Wings of Dawn

Chapters

Ch 1 – Well… I think I’m probably insane now…
Ch 2 – Okay… what are they doing now? *sigh*
Ch 3 – I think someone could use a lesson in humility
Ch 4 – Alright flygirl, lets dance
Ch 6 – I wish I could join in…
Ch 7 - Eyes don't lie.
Ch 8 – A bird can dream, can’t she?
Ch 9 – Snarky bastards and a message for the spy
Ch 10 – Well, this is unexpected…
Ch 11 – Seriously, what’d I do to deserve this?
Ch 12 – What do you do with a sarcastic corax?
Ch13 - *Twitch* Gaia save me!
Ch 14 – This is… going to take a while.
Ch 15 – They’re trying to kill me, aren’t they?
Ch 16 – Time For a Bug Hunt
Ch 17 – Greeting the Rising Sun
Ch 18 – Why is trying to submit a report so hard?
Ch 19 – Things seem to be escalating…
Ch 20 - Through the caverns and into the woods…
Ch 21 - They're going to be the death of me…
Ch 22 - Making the best of impulsive descisions.
Ch 23 - Blackmail is such an… unpleasant word…
Ch 24 - So, are there garthim in that thing?
Ch 25 - I… I hate this place.
Ch 26 - Time for some fumigation!
Epilogue - Finally settling in, ponies are still crazy…
Prologue - Ouch, my aching feathers…
Ch 5 – Hmm, apparently, there aren't just ponies around here…

Ch 1 – Well… I think I’m probably insane now…

*Canterlot, just after midnight.*

Princess Luna was having a typical evening for her Night Court. She had, at most, five petitioners approach her seeking her wisdom or aid, but it was shy of the dozens that her sister would get during the Day Court. Still, she had been busy for the last couple of weeks in her sister’s absence.

Just over a month ago, changelings had invaded the Equestrian capital during the wedding of her niece Cadance and the captain of the guard, Shining Armor. Though the invaders had been expelled, Celestia had felt horribly guilty for not trusting in her student Twilight Sparkle when she claimed something was wrong with Cadance. In the end, Twilight had been right, though at the cost of straining her relationship with her mentor, and her friends.

Celestia had been adamant about making it up to Twilight, though her student had insisted that she had nothing to apologize for. Still, Celestia wouldn’t be denied, and after coordinating with Luna to spend some time alone with the purple unicorn, had gone on a two week sabbatical. Knowing Twilight’s love of literature, the solar diarch had spirited her student away to the greatest and most hidden archive of the equine world: the Great Library of Equisandria.

This, of course, left Luna in charge of both the day and night courts during her sister’s absence. At first, the nobles balked at the solar princess’s sudden departure, but quickly shut up when Luna made it clear that their complaints wouldn’t change a thing. After a few days, and no small amount of grumbling from the ponies involved, things had settled back into their normal routine.

Which, unfortunately, gave Luna a splitting headache by the end of each day as she had to listen to the petty whining of numerous self-important ponies trying to convince her to enact asinine laws or decrees. As much as Luna relished the chance to serve her ponies again and be of use to Equestria, she was glad when her sister finally returned.

“How did you put up with all of this… self-aggrandizing idiocy for so many years?” Luna asked as she met Celestia on the balcony of the throne room two days prior.

“I take it that the nobles were being…difficult.” Celestia said, the sentence being less of a question and more of a statement. Walking up to Luna, the solar princess nuzzled her sister affectionately before the two of them made their way inside.

“Aye. It was like trying to convince a cat to do tricks. How hast thou not thrown all of their pompous, self-serving flanks into the dungeon? Or at the very least striped them of their so-called noble titles?” Luna groused, her tone taking on a sharp edge.

“Centuries of practice. And enough chocolate cake to kill a dragon.” Celestia said flatly.

Two days later, Luna was relishing the relative silence of her Night Court. With few ponies to interrupt her, she had been catching up on some of the literature she had missed in her exile, including a strange new form called a “comic book.” They were silly, but entertaining, and between reading up on all of the legal codes she needed to know and various history books to catch up on events that transpired during her absence, she found them both engaging and relaxing.

Turning the page of the latest issue of The Incredible Ultramare, Luna’s attention was violently torn away by a sudden, sharp pain that struck her horn then rapidly spread through her entire body, causing her to drop the book and double over. The sensation was sharp and searing, like having the sound of claws on a chalkboard distilled down into liquid form, then spread across every nerve in her body while she was being dipped in acid and hundreds of windegos screamed in her ears. Luna slammed her eyes shut and grasped her forehead, forcing herself not to scream as the pain washed over her. An eternity of seconds passed. Yet, as soon as it started, it was gone, leaving the lunar princess stunned and teary eyed. Staggering to her feet, Luna turned to her guards, who had moved to her side when she doubled over.

“Your highness!” One of her thestral guards called as she and her partner ran to their princess. “Are you alright?”

Luna quickly regained her composure. Standing, she turned to the guards and fixed them with a firm look.

“Court is temporarily suspended.” She commanded. “Something is amiss, and we need to seek our sister.”

“Yes, your highness.” The guards said, saluting as they fell into line behind their mistress.

With that, Luna bolted from the room, heading towards her sister’s tower. She got half way there before nearly running into the very mare she was seeking.

“Sister!/Luna!” the two said, their voices overlapping.

“Did you feel that?” Luna said as she skidded to a halt before her sister.

“Yes.” Celestia said, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and lungs. “Do you have any idea what caused it?”

“No, I don't.” Luna replied. “Do you?”

“No. I’ve never felt anything like that before.” Celestia said, having regained her composure while tapping her chin with a hoof. “The closest thing I can recall was the feedback from when Starswirl was conducting his research on dimensional travel. But it was nothing like that.”

“What do you make of it then?” Luna said.

“I can’t say.” Celestia replied.

The two alicorns were interrupted as the third member of their kind came racing down the corridor, swiftly tailed by her husband.

“Auntie Celestia! Auntie Luna!” Cadance shouted as she ran up to the two other alicorns.

“You too?” Celestia said as she approached her niece.

“If you mean being woken up by horrific agony, then yes, me too.” Cadance said as she made took a couple of deep breaths, “Do you have any idea what in Tartarus’s name that was?”

“No, we do not.” Luna replied. “Sister claims it's akin to something our old mentor Starswirl once performed, but otherwise, we know as much as you, dear niece.”

Celestia turned to Shining Armor, who was standing next to Cadance, stroking her hoof calmingly with a concerned look in his eyes. “Captain, what about you?”

“No, your majesty.” He said, turning his eyes to the eldest princess, “I just remember waking up to Cadance screaming in pain, then rushing to find you and princess Luna.”

All three princesses and the captain of the guard all regarded one another for a moment, each one trying to think of what to do next. Ultimately, it was Celestia who broke the stalemate.

“I doubt we’re going to figure this out tonight.” Celestia said before looking back at Luna. “I’ll launch an investigation in the morning. I think I’ll contact Twilight as well and bring her onboard. Do you think you’ll be alright for the rest of the evening?”

“Yes. We should be fine.” Luna replied.

“I think so.” Cadance said.

“Okay then.” Celestia sighed. “Cadance, Shining and I will try to get some sleep. Luna, please wake me if you notice anything else amiss.”

“Of course sister.” Luna said as she nuzzled Celestia’s neck. “Sleep well.”

With that, the royals all went their separate ways. As Celestia climbed the stairs back to her chamber, she had to stifle a yawn. ‘Seems that this sort of thing is happening more and more regularly these days. What interesting times we’re living in.’ The solar princess mused to herself.

Entering her chamber, Celestia pulled out a large teapot and began to brew some mint tea to calm her nerves. The memory of the pain she felt not twenty minutes prior had her shaken, and despite how tired she felt, she doubted she would get much sleep. Using her magic to start the water boiling, she settled down on her bed and waited.

Minutes passed, and dried mint leaves were added to boiled water. Pouring herself a cup of the aromatic liquid, and taking a sip, Celestia let out a contented sigh as she started to relax. Looking at her desk, the solar princess summoned her magic and pulled over a stack of letters. In her time away, she had developed a bit of a backlog, and since she couldn’t sleep, she figured she might as well make some headway in clearing it out.

The majority of the letters were from various nobles or interest groups trying to curry her favor, or complain about some minor grievance that they felt didn’t need to be made in person. These she set aside to be dealt with later. A smaller number were letters from the general populace, telling the princess of their hardships and pleading for her aid, or thanking her for some small decree she had made to make their lives easier. She set these aside to be read more carefully in the morning. The fewest in number were simple well wishes from fillies and colts, often accompanied by drawings of the princess, and sharing their love with her. These, she chose to read line for line.

After an hour or so, Celestia had made a small inroad into the pile. As she was reading a letter from a filly thanking her for raising the sun each day, she suddenly felt something to the south. At first, she thought she was imagining things, but when she focused her attention on it, she could feel it right in her heart. The sensation was familiar, but its location was wrong. For over a millennium, she had felt a similar sensation each day in the sky above. But now, she could feel a small, nearly infinitesimally minuscule shard of that sensation in the direction of Ponyville.

Somehow, someway, there was a small spark of the sun moving around on its own.

*Daybreak, Sweet Apple Acres*

Dawn Wings’ eyes slowly opened as she felt the warmth of the sun rising above the horizon. Fluffing out her feathers and spreading her wings to her sides, she turned towards the fiery orb and bowed.

“Lord Helios, bless this day that I may shine your light upon the dark places of the world, and bring their secrets into your light.” She croaked.

Looking to the sky, she continued.

“Father Raven, let my wings carry me as I fulfill my duty to you, let my eyes spot what I must see, and let my laughter fill the sky with your wisdom.”

Finally, looking to the ground, she finished her prayer.

“Mother Gaia, hear my words, and let the secrets I tell you aid you in your works. To the Light Bringer, to the Spirit Father, and to the World Soul, I offer my oath: I am your eyes, from now till I breath my last.”

Her morning oaths to her three patron spirits done, Dawn Wings turned to the apple she had started last night. Pecking at it some more, she realized that it was probably the single most delicious apple she had ever eaten. The flavor was clean, crisp and just the right amount of tart and sweet. Though she’d been too tired last night to appreciate it, now, she found herself sighing contentedly as she swallowed small bits of the juicy fruit.

‘Whoever grows these deserves a medal. Forget medal, they deserve to be labeled a national treasure. These are beyond amazing.’ She thought to herself as she pecked off a few more pieces.

Having finished her meal, Dawn Wings turned her attention back to her current dilemma: figuring out where in Raven’s name she was. Taking off and circling around in the sky, she spotted a pair of buildings to the north. Both were decidedly rustic, but clearly well cared for and homey, though their architecture was kinda… strange. One appeared to mix elements of a barrel with a two story home, while the other combined elements of a barn and house. Dawn Wings mind boggled a bit at the unusual appearance of both structures, but brushed it aside. Outlandish as they were, these weren’t the strangest houses she’d ever seen. Her territory included the Los Angeles metropolitan area after all.

‘May as well see who the locals are.’ She thought as she flew towards the buildings. Alighting on the roof of the red barn/house, she settled in to watch and wait.

Fortunately for her, she could hear the inhabitants moving around inside, though what she was hearing concerned her. It wasn’t what was being said, but how it was being said. Or rather, the language it was being said in. What she was hearing was very clearly not any language she was familiar with. Dawn Wings knew English, Spanish, Kawaiisu and Mandarin Chinese, with a smattering of Korean thrown in for good measure, and could recognize at least a dozen others. But this language sounded nothing like anything she had heard before.

‘Okay. That’s bad. Wherever I’ve ended up, it’s a long way from home.’ She thought as she continued to listen.

Despite not being able to understand the words, she did pick up a few things. From the number of footsteps she could hear, there were at least eight people in the house, though only four of them spoke. Stranger still, they seemed to be walking around in pairs at all times.

As for the voices, she could only identify one male voice, an infrequent and deep baritone, which rarely said more than a single syllable or grunt. One was clearly very young, feminine, and quite energetic, probably belonging to a child. The third voice was ancient, creaky, and would trail off frequently, indicating that the speaker was probably elderly. The most dominant voice was deeper contralto female one, and carried with it a strong sense of authority. This last voice Dawn Wings assumed was the matriarch of the house, probably the little one’s mother.

Still listening and watching, Dawn Wings heard three of the speakers along with three of the silent occupants move towards the large door on the front of the house. Shifting her position on the roof, she peered down, waiting to see what the inhabitants looked like. If their language couldn’t help her figure out where she was, maybe their appearance could.

Unfortunately, she was completely unprepared for what she saw.

Dawn Wings had seen a lot in her days. She’d shared jokes with her oath sister Cackling Mesa as she and the nuisha had traversed the umbra of the Mojave Desert, causing all sorts of mischief. She’d gone to moots with Bright-claw’s pack, and danced around the fire while drinking, singing and sharing tales with her garou friends. She’d given intel to Gnawing Hunger’s nest of ratkin and helped them take out both agents of the Wyrm and the Weaver. She’d negotiated with mages, traded secrets with Kuei-jin for favors that she had yet to claim, sung songs of imagination with faeries, and pointed hunters in the direction of dangerous creatures. Though she knew that she hadn’t seen it all, she was sure that she could handle just about anything. But, despite all of that, the sight before her at that very moment caused her brain to completely stall.

The beings that stepped out of the house were not human. They weren’t even bipedal. They were brightly colored, talking ponies. The largest was deep red with a straw colored mane, and was wearing a plow-hitch. The smallest was blond-yellow with a red mane and wearing a bright pink bow. The middle one was orange with blond hair done up in a ponytail, and was wearing a looked like a Stetson.

Dawn Wings’ mind refused to register what she was seeing.

‘No. No. No no no no no. Not possible.’ Her mind howled as she watched the smallest one walk down the path towards the town in the distance, with the two others walking towards the apple orchard to the south. ‘This is wrong. No way in hell. Can’t be. No fucking way. I’m not seeing talking, clothes wearing ponies. This is too ridiculous! They look like something Avalon would make!’

Now rapidly developing an intense desire to freak out and fly head first into the nearest tree in the off chance that it might make whatever this crazy hallucination was stop, Dawn Wings instead closed her eyes and took a couple of deep, cleansing breaths.

‘Okay. Either I’m hallucinating, or that mage’s magick did something really messed up.’ She thought as she opened her eyes. She hoped that when she looked again, she wouldn’t see two ponies, but a pair of humans. Nope. Still ponies.

‘Calm down.’ She chastised herself, ‘Now, lets think this through. You were stepping sideways when you got shot by a mage. Okay. The mage was clearly trying to kill you when he did that. If he wanted to capture you, he’d have frozen you, not blasted you. If you were stepping sideways, and he hit you with magick, maybe it sent you to another realm. You know what mages are capable of, and you know that mixing two types of magick can be unpredictable. So, the most logical conclusion that you can reach is that everything you just thought is a load of crap, you’re dead, and this is hell.’

Dawn Wings blinked at the conclusion her internal voice reached.

‘But, I’m not dead. I can feel Raven’s presence, and Helios’s, but I’m not standing before either of them. If I was dead, then I’d be with them, not just connected to them. And I doubt a Malfean would try to trap me in any sort of ridiculous, crazy dream world. He’d just kill me.’

Looking back at the barn/house, her mind still trying to wrap itself around what she was seeing, and had seen.

‘Could this be real? Am I really in a realm with talking ponies? Is this honestly any stranger than anything else you’ve seen Dawn Wings?’

Shaking her head, she stared off into the distance, looking at the town while trying to grasp the implications of what she was thinking.

‘I need to know more. Hallucination or not, I can’t make any decisions without knowing about where I am. If this is a hallucination, and I can find some inconsistencies, maybe I can break free. And if it’s not a hallucination…’ She let her internal voice trail off with that last thought.

Spreading her wings, the corax launched herself off the roof of the building and flew towards the town, and whatever she would find there.

*****

All around her, the town was coming to life. Everywhere she looked, she could see nothing but the strange, technicolored ponies, each going about their daily business. Dawn Wings continued to glide over the tops of the buildings, her eyes scanning everything she saw in hopes of finding something useful. So far, she could find little that she thought could help.

As she flew about, she noticed that these creatures weren’t all alike. Some looked mostly like normal ponies, while others had wings, which clearly gave them flight. These flying ponies were few in number, but appeared to control the skies, both literally and figuratively. Dawn Wings watched in awe as a group of the flying ones began to actually move clouds around by pushing them, as though they were solid. Thinking back to what she had read of old human myths, she recalled that there was an analogous creature. Not knowing what else to call them, she decided that pegasus would do.

Even rarer than the pegasi were the ones with horns. These ponies instantly put her on edge, because they were all clearly mages of some sort. Each one would regularly use some sort of magick, which was emitted from their horns in the form of a chromatic aura. Again, going back to her knowledge of human mythology, Dawn Wings decided that despite only looking superficially like the mythical creatures she was thinking of, the title unicorn would have to do.

What was more, almost all of them bore a mark on their flanks, with only a few of the younger ponies lacking a symbol. All of the insignias appeared to be unique to their owners. Dawn Wings’ mind boggled at the sight. Were the symbols tattoos of some sort? How did they tattoo fur? Why put such a mark on your butt in the first place? What purpose did they serve?

Settling down on the roof of a random building, Dawn Wings took a deep breath and let out a sigh. This was getting her nowhere. She needed somewhere normal and sane to collect her thoughts. Turning back to the south, she took off and began to fly back towards the woodland she had emerged from the night before. That place at least felt right.

As she flew, Dawn Wings also considered something else: what would happen when she changed forms. Up until now, she’d kept to her natural form: that of a raven. But, as a corax, she had two other forms she could take: a human form, and a hybrid human/raven. Hallucination or not, could she still use these different forms in this world? Once she got somewhere safe, she’d test it out.

*****

Twilight Sparkle’s morning had started out pretty normally. Get out of bed. Eat breakfast. Then, get started on organizing the stacks.

Her vacation with princess Celestia had been unexpected, but she had eventually acquiesced when she learned where her mentor had intended to take her. Few ponies outside the royal sisters and the ponies that lived in and cared for the facility had ever set hoof inside the Great Library. Not only did the archives contain numerous irreplaceable, priceless tomes from throughout the history of Equestria, but also many forbidden texts on the dark arts, necromancy, and other eldritch lore too dangerous for most of pony kind. As such, the location of the Great Library was kept a closely guarded secret, not only to protect the literature it contained, but also to ensure that the more dangerous contents didn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Twilight had always dreamed of visiting the Great Library. She had never considered that she would get the chance one day. Or that the trip would be an apology from her mentor because she felt that she had wronged Twilight by not trusting her judgment.

The two weeks of one-on-one time with princess Celestia in the Library had more than made up for it in Twilight’s mind. Like a filly in a candy store, Twilight hadn’t known where to begin when she and the princess had teleported into the cavernous building. Yet, with some gentle direction from the princess of the sun, Twilight had managed to find her focus and chosen a subject to research. When they finally had to depart, Twilight had filled at least five volumes with notes on new magical theories that she wanted to try out.

Of course, in her absence, the Golden Oak’s Library had become slightly more chaotic than she liked. Spike, for all of his talent as an assistant, wasn’t as good at organizing and managing the library as she was. So, when she got home two days earlier, she had a slight meltdown over the “unacceptable” state the library had fallen into, and had spent the ensuing days getting everything back into “proper order”. Which entailed a lot of re-shelving.

Having finished the latest section, Twilight checked it off on her clipboard and turned to Spike.

“Ready to get started on the next area.” She asked.

“Sure Twilight.” Spike responded, without much enthusiasm as he followed behind the purple unicorn.

“I think we’ll work on the periodicals next. That should be easy.” Twilight said as she walked towards the shelves of magazines, journals and newspapers. Spike rolled his eyes, thinking that nothing was ever as easy as Twilight made it out to be.

Just as they were beginning to pull down the slightly miss-ordered literature, Spike belched loudly and emitted a small burst of flame, which transformed into a scroll. Catching the parchment in his claws, Spike looked up to Twilight, who had set down the magazines she was sorting and turned to face him. Taking the scroll in her magic, Twilight opened the letter, and began to read.

My Faithful Student,

Last night, my sister, niece and I experienced a strange phenomenon, for which we are all currently at a loss to explain. I have felt something similar once before, many centuries ago, but it was nothing like the events of last night. To compound the odd happenstances of last night, almost an hour and a half later, I became aware of a shard of the sun’s power moving about in the vicinity of Ponyville.

I do not believe these events are unrelated.

As such, I would like you to investigate this anomalous sun spark that I have detected, and report back to me what you find. To aid you in this endeavor, I have included a spell that will allow you to detect the presence of solar essence. Be forewarned, this spell is highly classified, as it would allow anypony to know my whereabouts were I to be in range. Once you have memorized it, I want you to destroy the scroll containing its formula.

I have utmost faith that you will get to the bottom of this strange occurrence.

Princess Celestia

Twilight’s mind was racing as she read and re-read the letter. Solar essence was one of the most dangerous powers in all of Equestria, even outweighing dark magic in terms of its raw destructive capabilities. There was a reason that in the time of Princess Platinum and the Warring Tribes, hundreds of unicorns were needed to raise the sun. Any single pony that wasn’t an alicorn who made contact with that much solar essence would be consumed by the radiant power of the sun. For there to be a detectable fragment of that power moving around outside the princess could lead to disaster if it went unchecked.

Flipping the scroll over, Twilight began to examine the spell her mentor had provided. The spell’s basic formula by itself was astoundingly complex, though the actual casting matrix was quite simple. The unicorn could understand why this spell was so classified. If one could understand the spell’s formula, even a weak mage could cast it.

Reading the spell for the fifth time, Twilight decided to try casting the spell from the scroll, to get a feeling for it. Drawing upon her power, Twilight focused her mind into the pattern of the spell, and then released the spell’s energy into her body.

At first, Twilight wasn’t sure if she had cast the spell correctly, because she couldn’t feel anything different from before. Picking up the scroll again to re-examine the spell’s formula, she was startled when she suddenly felt a strange pulse from outside. It was faint, but the spell had picked something up.

Dropping the scroll, she ran to the nearest window, trying to spot the fiery wisp of the sun’s power she could feel. But, as she reached the window, the sun energy she had detected faded away as it moved beyond the range of the spell.

“Twilight, are you okay?” Spike asked as he waddled up to his big sister/mother.

“Something strange is going on Spike.” Twilight said, still looking out the window.

“And?” The drake replied. “This is different from every other day how?”

Twilight looked back at the young dragon and narrowed her eyes, but eventually relented after she thought about it for a few seconds.

“Its not. But, still, this one’s pretty weird.” She said, looking back out the window.

“Well, don’t leave me in the dark. What’s going on?” Spike said as he walked up next to Twilight and peeked up over the windowsill.

“Well, according to the letter that princess Celestia sent me…”

*Everfree Forest*

Gliding along lazily, Dawn Wings found herself enjoying the simple, pure beauty of the woodland below her. There was always something about untamed wilderness that brought her peace. Having grown up in a mountain forest, there was also the comfort of familiarity.

Taking a few more minutes to simply enjoy her flight above the trees, Dawn Wings eventually spotted a glen with a pond on one of its sides. Banking her wings, she dropped down and landed in one of the trees on the edge of the clearing.

As peaceful as this place seemed, she was still cautious. Activating her threat detection power, she noted that there were a few potential threats nearby, but they all registered as minor. They were mostly predatory animals, and one or two semi-mystical ones, though they were not close enough to be a concern. Feeling that it was safe to use the clearing to test her ability to change forms, she took off again and glided down into the glen, landing near the edge of the pond.

‘Should probably shift to crinos first, then homid. No sense in overdoing it.’ She thought. Taking a deep breath, Dawn Wings willed the change to occur. Spiritual energy blossomed within her body as her essence and physical shell complied with her will to move into one of her other configurations. Flesh and bones expanded and distorted as the raven’s body began to rapidly put on mass, her body shuddering and convulsing as the change began to overtake her. Wings shifted downward on her torso as a pair of clawed hands sprouted from the wrist. Legs twisted and grew, as did her torso. A new set of wings grew from her back, while her tail lengthened and filled out with more feathers.

The change finished, Dawn Wings knew instantly that something was horribly, horribly wrong just from the way her body felt. Rather than a bipedal, human/raven combination, she could tell that she was quadrapedal, and had what felt like two pairs of forelimbs, one situated up high on her body near her shoulder blades, and one set just below the midline of her barrel. Looking down at her forelegs, she could see what appeared to be a set of wings with a pair of taloned claws that looked designed for both flight and walking on the ground. Looking back, she flexed the upper pair of limbs, noting that she now had not one, but two pairs of wings, though the top ones resembled her regular wings more than the ones she was currently standing on. Stretching them out, she could see that her wingspan was probably close to two and a half meters across. Her entire body was covered with familiar ebony feathers, which extended down her hind legs till the ankle, where it gave way to black scales, and a single, hooked hoof, while her tail was still distinctly avian. Reaching up with one of her forelimbs, she felt her face, which, thankfully, was still nearly pure raven, a fact she confirmed by taking a quick glance into the pond’s surface and seeing her reflection.

Dawn Wings’ heart was racing as she tried to process what she was seeing.

‘Okay, now I’m pretty sure I’ve lost it.’ She thought as she began to move her limbs to get a feeling for this ‘new’ body. Though she still had her basic motor skills down, moving around on four limbs instead of two was tricky. As she began to try walking, she stumbled and fell face first into the grass. Grumbling, she got back to her feet. ‘Then again, if I was hallucinating, I probably wouldn’t have done that.

‘Lets work under the assumption that however I ended up here, it’s affected my body in some way. Sure, that sounds so much less crazy than the idea that I’ve just gone nuts.

‘Well, might as well see just of far this goes.’ She thought, looking back at the, quite frankly, strange(r) crinos form she was now stuck with. Taking a deep breath, Dawn Wings steeled herself and once again willed her body to change form, this time to her homid state. She already suspected that the term wouldn’t be appropriate, and she was right.

