."

The other mare's eyes lit up and she began to laugh. "Well I know that much," she giggled. "But now I'm thinking about a mailpony trotting in here expecting a delivery job. Imagine how awkward that would be!"

Ditzy's polite laugh was somewhat less hearty than the pony across from her, but her guest didn't seem to notice.

"Anyway, my name's Ditzy Doo," Ditzy greeted, extending a hoof. "I'm the current, um, joint owner of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, I guess."

"I'm Wishing Star," the other pony replied, shaking Ditzy's hoof and smiling hopefully. "So, does this mean I'm getting an interview?"

"I don't see why not," Ditzy answered, gesturing for Wishing Star to follow her deeper into the building. "Come on upstairs, and meet the rest of the team."

"Ooh, I like you already!"

Watt darted in circles around the new arrival, examining her from multiple angles. Wishing Star made an attempt to follow his movements with her eyes, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"Don't mind Watt," said Breeze casually. "He's always like that."

"He's an... acquired taste," said Cloudcover carefully.

"That means ponies can find me irritating until they get used to me!" Watt declared, not sounding at all offended by the other stallions' remarks.

"Wishing Star, these ponies are Autumn Breeze, Cloudcover, and Kilowatt Hour," Ditzy explained, pointing to each in turn. "We all worked for the company's owner, Dr. Candyfloss, for years. Unfortunately he, um... passed away last week, and we haven't quite nailed down the new job structure yet."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Wishing Star condoled, as a more somber mood fell over the room. "I've heard this company has quite the reputation with its past clients, though. Surely that can't all be Dr. Candyfloss's doing?"

"Well, the doc was the manager," Breeze pointed out, "but the four of us did most of the actual matchmaking. But he chose which of us was right for each assignment, and offered guidance when we needed it."

"Well, I don't know how good I'd be at any of that stuff," Wishing Star admitted, adjusting her gem-studded headband a bit. "But it sounds like you four are probably way better at matchmaking than I'd be, and I do have past experience with office work. If you hire me, maybe I could start out handling the phone calls and paperwork for a while, until you all get the plan for the future of the company set in stone?"

The four ponies exchanged a glance. "That actually might be the least disruptive way to get things back on track," Cloudcover pointed out. "It's a bit chaotic with the four of us taking shifts of office duty. If Wishing Star handles it for the coming months, the four of us can focus on finding out if post-Candyfloss-era shipping will still be viable."

"I'm okay with that," Breeze agreed, earning an excited smile from the potential employee. "We don't have to keep her off of shipping duty forever, but this might be perfect to start."

"Even if she never develops Candyfloss's knack for mysteriously appearing at the most opportune points in conversation," Watt added. "Celestia, I'm gonna miss that."

Wishing Star turned to Ditzy. "So that just leaves you, Ditzy," she said quietly. "Do you think I could join the team?"

Ditzy could almost see the excitement glimmering in the pink of the mare's eyes. Smiling, she nodded.

"It's unanimous. Welcome to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, Wishing Star."

A huge smile spread across the orange mare's face. "Thank you," she said warmly, nodding to her new coworkers. "I know I'm not Dr. Candyfloss, but I'll do my part and try not to let you down."

"You'll do fine," Ditzy reassured. "Come on, I'll take you to your new office."

After a parting wave from her coworkers, Ditzy trotted down the stairs with a very happy Wishing Star in tow. The two mares stepped into Candyfloss's office.

No, Ditzy thought, steeling herself against the wave of emotion that struck each time she entered the room. We have to embrace the change if we want to keep the company alive. This isn't Candyfloss's office anymore. It's Wishing Star's office now.

"Hey, not bad," Wishing Star commented, inspecting the desk, cabinets, and other details of the room for a few moments. "I can work with this. Is there anything left in here from Dr. Candyfloss's days that I should pass to you before I pick up where he left off?"

"I don't think so," Ditzy mumbled. "There was supposed to be a journal that belonged to him, but it's missing. If you find it stashed away somewhere while you're working, please bring it upstairs to us. It's really very important. You're welcome to everything else though."

"Got it!" Wishing Star exclaimed. "If I come across it, you'll be the first to know. Why's it so important, anyway?"

Ditzy sighed. "Well, we don't know, really, but the doc's last words were to make sure it was given to us," she explained, wings drooping. "We were hoping it contained a way to make sure Equestria Speedy Shipping Services would continue to thrive without him."

Wishing Star trotted a bit closer. "But Ditzy, it can still do that," she encouraged, smiling hopefully. "Like I said, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services has satisfied a lot of clients over the years. You four are probably Equestria's top matchmakers! And as long as you keep helping ponies like that, everything should be fine."

Ditzy chuckled. "For a pony who hardly knows me, you sure are uplifting," she admitted, patting the unicorn on the back with a wing.

"I try," Wishing Star chirped, settling into her seat. "Let's give it a go, Ditzy. You head upstairs, and if we get any calls, I'll come talk to you four about the assignment at hoof."

"Great," Ditzy replied, stepping out of the office. "And if you have any questions, just come on upstairs and ask!"

"Will do!"

Ditzy breathed a sigh of relief as she started up the stairs. Maybe this new chapter of our shipping days won't be such a tough one after all, she thought as she returned to the lounge. I just wish I knew what happened to that journal. Where could it possibly be?

I've done what you asked of me. What's the next step?

More importantly, when can we meet in person? If we're going to give Ditzy Doo what's coming to her once and for all, we should meet face-to-face and discuss the plan.

~Glow

Cosmic Glow tacked the note to her door with the provided sharp fragment of pink crystal, ignoring the growing number of nicks the shard was leaving in the wood. Sighing, she returned to her room.

I sure hope this pony knows what he or she is doing, the thought. It would be a shame if this turns out to be nothing but a waste of time...

Glow sat on her bed, and tugged her overstuffed saddlebag over with a flicker of magic. After a moment of leafing through the contents, she rolled her eyes as she found what she was looking for.

"I just can't see how this stupid thing is so critical to finally giving Ditzy her just desserts," she complained to the empty room, as she yanked a battered book from the depths of the bag. "Everything in here is just as inane as the fantasies that were always pouring from that senile old stallion's mouth."

She flipped through the pages for a moment. "But I've got no choice but to trust that my associate knows what he or she is doing," she continued, frowning. "Maybe once I learn the next phase of the plan, it'll make more sense."

With an exasperated sigh, Glow tossed the book aside. It landed on the carpet and fell open to the first page, displaying the title, written in delicate hornwriting.

The Journal of Dr. Candyfloss

Chapter 7

"Yes, you heard that right," Mayor Mare said gravely as she addressed the startled crowd of Ponyville citizens. "According to Princess Luna's decree, Princess Celestia was last seen last night. According to the accounts of both her sister and the royal guards, there was nothing about her behavior to indicate that anything was amiss. But when Luna retired from her night shift and prepared for the coming of the sun, it did not rise. And nopony has seen or heard anything of Princess Celestia since. Luna, of course, tried every means at her disposal to contact her before sending this message, but felt it was necessary to inform the nation when it became apparent that her elder sister was truly absent."

Ditzy exchanged a speechless glance with Breeze. Worried murmurs spread throughout the crowd. The three sisters who ran the flower shop appeared on the verge of fainting in horror.

"Now, Princess Luna has strongly urged the citizens of Equestria not to panic," Mayor Mare continued, moving lower on the long scroll she was holding. "She is capable of taking over most of Celestia's duties, including raising the sun, while the disappearance is investigated. Princess Twilight Sparkle will be assisting with the remaining responsibilities as well, and Princess Cadance will offer whatever aid she can, though she must remain in the Crystal Empire for now. I would like to stress that at this time there is no evidence that Princess Celestia is in any danger, and there may in fact be a perfectly reasonable explanation, so everypony is encouraged to continue to go about their day-to-day business until further information becomes available. Thank you."

The clamor in the crowd grew as Mayor Mare stepped down from the podium. Breeze tossed his mane nervously. "Has anything like this ever happened before?" he asked.

"Last time Princess Celestia vanished, she'd been taken captive by Nightmare Moon," Ditzy reminded him. "But since Princess Luna seems to be the one trying to keep the nation calm, that's clearly not what's happened this time."

Breeze sighed. "I guess all we can do for now is trust the other princesses to find out what's really going on," he relented.

Ditzy nodded. "Do you think Dinky's heard the news?" she asked.

"Dinky is a student at Princess Celestia's own school," Breeze pointed out. "She was probably the first to know, honestly."

There was a short silence as the two pegasi began to walk slowly away from the noise of the crowd. Ditzy glanced up at Breeze dolefully.

"These haven't been the best couple of months, have they?" she asked. "First Glow reappeared... then we lost Candyfloss... now Princess Celestia?"

Breeze gently stroked her mane with his hoof. "We'll get through it," he reminded her again. "You've still got me, Watt, Cloudcover, and Wishing Star by your side. And Dinky is happy and healthy and safe with her friends. Things could be a lot worse."

Ditzy let a small giggle escape, and she leaned over and kissed her fiancé briefly. "You're right, as usual," she said with a lopsided smile. "Let's just do what Mayor Mare said, and keep moving forward. I'll see you at work on Monday, alright?"

"Of course," Breeze assured her as he took to the air. "See you then, Ditzy!"

"Bye!" the mare called as Breeze zipped up and into the clouds.

The sun was beginning to set, so Ditzy made her way quickly to the market to pick up some extra vegetables for dinner. With a fresh bunch of carrots tucked safely in her saddlebag, she prepared to take to the air, but just an instant before she did so, somepony caught her eye.

Slinking along past some of the market stalls, clearly trying to keep as inconspicuous as possible, was a pink and purple unicorn. A unicorn Ditzy had last scene two months earlier, on the day of her cancelled wedding.

"Sparkler..." she mouthed.

She couldn't pass the chance up. She and Breeze had been trying to locate the cautious unicorn for weeks. As quietly as possible, she cantered across the plaza and fell into step a few paces behind her. Once they'd cleared the bustle of the market, she spoke up.

"Hey, um, Sparkler?"

Sparkler tensed. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder. Ditzy felt the young mare's violet eyes boring into her.

"You're... Dinky Doo's mother," she said finally, raising an eyebrow. "The pegasus from that wedding... right?"

"Right," Ditzy confirmed. "Sparkler, I wanted to—"

"Listen," said Sparkler coldly, cutting Ditzy off. "I'm sorry my mother crashed your wedding, but complaining to me about it isn't going to help. I'm perfectly aware she has all the charm as a clump of pond scum, and is about as easy to reason with as a swarm of angry flashbees, but that's not my fault, okay? Leave me alone."

Ditzy just blinked, taken aback. She quickly tried to find her voice as the unicorn began to walk away.

"That... that's not what I'm here about at all," she stammered.

Sparkler stopped. "So what do you want?" she grumbled, not looking back.

"I don't think I can really sum that up in one sentence," Ditzy admitted, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "I want to talk to you. You were dragged into the mess Glow made against your will, but that doesn't mean everypony involved in it is against you. I just want to know more about you, in case I can help."

Sparkler glowered. "I don't need your help, Mrs. Doo. I'm an adult; I can take care of myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't," Ditzy assured her. "But Dinky speaks so highly of you. I may not know you, but I don't want you to struggle with something we might be able to fix when Dinky says you deserve better."

"Dinky would say that, wouldn't she?" Sparkler asked dully. "She's like that. A little ball of sunshine. When she's not defying authority, causing trouble, or, you know, resurrecting ancient evils."

Ditzy chuckled, which seemed to surprise Sparkler quite a bit. "Yeah, I can tell you got to know her really well during the year you two spent at the Academy together," she remarked. "But I know even you're aware that all those imperfections stem from a very real desire to do good."

Sparkler pursed her lips. "Mrs. Doo, what's your point?" she huffed. "Dinky may be a good kid at heart, but Dinky has nothing to do with me growing up with a missing father and a mother who just wants to use me as a playing piece in her game of revenge. Honestly, neither do you, for that matter. If anything, I'd say you're the innocent bystander who got wrapped up in the mess my mother made, not me. I was always a part of it, whether I liked it or not."

"And you didn't deserve that," Ditzy said firmly. "Now you're living in hiding in some Ponyville apartment, slinking out to the market at sunset to make sure your mother doesn't find you. Nopony should have to deal with the situation you're in."

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Sparkler growled, growing more heated. "I have no friends, Mrs. Doo. Dinky tried to help me with that, but she got to me too late. By the time I was ready to open up, I was all out of time. And it's not as if I can turn to family for help, since they're the problem. I'll deal with it myself like I always do, because nopony will help."

Ditzy shrugged. "I will."

Sparkler froze, and looked at the pegasus, baffled.

"But why?" she asked, shaking her head like Ditzy was speaking nonsense. "My mom's plan backfired. All you have to do to put this whole mess behind you for good is walk away. So why won't you?"

"Because if I walk away, and don't help, an innocent unicorn has to deal with the struggle by herself," Ditzy said simply. "I won't just turn a blind eye to that."

The shock and annoyance in Sparkler's eyes dissipated as her usual stoic stare took its place. "I can see where your daughter gets it..." she mumbled. "Fine then. What is it you actually want from me?"

"For now, just come back to my place," Ditzy suggested. "I just want to talk to you. To learn more about this situation, about your mother, and about you. We could probably both use some company to distract ourselves from this whole situation with Princess Celestia, anyway."

Sparkler narrowed her eyes. "Will my fa— err, will Autumn Breeze be there?" she asked. "Because I won't face him. Not now."

Ditzy shook her head. "No Breeze, and no Dinky either. Just you and me, and a hot meal, if you want some."

Sparkler sighed. "Fine. You win," she said curtly. "Lead the way."

Ditzy hummed to herself as she sashayed around the kitchen, gathering vegetables to slice up and pausing occasionally to stir a pot of rich, bubbling broth. Sparkler sat at the kitchen table in stupefying silence. Ditzy chanced a glance at her guest every few moments, but the unicorn seemed content to just stare at the far wall with a tiny frown on her face.

"I made a honey glaze for the carrots," Ditzy said, trying to coax Sparkler to speak. "It's a bit sweet though. Would you like some or should I leave it off your share?"

"I don't care," Sparkler grunted. "This is your meal, and I'm not a picky eater anyway."

Ditzy shrugged and drizzled just a bit of glaze on the carrots and placed them in front of Sparkler, followed by a leafy salad and a small dish of hot stew, full of potatoes and spices. She watched in satisfaction as the young mare's nose twitched involuntarily and her gaze drifted to the food.

"Don't be shy," Ditzy said genially. "Eat as much as you want."

A purple aura surrounded one of the spoons. Sparkler ate a few spoonfuls of stew, and Ditzy watched with delight as the unicorn obviously struggled to prevent a bit of a smile from forming on her face.

"It's, um, very well made, Mrs. Doo," she commented, slicing a piece of carrot and bringing it to her mouth. "I can see why Dinky is so healthy and vibrant if she grew up on cooking like this."

The two ponies sat quietly for a bit, enjoying the meal. Ditzy watched Sparkler's body language carefully. As she expected, her guest seemed to be growing just a bit more relaxed. That had been the plan all along, of course; in Ditzy's experience, a home-cooked meal was a surefire way to put ponies at ease.

"So Sparkler," she finally ventured, "I can't say I really know too much about the year you and Dinky were both attending the Academy. I know you were her Overseer at the time, and of course I know she, um..."

"She attacked me with dark magic when I tried to keep her safe," Sparkler said. "You don't have to tread so lightly around the topic, Mrs. Doo. I understand Dinky wasn't quite in her right mind that night, what with Scorpio's influence muddling her thoughts. We've already talked it through, and I've forgiven her."

Ditzy smiled. "That's great. She didn't permanently hurt you, right?."

"I recovered in time," Sparkler said. "It's Dinky herself who could've been permanently hurt that night. She could've easily been killed, or worse, turned into one of those terrible, twisted wraiths, the minions of Scorpio."

A part of Ditzy wanted to tell Sparkler that Dinky did in fact become a wraith, but she held her tongue. "Yeah, Dinky sure got lucky that night," she said, looking to change the topic.

"She did, although I imagine her luck would've run out without me," Sparkler said quietly as she took another forkful of salad.

Ditzy flattened an ear quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, maybe you don't know," Sparkler realized. "After all, this was years ago, and I wouldn't have been anything more than a name to you back then, even if Dinky did tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Sparkler's lips pursed a bit as she recalled a difficult memory. "Remember when Dinky was briefly expelled for starting a dark magical fire in her residence tower?" she asked. "That fire was very serious. It most likely would've consumed much of the building, and ended the lives of many ponies inside."

Ditzy cringed. "I heard," she said gravely. "But she did say nopony was ultimately hurt."

"Nopony was hurt because I was able to deploy a counterspell fast enough," Sparkler grumbled.

Ditzy gasped and her fork clattered to the table. "Wait, you⁠—"

"Dinky and two of her friends were right there in the room where it began," Sparkler interrupted. "Even if other ponies escaped, I can say with certainty that Dinky, Clarity, and Honeydew would all have perished that day if left to their own devices."

The tone in which she said it was entirely matter-of-fact. Sparkler didn't seem at all smug, or seeking validation, yet the information she had relayed immediately placed her in a whole new light in Ditzy's eyes.

"You... saved her life?"

Sparkler snorted. "Twice, if you want to be accurate," she said flatly. "I was also the pony who added an enchantment to that pendant she wears. I'm a little hazy on the details since I was unconscious for most of that evening, but I understand Dinky's little coltfriend gathered up you and a team of allies to rush to her aid when Scorpio was reborn. I knew that filly had a habit of getting into trouble, so I'd placed that spell there as an emergency contingency plan."

Ditzy nearly choked on her food. "I... Sparkler I... had no idea. Dinky probably told me at some point, but I never drew the connection that she was talking about you."

Sparkler shrugged. "I was the Overseer that year," she said, as if that somehow made the news less important. "It was my job to keep the students safe."

Ditzy found herself quite unable to process her emotions. She wanted, first and foremost, to leap up and hug the dour unicorn in front of her, but she knew that wouldn't be appreciated at all. Every expression of thanks in the world went through her head, but none of them seemed remotely significant enough to be appropriate.

This pony, right in front of me, this grumpy, miserable young unicorn... is the reason my daughter is still alive.

Sparkler clearly must have noticed the mental fireworks going on in Ditzy's head just by her expression. "Mrs. Doo, are you okay?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I... y-yes, Sparkler, I'm fine, I just... h-how can I even thank you?" Ditzy sputtered. "I never expected to meet the pony who was the reason Dinky made it through that run-in with dark magic..."

Sparkler shrugged dismissively again. "There's nothing to repay," she insisted. "Like I said, it was my job to keep the students in my care safe. That's part of what an Overseer does. You don't owe me anything for doing what I was supposed to do."

The cynical, black-and-white way Sparkler saw the world continued to surprise Ditzy. I can see why Dinky claimed to have such a hard time getting through to this pony... she thought. Growing up with Glow has stunted her so much, she can't even see the value in her own actions.

"Anyway, thanks for the meal," Sparkler said dully, levitating all her dishes into the kitchen sink. "Was there something else you wanted to talk about, or should I get going?"

"Please stay," Ditzy urged, almost too quickly. "Thank you for telling me about Dinky, but I want to know about you."

Sparkler frowned. "What is there to know about me?" she asked. "I'm a unicorn with a whole lot of intelligence and magical ability, but that's about it. I know you didn't bring me here to tell you about spells you can't even use."

There was a short silence. Ditzy looked at her guest pleadingly.

"Sparkler, I understand this is a lot to ask, but... can you tell me about growing up with, um, your mom?" she asked hesitantly. "I think if I knew what your life has been like, I could empathize a bit more."

Sparkler glowered. "That's a pretty big request coming from a mare who's basically a stranger," she pointed out, sliding her chair back to prepare to stand.

"I know," Ditzy sighed. "I won't force you. I just honestly think I could help. I know you've been through a lot, and I just want to understand you. And maybe if we talk it out... you'll start to understand yourself a little more, too."

Sparkler went totally still, her eyes staring at an unremarkable fixed point in space. She didn't move for several seconds.

"Sparkler?" Ditzy asked finally.

"That's... just what she said to me too," Sparkler whispered, quivering.

"Huh?"

"One night, when the friction between Dinky and myself reached its boiling point, right when I thought I couldn't bear to be around that filly even one second longer... she said something just like that," Sparkler croaked. "She just wanted to talk. She just wanted to understand. She wanted me to understand too..."

Ditzy didn't know how to respond to that. She waited.

"Mrs. Doo, some of the stories you're asking me to recall are... painful," Sparkler confessed, wincing. "But at the same time, you're the only pony who's cared since... well, since Dinky. I guess we can talk for a little bit longer."

Ditzy rose to her hooves. "How about we go sit in the parlor for that," she suggested. "I'll take care of the dishes later."

Sparkler nodded rather mechanically and slowly followed Ditzy to the adjacent room. The two mares sat together on the couch.

"I don't know how you do it," Sparkler mumbled. "You and Dinky both. What is it about you ponies that makes me feel like I can trust you with things I'd never tell anypony?"

Ditzy gently placed a forehoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "I promise I'm just here to listen," she said soothingly. "Tell me whatever you feel comfortable talking about."

"Oh, I won't be talking," Sparkler deadpanned. "There's a better option than talking. The same option I used last time I spoke with Dinky: a memory spell."

Ditzy had grown quite used to being exposed to magic in the last four years, so she agreed without too much concern. "Alright. How does that work?"

"I want you to know what's about to happen before I begin," Sparkler answered, meeting Ditzy's gaze. "Memory spells are an illusion that has been internalized within the mind of the recipient pony. You will find yourself standing in my memories, watching them play out before you, but you will be unable to interact with anything or anypony you see there."

"So I just take anything that happens in stride and watch?" Ditzy asked.

"There's a bit more to it than just watching," Sparkler admitted. "The pony receiving the memory won't just see it, they'll experience it. That means any spikes in emotion that I may have felt during that moment, you will also feel as you watch it play out. I want your permission before I proceed, because you may feel quite a strong impact on your thoughts and feelings during the course of the spell."

Ditzy nodded gravely. "I'll be okay," she promised. "I'm ready, Sparkler. Show me what you want me to see."

Purple energy began to shimmer around Sparkler's horn. "Stay very still," she instructed. "Oh, and brace yourself for what's about to happen."

Ditzy waited motionless as Sparkler gradually leaned forward, until the tip of her horn lightly rested against the middle of Ditzy's forehead. The violet aura grew brighter, filling the mare's vision, and causing the walls, the furniture, even Sparkler, who was just inches away, to blur and fade until nothing was left but a void of shimmering light.

Ditzy blinked a few times. Her vision was never quite right, but now, it seemed worse than usual. The town she found herself in was unfamiliar, but that wasn't the issue. Everything was just a tiny bit... off. Distances seemed to change the longer she looked at them, and the angles of the architecture seemed uneven. It was as if her whole perspective was slightly askew.

This must be where Sparkler grew up, she realized. Now the question is, where is Sparkler herself?

"Mama! Can we get cupcakes? I'm hungry!"

Ditzy turned toward the sound of the tiny voice and nearly jumped back in surprise as she spotted a strangely translucent but unmistakable blue unicorn trotting right toward her. She stepped quickly out of the way, and Glow trotted on by her without so much as a glance.

Walking in step just behind her was the clear source of the voice. A tiny filly that couldn't have been more than five or six trotted along in her mother's shadow. Her flank didn't bear any cutie mark, and her mane was longer and messier than Ditzy was used to seeing it, but her bright pink coat and vibrant purple eyes were more than enough identification.

"Mama!" Sparkler insisted. "There's a bakery right over there! Can we get cupcakes, pleeeeease?"

"We're busy right now, Sparkler," Glow replied, not even glancing back at her filly. "Maybe later."

Sparkler pouted. "But mama, I want a snack!" she whined. "We always have so many errands. Why can't we stop for snacks?"

Glow's trot slowed. She turned around and stared down at little Sparkler, who continued to gaze up at her hopefully. Softly, she patted the filly on the head. Sparkler cooed delightedly and leaned into the touch, like a puppy being petted.

"Sparkler, honey, remember what you're going to be when you grow up?" the mare asked.

Sparkler's eyes lit up. "I'm gonna be the most powerfulest unicorn in all of Equestria!" she announced proudly, grinning ear to ear.

"That's right," Glow confirmed. "You've been practicing a lot, right?"

Sparkler glanced around for a moment. Spotting three smooth rocks on the side of the path, she lit her horn and lifted them up, spinning the three of them around each other in circles.

Ditzy's eyes widened a bit. Sparkler was adept at levitation at that age? Dinky was more than twice as old before she used any magic at all...

"See, mama?" Sparkler asked. "I'm real good at magic. I'll be the best in no time!"

"You'll only be the best if you keep focusing on practice, Sparkler," Glow warned, giving little acknowledgement to her filly's feat of skill. "And good focus comes from being responsible. So I want you to show me you can focus while we finish our errands, okay?"

Sparkler sighed and let the rocks drop back into the path. "Okay..."

Glow nodded curtly and turned to go. Sparkler followed at a much slower pace. Once her mother was just around the next corner, she lit her horn again. A single cupcake quickly floated through the open window of the bakery and into the filly's waiting forehooves. Glancing left and right nervously, she wolfed the pastry down in two or three bites and then sprinted down the alley after Glow.

Ditzy reflected on the scene a bit as the world changed around her. A moment later, she was standing in a small, sparsely decorated home. The image of Cosmic Glow was once again present, standing in the kitchen, preparing a very bland-looking soup. Sparkler sat at the table, paging slowly through a comic book. She was a bit bigger now; Ditzy wagered she filly was around eight or nine. She looked happy enough, but her unrestrained joy from the first memory was now replaced with what seemed like more of a cautious hopefulness.

"Sparkler, you should put the comics away..." Glow grumbled. "You've got schoolwork to get done, don't you?"

Sparkler sighed. "Just another few minutes, mama?" she asked. "Everypony at school always talks about the newest issue of Power Ponies each time one comes out. If I don't finish it now, they'll spoil it."

Glow didn't look pleased, but she relented. "Fine. Five more minutes."

Sparkler grinned and returned to reading. The scene lapsed into silence for a bit.

"So mama, speaking of the ponies in my class," Sparkler piped up once she'd finished the last page and pushed the comic aside, "remember when it was family day at school?"

Glow rolled her eyes, though Sparkler didn't seem to notice. "That was just last week. Of course I remember."

"All the ponies in my class brought their moms and dads, and sometimes their grandparents or aunts and uncles! I've never seen so many ponies at once."

"I know, dear, I was there."

Quiet filled the room again. Ditzy could almost see the wheels in Sparkler's head turning. Eventually, she spoke up.

"Mama, how come I don't have a dad like the other ponies?"

Ditzy watched every muscle in Glow's body tense. The aura around the spoon that had been stirring the soup was extinguished, leaving it untended in the pot.

"You have a dad, Sparkler," she responded, her voice dripping with contempt, "but he's gone."

Sparkler thought about that. "Is he dead?" she asked finally, seeming more curious than upset.

"No," Glow deadpanned. "He just doesn't want to be here with us."

Sparkler tapped a forehoof to her chin. "But... Sea Swirl said her dad loves her very much. He tells her every day when he picks her up from school. If my dad is like that, why isn't he here?"

Glow snorted. "Where did you get the idea that your dad is like that?" she questioned. "Your dad abandoned us. He doesn't love me, and he certainly doesn't love you."

Sparkler looked at the floor. "Oh..."

Ditzy, shocked at Glow's stark announcement, felt a growing emptiness inside her. Although she knew she couldn't interact with the scene before her, just standing by made her feel insufficient and weak. After a moment, she caught sight of young Sparkler's expression, and realized the was experiencing the filly's feelings.

"Sparkler, listen," said Glow sternly. "Your father isn't worth a second thought. You're going to be better than him. You're going to be a powerful unicorn. And you're going to prove you can do it by yourself, because as your father has shown us, you can't always rely on other ponies to be there for you."

Sparkler sniffed. "I'd give up being a powerful unicorn if I could have the kind of dad Sea Swirl does..." she mumbled. "It's not fair. I didn't get to choose."

Glow stamped a hoof. "Sparkler, I don't want to hear any more of this," she warned. "Life isn't fair. Life's going to hurt sometimes, and you need to learn how to fight back. Your dad isn't coming back, but you're going to show everypony that you can be smart and strong and successful and ready to face the world, even without him, right?"

Sparkler slumped a bit, resting her chin on the table. "Right," she sighed.

"Good," Glow said, turning her attention back to dinner. "Get that schoolwork out. You've got work to do."

Ditzy waited for the next scene to take shape, feeling physically ill at the thought of what she'd just seen. Dinky grew up without a father, but she never seemed to mind... she mused. Maybe Sparkler wouldn't have struggled so much either if the matter wasn't handled like that was...

The memories took shape again. The same home appeared that Ditzy had seen just moments before, but the change in the image of Sparkler was dramatic. The filly looked to be about twelve now. The three teal gems displayed on her flank in the present now also decorated it here, and her mane was cut in the shorter, neater style that Ditzy was more familiar with. She looked much like present-day Sparkler in miniature... with the single exception of her expression, which seemed to hold just a little more emotion than the flat, indifferent one the present-day Sparkler often wore. Ditzy frowned; that hopeful light in the filly's eyes was growing visibly fainter with each new memory.

The door to the small home was flung wide, and Glow strutted inside with her head held high. Sparkler looked up from whatever she'd been reading, staring at her mother curiously. Glow trotted up to her and, with a flourish, placed a scroll bearing the royal seal down on the table in front of her.

"What's that?" Sparkler asked.

Glow laughed haughtily. "You, my dear, have been formally accepted to Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns," she declared. "Ha, as if there was ever any chance you wouldn't be."

Sparkler's eyes widened. "So I really was good enough, huh?" she asked, a flicker of excitement lighting up her features.

"Sparkler, you're more adept at magic than most adult unicorns, including me," Glow pointed out. "You were barely ten years old when you got your cutie mark, and for something as complicated as enchantments, no less. At that point it was almost a given; we just had to wait until you were old enough to apply."

The filly gazed at the letter reverently. "I guess I'll get to learn a lot of new magic," she realized, smiling slightly. "And I'll get to see new places, and meet a lot of new ponies."

"Well, yes, I suppose," Glow said, sitting down next to her filly. "But don't let the experience distract you too much. The other foals at that school might not be as dedicated as you are. Some ponies will spend their free time goofing off, and those ponies won't end up as magic experts like you will."

Sparkler nodded slowly. "I'll study hard and follow all the rules," she promised.

Glow nodded. "And what else are you going to remember while you're there."

The filly winced a bit. "That... other ponies might not be on my side," she mumbled. "If I rely too much on others, they might... fail me, in the long run."

Glow noticed the hesitation in her daughter's words. "Sparkler," she said softly. "I know you don't like it, but it's the truth. I'm only trying to protect you, you know. Why take unnecessary risks, right?"

"I s'pose," Sparkler admitted. "I'll be careful, mom."

"I know you will," Glow said as she trotted from the room. "You're going to be great Sparkler, because you'll know better than to give other ponies a chance to pull you down with them."

As Sparkler turned back to her book, the world around her melted away into a void of color once again. Even as she disappeared, though, Ditzy could feel her pangs of disappointment and uncertainty clear as day.

After a few moments, the swirling, abstract memories formed a new environment, and this time, Ditzy recognized it. She was standing on a well-kept pathway, lined with statues and hedges, leading to a tremendous, sprawling castle.

Celestia's Academy, she realized. I figured this is what I'd see next.

"Whoa..." came a small voice.

Ditzy looked down and realized Sparkler was standing right next to her, peering up at the castle just like she was. "So this is the Academy..." the filly muttered to herself. "I wonder what the opening ceremony will be like..."

The filly trotted slowly toward the great front doors of the castle, all by herself in contrast to the groups of foals together all around her. Just before she reached the archway, the sudden sound of ripping fabric was heard. The seam of one of Sparkler's saddlebags gave way, spilling school supplies all over the path.

"Horseapples," Sparkler grumbled, picking up a few of her quills with magic. "I don't know if I can fit all this in the other bag..."

"Hey, need some help?"

Sparkler looked up, and Ditzy turned to see a bright white colt with a nearly black mane and tail bounding toward them. He skidded to a halt and quickly scooped up the remaining supplies before they could blow away.

"Thanks," Sparkler mumbled. "My stupid bag broke."

The colt immediately dropped his own saddlebags and began rummaging inside. "I think I have a spare tote or something in here somewhere," came his muffled voice from within the pack. "You can borrow it until you can replace your bag... ah, here we go!"

Looking triumphant, the colt produced a small but sturdy tote bag from the depths of his belongings. There was an image on the side of a top hat and magic wand; this prompted Ditzy to glance at his flank, which bore the same emblem. It wasn't surprising; many ponies, especially foals, liked to get their cutie mark printed on saddlebags, clothing, or other belongings.

Sparkler gratefully packed the contents of her blown-out bag into the borrowed tote. "Thanks," she said, smiling a little. "I'll return it as soon as I can, okay?"

"Pssh, no rush," the colt chuckled. "I figure you need it more than me right now."

He extended a forehoof. "The name's Presto, by the way," he greeted. "Is this your first time here too?"

"Yeah," Sparkler admitted, carrying Presto's tote against the side of her body in place of her saddlebag. "Um, I'm Sparkler. So... hi."

Ditzy wanted to smile at the Sparkler's adorably awkward greeting, but she knew it was a result of the filly's sheltered upbringing and lack of friends. Fortunately, Presto didn't seem to mind.

"Sparkler, huh?" he asked. "Are you by yourself? We could go to the opening ceremony together, if you want."

Sparkler turned her head away and lifted one forehoof a bit. "Oh, um, I figured I'd just... go alone..." she mumbled. "I'm used to being by myself."

"No problem," Presto said casually. "We're in a whole new place. It's a lot to get used to. Come find me though, if you wanna hang out! You seem like good company."

The colt gave his reserved acquaintance a very genuine smile and a wave, and then began to trot toward the castle. Sparkler stared after him, flicking her tail uncertainly.

"Maybe having somepony around wouldn't be so bad..." she whispered once he was out of earshot. "Just a temporary partner, so I have somepony to talk with until I get used to academy life, of course. I can get by by myself, though. It's not like I have to rely on him for anything, so I'm sure even mom would think it's ok..."

The filly hesitated for a few seconds, debating, but her temptation won out. Trying to hide her smile, she dashed forward.

"Actually, Presto, wait up!"

For the first time, Ditzy found herself smiling a bit as she stood patiently in the vortex of color that filled the space between each memory. However, her mood turned south very quickly when the next scene took shape. She was back in Cosmic Glow's kitchen, and the two ponies in front of her were not happy.

"Mom, it's just one weekend! For a festival! It's not like we have plans that week anyway."

"Absolutely not!"

"I don't get it!" Sparkler cried, throwing her forehooves up in frustration. "You've let me go to festivals plenty of times before. What's wrong with this one?"

Glow sneered. "It isn't that you want to go. It's who you want to go with."

Sparkler scowled. "What do you have against Presto!?" she asked, upset. "He's nice! I've known him for almost half a term and he hasn't said one mean thing to me! And it's not like I'm relying on him to guide me or keep me safe; I mean, we're the same age, and I'm a more powerful mage than he is anyway."

"The problem, Sparkler," Glow hissed, lifting the filly up in her aura and bringing their faces just inches apart, "is that you and that colt are getting much too close. You're letting him in, and for now, everything seems fine. But as time passes, you'll share more and more with him. If you keep this up, soon you'll want to celebrate with him whenever you're happy. You'll seek his comfort when you're feeling sad. He'll become the pony automatically turn to whenever you're in need of an opinion, or need to solve a problem."

Sparkler cast a magic-cancelling shockwave, forcing her mother to drop her. She glared up at the mare angrily.

"And what's wrong with all that? I'm starting to think maybe that's all not so bad!"

Glow gave Sparkler such a grave look that even Ditzy felt threatened. "Sparkler..." she growled, "before you even realize it, that pony will have buried his hooks in all your emotions. He won't just be a figure in your life; he'll become a part of you. But one day, just when you can't imagine your life without your friend, somepony else will suddenly catch his attention. He'll leave... and he'll take that big part of you that you willingly gave away with him."

Sparkler looked outraged. "Presto would never do that!"

"He can and he will!" Glow roared. "Friends may seem nice in the short term, Sparkler, but in truth, they're nothing but a liability! When you let somepony into your life, when you let them affect your emotions, fuel your interests, and influence your decisions, you're placing your weak point in their hooves! And the moment they decide you're not the best thing in their life, they'll yank that part of you away. Then they'll turn up their nose, without a care for the damaged, hollow shell of a pony they've left in their wake."

Ditzy finally lost her composure as Sparkler's despair surged through her. She lunged forward, making an attempt to grab Glow by the tail and haul her away, to tell poor Sparkler that this was all nonsense, that friendships didn't have to end like that. But her hooves passed right through; Glow was only an image, destined to play out the past, and there was nothing she could do to change it.

Sparkler's eyes were full of tears now. "But—"

"Sparkler," Glow said, more softly, the convincingly gentle tone in her voice putting Ditzy even more on edge, "I'm not telling you this to hurt you. In fact, it's the opposite. I know what it's like to give a part of you away... and lose it, all at once. And because of that, you came into the world with a part of you already missing. You grew up without a father. Can you imagine what it was like to lose him? The pony I laughed with, cried with, shared everything with... gone. I'm only doing this, Sparkler, because I don't want that to happen to you. I care about you, and I know first-hoof how much the world can hurt. If you just listen to me... you won't have to experience the feeling of having a big piece of your life ripped away."

Sparkler sobbed and sank to the floor with her face pressed against her crossed forelegs. "Mom, it's... it's so hard to face everything alone..." came her muffled voice.

"Relying on somepony to help you face it, and then losing them, is far harder," Glow said darkly. "Sparkler, you must be strong. You don't have to completely ignore Presto, but you have to keep any interactions with him strictly related to your schoolwork or other responsibilities. Anything more, and you're setting yourself up for agony in the future."

"Well... maybe we could—"

"Enough, Sparkler," Glow commanded. "No more of this foolishness, with Presto or anypony else. Don't leave yourself vulnerable, and someday, when ponies around you have experienced such loss and you're doing just fine, you'll thank me. Is that clear?"

Sparkler's sobbing grew weaker and more pathetic, but she managed to croak out a reply.

"I... I w-won't let him in... I'll keep myself safe... I p-promise..."

Ditzy's tears dripped off her face and disappeared into the aether. She didn't want to see any more, but the memories continued to come, one after another. They grew faster and faster, until some of them were only a few seconds long, but the theme was always the same.

"Sparkler! Wanna take the train to Canterlot with me this weekend?"

"Sorry, Presto. Maybe some other time."

"Hey Sparkler. A couple of us are gonna meet in the student lounge for some board games. Wanna join?"

"I can't, Presto. I have too much to do."

"Sparkler, uh... wanna grab lunch?"

"No, Presto. Just... leave me alone please."

Finally, a memory came into view that fully formed, one that was longer than a three-second snippet of conversation. Sparkler sat alone on a train bound for Canterlot. She looked to be about eighteen, and when Ditzy spotted papers in the young mare's aura detailing Overseer duties, she realized this memory must have been from just before Sparkler and Dinky had first met.

"Sparkler."

The mare looked up. Presto stood in the doorway. Like her, he'd grown quite a bit over the course of the memories, but he still had the same harmless, welcoming expression in his eyes, though they looked a bit sadder than Ditzy remembered.

"Presto," Sparkler deadpanned.

"So, who would've thought, huh?" the colt asked, sitting beside her on the bench and swishing his black tail slowly. "You and me are this year's Student Overseers."

"Seems that way."

There was a short pause. Presto, undeterred, spoke up.

"I'm looking forward to working with you."

Sparkler didn't visually react, but Ditzy felt a slight pang of complex emotion, way down in the depths of her belly. Sparkler was feeling something, a mix of sadness and slight, fond longing perhaps, but it was buried beneath so many layers of hardened indifference that it was distressingly easy to ignore.

"We'll do what we need to for the other students," she said levelly. "We're partners, but our service is to Dean Bright Spark, not to each other."

Presto's gentle smile faltered for a moment. Sparkler continued to ignore him and read through her instructions.

"Sparkler, I was thinking," Presto began tentatively. "Maybe it'll be really nice to partner up on some things this year. It'll be like... like old times, y'know? We're not quite as close as we were as foals. Maybe this is our chance to rebuild some bonds?"

That spark of emotion, even fainter than before, stirred within Ditzy. Sparkler glanced at Presto, her expression completely stoic. "We'll see," she said unconvincingly.

Presto, legendarily patient, smiled again. "Yeah," he replied. "I've got to go check on some of the foals in the other train cars. See you soon, okay?"

"Mhmm."

Presto trotted out. Sparkler watched him go. For just a moment, her expression wavered. She clenched her teeth. A tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the carpet.

And then it was gone, forced beneath a layer of indifference like everything else. Nopony, it seemed, would ever dig deep enough to reach that delicate, vital part of her that Glow had so strongly urged her to conceal. She was protected. She was safe. She was in control.

...And she was alone.

The world came rushing back. Not hazy images of the past, but the hard, clear lines and colors of the present. Ditzy blinked several times and sniffled, staring down at the tear stains on the front of her coat and the couch cushion below. Shaking, she looked up at the miserable mare sitting across from her.

"Sparkler..."

Sparkler scowled. "Are you satisfied, Mrs. Doo?" she asked bitterly, not bothering to hide the streaks her own tears had left on her cheeks. "Was that what you wanted to see?"

Ditzy couldn't muster up a reply. She choked back a few more sobs and tried to reach for Sparkler, desperate to offer some small semblance of comfort. The young mare batted her hoof away.

"Don't. You can't help. At least not like that."

Ditzy took a long, slow breath. "So... so that's what Glow shaped you into," she said slowly. "What changed?"

Sparkler sighed. "Simple. Just minutes after that last memory... I met Dinky Doo. And for most of that year, I hated her."

"Because... because she was the first pony to find a way to dig down to everything you were suppressing, wasn't she?" Ditzy asked, her voice quavering.

"Exactly," said Sparkler flatly. "In a way, I really owe her a lot. She was the pony who finally showed me the real value of developing close bonds with others."

"So... if Dinky got through to you, why are you still so..."

She couldn't think of a polite way to end that sentence. Sparkler sighed again.

"Mrs. Doo, what your daughter did was finally show me just how... how damaged I really am," she admitted, looking morose. "Mom did exactly what she set out to do. She brainwashed me, and made me believe she was right about friendships and relationships with other ponies. Dinky opened my eyes to the truth, but by that time, our days at the Academy together were at an end. What she wasn't able to do was help me find a way to heal, now that I've finally accepted I need one. In the three years since, I've been just as isolated as I was before, but now I'm aware of it, and it..."

Her composure began to crumble. She stifled a sob.

"And it hurts, Mrs. Doo. It really hurts..."

Sparkler squeezed her eyes shut tightly and turned away. Ditzy spoke up once more, as gently as she could.

"Sparkler... do you want to change?"

Sparkler nodded slowly. "I do, but you might have noticed, I'm a bitter, cynical, and generally mean pony. Even if I want to grow close to somepony, nopony would ever want me around."

Ditzy smiled a bit. "Well... it seems like Presto sees the good in you," she pointed out. "I think he was actually quite enamored with the part of you that you tried to keep hidden."

"I have no idea where Presto is," Sparkler said dully. "We last saw each other not long before we graduated. I don't know where he lives, or anything about his life, and even if I could somehow find him, I doubt he'd be too interested if a mare he hasn't seen in three years suddenly reappeared."

"Or maybe he would," Ditzy argued. "And maybe he's just the pony you need to unearth the part of you that's buried so deep. So... would you like to find out?"

Sparkler glanced back at Ditzy, raising an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

Ditzy's smile grew larger. "I work for an organization called Equestria Speedy Shipping Services," she explained. "It's a service with the sole purpose of bringing ponies together, and helping to forge the bonds of love or friendship. With my help, maybe we can reunite you with your long-lost friend... and, if we're lucky, maybe with a bond like the one you shared as foals, or even stronger..."

Sparkler quivered. "Do you... really think you can find him?"

"I can certainly try," Ditzy replied. "But first I need you to give me the chance."

She held out her hoof. "So, deal?"

Shakily, Sparkler took the mare's hoof, her blank, indifferent expression betrayed by just the faintest glimmer of hope.

"A-alright, Mrs. Doo. Let's give it a try."

"Alright Dinks, let's go over all the details of Clarity's combat profile one more time."

Dinky rolled her eyes. "Sure Scuffle," she chuckled. "Lay it on me."

Despite Princess Celestia's disappearance, life went on at the academy. Dean Script covered most of the duties anyway, and any head mare duties that Celestia would've performed had been swiftly taken up by Luna instead. Scuffle's worries about the developing situation with Honeydew and Tango Trot had led him to pour even more effort than usual into anything that had to do with battle magic. And since the day of Dinky and Clarity's upcoming duel had finally arrived, he had plenty to talk about.

"Okay, so, in sheer spell power, Clarity's weaker than you, even without your dark magic," Scuffle reminded her. "Your damage-dealing spells hurt more, and your shields are way sturdier. In a match of brute force, you'd be the clear winner."

Dinky nodded. "We both know brute force is not gonna be Clarity's first choice," she pointed out.

"Definitely not," Scuffle agreed, nodding sagely. "Clarity will do anything she can to confuse, disorient, and weaken you, striking only when there's an opportunity, with spells meant to wear you down over time. On the topic of offense, she prefers lightning-based spells; they don't pack the wallop of some other attacks, but they're very fast and sting like crazy."

"I'm not as worried about enduring her attacks as I am about actually hitting her with any of my own," Dinky confessed.

Scuffle nodded. "I sure hope you have something in mind for countering illusions, because she might honestly be the most talented student in the entire school in that specific field. You're gonna need to get really creative to get around them, but if you can, getting the win will be a piece of cake."

"I've got a few ideas..." Dinky revealed, smirking slightly. "Anything else I need to watch out for?"

"You're each allowed one enchanted item or potion," Scuffle continued. "I have no idea what sort of charm Clarity is packing, but you can bet it's something meant to counter your magical strengths. Not to mention, Clarity's mastered teleporting; you're good at it, but she's nearly perfect. Try not to end up playing cat and mouse with her."

"Noted," Dinky said. "And I'm guessing you gave Clarity a rundown of my strengths and weaknesses at some point too, right?"

"I certainly did," said Scuffle proudly. "Now you two better put on a great show. Some of these first round duels have been awesome, but other ones have been pathetic."

"Like yours?" Dinky asked.

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "I mean, obviously I was gonna win, but it would've been fun if Veggie Kebab had put up some sort of decent fight," he groaned. "But I guess it doesn't matter. Now I'm one step closer to beating down Tango Trot."

Dinky sighed. "Well, let's just worry about my duel for today," she suggested. "We can focus on that mess later."

Dinky and Scuffle arrived at the battle magic classroom. Clarity and Tango Trot were already seated; after all, there was still a normal lecture to get through before the duel. Dinky slid onto her spot on the bench and gave Clarity a slightly nervous smile.

"Good morning, students!" Professor Surge called as he trotted in. "I know you're all eager to get to today's duel like usual, but I think today's lesson might keep your attention easily enough. Today, we're going to learn about one of the trickiest types of battle magic: counterspells."

Scuffle rubbed his forehooves together. "Could always use a few more of those in the arsenal," he mumbled.

"Now, many of you probably already know several counterspells," Surge continued. "But just for the sake of it, can somepony please define them for me?"

Tango Trot raised a hoof. "A counterspell is a type of defensive battle magic that can negate, or even reverse, the effects of an offensive spell," he said, smiling politely.

"Exactly," Professor Surge replied, pointing a hoof at the colt in affirmation. "Magical shields and the like are defensive, but they're not counterspells. Used with the right timing, counterspells won't block your opponents's attack, they'll cancel it entirely, or even turn it against them. These are the spells that make for truly interesting and intense duels."

He scanned the crowd of ponies for a moment. "Scuffle, step down here for a moment," he suggested. "I want you to help me demonstrate."

Scuffle grinned and disappeared in a flash, reappearing on the arena floor next to Surge a moment later. "What spell are we demonstrating?" he asked.

"I seem to recall one of your older brothers has quite an affinity for fire magic," the professor chuckled. "And you once showed me your creative way of dealing with such spells. How about we show the class?"

Scuffle laughed. "Sure thing!" he agreed. "No need to hold back with the spell. It's not like Scorch holds back when he does it."

Professor Surge waited until Scuffle was in position, and then conjured a powerful fireball on the tip of his horn. Dinky could feel the heat even from up in the stands, but Scuffle faced the attack with a wholly placid air. The professor loosed the attack, and Scuffle reacted immediately. A sharp cone of light burst from his horn, penetrating the blazing sphere and blowing it into a dozen tiny tongues of flame that were thrown back at their caster. Professor Surge whipped his head up as his horn lit a second time, conjuring a powerful wind that extinguished them all before they reached him. There were several impressed gasps from the crowd.

Dinky grinned. She'd seen Scuffle use that very same spell when defending Honeydew from his older brothers years ago.

"What you just witnessed was an offensive spell, turned around by a counterspell, and then negated by a second counterspell," Surge explained. "Attack volleys like these must be planned and executed almost immediately in a duel situation, and learning to do so is sure to put anypony on track to become an accomplished duelist."

"They're also useful for defending yourself from older brothers who sling spells at you just for kicks," Scuffle laughed as he returned to his seat.

"Now, pair up as usual, and take your textbooks with you into the practice area," the professor instructed. "By the end of class, I want each of you to execute at least three of the counterspells described in there. This week's duel starts in about an hour, so get to work!"

"C'mon, Dinks, you gotta react faster!"

Scuffle conjured another jet of water and launched it at Dinky. As fast as she could, she lit her horn and swung her head with all the force she could muster. A golden, crescent-shaped blade of light burst from her horn, flew forward through the air and sliced Scuffle's attack in two. The droplets of water fell harmlessly on either side of her while she remained dry. She grinned.

"There ya go!" Scuffle cheered. "That's a heck of a counter, Dinky. If you can get it fired off that fast every time you use it, you'll be able to neutralize most elemental spells."

"Students, please return to your seats!" Professor Surge bellowed across the magical chaos filling the room. "The assignment is over, but before you go, it's time as usual for this week's duel. First, let's open up the doors and let in our audience."

With a flicker of the professor's magic, the doors to the classroom were thrown wide, and a number of excited students of all ages trotted in. Among them, of course, was a delicate pink filly, who smiled when she spotted all her friends gathered together.

"Hello everypony," Honeydew greeted as she joined Dinky and the others.

"How lovely to see you, Honeydew," Tango Trot replied, flashing his dazzling smile.

"Hey Dewey," Scuffle added, firmly positioning himself next to Honeydew before the other colt could. "Ready to cheer Dinks and Clarity on?"

"Um, mostly," Honeydew replied with a nervous smile. "First, though..."

She trotted up to Dinky and Clarity, wedging herself between them and giving them each a brief nuzzle. "Dinky, Clarity, be careful, okay?" she asked, frowning slightly. "I don't want either of you to get hurt..."

"We'll be fine, Honeydew," Clarity reassured her, stroking her friend's long mane for a moment.

"It's just some friendly competition," Dinky added. "It'll be fun. If you get nervous, I'm sure Scuffle and Tango will help."

Honeydew glanced fondly at the two colts. "That's true," she said with a nod.

"Oh, before you sit down," Dinky said quickly, "can you take care of this for me until after the duel?"

She slipped her diamond pendant off her neck and pressed it into Honeydew's waiting forehoof. Clarity undid the clasp of her enchanted barrette and passed it to her as well.

"I'll keep them safe," Honeydew promised. "Good luck you two! I'll be cheering for both of you!"

The pink filly climbed into the stands with her other friends. Now that the audience had gathered, Professor Surge lit his horn again to close the doors.

"Wait!"

Three young foals barreled into the room just before the doors closed. Dinky immediately recognized Inkwell, who had arrived at full sprint and was now skidding to a halt. Portabella galloped along behind her, and Top Percentile, looking quite winded, brought up the rear.

"Is... is this where Overseer Clarity's duel is?" Inkwell asked the professor between gasps for breath.

"Her presence here lends credence to that hypothesis," Top Percentile said, pointing at Clarity, who was standing just a few pony-lengths away.

"Hi Inkwell!" Clarity greeted. "I didn't realize you wanted to see the duel."

"Well, technically, I'm not the biggest battle magic fan," Inkwell admitted, shuffling a hoof. "But there's no way I'd miss your match! You've got so much cool magic, I'm sure you'll win in no time!"

"Are you sure?" asked Portabella slyly. "That Dinky Doo looks like she knows her stuff too. I think it's gonna be close."

"Wanna bet?" Inkwell challenged. "I'll wager four bits that Clarity will make short work of—"

"Pardon my obtrusion..." Top Percentile said loudly, "But this argumentative palaver appears to be impeding the commencement of our upperclassmen's scheduled fracas. We should adjourn to the stands forthwith."

"Top, this is no time to distract me by being incredibly hot," Portabella complained. "Me and Inkwell are making a bet. Woo me with your sexy foreign speech later."

"Kids, if you could continue this conversation from the stands..." Professor Surge asked awkwardly. "We need to make room down here for the duel."

Inkwell and the other foals hurried out of the way. Dinky smirked at her friend.

"You've got a fan club, huh?" she giggled.

"I guess I do," Clarity admitted, returning the playful expression. "Looks like I'll just have to beat you so they'll be satisfied."

Both fillies laughed. Clarity stepped a bit closer so only Dinky could hear her.

"So, no hard feelings no matter how this goes, right?" she asked, smiling weakly.

"Of course not!" Dinky affirmed. "You're my best friend, Clarity. Give it all you've got, and I will too. Our friendship is stronger than any spell either of us can produce."

"Please get to your starting positions, girls!" Professor Surge called as the last of the audience settled into place. "It's time to begin."

Dinky strode to one end of the arena and turned to face the opposite side. Clarity took her position at the other end, pausing momentarily to clip a different barrette into her hair: a silver one with a small emerald affixed to it. What enchantment it held, Dinky could only guess. Grinning, she quickly fastened a small jeweled ring to the base of her horn, containing a carefully selected enchantment of her own.

"Welcome to the seventh match of the battle magic tournament's first round!" Professor Surge called to the audience. "Today, we have a duel between Dinky Doo and our own Student Overseer, Clarity. The winner of this match will earn a place in the tournament quarterfinals. In this duel, physical contact is forbidden; only magic will be used. As always, don't worry about doing physical damage to the arena, as the room is enchanted to repair any defacement once the match concludes. The duel is over when one competitor either forfeits by casting a spell at the forfeit signal on the scoreboard, or is knocked unconscious. Competitors, are you both clear on the rules?"

"Yes sir," Clarity called.

"Me too," Dinky added.

"Very well," Surge said with a smile. "Then get ready, and..."

There was a second of tense silence. Dinky widened her stance and let golden magic engulf her horn. Clarity giggled as her cinnamon red aura came to life as well.

"Duel!"

And Clarity was gone. Dinky had expected it, but it happened so instantaneously that it still managed to catch her off guard. There was no rippling of outlines or fading of colors; her opponent simply disappeared from view in the blink of an eye. There were several gasps of surprise from the crowd.

"Well, your invisibility spell sure has gotten better over the years," Dinky called out, refusing to show any sign of intimidation as she slowly, carefully scanned the arena. "But this is a huge, vaulted room, Clarity. Sound travels really well in here. As soon as you move or try to cast a spell, I'll have at least a rough idea of where you are."

"Tut tut, Dinky," came Clarity's voice, playfully mocking. "You didn't think I'd forget to account for that, did you?"

Dinky staggered backward, looking wildly around. Clarity's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, as if the filly was simultaneously standing in multiple positions all around her, including in the air above.

"H-how are you doing that?" she asked, stunned.

"It sure is a fun little enchantment, isn't it?" Clarity asked delightedly. "Ponies can tell the direction of sound because of an incredibly small delay between when sound waves reach one ear and when they reach the other. The brain translates this delay into directional information."

Dinky blinked. "Do you seriously mean to tell me—"

"A few weeks ago, I stumbled across an incredibly esoteric enchantment in an old book," Clarity continued, sounding more smug by the second. "It splits any sound waves I produce into two different sets moving at slightly different speeds, so that the sound reaches both your ears at exactly the same time. Which means, of course, you have no idea where the sound is coming from!"

A small bolt of red lightning suddenly struck Dinky square in the butt. She squeaked in surprise and whirled around as Clarity's excited giggle came from all corners of the room.

"Go on Dinky, I dare you to find me now!"

Another bolt of reddish lightning struck Dinky in the side. She returned a bolt of her own in the direction it had come from, but it sailed harmlessly through the air and struck the far wall. There was the familiar 'pop' of a teleport spell, followed immediately by Clarity's next bolt as it struck one of her legs from an entirely different direction.

"Alright, that's enough of that!" Dinky announced, loosing one of her favorite spells, a brilliant yellow shockwave that could cancel out continuous spells like illusions, at least momentarily. Clarity did indeed reappear as the wave washed over her, but she'd clearly been ready for that; the moment she came into view, she launched her next attack. Dinky, who needed a second or two to recover after each use of the wide-area magical burst, couldn't defend. The bolt left another small scorch mark on her fur. By the time she had a chance to retaliate with an attack of her own, Clarity was already blending back into her surroundings.

"You've been using that spell since I met you, Dinky," she sang, clearly fully aware that she'd quickly gained the upper hoof. "You gonna have to be more creative than that."

Dinky quickly surrounded herself in a dome of magic, shielding her from any incoming attacks while she thought frantically about how to proceed. Clarity flickered into view again and wasted no time assaulting the barrier with dozens of rapid attacks. Unlike Scuffle, Dinky's shields weren't strong enough to hold Clarity off indefinitely; she only had a minute or so to figure out what to do.

I can't use my enchantment just yet, she thought. That spell is gonna be what turns this duel around, but it's useless until just the right moment...

One of Clarity's bolts punched a hole through Dinky's weakening shield. She leaned up against one side of the dome to stay clear of the exposed spot.

I guess it's time to put today's lesson to good use, she realized. I can't hit her with my own spells, so I'll just have to counter hers!

Dinky teleported, reappearing behind Clarity and finally managing to land a single magical strike before her opponent also vanished in a flash, moving to the opposite end of the battlefield in the blink of an eye. "Lucky shot!" she called. "Easy enough to correct for, though. I won't drop my illusions just because you're hiding under a shield next time."

Clarity vanished once again. This time, Dinky prowled the battlefield warily, keeping her horn lit but making no attempt to force Clarity back into view. After a few seconds, another red bolt suddenly appeared from thin air, hurtling toward her.

Dinky kept her cool. With a swift flash of her horn, a small, square wall of magic appeared in front of her. Clarity's bolt struck it and immediately rebounded back in the direction in had come from. Dinky chuckled with satisfaction as she heard her invisible friend squeal upon being struck with her own spell.

"Those are pretty easy to reflect, you know," Dinky taunted. "I need to react fast, but you might need a different attack if you don't want most of your spells thrown back at you."

"I could use a different attack," came Clarity's disembodied voice. "But I have a better idea."

Another bolt rocketed toward Dinky. It seemed exactly the same as the last one, so she quickly deployed her reflecting counterspell. This time, though, the lightning passed through the reflector like it wasn't even there. Equally confusing was the fact that when it struck Dinky's chest, she didn't feel it at all. Rather, the spell's stinging effects manifested on her rear end.

"W-wait, how did you—"

"I mirrored your vision," Clarity said with a very matter-of-fact tone. "Only yours, of course. The audience just saw you attempt to block a spell by shielding in the entirely opposite direction."

The next red bolt was on its way almost as soon as its caster had finished speaking. Dinky saw it coming from her left, so she quickly cast her reflector on her right. The illusory attack appeared to strike her left side, but rather than bounce it back at Clarity on the right, she felt the strike hit home on her chest. She grunted and staggered, trying to shake off the stinging sensation.

"What, you thought I could only flip your sight 180 degrees?" her invisible foe asked, laughing. "C'mon, Dinky, this isn't even a hard illusion. You had to have known I could manipulate the directions however I choose."

It was becoming clear to Dinky just how extensive Clarity's knowledge of illusions really was. Her whole body was beginning to ache from all of the attacks that had hit their mark, and yet Clarity herself remained protected by her network of spells.

If I don't activate my enchantment soon, Clarity's going to win, she thought desperately. I just need to get close enough for it to affect her...

Clarity conjured yet another bolt. it appeared to be coming from Dinky's left, but she suspected that too was an illusion. She leapt toward the image, and heard the real spell glance off the stone floor to her right.

To my right! she realized. Clarity's enchantment can mask the direction of sounds she makes herself, but I can still tell the direction of sounds once her spells have been cast and are no longer under her control! That gives me an idea...

Dinky cast another shield. As expected, Clarity set to work hammering at it with a volley of spells, and due to her illusions, they appeared to be coming from many different parts of the battlefield at once.

"Buying time isn't going to win this for you, Dinky," Clarity jeered. "It takes me a bit, but I can knock even your best shield down eventually!"

Dinky didn't reply. Instead, she closed her eyes, ignoring the flashes of red light from all directions. Her ears stood straight up, listening carefully to the clatter against the shield. The sound of Clarity firing off the spells was impossible to track, but the sound of them knocking against the shield was clearly in front of her and slightly to the left.

Without warning, Dinky teleported as close to Clarity's presumed location as she possibly could. She was nearly certain her opponent was no more than a pony-length away, which meant the time to act was now. Before Clarity could react, Dinky's horn surged, lighting up the enchanted horn ring she was wearing. There was a brief, blight flash and a loud electrical sound. A second later, Clarity teleported to the opposite end of the battlefield and dropped her various illusions, looking at Dinky curiously.

"What was that?" she asked. "If it was supposed to be some kind of attack, it didn't connect. I'm fine."

Dinky smirked. "I just deployed my enchantment, that's all," she casually called back. "Bet you're wondering what it does, huh?"

"It doesn't matter what it does if you still can't hit me!" Clarity declared, readying another bolt. Dinky watched with a calm, smug smile as the red lightning was fired toward her. Long before it reached her, it began to change course, looping around until it shot back at the pony who had produced it. Clarity had no time to conjure a shield, defending herself with a foreleg instead, the only thing preventing the spell from striking her right in the head. She shook the afflicted hoof to stave off the stinging pain.

"Did you... redirect it?" she asked, bewildered.

"I didn't do a thing," Dinky chuckled. "Unfortunately for you, my enchantment, when activated, magnetizes anything metal for a certain distance around me. Naturally, lightning will be drawn towards magnetized metal items, such as..."

"...My barrette," Clarity finished, her eyes widening

Dinky giggled. "So Clarity, do you wanna ditch the sound direction masking enchantment, or would you rather continue hitting yourself with your own spells?" she asked.

Clarity scowled and yanked the silver clip from her mane, throwing it well out of bounds where it wouldn't affect the fight. She gave her head a toss to shake aside the bright blue curls that immediately fell in front of her eye. "Honestly, Dinky, that's exactly the kind of clever move I was hoping you were gonna pull out before this ended," she admitted. "I knew I wasn't gonna beat you that easily."

"You're not gonna beat me at all, now that I can track you while you're invisible," Dinky chuckled.

Clarity grinned darkly. "Who said invisibility was my entire strategy?" she asked, lighting her horn. "I'm far from a one-trick pony, Dinky, you know that. Let's see how you react when I pull out the really fancy stuff!"

"That wasn't the fancy stuff?" Dinky asked skeptically.

The cone of light on Clarity's horn grew as a powerful spell began to take shape. "You might remember this one, Dinky," she confessed. "Sparkler used it against us when we dueled her years ago. Of course, while Sparkler was brilliant, her specialty wasn't illusions, so you might find my take on the spell a little more challenging to cope with."

Dinky didn't wait around to give her opponent the chance. She lowered her head and loosed a wide laser that screamed through the air toward her foe. Clarity teleported out of the way in a flash of red light an instant before it struck.

But it was not just one Clarity that reappeared. It was not two, or even four. In a series of teleportation flashes, ten identical ponies surrounded Dinky. There was a tremendous cheer from the audience, including one delighted whoop that clearly came from Inkwell.

Dinky's pupils shrank as she looked around in horror. "How... how in Equestria are you maintaining that!?" she blurted. "The concentration you'd need to keep that many convincing copies active at once is..."

"Isn't it amazing?" one of the Clarity doubles asked. "There's almost no limit to what magic can do if you have a sharp enough mind."

"And the willingness to practice," another Clarity added.

"And the drive to keep improving yourself," a third chimed in.

"Nine of us are just very convincing holograms," yet another Clarity admitted. "But which of us is the real Clarity, hm? I don't think you're gonna last long enough to find out!"

The sound of electricity filled the air as red bolts charged up around the horns of each of the doubles. Only one of them would actually be able to hurt Dinky, of course, but she wasn't about to wait around for that. She sprinted away, and an instant later, the air was full of lightning bolts coming from all directions.

It became clear very quickly that if she didn't devise a counter-strategy in the next few moments, Dinky was done for. Frantically, she leapt over some spells and ducked under other, occasionally attempting to block, only to find the spell she was blocking was a harmless illusion. Somehow, though, the real Clarity's bolts seemed to hit their mark over and over again. Dinky's nerves screamed in protest as the painful, electrical sting gnawed at every inch of her body. But no matter where she ran, there was always a Clarity waiting, and no matter which she attacked, she only seemed to be able to strike the illusions. Even when she used a magic-cancelling shockwave to wipe some of the copies away, new ones simply replaced them an instant later, so the number never decreased.

"It's over, Dinky," one of the Clarity doubles said.

"I don't want to have to knock you out with all these spells," another one added.

"Just accept the loss with dignity and forfeit," still another suggested. "As long as I have my illusions, I'm untouchable."

As long as I have my illusions...

A thought came to Dinky. A crazy thought that might not even work, but a thought nonetheless. There was one final, last-ditch strategy she could try; one so bold, even Clarity wouldn't see it coming.

The hum of energy filled the air as Dinky charged up a tremendous spell in her horn. Dozens of lightning bolts continued to fly at her, a few of which were real ones that further singed her coat and made her flinch, but she refused to break her concentration. She reared up and slammed her forehooves down as she released the most powerful spell she could muster.

The deafening bang of a sonic boom shook the entire chamber. A massive pressure wave radiated out from Dinky's horn, spreading to every corner of the room. Another huge sound, this time of shattering glass, followed an instant later. Every last one of the dozens of illumination orbs lighting the giant, vaulted arena exploded into smithereens, plunging the battlefield, and the rest of the room for that matter, into total darkness. Dinky heard gasps of shock and confusion from the crowd.

Dinky lit her horn as faintly as possible, casting a wavering yellow glow across part of the arena. Clarity stood in the darkness just at the edge of her sight, staring at her speechlessly.

"Funny thing about your illusions, Clarity," Dinky said smugly. "They're really clever constructs of light, but if you don't have enough light to work with, they won't do you much good, will they?"

Clarity desperately lit her horn. One or two doubles came back into view, but in the dim light of her horn, they flickered and wavered. They certainly couldn't pass as the real Clarity. The grey filly flattened her ears against her head as the meager illusions faded away.

"...Uh-oh."

Dinky fired a brilliant golden beam directly at her friend. Clarity, with no other option, produced a cinnamon red one of her own. The two opposing beams met in midair, crackling and sending red and yellow sparks flying in all directions. In a matter of seconds though, Dinky's attack began to push Clarity's back. Try as she might, the red laser grew smaller and smaller as the yellow overpowered it. Dinky caught a glance of the panicked look in Clarity's eyes before the opposing beam met her horn.

"Gah!"

The blast of energy threw Clarity into the air for a moment. She hit the stone floor on her side and rolled once or twice, the tip of her horn and some of her mane singed by Dinky's spell. Dinky rushed forward, her horn already flaring to launch her next assault.

"Stop, stop!"

Dinky skidded to a halt. She waited, her horn casting long shadows in the darkness, as Clarity grunted and slowly got to her hooves. In spite of everything, the grey filly smiled gently.

"That's enough," she breathed, her legs shaking slightly. "You got me, Dinky. You win."

Clarity slowly turned to the scoreboard, casting a faint magical light of its own. Soft red light began to flow around her horn again, and she shot a small beam of energy at the signal in the center of the scoreboard. A buzzer sounded, and Clarity's face slowly faded away from the magical display, while Dinky's portrait migrated inward to the second bracket.

"The match is over!" boomed Professor Surge from somewhere in the darkness. "It was a close one, but it looks like Dinky Doo is advancing to the quarterfinals!"

With the duel concluded, the massive enchantment on the arena took effect. The thousands of shards of glass Dinky had created rose into the air in unison, forming back into the orbs they had come from. In a few seconds, all the damage caused by the duel was reversed, and the room was once again brightly lit. Ponies began to climb from the stands to head to their next class, or to hang around and talk.

"Girls, the nurse is standing by near the classroom doors as always," Professor Surge pointed out. "You both look a bit battered; go get that fixed up."

Clarity nodded shuffled over to the nurse. Dinky followed beside her, eager to have the scrapes and burns from Clarity's spells magically healed up as well.

"Just close your eyes and focus on absorbing the spell, dear," the school nurse said sweetly.

Dinky complied, and sighed with relief as she felt a wave of rejuvenation enter her horn and spread throughout her body. A moment later, she watched with amusement as Clarity, smiling serenely, received the same treatment.

"So, you okay?" she asked once her friend opened her eyes.

"I'm fine," Clarity giggled, pulling her into a tight hug. "That was fantastic, Dinky. You're a brilliant duelist."

Before Dinky could even reply, the pair was surrounded by their clamoring friends, all with various reactions to what they'd just witnessed.

"Dinks, that was insane!" Scuffle yelled, giving her a congratulatory slap on the back. "It looked like you were toast for a while there, but you turned that around real fast."

"And nearly gave me a heart attack when you shattered all the lights," Honeydew mumbled as she returned her friends' jewelry. "Every day I'm more certain that I made the right decision to not take this class."

"Oh, and hard luck, Clarity my friend," Tango Trot consoled, giving her the typical pearly grin. "Your performance was outstanding in spite of the outcome. I fear I may have lost, had I been your first opponent."

Three foals squeezed into the circle of ponies. "Clarity, what happened?" Inkwell asked, pouting. "You were just about to win, and then—"

"—And then Dinky both outsmarted and outfought me, and you should congratulate her for it," Clarity finished as she clipped her usual gold barrette back into her mane. "I lost, but I lost with dignity to a pony who beat me fair and square. If I was going to be eliminated from the tournament, that's just how I wanted it to happen."

Inkwell nodded sheepishly, making her braids sway a bit, before turning to Dinky. "I didn't mean to give you so little credit," she confessed. "I'm a really big fan of Clarity, but your magic is amazing too. You were fun to watch."

Dinky beamed. "Thanks, Inkwell. I'm glad you enjoyed the show."

"That part where you exploded the lights was the coolest!" Portabella declared. "Clarity's out of the tournament, but I wanna come back and watch your next duel."

"Your adroitness is nearly unprecedented," Top Percentile added quietly.

"By the way, Inkwell," Portabella continued, waggling her eyebrows at the other filly. "I believe you owe me my winnings?"

Inkwell sighed and levitated four bits from her saddlebags, which Portabella snatched out of the air. "Thank you very much!" she chirped. "C'mon, Top. Let's get milkshakes, on me."

"But the enzymatic activity in my jejunum is insufficient to adequately process lactose," Top argued. "Thus, I would suffer a most vexatious adverse reaction if I partook of such indulgences."

"I'm going to assume that translates to 'make mine strawberry, please'," Portabella said, already dragging the skinny colt out of the hall.

"I should follow them," Inkwell decided. "See you soon!"

She cantered from the hall, and most of the other ponies filed out as well. Dinky made her way for the door, planning to join her friends for lunch.

"Hold on, Dinky! I'd like to talk for a moment, privately, if you can spare the time."

Dinky turned and saw Professor Surge beckoning to her. She gave her friends a quick wave before trotting over to him.

"What's up?"

"Well, first of all, my congratulations. That was one of the most impressive duels of the term so far," Surge admitted. "Keep that up, and you'll certainly be one of the big contenders to win the whole thing."

"I'm sure gonna try," Dinky promised. "Battle magic definitely isn't for everypony, but I think it's a lot of fun. I guess I'm just the scrappy type."

"I guess so," the professor chuckled. "But actually, Dinky, it's not your duel I want to talk about. It's something more related to the topic we covered in class today: counterspells."

Dinky tilted her head slightly. "Oh?"

Professor Surge took a deep breath and seemed to ponder where to begin. "Dinky, as I'm sure you're aware, all the professors here are also magical researchers and extremely talented mages in their respective fields," he started. "I, of course, am one of the most renowned unicorn battlemages of modern Equestria. We all have our favorite spells, though, and counterspells have always been the part of battle magic that has interested me most. I work on developing new ones almost every term, and I've got something quite special in mind this time. And well, I was hoping I could ask for your aid in my research."

Dinky's expression scrunched up with confusion. "I mean, that sounds really interesting, but why me specifically? If you need a student's input on battle magic, why not somepony who lives and breathes the subject, like Scuffle?"

The professor shifted his weight uncomfortably. "No, I'm afraid Scuffle won't do..." he admitted, a twinge of nervousness in his voice. "You see Dinky, battle magic research isn't just to allow for more spectacular duels. It's to provide unicorns with as many defenses as possible, against all types of magic that may be used against them. And naturally, unicorn scholars over the centuries have developed thousands of these counterspells to negate almost any sort of magic a unicorn can produce. Only... only one particular topic is... sorely lacking, in that respect."

Dinky blinked. "Are you... implying what I think you are?" she asked.

Surge sighed. "Because of the— oh, how should I put it— the difficult circumstances surrounding it, our knowledge of counterspells to negate dark magic is extremely bare-bones. There's simply been no way to do empirical research; unicorns can't risk using it in academic scenarios, since doing so will gradually corrupt them. And wraiths are far too savage and diabolical to reason with at all, let alone to use in controlled magical experimentation.

Noticing Dinky's expression, he coughed. "Excuse me, I meant most wraiths. I might even go so far as to say 'all but one'."

Dinky glanced over her shoulder to make absolutely sure that nopony else was in the room. "So, you want me to lend you my, um, talents so that you can perform counterspell research that, until now, has been impossible?" she asked in a low voice.

"Think of the benefit it could have for future generations of unicorns!" Professor Surge said excitedly. "When dark magic does rear its head in our land again, far fewer ponies would be harmed before the situation is defused if we could just develop a consistent defense against dark spells."

His voice dropped even lower, till he was speaking in barely more than a whisper. "You hide it very well, but the dean says you can use very extensive dark powers with ease, right?"

Dinky winked at Professor Surge, grinning at his startled reaction when she opened her eye to reveal a glowing yellow pupil surrounded by darkness, with a wisp of violet mist snaking off it into the air. "You could say that," she chuckled as she quickly restored their normal appearance. "I'm intrigued, professor, but I'm also more than a little hesitant. After all, the only reason I learned dark magic in the first place was because I fell for the ploy of a pony claiming it was for 'research'. So before I decide, you and I should talk to the dean about this. I want several ponies to be aware of the circumstances if I'm really going to be using dark magic at school."

"I absolutely agree," Surge said, gazing at Dinky as if trying to see the creature beneath her unicorn disguise. "Meet me at Spiral Script's office tonight at sunset, and we'll work out all the details."

Evening sunlight filled the halls with a warm orange glow as Dinky trotted to the dean's office. She stepped into the antechamber and waited for Professor Surge to arrive.

The tiny, bare room was one she'd occupied more than she would've liked in her first term. She noted with satisfaction that the new dean had long since replaced Bright Spark's ugly paisley-patterned wallpaper with a mural of Canterlot.

A minute later, the door swung open and Professor Surge entered, smiling when he spotted her. "Ready, Dinky?" he asked. "Dean Script is expecting us."

Dinky nodded and knocked gently on the door to the office. It opened from inside by magic, revealing the dean in conversation with the new guidance counselor, Wishing Star.

"Ah, professor, and young miss Dinky Doo," the dean greeted, nodding to each visitor in turn. "Your timing is excellent; I was just filling our newest staff member in on Dinky's special magical status."

Wishing Star looked at Dinky and gradually tilted her head. "This is the filly who's really a... what was it? A wraith?" she asked. "Could've fooled me."

"That's the point," Dinky snickered. "It's a little hard to blend in if ponies have a reason to believe I'm not just a unicorn."

The counselor nodded, the jewels on her headband glittering in the evening sun. "Anywho, I don't think I've met you till just now," she realized, extending a hoof. "I know you know already, but I'm Wishing Star. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Dinky replied, shaking the mare's hoof. "And I'm surprised; most ponies don't really take the whole wraith thing in stride so quickly when they find out."

Wishing Star attempted to reply, but the dean spoke first. "Wishing Star is quite qualified to be a counselor, but her background in unicorn history and magic is not as extensive as most ponies at this academy," she explained.

Wishing Star smiled sheepishly. "You got me there," she confessed. "I didn't attend this academy as a foal. The average first term student probably knows more magic than I do. I can't say I really know much about what a wraith is, but I guess if I did, I'd be more surprised?"

"The issue is simply that wraiths have the potential to be incredibly dangerous," Spiral Script explained. "Our Dinky here, though, has not shown any sign of improper use of her powers in years, which is why we're even discussing Professor Surge's proposal at all."

She turned to the professor, who waited quietly for her to address him. "Professor Surge, if you could explain this research in detail for me, that would help things along."

Dinky stood by while Professor Surge gave the dean a similar spiel to the one he'd given her a few hours earlier. Spiral Script remained silent, occasionally giving a slow nod, until he was finished.

"So what do you think, ma'am?" the professor asked. "This is a huge opportunity to learn to further defend the citizens of Equestria. With Princess Celestia's recent disappearance, any manner of threat could be just around the corner. We can't pass up this chance to learn about dark magic in an environment that, for once, isn't life threatening, right?"

"That depends," Spiral Script replied, tapping a hoof on her desk thoughtfully. "Dinky Doo is the one who will be providing the magic. She's the only one of us who has, or ever will have, significant experience wielding it. She'll understand if this idea of yours is feasible far better than either of us will, so it will be up to her."

All eyes focused on Dinky. She glanced between the three ponies and shrugged.

"I'm willing to try," she told them. "I just want to make sure it's safe. The last thing I'd want to do is hurt somepony."

"Then you shall be in charge of approving all research proceedings," Spiral Script said simply.

Professor Surge blinked. "Err, but ma'am, what if there's something critical to our study that Dinky rejects?"

"Than that topic shall be rejected," the dean said sternly, making it clear with her expression that this was an unwavering rule. "Understand, professor, that on the topic of dark magic, young miss Dinky is currently the absolute authority on the subject in all of Equestria. Despite your skills with battle magic, it's foolish to presume that you know the limits of dark magic better than a creature that has it running through her body at all times. If this research is to proceed, we will meet all of Dinky's procedural demands, and if we cannot, we will cancel the project. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," the professor replied. "Dinky, do you have any requirements we need to meet before any testing can begin?"

"Several," Dinky admitted. "First of all, we need a place to practice where there is absolutely no chance of being witnessed by a pony who isn't aware of my secret."

"The battle magic classroom is a big enough space for it, and repairs itself when damaged," Surge pointed out. "We'll lock the door mechanically, provide additional locking with magic, and even add enchantments that drive other ponies away from the room, if that's what it takes."

"Second, I want at least one other member of staff there besides you," Dinky continued. "It's not that I don't trust you, but if something does go wrong for any reason, there needs to be another pony there to help in case of an emergency."

"I will be personally attending all of these sessions," Spiral Script declared "If the professor becomes too... passionate in his desires to develop these counterspells, I'll be there to remind him that he is very much not the one calling the shots in this project."

Professor Surge cringed a bit. "No need to worry, ma'am," he assured her. "I'll do everything as Dinky wants it."

"Can I come too?" Wishing Star suddenly chimed in. "I think it would be a good chance to learn more about magic I don't understand yet, as well as an opportunity to get to know one of the students closely."

"I should think that would be fine, if Dinky approves," Spiral Script said, idly smoothing a wrinkle in her ceremonial cloak.

Dinky was quick to answer. "More ponies will be safer anyway. You're welcome to join us, Wishing Star."

The orange mare smiled. "Glad to hear it. Anything else we need to know?"

"One last thing," Dinky said. "To be completely honest, I can get a little... feisty. And dark magic can sometimes magnify that just a bit. There are three students here who are aware of my secret, and they know how to reign me in if I start getting a little reckless. I don't expect it to be an issue in our training sessions, but just to put my mind at ease, I want either Clarity, Scuffle, or Honeydew to attend each session. As long as one of them is there, I'll feel a lot better about all this."

"Done," Spiral Script replied immediately. "If we have a session planned, and none of those three ponies can make time to attend, we will cancel that date without any further question."

Dinky nodded. "If you can make all that happen... then I think I can lend a little dark magic in the name of making Equestria a safer place," she said with a small smile.

"Thank you, Dinky," Surge breathed, relieved. "Let's all meet next week on Thursday to begin."

"Professor Surge and I are going to discuss some of the goals of the research a bit further," Spiral Script added. "For now, Dinky, Wishing Star, you're excused."

"See you later, professors," Dinky called as she trotted from the office. She stepped out into the corridor with counselor Wishing Star close behind her.

"So hey, Dinky," Wishing Star piped up before they parted ways, "thanks again for letting me join in on this project. I wanna do the best I can for all the students here, but this place is newer to me than it is to most of them. I feel like contributing to students' lives, especially helping with some of the trickier parts of it like this one, is a good way to get started."

"I'm glad you're interested," Dinky replied. "If Dean Script trusts you, than so do I. Just remember not to say anything about my dark magic to anypony that isn't academy staff."

Wishing Star moved a forehoof across her mouth. "My lips are sealed," she promised. "Dean Script made that very clear."

Dinky smiled. "Then I think we'll be fast friends," she said. "Keep this good attitude up and you'll be one of the students' favorites in no time."

Wishing Star blushed a bit. "You're really welcoming," she giggled. "You almost remind me of a pony I work with at my other job. She's a sweet, big-hearted mare just like you."

"She's probably not secretly a dark magical abomination, though," Dinky joked.

Wishing Star snickered. "No, I guess not," she laughed. "But that reminds me, I should get going. My shift here is almost over, and I need to be at my other job first thing in the morning. I'll see you next week, okay?"

The two unicorns waved goodbye, and Dinky set off for the residence tower, her mind buzzing with thoughts about how to finally put her dark powers to good use.

In the middle of the night, in the foothills somewhere between Ponyville and Canterlot, Cosmic Glow trotted warily along an unmarked dirt road. She continually glanced back, as if paranoid she was being followed. For the ninth or tenth time that night, she pulled out the note that had been tacked to her door, with a pink shard of crystal still puncturing the top of the paper, and read it again.

It is finally time for us to meet, and discuss the plan to get revenge on Ditzy Doo.

Meet me at this address tonight, under the cover of darkness.

The address was provided below, and as Glow looked up, she spotted a small, run-down old home at the location in question. It sat by itself along the road, far from any true settlement.

As Glow approached, she spotted another figure making her way along the path, coming from the direction of Canterlot. Squinting, she was able to make out an aging, yellow-coated mare with a pair of tiny spectacles. Cautiously, the two ponies approached one another.

"Are you... the one who sent the notes?" Glow asked once she stood before the much older mare.

The yellow unicorn furrowed her brow. "I was just about to ask you the same question..." she said hesitantly. "I've been receiving communications from somepony regarding... well, I'd rather not say if you're not the right pony."

Glow smirked. "Let me guess. You're seeking revenge against Ditzy Doo too?"

The other mare blinked. "Err... almost," she admitted. "You've not got the name quite right though. The pony that I so despise is Dinky Doo."

Glow's eyes widened. "Dinky Doo is Ditzy's horrible little daughter," she remembered. "It seems, thought the specifics differ, we have one thing in common: a grudge against the Doo family."

The older mare smirked. "It seems so. It appears we've both accepted help from the same pony, whoever they are."

Glow extended hoof. "Cosmic Glow," she introduced. "Dinky's mother, Ditzy Doo, stole away the stallion I cared for and cost me my job."

"Bright Spark," the second mare replied, shaking Glow's hoof. "I was once dean of the prestigious Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns, until that troublemaker Dinky Doo wound up getting Celestia to boot me out for trying to keep her in line."

Glow raised an eyebrow. "Dean of the Academy?" she asked. "Did you know a pony named Sparkler?"

Bright Spark sighed wistfully. "Truly a model Overseer," she mused. "She was one of my favorite students, until that foul Dinky Doo convinced her to disobey me."

Glow smirked. "Well, Sparkler is my daughter, so on that account, I can definitely relate."

Bright Spark's eyes widened. "My, Cosmic Glow, every second I'm more convinced that you and I will get along quite well," she chuckled darkly. "Now that I think about it, I'd like to teach Dinky's mother a lesson for using royal favors to get her ill-behaved daughter into my school in the first place."

"And Ditzy's daughter certainly played a role in ruining my life, too," Glow admitted. "I think we can agree that Ditzy and Dinky Doo need to be put in their place."

"I wholeheartedly concur," Bright Spark assented, nodding. "But one thing still confuses me. If you're here for revenge on Ditzy, and I'm here to make sure Dinky receives her retribution... then who contacted us both? Is there another pony who wants to give the Doo family what's coming to them?"

Glow indicated the decrepit house on the side of the road. "I think the answer might be in there," she pointed out.

Bright Spark lit her horn. "I assume you have no idea what to expect either?" she asked.

"Not a clue," Glow confessed as she fired up her own magical aura. "Let's go in together. Will you have my back?"

"Of course," Bright Spark chuckled. "Any enemy of Dinky's is a friend of mine."

Horns at the ready, the two unicorns carefully stepped inside the old home. There was no light inside, and most of the furniture looked dusty and unused, as if the place was abandoned for some time. Somewhere in the blackness, there was a faint shuffle of somepony moving.

"Hello?" Glow called into the darkness. "Are you the pony who delivered those notes?"

"Are you going to help us deal with Ditzy and Dinky Doo?" Bright Spark added.

There was a pause, followed by the sound of soft hoofsteps approaching. "Ah, you're both right on time," a calm, sweet-sounding female voice replied. "I'm so happy to finally meet the ponies who want to bring Ditzy and Dinky down a peg. I'm just so glad I can help with that."

The two unicorns stood silently as the pony in the darkness finally stepped into the combined light of their horns. She was quite a pretty unicorn mare, with a well-styled, two-toned mane and cheery orange coat. The dim magical light glinted off the many gemstones adorning her headband.

"Cosmic Glow, Bright Spark, a pleasure to finally meet you both," she mare said sweetly. "My name... is Wishing Star."

Chapter 8

Three unicorns stood together in the dark, abandoned house. Cosmic Glow eyed her host with suspicion.

"Wishing Star, huh?" she asked. "You're the pony who has a way to finally put Ditzy and Dinky Doo in their place? You look like you wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Appearances can be deceiving, Cosmic Glow," Wishing Star chuckled. "And I would know. I've been deceiving a lot of ponies for the last two months or so."

"Explain yourself," Bright Spark demanded, her aura still at the ready.

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "Oh, relax, I'll get to the point in a minute," she chastised, casually dusting off a dingy old armchair with a few swipes of her tail before flopping down in it. "I know you aren't actually going to threaten me, Bright Spark. After all, I'm your last resort! Dinky Doo's got Celestia on her side, and you no longer have any sway at the Academy. Just face it; without me, you're out of options."

Bright Spark scowled, but said nothing.

"And you, Cosmic Glow," Wishing Star continued, grinning smugly. "You've got no way to jeopardize Ditzy's job, or steal back her coltfriend. Heck, you couldn't even stop her wedding. Not permanently, anyway. As you are, you're both washed up; cast out and humiliated by those two ponies who left your lives in shambles.

Glow snarled. "Don't remind me."

"We accepted your initial offer for just that reason," Bright Spark said. "As much as I hate to say it, you're right. We are out of options. But I am not a patient pony; if you truly have the means to make Ditzy and Dinky suffer the way we did, then spit it out already."

"Oh, I do!" Wishing Star giggled. "And that brings us back to what I was saying a bit earlier, about deceiving other ponies. Neither of you can ever stage another attempt to drag those two down without them seeing it coming a mile away, but I have a clean slate!"

"Plenty of ponies have that luxury," Glow pointed out. "But what makes you think you'll be able to get close enough to Ditzy or Dinky to have an impact on their lives?"

"I already have!" Wishing star announced delightedly. "I've been hired into two very interesting positions in recent weeks. The first, as the new office manager of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, and the second, as the new student counselor at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!"

She grinned at the other two ponies' identical flabbergasted expressions. "So you see," she continued, "I've inserted myself intimately into the lives of both the ponies you hate, and neither of them, or any of their pitiful friends, has any idea that my intentions are anything but pure. And what's more, Ditzy is not yet aware that I've met Dinky, and vice versa. And that puts us in a very favorable position for making our next move."

"True..." Bright Spark admitted. "But there's one thing that still doesn't make sense. You know full well why we are seeking revenge, but what do you have against the Doo family?"

"Oh, my reasons are just a little less direct than either of yours," Wishing Star cooed. "Ditzy and Dinky haven't personally messed with my life, but that doesn't mean I'm doing this for no reason. I definitely stand to gain from their defeat, though not quite in the same way as you two. That shouldn't matter though; we all want the same thing, and if you two are on board, I'm confident we can get it."

The orange mare stretched and placed her forehooves behind her head, reclining and watching Glow and Bright Spark quickly huddle up to discuss.

"Should we do it?" Glow whispered. "We don't even know this pony, but she definitely has the connections to meddle with Ditzy and Dinky undetected.

"Don't know her? We didn't know each other until ten minutes ago," Bright Spark pointed out. "But you and I share a common goal, and it seems Wishing Star does too. When it comes to something like this, you can't just visit a local business and hire somepony for their help. We have an opportunity here, and I think if we want to finally have our revenge, we need to take it."

Glow nodded solemnly. "Ditzy and Dinky left us with almost nothing," she said sourly, "so I mean... what have we got to lose?"

The two mares turned back to their host, who simply smiled at them. "So... do we have an alliance, or what?" she asked coolly.

"We'll do it," Bright Spark declared, pushing her glasses a bit further up on her snout to appear more professional. "You said in your messages that you've already got a starting point for us. Care to elaborate?"

"Gladly," Wishing Star replied. "Let's start with Glow, if you don't mind. After all, that half of the operation has already begun."

"It has?" Glow asked, tilting her head.

"You did as I asked, didn't you?" Wishing Star questioned. "You told me you got a hold of the journal of the late Dr. Candyfloss. His death, while tragic for them, was awfully convenient in providing us with an opening. We got lucky; this would've been much harder if he was still around. It was extremely important that you swiped that journal before I took up my new position there, so no suspicion about its whereabouts would be directed at me."

The journal levitated out of Glow's saddebag, suspended in her purple aura. "I have it, but I still don't understand what the big deal is," she grumbled. "Candyfloss was a senile old fool who preached idealistic theories about the power of the bonds between ponies. This journal is just a compendium of his nonsense."

Wishing Star frowned deeply. "Well now, I can see why you failed in the past, Cosmic Glow," she said harshly. "Confidence is fine. Failure to take your enemies seriously is stupid."

Before Glow could respond, Wishing Star's rosy aura engulfed the battered journal and carried it over to her. "Dr. Candyfloss, harmless as he seemed, was easily one of the smartest ponies you've ever encountered. The ponies who worked for him, however, are a little too naive and trusting. Without their boss's guidance, they'll be easy to manipulate. There's a reason he wanted them to have this book. He was always one step ahead; although he couldn't have known we were planning anything, somehow, he would've had the wisdom to help Ditzy and the others prepare for the threat that faced them. Now, from inside his company, I can drive a wedge between Ditzy and her beloved coworkers, including Autumn Breeze. And by stealing the journal, we've robbed them of the last bit of Candyfloss's wisdom that might have protected them from our plans."

Glow raised an eyebrow. "Fine, if it's so important, destroy the stupid book and be done with it," she snapped.

"Don't mind if I do," Wishing Star chuckled, placing the journal down on a small table. Her horn glowed pink for a moment, and then a hot, sputtering fire burst to life around it. She aimed her magic at the old book.

"Goodbye, to the last vestige of Dr. Candyfloss!" she announced, unleashing the fire spell.

Immediately, the journal was surrounded with a blinding silver aura, a sphere of light that extended out from it. It extinguished the fire instantly, and upon contact with Wishing Star, sent the unsuspecting mare hurtling clear across the room. With a pained cry, she smashed into a shelf on the opposite wall, shattering a display of dusty, forgotten china.

"See? See!?" she roared, staggering to her hooves. "Even now, months after his death, that miserable old stallion is a step ahead!"

"It... it can't be," Glow mouthed. "There's no doubt that was his aura, but... he never used more than the most basic magic. How could he possibly know a protective enchantment that strong?"

"Because he was brilliant, you imbecile," Wishing Star grumbled, limping back over to the journal, which remained unharmed and once again looked unremarkable.

"May I see?" Bright Spark asked. "I did work for the finest magical establishment in the land, after all. I'm sure I can remove any enchantment."

"By all means," Wishing Star said as she flopped down in the chair and worked her aching limbs.

Bright Spark cautiously reached out with her magic, probing the journal to examine the spells within. Her brow furrowed.

"How bizarre," she said finally. "There are enchantments that do something very similar to what I just witnessed this one do to you, but it's been cast in a whole different way. It's almost as if the owner created a completely custom enchantment to do the job of an existing, common one, specifically so that it wouldn't be obvious how to remove it."

"Are we talking about the same Dr. Candyfloss here?" Glow muttered, still in denial.

"You know what? It doesn't matter," Wishing Star declared. "So what if we can't destroy the journal? As long as we keep it out of the hooves of Ditzy Doo and her friends, our mission will be just as effective. I'll just hang onto this until we can find a way to break the enchantment."

The orange mare stuffed the book into her own bag, before turning back to Glow. "It will be a slow and meticulous process, but I'm confident I can drive Ditzy and Breeze apart," she announced. "With Candyfloss gone and his journal in our hooves, you'll definitely have your revenge. I just need you to give me some time."

Glow nodded slowly. "Fine then," she relented. "But I expect to hear news from inside the company whenever we speak."

Now Wishing Star looked to Bright Spark. "Now, your case was originally going to be much harder," she started. "After all, even with Celestia's recent disappearance, Dinky still has the remaining princesses and the entire staff of the Academy on her side. Glow's case was made much easier by Candyfloss's demise, but obviously we'll have no such luck with Dinky."

Bright Spark flicked her tail impatiently. "You said it was originally going to be harder," she repeated. "Has something changed?"

"Oh yes," Wishing Star replied, grinning. "I've been with Dinky in person for mere minutes, and I've already found something incredibly exploitable."

"That she's a criminal?" Bright Spark scoffed. "It doesn't matter. Celestia brushed her crimes under the rug. Nopony remembers or cares what she did?"

Wishing Star giggled delightedly. "Oh, Bright Spark, Dinky Doo is so much more than just a criminal," she chirped. "She has a secret. A secret that, if revealed, could turn almost the whole of Equestria against her."

Bright Spark blinked. "Do tell..."

Wishing Star smirked. "Bright Spark, little miss Dinky Doo is a wraith."

There was a long, long silence. Bright Spark looked a little faint.

"I... I beg your pardon?"

"She's a wraith!" Wishing Star repeated excitedly. "That trusting old nag Spiral Script believed me when I pretended I had no idea what that was, and told me everything! It's a big secret, and everypony on staff at that school is in on it. Shortly before your dismissal from the Academy, Dinky had a serious run-in with dark magic, didn't she?"

"Well, yes, but I was told that Twilight Sparkle and the others managed to control the situation⁠—"

"A lie," Wishing Star said flatly. "Or at least, half a lie. It's true that the ancient, evil pony Dinky summoned was sealed away again, but Dinky herself gave in to dark magic that night. Somehow, though, she's remained friendly and civilized, but that doesn't change the fact that for more than three years now, she's been a monster, capable of deadly force at a moment's notice. And the school has allowed her to remain there, magically concealed beneath a facsimile of her former unicorn self."

The look on Bright Spark's face was roughly akin to that of a pony who had just won the lottery. "We... we have to tell everypony!" she declared. "Wraiths are so fearsome, the whole nation would stand united against even one!"

"And the princesses would immediately quell the rumor," Wishing Star deadpanned. "No, Bright Spark, we have to be far more subtle. We can't just tell everypony that Dinky is an abomination. We have to prove it. And for that, I'm going to need time to use my connections at the Academy to find out a little more about her."

Bright Spark sighed. "I suppose you're right," she admitted. "It seems we're both leaving a lot in your hooves, Wishing Star. Just let us know when there's anything else you need us to do to further the plan."

"We'll do whatever it takes to leave both those ponies' lives in shambles," Glow affirmed.

Wishing Star smiled. "Oh, I know you will," she chuckled, as she turned away and began to retreat into the depths of the dark house. "I'll need help from both of you again soon. But for now... just leave things to me. In just a few more months, you'll both taste the sweet revenge you're craving. That much I can promise."

"Guys!"

Ditzy Doo burst into the employee lounge, causing all of her coworkers to look up in surprise. Watt, Breeze, and Cloudcover were gathered around the usual breakfast while Wishing Star sat at the meeting table poring over some recent profit and loss reports. The orange mare was the first to speak up.

"Uh, morning Ditzy," she said awkwardly. "Something special going on?"

"It sure is!" Ditzy announced. "Though, uh... it's not related to you, Wishing Star. Sorry."

Wishing Star giggled and shrugged as Ditzy hurried over to the three stallions.

"Breeze, I found her!" she declared.

Breeze furrowed his brow. "Found who?"

"I found Sparkler!"

"What!?" asked all three of her coworkers simultaneously.

"W-where is she?" Breeze asked urgently, stepping forward from the group. "How did you find her? Is she okay? Is there any way we can help her? Did she say anything about us? About me?"

"Whoa, slow down there, buddy," Watt advised, patting the pegasus on the back. "You're talking so fast nopony can follow!"

Breeze glanced at Watt incredulously. The earth pony blinked at him.

"Good thing you aren't like that all the time," he continued obliviously. "I bet that would get real frustrating."

There was a pause. Cloudcover stifled a snort.

"Anyway..." Breeze said more slowly as he turned back to Ditzy, "please, Ditzy, what did you find out from Sparkler?"

"I managed to get her to join me at the cottage for a meal," Ditzy explained. "She was pretty hesitant, but she agreed as long as we were alone. She's, um... not ready to see you yet."

"I figured as much," Breeze sighed. "But at least she talked to you. If she won't speak with me directly, you're definitely the next best thing."

"Did Sparkler reveal anything to you about her troubles?" Cloudcover prompted.

"More than I ever expected," Ditzy said quietly. "She used a spell that let me view her memories. I got to look into almost twenty years of her life."

Breeze worked his wing joints nervously. "And... what did you find there?" he ventured.

Ditzy's eyes clouded. "Glow... put some ideas in that filly's head," she said sorrowfully. "Some really misguided ones. And she enforced them so strictly that eventually, Sparkler struggled to believe anything else."

Breeze's posture drooped. "So she brainwashed her," he mumbled. "Glow turned her into what she is now."

She cringed at the pain she saw reflected in Breeze's green eyes. "Breeze, we can help her," she said quickly, stepping close to nuzzle the stallion. "There's a good pony still in there. She's trapped under the layers of protection she built to shield herself from the world Glow showed her, but I don't think she's buried there forever. Dinky reached the scared, struggling pony deep down inside of her years ago, and I think I managed to reach her again. She wants to change, but she's beyond the point of doing that herself."

"You've got a plan, dont'cha Ditzy?" Watt asked, leaning in a little too close as usual.

"I've definitely found a place to start," Ditzy confirmed. "The only solution I can see begins right here, at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services."

Breeze cocked his head. "What can we do from here?" he asked.

"There was one recurring theme in many of Sparkler's memories," Ditzy revealed. "A classmate of hers: a young stallion named Presto. The two of them met at Celestia's Academy when Sparkler was about thirteen, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to be the one to show her the saving power of friendship."

"I imagine Glow cracked down on those dreams quite quickly," Cloudcover huffed.

"She convinced Sparkler that letting a friend like Presto into her life would only hurt her in the long run," Ditzy sighed, wings and tail drooping. "It hurt even more to watch because... well, I've been in this business long enough to see signs of a crush on a pony's face. Sparkler really fancied him, but that only made her push him away even harder. There's a silver lining though; at least in the memories I saw, no matter how distant and cold Sparkler became, Presto never seemed to give up on her. Even during their last year at the Academy, he held onto the friendship they once had. He tried to remind her that he cared, that even when she'd shut everypony out, he still wanted to be close to the filly locked inside. But... he failed. Dinky was the one who managed to wrench open the door to Sparkler's innermost feelings, but by the time she did, Sparkler was out of opportunities to make up with her childhood friend."

Breeze seemed to understand the implication. "So you're saying, now that Sparkler might be receptive to another pony reaching out..."

"...then Presto should be the one to do it," Ditzy finished, looking hopeful. "Sparkler desperately wants to see him again, and Presto... well, I have no idea how he feels, but it would be foolish not to try. The problem is, we have to find him. Once we do, maybe Sparkler can finally be with a pony who can pull her out of the darkness that Glow led her to hide in."

"Oh! Oh! I wanna help!" Watt announced, jumping in place. "Pinkie Pie knows just about everypony ever! If she doesn't know Presto, maybe she'll at least know somepony who does."

"I'm happy to do what I can as well, if it can bring poor Sparkler some happiness," Cloudcover added.

"Ditzy, this is perfect!" Breeze cried, hugging her tightly. "Even if Sparkler doesn't want to make up with me personally, giving her a chance to be with somepony she does long for is exactly what she needs. We'll do everything in our power to find this long lost friend of hers."

"Just don't go too overboard," came another voice.

Ditzy turned as Wishing Star stood up from the table and trotted over. "Sorry, Wishing Star, I kind of forgot you were here..." she apologized. "But what do you mean about going overboard?"

"It's great that you're all going to help that filly, especially if she's related to Breeze," Wishing Star said, smiling. "I just don't want you to forget that Equestria Speedy Shipping Services has been struggling a bit lately. We just haven't had the same success rates that the records say we did during Candyfloss's era."

"Work is important, but this is important too," Breeze said, frowning slightly. "We may be the only ones who want to help Sparkler; we have to try."

"I'm not saying not to!" Wishing Star gasped, her pink pupils shrinking as she hurriedly corrected herself. "Sparkler deserves your attention. I just want to make sure nopony shirks their responsibilities here. You have a duty to Sparkler, but we also have a duty to Candyfloss, right?"

"Right," Ditzy agreed, nodding. "Don't worry, Wishing Star. We'll find a way to make both things happen."

Wishing Star's cheery little smile returned. "That's all I can ask," she chirped. "The work day's about to start, so I'm going down to my office to wait for client calls. Good luck with the plan to find Presto!"

She trotted out into the hall, leaving the four matchmakers alone.

"So Ditzy," Breeze asked, "where do we begin? Do you have any leads that could help us locate Presto? Finding one pony in all of Equestria isn't going to be an easy task."

"Well, I don't," Ditzy admitted, "but I think I know somepony who does..."

It had been a little while since Ditzy had been to Cloudsdale, but she still knew her way around as if she'd just been there yesterday. The light of the setting sun painted the cloud-based architecture of the pegasus capital with brilliant yellows and oranges.

Ditzy wasn't here to admire the scenery, though. There was a specific pegasus she needed to talk to.

Ditzy turned the corner onto Nimbus Way, and the facade of a large building came into view. Dozens of pegasi, all wearing matching brown uniforms, fluttered in and out of the windows. The huge sign above the entrance looked exactly as Ditzy remembered it; she'd flown under it hundreds of times. It displayed the name of the company that had employed her for nearly a decade.

Cloudsdale Mail and Freight.

Last time Ditzy had set foot in this establishment was more than five years prior. Much of the staff was probably different than the ponies she remembered, but one pegasus in particular was definitely still here, and she was the one Ditzy needed.

As she stepped into the lobby, she was immediately greeted by a perky young receptionist who looked no older than Dinky. "Hello!" the young mare called, waving to her. "Welcome to Cloudsdale Mail and Freight! Can I help you?"

Ditzy didn't recognize the pony behind the desk, but then again, she would've been far too young to work there, even as an intern, during Ditzy's days with the company. "Um, hi, I was hoping I could speak with a specific employee," she revealed as she stood and placed her forehooves on the reception desk. "Is Raindrops available right now?"

The receptionist giggled. "We have half a dozen ponies with 'Raindrops' in their name," she pointed out. "Do you have her full name?"

Ditzy took a moment to struggle to remember. "Uhh... Sunshower Raindrops, I think," she said finally.

The pegasus behind the desk quickly flipped through an employee registry. "Here we go, Sunshower Raindrops!" she chirped, pointing to the entry. "I'll see if she's available."

The mare paged Raindrops via an intercom not unlike the one Dr. Candyfloss had always used (although with decidedly better sound quality and less grating feedback).

"Please wait here," she said smiling hospitably. "Miss Raindrops will be down in a few minutes."

Ditzy sat. Several pegasi passed by as she waited; she recognized a few of them, and one or two even paused to say a brief hello to their ex-coworker. A short while later, a lift arrived from somewhere up above and Raindrops stepped out.

"Ditzy!" she gasped, fluttering over to her old friend. "I haven't seen you since the... incident at the wedding. I'm so sorry; I hope everything turned out okay for you and Breeze."

"Good to see you, Raindrops," Ditzy greeted, hugging her old friend. "And don't worry, Breeze and I are as close as ever. We're still working through some of the fallout, though. That's actually what I came to talk to you about. I think there's something you can help me with."

Raindrops nodded. "My shift's over anyway," she admitted. "C'mon, let's fly together while we chat."

The two mares stepped out of the company's headquarters and took to the air. Soon, they were gliding side by side on the warm evening breeze.

"So Ditzy, was it a little weird stopping by the mail company again?" Raindrops asked with a little smirk. "It sure has been a while since we worked together, huh?"

"Sure has," Ditzy agreed, chuckling. "Time really flies. I can't believe Dinky's about to be eighteen. I'm getting old."

Raindrops glanced back toward the receding skyline of Cloudsdale. "Some things are always changing, and others seem to be the same forever," she reflected. "Your life has changed a lot since we were coworkers. You aren't still bitter about getting fired, and then the whole thing with that huge fine, I hope?"

"Of course not," Ditzy chuckled. "I miss working with you, of course, but Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is a better fit for me than Cloudsdale Mail and Freight ever was. Sadly, our boss passed away recently, but we're managing."

Raindrops frowned. "Even despite that, it's good to hear things are still going okay," she offered. "But sounds like something else is still bothering you, huh? What's this about something I can help you with?"

Ditzy chewed her lip for a moment. "Well, I was hoping you can help me find a certain pony..." she started. "I know there's a master directory of Equestrian mailing addresses at Cloudsdale Mail and Freight, so I figured that would be a great place to look."

Raindrops giggled. "Ditzy!" she chided. "You worked there, you know the rules. I can't just distribute addresses to non-employees without the consent of the pony in question."

The yellow mare laughed for a moment longer, but her giggling faded when she saw the concerned look Ditzy was giving her.

"Oh, you... you're actually are trying to get an address..." she realized. "Ditzy, you're an old friend, and you know I'd gladly do you any favor, but I... I can't..."

Ditzy sighed. "Raindrops, remember the young mare that Glow brought along to crash the wedding? The one Dinky knew?"

"Breeze's daughter?" Raindrops asked.

"That's right," Ditzy confirmed. "That poor filly is... struggling right now. She's depressed and bitter and very, very lonely. Dinky and I have both talked to her, but I think there's only one stallion in Equestria who can help her find her way back and learn to trust and care for other ponies again. But I have no idea where to find him."

Raindrops turned away. "I want to help," she murmured, "but if I break a rule like that, I could lose my job. Are you sure finding that stallion is the only option you have?"

"The only way I can see, at least," Ditzy confessed. "Even if it's not through the mail company, I have to find Sparkler's old classmate, a pony named Presto, somehow. I just... I've seen how much pain she's in, and I can't imagine just looking away and letting it continue. She's not just another pony, she's Dinky's friend, and my..."

She allowed herself to really, consciously make the connection for the first time. "...and my... future stepdaughter."

Raindrops smiled sadly. "And one thing's for sure, nopony is more willing to move mountains for their family than you," she said.

Ditzy nodded proudly. "And I'll move some more, if that's what it takes to help Sparkler."

The two mares flew in silence for a bit. Ditzy angled her wings and caught a thermal updraft that sent her soaring several pony lengths higher. Raindrops flapped a few times to catch up.

"...Anyway, thanks for listening, Raindrops," she said finally. "I figured it was a long shot, but I'll find a way to find Presto somehow. I better get home, but nice seeing you."

The grey pegasus began to veer away from her old friend, angling toward the cottage far below.

"Ditzy. Wait."

Ditzy flapped a few times, hovering in place. Raindrops swooped down beside her.

"I'll... I'll see what I can do," she said quietly. "No promises though, okay? I don't want to do anything I shouldn't... but I don't want a pony my friend cares about to suffer, either. So... give me some time. I'll see if I can find any info that might be useful."

Ditzy beamed and pulled the other pegasus into an embrace. "You're a saint, Raindrops," she bubbled. "With your help, maybe Sparkler's long lost friend won't be so out of reach after all."

The month of May arrived. In a calm, often carefree nation like Equestria, few ponies were up at the crack of dawn on cozy Spring mornings. Of course, the ponies training to be enlisted in the Royal Equestrian Navy were an exception.

Pipsqueak knew he was supposed to be awake with the six o'clock bell, but the early morning sunlight was so comforting. He rolled in his bunk and pulled his pillow over his head. This provided approximately half a minute of peace, before the quiet was broken by a voice.

"Pip. Hey Pip. Piiiiiip."

Pipsqueak lifted the pillow slightly and glared up into the face of the pony peering down at him from the bunk above his. "C'mon, a couple more minutes," he mumbled.

The pony up above leapt from his bunk, preventing a hard landing with a single flap of his webbed wings. He was one of those rare bat-winged pegasi, a breed of pony Pip had never met in person before joining the navy, and was a wiry, scrappy-looking pony with a green coat and fiery red mane streaked with several zigzags of yellow. A trio of peppers, each a different shape and color, decorated his flanks.

"Ensign Briny is gonna have you scrubbin' the latrines if you're late, buddy," the batpony snickered. "And you're an earth pony, so y'know, holding that brush with your mouth and all. Not ideal."

Pip rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Scoville," he grumbled, nevertheless giving his bunkmate a smirk as he forced himself up and out of bed.

Pipsqueak had arrived at the naval training camp just a week or so after Dinky had left to begin her term at the Academy. Each recruit had been assigned a bunkmate immediately, and Pip had barely had a moment to himself since. Scoville Scale, hailing from some far-off town on the west coast of the continent, was welcoming enough, if perhaps a little too eager to joke at Pip's expense. The batpony also had an astounding lack of any sort of filter when speaking. Conversations with him were often a little more crass than Pip bargained for.

"Don't you tell me to shut up," Scoville chattered, hovering above Pip as the latter quickly made his bed. "If anything, you should be thanking me. I go outta my way to make sure my good buddy Pip doesn't get in trouble with the officers, and all I get is complaints. The nerve! I tell ya, Pip, if I wasn't such a forgiving pony, I woulda given you a piece of my mind by now."

Pipsqueak stifled a laugh. Scoville's comments were all in jest, of course; he just wanted Pip to play along with the banter as always. "Oh, would you?" he asked, staring up at the stallion floating above him. "I'm about twice your weight, Scoville. Dunno how a skinny little git like you would manage that."

Scoville sneered playfully. "I'd show ya, but there ain't time for that," he said. "Let's just get to the mess hall before Briny comes in here and starts screamin' at us."

"Okay, okay, just a sec," Pip said, digging into the box of belongings at the foot of his bed. He quickly found his diamond pendant and slipped it around his neck.

"You and your jewelry..." Scoville grumbled, crossing his forelegs as he continued to hover. "What's so special about that shiny trinket anywho?"

"This 'trinket' was given to me by my fillyfriend," Pip answered. "Make fun of it all you want, I don't care; as long as I have it on, she's with me, even when she's a hundred miles away in Canterlot."

"Canterlot?" Scoville asked, finally returning to the ground. "What, is she some kinda stuffed-shirt noble or somethin'? Doesn't strike me as your type, Pip."

Pipsqueak shook his head. "If you must know, Dinky's a brilliant unicorn mage studying at Celestia's school," he explained. "I have a picture here somewhere, hold on."

Pip dug through his trunk again and soon withdrew a photo of him and Dinky, taken during the Midsummer Holiday they'd all spent together at Clarity's place in Whinnychester. Scoville took a look and gave a low whistle.

"Hoo boy, Pip, that filly has a nice butt," he declared.

Pipsqueak rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised that the first thing you do when you see my fillyfriend is hit on her?" he asked dryly.

"I'm not hittin' on nopony!" Scoville declared. "I'm just makin' sure you know what you've got there! We may be just naval recruits right now, but if I was you, next time I went home, I'd get right up behind that and announce my promotion to rear admiral if you know what I'm sayin'."

Pip smacked the other stallion. Scoville teetered sideways, cackling maniacally.

"Har har," the pinto colt said, shaking his head. "Can we be serious for a couple minutes?"

"I am serious," Scoville said quickly. "This is my serious face."

Scoville made a face. It didn't look very serious. Pipsqueak continued anyway.

"Scoville, listen. Dinky and I have been really close since we were foals," he began. "She doesn't look it, but she's been through so much more danger and hardship than I ever have. And despite that, she doesn't let it stop her from treating everypony with kindness and loyalty. We spend a lot of time apart, so it's really important to me that she knows she always has my support."

Pip clutched the pendant with a forehoof. Surprisingly, it glowed a few seconds later. "Huh, she's up early," he chuckled.

"Yeah, I getcha'," Scoville replied, his snarky expression softening into a gentler smile. "She's a lucky little mare, having a pony like you keepin' her close. It's nice you found a way to remind her you're thinking of her, even when she's at school and you're here."

Pip gripped the pendant a little tighter, sighing contently at the soothing feeling of Dinky's magic. "I think that's how she feels too," he said with a nod.

Scoville's mischievous grin returned. "And you're a real lucky colt," he snickered. "A filly that's sweet and loyal and has a real nice butt? Jackpot, buddy. You got a good thing goin'."

"Scoville..."

Scoville opened his mouth to add what was sure to be more questionable comments, but a much louder voice from out in the hall cut him off.

"Pipsqueak! Scoville! Get your aft ends out here or both of you are on double-shift cleaning duty for a week!"

Pip exchanged a panicked glance with Scoville and galloped for the door. "Coming, Ensign Briny!"

"Well, today's the day," Dinky announced as she trotted into the hideout.

Honeydew and Scuffle looked up from their game of checkers. "The day of... what?" Honeydew asked.

"The day Dinky starts her counterspell research with Professor Surge," Clarity explained as she trotted in as well. "I still can't say I'm really on board with the idea though."

"Why's that?" Dinky asked. "I know dark magic is dangerous, but I'll have three academy staff members and at least one of you three with me at all times. And c'mon, I haven't had any problem controlling my powers since Scorpio made me a wraith. Everypony will be perfectly safe."

"It's not really safety I'm worried about," Clarity admitted, rubbing one foreleg against the back of the other uncertainly. "It's more about... how you've changed over time, I guess. You used to hate your powers for the first few months after your transformation. You didn't want to even acknowledge them, let alone use them. Now you seem almost eager to take them for a spin."

"She has a point," Honeydew said, nodding shyly. "We just don't want you to start taking something as powerful as dark magic for granted."

"I am taking this seriously," Dinky retorted. "And on some level, Clarity, you're right. There is a part of me that's actually really excited to finally see what I can do with my magic, and maybe that's an impact of being a wraith for a few years. But that doesn't mean I plan to use my powers recklessly."

Clarity still looked wary, so Dinky turned to make sure her friend could see all the black and purple stars on her flank. "Dark magic is part of my special talent, Clarity," she reminded her. "All the princesses told me they had confidence that I could find a way to use it to help ponies rather than hurt them, and maybe this is the way to do it, don't you think?"

Her tone, meant only to explain her reasoning and not to accuse somepony or defend herself, seemed to put Clarity at ease. "I guess you're right," the grey filly relented, smiling a little. "There's still the matter of taking one of us along to your practice session though. I can't go; there's a special presentation tonight for the first term foals where some of the professors and senior students are going to speak about how the Academy has helped them pursue their dreams and goals in the magical arts. Tango and I, being the Overseers, are involved of course."

"I'll go!" Scuffle volunteered. "I kinda wanna see Dinks in action too. Wanna come along, Dewey?"

Honeydew glanced up from the checkerboard. "Well, Tango is busy with the presentation Clarity is going to, so I'll be free..." she admitted. "Is it alright if I come too, Dinky?"

"The more friends I have with me, the better," Dinky assured her. "If you're comfortable with being around me while I'm using those spells, I'd love for you to come."

"Yeah, and you can keep Scuffle from egging Dinky on too much during practice," Clarity commented dryly.

Scuffle rolled his eyes and waved away the comment like usual, but Honeydew looked quite upset. "Clarity, that's mean," she grumbled, giving the other filly a disappointed glower. "I know you, Scuffle, and Dinky mess with each other all the time, but you don't really think Scuffle is so irresponsible that he'd encourage dangerous behavior, do you? He cares about Dinky too much to act like that."

Scuffle blinked a few times. "Uh... yeah," he managed. "Th-thanks, Honeydew."

The corner of Honeydew's mouth curled up just a bit at hearing Scuffle's rare use of her full name.

Clarity hung her head slightly. "You know, you're right," she admitted, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, Scuffle. I'm so used to your exaggerated persona that I guess I forgot how earnest a friend you are when it really matters."

Scuffle shrugged and gave her a smirk. "Don't sweat it, Clarity," he said casually as he used the tip of a hoof to slide one of the pieces on the checkerboard. "Just try not to worry. Me and Dewey will make sure Dinks' practice session goes smoothly, alright?"

"Alright," Clarity agreed. "Just be careful, okay Dinky? Don't let things get out of hoof."

"I won't. I promise," Dinky vowed. "This isn't a game; it's a chance to help Equestria learn to defend against dark magic. I'm going to take it seriously."

"And while you're doing important research and being very safe doing it... you also might get to, y'know, enjoy being a badass wraith just a little," Scuffle simpered. "Ready to finally see what Dinky can do, Dewey?"

"As long as it's not too scary," Honeydew said, smiling sheepishly.

"Ah, you know Dinks, she's only scary when she wants to be," the colt laughed. "Besides, you'll have me there. That'll help, right?"

"Of course," Honeydew chirped. "Oh, and Scuffle? One other thing..."

Scuffle's ears perked. "Yeah?"

Honeydew lit her horn and lifted one of her checkers, jumping all four of Scuffle's remaining pieces in one move.

"I win."

"Seal the room," Spiral Script ordered.

Dinky watched as Professor Surge carefully closed the heavy doors of the battle magic arena, bolting them shut and then applying a series of enchantments. In the stands, Scuffle and Honeydew sat side by side, and counselor Wishing Star was situated a few rows behind them, watching with interest.

"It's done," Surge declared. "Subtle inconspicuous spells, anti-teleportation wards, three different varieties of magical locks... the whole nine yards. Nopony is getting in here tonight besides us."

Dean Script investigated the professor's work. "Very good," she said finally, her purple curls swinging slightly as she nodded. "I'll be up here in the stands with Wishing Star and Dinky's friends. For purposes of safety, the four of us will remain there unless Dinky, and only Dinky, requests otherwise. Got it?"

"Got it," Professor Surge parroted as Spiral Script took her seat.

"Wishing Star, would you mind taking some notes?" the dean asked. "Professor Surge is going to be a bit busy to be writing anything down."

A notepad was lifted up triumphantly in Wishing Star's rosy aura. "Already on it, ma'am!" she called.

"So... are you ready Dinky?" Professor Surge asked, turning to Dinky, who was standing alone in the middle of the arena.

"As I'll ever be," Dinky replied. "I hope you have some idea of where you want to start. You're the researcher here."

"We'll start at the very beginning," Surge replied. "For all of us at the Academy, our knowledge of dark magic is entirely derived from academic literature. I've never seen it in use at all, much less seen it used by a wraith. Today, I don't think we'll be doing much with counterspells. First, I'd like you to give us all a little crash course on dark magic, from the perspective of somepony who's experienced it first-hoof!"

"Oh, that's easy," Dinky began. "Dark magic is really hard for unicorns to summon the first few times, but gets easier with repeated use. Even once it becomes easier to cast, it's an unpleasant, often unnerving sensation when a unicorn uses it at any stage. You know that much, right?"

"Of course," Surge said quickly. "Is it different for you?"

Dinky snickered. "Wraiths' bodies are designed to wield dark magic," she explained. "I can summon it as easily as I can call forth my unicorn magic, and cast spells with it quite comfortably. My body doesn't resist it like a unicorn's does."

To demonstrate, Dinky threw back her head and allowed her horn to erupt with energy. A churning, crackling aura of purple and black sprang up at her forehead, casting long, narrow shadows. Professor Surge's eyes widened, and from the corner of her eye, Dinky could see Dean Script and Wishing Star watching with apprehension, and Scuffle and Honeydew with a much calmer curiosity.

"It really is just an intimidating as I've been told," Surge chuckled as the aura around the filly's horn faded again. "I guess what I'm not quite sure about is the exact difference between a unicorn and a wraith, besides the ease of wielding dark magic, of course. I've been told you're 'in disguise', so I would assume that means true wraiths can't pass as unicorns without the aid of such camouflage?"

Dinky heard Scuffle snort from the stands. "Not by a long shot, professor," he called. "Go on Dinks, show him what you really look like."

Dinky looked skeptical. "Are you sure?" she asked. "That might be a bit much to start out with."

"I'm with Scuffle" Surge replied. "If I'm going to be studying you and your powers, I suppose I ought to become familiar with exactly what you are early on."

Dinky glanced at Spiral Script for approval. "You have no obligation to fulfill the professor's request," the dean reminded her. "It's true that it will probably be useful for our purposes, but do so only at your own discretion."

Dinky shrugged. "I mean, it's easy for me to drop my disguise," she admitted. "I just need you to understand that it's a drastic change, professor. Don't, uh, panic and attack me or anything when I do it."

"Heavens, no," Surge promised. "This is your show, Dinky. You're perfectly safe here."

Dinky nodded. "Alright, it only takes about five seconds to—"

"Wait!" Scuffle cried. "Dinks, this is the first time you're showing your true form to anypony new since the day after you became a wraith. You can't just transform! Do it the dramatic way! You know, a whole magical transformation sequence like those ponies in the Neighponese comics with unrealistically huge manes and too many light reflections in their eyes."

Honeydew had to put a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "That's... one way to put it," she managed.

"Err... however you want then, Dinky," Professor Surge said. "Let's see what we're dealing with here."

Dinky took a deep breath. "Well... okay," she conceded. "Just back off a little further, please. One wraith, minus the unicorn disguise, coming up."

Surge gave her plenty of room. Dinky closed her eyes and slowly let the darkness within her travel up into her horn again, surrounding it with the loud, angry aura. Only this time, it didn't stop there. It flowed down from her head and over her body like a torrent, bathing her in unstable energy that would've caused any normal pony unspeakable agony. Smoky black mist, faint and first but quickly growing thicker and darker, began to seep down her coat and along the contours of her legs, billowing out along the floor around her.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Wishing Star asked nervously.

"Yes, this is normal for Dinky," Honeydew said quietly. "Though I'm pretty sure I asked the same thing the first time I saw her do this."

As Dinky's aura grew, her body began to change. The black clouds flowing down her body seemed to be taking her color with them; lilac purple was swept away like a layer of dust, revealing a dark, sinister violet underneath. More and more of the mist ran along her mane and tail, enveloping and consuming them until they were nearly indistinguishable from the smoke itself. A black, wispy mane was all that remained, and though at the roots it could perhaps still be considered hair, by the end of the strands it was little more than a cloud of inky blackness, its ethereal movements allowing small tongues of dark energy to occasionally be flicked off before vanishing into the air.

Dinky's aura quieted, revealing her dramatically changed horn beneath, now curved like a crescent and smooth as polished marble. A pair of tiny fangs protruded from beneath her upper lip. After a few seconds of silence, she opened her eyes, staring at Professor Surge with two glowing, slitted yellow pupils radiating out from the abyssal darkness of their sockets. Wisps of violet mist seeped out the moment she lifted her eyelids, trailing off to the sides continuously.

Never had Dinky seen such a mix of terror and wonder on the face of a pony before. Surge opened his mouth once or twice, but was unable to produce any words.

"So you see, professor," Dinky began, chuckling as the frightening hiss of her voice made the stallion take another instinctive step back, "this is what happens to a unicorn when dark magic builds up within them unchecked. No wonder Equestrian law cracks down on it so strictly, huh?"

"S-so... I've known you for a few years now," Surge said weakly. "I met you in... what, your third year? And all that time, this is the creature I was really speaking to?"

"Yup," said Dinky casually, causing wisps of blackness to float off her mane as she nodded. "I just don't have any trouble impersonating the long-gone unicorn I was as a filly, that's all."

"And that transformation spell," he continued. "It's not... painful for you?"

"Not at all!" Dinky assured him. "I mean, it was the very first time, but that was because Scorpio burned away my unicorn body. Now I basically can't even feel it."

"So this isn't... even the same body you once had?" Surge asked, confused.

"Well, yes and no," Dinky admitted. "Scorpio described wraiths as something akin to a hollow shell. When a unicorn reaches that tipping point where their anatomy simply isn't able to contain the amount of dark magic within them anymore, it, uh, bursts free, violently, and consumes the pony that was wielding it. The resulting wraith is... what's left, I guess. An ethereal, almost hollow exterior, shaped roughly like a unicorn, full of an incredibly vast store of darkness and very little else. I couldn't say for sure, but when I'm in my transformed state, I don't think I've even got organs in there anymore. The pony disguise fabricates some for me, of course, but they're dark magic constructs like everything else."

"That's... pretty horrifying," Wishing Star chimed in.

"But fascinating," Professor Surge added. "This is an even greater opportunity than I ever imagined. I've got an honest-to-goodness dark magical monster right here in my arena, ready to help me create new counterspells!"

"That 'monster' is one of your students," Spiral Script said loudly, giving him an unamused look. "Dinky has all the intelligence and civility of every other unicorn at this school, and if you want this research to continue, I suggest you treat her with the same respect and care that you would with any of your students."

"I'll be fine, Dean Script," Dinky assured her. "So, can we begin casting some spells now?"

"Oh yes, of course!" Surge replied delightedly. "Perhaps if you could just demonstrate the combat applications of dark magic for me, it would help me decide where exactly to begin."

With a flash of magic, he conjured a plain, dull clay jug out of thin air and placed it down near the center of the arena, then backed off a decent distance. "If you could just destroy that for me, Dinky, that would be wonderful. I want to see how these spells work when they strike a target."

Dinky tilted her head, causing her airy mane to flow in a different direction. "Destroy it how?"

"With... with dark magic, of course," Surge answered, confused.

Dinky giggled, though her monstrous voice made the sound come out quite unnerving. "No, I mean, what kind of destruction?" she clarified. "Do you want me to burn it? Melt it? Reduce it to dust? Blast it against the wall? There's no shortage of violent ways to break things when it comes to dark magic."

"Dinks."

Dinky turned to Scuffle. "Yeah?"

The colt leaned forward eagerly. "You already know what I'm going to suggest, don't you?" he asked, smirking.

Dinky rolled her eyes. "Blow it up?"

"Blow it up," Scuffle replied matter-of-factly.

Dinky gave her flowing tail an uncertain flick. "Is that okay with you, professor?" she asked.

"Very much so," Surge answered excitedly. "Plenty of unicorn magic is capable of doing enough damage to break something, so I want to see how your magic differs."

Dinky shrugged and surrounded her horn with a black aura once again. "I'd keep clear if I were you," she advised as she lowered her head.

For a moment, the room was quiet, except for the crackling, sputtering sound of the wraith's horn. All the assembled ponies watched with excitement and a bit of apprehension as Dinky carefully took aim. When she was confident her spell would hit its mark, she let it loose.

Dark magic was not about appearances. It didn't arc gracefully through the air, leaving a trail of color, like many unicorn spells. It didn't create bursts of light in grand, sweeping waves when it was used. It traveled in a perfectly straight line, faster and more direct than even Clarity's lightning spells, and hit its target. There was no cracking, or swelling, or any sort of buildup at all. Immediately upon being struck, the clay jug violently shattered, not in the direction the spell was moving, but outward in all directions, as if an explosive had been set off inside. The sound echoed throughout the arched chamber as fragments of it were blown across half of the arena.

Dinky turned to Professor Surge, whose eyebrows had risen in surprise. "Well, that's certainly more efficient in terms of destruction," he commented.

"Dark magic's not as versatile as unicorn magic, but you gotta admit, it's really good at what it does," Dinky chuckled. "Of course, it doesn't have to blow stuff up. If I just throw a bolt of dark magic without casting a specific effect spell, it just strikes the target with a very painful impact."

Surge nodded and turned to the stands. "Are you getting all this, Wishing Star?" he called.

The counselor held up her quill in her aura. "Every word, Professor," she replied with a smile.

"Dinky, if I may ask," Spiral Script put in, "how much of your power was behind the spell you just cast?"

Dinky shrugged. "Not much," she confessed. "That was a pretty casual spell. The only time I ever used my full power was when trying to defend my friends and family from Scorpio."

"Oh really?" Professor Surge asked, grinning. "Well, naturally we need to see how much power wraiths have then."

The stallion trotted to the other end of the arena. His horn began to glow, and layer after layer of magical shielding appeared before him, until Dinky could just barely make out his silhouette behind it all. "Go on then!" he called. "Let's see how many layers a powerful dark spell can break through. This could be some really critical data; how strong of a shield charm does one need to keep a wraith out?"

Dinky blinked. "Um... no," she deadpanned.

"...No?" Surge asked. "What's the problem?"

"I'm not casting a dark spell directly at anypony, for any reason," Dinky replied firmly. "Especially a powerful one. I've seen dark magic rip through shields before. I could really hurt you, or worse."

The Professor chuckled. "Yes, but Dinky, those were shields conjured by students. Even your spells shouldn't be able to overcome the strongest level of defense cast by one of Equestria's greatest battlemages."

"'Shouldn't' and 'won't' are two different things," Dinky grumbled, glaring at her teacher. "I don't care how strong your shields are. If you want me to cast a spell at a shield, fine, but only once you move out from behind it to somewhere safe."

Fortunately, Surge complied with Dinky's demand before Spiral Script had to intervene, but she could see the dean shaking her head in exasperation from her seat in the stands. He moved a reasonable distance off to the side of the arena, but kept his layered shield in place. "Is this better?" he asked.

"Much," Dinky said curtly as her curved horn began to charge up her next spell. "So you really want me to go all-out? I should hit the shields with as much force as I can muster?"

"Please do!" the professor encouraged. "I need to know if wraiths are really as fearsome as the texts have always claimed."

As the spell forming on Dinky's horn grew, she couldn't help but feel a wave of excitement. She hadn't unleashed magic like this in years, after all; even she didn't know the extent of her power. And some quiet, dormant part of her was really excited to finally cut loose. She couldn't help but grin, bearing her fangs in the process.

The churning blackness around her horn grew still greater in intensity, filling the huge hall with twisting shadows and ominous sounds. Faint scorch marks began to form on the stone floor around her position. She lowered her head, getting ready to set it all loose.

"Um, Dinky, wait."

It was the first time Honeydew had spoken in some time. Her gentle voice seemed to soothe the part of her that was raring to go. "What's up, Honeydew?" she asked, letting the building magic fade a little.

"Just... be extra careful, okay?" her friend asked, rubbing subconsciously at the small notch in her horn as she so often did when nervous. "I know you can cast powerful spells safely, but Clarity had a point earlier today; don't let your excitement to let your powers loose lead you to do anything reckless."

"I'm with Dewey on this one," Scuffle added. "None of us really know how strong you are. Even you. We all wanna see, but make sure to focus, 'kay Dinks?"

Dinky smiled. "Don't worry, I've got this," she promised.

She turned back to the shield and once again built her dark magic up to its maximum intensity in her horn. Focus, she reminded herself mentally. Power without control is just mindless destruction. I'm better than the wraiths who use dark magic like that. So just aim carefully, and make sure no part of the spell has a chance to break off or rebound, and...

Dinky flung the spell at the layered shield, and found a moment later than she was entirely unprepared for what followed.

Just the sound of the magic being let loose created a loud bang. The tremendous, writhing bolt of energy rocketed through the air, punched effortlessly through every last one of the professor's shields, and struck the brick wall at the back of the room, creating an explosion of such magnitude that the pressure wave nearly knocked her over. Chunks of rubble were thrown more than a dozen pony lengths away, leaving behind a blackened crater in the wall about half the size of an average pony. With the brickwork of the subterranean wall obliterated, a mound of soil poured in from behind, making a small mess on the floor beneath the point of impact.

Dinky stared at her handiwork, dumbfounded. Once the ringing in her ears quieted, she nervously turned to look at her companions.

Professor Surge wasn't even looking at her. His jaw hung loosely as he stared at the hole in the wall, even as the fragments began to float back toward it by magic, repairing the damage exactly as the enchantment on the room was supposed to. Wishing Star was cringing and holding her notepad above her head like a makeshift umbrella. Scuffle's horn was lit, and Dinky wasn't honestly very surprised to see that, given almost no time to react, his instinct had been to erect a shield around Honeydew rather than himself, protecting her from any small bits of rubble that may have been flung that far. From inside the little blue dome, Honeydew blinked in shock, her hooves over her mouth like she'd just received terrible news.

Spiral Script's expression was harder to read. Her eyes were wide, but she looked neither amazed nor angry; she seemed to be simply waiting for something to happen.

"S-so, Professor," Dinky stuttered, as the last of the damage she had done was magically repaired. "Let's maybe, um, not consider aiming dark magic directly at anypony going forward, regardless of shielding."

The professor pursed his lips. "Dinky I... must apologize for being so brash," he said finally, giving her a doleful look. "I never dreamed wraiths could be that powerful. Thank you for having the sense to prevent a tragedy. On the upside, this just proves that counterspells are even more vital. Clearly, nopony except perhaps an alicorn could hope to defend themselves from a wraith with shields alone."

"To be fair, I had no idea I was that powerful either," Dinky admitted. "I've only ever struck another pony with dark magic once, unless you count Scorpio. She recovered, of course, but at that time, I was much younger, and also was still a corrupted unicorn instead of a wraith. But as you can see, if I were to attack somepony now, and really meant to harm them..."

She trailed off, and paused to glance at the concerned looks of her friends nearby.

"I try not to let being a wraith stop me from living a normal unicorn life," she continued, shaking her head to clear away a bit of the mist emanating from her eyes. "But the fact of the matter is... I have the ability to effortlessly kill somepony, Professor Surge. That's why I want to help you find a way to counter my spells, but it's also why we need to treat this research with extreme caution. Wraiths kind of have a tendency to... well, enjoy flinging deadly spells around, and unfortunately, I'm no different. But unlike other wraiths, I still have morals and inhibitions, and I honestly don't want to hurt anypony. That's why I really wanted to have some of my friends here with me; they're good at making sure my conscious unicorn self remembers to keep my subconscious, more wraithlike aspects under control."

Scuffle smiled. "I think we usually do a pretty good job with that," he said proudly. "I mean, when's the last time Dinky's decision making put us in mortal danger? Gotta be at least a year."

Honeydew giggled. "I mean, she was the one who suggested we visit the Everfree on winter break, so really it's only been about five months," the pink filly pointed out.

"Was that really mortal danger though?" Scuffle argued, laughing as Honeydew gave him a playful shove.

"The point is," Dinky said loudly, cutting them off, "I'm a good pony with a dangerous combination of power and impulsiveness. So please, professor, let's be careful."

"You don't need to tell me twice," Surge chuckled. "I think perhaps we should end our first session here, so I can develop some potential counters. Next time we meet, we'll test them out against some nice, low-power dark spells, fired safely away from anypony of course. That is, if that's alright with you, Dean Script?"

Spiral Script frowned. "We are playing with fire here, professor," she muttered. "After what I've seen here, I have half a mind to cancel the project due to the degree of danger, but I must admit, learning to counter magic like that will be extremely useful research. You, Wishing Star, and myself will need to have a discussion about improving defenses to keep us safe from any collateral damage Dinky may unwittingly cause."

"So, before we call it quits," Wishing Star ventured, finally feeling safe enough to lower the notebook she was still holding aloft to deflect debris, "do you have to do that whole big sequence to return to pseudo-unicorn form, Dinky?"

"Oh, not at all," Dinky assured her. "Like Scuffle said, that was just for dramatic effect. I can transform in seconds, see?"

Dinky's entire body dissolved instantly, leaving behind a swirling black cloud. A moment later, it gained form again, taking on the shape and colors of the unremarkable unicorn teen she pretended to be. "Wraiths are more like constructs of dark magic than normal living things," she explained, her typical, effeminate pony voice now replacing the sinister wraith one. "My physical body only just barely maintains a stable, solid state, so either form can be shed and replaced with the opposite one almost immediately."

Wishing Star looked impressed. "Honestly, Dinky, creatures like you would be really cool if you weren't so shockingly dangerous," she admitted. "Thank you for the presentation, though. At least Professor Surge has a real sense of what he's dealing with now."

As the ponies climbed down from the stands, Spiral Script strode over to Dinky and smiled gently. "Dinky, we'll meet for another session of this in two weeks, if you're willing," she said. "Remember that if you're uncomfortable or unwilling, though, you have the power to cancel further sessions at any time."

"I want to continue, Dean Script," Dinky assured her, returning the smile. "Professor Surge's research is important, and with you, my friends, and Counselor Wishing Star here, I'm sure we'll be able to keep working safely."

"Very well," Spiral Script replied, nodding as Honeydew and Scuffle trotted up next to Dinky. "Of all the students to become a wraith, I'm glad it was one with a responsible attitude and caring friends."

Dinky giggled. "Thanks, Dean Script. See you in class."

Spiral Script and Professor Surge removed the seal on the room, and Dinky trotted out into the castle, her horn still tingling gently from her powerful magic.

I've made the first step toward helping Equestria, she thought proudly. I wonder what Professor Surge will have in store for me next time...

"Thanks for being there, Honeydew. I know you get nervous in situations like that."

"I guess I do," Honeydew admitted, her eyes meeting Dinky's for a moment. "You're my friend, though, and I wanted to be there to support you. Your other form is a little bit scary, but I guess I'm getting used to it now that it's been a few years."

"And having Scuffle with you probably helped a little too," Dinky added.

Honeydew beamed. "Scuffle's such a gentlecolt, isn't he?" she cooed. "He pretends to be all tough and reckless, but these days, I always feel safer when he's around."

Dinky nodded. "I bet you're glad we gave him a chance back in our first year, huh?" she asked.

Honeydew nodded. "He turned out to be one of my best friends, eventually," she admitted. "And now Tango Trot is too! They're both such nice colts."

Dinky bit her lip. As expected, Honeydew was still unaware of the escalating rivalry between her two male friends. She tried not to dwell on what might eventually become of that as she followed Honeydew into the Magical Biology classroom.

"Hurry up, ladies!" Cornelius squawked, leering at them from the brim of Professor Chestnut's hat. "The professor's got a lot to cover today, and the quicker we get started, the quicker we can get it over with."

"I see you're just brimming with excitement for our lesson today," Professor Chestnut commented dryly, rolling her eyes.

"Eh, you know I don't care for lectures about hearts and minds and magic and crap like that," Cornelius crowed. "Half the class is probably gonna fall asleep. Your star student will pay attention, of course, but she already knows all this junk by heart."

Honeydew giggled as she took her seat in the front row. "Cornelius, hush," she chided playfully. "The professor's lectures are very interesting. Just take a nap until it's over if you don't want to listen."

Cornelius took to the air and perched on Honeydew's horn, using the notch in the upper surface for a secure foothold as usual. "Fine, but I'm sleeping here," he declared. "You're ten times quieter than Chestnut."

The brightly colored bird tucked his head beneath his wing, and that was that. Honeydew stroked him gently with a hoof for a moment before she and Dinky returned their attention to the professor.

"Good morning, class!" Professor Chestnut greeted, waving slowly to all her students. "I'm afraid our loudmouthed friend Cornelius does have a point for once; today's lesson is a lot more theory than practice. But we're going to be discussing such a critical pillar of Magical Biology that I imagine I'll keep much of your interest anyway. To start with, let's go back to a concept you all learned in your first year of this class; can somepony tell me how we use magic to interact with life around us?"

Honeydew, naturally, raised a hoof, but the professor called on Dinky instead. "We use any of a small set of spells that allows us to tap into the essence of other living things," she answered. "It allows us to feel what they feel, physically and emotionally, and we can use that link to send thoughts, energy, or even healing."

"Well put, Dinky," Chestnut replied. "Now for a harder question: what is the shared property among all living things that allows us to do that?"

Dinky didn't have an answer for that one. "I'm not sure..." she admitted. "I guess I never stopped to think about how life magic works."

Honeydew quietly raised a forehoof again. "Well, it's because we can use unicorn magic to tap into the target's heart directly," she offered.

"Be more specific, Honeydew dear," Professor Chestnut said with a smile. "After all, most animals have hearts, but plants and other types of life do not."

"They don't have a physical heart," Honeydew clarified. "But I'm not talking about the organ, professor. Our field of study still refers to the core of all living things, the abstract, inner being from which our thoughts, senses, and feelings are born, as the 'heart', right?"

Professor Chestnut chuckled. "I swear, I've been trying for years and I've yet to trip you up with a question, Honeydew," she said delightedly. "Yes, what I'm talking about is not the structure pumping blood in your chest. The 'heart', as it pertains to the use of life magic, is the purest form of the being of any living thing. It contains their spirit, but it is more than that as well. It is every sort of sensation you can imagine. It creates a plant's simple, unconscious satisfaction at being supplied life giving water, but at the other extreme, it gives rise to the complex emotions of love and trust that us ponies feel, and everything in between as well. That energy, so abstract that there's really no adequate way to fully describe it, is what separates living things from their inanimate surroundings. The power that's responsible for all our feelings, our senses, everything that makes each of us a unique individual... that power is the Magic of the Heart."

Awed, Dinky considered the professor's words. Though she'd been using these sort of spells for years, she understood for the first time just how meaningful they were.

"The magic in the hearts of living things is so much stronger and so much more all-encompassing than mere unicorn magic, and yet it is shared by every living thing, from the tiniest microorganism to the largest of Equestrian beasts," Professor Chestnut continued. "And that, above all else, is the reason I find Magical Biology to be the most fascinating subject of all; with magic, we are able to take a glimpse into the hearts of every other living thing. Even pegasi and earth ponies can manage a similar feat, if they're especially in tune with the natural world. The Magic of the Heart is responsible for every one of the elements that make us who we are, and we must never take for granted that we can so easily use our magic to explore the bonds it forms between us in new ways."

Is it any wonder Honeydew has such a passion for this type of magic? Dinky thought, gazing at her friend, who was hanging on the professor's every word. Even when I first met Honeydew, her appreciation for the life around her was incredible, and now that she's managed to make real friendships with the ponies as well, she sees them the same way. If only everypony could see the world around them with the same reverence she does...

Realizing her mind was beginning to wander, Dinky quickly grabbed her quill and resumed taking notes.

"I think I understand your research project a little better now," Clarity acknowledged as she led Honeydew, Dinky, and Scuffle down the tunnel into the hideout. "It sounds to me like unicorn magic is a vehicle used to tap into the innate magic in our hearts, which is a different sort of magic entirely. You're trying to find a way to access that magic, or at least a portion of it, in a broader way that doesn't require so much effort and concentration, right?"

"Exactly!" Honeydew affirmed, nodding emphatically. "The Lifesense spell, if I can somehow get it to work, should detect the magic radiating from the hearts of everything around me. It won't be as deep and intimate of a connection as it is when the spell is used on just one target, but it was never intended to be anyway."

"How's that research going, by the way?" Dinky asked. "You've been at it for two months now; made any progress yet?"

"Well, it's hard to say," said Honeydew self-consciously. "I've definitely figured out how to do something new, but I'm not sure if it's actually a step in the right direction."

The pink filly took a deep, slow breath and let her pale green aura spring to life. "I've been tweaking the existing life connection spell ever since Tango Trot suggested breaking it down into smaller parts," she continued. "It took a lot of trial and error, but I've managed to link to the emotional state of the spell's target without also tapping into all their physical sensations. It isn't as strenuous as the parent spell, so I've been practicing casting it without blocking out all my surroundings. I'm going to have to be able to do that if I ever want to stand a chance of connecting with more than one living thing at a time."

"Honeydew, that sounds like a huge step forward!" Clarity exclaimed. "Can we see the modified spell?"

Honeydew's slim frame wiggled with glee. "Sure!" she replied. "Hold still for a moment, Clarity. I'll link my magic with yours."

The green light on Honeydew's horn grew a bit brighter. Dinky watched her face scrunch up just a bit as she focused, but she didn't close her eyes and cease all movement like she usually did during life magic spells. "There, I can feel you now," she said finally. "You're such a caring pony, Clarity. As soon as I linked into your magic, I could feel your determination to help the ponies around you. I really admire that."

Clarity blushed. "Thanks, Honeydew," she said humbly.

"Your turn now, Scuffle," Honeydew sang, turning to the colt who had been watching the scene with quiet interest.

Scuffle tensed. "Wait, Dewey, nopony's used that spell on me before. Is it gonna—"

He stopped mid-sentence, most likely surprised by the sensation of Honeydew's magic tapping into his own. Only a second or so passed before Honeydew broke into a huge, beaming grin.

"Oh, Scuffle!" she gasped. "I always knew you were sweeter than you like to admit, but wow! The warmth and affection you have for us is so strong, you must see us as really close friends."

Scuffle fidgeted. "I mean, s-sure," he stammered, looking away as if that would somehow lessen the effect. "Of course I like you girls. W-we're all good friends, alright? You already knew that, no need to be all mushy about it..."

Honeydew giggled as she ceased the spell. "And Dinky, you've already used magic like this, so you know what to expect, but I can show you the modified spell anyway if you like," she offered.

"Go for it," Dinky replied. "I don't think I've ever linked magic with another pony anyway. Just plants and animals."

Honeydew trotted up to Dinky and smiled encouragingly as she lit her horn once more. A moment later, Dinky felt her friend's being rush into her mind. There was a touch of Honeydew's usual anxiety, of course, but Dinky was happy to find it was kept in check by a sensation of tender, hopeful positivity.

Honeydew, however, looked confused. "Hold on Dinky," she said apologetically. "Something's a little off with the spell. Let me try again."

"It is?" Dinky asked, tilting her head. "I can feel you through the link just fine."

Honeydew blinked. "Huh," she mumbled, "it must've only worked in one direction for some reason. It is a new version of the spell though; there's probably some issues with it I need to iron out. Let me use the more traditional, full-connection spell for a moment instead, so I have a point of reference."

Dinky nodded, and both fillies closed their eyes. Dinky concentrated and felt the full breadth of Honeydew's being enter her mind. Deep emotion and clear physical sensation flooded her senses as she experienced her timid friend in a new way. But just a few seconds later, the link was closed. Dinky opened her eyes to find Honeydew frowning deeply.

"Did it... work for you again?" Honeydew asked hesitantly.

"Yeah...?" said Dinky, raising an eyebrow. "I felt you very clearly when our magic linked. Didn't you?"

Honeydew looked supremely nervous. "Dinky, um..." she mumbled. "Y-you know I don't mean to brag, but I'm usually very good at these spells. It's really very unlikely that I'm doing something wrong. But when I establish a link with you, I feel... nothing. I-I-It's like there's just static. No sensation, no emotion, just... well, nothing. Which is odd."

"To say the least!" Dinky agreed, shuffling her forehooves concernedly. "Why wouldn't you be able to detect anything when you link with me?"

Dinky's three friends all exchanged glances. Scuffle was the one who chose to speak up.

"Dinks, I know I'm not good at wording things real delicately," he reminded her, "but uh... that spell is for sensing and connecting with living things. Are you, uh... are you sure you're alive?"

"What kind of question is that?" Dinky laughed. "I'm standing here talking to you, aren't I?"

Clarity didn't seem to share her mirth. She glanced at Dinky uncertainly. "Scuffle might have a point..." she mumbled. "Dinky, you've said yourself that a wraith is a construct of dark magic. If you're literally made of darkness... as much as I hate to admit it, maybe you don't qualify as a living being."

Dinky's stomach turned when she realized Clarity had a point. "Okay, well that in itself is hardly the weirdest or most shocking part of being a wraith," she said, "but does that mean... does that mean I don't have a heart anymore? That magic that I share with other ponies, is it... gone?"

"It can't be!" Honeydew insisted, glancing between her friends desperately. "Something allowed you to remain who you are even when Scorpio destroyed the pony you once were. I can't see any way you wouldn't have fallen to the dark side that night unless the magic of your heart survived! I just... can't seem to find it..."

She trailed off, and the room was filled with an uneasy silence. Dinky's anxiety grew; suddenly it felt like her friends were staring at her with apprehension, although deep down she knew that wasn't how they felt.

"I need to go think this through for a bit," she mumbled, turning toward the exit.

There was a red flash, and Clarity materialized right in front of her, blocking the exit. "Dinky, wait," she pleaded. "I know this discovery is a little hard to swallow, but going off and brooding about it isn't gonna help.

Dinky stared back at her friend. "So you want me to just shrug it off?" she asked, growing irritated. "Clarity, losing my body was one thing, but my heart, the one thing that I always assumed survived Scorpio's magic and kept me tied to the rest of ponykind, might be damaged or even entirely gone! How am I supposed to just ignore that!?"

"There's no sense jumping to conclusions!" Clarity said firmly. "Remember, Dinky, my special talent involves looking into the heart as well, though maybe in a more abstract way than Honeydew does. But I can say with certainty that the same brave, smart, loyal filly I met in our first term is still standing in front of me right now, regardless of what kind of body she might have. I don't know much about sensing the magic that makes you who you are, but I know one thing; you're not one of Scorpio's cruel, sadistic lackeys. You're our friend, Dinky. You always have been, and you always will be. And whether or not Honeydew can detect some specific magical signature inside of you isn't going to change that."

Dinky glanced toward Honeydew and Scuffle. While they didn't speak, both were nodding in agreement with Clarity's words. Honeydew stepped a bit closer and leaned against her gently.

"If you're really worried, maybe Professor Chestnut will have some answers," her timid friend whispered. "But it's okay, Dinky. Nothing has changed. Just because we learned something unexpected about you doesn't change who you are."

"We've had your back through way weirder and more horrifying stuff than this," Scuffle reminded her. "Heart or no heart, we're not goin' anywhere, Dinks."

Dinky sniffled, smiling just a bit as the other three unicorns crowded around to embrace her. "Alright, alright," she conceded. "I'll try not to overreact. I still really care for you guys, and that's gotta count for something, regardless of the state my heart is in."

Clarity rubbed noses with Dinky, grinning. "It sure does," she reassured her.

"You know what makes me feel better at times like this? Food," Scuffle declared. "C'mon Dinks, it's dinnertime, and you'll feel better when your stomach's full."

Dinky chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, alright," she agreed. "Lead the way."

As the four students returned to the castle, Dinky tried her best to keep a hopeful smile on her face. After all, the support of her friends didn't seem to waver, and that was all she could ask for. But though she kept up the appearance, she couldn't silence the doubts in the back of her mind completely.

Did any part of me really survive my encounter with Scorpio years ago? Or... has the magic in my heart truly gone dark...?

"So you've seen Dinky assume her wraith form?" Bright Spark asked. "Right there in front of you?"

"Yup," Wishing Star replied proudly. "And believe me, it's a sight to see; if she ever showed her true form in public, there would be pandemonium in an instant. We just have to find a way to make her do so."

"And I assume that won't be easy," Bright Spark guessed, peering at her host from over the top of her small spectacles.

"Unfortunately, Dinky appears to have a lot of control over her dark magic," Wishing Star admitted. "I don't think anypony would be able to goad her into willingly transforming, nor would it be likely that she would transform by accident. We need to find a way to force it to happen, and for that, I need more time to study her. That shouldn't be too hard though; that oblivious battle magic professor is going to be using her talents to learn all he can about wraiths and dark magic; it's only a matter of time until I can find a weakness to work with, and he's doing almost all the work for me!"

"Fine, fine, but what about Ditzy?" Glow asked, tapping a hoof impatiently.

"It seems Ditzy's taken an interest in your daughter, of all ponies," Wishing Star revealed. "Sparkler hasn't shown herself to you in months now, but I've overheard enough office chatter to know she's definitely in contact with Ditzy. If we can find a way to utilize her situation to our advantage, we might be able to use her as a valuable playing piece in this little game..."

Glow frowned. "Sparkler didn't react well to being used as leverage last time," she said sourly.

"Ah, but this time, she won't even know she's involved!" Wishing Star giggled, her pink eyes glittering mischievously. "Just give me some time, and I think I can manage to shape Sparkler's plight into just the thing to lead Ditzy down a path to misery."

"So basically, you're telling us both to keep waiting," Bright Spark mumbled.

"We only have one chance to make this work," Wishing Star reminded her. "If Ditzy and Dinky realize I'm not really on their side, it's game over. So we have to do it right, even if it takes a while."

Bright Spark sighed. "I suppose there's no rush," the older mare conceded. "Just contact us in the usual way when there's an update, alright?"

"And don't cause Sparkler any undue stress," Glow added. "We're trying to make Ditzy miserable, not her."

"Yes, yes, leave it to me," Wishing Star replied, unconcerned. "I'll inform you both as soon as circumstances start to swing in our favor."

With nearly identical curt nods, Glow and Bright Spark turned and exited the dilapidated building. Wishing Star watched them both from the window, until they were out of sight. She snickered, and turned away, grinning darkly.

"Idiots," she laughed, her voice echoing in the empty room. "They couldn't make this much easier for me if they tried! Their judgement is so clouded by their need for revenge that they're willing to overlook the fact that they don't even know why I'm helping them!"

She lit her horn and removed her headband with magic, polishing the gems that studded it with an old rag. Well, now that they're gone, I suppose it's time to check on my other guest, she thought.

A brief flash of pink magic was all it took to haul a cobweb-ridden couch aside. Another spell flipped the old rug up from the floor, revealing the trapdoor under it. Humming contently, Wishing Star tugged the hatch open and descended into the hidden cellar below.

The secret room below the old house didn't look much different from any other basement. A cold, stone floor and bare walls caused the unicorn's hooves to echo with each step. A few boxes of various old junk, most of it broken or rusted, sat on one side. A drip of water, no doubt from some leak in the old house above, hit the floor with a tiny sound.

Yes, the cellar would've been quite unremarkable, if not for the enormous pink crystal prism hovering just above the floor in the center of the room, with Princess Celestia sealed inside it.

"Your majesty," Wishing Star greeted, her voice heavy with sarcastic glee as she feigned a respectful bow. "It's been a few days since I've checked in with you. Are you enjoying your stay?"

Celestia glared and said something, but whatever magical properties kept her sealed inside the glimmering prison also didn't allow any sound to escape. It was apparent that the enchantment worked in only one direction, though; her reactions made it clear that she could hear everything her captor was saying.

Wishing Star smiled serenely as she trailed the tip of a hoof along the outside of the glass-like surface of the hollow crystal. "I bet you've been mentally berating yourself for weeks, huh?" she asked casually. "The harmless little mare that you hired to be the counselor at your school turned out to be... well, you know exactly who I really am by now. I don't even need to say it."

Celestia mouthed a name. Wishing Star giggled.

"See? I was right," she replied. "You're a little too trusting, but you're not stupid."

The princess stared back coldly. After a moment, Wishing Star went on.

"How agonizing it must be, Celestia," she cooed. "You're onto me now. You know exactly what I'm trying to do, and how to prevent me from doing it. But you're in there, and I'm out here, free to keep manipulating ponies into fulfilling my plans. What a shame."

Celestia didn't attempt to speak anymore, but she glared daggers at the Wishing Star, which only served to delight the orange unicorn further.

"I'm getting stronger, you know," Wishing Star continued, turning away and pacing slowly across the stone floor. "Those two vengeful unicorns are absolutely obsessed with ruining the lives of some nobody pegasus and that cute little wraith student at the Academy. They're selfish, greedy, impatient ponies. They're so self-centered, in fact, that they neither know nor care why I'm willing to help them bring misery to those ponies they despise. Imagine their surprise when they realize what I'm doing with all that malice they're producing! By the time they figure it out, of course, it'll be far too late."

She turned back to the imprisoned princess, waiting for a reaction. Celestia spoke another entirely inaudible sentence, but Wishing Star seemed to get the gist.

"You... you really think the only reason I imprisoned you here is so you can't impede my plan?" she asked incredulously. "And not two minutes ago I was complimenting your intelligence! For a millennia-old monarch, you sure can miss the big picture sometimes, can't you?"

Celestia watched apprehensively as the unicorn slowly approached her again. "Princess Celestia, you aren't here because you were an obstruction to my plan. You're here because you're a part of it."

The grave look on the princess's face grew yet more serious. From outside the crystal, Wishing Star reared up, placing her forehooves against the surface so she could stare at Celestia eye-to-eye.

"Did you think somepony like me wouldn't know how Equestria works?" she asked. "Did you think I assumed this near-utopia sustains itself? It doesn't, Celestia. The princesses sustain it. You, in particular, passively spread harmony among communities wherever you go, bathing the empire in subtle waves of peace, dampening the potential for violence and war merely by existing. But with you here, sealed in this crystal that saps all your power, harmony in Equestria will gradually, imperceptibly begin to erode. That doesn't mean good ponies will suddenly turn bad, of course; after all, the influence the presence of the princesses have is a gentle, subconscious one. Ponies who are consciously good will still be good, and those who are consciously bad will still be bad. But as time goes on without you, it's going to become just a bit easier to chip away at the weaknesses in the bonds between ponies. And that weakness, so small that most ponies won't even be aware of it, is exactly what I need to begin the next phase of my plan."

Seeing the horror on Celestia's face, Wishing Star couldn't help but grin. "Imagine what will become of Equestria if the rest of my plan succeeds!" she cried as she stepped back down onto all fours. "I'll make sure to tell you all about it as the months go on."

The mare turned and trotted back to the stairs. Just before she slipped back through the trapdoor to the house up above, she turned to face her prisoner one final time.

"You must be terribly bored down here, with nothing to do but contemplate what's to come," she observed. "But never fear, Celestia, your wait is almost over. Somepony else will be joining you here very, very soon..."

With a cackle, Wishing Star slammed the trapdoor behind her, plunging the cellar into total darkness once again.

Chapter 9

As Clarity had promised, nothing suddenly changed about Dinky's life. Her friends' treatment of her was no different, events at school proceeded as usual, and the darkness swirling inside her remained firmly under her control. Still, she welcomed any distraction, keeping busy to keep her mind off the worrying lack of any sign of a heart within her.

Thus, she was quite excited when one particular May morning she'd been waiting for all year finally arrived.

Dinky's eyes fluttered open as she felt the warmth of morning sunlight on her face. She grinned.

"Guess what today is, girls," she called out to her roommates. "A certain somepony is finally eighteen!"

There was no reply. Dinky glanced to the bed across the room, which was vacant, but neatly made as usual. Honeydew was clearly already awake and somewhere else in the tower or castle, which was pretty typical for her.

Dinky rolled onto her back and knocked on the underside of the bunk above her. "Oi, Clarity, wake up!" she said loudly.

Still silence. Dinky frowned and lit her horn, teleporting to the center of the room so she could look up at the top bunk. The sheets were thrown casually to one side, but Clarity herself was absent.

"Hmph," the filly snorted, skulking out of the room. "No time to even say happy birthday, huh?"

Dinky emerged into the tower lobby. The room was totally empty, which was definitely strange; on most weekdays, it should've been full of fillies preparing for the day's classes. Her ears stood up as she caught the sound of faint voices from the stairwell. Two fillies in their third term hurried down the steps, with Clarity trailing close behind them.

"Head to the castle, please," Clarity instructed. "I need to check if anypony is still here, and then I'll be along."

"Got it!" one of the fillies replied as the both of them turned tail and hurried out of the tower. Clarity caught sight of Dinky as they made their exit.

"Is something going on?" Dinky asked, flattening one ear and looking at Clarity quizzically.

"The Overseers were informed to get everypony to the castle as soon as possible," Clarity said simply. "I didn't want to wake you until everypony else was out, but I see I won't have to."

Dinky sighed. "As assembly? What's going on this time?"

Clarity frowned. "They didn't say, but... well, it's not a secret," she admitted. "The rumors have already gotten around the whole campus, just in the last hour or so."

"What rumors?" asked Dinky impatiently.

The Overseer bit her lip. "Dinky, somehow, it happened again..." she mumbled, her voice heavy with worry. "News from the Crystal Empire is spreading throughout Equestria as we speak."

Dinky made the connection almost immediately. "The Crystal Empire? Don't tell me..."

Clarity nodded gravely. "Now Princess Cadance has vanished too."

Princess Luna always had a tendency to be the most serious of Equestria's princesses, but her mannerisms today took her usual reputation to a whole new level. She stood upon the stage with a stony expression as she addressed the student body. Joining her were Dean Script, Counselor Wishing Star, and this time, one additional pony: Dinky's old tutor, Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Students, it would be wrong of me to downplay the seriousness of this situation," Luna admitted, scanning the crowd before her gravely. "While we have worked tirelessly for the past month to determine the whereabouts of Celestia, there were many possibilities that could have explained her disappearance, and we didn't want to assume the worst. But now that a second princess is gone without a trace, the possibility of foul play has become much more likely. We have no choice but to believe that somepony is kidnapping Equestria's princesses."

A murmur coursed through the crowd. Dinky exchanged a shocked glance with her friends.

"Now, the important thing here is not to panic," Spiral Script called. "All of you are smart enough to know that, yes, alicorns are very powerful, and so whoever or whatever has managed to capture both Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance must have access to fearsome magic indeed. But that does not mean that the other races of ponies stand no chance. We already have a plan in place to begin combating this unknown threat, so please hear us out."

"First of all, the Crystal Empire will manage for now, even without their princess," Twilight said. "My brother, Prince Shining Armor, is still there, as is Flurry Heart. The Crystal Heart, the artifact that sustains the Empire, is also untouched. Shining Armor didn't witness Cadance's disappearance, and I know he's very upset, but he's also an experienced leader; I know he will be strong for her. He will look after matters in the Crystal Empire until Cadance can be located."

Dinky could tell that Twilight was doing her best to remain professional, but her face and body language betrayed her concern much more than Luna's stoic disposition did.

"Second, now that we are almost certain there is a threat, we know to be on our guard," Luna continued. "Given the silent nature of these disappearances, we suspect treachery. And it's not a stretch to assume that our villain's next targets are Princess Twilight and myself. Both of us will be under increased guard; if a treasonous pony is indeed responsible for these kidnappings, it would be unwise to allow that pony an opportunity to catch either of us alone."

"Places that our missing princesses were frequently found will also be under increased security," Spiral Script added. "This includes much of Canterlot, Ponyville, and the Crystal Empire. Our academy, Celestia's pride and joy, is also considered a high risk area, so please prepare yourselves for the presence of additional guards, and stricter enforcement of all school regulations. You are all Celestia's students, and your safety would have been her top priority, so it shall be ours too."

"And if you're anxious about anything, anything at all, please come and see me," Wishing Star chimed in, giving the students a compassionate smile. "I understand that an escalating national crisis will put everypony under a lot of stress. I know one thing for sure, though; all our princesses, both the ones with us today and the ones that are absent, want the same thing for all of you: a comfortable, positive place to learn and grow into the brilliant mages I know you're all going to be someday."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Dean Script said with a small smile. "While our remaining princesses look after Equestria, rest assured that all our staff, including Counselor Wishing Star and myself, will be here to look after all of you. Now please, try not to fear for Cadance or Celestia; just do as you know they would want, and continue your study. Our Overseers will now lead you back to the towers, where you can prepare for the day's classes."

Clarity's ears perked up at the dean's orders. Following the usual procedure, she teleported to the typical gathering point and waited as all the female students gathered around her. Dinky pushed through to the front of the crowd to talk to her friend.

"Yeesh," the purple filly groaned. "Do you really think somepony's kidnapping the princesses?"

Clarity dropped her voice low enough that none of the other fillies crowded around could hear. "I mean, we've met at least one pony powerful enough to do that..." she reminded her. "Fortunately, we sealed her back in the stars, but I shudder to think what would happen if another pony with that much power is loose in Equestria."

"What if it's another... you know..." Dinky whispered, not daring to use the word 'wraith' with other students so close. "Maybe my research with Professor Surge is gonna become important sooner than I thought..."

Clarity sighed. "For all our sakes, I sure hope that's not what's happening," she mumbled. "Sorry, Dinky, I guess this whole thing's gonna put a pretty big damper on your birthday, huh?"

"Aw, you remembered!" Dinky cooed. "Even in spite of all this!"

Clarity chuckled. "C'mon, Dinky, when have looming threats to the nation or impending, mortal danger ever made me forget about my best friend?" she teased.

Despite the events that were unfolding, that got a laugh out of Dinky. Grateful as always for friends that stuck with her no matter what, she followed Clarity back to the residence tower.

In the coming weeks, a pall of uneasiness loomed over all of Equestria. Everypony was on edge about the disappearance of a second princess, and with good reason; who or what could possibly have the strength and the cunning to quietly overpower and capture two alicorns?

But despite their worries, for most ponies, Ditzy and Dinky included, there was little to do but let the guard continue their investigation. Life went on without further incident as spring gave way to summer.

One evening, after a particularly rough failed shipping assignment, Ditzy was in need of a distraction. Fortunately, that distraction came in the form of a knock at her front door. She trotted to the foyer and pulled the door open, revealing a yellow and teal pegasus on the other side.

"Hey Ditzy," Raindrops greeted, giving her a small smile. "I wanted to talk to you. Do you mind if I come in for a minute?"

"Raindrops!" Ditzy gasped. "Yes, please, come in! Did you find out about—"

"Let's go inside and get comfortable first," Raindrops suggested rather loudly, cutting Ditzy off. "Then we can, um, talk."

Ditzy stepped aside and let the antsy pegasus enter her home. A few moments later, they were both seated in the parlor, though Raindrops looked only marginally less nervous. Ditzy had a sneaking suspicion she knew why, but she didn't press the issue; the last thing she wanted was to make Raindrops chicken out.

"Can I get you anything, Raindrops?" she asked. "You're looking a little frazzled. Maybe you'd like some tea?"

Raindrops took a deep breath and tried to appear calm. "Yeah, tea would be nice, Ditzy. Thanks."

In the usual flurry of legendary hospitality, Ditzy soon placed a cup of tea and a remaining muffin from breakfast in front of Raindrops. The yellow pegasus hooked the handle on the tip of one of her wings and took a small sip.

"Sorry I'm so jumpy," she said abruptly. "Just look at me; I'm at the home of one of my oldest, dearest friends, and I'm acting like I'm about to be interrogated or something. I guess I just... gotta be careful that I don't let the familiar atmosphere lead me to say anything I'm not supposed to say."

Ditzy kept her thoughts to herself as she sipped her tea. Is Raindrops here to help me with Sparkler's plight? Or to tell me she's decided not to?

A few moments of silence followed. Raindrops stared into her tea, her brow furrowed in an expression of deep thought.

"So Ditzy," she said finally, "I've been branching out at work lately: accepting delivery routes to far-flung part of Equestria, instead of just the towns within a few hours flight. It's been a lot of work, but I've gotten to see a lot of cute little corners of Equestria I've never seen before."

"Really?" Ditzy asked, genuinely a little curious. "I was never able to handle anything besides the local routes. My sense of direction is too poor, given my vision and all."

Raindrops nodded. "Well, one of my favorite parts about it is getting to meet ponies who live way out there. They're ponies I'd probably never cross paths with in my life if I wasn't a mailmare. For instance, this week I got to fly way up north, just a couple degrees shy of the Crystal Empire, to deliver a few letters and packages to the town of Trottowa."

Ditzy gave a low whistle. "I've never been there," she confessed. "Was it nice?"

"It was lovely," Raindrops assured her. "Even though I wasn't the usual mailmare for those ponies, they were still eager to thank me for their deliveries."

She paused, her blue eyes flicking nervously away from Ditzy's gaze. "One pony in particular seemed very friendly," she continued, in a slower, somewhat softer voice. "I was making a delivery to a home on Steeplechase Court when I met a pleasant black and white unicorn stallion, a few years older than Dinky, I guess. He seemed to be quite accomplished with magic, too, if the complexity of the scholarly-looking magic tome I delivered to him was any indication."

"A... a black and white stallion, huh?" Ditzy asked, her eyes wide. Raindrops chanced a glance at her again, and smiled sheepishly.

"Of course, it'd be against company code to tell you the name or address of anypony in particular..." she pointed out, "but an anecdote about an incidental pony I happened to encounter while out on a delivery route is certainly not either of those things. You know, just in case anypony asks."

Ditzy chuckled. "That's right," she said with a wink. "This is just two mares casually talking about work. Nothing wrong with that."

Raindrops smiled as she finished her tea. "Well, I'd really better be going, Ditzy," she admitted. "Good luck with, erm, everything you have going on right now. I'll see you soon, okay?"

Ditzy put a hoof on Raindrops' shoulder as she turned to go. "You know," she said softly, "there's a young mare that's really going to appreciate your help."

Raindrops paused, looking at Ditzy pleadingly. "I'm happy for her, but... make sure that help remains anonymous, okay?" she asked weakly.

"I promise."

Just moments later, Ditzy waved goodbye as her old friend took to the air. Smiling, she returned to the house and immediately went to grab her saddlebags.

Looks like it's time to pay Sparkler a visit...

A single purple eye peered out from between the blinds that covered the window of the small apartment. "What do you want?" came Sparkler's muffled voice.

Ditzy, determined never to be put off by the young mare's bluntness, smiled back at her. "I just want to talk to you for a minute, Sparkler."

"You're here to encourage me again, like you were last week, aren't you?" Sparkler grumbled. "Hate to tell you this, Mrs. Doo, but kind words aren't a lot of help for a pony in my situation."

Ditzy shook her head casually. "Nope," she replied. "I just figured I'd drop by and let you know I've found Presto."

The door to the apartment was yanked open by magic so quickly that for a moment Ditzy feared it would be torn from its hinges. An instant later, a purple aura surrounded her, and she found herself quickly dragged inside. The door slammed behind her, and she blinked a few times to adjust to the lower light. Sparkler kept all the shades drawn for maximum privacy; she was, after all, sort of in hiding, successfully evading her mother for the last four months. Unfortunately, this meant the apartment was rather dim, even in the middle of the afternoon.

"Follow me," Sparkler commanded, not even looking back as she led the way to the next room.

Ditzy made an attempt to focus her vision somewhat and followed the young mare to the apartment's small sitting room. It only took a moment to realize that Sparkler had made absolutely no attempt to decorate. All the walls were bare white, without so much as a poster to break up the blank expanse. The shelves held no trinkets, or even any photos. The only thing in the room besides a couch and a single armchair was a small bookshelf, neatly stocked with about half a dozen tomes pertaining to magic. Ditzy bit her lip and quietly made her way to the vacant couch. Sparkler sank into the armchair across from her.

"So..." the unicorn began, her violet eyes fixed on her guest.

Ditzy waited. Sparkler did not continue. "So...?" she prompted.

"So talk," Sparkler said, frowning. "This was your little project, wasn't it, Mrs. Doo? What happens now?"

Ditzy sighed. "I... I figured you'd be, you know, more excited," she admitted. "Haven't you been hoping to see this pony again for almost four years?"

"I save the excitement for when I get results," Sparkler grumbled. "So you found Presto. That doesn't mean he's going to want to see me again. Even if he does, there may not be a connection anymore after so long. Excitement is pointless when there's still so many ways this could go wrong."

"But there's also so many ways it could go right!" Ditzy insisted. "In those memories you showed me, Presto's attempts to reach out to you never wavered. He could be thrilled to see you again the moment you turn up in front of him."

Sparkler's frown deepened, and she looked away. "I don't... like to think about things like that," she mumbled. "It'll just make it hurt more if it turns out it doesn't happen that way."

"Well, you won't know the truth until you try, Sparkler..."

"I know," Sparkler deadpanned. "So let me repeat my question. What happens now?"

"Well, um, I've managed to determine Presto is living in Trottowa, in a home on Steeplechase Court," Ditzy explained.

Sparkler's ears flattened against her head. "That far?" she breathed. "I suppose, in a way, that makes me glad I had somepony look into this. There's no way I ever would've encountered him just by chance if he lives all the way up there."

"Well, now you can!" Ditzy sad cheerfully. "It'll take a while, but the train system will take you all the way to Trottowa. You can go pretty much whenever you're ready. Even tomorrow, if you want."

Sparkler raised an eyebrow. "You're not coming with me?"

"Did... you want me to?" Ditzy asked. "I thought you would've sought Presto out long ago if you knew where to find him. I figured once you knew his location, you'd be on your way."

Sparkler scowled. "You know what would happen if I did that?" she asked bitterly. "A bitter, aloof mare would show up on Presto's doorstep. He'd see the same pony he knew during our last year at the Academy. And things would go the same way they did a few years ago, because I can't... I don't..."

She fell silent. Ditzy finished the thought for her.

"You don't know how to communicate that, somewhere inside, there's a pony longing for his friendship?"

Sparkler turned away, leaving Ditzy to watch her tail flicking in agitation. "Mrs. Doo," she said softly, "you work for a matchmaking company, don't you? I'm no expert, but I think there's more to matchmaking than dropping your client off at the address of the pony they're interested in. If I go to meet Presto alone, it will be a waste of time. But... if I go with somepony who can help me figure out what to say... what to do..."

Though she was still facing away, Ditzy could see her whole body quiver. She rose from the couch and trotted to the despondent filly's side.

"Sparkler..."

"I know you hardly know me," said Sparkler suddenly. "I never expected to find myself turning to you in the first place... but I have nopony else. Dinky showed me that bonds with other ponies are worth pursuing, and I want to try, but I..."

She paused, visibly fighting with herself for a moment. "For years I've tried to handle every situation alone," she continued. "But this time, I... I need help. I'm willing to place my trust in another pony for the first time in I don't know how long. I know Trottowa is really far but... please, Mrs. Doo, can you help me?"

Ditzy reached up and softly rubbed Sparkler's back with a forehoof. Sparkler tensed, but didn't force her away.

"I'll find a way," Ditzy promised. "It's much further than I go for most of my shipping assignments, but who am I to turn down a pony asking for my help with something like this? Dr. Candyfloss would've sent me in a heartbeat, and though he may be gone, I won't stop doing my job the way he would've wanted."

Sparkler turned her head enough that Ditzy could see one wary eye staring back at her. "S-so you'll go?"

"Soon," Ditzy assured her. "I just need to work out the timing with my job. The number of assignments has been gradually declining, and shipping has been getting a little more challenging. I'm sure the citizens are just on edge, given the disappearance of two princesses. The point, though, is that it's important to have all of us around when possible so we can select the right pony for each job, and that makes an unplanned trip to a far off city tough to schedule."

"That's fine," Sparkler replied. "I've already been away from Presto for years. A few more weeks won't change anything now."

She didn't say anything else. Ditzy shifted her weight awkwardly. "So... I should come back here and find you when it's time?" she ventured.

"Yes."

Silence again. Deciding Sparkler needed some space, Ditzy turned and began to make her way out of the apartment.

"Mrs. Doo."

Ditzy stopped and turned her head. Sparkler was no longer visible, the view of her totally blocked by the back of the armchair. "Yes?" the mare questioned.

"Um... thank you. For everything you've done, and will do."

Ditzy beamed. "You're welcome, Sparkler," she called back, "and don't worry, we'll be on our way to Trottowa in no time!"

"I give, I give! No more!"

Dinky froze mid-spell and waited. Across from her was a bright red-orange filly with a mane colored in a whole host of flowery shades of pink and yellow, who looked utterly frazzled. Shaking, the other unicorn hurriedly turned to the scoreboard and wasted no time casting a spell to signal a forfeit. As the buzzer sounded, she promptly flopped down on the stone floor, panting hard.

"That does it, everypony!" Professor Surge cried over the cheers of the gathered crowd. "We have a winner! Dinky Doo has overcome Hibiscus, and therefore becomes the last of the ponies advancing to the tournament's semifinal round!"

Beaming, Dinky returned to the stands amid a chorus of cheers. She sat down next to Clarity, who gave her a congratulatory pat on the back, before the professor continued.

"Now, before you all go, let's talk about what comes next," Surge said. "We've completed two rounds of the battle magic tournament, which means the original sixteen ponies have decreased to just four of our most talented battlemages. We're only about halfway through the term, so there will be a bit of a break in the tournament to give our remaining competitors time to hone their skills and prepare their strategies. The semifinal matches will be held in late August and early September, just after you all return from midsummer holiday."

August, Dinky thought. That gives me more than a month to prepare for the next duel.

"Now, four remaining competitors means only two semifinal match-ups," the professor continued. "As the tournament reaches its final stages, it tends to draw more and more curious ponies to watch what are usually the most dramatic and exciting duels of the year. And this year's duels are sure to be some of the best we've seen in a while, considering the semifinalists!"

He gestured to the scoreboard. Twelve of the sixteen faces that had once been displayed on it were gone. Now, just four remained.

"In the left bracket, it's Tango Trot vs. Seeker!" he announced, pausing to wait out another swell of cheers from the audience.

Dinky stared up at the scoreboard, watching the line between Tango and the filly named Seeker light up. She knew, of course, that this left only one pony who could be her next opponent.

"And in the right bracket... it's Dinky Doo vs. Scuffle!"

Dinky leaned forward a bit, looking to the end of the row of friends sitting next to her. On the other end of the group, Scuffle stared back at her. He smirked.

"We will continue with normal battle magic lessons in the coming weeks," Professor Surge reminded them. "Outside of class, our four remaining combatants will have plenty of time to develop a strategy to overcome their opponent, and select an appropriate enchantment or potion to bring with them. I hope you're all looking forward to some truly epic duels as the second half of the term commences!"

Surge dismissed the class. Dinky climbed down from the stands and Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle quickly gathered around her. Tango Trot gave the group a wave and his usual brilliant smile before trotting off to speak with the pony Dinky had just defeated.

"Wow, Dinky, you really didn't let up that time, huh?" Clarity remarked. "That duel only lasted about three minutes. Hibiscus never stood a chance."

"Well, she didn't put up quite as good a fight as you did," Dinky laughed. "I guess her first opponent must've been an easy one, but she wasn't quite prepared to deal with me."

"Of course, now there's going to be a duel between two close friends again..." Honeydew lamented. "Dinky vs. Clarity was stressful enough."

Scuffle patted Honeydew reassuringly before stepping forward to face Dinky. "Well Dinks, I think we both knew we might end up in a spot like this," he admitted. "Last time we dueled, we'd known each other less than a week, and barely knew any battle magic at all. That duel ended in a stalemate. I guess it's time to find out which of us really has the skills to take down the other, huh?"

He extended a forehoof. Dinky reached out and gave her friend a firm hoofshake and a determined grin.

"You're on, Scuffle," she challenged. "And don't get too cocky; you're gonna need to bring your best to beat me."

Fiery competitive spirit twinkled in Scuffle's slate blue eyes. "Oh, don't worry Dinks," he replied. "I play to win. We're pals now, and I'd rather face a rival than a true enemy... but on duel day, you're gonna get a taste of some real battle magic."

The prospect of another major duel was another welcome distraction to keep Dinky's mind off of things like missing princesses or the true nature of her wraith form.

"So, have you started thinking about what enchantment you're going to bring for your duel with Scuffle?" Clarity asked, as the two of them trotted to class.

"I've got about fifty ideas, but none of them are good enough," Dinky grumbled. "Scuffle's battle magic skills are just so well-rounded. There's an enchantment that would render those powerful shields of his almost useless, but he knows so many counterspells and defensive techniques that I'm sure he could do just fine without them. And while defense will always be his specialty, he's a lot better at offensive spells than he was when we were foals."

Clarity nodded solemnly. "When I dueled you, I kind of put all my eggs in one basket," she admitted. "As soon as you found a way to cancel all my illusions, the fight was over. Scuffle's not like that though; you can't exploit a weakness. You're going to have to overcome him with cleverness and pure skill."

"Well, Scuffle's got me outmatched as far as skill," Dinky confessed. "If I were to duel him right now, with no time to strategize, he'd kick my pastel purple rump clear across the arena in about a minute. If I want to overcome Scuffle, I need to anticipate all of his strategies, and have a plan to deal with each and every one."

"That's why the enchantment you bring is so important!" Clarity declared. "If you can just find a common theme in a lot of Scuffle's techniques, maybe you can negate a whole bunch of them with a single spell. You just have to find the right one."

"Ooh, now is that talk of dueling I hear?"

With a resonating strum and an echoing clatter, Tango Trot appeared from behind the two fillies. "By the way Dinky, my most sincere congratulations on your latest victory," he praised. "It's such a comfort to know that, should I win my semifinal match, I'll be facing off in the finals with one of my dear friends Dinky and Scuffle."

"Thanks, Tango," Dinky replied, giving him a halfhearted smile.

Dinky didn't quite know what to think of Tango Trot these days. His politeness never wavered, but his intent to woo Honeydew was no longer any secret to anypony save for Honeydew herself, of course. A part of her felt a sort of dull, vicarious anger for Scuffle's situation, but another part agreed with Clarity's view; Scuffle had never made any attempt to make Honeydew aware of his feelings, so who was she to say that Tango Trot couldn't try his hoof at gaining the timid filly's affection? Tango, it seemed, was either unaware of her conflicted opinion, or simply didn't care.

"So, ready for Runic Syllabary?" the blue colt asked. "I've overheard Dean Script has something special for us today."

"Really?" Clarity asked. "Runic Syllabary's not awful, but the class can be a little dry. I guess we'll see if the dean's lesson plan changes that today."

The trio of students filed into the classroom. Dean Script was at her desk, looking over the concealed contents of a small crate in front of her. After a few moments, she stood and strode to the front of the class, the mystery box clutched in her aura.

"Good morning, students," she greeted. "Today, we're finally going to take another step forward in our use of runes for spell enhancement. Until now, much of our coursework has been on the theory of the subject; we've learned what different types of runes are used for, and practiced writing them as neatly as possible for maximum effect. But as you all know, the way to give a rune the maximum effect is not to draw it onto the exterior of an enchanted object, but to actually engrave it into the surface. This is sometimes quite difficult, but that's what these are for."

A cloud of small, identical tools rose from the crate, suspended in the dean's golden aura. They made their way through the air and came to rest on the desk of each student. Dinky examined the implement; it was a very small, finely bladed chisel of some sort, with a handle reinforced with tough rubber and several symbols carved into the metal.

"These are no ordinary crafter's tools," Spiral Script continued, watching the students scrutinize the objects before them. "They are, in fact, highly specialized runecrafter's chisels, meant specifically for carving intricate lines into small, delicate objects."

Clarity squinted hard at the tiny lines in the metal. "Dean Script, are there... are there runes carved into these rune carving tools?" she asked with a bit of a chuckle.

"There are," Spiral Script replied, cracking a rare smile. "The runecrafter's chisels are both enchanted and refined with runes themselves. The spell they are imbued with makes them incredibly steady; they actually automatically correct for minor error, so a single slip of the hoof... or rather, horn, won't ruin an engraving. With enough attention and care, even a pony with relatively poor skills in magically manipulating small objects should still be able to engrave nearly perfect lines into something with one of these."

"Goodness, I've seen these in a shop in Canterlot," Tango Trot realized aloud. "They're of such quality that they're nearly three-hundred bits apiece. Acquiring enough for the class to use must've cost a fortune."

"Oh, not at all," Spiral Script replied casually. "I invented them. The prices you've seen on them are merely because making them is time consuming, and I'm the only pony who makes them."

There were murmurs of awe throughout the class. Dinky reminded herself never to take Celestia's Academy for granted; she truly was in the presence of the nation's most talented unicorn mages on a daily basis.

"Speaking of which," the dean continued, "while runecrafter's chisels are a popular item in certain Canterlot magic shops, I did originally design them with academy students in mind. It takes me a few weeks, but I make a new batch of them for my Runic Syllabary students each year. Those are now yours to keep, but if you lose them, don't expect a free replacement."

"Wait, you're just giving these to us?" Dinky gasped.

"You are currently the academy's top students," Spiral Script replied simply. "I expect top quality work from all of you, and for that, you need top quality tools. It wouldn't be fair of me to give wealthier ponies an advantage, would it? With all of you on an even playing field, the best and most brilliant will be the ones whose abilities shine through."

The professor lit her horn and pulled open the doors of an enormous cupboard on the side of the room. Flat, square sheets of polished copper sat inside.

"Now that you have your engraving tools, it's time to practice using them," she announced. "The metal here is just for practice. Use it to get started; your first few engravings will probably be a bit of a mess, but most students improve quickly once they get used to handling the tool. Once you're confident in your ability, feel free to use your chisel to add runes to personal items. I know more than half of you regularly wear enchanted jewelry, and you're probably eager to enhance it with runes. Either way, just practice for today; I need you all to be familiar with the engraving by next week's class. Most of our coursework for the remainder of the term will involve it."

With that, the dean returned to her desk and left the class to practice. Dinky examined her chisel with admiration.

"Dinky, you've got to try this!" Clarity urged, already cutting the first few lines into the soft metal. "The dean's come up with something really special here. It's hard to explain, though. Engrave a rune and you'll see."

Dinky picked up the tool with her aura and decided to start with a simple rune made of a pair of interlocking triangles meant to restrict the flow of magic at a specific point in an object. She made an attempt to carve a single, straight line, and immediately understood what Clarity meant.

The enchantment in the tool seemed to work like an extension of her magic, interacting with and changing the levitation spell coming from her horn. Under her own power, she realized, the line she was carving would've slanted a bit to the left, but the chisel countered this with an equal amount of rightward slant, resulting in the perfectly straight, vertical line she had intended to draw. She glanced at Clarity, grinning.

"Bravo, Dinky," Tango complimented. "It seems the most important factor in using these tools is a focus on your goal. If you've visualized a straight line or a precise angle, the chisel favors the result in your mind over the actual motion caused by your magic. As long as that visualization doesn't waver during engraving, you should end up with exactly that which you set out to carve."

Dinky shook her head softly. "I swear, I've been here almost five years and every now and then I'm still blown away by what experts can do with magic," she admitted.

"Now let's put these things to use!" Clarity suggested, pulling the barrette free from her mane and ignoring the resulting bright blue curls falling in front of her left eye. "I've had this enchanted barrette since our first term. Maybe I can upgrade the spell in it with an engraving."

"What kind of alteration would you even make to that spell?" Dinky asked. "All it does it let you locate Honeydew and me at any time."

Clarity frowned. "Uh..."

"I have a suggestion," Tango chimed in. "The pony compass charm normally functions entirely with mental cues, doesn't it? It tells you where to find a pony, but if you're lost or disoriented, like in total darkness for example, you may not be able to get yourself to that location. I'd imagine there must be a rune that will allow you to add an additional visual cue to the spell."

"Worth a try," Clarity admitted as she began to page through the index in her textbook. "Let's see, I'd need a rune with narrow spaces between the lines to funnel the magic to the outside of the gem, and something to direct the loose light..."

After a quarter-hour of research and several practice carvings in her copper sheet, Clarity carefully etched a tiny rune into the topaz embedded in her barrette. She clipped it back into her mane while Dinky and Tango watched with interest.

"Okay," she mumbled, "now, let's try and locate Dinky..."

Immediately, the jewel began to glow, and a small, bright cone of red light extended from its surface, its tip pointing directly to Dinky's head. "Looks like it works!" she laughed.

"What about you?" Clarity asked as the light faded. "Are you going to add any runes to your pendant?"

Dinky shrugged and softly stroked the diamond around her neck, feeling its glow a few moments later as Pipsqueak responded to her thoughts of him. "You know how these dual enchantments work," she reminded her friend. "I shouldn't make any modifications to mine unless Pip is here so I can make an identical change to his, so maybe someday, but not now. On the other hoof, this chisel might be just what I need to prepare the perfect enchantment to beat Scuffle in that duel..."

Filled with new motivation, Dinky began poring over the rune index, searching for just the right combination of enchantment and rune to turn the tide.

Around the start of summer, sunset was later in the evening, and that meant curfew was a little later too. After the day's classes were over, Dinky wandered outside as she and Clarity updated Scuffle on the events of Runic Syllabary that morning.

"So this little thing is that big of a deal, huh?" Scuffle asked, turning Dinky's runecrafter's chisel over and over in his aura. "I mean, if you say so, Dinks."

"It is a big deal," Dinky insisted. "By the time our duel arrives, I'll have come up with an enchantment so powerful, even you won't be able to stop me."

"Right, Dinks. Keep dreamin'," Scuffle said idly as he tossed the tool back into Dinky's bags. "You know, maybe we should tell Dewey about the rune engraving stuff, though. She might find it useful."

"Honeydew's never been really into enchantments," Clarity pointed out. "There isn't much overlap with magical biology. And without enchantments, runes are kind of moot."

Scuffle smirked. "Man, Clarity, you're usually the smart one," he teased. "I think you're forgetting something. Honeydew wears an enchanted tail ring that increases her ability to magically communicate with the life around her. She's also spent half the term trying to develop a new spell that requires a huge amount of power. And you don't think she'd want to use runes to add power to that enchantment?"

"Ooh, he's got you there, Clarity," Dinky snickered.

Clarity huffed and flicked her tail. "Fine, you have a point," she conceded. "Where's Honeydew now?"

"Where do you think?" Scuffle asked. "That filly's more at home in nature than she is in her dorm. If there's still daylight, she's probably studying at the hideout."

The three students made for the forest. Dinky watched Scuffle out of the corner of her eye; the colt had a determined look on his face, and she had a pretty good idea why.

"So, Scuffle..." she chanced, breaking the brief silence, "...made any progress with Honeydew?"

"Tryin' my best," Scuffle grunted. "We're both free around the middle of the day three days a week, so I've been meeting up with her for lunch a lot. Once classes are over though, she gets to work on that Lifesense stuff, and then that poser Tango swoops in the second I look away. I bet that colt spends all his free time scheming, figuring out my schedule and Honeydew's so he can maximize his chances to spend time with her."

Clarity rolled her eyes. "Scuffle, Tango Trot is not scheming anything," she insisted, tossing her mane in exasperation. "He just likes Honeydew, and he has every right to. If you're not gonna ask her out because you're worried that she likes him more than you, that's your business."

Scuffle snorted. "What do you think, Dinks?" he asked. "You got an opinion on pretty boy too?"

Dinky sighed. "I just wish I knew for sure if Tango is really as nice as he seems, or if he's putting on a front to make sure Clarity and I stay neutral on the whole thing," she admitted. "I want to see you succeed, Scuffle, because I know you've felt like this about Honeydew for a long time, but if Tango really is just a charismatic young stallion who happens to like the same filly you do... then I guess I'm with Clarity on this one."

Scuffle kicked a stone. "Whatever," he mumbled. "When I prove to Dewey that I'm the better pick, it won't matter anyway."

"Well, one advantage Tango has is his knowledge of Magical Biology," Dinky pointed out. "Even if we ignore this whole competition for her attention, he's the one who knows enough about the subject to help with her research. If you convince her to engrave her tail ring, though, that'll be some points in your favor."

"Oh," Scuffle realized. "Yeah, I guess that'll be good, won't it?"

Clarity raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't your motivation for this in the first place?"

Scuffle's expression softened. "I wanted to help Honeydew because I want her to succeed," he replied. "I want to beat Tango, sure, but that's between me and him. But if giving Honeydew a tip for her spellweaving wins me some brownie points too, I'm not complaining."

The trio arrived at the hideout, and Dinky coaxed the roots over the passage open. With a smile, Scuffle slid down the tunnel.

"Hey Dewey, you here? I wanted to—"

He stopped, and as Dinky arrived in the small cave beside him, it was easy to see why.

Honeydew was lying comfortably on her beanbag, her tail ring clutched in her aura and the typical intricate braid of her tail messy and half-unwound. Sitting right beside her was Tango Trot, who appeared to have been interrupted by Scuffle's arrival.

"Ah, it seems that premonition that struck me a few minutes ago was referring to our friends," he said to Honeydew. "I suppose 'two's company, five's a crowd' is a bit of a deviation from the more typical version of the phrase, but in this case it seems it's accurate."

"Hi Scuffle!" Honeydew greeted, cheerfully waving a forehoof. "Good news! Tango Trot pointed out that we might be able to engrave runes in my enchanted ring. If we can find the right one, it might be a big step toward making my spell work better!"

"Ah, it was nothing, Honeydew my dear," Tango dismissed. "I'm sure Dinky and Clarity would've been quick to suggest something similar, after what we learned in Runic Syllabary this morning."

"That's... great," Scuffle mumbled, slowly trotting over and seating himself at Honeydew's opposite side. "Did you come up with anything?"

"I've posed several ideas," Tango Trot answered, flashing a grin in Scuffle's direction as the other colt sat. "Each modifies the spell in a different way, but there's only room to engrave one on the surface of the sapphire. Do any of them tickle your fancy, Honeydew?"

Honeydew turned the ring over in her aura a few times. "I... need to think about it," she said finally. "This ring is one of the reasons my life connection spells are as powerful as they are. If I can only enhance it once, I need to be a hundred percent certain that I pick the right rune."

"There's about a hundred books in the castle library on the subject," Clarity pointed out. "Wanna go take a look?"

"Yes please!" Honeydew chirped, standing up and hastily tying her tail back into its braid. "And Tango, thanks so much for all your help again."

"Anytime, Honeydew, anytime," Tango said, his mirthful gaze flicking briefly to Scuffle as Honeydew gave him an appreciative nuzzle. "Do keep me in the loop as soon as you make progress."

"I will," Honeydew promised as she and Clarity made for the exit. "And Dinky, Scuffle, see you back at the towers tonight."

She galloped eagerly up the tunnel, causing Clarity to have to hurry to follow. This left Dinky, Scuffle, and Tango alone in the hideout.

"So Dinky, Scuffle, how lovely to see you both," Tango said once the other fillies were gone. "As you can see, our dear Honeydew's research is slow going, but perhaps she's close to another breakthrough.

Scuffle glared. "Great," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm sure she just loves having her little assistant around to 'inspire' her."

"Oh, I imagine she's quite happy to have the help," Tango affirmed, ignoring Scuffle's tone of voice entirely. "It seems I've really found the right subject to break down her social barriers; now that we're together so frequently, I'm beginning to learn a bit about her other interests, too. In no time, we'll be the best of friends, and from there..."

He paused, chuckling to himself. "Well, from there, I'm sure it won't be too terribly hard to convince her to take the next logical step. The poor thing, she still struggles with her anxiety and seems a bit starved for affection; I think she'll take quite nicely to the idea of a coltfriend to be there for her."

Dinky had to admit, she didn't expect Scuffle to hold his tongue in the face of Tango's self-satisfied grin. He managed to keep his reply to no more than a grunt of vague agreement, though he looked like he was about to explode.

"Tango Trot, are you, uh... you know, really sure that you're a good fit for Honeydew?" Dinky questioned, slowly moving between the two colts to defuse the tension a bit.

"Whyever wouldn't I be?" Tango asked, pressing a forehoof to his chest. "These past four months, we've seemed quite compatible. And clearly Honeydew chooses only the very best of ponies to be her close friends, seeing as she's spent a few years alongside you two and our cherished mutual friend Clarity. Since I'm already so well acquainted with all of her friends now, I'm sure that would make the transition to a relationship situation even easier."

"I see," Dinky replied, unable to think of anything more to say without showing support for one side or the other.

"Now, as much as I enjoy both your company," the colt continued, "I'm afraid it is beginning to grow late. I'm heading back to the towers, and I suggest you two do the same soon. Wouldn't want to miss curfew now, would you?"

He ran a hoof briefly through his expertly-groomed mane and flashed both of them a smile that caught the light of the hideout's illumination orbs, and then disappeared in a flash of icy blue light. Silence ensued, and Dinky turned to Scuffle, who was staring rather intently at the dead air where the other colt had been a moment before.

"Holy Celestia on a cracker, Dinks," he growled, "I figured my brothers would always be number one when it comes to pissing me off, but this guy..."

Dinky frowned. "I don't mind the excessively welcoming attitude most of the time," she confessed, "but yeah, when he won't break character even when you clearly resent it, it's, uh..."

"Really, really smug," Scuffle finished. "Being smart, engaging, and attractive is one thing, but he knows it, and he sure isn't ashamed to remind everypony else. In his eyes, dating Honeydew's already a foregone conclusion."

He looked at the dirt floor, stewing in his frustration. Dinky placed a hoof on his side.

"So prove him wrong."

Scuffle looked up. "Huh?"

"You heard me," Dinky replied. "Clarity and I still think you should just tell Honeydew how you feel, preferably as soon as possible, but if you wanna put Tango in his place, then do it. Show him he's full of hot air. Just make sure you do it fair and square; trying to undermine him just shows that you already feel like you can't win on your own merit, which only serves to prove him right."

"I was never planning to sabotage anypony," Scuffle assured her. "If Tango wants to play this game, fine. I'll play by the rules he's set... and I'm gonna beat him at his own game."

Later that night, Dinky arrived back at her dorm. Clarity and Honeydew were already back from the library; the latter was paging through one of half a dozen books stacked on her bed, and scribbling tiny runes into her notes every now and then.

"Hey Dinky," Clarity greeted. "Did Scuffle head back to the colts' tower?"

"I think so," Dinky replied. "He's, uh... a little stressed out. I think he probably needs a night in to clear his head."

Honeydew looked up. "I hope he's okay," she worried, clutching at the end of her tail anxiously. "He did seem a little off at the hideout earlier. I'll go find him at breakfast time tomorrow in case he needs somepony to talk to."

"He'll appreciate that, Honeydew," Dinky said, nodding. "But as for tonight, I think I'm ready to just relax. It's been a busy day."

Just as she was settling into her bunk with a book, there was a tiny knock at the door of the suite. Without getting back up, she tugged it open with a touch of magic, revealing a little pinto pony standing on the other side.

"Oh, hey Inkwell," Clarity greeted. "Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," the younger filly replied quickly. "I just... well, I saw you and Honeydew come back from the castle with a bunch of books about runes, and I got curious. But if this is a bad time, I can ask about them later."

Clarity chuckled. "Well, Honeydew's using those books for her research right now, so maybe later, okay?"

"Sorry," Honeydew apologized, smiling shyly.

"Oh, that's okay," Inkwell assured her. "Today in Professor Luster's class, we got to make enchanted items of our own. Professor Luster doesn't teach about runes though, so I just wanted to see if Clarity could maybe help me add one."

"Oh, we don't need the complex books Honeydew's working with for something like that!" Clarity laughed. "Come here, let's see what we're working with. Dinky, you too, if you don't mind."

Before Inkwell could move, Clarity lit her horn and teleported both her and Dinky up onto the top bunk. The younger filly, disoriented, gave her head a shake that made her braids swing haphazardly back and forth.

"Bleh... I'm not used to teleport spells yet," she remarked.

"They'll feel pretty natural in a couple years," Dinky promised. "Especially once you start casting them yourself instead of hitching a ride in Clarity's."

"But enough about teleport spells," Clarity cut in. "What did you enchant, Inkwell?"

Inkwell pulled a silver horn ring sporting a decent-sized ruby from her bag. "This!" she declared proudly. "It fits on the base of my horn."

"And what's the enchantment?" Dinky asked.

Inkwell faltered. "It's... uh..." she stammered. "You're... you're gonna think I'm really geeky when I tell you."

"Inkwell, we're students at a school for ponies who have not only the intelligence, but the focus and passion to be great mages," Clarity stated, ruffling the top of Inkwell's mane for a moment. "Being geeky is definitely a good thing here, trust me."

Inkwell giggled. "Well, I've been doing some light research on runes in my spare time like you suggested," she began, "but I've found a lot of old scrolls in the library where the text is smudgy or faded or just written with really hard to read hornwriting. So I put an enchantment on this ring that let's me look through a sort of filter and see the characters on the page clear as day."

To demonstrate, the filly placed the ring on her horn, with the gemstone facing downward toward her forehead. A pair of shimmering yellow-orange lenses flickered into view in front of her eyes as soon as she lit her horn, and she looked quite pleased with herself.

Dinky, always enthralled by a well-done enchantment, gave an impressed whistle. "I've never seen something like that," she admitted. "It's a clever spell. Maybe I should make something like that one of these days."

"It'd certainly help with reading Scuffle's writing..." Honeydew mumbled from across the room.

"I don't know what kind of additions to the spell a rune could make, though," Inkwell lamented. "I was hoping Clarity could help with that."

Clarity rubbed her temples, thinking. "Honeydew, can I borrow that copy of 'Classical Era Symbols', just for a second?" she asked finally.

The book floated up to Clarity's bunk in a pale green aura. She flipped through the pages briefly, and smiled.

"Inkwell, we won't know for sure until we try it, but I think we might have a really exciting combination here," she said, pointing to a particular rune on the page. "If we use a rune like this, we might be able to extend that ring's ability from just clarifying letters to translating entirely different scripts. If it works, foreign languages viewed through the enchantment's lenses will appear to be written in common Ponish!"

Inkwell's jaw dropped. "Let's do it!" she begged. "That would be so cool!"

Clarity withdrew her chisel. Working with incredible care, she joined her aura with Inkwell's and helped her slowly carve the rune into a wide, flat facet on the ruby. Inkwell took the ring back, staring at the symbol with awe. "How will we know if it works?" she asked. "I don't have anything with me written in another language."

Wordlessly, another book arrived in Honeydew's aura, but this one was definitely not a textbook on runes; rather, it was a colorful graphic novel, covered in Neighponese characters. Dinky blinked and glanced at Honeydew.

"Now I see why Scuffle described Neighponese comics with such detail a few weeks ago," she snickered.

"S-so what?" Honeydew asked, blushing. "You guys just said being geeky is a good thing. It's got foreign characters for you to translate, and that issue's perfectly appropriate for foals."

Clarity grinned mischievously. "So you're saying you have some that aren't appropriate for foals?"

Honeydew quickly cracked open the largest of her rune textbooks, holding it upright to shield her face from her friends' gaze. Clarity just chuckled as she placed the graphic novel in front of Inkwell. The younger filly lit her horn again, and the rune carved into the gem began to glow as the ethereal lenses once again appeared in front of her face.

"It... it works," she breathed, paging through the book. "I can read every word. Clarity, I... h-how did you figure that out?"

Clarity shrugged. "After you learn a lot of magic, you sort of start to get a sense of what you can and can't do with it, I guess," she explained. "The broader your knowledge, the easier it will be to come up with cross-discipline spell combinations. It just comes with experience, I guess."

Inkwell slowly removed the horn ring and placed it back among her belongings with something akin to reverence. "Was your Overseer as experienced as you are now when you were a foal?" she asked.

"My Overseer was... not always the friendliest pony," Clarity confessed. "But in spite of that, she's still one of the most brilliant unicorns I know. She saved my life, and Dinky's too. Twice, actually. If she wasn't so experienced with magic, I wouldn't be here talking to you."

Inkwell paled a bit. "I... I hope I can thank her for that someday then," she stammered. "But anyway, I guess she wasn't really the type of pony to answer fillies' questions about magic, huh?"

"Not really," Clarity chuckled. "But that's okay; my older sister Lucid graduated before I even started my first term. She was her class's valedictorian, so I was always able to ask her if I needed magical advice."

"Lucky," Inkwell said with a pout. "I have six older sisters and not even one of them can use magic. I know I can ask the professors questions, but it's more comfortable to just talk to another student. I hope you don't mind..."

"Not at all!" Clarity promised. "Inkwell, when I was your age, I was just as excited to learn about illusions as you are to learn about runes. I researched and practiced for years, and learned stuff way beyond what they taught in my classes, cause I just loved the subject. Working with another pony with that same kind of passion is just so uplifting."

"When I was a foal," Dinky chimed in, "I had a book with one particular phrase in it that really stuck with me. It said 'Magic is limited only by the strength of the mind and the passion of the heart'. It's easy to tell you're pretty bright, and there's no denying your enthusiasm, and as long as you have those two things, nothing's stopping you from becoming a master unicorn mage."

"So don't be afraid to seek advice from other ponies," Clarity added. "If anything, Inkwell, be as inquisitive as you can and don't let anything stop you from pursuing the magic you love. Keep at it, by the time you're my age you'll be using runes to elevate spells to levels that nopony's ever dreamed of!"

Inkwell sniffled softly and scooted closer to Clarity, leaning against her coat. "I hope so," she whispered. "But in about four more months, you'll be gone. After you graduate, can I still write to you about the magic I'm studying?"

"As often as you like," Clarity replied. "But for tonight, I think we've done plenty, and it's starting to get late. We're gonna turn in soon, but you should go upstairs and show Portabella your ring."

"She's gonna be soooo jealous," Inkwell giggled, hopping down from the bunk. "Oh, and thanks a million for helping me with my first engraving!"

She galloped away with her usual vigor. Dinky turned back to Clarity and smiled.

"I hope that filly grows up to be everything you say she can be," she remarked.

"She will," Clarity said, nodding slowly. "She's gonna do amazing things someday. I can just tell."

Dinky yawned and returned to the lower bunk with another teleport spell. "Well, you can keep inspiring the foals tomorrow," she chuckled. "For now, it's time for bed."

"Agreed," Honeydew said, speaking up for the first time in a while as she stacked all the textbooks beside her bed.

As Clarity drew the light out of the illumination orb, Dinky thought about Inkwell's magic.

Even younger fillies have something to contribute, she mused. I need to get more creative with my own enchantments. Time to start thinking outside the box...

Later that week, Advanced Enchantments class offered Dinky an opportunity to do exactly that.

"Something's up," Scuffle mumbled, angling his head toward Professor Luster. "She's making that face. She always makes that face when she's trying to keep something exciting under wraps."

"What's left that could surprise us at this point?" Honeydew asked. "We're halfway through our last term. By now, I figured we'd be familiar with most of the ways to use enchantments."

"Beats me," Dinky said, shrugging. "Clarity, did Lucid mention anything special that fifth-term ponies learn in this class?"

Clarity grinned. "Well, I know one thing we didn't learn yet..." she said mysteriously. "But if that's what's happening today, I think you should just wait for the surprise..."

Before Dinky could object, Professor Luster trotted to the front of the room and spoke up. "Hello everypony!" she called, beaming. "I'm sure it's starting to dawn on all of you that in just a few short months, you'll all be reaching the end of your time here at Celestia's Academy. That, of course, means that now's the time for your professors to show you the most advanced types of spells in our respective fields. Only now, after years of practice, can we possibly expect even the brightest unicorns to be able to work with spells such as these. Now, I don't know what the others professors are up to, but in my class, that means learning to cast one very special kind of enchantment."

She suddenly pointed a forehoof at Dinky. "Dinky, your scores in this class have always been tip-top," she said with a smile. "Remind the class for me, what types of objects are easy to enchant, which are difficult, and why?"

In any other class, Dinky may have stumbled when put on the spot in such a way, but here, she knew the answers like the back of her hoof. "The molecular structure of an object is the factor that governs how readily enchantable it is," she recited. "Materials that have a very uniform structure accept and hold onto magic more easily than objects that don't. This makes crystalline items like gemstones the easiest things to enchant. Plenty of other objects can hold enchantments too, though, but the spell often becomes harder to cast and lasts a shorter time, especially if the object being enchanted is an artificial, pony-made item made of multiple different materials."

"Perfect, Dinky," the professor chirped. "But tell me... what is the hardest thing to enchant?"

"Didn't I already say something about that?" Dinky asked. "I guess it would be any composite object, wouldn't it? Like... if a pony wanted to enchant their carriage to move on its own, it would be very challenging because the carriage is made of wood, metal, and fabric in different proportions."

Professor Luster shook her head. "I know I certainly don't say this often but... sorry, Dinky, that's not it!"

Dinky blinked, shocked. "Th-then what?"

"In a way, you're on the right track," the professor continued. "The hardest thing to enchant involves many different compounds in the same object, and none of them follow a nice, crystalline structure. But in addition, the actual makeup of it is always changing. Some compounds are broken down, and new ones are formed, continuously. To allow something like that to accept an enchantment is momentously difficult... but it's not impossible."

Dinky exchanged a stunned glance with her friends. Clarity in particular winked at her.

"Professor... are you talking about—"

"As it turns out," Professor Luster interrupted, smiling broadly, "the most difficult enchantment is that which is cast on a living thing. A pony new to the world of magic would never stand a chance of doing so, but for seasoned enchanters like you... I think it might be worth giving a lesson on a little something we call self-enchantment."

That sent the room into an uproar almost immediately. Dinky reeled, trying to wrap her head around the concept.

"It's possible to enchant your own body?" she asked, once the noise finally dulled.

"To an extent, at least!" Professor Luster said excitedly. "It's something you really have to take care with, though. At least so far, after several millennia of study by unicorn scholars, there is currently no way to permanently enchant yourself or another living thing. The spells usually last anywhere from minutes to a few hours at the absolute max. But during that time, you can use them for amazing things."

Professor Luster's horn glowed. She surrounded her body with her aura, and her coat continued to faintly glow even after her horn was extinguished. "For instance," she said, "unicorns can't fly with magic. It's simply too much strain to use the type of levitation spell you need to hold yourself afloat. But if you need to reach a high place for a moment and there's no standing room to safely teleport there..."

She bent her knees and jumped, causing most of the class to gasp as she launched herself about four pony-lengths into the air, landing gracefully as if she'd made no more than a bunny hop.

"...a springy hooves enchantment might be just what you're looking for," she chuckled.

A moment of stunned silence followed. "That's... nuts," Scuffle said finally. "That's not a power granted by an enchanted item you're wearing or anything?"

"I've got nothing of the sort," Professor Luster declared proudly, turning in a small circle to prove there was no hidden bauble somewhere on her body. "The magic is stored not in an item, but in my own hooves. That magic's already beginning to leak away though, see?"

She bounded into the air again, and though it was still an impressive leap, she only went about two-thirds as high as she had the first time. "Self-enchantment, while amazing is unfortunately not a popular type of spell. It's very difficult to cast, often taking weeks or months of practice, and the effects are brief. In some cases, an easier spell can be used to accomplish the same goal in a different way. These factors make self-enchantment so esoteric that many unicorns don't even realize it exists. But if you ever find yourself in those rare situations, it can be an incredibly valuable tool."

Dinky squirmed in her seat, barely able to stop herself from lighting her horn right at that moment and attempting the spell. She practically jumped up when Professor Luster finally finished her lecture and gave them permission to begin to practice.

"Somepony's eager," Honeydew giggled. "Go on, Dinky, you try first."

"Don't expect too much though," Clarity warned. "It might take a while before even you can use a well-done self-enchantment."

"Says the pony who managed to teleport the same day Professor Morningstar taught us about that," Dinky replied, defiant. "Just watch. I'll be self-enchanting by the end of class!"

Dinky was not self-enchanting by the end of class.

That didn't stop her though. In the following days, she did little in her free time other than flooding her form with enchantment magic, trying to get her body to retain it, even for a few moments. One afternoon, Clarity trotted into the hideout to find her practicing.

"Any luck, Dinky?"

"I've gotta be close," Dinky insisted, the tip of her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth as the light around her horn grew again. "I can feel my own magic in my hooves, but I can't make it take hold..."

"If you try to test springy hooves in here, you're gonna get a faceful of dirt real fast," Clarity pointed out, glancing at the hideout's rather low, root-filled ceiling.

"I'm not casting springy hooves," Dinky deadpanned. "I'll show you what I'm working on if I could just get it to stick..."

She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on both the spell and her body. As meticulously as she could, she tried to weave her aura first into her skin, and then gradually deeper. She used all her willpower to try to let it seep into her muscles, surround her bones, even work its way between her very cells.

It happened all at once. It wasn't a faint feeling that grew and grew, like those used in magical biology. The moment Dinky achieved the correct mental balance between her spell and her body, the magic acted like any other enchantment and bound to its target. The sensation was so alien that Dinky gasped and nearly lost her balance.

Clarity was at her side immediately. "Are you okay?" she asked, furrowing her brow. "What did you do?"

Dinky looked down. Her jaw dropped slightly when she saw the gentle, golden glow radiating from her hooves. Clarity followed her gaze and had a similar reaction.

"Wait, did you... did you do it?"

"Let me check," Dinky said softly, trotting over to the earthen wall of the chamber. She reared up and placed both her forehooves on the soil, earning her a confused look from Clarity.

"I figured self-enchantment might help me gain an edge in my duel with Scuffle," she explained. "Scuffle's gravity manipulation is so good, he can casually walk up vertical walls. You and I can barely even cast gravity spells, but..."

She hopped up and pressed her hind hooves against the wall. She stood completely horizontal, grinning at Clarity as she did so.

"...maybe an enchantment that makes my hooves adhere to walls like a changeling's can compensate for what I can't do with gravity," she finished, giggling.

Clarity stepped closer, examining Dinky's glowing hooves with wonder. "I knew you'd be the first of us to manage to self-enchant," she admitted, "but wow Dinky, you've been at it less than a week and you've already—"

Before she could finish, the light in Dinky's hooves faded. With a surprised squeak, the purple filly collapsed on the floor in a heap.

Clarity burst into melodious laughter. "Well, that was a self-enchantment alright, but given the duration I don't recommend using them for anything too risky until you improve," she snickered.

Dinky scowled. Rather than try to untangle herself, she let her body dissolve into smoke and reformed in a standing position. "Still, it's a step in the right direction," she argued. "If I can get proficient at enchanting myself at will, I'll be able to do all sorts of things most unicorns can't."

"I don't doubt it," Clarity replied, nodding. "You've mastered just about every kind of enchantment we've learned over the years. I can't see why this would be any different."

"Right!" Dinky said confidently. "Now come on, let's go show Scuffle! I wanna make him squirm knowing what he's gonna be up against in the duel."

She started to exit the hideout, but Clarity didn't follow. She glanced over her shoulder at her friend.

"You coming?"

"Yeah, sorry, you just got me thinking when you did that smoky thing," Clarity started. "You've taken on the burden of finding positive ways to use dark magic, and now I can't help but wonder... is there such a thing as a dark enchantment?"

Dinky pondered the question. "It's not something I've ever tried," she confessed, "but I guess if there's anypony out there who could combine those two things, it's probably me, huh?"

"Bring it up in your next session with Professor Surge," Clarity suggested. "Maybe it's something to look into."

"I will, but first..." Dinky began, pawing at one of the earthen walls until a small hunk of quartz fell out, "since we have the privacy of the hideout, there's no sense in not giving it a trial run here."

Clarity bit her lip. "I dunno, Dinky, dark magic outside of Surge's research? Is that a good idea?"

"If it's just an enchantment, what's the harm?" Dinky asked, placing the piece of quartz on a flat patch of ground. "Enchantments don't do anything without a pony wielding them. Even if it works, I can just disenchant it so it doesn't end up somewhere it shouldn't."

"Okay, but I'm sitting over here," Clarity declared, plopping down on the opposite end of the room. "I'm used to seeing your dark magic now, but I prefer to give it some space."

Dinky nodded and lit her horn, letting the gold give way to violet and black. With careful, delicate casting, harnessing the dark magic with control that only a wraith was capable of, she slowly began to fill the quartz in front of her with its energy. It seemed to be working... for about five seconds.

Crack!

Dinky realized just an instant too late that the gem couldn't handle the amount of magic she'd funneled into it. Before she could make an attempt to draw it back, the little piece of quartz exploded apart, flinging shards around the room. On instinct, Dinky instantly melted into a black cloud, letting the fragments pass right through her instead of embedding themselves in her flesh. Unfortunately, there was somepony in the room who lacked the ability to do the same.

"Eep!"

The sound made Dinky turn her head immediately. Clarity sat stunned, with a long, very narrow slice along her flank, caused by a razor sharp shard glancing off her at high speed. She touched the thin wound with a forehoof, a bit of blood staining the underside when she pulled it away again.

"I am so sorry!" Dinky apologized, rushing to her side. "I didn't... I just... sometimes I don't realize that even very gentle, weak dark spells can have nasty effects..."

"It's okay," Clarity said, standing and nuzzling Dinky reassuringly. "It's just a scratch. I don't even need to go to the infirmary. I'll just go back to the dorm and get Honeydew's help; she's gotten good enough at healing spells now that she can seal a minor cut like this right up."

Dinky grimaced. "You're too forgiving," she moped. "I swore I wouldn't hurt anypony with dark magic ever again, let alone my best friend. You told me to wait to test this and I didn't listen."

"Dinky, it's—"

"No, it's not okay," Dinky interrupted. "I know you're not seriously hurt, and trust me, I'm relieved. But every time I make a mistake... every time I get a little too excited about trying out new dark magic, or a little too casual about using it, those slip-ups make me worry that way deep down inside me is the monster Scorpio intended for me to be. Usually I can push those thoughts away, but if that gem had exploded a little differently, you could be in serious need of medical help right now, and... that's hard for me to brush off."

Clarity leaned forward and hugged Dinky tightly. "You know Honeydew, Scuffle, and I will always be here to prove that's not the case," she cooed into Dinky's ear. "Though, if you're really struggling with how dark magic affects your sense of self... we do have a guidance counselor who knows you're a wraith. Maybe talking to her could help assuage some of those fears?"

Dinky smiled weakly. "Maybe that's just what I need:" she admitted, "somepony who knows how to help ponies with the fears and uncertainties in their lives."

The two fillies stepped out of the cavern and squinted in the late afternoon sun. "Go get Honeydew to help you with that cut," Dinky instructed, gently nudging her friend toward the towers. "As for me... I'm gonna to talk to Wishing Star."

"Come in!"

Dinky slowly pushed open the door to the counselor's office. In four and a half years at the academy, she'd never once set foot in this room. It was a tidy, cozy space, with a wide window overlooking the courtyard behind the castle that was currently allowing the last shreds of evening sun in. A few sculptures and abstract designs, all composed of some sort of pink crystal, decorated the room. Dinky had to admit they added character, even if they weren't exactly her style.

Wishing Star looked up from her desk, the light of the sunset glinting off her bejeweled headband and reflecting a rainbow of colors around the room.

"Oh! Dinky!" she called, giving the filly a friendly wave. "I haven't seen you since our latest session with the dean and Professor Surge. Come, sit! Let's chat."

Dinky smiled halfheartedly and seated herself across from the counselor. "Hey, Wishing Star," she greeted. "I... need some help. I was hoping you could curb some of my worries."

"That's what I'm here for," Wishing Star replied, nodding in affirmation to her own comment. "You seem a little hesitant; is it something hard to talk about?"

"Well, not really," Dinky admitted. "I've just never really needed help from a guidance counselor before. I've got good friends and caring family, and I'm doing well in my classes, so—"

Wishing Star reached across the desk and gently gripped Dinky's hoof with her own. "Now hush," she instructed. "Just because you have a 'good' life doesn't mean you'll never struggle with things. You have just as much right to seek counsel as anypony else, and I'm just as happy to help you as I would be to help a pony in a very different situation, I promise."

Her compassion put Dinky at ease almost immediately. "Okay, but it's about my... special condition, so we need some privacy."

Wishing Star's horn flashed, and Dinky heard the office door lock behind her. "There you go, now it's just the two of us," she reassured. "So, what's on your mind? I can't imagine you're struggling to control that dark magic, right? You always seem to be able to command it with ease when you're helping Professor Surge with research."

"It's not anything like that," Dinky promised. "I've been feeling anxious because... well, not too long ago, my friend Honeydew, who is gifted with magical biology realized that she can't detect my heart."

"Well that's not really too surprising, is it?" Wishing Star asked, cocking her head. "You told us on the first day of the research project that your body is made of dark magic. I suppose you don't need the organ that ponies have to keep you alive if your magic does that instead."

"That's not quite what I mean," Dinky clarified, shaking her head. "Honeydew can't detect the core of my being. The thing that supposedly is allowing me to keep behaving with the emotions and values of a pony, despite the fact that I'm not a pony at all. If that was destroyed along with my body... can I continue to exist like this? Or is it only a matter of time until something... changes?"

Wishing Star pursed her lips and tapped her forehooves together softly, clearly deep in thought. "Dinky," she said finally, "can you tell me about the night that Scorpio pony did this to you? Or is it too painful to talk about?"

"We can discuss it," Dinky said, shrugging. "It began when my friends and I set out to stop Scorpio's minion, Antares, from fulfilling his plans..."

Dinky painstakingly recounted the night of Scorpio's Apex, how Antares had tricked her into helping, Scorpio's resurrection and her subsequent forced transformation into a wraith. Wishing Star sat quietly, drinking in every word and pausing only to ask the occasional question. By the time she neared the end of the tale, dusk had given way to night.

"So just when it seemed like Scorpio's power was too much, even with all of us combined, that's when Trouble sprang into action."

"Sorry, Trouble's the fox, right?" Wishing Star asked, looking apologetic. "I was starting to wonder why he was relevant to the story..."

"Trouble saved us," Dinky explained. He clamped onto Scorpio's tail, which is what she was using to channel her magic the way a unicorn uses their horn. With Scorpio's attacks directed away from us, we were able to push her... and unfortunately, Trouble as well, back into the Realm of Stars. She almost escaped again; in fact, the end of her tail made it back into Equestria, but it was severed when we closed the portal. Scorpio and Trouble have been chasing each other across the sky ever since."

Wishing Star nodded. "Well, it sounds like things turned out okay," she admitted. "If you were able to resist Scorpio's influence then, what makes you think something will change now?"

Dinky sighed. "Well, Scorpio didn't leave my personality entirely unchanged..." she confessed. "As time has gone on, dark magic has started to become..."

She paused, determined to admit the truth to herself as well as to Wishing Star. "...More and more... um, fun," she mumbled. "I don't have any violent thoughts or anything. I don't want anypony to be hurt by my powers. But as I've gotten used to being a wraith, my aversion to dark magic has begun to fade. I have moments where my powers seem safe and harmless enough to experiment with, and I end up taking unnecessary risks."

Wishing Star took a breath as she formed her reply. "Well, Dinky, you're a smart pony," she pointed out. "It sounds like you've made a few mistakes, but you've learned from them and adjusted your behavior to keep your loved ones safe from harm, right?"

"Of course!" Dinky assured her. "I always felt like my mind and heart were strong enough to withstand the influence of the darkness, and would help me make the right decisions before anypony wound up in any real danger. It's only now that I've discovered that my heart may be, well... fading, or even extinguished, that I've started to think otherwise."

Wishing Star attempted to say something, but Dinky continued, with growing urgency in her voice. "What if that interest, even excitement, for using dark magic isn't just my body and mind adjusting to my new form?" she asked, her gaze focused firmly on the floor. "What if it's an indication that Scorpio did more damage than I thought, and what's left of the good pony inside me is starting to wear away?"

Wishing Star gripped Dinky's forehoof a bit tighter. "Dinky, hon, take a deep breath and try to stay calm," she suggested. "We'll talk this out, alright?"

Dinky shivered, but she did as she was told. She closed her eyes and drew a long breath, letting it out slowly and allowing her muscles to relax.

"...Sorry," she mumbled.

"No need to apologize," Wishing Star replied. "May I give my two cents on the matter?"

Dinky nodded slowly, finally glancing up for a few moments and staring into the counselor's empathetic pink eyes.

"I'm afraid you're the only pony any of us have ever met who's going through something like this," Wishing Star admitted. "You're the only one who can say for sure what you're thinking and feeling, but I'm just worried you're jumping the gun a little. The dean told me that impulsive decisions and a degree of recklessness are a normal part of the effects of dark magic, and that you stand alone among wraiths in your ability to rein those impulses in. What you're experiencing right now is still in line with that. Sure, your interest in using your powers has increased, but I mean... you're also the pony who found a way to use dark magic in good and moral ways. Just answer this for me: do you feel any sign of your friendships, or relationships with your loved ones, beginning to fade? Or perhaps a desire for destruction or violence in any form starting to grow?"

"No, neither!" Dinky vowed, clutching instinctively at her pendant, which began to glow almost immediately. "I'm not quite the same pony I once was, physically or mentally, but my friends, my mom, my coltfriend... they mean the world to me. That hasn't changed."

Wishing Star smiled. "Then perhaps it's best not to let this worry you too much unless something does change," she suggested. "Because right now, I see a wraith who still wants to be a good pony. Let's try not to panic unless something concrete arises to back up these fears."

"Y-yeah, maybe you're right," Dinky stuttered. "I'll redouble my efforts to listen to my friends when they try to make sure I don't do anything too brash. I guess, as long as I still have full control over both my thoughts and my magic, everything will be okay, right?"

"That's the way I see it!" Wishing Star chirped. "Does that help a little, Dinky?"

"More than a little," Dinky corrected. "Thank you, Wishing Star. I was getting a little ahead of myself; I've been the master of this darkness within me for almost four years, and right now there's no reason to believe that's going to change."

Wishing Star beamed. "Glad I could help!" she bubbled. "Have a lovely evening, Dinky. I'll see you at Surge's next research session!"

Dinky said her goodbyes and unlocked the office door, disappearing into the hallway. The counselor continued to smile and wave as her student shut the door. Once the sound of Dinky's hoofsteps faded away, her joyful smile slowly morphed into something much more sinister.

"Now that little performance ought to keep her from being suspicious," she giggled aloud to the empty room.
"Dinky will be brimming with new confidence, but only as long as there are no further signals of the wraith part of her growing more dominant. All it would take is a few subtle changes to make her think the good in her really is fading, which would bring those fears and concerns rushing right back, stronger than ever. And since dark magic is linked so closely with negative emotions, it could wind up being quite a vicious cycle, and put poor Dinky in a perilous position. In such an agitated state of mind, it would be all too easy for her to slip up."

The mare's horn glowed pink, the faint light reflecting off the room's crystal decorations. "Better tread lightly, Dinky Doo," she chuckled, "or before you know it, all of Equestria will discover your terrible secret..."

Chapter 10

"I'm getting tired of all her stalling," Bright Spark grumbled. "For Luna's sake, it's already the middle of August! Wishing Star's been working alongside Ditzy and Dinky for five months now, and still has nothing to show for it!"

"I understand the concept of playing the long game to make sure you're successful," Glow replied. "I just didn't think she meant this long."

"Dinky will be graduating from Celestia's Academy in under three months," Bright Spark pointed out. "If Wishing Star doesn't do something soon, she's going to lose her chance, and I'll be right back where I started."

Glow frowned. "Yeah, I'm out of patience too," she growled. "I need to break Breeze and Ditzy up before they go through with the wedding. If Wishing Star doesn't have some solid updates for us this time, it might be time to start thinking of our own plan."

As usual, it was the middle of the night when the two mares arrived at the abandoned house. Glow wrenched the door open with her magic and led the way inside. A pink light flickered through the foyer as Wishing Star appeared from an adjacent room, horn aglow.

"Ah, ladies, how good to see you," she crooned. "Come in! Take a seat and let's discuss the next phase."

"Enough with the pleasantries, Wishing Star," Bright Spark said, sneering. "We're running out of time, and we're tired of the months of plans and promises without real action. Are we going to get revenge or not?"

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "Quite the broken record, aren't you Bright Spark?" she asked. "You want results? Fine. Let's talk results."

The two mares sat. Wishing Star paced back and forth in front of them like a sergeant addressing her troops. "Cosmic Glow, I'll begin with you," she announced. "You'll be pleased to know your revenge is finally at hand. Right now, I can focus all my attention on Ditzy; since Dinky and her little friends are on Midsummer Holiday, I'm not needed at the school. I'll be sending Ditzy and Breeze on an extra special assignment at the end of this week. Countless hours of planning have gone into fabricating it; the 'client' has already been promised a large sum in exchange for following my instructions, and the circumstances have been painstakingly pre-arranged. Those two ponies are about to have that perfect little relationship of theirs blown wide open!"

Glow grinned with satisfaction at the thought. "So by the next time we meet, the deed will be done?" she asked. "Ditzy Doo will finally be paid back for destroying my life?"

"Absolutely," Wishing Star promised. "Next time we meet, we will do so in victory, and oh-so-trusting Ditzy won't even realize that you and I were behind it all!"

"Yes, yes, breaking up an engagement is one thing," Bright Spark interrupted, adjusting her glasses. "But what about exposing our wraith for the monster she really is? I assume that's still the more challenging task?"

"It's coming along nicely, as a matter of fact," Wishing Star countered. "You really shouldn't be so quick to doubt me, Bright Spark; your request may not be quite as far along as Glow's, but I've got a new lead, and this one should bring us within a hair's breadth of our goal."

"I'm listening..." the older mare replied.

"Dinky dropped by the counselor's office just a few days before leaving for the holiday, looking for advice," Wishing Star explained. "She was struggling with the fear that one day her darker, more monstrous instincts might overpower her rational decisions. During that visit, she was more than happy to tell me all sorts of useful things about her magic, her emotions, and even the events that resulted in her transformation some years ago."

"Useful how?" Bright Spark asked, narrowing her eyes. "No matter how much you know about Dinky's dark powers, it's useless if the Academy's staff will defend her in denying all of it."

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "You're so naive sometimes," she grumbled. "Dinky has just revealed to me the very thing that can make her the most stressed and upset. The more she dwells on negative feelings, the more erratic her dark magic will be. That's just the nature of dark magic after all. What I'm going to do next is fool her into believing she really is slipping deeper into darkness, which will exacerbate those emotions we need to amplify."

"That's it?" Bright Spark asked. "You're going to make her an anxious wreck and hope that makes her slip up? That doesn't sound like a guaranteed success to me."

"It's not," Wishing Star replied simply. "But once I've got her good and worked up, there's one other catalyst that will deal the final blow. To get a hold of it, however, I'm going to need your help."

"It's about time you involve me in this scheme of yours," the old mare said. "I'm tired of just waiting around. What's this 'catalyst', and where do I get it?"

Wishing Star grinned. "Dinky told me the tale of her encounter with Scorpio in great detail," she said, smirking triumphantly. "If her account is entirely accurate, I have reason to believe that an object containing an incredible amount of dark magical energy is still just lying in a cave somewhere: the severed tip of ancient Scorpio's tail."

Bright Spark raised an eyebrow. "I understand Scorpio had incredible strength with dark magic, but do you really think that much of it is stored in what is essentially no more than a clump of hair?"

"If it were any other pony, no," Wishing Star admitted. "But recall... Scorpio was not a unicorn, but an earth pony. All the ancient Zodiac were capable of using magic, though not all had horns to do so. Scorpio in particular was able to channel her magic through her tail."

Bright Spark finally seemed to get the picture, as her consistently skeptical look was finally replaced with one of delight.

"Well then, where is the end of Scorpio's tail?"

"That's the only problem," Wishing Star confessed. "Dinky only said it was 'in a cave near Hollow Shades'. We can't exactly ask her to lead us there without arousing suspicion, and I can't leave the school for a long period to search for it. So if we're going to make this work, you're going to need to go on an expedition to find it."

"So be it," Bright Spark said, rising to her hooves. "Finish your work with Cosmic Glow, and in the meantime, I'll comb every inch of the forest around Hollow Shades until I find Scorpio's tail. But this better work once I retrieve it, understand?"

"Oh, it will," Wishing Star giggled. "Once we get our hooves on that little bit of dark magic, your revenge on Dinky Doo is assured."

"Excellent. I'll depart for Hollow Shades first thing tomorrow," Bright Spark declared. "Try to finish up Glow's half of the plan while I'm gone, will you?"

Wishing Star turned back to Glow and grinned darkly. "I think we can manage that," she snickered. "Get ready, Cosmic Glow; Ditzy and Breeze are in for a rough day."

"So, how'd it go?"

Ditzy knew she didn't need to ask. The look on Breeze's face answered her question before she asked it. The red pegasus sighed and shook his head in frustration.

"Another failure," he grumbled. "That's three in one week. I don't get it. Why is it suddenly getting so hard to ship ponies successfully?"

"Perhaps we've simply encountered a string of relationships that weren't meant to be," Cloudcover suggested. "Remember what good Doctor Candyfloss used to say about the matter; as long as we act with true sincerity and put forth all our effort, Equestria's innate love magic will do the rest. I know all of us here commit ourselves fully to doing our job well, so if assignments are failing, I'm afraid it means that a lot of ponies have pursued relationships that simply weren't meant to be. In the long run, they'll benefit from the outcome."

"Ahh, the good old principle of sincere shipping," said Watt nostalgically.

"I'm not questioning the doc's beliefs," Breeze pointed out. "But even though failed assignments are ultimately good for the client... they also don't bring in any bits. If this heightened failure rate doesn't drop soon, eventually we'll start struggling to keep up with the expenses of keeping the company open."

"So more assignments have been falling through than usual lately," Ditzy acknowledged. "I know profits are down, but it can't be that bad, right?"

"Well, um, actually it kind of is..."

All four heads turned to Wishing Star, who had appeared in the doorway. The mare shifted her weight nervously and tried to smile.

"Wishing Star," Watt teased, "are you picking up the doc's old habit of mysteriously showing up at opportune moments in the conversation?"

"N-not on purpose..." Wishing Star stuttered, blushing slightly and quickly rearranging the paperwork in her aura. "But while you're all here, we do need to have a quick discussion..."

"Discuss away," Cloudcover responded. "I assume you have an update on the business end of things?"

Wishing Star nodded and seated herself at the lounge's table. "Well see, I've been running some numbers, and incoming funds are down by a kind of alarming margin in the last three months," she pointed out. "On top of that, the percentage of failed assignments is still increasing, meaning the trend is gonna continue if nothing changes."

"I still don't understand how a change this significant could've happened in the first place," Ditzy admitted, shaking her head. "Could Dr. Candyfloss being gone really mean we're all getting sent to the wrong sort of assignments or something?"

"It sounds like Dr. Candyfloss was great at his job, but I don't think his absence is to blame for this," Wishing Star countered. "The serious decline in successful assignments doesn't match up with the time of Candyfloss's death; it matches up with the period where Celestia and Cadance disappeared. I'm afraid such troubling times have left most Equestrian citizens... well, on edge. Blossoming relationships simply aren't the first thing on ponies' minds right now."

"Then there's not much we can do," Breeze sighed, his wings drooping. "We have to trust that Luna and Twilight, and whatever search and rescue efforts they've established, manage to bring Celestia and Cadance back safely. Until then..."

"Until then, we keep trying!" Ditzy insisted. "Ponies need us. Dr. Candyfloss wouldn't have wanted us to just give up because times are tough."

Her coworkers all smiled. "You're right, it's way too early to call it quits," Breeze agreed. "We can bounce back from this. Low income periods happen to most companies at some point; we can pull through this one for a little longer, and any day now, Celestia and Cadance will be found and everything will go back to normal."

"Speaking of shipping, how much longer 'till you can take Sparkler to Trottowa, Ditzy?" Watt asked.

"Oh, that's this weekend!" Ditzy replied, flapping her wings excitedly. "I'm gonna be gone into the beginning of next week, but Wishing Star was able to work the long trip into my work schedule."

"Barely..." Wishing Star mumbled, paging through all her paperwork for the sixth or seventh time. "It's gonna be a little rough here in the meantime, but we'll manage. I know how important this is to you and Breeze."

"I just wish I could've helped in some way," Breeze sighed. "Sparkler just wouldn't agree to see me."

"But if you must leave your daughter's fate in the hooves of somepony else, surely there's no better pony than Ditzy?" Cloudcover pointed out.

"I've already done most of what I can do for her," Ditzy reminded them. "Right now, the pony she really needs isn't even me. It's Presto. I'm just going along to... you know, help her along, the same as I would on any assignment. I'm hoping that if she can manage to bring Presto back into her life, the only pony whose attention she's craving right now, some of those walls will start to come down. Maybe even the ones she's put between herself and you, Breeze."

"That's a lot of pressure, though," Wishing Star fretted, putting her forehooves over her mouth. "What if that assignment fails too?"

"I'm hoping it won't," Ditzy replied. "When they were in school together, Presto openly liked Sparkler. She just couldn't bring herself to return his feelings until now. It's possible that he's moved on or found somepony else, of course, but if he is still single... well, we have to hope those feelings for her haven't completely faded. Because hers sure haven't."

"What matters is that we give it our best shot," Breeze said. "We promised to do whatever we could to help Sparkler recover from what Glow led her to become. And, well... this is what we can do. I just hope it's enough."

The group fell silent for a few seconds. As usual, Watt was the one to break it.

"So, Wishing Star!" the earth pony began, unceremoniously hopping up onto the table to stare directly at the mare's paperwork. "Did you come up here for something in particular? Got an assignment for somepony, maybe?"

"Oh! Yes!" Wishing Star realized, lighting her horn and gently sliding Watt back to his end of the table. "We did just get an assignment in a few moments before I joined you all here. The client has asked for two shippers, so... Ditzy, Breeze, I know you each already took an assignment today, but since both were failures and we could really use some extra income..."

Breeze nodded. "Don't worry, Wishing Star, we're on it. Right Ditzy?"

"Of course," Ditzy chirped. "I mean, come on, me and Breeze working together? This one's sure to be a success."

Wishing Star chuckled. "Oh, I don't doubt it, Ditzy," she replied, beaming. "We've had some setbacks, but I bet this one will go exactly how I'm hoping."

She hopped up from her chair. "Now shoo!" she added playfully. "The work day will be over soon, so report in on Monday morning with how it goes. Don't keep the client waiting any longer!"

Ditzy squinted to focus her poor vision on the address she'd received. "Hey, this one's right here in Ponyville," she realized.

"Perfect," Breeze commented. "That'll save us some time. Maybe we can bring in at least one successful assignment today."

The two pegasi alighted on the street a few blocks down from the market. For the most part, it was similar to most average Ponyville homes, but one thing made it stand out a bit: a small flag hanging from the porch bearing the royal seal of Canterlot. Ditzy had passed the place dozens of times over the years, but she felt sure the purple and gold banner was a fairly recent addition.

"This is the place, huh?" Breeze asked. "Come on, let's see who we're working with today."

He knocked several times. A few seconds passed, and the door opened to reveal a fairly young unicorn stallion with a coat colored just like Ditzy's and a fairly short, dark purple mane.

Ditzy couldn't say she knew the pony by name, but she had seen him around before. Though the colors of his fur were nothing unusual, the open scroll cutie mark he bore was easy to recognize, and his brilliant green eyes really made him stand out.

"Oh, hey!" the stallion greeted. "Are you guys the uh... shipping service thing?" he asked.

"That's us!" Ditzy confirmed. "I'm Ditzy Doo and this is my partner, Autumn Breeze.

"I'm Written Script," their client replied. "You both look pretty familiar. Both Ponyville residents, huh? I've only been living here for a few years, but this town's small enough that you see almost everypony eventually."

"I take it you moved here from Canterlot?" Breeze asked, pointing to the flag nearby.

"That's right," the stallion replied, nodding proudly. "The Script family's lived in Canterlot for a couple hundred years. My dad Silver Script owns a business in there, and his sister, Auntie Spiral Script, is the dean of Celestia's Academy."

"Oh, I've heard all about Dean Script!" Ditzy gushed. "I can't say I've met her, but my daughter attends the academy, and she's told me all about her."

Written Script chuckled. "Well, some ponies have trouble keeping all the Script family ponies straight, especially back home where there's dozens of 'em," he explained. "So why don't you two just go ahead and call me Writ."

"Works for us," Breeze chuckled. "So, is there a pony you've got your eye on, Writ?"

"Sure is!" the unicorn replied. "It's kind of a funny story. I used to have a little bit of a crush on one of my old classmates at the academy, but... she never really noticed me. Imagine my surprise when I moved to Ponyville and found out she was living here! My interest in her never amounted to anything when we were schoolmates, but now we're both a little older, and things are different, and most ponies are, y'know, looking for anything or anypony to distract them from the situation with the princesses. So maybe... it's time to give it another shot?"

"Aww, that's sweet," Ditzy cooed. "Don't worry Writ, I think Breeze and I can find a way to get her to take notice."

"As soon as we know who we're dealing with, of course," Breeze added. "Where can we find this lucky mare?"

"Oh, well... I'm not sure where she lives," Writ admitted, looking at the floor for a moment. "She doesn't seem to be out and about very often, and it's not like I've gotten to talk to her."

"Breeze and I know almost everypony in town, and if we don't know her, I'm sure we can ask around," Ditzy encouraged. "Which mare are we looking for?"

"Yeah, I'm sure we can track her down," Writ agreed, looking more upbeat. "Heck, maybe you guys even know her already! She's a pink and purple unicorn named Sparkler."

The name seemed to echo in Ditzy's head as Writ spoke it aloud. She cast a stunned look at Breeze, who was wearing the same expression she was.

Writ faltered. "Is, uh... something wrong?"

"N-no," Breeze stammered. "We just need to... discuss this for a second. Please excuse us."

He immediately leapt into the air and perched on the roof of the home. Ditzy gave the client a brief, apologetic glance before doing the same.

"Well... that's not what I expected," Breeze admitted, once he was sure Written Script was out of earshot.

"That's putting it mildly," Ditzy replied, shaking her head and rubbing a temple with her forehoof. "Wishing Star will be disappointed, and I guess the client will too, but obviously we have to decline this one."

Breeze blinked. "What? Why?" he asked, his wings flared in surprise.

Ditzy's eyes drifted into focus for a few seconds. "W-what do you mean why?" she stuttered. "Sparkler needs help to reunite with Presto, not this guy. I thought we'd already confirmed that was the plan."

"Well, yeah, I was on board with that because it seemed like the only decent option to help Sparkler," Breeze admitted. "But when circumstances change, and it's not the only option anymore... shouldn't we opt for the best one?"

Ditzy scrunched up her muzzle. "What are you saying?" she asked. "Sparkler specifically asked for help with finding and bonding with Presto. Why in Equestria would you think some other stallion— one we barely know— is a better choice?"

"Just hear me out," Breeze pleaded. "You're looking at this from the perspective of... well, a shipper. And it most cases, that's fine! But let's step back and think about Sparkler for a second, and how we can assure she gets what she needs."

"And what Sparkler needs is a chance to see Presto again!" Ditzy argued.

Breeze shook his head. "What Sparkler needs," he corrected, "is a pony who actually craves her presence. Everything you've told me about her illustrates it; she's convinced she's 'damaged' and no longer worthy of the affections of others. Presto certainly did care about her during their school years... but they've been apart for years now. There's no guarantee that he'd be interested in seeing her again. In fact, it seems somewhat unlikely; I know if a mare rejected me constantly for a few years and then vanished from my life for a few more, I'd certainly have a few qualms about her if she showed up at my door."

"But he might not!" Ditzy insisted. "Neither of us have ever met Presto. We can't know how he'd react unless we try."

"I know, which is why I supported the plan to take her to him," Breeze explained. "But all of a sudden, we have a second option. There's a pony right there on that porch that has already confirmed he wants Sparkler in his life. If we just carry out his assignment, we can eliminate the uncertainty we'd face if we continued with the Presto plan instead, satisfy a client, and you can avoid a long trip to Trottowa as well."

"You realize that all this does it turn the situation around," Ditzy pointed out. "Now we've got a stallion who's on board with the plan, but Sparkler's the one who won't be."

"Not at first," Breeze agreed. "But like I said, Sparkler has latched onto Presto because she perceives him as the only pony who will give her a chance. Once she finds out somepony else will... well, Written Script will probably be able to convince her to give a different pony a chance if we do our jobs right and help him. It just seems like a safer, more surefire way of arriving at the same goal."

There was some logic in what he was saying, but it just didn't sit right with Ditzy. "B-but—"

"Please, Ditzy," Breeze continued. "We're not on opposite sides of this issue. We both want to give Sparkler what she needs to undo the damage Glow did. But Sparkler may be too lost and hurt to know what that is. I really think a pony who has real interest and maybe even affection for her will help her realize that."

Ditzy stared at the thatching of the roof beneath her hooves, fighting a mental and emotional battle within her head. Finally, she sighed and nodded.

"Okay, Breeze. Maybe you're right."

She felt the other pegasus wrap her tightly in a hug, cradling her with both wings and forelegs. "Thanks Ditzy," he said softly. "This'll work out, you'll see. C'mon, we don't wanna keep the client waiting any longer."

He hopped off the roof and spread his wings, gliding down to where Written Script was waiting. Ditzy followed suit.

"So... are you accepting the assignment or what?" the unicorn asked.

"Yep!" Breeze declared. "Ditzy already knows most of the places in Ponyville that Sparkler might show herself, so I'm sure it won't take us long to track her down. After that, we just have to work a little shipping magic, and the two of you will be together in no time."

"Great!" Writ replied, grinning. "Let's get started. Lead the way, Ditzy!"

Ditzy folded her wings tightly against her sides. "Um, sure," she mumbled uncertainly. "Follow me."

She quickly turned away so the stallions couldn't see the uneasy frown. Sighing, she began to trot toward the market, thoughts swirling in her head.

Is a stallion other than Presto really going to have a chance of helping Sparkler?

It was already nearly dinnertime, but the long summer days offered a few more hours of light to work with. The timing ended up being for the best; it didn't take long for Ditzy to spot Sparkler slinking through the market, as she often did late in the day to restock the tiny apartment that was her secret refuge. Moving quickly and making little eye contact, the young mare stopped by half a dozen stalls, exchanging bits and filling up her shopping basket with barely more than a word of greeting to anypony. Across the square, Ditzy, Breeze, and Writ peered at her from behind a stack of fruit crates.

"She really hasn't changed much, has she?" Writ asked as he watched his former classmate skulking around. "She's so formal and straightforward. It just makes me curious what's really going on inside her head."

"We've got some idea," Breeze chuckled. "How do you think we should start this off, Ditzy?"

Ditzy kept her gaze firmly on Sparkler, trying to mask the fact that she did not share her fiance's enthusiasm. "Well, Sparkler has a tendency to deflect unnecessary conversation," she pointed out. "If you want to carry on talking to her, there's really only two ways: persistence, which isn't going to win you any points in a shipping situation... or making her decide to talk to you."

"How do I do that?" Writ asked, furrowing his brow. "I'm afraid I don't really know what topics might make Sparkler wanna talk."

Breeze grinned. "Don't sweat it, Writ. Ditzy and I have plenty of experience with setting up situations like that," Breeze said proudly. "Just start wandering in Sparkler's general direction, but don't make it look like you're planning to talk to her. Pretend you're here to visit the market. Ditzy and I will handle the next step."

"We will?" Ditzy asked, shaking out of her thoughts. "I mean... yeah. We will."

Written Script peeked out of the alleyway again, watching Sparkler silently pass two bits across the counter of another stall. He nodded.

"Well, here goes nothing!"

The young stallion tried to look nonchalant as he trotted out into the plaza. The two matchmakers launched themselves onto the nearest roof, watching from behind a chimney.

"Alright, obviously the easiest move here is to wait for Writ to pass near her and then pull the old 'break the shopping basket' trick," Breeze whispered. "Pretty boring, as strategies go, but it should be effective here. The tricky part will be getting close enough to sabotage it without being seen. Normally, it's easy to pose as an innocent bystander, but Sparkler knows both of us, so we're gonna need to be stealthy."

Ditzy sighed and shook her head. "I don't know about this, Breeze..." she mumbled.

"You're right, maybe that'll be a little too tricky to pull off in this situation," Breeze admitted, tapping a hoof to his chin thoughtfully. "What would you suggest, then? I'm sure you've run into this sort of thing loads of times on your assignments too."

Ditzy grimaced. "No, I mean I'm not sure about this assignment!" she confessed. "I just... why are we going through with this? This isn't what Sparkler wants."

"But it's what Sparkler needs!" Breeze countered. "I'm not taking the risk of hurting her further by finding out her long lost friend no longer cares when there's a stallion who does care right here! Just because it's not the solution she's expecting doesn't mean it's wrong."

"Breeze, you haven't talked to her, you don't understand..."

"I understand fine," Breeze insisted, frowning. "I've been matchmaking for the better part of a decade, and this time I have the advantage of having info about both the client and the target. We give a lonely pony a partner who admires her, and everything works out. Writ will be happy, Wishing Star will be happy, and after a little while, Sparkler will be happy too."

Ditzy glanced helplessly to the street below, where Writ's ambling gait had brought him within just a few pony-lengths of Sparkler, and then back to Breeze.

"It's time to act," the stallion pointed out. "Are you with me or not?"

He's not going to change his mind... Ditzy realized, feeling the knot in her stomach tightening. Oh Celestia, there's no right answer! Do I help Breeze, at what I truly think will be at Sparkler's expense, or...

For the first time, Ditzy considered her other option. It made her sick to think about it, and yet it was the only other course of action available.

...Or do I make sure Sparkler gets what she asked for... by whatever means I must...

In the poor mare's mind, the debate seemed to take hours, but in reality it was less than a second. She knew in that moment what she had to do.

Oh, by the sun and moon, I can't believe I'm about to do this...

"A-alright Breeze. Make the distraction. I'll sabotage the shopping basket."

Breeze nodded quickly, but there was no time for anything further; Writ stood only two market stalls away from Sparkler now. Ditzy slunk along the rooftops until she was almost directly above them. And then she waited.

A few seconds later, Writ was standing right beside Sparkler. The young mare turned away from the pony from whom she'd made her latest purchase, and for a moment, she met his gaze for the first time. But before either of them could speak, a chorus of cries erupted from the other end of the market.

Breeze blasted through the plaza as fast as his wings would carry him, clipping Leafy Green's cabbage cart on the way by and sending at least a dozen cabbages rolling across the square. By the time anypony realized what was happening, he was already at the end of the street, turning a corner and out of sight. Ditzy felt confident anypony who wasn't already waiting for something to happen like she was probably saw nothing more than a red blur.

The resulting commotion, however, was hard to ignore. The scattered produce, and Leafy Green's despondent wailing about the fate of his poor cabbages, turned most of the heads in the marketplace, including those of Writ and Sparkler. For a few seconds, Ditzy had the perfect opportunity to sabotage the shopping basket, giving Writ an opportunity to speak to Sparkler while he helped her out, and nopony would be any the wiser.

But she didn't.

Her expression grim, Ditzy remained crouched on the rooftop. A few moments passed, and after the commotion around the cabbage cart died down, Sparkler returned her gaze to the stallion beside her.

"Uh... hi, Sparkler," Writ said, smiling nervously. "Fancy meeting you here."

The mare's unenthusiastic stare didn't change. "Hello," she replied.

"It's... it's me, Written Script," Writ continued. "From school, remember?"

Sparkler was already turning to go. "Yup," she replied as she began to trot to the next stall. Not giving up, Writ followed her.

"So how have you been?" he prompted.

"Busy," Sparkler deadpanned. "Nice seeing you."

With that very clear conversation bookend, she started her transaction with the next market pony. Writ backed off slowly, his ears drooping a bit. A moment later, he slunk off to a nearby alley, where Ditzy intercepted him. A moment later, Breeze reappeared from the other direction, back from his diversion maneuver.

The red pegasus looked at Writ, then at Sparkler still shopping, and finally at Ditzy. "What happened?" he asked, scratching his hear with a wingtip. "It seemed like the diversion worked perfectly. Why isn't Writ helping Sparkler pick up fallen groceries right now?"

"The uh... the basket. I couldn't break it," Ditzy lied. "If I used more force, maybe it would have, but I didn't want to risk Sparkler seeing me, since she knows me so well. Unfortunately, that meant the vegetables never spilled, and Writ ended up having a very... unsuccessful conversation with Sparkler."

"Oh, is that what was supposed to happen?" Writ asked. "Nothing unusual happened after Breeze ran into the cabbage cart, so I figured that was the signal..."

Breeze groaned, ruffling his wings in agitation. "Alright, alright, no harm done," he sighed. "I'm sure we can still make this work. We just need to create a situation that's a little more foolproof. Come on, we have to tail Sparkler until the next opportunity appears."

Breeze hurried down the alley and out of sight, with Written Script trotting close behind. Ditzy swallowed hard, the guilt sitting like a rock in her stomach.

I hate this! she mentally screamed. Lying to Breeze? Betraying a client? What am I doing?

She paused, closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath, refocusing on her goal.

I'm helping a pony who needs me, she reminded herself. A pony who is much worse off than Breeze or Writ. In the long run, I know this is the right thing to do, but... oh, I hope they don't catch on...

Realizing she was falling behind, Ditzy galloped after the others.

"Alright, that last attempt made it obvious that Sparkler isn't going to just strike up a conversation for no reason," Breeze observed as he watched the young mare make her way back toward her apartment.

"I can't really say I'm surprised," Ditzy commented. "She's scared that she makes for bad company, but she's conditioned not to show weakness, so she just pushes everypony away. It has kind of become a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"All the more reason we need to make her a captive audience long enough for Writ to get a few words in," Breeze declared. "So here's the plan: there's a big puddle of standing water from yesterday's rainstorm about a block from Sparkler's place. I'll push one of the flowerpots off of the nearby window ledge and splash her, and while she removes her saddlebags for a minute to dry herself off, Ditzy can sneak in and swipe her key from inside them. Then when she arrives at her apartment and can't get in, Writ can approach her and offer to help her find it; we can slip it to him to return to her once we've got them talking."

"Sounds easy enough," Writ commented. "I'll wait at the end of the street. It's up to you two to do the rest."

Breeze nodded. "Are you ready, Ditzy?" he asked, giving her a serious look.

"Ready," Ditzy said dully. "I'll hide on the rooftop across the street. Let's get started."

The trio split up. Writ cantered to the end of the block, out of sight, and the two matchmakers took their lofty positions on either side of the road. It only took about a minute for Sparkler, still unaware of the shipping operation surrounding her, to round the corner. She didn't suspect a thing, it seemed; her eyes were locked on her apartment at the end of the street. She didn't even glance at the large puddle just a short distance to her left, let alone notice Breeze as he reached down with a wing and flicked a clay pot full of daisies off the second-story windowsill.

Splash!

A spattering of water peppered Sparkler's bright coat before she could react. For a moment, she simply stood there blinking, trying to process what just happened. With a couple of muttered expletives, she grabbed the pot now floating in the puddle in her aura and returned it to its perch. Then, carefully setting her vegetable-laden saddlebags aside, she closed her eyes and lit her horn. A warm, gentle wind was suddenly conjured around her, circling like the first moments of a growing cyclone and blowing her mane and tail haphazardly about.

Huh, a drying spell, Ditzy realized, smiling slightly. Sparkler really knows how to do just about anything with magic, doesn't she?

She caught sight of Breeze's urgent glance from the opposite rooftop. Oh right, the key.

The next move couldn't have been easier. Sparkler's eyes remained closed, and the sound of the swirling winds was more than enough to drown out the fluttering of Ditzy's wings. She flipped open Sparkler's saddlebag, grabbed the key, and was gone again well before the drying spell concluded.

Ditzy bolted from the scene, and alighted on the roof of Sparkler's apartment building, quickly preparing herself for her next move. Breeze's part of the plan had gone without a hitch, but she had one more move to make: one that she had to make sure Breeze and Writ couldn't see.

Sparkler arrived, unaware of the pegasus peeking over the edge of the roof above her. She flipped open her saddlebag and—

"Hey! Sparkler!"

Right on cue, Written Script approached again. Sparkler glanced up, staring at him blankly.

"Heh, I guess we're both heading the same way," he continued. "We barely got a chance to talk back there at the market."

High above, Ditzy glanced frantically around. There was no sign of Breeze; it seemed whatever hiding spot he'd chosen to view the scene wasn't visible from Ditzy's vantage point, which meant It was time to capitalize on the opportunity. Carefully, she dangled Sparkler's key over the edge of the roof, closing one eye and sticking out her tongue in concentration as she tried to line it up perfectly.

"I'm afraid I don't have any time to chat," Sparkler grumbled. "And I still don't. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

It was now or never. Ditzy let go, and the key tumbled through the air, glinting in the evening light. It landed neatly and quietly in Sparkler's open saddlebag. Not a second later, the mare turned her head, lit her horn, and picked it up, never even aware that it had gone missing. She unlocked her apartment and disappeared to the interior, leaving a flummoxed Writ standing on her doorstep.

Her ruse complete, Ditzy fluttered down to stand by Writ's side. The unicorn looked at her with confusion.

"What happened?" he babbled. "I saw you take Sparkler's key..."

"I'm sorry, I guess she must have had a spare..." Ditzy lied.

"No, she didn't."

Breeze's hooves slammed down from somewhere up above, kicking up a bit of dust as he landed. His green eyes flashed angrily.

"Pardon me?" Writ asked, eyeing the other stallion up nervously.

"Sparkler didn't have a spare key," Breeze growled. "Something else tampered with the plan. Or rather, somepony else."

Writ blinked. "I—"

"Could you excuse us for a minute?" Breeze asked, before their client could respond. "I need to have a word with my coworker. Privately."

"Oh, actually, uh, you can take all the time you need," Writ admitted, shuffling a forehoof in the dirt. "I think... I think it's probably best if I just call this whole thing off."

"What? No!" Breeze gasped. "Sure, Sparkler got away today, but tomorrow we can—"

"No, really, I'm good," Writ interjected. "Sparkler really doesn't seem interested, and our attempts to change that haven't amounted to anything. There's plenty of fish in the sea, and I think I'm better off chasing one that's a little easier to catch."

"But—"

Written Script's horn flared, and he vanished in a flash of teleportation before Breeze could argue further. Now, the two pegasi stood alone on the empty street.

Ditzy swallowed hard. "So, uh—"

"You know, I didn't want to be suspicious," Breeze said quietly, not looking at her. "I wanted to believe the failure to break Sparkler's shopping basket was actually beyond your control. But I needed to be sure. So this time, instead of spying on Writ and Sparkler, I hid in a spot where I could watch you. Specifically, to watch you return Sparkler's key when you thought nopony could see."

Ditzy whimpered. Breeze finally turned to face her, with an expression on his face more pained than she had ever seen him.

"Well, you got what you wanted," he said, shaking his head slowly. "You kept Sparkler and Written Script apart. And all you had to do was double-cross your partner and sabotage a shipping assignment. No big deal, right? Who was the last pony who betrayed her coworkers and undermined a client's wishes? Oh, that's right, it was Cosmic Glow."

The name seemed to pierce Ditzy's heart as it left his lips. She quivered, looking at him pleadingly.

"Breeze, you don't understand, I—"

"No Ditzy, you don't understand," the red pegasus interrupted, the sadness in his features mixing with outrage. "I deserve to have some kind of say in this, don't I? Sparkler may only be interested in talking to you, but that pony is my daughter. I know I didn't know her as she grew up, but that only makes me more desperate to set things right now! How would you feel if I decided I knew better than you did about what was right for Dinky?"

That blow was perhaps even more painful for Ditzy than being compared to Glow. "I-it's not the same!" she insisted, tears beginning to roll down her face. "Neither of us knew Sparkler until a few months ago, but she's shared her innermost feelings with me. She's let me feel those feelings, with a memory spell! I know beyond any doubt, deep in my heart, that Sparkler doesn't just need 'somepony' to be there for her. She needs a chance to make up with Presto!"

"Then go ahead. Help her with that," Breeze snarled, glaring at her. "Obviously, it's up to you to help her anyway. I'm just her 'scumbag father who doesn't care' anyway, remember? I'm sure you agree, since obviously you don't trust my judgement either."

"Breeze!"

"I hope you're certain in your priorities," Breeze said as he turned away, "because you made your choice, Ditzy. You've made sure Sparkler's fate remained exclusively in your hooves. Now you can walk the path you chose, alone. For your sake, and for Sparkler's, I hope that path leads where you thought it would."

With that, he spread his wings and took off, shooting through the evening sky much too quickly for Ditzy to give chase.

Written Script trotted to the rendezvous point, a dead-end alley behind Sugarcube Corner. Sure enough, that strange orange mare with the sparkly headband was waiting for him.

"Hey, so, that went pretty much how you said it would," he announced as he approached her. "I asked them to help me get together with Sparkler, and uh, it went really bad. Pretty sure Ditzy didn't even want to succeed."

"Excellent," the other unicorn replied, grinning. "Now remember, the only thing that matters now is that nopony knows that somepony put you up to this."

"If you're really giving me as many bits as you promised, I'll carry that secret till the day I die," Writ chuckled. "Are you gonna pay me now, or what?"

A sack that must have contained at least a thousand bits was thrown at his hooves. He gawked at the tremendous sum for a moment before quickly stuffing it into his saddlebag.

"I still don't understand why you wanted me to do this," the stallion admitted as he closed the flap on his now bulging bag.

"I'm paying you enough to not worry about it too much, I hope," the pony across from him replied, smirking.

"Got that right," Writ agreed. "I sure am glad you were right about the assignment though."

He paused, shuddering. "Ugh, imagine if they actually did get Sparkler interested in me," he grumbled. "Dating that reclusive grump? No thanks."

"Don't worry, you won't have to interact with that mare anymore," his benefactor replied. "Your role is done. Thank you for your help, and enjoy the spoils of your hard work!"

Written Script laughed. "Oh, I will miss... uh... sorry, I don't think I got your name."

The mare chuckled, the bobbing of her head causing light to reflect off the gems on her accessory. Rather than satisfy Writ's curiosity, she lit her horn, and was gone in a flash of pink light.

The silence in the cottage was stupefying.

Not that it was any quieter than normal. With Dinky away at school, evenings in the Doo household were always very peaceful, and normally, that was a good thing.

Tonight, the silence weighed on Ditzy like a suffocating shroud.

Liar. Traitor. Saboteur. No better than Cosmic Glow...

The meager dinner Ditzy had prepared sat untouched. She held her head in her forehooves, tormented by her thoughts.

If I was right, then my actions today will allow me to give Sparkler the chance she asked for. But why... why did I have to turn on the pony closest to me to secure that chance?

She paused, and shuddered. And if I'm the one in the wrong, and Breeze's plan could've worked... then I've let both Sparkler and Breeze down today...

The fears and doubts in her head intensified, mocking her with their accusations.

Maybe you're wrong. Maybe you've gone and damaged the bond with your fiance. Maybe it's irreparable.

Noble, or selfish? Acting for the greater good... or no better than Cosmic Glow?

A knock at the front door startled her out of the whirlwind of negative thoughts. Doing her best to put on a more neutral expression, she hurried to the front door and was surprised to find a familiar orange unicorn on the other side.

"Wishing Star?" she asked. "It's nighttime. What are you doing here?"

"Hey Ditzy..." Wishing Star greeted, smiling sadly. "There's been a little bit of a change to the schedule next week, but the work day was over before the final decision was made, so I dropped by to tell you in person."

She sounded uneasy. Ditzy simply nodded and waited for the news.

"Look, I already heard from Breeze that today's assignment was a bust," she continued. "There's been a lot of failed assignments lately, and there will probably be a lot more until the princess situation gets resolved. The money coming in to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services now is barely enough to cover the costs to keep the place running. So, since so few assignments are coming in these days... I think, from a business standpoint, we've got to make a change, at least temporarily."

"What do you have in mind?" Ditzy asked.

"Alternating shifts," Wishing Star answered simply. "One day, just you and Cloudcover will come to work, and the next day, Breeze and Watt will. It means your personal income from assignments is going to take another hit, but... I mean, I don't see what else we can do. Equestria Speedy Shipping Services will shut down within months if we continue as is."

"Makes sense," Ditzy agreed. "Did... did Breeze say anything else about today?"

"No... should he have?" Wishing Star questioned. "He seemed pretty upset about how it went, so I didn't press for details. He did give me this, though. He told me to drop it off when I stopped by to talk to you."

She produced a small, sealed envelope and passed it to Ditzy. "I've gotta get going, but I'll see you next week," she said, smiling a bit. "Chin up, Ditzy. We'll pull through this somehow."

"Y-yeah..." Ditzy stammered. "Goodnight, Wishing Star."

The door shut, and that oppressive silence took over again. In truth, she wasn't too concerned about the temporary schedule change; years of successful assignments left her with enough savings to handle the challenge. What worried her much more was the envelope now held in her hoof. Shaking slightly, she broke the seal and slid the hastily written note from within.

Ditzy,

We need to spend some time apart. I need some time to think about today, and about... well, us. I need some time to decide if we're still on the right path. Maybe you do, too. For now, Wishing Star's new schedule is for the best.

~Breeze

Ditzy hung her head, her mane covering her eyes.

Just this morning, everything was fine... she thought. Breeze and I were as close as ever, and the plan with Sparkler was another shared goal. And in just one day, it's driven us apart...

She stared at the short note for a few more moments, and then took it to her room, placing it carefully in the bedside table drawer. Her expression, while pained, was resolute.

One thing is certain: Breeze is right. For better or for worse, I made my choice. Now, I have to fulfill my duty to Sparkler. If I fail, not only will I have let down a pony who deserves a second chance, but I'll lose my last chance to ever get back the trust of the pony I love.

The train gave a final echoing whistle as it came to a halt in the underground station. Dinky and her friends stepped off and began to make their way up the ramp.

"Welp, that's it ladies," Scuffle declared. "Our last Midsummer Holiday is over."

"What a trip, though!" Clarity exclaimed. "I'd never been to Neighagra Falls before. It's gorgeous there."

"Thank Honeydew," Dinky reminded her. "We let her pick the destination this year, remember?"

Honeydew blushed. "I'm glad you all liked it as much as I did," she chirped.

"But now that we're recharged, it's time to really get to work," Clarity reminded them. "This is our last term, and there's only nine or ten weeks left. You can bet our professors are gonna go all-out."

Honeydew nodded. "That also means I need to come to a conclusion on my research soon, even if it's not the one I'm hoping for..." she mumbled, fiddling with the ends of her long mane anxiously. "I came up with half a dozen new ideas while we were on vacation. I'll need to track down Tango and run them by him."

As the four ponies approached the residence towers, Scuffle stopped. "Dinks, hang back for a sec," he said suddenly. "I wanna talk to you."

Dinky stopped as the other fillies continued into the tower. "What's up?"

"You know what's coming up this week, right?" Scuffle asked.

Dinky smirked. "Of course. We're finally gonna duel."

The colt nodded. "So yeah, about that," he said uncertainly. "Look Dinks, you're a pal. A real good one. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have spent the last several years hanging out with you three. But when it comes to this duel, there's a lot at stake here."

Dinky rolled her eyes. "This is about Honeydew and Tango Trot, isn't it?" she sighed.

"Dinks, I gotta show pretty boy who's boss," Scuffle insisted. "Honeydew spent half that vacation talking about him. If he makes a move, she's gonna fall for him hook, line, and sinker. If I don't beat him down in this tournament and bring him down a peg... you know, remind him not to mess with me, he's gonna win her heart for sure. And to get to Tango, I gotta go through you."

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "You're not asking me to throw the match, are you?"

Scuffle shook his head ferociously. "Celestia, no," he said quickly. "What I'm saying is that I'm going all-out. Like, really, totally all-out. Moreso than I have in my other duels. And I'm just hoping that even though you're a friend, you realize I'm prepared to knock you out if it comes to that."

Dinky snickered. "I dunno, Scuffle, I don't think it's gonna be as easy to get that far as you think it is," she reminded him.

"Hey, if you can manage a win fair and square, then good on you," Scuffle said. "All I'm saying is to get ready. This isn't some little battle magic exhibition. This is a serious duel, and I'm playing to win."

"Understood," Dinky replied, giving him a determined grin. "I still don't think using the tournament to get Tango to back off is gonna help you, but I can get giving it your all in a duel. I'll be ready to take you on. I hope you're ready for me."

Scuffle grinned back. "That's the feisty Dinks I wanted to see," he chuckled. "I like your determination. In a couple days, we'll find out if you have the skills to back it up."

"Dinky! Scuffle!" Professor Surge called. "Please take a moment to prepare, and then take your starting positions in the arena."

Dinky quickly huddled up with Clarity, as well as Inkwell and her friends, who had dropped by to watch the duel once again.

"Got your enchantment ready?" Clarity whispered. "Scuffle has such a wide range of attacks, you're really gonna be sunk if you can't get past at least some of them with that."

"It's right here," Dinky replied proudly, removing the pendant she shared with Pipsqueak and passing it to Clarity before donning an amulet containing a bright blue sapphire. "Don't forget, I'm starting to get better at self-enchantment, too. It only lasts a few seconds at a time, but it should allow me to get away with a few tricks Scuffle won't be expecting."

"Woo! You're gonna knock it out of the park, Dinky!" Portabella declared, pumping a triumphant forehoof in the air.

"My projections on spell use prophesy Scuffle's magical potentiality to be rather prodigious in this discipline," Top Percentile pointed out. "Your belligerent spells, as well as your safeguards, are markedly inferior, so I recommend you place reliance on a more unanticipated stratagem than mere magical impetus."

"Noted," Dinky chuckled as Inkwell and Portabella gave the colt identical bewildered looks. "Don't worry, I've got a plan all worked out."

Clarity leaned forward and gave her a hug. "You can do this," she encouraged. "Beat Scuffle, and you'll be going to the finals."

"Good luck!" Inkwell chirped.

Dinky gave them all a nod of assent and hopped down to the arena. Briefly, she caught a glimpse of Scuffle whispering with Honeydew before he joined her on the battlefield.

From out on the open floor, Dinky got a sense of just how big the audience was this time. Colts and fillies from every year, and even some of the professors, had gathered to watch the event. It was warranted, she supposed; only the top four duelists in her year made it this far.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, are you ready?" Professor Surge cried, addressing the audience. "In just a moment, we'll begin our first semifinal duel of this year's tournament, between two of our strongest and most resourceful students, Dinky Doo and Scuffle!"

"I hope you've got the right enchantment, Scuffle!" Dinky playfully jeered. "You're gonna need something phenomenal to get around my strategy."

Scuffle raised an eyebrow. "Enchantment?" he asked.

That threw Dinky for a loop. "Y-yeah," she stammered, indicating her amulet. "Did you... forget? You can bring one enchanted item to each duel..."

Scuffle grinned darkly. "Actually, it's one enchanted item or potion!" he corrected, bringing a small, purple glass vial into view.

"A potion?" Dinky asked, as a murmur of interest moved through the audience. "You don't know the first thing about potion making."

"There is nothing in the rules saying you have to create the enchanted item or potion yourself," Scuffle pointed out smugly. "Only that you can bring only one to each duel."

Dinky blinked. "Then that means..."

She glanced at the audience, locking eyes with Honeydew. The pink filly blushed and looked a bit guilty.

"H-he asked!" she said defensively, slouching a bit as if to hide behind the ponies in front of her. "I would've made one for you too if you wanted, but you're so good with enchantments, I figured you had it covered."

Dinky laughed as she turned back to Scuffle. "Alright, so you gotta take that potion before the fight begins, then?"

"That's right," Scuffle answered. "The effect should last more than long enough for me to pulverize you, Dinks!"

With a magical flourish, Scuffle uncorked the vial and downed all the liquid inside. Dinky, Surge, and the rest of the audience held their breath, waiting for something to happen. After a few seconds of silence, Scuffle turned nervously to look at Honeydew.

"Uh, Dewey, are you sure it's gonna—"

He stopped mid-sentence, gasped, and then threw his head back as blinding magical light burst from every inch of his body. It took several seconds for the brilliant flash to dim, but Dinky was stunned at what she saw when it faded.

It was still evident that the pony in front of her was Scuffle, but the colt's brown coat glimmered from head to hoof. Dinky tilted her head slightly, and the pattern seemed to change; it was as if Scuffle's body was made up of dozens of glasslike facets, reflecting the light in different ways.

"So Dinks," Scuffle said casually, holding out his shimmering foreleg to examine it, "did you know the citizens of the Crystal Empire, when exposed to the magic of the Crystal Heart, transform temporarily into living crystal?"

Dinky opened her mouth to reply, but Scuffle cut her off. "Of course you did," he chuckled. "What I bet you didn't know is that visiting ponies from elsewhere in Equestria can also experience the Crystal Heart's effect. And what I'm positive you didn't know is that unicorn scholars have found a way to replicate the effect with a transformative potion."

"Um, okay..." Dinky said slowly. "So why become a crystal pony for our duel?"

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Dinky Dunce, think for a second," he laughed. "I figured that ever since you learned to self-enchant, you've got so many new tricks that even all my magical versatility couldn't counter all of it. If I'd brought just one enchantment, you'd have found a way around it in no time. I had to find a way to level the playing field... or maybe even tip it in my favor."

Dinky suddenly realized what Scuffle was getting at. "Wait, you mean—"

"That's right!" Scuffle proclaimed gleefully. "For the next half hour or so, I'm made of crystal, the most readily enchantable substance in Equestria. There's no limit on the number of enchantments I can use in the duel if I'm my own enchanted object!"

Dinky glanced at Professor Surge. "Is that a legal strategy?" she asked.

"Entirely legal, and absolutely brilliant," Surge replied, beaming. "Bravo, Scuffle! This should be quite the match indeed. Now if the two of you could face each other and prepare yourselves, we can begin.

Dinky turned back to Scuffle. The colt smirked at her.

This is really bad. Not only does Scuffle have great offense and incredible defense, but with a body made of crystal, he'll be able to self-enchant better than I can!

Her thoughts were interrupted by the professor's shout.

"And... duel!"

Unlike Dinky's duel with Clarity, Scuffle didn't immediately cast a spell. He began to walk slowly, almost casually along the edge of the battlefield, circling Dinky like a predator.

"Go ahead, Dinks," he invited. "Make a move."

That's about what I expected, Dinky thought. Scuffle's defenses and counters are his best techniques. Of course he'd want me to move first. I'd better make sure it's the right one.

Dinky lit her horn, conjuring up an energy bolt. Scuffle smiled calmly as his aura sprung to life as well.

Dinky lowered her head to attack, but it was a feint. As fast as she could, she switched from the attack spell to a teleport, almost instantly transporting behind Scuffle before throwing her attack spell.

By the time she arrived at the other end of her teleport, it was already clear that her plan had failed. Scuffle's shimmering, slate blue shield was in place to easily block her spell before she could even cast it.

"So fast!" she cried out as her spell fizzled out against Scuffle's impressive protective wall. "I can't believe you can conjure a shield that strong in the fraction of a second it takes me to teleport."

Scuffle shrugged. "Dinks, you know my older brothers have been magically ambushing me for years," he chuckled. "I guess I should thank 'em. I only have these reflexes because I got tired of getting unexpectedly seared or frostbitten every other day."

"I'm a little brighter than Scorch and Frosty," Dinky reminded him. "You're gonna need more than just fast reflexes to beat me."

"The average tree stump is brighter than Scorch and Frosty," Scuffle laughed. "I'll be fine. You, however..."

The colt's horn flashed, and his shield suddenly rushed forward. Dinky was caught totally off guard as it plowed into her, sending her sprawling across the stone floor. The sound of gasps and cheers from the audience echoed around her. With a groan, she got to her hooves as quickly as she could. She barely had time to refocus on Scuffle before another solid wall of light came rushing toward her, though this time, she managed to jump out of the way.

"See, I had a brainstorm, Dinks," Scuffle explained. "My defensive spells have always been better than my offensive ones, so I thought, what if I used defensive spells in an offensive way? Ponies don't know what to do when I fling a shield spell at them instead of just sheltering myself with it."

"Well, you won't catch me off guard again," Dinky growled.

"I won't need to!" Scuffle replied delightedly. "What I've lost in the surprise factor can be compensated for with enough speed and force!"

Scuffle conjured a ring of shield walls around himself and sent them all flying outwards at once, a great expanding circle of light. Dinky knew there was no way she could break through them before they reached her so, she did the next best thing.

Scuffle watched excitedly as his attack rocketed forward, but the grin was wiped off his face in an instant when Dinky gracefully leapt several pony-lengths in the air, bounding over the shields with ease. She landed on the arena floor with perfect poise, her hooves sparkling with the gold hue of an enchantment.

"Imagine that, 'springy hooves' has battle applications!" she giggled, watching her opponent fume.

"Oh, we're gonna break out the self-enchantments already?" Scuffle asked. "I guess things are about to get interesting."

Scuffle lit his horn, and Dinky could see the magic practically sucked out as it was easily channeled into his crystalline hooves. He bounded into the air, but the jump wasn't at all similar to Dinky's. With the enchantment strengthened by being bound to crystal instead of flesh, he soared at least a dozen pony lengths straight up, nearly halfway to the distant, arched ceiling, before landing with no more difficulty than one would after a tiny hop.

"I don't care how good you are at enchantments, Dinks," he declared. "You're not gonna out-enchant a crystal pony!"

Dinky jumped as high as she could again, noting with dismay that it was already lower than last time, and fired a blast of lightning at Scuffle. The colt jumped effortlessly out of the way, sailing across half the battlefield in one bound. He retaliated with more charging shields, conjured and launched so quickly that Dinky's hooves barely had time to touch the ground before she had to jump again to evade the next one.

Okay, I'm gonna have to get more creative, she thought as she frantically refreshed the enchantment on herself to continue to avoid the attacks. Scuffle's defense is too well thought out for this to work...

"What's the matter, Dinks?" Scuffle taunted. "You've hardly even thrown an attack yet! Don't tell me I have you on the ropes already."

"Not yet!" Dinky retorted. "Your shields pass through the air easily enough, but they can't pass through solid ground!"

Scuffle raised an eyebrow as Dinky dispelled her self-enchantment in favor of a new one. Golden magic once again surrounded her hooves, but this time it stayed on the exterior, flowing around her forehooves like a cyclone. It spun faster and faster, until it was nothing but a blur of yellow energy, emitting a high-pitched, electric whine.

Scuffle sensed something was about to happen. Desperately, he conjured a large fireball and sent it blazing in Dinky's direction. Before it could arrive, Dinky slammed her front hooves to the floor, and the swirling magic behaved like a powerful drill, ripping apart the stone beneath her. In just a second or two, she disappeared underground.

Tearing through the bedrock with ease, and knowing full well any damage she caused to the battlefield would be magically repaired once the duel ended, Dinky prepared to burst from the ground and attack from a new angle. Shifting in the narrow tunnel she had created, she rolled onto her back and prepared to drill upward.

Before she could move, however, the ground began to shake. Loud rumbling filled her ears.

"W-what's happening?" she asked aloud, though her voice was drowned out by the cacophony around her.

Crack!

Sudden, bright light caused Dinky to squint as the ground above her was torn suddenly and violently open. She looked up into the eyes of Scuffle, who was peering down into the crevice with mild interest.

"Cool trick, Dinks," he admitted. "You might've got me with that one if earth magic wasn't my favorite elemental spell."

The rock beneath Dinky shifted, and then rose suddenly and violently upward. The column of magically manipulated rock burst up from the crevice Scuffle had created with Dinky still lying on top of it, flinging her head over hooves into the air. Tumbling, and unsure which way was up, she mustered up the clarity of thought to teleport before experiencing a painful impact with the stone floor. Upon exiting the teleport, back in a normal standing position, she found Scuffle laughing so hard he was struggling to stand.

"Oh, the look on your face when I threw you in the air!" he guffawed. "You really didn't come prepared to deal with me at all, did you?"

"Don't let him get in your head, Dinky!" Clarity called from the stands. "Time for one of those backup plans you were telling me about!"

"Yeah, good luck with that," Scuffle snorted. "I'm done messing around. It's time to rock this battlefield so hard you won't have a chance to pull any more tricks. All I have to do is combine self-enchantment with a little of that earth magic, and..."

Scuffle enchanted his legs, and then stamped the floor with a forehoof. A fissure ripped through the floor where it touched down, filling the room again with the echo of splitting rock as it snaked toward Dinky.

"You're gonna turn the whole battlefield into rubble if you keep that up!" Dinky cried, quickly enchanting her hooves again to leap away from the crumbling ground beneath her. "Guess I'm gonna have to put a stop to that!"

Scuffle slammed his hoof down, sending another crack through the floor, but this time, he didn't lift it to strike again. Looking briefly befuddled, he attempted to raise his foreleg, but found the hoof firmly affixed to the ground.

"Wait, why can't I—"

He was cut off as one of Dinky's energy bolts struck him square in the chest. He flinched, but still didn't move his legs. Hastily, he covered himself in a domed shield, which Dinky immediately began to chip away at.

"Oh, Dinks, the cement hooves spell? Like from when we dueled as foals?" he asked, grinning. "Boy, that's a blast from the past. What did I do about that last time? Oh, that's right..."

Dinky knew exactly what was coming, but that didn't prevent her from succumbing to it. Her body suddenly felt like it was filled with sand. She struggled to stay standing for a second or two before giving in and sinking to the floor.

Gravity. The manipulation of gravity was generally considered one of the hardest types of battle magic to master, but Scuffle was an absolute prodigy with it, even when he was a foal. The iron cage cutie mark he bore was a clear sign of his talents with spells he could use to defend himself by trapping or restricting an opponent, and among those, gravity seemed to be his favorite.

"Now, isn't this familiar!" Scuffle observed, as Dinky lay with her underside pressed against the floor in front of him. "Last time we fought, as enemies rather than rivals, our duel ended in this very stalemate. Neither of us can move, and neither of us can cast our next attack spell without releasing the other from their bindings."

"I thought that might happen," Dinky managed to sputter, despite the pressure of Scuffle's spell weighing on her like a ton of bricks. "In fact, I was so sure we'd end up in this situation that I took the liberty of planning ahead."

Without breaking the spell holding her opponent in place, Dinky let a bit of magic flow into the enchanted amulet around her neck. The sapphire glimmered with light, and Dinky felt the massive weight lift from her in an instant, leaving her feeling exceptionally light for a few seconds.

Scuffle, it seemed, didn't initially realize how she was resisting his spell. He was caught so off guard that he didn't even react fast enough to block the flurry of energy strikes she loosed a second later. Crying out in surprise and pain, he immediately dropped the now-useless gravity spell and replaced it with a shield.

"It's your amulet, isn't it," he growled as Dinky's powerful offenses began to send cracks through the wall of magic between them. "And since that one's bound to an object and not your body, it's not gonna wear off."

"That's right!" Dinky giggled, as her horn surged and hurled another blast of light at Scuffle's barrier. "The effect is enhanced by an engraved rune, too. Now that I've activated it, any attempt to increase gravity's effect on me will be completely useless."

"Wait, wait, wait," Scuffle said, surprisingly calm about the rapidly splintering shield protecting him. "It stops me from increasing gravity?"

"What part of that wasn't clear?" Dinky mocked.

Scuffle smirked. "Just making sure. 'Cause it sounds like it won't help you much if I decided to decrease gravity..."

Dinky blinked, processing his comment. "If you decrease—"

She didn't get to finish her sentence, primarily because her hooves suddenly lost contact with the floor, and her stomach turned as she plummeted upward toward the arched ceiling. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to cast a strong air spell and managed to cradle herself in its whirling winds before they deposited her gently on the underside of the ceiling. She craned her neck, staring what from her perspective was straight up, and saw the audience far above her, on the floor.

With a flash and a pop, Scuffle appeared on the ceiling as well. "Boy, what an oversight," he laughed. "Thought I had you for a second there, but you managed to avoid a bad impact. Still, fighting on the ceiling should make things interesting."

Dinky cocked her head. "If we're both under the effects of your inverted gravity, how's it any different than fighting on the floor?"

Scuffle gestured broadly to their surroundings. "Dinks, this ceiling is vaulted. Since we're upside down, that means we're basically fighting in a giant bowl instead of on level ground. And I know just how to take advantage of that."

The colt's horn lit up again, filling his crystal physique with a new self-enchantment. Then he leapt forward skidding up (or perhaps down? The implications of reversed gravity made Dinky's head hurt) the side of the bowl as if he was skating on ice.

A frictionless charm now? Dinky realized. Scuffle's been practicing enchantments a lot more than I realized!

Looking quite smug, Scuffle sailed around her, using the sloping sides of the bowl-shaped battlefield to build up speed or make unexpected turns. All the while, he fired blazing jets of flame from his horn. His constant erratic movement made it extremely difficult to predict the position of each attack, and Dinky struggled to react quickly enough to shield or dodge each one. Any attempts to retaliate were easily avoided; the enchantment made Scuffle just too agile.

I'm outmatched! Dinky realized. If he's outfighting me, I have to outsmart him instead. How would Clarity handle this?

An illusion, of course, would be Clarity's first choice, and it occurred to Dinky that in this case, that was exactly what she needed.

Scuffle laughed as he saw Dinky's horn light up. "Dinks, c'mon, you can't hit me and you know it. Just throw a spell at that forfeit signal and let's be done with— whoa!"

The illusion, while simple, worked wonders; Dinky made the bowl in which they were fighting appear wider than it was. Scuffle reached the edge before he was expecting to, and didn't shift his weight enough to stay upright. He lost his balance and skidded along the surface of the ceiling head-over-hooves, rendering him a sitting duck for a well placed, powerful bolt from Dinky. The attack hit him just under the chin like an uppercut and sent him tumbling backwards.

"Maybe you should hit the forfeit signal if you don't wanna get knocked out!" she teased.

Scuffle worked his aching jaw for a moment and glared at her. "Oh, you wanna play with illusions, huh Dinks?" he asked. "I'm not really an illusions guy myself, but I've got something just as good."

Without warning, Dinky's gravity righted itself. With a gasp, she hurtled back toward the floor, but this time deployed her wind spell with plenty of time to spare. The moment she found her footing, however, one of Scuffle's shield sprung up right beside her. An instant later, two more appeared. Then another three, and then five more. In a matter of seconds, Dinky was surrounded by dozens of walls of bluish light.

"See, I don't have to actually manipulate light at all to make a good illusion," Scuffle said proudly, floating back down from the ceiling as lightly as a feather. "All I need to do is make enough reflective surfaces, and let light's natural properties do the work for me!"

Before Dinky could question what he meant, his aura began to glow much brighter. The maze of shields, usually translucent, grew stronger, which also increased their opacity. Soon, Dinky couldn't see through them at all; instead, her reflection stared back at her from each one.

"A hall of mirrors!?" she cried, incredulous. "Scuffle, how do you have enough energy to keep that many shields at that strength?"

"I've been casting shields since before the first little yellow spark ever left your horn, Dinks," Scuffle replied.

The colt suddenly appeared in all the reflections, right behind Dinky. She whirled around and attacked, but struck only a shield. Scuffle, wherever he was, took advantage of her mistake and struck back, singeing her coat with a fireball. She tried again, using the fire's trajectory as a guide, but only struck another reflected image. Scuffle seemed to know the layout of his shields well enough to keep track of her position, but she couldn't seem to pinpoint his. He battered her with spells, and unlike Clarity's little stinging bolts, Scuffle's painful attacks wore her stamina down after just a few hits.

Wait! I know how to hit him!

Desperately, Dinky cast one more self-enchantment. Scuffle's next spell hit its mark... and was promptly reflected right back at him. Not only did this earn Dinky a free hit, but it finally allowed her to figure out which of the dozens of images of Scuffle around her was the real one.

"A reflective spell?" Scuffle panted, shaking off the attack. "Jeez, this whole duel turned into an exchange of self-enchantments. I've got one more of my own, and this one oughta finish the job."

He cast another spell on himself, though the effect wasn't immediately apparent. Dinky didn't wait around to find out, of course; she unleashed a barrage of lasers at Scuffle, renewing her own self-enchantment as often as she could to keep reflecting his counterattacks. It was clear the colt was getting worn down; he ducked behind the walls in the maze of shields as often as he could, but the majority of her attacks connected.

"Give it up Scuffle!" she yelled, charging up the strongest spell she could muster. "You're tired, you're out of tricks, and whatever that last enchantment was, it's not helping."

Scuffle turned to face her. "Fine, Dinks," he barked. "Then knock me out. Hit me with your best shot."

In hindsight, it seemed like a trap, but in the moment, Dinky was tired, beaten, and adrenaline-addled. She let loose a laser so wide that the golden energy engulfed Scuffle completely. As she heard the gasps and cheers from the crowd, she felt certain she'd dealt the finishing blow.

But when the light faded, Scuffle was still standing. He looked weathered, for sure. His legs were shaking and he was panting hard, but despite the incredible damage dealt to him, he smirked.

"Hey Dinks. Guess what."

Dinky paused. "...What?"

The smirk widened. "That last self-enchantment I cast? It's letting me store your spells. Every one of those lasers you hit me with? They've been combined in my body into one concentrated burst."

Dinky's pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Oh n—"

A spherical burst of Dinky's own magic blasted out of Scuffle all at once, extending in every direction. It mowed down the maze of shields like they were nothing and surged right toward Dinky. There was nowhere to run, no way to defend, and no distance she could teleport that would have cleared the blast.

"Aaauugghh!"

Dinky was hurled across the room as the wave of energy hit her like an oncoming train. She smashed into the stone floor several pony-lengths away, and heard a small, metallic 'crunch' beneath her. Dazedly, she rolled onto her back and realized her amulet, which had been protecting her from Scuffle's gravity spells, had shattered on impact.

Clearly, Scuffle noticed too, since she felt the force of gravity pin her to the floor a moment later. Scuffle strode up and placed a forhoof gently on her chest. She stared up at him, her vision blurry. Even through bleary eyes, she saw a cloud of debris form in the air above them. Scuffle, it seemed, was lifting the rocks and rubble created by his fissure attacks earlier, which swirled slowly above him like storm clouds.

"Dinky, I'm gonna give you one last chance," he said quietly, watching her struggle weakly beneath the force of his spell. "Forfeit now, and you can get up and walk away."

Slowly, Dinky turned her head to the scoreboard. The forfeit signal waited to receive her magic. She lit her horn.

But she did not cast the spell. Instead, she teleported from beneath Scuffle's hoof, reappearing in the air behind him to try to deliver a surprise strike from above.

The moment she rematerialized, she knew the last-ditch plan had failed. Scuffle hadn't moved, but he was already looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He'd predicted her plan perfectly.

Time seemed to move in slow motion. The two unicorns' eyes met, only for an instant, but Scuffle's gaze was enough to say 'well, I warned you.'

The gravity spell kicked in again, slamming Dinky to the floor, and the cloud of rocks and dust followed suit. Dinky only had one moment to comprehend what was happening before the shroud of earthen debris came down on top of her, and everything went black.

"Dinky? Dinky dear? Can you hear me?"

Dinky blinked slowly. For a few moments, she struggled to comprehend where she was. She felt like she'd just woken up, but this certainly wasn't her bunk. After a few seconds, her vision cleared and she saw the academy nurse standing over her.

"Feeling alright, hon?" the mare asked. "I've already taken care of the healing spells. Nothing too serious; you had a lot of bruises and a fractured foreleg, probably from that blast that threw you a fair distance, but it's all healed up now. I figured I'd let you rest for a few minutes, though. That fight looked like it took a lot out of both of you."

"Oh, the duel," Dinky realized, stiffly sitting up as the memory came back to her. "I guess I lost, huh?"

"Afraid so, Dinks."

Dinky turned her head. Scuffle was sitting nearby, and he was back to his normal self. Honeydew's potion had worn off, and Scuffle's crystal coat had once again been replaced with normal, caramel brown fur. He gave her a lopsided grin.

"You're not mad I knocked you out, are you?" he asked. "'Cause let's be fair; any sane pony would've forfeited after that stored magic blast."

Dinky giggled. "Of course I'm not mad," she promised. "I mean, come on, that wasn't even the first time I was knocked out by being slammed against a stone surface and buried in a landslide. And last time it happened, it was a lot more life threatening than your little stunt there."

Scuffle was generally more able to appreciate dark humor than Clarity or Honeydew and the two friends laughed. The nurse gave Dinky a rather concerned look, but didn't comment.

A few minutes later, Dinky and Scuffle rejoined the rest of their friends. Professor Surge trotted up to the group as well.

"Fantastic work out there, Dinky," he praised. "You won't be participating in the finals, but don't let that deter your enthusiasm. You're easily one of the best duelists I've seen in the past few years. And as for you, Scuffle, I'm just itching to see what techniques you have in store for the grand finale."

"I would be humbled to have the chance to face such a skilled opponent," Tango Trot said, flashing a gleaming grin in Scuffle's direction. "I suppose we'll see next week if I can overcome our wonderful classmate Seeker and earn my place in that matchup."

"I'm sure you'll do great," Honeydew encouraged, nuzzling Tango's cheek briefly. "You and Scuffle are both so talented, I can't imagine it will be anypony but you two in the finals now that Dinky's out."

"You flatter me, Honeydew," Tango Trot replied. "But that's enough battle magic for now. Shall we head to the student lounge and review your latest progress with the Lifesense project?"

"Yes please," Honeydew chirped. "I've got a new theory on the transfer of physical sensory information I wanted to get your opinion on."

The pair of ponies exited the hall, already deep in discussion about biology. Scuffle watched them go.

"And I'm gonna go train," he said, with a rather harsh note in his voice. "I got a big match coming up, and I'm not going to lose."

With the rest of the crowd leaving as well, just Dinky, Clarity, and Professor Surge remained. The instructor turned to Dinky curiously.

"Speaking of research, are we still on for our next session tonight?" he asked.

"You bet," Dinky replied, smiling. "You're the one coming with me this week, right Clarity?"

The grey filly nodded. "Just let me know when it's almost time to go so I can do my rounds at the tower and make sure nopony needs an Overseer. After that, I'm all yours."

"Excellent," Surge said. "I believe we're getting close to a breakthrough with those counterspells. I'll see you both tonight."

Dinky waited as Dean Spiral Script performed all the usual spells to tightly lock the battle magic arena. As usual, only Professor Surge and Counselor Wishing Star, and this time, Clarity, were present. When the entryway was securely sealed, Dean Script turned, nodded silently to Dinky, and proceeded to her seat in the stands.

Clarity stepped closer and smiled at Dinky. "I know this is the eighth or ninth one of these sessions you've done now, but as always, please be careful," she recommended. "Keep your magic under control. That's the most important thing here."

"Don't worry," Dinky said soothingly. "The Professor and I have gotten the hang of this now. Everything will be fine."

Clarity nodded and hopped into the stands. Dinky began to make her way out into the arena, when she felt a hoof on her back. She turned, glancing at Wishing Star curiously.

"Don't forget this!" the counselor reminded her, levitating Dinky's diamond pendant off of her neck. "Last thing you want is to damage something special to you, right?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me!" Dinky gasped. "Can you hold onto it for me until the session is over?"

Wishing Star smiled broadly, with a twinkle in her bright pink eyes. "I'll guard it with my life," she giggled, holding the accessory close to her chest. "You'll get it back safe and sound when you're done here, I promise."

She climbed into the stands as well, and Dinky stepped onto the battlefield, casually letting the cheery yellow and lilac shades melt off her, revealing the angry violet and smoky black beneath. Though Professor Surge had gotten over the shock of her appearance after the first few times, he still watched her smooth transformation with marked interest.

"Alright, where did we leave off last session?" she asked, letting the darkness begin to build in her crescent-shaped horn.

"Well, we've now tried every type of standard defense, and the results are... concerning," the professor replied. "Shields are useless here; when you put your full strength into your attacks, my shields can't even attempt to stop them. Reflection-on-contact spells aren't much better; dark spells can be reflected, but have so much force behind them that I imagine they'd still injure the pony reflecting them. That's what the magic thermodynamic equations imply, anyway, but that's as good as we're going to get without aiming a spell directly at me, which we both know isn't a good idea."

"So, since direct defense is almost useless, we need to focus on diverting, weakening, or cancelling dark spells before they hit their target?" Dinky asked.

"Exactly," Professor Surge declared, nodding excitedly. "It's a solid theory. The existing academic texts on countering dark magic are extremely limited, but the small hoofful of spells that are provided there all involve bringing the unpredictability and ferocity of dark magic down to a manageable level so it can be snuffed out.

"Dinky and I have actually witnessed one used outside of these training sessions," Clarity called. "When Dinky accidentally started a dark fire that almost burned town the fillies' residence tower back in our first year, our Overseer at the time, Sparkler, was the one who cast the spell that brought it under control."

"Ah, yes, I heard about that!" the professor realized. "That spell involves several components, including dozens if not hundreds of energy spheres that can slowly beat an out-of-control blaze back, as well as a powerful compound rune that functions as a ward for containing it. It's a fascinating— and effective— combination, and exactly the sort of thing I'm hoping to develop more of with Dinky's help."

"Well, here's something I figured out how to do on my own, so I imagine most wraiths wouldn't have a problem doing the same," Dinky said. "Stand way back, please. This is kinda violent."

Professor Surge backpedaled until he was standing near the bleachers with the other ponies. Dinky let her aura grow stronger, listening to the magic's sinister crackle without fear. She fired the malevolent spell into the furthest corner of the arena, and once free from her horn, it began to expand. Soon, it was a great churning cloud of blackness, periodically flashing with black lightning that blew apart chunks of the stone floor wherever it struck.

"If I wasn't restricting it with my power, that storm would continue to grow in size and intensity," Dinky explained. "I have no idea if there's a limit to it or not. If a wraith were to let a spell like this to grow unchecked, who knows what would happen. Maybe it could reduce a whole city to rubble."

Dean Script cleared her throat nervously. "And you're certain you can keep it under control?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, that's easy," Dinky answered casually. "The fire I set years ago got out of control because I was still a unicorn when that happened; once I started it, I was as powerless as everypony else to hold it back. But now that I'm a wraith, I'd be able to reign in that spell too."

"That makes it sound like the best candidate to defeat a wraith is... well, another wraith," Clarity observed.

"Probably," Professor Surge admitted. "But that's not a viable option, since there's precisely one good wraith in Equestria right now. What we need is more strategies for unicorns to extinguish dark fires or storms."

"Well, you've got a captive storm to experiment on," Dinky pointed out, gesturing to the cloud as it shattered a small bit of the wall with another savage lightning strike. "Start with the same kind of magic used in that spell to beat back the fire, maybe, and go from there."

For the next half hour, Professor Surge tried a number of spells to weaken the black cloud. Almost everything he tried either passed harmlessly through it, or was dispelled when it came in contact with the lightning.

"Too bad there's no such thing as pegasus wraiths," Clarity joked. "They'd probably be able to wrangle dark magic storm clouds."

"Actually, Clarity, that gives me an idea," Professor Surge gasped, his eyes lighting up with inspiration. "Rather than negating the magic with a direct spell, maybe I can control it by magically manipulating natural elements!"

The stallion's horn blazed with light, and the thunderous sound of whipping wind filled the room. Dinky had always considered herself a decent wind conjurer, but this gust had to be ten times the strength of what she could produce.

The professor expertly directed the wind toward Dinky's dark storm. Once his spell reached hers, it began to spin, becoming a powerful cyclone in seconds. The darkness lashed out at it with lightning, but there was nothing to hit; even dark lightning couldn't destroy wind.

The cyclone spun faster as it grew more narrow, and gradually, Dinky's malicious cloud was compressed by the force of the rushing air around it. Quickly, the professor used a laser-like spell to burn an intricate, circular rune into the floor directly below it. Once the cloud was compressed to such a small space that it was entirely within the circle, the professor charged the rune with energy.

All at once, the lightning stopped, the crackling quieted, and the cloud itself stopped churning. It gradually dissipated, floating away like smoke until it was no longer visible.

"That's it!" Dinky cried, watching the last wisps of black fade away.

"Write that down, Wishing Star!" Professor Surge called, trotting excitedly in place. "Ethereal dark spells like storm clouds can be compressed into a small space and then rendered harmless with a darkness suppressing rune circle!"

"Got it!" the counselor replied, scribbling frantically in her notepad.

"Oh Dinky, this is brilliant!" the professor continued as he turned back to his wraith companion. "It's taken us months of work to flesh out the abilities and limitations of dark magic, but we finally have a fully functional counterspell! And I'm sure there are many more on the way."

"One thing to remember, though," Dinky pointed out. "Wraiths are most likely only going to use spells like that when they want to cause wide-scale destruction. Why go through all the trouble of starting an uncontrollable fire or an ever-growing storm in a one-on-one encounter when you can just murder a pony with one well-placed dark bolt?"

"True, but it's a start," Professor Surge said thoughtfully. "One extremely skilled unicorn may be able to hold their own against a wraith in combat, if they know what to expect and are adept at dodging rather than blocking, but crowds of civilians won't have the same chances of survival. One trained unicorn could save many ponies if they can defuse a wide-reaching dark attack."

"Well, let's try another one," Dinky said, excitedly, letting dark magic rush into her horn again. "I'm sure I can cook up something else for you to counter."

"Um, excuse me, can I ask a question?"

All heads in the room turned to Wishing Star. It was a bit unusual for her to speak up; her knowledge of magic, after all, paled in comparison to everypony else in the room, including the students.

"This is off topic, but I'm just kind of curious about how you control all that magic," the mare admitted, glancing at the other ponies for approval. "You can produce all these lethal, frightening attacks with such ease, the darkness just beneath the surface of your body must be immense. Do you ever struggle to hold it back?"

"I used to, when I was a unicorn," Dinky explained. "During my first term, dreams, emotions, and even the position of the stars would draw dark magic out of my horn against my will. I've never struggled with it since becoming a wraith, though."

"So, like anypony, I'm sure you get upset sometimes," Wishing Star continued. "Your magic doesn't react when that happens anymore?"

"Oh, it reacts," Dinky replied. "When I'm upset or angry or stressed, the darkness churns inside me and fights to break free. The difference is that when that happens to a unicorn, the magic usually succeeds in getting out. Wraiths don't seem to have that issue. I mean, has your horn ever lit up with unicorn magic against your will? Because dark magic is as natural for me as normal magic is for you."

Wishing Star sighed and wiped her brow. "That's a relief," she breathed. "With every one of these sessions, I understand more why the staff here considers it such a big deal that you're a wraith. I'm glad we don't have to worry about the wraith in you breaking free from your control."

"We're all grateful for that, Dinky most of all," Spiral Script said. "She carries an enormous responsibility, but she bears her burden with grace. Let's all hope that's how it remains for many years to come."

Dinky smiled. Encouraged by the dean's words, she continued to work with the professor for the rest of the session. In no time at all, it was time to call it quits for the day.

"I'm proud of you, Dinky," Clarity declared as she galloped to her friend's side. "I had my doubts when you started this months ago, but you and Professor Surge are really making progress! This stuff's gonna be saving ponies' lives someday, I'm sure."

"She's really doing a great job isn't she?" Wishing Star asked as she passed Dinky's diamond pendant back to her. "Here's hoping you guys come up with a few more spells next session."

Dinky smiled as she returned her prized accessory to her neck, and then she and Clarity followed the professor and the dean out of the room.

"Yes, you're doing a great job managing your powers, Dinky," Wishing Star muttered under her breath as she trailed along as the back of the group. "But not for much longer..."

The first few days of September were of a dreary, cloudy sort. It was fitting, Ditzy thought. She hadn't seen Breeze in a few days now; her only news of him was that which Watt and Cloudcover could provide. The future of her relationship was cloudy at best.

But Sparkler's future wasn't going to be like that. Not if Ditzy had anything to say about it anyway. She strode confidently through the damp, late summer air, determined to help the pony who needed her most right now. There would be time to worry about her own future later.

Sparkler's future would be bright. Brighter than it had been since she was a filly. Ditzy assured herself of it over and over as she approached Sparkler's apartment and gently knocked.

For a few moments, there was silence. Eventually the door opened a crack, and Sparkler peered out, giving Ditzy her usual phlegmatic stare.

"Ah. Mrs. Doo. Come on in."

Ditzy was ushered into the dim apartment, and Sparkler quickly shut the door behind her.

"So, if you're here, it's time to seek out Presto?" she asked.

"That's right," Ditzy replied, nodding resolutely. "Do you need help getting ready to go?"

A small duffel bag hovered into the room in a field of purple magic, and dropped to the floor with a dull thud. "I've been ready," Sparkler said flatly. "I packed the essentials the day after we last spoke. It's been ready to go for weeks."

"Yeah, sorry about the delay..." Ditzy apologized, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "Work has been getting... rough. I never meant for it to take two months before I could allot the time to make the trip."

"It doesn't matter," Sparkler said dismissively. "The next northbound train leaves in about an hour. Are we taking that one?"

Ditzy nodded. "Yep. We even have enough time to take the back roads, so we don't risk running into your mother somewhere on the way."

"Good. Let's go."

Curt and concise as usual, Sparkler exited the home, with Ditzy close behind. For a few minutes, they walked in silence. Ditzy was used to Sparkler's mannerisms by now, though, and there would be plenty of time to coach her on how to act during the long train ride.

So it came as a surprise when Sparkler spoke up.

"So Mrs. Doo... how, uh... how does my... father feel about what you're doing for me?"

Ditzy stopped mid-stride. "Well," she said slowly. "Breeze is... well, he wants you to be happy. That's been his goal since you two met."

Maybe it was something about the vague way she worded it, or perhaps the twinge of unease in her voice. Whatever the reason, Sparkler didn't seem satisfied with the answer.

"Even if he does, there's more to it than that, isn't there?" she asked, glancing at Ditzy suspiciously. "He does know you're taking me to see Presto, right?"

"Oh, he knows," Ditzy said quickly. "He just... well, he thought, err..."

Sparkler's eyes narrowed. "He doesn't support the idea, does he?"

"I-I mean, yes and no... and... h-how did you know something was up?" Ditzy stammered.

"You're an easy pony to read, Mrs. Doo," Sparkler muttered. "Your tone says more than your words sometimes."

Ditzy grimaced, and said nothing.

"I guess I'm not surprised," Sparkler continued. "That stallion didn't care enough about my mother to realize he had a daughter for over twenty years. Why would he suddenly care now?"

"It's not like that!" Ditzy insisted, looking at the dour unicorn desperately. "I'm not lying to you! Breeze thinks you deserve happiness, and he just wants to find a way to give you a chance to find it!"

"Then why doesn't he want me to see Presto again!?" Sparkler shot back.

"He does! I mean... kind of," Ditzy whimpered. "He and I had the same goal: to help you! We just had different ideas on how best to do that, and he doesn't know you like I do, and we disagreed, and I didn't think he'd just leave like this just because—"

She gasped and clapped a hoof over her mouth, but she'd said far too much. The damage was done.

Sparkler stood still as a statue for several seconds, staring straight ahead. In the distance a low rumble of thunder signaled an oncoming summer storm.

"Spar—"

"Even you, huh?"

Ditzy blinked. "Pardon me?"

"A few years ago," Sparkler said softly, "your daughter made me believe that I was wrong. That bonds with other ponies didn't have to end in pain. That shutting everypony out of my life wasn't the route to happiness."

She wheeled around suddenly, staring directly into Ditzy's eyes. Her expression was wild and desperate, almost animalistic, and her whole body quivered; Ditzy fought the urge to back off.

"Eventually I met you, Mrs. Doo," Sparkler continued, her voice growing louder and more frantic. "You, an experienced pony matchmaker. You, a pony with a relationship that seemed happy, and meaningful, and fulfilling. Surely if there were ponies like that, it meant maybe relationships could work after all!"

"And they can!" Ditzy assured her. "Just let me—"

"But then," Sparkler interrupted, with an expression that almost resembled a twisted, ironic smile, "there was one disagreement. One thing came between you and your partner."

"We just need a chance to work things out!" Ditzy said back to her, trying to sound more sure then she felt. "Breeze and I will—"

"Autumn Breeze left you!" Sparkler roared, her declaration further accentuated by another, much louder peal of thunder. "And do you know what that means, Mrs. Doo? Or should I remind you?"

Before Ditzy could move, Sparkler lit her horn and touched it to Ditzy's head, plunging her into the memoryscape again. For a few seconds, a scene she had seen before was displayed before her. There, in the memory, was a young, sobbing Sparkler, and an angry, bitter Cosmic Glow. The blue unicorn repeated those awful, awful words.

"When you let somepony into your life, when you let them affect your emotions, fuel your interests, and influence your decisions, you're placing your weak point in their hooves! And the moment they decide you're not the best thing in their life, they'll yank that part of you away. Then they'll turn up their nose, without a care for the damaged, hollow shell of a pony they've left in their wake."

The memory vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, and the vision was replaced with Sparkler's desperate face.

"Sparkler... no... It's not true..."

"It is true, Mrs. Doo!" Sparkler cried. "No matter how close a friendship grows, no matter how perfect a relationship is, it only takes a moment to destroy it, and leave behind an empty pony who gave their heart away!"

"But Sparkler!"

"Shut up!"

Sparkler's horn flared. A powerful magic wave radiated out from her, shattering every window on the block and throwing poor Ditzy against a wall. She groaned and slumped to the dirt road beneath. Dizzily, she stared at the unicorn still standing in the middle of the street; judging by her expression, she clearly hadn't meant to put so much power behind her spell.

"It... it doesn't have to be like this, you know," Ditzy mumbled as she lay there, in spite of the aches plaguing her.

Sparkler's eyes were full of more despair than Ditzy had believed possible. The young mare hung her head, but that didn't hide the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Yes it does, Mrs. Doo. The terrible, ghastly truth of the matter is clear now. My mother, selfish and cruel as she was... was right all along."

She lifted her bag in her aura and turned away. "Go home, Mrs. Doo," she said hoarsely. "I'm sorry I hurt you. But it's time for you to worry about your own problems. Because you can't fix mine. Nopony can."

In a flash of teleportation, she was gone. Ditzy struggled to her hooves and limped to the spot where she'd been standing a moment before, as if expecting to find some trace of her still there.

The heavens opened. Rain poured down by the bucketload, utterly soaking Ditzy's fur in seconds. All the same, she supposed; the water masked the tears now streaming down her face. She slowly sank to her haunches, sitting in the muddy road with her head bowed.

It's over. I made the wrong choice. I thought I was doing what was right, but I betrayed Breeze's trust, and now I've extinguished the only flicker of hope left in Sparkler. All I wanted was to help a pony in need, and now... I've failed all my loved ones...

A deafening clap of thunder boomed overhead as Ditzy, with an aching body and an anguished heart, fell into the mud and sobbed.

It was night. Cosmic Glow approached the abandoned home outside of town. As she got close, she spotted Wishing Star standing in the doorway, gazing at her with a smug smile. She quickened her pace, rushing over to her host.

"Is it done?" she asked as she skidded to a halt in front of the orange mare.

"Oh, it's done, and in such a poetic way, too," Wishing Star crooned, the soft flicker of her horn lengthening Glow's shadow. "The assignment I arranged forced Ditzy and Breeze to take sides on the matter of Sparkler's future, even though Sparkler wasn't aware that she'd become the subject of a shipping mission. Ditzy was so set in her convictions that she sabotaged the assignment! You can imagine how Breeze took the news; after all, he was lied to and betrayed, just as he was when a certain somepony sabotaged an assignment years ago."

"Then they... they've separated?" Glow asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"This week, they've only worked on alternating days," Wishing Star giggled. "Ditzy's a mopey mess, and Breeze refuses to even speak about her. Neither has seen the other since the incident at all. It seems, Cosmic Glow, that you finally got your revenge."

A delighted laugh escaped Glow, and she fought the urge to jump around like an excited schoolfilly. "At last!" she cried, trotting in a little circle gleefully. "Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is falling apart, and Ditzy's relationship has been torn to shreds. Finally, that rat of a pegasus will know what it's like to suffer!"

Wishing Star bowed low, like a performer at a curtain call. "It was nothing," she giggled. "Those ponies are so naive, they never had the faintest suspicion that I was involved with any of this. Their fate was already sealed the moment I eliminated Candyfloss."

Glow nearly tripped over her own hooves. She stopped dead, staring at the mare in front of her, who continued to stare back with a satisfied smile.

"Did... did you say when you eliminated Candyfloss?"

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "Oh come now, you don't really think the mysterious passing of the only truly perceptive pony at that place was a coincidence, did you?" she asked, tossing her multicolored mane playfully. "Though, to be fair, I did cover my tracks quite well. The first dose of poison was never meant to kill, only to cause a health scare. That way, everypony would believe the old goat was getting frail in his advanced age. Nopony ever thought twice about me sneaking into Ponyville Urgent Care in hospital garb to deliver the fatal dose in his lunch. Since he died already in the care of the doctors, nopony even suspected foul play. And when you brought me his journal, you removed the last opportunity he had to pass on any of those perceptions of his to his employees."

"Y-you're a psychopath!" Glow gasped, backpedaling frantically. "Look, I was in this because I wanted Ditzy to be as miserable as I was, but I'd never physically harm somepony, let alone kill them!"

Wishing Star's smile faded. "What are you upset about?" she growled. "You got what you wanted, and I did the dirty work."

"I'm upset because you murdered somepony!" Glow bellowed, horrified.

Wishing Star yawned to emphasize how little this seemed to bother her. She removed her bejeweled headband, glancing at the glistening crystals on it. "Yes, I suppose I did," she said, shrugging. "What are you planning to do about it?"

"Inform the authorities in Canterlot, of course!" Glow cried. "I'm not just going to let a violent criminal walk free in—"

Wishing Star lit her horn, and a small, pink gem was plucked off her headband with a small snap. Then it was whipped through the air at incredible speed. It struck Glow's chest and, mysteriously, passed right through, leaving no sign of a wound.

"Aghhk!"

Glow clutched at the spot where the crystal had entered and sank to the ground, panting hard and wincing in pain. "W-what? What did you..."

"Glow, dear, did you ever ask yourself what my reason for helping with this plan was?" Wishing Star asked, stepping closer and peering down at her. "You didn't, did you? You were content with my vague reassurance that we had the same goal, because you're as naive as all those other ponies."

Glow felt another wave of searing pain radiate through her from the point where the strange crystal had struck. Unable to speak, she just stared at the other unicorn, eyes bulging.

"You see, Glow, these crystals of hate are funny little things," Wishing Star continued, gesturing specifically to the pink gems that made up part of the rainbow of her headband. "They only work if the pony they're used on has been fully consumed by the hatred of another. I don't care about whether Ditzy suffers or not; I never did. She just happened to be the subject of some of the purest, most virulent hate I've ever encountered: yours. And now, at last, your obsessive, vindictive needs have allowed one of my crystals of hate to take hold within you."

"But... w-what are you doing to me?" Glow gasped, clutching desperately at her chest and writhing in pain.

"You'll see soon enough," Wishing Star said casually. "The point is, Ditzy was just another casualty; it's you, Cosmic Glow, that I need to fulfill my plans. And now that hate has consumed you fully, you're mine."

Glow tried to gurgle out a reply, but another pain shot through her, ten times as agonizing as the one before. She curled up on the ground, unable to bear it any longer, and blacked out. The last thing she heard was Wishing Star's faint, malicious giggle, fading on the quiet night breeze.

Chapter 11

The platter of muffins in the employee lounge sat untouched. That alone was an indication that something was wrong.

As it had been since the schedule change, the room was almost empty. Only two ponies were present today as they awaited assignment. Splayed out on the couch was Ditzy Doo, lying on her stomach with her wings drooping at her sides as she stared at the wall, her bad eyes drifting in and out of focus. Cloudcover sat at the table, apparently reading the newspaper, though his frequent worried glances at Ditzy indicated he probably wasn't paying much attention to it.

There hadn't been a shipping assignment all day, and with Wishing Star in her office downstairs, and Watt, the usual conversation starter, no longer working the same days as Ditzy, the room was unbearably quiet. The ticking of the clock, the only consistent sound, seemed to echo like the rhythmic beating of a drum.

Time seemed irrelevant. Devoid of any sort of motivation, Ditzy simply lay there, feeling powerless to do anything more than simply exist.

"Ditzy... perhaps we should talk."

Ditzy's eyes drifted slowly to Cloudcover, who had finally given up the facade and put down the newspaper. She moved her upper body feebly, in a vague attempt at a noncommittal shrug.

Cloudcover stood and strode slowly across the room, seating himself on the one bit of the couch Ditzy wasn't occupying and placing his forehoof on her back.

"Ditzy, this... this can't go on," the stallion said softly. "You have every reason to be upset, but... you've hardly eaten or slept in days. I don't want to see your health start to fail."

"What does it matter?" Ditzy grunted. "Our boss is dead, the company is crumbling fast, and now the pony that was my fiance' wants nothing to do with me anymore, and the young mare who I owe so much to, the one who put herself in harm's way to save Dinky's life, has turned her back on love and friendship forever. I don't know about you, Cloudcover, but I don't see any light at the end of this tunnel."

"Perhaps not," Cloudcover sighed, "but terrible tragedy has struck before, and you've always pulled through, Ditzy. When faced with unemployment, crippling debt, or even, though I hate to bring it up, the passing of your late husband many years ago, you always found the strength to keep going. You're a tough mare, so why should this time be different?"

Ditzy mumbled something into the pillow.

"I... beg your pardon?" Cloudcover asked.

Ditzy lifted her head and turned to face Cloudcover for the first time, with tears wetting her cheeks and a scowl on her face.

"This time is different, Cloudcover. Because this time it's my fault."

The stallion shook his head slowly. "Ditzy, I've known you for quite some time now, and in that time, I've become very certain of one thing," he professed. "I know that you absolutely never act selfishly. Everything you do... everything you've done for these last five years in fact, was done to help other ponies, even if that meant putting their needs before your own. What happened last week... it put you in a tight spot. Forced you into an ultimatum. And you made the choice you did because you truly wanted to help Sparkler, and truly believed that you knew the way to do it. I know you've been comparing yourself to Cosmic Glow, but what Glow did was out of spite... while what you did was out of selflessness. You tried to help another, even knowing you might risk your personal status to do so."

"And I failed," Ditzy deadpanned. "The worst case scenario became reality when Breeze found out, and now that Sparkler realizes what's happened between us, she's lost all faith."

Cloudcover frowned. "You never strayed from your convictions, my friend," he affirmed. "You know what Dr. Candyfloss would've said. Not following the path your heart lays before you is folly. At any rate, you mustn't give up yet; you still have Dinky, and though she may be at school right now, you know she cares about you deeply, just as you do about her. For her sake, and in honor of Candyfloss's legacy as well... please, you must press on."

Ditzy heaved a sigh and slowly rose to her hooves. "You have a point," she mumbled. "At Dinky's age, shes mostly taking care of herself, but I'll always be her mother. She has enough to keep her busy at school without me burdening her with all this, but if she did know what happened, I know she wouldn't want me to just give up on the important things in my life, and she means more to me than anything in the world..."

"That's right," Cloudcover soothed. "The Ditzy I know never stays down when life knocks her over. Things have gone sour, but now it's time to decide what to do next."

Ditzy hung her head, her mane mostly obscuring her eyes. "But Cloudcover... where do I even start?"

"Perhaps we should speak with Wishing Star," Cloudcover suggested. "The poor girl's trying so hard to keep the business afloat. Let's have a little strategy meeting with her, and see if we can't come up with a way to bring in some more business."

Ditzy shrugged. "I guess that's as good a start as anything," she remarked as she followed Cloudcover into the hall.

A moment later, the two pegasi reached the office. "Wishing Star, my dear, we'd like to talk for a moment," Cloudcover called.

There was no reply. Cloudcover exchanged a curious glance with Ditzy and pushed open the door.

The office was tidy and organized, but strangely vacant. Ditzy trotted in and spotted a colorful sticky note on the office manager's desk.

Broke my last quill, so I stepped out for a second to grab some more at Quills and Sofas.

Don't worry, if anypony calls, I set the message to tell them to call back in a few minutes.

Be right back!
~Wishing Star

"I wonder if she knows Dr. Candyfloss kept a box of spare quills on the top shelf," Ditzy mentioned, fluttering up toward the ceiling. "Maybe she went though them all. Let me just check—"

Ditzy was cut off as her head hit the ceiling: a result of poor depth perception as usual. As she instinctively brought her forehoof to her head, she accidentally sent Wishing Star's saddlebag tumbling from its spot on the shelves, spilling all its contents as it hit the floor.

"Shoot," she grumbled as she quickly returned to the ground and began scooping up books and papers. "These blasted eyes, I swear. Help me gather her stuff, Cloudcover. There's enough ponies disappointed in me right now; I don't want to annoy Wishing Star too.

She continued to gather the fallen belongings, but Cloudcover didn't reply. He didn't even move. After a few moments, she slowed to a halt and glanced up at him.

"Uh, Cloudcover?"

"Ditzy dear, take a look at the books Wishing Star had in her bag," he said slowly, giving her an uncertain glance. "Does one of them look... familiar to you?"

Ditzy scrunched up her snout in concentration as she forced her eyes to align for a few seconds so she could scan the volumes. Almost every title was related to business and finance, as well as one or two books on magic and a popular novel she recognized from the year before.

"What am I supposed to be looking f—"

Her gaze fell on one particular book, and she stopped mid-sentence. Unlike all the others, this one had no title, or even any markings on the cover. It was simply a worn, battered old tome, with a deep maroon outer binding. It was utterly unremarkable.

Yet Ditzy had seen it many, many times before.

Taking a small step forward, she gingerly lifted a forehoof, and using the very edge, flipped the cover open, displaying the single line of text on the very first page.

The Journal of Dr. Candyfloss

There were several seconds of silence. Cloudcover cleared his throat nervously. "Why, erm... why would Wishing Star have that?" he asked finally. "We've been looking for it for six months."

"Well... maybe she just found it today and hasn't had a chance to tell us yet? I mean, I don't want to jump to conclusions..."

"That's fair," the stallion accepted, nodding slightly. "However, in accordance with Candyfloss's will, this belongs to us. Regardless of Wishing Star's intentions, I think we should waste no time in taking a look."

"Now that I can agree on," Ditzy replied, the prospect of her late boss's wisdom creating just a tiny glimmer of light in the dark situation before her. "Help me finish cleaning this up, and then let's take it upstairs. If there's one thing that might have even the slightest chance of pulling Equestria Speedy Shipping Services out of this nosedive, it's the words of good old Dr. Candyfloss!"

Five minutes later, the office was tidy, and the old journal sat on the table in the employee lounge. Ditzy sat in front of it, her hooves hovering over it as if it was some legendary treasure she hardly dared to touch. Cloudcover peered over her shoulder, waiting.

Taking great care not to bend or tear any of the pages, Ditzy slowly opened Candyfloss's journal and paged to the first entry. She glanced at Cloudcover uncertainly.

"It feels weird to be looking at the doc's private thoughts," she admitted.

"I know, Ditzy, I know," Cloudcover replied, ruffling his wings anxiously. "But Dr. Candyfloss wanted this to end up in our hooves once he passed. We have no reason to feel guilty."

Ditzy nodded as she peered down at the oldest entry in the book, and began to read.

Entry #01

I find myself scribbling my thoughts here, for my head is so full of them that I feel I must put them down somewhere.
In truth, I have no idea if most of these blank pages will ever feel the touch of a quill, but I suppose it doesn't matter. A collection of one's thoughts is just that, a place to store musings of enough note that they simply can't be allowed to be carried away into the aether and replaced by whatever distraction comes along next. Whether any as momentous as those I have today will come along in the future remains to be seen.

Today is an ending. An achievement of a lifelong goal. And yet, much more importantly, today is a beginning, as well.
Although at least half my life is likely already behind me, today feels like a new birth of sorts.

Since I was but a foal, I have had a single-minded fascination with one single thing. A thing more powerful than all the armies of Equestria. A thing with which even our great princesses cannot interfere. A thing before which the very forces of nature yield.

That thing is love.

Since my childhood years, I've understood the power of love. When I realized that I, a lowly, humble unicorn, can use my talents to spread love across Equestria, my cutie mark appeared. For decades since, I have done just that. I've traveled to every corner of our land, helping those who seek the bonds of love.

This experience has taught me one thing: for every pony I help, there are dozens more who are seeking that aid. And I, already in my fiftieth year, realized that I cannot continue my work forever. So I set out to find ponies who could join my cause.

And now, at last, my quest has succeeded. I've managed to purchase a small property in the town of Ponyville, and recruited three ponies to my cause: Nimbus Flight, the young, enthusiastic pegasus stallion, Open Prairie, a bighearted earth pony mare, and Retrograde, a mature and thoughtful unicorn stallion.

These ponies are very different from one another, but they have one unifying quality; they understand the true potential of love in ways that many ponies do not. Although I have only known them for a short time, I truly feel that these three are the first in a long line of marvelous matchmakers that will help me spread the miracle of love to every corner of Equestria.

On this day, I have officially opened what may be Equestria's first professional matchmaking establishment: Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. And for the very first time, as I walk the endless road I travel in the name of love, I am not alone.
I have allies... perhaps even friends, by my side.

May the next leg of our journey be a wondrous one.

~Candyfloss

"Good heavens, those names he mentioned..." Cloudcover breathed. "Nimbus Flight still worked here when I was hired. He used to talk about his former coworkers, Open Prairie and Retrograde, all the time. I learned a lot from that stallion."

"He must've been here a long time," Ditzy observed, pointing at the date in the journal. "This first entry... it was written over twenty-five years ago. I hadn't even met Dinky's father yet!"

"Twenty-five years worth of Candyfloss's thoughts on love and relationships," Cloudcover said, shaking his head slowly. "Imagine the stories and philosophies that must be contained in this book."

Ditzy briefly flipped through the next few dozen pages of the journal. It quickly became clear that the little book was not so much a detailed account of events as it was a place for its owner to interpret those events, changing and updating his philosophies on the power held within the bonds between ponies. Many entries contained only the essential details of an event, in favor of Candyfloss's elation about a relationship was was born from those events, followed by a page or two of interpretation in the stallion's usual flowery language.

"It'll take us weeks to go through all this in depth," Cloudcover finally admitted. "Perhaps we should skip to a more relevant entry. Are there any dates of particular note that Dr. Candyfloss would likely have written about?"

"I can think of one..." Ditzy said softly, as she quickly flipped past years worth of writings. "Our company's most important job may have been the one we did for Princess Luna. The one that Glow nearly sabotaged. The day after that happened, Glow got fired and Breeze and I got together. I bet he had something to say about all that."

Ditzy scanned the dates at the top of each page until she found the one that matched up with the infamous assignment. As she expected, Dr. Candyfloss had written something there, and Ditzy began to read.

Entry #204

Why did I ever doubt myself? Things always work out in the end.

This success spans a full year, perhaps the longest any one job has taken. I admit at times, it was not clear what my matchmaking magic was trying to accomplish. I was concerned that I had lost my touch; that it was too dangerous for me to continue acting upon the urges of this unusual magic.

The first event that I can contribute to this pairing was when I set out to fulfill one of the many random whims that my special magic dictated I perform. It was a simple task that afternoon; switch a sign pointing to Canterlot so it faced the other direction. I assumed this action would lead to some lovesick pony stumbling into the wrong town, and by extension, meeting the mare of his dreams. Such events are common results of my work. But this time, I was wrong.

Imagine, discovering the next day, that this seemingly harmless action had caused a desperate mare, dangling on the edge of employment, to lose her way when delivering an important message. Her tardiness cost her her job.

I was dumbstruck. How could my matchmaking magic, usually so benign or even beneficial, allow such a horrible thing to happen? I seriously considered never listening to the premonitions brought on by my own special talent again.

So when, by some serendipitous turn of events, the very mare whose life I had inadvertently ruined showed up seeking employment at this very establishment, I jumped at the chance to give her a job and correct my error.

This mare is my new star employee, the pegasus Ditzy Doo. Over the course of this past year, her life has become filled with new adventures and experiences as a member of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. But I still wasn’t convinced that my actions had been harmless, nor could I find evidence of a successful match made as a result of them.

My powers were dormant for a long time. I began to become convinced that the realization that my skills may not have been perfect had led to them being extinguished. But finally, they sprang to life again, last night. This time, they urged me to send Ditzy Doo’s daughter along to Canterlot. I was left to assume that this was necessary to help with the successful shipping of Princess Luna, and indeed it was… but by extension, it proved to be the final step in bringing together another pair.

Now, two of my employees, Ditzy Doo, the struggling widowed mare looking for a companion, and Autumn Breeze, the stallion disenchanted with the idea of love as a result of an earlier relationship gone sour, have found a new partner in one another. This was the pairing that my magic had caused me to set out to make on that fateful day over a year ago; it just took a very long time to make itself apparent.

Love is a mysterious thing. Every time I’ve convinced myself I finally have grown wise to all its tricks, it throws a new tactic my way that I never could have expected. And once again, I must consider myself extremely humbled to be able to channel its forces, and make the decisions that allow it to spread more fully among the citizens of this fair land.

Congratulations, Ditzy Doo and Autumn Breeze. I wish you both the best in the future. Also, I must consider this my latest successful mission.

And my record is still perfect.

~Candyfloss

Frantically, Ditzy scanned the page again, certain she must have misread. She began to shake as the magnitude of what was contained in the short passage dawned on her.

"My word..." Cloudcover muttered. "Ditzy, I had no idea..."

"Neither did I!" Ditzy gasped. "Cloudcover, do you know what this means? Losing my job at the mail company and getting one here... meeting and growing close to Breeze, and befriending you and Watt... giving Dinky a chance to discover her magical abilities by defending us from Glow... it was all Candyfloss. The reason my life became what it is today was all because of Dr. Candyfloss!"

"I... I don't know what to say," Cloudcover stuttered. "I knew his unique magic allowed him to make decisions that helped to unite ponies who were meant to be together, but I never considered the possibility that your relationship with Breeze was his handiwork!"

Ditzy felt a tear trail down her cheek, and quickly pushed the journal out of the way before it could fall onto the pages. Shuddering, she placed her head in her hooves.

"What's the matter?" Cloudcover asked, bewildered. "Surely this is an incredible revelation. You have even more reason to admire Dr.Candyfloss's work now."

"I know..." Ditzy mumbled, trying not to completely break down in front of her friend. "That's the problem. Now, not only have I failed Breeze, but by extension, I've failed Candyfloss too."

"Now, I'm sure it's not like that," Cloudcover countered.

"It is like that!" Ditzy sobbed. "Dr. Candyfloss's magic allowed him to know which ponies were right for each other on a level we could never comprehend. He says it right there; he never failed in his matchmaking work! But I had to go and mess it all up."

She let her head fall to the table, reaching out to the journal as if it represented her late boss. "I'm sorry, Dr. Candyfloss," she whimpered. "I never knew about this. I never knew to thank you for what you did for me. And now I've undone your work."

"Ditzy Doo, you stop this right now," Cloudcover scolded, surprising the mare with his unexpectedly sharp tone. "I understand the status of your relationship is rocky, but it's entirely possible Breeze just needs some time to cool off. You're both hurt and upset, but that doesn't necessarily mean things are over, just like that."

Ditzy sniffled. "B-but... how do you know?"

"I don't," Cloudcover said simply. "I don't know that you and Breeze can make up, but I truly believe you can."

He sat beside her and extended a wing, placing it over her back like a shawl. "Ditzy, you're such a caring, agreeable mare, and both the partners you've had were similarly wonderful stallions," he continued. "But because your first relationship was tragically cut short by your husband's death, and the one you've shared with Breeze in more recent years has been so smooth... sometimes it may be easy to forget that relationships take work. Even the most compatible of ponies will disagree, and even fight, now and again. Both may feel bitter, or angry, or perhaps depressed or regretful, and in many cases some complex combination of those feelings. But ponies who truly love each other will find, when they take the time to look deep into their hearts, that rifts such as these can be mended. So please, Ditzy, don't give up just because of this disagreement. Dr. Candyfloss would want you both to try to make it right, and perhaps you will, in time."

Ditzy nodded slowly. "You're right," she admitted. "I'm upset that Breeze didn't see the situation with Sparkler the same way I did, but I don't want to stop seeing him over a disagreement like that. I just hope that's how he's feeling right now, too..."

"Let's see if Candyfloss had anything further to say about you two," Cloudcover suggested. "He passed away only about a month after your wedding was postponed, so I recommend we look at the very last entries."

Ditzy wiped her tears with the back of a hoof and pulled the journal closer again. She turned to the very last page that bore Candyfloss's writing, dated just a day before he was admitted to Ponyville Urgent Care, and began to read.

Entry #258

Spreading love and friendship across Equestria grows no less rewarding, even after many, many years. That being said, even something as wonderful as matchmaking is not without its challenges and trials.

I thank the very forces of creation that I was born with magic that allows me to know, inherently, when ponies are right for one another, and instills in me the knowledge of how to turn that ideal match into a reality. Unfortunately, my magic cannot soothe those who may resent the relationships of others. My employees and I can bring ponies together, but we cannot always thwart the plans of those who may wish to tear them apart again. I've seen it happen many times, even within my own company, and while it breaks my heart to know that there are enemies to our cause, sometimes we must accept that even a place such as Equestria is imperfect, and press on.

I fear one such enemy is about to surface.

Occasionally, as I have oft written here before, my magic will grant me visions, either about how to bring about a new relationship, or how to prevent one being sullied by the jealousy or plan ill-will of another. I had one such vision only moments ago that I must record here immediately.

I saw a peaceful town, much like our own Ponyville, on a quiet summer night. Though it was too dark to tell their identities, I could make out the silhouettes of many ponies upon a hilltop, gazing at the starry sky. It was a tranquil scene.

For a moment, everything was illuminated as a shooting star passed overhead. In the light, I could make out the appearance of some of the ponies, but the memory grew foggy again the instant the darkness returned. Nevertheless, I saw the distant silhouettes point and shout and laugh, no doubt wishing for long life, happiness, and yes, even love.

But as the twinkle of the star faded, something began to change. Pony turned against pony. Voices were raised to shouts. Cries of rage and despair echoed through the night. I watched, powerless, as pairs of silhouettes that had clearly been the closest of partners seconds before now turned up their noses and went their separate ways.

My magic ceased then, and I'm sure what it had shown me was a metaphor, but for what? The only event separating the scene of contentment from one of heartbreak was the star that sailed by overhead. But what reason would ponies have to beware the wishing star?

I am concerned about what is coming, and I can only hope my employees will stay strong with me, even if hardship threatens the relationships we have worked so hard to build.

~Candyfloss

"What reason would ponies have to... beware the wishing star..." Ditzy repeated slowly. "Um... Cloudcover?"

Cloudcover looked supremely concerned. "Ditzy," he said softly, "you know that, when it comes to Dr. Candyfloss, the chance of coincidence is extremely unlikely, right?"

"But then..."

Ditzy swallowed hard. "You don't think Wishing Star is somehow responsible for the company's downward spiral, do you? She seems so sincere and dedicated!"

Cloudcover's expression was grave. "I think we can't ignore the clues," he admitted. "Between finding the journal in her possession, and what's written here... I have a suspicion we've fallen into a trap, and only just realized it now. We need to confront Wishing Star and find out the truth. Let's go and round up the others."

Ditzy winced. "Do you... know where to find Breeze?" she asked.

Cloudcover shook his head. "I can't say I do. But never fear; we both know where we can find Watt."

The power station at the base of Ponyville's hydroelectric dam was not a place most ponies even knew about, let alone visited. But today, two pegasi soared toward it as fast as their wings could carry them.

"I don't understand how Watt gets to and from this place so easily," Ditzy commented, looking warily at the narrow path cut into the side of the gorge, wet with spray from the river just below. "One wrong move and the water would swallow you up."

"Watt is rather... unusual for an earth pony," Cloudcover reminded her. "Right now, I'm afraid we've got bigger things to worry about than how that old chap navigates treacherous walkways without wings."

The two pegasi alighted on the concrete deck outside the small station. Ditzy dashed forward and burst through the door, revealing the dimly lit power station, full of humming machinery, blinking lights, and one bright yellow earth pony.

"Watt!"

Taken by surprise, Watt instinctively jumped back, which unfortunately brought his back end in contact with the active power grid. There was a flash of sparks, a crackle of electricity, and a startled yelp from the poor earth pony.

"Hoo! That'll wake ya up!" he exclaimed, giving his whole body a shake as bolts of electricity arced along his coat. "What're you two doing here? It's still business hours, isn't it?"

Ditzy opened her mouth to reply, but Watt cut her off. "Wait! Don't tell me!" he squawked. "In a turn of events straight out of a daytime sitcom, a client has called in and asked to be shipped with me, but the poor soul doesn't realize that I'm a shipper myself, and also already dating somepony! Some viewers really eat up low-effort comedy like that."

Ditzy blinked. "Uhh..."

"Watt, I apologize, but we need to cut to the chase," Cloudcover cut in. "Ditzy and I made a startling discovery this morning."

Ditzy waited while Cloudcover recounted the information about Candyfloss's journal. Watt listened with what appeared to be total attention despite the fact that he continued to dart from panel to panel, adjusting settings on Ponyville's power grid.

"So, you're saying you burst in here to tell me that Wishing Star might actually be interfering with Equestria Speedy Shipping Services somehow?" Watt asked. "'Cause that was gonna be my second guess."

Ditzy rolled her eyes. "Watt, this is serious. We need to talk to Wishing Star and get to the bottom of this right away. You've been working shifts with Breeze ever since we split the schedule; do you know where we can find him?"

Watt pursed his lips and flattened his ears against his head. "Um... Wishing Star didn't tell you guys about yesterday?" he asked meekly.

"We haven't spoken to her yet today," Cloudcover admitted. "Why? What happened yesterday?"

"Well, Breeze is... having trouble putting his all into his work these last few days," Watt said. Ditzy could tell he was choosing as delicate of wording as possible for her sake. "I mean, assignments were already failing left and right and now he's... distracted... and so he told Wishing Star he's taking a leave of absence for a while. He said he needed to step back and really assess his life."

"What? Now?" Ditzy gasped. "But—"

"I tried to talk him out of it!" Watt gibbered. "I told him Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is hanging by a thread as it is, that we need to work together if we're gonna keep the place afloat, but he just seemed... so hopeless. He walked out yesterday afternoon and I haven't seen him since!"

Ditzy's shoulders slumped. "Well, even if we knew where he was, it doesn't sound like he'd be much help right now..."

Watt vibrated anxiously, causing more of the electricity trapped in his fur to flicker out into the air. "I wish he was here too, but Breeze or no Breeze, we gotta ask Wishing Star some questions right now!" he urged.

"He's right," Cloudcover affirmed, already unfolding his wings. "The three of us will have to do. Let's get back to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services."

Watt darted out the door in the blink of an eye. Ditzy and Cloudcover stepped outside just a few seconds later, and Watt was already at the top of the steep, slippery cliffside walkway.

"C'mon, slowpokes, we gotta move!" he called.

Ditzy glanced again at the precarious outcrop that Watt had apparently traversed on foot in just seconds.

"Seriously, how does he—"

"Not the time, Ditzy!" Cloudcover called, already in the air. "Come now. We need to find out what our office manager is really up to!"

Wishing Star poked her head into the employee lounge.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

Ditzy was nervous about what had to be done, but fortunately, Cloudcover took the lead.

"Yes, Wishing Star. Just for a moment, if you would."

The unicorn trotted into the room. Confused, her eyes scanned the gathered ponies and came to rest on Watt.

"Watt, what are you doing here?" she asked, tilting her head. "You're not on the same shift as Ditzy and Cloudcover anymore, remember?"

"I could ask you the same question!" Watt shouted, pointing a forehoof very dramatically in Wishing Star's direction.

"Now Watt, let's not escalate things if we don't have to," Cloudcover said quickly, placing his hoof on Watt's outstretched foreleg and gently lowering it back to the ground. "We're going to find out what happened, but I'd like to keep it civil if possible."

"Um... what exactly has happened?" Wishing Star piped up.

"Ditzy, my friend, show Wishing Star what we found, please," Cloudcover suggested.

Ditzy took a deep, slow breath and reached into her saddlebag. "We found this in your office," she announced, withdrawing the beaten book from inside. "It's Dr. Candyfloss's journal. The one we've been trying to find since before we even hired you. I don't suppose you have an explanation?"

Wishing Star stared at the book for a few moments. "That, um, must've been in with some of the business texts in the office," she said finally. "You did say I was welcome to Candyfloss's old stuff, right? I probably just overlooked it, thinking it was an old ledger or something.

"I see," Cloudcover replied. "However, Candyfloss's final entry is rather... interesting. Specifically, it says something about how ponies should 'beware the wishing star', and prophesies failing relationships. That in itself could simply be the product of unfortunate chance, but the fact that the journal ended up in the hooves of the very pony it had the potential to incriminate is... well, suspicious is putting it mildly."

"We think there's something you're not telling us, Wishing Star," Ditzy added, frowning. "Care to elaborate?"

Wishing Star's eyes darted from face to face, sizing up the three ponies staring her down. Suddenly, she gave a sharp laugh and a shrug.

"Y'know what? This little ploy was over anyway," she chuckled, casting her coworkers a playful grin. "Why am I even wasting my time trying to keep up the act? I already got what I wanted."

Ditzy's heart sank as Wishing Star's expression grew more mirthful, like a foal who had just pulled a fantastic prank. "W-what do you mean? What ploy?"

"I saw my opportunity as soon as that old codger Candyfloss passed," Wishing Star replied with a casual shrug. "It was easy to send you guys to assignments I knew were likely to fail, and overlook some of the ones that had a high chance of succeeding. Without your boss, you three are blind as bats when it comes to realizing you're being played. That journal was the only thing that could clue you in, but fortunately I had a little help getting a hold of it before you even met me, so you never suspected a thing, and if you hadn't managed to get your grubby hooves on it, you'd still have no idea anything was amiss."

Watt tapped Cloudcover gently on the shoulder. "Can I escalate things now?" he asked politely.

"I think that would be quite appropriate at this point, Watt old boy," Cloudcover growled, glaring at the defiant mare.

Watt rushed forward, but Wishing Star simply teleported out of the way, reappearing atop the meeting table where she could look down on the others.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter that you figured it out," she continued calmly. "My job is done. Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is well on its way to bankruptcy, and Ditzy and Breeze's relationship is in ruins."

"Wait, what does that have to do with any of this!?" Ditzy cried, her wings flaring.

Wishing Star laughed again, her voice full of malicious delight. "Oh, it was so much fun watching that play out," she giggled, teleporting again as Watt made another attempt to tackle her. "It took me a few months of listening in on the discussions you all were having to figure out what, or rather, who I could use to create tension. I hope that Written Script fella is enjoying his bits; I had to pay him a lot to get him to pretend he liked a mare as dour as Sparkler!"

"It was staged!?" Ditzy shrieked. "You created a situation to purposely drive Breeze and I apart?"

Watt dove headlong at Wishing Star, but only succeeded in getting a faceful of wall as she effortlessly escaped with magic again. "Boy, you're dense," she snickered. "It's kinda funny watching you finally realize what happened, now that I literally spelled it out for you."

"But why?" Cloudcover asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "What do you have against Ditzy? Against Breeze? Against Equestria Speedy Shipping Services? What could you possibly have to gain?"

"Uh-uh, Cloudcover," Wishing Star mocked, waggling a raised forehoof. "I answered the questions I cared to, but you're not allowed to know about that bit just yet! Rest assured, everything worked out fine; I went into this with a goal of my own, and I've already won this little game and taken my prize. I don't care what happens now."

Watt pried his head out of the drywall. "You haven't won anything!" he snapped, shaking chips of paint out of his spiky mane. "Now that Ditzy knows the truth, I'm sure she and Breeze will get right back together."

"Sure, whatever," Wishing Star replied boredly. "Like I said, what happens to the company or to Ditzy and Breeze is no longer my concern."

She tucked one foreleg in front of her chest and bowed low, like an actress at the end of her greatest performance. Sunlight glinted off the jewels in her headband as she did so. "With that, I believe we're done here," she said matter-of-factly. "Have fun with your silly shipping company. I've got bigger fish to fry now."

Watt charged at the unicorn one last time, but she disappeared in a pink flash an instant before he reached her. He dug his hooves into the floor and skidded to a halt, narrowly avoiding another painfully intimate encounter with a wall.

"W...what just happened?" Ditzy asked finally.

"Wishing Star's been playing us for fools for the last six months," Cloudcover answered bitterly.

"I guess it's comforting to know that ol' Candyfloss was one step ahead of her," Watt mused, flicking his short tail rapidly from side to side to dust some of the bits of debris off the head-shaped hole he'd left in the wall. "He knew Wishing Star was bad news before any of us knew she existed at all!"

"But Watt, Dr. Candyfloss died," Ditzy grumbled. "He had the ability to prevent this, but there wasn't much he could do once he passed away."

"Sure there was," Watt countered. "It took a long time, but we eventually found his journal and learned the truth, right? If it wasn't for his writings, Wishing Star might've run this place into the ground before we realized she was behind any of it."

"I hate to say it Watt, but she may have already succeeded," Cloudcover muttered morosely. "All this time, we thought ponies' stress over the disappearance of two princesses was the only factor causing us to fail, but in truth, Wishing Star's been steering the company into a nosedive for months. I have to wonder if it's already too late to salvage the situation."

"Alright, let's try not to panic," Ditzy stated. "The threat is gone, and now it's up to us to steer things in the right direction. Where do we start?"

"With Breeze of course!" Watt chirped. "Once we tell him what happened, I'm sure he'll make up with Ditzy and come right back! With the crew all together again, we can still save this place."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Ditzy yelled, spreading her wings as if planning to take to the air right there in the break room. "C'mon, we have to start tracking down Breeze."

"No."

Ditzy and Watt both turned their heads, giving Cloudcover equally stunned glances. "No?" Ditzy asked.

"Breeze is the second most important thing," Cloudcover said levelly. "But I recall one other pony who was affected by Wishing Star's staged assignment. One who is in a much worse place emotionally than even Breeze, I imagine."

Ditzy's breath caught in her throat. "Oh Celestia... Sparkler."

"Watt and I will attempt to locate Breeze, wherever that stallion's gotten to," Cloudcover asserted. "I may not be quite as old or well-traveled as Candyfloss was, but I've met a few ponies over the years who might be able to help us track somepony down. But you, Ditzy, need to try one last time to get through to Sparkler. If she learns the truth, and realizes that what happened between you and Breeze was because of the manipulation of another pony, it may ignite one last glimmer of hope in her."