Again, flesh rippled and contorted as bones and muscles shifted in shape. As the transformation progressed, her feathers morphed into a light, downy coat of brick-red fur, while a short, unkempt black mane emerged from the top of her head to the base of her neck, while her tail lost all avian characteristics and became long black hair the same color as her mane. Her beak vanished, and was replaced by a short muzzle as equine ears emerged from the side of her head. Her lower four limbs lost all avian features, as all of them became single-toed hooves. The wings on her back remained the same, though slightly smaller than before. And finally, on her flank, a symbol suddenly appeared: that of a hand mirror with a single, outspread black wing on its pane.

Once again, Dawn Wings inspected her new body, though this time she managed to avoid the near panic attack as she examined the extent of the changes. What surprised her the most was the presence of one of the tattoo-like marks on her ass. Considering it for a few moments, she decided that whatever the thing was, it was a natural part of being one of the ponies.

Looking back up at her new wings, she decided to test how functional they were. As she began to flap the feathery appendages, she found to her delight that she was easily gaining altitude. Next, she tried flying around, and was pleased to find that it was just as easy to maneuver as her natural state. Maybe even a bit easier.

‘Well, at least I can fly in all three of my bodies now.’ She thought with some minor enthusiasm as she dropped back to the ground with a light “thump.” Willing her body to shift once more, she returned to her natural form and regarded her situation.

‘So, lets ignore the possibility that you’ve just lost it, shall we? You’re in another world; you have only the vaguest idea how you got here; you have no idea if you can get back; the “people” here are talking, tool using ponies; you now turn into one of said ponies instead of a human; you don’t speak their language; you have no idea if there are other fera in this world; and what’s worse I’m a complete outsider here.’ She thought to herself as she took off and landed in the branches of a tree and looked to the sky.

‘I know nothing of how this place works. Has the Triat War reached this world? Are there threats to Gaia that need to be found? What of the spirit world? Are secrets here that need to be discovered and brought to light?’ She thought as she continued to stare at the sky, her mind racing. ‘If there are no threats to Gaia, what good am I to this place?’

Looking back towards the ground, Dawn Wings turned her thoughts over in her mind. As she continued to stare at the grass, she started spotting hidden details everywhere. Small flowers partially obscured by the leaves of larger plants. Little shining pebbles at the edge of the pond’s water. The nearly invisible strands of a spider’s web in the branches of a large shrub. The subtle shift in the vegetation as some small animal made its way through the brush.

‘“There’s always something hidden waiting to be discovered, if you know where to look for it. As corax, its our duty to know how to look when other don’t.” Isn’t that what you always used to say Bright Sky.’ Dawn Wings thought, recalling the teachings of her old mentor with a slight smile.

‘My job is to discover, learn and find that which is unknown so that it can be brought to light. Wherever I am, that is my purpose. Even if this isn’t my world, I can do at least that much. After all, I’m sure Raven’s going to love hearing all about this crazy place.’ She thought, her smile becoming more genuine.

Looking down at herself, a plan began to form in her mind. ‘I suppose the first thing I’m going to have to do is get a feel for my new ‘bod. Then, learn as much as I can about the locals, and brush up on their language. Not as easy to get info if you can’t understand what’s being said.

‘Looks like I’m going to be spending some time around that village after all.’ Dawn Wings thought as she turned to gaze back towards the town. As she did, her eyes drifted up towards the horizon, and what she saw took her breath away.

In the distance, there was a city, situated on the side of a mountain. The city was beautiful and majestic, its architecture less about pure practicality and more about blending function with art. The only places she had ever seen such elegance was in the umbra, in the realms of the most powerful spirits.

And there was something else. The longer she looked at the shining city, the more she felt an ache in her heart, as though something there was calling out to her. Turning her eyes away, Dawn Wings took to the air and flew back towards the ruins where she had emerged into this new world.

‘Work before pleasure D-Wings.’ She chastised herself. ‘Get your bearings first, then you can visit whatever that place is.’

With that, Dawn Wings stepped sideways into the umbra. She was going to be a busy for quite a while.

Author's Note

Glossary of new terms
Helios - Spirit of the sun and the celestine that the corax draw their power from.
Raven - The patron spirit of the Corax.
Gaia - The earth mother and creator of most of the fera.
Ratkin - Wererats, charged by Gaia to keep the human population in check. Strongly tied to the Wyld.
Faeries - also known as changelings, these are beings of living imagination.

Ch 2 – Okay… what are they doing now? sigh

*Canterlot*

Princess Celestia was not having what could pass as ‘a good morning’. Normally, she would wake up, make her way out to her balcony, raise the sun and begin her day. However, this morning, she was still staring off into the distance at Ponyville, her mind racing. Yesterday in the late afternoon, the phenomenon she had dubbed the sun shard had suddenly vanished without a trace after moving around Ponyville and the Everfree Forest for most of the day.

She had considered writing to Twilight to tell her that her search may not be necessary, but decided to wait. As it turned out, this was the right course of action. Moments after she raised the sun, the shard reappeared.

“Tia, are you alright?”

Celestia turned slowly towards the voice on her right, her eyes eventually resting on her sister, who wore a deeply concerned look on her face. Sighing, she turned to look back towards the Everfree and Ponyville.

“I’m not sure Lulu.” She finally managed to say, her voice distant.

There was a flapping of great wings, as the lunar princess flew over to her sister’s balcony and landed next to her. Leaning over, she nuzzled her sister’s neck, causing Celestia to relax slightly and lean into her sister.

“What troubles you? Is it the episode of pain from two nights ago, or the anomaly of the sun you feel?” Luna said, her voice laced with concern.

“Both, to be honest.” Celestia said, turning her head towards her sibling. Luna could tell at a glance that her sister’s expression was almost despondent.

“There’s more, isn’t there.” Luna said.

“Yes. The sun is my responsibility. I should be the one seeking out this stray fragment of its power. Instead, I’m stuck here, trying to overcome a bureaucratic horror show from me taking two weeks off to spend time with Twilight. Two weeks Lulu!” Celestia said, stomping her hoof for emphasis, denting the marble of the balcony with the force of the blow. “With you here, this shouldn’t have happened! Instead, those upper-class twits chose to wait till I got back before dumping everything on me! I don’t know what frustrates me more: that they so blatantly snubbed you, or that they felt that I wouldn’t have a problem with what they were trying to pull!”

“It's alright sister. We can work through this together.” Luna said, trying to comfort her sibling.

“Oh Lulu, its far from alright.” Celestia said as she turned back to stare off towards the horizon. “I know it will take time for our ponies to fully accept you again, but you’re my sister. I can’t stand to see you treated like that. Not after what happened when I ignored the same thing a millennium ago.”

“Tia…” Luna said as she walked in front of her sister and looked her in the eyes. “What happened before, we both share the blame. But it's in the past, and we cannot change it. We can only use it to make us stronger and better. Our ponies will accept us eventually, all we need to do is be patient.”

Celestia sighed as she lowered her head and nuzzled her sister’s cheek.

“Thanks Lulu. I mean it.”

Looking at the horizon one more time, Celestia turned to head back inside and get her day of glorious headache started.

“I still wish I knew more about this sun shard.” She said, more to herself than Luna. “I’m just going to trust Twilight to get to the bottom of it.”

“Your student hath a knack for overcoming great obstacles Tia. We’re sure she’ll come through like she always does.” Luna said as she flew back over to her balcony. “We’ll see you tonight.”

And with that, Luna gently closed the door to her room, leaving Celestia to her thoughts.

Stepping through her own door and into her chamber, the solar princess steeled herself for another day of bureaucratic hell. Using her magic to pick up her itinerary, she quickly skimmed the contents, and let out a deep and resonant groan. This would be a four, possibly five cake and two chocolate babka day at the very least.

*Sweet Apple Acres*

Dawn Wings watched with intense interest as the orange pony dashed forward with an enthusiastic shout before pivoting on her forelegs and throwing out a pair of kicks with her hind legs, striking the trunk of the tree. Rather than shatter the bark and splinter the wood, the impact caused the tree to shake briefly as dozens of apples fell from the branches into waiting baskets below. It was an impressive act, though she did wonder how the tree didn’t seem to be injured from that kick. Or how all of the apples managed to miraculously land in the baskets and not on the ground.

Dawn Wings turned her head and scanned the other trees in the orchard. None of them showed any damage to their trunks, despite probably all being kicked in a similar fashion.

‘Well,’ She thought, ‘that’s one way to harvest apples without hands. Still doesn’t make sense how she’s not mauling the trunks with those hooves.’

As Dawn Wings watched, the orange mare used her mouth to pick up one of the baskets by its handle and carried it off to stack next to the others she had already filled.

‘Suppose they’d have to move things with their mouths since they don’t have hands.’

Turning away from the orange mare and looking to another part of the orchard, a similar scene was playing out. The red stallion was also knocking apples from the trees, though rather than use a double-hoofed full body kick, he would kick the trees with only one of his hind legs. It made sense; he was much larger and more muscular he was than the mare, so he didn’t need to use his full body to accomplish the same feats of strength.

As the two of them harvested their crops, the mare would occasionally say something to her partner. Even without understanding the language, Dawn Wings still could tell a lot about what was being said. Most of the conversation, which was remarkably one sided, had the air of friendly banter or simple directions. The stallion, for his part, rarely said anything beyond simple grunts and monosyllabic affirmations or denials.

Cocking her head to the side, Dawn Wings smiled to herself. She was beginning to get a sense of these two, and could revise a few of her earlier assumptions. The orange mare, as she initially assumed, was clearly the one in charge of the day-to-day operation. While the big stallion was something of an introvert, the mare was far more outgoing, and significantly more boisterous. She had to admit; they both seemed like hard working, down to Gaia creatures. Once she overcame the language barrier, she might enjoy their company if she got the chance.

She did, however, revise one of her initial observations. At first, she had thought that they might be husband and wife, since the little one he had seen shared the mare and stallion’s colors. Now, after observing them for some time, she figured they were probably siblings. They didn’t display the sort of affection that romantic partners usually did, instead showing a more platonic, familial affection towards one another.

However, the most concrete conclusion she came to while watching the two of them was that observing them, while fascinatingly dull, wasn’t going to help her really get a sense of this new place.

‘I think I might have a better chance of getting to know these… ponies… in town. Can’t learn a language if I don’t hear much of it, now can I?’ Dawn Wings decided as she launched herself into the air.

Neither Applejack nor Big Mac had any reason to notice as the black bird that had been watching them for close to half an hour took off and flew towards Ponyville.

*Ponyville, several minutes later*

Dawn Wings took her time lazily gliding over the outskirts of town, trying to find a good perch to begin observing the ponies. Even if she had mostly accepted that this place might be real and not some sort of crazy dream, she was still trying to wrap her head around everything that she was seeing. For one, there were far too many parallels between these creatures and the humans. Most of their tools looked like they were identical to their human counterparts, with very little modification for the unique anatomy of the users. If the way the two farmers had used their mouths was any indication, the majority of their dexterity was centered there.

‘Why in Raven’s name would they design tools that would be so difficult to use?’ She pondered as she continued to fly over town.

Getting back to the task at wing, Dawn Wings decided that she needed to find a place where there would be lots of the ponies going about their daily business, preferably with lots of conversation. A few places came to mind, but the one that stuck out the most was a shopping district. If these creatures were anything like the humans back on Gaia, then logically, the town should have one.

That would be her first destination.

Flapping her wings to gain some altitude, the corax spotted a plaza that looked like it would suit her purposes. In addition to the numerous market stalls dotting the open area, there were several buildings that appeared to be shops of some sort, including one that looked like a gingerbread house, and what appeared to be a mushroom themed restaurant.

‘Jackpot.’ Dawn Wings thought as she alighted in a nearby tree. Settling in, she began to do what she always did when figuring a new place out: watch and listen.

*Outside Golden Oaks Library, a little after mid-day*

Closing the door to her home, Twilight Sparkle turned and started trotting towards the market square to meet up with Pinkie and Rarity.

The previous night, she had begun an extensive search of the library on any records of solar magic phenomenon. What she had found was inconclusive. While there were rare instances of solar magic or essence appearing, they were usually brief, lasting only a few moments, and only when it was summoned directly. Such manifestations were usually both spectacular and highly destructive, as the pure power of raw solar energy reacted violently with the atmosphere, producing massive plasma fires or flashes of blinding light. She would have continued to pour through the books had she not noticed the time, and remembered her appointment to meet with the girls.

After having a minor meltdown over nearly being late, Twilight had grabbed her saddlebags and headed out the door.

Despite ostensibly taking a break, Twilight continued to scan the area. After the brief flicker she had detected the day before, she was determined to not miss another chance to find whatever this bit of the sun was. As such, she had cast the solar essence detection spell when she woke up, and was now maintaining it with a tiny amount of her magic. Thus far, she hadn’t sensed anything, but if she was supposed to find whatever this strange phenomenon was, it wouldn’t do to not have the spell active, especially if whatever it was returned.

‘Princess Celesita trusts me with this.’ Twilight mused as she trotted towards the Market Café. ‘I can’t disappoint her.’

As she distractedly approached the market, she was pulled out of her musings by her detection spell. A faint tugging on her mind told her that the spell had registered a faint spark of solar essence. Walking in the general direction the spell was indicating, Twilight grew more excited as the energy being detected started to grow stronger.

It was here. In town.

Twilight began to speed up from a trot to a canter, and then to a full gallop as the signal began to get stronger and stronger. Ponies were forced to dodge out of her way as she barreled down the avenues in the direction her magic was pulling her. Most of them simply rolled their eyes as the purple unicorn galloped past, knowing that once Twilight Sparkle was on a mission, it was better to simply get out of her way.

Twilight didn’t notice any of this. All she could focus on was the sensation form her horn telling her that she was headed in the right direction.

As soon as she reached the market, she skidded to a halt. The signal was now quite strong, as though the source was right there. Looking around frantically, Twilight couldn’t see anything that resembled a raging ball of plasma or living flame.

‘Where is it?’ She thought as her eyes scanned for the source. ‘It’s around here somewhere. But where…’

Twilight began to slowly walk around the market, hoping to zero-in on the solar energy. After almost ten minutes of searching, she finally managed to locate the source. Yet, what she saw left her dumbfounded. Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn’t this.

Despite her spell telling her that she was looking directly at the source of the solar energy, her eyes were resting on a large, black bird. Going through a mental key of avian taxonomy, she was startled to realize that it was a Corvus corax. A raven. And a big one at that.

‘Why is a raven full of solar essence?’ Twilight pondered as she continued to stare at the bird. ‘And why is there a raven here at all? They’re not found this far east.’

*****

Dawn Wings was suffering from the early signs of a nonsense-induced headache. It had become abundantly clear that these ponies were… whimsical, to put it gently. In the last couple of hours or so she’d been watching them, they had broken out into spontaneous song at least twice. Even without being able to understand what they were saying, she had to admit that the actual singing was remarkably good. If she didn’t know any better, she might have concluded that the songs were choreographed.

They were also almost sickeningly cheerful. Having lived among the humans and the fera her whole life, Dawn Wings wasn’t used to such excessive good cheer. Even in the nicer parts of her beat on Gaia, the humans were reserved at best, but commonly erred towards hostile. Her fera cousins were rarely in a pleasant mood either, with the ever present threat of the Wyrm and its minions.

But these ponies? Even when they weren’t actively singing, they displayed a general air of cheerfulness that she found almost unsettling. Was life so good here that the residents had no reason to be down? Were they that well off? Or were they just naturally inclined towards good cheer? Dawn Wings couldn’t be sure.

The other thing she noticed was that they were inadvertently trying to kill her.

Where the humans used paper currency, or plastic cards to pay for their purchases, the ponies were using metal coins. And not just any metal. Gold.

Every time one of them pulled out a stack of coins, the corax had to desperately resist the urge to fly down and swipe the pretty… shiny… sparkly…

Shaking her head, Dawn Wings forced herself to put the thought out of her mind. As much as she would like to snag a couple of the coins, she knew how bad an idea it would be. Gold was anathema to corax, thanks to their close association with Helios. In her corvid or equus form, it would simply hurt to touch. If she were in her crinos form, it would burn her. Badly.

As she was watching a mint-green mare chatting happily with a grey one, the corax got the distinct impression that she was being watched in turn. Looking around with her peripheral vision, the corax noticed a purple unicorn staring intently at her. Dawn Wings knew that sort of look. It wasn’t a look of intense interest in something mundane. No, it was a look that spoke of deep-seated curiosity and confusion, as though the unicorn were trying to figure her out.

Not liking the way that the mare was looking at her, Dawn Wings invoked her threat detection magic. To her relief, the pony didn’t register as a threat. The corax did make note that there were other potential threats in the town, but as far as this mare was concerned, she was harmless. For now.

Opting to act natural, Dawn wings went back to the business of watching the ponies. But, she kept watch on the unicorn out of the corner of her eyes. Hopefully, the mare would lose interest soon, and leave. Frankly, she didn't like how she was looking at her.

*****

“Hey Twilight!”

“Gah!” Twilight shouted as she jumped into the air in surprise and turned around to find both Pinkie Pie and Rarity standing behind her.

“Oh, hi girls. How’re you?” Twilight said as she tried to get her heart to stop racing.

“Well, other than being a little hungry, we’re alright, darling.” Rarity said. “We’re still on for lunch, correct?”

“Oh Celestia! I totally forgot! Sorry.” Twilight said as her ears lowered in shame.

“Its quite alright dear. Although, you seem sort of distracted.” The white unicorn said.

“Yea.” Pinkie chimed it, “You had your ‘I don’t understand something, and I’m trying to work through it in my head, but I can’t figure it out because I have no idea what I’m looking at and need to consult a book or Princess Celestia about it because this might be something really, really important’ look on your face.”

Twilight didn’t want to question how Pinkie could identify her thoughts by her look, especially in such detail. She also didn’t know if she should tell the girls about the reason she was staring so intently at the raven.

“Uh, well…” Twilght said, scratching the back of her head with a hoof. “Y’see…”

Twilight’s eyes went wide as her detection spell registered the solar energy suddenly and swiftly retreating. Turning around quickly, Twilight saw the raven flying off into the sky and rapidly out of sight.

“Horseapples!” Twilight shouted as she turned to follow, but stopped when she realized that even if she were to teleport after it, the bird had gained too much ground for her to catch up.

“Twilight, please watch your language.” Rarity admonished, pulling Twilight’s attention back to the here and now. “Whatever you’ve got on your mind, it doesn’t require the use of vulgarity.”

Twilight pointedly ignored her as she continued to stare in the direction the raven had flown.

*****

‘Gaia-damned purple horn-headed abomination.’ Dawn Wings grumbled to herself as she flew. ‘What the hell was her problem?’

Flapping her wings to put some distance between her and the market, Dawn Wings thanked her luck that those two other ponies had shown up and distracted the unicorn. She wasn’t sure she was comfortable with how that pony was staring at her.

It mostly had to do with her being a mage.

During her time observing the ponies in the market, she realized something that made her feathers bristle: every one of the unicorns were capable of some sort of magick. After her most recent run in with a mage resulted in her ending up wherever this crazy place was, she was very uncomfortable with the thought of being scrutinized by one of their number.

She’d have to be cautious around that one.

Dawn Wings put the thought out of her mind as she slowed her pace and began to gently glide back towards the forest.

She had a lot of new information to process.

Ch 3 – I think someone could use a lesson in humility

*Canterlot castle*

Dear princess Celestia,

Today, I was able to locate the aberrant bit of solar energy that you felt. While I am pleased to report that the power is not free roaming, and has thus far caused no damage, I have discovered something far stranger.

The solar essence is contained in a living vessel: what appears to be a large raven.

I encountered the bird in the market plaza of Ponyville where it was perched in a tree. Much more than that, I cannot say. The only other thing that I can report is that the moment my attention was diverted from the bird, it quickly flew off, as though it were waiting for me to take my eyes off it before it fled.

This development is both wholly unexpected and unprecedented. I have begun an extensive investigation of all available literature at my disposal to identify any possible prior occurrences of such a creature. I will also continue to observe the bird should it return to town, and report back to you what I find. Or, if my search turns up nothing and you deem it advisable, I will attempt to capture it for study.

I will keep you apprised of any new information I uncover.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

Princess Celestia slowly read and re-read the letter, trying to make sense of it. She hadn’t known what to expect regarding the sun shard, but whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t this.

“Mystery upon mystery.” Celestia said to nopony in particular as she looked back towards Ponyville. “Just what are you, little spark?”

*Ponyville, two days later*

Dawn Wings was slowly gliding along, following her target as she walked down the road. The pony in question was blissfully unaware of the corax tailing her from the sky, and she hoped to keep it that way.

Having made some basic observations about her new home, Dawn Wings had decided to spend a little while exploring the umbra around the forest and town she was observing, as well as practice with her new bodies. While she had made rapid progress on the latter, the former had turned out well, in a way. Though her explorations had confirmed to her that the world outside a few select areas was indeed predominantly aligned with the Weaver, something else had come to light: the spirits in this place had little to no contact with anything from the material world. When she had first approached several of the bird spirits that were allied with Raven back on Gaia, she quickly learned that while the pact was still present here, they had never encountered a wereraven, let alone any shapeshifter.

This startling realization made the corax balk. Was she the only one of her kind on the whole planet? She had assumed that there would be other fera present, and that she would be able to find them once she got acclimated. The thought that she was the only corax, nay, only fera in the world disturbed her greatly. So much so that she had returned from her umbral exploration early to spend some time clearing her head by observing the ponies.

And so it was, that five minutes earlier, as Dawn Wings was flying towards town, she had spotted the youngest member of the apple farmer family. Normally, she wouldn’t have paid the child much mind, but a moment of whimsy had made her decide to follow the filly. So far, she had spent most of her time observing the adults in town. Perhaps it might be worthwhile to spend some time observing the younger generation.

As the little redhead made her way through town, the corax slipped into the comfortable role of observer, and started making mental notes. For one, the filly wasn’t being escorted to wherever she was going by either of her siblings. Could this place so safe that a child could walk through town without worry of being attacked, kidnapped, and/or raped? From what she could tell, it could.

‘A far cry from Los Angeles,’ Dawn Wings thought as she glided along.

Another thing that she noticed was that the filly, unlike most of the adults, lacked one of the strange symbols on her hips. She had noticed this discrepancy when she had first encountered her, but hadn’t paid it much mind. Now, after spending a few days observing the ponies, as well as having found that she also had one of the symbols on her body, Dawn Wings’ curiosity began to shift towards this new mystery.

‘Do they receive those symbols when they reach maturity?’ The corax pondered. ‘How are they produced? I have one, but I just got here. Just one more thing to work out.’

Turning her eyes back down towards the ground, Dawn Wings spotted another young pony approaching the one she was following. This one was a white-silver unicorn with a bi-colored pink and lavender mane and tail, which addressed the normal pony with a friendly wave and greeting. Like the other youngster, she lacked a symbol on her hips.

As the two walked, they were joined by a third, this one an orange pegasus with a magenta mane and tail. Unlike the other two, this newcomer didn’t arrive on foot, but instead made her appearance on a scooter, one that she apparently used the thrust from her wings to drive. Like the other two, she lacked a symbol.

‘Wonder why she’s not flying?’ Dawn Wings thought as she cataloged the new arrival. ‘Is she like a fledgling? Do they not learn to fly until they’re older?’

Dawn Wings smiled slightly as she continued to glide above the three children, a familiar sense of elation filling her as she watched them. ‘So many questions to answer.’

*****

‘Is that a school?’ Dawn Wings pondered as she stared at the large red building ahead of her, which was clearly the three filly’s destination. Looking out across the townscape, the corax saw several other young ponies heading towards the building.

‘Of course it is.’ She thought, rolling her eyes. ‘They’re so much like humans, naturally the little ones would attend school.’

As she looked over the other children approaching the building, Dawn Wings suddenly noticed a discrepancy in her earlier theory: most of the others had hip markings. From their sizes, they all looked like they were probably about the same age.

‘So, adolescence isn’t how one gets a tattoo.’ The corax thought as she flew ahead of the three she’d been following, before landing in a nearby tree. ‘So how do they get one?’

As more of the children approached the school, the corax decided that she should probably take her leave and get back to observing the adults. If she was going to blend in with them eventually, it was unlikely that acting like a child would get her ingrained into the culture.

Dawn Wings was preparing to take off when she heard a heated conversation… no, argument. The exchange was between a new pair of voices and the three she’d been following. Turning back towards the children, the corax noticed that the two new voices belong to a pair of normal pony children. One was a gray filly with two-tone mane and tail that was wearing a large pair of glasses, while the other was a light magenta with a white streaked lilac mane and tail, with a… distractingly… sparkly… crown. Dawn Wings closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down her intense, burning desire to fly down and grab the tantalizing accessory. Bringing her mind back to the subject at hand, these two new children, like many of the others, had symbols.

It was also clear from both their body language and tone of voice that the two newcomers were the ones who had started the conversation, though it clearly wasn’t a friendly one. Where as their posture was sure and even arrogant, the three unmarked fillies were tense, guarded and more than a little agitated, and gave only short, terse responses to the other two.

As the three unmarked children walked past the other two and into the schoolhouse, the crowned one shouted one last remark at the retreating three before smiling viciously and laughing with her companion.

Dawn Wings’ narrowed her eyes and frowned.

‘Looks like not everything here is so nice after all.’ She thought as the two bullies walked towards then into the school building, their arrogant laughter filling the air.

Slowly, her frown twisted up into a devilish smirk. The corax were many things: spies, scouts, emissaries, and messengers. But they were also something else: teachers and tricksters. But, more importantly, she was bored. And nothing alleviated her boredom like a little good old-fashioned object lesson.

If she had been in a cartoon, her lips would have curled up into little spirals along the edge of her mouth as a kernel of mischief planted itself firmly in her brain and began to spread itself through her thoughts.

‘I think someone needs a little dose of humility.’ The corax mused as she began to scheme.

*****

The classroom window provided Dawn Wings with a nice view of the students and teacher inside, one that the wereraven was making full use of as she watched and listened to the lesson being taught. The pony’s language was still incomprehensible to her, but she committed everything she heard to memory, as well as made sure to look over all parts of the room. Schools for students of this age tended to have a lot of basic information about both language and numbers, which was something that the corax was in desperate need of.

Like many corax, Dawn Wings had trained her memory to be nearly flawless, which allowed her to recall details that she had missed the first time. It was a handy skill to have in her line of work. In this instance, she was using it to memorize every detail of the lesson magenta pony teacher was giving. She may not understand them at the moment, but she hoped she would soon.