"What if I can't?" Ditzy whimpered. "What if she won't even speak to me?"

"Now's not the time to think about that," Cloudcover said flatly. "We still don't know what Wishing Star stood to gain from this, but we can't let innocent ponies like Sparkler suffer because of it. You're the only pony who has a chance of rekindling any hope in Sparkler's heart. Do everything in your power to bring it to life again, and whatever you do, don't let it die out once it has. If you do... I fear Sparkler may never be willing to love or trust anypony anymore."

Ditzy swallowed hard. "I understand," she said in a shaking voice. "See if you can track down Breeze and tell him the truth. I'll join you once I've made good on my promise to the pony who needs me most."

The door to the apartment was ajar. That was the first sign something was amiss.

Ditzy stepped carefully into the front room. "Sparkler?" she called.

There was no reply. Ditzy took a few more steps and peered around the corner into the next room.

Sparkler's apartment had already been rather sparse, but now it was basically bare. The furniture and other large items remained but anything and everything smaller was gone.

She took everything she could carry on her back and just... left, Ditzy realized. But to where?

She hurried back out into the sunlight, glanced around, and spotted a familiar yellow and orange mare making her way down the street. An old friend, she realized, who lived nearby and might have some idea where Sparkler had gone.

"Hey, Carrot-Top!"

There was once a time, years prior, where hearing the infamously clumsy Ditzy Doo calling her name would've sent Carrot-Top spiraling into a PTSD episode. Which was fair, Ditzy supposed; in the years after her eye injury, she'd destroyed well more than her fair share of property as she struggled to adjust to her impaired vision, and Carrot-Top's carrot cart was quite a frequent victim of that.

Things had improved over the years though, and now she greeted Ditzy with an only-slightly-nervous smile.

"Oh, hey Ditzy," the mare greeted. "Are you out on one of your shipping jobs? Because I'm afraid you won't find anypony here; the mare who lives there left it a hurry not long ago. Judging by the big bag of stuff she has with her, it didn't seem like she was coming back anytime soon."

"She left? Where?" Ditzy asked urgently. "Please, Carrot-Top, I don't have time to explain, but there's more at stake here than just a shipping assignment."

Carrot-Top's small smile faded. "I-I'm not sure," she stuttered. "I hardly even know that pony. It looked like she was headed out of town, going south, but I can't imagine why she would; there's nothing out that way for miles. If she really is still on that road, she should be easy to spot from the air, I guess."

"South, got it," Ditzy said quickly. "Thanks, Carrot-Top. Gotta go!"

She launched into the air. In her haste, she clipped the edge of a rooftop, causing a loose shingle to topple down into the street about an inch in front of poor Carrot-Top's nose. The earth pony blinked in shock for a second and sighed.

"Oh Ditzy Doo, what are you up to this time?"

The high altitude winds made Ditzy's eyes water, but she didn't waver. Pumping the muscles in her wings as hard as she could, she soared over the long, ambling roadway leading south, scanning every traveler below in search of Sparkler.

A great forest loomed on the horizon, urging her to fly faster. If Sparkler disappears beneath the canopy, I have no chance of finding her! she thought.

After several more tense minutes, she finally caught sight of a pink and purple speck far below. She tucked in her wings and dove toward the ground, squinting as the air rushed past her. She pulled up as late as she dared, slowing her descent and finally touching down on the dirt road with only a slight stumble. Her suspicions had been correct; the pony she'd seen from the air was indeed Sparkler, making her way briskly down the path.

"Sparkler!"

Sparkler paused, and looked over her shoulder, staring at Ditzy for a long moment. Then she turned away again and continued to trudge onward.

Ditzy cantered forward until she was next to the young mare. She panted for a moment, catching her breath from the flight, before she managed to speak.

"Sparkler, where are you going?"

"Nowhere," Sparkler deadpanned.

Ditzy snorted. "That's not an answer," she replied. "Where are you headed? It's a long, long walk to the nearest town if you're going in this direction."

Sparkler wheeled around and glared at the pegasus. "Mrs. Doo, I am literally going nowhere!" she shouted. "There is nowhere for a pony like me in this place. Maybe there will be somewhere else, but I'm not getting my hopes up. If there's not, I'll just keep following this road until I reach the edge of the continent, and then heck, while I'm at it, maybe I'll cast myself into the sea and wash up in some far-off land where any attempt to grow close to somepony doesn't end in betrayal and heartbreak!"

"But Sparkler, you don't understand!" Ditzy argued. "Just today we found out—"

"No. Stop. Shut up," Sparkler interrupted, the fire in her glare growing more ferocious. "You had the gall to try to get my hopes up, and then turn around and prove my damn mother was right all along. I'm not letting you or anypony manipulate me anymore. Leave, and go back to Ponyville, now."

"No!" Ditzy cried defiantly. "There's something you need to know. Something really important. You have to listen to me!"

Sparkler turned away and continued down the path. Ditzy grit her teeth and followed.

"Fine. Keep walking. I'm just gonna follow you and talk to you while you— whoa!"

Ditzy found her body surrounded by a purple aura. Sparkler's magic hurled her upwards with immense force. By the time she managed to curb the momentum with her wings, she was a hundred pony-lengths in the air.

I'm not giving up, she told herself. Sparkler needs to know the truth. I don't care how many times she tries to stop me!

She dove down again. Sparkler broke into a gallop, but no land-bound pony, except perhaps Watt, could outrun an airborne pegasus. Ditzy caught up in seconds.

"Leave me alone!" Sparkler cried, teleporting short distances over and over to try to stay ahead of Ditzy. "I don't want to end up hurting you again, Mrs. Doo! Give up already!"

She cast a shield spell to hold her pursuer back. It wasn't a particularly strong one, but then again, she hadn't expected Ditzy to ram it with her shoulder at full speed. The glittering wall of magic shattered from the force, and Ditzy, thrown off balance by the impact, tumbled through the air and right into Sparkler, causing the two mares to end up in a heap on the side of the road.

Ditzy regained her bearings first and shifted her weight, holding Sparkler down. The unicorn lit her horn, and for a moment, Ditzy expected to be attacked, or at least have Sparkler teleport out from under her.

But then the magic fizzled out, and Sparkler pressed her face into the dirt and began to sob.

Ditzy was thrown for a loop. Sparkler had been upset around her before, of course, but she always seemed to be trying to suppress her feelings as much as possible, yet here she was, letting her tears flow freely and making no move to force the pegasus off her back.

"Mrs. Doo, why?" she bawled. "There's nothing you can do for me anymore! Stop wasting your time on a pony who's beyond help!"

"Because I don't believe you're beyond help!" Ditzy insisted.

"Right, okay," Sparkler whimpered, her voice cracking as another sob escaped. "A mare like you, a s-sweet, caring pony with lots of friends, and who professionally helps p-ponies fall in love, couldn't even stay together with her own fiance. But bitter, depressed, s-socially inept Sparkler will do just fine, right? Makes perfect sense."

"That's what I came to tell you about," Ditzy replied. "It turns out there was a lot more to the story of what happened between me and Breeze than I thought."

Sparkler was in no condition to resist, so she simply lay in the dirt, sniffling and listening quietly as Ditzy told the story of how Wishing Star had manipulated her (leaving out the fact that the fabricated assignment was actually centered on Sparkler herself, of course).

"A particularly nasty pony set all this up," she concluded. "She went out of her way to force Breeze and I into a situation that would turn us against one another. That's why things went bad so suddenly. Good relationships don't fall apart for no reason, Sparkler. That's why I think it's still worth a try."

"Maybe for somepony else," Sparkler said hoarsely. "I'm not oblivious, Mrs. Doo. I know I've got a really unlikable personality. I don't deserve the kind of relationship ponies like you have..."

The hopelessness in her voice almost brought Ditzy to tears as well. Slowly, she shifted her weight off of Sparkler so she could sit up.

"Sparkler... you definitely deserve a little happiness," she whispered, licking the tip of her hoof and using it to clean some of the smudged dirt off Sparkler's face. "Maybe you don't like the way you react to things, but that doesn't make you a bad pony."

"What do you know about whether I'm a good pony or not?" Sparkler grumbled, flinching under Ditzy's touch. "You've only known me for a couple months."

Ditzy chuckled softly. "I know you have a history of helping other ponies, even if you don't like them," she pointed out. "You disliked Dinky when you were in school with her, and yet you risked your life to keep her safe. You might have trouble expressing it sometimes, but in your heart, I know you want to do what's right. And a pony like that doesn't deserve to have everypony turn their back on her. Maybe other ponies have, but I won't. And, if you'll just give him a chance... I don't think your old friend Presto will either."

Sparkler squeezed her eyes shut, presumably to hold back fresh tears. "After I attacked you outside the apartment last week, and after all my attempts to push you away... you still want to help me find Presto?" she asked finally.

"Well, do you still want to find him?" Ditzy asked.

"I..." Sparkler stammered, "I want to believe... that maybe you're right. That maybe my mother's strict warnings were wrong after all. That maybe, if what happened between you and Breeze wasn't what I thought it was, then even I still have a chance. But... I'm so scared, Mrs. Doo. What if it doesn't work out?"

"I know you're scared," Ditzy said soothingly. "That's why I'm gonna come with you and help you out. Maybe it won't work out, but if you don't try, it definitely won't. You don't want to keep feeling like this forever, right?"

Sparkler sighed. "I'm sorry for... y'know. Fighting with you," she mumbled. "So can we just... pick up where we left off before what happened last week, and go search for Presto?"

Ditzy smiled. "The next northbound train out of Ponyville leaves in a couple hours," she pointed out. "Grab your bag, we can still make it."

"Wha... right now? Today?"

"Forgive me for making assumptions Sparkler, but it didn't seem like you really had any other plans," Ditzy giggled.

Sparkler hesitated, wiped away the last of the tear stains on her face, and then lifted her hefty bag in her aura and set off in the direction of Ponyville at a brisk trot.

"Alright Mrs. Doo. I guess now's as good a time as any. Let's go."

The stands were more crowded than usual, even more so than they had been for Dinky's semifinal duel with Scuffle. It didn't surprise her; Tango Trot's immense popularity among the student body tended to draw a crowd.

"Man, this is gonna be a good one," Clarity somehow said through the hoofful of popcorn she had just stuffed in her mouth. "Tango won his first two matches like they were nothing; I can't wait to see what tricks he pulls out this time."

Dinky chuckled. "He's such a ham sometimes, though," she commented, eating her own popcorn somewhat more gracefully than Clarity. "I still can't believe he bought us all popcorn so we could 'more fully enjoy the entertainment he's about to provide.' He cracks me up."

"Bought you three popcorn, you mean," Scuffle complained, crossing his forelegs and slouching in his seat.

"Like you would've accepted it if he did," Clarity laughed. "If he wins today, you're facing him in the finals, and if I've learned anything about you in the last five years, it's that you're way too competitive to accept favors from rivals."

Scuffle harrumphed. A moment later, a bag of popcorn suspended in a green aura tapped against his side. He glanced at Honeydew, surprised.

"I'm not gonna eat it all anyway," Honeydew admitted, tapping the bag against the colt again. "Go on, have some!"

Dinky bit back a giggle as she watched Scuffle's pride battle with his affection for the filly beside him. After a moment, he took a few pieces from the bag and popped them in his mouth.

"Thanks Dewey."

"Anytime," said Honeydew sweetly as she continued to nibble on her snack.

A scroll appeared in a flash of dragonfire, and Dinky idly caught it with her magic. She scanned the contents for a moment and broke into a grin.

"Oh man, guys, get this," she announced. "Mom just sent me a message asking me to stay at the Academy over the weekend this week."

"What's weird about that?" Scuffle asked. "We all stay here almost every weekend these days."

"It's not what she wants me to do that's crazy, it's why," Dinky continued incredulously. "Somehow she's ended up doing matchmaking work for Sparkler, of all ponies, and is traveling with her this week to try to track down Presto."

"That's so sweet!" Honeydew gushed, pressing her forehooves against her cheeks delightedly. "I always wondered if Sparkler would ever reunite with him. I hope your mom can help, Dinky!"

"I wondered if something like that might happen," Clarity chuckled. "Sparkler is your mom's fiance's daughter after all. It was only a matter of time 'till she got involved."

"Yeah, it's about time," Scuffle added, smirking. "They were never really an item when the two of them were Overseers, but ol' Presto seemed like he mighta' been interested, at least. Maybe if Sparkler gets a coltfriend she'll finally start being a little less of a bi—"

"Shh! It's starting!" Honeydew interrupted, pointing to the arena.

Two ponies strode confidently out onto the battlefield. The first, of course, was Tango Trot, pristinely groomed as ever and greeting the audience with his usual broad, beautiful smile.

Across from him was another of Dinky's classmates: Seeker, a pale grey unicorn with a long pastel green mane not unlike Honeydew's, except it bore a sky blue stripe of color in place of Honeydew's white. She often kept her hair tied back in a ponytail, which Dinky could understand; a long mane could easily get in the way of her vision, something that nopony could afford to deal with during a duel. Unlike Dinky though, who always used a simple hair tie for her own mane, Seeker's was done up with a big blue bow. The duality in her appearance was striking; she wasn't afraid to look a bit girly, but her confidence and skill was more than enough to demonstrate that there was much more to her than a cute appearance. Dinky didn't know this particular pony too well, but she had a lot of respect for her as a duelist.

"Seeker, I wish you the very best of luck," Tango Trot said politely. "I look forward to a match with such a talented filly."

Seeker grinned. "You too, Tango! Better bring your best!" she called back.

Professor Surge turned to the audience. "Fillies and gentlecolts, our second semifinal match is about to begin!" he announced. "The winner of this battle will face off against our other finalist, Scuffle, in the championship duel next month! So prepare yourselves once more for a showdown between our two semifinalists, Tango Trot and Seeker!"

"Well, here we go Scuffle," Dinky murmured. "Time to see who your final opponent will be."

Professor Surge waited a few seconds as both competitors tensed, ready to spring into action.

"And... duel!"

"I'll give you the honor of starting," Tango Trot called. "Your move, my friend!"

Seeker snickered as the crowd cheered the colt on. "Listen to them! Sounds like you're a real hotshot around here, Tango. Allow me to cool you off!"

Seeker's hazel aura sparked to life, and a blast of snowy white burst from the filly's horn, snaking along the floor and leaving a trail of spiky icicles wherever it touched.

"Huh. Ice spells," Scuffle commented, leaning forward with interest. "Not most ponies' first choice, but Frosty has demonstrated to me over the years that they're nasty in the right hooves."

Tango Trot deftly dodged the growing patch of ice spreading over the field. Not to be deterred, Seeker increased her assault; great sweeping walls of ice burst up in Tango's path, forcing him to change direction over and over as she slowly boxed him in.

"Wow, she's got a lot of control over that!" Clarity gasped. "I don't think Tango was expecting her first assault to be quite so effective."

"Don't speak too soon, Clarity," Dinky warned. "Look at Tango's expression. You can see it from here; he's perfectly calm."

Honeydew giggled. "He's got some sort of strategy," she said, anticipation in her voice.

Tango waited until a few more walls of ice had appeared around him. He stuck the tip of his tongue out and squinted, as if thinking hard. Then, he lit his horn and fired a single, bright blue blast of energy.

Dinky watched in amazement as Tango's single attack struck one ice wall at a specific angle and reflected off it toward another, and then rebounded again and again. It seemed to be gaining momentum as it moved through half a dozen reflections, until finally it skipped off one of the icy barriers and flew directly at Seeker. Mesmerized by the bouncing sphere of light, she didn't react fast enough when it suddenly came her way, and was knocked off her hooves by the impact.

The crowd roared and stamped their hooves in applause. Dinky glanced at her friends incredulously.

"He calculated that!" Clarity cried, dumbfounded. "All his movements were intentional; he tricked Seeker into placing her ice walls in just the right configuration to create a trap for herself!"

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "Mental math in the middle of a duel," he grumbled, shaking his head. "Tango's a cocky rascal, isn't he?"

Seeker was already back on her hooves. "Sneaky!" she complimented. "You won't get a second chance to hit me though. Check out this enchantment!"

As she lit her horn, Dinky noticed a tiny glint of light above her head, and realized Seeker's enchanted gem was sewn into the center of the bow in her mane. She cast another ice spell, and Tango leapt out of the way.

"Seeker, my friend, it doesn't matter if you upgrade your ice spells with enchantments if you still can't get them to connect," Tango Trot pointed out, in a tone that sounded more instructional than taunting.

Seeker smiled. "Who said it was supposed to?"

The spell suddenly turned in midair, tracing a square border around where Tango was standing. He only had a second to glance at his opponent in shock before the square was complete. The instant the spell enclosed him, everything inside was instantaneously frozen into a large block of ice, with Tango Trot suspended inside it.

Dinky glanced at her friends, and chuckled a bit at the polar opposite expressions on their faces. Honeydew had covered her mouth in silent horror, while Scuffle was grinning ear to ear.

Seeker trotted up to the giant, frozen cube she had created, stroking the outside with a hoof. "Sure, Tango, you can burn an opening in that with a fire spell," she admitted, "but you're stuck. Without the ability to turn your head, you can only cast a fire spell in a straight line, so you can't do much to free yourself."

Seeker's aura surrounded the cube and rotated it to face the scoreboard. "So just go ahead and forfeit for me and I'll get you out of there," she continued.

Within the ice, Tango's horn began to glow. But rather than melting an opening through the ice as she had suggested, the whole block of ice began to quiver, and a low rumbling filled the room.

"W-what are you doing?" Seeker asked, backing away nervously. "You can't get out of there. J-just give up and—"

The loudest, deepest sound Dinky had ever heard suddenly filled the room, and she instinctively clutched her ears. The huge cube of ice exploded with such force that it flung Seeker backwards again, and Tango Trot landed on his hooves, looking no worse for wear.

"Marvelous work Seeker, really," he congratulated, nodding to the filly lying on the floor a few pony lengths away. "That strategy would have sealed the deal against just about anypony who wasn't capable of exceptionally strong sound magic."

Honeydew heaved a relieved sigh and slumped against Scuffle. "I thought it was over for a second there," she mumbled anxiously.

Seeker shook her head, making her ponytail flail about. "Alright, so we're breaking out the heavy artillery?" she asked once the ringing in her ears quieted. "Let's see you stop my signature move, then! They're an interesting little modification I came up with to change a basic energy attack into something really special; I call em seeker missiles!"

With several loud, electrical cracks, a group of glowing spheres were launched from Seeker's horn. Each one left a trail of hazel green energy behind it as it flew, like a cloud of miniature comets.

And as the name implied, the all immediately changed direction and rocketed toward Tango.

The colt immediately encased himself in a dome of magic, watching the spells as they struck his shield one after another, gradually beginning to weaken it. He broke into a gallop, and the shield moved with him, but the seeker missiles remained fixed on his location. Not one of them missed their mark, and it was clear that when the shield failed, Tango would be in trouble.

"Fascinating!" he called, seemingly unconcerned as more and more cracks appeared in his defenses. "How in Equestria have you given them such tracking capabilities!"

Seeker smirked and patted her cutie mark, an image of a magnifying glass focused on a diamond. "Pinpointing the location of anything and everything is my specialty!" she proudly declared. "I've got an uncanny ability to find any item— or pony— without much effort, and it was easy enough to apply that ability to my magic."

Clarity looked at Dinky and pointed to the hair clip in her mane. "It's almost like she's got my pony compass enchantment built into her," she observed. "That's definitely one of the most practical special talents I can think of."

"Very well then," Tango continued as his shield began to splinter apart. "I'll match your signature technique with my own."

The colt threw his head back, and a long projection of light extended from his horn. Dinky recognized it immediately; it was the light-blade spell he'd shown her early in the term.

Nopony in the crowd was fully prepared for what followed. Tango's shield gave way to Seeker's spells, but the next one to arrive dissipated instantly when it was cut cleanly in two by a long, sweeping swing of his head. Although the missiles approached him from every angle, and all of them were perfectly on target, not a single one actually reached him. Moving with the grace of a dancer, he leapt and twirled around the battlefield, always managing to put himself in the perfect position to use his energy blade to slice apart the oncoming spells.

The whole display took less than a minute, and in that time, Tango rendered several dozen of Seeker's missiles harmless as he slowly backed her into a corner. Soon, a swing of his glowing sword came within a few inches of his opponent's nose, making her yelp and fall backwards. At once, he was standing over her, with the tip of the blade hovering just in front of her face.

"Terribly sorry, Seeker, but I believe our duel is through," he said, smiling sympathetically. "You've nowhere left to run, and while this blade can't actually cut you, the energy is concentrated enough to do considerable damage."

Seeker rolled her eyes. "Tango, we're unicorns," she barked. "Getting backed into a corner means nothing when I can just—"

She lit her horn, but just a moment later, it fizzled out. She tried again, with no success.

"Wha... Why can't I teleport?"

"Ah, yes, I nearly forgot to mention," Tango Trot chuckled, keeping his blade in place an inch from the filly's nose, "until now, the enchantment I brought to this duel was irrelevant. But now I think it's appropriate to point out that it's a teleportation jammer. You may have noticed that I didn't teleport during this duel either, though I'm afraid that's more of a detriment to you right now than I."

Seeker's jaw dropped. "B-but... I didn't even hit you!" she lamented. "You negated all my offenses, effortlessly escaped my ice trap, almost all of your attacks connected... and now—"

"Now you're in a corner, at swordpoint, with no means of escape," Tango finished, flashing a playful smile. "So I really must insist, Seeker. Forfeit, if you would."

Seeker glowered and begrudgingly lit her horn. She sent her spell at the scoreboard, signaling her surrender.

"And that's it, everypony!" Professor Surge cried over the gasps and cheers of the crowd. "In a one-sided victory, Tango Trot wins the semifinal and will face Scuffle in the battle magic championship!"

"That was quick," Dinky laughed. "He made short work of that poor filly. Nervous yet, Scuffle?"

"Nervous?" Scuffle scorned. "I'm ten times the battlemage that guy is. You think I can beat him, right Dewey?"

There was no reply. Scuffle turned around.

"Dewey?"

Honeydew was already halfway down the stands. Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle watched as she joined in the eager crowd trying to talk to Tango Trot. Though it was impossible to hear anything that was said through the clamor of the mob, it was easy enough to see Honeydew greet him with a hug and a vehement congratulations. When the group of ponies finally thinned, the two of them departed the arena together; Honeydew only glanced back long enough to give her three friends a quick wave before disappearing through the doors. Tango Trot glanced in their direction as well, flashed his usual gleaming grin, and followed suit.

Dinky and Clarity both turned to Scuffle. The brown colt grit his teeth and stomped the bleachers as hard as he could. "See that?" he growled. "That's gonna be me walking out of here with her next month! I'm gonna bring pretty boy down a peg!"

Clarity shook her head uncertainly. "Scuffle..."

"First, though," Scuffle continued, ignoring his friend's interjection, "he and I are gonna have a little chat."

Not wanting to risk his friends attempting to lecture him further, Scuffle lit his horn and vanished in a flash of bluish light.

It was nearly curfew when Honeydew and Tango Trot arrived at the residence towers.

"Thanks again, Tango!" the pink filly chirped. "I swear, I wouldn't have made half us much progress on my research this year without your help."

"Think nothing of it, Honeydew my dear," Tango replied. "I'm always happy to help such a wonderful friend out."

Honeydew beamed. "Well, I guess I should turn in for the night," she admitted. "Dinky and Clarity are probably getting ready for bed. Congrats again on your duel! See you later!"

Tango Trot smiled to himself as Honeydew trotted over to the fillies' tower, humming softly until she disappeared inside. He turned and entered the lobby of the colts' tower and made for the Overseer suite, not realizing at first that another pony was standing in the shadows near the stairs.

"Yo, Tango."

Tango Trot turned his head and raised his eyebrows slightly as Scuffle stepped into the light. "Why Scuffle, what a delightful surprise!" he crooned. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Cut the crap, dude," Scuffle replied, frowning. "We need to talk."

"Oh, absolutely," Tango replied, using magic to open the door to his suite. "As the Overseer, I always have time to address the concerns of my fellow colts."

Scuffle snorted and marched into the suite, pausing for a moment to look around once inside. Tango's room was lavishly furnished; he'd clearly brought numerous items not provided by the school, including blankets and curtains that matched his rich blue coat. A Maregentinian flag hung on one wall.

"Ah, Scuffle, I forgot to mention, I'm quite looking forward to squaring off with you in the battle magic finals," Tango continued as he gently closed the door behind them. "The opportunity to face off with a duelist of your caliber isn't something that comes along often, after all."

"I'm not here for small talk, Tango," Scuffle deadpanned, brushing off the Overseer's compliments. "You and me are really overdue for a little chat."

"Yes, of course. Forgive me for not getting to the point," Tango replied courteously. "What's troubling you, my friend?"

"Don't give me that," Scuffle snapped, taking a step closer to the other colt. "I'm done with this game you've been playing all year, pretending nothing's up. It's time to address this situation with Honeydew."

"Ah, Honeydew," Tango said tenderly. "What a wonder that sweet filly is. We've grown so close throughout the year that soon, perhaps, she'd even feel comfortable with the idea of, I don't know, a date? Or perhaps several..."

"Right, yeah," Scuffle grumbled. "So like, let me just make sure something's clear. You know I like her too, right?"

"Well, naturally!" Tango Trot chuckled. "Our dear Honeydew is especially appealing, even among the top-notch group of fillies we grew up with. I expect quite a few ponies like her."

Scuffle shook his head fiercely. "No, I mean like... I like her. Like, as more than a friend."

Tango nodded calmly. "Indeed," he answered, maintaining his serene smile.

Scuffle blinked. "Then what's this whole thing you're doing!?" he shouted. "Honeydew and I have been close for years. What kind of jerk muscles in on that?"

"Oh, my deepest apologies, Scuffle my friend," Tango Trot said. "There appears to have been a misunderstanding. I was merely not aware that Honeydew was already your fillyfriend. Far be it from me to disrupt something like that."

He knew the truth, and Scuffle knew he knew. But he continued to sit there, with that calm smile on his face, forcing Scuffle to admit the truth. The fact that he refused to acknowledge that he had the upper hoof only made Scuffle angrier.

"You want me to say it? Fine!" Scuffle snarled. "Honeydew's not my fillyfriend. I want her to be, but she's not."

"Then I'm afraid I don't see the issue," Tango said simply, letting his silky brown tail swish slowly behind him. "Who are we to select Honeydew's coltfriend for her? That's for her to decide. Naturally, any and all interested stallions are free to court her if she's not actually in a relationship with somepony. But I must say, she seems to be taking quite a fancy to one of us..."

Scuffle bared his teeth. "Listen, you," he barked, advancing forward until he was nose-to-nose with his rival. "I would've liked to resolve this like civil ponies, but if you want war, that's what you're gonna get. You think you can walk all over me, and steal the filly I care for out from under me, but I'll show you which of us is really in charge."

Tango didn't show the slightest hint of intimidation or anger. He gazed at Scuffle through half-lidded eyes, with that same, unshakably smug smile on his face. That unconcerned face seemed to taunt Scuffle more than any words could have.

"Well?" Scuffle yelled. "Don't you have a response?"

"Scuffle, do you recall my premonitions?" Tango asked suddenly, changing the subject entirely. "I believe I briefly explained my vague clairvoyance to you and your friends once."

"What in Tartarus does that have to do with anything?" Scuffle snapped.

"I was struck with a most interesting prediction recently," Tango continued, undeterred. "How did it go again? Oh yes... when two ponies go to market, only the shrewdest shopper will be the one to find the sweetest fruit. I suppose it could be referring to shopping, of course, but I can't help but notice that a certain two colts are both searching for one especially sweet fruit right now... and the shrewdest shopper, the one who has the knowledge to impress her and the charm to enthrall her, will be the one who eventually takes her for himself."

Scuffle scowled. "Fine then!" he bellowed. "Keep playing your little game; when duel day comes, I'll beat you into the ground and get the girl! Let's see if that smug grin is still on your face after that!"

Tango flashed a gleaming smile. "I look forward to our competition, Scuffle," he said delightedly. "Both in the arena and... elsewhere..."

He had nothing more to say. Furious, Scuffle stormed out and slammed the door to the suite, leaving Tango chuckling to himself in the silence.

When duel day comes, I'll beat you into the ground and get the girl!

It was time for Transformation and Conjuring class. Or, as Dinky had taken to calling it, "Scuffle complains to a captive audience" class. During practical lessons like today's, the room was abuzz with chatter and the sounds of spellcasting, so the two of them were able to talk freely without being overheard.

"The nerve of that guy, Dinks," Scuffle grumbled, snapping a quill in two under his forehoof. "He's so cocky, he'll openly admit he's trying to get Honeydew to favor him over me. He said it to my face!"

"Scuffle, we're supposed to be practicing our large-object conjuring," Dinky sighed, lighting her horn and grunting as she tried to force a piece of furniture into existence from nothing but the particles in the air.

"Dinks, why aren't you outraged?" Scuffle asked, shaking his head. "The guy's a scumbag. You should be outraged."

"Because I threw my two cents in on this matter months ago," said Dinky flatly. "Honeydew really likes you. But you won't tell her how you feel. You've somehow gotten it through your head that as long as Tango continues to hang out with her, you stand no chance. And even stranger, you seem to think winning the battle magic tournament is going to be the thing that fixes her attention on you instead! Honeydew doesn't care for battle magic, Scuffle. Your logic just doesn't make sense."

Scuffle gave a low whistle. "Telling it like it is, huh Dinks? I can respect that," he said, more softly than before. "You've got my motivation all wrong though. I'm not trying to win the tournament to impress Honeydew; I'm trying to win it to impress Tango."

"Wait, wait, wait," said Dinky quickly, holding up a forehoof to silence him for a moment. "You think if you win that duel, Tango will submit to your skill and stop trying to win Honeydew over? Is that what I'm hearing?"

"I know it's a long shot," Scuffle confessed. "But it's my only chance. Like I said a long time ago, I have to beat Tango fair and square. Honeydew truly believes I'm a good pony now, and I won't betray that trust no matter what. I never want to see her as upset and hurt as she was when I bullied you four years ago, ever again."

Dinky's horn glowed brighter, and she smiled in satisfaction as an entire table, complete with cute tablecloth, was conjured into existence in front of her. "I get that part, Scuffle," she explained. "Beating Tango fair and square is fine and all, but I just don't understand why you need to—"

She paused. Slowly, her eyes widened. "Scuffle," she mumbled. "Are you sure you're trying to prove to Tango Trot that you're the better stallion? Or are you trying to prove it to yourself?"

Scuffle flinched. "I, uh..."

He kicked the floor with a forehoof, not meeting Dinky's gaze. She trotted closer to him, listening for a reply.

"Dinky, I know I can make Honeydew happy," he muttered. "We've been friends for years. But... Tango Trot can do that too. And what if he... what if he can do it better than I can...?"

Scuffle's bold facade was a hard thing to break through. Even when he opened up about his feelings to Dinky, he didn't usually let his outer confidence falter. But now he looked terribly distressed.

"I told you a long time ago I don't wanna tell Honeydew the truth until I'm sure she can see that I'm better than Tango Trot," he whispered, staring at the floor. "But deep down... I don't wanna tell her until I can see I'm better, too. I said to you a couple months back that I was gonna beat Tango at his own game. But right now, I see an attractive, charming, silver-tongued young stallion, who knows all about Honeydew's intellectual passions that I don't have a clue about. And I... don't know if I can compete with that."

Dinky flattened her ears sheepishly. "Scuffle, uh, sorry for acting so annoyed with you. I didn't realize how this whole thing was making you feel."

"It's cool Dinks," Scuffle dismissed. "You know how I am. When I'm scared, I act tough. I get loud and aggressive and mouthy; it's a reflex left over from growing up with Scorch and Frosty in Fillydelphia."

"You bullied us as foals because you were scared of what your brothers would do to you if you didn't," Dinky added, nodding. "And though you aren't really bullying anypony now..."

"...It's still sort of the same thing," Scuffle finished. "I'm pissed off at Tango and I'm venting my frustrations to you and Clarity. I know I shouldn't be doing that, but... damn it, that's the only way I know to not feel just... helpless."

A bright orange, insectoid head poked down from above, startling both students. Dinky looked up at the changeling standing casually on the ceiling. "Hey, just checkin' in!" Nester chirped. "Ol' Professor Flux noticed there was a lot of chatter and not much magic going on back here, and sent me to investigate. You two alright?"

Dinky gestured to the table she had conjured. "I'm doing fine," she pointed out.

"We're good," Scuffle grunted.

Nester flitted his wings. "You sure, Scuffle?" he asked, tilting his head. "I'm gettin' some bad vibes. And us changelings are pretty good at detecting bad vibes."

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Nester," he insisted. "Tell Flux I'll get to work on my conjuring right away."

"Got it!" Nester replied. "But hey, feel free to let me know if something's buggin' you. Y'know, other than me."

He flashed a fanged grin. "Get it? Cause I'm a bug? Ah, that never gets old..."

Nester wandered away along the ceiling. Scuffle sighed and turned back to Dinky.

"By the way Dinks, if you repeat any of that stuff I just said to anypony, you're dead meat."

Dinky laughed. "Honestly I'm just glad you trust me enough to tell me these things," she told him. "My lips are sealed. Now come on, I know you have a lot on your mind, but your classwork matters too. We need to get back to conjuring."

The following afternoon, Dinky, Clarity, and Honeydew found a free hour to relax together in the hideout. With the end of term now just two months away, chances to hang out and talk or study together, even without Scuffle or Tango, were a precious commodity.

Honeydew was sprawled on her back at a strange angle on her beanbag chair, a book floating in her aura as she slowly paged through it. "I dunno, girls," she sighed. "It was a good attempt, but I think my research on the concept of Lifesense is just about over."

"So soon?" Clarity asked, furrowing her brow. "You can't give up yet, Honeydew. There's still some time left in the term."

Honeydew gave her braided tail an uncertain flick. "Yes, but I'm just not sure what else I can try," she explained. "Even with Tango Trot's help, I haven't made much progress in a few months now. I found a way to use the life connection spell in a weaker, more casual fashion than it's used traditionally, so I can cast it without having to shut out the rest of the world, but that doesn't matter one bit if I can't use it to connect with multiple targets at once. Every single change to the spell I've attempted to make that jump from one organism to a whole community of them has been a dud."

"Pardon the stupid question," Clarity piped up, "but you've tried splitting your attention the same way you would if you were doing something simple, like levitating multiple objects, right?"

"Oh, splitting my attention isn't the problem," Honeydew clarified, stretching out on the beanbag and staring listlessly at the earthen ceiling. "To be honest, I have actually tapped into the hearts of up to three living things at once. The problem is, I can't differentiate between the information I receive from them when I do. Imagine having three ponies talking to you at once, each with no regard for the other two. You might catch a few snippets of what they're saying, but you probably couldn't carry on a meaningful conversation with any of them. That's kind of what it's like, and adding more simultaneous targets only compounds the problem."

"That's still further than anypony else has ever gotten, as far as we know," Clarity reminded her. "Maybe you just need a different perspective to help you to your next breakthrough. Any suggestions, Dinky?"

There was no reply. Clarity and Honeydew glanced to the corner of the hideout curiously.

Dinky was sitting against the wall, holding her enchanted pendant in one forehoof. She appeared to be lost in thought.

"Dinky? You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," said Dinky quickly. "Sorry, what were we talking about? I'm a little distracted.

"Is something wrong?" Honeydew asked, furrowing her brow.

Dinky sighed. "I, uh... I haven't gotten a reply from Pipsqueak through the pendant for a while now," she confessed. "Normally, I don't let it worry me; I'm sure he's got things to do in the Navy where he can't wear it, or he's too busy to respond. After all, I always feel the warmth of his heart through enchantment eventually. But this time, I haven't felt that magic for... oh, two weeks now? Too long."

Clarity trotted over and lifted the pendant in her aura, examining is closely. "You didn't damage it somehow, did you?" she asked. "It looks fine."

"I can't see how I would've," Dinky replied. "I made sure to give it to one of you to hold onto each time I was in a duel. And last time I worked on dark counterspell research with Professor Surge, Wishing Star kept it safe for me. It's not chipped or cracked, and since diamonds hold enchantments so well, it shouldn't wear off on it's own for several pony lifetimes..."

She trailed off. Clarity picked up on her friend's unease immediately.

"You've got another theory, though," she declared. "And it's not a good one. I can see it in your face."

Dinky sighed. "Clarity, this pendant uses my magic to allow my heart to reach out to Pipsqueak's and vice versa," she explained. "So I can't help but think it would stop working if... if the magic in one of those ponies' hearts was slowly growing too faint to transmit through it anymore..."

Clarity and Honeydew exchanged a worried glance. "I thought Wishing Star said you shouldn't worry about that," Clarity pointed out.

"Wishing Star said our discovery about my heart probably didn't have any bad implications as long as nothing changed," Dinky corrected, frowning. "But if my pendant, which was working until a few weeks ago, has stopped, maybe that means... the magic of my heart has been slowly draining away for years, consumed by dark magic. First Honeydew discovered she couldn't detect it, and now my pendant can't either. And if the very last of it is fading... what happens to me when it's completely gone?"

A shiver ran through her. "I'm worried, girls," she admitted. "What if one day, maybe even one day soon, I start to become like... like wraiths are supposed to be?"

"You're jumping to conclusions again," Clarity scolded. "Until you finally see Pipsqueak again, there's no way to be sure about what's happening to the link between the pendants. Yours is fine, but maybe his is damaged."

"Maybe it fell into the ocean, or got snatched by a seagull," Honeydew brainstormed. "Or... well, there's always the possibility he's purposely not wearing it..."

"Which is another conclusion we're not jumping to until we talk to Pipsqueak!" said Clarity firmly. "Dinky, I can't say for sure that whatever's happening with the pendant has nothing to do with dark magic. Maybe it does. But to assume that's the cause before even investigating is just paranoid. There's just not enough evidence to have any trepidation over this yet."

Dinky nodded slowly as she placed the pendant around her neck again. "Just promise me one thing, okay girls?" she asked them.

Clarity tilted her head. "Promise what?"

Dinky bit her lip. "If I start to behave like... like I did when I was a corrupted unicorn, please point it out to me," she requested. "Back then, it was hard for me to realize how nasty and short-tempered I was being until somepony said something. Obviously I'm not gonna wake up one morning and suddenly be evil, but if some bad wraith aspects start to show, point it out so I can seek help from Princess Luna or Princess Twilight or something before anything dangerous happens."

"Dinky, we're your best friends," Clarity chuckled. "We'd do that for you anyway, you don't have to ask."

"Besides, that was scary enough the first time around," Honeydew mumbled, smiling sheepishly. "That's plenty of incentive to help make sure it doesn't happen again."

Dinky managed a smile. "Thanks, girls," she said softly. "I'm glad I can count on you two."

Clarity and Honeydew returned to their studies. Dinky picked up a book as well and tried her best to ignore the writhing darkness that her anxiety was stirring up deep inside her.

"Attention, passengers! Next stop is Trottowa station. We'll be arriving in about an hour."

Ditzy was startled awake from her light nap by the announcement. She glanced around, and was relieved to see that she hadn't missed anything. The rolling hills of northern Equestria, bearing for the most part just short, shrubby trees at this latitude, continued to pass by outside the train's window to her left. And to her right, a pink and purple unicorn continued to sit in silence, staring at the floor.

"Hear that, Sparkler?" she asked. "We'll be there soon."

"Yup," Sparkler mumbled, without turning her head.

It was curt, as always, but it wasn't quite her usual curtness. There was something different about it. Ditzy felt she knew what it was.

"You're feeling a little nervous, huh?"

Sparkler shuddered. "W-what am I even gonna say, Mrs. Doo?" she asked, looking at the mare beside her helplessly. "Oh hey, it's me, Sparkler. I haven't seen you in years but I suddenly changed my mind and traveled by train for two solid days to come see you. That greeting would certainly make me uncomfortable if I was on the receiving end."

Ditzy chuckled. "Well, lucky for you, that part's my area of expertise," she announced. "We still have a little longer until we arrive, so let's do some planning."

Sparkler nodded. "You're the matchmaker, I guess," she conceded. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, Presto clearly liked you when you two were still classmates," Ditzy pointed out. "What drew him to you? What aspects of your life did he like?"

Sparkler scowled. "How am I supposed to know?" she grumbled. "There's not exactly much to like about me."

Ditzy reached out, hesitating this time in case Sparkler decided to push her away. When she didn't, Ditzy placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Now, first we need to work on that," she suggested as gently as she could. "You're flawed, but then again, everypony is flawed. But you're not completely unlikeable, or Presto wouldn't have sought your company in the first place. So if we're going to make this work, I need you to try to push those thoughts about yourself aside for now, and think objectively. You must remember something Presto mentioned liking about you."

Sparkler drew a halting breath and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. "W-well, we did work together on schoolwork sometimes," she said slowly. "Presto always said I had a huge talent for putting complex magical concepts into words that anypony with knowledge of unicorn magic would be able to understand."

"So he thinks you're not only smart, but good at displaying your knowledge clearly," Ditzy realized. "That's a great start. Both of you are pretty accomplished magical scholars, even by the academy's standards. Are you still keeping up with current events in modern magic now that you're out of school?"

"Of course I am," Sparkler scoffed, as if offended by the question. "Magic is all I've got right now, Mrs. Doo. What would I even do with myself if I wasn't still learning about it?"

"That's perfect then," Ditzy insisted. "It'll give you something to talk about once you two get reacquainted. You might need something else to break the ice though. Maybe something a little more personal."

Sparkler hesitated. "I don't really like to share that sort of stuff..." she said weakly, "...but I guess you matchmakers need to know your clients on a more personal level than ponies in most other lines of work."

"Exactly," Ditzy affirmed. "I'm not going to judge you or anything, I just need to know what else Presto liked about you."

Sparkler nodded slowly. "Well, when we were foals, we used to hang out together just for fun. You know, before mom... intervened. And I remember him telling me that he admired my determination. He told me that I had a... a strong spirit. That it seemed like I could accomplish anything I set out to do. He said he was sure I would do great things someday."

"And clearly he was right," Ditzy added with a wink. "You graduated at the top of your class. You're more magically adept than anypony I've ever met with the single exception of Princess Twilight. You have the combination of quick-thinking and skill necessary to handle danger and even save lives. When you talk to Presto, try to show him that you're a pony with passions. You still have the qualities he admires, you just need to let him see them."

"I... I can try," Sparkler stuttered, turning her head away a bit as Ditzy's praise brought the faintest hint of red to her cheeks.

"So, anything else? We're on a roll now."

Sparkler shrugged. "Well, he... no, never mind. That one's not important."

"Tell me!" Ditzy pleaded. "The more information I have, the more I can help."

Sparkler thought about it. Her voice quavered as he spoke.

"Sometimes he told me he... he liked my smile."

Ditzy had to take a second to process that. She couldn't recall having ever seen Sparkler smile, except in the memories she'd been permitted to view. Perhaps there had been a few ironic, mirthless grins, but never anything that conveyed real joy.

Sparkler noticed her silence. "Yeah, I get it," she said flatly. "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid!" Ditzy assured her. "I'm sure your smile is lovely. Now let's take some of these aspects of you that Presto likes and come up with a little bit of a strategy."

Sparkler pulled a notebook and quill from her belongings. "What do you have in mind?"

It felt like autumn, Ditzy noted. Though it was still early in September, there was a crispness in the air that Ponyville definitely did not have at this time of year. Had she been in the town of Trottowa on a more casual visit, she probably would've loved to take in everything that it had to offer.

Sparkler did not seem to share her interest. The unicorn kept her vision fixed only on the roads and signs, foregoing any sightseeing in favor of more efficient navigation. Ditzy decided to take the opportunity to offer one last round of coaching.

"So remember Sparkler, start with a friendly greeting and a casual reason for visiting," she recited. "Tell Presto you were visiting Trottowa and heard he lived nearby so you decided to drop in on an old friend. Make small talk about magic if that's the topic you're comfortable with, and try to reminisce with him a bit about your school days if you can. It'll get easier as you go, trust me."

Sparkler didn't respond. Ditzy glanced over to see why and found her companion had stopped walking, and was staring up at the street sign above them. Ditzy peered up at it as well, squinting and forcing her vision to focus enough to read it clearly.

Steeplechase Court.

"This is it," Sparkler breathed.

"That's right!" Ditzy chirped. "Are you ready to see your old friend again?"

Sparkler's legs quivered. "The reality is setting in," she muttered. "It's like something that until now was just a nice fantasy is suddenly real."

"And it's going to be everything you hoped it would be," Ditzy encouraged. "Come on, let's find his house."

Ditzy trotted into the circle of homes, with Sparkler creeping along behind as if she felt she was trespassing. It didn't take long for them to spot a mailbox that was emblazoned with a familiar image of a top hat and magic wand.

"This is where you take over," Ditzy said, giving her companion a pat on the back. "There's some bushes around the side of the house I can keep an eye on you from. If you need to ask me for any advice, ask Presto for a drink or something and lean out and ask me while he's out of the room."

"So it's up to me?" Sparkler asked, pursing her lips. "Mrs. Doo, what if I can't do it?"

"We've come much too far not to try," Ditzy pointed out. "I know you've got what it takes to succeed. You just need to show Presto that the pony he befriended is still inside you."

Sparkler swallowed hard and made her way up the front walk. Ditzy crept to her hiding spot, which offered an oblique view of the front step. She watched Sparkler raise a shaking hoof, hold it steady in midair for several seconds, and then finally, knock.

Then there was quiet. The afternoon breeze rustled the leaves of the big tree nearby. Nothing happened.

"He's not here," Sparkler whispered to Ditzy as loudly as she dared. "Maybe we should come back la—"

The front door's handle jiggled, and then turned, and the door swung open, allowing a young stallion with a snowy white coat and very dark mane and tail out onto the front step.

"Good afternoon! How can I—"

He stopped mid-sentence. Ditzy held her breath, watching as the two unicorns stared at each other, simultaneously too stunned to speak. From her angle, she couldn't really see the stallion's face, but she could clearly see Sparkler's expression, which had a classic deer-in-the-headlights look to it. Fortunately, she managed to steel herself and found her voice, at least long enough to speak a few words.

"Uh, h-hey there... Presto."

Author's Note

Seeker belongs to Olden Bronie, who won the OC cameo raffle I hosted a while back.

Chapter 12

"Sparkler? Is it... is it really you? But how?"

Ditzy watched silently from her hiding spot as Sparkler struggled to maintain eye contact with her flabbergasted former classmate. "Well I was, uh, in town, and... it's a crazy coincidence really... I heard somepony mention your name, so I inquired, and it turned out you lived just up the road," she said, stumbling over her story a bit. "Small world, huh? I thought, since I hadn't seen you since our academy days, I'd... see if you were around?"

It seemed to Ditzy that Sparkler was struggling to maintain a neutral expression. It was clear that she wanted to frown, or turn away, or maybe turn tail and flee, but she continued to stand rooted to the front step, making unnervingly focused eye contact with the stallion in front of her.

"I... I'm here," Presto managed. "I mean... yes, you found me! You're visiting! Hello!"

He coughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry, that came out really weird," he apologized. "You just really caught me off guard. To be honest... I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Sparkler nodded slowly. "Neither did I, for a while," she confessed, dropping her gaze to her hooves. "I see just showing up like this has got you kind of flustered. If this isn't gonna work, I can just go and—"

"No no no, come in, come in, please," Presto urged, stepping aside and gesturing into the foyer with a forehoof. "I know that got a bit odd for a second there, but I don't want to miss a chance to see an old friend."

Sparkler cast a brief glance at the bushes where she knew Ditzy was hidden, and then took Presto's invitation and slowly stepped inside.

Old friend? That's a good sign, Ditzy thought as she shifted her position to peer into the window. Sparkler's not exactly off to a great start, but it seems like Presto's pretty forgiving when it comes to that sort of thing.

Crouching lower in the shrubs, she watched through the window as Presto entered the sitting room, with Sparkler trotting warily along behind.

"Something to drink?" Presto asked. "If you've been traveling, I'm sure you could use something."

Sparkler opened her mouth to reply, but Presto cut her off. "Wait! I remember. Tea, right? You always seemed to have a mug of tea with you when you were studying."

"Um... tea would be great, actually," Sparkler replied, blinking in surprise.

"Great, I'll go put the water on," Presto said quickly, disappearing into the next room. "Make yourself comfortable!"

Sparkler waited a moment, and then discreetly sidled over to the window. "He seems a little antsy," she mumbled.

"I know, but there's so many good things going on here already," Ditzy whispered back. He definitely wants to be a good host. He remembers little details about you from school, like your favorite drink. You're definitely not gone from his mind, just show him he never left yours, either!"

Sparkler bit her lip. "But how?"

The sound of hoofsteps approached, and Ditzy had no choice but to duck back into the bushes. Hurriedly, Sparkler sat down on the couch.

"I put the water on," Presto announced as he returned. "It'll be just a few minutes, okay?"

Sparkler simply nodded. After a moment, she opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and looked away.

Presto sat down in a chair across from her, and when it was clear Sparkler was going to let the growing silence continue if it was up to her, he spoke.

"So Sparkler, it's been... huh, I guess almost four years now," he observed. "What've you been up to?"

Ditzy tensed. Uh-oh. What has Sparkler been up to?

Sparkler glanced around, as if expecting the answer to Presto's question was written somewhere nearby. "Well, after graduation, I went back to Ponyville... and, um..."

She paused, fishing for the words. Presto gave her a concerned look.

"Are you nervous?" he asked finally. "It's just me, Sparkler. We saw each other every day for years. You know you can talk to me, right?"

"Y-yeah, I know," Sparkler stuttered. "Sorry Presto, I guess it's just been a long time and I'm worn out from travel and maybe I'm not thinking as clearly as I thought I was..."

Presto chuckled softly. "That's understandable," he admitted, nodding. "And of course, I don't mean to pressure you or anything. I was just curious; after all, you were just so brilliant during our school years, I can only imagine what you've discovered since then."

"Oh. Well yes, there have been a few things like that," Sparkler replied, looking slightly relieved. "I've continued to study magic, of course. I always was a fan of enchantments. Speaking of which, have you read the recent thesis by Dr. C. Zirconia on extending the duration of enchantments on non-crystalline solids via structural alteration by means of transformation spells?"

Presto's eyes widened. "Dr. Zirconia has a new publication?" he asked excitedly.

"It's got a few big breakthroughs in it," Sparkler added, starting to sound marginally more comfortable. "Professor Luster peer reviewed it, of course."

"I wonder if there's a copy yet in the library at the University of Trottowa?" Presto pondered. "Speaking of which, I teach there now. It's just Magic Theory, nothing too exciting compared to Celestia's Academy, but it's nice to see a class where earth ponies and pegasi can get involved too."

"You're teaching?" Sparkler gasped. "You know, the younger foals always did love you as an Overseer. Now that I think about it, it's not too surprising to find you working at a university."

"I'm not sure I'll ever quite get used to being called 'Professor Presto' though," the stallion laughed. "Where are you working now? If you're still in Ponyville, I'm sure Canterlot's not an unmanageable commute."

Ditzy watched Sparkler's whole body tense up again. "Oh, well I'm... sort of—"

A high pitched whistle from the kitchen interrupted them. "That would be the tea!" Presto called over the noise. "Hold that thought Sparkler."

He got to his hooves again. The moment his shiny black tail disappeared through the door, Sparkler rushed to the window.

"What do I say?" she hissed. "All I've worked since graduation was dead end jobs, and right now I don't have one at all. What will Presto think if he finds out I'm unemployed? I'm the valedictorian of our year, for Luna's sake!"

"It'll be okay," Ditzy said. "You've been... struggling, after all. Your family situation and everything else have taken a toll. I'm sure he'll understand."

Sparkler scowled. "Mrs. Doo, this hasn't exactly been going well so far. If he realizes I'm like... well, like I am... I'm not gonna have a chance."

Ditzy wanted to encourage her, but the sound of Presto's hooves meant they were out of time. Sparkler barely returned to her spot on the couch before Presto walked in, carrying two mugs of tea and a few other kitchen items in his aura.

"Here you are," he said, offering her a steaming mug in his aura. "It's a bit bitter, but I've got honey and cinnamon here so you can sweeten it as much as you want."

Sparkler's magic took hold of one of the mugs, but she ignored the other ingredients. "I drink it as is," she said flatly, as she softly blew away some of the steam.

Presto raised an eyebrow. "Well, if that's what you prefer..." he conceded as he added a generous spoonful of honey to his own mug and stirred it slowly with a cinnamon stick. "Anyway, sorry, where were we? Oh right, what else have you been up to since we left the Academy?"

Sparkler took a moment's respite from the conversation by taking a long sip of her tea. "I've met with some, err, challenges in that time," she confessed, staring into her mug rather than at the stallion across from her. "I'm not employed at this particular moment. I will be soon, I expect, but I have some... some things I need to take care of first."

Now it was Presto's turn to formulate a response while sipping his tea. "That's a shame," he said finally. "A bright mare like you could do just about anything you put your mind to. I'm sure you'll find something soon."

Sparkler nodded. Yet again, the conversation fizzled out. For a minute or so, both ponies sat quietly, sipping their tea.

Come on! Ditzy thought urgently. You have to do something, Sparkler! Anything!

But Sparkler, it seemed, was paralyzed. Too nervous to try to make any sort of attempt to get Presto's attention, she seemed to sink deeper into the couch, now too overcome by her own misgivings to even look at the pony across from her.

"Sparkler."

He hadn't said it loudly, but the break in the crushing silence made Sparkler jump. She looked at Presto, who was watching her with a tiny frown.

"Yes?"

Presto sighed. "Sparkler, I mean it when I say it's nice to see an old friend, but... well, why are you here? I'm sorry if that's rude of me to ask but... well, it's not hard to see that you aren't enjoying your visit. Why go out of your way to see me if you... didn't really want to?"

"But I... I did want to," Sparkler stammered, curling her tail around herself protectively.

"Did you though?" Presto asked, though to Ditzy, the question didn't really seem accusatory so much as simply sad. "As our time at Celestia's Academy went on, it seemed like you just... slipped further and further away. I tried to reach out, I really did, but by our final term, it seemed like I couldn't even talk to you about anything that didn't have to do with our Overseer duties. The last time we talked before today was at the formal Graduates' Ball a week or two before the end of the term, and you just... didn't seem interested in making anything change. Now you're here in my sitting room, but... well, it's still no different, is it?"

Taken aback, Sparkler stared at her sorrowful old friend. "Presto, I..."

She paused. Presto managed a small, sad smile, and gestured for her to continue.

"Maybe... maybe you're right," she said, hanging her head. "Maybe this was pointless."

Outside the window, Ditzy shook her head madly, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. No, no, no! This can't be happening! We were so close! Why can't Sparkler just open up!?

Sparkler suddenly got to her hooves. "Sorry for wasting your time, Presto," she mumbled, setting the nearly empty mug of tea down on an end table and slowly making her way to the door.

Presto watched her go with a complex expression on his face, but he made no move to stop her. In that moment, it seemed like Sparkler's visit, and for that matter, Ditzy's months-long endeavor, were over.

But then Sparkler stopped.

Another long, awkward moment passed. Presto tilted his head slightly.

"No."

Presto blinked. "Pardon me?"

"I said no," Sparkler repeated. "There's absolutely no reason for me to just leave now. I literally have nothing to lose."

"What are you talking about?" Presto asked.

Sparkler turned to face him. Her eyes were wet, but the look on her face was as determined as Ditzy had ever seen it.

"Let me start over," she said suddenly. "First of all, I'm not out traveling Equestria. I got on a train and rode it for two long days, specifically to wind up right here in this sitting room."

Presto blinked. "Wha—"

"Secondly, I didn't come alone. I've been planning this for a while," Sparkler declared. "A mare who has shown me more kindness than I deserve has been helping me figure out how to approach you. She's waiting outside for me right now, and I'll talk to her after we're done here. She's not at fault for my behavior; if I'd done as she said, this visit would've gone a lot better from the start."

"Wait, you traveled hundreds of miles, and had a pony coaching you, specifically to see me?" Presto asked, incredulous. "But why, Sparkler?"

Sparkler squeezed her eyes shut. "Because you're the only damn pony in Equestria who ever gave a flying feather about me, and I was too stupid to appreciate it!" she yelled.

Presto's eyes went wide. The mug fell from his aura, hitting the carpet with a dull thud and spilling tea everywhere. Neither pony seemed to care.

"It seems we have a bit more talking to do," he said when he finally found his voice. "You're, um, welcome to sit back down."

Ditzy watched in disbelief as Sparkler returned to the couch. The cat was out of the bag now; all that was left to do was to see what would happen between the two unicorns as a result.

"Now that you asked me a difficult question, I'm afraid I have to do the same," Sparkler admitted.

"I think I owe you that much after the response you gave me," Presto agreed, casually using some magic Ditzy couldn't conceive of to clean up the tea, leaving the rug spotless. "What's on your mind?"

Sparkler swallowed hard, but it was clear that she was far past the point of chickening out. In a shivering voice, she spoke.

"W-why, exactly, did you used to like me?"

A bit of color showed through the white fur of Presto's cheeks. "Sparkler, when we were foals, I can hardly think of anypony that was a better friend than you," he admitted. "I know we were just barely teens at the time, but those first months at the Academy were some of the happiest times I can remember. You remember too, right?"

"We spent almost every day together," Sparkler reminisced, nodding solemnly. "I remember warm spring days we spent on the grounds, playing and practicing the new spells we were learning."

"It was more than that!" Presto insisted. "Sparkler, you were always a little shy, and there's nothing wrong with that, but when you and I started to grow close, it was... well, more magical than that school itself, and that's saying something. You seemed to be everything I could ever want it a friend: smart and inquisitive, even among the student's of Celestia's Academy, and unusually mature for your age too, but still fun and joyful and passionate. Spending those months with you at one of the most amazing places in Equestria... it was one of the happiest times of my life."

Sparkler drew a halting breath. "And then?"

"And then... things changed," Presto muttered. "With each new term, the rules you imposed on yourself were more strict. We hung out increasingly less often, and certainly not for my lack of trying. It was like you just decided to drop everything I know you loved from your life, with the exception of magic, all at once. And I tried and tried, but that pony I knew in our first term shone through less and less."

"Most ponies would've given up," Sparkler pointed out. "But even in our fifth term, you were still trying to keep some sliver of that friendship alive."

"I did," Presto confirmed. "And that's because, Sparkler, I didn't... no, I don't believe that the pony I knew as a foal is gone. Sure, your interests are different. You're older, and more mature. But I simply can't imagine that a pony with that much heart just... faded away. I wanted so badly to find her again, bring her out of you, but then, well... our fifth term ended, and we went our separate ways. I felt like I had failed."

The young stallion lit his horn and conjured a handkerchief to dab his eyes. Sparkler didn't look much better.

"Maybe now it's far too late, but can I at least try to explain myself?" she asked.

Presto nodded in assent. "Please do."

"Those decisions weren't entirely mine," Sparkler said bitterly. "You might recall I was raised by only my mother. You never met her, but she... she was bad for me. I think somewhere, I always knew that, but I didn't realize exactly how bad until years later."

"Were... were you abused?" Presto asked softly.

"Physically? No," Sparkler replied. "Emotionally? Absolutely. My mother insisted that there was no such thing as true, lasting love or friendship; that those feelings were fleeting, and in the long run, forming bonds with other ponies would only hurt me."

The sympathy in her friend's face was obvious. "Oh, Sparkler that—"

"For a long time, too long, I believed her," Sparkler continued, determined to finish her story before she broke down completely. "I convinced myself... really, truly believed... that I'd be better off if I isolated myself from everypony. And I would've remained that way forever if not for Dinky Doo."

Presto raised his eyebrows. "She was... the filly who got mixed up in dark magic somehow during our final term, right?" he inquired. "What in Equestria does she have to do with this?"

"She may have battled darkness that year, but that filly had light in her heart that far outweighed the dark," Sparkler declared. "She was the pony who finally made me realize all I was doing was making myself miserable, and that bonds with other ponies weren't something to be avoided and feared. I even... tried to reach out to you, to maybe try one more time to rekindle an old friendship, at our graduation ceremony... only, you didn't attend. A family emergency, if I recall. I never saw you again, until today. The only reason that even happened is because of the pony who helped me find you, who, ironically, is Dinky Doo's mother. It's only because the two of them were able to see through the layers of bitterness and indifference I'd buried myself in that any of this even happened."

Presto stared at Sparkler for a long moment. "Now, forgive me if I'm way off base here..." he said carefully. "But if this is all true, that means the reason you distanced yourself further and further from me as we grew up was because..."

He trailed off. Sparkler worked her tongue for a moment as she tried to force herself to finish the thought he'd started.

"Because honestly, deep down... I liked you too," she said hoarsely. "And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stamp those feelings out, so I felt I had no choice but to bury them deeper, and distance myself more, and treat you worse, and—"

Her voice broke, and she collapsed on her stomach on the couch, sobbing. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed. "I didn't know what I was doing! I thought, in the long run, I'd be better off, but—"

She couldn't muster up any more words, and dissolved into incoherent weeping, her face buried in the couch cushion.

Outside, Ditzy sat in the underbrush, stunned. This was not at all how she'd expected any of this to go, but it made sense, in a way. Sparkler had been hanging onto this emotional baggage for so long.

But will Presto help her with that burden?

After a few more moments of staring at the distraught pony across from him, Presto got to his hooves and moved to the couch, hesitantly seating himself on the one cushion Sparkler wasn't occupying. Carefully, he lifted one forehoof, and slowly placed it on the back of Sparkler's head, stroking her mane. For a moment, Ditzy expected Sparkler to throw him off; after all, she hadn't responded well to most of Ditzy's attempts to offer any sort of physical comfort.

Instead, Sparkler simply lifted her head a few inches, peering up at Presto through bleary eyes.

"I knew you were hurting, but I never quite understood why," the stallion said, continuing to gently rub Sparkler's mane. "I tried, but I couldn't find a way to reach you. I should be apologizing too, for failing at that."

"Presto, no..." Sparkler whimpered. "Even in our fifth term, when I would hardly speak to you, you still tried to be a good friend. You never gave up on me. This happened because I gave up on myself."

Presto gripped Sparkler's forehoof and gently helped her back into a sitting position. "But you're here now," he reminded her. "You didn't truly give up. If you did, you wouldn't be here right now."

"Only because of Mrs. Doo..." Sparkler admitted. "I was ready to give up, but she wouldn't let me. Part of me is still afraid that those things my mother made me believe are true, and heck, part of me was just... scared to see you again."

"Why is that?" Presto asked.

Sparkler gave him a pained look. "Because after Dinky helped me see where I'd gone astray, the more I thought about things, the more I realized how selfish I was," she groaned. "All those years at school, all you were trying to do was be a good friend, and I was so scared of friendship that I never even stopped to think that I was treating you like you were worthless to me. I was a terrible, wretched pony, and I guess I have to accept that I may have lost a friend because of it. At least now I got to apologize."

Shoulders slumped and ears drooping, Sparkler sat ashamed, waiting for a reply. A bit of surprise crossed her features when she felt Presto place his foreleg around her shoulders.

"Sparkler, maybe I couldn't help you, but somepony else did," Presto said quietly. "Like I said before, I never stopped trying to recapture your interest because I never stopped believing that my best friend was still in there somewhere. And looking at you now, I see a little crack in that wall you build around yourself, and the Sparkler I knew years ago shining through from inside."

Sparkler sniffed. "And... do you still want to be close to that original Sparkler?" she whispered.

Presto smiled. "You think I'd miss a chance to win back a friend like that?" he asked. "Right here, right now, I'm talking to the real Sparkler, who I haven't spoken to since our first term at Celestia's Academy almost a decade ago. That Sparkler was my best friend, and I missed her dearly. Now that I've finally found the part of you I thought I lost, maybe this time... it doesn't have to end?"

For a long, silent moment, Sparkler stared at Presto, her eyes wide with wonder. "I... I'd like that," she squeaked, "but... I have a long way to go. I'm taking my first steps into living a kind of life that I'm not used to. Asking for help, making my feelings known, connecting with other ponies... I'm new to all of it. I'd love to have my best friend back to help me get started, but... I know I won't be perfect right away. Will you be patient with me?"

Presto grinned. "Don't worry, I'll help you get up to speed," he promised. "What are friends for, right?"

And then, Ditzy watched as something new happened; something she'd never seen before. Something so foreign that until that moment, she hadn't even realized it was possible, but seeing it filled her with a joy she couldn't even describe.

Sparkler smiled.

Sure, it wasn't a dramatic, beaming grin. She didn't even show her teeth; the corners of her mouth rose just a little. But the effect had a hundred times the magnitude of the action itself. For the first time, a flicker of the hope and happiness Ditzy had seen in the eyes of young Sparkler while viewing her memories shone through.

"Now would you look at that," Presto commented. "You always did have the nicest smile, Sparkler. Glad to see that hasn't changed."

Sparkler looked down self-consciously, but her smile didn't fade. "I missed you so much," she admitted. "I didn't know if you'd even want to see me again. That you still care about me after so long... it doesn't even feel real."

Presto chuckled. "Well hey, that's the power of true friendship, Sparkler," he explained. "Maybe it's not as easily broken as you thought, huh?"

Sparkler closed her eyes for a moment as tears of what had to be relief rolled down her cheeks. She shifted, inching a bit closer to the stallion beside her, and he took the opportunity to extend his forelegs and pull her into a gentle hug.

Nothing happened for a short while after that. Sparkler's head rested against her friend's shoulder, her breathing finally becoming slow and relaxed as she lay in his embrace. For the while, the two of them stayed like that, enjoying each other's company in a way they hadn't in many years.

"Presto? Is it too early to ask a favor from an old friend?" Sparkler asked.

"Of course not," Presto laughed as he finally broke the hug and sat up. "I'll help if I can."

Sparkler glanced at her large pack of belongings sitting in the corner. "I really don't want to go back to Ponyville," she admitted. "I've been doing a good job of avoiding my misguided mother, but I'm tired of hiding. I had actually packed all my belongings and was setting off to just wander Equestria when Mrs. Doo tracked me down. Do you happen to know if there's any apartments available here in Trottowa? Preferably cheap ones, until I can get a job again?"

"Not off the top of my head..." Presto confessed. "Temporary housing around here fills up fast since the university is just up the road."

Sparkler's ears drooped. "Well, I guess I can check some of the adjacent cities and—"

"Now hold on," Presto interrupted, raising a hoof to stop her. "There's another option. I bought this home because I needed a residence near work, but it's a bit more space... and a bit more cost... than I was actually looking for. I admit I have been considering getting a roommate to rent out the spare bedroom..."

"H-here!?" Sparkler gasped, putting a hoof to her chest. "B-but you need a roommate to help cover the costs! I don't think I have enough savings right now to be much help with that."

Presto grinned. "Until you get a job," he finished for her. "And my friend Snowdrift over at the university happens to be looking for some more helping hooves in the college administrative office. I could put in a good word, if you're interested."

"Okay, hold on. I need a second to process this," Sparkler said, holding her head with her hooves for a moment. "That all sounds phenomenal, but looking at this logically, aren't you worried we're rushing into too many things here? Even if we're going to be friends again, we're adults now, and we don't know if we'll connect over things the way we did as foals.
It's a bad idea to suddenly spend all our time together after not seeing each other for years..."

"We won't be," Presto pointed out. "We're sharing a house, not a room. You'll have your own space, and I'll have mine. And at the university, I'll be teaching, and you'll be working in the office. We'll be on different schedules, doing different work in different buildings. How much time we actually spend doing stuff together is something we can work out as we go. I figure at first, y'know, we'll just grab lunch or go to the park on weekends, or maybe relax together on a weekday night with a movie or something. And if we really hit it off again, we can make changes from there."

"You... you're really serious, aren't you?" Sparkler realized. "You're really offering a place to stay, a job opportunity, and... you know, another chance?"

Presto smiled. "Well, only if you're interested," he said with a wink. "After this conversation, I feel like maybe we really can pick up where we left off. What d'you say?"

Sparkler blinked, and quickly raised a hoof to wipe her eyes. "I-I'd love to," she admitted, as a genuine smile decorated her face for the second time. "Thank you, Presto. Thank you so much."

"I'll show you to the spare room in just a minute," Presto offered. "But first, I believe there's a pony waiting for you outside somewhere, right? You should go let her know what your plans are."

Ditzy took that as her cue to scurry from the bushes and out to the sidewalk in front of Presto's home. Thirty seconds later, the front door opened, and Sparkler stepped out onto the porch. She slowly made her way over to Ditzy, wearing a dazed, disbelieving expression the whole time.

"M-Mrs. Doo..." she said once she was in earshot.

"Sparkler, you did it!" Ditzy cried, galloping up to her. "Not quite how I was expecting, but you really did it!"

"I guess I did," Sparkler breathed, still shell-shocked. "I've got to be missing something, right? Nothing ever works out for me like this."

Ditzy laughed. "No, you just—"

"What am I forgetting?" Sparkler continued, ignoring the other mare. "I regained my old friend, I escaped mom in Ponyville, I've got a job and a place to live lined up... there must be something that's gonna throw a wrench in the works, right?"

"Sparkler, you—"

"Is this a dream?" Sparkler interrupted again. "I've had dreams like this. They've never been this lifelike before though..."

"Sparkler!" Ditzy cried, taking the unicorn by the shoulders. "Hon, listen, it's clear you're used to things going wrong, but this is real, okay? Presto's giving you another chance. Now, in the coming months, it's up to you to show him that you really have changed. You've broken free of the chains that were holding you down, but you can't step out of the cell until you accept that you're not trapped anymore."

Sparkler took a deep breath. "Let's say, hypothetically, that maybe once we spend some time together, Presto isn't as interested in me as he once was," she ventured.

"I would think Presto is a good enough pony that he'd still treat you kindly, even if you two don't become especially close," Ditzy answered. "But there's no reason to think about that right now, Sparkler. Friendships, and serious relationships for that matter, work out when both ponies truly want to make the other happy. Focus on being a good friend, and you'll be treated like one. That's really all there is to it."

Sparkler nodded slowly. "I understand, but I admit, I'm a little nervous," she mumbled. "I guess it's time to see if everything you and Dinky have taught me about bonds with other ponies is true."

"If you're willing to nurture those bonds, it will be," Ditzy promised. "The pony I worked for, before he passed away, once said that there is no magic greater than the Magic of the Heart. If two ponies really, truly care about each other, be it in casual friendship or deep, lifelong love, then the bonds between your hearts will hold strong. And Sparkler, I've worked with a lot of ponies in the last few years, and so I know genuine feelings when I see them. I know you have what it takes to be a good friend to Presto, and if things go well, maybe more than a friend, someday. Let Presto see what I can see, and the two of you will be inseparable in no time."

Sparkler looked down, but Ditzy could tell that she was smiling a bit. "Oh, um, and about your pay for the shipping assignment..." she said suddenly, rooting through her bag. "I still have some savings. I can cover the travel expenses and compensate you for the time and effort."

"Oh no you don't," Ditzy commanded, firmly putting a forehoof down on the flap to hold the bag shut. "You don't owe me a single bit. I did this for you, not for profit. Besides, the way you won Presto over wasn't even something I helped you plan out."

"But Mrs. Doo, your company!" Sparkler insisted. "You said it was struggling. I'm sure you need all the bits you can get to keep it afloat."

"And the bits that should be going to the company from this assignment will be coming from my savings, not yours," Ditzy announced. "Now close that bag, and keep those bits for yourself."

Sparkler did as she was told, but raised an eyebrow at the pegasus. "I really don't get you, Mrs. Doo," she commented. "You've been so generous. We're not even related or anything."

"Fine, we'll make a transaction out of this if that'll make you more comfortable," Ditzy giggled. "Consider all my time and services rendered as a meager attempt at repaying you for saving Dinky's life multiple times. There's no way we're even yet, but at least helping you find Presto again was a good start."

Sparkler made an amused face, and Ditzy swore the could hear the barest hint of a chuckle in the unicorn's throat. "Alright, fair enough," she relented. "I guess... this is goodbye for now, huh? I'll do my best to follow your advice."

"You can write to me any time if you're worried about anything," Ditzy reminded her. "Heck, write Dinky sometime too, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sparkler said. "And speaking of reuniting with ponies... um, good luck with smoothing out the issue between you and my father. I hope once he learns the truth, he'll be as reasonable as you say he is."

Ditzy smiled sadly and gave a small nod. "He'll come around. For now, focus on yourself and Presto, okay?"

"I will," Sparkler assured her. "And just... one last thing..."

Ditzy cocked her head. "Hm?"

Sparkler hesitated, and then gingerly stepped forward. With awkward, robotic motions, she pulled Ditzy into a gentle hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Doo. Thank you for not giving up on me, even when I had already given up on myself," she whispered. "Nopony's ever done something like this for me before. So just... just thank you."

Ditzy beamed. "You're welcome, Sparkler," she replied. "Now go on, get going! Your best friend is waiting for you!"

"Best friend," Sparkler repeated, smiling more broadly than she had before. "I... I could get used to that."

With a final wave goodbye, she turned and cantered back to the house. Once her bright purple tail disappeared inside, Ditzy took to the sky, still grinning ear to ear.

Even among all these failed assignments, we can never give up hope, she thought as she soared above the clouds. No matter what happens, friendship and love live on in the hearts of ponies, and today, Sparkler and Presto proved it once again. Now it's time to get back to Ponyville, and see if it will prove true again for me.

A hundred miles off the Equestrian coastline, it was a damp, foggy afternoon. Unfortunately, the routine bellow of the foghorn only provided Pipsqueak with a momentary respite from Scoville's endless chatter.

"I'm tellin' you, dude, she ditched you!" the batpony insisted, hanging in the air above Pip's head. "You know how the story goes; a bright, handsome stallion joins the navy, there's a teary, romantic goodbye on the beach where his gal says she'll await his return every day, and the next thing you know, she's found a new fella and you're yesterday's news. Them's the breaks, buddy."

"You got all that just because my pendant's gone dark?" Pipsqueak asked. "Bit of a logical leap there, innit Scoville?"

"Hey man, I'm just sayin' it's suspicious!" Scoville proclaimed. "Let's be fair: if that filly finds a stallion with a butt even half as nice as hers is, how's she gonna resist the temptation?"

Pipsqueak's lip curled into a snarl. "Would you just shut your bloody mouth already?" he growled.

"Hey! That's racist!" Scoville snapped. "Don't assume I've got a bloody mouth just 'cause I'm a bat!"

Pipsqueak rolled his eyes. "It's a Trottingham expression," he grumbled.

"Good, cause the only thing you're gonna find me draining with these fangs is fruit," Scoville declared, running his tongue over said fangs. "Speaking of which, there's not enough damn fruit in the rations on this rust bucket! We're gonna get scurvy at this rate! Sure, there's the occasional apple, but would it kill 'em to give us an orange or a pineapple once in a while, or maybe a mango? By Celestia's great big luminescent butt, I could go for a mango right about now..."

"The point is, Pip cut in, loudly cutting his bunkmate off, "Dinky is not the kind of pony who would just ditch me for another stallion without even talking to me! Something's wrong with my pendant, or maybe with hers, nothing more."

Scoville's hooves touched down on the deck, and he folded his clawed wings at his sides. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy," he snickered.

"In a few months, our first mission will be over and Dinky and I will both be back in Ponyville for a while," Pipsqueak pointed out. "If there's a problem with the enchantment, I'm sure she can fix it."

"Uh-huh," Scoville said flatly. "And if it's a problem with separation straining the relationship, are y'sure you can fix it?"

Without waiting for an answer, the wiry batpony turned and trotted ahead. Pipsqueak took the diamond pendant in his forehoof, clasping it gently. It remained cold and dark.

Come on Dinky... he thought as he followed Scoville below deck, why won't you respond?

"No Dinky, stir counterclockwise, please."

Dinky quickly changed the direction of the spoon in the big vat of brightly colored potion beneath her. "My bad, Honeydew," she apologized. "I didn't know it made a difference."

"Certain potions are sensitive enough that it does," Honeydew explained, holding a pipette in her aura and adding precisely two drops of mushroom extract for each rotation of the spoon in the pot. "I actually made this one outside of class once before, but I underestimated how much ground manticore fang I needed, and the effect turned out really weak. This one's looking like it's going to be fine though."

Professor Chestnut wandered by, making her rounds to make sure all the students were on track. She peered into the pot and smiled.

"Honestly, I should just give you your 'A' for this class right now," the stout mare chuckled. "As usual, you already know basically everything that's going to be on the final."

Honeydew blushed slightly. "This class has been a little... easy for me, I suppose," she admitted, pausing to sprinkle some rosemary into the potion as its color began to darken. "I just wish my independent research was going as well as class was."

"Honeydew, even if you haven't actually made the Lifesense concept a reality, you still found a way to connect with other living things in a way that doesn't involve merging your entire consciousness with theirs," Dinky reminded her. "Sure, maybe you can only do it with one other being at a time, but unicorns are going to find loads of uses for that quick sensory scan."

"I've already incorporated the spell into my curriculum for the first term students, starting next year," Professor Chestnut added. "The progress you made is still impressive; fitting of one of the most brilliant magical biologists I've taught!"

"I know," Honeydew mumbled, smiling sadly. "I just feel like I'm so close, but I can't find the way to continue to expand the spell into what I wanted it to be. It's like the puzzle's missing just one piece, but no matter where I look, I can't find it."

"It's only just become autumn," the professor pointed out. "You still have a month and a half left until the term ends in early November. Who knows, maybe you'll still stumble across something that can help."

Cornelius poked his head up from behind the brim of the mare's sun hat. "You're like, measurably less useless than all the other ponies in here!" he chimed in cheerfully. "Look at it this way; you're more likely to figure it out than any of these simpletons."

Chestnut rolled her eyes. "Cornelius."

The professor trotted to the next group, taking her loudmouthed companion with her. Honeydew looked at Dinky uncertainly.

"What do you think, Dinky?"

"I think it's silly to give up while you're still at school," Dinky admitted. "You're at the greatest establishment for magical education in the world. For all you know, the answer could still be here, right under your nose."

Honeydew smiled slightly as she ladled some of the finished potion into a flask. "Maybe so..." she conceded. "I guess we'll see."

"So what do you wanna try next?" Scuffle asked, as he, Honeydew, Clarity, and Dinky sat in the hideout later that afternoon. "Should we go check the Canterlot archives for more resources?"

"I've already read pretty much their entire magical biology section," Honeydew admitted, glancing through the whirlwind of notes and diagrams swirling slowly around her.

"Maybe we could ask Princess Twilight to escort you to the Starswirl the Bearded wing?" Clarity suggested, stretching out on her stomach and resting her chin on her forelegs. "Obviously you haven't checked the books there yet."

Honeydew grimaced and stuck out her tongue. "Those books were put there for a reason," she pointed out. "Most of what's in there is dangerous, or at least ethically questionable. It was great for researching Dinky's dark magic, but not so much for what I'm doing."

"So you never found a way to get any meaningful information from the life you connect with as soon as you tap into more than one being at once?" Dinky asked.

"Right," Honeydew sighed. "I can use my modified spell to quickly gather information about a being. It works with emotions, but for the moment, let's just focus on physiological data, since that's all that plants have to offer. If I tap into the life energy of a flower, for example, it can give me information about it's level of hydration, nutritional status, and... well, everything else about it. But if I tap into two at once, I receive two sets of information at the same time, and they— oh, how do I word this— they blend together, I guess. I can't receive both sets of information at once because my mind can't pick it apart; so I get a useless mixture of the two."

"Y'know, it's a shame," Scuffle said casually as he plucked one of Honeydew's floating notepages out of her aura and glanced over it. "If we were talking about battle magic, I would know exactly how to fix that. But I don't know the first thing about biological sensory spells."

All three fillies' attention turned immediately to Scuffle. The colt raised an eyebrow.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

"What do you mean by 'fix it'?" Honeydew asked.

"What, the battle magic thing?" Scuffle asked. "It's nothing special. There's this spell that dueling ponies can use if they're under attack by multiple opponents at once, or just facing one opponent using a large number of projectile spells. It's this sort of... timing spell, I guess? It's some kind of mental filter that let's you figure out the speed and distance of everything coming at you at once, so you can shield or dodge the barrage by defending against all it's individual parts in the right order instead of getting overwhelmed."

Honeydew's horn went out. Her notes dropped out of the air, scattering randomly across the earthen floor. "Show me," she said quickly.

"Dewey, it's just a battle magic thing," Scuffle replied, shaking his head. "There's sort of a similarity, but you don't have anything actually coming at you in real time. Unless those flowers are bombarding you with projectile information, it's not gonna be any use."

"Scuffle, please?" Honeydew insisted, hopping off her beanbag and trotting up to him. "It can't hurt, right?"

Dinky watched with amusement as all of Scuffle's resolve melted away immediately under the gaze of Honeydew's pleading green eyes. "Uh, alright, c'mon," he said, turning and heading up the tunnel. "And Dinks, Clarity, I need you girls for this too."

Intrigued, Dinky followed her friends up the passage and into the forest above. Scuffle led the way, bringing the four ponies to a familiar clearing.

"This is where we dueled Scorch and Frosty years ago," Honeydew realized.

"Yup," Scuffle confirmed. "Looks like everything's finally grown back. There's almost no evidence that we basically blew this place up at one point. It'll make a perfect spot to demonstrate this spell. Stand off to the side please and watch this."

The colt galloped out into the middle of the clearing. "Okay, Dinks and Clarity!" he called. "Hit me with as many attacks as you can. Make 'em weak and fast; low-power lightning spells would probably be best."

Dinky charged up her horn, and watched as Clarity did the same. "Okay, ready?" Clarity called back.

Scuffle cast a spell Dinky had never seen before. Two bluish lenses flashed in front of his eyes for a moment, but disappeared as quickly as they had come. "Okay, the timing spell's in place!" he announced. "Fire away!"

Dinky and Clarity exchanged a momentary grin before both girls lowered their heads in unison and opened fire on Scuffle. Dinky made sure that there was no rhyme or reason to the speed or angle at which she launched the attacks, so that her spells wouldn't follow any sort of pattern relative to Clarity's.

Scuffle stood calmly as dozens of red and yellow bolts raced toward him. An instant before the first bolt reached him, a compact, slate blue shield, no bigger than his head, materialized directly in its path. It existed just long enough to block the spell— only a tiny fraction of a second— before disappearing again.

Naturally, the next bolt was barely a blink of an eye behind the first, but in almost the same instant the first of Scuffle's small, round shields disappeared, a new one took its place, placed perfectly to intercept the second bolt.

For the next thirty seconds, the area around Scuffle became a fantastic, flashing light show, as dozens and dozens of Dinky's golden bolts and Clarity's cinnamon red ones were stopped by Scuffle's small, round shields. The colt didn't move a muscle, not even flinching as bolt after bolt came within inches of him. The position of his protective spells changed as many as four or five times a second, and yet not even one bolt got past them. That kind of precision, Dinky realized, was simply not possible at such a speed without the aid of magic.

Finally the barrage stopped. Scuffle let his aura fade and trotted over to the three fillies, looking smug.

"I could see on your faces that you two really wanted to find a way to beat that," he chuckled, smirking at Dinky and Clarity. "But anyway, showing off wasn't the point here. It's kinda fun, and useful in a duel, but that's all the spell is; I don't think it's gonna help for your purposes, Dewey."

Honeydew didn't reply, as she was already scribbling on a loose page she'd brought with her. Her brow furrowed deeply, and her tongue poked slightly out the side of her mouth, as if she was expending great mental energy.

Scuffle took a step closer. "Dewey? You good?"

Honeydew glanced over what she had written several times. Her eyes widened and her quill dropped to the grass.

"I need my notes!"

She immediately vanished in a flash of green, leaving Scuffle dumbfounded. He glanced at Dinky and Clarity to confirm they were similarly surprised. "Dewey never teleports when she can just walk!" he said as he turned to jog back to the hideout. "What's the big rush?"

Clarity giggled as she broke into a run to keep up with him. "Scuffle, that spell you just used may primarily have battle magic uses, but that doesn't change the fact that you just demonstrated a spell that can refine your perception of multiple signals."

"It changes the way you take in the things around you," Dinky added, rushing along beside her two friends. "It doesn't matter what discipline of magic that spell is from; there's a very real chance that Honeydew can find a way to make use of it."

"No way," Scuffle argued, shaking his head. "I don't know the first thing about the spells involved in Honeydew's research; there's no chance all she was missing was some perception spell duelists use, is there?"

The three of them skidded down the tunnel into the hideout to find Honeydew frantically paging through her notes. "I can't maintain two spells at once," she said to nopony in particular, "so maybe if I adjust the way it's cast, I can incorporate the effects of the perception spell into the effects of the life connection one..."

She lifted a page covered in equations, scribbled about half of it out, and rewrote several of them in the remaining space with some new numbers incorporated. "That... might trigger the effect, I guess," she said, scratching her head. "It remains to be seen if it will actually be able to separate the information from each individual..."

She glanced up, and finally noticed Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle standing there. "I need to test something!" she declared. "Let's go back outside."

She cantered out of the cavern, once again causing the others to give chase.

"This is the first time I can remember struggling to keep up with Honeydew," Dinky commented, giggling.

"She's got longer legs," Clarity pointed out. "It's not our fault puberty decided to grant Honeydew a supermodel's figure. She can really run when she actually wants to."

The trio stepped out of the hollow beneath the tree to find Honeydew standing stone-still, staring at the trees surrounding them. The pink filly took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing..." she muttered.

Dinky held her breath as Honeydew's horn flared to life. At first, it was the standard spell that Dinky had seen her use dozens of times. Her aura surrounded one of the nearby trees, and then three more in quick succession.

"Okay, I've got a connection with all three trees, but can't get anything useful from them as a group," she said, "so now I just need to—" she paused, checking the notes clutched in her hoof, "—to refocus the spell to account for the perception adjustment..."

She closed her eyes and strained for a moment. The green light around her horn grew brighter, and then began to slowly spin, like an inverted green cyclone encircling her horn. Cautiously, her eyes opened again, but the spell appeared to maintain it's form on her horn. She glanced at each of the trees highlighted by her magic, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Well?" Clarity asked. "Anything?"

"The... the eastmost tree has the h-highest relative volume of water by t-total mass," Honeydew stuttered, "getting p-progressively lower as you move toward the w-western tree, which is the driest of the four. Which means the—" she paused, her whole body quivering, "—w-w-which means, judging by the g-gradient of hydration levels, the nearest g-groundwater source is east of here and oh stars above, it's actually working isn't it?"

Honeydew swayed on her hooves, and Dinky and Clarity rushed to either side of her to prevent her from toppling over. "H-hang on, let's try something else," she managed, surrounding a patch of early-autumn flowers that hadn't yet bloomed with her magic. "I can receive information from multiple sources, now let's see if I can send it."

Her horn glowed brighter, and Dinky and the others watched with wonder as not one, but an entire bouquet of flowers burst open at once, turning their petals to the sky. A giggle of delight and disbelief escaped Honeydew's throat as she examined her own handiwork.

"Is... is this it?" Clarity asked, eyes wide. "Is this the Lifesense spell?"

"No, not really!" Honeydew announced, not seeming the least bit upset about the negative answer. "This spell still requires me to select and intentionally link with each individual I want to examine. The difference is that now I can do that with groups of living things, instead of just one at a time. Lifesense, in concept, should allow me to cast the spell on a whole area and detect and link with every organism in its radius, including ones I can't actually see or am not aware of, essentially reading the properties and trends of whole ecosystems in a single spell."

"Oh," Dinky said, her ears drooping a bit. "For a second there, we thought you succeeded."

"Who cares about that?" Honeydew asked, another frantic giggle escaping her. "Dinky, this isn't the lofty spell I had planned; it yields less data for more work than true Lifesense would be. But at least in its current state, it's working, and the world of Magical Biology has never had something like that before!"

Honeydew's excitement was contagious, and both of the other fillies shared her smile. "Professor Chestnut's gonna be so thrilled!" Clarity cried. "We knew you'd figure out how to improve the spell eventually, Honeydew."

"I've looked into enchantments and other fields of magic to assist the spell, but I never even gave a second thought to the possibility that what the spell needed was a type of battle magic," Honeydew admitted. "I might never have gotten it if it wasn't for... for..."

She paused, and slowly turned around. Scuffle, rendered speechless since Honeydew's spell was cast, stood by the entrance of the hideout, with a look of amazement still plastered on his face.

"Scuffle!"

Before anypony could react, Honeydew bounded across the grass and leapt up on her hind hooves, throwing her forelegs around the stunned colt with such enthusiasm that both of them nearly lost their balance.

"Scuffle, you're a genius!" she exclaimed, resting her chin against his withers as she hugged him tightly. "Your outside perspective was the missing element to the spell. How can I possibly thank you?"

Scuffle's face had quickly turned beet red, but fortunately, Honeydew's head was over his shoulder, so she couldn't see his reaction. "I-it was nothing, Dewey," he stammered once he found his voice. "Honestly I, uh, didn't think it was gonna help. Just adding a perception timer really makes that much of a difference?"

Honeydew laughed joyfully. "Here, see for yourself!" she chirped, breaking the hug and stepping a few paces away. Her friends watched as the spell charged up in her horn again, rotating around it as she confidently raised her head and imbued each of the surrounding trees with her magic at once.

"Autumn is here!" she sang. "Time to get ready to drop those leaves."

All at once, every leaf on every last tree in the grove began to change. The deep, summery green drained away toward the branches, leaving behind festive autumn reds, yellows, and browns. In a matter of seconds, the whole grove was bedecked in an extraordinary, colorful display of fall foliage.

"No way!" Scuffle gasped, watching the spectacle occurring in the branches above him. "Dewey, that's ridiculous! I've never seen anypony do something like that."

"That's because I don't think anypony has!" Honeydew giggled, quickly returning to Scuffle's side and nuzzling him affectionately. "Don't underestimate how smart you are, Scuffle. I couldn't have done this without you. You're the best, you really are."

Scuffle carefully put a foreleg over Honeydew's back, and Dinky watched with a smile as the filly snuggled up to him a bit more, casting her spell again and again to interact with various forest plant life. Dinky caught Scuffle's gaze for a second and silently mouthed a message to him.

"Tell her! Now's the perfect time!"

Scuffle blushed a bit and returned his attention to Honeydew. "Hey, uh, Dewey?" he started. "You're the best too, y'know? You've been such a great friend for almost our whole time at the Academy, and even though we have different tastes in magic, I always love watching your skills grow."

Honeydew beamed. "Same!" she giggled. "Watching duels makes me a little nervous, but it's fun seeing you do something you're so good at. You're one of my closest friends too."

Scuffle smiled. "Y'know, I was... uh, thinking about that," he said hesitantly. "See, I sorta feel like maybe we—"

Strummmm~

Clack-a-clack!

Dinky's heart sank as the usual sound of an acoustic guitar and a clatter of castanets heralded the arrival of Tango Trot. Scuffle groaned as the royal blue colt strode into the grove and flashed the four ponies his usual beaming smile.

"Ah, here you four are," Tango said, tossing his head a bit so that his smooth, glossy mane gleamed in the afternoon sun. "And how are my four dear friends today?"

"Tango Trot!" Honeydew squealed, bolting out from under Scuffle's foreleg and galloping over to the other colt. "You'll never believe it! We just made a huge step towards getting the Lifesense spell working!"

Tango's pearly smile grew, and he promptly beckoned Honeydew to his side, tucking her beneath an outstretched foreleg in exactly the same way Scuffle had a moment before. "Why Honeydew, how spectacular!" he congratulated. "For a pony of your skill, it was clearly only a matter of time."

Honeydew giggled. "Actually, one of Scuffle's spells is what gave me the inspiration!" she said excitedly.

Tango turned to Scuffle. "Is that so?" he asked, his broad smile never faltering. "Bravo, Scuffle my friend. Truly, inspiration can come from anypony."

Scuffle, unsure if the comment was intended as a compliment or an insult, just nodded warily.

"Now Honeydew," Tango continued. "You simply must show me the newest iteration of your spell. I recommend the two of us, being the most versed in magical biology of course, take some time to test its uses and document everything it's capable of. After all, the more we know about what you can do, the better we'll know what still must be done to achieve true Lifesense."

"Good idea!" Honeydew agreed, scooping up her saddlebags and all her notes in her aura. "Scuffle, Dinky, Clarity, I'll give you all the important details later on, okay?"

"Sure thing, Honeydew," Dinky said, forcing a smile. "See you later."

"Have fun," Clarity added.

Scuffle looked at the ground. "Later, Dewey."

Honeydew turned and skipped away alongside Tango Trot, already beginning to discuss the latest breakthrough in her research. The three remaining unicorns stood in silence until their friend's voice faded into the distance.

"...Wow," Dinky said finally. "That timing though. I'm starting to wonder if that guy really is spying on you or something."

Furiously, Scuffle reared up, angry orange and yellow fire bursting to life around his horn. Dinky and Clarity instinctively backpedaled as the flames grew brighter.

"That son of a—"

He probably finished that sentence, but it was drowned out by the roar of the fireball, almost bright and intense enough to compete with those conjured by his older brother Scorch. He hurled the spell at the nearest tree, and the upper part of the poor old oak basically exploded, scattering charred branches across the grove. Scuffle stood, panting, as smoldering bits of leaf rained down around him and fizzled out.

Dinky slowly approached, making sure the last of the flames had died as she put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It'll be okay," she soothed. "I'm sure your breakthrough with Honeydew's spell just won you some major points with her."

"It's not okay, Dinks," Scuffle mumbled, turning away. "I was... I was really gonna do it that time, y'know? I was gonna tell her the truth. The opportunity was perfect. But pretty boy's just gonna keep one-upping me every chance he gets, so there's nothing for it. I just have to keep practicing for that duel and hope that if I can just win that, he'll back off."

Clarity trotted up beside the others. "You and Honeydew have always been cute together," she admitted. "I still really don't have anything against Tango, but I hope you succeed."

She paused, scribbling something on a small slip of paper. "Oh, and uh... this is for you," she said, passing it to him.

Scuffle smirked. "Finally taking my side in this feud, eh Clarity?" he asked, grabbing the note from her aura. "What's this, some dirty secrets about Tango you've come across in your Overseer meetings?"

"Um, no," Clarity said awkwardly, shuffling a forehoof. "It's a detention. You did kind of just vandalize a tree on school property in front of an Overseer."

Scuffle glanced at the blackened, faintly smoking remains of the tree above them. "...Fair," he said finally, tossing the detention slip in his saddlebag. "I've got training to do. Later."

He skulked off in a huff, leaving Dinky sadly shaking her head, wondering if the feud for Honeydew's heart would ever end.

"Do you think I'm being unfair to Scuffle?" Clarity asked suddenly as she and Dinky made their way to Runic Syllabary the following Monday.

Dinky shrugged. "I wish I had a clear answer to that question," she muttered. "Given what's happened, I can completely understand why Scuffle hates Tango so much. But from an outside perspective... I've been grappling with myself all term, trying to decide if what he's doing should actually be considered antagonizing Scuffle or not. Just because Scuffle's been Honeydew's friend for so much longer doesn't really give him the right to assume he gets to be the first to try to date her."

Clarity sighed. "If he'd just told her the truth before this term started, like when we were all together at Heart's Warming, this probably wouldn't have happened," she pointed out.

"I think he knows that, and that's why this is getting to him so much," Dinky replied. "He recognizes that he might have missed his chance, but you know how he is. He's always coped with things the same way; if he refuses to admit to anypony else this is because of his own hesitation to confess his feelings, then he doesn't have to admit it to himself either."

"Even so, he's got a good heart," Clarity said. "Have you been watching him this term? He gripes about Tango to you and I all the time, but has his treatment of Honeydew ever become any less sincere, even for an instant? Certainly not that I've seen."

"Me either," Dinky admitted. "Honestly, it seems like the thing that makes Scuffle happiest is... well, Honeydew being happy too. He's a blowhard and kind of a goofball, but he knows how to rein it in for her comfort. I think he'd make a great coltfriend for her... but obviously, nopony knows how she'd feel about that."

Clarity nodded, the ends of her bright blue mane swaying as she did so. "The problem is... Tango might make a great coltfriend too..." she mumbled. "Dinky, I know from your perspective, you've mostly just seen him compete with Scuffle for Honeydew's attention, but I've spent a lot more time with him this year behind the scenes at Overseer functions. Have you seen the level of knowledge and care he uses when helping the younger students? Have you seen him quickly and calmly organize a large group of rowdy ponies? He's a very social colt, there's no doubt about that. And I can see in his actions that he is taking his position as Student Overseer very seriously, and yet managing to remain casual with all the other students. Most of the colts see him as a friend and role model moreso than a leader; they follow his instructions because they respect him, not the position he holds."

Dinky frowned. "But when Scuffle's around—"

"He doesn't do anything bad!" Clarity finished. "Dinky, sometimes, two stallions like the same mare. It's a thing that happens, and I wish there was always a clear way to resolve it, but there's not. In this case, they both have an interest in Honeydew, and right now, she's single. Now if one of them was just trying to take advantage of her trust, then we should intervene, or at least tell Honeydew what we know, but both of these ponies seem to be treating Honeydew just fine, and she certainly seems glad for both of their company. I'm not saying I want Tango to be the one to win her over... I just think, in order to remain good friends with everypony involved, you and I need to stay out of it and just let it play out. Honeydew is the object of their affection, so only she can decide if either of them are right for her."

"If either of them ever actually ask her out," Dinky chuckled. "Yeah, I get where you're coming from, Clarity. I guess there's nothing to do but wait."

"And with our final term winding down, I don't think we'll be waiting too much longer..." Clarity replied, as the fillies approached the classroom door. "Now hush; Tango's in our Runic Syllabary class too, so we should be running into him any second now."

The words were barely out of her mouth when a familiar fanfare of instruments filled the air, and Tango Trot strutted around the corner from an adjacent corridor. "Good morning, ladies," he greeted. "Might I say, the both of you are looking especially vibrant today."

Clarity laughed, and Dinky playfully rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that because it's Monday morning and for once I don't look like I just rolled out of bed," Clarity countered.

Tango Trot chuckled as he led the way into the classroom. Dinky and Clarity took their seats as well, and a minute or two later, Dean Spiral Script arrived.

"Good morning," she greeted, nodding slightly in her usual formal, but not unfriendly, fashion. "I'm afraid I have to start today's class with a bit of slightly disappointing news. For the last few years, this particular lesson has usually been taught with the aid of her highness Princess Luna. Unfortunately, as Princess Celestia has been absent for six months now, and Cadance for four, Luna's schedule tending to the needs of Equestria has left her unable to attend all but the most absolutely essential of academy functions. She won't be joining us this morning."

Tango Trot politely raised a hoof. "Might I ask what rune-related topic would fall under Princess Luna's expertise?" he questioned. "She's the Academy's Astronomy professor, a subject that doesn't generally coincide with this one."

"Ah, but there's one topic in which runes and astronomy come together quite nicely," the dean pointed out. "In fact, we mentioned it very briefly on the first day of class this term. Today, we're going to be talking about the ancient Zodiac, the creators of modern magic, and the importance they have to the subject of Runic Syllabary."

Dinky's ears perked up automatically as the word 'Zodiac'. She was, after all, a bit more knowledgeable on the ponies of the Zodiac than most others, particularly because she's met the most malevolent among them in person.

"As you know, each of the twelve members of the Zodiac created a discipline of modern magic," Spiral Script continued. "Not just unicorns, but all of ponykind, owe our unique abilities to the discoveries in channeling Equestria's natural energies that were made by those ancient ponies."

"I thought only Gemini created runes, though," Clarity piped up. "How do the other eleven fit in?"

"That's correct. As we said at the beginning of the term, the Gemini twins were the ones who first realized magic can be enhanced with runes," Spiral Script said, nodding. "However, as I'm sure anypony who pays attention to astrology is aware, each member of the Zodiac is represented by a sign. These 'signs' aren't just symbols for quickly referencing the ponies of the Zodiac; they are, in fact, functional runes."

The dean lit her horn, and twelve runes appeared in the air, slowly orbiting her head so the students could take a moment to examine each one. Dinky didn't know them all by heart, but her gaze quickly fell upon the one she could never forget. It was shaped a bit like the letter M, but rounded at the top as it was when written in more sophisticated styles. Snaking off the right side of the rune was a little curved line with a pointed tip that looked a bit like a barbed tail. She'd seen the symbol many times, especially on the night she had become a wraith. Scorpio's rune was unmistakable.

"These runes are much less specialized than many others you have learned," Spiral Script explained. "However, they are very powerful, and should only be employed when you need to significantly boost the strength of a spell, as they occasionally have downsides. For example, Cancer is the original creator of light spells, and the illusion spells that can be cast by manipulating light. Inscribing Cancer's rune on an object that produces magical light will vastly increase the light's intensity, but in most cases it makes that light level difficult to control, and hard to extinguish entirely. Have you ever noticed that our main hall here at the Academy is lit by a disproportionately small amount of illumination orbs? That's because those orbs bear Cancer's rune, allowing just a few of them to light the vast hall even late at night."

"How do we know if a Zodiac rune is appropriate then?" another student asked. "What if it provides so much power that it ruins the original intent of the spell?"

"That's the challenge associated with using them, I'm afraid," Spiral Script admitted. "Especially when working with them for the first time, it's highly recommended that Zodiac runes are simply drawn on the surface of whatever will be interacting with the magic. If the effect is too much, the rune can simply be erased. Once any rune is engraved in an item, it's permanent, so engrave Zodiac runes with extreme caution. Take a look in your textbooks, and there's a bit of information about each."

The class was given a few minutes to study the Zodiac runes. Each one gave several examples of situations where they would be useful. Curious, Dinky paged to the back of the section, and couldn't help but snicker.

Rune: Scorpio

Effect: Heightened strength of/capacity for dark magic.

Applications: Dark magic is highly dangerous and illegal in Equestria. Scorpio's rune is printed here for educational purposes only. Do not employ this rune in practice.

"Hey, it's better than that old Astronomy textbook you had," Clarity said, leaning over to peer at the entry Dinky was reading. "That one refused to even acknowledge that Scorpio created anything, remember?"

Dinky nodded as she read the entry again. Short though it was, this time, something caught her eye.

What does it mean by 'capacity for' dark magic?

This wasn't the time or place to discuss it with Clarity; such conversations had to be held far from the ears of curious classmates. But it got her thinking about things that happened during her first term; in particular, the tricks and traps pulled off by the wraith Antares while masquerading as a harmless colt. It occurred to her that whenever she had encountered any of the traps he had used to further her corruption, Scorpio's rune was involved.

A question formed in her head. It was one she knew she shouldn't focus on, especially after what had happened last time she attempted it, but morbid curiosity gnawed at her nonetheless.

Could the key to enchanting an object with dark magic without destroying it be as simple as applying Scorpio's rune?

That evening, Dinky lay on a couch in the student lounge between the residence towers, silently fighting with herself. She couldn't deny that the wraith aspect of her was just itching to try to enchant something with dark magic again, but the pony aspect opposed that train of thought, reminding her over and over that she'd come within inches of seriously injuring Clarity the last time she'd attempted such an experiment. And her pendant remaining cold and dark week after week wasn't helping her concerns about her inner darkness either.

Fortunately, a distraction appeared that helped bring her out of her thoughts and back to reality. Or more accurately, three distractions: Inkwell, Portabella, and Top Percentile. The three foals were clustered around Clarity as usual.

"Slow down a little, you three," the Overseer laughed as the trio of foals peppered her with questions. "Why don't we turn things around a bit and have you guys tell me what you learned this week, instead of asking about the upperclassmen courses all the time."

"But your classes are so much more exciting!" Inkwell whined. "We hardly get to do anything fun in ours."

"Balderdash, Inkwell," Top Percentile argued. "Nary half a moon ago, our instructor elucidated to us the enigma of utilizing our innate energies to transmit matter at speeds in excess of three-hundred-million pony-lengths per second, effectively thwarting all known principles of conventional physics."

"And don't forget, Professor Morningstar is teaching us to teleport!" Portabella added. "We haven't made it work yet, but you gotta admit, that's cool too!"

Top Percentile raised an eyebrow. "Portabella, you demonstrate a predisposition for unwittingly paraphrasing and subsequently regurgitating many of my articulations," he commented.

"Huh?" Portabella giggled. "Sorry Top, we've known each other a while, but I'm still not really picking up your native language!"

Top Percentile heaved a long sigh, and spent several seconds choosing his next words. "...You keep repeating everything I say," he mumbled after great consideration.

Portabella's eyes lit up. "Look at you making progress though!" she squealed, pulling the skinny colt into a crushing hug. "You'll be speaking common Ponish in no time!"

"Teleportation, huh?" Clarity asked. "It's tricky to get used to, but keep practicing; most ponies here get pretty good at it after enough work."

"You managed to teleport the same day the professor taught us about it," Dinky called. "Don't hype them up too much; it took all of us a lot longer than it took you."

"You were already teleporting when you were our age?" Inkwell asked, surprised. "It seems like you're good at everything, Clarity."

Clarity shrugged modestly. "I've got plenty of weaknesses," she admitted. "I don't know anything about Magical Biology beyond what Honeydew has told me, and my battle magic's mediocre at best; without my illusions, I don't stand a chance against a decent duelist like Dinky. But focusing on weaknesses isn't the way to succeed at Celestia's Academy; you need to focus on strengths!"

"Top's getting really good at Transformation spells," Portabella chimed in, her mane bouncing as she nodded excitedly. "As for me, Professor Morningstar says my levitation and object manipulation skills are way above average."

"And I have my runes," Inkwell added shyly.

"Exactly!" Clarity affirmed. "Inkwell, have you come up with any new spells to enhance with runes yet?"

"I'm working on something," the filly admitted, pulling a magnifying glass out of her saddlebag with a flicker of magic. "Could I borrow that fancy chisel you have for a minute? It still needs adjustments."

"Sure," Clarity said, passing the runecrafter's chisel to her. "What's this new project?"

"A magnifying glass that sees through illusions," Inkwell replied proudly, finishing her carving in the rim of the instrument. "Turn invisible, Clarity! I wanna see if I can spot you."

Clarity vanished in an instant, and silently crept to a different part of the lounge. Inkwell peered through the lens, and then raised an accusatory hoof at a seemingly vacant corner of the room.

"Found you!" she declared. "It's not working quite right yet; I can't see you clearly, but I can see enough distortion to tell something is there.

Clarity faded back into view as Inkwell grabbed the chisel again and began to inscribe another symbol into the magnifying glass, while her friends watched curiously over her shoulders. "Need any help?" the Overseer asked.

"Nope! I wanna try to fix it myself," Inkwell stated, pausing to reference a notebook of runes before continuing to engrave. "Give me just a second and... there. Let's try it now."

"Just give me a second to move once I disappear," Clarity instructed. "That way you can prove you can actually see me with it."

She melted into her surroundings once again, and a moment later, Dinky suppressed a smile as she felt her invisible friend huddle up beside her. Inkwell lifted her lens and began to peer around the room with it. A few seconds later, she turned her gaze to Dinky and Clarity.

"Aha!" she exclaimed. "Now it works! I can see you perfectly, right there next to—"

The filly froze, still as a statue. Her complexion paled. The lens fell from her aura, thumping gently against the plush carpet.

Clarity let her illusion disperse, and she and Dinky exchanged a confused glance. "Inkwell? Are you okay?" she asked.

Inkwell began to back away, her eyes wide and locked on the two older fillies. She grabbed Portabella and Top Percentile's tails in her aura, slowly dragging them back with them.

"Inkwell...?" Clarity asked again, quickly trotting toward her. "Is... something wrong with the lens?"

The filly still didn't reply. Dinky noticed that her gaze hadn't moved with Clarity; it remained fixed only on her.

Clarity picked up the unassuming magnifying glass and took a look through it. Nothing seemed to be amiss until she turned it toward Dinky. She paused there, for just a second. Then she whirled around, and with a flash of her horn, teleported Inkwell out of the room.

Dinky leapt up. "Clarity, what are you—"

Clarity ignored her, turning to the two remaining foals instead. "'Bella. Top. Back to your dorms. Now."

"Wait, what?" Portabella cried. "Hang on, where did you send Inkwell?"

"I said back to your dorms," Clarity insisted, surprising both the foals and Dinky by raising her voice. "I'll explain later. Go."

The two foals obeyed, bolting in opposite directions toward their respective towers. Clarity snatched up the lens, and before Dinky could ask another question, she found herself swept up in another of Clarity's teleport spells. An instant later, she found herself standing next to Clarity in her own dorm. Two other ponies were already present: a terrified looking Inkwell, and a very confused Honeydew.

"Y-you brought her here?" Inkwell wailed, scrambling up the ladder to Clarity's bunk and diving beneath the blankets. "Why would you do that!?"

"Clarity, what in Tartarus is going on?" Dinky asked, staring at the shivering mass hiding in the upper bunk. "What's with teleporting us around like that?"

Clarity looked grave as she picked up Inkwell's lens. "Dinky, I don't know what combination of runes Inkwell used, but this little trinket doesn't just see through illusions. She's managed to create something here that looks past any type of magical disguise. That includes illusions, transformation spells, and... some other things..."

Dinky paled. "You mean... looking though that lens, I look like a..."

Clarity levitated the magnifying glass, and Dinky peered through it at her own reflection in the mirror. A frightening, smoky-black wraith stared back at her, glowing eyes, gleaming fangs and all.

"...Well, that's not good."

"Now what?" Honeydew asked, pawing nervously at the carpet. "Nopony else is supposed to know..."

"Now we tell Inkwell the truth, and hope for the best," Clarity decided. "Dinky, I think it's best if you stay on the other side of the room until I calm her down."

Realizing Clarity was the only one with a chance of defusing the situation now, Dinky trotted away from the bunks and sat on the far side of the room. Honeydew planted herself beside her, anxiously rubbing at the notch in her horn.

Carefully, Clarity ascended to her bunk. With the care that one might handle a newborn foal, she slowly pulled back the covers. Inkwell was cowering below, her horn alight as she desperately tried, and failed, to escape the room with a teleportation spell. Upon realizing she was now in Dinky's line of sight again, she shrieked and did her best to seek sanctuary in Clarity's voluminous tail instead.

"Clarity, g-g-get us out of here!" she stuttered. "Didn't you see what I saw through the lens? Th-that... thing over there isn't Dinky, it's some kind of horrible monster pretending to be her!"

"Inkwell..." Clarity said, reaching back to slowly rub the shaking filly's coat. "I need you to listen. You're not in danger."

Inkwell peered out from behind the older filly, glaring at Dinky with teary eyes. "But she's—"

"Yes, I know," Clarity said flatly. "And she's been like that for years, Inkwell. It was a secret, though. The professors all know what she really is, but none of the students besides me, Honeydew, and Scuffle were ever supposed to find out."

"W-what?" Inkwell asked, still quivering and gripping the fur of Clarity's tail nervously. "Wait, like... this isn't something posing as Dinky? When I met you two on the train at the beginning of the term... Dinky was already that thing?"

Dinky's ear twitched at repeatedly being called a "thing," but she held her tongue. Stressing Inkwell out further wouldn't help matters.

"Dinky's been like that since she was about your age," Clarity explained. "But the point is, the Dinky you've known all year, the one who's always by my side and has helped you and your friends with your magic plenty of times, is the same one that's sitting in front of you right now. It's scary, but she really is friendly. I promise."

Inkwell hesitantly crept out from behind the Overseer. "I... but... but what are you then?" she asked. "Why do you look like that when there isn't any magic disguising you?"

Dinky took a breath, choosing her answer carefully. "Inkwell, you've heard of dark magic, right? It's very dangerous; there's really no reason for most unicorns to ever use it."

"Yes..." said Inkwell hesitantly, her braids swaying as she nodded.

"Well, I didn't know about it," Dinky explained. "I never knew it existed, and the Academy wasn't as good about teaching students to avoid it back then. And a very evil pony took advantage of my ignorance and taught me to use it. By the time I realized what I was doing, it had corrupted me. Now I'm a ponylike monster called a wraith."

Inkwell shivered. "But you're not... evil, like those dark magic using ponies are?" she asked shakily.

"She's really not," Honeydew said gently, leaning against Dinky to demonstrate her harmlessness. "She's not a unicorn like we are, at least not anymore, but she still cares about all of us. She won't hurt you, we promise."

Inkwell took another cautious step forward. "Can... can I see?" she asked. "What you really look like, I mean? I only got a glimpse through the lens..."

"Do you promise to stay quiet and calm?" Clarity asked, placing a hoof on the filly's shoulder.

Inkwell nodded. "I'll stay still, as long as she doesn't try to hurt me," she said.

Dinky closed the suite's curtains with a bit of magic, ensuring their privacy, gave Inkwell a small smile, and then evaporated into smoke. Inkwell stiffened as the true wraith form emerged from the black cloud.

"See?" she asked, noticing Inkwell flinch slightly at her modified voice. "Frightening, but not malicious. You're safe."

The filly's eyes darted to each part of Dinky one after the other, taking in the creature in front of her. "O-okay," she stammered. "Then, um, I'm sorry for panicking, miss wraith."

"Just Dinky is fine, even when I look like this," Dinky chuckled. "Now that we've established this though, we need to talk about what happens now."

"The princesses want us to keep Dinky's true form secret," Clarity explained. "If everypony knew what Dinky was, well... they'd probably react a lot like you did. Some would flee, and others might even try to fight. Even though she's friendly, it would be hard to convince all of Equestria to trust a wraith. So we need you to keep this absolutely secret, okay? You can't tell anypony."

Inkwell stared at the carpet. "Not even 'Bella and Top?"

"Especially not 'Bella and Top," Clarity insisted. "I'm going to be telling them that you made a mistake with your lens that caused you to see things that weren't there, but everything is fine now. I'm going to let the dean know that you're in on the secret now too."

"And it pains me to say it, because I know you're very proud of it, but we're going to have to destroy the lens," Dinky added. "It's brilliant... but it's kind of a big security risk."

Inkwell sighed and passed the magnifying glass to Dinky. She, in turn, passed it to Honeydew. "Hold this in your aura so I can focus a spell on it," she instructed.

Green light surrounded the enchanted implement, and it rose into the air. Inkwell sighed dejectedly as Dinky's horn began to crackle with dark magic, reducing the clever little lens to a hovering pool of molten glass and twisted, warped metal in seconds. The material blackened and burned, disintegrating until just a small, swirling plume of black smoke remained.

"Inkwell," Clarity said softly as Dinky took a moment to restore her unicorn disguise. "In the world of magic, you'll face surprises almost every day. Many of them are wonderful, but some of them will be strange or even frightening. So I want you to always remember that friendship is a type of magic too. The magic in your heart, the bonds you share with the ponies you love and care about, isn't just stronger than Dinky's dark magic; it's stronger than the fear and doubt and everything else that darkness represents. Just remember that your friends, your family, and even your mentors like the three of us, will always be there for you when you need it, okay?"

For the first time since arriving in the dorm, Inkwell smiled. "Okay," she agreed, rearing up to hug Clarity. "Don't worry; Dinky's secret is safe with me."

Clarity opened the door to the rest of the fillies' tower. "That's good to hear," she said. "Go on, it's late. Get some rest."

Inkwell trotted out. Clarity shut the door and promptly slumped against it, heaving a sigh. "That could've ended badly," she groaned.

"Do you think Inkwell will keep it to herself?" Honeydew asked worriedly.

"We were her age when I first became a wraith, and we had the sense to keep it from our classmates," Dinky pointed out. "Just because she's younger than us doesn't mean we can't trust her. Besides, she adores Clarity; she won't go against anything she asked her to do."

"But this isn't all resolved yet," Clarity said. "I need to go let the dean know there's a new pony aware of Dinky's dark secret. Feel free to go to bed; I'll be quiet when I get back."

She made her exit, leaving her roommates alone. Dinky waited as the last lingering wisps of darkness faded from around her horn.

"I wish I was as confident as Clarity is that the Magic of the Heart will always be stronger than the darkness," she said softly.

Honeydew leaned over and delicately nuzzled her cheek. "You still seem like the friend I've known for years," she whispered. "We'll be graduating in November, and then you can spend as much time as you need investigating with Princess Luna or Princess Twilight to make sure nothing is changing. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

Dinky managed a weak smile. "I feel like, a few years back, you would've been the one worrying about everything that could go wrong," she admitted.

"Well yeah, but that just proves Clarity's point!" Honeydew giggled. "I have amazing friends like you and Clarity and Scuffle and Tango. You've all been there for me whenever I was anxious, and now, well... the world just seems less scary when you guys are around. The least I can do is be there for you, too."

Dinky matched her friend's nuzzle with one of her own. "Thanks, Honeydew. And speaking of Clarity having a point, she's right; we should really get some sleep."

Dinky crawled into her bunk, and Honeydew settled into her own bed as she drew the light from the illumination orb. In the darkness, Dinky gently wrapped her hoof around her pendant, but once again, it remained cold and dark. Sighing, she slipped it off her neck and buried her face in the pillow, and let herself slowly drift into slumber.

It was dark and quiet in the abandoned little house, as usual. Beneath the hidden trapdoor, Wishing Star strutted proudly in front of the two tremendous crystal prisons that housed Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance.

"Little by little, everything is going exactly according to plan," she announced, grinning as the two captives glared at her from behind the pink-tinted walls of their prisons. "It's been fun watching the citizens of Equestria remain oblivious as the influence of the two of you slowly drains out of their lives."

She trotted closer to Cadance, tapping on the glass like a foal at a fish tank. "Your absence in particular certainly helped me with the little project I'm working on on the side," she continued. "You have a power to shape the events of Equestria, just like Celestia does. All your latent power is being swallowed up by my crystals, and without you, it's harder for love to bloom anew in Equestria. It's very subtle in most cases, because ponies already deeply enamored with one another will not be affected. But it's been just delightful watching those ponies at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services remain simply baffled that so many of their assignments have been failing lately, not realizing that budding love, so often already full of uncertainty and anxiety, is now even more fragile without the influence your very existence has on it. These days, the only assignments that have been succeeding are between ponies who are already certain, deep in their heart, that the relationship they're seeking is truly their path to happiness. With Celestia's natural ability to promote peace and harmony and yours to strengthen love both missing, Equestria has sunken into a state of unease that it hasn't seen for many hundreds of years. And the best part is, almost nopony even realizes that anything is changing, save for the disappearance of two of their beloved princesses."

Cadance said something. No sound made it past the crystal walls to Wishing Star's ears, but as usual, she got the gist. "You're angry that I'm torturing those poor shipping ponies, aren't you?" she cooed. "After all, they're just a casualty. Ditzy Doo needed to suffer because my unwitting assistant, Cosmic Glow, wanted her to suffer. And for my plan to work, Glow needed to get what she wanted."

The mare produced a pink crystal from a small brown sack sitting on one of the old crates in the corner of the room. "Crystals of hate. Marvelous things, really," she said pensively. "These unassuming little stones are my ticket to regaining my full power. They serve as a catalyst for malice, causing it to grow unchecked, until hatred overtakes all other aspects of an afflicted pony's personality. There is a catch, of course; I can't bind one to a pony until they exhibit a hatred as deep and pure as the crystals themselves produce. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find ponies who harbor such emotions in a land of sunshine and rainbows like this one?"

Celestia and Cadance exchanged a glance and a bit of a smile. Wishing Star scowled.

"Sure, be proud of yourselves and your little utopia," she snapped. "It doesn't matter. I found two ponies brimming with just the kind of hatred I was looking for. What I needed to do then was cultivate it, and to do that, I had to make their desire for revenge into a reality! In the case of the first of those two ponies, Cosmic Glow, I've already succeeded. The moment she rejoiced at the knowledge that Ditzy Doo's relationship had fallen apart, and the company she works for teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, I knew she had the pure, untainted malice in her that I needed. And so I imbued her with one of my crystals."

She lit her horn, and in a flash of teleportation, Glow appeared beside her. The mare looked no different than usual, with one exception; her usually deep purple eyes now shined with the same hot pink as Wishing Star's. She took a look at the princesses and glared, her lip curling up into a snarl.

"Now that Glow here is under the influence of a crystal of hate, a burning hostility towards... well, everything... is all she can feel. She was always a nasty pony, but if there was any element of concern for other ponies somewhere deep in her psyche, it's been forcibly suppressed now. And guilt? Shame? Morals? All gone. They've been replaced with a single-minded desire to make other ponies suffer."

She turned to Glow, smiling pleasantly as the blue mare snorted and scraped the ground with a hoof, like a bull preparing to charge. "Still have any qualms about me murdering old Dr. Candyfloss, Glow?" she asked.

"That idealistic pig deserved what he got!" Glow shot back.

Wishing Star giggled. "And your daughter, Sparkler?"

"That pathetic creature never amounted to anything!" Glow cried. "All the time I put into shaping her to be a success, wasted. So fine, she can wallow in her misery until she rots in the ground for all I care!"

She noticed the captive princesses looking at her in horror, and turned to them instead. "And you two!" she continued. "How do you live with yourselves, running a nation that allows what I've suffered through! You're lucky you're in there, or I'd—"

She vanished rather suddenly with another flash from Wishing Star's horn. "As you can see, the crystal has taken full effect," she chuckled. "Cosmic Glow is now consumed by hate. And as I'm sure you both know, the more contempt she produces, the more powerful I grow. I'm gaining strength, while the strength of bonds between the citizens of Equestria is slowly wearing away. What a horrifying combination, huh?"

She cackled while her two prisoners looked on, powerless to do anything. Eventually, the malicious mare got a hold of herself, and did her best to put on a serious face.

"Now, while this is a great start, there's still so much more to do," she admitted. "I'm sure you've noticed, Celestia, that you haven't received any additional guests down here since Cadance's arrival four months ago. I've found that unlike you two sweet, trusting ponies, Princess Luna is far more shrewd and cautious; I've encountered her frequently while working at the Academy, but there's never been an opportunity to capture her. She almost never lets her guard down. So I'm going to have to get just a bit more creative."

Celestia smiled proudly at the news of Luna's success in evading the villain's machinations, but Wishing Star didn't seem too concerned. "There's also the matter of my other assistant, the former dean Bright Spark," she continued. "I need to grow even stronger before I can initiate the final phase of my plan, so I'll need a second pony to end up like poor Cosmic Glow has. And to do that, I need to make Bright Spark's dreams of vengeance into reality as well, and that's been proving just a bit tricky. I could move forward with that part of the plan if she'd ever get back from—"

In the distance, there was the distinct sound of the knocking of a hoof on wood. Wishing Star froze and glanced up at the trapdoor. "As good of conversationalists as you two are, it seems we'll have to continue this later," she chuckled. "It seems I have a guest."

She extinguished her horn, leaving the princesses in total darkness as she hurried up the stairs. Once back in the house, she quickly hid the trapdoor beneath the rug and couch so everything was exactly as before. Quickly tidying her mane and adjusting her glittering headband, she trotted to the front door.

"Good evening! How can— oh my."

On the other side of the door was an incredibly disheveled Bright Spark. The already old mare looked like she'd aged another few years. There were sticks and leaves caught in her silver mane and tail. Her glasses were cracked and askew, and her hooves and undercarriage were covered in mud. And despite it all, a triumphant smile was on her face.

"I shuffled through those woods for six weeks," she declared. "I must've climbed into and out of every cave within a ten mile radius of Hollow Shades. I'm tired, dirty, and bruised... but I've got it."

She withdrew a tiny wooden chest from her ragged saddlebag, opened the lid to reveal a cushioned interior, bearing what appeared to be no more than a frayed, dirty lock of purple hair.

A huge, devious grin spread across Wishing Star's face. "You're certain that's it, then?" she asked.

"I performed a magic detection spell when I happened across it," Bright Spark said with a self-satisfied nod. "This little tuft is pulsing with enough dark magic to kill a city. There's no doubt about it; this is the lost fragment of Scorpio's tail."

Wishing Star chuckled darkly. "My end of the plan's gone well too," she announced. "Like I said before you left, I convinced Dinky that there was no reason to believe her inner darkness was growing as long as nothing changed. Not long after that, she made the mistake of letting me hold that cute little pendant she wears during one of her dark magic research sessions. You know, the one that lets her connect with her coltfriend? I discreetly removed the enchantment she placed on it, and now the poor thing thinks it's gone dark because her heart is fading! She's good about hiding it, but she's a nervous wreck, and those negative feelings mean her dark magic is more active than usual."

Bright Spark returned the evil grin. "So if, theoretically, she were to happen to experience a sudden influx of dark magic from an outside source while already in such a state..."

"...Then dear Dinky would likely lose control of the stirred-up darkness she's holding back right now," Wishing Star finished, giggling. "Imagine what a misfortune it would be for her if something like that happened in front of, say, a large group of her classmates?"

"We need to time it right," Bright Spark said resolutely. "We're so close to victory, but we can't slip up on this last step."

"Oh, don't worry," Wishing Star encouraged, closing the little chest and taking it in her aura. "I'll need your help for the final phase, but I know exactly how this is going to work. After all, Ditzy may be onto me, but Dinky still trusts her lovable counselor completely. You'll even get to witness the moment in person! I just need you to follow my instructions one last time..."

Chapter 13

And then it was October. For the students of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns, finals were just a month away, and for Dinky and her friends, graduation was only a week or so beyond that.

Dinky and her friends, including Tango Trot, sat together in the hideout, protected from the nip in the autumn air by an insulating spell. It had been a busy afternoon; most courses featured some sort of final project that needed to be finished by the end of the term, and for fifth term students, such projects were especially arduous.

"Ugh. I need a break," Scuffle moaned, flopping on the floor next to Honeydew's bean bag chair. "Enchantments and Transformation both have essays due tomorrow. What a chore."

"C'mon Scuffle, some of the topics you're writing about are really interesting," Clarity encouraged. "Try to enjoy the challenge while you can. Like it or not, pretty soon our classes will be over for good."

"I don't wanna think about that," Honeydew moped, pulling an open book over her head as if trying to block out bad thoughts. "I love it here. I've been trying not to focus on the fact that it's almost over."

"It's not like we're all going to lose touch though!" Dinky assured her. "We've been through so much together, there's no way we'll stop seeing each other just because we're graduating."

"I know that," Honeydew said, smiling sadly. "You guys are the best friends I've ever had. It's just... I've spent just about every Midsummer Holiday and winter break in either Ponyville or Whinnychester, or vacationing somewhere with you all. Once school's over, I'm gonna have to go... back to the farm..."

Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle grimaced in unison. Tango Trot looked rather lost.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm missing some important context here," the blue colt admitted.

Honeydew's tail drooped and she hung her head. "I grew up on a fruit farm in a tiny community of earth ponies," she explained. "I was the only unicorn for miles around, and my family... well, they hate magic."

She turned her head a bit and pointed to her horn so Tango could see. "See the notch in the back?" she asked. "My father once tried to cut my horn off. Luckily my aunt stopped him before he cut deep enough to affect my ability to cast spells. Since my first day at the Academy years ago, I haven't returned there for more than a few days at a time."

Tango Trot paled slightly. "M-my word, Honeydew, I'm so sorry. I had no idea..."

"You don't have to go back there Dewey," Scuffle insisted. "You're almost nineteen; legally, you're an adult, and you should take advantage of that and stay well clear of that place."

Honeydew shrugged noncommittally. "I don't really have any other plans," she mumbled. "Besides, I'm not in danger anymore. Father won't be upset as long as I don't use my magic. I just hate the idea of going back to a place where I have to keep all the wonderful things I learned here hidden away."

"I'm sure you can stay with me or Dinky for a while if you want," Clarity chimed in.

"And we've still got some time to figure it out," Dinky added. "There's a month of the term left. Our time here might be winding down, but it's not over yet. I'm sure there's still some good times ahead."

"Speaking of which..." Tango Trot said, "Clarity, we'd best be going. We have to make sure everypony is aware of the special meeting for the fifth-term students in the lounge. It's only about an hour away."

"Oh, that's right!" Clarity gasped. "Sorry guys, we gotta go. Make sure you make your way over to the residence towers soon, okay? You're not gonna want to miss what's happening tonight."

She got to her hooves, and the pair of Overseers hurried out of the hideout, leaving Dinky and the others alone.

"Listen Dewey," Scuffle said, taking hold of Honeydew's forehoof with his own. "You don't deserve to be treated the way your folks treat you. You're a talented magical biologist, not just some farmhand. We're gonna make sure you get the chance to live your life as the pony you really are, not the one they wish you were. Got it?"

Honeydew smiled weakly and leaned her head against Scuffle for a moment. "Got it."

"Good," Scuffle said, rising to his hooves. "Now c'mon ladies, let's go back to the towers and see what kinda special announcement the Overseers have cooked up."

The student lounge was packed. Every student in the graduating class was packed into the small space at once. At the front of the room, standing on a small bench to address everypony, were Clarity, Tango Trot, and surprisingly, Nester the changeling.

"Alright, quiet down everypony!" Clarity yelled over the noise of the milling crowd of fifth-term students. "We've got something important to talk about."

"As many of you know," Tango Trot began, "our beloved assistant transformation professor Nester also functions as the Academy's events officer, organizing most of the non-academic student functions, clubs, and events. He's got something special to talk to us about today."

"And don't worry, this isn't some boring spiel about exactly how to act and dress for graduation!" Nester chirped. "The dean handles all that. I'm in charge of the fun stuff!"

That comment got a few chuckles out of the students. Nester grinned a witty, fanged smile before continuing.

"Anyway, for the last four years, most of you have attended the Nightmare Night dance," he reminded them. "Held just days before finals, it's usually the big last chance each term for students to hang out and have fun. We always go really over the top with the decorations and costumes and food and everything. And I see a few of you in the crowd there who have been chosen to lead the slow dances from up on stage over the years."

Dinky grinned slightly as Honeydew and Scuffle exchanged a glance. The two of them had been randomly selected to lead the dance in Dinky's first year, and it was obvious they both remembered it clearly.

"So here's the thing!" Nester chuckled. "You've all probably noticed that there's never any fifth-term students at the Nightmare Night dance. And that's because you guys get something extra special that night instead. For many of you, the festivities of Nightmare Night will be your last chance to see some of your classmates before your time at the Academy ends, and you part ways for good. And we commemorate that bittersweet event with a little something called the Graduates' Ball."

A murmur moved through the crowd. Dinky recalled Sparkler once telling her that the fifth-term ponies had their own event on Nightmare Night, but she didn't know too much about it.

"The Graduates' Ball is quite a bit different than the Nightmare Night dance," Nester explained, giving his elytra a flick for emphasis. "It's a very formal event. Evening wear is encouraged for both mares and stallions. Food is provided from some of the finest dining establishments in Canterlot. It's a night of grandeur, class... and romance!"

Several ponies looked around nervously. Nester chittered playfully.

"That's right, this is the kind of dance you bring a date to, if it suits you," he affirmed. "It doesn't matter if they're a special somepony or just a friend, but I've seen more than a few ponies go from just friends to something a bit more around the time of this event each year. Your date doesn't even have to be a student; non-unicorns are welcome at the Graduates' Ball if invited by one of our students. And for those of you who have a potential special somepony here at the Academy... well, it's your last chance to ask out the pony you fancy! You've got nothing to lose; see if they want to be your date to the ball!"

The hushed discussions in the crowd grew louder. Nester seemed delighted at the reaction.

"So anyway, you've got a little less than a month to prepare," he reminded them. "The ball will be on Nightmare Night, at the same time as the other students have their dance. Since they'll be using the main hall, we'll be using the Academy's second biggest room: the battle magic arena. I know it's more or less a dungeon, but trust me, you won't even recognize the place once the professors and I are done with it."

"Please see me or Tango if you're bringing a non-student," Clarity cut in. "Almost anypony is allowed, but we need to account for any visitors so we can set up enough tables and order enough food."

"I believe that's all I have for you for now," Nester chirped. "See you in Transformation and Conjuring, everypony. Oh and... watch out. Ol' Fluxy's final exam for fifth-term students is a real doozy."

He skittered off, and the Overseers dismissed everypony. Dinky watched as most of the students made their way back to their respective towers, including Clarity and Honeydew. But Tango Trot, she noticed, made his way over to Scuffle. As the two of them stepped through the door to the colts' tower, through which she could not follow, she lingered as nonchalantly as possible on her side of the door, straining to listen though it.

"So Scuffle, my dear friend," came the voice of Tango Trot, "do you have anypony in mind to take to the ball? I certainly do."

"Yeah?" came Scuffle's annoyed reply. "And what makes you so sure she's gonna accept?"

Tango's melodious laughter echoed through the air. "Why Scuffle, the ball is going to be a truly grand and elegant event. Naturally, any filly would want their date to such a soirée to be a pony of class and sophistication. And, though I do truly hate to boast, I'm definitely one such pony."

Scuffle growled. "And I'm not?"

Tango simply chuckled. "Best of luck, Scuffle," he said cordially. "I'm sure you'll find somepony to join you for that resplendent evening."

Dinky sighed and trudged back toward the fillies' tower. C'mon, Scuffle... she thought. You've got to try something soon, or Honeydew's gonna slip away for good...

Dinky expected to listen to Scuffle's complaints again when Transformation and Conjuring class rolled around. Fortunately, next up was Advanced Enchantments, so Clarity and Honeydew were present as well, and Scuffle kept quiet.

"Well, it looks like I'm just about out of things to teach!" Professor Luster announced as she trotted to her desk at the front of the room. "Over the past five years, we've worked with just about every branch of the field of enchantments. Of course, there's tens of thousands of individual spells you can cast within the field, and new ones are being discovered every day. So today, rather than lecturing you all on a specific type of enchantment, we're going to talk about a novel way to use them instead."

She scanned the class and pointed at Honeydew. "Super easy question, Honeydew," she continued. "What's the basic purpose of an enchantment?"

Honeydew blinked in surprise. "Oh, um, they store a simple spell effect in an object so the pony using it can access it at any time," she recited, after just a moment's hesitation.

"Exactly. And in that basic definition is one of the biggest limitations of enchantments," the professor pointed out. "An enchanted object stores just one spell, with just one purpose. I suppose in rare cases with very enchantment-ready objects like gems, you can make two work at once, but only if the enchantments are cast by different ponies. Otherwise your magic will 'overwrite' the first enchantment with a new one."

Dinky glanced briefly at her pendant. While it was still working, it had actually contained two enchantments: one of her own, and one of Sparkler's. Only now did it dawn on her how unusual that was.

"Now, you've all been studying here for a long time," Professor Luster pointed out. "By now, I'm sure you know that there's one thing that's pretty constant across all fields of magic; whenever we run into a limitation, we set out to find some sort of loophole to get around it. In this case, that loophole comes in the form of something called enchantment arrays. In order to demonstrate, I'm gonna need help from a volunteer. Are any of you especially good at invisibility spells?"

Dinky, Honeydew, Scuffle, and a reasonable number of other students all pointed at Clarity. The grey filly smiled sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. I'm pretty decent at them," she admitted.

"Good. Come on up."

Clarity trotted to the front of the classroom. "Do you want me to cast an invisibility spell right now?" she asked.

"Yes, please. We're going to do a brief experiment. Disappear for us, and then move somewhere else in the room."

Clarity did as she was told, blending seamlessly in with the environment in an instant. The professor waited a few seconds while the students looked on curiously.

"Okay, the goal is to find Clarity," she announced suddenly. "There are plenty of spells that could assist with that. Use any one you like."

With a smug smile on her face, Dinky lazily let a magic-cancelling shockwave erupt from her horn. It swept across the classroom in every direction, bringing Clarity back into view immediately.

"As you can see, many spells can be easily negated with the right trick," Professor Luster said. "Enchantment arrays, however, can be much harder to deal with."

She opened a drawer in her desk and withdrew a silver tiara with five gemstones embedded in it, which she quickly placed atop her head. "I'm going to turn invisible in a moment, and I want you all to search for me like you did for Clarity, alright?"

She lit her horn. The tiara glowed briefly, and then the professor vanished from sight. Dinky, not sure what to expect, tried the same spell she'd used before, but nothing happened.

Over the next several minutes, the students collectively attempted dozens of ways to make their invisible target reappear, or at least detect her. Scuffle used a heat-seeking spell, but it didn't offer any clues, and Clarity's spell, which scanned for signs of magic rather than body heat, was similarly useless. The class tried every illusion dispelling trick or detection charm they knew, with no success. Finally, Professor Luster reappeared on her own.

"So, if you haven't figured it out yet, an enchantment array is a collection of enchantable units, which are often all part of the same object, that work in tandem to accomplish one goal," she explained. "This array, for instance, has one enchantment on each of its gemstones: one that causes visual invisibility, one that muffles any and all sound, one that allows for intangibility, rendering physical methods useless, one that masks the entire array's magical signature, and lastly, one that repels spells meant to cancel the effects of the other four. Good luck tracking down a pony wearing this bad boy."

"That's amazing!" Dinky gasped. "Is there any way around it at all?"

"Oh, there are ways, but you'd have to get pretty creative," the professor chuckled, tossing her silky pink mane proudly. "As you can see, enchantments in general are useful little stored spells, but enchantment arrays are used for much grander effects," the professor continued. "This is definitely one case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If you've got the wit to string together a number of complimentary enchantments, you can create some incredibly powerful objects."

After that, the professor gave the class time to examine the section on enchantment arrays in the textbook. "Boy, this sounds like the kind of thing you'd be able to put together, Dinks," Scuffle chuckled as he paged through it.

Clarity furrowed her brow. "Maybe, but these look pretty complicated to set up," she pointed out.

"Dinky's the only one of us who can self-enchant though. At least, without the aid of that crystal pony potion I made," Honeydew pointed out, glancing playfully at Scuffle. "Maybe she'd be just as good at these."

"Well, I have one idea, and it could actually be very important," Dinky said quietly. "After Inkwell recently found out my secret, I've been worried about all the magical possibilities that could easily reveal the truth to other ponies. What if I made an enchantment array that could further conceal evidence of my true form from?"

"That would be really useful," Clarity admitted, "but as you and Professor Surge have proved, finding regular magic that works against dark magic is really tough. Would enchantments even be able to help?"

"Perhaps normal ones wouldn't..." Dinky said slowly. "But if I can just figure out how to make them work... maybe dark enchantments would."

Soon it was the weekend, and a small but merciful lapse in major assignments gave Dinky the time she was seeking to do a little experimentation. She made her way through the trees at the edge of the Academy grounds, and carefully pulled the roots aside blocking the entrance to the hideout.

The little cavern at the end of the tunnel didn't seem as homey as usual, but then again, this had always been a place of togetherness for her and her friends, a space they could go for privacy they often couldn't enjoy from the student lounge, and without the gender restriction spells of the residence towers.

But today, she was here alone, and for good reason. As she'd proven last time, experimenting with dark spells she hadn't used before posed a considerable risk to anypony around her.

Making sure the roots were closed firmly over the entrance up above, Dinky began scraping gently at the earthen wall. Sure enough, another lump of quartz tumbled out of the loose soil after just a few moments of searching. She placed it in the center of the room and sat down beside it, flicking her tail nervously.

Okay, let's see if Scorpio's rune really does what I think it will.

The runecrafter's chisel levitated from Dinky's saddlebag. Working slowly and carefully, she began to carve the shape she'd seen so many times before into the surface of the crystal. The moment she finished, a strange feeling washed over her. The quartz, obviously, contained no magic yet, but the presence of Scorpio's rune seemed almost to tug at the darkness in her, coaxing her to bring it into her horn. She realized that, had she still been a corrupted unicorn, she likely wouldn't have been able to contain it, remembering the many instances where Antares' traps had forced the darkness to burst forth from her. Grateful for the control that her wraith physiology offered, she commanded the swirling energy inside her to be still, and it obeyed.

Sorry Scorpio, she thought smugly, I'm in charge of my inner darkness now, and I'll cast it when I'm good and ready.

The moment of triumph was short lived, however. She stared at the chunk of engraved quartz, silently wondering if the addition of the rune would give it the stability it needed to contain dark magic without being destroyed. She knew there was only one way to find out.

Cautiously, Dinky lit her horn, and let the golden aura darken into an inky black and purple one. Unfazed by the angry crackling it gave off, she slowly began to funnel the energy into the stone, poised to dematerialize into smoke if this one happened to explode like the last one had.

The spell she was attempting was extremely simple. The enchantment was meant to store dark magic within the stone so it could be expelled as an attack on command. Nearly useless for a wraith, and dangerous for anypony else, but if she couldn't make something that basic function properly, there was no reason to aim for anything more complex.

Scorpio's rune began to glow with a sinister purple light. The crystal vibrated as darkness flowed into it, but it didn't break apart like last time. Dinky ceased the spell and waited as the stone settled down again. After a few moments, there was no longer any visual sign of the magic.

"Did it work?" she asked under her breath, picking the piece of quartz up to examine it. She could sense her magic pulsing within the stone, and that alone was progress. Now it was a question of whether or not that magic would conform to the purpose she'd given it. All she needed to do was touch it with normal unicorn magic, and if it was successful, the enchantment would kick in and vent the darkness in one reasonably strong blast.

Dinky placed the engraved gem on the ground and backed off a few paces. Yellow light twinkled around her horn, and a moment later, extended to the gem.

Immediately, there was a bang like a small firework, and a big ball of dark energy rocketed out of the rune on the stone, colliding with the far wall and spraying soil across the chamber. Dinky grinned and shook the loose dirt from her mane as she trotted over to pick up her creation.

So dark magic enchantments are possible, she thought. Now I just need to come up with some that can help me, instead of just destroy stuff.

"Um, Dinky?" came a quiet voice from the top of the tunnel. "I hear some, uh, concerning noises down there. Is it safe for me to come in?"

"Honeydew?" Dinky asked, recognizing the sound of her friend immediately. "Yeah, it's fine now. Come on down."

The lean pink filly stepped cautiously into the hideout a few second later. "You were doing something with dark magic, I assume?" she asked, glancing worriedly at the small crater in the earthen wall.

"Testing an enchantment, yeah," Dinky confirmed, as she quickly drew all the remaining darkness out of the quartz and back into her horn. "It was just an experiment, but it looks like I can enchant things with dark magic after all. I just have to stabilize them with Scorpio's rune first."

Noticing Honeydew staring apprehensively at the stone, Dinky quickly carved several additional lines through the middle of the rune, rendering it useless, and tossed the now-harmless stone in the corner of the room. "Anyway, what are you here for?" she asked.

"Oh, I just needed to grab some of my notes," Honeydew explained, trotting over to the pile of binders and notepaper stacked next to her stuffed chair. "I figured I'd try just a few more things to see if I could find a way to upgrade the Lifesense spell to the form I originally had planned."

"Even if you don't succeed, the spell you've got is incredible," Dinky pointed out. "Did you see Professor Chestnut's face when you demonstrated? She's amazed at your progress. We all are."

"I know," Honeydew said with a smile as she scooped up the notes she was looking for and made for the exit. "But there's no sense in saying it's 'good enough' when there's a chance it could be better, right?"

"Right," Dinky agreed. "Let me walk back to the towers with you. You can fill me in on the latest hurdle."

The two fillies emerged from the hideout. Honeydew effortlessly willed the tree to conceal the entrance with roots as always before the two of them set off.

"Ever since Scuffle helped me make that last breakthrough, I've tested it out in all sorts of situations," she continued as Dinky trotted beside her. "It works wonderfully, but the limitations remain the same; I have to cast it on each individual I want to connect with. I can use it on each tree in a grove, but the information I receive is incomplete, because I still can't extend it to all the other living things beyond what I can see, like the living things inside the trees, or even beneath the ground."

"Right, it can't scan your surroundings for you," Dinky reiterated. "So what problem are you facing when fixing that?"

Honeydew sighed. "I'm not entirely sure," she moped. "That's why I'm going back over my old notes. It's just... frustrating. I'm so close, I know I am. I need to tweak it just a bit more, but I don't know what to change."

"In enchantments class yesterday, Clarity and Scuffle used those scanning spells to try to detect Professor Luster's body heat and her magical signature," Dinky pointed out. "Can't you do something like that, but tuned to detect life instead?"

"I thought of that," Honeydew admitted. "The spell already needs to be able to tap into the inner being of everything it connects with though, and filter that information so my mind can process it. I don't think I can add another layer to a spell that already does that much; I just don't have the raw magical power to cast something like that. There's got to be another way..."

"Wait, wait," Dinky said, holding up a forehoof to stop her friend. "You mean that strategy could work, if you just had the strength to cast it?"

"In theory," said Honeydew dully. "In practice, who knows, but it's not like I can test it."

Dinky stepped behind Honeydew and lifted the tip of her friend's tail in her aura, carefully examining the star sapphire affixed to her tail ring. "You never did carve a rune into this thing, huh?" she asked.

"Nope," Honeydew admitted. "I looked into some options, but each one seemed like it would've only been useful in enhancing part of the spell. If I use the wrong rune, I could throw the whole spell out of balance, and without the enchantment on it boosting my ability to maintain a connection, I can't even sustain the spell at all."

"And your spell..." Dinky continued, "...it helps you sense pretty much anything you need to know about the living things you're connecting with, right?"

"That's right," Honeydew said, nodding slowly. "It's pretty broad. Why do you ask?"

"Clarity and I recently learned about the runes associated with the Zodiac ponies in Dean Script's class," Dinky explained. "They're powerful but very nonspecific runes that enhance whole fields of magic. I was just testing Scorpio's out with some dark magic a few minutes ago. If your spell is really for detecting such a wide range of information... maybe Leo, creator of the magic earth ponies use to connect with the land, and the magic unicorns like you use in magical biology, could help you out?"

Honeydew chewed her lip. "I... guess that makes sense," she said. "If Leo's rune enhances the entire field of magic, it shouldn't disrupt the spell. I don't know if something like that will really make a difference, but... I guess it can't hurt to try."

She carefully unfastened the ring and passed it to Dinky, and the two of them sat down in the grass. "Careful with it, please," Honeydew pleaded as Dinky fished for her chisel. "I guess I could always make another if something happened to it, but it has... sentimental value."

Dinky closed a hoof around her dormant pendant for a moment. "Don't worry, I know what you mean."

The next few minutes passed in silence, save for the gentle clink of Dinky's tool against the sapphire. It wasn't unusual; Dinky had come to realize that Honeydew was quite a fan of silence, especially when out in nature. The pink filly swished her partially-unwound tail idly as she gazed up contently at the fall foliage.

"Dinky, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Shoot," Dinky replied, continuing to engrave.

Honeydew pursed her lips. "Is... is Scuffle doing okay right now?"

Dinky looked up. "Huh?"

"I'm worried something's bothering him. At first I thought it was just me, but now that I've been paying attention, I'm starting to think it's not..." Honeydew admitted. "Gosh, I hope it wasn't something I did..."

"I'm sure it's not that," said Dinky quickly. "Scuffle's just... stressed. You know, with the tournament finals in just a few days and all."

"Maybe," Honeydew said, nodding slowly. "I can't help but think there's more to it than that. You know how he is though; he'll say everything is fine. He doesn't like to admit it when he's struggling."

"That's how he grew up," Dinky reminded her. "Remember what happened when Scorch and Frosty realized his tough attitude was all an act?"

Honeydew nodded solemnly. "Well, whatever's wrong, I want to try to help," she declared. "He always helps me when I'm anxious, and never asks for anything in return. Maybe I can help him feel better."

"Good idea," Dinky said, smiling slightly as she returned her attention to Honeydew's ring. "And don't worry, Honeydew. Scuffle will be okay. After all, he has a good friend like you."

"He knows how to be a great friend too," Honeydew giggled. "His actions say more than his words ever could."

Dinky carefully put a final curve into the symbol she'd been carving, completing Leo's rune. "That should do it," she said with a nod. "Try it out and see if the spells it works with seem any different."

Honeydew wound her tail back into the intricate braid she preferred to keep it in, and then slipped the ring into place near the end to hold it. She stared at Leo's rune for a few moments and then stood up and proceeded to the nearest tree. Dinky stepped up alongside her, curious to see what would happen.

"Okay, first we—"

Honeydew barely began to light her horn, and immediately stepped back, eyes wide. "O-okay, yeah, it's a lot easier to establish a standard connection with one target," she confirmed. "I barely started to cast the spell and tapped into all the tree's sensations almost immediately."

"Good, now extend it to the multi-target spell you developed," Dinky coaxed.

The magic around her horn began to slowly spin as Honeydew did so, and soon, a dozen trees were encircled in her aura. Honeydew gave a nod of her head, and all the trees seemed to bow a bit in reply, responding to the suggestions sent through her magic.

"Okay, that's a spell to connect with life around me, a modification to allow to extend to multiple targets, and a perception timing enhancer to let me process all that information, all rolled into one," Honeydew explained. "Now, I have to add another element to the spell that scans for life, on top of all of it?"

"That'd be my guess," Dinky said, nodding.

Honeydew glanced back at her tail and gave it a swish, letting the rune on the sapphire catch the afternoon light. "Well, let's see just how powerful you are, Leo," she whispered.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Dinky watched as the cone of pale green light around her friend's horn grew brighter, and the gently spinning aura grew into a dazzling, glowing vortex.

"Come on..." Honeydew grunted, as she shivered a bit with the strain. "It's such a complex spell. If I just had a little... more... energy..."

The spell suddenly fizzled out, and Honeydew heaved a sigh. "I can't do it," she groaned. "Even with some aid from Leo, putting all those effects into one spell is too much..."

Dinky put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Honeydew, a unicorn's magical ability is a product of their mind and heart," she said, giving the filly's coat an encouraging pat. "You're probably one of the most brilliant magical biologists in the nation right now, and your passion for the subject is unrivaled; even Scuffle's dedication to battle magic seems weak by comparison. Think about it: if one of the greatest breakthroughs in your entire field of magic is just one tiny step away, do you really want to give up now?"

Honeydew smiled weakly. "You and Clarity are both such optimists," she giggled. "I don't know where I'd be without you. I'll give it another try."

The spell burst to life again, spinning around Honeydew's horn like a tiny cyclone. She strained with effort, and the magical maelstrom continued to grow more intense.

"J-just... just a little... b-bit more..."

Dinky stepped back instinctively as Honeydew's horn and tail ring both created a blinding flash in unison. Some sort of grid, made entirely of interlocking lines of green light, extended outward from the filly and flickered on the surface of everything, including Dinky, for several pony-lengths all round their caster. The lines constantly moved and changed in thousands of ways, adjusting continuously to account for every tiny movement of the leaves and the bending of the blades of grass below them.

Intrigued, Dinky lifted her foreleg and watched the grid lines dance and reorganize to remain around it regardless of its position. "Whoa, what did you do?" she asked.

Honeydew did not reply. The huge spell on her horn had shrunken back into a gently spinning cone of soft light. She stood, staring off into space as if in a trance.

"Honeydew?" Dinky asked, poking her gently in the side. "You alright?"

Honeydew turned her head sharply, staring at one of the trees with a piercing gaze. Then her attention snapped to another one, and another after that. She took a few paces, and the glowing grid moved with her, spreading itself over new surfaces as she approached and retreating from the ones she stepped away from.

"Honeydew!" Dinky insisted, cantering around to the front of her friend. "Are you okay or not? And what's with the grid thing?"

Honeydew mouthed something. If any sound came out, Dinky couldn't hear it.

"Pardon me?"

"It... it... it works..." Honeydew said in the barest whisper. "It works. It works! Dinky, by Equestria itself and the heavens above, Lifesense works!"

In mere minutes, Clarity, Scuffle, Tango Trot, and Professor Chestnut had all been rounded up. The Professor hurried to the front of the group, panting from her jog down to the forest. "Let's see it!" she said excitedly, lifting a notepad and quill in her aura. "I want to confirm that the spell does exactly what you've told me it does."

Honeydew smiled gleefully and lit her horn again. Although the first few seconds of the spell were just as bright and dramatic as before, Dinky noticed her friend didn't seem to have nearly as much trouble casting it this time. Confidence in one's abilities seemed to go a long way. A moment later, the energy grid once again spread across her surroundings, and the spell calmed to a faint glow.

"I'm now mentally connected, on a very basic level at least, with every living being inside this grid," Honeydew proudly declared. "More specifically, all of you, as well as Cornelius on his perch on the professor's hat, the seven nearby trees, two squirrels in the tree immediately to my left, four hundred ants living at the base of the third tree to the right, two dozen earthworms somewhere beneath us, and 301,455 blades of grass."

Clarity quickly shook one of the indicated trees with her magic, and sure enough, two squirrels jumped out and hurried deeper into the forest. Tango Trot pawed at the dirt next to the other, and a small colony of ants hurried to the surface. "She's right!" he announced. "It would be difficult to confirm the numbers, but she's definitely detected the right entities."

"Wait, for real?" Scuffle asked. "So like, that's it? The whole thing is working how she hoped it would?"

"Forgive my skepticism, but I'm sure you know that, as an academic, I'd like to see a bit more of it in action before I believe that," Professor Chestnut mentioned apologetically. "You don't mind, do you Honeydew?"

"Not at all!" Honeydew chirped. "What do you need to see?"

Professor Chestnut consulted with Cornelius in a hushed whisper for a few moments. "Well, it's clear you can detect life forms, but I want to be sure you're actually receiving biological data from them. There is a small underground waterway that runs beneath the forest before ending at the pond near the castle. I know it's exact course, but not from visual observation. It's only apparent from years of study of the hydration levels in the roots of local plant life. If this is truly Lifesense, you should be able to trace the path of that waterway with ease, simply by following the trail of plants growing in the wettest soil.

Honeydew giggled. "Got it. Follow me please."

Dinky and all the others followed quietly behind Honeydew as she strode through the trees, following an ambling path only she could see. After ten minutes of pushing through brush in seemingly random directions, the group arrived at the pond.

"That... that was perfect," Professor Chestnut gasped, her quill falling to the grass below. "Every step followed the exact path I have in my diagrams."

"I can almost see the waterway in my mind's eye," Honeydew admitted, still beaming. "We passed by thousands of plants, but the ones along that path have access to the most water, easily."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Clarity asked.

"It means... it means Honeydew has just created one of the most remarkable spells in the entire discipline of magical biology," Professor Chestnut breathed. "Do any of you really realize what a difference this is going to make? What was previously months if not years of work can now be accomplished in minutes!"

Cornelius whistled from his perch. "Kid, you just blew her mind," he chuckled. "It takes something pretty earth-shattering to do that to her, let me tell you."

"Honeydew, you did it!" Dinky congratulated. "We kept telling you all year that if anypony could do it, it was you!"

Honeydew wiped a few happy tears from the corner of her eye. "It's not like I could've done it alone, you know," she said. "Tango helped loads refining the spell, you're the one who encouraged me to use Leo's rune, and of course, Scuffle's responsible for solving the information filtering problem."

Scuffle smiled. "Hey, no sweat, Dewey," he chuckled. "So hey, now do you wanna—"

"Now you simply must show the professor and I how the spell is cast, and what other uses it has!" Tango Trot interrupted. "The more we can learn about it, the more useful it will be to others when your discovery is published!"

Scuffle stiffened. "But, uh—"

"Of course, let's go!" Honeydew sang, turning tail and trotting off with Chestnut and Tango. The three of them hurried deeper into the woods, leaving Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle behind.

Scuffle's ears and tail drooped. "R-right. Later then," he mumbled, knowing full well his crush was already out of earshot. Ignoring the other two fillies, he turned away and slunk down into the hideout.

Dinky and Clarity exchanged a look. "Poor guy..." Clarity sighed. "He's really trying to find time to spend with her, and maybe even find the right moment to tell her the truth, but..."

"...But Tango Trot's one step ahead every time," Dinky finished, frowning. "C'mon, let's go talk to him."

She led the way down the tunnel with Clarity in tow. They found Scuffle sitting with his back to them, staring at the blank wall of the little chamber. "Go away you two," he grumbled. "I don't need a pity party. Go watch Honeydew test her spell some more. At least you guys might be able to ask her some relevant questions, instead of just watching uncomprehendingly like I do."

"Scuffle, Honeydew's not leaving you out on purpose," Clarity insisted. "I mean, come on; she just made one of the biggest discoveries in her field of magic. Of course discussing it with other scholars of the subject is at the forefront of her mind."

"Yeah, I know," Scuffle sighed. "And I'm happy for her, really. But, y'know... Tango's really good at magical biology too, and it seems like she favors a pony with those skills."

"And you think she's starting to care about you less as a result?" Dinky asked. "Scuffle, Honeydew was just talking to me an hour ago about how she's worried that you seem troubled lately. She was asking me if I knew how she could help. You're definitely still in her thoughts, trust me."

Scuffle looked at her skeptically. "Dinks, Dewey's great, but picking up on that stuff's never been her strong point," he pointed out. "Why would she suddenly realize it now?"

"Because Honeydew's a little innocently oblivious, not utterly blind," Clarity chuckled. "It's certainly not been hard for us to notice your demeanor lately. Now she's starting to pick up on it too."

Scuffle frowned. "I've gotten that bad, huh?"

The conversation was interrupted by soft hoofsteps in the tunnel. Cautiously, Honeydew poked her head into the room. "Ah, there you are," she said brightly.

"Dewey?" Scuffle asked. "What's up? I thought you were talking to the others about your spell."

"I was!" Honeydew said as she trotted across the chamber toward him. "I just needed to make sure I talked to you about it too."

"What is there to say?" Scuffle asked, genuinely confused. "I get what your spell does, but the details of how it works would be kinda lost on me."

Honeydew sat down beside the colt, and leaned back on her haunches a bit so she could place her forelegs around his shoulders. "I'm not here about that, silly," she giggled. "I just wanted to thank you. You're the one who solved what was probably the biggest puzzle I faced while developing this spell."

Scuffle shrugged. "I mean, it was no big dea—"

"It was a big deal," Honeydew persisted, pouting. "I guess... sometimes it seems like you downplay how smart and resourceful you are. I want you to understand how much I appreciate what you did for the my spell, and what you do for me every day. You're an amazing friend, Scuffle. Please remember that."

Scuffle blinked a few times and managed a surprised smile. Then, hesitantly, he leaned forward and gently nuzzled Honeydew on the nose.

Dinky raised her eyebrows. Scuffle certainly never objected to Honeydew's regular displays of affection, but this was perhaps the only time she'd seen him be so forward with initiating it himself. Fortunately, Honeydew seemed delighted, happily returning the gesture for a few seconds before removing her hooves from around him.

"Thanks Dewey," Scuffle mumbled, turning his head slightly to try to hide some of the color in his cheeks. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

Honeydew beamed. "So I helped?" she asked hopefully. "I was hoping I could make you feel better."

"Uh, yeah, you definitely did," Scuffle said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. "And Dewey? There's something else I wanted to talk to you about too..."

"Sure, I'll have plenty of time to chat when I see you tomorrow," Honeydew chirped.

Scuffle's ear twitched. "Tomorrow? Not now?"

Honeydew glanced over his shoulder at the exit tunnel and gave Scuffle an apologetic smile. "Um, Tango invited me to go to Canterlot this evening with him to celebrate with some ice cream," she admitted. "I don't want to keep him waiting, but... well, is it something urgent?"

Yes! Dinky mentally screamed, although forced herself not to outwardly react. Yes, Scuffle, it's urgent! Don't let her get away again...

Scuffle paused for a moment. Honeydew waited politely for his answer, but, to Dinky, it was plain to see from her body language that she was ready to hop to her hooves and return to the other colt waiting somewhere above. She knew Scuffle could see it too.

"Well, nah. Just wanted to chat," Scuffle said finally. "Have fun in Canterlot, yeah? You deserve to celebrate after all the work you put in."

"I will!" Honeydew declared as she turned and quickly made for the exit. "Dinky, Clarity, I'll see you two back at the tower around bedtime."

"Bye Honeydew," Clarity called as the other filly's pale green tail vanished up the tunnel. Soon, the sound of her hoofsteps disappeared.

"...Why did you do that?" Dinky asked finally.

"She wanted to go," Scuffle grunted. "Couldn't you see it? She probably would've stayed if I asked her to, but it obviously wasn't her first choice. I don't wanna ask her to the dance, or even tell her I've got a thing for her, if her mind's elsewhere, y'know? It was just bad timing."

"Okay, so what now?" Clarity asked, nervously tossing her mane. "If this wasn't the right moment, then when? Do you have a plan?"

"The plan's the same as it's always been," Scuffle replied, rising to his hooves. "It seems like Honeydew still really likes me, so I'm not out of the race yet. I just need to get pretty boy to back off long enough to make a move."

Resolutely, he strode into the tunnel. "The duel's in two days," he called as he made his way out of the cavern. "I'm tired of staring at that smug stallion's grin day after day, taunting me when Honeydew can't see. It's time to humble him once and for all."

And so began what would turn out to be one of the most eventful days of our heroes' lives.

It was two days later, and exactly one month before the scheduled end of term. The battle magic arena carried the energy of a major sports stadium. Unicorns from every year packed the stands; it seemed that at least half the school had turned up for the tournament finale.

Dinky looked out over the crowd from her seat. A sea of small flags floated above them, held up in the auras of dozens of fans. It was easy to see who the favorite was; the number of brown flags bearing Scuffle's cage cutie mark paled in comparison to the vast amount of blue ones displaying Tango's castanets.

And Honeydew, wedged into her spot on the bleachers between Dinky and Clarity, held tightly to one of each.

"So who do you think will win?" Clarity asked.

Dinky shrugged. "Honestly? I have no idea," she admitted. "The first three rounds made it obvious that Scuffle and Tango are the clear-cut best duelists in class. But I have no idea which is better."

"Oh, I wish they could both win," Honeydew whined, clutching the tiny flags to her chest.

"Look at it this way: one of your friends is going to win no matter what," Clarity comforted. "Regardless of the outcome, there will be somepony to celebrate with. For now, let's just enjoy the show."

Honeydew smiled a bit. "I suppose..." she relented.

Down below, Professor Surge stepped up on a small platform, magically amplifying his voice to speak over the sound of the crowd. "Good afternoon, everypony!" he called. "We've had one dramatic battle magic tournament this year, but at last we find ourselves at its end. Let's meet the two colts who have fought their way into the final round. In the right bracket, we have a pony hailing from Fillydelphia, with some of the most forceful spells and cleverest defenses I've seen in a good few years. Let's hear it for Scuffle!"

The crowd cheered as Scuffle strutted into the arena, his head held high and horn already aglow. He wore a jeweled ring, doubtlessly enchanted, at the base of his horn. He faced the audience, giving them a confident smirk and a hoof-pump.

"And in the left bracket, we have a skilled duelist from Canterlot!" Professor Surge continued. "With more than a few tricks at his disposal that leave other duelists' heads spinning, and the ability to execute spells with immense grace and poise, give it up for your male Overseer, Tango Trot!"

The cheers doubled, at least, as Tango Trot stepped lightly into the arena, flashing a sparkling smile at the whole crowd before turning and giving his opponent a respectful nod. "Don't disappoint me, my friend!" he called. "We have quite the crowd to entertain, after all."

"Oh, we'll entertain 'em," Scuffle growled. "The same way a tragic stage play entertains ponies. I hope they're ready to see their hero get beaten into the ground."

"My, what confidence!" Tango laughed. "I do sincerely hope your magic can live up to the promises you make."

This is it, Dinky thought. There's a lot more riding on this duel than the crowd knows. Let's see how it ends...

"Contestants, are you ready?" Professor Surge asked.

"Ready!" Scuffle announced, scraping a hoof on the stone floor.

"Ready," Tango parroted, letting icy blue-white magic encircle his horn.

"Then it's time to bring this year's tournament to an end," the professor said. "Gentlecolts, prepare to fight."

The noise of the crowd dropped to its lowest. Dinky waited, watching Scuffle and Tango tense, poised to spring into action.

"And... duel!"

Neither colt moved, but the room began to rumble immediately. A series of fissures radiated through the ground around Scuffle, until finally, the section of floor beneath Scuffle wrenched free from the stone around it and began to slowly rise.

"Listen up, Tango Trot," Scuffle sneered as the platform below him grew into something like a butte overlooking the rest of the battlefield. "I've been watching you duel. You've got a lot of fancy little parlor tricks, but I've got the stronger spells. I've prepared for everything I've seen you do in the other three rounds. You're outmatched, and the quicker you give up, the less it's gonna hurt."

"My, how intimidating!" Tango chuckled, smiling broadly at his opponent. "I can't wait to see what you've got in store. Why don't you go ahead and show me?"

Scuffle shrugged. "Hey, your funeral, dude."

The rumbling began anew, and pillars of stone began to burst from the ground. The first ones were near Scuffle, but grew closer to Tango as more and more appeared. Each rose at a different speed.

"W-wait, I know that spell!" Dinky sputtered. "You girls recognize it, right?"

"How could we forget?" Clarity asked, watching the spectacle in shock. "Sparkler used that spell against us when we dueled her on Scorpio's Apex years ago!"

"And she would've beaten us with it too, if Dinky hadn't... um... intervened," Honeydew added timidly.

A moment later, a particularly violent stone spire launched Tango skyward. Rather than careen through the air toward a painful landing, he cast a self-enchantment at the zenith of his flight that allowed him to float gently down, as if he weighed no more than a feather.

"You're right!" he called in a genuinely congratulating tone, turning in midair to lay flat with his head resting on his forehoof, as if relaxing on a couch. "That was an impressive opening tactic. It would've been quite problematic for a pony with slower reflexes or less ability to compensate."

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up," he mumbled, unceremoniously lobbing a fireball at his slowly descending opponent.

Tango rolled his body and spun through the air, deftly dodging the attack before his enchantment wore off. His hooves touched down on one of the rocky spires with all the grace of a skilled pegasus alighting on a rooftop.

Dinky recalled when she and her friends had faced this spell, and how the pillars of earth rising and falling beneath them had been impossible to navigate. Scuffle was casting the spell with the same degree of power that Sparkler had back then, so it seemed only a matter of time until the same fate befell Tango Trot.

What she, and Scuffle for that matter, hadn't counted on was the Overseer's almost supernatural agility.

Tango sprung from spire to spire, always able to adjust his course even when Scuffle changed the speed of his next destination. Scuffle continued to try to hinder his forward progress by arcing a barrage of fireballs over the shifting battlefield, but his opponent always seemed to be able to leap to a position that kept clear of the attacks. When he got within a few pony lengths of Scuffle's raised platform, he threw back his head and unleashed a magical blast of sound like a foghorn, blowing the other colt right off his perch and sending him crashing to the ground below.

"Ah, alright, I getcha," Scuffle muttered, shaking off the pain as he stood and pointing to the small jeweled necklace Tango wore. "Your enchanted item for this duel gives you exceptional agility. I'm sure I can work around that."

"Oh dear, Scuffle, I'm afraid not," Tango said apologetically as the undulating battlefield finally sank back down to a flat surface. "I'm simply well-practiced in the art of intricate hoofwork. Never fear though; I'm sure one of your other spells will require me to actually use my magic to respond."

Clarity gave a low whistle. "Man, does that guy know how to taunt," she commented. "He words everything like a compliment, but that just makes it more degrading."

"I think... I think that's actually part of his strategy," Dinky realized. "He knows how much that kind of thing gets under Scuffle's skin."

Scuffle's face flushed red as the other colt continued to grin at him. "Buddy, I am just getting started," he growled. "And if you think a little noise is all it's gonna take to win, you might wanna reconsider."

He launched a jet of fire at the pony across from him, but Tango leapt aside easily. "What do you think, everypony?" he called to the audience. "Surely Scuffle has something better up his sleeve, right? Let's give him a round of applause to encourage him!"

Much of the audience began to laugh, and a playful round of applause sounded out. Scuffle's face contorted with anger. "Stop mocking me!" he roared, throwing half a dozen fireballs within the span of a second or two.

Tango placed a shield to block several of the attacks, and obliterated the remaining ones with a few snipe shots of energy from his horn. "Mocking you?" he asked, feigning innocence. "I would't dream of it, my friend. Listen to them cheering for you. If I were you, I'd say something more like..."

He paused, clearing his throat. "Hey, thanks everypony!" he continued, now in a perfect mimicry of Scuffle's voice created by his sound magic. "All your confidence is encouraging me to put on a better show for you all!"

The audience roared with laughter. Dinky noticed even Honeydew crack a smile.

"Oh, I'll give 'em a show!" Scuffle cried, whipping up a wind spell and pouring so much fire into it that it quickly became a swirling, flaming cyclone. "Whatcha gonna do about this?"

Tango watched with casual interest as the firestorm surged toward him. A moment before he was engulfed, he simply teleported to the other side, watching the attack reach the far wall and fizzle out. "Impressive to look at," he admitted. "Not exactly... what's the word... especially strategically clever."

"He's gonna win in no time if Scuffle can't shake off the taunts and focus," Clarity grumbled.

"Scuffle!" Dinky called. "Chill out! Don't let him goad you into making stupid moves. Remember your strategy!"

Scuffle glanced into the crowd, his eyes meeting Dinky's for a moment, and then looked back to Tango just in time for the latter to release another blast of sound loud enough to send him flying.

This time, however, a slate-blue dome appeared just in time. Tango blinked in surprise as Scuffle remained standing.

"Shields are meant for stopping attacks," he managed. "What use is one here?"

"I dunno what you just said," Scuffle admitted. "But I hope you didn't think I'd come to a duel against a pony like you without figuring out how to soundproof my shields first. You can hear me, but I can't hear a thing."

Tango quickly released a deep, booming sound from his horn, so loud that the whole room shook and most ponies in the audience covered their ears. Scuffle's dome quivered, but its occupant remained calmly standing inside, unaffected.

At this, Tango paused, staring at Scuffle's smirk for a few moments. "Fillies and gentlecolts, I'd advise you to protect your hearing," he recommended. "I'd like to see just how durable that soundproofing is."

A huge spell formed around his horn. Dinky flattened her ears, preparing for a deafening sound.

And then, in a fraction of an instant, Scuffle removed his shield, inverted it, and placed it over Tango.

Dinky heard a very faint, but very deep, sound. Tango Trot however clutched at his ears in agony from beneath the wall of blue magic. Scuffle smirked as it faded away, leaving his opponent staggering.

"How's that?" Scuffle asked smugly. "Flip the shield, and instead of sound being unable to get in, instead it can't get out."

"C-clever indeed," Tango stuttered, shaking his head in what was clearly an attempt to lessen the ringing in his ears. "Underestimating your talents with shields was an error I won't make again."

Honeydew tugged on the dangling ends of her mane nervously. "They do this for fun," she mumbled, shaking her head.

"You mentally talk to plants for fun," Clarity pointed out.

"Oh, I wasn't judging!" Honeydew replied quickly. "Scuffle doesn't understand the appeal of my hobbies, but he's always supported them. I'll do the same, no matter how scary dueling seems to me."

Scuffle loosed a laser that tore through the air, but Tango evaded it with another teleport. "Soundproof shields are one thing, but your style still seems a bit... lacking in finesse," the blue colt chuckled. "Of course, I'd love to see you prove me wrong against something like, say, this!"

Tango's horn began to glow brighter, but unlike any other spell, it simply didn't stop. From her seat in the audience, Dinky found herself forced to shield her eyes as blue-white light completely engulfed Tango and much of the battlefield, shining like a star that had been somehow contained indoors.

"No spell charges up like that!" Dinky exclaimed.

"That's not the buildup for a spell," Clarity realized. "That's the spell itself! It's nothing but an incredibly powerful illumination spell!"

It was impossible to look straight at the battlefield, but the sound of spellcasting, followed by much swearing from Scuffle, was easy to hear. "Shield yourself if you wish," Tango suggested from somewhere in the radiance. "But I'm afraid there's little you can do to retaliate if you can't—"

Before he even finished his sentence, something changed dramatically. Every inch of the room that wasn't the battlefield itself was plunged into darkness so intense that Dinky couldn't see her own hoof in front of her face. In the arena, the brilliant light was replaced with something akin to the pale green glow of a foal's glow-in-the-dark toy. Scuffle and Tango became visible again immediately.

"Your tricks sure aren't as sophisticated as you keep claiming," Scuffle snickered. "I've been hanging out with Clarity for five years, dude. Did you really think I didn't have a counterspell or two for any kind of spell that manipulates light?"

Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary speechlessness, Scuffle stamped the ground, and a spire of rock burst up and smashed into Tango's underside. He was sent flying, and landed in a heap on the stone floor nearby. The lighting in the room slowly returned to normal as the counterspell wore off.

"Now," Scuffle continued, lighting his horn and pinning the still-winded Tango down with a gravity spell, "you got any more gimmicky little spells to show off, or should we move this along to your forfeit?"

"Forfeit, already?" Tango asked, shockingly calm despite the immense gravity pressing him into the floor. "But we're having so much fun, Scuffle. It would be a shame to quit now."

Scuffle had no interest in joining the verbal game. "A knockout it is, then," he chuckled, charging up a blast of energy in his horn.

Tango lit his horn, but with the inability to move his body, and Scuffle standing well clear of his line of fire, Dinky couldn't see any way the blue colt could retaliate. Scuffle reared up to deal a powerful blow, one that had the potential to end the duel.

...And then he stopped, returning to all fours and looking supremely bewildered. "W-what are you doin'?" he stammered, stumbling backwards a bit.

"What is he doing?" Clarity asked. "He's not using an attack spell. What's got Scuffle so flustered?"

To Dinky's surprise, Honeydew began to laugh. "Oh wow, is he really going that route?" she giggled. "Poor Scuffle's probably totally confused."

Clarity looked bewildered, but Dinky began to realize what her friend meant. "Wait, is Tango..."

"He's using a life connection spell!" Honeydew laughed. "You know how I use them to send suggestions to plants, like when I ask flowers to open or roots to move aside? Tango's sending signals like that into Scuffle's mind!"

Clarity blinked. "So can he like... control Scuffle with that?" she asked, shocked.

"Oh, no, that's not how magical biology spells work," Honeydew clarified. "You can't use them to command, but you can suggest. If Tango used that spell on me, I'd easily be able to just ignore it, but Scuffle has so little experience with magical biology that it looks like he doesn't know how to parse the second set of information Tango's implanting in his mind right now."

Scuffle finally tripped over his own hooves and landed on his rump. The gravity spell broke instantly and Tango was upright again just a second later. "I should actually thank you for inspiring that little trick," he admitted, smiling at his opponent. "It was you who suggested incorporating battle magic into magical biology when helping our dearest mutual friend. It occurred to me that there was no reason I couldn't do the opposite, and incorporate magical biology into battle magic as well."

Scuffle leapt up and prepared to attack again. "Weird tricks like that might draw this out, but you're not gonna beat me with them!" he yelled.

"I can see that," said Tango calmly. "And my sincerest congratulations for getting quite a few more hits in than any of my prior opponents. Perhaps it's time for a more direct approach."

With a bright icy blue flash, Tango's signature energy rapier extended from his horn. Scuffle grinned the second he saw it appear.

"Ah, finally!" he laughed. "The enchantment I brought along lets me copy one of your spells. I've been waiting for this one for a while!"

Scuffle's horn ring glowed, and a nearly identical blade of light burst from his own horn. "Ready to duel in a more old-fashioned sense of the word?" he asked.

"Oh, absolutely!" Tango replied delightedly. "En garde, my friend!"

Dinky placed her head in her hooves. "Scuffle, your confidence is gonna put you in hot water again..." she mumbled.

The two colts rushed at one another, and the electric buzz of magic on magic filled the air as their weapons collided. With quick, careful movements, both ponies swung their heads and sidestepped to block and parry each other's blows. Sparks in two different shades of blue rained down each time the blades met.

"Something's off..." Dinky said quietly. "Tango's really skilled at this, and Scuffle doesn't have much practice. Why do they seem so evenly matched?"

"Look at that grin on Tango's face," Clarity pointed out. "He knows that this was probably a bad move on Scuffle's part. As much as I hate to admit it... I think he's just toying with him."

"Oh dear," Tango crooned. "It seems you're having a bit of trouble landing any hits. Would you like me to show you how?"

Scuffle responded with an especially forceful swing of his head, but Tango easily parried the blow. Finally taking advantage of the opening he'd ignored the last dozen times, he flicked the sword upward. While the magic was unable to pierce flesh like a steel blade would, it did send Scuffle stumbling back.

Immediately, the battle became one-sided. Scuffle could barely stay ahead of the attacks, blocking only about half as he left himself open to some sort of counter each time he did so. In about two minutes, he was battered and shaky, soldiering on through sheer force of will.

Suddenly Tango jumped backward, out of the range of attack, letting his sword fade away. "Swordplay is good fun, but it seems awfully unsporting to win the duel when you've intentionally handicapped yourself," he said as innocently as possible. "Perhaps select a spell that better fits your style, and we can proceed."

Dinky could see Scuffle's temper control failing. "Don't patronize me!" he snapped. "It doesn't matter what spell I use! I'll still crush you like a bug! But if you want... I can do that a little more literally."

It was at this moment Dinky realized that Scuffle had been practicing a lot of spells she didn't even know he knew. Years of classes together were enough for her to know he had a decent grasp of transformation spells, but she was still caught by surprise when his next spell caused him to grow and grow until he was ten times his original size, towering over Tango like a mythical giant. Entirely unfazed, Tango chuckled softly.

"I know you can't maintain that for more than a minute or so," he pointed out, "but it should be a rather amusing minute."

The gargantuan unicorn fired a laser wider than the average adult pony from his horn, but Tango simply teleported away, appearing beneath Scuffle's body and shooting a small spell straight up into his stomach. Scuffle cried out and reared up instinctively, and Tango took the opportunity to strike at his hind hooves, and then vanished in another flash as Scuffle toppled, shaking the whole room as he crashed down to the floor.

"Tut, tut," Tango scolded as he teleported onto Scuffle's back. "Turning into a giant looks impressive, but again, prioritizes brute force over strategy. Do try and show me one more of the clever tricks I know you're capable of before we wrap this up?"

Scuffle ceased the transformation spell at fast as he could, returning to his original size in less than a second, which meant the place where Tango had been standing suddenly didn't exist anymore. The blue suddenly found himself falling a bit, and though he managed to land on his hooves, he needed just a second to regain his balance, and that was all Scuffle needed to blast him with a fireball that sent him skidding across the battlefield.

"Noticing a trend yet?" Scuffle asked, grinning darkly. "You brag, I make you eat your words. So by all means, keep it up; it'll lead to a knockout eventually."

Tango Trot dusted himself off. "Fine, fine," he said, shaking his head, "As grand of a time as this is, it's time to stop entertaining the crowd and actually try and finish this."

Scuffle flinched. "You... haven't been trying to win?"

"Well, it's not that," Tango explained. "The argument could be made that I'm not trying to win as quickly as I could be, though. I'd have hated for the tournament finale to be horribly anticlimactic."

Scuffle shook with rage. "I am not gonna let you treat this whole thing like some kind of performance!" he barked as his aura grew far stronger. There was the sound of rock being rent apart, and a huge, irregular boulder was ripped from the floor. Two more followed suit, and then three more after that. In a matter of moments, the surface of the battlefield was almost totally ruined, and the colt effectively had his own asteroid belt, with dozens of rocks lazily orbiting him in a powerful gravitational field.

"Scuffle's magic is so strong," Honeydew said breathlessly.

"His gravity control's always been great, but his earth magic's improved a ton in the last year or two," Clarity added. "I don't know if even Tango has a way around this."

"Give in. Now," Scuffle commanded, scraping a forehoof like a bull preparing to charge. "Unless you think you can withstand a meteor shower."

He began slowly advancing, and the asteroid field moved with him, beginning to revolve around him more quickly. Tango, who for once looked like he was actually taking things seriously, took a few careful steps back.

"Yeah, that's it," Scuffle hissed. "I can bury you under a mountain and you know it. You need to know when to quit."

"Ah, about that..." Tango replied, shaking his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's you, Scuffle my friend, who doesn't know when to quit. I see now that your tactics, as impressive as they are, can't overcome mine."

The rocks in Scuffle's orbit began to whirl around him far faster. "Yeah? Prove it!" he cried as one boulder was suddenly flung from the field directly at his opponent.

With unbelievable timing and grace, Tango leapt and landed on the rock as it continued to sail through the air. A split second later, he jumped again, even as the next boulder was hurled toward him. Scuffle launched each of his miniature asteroids one after the other, and the arena was full of the thundering sounds of them crashing to the ruined battlefield below.

But not a single one ever connected with Tango Trot.

Performing something like an aerial ballet, the Overseer skipped and bounded from boulder to boulder, unfazed as rocks the size of his body whizzed past him by mere inches. Once or twice, he even went so far as to add a twirl or backflip to his jumps, sending the wildly cheering audience a gleaming grin with each move.

"Stop it!" Scuffle roared, using less and less precision in his meteor attack in favor of ever-increasing force. "I'm not gonna let you make a fool out of me!"

Tango sidestepped a boulder flying past him like a speeding train, before jumping to a rock that remained suspended. "I'm doing nothing of the sort," he argued. "It's no fault of mine that you're making one of yourself, though."

Honeydew winced. "This is a verbal duel as much as a magical one," she whimpered. "I don't remember you and Scuffle exchanging insults this hard during your match."

"Tango just... knows how to get under Scuffle's skin," Clarity said finally. "And like we said earlier, he's used that to his advantage."

Soon, Scuffle's asteroid belt had depleted to just a few stray rocks. Tango merrily evaded one more attack and then took a totally unobstructed shot at Scuffle, sending him tumbling backwards and causing the last two or three rocks to fall back to the ruined floor. Despite looking quite battered, Scuffle leapt up instantly. Dinky got a view of his face and couldn't help but cringe; her friend had definitely abandoned all his cool at this point. He stared Tango down, practically boiling with rage.

"I won't let you win this," he snarled. "You've made a mockery of this whole match. What would it say about me if I let myself lose when all you're doing is prancing around the battlefield, showing off and using cheap tricks?"

"Ah, I'm sorry to disappoint," Tango replied apologetically, "but I'm afraid it's already too late for you to turn things around. It was a commendable effort my friend, but my victory over you is already certain... both on and off the battlefield."

For a moment, Dinky feared Honeydew would turn to her and ask what Tango had meant, but she didn't get the chance. Scuffle gave an almost animalistic war cry and reared up, his horn flaring brighter than ever. As he cast his spell, a series of explosions rocked the battlefield. With each swing of his head, his spell set another string of detonations off, quickly engulfing the whole arena in so much smoke and fire that both competitors disappeared from view.

Holding her breath, Dinky waited, listening to the cacophony of destructive blasts, and the occasional moment where they quieted enough to hear Scuffle's incoherent screaming. Beside her, Clarity leaned forward in her seat expectantly, and Honeydew watched in silence, searching for any visual sign of either pony, her eyes wide and her forehooves over her mouth.

And then Tango Trot appeared. Through means Dinky could only guess, he leapt into the air like a bounding deer, sailing above the smoke. He seemed to hang in space for a moment, as if moving in slow motion, and treated the audience to just the briefest of beaming smiles.

Then he unleashed a laser beam of such magnitude that Dinky could only recall ever seeing one like it: the one Twilight Sparkle had used to help hold off Scorpio on that fateful night years before. The impossibly huge spell was fired straight toward the floor, and actually propelled him further upwards from the force of the recoil. It plunged into the center of the dark cloud, forcing the smoke outward over the rest of the room, including the audience.

"What happened?" Dinky asked, squinting to try to see through the smoke. "How did he even do that? I know this is a school for gifted unicorns, but nopony here can pack that much power into a spell..."

"For those fans who are curious," came Tango Trot's dulcet voice, "the enchantment I brought with me to this particular duel was a most interesting one. Throughout this battle, it has been absorbing excess energy given off by any attacks my opponent used, and adding it to my own energy stores. What poor Scuffle didn't realize was that the more brute force he put into his attacks, the more powerful he was making me, as I'm sure that last spell demonstrated quite clearly."

In the stands, the girls exchanged a shocked glance. "So he wasn't just taunting Scuffle to encourage mistakes," Clarity gasped. "His magic was actually benefiting from it!"

"Let's not blame Scuffle for his mistake though," Tango continued. "He couldn't have known what would happen. But unfortunately for him..."

The smoke finally began to clear enough that Dinky could make out two figures. Tango Trot finally came into view, standing proudly in the middle of the charred and broken arena, with a forehoof resting gently on the battered form of a very decidedly unconscious Scuffle.

"...it would seem that it was his undoing," the colt finished.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, we have a winner!" Professor Surge cried as much of the crowd erupted in cheers. "This year's top battlemage is none other than your beloved Overseer, Tango Trot!"

"Thank goodness it's over," Honeydew sighed, letting her guarded posture relax. "Come on, let's go congratulate Tango, and make sure Scuffle's okay."

She joined the bustling crowd making their way out of the stands. Dinky and Clarity lingered in their seats for a moment.

"Well... that's that I guess," Clarity said finally.

"Guess so," Dinky replied, watching the nurse sit down next to Scuffle's limp body and begin with tests and healing spells while dozens of fans crowded around Tango Trot. "But, well... I just don't know what'll happen next. Regardless of what we thought of it, Scuffle convinced himself he needed to win this. Now that he didn't... do you think he'll even have the courage to try to win Honeydew over anymore?"

Clarity frowned. "I wish I knew what to say to him when he wakes up," she lamented. "You know, help him see himself as having a chance, so he'll at least ask her out and see what happens. I don't know what other advice we can give."

Dinky gasped as an idea struck her. "Maybe we're out of relationship advice, but I know somepony who probably has a few tips," she said excitedly. "I'll meet you at the hideout later, Clarity; I've got a letter to write."

While the tournament was drawing to a close at the Academy, Ditzy Doo was dealing with a decisive event of her own. She paced back and forth in the vacant employee lounge at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, waiting for Watt to bring the news she hoped to hear. Her ears perked up at the sound of unnaturally rapid hoofsteps on the stairs before the jittery earth pony scurried into the room.

"Cloudcover's got him," Watt declared. "They're on their way up."

Overcome with mixed feelings, Ditzy simply nodded. Her mission to reunite Sparkler with her long lost friend had gone well, but Watt and Cloudcover hadn't had quite as much luck with tracking down Breeze after he'd left on his leave of absence. It was only now, after nearly a month of searching, that her troubled coltfriend had finally been located and convinced to return.

"You might wanna sit down. Give him some space, y'know," Watt suggested, trotting in place anxiously. "Luckily Cloudcover's really convincing, and pretty good at conflict de-escalation. Breeze was uh... not exactly on board with coming back here when we finally found him."

Ditzy swallowed hard. "Got it," she said hoarsely, seating herself on the couch. "I'll let Cloudcover mediate. I'm on such thin ice already, I don't want this to get out of hoof."

More hoofsteps echoed from the stairs. Watt darted to the corner of the room and nervously ran a hoof over his spiky mane as if trying to flatten it down a bit. It had no effect, of course, but he seemed satisfied.

Ditzy sucked in her breath as Cloudcover stepped into the room, sending her a silent nod as he entered. And behind him, finally, came the stallion Ditzy both desperately longed to see and yet was terrified to speak to.

"Breeze," she breathed.

Breeze's intense green eyes seemed to bore into her. "Ditzy," he said, his expression remaining neutral.

"Breeze old chum, despite the situation, some information has come to light that we need to share with you," Cloudcover urged.

Breeze glanced at Ditzy briefly before turning back to Cloudcover. "Alright, I'm listening."

"This, um... situation the company's in, and also the one you and Ditzy are experiencing..." Cloudcover began, carefully monitoring Breeze's reaction, "It's not... well, not entirely, any of our fault. We've been the subject of a malicious act that was carried out quite well."

"In short, we've been bamboozled," Watt added.

Breeze frowned. "Regardless of what's happening with the company, I don't see how the second part of that statement could be true," he argued. "What happened on that assignment with Sparkler was the result of Ditzy's conscious decision."

"That's true," Ditzy admitted, feeling transparency was the best course of action. "But the assignment itself was a setup."

Breeze watched skeptically as she reached into her bag and withdrew an old book. "This is Dr. Candyfloss's journal," she explained, though Breeze's raised eyebrows made it clear he recognized it before she said anything. "We found it in Wishing Star's personal belongings. Read the final entry. It'll shed some light on things."

Breeze wordlessly took the journal and skimmed the final few pages. "What reason would ponies have to beware the wishing star..." he read aloud. "So wait, if he was talking about our Wishing Star, what did she do?"

"What didn't she do?" Watt muttered darkly.

"We're not sure why," Cloudcover continued, "but Wishing Star has been undermining us from the very beginning. When confronted, she admitted to intentionally ignoring calls from client, selecting only the ones we were likely to fail."

"What?" Breeze gasped, flaring his wings defensively. "And... the assignment that involved Sparkler?"

"Staged," said Ditzy bitterly. "Written Script had no interest in Sparkler. Wishing Star paid him to pretend, though."

"Sparkler made for a useful, unwitting pawn," Cloudcover elaborated. "Wishing Star realized how much you both cared about her fate, and correctly guessed that you'd have different ideas of how to help her. Then she forced you into a situation where those ideas would clash."

"She wouldn't tell us why, though," Watt added. "We don't have a clue what she gained from this."

Breeze looked between each of his three coworkers, speechless. "So, from day one, Wishing Star's been quietly destroying everything Candyfloss left for us?" he asked finally.

"I'm afraid so," Cloudcover sighed, "and if we want to try to undo the damage, we'll need your support. The first step, I assume, is to rebuild a certain damaged relationship that Candyfloss spoke so highly of. Now that we know that Wishing Star was the culprit, surely you can forgive Ditzy—"

"Now hang on."

It was Ditzy who spoke, much to the surprise of her companions. "While it's true we played right into Wishing Star's hooves, I still didn't have to make the choice I did during that phony assignment," she announced. "That was my decision, and as much as the consequences have hurt, I'm not going to use Wishing Star's comparably worse actions to pretend mine weren't my own fault."

Cloudcover stepped aside, allowing Ditzy to get to her hooves and move closer to her fiance. "Breeze, the reason Wishing Star was able to do what she did is because she knows how strongly we care for the important ponies in our lives," she continued, a bit more softly. "Sparkler was one of those ponies. I wanted so badly to do the right thing for her because... well, without her, I wouldn't have Dinky anymore. Dinky's been my whole life since I became a widow. So when I had to make a decision during that assignment, it didn't feel like I was choosing between you and Sparkler; in a way... it felt like I was choosing between you and Dinky. And I never, ever want to have to make that choice."

"I've had a lot of time to think about it," Breeze admitted, ruffling his wings restlessly. "And to be honest, I was so determined to do it my way for a similar reason. Just... just try to picture, Ditzy, that tomorrow, if you learned that somehow, some way, Dinky had a sister. Obviously that's impossible, but let's just look at the situation hypothetically. Imagine that until that moment, you'd never met that pony before in your life, but yet there was undeniable proof that you had another daughter you knew nothing about. How would you feel when you realized that filly grew up without you, and lived instead with a despicable witch of a pony?"

Ditzy winced. "I'd be devastated. And I know, that's exactly what happened to you earlier this year. I've had a lot of time to think about it this past month too," she sighed. "Looking at it that way, of course you'd want to do everything in your power to give Sparkler the things you couldn't give her when she was younger."

"Right," Breeze said. "So what we had here was... well, a war of parenting instincts. There was no outcome that wouldn't have left at least one of us feeling betrayed. Neither of us even truly know Sparkler that well; Dinky knows her far better than either of us. But we both felt responsible for her, for reasons that were different yet somehow very much the same."

Ditzy stared at the floor, her eyes welling up with tears. "Breeze, I'm so sorry..." she whimpered. "I should've kept trying to come to an agreement with you, but I was desperate, and I made a really bad decision. I never wanted to betray you."

Breeze paused, choosing his words. "On that afternoon, I said something really harsh," he muttered. "When I realized what you did, I compared you to Glow. But what I know for certain Glow would never do is show real remorse and give a sincere apology."

Ditzy sniffed, and let her bad eye swivel up a bit to look at Breeze uncertainly.

"So... I'm sorry too," the stallion admitted. "I overreacted and said terrible things and made the whole situation worse than it already was. Not to mention, in the long run, you were right; the assignment was a setup, so setting Written Script up with Sparkler would've been a waste of her time at best... or yet another thing to hurt her at worst."

Ditzy managed a tiny smile. "By the way, if it helps... I did continue with my effort to help Sparkler," she revealed. "Right now she's in Trottowa, renting a room at Presto's place and working in the admin building at the local university."

Breeze's jaw dropped. "You... you got them back together? Really?"

"Really!" Ditzy affirmed. "For the first time, she looked genuinely happy. Maybe things took a bad turn for us, but at least I was able to help her make it through all this."

She could see the wave of relief wash over her partner. His posture changed immediately, as if a weight had been lifted off him. "That's great news," he breathed. "At least Wishing Star's meddling didn't hurt her too."

"So..." Watt cut in, reminding Ditzy that he and Cloudcover were in fact still present, "I heard two apologies and an 'everything turned out okay' in the span of that conversation. Are you two back together or what?"

Cloudcover huffed. "All the subtlety of a parade in downtown Manehattan as usual, Watt," he grumbled.

Ditzy giggled. "Well, what do you think, Breeze?" she asked. "Watt has a point; we both made mistakes, but we owned up to them and we both apologized and want to do better. Do you think we can consider this a bump in the road and... you know, keep moving forward together?"

Breeze lifted a foreleg and pulled Ditzy closer to him. "That's what we should've done in the first place," he admitted. "I missed you, Ditzy."

The mare leaned up and nuzzled him softly. "I missed you too, Breeze."

After a few more quiet moments of closeness, Breeze took a step back. "Alright," he began, "the four of us are a team again, and the pony who's been hindering us is gone. The Sparkler situation is resolved too, so now we can focus all our attention on pulling Equestria Speedy Shipping Services out of this tailspin."

Ditzy and Watt gave him matching determined smiles, but Cloudcover didn't seem to share their enthusiasm. "That, in theory, is a wonderful idea Breeze, but I'm afraid we may be a bit too late," the older stallion confessed. "Even if we've removed Wishing Star from the equation, it doesn't change the fact that assignments truly have been coming in very slowly, and we've intermittently been closed or partially staffed for some time now. Equestria Speedy Shipping Services has been all but entirely inoperational during this past month, between Ditzy's trip to Trottowa and the efforts of Watt and I to track you down. Of course, we had to continue to pay the lease on the space we use, which has drawn nearly all of the meager remaining savings from our coffers."

"We don't have anything left?" Breeze asked, shocked. "Even if we take every assignment from here on out and somehow succeed at most of them, it's not gonna be enough?"

Cloudcover removed his beret and held it to his chest. "My friends, I'm afraid Wishing Star may have succeeded at one of her malicious plans," he sighed. "Dr. Candyfloss's beloved shipping company is now all but bankrupt."

"There must be something we can do!" Ditzy said urgently. "Dr. Candyfloss's only parting wish was to keep Equestria Speedy Shipping Services going after he was gone. Have we really failed him, barely half a year after his passing?"

"I wish we could continue, but I just don't see any other option," Cloudcover groaned. "Even if we keep the place open for another month or two with our personal savings, business has run almost dry. It's simply not sustainable."

"Then we have to get more creative!" Watt blurted. "We're four smart, resourceful ponies. Let's put our heads together and find a way to get some business back before we completely go under!"

The conversation was suddenly interrupted when a scroll bearing the seal of Celestia's Academy materialized in a flash of dragonfire. Ditzy, used to the event after receiving a few years worth of such correspondence, caught it in midair. "Strange, Dinky doesn't usually write in the middle of the day like this," she mused. "Let's see what she has to say."

The mare unfolded the scroll and read aloud, with her curious coworkers peering over her shoulder.

Hey mom!

Things have been unusually exciting at the Academy lately. I'll tell you about it in detail next time I'm home, but right now, I've got something a little more urgent to ask you.

Remember how I was telling you about Scuffle's efforts to overcome a rival who's taken a fancy to Honeydew? That plan of his hasn't been going well, especially after today. If he doesn't act soon, he's gonna lose his chance, but Clarity and I can't seem to help him work up the courage to try. You're a professional shipper; is there anything we could say to him to kinda help him along? Because today in particular, he needs help more than ever.

Ditzy paused, chuckling. "Ah, Dinky's friend is having some shipping concerns," she said. "I guess we can take a moment to send her some suggestions, huh?"

"What's the rest of it say?" Breeze asked, pointing to the remaining hornwriting.

Ditzy glanced down and continued to read.

You don't need to send anything right this second if you're still at work. We won't really have time to discuss it until this evening anyway; in an hour or so, we have an assembly about the schedule for final exams with Dean Script and Counselor Wishing Star. But I'm sure we can put some tips to good use after that!

Thanks, and love you,
~Dinky

"Wait, Counselor Wishing Star!?" Ditzy repeated, horrified. "Is that... is that snake-in-the-grass up to something at Celestia's Academy?"

"Don't panic," Breeze urged. "Names that have to do with light or objects that cast it are very common among unicorns. There are probably dozens of Wishing Stars in Equestria."

"And even if it is our Wishing Star, and she is up to no good, there's hundreds of ponies at that place," Watt added. "Dinky herself might not be in any danger."

"That's not to say we shouldn't take this seriously," Cloudcover quickly noted, noticing Ditzy's unconvinced expression. "What we need to do is quickly and calmly investigate the situation. If the Academy's counselor truly is the same pony that sabotaged us, then we need to inform somepony of rank within the Academy's staff."

"Right, come on," Ditzy said, already unfurling her wings as she made for the door. "Princess Twilight's castle is just down the road. She'll have the information we need."

The team of matchmakers hurried out of the building. The three pegasi took to the air, and Watt scampered along below, as fast on land as most pegasi were in the air.

We need to get to the bottom of this right now, Ditzy thought as she pumped her wings faster. I'm not letting anything happen to Dinky!

"Dude, can you even breathe like that?"

"Mmf."

Dinky and Clarity sat against the wall in the hideout. Next to them, Scuffle lay face down in the dirt, and didn't seem to have any plans to remedy that.

"Scuffle, get up," Clarity grumbled, lifting the colt in her aura.

"Put me down," Scuffle demanded, flailing helplessly in her reddish glow. "Just leave me in the dirt where I belong already."

Dinky rolled her eyes. "Scuffle, that's a bit dramatic," she groused. "You lost a duel. It's not the end of the world. You didn't even lose that badly, either; you dealt more damage than any of Tango's other opponents, for sure."

"Are you kidding?" Scuffle asked, his legs now hanging limply as he dangled in Clarity's aura. "He made the whole thing into a show for his adoring fans. Ponies are gonna be laughing at me for the rest of the term, Tango's gonna be cockier than ever, and Honeydew probably thinks he's better than me in literally every way now, not just in looks or smarts, but magical expertise as well."

Dinky scowled and opened her mouth to reply. However, Clarity spoke first.

"Then what have you got to lose?"

Scuffle blinked. "Huh?"

"You heard me," Clarity said, finally returning Scuffle's hooves to the ground. "If that stuff you just said about Honeydew is true, then you've already lost. Tango's clearly gonna win her heart, and that'll be that. But if you're not right, then you still have a chance too."

"You've got no more time to try to build yourself up," Dinky continued, building off Clarity's words. "Graduation's coming soon, and the Graduates' Ball is coming even sooner. It's clear you're not going to be able to make Tango Trot back off, so that leaves you with two choices; tell Honeydew how you feel and see what happens... or don't, and let Tango do it instead. But at this point, it's gonna be one of those two."

Scuffle stared into space for a moment. "...You know, you're right," he said finally. "It really is now or never, isn't it?"

"Well, prior to now would probably have been better," Clarity muttered. "But yeah, at this point..."

"Fine. Let's do this. Right now," Scuffle declared. "Where's Honeydew?"

Clarity's enchanted hair clip lit up, pointing with an ethereal arrow toward a deeper part of the forest above. "That way," she deadpanned. "We should go get her anyway; that assembly with the dean and Counselor Wishing Star is in like fifteen minutes."

The three friends left the hideout, following the signal from Clarity's barrette into the depths of the campus's small forest. "I'm not sure I've ever been to this part of the woods," Clarity commented. "I guess Honeydew probably knows her way around here though."

Dinky snickered. "Knows her way around? By this point, I'm pretty sure Honeydew's personally acquainted with every single tree."

The trio stepped into an unfamiliar glade and were greeted with a beautiful scene. A small pond reflected the sun off crystal clear water. The trees, decked out in fall colors, swayed gently in the breeze. And in the center of it all was Honeydew, lying in the grass with her legs tucked under her. Her eyes were closed, but a small smile was on her face, and she seemed to be softly humming to herself. Much of the glade shimmered under the ever-shifting lines of her latest Lifesense grid.

"Look at that," Scuffle whispered. "Sometimes I swear Equestria itself is determined to make Honeydew even prettier than she already is."

"Honeydew and mother nature are well acquainted," Dinky replied softly. "She interacts with life so much, maybe the world is just trying to return the favor."

Scuffle silently stepped forward. Cautiously, he placed a forehoof inside the boundary of the glowing grid.

"Hi Scuffle," said Honeydew immediately, without opening her eyes.

Scuffle smirked. "There's no hiding from you once I'm in range of the spell, huh?"

"Nope," Honeydew giggled, as the girls stepped inside the border too. "Oh, and Clarity too! Hello."

"And me," Dinky pointed out.

Honeydew opened her eyes, and her smile faded. "Oh, right," she said uncertainly. "I still, um... still can't detect you, Dinky, but I'll keep working on it."

Dinky felt the darkness inside her swirl in agitation. "Don't worry about it," she said dismissively.

"Honeydew, we have to head to the castle for that assembly," Clarity reminded her. "Wanna walk with us?"

The pale green grid faded away and Honeydew stood up. "Sure, let's go!"

The four ponies made their way out of the forest. Dinky gave Scuffle a discreet nudge, and then slowed her pace, letting Honeydew and Scuffle walk a bit ahead of her and Clarity.

"Scuffle, you're not hurt, right?" Honeydew asked suddenly. "That duel looked pretty serious."

"Me? Nah," Scuffle said coolly. "Scorch and Frosty have roughed me up a lot worse than Tango ever could."

Honeydew, closed the distance between them so her coat lightly brushed against his as they walked. "As long as you're okay," she replied, smiling a little.

After that, she was content to walk in silence. It was Scuffle's turn to act.

"Hey, Dewey? Listen, there's something I wanted to tell you about quick, while we have a minute."

Honeydew's ears perked up a bit, and she turned to the colt curiously. "Oh?"

"Yeah, um..." Scuffle continued, making fleeting eye contact. "It's been real great watching you develop that spell of yours this year. I always knew you'd figure it out, and I'm real proud of you."

Honeydew blinked in surprise. "That's so sweet of you," she said, beaming. "Thank you again for helping me with it."

"No problem," Scuffle continued. "You've always been smart, and now you're skilled and becoming confident too. And..."

He paused, glancing briefly over his shoulder. Dinky silently urged him to continue.

"...And for a while now, I've kinda been—"

Strummmm~

Clack-a-clack!

Never had Dinky been more disappointed to hear the fanfare ringing through the air. Tango Trot, appearing from Celestia-only-knows-where, fell into step beside the others. "I had a feeling I'd run into you four as I made my way to the assembly," he said, smiling broadly. "Scuffle, wonderful work in the duel earlier. I'm glad I got to face an opponent with such skill."

"You were both great," Honeydew chirped. "I know I couldn't do... basically all of that stuff you guys did."

"Ah, but you excel in your own unique set of ways," Tango countered. "And speaking of which, Honeydew, there's a pressing matter that I was hoping to catch you for before the assembly began."

Scuffle bristled, but it didn't matter; Honeydew's focus was on Tango Trot now.

"I have to admit, I've been absolutely marveling at your Lifesense spell since you completed it a few days ago," the Overseer continued. "My mind's been on the wonders of Magical Biology, and the talents and qualities of the pony who's mastered it, for some time now."

"Really?" Honeydew asked. "I'm glad you love the spell as much as I do but... I'm not that big of a deal, am I?"

"Honeydew my friend, you've proven to be one of the most brilliant ponies I've met here," Tango insisted. "And the more I thought about it, the more I noticed you really seem to have it all. Besides your impressive intellect, you're unfailingly sweet, tremendously passionate, and stunningly beautiful as well."

Honeydew's face went quite red. "Th-thank you," she squeaked, looking down but unable to hide a pleased smile. "I'm not used to so many compliments."

"There's more than just compliments in your future, Honeydew my dear," Tango continued. "During this term, your research may have been what brought us together, but your wonderful qualities have turned us from research partners into the very closest of friends. And that is why I simply must ask, Honeydew, if you'd like to let this wonderful partnership last much longer, and accompany me to the Graduates' Ball in a few more weeks, and many more events beyond... as my fillyfriend."

Honeydew's head shot up, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, staring at Tango. Dinky took a moment to take in the expressions of the others as well; Tango wore a calm, confident smile, despite the boldness of his question. Clarity looked quite torn, and slowly stepped back, not wanting to interfere with what was unfolding. And Scuffle slowly shook his head, wearing a vacant expression of utter resignation.

"It seems to me no two ponies could be more compatible," Tango said, extending a forehoof. "What do you say, Honeydew?"

Honeydew took a moment to get over the shock and find her voice. The tension peaked as she opened her mouth to reply.

"Oh, Tango Trot, I'm so flattered you feel that way! But, um... no."

The sounds of ponies nearby seemed to fade away. The rustling of the leaves went silent. The wind itself seemed to vanish, and for a moment, even in the middle of the busy Academy grounds, you could almost hear a pin drop.

"...No?" Tango asked, with a tone that sounded as if he didn't even understand the reply.

Honeydew smiled weakly. "Tango, you're wonderful," she promised. "Next to Professor Chestnut, I've never been able to work with a research partner as smart as you. And you're funny and exciting to be around and I wouldn't give away a moment of the time we've had together. But... well, that's where my feelings stop, I guess. I don't think you're the right kind of pony to be my coltfriend."

"Err... I-I see..." Tango stuttered, his usual bravado completely gone. "F-far be it from me, of course, to press the matter if your mind it truly made up..."

"I definitely want to stay friends though!" Honeydew announced, giving Tango a warm hug. "Just because I'm not interested in dating you doesn't mean I like you any less. Can we still hang out together?"

Dinky had to give Tango credit; he wrenched his attitude back to it's usual state almost immediately, or at least faked it very convincingly. "Why of course, my friend," he affirmed, patting her on the back. "Nothing I said a moment ago was meant to butter you up; I truly do delight in your company, in whichever form you choose to give it in."

"Great, because the success of Lifesense opens up about a thousand new avenues for research," Honeydew pointed out. "And I'm gonna need help from one of my best friends."

"And there will be plenty of time for that a little later," Clarity cut in. "But right now, we need to get inside before we're late."

Clarity, Honeydew, and Tango quickly trotted through the front doors. Scuffle hung back for a moment, looking a little shell shocked.

"Dinks, what just happened?"

"You got really freakin' lucky, that's what happened," Dinky replied. "Don't look a gift pony in the mouth, I guess. But we'll talk more about it later. Come on, the assembly's gonna start any second."

The five friends managed to get seats near the front of the main hall. Honeydew, seemingly undeterred by what had just happened, happily tucked herself between Tango and Scuffle as usual, so Dinky sat off to one side with Clarity.

Up on stage, Spiral Script and Wishing Star waited for the last of the students to trickle in. The counselor caught Dinky's eye for a moment and sent her a cheerful smile and a wave.

"So you said they're just discussing the final exam schedule?" Dinky asked, turning to Clarity.

"Yup," Clarity responded, her curls bouncing as she nodded. "It's nothing exciting. It's important info, but we'll probably only be here for a few minutes."

"Alright, alright, quiet down," Dean Script called, amplifying her voice enough to speak over the entire student body. "I know you're all very busy at this time of year, so we'll make this quick. I'm going to discuss the schedule for finals this year, and Wishing Star will provide some study tips based on your year and current classes. Now, first we have to—"

The doors of the main hall burst open, slamming against the walls and creating a huge, echoing sound that instantly drew the attention of everypony in the room. Dinky turned her head to see what had caused the commotion, and was shocked to see a familiar, aging mare, with a yellow coat and small pair of glasses, standing triumphantly in the doorway.

Most of the students simply looked confused, but those in Dinky's year immediately reacted with varying degrees of outrage.

After all, it wasn't every day the disgraced ex-dean had the audacity to appear on Academy grounds.

"Bright Spark!" Spiral Script snarled. "How dare you show your face here? You were given clear orders never to set foot on this campus again."

"Such petty things don't matter when there's lives at stake, professor," Bright Spark replied defiantly. "Your students are in mortal danger, and the threat has been hiding among them all this time."

"What are you going on about?" Spiral Script replied angrily. "This has been one of the most incident-free years in recent history. What threat could possibly be so severe that you'd dare to violate royal orders and return here?"

"Oh, I'll show you the threat," Bright Spark hissed. "It... or rather, she, is right here!"

With a gasp, Dinky felt herself surrounded by an unfamiliar aura. After a moment, she realized it was Bright Spark's doing; despite her friends' outraged yells, the ex-dean lifted her out of the crowd and onto the stage.

Dinky stood, stunned, as the audience looked at her curiously. Could... could Bright Spark somehow know my secret? she thought desperately. But... no, there's no way she could, right?

"Dinky Doo?" Spiral Script asked, pulling off an excellent poker face. "And what exactly has you so worked up about a single teenage unicorn?"

"Unicorn?" Bright Spark scoffed. "Student's of Celestia's Academy, listen to me! The creature you see on stage is no unicorn. Dinky Doo is one of Equestria's most fearsome creatures: a crafty, vicious dark magical monstrosity! A wraith!"

Fortunately for Dinky, her look of bewilderment at Bright Spark's sudden knowledge could easily be mistaken as one of confusion at the accusation. Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle sat stone-still in the crowd, avoiding eye contact with the confused students around them.

"That's preposterous," Spiral Script said, still maintaining her composure beautifully. "It's true that there was an incident here involving dark magic several years ago, but it's a wild logical leap to assume a wraith is involved, especially if there have been no further incidents in the intervening years."

Dinky started as Wishing Star grabbed hold of her tail, with her hoof rather than her magic, and dragged her back a short distance so she could step defensively in front of her. "Besides, Dinky's sweet and harmless!" the counselor added. "I've seen her studying, spending time with friends, and helping out younger students all year. She's a model student, not a monster! Right Dinky?"

Dinky felt the darkness flare up inside her, as it always did in stressful situations, so as usual she silently commanded it to be still.

And for the first time since the day her unicorn body crumbled away, it did not obey.

Wishing Star turned her head curiously. "Dinky? You okay hon?" she asked. "There's no need to be nervous; nopony here actually believes the nonsense that old crone is spouting."

"I... y-yeah, I'm..."

She paused, feeling a familiar pounding in her horn. It was a sensation she hadn't felt for years: the feeling of dark magic fighting with her body to be set free. She concentrated on holding it back.

Muttering spread throughout the crowd. Dinky wanted to stand up straighter and answer the questions, but it was all she could do to keep the dark magic at bay.

"Is something wrong with her?" she heard one colt say.

"I think she's having a panic attack or something," a filly replied.

What's happening? Dinky mentally screamed, rooted to the spot by the effort of containing her magic. Why is the darkness growing? Wraiths are supposed to have control over dark magic, damn it!

"Dinky, you're not well," Spiral Script said suddenly, trotting in her direction. "Pay Bright Spark no mind. Let's get you to the infirmary."

Dinky's legs began to shake as the pounding in her horn became a deafening drumbeat. "D-Dean Script, I... I can't—"

Before the dean could reach her, her strength gave out. With an agonized cry, a churning black aura burst to life around her horn, forcing the dean and Wishing Star to take several steps back for their own safety. A collective gasp spread through much of the room, and from somewhere in the back, she head the sharp peal of Bright Spark's malicious laughter.

"Dinky!" Spiral Script cried, her enormous composure finally failing. "What are you doing? You must stop this at once!"

"Dean Script... h-help..." Dinky gasped, as violet wisps began to snake from her eyes, and dark tears seeped down her cheeks, staining the fur greyish-black. "I c-can't... w-why can't I h-h-hold it back!?"

The magic inside her body surged, ignoring her attempts to stem it completely. Smoke poured from her horn over her body. Helplessly, she watched her pale purple fur dissolve away like a layer of dust, leaving behind deep, dark violet. Her mane and tail blackened and lost their form until they were only slightly more corporeal than inky black smoke. She shut her eyes, knowing when she opened them again a second later, the normal irises and pupils would be gone, replaced by eerie yellow lights glowing from deep inside black sockets. And at last, her horn, warped and corrupted by the magic it channeled, morphed into the sharply pointed crescent she knew it would.

She felt the transformation cease. Gingerly, she opened her eyes, the lights within them casting a golden glow on the stage in front of her. The hall was utterly silent, save for the writhing and crackling of the dark magic still swirling around her horn.

As the entire student body of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns looked on in shock and horror, Dinky Doo, the wraith, stood for all to see.

The wraith revealed

Chapter 14

Pipsqueak stood on the highest deck of the ship, telescope in hoof. For now, all was quiet; there was no sign of anything but the rolling waves in all directions. This was a relief, as there was no telling what one would encounter in waters this close to the griffon kingdom.

"Heya Pip!"

The colt jumped, and very nearly dropped the telescope, fumbling with it for a few seconds before securing a firm grip. "Must you sneak up on me like that?" he sighed, turning to the grinning batpony hovering in the air behind him.

"I mean... yeah, probably," Scoville answered, alighting on the platform and shrugging. "Lack of entertainment is bad for my health. And staring at water loses its entertainment value after the first couple months."

Pip casually shoved his bunkmate off the side of the deck. Scoville proceeded to dramatically pretend to fall to his death before slowing the plummet with his wings and lazily floating back up to Pip's level.

"So, did you need something, or are you just killing time?" Pipsqueak asked. "Because I'm sure Ensign Briny can find a way to occupy your spare time."

"Oh, right, I'm supposed to tell you your watch is just about over," Scoville remembered. "Somepony will be up here to take over at 1600 hours, which is in like... five minutes. Ensign Briny wants us both to report below deck after that. Ugh, I hope that pain-in-the-flank isn't gonna make us chart the expected course of that griffon vessel we passed yesterday. Maps give me a headache and griffons aren't much better and... oi, are you even listening to me?"

Pip stood very still, staring off into the sea with an alarmed look on his face. Scoville looked him over carefully and eventually noticed a soft, light purple glow emanating from the earth pony's pendant.

"Oh hey, look at that!" he announced. "That little necklace-type doodad is glowing. Guess your fillyfriend finally decided to say hi, huh?"

Pipsqueak raised a shaky hoof, clenching it around the diamond pendant. "This isn't Dinky's magic," he said breathlessly. "I've felt this energy once before, years ago. It's a spell that was placed on the pendants by a pony named Sparkler."

"Sparkler, eh?" Scoville said slyly. "So who's she, the side chick? I didn't take you for that type of pony, Pip."

"Scoville, this is serious!" Pip snapped. "Sparkler is an acquaintance of Dinky's. She placed a spell of her own on our pendants years ago that alerted me when Dinky was in terrible mortal danger. Now that enchantment has activated again."

Scoville raised an eyebrow. "So what, Dinky's in trouble?" he asked skeptically. "Ain't she still at the Academy? Shouldn't be much that can happen to her there."

"I wish that were true," Pip grumbled as he started down the ladder to the lower deck. "Unfortunately, trouble has a way of following Dinky around. But she hasn't been in trouble like this since..."

He trailed off. Scoville cocked his head.

"Since...?"

"Since a long time ago," Pipsqueak finished. "The point is, I have to help her."

Scoville nervously ran his tongue over his fangs. "I hate to tell ya this, buddy, but we're in the middle of the ocean," he pointed out. "Even if you wanted to send a letter, you'd have to wait for the pegasus courier to arrive tomorrow morning; it's not like we have a mail dragon on board. So if the situation's really that urgent, you better hope she can get it sorted on her own, 'cause you can do precisely jack squat about it from here."

The pendant glowed brighter, and Pip felt a wave of nausea wash over him that had nothing to do with the motion of the ship. "This mission's almost over. We'll be in port in a week," he said. "The moment we make landfall, I'm taking the first train back to Ponyville. I just hope there's still somepony to come back to when I get there."

Scoville frowned, and patted Pip's side gently. "Hey, everything you've told me about Dinky has made it clear that she's about as strong and smart as they come," he said softly. "Whoever or whatever is threatening her, I'm sure she'll kick its ass and be waiting for you when you get back."

Pipsqueak stared out at the waves, holding tightly to the pendant as if keeping it secure would keep Dinky safe as well. "I hope you're right, Scoville," he sighed. "I really hope you're right..."

Stifling silence filled the main hall of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns. Dinky's took the quickest of glances at her friends as her horn continued to pulse with dark magic. Scuffle was on his hooves, ready for the chaos that was about to break loose. Honeydew looked positively distraught, her cheeks stained with tears as she looked on in horror. Tango Trot, who until this moment knew nothing of Dinky's true identity, wore a mixed expression of terror and betrayal.

Only Clarity seemed to have the presence of mind to try to act. She looked desperately at Dinky and silently mouthed a single, frantic word.

"Run."

"Don't just gawk at her!" Bright Spark bellowed, shattering the sudden silence. "Attack! We must subdue that monster this instant!"

Dinky watched in disbelief as hundreds and hundreds of horns lit in unison. The air was filled with the hum of magic building on an unprecedented scale. Taking Clarity's suggestion, she turned tail and bolted toward the back of the stage.

An instant later, the air was full of yelling voices, frantic hoofsteps, and dozens of multicolored blasts of magic. The professors made an attempt to contain the chaos, but it was utterly fruitless; there were barely a dozen of them, and nearly a thousand panicked students. And with the stage surrounded on all sides, Dinky had no doorway to escape through. In seconds, she realized, she'd be cornered and potentially blown to bits by hundreds of spells.

A huge fireball whizzed past her, missing her by inches, and struck the great arched window on the wall behind the stage. The tremendous sound of shattering glass joined the clamor, but even as it did so, Dinky recognized her one chance of escape. With all her strength, and with dozens of attack spells only inches behind her, she bounded through the jagged hole, dissolving into smoke in midair and surging away from the Academy and into the late afternoon air.

"She's gone!" Clarity cried, as students clambered onto the stage to fruitlessly fire spells at the rapidly receding black blotch.

"What do we do?" Honeydew wailed, ducking low to the floor as a flurry of shuffling bodies flowed like a living river around the group of friends. "It'll take hours to quell this chaos!"

"And what of the real Dinky?" Tango Trot asked. "Was there even a real Dinky at all, or has that monstrosity been playing the part of our friend all this time while it was planning something sinister?"

"We'll explain later, Tango!" Clarity cried. "Do what you can to try to bring some order to the students. The quicker we can get the pandemonium under control, the better."

"And what about you?" Tango asked. "We're both Overseers. Aren't you going to do the same?"

"I'm going to do something even more important," Clarity announced. "Honeydew and Scuffle can come with me, but please, Tango, just trust me and try to calm things here. I'm sure the professors are already working on it too."

Tango looked skeptical. "Very well, my friend, I trust you," he said finally. "You three do what you need to do. I'll meet up with you later."

"Right, let's go!" Clarity said, pushing her way into the crowd.

"Thanks, Tango!" Honeydew called as she followed the other filly.

"Yeah, we owe you one dude," Scuffle added.

Tango watched them go, then looked at the sea of terrified and angry ponies swirling around him.

"Well, I suppose I'd better get started."

In a flash of cinnamon red, Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle appeared on the Academy grounds near the edge of the forest, keeping their distance from the dozens of students running to or from various campus buildings, or huddling together to discuss what they'd just seen in hushed voices.

"Ok, quick question now that we're out of earshot of the crowds," Scuffle began. "What in Equestria just happened!?"

"I don't know," Clarity answered, biting her lip. "Dinky's never lost control of her dark magic since she lost her unicorn body, not even once. She's always said that wraiths are physically built to wield it, so they can keep it in check. But back there in the main hall, it reminded me of when she was still a unicorn, struggling to hold it back as it tried to break free and cause damage."

Honeydew shivered. "Do... do you think that maybe those fears Dinky's had the last few months were correct?" she squeaked. "Maybe dark magic really has been slowly swallowing up what's left of the unicorn's heart inside her, and now it's gone completely?"

"No!" Clarity insisted, stamping a forehoof. "Dinky's friendship has always been unwavering. I could never believe that my best friend is fading away just because her spirit's housed inside a dark creature now. You two have never felt like she's been growing more distant, have you?"

Scuffle shook his head fiercely. "Dinks always has my back," he affirmed. "Whether it's schoolwork related or—"

He paused for just an instant and cast the tiniest of glances at Honeydew. "—Or something more personal, she's never left me hanging. Tough, but loyal, and that didn't change when she became a wraith."

"And Dinky knows I'm... you know, not quite as adventurous as you two," Honeydew added. "Even though her personality is probably closer to Scuffle's than mine, she knows how to dial it back when the situation is calmer or more delicate. If the wraith side of her was winning out over the pony side, I don't think she'd have that much self-control."

"Exactly," Clarity said, nodding. "There's no way to know what just happened exactly, but I know it wasn't the darkness winning out over her heart. But now's not the time to figure that out."

A great, lumbering shape cast a huge shadow over much of the grounds. The Academy's massive mail dragon, Twinkletoes, who generally stayed confined to the old post office at the edge of Academy grounds, was seated on the grass next to the castle. Dozens and dozens of students clustered around him, as he sent their messages in flash after flash of magical green fire."

"See that?" Clarity asked. "Even once the professors finally get control of the horde of students and tell them not to fear Dinky, it won't matter; they're already informing their relatives of what happened, who will inform their friends and neighbors, who will inform town guards and news outlets everywhere. In a matter of hours, word's going to get out all around Equestria that there's a wraith on the loose, and until Princess Luna and Princess Twilight can intervene on a nationwide scale to calm the masses... Dinky's gonna be public enemy number one."

"Which means, even though Dinky escaped the Academy, she's going to be in very real danger by the end of the day?" Honeydew asked, rubbing her notched horn nervously.

"Right," said Scuffle, nodding. "So, rescue time, yeah? What's the plan, Clarity?"

Clarity raised an eyebrow. "What, no quips about how the three of us ditching the Academy to track down a fugitive is a bad idea?" she asked with a wry grin.

"Oh, it's a bad idea," said Honeydew dully. "But that's never stopped you two before, and I'm sure not staying here by myself."

"Well, fortunately for us, we don't have to disappear without a trace this time," Clarity continued, conjuring a scroll and quill and jotting down a short note. "Dean Script obviously can't leave the Academy to go after Dinky, so I'm going to let her know we did. At least that way somepony will know where we went. She'll get the message by dragon mail though, after we're already gone, so if she objects—"

"When she objects," Honeydew corrected.

"—When she objects to the plan, she won't be able to stop us," Clarity finished.

Scuffle scraped a hoof through the dirt in anticipation. "Well thought out as usual, Clarity," he said with a grin. "I'm guessing you also know how we're going to find Dinks before an angry mob does?"

Clarity rolled her eyes. "Scuffle, it's been years. How do you still manage to forget that my hair clip can pinpoint Dinky and Honeydew at any time?" she asked.

Scuffle pouted. "Right, the hair clip," he grumbled. "Okay, so are we going or what?"

Clarity teleported her note across the campus. It appeared in midair over Twinkletoes' head and was swept up with a dozen other students' letters in his next breath of green fire. "Now we can go," she declared. "Brace for group teleportation, you two."

"Clarity!"

Clarity's horn fizzled out an instant before her spell activated. The three friends looked toward the agitated crowd still bustling near the castle and spotted three foals sprinting toward them. Leading the group, of course, was Inkwell, her braids trailing in the wind behind her as she galloped toward them. Portabella and Top Percentile trailed close behind.

"Clarity, what's going on?" Inkwell cried, digging her hooves into the dirt to skid to a halt before she bowled into the older students. "Is Dinky's dark magic out of control?"

Clarity sucked in her breath. "Um... I'm not sure Inkwell," she admitted. "I've never seen her transform like that by accident before..."

"Wait, so normally she really can do that on purpose then, like Inkwell said?" Portabella asked.

Inkwell fidgeted nervously. "Oh and... I told Bella and Top the truth about Dinky a minute ago," she confessed. "But only because they found out anyway! I just told them the truth so they wouldn't be angry or scared like everypony else is."

"I must profess, had Inkwell imparted the particulars of Dinky's clandestine nature prior to its neoteric widespread reveal, I would have interpreted such a bulletin as dubious, if not outright fabricated," Top Percentile admitted, adjusting his thick glasses nervously.

"That was good thinking," Clarity replied, nodding. "Dinky's not trying to hurt anypony... but we don't know why she lost control of her powers like that. We're going to find her before she ends up in more danger."

"Then we'll come too!" Inkwell announced. "Maybe we can help!"

"Woo! Adventure!" Portabella, casually scooping up her scrawny coltfriend with one foreleg like one might grab a saddlebag.

"No, you won't," said Clarity sternly. "We don't know what's going to happen now. I'm not putting you three in unnecessary danger. Besides, despite the situation, you're not allowed to leave the Academy."

"Neither are you!" Inkwell argued. "Dinky's always been really nice to us! We want to help too. And what if you three go alone and get hurt?"

"Uh, Clarity," Scuffle cut in. "The dean's gonna be gettin' that note you sent right about now. We gotta get the heck out or she'll come lookin' for us."

"See? There's no time to argue," Inkwell reasoned, latching onto Clarity's foreleg. "Come on, teleport us!"

"Inkwell, I said no," Clarity scolded, raising her voice a bit. "Listen... the only reason Dinky is a wraith now is because she did the same thing when she was your age; she went out thinking she could stop something bad from happening and ended up in over her head because of it. If you want to help, go tell Overseer Tango what's going on, and help him calm ponies down."

"Inkwell, I recommend we hearken to the Overseer's directive," Top Percentile suggested. "I acknowledge you care profoundly for her, but her familiarity with Dinky's idiosyncratic circumstances substantially outweighs ours."

Inkwell teared up a bit. "B-but..."

"Clarity, there's no more time!" Honeydew urged. "We have to go! Now!"

Looking almost as upset as Inkwell, Clarity cast a small shield and wedged it between their bodies, using it to pry Inkwell off her like a spatula. With a little gasp, the pinto filly tumbled backwards into her friends.

"No, wait!"

Clarity's horn was already alight again. Inkwell bounded forward, but too late; she landed on an empty patch of grass an instant after the three older students vanished in a flash of reddish light.

Ditzy stood before the gleaming crystal tree that functioned both as the home of Princess Twilight Sparkle and the meeting place for the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. For a moment, she thought back to a time not so terribly long ago, when Twilight had been just a unicorn, albeit an extremely powerful one. She'd been Dinky's magic tutor at one time, though her princess duties kept her much busier these days, especially with Celestia and Cadance's extended absence. She had been present at the resurrection of Scorpio, though, so Ditzy knew it was likely she'd prioritize Dinky-related affairs, even if her schedule was full.

She raised a hoof to knock, but before she could, the great door swung open, and the small dragon on the other side jumped a bit as the unexpected sight of four ponies standing there.

"Oh, hey Ditzy Doo," Spike greeted, quickly shaking off the surprise. "Looking for Twilight?"

"Yeah, and it's kind of important," said Ditzy worriedly.

"Well, you're in luck," Spike replied, gesturing for her and her companions to enter. "Classes just let out for the day at the School of Friendship, so she just got back a few minutes ago. Follow me!"

He took to the air, which surprised Ditzy for just a moment; Spike's wings were a relatively recent development and she hadn't quite gotten used to seeing the normally land-bound dragon in flight yet. Quickly, the four matchmakers followed him through the winding halls of the crystal castle.

"I don't think I've ever been in here," Watt mused. "I guess the princess uses magical lighting, so there's not much need for an electrician."

"You're lucky that's only accessible to unicorns, or you'd be out of a job," Breeze teased.

Watt shrugged. "Eh, that's why I'm also a shipper. And a co-deity of a realm contained entirely within Pinkie Pie's imagination. That last one doesn't really pay the bills though."

Spike pushed open another huge door, revealing a large, roughly circular room, with seven crystal thrones situated around a central table. An immense chandelier dangled overhead, built from the root system of what was once the Golden Oaks library. Dozens of multicolored crystals danged from it, casting glimmers of color all over the room.

And all alone in the cavernous hall was Princess Twilight Sparkle, leafing through a large stack of papers that appeared to be student-submitted essays. The sound of the door closing caught her attention, and she looked up.

"Oh, well if it isn't Ditzy and the rest of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services," she said, smiling warmly and beckoning them to join her. "Come sit over here. The girls won't mind if you borrow their thrones."

The four ponies seated themselves around the table, and Spike hopped into a much smaller throne beside Twilight's. "Thank you, princess," Cloudcover said politely. "I'm sure you're quite busy, so please pardon our intrusion."

Twilight waved a hoof. "I can spare a few minutes," she promised. "So Ditzy, how's Dinky doing at the Academy?"

"Fine, last I heard," Ditzy admitted. "She just sent me a letter less than an hour ago. But she mentioned something in there that has me... concerned. I was hoping you could help."

Twilight's smile faded just a bit. "We're not talking about something dark magic related here, I hope?" she asked.

"No, no, nothing like that," Ditzy replied quickly. "She mentioned that there was a new counselor at the school this year, and this was the first I'd heard about it."

"Oh, you mean Wishing Star!" Twilight realized, her smile returning. "She's a sweet mare. Not as versed in magic as the rest of the Academy's staff, but she seems to have quite a talent for counseling. My school's counselor, Starlight Glimmer, has been meaning to get together with her to trade stories and ideas."

"So you have met her then?" Ditzy asked. "What's she look like?"

Twilight tapped her hoof to her chin for a moment. "I've only spoken to her in person once or twice," she confessed. "She definitely had bright colors that match her bright attitude, though. I think her coat was... pink? No, orange. The thing that stood out though was this cute bejeweled headband she wore; Rarity thought it was quite a standout accessory."

"It is her!" all four of Twilight's guests yelled in unison, almost causing her to jump out of her chair.

"W-what? What about her?" Twilight asked.

"Well, this needs a bit of context..." Cloudcover began. "Princess, you may have heard, earlier this year, of the tragic passing of our CEO, the late Dr. Candyfloss."

Twilight nodded somberly. "I was really sorry to hear that, yes," she said softly. "Although I was happy to see that Equestria Speedy Shipping Services didn't close up shop once he was gone."

"Not long after that, we hired a new office manager," Watt explained. "She seemed like a good fit at the time."

"And that new office manager was Wishing Star!" Ditzy finished.

Hastily, over the next few minutes, the four matchmakers recounted the story of Wishing Star's scheme, and eventual betrayal. Twilight listened in silence, the disbelief on her face slowly growing.

"Anyway, if what she did to us is any indication, Wishing Star could very well be secretly stirring up trouble at Celestia's Academy," Ditzy said urgently. "You know the dean, right? She needs to be made aware her counselor is not what she seems."

"I agree completely," Twilight affirmed, nodding. "Spike? Take a letter please. We need to get in contact with Spiral Script right away."

"Right!" Spike answered, grabbing a scroll and a quill from beneath his tiny throne. "What do you need me to... to..."

He paused, looked quite uncomfortable for a moment, and then with a tremendous belch, spit up a tongue of green fire that materialized into a scroll. He caught it as it fell from the air and looked at it, confused.

"The Academy's seal?" he asked. "Looks like Dean Script might be the one contacting you, Twilight."

Twilight grabbed the note with magic and opened it up. Even though she couldn't see the contents from her position, Ditzy could see the message was very short. It couldn't have been more than a few sentences. Twilight read through it in a second or two, gasped softly, and turned her gaze to Ditzy immediately. Something in her eyes made the grey mare's stomach churn.

"Is... everything alright princess?"

Twilight winced. "Well, the good news is, the message has nothing to do with Wishing Star," she said nervously. "The bad news is... it's about Dinky."

"Wait, what!?" Ditzy gasped, jumping from her chair. "Is she okay?"

"I... don't know," Twilight managed, cringing. "The note's very short, like Dean Script had only seconds to write it. I can only imagine the chaos at the Academy right now."

"Princess, what chaos?" Breeze pressed. "What's happening over there?"

"Somehow, Dinky's secret has been exposed," Twilight explained. "Hundreds of ponies just learned she's a wraith."

"What? How!?" Ditzy cried.

"There's no explanation in the letter," Twilight said sheepishly, "but I suspect this means Dinky's in danger, possibly at the hooves of some of her own peers. Princess Luna's apparently already en route, but we should still leave for the Academy right away."

"Ditzy, you and Breeze go," Cloudcover instructed. "Watt and I will wait here and try to keep Ponyville calm. News is bound to reach here sooner or later, and considering many of the townsfolk know Dinky, there are sure to be rumors flying in no time."

"Good plan," Breeze agreed.

"We all have wings, and flying will be faster than the train," Twilight pointed out. "Are you two ready to go?"

"Yes! And please, let's hurry!" Ditzy urged. "Get us outside now. We have to get to Dinky before the situation gets any more out of control!"

Ditzy and Breeze found themselves surrounded in Twilight's aura, and Watt and Cloudcover watched as the princess and her two passengers vanished in a flash of light.

Wishing Star poked her head into the office and grinned.

Bright Spark was tied to a lone chair in the middle of the empty room, with a magic-suppression ring affixed to the base of her horn. Despite her situation, she didn't seem the least bit concerned.

"Princess Luna's talking with the dean now," Wishing Star reported as she slipped into the room and closed the door. "I'd brace yourself if I were you; Luna's gonna give you an earful to say the least."

"I figured as much," the ex-dean said casually. "Not that it will make any difference. Dinky's been exposed; by now, dozens if not hundreds of ponies have been informed of the dangerous wraith loose in Equestria, and the news will continue to spread."

"And I wouldn't worry about yourself, either," Wishing Star giggled. "Luna and Dean Script have no idea that I'm on your side. Let Luna do her thing and then give me a minute; I'll distract her and get you out of here."

Bright Spark nodded, but before she could reply, the sound of heavy hoofsteps echoed from outside the door. Wishing Star quickly backed off, standing in the corner out of the way as the door burst open and a very, very angry Princess Luna strode in. She slammed the door behind her so hard that cracks ran through the wood.

"Explain yourself!" she barked, towering over the aging unicorn in the chair. "How did you learn of young miss Doo's secret, and more importantly, what trickery did you employ to force her to change form?"

Bright Spark smiled and respectfully bowed her head. "Princess Luna, the secret wasn't as airtight as you may have believed," she said calmly. "Who can say where I learned it, really? Whispers of dark magic hidden at the Academy have persisted for years. Dinky wasn't exactly subtle during her first term."

"Using dark magic and actually being a wraith are vastly different things," Luna growled. "Until a short time ago, only the Academy's current staff, as well as a specific four students and an additional four civilians from Ponyville, knew the truth. Did you somehow gain this information from one of them?"

"It's quite possible," Bright Spark replied, almost tauntingly. "You never know what ponies might let slip, perhaps without even realizing it."

Luna grit her teeth. "It doesn't matter," she said finally. "I'm far more concerned with your means of exposing Dinky. I know of no spell that can manipulate the dark magic in another being that isn't dark magic itself. You realize that if you used dark magic to accomplish this, it is an immense violation of Equestrian law, for which you could be imprisoned for the rest of your years?"

"I assure you, Princess Luna, my actions ended with my accusation," Bright Spark said. "Dinky's transformation in front of all those ponies happened entirely under her power, not mine."

"I don't believe you," Luna replied flatly. "Remain still while I test you for telltale traces of dark magic."

Bright Spark did as she was told as Luna touched the tips of their horns together. A few seconds passed, in which the only sound was the gentle hum of Luna's aura, and then she drew her head away again, looking both confused and even angrier than before.

"Nothing," she spat. "There's no trace of dark magic tainting you. But how can that be?"

"Because I used none!" Bright Spark snapped. "I showed up here with a noble purpose: informing the good citizens of Equestria that a deadly monster was in their midst. How Dinky responded was no fault of mine, but it was a blessing. The staff here were clearly conspiring to cover up the truth, but not even Dean Script can convince anypony that Dinky is a normal unicorn now!"

Wishing Star watched silently from the corner as Luna loomed over the complacent old unicorn. For a moment, she was convinced the princess was going to lose her temper and attack. Instead, she simply turned away.

"I see now why my sister loathed you so," she said darkly as she slowly made for the exit. "Your arrogance is unlike any I've ever seen. Both in the past, and again today, it seems when you're convinced that you're right, you will oppose anypony, at any expense, to get your way. And now an innocent student is in danger because of you."

"Innocent student?" Bright Spark laughed. "No wraith will ever be innocent, Princess Luna. Dinky nearly killed dozens of ponies in her first term, and I'm sure if left alone she would have done so again."

Luna snorted. "My sister was content to banish you from this place for your inexcusable behavior. I will not be so lenient.
Even if you didn't magically manipulate Dinky, your actions are clearly what brought on this episode. You will remain here while I discuss what I have learned from you with Dean Script and..."

The princess turned her head and finally seemed to notice Wishing Star standing nearby. "Counselor, you were on stage with Dinky during the incident, were you not?" she asked. "Do you have any ideas as to what triggered her transformation?"

"Well, I can tell you what I saw, princess," Wishing Star replied, loading her voice with fake uncertainty and concern. "Let's go somewhere private though, away from—" she cast a nervous glance at Bright Spark, "—her."

Luna nodded. "Lead the way."

Wishing Star trotted out of the room and pushed open the door to an unused classroom across the hall. She stepped back and gestured politely for Luna to enter. Barely holding back a malicious giggle, she watched the princess enter the room before following behind her and closing the door.

"Now," Luna began, "please, counselor, tell me all you know about—"

She stopped mid-sentence, and Wishing Star knew exactly why. Grinning ear to ear, she lit the classroom's illumination orbs, brightening the dark chamber.

Luna stood at the center of a very intricate runic circle that had been painstakingly drawn on the floor with chalk. She moved her head slightly, but every inch of the rest of her remained completely still, fixed in place by magic.

"W-what is this?" she cried, her voice a mix of anger and confusion. "

"Well, it's about time!" Wishing Star laughed as she paced around to the front of the princess. "Celestia and Cadance were easy to lure into a trap, but boy, you sure have been watching your step, Princess Luna. It took me months to find a way to catch you alone and corner you somewhere like this."

"Wait... you?" Luna gasped. "You're responsible for the disappearing princesses?"

"You got it!" Wishing Star sang as she charged up a spell. "Now hold still for a sec. Not that you have a choice, of course."

The unicorn flooded the circle with pink light, which spiraled around Princess Luna for a second before solidifying into an enormous pink crystal, identical to the ones holding the other princesses. Freed from the immobilization spell now that she was no longer in contact with the runes on the floor, Luna immediately blasted at the walls with magic, but didn't leave even the faintest scratch.

"Now I'm sure you're very angry and shocked and maybe even a little frightened," Wishing Star cooed. "But don't worry; we'll have plenty of time to talk about it once you join the others in my little secret lair."

She trotted right up to the crystal, her nose just inches from that of her captive. "But, I just thought you'd like to know before I send you off..." she continued. "Bright Spark was telling the truth. She didn't force Dinky to transform in front of everypony, oh no. That was me."

Luna cried out for help, presumably in the Royal Canterlot voice if the vibrating of the crystal was any indication, but not even the faintest sound made it past the shimmering prison's walls. Wishing Star gave the princess a final, playful wave, and then cast another spell. The runic circle suddenly flashed, becoming a portal to a dark, underground room. With silent cries and fruitless attacks, Luna's crystal sank through the portal and into the chamber, where it came to rest beside two others. The magical gateway snapped shut a second later, and it only took a few flicks of Wishing Star's tail to wipe away the chalk dust, leaving no indication that anything had ever been amiss.

With a satisfied smirk, she trotted back across the hall. Bright Spark remained bound to her chair, unaware of what had just transpired.

"She's distracted!" Wishing Star whispered, quickly yanking the magic-suppression ring off the ex-dean's horn. "Get out now before they realize anything's wrong. I'll meet you at the usual place tonight."

Bright Spark wasted no time. With access to her magic restored, she teleported away immediately. Wishing Star giggled as she found herself alone again.

"Three down, one to go," she mumbled to herself as she trotted back into the hall. "I guess I better inform the dean that our suspect has escaped and poor Princess Luna seems to have vanished without a trace. And as for Bright Spark... she'll realize what her true role in all this is as well, very soon..."

"Where the heck are we, Clarity?"

"Oh, that's right, you haven't been here before," Clarity answered, noticing Scuffle's frustrated look as he pushed through the thick underbrush. "I'm not surprised that Dinky went this way. We're in the forest not far from the town of Hollow Shades."

Honeydew stepped daintily up next to the others, the shrubs and roots around her responding to her Lifesense spell and politely bending themselves out of her way. In contrast to Scuffle, this allowed her to wander the thick forest with little effort. "Hollow Shades?" she asked nervously. "So we're near the place where... where Scorpio was reborn, and Dinky became a wraith in the first place?"

"That's right," Clarity replied grimly. "And my enchantment tells me she's close. I don't know what state she's going to be in, though. Let's be cautious."

Honeydew inched a little closer to Scuffle. "You think Dinky is dangerous?" she squeaked.

"I didn't say that," Clarity pointed out. "But she did just lose control of her dark powers for the first time in years, and then had many of her classmates turn on her. A traumatized wraith doesn't sound like the most... uh, stable of creatures, so we need to treat this delicately."

"You can hang back a bit once we find her," Scuffle added. "Me and Clarity will make sure it's safe."

A clearing appeared in the trees up ahead. Clarity squinted, and spotted a few regularly spaced structures. "Headstones," she whispered. "This is the cemetery where that poor colt Sunbeam is buried. The one that Scorpio's minion Antares was impersonating."

Cautiously, the three unicorns approached the edge of the clearing. Clarity got her first unobstructed view, and sucked in her breath.

The graveyard had always been a run-down place, at least in Clarity's memory, but much more of it lay in ruins now. Piles of charred stone were all that remained of many of the old markers. Patches of tall grass were burnt and withered, and great swathes were cut through the soil, as if somepony had tried to tear the earth itself apart. At the far end of the site, gnarled trees were mostly devoid of leaves, with their branches blackened and warped as if they'd tried in desperation to turn away from some horrible, poisonous force that was quickly killing them.

And sitting in the dead grass at the base of the biggest remaining headstone was Dinky. Her wraith form was still in full view, and dark magic swirled and crackled around her curved horn. She sat with her head bowed, her whole body emanating a baneful sort of smoke that crept outward, gradually continuing to twist and blacken everything around her.

For several seconds, the three unicorns stood in silence. Finally, Clarity took a single step forward.

"Dinky?"

Dinky's head turned sharply in Clarity's direction, her glowing yellow eyes casting long shadows in the evening light.

"Hey Dinks, it's us," Scuffle called. "Good thing we found you."

"No it's not!" Dinky growled, causing her friends to wince. Her voice, already normally a malicious hiss when in wraith form, seemed to have a deeper, even more unsettling sound to it. "Get away! You'll end up getting hurt!"

"Dinky, we just want to help," Clarity said gently. "Please, just stay calm and we can—"

"If you try to help, you'll just get yourself killed," Dinky replied bluntly. "You'll get incinerated or something because I can't hold this damned magic back!"

The black and purple aura around Dinky's horn grew more intense as she spoke. Above her, a few tree branches recoiled with such force that one or two of them snapped off completely. The dead grass immediately surrounding Dinky shriveled further, until it looked like the lightest touch would make it simply crumble to dust.

"What do we do?" Honeydew whispered, shivering and backing slowly into the cover of the trees.

"Stay here," Clarity instructed. "If something happens to me, you two can go get help."

"Wait, huh?" Scuffle whispered back. "Clarity, look at her! Equestria itself is trying to shy away from her right now."

"Yes, because she's distraught," Clarity explained. "It's making her dark magic run wild. Before she stands a chance of controlling her magic, she needs to control her emotions. I'm gonna try to help her with that."

Honeydew clung nervously to Scuffle. "B-b-be careful..."

Determined, Clarity stepped out of the cover of the trees and slowly began to make her way across the cemetery. She never broke eye contact with Dinky as she approached.

"Clarity!" Dinky yelled, the deep, monstrous reverberation in her voice growing louder. "Stay back! I'm warning you!"

Clarity shook her head and continued at the same steady pace. Dinky pressed her back against the headstone like a cornered animal, her horn sparking and crackling.

"I can't hold my power back!" she screamed. "I'll... I'll hurt you! I'll kill you! Do you really want me to kill you, Clarity!?"

Clarity slowed her pace just a bit. "Do you want to kill me, Dinky?" she asked softly.

Black tears rolled down Dinky's face. "Of c-course not!" she sobbed. "B-but I can't help it! I can't suppress the wraith part of me. And wraiths kill ponies!"

"Wraiths enjoy killing ponies," Clarity corrected, now more than halfway across the graveyard. "I don't care what your powers are doing. If you don't want to hurt me, then the wraith hasn't won."

Clarity reached the edge of the zone affected by dark magic. She took a breath and stepped carefully across the threshold, her hoof touching down on dead, crumbling grass. She winced a bit, and although she continued to move forward, it was obvious that the proximity to such strong dark magic was now causing her pain.

"Please..." Dinky whimpered, more softly than before. "I'm hurting you. T-turn around..."

The tips of Clarity's fur began to darken slightly, and the smell of smoldering hair filled the air. She squinted in the way one would when approaching something especially hot or bright. But finally, she stood just a pony-length away from Dinky, just barely outside the range of the black sparks raining down from the wraith's horn. Dinky sat, frozen in place, sniffling and shaking her head helplessly.

"It's gonna be okay," Clarity whispered. "The darkness is doing something strange to your body, but I know you're not trying to hurt me. That means your heart is still in charge."

"Heart?" Dinky croaked. "I don't have a heart anymore, Clarity. Don't you see? I can't hide my wraith form anymore because the darkness finally swallowed it up completely..."

"Dinky," said Clarity gently, "I know you remember the night you and I met Scorpio like it was yesterday, right?"

Dinky nodded slowly, warily watching the scorch marks in Clarity's fur grow larger.

"That night, when you were still a unicorn, but at the height of your corruption, something not all that different from this happened," Clarity continued. "You couldn't stem the flow of dark magic, and you wanted me to leave before I got hurt. But there was something stronger than dark magic: something you used to keep it in check. Do you remember?"

Dinky's lip quivered, showing her fangs for a moment. "I... reminded myself, over and over..." she whispered, "th-that Clarity is my friend... and... friendship is stronger than the darkness..."

"That's right," Clarity replied. "Maybe you can't stop the dark magic right now, but it's only doing damage because you're afraid of it. You're letting it control what it's doing to the world around you. Please just try to channel it the way you always do, and I know you can use it safely."

Dinky took a shuddering breath and tried to relax. The dark aura coursing around her horn didn't cease, but the energy field killing the surrounding plants and slowly eating away at Clarity gradually faded until it was gone completely. "I'm sorry," she mewled, her voice returning to its normal, quiet rasp. "I'm just so scared. This body's never struggled to hold back my dark magic before..."

Clarity turned her head and beckoned to Honeydew and Scuffle, who finally emerged from the trees and hurried across the cemetery. "Clarity! You good?" Scuffle asked, skidding to a halt and looking the grey filly over. "You look a little... cooked."

"I'm fine," Clarity dismissed. "Let's focus on Dinky, not me."

"I still don't know what you're planning to do about this," Dinky grumbled, a black-stained tear dripping off her cheek and sizzling as it hit the ground. "No offense, but the three of you don't really know any more than I do about the workings of dark magic..."

Honeydew gingerly stepped closer, taking care to stay away from Dinky's sparking horn. She didn't say anything, but observed Dinky carefully.

"I mean, it'd help if we knew what changed," Scuffle admitted. "When we walked into that assembly, you were acting totally normal. Then as soon as Bright Spark burst in and accused you, it was like you lost it all at once. Could she have cast some spell on you or something?"

"I didn't see anything like that," Dinky mumbled, wiping away some more tears as her horn gave off a particularly violent burst of black sparks. "Dean Script and Wishing Star started to defend me and then... then it just felt like my magic suddenly took over. Like it tripled its aggressiveness to be set free, way beyond my capacity to keep it in check."

Honeydew tilted her head slightly. "Hang on, what's that?" she asked, breaking her long silence and pointing to Dinky's smoky tail.

Dinky looked. Her tail was jet black as always, but tucked into it, in the part near her body that was still at least relatively solid, was a tiny swatch of something pale purple. She gave her tail a flick, and while the motion sent some shreds of darkness floating off into the air, the off-colored part remained secure.

"I'm not sure," she said finally. "Can you get it? I can't use levitation magic right now. My horn's a bit... occupied."

Honeydew lit her horn and gently pulled on the purple swatch. It remained in place, so she gave a slightly harder tug, prying it loose. A tiny metal clip, less than half an inch long, came with it, which had previously been obscured by the blackness of Dinky's tail.

Instantaneously, Dinky's dark magic quieted. She glanced up at her own horn in shock.

"It... it stopped."

"Just like that?" Clarity asked, shocked. "You have control of it again?"

Dinky willed her inner darkness to do as she wanted, and this time, it complied without hesitation. Her body melted into smoke and reformed into a normal teen unicorn in just seconds. "The magic's dormant now," she said, stunned. "How can that be? It faded just as quickly as it came on."

"Thank Celestia," Clarity sighed as she leaned forward and hugged her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," Dinky replied. "I was scared; nothing like that's happened to me in a long time. And then, you know, out of control dark magic amplifies those feelings so I was... a little hysterical. Anger, fear, despair... those feelings grew and grew in me when I was still a corrupted unicorn, and whatever just happened now made them run wild again. Before you three got here, I got really mad when I couldn't get it under control by myself, and I kinda..."

She glanced out at the ruined cemetery. Most of the old forgotten headstones were now heaps of rubble, and little plumes of smoke rose up from burned grass and charred stumps.

"...Blew stuff up?" Scuffle asked, smirking.

Dinky smiled weakly. "Yeah..." she admitted. "But what about you, Clarity? How bad did that field I was giving off hurt you? Do you need medical help?"

Clarity glanced at her singed coat. "It's a weird combination of things," she confessed. "I feel like somepony put me in an oven and then asked me to run a marathon. I'm a little burnt and kinda sore, but it doesn't feel like anything that a bath and a good night's sleep won't fix."

Dinky looked relieved. "At least it stopped before I seriously injured somepony," she breathed. "I'm just not sure why. Is... is whatever was in my tail connected to this?"

"What was in her tail, anyway?" Scuffle asked, turning to Honeydew.

The pink filly examined the little purple tuft danging in her aura. "It's... just fur," she said finally. "Purple fur on a little clip."

Dinky leaned in, peering at the offending lock of hair closely. "That's not my fur," she insisted. "It's not the same shade: too dark to be part of my disguise, and too light to be wraith fur."

"If it's just fur, that can't be the cause of the dark magic surge, can it?" Honeydew asked.

Dinky reached out with the tip of a hoof and touched the little tuft. Her horn immediately sparked, and Honeydew squealed and jumped back.

"Sorry!" Dinky squeaked. "But to answer your question, yes, that's definitely the cause of the surge. That little thing is loaded with more dark magic than I've ever felt contained in an object before!"

"So why the heck would fur be full of dark magic?" Scuffle asked. "Unicorns and wraiths channel magic through their horns, not their fur."

Clarity's eyes widened suddenly. "Except... except for Scorpio," she muttered. "She was an earth pony who somehow had the power to channel magic through her purple tail."

Honeydew dropped the tuft of fur and scrambled backward several pony lengths. "Th-then is Scorpio back!?" she gasped.

"She can't be," Dinky said. "We sealed her in the Realm of Stars. More likely somepony just got a hold of a bit of her tail that was left behind in Equestria. I didn't realize it would still contain this much dark magic years later though."

"Then how did it wind up in your tail?" Clarity asked. "Bright Spark seems like the prime suspect, but she didn't get anywhere near you."

"Exactly," Dinky replied, nodding. "At the time my dark magic kicked in, the only pony anywhere near me was—"

She paused. A look of surprise and confusion came over her features.

"...was Wishing Star," she breathed. "Wishing Star grabbed me by the tail and pulled be back, supposedly to get me further from Bright Spark. She could easily have clipped Scorpio's fur in at that moment."

"But why would Wishing Star do that?" Honeydew whimpered. "She's never treated any of us badly before; in fact, she was really helpful at Professor Surge's dark magic counterspell sessions with Dinky."

"I don't get it either, but let's worry about what is happening before we worry about why," Clarity suggested, sealing the tuft of Scorpio's tail securely in a small box in her saddlebag. "We're in a really delicate situation now; it's been about three hours since that incident, so by now, word has probably spread quite far that there's a wraith on the loose. Even if things are under control at the Academy now, it's at the top of that cliff on the mountainside. It's too far to teleport, and the only other way there is the train from Canterlot. Obviously we can't risk that."

"So where can we go?" Scuffle asked, frustrated. "If we head for any town, there's a good chance somepony will recognize Dinky, even in unicorn form."

"That's the tricky part," Clarity sighed. "We need to find somewhere to go while we try to get in contact with Dean Script or Princess Luna or Twilight or something. Preferably somewhere with access to at least some kind of lodging and food, but yet wouldn't know or care about Dinky."

"You mean... a town where news doesn't travel fast?" Honeydew asked softly.

"Right," Dinky said. "But short of trekking all the way to the territories owned by the non-pony races, I can't think of any place like that."

"...I can, but you're not gonna like it," Honeydew sighed, staring down as she softly kicked the dead grass. "Um... how does a fruit farm in a tiny town of earth ponies sound?"

"Do you mean... your family's farm?" Dinky gasped.

"They definitely wouldn't be receiving dragon mail there," Honeydew pointed out. "Especially not from the Academy, since I'm the only pony in the town's known history that has ever attended."

"But Dewey, don't your parents kinda... hate unicorns?" Scuffle asked. "I can't imagine they'd be happy to see you show up with three more of us."

"They won't be, but what choice do we have?" Honeydew lamented. "They don't hate unicorns as much as the rest of Equestria hates wraiths. And it's such a secluded town with little connection to the rest of Equestria other than fruit sales. There's no way any news will arrive there about some big magic-related drama in Canterlot for at least a few days. At least we'll have food and a place to sleep while we figure out what to do."

"Honeydew has a point," Clarity pointed out. "I hate to say it, but for Dinky's sake, the farm might be our only option."

Scuffle growled. "Fine, but I won't stand for it if those folks of yours treat you bad, Dewey," he grumbled. "You don't deserve that."

Honeydew chewed her lip. "It'll... probably be fine," she muttered, turning to go. "Now come on, if we walk through the night, we can be there by tomorrow."

The sun was setting when Twilight threw open the huge, ornate doors of Celestia's Academy and galloped inside, with Ditzy and Breeze in tow. The three ponies looked around in horror.

The main hall was in shambles. Many of the windows were broken, tapestries were ripped and burned, and in a few places, even the stone of the walls and columns had been damaged. The room was empty though, save for a single dark green unicorn surveying the damage. He turned his head and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Princess Twilight, thank goodness."

"Professor Morningstar!" Twilight gasped, rushing over to him. "I came as fast as I could. What happened here?"

"A riot," the stallion deadpanned. "There was mass panic. We only just got the last of the students calmed down and returned to their dorms ten minutes ago."

"And what about Dinky?" Ditzy asked urgently.

"Honestly... I don't know," the professor said. "The dean will be the most informed about the situation. She's in her office. Princess Twilight knows the way."

"Thank you, professor," said Twilight quickly as she led the two pegasi into a hallway to the left. She led the way confidently through a maze of corridors that Ditzy felt certain she would get lost in without a guide. After a moment, they arrived at the dean's office. Ditzy got a peek at the two ponies inside as Twilight opened the door; one was a middle-aged mare with a blue-grey coat, and the other was a painfully familiar, brightly-colored pony with a bejeweled headband.

"You!" Ditzy cried before anypony could even begin to speak.

Wishing Star squeaked and immediately teleported away. The dean blinked in confusion for a moment.

"Princess Twilight," she greeted finally. "Does uh... your guest know my counselor?"

"We have reason to believe Counselor Wishing Star may not have the best interests of the Academy and its students in mind," Twilight explained. "But that will have to wait; according to your letter, something much more urgent has happened."

Dean Script looked quite flustered by the sudden accusation of one of her staff members, but as it had come from a princess, she did as Twilight suggested and switched topics. "Y-yes. As I mentioned in my letter, Princess Twilight, a few hours ago, young Dinky Doo suddenly—"

She paused, and slowly leaned to the left, staring at the two pegasi behind the princess. "Erm, are your guests aware of Miss Doo's special circumstances?" she asked uncertainly.

"This is Ditzy Doo, Dinky's mother, and her fiance, Autumn Breeze," Twilight introduced. "So yes, they're fully aware of Dinky's wraith status. Now please, tell us what actually happened."

Spiral Script bit her lip as she looked at Ditzy. "Very well," she said finally. "We were holding an assembly for the whole school this afternoon, when out of nowhere, ex-dean Bright Spark burst in and accused Dinky of being a wraith. We have no idea how she came by this knowledge, but naturally we denied everything. Bright Spark's reputation here is poor, so most students weren't inclined to believe her. That is... until Dinky suddenly lost control of her powers and transformed in front of everypony."

"What?" Twilight gasped. "Even if Bright Spark learned the truth about Dinky, what could she have done to force her to change? I doubt even ponies who do know dark magic would be able to use it to manipulate a wraith."

"That's exactly what we are... well, were trying to determine," Dean Script continued.

"Were?" Twilight asked, tilting her head quizzically.

"That's the second bit of bad news," Dean Script continued morosely. "Princess Luna arrived a few hours ago to interrogate Bright Spark. Naturally, we gave her some privacy to do so, but an hour or so later we discovered that neither Bright Spark nor Luna were present anymore! Our suspect appears to have somehow escaped, and we're still trying to determine Luna's whereabouts; dragon mail and multiple other means of magical contact have gone unanswered. It's as if she simply..."

"...Disappeared..." Twilight finished, swallowing nervously. "Do you think she vanished, just like Celestia and Cadance?"

"I certainly hope not," the dean replied, sighing. "But if we don't hear from her soon, we may have to assume something similar has happened. That would of course make you the current temporary ruler of Equestria, by virtue of being the only remaining princess."

Twilight twitched nervously at the prospect. "You don't think Bright Spark is somehow connected to the disappearing princesses, do you?" she asked.

"Despite the situation, I sincerely doubt it," Spiral Script confessed. "We were coworkers for many years; she's quite intelligent, obviously, considering she was the dean here for decades, but she simply doesn't have the magical strength to overpower a princess, especially at her age."

"Hey, um, pardon the interruption," Ditzy cut in, unable to stand by while the others talked for any longer, "but there's still the matter of my daughter being in danger! Where is Dinky?"

Dean Script winced. "That, erm, is the third bit of bad news," she said hesitantly. "Dinky was attacked by many of her fellow students, as I'm sure you could tell by the state of the main hall. To the best of our knowledge, she appears to have escaped... but her location is currently unknown."

Ditzy's heart dropped into her stomach. "So she's just out there somewhere, alone, with half the nation ready to employ everything at their disposal to kill the 'monster' they think she is?"

"She's out there, Mrs. Doo, but she's not alone," Spiral Script. "We have three other absent students, and evidence that they left the Academy to rush to her aid."

Ditzy and Breeze exchanged a glance. "Let me take a wild guess," Breeze ventured. "Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle?"

"Anyone who knows young Miss Doo well knows that she's rarely apart from those three," Spiral Script said, nodding as she passed a small scroll to Ditzy and Breeze. "I received this note from Overseer Clarity by dragon mail a few hours ago. Take a look."

Ditzy unfurled the scroll and hastily read through the contents.

Dean Script,

I'll keep it short. Honeydew, Scuffle, and I are going after Dinky.

Yes, leaving the Academy during school hours is against the rules. But it's my responsibility as an Overseer to help and protect the other students, and it's all our responsibility to be there when our friends need us most. And right now, Dinky needs our help.

We'll try to contact the Academy as soon as we can safely do so.

~Overseer Clarity

"So, let me make sure I've got this straight," Twilight said slowly, reading the letter over Ditzy's shoulder. "In the span of the last few hours, Dinky became public enemy number one, ex-dean Bright Spark escaped the Academy, Princess Luna abruptly vanished, and three additional students are unaccounted for?"

Spiral Script sighed and put her head in her hooves. "That would be correct, Princess Twilight. It's been a difficult day."

"Then we shouldn't waste any time," Breeze declared. "Come on, let's go start working out what to do next."

The group of ponies turned to go, but Dean Script spoke up. "Actually, I'd like to have the briefest of words with Mrs. Doo in private, if you'll allow it, Princess," she requested.

"Of course," Twilight replied as she and Breeze headed for the main hall.

The door closed, and Ditzy turned back to Spiral Script curiously. The dean looked at her somberly.

"Mrs. Doo, I am... I'm so sorry about what you must be going through," she said finally. "My duty is, above all else, to ensure my students have a safe and comfortable space in which to learn the incredible things this academy has to offer. And I feel that I have failed in that today."

"It... it didn't sound like you were the one to blame, Dean Script," Ditzy answered, a bit taken aback by the sudden apology. "Even you don't know anything about how Dinky's dark magic works or how she controls it. Even if you knew what was about to happen, I don't see how you could've stopped it."

The dean was quiet for a moment. She turned her head, gazing at the mural of Canterlot that decorated the walls of her office.

"Canterlot," she said, rising from her chair and trotting slowly to the huge painting. "Without question, the grandest city in our fair nation. My family has lived there for many generations, and has always had ties to both the city and to Celestia's Academy. The ceremonial robe I wear bears the city's colors, and I wear it proudly every day to show my pride for my home, and my appreciation of Princess Celestia's decision to allow me to stand at the helm of Equestria's finest magical education establishment."

Ditzy, who honestly wasn't sure where the dean was going with this, nodded slowly.

"You may not feel I am at fault for what has happened here today, and perhaps you're right," Dean Script continued. "But I recognize the near-utopia our princesses have built for us, and feel a sense of duty to further build it up. My place is here, at this hallowed place of learning, and I care deeply for every one of my students... even the one who happens to be a wraith. So I don't care if I'm the pony to blame or not; I will still pour every ounce of my being into the effort to make sure my student, and your daughter, makes it through this unharmed."

In spite of her fears about her daughter's fate, Ditzy smiled sincerely. "Thank you, Dean Script. You're exactly the kind of pony I'd want to be in charge of something as important as my daughter's education."

"Now, I need to meet with the professors to begin the process of properly explaining the situation to our students," the dean announced. "If Wishing Star shows herself here again, her position will be suspended until we can conduct a proper investigation. After the students are taken care of, then we will begin contacting friends of the Academy all across Equestria, and enlist their aid in slowing the spread of the panic regarding the wraith sighting. If I hear anything regarding Dinky's actual whereabouts from any of them, I'll contact you immediately. And I wish you luck in your search for Dinky, Mrs. Doo. I really do."

Ditzy nodded gravely, and with a few more quick words of thanks, she left the office to meet up with Breeze and Twilight in the main hall. She found the latter of them looking rather frazzled.

"Okay, don't panic Twilight," the princess told herself in a voice that seemed more than a little panicked. "A friend is in danger, Bright Spark's on the loose, and you may be the only princess left governing Equestria at the moment. No big deal, right? You got this!"

The alicorn closed her eyes and placed a hoof to her chest, taking a long, slow breath. When she opened them again, she looked much more determined. "Alright, here's the plan," she announced. "Ditzy, Breeze, you two need to head back to Ponyville and start working on your own efforts to track down Dinky. I need to go to Canterlot and confirm Luna's absence. If she's really gone, I'll need to take all the royal duties, and I'll get my friends' help to spread information about Dinky's situation to try to lessen the danger she's in. And same as the dean, if anything comes up about her actual location, I'll get in touch right away."

"That's all we can ask," Ditzy replied. "Thanks for your help, Princess Twilight."

"Oh, and Ditzy?" Twilight continued. "This is a bad situation, sure, but Dinky's got her friends with her, and working as a team, they're extremely powerful. They're gonna be okay, you'll see."

Ditzy glanced out the great arched window, watching the last hints of sunlight fading on the horizon. "Even so, we need to get started," she said. "The sooner we find Dinky, the better."

She and Breeze spread their wings in unison, and gave one another a determined nod. Twilight watched from the ground as the pegasus partners took to the air and soon disappeared into the night sky.

Clouds rolled in that night. Bright Spark was grateful for the dim light from her horn; without it, she doubted she'd be able to see her own hoof in front of her face. In the cover of darkness, she arrived at the old, run-down house.

"We did it!" she practically sang as she let herself into the dusty parlor. "It took years, but that good for nothing filly finally got what's coming to her! There's no way in Tartarus ponies will tolerate a wraith among them; we'll let the good citizens of Equestria take it from here."

There was no reply. The house was silent.

"Wishing Star?" Bright Spark asked, brightening her light spell and adjusting her glasses. "How odd. She said she'd be here. I hope that poser Spiral Script didn't manage to detain her..."

The old mare wandered a bit deeper into the house, peeking into each abandoned room, but there was nopony to be found.

"I guess she isn't here..." the old mare grumbled. "Spiral Script has no reason to suspect her, though, so I'm sure she'll be— oof!"

Bright Spark nearly lost her balance as she tripped over a fold in the rug. The loose carpet folded back a bit, revealing the corner of a trapdoor. The mare paused, examining it. "I didn't know this place had a cellar," she muttered. "Maybe she's down there?"

She wrenched open the trapdoor and gingerly crept down the narrow stairway, entering into a pitch-black space below. Something, or rather several somethings, glimmered at the edge of her vision.

"What is—"

Her horn flared brighter, illuminating the room, and her breath caught in her throat as the glittering objects came into view. Three enormous pink crystals stood at the far end of the room, each one containing a despondent alicorn princess. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all met Bright Spark's gaze at once. She stood there blankly, trying to process what she was seeing.

"Th-the... the princesses?" she gasped. "Then... then is Wishing Star responsible for their disappearance? But what sort of magic could create such a prison? In all my years in magical education, I've never seen anything like it!"

Celestia's eyes widened, and she attempted to say something to Bright Spark, but no sound reached her ears. "Yes, yes, I know, Princess Celestia, we certainly aren't on good terms, but this goes so far beyond such pettiness. I'll try to find a way to free you all immediately."

Now Luna and Cadance joined in on the silent urging. All three princesses desperately emoted, pointing to something. Bright Spark finally realized that they were indicating something behind her. Before she even fully turned around, a tiny pink crystal rocketed out of the darkness, striking the old mare in the chest and passing through the skin without breaking it. With a strangled cry, she immediately collapsed, her glasses cracking on impact with the stone floor. She lay on her side, clutching her chest, as a set of orange-furred hooves appeared in her blurred vision.

"Now, how'd you get down here?" Wishing Star cooed. "Looks like you stumbled upon something you shouldn't have, but I suppose it doesn't matter now."

"What... what is—" Bright Spark gurgled. Try as she might, she couldn't get any more words out. Ferocious pain was quickly making her dizzy and disoriented.

"What did I do to you?" Wishing Star asked innocently. "Oh, just took the opportunity to benefit from that unbridled hatred you hold for Dinky Doo. Anypony who would show no remorse when dooming a teenager to the dangers of life as a fugitive clearly harbors a hate like no other. You might be even more twisted than Cosmic Glow, and I can use that. You were a perfect candidate for my other crystal of hate."

Bright Spark struggled to remain conscious and reached feebly for the horrified princesses. Alas, from within their prisons, there was nothing they could do.

"Don't bother," Wishing Star said almost boredly. "Every step of my plan over these past few months has gone perfectly. The princesses are mine, Cosmic Glow is mine, and now... you're mine too."

Bright Spark lit her horn, hoping to attack, or teleport, or perhaps somehow wrench the malignant crystal back out of her body, but she simply didn't have the clarity of mind to form a spell. With a defeated sigh, she fell limp, both her horn and her vision going dark.

Dawn arrived in a sparsely populated area of Equestria. Four exhausted unicorns trudged down an old dirt road, passing an occasional tidy little cottage or plot of fields surrounded by a picket fence.

"Are we there yet?" asked Scuffle for what seemed like at least the twentieth time.

Dinky sighed wearily. "Scuffle, we'll get there when we get there," she mumbled, fighting back a yawn. "Just keep walking."

"But, uh, to answer your question, yes, we're there," Honeydew cut in.

Scuffle perked up slightly. "Wait, really?"

The group of travelers crested a grassy hill and got their first look at the sprawling homestead that lay beyond. At its center, a few more minutes walk away, was a quaint farmhouse, painted white and surrounded by neatly-trimmed ivy and bright flowering bushes that still had a bit of color, even in the mid-October conditions. A larger building stood in the distance; a barn, Dinky realized, but meant just for crop-storage rather than housing animals.

Extending out from the central farmhouse in almost every direction were expertly tilled fields. A few were bare, but most were full of vibrant autumnal crops. One was simply loaded with great orange pumpkins, and another contained what looked like squash and peppers. Dinky recognized familiar leaves poking up from the soil nearby of a number of vegetables like carrots and turnips. A small grove of apple trees even stood at the edge of the property.

"Well... here we are," Honeydew said, frowning. "Home."

"It's really pretty," Clarity commented. "It looks like your family keeps a pretty successful farm here."

Honeydew nodded. "I really do love the farm itself," she explained. "I'm more worried about the ponies who run it."

The four students stood at the hilltop for a moment longer. "So, should we go introduce ourselves?" Dinky asked finally.

Honeydew turned to face her friends, a grim expression on her face. "I need the three of you to listen carefully, please," she began. "This is probably not going to be a pleasant experience for any of us. My parents are going to insult and distrust you three simply for being unicorns, and expect you not to talk back. If we're going to use this place as a temporary base, we have to stay on their good side. So please, watch your manners, even when my parents fail to do the same, okay?"

Scuffle snorted. "I'll do it, but I won't like it," he grumbled.

"And there's something else that's even more important," Honeydew continued. "No matter what happens, no matter what task you're asked to do, you absolutely can't use magic. I used magic while on this property exactly once in my life; I almost lost my horn for it, and my parents still complain about that single incident years later. After years at the Academy, using magic for simple tasks is automatic for all of us, so we need to break that habit really, really fast."

Dinky nodded. "Understood," she confirmed. "No magic, no matter what."

"I've got one last spell for us though before we go down there," Honeydew said, lighting her horn. "It's a simple healing spell usually just called Refresh. I think all of us could use it."

Dinky felt Honeydew's magic wash over her, and smiled as the aches and fatigue of a long night of walking faded away. She still felt pretty sleepy, but at least she wasn't so exhausted anymore.

"Nice one, Honeydew," Clarity complimented. "You really know an awful lot of spells that we don't."

Honeydew ignored the praise. "Alright then," she sighed, turning back toward the farmhouse. "Let's go."

She took a few steps forward. Scuffle gasped softly and galloped to her side.

"Dewey, hang on," he called, skidding to a halt beside her and pointing to her long mane. "Don't your parents have a thing about fillies tying their hair back?"

Honeydew paled. "Oh Celestia, Scuffle, thank you for remembering that," she squeaked, immediately pulling several hair ties from her bag and tying her mane into a pair of tight, matching buns in a matter of seconds. "Mother and Father would've had a fit if they saw me like that. Dinky, Clarity, do you want any hair ties? I won't force you, but be ready for some awful comments if you don't."

Dinky jerked her head, swinging her mane over her shoulder. "Is my ponytail not good enough?" she asked.

"Not really," Honeydew admitted shyly. "I can braid it quickly though, if you like."

Dinky shrugged. "Sure, go ahead."

Making sure no ponies were visible down by the farmhouse, Honeydew quickly lit her horn and Dinky felt her mane tied into an intricate pattern almost unbelievably fast. The pink filly smiled at her handiwork. "And you, Clarity?" she asked.

Clarity scrunched up her nose. "I'm not a fan of that kind of stuff," she admitted. "My mane's a lot shorter than yours and Dinky's anyway. I'll take my chances."

"Alright, then I guess we can't put it off any longer," Honeydew sighed. "Let's go."

The four unicorns followed another narrow dirt path down the hillside and between a few of the fields of crops. When they arrived at the farmhouse, Honeydew lifted a hoof, hesitated for a few seconds, and then knocked. There were a few heavy hoofsteps from somewhere within, and then the door opened.

The pony that answered Honeydew's knock was not the biggest or strongest pony Dinky had ever seen, but he was absolutely one of the most imposing. The stallion had an ashy grey-white coat, and his features were so sharply defined, she could've sworn the corners of his muzzle were almost right angles. He wore a starched white shirt on his upper body, and a wide hat sat atop his greenish mane. Even in the shadow of the hat's brim, the severe expression in his deep grey eyes made Dinky shudder.

"...Honeydew," he said finally.

"Hello, Father," Honeydew greeted, forcing a small smile.

The stallion did not return the expression. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought that school of yours ran until after the harvest season."

"The students had to be sent home temporarily," Honeydew lied smoothly. "There was a... safety issue that's being resolved. It shouldn't last more than a few days, but it was kind of unexpected, and my friends weren't able to go to their usual residences, so I brought them here. Could they... stay here for a bit?"

The stallion's frown deepened. "Unicorns," he grumbled, looking each of them over. "Just what we need. More unicorns."

"Y-yes," Honeydew stuttered awkwardly. "Father, um, all the students at school are unicorns."

"And with four of them here, I suppose my farm will be looking like something out of a foal's tale by lunchtime," the stallion growled. "Things floating about willy-nilly or growing to the perfect size because of some twisted sorcery or another."

"No sir," Clarity piped up. "This is your property, and we'll respect the way you run it."

"Really?" the stallion asked skeptically. "Okay, rule number one: speak if you're spoken to. I don't appreciate having my conversation with my daughter interrupted."

Clarity winced and simply nodded.

"Well... fine, come on in then," Honeydew's father said gruffly, turning and disappearing into the house. Honeydew quickly followed. The other three ponies exchanged a glance.

"How charming," said Dinky flatly.

"Honeydew warned us," Clarity pointed out. "For her sake, let's grin and bear it."

They followed Honeydew into the farmhouse. The stallion leading them knocked twice on the ceiling. "Berry!" he called. "We have guests!"

Delicate hoofsteps sounded on the stairs, and a slim mare stepped into the room. Dinky immediately realized where most of Honeydew's genes must've come from; this pony had a similarly near-perfect figure. Her coat was a rosy pink, much more vibrant than Honeydew's pale one, and her white mane was tied into a series of interlocking strands so wildly complex, all of the styles Honeydew had produced over the years seemed simplistic by comparison. Atop her head was a bonnet, embroidered by hoof with dozens of little strawberries.

"Hello mother," Honeydew greeted.

"Honeydew and her little friends are off school for a few days," Honeydew's father said, with a tone that sounded a lot like one used to deliver bad news. "They've asked to stay here for a bit."

Honeydew's mother eyed the four of them with the same suspicion her father had. "They'd better be willing to work then," she announced. "Harvest season is starting. And I mean work like earth ponies, not, you know, unicorns."

The end of her sentence had such an acidic tone that Dinky's hair stood on end. She kept quiet and nodded.

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves," the stallion said. "I'm Melon Rind, owner of this farm, and this is my beautiful wife and business partner, Berry Basket. I do most of the growing, she does most of the selling, but around this time of year, there's a lot to be harvested, so we'll both be out in the fields. And if you four want to stay here, you will too."

"Why don't you three introduce yourselves," Honeydew suggested, giving Dinky and the others an indication that they were finally allowed to speak.

"I'm Honeydew's roommate, Clarity," Clarity said, forcing a polite smile.

"And I'm Scuffle," Scuffle added. "Me and Honeydew have been hangin' out for a couple years now."

Melon Rind and Berry Basket looked to Dinky next. She opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm—"

In that instant, an alarming thought occurred to her, and judging by her friends' sudden stunned expressions, they were all realizing it too; if the goal was to hide here when the nation was in search of a pony named Dinky Doo, then she couldn't use her real name. With no time to think, she went with the classic unicorn fallback: a light-related name.

"I'm... Solar Gleam. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Berry Basket replied, though she didn't sound very pleased. "I suppose if Honeydew insists you three are good ponies, we at least owe you a chance."

"Things are very busy around here this time of year, though," Melon Rind pointed out, "and we're getting older every day. We're going to need help with the harvest, so I suppose we can't really afford to turn you away."

"Put in a good, honest day's work, and we'll provide a few days of food and housing in exchange," Berry Basket finished. "Dinner's at sunset, and there's enough space in Honeydew's room for three, I think."

"But there's, uh, four of us," Scuffle pointed out.

Berry Basket froze, and cast a panicked glance at her husband. Melon Rind's look was one of outrage. "You? A colt? In Honeydew's room?" he asked gravely. "Honeydew, I hope you're not about to tell me that school of yours is so immoral that they house fillies and colts in the same room!"

"Of course not!" Honeydew replied. Truthfully, Dinky noted. "Scuffle has his own room in a separate tower at the Academy, and I'm sure we can find a place for him to sleep here too."

"Thank goodness," the stallion replied, visibly relieved.

"It wouldn't have surprised me, though," Berry Basket grumbled, casting a glare in Clarity's direction, "considering one of your 'friends' there is walking around with her mane down like some sort of harlot, I was beginning to think there was no moral low to which unicorn establishments wouldn't stoop."

"At least Honeydew still has the sense not to be so indecent in public," Melon Rind added.

Honeydew, whose mane had indeed been untied until just minutes earlier, blushed slightly and nodded.

"So... where will Scuffle sleep, exactly?" Dinky asked, trying to wrench the conversation away from the uncomfortable topic of filly decency.

"There's space in the loft in the barn," the stallion answered. "Not the most comfortable maybe, but then again, a young stallion like him shouldn't need pampering."

"That works, I guess," Scuffle replied, shrugging. "Anything else we should know, Mr. Rind?"

"There is, actually," the stallion replied, frowning once again. "I'm sure Honeydew has already mentioned this, but let me make one thing absolutely clear: magic is not welcome here. If you're Honeydew's friends, we'll give you a chance, but you'd do well to respect that rule. Understand?"

The four unicorns nodded in unison. For the moment, Honeydew's parents seemed satisfied.

"Good," Melon Rind said Now Berry, take the girls' things up to Honeydew's room. I'll escort Scuffle to the barn and show him where he'll be staying. And then meet me back at the fields; we've got to bring in half a field of butternut squash today, and we've only got nine more hours of daylight. Let's get started."

"Okay, this sucks," Dinky declared about five hours later.

It was mid-afternoon. Dinky and her friends took advantage of a brief lapse in activity while Honeydew's parents transported much of the harvested squash to the barn.

"It's pretty tough, isn't it?" Honeydew sighed, carefully bending her knees and letting a now-empty basket slide off her back. "This was my routine pretty much right up until I met you three."

"My whole body is killing me," Clarity commented, shaking one of her sore hind hooves a few times to work the stiff muscles. "You're not the most muscular pony, Honeydew; how do you even handle this?"

"It's mostly technique," Honeydew admitted. "There are ways to position your body and distribute weight to keep the effort to a minimum. I guess years of practice help."

"Y'know what would really keep the effort to a minimum?" Scuffle mumbled. "Picking a dozen of these things off the vine at a time with a levitation spell."

"Yes," Dinky deadpanned. "We're also not doing that. We need to keep our welcome here until we get in contact with somepony who can help us."

"I warned you you guys wouldn't like it here," Honeydew reminded them. "But I didn't see any other choice."

"I'm with you," Clarity agreed. "I'd rather be here doing manual labor than fleeing from an angry mob out for Dinky's blood."

"Okay but look," Scuffle insisted, "Dewey's clearly got some sway with her parents, even if we don't. Maybe if she just explains how magic could be useful in this situation in a calm, rational fashion, they'll agree to let her at least show them the—"

"Scuffle, that stallion literally tried to cut off Honeydew's horn when she was a filly," Dinky interrupted, stamping a hoof. "I don't think he's really the type to have a calm, rational conversation about something he disagrees with."

"Besides, I tried that a few years ago, after I got home from our first term," Honeydew added morosely. "They didn't want to hear it though. I guess they have every right; this is their property and they can run it how they choose. I respect the way they've chosen to live. I just kinda wish... they respected the way I chose..."

Forlorn, she turned away, looking across the acres of vegetation. After a moment of silence, Scuffle strode hesitantly over and placed a forehoof on her back.

"Dewey..."

"You know, I really do love the farm itself," Honeydew said suddenly, smiling a bit as she gazed at the vines surrounding them. "I may be a unicorn, but I guess some of that earth pony blood is flowing through me somewhere. Growing up, my favorite times were when my parents would let me work by myself, and it would be just me and the plants. Despite what my parents are like, I have fond memories of trotting slowly through these fields, feeling the summer sun on my back and picking strawberries or plums. The plants were really my only friends before you three, and watching them grow and flourish and then fade each year and start anew the next was a wonder that I never really stopped enjoying."

Her smile faltered, then faded away. "But those plants were indifferent to me," she mumbled. "I couldn't bond with them the way earth ponies can. Although mother and father don't want to admit it, earth ponies have their own magic— Leo's magic, according to what we learned at the Academy— and I couldn't experience it the way my earth pony parents could until I started learning spells. I just wish my parents could see that magic isn't the thing that makes me different from them. It's actually the opposite; magical biology spells are similar to the inherent abilities earth ponies already have, so magic's the one thing that can make me almost the same."

"Alright you four, break's over!" Melon Rind hollered as he and Berry Basket emerged from the barn. "We need to get another few rows harvested and stored tonight."

"Yes father!" Honeydew called, grabbing her basket with a hoof and swinging it up onto her back.

She set to work again immediately. Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle hung back for a moment, thinking about the exchange a moment before.

"Come on you three, let's get moving," Berry Basket snapped, gesturing toward the fields. "I know you unicorns aren't used to an honest day's work, but you'll learn quickly after a day or two here."

With a small sigh, Dinky grabbed her basket, and she and her friends returned to work.

Dinky flopped down on an old sleeping bag, exhausted. In the dim light, she looked around Honeydew's bedroom. In daylight, she knew it was a welcoming, brightly colored space, with plush carpet and thick, warm blankets on the bed, but it was hard to see much of that detail when it was late at night, and the room was illuminated by just two faintly sputtering candles on the windowsill.

"Alright," Clarity declared, sounding determined even though she was clearly physically wiped out. "This is our chance to prepare some messages about where we are. Who should we send them to?"

"Dean Script and Princess Twilight both seem like good options," Dinky pointed out. "I'm sure the two of them are already working on finding us."

"And maybe we should send one directly to Mrs. Doo?" Honeydew suggested. "Let's be fair, Dinky, you know how your mom is; she's probably tearing Equestria apart piece by piece right now looking for you."

Dinky grinned. "To be fair, I've been in more than my share of danger compared to most fillies my age," she snickered. "Poor mom's mane is gonna start turning as grey as her coat any day now with all the worry I put her through."

Clarity suppressed a giggle. "While that's true, sending one to your mom would be redundant," she pointed out. "Princess Twilight and Spiral Script both have access to dragon mail, and you know either one of them will contact her the instant they get your letter."

Dinky nodded. "You're right. News would probably reach her from the princess or the dean before our direct letter would even get to her."

"Right, so let's get these written so we can get some sleep," she said, lighting her horn a bit to better see what she was writing.

"Clarity!" Honeydew gasped, grabbing a heavy blanket and promptly throwing it over her friend to block out the light. "No magic, remember? What if my parents catch you?"

"Your parents are asleep, aren't they?" Clarity asked, poking her head out from under the blanket. "And it's not like I'm using an actual spell, it's just a little light."

"A little light that definitely wouldn't look like candlelight if my parents happened to be out in the hall for any reason and saw it flickering from under our door," Honeydew said meekly. "I know it's silly but... just use the candles, please."

Clarity placed a candle from the windowsill on the desk and sat down again. For a moment she hesitated, and then looked at her friends sheepishly.

"What's wrong?" Dinky asked.

"I, uh... just realized I don't know how to write with a hoof or my mouth," Clarity admitted, blushing. "My family is all unicorns, remember? I was levitating stuff before I learned to write."

Honeydew nodded understandingly and offered to take Clarity's place at the table. "Dinky and I both did most tasks without magic as foals," she reminded her. "Just tell me what to write."

"I wonder how much magic was involved in Scuffle's upbringing?" Dinky wondered aloud. "He seemed pretty proficient at simple defensive spells when we met him, but that's always been his favorite subject."

Honeydew sighed and gazed out the window at the silhouette of the barn in the distance. "I hope Scuffle's alright all by himself out there," she whimpered. "I get why my parents don't want him in here with us, but it's not fair that he has to sleep in that drafty old loft just because he's a colt. I want to go check on him, but if my parents caught me sneaking out to the barn at night to talk to him, they'd be livid."

"Want me to check on him for you?" Dinky asked. "I don't see why your parents would care, even if they did find out."

"Could you please?" Honeydew asked, anxiously rubbing the notch in her horn. "I just want to make sure he doesn't need anything before we go to sleep."

"Go ahead Dinky," Clarity agreed, pointing to the window. "Honeydew and I will stay here and write the letters, and when you get back we can all hit the hay."

Dinky nodded and pulled open Honeydew's bedroom window, hopping out and using just the barest flicker of magic to slow her descent from the second story to the grass below. She shivered slightly at the nip in the autumn air and hurried across the dark, silent fields to the barn. The old wooden doors gave a faint creak as she pushed her way inside.

"Who's there?" called a drowsy male voice from somewhere above her head. "That you, Mr. Rind? I'm stayin' away from the girls like you said, don't worry."

"Actually, it's me," Dinky responded, grinning a little.

"Dinks? Hey, c'mon up. The ladder's to your right."

Dinky made her way into the loft. It was nearly pitch black, but she figured she was sufficiently far from the farmhouse to get away with casting a dim light. Scuffle came into view; the colt had his head resting on a small pile of hay and was partially covered with a ratty, moth-eaten quilt.

"Sup, Dinks?" he asked. "Crazy couple of days, huh?"

"That's putting it mildly," Dinky chuckled. "Literally a day and a half ago we were all gathered in the arena watching you duel Tango Trot. It seems like weeks ago now."

I figure that's 'cause we haven't slept in like two days," Scuffle pointed out. "Speaking of which, I thought you and the girls would be asleep by now. You know Honeydew's parents are gonna drag us out of bed at the crack of dawn."

"We've got to get those letters written first," Dinky explained. "If we slack off on those, we'll be here longer, and I don't think any of us want that."

"No kidding," Scuffle replied. "I'll put up with it, of course. It's watching Dewey deal with it that hurts."

"Honeydew's used to it, though," Dinky pointed out. "Her parents aren't quite as hard on her as they are on us, and she's surprisingly good at keeping up with the farm work."

"That's not the point, Dinks," Scuffle grumbled. "I'm not talking about putting up with being insulted all day, or dealing with the work. Did you hear that stuff Dewey was saying this afternoon?"

Dinky nodded slowly. "The stuff about how magical biology isn't so different from earth pony magic?"

Scuffle paused, repositioning himself beneath the old quilt and staring up at the ceiling listlessly. "Dinks, we use magic for convenience, and to solve problems, and even just for fun," he said. "But Honeydew? She uses it to... to experience the world the way she always wished she could when she was younger. She's not complete without her magic; you, me, and Clarity are inconvenienced, sure, but I feel like Dewey can't refrain from magic without locking away a whole part of what makes her... well, her. I've only had to watch it happen for like a day, and I already can't stand it anymore."

Dinky smiled. "You're really in tune with Honeydew's feelings," she admitted. "She really means the world to you, doesn't she?"

"I can't really explain it," Scuffle confessed. "I mean, naturally I want good things to happen to my friends, but with Dewey... she's been through so much growing up. She used to be miserable and afraid all the time, so any time she's excited, or interested, or heck, just happy about anything, I guess somehow that makes me happy too. I still don't know why she said no when Tango asked her out yesterday, but if she'd said yes... well, I woulda been disappointed of course, but I guess in the long run that would've been okay too, as long as he could offer her what she wanted from a coltfriend. Is it weird that that's how I feel?"

Dinky beamed. "Uh, it's called love, Scuffle," she chirped. "Love so genuine and unconditional that you're willing to overlook your own desires to help meet hers."

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "Alright, I think we've hit our quota for mushy stuff for this conversation," he muttered. "We're all fugitives right now, so all this 'love' stuff's gonna have to take a back seat for a bit."

"Well, I have no idea if Honeydew shares the kind of feelings you have, but she definitely cares about you," Dinky insisted. "In fact, the only reason I'm up here is because she was worried about you and wanted somepony to check on you."

Scuffle's expression softened. "Well, you tell Dewey that Scuffle's got a comfy bed of hay and a nice warm blanket and is perfectly content out in the barn," he said. "I'll be fine out here; put her mind at ease so she can get some sleep."

"I'll do that," Dinky affirmed, grinning and making her way back to the ladder. "See you in the morning, lover boy."

Scuffle scowled. "I don't know how you always manage to work that sort of stuff out of me," he complained. "Don't tell Clarity I'm out here sayin' mushy stuff, unless you want a fireball to the ass tomorrow."

Dinky just laughed as she made her way out of the barn and back toward the farmhouse.

In front of Wishing Star, three matching pink crystal prisons housed three alicorn princesses. Behind her, Cosmic Glow and Bright Spark, overcome by an unending, magically-induced hatred of everypony and everything, screamed at one another over some meaninglessly small disagreement.

She smiled. Everything was going according to plan.

"And is my newest guest enjoying her stay?" Wishing Star asked, grinning devilishly at Princess Luna. "Your sister and Cadance have been here for quite some time, but it took a lot of effort to finally pull a fast one on you. Stirring up that situation with Dinky at the Academy was just what I needed to do to get you agitated enough to let your guard down for just a moment. And that was all it took!"

She laughed as Luna glared at her. "And what timing!" she continued. "You've arrived just before I begin the final phase of my grand plan. The stage is set for disaster now."

Luna mouthed something in reply. Wishing Star read her lips and scoffed.

"What do I mean? Look around you!" she cried. "Each time I seal away another princess, the passive influence each of you has on Equestria begins to drain away. Peace and harmony in this land are now tenuous at best, with Celestia's latent power gone from the hearts of ponies for a full six months now. All but the deepest, truest love in ponies' hearts is fading as well, without Cadance's influence bolstering it. Both effects are just subtle enough that ponies aren't catching on. They've probably felt tension in some of their own personal relationships, but they can't see the bigger picture; they don't realize the things that make Equestria's communities almost utopian are gradually ebbing."

She trotted closer, her nose just inches from Luna's separated only by the transparent wall of the crystal. "You though, Luna, play an important role for them as well. Everypony knows the obvious one; you police ponies' dreams each night, chasing away nightmares and allowing for restful slumber. But what most ponies don't know is that your latent impact on Equestria extends a bit further than just dreams. You provide peace and stability to a pony's whole subconscious."

Luna's eyes widened, and for the very first time, she appeared intimidated for just a moment, taking a small step back. Wishing Star cackled with delight.

"That's right, Princess Luna!" she continued gleefully. "Without you, it's not just the dreams of ponies that will suffer; it's their subconscious perception of their world! Deep in ponies' hearts, distrust and paranoia will gradually begin to grow stronger, without your inherent magic keeping it dormant. Combine those heightened fears with the other two princesses' factors, and we're looking at a real recipe for disaster for that happy little society out there. There's just one last piece preventing everything from collapsing..."

Cadance spoke the answer, and though Wishing Star couldn't hear her, she nodded.

"That's right. As long as Princess Twilight Sparkle is still out there, the power of—" she paused, spitting on the stone floor in disgust, "—of friendship will still persist. And in times of trouble, when peace and prosperity seem distant while fear and suspicion loom overhead, the strength of friendship still wins out in the end. To push Equestria over the brink, I'll need a complete set of princesses, and it was imperative that I saved Twilight Sparkle for last, because when friendships aren't so easily maintained in Equestria, ponies will notice something is amiss."

She gestured to the two angry unicorns still bickering at the far end of the cellar. "And that brings us to these two," she continued smugly. "I helped them with their wildly complicated plans to get revenge on Ditzy and Dinky Doo just so that I could cultivate that hate in their hearts enough that my crystals of hate could lock them in that state. Thanks to the hostility those two are generating, and the ever-increasing unrest out there across the nation, I've grown so powerful that I won't even need to be sneaky next time! Barely six months ago, I could cast only the weakest of spells, but now I've got the strength to take on an alicorn, and win!"

A wicked grin spread across her face. "Celestia! Luna! Cadance! Brace yourselves!" she cried, puffing out her chest triumphantly as a powerful pink aura surged around her horn. "If I succeed in the last step of my plans, it will be impossible to stop the vicious cycle I've created. With peace, love, trust, and friendship all fading away, I'll continue to grow ever more powerful, until nopony could ever hope to stop me! And I'll use that power, of course, to stamp out any remnants of those things, until every corner of the nation knows only fear, aggression, and loathing! In just days, you'll have front row seats to the birth of my great creation: an Equestria ruled by hatred!"

Chapter 15

"Portabella, if we fail to procure our midday sustenance presently, we will expend the last of the remaining interval preceding our next instructive seminar, and remain famished throughout its duration. Thus, I recommend we make haste to the Academy's dining locality."

"Ooooh!" Portabella crooned, shimmying in place and wagging her fluffy tail like a dog. "Whatever you just said, Top, it sounded so mysterious it gave me the shivers!"

Top Percentile smacked a hoof to his forehead and dragged it slowly down his face in frustration. Unable to easily reword the sentence in a way Portabella might understand, he simply gestured toward the dining hall.

"You. Me. Food."

Portabella's stomach growled. "Oh yeah, good idea!" she chirped, scooping Top's entire body up with a single foreleg as usual and holding him tightly against her as she walked with the other three legs. "Oh, and you're doing really good learning those Ponish words. Next we gotta work on forming sentences!"

Inkwell rolled her eyes as she followed her friends. She supposed it was a good thing that Bella and Top were doing their very best to proceed with business as usual after the events that had unfolded two days before. She, however, couldn't keep the storm of questions and worries out of her mind for very long.

It all seemed so surreal; one moment, everything was normal, and the next, most of the school raised their horns against the disguised wraith hidden among them, who, now exposed, ran for her life. During the two intervening days, Dean Script and all the professors had insisted, time and time again, that Dinky was not to be feared; Inkwell had heard it mentioned during almost every class period. But for many students, the reassurance seemed to have no effect. It didn't take much effort to hear the whispers of the students, huddled together in the halls.

"Dinky Doo was some kind of monster all along!"

"Something just doesn't add up. The professors have always taught us to avoid dark magic at all costs, so why are they defending a wraith?"

"D'you think Dinky has anything to do with the princesses disappearing? If anypony could overpower them, it'd be a creature like that."

Inkwell frowned and flattened her ears against their head. Why are they so suspicious? she thought. Dinky's never tried to hurt anypony all year. And if the professors and overseers trust her, why won't the students?

Still trailing along behind her friends, Inkwell turned a corner and ran straight into the chest of a much larger pony. Immediately shaken from her troubling thoughts, she stumbled backwards and fell on her butt.

"Oh, my apologies, Inkwell my dear! Are you alright?"

Inkwell looked up into the face of the blue and brown stallion in front of her. "Oh, sorry Overseer Tango," she squeaked, quickly standing back up. "I wasn't paying attention. I guess I'm kind of distracted."

Tango Trot nodded understandingly. "I suppose we're all a little distracted these days," he admitted with a sad smile.

"Cognitive preoccupation is taxing to circumvent in the wake of our contemporary circumstances," Top pointed out.

"And we're all still a little wrapped up in what happened two days ago, too," Portabella added, failing to notice Top shaking his head hopelessly.

"I know, I'm terribly worried about our friends," Tango replied, frowning. "My thoughts have been so agitated, in fact, that my precognition has been triggering far more often than normal lately. Usually about entirely useless things like what's going to be served for breakfast tomorrow morning. It's actually becoming quite annoying."

"Did it tell you anything about whether or not Clarity's ok?" Inkwell asked. "She was determined to find Dinky before anypony else did. I hope she succeeded..."

Tango Trot shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, my young friend, I'm as much in the dark about the fate of my fellow Overseer as you are," he admitted. "Just going on intuition, though, I imagine she and her friends are holding their own. Clarity's got the smarts, Scuffle's got the strength, and Honeydew's good enough at thinking rationally to keep those other two from doing something too reckless. And Dinky, well... Celestia only knows what she's capable of. I certainly don't know anything about the limits of a wraith's dark magic abilities."

Inkwell managed a hopeful smile. "Y-yeah," she agreed. "The four of them combined have an incredible variety of magic. They should be alright until Dean Script and Princess Twilight can find them."

"Exactly," Tango Trot said, giving the younger pony a nod and a bright smile. "The best thing we can do for now is allow the dean and other associates of the Academy around Equestria do their job. They'll locate our friends in no time, and sort this whole mess out. Things will be back to normal faster than you can say... can say..."

He trailed off, his gaze fixed on a nondescript point in space. White light surged around his horn instead of his usual icy blue. Inkwell, used to the sight like many of the Academy's students, waited for the result of Tango's latest precognitive episode, expecting some silly prediction about the weather later than week or something similarly trivial.

The phrase Tango spoke was something quite different.

"The fall of Canterlot is inevitable."

There was a second of silence. The light faded from around Tango Trot's horn, and after a moment, he came to his senses.

"I... w-well, that's certainly a bit more ominous than usual," he stuttered. "Though, you know how these predictions are; they find ways to use strange wording to sound more meaningful than they actually are. I'm sure it's nothing to fear; perhaps it's referring to the season of fall, since this late in October, the trees should be dropping their leaves any day now."

"You sure about that?" Portabella asked, fidgeting nervously. "'Cause with the princesses missing and all this other drama, that's really not the kind of thing that most ponies are gonna be able to, y'know, brush off."

"The severity of the prospect of socioeconomic collapse or perhaps even structural annihilation of this domain's capital cosmopolis should not be downplayed," Top added.

"Quite right," Tango said, nodding. "I'm not saying we shouldn't prepare, just that we shouldn't panic. Other than the obvious problem of our missing princesses, nothing is seriously amiss in Canterlot at the moment; there are extra guards on patrol, and daily life is proceeding as usual. I'll inform the dean of that prediction, and she can contact Princess Twilight, or any relevant Canterlot authorities, as she sees fit. For now, I urge you not to put too much stock in vague and often misleading premonitions. Now hurry along and get some lunch, and try not to worry too much about our friends. I'm certain they're just fine, wherever they are."

He briskly trotted off, bound directly for the dean's office. Portabella shrugged and continued to carry Top toward the dining hall. Trying to somehow force all her worries to the back of her mind, Inkwell sighed and followed after her friends.

Several days passed. One dreary afternoon in late October, Ditzy Doo made her way to a familiar building, but for an unfamiliar reason.

The facade of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services looked just how it always did, with one exception: the large sign on the door reading "Closed until further notice". In the pit of her stomach, the pegasus knew that was a lie; in a short time, she and her coworkers would be replacing it with a similar sign reading "Out of business".

But this is far from the time to worry about that, she thought as she pushed open the front door. Equestria Speedy Shipping Services doesn't matter until Dinky is safe.

She hurried through the dim hallway, past the office that had been lacking any occupant for weeks now, and up the stairs to the employee lounge. Breeze, Watt, and Cloudcover, who were studying a huge map of Equestria laid out on the table, all looked up as she entered.

"Got the newspapers?" Breeze asked.

Ditzy nodded as she dumped the contents of her saddlebags onto the table. Newspapers of various sizes with a wide range of different headlines spread out over a portion of the map. "Raindrops hooked me up," she explained. "There are papers here from all over Equestria; we need to look into everything that has to do with potential wraith sightings and figure out which ones are credible leads on Dinky's location, and which are just fear mongering tabloids, or ponies jumping to conclusions over nothing."

"You think that'll work?" Watt asked nervously. "The news that a wraith's on the loose is all over Equestria now, and a whole lot of ponies are kinda slow to accept Princess Twilight's promises that they have nothing to fear. There's probably dozens of rumors and false leads in there."

"We've got to try," Ditzy said matter-of-factly. "We haven't had any other good leads so far. Which reminds me, how are you guys doing with your end of the plan?"

"I'm still in contact with a number of ponies from my days in the service of the crown," Cloudcover reported. "Several old friends are doing all they can to investigate any information about wraiths or dark magic that may crop up in their hometowns."

"And Ponyville's about as secure as it's gonna get," Watt added. "Pinkie Pie's friends with everypony here, so she's been going around trying to convince ponies to listen to the princess and don't fear Dinky if they spot her. Not everypony's on board, but maybe two-thirds of 'em are. If Dinky turns up here, she's got at least a relatively good chance of running into a friend instead of a foe."

"I just got back from an aerial scan of the area," Breeze chimed in. "There are no signs of strange magical happenings, or unusual gatherings of ponies. Obviously I can't patrol all of Equestria by myself, but hopefully Cloudcover's contacts are helping with that."

"Thank you, all of you," Ditzy said, smiling slightly. "There hasn't been any confirmed report of a wraith being captured or attacked, just the stories and sightings in the tabloids, so if we keep this up, we still have a chance. Let's start going through these newspapers and marking anything that seems credible on the map."

The mare opened to the first page of one of the papers, but before she could even begin to read, there was the faint sound of a bell. After a moment, she realized it was the service bell down by the front desk.

"Now who could that be?" Cloudcover asked, his ears standing on end. "Walk-in clients were rare as it was, and now we've got a sign stating that we aren't open..."

"I'll go check!" Watt declared, leaping to his hooves. "Maybe we've got a delivery or something."

"If it's a client, tell them we can't help them right now," Breeze called as the chipper earth pony bolted out the door.

Ditzy sighed and turned back to her newspaper. "I hate the idea of turning clients away," she admitted, "but, right now... we just have to."

"It's the right thing to do," Breeze affirmed. "Candyfloss would have agreed that saving Dinky is much more important than saving the business."

"And sadly, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is likely beyond saving anyway," Cloudcover added gruffly.

There was the sound of hooves on the stairs, and Watt poked his head in the door. "Uh... guys?" he asked, wearing a rather uncertain expression. "That wasn't a client. Or a delivery. We have... guests."

"Guests?" Ditzy parroted, her eyes drifting into focus for a second to look at the door. "Who would come looking for us here?"

Watt stepped fully into the room, and silently beckoned to somepony on the stairs behind him. And then, to the great surprise of the other matchmakers, two unicorns stepped into the room: a young mare with pink and purple fur and three gemstones on her flank, and behind her, a stallion with a white coat that contrasted sharply with his black mane.

"Hello again, Mrs. Doo," Sparkler greeted with a faint smile.

"Sparkler! Presto!" Ditzy gasped, launching out of her chair and fluttering across the room toward her visitors. "What are you doing all the way down here in Ponyville?"

Sparkler raised an eyebrow. "What are we doing here? Are you serious?"

"There's a rather prevalent story in the news concerning one of our former classmates," Presto explained, considerably more politely. "You and Dinky have been so important to the course of Sparkler's life that we felt the least we could do was come and find out the truth from the source."

"Because the current story can't be true!" Sparkler insisted. "The news says that an incident at the Academy revealed Dinky to be a wraith!"

"Y-yes, that's right..." Ditzy stuttered, a bit taken aback by Sparkler's sudden energy.

Sparkler shook her head. "Mrs. Doo, in the time we spent together, it was clear you aren't especially versed in magic, and that's fine," she explained, "but to clarify, knowing dark magic is not the same as being a wraith. All unicorns are capable of dark magic, but wraiths are former unicorns that were consumed by it. I saw Dinky last spring; she's no wraith."

"She uh... she is though, actually," Ditzy said feebly. "She disguises herself as a pony, but she did get consumed by dark magic. I was there, I saw it. She's just not, um, evil, and as far as anypony knows, she's the first friendly wraith in history. Ask Princess Twilight, or anypony that works at the Academy. They've all known for years."

Sparkler and Presto exchanged a stunned glance. "You... you're serious?" Presto asked. "When did this happen?"

"Four years ago," Ditzy answered. "I'm sure you both heard about the incident with Scorpio's resurrection and then re-sealing. That story's common knowledge at the Academy. What wasn't widely known until just a few days ago was that Scorpio personally turned Dinky into a wraith during her brief visit to Equestria."

"That same night!?" Sparkler cried. "So when I saw Dinky the next afternoon... or earlier this year at your wedding..."

"She was disguising her true wraith form, yes," Ditzy said, slightly amused by Sparkler's increasingly incredulous expression. "I know that's a little hard to swallow, but we don't have time to worry about it right now. The guys and I need to get back to searching for her."

For the first time since arriving, Sparkler seemed to take notice of the other ponies standing silently across the room. Her gaze quickly rested on Breeze, and the two of them stared at each other for several seconds.

"Um... hey there Sparkler," Breeze said awkwardly. "I see things seem to be going well for you and your friend. I'm glad Ditzy was able to help you."

Presto, who clearly had been filled in on some of Sparkler's backstory in the weeks since reuniting with her, seemed to make the mental connection. "He knows you?" he asked. "Then is this your..."

"My father," Sparkler finished, her voice tinged with bitterness.

Nopony quite knew what to do next. Sparkler glanced at Presto, who gestured slightly with a forehoof, coaxing her forward. Apprehensively, she took a step or two toward the red pegasus.

Breeze made an attempt to break the silence. "So, um—"

"A truce," Sparkler said suddenly.

Breeze cocked his head. "Huh?"

"You and I are far from on good terms right now, Autumn Breeze," Sparkler said coldly. "But I am on good terms with Mrs. Doo. So much so that Presto and I came all the way here just to offer our help."

"Wait, what?" Ditzy asked, astonished.

Sparkler glanced over her shoulder at the mare. "Even though you didn't have to... even though I actually resisted it... you helped me find a pony that was very important to me," she said. "So when I heard the pony most important to you... or, well, wraith, apparently... is in danger, I felt it was important to come here to try to return the favor."

Ditzy's eyes widened. "You and Presto came all the way here to... to help us save Dinky?"

"Yes," said Sparkler, with her typical incredible bluntness, before turning back to Breeze. "Hence the truce. Breeze, there will be time to discuss... well, this whole entire mess later. Right now, regardless of the tension between us, we need to act as allies until Dinky Doo is safe."

Breeze nodded. "Agreed. Once the danger has passed, then we can worry about family drama."

"Now not to be rude, but we really shouldn't waste any more time," Cloudcover interjected, speaking up for the first time in a while. "Ditzy, why don't you introduce us all so we can get down to business."

"Right, sorry!" Ditzy squeaked. "You two, these are my other coworkers, Watt and Cloudcover. They've known Dinky for even longer than you have, and Breeze and I can always count on their help."

"Pleased to meet ya!" Watt chirped, grabbing Presto's forehoof and shaking it rapidly enough to send a wave of vibrations through the surprised young stallion. "Any friends of Ditzy's are friends of ours!"

After sufficiently rattling Presto, he reached out to offer Sparkler a similar greeting. With a bit of a frown, the mare conjured a glowing purple forehoof for him to shake instead. Undeterred, the earth pony eagerly greeted the little magic construct with an equally enthusiastic greeting.

"And guys, I know you already know this, but this is Sparkler and her friend Presto," Ditzy continued. "Both of them are Dinky's former Overseers, so if magic is gonna help us find her, we hit the jackpot when they showed up."

"I can't say for sure if magic will change anything," Sparkler admitted, "but we're willing to help with whatever you need."

"Well, it may not be the most glamorous task, but we could use a few extra sets of hooves to look through all the newspapers Ditzy provided," Cloudcover pointed out. "Could we trouble you two to help us scan these for news of potential wraith sightings?"

Before Sparkler and Presto could reply, a scroll materialized in midair in a burst of dragon fire. Ditzy managed to catch it before it hit the floor and quickly glanced it over.

Mrs. Doo,

Please come see me right away. You'll be relieved to hear I just received a letter from Dinky and her friends. With luck, we should be able to retrieve her before anypony else finds her. Further details when you get here.

~Princess Twilight

"Scratch that!" she announced. "Follow me everypony! Princess Twilight knows where Dinky is!"

Something's not right...

It was the first thought to cross Dinky's mind upon waking up that morning. Judging by the angle of the sunlight coming in through Honeydew's window, it was still early— perhaps seven in the morning— but the fact that she'd been allowed to wake up naturally at all was suspect. For the last three days, Berry Basket would've been pounding on the door at the crack of dawn, badgering the trio of fillies to get out of bed and get ready for another day in the fields.

By this time of day, Honeydew's parents would normally have been awake for nearly two hours. Yet the farmhouse was silent.

Dinky sat up and looked around. Clarity remained in the other sleeping bag, splayed out in an unkempt and unflattering pose as usual, snoring softly. Up in her bed, Honeydew, amazingly, appeared to be asleep as well; that she hadn't awakened alongside her parents at the crack of dawn was truly a testament to the poor filly's exhaustion.

"Girls," she whispered.

Ever the light sleeper, Honeydew's ears perked up immediately. She sat up and glanced around in confusion.

"Wait... what time is it?" she whispered back.

Clarity, always the opposite of Honeydew when it came to sleeping habits, twitched in her sleep and rolled over. More than used to such behavior after five years of sharing a dorm, Dinky trotted over and leaned into her friend's face.

"Oi, Clarity! Wake up."

Clarity grunted and slowly opened one eye. "What?" she croaked.

"Something's off," Dinky said quietly, looking around. "It's morning, and Honeydew's parents haven't come to get us yet."

"It's definitely odd..." Honeydew agreed, hopping out of her bed and immediately tying her mane back into its buns. "Come on, let's see if something's up."

The pink filly put on her saddlebags and pulled the door open, and Dinky followed her and Clarity down the stairs. The previous mornings, they'd always found Berry Basket bustling about the kitchen and Melon Rind checking over the harvest schedule and drinking his morning coffee, but today, the room was empty and still.

"Mother? Father?" Honeydew called, peeking through the doorway into the next room.

"Seems like nopony's here," Clarity said. "Do you think they started without us?"

Honeydew rolled her eyes. "Start working by themselves when there's three 'lazy unicorns' asleep upstairs that could provide free labor? That's not really how my parents are."

"Let's see if we can find them outside, then," Dinky suggested, pushing open the front door and stepping outside.

"There she is!"

Dinky froze and turned her head to the source of the voice. For a moment she struggled to make sense of what she was seeing.

Melon Rind and Berry Basket stood a few dozen pony lengths up the path. Berry's eyes were narrowed warily, and Melon wore an expression of equal parts horror and rage. Behind them were at least a dozen other earth ponies that Dinky could only assume were other residents of the tiny farming town. A number of them, especially the stallions, carried various farming tools with them, clutched at their sides like weapons they were itching to brandish. All of them looked similarly outraged.

Clarity and Honeydew stepped outside, and the latter stared at her parents uncomprehendingly. "Mother, father, what are you doing?" she squeaked, eyeing up the assemblage of ponies uncertainly.

"I knew you were in with the wrong crowd, Honeydew," Melon Rind replied, scowling at her. "I knew bringing unicorns back here would be nothing but trouble, but this? Do you even know what you've done?"

Honeydew blinked. "I..."

"We haven't done anything!" Clarity defended. "We've all been avoiding magic, just like you asked us to."

"Quiet, you!" Berry Basket snapped. "I wouldn't expect a pony so devoid of decency as you to have any morals anyway, but regardless, this isn't about you. It's about Honeydew and..." she made an accusatory gesture at Dinky "...and Solar Gleam here, though it appears that's not even her real name."

Dinky's breath caught in her throat. Uh-oh. What do they know?

"I went into town at sunrise this morning to get a few more tools," Melon Rind explained angrily. "While I was there, I heard a stallion passing through town talking to Dry Vine at the general store about some article in the newspapers. Apparently there's some kind of evil magical monster on the loose. She's hiding from the Equestrian authorities, disguising herself as a purple and yellow unicorn with stars on her flank."

Dinky glanced at her cutie mark instinctively, and immediately wished she hadn't. The gesture was, if anything, just more confirmation of her guilt.

"Get away from that loathsome beast, Honeydew," Berry Basket commanded. "This is what I always said would happen if you got too involved with magic; one thing leads to another, and next thing you know our daughter is trying to give violent magical fugitives asylum in our home!"

"You've got it all wrong!" Honeydew pleaded, not leaving her friend's side. "Dinky's not violent, she's just—"

"Dinky! That was the name in the newspaper, right?" Melon Rind asked one of the other stallions next to him, who nodded gravely. "Then there's no doubt. That unicorn's some kind of abomination that belongs in Tartarus. One way or another, I'm getting that wretched thing off my farm."

He began to approach, raising the pitchfork he'd been carrying at his side and pointing the prongs toward Dinky's chest. Dinky backed off, ready to defend herself with magic if it came to that.

"Father, stop!" Honeydew begged, galloping forward and meeting him before he could get close to Dinky. "She's my friend, and she's not dangerous! For Celestia's sake, why won't you ever believe me?"

Melon Rind lowered the pitchfork and glared down at his daughter. "Because I know everything coming out of your mouth is a result of that school mentally reconditioning you," he barked. "You ignored our wishes and went off to spend years studying that... that affront to nature that you unicorns use so casually. You made your choice; you gained the magic you so desperately wanted to learn, but you lost our respect."

Honeydew's ears and tail drooped. "I... o-okay, fine," she whimpered. "But it doesn't matter what you think of me, father. I'm not letting you hurt my friend."

Growing angrier, the stallion raised a foreleg to try to force Honeydew aside. But before he could give her a shove, a shining blue wall of light appeared between them.

"Using your magic against me now, are you?" Melon Rind roared. "You disrespectful—"

"That's not me!" Honeydew interrupted. "That magic's blue, so it must be—"

Dinky turned her head toward the barn, and sure enough, Scuffle was sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him toward the gathering of ponies, his horn brightly aglow. "I don't know what's going on over there," he yelled as he approached, "but if you lay a hoof on those three I'm gonna show you exactly the kind of magic you're afraid of!"

At the sight of the spell, the group of earth ponies became much more agitated. Many of them raised rakes and shovels defensively as Scuffle skidded to a halt next to his friends. "What the heck is this? What'd I miss?" he asked as he took his place beside them.

"News about Dinky made it to the town," Clarity sighed. "Our cover is blown."

With a furious cry, Melon Rind rammed his pitchfork against Scuffle's shield. It actually put a sizable chink in it; Dinky had to remind herself just how strong earth ponies could be when they were really trying.

"I don't care what sort of magic you try to use!" the stallion growled. "I'm either running that monster you're defending out of town, or personally sending it back to the pits of Tartarus where it belongs!"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Come! Join me! Let's get these troublemakers out of our peaceful little town!"

Emboldened by his call to action, the angry mob of townsfolk charged forward, raising their weapons. Scuffle hurriedly extended his shield into a dome that encased all four unicorns, but in just seconds, it was under assault from all sides by dozens of powerful blows.

"N-no! Stop!" Honeydew yelped, though her voice was all but drowned out by the chaos.

"They're like animals!" Scuffle cried, concentrating as hard as he could on repairing any damages dealt to the shield. "There's no reasoning with 'em! And they say we're the barbarians!"

"Clarity, get us out of here!" Dinky pleaded. "You're the best at teleporting all of us at once."

"Teleport? Where?" Clarity asked, wincing as an angry stallion rammed the shield right beside her with his whole body weight.

"Anywhere! Just go!"

Clarity lit her horn, and Dinky felt her hooves leave the ground for a fraction of a second as the world changed around her. The angry cries and clanging of farming tools vanished all at once, replaced by the sound of a stream and the trilling of a few frogs as an unfamiliar forest came into view. The instant the teleport was complete, Honeydew collapsed in the grass at the base of a tree, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Honeydew!" Dinky gasped, rushing over to her. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I-I'm s-s-so sorry!" Honeydew sputtered between gasping sobs. "It's my f-fault, I'm so s-stupid..."

"What do you mean?" Clarity asked, equally alarmed. "You didn't do anything. In fact, you tried to stop them!"

"We n-never should have gone there in the f-first place!" the pink filly wailed, weakly pounding a hoof on the tree beside her in anguish. "I grew up there! I kn-know how paranoid and ignorant my parents can be! And n-news about Dinky was bound to get there eventually, but I—"

She paused, struggling to catch her breath as her body shook with sobs. "—b-b-but I thought we'd be safe for longer. And I believed... I believed that if something d-did happen, I could convince them... not to make them accept the benefits of magic or anything, but maybe make them s-see reason... to not treat you like monsters! I should know better by now! I almost got you three hurt... or worse! Stupid! So S-stupid!"

She pressed her face into the grass and dissolved into incoherent bawling, leaving Dinky and Clarity too shocked to say anything.

A second later, Dinky felt a gentle tap on her side. She turned her head to see Scuffle vaguely gesturing for her to step aside. She did so, and the colt moved forward, carefully tucking his legs under him to lay down in the grass beside his distraught friend.

"Dewey."

Honeydew either didn't hear him or simply didn't respond. Her body quivered as she continued to cry.

"Dewey, look at me," Scuffle commanded, his voice firm but not intimidating as he carefully extended a foreleg and used it to coax her to lift her head.

Shaking, Honeydew slowly looked up; the fur on her face was matted from tears and her pale green eyes glistened in the morning sunlight. "W-what?" she asked, sounding disoriented.

"First of all, you didn't do a damn thing wrong and you know it," Scuffle said. "The whole country is after Dinky right now; nowhere is totally safe. The only options we had were to stay clear of all civilization, or try to lay low somewhere where news spreads more slowly. You tried to help us by taking us to a place where we could get food and shelter without raising suspicion for a few days."

Honeydew grimaced. "B-but... but... I should've thought more about the consequences," she argued. "M-my father... he brought an army. He would've tried to kill Dinky if we gave him the chance..."

"And in what universe would we have given him a chance?" Scuffle asked, raising an eyebrow. "His 'army' was a bunch of earth ponies with shovels and pitchforks. We're four above-average unicorns with extensive magic training. I only used a shield back there instead of fighting back because I knew we didn't wanna hurt anypony, but if we had to defend ourselves, we could've, easily. And let's be honest, while most of Equestria won't respond like that to unicorns, there's a whole lot of totally normal folks who will respond like that to a wraith. We coulda' waltzed into a 'highly civilized' place like Canterlot and still been faced with an angry mob just as vicious as that one, and it probably would've been a heck of a lot more dangerous than a band of farmers, too."

"S-still..." Honeydew managed. "Even if Dinky wasn't a wraith, I don't know why I thought th-they would tolerate you three. They won't listen. They won't give any unicorn a chance. They w-won't even give me a chance..."

She sniffled loudly, holding back fresh sobs. "Scuffle, after all these years, why did I want to believe things might be different this time?" she squeaked. "I know better than that..."

Scuffle didn't immediately respond, but even from her angle, Dinky caught a glimpse of the deepest compassion in his eyes.
"Well... because just about everypony has some good in 'em somewhere," he said softly. "A lot of times the bad ones are more grossly misguided than actually bad. Some ponies have beliefs that they'll just never waver from. To you and me, it seems silly. If you present somepony with logic that disproves what they think, they should change their view, right? But it just, y'know... it doesn't always work like that."

Honeydew looked down. "So there's no hope," she said flatly.

"Well, now hold on," Scuffle continued. "Different ponies respond to different things. Maybe your parents will never accept that unicorns and earth ponies aren't really so different. Or maybe it'll just take something to convince them that ponies like you haven't already tried. Either way, that's not the point."

Honeydew's ear twitched. "Oh?"

"The point is that you aren't responsible for how they act, and it's not your job to act how they want you to," Scuffle explained. "If those two can't find it in their hearts to see unicorns as anything but monsters, that's their loss. But I don't wanna hear you acting like you deserve any of that crap they give you because you were born a unicorn. You have more talent and charm than you know what to do with, and now that you're grown up, you need to surround yourself with ponies who appreciate it. Dedicated professors, like-minded citizens... and, y'know, good friends, like us."

He reached out, placing a hoof on her shoulder reassuringly. "You can do it, okay? I've known you for a long time. I know you can."

Honeydew squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and wiped her face with a hoof. After a moment, she crawled forward a bit and planted her face in the fluffy patch of fur on Scuffle's chest, still crying, but much more softly now. The colt blinked in surprise, and blushing slightly, he gave her mane a few slow strokes. After a few moments, Honeydew seemed to calm down a bit more; turning her face away slightly, she rested her cheek against him, eyes closed, looking physically and emotionally exhausted.

"W-what do we do now?" she whispered.

Scuffle glanced expectantly at the others. "Dinks? Clarity? Got any clue where we are?"

"Not really," Clarity admitted, once she got over Scuffle's monologue enough to find her voice. "I was more focused on teleporting us as far as I could manage. I know we've gone south, but I couldn't tell you how far, or if we're near anything recognizable."

"There's a stream here, at least," Dinky pointed out. "We've got a water source, and if we follow it, we'll probably find a town or something. "We'll just have to be really careful about being seen. But until then..."

"We have to rough it in the wilderness, eh?" Scuffle asked. "Good thing we've got a pony with us who can interact with the environment to help us find food and shelter out here."

Honeydew's eyes flew open. "I almost forgot," she said sheepishly. "I haven't cast a spell in days..."

The meek filly finally sat up, wiping the last of the tears off her face, and lit her horn. The bright green Lifesense grid spread across everything in the immediate vicinity, and Dinky was able to almost see the vitality flow back into Honeydew's previously listless features in seconds. What Scuffle had said back on the farm was true, it seemed; Honeydew just didn't seem complete without her life magic. A hint of a smile crossed her lips.

"Alright, here's the plan:" Clarity began, "We'll follow the stream until we find civilization. Honeydew can help us find anything edible, and when we get to a town, Dinky can hang back in hiding while the rest of us try to find a way to send another letter to update the ponies looking for us about our new location. If we just stay away from everypony this time, we should be able to hold out until our allies arrive. Does that sound okay to everypony?"

"Got it," Dinky affirmed, nodding. "Honeydew, are you feeling up to it?"

Honeydew nodded slowly. "I... I'll manage," she confirmed, standing up and leaning against Scuffle for support. "Let's go."

Inkwell could tell in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong. The whole atmosphere of the Academy felt... off. The staff looked too somber, and the students too on-edge. If anything, the tension had only grown in the week since the truth about Dinky had come to light. And the fact that there was still no news on where she was, or where Overseer Clarity and her friends were for that matter, continued to gnaw at her. She'd heard nothing further on Tango's unnerving prediction either, but despite his consolation, the troubling premonition, vague though it was, still bothered her.

So when Dean Script called for an unscheduled meeting of all students, at a time of day that caused an interruption of classes, she feared the worst.

Inkwell and her friends shuffled into the main hall, trying to avoid ending up underhoof as older students filed in around them. The trio took their seats and waited.

"D'you think they've finally got news about what happened to Dinky and the others?" Portabella whispered.

"I hope so, but... I just can't shake the feeling that we're about to receive more bad news," Inkwell admitted, tugging nervously on one of her braids.

"I concur," Top agreed. "The very atmosphere here is permeated with unease. Perhaps recent occurrences can be construed as ill omens, prognosticating calamities yet to come."

"Top, this is serious," Portabella scolded, frowning at him. "As much as I love your sexy foreign talk, it's not the time or place."

Top stared blankly at her for a moment. Inkwell assumed, if she could've seen past his impossibly thick glasses, he probably narrowed his eyes at the oblivious filly beside him. Before she could comment, Dean Script appeared onstage in a flash of light. Though still well-groomed and adorned with her usual ceremonial cloak, the mare looked much more tired and worn than usual.

What Inkwell hadn't been expecting was for Princess Twilight to teleport in as well. The chatter in the room quieted within seconds of her appearance.

"Good afternoon, and thank you for coming on such short notice," Spiral Script began. "I apologize for interrupting your classes; I know we've been gathering the student body together for these meetings more often than usual, but this one really is of significant importance. I'd prefer to get right to the point, so I'm going to pass the conversation to Princess Twilight."

"Thank you, Dean Script," Twilight replied, nodding respectfully. "Students, I know you're all aware that this term has been burdened with, um... more than its share of tension. That tension extends much further than this school; all of Equestria is dealing with troubling events right now. So I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the situation has gotten worse once again."

Inkwell swallowed hard and glanced nervously at her friends. Has something bad happened to Clarity and the others?

"We didn't want to raise the alarm immediately, until we were sure, but now there can be no doubt," Twilight continued somberly. "Princess Luna's sudden absence is no coincidence; all attempts to locate or contact her have failed. We have no choice but to assume that she has disappeared along with the others."

"Additionally, there is still substantial unrest in many of Equestria's population centers, owing to information spread about your classmate, Dinky Doo," Spiral Script added. "And don't think the whispers about her here haven't reached my ears, either; I can assure you once again that despite her connection with dark magic, Dinky is not malicious and has no intent to harm anypony. But unfortunately, as Twilight is now our only acting princess, spreading the message that she is not to be feared to the rest of Equestria is proving to be very slow work."

"This, combined with other recent concerns that have arisen, have forced us to make a difficult decision," Twilight explained, sighing as she looked out at the congregated unicorns sadly. "After today, there are only two weeks left in the term: one of normal classes, scheduled to end with the Nightmare Night dance for most of you, and the Graduates' Ball for our fifth-term students, and then a week of final exams. But given the situation that has developed, Dean Script and I have decided it's in the best interests of the safety and well-being of our students that the remainder of the term be suspended until the situation can be resolved.

"Suspended?" Inkwell mouthed. "But that means..."

"Please return to the towers and pack your things," Spiral Script ordered. "Overseer Tango will orchestrate the exit process and get you all safely on the train home. After today, Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns is closed until further notice."

Squish.

Dinky scrunched up her nose as she lifted her hoof off the soggy ground. A generous helping of mud came up with it.

"Ground's gettin' really wet here," Scuffle grumbled, shaking mud off his hooves as well.

"Thank you, captain obvious," Dinky grumbled.

"I didn't think we'd be following the river for three days," Clarity admitted, sighing. "We must be in a really remote part of Equestria to have not encountered some town by now."

Honeydew stepped up on a small mound and looked around. In frustration, Dinky noticed her friend's hooves were inexplicably clean and dry, before it occurred to her that Honeydew was probably using Lifesense information provided by the underbrush to find the absolute driest route across the waterlogged ground.

"I hate to tell you this..." the pink filly said softly, "but I think we're about to run out of river to follow. We've been going downhill for a while now, and the groundwater is getting more and more widespread."

"Which means what?" Scuffle asked, using the remains of a rotted stump to scrape some of the scum off the underside of his hoof.

Honeydew parted the bushes just ahead so the others could see beyond them. Twisted, moss-covered trees loomed over muddy ground and pools of mostly stagnant water.

"It's a swamp," Honeydew deadpanned.

"Oh, perfect," Dinky groaned. "I don't suppose you can detect any easy way through?"

Honeydew stepped forward and extended the Lifesense grid as far as she could manage across the landscape beyond. After a few seconds, she let the spell fade out and shook her head. "All the plant life I can detect is saturated, and their nutrient levels are consistent with swampy landscapes," she admitted, biting her lip. "We're going to have to just slog through..."

Clarity snorted and marched to the front of the group, pushing aside the bushes and forging ahead. "No sense putting it off then," she declared. "Let's get started."

Dinky clambered down the embankment along with the others and winced as her hooves sank into several inches of black mud. Carefully, she began to trudge forward, holding her tail high enough that it wouldn't drag through the muck.

"I don't think I want to know exactly what's crawling around in there..." Honeydew admitted, extinguishing her Lifesense as she stepped gingerly into the goop as well.

For a few minutes, the four friends spoke little, concentrating on keeping their balance as they struggled across the landscape.

"Y'know," Scuffle said finally, wrenching his hoof free from some tangled roots submerged in the gunk beneath him, "I think I saw a movie once that involved a horse in a swamp. It didn't end well."

"Oh, hush," Clarity chided. "There are four of us, and we have magic. There's nothing to worry about; this swamp seems more inconvenient than dangerous."

"Though maybe we can take a quick rest?" Honeydew asked meekly. "There's a small rise up ahead that looks dry."

Dinky peered ahead. There was indeed a small hill, ringed with big trees, that seemed to be a bit above the level of all the putrid mud. "I'm with Honeydew," she agreed. "Let's take a second to catch our breath."

The four unicorns crawled up onto the hill and collapsed, panting from the effort of trudging through the mire. Dinky flopped onto her back, watching the light of the setting sun turn colors as it glinted off the leaves above them.

"Okay," Scuffle said drearily. "This has been enough adventure for the year. Are we done yet?"

"At least we're safe, and haven't been struggling to find food out here," Honeydew pointed out, levitating a cloth from her bag and cleaning the muck off her legs. "I just hope all our friends back at the Academy are okay. I miss Tango; I hope he's not having too much trouble handling the Overseer job by himself..."

"I'm sure Tango's fine," Clarity soothed. "The Overseer job was always pretty easy for him. He's got such charisma that most of the students were more than happy to listen to his guidance."

Honeydew grinned. "Well, I guess you're right," she agreed.

"You know who is probably struggling though? Inkwell," Clarity continued, frowning. "You saw how badly she wanted to come with us when we left the Academy. Nopony's seen us in a week; she's probably terrified something happened to us."

"Inkwell's nothing compared to how my mom must be right now," Dinky cut in. "You know how she is. By now, she got our letter, went to Honeydew's farm to find us, and of course, we were long gone by then."

"Y'think Honeydew's folks gave Mrs. Doo any trouble?" Scuffle asked.

Honeydew shook her head. "Mrs. Doo isn't a unicorn. I'm sure they were at least civil, if maybe a little unpleasant."

"Well, don't worry," Clarity recommended. "As soon as we can get somewhere safe, we can wait for Princess Twilight and Princess Luna to reassure the nation about Dinky, and then this whole thing will blow over. We just have to tough it out a little bit longer."

"But as for tonight, should we camp here?" Scuffle asked. "It's nice and remote, and at least this spot's dry."

"And surprisingly pretty," Dinky commented, still watching the light show created by the sunlight in the leaves above. The vibrant light shone with yellows and reds and blues above her.

"...Wait, blues?"

More and more spots of color began to appear, and after a moment, Dinky realized whatever she was looking at wasn't an effect of the sunlight at all. Tiny colored lights in every shade of the rainbow seemed to emerge from behind leaves or within the grooves on the bark of trees.

Dinky's friends quickly took notice of the phenomenon as well. "Uh, girls, what are we lookin' at here?" Scuffle asked. "Does this place have multicolored fireflies, or...?"

Honeydew stood up, peering at the dozens of tiny lights swirling around the group. Curiously, she cast Lifesense on her surroundings. Panic washed over her features in an instant.

"Everypony! Ears flat against your heads, quick!" she instructed, doing the same with her own as she said so. "Scuffle, shield, now!"

Within a second, Scuffle encased the four travelers in a glimmering bluish dome. A few of the colored lights flitted against the outside, like flies tapping against a pane of glass.

"Honeydew, what's going on?" Dinky asked, hoping she was loud enough that her friends could hear her with their ears pressed down.

"Make sure there are none inside the dome!" Honeydew called back, carefully examining every inch of their enclosure. Dinky did the same, examining everything from the grass to her own fur for any sign of the mysterious lights.

"Looks like Scuffle got the shield up before they got too close," Clarity said.

"Scuffle, is the shield stable?" Honeydew asked. "Is there any chance it would break or deactivate unexpectedly?"

Scuffle smirked. "Don't you worry, Dewey," he said proudly. "Nothing's gettin' in or out of here unless I say so."

Honeydew sighed with relief and let her ears return to their normal position. Cautiously, the other three ponies did the same.

"Ok, you mind cluing us in now?" Clarity asked, tossing her mane nervously. "Why are we taking all these precautions because of some little colored lights?"

Honeydew watched the sparkling spots continue to flit like insects outside the dome. "They're not lights. They're wood nymphs," she said gravely. "A rare species that lives deep in forests and swamps like this one. They don't cause bodily harm or anything, but they're still really dangerous because they—"

A single, orange light flitted out of its hiding spot in the voluminous waves of Honeydew's mane. Dinky spotted it first and tried to react.

"Honeyd—"

Before the word was even out of her mouth, the little orange glimmer changed course and darted into Honeydew's ear. The pink filly gasped and shook her head violently, but the invader didn't re-emerge. After a few fruitless seconds of trying, she stood still, her pupils tiny and horrified.

"O-o-okay, listen c-closely," she stammered. "There's n-no time to explain, b-but I'm going to be fine, I promise. Just p-please, whatever happens, d-don't let me—"

Honeydew choked on the next word. Her face flushed with effort as she struggled to get the remainder of her sentence out, but she couldn't utter a single sound. She swayed where she stood, and her eyes rolled up as she toppled sideways and collapsed softly in the grass.

"Dewey!" Scuffle cried, at the filly's side in an instant. "Crap! We missed one! How did we miss one!? What did it do to her!?"

"Okay, let's try to calm down," Dinky managed, though she could feel herself shaking as well. "Honeydew's the one who knows about these wood nymph things, and she promised it's gonna be okay."

"Check her heart and breathing," Clarity added. "If her vitals are okay, she probably just fell unconscious."

Scuffle gingerly moved one of Honeydew's forelegs out of the way and pressed his ear against her chest. "I'm no expert, but sounds normal, I think..." he said finally, standing back up. "D'you think she just had a massive panic attack and passed out, like that time Dinks set the residence tower on fire?"

"Hah. Not quite."

It was Honeydew that spoke, startling all three friends. The prone filly's eyes popped open, and she looked around curiously. Dinky immediately noticed one very obvious thing that was amiss; Honeydew's normally cool green eyes were now a vibrant, fluorescent orange. Those eyes passed briefly over Dinky and Clarity before her gaze came to rest on Scuffle. A big, almost manic grin, quite unlike any expression Dinky had ever seen Honeydew make, spread across her face.

"Well hey there, big guy!" she greeted, leaping up and immediately pressing the side of her body right up against his, speaking almost directly into his ear. "What brings a handsome fella like you all the way out here?"

Scuffle scrambled backward like he'd seen a ghost. "Dewey, what the heck are you doing!?" he sputtered.

Honeydew pouted playfully. "Now now, no need to be scared," she cooed. "I don't bite. Well, maybe nibble a little, at most."

Dinky had never seen Scuffle so utterly unable to respond to anything. She quickly stepped between her friend and the shell shocked colt.

"Honeydew, what is this? I'm guessing that thing in your ear is causing this?"

Honeydew giggled gleefully. "Oh, sorry!" she replied. "Honeydew's not here. Can I take a message?"

"Wha—"

"Dinky, don't you see?" Clarity asked urgently. "I think the nymph thing is controlling her. We're not talking to Honeydew at all; we're talking to the wood nymph!"

"You got it!" Honeydew— or the nymph, apparently— replied in a singsong voice. "But no need to look so horrified! Honeydew's fine; she's just taking a little nap way deep down in her subconscious, while I take the wheel for a while."

Scuffle's lip curled into a snarl. "And you think that's funny or something?" she growled. "Get out of her head this instant, nymph!"

The nymph continued to appear thoroughly amused by the ponies around her. "Nymph? I have a name you know," she said, using Honeydew's features to show off another convincing, but entirely fake, pout. "It's SpindleFlicker WhistleWhinny ThistleWhisper. But apparently you ponies get tongue-tied easily, so just Flicker will do. And let me just page through her memories here... ah, you three are Dinky, Clarity, and Scuffle, I see. This mare's got plenty of info on the three of you."

Scuffle yanked his two remaining friends into a huddle and turned to Dinky desperately. "Dinks, we gotta get that thing out of her head, now," he hissed, as the nymph looked at them curiously with Honeydew's eyes.

"Well, it's not like we can use force. It's in Honeydew's body," Dinky pointed out.

"If it can speak, maybe it can be reasoned with," Clarity added. "Let's find why it's doing this."

The three friends broke their huddle. "Fine then, Flicker," Dinky said as she stepped forward. "What do you want with Honeydew?"

"You don't know?" Flicker gasped, before breaking into another fit of giggles. "Lucky for you, I'm noticing this pony has some kind of crazy encyclopedic knowledge of Equestrian life, so maybe you'll get it if I just repeat what she knows."

She cleared her— or rather, Honeydew's— throat, and began to speak as if reading from a book.

"See, there are two modern species of equine insectoids that are both evolved from a common ancestor, but have developed very different characteristics as a result of divergent evolution..."

Here she paused, scrunching up her face and sticking out her tongue. "Boy, fancy words in here," she commented. "Where was I? Oh yeah. Both species feed off emotional energy, but their tastes and methods of getting it differ considerably. The first species, the changelings, impersonate their target's loved one, and feed off love directed at the pony they're impersonating. Changelings have grown much bigger over millennia, almost to full pony size, so they don't have to do as much work with transformation magic to accomplish that."

"Wait, so changelings used to be tiny in the distant past?" Clarity asked.

Flicker rolled Honeydew's eyes. "What do I look like, a library?" she asked. "You're lucky I took the time to dig this explanation out of Honeydew's brain in the first place."

Clarity sighed. "Fine. Continue."

"Now, wood nymphs on the other hoof," Flicker explained, smiling broadly, "well, our method is a little less subtle. Rather than impersonate ponies, we just zip right on into their heads and 'borrow' them for a while. There's some kind of incompatibility if a female nymph tries to possess a male, or vice versa, but since I'm a girl, any mare is fair game."

"But why?" Dinky asked. "I mean, if changelings and nymphs were the same species once, what led to such different strategies?"

Flicker gave an unladylike, snorting laugh that sounded extremely out of place when produced by Honeydew's otherwise melodious voice. "That comes down to differing tastes in feeding on emotions," she chuckled. "Changelings assume a pony's entire life, because it's important that they don't make their target suspicious, so they can feed off deep, meaningful love. Nymphs use an easier strategy and "borrow" ponies for a while because, well... we're looking for emotions that are a teensy bit more shallow, if you know what I mean. Affection, attraction, desire... you get the picture. Some of those feelings can easily come from total strangers."

"W-wait," Scuffle stammered, "so you took over Honeydew because—"

"Because she's hot!" Flicker blurted, erupting into more playful giggles. "Hotter than these other two, for sure."

Although that statement was most likely true, Dinky couldn't help but feel a bit offended anyway.

Flicker glanced over her shoulder, admiring Honeydew's figure. "And man, I really hit the jackpot this time!" she chirped. "Just imagine how many stallions' heads will turn when I parade this cute set of flanks around the nearest town!"

"And what makes you think we'll let you do that with Honeydew?" Clarity asked, indignant.

Flicker shrugged. "It's not like you really have a choice," she said casually. "I'm not leaving till I've had my fill. Stop me from doing what I want and it just means your friend can look forward to a longer vacation in the depths of her subconscious."

Dinky and Clarity exchanged a helpless glance. Flicker pushed them aside and sauntered up to Scuffle.

"Of course, it's not all bad," she cooed, swaying Honeydew's hips slightly and swishing her tail as she approached the colt. "Now you can have all the Honeydew you want, courtesy of your good friend Flicker."

She fluttered Honeydew's eyelashes at him. Scuffle simultaneously blushed and made a sound like a frightened puppy, and Flicker laughed as he scampered behind Dinky and Clarity. "This is so messed up..." he whined. "Honeydew would never act like that..."

"As much as you might wish she would," Flicker cut in, winking at him.

"There's got to be some way to get her out of there, right?" he asked, looking pleadingly at Dinky. "We have to get rid of her before she... y'know... does something unsavory with Honeydew."

"We're not letting her do anything to Honeydew," Dinky said firmly. "We'll just keep her under close watch until we can get ourselves out of danger. I'm sure we can work out a way to get rid of her after that, and if we can't, Princess Twilight or somepony from the Academy can probably help."

Flicker shrugged again. "You're wasting your time, but whatever!" she announced. "I'm in no hurry."

"Oh, and Scuffle? How long can you maintain that shield?" Clarity asked, pausing for the first time in a while to look at the swarm of other nymphs still circling outside the dome.

"Oh, uh... I forgot I was even casting that," Scuffle admitted. "It's not a strong one, since all we're keeping out is a bunch of bugs. It's good for several hours."

"No sleep for us tonight then," Dinky said bitterly, trotting down the side of the hill and wading back into the swamp. "At least until we're out of the territory of these little pests. Let's keep moving."

Hopeless and defeated, Ditzy Doo slumped into a chair in the employee lounge and placed her head face down on the table.

"Now, now, Ditzy," Cloudcover consoled, taking hold of her shoulder with a hoof. "Obviously that was quite a setback, but it just means we have to regroup and try again."

The setback to which Cloudcover was referring was the team's latest attempt to locate and rescue Dinky and her friends. The letter Ditzy had received from Princess Twilight was penned by one of Dinky's friends, and claimed that the four unicorns had taken up refuge in a small farming town that was apparently Honeydew's childhood home. The four matchmakers, along with Sparkler and Presto, rushed to the location as soon as the news arrived.

It hadn't gone as planned.

Ditzy pictured the scene as it had been a day or two earlier; the citizens of the quiet village barely paid her and the other matchmakers a glance, but each and every one seemed to stare down Sparkler and Presto with distrust and revulsion. Ditzy recalled the stories Dinky had told her about Honeydew's family and their hatred of unicorns. Fortunately, Sparkler had lots of practice in acting unfazed by her surroundings. She and Presto had stuck close together and walked in silence toward their destination.

The farmhouse they'd arrived at had seemed peaceful enough, though the stallion that greeted them when they knocked on the door was decidedly less so. Ditzy pressed her head harder against the lounge table and covered it with her forehooves as the exchange played in her mind yet again.

"What do you want?"

"Hello sir. I received a letter that said my daughter and her friends are here?

You... you mean those unicorns and that monster thing!? They're long gone, we ran them out of town this morning."

"Y-you what?"

"And our traitor of a daughter went with 'em. Good riddance, I say. If she has the gall to bring that beast back here, next time it'll be meeting the business end of a pitchfork, so all its horrible hexes are gone from the world for good!"

Ditzy remembered attempting to respond, but right around then was when the farm's owner realized there were two unicorns among her traveling companions.

"You brought more of them here!? Get those blasted unicorns off my property this instant!"

"B-but sir, if you could just tell us where Dinky went—"

"I don't know or care where those unicorns went, but while they were here, they sure did a good job of proving their kind can't be trusted. Now, if you don't get the unicorns traveling with you off of my farm immediately, I'll get rid of 'em by force!"

"But—"

"Now!"

There was nothing for it. Although Ditzy no longer remembered the exact series of events that followed, she knew Breeze, Cloudcover, and Watt had all stepped in, trying to gain any additional information, and Sparkler and Presto left the property in the hopes of appeasing the stallion. The only detail anypony was able to get from the farmer was that Dinky and her friends had fled via teleportation magic, before refusing to answer any more questions and slamming the door in their faces.

For the whole rest of the day, the team of ponies searched in every direction within several miles of the farm, with the pegasi scanning from the air, the unicorns using sensory spells, and Watt darting into any nook and the others may have overlooked. But it was to no avail; Dinky and her friends clearly had too much of a head start, and without any way of knowing which direction they'd gone when they teleported, there was no way to track them. Defeated, all six ponies had no choice but to return to Ponyville and regroup.

But sitting here in the lounge of the now-defunct shipping business, Ditzy couldn't seem to see a way forward. Dinky had slipped away, and nopony knew where she could be or if she was even safe.

"Come on, Ditzy," Breeze urged. "We have to try something. There must be another way to find her."

"I know we have to try," Ditzy whimpered, "but what else can we do? We just... we can't search all of Equestria. By the time we find her, it might be too late. It just seems so hopeless..."

Sparkler's ears perked up. She marched forward, scowling, and pushed Breeze out of the way before grabbing Ditzy by the fluff of her chest and bringing the startled mare's face just inches from hers.

"Hopeless? That's infuriatingly hypocritical of you, Mrs. Doo," she snapped.

"Sparkler!" Presto chimed in, hurrying to her side. "I know we're all frustrated, but don't take it out on Mrs. Doo."

Sparkler turned to her friend, her expression softening slightly. "I know what I'm doing, Presto," she said, a bit more levelly. "I'm not gonna hurt her or anything. Please, let me talk."

Presto hesitated for a moment and then took a step back, watching curiously.

Sparkler turned back to the pegasus clutched in her forehoof. "Listen," she said, "not very long ago, I was ready to give up on... well, everything. I thought I'd never escape the walls I built around myself; that I had sealed myself in and had to live with the situation I created. I know a thing or two about being hopeless. But no matter how I acted, you just bluntly refused to stop trying. I treated you badly, I tried to escape, I even assaulted you with magic, and you just kept right on trying until..."

She paused, finally releasing her grip. "...Until you actually managed to reunite me with my old friend, and everything got so much better," she continued, turning to smile weakly at Presto, who beamed back at her. "I thought, after all that, a pony like you wouldn't know the meaning of the word hopeless. You wanna help Dinky, and you ran into a setback, just like all those setbacks you ran into with me. Now shake it off, get up, and try again, like before!"

Ditzy blinked. "You're... you're right!" she gasped, leaping up. "What am I doing? This is Dinky we're talking about! There's no time to mope around!"

"Exactly!" Sparkler affirmed, rearing up and slamming her forehooves down for emphasis. "Now, let's get to brainstorming. A solution's not going to just burst in the front door."

There was a loud bang from somewhere downstairs, as if somepony had just burst in the front door. All the ponies gathered in the lounge exchanged a surprised glance.

"Should I... go check on that?" Watt asked hesitantly.

"No need," Breeze replied, as the sound of the visitor's quick hoofsteps made their way down the hall and up the stairs.

Ditzy tensed, unsure of who or what she was about to encounter. She certainly wasn't expecting the pony who stepped into the room a second later to be an especially familiar large Pinto stallion, with a small Equestrian Navy cap still perched atop his head.