Eventually, their teacher finished her lesson and dismissed the students, who all happily left the classroom and made their way out to the schoolyard, most of them carrying paper bags or what the wereraven assumed were lunch pails. Soon, the children were all seated at one of the tables or benches, chatting with one another or cheerfully eating their meals.

Still sitting in one of the trees near the schoolhouse, Dawn Wings kept her eyes peeled, looking for her target.

It didn’t take long for the corax to spot her.

‘Now, time to have some fun.’

*****

Applebloom was having a nice lunch. Emphasis on was. Past tense.

After class got out, she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders had hustled to get outside, find a bench and spend some time planning their next attempt to get their cutie marks.

“What about rock climbing?” Scootaloo had suggested as she munched on her daisy sandwich.

“Din’t we ah’lready try that?” Applebloom responded. “Ah still have aches in mah back from how that one ended.”

“We could try oil painting.” Sweetie Belle chirped hopefully. “Rarity took me to an art gallery last week, and…”

“Boring.” Scootaloo dismissed with a wave of her hoof.

“It couldn’t hurt ta try Scoots.” Applebloom said, “Ah don’t think the rock climbin’ thing’s gonna work.”

“Well, do you have any ideas Bloom?” Scootaloo asked as she started on her juice.

“Ah’ve been thinkin’ about it, and ah’d like to try sumthin’ ah saw in one of Zacorah’s books. Ah think it was called her-ball-ism, or sumthin’ like that.” Applebloom said as she tried to recall the word she’d seen in her zebra friend’s book on plants.

“Oh, hello blank flanks. Still trying to get your cutie marks?”

All three Cutie Mark Crusaders’ ears simultaneously flattened against their heads as their eyes narrowed. Letting out a sigh, Applebloom turned towards the offending voice.

“What do you want Tiara?” Applebloom said, the venom in her voice barely contained.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stood next to the table the Crusaders were seated at, their faces wearing the same smug grins that they had worn ever since they started tormenting the three cutie-markless girls.

“Oh, just wondering what you three blank flanks are planning now.” Diamond Tiara said with a sneer. “I doubt it’s going to work, but its still funny to watch you fail.”

“Yea. I mean, how many times have you tried, and how many times have you not only failed, but caused more damage than Discord?” Silver Spoon chimed in.

All three of the Crusaders bristled at the two earth ponies.

“I just hope being a blank flank isn’t contagious.” Diamond Tiara said. “I’d just hate to actually lose my cutie mark after getting it.”

“Like it would matter.” Applebloom retorted, “Ah’ll you’re good at is bein’ a nasty spoiled jerk. Great talent to have if ya’ ah’sk me.”

“At least I have a talent.” Diamond Tiara said with a smug grin. “You losers, on the other hand…”

Diamond Tiara’s tirade was interrupted by a flapping of wings, a gust of air, and a sudden violent jolt on the top of her head that yanked at her hair, causing her to stumble forward. A split second later, a large black shape flew across her line of sight and into one of the nearby trees, which resolved itself into the shape of a large, black bird. Diamond Tiara was stunned for a moment before noticing the glittering object held in the bird’s beak. Lifting her hoof, she felt the top of her head. It was gone. Her tiara was gone. All of the other foals were staring in stunned silence, their eyes were glued to the eagle sized bird that had just swooped down and snatched the accessory of off the earth filly’s head.

“Hey! Give that back you stupid bird!” Diamond Tiara yelled as she ran towards the tree the bird was perched in.

The bird looked down at her, almost as if considering her, before transferring the tiara from it beak to a foot, standing on it and rocking it back and forth while looking Diamond Tiara in the eyes. There was something in the bird’s expression that made the filly certain it was taunting her. Picking up a rock, she threw it at the bird, but missed by a wide margin.

“I said give it back!” Diamond Tiara yelled, throwing another rock, but missing just as badly. Silver Spoon soon cantered up to her friend, and looked up at the bird, before throwing a rock too, trying to get it to drop her friend’s beloved accessory.

Cocking its head to one side, the bird looked down at the two fillies, then started doing something that made Diamond Tiara shriek out in dismay. Slowly, it reached down with its beak… and started violently yanking off the largest gem on the tiara.

“No! No! Stop it right now!” Diamond Tiara shrieked as she threw another rock at the bird, which paid her no mind as it continued to work the gem free.

An eternity of seconds passed for the earth filly as the bird continued to pry at the gem, until it finally came free. Holding the crystal in its beak, the bird turned its head back towards her and made eye contact again. Diamond Tiara could almost feel the contempt in the bird’s eyes as it looked at her. Then, tilting its head back, it swallowed the gem.

Diamond Tiara’s scream could be heard across the playground as the bird began to wrench the next of the gems free. The filly’s shrieks instantly summoned Cheerilee, who came galloping out of the classroom, desperate to see what could have caused one of her precious students such distress. She stopped short as she spotted Diamond Tiara screaming up at one of the trees by the playground.

“Diamond Tiara, what’s wrong?” Cheerilee asked as she cantered up to the screaming filly and Silver Spoon.

“Some bird grabbed Tiara’s tiara. Now it’s tearing it apart.” Silver Spoon said as she pointed to the bird in the tree, which had just finished prying off and swallowing a sixth gem from the accessory, which was now mangled nearly beyond recognition.

Noticing the larger pony’s presence, the bird looked up from its work, and stared at her for a moment. Then, spreading its wings, the bird launched itself from the tree, still holding the mauled tiara in its claws. Diamond Tiara turned and began to chase the fleeing bird, yelling the entire time.

Tiara’s screams abruptly stopped as the bird dropped her stolen accessory, but quickly transformed into dismayed wails when she saw where it had been dropped. The bird, by accident or intent, had dropped the tiara directly into a puddle of thick, brown mud.

The filly slowly approached her ruined tiara before gently reaching down and pulling it from the muck, her tearful eyes trying to assess the damage. As she did, the bird landed on the grass on the edge of the mud puddle, cocking its head and croaking as though trying to make sense of her reaction.

“You stupid bird!” Diamond Tiara screamed as she lunged, only to succeed in slipping and face planting into the thick, sticky mud. With a contemptuous croak, the bird took to the air and flew away, leaving the sobbing earth filly in the muck.

As Cheerilee galloped up to the distraught filly, the entire playground, sans one silver-grey earth filly, burst into laughter.

*****

Looking back over her shoulder, Dawn Wings smirked. Now she just had to wait a couple of hours, and she could finish giving the little bully her lesson. The corax turned sharply and headed back towards the forest.

*After school, the same day*

“Are you feeling any better Tiara?” Silver Spoon asked, concern for her friend evident in her eyes and posture.

“No. Lets just get out of here. The sooner I get home, the sooner I can get my tiara fixed.” The other filly said, looking down at the ground and kicking a rock. “Stupid bird!”

As she passed several other students, she could hear them snickering. Shooting a glare at them, they turned away, though not out of fear. Instead, their eyes held nothing but mirth as they quickly covered their mouths to stifle their giggles, still looking at her out of the corner of their eyes.

Diamond Tiara gritted her teeth as she continued to trot towards the edge of the schoolyard, Silver Spoon trotting to keep up. She was Diamond Tiara, daughter of Filthy Rich. She was one of the most affluent ponies in all of Ponyville. The other foals should fear and respect her. Not laugh at her.

“At least things can’t get any worse.” Diamond Tiara mumbled under her breath.

Just as she was about to reach the edge of the schoolyard, she felt a light impact on the top of her head. Looking up, she saw the black bird from earlier flying toward the fence nearby, landing so that its back was to her. After it landed, the bird turned its head towards the filly and met her eyes. In that instant, Diamond Tiara could almost swear that the insufferable thing was smirking at her. Fuming, she turned away, only to stop when Silver Spoon gasped, while the other foals began to laugh and point.

“Uh, Tiara…” Silver Spoon said as she pointed her hoof at her friend’s head.

A sudden, horrible thought crossed Diamond Tiara’s mind, as she slowly reached her hoof up and touched the top of her head. As she did, she felt something squishy, hot and damp. One that had a few hard, round objects in it. Six of them, to be exact.

‘No. No no no no no!’ The filly screamed internally. ‘It didn’t! That bird didn’t just do what I think it did!’

Withdrawing her hoof, the filly saw a black and white stain on the end of the appendage, along with a dirty, yet glittering, crystal. With dawning horror, the filly recognized the stone. It was one of the gems from her tiara. That the bird had EATEN!

‘It did! Oh Celestia, it did!’ Diamond Tiara’s mind screamed.

“Hay Tiara, glad to see ya got ah’ replacement so quick. It suits ya'.” A familiar voice yelled from across the yard. Looking up, Diamond Tiara gritted her teeth as she spotted Applebloom and her friends snickering.

Something in the filly’s mind snapped.

“I’m going to kill you, you stupid bird!” The filly screamed as she took off galloping towards the offending avian.

The bird almost nonchalantly took off as Diamond Tiara charged at it, lazily gliding along near the ground with an almost contemptuous casualness.

“Get back here! I’m going to pluck every feather off your body!” Diamond Tiara yelled as she ran blindly towards the bird.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t paying attention to anything in her path other than the bird. It was unfortunate, because by accident or design, the bird had flown over another large mud puddle. One that Diamond Tiara ran straight into before slipping, and skidding, face first through the muck before coming to an abrupt stop in the middle, her body covered in grime. All of her anger evaporating, the earth filly simply laid there in the mud for an eternity of seconds, her mind all but shutting down. Then, throwing back her head, she let out an ear-splitting scream as tears began to run down her face.

All at once, the dam broke and every foal (other than Silver Spoon) within eye-shot burst out laughing. Even the bird’s croaking call seemed to resemble laughter as it circled above the wailing filly.

*****

Turning to leave, Dawn Wings looked back down at the screaming child one last time before flying off.

‘Maybe now that she’s gotten a taste of being picked on, she’ll think twice about doing it to others.’ The corax thought to herself as she calmly glided back towards the forest.

*Ponyville Post office, some time later*

“Thank you, Ditzy.” Twilight said as she picked up her parcel from the mail mare.

“You’re welcome. Have a good day.” The walleyed pegasus said cheerfully as she waved goodbye to the other pony.

Stowing her parcel in her saddlebag, the purple unicorn began to head back to the library, her mind already turning back to the task at hoof. After she’d exhausted most of the books in her own collection, which dealt predominantly with the mythology of the pony races, she sent a request to the royal library for a few volumes on non-pony mythology. The tomes she had just acquired covered a few of the more common griffon and minotaur myths. Perhaps a clue about the solar raven might be buried in one of them.

As she was making her way through town, Twilight spotted three familiar fillies, all of who were clearly in very good spirits. All three had a decided spring in their step, and almost manic grins on their faces as they walked.

‘Knowing those three,’ Twilight thought ‘I’d better check to make sure this isn’t going to result in a house getting blown up.’

“Hi girls. What’s got you in such a good mood?” Twilight said as she approached the Crusaders.

“Oh, hai Twilight.” Applebloom responded, “Nothin’ much. Just ah really good day at school.”

“That’s good. What happened?” The purple unicorn said, raising an eyebrow as she looked at the girls.

“Well,” Scootaloo began, “it started off pretty boring. But the cool part of the day started when we were having lunch, planning our next Crusading activities…”

Twilight winced ‘Of course. I better warn Rarity and Applejack.’

“But then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came up and started being mean.” Sweetie Belle continued. “We were mostly ignoring them when…”

“When this big ol’ black bird just came ah swoopin’ out of the sky an’ yanked the tiara right off Diamond Tiara’s head.” Applebloom said with a flourish of her hooves, illustrating the swooping motion of the bird.

Twilight’s mind suddenly stalled. ‘It couldn’t be.’ Regaining her composure, the unicorn looked at Applebloom.

“Then what?”

*****

“That’s… an interesting story girls. And after Diamond Tiara fell in the mud a second time, the raven just flew off?” Twilight said as the girls finished telling her the story.

“What’s a raven?” Sweetie Belle asked, looking at Twilight quizzically.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of bird that you saw.” Twilight said, the gears churning in her brain. “They’re not usually found around here.”

“Are they all as cool as this one?” Scootaloo said, her ears perking up.

“No, I think this one’s special.” Twilight said. If it was the same raven she was thinking of, it was really special.

“Well, whatever it was, I like it. I hope we get to see it again.” Scootaloo declared, getting an enthusiastic nod from the other two CMCs.

Keeping her expression as normal as possible, Twilight smiled at the girls. “Well, if you do see it again, would you please come tell me? I’d be interested in seeing it too.”

“Sho thin’ Twilight.” Applebloom said with a smile.

“Good. Now, you girls run along. And try to stay out of trouble.” The elder unicorn said.

“Yes ma’am.” The three fillies said in unison before scampering off.

Twilight watched the girls for a minute before she turned back towards the library.

‘Just what are you?’ Twilight thought, her mind trying to figure out the bird’s actions.

Ch 4 – Alright flygirl, lets dance

*Canterlot*

Dear Princess Celestia,

The solar raven made another appearance in town today, though I was not witness to its activities. And, I must say, its actions indicate that it may be much more than a “simple” animal. After hearing an account of its actions from three of the local fillies (an account I later corroborated by interviewing a few of the other foals), I’ve come to believe that this strange creature is, in fact, intelligent, possibly to the point of sentience.

My reasoning for this is simple. Earlier today, the solar raven humiliated one of the fillies at Ponyville Elementary School. The attack on the filly was calculated and methodical, and seemed to target her specifically. The bird stole an object from the filly, damaged it, and then discarded it in a place that resulted in the filly being covered in mud. Had the incident ended at that, I might have chalked it up to coincidence.

However, the raven later returned to the school and proceeded to target the same filly again, resulting in her being tricked into a second pool of mud.

What is of note is that the foal targeted, one Diamond Tiara, is a notorious bully who routinely picks on the three fillies I questioned. From their account, the bird initiated its attack soon after she had begun to taunt the other foals.

I’m not sure what to make of this. Was the bird targeting Diamond Tiara specifically? With the two-staged nature of the attack, as strange as it sounds, I’m inclined to think so.

What is of note is that while this was clearly an attack, the bird did not do any actual physical harm to the filly, merely humiliated her. I’ve included an account in a separate document for you to assess.

So far, none of my research has turned up any material pertaining to any recorded instance, myth or legend of anything resembling this creature. In an effort to determine exactly what this creature is, I will attempt to discover exactly where it goes when it leaves Ponyville.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

Celestia set down the letter, as well as the document covering the testimony of the witnesses. As she did, she furrowed her brow, narrowed her eyes, and felt a small, tight frown forming on her face. This creature was becoming more perplexing by the day. Its disappearances and reappearances were one thing, but the possibility that it was self-aware further raised the stakes. If this creature was indeed sentient, then its attack on one of her little ponies raised further questions.

Lifting a quill in her golden magic, Princess Celestia began to compose a response to Twilight.

*Golden Oaks library*

One enchanted burst of dragonfire later, Twilight Sparkle unraveled and read Princess Celestia’s response.

My faithful student,

I feel that it would be best if you continued to observe this “solar raven”, as you call it, as cautiously as possible. If this creature is indeed self-aware, then provoking it would not be beneficial to our attempts to understand it. If you can covertly determine where it goes when it leaves Ponyville, I would encourage you to do so.

Best regards,

Princess Celestia

“Well, what’s up Twi?” Spike said as he tried to get a look at the letter.

“Spike, I’m going to be out for most of the day.” The purple unicorn said as she rolled up the scroll and set it on her desk; a desk covered with dozens of folklore, history and mythology texts she’d been pouring through in an attempt to track down any information on her quarry.

“Going to look for that bird again?” Spike said as he crossed his arms and cocked his head, looking Twilight in the eyes.

“Yea. Wish me luck.” Twilight said as she started heading downstairs and towards the door.

“Good luck.” Spike said, before turning back to the piles of books Twilight had been pouring through. “Well, better get these organized for when she gets back.”

And with that Twilight’s number one assistant metaphorically rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

*Ponyville Market, four hours later*

Once again, Dawn Wings had found herself a nice, comfortable perch in the market, this time concealed in the branches a large oak. So far, she’d manage to avoid detection, and she planned to keep it that way.

She was starting to get a sense of the pony’s language, and had begun to pick out certain repeated sounds, as well as begin figuring out their monetary system. It would still be some time before she could understand them, but it was a start.

She was also starting to get a sense of how these “people” operated. For the most part, their culture gave the corax an impression of genial egalitarianism, with an undertone of civic responsibility. Each pony appeared to be part of the whole, performing a function that was responsible for ensuring the entire town continued to operate. Despite this, there seemed to be little to no prejudice between the races. Though the normal ponies were by far the most common, they didn’t seem to be treated any different by the other two species. The pegasi were much the same, as were the unicorns.

‘These ponies really are… like overly sappy, four legged humans.’ The corax mused to herself as she watched the blond apple farmer and her little sister working at their stall. ‘Heh, if they weren’t almost painfully saccharine, I think I might actually be able to like them.’

Flexing her wings, and fluffing out her feathers, the corax settled back down to continue her vigil. Unbeknown to her, around the corner of one of the adjacent buildings, a certain purple unicorn was watching her with an equal amount of interest as she had in watching the ponies.

*****

Twilight Sparkle’s hunch had paid off, and her detection spell had found the solar raven in the market again. Unlike the fist time she found the thing, she kept out of sight around the corner of one of the buildings. With the knowledge that the creature was intelligent, she was taking no chance that it would spot her, and ruin her opportunity to follow it back to wherever it went.

“Hey Twilight! What’cha doing?”

Twilight Sparkle’s heart jumped into her throat for the second time in a week as another pony snuck up on her. Whirling around and shoving her hoof into the mouth of a certain rainbow maned pegasus, Twilight began shushing her friend intensely.

“Rainbow Dash, be quiet.” Twilight whispered to her friend as she slowly removed her hoof.

“Why? What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash asked, not bothering to lower her voice.

“Keep it down Rainbow. I’m watching that.” Twilight hissed as she peaked around the corner of the building to point at one of the trees along the edge of the market. Rainbow Dash hovered above her friend, looked at the tree, then at Twilight, once more at the tree, then finally back to the unicorn, before she raised her eyebrow.

“What?” Rainbow Dash asked. “The tree.”

“No, not the tree. The bird that’s in the tree.” Twilight corrected.

Looking at the tree again, the pegasus strained to spot the bird that Twilight was going on about. At first, she couldn’t see it, then, she could make out the outline of a large, black bird.

“Okay. Looks like a crow. What’s the big deal?” Rainbow said, her tone a mix of confusion and concern.

“It’s not a crow, it’s a raven.” Twilight corrected. “And it’s not a normal raven.”

Without turning her head, Rainbow looked back at the tree, and the ~~crow~~ raven. Slowly, she turned her eyes back to Twilight, who was still crouching behind the corner of the building, her eyes locked on the tree and its avian occupant.

“Twilight… I know this is going to sound really strange coming from me… but have you ever considered switching to decaff?” Rainbow said, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at the purple unicorn.

Twilight turned her eyes up towards the pegasus hovering above her, her eyelids narrowing in annoyance. “Rainbow, I’m not over caffeinated… again. That thing’s not a normal bird. For one, its intelligent…”

“And you know this how?”

“Well, its been hanging around town for the last week or so, but it mostly just sits around and watches everypony. Second, it went after a filly yesterday…” Twilight began.

“Wait, went after a filly?” Rainbow interrupted, “Seriously? That’s the bird that went after Diamond Tiara?”

Twilight’s mouth fell open.

“How do you know about that?” Twilight asked.

“Scootaloo told me about it.” Rainbow Dash replied, tuning her head back towards the tree. “From the way she described it, she makes it sound like some sort of super-bird or something.”

“It just might be, and that’s what I’m trying to figure out Dash.” Twilight retorted. As she did with Rarity and Pinkie, she chose to omit the fact that the bird was imbued with solar energy. Solar energy that was starting to move away.

Turning her head, Twilight spotted the raven flying off.

‘Ponyfeathers!’ Twilight thought. ‘Its going to get away again. But, maybe…’ her thoughts trailed off as she looked up at Rainbow Dash.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, think you could tail that bird for me?” Twilight said, a sweet smile on her face.

“Uh, why?”

“I need to know where it goes when it leaves town. Its important.”

“If it’s so important, why aren’t you following it?” Rainbow said, crossing her forelegs and looking intensely at Twilight.

“I can’t fly. It can. Even if I tried teleporting after it, I couldn’t keep up for long. But you could. Please, Rainbow, I really need you to do this.” Twilight pleaded, walking out from under Rainbow Dash and giving her a forlorn look.

“Twlight, I really don’t…” Rainbow Dash said as she scratched the back of her head and looked away.

Twilight glanced at the bird, which was rapidly disappearing towards the horizon. Soon, it’d vanish again, and she’d be back to square one. She had to get Rainbow to follow it. As much as she disliked doing it, she had to play dirty.

“Oh, okay. I understand. You can’t do it.” Twilight said, turning away, “I guess it’s too tough for you.”

The change in Rainbow Dash was almost instantaneous. Her head snapped back towards Twilight, eyes narrowed. “Care to repeat that.” The pegasus hissed.

“I said it’s probably too tough for you to handle. Following that bird without being seen would be too hard for you. It’s okay. Sorry I brought it up.” Twilight said as she turned to walk away. She got two steps before she had a very blue, very cross, pegasus in her face.

“Oh it is on. You don’t think I can track that bird down? I’ll show you.” Rainbow said as she pressed her hoof into Twilight’s chest before launching herself into the sky and speeding off after the retreating bird.

‘That felt…really wrong.’ Twilight thought to herself as she watched her friend speed off. Lowering her head and pressing her ears against her skull, she began to trot back towards the treebrary.

‘I think I need a shower.’ She thought to herself dejectedly.

*****

Dawn Wings mood was… not as good as it was ten minutes ago.

‘Okay, what the hell is up with that unicorn?’ She thought as she briskly flew over the rooftops of the town. She’d been minding her own business, not bothering anyone, when she heard a voice she recognized from behind her. Looking back, she had seen a blur of purple duck behind a building near the edge of the market, and begin a hushed conversation with a second, slightly rougher voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the unicorn pop around the building and point at her. Seconds later, a second pony popped its head around the building, this one blue with a disheveled, rainbow colored mane.

If she still had hands, she would have started rubbing her temples, because she recognized the purple mare from the day before. It was the same unicorn that had shown an uncomfortable amount of interest in her. The other pony was passingly familiar too: she was one of the pegasi the corax had seen manipulating the clouds around town. Did the unicorn have minions or something? She’d put the thought out of her mind, and prepared to at least try to get some more observation done.

But, the unicorn’s voice had irritated her to the point where she didn’t want to stick around. So, she’d left.

‘I think I’m going to find a new place to do my observations. I don’t want to keep running into that damn mage.’ Dawn Wings grumbled in her mind as she flew.

As she glided along towards the edge of town, she felt a familiar itch in the back of her mind. It was a sensation that she was all too familiar with. One honed by years of experience in the field: the sensation of being followed. Grumbling, she slowed her flight and invoked her power to detect enemies. As before, she felt the presence of several potential threats in the town, but none in her immediate vicinity.

‘Unicorn didn’t set any bells off the first time either, so can’t be sure that it isn’t her.’ The corax thought as she sped up and changed direction, flying directly west and back over town. As she did, she flicked her eyes around and scanned both the ground and the sky for anything out of the ordinary.

At first, she couldn’t find anything. But, after some time, she did notice something that caused her to raise an “eyebrow.” One of the clouds seemed to be following her.

‘Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay… this is new.’ The corax mused.

Landing on the roof of one of the houses, the corax glanced back at the cloud out of the corner of her eyes. ‘Not moving.’ She thought before taking to the sky again, keeping the cloud in her peripheral vision. Sure enough, as soon as she began to fly, the cloud began to follow her.

Sighing, Dawn Wings pulled her power into her eyes and activated her sight enhancement gift. Vision now empowered, she cast a quick glance back at the cloud. With her augmented sight, she could see through the suspended vapor, and spotted the blue, rainbow maned pegasus hiding inside it.

Dawn Wings’ eye twitched.

‘Well, that’s just great.’ She thought. ‘I bet that mage is behind this. Well, can’t head back to the forest now.

‘I suppose I could just duck out of sight and step sideways. She couldn’t follow me then.’

As she was musing, an idea struck her.

‘Or, I could mess with her a bit. I could use the entertainment.’

A sly grin made its way onto the corax’s face as she glanced back at the cloud.

‘Yea. Alright Crayons, lets play.’

Swooping down between a couple of buildings into a blind alley, the wereraven made sure that the cloud didn’t have a line of sight to her. Then, focusing her mind on passing through the gauntlet and flexing her spiritual power, she stepped sideways into the umbra and began to double back around behind the pegasus.

*****

“Hey, where’d it go?” Rainbow Dash said as she moved the cloud over the building the bird had slipped behind, and noticed that it was gone. There was no cover to hide behind, and there was only one way out that she could see.

‘What in Celestia’s name? How’d it get past me?’ Dash thought as she popped out of and then stood on top of the cloud, looking around for the bird. Despite her frantic searching, she couldn’t find beak nor feather of the thing.

“Argh! Darn it! Where’d you go?” Dash said as she stomped her hoof on the cloud, causing it to rumble slightly.

There came a sudden flapping of wings, followed by a light breeze on the back of her neck, and a sudden weight on top of her head. Looking up, she found herself staring directly into the upside-down face of the very bird she had been following. Rainbow’s brain de-railed for a second as the two of them just continued to stare at each other, the bird giving her an almost smug look as it perched on top of her head. The pegasus could almost swear that it was smirking at her as it stared into her eyes with its own black ones.

Giving her one last look, the bird launched itself off her head and began to lazily glide towards Whitetail Woods. Rainbow was too stunned to follow, until the bird looked back at her and made an almost imperceptible shake of its head in the direction of the trees. For a second, the pegasus could swear that it was beckoning her to follow it. No, it was more than that. It was daring her to chase it.

Slowly, a smile crept across her face as the bird landed in a tree on the edge of the woodland, and looked back at her, before repeating the gesture and flying between the trees.