"Where's Dinky?" he asked, not waiting for any sort of greeting.

"Pipsqueak?" Ditzy asked incredulously. "When did you get back from⁠—"

"Mrs. Doo, I don't mean to be rude, but where is Dinky?" Pip repeated. "Is she here? Is she safe?"

Ditzy winced. "Well... no, to both. That's why we're here, actually."

Pip's ears drooped and he looked down. "I knew something was wrong. I tried to get here as fast as I could, but we were still days from port when the danger started..."

"Hang on my boy, you found out about Dinky while still out at sea?" Cloudcover asked. "I assumed you wouldn't have heard the news about her until returning to the mainland."

"Well, you're half-right, Uncle Cloudcover," Pip admitted. "I didn't learn what happened until we got to port, but I'm pretty sure I was aware something was happening the moment it began. One of Dinky's old classmates enchanted my pendant to alert me when she's in serious danger, but I hadn't felt that spell activate in years."

"The pendant!" Sparkler realized, quickly stepping forward and gazing at the half-moon-shaped diamond around the young stallion's neck. "May I see that for a second?"

"Sure...?" Pipsqueak said, hesitantly removing the accessory. "Err, I'm sorry, have we met? You look familiar but I can't put my hoof on⁠—"

"I'm sure you saw me at Mrs. Doo's wedding early this year," she replied, grabbing the pendant in her aura and examining it closely. "But more importantly, I cast the enchantment you just described."

Pip's eyes widened. "Oh, you're Sparkler!" he realized. "How could I forget? I'm in your debt, miss; I don't know what would've become of Dinky on the night of Scorpio's rebirth without you."

"This pendant," Sparkler continued, waving away Pip's gratitude, "you said the enchantment is still intact, right?"

"Well, yours is," Pip replied morosely. "Dinky and I are supposed to be able to feel each other's caring emotions through it, but I haven't felt the touch of her magic in months now."

"All we need is my spell for our purposes," Sparkler said quickly. "When's the last time it activated?"

"Well, I first felt it about a week ago, while still out at sea," Pip said after a moment of thought, "and it activated one further time three or four days ago."

"That second one coincides with the morning they were forced to flee Honeydew's farm," Sparkler realized. "We know they escaped there safely, we just don't know what happened after that. If the pendant hasn't activated since, there's a very good chance Dinky is still unharmed."

"Oh thank Celestia," Ditzy breathed, letting the tension in her body fall away slightly. "We still can't find her, but at least she's probably okay."

"Actually..." Presto cut in, smiling, "there may be more good news. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Sparkler?"

Sparkler smirked at him. "Presto, enchantments was my best subject. And I was the valedictorian. Of course I'm thinking what you're thinking."

"Mind letting the rest of us know what thoughts you think you're thinking?" Watt asked, tapping a front hoof impatiently.

"This pendant and Dinky's share two halves of the same spell," Sparkler explained, looking proud of herself. "That spell is already set up to direct Pip toward Dinky's position when she's in serious danger. All I need to do is tweak it a bit by broadening the definition of 'danger' to include Dinky's current situation, and the effect should kick in and lead us directly to her location."

"Perfect!" Ditzy cheered. "How long will it take to⁠—"

Sparkler's horn had already both lit up and then extinguished again. "Done," she said simply.

Pip slipped the pendant back on, and his expression instantly changed to one of surprise and comprehension. "Southeast!" he declared. "She's a long ways southeast of here. Let's get moving!"

Dinky slowly opened one eye.

The forest around her was quiet, save for Clarity's soft snoring somewhere nearby. She tilted her head slightly, looking up through the leaves, and noticed that, although it was mid-afternoon, there wasn't much sunlight. The sky was grey and overcast.

Turning her head, Dinky spotted Clarity curled up on a mound of leaves nearby. Scuffle wasn't far away, sprawled out in the grass. And Honeydew...

Dinky paused. She looked to her left, then her right, and then behind her, but the pink filly was nowhere to be found.

Where is—

At that moment, her brain seemed to shake off the veil of sleep, and she remembered everything. Exhausted after a long night of trekking through the wilderness, she, Clarity, and Scuffle had stopped for an afternoon nap, and agreed to take turns staying awake so somepony was always keeping an eye on Flicker.

And I must have dozed off on my watch!

"Clarity! Scuffle! Get up!" she yelled, jolting her two companions from sleep.

"Wha?" Clarity asked dazedly, her mane dangling in front of her eyes. "What is it?"

"Honeydew! Or Flicker! Or whatever we're calling her!" said Dinky urgently. "I... I must've fallen asleep for a minute. She's gone!"

"What!?" Scuffle gasped, on his hooves in an instant. "Dinks, what the heck is wrong with you? You know what that nymph's gonna do with Honeydew if we aren't chaperoning her!"

"It's not like I did it on purpose!" Dinky said defensively. "Honeydew's my friend too! You know I wouldn't intentionally let anything bad happen to her!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have let Flicker run off to do Celestia-knows-what with her body," Scuffle growled, getting up in her face.

Dinky felt her inner darkness swell. She kept it in check, but snarled back at the colt.

"Stop it, both of you!"

Dinky felt a touch of magic take hold of her hindquarters and drag her backwards, separating her from Scuffle by several pony-lengths. Clarity stepped between them, looking upset.

"I know this is a bad situation, and I know you two both tend to get fighty when you're upset with something, but biting each other's heads off isn't gonna help," she insisted. "Nymph or not, my barrette can still track Honeydew. She's only about half a mile away; at a full gallop, we should be able to catch her in just a couple minutes."

Dinky sighed, and focused on calming her emotions so the dark cloud within her would settle. "You're right. There's no time to bicker," she agreed. "Lead us to Honeydew."

Clarity took off through the trees, and Dinky and Scuffle galloped along behind her. Scuffle glanced in Dinky's direction for a moment.

"That was a bit much, I guess," he mumbled as they ran. "It's just, y'know, Honeydew—"

"—Means a lot to all of us," Dinky finished. "Let's forget about what just happened and focus on keeping Flicker in check."

A minute or two later, something came into view beyond the trees. It took Dinky only a moment to realize it was buildings.

"A town! Finally!" Clarity gasped. "I bet Flicker knew this was here all along."

Dinky skidded to a halt before breaking the treeline. "I can't let ponies see me..." she pointed out. "We don't want a repeat of what happened at the farm."

Clarity's horn flared to life. "This'll have to do," she said, conjuring a plain, hooded cloak and draping it over Dinky. "Keep your head down and hopefully nopony will recognize you, even if the townsfolk are on the lookout for you."

The three ponies dashed into town and soon wound up in a small plaza with a marketplace. It only took a moment to spot the pony they were looking for.

Flicker was slowly approaching one of the market stalls, putting entirely too much sway in Honeydew's hips as she did so. And the dark grey stallion manning the shop, judging by his face, had definitely taken notice.

She arrived at the cart and pretended to browse the produce on offer for a moment. "These are some mighty fine vegetables you've got," she commented. "I've been traveling for a long time, and it's been a while since I've seen ones like this."

"Well, of course, miss," replied the stallion proudly. "I only put the very best goods on offer for my customers."

"Really?" Flicker asked, flashing him a coy smile as she playfully ran a hoof through Honeydew's wavy mane. "These are great of course, but are they your best? Maybe you could take me somewhere private so I could see the special goods you save for cute mares like me."

"Aaaaaand that's enough of that," said Clarity loudly, dragging Flicker away from the stall with magic.

"Oi! You interrupted my shopping!" the nymph barked, struggling fruitlessly against Clarity's aura.

"Didn't look like shopping to me..." Dinky muttered from under her hood.

"Was too!" Flicker argued. "I'll have you know I'm currently browsing the finest quality stallions!"

"Just get over here and shut up," Scuffle grumbled, yanking Flicker further from the surprised ponies in the market.

Upon hearing the colt's voice, Flicker's attitude reversed immediately. "Oh hi, big guy!" she giggled, bounding over to Scuffle and nuzzling him under the chin. "I knew you'd be back. I just had to make you jealous with some other stallions. Oldest trick in the book."

"Just... just c'mon," Scuffle mumbled, trying to look away as Flicker bit gently on Honeydew's lower lip and fluttered her eyelashes alluringly.

"Alright, so we finally found a town," Dinky said, keeping her head bowed so nopony could see beneath her cloak. "First, we need supplies, and then a means to try to contact ponies who can help us. Clarity, Scuffle, you two go pick up some food and gear. I can't help since I need to stay out of sight, so I'll go a short distance back into the forest and wait. Keep Flicker with you; it's better if we keep multiple sets of eyes on her.

"You three are no fun at all," Flicker grumbled.

Dinky sat with her back against a tree, gazing through the low hanging branches at the outskirts of the small town, just barely in sight from her vantage point. After scanning the area to make sure no townsfolk were nearby, she slowly lowered her hood and rubbed her temples, breathing a long sigh.

"What a week..." she mumbled under her breath. She stretched and let out a groan, her muscles still stiff from days of farm labor, followed by days more of travel through the wilderness. She had to hand it to her friends for managing to endure as well; after all, their bodies generally couldn't take as much physical strain as her wraith body could.

Upon reflecting on that, Dinky realized it was also probably the reason she felt more irritation at her situation than fear. It was normal for wraiths to be hot-headed, and now that she thought about it, many of the challenges she'd faced in recent years had left her feeling more annoyed or frustrated than truly afraid. That wasn't to say she was without worry; her friends' safety was important to her, and while they hadn't been complaining about the journey, she wished they didn't have to struggle through the situation for her sake.

Who knows what's going to happen after all this... she mused. I'm going to be a wraith for the rest of my life, and I have a feeling that means things will never stay peaceful for long. But for now... man, am I ready for this adventure to be over...

Lost in her thoughts, Dinky didn't even hear the hoofsteps approaching behind her. She gasped as an unknown hoof gripped her shoulder. And from the feel of it, it was a rather big hoof. As usual, her first instinct was to fight back, rather than flee.

"You're messin' with the wrong pony, pal..." Dinky growled, golden light encircling her horn immediately.

"Oh, trust me," came a surprisingly familiar voice with a marked Trottingham accent, "after all these years, I know better than to mess with you."

Absolutely flabbergasted, Dinky spun around and stared up into the deep brown eyes of a muscular pinto earth pony she hadn't seen in the better part of a year.

"Wotcha Dinky," Pip greeted, grinning. "Miss me?"

"Pipsqueak!" Dinky practically screamed, throwing herself at him with enough force to knock most ponies over, though in this case it only caused her coltfriend to stagger backwards a step or two. "W-when did you get here? How did you find me!?" she asked as she lifted her upper body off the ground a bit to put her forelegs around his shoulders.

Pip indicated the half-moon diamond hanging around his neck. "Tracked you with this little bauble and a bit of Sparkler's magic," he said matter-of-factly. "I haven't felt your magic lately, but at least hers is working fine."

"So yours stopped working too?" Dinky asked, relieved. "I was a little worried about that."

"What, that I'd stopped wearing it?" Pip asked.

"No, that maybe my heart was..." Dinky began, before trailing off.

"Was what?"

Rather than answer, Dinky hugged Pip as tightly as she could, nuzzling him softly for a few moments. "...Well...it doesn't matter now," she said finally. "I never even considered that Sparkler's spell might have still been intact. I'll have to thank her someday; this makes three times she's saved my life."

"You'll be able to tell her in just a bit, I imagine," Pip replied. "She's knocking about town here somewhere."

"Sparkler's here?" Dinky asked, now even more surprised.

"She is," Pip confirmed, "as is your mum, Uncle Cloudcover, the rest of their coworkers, and another colt who... might be Sparkler's coltfriend? I haven't really had time to ask. Once the pendant led us to this town, we all split up to search for you."

Dinky shook her head in disbelief. "Wha... all of them? But... how did... I have so many questions."

"There'll be time for those in a bit," Pip replied. "Uncle Cloudcover's booking a room large enough for all of us at the inn. We're supposed to meet there once we've located you and your friends. Come on, let's not keep your mum waiting any longer."

He turned to go, but Dinky scampered in front of him, blocking the way. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Uh... something wrong, love?"

"It sure is," Dinky declared. "I haven't been able to get in touch with you magically for a couple months now, and since you're still wearing your pendant, I can see it wasn't for lack of trying. So let's fix that."

The slid her pendant out from beneath her cloak and gestured to it. Pip smiled and lifted a hoof, pressing it against the gem, right over Dinky's heart. She raised a much smaller hoof and placed it against her coltfriend's chest as well. Her horn began to glow, and yellow light filled both of the pendants for a few moments. In seconds, the enchantment took effect, and Dinky felt the warmth of Pip's heart against her own. She smiled.

"Now we can go."

Pip grinned and placed a kiss on Dinky's forehead before pulling her hood up over her head. "Right this way, then," he said, pointing toward the west end of town. "There's quite a few ponies who are eager to see you."

Dinky slunk into the inn, following Pip and keeping her head down. Nopony seemed to pay her any mind as she followed him down one of the halls to a door at the end. The colt pushed it open, and Dinky was surprised to see a very roomy suite on the other side. While sparsely decorated, it contained a large main room, with a small kitchen area off to one side and several bedrooms at the back. She caught sight of a white pegasus stallion standing in one of the adjacent rooms.

"Hey Uncle Cloudcover," Pip called as he shut the door behind them. "Look who I found!"

Cloudcover looked over curiously as Dinky removed her cloak. His expression was overcome with relief immediately.

"Dinky, my girl! And not a scratch on you, as far as I can see," he said, giving a satisfied nod. "Your mother will be back any moment; she'll be over the moon to see you."

"I can imagine," Dinky chuckled. "So, Pip tells me Sparkler helped you guys find me?"

Cloudcover chuckled. "A lot has happened this year while you were away at school," he confessed. "Some of it's good, and some quite a bit less so, but Sparkler's story seems to be a happy one. Your mother managed to reunite her with her old classmate Presto, and the two of them are now roommates. Sparkler seems to have wanted to return the favor, so she came to help your mom with her search."

"Speaking of the search..." Pip cut in, "where are your friends, Dinky?"

"Picking up some supplies," Dinky explained. "We weren't expecting to be rescued until we sent another letter, so we were getting ready to camp out for a few more days. Clarity can track me with her hair clip though, so they'll turn up soon."

The sound of several voices echoed in the hall outside the room. The door opened, revealing Ditzy, Breeze, and Watt.

"No sign of any of them yet," Ditzy griped. "Pip said they're definitely in this town though, right?"

"They could be somewhere in the surrounding forest," Breeze reminded her. "It's not a big area; if we just keep doing rounds, we're bound to run into Dinky eventually."

"Or maybe we won't have to bother!" Watt piped up, being the first of the three to look across the room and make eye contact with Dinky.

Ditzy turned her head. Her eyes slowly slid into a rare moment of focus, as she often forced them to when she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Dinky grinned. "Hey mom."

"Dinky!" Ditzy cried, taking to the air and yanking Dinky into a flying hug. "Oh Celestia, you're safe! I was terrified!"

Dinky fidgeted in her mother's vice grip and briefly considered teleporting to free herself, but decided to let the mare have her moment. "Happy to see you too, mom," she replied, snuggling into Ditzy's feathers. "It's been a heck of a week. Are Princess Luna and Princess Twilight having any success in convincing ponies not to fear a wraith fugitive?"

Ditzy flinched, and gently lowered Dinky to the floor. "Well, Princess Twilight is trying..." she admitted. "I'm sure Luna would be too, but... well, now she's vanished like the others. The situation has led Celestia's Academy to temporarily close as well."

Dinky groaned. "I really don't like the way this situation is shaping up..." she admitted.

"I don't think anypony does," Cloudcover sighed. "But we must press on. Twilight knows where we are, so the worst of this is over; you just need to stay hidden until it's safe for you to be seen in public again."

The door opened once again, and five more ponies packed into the large room. This time it was Sparkler and Presto, with Clarity, Scuffle, and Flicker following behind.

"Ah, good, you already found her," Sparkler said with a businesslike tone, briefly nodding in Dinky's direction. "Presto and I happened across these three making their way back from the market, so I believe that's everypony, right?"

"That's right!" Clarity confirmed, smiling at the assemblage of Dinky's friends and family. "Now we can all—"

Flicker roughly shoved Clarity aside and stepped forward, looking around with an expression like that of a little filly in a candy store. "Look at all these stallions!" she giggled, her orange eyes flitting between all the males in the room. "Where do I even start?"

"Start what?" asked Ditzy obliviously.

Flicker turned in a little circle before apparently settling on Presto. Before anypony could stop her, she darted over to him. "Well hey old friend, how's it going?" she asked sweetly.

Presto, who was only just barely acquainted with Honeydew, blinked in surprise. "Err... I'm doing well, Honeydew," he stammered. "Are you okay? I'm sure it's been a difficult week for you."

"I guess a little, but it's nothing somepony like you can't fix," Flicker chuckled, peering at the image of a top hat and magic wand on the young stallion's flank. "Magic, huh? I bet a good looking colt like you can do some great tricks with that magic wand of yours. I bet I could even show you a few tricks with it you haven't seen before..."

"Excuse me, what?" Sparkler asked rather acidly, as Presto found himself too stunned to reply.

Scuffle stepped forward and bit down on Honeydew's tail, dragging her backwards. "Don't mind her," he said through clenched teeth. "That's not really Honeydew. She got possessed by a wood nymph while we were lost in the forest."

"I uh... I can tell," Presto managed.

Flicker turned around and grinned at Scuffle as he dragged her along by her tail. "Ooh, you like to play rough, huh Scuffle?" she simpered. "Why didn't you just say so? I can totally get into that."

Dinky looked at Sparkler and Presto helplessly. "I don't suppose you know any way to remove a nymph from somepony?" she asked.

Sparkler frowned and shook her head. "I remember reading about them, but there's no easy way to get rid of one against its will that I know of," she admitted. "You might have to wait until the princess or the Academy staff have a chance to intervene. There's a few silver linings though: nymphs can't utilize their host's magic, so at least you don't have to worry about her teleporting away or trying to duel you. And they inject compounds into their host's bloodstream to prevent any, um... unwanted outcomes for the mare as a result of their debauchery."

"Other than Honeydew, are you all okay?" Watt asked. "Nopony's sick? Hurt? Dehydrated? Similarly influenced by licentious swamp creatures?"

"We're fine," Clarity assured them. "For the moment, I think we're all finally safe. We just need to know where to go from here. What's our next move?"

"For now? Lay low with Dinky," Ditzy answered. "This is a private place with access to food and shelter; we can hide here until we can be certain that the citizens of Equestria can encounter her without fearing for their lives. Only a few of us need to stay, of course; it's late, but most of you can head home tomorrow morning. For tonight, there's plenty of space in the suite for everypony."

"We can add an extra layer of security for the night, as well," Presto offered. "Sparkler and I can seal the room magically so nopony happens to wander in and discover Dinky. And so our, um, guest doesn't decide to take Honeydew out for a late night stroll.

Flicker stuck out Honeydew's tongue and said nothing.

As the two unicorns began to create their network of spells, Dinky sat down beside her mother and her friends and felt the tension leave her for the first time in days. At long last, she was safe.

I just hope it lasts this time...

The sun began to set. Exhausted from all their travel, the eleven gathered ponies soon split up into a few small groups and moved to the suite's several bedrooms. Dinky was more than ready for a good night's sleep, but she had one small thing to take care of first. While her friends got ready for bed, she trotted across the hall to the small bedroom occupied by Sparkler and Presto. Her two ex-classmates looked up when she knocked on the door frame.

"Ah, evening Dinky," Sparkler greeted with a bit of a smirk as she set down the brush she'd been running through her mane. "I see your tendency to attract danger hasn't faded over the years."

"Sparkler," Presto scolded. "Come on, I'm sure this wasn't Dinky's fault."

"Nah, Sparkler's right," Dinky chuckled. "I try my best, but every now and then I need a little help. That's actually why I'm here; I wanted to thank you. Looks like you saved me again, with that spell you put on the pendants Pip and I wear."

Sparkler shrugged. "The stakes weren't as high this time," she said passively. "You seem to have been doing pretty well on your own out there; I just sped things up."

Dinky half-smiled. She was still typical, dismissive Sparkler, only now she didn't seem as aloof as Dinky remembered. Although the mare had kept her conversations rather direct and concise all evening, Dinky noticed an (admittedly dry) sort of humor and charm behind her mannerisms that hadn't been there before.

"Regardless, I owe you one," Dinky continued with a smile. "Both of you, really. It seems like you and Presto still make a great team."

Presto smiled broadly. Sparkler managed a smile too, but there was something... off about it. "Glad I could... help..." she mumbled, looking away a bit.

A short silence followed. It wasn't hard to tell that something was troubling the young mare, but Dinky wasn't sure what. "Something wrong?" she asked gently.

Sparkler re-established eye contact. "Can I... ask you a kind of prying question?" she asked finally.

"Sure, I'm not hiding anything."

Sparkler hesitated a moment longer, examining Dinky carefully. "Is it true?" she asked finally. "Are you really a wraith? Your friends and family all say so, but it's... y'know, just hard to believe."

Dinky snickered. "Just about everypony who learns the truth asks me that eventually," she confessed.

"I'm curious too," Presto admitted. "The last time I saw you, you were a little filly with less than a year of magical education under her belt. It's a bit of a shock to hear you're a dark magical creature now."

"Well, let me erase any doubt," Dinky said, lighting her horn. "Don't worry, I'm not dangerous when I'm not trying to be."

Dinky's gold magic deepened to black, and her form melted away into smoke. A moment later, her wraith form calmly stepped out of the ethereal blackness.

"See? Definitely not a pony," she pointed out, keeping her magic at bay so no errant black sparks would float in the other unicorns' direction.

Presto raised his eyebrows, looking more fascinated than fearful. Sparkler's expression remained completely blank for several seconds as she stared at the creature in front of her.

Dinky tilted her head. "Sparkler? It's still me, you know. Regular old Dinky."

Sparkler finally reacted, but it wasn't like any reaction Dinky had encountered before. Most ponies were filled with fear, or wonder, or occasionally aggression, when they encountered a wraith, but Sparkler turned away quickly, her body shaking slightly. Alarmed, Dinky realized the mare was trying to hold back tears. She cast a surprised glance at Presto, hoping for answers, but the stallion looked just as confused as she felt.

"What's wrong?" she gasped, almost instantly shifting forms again and approaching Sparkler in her unicorn disguise. "Everything's fine, really! I have total control of my magic, and it's not uncomfortable to change forms like that or anything."

"Everything is not f-fine," Sparkler rasped. "I really wanted to believe that your family just didn't know enough about magic, and mistook a unicorn with dark magic for a wraith. But you really are one."

Dinky blinked. "So?"

"You and your mother keep treating me like some kind of hero!" Sparkler snapped. "Stop thanking me for saving your life if I couldn't even save it!"

"Huh?"

"That night four years ago, Dinky!" Sparkler yelled, unable to hold back her tears any longer. "Scorpio's Apex! You and your little friends snuck out and I tried to stop you!"

"Yeah, and you were about to do so until I blasted you with dark magic," Dinky said sheepishly. "What's that got to do with this?"

"It means this is my fault," Sparkler replied bitterly. "An Overseer should've been more than capable of overpowering four first-term foals. But I wasn't careful enough. I slipped up. I didn't consider that you might've been corrupted enough at that point to produce an attack like that. And if I hadn't let you four get away, nothing that happened that night would've happened. I always thought that everything turned out okay in the end, so my mistake didn't really matter in the long run. But now I see that Dinky Doo, the unicorn... I couldn't save her. Now you've got to live your life as that creature, and yet you and Ditzy still have the audacity to thank me for what I did."

"Sparkler..." Dinky breathed, trotting closer and sitting down next to the distraught pony. "It... it's okay, I was the one who made the stupid decision in the first place and—"

"I don't want to hear it," Sparkler muttered. "Please don't make this into something okay, Dinky. I don't want to be told it was okay. I don't want to live that lie. I want to be told I messed up."

Dinky pondered for a moment, as Sparkler sat next to her, trying not to continue crying. She reached up and put a hoof around the pinkish mare's shoulders.

"Okay, so you made a mistake then. Just like everypony does at some time or another," she said softly. "But I know you didn't do it on purpose. If you believe it's partly your fault, fine, but if that's the case... then I forgive you for it. And mom forgives you. And my friends forgive you. I'm a wraith now because of my choices, and we all know you tried to intervene. Nopony resents you for the outcome."

Sparkler wiped her eyes. "...You... are an unreasonably good pony sometimes, Dinky," she mumbled. "But... thanks. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that."

"I'm not the only unreasonably good pony here," Dinky pointed out. "You and Presto could easily have just stayed in Trottowa and let this play out. You're not my Overseer anymore; what's going on in my life isn't your problem. Yet here you are, halfway across the country, to help rescue a filly you didn't even really get along with during our school days. It takes a pretty good pony to do something like that."

"She's right you know," Presto said, stepping forward and sitting down on the other side of Sparkler. "This trip was your idea. And I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see the caring friend I remember from our foalhood shining through as brightly as ever."

Sparkler tried not to react, but her blush was more than enough proof that she appreciated the praise. "Listen, Dinky," she eventually said, "thank you for your forgiveness, but just remember that if this dark magic stuff lands you in any more trouble in the future, send a letter my way. I'll help if I can; I feel that it's the least I can do."

"I'll keep that in mind," Dinky replied with an appreciative smile.

Some muffled yelling from the next room caused Dinky to glance over her shoulder. "Sounds like Flicker's harassing Scuffle again..." she griped. "I better go help. See you two in the morning."

Sparkler nodded. Dinky trotted to the doorway, and looked back one last time, watching for a moment as Sparkler and Presto began to unpack their things, chatting and collaborating like the best of friends. Happy to see the young mare's dismal mood had lifted, she turned away and silently closed the door.

Night fell. By this late hour, tiny towns like the one where Ditzy and Dinky were hiding out were already settled in for the night, and usually fast asleep. But in big, bright, bustling cities like Canterlot, the crowds thinned only slightly.

So even though it was nearly midnight, nopony paid a second thought to three young unicorns wandering down one of the city's thoroughfares.

"So why are we still here again, Inkwell?" Portabella asked. "Celestia's Academy closed yesterday. There was a train a couple hours ago we could've caught to make our way home, y'know."

"And there's another one in another hour, and another a few hours after that," Inkwell pointed out. "I just want to find a newsstand or stop by a Royal Guard outpost and see if there's any information yet about Clarity, Dinky, and the others."

"Inkwell, I cannot help but perceive your fixation on the status of our elder fellow pupils with some measure of scrutiny," Top Percentile chimed in. "Their welfare is doubtless a cardinal issue, but given the disquietude of our academicians about the burgeoning turmoil in Equestria, perhaps we should place ancillary emphasis on our own well-being at this juncture."

Inkwell sighed. "Maybe you're right..." she conceded. "And maybe Clarity's right, for that matter. The three of us can't really do anything to help the situation."

Portabella leaned over and nuzzled her dejected friend on the cheek. "Clarity would want us to be safe," she reminded her. "And c'mon, you've seen Dinky in her true form. Nopony's gonna have the guts to try to hurt a creature like that."

Inkwell smiled weakly. "True," she chuckled. "Alright, if we head to the train station now, we can catch the next train to—"

"Err, my compatriots, I hate to defer your little conference, but a recognizable entity is drawing near," Top interrupted, pointing down the street.

Inkwell looked. At first, she struggled to spot anypony familiar among the crowd of Canterlot citizens, but soon spotted a familiar orange unicorn with a headband adorned with jewels trotting briskly down the cobbled road.

"Oh hey, it's Counselor Wishing Star," Portabella pointed out. "You could always ask her if she's heard anything about Dinky and the others. Academy staff would be more likely to know than most ponies."

Inkwell nodded and quickly trotted up the street toward the mare.

"Hey! Counselor Wishing Star?"

Wishing Star glanced down at Inkwell. "Beat it, kid. I'm busy," she grumbled.

Inkwell stopped, unsure what to say, and Wishing Star paid her no further mind, continuing down the street.

"But—"

"Inkwell, look!" Portabella gasped, grabbing her friend and turning her whole body to face the other direction.

Two more mares were approaching, following along some distance behind Wishing Star. Inkwell didn't recognize one of them, a blue pony with a teal mane and a comet on her flank, but the other one was unmistakable: Bright Spark, the pony who had revealed the truth about Dinky a week before. She and the other mare appeared to be deep in a rather nasty argument.

"Bright Spark!" Top Percentile gasped. "Inkwell, we must apprise the counselor of that malefactor's presence forthwith!"

The three foals dashed ahead. "Miss Counselor!" Portabella called. "Bright Spark's right behind you! Quick, call the guards!"

Wishing Star turned and glared at the trio. "I told you three I'm busy," she growled. "Tonight's very important. I don't have time for distractions."

"B-but it's Bright Spark..." Inkwell said weakly. "She's wanted, isn't she? The Academy's been thrown into this mess because of her."

Wishing Star lit her horn, and before anypony could react, Inkwell and her friends found themselves teleported several streets away.

"What the heck just happened?" Portabella asked, stamping a hoof. "It's like she didn't even care that there was a criminal right there. The one who messed with one of her students, at that!"

"Something's fishy," Inkwell muttered, frowning. "C'mon, all these streets converge right outside the castle courtyard. If we head that way, we can probably find her again."

"I surmise that there's no longer any plausibility of our utter avoidance of intermeddling in the counselor's surreptitious affairs?" Top asked with a grimace.

"Top, woo me with your honeyed words later," Portabella said dismissively. "We have to go find out why Wishing Star's acting so strange."

Top sighed. "As was my consternation..." he murmured.

The three foals took off at full gallop, hurtling down the brightly lit streets of Canterlot. They arrived just in time to see Wishing Star reach the gates to the wide courtyard overlooking the castle. Bright Spark and the other mare were now almost right behind her.

"Halt!" one of the two identical guards stationed at the gates commanded. "State your business, ma'am."

Without even breaking stride, Wishing Star lit her horn, and both guards were flung aside, landing hard on the cobblestones several pony lengths away. Calmly, she stepped past the gates, with the other two mares following right behind her. With a flicker of hot pink magic, the great golden gates slammed shut. The guards were quickly on their hooves, but they could do little beyond peer through the bars at the pony who had just casually assaulted them.

"What is she doing!?" Inkwell sputtered, unable to believe what she had just seen. "Wishing Star never acted like that! She was kind to everypony at school."

A crowd was beginning to gather outside the gates; plenty of ponies had seen what just happened and looked on curiously as the guards continued to try, and fail, to reopen the entryway. Inkwell and her friends squeezed their way into the crowd and peeked through the bars as well.

Wishing Star stopped at the center of the courtyard. The two mares behind her stopped as well, and finally ceased their arguing, standing still as if waiting for something. Wishing Star raised her head to gaze up at the silent castle, looming above. She took a deep breath.

"Twilight Sparkle!"

The shout was like nothing Inkwell had ever heard. The deafening sound hit her like a physical force, rattling the gates and causing dust to rain from the brickwork around them.

"W-was that the Royal Canterlot voice?" Portabella asked softly, rubbing her ears in what was presumably an attempt to stop them from ringing.

"I conjectured that articulatory faculty was solely possessed by our tetrarchs," Top whispered.

A few seconds passed in wary silence. A small, purple shape appeared on a high balcony of the castle. Squinting, Inkwell could just make out the outline of Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"The hour has arrived," Wishing Star continued, still in a booming voice, though not quite as deafening this time. "Surrender immediately!"

Twilight spread her wings and floated down from the balcony, hovering over the courtyard. "Wishing Star?" she asked, clearly very confused. "Surrender what? What are you talking about?"

She paused, suddenly taking notice of the other two mares. "And why are you with those two terrible ponies!?"

Wishing Star laughed. "Those two ponies, lowlifes though they may be, were just the foothold I needed to begin my rise back to full power," she hissed. "But now, I'm drawing power from all across the nation!"

Twilight still looked confused. She hovered in the air, unsure what to say.

Wishing Star rolled her eyes. "Your strength is no longer a match for mine," she declared. "Surrender yourself now, or I'll beat you by force. One way or another, it's your turn to wind up like the others."

Three portals opened in the ground behind her, and three great pink crystals slowly rose into view from whatever dungeon was on the other side. The crowd beyond the gates gave a collective gasp as Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all came into view.

Twilight's face contorted with outrage. "You!" she cried, now responding with her own Royal Canterlot voice. "You are the pony responsible for the disappearance of the princesses?"

"I am, but I'm missing one last piece of the collection," Wishing Star sneered. "I saved you for last because I know, together with the power of the other Elements of Harmony, you're nearly unstoppable. But now that you've been forced to run the country yourself, your friends are in Ponyville, and you're here, about to face me alone. And you will not win."

Inkwell stood transfixed, watching the scene in front of her. It suddenly felt hard to breathe. This can't... this can't really be happening, can it? This must be some terrible nightmare!

Twilight acted immediately. A magical laser bigger than her whole body burst from her horn, producing a tremendous sound and an almost blinding light as it screamed toward Wishing Star. For an instant, it looked like the orange mare was about to be quickly and completely obliterated.

That is, until a bright pink beam of at least equal size and strength exploded from her own horn.

The two beams met in midair, producing a sound like a thunderclap. Numerous ponies quickly backed further away from the gate that was the only thing separating them from the battle. A few turned tail and ran off, disappearing into the city. Inkwell and her friends stood rooted to the spot though, watching the action in horror.

Neither attack could push back the other, and a stalemate arose as both mares gritted their teeth and tried to further increase the power of their respective spells. Loose bolts of light broke free from the main beam, shattering cobblestones to bits wherever they struck.

"Give up, Twilight Sparkle," Wishing Star warned. "You can't hold me off forever."

"H-how can you be this powerful?" Twilight gasped, squinting from the light of her own magic as she continued her assault. "It's just physiological fact that a unicorn shouldn't be able to outfight an alicorn. Where are you drawing this power from?"

Wishing Star laughed sharply. "Where am I not drawing it from?" she countered. "It started with these two mares you see behind me. Two near-bottomless pools of the deepest, purest hatred and contempt I've ever found buried in pony hearts. But you've been so busy worrying about the other princesses' disappearance that you haven't even realized what their absence is doing to this realm! More and more, your subjects bicker and fight with one another. Affection fades, trust erodes, and hostility and paranoia creep closer and closer to the forefront of everypony's minds. And when I draw on that power... not even you can stop me!"

Swirling pink energy flickered around Wishing Star. With a devilish sneer, her attack suddenly began to grow even stronger, quickly pushing Twilight's comparatively smaller beam of energy back. The princess panicked, straining to increase her spell as well, but to no avail. Her strength gave out, and Wishing Star's immense spell barreled into her, sending her flying across the courtyard until she smashed into the wall of the castle, sending a series of cracks through the white stone and leaving a Twilight-shaped indentation. She groaned and slumped to the ground, barely conscious.

From beyond the gates, the crowd watched in silent horror as Wishing Star slowly approached the fallen princess. As her horn began to glow again, a complex runic circle appeared around Twilight, and a spell began to build beneath her.

"F-fine, so you've beaten me," Twilight grunted, lying inside the circle, the magic preventing her from even attempting to get up. "It doesn't matter. Even without the princesses, no villain can stand against the magic of friendship. Go ahead and try to take over Equestria; the ponies, and all the other wonderful creatures of Equestria, will find a way to stop you. They always do."

"You think I want to rule this pathetic place?" Wishing Star balked. "What a joke. I see the greenhorn princess is even more clueless than the other three."

"You... you're not here to take over the kingdom?" Twilight asked. "But that's what villains always want! If you don't want to rule, what are you after?"

Wishing Star shook her head, smiling to herself. "You just don't get it, do you?" she asked, as she poured magic into the runic circle surrounding Twilight. "I have only one goal; to stamp out every last glimmer of hope in this nation. To create a world that knows only fear, distrust, and hatred. To extinguish not just friendship, but all the magic in the hearts of every pony from coast to coast!"

Twilight's jaw dropped. "But... but why? What do you stand to gain from reducing Equestria to such a state?"

Wishing Star completed her spell, and Twilight hung her head in defeat as a pink crystal, identical to the ones encasing the other princesses, materialized around her. "Whoops, no more time for questions," she chuckled. "With you four out of the way, I've got a nation to corrupt. Let's move on to the next part, shall we?"

Four long, narrow tendrils of light burst from Wishing Star's horn. Connecting her to all four of the crystal prisons at once. Although no sound could escape from within them, it was immediately visually clear that the four princesses were suddenly in pain. Unfathomable amounts of energy flowed out of the crystals and directly into Wishing Star's horn.

"Canterlot shall be the epicenter of the plague of hate that will consume Equestria!" she announced, laughing maniacally. "So let's put it somewhere for all to see, as a constant reminder of their doomed world!"

An an instant, an earthquake rocked the entire city. Screams of terror filled the air as the ground pitched sideways, knocking over much of the crowd gathered outside the gates. Inkwell cast a horrified look at her friends, and then cried out the only plan she had.

"Run!"

There was chaos. The whole city was a whirlwind of fleeing ponies, as cracks began to appear in the shaking ground. In a blind panic, Inkwell galloped as fast as she could, not knowing or caring where she was going. Portabella followed close behind, but their remaining companion seemed to be losing ground.

"Your rapidity transcends mine!" Top called, his weak frame quickly failing him. "Prithee, proceed without me, lest we all expire!"

Portabella lit her horn and yanked the scrawny colt into the air with a levitation spell, draping him across her back like a pair of saddlebags, which fortunately didn't slow her down in the slightest.

Before the trio even came close to exiting the city, though, there was the terrible grinding sound of rock on rock. The shaking intensified, and all at once, Inkwell realized what was happening.

"Wishing Star is... ripping Canterlot off the mountainside!"

There was one final lurch, and then the shaking stopped. Through some colossal, untold power, the entire city of Canterlot was torn out of the ground, leaving a jagged, gaping gash in the mountain it was built into the side of.

A sphere of pinkish magic encased the whole capital, and it slowly began to rise into the air. It floated higher with each passing minute, until it hovered miles off the ground, its spires bathed in the sinister pinkish glow of its conqueror's magic, casting strange shadows on the land below that stretched for many leagues in all directions.

Wishing Star smiled as she turned and slowly strode into the castle, the four captive princesses floating along behind her, and her two hate-addled lackeys bringing up the rear. "And so we've reached the final stage," she gloated, as she slammed the great castle door behind her. "The princesses are imprisoned, and the ponies of this land are cut off from their latent magic. Canterlot has fallen... and all of Equestria will be next."

Chapter 16

All was quiet.

Ditzy Doo slowly opened her eyes. Faint sunlight shone from behind the curtains; it couldn't have been long after dawn. Blearily, she looked around the bedroom at the inn; Breeze remained sound asleep beside her, and Watt twitched and muttered in his sleep in the next bed over. Cloudcover, however, wasn't present.

Ditzy rolled over, and was surprised to hear the crinkle of paper beneath her body when she did so. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she looked around for the source. A scroll was lying in the bed, sealed with the royal emblem of Equestria.

Where did this come from? she mouthed, turning it over in her hooves. It must have arrived by dragon mail sometime overnight...

The door to the bedroom flew open. Cloudcover stood on the other side, his expression grave.

"You three. Up. Hurry now."

Watt sprung up, going from a dead sleep to on his hooves and alert in a fraction of a second, the bed sheets clinging to the static in his fur. "Somethin' up, Cloudy?" he asked, kicking a hind leg several times to shake off the offending linens.

"To put it mildly," Cloudcover said, hurrying to the next bedroom door and knocking loudly. "Pip, Dinky, get up now, and all the rest of you too! Things just got a lot more complicated."

Tucking the still-unopened scroll under her wing, Ditzy trotted out to the main room of the suite. Dinky emerged from her room around the same time, yawning and rubbing one eye.

"Uncle Cloudcover, it's the crack of dawn..." Pipsqueak pointed out. "Is this really that urgent?"

"It's hard to imagine something more urgent, my boy," Cloudcover replied, beckoning to Dinky's friends, as well as Sparkler and Presto, as they all stepped from the bedrooms. "I went out this morning to pick up some breakfast for us, and immediately learned of the national emergency that unfolded late last night."

"An emergency?" Clarity asked, pushing her mane out of her eyes and fastening it in place with her hair clip. "What happened?"

Cloudcover threw a newspaper down on the table. Ditzy read the headline in shock.

Capital Under Seige: Unicorn Responsible for Disappearance of Princesses Magically Captures Canterlot

"The details in the article are muddled, at best," Cloudcover continued. "Very little is known about what actually happened, because nearly everypony that was in Canterlot at the time of the incident is still there, since the city is... well, see for yourself."

He threw open the curtains, letting in early morning sunlight. Hovering In the sky, far to the northwest, was a shining pink sphere, though it was so far away that it looked no bigger than a foal's birthday balloon.

"What... are we looking at, Cloudcover?" Breeze asked.

Cloudcover pulled a small spyglass from his bags and wordlessly passed it to the other stallion. Breeze focused on the far distant object for several seconds.

"Dear Celestia..." he breathed. "That... that's the whole city of Canterlot."

"Wait, what?" Ditzy gasped, grabbing the spyglass to look as well. With the aid of the magnification, there was no mistaking it; the outline of the castle and the rest of the city's bright white spires were visible inside the sphere.

"Huh, cool," said Flicker casually. "I'm assuming pony cities don't normally fly away?"

"Ok, hold the phone," Scuffle said, ignoring the nymph beside him. "So you're saying one unicorn somehow captured all four princesses and is holding an entire city miles up in the sky with her magic?"

"That can't be possible," Sparkler insisted. "I did plenty of study on the dynamics of magical energy during my Academy days. No one pony could cast, let alone maintain, a spell like that without some sort of outside power source."

"And she can't have captured all princesses," Ditzy added, lifting her wing to reveal the scroll. "I received this sometime overnight; it's got the royal seal on it, so it must be from Princess Twilight."

Cloudcover examined the scroll and looked rather surprised. "Ditzy, that's not from Princess Twilight," he said. "While they all look very similar, the princesses actually each have their own seal. The subtle details on that one indicate it's from... Princess Celestia."

Ditzy started. "B-but how's that possible?" she stammered. "Nopony's seen her in more than half a year!"

"Mom, just open it and find out!" Dinky urged. "It's got to have something to do with what's happening in Canterlot."

Ten ponies clustered around Ditzy as she carefully broke the seal. She unfurled the letter and began to read.

From the desk of Princess Celestia:

To Miss Dinky Doo and Mrs. Ditzy Doo

I pray that you never receive this. If you do, Equestria is in momentous peril.

As I am penning this letter, it is a cold day in November, approximately two days after the evil arch-mage Scorpio irreversibly transformed young Dinky into a wraith. However, you're likely reading this much, much later than that. This message will be sent not by the typical dragon mail, but by a spell that will cause it to remain undelivered and unmaterialized unless certain circumstances are met. If Dinky has graduated from the Academy by the time such circumstances arise, this message will be delivered directly to her; if she has not, it seems more appropriate that it will appear in Ditzy's possession instead.

First, I must apologize for not telling you two this when Dinky first became a wraith, but I felt there was more than enough weighing on both of your minds without me burdening you with the possibility of an event that may never occur. If you're reading these words, however, such an event has occurred, and it's time for you both to know my thoughts.

I think what surprised almost everypony the most on that day was that Dinky maintained her morality and genuine care for other ponies, even after dark magic consumed her body. But personally, what shocked me even more was the discovery that dark magic is tied to young Dinky's special talent, as her cutie mark indicates. A pony's cutie mark is already determined by the time they are born; it just takes a number of years for each foal to discover their talents so it can appear.

It is true that Dinky is the first known instance of the magic in a pony's heart surviving when beset by darkness, and that in itself is remarkable, but I can't help but feel that that trait wouldn't have manifested as Dinky's cutie mark unless it was inseparably tied to her destiny. She's not meant just to control dark magic, but to wield and use it for a greater purpose.

And the more I pondered this, the more I began to realize what that might mean. There is a possibility that sometime in the coming years, a situation, perhaps even a major crisis, may arise where Dinky's dark magic is the only solution. And the only scenario I can imagine where that is the case would be one where normal magic has failed, and Equestria's usual defenses have been defeated or rendered useless.

If the ability to wield dark magic for the betterment of all is truly Dinky's greatest talent... then someday, Equestria's last hope in a crisis may fall on the shoulders of her and those close to her.

I cannot stress the second part of that statement enough. As we all know, the bonds of friendship and the deep ties of family are some of the strongest magic there is. And having seen what I saw on the night of Scorpio's return, Dinky's loved ones are some of the most devoted and caring ponies I've met in my many, many years as ruler. So, if that hypothetical crisis does someday manifest, I'm not asking Dinky alone to save Equestria; I'm asking all those close to her as well. Ponies of all three races, from all walks of life, of different ages and experiences. Together, I believe you can do what even the princesses, or the Elements of Harmony, could not.

I'm holding back tears as I write this; it pains me to ask this of anypony, but even moreso to the two of you. You're not royalty, or part of the guard; you're civilians who I'm sure want nothing more but to try to live normal, happy lives, like most citizens of Equestria. But sometimes fate asks extraordinary things of ordinary ponies; I've just been left with the unfortunate task of putting that request into words.

If you've received this missive, I implore you both, and all those who care for you, to share your ideas and pool your strengths. Help Dinky unlock the full potential of the magic she now wields, and use every power at your disposal, magical or otherwise, to do what must be done.

There's one small bit of help I can offer: assuming Ditzy Doo is still working at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, one of her coworkers is more than he seems. He should be able to connect you with ponies, organize your ideas into a plan of action, and gather more allies for your cause.

I now seal this letter in the hope that it will never be opened, but if it has, may the bonds you share hold firm no matter what they come up against.

~Princess Celestia

Even though there were eleven ponies packed into the relatively small room, there still wasn't the slightest sound after Ditzy finished reading. Slowly, all heads turned to look at Dinky, who had gone a bit pale.

"So uh... we're supposed to save Equestria using my dark magic, huh? Great," she said flatly.

"That's a tall order," Sparkler said, staring out the window at the distant floating city. "I mean, we can hardly just ignore Princess Celestia's wishes, but where do we even begin?"

"Maybe with that bit right at the end?" Presto offered. "Something about one of Ditzy's coworkers knowing more than he seems."

"Oh horseapples, is it me?" Watt fretted, trotting rapidly in place and looking around nervously. "Have I been burdened with Equestria's greatest secrets? Knowledge so ancient and secret that I don't even know I know it?"

Breeze shook his head. "No Watt, it's worse than that," he said, frowning. "Obviously Celestia must've been referring to Dr. Candyfloss. I always knew there was something more to that stallion, but... dead ponies tell no tales, after all."

Cloudcover anxiously cleared his throat. "Erm, actually Breeze my friend, she didn't mean Candyfloss..." he said hesitantly.

Ditzy focused both her eyes on the white pegasus, but Pipsqueak spoke up before she could.

"Wait, I see now," the pinto colt said. "You must know some national secret from back in your military days that can help us, right Uncle Cloudcover?"

Cloudcover sighed. "Bah, I was hoping I'd never have to reopen this chapter of my life, but if it's really what the princess wants..." he mumbled. "When I was a much younger stallion, I did serve the crown, as I've said before. What I've neglected to mention was that I did so not as a private among the ranks... but as a member of Celestia's personal corps of covert intelligence and operations."

"You were a spy!?" Ditzy asked incredulously.

"I was whatever the princess needed me to be," Cloudcover clarified. "But, when it was necessary... yes, I was. They don't call me Cloudcover for nothing."

"Ok, hold on," Breeze said, raising a forehoof to stop his friend. "I've known you for years and you've never once even hinted at this."

"I should hope not!" Cloudcover chuckled. "After all, even ex-members of such an organization are under the strictest orders to keep its existence completely secret unless otherwise directed by Celestia, though I suppose that letter is precisely such a direction. And the princess is right; like the rest of you, I don't know a thing about what sort of magic is currently holding Canterlot under siege, but I do have at least some idea of where to begin when it comes to organizing a large scale crisis response. That is, if everypony here is willing to help. Like the letter said, you're all civilians, except my nephew, so none of you are obligated to put yourselves at risk."

"If whoever captured the princesses and yanked an entire city out of the ground is trying to take over Equestria, we're all at risk," Sparkler pointed out. "And if Princess Celestia thinks the only way to hit this unicorn with something they won't see coming is to center the plan around Dinky's dark magic, so be it. Let me know how I can help."

Almost everypony else nodded in assent. Cloudcover looked satisfied. "Right then," he said. "First, we'll need to learn more about what we're up against, and for that, we'll have to get in touch with the current members of Celestia's secret service. They'll also be capable of offering some combat training. Breeze, Watt, I'd definitely like to send you two directly to the base to start on that step."

"What about you?" Watt asked, twitching uncertainly.

"I'm getting to that," Cloudcover replied. "We'll also need more allies, if possible; we're dealing with a magical threat, so if any of you know any more unicorns of particularly exceptional knowledge or strength, we should make an attempt to gather them for our cause. I would assume Sparkler and Presto can help us there."

The two unicorns looked at each other and nodded. "We have a few ideas," Sparkler answered.

"And finally," Cloudcover continued. "We'll need to give Dinky a chance to hone her dark magic skills. I know of a perfect, isolated spot for her to practice, and her friends probably have the most knowledge of dark magic of any of us save Dinky herself, so they can help. After I take them there, I'll join Breeze and Watt at the base."

"Makes sense," Ditzy chimed in. "Where is this secret spot you're taking us to?"

Cloudcover faltered. "Err... actually, Ditzy my dear, I was rather hoping you could go with Sparkler and Presto," he suggested. "As a former mailmare, your recently-demonstrated ability to track down particular ponies will be very valuable."

"Wha— no!" Ditzy cried, flaring her wings and stamping a hoof angrily. "I just spent days trying to track down Dinky before anypony else got to her, and now you want us to... to just split up again? Have you forgotten that half the nation still wants her dead?"

"But Mrs. Doo, we could really use your expertise," Presto piped up. "Not to mention, there's not a lot of assistance you could offer when it comes to dark magic..."

"I don't care," Ditzy said simply. "Dinky's still in a precarious situation, and now we don't even have one princess to try to set it right. If Celestia thinks Dinky's dark magic can help us, fine, but I'm sticking with her the whole way, and that's final."

"Mom..."

Ditzy turned her head as Dinky gently pushed her way past her friends and trotted up to her. Once face to face, the pegasus quickly noticed her daughter was now old enough to stand at eye level with her, so she puffed out her feathers a bit to appear more commanding.

"Let me guess, you're going to give me the whole speech about how you're not a little filly anymore and I need to let you go?" she asked, scrunching up her muzzle.

Dinky shook her head. "It's not like that, mom," she insisted. "You don't think I keep winding up in danger on purpose, do you? Or that I'm looking forward to this whole saving Equestria thing? I'm not; I'm just as uneasy as everypony else here."

"Then don't do it!" Ditzy suggested. "You heard Cloudcover; none of us have to do this."

"Then who will?" Dinky asked loudly, shaking her head in frustration. "Mom, all the princesses are gone. You told me last night that the Academy is closed. The Royal Guard apparently can't do a thing either, since most of them are in Canterlot, which is clearly still under siege. Whoever we're dealing with, they've got free reign to do just about anything they want to Equestria, and the magic to back up those aims. There's no heroes left to fix this, mom. There's just... us..."

The filly slumped back onto her haunches and looked at the floor. Ditzy bit her lip when she noticed a tear roll down her daughter's cheek.

"Listen," Dinky continued, wiping her eye. "I'd love to just hide here and wait for this to blow over as much as you would, but it's not gonna blow over on its own. I get that you're terrified something will happen to me. Honestly, I'm terrified something will happen to you, too. But if Princess Celestia thinks we're really Equestria's last hope... don't you think we ought to give it our best shot, no matter how long the odds are? Sure, it's gonna be really dangerous, but doing nothing will be even more so."

Ditzy felt her own eyes become wet. She sat down in front of Dinky and used both her forelegs and wings to cradle her daughter in a tight hug. "Y-you're right..." she whispered. "I... I guess we can go with Cloudcover's plan. Just promise me you'll stay safe, and be careful with that dark magic of yours, please?"

Dinky rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I will," she replied, just as quietly. "I'll see you soon, mom. I promise."

The two ponies remained in that position for a few moments longer, before Ditzy reluctantly broke the hug. "Keep Dinky and the other safe on the way to their destination, Cloudcover," she pleaded.

Cloudcover saluted. "Like they were my own comrades-in-arms," he said with a nod.

Ditzy nodded in return, and gave Dinky a final sad smile before turning to Sparkler and Presto. "Alright you two, it's our job to gather some more allies, and you're the ones who know all the top-notch unicorns," she admitted. "So... where do we start?"

For Dinky and her friends, what followed was a few more days of foot travel, keeping hidden as they followed Cloudcover to an unknown destination. Upon reaching the nearest town that offered balloon rental, they took to the air, with Cloudcover tethered to the basket as he pulled the five friends along through the skies.

Dinky crossed her forelegs and rested her chin on them on the edge of the basket, staring out at Equestria far below. Drifting along at this altitude, she could see for many miles. Occasional cities and towns broke up the endless expanse of forests and plains. And now that they were nearing the coast, Canterlot was nothing more than a tiny pink speck floating in the blue sky.

"So Scuffle," Flicker giggled, breaking what had been several minutes of silence and flicking the tip of Honeydew's tail so it brushed the colt's nose. "Ever thought about joining the mile high club?"

Scuffle nervously shuffled across the crowded basket, putting Clarity between himself and the creature inhabiting his friend. "First of all, we're crammed in a small basket with three other ponies, and second, if I wasn't gonna humor you down there, what makes you think I would up here?"

Flicker shrugged casually and turned her attention elsewhere.

"So Pip, ever thought about join—"

"No," said Pip loudly, cutting her off.

"And if you keep it up, I'm gonna squish you like the bug you are the second we get you out of Honeydew's head," Dinky grumbled, glaring at their unwanted guest.

Flicker pouted and returned to staring out across the landscape and brooding.

"Forget her," Clarity urged. "Like you said, she's a bug. Turmoil in Equestria isn't her concern and she knows it."

"Which is just another reason we need to get Honeydew back!" Scuffle complained. "That dumb nymph's been holding her hostage for almost a week now."

Dinky's ears perked up. "A week? That reminds me..." she said. "Tonight would've been Nightmare Night, if things were still... y'know, normal. We would've been going to the Graduates' Ball at school."

"And judging by what I'm seeing here in Honeydew's memories," Flicker piped up without turning around, "Scuffle totally wanted to ask Honeydew to that event. Too bad she's too dense to see the signs, huh? Visually, she's seen him blushing and stuttering dozens of times, but there's nothing in the cognitive files in here to suggest she ever put two and two together and realized that meant anything."

Scuffle stared at the floor. "Just... shut up, Flicker, alright?" he asked, sounding more morose than actually angry.

Flicker turned Honeydew's head and stared at Scuffle with half-lidded eyed and a teasing smile. "I've never been good at that, but you could probably shut me up yourself with your—"

"Hey you five, we're nearly there!" Cloudcover called from somewhere in the sky up ahead, mercifully interrupting the conversation. "Have a look for yourselves!"

Dinky and her friends hurried to the other side of the basket, expecting to see a dense forest or remote mountain in which to hide. Instead, they saw nothing but endless waves stretching out to the horizon.

"Wait, we're going out to sea?" Dinky called over the rush of the high altitude winds.

"Yes, but not far!" Cloudcover replied. "You'll see in just a moment."

He turned slightly, beginning his descent as he pulled the balloon toward a large outcropping of rocks jutting from the surf, surrounded by barren, rocky islands. As they got closer , she began to make out something else there, blending in with the brown and grey and green of the wet stones.

Pipsqueak's eyes widened. "Uncle Cloudcover, is that a shipwreck?" he asked.

"A vessel once known as the Black Seahorse, to be exact," Cloudcover responded. "A famous Equestrian naval craft that was wrecked on the rocks there about fifty years ago. Everypony aboard was able to return to shore safely, but the ship was unsalvageable. It's sat here, abandoned but mostly intact, for decades."

The pegasus dove toward their destination, pulling the balloon with him until the basket bumped gently down on the deck. Dinky stepped out alongside her friends and took a look around.

The first thing she noticed was that the entire wreck was at a slight angle; the ship was moored on the rocks, which rose up in several great spires just to the left of the bow. The wood of the deck was damp from the sea spray and littered with shreds of seaweed and gull droppings, and barnacles caked the sides. One remaining mast stood upright, though there were only shreds of sail left attached to it, waving feebly in the wind.

Dinky glanced at Pip uncertainly, but the colt seemed quite satisfied. "Still seems good and strong," he commented, tapping a hoof. "The wood's not falling apart or anything. I reckon this was a fine vessel in its heyday."

Cloudcover nodded. "The lowest deck is flooded with seawater but the ship is raised up on the rocks enough that the deck directly below us is still dry and habitable," he explained. "There are several cabins there with intact beds you all can use there. We brought along enough food supplies from that last town to last almost two weeks, if you ration carefully. And the surrounding islands are all easily within teleport range, and are completely devoid of any life or pony made structure, so they'll be the perfect place for Dinky to test out dangerous magic however she pleases without a risk of harming anypony or damaging property."

Pipsqueak grinned. "Brilliant. This spot should do nicely."

"We'll take it from here," Clarity said with a determined nod. "Scuffle and I will work with Dinky to help her hone her powers."

"And maybe do something about this nymph situation, while we're at it..." Scuffle muttered, side-eyeing Flicker as she winked at him seductively.

"Right then, just use the balloon to return to shore when you're certain Dinky's abilities are at their best," Cloudcover instructed. "Even without a pegasus to guide it, the sea breezes will bring you inland. I've given Pip the location of the base where we'll all be meeting, so he can lead the way from there."

"Aye aye, Uncle Cloudcover," Pip said, giving the pegasus a nod.

"Oh, and Cloudcover?" Dinky asked before he could take off. "When you next see mom... let her know we got here safely and we're all just fine, okay?"

Cloudcover smiled compassionately. "I'll do that, Dinky," he answered. "Be safe now. Best of luck."

He galloped a few paces down the deck and launched into the air, quickly disappearing into the clouds. The five friends watched him go.

"So... now what?" Scuffle asked finally.

"Well, I've been a wraith for a long time now," Dinky said, disintegrating into smoke and changing into her intimidating true form. "It's time I learn how to fight like one."

Ditzy was a bit surprised that the trains were still running, but she supposed it made sense; with Canterlot under siege and growing terror spreading throughout the land, most ponies probably just wanted to get home to their families or loved ones before something even worse happened.

Ponyville was now visible up ahead, and given the town's proximity to Canterlot, the floating capital now hung in the sky nearby enough to clearly see the castle within the gleaming pink energy field. Ditzy stared up at it, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in her gut.

"By Celestia, look at that," Presto breathed, peering out the train window at the miles-wide crater on the mountain plateau where Canterlot had once sat. "The rock was simply torn apart. What kind of unimaginable power is that pony wielding?"

"There's a pony I know with enough knowledge of every field of magic that she might have at least a clue how that's possible," Sparkler pointed out. "She's definitely one pony we'll have to track down if we want to stand a chance."

The train slowly pulled into the station. "Ponyville," called the conductor. "End of the line, by the way, since Canterlot station is, uh... inaccessible right now..."

Ditzy, Sparkler, and Presto hopped off the train, and Ditzy quickly realized that Ponyville was a lot different now than it had been when she'd set out to search for Dinky. The streets were nearly empty, and what few ponies were out and about trotted along at a brisk pace, keeping to themselves and looking around nervously as if expecting whatever villain had attacked Canterlot to come after them next. The usual open market hadn't been set up that day at all, and many permanent businesses were closed.

"It's eerie..." Presto commented. "The town where we found Dinky was certainly on-edge after news spread about Canterlot too, but nothing like this."

"Maybe it's cause from here, the city's practically looming right over our heads?" Ditzy suggested, staring up at the capital uneasily.

"We need to stay focused," Sparkler said sternly. "Mrs. Doo, you said there's a pony here who has access to a catalog of addresses, right?"

"Right," Ditzy replied hesitantly, "but... I kind of doubt it'll be easy to convince her. It was hard enough last time."

"Can't hurt to try," Presto reminded her. "Unfortunately, Sparkler and I have no idea where our former classmates live. Without some assistance, I doubt we'll be able to find any of them."

Ditzy nodded. "I just hope my friend understand how urgent it is..."

She led the pair of unicorns through Ponyville, eventually arriving at an average looking home. A bright blue eye peeked between the curtains for a moment before the front door opened and an uncertain-looking yellow pegasus stepped out.

"Ditzy?"

"Hi Raindrops," Ditzy greeted, managing a smile.

Raindrops didn't return the expression. "Hi," she said, a little breathlessly. "Um, who are your friends?"

"Oh, you remember that pony Sparkler I was always talking about, right?" Ditzy asked. "I brought her, along with Presto, the stallion you helped us find."

Raindrops' pupils shrank considerably. "D-don't tell them it was me!" she wailed, hiding her face behind her wings and peeking out from between the feathers. "I told you, I'll lose my job if anypony find out about that..."

"It's alright, ma'am," Sparkler soothed. "We aren't going to say anything. And thank you for your help."

Raindrops slowly lowered her wings. "R-right, no problem," she stuttered. "Is that why you're here? Just to say thank you?"

Ditzy flinched. "Well, actually we were also hoping you could... help us again?" she asked meekly.

Raindrops ears drooped and she stared at Ditzy, aghast. "A-are you telling me some maniac has kidnapped the princesses and captured Canterlot and you're still trying to make shipping connections?" she asked, shaking her head.

"No, it's nothing like that!" Ditzy said quickly. "We're trying to help with the whole Canterlot situation."

"You should be helping yourself, Ditzy!" Raindrops cried, grabbing her by the shoulders. "What we need to do is steer clear of trouble until somepony fixes this, not dive headfirst into it!"

"There is nopony to fix it," Ditzy argued. "That's why we're trying!"

"There's always somepony to fix it," Raindrops scoffed. "Monsters and villains attack Equestria all the time, but heroes always win out. And the ponies who avoid becoming casualties in the time before that happens are the ones who stay hidden."

"But—"

"Forget it!" Raindrops snapped, her desperation suddenly overwhelmed by uncharacteristic anger. "Do what you want, but I'm not risking the one part of my life that's still normal for you! I'm not giving you any more addresses, so if that's all you're after, just go away."

Ditzy sighed. "Raindrops, please, you don't understand what's at stake. We really need—"

Raindrops backed into the house while Ditzy was still speaking and slammed the door. She appeared in the window one last time as she pulled the curtains shut, and then she was gone.

"Raindrops..." Ditzy murmured. "I know she's scared and upset like everypony else, but I've never known her to be so... hostile..."

"Now what?" Sparkler asked tersely. "Are you sure there's no other way to get some addresses?"

Ditzy scrunched up her snout, thinking. "Well, it's even less likely to work than this was, but maybe the ponies at Cloudsdale Mail and Freight can help us. It's not technically legal, but maybe given the crisis, they'll see reason and give us what we need. I don't suppose you two know a cloud-walking spell?"

Cloudsdale was hardly any more active than Ponyville. Although it was a bit further from Canterlot, its altitude offered an unnervingly good view of the city held prisoner within a bubble of magic just a short flight away.

Ditzy trotted down Nimbus Way, with her two companions following her along the cloudy street with the aid of their magic. The edifice of Cloudsdale Mail and Freight loomed just ahead. Uncertainly, she looked to her companions.

"You know they're never gonna give us the information, right?" she asked sadly.

"There's no other choice," Sparkler said simply. "If this doesn't work, we might just have to go to Cloudcover's base without any allies. I doubt they'll be happy about it, but I just don't know what else we can do."

"Let's at least go in and ask at the reception desk," Presto suggested.

Ditzy slowly pushed open the door. The same young receptionist she'd seen when she stopped by several months earlier sat behind the desk, only she didn't look nearly as chipper as last time. The young mare was on the phone, and looked more than a little exasperated. Ditzy could only hear one end of the conversation, but it was easy to work out the rest.

"Yes... yes sir, the mail is coming, it just... no, I don't know when. We're trying our best, but with the Canterlot crisis, a lot of ponies are too scared to even show up for work. Now please just... sir... sir, there's no need for behavior like that, please just... yeah?... oh yeah? Well you too, pal!"

The mare slammed the phone down and stormed right past Ditzy and the two unicorns. "I'm going on my break!" she snapped as the door swung shut behind her, leaving the trio standing alone in the lobby.

"Friendly place," Sparkler said dryly.

"Last time I was here, that mare was super bubbly and welcoming," Ditzy commented, scratching her head with a wingtip. "What is it with everypony today? Nothing bad's happened here in Ponyville, at least not yet..."

Sparkler trotted slowly forward and peered at the vacant reception desk. "Mrs. Doo..." she began, with a hard-to-read expression on her face. "When you worked here years ago, you knew where they kept those addresses we need, right?"

"Well, sure," Ditzy replied. "I was a mailmare, I had to know where I was delivering to."

Sparkler lit her horn, and the keys to the lift the employees used to travel up the building levitated off the desk. "So if nopony's gonna give us access to them..." she said slyly, "...maybe we should just go get them ourselves."

"Wha... sneak in and steal them?" Ditzy gasped. "We can't just break in! That's illegal!"

"So is asking Raindrops to do it for you," Sparkler deadpanned.

Ditzy stopped short. Her companion had a point.

"I'm afraid I'm with Sparkler on this one, Mrs. Doo," Presto interjected. "I don't condone breaking the law, but considering what's at stake... I'm sure it's what the princesses would want us to do."

"But we'd never be able to search the whole building without getting caught," Sparker added. "If you lead us right to the addresses, Mrs. Doo, we can get in, get what we need, and get out, and the plan will be back on track."

Ditzy bit her lip, weighing her options. Presto cleared his throat nervously.

"The receptionist could be back any moment, Mrs. Doo," he reminded her. "If we're going to do this, we need to act."

Ditzy nodded. "A-alright, let's go. Follow me."

She took the key from Sparkler and put it into the slot. The bars in front of the lift slid aside, and the three ponies piled in as quickly as they could.

"Sixth floor," Ditzy instructed, as Presto pushed the relevant button.

The rattling of the lift was the only sound breaking the uneasy quiet as the three ponies ascended several stories up the facility. The door opened into a long hallway with numerous bulletin boards covering the walls. Notes in various colors were tacked to each one, bearing information about deliveries and schedules.

Ditzy swiveled her ears, straining to hear any sound, but it seemed the hall was deserted for the moment. Motioning with a hoof, she crept down the hall, and the others followed.

"I guess that receptionist meant it when she said ponies aren't showing up to work," she whispered. "This floor's usually a lot busier, unless things have changed since I worked here."

As slowly as possible, she pushed open the fourth door on the right. Not daring to turn on the light and attract attention, she signaled Sparkler and Presto to dimly light their horns instead. The gentle glow of magic revealed almost a dozen file cabinets lining the room's walls.

"Here we are," Ditzy confirmed. "Every single registered mailing address in Equestria is listed in here."

"Alright, we'll try to be fast," Sparkler promised. "You stand guard, and Presto and I will copy the info for any pony we think could be helpful."

The two unicorns began to whisper among themselves, quickly rifling through drawer after drawer. Ditzy crept to the door and opened it just a crack, listening intently for the sound of anypony approaching.

In reality, she stood there in the dark for only minutes, but it seemed like hours. Unable to make out any of the hushed words her companions were exchanging, she was left with her own thoughts.

I sure hope whatever Dinky's doing right now is less stressful than this...

Ditzy jumped as the lift at the end of the hall began to move. "Somepony's coming!" she hissed. "We need to get out of here!"

"Just a second!" Sparkler replied, rifling through one of the drawers as fast as she could. "We just need one more, we can't leave without that one!"

Ditzy turned back to the door, watching the lift continue to move.

Please don't stop on our floor... Please don't stop on our floor...

The lift stopped on their floor.

Ditzy shut the door and retreated into the room. "We're gonna get caught!" she whimpered. "There's nowhere to hide in here. If that pony comes in here, we're toast!"

"We won't get caught," Sparkler whispered. "Stand against the wall, between the cabinets, and stay still."

"He'll still be able to see us from—"

"Just do it, Mrs. Doo!" Sparkler insisted, as she and Presto pressed themselves against the far wall of the room as well. "Hurry!"

Ditzy did as she was told. A second or two later, the door handle began to turn. She winced, waiting for the inevitable.

Her old boss, Mr. Brown, stepped into the room. He looked right at her... and then past her, scanning the cabinets. His gaze came to rest on the single drawer Sparkler had left open.

"Ugh, do these ponies live in a barn?" he asked aloud, stomping across the room and slamming the drawer shut. "Leave drawers open and the next thing you know, addresses are gonna go missing. They'll be getting an earful at the next department meeting, that's for sure."

He turned away. The tip of his wing came within inches of brushing against Ditzy's own feathers. Grumbling, he slunk out of the room and slammed the door.

"Why... didn't he react?" Ditzy asked. "He was right next to me. We basically made eye contact."

"Because he couldn't see you," said Sparkler calmly. "If you look down, you'll notice you can't see yourself either."

Curiously, Ditzy glanced down at her chest, or rather, where it should have been, but saw only empty air. She finally worked out what happened. "Invisibility spell, right?" she asked hesitantly.

"Right," Sparkler replied, smiling a little as she came back into view. "At least one of Dinky's friends is good with illusions, so I'm sure you've seen that before."

"And I doubt a delivery service in an all-pegasus city is keeping much of an eye out for unicorn magic," Presto added. "Now Sparkler, let's grab that last address and get out of here."

Sparkler pulled the drawer back open. After a few more seconds of searching, she found what she was looking for. "That's all of them," she announced. "Alright Presto, get us out of here."

Presto nodded, his horn already lighting up. "Brace for teleport, Mrs. Doo," he recommended.

Ditzy blinked. "Wait, brace for—"

Flash!

Ditzy suddenly experienced the familiar, unpleasant sensation of the world disappearing from beneath her hooves. She'd never been fond of it when being carried by Dinky's teleports, especially when she didn't have time to ready herself. An instant later, she found herself outside, and just a few inches above the ground. She pitched forward, barely keeping her footing.

"By Celestia's mane, I hate teleporting," she grumbled, shaking her whole body and stretching her wings to make sure everything felt normal. "A little more warning next time, maybe?"

"Sorry about that," Presto apologized. "We just figured it was best we get out of there as fast as possible, before anypony else had a chance to notice us."

Ditzy got her bearings, and realized the three of them were in fact standing safely out in the courtyard of Cloudsdale Mail and Freight. "I suppose that's better than trying to sneak out the way we came in," she admitted.

"And with six addresses to boot," Sparkler said proudly, waving the little packet of papers in her aura. "Let's head back to the train station in Ponyville and start rounding up some allies."

Ditzy let herself relax for the first time in what felt like hours. At least that's over, she thought, following her two teammates down the block. No more sneaking around or stealing things. All we have to do now is take a few train rides and talk to a few unicorns. With any luck, this'll be the easy part.

One full day and several frustrating house calls later, it was becoming clear to Ditzy that this wasn't the easy part.

"Uh, sorry Sparkler," a blue and green stallion named Fir Needles muttered, shifting his weight nervously from one side to the other as his former classmate stared him down. "I just really don't think it's a good idea to get wrapped up in something as serious as that."

"Fir, you wrote an entire thesis on barrier spells!" Sparkler argued. "I read it; it was fascinating. You had everything in there from the simplest shield charm to complex, highly-specific, multipurpose wards, and exactly how each one worked and what differentiated them! How in Tartarus are we supposed to get through that shield that's containing Canterlot without you?"

Fir winced. "Um, well, I'm flattered, really, that you put so much stock in my abilities," he mumbled. "But I mean, let's just say we do figure out how to get into Canterlot. Then what? There's a pony in there with the cunning to kidnap the princesses, and the power to lift a city out of the ground and hold it in the sky for days. I guess we're all gifted unicorns, but not that gifted. We'd probably get killed the moment we set hoof in that place."

"Maybe you can keep your distance, employ your talents only as they relate to the barrier, and let us handle the rest?" Presto suggested.

Fir Needles sighed. "Look, I-I'm just not down for this, okay?" he confessed. "Sorry to disappoint, but... find somepony else."

"But we need you!" Sparkler insisted. "Damn it, Fir, Equestria might be doomed if we don't do something and you're gonna just hide?"

The stallion flinched and backed off. "Sparkler, I'm not the pony for the job," he replied meekly. "Sorry, but I can't... I'm not... I'm sorry."

He retreated into his home and closed the door. Sparkler stamped a hoof and stormed away. Ditzy watched as Presto hurried to her side. "That may have been a bit... forceful," he said gently. "You know what they say about catching more flies with honey than vinegar."

"I was nice to the last three!" Sparkler huffed. "What is with these ponies? I get that Equestrian citizens as a whole aren't exactly known for their courage, but these are powerful unicorns we've been visiting, and they know it! Canterlot is under siege, the rest of Equestria could be next, and nopony but us gives a flying feather about it!"

Presto reached down and took hold of one of the mare's forehooves. "Sparkler..." he said softly.

Sparkler stared at the white-furred hoof holding her own. Her ears drooped and she looked away. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Guess I haven't quite kicked all my old habits. Being nasty won't help anypony."

"Exactly," Presto replied, squeezing her hoof a little tighter. "A lot of our potential allies have fallen through, but all we can do is keep trying. Even one or two extra ponies is better than none."

"There's still two more addresses," Ditzy reminded them, trotting closer to the duo. "All our friends are working hard right now on their parts of the plan; we can't give up until we've exhausted all our options, or we'll be letting them down."

Sparkler nodded slowly. "Well, I'm willing to give it a try, but we've already asked all four ponies that live within a few hours of Ponyville," she pointed out. "We'll need to take a much longer trip to visit the other two."

"We'll go to the far ends of Equestria if that's what it takes," Ditzy encouraged.

"Good, because we're gonna have to go practically that far," Sparkler continued, looking at one of her two remaining address cards. "Our next stop is at least a full day away by train. It's a cute little coastal town called Whinnychester."

Kaboom!

A boulder at least the size of a full grown pony was blown to bits by a single, powerful bolt of dark magic. Dinky squinted slightly as pebbles and dust rained down around her.

"Wow, that was a good one Dinky!" came Clarity's voice in her ear, courtesy of a neat little communication spell that allowed her to hear her friend's voice as if they were standing right next to each other, even though in reality, Clarity was standing on the deck of the shipwreck, at least two hundred pony-lengths away from the barren, rocky outcrop where she was practicing.

"Thanks," Dinky replied, her fangs poking out from behind her upper lip as she grinned. "I think I'm getting the hang of focusing the energy on one small spot. It's like the flow of a river; an amount of water moving through narrow waterway rushes along faster than that same amount of water would in a place where the banks are further apart. It seems like the smaller my spell's target area is, the more violent it is when it strikes."

"Dinks, I can see a big chunk of rock behind you that's like, at least the size of Princess Celestia," came Scuffle's voice in her other ear. "Charge the next one up as much as you can and hit it dead center with a real narrow focus, and let's see how much damage you do."

Dinky sucked in her breath and willed the darkness inside of her to surge forward as powerfully as she could. She lowered her head and scraped a hoof like a bull preparing to charge, errant sparks flying from her curved horn and leaving scorch marks on the barren earth below her.

Three... two... one...

The moment the spell separated itself from her horn, she could tell it was going to be a good one. When the black bolt reached the surface of the boulder, it was almost as if a bomb had gone off. The pressure wave pushed her whole body back, but she'd been expecting that; she planted her hooves so that she simply skidded backwards on the stone, rather than tumbling head-over-tail.

The blast flung huge chunks of stone in all directions, many of them splashing down beyond the edges of the island and disappearing beneath the surf. A few of them were hurled right at Dinky, but she simply cast a dark magical field around herself. Unlike a normal shield charm, which would have caused any projectiles to bounce off, the rocks that came in contact with the energy field were simply incinerated. Only a fine layer of ash made it through to the other side, encrusting parts of her coat with a layer of grey. When the dust cleared enough for her to get a good look at what she had done, the vast majority of the boulder was completely gone, the remaining piece of the base charred and coated in soot.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Scuffle cheered. "Man Dinks, just blowing stuff up isn't even good enough for you anymore. You obliterated that thing!"

It had been two days since Dinky and her friends arrived at the wreck of the Black Seahorse, and in that time, Dinky felt sure she'd spent more time in her wraith form than her pony one. The treacherous waters surrounding the wreck were full of jutting rocks and tiny, desolate islands, and Dinky had been using them exactly as Cloudcover had recommended; to hurl lethal spells around without fear of harming anypony. The deck of the ship was the highest ground for miles in any direction, so it was easy for her friends to watch her progress from a safe distance, without any obstructions blocking the view. She could make out Scuffle, Clarity, and Pip all huddled together near the ship's barnacle-encrusted railing, and Flicker sitting nearby, watching boredly with Honeydew's eyes.

Left with total freedom to experiment, Dinky couldn't help but marvel at her own destructiveness. She'd had a chance to cut loose before during Professor Surge's counterspell sessions, but she still needed to take some measure of caution, even there. Now that she had the chance to use dark magic with zero reservations for the very first time, she quickly discovered using it in that way was exactly how one brought out its true power.

In the back of her mind, though, she knew her practice wasn't the only reason she seemed to be getting stronger. After all, it was now the second of November: less than a week from Scorpio's Apex, the one day of the year where the influence of the Zodiac, sealed in the stars, allowed dark magic to be at its strongest.

But power alone isn't going to be enough, she thought darkly. The pony we're dealing with here clearly has no shortage of power of their own. I'm gonna need to learn some more tricks.

"Dinky, you okay?" Clarity asked through the communication spell.

"Just thinking about what to try next," Dinky replied. "Contrary to Scuffle's beliefs, I'm gonna need to do more than just blow stuff up."

"We've seen you use that dark lightning storm thing," Scuffle pointed out. "And I know I don't need to remind you about that nasty black fire you can conjure that can burn through stone."

"Yes, but I need something more subtle," Dinky countered. "Dark magic has to have more versatility than just destroying things. Princess Twilight once told me King Sombra used it to cause terrible visions of his victims' fears. Even though I'm not planning to use that particular spell, I know there's a whole lot of options I haven't discovered yet."

"Unfortunately, there's not exactly a book on this stuff," Clarity sighed. "Or if there is, it's in the Starswirl the Bearded wing in the Canterlot Archives, which is kinda... up in the sky with the rest of Canterlot right now."

"Can you like... channel your magic into things before converting it from basic energy into an attack?" Scuffle asked. "You mentioned enchanting something with it at school a while back, so clearly it's possible to put dark magic into things without destroying them."

"Only because I stabilized it with Scorpio's rune first," Dinky replied as she casually resumed blasting rocks with little bolts of darkness. "I've done next to nothing with dark enchantments so far, but I guess I could messing with those and see if I can come up with anything. Any other ideas, Scuffle?"

"Uh, he's gonna have to get back to you, Dinky..." Clarity said awkwardly.

Dinky glanced toward the ship and sighed. Having become disinterested with watching her training, Flicker was now circling Scuffle like a hungry shark, saying something Dinky couldn't hear from this distance and slowly swaying Honeydew's hips with each step.

"Alright, that's it," came Scuffle's voice. "Cease fire, Dinks. Clarity and I are comin' out there. I'll bring Pip too."

Dinky extinguished the malignant aura around her horn. A moment later, Clarity teleported next to her, followed quickly by a much bigger flash carrying Scuffle and a disoriented-looking Pipsqueak.

"I can't believe unicorns can get used to that," Pip grumbled, looking a little green. "Nearly lost my lunch there, but you three just pop from place to place willy-nilly."

"Sorry dude," Scuffle said. "We just really need to discuss that little nightmare hanging out in Honeydew's body."

Dinky looked back toward the ship. Flicker had her front legs up on the railing and was yelling in their direction, but the crashing of the waves drowned out any sound.

"She is getting pretty annoying, isn't she?" Dinky griped.

"Forget about Flicker herself, what about Honeydew?" Scuffle asked. "That little pest has been in her head for about a week now. What if the real Honeydew, like... atrophies or something because Flicker's keeping her dormant for so long?"

"Nymphs can do that?" Pipsqueak asked, alarmed.

"I'm pretty sure we'd know about it if they could," Clarity pointed out. "Honeydew insisted she was going to be fine right before Flicker took over. I don't think she's in any direct danger, but I agree that this has become a war of attrition. Flicker's not gonna leave until she gets it the attention she wants, and we're not gonna let her have it. Unless we come up with another solution, I don't see an end to this pattern any time soon."

"Not to mention, Honeydew's help would be really valuable when it comes to the dark magic stuff," Dinky chimed in. "Clarity, you're great with coming up with strategies, and Scuffle's got a lot of ideas for helping me increase spell power, but Honeydew's always been the best at approaching magic with a delicate, calculated hoof. If I want to refine my dark magic into spells that do anything other than destroy my surroundings, it'd be great to have her input."

"But what can we do?" Pipsqueak asked. "It's not as if we can reach in there and pull Flicker out ourselves."

Clarity's eyes widened. "Hold on Pip, you might be halfway onto something there," she realized. "Scuffle, you used a transformation spell during your duel with Tango Trot to make yourself gigantic for a little while. I don't suppose you'd also know how to make somepony really small?"

Dinky and Scuffle stood quietly in one of the unused cabins, waiting for Clarity and Pip to lead Flicker into their trap.

"You think this is gonna work, Dinks?" Scuffle asked under his breath.

"It's worth a shot," Dinky said with a shrug. "Flicker got in through Honeydew's ear. If I'm small enough to do the same, maybe I can get in there too and remove her myself."

"Try to get it done fast," Scuffle urged. "You know when she finds me down here it's gonna be her usual shtick. I don't know how many more times I can go through that."

"Why are you so scared of her, anyway?" Dinky asked. "I know it's uncomfortable to see Honeydew acting so... brazen, but Flicker can't use Honeydew's magic, and she's not nearly strong enough to physically overpower you. Why don't you just brush her off, like Pip does?"

Scuffle cringed. "Dinks, have you watched Flicker do what she does best? I mean really watched her?" he replied, looking at the floor. "She knows what she's doing, and she knows how well it works. Every single move she makes is carefully calculated to accentuate all the most physically attractive things about Honeydew."

"Um, yes," Dinky deadpanned. "That's what nymphs do."

"So there's no way this is a new scenario for her!" Scuffle exclaimed. "She knows I care about Honeydew, and she knows I don't want to take advantage of her, and she's trying anyway because experience has taught her that the combination of a hot host pony and the right words and actions makes her seriously tempting. She's probably broken the will of ponies like me before, even ones who knew the pony they were with was under her influence."

Dinky frowned. "Scuffle, I don't believe for one second that you'd ever betray Honeydew like that," she declared. "I've seen the way you put her first in almost every situation for years, with no expectation of anything other than her continued friendship. It's like I said when we were at the farm; I can tell you don't just think she's cute or have a little crush. You really love her, and I know that love will win out. That's how you feel too, isn't it?"

"I do!" Scuffle promised. "I can't even imagine treating Honeydew in any way she wouldn't want, but when Flicker walks up and flutters those lashes and flicks that tail and turns Honeydew's body in just the right way to show off those flanks I just wanna—"

"Of course you do," Dinky interrupted. "That's the normal reaction when you're really attracted to somepony; it's exactly what Flicker's going for, and like you said, she's good at it. But everypony has feelings like that. Just having those feelings is different than actually acting on them."

Scuffle turned away and leaned his head against the wall. "I know that," he said hoarsely. "That said... I don't know what Flicker's capable of. What if she has some kind of magic that eats away at the willpower of even the most morally upstanding ponies? Please just finish the job so I don't have to be scared that one of these days she'll find a way to make me lose control for just a minute and ruin everything..."

A few voices echoed in the hall outside the cabin. "They're coming," Dinky announced. "Time for your spell, Scuffle."

Scuffle gave himself a good shake and seemed to regain his composure. "Alright, hold still," he said, slate blue light encircling his horn. "Operation Shrinky Dinks is a go."

His aura surrounded Dinky. Surprisingly, she didn't feel any sensation at all. Even so, as the spell took effect, the tiny cabin seemed to quickly grow into a cavernous chamber so vast she couldn't even see the ceiling, and Scuffle quickly towered over her like a giant straight out of a foal's tale.

A levitation spell brought her up to eye level with Scuffle, though that was so much distance relative to her new size that it felt like being yanked straight to the top of a mountain in only a second or two. "You're about half an inch tall now," the colt whispered. "I'll get you into Honeydew's ear, but you're gonna have to handle the rest."

"Got it," Dinky replied, though her voice was so tiny she doubted Scuffle could hear it at all.

The voices in the hallway grew closer. "Scuffle's in that cabin?" Flicker asked. "Thanks, Clarity! You're a pal. I'm glad we're finally on the same page; let the boys give me the attention I want and you'll have Honeydew back in no time."

The two fillies turned the corner and stepped into the room, and Scuffle hurled Dinky forward with his magic. Her eyes watered as she rocketed through the air and fell squarely into Honeydew's ear canal. Flicker gasped and brought a gargantuan hoof to her ear, but Dinky was already on her hooves and fleeing deeper into the passage.

She could hear conversation continuing outside, but was no longer able to make out the words. At this point though, what was happening out there didn't matter. Her destination was up ahead.

A few inches down the passage, Dinky found herself blocked by the eardrum. A quick teleport placed her on the other side without issue, but she found herself wondering how Flicker had gotten through in the first place.

Flicker's tapped directly into Honeydew's nervous system, so I just need to get inside her skull, she thought. One more carefully placed teleport, and...

Dinky was transported inside the cranium, and her hooves immediately sank a tiny bit into softer ground. In wonder, she realized she was standing on the surface of her friend's brain.

The next thing she noticed was that the tiny space wasn't dark like she expected, but instead brightly lit with orange light. She quickly spotted the source of that light standing just a few inches away, though from her perspective, it was more half-a-dozen pony lengths.

"Well, look at this," came a grating, squeaky, and generally unappealing female voice from within the bright light. "Came to pay me a visit? I'm so flattered."

The glow dimmed enough that Dinky was finally able to get a look at the creature that it was radiating from. She had been expecting something with at least a passing similarity to a tiny changeling, but discovered something quite different. Flicker, from the waist up, looked more or less like a pony, except with no variation in fur color; her orange coat, frizzy orange mane, and bright orange eyes all matched.

Far more striking, however, was the other half of her body. Flicker's waist narrowed to a short but impossibly slender tube, connected to what looked more like the abdomen of a wasp than any remotely mammalian anatomy. The stinger, or whatever similar structure to it she had, was buried deep in the folds of Honeydew's grey matter.

"You unicorns sure are funny!" the nymph giggled, waving a few of the insect legs on her lower body in amusement. "I've been in plenty of ponies' heads before, but I don't think I've ever had somepony chase me in here!"

"I bet you've never had somepony chase you out, either," Dinky growled. "Let's fix that."

Flicker rolled her eyes. "Really? And just how do you plan to do that?" she asked.

"You've been watching me for days, Flicker. You know how powerful I am," Dinky warned, letting a dark aura begin to grow around her horn. "I'm not usually one to hurt others, but if you don't set Honeydew free, I might have to make an exception."

"Oi, are you stupid or something?" Flicker asked, alarmed. "Shut that off!"

Dinky let the magic disappear. "So you're gonna come quietly?" she asked.

"Of course not," Flicker snapped. "I just think I should point out before you try it that pony magic travels through the body via the nervous system. So if you cast dark magic while we're in Honeydew's brain, you're gonna taint her inner magic flow with it. I don't think you came in here with the intent to corrupt one of your best friends with darkness, did you?"

Dinky's eyes widened. The dark magic had been an empty threat, of course; she had no intent to actually attack the nymph with it, just scare her, but she still shuddered at how dangerously close she had come to contaminating Honeydew's magical reserves with traces of it.

"I don't need dark magic to deal with you," she retorted, refusing to show that she was shaken by her error. "There are hundreds of normal unicorns spells I can use without harming Honeydew at all; and you don't have the magic to fight back. What's stopping me from dragging you out of here right now with a simple levitation spell?"

Flicker shrugged. "Pretty much the same reason you don't wanna use the dark magic, I guess," she said casually. "You'll mess up your friend if you do."

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "Howso?"

"Dinky, Dinky, Dinky..." Flicker scolded, shaking her head. "I really thought you were smarter than this. Right now, as we speak, I am literally driving your friend like a vehicle. All her words and actions are my doing, and her consciousness and personality are being suppressed. Do you have any idea how intricately I must be tapped into her mind in order to do that?"

"So?"

"So think of it like a machine," Flicker continued. "If you open up a machine and rip out a hoofful of random wires, odds are something's gonna go wrong. In fact there's a pretty good chance something will go very wrong and the machine will stop working altogether. If you yank me outta here rather than letting me disconnect myself properly, who knows what could happen. You could permanently alter Honeydew's personality or, worst case scenario, she wouldn't wake up at all."

Dinky stiffened. "Y-you're bluffing."

Flicker yawned. "Well, go ahead and do what you came here to do then," she said boredly. "Sure, maybe Honeydew will be fine. Probably not, but I guess you're so desperate to get rid of me you're willing to take that chance, huh?"

Dinky was cornered, and she knew it. She truly had no idea if Flicker's claims were true, but they made a little too much sense to just dismiss. Hesitantly, she backed off a step or two.

"That's what I thought," Flicker said, grinning and putting a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "As much as you wanna be the hero, you don't have many options here. If you want Honeydew back, get me off this rotten old ship, gimme some time to enjoy myself in the nearest town with a little help from Honeydew's feminine wiles, and when I'm good and satisfied you can have her back safe and sound. That's all it takes."

"It's not happening," Dinky growled.

"All the same to me," Flicker replied with another shrug. "I'll stay here and keep working on seducing Scuffle and your cute coltfriend. Either way, Honeydew's definitely too cute to waste the opportunity. I'm not leaving until I've had my fill of the most intense passions of stallions, when thoughts are dulled and attractions and desires reach their very peak."

Dinky scowled. "You disgust me."

"I really can't say I care," Flicker laughed. "Run along, now. Tell your friends the news."

Dinky gritted her teeth, but there was nothing she could do. Casting a final death glare at the nymph, she lit her horn and teleported away.

After discussion with her friends, the group came to an unfortunate consensus; there really was nothing they could do at this time that wouldn't risk harming Honeydew. There was no choice but to continue Dinky's dark magic training, and put up with their unwanted guest until the time came that they could get a professional's assistance.

That evening, after several more hours of practice, Dinky sat on the deck with Clarity and Pip, watching the sun set over the ocean. Flicker had presumably skulked off to the depths of the ship somewhere, and Scuffle was visible in the distance; he sat out on an algae-covered rock with his back to them, staring out at the sea and not reacting as waves coated him with salty spray.

"Poor guy," Clarity said, her voice heavy with pity. "He just wants his best friend back, and there's nothing we can do to make it happen."

"We all want Honeydew back," Dinky sighed. "But until this is all over, we might not be able to have her back. At least she's trapped on the ship; without magic, she can't go chasing after any stallions besides Scuffle and Pip."

"Which is fruitless, of course," Pipsqueak added. "Sadly, that doesn't seem to deter her."

Dinky saw Scuffle stand up and teleport off the rock. An instant later, he appeared right next to them. "Kay, status update, Dinks," he said stoically. "What's next as far as increasing your wraith abilities?"

"Scuffle, I've been trying to come up with something new all afternoon," Dinky mumbled. "But even with room to experiment, I essentially have to spellweave on the fly here. It took Honeydew months to create her own new spell, and she had access to written resources and professors in her field. I don't know how I'm gonna come up with any unique new dark magic on such short notice when I don't even have any experts⁠— or anypony with any experience at all⁠— to collaborate with. Even if the princesses weren't captured, Celestia and Twilight know far less about dark magic than I do."

"I know it sounds hopeless, but I guess you just have to try your best," Clarity admitted, nuzzling Dinky consolingly. "You are the expert in the field; nopony knows more about wielding and controlling dark magic than you except, y'know, Scorpio."

Scorpio...

Dinky was quiet for several seconds. She pursed her lips, thinking hard.

"Oh, I know that look," Pipsqueak groaned. "The next thing she says is always something pretty dodgy when that look comes out."

"What if..." Dinky began hesitantly, ignoring her coltfriend's comment, "...what if I could ask Scorpio? Scorpio's Apex is coming up, which not only means dark magic is stronger than usual... it also means Equestria's a little bit closer to the Realm of Stars than normal."

Now it was her friends' turn to be silent for a moment. "Okay, so, Dinks?" Scuffle began, his short tail flicking nervously behind him. "Having been your friend for a long time now, I hate to break it to you, but you have this kind of habit for coming up with crazy, dangerous, and generally really terrible ideas. So speaking with that context already in mind, I need you to understand that even for you, this is a really terrible idea."

"I'm not planning to release her!" Dinky defended. "I'm just wondering if maybe there's a way I can get myself into the Realm of Stars to⁠—"

Dinky felt herself surrounded by an aura and had her whole body jerked to the left so she was facing Clarity. She put her hooves on Dinky's shoulders, staring right into her eyes.

"Dinky, before this conversation goes any further, let me just briefly point out all the issues with this plan," she said sternly. "First of all, even if we could replicate the ritual to open a portal to the Realm of Stars, Antares said the fabric of space between the two planes was only thin enough to break through once every forty years. In case you've forgotten, this will be your fourth anniversary of becoming a wraith, so unless your plan is to lay low for the next thirty-six years, I think you're out of luck there."

"Well⁠—"

Clarity put a hoof on Dinky's lips. "I'm not done," she admonished. "Let's say you find a way to break that rule and get a portal open. You might remember that no physical being or object, not even a wraith, can exist within the Realm of Stars. Scorpio was in an incorporeal form when you accidentally released her; she needed to consume Antares' body to recreate one of her own. It's not going to do us much good if you learn the secrets of dark magic but no longer physically exist in Equestria."

"True..." Dinky admitted. "What if I⁠⁠—"

"But for the sake of the argument, let's assume you can solve those problems!" Clarity practically yelled, cutting Dinky off again. "Let's say you find a way to get both into and back out of the Realm of Stars unharmed. What makes you think that Scorpio, one of the purest evils Equestria has ever faced, would ever agree to help the very same wraith who cut her resurrection short and sealed her back in the stars for the rest of eternity!?"

"Gotta take your friends' side on this one, Dinky," Pip confessed. "I know we need to think outside the box, but the whole idea's iffy, and even if it worked, it's just so overwhelmingly dangerous..."

Dinky let out a long breath. "I guess you're right," she admitted. "That's a pretty extreme idea. I just don't know how I'm going to find a way to overpower whoever has captured Canterlot on my own..."

"We'll have time to work on that more tomorrow," Scuffle encouraged, patting her on the back. "For now, it's gettin' dark. Let's get some sleep so we can be up with the sun tomorrow to work on your spells some more."

"Agreed," Clarity said. "Come on everypony. Let's go below deck."

She and Scuffle made their way into the ship. Dinky continued to sit on the deck, and Pip remained still beside her. Together, they watched the last light fade, until only moonlight illuminated the ocean.

"You're still thinking about it, aren't you love?" Pip asked calmly.

Dinky glanced at him, surprised. "The Scorpio idea?" she asked. "It's drastic. Really drastic. But if there was ever a situation that called for drastic measures, it'd be this one, right?"

Pip continued to watch the waves. He gently placed a bulky foreleg around her shoulders.

"Clarity made some good points," he pointed out.

"She did," Dinky agreed. "I also have at least a theory of how to get around two of them. I still doubt you'd want me to do it though."

"I don't," Pip said, nodding. "But I don't even know regular magic, let alone dark magic, so I can't exactly offer a better idea. I guess... you'll have to let your heart guide you to your next decision, Dinky."

Dinky gazed up at the stars forming the outline of Scorpio's constellation, now almost directly overhead, and said nothing more.

Scuffle woke with a start, though he couldn't say why.

The cabin was almost pitch black. There were no windows below deck, and the only light came from the tiny bit of moonlight shining through one or two knotholes in the wood. There wasn't even a sign of the glow of dawn yet; he assumed it had to be two or three in the morning. The muffled, rhythmic sound of waves came from outside.

Middle of the night... he thought drowsily. So what woke me up?

A rumble of thunder filled the air, making the colt's ears stand on end. Just a storm. Guess I'll get back to sleep.

Scuffle closed his eyes, listening to the distant sound of waves.

"Scuffle..."

Scuffle sat bolt upright as an almost hauntingly sweet voice called his name. "G-great, we got ghosts in this ratty old wreck now?" he asked under his breath, looking left and right and straining to see in the darkness.

Lightning flashed outside, illuminating a silhouette right at the foot of his bed. Scuffle gasped and scrambled backwards until he was pressed against the headboard, and quickly lit his horn.

The light didn't reveal a long-dead spirit; just a pink coated mare staring at him with bright orange eyes.

"Flicker!" he snarled as the nymph giggled at him. "How did you even get in here?"

"Picked the lock," the intruder replied matter-of-factly. "I may not have magic, but Honeydew's got great hooves. Delicate and dexterous. Soft, too! Wanna feel?"

"No," Scuffle lied. "I'm trying to sleep. Get out of here."

"I would, but I've been a little preoccupied all evening," Flicker replied, crossing her forelegs on the foot of the bed and resting her chin on them, gazing at Scuffle with half-lidded eyes. "You seemed awful down today, brooding out there on that rock when you found out Dinky couldn't get rid of me. It almost made me feel a little bad. I've been thinking about it all day, and I decided to do something nymphs almost never do; come here and cut you a deal."

"I'm not negotiating," said Scuffle flatly. "Give me Honeydew back."

"Not interested?" Flicker asked with a cute little pout as she turned to go. "Oh well. Pity you missed out on getting Honeydew back by morning..."

She made for the door. Scuffle watched her reach for the handle.

"Wait."

She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"...What's the deal?"

Flicker slowly turned and moved back to the foot of the bed. "Well, here's the thing," she said slowly, rearing up and placing her forehooves on the sheets. "This situation isn't getting us anywhere. I'm frustrated, you're frustrated, your friends are frustrated. Nopony's getting what they want. It's a stalemate."

"I've noticed," Scuffle said bitterly.

"Normally, a nymph would only leave when they're satisfied with the attention they've managed to get with the help of their host pony," Flicker continued. "And with a mare as alluring as Honeydew, it'd be quite a shame to waste the opportunity. But you four have me trapped on this boat anyway, and you and Pip have shown a remarkable amount of willpower compared to most stallions, so I've finally started considering that maybe I'll have to throw in the towel a little early this time."

Scuffle raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

Flicker hopped up so she was now standing fully on the bed, looming over Scuffle with Honeydew's slight frame. "Look, I know you don't want me to use Honeydew to run off and play with any old random stallion," she pointed out. "I also know you're hugely attracted to her, and I'm probably driving you crazy."

"J-just tell me what this deal you mentioned is!" Scuffle stuttered.

Flicker arched her back as she leaned down, stretching almost like a cat would. After a few moments of repositioning, she suddenly lowered the back end too, lying down on top of the colt with only the bed sheet separating them. Scuffle squirmed, but there was no way to back off; he was already against the headboard.

"Let's end this right now," Flicker suggested, her face just inches from Scuffle's. "I know you'll treat Honeydew with more care than any old stranger I might catch the eye of. You'll finally get to act on all those desires about this pony you've had to hold back for so long, I'll get to feast on those desires, and when we're done... I'll be on my way. I won't go off in search of more stallions like most nymphs do; give me what I want just once, and you get your friend back safe and sound, and everything that happens between now and then can stay just between us."

She inched forward. Scuffle shivered as the silky pink fur on her chest brushed against him. "I told you, I'm not... not d-doing anything like that to H-Honeydew," he managed.

Flicker frowned. "I thought you might say that..."

She didn't move from her position, but she broke eye contact for a few moments. Idly, she trailed the edge of a forehoof through the fluff on Scuffle's chest.

Her hooves really were soft.

"Let me tell you something I found here in Honeydew's mind," the nymph continued finally, ignoring Scuffle's blush and the way he fidgeted nervously under her weight. "I can see all her memories. All the nice things you've done for her, all the times you were there for her, I've viewed dozens of them. I can also see all the times it was blatantly obvious that you've fallen hard for her, even though she hasn't picked up on it."

Scuffle swallowed. "...And?"

"And while she values and appreciates your friendship... that's where her feelings stop," Flicker explained. "There's no romantic interest in you in here anywhere."

"That doesn't mean there couldn't be someday!" Scuffle argued.

Flicker snorted. "After all this time? All the years together?" she chuckled. "Deep down, do you really believe that?"

Scuffle was frozen, unable to respond. Flicker placed Honeydew's hoof under his chin and guided his head so he was looking into her eyes again.

"Scuffle, this isn't just your chance to get Honeydew back," she continued. "It's also your only chance to get to experience her more... intimately."

She leaned up so she was whispering directly into his ear.

"You don't really wanna pass that up... do you?"

"B-but... I..."

An electric jolt shot through Scuffle's body as Flicker delicately nuzzled his neck. His mind became a muddled whirlwind of emotions and sensations that threatened to overwhelm him.

Honeydew's mane smells so nice... her mane products smell just like fresh fruit...

Honeydew's fur is so soft... I can't believe a pony can be born with a coat this smooth...

Honeydew's voice is so beautiful... it sounds almost musical just to hear her say my name...

Flicker slowly lifted her head, gazing at Scuffle with half-lidded eyes, her long lashes fluttering at him and a sultry, inviting smile on her face.

And Honeydew's smile is so... so...

A tiny spark ignited in the back of Scuffle's mind. Something was off; it took him a moment to pinpoint what.

Honeydew... Honeydew has a gorgeous smile. It's innocent and sweet, and her eyes sparkle with joy whenever it crosses her face. She would... she would never smile like this. It's not her nature.

Honeydew is beautiful, yes, but she's also kind and sweet and respectful and modest...

...And this isn't Honeydew.

Everything seemed to change in an instant. The pleasant scent of the mare's mane suddenly seemed almost sickly sweet. Her fur seemed slick and textureless. Her quiet breaths, her affectionate little whimpers, suddenly sounded just as lecherous as the more logical part of him knew they were.

This isn't Honeydew!

With a flash of blue, a pressure wave burst from the young stallion's horn. Flicker squeaked in shock as she was catapulted into the air and landed upside down on the floor beyond the foot of the bed.

"What the heck was that for?" she asked indignantly, springing to her hooves.

"I'm not making any kind of deal with you, you little weasel," Scuffle snapped. "I can see now that Dinky was right to be confident in me. I care way too much about Honeydew's friendship to ever betray her, no matter how appealing you make it look. I don't care how much you try; you're not Honeydew, and that's what matters most to me! Get out of my cabin, now!"

Flicker smirked. "So that's how it is, is it?" she sneered. "You won't be able to hold out forever, but you know what? Fine. I'll let you sleep. But you're not getting your friend back anytime soon."

Scuffle lit his horn. "Cut the crap and get out," he warned. "And by the way, if you try a shtick like this on Pipsqueak, Dinky will kill you. You're not the brightest bug in the swarm, Flicker, but even you're smart enough not to piss off a wraith."

"Fine, I'm going," Flicker grumbled. "Pity we couldn't come to an agreement. Thanks for the snack, at any rate."

Scuffle raised an eyebrow. "Snack?"

"Well, duh!" Flicker laughed. "You may not be giving me what I really want, but you can't help the fact that you're really into Honeydew. You may be good at resisting, but those feelings still exist, whether you want them to or not, and I've been feeding on them each and every time! I hope your plan wasn't to starve me out of here or something; even with our current arrangement, you've been giving me more than enough to sustain me."

Scuffle grew furious. "Get out, or I'll get rid of you myself!" he yelled.

Ignoring his rage entirely, Flicker simply shrugged and opened the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she cast him one last teasing smile before shutting in behind her.

The moment she was gone, Scuffle groaned and fell backward onto the bed. Damn it! he mentally screamed, pummeling the bed with a hoof. How in Tartarus are we gonna get rid of that blasted bug!? She's never gonna give up; Honeydew's just too attractive for Flicker to pass her up!

He stared up at the wooden ceiling, his coat covered in a cold sweat. Slowly, another thought began to form.

Wait... Honeydew appeals to Flicker because she's the most attractive pony around. If that's why Flicker's so intent on staying put... I think I might just have an idea...

"So what exactly are they up to?" Pipsqueak asked, as he sat with Dinky on the deck the following morning.

"You got me," Dinky said with a shrug. "Scuffle said he had some kind of big idea, and he needed Clarity's help. No clue why they're insisting on secrecy though."

"Who cares?" Flicker chimed in, trotting over and sitting down on the other side of Pip. "Hey Dinky, wanna split some breakfast? I can't help but notice there's a meal right here between us that's big enough for two."

"Well, wherever they went, I hope they hurry up," Dinky continued, blatantly ignoring the nymph. "We need to get back to work on the dark magic stuff."

The door to the ship's interior flew open, and Clarity pranced out, looking quite excited. "Guess what, Dinky!" she called. "There's an acquaintance of ours here to help you with your training!"

Dinky cocked her head. "Wait, huh?" she asked. "We're a couple miles offshore on an abandoned shipwreck. Who could possibly be here?"

Clarity grinned. "Well, see for yourself!" she replied, beckoning to somepony within the ship. To Dinky's amazement, a new pony did in fact appear. But with just one glance, it was clear this was no average pony.

The new arrival was a unicorn mare, with a dazzlingly white coat, tinted with the faintest pale blue, like a paper-thin layer of ice on the surface of water. Her mane was a gentle, pale pink, and her yellow-orange eyes reminded Dinky of fresh, juicy fruit.

But the details of her coat and mane weren't what shocked Dinky; it was how unnaturally attractive the new mare was. Her figure was so utterly perfect by pony beauty standards that even Honeydew looked a bit gangly and disproportionate by comparison. Her coat reflected the morning sunlight in an appealing way, and every feature of her face⁠— from her expressive eyes to her smooth, full lips⁠— seemed to demand one's attention.

Dinky had always considered Honeydew to have won the genetic lottery as far as looks, but this pony was more than that; it was as if somepony had selected all the most perfect features from among Equestria's celebrities and models, and spliced them together into a single, overwhelmingly eye-catching mare.

Pipsqueak looked stunned. "Dinky, who is that?" he asked incredulously. "How did she get here? Do you know her?"

"I... I..." Dinky stammered, too taken aback to properly answer.

"What's wrong, Dinky?" the mare giggled, in a mellifluous voice that gave Dinky chills. "Don't you recognize your old friend Rosy Lace?"

"Rosy... Lace?"

At once, the memory came flooding back. In an instant, Dinky understood exactly who she was looking at, and exactly why she was there: a reason that had nothing to do with her dark magic training. The secret idea Scuffle and Clarity had mentioned earlier became immediately apparent, and she had to hold back a laugh of delight at her friends' brilliance.

Of course, she had to play along for it to work.

"Oh, Rosy!" she cooed. "Wow, it's been such a long time! You look great! How've you been?"

"Oh, just wonderful," Rosy replied, sauntering out of the hall and onto the deck. "I see you're keeping busy, though maybe not in the way you'd hoped with all this terrible Canterlot business going on."

"So you do know her," Pipsqueak commented. "A classmate, I guess?"

Dinky glanced discreetly over her shoulder and grinned. Flicker hadn't said a word since Rosy appeared; Honeydew's jaw hung open limply as she gaped at the newcomer. Dinky pretended not to know what had caught the nymph's attention.

"Flicker, what are you looking at?" Clarity asked, tilting her head.

"B-by the moon, that mare is perfect," Flicker stuttered. "Forget homely old Honeydew; there won't be a stallion in Equestria who will be able to turn down a pony like that one!"

"What do you mean?" Dinky asked, feigning ignorance.

Honeydew's body swayed on the spot. Her orange eyes rolled up into her head, and she passed out on the deck. An instant later, a tiny orange light shot out of her ear and made a beeline for Rosy Lace.

"Rosy, watch out!" Pipsqueak warned, quite sincerely since he wasn't in on the ruse. "She's going to—"

He was too slow. Flicker turned a little loop in midair and flitted right into Rosy's ear.

Rosy Lace, however, didn't lose consciousness and collapse. She didn't even flinch. Calmly, she set her horn aglow and withdrew a small glass jar from her saddlebag. Her aura, curiously, didn't match her yellowish eyes, but was instead a suspiciously familiar slate blue.

With a smug smile, the stunning young mare held the jar up to the ear Flicker had just entered.

"Three... two... one..."

There was a tiny, shrill scream. Flicker darted back out of Rosy's ear and directly into the waiting jar, which was quickly capped behind her. She bounced against the glass like a dizzy fly, crying out in horror and confusion in her teeny tiny voice.

"Rosy Lace is a... a... a stallion!"

"What!?" Pipsqueak gasped, as Dinky and Clarity finally burst into the laughter they'd been struggling to hold back. "But... no stallion could look like that! Most mares can't even hope to look like that!"

"Pip, let me tell you a little story," Dinky giggled, as Clarity continued to double over with mirth. "Way back in our first term, there was an incident where Scuffle ended up trapped in the fillies' residence tower. We didn't want to get in trouble, so we had to find a way to sneak him past Overseer Sparkler and all the other students. We ended up succeeding, using a combination of careful grooming and Clarity's illusions to disguise him as a filly named Rosy Lace!"

Dinky wished she could've had a photo of Pip's face as he made the connection. "Wait, so Rosy is really..."

"You better believe it, pal," Rosy replied, though now speaking with a noticeably male voice. "Clarity, I believe we're clear to remove the illusions now."

A red glow surrounded Clarity's horn, and the image of the beautiful young mare became hazy. Her stark white coat faded away, replaced with dull brown. Her perfect figure, just a complex trick of the light, was replaced by the broader build of a young stallion. Though his mane was still styled like a mare's and he was wearing a lot of makeup, it was now clearly Scuffle, not Rosy Lace, that stood before them.

"You double-crossers!" Flicker wailed, her shrill voice just barely audible as she threw herself fruitlessly against the lid of the jar that held her captive. "I want a redo! Give me Honeydew back!"

Scuffle tucked Flicker's jar into his bag, silencing her for the time being. "Now, was that a great plan, or what?" he asked proudly, while ruffling his mane back to normal and wiping all the makeup from his face.

"Scuffle, that was genius!" Dinky laughed. "If Flicker benefits from possessing attractive ponies, of course she wouldn't be able to resist a mare that cute!"

"I really hoped it would work," Clarity added. "We took a risk. If Flicker hadn't been so quick to act, she could've scanned through Honeydew's memories and figured out the truth. Fortunately, she decided to act fast so she didn't lose her chance."

"That was, um... quite a pony you put together, considering she was just an illusion," Pip said.

Scuffle smirked. "Yeah, I looked pretty hot," he snickered. "Go on, you can say it. There's no shame in it."

Pipsqueak frowned and quickly looked away, prompting another round of laughter from the girls.

"Ok, so obviously, you were able to look like that because Clarity is so much better at illusions than she was when we were foals," Dinky managed once she got a hold of herself, "but how did you do the voice? That was really convincing!"

Scuffle puffed out his chest. "Dinks, I spent most of the last term preparing to duel Tango Trot," he pointed out. "You stand a better chance in a duel if you know your enemy. I've been researching sound magic all year!"

"And thanks to Scuffle, we've taken care of our unwanted guest," Clarity announced relieved. "Which means..."

A small, feminine groan caught the attention of all four ponies. Dinky and her friends wheeled around as Honeydew stirred faintly on the deck. Slowly, her eyes opened, revealing irises that were restored to their original pale green.

"M-morning already?" she mumbled.

Poor Honeydew was taken by surprise as her excited friends galloped over and scooped her up in a group hug. "Honeydew, you're okay!" Dinky cheered.

"Of... of course I'm okay," Honeydew murmured, her voice confused and still a bit drowsy. "I was just napping and—"

She paused, blinking the last of the sleep out of her eyes. She squirmed her way out of her friends' grip and looked around.

"Um... why are we on a ship?" she asked weakly. "And when did Pipsqueak get here? Did I... miss something?"

"You could say that," Scuffle said, scraping a hoof on the wood uncertainly.

"Was I unconscious or something?" Honeydew asked, her voice laced with concern. "Last I remember, we were planning to set up camp in the swamp, and then the—"

Her eyes went wide. "Oh no, the wood nymph!" she gasped, scrambling away from her friends with a growing look of despair. "She got me, didn't she? Borrowed my body? Oh no, oh gosh, I don't even want to think about what I must've done..."

She dropped to the deck, covering her face with her forehooves and whimpering. Clarity instinctively stepped forward to comfort her, but Dinky stopped her and silently indicated Scuffle instead.

"Go on, man," she whispered. "Remember how helpful you were when Honeydew was upset about her family's attempt to attack us last week? You're the best at this."

"She's right," Clarity agreed, just as quietly. "When you speak from the heart, you always get through to her. Go on, reassure her!"

Scuffle nodded slowly. "Well, I'll try my best."

He trotted across the deck and sat down next to the the crying filly. Dinky waited, curious to see how he'd handle the situation.

"Dewey..." Scuffle whispered. "It's okay. It's over now."

"It's not okay..." Honeydew mumbled from behind her hooves. "I know what nymphs do, Scuffle. I've read plenty about them in Magical Biology textbooks. I know she made me act all lewd, to everypony. I feel gross just thinking about it..."

"Hey now, that's not quite accurate," Scuffle argued, rubbing her back gently with one hoof. "She may have been in your body, but she was the one acting lewd. Don't blame yourself for something you weren't even conscious for."

"Even so," Honeydew grumbled, "any nymph who takes control of a mare won't hesitate to do... unspeakable things with any stallion she comes across. I don't think I want to know what she used me to do."

"She didn't do anything!" Scuffle promised. "She tried... dozens of times in fact, but we kept her out of trouble the entire time."

Honeydew finally peeked out from behind her hooves. "They can be cunning, and very persuasive," she mumbled. "You... you were really able to keep her at bay?"

"The most she got away with was getting a little extra-cuddly with, uh... me," Scuffle admitted. "I didn't let her get any further than that. So the most you got while she was in control was an unexpected snuggle with a close friend. Hopefully... that's not the worst outcome?"

Although she looked away shyly, Honeydew managed an appreciative smile. "I hug you all the time anyway," she said, sounding slightly more upbeat. "If that's all she got away with, well, I don't mind."

Scuffle smiled. "C'mon, you didn't think we'd let some nymph mess with our friend, right?" he asked. "We care about you, Dewey. So we made sure everything turned out okay."

Honeydew sat up and turned to face the rest of her friends. "Sorry about all the trouble I caused," she said sheepishly. "Thank you all for taking care of me while I was, um, not myself."

"Any time, Honeydew," Clarity replied. "We've got the nymph captive in a jar now. What should we do with her?"

"Hold onto her until we can release her without putting ourselves at risk," Honeydew instructed. "Even after what she did, she's a sapient creature like us; I don't want to harm her."

The friends nodded in unison. "I think we can agree to that," Dinky replied with a nod. "Right now, though, we have some more urgent things to tend to."

"Yeah, I was... wondering about that," Honeydew said slowly, taking the time to examine her surroundings more closely. "I have no idea where we are, or why. Fill me in?"

"Well, after you got possessed, we made it to a town, where Mrs. Doo and her team found us thanks to Dinky's amulets and Sparkler's spell," Scuffle began.

"It seemed like everything was going to be okay," Clarity continued, "but then sometime overnight, some kind of maniac unicorn captured Princess Twilight, and used a spell none of us have ever seen to rip Canterlot out of the ground and hold it captive in the air."

"And we're out here on this ship because we got word from the princesses that my dark magic might be the only way to save everypony, so we went somewhere very isolated for me to safely practice it," Dinky finished.

Honeydew's pupils shrank slightly. "O-oh, is... is that all?" she asked, with an ironic half-smile. "Honestly, that's about what I expected. Another year, another adventure, another opportunity to show blatant disregard for life and limb. Par for the course, really."

Dinky put on a wry grin. "Aw, you know us so well," she joked.

Honeydew turned toward the mainland and squinted at Canterlot, which was little more than a tiny pink speck in the sky. "So, only the city is in that magical bubble, right?" she asked. "The Academy's around the other side of the mountain, so at least they're safe for now."

"Well, yes, but it doesn't really matter," Clarity replied. "The Academy closed several days ago. The students should've all made it safely home before this happened."

Honeydew froze. After a moment, she turned back to her friends, her expression panicked. "No, that's bad!" she insisted. "That means any students who live in Canterlot are probably trapped in there. Like... like Tango Trot!"

"She's right!" Dinky gasped. "It never even crossed my mind, but Tango did mention he lives in Canterlot!"

"Alright, don't panic," Scuffle urged. "Tango's insanely good at magic. Even if he is in there, I'm sure he's holding out just fine. And it's not like we're just gonna sit back and do nothing; I know you wanna help, but that's literally why we're here."

Honeydew nodded slowly and returned to Scuffle's side. "I know, but it's still scary," she mumbled. "The last time I talked to Tango was when he asked me out and I declined. I was going to focus on making sure he knew I still wanted to be his friend, but Dinky's wraith form was revealed just minutes later and we haven't seen him since. If something bad happens to him, I wouldn't want our last meeting to have ended with him resenting me."

"There's no way he resents you," Dinky assured her. "You two are close friends for lots of reasons. Even if you're not his fillyfriend, I'm sure he's more than happy to call you his friendly fellow biologist."

Honeydew chewed her lip and leaned against Scuffle's shoulder. "Hope so."

A minute of silence fell over the group. Honeydew turned again, staring once more at Canterlot as the sea breeze wafted through her mane.

"Honeydew," Clarity said finally, "can I ask you a personal question?"

Honeydew looked back toward her friend, surprised. "Um, sure," she answered.

"I'm really curious," Clarity ventured. "Tango Trot is friendly, charming, really handsome, and shares a lot of your interests. I completely respect that it's your decision to make, but why did you turn him down, anyway?"

Honeydew blinked. "Oh... let's see, how can I put it into words?"

Everypony waited as their friend collected her thoughts. Finally, she spoke.

"I had a lot of fun spending time with Tango Trot this year," she admitted. "He's so smart, and all those hours we spent on my research seemed to fly by when we were collaborating. He really knew how to make me feel comfortable right away, too. Usually it takes me a while to warm up to new ponies. I always had a good time when we were together..."

"But..." Dinky prompted.

"But that's actually part of the problem," Honeydew admitted, smiling sadly. "Tango was there when I was in my element, like when we were working on research he knew I was passionate about, or when there was reason to celebrate, or even when it was a nice day with no responsibilities and there was time to just relax."

She sighed softly before continuing. "You've all met my family now," she reminded them. "I grew up in a difficult environment. I like to think I've improved a little over the years, but I still struggle with anxiety. Sometimes, even doing something perfectly normal feels... just wrong, somewhere deep inside, because my parents taught me that it was improper, and strictly enforced it. I'm still a little damaged I guess, and it's important to me to have friends who can accept that about me. So while Tango Trot is a great friend, and I really value him, he's... a fair-weather friend, I guess. He was always there when things were good, but if I were ever to have a coltfriend, I would need him to be a pony who knows what to do when things are bad. Somepony who can celebrate the happy times with me of course, but who has also seen the weird, nervous, uncertain side of me, and who knows what to do to comfort me, support me... build me up, even. I know I have issues, and I don't want to force them on anypony... but a pony who was familiar with them, knew how to help me work through them and... and love me in spite of them... that's the kind of pony I mean."

She looked down at the deck. Wordlessly, Dinky glanced at Scuffle, still sitting beside his timid friend. The colt fidgeted uncertainly. He shut his eyes. He clenched his teeth.

He spoke two words.

"...Like me?"

The whole world stopped, or at least it seemed like it to Dinky. Scuffle sat stone still, his eyes squeezed tightly shut, waiting. Dinky wasn't sure if she expected Honeydew to react dramatically, but at any rate, she didn't. The pink filly looked up, staring into the distance while she took a moment to consider Scuffle's question. After a few seconds, a faint blush crept across her snout, exposing the pale freckles that were usually invisible against her coat.

"...Actually Scuffle, a lot like you, now that you mention it..." she murmured, giving him a hesitant smile. "But come on, you're, well, you: a strong, confident adventure lover. An accomplished duelist! It's a nice thought, but it's okay, I know a pony like you probably wouldn't really wanna date a nervous, frail little biology geek like me."

Scuffle's eyes flew open. "N-now hang on, says who?" he asked. "We aren't that different, Dewey. I grew up in constant fear too, living in the big city with two nasty older brothers, and for the longest time, I thought my specialization in defensive magic made me weak. Heck, a lot of the time, I'm just as scared as you are about stuff."

"You're a lot better at hiding it," Honeydew pointed out.

"So?" Scuffle asked. "If anything, that's a bad thing. You don't try to hide your feelings, so it's easier for you to say what you mean, and get help from ponies when you really need it. I know I act like a hotshot, but you know there's a softer side in there, don'tcha?"

Honeydew giggled. "Well of course. I've known you long enough to know how sweet you can be."

"Right!" Scuffle affirmed, growing a bit louder. "So who says I'm only interested in fearless, headstrong ponies? Maybe I think it's really refreshing and disarming to spend time with somepony quiet and controlled like you! Maybe I love that you're so invested in your favorite subject; I'd call it passionate, not geeky! Maybe I don't care that you're not a battlemage, because since I surround myself with action and excitement all the time, I'm actually craving some gentleness from somepony close to me! Maybe if I wasn't such a damned coward, hiding behind my swagger all the time, I'd have been able to tell you earlier that I—"

He stopped suddenly. Dinky could tell that everything he had just said was only now actually registering in his mind. He glanced at Honeydew, who was staring at him, wide-eyed. At this point, it seemed, he had no choice but to finish the thought.

"...that I... you know, think you're g-great," he stuttered, his short tail flicking anxiously. "That as t-time went on, it occurred to me that y-you mean the world to me and... like, if you wanna do the whole dating thing, and you think I've got most of those qualities you wanted in a coltfriend... y'know. I'd be down. Up to you."

He turned away before she could answer, his gaze firmly fixed on the open sea. Nopony moved for a few moments.

Honeydew inched a bit nearer to the colt, until they were so close that their flanks brushed together. When Scuffle still didn't move, Honeydew leaned down carefully tucking her head under his jaw, taking care not to poke him with her horn. She closed her eyes as she snuggled into the fur there, a small smile on her face.

Scuffle went very, very red. "Dewey, w-what are you doin'?" he asked.

"Waiting for a hug," Honeydew replied calmly.

Scuffle blinked. With all the delicate care that Dinky had always seen him reserve only for interacting with Honeydew, he slowly wrapped a foreleg around the small of the young mare's back. She leaned in further, letting him support more of her weight. The two of them sat together, although they wore comically opposite expressions. Scuffle looked delighted, alarmed, and confused all at once, while Honeydew just appeared utterly content.

"It's funny," she said suddenly. "When we first met, I hated you. I considered dropping out of school just to get away from you. Now I can't imagine facing all this madness we get wrapped up in without you. You're always there when I need somepony, no matter how bad the situation is. Things really change."

"Y-yeah," Scuffle replied. "I guess they do."

Honeydew rested her cheek against his, and the two of them sat together for a few moments.

"So, um, if you don't mind them changing just a little bit more," she continued finally, peering up at him with big green eyes and a small, hopeful smile, "I think I'd really like to be your fillyfriend, Scuffle."

In eighteen years, Dinky couldn't remember ever seeing such a look of joy and relief on anypony's face as the one that crossed Scuffle's features. "I... um, yeah," he managed. "I'd really like that too."

Honeydew sat up straighter and nuzzled the surprised colt right on the nose. For a split second, he looked shocked, but that was quickly replaced with a bright smile as he returned the gesture.

"Let's give them a minute," Clarity whispered, smiling as she backed off quietly into the ship's interior.

Honeydew's ears perked up. "Oh! No, no, don't mind us," she insisted, blushing a little as she pulled herself free from Scuffle's grip and got back to her hooves. "Scuffle and I will have time to talk more later. I guess we should really get started on helping Dinky with her dark magic stuff some more. If it's up to us to save Tango Trot and all those other ponies, we better get busy."

She trotted into the ship, with just a little bit more spring in her step than usual. Clarity beamed as she and Pip disappeared inside as well, leaving Dinky and Scuffle alone on the deck.

"See? That wasn't so hard," Dinky teased, jabbing the colt in the side. "We may be fighting for the fate of Equestria, but hey, at least you got the girl. How do you feel?"

Scuffle didn't reply. Instead, he turned tail and galloped to the bow of the ship. Whooping and cheering incoherently, he reared up and fired a flurry of spells into the sky, which exploded into a sparkling display of pink, green, and white fireworks. When the colored lights finally faded, he turned around and made his way back toward the doorway.

"That answer your question, Dinks?" he laughed as he bounded inside.

Dinky didn't need to reply. Smiling, she followed the rest of her friends into the ship.

Warm, fuzzy feelings, as it turns out, aren't ideal when one is trying to cast powerful dark magic.

As happy as Dinky was for her friends' new relationship, her dreamy state of mind resulted in a less-than-impressive afternoon of training. Tired and disheartened, she joined the others for dinner in the ship's galley.

Because of the position of the wreck, the galley was on a bit of an angle, and one end of the room was submerged in about an inch of seawater. The five friends gathered around a table on the dry side. Dinky had managed to enchant an old, empty oil lantern so that it worked in much the same way as the Academy's illumination orbs, providing them with the glow of magical light whenever they gathered for meals.

"Ok, so what went well today, and what needs more work?" Pipsqueak asked as he divvied up that day's portion of their rations.

"Not much went well,"Dinky grumbled, scowling as she gnawed on the dried fruit on her plate. "Scorpio's Apex is three days away, and my magic is barely stronger than normal."

"You're destroying boulders twice your size with a single strike," Honeydew pointed out. "Isn't that enough power?"

Dinky shook her head. "You know who else can do that, and with normal unicorn magic?" she asked. "The princesses can. But whoever we're up against overpowered all the princesses."

"So, you need your spells to pack such a punch that you're stronger than the princesses?" Scuffle asked disbelievingly.

Dinky sighed. "No, what I need to be doing is finding more uses for dark magic. Ones our opponent won't be expecting. But we've been experimenting all day. Every time I try to cast a dark spell that should be more subtle..."

"...Something blows up," Scuffle finished.

"Right," Dinky answered bitterly. "I have the ability to use dark magic, but not the knowledge. And I'm not gonna be able to work out the secrets on my own. At least, not in the limited time we have. I really think we need to consider that backup plan."

Honeydew looked up from her dish. "Backup plan? I don't think I was around when we discussed that."

"You didn't miss much," Clarity grumbled. "Dinky wants to try to break into the Realm of Stars and learn a few tricks directly from Scorpio."

Honeydew swooned, and Scuffle quickly reached out with a forehoof to stop her from toppling into her food. "Um, just in case my opinion matters, I don't like that plan," she said weakly.

"Neither do I," said Clarity sternly. "But don't worry; I don't think such a thing is even possible."

Dinky's gaze flicked away nervously. "Well, actually, I've been giving it some thought the last day or two..." she admitted, wringing her forehooves anxiously. "I think I might have a couple of ideas..."

"Dinky, please, take a step back and think about this," Clarity pleaded. "You're talking about traveling to another plane of existence, to ask for help from the same being who turned you into a wraith in the first place, and then tried to kill you!"

"Clarity..." Pipsqueak interrupted. "I'm not especially chuffed about the extreme danger either, but maybe we should at least hear Dinky out?"

Clarity looked dumbfounded. "You're on her side now?"

"I'm not on anypony's side," Pip countered. "You have a point; this plan is madness. Absolutely daft in fact. But Dinky has a point too; just doing what we've been doing the last few days is a waste. Dinky, as she is now, doesn't have the strength or the skill to overpower somepony who defeated all the princesses. Our part of this joint mission to save Equestria was to help Dinky unlock the full potential of her dark magic. Do you have any better ideas on how to do that?"

Clarity winced. "Well..."

She trailed off. Pip nodded and turned back to his fillyfriend.

"Dinky, let's hear your idea on how this whole thing would work."

Dinky took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. "Well, the first problem is getting to the Realm of Stars in the first place," she pointed out. "We simply don't have the means to open a gateway the way Antares did four years ago. But a convenient workaround might have fallen into our laps not too long ago. Do you remember the lesson we had in Professor Morningstar's class on teleport anchors?"

"I think so," Scuffle chimed in. "Is the thing where you imbue two different parts of the same object with magic, and then you can basically create a portal linking them. It lets you go much further than a normal teleport, and with less magic, yeah?"

"Right!" Dinky affirmed. "We might be able to use a similar concept to bypass the barrier between realms and get me into the Realm of Stars."

"We'd need one of the anchors to already be there," Honeydew pointed out, looking confused. "We have something like that?"

"We do," Dinky replied, gesturing toward the saddlebags sitting in the corner. "Somewhere in Clarity's bag is a little tuft of Scorpio's tail: the one we think Wishing Star put in my tail that caused the wraith incident at school. The rest of it, obviously, is in the Realm of Stars!"

"A cross-dimensional teleport anchor?" Clarity asked skeptically. "How do you know that'll even work?"

"I don't," Dinky deadpanned. "But I think it's worth a try."

"Alright, but what about the thing Clarity mentioned about your physical body getting destroyed if you were to go to the Realm of Stars?" Pipsqueak asked. "Do you actually have a viable way to get around that?"

Dinky fidgeted. "Erm, I might, but it's less straightforward than a teleport anchor, and a lot less safe," she said sheepishly. "Remember how I met Starswirl the Bearded while he was still in Limbo because I almost died sealing away Scorpio?"

"How could we forget?" Honeydew squeaked. "We were all terrified we'd lost you..."

"So obviously, even though my body was still physically here, I was also visiting Limbo," Dinky explained. "I think there might be a way to, um... to use dark magic to forcibly send an aspect of me to the Realm of Stars while my body remains here."

"You want to... detach your spirit from your body?" Clarity asked, raising an eyebrow. "They have a word for that, Dinky. It's called 'death'."

"That's not quite what I mean," Dinky said quickly. "I mean something more like... tether my consciousness to my body and cast it into a different realm without breaking the connection. Antares did it when he was posing as Sunbeam; he used it to mess with my dreams while neither being asleep himself nor putting his physical body into the dream realm."

"That's a little different, though," Scuffle added. "The dream realm is the 'closest' one of those outer realms, if you wanna use distance to describe it. Princess Luna slips in and out of there without any dark magic every day. And then Limbo... don't most ponies use that as basically a rest stop on the way to the afterlife?"

"Right, and the Realm of Stars is even beyond that," Dinky clarified. "It's like... the very last level of existence that's still linked to Equestria in some capacity. Go past there, and you're... well, dead. There's no coming back from there. But you can come back from the Realm of Stars, as Scorpio proved. I think I know how to recreate Antares' spell, and send a nonphysical aspect of my being in there."

"And what happens to physical you out here while that happens?" Pipsqueak questioned.

"I've been thinking about that..." Dinky confessed. "It depends exactly how this splitting spell works. If it takes my entire consciousness, my body will just lie here, asleep, until I get back. But it might take just the sapient, thinking part of me, which would leave the other half in a waking state, but operating purely on instinct."

Honeydew nearly dropped her cup of juice. "D-doesn't that mean that the moment you split, you'd leave behind a f-feral wraith that would pretty much instantly try to kill us?" she asked weakly.

Dinky bit her lip. "Well, I have a workaround for that possibility, too..."

Clarity rested her chin on her forehoof and gave Dinky an unamused look. "Of course you do."

"While we were still at school, I did some experimenting with dark enchantments," Dinky continued. "It would be easy enough to create a sort of trap for myself; a field created by several enchanted gems that restricts my movement and magic. That way, if the part of me that remains here in Equestria is awake and violent, it won't be able to move, let alone attack. Once I get back from the Realm of Stars, all you'd have to do is damage Scorpio's rune on each of the gems, and the trap would be disarmed and free me."

"I dunno if I should be relieved or concerned that you've given this this much thought," Scuffle commented.

"I'm no unicorn, but it seems to be a sensible plan," Pipsqueak admitted. "Other than actually dealing with Scorpio once you're in her realm, of course."

Dinky flattened her ears. "I'm gonna have to wing that part," she sighed. "But hey, Scorpio probably can't kill me if I don't have a body to kill, right? The other Zodiac in the Realm of Stars would probably have done her in by now if they could."

Pip glanced at the other ponies, all waiting for him to speak. "Listen, I recognize the gravity of this decision, but I think this might be the only option we've got on such short notice," he said finally. "Dinky seems to know what she's talking about, at least I think..."

"So let me just make sure I've got this clear," Clarity said, rising to her hooves. "You want to extract your consciousness, and use the weakened barrier between realms on Scorpio's Apex, in conjunction with a teleport anchor, fling it into the Realm of Stars, while your body remains here under enchanted security? And then once there, ask the creator of dark magic for some tips, and return by the same means?"

Dinky hesitated. "...Yes?"

Clarity groaned. "That's stupid. Let's do it."

"Wait, what?" Honeydew gasped, wheeling in her seat to look at Clarity. "We're going through with this? I thought you were trying to talk her out of it!"

"I was," Clarity grumbled. "But as much as I really didn't want to admit it, I think Dinky and Pip may be right; we don't really stand a chance if Dinky can't learn more about her own powers. This is a solid idea. A stupid, reckless, insane, solid idea."

"I got one question," Scuffle chimed in. "Since none of us wanna die, Dinky obviously needs to be restrained by the enchantments before she gets split. But if the enchanted restraints restrict her magic, how's she gonna cast the spell?"

"That's the one last... um, tiny detail..." Dinky mumbled, grimacing noticeably. "It's the part of the plan that scares me the most. Even more than facing Scorpio again. Scuffle's right; I can't cast the spell we need myself."

Clarity stiffened. "Dinky, you don't mean..."

Dinky let out a shaky breath. "If we're really gonna go through with this, there's only one way it can work as planned," she lamented. "Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, on just this one single occasion... you're going to need to cast dark magic."

Chapter 17

"H-hello?"

Inkwell called out into the darkness. She was relieved when nopony replied. Stepping carefully over some fallen debris, she slunk into the vacant building, and looked around in search of any room that might contain something to eat.

Ten days ago, Wishing Star had captured Princess Twilight and torn Canterlot from the mountainside. Since then, nopony had seen her or her captives; presumably, she was still holed up in the castle. Suspended thousands of feet in the air, and sealed within a seemingly impenetrable magical barrier, the ponies within Canterlot were left with only what they could find within the captive city.

Inkwell was terrified of what was going to happen to her and her friends. There didn't seem to be any end to the siege in sight, or any hope of rescue, but there was little choice but to try to make it through each day in the hope that something would change.

Today, she and her friends needed food.

Inkwell poked her head into one of the dim rooms, and her eyes lit up as she spotted a pantry not yet raided by any of the city's other captive residents. That was certainly one advantage to being small; the earthquake that had occurred when the city was pulled from the ground had damaged many buildings and blocked off a lot of interior areas. Squeezing through narrow openings in the rubble had allowed the foals to access places not yet reached by adult ponies. Places with solitude, shelter, and if they were lucky, unclaimed food.

Inkwell quickly stuffed her saddlebags with everything she could carry and scurried back the way she came, squeezing through a collapsed doorway and galloping down the block to the little cellar she and her friends were currently using as their shelter. Just before she pulled open the doors, the sound of muffled voices reached her ears; two ponies were clearly speaking rather heatedly to one another. She winced.

No... not again...

Sighing, she pulled open the doors.

"This is your fault, you know! If you weren't so slow and out of shape, maybe we could've escaped Canterlot in time!"

"You're the one whose resolution to that complication was to convey me like a parcel draped across your posterior!"

"I don't know what that means, but if you're talking about me carrying you, I was trying to save your sorry life 'cause I thought you were on our side, but you've been nothing but an annoyance this whole last week!"

"Me? You're the origin of our irritation presently, you overbearing ignoramus!"

"Don't insult me with words I don't know, Top Percentile!"

Inkwell crept into the room. "Guys, um, I found some food..." she mumbled.

"About time!" Portabella snapped. "Dealing with Top's gibberish really works up an appetite."

"Just hasten to grant me my portion before our corpulent companion ingests every last morsel," Top said darkly, glaring at Portabella.

"What'd you call me?" Portabella asked, returning the harsh stare.

"Bella, Top, please!" Inkwell cut in, her voice cracking slightly. "You need to snap out of it. Whatever terrible magic Wishing Star is trying to spread across the world is making you both act nasty. The three of us are best friends; we have to work together as a team if we want even a chance of getting through this!"

"Maybe it's Wishing Star's magic," Portabella grumbled, "or maybe Top's just being a butt and won't admit it's his fault we're in this mess?"

"Or, conceivably, it's Portabella's ineptitude that is culpable here, but she's too vacuous to even comprehend her shortcomings, let alone rectify them," Top replied acidly.

"Again, didn't catch that, but I don't like your tone!" Portabella warned.

Inkwell hung her head as her friends ignored her and continued to fight. She took a single piece of dry bread and a slightly overripe apple from their pile of provisions and retired to the furthest corner of the cellar. She tried to block out the sound of the others bickering and focus on her food, but it was no use; she just couldn't work up an appetite. Dejectedly, the filly slumped down onto her stomach, crossing her forelegs in front of her and resting her head on them as she felt the first of a fresh wave of hot tears trail down her cheek.

It's no use, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut. This is all my fault; if we'd just gone home on the first train instead of hanging around in Canterlot, we wouldn't have been here when the city was captured. Now we're all trapped here, doomed to just wait while our friendship fades away, just like Wishing Star wants. I like to think somepony down below is trying to save Canterlot, but if Bella and Top know that Wishing Star is trying to stamp out the magic of friendship and harmony, and they still can't stop themselves from giving in... do the ponies down below who don't know what's happening even stand a chance?"

Bella and Top's voices rose to a shout. Inkwell covered her ears with her hooves and curled up on the dusty stone floor, quivering.

I just want this nightmare to be over! Please, somepony... anypony... help us!

"Whinnychester. End of the line."

Ditzy hopped off the train, extending her wings to keep her balance. Sparkler and Presto stepped down behind her.

"Finally," Sparkler sighed. "It sure is a pain coming all the way out here from the Canterlot metropolitan area."

Ditzy caught a whiff of salt in the air. The sea was supposed to be visible from Whinnychester station, but it was too foggy to see that far today. She peered down the deserted main road of the town instead.

"So, you guys have an address for somepony here?" she asked.

"That's right, and it looks like it's just up the road," Presto answered. "I hope we have better luck with this one than the last four. Otherwise, we came all this way for nothing.

Ditzy followed the pair of unicorns to a fairly normal looking home, with the exception of several metal antennae and some sort of satellite dish situated on the roof. Sparkler knocked.

"So who are we meeting with this time?" Ditzy asked, while they waited for the homeowner to answer.

"A pony who graduated a year before us," Sparkler explained. "We picked her because she's... well, brilliant. Even by Academy standards, which is saying something. Her name's—"

Sparkler was cut off as the door swung suddenly open. Ditzy did a double take when she caught sight of the pony on the other side, mainly because she bore a tremendous resemblance to Clarity, save for the bright purple color of her mane, a pair of red-rimmed glasses on her face, and an image of three red and yellow firework rockets on her flank.

That must mean this is...

"Good afternoon, Lucid," Sparkler greeted, nodding to the surprised unicorn politely. "It's been a long time."

"Sparkler?" Lucid asked, bewildered. "And Presto, too? It's nice to see you, but what brings you all the way out here in such dark times? And who's this you brought along?"

"Ditzy Doo," Ditzy introduced. "I'm the mother of your sister's friend Dinky."

At the mention of Clarity, Lucid's face fell. "Oh, we're in the same boat then, aren't we Mrs. Doo?" she asked sadly, hanging her head. "I heard about Dinky's incident at the Academy, naturally. There hasn't been anything in the news yet about any confirmed sighting of Dinky or Clarity. I know my sister can take care of herself, but... oh, I hope she's okay..."

"She's fine," Ditzy promised. "A friend of mine took Dinky, Clarity, and their other friends somewhere safe."

Lucid's head shot up so fast her glasses nearly fell off her face. "You've seen Clarity? Like, in person?" she asked frantically. "Oh, thank Celestia she's alright. Be right back; my parents are worried sick too, I need to let them know."

Without waiting for a reply, she disappeared in a bright red flash.

"You know, I didn't even take the time to stop to think about it," Ditzy said, feeling ashamed, "but it should've been obvious I wasn't the only one worried sick. Honeydew's parents don't seem to care much, but I'm sure Clarity's family has been petrified since Dinky and her friends escaped the Academy..."

"It's not your fault, Mrs. Doo," Presto comforted. "There's nothing wrong with putting your own daughter first, especially since it's Dinky that's a wanted fugitive now, not her friends."

"I guess," Ditzy said with a nod. "So we're trying to recruit Clarity's older sister, huh?"

"Well, not just because of her connection with ponies already involved," Sparkler clarified. "Lucid's scores on Academy exams were the highest of any student since Twilight Sparkle herself, ten years earlier. I've never met anypony with a better grasp of magical theory; if there's one pony in Equestria besides the princesses who might be able to understand the spell that's been holding Canterlot aloft for over a week, it's her."

Lucid reappeared in another flash. "Sorry for the wait. What's up?" she asked. "If you're looking for me, this has to have something to do with whatever Clarity's up to now, right? You said she went somewhere with Dinky?"

"Yes, and I know what you're going to say," Ditzy replied quickly. "But despite the news about Dinky being a wraith, she's not evil, and Clarity's not in danger, I promise."

Lucid shrugged. "Oh, I know."

Ditzy blinked. "Y-you do?" she stammered. "That's not the response we usually get when somepony finds out Dinky's a wraith."

Lucid snickered. "Clarity let it slip years ago," she explained. "Poor thing was mortified and begged me not to tell anypony. When the four of them vacationed here after their third year at school, I actually discreetly scanned Dinky with a gizmo of mine to confirm it. Fascinating stuff; she's made entirely of dark magic, but hey, I've seen her spend a whole summer with Clarity and be perfectly harmless and well behaved, so I'll take Clarity's word for it on this one. I don't think even Dinky is aware that I know the truth."

"Alright, that saves us some explaining," Sparkler said, relieved. "But Lucid, listen, we really need your help. The princesses think Dinky's dark magic may be pivotal in saving Equestria now that they've all been captured, but if we want to stand a chance, we're gonna need to learn more about what's happening in Canterlot. Clarity's already helping Dinky with her end of things. We were hoping... you could help us, too?"

Lucid smiled. "I can do better than that!" she chuckled. "I may not know anything about the spell that's holding Canterlot captive, but I can still give you some details about what's happening to Equestria right now as a result! Come inside, I need to show you something in my lab."

She ushered her guests into the house. Ditzy stepped inside and quickly noticed something strange; although the home was about an average size for a standard village cottage, the living area, kitchen appliances, and even bed were crammed into a space no bigger than a studio apartment. After passing through the next doorway, she understood why.

Nearly two thirds of the space inside the house was occupied by a huge variety of strange instruments and humming machines, one of which was printing out page after page of data. Lucid paused to check several of the dials for a moment, then nodded, apparently satisfied.

"Lucid, what is all this?" Presto asked.

"Just a hobby," said Lucid casually, taking a moment to turn a large crank on one of the machines several times and watching as a string of numbers dozens of digits long displayed across the screen it was connected to. "I have a pretty analytical approach to magic. As soon as I moved out of my parents' place last year, I got to work building this little setup. The instruments here make spellweaving a lot easier; these devices let me measure fluctuations in magical fields and changes in thermodynamic output from spells; with this stuff, I can actually quantify the imperfections in an experimental spell, and do a few equations to figure out which element of it needs tweaking."

"Is that good?" Ditzy asked, her eyes drifting slowly further apart to stare at two different unfamiliar machines.

"That's amazing," Sparkler breathed. "The level of understanding you'd need of the physics of magic to make any use of that kind of information is astronomical, but I guess I'm not surprised you can pull it off, Lucid."

"Thanks, but as cool as all this stuff is, only one thing here is important right now," Lucid replied, leading her guests to a wide machine with dozens of different needles each fluctuating on their respective scales. "This is a thaumatograph, which is a device used for measuring the natural flow of magical energy through our world. Spells cast by unicorns don't really affect it; it only varies when some event changes the way unfocused magic moves through everypony and everything. For example, it shows the dip in power of certain types of magic and rise in others based on the current positions of the stars."

"What does that have to do with Canterlot?" Ditzy asked.

"Well, I've been keeping an eye on the readings all year, and there's a strange trend going on," Lucid explained. "Something's restricting the flow of magic, but I haven't quite pinned down exactly what's been affected by that restriction yet. Regular unicorn spells are fine; their power continues to cycle in accordance with the stars as normal, so something else, probably something less consciously accessible, is being tampered with instead. My guess is it's something that influences the mental or emotional state of ponies. I admit, I have been noticing a lot of ponies acting a bit more testy than usual lately; I've been getting easily frustrated myself, but every time I do, I just remind myself that an interruption in the flow of magic may have something to do with it, and I can manage to focus on my work again."

"We noticed that too!" Sparkler announced. "A lot of our old classmates seemed unnaturally nervous or dismissive."

Lucid indicated a series of color-coded graphs, all of which were trending noticeably downward. "I've counted four magical frequencies that have dipped way below their normal levels, and analysis of past measurements shows that all four of those frequencies have been remarkably stable for years," she continued. "What concerns me is that the fourth one's sudden dip in normal flow coincided almost exactly with the moment Canterlot was hoisted into the sky. Correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation, of course, so I don't want to make any judgments on what exactly that might mean until I have more info, but the timing seems suspicious to me."

"Is there any kind of pattern?" Presto asked. "Maybe there's a specific unit of time between each interruption in the flow of magic?"

"That was the first thing I checked, but no," Lucid answered. "The first interruption happened all the way back in April, and has been falling lower and lower for seven months. That one's barely flowing at all now. The second was not too long after, in May. Then there was a long period of time where things were normal, before I suddenly saw a drop in the third one in October, and the last, just a week after it, when Canterlot was captured. The spans of time are so... random."

Ditzy did some mental math. "Pardon me if you've already looked into this, Lucid," she ventured, "but since Princess Twilight was presumably captured along with Canterlot... doesn't that mean the dates of those events match up with the disappearance of each princess?"

Lucid opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it again. Hastily, she checked the charts, and then the thaumatograph readings, and finally a normal Equestrian calendar.

"How... how did I not notice that?" she whispered. "Here I was comparing the timing to all sorts of natural events, movements of the stars, changing of the seasons, and never realized it might be tied to something going on in pony society!"

"So there's a chance the princesses themselves affect the way certain magic moves through Equestria?" Sparkler asked. "I wonder if whoever captured them realizes that?"

"It's still too early to jump to conclusions," Lucid warned. "But it's definitely something that warrants investigation. If these events really are connected, it may be a lot more than just Canterlot that's currently in danger. Whatever's going on up there may be fundamentally changing the nature of Equestria right under our noses!"

"Then please, Lucid, come with us," Ditzy begged. "My friends and I are trying to do our part, and Dinky is doing the same with hers, but we need a pony like you on our side. You have expertise that nopony else does."

Lucid drew a long breath. "You want me to go to the front lines, huh?" she asked. "I've never really been good at handling myself when it comes to danger and adventure..."

"But your sister kind of is," Sparkler pointed out. "You two are both brilliant in different ways. Think what we could accomplish if you worked together!"

Lucid nodded slowly. "Clarity once told me she was jealous of my smarts," she admitted. "And I told her I was jealous of her spirit. She'd never give up on ponies she cares about when there's a chance she could help them. So... maybe it's time I take a leaf from her book."

"Is that a yes?" Presto asked, smiling brightly.

Lucid smiled slightly. "Let me just pack a few things," she replied, trotting deeper into the maze of machinery. "Hang in there, Clarity; your big sis is coming to back you up!"

Scorpio's Apex arrived.

Dinky quietly stepped out of her cabin, taking a moment to listen to the muffled sound of the waves beyond the walls of the ship. In her saddlebag were six nearly identical gemstones; she'd used the runecrafter's chisel Dean Script had given her to carve Scorpio's rune into the surface of each one. Right now, they were still inert, but they wouldn't be for long.

She heard hoofsteps. Peeking around the corner, she spotted Honeydew trotting down the hall. The other filly didn't notice her as she turned and made her way up the stairs to the deck. Dinky glanced down the hall in the direction she had come from.

Wait a sec... she was in Scuffle's cabin.

Dinky walked to the end of the hall and pushed open the door to find Scuffle packing his saddlebag. "Hey Dinks," he greeted. "Today's the day, huh?"

"Did... did Honeydew spend the night in here?" she asked, giving the colt a playful smile.

"Wha— no! No, no, nothing like that," Scuffle replied, reddening a little. "She was up at the crack of dawn like she always is, and she was feeling nervous about... y'know, this whole insane plan of yours we're apparently carrying out today, so she came looking for me so we could talk. Y'know, help calm her down."

Dinky just smirked at Scuffle. The colt looked away indignantly.

"...Alright, talk and also maybe snuggle a little and that's it, Dinks!" he insisted. "Jeez, we've been dating for like three days, and spent every minute of it on this slimy old ship. Not much is all that different yet."

"Sure Scuffle, whatever you say," Dinky sang, knowing full well the colt was probably telling the truth but having far too much fun teasing him to care.

"Dinks, you are the actual worst sometimes," Scuffle huffed. "What's got you in such a good mood anyhow? It's Scorpio's Apex. In about ten minutes we're gonna fling your conscious mind into some other dimension, and yet you're standing here making dirty jokes."

"I've just been trying not to think about it too much," Dinky admitted. "I still think it's our best bet, but I really don't like what we're gonna have to do to make it work."

"Same," Scuffle grunted, slinging his bags over his back. "But Dewey, Clarity, and Pip are probably up there waiting for us, so if we're really doing this, let's get started."

Dinky nodded and led the way up to the deck. Their other friends were indeed waiting above, their expressions grave.

"Morning Dinky," Pip greeted. "I set up the site like you asked."

Dinky walked to the center of the deck to inspect her coltfriend's handiwork. A large, black circle had been painted on the wood, with Scorpio's sinister rune drawn quite large at its center. Just north of it, toward the bow of the ship, was another circle, identically designed but much smaller. The tuft of Scorpio's tail sat in the middle of the second circle.

"Looks just how I hoped," she said with a nod. "Here's how this is gonna go down. I'm going to enchant the gems, place them on the perimeter of the big circle and then stand in the center. Once they're activated, they should prevent me from taking a step, and from using any magic, so that's when Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle are going to have to each use a dark spell within a few moments of each other. First, I want Scuffle to imbue the big circle with dark magic, which will trigger all the gems; I won't be able to activate them all myself since they'll begin to restrict me as soon as the spell begins, and I need all six of them triggered for this to work."

"Got it," Scuffle said, looking at Scorpio's rune nervously.

"As soon as that's done, Honeydew has to trigger the teleport anchor," Dinky continued. "This should open a portal above the small circle. Since we're trying to cross so many dimensions, the portal probably isn't going to be very stable, if it works at all, so she'll need to try to hold it open until I'm safely inside."

"I'll try..." Honeydew mumbled.

Dinky turned to Clarity, her expression grim. "And Clarity... assuming both those things work as planned, that's when you cast the spell we've been working out the details of for the last few days. The same way Antares did it, I need you to separate my body and mind, so the latter can pass through the portal."

"We've gone over how to do it in theory about a hundred times, but it's not like I've been able to practice," Clarity pointed out. "The three of us still have never cast a dark spell."

"I know," Dinky sighed. "We can't risk practicing, though; you'd start to be corrupted by dark magic if you cast the spell over and over, and trust me, you don't wanna go through that."

"Anything you need me to do during all this?" Pipsqueak asked.

Dinky stepped closer to the pinto colt and craned her neck to nuzzle him. "Pip, if something goes... y'know, really wrong..." she began softly, "...your job is to help keep the others safe, okay? I'm sure my big navy stallion will know what to do if things get dangerous."

Pip chuckled. "I'll do my best, Dinky."

She kissed him on the nose. "That's all I can ask."

As her friends watched, Dinky placed the gems on the deck and imbued each one with dark magic, causing the runes on them to glow a dull purple. "It's time," she announced, as she placed them around the edges of the circle.

"Dinks, quick question," Scuffle piped up. "How do we actually cast dark magic? I don't even know where to begin."

"When Antares was posing as Sunbeam, he summoned it and let his horn touch mine, so I could get a feel for the energy inside myself and bring it forward," Dinky explained, letting a black aura, kept as calm and controlled as she could make it, spring up around her horn. "Who wants to go first?"

Clarity stepped forward frowning. "...Does it hurt?" she asked finally.

"Hurt? No," Dinky answered. "But it feels extremely unnatural. Your body will resist it. Casting it for the first time is like trying to force yourself to take a breath while underwater; all your instincts will fight you."

Clarity took a shaky breath and slowly leaned forward. The very tip of her horn came in contact with Dinky's.

"Feel that?" Dinky asked softly. "There's energy like that somewhere deep inside you. You need to find it, and force it to come to your horn."

Clarity backed off a little, letting the usual shimmering red appear around her horn. She closed her eyes, concentrating. Her legs shook with effort.

Then, slowly, the red color became deeper, darkening from a cheery cinnamon to a color unnervingly like blood, and then further still. After a moment, the red slipped away entirely, leaving a crackling black in its place.

"Dear Celestia," Clarity muttered, shivering as the angry aura swirled around her horn and violet haze started to seep from around her eyes. "It... it's just... I've never felt something so fundamentally wrong before. My body feels like it wants to escape from my own horn."

"Once a pony gets corrupted, it gets easier," Dinky reminded her. "And when they get seriously corrupted, it starts making its own way out of your horn, even when you try to hold it back. Imagine that sensation growing inside you, forcing its way to the surface against your will. That's what I went through four years ago."

Clarity shivered. "You're a stronger pony than I am, Dinky, I'll say that much..."

Dinky let her horn touch Scuffle's next. The colt tried not to react too much as the blue light around his horn deepened to black, but though he kept quiet, he looked like he was about to cry.

Honeydew looked nervously between the three friends, all with matching dark auras churning on their horns. "And now my turn, right?" she squeaked.

Dinky nodded. "Whenever you're ready."

Shaking, Honeydew leaned forward and felt Dinky's magic. Scrunching up her face, she strained to imitate what she felt. It pained Dinky a bit to watch the pale green light on her friend's horn turn to a muddy brownish before finally sinking to true blackness.

"Ahhh! I hate it! I hate it!" Honeydew wailed, shaking her head fiercely as if trying to physically throw the magic off her horn. "I can't do it! Make it stop!"

Despite his own struggling, Scuffle managed to swing a foreleg over his fillyfriend, holding onto her tightly. "I hate it too, Dewey, but it'll be over in a second," he soothed as she started to cry. "Let's do this, Dinks! None of us wanna keep this up for a second longer than we have to!"

Dinky leapt into the center of the circle. "Scuffle, go!" she instructed. "No need to worry about the type of spell, just pour dark magic into the circle!"

Scuffle's horn gave a loud, electric crackle, and darkness struck the deck of the ship. It traveled through the lines of the circle, and a moment later, it reached all the gems.

Dinky had never had her unicorn disguise torn away so quickly and forcefully before. Darkness surged through her, seeming to burst from her pores and wipe away all traces of her pony form with it, leaving behind the wraith beneath. The influx of power did what it was intended to, though, activating all six gems.

Hesitantly, Dinky lifted a leg. When it was no more than an inch off the ground, a deep black shackle materialized around her ankle, with a dark, shining chain tethering it to one of the gems around the perimeter. It vanished again as she returned her hoof to the floor, but she knew it would reappear if she tried to move.

"Good, the gems should stay active for as long as necessary, but keep the circle charged until the whole ritual's done," she instructed. "Honeydew, portal, now!"

Honeydew staggered across the deck in a zigzag path, her tears hitting the wood below as she stumbled to the ring containing Scorpio's tail. She cried out like a distraught foal as she forced herself to let the dark magic loose, and Dinky watched as something began to happen in the air above the tail fragment.

"Portal" wasn't quite the right word. The means that Scorpio had used to exit (and ultimately re-enter) the Realm of Stars was a portal. What formed here was more like a weak spot in the fabric of space; a rippling, blurry anomaly with some vague lights behind it that Dinky really hoped were stars.

There was no true opening to pass through, so there would be no way to send a pony's body through the anomaly that was created. Fortunately, that wasn't the plan.

"H-hurry!" Honeydew begged. "I d-don't know h-how long I can keep it active!"

Dinky tried to stay as still as possible so the chains wouldn't materialize again. "Alright Clarity, this is it!" she yelled over the crackling of multiple dark spells. "Just like we discussed!"

Clarity hesitated. "What if I make a mistake?" she asked, shaking. "What if I sever your body and mind entirely so they can't come back together later?"

"There's no time!" Dinky insisted, as Honeydew's attempt to keep the teleport anchor active were already beginning to falter. "Just try! Now!"

And so Clarity tried.

The spell hit Dinky squarely in the chest, and she was struck with the sensation of tumbling backwards. Which was strange, since she could feel that she was still rooted in place exactly where she had been standing. She opened her eyes, staring at Clarity, and yet... also staring at herself as she stared at Clarity. For a moment, she felt paralyzed, unable to parse the information. She tried to call out, but couldn't control her body, or even remember what was happening or why.

Then the power of Clarity's spell increased, and Dinky felt one set of sensations slip further away from the other. Physical stimuli faded; the sea breeze on her coat disappeared, the cries of her friends became muffled. Unable to move or even focus her thoughts, she felt the world slip away. She was tumbling, falling as the world faded around her. Her last shreds of conscious thought faded away as an endless darkness, dotted with tiny, distant lights, swallowed her up.

"Horns off!"

Tremendous relief washed over Clarity as she extinguished the black aura writhing on her horn. She shook her head, trying to clear away the purple fog hanging in front of her eyes. As it faded, she got a good look at her friends.

Honeydew was lying on the deck, curled up and shaking. Scuffle was still standing, but he was pale and looked like he was about to be sick. And Pipsqueak stood just at the edge of the ritual circle, staring at Dinky, who had collapsed at its center.

"So did... did it work?" Scuffle croaked.

"I... don't know," Clarity admitted. "I cast the spell how Dinky explained it as best as I could, but I guess there's no way to know right now."

Pip leaned forward. "I think she's breathing, just barely," he said, squinting.

"Don't get any closer," Clarity warned. "Dinky made it very clear we can't enter the circle. It's extremely dangerous."

Honeydew staggered to her hooves. "So we just... wait?" she asked. "Wait and hope she eventually wakes up and we haven't basically removed her mind and turned her into a vegetable?"

Before Clarity could answer, Dinky stirred. One of her legs twitched, and her smoky tail gave a flick. Very slowly, she stood, with her head bowed and her eyes closed.

"W-wait, she's up?" Scuffle asked. "Did the splitting spell fail, maybe?"

Clarity stepped to the edge of the circle. "Dinky? Can you hear me? Are... are you okay?"

Dinky opened her eyes, and Clarity's breath caught in her throat. The yellow lights within the wraith's sockets, the one part of her that allowed her to make expressions that showed hints of pony emotions, had gone dark. Two empty black chasms stared at her instead. For a moment, the two of them stared at each other in silence.

Then Dinky lunged.

The restrictive enchantments reacted immediately. Glossy black manacles materialized on all four of her legs, and another, much larger shackle surrounded her barrel, stopping her just inches from Clarity. All five of them were chained to their respective gems. Snarling like a rabid animal, the wraith gnashed her teeth and strained against the chains. She tried to use her magic, but in doing so, caused the sixth gem to react, which added an additional shackle to her horn. Thrashing and crying out in animalistic rage, she fought fruitlessly against the spells holding her back, but never made it a single inch past the edges of the circle.

Clarity galloped to the other end of the deck, and her friends raced over to her immediately. "Well, I'm glad Dinks had the foresight to put those enchantments in place before we did this," Scuffle commented. "Looks like she was right about the feral wraith bit. Pretty sure all four of us would be dead by now otherwise."

Honeydew cowered behind Scuffle. "A-a-are you sure she can't get free?" she whispered.

"I don't think she's going anywhere," Clarity replied. "And if anything, this is a sign that the spell worked how Dinky expected. All we can do now is give Dinky... err, give that thing that looks like Dinky a wide berth, while we wait for the real Dinky to complete her mission and come back."

"And... what if she missed something when planning this out?" Pip asked, watching the mindless wraith continue to struggle. "What if she... can't come back?"

Clarity turned away and opened the door to the interior of the ship. "Let's not consider that until we have reason to believe it might happen," she suggested, leading the way inside. "For now... all we can do is wait. The next part's all up to Dinky."

Ditzy Doo shivered.

It started as a shudder at the base of her spine and worked its way steadily upward until her wings quivered and she gave her head a shake.

"You okay, Mrs. Doo?" Sparkler asked, from one seat behind in the train car.

"Something feels off all of a sudden," Ditzy admitted, working the muscles in her wings a bit before folding them back into place.

"That's probably either a result of the magic interruption that's affecting everypony else, or an effect of Scorpio's Apex," Lucid chimed in, carefully watching the readings on a simplified, portable version of the thaumatograph that she'd brought along. "Both of those events are having an impact on Equestria right now, although the latter is much more well-understood and predictable than the former."

Noticing Ditzy's expression, she coughed awkwardly. "And, um, it occurs to me you're probably well aware, considering your daughter' s a wraith."

Not wanting to think about Scorpio, Ditzy changed the subject. "So, one more stop before we head to Canterlot?" she asked.

"That's right," Presto confirmed. "Lucid thinks it's in our best interests to bring along a unicorn or two who know how to really pack a wallop with their spells, even more so than we can. Even if she can figure out how to disrupt the barrier around Canterlot, we may need extra help to do it. Sparkler and I have some ponies in mind, but..."

Ditzy raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"But it's not gonna be easy," Sparkler grumbled. "You'll see what we mean."

"Fillydelphia station," came the conductor's voice over the speakers.

"This is our stop," Sparkler said, standing. "Follow me."

Ditzy stepped out of the train and immediately tensed. Inner city Fillydelphia wasn't the nicest area at the best of times, but the magic adding to the distrust and aggression of other ponies really seemed to be taking its toll here. Ponies shuffled about, avoiding eye contact as they hurried to their destinations. Windows were broken on many of the local buildings, and graffiti covered the walls of several nearby alleys. An abandoned, broken cart on the side of the road was on fire, though nopony seemed to care.

"We couldn't find the exact address, only the neighborhood, so we should probably split up to cover more ground, Sparkler," Presto suggested. "Mrs. Doo isn't a unicorn, and Lucid's no battlemage, so I think you and I should each accompany one of them to make sure everypony stays safe."

Sparkler nodded. "I'll go with Mrs. Doo then," she announced. "Let's meet back here in twenty minutes."

Presto and Lucid disappeared down a nearby side street, and Ditzy followed Sparkler down another. "So, what do the ponies we're looking for look like?" she asked.

"They should be hard to miss," Sparkler explained. "The two of them, in my experience at least, are pretty much never apart. They're both male unicorns, and both of them are loud, rude, and generally obnoxious. We wouldn't be turning to them for help if we didn't have to. Unfortunately, I've seen them do more damage with battle spells than just about anypony I've met."

"They're brilliant battlemages?" Ditzy asked.

"Oh no, they're idiots," Sparkler muttered. "Their spells have a lot of force, not finesse. But Lucid's got the finesse part covered."

The two mares trotted up to a convenience store. It was grimy and run down, but appeared to be open. "Let's ask in here," Sparkler suggested. "I know they live on this block, so maybe somepony here knows where to find them."

Ditzy stepped carefully inside the store. The inside seemed no more inviting than the outside. A strong looking unicorn with a dull, brick red coat and bright orange mane sat at the register, reading a magazine. He glanced up at the sound of their hoofsteps, and his jaw dropped.

"Yo, bro, c'mere!" he yelled into the depths of the store. "Take a look at who just walked in!"

A unicorn with an almost identical build and mane style to the first one, but instead sporting a grey coat and stark white mane, appeared from one of the aisles. He broke into a big, rather malicious-looking smirk.

"Wow, long time no see, Sparki," he chuckled. "What brings our favorite Overseer to a place like this?"

"She probably finally figured out we got away with messing with our records to get out of about a dozen detentions years ago, and swung by to award 'em retroactively," the red unicorn joked.

Sparkler snorted. "Well, I guess this saves us the trouble of looking for them," she grumbled. "Let me handle this one, Mrs. Doo. Perhaps these two have come up in conversation with Dinky at some point. They're my oh-so-charming ex-classmates, Scorch and Frosty."

Ditzy's ear twitched. "I know those names. Scuffle's older brothers, right?"

"Don't compare us to that runt!" Frosty snapped. "The kid coulda been great like we were, but no, he decided to be a goody-two-hooves colt who follows the rules and hangs out with a gang of sissy fillies."

"We tried to toughen him up, we really did," Scorch added. "But sometimes, ponies are just born losers, I guess."

"Right, sure," said Sparkler dryly, rolling her eyes. "You two attended the most prestigious school of magic in the world, and then went on to run the register and stock shelves at a convenience store, but it's Scuffle who's the loser."

Scorch narrowed his eyes. "I don't like your tone, Sparki," he growled.

"You were top dog at the Academy, but you're on our turf now," Frosty reminded her, as an aura appeared around his horn that immediately began to form a haze of ice crystals in the air. "Might wanna watch what you say before we decide it's time to get a little payback for all those detentions you piled on us years ago."

Realizing that these particular ponies weren't above violence even when there wasn't a magical disruption making ponies extra irritable, Ditzy backed off slightly. Sparkler stood her ground. "Cut it out you two," she replied, glaring at them. I'm not here just to visit, you know. I have a proposition for you two. Do you wanna hear it, or not?"

"Oh, this should be good," Scorch laughed, leaning back in his chair behind the counter. "What could you possibly need us for?"

"Mrs. Doo and I are gathering ponies to help us deal with whatever's going on in Canterlot," Sparkler explained. "We're under the impression that we're going to need extreme firepower if we want any chance of disrupting that barrier around it. You two blew a crater the size of a buckball field into Academy grounds during your last year there, which is just the kind of thing we're looking for. Just come with us, and the quicker we deal with whoever's attacking Canterlot, the quicker everypony can return to their normal lives."

"Hear that, Scorch?" Frosty asked incredulously. "Sparki thinks we're some kinda superheroes! Told ya she always respected us more than she let on."

"Tell ya what," Scorch added, grinning devilishly. "If you're so desperate for our talents, why don't you show us? Seeing high and mighty Sparkler groveling a little and kissing our hooves might be enough to make us at least consider helping you out."

Sparkler snorted. "I will do no such thing, you pig-headed moron," she snapped.

Fire sprung up around Scorch's horn. "You're gonna regret it if you piss us off..." he warned.

"Try it," Sparkler shot back.

Scorch tried it. With surprising speed, the big colt lobbed a fireball at Sparkler. Even from several steps back, Ditzy had to raise a hoof to try to block some of the heat. She expected Sparkler to cast a shield to absorb the spell. Instead, the young mare instantly placed a self-enchantment on her hoof, wheeled around, and used the enchanted hoof to kick the attack right back at its owner. Scorch gasped as the fireball knocked him right out of his chair and against the far wall, knocking over a display of cheap sunglasses and singeing his coat in the process.

"I don't have time for this nonsense," she barked as Scorch staggered to his hooves and glared at her. "Are you coming, or are you gonna stay here in this rat hole?"

"Give us one good reason why we should give a damn about you and your noble little mission to save the world," Frosty challenged.

Sparkler prepared to answer, but instead, Ditzy spoke up for the first time since the conversation started.

"Well, for the fame and glory, obviously."

Sparkler glanced over her shoulder, bewildered. "Huh?"

"Yeah, huh?" Scorch parroted.

Ditzy shrugged. "I mean, come on, think about it," she continued. "Let's say we actually manage to save Equestria. What do you think the other stallions on the block will think if they hear that Scorch and Frosty took down the pony who took down the princesses? Nopony would dare mess with you if you showed them you were that powerful."

The twins exchanged a glance. "True..." Frosty muttered. "But we don't need to do anything that fancy to prove we're the top dogs around here. Everypony already knows we're the best, and when they forget, we're happy to 'remind' them."

"Well, okay," Ditzy said in a singsong voice as she turned toward the exit. "I guess you two have it covered here then. You know, at least until Scuffle gets back. After all, he's helping save the world, so I guess he'll get all that recognition among the ponies around here after this is all over."

"Like Tartarus he will!" Scorch snarled. "If that shrimp is in, I'm in too! Trust me, that kid can't save the world half as good as we can!"

"Yeah, we'll show him who's really got the most power!" Frosty added. "Heck, we'll show all of 'em! Lead the way, Sparki; the Frostfire Twins are gonna demonstrate how to properly kick some crazy evil unicorn's ass!"

"I... o-okay," Sparkler babbled. "Head to the train station. Presto and Lucid should be meeting us there any minute."

Whooping and yelling, the twins charged out of the store. Sparkler looked at Ditzy, dumbstruck.

"H-how did you know they would—"

"In the shipping business, if you want to succeed, you have to be able to figure out what makes somepony tick," Ditzy said with a wink. "I need to figure out what my client can do to draw the target's attention, based on what I can learn about that target's personality in a very short time. In this case, it's easy to see Scorch and Frosty want to be recognized as better than their peers, and really want to one-up Scuffle. So I worked with that."

Sparkler smirked. "The more time I spend with you, the more I realize what a remarkable pony you are, Mrs. Doo," she admitted, patting her traveling companion on the back. "I'm glad we were able to gather at least a few allies, but this ragtag band we've scraped together is going to have to do. Let's head to the station. Next stop: the area outside Canterlot, and let's hope your friend Cloudcover has some idea what to do next."

She trotted out of the store. Ditzy took a breath and prepared for another long train ride.

I just hope Dinky's part of the plan is going well, she thought as she followed Sparkler. And even more than that... I hope she's safe...

Sparkler's Alliance

Suddenly, Dinky realized that she did, in fact, still exist.

Immediately after that came the realization that she hadn't stopped existing at any point. She'd just been so disoriented that she was no longer aware of it.

Satisfied that she was, at the very least, more than just a collection of loose thoughts, she tried to focus her mind on figuring out the rest of the details about her current situation. She remembered being on the ship, and being with Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, and Pipsqueak. Piece by piece, she put the events of the last few days back together. There was the nymph, and Scuffle's confession of his feelings, and days of practice and training, and the ritual to open a portal to..."

It finally clicked. I'm in the Realm of Stars.

Banking on the possibility that whatever part of her had been hurled across the dimensional border still had some sort of actual form, she tried to move, and excitedly found she was easily able to do so. She opened her eyes and looked around in awe.

Dinky knew, if she ever made it back to Equestria, there wouldn't be a way to put what she was seeing into words. She was lying in what seemed to be a great hall of unfathomable size. She could see its walls clearly, and yet at the same time, she knew they were infinitely far away, unreachable. And yet, although she seemed to be inside some sort of temple or other archaic structure, it was simultaneously clear that she was out in the furthest reaches of space. Trillions of stars hung in the air, pricks of light tinier than the head of a pin. Galaxies no bigger than her head floated lazily by, but when she looked at them, she could tell they were millions of light years wide, and yet no more than a foreleg's length away. It was paradoxical, yet in the state of being she was now in, Dinky found she didn't struggle to comprehend it.

She took a single step, and her surroundings changed completely; new stars and new galaxies replaced the old, as if she had moved an impossible distance through space. The celestial bodies didn't react if they touched her; they flowed through her as easily as they floated through space.

It's like I'm a part of the universe itself, she realized. Not an object contained within it, but woven into its very fabric.

For the first time, it occurred to Dinky to examine herself. She glanced down at her chest and forelegs and was met with another paradox: she seemed to be in both her familiar forms at once. She could clearly see the pale lilac fur of her unicorn appearance, yet just as obvious was the sinister violet and smoky black of her wraith form. Once again, being two things at once, while it would have been impossible to comprehend in Equestria, seemed normal and easy to accept here.

Her body (although body wasn't the right word, but Dinky didn't have a word for her form as it now was) was translucent. Critical points within her, mainly her heart, her head, and each of her joints, were illuminated with a bright light. Quickly, she realized they were stars.

I see now, she realized. I'm like... a living constellation.

Dinky may have well spent much longer taking in the impossible, wondrous sensations around her, but at that moment, something whizzed through space. It stuck into the ground, though once again, "ground" seemed the wrong word, inches in front of her hooves. Startled, she stared at the object; it was a golden arrow that seemed to be made of solid starlight.

But if this is an arrow, who fired the bow?

"Stop," commanded a male voice, startling Dinky as it broke the utter silence. "Identify yourself at once, newcomer."