“So you want to play? Alright, lets play.” Rainbow Dash said as a smirk grew on her muzzle before she launched herself off the cloud, a rainbow colored contrail forming behind her. “Lets see you get away from the fastest flier in Equestria.”

*****

Dawn Wings dove between a couple of elms and into a tight thicket of brush, and out of sight of her dance partner. Peeking out of from between the branches, she could see the pegasus flying around, her magenta eyes scanning the vegetation for her. Dawn Wings had to suppress a smirk as the pegasus flew past her hiding place and off to the north.

When she challenged the pegasus, she had thought that it would be easy to outrun her in the trees, since she was sure that as a flier, she’d be both faster an more maneuverable. As it turned out, she was wrong on both cases. Despite being more than eight times Dawn Wings’ size, the blue pegasus was proving to be both far faster, and more agile in the air than she was. Since she'd been using her own flight abilities in equus form as a measure, it was a reasonable mistake.

But that didn’t change the fact that speed and agility weren’t the only advantage corax had on her side.

While it was true that the pegasus was faster than her, and could maneuver in the air in a way that made Dawn Wings think she had to be part hummingbird, she was also sloppy and brash, and didn’t use what she had as efficiently as she could have. This was the edge that Dawn Wings had been using to keep ahead of the pegasus. The pony might be faster, but the corax was clearly the far more experienced flier of the two, and had much finer control of her movements in the air, even without the use of her gifts. And that made all the difference.

At first, she had planned to tease and rile up the pegasus, using the trees to keep her off balance. But, as they played cat and mouse through the woods, Dawn Wings realized that she was actually starting to have fun evading the pagasus as she tried to catch the stealthy corax. After being by herself for nearly a week, Dawn Wings was lonely. And even if she wasn’t exactly talking to her tag partner, it was nice to interact with another living thing again. And from what she could tell of the pegasus’s body language, she was starting to enjoy herself too.

Spotting her playmate through the trees, Dawn Wings launched herself into the air, her sudden movement drawing the pegasus’s attention. Turning sharply, the flying pony rushed after the wereraven as the latter headed towards another thick stand of trees. Dawn Wings smiled to herself as she dodged the pony’s attempt to grab her and wheeled back around, flying through a narrow gap in the branches as the pegasus turned to pursue. She was going to enjoy this game as long as possible.

*****

Despite her mounting frustration, Rainbow Dash had found herself starting to grow fond of this little game of cat and mouse she was playing with the bird. At first, she had been sure that she wouldn’t have any problem keeping up with the raven. She was, as everypony should know, the fastest flier in Equestria. But, as it turned out, despite her speed and prodigious maneuverability advantage, she just couldn’t seem to actually catch the dang thing.

At first, the bird simply would fly through thickets and brambles too narrow for her to follow. It had clearly been surprised when she had been able to speed around such obstacles and meet it on the other side. It was then that the raven had seemed to switch tactics, and become almost mockingly playful with her. It would suddenly evade her and vanish from sight, only to let her catch a glimpse of it again once she was far enough away that she couldn’t just rush it.

She was also starting to realize that Twilight was right about the thing: it was smart. And, as much as she was loath to admit it, it was clearly very good in the air, to the point that it could evade her whenever she got close.

And it was also clear to the pegasus that what had started as a pursuit on her part had somehow morphed into a game. One, she realized, that the bird was winning. That thought alone made her want to keep playing. If there was one thing Rainbow Dash loved more than flying, it was winning. And she was going to win this game. No way was she going to let a mere bird, no matter how smart, get the better of her.

Unfortunately, she’d lost track of it again, and was currently flying between the trees, trying to spot the elusive black bird.

“C’mon, where’d you go beak face…?” Dash muttered to herself as she scanned the area, trying to spot her dance partner. As a glint of glossy black feathers bolting from cover to her left drew her eyes, she turned her head to see the bird slipping into a thicket of birch trees. Smiling and narrowing her eyes, the blue pegasus twisted in the air and sped off after the feeling bird.

“One way or another, I’m going to catch you. Just you wait.”

*Five minutes later*

Rainbow Dash had her target in sight. Having lost track of the bird a couple of minutes before, she had spent them searching for her avian playmate before spotting it again, standing near the edge of a large pond. By this point, Rainbow had given up on trying to rush the raven, as it proved to be far to adept at evading her if she gave it space.

Instead, she quietly landed a few yards away, and, crouching low to the ground, began to creep up on it with almost cat-like grace. For its part, the bird didn’t appear to have noticed her, instead looking up at the trees, clearly expecting her to be coming from above. Good. Just a little closer, and she would be able to rush it. Just a little closer…and…

Rainbow Dash pounced, launching herself forward, forelegs outstretched, ready to grab the raven. Yet, at the last second, the bird made a sharp down stroke with its wings and rose just millimeters above her grasp. Unable to arrest her movement quickly enough, Rainbow Dash landed face first in the pond.

“Ack! Pbht! Argh!” Rainbow sputtered as she flailed around, trying to re-orient herself in the water. After a few seconds of struggling, she managed to stop herself from panicking and turned around to look at the bird.

There was that smug look again. The same one it had given her when they first started to play this game. But, mixed in with it was a small amount of concern.

“Buck you!” Rainbow said with narrowed eyes as she splashed water at the bird, which easily dodged out of the way with a quick flap of its wings. Landing, it cocked its head from one side to the other.

Plopping down, Rainbow couldn’t help but start laughing. Here she was, soaked to the skin, sitting in a pond in the middle of the Whitetail Woods, getting angry at a bird that had just clearly tricked her into taking a face first dive into said pond, and all she could do was laugh.

The laugher was clearly contagious, because the bird lowered its head and began to lightly croak deep in its throat, almost as though it were chuckling.

It was at that moment that Rainbow struck, launching herself out of the pond and, at long last, managing to snatch the raven, which made a startled croak, up in her forelegs.

“Gotcha!” Rainbow declared, staring the stunned avian right in the eyes, a giant grin spreading itself across her face.

The bird looked at her dumbly for a moment, but then closed its eyes and nodded, as though it were conceding to her.

“Haha! I win. I win! I gotcha! Haha! Still the best out there.” Rainbow dash chortled, without losing her grip on the sneaky creature in her hooves. It had taken nearly an hour, but she’d finally managed to catch the thing.

Rainbow’s celebration was suddenly cut short when the raven lifted its beak up and, with deliberate gentleness, tickled the inside of her nostril with the tip of its beak.

“Ah-ah-ATCHOO!” Rainbow sneezed, causing her grip to loosen, allowing the bird to fly free and land in the branches of a nearby tree.

Wiping her nose with her forehoof to work out the last few remnants of the tickling from the bird’s beak, Rainbow Dash looked up at the raven, their eyes meeting. The two of them just stood there, staring at one another. There was something new being born between the two as they looked deeply into the other. A feeling of respect.

‘What exactly are you?’ Rainbow thought to herself as she stared the raven in the eyes. Twilight was right. There was something special about it.

It was the raven that made the first move. Flying down to the edge of water across the pond, Rainbow Dash watched intently as it picked up a small, whitish stone in its beak and flew back over to her. Taking a few steps forward, the bird dropped the cloudy crystal about four hooflengths away from the pegasus, before backing up. Then, spreading its wings, it bowed to her, lowing its head and closing its eyes, before rising back up and looking at her.

Rainbow cautiously approached the stone, before picking it up with a hoof. It wasn’t anything special: just a simple piece of white quartz. But, somehow, the gift signified something both much more profound and intimately touching.

“Uh…thank…you.” Rainbow said, her eyes moving back and forth between the stone and the bird.

Croaking once, the raven launched itself into the air, and flew over the pegasus’s head. As Rainbow Dash turned to look behind her, she was surprised to find that she couldn’t see beak nor feather of the raven. Somehow, in a span of mere seconds, it had vanished into thin air.

*****

In the umbra, Dawn Wings looked back over her shoulder towards the direction she had left the pegasus. Despite her aching muscles, she was happy. Sure, she was spent, but she had enjoyed herself. And, maybe, just maybe, she had found a potential friend in the blue pegasus. Flying up and out of the umbral woodland, Dawn Wings began to make her way back towards the thick forest she’d started to call home.

‘Glad I can regenerate.’ She thought to herself. ‘Otherwise I’d be crazy sore tomorrow.’

*That evening, in Ponyville*

There was a knock at the door, one that caused Twilight Sparkle to look up sharply from her books.

“Come in!” She called before turning back to the volume she was currently examining.

“Hey Twi.” Rainbow Dash called as she trotted into the treebrary.

“Rainbow! How’d it go?” Twilight asked excitedly as she set the book down and walked towards her athletic friend.

“I’m… not sure… exactly…” Rainbow Dash said, her face conflicted, as she looked down at a small piece of quartz in her right hoof.

“What do you mean? Did you manage to follow the raven?” Twilight asked, her head tilting to the side as she studied the expression on Rainbow’s face.

“Yea, about that. Its kinda a long story.” The pegasus said, lifting her head and looking towards the unicorn. “It started when I lost track of the bird as I was following it…”

One explanation later, and both Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash were staring down at the rough piece of crystal the latter still had in her hoof.

“That’s… almost unbelievable Rainbow.” Twilight finally said.

“Well, unbelievable or not, that’s what happened.” Rainbow said quietly, looking up at her friend. “I think you’re right. Whatever that bird is, its smart. Really smart.” She said before chuckling. “And it’s got a sense of humor too. I hope I get the chance to meet it again. I’d love to have a rematch.”

Twilight could only stare at her friend. Then, a small smile crept across her face.

“I’m sure you will Rainbow.” Twilight finally said as she turned back towards her books. “Thanks again for doing this for me. I appreciate it.”

“No problem Twi. What’re friends for?” Rainbow Dash said as she trotted up to the other pony and patted her on the shoulder with a wing. “I hope you’ll let me help out again next time it shows up.”

“Yea.” Twilight said as she began to add new notes to her document on the solar raven. “You can count on it.”

Ch 6 – I wish I could join in…

Twilight and Spike both entered the tree-hut as their eyes came to rest on the brick-red pegasus sitting on the opposite side of the main room. As they entered, the mare set down her drinking gourd and turned her head to look at them, her expression mostly neutral, but with an icy edge to it that made Twilight shiver, as though a cold wind had just blown across her back. Twilight did her best to keep her own jaw from dropping, since her solar detection spell was telling her that the pegasus was the source of the energy.

Then Twilight met her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes. She’d never seen anypony with eyes that color before. But it was more than just their unusual color. There was an intensity to them that made Twilight feel small, as though everything about her was being scrutinized and cataloged. It was a glare that she felt down to her bones.

After a few seconds of simply looking at one another, the pegasus huffed through her nostrils and turned back to her tea, as though she didn’t want to acknowledge Twilight’s presence any more than she already had.

“That was weird.” Spike said to Twilight, as he watched the pegasus pointedly ignoring the two of them.

“Yea.” Twilight replied before turning to her zebra friend, “Zecora, you know what that was all about?”

Zecora shook her head “I honestly cannot say why she is acting this way. Towards me she was nothing but civil and polite. I can’t imagine why she would snub you outright.”

“Maybe she just didn’t like Spike and I interrupting you two.” Twilight said, her voice hopeful. “Do you think that, perhaps, you could introduce us?”

“We can try, though it would be best for us to not pressure my guest. She was troubled earlier when we met, so I’d prefer not to make her any more upset.” Zecora replied, leaving it unspoken that the way that Dawn Wings’ roho had reacted earlier put the shaman on edge. Zecora pondered how to properly introduce Twilight and Spike to the pegasus, who for whatever reason, didn’t seem to be terribly friendly towards the unicorn.

“If you are to join us, I need to make more tea. Stay back till I signal, then you can join me.” Zecora said as she began to trot over to the table. Dawn Wings’ eyes flicked over towards her as she approached. Noticing it was Zecora, she smiled slightly between sips and let out a light breath. Tapping the kettle, then subtly flicking her head back towards Twilight and Spike, Zecora did her best to indicate that there would be two more joining them. Dawn Wings simply shrugged. Nodding, Zecora picked up the kettle and headed back towards the pantry, where she began to brew a second pot of tea. As the infusion began to boil, she pulled out a few more fruits from her larder and, and once the drink was done, made her way back to the table. As she did, she picked up two more drinking gourds and set two more places.

As soon as she had set the spots for Twilight and Spike, Zecora looked at the newcomers, noting that the unicorn was fidgeting slightly as she waited, as though she were either agitated or eager to meet the pegasus. Mentally rolling her eyes, she nodded, and they began to approach the table. Taking her seat between the pegasus and zebra, Twilight attempted to break the ice, “Um…hi. My name is Twilight Sparkle. What’s yours?”

The pegasus didn’t respond other than by looking at her briefly and casually beginning to eat a piece of fruit.

“Uh…” Twilight said, slightly taken aback.

“Excuse me. She asked you a question. You could at least answer her.” He said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

The pegasus looked at the young dragon, sighed, and continued to eat, not bothering to respond.

“Hey, speak up!” Spike said, his voice growing in irritation.

“Mwiba, unaweza kupitamatunda?” Zecora said to Spike.

“What?” He asked.

“I asked you simply to pass the fruit to me.” The shaman said.

“Uh, okay.” The drake replied as he reched over and passed the bowl to Zecora. “But, why did you say it like that? I couldn’t understand you.”

“To make a point young drake. She did not understand Twilight’s words any more than you did those I spoke in Zebrican.” Zecora said before she took a bite of the peach she had plucked from the fruit bowl.

“What? She doesn’t speak Equestrian?” Twilight asked, her head cocking to the side as she looked at the pegasus out of the corner of her eye.

Dawn Wings, despite keeping a polite and calm outer appearance, was starting to feel extremely anxious. It had little to do with the proximity of the mage. As annoying as she was becoming, she’d yet to cross the threshold into being a threat, and the corax had been on enough infiltration missions to know how to manage her annoyance when she needed to keep a low profile.

No, she was anxious because they were holding a conversation, and she couldn’t get involved. Corax, despite their predisposition to working alone, were social creatures, with an irritating (according to the other fera) habit of really liking to talk. A lot. Dawn Wings wanted to participate so badly. She hadn’t been able to talk to anyone in over a week, and it was starting to get to her. But, the language barrier made it impossible for her to get involved.

She sighed internally as she took another sip of her tea.

‘Why’d this blasted royal purple pain in my tail feathers have to butt in. I was having such a nice time with Zecora, but then she had to show up and help remind me that I can’t even hold a Wyrm-blighted conversation. And why in Gaia’s name is she even here to begin with? Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is stalking.’ She grumbled internally as she lifted her tea again.

As the three others at the table exchanged words with each other and she stewed, an idea popped into her head. ‘Even if I can’t talk to them, I might as well get something out of this.’

As a corax, Dawn Wings had many mystical gifts taught to her by the spirits. Unlike the garou, whose gifts were mostly meant for combat, her’s were meant to aid in gathering information. And there was one in particular that she really loved, both because it got her dirt on people, and because it gave her a way to determine the character of whoever it was she used it on.

‘Lets see what sort of secrets you’re hiding little miss mage.’ Dawn Wings thought as she sipped her tea and activated the gift, focusing its power onto the purple unicorn across the table.

Zecora’s eyes flicked towards the pegasus as she felt Dawn Wings’ roho flare again, though this time it wasn’t the hostile flaring that she had felt before. Instead, it was similar to flaring she had felt when she first met the pegasus, except this time, no wave of roho sweapt past her. Instead, she could sense a thin strand of roho energy reach out and touch Twilight’s own roho.

‘Strange, its true. What did she just do.’ The shaman thought as she sensed the spiritual bridge between Dawn Wings and Twilight pull back into the pegasus’s body.

Suddenly, the pegasus quietly chuckled to herself and took another sip of her tea. Both Twilight and Spike looked at her.

“Uh…what?” Spike said, looking at Twilight, who had her head cocked to the side as she tried out figure out what just happened.

*A second earlier, in Dawn Wings’ mind’s eye*

Dawn Wings was flying through a mist-shrouded woodland, her wings creating small eddies in the vapor as she glided just above the ground. She was looking for something. She knew it was around here somewhere; she just had to push on and find it. Flying onward, she continued to search, her eyes darting around constantly.

Then, she saw it.

It was a tree. But not just any tree. Unlike the others, it’s bark was pitch black, and from its branches were four or five small, ice-blue, teardrop shaped fruits. The tree itself was surrounded by a tangle of thick, thorny vines that covered the ground, creating a nearly impenetrable barrier to anyone without the power of flight. She flew over this briar hedge and landed in the upper most branches.

“Few secrets on this one.” Dawn Wings thought, “Well, lets see what we’ve got.”

Reaching out with her beak, the corax grabbed the fruit nearest the top of the tree and plucked it free. As she tilted her head back, she swallowed it whole and closed her eyes. An instant later, her eyes shot open as blue light flooded out of them. The woodland evaporated, and she found herself seeing the world from the mage’s perspective.

She was moving down a stone corridor, lined with dozens of antiques and carpeted with some very expensive looking rugs. There was a spring in her step as she made her way along her chosen route.

“I hope Shining and Cadance are doing okay.” She said to herself as she made her way along the corridor, her eyes darting to the scroll levitating next to her. “I bet Shiny’s going to love this old shield spell I found in the Great Library. It’ll help improve his own shield’s efficiency by at least 15%.”

Dawn Wings raised a metaphorical eyebrow. This…was strangely dull. How could this be a deep, dark secret? Metaphysically shrugging, she continued to watch through the unicorn’s eyes.

Rounding the corner, the unicorn saw the door to the room she was seeking. Pushing it open just a crack to check if her brother was in, she froze.

Across the room, there was a large, male unicorn with blue hair and white fur bound up, and hanging from the ceiling in some sort of series of ropes (which Dawn Wings recognized as a kinbaku-style bindings), with a large red ball attached to a gag in his mouth. Across from him, the unicorn could see another pony, this one apparently a hybrid of both unicorn and pegasus, wearing a form-fitting black silk outfit that covered the majority of her pink fur, but didn’t hide her multi-colored pastel hair and tail. She also wore a black domino mask over her eyes, and had a riding crop levitating in a blue aura off to her side.

The unicorn’s hoof shot up to her mouth. ‘Big brother? Cadance? What are they…oh dear Celestia, are they really?’

“Alright little colt!” The masked pink pony snarled, swinging the riding crop downward with a crack, “You’ve been a very naughty boy! Are you ready for your punishment!”

The male unicorn, raising his head and looking at the pink pegasus/unicorn, nodded before lowering his head, gazing at her with anticipation. As the pink pony advanced on him, the purple unicorn turned and silently bolted down the corridor, dropping the scroll she was carrying for her brother as the blood rose in her cheeks.

‘Oh Celestia! I didn’t see that! I didn’t see that! I didn’t see that!’ She shrieked internally as she ran further and further through the castle corridors, her mind both horrified and subtly turned on by what she’d just seen. And how good Cadance looked in that outfit.

*Zecora’s tree, the present*

Dawn Wings body was taking a sip of her tea as her mind completed the instantaneous replay of the secret her power had revealed. She expected something profound, like experimenting on and vivisecting other living beings, murder, kidnapping or the like. What she got was something she didn’t expect.

‘That? That’s one of her “deep, dark secrets”? She saw her brother and his wife doing sub/dom play, and got flustered because she got little hot? Oh Raven! Just how innocent is she?’ Dawn Wings howled in her mind as she did her best to contain herself, managing to keep her reaction to a subdued snicker. ‘If that’s the kind of secrets she’d hiding, I doubt she’s a bad sort. Still… she’s a mage. No need to risk drawing her attention any more than I already have.’

Finishing her tea, Dawn Wings stood. Turning her head towards her hostess, she put her right hoof across her chest, and bowed her head as she closed her eyes. After lifting her head, Dawn Wings looked Zecora in the eyes and with a smile said “Thank you.”

Zecora regarded Dawn Wings for a moment. She had a feeling that whatever she had said was an expression of gratitude, given the bow and smile she was wearing. Closing her eyes and returning the bow and smile, she said “You’re welcome.”

As the pegasus began to walk towards the door, Twilight’s brain was desperately trying to reboot. Zecora had mentioned that the pegasus didn’t speak the same language as they did, but this went beyond just that. Though she wasn’t a polyglot, Twilight was reasonably well versed in at least the basics of many of the languages from the Equestrian continent, as well as places like Neighpon, Zebraca, Saddle Arabia and even a little from distant Cerverica. But with just those two words spoken by the stranger, Twilight knew that it couldn’t possibly be related to any of them. For one, the sounds were not normal for a pony, zebra, griffon, bison, minotaur, deer or any of the other sentient species she knew of to make. Even Draconic, which was one of the most divergent languages she had ever researched, was nothing like this.

Could she be from a lost tribe? One that had diverged so long ago from other ponies that they had formed a whole new language? Was she from a whole different, undiscovered continent? There was also her solar essence. And her possible relationship to the solar raven she’d been desperately trying to understand. Could she be the solution to that puzzle as well?

Snapping out of her trance, Twilight saw the pegasus beginning to leave. ‘No. Not yet. I need to find out more about her.’ Twilight thought as she flared her horn.

“WAIT! Please, wait!” Twilight shouted as she teleported in front of the departing pegasus, blocking her passage by standing on her hind legs and throwing out her hooves to the side. The red pegasus recoiled in surprise at the sudden appearance of the purple unicorn, but quickly composed herself and scowled, her mouth a tight frown and eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry, but please don’t leave yet. I have to know, where are you from? Not only that, but what language were you speaking? Does it have a written form? What’s your numerical system’s base number? Do you have a country? How far away is it? Are there any other ponies with you?” Twilight began as she trotted up to the other pony, her eyes wide and a giant grin on her face as she began going into full on scholar mode. Discovering a whole new language family, let alone the possibility that there was a whole lost culture attached to it that had solar magic was invigorating. As she advanced, the pegasus began to back up slowly, only for Twilight to match her movement.

Both Zecora and Spike shared an alarmed look as Twilight continued to advance on the scowling pegasus, peppering her with rapid fire questions that she couldn’t answer even if she wanted to. It didn’t take a genius to see that she didn’t like Twilight getting into her face like that. Zecora was particularly concerned, because she could feel the jua roho in Dawn Wings starting to flare up again, and this time, it felt violent and hot. Coupled with the angry look on her face, the shaman could tell that she was on the verge of lashing out at Twilight if the unicorn didn’t back off.

An unspoken understanding reached in a fraction of a second, both Zecora and Spike moved to intervene before things got out of hoof. Zecora quickly interposed herself between Twilight and Dawn Wings, while Spike hopped up onto Twilight’s back and put his hands over her mouth. Dawn Wings looked at Zecora with mild surprise, while Twilight began to mutter through her brother’s hands, trying to get the little dragon to release her.

“Twilight Sparkle, some decorum please. You need to relax, for you have made her ill at ease. Furthermore, remember that our language is not one she understands, and you were invading her personal space while making demands.” Zecora said sternly as she looked Twilight in the eyes, who backed up sheepishly, her ears folding back against her head. Seeing his sister relent, Spike released his hands and hopped off her back.

Dawn Wings looked at Zecora with gratitude as the unicorn traced a small circle on the ground with her hoof, looking embarrassed.

“Sorry.” Twilight said, her head dipped. “I guess I got a little over-excited.”

Lifting her head back up, “But…this is really important! That language of her’s is just too different from anything Equestrian I’ve ever heard. She could be from a lost tribe, or a whole new culture, or something. I need to know more about it!” Twilight nearly shouted, her excitement starting to get the better of her again.

“And how is she going to answer your questions if she doesn’t speak Equestrian?” Spike asked.

As the two siblings continued to argue, Zecora turned to Dawn Wings, and her heart sank. The pegasus’s eyes were locked on Twilight and Spike. There was a profound longing in those onyx eyes as she watched them bicker. Slamming her eyes shut, the pegasus grimaced as she lowered her head and grunted miserably. The shaman wished she could ask the pegasus what had caused her mood to shift so suddenly, but she knew it would be a futile.

Instead, she trotted over to Dawn Wings and placed a hoof on her shoulder, smiling warmly. Dawn Wings raised her head and looked at her, and sighed, almost half-heartedly returning the smile, though Zecora could tell that it was more for show than anything else. Her eyes didn’t lie, and they were still pained.

Closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head, Dawn Wings stepped away from Zecora and past the unicorn and lizard-boy.

‘I need to go.’ She thought to herself as she made her way to the door.

As she reached the entrance and pushed it open, she felt a sudden pressure on her shoulder. Looking down, she saw a patch of amorphous magenta light, which somehow was holding her in place. Looking back, she could see the mage’s horn glowing with a corresponding aura, while her face wore an expression that was almost pleading as she raised one of her hooves towards the corax. The unicorn clearly didn’t want her to go.

Zecora approached the unicorn and said something in that strange melodious language of theirs. After a moment, the unicorn lowered her head and nodded, and released her magical grip on the pegasus’s shoulder. Turning away, Dawn Wings launched into a gallop before spreading her wings and taking off into the sky. Once she was sure she was far enough away that there were no witnesses, she willed herself to shift back to her raven form.

‘Not your best day ever, eh’ bird brain?’ She thought to herself as she flew over the trees.

*Zecora’s hut*

“Why did you tell me to let her leave?” Twilight said as she turned back to Zecora.

“It was her decision to chose to go. It was not your place to tell her no.” Zecora said as she began to clear off the table. “Setting that aside, you came with a request. Please, ask me and I will answer to my best.”

Twilight’s mind suddenly turned back to why she was in the Everfree in the first place: the solar raven.

“Ahh! That’s right! Zecora, do you know of any legends that have solar magic empowered animals? Specifically ravens?”

Zecora tapped her chin with her hoof as she thought. “Truthfully, no such legends come to me. I must ask though, why is this something you want to know?”

“Well, just over a week ago, Princess Celestia felt the presence of something containing solar energy, and she asked me to find out what it was. Then, when I found the source, it turned out to be a raven. I couldn’t find anything on such a creature in any of my books, and I thought that you might know something, since I don’t have many books on Zebracan legends.” Twilight said, before rubbing the back of her head with a hoof and continuing, looking slightly sheepish, “Its also why I was so interested in that pegasus. The spell I used to track the solar energy in the first place detected a similar energy coming from her. I think she might have something to do with the raven I’ve been trying to figure out.”