Dinky turned her head and discovered another pony standing nearby. He was an orange pegasus with a very dark grey mane and tail. Like her, he was faded and ethereal, save for the skeleton-like arrangement of stars within the boundaries of his form. He looked vaguely familiar, though Dinky couldn't pinpoint why. In one forehoof, he clutched a starlit bow, with a second arrow nocked and pointed right at her.

"I'm D-Dinky Doo," she stuttered.

The stallion stared at her, unmoving. "And how did you come to be in this place, Dinky Doo?" he asked.

"I... I chose to come here," she answered. "My friends and I created a portal..."

The stallion's harsh expression grew softer, although he didn't lower his weapon. "Oh, my dear, what a terrible mistake," she said mournfully. "Surely you know there is no leaving this place. There's nothing left of you now to return to Equestria; you've become little more than a spirit bound loosely within a veil of starlight."

"No, my body is fine. At least I think," Dinky explained. "I separated my mind from my body to come here, so I should be able to get back."

The stallion raised his eyebrows. "And... how did you accomplish such a thing?"

Dinky paused, realizing too late that she would now have to admit the truth about her powers. For a moment, she considered lying, but she realized the pegasus could probably see her true form as easily as she could.

"We... used dark magic to do it..." she confessed.

She half expected the stallion to grow angry or afraid, but he did neither. He just pursed his lips in mild discontent.

"You're one of hers, aren't you?" he asked finally. "I can see what her corruption has done to you. Are you part of her latest plan to be free of this place?"

"No!" Dinky insisted. "I'm not one of Scorpio's servants. I'm the pony who was corrupted by her magic when she managed to return to Equestria a few years ago."

There was a long silence. To Dinky's relief, the stallion finally lowered his bow. "I think I can believe you," he said. "Scorpio's lot are too selfish to endanger themselves by coming here."

Dinky sighed with relief. The stallion stepped closer and extended a hoof to her.

"How rude of me not to introduce myself," he continued. "I am Sagittarius of the Zodiac, one of the original pioneers of modern magic, and father of the field of enchantments."

Memories from Astronomy class came rushing back, and Dinky's jaw dropped. "You're Sagittarius?" she gasped. "Sir, what an honor to meet you! Enchantments have been my favorite field of magic since I was just a filly, and I never would've been able to explore what they can do if it wasn't for you."

Sagittarius smiled. "It brings me joy to hear you say that, young one," he replied. "After all, I've been in this realm with the rest of the Zodiac since modern magic was still in its infancy. It comforts me to know that thousands of years later, there are still ponies who see the value in placing magical properties in the objects around them."

"There are more than just a few," Dinky chuckled. "Princess Celestia's school has an entire class dedicated to enchantments, and other fields of magic use them to enhance their own spells."

Sagittarius nodded. "As marvelous as that is to hear, we shouldn't get too far off topic," he pointed out. "At the moment, I'm more curious what circumstance has led somepony like you to invoke such corrupt magic to willingly enter a realm at the very edge of existence."

"Right, sorry," Dinky said quickly, as she remembered the gravity of her situation. "Sagittarius, Equestria is in great danger right now. The princesses have all been captured, and a letter from Celestia revealed that my ability to use dark magic for righteous reasons may be the only way to save them. But I've only been a wraith for a few years; I've barely scratched the surface of what my powers can do. So I came here to learn how to unlock their potential. To seek help from... from Scorpio."

Slowly Sagittarius turned away, staring into the starry infinity. "I hope you understand the sacrifice we made in order to imprison Scorpio here," he said slowly. "The course of Equestrian history changed in the span of a night all those millennia ago. I will take you to her, if that's truly what you want... but I want your word that you will not aid her in anything she asks of you. She's likely to refuse to help you unless you offer something in return, but even if it means your mission here was for naught, I'm sure you know that we cannot risk her escape again."

"I swear," Dinky pledged, raising a hoof. "I'll do what I can to learn what I need to, and if I can't get her to help me... well, that's my own problem."

Sagittarius nodded. "Very well, young Dinky. Let's go."

He turned trotted off into the expanse of space. In just a step or two, he was a million miles away, but Dinky caught up with a few short steps of her own. Keeping pace, she followed the pegasus into the unknown.

It was a cloudy evening. Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, and Pipsqueak sat on the deck, watching the ocean's rhythmic movement. At the far end of the deck, the imprisoned wraith seemed to be mercifully quiet. Exhausted from thrashing against the enchanted chains for hours, it sulked in the center of the ritual circle.

"Dinks has been gone all afternoon," Scuffle said, breaking the silence. "How much longer you think this'll take?"

"I don't think anypony has a frame of reference for this sort of thing," Clarity pointed out. "She could be back in minutes, or it could be all night. Of course, that's assuming the spell worked... and Dinky's plan to return to Equestria works just as well. She can't take too long, or the fabric of space will strengthen as Scorpio's Apex gets further away. After one full day, the teleport anchor won't work anymore."

Scuffle didn't have anything else to say to that. After a few moments, Honeydew lowered her head, hiding her face behind a curtain of mane as she started to cry softly.

"This was stupid," she whispered. "Why did we let Dinky talk us into this? What if w-we never s-see her again?"

Scuffle scooted closer to Honeydew. "Dinky gave this plan a lot of thought and care," he reminded her. "She knows what she's doing. She'll be back, you'll see."

Honeydew just looked miserable. Scuffle stood and pointed out toward the ocean.

"Come on, time will pass a little quicker if we do something to keep busy," he suggested. "There's a sandy shoal over there in easy teleport distance. You haven't tried Lifesense out on sea life yet, right?"

Despite her worry worn face, Honeydew did look a bit intrigued. "I... suppose we could go try it out for a little bit..." she mumbled.

Scuffle smiled and put a foreleg around the pony beside him, and the two of them disappeared in a blue flash, leaving Clarity and Pip alone.

"Honeydew's lucky," Clarity said with a bit of a smile. "There's no question that Scuffle's gonna do everything in his power to help her manage her fears. He's terrified too, of course, but he's willing to be the strong one if it means alleviating some of her suffering. I'm a little jealous."

Pip cast her a sidelong glance. "Wishing you had a special somepony of your own, Clarity?" he asked.

Clarity shook her head. "Not really," she admitted. "I can't say I've ever felt the urge to try the whole relationship thing; I'm fine with being single for now."

Pip raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you jealous of?"

Clarity shrugged. "Those two may have just started dating, but they've been very close for years. I'm sure Honeydew's just as upset about this as we are, but she's got the pony she trusts and relies on the most right beside her," she pointed out. "But for me, well... Dinky is that pony. We've been best friends since our very first day at Celestia's Academy. We've had each other's backs through every single adventure these last five years. I can't turn to my closest friend for comfort about this like Honeydew can, because the pony we're all worried about is that closest friend. This is the first time I haven't had her right beside me for something dangerous and... and I'm scared, Pip. I really am. You're Dinky's coltfriend, and you've known her even longer than I have, so you've got to be in the same boat, right?"

Pipsqueak nodded solemnly. "Petrified, honestly," he revealed. "But I trust Dinky. She's never let me down; she says what she means, and when she sets out to do something, she does it. Dinky truly believes this was the right solution to this whole mess. Once I could see that conviction, I decided to support her idea, even if it sounded crazy. I know being a wraith influences the way she thinks and makes decisions, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to dark magic, she knows better than me. Better than all of us, actually. If you trust her the way I do, hopefully you can find some comfort in that, too."

Clarity chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right," she agreed. "Dinky hasn't let us down before. I doubt she'll start now."

The clouds began to part, allowing a view of the first stars twinkling in the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon. Clarity looked up at them and gasped.

"Pip, look!"

Pip looked. "Something out of the ordinary?" he asked finally. "I'm afraid I don't have the night sky memorized like you astronomy students do."

"There's a new constellation, look!" Clarity cried, lighting her horn and drawing a diagram a few pony lengths above their heads. The reddish lines spread from star to star, forming a crude, but recognizable, image of a pony.

"Is... is that Dinky?" Pip breathed. "Does that mean the spell worked? That she really did make it to the Realm of Stars?"

Clarity reared up on her hind legs and cupped her forehooves in front of her mouth. "Listen up, Dinky!" she cried, as if her friend would somehow be able to hear her across several dimensions. "You better stand up to ol' Scorpio, learn what you need to, and get back here safe and sound, you hear me!? We're counting on you! In fact... all of Equestria may be counting on you, Dinky!"

Scuffle's plan worked perfectly. He smiled to himself as Honeydew carefully examined a tide pool, her Lifesense grid illuminating the aquatic plants, crustaceans, and tiny fish within.

"There's so many species I've never seen before," she chirped, dipping the tip of a hoof into the salty water to feel the texture of one of the plants. "The ecosystem here is so fascinating; plants and animals and microorganisms are all working in tandem to benefit themselves and each other. I wrote a paper on mutualism for class last year, but I wish I could've included some of these findings in it. I can learn more in minutes with Lifesense than I can in weeks without it."

Scuffle didn't understand most of the biological concepts Honeydew had been discussing for the last several minutes, but that didn't really matter. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself for the first time since they'd left the Academy; seeing that sparkle in her eyes for the first time in so long felt to Scuffle like the first sip of water after a hard day's work in the hot sun. Relief wasn't enough to fully describe it.

"Oh gosh, and the ocean," Honeydew continued with wonder in her voice. "My spell only extends a few pony lengths out from the shore, but just that small area has volumes of information to discover. I think I'll need to spend some more time at the seaside once this whole mess is over."

"I think I'd be down for a little beach vacation once next summer rolls around," Scuffle agreed. "Maybe you can teach me a little about sea creatures."

Honeydew stood up and stepped away from the tide pool, leaning her body up against Scuffle's and nuzzling his cheek. "You were right," she admitted. "Using a little life magic really does make me feel a bit better. I guess over time you've figured out how calm me down when I'm getting too anxious, huh?"

"Well, I've known you for a long time," Scuffle reminded her. "It doesn't matter that you've only been my fillyfriend for a couple of days; we've been friends for years, and I just don't wanna see my friends sad, y'know? Especially not you, Dewey."

The two of them stood together, watching the lingering twilight fading to night.

"...You've liked me for a long time, haven't you?" Honeydew asked suddenly. "Like, as more than just a friend."

Scuffle flinched. "Um... a while, yeah," he admitted. "How'd you work that out?"

Honeydew blushed lightly. "You treat me a little bit differently than you treat Dinky and Clarity," she said. "I always assumed you were just being considerate because you know they're made of tougher stuff than I am, but now that I know the truth, I realized... it's not only now that you're the kind of pony I want as a special somepony. You have been for a long time. You're a wonderful colt, and I'm sorry for not recognizing sooner than you cared about me as much as I know you do now."

Scuffle threw a foreleg around Honeydew, and grinned as she happily snuggled more closely against him. "There's nothing to apologize for, Dewey," he assured her. "It all worked out, right? I still got to spend these last few years with my best friend. We've already been inseparable for a long time; being in a relationship won't really be super different, at least not right away."

"Although... ideally, with more snuggles than in the past," Honeydew giggled, nosing the colt affectionately.

Scuffle felt his heart skip a beat at her delicate touch. "Oh jeez, hope I can handle extra hugs from an especially cute filly," he joked. "Might be a deal breaker."

Honeydew laughed softly. "On a more serious note," she continued, "thanks for trying so hard to help me feel better. I don't know how I'd deal with any of this without you. I'm glad I always have you by my side."

"It... kinda works both ways," Scuffle admitted. "Remember when we dueled my brothers back in our first term? I didn't have the guts to stand up to them when they were only tormenting me, but it got a lot easier to find the strength to fight back once they started bothering you and Clarity and Dinks. I kinda feel the same way now; I guess it's easier to be brave when it's for the sake of the ponies I care about instead of my own. Go figure."

Honeydew smiled slightly, and turned to look at the dark outline of the ship not far away. "I hope being brave and giving it our all is enough this time..." she whispered.

"It will be," Scuffle replied. "Dinks will be back any time now, with all sorts of new tricks. We'll go to Canterlot, meet up with Mrs. Doo and her team, save everypony, and by this time next week, we'll be back and school tellin' everypony all the cool stories of our big adventure. You'll see."

Honeydew didn't reply, but she seemed just a tiny bit more relaxed. "It's almost dark," she said suddenly. "Let's go back to the ship."

"Got it. Get ready to teleport."

Honeydew once again stood right up against Scuffle, and the two of them vanished in another flash.

Dinky and Sagittarius walked, with hooves that weren't quite solid, on ground that wasn't quite there. The "walls", which Dinky had begun to suspect were the boundaries of the universe itself, never grew any closer, but the starry landscape shifted and changed with every step they took.

She had no idea how long they would be walking for. Fortunately, Sagittarius seemed willing to pass the time with conversation.

"So tell me, Dinky Doo, what exactly is happening in Equestria? How could it be that even the princesses have been overpowered?"

"I wish I knew..." Dinky admitted. "All we know is a unicorn has somehow captured the princesses— there are four of them now, by the way— and then tore Canterlot from the ground and is holding it captive along with its rulers, miles in the air. The barrier around it is keeping out any pegasi trying to approach from the air, and preventing unicorns from teleporting in or out. The whole nation is in a panic over it; no one pony should have that kind of power, not even an alicorn. We still don't know what they're up to either, or why. But Celestia thinks the only way to overcome a pony with apparent mastery of unicorn magic is to use magic they aren't familiar with. Scorpio's magic. And I'm the only pony who knows how to wield it safely."

Sagittarius nodded. "It makes some measure of sense," he admitted. "Not the way I would've handled it, but we do what we must, I suppose."

Dinky cocked her head. "You have a better idea?"

"I would've turned to my old friend Ophiuchus for aid," Sagittarius continued. "His powers would probably be sufficient to remedy the situation."

Dinky blinked. "Ophi-who now?"

The pegasus raised his eyebrows. "Don't they teach you about the Zodiac in that school you mentioned?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course they do," Dinky replied. "There are twelve of you— thirteen, counting both of the Gemini twins— but I know all twelve of those names, and none of them are Ophiuchus."

Sagittarius bit his lip. "How interesting. It sounds like one part of our story has been lost to history," he noted. "Would you allow me to fill in the blanks? We have time to kill anyway."

"Please do."

Sagittarius drew his bow and fired it into the distance. The starry arrow exploded in midair, and the light formed twelve familiar runes. "These runes represent the twelve Zodiac members you recognize," he explained. "As you know, in the earliest days of Equestria, magic flowed more freely than it does now. Earth ponies and pegasi could manipulate it as easily as unicorns, which is how a pegasus like me can be considered the creator of a field of unicorn magic."

"Yeah, I remember the story from Astronomy class," Dinky confirmed. "It was because of Scorpio that that had to change, right?"

"Correct," Sagittarius continued. "While each member of the Zodiac worked on developing the abundant magic in Equestria into coherent, repeatable spells, Scorpio focused instead on twisting and corrupting that magic for her own aims. She began teaching ponies to do as she did, and very quickly, she gained an army of powerful followers. In order to thin their numbers, we had to restrict magic in such a way that most ponies could only wield parts of it. Nowadays, even unicorns, who have the most magical freedom, do not have access to the magic that earth ponies and pegasi have."

"Right," Dinky said. "Magic became harder for ponies to access so the rest of you would be able to overpower Scorpio and her army of corrupted ponies. But she had grown so powerful that you had to seal her— and yourselves— in the Realm of Stars, to keep her from doing more harm."

"And there we have remained to this day," Sagittarius finished. "Good. I see you know most of the story."

"But then who is Ophiuchus, and what does he have to do with all this?" Dinky asked.

Sagittarius smiled mysteriously. "Did you ever wonder how the Zodiac were able to fundamentally change the way magic moves through living things in Equestria?" he asked. "As it turns out, there are not twelve signs of the Zodiac, but thirteen."

A new symbol appeared among the other twelve runes hanging in space. It looked to Dinky like the letter U, with a wavy line running horizontally across the middle.

"Ophiuchus, the thirteenth sign of the Zodiac, did not invent a particular field of magic," the pegasus explained. "His powers were very different than ours; his talent wasn't in casting magic, but regulating it. He is the pony who had the ability to control the way raw magic flows, and he is the one who made it possible for the rest of us to stop Scorpio before she took over our land."

"The rest of you?" Dinky queried. "Wait, does that mean... Ophiuchus didn't get sealed in the Realm of Stars along with the other members?"

"You're a bright one, indeed," Sagittarius complimented. "Ophiuchus remained behind as the rest of us dragged Scorpio into this prison in the stars. Of course, that means he remained mortal, and would be long dead by now, but magic like his doesn't simply leave. His spirit, and his powers, would've been housed in a new pony after he passed on, and then another pony after the previous one's passing, and so on."

"So you're telling me that right at this moment, somepony in Equestria is actually a reincarnation of Ophiuchus?" Dinky asked, shocked.

"Indeed," Sagittarius said with a nod. "But Ophiuchus himself would remain dormant within that pony unless they were to intentionally summon him. Given the fact that Ophiuchus seems to have been forgotten by history, it's extremely likely that the pony in question has no idea they are Ophiuchus's reincarnation."

"Or... maybe they do," Dinky realized. "Sagittarius, is it possible that the unicorn that attacked Canterlot is actually the reborn Ophiuchus, using his powers to do more with magic than a normal unicorn should be able?"

"Impossible," Sagittarius replied, shaking his head. "Ophiuchus was strong, intelligent, and cunning, but he was not evil. I would've trusted that stallion with my life. I only mentioned him because, if somepony was able to find his reincarnation, he might be able to help the ponies of Equestria wield magic strong enough to overcome the evil they are now facing. But the odds of finding that pony are next to none."

"Yeah, it's a nice thought, but sadly it sounds even less likely to work out than my plan," Dinky sighed. "If we somehow were to find the pony who has his spirit, how would we bring it forth?"

"With a simple incantation," Sagittarius said matter-of-factly. "The pony in question would need only to speak the phrase, 'Ophiuchus, hear my plea. Manifest yourself through me.' Then the ancient mage within them would awaken."

"I'll keep it in mind, in case all else fails," Dinky said, quickly memorizing the phrase. "Thanks for the tip, but for now, I'm gonna go with Celestia's plan and try to use dark magic to save the kingdom."

"A reasonable choice," Sagittarius admitted, nodding. "And you won't have to wait any longer to do so. We've arrived."

Dinky looked away from Sagittarius for the first time in a while and discovered a structure that resembled an ancient, columned villa, although it was just as starry and ethereal as everything else around. "Wait, how is this here?" she asked, bewildered. This place has just been an empty expanse up until just now."

"Like my bow, it's not a true material object, but merely a construct of starlight," Sagittarius pointed out. "Scorpio, ever the narcissist, chooses to create the illusion of luxury for herself, even here in her celestial prison. You'll find her inside, and that means this is where we part ways."

"You're not coming with me?" Dinky asked nervously.

"You are in no danger here," Sagittarius assured her. "The 'bodies' this realm creates for us are just starlight, like everything else. Scorpio cannot harm you; you have no body to harm. Even my enchanted bow can only stun or bind the entities here, not wound them."

Dinky took a deep breath. "I guess this is goodbye, then," she sighed. "Thank you for the help, Sagittarius."

Sagittarius nodded. "We both know how Scorpio is, so I'd prepare to discover your errand was in vain," he warned. "Nevertheless, good luck, Dinky Doo."

He turned and spread his wings, and the universe swallowed him up the instant he took to the air.

Swallowing hard, Dinky turned and stepped across the threshold of the villa.

Just inside the mysterious structure, at the other end of a narrow hallway, was a wide chamber, lined with imposing columns and decorated with ornate, glowing designs.

And at the far end of the room, lying on what appeared to be a velvety chaise lounge that glimmered with thousands of stars, was a reddish mare with a long, jointed purple tail that ended in an imposing, stinger-like point. Dinky quickly hid herself behind one of the pillars, unsure how best to approach.

"Who is it?" Scorpio asked in an incredibly bored voice. "I'm growing rather tired of your little tricks, Capricorn. Get out of here and find some other way to keep yourself busy."

Should I just walk right up to her? Or call to her from here? Dinky wondered. Even if she can't hurt me... it's not exactly comforting to be face to face with this pony again...

"Staying silent, eh?" Scorpio questioned, still making it clear how tedious it was for her to even ask. "Pisces, you sniveling rat, how many eons is it going to take for you to work up the courage to announce yourself when you enter?"

Dinky peeked carefully out from behind the column. The wicked mare wasn't even looking in her direction; she was simply staring at the ceiling as she reclined on her lounge. The only part of her that moved was her strange tail, which flicked back and forth in agitation.

"Fine, stay there then," she said finally. "There's no reason for me to waste my time playing your little games, whoever you are. I'm trying to enjoy this painfully short respite from the presence of that insufferable little—"

Yip! Yip!

A bright orange blur sprinted into the room and latched onto the end of Scorpio's tail before she could even flinch. Furious, the mare snapped her tail like a whip, flinging her attacker into the air, and following the movement up a split second later with a tremendous, thundering blast of dark magic. Dinky had only just enough time to catch a glimpse of the creature, with its fiery orange fur, little black paws, and pointed snout, before the dark spell struck and utterly disintegrated it.

...For a second or two, anyway.

The trillions of microscopic stars hanging in the air began to move, converging on one spot as if pulled by some unknown gravitational field. They all collided in a bright, shimmering display, completely reforming the creature Scorpio had just annihilated an instant before. Dinky leaned further out from behind the column to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

The fearless little intruder was definitely a fox.

"You little cretin!" Scorpio snapped, constantly moving her tail out of the way as the fox chased after its tip like a toy. "We've been sealed back in here for four years, and every last second of it, you've been absolutely nothing but—"

"Trouble!" Dinky cried out, finding her voice at last.

Trouble's ears stood straight up. He turned his head, staring at the filly now standing in the open. Yipping excitedly, he bounded across the room and bowled her over, eagerly licking her face the moment she hit the ground. Dinky laughed and pushed her long lost friend off, scratching him behind the ears once he calmed down a bit.

"I can't believe it! I never thought I'd see you again, Trouble," she cooed, as the fox rubbed against her leg affectionately. "It seems like just yesterday you were sharing the hideout at the Academy with us."

Trouble yipped in reply, rolling onto his back in hopes of additional petting.

"Well now, this is not the visitor I was expecting."

The voice sent a shiver down Dinky's spine. She suddenly remembered her situation and quickly looked up. Scorpio had risen to her hooves, and stood with her tail dangling over her back, just how a real scorpion would. "I see you've grown up a bit, but you're still quite unmistakable, Dinky," she growled.

"Uh... hello, Scorpio," Dinky said awkwardly.

"Something finally happens to break the endless, mundane routine this place offers, and of all things it's a visit from the defective wraith responsible for cutting my escape short," Scorpio grumbled, scowling. "Though I suppose there's something of a sweet irony seeing you here. I knew you couldn't resist the temptation of the darkness forever."

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Why must you make me spell it out?" Scorpio groaned, scraping a hoof on the ground impatiently. "There's only one explanation for seeing you here. Eventually, you succumbed to the lust for power that all wraiths have; why you didn't do so immediately upon your transformation is still a mystery to me. When you began to use your dark magic to dominate those weak ponies, one of the princesses or some similarly powerful figure found a way to seal you here where you could no longer cause harm. I bet now you regret sealing me away; if you'd just accepted my offer to serve as my right-hoof wraith, I could be ruling that pitiful nation right now, and you would answer only to me, with everypony else either subjugated by our terrible power... or killed. Instead, we're both trapped in this prison for the rest of eternity."

Dinky couldn't help but flash a smug grin, something she never would've risked in Scorpio's presence if they'd been in the corporeal world. "Afraid not!" she laughed. "I came here on purpose, and unlike you, I have a way to get back.

Scorpio scoffed. "You know that even I, the most powerful dark mage in all of history, can't break out of here without help on the Equestrian side, and yet somehow you think you can?" she sneered. "Well, denial is the first of the five stages of grief, I suppose."

"I have help on the Equestrian side," Dinky countered. "And I don't even have to wait thirty-six more years for the fabric between realms to become weak enough to tear; I found a way around that."

Scorpio narrowed her eyes. "You're bluffing."

"Think that if you want," Dinky chuckled, starting to enjoy the chance to infuriate the pony she'd once so gravely feared. "I'll be on my way home later one way or another, and you'll still be here. Guess my friends are more clever and loyal than your wraiths, huh?"

Scorpio's tail coursed with darkness, and Dinky suddenly found herself yanked into the air and dragged nose to nose with the other mare.

"You will not sass me!" Scorpio boomed. "The laws of this place may not allow me to physically destroy you, but you know full well that dark magic can also impact the mind. Hold your tongue, child, or you'll find yourself in such psychological agony that the tortures of the pits of Tartarus would be a mercy!"

That shut Dinky up. She nodded slightly, and Scorpio casually tossed her guest aside with a flick of her tail. Trouble yipped angrily and snapped at Dinky's assailant, who responded by incinerating him, though he reappeared just a moment later, unharmed.

What am I doing? Dinky internally cried, mentally cursing her vindictive side. As nice as it is to be the haughty one this time, it's not worth angering her when I need her to help me!

"Now, you little worm, what could possibly be so important that you'd cast yourself into this dead-end dimension on purpose?" Scorpio demanded. "Even you're not foolish enough to come here just to taunt me."

Dinky stood up, and was relieved that everything she understood about the Realm of Stars seemed to be correct; Scorpio had flung her to the ground with considerable force, but she didn't feel even the slightest pain."

"I'm here because... because you were right about one thing you said a minute ago," she admitted. "You are the most powerful dark mage in all of history, and this newbie dark mage could, uh... use some pointers."

Scorpio looked at Dinky with utter disbelief. "You... came here to ask me to teach you about dark magic?"

Dinky had hoped her careful wording and subtle flattery would've been enough to prevent Scorpio from seeing her request so starkly. "Well... yes," she confessed. "I only understand a bit of what my powers can really do, and you're the only pony alive— well, sort of alive— who can show me."

Scorpio laughed. It was a malicious, sharp sound that made Dinky instinctively flatten her ears against her head. "And why would I do that?" she asked, looking thoroughly amused. "You are the only reason I'm trapped in a prison outside the corporeal universe, instead of ruling over Equestria and all the lands beyond it with an iron hoof. Well, you and your damned pet fox, anyway. The thought of helping you with anything after ruining my plans so completely is absolutely ludicrous!"

"You're just going to turn me away? Even when you've been so bored here, for centuries?" Dinky asked. "The rest of the Zodiac don't seem keen on talking to you. This is probably the first time since your defeat millennia ago that anypony has cared about learning more from you about the magic you created. I'm surprised you'd pass that up."

"You won't sway me with reverse psychology," Scorpio said flatly, turning away and trotting back to her lounge, where she flopped down dramatically. "You've wasted your time and effort coming here, even if you can get back home. Now run along."

Dinky frowned. "Fine," she grumbled. "I'll find some other way to learn what I need to. This was our best bet, but I know in my heart that my friends and I can—"

"Heart?" Scorpio interrupted. "You're a wraith, you brainless little troll! You don't have a heart! What part of that are you still not getting!?"

Memories of Honeydew's discovery about Dinky's apparent lack of a detectable heart flashed through her mind, though she tried not to let it show. "Of... of course I have a heart," she replied. "I sealed you in here, didn't I? I still have friends and family that I care about. I still don't want to harm innocent ponies. How do you explain that?"

"You're a mistake," Scorpio deadpanned. "Something's wrong with your head, child; dark magic didn't impact your thoughts the way it does for everypony else. It didn't fill you with a desire for power and destruction. But in spite of that, it wasn't just your body that was burned away when you transformed. The magic of your heart, the very essence of the unicorn you once were, was destroyed as well, swallowed up by all-consuming darkness. What you're mistaking for a moral compass is actually just learned behaviors; you're still acting kind because that's what you were used to as a pony, and whatever anomaly is going on in your mind prevented those behaviors from being overwritten."

"That's not true!" Dinky insisted. "I would never hurt anypony intentionally with my magic!"

"So you haven't actually attacked anypony with dark magic since becoming a wraith besides, you know, me?" Scorpio continued.

Dinky shook her head. "Of course not."

"Well, that would be why you don't believe me," Scorpio chuckled. "You think you're following your moral code, but if, hypothetically, you were to leave this place and murder the first pony you see in cold blood, you'd find yourself quite unable to muster up any guilt about it. You believe you're the righteous one, because at one time you were, but in reality, you aren't; you're as indifferent to causing suffering as the most twisted sociopath, and one day you'll realize you're only kidding yourself. A creature with no heart, no spirit within her, cannot have the compassion that those with hearts do. It's impossible."

"That doesn't make any sense," Dinky said, more weakly than she would've liked. "I celebrate the good times with my friends, and lament with them during the bad ones. Are you trying to tell me those are just habits? Because I don't believe you; I know those feelings are real!"

"I don't care what you believe," Scorpio muttered, stretching out on her lounge with her forehooves behind her head. "I'm just telling you the reality of your situation. You're perfectly welcome to ignore me."

She closed her eyes and relaxed. Her strange, monstrous tail dangled limply off the edge of the lounge, swaying slowly. "Are you going to stand there and gawk, or are you going to go away and leave me in peace?" she asked finally.

"L-let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you're right, and the magic of my heart is gone," Dinky continued after considerable thought. "What would that mean, exactly? Is there anything stopping me from going on living the life I've always lived?"

Scorpio snorted. "Theoretically, no. Not now, anyway," she grunted. "Like I said, you've got a strange defect that allows you to continue to find reasons to do the things you did as a pony. You'd also be able to behave like a proper wraith without restraint or guilt, if you tried, but I know you won't. So for the moment, I imagine your life in Equestria could continue to be pretty normal."

Dinky's ear twitched nervously. "What do you mean 'for the moment'?"

"Well, first of all, I'd prepare to start watching your so-called "friends" age around you," Scorpio continued, rolling her eyes as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Once wraiths reach physical maturity— and you look to be just about there— their rate of aging suddenly becomes quite different than a pony's would be. Since your physical body is built of dark magic, it degrades much, much more slowly than the flesh-and-blood bodies of the ponies around you. By the time they're in their fading years, you'll still look and feel like a young adult."

"Wait, what?" Dinky gasped. "When I spoke to Antares a few years ago, he told me he was very old, but he said that was because he manipulated the aging process with magic."

"He did," Scorpio said with a yawn. "He was all-but-immortal. Pity I had to take his body to re-create my own, but that's how the Realm of Stars works. Had I not done him in, he would've lasted for ages and ages yet."

"Ok, but wraiths aren't naturally immortal, right?" Dinky asked.

"Of course not," Scorpio laughed. "But if left to wait for their natural expiration, they're exceptionally long lasting. Your pony friends will be gone in another six or seven decades; you, however, have a few millennia, and that's assuming you don't manipulate your lifespan like Antares did."

Dinky reeled. She kept reminding herself to take anything Scorpio might tell her with a sizable grain of salt, but she couldn't see any reason to have for the evil mare to lie about this. "I'm... I'm going to live for thousands of years?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Scorpio shrugged. "Unless you get yourself killed somewhere along the line. Always a possibility. But really, most wraiths just do what Antares did and further twist and corrupt the laws of nature in search of immortality. It'd be silly not to, considering the other option."

Dinky scrunched up her nose. "If I'm really going to live thousands of years, I'm sure I'll be ready to join my friends and family in the afterlife by then."

Scorpio sat up, staring at Dinky curiously. Slowly, a wicked smile crept across her face. "Afraid not, little wraith," she hissed. "The afterlife is the final state of being. It's not possible to visit it while still being attached to any other realm, like one might do when they're dreaming. Only the purest, deepest magic, that defines everything a pony is in life, moves on to the afterlife. Or, to use the colloquialism, their heart. And you, Dinky Doo, no longer have one. Assuming you make it back to Equestria from here, your life will be long, but when it does finally come to a close, the same thing will happen to you that happens to all wraiths; consciousness and sensation will vanish with death, and with no heart to proceed to the afterlife, you will entirely cease to be."

Dinky suddenly felt distinctly hollow. She tried to continue to look defiant, but judging by Scorpio's growing malevolent grin, she was failing.

"S-so, after my friends pass on, that's it? I'll never see them again, in this life or any other?"

Scorpio nodded. "Which is why I know it's only a matter of time until your wraith aspects start to shine through. Your so-called friendships will be cut short, your bonds with other ponies will fade. One day, you'll be alone, faced only with the prospect of oblivion, and a life of isolation until that day arrives. Inevitably, you'll try to fill that void with anything you can. You'd be surprised how much violence, conquest, and the subjugation of others will distract you."

"I've heard enough," Dinky said loudly, turning away so Scorpio would stop gawking at her expression. "No matter what happens to me, I'm not going to go down that path. I'm not going to hurt anypony, or conquer anything, even if it means I wither away alone in the darkness. I'm going home, and supporting my friends the way I always have."

Scorpio yawned. "Good luck with that," she said boredly. "You don't have any abilities that I can't match or surpass. This whole discussion of your eventual fate doesn't even matter; there's no way for you to get back to Equestria."

"I am going back!" Dinky snapped, suddenly desperate to prove Scorpio wrong, as if that would somehow invalidate everything else the dark mage had said as well. "Maybe you can't get out of here, but you don't have a teleport anchor like I—"

She stopped, but far too late. Scorpio burst into laughter.

"You got here with something as simple as a teleport anchor?" she guffawed. "It's feasible, I suppose, but you'd need two parts of the same object on both sides of the teleport. There's nothing in this place except the ponies of the Zodiac. Your anchor would've had to have been something like..."

She trailed off, and her mirthful expression was replaced with a dawning comprehension. "...Like the remaining bit of my tail..." she finished. "The rest of my new body was destroyed when I was sealed in here, like all matter would be, but I suppose that bit was left behind."

"Doesn't matter that you figured it out," said Dinky bitterly, as Trouble slunk over to rub against her flank with concern. "It's not like you can escape with it; you have no body to go back to out there."

"Neither do you," Scorpio pointed out. "If you entered this place, even by teleport anchor, the Realm of Stars destroyed your body when you arrived. So unless you have somepony to sacrifice in order to rebuild yours when you exit..."

"Never mind how I'm getting out," Dinky growled. "I'm done listening to you and your grim predictions. If you're not going to teach me about dark magic, I'm getting out of this place."

"Oh really?" Scorpio asked, with an almost playful glee in her voice. "And has it occurred to you, child, that I'm not willingly going to hand over a piece of my tail for you to use in your spell?"

Dinky froze. Horror slowly crept over her as she realized, during all her planning on getting into and back out of the Realm of Stars, it had never occurred to her that Scorpio's tail might not be readily available when it came time to use it to return home. Panicking, instinct took over.

"I'll duel you for it."

Scorpio was stunned into silence for a moment. A disbelieving smile crept across her features.

"Now there's the wraith bit of you shining through!" she chuckled. "Your knee-jerk reaction is to solve things with violence. I'd honestly feel a bit proud if you weren't such a traitorous slug.

This time, she was correct in interpreting Dinky's actions, and she knew it. Why did I say that? Dinky wondered. I can't take Scorpio one on one. Though now that I think about it... maybe I can take advantage of this problem to solve another one.

"That's right, I'll duel you," she continued, sticking to the improvised plan. "We can't destroy each other here, so we'll just fight until one of us reduces the other temporarily to stardust, like you did to Trouble before. But it's not going to be worth either of our time if I fight you as I am now. So let's make a deal; teach me what I wanna know about dark magic, and I'll show you what I'm really capable of."

Scorpio rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I'm not really withholding those secrets for any reason other than to spite you," she said finally. "I don't really care if you know how to fully utilize your powers or not, but I can't pass up the chance to finally show you just how much of a fluke my defeat a few years ago really was."

Dinky lit her horn, letting black sparks fly as she did so. "Then show me," she insisted. "Show me how to truly bring out the power of darkness."

In the next few hours, Dinky learned three things.

One: Scorpio was a surprisingly good teacher.

Two: Casting more technical, refined spells was much easier than she thought, despite the chaotic nature of her dark energy.

And three: Dark magic was far more horrifying than she'd ever dared to imagine.

Scorpio created another projection of a random pony, as she had done over and over for the past several hours. "This next one's easy, and particularly brutal," she chuckled darkly.

"Almost all of them are particularly brutal..." Dinky griped, positive she'd be feeling quite sick to her stomach if she was in a body that had one. "Why do we have to test these on pony-likenesses? Can't we just use inanimate objects?"

"How would you know you even did it right then?" Scorpio scoffed. "Most of these spells will just break apart or melt inanimate objects. And casting them on you is pointless, since you don't have a body that can be damaged by them. If you want to learn anything, we need to use pony lookalikes that will react the way real ponies would back in Equestria."

Dinky scowled. "I guess that makes sense..." she relented.

"You're the one who wanted to learn what you can do," Scorpio pointed out. "If you meant it, then stop complaining and torture some more pony projections."

"Fine," Dinky grumbled, letting her dark aura spring to life. "How's this next spell work?"

"Remember the one I showed you a bit ago that lets you shape the darkness into something that almost acts like electricity?" Scorpio asked. "Channel it a little more gently, so it doesn't cause instant death, and then hit that pony square between the eyes with it and watch what happens."

Dinky looked at the faux-stallion standing across from her. With a shrug, she built up the spell Scorpio had suggested and let it fly. It struck the target and vanished. He didn't move, and for a moment, Dinky thought the spell was a dud.

Then, suddenly, the projection began to quiver. His pupils shrank to two tiny dots as purple, misty energy began to seep from around his eyes. "N-no..." he said in a strangled voice. "No. No! Please! G-get away!"

Dinky looked where the projection was looking, but there was nothing there. "Is he hallucinating?" she asked finally.

"Yes. He's witnessing his greatest fear," Scorpio said, almost uninterestedly. "This trick was a favorite of a particularly famous wraith named Sombra. You've probably heard of him, at least. Some ponies even think he came up with the spell, which is nonsense; he learned it from my followers, and decided to make it his signature spell."

Dinky watched the stallion cower in terror. "I guess it's a good spell for incapacitating ponies, at least..."

Scorpio nodded. "Great for subjugation; it breaks ponies' wills pretty easily. It also can be used to more permanently 'deal with' particularly bothersome ponies, if you're feeling especially sadistic. Like this."

Scorpio flicked her tail and flung more magic at the projection, and his terror turned into absolute panic. Screaming bloody murder, he sprinted to the far wall of the villa, scraping at it with his hooves and throwing his weight against it with bone-breaking force in a desperate attempt to escape. He seemed convinced the self-injury his actions were causing were a result of whatever malevolent entity he was hallucinating, which only increased his frenzy. Unable to watch any longer, Dinky fired a powerful blast at the suffering stallion, reducing what was left of him once again to a silent cloud of stardust.

"I suppose just blasting them to bits works too," Scorpio said with a yawn. "It's more efficient, though notably less entertaining."

"You're psychotic," Dinky muttered, shaking her head. "It's no wonder a pony like you was the first one to twist magic into corrupt, unnatural forms."

Scorpio smirked. "You'll learn to love it someday, child. Your denial just makes it all the more fun."

Dinky sighed. "Alright, so you've shown me spells to make ponies hallucinate, to cause them pain and illness or to slowly destroy them from within. Don't you have anything more... practical? Something I can use to work with the environment instead of just all this torture and death? None of this is gonna work in a duel here anyway; it won't affect either of us."

Scorpio narrowed her eyes. "I know what you're trying to do, you know," she growled, her tail swaying angrily as she spoke. "You wouldn't have come here looking to learn more about dark magic unless you had some urgent need for it back in Equestria. Knowing you, and those pony habits you haven't outgrown, you're probably trying to save the world or some such nonsense."

Dinky stamped a hoof. "Are you gonna show me or not?"

Scorpio rolled her eyes. "Fine. You can travel through the darkness undetected with a spell that lets you melt into the shadows around you," she explained. "It's like a unicorn invisibility spell but with an added intangibility effect as well; as long as you're somewhere relatively dark, nopony will be able to find you."

"That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for!" Dinky announced, sounding a little more hopeful. "What else?"

"Binding opponents with tendrils of shadow? Draining your opponent's power to boost your own?" Scorpio listed, utterly disinterested. "They're really not the most exciting techniques. Frankly I don't understand how you didn't stumble across them yourself these last few years."

"Because there is nopony out there to give me any hints!" Dinky reiterated. "Becoming a wraith doesn't suddenly understand how to use a whole new field of magic."

Scorpio raised her eyebrows. "...I think I see the problem," she said finally. "You're convinced that dark magic is it's own entity, entirely separate from unicorn magic, when really, it's not."

"What do you mean?" Dinky asked, exasperated. "Conjuring up dark energy feels totally different than normal magic."

"And that's about where the differences stop when it comes to casting spells," Scorpio continued. "Dark magic isn't a new field, it's just a corruption of existing spells. Melting into the darkness, like I said a moment ago, is merely a dark illusion spell. Draining energy or messing with thoughts and feelings are dark magical biology. And I'm sure you recall Antares' various dark enchantments a few years ago."

Dinky's eyes widened. "Wait, so..."

"So, considering you've already had years of schooling at Celestia's cozy little Academy, I'm sure you're already versed in all those things," Scorpio observed. "If you want to master dark magic, don't search for new spells; take the ones you already know, taint them with a generous dose of darkness, and twist them into horrific new forms. Your command of unfocused dark energy itself is clearly proficient; spellcasting with it should be the easy part."

"I've actually already enchanted things with dark magic," Dinky admitted. "But enchantments are simply putting magic into an object, so I figured putting dark magic into one was no different. It never occurred to me that other fields of magic might work that way too."

Scorpio once again rolled her eyes, more dramatically this time. "Yes, well, now that we've gotten that earth-shattering revelation out of the way, I think we're more than ready to get on with it," she said impatiently. "You know how to improvise spell combinations, and you know how to twist your magic into forms befitting a wraith."

Dinky nodded. "So now... we duel?"

Scorpio smiled darkly. "Indeed, Dinky. I know you can do those things, but can you do them well enough to win your ticket out of here?"

Dinky led Trouble slowly to the edge of the wide room. She patted the fox gently on the head, coaxed him to lie down, and smiled when he obediently stayed put. Turning away, she trotted to her end of the battlefield and turned to face Scorpio.

"It's been eons since I've had a proper duel," Scorpio chuckled as her tail began to pulse with dark magic. "I propose only two rules: all spells used must be dark magic only, and the fight ends when one of us destroys the other's vessel of stardust that passes for a body in this place."

"Fine with me," Dinky replied. "If I win, you'll give me a piece of your tail so I can get out of this place."

"And if you lose, you'll remain sealed here, a prisoner of the stars alongside the Zodiac," Scorpio said with poorly-hidden glee. "My, I never thought getting my revenge on you would be this easy! Go on, you traitor, make the first move, and prepare to have your fate sealed."

Dinky lit her horn, letting it fill with powerful darkness. Scorpio has me outmatched in strength by a huge margin, she thought. But I only have to hit her with one lethal attack. I'm just going to need to be more clever than she is.

"Stop stalling!" Scorpio barked. "Come on, let's see if Celestia's pitiful school has given you an impressive aptitude for magic."

Alright, I'll need to hide myself or Scorpio's gonna beat me in seconds, Dinky realized. Now, if a normal illumination spell casts light, then tainting that same kind of spell with dark magic will probably...

She cast her spell, and immediately, the billions of tiny stars floating all around the combatants seemed to be extinguished, plunging the battlefield into total darkness. In the blackness, she heard Scorpio snort.

"Well, at least you understand how to modify unicorn spells into dark ones," the mare called out. "But how are you planning to fight without giving away your location? Even dark magic produces a faint purplish glow."

Dinky let magic explode out of her horn like a firecracker, creating a scattershot series of sparkling spells that moved at different speeds and angles. She continued with new volleys of this as she hurried through the darkness, hoping the randomness of the attacks bursting in midair would conceal her actual location until one of her attacks connected.

It did not.

One of the most powerful, concentrated bursts of magic Dinky had ever seen whizzed through the veil of darkness, missing her head by an inch and painlessly taking off half of her ear as it grazed her. Startled, her concentration broke long enough for the shroud concealing the arena to fade enough that her opponent could once again see her.

"A childish combination of spells," Scorpio said boredly. "You can do better than that. Celestia's little scholars usually have more nuance to their strategies."

Her tail began to pulse with darkness, and she pointed the tip at Dinky threateningly. "Now it's my turn. I hope your first defensive move is better than that offensive one."

The mare's tail slashed through the air several times. Each time it did, a blade of darkness was created along the path it took. Half a dozen scythe-like blades were hurled toward Dinky in seconds.

There was no time to physically evade the attack, and Dinky knew she wasn't allowed to use a normal shield spell, since unicorn magic was forbidden. And if her practice sessions with Professor Surge had taught her anything, it was that shield spells would be utterly useless in this situation anyway. In a split-second decision, the young wraith decided her best defense was a good offense.

Perhaps her surprisingly dead-on accuracy was a result of adrenaline, but she doubted it; she was pretty sure lacking a physical body meant she lacked adrenaline as well. Whatever the reason, she managed to throw out six bolts of darkness, smaller but much more concentrated than the wide scythe-blades, and shatter each of Scorpio's attacks apart just before they sliced her starlit form to shreds.

Not waiting for opponent to plan another attack, Dinky rushed forward, surrounding herself with a spherical dark energy field as she did so. If there's one thing Scuffle has taught me, she thought as she sprinted toward her surprised foe, it's that not only can I use attacks as part of my defense, I can also use defensive moves to attack!

Dinky's energy field has reduced boulders to ash when they passed through it, so it stood to reason that simply barreling headlong into Scorpio with one such field active would quickly destroy the mare. So it really took her by surprise when Scorpio's tail, once again glinting with dark magic running along its length, whipped forward and stopped her energy field in its tracks as easily as one might hold back a regular shield with their hooves.

"H-how are you doing that?" Dinky asked as she struggled to push forward to no avail. "This spell ate through everything in touched back in Equestria."

"Of course it did," Scorpio laughed. "Have you learned nothing about dark magic yet, child? Pitiful unicorn spells can't stem its destructive force. The only thing that can keep dark magic at bay is stronger dark magic!"

Scorpio's tail, it seemed, was protected from harm by its own aura. Dinky watched helplessly as she villain dug the pointed tip of her tail into the wall of the energy field, and then gave it a mighty flick, throwing both the field and its surprised occupant high into the air.

Dinky let her spell fizzle out and managed to land on her hooves, though with several staggering steps to keep her balance. By the time she got her bearings, the aura around Scorpio's tail had grown into an intense purple glow, much like it had looked when she'd tried to destroy Dinky and her friends during her resurrection years earlier.

Dinky prepared to run, or defend, or do whatever was needed to endure the incoming attack, but curiously, none came. A loud, threatening hum started to fill the air, growing louder by the second until it seemed to be echoing inside Dinky's head.

Dinky didn't know or care what was coming next, only that she needed to stop it. She charged up an attack and prepared to hurl it at Scorpio. An instant before she did, she caught sight of a tiny smirk on her opponent's face.

And then, all at once, she was overcome with almost unbelievable agony. The pain was so intense that it not only erased the spell she had been preparing, but almost all rational thoughts as well. She collapsed in a heap before taking a single step, struggling not to simply start screaming.

"H-how.... w-w-what..." she sputtered as she contorted on the ground. "I thought... y-you can't hurt me w-without a b-b-body..."

Scorpio sauntered slowly over to her victim, wearing a satisfied smile. "Correct," she chuckled. "Since you have no body, nothing is physically wrong with you. What is here is your mind, which can be easily reprogrammed with a bit of dark magic so it's convinced that you're in incredible pain. But don't worry, it'll fade in a moment; specifically, just after I blast this bit of Dinky-shaped starlight you're inhabiting to smithereens."

An obviously lethal spell coursed through Scorpio's tail. Dinky fought against the pain, struggling for just a moment of focus.

I can still avoid this! I just have to use my powers!

An instant before Scorpio unleashed her attack, Dinky used her magic to dissolve into smoke and fly across the battlefield, relieved that that particular power still worked, even when it was starlight instead of flesh that was able to turn to smoky darkness. Still under the effects of Scorpio's relentless pain spell, but safe for the precious few seconds it would take for her opponent to charge another attack, she desperately searched for a way to negate the clawing agony inflicted on her.

Think, Dinky! Negating magic... protective spells... but they have to be dark spells, or I'll be disqualified! If only I had something to enchant! Sagittarius said he made his bow from starlight, so can I...?

Shaking and wobbling from the unrelenting pain, Dinky swept a hoof through the billions of pinpricks of light hanging in the air and pressed them together into a little round charm, with a thin, glowing chain she could place around her neck. Desperately, she scrawled Scorpio's symbol on it with the tip of a hoof, and then poured as much dark magic into it as she could muster.

Shield me from the mental effects of dark magic!

She didn't even see Scorpio throw her next spell, but she heard the thunderous sound of magic being let loose. In desperation, she hurled the charm into the air, instantly turned to smoke right before impact so the spell passed harmlessly through her, and then reformed... just as the charm she'd fashioned fell back down, its chain slipping over her head and landing neatly around her neck.

The pain vanished instantly, as did the blur in Dinky's vision and the shaking of her legs. Scorpio's mental assault was rendered totally useless.

Scorpio blinked twice, her strange tail swaying slightly as it dangled over her back. "I admit, that was clever," she said finally. "I can't access your mind with my spells anymore. Putting something like that together on the fly isn't that impressive... but I didn't expect you to be able to do so while in so much pain you could barely think."

Dinky smirked. "Enchantments have always been my specialty. Wanna see what else I can do with 'em?"

Scorpio's tail was already glowing again. "I'm afraid you won't get the chance," she said icily.

A spell struck the ground in front of Dinky's hooves, and the ground, or whatever it was that inhabitants of the Realm of Stars stood on, began to buckle and shift as the energy coursed through it. Soon, the area where the spell had hit began smoking as it melted into black slag. Dinky backed off from the slowly-growing hazard.

"Better think quick," Scorpio recommended as she struck two more locations between Dinky and herself, which instantly began to melt. "Either you fall in the molten pools, and are destroyed that way, or you run out of room to evade my attacks. Either way, this will be over soon."

Dinky leapt aside as the area where she had been standing a moment before was reduced to scalding black goo. I don't think I have an enchantment to undo this.

A crazy thought crossed her mind, and her eyes widened. Unless... unless I can combine dark magic with self-enchantment. A unicorn would probably destroy themselves if they tried to infuse their body with dark magic, but I'm made of dark magic, so... maybe it'll work?

Scorpio's next blast wiped out most of her remaining room to stand, which was more than enough to make her decision for her. She engulfed her body in her own dark magic, pouring it out of her horn and into her form. A hot, electric rush shot through her, tingling at her extremities. It wasn't pain; it felt more like a layer of something moving was added to her whole figure, vibrating just under her skin. She wondered if it would feel the same once she was back in her physical body instead of this starlit one.

I sure hope this works how I want it to!

Scorpio either didn't notice or didn't care about the spell Dinky had just cast, considering another spell was already coming her way, about to melt the last bit of solid ground to fiery black sludge.

Dinky took a running leap over the mire, and willed the dark magic she'd imbued herself with to be forced outward. She let out a little squeak of surprise as darkness burst from the base of her hooves like little thrusters, propelling her over the deadly trap her opponent had created. Scorpio stared at her, bewildered.

Dinky landed on safe ground and renewed the enchantment, shivering slightly as the layer of darkness writhing just under her skin grew more intense as she poured power into it.

"You're a strange one," Scorpio commented, shaking her head. "Enough of these weird tricks. I'm all out of patience for this."

Dinky felt the dark magic throbbing not just in her horn, but in her hooves and at the tip of her nose. Her mane and tail felt like they were full of static charge, but she knew it was yet more magic, waiting to be released. She prepared her strategy, waiting.

Scorpio gave an angry growl as she let loose a black laser from the end of her tail. Dinky jumped, expelled stored magic through her enchanted hooves to gain extra height, and then jabbed one of her forelegs forward in a punching motion. Dark magic exploded from the underside of her hoof, and Scorpio only just managed to bat the attack away with her tail before it would've struck her dead on.

Dinky didn't wait for her opponent to realize what was happening. She spun herself in midair, kicking out with her hind hooves to throw more spheres of dark energy, and even managing to fling a third from her own tail. As her midair momentum turned her forward again, she sent several more attacks flying with her horn and forehooves, showering Scorpio in a flurry of attacks far more numerous than she could've produced with her horn alone.

Unfortunately, Scorpio's deft control of the movement of her tail was nearly perfect. It darted between positions with almost impossible speed, batting away each and every one of the attacks before any of them could strike and dematerialize their target. Within a few seconds, the enchantment Dinky had stored within herself ran dry, and she had to return to the ground.

"A creative attack, and a noble effort, my little wraith," she said coldly. "But there is no victory awaiting you here. For all your clever spells, you lack the raw power to defeat me without the aid of all your little friends."

Something new began to happen to Scorpio. Black smoke, like the smoke that seeped off of Dinky whenever she was in wraith form, began to pour from the tip of the mare's tail, cloaking her in inky blackness. But rather than flow her body and away along the floor, it seemed to enrobe her, encircling her legs and barrel in a strange, moving vestment of shadows. The smoky layer conformed to the shape of her body perfectly, but extended out a few inches from her skin, making her appear a bit bigger and more imposing than she normally was.

In Dinky's experience, spells like this usually preceded a marked increase in power; Dinky recalled the crystal armor Sparkler had used in their duel years earlier. She decided the best thing to do was strike before Scorpio could finish whatever she was doing. Magic crackled loudly in her horn, and she lobbed a powerful blast of darkness at her opponent.

The attack hit, dead-on, and for a fraction of a second, Dinky believed she'd managed to catch her opponent off guard and win the duel. The feeling quickly faded when she noticed that, despite the direct hit, Scorpio was not reduced to a twinkling cloud of stardust.

"Wha... but you didn't dodge, or even defend!" she sputtered. "That attack would've been more than lethal enough to kill a pony back in Equestria."

Scorpio laughed sharply. "You know full well that I am no normal pony," she jeered. "I need you to understand, Dinky, that at no point during this duel did you ever stand a chance of besting me. You could train for millennia, but you'll never command the darkness the way I, its creator, can. This cloak I've just created absorbs all your attacks, no matter how strong. You cannot harm me."

Angry and desperate, Dinky loosed the most powerful beam of darkness she could muster. Scorpio stood completely still, letting the laser engulf her entirely. But when Dinky's power finally petered out, she still stood there, untouched.

"N-no..."

"Ah, you want to play with beams, just as we did in the crystal cave years ago?" Scorpio asked playfully. "Very well. Shall we?"

A massive beam of darkness burst from her tail, and Dinky had no choice but to meet it with one of her own. The two attacks met in midair, producing a thundering sound as they fought to push each other back.

"Last time, this was a stalemate," Scorpio calmly pointed out. "But only because your friends and family were there to help you. This time though, you're alone... and alone, you can never overpower me."

Without any sign of visible effort, Scorpio redoubled the power of her spell. Dinky was only able to hold her back for a matter of seconds before her spell failed her. For one tiny fraction of a second, she stood helpless as the superior beam raced toward her.

And then there was nothing. The beam, and the villa, and Scorpio herself, vanished. The deafening sound of the magic was extinguished. All sensations ceased at once.

Dinky couldn't see, hear, move, or feel a thing, but still had no trouble thinking clearly. She realized what must have happened.

Reform. Bring the starlight together to give me a body again.

Gradually, all the sensations returned. A smug Scorpio came back into view. Dinky looked down at herself, watching the tiny stars slowly reform her body, legs, and hooves.

"I lost..."

"You lost," Scorpio confirmed, with a devilish smile. "Take any thoughts of ever again seeing your friends, your family, and the Equestria you know and love, and wipe them from your mind. Your window of opportunity to leave this place is about to expire, and without that critical teleport anchor, you must instead remain here, in this oblivion in the heavens. So welcome, little wraith, to your eternity; you are now the newest prisoner of the Realm of Stars!"

Chapter 18

It was almost dawn. Clarity didn't like that.

Normally, it was Honeydew who was up at this hour, but Clarity knew her friend had spent most of the night awake with worry. Now that the pink filly had finally fallen into fitful slumber, she had no plans to wake her. If the colts were awake, they remained in their cabins, perhaps trying to convince themselves that everything was going to be okay.

Admittedly, Clarity was trying to convince herself of the same.

But the sun would be peeking over the horizon any minute, and yet the feral monstrosity that was all that remained of Dinky continued to thrash against its enchanted bonds. There was now less than an hour remaining; if Dinky didn't return to her vacated body soon, Scorpio's Apex would be too far gone, and the walls between realms once again would be impassible.

"Dinky, please," Clarity whispered, wiping a tear trailing down her cheek as she watched the faint, glimmering orange of the approaching sun reflect off the sea. "I don't know how any of us will go on if you don't come back. So please... please hurry..."

"Hello? Anypony?"

Nopony replied. Dinky wandered slowly through the Realm of Stars, calling out in hopes of encountering one of the other members of the Zodiac. But everything looked the same; stars and galaxies drifted lazily by, but no other features of the landscape changed, no matter how far she traveled. She didn't have any idea how to even begin to track down anypony who could help, and she knew the window of time she had to return home had nearly expired.

After their duel, Scorpio had fled in a flash of magic, determined not to give Dinky any opportunity to procure a precious piece of her tail. Naturally, she was around here somewhere as well, but Dinky knew the dark mage wouldn't allow herself to be found, at least until after it was too late to use the teleport anchor.

A sympathetic whimper caught her attention. She glanced down at Trouble, who padded along softly beside her. She'd nearly forgotten he was there; the fox had skulked along in her wake ever since Scorpio had abandoned them in the villa a few hours earlier.

"It's no use, Trouble," she said finally, sinking to her haunches and slowly stroking his head. "I guess you'll be happy at least; you and I are gonna be together forever now. Once Scorpio's Apex ends, it'll sever the ties between my body and mind, and I'll be stuck here for good.

Trouble stared up at her uncomprehendingly. He licked his chops once, then walked in a little circle and laid down beside her. Dinky continued to pet him; focusing on that was all she could do to hold back the despair that was creeping in.

"I just hope my friends can forgive me," she said hoarsely. "They were counting on me, and trusted me when I decided to go through with this plan... and I blew it. Clarity's going to be so mad at herself when she realizes it, but it's not her fault..."

Trouble made a low sound in his throat in response.

"And Pip," she continued. "Pip's been so patient with me. It's not every day a stallion's fillyfriend becomes a dark magical monster and somehow he doesn't break up with her. I wish I could tell him I'm sorry."

Trouble stood, but Dinky, lost in her reverie, didn't notice.

"Oh Celestia, and mom," she whispered. "She's gonna be crushed. She agreed to let us split up, and I promised her I'd be safe, but I've let her down too, and now I... um, Trouble?"

Trouble's body tensed. He stiffly took a step, stretched his neck out, gagged once or twice, and unceremoniously hacked up a slimy hairball at Dinky's hooves.

Dinky groaned. "Ew, Trouble, did you really have to—"

She stopped in the middle of her sentence as she got a better look at the glob deposited in front of her. The had a few stray orange fox hairs in it, sure, but it was mostly composed of longer strands of rich purple fur.

Dinky hardly dared to believe what she was seeing, but it made sense when she thought about it. She'd seen it herself; the mischievous fox was always chasing Scorpio's tail, constantly annoying her whenever he bit down on the end of it that dangled in the air.

"Trouble, is this part of Scorpio's tail!?"

Trouble yipped excitedly.

There was no time to lose. Drawing lines with the easily-molded starlight, Dinky drew the necessary runes and ritual circles, placing the still-soggy hairball at the center of the one where the portal was meant to form. The moment her creation was complete, she flooded it with dark magic, and the hairball reacted immediately, glowing as a hazy, veiled portal appeared in space above it. It was impossible to clearly see what was on the other side of the rift, but Dinky could make out what was presumably pale blue sky up above, and a solid brown surface below.

"The deck of the ship!" she cheered, causing Trouble to yip once again and jump up, sharing in her excitement. "How hold on, let's just angle it a little lower..."

The view moved slightly, and a large black-and-purple mass came into view. Despite the lack of detail, Dinky knew what it was instantly.

"My body!" she gasped. "Trouble, you saved me again! I wish I could bring you back with me, but... well, I'm afraid there's no body for you to go back to."

Trouble wagged his tail and looked at Dinky expectantly. Smiling, she patted him on the head.

"I probably won't see you again, old friend," she confessed, her tone bittersweet. "At least this time I got to thank you for what you did and say a proper goodbye. You're a hero, whether you know it or not, for helping to seal Scorpio in here. I'll never forget you, and I know my friends won't, either."

Trouble sniffed at Dinky's foreleg and gave it a single affectionate lick. Then he glanced at the portal and back to her, wagging his tail.

Dinky smiled and patted the loyal fox a final time. "So long, Trouble," she said softly as she took a step forward.

"Yip! Yip!" Trouble replied. It didn't sound like the fox's usual playful bark, which struck Dinky as a bit odd.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough of a warning.

Dinky lifted a leg to step through the gateway, but found it held back. Surprised, she glanced down to find her foreleg snared by a black thread, shockingly strong for how thin it was. Before she could react, more and more threads suddenly lashed out from the abyss around her, catching around her legs, her body, her neck, even her horn. She cried out and struggled against them, but after a moment or two, all of them suddenly pulled taut, immobilizing Dinky completely.

"W-what... is this..." she grunted, struggling to even open her jaw wide enough to speak.

There was movement to Dinky's left. She glanced over— her eyes were the only part of her body that could still move freely— and discovered Scorpio standing beside her. The mare gazed at the blurry rift with curiosity.

"Now I see what you've done, little wraith," she chuckled, swaying her tail a bit so Dinky could clearly see that the other end of all the binding threads were attached to its tip. "You disconnected your consciousness from your body before using your teleport anchor, so you could dodge this realm's tendency to destroy any physical matter. That's actually quite smart. I commend you."

Dinky couldn't even attempt to lash out. The power the threads had over her was absolute; she was like a marionette, powerless to move unless Scorpio allowed it. Even her magic was sealed, try though she might to bring a spell into her horn. Trouble gnawed angrily at the threads, but his efforts made no difference.

"In spite of my compliments, I can't help but notice one small problem with your plan to return home," Scorpio continued, almost casually. "What you've done here is open a portal to Equestria, and leave a perfectly acceptable wraith body on the other side. I seem to recall that exact same situation a few years back, on the night of my resurrection; a portal for me to exit, and Antares' body for me to break down so I could rebuild my own. The only difference, my dear, is this time, the wraith body I'll be consuming to rebuild my own... is yours."

"N-no!" Dinky choked out, trying to create even the tiniest bit of movement in her limbs. Yet she remained motionless, her gaze locked on the portal just a pony length away from her.

Scorpio's tail lit up, and the threads began to pulse with energy. Dinky immediately began to feel weak and dizzy, and realized in horror that Scorpio was draining her energy away.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she slurred.

"It's not quite so easy for me to steal your body, since you're still technically tethered to it," Scorpio explained. "If I drain away all your magic, though, the link will become weak enough for me to break apart, and then your vacated wraith form will be mine for the taking."

Scorpio surrounded herself with the strange cloak of darkness she'd used at the end of the duel, and once again, the ethereal covering seemed to move with its owner, obeying her will instead of just trailing off into the air. The mare jabbed a foreleg toward the portal, and the darkness surrounding her extended out from her hoof, a smoky grey tendril that was able to pass through the portal and reach toward the imprisoned wraith sealed by Dinky's enchantments.

"I have to thank you, Dinky," she crooned, as the tendril began to wrap around the feral creature beyond the rift. "I was quite sure my last chance for resurrection had passed, but you've gone and created an opportunity I could never have dreamed of! Won't your so-called friends be surprised when the portal meant to return their companion to them instead releases the master of darkness!"

The tendril secured Dinky's body, and began to lift it into the air. It snarled and flailed about, but was unable to escape. Dinky watched helplessly as it was drawn toward the portal. She tried to focus, but it was a struggle to remain lucid when all her power was being sapped by Scorpio's threads.

"In a few moments, you'll be too weak to remain attached to your body," Scorpio said coldly. "It seems this is where we part ways, Dinky Doo. And this time, insolent child, we will not meet again."

Far in the distance, there was a glimmer of light. A golden arrow pierced through the starry expanse at lightning speed and struck Scorpio in the back. The instant it made contact, a great glowing chain materialized along its flight path, linking Scorpio back to the arrow's origin. Before Scorpio could move, the chain was pulled tight, yanking the dark mage away from the portal. Dinky's body, freed of the tendril of smoke, fell back to the sealing circle on the ship's deck.

Scorpio wheeled around furiously. Dinky, still immobilized, was unable to do the same, but she had a pretty good idea where the arrow had come from.

"Sagittarius! Must you meddle in everything I do?" Scorpio barked.

"Release the young one," Sagittarius commanded. "You won't get free of this place again. Not after all we've sacrificed to keep you here."

"Hah!" Scorpio cackled. "Your puny enchantments can't hold me back alone. My power far exceeds yours!"

"That's true," Sagittarius replied. "Fortunately, that arrow contained much more than one enchantment."

Scorpio cried out as no less than ten more chains, each with a different aura color, materialized around her, each one extending out into the darkness at a different angle. Dinky felt the dark threads binding her weaken enough that she was able to turn her head.

One by one, more ponies appeared in the endless expanse. They came in various sizes in colors, and some sported curious animal features; ram's horns, a lion's mane, crab claws, and more. Sagittarius became one eleven ponies, each holding Scorpio back with a shimmering chain.

"The Zodiac!" Dinky gasped, staring at them all in wonder.

"Young Dinky, listen to us!" Aquarius cried. "We've secured Scorpio and restricted her powers, but the corrupting nature of her magic will soon weaken the chains. You must act fast!"

"Free yourself now, while you have a chance, and return to your realm as fast as you can!" Pisces added.

"I can't!" Dinky called weakly. "I'm trapped by her spell, and she's weakened me so much I can hardly move..."

"Your form may be bound, but as long as we hold Scorpio's spells in check, your magic is not!" the Gemini twins declared in unison. "You must find the strength to free yourself!"

Scorpio cried out in fury. Her bindings prevented her magic from reaching the tip of her tail, but it was already beginning to spread along the chains, causing an effect that looked a lot like rust.

Dinky managed to light her horn, though its glow was feeble. I can hardly even summon my magic... she thought desperately. What spell could free me from Scorpio's grasp?

Trouble yipped angrily, jumping up and trying to bite at the threads attached to her horn. Dinky watched for a moment as a realization began to dawn on her.

Wait. These threads... they're just like the thread that connected my horn to Scorpio's tail, that she used to flood my pony body with darkness and turn me into a wraith in the first place. If magic can flow through them either way, maybe all I need to do is take my power back!

With great effort, Dinky managed to bring a bit of dark magic into her horn. Scorpio thrashed furiously against the chains as the weakened wraith began to siphon power through them.

"No!" the villain screamed. "I will not let you turn this around! Not when you've practically handed me a ticket to freedom!"

Dinky heard a crack. One of the links in Capricorn's chain was beginning to break, and several others were rusting at an alarming rate.

"We can't hold her back much longer!" Leo roared. "Use your power to break the threads and flee, young one!"

"I'm trying!" Dinky replied, as the last of her energy was returned to her. She could move again, but the threads refused to snap. She flailed back and forth, but only became more entangled. "I can't break them; even at my full strength, my power is nothing compared to hers!"

There was a loud, metallic clang; the damaged link of Capricorn's chain snapped, causing the rest of the chain to fade back into stardust. Several other chains began to creak and grind under the increased strain.

"Keep trying!" Sagittarius urged. "Don't give up, Dinky! You must escape before she does!"

Dinky thought quickly. Her strength wasn't enough to escape on her own, and through Trouble was still trying to aid her, his effect on her situation was virtually nil.

Then, one last desperate idea occurred to her.

The threads have linked my magic with Scorpio's. If the Zodiac's bindings stopped her spellcasting so completely that I was able to take my power back... maybe I can steal some of hers too!

Dinky let her siphoning spell probe deeper into the connection between them, extending past the energy in Scorpio's tail and into the core of the mare's being. She quickly sensed an unfathomably vast store of dark magic; one that made her own seem pitifully small. It would've taken hours to absorb all of it, and she wasn't even certain she'd physically be able to handle wielding that much magic, but nevertheless, she began funneling it into her horn as quickly as she could.

Judging by the look of absolute outrage on Scorpio's face, she'd felt what was happening immediately. "Thieving vermin!" she shrieked, the power of her voice sending vibrations along all the remaining chains. "How dare you! I created you, and you have the gall to pilfer more of the perfect darkness that you emerged from!? I will erase you from this and every plane when I get free, you little monstrosity!"

Dinky didn't even need to try to block out Scorpio's words; the sensation that was overcoming her commanded much more of her attention then the yelling of her adversary anyway. Darkness, deeper and purer and more deadly than any she'd ever produced cascaded through her horn and into her body, filling her with strength and energy like she'd never felt before.

Several more metallic clangs, and the startled cries of several members of the Zodiac, indicated to Dinky that several more chains had broken. Scorpio regained some basic movement, and slowly took a halting step forward, dragging her fellow Zodiac along behind her.

"Dinky, you have only moments!" Virgo wailed, as her chain was sheared apart as well.

Dinky had only stolen a few percent of Scorpio's full power, but it made all the difference. With a forceful lurch, she managed to stagger forward, snapping most of the threads binding her to her opponent. The portal was only a step or two away.

"You're not getting away!" Scorpio bellowed, summoning all her strength and taking a few more slow steps.

Free of most of her bindings, and brimming with stolen energy, Dinky felt a surge of hope and confidence. "That's what you think!" she shot back, jerking her limbs and snapping more of the threads. "Enjoy eternity, Scorpio! I'm outta here."

Scorpio roared and threw herself forward, destroying all but one of the glowing chains. Though she still couldn't move forward freely, she regained control of her magic, and a loud crackling signaled to Dinky that a powerful spell was about to be aimed at her.

"De-materializing you for a few moments is all it will take to pass through the portal before you," she said haughtily. "You nearly succeeded, you pathetic worm, but nopony can escape me forever!"

With just two or three threads holding her back, and her nose inches from the portal, Dinky strained to move forward, but she knew she wouldn't be fast enough. In less than a second, an attack would rip through her and give Scorpio the opening she needed.

"Yip Yip!"

Trouble leapt up and bit down on Scorpio's tail weighing it down just enough that the spell's angle was changed by a few degrees. The bolt of darkness sailed barely over Dinky's head, disrupting a bit of her starry mane.

"Oh you little—" Scorpio began as Dinky broke free of the last few threads.

"Go!" Sagittarius cried, as the final chain began to crumble. "Go now!"

Dinky cast the briefest of grateful glances back, locking eyes with the fox still hanging by his teeth from Scorpio's tail. With a smirk she turned to go.

"That's twice you've saved my life now, Trouble!" she called as she leapt into the rift. "Thanks again old friend!"

With one last furious cry from Scorpio echoing behind her, Dinky tumbled through the portal, and across dimensions, back to the world she knew.

Dinky had expected to wake up slowly, as she had in the Realm of Stars. She figured it would take some time for her mind to adjust to once again jumping between realities.

Instead, she was forcefully jerked back into consciousness, as she was waylaid with all the feelings of a living body returning to her at once. Hunger, fatigue, soreness, and a long list of other sensations gripped her, sensations she hadn't even realized were gone until they returned all at once. She took a gasping breath, realizing it was the first breath she'd taken in the last day, and opened her eyes.

Her second experience was much less familiar. As she began to become accustomed to once again having physical senses, a new feeling she hadn't also began to become apparent, one that was less routine than hunger or tiredness. She'd become very used to the feeling of dark magic swirling inside her over the past few years, but suddenly, it felt quite different than before. She was reminded of the surge of energy that had forced her into her wraith form when she'd touched the bit of Scorpio's tail at the Academy, only this time it wasn't threatening to burst free on it's own. Her eyes widened as she realized that dark magic, stronger than she'd ever dared to wield, was coursing through her veins, and yet somehow completely under her control.

"Something happened!" she heard Pipsqueak declare. "I don't know what exactly, but the portal thing opened, so I sure hope Dinky came back, cause her time's run out otherwise."

"She's moving..." Honeydew pointed out in her halting voice. "Is it Dinky, or just that mindless monster?"

Doing her best to ignore the sudden return of all sensation, Dinky got her bearings and realized she was lying on the damp wood of the ship's deck, though it was almost hard to tell for how much smoke was pouring off of her form and creeping along the boards. She coughed twice and turned her head. Though her vision was a bit bleary, her four friends were still unmistakable, standing just beyond the edge of the sealing circle.

"Oh hey," she managed, with a lopsided, fanged grin. "Hi guys. It's me. I'm back."

"Oh thank goodness," Clarity sighed, letting out a breath that Dinky was positive her friend been holding since the portal opened. "We weren't sure if you were gonna make it back in time."

"Yeah, every time you get in these life or death situations, you have this bad habit of cutting them really damn close," Scuffle grumbled.

Dinky chuckled. She attempted to sit up, but paused for a moment as the tingle of strong magic ran down her legs when she moved them. She felt a little bit like she'd had one too many chocolate shakes at Sugarcube Corner: restless and positively bursting with energy.

"Dinky? You alright, love?" Pip asked. "You still look a bit... off. You didn't leave some part of you behind in the Realm of Stars somehow, I hope?"

"No, nothing like that," Dinky replied as she finally stood up. "Actually, it's kinda the opposite; I think... I think I came back with a little more than I had when I left."

"Wasn't that the plan?" Honeydew asked. "You went to learn more about dark magic from Scorpio. Did you succeed?"

"Actually, yeah," Dinky chuckled, swishing her smoky tail in satisfaction. "But that's not what I'm talking about. In those last moments, I might've kinda... stole a bunch of Scorpio's power."

"You what?" Clarity gasped. "Like, against her will? You marched up to the creator of dark magic and stole power from her?"

Scuffle burst out laughing. "Man, every time I think you can't get any more nuts, Dinks, you pull something like this," he snickered. "I'm guessing that's why you're gushing out more smoke than a Fillydelphia factory."

Dinky glanced at the deck around her hooves. The thin wisps of smoke that usually trailed off her body were definitely thicker and darker than normal, billowing off her body in waves. "I guess so," she admitted. "Well, let me just—"

She was interrupted as she tried to take a step forward, and the restricting enchantments quickly bound her with dark chains. "Oh, right," she mumbled sheepishly. "Uh, you guys mind dismantling the sealing circle?"

"It's safe, right?" Honeydew asked meekly. "All that magic... you've got it under control?"

"It seems like it," Dinky confirmed. "I feel really... well, amped up, but I've dealt with dark magic trying to break loose before, and this isn't that sort of feeling. I didn't just take a bunch of dark magic; I think I took some of Scorpio's capacity to wield it. Some of her actual magical strength."

Clarity and Pip quickly removed the enchanted gems from the edges of the sealing circle. Honeydew stayed several paces away, and very close to Scuffle, just in case, and Dinky didn't blame her. She sighed in relief as the magical chains crumbled away and disappeared. With the usual simple spell, she melted away into a gaseous state, and reformed as her unicorn self. The moment her familiar appearance returned, Clarity leapt forward and threw her forelegs around her.

"Dinky, that whole plan was stupid and insane needlessly risky and—"

As Clarity broke the hug, Dinky realized she was smiling broadly. "—And we're just really glad you're back," she finished breathlessly. "I wish I could say the worst is over, but now we apparently have to save Equestria, so I hope you got what you needed in there."

Dinky grinned and beckoned for her friends to follow as she made her way to the ship's interior. "I learned a lot," she assured them. "Follow me, and I'll tell you all about it."

Dinky recounted her whole adventure: meeting Sagittarius, finding Scorpio and Trouble, the dark magic lessons, the duel, and her dramatic escape. She received a few horrified looks during the last bit.

"I think I'm glad we didn't know a minute ago just how close we were to facing down a resurrected Scorpio," Honeydew admitted weakly.

"Yeah, imagine if she got free," Scuffle added. "Equestria woulda been double doomed, instead of the regular doomed it is right now."

"We can't dwell on what almost happened," Pipsqueak insisted. "The point is, Scorpio remains in the Realm of Stars, Dinky made it back safely, and she brought new power and spells back with her. The plan worked; now we need to figure out what to do next."

"Cloudcover brought us here to focus on honing Dinky's powers as much as possible," Clarity reminded the group. "The first thing we need to do is find out exactly how powerful she is now that she's got a bit of Scorpio's strength in her. C'mon, let's go up on deck and do some practice, just like we were a few days ago."

"Wait!" Dinky urged as the others began to stand up. "There's one last thing: a kind of... last ditch emergency backup plan, in case this all still isn't enough to save Equestria."

"Is it less dangerous than the last desperate plan?" Honeydew asked dolefully.

"Actually, yeah," Dinky chuckled. "While I was in the Realm of Stars, Sagittarius told me that we could unlock the true potential of all magic in Equestria if we could somehow find the modern reincarnation of the thirteenth member of the Zodiac, Ophiuchus. Apparently, he's the one who changed the flow of magic thousands of years ago so that no one pony could wield every kind of magic at once."

"Wait, so like... Pip could cast magic like a unicorn?" Clarity asked, resulting in a shocked glance from Pipsqueak.

"Or Dewey could connect with the earth without her spells, the way earth ponies do?" Scuffle added, earning an equally stunned look from his fillyfriend.

"As far as I can tell, Ophiuchus has the power to make that happen," Dinky confirmed. "But I'm calling it a backup plan because Ophiuchus's reincarnation could be anypony. Sagittarius said the pony in question probably won't even be aware of it. In order to unlock his powers, his modern heir needs to speak the phrase 'Ophiuchus, hear my plea. Manifest yourself through me.' That should reawaken his spirit inside them."

"Well, we better give it a try, on the incredibly slim chance it's one of us," Scuffle announced. "Err... what happens if it is one of us?"

"I... don't know," Dinky admitted sheepishly. "Sagittarius didn't say what will become of that pony if Ophiuchus reawakens. I can't guarantee they'd ever be quite the same if some ancient mage is suddenly sharing their body or something."

"I think we'd best risk it anyway," Pip chimed in resolutely. "If it's really up to us to save Equestria, we're gonna need to use every avenue available to us. I'll go first."

Before Dinky could object, the earth colt repeated the phrase Dinky had taught him, and unsurprisingly, nothing happened. Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle followed in turn, but there was a total lack of any effect.

"Right, I figured as much," Dinky said as the last of her friends finished the phrase. "Let's shelve that idea unless we run out of more realistic options."

"This time, I agree," Clarity said, nodding. "Ok, so you learned how to easily try new dark spells, you boosted your power by stealing some of Scorpio's, and you learned about this Ophiuchus thing that we can use as a desperation option. Anything else happen in there?"

"Um..."

Dinky paused as a few of Scorpio's words that she'd forced to the back of her mind made their way to the forefront again.

Only the purest, deepest magic, that defines everything a pony is in life, moves on to the afterlife. Or, to use the colloquialism, their heart. And you, Dinky Doo, no longer have one.

"N-no, nothing else important," she said finally, quickly rising to her hooves and heading for the door before her friends could press her. "For now, let's go test out my magic and find out if my little visit to the Realm of Stars was worth it."

The towering spire of rock had to be at least the height of twenty ponies lines up end to end. It jutted from the treacherous seas surrounding the wreck, impervious to the waves battering its sides.

Dinky stood with her forelegs on the ship's railing, staring at it skeptically as she slowly assumed her wraith form again. Her friends stood at the other deck, giving her plenty of space.

"Alright, Dinks!" Scuffle shouted. "Before, I know you woulda' been able to blow a sizeable chunk out of that rock, so hit it with all you've got and see if your new power can blow a hole right through it!"

A familiar anticipation began to build up in Dinky as she allowed darkness to focus in her curved horn. Soon, it began to crackle and spark, only this time it didn't stop there. New reserves of dark energy she'd never had before poured their contents into her horn, causing it to buzz like a high-voltage wire and distort the air around it.

She paused. As usual, her wraith instinct for wanton destruction battled with her unicorn logic and concerns. She glanced at her friends out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you guys sure you're safe back there? This is probably gonna be a pretty big blast."

Scuffle responded by shielding himself and the rest of the group in a dome of magic that, while it couldn't possibly stand up to a direct dark attack, was clearly more than enough to block any debris from the explosion. "We're good!" he called, as Honeydew wedged herself between him and Clarity for extra security. "Fire at will!"

Dinky lowered her head, prepared to release a burst of magic like none she'd ever produced at the imposing spire.

Here goes nothing...

Dinky stopped holding the vast amount of energy back, and let it fly.

The dark sphere that erupted from her horn was so tremendous, and cut through the air so quickly, that it produced a small sonic boom that instantly left her ears ringing. The attack reached its target in less than a second.

Only, it didn't punch a hole right through the spire. On contact, it detonated like a ton of TNT, absolutely eradicating the majority of the enormous stone and sending cloud of pebbles, ash, and superheated rock a hundred pony-lengths in the air. It was as if a small volcano had erupted.

This result wasn't the main focus of the ponies aboard the shipwreck, however. She sheer force of the recoil from the spell jolted the entire wreck off its moorings. Dinky struggled to keep her footing, and heard several shocked cries and screams from behind her as the deck pitched sideways and caused her friends to fall in a heap on the boards. The ship leaned at a bit of a sharper angle as it slid down the rocks that supported it, before finally coming to rest in a new position, fortunately only slightly more submerged than it had been before.

Dinky blinked uncomprehendingly at the smoldering bump that had been a spire of rock seconds earlier. She angry crackling in her horn died down and finally fell silent. She slowly turned to face her friends, restoring her pony appearance as she did so.

"Um, so... yeah, I'd say my magic's a little stronger now."

"Y-yeah," Pipsqueak stammered, finding his voice. "I can see why it took the whole rest of the Zodiac to subdue Scorpio if you can do that with just a fraction of her power."

"But this is good, right?" Scuffle asked, glancing between the other ponies in search of approval. "I mean, the pony who took over Canterlot isn't gonna be able to defend herself if Dinky comes at her with that much power, right?"

"Scuffle, that unicorn has been holding a whole city up in the sky with her magic for more than a week now," Clarity reminded him. "I don't know what kind of power he or she has access to, but even this much power probably won't be enough if we rely on brute force alone. So yes, it's a good thing that Dinky's much stronger now, but what we really need to do is help her use what she learned from Scorpio to test out dark magic versions of unicorn spells. I have a feeling just blasting stuff isn't gonna be enough."

"Right, then it's back to business as usual," Pip announced. "Let's resume helping Dinky practice. The more spells she can master before Mrs. Doo and the rest of her team contact us, the better."

"But first, breakfast!" Scuffle cut in as he led the way below deck. "I hope the wreck shifting like that didn't put half the galley underwater or something."

He disappeared inside, with the others following behind. Dinky and Honeydew brought up the rear of the group.

"Sorry, Honeydew," Dinky quietly apologized, realizing her timid friend hadn't spoken since the blast. "That little magic test went a bit further than it was supposed to. Did I scare you?"

Surprisingly, Honeydew smiled and hugged her gently. "I mean, yes, but it's okay," she responded. "You're doing your best to find a way to save Equestria like the princess asked. I guess I'm getting used to the fact that being friends with you all means I have to expect the unexpected, and I'd much rather deal with that than have to be alone, away from my friends."

"I'm glad we mean that much to you," Dinky said, touched. "And don't worry; even if the rest of us weren't here, Scuffle alone will make sure you get through this without a scratch on you, you'll see."

Honeydew's cheeks reddened slightly, but she looked quite pleased. Smiling, and happy to have something to take her mind off the eventual fate that Scorpio had warned her of, Dinky walked with her friend into the depths of the ship.

A city floating in the night sky was an imposing thing. At least when one was standing almost directly below it, as Ditzy was. The pegasus found herself glancing up regularly, as if fearing the great pinkish bubble would suddenly pop, dropping the capital on top of her.

Sparkler, as usual, remained stone-faced and moved forward with a real sense of purpose, ignoring the worried whispers being exchanged between Presto, Lucid, and the twins.

The group's train travel had ended at Ponyville, and honestly, Ditzy was surprised they got that far. As the nation slipped deeper and deeper into despair without any end to the siege in sight, even essential services were beginning to shut down. It had taken an additional two days to walk all the way to the base of the mountain and then up to the city. Or where the city should've been, at least.

"Yo, Sparkler, where is this place exactly?" Frosty asked finally. "We're halfway up the mountain. There's not really much up here besides... y'know, Canterlot."

"This is where Mrs. Doo's friend Cloudcover told us to meet," Sparkler replied, waving away the colt's concern. "Our allies are keeping an eye out for our arrival, so I'm sure we'll run into them any minute."

Lucid peered nervously off the edge of the path, shaking her head slowly as she sized up the enormous crater where the city had one sat. "Ridiculous..." she mumbled under her breath. "I've run the numbers a hundred times. No single unicorn could cast a spell with that much power. It's not a matter of skill; pony physiology doesn't allow for it. There must be multiple ponies involved, or some kind of extremely strong magical artifact..."

Ditzy was the first to admit she didn't know a ton about the workings of magic, but the fact that the five skilled unicorns she was traveling with all seemed equally shocked about what happened here certainly wasn't making her feel any better about the situation.

What did make her feel better was the sound of a voice she knew like the back of her hoof, calling to her from above.

"Hey! Ditzy!"

Ditzy's attention immediately turned skyward, a beaming smile crossing her face as she spotted a red pegasus streaking toward her. She leapt into the air to meet him halfway.

"Breeze!"

The two pegasi met in midair, and Ditzy found herself in her fiance's embrace for the first time in quite a while.

"You're here!" Breeze cheered. "Cloudcover and Watt and I have been patrolling the area on shifts for the last few days in hopes of spotting you. I'm so glad you're safe."

"Safe and successful," Ditzy said proudly. "We brought some allies. Not as many as we were hoping, but definitely better than nothing."

The pair of ponies returned to the ground. "Thank you, all of you, for agreeing to this," he said earnestly. "I know this seems insane, but we won't stand a chance without all your help."

"Don't sweat it, old man," Scorch replied, grinning as his brother snickered beside him. "So like, where's the rest of your crew?"

Breeze jabbed a hoof toward the end of the path, just a few hundred pony-lengths from the edge of the crater. "There."

Ditzy squinted at what he was indicating. It was a tiny wooden building nestled between some large boulders at the side of the path, that barely looked big enough to house three ponies, let alone their whole assembled team.

"Isn't... isn't that a tool shed for Canterlot groundskeepers to use?" she asked hesitantly.

"That's what I said when we arrived here a while back," Breeze replied with a wink. "But... well, you'll see."

The group of ponies approached the shed with varying degrees of skepticism. Breeze pulled open the door, revealing an empty room with a staircase leading down into the earth. Before anypony could ask questions, he led the way down the steps. Ditzy reached the bottom next, and stopped so abruptly that Sparkler bumped into her. Though considering what was around her, she hardly noticed.

Hidden beneath the unassuming shed was a large circular chamber, built of the same white stone as most of Canterlot and decorated with banners bearing stylized images of Celestia and Luna. One or two ponies hurried into or out of halls extending out from the central chamber. Based on the number of exits, Ditzy assumed this must've been an extensive compound.

"What... are we looking at exactly?" Presto asked, wonderment in his voice.

"An excellent question, my boy."

The familiar voice, accented with a Trottingham tang, caught Ditzy's attention immediately. Cloudcover emerged from one of the halls and hurried over to the group. "Ditzy, how wonderful to see you safe," he said, with obvious relief in his tone. "And Presto, to answer your question, you're the first civilians in quite some time to set foot in the headquarters of the Canterlot Royal Secret Service."

"Secret service?" Frosty interjected, his eyebrows raised. "So like, this is some big-time spy movie stuff? Man Scorch, can you imagine if we let Scuff do this without us? He woulda' bragged about it for years!"

"Yes, for security reasons, Celestia saw fit to situate the headquarters outside the Canterlot city limits," Cloudcover explained. "Definitely a wise move, given the situation. Many members that were on royal business are currently trapped inside the city, but we still have a few critical ponies here helping us prepare the operation."

"And you've known about this place all this time?" Ditzy asked. "You've met these ponies and know all the national secrets and yet you've been working as a matchmaker in Ponyville for years?"

"I told you, I retired," Cloudcover chuckled. "But I suppose one never really retires from something like this, do they? This is just the first time the nation is in enough peril that I've had to return to my old post. Now please, we should really get started now that you've all arrived. Watt and a few other ponies critical to our efforts are waiting in the war room; let's go and introduce you all, shall we?"

Not entertaining any further questions, the stallion turned and trotted swiftly down one of the corridors. Breeze glanced at Ditzy and the others and leaned his head in the direction of the hall as if to say 'well, come on', before leading the rest of the group.

Ditzy peeked curiously into the aforementioned war room. The wide area was mostly bare, save for a large central table displaying a map of Equestria. Ditzy only got a glance at it before she was tackled by a blur of yellow fur.

"Ditzy! You're here!"

Ditzy focused her vision, staring up into the eyes of the earth pony that had effectively pinned her to the floor. "Y-yes, hi Watt," she said weakly. "I'm safe and sound. Sparkler and Presto, too. Can you get off of me please?"

Watt seemed to notice his error and hastily backed off. Cloudcover cleared his throat, addressing the gathered group of unicorns.

"To those who don't already know him, this is our friend and ally, Kilowatt Hour," he said, giving the jittery stallion a friendly pat on the back. "But as you can see, he's not the only associate of ours that's been waiting here for your arrival."

For the first time, Ditzy had a chance to look at the other pony seated by the large map. The middle-aged blue-grey mare, wearing a cloak of Canterlot colors, was impossible to mistake, though it was Sparkler who spoke her name first.

"Dean Script! You're here too?"

Spiral Script's expression brightened at the sight of several of her former students. "Hello, Sparkler. I heard you were coming," she greeted. "And I see you brought a few friends!"

"Hi Professor Script!" Lucid chirped, beaming. "I should've guessed that if Canterlot was in danger, you'd be one of the first to lend a hoof."

"You know me too well," Dean Script replied with a bit of a smirk, as she greeted each of the other academy alumni with a nod. "I'd love to catch up with all of you, but unfortunately, this isn't the time or place. Canterlot... no, Equestria is in tremendous peril, and our little team, plus the few ponies in Celestia's secret service, are the only hope left. Take a seat, we'll catch you up on recent events."

Ditzy moved quietly to one of the seats, and the other ponies followed suit. Even Scorch and Frosty seemed to be on their best behavior for once. Cloudcover, who along with the dean seemed to be the most likely to have answers, sat next to her at the head of the table.

"So what exactly is happening?" Presto asked. "All the rumors say Canterlot's been pulled into the sky by the work of a single unicorn, but that can't be possible, can it?"

"Not without some kind of foreign increase in power," Spiral Script confirmed. "We haven't yet pinned down the mechanism, but we do know the pony responsible. And she's another reason I felt I needed to personally get involved in stopping her."

"Ditzy, we've been tricked and manipulated far more gravely than we originally thought," Cloudcover declared. "The unicorn who captured Canterlot and kidnapped the princesses is the same unicorn who we now know was responsible for exposing the dark truth about Dinky, and before that, for undermining Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. All the terrible things that have happened in the last year... they're all the work of Wishing Star."

"Wha... what?" Ditzy babbled, her wings drooping slightly. "I... so... wait, were we working with some kind of supervillain for half a year!?"

"If I can interject," Sparkler cut in, "how do we know the pony responsible if she's inside the city and nopony's been able to get in or out?"

"Because I saw it myself," came a new voice.

Everypony turned to the doorway, where a blue colt that looked to be about Dinky's age was standing. "Sorry I'm late, Dean Script," the newcomer said politely. "I see I missed the arrival of our guests."

"No matter, I knew you'd be back from that latest scouting mission soon," the dean replied, before turning to the ponies seated at the table. "Everypony, this is Tango Trot, one of this year's Student Overseers at Celestia's Academy. He came to me not long before Cloudcover contacted me, and has been a valuable asset these past few weeks, since he knows more about the current events in Canterlot than any of us."

"Pleased to meet you all," Tango Trot greeted, flashing a charming, pearly smile as he moved to an empty seat. "You see, I'm a Canterlot resident, and I was already convinced that something was amiss; I'm clairvoyant, you see, and the premonition I received a day or two ahead of the disaster, 'the fall of Canterlot is inevitable' had me a bit on edge. I was in the crowd that was present to witness our betrayer, Wishing Star, overpower Princess Twilight. Fortunately, I went to seek help as soon as I realized what was happening, and so I was a bit ahead of the panicked crowd that tried to flee the city when Wishing Star began to rip it from the earth. I count myself quite lucky; I was one of the very few ponies to make it out before that barrier went up, and only by a matter of seconds."

His expression grew more serious. "But I know for a fact that a number of Academy students that were making their way home are trapped in that city," he continued, "and as long as I'm still Student Overseer, I won't abandon my duty to them."

"You're very dedicated," Sparkler said with an approving nod. "I think Presto and I would've done the same, had this happened while we were Overseers."

"I mean, we're here aren't we?" Presto asked with a bit of a chuckle. "We may not be part of the Academy anymore, yet here we are."

"And we truly appreciate it," Cloudcover affirmed, briefly saluting with a wing. "Our resources are stretched quite thin right now. I'm sure you've noticed this... effect the incident is having. There's some sort of foul magic at work, messing with ponies' emotions. Trust and goodwill are quickly deteriorating, even among ponies that know each other quite well. Some of the ponies less dedicated to the cause have already given up, and fled to hide in the safety of their homes. We have just the precious few of us in this room, and two or three other members of the secret service that remain. Those who haven't succumbed to the influence of the magic, like the other five Elements of Harmony, have set out across Equestria to try to remind ponies of the power of cooperation, trust, and friendship, in hopes of slowing the effect. But I fear their efforts will be in vain if Canterlot isn't liberated from its siege, and the princesses rescued, very soon."

"Just point us in the direction of the butt we have to kick, and we'll get right to it," Scorch said confidently, hoof-bumping his snickering brother.

"It's not that simple, boys," Spiral Script said, shaking her head. "The first thing we have to do is find out more about this barrier spell that has sealed off Canterlot, and how we can get around it. Tango Trot's been working on it, but if you five former students could join him, I'm sure you could make progress a lot faster. Lucid certainly has the knowledge for reverse-engineering spells, Scorch and Frosty have enough power to try ample experiments, and Sparkler and Presto are born leaders and creative thinkers; together, I know we can solve this."

"Understood," Sparkler said, rising to her hooves and beckoning to all her companions. "Tango, let's all get together and discuss what you've figured out so far."

The six unicorns filed from the room, leaving just the dean and the four members of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services.

"So... what do we do?" Ditzy asked hesitantly. "We don't really have the knowledge to help them with the barrier."

"The dean and I still have a lot of work to do parsing the intel arriving from our agents in the field," Cloudcover explained. "As for you, Ditzy, I need you to do two things. First, write a letter to Dinky. She and her friends have been working on her dark magic in a safe place since this all started, but we're preparing for the final assault, so I need you to summon them here. There are dragon mail services available not far away."

Ditzy nodded. "And the second thing?"

"Even if we get into Canterlot, we don't know how many allies Wishing Star has, or how dangerous she's going to be," Watt chimed in, bolting to the doorway excitedly. "But we're gonna be ready! Turns out this place has its own battle instructor, who trained me and Breeze while you were out with Sparkler and the others."

"Training?" Ditzy asked, cocking her head. "What training?"

"Defending yourself, and fending off other ponies if need be," said Cloudcover matter-of-factly. "Ditzy... you're going to need to practice hoof-to-hoof combat."

"And... time!"

Ditzy felt a forehoof connect with one of the wooden targets... barely. She dropped to the floor and looked helplessly at the earth pony that had been watching her progress as she'd flown around the moving obstacle course, swinging at mechanically-controlled targets that almost always seemed out of her reach.

"I didn't do so well, did I?" she asked meekly.

Defensive Formation, a big brown stallion who embodied the expected qualities of a military officer if Ditzy had ever seen one, nodded. "Well, yes, but that was merely a baseline," he answered, tallying up her score on a clipboard. "Your strength is actually quite impressive, but your aerial movement is below average and your accuracy when it comes to throwing a kick... needs work, especially with moving targets."

Ditzy folded her wings. "With all due respect sir, I doubt those qualities are going to improve much..." she admitted. "My eye condition is pretty severe. I run into things and misjudge distances a lot, especially if I'm trying to move quickly, which would be... all the time if I'm fighting somepony.

"Yes, I suspect you're right," the stallion replied, though with surprisingly little concern in his voice. "Now that we've got the baseline, let's try it again without the handicap and see how much improvement comes just from that."

Ditzy stared uncomprehendingly at the instructor. "Um... how?"

"Cloudcover notified the team of your medical condition as soon as he arrived, days ago," Formation explained, flipping open a box sitting among his equipment. "One of our technicians set to work making sure that wouldn't be a problem."

From the box, the stallion withdrew a helmet meant for a cadet. Affixed to the front was a bulky apparatus that appeared to be built around some sort of heavy-duty goggles. Before Ditzy could ask, the instructor placed the contraption on her head and fastened the strap under her chin with one swift motion.

Other than the fact that she was now staring through two thick glass lenses, Ditzy didn't notice anything different. Her vision was just as doubled as always. "How is this meant to help, exactly?" she asked.

"Well, you're not actually looking straight through those goggles," Formation explained. "The view you're seeing is equivalent to the one you'd see if just looking straight through a lens, but that image is actually being delivered to your eyes by a series of tiny mirrors. There are knobs on each side of the goggles that adjust the angle of the mirrors, so if we just crank the one side downward to compensate for your bad eye's upward drift..."

The stallion gave the little knob a few careful turns. Ditzy watched, speechless, as the two images of the world that she was so used to seeing drifted closer and closer, until finally, they overlapped, forming a single, clear visual view of her surroundings.

Ditzy yanked the helmet off and her double vision returned immediately. She plopped it back on her head again, and once again could see with perfect clarity. She turned to her instructor, unable to articulate what she was feeling.

"I take it we found the right setting," Formation chuckled. "No time to focus on that, though. Now that you can see, I need you to run the target course again."

Ditzy had trained herself to bring her eyes together for a few seconds at a time if need be, but it had been nearly twenty years since the last time she'd been able to see so clearly for more than a moment. She struggled to find the words to thank the stallion for the shocking gift.

"I... this is..."

"Ditzy," the instructor said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I understand you've had this condition for a long time. This is probably a shock. But there are ponies in danger, and there's no time to lose focus now. So as hard as it is, I need you to move past the surprise and show me your skills on the target course, okay?"

Ditzy took a deep breath, and tried to push the overwhelming change to the back of her mind. She turned to the practice course, where the moving targets suddenly seemed much more within reach.

"And... go!"

Ditzy jetted into the air. The goal was simple; hit the targets with any of her hooves. She knew her aerial agility was lackluster, and her actual technique was probably atrocious, but at least this time, she was able to predict the positions of moving targets relative to her own movement. In a matter of seconds, she reached out and bashed the first target with a forehoof, spinning in midair as she did so to lash out with a hind leg and strike the second on its way by. Another one popped out of a slot in the wall, and with her corrected vision, she knew exactly how many flaps she needed to take before she'd be able to reach out and strike it.

I haven't felt this in-control anywhere besides the open sky in years!

A minute or two later, when Defensive Formation called time, Ditzy had managed to lay at least some kind of hit on nearly every target. The earth pony smiled as she landed in front of him.

"Now that is a good starting point for training," he affirmed, and Ditzy couldn't help but beam at him. "Now, pay attention please. Here's some tricks you can use to refine those moves..."

"Alright, Dinky, try it again," Pip encouraged.

Dinky covered herself in a cloak of darkness, just as she'd seen Scorpio do. As expected, the inky smoke no longer flowed freely off her body, but instead surrounded her, swirling around her legs and encircling her torso. It almost had a bit of weight to it, she noticed, like she was wearing darkness as a garment.

Honeydew carefully took a step closer, examining the magic surrounding her friend. "Well, that's a little less scary than most of your powers, at least," she admitted. "So you can use it to manipulate your surroundings, like Scorpio did?"

"I can," Dinky replied, letting the darkness extend beyond her outstretched forehoof and lifting one of her saddlebags off the deck with it, "but I'm not sure how that helps us. We can already do the same thing with levitation magic. I'm sure it's much more useful for a non-unicorn like Scorpio."

"You said Scorpio also used it to absorb attacks," Clarity pointed out. "That sounds more useful for our purposes. Can it absorb any kind of magical attack?"

"Only one way to find out," Dinky announced, turning her glowing eyes to the brown colt standing nearby. "Scuffle, toss a spell at me. It doesn't have to be a strong one."

"You got it, Dinks," Scuffle said as magic sprung up around his horn. "An elemental attack, or just magical energy?"

"One of each," Dinky answered. "We've got to be thorough."

Scuffle took careful aim, making sure everypony other than Dinky was out of the range of his spell. A bright blue laser burst from his horn, and she winced as it bore down on her, bracing for the stinging pain.

None came. The spell was swallowed up by the darkness. Dinky didn't feel a thing, and she knew Scuffle could tell, judging by his expression.

"Defensive dark magic, huh?" he asked. "That would be really cool if casting dark magic didn't feel so... vile. I'll stick to my shields and stuff."

"Smart move," Dinky laughed. "Now try a fireball."

Scuffle did as he was told, and this time the result wasn't quite as clean. Dinky's cloak still absorbed the impact of the spell, but definitely felt the strong heat for a few moments before the attack could be fully absorbed into it. "It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing," she said finally. "I don't know if it'll be enough to protect me from the pony controlling Canterlot, but if it ends up being the dividing line between injury and death, I'll take it."

A flash of green fire appeared right in front of the young wraith's face. Reflexively, she snatched the resulting dragon-mail scroll out of the air on it's way down.

"Oh, finally, an update!" Clarity gasped. "Who's it from, Dinky? And what's it say?"

Dinky opened the letter, her wraith voice characteristically raspy as she read aloud.

Dear Dinky,

I hope you and your friends are okay. Cloudcover assures me you're safe, but you know me. I worry anyway.

Sparkler, Presto, and I have gathered up a few ponies you might know. We're now at the Canterlot Secret Service's HQ just below the city. Cloudcover says it's almost time to make our move, so please use the hot air balloon to make your way here. One of us will be on lookout to make sure you don't miss us.

Oh, and try to make the journey in one flight if you can. Don't stop in any towns. The ponies of Equestria aren't as friendly right now as you're used to.

Safe travels, honey.
-Mom

"We have to go all the way to Canterlot in the balloon?" Scuffle griped. "We're on the edge of the continent, and balloons aren't exactly the fastest means of travel. It's gonna take days!"

"Do we have enough supplies left to make the journey without restocking somewhere?" Honeydew asked.

"I think so, but we'll have to work in shifts," Clarity instructed. "If we want to keep moving in the right direction, one of us will need to maintain a wind spell at all times. We'll switch off every few hours so nopony gets too exhausted."

"Too bad we don't have a pegasus to pull us along like we did on the way here," Dinky said, jokingly manipulating the layer of darkness surrounding her body to form a pair of ethereal black wings. "It would certainly speed things up, but dark magic or not, we're still as grounded as a—"

Dinky didn't get to finish her sentence. Mainly because she'd sent a pulse of magic from her horn to make the fabricated wings flap, and was stunned into immediate silence as her forehooves lifted momentarily off the ground.

"You... you all saw that, right?" Pipsqueak asked finally, turning to the other ponies to make sure.

"W-wait, this doesn't make sense," Dinky stuttered, glancing over her shoulder as the fake wings waited motionless for her magic to move them again. "I was just making a joke. I mean, there's no bone, no muscle. Even if I can move them with magic, why can they lift me?"

"We've... seen you use extensions of that layer of darkness to pick up objects," Clarity said slowly. "If it's able to manipulate those... I guess it makes sense that it can also move you?"

"They're not attached to my body," Dinky argued, swinging a hoof right through one of the smoky wings and watching it disrupt before forming back into shape. "This spell just surrounds me in a layer of darkness. I can pass right through it if I want to."

"It can also block projectiles and spells when you want it to," Scuffle pointed out. "I'm far from an expert, but it seems like your magic determines what can and can't get through it. So could it be that the magic itself is able to push against the air, while your body just dangles inside it? Y'know, like you're the potatoes in a magic flying sack."

In different circumstances, Dinky might've commented on the unusual metaphor, but what Scuffle was saying made sense. "Unicorns can't fly with levitation, but... I guess if I can create something that can generate lift the same way a pegasus does... maybe I can?"

"I'm going to ask you now to be careful, please," Honeydew added dryly. "I know trying to talk you out of attempting it will be a waste of time, so I'm just skipping to the next step."

Dinky snickered. "Don't worry. I'll start small. I just need to check if this really works."

As she'd said, there were no muscles to move, so Dinky spread the black wings entirely with her will and her magic. She gave them an experimental flap, feeling the wood beneath her hooves fall away for just a fraction of a second. Focusing on channeling her dark magic along her body and into the cloak around her, she closed her eyes and sent energy down her back in rhythmic pulses.

Flap. Flap. Flap.

When the wraith dared to open her eyes again, she was hovering a pony-length or so off the deck, bobbing in the air with each slow beat of the false wings. Her four companions simply stared at her, mouths agape, as if witnessing a miracle.

Scuffle had been right; Dinky realized. She felt like she was being supported by a net; no physical input was keeping her aloft, only magical. Just by willing it, the covering of darkness was able to cradle her form as it lifted her into the air.

"So," Scuffle said loudly, breaking the long silence. "Guess Dinks is an alicorn now. Wraithicorn? Ali...wraith? Nono, I got it. Wralicorn!"

Clarity rolled her eyes. "They're just magic, Scuffle. I don't think that changes her status as a species."

"Can we stop arguing semantics and get back to the part where Dinky can fly?" Pip blurted. "I mean, this is a big deal, right?"

"That depends on how much I can do with them!" Dinky announced, unable to hold back a grin as the reality of her situation started to sink in. "Be right back; I'm gonna take this spell for a little test run!"

Dinky increased her magical output, and the wingbeats quickly grew faster and stronger, lifting her up and away from the deck. The last thing she heard before she was out of earshot was Honeydew's defeated sigh.

"Yep, and this is the part where she stops being careful..."

It really didn't take much energy at all to make the wings flap, and with all of Scorpio's stolen power flowing through her, flying was almost effortless. Dinky shot upward, gazing at the sea and the coastline in wonder as she quickly gained a bird's eye view like none she had experienced before.

After a moment, she slowed her ascent, hovering in the air. Below her, the shipwreck looked like no more than a toy, and her friends a small collection of colored specks against the wood. A bit of vertigo struck, turning her stomach a bit.

Okay, maybe that was a bit much to start, she thought as she closed her eyes and waited for the sensation to pass. I'm not a pegasus. Unicorns definitely aren't built for this.

Cautiously, Dinky opened one eye again and took in her surroundings. Thin, wispy clouds floated silently by, and the distant parts of Equestria caught the light of the sun. She stayed relatively still, bobbing in midair with each beat of her wings, as she adjusted to the motion and altitude.

I may not be built for it... but I think I could get used to this.

More slowly this time, Dinky climbed higher into the clouds. The cool November air combined with the altitude made the environment grow frigid; ice crystals started to form on her deep violet coat, and each breath left her as a puff of steam. For a while, she glided along above the clouds, breathing hard in the lower oxygen that accompanied elevation.

"This... this is actually real, isn't it?" she mumbled aloud, her voice the only sound in the silent sky. "There was so much more to dark magic than I ever realized. I can't just attack and defend... I can enchant and create illusions and interact with the world in ways even unicorn magic can't, and now... now I can fly."

The atmosphere did not respond. The silence allowed a less-elated thought to creep into her mind and slip past her lips.

"And despite everything the darkness has given me... it's also taken something away," she whispered. "All these powers are great now, but to receive them at the expense of my heart... someday, when they finally fade away, I'll fade with them..."

The wraith shivered, and not just because of the cold. After a moment, she shook her head.

There will be time to address that later, Dinky! she internally scolded. Heart or not, your friends and family, and all of Equestria, need you. Even if you can't save yourself, you can still save them!

Dinky tucked her wings and dove through the clouds. Her eyes watered as air screamed past her, and the deck of the ship grew larger and larger in her vision. A hundred pony-lengths or so before she reached the ground, she began flapping hard, slowing her descent until her smoke-enrobed hooves touched lightly down on the deck.

"To answer your question, Pip," she said, shaking ice off her coat and letting the magic wings dissipate into formless smoke, "Yeah, I'd say this is a big deal."

"This is great! Dinky pulling the balloon along will save us so much time!" Clarity exclaimed. "Turn on the balloon's burner. We could reach Canterlot by sunset if we get started now!"

"So this is really it?" Honeydew squeaked, fidgeting uncomfortably as she and Scuffle started to set up the balloon. "We're going to go try to save Equestria again?"

"Maybe it'll be less dangerous than when we saved it from Scorpio," Scuffle said encouragingly. "We have a lot more ponies on our side this time. Experienced spies. Talented mages. Freakin' Dinky, who's like... a force of nature at this point. We got this."

Dinky nodded as she trotted to the balloon basket. "Well, we better get started."

"Actually..." Pipsqueak interjected, stepping in front of her, "there's one last thing to discuss. I'm afraid that, erm... while I'm a strong, fit pony, I'm probably not currently as useful when it comes to saving the world as the spies and mages Scuffle mentioned."

"Aw Pip, don't say that," Dinky pleaded, hoping her empathy projected well despite still being in intimidating wraith form. "You're a trained naval cadet. You're definitely useful, even for something like this."

Pip smirked. "Ah, but let me finish, love," he chided. "I didn't say I'm not going to help. I said I currently can't offer much help. I think I know a way to improve our chances a bit more, to put my talents and training to good use... but I'm going to have to make a detour before I head to Canterlot. I need you to drop me off on the coastline and go on without me; I'll catch up."

"Catch up?" Dinky asked, glancing at the tiny pink bubble on the horizon that she knew was Canterlot. "Pip, we're not going just up the road. Whatever is going to happen would be over long before you made it there on foot, and I'm not sure the trains are still running."

"I know, Dinky, but—"

"Plus, you heard what was in mom's letter!" Dinky continued, the smoke around her swirling as she grew more heated. "The whole nation is dangerous right now. Ponies everywhere are acting nasty and paranoid. You could wind up in huge trouble if you go it alone."

"Yes, but I—"

"And I know you're avoiding telling me what you're up to because you're going to do something risky and—"

Pip lightly pressed a forehoof against Dinky's snout, preventing her from speaking. "Dinky, I love you, but I need you to put a sock in it for a moment and let me speak."

Dinky's volatile temper flared, and for a moment she considered sinking her fangs into the hoof in front of her. A quick look into Pip's pleading brown eyes quickly let her overcome the wraith instinct, though.

"First of all, you're right," Pip admitted, slowly lowering his hoof. "Splitting up is dangerous, especially under the circumstances. But I have a plan that can get us some... resources. I know it will help our cause if I can pull it off. It involves some measure of stealth since it's... not entirely legal... so the more of us there are, the less likely it will work. So... I'm going to need you to trust me on this."

Dinky deflated. "Stealth? What if you get caught? Or hurt?"

"Those are possibilities," Pip said, nodding. "But if you recall, Dinky, your plan to increase your dark magic skills involved putting yourself in a situation vastly more dangerous than the one I'm about to put myself in, and I still trusted your judgement. Now I'm asking you to do the same."

Clarity stepped up beside Dinky and nodded. "He has a point," she said softly. "Your plan was crazy, but it worked out and made you a lot more powerful. I think we should give him the same benefit of the doubt."

Dinky looked back and forth between her Pip and Clarity. Slowly, she melted away and reformed as her pony self, before stepping forward and throwing her forelegs around her coltfriend and resting her head against his chest.

"Do what you have to do, but be careful," she muttered. "I expect to see you safe and sound at Canterlot once you've taken care of... whatever it is you're up to."

She felt Pip's snout nuzzle her mane, shockingly gentle for how big and strong he was. "I'll catch up in no time," he whispered back. "And remember... we won't really be apart, right?"

He clutched the diamond pendant around his neck with a hoof, and Dinky felt the warmth of her matching one radiating against her chest. She couldn't help but smile.

"Make sure you don't get yourself killed before I get there, either," Pip added.

Dinky's smile morphed into a snarky grin. "I'll do my best."

"Balloon's ready!" Scuffle called. "Dinks, quit snuggling and break out those wings of yours. We gotta go!"

Dinky stepped away from Pip and let the darkness burst forth from her again, restoring her wraith form along with its new faux-wings. "Guess there's no putting it off," she admitted as she donned the pegasus harness. "Climb in and hold on tight, everypony; we're dropping off Pip, and then... we've got a one-way ticket to Canterlot."

"7:24 PM. No sign of 'em."

"Thanks Watt," said Ditzy dully.

Watt trotted to and fro, equipped with a large pair of binoculars that he kept fixed on the eastern sky. Which was more or less pointless, for now; even if they'd left right away, Dinky and her friends wouldn't be arriving for a day or two. This fact had not curbed Watt's enthusiasm for sentry duty.

"7:25 PM. No sign of 'em."

Ditzy opted not to answer Watt this time as she and Breeze stood at the edge of the cliff, looking at the floating city. "So, sounds like Sparkler's team of unicorns is making progress, huh?" she asked.

"They've definitely identified the nature of the spell," Breeze said with a nod. "I won't pretend to understand all their jargon, but I think they know what they need to do to disrupt it now. It's going to be a coordinated effort, though. It will take at least five or six of them to cast the complex spell they need to pull off."

Ditzy nodded slowly. "They've got it," she said confidently. "I'm more worried about what happens when we get past the barrier."

"7:26 PM. No sign of 'em."

"I hear your combat training is going well," Breeze continued, ignoring Watt's update. "Not that I expected anything less. You're tough as nails; you'd never have made it through everything you've been through over the years if you weren't."

Ditzy shrugged. "I mean, hitting a target is one thing, but all those kicks and jabs and defensive moves he showed me? I don't know if I'd be able to pull them off in real time against an opponent."

She felt Breeze drape a wing over her back. "Nonsense. I've seen what you can do when the ponies you love are in danger. With that helmet correcting your vision, you're a force to be reckoned with."

Ditzy blushed slightly at the praise. That was a good argument, she supposed.

"7:27 PM. No sign of— wait. Wait! Balloon! Balloon! I'll go round up everypony!"

Watt hurled the binoculars into the air and bolted into the secret base. Ditzy leapt forward, propelling herself with her wings, and managed to catch them before they hit the rocky ground. "What's he talking about?" she asked. "Dinky can't possibly be here already..."

Breeze squinted at the sky. "Well, there's something up there, but it's too far out to be sure with the naked eye."

Ditzy slid her new helmet off and held the binoculars up to her eyes. In the east, there was in fact a balloon, and it appeared it was being pulled along by something.

"Dinky didn't have any other pegasi with her, so if that's their balloon... who's pulling it?"

The incoming craft changed course suddenly, angling toward Ditzy's location. As it did, she caught a glimpse of a thin trail of smoke behind it.

"Smoke?" Breeze asked. "Do they have... some kind of engine? Is that how they got here so quickly?"

Whatever dark object was guiding the balloon suddenly dipped dramatically downward, pulling it along at significant speed. Ditzy could see the smoke clearly now, billowing off the means of locomotion in black clouds.

"Is it... supposed to be doing that?"

"No normal engine would be smoking that much," Breeze admitted. "I think they might be crash landing! Get clear!"

"But—"

"They'll bail out by teleport if they need to," Breeze reminded her, cutting her argument off. "Take cover, now!"

The two pegasi dove behind a wide outcropping of rock, and Ditzy cringed as she waited for the sound of the engine crashing down on the rock, and hopefully, the familiar pop of a few teleportation spells.

Instead, she heard a voice. Intimidating and raspy, but very familiar.

"Mom, relax. It's just us."

Ditzy blinked and scrambled out from behind the outcrop, just as the balloon basket touched down safely on the ground. Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle stepped out, unharmed, but Ditzy hardly noticed their presence at first.

The object that had been guiding the balloon, and producing so much smoke, was not an engine at all, but a very familiar wraith with a very unfamiliar pair of big black wings, the tips of each feather dissolving into the air as wisps of dark vapor.

"Heya, mom!" Dinky called, producing a playful fanged grin at her mother's speechlessness. "Everything worked out pretty good while we were hiding out. I learned a lot of new tricks that can probably help us."

Ditzy still failed to respond, but Dinky picked up on the focus of her attention pretty quickly. "Oh, and I can fly now," she added casually.

"...I can see that," Ditzy finally managed, bewildered.

Dinky threw off the harness and returned to her pony appearance, causing the wings to vanish along with the rest of her monstrous features. "So where's everypony else?" she asked.

"We heard you found a few allies we already know," Clarity added. "Did you get somepony from school?"

Before Ditzy and Breeze could explain, a commotion, punctuated by Watt's chattering voice, came from the stairwell leading into the base. "Well, we'll let you see for yourselves," she said.

One by one, ponies stepped out of the tunnel and onto the clifftop. At the front were Watt, Cloudcover, and Dean Script, the last of which brightened when she saw the four new arrivals.

"Ah, so you are here! That was fast," the dean commented.

"Dean Script!" Dinky gasped. "I... first of all, I'm so sorry about what happened at school, I heard about the chaos and—"

"That wasn't your fault and this isn't the time to worry about it anyway," the dean replied, matter-of-factly. "Counselor Wishing Star is the one to blame, both for what happened to you at the Academy, and for what's currently happening to Canterlot."

"Whoa, what?" Scuffle laughed, looking equal parts amused and skeptical. "We worked out that she had something to do with Dinky's forced transformation on our own, but ol' Wishing Star never seemed like supervillain material."

"I can assure you, Scuffle, it's quite true," Tango chimed in as he emerged from the base.

"Tango Trot!"

Honeydew was never one for frivolous, short-distance teleportation, but the moment the blue colt appeared, she vanished from the balloon basket in a flash of green and reappeared in front of him an instant later, throwing her forelegs around him and squeezing tightly as if to confirm he was really there.

"Honeydew, my friend, whatever is the matter?" Tango asked, patting her on the back uncertainly. "You seem to be unharmed..."

"I was terrified for you!" Honeydew squeaked, clinging to the young stallion for a few moments more. "I thought you'd be trapped up there in Canterlot, in terrible danger or worse, and I thought your last memory of me might be resent because of what happened the last time we saw each other but you're still my friend and it kept me up at night wondering if I'd hurt your feelings when I—"

"Hush now," Tango said soothingly. "I'm perfectly fine, and I couldn't possibly resent you. I meant what I said when we spoke in front of the castle; you're a cherished friend and valued research partner, even if we're not quite right for each other beyond that."

Honeydew sighed with relief and backed off a few paces. "Thanks," she mumbled, smiling shyly. "I really needed to hear that."

"Tango," Dean Script interjected. "Not to interrupt, but where is the rest of the team?"

"Sparkler was going over some final instructions with them," Tango replied. "They should be here any moment."

"And speaking of missing members..." Cloudcover added. "Dinky, where's that nephew of mine? Isn't he with you?"

"Pip had some sort of plan to gain access to something that might help us out," Dinky explained. "There was no time to discuss details, but he promised he'd be here as soon as he can."

"Speaking of backup, how many more ponies are on our side for this?" Clarity asked.

"Including Sparkler and Presto, we've got five more," the dean answered. "For the four of you, they should be quite familiar."

"Oi, quit shovin'!" came a voice from the stairs.

"Then get your fat backside outta the way!" another voice replied. "I'm gonna be the one to make the dramatic entrance!"

"Like heck you are!" the first voice replied.

Scuffle's ears stood on end. "Those voices..." he whispered, turning to Ditzy with a look of pure betrayal. "You didn't. You didn't!"

Scorch and Frosty burst out of the doorway nearly simultaneously, practically tripping over one another in the process. "Don't worry, kids, the big boys are here to save the day!" Frosty announced.

Scuffle rolled his eyes. "Sure you are. I feel so much safer," he grumbled.

Frosty scowled. "Can it, Scuff!"

"Yeah, you're lucky we could take time out of our busy schedules to come save your sorry ass," Scorch added.

Scuffle looked at Ditzy helplessly. "Really, Mrs. Doo? The best help you and Sparkler could drum up was Scorch and Frosty?"

Ditzy offered an apologetic smile. "Well, no, we have somepony else too. Sparkler wanted to balance power with finesse, and our other ally specializes in the second."

Lucid poked her head up from the hidden stairwell. "You flatter me, Mrs. Doo," she commented as she stepped out, with several notepads and clipboards suspended in her aura.

It was Clarity's turn to look dumbstruck. "Lucid!" she cried, eagerly trotting over to greet her sister.

"Thank Celestia, you're safe just like Mrs. Doo said," Lucid replied, sliding her glasses out of the way and nuzzling her little sister for a moment. "Mom and dad and I were really scared when we heard you'd disappeared with Dinky, but I can't really say I was surprised; you're just about the last pony that would ever abandon a friend."

Walking side by side, Sparkler and Presto finally emerged from the base. "So, is this everypony?" Presto asked, while Sparkler took in the crowd with her usual stoic expression.

"For the moment, yes," Dean Script replied. "We were expecting one more, but Cloudcover's nephew will not be arriving for a while."

"What's everypony's status?" Sparkler asked. "Is everypony fit and alert and ready to make this happen? Honeydew in particular was under the influence of a nymph last time I saw her..."

"I'm fine now, thanks to Scuffle!" Honeydew chirped, beaming in her coltfriend's direction. "Right now the nymph's contained in a jar in my bag; she'll be fine there until things go back to normal."

If we're all ready, then let's all go inside," Cloudcover instructed. "We can take a few moments to catch up with our loved ones and take care of any final, unfinished business. And then... it's time to discuss everypony's role in the final assault."

Ditzy stood in the corner of the war room, leaning against the wall and slowly working her wings to make sure she was ready to fly. She definitely didn't consider herself one of the leaders, or even critical members, of this operation, and planned to simply await instruction. For now, she was content to watch the ponies around her.

Cloudcover, her old friend, always so mellow, now stood reviewing charts and drawing up strategic diagrams for the other secret service ponies with the confidence of an old pro. Everypony had their secrets, she supposed; her own daughter was as good an indication as any that sometimes even ponies with big secrets had to carry on with normal lives.

Not far away was Watt, as energetic and enthusiastic as ever. To the untrained eye, Ditzy supposed, it might seem like the earth pony wasn't taking things seriously, but she knew that was a lie. Just because the situation was grave didn't mean it couldn't be tackled with the same vigor that more positive happenings would receive. Watt was simply putting his energy to good use.

Sparkler stood with Presto, Lucid, Scorch, and Frosty once again. There was no doubt in Ditzy's mind anymore that the stern young mare had taken up the role of leader of her former classmates. Presto and Lucid seemed to defer to her for instructions, and even Scorch and Frosty tended to do as they were told, though they made sure to loudly rationalize their actions so ponies around them were clear that they definitely weren't just following Sparkler's orders.

Ditzy couldn't help but smile as she watched the purplish mare work. She still sported a steely, no-nonsense personality, but she had drive and determination that wasn't there a few months earlier. The dour, hopeless Sparkler was long gone. A new Sparkler, serious and fierce but with obvious care and concern for her allies, had emerged after being buried for so long. And as long as Presto remained by her side, it seemed she'd only continue to improve.

Next, Ditzy turned her attention to Spiral Script. The mare was poring over a map of Canterlot, marking dozens of locations with a quill. Though they hardly knew each other, Ditzy felt a lot of respect for the accomplished unicorn; after all, four of Dinky's five years at the Academy were under her care. More and more, she admired the dean's dedication to her students, and to Equestria.

Dinky, Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, and Tango Trot stood huddled together, which came as no surprise to Ditzy at all. She'd only caught snippets of their conversation, but it sounded like Tango was being filled in on all the details of Dinky's life as a wraith. Fortunately, the Overseer seemed quick to accept what they said, but that wasn't surprising either; he'd been working with Clarity all year, and appeared to be quite close with Honeydew, too.

And finally, there was Breeze, standing by Ditzy's side and taking in the scene just like she was. Attentive, dependable, and ready to help in any way he could.

If we make it out of this, it's high time I marry that stallion for real.

As Ditzy stood with her fiance', she couldn't help but marvel at the energy of the room. Ponies of all three races, and across a range of ages from the students just over eighteen to the aging Cloudcover or Dean Script, were gathered here with a single purpose. And while the weight of the task ahead hung heavily on all of them, there was still an unshakable companionship that bound them all together. Old friends talked and even laughed together, despite the grim state of the world around them, and everypony seemed determined to help and support one another to achieve their overall goal.

Love, friendship, and all the other Magic of the Heart may be fading from Equestria... Ditzy thought, but Wishing Star hasn't snuffed it out entirely just yet. So many citizens have given up hope, but among these ponies, it's still alive and well.
Dr. Candyfloss would be proud if he were here to see this.

Cloudcover flapped his wings, lifting himself into the air above the other ponies. "Your attention please, everypony," he called. "Please listen closely to Dean Script and myself. It's time to go over the plan."

Dean Script lit her horn and projected a diagram of Canterlot and its surrounding barrier into a blank wall. "For this effort to be successful, we will unfortunately need to split into two parties," Cloudcover continued. "The reason for this comes down to the nature of the barrier surrounding Canterlot. Lucid, I believe you can explain it best."

Lucid nodded vaguely as she continued to watch the reading on one of her instruments. "I've finished my comprehensive study of the spell, and it's just about as complex as I feared," she admitted, sliding her glasses up the bridge of her nose each time it gave a nervous twitch. "I still don't know how one unicorn could possibly be maintaining it from within, but I think I do know how to penetrate it from outside. The barrier has resisted all attempts to teleport past it or blow it open so far because it's actually constantly changing; the type of magical energy that would be necessary to bust a hole in it is different from moment to moment, making it hard to focus one part of it with the correct energy long enough to break through."

"How can we counteract that?" Clarity asked. "Do the changes follow a pattern?"

"They don't," Lucid sighed. "I've got another solution, but it's a lot more complicated. We might be able to refocus magic thrown at the shield in real time to make sure the right sort of energy is always in use, but it's going to require constant attention and a coordinated effort by several unicorns. To make matters worse, the disruptive effects of the barrier on magic might cause any of us who do make it inside to have spells fail or misfire, unless somepony is out here consistently cancelling the disruption with... well, another disruption."

"For those of you who aren't especially versed in magic, this means we need a minimum of five unicorns besides myself to stay outside Canterlot, in order to give the rest of us a chance of getting in and succeeding while inside," Dean Script explained. "I absolutely need Scorch, Frosty, and Lucid to stay out here; the twins are the only two who can maintain a strong attack spell for an especially extended period of time, and Lucid's instruments are the only thing that will allow us to keep up with the changes in the barrier's weakness. I will also be staying outside; I have a spell that may be able to weaken Wishing Star's hold on Canterlot, but it will require one of the ponies on the inside to carve specific runes around the city. The earth ponies and pegasi, as well as Dinky, our secret weapon, must go inside the city once the way has been cleared. Does this make sense so far?"

Most of the assembled ponies nodded.

"The only ponies that are still unassigned to one team or the other are Clarity, Honeydew, Scuffle, Tango Trot, Sparkler, and Presto. I need two volunteers from among you six to help us with the barrier, while the rest join the team entering Canterlot."

"If Dinky's going to face Wishing Star, I'm going too," Clarity declared, rushing to Dinky's side.

"Same," Scuffle declared. "I'd probably rather be in there with some psycho unicorn than out here with Scorch and Frosty, anyway."

The twins snarled, but their intimidation went unacknowledged.

"Um... me too," Honeydew admitted. "If there's one thing I've learned these last few years, it's that I'd rather be in peril right beside my friends than hiding and worrying myself to death."

"That makes this easy," Tango Trot chuckled. "Sparkler and Presto work well together anyway, so they can remain out here while I—"

"Err, hang on," Ditzy interrupted. "Can I make a suggestion?"

All eyes turned to the grey pegasus. "Of course, Ditzy," Cloudcover invited. "Do you have a different idea?"

"I know this isn't what you guys were planning..." Ditzy continued, speaking directly to all the gathered students, "but I think... maybe Sparkler should come to Canterlot with us. While you're all powerful and talented, we need a pony in there to coordinate the magic side of things like Dean Script is doing out here. And it's become clear to me that Sparkler is the pony who is best at that."

Sparkler looked shocked. "...That's flattering, Mrs. Doo," she finally managed, looking slightly away. "But... then... Presto will stay outside, while I go on ahead?"

Presto placed a hoof gently on Sparkler's shoulder. "Mrs. Doo has a point, you know," he admitted, though he looked less than happy about it. "You are a natural leader. You might be just what they need to turn the tide. Just be careful in there."

Sparkler's legendary composure faltered for a moment, and she turned to her friend with an uncertain look. "...I'll go with them, if you think it's the right move," she said finally. "And let's both be careful. Who knows what lies ahead."

"So Sparkler is going and Tango is staying with us?" Dean Script asked. "We don't have enough for barrier duty if they both go. Unless you want to rearrange further?"

Tango and Honeydew exchanged a glance. "Unless Presto accompanies Sparkler into Canterlot and Honeydew and I become your two volunteers instead?" he ventured.

Honeydew frowned. After a moment, she shook her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Tango, I'm sorry but... I need to stay with Scuffle and Dinky and Clarity," she said, her voice surprisingly decisive. "I hate that I have to choose, but..."

She trailed off, but fortunately, Tango offered her an understanding smile. "You know what's best for you, my dear friend," he conceded, patting her comfortingly. "In that case, Presto and I are your two volunteers, Dean Script."

"Then I believe it's time," the dean replied solemnly. "We've received word from the remaining Elements of Harmony that even their efforts haven't stopped the slow disintegration of friendship and trust in Equestria. If we fail now... there may be nopony left to succeed."

Ditzy stood at the edge of the cliff, her wings spread wide as she prepared to fly. Right beside her was Dinky, now in her wraith form, doing the same action, but with wings of smoke and blackness instead of feather, flesh, and bone.

That was going to take some getting used to.

The rest of the team stood at the ready to fly or teleport. Or in Watt's case, to be carried through the air by Breeze and Cloudcover. There was nothing to do now but wait for the dean's team of unicorns to make their move.

"Clarity!" Dean Script called. "If things turn violent, and I'm afraid that's quite likely, I want you to handle carving those runes I mentioned. Keep hidden, and place as many as you can around the perimeter. Understand?"

Clarity glanced at the notepaper of runes the dean had given her and nodded. "She hasn't really explained what the runes will do, though" she said, quietly enough that only the few ponies standing near her could hear. "That seems odd, considering how much detail she and Lucid went into about the other spells."

"Maybe she figures we already have enough to remember?" Dinky offered.

"No time to dwell on it," Scuffle pointed out. "Looks like they're starting!"

"Scorch, Frosty, I hope you two are as strong as you say you are," Dean Script called as she indicated a spot on the surface of the barrier. "Focus your spells right there, and don't let up until I say so."

Scorch and Frosty reared up in unison, whooping and bellowing nonsensical war cries. Twin beams of energy burst from their horns, converging in midair and striking the barrier with such force that Ditzy felt the impact in her chest from hundreds of pony-lengths away.

"Ok, I've got a read on the initial reaction of the barrier," Lucid announced, quickly adjusting several knobs on the small metal console she was carrying in her aura. "The attack was effective for... jeez, barely five seconds. This is gonna be tricky."

"Presto!" Dean Script barked, undeterred by the news. "Time for the focusing spell. Adjust the twins' energy each time Lucid instructs you to... which apparently will be every five seconds."

The black and white stallion galloped over to Lucid, magic already springing up around his horn. A large, glimmering lens appeared halfway between the twins and the barrier itself, adjusting the speed and width of their lasers as they passed through it.

"Okay, focus it to 84% and narrow the point of impact," Lucid instructed. "Oh, and now it's changing again. Increase power to 93% and widen it a pony-length or so."

For several minutes, the cycle continued, Lucid frantically translating the readings into commands and Presto making them happen. Just as Ditzy was beginning to think it was fruitless, a loud, glass-like cracking sound rung through the air, as damage began to spread outward across the pink barrier from the point of impact. Another minute or so later, a whole section of it shattered apart, leaving an opening several pony-lengths wide."

"Do not stop the assault!" Dean Script ordered. "Maintain that opening! Tango Trot, begin anti-magic-disruption measures."

Tango's icy blue aura flared brightly, casting shadows across the rocks where the other ponies were standing. "I think I've got it!" he announced. "Wishing Star's magic jamming should be neutralized, for now. It's now safe to teleport through the opening without worrying about the spell fizzling out mid-travel."

"That's our cue!" Cloudcover cried. "Infiltration team, go! Into Canterlot, as fast as you can!"

Sparkler was gone immediately, swept up in her teleportation spell. "See you soon, sis!" Clarity called, before disappearing in a flash of red. Scuffle and Honeydew exchanged a silent, urgent glance, and then both teleported as well. Squinting, Ditzy could just make out the flicker of their magic as the four of them appeared inside the opening in the shield around Canterlot.

"Let's go, let's go!" Cloudcover urged, as he and Breeze lifted Watt into the air, and the hoofful of other pegasi from Celestia's secret service carried their earth pony brethren into the sky as well. Ditzy quickly strapped her vision correcting helmet onto her head, bringing Canterlot into sharp focus, and took to the air. And for the first time, her daughter sailed along beside her.

"Uh, mom? Why are you staring at me?"

Ditzy's thoughts snapped back to reality and she shook her head. "Sorry," she chuckled weakly. "I'm just not used to seeing you in the air. I've barely gotten used to seeing you in your wraith form."

Dinky flashed a fanged grin. "I wish I could say looks alone would be enough to scare Wishing Star off, but I don't think it's gonna be that easy," she replied.

The two ponies flew faster as the edge of Canterlot began to draw near. It was Dinky who spoke next, but this time her tone was entirely different.

"Mom... you know, there's a good chance some of us aren't gonna make it out of this," she mumbled. "And everypony's counting on my magic to skew things in our favor. And I know how much you hate it when I'm in danger..."

Ditzy nodded. "Well, yes hon, I'm terrified," she admitted. "I'm sure you're even more terrified, considering the burden Princess Celestia has put on you. But Cloudcover and Dean Script are right. It's taken me days to come to terms with it, but... we might actually be Equestria's last hope. Just... be safe, and do what you have to do."

To Ditzy's surprise, Dinky smiled. She turned to face Canterlot again, and after a moment, responded with just a few words.

"Thanks for trusting me."

Most of the members of the secret service took off into the city, apparently to take up positions around the perimeter of the castle to provide support. Ditzy and Dinky were two of the last ponies to touch down on the cobble streets of Canterlot. Just in time, it seemed, as no more than twenty seconds later, the opening in the magical wall began to close and Scorch and Frosty's energy finally started to peter out. Soon, the shimmering pink barrier was whole again, sealing the team of nine ponies off from the rest of the world.

"No turning back now, huh?" Watt asked, rearing up and placing his forehooves against the solid magic as he peered down at the landscape far below.

"Afraid not, old chap," Cloudcover confirmed, turning instead toward the center of the capital. "Be on guard, everypony. We're making our way to the castle."

Ditzy folded her wings against her sides. Huddled together with Breeze and Dinky, she followed Cloudcover's lead toward whatever fate awaited her.

"Where is everypony?" Honeydew asked finally, breaking the tense silence.

"Hiding, I guess," Scuffle replied. "I'd hide too if a psycho mare kidnapped my whole city and there was nothing I could do about it."

"And if Lucid's right about the fading magic in Equestria, I'm sure the distrust and paranoia that ponies are experiencing sure isn't helping," Clarity added.

Dinky didn't comment, but she was silently grateful that all the residents of Canterlot were keeping out of sight. The thought of what was to come weighed heavily on her mind.

After I nearly killed Sparkler a few years ago, I swore I'd never turn my dark magic directly on another pony again, she recalled. But if a single pony really has kidnapped all the princesses and is threatening all of Equestria, it may be time to break that promise.

She knew that all the ponies around her, and even the princesses themselves, were counting on her to do just that, but it didn't make the prospect of it any more appealing.

The gate of the castle loomed at the end of the cobbled street in front of them, as silent and foreboding as the rest of the city. Watt darted ahead of the group and gave it a yank, but though it rattled slightly, it didn't budge an inch.

"It ain't opening, guys."

"Locked. I'm not surprised," Cloudcover said gruffly. "Most of us can just fly over or teleport through, though."

Sparkler moved cautiously forward, shining her purple aura on the unmoving gate. "Unfortunately, it looks like there's an enchantment in place that's preventing that," she observed. "I'm no slouch when it comes to unraveling enchantments, so if you give me a few minutes I can probably undo it."

"Or," said Dinky loudly, smirking at Sparkler a bit and letting darkness spring up around her horn, "you could step aside for a second and I'll open it."

Even staunch Sparkler quickly backed down when faced with dark magic. Dinky leaned forward and touched her curved horn against the gate, and in a matter of seconds, the majority of the ornate gold had melted into glowing slag.

"...That works too," Sparkler admitted, staring at the cooling puddle of molten metal. "Keep that magic at the ready, Dinky. You might need it in a minute."

Dinky nodded, remaining on guard keeping close to her friends as the team of ponies strode across the courtyard.

"The castle itself is likely locked as well," Cloudcover guessed. "No matter, we'll blow those doors open to if that's what it—"

With a resounding bang, the front door was thrown wide, and to everypony's surprise, Wishing Star herself strode out, her head held high and a complacent sneer on her face.

Horns lit and wings spread as the team of ponies readied themselves for anything. But Wishing Star simply trotted forward, undeterred, stopping just a short distance in front of them.

"Now this is unexpectedly bold!" she giggled, smoothing her blue and yellow mane as if she needed to make herself presentable. "Nine little ponies have dropped by to say hello! Four of my cherished companions from Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, four of my dearest students from the Academy, and—"

She paused, staring at Sparkler for a few moments. "—And one of the leftover pieces from this little game of chess I've been playing all year," she snickered. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Just the sight of the traitorous unicorn made Dinky's blood boil, but it was her mother that lashed out first. "What do you think?" the pegasus snapped. "You tricked and sabotaged every one of us, for Celestia knows what reason, and you think we're gonna take it lying down when you try to take over the whole nation?"

Wishing Star rolled her bright pink eyes. "Everypony keeps jumping to that conclusion..." she grumbled. "Princess Twilight was babbling about something similar in the moments before I imprisoned her. The notion that I want to be queen of this pathetic realm is insulting."

"You kidnapped the princesses," Breeze said angrily. "You're holding a whole city captive. You're doing... something to the flow of latent magic in Equestria. And you're standing here trying to tell us this isn't a hostile takeover?"

"Do you really care about defining it?" Wishing Star asked, the boredom apparent in her voice. "You're going to be dead in a moment anyway, just like that idealistic old windbag you used to work for. Though I suppose since you made such an effort to get here, the least I can do is explain my brilliant plan before this all ends."

Dinky felt a gentle tug on her tail. Turning around, she spied Sparkler gesturing to her. As discreetly as she could, she backed up, putting the rest of the ponies between herself and Wishing Star.

"Quickly, while she's busy monologuing," Sparkler whispered. "We've established that no normal unicorn should be able to maintain the spell that has its grip on Canterlot, so I've been looking for any outside source of magic. Please tell me you see what I'm seeing."

Dinky glanced between her friends at Wishing Star and slowly shook her head. "...No?"

Sparkler snorted. "And here I thought enchantments were your specialty," she hissed. "It's staring us right in the face."

Dinky looked again, scrutinizing Wishing Star's orange coat, her bright mane, the white star on her flank...

...her bejeweled headband...

A particular lesson from enchantments class came rushing back to her.

"The headband!" she gasped. "She's been wearing that all year. There's gotta be over fifty small stones on there. Are you all this time it was an incredibly complex enchantment array?"

"Gotta be," Sparkler confirmed. "If every single one of those jewels is enchanted, and all the spells are working in tandem with one another, that thing could be an incredibly powerful magical artifact. It might even be what she used to overpower the princesses. If that's the case, all we have to do is destroy the headband, and the nine of us will be more than a match for her."

"How do we get it from her?" Dinky asked in a hushed voice. "A surprise attack seems like a bad idea. She wouldn't be reckless enough to walk right up to us if she wasn't shielded or protected in some way."

"Just let things play out, for now," Sparkler recommended. "Wait for an opening. All we have to do is get it off her for one moment, and then you hit it with dark magic and bam. It's over."

Dinky nodded and slowly returned to her position in the group, while Wishing Star continued to talk. Dinky realized she hadn't missed much; the haughty mare had been explaining how she'd gotten away with undermining the shipping company, and outing Dinky as a wraith to the public.

"Hold it, we already know all this!" Watt snapped. "We know what you did, but we don't know why! And how does messing with Ditzy and Dinky's lives play into your plan to capture the princesses?"

Wishing Star grinned devilishly. "It all has to do with the source of my power," she said proudly. "When you met me, I was weak. Perhaps even weaker than the average unicorn. But my magic draws strength from the hatred in the hearts of ponies, and I found two particular ponies whose hatred of Ditzy and Dinky in particular overshadowed all others.

She lit her horn, and with two identical pink flashes, two ponies were summoned to either side of her. Two ponies that were immediately recognizable to everypony in the party.

"Bright Spark!" Dinky gasped.

"Cosmic Glow!" Ditzy cried.

"M-mom!?" Sparkler stammered.

"These two are the real reason Equestria is in such a state!" Wishing Star laughed. "By helping them get their revenge on Ditzy and Dinky, I cultivated their hatred and fed off it, growing stronger, until I was able to capture the princesses. Now these two are my helpless pawns, consumed by their own hatred run wild, and the princesses are sealed in prisons that block their magic. It's because of their absence that love, friendship, and harmony in Equestria are crumbling. And as they do, fear, distrust, and hatred take their place! Once I captured Canterlot, all I had to do was wait; with each passing minute, the bonds between the hearts of Equestrians erode further, and I grow stronger and stronger!"

"Unicorn magic doesn't draw power from others like that," Sparkler whispered to Dinky once again. "What she's saying may be true, but the headband has to be allowing her to tap into that power. And now that my mom and Bright Spark are here, I think I might have a plan. Just stay still, and be ready to destroy that headband the moment it's off her head."

Dinky nodded discreetly, and kept her focus on the glittering accessory in her enemy's mane.

"What good is all that power if this is what becomes of Equestria?" Honeydew asked, pleading for the villain to see reason. "A world of constant war and fear and destruction? You'd just be a ruler of a fallen kingdom!"

Wishing Star stamped a hoof so hard the stones beneath it cracked. "For the last time, you idiots, I'm not trying to rule Equestria!"

The vibration from Wishing Star's enhanced strength made her two companions stumble. Sparkler evidently saw her chance, rushing forward and hurling a spell not at Wishing Star, but at Cosmic Glow instead, who was too off-balance to defend. Dinky recognized it as a fairly harmless stunning spell, but it was enough to send the mare sprawling when it struck. Instantly enraged, Bright Spark pushed past Wishing Star to try to retaliate.

"You two! Stand down!" Wishing Star commanded. "I will destroy them when I'm good and ready!"

Bright Spark flung a much more dangerous-looking spell in Sparkler's direction, but she teleported out of it's range, reappearing in a position that put Wishing Star directly between her and Cosmic Glow instead. Glow, also overcome by blind hatred, didn't even think twice about trying to attack, causing her spell to hit Wishing Star instead of its intended target.

Glow's magic packed no notable punch, but it staggered Wishing Star for just a moment. Sparkler leapt forward while the ringleader was vulnerable, yanked the headband from her head, and hurled it into the air.

"Dinky! Now!"

Dinky released a cannonball-sized sphere of darkness that hurtled through the air like a black comet. The golden headband exploded in midair, its many gemstones shattering into a thousand twinkling shards.

She wasn't sure what to expect next. Maybe Wishing Star would be furious. Maybe she'd fall to the ground and beg for mercy. Maybe the two mares under her spell of hatred would suddenly awaken, or the princesses themselves would be freed and rush to the party's aid.

What she didn't expect was for the whole world around them to change in an instant.

In a matter of seconds, the night sky was blotted out by thick, churning red clouds. Somehow, they seemed to ignore the barrier entirely as they spread far beyond Canterlot, blanketing the whole land in just moments. Unnatural pink lightning began to flash in the growing storm, and an overwhelming, pulsing magical energy hung like a choking haze in the air. The oppressive energy made her spine tingle and her fur stand on end.

Wishing Star seemed to ignore the dramatic shift in the surroundings entirely. She stared, wide-eyed, at the faintly glittering shards of her headband. A manic, disbelieving grin began to creep across her face.

"W-what is that?" Clarity gasped. "That power! I can feel it radiating from... everywhere!"

"I don't understand!" Sparkler croaked. "I thought... wasn't the enchantment array the source of the spell? The source of all her power?"

Wishing Star burst out laughing. "Oh, Sparkler, you silly thing!" she crooned, as the rumbling and crackling of the lightning far above them grew louder. "You're half right. My headband was, indeed, an enchantment array. But it wasn't the source of my power; it's what I was using to mask it!"

A bolt of lightning ripped through the air, striking the ground just in front of Sparkler and forcing her to scamper back and rejoin the group of allies. Even Glow and Bright Spark ran for cover, but Wishing Star didn't even flinch.

"So, you want to know what my motivation is, do you?" she shouted over the noise of the supernatural storm. "Let me spell it out for you. I don't want to dominate Equestria at all; I want to tear it apart! Pony against pony, race against race... soon every denizen of Equestria will know only fear and hatred! The so-called magic in the hearts of all ponies is constantly heralded as the unifying force that makes this land a utopia. Let's see what remains of that precious utopia when I've stamped it out entirely. Let's see what's left when each and every pony's heart is empty and dark!"

"Why would a pony want to destroy everything?" Ditzy cried. "Maybe some wicked beast of Tartarus would have that goal, but Equestria allows most ponies to live wonderful, fulfilling lives!"

Wishing Star began to rise slowly into the air, and the angry red clouds began to swirl around her, quickly concealing her from view. Her voice rang out from within the stormy sphere, loud and clear.

"A pony! What a riot!" she called mockingly. "The powerful web of enchantments that Sparkler just destroyed was the only thing making it so I could possibly blend in among ponies."

Cloudcover motioned with a wing, indicating that the group should back off. The nine ponies slowly backpedaled at the rising sphere of blood-red stormclouds began to course with pink lightning.

"Do you know the price of maintaining a world as 'perfect' as Equestria?" Wishing Star's voice continued. "As much as ponies want to deny it as they go about their happy little lives in their quaint little towns, things like violence and hardship and pain do exist. In abundance, actually! Some beings from beyond this realm are disgusted by Equestria's state of being, and will only be satisfied by corrupting and poisoning it with the negativity it lacks. Discord, for example, is the spirit of chaos, something Equestria is sorely lacking. Though that old windbag is harmless now that he's found chaos can still exist without making ponies miserable. You'll notice he hasn't made any attempt to save Equestria from its current predicament though; he knows full well that time and space itself may be destroyed if he were to butt heads with another being like himself!"

"A-another being?" Dinky realized, glancing among her allies in shock. "But that means..."

Lightning blasted out of the sphere that had swallowed up Wishing Star, striking the cobbled courtyard and nearby buildings, splintering stone apart wherever it touched. With a tremendous surge of magic, it blew itself apart, the wisps of red cloud disappearing into the air. But the creature in the center was not Wishing Star. Not as anypony knew her, anyway.

The being hovering in the air in front of them still had the body of an equine, though the proportions had changed entirely; she now was built more like Princess Celestia than the cute unicorn she'd been moments before. Her fur was the same bright pink as the lightning still striking around the city, and glowed eerily with an otherworldly bioluminescence. Her mane and tail, darker pink than her fur, and sparkled in the dim light with thousands of tiny pink crystal shards inextricably intermingled with the hair. Her horn was no longer the typical spiral, bony protrusion that unicorns sported; instead, it was a long, twisted, razor sharp spire, made of the same pink crystal as the prisons holding the princesses. A pair of grand wings, made entirely of an impossibly ornate pink crystal lattice gave off a chorus of hollow clinking sounds as she stretched them. Only her eyes remained as they had been before; bright and pink and full of malevolence.

In a way, she seemed almost beautiful, but something was... off. The shape of her body was too severe, too harsh and angular. Though she had the features of some sort of crystal-studded alicorn, there was somehow an unexplainable, inherent wrongness to her form that made Dinky's stomach turn.

"What... what is that thing!?" Ditzy stammered.

"I was stripped of my power for millennia, but now that the land is rife with hatred and fear, I've become an unstoppable force," the new creature declared, grinning devilishly at the shocked cluster of ponies in front of her. "I will allow Equestria to be consumed by hatred simply because I am that hatred. I'm no simple pony, and I never was; I'm division and enmity incarnate! I am the spirit of resentment and malice! I... am... Animosity!"

Several more tremendous bolts of lightning crashed down, forcing the ponies out of the courtyard to take cover in the shadow of a nearby building.

"Ah, but you all..." Animosity continued, speaking more gently now, "you haven't given in yet. The magic that connects your hearts hasn't fizzled and died, so you still stand against me. Pity. I could destroy you myself, but I want you to understand the fruitlessness of your fight. So I'll let your fellow ponies do it instead!"

The strange being floated higher into the air, spreading her forelegs wide as waves of energy radiated from her. Dinky braced herself for an attack, watching her companions do the same, but none came.

"What... what did she just do?" Scuffle asked.

Breeze turned around and gasped, pointing frantically down the street behind them. "See for yourself!" he said, his voice shaking.

Ponies, dozens of them, emerged from buildings and alleyways all around the city. Young and old, big and small, male and female, they all had something in common: their eyes burned with pink energy, and their loathing gazes were fixed on the small group of allies.

"These are the ponies who have lost hope, abandoned trust, and felt friendship die," Animosity proclaimed. "Left with nothing to bolster them, the hate has consumed them. Fight back if you like, but I know you won't end the lives of innocent ponies to save yourselves, hate-ridden as they may be. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch the rest of Equestria fall."

A symphony of hauntingly melodious sounds filled the air as Animosity flapped her crystalline wings, ascending into the air and quickly disappearing into the seething red clouds.

And then, the army of hate-filled ponies began to advance.

The few additional members of the secret service leapt into action, leaping from their hiding places or gliding from the tops of buildings and positioning themselves between the heroes and the approaching mob. Cloudcover turned to the rest of the group urgently.

"We'll hold them off," he declared. "Clarity, Honeydew, and Scuffle, you must do as the dean said. Keep to the shadows and begin placing those runes anywhere you can. You're all very powerful; if more of these hateful ponies should appear, fight back if you must. Dinky, go with your friends to keep them safe, and if you encounter Animosity again... I hate to say it, but her power is undeniable. You're the only one among us who has even a chance of fighting off a creature like that. Hold nothing back."

"But—"

"No time!" Cloudcover barked as the pack of snarling ponies drew closer. "Go! Now!"

Clarity nodded and took off down a narrow street still clear of Canterlot residents. Whimpering, Honeydew bolted after her, with Scuffle galloping beside her, matching her pace.

Dinky cast a final look at her mother. Ditzy had tears in her eyes, but she pulled her vision helmet down, concealing them, and gave a resolute nod. Knowing she had to protect her friends, the wraith turned and sprinted down the alley, wisps of jet black smoke trailing behind her.

"We're dead. We are so dead. For real this time."

"Try to stay calm, Honeydew," Clarity soothed, although her voice was quite shaky as well. "We don't know for sure how strong Animosity really is. Maybe we'll be able to hold her off if we work together."

Dinky watched in silence as another narrow laser fired from the tip of Clarity's horn, burning a rune into the side of a brick building. Chaotic sounds echoed all around the four of them, and she found herself feeling grateful for the constant rumble of magical thunder overhead; it somewhat deadened the cries of rage and terror rising from the city all around them.

"Yeah, we've got Dinks on our side," Scuffle added, taking one of Honeydew's forehooves in his own for a moment and giving it a quick squeeze. "She can blow up boulders the size of buildings!"

"And our opponent can tear an entire city out of the ground..." Honeydew mumbled.

Dinky had a sneaking suspicion that Honeydew was right, but she knew saying it aloud would only leave her friends more distressed.

"Focus, you two," Clarity said quietly. "Stay on the lookout. We've already had to knock out three of the hate-addled citizens of Canterlot. I'm sure there are more on the way, so let's finish these runes before—"

"Help! Anypony!" called a distant voice.

Clarity ceased her spell immediately and stood bolt upright, her ears raised. "That voice..." she whispered.

"Is anypony out there? Please!"

"Stay on guard and follow me," Clarity commanded, leading the way toward the distressed wailing. Dinky kept her horn lit as she followed her friends around a corner and down a narrow stairwell that ended in a small courtyard in which a building had partially collapsed. Judging by the dust in the air, it had just happened, probably due to one of the lightning strikes.

Clarity surrounded a huge slab of stone with her aura and hauled it out of the way, revealing a small, closed-off crawlspace in which a pinto filly with a ruddy red-brown mane was cowering.

"Inkwell!?" Clarity asked, flabbergasted.

Inkwell's eyes, which Dinky quickly noticed were still their usual yellow-orange rather than glowing pink, flew open.

"Overseer Clarity!" she shrieked, hurling herself into Clarity's chest and bursting into tears. "I-I-I c-can't believe it! Are... are you h-here to save everypony?"

"We're trying, Inkwell," Clarity promised, hugging the filly tightly. "But how can you be here? Were you trapped in Canterlot all this time?"

Inkwell sniffled and nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of a hoof. "Bella, Top, and I were here when Wishing Star captured Princess Twilight," she mewled. "We tried to get away, but then the... the whole city... and we found a place to hide and gathered some food, and we were all upset and scared.. but then Bella and Top started taking it out on each other! And then this crazy storm started and both of them started to get violent, and I didn't want to leave them, but I had to! I was worried they were going to hurt each other, so I went to look for help, but then l-lightning hit the building and everything f-fell and I was trapped and I thought I was n-never going to—"

Inkwell's voice cracked and she dissolved into helpless sobbing, once again burying her face in the fur on Clarity's chest. The Overseer held her tightly and gently stroked her back.

"Inkwell, we're here with some other ponies and we're trying our best to save Canterlot," she murmured. "Come with us. We'll find someplace safe for you to hide while we—"

There was a tremendous flash of lightning and an earsplitting roar of thunder. Dinky was momentarily blinded by the glare, but as her vision returned a second later, she realized in horror that Animosity herself was floating a few pony lengths above, reclining with her forehooves behind her head as if lying on an invisible lounge chair.

"There you are," the crystalline monstrosity chuckled. "I've been looking for you, Dinky. After all, you're the only one of that pitiful little rescue party who wields any real power. I don't even need to lift a hoof to deal with the rest."

Dinky glanced at Clarity for just a moment. "Take Inkwell somewhere safe," she instructed.

Clarity didn't need to be told twice. She hoisted the surprised filly with a brief flicker of magic and deposited her on her back, and then teleported away, along with her passenger. Animosity didn't offer them so much as a glance, keeping her gaze focused on Dinky.

"It's really a pity I have to destroy something like you," Animosity continued, her lattice wings making a chorus of faint chimes with each slow flap. "You wraiths thrive on negative emotions. I'd have much preferred to let you run wild, spreading unchecked destruction and bringing even more fear and anger to the minds of Equestrians. You'd get to have all sorts of fun razing cities, and I'd get to feast on all that terror and fury."

"You want me to cause some destruction?" Dinky asked, curling her lips up to bare her fangs and watching out of the corner of her eye as Scuffle and Honeydew slowly backed off toward the far end of the courtyard. "Sure thing. How about I start with you?"

Animosity cackled. "Have you forgotten?" she jeered. "I sat in on all your dark magic sessions while posing as your counselor. I know all your tricks."

Dinky mustered all her energy— including the vast stores of it she'd stolen from Scorpio— into her horn. I've only got one shot before she realizes how much stronger I've become, she realized. I better make it count!

Unlike Animosity, her friends at the other end of the courtyard knew what was coming. An instant before she loosed her spell, she saw them brace themselves for the force of it.

It was only when the ball of energy had already left her horn, and the resulting shockwave had blown the windows out of the surrounding buildings, that Animosity seemed to realize she'd miscalculated. She managed to make a shield materialize, made of the same stuff as Canterlot's barrier, preventing her from being affected by the deadly effects of the magic. The full force of it still hammered against her shield though, hurling her into the sky with a scream of outrage.

"Somepony has more strength than I remember!" she snarled as she floated back down to the courtyard. "Fine then. That will make this more interesting!"

Dinky expected Animosity to cast a spell from her horn. Instead, the powerful being gave a casual wave of her hoof, and the ground began to rumble. One of the cobbles beneath where Dinky was standing split apart, and she leapt out of the way an instant before a long, sharp spike of pink crystal burst from the ground, jutting through the space she'd been standing an instant before. She barely had time to process the fate she'd just avoided before more cobbles began to buckle. Summoning her wings into existence, she took to the air before the crystalline spines could impale her.

"You fly now, too!" Animosity laughed. "You've been a busy little bee since I last saw you! But even your new strength is no match for mine."

The long pink crystal spikes continued to appear, bursting from the sides of buildings once Dinky got far enough to be out of reach of the ones on the ground. She weaved around them in midair, knowing a single mistake would likely leave her gravely wounded.

In seconds, the outer surface of several buildings surrounding the courtyard had become a veritable pincushion of needlelike crystals. Dinky's magic pulsed, flapping her wings and carrying her out of their reach and into the open air. She charged her horn again, while Animosity grinned playfully at her.

"Gullible, aren't you?" the hate spirit asked. "Of course you were going to escape. And now that you're up here, safely out of range, let's take care of one of your little friends, shall we?"

Dinky blinked, and desperately looked down at the courtyard. Even from this distance, she was able to see a cobblestone split apart directly beneath Honeydew. The filly was staring up at the two airborne combatants, unaware of the danger. She tried to rush back to the ground but there wasn't enough time to fly there, or even cast a spell; the crystal spike would emerge in less than a second.

Honeydew may not have realized the danger, but somepony else sure did.

"Honeydew!!"

Scuffle threw his full body weight at the filly beside him, ramming her with his shoulder and sending her careening head-over-hooves and landing in a heap. Dinky's hooves slammed down on the stone a moment later, and she raced over. Fortunately, while dazed, there was no sign of a wound on Honeydew's body; it seemed she'd been spared Animosity's attack.

"Are you okay?" she asked, helping the filly up.

Honeydew seemed to have had the wind knocked out of her, but she nodded. "Y-yeah," she panted. "Are you okay, Scuffle?"

"Yeah, I—"

Scuffle stopped mid-sentence, and a strange look crept over his face. Slowly, he slid one of his forelegs aside, and Dinky's eyes widened as she saw the crystal spire, driven into Scuffle's flesh just below his ribs. Judging by the width at the point of entry, she knew the tip of it was buried more than deep enough to have pierced through several organs, meaning it was almost certainly beyond medical or magical repair. The positioning was unquestionably fatal; the first trickle of crimson was already starting to drip down the side of the spike.

Honeydew froze, still as a statue. Scuffle locked eyes with her, and a hint of a sad smile played across his muzzle.

"Uh... actually, n-no, Dewey. No I'm not."

Overhead, Animosity snickered. "Not the one I was aiming for, but that works," she said casually.

She gave another wave of her hoof, and all the crystals, including the one embedded in Scuffle, instantly receded into the ground. Scuffle's legs immediately buckled, and he yelped like an injured puppy as he hit the ground.

"Scuffle!" Honeydew screamed, shaken from her stupor as she rushed to his side.

"You know, this gives me a great idea," Animosity realized. "Maybe I don't even have to destroy you, Dinky. If I can get rid of your loved ones, you'll have nothing to fight for. At that point, you might as well indulge in your instinct for destruction, right? I'll get you behaving like a typical wraith one way or another. Let's see if I can find that cross-eyed mother of yours next."

She turned away and shot into the sky. Dinky moved to follow, but paused, glancing back at the fallen colt and the filly beside him.

"Don't just stand there!" Scuffle croaked. "There's more ponies in danger! Get up there and kick her ass before she hurts anypony else."

Dinky flinched. "But—"

"But nothin'!" Scuffle snapped, as Honeydew frantically tried to flip Scuffle on his side to examine the wound. "There's nothing for you to do here, and you know it! They're all dead if you stay, so go, Dinks!"

The reality of what was happening finally hit Dinky. She realized Scuffle was right, but if she knew if she left now, the two of them would not speak again.

"Go!"

Dinky turned and rocketed into the air as fast as her wings would carry her. Black-stained tears streamed along her cheeks, and she tried to block out Honeydew's panicked wails as she hurtled after Animosity.

I won't let her inflict a single scratch on anypony else! she mentally vowed, as a darkness-fueled rage like nothing she'd ever felt quickly overshadowed the sorrow over her dying friend. If I'm gonna stop her, then maybe it actually is time to start behaving like a real wraith for once! If Animosity wants to see true destruction... then Celestia damn it, she's gonna get it!

Chapter 19

Many miles away, in an airship hangar belonging to the Royal Equestrian Navy, a big pinto earth pony and his wiry batpony companion crouched behind a large stack of crates.

Pipsqueak eyed the docked airship from his hiding place. During his hoofful of months in the navy, he'd only been aboard one once, for over-land transport between two far-off naval bases. The one here was far more impressive, though. For the most part, it was built like a sailing ship, with sturdy wood sanded and varnished to a polished sheen. But instead of sporting masts like the ships the stallion had spent most of his first assignment on, this one was suspended by a few ropes that tethered it to a massive, ovular balloon. Fin-like metal structures were fixed to the sides, with a rubber webbing stretched tightly across them, adjustable from within the craft to catch the wind and change course in midair. Two large propellers sat still and silent at the ship's stern, though they looked like they could generate a lot of momentum if one were to get them running. Compartments beneath the bow concealed heavy weaponry; this was definitely not a ship built with pleasure cruises in mind.

"Pip, dude, I just want you to understand how crazy this plan is..." Scoville whispered, closing one eye and peering between the crates with the other.

"Are you backing out, then?" Pipsqueak asked, trying to keep his large frame confined to the shadows as much as possible.

"What? No! Are you kidding?" Scoville cackled. "This is like, the most badass thing I've ever seen anypony try to do, and you know I'm two-hundred percent on board with excessive badassery. You always seemed like a model cadet though, so I'm making sure you're aware of the consequences this is gonna have. If you pull this off, they're gonna court-martial your sorry butt faster than you can say dishonorable discharge. Just lookin' out for you, bro."

"Scoville, all of Equestria is in danger, and the navy is paralyzed by political red tape since there are no princesses to approve any sort of operation," Pip reminded him. "Not to mention, Dinky and her friends are in danger, and they're going to need all the firepower they can get."

"Yeah that's fair, saving your girl is a good motivation," Scoville said, nodding sagely. "I'd do some crazy, stupid stuff too if I needed to rescue a pony with a butt as great as hers."

Pip resisted the urge to give his crewmate a shove, but only because he knew the sound would probably get them caught. "Focus, Scoville," he hissed. "All I need you to do is create a diversion. Make it obvious enough to draw the guards away for just a few moments, but not so obvious that they realize you were connected with what I'm about to do. Just get their attention in a normal, boring way; you just have to keep them occupied for a matter of seconds."

"I am neither normal nor boring," Scoville declared, flashing a lopsided, toothy grin. "So that might be difficult, just a smidge."

Pip frowned. "Well, if they realize we're working together, you could end up getting court-martialed too," he pointed out. "Reign it in a little, mate."

Scoville stretched his leathery wings and worked each of his knees, like he was warming up for a workout. "Alright, alright, I'll put on a convincingly boring performance just for you, mate," he agreed, playfully imitating Pip's Trottingham accent. "Don't screw this up, buddy. Oh wait, how do you ponies say it? Don't muck this up, old chum."

"Just go!" Pip growled.

Scoville clambered out the same window they'd both snuck in. A minute or so later, he entered again through the main door, in full view of the guard.

"Excuse me!" the guard captain, a gruff-sounding stallion in front of the airship, barked. "This is a private Equestrian military installation. You can't just barge in here!"

"I understand that, sir," Scoville replied, saluting the higher ranking pony as he waited for permission to come forward. "Sorry for not announcing my arrival through the proper channels. I'm Scoville Scale, a cadet of the twenty-third Royal Naval Division, with an urgent message from my commanding officers."

The guard stallion relaxed a bit. "At ease, cadet," he instructed. "What's the message?"

"The troops stationed nearby need to be aware of new risks, sir," Scoville continued, surprising Pip with his confident tone. "There is reason to believe the situation in Canterlot may be changing, and it could pose a threat to ponies beyond the city. If you'll step outside with me for a moment, I can show you the—"

"A description will suffice," the ranking officer interrupted, not moving from his post.

Scoville flinched. "Err... well sir, it's a bit hard to explain," he stuttered, more hesitantly than before. "I think it would be easier for both of us if we—"

"You shouldn't need to explain a thing," the guard captain said angrily, cutting the batpony off once again. "If you have a message from your commanding officer, you would've been told exactly what information to relay. Now do you have information, or not?"

Pip bit his lip. The guard had called Scoville's bluff.

"I... w-well, yes sir, of course," he mumbled. "Y-you see, there's... um..."

At that moment, a strange rumbling began to fill the air. In just a matter of seconds, it grew much louder. Pipsqueak looked out the window behind him and watched in shock as churning red clouds, pulsing with pink lightning, quickly cloaked the whole evening sky.

"What in Tartarus is that!?" the guardpony gasped.

"Uh...the thing I've been trying to warn you about!" Scoville cried, pointing outside the hangar. "Some kind of magical storm is building fast! We don't know what's causing it or how dangerous it is, so you need to get your troops to cover! Now!"

All the guards rushed to the main doors to get a better look at the chaos unfolding above. Recognizing his chance, Pip dashed as quietly as he could across the hangar and galloped up the ramp onto the airship. Mercifully, the interior was laid out just like a sailing ship, and he found his way to the bridge in moments. Peering out the window in front of the wheel, he saw a few of the guards starting to make their way back into the hangar.

"No time to trifle about, then," he muttered under his breath. "Let's go."

The young stallion slammed a hoof on the button to send the signal to open the roof of the hanger, and quickly began to turn the crank to retract the boarding ramp. A blaring alarm sounded outside the ship, and he heard a few of the surprised yells of the ponies below as well.

The ceiling parted, its two halves sliding back on wheeled tracks and revealing the open sky. Pip stared, dumbfounded, at the supernatural storm swirling above, and as the ship began to rise, was even more stunned to see that it had spread from horizon to horizon. With a grunt, he gave the vessel's wheel a spin, bracing himself as the floor leaned slightly to one side. The nose of the ship slowly turned to face the glowing pink sphere in the sky that contained Canterlot. It was clearly the epicenter of the storm; the red clouds billowed out in all directions from directly above it, and the rose-colored lightning flashed around it almost constantly.

The world fell away as the airship reached cruising altitude. Pip glanced at the hangar far below, and tried not to think about the emergency messages concerning an airship hijacking that had probably reached numerous other naval installations in just a few minutes. There would be time to worry about the fallout of his actions later; ponies lives were in immediate danger, and given the spreading storm, it was obvious the action in Canterlot had already started.

"Hold on just a mite longer, Dinky!" Pip cried as he pushed the throttle lever as far as it would go, and heard the propellers roar to life behind him. "Help is on the way!"

The rumbling of magical thunder, and the distant cries of ponies in the heat of battle, echoed throughout Canterlot.

Honeydew was oblivious to all of it. At this moment, the whole world was this tiny, ruined courtyard, and the young stallion panting weakly as he lay sprawled on the cobbles.

"S... Scuffle, w-why did you..." she rasped, trying to find the words. "You knew you would get hurt if... I mean, maybe Dinky could've..."

"There wasn't time," Scuffle answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I noticed at the last second. Dinky was fifty pony-lengths in the air. I didn't think about what might happen to me. I just knew I needed to save you."

Honeydew bit her lip. "W-well, maybe it's not so bad," she ventured. "I know it's a deep cut, b-but I could try a healing spell and—"

Scuffle snorted, and apparently immediately wished he hadn't, judging by the wince that followed. "It's a bit more than a cut, Dewey," he replied, with a clearly pained tone to his voice.

"How can you be so sure if you won't let me see?" Honeydew whimpered, motioning again for Scuffle to roll over, but afraid to actually touch him for fear of hurting him more.

She was met with a blank stare. "You saw what happened," he said flatly, still keeping his underside against the ground as he lay there. "Healing spells are for cuts or bruises or minor illnesses, or maybe small fractures if you're really good. That spike damn near went right through me and out the other side. Nopony is gonna be fixing that."

"Then... j-just lie still, and save your strength," Honeydew continued frantically, trying to ignore the growing pool of red slowly extending out from beneath the colt and staining the cobbles. "Dinky and the others will stop Animosity, a-and then we can get you t-to the hospital. One o-of the surgeons can probably—"

"Honeydew."

Scuffle was barely audible, but his voice stopped her mid-sentence. Something about hearing Scuffle use her real name instead of the usual affectionate nickname always managed to command her attention.

"Y-yes?" she stuttered, meeting Scuffle's gaze and realizing his face had grown alarmingly pale.

Scuffle shakily slid a forehoof forward and tapped the ground, signaling her to sit. She did so, crouching down so their faces were close together.

"It's over," Scuffle said, his voice weaker than before. "You know it. I know it. So instead of pretending we're gonna fix this... can we use these last few minutes to say goodbye?"

"But—"

The colt looked at her pleadingly. "...Please?"

Something broke within Honeydew. She sank to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks as she lay beside her fading friend.

Though it seemed to take great strength on his part, Scuffle lifted a hoof, petting her mane softly. "Dewey, I really have to thank you, you know," he murmured.

Honeydew tried to wipe her face, but new tears replaced the old ones immediately. "F-for what?" she sniffed.

Scuffle smiled faintly. "For being the thing that helped me become the pony I was meant to be," he replied. "When we were foals, the only thing I wanted was my brothers' respect. I never questioned why; growing up in a rough town with inattentive parents, their respect was really all I had to strive for, and if pickin' on ponies was the way to get it, then that's what I had to do. Dinky and Clarity wouldn't have made a difference themselves; when I fought them, they fought back. They continued that cycle of conflict that I thought was normal. I never would've known anything but that cycle if somepony didn't come along and break it."

"Dinky and Clarity were much faster to offer their friendship than I was..." Honeydew pointed out.

Scuffle coughed, and Honeydew winced as the colt's whole body reflexively seized up in pain for a moment. "N-not the point," he continued. "When I saw how I was upsetting you back then, it really woke me up. You were the pony who made me realize that I had the power to make my own decisions, that I could choose not to terrorize ponies just because somepony told me to. And that gave me the freedom to decide for myself what made me happy. So... yeah, maybe it all ended a little earlier then I planned, but... at least I got to spend a couple years being my own pony, instead of just a miniature copy of my brothers. And on top of that, I got to spend it with a pony I ended up really caring about."

Honeydew sobbed. "I d-don't want you to g-go..." she stammered. "I only j-just started to understand how I really f-felt about you, and how you felt about me. I kept thinking how great things were going to be once this crisis was over, and now..."

She choked back her tears long enough to lock eyes with Scuffle again. The colt was still giving her a bit of a sympathetic smile, although his chin was resting on the ground and the look in his eyes was growing more distant.

"...Now you can make sure you make it out of this and go be the best pony you can be," he finished for her. "Surround yourself with friends, put all those crazy magic talents to good use, stuff like that. You'll find plenty of happiness out there, I promise."

Honeydew had nothing to say to that. She re-positioned herself herself to lie next to him, unconcerned about the creeping crimson stains he left on her coat. For a few moments, she remained silent beside him, listening to his slow, ragged breathing, and feeling the warm foreleg still gently holding her.

"Y'know, there's something else I need to say," Scuffle mused. "I don't think I've said it in the proper words yet, so I better do that now."

"What's that?" Honeydew mumbled morosely.

Scuffle managed to lift his head, although the simple action made him shake with strain, like he was trying to move hundreds of pounds. Trembling, he leaned over and gave her the faintest of nuzzles as he whispered in her ear.

"...I love you, Honeydew. Even death won't change that."

Honeydew's breath caught in her throat. She looked at the colt, wide-eyed, with tears still wetting both cheeks. After a moment, she leaned forward to give a nuzzle of her own, first on Scuffle's cheek, then forward to his snout. It became a bit more than just a nuzzle as their lips came together, slowly and carefully, but lovingly all the same.

The kiss lasted only seconds, but Honeydew felt her heart thundering in her chest by the time it was over. She managed a sorrowful smile as they parted.

"Love you too," she whispered back.

In spite of everything, Scuffle grinned a bit as he returned his chin to the ground. "M-man, that was... p-pretty sweet," he mouthed, barely able to make the words anymore. "N-not a bad note... to go out on..."