Zecora’s eyes widened a bit as a thought began to creep into her mind; Dawn Wings didn’t just contain pegasus and jua roho, she contained kunguru roho. One’s roho was intimately tied into the very core of what defined a pony. She knew that changelings mimicked the roho of their targets when they transformed, causing their bodies to metamorphose into a new shape. And that certain Zebracan shamans could brew potions to imbue a small portion of the roho of an animal or plant to the imbiber, granting them temporary traits of the roho consumed.

There was also the matter of how intimately tied to her body her roho was. Unlike most ponies, whose roho was simply tethered to their bodies, Dawn Wings’ roho was practically suffused into her flesh. Could she have the ability to turn into a raven by changing the equilibrium of pegasus and kungururoho in her body?

Twilight noticed the sudden change in the shaman’s demeanor, as well as the look of deep thought on her face.

“Zecora, is something wrong?”

“Perhaps not, perhaps yes. She is not a normal pegasus. I could tell she contained a fragment of the sun’s majesty, but what you may not be aware of is she also has two other roho in her body.” Zecora said.

“Roho?” Twilight asked, her head cocked to the side, “What’s that?”

“In Equestrian, there is no exact word for it, but the closest would be soul or spirit.” Zecora said as she touched her hoof to her sternum and closed her eyes. “All things have a roho, be they stones, trees, ponies, or our own day’s star. It defines all things, for it is the core of who and what we are. For most things in the world, they are defined by just one, but there are those who carry more, such as Celestia who has the roho of pegasus, unicorn, earth pony and sun.

“This pegasus, Dawn Wings is her name, is the bearer of three. Pegasus, sun and raven roho all reside in her body. If she carries the roho of a raven and pegasus inside her, it might be possible that she can somehow change to either pony or raven as she would prefer.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped at the absurdity of what Zecora was suggesting.

“But that can’t be possible.” Twilight said as her mind began to race, “To do that, she’d need to use a spell of some sort. And those kinds of spells are very high-level magic. Plus, she’s a pegasus. Pegasi can’t cast spells.”

“Then perhaps this raven you seek and Dawn Wings are not one but two separate beings. The raven could be a familiar which through a exchange of roho is bound to her. You said the princess could sense the jua roho’s presence. Perhaps she can tell you, if she can sense one or two.” Zecora said, nodding towards Spike.

“Zecora! You’re a genius!” Twilight exclaimed. “Spike…”

“…take a letter to the princess. I have been listening y’know. Already got a scroll.” The drake said as he prepared to write.

“Okay.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have just ventured into the Everfree forest to consult with Zecora on the matter of the solar raven. While at her home, I encountered what might be a second source of solar essence: a pegasus mare.

Upon consulting with Zecora, she has put forth two theories regarding the relationship between the two. One is that the pegasus and raven are bonded to one another through some sort of soul link. The other is that they are the same being, and she is able to change her form between raven and pegasus at will.

As the solar detection spell cannot track the solar essence across a large area, I need to know if you have senses any new sources of solar essence recently. If you have, it could explain how both the raven and the pegasus can bear solar energy yet be separate beings. If not, it could lend credence to Zecora’s theory that the two of them are in fact one.”

Pausing, Twilight considered something else.

“Also, this pegasus mare does not speak any language that I am familiar with. Rather she speaks a tongue that is completely unrelated to any that I have ever encountered before. I don’t know what this might mean, but she might be a member of a lost tribe of some sort.

Ever your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.”

Rolling the parchment up, Spike exhaled a burst of dragonfire, incinerating the scroll and sending it off to the princess.

“Hopefully she replies soon. This whole thing is just getting weirder and weirder.” Spike muttered.

Author's Note

Sad and lonely corax is sad and lonely.

Ch 7 - Eyes don't lie.

*Canterlot castle, meeting room 3*

The scroll materialized out of a burst of dragonfire and deposited itself on the table in front of Princess Celestia.

“One moment please. I need to see to this.” Celestia said as she lifted the scroll in her magic. The other ponies in the room stopped speaking as the Princess turned her attention away from them to the parchment.

Celestia was hoping that this latest report from Twilight Sparkle would clear up the whole sun/bird situation in the Everfree. Harmony knows she could use some good news. What she got was not clarity. Or even pleasing. Instead, it raised at least a dozen new questions. And a few very unpleasant memories.

“I’m sorry councilor,” Celestia said to councilor Silver Spire, who was in the midst of pitching a proposal to her for infrastructure investment and improvements around Manehatten, “but something has come up and I need to deal with it immediately. Please provide my seneschal Raven with the details of your proposal, and once I review it, we can resume this discussion tomorrow.”

Bowing graciously, though somewhat stiffly, the councilor responded, “Of course your highness. Tomorrow then.”

Papers were exchanged and ponies were filed out the door. As soon as the Manehatten delegation had left, Celestia raised her forehoves to her temples and slowly massaged them, trying to head off the massive migraine she was afraid she was going to develop.

“Your majesty? Is there anything you need?” Raven said as she approached her sovereign, mentally preparing to write down an order to the kitchen.

“Yes, Raven, thank you.” Celesita said as she looked at her concerned assistant. “Could you please contact the vault and have them fetch me a bottle of Substance M-32. On second thought, make it two bottles, preferably the 487 vintage.

“And… tell my sister I want to see her. Immediately.”

“Of course Princess.” Raven said as she bowed and prepared to leave and deliver the orders to their respective ponies.

‘Okay, this is bad.’ Raven thought to herself. ‘Last time she asked for that stuff was after that whole business with Discord got wrapped up.’

As soon as Raven had left the room, Celestia dropped her head against the table with a resounding “thud,” leaving a deep gash in the wood where her horn had struck.

“Nothing is ever simple, is it?” She asked nobody in particular.

A few minutes later the doors to the room opened. Without any fanfare, a unicorn strode in with a large, shockproof metal case with the hazard symbols for both “extremely flammable” and “highly explosive” in his magic. Approaching the princess, specialist Chemical Hazard set the case on the table next to the alicorn. Hearing a muttered ‘thank you’ from the princess, who had yet to raise her head, the specialist bowed and took his leave.

Finally mustering the energy to rise, Celestia sighed as she broke the mystical seal on the case and pulled out the first bottle of Substance M-32, or as she liked to call it, Golden Sunfire. After their ascension, both Celestia and Luna had learned that regular alcohol just didn’t affect them anymore. So, they had devised a way to produce something that could. Of the many different results, Golden Sunfire was probably her favorite. It was rum. Distilled from pure, concentrated, liquefied sunlight, then fermented using microscopic fire elementals, and aged in basalt-lined tungsten barrels. Beyond the “solahol” content, the resulting concoction carried enough energy in a single bottle to power all of Canterlot for a day, or explosively incinerate anypony other than a fully ascendant alicorn foolish enough to imbibe it. Even exposing it to the atmosphere was dangerous; the concoction was so volatile it would combust with even minimal contact with air, and could burn through solid stone once ignited.

Casting a shield spell around the table, the avatar of the sun purged the atmosphere from within the dome, before thickening and enhancing it to prevent any air or light from leaking back in. Now satisfied that she wouldn’t burn down part of the castle, Celestia cracked the seal on the metallic bottle and pulled out the tungsten cork. Once open, the contents immediately began to produce a beam of light, which filled the space within the shield with an intense, white-hot glow. Raising the bottle to her nose, Celestia sniffed it, inhaling the bouquet of noon sun.

‘Good vintage on this one.’ Celestia sighed.

Holding the container in one of her hooves, Celestia threw her head back and took two very large swigs of the lethal concoction, the flavors of a clear, sunny day, the heat of the desert and all of the colors of the rainbow filling her taste buds. As she felt the warm liquid light hit her stomach, she sighed contentedly.

‘Ah, that helps’

Taking another deep swig from the bottle, and feeling her mood lifting slightly, Celestia picked up the letter again and re-read it. Yup, still said the same thing. Another large gulp of Sunfire followed the first two.

*****

“Princess Luna?” Raven said tentatively as she knocked on the Lunar Diarch’s door, ignoring the two thestral guards stationed on her sides.

When she heard no response, she knocked again. “Princess Luna, its Raven. I’m sorry to bother you, but your sister wishes to see you. She received a letter from Twilight Sparkle and promptly requested your immediate presence. She also sent for two bottles of Golden Sunfire.”

Behind the door, Raven could hear hoofsteps approaching before the portal cracked open, revealing the Lunar Princess.

“When?” The Princess of the Night asked.

“Less than four minutes ago. I came as soon as I sent the order to the vault.” Raven said as she looked up at Luna. Despite the lunar princess’s stoic mask, Raven had spent enough time around the alicorns to know that Luna was also concerned by what her sister had ordered.

“Where is she?” Luna asked.

“Meeting room 3.”

“Thank you Raven.” Luna said as she stepped into the hallway and closed her door behind her.

Bowing, Raven turned and took her leave.

*Canterlot meeting room 3, five minutes later*

As Luna entered the meeting room, the first thing she saw was the pearly, opaque shield spell surrounding the head of the table. Not a good sign. Luna knew that particular shield was meant to not only provide privacy, but prevent anything from entering or exiting the dome, including air and light. Which made it one of the few safe ways to consume Golden Sunfire outside sitting in a volcano. Luna had personally never liked the stuff. It was too hot and bright for her taste. She preferred Black Umbra or Shimmering Starlight.

Approaching the shield, Luna reached out with her magic and caused the dome to ripple. If her sister was drinking Sunfire, she’d have purged the atmosphere, which would make calling out to her pointless. Instead, by causing the dome to ripple, if Celestia was still lucid enough to notice, she’d know that Luna was outside.

A few moments later, the dome emitted a high-pitched hiss as Celestia allowed the shell to slowly permit the atmosphere to re-enter. Once the pressure was equalized, the shield went translucent and eventually faded.

As the shield dropped, Luna spotted her sister leaning on the table with her chin resting on her foreleg, staring wistfully into the now empty bottle of sun rum. Huffing, she tossed the metallic container to the side, which clanged sharply as it struck the floor, a few errant drops of Golden Sunfire burning white hot along the rim of the bottle or melting small patches of the stone floor. Turning her eyes, the solar princess spotted Luna and sighed through her nose.

“Hi sis!” Celestia said with a slightly dopey smile on her face. “How’re you? That’s great. Say, remember that silly little problem I was having with the sun fragment that turned out to be a bird? You do? Good! Well, it turns out that it’s also a pony! At the same time! Isn’t that neat?”

Luna’s heart sank. Celestia had gone through at least one bottle of Sunfire already, and the younger alicorn hoped that she hadn’t started on the second. Looking at the explosives case next to her sister, Luna was relieved to see that the other bottle was still unopened. Celestia could be a cheerful drunk, but she could also get explosively violent.

“That is… interesting.” Luna said as she looked at her sibling, and not quite following what she was getting at.

“Luna, I just said that the raven and pony are possibly one and the same. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Think about it.”

“Sister, we are not sure we follow” Luna said, her mind trying to recall exactly what her sister was trying to get at.

Rolling her head to the side, Celestia stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus her mind through the haze of solahol. The ceiling paintings in this room were pretty drab. She should have Luna touch them up a bit. Make ‘em really pretty.

“Luna.” Celestia said, her grin never leaving her face. “We’ve both been around the block a few times, yes? In all that time, when was the one instance when a pony changed into an animal, and was tied to one of our heavenly bodies. Mind you, it wasn’t a bird, and it wasn’t tied to the sun, but still, think about it. Carefully. When did that happen, and more importantly, WHY?”

“Um.” Luna started combing through her memories, trying to pin down what her sister was getting at. Then, it struck her like a ton of bricks.

“Do you mean?!” Luna gasped, catching on to what her sister was implying.

“Mmhmm. Amethyst Mirage.” Celestia said, her cheerful smile fading into a venomous scowl that she aimed directly at her sister, causing Luna’s stomach to tighten into a painful knot.

“Do you remember the opening act of your rebellion? What you did to my student?” Celestia growled as she lifted herself from the table, a thin line of tears beginning to trace themselves from her eyes. “How you turned her into that… beast… then set her on me? How I ended up killing her? And what you said to me when her corpse turned back into a pony?”

Luna slowly gulped, forcing the knot in her throat down.

“‘Now thoust knows what tis like to have something you love taken from you.’” Luna said, remembering her own delight in causing her sister to suffer. Backing up slightly, Luna raised a hoof defensively. “Sister, we had nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, I know you had nothing to do with this… directly.” Celestia said, her frown intensifying as she stood up and began to walk towards the smaller alicorn, her eyes glowing dangerously, “But, did you leave any sort of record about how to reproduce that curse? Anything that somepony could get their hands on and mess around with? Do. Not. Lie. To! ME!”

“No.” Luna said firmly as she stood her ground, “What Nightmare did to Amethyst Mirage was… unique. She tailored that curse specifically to her soul. Even if Nightmare… we… had created a record of how the curse was performed, it wouldn’t work on anyone other than Amethyst.”

“Besides,” Luna continued, “Nightmare never wrote anything down about that curse. And, we are the only ones who could invoke it.”

“And why is that?” Celestia hissed as she towered over her sibling.

“Because it requires that the caster be directly tied to a celestial body. And as far as either of us know, there are only two beings in existence that have that sort of bond. Myself… and you, sister.” Luna said.

“Are you sure?” Celestia growled as she stared at her sister. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Beyond a shadow of a doubt.” Luna replied. “We swear to you, whoever or whatever is in the Everfree, it is not related to our shameful act towards Amethyst. It's just not possible.”

“That is a small comfort.” Celestia said as she lowered her head and let out a deep sigh. “But it still doesn’t get us any closer to a solution to what in Tartarus is loose near Ponyville.”

“Maybe… we could be of aid in this?” Luna said as she slowly approached her sister. “You mentioned that the… entity might take the guise of a pony. If this is so, then we might be able to find it in its dreams. Lean about it. Even make contact.”

Celestia sighed and turned to her sister, her expression weary and posture slightly unsteady. She’d clearly consumed too much solahol too quickly.

“At this point, anything we can do to figure out what this thing is. I’ll contact Twilight and let her know what we’re planning.” Celestia said as she turned to draft a letter to Twilight. However, when she lifted the quill in her magic, she inadvertently crushed it.

“Should we contact Twilight? We fear that the solahol is affecting your… coordination.” Luna said with a slight smile.

“No, I got this.” Celestia said as she tried a second time, only to cause the quill to ignite.

“Truly?” Luna snickered.

“Okay, fine. You take care of it.” Celestia said with a slight huff. “I’m going to go lay down for a bit.”

“Yes, that is probably a good idea.” Luna said as she summoned a fresh quill and sheet of parchment.

*Everfree forest*

‘Damn it!’ Dawn Wings swore as she flew over the trees at top speed, her stomach twisted into a tight, angry knot. ‘Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!’

She was furious. She was furious at that unicorn for interrupting her time with Zecora. She was furious at Zecora for inadvertently giving her some small sense of hope that she could have a friend in this sugary sweet hellhole of a world. She was furious at herself for letting all of this get to her. She was furious at the mage that banished her to this nightmare. And she was furious at the world, for dumping her into this twisted, maddening place, cut off from everyone she loved and leaving her with not only no way to get back, but the inability to even communicate with the people around her.

Dawn Wings could feel the rage building up in her. Pulling at her mind, clouding her judgment, just begging to be released.

And release it she did. Pulling in her wings and diving towards the trees, she pushed her rage into her flesh as she called upon the change. Unlike her normal transformation, her rage caused her form to violently expanded as she instantaneously shifted into crinos, slamming through the canopy and breaking into a gallop as she hit the ground.

‘Damn it!’

Channeling her rage into her flesh, the corax lashed out violently at one of the nearby trees, tearing into it with her talons, leaving dozens of deep lacerations in the wood. Again and again she struck, tearing through the wood with blinding speed. It wasn’t enough.

‘Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!’

Flaring her upper wings out, the corax leaped into the air and flapped hard, launching herself backwards. Skidding to a halt as she landed, she focused her mind, and sent spiritual energy down her wings. As she did, an invisible pulse accompanied by a metallic hiss passed up her forearms and wings, causing the feathers on all four limbs to take on a subtle, steely sheen.

‘DAMN IT!!’

Shrieking, she launched herself forward again, slamming the leading edge of her topmost wings into the trunk. Rather than breaking from the violent impact, the feathers carved deep rents into the wood like they were made of sharpened, tempered steel. One slice was followed by another. And another. Images of the unicorn, the zebra, the mage, its Black Spiral Dancer followers, and even her own face flashed over the rapidly shredding wood of the tree’s trunk as she vented her wrath. Her forelimbs and wings became a blur as she poured her rage into violent action. With a shuddering crack, the tree gave out and fell, crashing to the ground.

“Tch.” Dawn Wings hissed as she took a few deep breaths, her anger spent. Looking at the mauled tree, her anger was replaced with a sense of disgust.

She’d let her rage get the better of her and acted like some half-wit garou. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the corax shifted back into her corvis form and flew out of the gap in the canopy she’d opened.

‘Damn it!’ She thought as she flew off.

*****

Dawn Wings continued to glide aimlessly over the treetops, her rage having given over to depression.

‘What’s the point anymore.’ She thought as she sailed on the wind currents in no particular direction. Below her, the trees gave way to a large canyon, but she was too absorbed in her own thoughts to notice.

After gliding completely free of the trees, her eyes shifted languidly downward, and finally noticed that she had flown clear of the forest. Below, jagged rocks and crumbling talus slopes extended off in both directions.

‘Maybe I should end it all. Just fold my wings in and let gravity do the rest.’ She thought as she spied a particularly unstable looking boulder field near the edge of the cliff. It wouldn’t take much for it to collapse and crush her under several tons of rock. ‘Its not like it would matter if I died anyway.’

She didn’t want to acknowledge just how tempting the idea was. To just let go, and join with Raven and Helios in the Great Sky. Shaking her head, she tried to banish the thought.

‘No.’ She thought. ‘I can’t just give up.’

Still, it was easier to say than to believe, and her heart still ached. So she did what she could to keep her mind off the present situation. She flew.

And as she did, she spotted something out of place in the canyon below. A patch of bright color amidst the rocks, partially hidden from sight. Her curiosity getting the better of her, the corax banked and began to descend into the ravine. It was probably nothing, but even so, it was something to at least focus on and take her out of her own mind for a little while.

As drew closer, she realized that it wasn’t “nothing.” It was decidedly something. Or rather, someone.

It was a corpse. A pony corpse. And from the look of it, it was still relatively fresh.

Swooping down and landing on the rocks by the body, Dawn Wings got a better look. It was a mare with robin-shell blue fur and a mint green mane, and from the angle of her neck, it appeared to have been snapped. Fluttering down onto the body, Dawn Wings walked up to the mare’s head before driving her beak into the soft tissue around the cheek. Pulling a piece of the corpse’s flesh free, she worked the meat across her tongue with her beak before swallowing it: the body was still fresh, probably around 2-3 days dead.

Looking the corpse over again, Dawn Wings was sure she’d seen this particular mare in the nearby town on one of her earlier visits. Skimming through her memories, she realized that she had seen this pony in the market.

‘Poor thing probably fell down the canyon and broke her neck.’ The corax thought. ‘What were you doing in such a lonely place, pony?’

Looking over the corpse a bit more, the corax stopped. Something just wasn’t adding up. For one, there were only minor abrasions on the body. If she’d fallen, there’d be more damage. Looking closer, she saw that the position of livor mortis was also wrong.

‘You didn’t die here, did you?’ She thought as she scanned the body again. ‘No. You didn’t. Someone dumped you here.’

Slowly, Dawn Wings closed her eyes and shook her head.

‘Guess this place isn’t so nice after all.’

Looking at the corpse, Dawn Wings sighed. Depressed or not, there were some things that were too important to ignore. This poor soul had been murdered, and that demanded someone to bear witness. And to her, such a thing was a fundamental law decreed by Raven himself. Flapping her wings twice, she landed next to the body.

“Hello.” She croaked, “I’m sorry that this happened to you. If you’re willing, I can do something to find who did this. But, it will mean that I have to damage you a little bit. Is that alright?”

Dawn Wings could feel the body contemplating it. After a few moments, she could feel it agree.

“Thank you. And again, I’m sorry.” She croaked.

Flapping her wings, the corax flew back up and landed on the pony’s head, staring into the milky retina of its left eye. Without any hesitation, Dawn Wings plunged her beak into the soft tissue and pulled free the aqueous humor. Tilting her head back, the Corax swallowed the fleshy chunk of eyeball whole. The moment it was past her throat, her mind’s eye was flooded with images.

She was inside of a home in the village, walking towards a flight of stairs in what she assumed was a living room. As she was walking, her perspective suddenly tilted forward at an odd angle, causing her to fall to the ground. Looking back over her shoulder, she could see a black, fanged, insect like pony. As she watched, the creature was engulfed in green fire, and as her vision faded, she could see a perfect duplicate of herself standing over her own dying body.

Moments later, Dawn Wings returned to herself.

‘Not good…’

Author's Note

And so Dawn Wings learns about a hidden enemy.

Also, the inspiriation for Celestia's favorite libation is a delightful little chemical called white phosphorus. Sunfire isn't the same as WP, but its still really good at burning stuff. And getting emotionally distraught Alicorns wasted.

Ch 8 – A bird can dream, can’t she?

Luna’s mind soared through the dreamscape, her senses flitting around as she followed the trail left by her dreamseeker. All around her, she saw the dreamscapes of her little ponies filling the aether, each forming a tiny world in the veil of sleep. Most of these dreams were sweet, a few sad, and an even smaller number had morphed into nightmares. Though she wanted to tend to these, she had to turn a blind eye to them this time.

She had a task to perform, and could not dally.

Her first destination was the dream sphere of Twilight Sparkle. After her discussion with her sister, Luna had sent Twilight Sparkle a scroll explaining what she and Celestia intended to do about the mysterious entity they’d been tracking. The young mage had, naturally, insisted upon helping. The lunar goddess suspected that her interest was a mixture of academic curiosity and a desire to fulfill the task assigned to her by Celestia.

Soon enough, Luna alighted next to Twilight’s dream sphere. Summoning her magic, the night goddess passed through its shell and into its interior.

As she did, the scenery around her shifted and warped, filling with mile-high bookshelf towers. Luna had to suppress a small giggle as she saw the dreamscape. Celestia’s student truly had a thing for literature, didn’t she?

Passing like a phantom through the labyrinth of shelves, Luna sought out the dream’s owner. It didn’t take long to find Twilight seated at a large table, face buried in a book.

A slight smile crept onto Luna’s face. It almost seemed a shame to interrupt Twilight’s happy dream, but, if she was to aid the night princess, it had to be done.

With a few gentle flaps of her wings, Luna alighted near Twilight, and cleared her throat.

“Twilight Sparkle, please attend. We have arrived.” Luna said.

Dropping the book, Twilight spun around.

“Ah, Princess Luna. How did you… oh, I’m dreaming.” Twilight said as she looked around the room.

“Indeed my little pony. Tell us, are you ready?” Luna asked.

“Of course.” Twilight said as she walked up to Luna, anticipation clearly written on her face.

“Very well then. Please, stand by our side and we shalt depart. Remember, stay close, lest you be lost in the dreamscape.” Luna said as she invoked her magic. As the mystical energy sheathed both her and Twilight in its blue aura, they vanished from Twilight’s dream realm and re-entered the veil.

*****

“This is incredible.” Twilight gasped as she marveled at the impossible space she and princess Luna now stood in. All around her, the aether twisted and swirled in a mass of abstract hues that Twilight’s mind could only process as color by analogy. And all around her in that vast sea of color-yet-not-color, the young mage could catch glimpses of the dream spheres, each one a subtly different shade of that same strange spectrum of hues that made up the aether. Twilight’s inner scholar desperately wanted to run off and explore, but she knew that if she left Luna’s side, she would be lost.

“Indeed Twilight Sparkle. The veil is a truly wondrous place. All who walk in the waking world come here to dream, be they noble of commoner. It's a place of true equality and freedom.” Luna said with a slight smile, “And with luck, our mysterious pegasus will be here as well.”

“So, how do we find her?” Twilight asked as she looked about. “There’re thousands of these dream spheres. We’re not going to search each one, are we?”

Snickering, Luna turned to Twilight.

“That, Twilight Sparkle, is fairly straight forward.” Luna said simply. Summoning a small fraction of her magic, Luna called forth a small sphere of pulsing white light, which swirled in front of her before rocketing off into the aether, leaving a shimmering contrail in its wake.

“What was that?” Twilight asked as she watched the nimbus of light race off.

“A dreamseeker.” Luna responded.

“Dreamseeker?”

“Indeed. When we need to find the dreams of a specific pony, we call upon a seeker. We need only provide it with criteria to search for, and it will transverse the dreamscape to find dream spheres that fulfill them. This seeker was instructed to find a dreamer bound to the sun, but without alicorn magic.” Luna said as she turned towards Twilight with a slight smile. “It is how we normally find ponies that are in need of our aid.”

“I so want to reverse engineer that spell.” Twilight pouted as she watched the last of the seeker’s contrail vanish into the aether.

“Maybe one day.” Luna said cryptically, “But, we are getting off the matter at hand.”

“Oh, right. The solar pegasus. How long will it take to find her?” Twilight asked.

“Time dose not mean the same thing here as it does outside the dreamscape.” Luna said. “It should not take more than… Aha, there she is!”

*****

“Most curious indeed.” Luna pondered as she examined the dream sphere before her and Twilight.

“What do you mean Princess?” Twilight asked as Luna extended a hoof and touched the glowing dream sphere before her. “It looks like all of the other dream spheres.”

“It's not the appearance that we find puzzling Twilight Sparkle. This dreamer feels… out of place somehow. Almost as if this sphere were not originating in Equestria. It is somewhere else close to Equestria, yet not Equestria at the same time.” Luna explained, her hoof tracing along the surface of the sphere. “Our sister said that she could feel the solar essence this being possesses vanish at night. Could she actually be going somewhere else once the moon rises?”

“But where could she go? Its not like there are any other worlds she could travel to… are there?” Twilight asked.

“We are not sure, Twilight Sparkle. Our old mentor Starswirl told us of other worlds that he once visited, and the possibility of many more existing, some close to Equestria and some quite distant. But, such travel requires the highest of magics to accomplish, something that neither we nor our sister have ever attempted. However, at this point, we do not believe it is wise to make any assumptions about this entity.” Luna said as she straightened herself and looked at the unicorn. “Regardless, shall we go and meet our unusual new friend?”

“I’m ready when you are.” Twilight said, her face lighting up in an enormous smile.

*****

As the aether cleared, both Twilight and Luna took stock of the dreamscape they had entered. Both ponies stood for a few moments, stunned by what they were witnessing. Before them were dozens of hulking, monstrous forms, each vaguely shaped like large minotaurs. However, rather than bovine, they were lupine. All but a few of them were indistinct, as though their identifying features were missing, making them resemble hazy silhouettes. Each of these strange forms were gathered around a massive bonfire in a woodland clearing. Some were fighting, others feasting upon what Luna and Twilight could see were deer, while others were sharing stories around smaller sub-fires.

“What is this?” Twilight said, her eyes wide with both awe and primal terror. “Is she having a nightmare?”

“No,” Luna responded as she tried to control her own surprise. “To her… this dream is a happy one.”

Shaking her head, Twilight fought down her initial trepidation and began to take in her surroundings. As she reminded herself that this was all just a dream, she began to think analytically about what she was seeing.

“Interesting. I had a theory that she might be from some lost continent or island. Could these wolf creatures be the local equivalent to minotaurs?” Twilight asked, as she looked around for the pegasus. “Anyway, I don’t see her anywhere. Do you, Princess?”

“We do. Our dreamer is over there.” Luna said as she pointed towards one knot of the beastial creatures with a wing. Unlike the others, this knot was fully resolved, with each of the wolves clearly distinctive and far more real looking than the others. In addition to the wolves, there were two others. One resembled the wolf-creatures, but was much smaller, and was more coyote than wolf. However, the sixth one was even more distinct. Like the others, this one was bipedal like a minotaur, but unlike the other minotauroids around it, this creature’s form was clearly based on a raven rather than a canine. All six were currently sitting around a smaller fire, laughing as the raven creature gestured wildly, clearly telling a story of some sort. Occasionally, the wolves would whoop or the coyote would interrupt with some sort of joke, earning a joyous smile from the raven.

“I don’t see her.” Twilight replied.

“The avian one is our dreamer.” Luna stated evenly.

“Seriously? That’s her? But… but, why does she look like that!?”

“We will admit, it's a most curious persona, yet it is one that she feels most comfortable with.”

“So now what? Do we go up and introduce ourselves?”

Luna considered the idea for a moment before shaking her head.

“No. Let us wait and observe. We might be able to learn something about her if we do.” Luna said as she invoked a small portion of her magic, further obscuring their presence from the dreamer.

No sooner had Luna veiled Twilight and herself than there was a commotion among the wolves as particularly large and scarred female took to an elevated platform in front of the bonfire. Like the ones with the dreamer, she was fully resolved.

“My Brothers and Sisters! Let us come to order!” the wolf-being shouted in the strange language that Twilight had heard in Zecora’s hut. Despite not knowing the words, the power of the dreamscape translated the meaning to both ponies. As the alpha female spoke, all eyes turned to her and fell silent.

“On this night, let us offer our thanks to Mother Gaia, to Luna and her brother the great and shining Helios! For, our dear friend and ally Dawn Wings” she shouted as she gestured to the raven-being, who bowed her head, “uncovered a plot by the servants of the Defiler. Thanks to her brave and selfless actions, we have stopped an insidious threat to the Earth Mother by a servant of the vile Wyrm!”

A great, deafening cheer rose from the gathered wolves, many of them throwing back their heads and howling to the night sky, the volume forcing Twilight to cover her ears.

“And, thanks to our sister Bright-Claw and her pack, we have managed to capture the mastermind of this insidious plan!” More cheering howls erupted from the crowd. “On this night, we shall see the leader of the Defiler’s plot meet with Gaia’s justice! Bring him forth!”

At that, two of the massive wolves began to drag a much smaller bound and gagged creature into the clearing, prompting all of the wolves to begin snarling and growling, a few of them gnashing their teeth. Like the others, it was minotauroid, but had a strange, flattened face almost like a chimpanzee, with only small patches of fur on the top of its head and above its crotch, while its soft, pink skin was covered in a multitude of scabrous boils and jaundiced patches of dried skin. Both Luna and Twilight stared in horror as the creature was hauled before a large wooden arch and strung up, its feet dangling in the air as it fruitlessly struggled against its bindings.

“Clear skies, what are they going to…” Twilight choked as she raised a hoof to her mouth before Luna placed a comforting wing on her shoulder.

“This nauseating mage was caught corrupting the leylines, using the blood and souls of sacrificed humans as a catalyst!” The lead wolf shouted as she pointed a massive, talon tipped finger at the dangling creature, causing another round of snarls to erupt from the assembled wolves.

“But, thanks to our sister Dawn Wings, we were able to uncover his twisted scheme and put an end to it!” More cheers and howls erupted from the wolves as the raven-being stood and bowed.

“And, I can think of no one more deserving to mete out justice to this wretch than the very corax who led us to him! Sister Dawn Wings, please, if you would do us the honor!”

Without missing a beat, Dawn Wings took to the air and landed before the platform, before bowing deeply to the wolf above her.

“It would be my pleasure.” She said, her face twisting into a bloodthirsty grin.

And with that, she strode over to the bound creature. As she did, a wave of light passed up her arms, causing the feathers on her wings began to glow with searing, white flame.

“Well, well, well.” She cooed as she approached the mage, whose struggles intensified as the raven drew closer. “Looks like you got yourself into a bind, didn’t you, you piece of shit?”

Luna and Twilight watched as Dawn Wings wound her right arm across her chest and pivoting away from the dangling creature, before swinging back around and lashing out with the back edge of her wing, drawing her feathers across the pink creature’s stomach. Twilight recoiled in horror as the feathers struck then sliced through flesh like a sharpened blade and spilled the captive’s guts out onto the ground by its feet. The creature’s thrashing intensified as Twilight stifled a scream and she slammed her eyes shut, while a great cheer erupted from the wolves.

“Now,” Dawn Wings said as she closed her eyes and held her hands together, “here comes the sun, do-do-do-dooo.” She sang.

Drawing her hands apart, both ponies saw a small, miniature sun appear in her right palm.

“Here comes the sun, and I say…”

Dawn Wings regarded it for a second before cocking her arm back, causing the bound creature to thrash even more violently, despite the act causing more of its guts to spill out.

“Its all right…” She hummed.

“Do do do” She slammed the blazing sphere into the open cavity of the captive creature’s torso, releasing a cloud of steam, a searing wet hiss, and the stench of burning meat.

“Do do do.” Her voice dropped a measure as she twisted her arm, driving the blazing ball deeper inside as the bound creature screamed in agony before falling silent.

“Do do do.” She finished with a growl as she withdrew her gore-covered claws from the smoking hole in the creature’s stomach. Twilight collapsed to the ground, desperately fighting the urge to throw up, while Luna stared on as steam erupted from the nose and mouth of the now semi-charred corpse.

All at once, the wolves threw back their heads and howled to the sky, and the world shifted…

…to an open horizon, high above a magnificent, snow-capped mountain range. Twilight yelped in surprise as she momentarily forgot her nausea at the prospect of plummeting hundreds of hooflengths to the ground. Yet, she didn’t fall, but instead floated in the sky next to Princess Luna.

“What now?” Twilight whimpered, her stomach still uneasy after the violence she had just witnessed and the shock of suddenly being suspended in the air.

“The dream has shifted,” Luna said as she pointed to two black objects some distance away, “and, apparently, so has our dreamer.”

Despite her nerves already being on edge, Twilight turned her attention towards the spot in the distance. As she did, she recognized what she was looking at. It was a pair of ravens, flying side by side above the tree line. The larger of the two had a small twig in its mouth, which the smaller one was trying to snatch away.

“Come on, Chaser, you can do better than that!” the larger one croaked. As before, neither Luna nor Twilight heard anything other than a series of raven vocalizations, but the meaning was perfectly clear. The smaller bird made another grab for the twig, but the larger one turned her head at the last minute, causing him to miss.

“Oh you bet I can.” The smaller, masculine sounding bird replied as he put on some speed and managed to grab the twig out of the larger bird’s beak. “Haha! Bet ya can’t get it back Wings!” He croaked as he wiggled the twig in his beak and dove down towards the trees.

“Why I oughta!” The large female bird croaked playfully as she sped off after her partner. “Come back here you little sneak thief!”

“Is that…?” Twilight asked as she pointed to the pair.

“Yes, that is her.” Luna replied as she indicated the larger of the two birds.

“C’mon Wings,” the one called Chaser croaked as he banked to keep Dawn Wings from grabbing the stick, “don’t tell me that lil’ old me can outrun a big, strong girl like you. I’ve seen you out fly eagles.”

“Oh yea, pipsqueak!” Dawn Wings replied as she turned to chase him, “Watch out, cuz’ you asked for it!”

“Whaa, I’m so scared.” He replied as he twisted away again, narrowly avoiding having the stick taken. “Maybe if you didn’t eat so many berries, you wouldn’t be carrying around so much weight.”

“Oh, its on now Chaser.” She playfully replied as she dove after him, “And here I thought you liked big girls.”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have chosen one.” Chaser replied wistfully as Dawn Wings swooped down and snatched the stick from him. “Hey!”

“You snooze, you lose sweetie.” She replied.

“Not today babe!” He responded as he flew after her.

*****

“Okay, now I’m really lost.” Twilight thought aloud as she watched the two birds playing, before turning to Princess Luna. “First a ravenish minotaur, then a bird. Does she really see herself as both of those things? And what’s up with this dream? That can’t be the same… I think her name was Dawn Wings… that we saw… mutilate… that other creature, could it?”

“It is her Twilight Sparkle, make no mistake.” Luna replied.

A hair popped out of Twilight’s mane as she continued to watch the ravens playing and laughing. The whole situation was really starting to get to her.

“But, she seems so… peaceful. And happy. I can’t imagine somepony who could dream of… of…” Twilight stuttered as she desperately fought to not recall the sight of the hairless ape being gutted and burnt alive from the inside, “doing something so violent one minute acting so carefree and gentle the next. Is she crazy or something?”

“We do not believe so Twilight Sparkle. We can tell she feels great satisfaction from that act.” Luna replied calmly. “Yet, that creature she… executed… wronged her greatly in some way. No. It goes beyond that. We can sense that it twas the cause of an unimaginable amount of pain for this… Dawn Wings.”

Luna’s eyes drifted back towards the two birds.

“Yet, recall that she also dreampt of being with those wolf-creatures, to whom she clearly shares a deep bond of friendship. The joy of seeing them easily out weighed the malice she exuded when she butchered that ape creature.

“Now…” Luna said as she gestured with a hoof towards the two playing birds, “Now she is dreaming of someone she loves and misses dearly. It would not surprise me if that other bird is her mate.”

Luna’s eyes softened as she watched the two birds flirt with one another as they continued their game.

“This Dawn Wings… she is lonely. The first dream was one where she was with her friends, while this one she is with her lover. We think she is far from both now, and it is tearing her apart.”

“Ding ding ding ding ding! Looks like we have a winner. All prizes can be claimed at the counter, no exchanges or refunds available.” A rough, masculine voice from behind the two ponies cheered. Turning, both of them were startled to see another large raven perching on a cloud behind them. But not just any raven. Somehow, this newcomer exuded perfect and absolute ravenness, as though all other ravens were but imperfect copies of his template. But more than that, he exuded an air of ancientness and authority. If she thought about it, Twilight would have realized that it was the same feeling she got when around the alicorns, only magnified a thousand fold.

“To be honest, if you didn’t figure that out missy, I’d be kinda disappointed in you. But, hey, you’re young, so I guess I couldn’t hold it against you if you didn’t get it.” He said with a smirk that immediately got under Luna’s skin.

“And who are you to speak to us as such?” Luna growled as she put herself between Twilight and the newcomer. She couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, but there was something about this being that reminded her of Discord, both in presence and in power. And it put her on edge.

“Well, I suppose I could tell you, buuuuut, I might actually enjoy making you guess. Go on. Guess. You’ll never guess. C’mon. Try.” He said as he flashed Luna a cheeky grin, which she responded to by narrowing her eyes and snorting. This only prompted the raven to chuckle.

“Eeehhh, but honestly though, we’ve never really had much contact with your world, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you had absolutely no clue. Well, less of one than usual Little Incarna of the Moon.” The raven said as he flicked his right wing dismissively and rolled his eyes.

“Watch your tongue, lest you try our patience and test our wrath.” Luna replied, her features contorted into a scowl. “And what business do you have here?”

“Wow, you are just no fun at all. Must be too much full moon in the tank. You really ought to take some clues from your boss. She’s got a much better sense of humor.” The raven sniped before flying over and hovering in front of the Princess. “Well, some of the time anyway.”

“Answer our question interloper. Who are you and what business doth you have here?”

“Okay, seriously honey, when was the last time you got laid? You are way too pent up.” The raven deadpanned as he flew back a little and landed on a cloud.

“But, to answer your question doll, the name’s Raven, messenger and master scout for Gaia, at your service. As for why I’m here, its pretty much because of that lovely young lady over.” Raven said as he flicked his beak in Dawn Wings’ direction before flashing Luna that same infuriating and cheeky grin. “How do you do?”

Author's Note

And with that, Luna meets Dawn Wings' boss, who will probably drive her as crazy as the ponies drive Dawn Wings (He has that effect on people).

Ch 9 – Snarky bastards and a message for the spy

Luna’s scowl deepened as she continued to glare spears at the creature before her. A creature that had just introduced itself as Raven, and had, in just a few short minutes, proven to be not only annoyingly flippant, but impossibly disrespectful and sarcastic. Not a combination of traits that she found endearing.

“Speak plainly creature. You claim to be here because of this dreamer. Are you here to aid her, or harm her?” Luna growled before pawing at the “ground” and lowing her head to present her horn, “Know that if it is the latter, you will have to contend with us.”

Raven merely smirked at her and chuckled.

“What do you find so humorous?” Luna hissed.

“Nothing. Just you’re far to serious for your own good.” Raven chuckled as he looked at the night princess. “Very well, if that’s the way it’s going to be. No, I’m not here to harm her. Quite the opposite in fact.”

“So you claim to be here to aid her?” Luna said, “You will have to excuse us for not taking thine word at face value. Why would you do this thing?”

Raven’s eyes slowly turned towards the dream body of Dawn Wings, and a bit of sadness crept into his expression.

“I’m here to help her because in a lot of ways, she is to me what your ponies are to you.” Raven replied. “Unfortunately, she’s a bit lost right now, and as much as I don’t like getting involved personally, she needs me to give her a push in the right direction.”

Looking at Luna again, Raven’s expression grew a darker.

“Like I said before, you’re right. She’s lonely, and a long way from home. A long, long way from home. Longer away than you can possibly imagine. A nudge in the right direction, and she might be okay. A nudge in the wrong direction, and she’ll probably kill herself. If you knew one of your ponies were lost and hurting, wouldn’t you try to help?”

Luna continued to stare impassively, while Twilight, who had remained silent the entire time, gasped and put a hoof up to her mouth.

“Why would she try to kill herself?” Twilight asked.

Raven looked at Twilight.

“It’s complicated child, but the short of it is that she has nothing right now. Back home, she has a life, family and friends, a purpose and a mate she adores.” Raven said as he looked Twilight in the eyes. “But, she’s cut off from all that. Right now, as far as she’s concerned, she’s got nothing.”

“Think about what that would be like. To suddenly be torn away from your life, your loved ones and your home, only to find yourself in a world that was not your own, surrounded by beings who are nothing like the ones you know, and who you can't even communicate with, and ask yourself, how well do you think you’d fare.”

“That…sounds terrible. I can’t even ima… wait, did you say world? As in, she’s from a whole different world entirely. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. That’s just… amazing! Please, you have to tell me about it.”

Raven quirked an eyebrow at Twilight.

“I think I’ll let her do that. Y’know, after I’ve made sure she’s not going to kill herself from, say, loneliness and depression.”

Twilight gasped and blushed.

“Sorry. I guess I got a bit distracted. You said you were going to help her. Are you going to tell her how to get home? You do know how, right?” Twilight said, her voice sympathetic.

“No.” Raven said bluntly.

“What? Why not?” Twilight asked.

“She can’t go back. Its impossible.” Raven sighed.

“But, why?”

“Let me answer your question with a question: what do you know about paradoxes?” Raven asked.

“Uh, well, isn’t it something that contradicts itself.” Twilight replied.

“That’s a gross oversimplification, but sure, we’ll go with that. Now, lets suppose that her existence was forcibly re-defined as not being real, but she clearly is? What do you think would happen?”

“Huh?” Twilight replied as she tilted her head to the side slightly. “Well, ummm…”

“That’s how she ended up here. Her ‘being real’ setting got forcibly divided by zero, so to speak. But, since she clearly does exist… well, you can see the problem. Reality ended up with a massive ontogenic contradiction, and resolving it dumped her here.”

“Couldn’t she get back the same way?” Twilight said.

“Nope.” Raven said with a shake of his head, “The only reason she’s still alive was there was just enough paracausal inertia that reality found a tiny loophole in the ‘she’s not real’ overwrite it got: dropping her in your back yard, so to speak.”

Luna’s eyes went wide.

“How long ago did this happen?” She asked, though she had a sinking suspicion she knew.

“About a week.” Raven replied.

‘So it was her arrival.’ Luna thought as she recalled the moment of agony she, her sister and niece experienced. If this Dawn Wings had been forced into Equus by paradox, it would explain why there was such violent feedback in Equestria’s magic.

“If it has been nearly a week, why have you not acted yet? Surely, it was within yor power to do so. We can sense it.” Luna said.

“It is?” Twilight asked as she looked between Luna and Raven.

“Aye, Twilight Sparkle, it is.” Luna said as she looked at the unicorn. “Though his power is foreign, we can still sense its magnitude. And it is immense. Do not let his appearance deceive you. He may very well be our equal in terms of sheer mystical might. Perhaps our superior if we art honest.”

Twilight stood slackjawed as she looked at Raven, her eye twitching slightly.

“Seriously?!” Twilight shouted.

“Well, I don’t like to brag or anything.” Raven said with a slight bow. "Unless it's funny."

“Answer our question. Why did you not act sooner?” Luna said, focusing back on Raven.

“Yea, well, about that.” Raven chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head with a wing. “It’s taken me this long just to find her. Your world isn’t exactly just around the corner from ours. And, really, I’ve kinda got to be careful. There are things that are only peripherally aware of your home that you really don’t want noticing you.”

“Things? What sort of things?” Luna asked.

“I don’t really have time to explain. Just trust me when I tell you that it’d be bad if they thought it was a great idea to move in and set up shop.” Raven chuckled nervously. “Look, we’re getting off track. I just need to point her in the right direction, and then I’ll be out of your… whatever the hell that is.”

“Our hair?” Luna deadpanned.

“Sure, sure, whatever you say doll.” Raven replied as he spread his wings and took off.

“Wait.” Twilight called, “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“No, not really.” Raven replied before fading away into the dream.

*****

“Ha ha ha ha!” Dawn Wings laughed as she slid down the snowy bank on her back, coming to a stop at the bottom of the hill before righting herself and looking back up the slope. “Your turn Chaser!”

Lying on his back, Cloud Chaser began to slide down the hill, laughing as he did. A few seconds later, he was next to Dawn Wings, giggling as he got to his feet.

“Ah, I love it when it snows.” He cheered, “To bad the monkeys always mess the slopes up when it does.”

“Oh, c’mon, lets not talk about that now.” Dawn Wings replied. “Race you back up!” She called as she spread her wings and launched herself into the air.

“Right behind you.” He called as he took to the air.

As Dawn Wings approached the summit of the hill, she noticed something peculiar. The sun was far too large. In fact, it was taking up more than a quarter of the sky.

“The hell? Hey, Chaser, you see that?” She said as she looked back over her shoulder. But, despite him being there just moments ago, Cloud Chaser was nowhere to be seen.

“Chaser? Chaser! Cloud Chaser! Where are you?!” She called as she began to frantically look around for her mate. As she did, she was suddenly aware of a presence. It was familiar, warm and comforting, like the safe feeling of sleeping under her father’s wing when she was a chick.

Slowly, realization dawned on her. She knew this presence.

“Raven.”

Looking around frantically, she noticed that she wasn’t in her home in the Sierra Nevada anymore, but back in the ruined castle in Ponyland. Above her, she could hear a great flapping of wings, as a massive black silhouette briefly eclipsed the sky, and flew off towards the horizon. As she followed the shape with her eyes, she saw something in the distance growing larger and larger. It was a mountain. And built into the side of that mountain was that same city she had seen before, the one that had somehow prompted that strange sense of longing.

Larger and larger the city grew, till it eclipsed the entire horizon. In the sky above, the massive form of the sun and moon began to condense into a pair of shapes. At first, Dawn Wings thought they were birds, but as they resolved themselves, she realized that they were a pair of massive, majestic winged and horned ponies. The two of them slowly flew higher into the sky, before flying towards one another and then descended to the city, lazily spiraling downward in a helix. After a few moments, they alighted by the castle, which slowly faded away, leaving only the two ponies. Moments later, they both turned their heads towards her. As they did, an aurora of blazing sunfire and shimmering moonlight erupted from the twin shapes, and the sun formed pony lifted her hoof and gestured towards Dawn Wings, as though beckoning her to come to them.

Unsure what to do, Dawn Wings turned around, only to see nothing but a wall of darkness behind her. Turning back to the two celestial ponies, she saw that all around them, everything had faded to black, with only their forms providing any light. The solar one beckoned again, before slowly retreating into the darkness.

Frantically, Dawn Wings launched herself into the air. As she did, a blazing trail of light materialized below her before launching out into the darkness, forming a radiant road. Flapping her wings harder, the corax pushed herself forward faster and faster. Soon, the horizon began to glow. Brighter and brighter it became, till it was filled with its warm radiance. Just before it became too bright to see, she spotted three silhouettes in the light: the two heavenly ponies, and a single raven hovering above them.

*****

And she woke up, gasping for breath. A dream. She’d been dreaming. Dawn Wings lowered her head and sighed.

‘Damnit.’ She thought. ‘Too good to be true.’

She looked around the room she had been roosting in, her mood sinking even further.

In the back of her mind, she could still vividly remember her dream. Seeing Cackling Mesa, and Bright-claw. Having the pleasure of gutting the malfean that screwed up her life so much. Seeing Cloud Chaser. Getting a personal visit from the boss…

Dawn Wings’ mind froze.

She didn’t just dream. She had been sent a vision.

By Raven himself.

There was no mistaking it. She had felt him there. Guiding the vision.

And he wanted her to go to the shining City on the Mountain. But what for? To meet the two pega-corns that she had been shown. She had seen motifs of such beings in the ruins.

‘Thanks, you old bastard.’ Dawn Wings thought, ‘Glad I’m not totally off your radar.’

‘Daybreak is just a few hours off.’ She thought as she hopped out the tower window, and launched herself into the umbral sky and in the direction of the city. ‘If I hurry, I can make it there by sunup.’

*****

As the dream sphere disintegrated around them, Twilight and Luna found themselves back in the aether of the dreamscape. Before either of them could react, Raven appeared once more, though now, his form was far less tangible.

“Looks like she got the message. With any luck, you’ll be seeing her by tomorrow morning.” He said as he began to fade away. “Huh. My time’s almost up. Too bad.”

“Wait,” Twilight said, “Why go through all of that? Why not simply tell her?”

Raven chuckled.

“Aw, where’s the fun in that?” He replied as he continued to fade, “Kids only grow through figuring things out for themselves. I can’t just give her the answers. She needs to find them herself. You of all people should know that, little miss ‘friendship reports’.

Shrugging, Raven sighed and looked the two ponies in the eyes.

“Anyway, she’s in your hands now. It might take a while, but I think she might actually be alright. And try not to take anything she says too personally. Adjusting to a new place takes time. So, good luck. She’s a handful.”

And he was gone.

“Well, that was weird.” Twilight said as she looked up at Luna.

“Truly, Twilight Sparkle. Truly.” Luna replied as she continued to stare at the spot where Raven had once been.

“I wish I had more time to talk to him. I have so many questions about that other world, and…” Suddenly Twilight’s brain stopped, “Wait a second! How in Tartarus did he know about my friendship reports?!”

Ch 10 – Well, this is unexpected…

Hundreds of meters below her, the landscape of the penumbra passed by in a gentle cascade of abstract fields of grass, trees, various spirits… and pattern web. Lots and lots of pattern web. Had she not been so intent on her task, Dawn Wings might have actually slowed down to enjoy the scenery. But, she was currently focused like a laser on reaching the City on the Mountain. After all, there was time for sight seeing later. Right now, she was on a mission.

Raven was always pretty hands off with management, and only sent one of his corax a vision when it was vitally important. And she’d gotten one. One that she was sure meant for her to meet with… some sort of unicorn/pegasus in the City on the Mountain. Recalling the vision, she thought it was uncanny how much the two peagacorns superficially resembled the murals she had seen in the abandoned castle. If the ones in the old castle were the former rules, perhaps the ones she was to meet with were their heirs.

She honestly didn’t know what she was supposed to do when she met them. But, if the boss wanted her to check it out, she would. It certainly gave her something to think about other than the ever so tempting notion of swallowing a gold coin and letting it burn her guts up.

She shook her head and pushed the idea aside. She had to stop thinking like that. No matter how tempting it was.

So she flew.

Slowly, the umbrascape began to change. Fields and trees began to be crisscrossed with roads and train-tracks, each one perfectly linear, well maintained and even in width. At first, they appeared independent, and running parallel to one another. Yet as Dawn Wings continued to scan the land below, she noticed they were subtly converging towards a single point: the City on the Mountain.

‘I guess I’m heading in the right direction.’ Dawn Wings chuckled to herself.

*****

Headache.

It wasn’t a sensation that princess Celestia was accustomed to outside of having to deal with the nobility or the council. And those were cute and pleasant stress migraines. This? This was a completely different beast: a full-blown solahol induced hangover.