Honeydew leaned against him, gently enough not to move him. There was another small moment of quiet.

"I... just wish we could've had more time for things like that," she confessed softly.

She waited for Scuffle to agree. He didn't comment.

"...Scuffle?"

Silence.

"...No... no, not yet..." Honeydew pleaded. "J-just a f-few more minutes! Not yet!"

Scuffle did not respond. Panicked, Honeydew put her head in front of his face. His eyes were closed, and though breath still came faintly, those breaths were growing more feeble and further apart.

Honeydew leapt up and placed her ear against the colt's side, listening. There was a pulse, but it was weak, a heart struggling to pump when it was running out of blood. Scuffle's consciousness had failed, and in a minute or two, everything else would as well.

The filly stood over her coltfriend, tears falling freely on his coat. Utter helplessness consumed her thoughts.

Is there really nothing I can do? In a moment, he'll be gone, and...

She thought about Scuffle's last words to her, and gazed upon the vague smile completing the surprisingly peaceful expression on his face. Even if he hadn't really had time to think about it, he'd laid down his life for her in a split-second decision, and didn't even seem terribly upset.

A new feeling of determination filled her.

Why am I just giving up!? she asked herself angrily. Even if I can't succeed, I've got to try!

Green light sprung up around Honeydew's horn as she prepared a healing spell. No healing spell she'd ever heard of would've come close to repairing this kind of damage, but suddenly, that seemed to be an insignificant detail. Although she knew it almost certainly wouldn't work, a sense of duty filled her mind.

He saved my life. I owe it to him to at least attempt to save his.

Honeydew extended her spell into the colt lying at her hooves, waiting to establish a magical connection with him. When it came, it instantly overwhelmed her.

Pain. No, agony. Her mind was quickly filled with the sensations of her friend, experienced remotely through the spell. She nearly lost her lunch as the shroud of weakness and injury washed over her senses and made her feel immediately vile.

Though the fact that she could feel anything at all meant Scuffle was, however briefly, still alive.

Honeydew grit her teeth and forced her mind to accept and adjust to the information being transmitted through the spell. She had to connect with him completely in order to do anything useful.

As she adjusted to the unrelenting pain, another, more subtle feeling struck her. In bizarre contrast, it was a warm and cozy sensation.

There's so much love and happiness in his heart, she realized. Even in these final few minutes, it stayed strong. Because... because of me?

Scuffle's heart said more to the young mare than his words ever could. She shook her head, trying to focus.

Now's not the time! Tend to the wound!

Honeydew's magic spread throughout the comatose colt's body, exploring the damage. The further she probed, the more horrified she became.

The flesh wound was hardly the problem. Deeper within, she sensed severed blood vessels, still spilling their contents with each struggling beat of Scuffle's heart. A lung had been grazed, a hole was punched clear though the upper stomach and at least one endocrine structure that Honeydew didn't have time to carefully identify, and the liver was shredded to the point that it was ripped nearly in two. Everywhere she probed, there was damaged, dying tissue, so much more than she could tend to at once.

I don't care! I'm not giving up!

Healing magic was special, even among unicorn spells. As a branch of life magic, it's effectiveness was based on how closely the target's heart was linked with the caster's. Honeydew focused on the feelings Scuffle's heart had communicated to her, and the ones her heart held for him. It worked to her benefit; when the healing energy began to flow, it was more robust and vibrant than any other time she'd cast the spell.

Even so, it was a losing battle. Much of the tissue was badly torn up, resisting the young mare's attempts to bring it back together. Multiple regions called for urgent attention at once, and none could afford to wait. Scuffle teetered at the very brink of death, as Honeydew desperately tried to prevent him from toppling over it.

No! It doesn't matter what it takes! I won't let you die!

A second cone of green light formed around Honeydew's horn, encasing the first one. A third, yet bigger cone, soon engulfed the second as well. Wisps of dazzling pale green encircled Scuffle, and he began to slowly rise up to eye level as Honeydew poured every ounce of her magic reserves out at once. She struggled to split her attention more ways, to apply her spell to more structures simultaneously.

Bits of tissue here and there were mending, but too slowly. Honeydew marveled that Scuffle was still alive at all; had she opted not to attempt the healing, he would certainly have passed by now. She held on to the faint connection with his heart for all she was worth. If she let it go for even an instant, she feared, it would disappear into the abyss and be lost forever.

And then, to her horror, the spell began to wane. Try as she might, she couldn't increase the power any further; there was only so much magic a pony could use without taking some time to recuperate, and her limit was fast approaching. The warmth of Scuffle's heart began to fade.

I... am... not... stopping!

Honeydew called upon every inch of her own body, drawing out whatever energy she could to create a little more magic. Pain began to build at her extremities. Not the vicarious, synthesized pain from Scuffle, but real pain in her own body as she taxed it to its very limit.

Her legs began to quiver, and sweat trailed down her face, mixing with the tears, but the glow around her horn grew brighter once again. She continued pouring magic into the pony in front of her, with an intensity unlike anything she'd ever dared to cast.

Her body began to fiercely object.

The pain rapidly grew more ferocious. Soon, it felt like every nerve she had was on fire, as her own body tried desperately to cling to the energy she was siphoning out of it to convert to more magic. She squeezed her eyes shut as her skull was filled with searing pain. The smooth, shining aura around her horn sputtered, occasionally fading for a moment and then surging back with a flash of green sparks as she slowly lost the ability to keep the spell steady.

"P-please!" she screamed to the empty courtyard as the burning pain stretching from her horn to her hooves grew white-hot. "H-hang on! Please! Scuffle!"

She cried out as the spell destabilized completely, breaking apart in a tremendous blast of lightning and green sparks that hung in the air for a moment, glittering like emeralds. The aura vanished in an instant, and Scuffle's levitating form dropped to the cobbled ground, limp and unmoving. Honeydew swayed in place, disoriented and overcome by pain, her eyes shut tight and her horn fizzling with sparks of a spell that had ripped itself apart.

Her thoughts faded into hazy emptiness. As she tilted sideways, her coltfriend's name, just a helpless whisper, escaped her lips one more time.

"Sc-Scuffle..."

With a soft thump, Honeydew fell beside the colt. As chaos continued to rage all around the capital, two ponies lay still and silent in the ruined courtyard.

"From your left, Ditzy!"

Ditzy jumped into the air as a snarling earth pony lunged at her. Her attacker landed off-balance, and Watt zipped in and gave her assailant a swift buck, knocking him over long enough for their small team to make their escape.

Cloudcover and the secret service were presumably holding off the tide of hate-stricken ponies somewhere behind them, and the rest of the group had broken off as well, leaving Ditzy, Breeze, and Watt searching for a safe haven to decide what to do next. It was beginning to seem fruitless, though; Canterlot's residents, under Animosity's control, seemed to be everywhere.

"We need to find somewhere out of sight, and off the beaten path," Breeze said as he quickly slammed a brass gate that was the only thing separating them from a furious, slavering unicorn that growled at him like a mad dog. "A cellar or something where they won't think to look for us."

Ditzy nodded quickly. "Canterlot's shopping district is up ahead," she pointed out. "I'm sure there are storerooms full of nooks and crannies there, where we can—"

"Ack! Ditzy, above you!" Watt squawked, jabbing a hoof skyward.

Ditzy caught sight of three pegasi dive-bombing her. At the angle they were coming in, there was no space in the alleyway for her to evade. Using the only route available to her, she leapt into an open window, slamming it behind her and galloping through some forlorn lobby before jumping out another window on the opposite side. Cautiously, she peered over the sill to see if she'd been followed.

Kaboom!

Pinkish lightning struck the parapet of the building looming above her, dislodging a large hunk of its facade. The pegasus jumped back as it crashed down in front of the window she'd just exited, blocking off her route back to Watt and Breeze. For a moment, she considered simply flying over the building instead, but the churning, low-hanging storm just overhead made that seem like a suicidal option.

I guess I'll have to find my way around it...

Keeping to cover, Ditzy scurried down the street, her heart pounding as she tried not to think about how much danger her loved ones all around the city were probably in.

As she tried to dart across a wide garden dotted with marble fountains, a familiar voice, positively dripping with malice, made her stop dead.

"Well, well. It's Ditzy Doo."

Ditzy spotted the glowing pink eyes first. Two pairs of them, watching her from the shadows. She tensed as two unicorns she knew very well stepped out of the darkness.

"Glow. Bright Spark," she acknowledged, slowing opening her wings to try to make a break for it as her two old nemeses began to circle her like sharks.

"Shut it Ditzy, you pathetic old nag," Glow snapped. "No matter how I try to exact my revenge, everything continues to work out for you! If I have to destroy you myself, I'll do it right here!"

Her old rival seemed oblivious to the situation that had befallen Canterlot, but Ditzy supposed that was to be expected. Animosity had wrapped these two up in their own hate so completely that they were blind to everything else. A pair of pawns in a chess master's game.

"Let's teach her a lesson now, and then go after that horrid abomination she calls a daughter!" Bright Spark declared.

Ditzy couldn't help but feel a little amused at the idea of a pair of thoroughly regular unicorns overcoming Dinky's power, but her mirth quickly vanished when Bright Spark cast a spell, encasing the pegasus in a binding aura. She struggled against the ethereal bonds as Glow approached her, horn glowing ominously.

"This is for all the misery you've caused me," Glow sneered as an attack spell began to grow, just inches from Ditzy's face. "Let's see if Breeze still likes you once I rearrange that face a little more!"

From the edge of the garden, a blast of pale purple magic burst from the darkness, aiming right for Ditzy's captors. Bright Spark quickly erected a shield to block it, but had to release Ditzy in the process, just before Glow could strike. All three ponies attention turned to the source of the spell, where a pink and purple pony stood in the gateway, glaring.

"Sparkler!"

"Two on one? That's hardly fair," Sparkler commented as she strode confidently into the open area. "Mrs. Doo, leave Bright Spark to me. She may be washed-up, but she was a brilliant unicorn mage once, and it'll take another unicorn mage to keep her at bay. You should be more than a match for my mom and her amateur spells, though."

Glow looked positively outraged. "You disrespectful little louse!" she shrieked. "How dare you talk about your mother that way!"

Sparkler calmly lit her horn, and a shimmering wall flickered into view, separating her and Bright Spark from Ditzy and Glow. "Good luck, Mrs. Doo!" she called. "Not that you'll really need it, trust me."

She turned and galloped away from the dividing wall she'd created, with Bright Spark hollering insults as she gave chase. Cosmic Glow watched them disappear, before turning back to Ditzy, red-faced.

"You've even turned my daughter against me!" she bellowed, lowering her head and scraping a hoof like a bull ready to charge. "That's it, Ditzy! You're dead!"

Glow released a volley of beams from her horn. Ditzy knew enough about magic from living with Dinky to recognize that they were too weak to cause any real damage, but they'd still be painful if they made contact.

In the past, she would've scrambled out of the way, wings beating madly as she tried to dive clear of the attack. Instead, she recalled what she'd learned in her combat training less than a day before.

Don't waste your energy. Make sure each movement has a purpose.

Ditzy sidestepped, letting the spells whiz past her. Glow clearly hadn't expected to miss, judging by the gawking stare the gave the mare across from her.

"Don't do this, Glow," Ditzy warned. "I'm not a violent pony, but if I have to defend myself—"

Glow screamed incoherently and leapt forward. Ditzy ducked low to the ground, dodging under her, and then spun around, ready to strike if need be. Glow scrambled to keep her footing as she whirled around and charged again. Ditzy stepped aside at the last moment and kicked out her back legs, feeling the hollow thump as her buck connected with Glow's side and knocked the unicorn over.

"Stop it! This is stupid!" Ditzy insisted.

Glow responded with a few more easily-evaded lasers. Ditzy took to the air and shook her head.

It's no use; Animosity's magic won't let her see reason, she realized. All she wants to do is fight, so I guess I have to fight back.

Glow released an arc of fire from her horn, but Ditzy swooped under it easily, flying with perfect precision thanks to the helmet correcting her vision. Moving how she'd been trained to at the base, she dove down to Glow's level and delivered a punch with her forehoof. Backed by the momentum of her flight, the blow sent Glow reeling. She was back in the air again by the time the unicorn got her bearings.

"Is that all you've got?" Glow barked. "As if some defective pegasus could actually punch me out! You're gonna have to try harder than that."

Ditzy waited for the next bolt of energy, and then angled her wings to the side to evade it. She stopped flapping, but kept her wings spread, controlling her trajectory as gravity took over and she dropped, hind hooves first, toward the ground. She had only a fraction of a second to see the shocked look in her opponent's eyes before she delivered a diving kick right to her jaw.

Glow hit the ground hard. For a moment, Ditzy hoped she would stay there, but the unicorn got up again, working her sore jaw as the pink sheen of Animosity's hatred flickered brighter than ever in her eyes. Past the point of talking— or for that matter, strategizing in any way— she simply opened fire with her horn once again, blind rage overshadowing all else.

It quickly became a pitiful display; between Ditzy's improved vision and her recent training, the "fight" was really nothing more than a repetitive cycle of dodge-and-retaliate. Glow's magic skills were feeble compared to those of just about any of the many Academy-trained unicorns Ditzy knew, so she simply evaded each well-telegraphed spell and responded with a strike that hit home every time.

Here was the unicorn that had tried, time and time again, to ruin her life. The same unicorn that had sabotaged her workplace, threatened her daughter, and nearly prevented her marriage. If anything, a chance to finally let out her frustrations and even the score should have been welcome, but Ditzy found no satisfaction in the blows she was landing. This wasn't justice, just a beating that she had no choice but to deliver.

Soon, Glow was ragged and bruised. Any sane pony would've given in, but it seemed she had no intention of doing so. She limped forward, growling, as her horn sputtered to life again.

Ditzy waited for the right moment. Just as the next sphere of magic was sent flying her way, she jumped into the air, flapped just once to close the distance, and dropped back down again, delivering a powerful right hook. She winced as she heard something crack.

Glow yelled, this time more in pain than fury, and collapsed, curling up as she hit the ground. Ditzy stood beside her, shaking her head.

"You're finished, Glow, at least for now," she said, leaning low to speak to the furious, injured mare. "It sounds like the hatred in your heart is the reason Animosity started to gain power in the first place. You deserve what you got... but I'm not the vindictive type, and neither are the ponies I care about. I won't leave anypony to suffer, not even a pony like you. If we can find a way to break Animosity's hold on you, we will. "

Glow scowled, but flinched when she attempted to move. She'd broken something for sure; she wasn't going anywhere.

Ditzy returned to an upright position. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she continued as she took to the air to pass over Sparkler's dividing wall, "your daughter just got me out of a sticky situation. I need to go repay the favor."

"Don't waste your time with that sniveling rat!" Glow spat.

Ditzy paused. "Despite your best efforts to ruin her, that 'rat' is ten times the pony you ever were," she replied.

Caught completely off guard by the insult, Glow could only stare. But Ditzy didn't take the time to meet her gaze; she was already on her way to help her friends, leaving her old nemesis alone in the darkened garden.

"What the matter, Bright Spark, can't keep up in your old age?"

A streetlamp to Sparkler's right exploded in a shower of sparks and metal as the old mare pursuing her continued to attack. She reminded herself that while Bright Spark was too elderly to be much of a physical threat, her magic was still very much so.

Not that it mattered. Her goal was to lead the ex-dean away and prevent her from hurting anypony. And continued taunting seemed to be working wonders in doing just that.

"Missed me again," she calmly pointed out as she ran. "I thought professors at the nation's most accomplished magic school were supposed to be good at aiming spells."

The distinctive "pop" of a teleportation spell reached Sparkler's ears, and she stopped short and encased herself in a powerful shield just as the old mare reappeared. "You think you're better than me?" she raged. "My school made you what you are today. I'm the only reason you can even claim you're any better than any of the other pathetic brats that ever studied there. So if you think you're such a pro, stop running and fight!"

As she finished her sentence, she released a magic-cancelling wave that quickly disintegrated Sparkler's shield. Accomplished though she was, Sparkler wasn't sure if her skills measured up to those of a pony with so many years of experience with high level spells. She swallowed her fear, determined not to give Bright Spark the pleasure of basking in her uncertainty.

"Sure, I'll duel you," she replied, standing her ground. "You first."

Bright Spark tossed her grey mane as her horn began to glow. Several large orbs of light formed at the tip, floating into the air like bubbles that hovered around the arena. Sparkler prepared to shield herself, watching the lights warily, but they didn't seem to be hostile. In fact, they didn't even radiate any particularly powerful energy signature.

"...What's this?" she asked finally.

Bright Spark smiled darkly. "This is the reason I can defeat just about anypony, even those who have more powerful magic than I do," she proudly explained. "Ever heard of a Localized Multipurpose Teleportation Matrix?"

Sparkler had heard of a great many things, especially when high-utility magic like teleportation was concerned, but this wasn't one of them. She slowly shook her head.

"I thought not. Only a hoofful of ponies in Equestria can even cast one," Bright Spark continued, looking increasingly menacing as the dozen or so spheres slowly circled the two mares' makeshift duel arena. "And oh, I'm going to enjoy using it to squash you like a bug!"

The old mare arched her neck, touching the tip of her horn to the nearest orb. Faster than Sparkler could blink, she was on the other side of the circle, launching an attack spell from an unexpected position.

Sparkler's quick reflexes saved her, and she stopped the energy blast with another shield. "That's it?" she asked skeptically. "It's a ring of drifting teleport nodes? Seems pretty useless in such a small scale. Why don't you just teleport the normal way?"

Rather than answer, Bright Spark tapped into one of the spheres again. This time, she didn't just move from one sphere to another; in the span of barely a second, she changed position ten times, spending a fraction of an instant at each of the many different points before finally firing a spell from one position at random.

Sparkler couldn't possibly predict it, and she was nearly knocked off her hooves by the ex-dean's attack. Bright Spark puffed out her chest triumphantly.

"For an Academy graduate, you're really an idiot," the old mare taunted. "Teleportation itself is instantaneous. It's the act of casting a teleportation spell that consumes a moment of time and draws upon one's magical reserves. But in this case, I've placed all the teleport magic ahead of time, and neurologically linked it all to myself!"

Sparkler instinctively raised a forehoof in a defensive posture. So it completely eliminates the startup time? she realized. Interesting... but not unstoppable.

She blocked a few more of her attacker's spells with what was left of one of her shields, watching closely as Bright Spark changed position again and again, searching for a pattern.

Sure, she couldn't guarantee her enemy's position at any given moment... but she could make a prediction!

There was a loud crack as Sparkler finally fired a single, focused attack from her horn, with as little preparation as possible, with the hope that Bright Spark wouldn't have time to perceive its position quickly enough to mentally adjust her course. It nearly worked; the spell missed by inches, but gave Sparkler the impression that the ex-dean definitely wasn't untouchable.

...At least, until her slightly-off-course spell disappeared into one of the shining orbs, and struck its caster in the hindquarters half a second later.

"Wait, what?" Sparkler gasped, wheeling around as if expecting to see another pony behind her.

"And here we have the best part," Bright Spark explained, sounding yet more sadistic. "I did say this is a multipurpose teleportation matrix. I don't just control my position with it. I can mentally reposition anything that enters it, including your spells!"

Sparkler's jaw dropped. She'd never seen teleportation magic used for anything of this caliber before. She suddenly felt a bit like a mouse, trapped in a cage as its cruel owner teased and prodded it as they pleased.

"That wretched Dinky Doo will always be the worst pony in my eyes..." Bright Spark growled, "but you, Sparkler, the Overseer who betrayed me in favor of that meddlesome wraith at the last moment, are a close second. Even if I can't get rid of her, at least I can take it out on you!"

She filled the air with spells of all kinds. Lasers and fireballs sailed through the air in all directions, disappearing into the various nodes of the teleport matrix, and exiting again from whichever angle Sparkler was not currently in position to defend against. The pink and purple filly was battered by an avalanche of attacks.

Gotta get away! Now!

Sparkler ran, and to her horror, the ring of floating orbs (and by extension, Bright Spark), moved with her, so that she always remained right at its center. Her assailant continued to fire off spells indiscriminately, and while some slipped between the teleport matrix and struck the surrounding buildings, most were swallowed up by it and redirected at Sparkler, who was rapidly running out of ideas to defend herself. Any spell she used to try to strike back missed its target as Bright Spark blinked effortlessly to a different position in the ring, before being hurled right back at her at her opponent's whim.

Sparkler's senses seemed out of control; the ex-dean seemed to be everywhere she looked, and a cacophony made up of the crackling of spells and the constant rumble of the magical thunder above made it hard to even think. A powerful laser, one she had never even noticed, let alone attempted to block, struck her in the side, and she toppled, feeling the wind knocked out of her as she hit the street. Gasping for breath, she gazed up blearily as the hateful mare loomed over her, preparing to attack at point blank range and looking oh so proud of herself.

"F-fine, you beat me," she panted. "Finish me off if you want. I'm not the important one here. Dinky's still more than a match for you, and she'll stop Animosity too, and save everypony whether you like it or not."

"I'll take what I can get," Bright Spark hissed, her horn glowing ominously as she pointed it at Sparkler. "Any last words?"

At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, Sparkler spotted somepony launch over the top of one of the nearby buildings. Though the pony was silhouetted against the angry red sky, their identity was still unmistakable. She grinned.

"Just two. Nighty night."

Bright Spark raised an eyebrow uncomprehendingly. "Nighty—"

Thwack!

With incredible momentum from her aerial dive, Ditzy delivered a flying kick that sent Bright Spark hurtling several pony-lengths across the square. For all her magical ability, she was still a physically old and frail pony, and by the time she landed in a heap on the street, she was already out cold.

The teleport matrix blinked out. Sparkler chuckled darkly, though she was still trying to catch her breath.

"Nice timing, Mrs. Doo. I take it mom wasn't much of a threat?"

"She's hurt, but she'll be alright," Ditzy said quickly, extending a forehoof to help the filly up. "Are you okay?"

"I've been worse," Sparkler dismissed as she staggered to her hooves. "I might've underestimated Bright Spark, just a little. If I had Presto backing me up, we would've managed."

Ditzy beamed. "Aw, look at you!" she cooed. "When I met you last winter, you never would've admitted aloud that you would be better off with somepony by your side! You've come such a long way."

Sparkler felt a rare feeling of warmth and realized a bit of a blush had crept into her cheeks. She quickly turned away to lead the way out of the plaza, changing the subject as she did so.

"So, are we finally even now?"

Ditzy's ear twitched. "Huh?"

"All year you've been going on and on about how you owe me for saving Dinky twice," Sparkler pointed out with a bit of a smirk. "Even after you helped me find Presto, you still said you're in my debt. So now that you just got me out of a real tight spot there, can we just say we're square and put this silly exchange of favors to bed already?"

Ditzy appeared to think about it. "Alright, alright," she conceded. "We're even. Now let's find Breeze, Watt, and Cloudcover before something else—"

The fur on the back of Sparkler's neck suddenly stood on end, and she silenced her companion with a forehoof as she felt a source of power approaching. "Stay still," she commanded, cloaking them both in an invisibility spell.

Several tense seconds passed, and then a chorus of eerie chimes reached the mares' ears. An imposing figure descended from the storm clouds, scanning the landscape as she gave off a haunting melody with each flap of her lattice wings.

"Animosity..." Sparkler whispered.

After a moment, the spirit of hate turned and flew off in search of her next victim. Sparkler ended her spell and noticed Ditzy looking at her worriedly.

"Glow and Bright Spark are one thing..." she pegasus mumbled, "...but how are we gonna beat her?"

Before Sparkler could answer, she sensed another source of magical power: one that felt almost as vile to all her senses as Animosity's did. She had only just enough time to look up before a dark-furred shape rocketed by overhead, leaving a trail of churning, inky smoke in the air in its wake.

"We can't beat her," the unicorn replied, watching the unmistakable being pursue Animosity. "But, if there's even a chance that Celestia was right... maybe Dinky can."

If the very earth itself could've shied away from the aura radiating from Dinky, it probably would have.

The wraith shot through the air like a rocket. The strange, malleable layer of darkness that Scorpio's pilfered power allowed her to create clung to her skin like a tight garment, except of course behind her, where it branched out to form two broad, black wings. Her crescent horn hissed and sputtered with dark magic, eager to be set loose. Smoke billowed off her body in waves as all the excess dark energy tried to find an outlet to leave her, and the shining violet mist pouring from the twin abysses that were her eyes left matching shimmering contrails for several pony-lengths behind her as she flew.

It had been less than a day since she'd first taken to the air of her own power, but the whimsy of the miracle of flight was no longer registering in her mind. The fabricated wings were a tool that she controlled with finely-honed magical skills, and right now their only purpose was to propel her toward her target.

Fear and uncertainty had vanished; blazing fury burned in Dinky's gut, and seemed to flow upwards and outwards through every pore in her body. The mountainous stores of darkness inside her thrashed and twisted like never before. Vile, corrupt energy that would effortlessly dissolve the tissue of any other type of creature pulsed in her veins. Imagery of the crystal spire piercing Scuffle's flesh replayed itself again and again in her mind, and her magic grew more and more restless with each repetition.

As she swooped low over the rooftops, she noted with casual interest that she was exuding a malignant aura, just as she had been when Animosity's meddling under the guise of Wishing Star had forced her to flee the Academy. The white stone that composed so many of Canterlot's buildings turned ashy and blackened as she passed. Trees dropped their leaves all at once, which curled and died before they even reached the ground, and branches twisted into unnatural, disjointed forms. Anything within several pony-lengths of her reacted as if it was exposed to some terrible, corrosive substance.

There was one difference between this time and the last, she noted. With so much of Scorpio's power now an inextricable part of her physiology, her dark magic was not out of control, not in the slightest. It was fully within her range of ability to rein in the deadly aura she was emanating.

But at least for now, she had no plans to do so.

As Dinky climbed higher into the air, soaring toward the swirling red storm clouds and blatantly ignoring the flashes of pink lightning striking all around her, she couldn't help but notice how clear her next move felt. Her pony consciousness was furious that her adversary had the gall to strike down her unsuspecting friend right in front of her. And similarly, her wraith instincts were really, really savoring the idea of ripping somepony limb-from-limb to vent her frustration.

For once, she realized, with a flicker of an ironic smile, conscious and subconscious are in agreement.

The churning blackness on Dinky's curved horn grew more unruly. Rather than silence it, she cultivated it, pouring her sorrow and anger into her magic as she rose into the sky. Purplish sparks and blanketing smoke spiraled around her like some kind of aberrant firework.

Way up here, ponies should be free of any collateral damage she might cause. Up here, she could cut loose. Not in the way she had in dark magic research with Professor Surge, or while honing her skills aboard the Black Seahorse. For the first time in her life, she felt truly ready to hold nothing back.

She tried not to think. This was no longer a time for thinking. It was time to end this before any more needless loss of life occurred. It was time to let her natural penchant for destruction take the wheel, because that's what it would take to set things right.

It was time for Dinky Doo, the pony, to step aside and let Dinky Doo, the wraith, into this battle.

She finally spotted her target, hovering near the zenith of the great spherical barrier that contained Canterlot, just below the lightning-addled clouds. A strange mish-mash of shimmering fur and glinting pink crystal, the being surveyed the besieged city, searching for her next victim.

"ANIMOSITY!"

Through some magic she hadn't even consciously employed, Dinky bellowed her opponent's name. Her voice's usual sinister hiss was amplified until it was more like a dragon's roar. The cry echoed through every corner of the city, bringing each and every pony, friend or foe, to a halt. All eyes turned skyward. For a moment, even the dull rumble of thunder seemed to quiet down a bit.

Dinky took a moment to scan the city below her. Many of the streets were filled with Animosity's hate-stricken puppets, but after a moment she spotted her allies, clustered in small groups around the capital. Breeze, Watt, and Cloudcover stared at her from the safety of a fallen pillar shielding them from the horde. Ditzy and Sparkler peered out from a narrow side street. After a moment, she even spotted Clarity, peeking out from some behind some rubble, with Inkwell still clinging for dear life to her back. Only Honeydew was nowhere to be seen, but that came as no surprise; Dinky suspected she was still right at Scuffle's side, although the doomed colt had expired by now for sure.

But there was no time for distractions now. She looked back up just as Animosity slowly pivoted in the air to face her.

"Oooh, somepony's grumpy!" the strange being mocked, putting on a fake pout. "What's wrong? Is the little wraith gonna throw a tantrum because I made her little friend into a shish-kebab?"

Her lighthearted tone made Dinky seethe. "Animosity, I'm going to give you exactly one chance," she growled through clenched teeth, holding herself back one last time. "Release the princesses, free the citizens of Canterlot from your control, and return the city to the ground, now, or Tartarus will look like a vacation paradise compared to what I'm gonna do to you."

"Oooh!" Animosity chirred, wiggling her hooves like a giddy schoolfilly. "I didn't know it would be this easy to bring out the monster in you! I wonder if you'll get even madder when another of your friends drops dead?"

She peered down at Dinky's few allies, holding their positions out of reach of the sea of ponies under her spell, and began to point at each with a forehoof.

"Eeny, meeny, miney..."

Dinky's temper, and her magic, boiled over. Black energy begged her to be set free, and she was more than happy to comply.

Animosity, of course, had been expecting an attack. What she hadn't been expecting was a beam of searing blackness the size of a train to explode out of Dinky's body. There was a thunderclap, not from the storm raging above, but simply from the force of air being pushed aside as the spell barreled into the malicious spirit. It sailed over the castle courtyard and struck Canterlot castle's highest tower, the impact blowing the whole upper portion of the spire apart and raining dust and rubble on the ground far below.

Dinky hovered in the sky, flapping slowly as she watched the haze of debris slowly settle. She was still bursting with energy, even though the laser she'd just produced was most likely the strongest dark spell Equestria had seen since the days or Scorpio. But somehow, she knew it probably wasn't enough. Not when it came to a being like this one.

The rubble lying atop what remained of the tower suddenly stirred. A few big bricks slid aside, and Animosity climbed out. She gave her lattice wings an experimental flap, listening to the eerie chime, and then rose slowly back into the air. Her giddy little smirk, Dinky noticed with some degree of satisfaction, was gone. She scowled as she floated closer.

"You've been busy since you left the Academy, I see," she snarled. "When you attacked me in the courtyard earlier, it was clear you'd gotten stronger, but I didn't realize how much stronger. So I hope you're prepared to suffer; if it's a real fight you want, it's a real fight you'll get!"

She turned to the city below her. "I didn't say stop!" she barked at the zombie-like masses. "Destroy them!"

Dinky had only a moment to see the hate-stricken ponies resume their march on her allies before the object of her fury was suddenly in motion. The wraith flapped hard and narrowly avoided a beam of jagged, reddish energy that shot from Animosity's crystal horn. It cleanly sliced the corner off one of the taller buildings downtown. There was no cracking, no blast, no debris; the triangular hunk of masonry simply slid off, as smoothly as a sharp knife through a ripe fruit, and crashed against the ground.

It wasn't the first time Dinky had steered clear of a clearly lethal spell, and she knew it wouldn't be the last. She also knew she couldn't afford to worry about it, even as she heard the panicked cries of her allies below, calling to her to be careful.

If I let this turn into a game of cat and mouse, that just gives me more chances to die, she thought grimly. I have to hold my ground and fight.

As she twirled in midair to face Animosity, Dinky recalled Scorpio's lesson in the Realm of Stars, and her practice sessions with her friends. Scorpio was a devious snake, but one piece of her advice had definitely proven true; the best way to come up with creative dark spells was simply to corrupt normal unicorn ones.

Alright then, Dinky thought, her lip curling up to expose her fangs as she grinned. Let's try a little dark transformation magic.

Dinky didn't dare try anything involving self-transformation; she usually couldn't even cast the typical version of such a spell, and even if she could, there weren't many options for her to transform into more deadly than a winged wraith anyway. Instead, she waited for one of Animosity's slicing spells to cleave another hunk of brick off a building as it tried to hit her. She grabbed it in her aura as she swooped by, and then turned sharply and ascended almost vertically.

"There's no escape!" Animosity yelled. "Hiding in the clouds won't save you! If the lightning doesn't get you, I will!"

Dinky disappeared into the storm, paying careful attention to her senses to avoid anywhere that energy was building into a bolt of lightning. With only seconds until the villain tracked her down again, there was no time to lose; she poured dark magic into the chunk of stone she carried, slowly modifying its molecular structure to allow it to contain the energy, rather than crumble to dust from its corroding effects. She dumped more and more energy into it, while strengthening it just enough that it was always just barely strong enough to hold its shape and not be overwhelmed by the explosive magic within it. When she finished, the otherwise ordinary block gave off a dull humming. She could feel dark magic, tons of it, just below the surface; it didn't look it, but the hunk of masonry was now extremely volatile.

She chuckled darkly. I've made a bomb.

Though she couldn't see through the gloom, strange melodies in the air signaled that Animosity was catching up. Wasting no time, Dinky tucked her wings against her sides and dove downward, out of the cloudbank and back into the airspace above Canterlot. She spotted Animosity just a fraction of a second before her opponent spotted her, and that was all the time she needed. She flung her hoof-crafted grenade across the sky, and braced herself. The spirit of hate spotted the crude projectile a second before it reached her and swung a forehoof at it to swat it away.

Or at least that was the plan, until her hoof made contact.

All the magic was released at once as Animosity's smack disrupted the delicate physical structure holding it back. An explosion of burning blackness detonated in midair, releasing a shockwave that sent Dinky tumbling backwards in the air and sent a shockwave throughout Canterlot, causing friend and foe alike to cry out as everypony below was knocked off their hooves by the pressure wave.

Animosity was thrown with such force that her body punched through the side of a white stone building, burst out the other side, and then through the side of the adjacent one as well. A trail of shattered flecks of pink crystal hung in the air where she had been an instant before. Dinky shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears and slowly floated closer to the ground. Though she could hear the others talking below her, she never took her eyes off the smoldering hole left by her opponent.

"That had to have done it, right?" she heard Watt ask. "I'm an expert at running into things at high speed, and even I wouldn't have lived through that."

"Any pony would have been pulverized," Cloudcover said warily. "Animosity, however, is no pony."

There was a shiver of movement in the wall that had swallowed up Animosity. "It's not over," Dinky called to her companions as she gained elevation again. "Stay alert down here. I'm not letting her hurt anypony else."

As she glided toward the half-imploded building, the spirit of hatred climbed out of the ruins. The impact would've reduced any typical pony to an unrecognizable pile of blood and bone, but she only looked lightly bruised, and seriously angry. Her crystal wings, however, were badly mangled.

She's grounded! Dinky realized. This is my chance!

Before Dinky could act, the skin on Animosity's sides and back began to ripple and bulge unnaturally. Pink crystals pierced through the flesh, though no blood or tissue followed behind them. They rapidly slid along the crisscrossing skeleton of her wings and affixed themselves wherever they were needed, repairing the damage. Realizing what was happening, Dinky unleashed another laser, but too late; Animosity returned effortlessly to the air as the building below her was vaporized by dark magic.

"You won't be getting rid of me that easily, Dinky!" she exclaimed. "Now let's see if you're as resilient as I am."

She waved a hoof, and Dinky gasped as an entire small shop from the fashion district was effortlessly pulled from the ground, raining clods of soil as it floated into the air. Another wave, and the whole establishment was hurled right at her.

Dinky's horn surged, using magic to power her wings as quickly as she could. She managed to avoid the massive projectile, which crashed down somewhere behind her, but Animosity was already in the process of throwing another. Given her position, there was no way to evade this one.

Instinct took over. Just before she was crushed by many tons of brick, Dinky's body completely dematerialized. The building passed harmlessly through the swirling cloud of smoke that remained before it coalesced back into a solid being. Animosity's eyebrows rose slightly.

"You're not getting rid of me so easily, either!" Dinky shouted as her body became whole again. "You can regenerate your crystals, but I can turn incorporeal! So I guess we're both gonna have to get more creative!"

Animosity continued to pelt Dinky with entire structures yanked from the city below, which admittedly did buy her time; the cost of dissolving into smoke meant momentary loss of access of spellcasting or any other ability that required a body. As she blasted through some of the flying buildings and dematerialized to evade others, Dinky desperately considered her options.

I don't know yet how extensive her regeneration abilities are. Maybe I need to try a spell from a subtler field of magic like... like magical biology!

Dinky turned to smoke a second before a sizeable statue of Celestia that had been tossed through the air passed harmlessly through the space her gaseous form occupied. She slipped through the air in amorphous form, sliding under and around and even through airborne debris until her black cloud of a body situated itself behind Animosity. Restoring her physical form as fast as she could, she tapped into a familiar spell to create a mental connection with the being in front of her before the latter could react. The mind-link necessary for magical biology spells was quickly established, though Dinky made sure not to delve too deeply into her target's mind. If Animosity really was a being of pure hatred, joining their minds too intricately was probably a bad idea.

There wasn't time to explore anyway. Dinky knew she had to strike before Animosity could sever the mental link.

If unicorn magic can cast healing spells through this channel, dark magic should be able to do the exact opposite!

In a fraction of a second, Dinky prepared the magic for a healing spell and poisoned it in her horn, saturating it with blackness until its nature was entirely reversed. Animosity barely had enough time to recognize what was happening before Dinky began pouring a horrific degradation spell into her body. The hate spirit screamed in a chilling mixture of pain and fury as she fell to the nearest rooftop.

Dinky's mind, and its decidedly pony sympathies, tried not to think too hard about what she was doing. Dark magic in its base form wasn't necessarily deadly; a unicorn's horn could channel it and the magic stores in one's head could contain it.
This spell, however, could definitely kill a normal pony, quite slowly and painfully as darkness seeped into their tissues and caused the cells to degenerate, literally un-healing the victim and eventually eating them away from the inside out.

Animosity thrashed on the rooftop, and finally broke the connection, but the damage was obvious; her fur had dulled and her body had withered, like she'd aged many years in a matter of seconds. She stared blankly at Dinky with bloodshot eyes. Dinky stared back, holding her fire for a moment and wondering if she would still try to fight.

"Vile little wretch," Animosity rasped. "I didn't think you had it in you to be that cruel. Impressive."

Dinky's wraith aspect felt a little surge of satisfaction. While she shuddered at the thought of using that spell on a pony, she couldn't deny that she craved vengeance for Scuffle's death, and seeing her opponent in a faded heap seemed to somewhat placate her more bloodthirsty subconscious.

At least, until the damage started to reverse itself.

Too stunned to move, Dinky watched the sheen return to Animosity's fur, and saw her withered limbs become strong and vital once again. She stood, smirking.

"What? Did you think I could only regenerate the crystal parts of me?"

"Wait, bu—"

Animosity fired a slicing spell at close range. Dinky couldn't completely get out of the way, wincing as it clipped her shoulder, leaving a deep gash. A few drops of black blood sizzled as they struck the rooftop. She flapped her wings as Animosity spread her own, and the two combatants rocketed back into the sky.

"Alright, fine!" Dinky barked, the sharp pain in her shoulder causing her simmering fury to begin to boil again. "That's the last time you'll see me hesitate. Let's see you regenerate when there's nothing left of you!"

She sailed under the crystalline monster and launched a beam of darkness upwards. Animosity avoided it, but the way it pushed the storm clouds above outward as it impacted the roof of the Canterlot barrier was a testament to the brutal power behind it. She released spell after spell, each with enough power behind it to incinerate a whole herd of ponies, but Animosity blocked or evaded every one. Fortunately, Dinky was equally good at avoiding the hot pink bolts of slicing spell being thrown in retaliation.

"Nimble little thing, aren't you?" Animosity growled. "You're awfully good with those wings for somepony who's not even a pegasus. Maybe I need to turn down the power in favor of something a bit harder to escape."

She raised a hoof skyward, and the blood red stormclouds began to swirl and writhe more than ever. Something began to precipitate; for a moment, Dinky thought it was rain, until she saw a red glint and realized the truth.

Tens of thousands of long, narrow, razor sharp crystals fell from the clouds, conjured with some spell Dinky couldn't begin to guess. They were upon her in an instant, and while they weren't nearly as deadly as Animosity's slicing spells, they were everywhere. She instinctively tucked her legs close to her body and kept her head down as the crystal rain left dozens of stinging nicks and cuts in her skin.

Don't panic! she urged herself. This is easy to deal with!

Dinky encased herself in a spherical field of dark magic, disintegrating each crystal as it passed through, and showering her with flecks of faintly reddish dust. "You expect to beat me with something this basic?" she asked, refusing to back down.

Animosity shook her head. "No, but I might finish off a few of your little friends," she said casually.

Dinky's stomach turned as she looked down at the ponies far below. Animosity was right; she was protected, but the others weren't!

The wraith turned tail and dove down, glancing over her shoulder in case her adversary attacked from behind. As she neared the ground, she saw the other unicorns take action.

"Over here!" Sparkler called, motioning frantically to Breeze, Watt, and Cloudcover as she erected a powerful shield around herself and Ditzy. The aforementioned stallions tried to cross the courtyard to the relative safety, but the crystal rain was upon them long before they got there.

"Keep low! Protect your face, wings, and other sensitive areas!" Cloudcover instructed.

Breeze tucked his wings as tightly against his sides as he could. Watt, whose thin cuts showed up well against his bright yellow fur, tried to hunker down as much as possible.

"They're not gonna make it!" Ditzy cried over the sound of shattering crystal hitting the stone. "Sparkler, can't you extend the shield?"

"I'm trying!" Sparkler insisted. "But the further I stretch it, the weaker it becomes. It it gives out under the strain of blocking those crystals, we're all done for!"

"No you're not!"

Dinky flew overhead, keeping her distance to avoid affecting anypony with her darkness, and hovered above the three stallions, her disintegrating field acting as an umbrella as the ponies below it crawled under Sparkler's shield and promptly collapsed.

"Ditzy, old friend, if you could please administer some first aid," Cloudcover said weakly. "There are bandages and ointment in my bags."

As Ditzy set to work helping her coworkers minor injuries, Clarity rushed over as well, keeping herself and Inkwell encased in a glowing dome of her own.

Animosity floated down slowly. The crystals seemed to change course in midair as they fell to avoid hitting her. She gradually approached, obviously savoring the cowering group of ponies for a few moments before her inevitable attack.

"Sparkler, Clarity, listen," Dinky hissed once everypony was safely under a shield. "No time to explain. Put Scorpio's rune on as many of these crystals as you can."

Sparkler looked at the thousands of red crystal shards lying in the street. "Huh?"

"Do it!"

"Listen to her," Clarity agreed, already using a spell to rapidly carve the small symbol into dozens of crystals. "She knows what she's doing."

Dinky stepped forward, keeping Animosity's attention off her allies. The hate spirit looked at her, shaking her head.

"You're a strange little wraith, aren't you?" she chided, as the crystal rain slowed and finally ceased. "I don't know much about dark magic, but I don't think most wraiths waste effort on helping ponies. That's going to be your downfall, Dinky. You can't save them from me, and if you expend too much energy on them, you won't be able to save yourself either."

With efficient magic, Sparkler and Clarity had added runes to hundreds of crystals in less than a minute's time. Dinky slowly floated up to face her opponent, showing no fear.

"You're wrong. These ponies are the reason I will beat you," she countered. "Just look at what I'm capable of when they help me!"

Dinky swept up hundreds of crystals in a great flurry of magic, so they orbited her like tiny asteroids circling a star. With a single, wide-reaching spell, she enchanted them all with dark energy.

"What do you plan to do with those?" Animosity asked skeptically, crossing her forelegs as she floated overhead. "If they couldn't stop you, what makes you think they'll fare better against me?"

Dinky's horn flickered, and a few of the crystals were whipped through the air at lightning speed. They stuck in Animosity's flank like darts, and each immediately discharged a burst of dark magic into her. Her body jolted as the malevolent energy zapped her, causing small arcs of black electricity to dance up her coat. She turned and blasted into the sky where there was more room to evade, but Dinky persisted, launching dozens of corrupt crystals in quick succession, many of which hit their target. The projectiles raced through the air, chipping Animosity's wings, tearing at her mane and tail, and afflicting her body with painful doses of darkness.

But it didn't seem to matter. Additional crystals slid out from under the monstrous mare's skin, repairing any damage as quickly as Dinky could deal it.

"Don't give up, Dinky!" she heard Clarity scream from below. "Regenerating like that is obviously consuming magic, which means she can't keep it up forever! You just have to outlast her!"

Animosity suddenly whirled around and released a shockwave of fiery energy. Dinky managed to shield herself, just barely, but all her remaining ammunition was reduced to glittering dust.

"Enough of this!" the malicious entity cried. "You're much fiercer than I could've anticipated, but even you can't endure something like this!"

Animosity threw back her head, pointing her horn skyward. The paranormal storm clouds overhead began to swirl like a hurricane. Dinky backed off out of necessity as a huge bolt of pink lightning descended from its center and struck Animosity's horn. It didn't vanish after a single strike, either, but created a sustained arc, as if energy was flowing between two electrodes. Animosity's whole body began to glow as the crystal elements of her anatomy filled with captured light.

"You're sturdier than the average pony," she growled, pointing dramatically at Dinky, "but there's not much you can do if I hit you with enough energy to rip every molecule in your body apart!"

She fired a spell from her crystal horn that absolutely dwarfed every one prior; it caused a deafening thunderclap simply by springing into being so quickly and fiercely. Desperately, Dinky tried to move to the side. She got her body out of the way, but the hot pink energy tore through one of her wings, annihilating it and sending her into an unplanned tailspin. Quickly manipulating the layer of darkness clinging to her body, she formed a replacement and righted herself, just in time to avoid another high energy attack. She winced as the spell she dodged sailed to the ground and set off a fiery blast that destroyed half of Canterlot's fortunately vacant train station.

I gotta stay high up, she realized. If she aims her attacks downward and misses me, the ponies of Canterlot are gonna be killed by collateral damage!

Flying in a wide half-circle, Dinky threw spell after spell at her target, narrowly dodging Animosity's attacks, and trying to keep calm while knowing she was done for if even one connected.

"You're really gonna see this through to the end, aren't you?" Animosity laughed between bolts of energy. "It's a pity I have to vaporize you. I would've loved to watch your reaction when I wipe out the rest of your loved ones. Watching you fly into a rage over silly little Scuffle was even more fun than watching Ditzy and the other matchmakers mope about after I poisoned that senile old stallion, Candyfloss."

There were several loud cries of outrage from far below. The spirit of hate grinned devilishly. "That's right, that was me too!" she chuckled proudly. "I could never have spread enough hatred to regain my true power with him still around; he was onto me before I even met any of you! And now that I have... those of you who are still somehow resisting my influence are next in line. If you won't lose this last pitiful glimmer of hope, you'll lose your lives instead!"

Dinky couldn't contain herself any longer. This vicious entity in front of her was single-hoofedly responsible for basically every hardship that she and all her loved ones had faced in the last year. The fears and betrayals, the crises and needless deaths... Animosity was pulling the strings for all of it.

She was not about to let it continue.

Self-preservation forgotten, Dinky screamed with unchecked anger as she hurled herself toward Animosity, tipping her body to avoid incoming blasts of lightning by mere inches. She swung a forehoof, hoping to catch the villain across the jaw and stun her, but Animosity flitted backwards at the last second, and Dinky missed.

Or at least, she thought she did. So she was caught a bit off guard when her opponent was sent tumbling anyway, and judging by Animosity's cry, she was equally shocked.

Dinky brought herself to a halt, looking at the hoof she'd tried to strike with. The thin layer of darkness surrounding it extended out a pony-length or so beyond the end of her foreleg, forming a quivering protrusion of darkness, exactly like the ethereal tendril Scorpio had used to reach through the portal and lift up her body just a few days before. It was created in the same way as her wings, though she'd managed to form it without even trying in order to land her blow.

Animosity got her bearings, and rushed at Dinky again. The wraith jetted higher, this time kicking out a hind leg, and made another almost tentacle-like construct of darkness reach out from the end, ramming into her foe and forcing her to tumble downwards.

With just her will, Dinky drew the dark tendrils back into the layer surrounding her. A moment of experimentation made it clear that she could form similar tendrils, or even other, more complex structures, from any part of her body, though doing so made the layer of magic thinner until they were re-absorbed. It made sense, she supposed; if she could fashion the malleable coating of dark energy into pseudo-wings, there wasn't a reason to assume other forms were off-limits. She channeled her energy, to specific regions of her figure, causing three more inky black protrusions to emerge from the smoky coating flowing down the side of her body.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, as the magic structures awaited her command. "Being some kinda wraith alicorn wasn't weird enough. Apparently I get to add 'eldritch abomination' to my résumé now."

Animosity started to recover from the unexpected blows. Dinky retracted all the excess limbs, save for her wings, and then dove downward. Shaping the dark layer into a flat, solid surface like the head of a hammer beneath her, she rammed her body into her stunned opponent like a piledriver. Her victim fell like a meteor, landing on her back with enough force to shatter most of her crystal wings.

Now's my chance!

Dinky absorbed her wings the moment her hooves hit the ground, and repurposed her black shroud into ten shadow tendrils that emerged from all over her body. There was no available material to make any more; the act made her outer layer become paper thin. Animosity, who'd had no time to regenerate, only managed to gasp before Dinky smashed her further into the ground with a blow from one of the black tendrils, causing a series of cracks to spread through the cobblestones.

"That was for Scuffle!" she shouted. "And this—" she delivered another blow with a different smoky tentacle that broke even more rock beneath the hate spirit's body, "—is for Dr. Candyfloss! And how about a few hundred more for everypony whose life is falling apart right now because of you!"

Animosity squirmed, but she couldn't right herself in time. Controlling each of the ten projections of darkness individually, Dinky began to pummel her with unbelievable speed. The indent in the ground quickly became more of a crater as soil and rock were forced aside by the sheer force of Animosity's body being slammed into the ground repeatedly.

Dinky delivered hundreds of blows in a matter of seconds, before suddenly retracting all the shadow tendrils. Aiming her crescent horn into the pit where her opponent lay, she unleashed every ounce of power she had left in a point-blank beam of searing darkness. It engulfed Animosity entirely, assaulting her with so much energy that the rock within the crater began to glow red, then orange as it began to melt. Only when a bubbling pool of magma filled the basin did Dinky finally relent. The black aura on her horn faded as she stood at the lip of the crater, panting, her vast stores of magic almost completely spent.

And finally, there was quiet, save for the ominous rumble of thunder overhead.

"G-go ahead," Dinky breathed, glaring down into the molten rock. "Try and regenerate from that."

Seconds passed. After a short while, Dinky heard the sound of hoofsteps behind her. She quickly reined in her caustic aura to avoid hurting anypony as Ditzy stepped up next to her.

"Is... is it over?" her mother asked.

Dinky felt the burning rage inside her finally cooling, replaced by simple fatigue. "I can't see how any creature, no matter how strong, could live through that," she admitted between gasps for breath. "Now we just have to fight off those hate-stricken ponies long enough to get into the castle and free the princesses, and... I guess everything will go back to normal?"

Slowly, a particularly large bubble formed on the surface of the lava. With a gentle 'bloop', it broke, carrying a whisper on the wind.

"Wrong."

Dinky bristled, glancing at Ditzy to confirm that she wasn't imagining things. "Did... did you just hear..."

The magma began to churn, forcing both ponies to step back. Like an abomination creeping out of a portal to some twisted realm, a jointed projection of pink crystal rose from the depths. Only when it got purchase on the edge of the pit did Dinky realize it was a foreleg.

Slowly, a roughly pony-shaped skeleton, made entirely of gleaming pink crystal rather than bone, climbed out of the crater. It was picked clean of any organic material, and much of the remaining crystal structure was shattered, yet it somehow continued to support itself. A near-blinding sphere of pink magic hovered in the center of its ribcage.

As soon as the crystal construct had all four hooves on solid ground, the shining core began to swirl. Dozens of crystals slid out of the light and began to inch along the skeleton, repairing the breaks and fractures. A sticky-looking goo was produced as well; it slid up the bones, and Dinky watched in absolute horror as it began to form into flesh.

"You just don't understand, do you?" Animosity asked calmly as soon as her lips and tongue reformed. "You seem to think you can damage me badly enough to win this, or run my power down far enough that I can't restore myself, so I can only assume that you believe my abilities come from my own internal magic.

Neither Ditzy nor Dinky replied, so Animosity continued while her body rebuilt itself.

"It should've been clear from the beginning, little ponies; my power is gained externally. The stronger the hold that contempt, fear, and hatred have on the land of Equestria, the more limitless my strength becomes. Even Dinky herself has been contributing to it, with her burning desire to destroy me, but it seems her hatred has yet to dominate all her senses. Its irrelevant, of course; thousands of other ponies are fueling my strength."

Dinky tried to light her horn again, but the darkness barely crackled. Just as she feared, she was just too spent to fight back without some time to recuperate. She watched helplessly as Animosity's wings, horn, and body become pristine, as if they'd never fought at all.

"Something has been bothering me, though," the spirit of hate continued, her tone casually conversational. "There are still a small hoofful of ponies who haven't given in to the pall of hatred spreading across Equestria. Even here in Canterlot, there's still a few that haven't given up, which is astounding. I've realized that, even without the princesses, there are a few hearts across this land that are so strong that they can save the ponies closest to them from my influence. And as long as those ponies still stand against me, the Magic of the Heart can't be stifled entirely, and I can't be truly indestructible. Your little rescue team still hopes to beat me, so there must be a strong heart or two keeping them from giving in. Hearts that they rally around. Hearts that give them hope, as long as they remain in the fight. Now I realize those hearts belong to you two."

Dinky suddenly found herself bound tightly in a pink aura, and heard her mother squeak in discomfort as the same happened to her. "You're mistaken, Animosity," the wraith growled. "Whatever is motivating me to fight back, its not that."

She paused, not sure if she could muster up the will to continue aloud. "Scorpio told me... I'm fighting for my friends because it's the only way I know" she admitted. "My will to fight you must be based on revenge, not righteousness, because... because I have no heart. Darkness swallowed it up long ago."

Animosity laughed. "Then for all her expertise, it seems Scorpio is mistaken," she replied. "I can feel your heart's magic in everything you do and say, flowing out of you and Ditzy and forming the lifeblood of this little party's will to fight back. But we can stem that flow right now."

Still unable to move in the monster's magical grip, Dinky watched as a complex circle of symbols formed on the ground below her. The air began to shimmer, and slowly, an enormous pink crystal formed around her and her mother. The vice grip loosened, and she dropped to the floor of its hollow interior.

Just like the princesses, Ditzy and Dinky were imprisoned.

After a brief flash of teleportation magic, Dinky found herself in a new location. A quick look around revealed to her that Animosity had placed the crystal prison atop the ruined tallest tower of Canterlot castle, a spot that was visible from everywhere in the city.

"Don't bother trying to call out to your allies," Animosity advised. "Sound only passes through those crystals one way. You can hear me, but nopony can hear you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to inform the masses of their downfall."

She floated away, wings clinking melodiously. Giving in to both exhaustion and despair, Dinky quickly reverted to her unicorn form, and leaned against the inner wall of the prison, trying to process the situation. She felt her mother's wing drape across her back.

"M-mom..."

She felt Ditzy hold her a little tighter. "It... it's okay," the pegasus whispered. "Maybe the others can still find a way to stop her..."

Dinky could tell by her tone that she knew that almost certainly wasn't true. She changed the subject.

"Mom... this year, Honeydew discovered that she can't detect my heart anymore," she confessed. "And then... while I was training with my friends, I, um... found a way to speak directly with Scorpio. She told me that my heart is gone, and my actions are just learned behaviors. Could... could she really have been wrong? Do I still have a heart after all?"

In spite of the dire situation, Ditzy smiled gently. "Of course you have a heart, muffin," she replied. "Anypony with half a brain can see that. Learned behaviors, my hoof; nopony would go to the lengths you have to save your friends, your family, and the whole nation unless you really, truly cared about them, deep in that big, vibrant heart of yours."

Dinky tried to return the smile, but found she simply couldn't. "Too bad it didn't matter in the end..." she mumbled. "Even if our hearts are still intact, the magic in the hearts of most of the rest of Equestria has gone out, and that means Animosity's power is almost unlimited. By the time we got here, it was already too late to stop her."

Both prisoners watched as Animosity rose slowly into the sky above the crystal. The gaze of everypony below, allies and hate-stricken citizens alike, was fixed on her.

"Attention ponies!" she boomed. "Your last heroes have fallen. Equestria is doomed. Give in to your despair and anger. Succumb to hatred, or die resisting it!"

Far below, Dinky could just make out the glow of magic as Clarity and Sparkler's horns lit. Breeze and Cloudcover spread their wings. Watt lowered his upper body, like a cat preparing to pounce.

"No!" Ditzy urged, rearing up and pounding on the pinkish glass. "She's too powerful! You'll all be killed!"

"They can't hear us..." Dinky said morosely. "Mom, it's over. We... we couldn't save everypony..."

"We can't give up!" Ditzy insisted. "Not while our loved ones are still in danger!"

"Then we need a miracle," Dinky deadpanned.

She hung her head, trying to block out the thoughts of what was still to come. After a moment, she felt her mother tap her gently on the shoulder with a wingtip.

"Um, Dinky?"

"I don't want to know, mom," Dinky muttered.

"But—"

Kabooooom!

Dinky's head shot up as a resounding blast echoed throughout Canterlot. She wheeled around, searching for the source of the sound, and her jaw dropped.

A massive aerial warship slowly approached the great sphere of magic that encased Canterlot. She watched, transfixed, as the dual cannons protruding from compartments in the bow realigned and fired again.

Boom! Boom!

While the magical shield was strong enough to keep out unicorns in most circumstances, even it wasn't that solid. The cannons continued to strike the same spot, eventually breaking a jagged hole in the spell like a baseball through a pane of glass. Floating just below the stormclouds, the airship slipped through the opening and entered Canterlot airspace.

Animosity watched, slack-jawed. Clearly, she was just as amazed as her captives were.

But the real shock for Dinky was not the airship's arrival. It was the big pinto stallion that stood at the helm, with a Royal Equestrian Navy cap on his head and a look of relentless determination on his face.

"Oi, you! Yeah you, the crystal-looking twit," Pipsqueak called to the villain floating above the castle. "You look a bit gobsmacked; what's the matter, not expecting the reinforcements to arrive?"

Dinky watched the scene unfold in utter disbelief. "W-what... Pip... how?"

"You have one heck of a coltfriend there, hun," Ditzy commented.

"Now, you've got one chance to let Dinky and Mrs. Doo go," Pipsqueak continued, as the cannons locked on to Animosity's position. "Would be a bit daft not to, frankly; I've got a lot of firepower here, and the balloon's coated with an element that resists most magic."

Animosity grinned. "Really?" she asked, feigning innocence. "Sounds like fun. Let's see what your little toy is capable of."

"Right then," Pip said with a shrug as he disabled the safety switch on the control panel. "Nice knowing you."

Dinky winced as the tremendous sound of cannon fire filled the air again. Twin cannonballs, each the size of a pony, hurtled toward Animosity, but the evil creature flitted around them and returned fire. One of her lightning spells carved a long gash in the wooden side of the ship.

"Ah, speedy, are we?" Pip asked, spinning the ship's wheel to angle it toward his target. "Cannons might not cut it by themselves, then. Good thing there's some state-of-the-art magic-based tech on this vessel!"

Another hatch opened, right at the front of the craft, and a long metallic coil extended forth. A rainbow of colorful energy swirled up its spiral structure. Able to feel the power it produced from afar, Dinky realized that it must've been powered by some kind of battery that could store unicorn magic.

Animosity shot the hull again, blowing another hole through it, but the airship was surprisingly resistant to attack. Pip threw a large lever, and a narrow beam of light shot from the magic coil much more quickly than anypony was expecting. Upon reaching the spirit of hate, it instantly bound her limbs and wings against her sides, immobilizing her in midair.

"What is this?" she cried, squirming furiously but unable to unbind herself.

"And that's that, then," Pip chuckled, fixing the cannons' trajectory on her position. "Ta-ta!"

The next volley of cannonballs hit their target dead-on. Animosity screamed with rage as the projectiles carried her across the city, finally detonating on impact with a faraway tower, raining white brick across several city blocks.

"Bullseye!" Pip cheered, slowly turning the ship toward Ditzy and Dinky's crystal prison and cantering out onto the main deck. "Don't worry, love, I'm sure with the others' help, we'll have you out of there in a jiffy."

"Wait, no!" Dinky cried, waving her forelegs frantically. "Pip, it's not over! She can regenerate!"

Pip cocked his head. "Can't hear you, Dinky," he confessed.

Dinky looked down frantically, but to her dismay, her other allies were too entrenched with defending themselves from Canterlot's vicious citizens to realize what was happening, and Pip appeared completely unaware that he hadn't yet neutralized the threat.

There was a glimmer of pink in the smoking hole left by the cannons. Animosity jetted out and made a beeline for Pip, who had left the relative safety of the ship's helm.

"No! No! Pip! Look behind you!" she screamed.

Noticing her wild pointing, Pip paused. Confused, he turned around, just in time to see the near-invincible being stretch out her crystal wings as she whizzed by, slicing through all the ropes tethering one side of the ship to the balloon keeping it aloft. He whinnied in shock as the deck dropped out from under him, frantically scrabbling against the smooth wood for some kind of hoofhold.

With only one side of the airship still connected to the balloon above, the whole vessel dangled sideways in midair, its deck now perpendicular to the ground. Pip managed to hook a hoof around the metal guardrail at the edge of the deck as he fell. He kicked his hind hooves uselessly, trying to find a way to pull himself up onto the rail, the last solid object between him and the cobbled street a hundred pony-lengths below.

"Maybe your balloon can resist magic," Animosity chuckled darkly, "but it looks like those geniuses in the navy didn't stop to think what might happen if you cut the ropes manually, huh?"

"H-how?" Pip gasped, as he quite literally clung to the rail for dear life. "I shot you down! I saw it!"

The spirit of hate ignored him, floating lazily toward Ditzy and Dinky instead. "This silly little stallion... he's your coltfriend, isn't he?" she asked Dinky playfully. "It was awfully admirable of him to burst in here, guns blazing, to try to save his sweetheart. Ooh, I wonder if it'll finally break you when you watch him splatter all over the ground?"

Dinky chanced a glance down below to see if anypony was aware of Pip's plight. The pegasi were much too far out of range to attempt a rescue, and the unicorns were preoccupied with a nonstop flurry of shields and evasive teleports. If her coltfriend fell, he really was done for. She considered trying to break loose with dark magic now that her strength was beginning to return, quickly shelved the idea; in such a confined space, a rebounding dark spell was a death sentence for the pegasus right beside her. She'd couldn't remember a time since acquiring her dark powers that she felt so utterly helpless.

Animosity turned to the doomed ship. Never taking her eyes off Dinky, she gave the railing a tug, wrenching it free from the ship, and the dangling earth pony with it. She held it in the open air, locking eyes with her prisoners one last time.

Then she relaxed her hoof, and let it go.

"Pipsqueak!"

The stallion screamed for help as he fell out of the sky alongside the long railing. Dinky watched him plummet for a moment or two, then squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to take in the inevitable grisly scene. One last time, she wrapped a hoof around her pendant, desperate to keep its warmth from fading.

She heard the echoing clatter of the railing hitting the street far below. She considered it a blessing; the loud clang had probably drowned out the sickening smack of flesh on stone. For one terrible moment, her mind tried to come to terms with the sight that awaited her when she opened her eyes.

She felt her mother urgently shaking her. "Dinky... look!"

Wincing, Dinky gingerly opened one eye. She did not see what she expected.

A very surprised Pip hovered in a dazzling, aqua-colored aura just inches above the ground. It was unmistakably unicorn magic holding him aloft; somepony had caught him at the very last second.

But... aqua? Dinky thought, bewildered. I don't know anypony with an aqua aura...

"Yo, Pip, you gotta be more careful dude," came a male voice from somewhere below. "Dinks would be pissed if you get yourself killed over her."

To Dinky's utter astonishment, a brown stallion with an unruly tan mane stepped out of the darkness of a nearby alleyway. He looked exactly as he always had, with two notable differences: the deep brown scar on his underside, which looked as if it had healed shut weeks ago, and the unusual new hue of his eyes and aura, both a vibrant aqua instead of the typical slate blue.

"Oh, Scuffle, thank Celestia," Pip gasped as the other stallion placed him on his hooves. "I owe you one, big time."

Within the crystal, Ditzy cast Dinky a quizzical look. "I thought... didn't you say Scuffle was—"

"He is!" Dinky insisted. "I saw him get impaled! I saw him bleeding out right there in the courtyard!"

As Scuffle stepped fully out of the shadows, another surprise followed; Honeydew was draped limply across his back, her legs dangling off either side of him and her long mane trailing on the ground. She was completely motionless, but her build was slender enough that Scuffle didn't seem to have much trouble carrying her.

Animosity simply hovered high in the air, staring down at the scene unfolding below and looking every bit as stunned and confused as Dinky was.

"Anyway, you guys gotta stop bothering with these small fries," Scuffle called out, calmly creating a whole network of sturdy, aqua-colored shields that quickly separated almost all the hate-filled ponies from the rest of the allies. "We gotta focus on getting to Dinks and Mrs. Doo, so we have a shot at stopping Animosity. Clarity! Sparkler! Hurry up, let's teleport the whole gang up there."

"R-right," Clarity managed, shaking off the shock of the colt's reappearance. "Everypony, come on!"

In seconds, all of Ditzy and Dinky's allies gathered in a huddle. Scuffle, Clarity, and Sparkler's horns all lit up, and in a series of bright, colorful flashes, the whole team appeared atop the ruined castle tower, right in front of the crystal prison.

"Scuffle's right, we have to free these two!" Cloudcover agreed. "Those of you versed in magic, any ideas?"

"Excuse me!" Animosity snarled, snapping out of her disbelieving stupor. "I don't know what's going on here. I'm not sure how you pests keep escaping your inevitable fates, but I'm certainly not going to stand by and watch you work. If you're still going to stand against me, even with the two strongest hearts among you sealed away, then I'll just incinerate you all at once!"

At her command, the storm clouds began to grow more fierce again. As she had in the duel with Dinky, she threw her head back, and allowed her horn to absorb a powerful bolt of pink lightning. Scuffle urgently tried a few different types of battle magic on the hollow crystal, but as expected, they had no effect. Sighing, he turned to the others.

"Well, looks like it's time for the last stand, then," he mumbled. "Anyone wanna surrender, or are you all cool with going out fighting?"

"Ditzy and Dinky risked everything for all of us," Breeze reminded him. "No matter how hopeless it seems, I'm doing the same for them."

"No! No!" Ditzy wailed, though her voice didn't travel through the pink glass. "Fly away! Save yourselves!"

"You can't outfight her!" Dinky added, her input also unheard. "You have to buy some time!"

Animosity cackled as she aimed her shimmering horn at the platform atop the tower. "So long, my little ponies!" she cried. "With you gone, Equestria will, at last, know only hopelessness and hatred!"

The gigantic spell, a laser wide enough to engulf everypony at once, exploded from her horn. Blinding light filled Dinky's vision as what were sure to be the final seconds of everypony's lives expired.

And then... everything stopped.

The tremendous beam of energy froze, just a tiny fraction of a second away from impacting the ruined tower. The storm clouds overhead became perfectly still. The clamor of the furious citizens of Canterlot below disappeared. Even Animosity's maniacal laughter went suddenly and completely silent. Yet the ponies gathered around the crystal prison remained unaffected.

"Uhh... what happened?" Watt asked, breaking the stifling silence. "Did I finally achieve warp speed?"

"I... I have no idea," Breeze admitted, staring at the frozen world all around him. "Everything just... stopped."

"That's because I stopped it."

Everypony turned to the speaker, who was none other than Sparkler. Purple light swirled around her horn. "So, here's the thing about time spells," the young mare continued, frowning at the rest of the gathering. "Even on the slight off-chance that somepony actually learns to cast them, it's generally accepted that every unicorn only gets to manipulate time once in their life. If you do it more than once, you risk causing the original time stream and the offshoot time stream you created to collide, which can create alternate timelines, splice separate timelines together, or, y'know, cause a paradox that rips the fabric of time and space apart. But since I am one such pony, and given that every single one of us was about a quarter-second from death there, I figured it was time to use mine."

The rest of the ponies exchanged surprised glances. "Whoa, nice save, Sparkler," Clarity complimented.

"There's no reason to celebrate," Sparkler said flatly. "I can maintain this time bubble around the tower for... oh, maybe fifteen minutes? If we can't get Dinky and Mrs. Doo free and come up with some kind of counterstrategy in that time, we're done for."

"Alright, first things first," Cloudcover announced, taking command again. "Is everypony in one piece? Do any of you need medical attention?"

"The cuts from the crystal rain aren't very deep," Breeze pointed out. "You, me, and Watt already bandaged up the worst of 'em."

"Bright Spark banged me up pretty good," Sparkler confessed. "I don't think anything's broken, though. Don't worry about me."

"Err... a bit shaken, but unhurt," Pip chimed in. "Kind of a close call, there."

"Inkwell and I are fine," Clarity added, as the pinto filly clinging silently to her back slowly nodded in assent. "But Scuffle... what in Equestria happened to you and Honeydew?"

Scuffle bit his lip, fidgeting a bit to adjust the position of Honeydew, who was still draped limply across his withers. "Y'know Clarity, that's a damn good question..." he said finally. "Animosity jabbed a crystal right through me. Dinky was there, she can vouch for that. I remember spending a few minutes saying goodbye to Honeydew, and then I started to get real sleepy. I figured that was it... but then I had a real nice, peaceful dream, and woke up in that same courtyard, lying next to Honeydew. The wound's all closed up, but I can't imagine how. She couldn't... she couldn't have actually healed it, could she?"

"It's not likely," Clarity admitted. "I don't know too much about her field of magic, but I know ponies can't generally repair injuries like the one you described."

"Anyway, every attempt I made to wake Honeydew up failed, but she doesn't seem to be injured," Scuffle continued. "She's nice and warm, her breathing and pulse are normal... she's even been mumbling in her sleep a little. Not sure what's going on there, but I don't think she's in any immediate medical danger."

"Not to be rude, but there's no time to solve that mystery," Sparkler cut in. "The point is, all of us are somehow still alive, at least for the next few minutes. The question is... now what?"

"Now we need to figure out how to get into this crystal!" Breeze announced, pressing his hoof against the glass, which prompted Ditzy to place her own on the other side. "It seems like they can hear us in there, even if we can't hear them. Maybe there's something Dinky can do to break it?"

"Um... I really doubt that..." Inkwell whimpered, dangling her hind legs for a moment as she carefully slid off Clarity's back and onto her hooves. "When Wishing Star... err, Animosity, took over the city, she had all the princesses sealed in crystals just like this. If even an alicorn can't get out, what chance do we have?"

"Get brainstorming, then," Sparkler urged, as her expression began to become a bit strained. "The longer we take, the harder it gets to maintain the time bubble."

The group quickly broke into a frantic back-and-forth, discussing every sort of spell they could think of, and even some theories on breaking the glass with physical force. Several dark magic based ideas were posed and then discarded; there was simply no way to apply dark spells that even had a chance of breaking through without a high probability of dealing great physical harm to Ditzy.

As the ponies on the other side of the glass talked, Dinky slowly sunk to the floor of the crystal, placing her hooves over her face and breathing a defeated sigh. "This isn't gonna help..." she muttered, knowing only her mom could hear. "The moment Sparkler's spell gives out, Animosity's gonna obliterate all of them. I don't wanna give up, but... it's starting to seem like we're just delaying the inevitable."

She felt her mom place a hoof on the small of her back gently. "Dinky, you fought so hard for us..." the pegasus whispered. "Everypony is still alive because you did everything you could to keep everypony out of harm's way. You and your friends are brilliant mages; there must be something you can come up with..."

Dinky slowly slid her hooves off of her face, blocking out the sound of the clamor of voices as she tried one last time to think of a viable option. Lying with her muzzle so close to the wall of the crystal had fogged up the glass. She stared listlessly through at the blurry shapes on the other side. The hind leg of somepony trotting anxiously by. The hazy outline of a nervously flicking tail.

And a blurry symbol, that looked a bit like a tall, U-shaped object, with a dark, wavy line crossing it horizontally.

All at once, images flashed through Dinky's mind of her visit to the Realm of Stars. She recalled the impossible, starry expanse, the firm yet comforting presence of Sagittarius... and a rune he'd shown her that apparently held great importance.

Dinky hastily wiped away the fog of her breath. The vague symbol she was staring at came clearly into view, and she realized it was something she'd seen all year long, on a daily basis: a little green bottle of ink, with a wavy black smear running across is from left to right.

Little Inkwell's cutie mark.

With a tremendous gasp, Dinky leapt to her hooves, startling her bewildered mother as she frantically motioned for the other ponies' attention. She caught her coltfriend's eyes immediately.

"Oi, hush for a minute!" Pip barked. "Dinky's got an idea!"

Clarity hurried over to the crystal. "You have a plan?" she asked hopefully.

Dinky exhaled, creating another foggy spot on the glass. With the tip of her hoof, she drew the symbol exactly as Sagittarius had shown her.

Clarity smiled sadly. "Ophiuchus?" she asked. "I mean, it would be great to try that now that all else has failed, but that doesn't do us much good, since we don't know who Ophichus's heir is."

With an almost manic expression, Dinky gestured toward Inkwell.

Clarity raised an eyebrow. "What's Inkwell got to do with this?" she asked. "She's good with runes, but just drawing Ophiuchus's rune won't make him suddenly—"

"W-wait, Dinks is right!" Scuffle gasped, cutting her off. "That symbol! It looks just like Inkwell's cutie mark!"

Clarity glanced at the startled little filly. Her eyes went wide.

"I fear we're missing some context here..." Cloudcover ventured. "Care to fill us in?"

"Preferably quickly..." Sparkler added, gritting her teeth as she fought with the time spell.

"While Dinky was studying up on her dark powers, we came across a tidbit of information about a secret thirteenth member of the Zodiac," Pipsqueak explained. "He's a pony who has the potential to 'unlock' magic... to make it as it was eons ago, easily accessed by all types of ponies, and channeled in ways even modern unicorns can't. But if we want to awaken his dormant spirit, we need to find his heir. Dinky thinks... perhaps we just have."

"M-me?" Inkwell stuttered, turning to look at her cutie mark as if seeing it for the first time. "I've never even heard of Ophiuchus! Maybe it's just a coincidence?"

"That's a possibility too," Sparkler grunted. "But it's all we got. So are we trying this or aren't we?"

"Hang on!" Clarity interjected, stepping between Inkwell and the others. "Let's say it turns out that Inkwell really is the heir of Ophiuchus. If we awaken his spirit... what happens to her?"

Everypony looked at Dinky for answers. Knowing no more than they did, she could only shrug helplessly.

"Exactly," Clarity said. "What if... what if Inkwell has to stop being... well, Inkwell, in order to be Ophiuchus? We might be sacrificing her in favor of somepony that we're hoping can help us more! I'm not asking that of her. It's not her fault she got wrapped up in this mess; there must be another way!"

"I understand the risk, but what choice to we have?" Breeze asked, ruffling his wings uncertainly. "If we don't have a solution in the next two or three minutes, we all die."

"Then we come up with something in those two or three minutes!" Clarity insisted desperately, lighting her horn as if expecting to be attacked. "Please, we've got to!"

"Clarity..."

The tiny voice made Clarity stop dead. Cautiously, Inkwell stepped out from behind the Overseer, shuffling her hooves nervously.

"Inkwell..."

"They're right," Inkwell suddenly declared, making her braids swing as she nodded fiercely. "I don't know anything about the Zodiac, but if there's really a possibility that something I can do can save everypony... then I want to try."

Clarity bit her lip. "But Inkwell—"

"Bella and Top are somewhere down there in that city, full of Animosity's unstoppable hate!" Inkwell cried. "When I realized they couldn't control themselves anymore, when they could only be nasty toward each other, and toward me, that was the worst feeling! And all around Equestria, there are ponies like that, ponies who can't feel love and friendship, or any of the Magic of the Heart anymore! So I'm begging you... let me try to help them!"

Tears formed in Clarity's cinnamon eyes. "You... you're right," she said hoarsely, bending down to hug the little pinto filly tightly. "You're a brave pony, Inkwell. No matter what happens next, I'll make sure everypony knows what you were willing to risk for Equestria."

"O-okay, so let's do this. P-preferably right now," Sparkler panted, as the aura on her horn began to flicker dangerously.

Clarity whispered the instructions in Inkwell's ear. Ditzy and Dinky watched from within their prison as the filly walked to the center of the group and clambered onto a small pile of rubble.

"Here goes nothing," Dinky mumbled, earing a solemn nod from the pegasus next to her. "Either this works... or we're all done for."

Inkwell turned in a small circle, giving a last glance to all the ponies surrounding her. Closing her eyes, she sucked in her breath, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Ophiuchus! Hear my plea! Manifest yourself... through me!"

White light engulfed everything. Dinky could feel the sudden surge of magic even from inside the crystal, and while it was perhaps not the most powerful energy she'd ever sensed, it had a feel to it like nothing she'd ever encountered.

Inkwell went limp, her tiny legs hanging beneath her as she floated slowly into the air. Her expressive eyes became obscured by the bright light radiating from them. For a few excruciating seconds, she hung in midair, just half a pony-length or so off the ground.

An outline of somepony much bigger began to form around her, which slowly filled with translucent color as the apparition took shape. The hazy image of a wizened old unicorn stallion appeared, with grey-green fur and a brownish mane tinted faintly with orange like late-autumn leaves. A scraggly goatee hung from his chin. In sharp contrast to the dull colors of his fur, his eyes were the same striking yellow-orange as Inkwell's own.

But as the specter continued to form, something far more abnormal came into view. While the flickering vision's upper body and forelegs were those of a typical pony, his anatomy changed abruptly at the waist. Where his flanks and hind legs should've been, there was instead the huge, muscular body and tail of a coiled serpent. Many of the members of the Zodiac, Dinky recalled, sported features of non-pony animals, but none so pronounced as this.

As the white light faded, the ghostly hybrid-stallion looked at his surroundings curiously. Inkwell continued to float within his translucent chest, with magic slowly flowing out of her being to keep the projection from fading.

"Well, would you look at this," the newcomer said, in a deep, smooth voice that almost gave Dinky a chill. "I didn't think Equestria would ever invoke me again, all these centuries later. To what do I owe the honor?"

"You... you're Ophiuchus, right?" Scuffle asked shakily. "The pony who sealed Equestria's magic to prevent Scorpio from obtaining unlimited power?"

"And they know my history!" Ophiuchus laughed, sounding impressed. "And yes, the very same. Who are all of you?"

"Mr. Ophiuchus, sir, there's really no time for introductions," Sparkler managed, as her body quivered with effort. "To keep it short, the physical manifestation of hatred and contempt is trying to extinguish Equestria's latent magic, and everypony's doomed unless you can help us."

Ophiuchus turned around and finally noticed the enormous death ray, frozen in time just inches from Sparkler's time bubble. "Stars above, looks serious," he gasped. "We're gonna need a moment to sort this out."

He lifted the end of his reptilian tail, and for the first time, Dinky noticed it had a rattle on the end. He gave it a brief shake, causing a few twinkles of light to appear around it. The time bubble did not disappear, but Sparkler suddenly looked like an enormous load had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders.

"What... did you do?" she asked.

"Broadened your capacity to channel your magic," Ophiuchus replied with a casual shrug. "You should be able to maintain that spell for hours now, if necessary, but we won't need that long. Lucky for us my gracious host was willing to cooperate. Can't exactly do much without her now, can I?"

Pip furrowed his brow. "Who, Inkwell?"

"Yes, little Inkwell's in charge of this partnership, as she should be," Ophiuchus replied with another hearty laugh. "I may be one of the ancient creators of magic, but let's be fair here: I'm dead. Long dead. Sure, I've exploited a loophole by allowing my spirit to be bound to modern-day ponies, but even I can't cheat death entirely. I can speak with you, and even share my powers with you, but only because my little heir here is kind enough to allow me to do so through her."

"S-so she... she's alright in there?" Clarity croaked, wiping her eyes. "You haven't overwritten her personality or something like that?"

"Goodness, no!" Ophiuchus chuckled. "Though I suppose it might appear that way, with how she looks now. Inkwell, dear, let's break the telepathic link so we can talk to your friends normally, shall we?"

Instantly, Inkwell was no longer comatose. Though she still floated within the apparition of Ophiuchus, and her eyes were still nothing but glowing white lights, she smiled and waved a forehoof.

"I'm okay Clarity, don't worry!" she called. "Great-grandpa Ophi has been talking to me in my head while you all were talking out here. He's very polite!"

Clarity visibly relaxed, and Ophiuchus beamed as he returned his gaze to the assembled ponies. "Now, this isn't the first time I've been called upon to help save Equestria," he declared. "Tell me, what can dear Inkwell and I do to help?"

Still sealed in the crystal, Ditzy and Dinky waited as their allies explained everything that had happened, describing Animosity's powers and the gravity of the situation Equestria was facing. Ophiuchus listened patiently until the whole tale was through.

"Well, the intent is noble, but your idea was a little misguided," the ghostly stallion admitted. "Imagine, destroying a being who thrives off negativity by using some of the most violent, hateful magic known to ponykind. I don't mean to undermine Dinky's abilities; I'm sure she's found many ways to use old Scorpio's vile spells for the betterment of others, but when it comes to beating a creature like Animosity, it's just not going to work."

"That's why we were hoping you could come up with something better!" Watt chirped. "You've got all this secret power. You can grant us some kind of super special magic, can'tcha?"

Ophiuchus snorted with mirth. "I can't grant you any such thing, my friends," he replied. "The magic that flows through Equestria is so much stronger than any one pony, me included; I don't decide how much magic is within you. I never have. What I can do— if dear Inkwell wills it, of course— is return to you the abilities that your distant ancestors once had. I can allow you to utilize the full breadth of the magic already filling your hearts, but how strong those hearts are, and what you do with that magic... that part is on you, not me."

"What are we waiting for then?" Breeze asked. "Let's do it! Let's unseal the magic!"

Ophiuchus looked again at the filly at the center of his form. "Inkwell, how would you like to proceed?" he asked calmly.

"You restricted Equestria's access to magic for its own protection, right?" Inkwell asked. "You allowed each of the tribes to control it in different ways. If we restored Equestria to the way it was back then... another pony like Scorpio might someday abuse that gift, right?"

"It's entirely possible, yes," Ophiuchus said with a nod.

Inkwell tapped a forehoof to her chin, pondering as she floated idly in the apparition's core. "Restore full access to magic to just the ponies standing here with us," she said finally. "And after they beat Animosity... take it away again, okay? I think Equestria is better the way it is right now; if everypony had the power to do almost anything by themselves, we might lose sight of the value of our bonds with others. And if that happened, the Magic of the Heart would weaken over time, restrictions or not. At least... that's how I see it."

Ophiuchus nodded sagely. "Wise beyond your years, little one," he complimented. "I knew you were chosen to be my modern embodiment for a reason. It shall be done as you described."

He rattled his snakelike tail again. From within the crystal, Dinky felt her body fill with a euphoric sensation she couldn't quite put into words. It was like she had developed a new sense, one she didn't know she was missing because she'd never experienced it before, like a pony suddenly able to hear after a lifetime of deafness. Judging by the amazed expressions of all her companions, they were feeling the same.

"Dinky, th-this... is this what your m-magic feels like?" Ditzy stuttered.

"Yes, but even more so!" Dinky answered, unable to hold back a smile as something that felt like sheer potential ran through her being. "And to think, this is what was in our hearts all along! Ophiuchus is just helping us let it out!"

"We might really have a shot at beating Animosity," Ditzy said confidently, eagerly working her wings like she was about to race through the skies. "She can't stop us! Not if we all work together!"

"Right!" Dinky agreed. "Even her prison can't contain our hearts, right?"

"Right!"

And it couldn't. No sooner had mother and daughter agreed that they could still fight, they could still win, the hollow crystal began to disintegrate. In seconds, the prison was nothing but glittering pink dust on the wind. Ditzy was immediately inundated with cheers and hugs from her three coworkers, and even Sparkler's normally level expression was clearly full of joy and relief. Likewise, Dinky's friends practically bowled her over, thrilled to be reunited. Even Honeydew, who was still sleeping peacefully while slung across Scuffle's back, mumbled happily as if lost in a pleasant dream.

"Now, don't get too confident," Ophiuchus warned, waggling a forehoof. "You can all call upon your inner magic as Equestrians of yore once did, but you're still just ponies, and Animosity is still a near-onmipowerful being. If you play your cards right, though... I think you've got the upper hoof now. Don't let me down."

"Thank you, Ophiuchus," Ditzy said appreciatively. "We'll do everything we can."

Ophiuchus glanced down at the filly beneath him. "Inkwell, dear, why don't we get you somewhere a bit safer before time resumes?" he asked gently. "We wouldn't want you to get caught in the crossfire."

Inkwell nodded. "Be careful, okay everypony?" she pleaded. "I'll see you all soon."

The group of allies all nodded in unison. "Be safe, Inkwell," Clarity responded. "Leave the rest to us."

The ancient specter teleported, and Inkwell vanished with him. Dinky, Ditzy, and all the others turned to face Animosity's still-frozen beam of magic. Scuffle tentatively cast a defensive spell, and as expected, the resulting shield was far brighter and grander than any that even he'd normally be capable of.

"C'mon, mom," Dinky invited, as she added a golden layer of shield to Scuffle's aqua. "You don't have a horn, but you don't need one right now! The power of your will is enough; let magic flow straight from your heart into the world around you."

Uncertain at first, Ditzy slowly raised her head and spread her wings. Her body began to glow, and a new yellow shield, its shade slightly different than Dinky's, reinforced the ones already cast. The pegasus laughed in disbelief when she saw what she had done.

"The rest of you, too!" Scuffle called. "There's not gonna be any time to dodge that beam coming at us. If we all work together, we can deflect it!"

Clarity's cinnamon aura and Sparkler's cool purple added to the multi-layered shield quickly enough, though both were noticeably brighter and stronger than normal. The earth ponies and pegasi tried to follow Ditzy's lead, and sure enough, four more layers of magic appeared; Breeze's emerald green, Cloudcover's deep grey, Watt's sunny orange, and Pipsqueak's gentle brown.

"I'm going to drop the time spell now," Sparkler called, staring at the frozen spell beyond her bubble nervously. "After that... we all need to give a hundred percent. Is everypony ready?"

Dinky nodded, and saw all her friends do the same.

"Alright," Sparkler sighed. "Here goes nothing..."

The instant her spell faded, the stillness was replaced with chaos. Animosity's spell thundered against the great rainbow shield, and though it began to crack slightly under the strain, the combined power of the many ponies sustaining it was enough to keep it from shattering entirely.

After several seconds, the laser finally ceased, revealing Animosity behind it. The triumphant look on her face was quickly replaced by one of confusion. Then, as her gaze moved to Ditzy and Dinky, to one of outrage.

"You!" she bellowed, jabbing an accusatory forehoof at her former prisoners. "How did you escape my crystal? Not even the princesses can escape my crystals!"

Dinky smirked. "Maybe our hearts are even stronger than you realize!" she taunted.

Animosity scowled and gave her lattice wings a frustrated flap, creating a threatening cascade of high pitched tones. "You're all managing some unexpected saves, but you're wasting your time!" she assured them. "It's far too late for even the brightest hearts to stand up to my power. One way or another, I'll stamp them all out!"

Cloudcover spread his wings. "Everypony, spread out and attack whenever an opening is created!" he commanded. "This is our last chance. We've got to do this!"

At once, almost everypony was in motion. The pegasi took to the air with more speed and grace than normal, while the unicorns teleported to various rooftops. Pipsqueak turned to Dinky, looking uncertain.

"And how am I supposed to get down?" he asked.

"Jump!" Dinky laughed, pulling him to the edge of the broken tower. "We'll be fine, you'll see."

She leapt out into empty air. Even in her unicorn form, she seemed to almost glide downward, until her hooves landed on a rooftop far below as gently as an alighting pegasus. Pip, appearing to visibly fight every instinct of self-preservation, did the same. By the time Animosity managed to attack the tower again, everypony had left their lofty perch.

"This is bloody brilliant," Pipsqueak chuckled as he touched down next to his fillyfriend. "Even without wings, we have a bit of pegasus magic now, I suppose."

"Well, you don't have wings," Dinky giggled as she shed her unicorn disguise, her faux-wings bursting from her back the moment her wraith form took shape. "We gotta spread out. Hit Animosity with something whenever she's aiming for somepony other than you. We gotta wear her down!"

"Got it, love. Careful now," the stallion called as she took to the air.

Dinky sailed into the sky, and took in the unfolding scene, and Ditzy quickly soared over to hover beside her. Her friends swooped and jumped and teleported all around Canterlot; it seemed Animosity no longer had only one real opponent, but ten.

Well, technically nine. Dinky felt a pang of worry in her stomach when she spotted Honeydew still draped limply over Scuffle. There was no telling what was wrong with her, but as always, her coltfriend was pouring every ounce of his effort into keeping her out of harm's way.

"Stand still!" Animosity barked, throwing a ball of bright pink energy at Watt as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop.

"Stand still? Have you met me?" Watt asked, sidestepping the attacks with even more supernatural speed than usual. "I can't help but notice you're staying pretty still though. That might be a bad move."

Animosity blinked, and turned around just in time for the tornado that Cloudcover and Breeze had whipped up with just a few flaps of their wings to engulf her, spinning her violently before hurling her through the wall of the Canterlot post office. She emerged from the hole her body had left, crystals already sliding out from under her skin to repair the damage to her wings, but before she could retaliate against the pegasi, a blast of orange lightning struck her from behind. Watt, cackling with mirth, bounced between the nearby buildings with magically-enhanced agility, using his new powers to convert the static in his fur into little bolts that he whipped at his opponent.

"Pew! Pew!" the earth pony joked, rubbing his hooves together to create more charge. "Target locked! Set phasers to stun!"

"Do you think this is a game!?" Animosity roared, throwing an explosive attack that proceeded to take out most of a building, but not before Watt had already sped well out of its range.

"Maybe we do!" came another voice, as an invisibility spell suddenly dissipated to reveal Clarity. "Especially since it seems to be annoying you. Let's see what you think of this next game!"

Clarity began to form illusory copies of herself, as she had in her duel with Dinky earlier that term. But with her magic unsealed, she didn't stop at ten. Animosity instinctively escaped upward into the air as about forty identical images of Clarity stared her down.

From high above, Dinky shifted her attention again, and grinned as she noticed Scuffle on an adjacent rooftop. The colt had produced a wide gravity field, and was using it to hold a pair of powerful fire and ice spells. Scorch and Frosty's signature moves, condensed inferno and condensed blizzard, were usually beyond even Scuffle's capabilities to cast, but Ophiuchus's magic seemed to have solved that problem. The colt forced the opposing spells together into a single, extremely volatile sphere, and chucked it at Animosity while her attention was still on the army of Claritys.

Considering the very same spell had blown up about an acre of forest at the Academy a few years earlier, Dinky covered her ears. Wisely, as the resulting concussive burst of fire and frost sent Animosity hurtling halfway across the city. Furious, she sailed back into the fray, casting deadly spells at random in hopes of catching somepony, anypony, off-guard.

Unfortunately, the desperation move worked. Sparkler rounded a corner and only narrowly avoided a surge of pink lightning, but the resulting blast hurled the young unicorn through the window of a nearby shop. Dinky spotted a flicker of purple at the last moment, and realized Sparkler had managed to at least partially shield herself from impact.

"Got one!" Animosity cheered.

"I don't know about that," Dinky taunted from above. "That's not just any building you just threw her into. That's a jewelry shop."

Animosity raised an eyebrow. "Any why in Equestria is that significant?"

Dazzling purple light poured from the broken window, and Sparkler strode out. Just as Dinky expected, her old Overseer had also reprised a strategy from their duel years earlier: she was now clad head-to-hoof in enchanted armor, made from hundreds of jewels joined together.

"Maybe because you've given one of Equestria's best enchantresses a few new toys to work with?" she asked.

The physical and magical upgrades that enchanted gemstone armor could provide were scary enough, as Dinky remembered only too clearly. Combined with Ophiuchus's boon, they were simply ridiculous. Sparkler leapt into the sky with a single bound, effortlessly deflected Animosity's next energy bolt with a wave of her armor-clad hoof, and intercepted the spirit of hate in midair, kicking her downward with unbelievable force. Animosity fell like a meteorite, headfirst, shattering her crystal horn and probably much of the glittering skeleton inside her when she smashed into the ground.

Pipsqueak galloped into the plaza where she'd landed, his hooves glowing with magic. He reared up and stomped the ground, and earth magic tore through the bedrock, resulting in a pillar of rock that burst up beneath Animosity like a compressed spring suddenly let loose. The villain screamed in shock and fury as she was catapulted up and up and up, until she disappeared into the red storm clouds. Dinky heard a dull, satisfying thud as she finally smashed into the roof of the city's barrier somewhere far above.

There was a lapse in the action. While Ditzy and Dinky continued to float together in the center of Canterlot, warily watching the sky, Sparkler and the ponies from Equestria Speedy Shipping Services gathered on a rooftop to Ditzy's left, while Pipsqueak and the trio of Academy unicorns convened to Dinky's right.

"Well, it certainly seems like we've got her on the ropes more than before, but how do we finish this?" Breeze asked. "We all saw what Dinky did to her before. No matter what we do, she'll just regenerate!"

Scuffle pawed angrily at the brickwork beneath him. "We've gotta do something!" he insisted. "Otherwise it's only a matter of time until she lands a good hit and wipes one of us out. She's still way more powerful than any of us are. Sure, we can work together with coordinated spells, but its not like we can actually combine all our magic."

"Combine... our magic?"

Ditzy and Dinky were struck with a revelation at the same moment. Mother and daughter met each other's gaze with identical expressions.

"Actually... maybe we can," Ditzy said slowly.

"No," Dinky corrected. "Maybe we already are."

Ditzy smiled as yellow magic swirled around her. "Then you know what to do, right?"

Dinky grinned back, letting a few black sparks loose from her horn. "Sure do, mom."

Slowly, an opening appeared in the roiling red clouds. A rather mangled Animosity slowly descended, as eerie pink magic straightened her broken limbs and newly formed crystals repaired her horn and wings. She stopped once her altitude matched Ditzy and Dinky's, her body once again restored and her expression simply livid.

"I never would've imagined even one of you would be stupid enough not to give in when they realized what they were up against, let alone all of you," she snarled. "Don't you get it? Your princesses are powerless! Your fellow citizens are consumed with my hatred! Your nation has given in to despair, and I have become like a god! How are you still standing against me!?"

"We're not going to surrender, Animosity," Ditzy said firmly. "You haven't truly won until your power claims the hearts of every last pony in Equestria. And with all of us supporting one another, our hearts are impenetrable to even you."

"A minor setback," Animosity pointed out. "Perhaps I can't extinguish your hearts the way I have for all the others, but you can't overcome me with your attacks either. Hatred runs rampant and unchecked in Equestria, so I can continue to regenerate. At best, we're at a stalemate... at least until I kill all of you off. Why are you fighting a war you cannot win?"

"I was beginning to wonder that myself," Dinky admitted. "In fact, when you sealed us in that crystal, I almost gave up hope. But now we've realized we were simply going about this battle the wrong way."

"In a way, you were right," Ditzy continued. "We can't beat you with any amount of force. We can't even destroy you with dark magic. But we don't need to. You said it yourself; you can't stamp out the magic in our hearts."

"Alone, none of us can beat you," Dinky added. "But then again, when has anypony ever saved Equestria alone? This is a land united in friendship and kindness, where ponies help and trust one another because their hearts are overflowing with goodwill. When those hearts are joined in a common goal, the whole becomes much greater than the sum of its parts. Working together, trusting in one another's abilities and ideas and strengths, they are so much stronger than any threat."

"The terror and loathing you've created is widespread, but even that can be reversed!" Ditzy exclaimed. "Because as long as just a few hearts are united against you, they have more strength than you ever will!"

"Now," Dinky chimed in, her voice almost giddy, "let's see what happens when your hatred goes head-to-head with bonds of love and friendship so strong that even you can't destroy them!"

One by one, each of Ditzy and Dinky's eight allies began to rise up, as the deepest magic of their hearts was brought to the surface. Emerald green energy flowed from Breeze as he gave Ditzy a smile full of unfailing love. Cloudcover's grey and Watt's orange shone out from their bodies, as their hearts expressed their years-long friendship with their coworker. Sparkler floated into the air beside them, with a very genuine smile on her face as her boundless appreciation for everything Ditzy had done for her shone through.

On the other side of the group, the same thing was occurring. Clarity's cinnamon red burned brighter than ever, as her unshakable friendship with Dinky ignited in her heart. Pipsqueak floated beside her, his comforting brown aura full of unflagging determination, and willingness to face any trial for Dinky's sake. Scuffle's aqua was full of the feisty power of a long and friendly rivalry, and a softer emotion as well: his trust in her whenever he needed a confidante to share things with. Even Honeydew, though she continued to sleep, had a peaceful smile on her face as she rose up, the pale green light emanating from her conveying her comfort in Dinky's presence, something she had for only a few select ponies.

Eight shining beams, each carrying the purest magic of one pony's heart, joined at the center, bathing Ditzy and Dinky in a rainbow of warm, beautiful light. Hoof in hoof, the two of them began to glow so brightly that they could be seen through all of Canterlot.

"What is this!?" Animosity screamed, as fear replaced the malice and fury in her expression for the very first time.

"This is the reason Equestria will never fall to the likes of you!" Dinky shouted back.

"When Dr. Candyfloss was still alive, he took solace in his work, because he knew the bonds he was helping to create were strengthening hearts all across Equestria," Ditzy added, as the intermingling colors grew still brighter. "And he told us something we should've remembered all along."

As ten unshakable hearts joined as one, Ditzy and Dinky spoke in unison, repeating the departed stallion's words.

"There is no magic greater than the Magic of the Heart!"

A tremendous beam of dazzling white light burst from Ditzy Doo. In the same instant, an equally powerful ray of utter blackness exploded forth from Dinky. The two opposing forces did not clash or cancel one another, but flowed together in harmony, twisting into a double-helix of light and dark. Different though they were, both were fed not only by their own hearts, but by the hearts of the ponies surrounding them.

Animosity didn't even have time to move before the magic engulfed her, bombarding her with the antithesis of everything she was. Her rigid horn and wings began to break apart, and her outer body was quickly dissolved away, revealing the glittering crystal skeleton and the glowing pink core at its center.

"You... you can't destroy me!" she somehow called over the noise. "Maybe Equestria cannot truly crumble as long as there are hearts full of such magic... but there are two sides to that coin! As long as corruption and hatred lurks in the heart of even a single pony, I will never truly cease to exist! One day, my power will grow again!"

"And when that happens, Equestria will be ready to overcome it again," Dinky responded. "The hearts of ponies will always be enough to stop you, Animosity!"

Animosity cried out, but the twin beams of light and dark did not relent. As the group of allies watched, the burning pink core hovering in her chest decreased to a dull glow, then to a flicker. With one last sputter, it went out entirely.

The spell ended. For a moment, what was left of Animosity hung in the air. Then, as if in slow motion, the inert crystal skeleton fell to the streets below, shattering into thousands of shards on impact and causing an eerie ringing that sounded almost like a final, hate-filled cry.

Clearly, the contract laid out by Inkwell had been fulfilled, as Dinky almost immediately felt Ophiuchus's power begin to seal her magic again. She watched as all her loved ones' hooves returned to the rooftop, and their glowing bodies dulled until they were once again normal fur. For a few terrible seconds, she felt almost suffocated, able to sense the immense magical potential within her that her body could no longer fully channel, but the sensation quickly faded; it seemed that not only had her unrestricted access to Equestria's magic been removed, but her ability to comprehend such power had as well. Which was just as well; she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to be satisfied with her normal magic again if her brain had been able to hold onto the memory of what it had felt like to connect with the world's latent magic so completely. For a few moments, the group stood in stunned silence.

"We... we really did it, didn't we," Clarity breathed, shaking her head slowly.

"It seems so," Cloudcover said with a sigh of relief, pointing to the ponies emerging from the buildings below. "Look, the citizens of Canterlot seem to be coming out of the almost hypnotic state they were in, now that Animosity's influence is gone. I imagine that means the prisons holding the princesses somewhere within the castle are disintegrating right about now as well."

A sudden, bright light made Dinky squint, and for a moment, she feared more unexpected magic was at work. After a few moments though, it became clear that the source was something much simpler.

"...Sunlight?"

The red thunderstorm began to thin, and only when the first rays of light shone through did the ponies realize that morning had broken. Under the pall of supernatural clouds, there was no way to tell, but now, bright autumn sunlight lit up the streets of a city that had been dark for so long. The rays on Dinky's face were warm, but much warmer was the hug that Ditzy pulled her into.

"It's over. It's finally over," the pegasus mumbled happily, as the other ponies gathered around the two of them.

Dinky could only smile as she watched the last of the clouds disperse, and the huge, spherical barrier around Canterlot begin to fade away.

...Wait a second.

Diky opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get the chance. The ground lurched beneath her, inciting gasps and screams from the disoriented citizens below.

"What... now what's happening?" Pip stuttered, as the ground itself seemed to angle a few degrees sideways.

"The barrier!" Sparkler gasped, watching the pink energy rapidly disappear. "Defeating Animosity is cancelling it out!"

"What does that mean for us?" Ditzy asked nervously.

A shudder like an earthquake ran through the streets. Damaged portions of several nearby buildings collapsed in a heap of rubble.

"So, uh, guys," Watt piped up. "I just thought of something. You remember Tango Trot's prediction, 'the fall of Canterlot is inevitable'?"

The other ponies nodded. "Yes..." Breeze answered slowly.

Watt twitched, flicking his tail nervously as he spoke up again.

"You ever think maybe we were supposed to take that literally?"

The other ponies had just a second or so to process this before the ground dropped out beneath their hooves. Helplessly, the ten of them, and hundreds of other citizens, spun through the air as the whole city, no longer supported by any magic, started hurtling toward the ground far below.

The true fall of Canterlot had begun.

Chapter 20

This can't be happening!

Ditzy Doo tumbled through the air, whipped by the wind and surrounded by the terrified screams of not just her companions, but a whole population of ponies realizing that nothing but two miles of empty air lay between the falling city and the mountainside far below.

How could we have overlooked this? she wondered. We put so much time and effort into getting into Canterlot, and stopping the being holding it hostage... that we never considered what would happen when the spell on the city broke!

She beat her wings frantically, trying to get some lift, but it was no use; Canterlot itself was displacing a lot of air as it plummeted out of the sky. That air was flowing around the sides of the hunk of rock on which the metropolis sat, causing the airspace above the city to become an innavigable mess of conflicting air currents.

The earth ponies and unicorns, she knew, were no better off. Earth ponies had neither wings nor magic to try to escape their situation, and most of Equestria's unicorn residents weren't capable of teleportation spells. Even though all of the especially talented unicorns in her company were the exception, teleporting could only carry them so far. From their position, it wouldn't be possible to teleport beyond the city onto safe ground.

Ditzy heard yelling, but she couldn't even make out the speaker, let alone the words, over the noise of the rushing wind. There was no way to communicate, no way to stop what was happening, and no way to escape. The reality of her situation began to sink in.

We stopped Animosity. Equestria as a whole should recover, but everypony in Canterlot, including us... we're all going to die.

The last of the red storm vanished, and the pegasus was treated to a view of the colorful landscape, bathed in late autumn sunlight. It seemed unfair that such a beautiful morning was about to go down in Equestrian history as the day the capital city, and all of its residents, were lost.

Her coworkers. Her daughter. Ponies she had helped, and ponies who had helped her. And countless innocent citizens as well. Animosity's defeat had inadvertently doomed them all. She sobbed, but her tears were lost on the wind.

Half the distance between the city and the ground had already closed. Impact was only a mile away, and at this speed, crossing that distance wouldn't take long.

Or at least, it shouldn't have. But it was around that time that Canterlot's meteor-like descent mysteriously began to slow.

It was gradual at first. The speed of its plunge decreased by only a few percent. The ponies, however, continued to fall as gravity dictated, and the speed differential caused them to ever-so-slowly catch up to the ground beneath them. Bewildered, Ditzy felt her hooves touch down on the cobbles as lightly as if she'd just alighted after a flight. As the city was still hurtling downward alarmingly fast, she felt exceptionally light, as if she was just barely able to avoid floating away.

"Alright, so, maybe I'm wrong..." Watt began, carefully positioning himself to land upright as the last of the distance between his body and the streets of Canterlot dwindled to nothing, "...but I don't think this is how physics are supposed to work."

"Some outside force must be acting on Canterlot," Sparkler reasoned. "I would say there's no way magic would be strong enough to do something like that, but... well, Animosity already proved that wrong."

"Not to be a downer here, but this place is still dropping way too fast," Scuffle pointed out. "Maybe we're not freefalling anymore, but when Canterlot hits the mountainside, the impact's still gonna kill us."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when Ditzy felt her stomach lurch, and her body suddenly felt heavier. A quick glance into the distance confirmed her suspicions; Canterlot's fall had slowed further.

"Magic or not, something is trying to save the city," Dinky pointed out.

Over the next half a minute, several more jarring changes in velocity occurred. Eventually, Canterlot was descending no more quickly than a rather fast-moving elevator.

"I don't believe it," Breeze said, taking a few experimental flaps and discovering that the wild winds had died down enough to allow for flight. "If it keeps moving at this speed all the way to the ground, most ponies will probably be okay!"

"Though that may or may not actually happen," Cloudcover added nervously, as the city shuddered and briefly dropped more quickly before slowing again to the controlled pace. "Whatever force is acting on Canterlot doesn't seem to be the most... stable."

Dinky spread her dark wings. "I'm gonna go investigate," she declared, taking to the air. "If there's any way I can help Canterlot touch down safely, I need to be there."

"I'm going too," Ditzy added quickly, pulling her vision-correcting helmet over her eyes. "The rest of you, take advantage of this! Tell the pegasi to evacuate while flight is still possible, and get as many earth ponies and unicorns as you can to open courtyards and plazas where nothing can collapse on them."

"You got it, Ditzy!" Watt chirped, racing off down the cobblestone road.

As the rest of her allies rushed deeper into the city, Ditzy flapped harder to catch up with the wraith already diving below the edge of the falling mass of earth.

"We need to find the unicorns we left out here!" Dinky called, scanning the landscape below. "Maybe they know what's going on."

Ditzy peered through her goggles and, much to her own surprise, actually managed to spot the small cluster of ponies before Dinky did. "There!" she replied, pointing.

Both ponies rocketed downward to the plain where five of their allies were standing. Presto rushed forward to greet them.

"Dinky! Mrs. Doo! Did... did you stop Wishing Star?"

"It's a long story, but the short answer is yes," Dinky replied.

"Is Clarity okay?" Lucid asked desperately, nervously eyeing the gash in Dinky's shoulder. "And all the others? Was anyone badly hurt?"

"Clarity's fine," Ditzy assured her. "Some of the others are hurt, but nopony's dead. But they're all still in danger! Do you know what's slowing Canterlot's descent?"

Uncomfortable expressions crossed the faces of the gathered ponies. "We... we do, yes," Tango Trot mumbled.

"Hold on a sec," Dinky muttered, furrowing her brow as she mentally counted the unicorns in front of her. "Presto, Lucid, Scorch, Frosty, Tango... but where's Dean Script?"

The uneasy looks of the others deepened. Avoiding eye contact, Presto nervously cleared his throat and pointed. Curious, Ditzy followed his gaze.

At the very center of the huge crater that had been left in the mountainside when Canterlot was ripped from the earth, a tiny golden light was flickering. When she squinted, Ditzy could just make out the outline of a pony standing there, though she was veiled in the shadow of the city looming overhead, sinking closer to the ground with each passing second.

"Spiral Script's keeping Canterlot from hitting the ground at full speed?" the pegasus realized. "That's great, but she's in the middle of the crater. Doesn't she realize if she stays there, she'll be..."

She trailed off as the dean's plan became apparent. It must've become apparent to Dinky, too, because the wraith was already off like a shot, rocketing toward the crater as fast as her magical wings could carry her. Panicking, Ditzy jetted after her.

"Dinky! Wait!"

Ignoring the cries of the group of unicorns urging them to come back, Ditzy followed her daughter into the oppressive shadow of Canterlot. Judging by current speed of its descent, she estimated there was about four minutes before it landed in the crater they were now flying into.

As they approached, they got a clearer view of Spiral Script. The elder unicorn stood at the deepest part of the crater, her stance wide and her legs shaking with strain. Her curly purple mane and thin ceremonial cloak both fluttered madly in the maelstrom of wind and magic surrounding her as she struggled to maintain the huge yellow aura around her horn. Her eyes were tightly shut and her coat was plastered with sweat.

"Dean Script!" Dinky cried out.

The dean forced one eye open. "D-Dinky, you imbecile, get out of here b-before it's too late," she stammered.

"How are you even doing this?" Dinky asked, ignoring the mare's instructions entirely. "You yourself said it was impossible to hold up the city."

The dean harrumphed. "What did you think those runes I asked you and Clarity to place around Canterlot were for?" she grunted. "I suppose I should be grateful you at least remembered to carve them, even if you've already forgotten. They provide an immense boost to the levitation spell I'm casting. Not enough to stop the city from falling. Far from it. But, Celestia willing, maybe I can slow it down just enough..."

"The runes..." Dinky repeated, thinking hard. "Wait, then this was the plan all along?"

"The contingency plan," Dean Script corrected. "The best c-case scenario would've been getting the p-pony who raised the city to safely lower it again, but I think we all knew the chances of that were v-virtually nil."

"That's why you were so vague about the purpose of the runes!" Ditzy realized. "You knew all along that if you let us know you planned to sacrifice yourself, we'd try to talk you out of it."

"And y-yet, here you are anyway," the dean muttered. "Honestly, Ditzy, I've come to expect this sort of b-behavior from your daughter, brash as she is, but you should know better. G-get out from under the city before you're crushed!"

"Are you sure there's no way to get all of us out safely?" Dinky cut in. "None of this mess was your fault! Why should you be the only one who has to pay for what happened? That's not fair!"

"Not fair?" Dean Script asked, focusing on keeping her voice steady to make sure Dinky understood the gravity of her message. "You should know plenty about dealing with unfairness, Dinky. Was it fair that your first year at the Academy was marred by Bright Spark's grudge against you? Was it fair that you were burdened with magic that everypony feared and you could neither understand nor control? Was it fair to any of us to have Equestria's fate suddenly placed on our shoulders these past few weeks? When things are unfair, we do what must be done to overcome them. Without my spell, Canterlot will hit the mountainside with incredible force. Most ponies will be killed on impact, and all the structures will crumble. If I try to keep up the spell while moving myself out of harm's way, I'll lose contact with the runes on the far side, causing the whole thing to tip sideways, which would be even more catastrophic. And I, for one, have no intention to let thousands of innocent civilians perish and watch Equestria's most iconic city be reduced to ruin when all of that can be saved for the price of a single life."

"But the Academy!" Dinky argued. "What will they do without their dean?"

"Find another, as they have for hundreds of years!" Dean Script hollered, glancing up at the ever-approaching underside of Canterlot in a panic. "Now stop this foolishness and go, you two! If you hurry, you can still escape!"

The pair of heroes exchanged a look. Ditzy knew in her heart that the dean was right, and though Dinky clearly didn't want to admit defeat, she could tell in her daughter's expression that she knew it too. The pegasus turned to Dean Script one last time.

"Thank you, Spiral Script," she said solemnly. "Thank you for everything you did for Dinky these past few years, and thank you for everything you're doing now. You once told me you'd do everything in your power to keep Canterlot and all your students safe, and I see you really meant it. We'll make sure the city you love doesn't forget what you did for it."

Dean Script nodded, but didn't respond, as she was focusing every ounce of her energy on the levitation spell. Ditzy looked up, and realized the rocky underside of Canterlot now dominated her entire range of vision.

"We need to go!"

Gravel rained down as Ditzy and Dinky flew together at maximum speed, rushing toward the ever-shrinking space between the lip of the crater and the edge of the descending city. The crater itself grew darker and darker as almost all sunlight was blocked out. Soon, the underside of Canterlot was just a hundred pony lengths above, then fifty, then twenty.

"Dean Script was right! We lingered too long!" Ditzy realized. "We're not gonna make it!"

"Yes we are!" Dinky insisted, suddenly changing course. "Brace yourself, mom!"

"Brace myself for what?"

Dinky zipped into position directly over her. In one fluid motion, the young wraith melted into smoke, then reformed into a unicorn. Now wingless, she dropped straight down, wrapping her forelegs around Ditzy as she did so and pinning her wings to her sides.

"Dinky! What—"

Flash!

Utterly disoriented, Ditzy had no idea what happened. All she knew was that suddenly, she was out in broad sunlight. As she fell through the air, it vaguely occurred to her that they must've been close enough to the edge of the crater for Dinky to teleport the rest of the way.

Half a second later, a violent wave of rushing wind, escaping from below, sent her tumbling through the air and landing roughly in the dry grass. A sound like nothing she'd ever imagined nearly deafened her, an impossibly great, echoing bang of rock on rock that hammered her eardrums and vibrated in her very bones. A cloud of dust half the height of the mountain was kicked into the air as Canterlot landed neatly in the vast indentation that had been left in its absence, and a shudder seemed to run through all of Equestria.

But the dust cleared. The sound faded. The morning sun shined on the towers of Canterlot, and all was still.

Twenty-four hours later...

Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns had one major advantage: it was not technically in Canterlot.

Situated on the other side of the mountain, the empty school hadn't been part of the land swept up by Animosity, and it had completely escaped any damage from Canterlot's fall. The castle wasn't nearly as tall as the one in Canterlot, but it was much, much broader, offering a huge amount of space for the relatively small number of students that typically inhabited it, and since classes had been suspended for the last several weeks, it quickly became the ideal hostel for the displaced citizens of the capital.

Minutes after the city landed, the princesses, freed from their prisons, had emerged from Canterlot castle, in utter disbelief to find their city still standing. Despite months of incarceration on the parts of Celestia and Cadance, they set right to work, organizing a massive effort to temporarily evacuate the city while structural damage was examined and repaired, and of course, getting the wounded into proper medical care.

Now, the Academy was jam-packed with most of Canterlot's population, inhabiting the halls and classrooms while their city was repaired.

Dinky made her way warily down one of the corridors. Despite her normal unicorn form, she received stares from almost everypony she passed. Nopony lashed out though; the princesses had made sure to speak with each and every pony as they first stepped onto Academy grounds that while the news that had spread across Equestria about a wraith walking among them was true, she was not to be feared. Ponies didn't trust wraiths, but they did trust their princesses, and Dinky was grateful for that.

There were bigger things to worry about than the attention of strangers anyway. Dinky trotted into the infirmary for the fourth or fifth time that day. Her own injury had already been treated the day before, as the thick bandages wrapped around her shoulder indicated. Most of the beds in the wing were mercifully empty; Dean's Script's sacrifice really had saved nearly everypony from harm. But one of the few beds that were occupied contained a certain pink filly that Dinky cared about very much.

Dinky spotted Clarity standing next to Honeydew's bed and hurriedly trotted over. "Scuffle finally took a break?" she asked.

"He sat here all night," Clarity replied. "I finally convinced him to go grab a bite in the main hall, but he'll probably be back in a few minutes."

Dinky nodded, watching Honeydew as she twitched in her sleep, rolling over so that her face lost in the long strands of her mane. "Did the nurse have anything new to say about her condition?" she asked finally.

"Only that all her life signs are still stable," Clarity sighed. "She's been moving in her sleep a little more, so hopefully soon she'll—"

She was cut off by a gentle, feminine groan. The two friends' attention snapped to the bed as Honeydew shifted, slowly uncurling her body beneath the sheets, and began to sit up. As consciousness slowly crept into her mind, her demeanor changed. She suddenly gasped and burrowed beneath the sheets, shaking slightly.

"...Honeydew?" Clarity asked as gently as possible.

The quivering stopped. "Cl-Clarity?" the pink filly whispered back from somewhere in the den of bed covers. "Wha... what's going on? A-are we hiding from Animosity?"

"Animosity's gone," Dinky soothed. "You were unconscious, but you're okay. We're at the Academy, and you're in the infirmary."

There was a long, long pause. Honeydew did not emerge from under the sheets. When she finally spoke again, her voice was heavy with confusion.

"...Then why is it so dark?"

Dinky glanced across the room. Early afternoon sunlight streamed in each of the tall windows. "Because you're under the sheets, I guess," she replied uncertainly. "Come out. It's safe, don't worry."

The shape beneath the sheets squirmed all about, and Honeydew finally pulled herself free. She sat fully upright, but the moment she pulled aside her lengthy mane, it became clear that not all was well.

Honeydew had no cuts or bruises. Her fur, while a bit messy, looked healthy. There was no damage to her horn, save for the chip in the back that far pre-dated the Animosity incident, and judging by the bedsheet now dangling in her aura, her magic seemed to be working fine.

But her eyes, previously a pale green like the first Spring growth, were misty and grey. She stared in one direction, her pupils failing to focus on either pony in front of her.

"Still dark," she admitted. "Is it nighttime?"

"Uh... hold that thought, Honeydew," Dinky said nervously.

"N-nurse?" Clarity called. "Something's up. Can you come take a look at Honeydew?"

The Academy nurse hurried over. She took one look at Honeydew's bewildered expression, and her face fell.

"I didn't... want to say anything," the mare admitted. "There was no sense scaring you two over something that might not even happen. But, well..."

Honeydew blinked her cloudy eyes. "What happened?" she asked, scratching her head. "Is... something wrong with me? I can't quite remember what happened after Animosity appeared..."

"Well, when Dinky and Clarity brought you in, you showed signs of very severe magical exhaustion. You'd drained your magical reserves so completely that you overtaxed your body to the point of losing consciousness," the nurse explained somberly. "Magic, as you know, is produced and channeled by a unicorn's nervous system, and converted into usable energy in the horn. In certain very extreme circumstances, when the stores of energy produced by your magic-generating organs have run dry, it's possible to draw out more energy, energy that isn't meant to be expended, and pull it up through your nerves and out your horn. This is, of course, not something that happens accidentally; you'll be met with increasingly extreme pain if you force it."

"So let's assume Honeydew did force it," Dinky pressed, glancing at her meek friend uncertainly. "What... happens then?"

"Well... it varies," the nurse admitted. "If you do that, you're taking energy meant to power your body and forcibly removing it. This can, in severe cases, um... short-circuit parts of the nervous system, which, depending on what metaphorical fuse blows first, could leave the pony in question with loss of feeling in certain body parts, disruption of motor control or magical ability, or even... impairment of senses. I'll have to do a full examination to be sure, but as far as I can tell... it seems the optical structures were the part of her nervous system that took the brunt of the damage. I'm afraid... Honeydew is blind."

Stunned, the bedridden filly held her forehooves up to her face, squinting hard. After several apparently fruitless seconds, she lowered them again, as her breathing slowly grew more frantic.

"I... but..."

The nurse placed a hoof gently on the filly's shoulder. "I'm sorry, dear," she sighed. "I have a few other ponies that need more urgent assistance, and then I'll investigate further. Sit tight, I'll be back."

She hurried away. Honeydew whimpered softly.

"Honeydew, it... it's okay..." Clarity comforted. "Maybe it's not as bad as the nurse thinks. Could you really have used so much magic that you burned out your nerves?"

"I'm trying to remember," Honeydew confessed, rubbing her scalp as her face scrunched up in thought. "I remember Wishing Star turning into Animosity, and then we ran away to place those runes, and then we found Inkwell, and after that..."

She paused, suddenly making a face like somepony had punched her in the gut. Her sightless eyes filled with tears.

"And the attack! And my spell! Oh Celestia, the spell... the spell didn't—"

Honeydew's voice cracked. "No! No!" she cried, falling onto her stomach and bawling into the sheets.

Dinky and Clarity rushed to her side. "Honeydew, calm down, please!" Dinky urged. "I know losing your vision is terrifying, but it's too early to—"

"I don't care about my Celestia-damned vision!" the pink filly screamed, using what Dinky was almost certain was the first cuss word to ever pass her friend's lips. "Don't you get it? I failed! I tried so hard, I used so much magic, but it wasn't enough!"

Clarity stepped back, aghast. "Honeydew, what are you talking about?" she asked desperately.

"The healing spell!" Honeydew wept. "I remember now! I poured everything I had into that spell. I drained all my energy... shorted out my eyes... and it just wasn't enough! I passed out! I failed! I couldn't save Scuffle!"

Dinky and Clarity exchanged a stunned look as Honeydew pressed her face into the bed, grasping at the covers with her hooves and sobbing inconsolably. Dinky opened her mouth to speak.

"But Honeydew—"

A red aura forced her mouth closed. She raised an eyebrow as Clarity leaned over to her.

"Don't just tell her!" the grey filly whispered, grinning. "Go find Scuffle! Let him do it!"

A smirk to match Clarity's quickly spread across Dinky's face as she processed that. She turned and sprinted from the room, almost certain that Honeydew didn't even notice her go.

Gotta find Scuffle as quickly as possible, she thought, once again ignoring the stares of ponies gathered in the halls. He's not gonna leave Honeydew for long, so he should be right around—

She turned a corner a little too fast and smacked right into another pony, bouncing off him and landing on her rear on the rug.

"Jeez, where's the fire, Dinks?"

Dinky looked up into the aqua eyes of Scuffle. He tilted his head slightly in response. Half a hayburger was clutched in his aura.

"You just gonna gawk at me or you gonna tell me why you're running through the castle like a bat outta Tartarus?" he asked finally. "The big crisis is over, Dinks. You can slow down a little."

"I was trying to find you," Dinky replied, getting to her hooves and dusting herself off.

"Well congrats, you did," the colt chuckled. "By the way, your mom's down in the main hall with her friends and Pip. She told me to bring you a snack. Got a couple muffins in my bag for you."

"There's no time for that!" Dinky asserted. "Come on, we have to get to the infirmary. Honeydew's awake!"

The hayburger hit the floor. "Why didn't you just lead with that?" Scuffle cried, already galloping down the hall.

Dinky lit her horn, urgently grabbing Scuffle's tail and yanking him back. The colt glared at her.

"What gives?" he growled.

"There's a few things you need to know first," Dinky said quickly. "Firstly, Honeydew did save your life with a healing spell."

Scuffle's eyes widened. "Then she's gotta be the literal best in the world at that," he finally managed. "Unicorns aren't supposed to be able to fix damage like that."

"You're right, they can't," Dinky agreed. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. Honeydew... drew energy out of herself to keep you alive, which is probably why your aura changed color. It wasn't without consequence to her body. Scuffle... she's gone blind."

Scuffle seemed to wither. He shook his head, his ears lying flat and tail drooping.

"That crazy filly... sh-she didn't have to..."

Dinky grabbed Scuffle by the shoulders and forced him to look up. "I'm not done," she insisted. "Honeydew's in there right now, absolutely beside herself with grief, not because she's lost her sight, but because she thinks you're dead. Clarity and I figured you were the right pony to tell her otherwise."

Despite the depressing news of Honeydew's fate, a hint of a smile appeared on Scuffle's face. "...Yeah," he said finally. "I think I can do that. She'll be relieved that she's got only one tragedy to deal with instead of two."

The pair of ponies peeked into the infirmary. Honeydew's frantic wailing had dissolved into quiet, hopeless sobbing. She'd crumpled the sheets into a wrinkled mass that she clutched between her forelegs as she lay balled-up in a fetal position.

Silently, Scuffle approached, wincing when the filly opened her eyes enough for him to get a glimpse of their hazy grey hue. Nevertheless, he smiled a bit as he sat down on the mattress beside her.

"G-go away, Clarity," Honeydew blubbered. "I don't want your comfort. Scuffle's g-gone, and it's my fault. Just leave me alone."

Scuffle stared at the distraught pony beside him. "I mean, I'm not Clarity, but I can still scram if that's what you want," he said finally.

Honeydew became so utterly still, Dinky would've mistaken her for a life-sized plush toy if she hadn't seen her moving a moment before. She sat up, her face painted with non-comprehension. Painstakingly slowly, she raised a forehoof, reaching helplessly into a world she could not see, until it came to rest on Scuffle's chest.

"S... Scuf...fle?"

She stayed in that position for a moment longer, her useless eyes facing the colt's general location, not daring to believe her ears.

Scuffle smirked. "'Sup Dewey?"

All at once, Honeydew quite literally threw her whole body weight at the pony across from her, knocking them both down. To Dinky's surprise and tremendous amusement, her lips were pressed firmly against his before they even hit the bed.

Scuffle's eyes went comically wide. His gaze flicked to Dinky and Clarity, but only for a second; that was about how long it took him to decide that sometimes there were more important things than keeping up appearances in front of his friends. His eyes slid closed as he wrapped his forelegs tightly around Honeydew, returning her kiss with equal fervor.

"I, uh... think we can let Scuffle take it from here," Clarity whispered, blushing slightly as she slowly backed up a few paces. "We should probably take a little break anyway."

Dinky nodded in agreement, watching Honeydew finally break the kiss and promptly bury her face in the fur on Scuffle's chest, crying once again, but this time not with sorrow. She clung to her coltfriend as if fearing he might dissolve into the aether if she let go. He held her almost as tightly, whispering comforting words to her that Dinky couldn't hear.

With a brief bit of magic, Clarity drew the curtain in front of Honeydew's bed closed. She silently made her way to the exit, and Dinky, unable to contain her smile, followed suit.

The castle was still abuzz with ponies discussing what had happened in Canterlot. Dinky stuck close to Clarity; if she was alone, she knew she'd almost certainly be accosted by ponies wanting to know the truth about her powers and the secret form hidden beneath her lilac coat. For a moment, she considered heading back to the residence towers, the one part of campus that was still reserved only for students, for some peace and quiet, but two familiar voices caught her attention instead.

"We have to find him! I haven't seen him since Canterlot fell. What if something happened to him?"

"We'd have heard about it if he got hurt, 'Bella. I'm sure he's fine."

Inkwell arrived at the top of one of the main stairwells, looking totally normal; the projection of Ophiuchus was nowhere to be seen. Portabella plodded up behind her, looking more than a little agitated, but hope crossed her face when she noticed the two older ponies nearby.

"Clarity!" the cream-colored filly called, rushing over. "Have you seen Top? I can't find him..."

"I haven't, but I know he's not hurt," Clarity assured her. "I've been in the infirmary a lot; he's not there."

To Dinky's surprise, Portabella looked downtrodden. "He's probably just avoiding me then," she sighed. "When we were trapped in Canterlot, we were at each other's throats almost the whole time. I wish I could've kept a level head like Inkwell did, but I just couldn't control myself. He probably hates me now."

"There's no way that's true," Inkwell contended. "You and Top were acting like that because Animosity's power affected your hearts. You're not mad at him anymore, so why would he be mad at you?"

Portabella looked down, her bouncy curls obscuring her sapphire eyes. "I'm... I'm not stupid, Inkwell," she muttered. "Top hangs around with us, but honestly... I think he's just humoring me. I can tell he doesn't like me near as much as I like him. He just puts up with it. Maybe what happened in Canterlot made him realize we're not compatible after all..."

"Cease these asinine utterances this very instant, Portabella," came an unmistakable voice.

Everypony looked up and spotted Top Percentile peering through the bars of a balcony overhead. He hurried down the stairs and joined the other four ponies.

"Top..." Portabella mumbled. "Look, I'm not just sorry for what happened in Canterlot. I'm really sorry for most of this year. I know I'm pushy and over-eager, and I was so caught up in how excited I was to have you around that it took a crisis for me to realize that you were just... along for the ride all this time. If you don't wanna hang out anymore, I understand."

Top raised an eyebrow. "Are you incognizant of the proclamation I enunciated from the veranda?" he asked. "Your hypothesis is both unfounded and fallacious."

Portabella stared at him blankly, a small frown on her face. The scrawny colt sighed, and took a moment to attempt to rephrase.

"Portabella, you're... mistaken. Yes, that's it," he said finally. "It's not you who should apologize for your deportment... excuse me, your behavior. If anything, I should."

Portabella cocked her head. "You? But why? Besides what happened to us in Canterlot, and that doesn't count."

Top levitated a cloth and quickly wiped his thick glasses. "I may be very perspicacious... err, astute... gah, I mean smart," he said finally, "but my social skills are... lacking. I haven't really had any true friends before this year, and certainly not any as... what's the word... deeply caring as you. I'm terribly poor at expressing my sentiments... sorry, my feelings, so I come off as cold, but... I do honestly enjoy, even crave, your company. Inkwell's as well."

Portabella's mouth hung open slightly. "You... you mean it?" she squeaked.

Top smiled hesitantly. "Come on now, would I lie to—"

He paused, considering how to finish his sentence.

"—to... to my fillyfriend?"

Dinky had never heard Top Percentile acknowledge the supposed relationship Portabella had often claimed they were in. Apparently, Portabella hadn't either, since she squealed so loudly that all the surrounding ponies instinctively jumped back, before pulling Top into a spine-crushing hug.

"P-Portabella!" the colt croaked, squirming feebly. "I must urgently entreaty the prompt cessation of your constriction of my respiratory enginery!"

"Gosh I love it when you talk like that," the stocky filly giggled as she released him and nuzzled his cheek. "C'mon Inkwell, let's go back to the student lounge and listen to Top say more sexy foreign things!"

"You two go," Inkwell chuckled, shooing them away with a forehoof. "I'll catch up after I talk to Dinky and Clarity."

Portabella nodded as she trotted away on three legs, using the fourth to clutch her little coltfriend to her side.

"I'm glad they're happy," the pinto filly said as the two of them disappeared down another hallway. "They might seem a little unusual, but they're both great friends."

"I can see that," Dinky chuckled.

"What about you, Inkwell?" Clarity asked. "Have you recovered from everything that happened in Canterlot?"

Inkwell shrugged. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna talked to me in private for over an hour this morning, so that was kind of draining," she admitted. "But I guess since I have the power to change how magic works across all of Equestria on a whim... it's kind of important that everypony's on the same page. It's sorta stressful, knowing what I can do now if I really want to, but Great-grandpa Ophi is helping me cope with it."

"He is?" Clarity asked, her eyebrows raised. "Did you summon him again today?"

Inkwell bit her lip. "Um, I don't actually need to," she admitted uncertainly. "Now that I've discovered my place as his heir, I can, um... hear him in my head. Only when I reach out to him, of course; he respects that I want to just be a normal filly, so he stays dormant, sleeping somewhere deep in my mind. If I call to him though, he answers, so I only have to summon him into Equestria if I need to use his power."

Dinky smiled, stepping forward and placing a hoof on Inkwell's shoulder. "Looks like you and I just became more alike," she pointed out. "Both of us have a power within us that's all but unknown to modern Equestria. I carry Scorpio's influence in my body, and you bear Ophiuchus's ancient power in yours. And you're right; it really can be scary when you have control over magic that not even the princesses can use or fully understand. Using it wisely is a big responsibility."

Inkwell shifted her weight and looked up nervously. "Do you... think I'll be able to handle it, Dinky?" she squeaked.

"After what I saw in Canterlot? I know you will," Dinky replied confidently. "You used your power, and even put yourself in harm's way, for the benefit of your friends and your world. Your heart's as strong as any of ours; I know it won't steer you wrong."

Inkwell beamed. "Well, that and the fact that my patron Zodiac is a little friendlier and more helpful than yours," she giggled.

Dinky smirked. "Yeah, see? You've got Ophiuchus instead of nasty old Scorpio! You'll be fine."

Inkwell turned to Clarity. "Oh, and thank you too, for everything you did this year!" she continued, rearing up to hug the Overseer. "You were always approachable, whenever we needed you, and you did everything you could to keep us safe when things got bad. I'm praying that next year's Overseer is even half the pony you are!"

Clarity wiped her eye, smiling broadly. "That means a lot, Inkwell," she said. "Dinky and I may be graduating soon, but I hope to hear from you next term. Make sure to write and tell me about what an amazing young mage you're turning into, okay? And if you ever need advice, I'm only a dragon-letter away."

Inkwell's smile grew brighter. "I will!" she promised. "But we're not done just yet; there's still the last two weeks of term, and Princess Celestia told me classes are starting up again next week, as soon as Canterlot's residents can go home. It'll be such a relief when things go back to normal!"

"It sure will," Clarity agreed. "Do your best, in the coming weeks and beyond. Dean Script would've wanted to see all her students flourish."

Inkwell nodded. "I'll tell 'Bella and Top to do the same," she promised. "Speaking of which, I should catch up with them. See you at the residence tower later!"

The two older fillies waved as she cantered off. Clarity turned to Dinky once she was gone.

"She may be young, but I think Ophiuchus's power is in the right hooves," she admitted. "That filly's going to grow into a great mare someday."

"Well, she had a great role model," Dinky chuckled, nudging her friend and watching her humbly look away to hide her smile. "What did you expect?"

Evening rolled around. Despite the crowds of citizens mulling about, Dinky and Clarity managed to find space to sit together with Pip and Lucid for dinner in the main hall. By the time they were finished, the sun was beginning to set. Dinky yearned for her bunk in the residence tower; she hadn't slept there in weeks now. First, however, she headed for the infirmary, curious if there had been any change in Honeydew's status.

As she lit her horn to open the door, it was pushed open from the inside instead, and Scuffle stepped out.

"Oh, Dinks, hey," he said, somewhat distractedly.

"Hey," Dinky parroted. "How's Honeydew?"

"Soft," said Scuffle without hesitation.

Dinky blinked slowly. "Soft?"

"Soft," Scuffle repeated. "Have you ever like... hugged her for an extended period? Fur isn't supposed to be that soft. It's crazy."

Dinky stifled a laugh. "I meant how is she doing, lover boy," she clarified, lightly bopping the colt on the nose.

"I-I knew that!" Scuffle insisted, rather unconvincingly. "Uh, the nurse checked her out. No doubt about it; her vision's fried. Totally gone. She's a little down, but not nearly as bad as I thought she might be. I even got her to smile and laugh a few times. I dunno, I think she's just overwhelmed by everything that's going on and the reality hasn't really sunk in yet."

Dinky smirked. "Or she's just in a good mood 'cause she spent all afternoon cozied up with her coltfriend," she goaded, flashing Scuffle a teasing smile. "I mean, if you and her were making out like that when we were standing right there, I can only imagine what happened after Clarity closed the curtain..."

Scuffle's cheeks quickly flushed and he snorted loudly. "Dinks, have I ever told you you're the worst?" he grumbled.

"Several times."

"Good. 'Cause you're the worst. It's an infirmary, not a private suite. Jeez."

As much as Dinky would've loved to fluster the poor colt further, she was interrupted by a commotion somewhere behind her. Two raucous male voices echoed down the corridor.

"The infirmary's this way, sod-for-brains!"

"I know which way it is! We both used to go to this school, you pinhead!"

"Wha... Scorch and Frosty?" Scuffle asked in alarm.

The twins rounded the corner, still arguing. When they spotted Dinky and Scuffle, they stopped. "Move it, Scuff," Frosty ordered.

"What the hay are you two still doing here?" Scuffle asked. "It's not like you're stuck here waiting for Canterlot to be livable. I thought you took the first train home to Fillydelphia!"

"We said move," Scorch commanded, grabbing Scuffle in his aura and pinning him to the wall so he could step by. "We got something to settle with a certain filly."

By the time the colt shook off Scorch's spell, the twins had already barged into the infirmary. Dinky and Scuffle raced in and found the pair of troublemakers heading for Honeydew's bed.

"Yo! You know Dinks can literally kill you two, right?" Scuffle snapped.

"Hold on. Let's see what they want," Dinky muttered. "If they're here for something malicious, we'll intervene."

"It's Scorch and Frosty!" Scuffle hissed. "Why wouldn't it be malicious?"

The twins arrived at Honeydew's bedside. Hearing their hoofsteps, she sat up, focusing her grey eyes on nothing in particular.

"Hello?" she asked softly. "Who's there?"

"Us. We need to chat, kid" Frosty replied, while Scorch grunted in assent.

Honeydew shrank a bit when she recognized the voices. "Oh... Frosty, Scorch, um... how can I help you?" she asked meekly.

"We heard this rumor," Scorch began, "that yesterday in Canterlot, our little bro, being the clumsy oaf that he is, did his best to get himself killed up there."

"And then we heard that you're in here because you went and messed yourself all up, just to save his sorry butt," Frosty continued. "We're always pullin' that little coward out of the jams he gets himself into, but nopony's ever been crazy enough to go an actually hurt themselves for his sake."

"But I guess you're nuts, cause you went and did it anyway, Celestia knows why," Scorch added. "And we got just one thing to say about that."

Honeydew winced. "And.. that is?"

A second passed. Then two.

At the same moment, the twins lit their horns, and Honeydew squeaked in shock as she was magically hoisted into the air and immediately sandwiched between the two brothers, who embraced her as they broke into the loudest, messiest sobbing Dinky had ever seen.

"Honeydew, how can we possibly thank you!?" Frosty wailed. "I don't know what we woulda done if Scuff had gone and died when we weren't even there to protect him!"

"He's a dork, but he's still our lil' bro, y'know?" Scorch blubbered as he hugged her tighter. "You didn't have to do nothin', but you went and lost your eyesight just to keep him breathin'! He's gotta be the luckiest stallion in this whole place if he's got a mare who cares about him that much!"

"So really, we owe you!" Frosty insisted. "What can we do for the pony who saved our brother?"

Honeydew struggled to find her voice. "...Can you... put me down, firstly?" she asked in a tiny voice.

In a flurry of magic, the product of two horns working in tandem, Honeydew's pillow was fluffed and her blankets were straightened. In a second, she was returned gently and carefully to bed."

"So, you're really going to try to repay me? You'll do whatever I ask?" she questioned.

"Anything! Name it!" Scorch promised.

Honeydew took a breath and smiled slightly as she spoke her request.

"Ok, then if you wouldn't mind, boys, can you... please stop bullying Scuffle all the time?"

Dinky turned silently to Scuffle. The colt's jaw dropped.

"If it wasn't for Scuffle, I'm the one who would've died," Honeydew explained. "He's a hero, and a caring companion, and a wonderful coltfriend too, and he never demands to be recognized for any of it. He's fought more than enough without having to fight his own family too. So if you really want to make me happy... maybe stop making him sad?"

The twins looked at each other in surprise, and then at their younger brother, still standing behind them with Dinky, before turning back to Honeydew. "You got it, kid!" Frosty affirmed. "Now that you mention it, I guess Scuff's had his hoof in saving the world at least twice now. Maybe our little bro doesn't need our 'tough love' to act like a real stallion anymore anyway."

Honeydew giggled as the twins, looking quite proud of themselves, marched past Scuffle and Dinky. Frosty gave his younger brother a brief pat on the head as they exited the room.

"D-Dewey..." Scuffle stammered once they were gone. "What... did you really just—"

"Uh huh!" Honeydew confirmed, looking pleased. "You've been at my side for years, helping me through all the scary stuff. So I wanted to sort of return the favor."

Scuffle managed a few more incoherent syllables, but failed to form any words.

"Oh! And Dinky," Honeydew continued, "there's nothing else they can do for me, so the nurse cleared me for release. Would it be too much trouble for you to guide me back to the residence tower? I think I might kind of have trouble getting there on my own."

"Absolutely," Dinky agreed, as the pink filly carefully slid out of bed. "Put a foreleg over my back, we'll go real slowly."

Honeydew did as she was told, but not before leaning over and (after a moment of searching) giving Scuffle a nuzzle and a peck on the cheek. The two fillies made their way out into the hall, leaving the still-stunned colt behind them.

The next day was a Saturday, and the time had come for those who were not students or staff of the Academy to head home. Canterlot was once again structurally sound, and in record time, thanks to the organization of the princesses and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers.

As for Ditzy Doo, she'd had quite enough of Canterlot for a while. After a brief goodbye to Dinky, who still had her final two weeks of school to attend, the four ponies from Equestria Speedy Shipping Services caught a train to Ponyville. Pipsqueak traveled with them, as well as Sparkler and Presto, who tagged along en route back to Trottowa.

"Goodness, it'll be nice to get back to business as usual after that nightmare," Cloudcover sighed, slumping slightly in his seat.

"Gotta admit though, in spite of the danger, it was wicked finding out my own uncle's a spy," Pip chuckled.

Cloudcover shook his head. "My boy, I'm hanging up my secret service hat for good this time; no more covert military operations for this stallion, thank you very much."

"Unfortunately, it seems you'll be forced into retirement at your other job, too," Breeze pointed out. "Equestria Speedy Shipping Services is out of funds. It's already mid-November; our lease on the office space is up at the end of the month, and we've been barely bringing in any profit since the summer. Even if we could scrounge up another month of money, we'd have nothing left for the rest of the upkeep. We stopped Wishing Star... err, Animosity, but I think she took our company down with her."

Ditzy frowned. "Animosity didn't even care that we happened to be the victims," she pointed out. "She was just capitalizing on the hate in the hearts of other ponies. So even though she did the dirty work, the reason we were targeted was because of—"

The door connecting the train cars slid open, and to everyone's surprise, a blue mare with a teal mane stepped into the aisle.

"—C-Cosmic Glow," Ditzy finished.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Glow bit her lip and stepped aside, allowing none other than Princess Luna to step into the car.

"Princess!" Presto piped up, stepping out of his seat to bow before the ruler. "We didn't know you were on board."

"Ah, if it isn't the ponies of the hour," Luna greeted, smiling politely. "I apologize; in all the commotion of the last two days, I haven't had time to give you all my sincerest thanks. My sister's trust in you all was well-placed. I shudder to think what would have become of Equestria without you all and young Dinky and her companions."

"Happy to help!" Watt chirped. "Though, uh, pardon me for wrenching the conversation in an entirely different direction, Princess Luna, but whatcha doing with Cosmo there?"

"I was escorting your... acquaintance here back to Ponyville," Luna explained, casting a disapproving glance at Glow, who continued to stay silent. "Perhaps it's good I found you all here, so you could be informed."

"You're just letting her go?" Breeze asked, trying to keep his voice from sounding hostile while addressing the princess.

"It wasn't my fault!" Glow replied, though the look Luna shot her made her wince. "Not... not all of it, anyway..."

Luna held up a dull, jagged piece of pinkish crystal in her aura. "A crystallized fragment of hatred," she explained. "Animosity was able to use these to cause hatred to override the conscience and reasoning of particularly hateful ponies, even before she grew strong enough that the effect began to spread through Equestria on its own. It seems Cosmic Glow and Bright Spark were both afflicted with these, but it wasn't immediately clear at what point their actions stopped being their own and started being Animosity's. My sister and I have each launched an investigation: she took the mare who once besmirched the name of her fine school, while I looked into the pony who once attempted to sabotage a particularly important social gathering of mine."

Glow winced again.

"However, after hours of careful cross-examination with the use of a powerful lie-detection spell, I have determined that Cosmic Glow's actions before being afflicted with the crystal, while cruel and deplorable, weren't illegal under the current letter of Equestrian law."

"As soon as I learned Wishing Star was responsible for Candyfloss's death, I immediately tried to break our partnership," Glow elaborated. "Unfortunately, by that point... I'd already played right into her trap."

"Though it infuriates me to do so," Luna continued, glaring at the mare beside her, "I do not have any grounds for the imprisonment or further punishment of Cosmic Glow, beyond fines already collected, so I must allow her to go free. She's no true criminal, but merely a sniveling little snake. If there is any grief her actions have caused you that might yet be reversed, please let me know."

"Actually, we were just talking about that," Ditzy admitted. "In order to gain power from Glow's vengeful desires, Animosity joined Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, which was already beginning to struggle once Celestia and Cadance disappeared, and began purposely rejecting assignments or sending out the wrong shippers. We're about to go out of business... unless you can fix that?"

"Done," said Luna without hesitation. "The Canterlot treasury will cover business expenses until the company is deemed fully operational again. This will allow you to focus on reforging client connections, and bringing a replacement staff member up to speed. It's hardly enough thanks for defeating that monstrosity that captured us, but it's a start."

The princess turned to Glow once again. "You're free to go," she said flatly. "If I were you, I would make certain this is the last time you find yourself on my bad side."

With a toss of her starry mane, Luna turned and trotted out of the train car. Glow remained, shifting her weight awkwardly as seven ponies stared back at her.

"I'll just... go..."

Before she could do so, Ditzy rose from her seat and began to trot over. Glow flinched slightly as she approached.

"How's your injury?" the pegasus asked.

"Huh?"

"Your injury," Ditzy repeated. "We fought in Canterlot. I'm pretty sure I broke something."

Glow frowned. "Patched up at Celestia's Academy," she answered, suspicious. "Why do you care?"

"Because I meant it when I said I didn't want to hurt you," Ditzy replied. "I don't like you, sure, but I'm not cruel."

Glow's gaze bored into Ditzy for several seconds. "I figured something out recently," she said suddenly. "Now that I have the hindsight that these dark few months have granted, I guess... you never really were lying, were you?"

That threw Ditzy for a loop. "Lying about what?" she asked.

"About all the competition between us," Glow snapped, as if it was obvious. "Or more accurately, the lack thereof. You weren't actively trying to cost me my job, to keep Breeze from me, to turn Sparkler against me... you were actually just minding your own business, huh?"

"I've been trying to make that clear for years, yes," Ditzy deadpanned.

A faraway look appeared in Glow's eyes. After several seconds, Ditzy waved a hoof in front of her face.

"Glow?"

"...Wow. I messed up," Glow mumbled.

A surprised murmur spread among the ponies still in their seats. Ditzy herself didn't know how to respond; she'd never heard Glow admit to being wrong before.

"Look," Glow grumbled, her frown returning. "I don't like you. You don't like me. We're not compatible ponies, and never were. But apparently I'm barking up the wrong tree. I'm not getting Breeze back, I'm not getting my job back, and believe me, I'm still angry... but taking it out on you isn't going to get me anywhere, because it seems you were never the problem. So... my mistake."

Watt leaned out from his seat. "Boy, Cosmo, if I didn't know better, I'd say that was almost some sort of apology!" he giggled.

"Shut up, Watt," Glow sighed, pushing the stallion out of the aisle.

All eyes remained on the blue unicorn as she began to make her way to the far end of the car, opposite the direction Luna had gone. When she arrived next to Sparkler and Presto's seats, she stopped. Mother and daughter's eyes, both the same deep purple, met for a moment.

"Sparkler," she said, emotionless.

"You confuse me," Sparkler replied, in an equally flat tone. "I've never seen anypony fail so utterly to practice what they preach. You raised me to avoid connecting with anypony at all, and yet all this misery that's befallen you is because you refused to let go of a relationship that ended over twenty years ago. You continued to pursue it, with increasingly ill intent toward everything and everypony that stood in your way. You should be thanking Mrs. Doo; she managed to find a way to save me before I sank as low as you. At least one of us gets to be happy."

Glow's gaze shifted to Presto. "This stallion's your old friend from your school years, then?" she asked. "Is he your coltfriend now?"

"We hadn't told anypony yet, but as of yesterday, yes," Sparkler answered, ignoring Ditzy's quiet squeak of surprise. "When we were reunited after the crisis, we realized we both felt that way.

Glow shrugged. "You run the risk of heartbreak someday, you know," she pointed out, her tone more informative than accusational.

"Maybe so," Sparkler agreed. "But I know now that, as much as that will hurt, ponies can recover and move on. You just chose not to. I'll take the chance of temporary anguish over the promise of permanent, stifling isolation. It's like everything you taught me was backwards; you pressured me to avoid bonding with anypony, while refusing to let your own heart heal from a broken bond. When actually, we both should've been doing the exact opposite all along, and encouraging those bonds to form, and doing what we can to move on when they are broken. Neither strategy is foolproof... but at least the second allows for the possibility of happiness, even if it's mixed with moments of pain. The first just leaves a pony miserable, damaged, and alone, whether or not they ever knew what friendship or love felt like."

Ditzy instinctively inched closer to Breeze, amazed at how much Sparkler's understanding of her own feelings had grown. But the young mare wasn't done, and her next statement was even more amazing.

"You've done a lot of things purely with revenge in mind," Sparkler continued, "but now that I've seen things from multiple perspectives, I realized something else. In spite of everything, I think you really were trying to do what was best for me, at least while I was still in school. You just had a terribly misguided idea of what that was."

Glow finally couldn't keep eye contact anymore. She stepped back, looking away.

"I..."

"I'm ready to move on, to make these decisions my way," Sparkler continued, not to be interrupted. "Things turned out really poorly, but they don't have to stay like that. Not for me, and not even for you. So I want you to know, regardless of what Mrs. Doo and the others might think... I forgive you."

The car went silent, save for the dull rumble of the train below their hooves. After a few moments, Glow looked up again, and lifted a forehoof, briefly indicating Presto.

"I hope... he makes you happy."

Before anypony could say anything further, Cosmic Glow turned and trotted briskly from the train car.

Ditzy and all the others stared, dumbfounded, at Sparkler. The young mare eventually turned away from the door and noticed their gazes.

"W-what?" she stammered. "I just told her the truth! Don't look at me like that."

"My word, I wonder if that actually got through to her," Cloudcover breathed.

"I think it certainly gave her something to think about," Breeze said, still looking to the door as if expecting Glow to return at any moment. "At least now it seems like you're ready to move on, Sparkler, even if she's not."

Presto softly nudged Sparkler and whispered something into her ear. The purple filly bit her lip and nodded slowly.

"Not... not quite," she admitted. "There's one more thing to take care of first."

Rising to her hooves, Sparkler stepped carefully down the aisle until she arrived near the front, at the pair of seats where Ditzy and Breeze rested. She slowly sank to her haunches, looking a bit ashamed.

"Sparkler?" Ditzy asked gently.

"Not you," Sparkler grumbled, pointing to the stallion beside her. "Him."

Ditzy backed off slightly. Sparkler didn't look up, but she spoke directly to Breeze.

"It was... unfair of me, to treat you how I did at first," the filly mumbled. "In a way, I was just like mom; I discovered that life had been unkind to me, and I looked for somepony to pin it on. I can see clearly enough why you and mom split up, and honestly, I don't blame you, after how she's acted. And after learning just how low she stooped, I think I can believe that you honestly didn't know I'd ever been born. In the short time I've known you, you've already tried to be a better parent than mom ever did, and I wasn't willing to listen."

Breeze cast a shocked glance at Ditzy. Turning back to Sparkler, he tentatively placed a hoof on her shoulder. The purple filly spoke again.

"Autumn Breeze... um, dad... I'm sorry. Obviously it's much too late to ever really have a normal father-daughter dynamic.
I'm already an adult, living on my own. But even so, going forward... maybe we can be kind of like family is supposed to be?"

Breeze smiled sincerely. "I'd like that, Sparkler," he agreed. "And I think we might see plenty of each other in the future; even though you and I aren't especially well acquainted yet, you've gotten to know Ditzy pretty well. If you're visiting her, you'll probably be seeing me, too."

Sparkler took a slow breath. Although she only responded to Breeze with another nod, Ditzy could tell that she was hugely relieved. Presto trotted to the front of the car as she got back to her hooves.

"See? Told you it'd be fine," he chuckled.

"Congratulations, by the way. Both of you," Ditzy cheered. "I had a feeling you might end up together."

"It's a low-key thing," Sparkler said quickly. "We don't wanna make a big deal of it. We just, uh..."

"...Find a lot of fulfillment in each other's company," Presto finished confidently.

Sparkler smiled that rare smile that Ditzy so loved to see. "Yeah," she confirmed. "But let us figure that out for now. What about you two? Weren't you going to, you know, get married?"

"Oh, that's right!" Ditzy realized. "The shipping company looks like it's gonna make it after all, Dinky is safe, and Equestria is returning to normal. Seems like it's time to start planning the wedding again."

"About time, huh?" Breeze chuckled. "When do you think we should have it?"

Ditzy pondered for a moment. "Oh, I don't know, maybe... in a week?"

Breeze's eyes widened. "A week?" he asked disbelievingly. "We can't put anything too big together in just a week."

"We already did something big last time we tried," Ditzy said with a grin. "'Dunno about you, but personally, I wanna turn my fiancé into a husband before the next big disaster slows us down."

Breeze laughed. "You have a point. You'd better send a letter to Dinky as soon as we get to Ponyville, so she can arrange to come home next weekend."

"I'll write her, Mrs. Doo," Pipsqueak volunteered. "Even for just a small ceremony, you've still got enough on your plate for the next week."

"And Sparkler, Presto," Breeze added, "how do you feel about staying in Ponyville a little longer than expected? We'd love to have you both."

The two unicorns looked at one another. Presto smiled at Sparkler and nodded in assent.

"I think... we're not in a huge hurry to get back anyway," Sparkler chuckled.

"It's finally happening!" Watt cried, vibrating in his seat. "Aw Ditzy, Breeze, somewhere out there in another realm, ol' Dr. Candyfloss is thrilled to see that you made it through all this with your relationship as strong as ever!"

Ditzy looked out the window at the vast blue sky, imagining Dr. Candyfloss resting on a cloud and looking down at her with that mysterious, enigmatic smile of his.

"I'm sure he is, Watt," she agreed, smiling wistfully. "I'm sure he is."

The term resumed at Celestia's Academy. At the urging of the princesses, Professor Morningstar had stepped up to temporarily cover the dean's duties for the final two weeks, but he made it clear that he had no intention of taking the mantle of permanent head of the school. News of Spiral Script's passing left many students feeling morose, but as the professors often reminded them, the last thing Dean Script would've ever wanted would be for magical education to halt on her account.

Dinky, at least, had something to take her mind off the dean. Her mom's second attempt at a wedding was just days away, and she kept the thought in her mind to cheer her up as she prepared for final exams.

On Monday evening, Dinky arrived at the residence tower, inundated with study materials. She stepped into the suite to find Honeydew sprawled out on her bed, humming softly as she slowly moved a few books and pages across her bed with magic, using her forehooves to assure they were right where she wanted them.

"A... B... C..." the pink filly mumbled under her breath.

"Whatcha' up to?" Dinky asked, tossing her bag onto her bunk.

"Reading," replied Honeydew idly.

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "Without any sight?"

Honeydew giggled. "Professor Luster showed me a very easy enchantment I can place on a book that converts all the text to braille," she explained, slowly gliding a hoof over one of the pages. "Of course, that's not helpful until I learn to read braille, but I have to start somewhere, right?"

Dinky beamed. "You're doing a really great job taking this in stride," she complimented. "It's only been three days and you're already finding workarounds for your lost vision.

Honeydew considered that. "I guess I sort of am," she admitted. "I suppose that's because—"

With a red flash and a familiar "pop" of displaced air, Clarity materialized in the center of the room, interrupting the conversation. "Girls, guess what!" she shouted.

Honeydew nearly fell off her bed, startled by the unexpected yell. "W-what? Did something happen?" she squeaked.

"It sure did! Something awesome!" Clarity proclaimed. "The Overseers were just told to inform all the students that, in spite of everything that happened, our end-of-term event isn't cancelled. We're still having the Graduates' Ball!"

Dinky had almost completely forgotten about the ball for the fifth-term students. It had been at the forefront of her mind before her wraith form had been revealed to all the ponies around her, and everything since then had been chaos. She smiled at the thought of attending the party after all.

"Oh, that's right," Honeydew said vaguely. "Do you think Scuffle will want to go?"

Dinky snickered. "I can't think of many things in life Scuffle has wanted more than to go to that ball with you, Honeydew," she pointed out.

"You better write to Pip and tell him to clear his schedule too, Dinky," Clarity pointed out, "because the ball is later this week!"

Her unfinished conversation with Honeydew forgotten, Dinky grabbed a quill and began to pen an invite, elated that her graduating class was getting their proper sendoff after all."

The main hall was reserved for the first through fourth term students, who as always were having their Nightmare Night dance, albeit several weeks after the holiday in question. Clad in a simple but elegant pale yellow gown, Dinky made her way to the subterranean battle magic arena instead, which housed the Graduates' Ball. With Pip at her side, she stepped into the wide room, and looked around in wonder.

After five years of advanced magical education, it took a lot to impress Dinky, but this easily managed to do so. Other than its size, there was effectively no indication that this space was the battle magic arena at all. The stone floor was replaced with a rich purple carpet, and columns and arches reminiscent of Canterlot castle had been constructed around the edges of the room. Lanterns of many different colors, each carved with dramatically detailed images of graceful-looking unicorns, hung in the air, suspended with magic. One end of the room held a number of tables, decorated with ornate tablecloths and set with delicately folded napkins and golden dining-ware. At the other end was a dance floor, decorated with overhead banners in Academy colors. Live musicians played soothing, emotional melodies nearby. Everything seemed to sparkle in an alluring, yet comfortingly familiar way. The very air itself was so heavy with warm, welcoming unicorn magic that Dinky could feel it like a faint heartbeat in her horn.

"This is mad," Pip commented, looking equally stunned. "Every time I think I've seen it all..."

Dinky spotted Clarity at the far end of the room, near the buffet table. She hurried over, with Pip following behind.

Clarity saw them coming and waved. The grey filly wore a shiny, midnight blue dress that took Dinky by surprise. Clarity was generally into the simple and practical; Dinky wasn't aware she even owned something so elegant. Even her mane, usually only reined in by a single barrette, appeared to have been professionally styled.

"Dinky! Pip! Isn't this amazing?" she asked.

"I knew this was a formal party, but I had no idea it would be this refined," Dinky admitted. "They really go all out for the graduating seniors, huh?"

"To put it mildly," Clarity agreed. "Looks like more than half the ponies in our year are here so far. No sign of Scuffle and Honeydew yet though, and I also haven't seen—"

Strummmm~

Clack-a-clack!

Clarity smirked. "Never mind."

Dinky knew exactly what to expect as she turned toward the source of the sound. Tango Trot strode up to the trio, clad in an angelic white suit jacket that seemed to catch the light of the enchanted lanterns above. His date, who Dinky recognized as Seeker, the headstrong duelist from the battle magic semifinals, gave a brief wave of greeting as well.

"Girls, how simply lovely to see you both here tonight," the young stallion greeted, flashing a pearly smile that shone even more than his glossy suit. "When that terrible business in Canterlot was unfolding, I feared none of us would ever see this day. It's absolutely marvelous to gather with my classmates for a happy occasion once again."

"Great to see you too, Tango," Dinky replied.

"And Seeker, too," Clarity added, surprised. "You're Tango's date? Are you two, you know, a thing now?"

Seeker laughed, her green and blue ponytail swinging as she shook her head. "Hardly," she replied. "But I didn't have a date, and Tango's a good guy. Why not, you know?"

"Besides," Tango chuckled, "Seeker makes for good company. She treats me as a fellow student, instead of..."

He trailed off, and discreetly angled his head toward a group of five or six fillies in one corner of the room, who were clearly watching him from afar and giggling amongst themselves. "...like that," he finished flatly. "They're lovely, of course, but I prefer to spend the last big event of our academic career with a friend, rather than a fan."

The group of ponies began to gather some food from the lavish buffet. After a moment, Dinky couldn't help but notice that Seeker's gaze kept moving to her.

"Something up?" she asked uncertainly.

Seeker looked guilty. "Uh... sorry," she apologized. "I know you've probably gotten this a hundred times in the last couple days, but... wow. A wraith, huh?"

Dinky smiled a little guiltily. "Um, yeah," she admitted. "Don't worry. Like the princesses said, it's safe."

"I admit, I had also been meaning to ask," Tango confessed. "So... your other friends, they knew earlier than us, it seems?"

"Me, Honeydew, Scuffle, and Pip here have known since the beginning," Clarity chimed in. "I was actually there when it happened. That was four years ago."

"Feels like yesterday," Pip put in. "Scariest moment of my life. Up until this week, mind."

Tango Trot nodded. "Well, the secret's out, but it seems that hardly means a thing, wouldn't you say?" he asked. "A wraith who rescued the princesses and quite literally saved Equestria is hardly deserving of the public's ire. You may not be a unicorn, but you're as much a student, and friend, as anypony here."

Dinky's awkward grin was replaced with a much warmer smile. "Thanks, Tango. Considering what happened when my secret got revealed, it's a relief to hear ponies say that."

Suddenly, Clarity's head snapped up, and she urgently tugged on the sleeve of Dinky's dress. "Guys, look," she breathed, jabbing a forehoof toward the entryway.

Dinky turned to look in the direction she was pointing, and was immediately dumbstruck for two reasons. The first was because the pony who had just stepped through the great stone doorway was easily one of the most beautiful, eye-catching mares she'd ever seen.

The second was because it was Honeydew.

Honeydew was clad in a bewitching, pastel purple gown that draped perfectly over her flanks, accentuating her already impressive figure. The neckline and the ends of the sleeves were trimmed with bright white silk. Lush, live flowers in an array of colors decorated the trim, as well as the matching band in her hair, which held her mane in an elegant, complex chignon. Her tail was expertly braided, and the familiar silver band adorned with a star sapphire near the end was polished so it glinted in the light. A faint hint, just a touch, of makeup was on her face, only enough to enhance the natural beauty that was already there.

"Blimey. She's mighty bonny tonight," Pip muttered.

The room quieted slightly as many pairs of eyes were drawn to the new arrival. Honeydew took tiny steps, eventually stopping a few paces into the room. Scuffle, wearing a nicely pressed formal jacket and corsage, trotted in behind her, and gently took her hoof in his, leading the blind filly where she needed to go.

"Evening, all!" Scuffle called as the two of them got close. "Hey Dewey, it's Dinks, Clarity, Pip, and Tango."

Honeydew broke into a broad smile, her cloudy eyes not dampening the joy in her expression in the slightest. "Hi everypony," she greeted, carefully stepping forward and hugging each of her friends in turn. "Sorry we're late. It took me a while to walk over, but Scuffle helped a lot."

"Not a problem, my friend," Tango replied, forgoing the usual especially flashy smile in favor of a more average one, as it would be lost on Honeydew anyway. "I hear you've been doing wonderfully all week, despite your condition. I expected nothing less, of course; watching you develop Lifesense this year was proof enough that there aren't many ponies as determined to overcome the odds as you."

Honeydew purred softly at the praise. "Once I get reading and writing down, I'll be working on some new projects," she revealed. "We'll have graduated by then, but maybe I can send you my ideas for review?"

"I'd be quite disappointed if you didn't," Tango replied. "After this year, I can only imagine what you might discover next."

Clarity guided Honeydew over to the buffet to help her load her plate, and Pipsqueak joined them to get his own dinner. Seeker glanced over her shoulder and gave Tango a tap. "Come on, our seats are over there with Hibiscus and her date," she pointed out, as she used a microscopic ice spell to conjure a few ice cubes for her drink.

"Go on ahead, I'll be there in just a moment," Tango replied.

Seeker nodded as she trotted off to the other end of the dining area. Dinky, Scuffle, and Tango remained standing together.

"So..." the Overseer said, looking in Scuffle's direction and not quite meeting his gaze. "I've heard talk that, erm... our dearest Honeydew is your fillyfriend now, hm?"

"That's right," Scuffle replied, a little apprehensively. "What can I say? I guess I was the right pony for her. What of it?"

Tango glanced toward Honeydew, who was putting her dinner together with Clarity's help, before turning back to Scuffle. "There's just one thing I'd like to say on the topic," he admitted.

Scuffle raised an eyebrow. "Yeah...?"

Tango's icy blue eyes met Scuffle's directly. For once, the blue colt didn't have a showy smile on his face.

"Please... make her happy, okay?" he asked softly. "You're the pony who can do it, more so than anypony else. She's been through so much, and even now, is facing new challenges. Such a sweet mare deserves nothing but joy."

That was clearly not what Scuffle had been expecting. He could only blink at Tango, shocked.

"I want to apologize," Tango continued. "I confess, for some time there... I thought I was the obvious match for Honeydew. I only acted how I did because I thought I was, embarrassing as it is to admit... the good guy. The noble stallion saving her from, well, somepony who I thought didn't seem right for her at all. In light of the events of the past month, I see now that I was terribly wrong. I misjudged your care and loyalty. Above all else, I want her to be with a pony that will bring her true happiness, and I understand now that that pony is you. She knew it long before I did. So please... be the partner somepony like her deserves."

Scuffle finally found his voice. "Y-yeah, I can do that," he finally.

Appearing satisfied, Tango gave a nod and turned to go.

"Hey, w-wait!"

The Overseer froze, and slowly turned back around. "Yes?" he asked.

Scuffle smiled, and gave Tango a firm hoofshake. "Listen, I'm just her coltfriend, not her entire world," he pointed out. "The more good pals the better, right? If you really want her to be happy, make sure her treasured friend and research buddy stays in touch, too."

Tango's glowing smile re-emerged. "It's a deal, my friend," he laughed. "Now, I suppose I'd best not keep Seeker waiting. Scuffle, Dinky, have a wonderful evening."

With a lilting melody of acoustic guitar, and a final, echoing clatter of castanets, Tango trotted away.

"See?" said Dinky once he had gone. "Despite your rivalry, he's a good guy."

"If all he's trying to do is look out for Honeydew, he's certainly alright in my book," Scuffle agreed. "C'mon, let's go eat. I'm starved."

The soothing sounds and delicious smells of the Graduates' Ball filled the air. Dinky and her four closest friends sat around their table, having finished dinner and now starting on decadent desserts.

"So, Honeydew, I didn't get a chance to say it before, but you really look great tonight," Dinky complimented. "How did you do it? It must've been really difficult to do your mane when you can't see it. I haven't even seen you put it in that style before, so I know it's not muscle memory."

Honeydew blushed. "Thank you, but it's not my work," she admitted. "Scuffle did my hair and makeup."

"Scuffle did that!?" Clarity sputtered, practically choking on her mouthful of cake. "Wha... how? Since when does he know...?"

Dinky smirked. "Big tough Scuffle is a lot better at grooming than he likes to pretend, Clarity," she said teasingly.

Scuffle snorted loudly. "Sure Dinks, make fun of me for doing something nice for a pony I care about," he shot back. "Yeah, I spent about six hours this afternoon helping Dewey get ready. Lookin' at style magazines and testing out stuff in the mirror with her for ages. And you know what? I had a damn good time, and she looks great. You got a problem with that?"

"Oh, Dinky's just playing," Honeydew soothed, leaning against the colt and smiling contently.

"She's right," Dinky agreed. "Awesome work, Scuffle. I didn't know you had it in you."

Scuffle crossed his forelegs and looked quite proud of himself.

"It's really kind of just hitting me now," Clarity admitted, changing the subject. "This week's basically over. Next week is final exams, then graduation, and that's it. We'll have finished our time at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns."

Dinky nodded. "It's time for the next chapter of our lives," she replied. "I don't know what's coming next, but I know I don't want to lose contact with any of you."

"We've saved the world together. Twice," Scuffle stated bluntly. "I don't think ponies who go through that together just 'fall out of contact'."

"I have to wonder what's coming next, though," Pipsqueak piped up. "As for me, I thought I was gonna have to start from scratch for a bit there. I did kind of... steal an airship, you know. Kind of a serious offense. Even though it was recovered after Canterlot fell, mostly undamaged save for the tethering ropes, I still was expecting the navy to issue a dishonorable discharge."

"That hardly seems fair," Dinky pouted. "You used it to try to save Equestria. Could they really kick you out for that?"

"The admiral tried," Pip chuckled, "but Celestia overturned that right quick. She made sure my buddy Scoville wasn't in any hot water, either. It'll be a while till the next time I'm on active duty though. I don't quite know yet what I'll do with the next few months."

Dinky shrugged. "Well, don't worry, none of the rest of us know what's gonna happen after our Academy life ends, either," she pointed out. "I'm sure we'll both find something."

"Actually..." Honeydew mumbled, "Scuffle and I... kind of have an announcement."

That caught the other ponies attention. Though she couldn't see, Honeydew appeared to feel their stares. She reddened slightly.

"Scuffle, why don't you tell them?" she squeaked.

"Dewey's parents are presumably still mad about bringing Dinky to their farm," Scuffle pointed out. "Even without us in tow, she's barely welcome there, and now that she can't see, she wouldn't be much help on the farm, either, and her parents certainly don't seem to be fans of offering hospitality for nothing. What's waiting for her back there can't really be considered a home anymore, you know?"

"Right," Clarity replied, nodding somberly. "I hadn't thought about that..."

"But here's the thing," Scuffle continued. "I'm not exactly from the best part of Fillydelphia, so after graduation, I was kinda lookin' to get away from my roots and go somewhere new too. One thing led to another, and uh... well, we've decided to move in together."

Dinky beamed. "Congratulations! That sounds perfect!" she cried. "Any idea where you two will go?"

"Well, obviously we were lookin' for a friendlier town then where we're both from," Scuffle explained. "Big cities are out; we want a smaller, less bustling place for Honeydew to learn to deal with her new disability. And of course, she wants to be close to nature, so her research can continue. Someplace with forests and fields and streams not far away, you know? And Honeydew came up with an idea."

Honeydew giggled softly. "We were thinking maybe... Ponyville?"

Dinky and Pip looked at each other, surprised. "That would be amazing!" Dinky replied. "We'd be able to see you two all the time!"

"We'll get the details ironed out after graduation," Scuffle promised. "Looks like we're gonna be neighbors, Dinks."

"And what about you, Clarity?" Pipsqueak asked. "Any future plans?"

The always-confident Clarity suddenly looked a little sheepish. "Well... I did kind of get some news this week that I haven't shared yet..." she admitted.

"Oh? Do tell," Honeydew prompted.

"Well, as you know, my dad owns a magical special effects company in Whinnychester called Mirage Effects," Clarity reminded them. "Lucid's been the vice president ever since her graduation, but now my dad's retiring, and it turns out he's giving the company to her. I got a letter from her yesterday... asking if I'd like to be her new VP."

There were several gasps. "Whoa, what an opportunity!" Scuffle remarked. "You'd get to work with illusions as a profession! You're gonna do it, right?"

"I'm... thinking about it," Clarity admitted, smiling weakly. "It'd be a big responsibility to pick up so suddenly..."

"The Student Overseer is worried about responsibility?" Dinky chuckled. "You'd be amazing, Clarity. You've got nothing to worry about."

Clarity looked away, smiling shyly. "I guess so, yeah."

The lights began to dim, and the musicians began to play a familiar slow dance melody. "Let's not worry about the future tonight," Clarity said quickly. "C'mon, it's time to dance!"

Pip stood and held out a forehoof to help Dinky to her seat, and the two of them made for the dance floor. Honeydew stayed glued to Scuffle's side as they carefully made their way around any obstacles in Honeydew's path. Clarity, who had chosen not to bring a date, leaned against the wall with a glass of cider in her aura and contently pony-watched.

"Let's take it a step at a time, love," Pip whispered. "I don't think I've ever really gone dancing. Four left hooves, you know."

"Slow dances are easy," Dinky promised, using magic to pull one of Pip's hefty forehooves up over her withers, and placing one of her own on his shoulder. "It'll be fine. Let's just relax and enjoy being together."

Pip nodded earnestly. "There hasn't been near enough of both of those things happening at once lately," he chuckled.

For a time, Dinky was able to focus on nothing but the gentle music and the feeling of Pip's body moving in time with hers. Contented, she rested her head on the opposite shoulder from where her hoof was. Just as she was closing her eyes to drink in the moment, the sound of hushed voices reached her. She swiveled an ear toward the source, and realized Scuffle and Honeydew were talking quietly while they danced together nearby.

"One, two... careful now, got your balance?" Scuffle asked.

"Mhm. As long as I hold onto you, I can do it just fine," Honeydew whispered back. "I trust you. You were always good at this."

"I was?"

Honeydew giggled softly. "Don't you remember? The Nightmare Night dance in our first term. We got picked to lead the dance. I was terrified, and then you... made it okay, somehow. And we were only just becoming good friends back then."

"Right," Scuffle muttered. "And this dance is a lot less terrifying I hope?"

"This dance is perfect," Honeydew cooed, nuzzling Scuffle a little. "I'm having a great night, thanks to you and all my friends."

There was a lapse in the conversation for a few moments. As Dinky watched discreetly through one slightly-open eye, Scuffle spoke up again.

"Honeydew... I don't get it."

Honeydew raised her head to look at him: now a functionally useless, but behaviorally ingrained gesture. "Don't get what?"

"You. This whole week," Scuffle replied, sighing. "There's no good time to bring it up, so I'm just gonna do it now. Dewey, you're the only one of us who came back from the battle with Animosity... y'know, not the same anymore. You can't see a thing, you're having to learn basic skills again, and there's some abilities you'll never be able to reclaim... but it seems like you're the happiest I've ever seen you. Why? I think most ponies would fall into terrible depression if they were robbed of an entire sense."

To Dinky's surprise, and presumably Scuffle's as well, Honeydew giggled a bit more. "Well, that's easy," she answered. "I should be dead. Animosity tried to kill me, and by all accounts she should have succeeded. And then you saved me."

Scuffle looked uncertain. "Well, yeah, I guess blindness is better than death, but I still don't think—"

"After you saved me, one of two things could've happened," Honeydew interrupted. "You could've died of your wounds that night... or I could've expended all my power to save you. Don't you see? Although I didn't know it at the time, I was given a choice. Surviving that night at all meant there were only two outcomes waiting for me: one without sight... and one without you. It was a pretty easy choice. I don't regret it, not even a little bit."

Dinky was certain she'd never seen Scuffle overcome with the kind of raw emotion that spread through him at that moment. Eyes wet and shaking slightly, he stopped moving with the music and pulled Honeydew into an embrace. She hugged back just as tightly. They stayed like that, holding one another, the picture of serenity.

"N-n-nopony's ever valued me like that before..." the colt choked out.

"Well, I do," Honeydew said simply. "Learning to live normally without my sight will be a challenge, but it's worth it... as long as you're there with me."

Their sincerity made Dinky feel appreciative for her own relationship. Happily, she lifted her head off Pip's shoulder and nuzzled his cheek, sighing happily as she felt his wide muzzle press into her neck in return.

"That's enough for now," she whispered to her coltfriend. "Let's go stand with Clarity. Honeydew and Scuffle can join us later."

Pip nodded. Delighted at how close two of her best friends had grown, Dinky left them to enjoy their dance as she and Pip trotted away.

The weekend came. Dinky and Clarity sat aboard the train as it rumbled along between the rolling hills between Canterlot and Ponyville. Honeydew, after much deliberation, had chosen to stay behind and miss the upcoming wedding, so she could adequately prepare for finals, and also have more time to work on her mobility and her braille skills. Scuffle, naturally, volunteered to stay as well, but both ponies had urged Dinky to give her mother the warmest of congratulations for them.

"I can't believe we're finally giving this another go!" Dinky chirped. "It's almost December; last time mom and Breeze tried to get married was over nine months ago, but better late than never, huh?"

"Yup," Clarity mumbled as she directed an unfocused gaze out the window.

Dinky put a foreleg around her friend's shoulders. "C'mon now, what's wrong?" she prompted. "You've been a little... off since right after the Graduates' Ball."

Clarity wrung her forehooves together nervously. "Uh... I've been thinking a lot about Lucid's offer to take me in at Mirage Effects," she admitted, staring at the floor. "And I think... I think I'm gonna say no."

"Really?" Dinky asked, surprised. "Why's that? Illusions are your very favorite type of magic, after all. I thought designing spectacular illusions for use at big, flashy events would be your dream job!"

"It is and it isn't," Clarity confessed. "It sounds fun, sure, but my dad and my sister have already kinda blazed the trail for me."

"Oh, I get it," Dinky cut in. "Is this like when we first started at the Academy? You're worried about living in Lucid's shadow again."

"Not quite," Clarity replied, holding tight to the seat at the train hit a large bump. "It's not that I think I can't be as good as she was, it's just that... Mirage Effects is already her thing. I want to do something that's my thing, instead of just being... uh, Lucid number two."

"Now that I can understand, Clarity," Dinky agreed. "Sound perfectly reasonable to me. So... what is your 'thing' then?"

Clarity smiled sadly. "I... don't know. That's why I've been a little anxious," she sighed. "Maybe I'll find my 'thing', but if I don't... well, I'll really have been a fool for passing up Lucid's opportunity, won't I?"

Dinky pursed her lips. She tried to think of something encouraging to say, but none came to mind.

"...I need to think about it some more," Clarity said finally. "Don't worry about me, Dinky. I'll be alright."

She returned to staring out the window. Silently, Dinky racked her brain, thinking about her friend and all the experiences they'd had together, going back to their first term. Clarity had so many talents besides illusions, but which of those talents was the way to her future?

And then, a thought. No, an idea. Perhaps even an answer to her friend's predicament.

But to convince Clarity of it, she'd have to wait for the right moment.

Hiding her grin, Dinky silently schemed as the train coasted toward Ponyville.

"I gotta admit," Raindrops said pensively, "I wasn't sure if we'd ever be doing this again."

Ditzy sat in front of the body-length mirror as Raindrops flitted around just above her head, carefully styling the mane of the bride-to-be. "We just needed some time to work things out," Ditzy assured her. "Things like... dealing with the presence of Breeze's unexpected adult daughter. And overcoming our differences concerning said daughter. And rescuing Dinky when the whole nation turned against her. And also saving the world I guess."

One of the bobby pins slid out of Raindrops' mouth as she shook her head. "You lead an exciting life these days, Ditzy Doo," she chuckled. "I'll stick with mail delivery, thanks."

Ditzy slid out of the chair and looked herself over. She felt a serious sense of déjà vu; the image that stared back at her in the mirror was almost exactly the same as it had been on Hearts and Hooves day, from the dress to the mane style to the anxious anticipation reflected in her eyes.

"You look great, Ditzy," Raindrops commented. "C'mon, no more waiting around! Get out there and get yourself a husband!"

She was right, Ditzy realized. It was finally time. She stepped out of the bride's room and entered the main room of the town hall. Breeze was waiting not far away, and he was at her side in seconds.

"Ready for this?" the stallion asked, placing his wing across her back.

"Ready?" Ditzy snickered. "I was ready in February. I think we've waited long enough!"

Music began to play, signaling the start of the ceremony, and the two pegasi began to move down the aisle.

The whole scene was very similar to the first wedding, but less grand in almost every way. The decorations weren't nearly as lavish, the musicians were fewer and humbler than before, and the audience gathered for the ceremony was but a fraction of the one from last time.

Ditzy didn't mind in the slightest. If today was meant to be about music, decoration, and throngs of celebrating ponies, she would've taken more than a week to organize the event. But in her mind, today wasn't about those things; it was about the love she felt for the pony right beside her.

The couple arrived at the altar. Mayor Mare met both their gazes for a moment. "Are we... expecting any interruptions this time?" she asked, just loud enough for them to hear.

Breeze shook his head. Mayor Mare smiled and raised her voice to address the crowd.

"Mares and gentlecolts, we come together today to join two of Ponyville's finest residents in the bond of matrimony. Ditzy and Breeze are not only lifelong Ponyville citizens, they are also among the heroes who so recently rescued our princesses and saved Canterlot from a terrible fate. We should all wish these noble ponies nothing but happiness in their future together."

The mayor paused as some of the assembled ponies applauded, before beginning with the wedding rites.

As she stood at the altar, Ditzy spotted the ponies whose attendance she really did treasure in the front row. Watt and Cloudcover watched with proud expressions from one side, while a beaming Dinky sat together with Clarity, Pip, Sparkler, and Presto on the other. Her friends and family were the ponies that really mattered. As long as they were here, then in Ditzy's eyes, this wedding was as grand as any other.

The actual marriage proceedings seemed to take no time at all. Soon, the mayor arrived at the critical part.

"It has come time for your vows, my little ponies," she informed them, glancing at the door one final time to make sure no more neigh-sayers were going to storm in. "Do you, Ditzy Doo, promise to cherish, love, and support this stallion, Autumn Breeze, through good times and bad, as long as you both shall live?"

Ditzy stared into Breeze's emerald eyes. Here, in front of her, was the pony who had shaped his life around her over the past six years. He'd taken her under his wing at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, and been by her side for every adventure that followed. He'd been there to celebrate every new joy, and in contrast, he'd thrown himself into danger time and time again for both her and Dinky's sake. And she could tell by the way he was looking at her that he'd do it all again, as many times as it took.

Ditzy answered the mayor's question.

"I do."

The mayor repeated the question to Breeze. He responded in the same way, without hesitation.

Mayor mare smiled. "Wonderful," she replied. "Then by the power vested in me by the rulers of our great land of Equestria... I now pronounce you husband and wife."

The crescendo of music grew in time with the upwelling of joy within Ditzy. As cheers erupted from her loved ones seated below, she stepped forward into Breeze's embrace. Their wings and forelegs wrapped around each other as their lips met.

Seventeen years ago, a tragedy had robbed her of a husband, and Dinky of a father. For such a long time, it had seemed she was fated to walk the rest of the path of life alone. Now she understood, though; like the first shoot of green poking through barren soil, love could, and did, bloom anew.

Tears came to Ditzy's eyes as she held her husband close, never wanting to let go. After those seventeen long years, at last, she had a companion to walk that path with her again. Hopefully, one that would stay in stride beside her, all the way to its end.

"This," Clarity declared, "is good cake."

Dinky had to agree, but it was still funny to watch her friend eagerly load up her plate with a fourth slice of wedding cake.

It was after dark, but the wedding reception was still going strong. Dinky sipped her punch and looked on from a distance as various old friends from around Equestria continued to cluster around Ditzy and Breeze, offering their congratulations. She'd been keeping clear of the bigger crowds, particularly when they were composed of ponies she didn't really know; although the princesses had spread the word all across the land, she was still worried there might be an occasional guest who would be a bit put off by the presence of the wraith that had been all over the news a few weeks back. She was determined not to let any drama crop up, not here; this was her mom's special day, after all.

As Dinky scanned the reception, she spotted Sparkler, a bit aloof as usual, standing at the far end. For the first time all day, Presto didn't seem to be with her.

"I'm gonna go talk to Sparkler," she decided.

Clarity nodded as she wiped the icing from her muzzle. "Got it," she said. "I'll stay here and guard the cake."

Dinky chuckled as she left her friend behind for a bit. Sparkler gave her a single, silent nod as she approached.

"Hey."

"Hey," Sparkler repeated, setting aside the plate in her aura still littered with bits of dinner. "Don't mind me. Just waiting for Presto. He went to use the restroom."

"Mind if I hang out with you while you wait?"

"Feel free," the older filly replied.

The two unicorns stood together for a bit, watching the party from a distance. There wasn't much conversation, but Dinky hadn't really expected there to be. Eventually, though, Sparkler spoke up.

"Your mom looks really happy," she commented. "She deserves it, too. I don't know where I'd be now if she hadn't stepped in."

"Your dad looks just as thrilled," Dinky pointed out. "I've known Breeze longer than I've known you. He really is a great pony, you know? Must be where you get it from."

Sparkler smirked. "He's a better pony than me," she admitted. "But, well... I'm working on it. Having actual friends helps. This conversation we're having right now would've been excruciating for me a year ago. Now I'm just kinda... you know, having a chat with an old classmate and friend."

"Actually..." Dinky said slowly. "Friend isn't quite the right word now, is it?"

Sparkler looked at her uncertainly.

"I was giving it some thought," Dinky continued with a growing grin, "and suddenly I realized... my mom married your dad today."

Sparkler seemed to realize what Dinky was getting at. She didn't say it though, so Dinky finished the thought instead.

"Guess we're not just 'old classmates' anymore," she giggled. "Seems like you and I are sisters now, Sparkler. Stepsisters, anyway."

"Ah," Sparkler replied, closing her eyes. "Great. Now I'm related to the pony... no wait, the wraith, who turned my life upside down a couple years ago, and who somehow keeps getting me swept up in all these crazy adventures where the fate of Equestria is at stake."

Dinky bit her lip. But much to her relief, Sparkler's exasperated expression was quickly replaced with a teasing smirk.

"Y'know, for a dark magical entity, you're not half bad," she chuckled. "We got off to a rocky start, but actually... I think I could get used to having you around a little more often... sis."

Dinky beamed, and the smile only grew when Sparkler extended a foreleg, inviting her for a quick, but nonetheless pleasant, hug.

"Aw, look at you two, getting along!" came Presto's voice as the stallion reappeared from a nearby hall.

Sparkler rather quickly shoved Dinky back out of her personal bubble. "Hey Presto," she greeted. "Dinky was just pointing out that we're family now."

"Oh, that's right!" Presto realized. "And how lucky you are, Sparkler. I bet Celestia herself couldn't find a more talented duo than the two of you."

"Did I hear my name?" came an unmistakable voice.

All three ponies looked on in shock as Princess Celestia herself strode into the room, causing an immediate uproar among the reception guests. Sparkler looked at Dinky, bewildered.

"What is she doing here?" she hissed.

Dinky could only shrug, not taking her eyes off the princess.

"Good evening, everypony," Celestia greeted with a warm smile. "Word reached me that there was a wedding ceremony today for two of my subjects, both of whom were pivotal in securing the future of Canterlot just over a week ago. I was in the area on some other business and wanted to stop by to give Ditzy and Breeze my sincerest congratulations."

Dinky managed to spot her mom through the crowd, who looked nothing short of amazed. "Th-thank you, Princess Celestia," the pegasus stuttered.

"I love to see my subjects gathered together for joyous occasions like this one," Celestia continued, "and I really hate to interrupt the festivities, but... well, the business that brought me to Ponyville this evening concerns a few of the ponies in attendance. Could I possibly borrow Dinky Doo, Sparkler, and Presto for just a few minutes?"

"Wha... us?" Dinky stammered.

"Of course, princess," Sparkler replied, much more composed than Dinky was. "Come on you two."

Bewildered, Dinky tailed Sparkler and Presto as the three of them followed the princess away from the reception.

"I'm really sorry about interrupting your night," Celestia apologized again. "I've been dealing with something... troublesome the last few days, and I think you three are the ones to help me resolve the problem."

"Oh? And why us in particular?" Presto asked.

Celestia hesitated as she opened the door, letting in the cold night air. "Well... let's just step outside so you can see for yourselves," she sighed.

Dinky peered between her companions and out the door. In front of the building was Celestia's royal carriage, and waiting in the back seat was an old yellow unicorn with a straight grey mane and a magic-restricting ring on her horn.

Is that...

"Ah," Sparkler said, her upbeat mood completely gone. "Bright Spark."

Bright Spark winced. "Why... why Sparkler! Presto! How, erm, lovely to see you..."

Sparkler and Presto both remained silent. The ex-dean slowly turned her gaze to Celestia.

"Princess, how are these two related to my... situation?" she asked haltingly.

"Two?" Celestia asked. "Your eyes are failing you in your old age. There's another pony behind them, who I think will also want to have a few words with you."

Taking that as her cue, but still unsure exactly why, Dinky wormed her way between the two older ponies and stepped out into the night.

Bright Spark's pupils contracted and she made a somewhat hilarious attempt to scramble out the window of the carriage. "Princess, please!" the old mare begged. "I understand that I've committed a crime, but I beg you, don't throw me to that... that beast!"

Celestia ignored her, and turned to Dinky with a bit of an apologetic smile. "Dinky, I've been investigating Bright Spark's role in recent events over the past week," she explained, chuckling a little. "I've found her to be utterly unable to be convinced that you're a civil citizen of Equestria. It's... actually kind of funny."

"You still trust that vicious thing?" Bright Spark wailed. "Sure, I may have been under the effects of one of Animosity's crystals while I was in Canterlot, but I still remember what I saw there: bricks scorched, trees withered, entire towers blown to smithereens! That creature is—"

"—One of the heroes who put her life on the line for Equestria," Celestia finished loudly. "An upstanding citizen who puts true value in the ponies around her. Not a selfish coward like you."

"A ruse! A sham!" Bright Spark insisted. "Of course a wraith would destroy any competition; they lust for power and dominance, after all. With Animosity gone, she's one step closer to being unrivaled and taking our land by force."

Dinky laughed aloud, and heard her companions suppress a few giggles as well. "Alright, as funny as this is... why is Bright Spark here, princess?" she asked.

"I've been debating what to do with her," Celestia admitted. "Like Cosmic Glow, Bright Spark was crucial to Animosity's rise to power. Unlike Cosmic Glow, however, Bright Spark was willing to become criminally involved in those plans before her actions were controlled by a crystal of hate. When she arrived on Academy grounds, from which she was already banned for life, and conspired with Animosity to reveal your true form to everypony, she was still entirely in control of her actions."

"Wow," Presto put in. "I knew Bright Spark didn't exactly get along with Dinky and Sparkler, but..."

"Anyway, she's been charged with criminal trespassing and deliberate, life-threatening endangerment of other ponies," Celestia pointed out. "You three are some of the ponies whose lives were most directly affected by her over the years, so I felt you should be involved in helping me decide what to do with her."

"These three...?" Bright Spark whimpered. "Err, well... S-Sparkler, first of all, you realize of course that that duel we had in Canterlot recently... I was thoroughly under Animosity's control at that point..."

"Of course," Sparkler said flatly. "All is forgiven for what happened in Canterlot. It's the stuff that happened when I was one of your Overseers that I'm finding hard to ignore. You know, framing Dinky, blackmailing me..."

"I've already served my punishment for that!" the old mare said defensively. "Stripped of my title, thrown from the school... you were there! You remember!"

"Speaking of things we remember from that year," Presto added. "I can't help but remember how much stress you caused Sparkler that year. I don't like watching the ponies close to me get manipulated and forced into hopeless situations, Bright Spark."

Bright Spark helplessly rested her chin on the rim of the carriage window. "That's it then," she mumbled. "Two of you despise me, and the third... well, there's no reasoning with wraiths anyway. Princess, I beg of you, have mercy. Don't throw me to that monster like a piece of meat."

Celestia rolled her eyes. Dinky took a slow step forward.

"You honestly think I'm going to kill you, don't you?" she asked. "You can't even fathom that all the princesses, and the professors, and my friends and loved ones might be right. Do you understand how ludicrous that is? How many logical, well-respected ponies you're going against because you won't let go of your opinion of me?"

As she approached, Bright Spark ducked lower, trying to hide herself in the carriage. With a flash of magic, Dinky yanked the door open, and the elderly mare tumbled out onto the ground. Realizing there was no longer any barrier between then, the ex-dean looked like she was about to cry.

"All I wanted to do was go to school," Dinky said softly. "That's it. Just attend some classes and learn some magic. Nothing I ever did was done as a personal attack against you or what you stood for. But no, you were certain that just because the princesses overturned my rejected application, that meant I was there just to degrade and invalidate you. Then this year, you went on your little crusade to expose the 'monster' you discovered, even though I haven't endangered a single pony."

Bright Spark only whimpered, looking up at Dinky and shaking like a frightened filly as she lay in the road.

"You know something?" Dinky asked. "I don't hate you, Bright Spark. I pity you. You went from respected magical educator, to shamed, but free, citizen, to vengeful criminal, and you could've avoided all of it if you'd just minded your own business and run your school. This all happened because you just can't get it through your head that you might be wrong about me."

Bright Spark covered her face with her hooves. "...Don't hurt me..." she croaked.

"Dinky..." said Celestia gently. "I think I'll make it your call. In light of everything, what would you do with Bright Spark?"

Dinky stared at the pathetic pony lying at her hooves. Her mind was already made up.

"Just... let her go."

"What!?" Sparkler and Presto cried in unison.

"You heard me," said Dinky dully. "Ultimately, despite all her schemes, nopony got hurt. Unlike her, I don't want revenge for what she did. I just want her out of my life. Let her go, and send her to live in some town on the outskirts of the kingdom."

Celestia's horn flashed briefly, and the magic restrictor on Bright Spark's horn detached and fell to the street. The mare looked up at Dinky, absolutely bewildered.

"Y-you—"

"You know why I'm doing this?" Dinky asked. "It's because maybe it'll give you something to think about. Princess Celestia just told a wraith that she was in charge of your fate... and the wraith decided to set you free. Just remember that when you're living... wherever you end up. Now go."

Never taking her eyes off Dinky, Bright Spark slowly rose to her hooves. "I don't... I don't know what sort of cruel trick you're playing..." she stammered.

"It's not a trick!" Dinky insisted, stamping a forehoof. "For crying out loud, I've had enough of this! Enough of you! Go away before I change my mind!"

Bright Spark backed off a pace or two. "False hope. It must be," she muttered under her breath. "She wants to make me drop my guard, so the second I turn my back—"

Dinky angrily directed her body to melt away, becoming nothing more than amorphous smoke that solidified a moment later into her wraith form. She glared at Bright Spark, fangs bared and faux-wings spread.

"Get out of here!"

Bright Spark yelped and bolted, far faster than Dinky ever expected a mare of her age to be able to move. She never slowed down, disappearing a few moments later around the corner at the end of the street.

"At least that made her take the hint," Dinky grumbled as she morphed back to her typical unicorn form.

"Good riddance," Sparkler growled.

"That was surprisingly merciful, Dinky," Presto observed. "I'm not arguing with your decision, but after the hardships she's caused you, you had every right to want her to be imprisoned or something."

Dinky shook her head. "That'll just reinforce to her that she's right," she pointed out. "I want her to spend her few remaining years living with the fact that she might've been wrong after all."

"There's a good chance she's too stubborn to ever admit it, even to herself," Sparkler said, frowning.

Dinky shrugged. "I don't care. Just as long as she's stubborn far away from me. If she ever shows her face around here again, then by all means, lock her up."

Princess Celestia stared into the distance where the unicorn had vanished. "Bright Spark was one of my biggest mistakes," she admitted sadly. "She really did do her job well in her early years as dean, but as time went on... she changed. Her lofty station made her forget that other ponies might have useful insight that differed from hers."

"Dean Script was much better," Dinky said. "But, well... suffice to say, she won't be returning next term."

"No, she won't," Celestia agreed. "It's tragic to lose a pony like her, but life at the Academy must go on. Actually, that brings me to the other reason I stopped by today."

"Something concerning Dean Script?" Presto asked.

"Well, yes and no," Celestia replied. "Like Dinky just said, during her four short years in charge, Spiral Script was a wonderful dean. She cared deeply for her students and for Equestria, to the point of giving her life for Canterlot's sake. Besides that, she was an accomplished mage, well-versed in multiple subjects, and knew how to handle things logically without being unreasonably cold. I have to replace her for next term, and naturally, I want to find a pony who has all of those qualities. A pony who was a master of almost all subjects, besting even their fellow talented peers at the Academy. A pony who has both the reason and the compassion needed to make the right choice in difficult decisions. And most importantly, a pony who takes their responsibility to the ponies who rely on them seriously, doing whatever it takes to ensure both the safety and the academic and social growth of the students there."

"Obviously," Sparkler agreed. "But another Dean Script doesn't come along every day."

A glint appeared in Celestia's eye. "That's true," she agreed, smiling softly. "But one has come along today. And that is why I wanted to ask, Sparkler... if you'd be interested in taking up the mantle of dean of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns."

Sparkler froze, her eyes locked on the princess. Her lips quivered for a moment as she tried to reply.

"H-huh?"

"I suppose it's a bit of a surprising question," Celestia chuckled. "You're twenty-four, which would make you the youngest dean in the last... oh, 250 years or so, but it's not like it's unprecedented or anything."

"Wait, why me?" Sparkler asked, looking at her friends in search of answers.

"Maybe because you were valedictorian of our year, and have a broader knowledge of magic than anypony I've met?" Presto suggested.

"Or because you, like Dean Script have gone way beyond what was expected of you for ponies like me, even when you didn't like them?" Dinky asked, grinning.

"I've heard nothing but good things from the ponies close to you," Celestia explained. "Perhaps you're still learning, but that can be said of anypony; life is a journey in which we all grow and improve, after all. From what I've seen, Sparkler, you've got the knowledge, the compassion, and the humble sense of duty that I'm looking for. So... what do you say?"

Sparkler sank slowly to her haunches, holding her head in her forehooves as she tried to process what was happening. "What about Presto?" she asked faintly. "We finally found each other again, and if I was dean, I'd have to move to Canterlot, but he works at the University of Trottowa—"

"—which has a satellite campus in Canterlot that it would be very easy to transfer him to, should you both be interested in that option," Celestia finished with a wink.

Presto sat beside his fillyfriend, placing a foreleg around her back. "What do you think?" he asked gently. "Shall we pack up and move to Canterlot?"

"Do it, Sparkler!" Dinky urged, bouncing up and down excitedly. "You'd be perfect for the role, I know you would!"

Sparkler slowly lifted her head away from her hooves. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes were full of wonder. She looked, astounded, at the princess towering over her.

"Princess Celestia, I'd... I'd be honored," she stuttered. "I've dreamt of holding even the lowliest of ranks in the Academy's hallowed faculty, but to be its dean... I don't know what to say..."

"Well, you'll have a few months to think of the words," Celestia replied playfully. "The next term starts in March, as always. You've got the winter to prepare for your new office. Though admittedly, you and I have a lot to cover between now and then, while we get you ready."

"We can go right now!" Sparkler cried, springing to her hooves with the energy of a foal on Hearth's Warming. "The reception's nearly over; just give me a moment to say goodbye to my father and Mrs. Doo, and we can be on our way!"

Celestia nodded, and Sparkler turned, practically bounding back to the building. But after a few paces, she stopped abruptly, her hooves skidding on the dirt as she suddenly turned back around. With a little more self control, she hurried over to Dinky.

"Almost forgot to thank you, too," she said. "Dinky... none of this would be happening without you and your mom. You're the one who bust open the cage of isolation I'd locked myself in, and Mrs. Doo is the one who reached in and pulled me out of it when I was too afraid to step out on my own. And after you two helped me find the part of me I buried, Presto cultivated it until it bloomed anew. I owe you everything."

Dinky grinned. "Just pay it forward," she suggested. "Now you can help other ponies flourish just like you did. Hundreds of them, all looking up to their new role model at the Academy. That's what mom wants for you, and that's what I want, too."

"I've said it before," Sparkler said with a smirk, "but wraith or not, you're an unreasonably good pony sometimes, Dinky Doo. And for my sake, and a lot of other ponies as well, I sure am grateful for that."

"Just make sure you tell me about all your new experiences at the Academy, yeah?" Dinky asked.

Sparkler grinned and winked. "Can do, sis. Seeya later."

"Seeya later, Dean Sparkler!"

"Dean Sparkler," Sparkler repeated breathlessly as she and Presto made their way inside. "That's gonna take some getting used to..."

Dinky found herself grinning ear to ear as her new stepsister trotted away, toward an ever-brighter future.

The door to the employee lounge at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services creaked open, and Ditzy Doo quietly stepped in.

After everything that had happened, it was almost unnerving how normal everything looked. A fine layer of dust sat on most surfaces after a few weeks of disuse, but little enough that it could be swept away with a few flicks of the tail. The couches, the meeting table, the employee noticeboard... all was still dutifully in place, waiting to be used again.

"Well, we're back," Breeze said as he stepped in behind his wife. "Yesterday was amazing, but it'll be nice to take comfort in the familiar, too."

Yesterday truly had been amazing. The wedding was beautiful, the reception was joyous, and seeing Sparkler rush in, bursting with energy, to tell the newlyweds of the trust Celestia had placed in her was so heartwarming that it had brought a tear to Ditzy's eye. After a day like that, it seemed a little odd to return to the mundane.

Watt zipped in, spiffing up the room at breakneck speed, and in a few moments, everything was clean. "Ready for action!" he chirped, rearing up to place his forehooves on the table and wagging his tail excitedly.

"So, are we getting right down to business, then?" Cloudcover asked as he followed the other three shippers into the room. "It's Sunday, after all. Princess Luna's covered the immediate expenses; it's alright for us to take a little break."

"I want to start right away," Ditzy said firmly. "The love-struck ponies of Equestria have been without our services for too long. Dr. Candyfloss would want us to get back to it as soon as we can, and we can't open for business until we work out the staffing situation. I guess we'll have to cover the office in shifts again, while we look for a pony to take his place."

"Hopefully one that isn't secretly an incarnation of everything we work to prevent..." Breeze grumbled.

"How can we ever find a pony to take Dr. Candyfloss's place, though?" Watt whined.

Ditzy reached into her saddlebag and retrieved a weathered book. "With this," she announced. "By the time we got the journal of Dr. Candyfloss back from Wishing Star, things were already so much of a mess that we didn't get much time to examine it. There must be some sort of clues in here that can help us figure out how to run the company the right way. The doc wouldn't have left it to us otherwise."

There was a gentle knock at the door to the lounge, which took everypony by surprise. Somepony would've had to walk right past the front desk and up the stairs to reach that door, and considering the company was still closed, she couldn't think of many ponies who would do so.

"Strange. Who's that?" Cloudcover muttered. He pulled open the door, and much to Ditzy's relief, it was just Dinky and Clarity on the other side.

"Oh, hey girls," Ditzy greeted. "I thought you two were getting ready to go back to the Academy. Don't you final exams start tomorrow?"

"The train doesn't leave until tonight," Clarity explained. "We were going to start packing up, but Dinky wanted to drop by here first."

Her brow furrowed. "Though... she hasn't told me why," she added.

Dinky's eyes flashed mischievously. "I just wanted to come talk to the four of you about something," she said, as innocently as possible. "You all need to hire at least one pony to get Equestria Speedy Shipping Services running at full strength again, right?"

"We were just talking about that," Cloudcover admitted, nodding. "Even hiring another matchmaker would do for now, but if we want to reach the level of success we had in the past, we need to replace Dr. Candyfloss."

"Uh-huh," Dinky replied with a suspicious smile. "But that's difficult, since matchmaking special talents are incredibly rare, right?"

Breeze nodded. "You hit the nail on the head, kiddo," he admitted.

Dinky had clearly been trying to conceal her impish grin, but now it spread widely across her face. Triumphantly, she turned and jabbed Clarity's flank with a forehoof, indicating the image of a heart with a keyhole and key.

"So how about somepony who has a talent for seeing the true feelings that ponies keep locked up in their hearts? That sounds just as good."

"Wha... me!?" Clarity laughed. "Come on, get real Dinky. I don't know the first thing about matchmaking."

"Neither did anypony here when they started," Dinky giggled. "Mom, you told me this job isn't about having experience; it's about having the ability to both guide and understand others, working out what's in the heart of both the client and the target pony, so you can find a way to bring them together."

"That... that's a good point," Ditzy stuttered, slowly realizing how much sense Dinky's suggestion made. "Clarity's special talent does seem like it'd be useful on both fronts."

"Wait, are you both serious?" Clarity asked, shaking her head. "Isn't this kind of... out of nowhere?"

"No it's not. I thought of it on the train two days ago," Dinky confessed. "You were wondering what you would do if you turned down Lucid's offer at Mirage Effects. You wanted to do something only you could do, something that could show off your unique talents, not the ones you share with your sister. Why not this?"

"We certainly wouldn't have to fear another betrayal," Cloudcover pointed out. "Wishing Star was a stranger when she arrived, but Clarity has been Dinky's dearest friend for years. I know every one of us here trusts her completely."

"Hold on. Stop. Back up," Clarity demanded. "Breeze, Watt, Cloudcover, you're all actually considering this?"

"A trial run, at least!" Watt replied with an eager nod. "Maybe you'd be real good at it! Can't know for sure unless you try."

"Hypothetically, if I gave it a shot and decide I don't like it... would I be able to back out?" Clarity asked uncertainly.

"Of course," Breeze promised. "None of us are going to try to force you, but Dinky makes a compelling argument; a talent like yours doesn't come along every day, and only a pony with really great insight into the personalities of others would be able to do what Candyfloss used to."

"Hear that?" Dinky asked. "Mom, Breeze, Watt, Cloudcover... they're all willing to at least give you a chance. The only question now is... are you interested?"

Clarity shrank back slightly under the five pairs of expectant eyes. "I... I mean... I never even considered it before. I guess It would be amazing to feel like I was making a difference in ponies' lives..." she admitted, much more quietly than usual. "If I really am good at it, I'd be doing something special, something almost nopony else could do. But, well... I'm not sure. I just wouldn't know where to start."

Ditzy was surprised to see Clarity, one of the most headstrong ponies she knew, looking so uncertain. The pegasus glanced at the old book still sitting on the table nearby and slowly smiled.

"We have something that might be able to help you with that," she said, motioning for the filly to step forward. "Clarity, this is the journal of Dr. Candyfloss. It's not just a record of events. It's a compendium of his theories and philosophies on love and the workings of the hearts of ponies. If there's anywhere in Equestria that might hold some clues for you, it's in these pages. Would you like to take a look?"

With a nudge from Dinky, Clarity slowly walked across the room, glancing uncertainly between Ditzy and the journal.

"Can't hurt, I suppose," she said with a shrug.

Maybe it was because of some remnant of a memory of wielding magic with Ophiuchus's aid, or maybe it was just because of her years-long devotion to Candyfloss, but Ditzy felt a tingle run down her spine as Clarity reached for the book. There was a spark of magic in the air, and though there was no time to voice her thoughts, she knew something was about to happen.

And happen it did.

The very moment Clarity's hoof brushed the cover, the journal surged with silver light. The filly jerked back as if she'd burned herself on a hot stove. Moving on its own, the book flew open, flipping past entry after entry before coming to rest on the first blank page after the Doctor's last writings. Shimmering hornwriting began to fade into view on what was previously empty paper.

"Silver magic..." Cloudcover breathed. "My word... that was Dr. Candyfloss's aura."

Dinky reared up, kicking a forehoof in the air victoriously. "I told you guys that old unicorn must've been an enchanter!" she yelled. "Maybe there were no signs of it in his office, but there's been a spell on that book the whole time!"

"The last entry was the one telling us to 'beware the wishing star'," Breeze interjected. "Are you saying there was a hidden one written after that? And what caused the enchantment to trigger now?"

"The book probably has an answer," Ditzy pointed out. "Clarity, would you mind reading that aloud?"

Clarity slowly recovered from the shock. "S-sure," she answered, picking up the now inert journal. "Let's see..."

Final Entry:

I am ill.

Seriously ill, apparently. It doesn't seem like it as I pen these words, but... well, my visions are clear enough. My magic shows me what is to come whenever it pertains to the status of love in Equestria, whether it is good news or bad.

And I suppose the death of a pony who has spent most of his life as a matchmaker is one such event.

Although the vision of the threat to the hearts of Equestria I mentioned on the previous page is still not clear to me, I know it is coming. And I now know one thing more; my employees will be facing that threat without me.

In a way, I am lucky. Most ponies aren't warned when their demise is just days away. In this case, it is certainly a blessing; it will give me time to make certain the matchmakers of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services know how I would like them to proceed. Though I shall not tell them of my departure, as that would only serve to distract them. It is already clear that my fate is absolute; why give ponies the added stress of awaiting the end with me? I would much rather they focus on my lifelong mission than my personal well being. No, all I need to do is ask them to keep this company and its goals alive when the day comes that I am gone. No need to tell them that the day I speak of is later this week.

Perhaps I should be fearful. After all, the vision of the wishing star predicted many relationships brought to ruin. Friends, lovers, and companions of all kinds across this land are about to be tested like never before, as something or somepony tries to sever the bonds between them.

But I am not afraid. If there is one thing I have learned these many long years, it's that no matter how bleak things become, the magic in our hearts will always prevail. This crisis of the heart will be resolved. It will be overcome.

Speaking on a much smaller scale, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services itself will face its own great new challenge. After all, I have been here for every step of the journey, but now my matchmakers must continue that journey without me. I know the four of them do not feel they can take the helm in my stead, and I fear those who may try may not have intentions as pure as mine. So I've decided to conceal this final entry, until this journal falls into the hooves of a pony who has both the right talents and the strength of heart to successfully carry the mantle I must now lay down.

Ditzy Doo, Autumn Breeze, Cloudcover, Kilowatt Hour, if you ever get a chance to read this... do not cry for me. Although I am not physically present, I will never be gone from this place as long as you continue to nurture the fledgling love growing in the hearts of ponies. And to the pony who will someday take my place... all I can do is thank you for keeping the Magic of the Heart burning bright.

I cannot see the whole future, only the tiniest sliver. I do not know what will come to pass in the coming months, and what hardships those who joined me in my quest will face.

But I am certain of one thing, and it brings me such comfort that I can even march toward death unafraid. Equestria will weather the storm, and Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, borne by new, capable hooves, will live on.

That much I can see... with absolute clarity.

~Candyfloss

The room was silent.

"...Absolute... c-clarity," Clarity repeated, stumbling over the sound of her own name. "But... he... h-how did he—"

Breeze chuckled. "Somehow, I don't think that wording is a coincidence, either," he said. "Dr. Candyfloss was two steps ahead, as usual."

"He wrote this before Wishing Star ever set foot in this building," Watt pointed out. "Forget two steps; Candyfloss was so many steps ahead he'd have been halfway to Canterlot."

Dinky trotted up to Clarity, whose gaze was still fixed on the journal. "Well, there you go," she said, patting her friend on the back. "Even Dr. Candyfloss was on board with this idea. So now there's two options on the table, Clarity: vice president of Mirage Effects... or new manager of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services."

Clarity slowly turned to Ditzy as she closed the book. "Mrs. Doo, am I... really welcome?" she asked. "If I decide to give this a go... all four of you are okay with that?"

"There is one thing we all have in common, Clarity," Ditzy answered. "Each of us trusted Dr. Candyfloss's judgement unconditionally. If even he thinks you may make a good successor, we are absolutely willing to give it a try."

"And I know moving from Whinnychester is a huge distance," Dinky added, grinning, "but if you need a place to stay at first... we did just renovate the cottage last year. There's a spare bedroom now that could use an occupant."

Clarity chewed her lip as she thought it over. "I never really thought about using my special talent this way," she said slowly, "but you know... you all are right. Learning about the different expertise that each of you have as matchmakers, and pairing that up with clients based on their personalities and needs... that might be something I could be really good at. So if everypony's in agreement... then, well, why not! I accept!"

With a smile, Ditzy picked up the journal and passed in to Clarity. "That settles it then," she replied with a decisive nod. "You can start just after you graduate. Welcome to Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, Clarity."

"And welcome to the neighborhood, future resident," Dinky giggled. "Looks like graduation won't be splitting anypony up. You, me, Honeydew, and Scuffle are all going to be living in Ponyville!"

"Three cheers for Dr. Clarity!" Watt trumpeted, jumping up on the table.

"Doctor?" Clarity laughed. "I'm not a doctor, Watt..."

"Neither was Candyfloss!" Watt said with a wink. "And that never stopped him! Now cheer with me!"

"Hip, hip, hooray!"

Just that morning, Ditzy hadn't even imagined that a pony who might be able to fill the void Candyfloss had left would arrive so soon, and she certainly hadn't suspected that it could be her daughter's closest friend. But when it came to Candyfloss and the plans he wove, things just seemed to have a way of working out.

"Hip, hip, hooray!"

Ditzy looked around the room, and for the first time in a very long time, she realized everything was okay. The company was ready to take off again, her husband and other coworkers were all in agreement about what was coming next, Dinky was finally safe and sound, and even Sparkler, though she wasn't here at the moment, was on the fast track to success in both her career and her personal life.

A new chapter was beginning for Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, and maybe, just maybe, this one would be a bit less chaotic than the last.

Beaming, she joined the ponies around her in the cheer.

"Hip, hip, hooray!"

The whistle echoed off the walls of the cavern as the train pulled into the Academy's subterranean station.

"We're back," Dinky announced, stuffing her enchantment textbook into her saddlebag. "Get a lot of studying done on the ride back?"

"Not really," Clarity admitted. "What happened earlier is... kind of distracting. Dr. Candyfloss's journal said his message would only appear for a pony fit to fill his horseshoes. I sure hope he wasn't wrong."

"He's not," Dinky said firmly. "Clarity, you find the best in everypony and bring it out. From our first term, when you were the first of us to consider reaching out to Scuffle, all the way to this term, guiding Inkwell and her friends from their uncertain beginnings to becoming as strong of heart as anypony we know. You know what makes ponies tick, Clarity; mom's company needs a pony like that."

Clarity opened her mouth to reply as the pair of fillies stepped off the train, but the instant their hooves touched the ground, Scuffle galloped over at breakneck speed.

"Dinks! Clarity! Follow me, now!" he shouted.

Dinky blinked. "Just like that? No 'welcome back' or anything?" she asked, smirking.

Scuffle responded by grabbing both fillies in his aqua aura and beginning to drag them along. "I'm not kidding," he insisted. "You have to see this right away. Come on!"

"Alright, alright! Let us walk!" Clarity relented, squirming in the magic's grip.

Scuffle dropped them both and charged out of the station. Dinky had to sprint to keep up. A few seconds later, the trio emerged on the landing high on the cliffside overlooking the castle. Scuffle disappeared in a flash, skipping the long, winding path into the valley entirely, and reappearing far below. The pair of fillies followed suit with teleports of their own.

"Where are we going?" Dinky called as she struggled to keep pace.

"Around the side of the castle, near the forest!" Scuffle shouted back. "You'll see!"

Dinky cantered around one of the Academy's towers, and two ponies came into view, standing in the middle of the open lawn ahead. Even from a distance, it was easy to tell their identities: Honeydew and Professor Chestnut. A familiar glimmering grid of green, Honeydew's Lifesense, shone on the grass.

Scuffle finally ground to a halt. Dinky and Clarity stopped just at the edge of the grid. The moment Dinky's forehoof passed the border of the grid, Honeydew's head turned in her direction, her clouded eyes catching the late afternoon light.

"Dinky! Clarity! Hi!" she called, bounding in the fillies' direction.

"Honeydew, watch it!" Clarity called. "You're gonna run right into—"

To Dinky's surprise, Honeydew slowed and stopped just a pony length or so away, smiling warmly.

"—us?" Clarity finished, surprised. "Honeydew... how'd you know where to stop if you can't see us? Did you just go off sound, or...?"

Scuffle gave his fillyfriend a nudge. "C'mon, tell Dinks and Clarity what you just showed the professor," he urged.

"Tell us what?" Dinky asked.

"Honeydew, it seems, has learned more about the amazing spell she developed," Professor Chestnut explained. "It has even more uses than we originally realized."

"As if she wasn't impressive enough already," Cornelius quipped as he strutted along the brim of the professor's hat.

Honeydew smiled shyly. "Today, when I was practicing Lifesense, I discovered something... surprising," she admitted. "When I cast this spell, it allows my magic to connect with the inherent magic in any life inside the spell grid, remember?"

"Of course," Dinky said with a nod. "That's the whole point of the spell."

Honeydew nodded. "Do you remember when I did my proof-of-concept demonstration for Professor Chestnut?" she asked. "I followed an underground waterway by reading the hydration levels of everything in the grid."

"Yep," Clarity confirmed. "It was a stunning thing to see. What's that got to do with right now though?"

"Well," Honeydew continued, wiggling her slender frame like an excited puppy, "the spell doesn't just let me sense water content, of course. It reads the whole physical status of each organism: things like nutrition and health... and even, um, measurements like height and position, relative to the other life around them."

Dinky nodded slowly. "Okay..."

"The way my mind interprets that information..." Honeydew said slowly, "...I didn't really understand exactly what it was doing until I tried it today. Girls... I can see life. Not with my eyes, of course, but in my mind. The spell provides so much information that my brain builds a mental image of what my magic is 'looking' at."

"Wait!" Clarity gasped. "So that means, if you're outdoors, surrounded by plant life..."

"...I can tell where each and every living thing inside the grid is located!" Honeydew squealed excitedly. "Inside the castle, built of stone and items manufactured by ponies, I'm entirely blind, but out here, surrounded by life... I don't need eyes! I can see with my magic!"

Dinky staggered back a step. "W-what? Like, perfectly?"

Honeydew turned and cantered into the forest. Dinky watched, speechless, as the filly wove between trees and leapt over roots, never missing a step. Whether her eyes were open or closed made no difference. Honeydew began to laugh, obviously overcome with joy as she leapt over rocks and ducked under branches, the Lifesense grid bending around every surface around her.

"Try to picture the world around you, but remove all nonliving things from the view," Professor Chestnut explained as the group watched Honeydew demonstrate. "She can't 'see' rocks or streams with her spell, but she can see the grass around them, so she knows those black 'dead zones' in her mind's eye must be nonliving obstacles. To us, this field ends in a regal castle, but to her, beyond the edge of the grass is a towering wall of pure blackness. Which, from a navigation perspective at least, is just as good."

"Can you believe it?" Scuffle asked. "Lifesense isn't just the outcome of Honeydew's research. It's the tool that can almost give her her old life back!"

Honeydew cantered over, positively beaming. "Maybe I need to re-title my project, professor," she admitted as she affectionately leaned up against Scuffle. "This magic, it's more than just a way to tap into the hearts of the life around me, but a way to experience them all so clearly its almost like I'm looking right at them. This isn't Lifesense; this is Lifesight."

Dinky and Clarity rushed forward, and the two of them, along with Scuffle, pulled their cheerful friend into a group hug. "Honeydew, this is such great news!" Dinky exclaimed. "Even indoors, you'll be able to 'see' other ponies. Maybe it's not quite as good as having your sight, but getting around should be much easier."

"Even so," Professor Chestnut interjected, "there will still be some hurdles for her to clear. Sadly, I doubt she can surround herself with life all the time. And that is why I've got a little something for you that might help..."

Honeydew's ears perked up. "For me?" she asked, clambering out of the group hug and slowly approaching her mentor.

From her hefty bag, Professor Chestnut withdrew an intricately carved wooden staff about the length of Dinky's foreleg. The craftsmanship was incredible; tiny sculptures of leaves, birds, and woodland creatures covered its entire length. Honeydew, naturally, couldn't see what the professor was holding, so it was carefully placed in her hooves. She ran her frog along the carved wood, exploring the bumps and grooves.

"What's this?"

"When the professors learned of your blindness, we all pitched in to create a tool to make things a bit easier for you," Professor Chestnut explained. Most of the time when you're indoors, Lifesight won't be providing enough information for you to get around with ease, so we created this cane for you to scope out your surroundings with, so you can walk safely even when nopony is there to guide you. Professor Luster enchanted it to be quite thoroughly unbreakable, Professor Morningstar placed an illumination spell that allows it to glow in the dark, not for your sake but so other ponies can see you, and Professor Flux even added a simple transformation spell that softens the end when it comes in contact with solid objects, so you aren't constantly jarring yourself when it bumps against things."

Honeydew's sightless eyes widened. "All the professors did that for me?"

"Ah, I haven't even told you about the best part yet," Professor Chestnut chuckled. "If you ever lose your way, or find yourself unable to negotiate your surroundings, just tap the tiny carved bird at the top of the cane with your hoof three times..."

Honeydew did so. With a squawk and a puff of bright green feathers, Cornelius disappeared from the professor's sun hat, and reappeared, looking thoroughly disoriented, perched on Honeydew's horn.

"...and the summoning spell I added will send Cornelius to your aid," the Professor finished, laughing at her tiny companion's glare. "Just tap it three more times to send him back to me."

"Great," Cornelius griped. "Now I get to pop all over Equestria whenever the kid needs me. Wonderful."

Honeydew carefully transferred Cornelius to her forehoof and brought him down to be softly nuzzled. "And I'll keep a bit of birdseed in my bag to make sure you're appropriately rewarded for the trouble," she said sweetly.

Cornelius clacked his beak. "You're not half bad, kid, you know that?" he asked as he fluttered back to the professor's hat. "Better be the good quality stuff though. No fillers and junk."

"Professor, I really don't know what to say..." Honeydew squeaked, running her hoof down the cane again. "You didn't have to take the time to make this..."

"Think nothing of it, really," the professor insisted.

"Well, at least let me repay the favor. I have something for you, too!" Honeydew announced.

Professor Chestnut watched curiously as Honeydew withdrew a tiny glass jar from her bags, which contained a single, glowing orange light. "This is Flicker the wood nymph," she said proudly. "I noticed we didn't learn about wood nymphs in class, and after, um, learning first-hoof how problematic they can be, I thought you might like to have her, so you can teach ponies how to detect and avoid them."

"Oh my," Professor Chestnut breathed, taking the jar in her aura. "These creatures are quite rare, and very difficult to capture. I'll gladly add her to the creatures in my care, dear."

Honeydew giggled. "Hear that Flicker?" she asked. "You get to teach future students all about how to avoid getting possessed by a nymph!"

Flicker unleashed a lengthy string of tiny, high-pitched expletives as Professor Chestnut carefully tucked the jar away.

"Even though we're graduating, I betcha you Honeydew are gonna be keeping in contact for years to come, huh professor?" Scuffle asked.

"As if I'd stop talking with the most dedicated student of Magical Biology I've ever had," Professor Chestnut laughed as she turned to her student again. "So what if you can't see? That won't be stopping you, I'm sure. Lifesight is just the beginning of what you're going to accomplish, Honeydew."

Dinky noticed that although Honeydew's eyes were colorless and dull, her smile shone brighter than it had in years past. She trotted contently over to her friends.

"Want us to walk you back to the tower, Honeydew?" Clarity asked.

"I can get most of the way by myself," Honeydew replied proudly. "When we get there, let me try to get to our suite using the cane, ok?"

"You two go. Dinks and I will catch up in a minute," Scuffle told them.

As Clarity and Honeydew made for the residence towers, and Professor Chestnut returned to the castle, Dinky was left alone with the colt.

"What's up?"

Dinky could see in Scuffle's eyes that the colt had been doing some thinking. "Dinks, you remember what I said to you when we were at Honeydew's farm?" he asked quietly.

"The stuff about how Honeydew needs magic in order to really be who she is?"

"Yup," Scuffle replied. "That's even more true now. Don't get me wrong, I love magic, but if I suddenly had to choose between my sight and my spellcasting... I might've decided to let the magic go. But Honeydew? This is the good outcome for her. If things had gone just a bit differently that night in Canterlot, and she'd lost her ability to use her horn, instead of her ability to see... that would've been the real tragedy. All her passions, all her confidence, all the ways she interacts with the world around her... she needs her magic for that, way more than we do. You'd still be confident, loyal Dinky without your magic, and I'd still be..."

"A lovable oaf?" Dinky joked.

Scuffle smirked. "Well, yeah," he agreed. "But Honeydew? She'd be that weak and listless little thing that drifted through the doors of this academy five years ago. So I'm really glad things turned out how they did. She still has her magic. She still has the thing that gave her the chance to be what she is today."

"Magic played a big part," Dinky agreed. "But don't forget, her closest friend shaped her personality a little, too. She's come out of her shell because of you."

Scuffle blushed, and for once he didn't try to hide it. "Thanks, Dinky," he mumbled, smiling a bit. "Uh, we better go before it gets too dark."

Trotting side by side, the two long-time friends returned to the towers.

Final exams, Dinky discovered, weren't especially stressful when compared to being a fugitive hunted by most of the nation, or saving the capital from a near-unstoppable manifestation of hatred.

The final week of the term was mercifully uneventful, and Dinky passed the majority of her classes with B's and the occasional C, excluding her A in Magical Combat and, naturally, an A+ in Advanced Enchantments. The days flew by, the term concluded, and the younger students returned to their home towns, leaving just the fifth-term ponies behind. In no time at all, it was morning on graduation day.

Throughout the day, the friends and family of the graduating class began to arrive on trains from Canterlot to attend the ceremony. Pipsqueak arrived on the very first one, leaving much of the day for him to spend with Dinky and her classmates.

On that cold late-November morning, the five friends retreated to the hideout beneath the tree, for what Dinky knew would be the very last time.

It was, in a word, peaceful. Clarity sat against the earthen wall, quietly paging through the journal of Dr. Candyfloss. Honeydew hummed softly as she practiced her braille, reading words aloud while Scuffle double-checked and let her know if she was correct. Dinky herself relaxed on her side on a blanket, snuggled against Pip to ward off the late-autumn cold.

"So, this is it," she said finally. "This little hollow has made a great hangout these last few years, huh?"

"Oh, that reminds me," Clarity said, glancing up from her book, "the day before the term ended, I removed the concealing spells and brought Inkwell and her friends down here. Might as well let some new ponies have their own secret hideout, right?"

"That was sweet of you," Dinky commented. "Our time at the Academy's about to end, but the best kind of endings are also new beginnings, if you ask me."

Clarity smiled. "There's a lot of those going around," she pointed out. "Next week, I'll be starting at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, Scuffle and Honeydew are moving in together... oh, and Sparkler's about to be the new dean. Just a couple of weeks ago, I never would've thought things would turn out so well."

"What about you, Dinks? And Pip? Any plans?" Scuffle asked.

"Believe it or not, I'm fine with things staying just as they are," Pipsqueak admitted. "My next active navy duty starts in the Spring, though I might take a week to go see my buddy Scoville sometime before then. Never would've been able to commandeer that airship without his help."

"And let's be honest, my talents are so... unique that excitement won't stay away for long. It's just not gonna happen," Dinky chuckled. "I'm looking forward to a little vacation. The next big step, whatever it is, can come later. I've got loads of time."

Her smile slowly faded. "...Maybe a little too much time," she mumbled. "Uh, I know we've all been kind of ignoring the subject, but... I think it's pretty clear based on what we know of wraiths like Antares or King Sombra. Scorpio's probably right; I'm going to outlive you all. Not just by a little, either; by hundreds or maybe even thousands of years."

Dinky felt Pip's foreleg wrap around her midsection, pressing her back against him as they lay together. "Well, look at it this way, love," he suggested. "It's not like any time was stolen from us. With any luck, we'll all live out the next sixty or seventy years, just as we would have if you were a unicorn. You'll still get every minute of time with your friends and family that you would've had anyway. You're just getting some... bonus time on the end of that."

Dinky was quiet for a few moments. Slowly, Honeydew closed her book and turned to the young wraith.

"Dinky, are you still worried that dark magic might've damaged your heart?" she asked, as gently as possible.

"Well... I guess not," Dinky replied, once she thought about it. "Animosity did say that the strength of my heart was one of the things preventing her from making you all bend to her will."

"Not to mention the whole thing where we all shared our power so you and your mom could blast her right out of existence," Scuffle snickered. "You couldn't very well destroy Animosity with the power of your heart if you didn't have one, right?"

"But just in case there was still any doubt..." Honeydew interjected. "There's something you need to know. Earlier this year, I think I made a mistake."

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"When I tried to use a life connection spell on you earlier this term, I couldn't sense your heart," Honeydew reiterated, sounding slightly ashamed. "I thought maybe that meant you didn't have one anymore. But now that I've learned to interpret that information differently via Lifesight, I realized I wasn't quite correct. Your dark magic is like... interference. It shows up in a life connection spell as something like radio static, blocking out any useful information that may be behind it."

"So what happens when you... tune out that interference?" Dinky asked hesitantly.

Honeydew smiled. "It's actually kind of funny; when I use Lifesight, I see every living thing crystal clear in my mind's eye... except you. You're super blurry," she admitted. "But just because you're blurry doesn't mean you're any less bright. Now that I've figured out how to peer through the veil of darkness around you, I can see and feel your heart, and it's just as vibrant and full of magic as it ever was, or maybe even stronger. Dark magic hasn't dampened or extinguished the magic in your heart, Dinky. Not even a little bit."

Dinky didn't reply for several moments, but anypony looking at her could clearly see the gears turning in her head.

"You know Honeydew, that gives me an idea," she said, as her cordial grin returned. "Because of everything that happened this term, Princess Celestia asked me to say a few words to our class at graduation. And I think I just figured out what I want to talk about."

"Speaking of graduation, we'd better get a move on," Clarity pointed out, rising to her hooves. "The ceremony starts in a few hours. We need to get ready."

As the rest of her friends stood, Dinky felt Pip nuzzle her behind the ear. "Feeling a bit more confident about what's in store for you someday, Dinky?" he whispered.

Dinky nodded. "I have some more to say but, well... you'll see at graduation."

Pip nodded. As the five ponies exited the hideout, Dinky gently coaxed the roots closed over the secret entrance. With a final, fond glance back, she turned away and made for the residence towers.

The conductor raised his baton. Somehow, that small motion quieted the chatter of the audience. The air was still, as if everypony was holding their breath.

Then the conductor brought his baton down, and from the orchestra's instruments came the first notes of a graduation march.

Dinky and her friends, clad in rich purple graduation gowns like the rest of their classmates, slowly processed down the center aisle of the main hall. Dinky watched the golden tassel dangle from the rim of her cap as she followed the line of ponies onto the stage. She glanced to one side, where Clarity gave her an encouraging smile, and then to the other, where Scuffle was carefully guiding Honeydew's every step so she could walk through the indoor environment without tripping or bumping into anything. She took her place between her friends in the lineup, and looked out at the audience.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," Princess Celestia called out, standing at a podium at the head of the group. "Thank you all for coming to show your support for these brilliant young mares and stallions. Please rise and welcome the ponies of the hour, this year's graduating class of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!"

The audience rose to stamp their hooves in applause, and Dinky got a good look at those in attendance.

Ponies from all over Equestria had showed up for the ceremony. Parents, siblings, and friends of many of her classmates filled the hall. She spotted Lucid, along with Clarity's mother and father, in the crowd, and even Scorch and Frosty sat quietly in the far corner. As expected, Honeydew's family was not in attendance, but Dinky was pretty sure the only ponies her friend really wanted to be at her graduation were the ones standing right next to her.

As she continued to scan the crowd, she spotted her mom, with her forehooves clasped tightly together and tears in the corners of her eyes, smiling up at her. Breeze, and even Watt and Cloudcover were in the audience as well, and beside them was Pipsqueak, who gave her a wink and a discreet wave.

On the other side of the room, there were two other ponies she hadn't expected to see, but whose presence definitely made sense: Sparkler and Presto. Despite Sparkler's upcoming significance to the future of the school, she had chosen to sit among the crowd rather than anywhere of prominence, but Dinky noticed the young mare was draped in a ceremonial robe almost exactly like the one Dean Script had always worn, and Bright Spark had so often neglected to.

"Normally at this time, I would defer to the dean to welcome the class, but sadly, that will not be possible this year," Celestia continued. "As most of you know, Dean Spiral Script willingly gave her life so Canterlot could avoid disaster. Our whole nation is forever in her debt, and I ask that you remember her, and what she gave freely to spare the lives of others. We've decided to erect a statue of her in her honor, exactly at the center of Canterlot, marking the place where she now sleeps deep beneath the rock."

The graduating class, and much of the audience, bowed their heads for a moment of silence. After a few seconds, Celestia spoke again.

"Dean Script would not want this to be a somber occasion," she reminded the assembly. "She would want to celebrate the unicorns who have successfully mastered some of the most difficult magic there is. When she prepared everything for graduation, apparently during my absence weeks ago, she both signed all the diplomas and penned a letter to be read in case, for any reason, she would be able to attend the ceremony. Let me read that to you now."

Curious, Dinky listened silently as Celestia unfolded the scroll.

My dear students,

If this letter is being read, some circumstance has made it so I cannot be with you today, for the culmination of your studies in magic. But as your dean, I owe you my parting words, and no matter what befalls me or the land we all share, as long as this academy still stands, those words will reach you.

This particular term has been marred by a crisis: namely, the disappearance of Princess Celestia and other princesses as well. I'm sure the circumstances have left many of you nervous or uncertain about what the future may hold.

Take comfort, young unicorns. Equestria has survived many crises before, and will continue to endure. Each year, Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns produces another batch of talented mages, whose knowledge and ability with magic have shaped Equestria into what it is now. Those unicorns' smarts and skills have been a shield, defending us from peril for hundreds of years. Those ponies have build a more prosperous tomorrow, and reinforced the unity that defines Equestrian culture.

Today, those unicorns are all of you.

Though I am not here in person, that must not change the impact of this day. Graduation is not about a stuffy, aging old educator, anyway; it's about you, and the understanding that this ceremony is much more than an ending to your education. It's a beginning; it's the very first step in the great things you will do with what you have learned here. I bid you my congratulations, I wish you well, and I know that, like every year, the unicorns who leave this academy now and go out into the world will only make the future even brighter.

~Dean Spiral Script

"Aww," Clarity whispered, wiping her eye. "Dean Script really did care about all of us like her own foals, didn't she?"

"I want you all to know that Dean Script was very proud of each of you," Celestia continued. "The fact that we've reached this day, and this celebration, means her sacrifice was not wasted. And knowing that, I'm sure she is content. I'd now like to ask all of you to be seated while we hear from a few students."

The class filed down the steps and took their seats in the rows reserved for them in the front of the room. The valedictorian, a pony Dinky had never really gotten to know, took the podium to give his speech.

The young stallion's oration was, in a word, standard. It was a well put together talk, sure, but Dinky found it hard to concentrate on it, knowing what would happen when he was through. She fidgeted nervously, rehearsing in her head one last time.

Ten minutes later, the valedictorian returned to his seat, and Celestia again stepped up to the podium. "Thank you," she said politely. "As is the usual custom, we will now hear from a member of the class who has overcome not just academic challenges, but other hardships as well, with the help of ponies they met at the academy. In light of the events of this year, I think the pony I've selected to say a few words is probably obvious. Please welcome our second student speaker, miss Dinky Doo."

At the mention of Dinky's name, the already quiet hall went utterly silent. She had expected as much. Slowly, she rose from her chair and climbed onto the stage.

"Hi everypony," she greeted as she placed her forehooves on the podium.

There were a few halfhearted waves, that were lost among the sea of nervous stares.

Dinky rolled her eyes. "Okay, look, let's get this part out of the way, because if we don't you're all gonna be too busy thinking about it to listen to anything I'm saying," she declared. "You've all heard the story from the princesses. Some of you have seen it with your own eyes. Yes, the rumors are true. Yes, I am a wraith."

With an effortless pulse of magic, Dinky shed her body and replaced it with her frightening alter-identity, her glowing eyes shining over the ponies in the front. There was a bit of commotion as ponies shifted, perhaps preparing to fight or flee, but when it became clear that Dinky remained standing calmly at the podium, making no aggressive gestures of any kind, most quickly quieted down again.

"There, see?" she asked, flashing a fanged smile. "Just like Princess Celestia said. Nothing to worry about. Though I bet you're wondering what dark magic has to do with friendships overcoming adversity."

Just as casually as the first time, she transformed again. The familiar unicorn that most ponies knew as Dinky Doo once again faced the crowd.

"This year was a little bit more stressful for me than it was for most of my classmates," she continued, chuckling darkly. "My true nature was supposed to be a secret, so when it was forcibly revealed, I was literally run out of the school. The adventure that followed was so harrowing that honestly, I still can't quite believe I'm standing here in one piece talking to you today. But I'm not here to talk about the action and danger; I'm here to talk about what I learned from it."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "For a while there, nopony was as scared of the creature that I've become as, well, me," she revealed. "Having powers thrust upon you, especially ones that are feared by ponies everywhere, is overwhelming. Couple that with the fact that it was believed until recently that wraiths are always evil, and that dark magic itself is so corrupting that even the most moral of ponies can't stand up to it. Believe me, I didn't want any of that! I didn't want the stigma that my powers carried, and I worried every day that one day the darkness would finally erode my conscience away, and I'd be just as wicked as the wraiths of ancient history. I grappled with that for months, afraid of what I might become if darkness was really swallowing up my heart."

"Then, disaster. I suddenly lost control of my powers in front of everypony. I learned later that ex-dean Bright Spark and ex-counselor Wishing Star were behind that, but at the time, I thought I'd reached the moment where the darkness had won. As I was chased away from the academy that day... I felt like I might've deserved it."

There were a few ashamed mumbles from some of her classmates below. She ignored them and continued.

"But you know what happened then? My friends came to my aid, even though it put them at great risk. My family scoured the country to find me before I found myself in harm's way. And after Canterlot was captured, some ponies even turned to me, trusted me, to use my abilities to help in rescuing the capital. And you know what? I was grateful for each and every one of them. I wanted to thank and appreciate those ponies for what they'd done for me, and I wanted to pay it forward and help the ponies who needed me, too. And it started to occur to me that, if I didn't have a heart anymore, then that really didn't make much sense."

"A lot happened to me when I was in Canterlot. I felt despair, believing I had lost a friend to senseless violence. I felt rage, furious at the entity who had so little regard for the lives of ponies. I felt hope and joy when ponies rushed to my rescue as well, and a deep sense of gratitude when I spoke to Dean Script for the last time. Canterlot is still standing today not because of a pony, or a wraith, or any sort of creature, acting alone. It's still standing because of the bonds of the heart that bring Equestria's citizens together. Because of teamwork, and trust, and selflessness. Because love and friendship can overcome any obstacle. And when I realized that, I knew it could overcome the influence of dark magic as well."

Glancing below, Dinky noticed the bright smiles of her closest friends. She mirrored them with one of her own as she brought her speech to its conclusion.

"Today, we are graduating from the greatest academy of magic in all the land. But although we're now seasoned enchanters, or brilliant illusionists, or master duelists, or whatever field has captured your interest these last five years, we have to remember that the greatest magic in Equestria is the one we already had within us before we ever stepped through these doors. The Magic of the Heart is the most powerful magic in Equestria, and the best part about it is that it burns bright in each and every one of us, whether you're a pegasus, a unicorn, an earth pony, a changeling... or even a wraith. Of all the lessons I learned here, I think that one is the most important, and I hope you do too. Because if we hone our skills with that magic... I know we, not just as a class, but as a kingdom, and as a whole race, can accomplish absolutely anything."

Dinky stepped down from the podium, and was surprised to hear the gathered crowd break into thunderous applause. A little self-conscious, she humbly returned to her seat. The noise only died down when Princess Celestia raised a forehoof to quiet it.

"Thank you, Dinky. That was wonderful," she said, nodding in approval. "And now, the crowning moment has come at last. It's time for our students to come to the stage and receive their diplomas!"

The orchestra began to play once again, and one by one, the students strode up the steps to receive the ornate scrolls from Princess Celestia. When Dinky's turn finally came, she accepted the scroll with a gracious nod, and slowly and reverently unfurled it, gazing in wonder at the golden print within.

"We did it!" Clarity whispered, overcome with emotion as she stared at her diploma. "Dinky, we really did it!"

When the last diploma was handed out, Celestia turned to the audience, and spoke in a commanding voice.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, I am honored to present to you this year's graduates of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!"

Two-hundred horns lit in unison, and two-hundred graduation caps were hurled high toward the vaulted ceiling as cheering erupted from graduates and loved ones alike. Out of the corner of her eye, Dinky spotted Honeydew stealing a quick kiss from Scuffle amid the commotion.

"Go forth now, all of you," Celestia said, grandly gesturing to the great front doors, "and show the world the talents you have honed within these walls."

Dinky marched outside, surrounded by her friends and all the other graduates still laughing and cheering and carrying on.

"What you said up there is true, Dinks!" Scuffle called, throwing a foreleg around Dinky in a congratulatory hug. "Scorpio may be right about your lifespan, but she's wrong about your heart!"

"You may be in for a long and eventful life, but with a heart like yours, think of all the good you can do in that time!" Honeydew sang, bouncing over and nuzzling Dinky joyfully.

"And someday, all those years later, when your time is up, that heart will be just as strong as ever!" Clarity assured her, as her most treasured friend leaned up against her. "And that means, when that distant day arrives... we'll all be just on the other side, waiting for you. Every one of us."

"I know you will," Dinky replied, wiping away a happy tear as she watched the horns of students all around her come alive with a whole rainbow of unique colors. "Friends like you come once in a lifetime. Even a lifetime like mine. It's easy to see our bond will hold strong, even across time and across realms, 'cause lucky for us... it's made of the most powerful magic there is."

The friends gathered into a group embrace, watching as unicorns all around them launched spells into the sky. Magnificent fireworks lit up the night, illuminating the way to a future full of new adventures.

And Dinky's heart, she now knew, would shine bright through each and every one.

Author's Note

That's the end of the core story, but don't forget to check out the epilogue!

Epilogue

Once, there was an old, old, old wraith.

Well, not just a wraith. She was a bit more than that. But it hardly mattered.

The old, old more-than-a-wraith had just finished telling an old, old story to her young unicorn student. Satisfied that the tale was complete, she leaned back in her rocking chair, resting her forehooves on her lap and placing her now-empty teacup back on its coaster on the end table.

It took a while for her student, little Photon Flash, to find his voice. Dinky couldn't help but chuckle slightly, watching him struggle to process everything he'd been told.

"So..." he said finally. "So all that really happened? You're actually a being of dark magic, and you've been living here for thousands of years?"

"Well, not right here in this building," Dinky clarified, gesturing to her old-fashioned home, "but here in Equestria, yes. You'll find mention of me if you dig deep enough into records of the past, but most ponies haven't heard of me these days. After all, the events I just described are quite literally ancient history. And those who do know the tale certainly haven't made the connection that the odd old magic tutor living in town is the same Dinky Doo from the distant past; nopony, not even I, knew how long I'd be around, so most ponies assume I'm long gone, like all those I grew up with. Every now and then I tell somepony like you the story, but word never gets far; it's been so long since a wraith has posed a threat to Equestria that my true nature is practically meaningless now, which is nice."

"I guess Scorpio really was right about that then, huh?" Photon asked. "And all those ponies in your story... your mom and stepdad, your coltfriend, all your classmates and friends—"

"—Have been gone for a very, very long time, yes," Dinky finished calmly.

Photon looked slightly ashamed. "Maybe that's a sore topic," he mumbled, ducking so his bright white mane hid his eyes. "Sorry, Ms. Doo."

"Oh hush, dear," Dinky replied. "They lived rich, wonderful lives; I'm happy to reminisce."

"They did?" Photon asked. "What happened to them after your story ended?"

Dinky tapped a hoof to her chin in thought. "Well, Equestria Speedy Shipping Services grew and thrived, just as Dr. Candyfloss had predicted. Clarity, unsurprisingly, had a bit of a knack not just for analyzing clients, but for analyzing potential employees. She hired several more matchmakers, making sure each shipper had their own unique personality and talents. Once Clarity got the hang of matching them up with the ponies calling in for shipping requests, the company's reputation was quickly restored. My mother and stepfather spent the rest of their careers there, and mom used to tell me in her later years that giving that company a chance was one of the best decisions she ever made."

Photon looked pleased. "What about Honeydew? And Scuffle?" he asked.

"Lifesight was only the beginning of the contributions Honeydew made to magical biology," Dinky laughed. "She's regarded as a pillar of her discipline. My name may not come up much unless you go searching for it, but hers still appears in every Magical Biology textbook, as you'll soon see when you begin your study at the academy."

"So, her blindness didn't slow her down?" the colt asked.

"Between Lifesight, that enchanted cane of hers, and of course, Scuffle's assistance, Honeydew lived a mercifully normal life," Dinky assured him. "The two of them were eventually wed, perhaps ten years or so after our graduation, and had two beautiful foals. I still remember the little ones calling me 'Aunt Dinky'... even when they were old and grey, and I had hardly aged at all."

Photon took a moment to think about that. Dinky could see her student was weighing options in his mind.

"Ms. Doo, I know it's impolite to ask, but considering your special situation... how old are you, really?" he asked finally.

Dinky laughed. "How terribly straightforward of you, Photon," she chided, grinning as the colt looked away shiftily. "I won't give you an exact number, but I will say this. I believe I stopped aging normally a few months after graduation, probably around my nineteenth birthday, give or take a month or two. A hundred years later, Princess Twilight asked me to receive a physical exam, with a doctor who was unaware of who and what I was, to make sure his judgement wasn't biased. After a thorough examination of my anatomy... his best estimate is that I was a mare of twenty-one. While one hundred years passed for everypony else, my body aged but two."

"Okay, so you aged two years each century, so given how old you look now, you must be..."

Photon trailed off as he did some mental math. After a few seconds, his eyes widened.

"Wow. Wow."

Dinky's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Yes, dear. Wow."

"Even if the ponies you grew up with are long gone, you must've had descendants though, right?" Photon inquired. "Foals? Grandfoals? Great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfoals?"

"Weren't you paying attention when I talked about the bodies of wraiths?" Dinky chided, waggling a forehoof at the colt. "Pip and I spent our lives together... or, more accurately, his life, and a terribly small sliver of mine, but we had no foals. My unicorn body is just a facsimile. It's not capable of reproduction. Which is just as well, let's be honest; can you imagine if creatures as bloodthirsty and cunning as wraiths could reproduce? Equestria would've been overrun by their forces long before I became one myself."

The old mare noticed her student looking increasingly upset. "Oh, don't fret, Photon," she soothed. "It's not as if I've lived an empty life in the intervening millennia. I've had scores of adventures and met new friends. In the centuries after my childhood companions and family departed, I spent time traveling the world, learning more about magic and about Equestria than anypony with a unicorn's lifespan could ever hope to. After a millennium or so, Princess Twilight actually approached me in hopes that I'd be willing to become the Professor of Enchantments at Celestia's Academy, a position I happily held for... oh, 1400 years, give or take a few decades. Even after I finally began to grow old and keeping that schedule became a hassle, the interest in teaching never quite left; if it had, I daresay I wouldn't be privately tutoring youngsters like you."

"I wanna hear about all that, too!" Photon declared, leaping up. "And you can't stop with just you! What about everypony else? Dean Sparkler? Tango Trot? Inkwell?"

"Goodness, Photon, I think I've spent quite enough time telling stories already," Dinky replied, tiredly leaning back in her rocker again. "Look, the sun's going down. We've spent the whole day doing this. I have enough tales to fill your entire lifetime, but old Ms. Doo needs a break."

"Aw," Photon Flash grumbled, moping.

"Besides, the only reason I told you that particular tale was because you asked me a very specific question," Dinky pointed out, smiling slightly. "Do you know now, dear, what the most powerful type of magic really is?"

The colt's look of disappointment was quickly replaced with one of eagerness. "If everything in that story is true, Ms. Doo, then the hearts of ponies hold the potential for more magic than even the most amazing unicorn spells," he answered.

"Very good," the elderly mare replied. "That's your magic lesson for the day. Pack your things, you'd best get home for dinner."

As the colt scrambled to pack his books and clean up the remains of his afternoon snack, Dinky was suddenly struck with the sense that she and Photon were no longer alone. A moment later, she noticed a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of movement off to her left. Turning her head, she calmly watched a faint outline of a pony begin to appear. A ghostly figure slowly came into view, right there in her parlor.

Normally, some sort of vague apparition appearing in one's home would probably spark some degree of alarm. And for Dinky, it had... when it had first appeared, easily fifty years ago now. But having seen it hundreds of times since, it didn't stir up much of a reaction anymore.

The spectral image of a pony had no color, no texture, and no face. It was no more than a faint disruption in the air, just barely taking the shape of a strong-looking stallion. Photon Flash, as evidenced by the lack of change in his behavior, was unable to see or otherwise sense the newcomer.

Losing herself in memories for a moment, Dinky recalled the day, a few decades back, when the pale shadow of a pony had first shown itself. It wasn't a fearful, haunting presence, that much she was certain of. The reason she had acted so startled when it first appeared back then was because of who it resembled.

Even without a tinge of color in its fur, and without an expression for her to examine, she recognized the stallion's frame. The wide shoulders, the angled snout, the short tail... she'd known, immediately, that if she could see the pony's hide that was so frustratingly hidden from view, she would recognize its colors and patterns. Its eyes, had it had them, would've been soft and welcoming, and the smile atop that strong jaw, enough to melt her heart.

Over the first few months of the specter's appearances, Dinky had tried everything to establish communication with it. Every manner of spell she'd learned over the centuries was employed from enchantments that would allow the user to see the unseen, to life spells that might allow her to tap into it as she might with any other living thing.

Nothing had ever worked.

The ghostly stallion's many appearances were always the same. It would fade slowly into view at the edges of her vision. After standing, still and unthreatening, for some time, it would slowly reach out a forehoof, with the underside facing up, as if coaxing Dinky to take it in her own. Each time, Dinky had attempted to do as it wanted. Each time, her hoof passed right through.

And then, slowly, the visitor would leave, as silently and calmly as it had come. Sometimes, it would be gone for months. Other times, it would be back again the next day. No matter what, its routine when it arrived was always the same.

And so it had been for fifty years.

Exhausted though she was from her long day of storytelling, Dinky wore a gentle hint of a smile, watching the apparition take a single, measured step closer and, as always, reach out to her. It waited, motionless, for her response. Raising a withered old forehoof, the old wraith reached out to grab hold.

Whoosh.

Completing the usual cycle, Dinky watched her hoof move through the outline of the one extended toward her, without any resistance. There was nothing there but air.

Was there truly a stallion in the room with her at all? Had any of its appearances these last fifty years been real? Or was her aged mind and her tired old eyes simply seeing what she wanted to see?

Dinky didn't know. She didn't care, really. The visits, whether they were real or not, were always welcome.

"Ms. Doo?"

The voice snapped Dinky out of her reverie. She turned toward the sound, remembering that young Photon Flash was still standing in her parlor. She looked to her left again a second later, but whatever had been there, be it a spirit or simply a figment of her imagination, was gone.

"...Yes, dear?" she asked finally, returning her outstretched forehoof to her lap.

Photon pawed at the floor uncertainly. "Well, in a few weeks, I'll be off to the Academy..." he said slowly. "Obviously I'll learn lots of magic there, but you kind of got me thinking... there were ponies in your story whose hearts weren't nearly as strong and bright as yours. What if... what if it turns out the magic of my heart isn't as powerful as some of the other students? Will I be destined to be a weaker mage? Or worse, if too many ponies are weak-hearted... could Animosity someday return?"

Dinky sat quietly for a long moment. Finally, with a grunt, and a creak of old bones, she forced herself to her hooves and slowly ambled over to her worried young student.

"I'm assuming you're talking about ponies like Cosmic Glow and Bright Spark," she said as she came to stand next to him. "There was weakness in those ponies' hearts, yes. But they became that way because they didn't understand the value of the power the heart really has. They ignored, even shunned, that magic. Neglected, it grew faint. But a smart, sociable young colt like you knows better than to make that mistake, I'm sure. Practice it, through trust, goodwill, and friendship. Hone your skills as you would with any other spell, and you'll find your heart can be just as full of magic as those in the story I told you."

"Even as strong as yours?" Photon asked in disbelief, placing a forehoof on his chest as if in awe of his own heart. "Strong enough to hold off anything, even dark magic?"

"Absolutely," Dinky reassured. "A few hundred years ago, I had a student even younger than you, who used to fret about the very same thing. I had a little rhyme of sorts that used to make her feel much better; you might even call it a lullaby of the heart."

Dinky paused, clearing her throat. Much to Photon's surprise, his elderly teacher began to sing in a soothing, gentle voice.

When we look past our differences
and join our hearts as one,
united in the destiny
the threads of fate have spun,
then the greatest looming darkness
shall so swiftly then depart,
for there is no magic greater
than the Magic of the Heart.

In every age in history
it's true that tensions rise
'til all the world is rocked with war
and lightning splits the skies.
But through all the rage and chaos
that could ever come to be,
the heart's prevailing magic
shines on in you and me.

And when the dust has settled,
soon, society repents,
yet in centuries still coming
it will repeat these events.
But do not fear now, young one,
for the magic lives in you.
It can never be extinguished
'til the march of time is through.

So remember when you lay your head
to begin your rest each night
that although our world's imperfect,
you must not ever lose sight
of the bonds with all your loved ones,
for within them is the start
of the next great glorious triumph
of the Magic of the Heart.

For there is no magic greater
than the Magic of the Heart.

Photon was silent. Dinky assumed he was coming to understand the meaning of her words as she slowly eased herself back into her rocking chair.

"When that young student went to the Academy, her heart shone just as brilliantly as the ponies I once attended it with," Dinky affirmed. "As will yours, Photon Flash, if you remember what I've told you here today. So don't be afraid; I'm confident that if Animosity ever does return, ponies like you will be there to drive her back again."

"Understood, Ms. Doo!" the colt promised, stuffing the last of his magic books back into his bags. "I promise, I'll always remember the importance of the Magic of the Heart!"

"Then I think your upcoming Academy days will be joyful indeed," Dinky said with a final nod. "I'll see you in a few days for your... for your next..."

She trailed off. A strange sensation, incredibly familiar though she hadn't felt it in thousands of years, suddenly commanded her full attention, subtle and simple though it was. A gentle, radiating warmth seemed to be growing against her chest, and spreading through her whole body. She reached for its source with a slightly shaking forehoof.

And clasped a half-moon, diamond pendant.

Pulse quickening, Dinky glanced to her left. Once again, a silent outline of a stallion stood vigil. Oh so slowly, it reached out with one of its front hooves, the ghostly appendage waiting for her to try to grasp it.

"Something wrong, Ms. Doo?" Photon asked, slinging his saddlebags over his back.

"N-no," Dinky replied quickly. "I'm just... tired. That story of mine was terribly long. I think... it's time for me to rest."

The colt pulled open the front door. "Alrighty. See you, Ms. Doo!"

"Farewell, Photon Flash."

With a gentle click, the front door shut, leaving Dinky sitting in silence, the room now faintly lit only by the light of the setting sun.

Dinky gripped the pendant still more tightly, making sure her mind wasn't simply deceiving her. It was definitely warm: a comforting, familiar warmth that she hadn't realized until now how dearly she had missed. It even glowed faintly, but how was that possible? It's match was around the neck of an earth pony skeleton deep beneath the earth.

Quivering, the old mare turned again to the apparition. It hadn't budged a single inch; it still stood perfectly still, inviting her to reach for its hoof. There was no sense of urgency, no pressure for her to do as it wanted.

She did so anyway.

Keeping one hoof tightly around her pendant, Dinky reached out with the other. She paused, her foreleg and the one of her visitor only inches apart.

Closing her eyes, Dinky closed the distance between them.

Tap.

It was an unremarkable sound. A tiny bump of hoof on hoof. A sound heard millions of times a day, by ponies all around Equestria. In the darkening parlor, it reverberated like the most dramatic beat of a bass drum.

Then the second hoof gripped Dinky's own, and a male voice, absolutely unmistakable with its distinctive Trottingham accent, rang out, obliterating the silence.

"Everypony! Come here, quickly! I've got her! I've got her!"

The wall of Dinky's parlor fell away, disintegrating into nothingness. Beyond it lay a plane Dinky could not hope to describe. The Realm of Stars that she had once experienced suddenly seemed crushingly finite and mundane by comparison. Colors that she'd never imagined and shapes she'd never dreamed of stretched onward and outward, perhaps infinitely. White light shone forth from the expanse and filled her parlor like a floodlight; by all accounts, it should've been blinding, but she found herself able to stare into it without even squinting.

The moment the radiance washed over the ghostly figure still holding tightly to her hoof, it brought with it the rest of his appearance. His nearly-clear coat was quickly filled with color, shining white with big, irregular patches of brown. The featureless face now instead had deep brown eyes that shimmered with undying love, and a smile conveying nothing but joy.

"P...Pipsqueak," Dinky managed, though she could scarcely breathe.

"Hold tight now, love," Pip encouraged. "Don't let go. Everypony will be here in a jiffy."

It took Dinky a moment to realize that Pip was no longer the grizzled old stallion she'd laid to rest so many years ago. He looked young and strong and healthy as she could ever remember, not so very different from the memory of him from the story she'd just told her student.

Before she could speak again, figures of ponies began to appear, silhouettes against the bright light. Quite a few of them, she realized. As they drew closer to where she sat and Pipsqueak stood, she began to see their features more clearly. The first came into view, and she recognized her closest friend.

"Dinky!" Clarity called, and not the slightly senile, half-deaf Clarity that Dinky had parted with, but the brilliant, confident Clarity she'd spent her Academy days with. "There you are! It's so good to see you!"

Two more ponies walked up beside Clarity, and once again Dinky knew them before they even fully came into view. Scuffle came first, strong and vibrant as he was in his prime. Beside him was Honeydew, as beautiful as ever, especially her eyes, not grey and clouded, but instead the shimmering green that Dinky had longed to see one more time.

"Took your sweet time, didn't ya, Dinks?" Scuffle asked with a smirk. "It's been uh... how long's it been, Dewey?"

"Since the last time we saw her?" Honeydew replied. "A bit over four-thousand years."

"Four millennia?" Scuffle laughed. "Jeez, it doesn't seem more than a decade over three."

Still seated in her rocker, Dinky turned her head to look over Pip's other shoulder, where more familiar faces were waiting.

"You've done a real good job, sis," Sparkler congratulated, looking nothing like the gnarled old dean Dinky had once said goodbye to. "You sure spent those years well. Equestria's better off for having had you be a part of it. You definitely deserve a rest."

Behind Sparkler, the rest of Dinky's family appeared. Breeze smiled warmly at her, and of course, Ditzy positively beamed at seeing her daughter again, an expression made even sweeter by her even, undamaged eyes.

"We missed you, kiddo," Breeze called.

"That's an understatement," Ditzy chuckled. "I've been waiting for the day I'd get to see my little muffin again. Oh, and there's somepony here who's been waiting even longer than me!"

And behind them, at the back of the group, one more pony looked on. He was a brown unicorn stallion with a bright white mane and some of the most gentle, caring eyes Dinky had ever seen. Consciously, she didn't recognize this pony, but that didn't seem to matter; through something deeper than memory, something in the very core of her being, she knew him all the same. Finally shaking off her speechlessness, she formed the word.

"...D...dad?"

The stallion simply nodded. Looking upon him, Dinky felt her eyes fill with tears.

"I missed you— all of you— so much," she whimpered. "It's been so many years..."

Pipsqueak, still tightly gripping her hoof, smiled lovingly. "Then, I suppose you're ready to come with us?" he asked delicately. "If you do, I can promise you that this time, we won't have to go our separate ways again."

Clarity stepped a bit closer. "All you have to do is stand up and walk with us," she pointed out, smiling broadly.

With her free hoof, Dinky released the pendant and gripped the arm of her chair, preparing to haul her aching body into a standing position. The moment she tried, however, she was met with resistance. Frustrated, she tried again, but the force acting against her only grew stronger, forcing her backside firmly back into the rocking chair.

"I... don't know if I can..." she finally conceded, hanging her head in shame. "It's... it's the darkness. It doesn't want to let me go. It never lets anypony go..."

Despite her despair, none of her many visitors looked concerned. "That's horseapples and you know it, Dinks," Scuffle snarked. "Tartarus will freeze over before you let dark magic tell you what to do."

"Ever since you became a wraith, you've been its master, not the other way around," Sparkler reminded her. "Command it to stand down. We know you can."

"After all, you've got magic that's stronger than any amount of darkness could ever be," Ditzy chirped, fluttering her wings happily.

"Not just her," Pip said. "All of us. Our hearts together are stronger than anything. Those bonds haven't weakened, have they Dinky?"

Dinky couldn't help but chuckle. "No, Pipsqueak. Not a single bit."

One by one, Dinky's loved ones began to glow so brightly, it seemed to even overshadow the infinite white light behind them. Dinky felt the pendant grow hotter, glowing against her chest like a beacon. Her grip tightened around Pip's hoof.

"It's time, Dinky," Pip whispered, leaning closer to the elderly wraith. "Ready?"

Dinky took one last glance around the room. To her right, her tidy parlor was just as it had been for many years. To her left, her loved ones stood at the precipice of infinity, waiting for her. It really wasn't a hard choice.

"Ready."

Pip pulled her foreleg, and Dinky strained to stand, though the darkness pulled back harder than ever. Both forces demanded her to stay with them.

But one force was much, much stronger than the other.

Dinky Doo, the wraith, felt her head bow and her chin fall against her chest as she closed her eyes for the last time.

And at the very same instant, Dinky Doo, the unicorn, stumbled free from the rocking chair and collapsed against Pipsqueak's chest, sobbing with unfathomable relief.

Immediately, everypony was upon her. She was surrounded on all sides with hugs and nuzzles and shouts of joy as her classmates and family all welcomed the pony they had been without for so long.

Dinky Doo, the only Dinky Doo now, slowly stood. Her cheerful lilac coat, brightly glittering eyes, and golden mane tied into her favorite ponytail showed no sign of age, and certainly no sign of the clawing grip of darkness.

"Dinky, we're so happy for you!" Honeydew squealed.

"Now that you're here, there's no reason to linger," Ditzy pointed out. "There are hundreds more ponies that are eager to see you; distant family members, former students of yours, long lost friends... the list goes on."

Dinky wiped her eyes, and finally stood without Pipsqueak's aid. "That sounds perfect," she cooed, staring into the expanse from which her loved ones had come. "What's waiting for us up ahead, anyway?"

"Can't really put it into words, I'm afraid," Pip said simply.

"But does it matter?" Clarity laughed. "We're together, all of us! No matter where we are now, it's right where we need to be!"

Dinky beamed, realizing her friend was right.

In the rocking chair behind her, the remains of a wraith, now just a shell made of darkness, began to destabilize. Its horn was set ablaze first, and the rest of the creature quickly followed suit, burning furiously with black and purple flames. Charred bones fell from the chair, turning to ash the moment they struck the floor as the darkness consumed and destroyed what was left of the empty husk of twisted magic.

Dinky never even saw it. If she had, she wouldn't have cared. What mattered did not lie behind, but ahead, and even more importantly, all around her. Without fear or hesitation, she walked side by side with her family, her friends, and her beloved, toward that which lay beyond.

Joy welled up within her. She had to set it free, and so she sang, in a voice sweeter and more beautiful than it had been in many, many years.

And even at long journey's end
that magic will abound,
as all life's shackles fall away,
and loved ones gather 'round.
So from now until eternity,
I know we will never part.
All our spirits joined forever...

...by the Magic of the Heart!

THE END

Author's Note

So ends the "Shipping and Handling" trilogy.

If you made it this far, please, leave a comment and tell me your thoughts on the story!

Thanks a ton to Lunar Fury and KMCA for their work editing the draft.

And thank you to every reader who thought my work was good enough to follow along with my characters for the last ten years, and see the whole story through to the end.

Wanna know about possible upcoming projects? Come visit me by clicking THIS blog post for some news about what might be next.

Thanks for reading!
~PRB

Prologue

Once, there was an old, old, old unicorn.

Well, not even a unicorn. Not exactly, anyway. But it hardly mattered.

The old, old not-quite-unicorn lived in a strange little home. It was made of wood, which most ponies thought was an odd choice at best. Homes made of wood were nothing more than a novelty, after all. Why, the last time whole villages in Equestria were made of wood was probably only a thousand years or so into the reign of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Considering she'd been ruling for several millennia now, the odd wooden house certainly stood out against the gleaming glass and metal towers of modern Equestrian cities. Countless generations of unicorn ingenuity, pegasus agility, and pure earth pony strength had shaped Equestria into something much different than it had been when Princess Twilight succeeded Princess Celestia and Princess Luna all those years ago. Even the oldest unicorns left alive would've been born centuries after the last settlements constructed in that traditional style were reduced to nothing more than ruins.

Not that the old, old not-quite-unicorn particularly cared. She was quite comfortable in her little wooden home tucked away off the busier main thoroughfares of the city. Sitting peacefully in her rocking chair, she waited patiently for the company she was expecting to appear any moment. She took a moment to eye the parlor to ensure everything was in its proper place. The books were neatly shelved, in case the visitor arriving shortly needed to borrow any for study. Her belongings had all been enchanted to prevent collateral damage in case of wayward spells during practice. The sign on her front door, which was slightly ajar, had been flipped to display the word "Open" in big green letters. Directly above it of course was a more permanent sign. It spelled out a short phrase in big brass letters.

"Ms. Doo, Magic Tutor."

All was as it needed to be. And so Dinky Doo, who was, as far as anypony knew, just an old, old unicorn, waited for her student.

The sound of hooves on the front walk reached her ears. A pair of bright, curious yellow eyes peeked through the slightly open door.

"Come in," Dinky called. Though her voice wasn't the strongest, the pony outside got the gist of her invitation and let himself in. He was a vibrant little unicorn colt, with an electric blue coat and white mane streaked with silver. His eyes, such a sunny yellow they almost seemed to glow, reminded Dinky of her own when she was his age.

The colt shut the door and sat down in the center of the room.

"Hiya, Ms. Doo!"

"Hello, Photon Flash," Dinky replied, unable to suppress a smile at her young student's enthusiasm. "How has your practice been going?"

"Fine, but I've got something way cooler to tell you about!" Photon Flash announced, his horn sparking to life and yanking out a paper bearing the royal seal. "It finally happened! I got accepted to Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!"

Dinky smiled at the mention of the oldest and most famous establishment of magic in all of Equestria, and of course, her old alma mater. Though Princess Celestia hadn't ruled Equestria in thousands of years, the iconic school still bore her name, such was Princess Twilight's respect for her. The study of modern magic had advanced so far, of course, that it was nothing like it had been during Princess Celestia's rule. That was fine though, Dinky often thought to herself; a school of such prestige had to make sure it stayed on the cutting edge of magical knowledge. Just because the Academy wasn't quite as she remembered it anymore was no reason to doubt its superiority in the field of magical education.

"I'm so happy for you, Photon," the old mare congratulated, returning her apprentice's beaming smile with a less flashy but just as sincere one of her own. "I always knew you were a truly special colt. I could sense all that magical aptitude in you from the very first day."

As Photon continued to gush about his acceptance letter, Dinky allowed her mind to wander, reminiscing about the day her previous apprentice, Coiled Spring, got her acceptance letter. And Ion Laser before her, and sweet little Titanium before him. And the seventy or eighty colts and fillies before that, she estimated, for she had lost count. Of course, nowadays, Coiled Spring was a successful magical engineer, Ion Laser had retired to a sunny beachside community somewhere, and Titanium and all those before her, well... they'd passed on. It was just the natural way of things for unicorns, and all ponies, really. Dinky had grown quite used to experiencing it happening around her. She knew her days were coming to an end as well, albeit after a much, much longer time than it took a typical unicorn.

In that regard, at least, it did matter a bit that Dinky wasn't technically a unicorn. She shrugged the thought aside and returned her attention to Photon Flash, who had just finished his excited spiel and was preparing to pepper her with questions.

"Ms. Doo, you attended the Academy as a foal, right? What was it like?"

Dinky laughed. "I certainly did, Photon, but I'm afraid telling you about my days there might not prepare you for the experience you're about to have there yourself," she admitted. "A lot has changed, and even if some parts of it are the same, who am I to spoil the surprise?"

"Aw, c'mon!" Photon whined, flopping onto his back in dismay. "I already know a lot about the Academy. I'm not worried about you giving anything away. I just wanna hear about what kind of adventures you had there! Everypony says you're a super powerful unicorn, and you must've learned a lot of what makes you so great right there at the Academy, didn't you?"

Dinky tapped a hoof to her chin. "I suppose there's always the story of my first year at the Academy. I haven't told it to anypony in a very long time. I wonder if I can still remember all the details..."

"Ooh, what happened in your first year?" Photon asked, sitting back up. "I bet it was really exciting!"

"Oh, it wasn't all that much," Dinky replied, rocking gently in her chair. "I made some new friends, learned some new spells, doomed Equestria but then saved it, so on and so forth..."

The elderly mare smirked as her student's eyes widened, but she shushed him when he made a move to reply. "Please, Photon, just give me a moment to brew up a cup of tea, and then I'll give you all the details," she insisted. "I'll need it; My voice isn't what it used to be."

The colt waited as Dinky slowly got to her hooves, wincing slightly as her own creaking joints struggled to support her. She shuffled into the small kitchen, each step a careful, calculated effort. Her tail, with a few strands of gold still peeking out from among the grey hair, trailed along the floor behind her.

This body's always been so much more resilient than any unicorn's would be, she thought to herself, but even somepony like me gets old eventually, I suppose. Sometimes I can't help but wonder when...

She reached the pantry before she could finish the thought. Levitating a teabag from the dusty old box on the top shelf, she placed it in her mug and set some water to boil.

Photon Flash stepped cautiously into the kitchen, looking around. "So, um, Ms. Doo, I know you mostly just teach foals the basics, but I bet you know lots of powerful spells, huh?"

"More than you can count," Dinky replied, chuckling. "My specialty has always been enchantments; those spells have captivated me since I was just a filly. But the, erm, circumstances I found myself in over the years made it necessary for me to become rather adept at battle magic too."

"Battle magic?" Photon asked incredulously. "You were a magic duelist?"

"I was a lot of things," said Dinky simply. "I have had a bit longer than most ponies to experience life, so the scope of my adventures in magic is rather broad."

Photon Flash looked her up and down. "I mean... you must be like, a hundred, so I guess that makes sense."

A hundred? Dinky thought, stifling a laugh as she floated the kettle of boiling water over to her mug. Ah, how grand it would be to be a hundred again for a bit...

"Anyway, Ms. Doo, you haven't taught me any battle magic during these tutoring sessions!" Photon continued. "I bet I could produce a mean lightning bolt if you showed me how!"

"I thought you wanted to hear about my Academy days," said Dinky tiredly, blowing gently on her freshly-poured tea.

"Well yeah, that too..." Photon admitted. "It's just, I've always been really interested in super-powerful spells! That'd be things like lightning and fireballs and explosions and stuff, right?"

"Good heavens, no," Dinky chuckled as she began to make her way back to the parlor. "Battle Magic is a bit tricky to learn, sure, but any old unicorn with a decent aptitude for magic can cast it once they understand how. If you want to learn about combative or destructive magic, then yes, those are the spells you want, but if you're looking for truly powerful spells, spells that draw on vast, unfathomable amounts of magic, you're examining entirely the wrong subject."

"Oh," was the only reply.

Dinky conjured up a coaster bearing her cutie mark and placed it on the small table beside her rocking chair, setting her tea down on it before gently easing back into her seat. She waited calmly for Photon Flash to speak again. She could almost see the question forming on his lips as he thought.

"...Well Ms. Doo, what is the most powerful kind of magic, then?"

Dinky smiled and paused to take a sip of her tea. "Before I answer, I'd love to hear your guesses," she told him, leaning forward and resting her chin on her forehooves as she gazed at him.

The colt thought for a moment. "Uh... transformations?" he asked finally.

The old mare shook her head. "Certainly more challenging than most battle magic, but no."

"Couldn't be teleportation, could it?"

"Way off, dear."

Photon suddenly brightened. "Oh, I've got it! It must be some kind of enchantment! That's why you like them so much, I bet. They must be one of the most powerful forms of magic!"

Dinky continued to sip her tea. "Alas, not enchantment either," she reported, watching the colt's ears droop in defeat. "Don't feel bad though; I didn't expect you to know the answer. The type of magic I'm describing isn't one they have a class for at the Academy. And it's even more special because earth ponies and pegasi can wield it just as easily as unicorns."

"Wha—" the colt began, looking more confused by the moment. "I know earth ponies and pegasi have magic of their own, but it's different from the magic unicorns have. Alicorns can wield all three, but..."

He paused, thinking hard. Dinky waited.

"Sorry, Ms. Doo. I'm stumped."

A pensive expression crossed the mare's face. "You know, I could just tell you all about the most powerful magic there is," she started, "but perhaps, rather than do that directly, I may be able to kill two birds with one stone."

Her apprentice's cocked his head. "How d'you figure, Ms. Doo?"

Dinky thought for a moment longer before replying. "It occurs to me there is a story I could tell that would satisfy both your curiosities about my younger years as a student at the Academy, and demonstrate to you the real strength and impact of Equestria's greatest magic. It's not a tale about my first year at Celestia's Academy, but my last."

"Oh, I'd love to hear that!" Photon announced. "I can only imagine what kind of amazing magic a fifth-term student would've gotten to cast!"

"Very well, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves," Dinky cautioned. "In order to get the full effect of this tale, we have to start a few months before my final term actually began. And, more importantly, this story isn't just about me, nor even my friends. There's one other very important mare who played a crucial role in those events. My own mother."

"Whoa, was your mom a super-powerful unicorn like you?" Photon asked.

"Not at all," Dinky said matter-of-factly. "She was a pegasus. But the most powerful magic in Equestria was just as important for her as it was for me."

"Now I'm really curious..." the colt mumbled. "Please tell me the story, Ms. Doo?"

Dinky leaned back in her chair, blowing a stray strand of her mostly grey mane out of her eyes. "Are you sure? It's quite long."

Her apprentice responded by promptly plopping down on the carpet. "I've got all afternoon."

"Well, alright," Dinky agreed, earning an eager grin from the young pony. "I suppose it's high time I bring this tale back one last time. It all started one snowy afternoon in December, just a bit before Hearth's Warming, if I recall. That was the day something happened that sent the whole lot of us falling headlong into what I can only describe as the most chaotic year of my long, long life."

As Photon Flash sat, listening with rapt attention, Dinky began an old, old, old tale about the greatest magic of all.

Chapter 6

"Runes, Honeydew!" Dinky yelled, causing her meek friend to recoil slightly. "I can't believe I've been so enamored with enchantments for all this time and yet have hardly given a second thought to runes! I've gotta make up for lost time this term, that's for sure."

"I'm glad you're so excited," Honeydew giggled as she carefully spread some of her notes out on her bedspread to view them all at once. "If you find out about any that might help me with the spell I'm designing, could you let me know?"

"Of course!" Dinky promised.

"Dinky, since you seem pretty into it, you wanna help me out?" Clarity asked as she packed several quills and notepads into her bags. "I promised I'd teach Inkwell and her friends about some basics of runes tonight. I'm heading over to the student lounge now if you wanna come."

Dinky shrugged. She was almost caught up on her homework anyway.

"Sure, why not?"

"Have fun," Honeydew said absently as she examined an oddly-shaped leaf with a magnifying glass.

Dinky followed Clarity out of their dormitory and across the ground level of the fillies' tower to the coed student lounge. Inkwell's pinto coat was easy to pick out. The moment the older fillies walked through the door, she leapt off one of the couches and cantered over.

"Hi Clarity!" she greeted. "Can we learn about runes now?"

"We can," Clarity answered, smiling as Inkwell trotted giddily in place. "Dinky's gonna hang out with us too. And you had a friend or two you wanted to bring, right?"

"Right! One sec," Inkwell said quickly, sprinting over to the door. She yanked it open with magic and called out into the night air.

"Bella! Top! Clarity's waiting!"

Two unicorns that looked about Inkwell's age entered the building a moment later. The first was a blank-flanked, somewhat chubby filly with a tan coat and a voluminous, bouncy mane that was white at the ends but brownish closer to the roots. Her sapphire-blue eyes stood out against her more muted fur colors. She bounded up to Inkwell and grinned broadly.

Trailing behind her at a much more controlled pace was a rather scrawny colt. His coat that was a citrus yellow-green, with a short, neatly trimmed, dull purple mane. He wore a pair of glasses so comically thick, Dinky couldn't even harbor a guess what color his eyes were. Equally bizarre was his cutie mark, which appeared to be no more than a complex cluster of tiny black lines. Only after several seconds of staring did she finally realize the entire Ponish alphabet was printed on his flank.

Inkwell and the other filly charged back over to Dinky and Clarity, leaving the colt trailing slowly behind again. "Clarity, this is my roommate, Portabella," Inkwell introduced. "We met last week, and we're already best friends."

"Oh, wow!" Portabella cried, giving Clarity the once-over. "You really did make friends with the Overseer, huh? And another fifth-term pony too, looks like."

Inkwell gestured again to the other colt that had joined them. "And this is Top... uh..."

She turned to the colt and smiled sheepishly. "Top, how d'you say your full name again?"

"Top Percentile," the colt replied, sounding rather unimpressed.

"Right," Inkwell said, turning back to Clarity. "Top Percentile is Portabella's new coltfriend."

"He's got that mysterious, foreign vibe going on," Portabella declared, much to Dinky's confusion. "He mostly speaks in his native language, so I hardly ever understand him, but it sounds so romantic!"

Top Percentile sighed. "Lamentably, Portabella has erroneously misconstrued my exceptionally vast lexicon for an adventitious vernacular," he said, giving the two older fillies a deadpan look.

Portabella squealed. "I dunno what he just said, but it sure was sexy!" she crooned.

Dinky blinked and opted not to comment.

"...Anyway," Clarity said finally, glancing at Inkwell's two unusual friends, "Dinky and I learned a little about runes today. Would you like to know some of the basics?"

Inkwell replied by levitating her sketchpad into a position, a quill hovering at the ready as she looked at Clarity expectantly. Portabella peeked over her friend's shoulder to watch, rather forcefully clutching Top Percentile against herself with a foreleg as she did so.

"Inkwell, you showed me a lot of runes that you drew before," Clarity continued. "Do you know what any of them are for?"

The pinto filly flipped to one of the pages full of her sketches. "Not really," she admitted. "I found most of them in books, and wanted to try writing them myself. I don't know how to use them for magic yet, though."

"Well, the runes you have here actually can be used for a variety of things," Clarity admitted, examining the neatly-written symbols closely.

"I conjecture that's due to the geometrical attributes of the characters' polygonal constituents?" Top asked.

Inkwell blinked. "What?" she asked, as Portabella grinned and nuzzled the colt she was still holding captive against her side.

"He's asking if the shapes that are combined to make the runes are what controls their effect," Dinky chimed in. "And he's right. They do."

"See, different types of angles and curves allow magic to flow in different ways, or to be amplified or suppressed," Clarity explained, pointing to one of Inkwell's drawings. "See this one here? It's similar to one Dean Script showed us in class. All the sharp angles make it perfect for restricting magic. If you empowered this rune with magic, you could probably use it to prevent whatever it was drawn on from being enchanted, or maybe even from more direct spells cast on it like transformation."

"Oh, so do they put runes like that on those horn-ring thingies that they put on unicorns in sporting events where magic isn't allowed?" Portabella inquired.

"Right!" Clarity confirmed, smiling.

Portabella grinned proudly. "Hear that, Top? I was right! I'm almost as smart as you!"

Top Percentile's head moved ever so slightly. Dinky was convinced he'd rolled his eyes behind those impenetrable glasses.

"Now, while sharp angles are used to suppress magic or direct it in very specific ways, runes with a lot of smooth curves do the opposite," Clarity continued, pointing now to a simple rune made of a few interconnected circles. "They amplify magic and help increase its flow. You've got to be cautious with using them though; the price for more power is less control, so spells can end up having unplanned effects if you use powerful runes carelessly. I probably wouldn't use a rune like that for one of my illusions, for example, because illusions must be very precise to be convincing. But it would be perfect for amplifying the effect of an enchantment, or something like that."

"Faultless utilization is paramount when implementing such supplementary facets to any manner of ensorcellment, it seems," Top observed.

"Seems like it's really important you use runes right, too," Portabella added.

Inkwell stared at all her drawings for a few moment, and Dinky smiled as she watched comprehension creep over the filly's features. "I can... I can do all sorts of stuff with these if I learn to use them right, huh?" she asked, twirling one of her braids thoughtfully. "I only started learning about them cause they were pretty to look at and fun to draw, but they're so much more than that!"

For the better part of the next hour, Clarity (and occasionally Dinky) helped Inkwell determine some possible applications for a hoofful of the filly's favorite runes. Portabella chimed in frequently with questions of her own, and even Top Percentile seemed to be beginning to enjoy himself, although he continued to hang limply in his fillyfriend's iron grip. By the end of the session, the three foals were formulating all sorts of wild ideas involving runic enhancements.

"So, I guess our options are a little limited right now, since we're brand new students," Inkwell admitted as she scribbled another rune into her book. "Runes will become more useful once we know more magic to pair them with."

"That's why Runic Syllabary is for older students," Clarity pointed out, "but Inkwell, please, don't let that stop you. There is nothing wrong with researching magic above and beyond what's expected for you classes. When I was your age, I practiced illusions until I figured out how to turn myself completely invisible, a spell we didn't cover in class until years later. The library has all sorts of books about runes, even ones that you can use with the limited magic you have now, so if this is something you want to pursue, that should be your next stop."

"We can go tomorrow, right after Practical Magic class!" Portabella cried, finally dropping Top Percentile in order to throw her forehooves in the air joyfully.

"Though I must recommend we retire expeditiously to our respective accommodations," Top urged. "Our lessons commence shortly succeeding daybreak, and I require sufficient nocturnal repose."

Portabella smiled dreamily. "Top, as much as I'd love to listen to your exotic language all night, I'm getting really sleepy," she admitted disappointedly. "But you should come with Inkwell and me to the library tomorrow, alright?"

Top nodded before turning to Dinky and Clarity. "My uttermost gratitude for your counsel, Overseer Clarity," he said, before trotting back to the colts' tower. Portabella gave a friendly wave as she disappeared in the other direction, towards the fillies' dorms.

Dinky glanced down at Inkwell, who appeared to be thinking hard. "Shouldn't you be going too?" she older filly asked.

"In a sec," Inkwell said. "I just..."

The filly turned to Clarity, shuffling a hoof shyly. "Um, Clarity, I know you're a whole lot older than me, and you've got a lot of important Overseer stuff you probably need to do," she started, "so I just want you to know how much I appreciate you making time for me. We just met last week, but I feel like... well, like you're somepony I can trust to guide me, like my big sisters back home. Bella and Top are great, but they don't know any more about magic or this academy than I do. So it's such a relief to have an older, wiser pony that cares about me."

The filly stepped forward and reared up a bit to give Clarity a hug. Surprised, and clearly moved judging by her expression, the Overseer embraced her back.

"See you later," Inkwell said once the hug was broken. "When I try out some of those runes, I'll show you what I come up with!"

She cantered off, leaving the two fifth-term ponies alone. Clarity sniffled a little and glanced at Dinky, her eyes watery.

"She's really sweet," she chuckled, wiping a tear away. "All my life, I've been in her horseshoes; I was that little pony, turning to my brilliant, talented, experienced older sister for advice. And now... I've sorta become the big sister, huh?"

"That's certainly how Inkwell sees it," Dinky replied, smiling. "And lucky for you, your honorary little sister is just as lovable and enthusiastic as you were at her age."

The two of them stood in silence for a moment longer.

"...her friends are kinda weird, though."

"Oh, totally."

"When I try out some of those runes, I'll show you what I come up with!"

Finally, after all the ups and downs of the last few weeks, the lives of both Ditzy and Dinky began to settle back into something resembling a routine. Winter gave way to Spring, and soon, it was April.

Ditzy Doo trotted down one of Ponyville's narrower side streets as she made her way to work. Things there were stable, if nothing else. But with Candyfloss gone, assignments had become a bit more challenging. Although Wishing Star was trying her best, she lacked the inherent shipping magic Candyfloss has always used to select the right shipper for each job. Unfortunately, this meant each assignment was little more than a shot in the dark, with one of the four matchmakers being selected completely at random for each assignment. Even Ditzy's shipping success rate, which was nothing short of stellar, had suffered during the past month.

If anything was keeping morale high at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, it was the dedication of Wishing Star herself. The newest employee was at least as efficient as Dr. Candyfloss had been in dealing with paperwork, and she also insisted on hearing an account of each assignment once it was complete, regardless of the outcome. She was determined to learn everything she could about the shipping styles of each of the matchmakers, so she could make at least somewhat educated decisions when selecting the pony for the job, and Ditzy admired that.

The grey mare was so engrossed in her thoughts of work that she hardly noticed a pony fall into step beside her as she continued to trot along.

"Still trying to save that pathetic shipping service, eh Ditzy?"

Ditzy bristled. Shaken from her daydreams, she turned her head to the blue unicorn smirking at her.

"Glow! What do you want?"

Glow laughed harshly. "Nothing, really," she taunted. "I'm just here to revel in watching your perfect little life finally start to fall apart."

"My life is fine, thank you very much," Ditzy snapped. "Your little stunt at our wedding only put things on hold for a bit."

"Oh, I'm not talking about that," Glow snickered. "I'm talking about the inevitable fate of Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. Though old Dr. Candyfloss was full of hot air, he did know how to keep a business afloat, it seems. But without him, well, it's only a matter of time now, isn't it?"

"We've already hired somepony to help with that," Ditzy said tersely.

"And do you really think it will be enough?" Glow cooed, still slinking along beside the pegasus. "Or is the legendary success of that place beginning to fade?"

"Why do you care?" Ditzy growled, stamping a forehoof. "This isn't some kind of battle, Glow. I'm not trying to retaliate against you. I just want you out of my life. Why do you find such pleasure in showing up over and over again to gloat about some perceived victory you didn't have anything to do with!?"

"You didn't answer the question," Glow replied levelly.

Ditzy facehoofed. "Yes, Glow, things have been a little shaky for the last month or so," she said through gritted teeth. "Mainly because Dr. Candyfloss was a brilliant pony, one we were lucky to have as a boss and a mentor. But we'll fight on without him, like he wanted. Each day we get a little better at doing our job without his help. So if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do to keep his legacy alive. I'm all out of time for conversation with a unicorn who spends all her time highlighting the low points in the lives of the ponies around her."

She half expected Glow to launch into a series of insults or threats as usual. Instead, her bitter rival just chuckled.

"Very well," she said simply. "Get to it, Ditzy. I already know how this is going to end, but it seems you don't. Not yet, anyway. So try your best, really. I can't wait to see where it gets you."

The pegasus opened her mouth to reply, but Glow vanished in a flash of purple light.

"Celestia's fetlocks, that mare's never going to give up, is she?" Breeze grumbled.

"She's trying to put you on edge, Ditzy my dear," Cloudcover comforted, between sips of coffee. "At this point, she's nothing but mind games. You have to remind yourself that she poses no real threat. Nothing she does will affect Equestria Speedy Shipping Services."

"And her unicorn magic's never been, well... good," Watt deadpanned as she shoveled the remains of breakfast into the trash. "So it's not like she's gonna threaten you physically. Your daughter's about a hundred times as dangerous as Glow, even without her dark magic."

"Just ignore her, Ditzy," Breeze advised, putting a wing over his shaken marefriend's back. "One day she'll get tired of this pathetic attempt at revenge and slink away to somewhere where she's not our problem anymore."

The lounge door opened. Wishing Star's head cautiously poked inside. "I'm not interrupting something important, am I?" she asked.

"Nope," Ditzy answered. "What's up? Did an assignment come in?"

Wishing Star stepped fully into the room, quickly smoothing out her mane with magic and tucking a few stray hairs under her bejeweled headband. "Um, kind of," she admitted, her eyes flicking nervously between the matchmakers. "It's a little strange though. Do, um... do any of you have a friend who is a changeling?"

The three stallions in the room immediately looked at Ditzy, who giggled. "If you mean Ocellus, then yes," she replied. "I met her on an assignment a month ago."

Relief filled Wishing Star's expression immediately. "Okay, well this assignment might be a tad less shocking than I thought, then," she said, glancing at the note she'd brought along. "It seems your friend Ocellus recently made a trip home to the changeling kingdom, and while she was there, she mentioned her little adventure with Equestria Speedy Shipping Services. Word got around and, well... we just received a shipping request from somepony at the changeling hive."

Breeze gave a low whistle. "Phew, that's a new one," he observed. "Which of us will be tackling that tall order?"

Wishing Star glanced between the matchmakers again, thinking hard. "Well, Cloudcover seems to have the highest rate of success on assignments of a more traditional nature, and this one is anything but a standard assignment, she reasoned. "Breeze doesn't seem right for the job either. His style, from what I've seen so far, might not be nuanced enough to work well with the challenges that might come with shipping an non-pony species. Watt's probably the best in dealing with the more outlandish assignments, but Ditzy usually comes up with the most creative solutions, and both of those things would really come in handy in a situation like this one..."

"So send us both!" Watt declared, bounding over to stand beside Ditzy.

"Do... do we do that?" Wishing Star asked, tilting her head. "Sending two matchmakers to tackle one job?"

"Candyfloss was known for doing so on occasion," Cloudcover admitted. "Mainly for jobs that were expected to be especially challenging and require the expertise of multiple ponies."

"This does kind of sound like it might be one of those," Ditzy admitted. "I guess you're right, Wishing Star. Maybe Watt and I should tackle this one together, since we don't really know what we're getting into."

"Road Trip!" Watt squawked, darting to the door so quickly the rush of air made Ditzy's mane flutter. "Meet ya outside, Ditzy! Time for an adventure!"

Ditzy exchanged a glance with her other coworkers. "Uh... wish us luck," she said, flicking her tail nervously.

"If anypony can pull it off, it's you two," Breeze reassured her. "Besides, if this is a success, it could be just the boost the company needs. We might be able to make a name for ourselves in the other allied kingdoms of Equestria!"

"Um, well that's fine I guess," Wishing Star added worriedly, "but I should warn you guys that tomorrow might be... tricky. Ditzy and Watt will probably be gone more than one day on this one, and I have to leave a little early tomorrow myself. I have an interview."

"An interview?" Ditzy asked, furrowing her brow. "Are you... are you planning to change jobs already?"

"No, no, nothing like that!" Wishing Star gasped, holding up her forehooves defensively. "Our day here ends in late afternoon, and I need a bit of extra income, so I'm applying for an evening position somewhere else. Even if they hire me, there'll be no change to my schedule at Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, I promise."

Ditzy breathed a long sigh. "That's a relief," she said softly. "Let us know if this job is wearing on you for any reason, though. We don't want you to leave; you've been a huge help so far, and we really need that help right now."

Wishing Star beamed. "Well I'm glad I can be useful," she giggled. "But focus on your own work for today, Ditzy. You've got some changelings waiting for their matchmakers. Get going!"

"So, uh, I kinda figured we were gonna run into some hurdles," Watt admitted, "but I wasn't expecting things to go south quite this fast."

Ditzy said nothing. She was focusing on not getting attacked by the big, angry changeling in front of her.

The trip to the changeling kingdom, while long, had proven uneventful. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for the two matchmakers approach to the towering changeling hive.

The changeling currently sizing Ditzy up didn't look anything like delicate little Ocellus. He had clearly undergone the same metamorphosis as his brethren, but his stature was much more imposing than any individual Ditzy had encountered before. His shell was a very dark shade of blue green, and his violet elytra concealed red wings, making him a far cry from the bright, cheery colors of his kin. A pair of red projections, a bit like antlers, were atop his head.

"Now, I want answers," the frightening changeling demanded. "What business do two ponies have all the way out here? And if you don't want any trouble, you better be up front about it."

"Sir, we received word that somepo— err, somechangeling here contacted Equestria Speedy Shipping Services," Ditzy explained, eyeing the glaring creature nervously. "We're just responding to the summons."

"And what the hay is a speedy shipping service?" the changeling barked.

"Only the ultimate opportunity for lovestruck ponies— and changelings— everywhere!" Watt announced, throwing his forehooves in the air, which unfortunately seemed to put the grumpy changeling even more on edge. "We take assignments from our clients to help them meet, befriend, or even date the object of their affection. So clearly, even changelings need matchmakers once in a while!"

"Except they don't," the changeling growled, stamping a forehoof and ending Watt's enthusiastic explanation. "Changelings used to feed on love; even though things are different now, we can still detect the emotions of creatures around us, so relationships should be easy since we can already tell if somechangeling is interested. The only reason a changeling would ever need a matchmaker would be if they were so meek that they couldn't find the strength to reach out to somechangeling whose feelings are already apparent. And there can't possibly be anychangeling that—"

He stopped mid-sentence. Scowling, he placed a forehoof against his head and groaned.

"Nevermind. I actually think I know exactly who contacted you," he grumbled. "Follow me."

The big changeling whirled around, the tip of his red, gossamer tail brushing against Ditzy briefly as he led the way. Following his lead, the two ponies stepped into the twisting halls of the changeling hive.

While certainly foreign, the hive wasn't nearly as frightening as Ditzy had braced for. It was, as she'd heard, a strange and twisting labyrinth of halls, but there were plenty of holes in the outer face of the structure to let sunlight in, and the passages were decorated with green, flowering plants. Plenty of other colorful changelings wandered about, pausing to glance at the visitors curiously. Not one of them was anywhere near as sinister as the surly individual guiding them, though.

Eventually, Ditzy and Watt arrived at the very top of the towering hive, emerging into a large, circular courtyard with just the open sky above. Changelings took off and landed from all directions, but Ditzy's attention was quickly commanded by one in particular; at the far end of the space was a throne fashioned out of what was left of the hollowed out base of a tree, and sitting upon it was a yellow-green changeling whose size put even the one that had led them there to shame. In comparison to the other changelings, he was much like Princess Celestia would've looked in comparison to Ditzy.

"Thorax!" the darkly colored changeling snapped. "Why do I have a feeling it was you who called some prissy little pony matchmaking service?"

Thorax chuckled sheepishly. "Cause you're my brother and you know I'm the kind of changeling who does that sort of thing?" he offered, speaking in a much higher voice than Ditzy had expected a creature of that size to have.

Thorax's brother looked disgusted. "Well, look, these two ponies I found wandering around outside are your problem now," he grumbled as he turned and stormed back into the passageway. "The king of the changelings needs damned matchmakers, I swear..."

"Thank you, Pharynx!" Thorax called cheerfully as his brother's mumbling receded into the darkness with him.

"Err, is everything... alright between you and him?" Ditzy questioned, glancing uncomfortably down the passage.

"Don't mind Pharynx," Thorax chuckled. "He's a good guy! You know, once you know him well enough to see past... a lot of things about him. He's just a... very, very firm believer in the concept of tough love."

"Coulda' fooled me," Ditzy muttered, just barely loud enough for Watt to hear.

"Anyway, welcome to our kingdom!" Thorax greeted cordially, rising from his throne and striding up to his visitors. "I'm Thorax, the current king of the changelings ever since the exile of Queen Chrysalis. Are you two really from Equestria Speedy Shipping Services, like Pharynx said?"

"That's us!" Watt declared, darting forward and clutching one of the king's forehooves between his own, shaking it rather forcefully. "I'm Kilowatt Hour, and my partner here is Ditzy Doo."

"Ditzy Doo!" Thorax gasped, gently freeing his hoof from Watt's grip and trotting over to her. "You're the pony Ocellus told me about! She had an amazing time working with you at the school of friendship last month."

Ditzy smiled. "Well, we don't usually have help like that, but I'm glad Ocellus enjoyed the experience," she told him. "But, to address the topic at hoof, why did you want to see us, Thorax?"

"Oh, right! Sorry, I, uh, almost got sidetracked there," Thorax stuttered. "I was hoping you two could help me, um, improve on the groundwork with one of my friends. It's not really a romantic thing. That might be kinda hard actually, since she's not even a changeling. But you guys help strengthen friendships too, right? That's still shipping."

"We can absolutely help with that," Ditzy assured him, nodding eagerly. "You seem easy to get along with, Thorax, so I'm sure it'll be no problem."

Thorax winced. "Well, there's one teeny tiny extra detail that might make it a bit more challenging," he admitted, scraping a hoof on the stone nervously. "See, this is both a friendship booster and an... um... inter-kingdom alliance fostering operation?"

"Oh man, did you wind up with the perfect two ponies for the job then!" Watt declared before Ditzy could even open her mouth. "Ditzy and I once united two warring kingdoms in a parallel universe inhabited entirely by inanimate objects, simply by teaming up with my marefriend and some mercenary who owed her a favor and defeating the tyrant ruler of one kingdom and his army of ninjas so that his benevolent daughter could take over and ally with the brave knight of the other kingdom. We're practically experts!"

Ditzy groaned. Thorax looked puzzled.

"Well, we're not at war with the other kingdom in this particular case..." the changeling said finally, though it was clear in his expression that he really wasn't sure what was being discussed anymore. "So I guess this'll be... easier?"

"I hope to Celestia this is easier than that assignment," Ditzy grumbled, flapping her wings nervously. "Thorax, we almost never turn down a job, but understand that we'll probably have to charge a lot for this one."

Thorax nodded. "But you'll do it? You'll help?"

Ditzy glanced between Thorax's hopeful expression and Watt's manic, eager grin. She sighed, knowing exactly what Dr. Candyfloss would've wanted her to do.

"Yes, Thorax, we'll help."

"Oh, good," the changeling replied, relieved. "Let's get going right away, then."

"Going where, exactly?" Ditzy asked.

Thorax blushed. "Silly me, I forgot to mention," he said sheepishly. "You two aren't afraid of meeting some dragons, right?"

Ditzy's wings drooped. This is going to be a long day...

At least so far, a dragon had never contacted Equestria Speedy Shipping Services (with the sole exception of Twilight Sparkle's assistant, Spike, but he was a special case), so everything Ditzy knew about the dragon lands was merely hearsay. Unfortunately, most of it turned out to be correct. The reek of sulfur in the air made her scrunch up her nose. Watt, of course, seemed oblivious to the unpleasant scent, and Thorax... well, Ditzy wasn't sure if changelings even had a sense of smell.

"So, what's the end goal here?" the mare asked. "What do you want to happen when we find the Dragon Lord?"

"Well, Dragon Lord Ember and I helped each other out in the past," Thorax explained. "We're both relatively new rulers, so she was teaching me how to be a little more about earning my subjects respect, and I ended up helping her learn how to tune in to her subjects needs and feelings. Now I just want a chance to prove to her that I've been taking her advice and I'm not such a, um, pansy anymore, I guess."

"So..." Watt questioned, trotting in place to avoid burning his hooves on the hot stone, "if you've got that already figured out, why do you need us exactly?"

"Cause I am still a pansy!" Thorax cried suddenly. "I mean, I've been improving. The changelings have been listening to me, but they're mostly a gentle, easygoing bunch. But to Ember, I probably won't seem much different. I need help impressing her if I want to win her respect, and if I can manage that, I'm sure she'll be more inclined to set up some trade and cooperation between the dragons and the changelings."

"I see," Ditzy said slowly, glancing nervously at the massive silhouettes of dragons resting on a distant ridge. "So... which one is the Dragon Lord?"

A blur of bright blue suddenly jetted out from a rocky outcrop high above. Ditzy leapt back in shock as it slammed down just inches from her. The dust of the impact began to clear, revealing a slender dragoness, with blue scales and piercing red eyes. Clutched in her claw was a scepter bearing an enormous red gem. She rose from her crouched position, folding her wings as she did so.

"Thorax?" she asked, surprised.

"Ember!" Thorax gasped, a smile quickly growing on his face. "How nice to see you!"

"That's Dragon Lord Ember?" Ditzy asked.

Ember frowned. "Is there a problem, little pony?" she questioned.

"N-no," Ditzy stuttered. "I guess I just expected the leader of all dragons to be... really big."

Ember crossed her arms and looked back to the changeling king. "Thorax, it's nice to see you, but... what's with the pony entourage?"

"Oh, them?" Thorax asked nervously. "They're just... uh..."

"Changelings!" Watt yelped, garnering stunned looks from Ditzy and Thorax. "The dragons aren't really used to seeing changelings yet, right? Seeing our king here is already going to turn some heads, so we figured we'd better disguise ourselves as harmless ponies. We don't want the king's visit to stir up trouble for you!"

Ember tapped a claw to her chin thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, it's pretty obvious," she chuckled, watching Watt vibrate nervously. "I mean, ponies don't move like that. Those sharp, jarring motions seem more natural for insects like you. The other mare's a little more convincing, but she messed up the eyes a bit when she made her disguise."

"Yeah, my bad," Ditzy admitted, playing along with the lie. "Still, it should be convincing enough to fool the other dragons, right?"

"Pssh, easily," Ember replied. "A lot of my subjects aren't exactly the brightest gems in the geode."

She returned her attention to Thorax. "So what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh, just checking up on my friend and fellow ruler!" Thorax announced with a little too much gusto. "I figured I'd come and see if my advice from that time we hung out in Ponyville helped at all."

"Oh, it did," Ember said, giving Thorax the first real smile since she'd arrived. "In fact, you came at a great time; I can show you all the progress I've made! It turns out today we're holding the monthly Dragon Games, a little event I started to foster friendly competition and good sportsmanship. It appeals to the dragons' natural desire to compete, while teaching them to use it to build each other's talents up, instead of oppressing and belittling each other."

Thorax beamed. "Ember, that's so amazing! I can't wait to see it."

Ember smirked. "You know, most of the events are designed for teams of three. You and your changelings can compete in some of them, if you want."

"Oh, n-no thanks!" Thorax said, shaking his head with a nervous, diffident smile. "I think it would be best if I just wa—"

"My king!" Ditzy interrupted loudly. "Not to question your judgement, but I think you should reconsider. The Dragon Games might be just what you need."

Thorax blinked. Ditzy made sure Ember wasn't looking directly at her before giving a small nod and a wink.

"Um, right you are," Thorax admitted. "Ember, I think we'll compete after all."

"Great!" Ember shouted, pumping a fist in the air triumphantly. "Meet me up by the lava pool atop the mountain in a few minutes for the first event."

The Dragon Lord leapt into the air and quickly vanished. Thorax looked at the two ponies uncertainly.

"So, why—"

"Dragons admire and respect competition," Ditzy reminded him. "If you want to prove you've gotten more gutsy since Ember last saw you, participating in her games seems like the most straightforward way."

"But I'm not... terribly athletic," Thorax admitted, rubbing one forehoof against the back of the other.

"Don't worry! We got your back!" Watt encouraged. "All three of us will work together, and it's just a couple of games. How hard could it be?"

"You had to say 'how hard could it be', didn't you, Watt?"

"Ok, so the games are a teeny bit higher-stakes than we thought," Watt admitted. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"And, well, you are the one who suggested we compete..." Thorax reminded her.

Ditzy stood shakily on the thin slab of rock, the only thing separating her from the lake of boiling, molten lava just inches beneath her hooves. Watt and Thorax balanced carefully on similar ones next to her, and nearby, a dozen dragons stood on their own slabs as well.

"Hey, don't worry!" Ember called. "You changelings are mostly fireproof. Not as much as dragons, but enough that you'll be fine if you fall in, as long as you're only in there for a few moments."

"It's true," Thorax mumbled so Ember couldn't hear. "Ember's sneezed fire on me more than once, but changeling chitin is pretty fire-resistant."

"That would be fine if we were actually changelings," Ditzy hissed back.

"The first event is a classic among dragons!" Ember announced, flying above the competitors. "Just some good old fashioned lava surfing! The difference here is that your whole team has to reach the goal at the bottom of the mountain in order to finish the event. So speed is important, but coordinating with the rest of your trio is also essential; reaching the end by yourself doesn't count for anything."

She floated down to Ditzy and her friends. "And you three, I know you probably don't have any experience, but don't worry, it's easy. Just have fun with it."

Ditzy glanced at Watt. "Are we really doing this?" she mouthed.

"Well, sure," Watt whispered back. "We can't back out without blowing our cover anyway, so let's go for it!"

Watt had a worrying habit of overlooking small details like the possibility of incineration. Ditzy simply sighed and nodded.

"Competitors, on your marks!" Ember bellowed as she returned to a higher position in the sky. "Get set, and..."

The dragoness threw back her head and loosed a pillar of purple flame into the air. All the other dragons pushed off from the shore, most giving shouts or roars of enthusiasm as they drifted toward the top of the falls.

After a final moment of hesitation, Ditzy spread her wings and carefully began to flap, generating some forward motion. Her thin slab of rock began to drift forward across the fiery lake.

The things I do for this job sometimes... she mused as lava surrounded her small, safe haven on all sides.

A buzzing started up behind her, and soon Thorax was at her side, looking almost as nervous as she felt as he beat his lacy wings too fast for her to see. Watt sailed past on his own slab a moment later, evidently having kicked off from the shore with some considerable force.

"Not too fast!" Thorax warned. "We need to try to stay together, remember?"

"And also not die," Ditzy deadpanned.

Watt shrugged. "I mean, this isn't any worse than the trouble Pinkie Pie and I get into on like, a weekly basis, and that always turns out fine."

Ditzy had made a point over the years of not asking Watt about his life outside of work unless absolutely necessary, so to avoid the resulting headache, she simply nodded.

The roar of the lava plunging down the steep slope grew louder. The trio's floating slabs had almost reached the lava falls. Ditzy watched the last of the competing dragons disappear over the edge.

"Remember," Ember cheerfully reminded them as she drifted lazily by a few pony lengths above, "bend your knees and distribute your weight as evenly as possible."

"Got it!" Watt chirped, widening his stance. Ditzy swallowed hard and did the same as her thing piece of rock began to slip over the edge of the falls. For a tense second, both ponies and their changeling companion dangled at the top of the molten torrent.

And then gravity took over.

For a few moments, Ditzy forgot about her assignment. She forgot about her client, and her eager coworker, and the dragons all around them. Looking back on that day, she supposed that was exactly what was supposed to happen when the survival instinct kicked in. Her rock pitched forward, as it started down the incline, and quickly began to accelerate. Searing air rushed past her, blowing back her mane and making her eyes water. Though her vision was a bit bleary, she got her first good look at the course in front of her.

The lava flow was much longer than she'd originally realized. It proceeded down the steepest part of the mountain in a relatively straight line, and then began to snake through the canyons carved through the rock a bit further down, before disappearing into a cave. Far in the distance, she could make out the faint red glow of its endpoint, where it gathered in a huge basin at the mountain's foot.

With each unexpected jolt of her rocky surfboard, Ditzy tensed, her wings held aloft in case she needed to spring into the air at a moment's notice to avoid being jostled into the lava below. She refused to take her eyes off the course, but she could hear the nervous exclamations of Thorax and, predictably, a delighted whoop from Watt.

"O-okay," Thorax finally stuttered. "I think I've g-got my balance. Now let's just focus on getting t-to the end in one piece."

The three racers hurtled down the falls in a straight line, watching the carefree dragons up ahead weave around each other. The first part of the course was free of obstructions after all.

So, as long as I keep my balance... Ditzy began to realize. Maybe there's not really that much to fear.

Slowly, very slowly, the pegasus began to relax her tense muscles. To her surprise, it became even easier to keep a comfortable, balanced stance once she wasn't so rigid. Experimentally, she angled her wings a bit off-center, and her board began to drift slowly to the right as it continued to plunge down the slope.

"How are you doing that?" Thorax asked.

"I'm using my wings as rudders," Ditzy explained, though she sounded nearly as surprised as her client. "It's not nearly as hard to control as I thought it would be."

Thorax carefully opened his wings again, and soon was able to alter his course as well. "Oh, I see!" he gasped. "Easy enough I guess, but how will Watt⁠—"

Watt suddenly cut almost horizontally across the course, kicking up a small swell of lava with his rock as he weaved back and forth. "Don't worry about me!" he chuckled, leaning way past what Ditzy would've assumed was his center of gravity. "I don't have built in rudders like you two, but I figured it out!"

"Good," Ditzy called nervously, "because we're almost at the bottom of the falls. The course has some turns in it up ahead."

Watt winked at her. "Ditzy, I've seen you manage to keep your balance while drunk and riding on the back of a giant alligator. I think you can handle a little surfing."

"Shut up, Watt," the mare mumbled, flattening her ears.

The lava river entered the first canyon. Towering walls of crumbling orange rock surrounded Ditzy on both sides. With all the momentum she'd built up on her way down the falls, she approached the first turn with a lot of speed.

Well, here goes nothing...

Readying herself to fly again if necessary, the mare leaned to the left and adjusted the angle of her wings. The entire board tipped a bit as her weight was redistributed, but centrifugal force held her hooves in place as she banked around the curve. She chanced a glance over her shoulder and watched Watt and Thorax perform the same maneuver.

"This is... actually a lot easier than I thought it would be," Thorax called out.

"I don't really understand it either..." Ditzy commented. "I thought for sure we'd have met with some sort of disaster by now."

Watt laughed. "Guys, I'm rarely the voice of reason, but can't you see what's going on?" he chuckled. "If we were doing this on water, it would be much harder. But this is lava!"

"What's that got to do with it?" Thorax asked as he hunkered down a bit and flitted his wings to sail around another turn.

Watt rolled his eyes playfully. "Think about it!" he insisted. "Lava is way thicker than water, so it offers a lot more resistance. On water, if you mess up your balance even a little bit, your board will tip and you'll wipe out, but on something this thick, you'd have to put your weight really far off center to have any chance of accidentally flipping that stone under your hooves!"

Watt demonstrated by taking the next curve quite sharply. He tipped dangerously to one side, but rather than flip over, his slab of rock simply pushed up a swell of lava from underneath it that supported him until he could level out again. Speechless, Ditzy realized her manic friend's understanding of the physics of the situation was actually right on target. She rounded the next bend, and the one after that, with ease. Encouraged, she even gave her wings a few flaps to pick up a little more speed.

Ponyfeathers, this is... actually kinda fun.

"I see that smile!" Watt sang, grinning teasingly as Ditzy quickly tried to deny it. "Admit it Ditzy, you act like you hate how crazy our duo assignments always seem to get, but somewhere deep inside you, there's an adventurer who's just loving this!"

"Can we just focus on the task as hoof, please?" Ditzy replied, scowling.

"Well, originally I just wanted to finish the course," Thorax cut in, "but since this isn't as scary as any of us were expecting... maybe we should actually try to outrace some of the dragons?"

"I guess actually competing would impress Ember..." Ditzy acknowledged. "Just don't get complacent, alright? This race is still really dangerous."

Beating her wings, Ditzy began to surge forward, with a determined Thorax and positively thrilled Watt trailing close behind.

"Oy Fizzle, Spear, look sharp! Those two ponies and that weird bug thing are gaining!"

"Don't worry, Ballista, they won't get past us!"

Ditzy and her companions finally began to converge on one of the dragon trios. A white dragon with a row of pink spines, the one that had just been addressed as Fizzle, stared over his shoulder, glowering at them.

"Listen, Dragon Lord Ember wants us to respect you ponies or changelings or whatever," he growled, "but this is a race. Try to get past and things are gonna get ugly."

Ballista, the pink dragoness racing alongside him, simply made an obscene gesture with her claws to emphasize the threat.

"Alright guys, remember the plan?" Watt asked, undeterred by the rivals in front of him.

"The horribly dangerous one you came up with about thirty seconds ago?" Ditzy answered dryly. "Yes. I remember."

"Let's just do it and get it over with," Thorax whined.

Ditzy sucked in her breath and surged forward, adjusting her wings repeatedly to try to wrap around the left side of the team of dragons. As Ember had implied earlier, they weren't the best at teamwork, and all three of them veered left to try to block her advance. Watt leaned sharply to the right and sailed around them through the wide opening they'd left unguarded.

"Hey! No fair!" Spear, a dark purple dragon with a messy clump of hair that covered his eyes, snarled.

Grinning, Watt raced sharply back to the left, kicking up a swell of lava with his board that nearly threw the other dragons off balance. Thorax whizzed past in the confusion. "Ditzy, now!" the changeling called.

Ditzy swooped to the right to try to get around the distracted dragons before they could regain their footing. Unfortunately, Fizzle corrected his stance much faster than she could've expected.

"Oh no you don't!" the white dragon snapped, swerving with alarming speed. Caught off guard, Ditzy flapped desperately to try to propel herself out of his reach, but it was no use; he crashed into her, knocking her from her board toward the sheer canyon wall, with nothing below her but bubbling, molten rock.

"Ditzy!" her teammates gasped.

With no time to even begin to fly, the pegasus did the only thing she could. With all the midair agility pegasi develop over the years, she spun her body in midair so her hooves met the steep rock wall, and catapulted herself off of it with a leap before gravity could pull her to her doom a pony-length below. With little chance to change course, she threw herself right back toward the dragon that had shoved her aside. Fizzle howled in shock and fury as her body weight sent him pitching sideways, right into the path of his teammates. There was a collision, a tangle of limbs, and a cacophony of angry yells as all three dragons tumbled into the lava river.

Ditzy landed on Fizzle's rock slab, staggering sideways and flapping rapidly to try to keep her footing. "Go!" she cried as soon as she was stable.

Thorax and Watt didn't need to be told twice. Leaving the angry trio of dragons struggling to get back on their boards, the three racers sped around the next bend in the course and out of sight.

By the time the river of lava entered the cave, Ditzy and her team were in the middle of the pack, with two teams of dragons ahead of them, and two teams trailing behind. She glanced around nervously as the cascade of lava grew narrower, flowing faster through the tunnel. Darkness quickly surrounded her; the cave would've been totally black if not for the red glow given off by the sheer heat of the magma beneath them.

"Alright, hopefully we're past the worst of it," Thorax piped up. "The lava should prevent there from being any stalagmites for us to run into, so we just have to follow the lava flow through the cave to the finish line."

Ditzy was about to reply when she felt something warm and wet drop onto her lower back. Careful not to lose her balance on the stone, she turned her head curiously.

Perched just above the base of the mare's tail was what appeared to be an orange lizard, freckled with red and black so that it didn't look too different from the lava just below. It blinked at Ditzy with glowing orange eyes.

"Aww, whatcha' got there, Ditzy?" Watt asked, carefully surfing a bit closer to her. "Where'd that little guy come from? He's so cute!"

Thorax turned his head. "What are you—"

He went silent as soon as he got a good look at the curious creature on Ditzy's back. His expression grew horrified.

"Ditzy, that's a fang-toothed salamander!" he whimpered. "They live in hot places like deserts and volcanoes, and can withstand extreme heat. They're also vicious little carnivores! Get it off now!"

Panicking, Ditzy gave her hips a jerk and the strange little amphibian was flicked against the wall. It gave a squeak of dissent as it tumbled down the rocks.

Immediately, hundreds more glowing orange eyes lit up, all along the walls and ceiling of the tunnel. The air became full of angry squeaking.

"Sweet Luna's horseshoes, they're everywhere!" Watt cried, his pupils contracting even more than usual.

The salamanders cries grew louder, and soon, they began to drop from the ceiling or leap from the walls, falling unharmed into the lava below. Ditzy ducked, narrowly dodging one as it jumped at her.

"We're gonna have to fight them off!" Thorax decided, swatting one of the creatures out of the air as it tried to dive bomb him from above. "The lava won't hurt them; it's us we need to worry about!"

"But they're everywhere!" Ditzy argued, flapping her wings to try to shake off two more salamanders that had already landed on her and cringing as one managed to nip at her skin, drawing a few drops of blood. "How can we fight them off when we're so outnumbered?"

"Don't worry, Ditzy!" Watt called, astoundingly still grinning in spite of their peril as he delivered a series of kicks that bucked three more of the creatures out of midair. "It's just like fighting the ninjas in King Turnip's castle! We were outnumbered and surrounded, but we still won!"

"Will you stop bringing up that assignment!?" Ditzy screamed. "One field trip directly into Pinkie Pie's imagination made manifest was more than enough for one lifetime!"

"M-my bad," Watt stuttered, actually appearing a bit rattled by her outburst. "But just kick em out of the air, Ditzy! We gotta beat 'em back somehow."

As the squealing of the salamanders continued to intensify, Ditzy focused on trying to knock them aside as they got close. They were small and fast though, and her visual difficulties led most of her kicks and swipes to miss. She fended many of them off, but a number of sharp pains were more than enough indication that several of them were finding their target.

And then suddenly, Watt was right at her side, his stone slab bumping gently against hers. "Hunker down, Ditzy, I got 'em!" he instructed.

Ditzy bent as low as she dared without compromising her balance, watching as Watt moved with his usual supernatural speed, punting away the offending creatures as fast as they were coming.

"T-thanks Watt..."

"No sweat!" Watt chirped, giving her a wink. "Sorry for getting on your nerves today. You know I got your back though, no matter how crazy our assignments get, right?"

The mare managed a smile. "Of course I do," she reassured him as she batted a salamander that had slipped by undetected off of his tail. "Come on, let's finish this thing."

Dragon Lord Ember floated above the lava lake, knowing the first team would emerge any moment and be declared the winner. With a victorious roar, three teenage dragons sailed across the finish line, throwing their arms in the air.

"In first place, we have Garble, Baff, and Prominence!" Ember called. "Great teamwork, you three. You've really improved since the first time we held the dragon games."

She returned her attention to the mouth of the cave. "And our second place team is..."

Her eyes widened as the next trio to come sailing out of the cave wasn't a group of dragons at all, but a changeling and two thoroughly exhausted-looking little ponies.

"...Thorax's changeling team!" she cried, causing the other dragons to ogle the newcomers in surprise. "Second place on your first time lava surfing? That's outstanding! You changelings are made of tougher stuff than I ever expected."

Ditzy leapt into the open air and bolted toward solid ground. She hugged the nearest boulder the instant her hooves touched down, unconcerned about the ash that was getting on her coat.

Ember flapped a few times as she dropped to ground level, smiling as Thorax and Watt stepped off their stones and onto dry land as well. In typical draconic fashion, she gave her changeling friend a congratulatory smack on the back.

"Y'know, I wasn't sure if you changelings would really be into the kind of games dragons play," she said. "Looks like you proved me wrong. I bet you're gonna love the next event."

"Oh! S-sorry, I'm afraid I'm all out of time for that," Thorax replied, hiding the panic in his voice rather poorly. "I should get back to the changeling kingdom before the work piles up, you know?"

Ember pouted. "I suppose I can't keep you, but come back and visit soon, yeah?" she asked. "We see ponies in the dragon lands sometimes, but those soft little things can't really go toe-to-toe with us like you changelings clearly can. Having you and your subjects around sometimes would really spice things up around here."

"Y-you think?" Thorax asked hopefully. "Then, um, maybe we should, you know, work out some trade deals, maybe encourage some inter-kingdom travel... with a little work, I think you could be seeing more changelings in the dragon lands real soon!"

Ember smiled. "I'd like that. Drop by next week and we'll work it out."

"Great!" Thorax cheered, prancing in place for a moment. "Then I'll see you real soon, Ember!"

Ember raised her claw for a fist bump. Thorax playfully knocked his hoof against it, and then the Dragon Lord took to the air again to supervise the other competitors. The changeling turned to his two pony companions, beaming.

"Thank you!" he gushed. "I know I put you through a lot, but I could never have done it without you."

"Happy to help," Ditzy replied a little wearily. "But hopefully it'll be a while before we have another assignment this... hectic."

Thorax smiled sheepishly and quickly passed Ditzy a sizable bag of bits. "Hopefully that makes up for it," he chuckled. "Good luck with all your matchmaking!"

Ditzy looked at Watt as the changeling took to the air. The earth pony was eyeing up the bits with a big smile on his face. He noticed her staring and looked up.

"Uh, hey Watt," Ditzy mumbled, looking away. "Sorry for snapping at you before. You're really the reason Equestria Speedy Shipping Services manages to succeed at crazy assignments like this one. Dr. Candyfloss could see that, and just because I like a little less excitement in my life doesn't mean your solutions to shipping problems are wrong. You're an amazing matchmaker... and friend."

Watt blushed. "N'aww, c'mon Ditzy, I'm just doing my job!"

There was a short pause. "Thanks, though," he added, more quietly.

The two ponies began to trot, wandering toward the setting sun as they began their long trip home.

"...Hey Ditzy, we should come back here some weekend and go surfing again."

"Not in a million years, Watt."

"That's right, everypony is gathering in the main hall. Hurry on down to the castle. Don't be late."

Dinky waited patiently as Clarity checked each filly off the list tacked to her clipboard. The group of gathered ponies in the tower's lobby was growing much smaller, so most of them were probably already on their way to the assembly.

"So what exactly is this big meeting about?" she asked.

"Dunno for sure," Clarity replied, checking a trio of third-term fillies off the list as they hurried out the door. "The dean said Princess Celestia is visiting to deliver an announcement, though. That's not something we can miss."

The Overseer waited as the final few stragglers made their way out of the tower. With a satisfied smile, she tucked the clipboard away in her bag. "That's everypony," she said with a nod. "Come on, Honeydew and Scuffle are saving us seats."

She teleported down to the castle's front gates, and Dinky followed suit, smiling slightly at the brief sensation of weightlessness before her hooves touched down again at her destination.

Princess Celestia was already standing on stage when the pair arrived, so they hurried to their seats. As promised, two chairs had been saved for them; Scuffle greeted them with a casual wave, and Honeydew with a warm smile, as they seated themselves. The clamor around the large hall gradually quieted.

"Good afternoon, students," Princess Celestia greeted, waving to the assemblage of unicorns. "We're now about a month into the new term, and I'm sure that even in that short time, you've all learned a great deal of wonderful new magic. However, today we aren't here to talk about magic, but about a different aspect of your lives at the academy."

Dinky glanced at her friends, but none of their expressions seemed to indicate that they knew any more than she did. She returned her attention to the princess.

"This academy is not just a place for you all to study and practice your skills," Celestia continued. "It's also the place where you're all growing up together. I'm sure even most of our newest students have already formed strong friendships here. But growing up also comes with its share of hardships, and its extremely important to have somepony impartial to talk to when you find yourselves in those moments of emotional distress. Usually, that pony has been our wonderful guidance counselor. But as the older students will remember, our beloved counselor retired at the end of last term, and we hadn't quite found the right pony to replace her just yet. I'm pleased to announce that the wait is over; starting today, the newest member of the academy's staff will be taking over the position."

Celestia paused as a dull murmur of interest spread through the crowd. When it was clear she had everypony's attention again, she continued.

"Because our newest staff member is juggling this role along with another job, she'll only be available for part of the day," the princess informed them. "However, we think it will work out very well; you all will have your morning and afternoon classes, where your schedules will probably keep you busy anyway. Later in the day, once most classes have ended, the counselor will be available in her office here from late afternoon until around curfew, which should be more than enough time for her to speak with any students who wish to see her."

Princess Celestia paused, and then chuckled a bit self-consciously. "I suppose I should hurry up and introduce the pony I'm talking about," she realized. "Please, if our newest staff member would join me onstage.

A new unicorn standing at the front of the crowd stepped up. She wasn't a pony Dinky had ever seen before, but she exuded a welcoming aura. She was quite colorful, with her pale orange coat and two-toned, blue and yellow mane, but the most eye-catching thing about her was the afternoon sunlight reflecting from her gem-studded headband.

"Hello everypony!" the mare called with a hopeful smile. "I'm so excited to meet each and every one of you. My name is Wishing Star, new student counselor of Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns!"

"She seems friendly," Honeydew commented. "I think she'll be able to put the students at ease."

"Yeah, probably," Dinky replied with a shrug. "But the four of us have got it pretty good these days. We're all living comfortable lives and have each other for support whenever times get tough. We've never really needed the guidance counselor before, so I doubt it'll affect us directly all that much."

Honeydew nodded as she arrived at her destination: a big, gnarled old tree in the middle of the forest on the Academy's campus. With a gentle touch of her magic, the tree shifted a few of its biggest roots aside, revealing a concealed tunnel underneath.

In their first year, Dinky and her friends had stumbled across this hidden subterranean hollow, and had quickly converted it into something of a clubhouse. "The hideout," as they affectionately called it, was their own private space, protected by the roots of a tree that only Dinky and Honeydew could manipulate with any sort of ease. The four of them used the spot to work on homework or projects, practice spells, or even just relax between classes. As they'd grown older and more experienced with magic, Dinky had enlisted Clarity's help in surrounding the area with a series of wards and enchantments that gently, imperceptibly directed unsuspecting ponies away from its entrance, further concealing the secret space.

Dinky ducked her head as she followed Honeydew down the steep tunnel into the hollow, listening to Clarity and Scuffle's hoofsteps behind her. She looked around in satisfaction as she arrived at the bottom. The hideout had certainly seen its share of upgrades over the years; it was originally quite a bit smaller, but as its occupants grew up, it had begun to become a bit cramped. Scuffle, of course, had been more than happy to help Dinky blast the earthy walls and floor with battle magic, creating ample room even for four young adults. Two illumination orbs that Clarity had "borrowed" from the residence tower years ago lit the interior. Posters for the students' favorite bands decorated the walls, a small shelf of books (kept clean and dry by a simple enchantment) sat near the entrance, and a slightly overstuffed beanbag chair that had once belonged to Dinky sat sagging slightly in one corner. It had long since been given to Honeydew, who used it almost daily, as evidenced by a permanent impression of the pink filly's dainty backside pressed into its seat.

"Man, I'm gonna miss this place once we graduate," Scuffle lamented as he tossed his saddlebags onto a dusty blanket before flopping down next to them.

"We all will," Clarity agreed, "but we're only a month into the term. We're still going to get plenty of use out of it this year, so let's enjoy it while it lasts."

Scuffle nodded slowly. "I know he's been gone for years, but I still miss having Trouble around," he admitted. "He livened up the place... and it was always funny watching him steal Dinks' stuff."

Trouble was a fox the four friends had met during their first year. He was a mischievous sort who had taken a liking to Dinky in particular, but his nasty habit of stealing her homework and other possessions had earned him his dubious nickname. The four unicorns remembered him only with fondness, though; on that terrible night when the dark mage Scorpio had come within a hair's breadth of destroying Dinky and her friends for good, it was Trouble's actions that turned the tide, if only for a few seconds. Tragically, when Scorpio was cast back into the Realm of Stars she had emerged from, Trouble was pulled in along with her.

There was a glimmer of a happy ending to the sad story, though. As Princess Luna had quickly pointed out to Dinky the following night, a constellation of a fox now trailed behind Scorpio in the night sky. Trouble lived on beyond the boundaries of space, and every Autumn, the four friends needed only to look to the stars to catch a glimpse of their old friend.

"Trouble's doing something more important than keeping us company," Clarity said, smirking. "He's busy chasing Scorpio around the heavens for eternity.

"Serves her right," Honeydew mumbled as she sank into her beanbag and began lifting books and notes up in her aura. "Scorpio could've killed both of you, and Dinky will be dealing with the effects of her magic for the rest of her life. Seems only fair that Trouble can get back at her for us in his own small way."

Scuffle chuckled. "Yeah, you tell 'em, Dewey."

Dinky watched as more and more notebooks formed a cloud around her friend. "So, on another topic, how's your Lifesense research going, Honeydew?"

The wall of floating notebooks slowly parted so Honeydew could look at her friend. "Well, I ran into a major hurdle almost immediately," she confessed, anxiously twirling the ends of a few of her wavy locks between her forehooves. "When a unicorn connects with another living thing, they usually have to enter a deep state of concentration. You've done it, so you know what I mean, right? You stand very still, close your eyes, and try to block out any other senses so your mind can tap into the life energy of the plant or animal you're connecting with."

"Right," Dinky replied, nodding. "And the more complex the thoughts and feelings of your target, the harder it is. It took me weeks of trying to magically connect with Trouble for long enough to heal his illness, remember?"

"Exactly, and that's really the problem," Honeydew continued, pouting. "Unicorns have the unique ability to split their attention many ways, so we can do things like carry lots of objects at once with levitation, or maintain a whole series of illusions at once. But we do those spells while still in tune with ourselves and the sensory information around us. Unfortunately, the mental state we enter to tune in to the essence of another living thing is... well, incompatible with that attention splitting. If I want to have any chance of connecting with all the living things in an area at once, first I need to find a way to use the single-target connection spell, or at least a weaker version of it, without blocking out the world around me in the process."

Clarity gave a low whistle. "This is some heavy stuff, Honeydew," she admitted. "Have you made any progress accomplishing that?"

"I have a number of theories," Honeydew answered, paging quickly through at least a dozen pages completely filled with her neat hornwriting. "It's going to take me a while to narrow down which ones are really viable, though. Luckily, Tango Trot will be along any minute to take a second look at them for me."

Scuffle sat upright rather suddenly. "Tango's coming here? To the hideout?" he asked, scrunching his muzzle up a bit.

Honeydew blinked. "Um, yes?"

"But Dewey, this is our secret place!" the colt argued. "Nopony except our little group of friends has known about this hollow for the last five years."

"But... Tango Trot is our friend now, too," Honeydew squeaked. "It should be okay to let our friends in, shouldn't it?"

Scuffle looked torn, but seeing the small frown on Honeydew's face seemed to be enough to help him make his decision. "It... it should, yeah," he relented, trotting over and seating himself beside the pink filly. "I didn't mean to get so defensive. Guess I was just surprised."

Honeydew's frown faded away. "I guess I should've asked you three beforehand, though," she put in, turning her head a bit to partially hide her face behind the long curtain of her mane.

Scuffle, in a rare moment of bravery, nuzzled the top of her head for a moment. He smiled when he heard her quiet giggle. "It's cool, Dewey. No harm done."

Honeydew opened her mouth to say more, but a loud voice called down from above the hideout, echoing through the chamber.

"Are you down there, Honeydew my friend? May I move these roots aside?"

Honeydew grinned and leapt up from her beanbag. "I'm here," she called. "Come on down, Tango."

With the usual instrumental fanfare, Tango Trot stepped into the hideout, glancing around wide-eyed for a moment. "My word, you four have been spending your free periods down here all these years?" he said, impressed. "What a delightful little spot. And Dinky, Clarity, I must commend you on the defensive wards; I never would've found the place if Honeydew hadn't explained how to bypass them."

"Thanks!" Dinky replied. "They're cool, aren't they?"

"Aw, they're nothing too special," Clarity said humbly. "They really only work 'cause nopony really even thinks there's anything secret out here to look for."

Tango smiled. "Ah, Clarity, you must learn to give yourself some more credit sometimes," he chuckled. "But I digress. It's Honeydew, I believe, who has something to show me here today."

The blue colt sank to his haunches beside Honeydew, pausing momentarily to glance to the other side of her and flash a brief smile at Scuffle before turning his attention to the notes floating in her aura. Honeydew repeated the explanation she'd given her friends a moment earlier, and the male Overseer listened quietly, politely nodding at each point she made.

"So I need a workaround to the properties of the original spell before I can start building the new one," Honeydew finished a few moments later. "Any suggestions?"

Tango Trot rubbed a forehoof along his chin thoughtfully. "One thought does come to mind..." he said hesitantly. "Though perhaps you've already considered it; between the two of us, you're truly the expert here, after all."

"I want to know anyway!" Honeydew urged. "Please, Tango, any input you have would be valuable."

"Well, the logic of starting by retooling the original spell is quite sound," Tango admitted, "but yet I wonder if perhaps, even there, you're starting too far along in the process. Have you considered that the way to solving this riddle might first involve breaking the basic life connection spell down into even simpler components?"

Honeydew flattened her ears. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when casting the spell to connect your mind with another living thing, you tune into its whole being. You feel what it feels physically and, if applicable, emotionally, and this is an intense state that commands your full attention. Is there any possibility that spell could be... broken up? That you could cast only part of it and tune into only certain aspects of your target's state of being? That might allow you to figure out which elements of the spell take the most concentration, and perhaps even which ones you could discard when designing the final product."

In the years Dinky had known Honeydew, only a small hoofful of times had she ever seen such an enthusiastic smile spread across her friend's muzzle. "Tango, that's... that's brilliant," the pink filly breathed. "How in Equestria did I not consider that? This could be just the thing to get this project back on track!"

"My, my," Tango Trot replied with a playful smile, "it seems I might be a bit of help to you after all."

Honeydew leapt up and threw her forelegs around the Tango's shoulders gleefully, clearly surprising the colt. Scuffle's quiet snort went unacknowledged.

"Come on, we have to do some test runs on that right away!" she trilled as she broke the embrace. "Dinky, Clarity, Scuffle, I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

"I'll be along in just a moment," Tango Trot called as the eager filly bolted up the tunnel. A moment later, he was alone with his other three classmates.

"You know, when we met Honeydew, she didn't get that excited about anything," Dinky admitted. "I'm glad you're able to help her pursue what she loves."

"Why, it's no trouble at all!" Tango insisted. "I'm happy to do what I can for a pony like her."

He turned and took a few paces toward the exit. Just before stepping into the tunnel to return to the surface, he stopped.

"You know..." he said slowly, facing away from the room's other three occupants, "It's really quite easy to see why you three value our dear Honeydew's company so much. Once you get beneath that outer layer of reservation, she really is just the sweetest young mare. And she's marvelously intelligent, unfailingly polite, and frankly, rather pretty. I've grown quite fond of her. Quite fond."

There was a moment of silence. Dinky chanced a glance at Scuffle, who did not appear to even be breathing. His gaze was locked on the other colt, who was still facing the exit.

Very slowly, Tango turned his head a bit, stopping when he was able to stare back at the ponies behind him from the corner of his eye. He still wore the same welcoming smile as always, but there was something just slightly different in his expression, though Dinky couldn't quite place what. Slowly, smoothly, he continued to speak.

"...How lucky for me, then, that she's single. I have to wonder if she's in the market for a coltfriend..."

Tango Trot's backward glance came to rest on Scuffle. For one tiny fraction of a second, so quickly that Dinky wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, his inviting smile seemed to curl into just a bit of a smirk. But just an instant later, he turned away and trotted up the passage and out of sight.

"That miserable, two-faced bast—"

Dinky forced Scuffle's muzzle shut with her magic. The brown colt shook his head in protest, glaring at her.

"Are you trying to get detention?" she hissed at him. "Professor Flux is basically the strictest teacher here. I know class hasn't technically started yet, but that doesn't mean he's gonna let foul language slide."

In this term's Transformation and Conjuring class, Scuffle was the only one of Dinky's friends who shared the class period with her. She and Scuffle sat at the back of the room, waiting for the last few students to arrive so class could begin.

"I can't believe that guy!" Scuffle snarled once he was freed from his friend's magic. "Right from the beginning, I knew, oh, I knew something was fishy about that attitude of his. But I held my tongue. I was polite and respected the dude 'cause it's so rare for Honeydew to open up to anypony new. I thought anything that could help her come out of her shell a little more would be good for her in the long run."

He slammed his forehoof on the desk as he continued his tirade. "But that slimeball has been playing us this whole time!" he insisted. "All that flowery language and welcoming attitude, it was just so he could pacify us long enough to discreetly start buttering up Honeydew!"

"We don't know that," Dinky replied levelly. "I mean, yes, clearly he's interested in Honeydew, but that doesn't prove everything else was just an act."

"Dinks, open your eyes," the colt shot back. "I'm not the only one who saw him right before he left the hideout. He knows I'm into Honeydew, and nothing's gonna make him happier than trying to take her from me."

There was a short pause. Dinky cleared her throat nervously.

"Except... he's, um, not technically taking her from you," she reminded him. "Because unless I missed something important, Honeydew is not currently your fillyfriend, is she?"

Scuffle said nothing, but the look he gave Dinky was akin to a criminal watching his partner testify against him.

"Scuffle, Clarity and I tried to tell you," she said softly. "We told you to tell her how to feel before somepony else caught her attention. You grew up with her, so I'm not sure if you noticed, but puberty was really nice to Honeydew as far as attractiveness goes. She's too innocent to really notice it, but she's been turning young stallions' heads recently, and not just Tango Trot's. She's a slender filly with a cute face, perfect mane, and demure little voice. Even based on looks alone, it was only a matter of time until somepony took notice."

Scuffle's frown deepened. "Fair enough, but come on, Tango Trot? He's like the most popular colt in school; half the fillies in the senior class wanna get together with him. Why's he gotta come after Honeydew when he's got his own private buffet of mares?"

"First of all, 'buffet of mares' is an incredibly unnerving phrase that you should never use again," Dinky replied, sticking out her tongue. "And second, maybe Tango just, I don't know, is interested in a filly with a lot of smarts and a good personality, instead of the ones just fawning over his good looks?"

Scuffle's face fell. "Dinks, you're doing this really annoying thing right now where every time you speak, you make me feel worse," he grumbled.

Dinky rolled her eyes. "Listen, Scuffle, this isn't a lost cause yet," she pointed out. "Sure, Honeydew really likes Tango Trot, but don't sell yourself short; she really likes you too. Just tell her—"

"Tell her now?" Scuffle asked, cutting her off. "No Dinks, Tango's already got her hooked, he's just gotta reel her in. If I wanna get her back, I gotta find a way to cut the line, if you know what I'm saying."

Dinky raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning to do?" she asked suspiciously. "Sabotage Tango Trot or something?"

Scuffle blinked. "Um, Dinks," he mumbled, looking at her disappointedly, "I'm not stupid. This isn't some kinda soap opera. Can you imagine the fallout if I tried some plot to make ol' pretty boy look bad and Honeydew found out? After all the trust she's put in me? She'd be crushed. Totally inconsolable. I'd never do that to her."

Dinky sighed, relieved. "Good. Even in a situation like this, I never took you for the treacherous type."

Scuffle nodded fiercely. "That's what separates me from my brothers," he said proudly. "I actually care about how other ponies feel and doing the right thing. I'm not a Celestia-damned neanderthal like they are."

A detention slip appeared on Scuffle's desk in a flash of teleportation magic, with "swearing" written in on the comment line. He scowled.

"Anywho," he grumbled as he stuffed the slip into his bags, "what I need to do is prove, fair and square, that I'm more desirable than Tango Trot. He knows as well as I do that if he makes a move too soon, Honeydew's gonna be caught too off-guard, and that means I've still got time to turn this around. Before I can win Honeydew's heart, I need to make sure I'm clearly the better choice."

Dinky rested her chin on her forehoof. "And how do you plan to that?"

Scuffle thought about it for a moment. His eyes slowly widened.

"I know exactly how to show that colt who's boss..." he muttered. "I can prove I'm the best and get pretty boy to back off. All I have to do is give him a good old Scuffle-style beat down in the battle magic tournament!"

Dinky opened her mouth to inform Scuffle that there were some obvious holes in this plan, but Professor Flux loudly cleared his throat, and the whole room quieted at once. As arguably the school's most no-nonsense teacher, the students knew better than to ignore him once class began.

"Good afternoon," the white stallion greeted. "Before we begin with the lesson, I have some news. For the first month of term, I have been teaching this class alone, and it was no secret that you all were a bit disappointed about that. However, our assistant professor has returned from his short sabbatical to his home kingdom, and will be joining us for again for the rest of the term. If you'll look to the door, you'll see he's just arrived."

The professor pointed to the classroom's entrance where, curiously, an exact replica of Professor Flux was standing. Had Dinky been a first-term student, she'd probably have been quite confused, but she'd been here more than long enough to know what was going on. She grinned.

Professor Flux frowned. "The imitation professor again?" he asked tiredly. "You've been doing that bit for five years."

"It's a classic!" the impostor announced in a voice far higher than that of the actual professor. "But fine, if you're gonna be a spoilsport like always..."

In a flash of fiery blue, the doppelganger vanished, replaced with a bright orange changeling with teal eyes and elytra.

"Howdy, kids!" he greeted. "Great to see you!"

"Nester!" almost half the class cried in delight.

Nester, the only non-unicorn teaching at the Academy, was a changeling that had defected from the changeling army after the famous royal wedding incident. After seeking mercy from Princess Celestia, he had been assigned to the Academy as assistant professor of Transformation and Conjuring. When Dinky had first met him, he'd been a frightening black creature, with hole-filled legs and tattered wings, but now, like all changelings since the exile of Chrysalis, he'd metamorphosed into a colorful, less intimidating form.

Nester flitted to the front of the room and threw a foreleg over Flux's shoulders. "Don't worry guys, class won't be so boring anymore!" he announced with a grin. "Your favorite assistant professor is back to offset ol' Fluxy's dryness."

Professor Flux rolled his eyes. "How lucky for them," he grumbled. "Now that you're back, help me give the lesson. We're working on particle stabilization for faster, more efficient conjuring."

"Whew, you're lucky I'm here," the changeling chirped, turning his head to conspicuously wink at the class. "There's a lotta number crunching to that topic."

Professor Flux raised an eyebrow. "And since when are you a math expert?"

"I'm not!" Nester proudly declared, flicking up his elytra to flit his wings playfully. "I'm a making-boring-math-lessons-interesting expert!"

Flux sighed. "Of course. My mistake," he muttered as he began jotting equations on the chalkboard.

Nester grinned. "Alrighty then!" he announced, turning back to the class. "You lot are the fifth-term ponies, yeah? So let's get started on some advanced conjuring!"

With Nester around, Transformation and Conjuring class was a lot more fun. The class period seemed to race by. As soon as class was over, Scuffle skulked off somewhere by himself, so Dinky chose to walk back to her dormitory on her own. As she emerged from the bottom of the stairwell leading from the Transformation classroom, she spotted Nester, casually plodding along the ceiling as he often did to avoid the bustle of unicorns moving from class to class.

"Hey Nester!"

The changeling glanced down at the lilac unicorn below him. "Well, hey there Dinky Doo!" he greeted, trotting down the wall until he was standing even with her on the carpet. "How's your term been so far?"

"Pretty exciting," Dinky chuckled. "Did you know Clarity's an Overseer this year?"

Nester chirped delightedly. "She seems like the perfect pony for that," he admitted. "I'll have to congratulate her when she has T&C in a couple days."

"Between that, and new classes like Magical Combat and Runic Syllabary, we've been busy," Dinky told him. "So much has happened in a short time."

"Wanna come by my pod for a minute and catch up?" the changeling asked. "I could use some updates on what I've missed while I was visiting the changeling kingdom."

"Sure."

Dinky followed Nester to the basement of the tower that housed the classroom, where his pod, a makeshift construction made of substances that changelings produced (though Dinky never cared to know exactly how), hung from the ceiling, with its entrance just a few inches off the ground. The inside of the space was sparsely furnished but warm and dry, and Dinky seated herself on a simple stool once she entered.

"Sure is funny, huh?" Nester asked casually as he quickly repaired a tiny hole in the skin of the pod. "When you were a new student— the same time I was a new teacher— we ended up kind of at odds for a while. Now look as us; we're catching up after class like the best of friends."

Dinky nodded. "That misunderstanding was totally my fault though," she reminded him. "Your influence on the Transformation and Conjuring students these last few years has been nothing but positive."

"Aw, thanks!" Nester cooed. "It was honestly pretty scary the first year or two, but it's much more comfortable now."

Dinky giggled. "I mean, that whole thing where the changelings became trusted political allies of ponykind probably helped with that," he pointed out.

Nester gave a chittering laugh. "That's for sure," he agreed. "I came here seeking asylum from my fellow changelings, but now that King Thorax is in charge, I'm not an outcast anymore, among ponies or my own kind!"

The changeling stopped resurfacing the interior of the pod for a moment and sat down in front of Dinky, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You alright?"

"I just had a thought," Nester confessed. "Sorry if this is a little heavy but... in a way, Dinky, we're kinda similar. We're actually kind of walking in each other's horseshoes now."

Dinky tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, life is great now!" Nester said, smiling. "My exile is over. I've been accepted again. But as an outcast changeling, I was hated by the others in my hive, and before the changelings metamorphosed, I was hated by most ponies, too. If I wanted to go out in public, I had to be really careful about hiding what I was, and could only be myself in a very specific place with very specific company."

He paused, working his lower jaw uncertainly. "And, well... it's you who's in a spot like that now, isn't it?"

Dinky blinked. "O-oh," she stuttered, thinking about it. "I mean.... I guess so."

"Not that that's a terrible thing!" Nester added quickly, lifting his forehooves defensively. "It's easy for you to continue to flawlessly blend in with ponies, and the ponies that do know your secret haven't shunned you or anything. The similarity is really just that..." he paused, glancing outside the pod to make sure nopony was around to overhear, "...that wraiths are generally feared and hated, much like changelings once were."

Dinky shrugged. "Nopony knows what I really am though except for my closest friends and family, the princesses, and the professors at this school," she explained. "So far, it's actually been a very easy secret to keep."

"I figured," Nester said, flashing a quick, fanged grin. "And that's great! I guess all I'm trying to say is if you ever find yourself struggling with any part of living as a... less-than-popular creature living in disguise... I know what it's like, and I'd always be happy to talk, y'know?"

Dinky beamed. "You're sweet, Nester. Are all changelings like you?"

"More than most ponies think," he snickered. "We never meant to be a confrontational race. We were just starving, and Chrysalis, the only one who found any way to feed us, was a tyrant. Any creature would behave badly in the situation we were in."

Dinky got to her hooves and pulled Nester into a hug, making his orange cheeks flush a bit more red. "Thank you for always giving us your best, even when ponies were suspicious of you," she said sincerely. "I'll come by if I ever need to talk about that sort of thing, okay?"

"Sounds good to me!" the changeling chirped. "Have a terrific day, Dinky! Seeya in T&C next week."

Dinky hopped out of the pod, humming to herself as she trotted back up the tower. Great friends, it seemed, could come from anywhere, and she certainly had one in Nester.

About a week later, on a typical sunny day in the middle of April, Dinky and Clarity trotted through the castle together, discussing an assignment on the way to class.

"So the assignment is a combination of a transformation spell and an enchantment," Clarity realized. "That weird putty Professor Luster wants us to enchant has such an unstable structure that it's almost completely ineffective at holding any magic. I guess we have to make the molecular structure more uniform, like a gem's is, before we're going to be able to get it to hold a spell."

"I guess that make sense..." Dinky responded. "So, how about we⁠—"

There was a flash of green fire, and a scroll dropped from the air in front of Dinky. "Dragon mail?" she asked curiously.

She picked it up and was stunned to discover the royal seal stamped upon it, but before she could even undo the clasp, there was another flash, and an identical note dropped in front of Clarity. And then the halls were lit with green, as scroll after scroll appeared by the dozens, until one had been delivered to every last student. Shocked, Dinky quickly unrolled the parchment and read its contents.

Critical notice to all ponies present at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns:

All students and staff are to report immediately to the main hall. This is a royal decree and thus supersedes all existing class schedules or any other prior engagement. Further explanation will be given upon your arrival.

Regards,
Princess Luna
Co-ruler of the Kingdom of Equestria

Looking back, that pleasant spring evening was widely considered to be the day the crisis began.

Dinky and her friends quickly crammed into a row of seats in the rapidly-filling main hall. Three ponies stood on stage, waiting to address the gathering crowd. The first two were Princess Luna and Dean Spiral Script, who wore matching stone-serious expressions. Both ponies stood still and silent, waiting.

The third pony, counselor Wishing Star, looked a lot more agitated than her companions. The brightly-colored mare shifted her weight over and over from her left hooves to her right. He chewed her lower lip anxiously as her bright eyes darted around the room, observing all the arriving unicorns.

After several minutes, the hall was filled to capacity; it seemed everypony had arrived, but nopony, not even the professors, wore an expression that indicated they knew what the sudden meeting was to be about. Princess Luna lit her horn, and slowly shut the doors with her deep blue magic.

"Thank you all for arriving promptly," the princess announced, causing the whispering crowd to instantly silence as she spoke. "I apologize for the abrupt summons, but I'm afraid the situation is urgent. Today, something has occurred that must be considered a national emergency. As we speak, the news I am about to relay is being forwarded by dragon mail to every mayor or similar authority figure of every major city and settlement in Equestria, though I believe it is best that here at the Academy, I deliver the news in person."

Nervous glances were exchanged throughout the crowd. Luna glanced toward Dean Script, who gave a single, solemn nod, before turning back to ponies before her.

"Students. Professors. Citizens of our fair land of Equestria," she began. "My sister, your beloved Princess Celestia... has disappeared."