“Ugh…” She moaned as she desperately wrapped her pillow around her head, ignoring the unpleasant pressure it put on her currently over-sensitive horn. “Can somepony please turn off the rock tumbler? I want out…”

When nobody answered, Celestia simply moaned again and rolled over onto her side, hoping that it would make the dragon and ursa-major wrestling in her skull give it a rest. After a few minutes of non-stop skull pounding, she decided that clearly the grudge-match in her brain wasn’t going to stop. Reluctantly, she released the pillow and cracked her eyes open. Looking at her wall clock, she saw that she still had two hours before she needed to raise the sun.

Swearing creatively under her breath, the solar princess cast a sidelong glance at her bed stand, noticing a large teapot with a sack of dried leaves next to it, along with a small envelope. Her horn sparking somewhat painfully, she reached out with her magic, grasping the envelope before opening it. Drawing out the note, she slowly read it.

‘Greetings sister,

We presume that you will be… somewhat worse for wear after your episode yesterday. As such, we have prepared some of your favorite herbal tea to help you recover. We also have some information regarding the entity that has so troubled you for the last several days. Once you have made yourself presentable, meet us in the royal dining hall and we shall tell you what we have learned.

Warmest wishes,

Lulu

P.S. – Maybe next time, you will pace yourself a bit more? It is but a suggestion.’

Celestia looked at the teapot, the herbs and the note. Smiling, she lifted the herbs and placed them in the water, before summoning her magic and heating the container.

“Thanks Lulu.”

*****

“Wow…” Dawn Wings muttered as she flew over the penumbral City on the Mountain.

Most of the cities she’d visited back on Gaia were filth-ridden cesspools in the umbra, reflecting the unfortunate affinity such places had with the Wyrm and its corrupting influence. This city, on the other hand, lacked any serious Wyrm-taint, though some of the sections near the perimeter did show elements of the Defiler’s touch. Yet, compared to Los Angeles or Bakersfield, they were few and far between.

Like the Castle in the Forest, the City on the Mountain was built with perfect geometric precision in their gently rounded and sweeping arches and buttresses. All of the buildings, roads and parks were flawlessly precise in their alignment, yet perfectly harmonious in their architecture and aesthetics. Each tree, each building, each cobblestone in the road all fit exactly where it needed to be. The perfect symmetric asymmetry of everything made it both hauntingly beautiful and disturbing at the same time, even for someone as experienced in the umbra as Dawn Wings.

Beyond the unusual geometry of the buildings, Dawn Wings saw that like the Castle in the Forest, the City on the Mountain had a pair of the same geometric objects in the sky, orbiting the perimeter of the city in the same lazy, gentle counter-clockwise spin. What differed between the two was that unlike the objects above the ruined castle, these two appeared to be tethered to a central fulcrum by strands of light and darkness just above the highest towers of the castle at the center of the city. Beyond the presence of the tethers, unlike the ones in the ruins, the objects above the city practically shone with power.

Alighting on the roof of one of the taller buildings, Dawn Wings looked down at the nearby road. As with any place in the umbra, there were dozens of spirits all over the city, each industriously scurrying about, intent on their own esoteric tasks. Looking to the castle, Dawn Wings could feel an enormous amount of spiritual energy coming from it. If her vision was anything to go by, the pegacorns she was supposed to find would be there. Still, ever cautious, Dawn Wings wasn’t quite ready to present herself, especially to whoever lived there.

‘I should really ask about that castle,’ She thought as she watched a pair of romance and love spirits flitting around the outskirts of a garishly pink café, basking in the ambient emotional energy it was giving off. Dawn Wings chuckled at their antics, ‘though I doubt those two are going to be much help.’

‘Lets see…’ She thought as she took back to the sky.

*****

Dawn Wings banked gently as she flew through the towering shelves of books, scrolls and tablets, looking for any sign of the resident spirit. I’d been pure luck that she’d spotted this building as she was flying over the City, but it presented her best chance to get a bit of information about whomever it was she was meant to meet. After all, the best place to find a knowledge spirit was a university library.

Rounding another towering bookshelf, Dawn Wings spotted the entity she was seeking. It was seated at a large, immaculately carved marble desk. It was generally equine in outline, but was obviously not truly one of the ponies. To start, its three heads were far too large, had eight eyes each, and were mounted on long, heron like necks. It’s back bore dozens of long, articulated limbs, each ending in a three fingered hand. The limbs were in constant movement, setting down, picking up and flipping through dozens of pieces of literature.

‘Perfect.’ The corax thought as she descended towards the spirit.

“Excuse me.” Dawn Wings croaked as she landed on top of the desk.

One eye turned and regarded her for a moment. Without setting down the twelve books it was reading, the spirit spoke. “What do you want? I’m busy.”

“Then I won’t take any more of your time than I have to.” Dawn Wings said as she bowed her head respectfully. “I just wanted to ask you about some stuff.”

“Oh?” The spirit cooed as it turned one of its heads to face the corax, though it didn’t focus more than two of its eyes on her, keeping the others on the books it was reading. “What sort of things do you want to know?”

The spirit regarded her for a moment, as thought seeing her for the first time. As it did, it raised one of its eyebrows.

“But more importantly,” it said as it continued to stare at her, now focusing all eight of the speaking head’s eyes on her “I’ve never seen anything like you before. You feel like a spirit… but also something else. What exactly are you?”

“What is that knowledge worth to you?” Dawn Wings said. Spirits never did anything for free, and since this spirit wanted something from her, it gave her a bargaining chip. It was one of the advantages of negotiating with knowledge spirits. They always wanted to know new things.

“It depends. What sort of thing do you want to know?” The spirit replied, a slight smile on the head addressing the corax.

“Nothing terribly obscure, I hope. I’m new around here, so I wana brush up on my history, especially about a certain pair of beings who reside in the mortal realm.”

“What sort of beings?” The spirit inquired.

“They resemble the ponies, but look like a mix both pegasi and unicorns. One appears to be tied to Helios, the other to Luna.” Dawn Wings said before turning her head and beginning to casually groom one of her feathers.

“Helios and Luna?” The spirit asked.

“The sun and the moon.” Dawn Wings said.

“I’ve never heard them called that before.” The spirit said.

“Really? What do you call them?” Dawn Wings asked.

“The sun is Brigid and the moon as Cerridwen.” The spirit replied, “I find it hard to believe you don’t know the names of the twin sister celestines of the day and night. Where exactly are you from?”

“Pretty damn far away.” Dawn Wings said, “Unfortunately, I’m on a schedule, and I need info. So, what can you tell me about the two ponies tied to Brigid and Cerridwen.”

“And what do you need to know?” The spirit murmured.

“Like I said, history mostly. Just enough to get a sense of who they are and what to expect of them.” Dawn Wings replied.

“A minute ago, I’d have been shocked you know nothing of the princesses. I didn’t think it was possible.”

“Like I said, I’m new around here.” Dawn Wings said nonchalantly with a slight shrug. “So, what do you say? You tell me about the princesses and this city, and I give you the scoop on what I am. We got a deal?”

The spirit nodded its attentive head. “Yes, I do believe that we can make an exchange. The city you are currently in is known as Canterlot…”

*****

“…finally, since I’m more or less half spirit, I can come over to your side of the gauntlet from the fleshy side of things. Handy skill to have when you want to move ‘round without being seen or need to get into someplace that’s locked down tight. Or just mess with someone. Personally, I really like that last one.” Dawn Wings concluded. “I trust that you’re happy with this little infodump?”

“Quite.” The spirit said as one of its heads looked over the transcript it had recorded during Dawn Wing’s monolog. “Really, you are such a fascinating creature. Do tell, are there more like you?”

“Now, now, if I told you that, what would I have to offer the next time I needed to ask you something?” Dawn Wings said with a grin. “And, hey, thanks. You’ve been very helpful. I’d be sure to swing by again when I need some more info.”

“Please do.” The spirit said, a smile gracing the head still paying attention to Dawn Wings. “Its been millenia since I got to trade with somepony from the other side of the veil.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. See ya around.” Dawn Wings said as she bowed to the spirit. As she rose from the bow, she spread her wings and with a sharp downward stroke, lifted off into the air, before gliding off towards the exit.

*****

‘Okay, ready to do this Wings?’ Dawn Wings thought as she flew towards the umbral version of the palace. The info that spirit gave her had been easily more than enough for her to get an idea about who, and what, she’d be dealing with. At the same time, it made her a bit nervous. She’d never been comfortable meeting with authority figures, and now, she was going to be meeting with the rulers of a whole nation. Who were so mystically powerful that they were ageless immortals that could move the sun and moon.

It was that last part that really bothered her. She doubted that the knowledge spirit had lied to her. It wasn’t in their nature. But, the implications were astronomical. Why did the sun and moon need to be moved by an outside agent? Her thoughts immediately went to the Weaver. Had the Psycho-Bitch-Spider gotten her webs so thoroughly wrapped around this planet that it no longer orbited its star properly? Was this planet even heliocentric to start with? The entire prospect made her head hurt. Pushing the whole thing aside, she resolved to not think about it. She didn’t have enough information to go on, so there wasn’t any point worrying about it.

‘Well, no point in putting it off.’ She chastised herself as she flew over the outer wall of the castle.

Looking around, the corax began to search for a place to step sideways. She had a feeling that even in a world as magickally rich as this one, her suddenly appearing out of thin air would probably turn a few heads. And since she was still trying to keep a low profile, it wasn’t in her best interest to spook any of the locals. Or start any rumors.

After a few minutes of searching, she spotted a location directly adjacent to the castle that would serve her purposes nicely. Banking, Dawn Wings began to fly towards the hedge maze she’d seen in the distance.

As she drew closer to the living labyrinth, she began to notice something out of the ordinary. She was already accustomed to the near perfect harmony and symmetry of the umbral landscape, but as she flew, she began to spot a bit of disorder beginning to sneak in. It was subtle, but the geometric precision of the garden began to deteriorate the closer she drew to the maze. Dawn Wings hummed curriously as she looked on, seeing asymmetry in the beds of flowers and the trees. Somehow, something was introducing chaos into this perfectly ordered system.

Her curiosity piqued, Dawn Wings flapped to gain some altitude and see if she could spot an epicenter to the chaotic effect. It took a few minutes of scanning the grounds, but she began to see a pattern in the chaos: it was becoming more concentrated towards one edge of the maze. Trees were more asymmetric, or were distorted into odd shapes. Grass became uneven in height and placement, or even the wrong color. Flower spirits flitted around pollinating blooming bees as worm spirits dug in the ground to find bird spirits to eat. Now thoroughly intrigued, Dawn Wings began to fly towards the chaos’s epicenter.

*****

“Interesting.” Dawn Wings muttered as she landed on a slightly disheveled hedge of squids. Before her, there was a massive dome of shimmering, translucent, pink crystal the size of a baseball stadium, its surface engraved with six glowing symbols: an apple, balloon, butterfly, diamond, lightning bolt and six-pointed star. She recognized the latter two she from the butt tattoos she’d seen on the purple unicorn and blue pegasus. Whatever was causing the chaos to leak into the local umbrascape, she figured the dome was meant to contain it.

Pecking a tentacle that had started to wrap around her leg, Dawn Wings took to the air and began to circle the dome. Upon closer examination, she saw that the structure wasn’t solid. Instead, at the very center, she could see an odd chimeric creature with a long and serpentine body, and a mismatched set of limbs. The being was trapped within the depths of the dome, and its features contorted into an expression of pure horror. Even without being able to get close to the creature, Dawn Wings could sense its power.

It was a Wyld spirit. And not just any Wyld spirit, but an Incarna. Landing on the surface of the dome, Dawn Wings looked at the bound spirit. It took powerful magic to trap such creatures, and judging by the nature of the bindings, it was likely that several other Incarna or even a Celestine had been responsible. Even more frightening was that the power generated by the spirit wasn’t fully contained by the bindings, given the state of the umbra around the dome.

‘Poor thing.’ Dawn Wings thought as she looked at the spirit. ‘No Wyldling should be put through that.’

Thank you. Dawn Wings heard in her mind. Not many would have such a care for me you know.

Looking down at the spirit, Dawn Wings became keenly aware that, despite being unable to move, the spirit was now looking directly at her. Instinctively, Dawn Wings activated her threat detection gift. If it were possible for the gift to overload, it would have at that moment. This Wyldling was as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than a nexus crawler or one of the Majelin.

Most curious. The spirit said in her mind. I’ve never seen anything like you before.

‘I’ve been getting that a lot lately. Of course, I can’t say the same. Haven’t personally run into anyone of your scale, I know your kind. Tell me, who’d you piss off enough to have them do all of this to you Wyld-boy?’ Dawn Wings thought as she gestured with a wing to the massive binding dome.

Hah! Haven’t heard dear old granddad’s name from anyone around this place before. The spirit said. As for who I “pissed off” as you so eloquently put it, I was just trying to have some fun when a bunch of uptight, self-righteous and boring ponies decided that they didn’t like my games and stuck me in this prison.

‘Lemme guess, your idea of fun was adding a little primal chaos to the nice and orderly world outside, am I right?’

Got it in one, birdy. The spirit cheered. This place is just so…banal, you know? Harmony, unity, friendship, all that rubbish. Place needs a little chaos to spice it up.

Pausing, the spirit seemed to regard her for a moment.

Say, there’s not any chance that you could open this thing up for me, is there? He said.

‘Nope.’ Dawn Wings thought as she looked around at the dome. ‘This is so far beyond me that its not even funny. Besides, even if I could let you out, doesn’t mean I would.’

Oh? The spirit replied.

‘Like I said, I’ve meet your kind before. Don’t get me wrong. I like your grandpappy and all, and think that his sibs need a good kick in the metaphysical balls for all the shit they’re putting the universe through. And, while I think adding a bit of Wyld spice to the mix is a wonderful idea… I’m not dumb enough to let something like you out without a reeeeeaaaaally good reason. I can tell you’re dangerous. Like, really dangerous. And, probably not the kind of guy to be all that grateful if I did let you loose, am I wrong?’

Clever bird. The spirit replied. I like you. Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?

‘Not at all.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘I’d have been offended if you hadn’t asked me to open up this snowglobe. Seriously, one of the Wyld’s boys not wanting freedom? What next, that OCD bitch Weaver taking up gambling? Pfft, yea, that’d be the day.’

Very true.

‘Well, as fun as its been chatting with you, I’ve got to get going. But, hey, if I’m ever back this way again, maybe I’ll swing by and say hello. Who knows, I might have some stories to tell you if you’re interested. I doubt this thing’s got good wifi.’ Dawn wings thought as she tapped one of her talons on the crystal’s surface.

You got that right. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you around, miss…?

‘Niki will do, Mr…?’ Dawn Wings thought as she extended her right wing and made a few small circles in the air with her wrist.

Discord. The spirit replied. Well, it’s been a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you around again.

‘Likewise.’ Dawn Wings said before spreading her wings and lifting off. After putting some distance between herself and the dome, Dawn Wings dove down into the hedge maze, and stepped sideways.

*****

“…and then, he was gone. After that, We returned Twilight Sparkle to her dreamscape, then awoke to inform you of our findings.” Luna said as she concluded her tale, stirring her coffee with her magic. Looking up, she saw her sister vigorously massaging her temples.

“Tia…?”

“Is all of that true?” Her sister said, not bothering to lower her hooves.

“You doubt us?” Luna said.

“No. But, I needed to ask.” Celestia said as she finally lowered her hooves and sighed. “This is just a lot to take in. Do you think that this… Dawn Wings… will really show up?”

“We believe so. Though he did not state exactly how or when she would arrive, this Raven entity said she’d be here at some point today.” Luna said before taking a sip of her coffee and sighing. “Honestly, we feel for this Dawn Wings. If what little Raven told of her tale is true, she must be in immense emotional turmoil.”

Celestia simply took a slow sip of her tea. “Still, I think it would be wise if we tread carefully.”

“Indeed.” Luna replied.

A moment of silence passed between the two princesses as they continued with their breakfast. Just as she was finishing her plate of rosecakes, Celestia’s head snapped up and looked out towards the gardens, her eyes wide. Luna barely contained a startled yelp as she was caught off guard by the sudden burst of motion from her sister. Coughing to clear her throat, the lunar princess regarded her sister.

“Tia?”

“She’s here…” Celesita muttered.

“She is? How can you tell?”

“The sun fragment just appeared. It has to be her.”

“How close?”

“Very. I think she’s in the gardens.”

Rising, Celestia began to make her way towards the dining room’s exit.

“Sister, where are you going?” Luna asked as she rose as well.

“I’m going to go find her. One way or another, I’m getting some answers.” Celestia said as she pulled the doors open with her magic and swept out of the room, Luna following quickly behind.

*****

With a subtle ripple in the fabric of reality, Dawn Wings emerged from the umbra and into the physical world. Abstractions shifted back to their “normal” forms and everything became more mundane. Without missing a beat, the corax gained altitude and flew over the top of the hedge maze.

Looking at the City on the Mountain, or Canterlot as the spirit had told her, the corax was struck by how similar it was to its spiritual counterpart. Though far from a perfect copy, the geometry and precision of the structures were remarkable for mortal builders. Thinking about it, she supposed that it wasn’t that strange. Magick tends to make such things easier after all.

Flying back towards the castle, Dawn Wings happened to glance at the perimeter of the hedge maze. As she did, she spotted a familiar looking form near the edge. No longer encapsulated in a massive dome, but instead a simple statue, sat the form of Discord. Turning slightly, she landed in a tree nearby the petrified spirit, and regarded him for a moment.

‘So, you manifested a part of yourself in the material world Wyld-boy, and got yourself stuck in stone. Yea, you really must have pissed in someone’s oatmeal to deserve something like that.’ Dawn Wings thought as she regarded the statue. ‘Still, petrifying a Wyldling? Whoever did that’s got to be one sick, sadistic bastard.’

‘Well, enough sight seeing. Time to find this Princess Celestia character.’ She thought as she turned away and took flight back towards the castle.

As she approached the massive edifice, she began to see more of the ponies in the park-sized garden. There were a few of the normal ponies tending to the garden itself by pruning shrubs through strategic nipping at the branches, raking up leaves, or performing other basic maintenance of the grounds.

‘Probably the gardeners.’ Dawn Wings thought.

Aside from the gardeners, there were pairs of ponies in lethal looking gold armor either patrolling or standing at attention throughout the garden, each one bearing a serious expression as though it were chiseled onto their faces. Unlike the other ponies working the grounds, these armored ponies were a mixture of all three types, and, for some reason, were completely identical in coloration. She’d gotten so used to just how polychromatic the ponies were, so seeing so many that were identical was somewhat jarring.

Finally, there were also a small number of ponies simply milling about the garden, though these were mostly unicorns. Unlike the gardeners or the guards, these ponies were clearly at leisure, and carried an air of arrogance around them, like some of the upper-class humans that Dawn Wings had the displeasure of dealing with in the past. ‘I guess administrators or other government types.’ Dawn Wings thought as she watched one of the unicorns drinking a glass of wine by the edge of a small pond.

As she took it all in, she shifted her flight and landed in a pomegranate tree next to a small white pergola with white cushions and a small table inside. Once settled, Dawn Wings began to wonder just how she was going to find the princess. Even with all of these other ponies around, she doubted that she could just go into equus form and start walking around looking for her. Even on the off chance that she didn’t get arrested for trespassing on royal property, she had no way of knowing where to begin to look. The castle was enormous, and without being able to ask any of the ponies for directions, she was stuck.

Turning to one of the fruits, and plucking out a few ripe seeds from the open shell, she began mulling the whole situation over. As it stood, the best chance she’d have was to simply wait around the castle and see if she could spot one of the royals. But, even then, she was still presented with one glaring, extreme problem.

She still couldn’t communicate with the princess.

While she’d been able to converse with the knowledge spirit because she could use her gifts, and Discord was apparently powerful enough to simply communicate directly with her telepathically, neither of these were an option when dealing with the princess. Even if she was as powerful as the knowledge spirit had told her, there was one simple yet overwhelming problem.

Princess Celestia wasn’t a spirit. And unless by some strange miracle she somehow spoke English or by some improbable coincidence had a spell that could translate languages, Dawn Wings was stuck.

‘Gaia, this sucks.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she huffed through her nostrils, then grabbed a few more seeds form the pomegranate. As she downed them, she turned her attention to one of the gardeners working the grounds nearby, a moss green pony with a brown mane and light green leaf as a butt tattoo, who was currently watering the flower beds from a mouth held watering can. It wasn’t the most entertaining video on YouTube, but it at least was something to watch while she tried to work out exactly what her next move was.

“Good morning Mr. Green Leaf. How’re you today?” A gentle, feminine voice said.

Dawn Wings froze.

Whoever had just spoken, she’d understood what they were saying.

She didn’t know the words, but she understood what they meant.

Slowly. Ever so slowly, she turned her head towards the direction of the voice, a half chewed pomegranate seed still in her beak.

As she did, the gardener she’d been passively watching turned towards another pony that was slowly approaching, and greeted the newcomer warmly. The new pony was quite tall compared to the gardener, with a pink coat, tri-colored mane, and crystaline-heart butt tattoo. The most striking thing about her, beyond her stature, was the presence of both a horn and wings on her body, much like the two princesses Dawn Wings was supposed to find. This one was clearly not one of the sun or moon princesses, yet, somehow, she was clearly like them. She was also familiar somehow. Dawn Wings was sure she’d seen her somewhere before. But she just couldn’t place exactly where.

“Oh, nothing much.”The pink pony said in response to the gardener. “I decided to have breakfast in the gardens this morning. Its far too nice of a day to be inside.”

The gardener replied again, but like before, Dawn Wings couldn’t understand him.

“I’m doing much better, thank you. I’m just glad nobody got seriously hurt.”

This was really beginning to get to her. Why could she understand this pony?

“Of course. I’m really looking forward to seeing your cherry trees blossom this spring. Your section of the garden always puts on such a lovely show.”

The gardener spoke one last time before bowing and trotting off.

“You as well. Please, tell your husband I said hello.” The pegacorn said before trotting cheerfully over to the pergola. Dawn Wings watched as she turned round a couple of times before settling down onto one of the large pillows inside the structure, and turned her head towards the grounds.

‘I know I’ve seen you somewhere before. But where?’ Dawn Wings thought as she continued to stare at the pegacorn. It was really staring to bother her how familiar the pink pony was, but how she couldn’t place her.

After a few minutes, a unicorn mare in a server’s coat came trotting up, and delivered a platter of fruits, flowers and what looked like blueberry-topped crepes along with a porcelain teapot and cup to the reclining pony.

“Thank you.” She said. The unicorn gave a short verbal response before bowing, turning and trotting off. Once the unicorn was gone, the pegacorn poured herself a cup of amber liquid from the teapot using her magick and took a dainty sip before setting the cup down and sighing contentedly.

‘Okay. That’s it. I’m getting a closer look.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she quietly took to the air and circled around the pony before landing on the railing behind her. The pony started at the sudden sound of Dawn Wings landing, and turned to look at her.

“Oh, hello there.” The pony said to the corax. “Did you come to join me?”

From her tone of voice, Dawn Wings could tell that the pink pony was addressing her like some random wild bird, which suited her just fine. Playing along, she cocked her head from one side to the other before croaking once, doing her best to impersonate a simple raven as she regarded the pony. Now that she was closer, she could sense the raw mystical energy coming off the reclining pony. There was something on the edge of her perception that felt out of place about her. Focusing power into her eyes, Dawn Wings examined the pony closely. No sooner had she turned her full attention on her, Dawn Wings understood what she was looking at, and more importantly, why she could understand her.

She was an Incarna.

A manifest Incarna.

“Do you want some?” The pony said, drawing Dawn Wings out of her contemplation as she levitated a piece of her blueberry crepe and set it on the table next to the silver tray the food had been brought on. Apparently, she had interpreted the corax’s staring as hunger.

Collecting her thoughts, Dawn Wings had to admit, it did look good. Feigning caution and taking a few “tentative” steps forward before hopping off the railing, she slowly approached the offered food, before “startling” at a “sudden movement” from the pony and flapping back a few inches and turning towards the pony, cocking her head to the side again, and croaking softly.

“Its okay. I won’t hurt you.” The pony crooned softly as she watched the corax slowly begin to approach the offered food again. Fluttering up to the table, Dawn Wings “cautiously” walked up to the crepe fragment before reaching down with her beak and picking up a piece of it, keeping an eye of the pegacorn the entire time. Working it in her mouth, she swallowed the delectable confection, then looked directly at the pegacorn.

“Here you go. Have another piece.” She said as she levitated another fragment of her breakfast over to Dawn Wings before resuming her own meal.

Dawn Wings casually picked at the crepe, her mind racing in two directions at once. On one wing, running into a manifest Incarna went beyond unexpected. Such powerful spirits rarely if ever chose to appear in the material world, and those that did preferred to keep away from mortals. But this one was willingly living among the ponies, and apparently had a place of high authority. Could the other two she was meant to meet with also be Incarna? If they were, that opened up her options immensely. After all, she could actually communicate with spirits. On the other wing, she knew this pony from somewhere, and it was driving her to distraction.

Having finished the crepe she’d been offered, Dawn Wings turned away from the pony and flew to the railing before turning back around and looking at the pegacorn.

“Aww, leaving already?” She said as she looked back at the corax. Dawn Wings croaked in reply, and settled down onto the railing. Seeing that Dawn Wings wasn’t about to go, the pegacorn smiled and resumed her meal as the corax watched on.

*****

“Sister, a little decorum please!” Luna shouted as emerged from the castle just behind her sister. Celestia gave no indication that she heard her, or that she cared if she did, as she continued to move at a brisk canter down the garden path. Upon seeing the princesses, the guards stationed near the gates stood a little taller and firmer.

Her senses tugging at her perception, the solar princess made quick time through the outermost perimeter of the garden, closely followed by her sister.

She was getting closer. The fragment of the sun, the shard contained in this impossible, unknown, outside entity, was so close now.

Several nobles spotted the princesses, calling out to her and waving, but she ignored them as she continued to move deeper into the garden. They weren’t important right now.

As she rounded one last hedge, she emerged into a small open area with numerous fruit trees and a large pergola. Moments later, Luna arrived as well, shooting her sister an annoyed glare. Celestia trotted onto the manicured lawn, heading towards the structure where she could sense the solar energy. As she approached the pergola, she spotted an eagle sized raven perched on one of the railings, but she also saw somepony she wasn’t expecting. Cadance, hearing the approaching hoofsteps, turned her head and smiled brightly.

“Ah, hello auntie Celestia! Auntie Luna!” Cadance called out as she stood before gesturing with a wing to the pillows adjacent to the table. “Would you like to join me?”

Though surprised to see her niece, Celestia kept it hidden as she approached the pergola.

“Thank you Cadance, but I’m afraid I can’t.” Celestia apologized as she turned to look at the large raven that was perched on the railing opposite her niece. A raven that was staring directly at her with intense, appraising eyes. “Strange as it might sound, I’m actually here to find her.”

Turning to look at the raven she’d been eating with, Cadance was struck by how strange a statement her aunt had just made. As her eyes rested on the bird, she noticed that the bird’s posture had changed subtly, and now had a weird look in its eyes.

“What? Why?” Cadance asked as she looked back to her aunt.

“Funny coincidence that. I could say the same thing, sunshine.”

All three alicorns’ eyes widened to the size of diner plates as they looked to the source of the voice. Both Celestia and Luna knew that the being before them was sentient, but didn’t expect her to be able to speak. Cadance, on the other hoof, was completely out of the loop, and had thought the bird nothing more than a normal animal.

What was more, the words she used were not only alien, but somewhat terrifying, like the vicious snarl of some aggressive, violent predator. More disturbing, while all three hadn’t recognized the words she used, somehow they understood their meaning. Translation magic didn’t work like that, instead turning the words heard into a language the listener knew. This conveyed meaning without changing the sounds, and was more like having fluency imparted without learning the language itself.

It was magic, no question about it. But it was a sort of magic that they’d ever encountered.

Cadance was the first to break out of her shock.

“Wait! What was that!? You can talk?” Cadance shouted as the bird took off and landed on the railing near her aunt.

“Oh, I can do far more than just talk. And, hey, thanks for sharing. It was delicious.” The bird said as she looked back her shoulder, somehow managing to grin. Then she turned back to Celestia, whom, along with Luna, had more or less recovered and were now looking directly at the black avian.

“Princess Celestia, I presume?” The bird said, her voice casual yet respectful. “Pleased to meet ya. Though, frankly, I thought I was supposed to be looking for you. Didn’t know I rated high enough to have royalty out lookin’ for little old me. Guess I should feel honored.”

“Well, this is unexpected.” Celestia said, as she addressed the raven. Now that she was closer, Celestia could get a really sense the solar essence coming off the bird. “Yes, I am indeed princess Celestia. And, I you are… Dawn Wings, am I right?”

The raven cocked an eye as she looked at Celestia

“Okay… I’m impressed. Yea, that’s my name.” Dawn Wings said before bowing slightly to Celestia. “Volucris Dawn Wings, at your service your highness. Glad to make your acquaintance.”

Author's Note

*Record scratch* What? Dawn Wings is actually going to get to talk to somepony? No…

Ch 11 – Seriously, what’d I do to deserve this?

Dawn Wings rose from her bow and regarded Celestia. While the princess’s face was a carefully maintained and polished porcelain mask, Dawn Wings could tell that the gears of the incarna’s mind were furiously working to make sense of what she was seeing and hearing.

“Aunty, what’s going on here?” Dawn Wings heard from behind her. Turning her head, she considered the pink incarna. “Who, and what, is this bird? How is she talking? More importantly, why can we understand her?”

Celestia regarded Dawn Wings for a moment. It was obvious that the bird was, somehow, using magic. But, whatever sort of magic it was, she couldn’t sense it. One more mystery to add to her ever-growing list.

“I’m not sure Cadance, though I’m hoping she’ll be forthcoming about it.”Celestia said as she turned back to her niece, “Truthfully, the only thing we’re really sure of is her arrival was the source of the event about a week ago.”

“Event?” Cadance asked, before her eyes went wide as she connected the dots, “Wait, you mean that feedback. She caused it?”

“Feedback?” Dawn Wings asked as she looked back to Celestia.

“Your arrival was not a gentle one.” The blue incarna, Luna, said. “Had it not been so violent, we might not have become as aware of your presence as we were.”

“Well, maybe you might not have Lulu.” Dawn Wings caught Celestia add under her breath.

“What makes you think it was me? Could have been a coincidence.” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the lunar incarna.

“We spoke with your master regarding the matter…” Luna began.

“Master?” Dawn Wings interrupted, “How could you possibly talk to her?”

“Her? Do you not serve the one called Raven?” Luna asked, her tone confused.

“Uh, no. I work for him, yea, but he’s not my master. That’s Gaia. At least she was…” Dawn Wings said as her head lowed pitifully, before her eyes went wide when she realized what the incarna was saying. “Wait, you talked to the boss? When? How?”

Coughing to draw everyone’s attention, Celestia turned to Dawn Wings and the other alicorns.

“Perhaps we should move to a… less public setting.” She said as she gestured towards the castle with a wing, “As much as I would enjoy seeing the look on their faces, I’m not sure any of the gardeners would react well to a talking raven. Especially one speaking such an… odd language.”

“Indeed sister.” Luna replied. “Cadance, Dawn Wings, would you please follow us?”

Dawn Wings regarded the royals as they turned and spread their wings and prepared to take off.

‘The palace.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘Can’t imagine brining a raven inside would be all that inconspicuous.’

“Hold on. I need a moment to slip into something a lot less comfortable.” Dawn Wings called out, causing the alicorns to stop and turn back to her.

What they saw caused them to freeze in their tracks.

Dawn Wings’ body convulsed and pitched forward as she caught herself on the edges of her wings. Before their eyes, muscles and bones began to warp and rapidly expand. In moments, Dawn Wings had grown nearly ten times in size, her wings shifting down on her torso while growing a pair of taloned, tridactyl hands on the wrist. Her body took on a more equine shape as a massive second pair of wings grew from her back, while her hind legs transformed from the four digited appendages of a bird to a single, hooked hoof. Moments later, she began to drop mass, as her feathers began to disappear and be replaced by brick-red fur, and a short, messy mane of black hair appearing on her tail, head and neck. Her head rapidly lost all avian characters as it morphed into that of a wiry, almost malnourished looking pony, while her fore and hind legs morphed from taloned digits to simple hooves. Finally, as her body was finishing the transformation, a cutie mark appeared on her flank, depicting a spread raven’s wing across the surface of a hand mirror.

“There we go. Okay, ready when…what?” Dawn Wings said as she looked at Celestia, then Luna, then Cadance. All three had expressions that ranged from un-phased to mildly astonished to outright horrified.

“What in Harmony’s name was that?!” Cadance shrieked as she took a few steps back.

Dawn Wings regarded her for a moment, then facehooved.

“Gah! That’s right.” She groaned as she remembered that there were no other fera in this world. “Sorry about that. I should’ve given you some warning. My bad.”

“Seriously, what are you? Some kind of changeling?” Cadance hissed as she lowered her horn defensively, her recent unpleasant encounters with shape-shifters suddenly coming back full force.

“Hey, I ain’t no faerie.” Dawn Wings retorted as she turned to face Cadance. “I’m a corax. Big difference. Sides, what’ve you got against changelings? Sure, the unseelie ones can be dicks, yea, but the seelie ones are pleasant enough.”

“There is no such thing as a good changeling.” Cadance growled. “They’re vile parasites of the worst kind, preying on innocent ponies. If you think there’s anything redeeming about those black hearted vermin, you’re no better than they are.”

“Cadance, please compose yourself.” Luna said softly as she placed a hoof gently on her niece’s shoulder. “We know your recent experiences have colored your views, but do not let them interfere with your judgment.”

“Quite.” Celestia said as she approached Dawn Wings, keeping her eyes on the corax. “I have a feeling that the changelings she’s familiar with and the ones we know aren’t the same sort of creature. Please, let’s behave like civilized ponies and hear her out.”

Cadance looked at her aunts, then at Dawn Wings, who was still glaring at her through narrowed eyes.

“Fine, but I want Shining with us when we do. I don’t trust her.” Cadance said with a huff as she glared daggers at Dawn Wings.

“Please do. I want him in on this.” Celestia said. “Also, have Raven join us as well. I think meeting room seven should be open, so lets gather there in, say, 10 minutes.”

“Alright auntie. I’ll see you in a bit then.” Cadance said tersely before nuzzling Celestia and flying off towards the castle.

Dawn Wings watched the pink incarna retreating from the scene, before turning to Celestia and Luna. “Hmph. What crawled up her ass and died?”

Both royals regarded the corax for a moment, their faces clearly unsure how to interpret what they just heard her say.

“We’ll tell you about it when we get inside.” Celestia said as she turned, spread her wings and took to the air, with Luna lifting off and hovering at her side. “In any case, please follow us. I think we’ve got a lot to discuss.”

“Sure, lead the way. Not like I know my way around this place.” Dawn Wings said as she spread her wings and also took to the air, falling in just behind the two royals.

Celestia and Luna shared a look.

“We are going to be stopping by the kitchen before we go to the meeting room, are we not?” Luna said, noticing the raised vein on her sister’s forehead.

“It's that, or you could hand over that bottle of Sunfire you ‘confiscated’ yesterday.” Celestia replied coolly as she glanced back at the raven-turned-pegasus following just behind them.

“We… do not think that is a good idea.”

“Then, yes, we’re stopping by the kitchen.” Celestia replied.

*****

The halls of Canterlot castle rang out with the sound of twelve hoofbeats as the princesses and one equus form corax made their way towards the large royal meeting room, their trip only briefly interrupted by a stop at the castle kitchen. Dawn Wings and Luna waited patiently as Celestia had placed a massive order before leaving. While she normally would have found it humorous how much food the incarna had ordered, Dawn Wings’ current circumstances didn’t lend itself to such levity.

Despite the casually brisk pace, the corax was making sure to take in everything around her. Locations of offices, possible escape routes, valuable art objects, where every guard was stationed, even the placement of the rugs and paintings; no matter how insignificant the details seemed, she focused on memorizing everything she could.

She didn’t like this. While the two alicorns she was currently with hadn’t triggered either her mundane or mystical threat senses, the way that pink one had reacted to her put the corax on edge. She’d seen that sort of hate before, both in her allies and her enemies. And it never led to anything good.

“Your majesties.” Dawn Wings said, prompting the royals to stop and look back at her. “Could you tell me about these changelings?”

The alicorns shared a look before resuming their canter towards the meeting room.

“Changelings… are parasites. Vermin.” Luna said, her voice even but firm, “Wretched creatures, one and all, they exist by stealing the energies born of love within a pony and leave them naught but empty shells.”

“As a race, they’re lead by Queen Crysalis. She’s a cunning foe, and as cruel as she is persistent. I’ve faced her in the past, but every time I think she’s been defeated, she finds a way to return.” Celestia continued. Even with her regal mask intact, Dawn Wings could see the subtle hints on the incarna’s face: she loathed the changelings just as much as her niece. Perhaps even more. She was just far better at hiding it.

“Hmph. They sound more like leeches than any faerie I know. Heh, at least they don’t suck blood.” Dawn Wings mused. “Doesn’t exactly explain why little Ms. Strawberry Smoothie got all bent out of shape.”

“Dawn Wings, I know you’re new around here, but please, show my niece proper respect. As for why she’s “bent out of shape” as you put it, she was… abducted and replaced by Crysalis on the week of her wedding, and left to rot in the crystal caverns below the city.” Celestia said with a scowl. “Had it not been for my student Twilight Sparkle, she would have claimed Canterlot for her swarm.”

“Replaced?” Dawn Wings asked, her curiosity rising, “How?”

“As their name implies, changelings are masters of deception.” Luna replied, “They can appear in the guise of others, to the point that even our powers cannot discern the ruse.”

“Well, that’s a son-of-a-bitch.” Dawn Wings chuckled, “Guess I can understand why she’s leery of me. Well, I’m no love eating leech. I can promise you that.”

‘Wait, did they say they can look like others?’ Dawn Wings thought as she recalled what she saw in the dead mare’s eye the day before. And the creature that had stolen her form just as she died.

“Hold up. You said these changelings are shapeshifters. What do they look like when they aren’t wearing someone’s face?”

“They appear like ponies in general shape.” Luna said, “Albeit ones that bear closer resemblance to insects than mammals.”

‘Bingo.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘Probably not a good idea to just drop it on ‘em that there’s one of these things in that little town I’ve been visiting just yet.’

“Luna. Dawn Wings.” Celestia said, drawing the attention of the two, “We’ve arrived.”

Dawn Wings looked up, noticing that they were standing before a massive set of gilded double doors. On both sides of the portal, there were half a dozen of the armored ponies, each armed with deadly looking steel spears. In addition, there was a single, unarmored unicorn with white fur, brown hair and a giant pair of owl-like glasses sitting patiently before the door.

As she approached, a mild chill ran up the back of her neck, prompting Dawn Wings to invoke her threat detection magic. As the sensory gift swept the area, she noted that each of the guards pinged back as a minor threat. Additionally, she could sense at least eight other minor threats on the other side of the door, seven registering as ponies, and one registering as a powerful spirit. Much to her surprise, the unicorn didn’t register as a threat.

Trotting forward, the unicorn bowed to the princesses before briefly speaking to them.

“Thank you Raven. Yes, this is her.” Celestia said before turning to the corax, “Dawn Wings, this is my senechal, Raven. She’ll be joining us for this little… interview.”

Dawn Wings took a moment to appreciate the irony of the pony’s name and her association with the solar incarna. True, the boss didn’t work for Helios, but, it was still a funny coincidence.

The corax refocused her attention as Raven approached and bowed her head slightly, before looking the corax in the eye and speaking what Dawn Wings assumed was a greeting.

‘This is awkward.’ Dawn Wings thought as she smiled sheepishly.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia said, having noticed the uncomfortable look Dawn Wings was wearing.

“Kinda.” Dawn Wings replied, causing the guards and Raven to widen their eyes slightly at the sounds she was making. “Unless you’ve got something up your sleeve, she won’t understand a word I’m saying, and visa-versa.”

“Can’t you use whatever magic you’re using to talk to her too?” Celestia asked.

“Yea, about that.” Dawn Wings said. “This little trick only works on spirits, not mortals. It sucks, but, hey, that’s the way it is.”

Celestia and Luna regarded her for a moment.

“I think something didn’t translate right. What do you mean by ‘spirits’?” Celestia asked.

“Y’know… spirits… aspects of reality and embodiment of its principles, objects, beings and forms.”

“And why do you believe that definition applies to my sister and I?” Luna asked.

“Well, look at it like this: if it didn’t, you wouldn’t understand me. It's just that simple.”

Both alicorns gave her an incredulous look.

“Can we discuss it in there?” Dawn Wings asked as she gestured to the room with her snout. “I have the feeling this is going to take a while.”

“I think that’s probably for the best.” Celestia said as she telekinetically pushed the door open and walked inside, followed by Luna and Raven, “Cadance and Captain Shining Armor are waiting.”

“Right, right. Lets not keep the angry strawberry parfait waiting.” Dawn Wings said flippantly as she dismissively waved her hoof back and forth before she walked into the meeting room, which earned her an annoyed look from both of the alicorns.

“This one’s nearly as bad as her master.” Luna said under her breath, causing her sister to give her a sidelong glance.

The meeting room was easily as large as one of the bigger conference halls Dawn Wings had been in while on assignment, though it was not nearly as opulent as the rest of the castle, switching out grandeur for function. Dawn Wings noted that there were no windows, which made her feel slightly claustraphobic. It was clever of them to choose this room: no windows meant she couldn’t make a break for it if things went south. Of course, they had no way of knowing that she could step sideways at any time.

Dawn Wings turned her attention to the center of the room, which was dominated by a large mahogany table where princess Angry Icecream, and another pony, this one a burly white unicorn with a dark and light blue streaked mane, were seated.

Upon hearing the hoofbeats of the new arrivals, the two of them stopped talking and looked up. Their eyes first fell onto Dawn Wings, their expressions controlled yet slightly hostile. This quickly changed to a warm, slight smile when they noticed the two incarna with her.

‘Looks like Strawberries hasn’t been speaking highly of me to this Shining Armor fellow.’ Dawn Wings thought as she looked at the pair, her magic marking them as two of the minor threats she’d sensed. That left six unknowns hidden in the room. ‘Hmmm, he seems kinda familiar too…’

Seeing the two of them together caused something to click in her brain. First facehoofing then throwing out her right foreleg with a snap, she threw her head back and groaned. “Argh! Now I remember!”

“Remember what?” Celestia said as she regarded the corax with a raised eyebrow.

“Nothing important.” Dawn Wings said, keeping her face fairly neutral, before casually trying to change the subject. “Don’t think rope-boy over there likes me all that much. What’s he got to do with this?”

“Rope… boy?” Celestia said before clearing her throat. “Ahem. Well, as you’ve probably guessed, that’s Shining Armor. He’s Cadance’s husband, Captain of the Royal Guard and one of our military’s most decorated officers. He’s here because, truthfully, I want him to be around for this little interview. As… civil as you’ve been, I don’t really trust you yet. And I’d rather not take chances. Do understand.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Dawn Wings said as the approached the table, “Hell, I’d be leery of me if I were you.”

As Celestia and Luna took their seats at the head of the table, Dawn Wings “casually” looked around the room, paying special attention to the spots where her gift could detect the threats. With such a quick look and without using her other gifts, she couldn’t see anything, but knowing that the ponies could use magick, she suspected that they were obfuscating their presence somehow.

As she approached the table, Dawn Wings stole a glance at Shining Armor in her peripheral vision, and noticed his posture had changed slightly. It was subtle, but he was ever so slightly more alert, and a fraction more tense and his glare just a bit more calculating, like the threat she represented had gone up ever so slightly.

‘Okay, this one’s good. I bet he saw me look right at the spots where he’s got guards hidden. I can’t underestimate him.’ Dawn Wings thought as she followed Raven to the table. Taking a seat a next to the white unicorn at a respectful distance away from the princesses, yet close enough to make Shining and Cadance bristle slightly, Dawn Wings propped her right foreleg on the table and rested her head on her hoof before looking at Celestia.

“So, what now?” She said, taking some small measure of comfort in knowing that Captain Ropes and the other ponies hiding in the room wouldn’t be able to understand her. “We have a chat over tea or something?”

“Something like that, yes.” Celestia said, before her horn lit up with a shimmering golden aura. As she did, a large circle of runes appeared in the air above the table, before slowly settling on the ground around the six ponies. “There, now we can all talk a bit more freely.”

Now it was Dawn Wings’ turn to be surprised. She was used to her gift providing fluency without changing the way the words reached her ears. This was clearly a different type of linguistic magick than her’s.

“Well, this’s different.” Dawn Wings said, looking at Celestia, then the other ponies at the table. “So, does that trick just work on us, or is this thing translating me for everyone.”

Captain Armor’s eyes narrowed subtly. Dawn Wings smugly chuckled internally. ‘Yup. I know they’re there Knotty McRoperson.’

“No.” Luna said, “Only those within the circle.”

“That’s good.” Dawn Wings said casually. “Never know who’s skulking around listening in.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that’s something you’d know about, wouldn’t it changeling.” Cadance said.

“Not changeling. Corax. Wereraven if you want to be crude about it. Get it right Strawberry Tallcake.” Dawn Wings said. Cadance’s seething glare simply bounced off of Dawn Wings as she met the incarna’s eyes. “And when you’ve been at this game as long as I have, it never hurts to be cautious, especially when there’s a good chance there’re eavesdroppers around.”

“Sounds like you’ve got something to hide.” Shining said cooly.

“Who doesn’t?” Dawn Wings replied casually. “We all have our secrets. Revealing some can make the world a better place; others can cause lotsa problems if they reach the wrong ears. And judging by how your wife reacted to me, I’m pretty keen on not having mine get spread around outside this room.”

“What sort of ‘game’ are you referring to then?” Princess Luna said.

“I've got no Gaia-damned clue, princess. I’m new here, so I don’t know the rules. So, I’m playing by my rules till I know yours. And the game I’m used to playing is one where if I mess up, I’m dead.” Dawn Wings replied. “Well… dead if I’m lucky.”

“That doesn’t answer our question.” Luna responded. “Your… employer, as you call him, didn’t bother to tell us much about you, or the world you hale from. That would, perhaps, be a good place for ye to start.”

“Eh, why not?” Dawn Wings said as she waved her hoof dismissively. “What’cha wana know?”

“How about how you ended up on Equus in the first place?” Celestia said.

“Sure, lets go with that.”

And with that, Dawn Wings launched into her story, sparing the ponies none of the gory details. How it started off with the disappearances; how she figured out the pattern behind them; what happened when she discovered the kidnappers and trailed them to their hideout; the horror of the sacrificial pit the victims were dragged to, and how she had foolishly overlooked the ward that tipped them off to her presence; the chase through the Los Angeles night; and the final moments before the mage blasted her with his magick and she woke up in the depths of the old castle. She had to stop a few times and fill in some of the background details, such as a basic explanation of humans, the changing breeds, Gaia, and the Triat war, though she made sure to omit many of the details about her own abilities. Throughout it all, Princess Celestia and Luna both simply listened, letting Cadance, Shining Armor and Raven field the questions.

Nearly an hour later, Dawn Wings finished her tale. All present at the table were silent for a few minutes.

“Sweet Harmony.” Raven gasped at Dawn Wings. “What sort of beasts would do that sort of thing?”

“If you think that’s bad, you don’t want to know about some of the other things that the Wyrm’s agents are involved in. Compared to some of the things Wyrm-spawn do to their victims, having your soul sucked out and your skin peeled off to pollute a leyline in Malfean’s magickal ritual is merciful.” Dawn Wings replied, her tone grim. “Trust me, I’ve seen it.”

“I don’t think I want to know.” Raven said. “I’m just glad there aren’t any of them here.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Dawn Wings said wearily. “Those changelings that’ve got you so riled up? I’d be willing to bet that they’re Wyrmspawn. You’re lucky. I don’t think the Wyrm is actively paying attention to your world. But that bastard’s a fundamental force of the universe. There’s no way that its touch hasn’t at least brushed against this place in some way.”

“Your employer said something to that effect as well.” Luna said. “That there were things that might be drawn to our world if he lingered too long. Do you believe he was speaking of this Wyrm-demon?”

“Heh, he may be an eccentric old bastard, but he knows what’s what.” Dawn Wings chuckled. “If he says he’s steering clear of this place to keep the Wyrm’s eyes off it, then you’d better bet your horn that he’s telling the truth.”

“And what about your presence?” Cadance asked, “Are you putting us in danger?”

“How often do you notice when an ant is fighting with another ant in the middle of a grassy field? Well, if you’re not an entomologist.” Dawn Wings replied. “Just one little ol’ corax is too small to notice. My boss, on the other hand, is big enough to draw that sort of attention if he hung around. I may not exactly be happy about getting plunked down into your sugary-sweet madhouse of a world, but trust me when I say nobody deserves to have that cosmic psychopath shitting all over their planet.”

“Excuse me? What issue do you take with Equestria? If what you say about your home is true, we find it difficult to imagine why you would miss it.” Luna said defensively.

Dawn Wings huffed through her nostrils and looked directly into Princess Luna’s eyes.

“‘Why’ she asks? Here’s why. One, its not my home. That’s more than enough reason. Two, this place makes no sense. Sure, its peaceful and all, but you ponies are, frankly, really fucking’ weird. Your culture, your whimsy, your penchant for bursting into spontaneous song. The fact you people actively control the weather. Or that you and your sister apparently move the sun and moon through the sky is even more horrifying. Its all just wrong. Especially that last one. Back home, not even the mages would dare to do something like that. Blood and feathers, the only place around here that feels natural is the Everfree forest. Not to mention now I’m stuck turning into one of you. I mean, hell, I didn’t like using my non-raven form back home, but at least it felt right when I did. This… pony form… that I ended up with just feels wrong. Its like going through my first change all over again.

“Three, I had a life back home. I have friends, co-workers, and most importantly, my mate back on Gaia. By now, they all probably think I’m dead. Sure, my garou friends ’ll mourn me, but my husband? My poor Cloud Chaser? He’s probably going to starve himself to death because he’s too depressed to go out and hunt. And I get to live knowing that. Besides, I don’t have anyone here. There aren’t even any other ravens around. And, I’m still trying to figure out your whack-job of a language. So, yea, I’m really lonely, which is something I’m sure you can relate to, Miss ‘I will plunge the world into eternal night because nobody’s paying attention to me.’”

Luna and all of the ponies present balked at what Dawn Wings said, but the corax didn’t relent.

“And finally, I don’t have a purpose here. Do you know what its like, to know exactly what you are meant to do, all of your life, and then suddenly be denied that? It’s maddening. With no Wyrm and no Weaver to work against and no Gaia or Raven to report to, I feel directionless and worthless.

“So, yea, your world is peaceful, diabetically sweet and sickeningly cheerful. Its also alien, frustrating, and, most importantly, lonely. Is that enough reason for you?”

All of the ponies in the room were momentarily speechless as Dawn Wings huffed for breath from her outburst. Luna was the first to recover, her brow furrowing into a scowl. Just as she was opening her mouth to give the pegasus a verbal lashing, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. Turning her head, her eye’s met her sister’s, and she held her tongue.

“Dawn Wings, I believe I’ve heard all that I need.” Celestia said as she turned her attention to the corax. “I need to discuss a few things with my sister, niece and Captain Armor. Would you kindly wait outside for a few minutes?”

Dawn Wings shrugged.

“Mind if I wait in the garden?” She asked. “I’d rather be outside.”

“Of course, I don’t see a problem with that.” Celestia said, “Raven, would you please guide her out.”

“Of course princess.” Raven said.

Dawn Wings nodded to the unicorn as they rose from the table and started towards the door. Truthfully, she didn’t need the unicorn to find her way out, but she decided to play along. She suspected Celestia had sent her seneschal to keep an eye on her, but she paid it no mind. Its not like she could stop the corax if she wanted to leave.

Raven reached the door first, and pushed it open with her magic. Just as Dawn Wings reached the door and moved beyond the range of the translation circle, she turned back to the princesses. “Oh yea, before I forget, I found at least one of those changelings hiding out in that little town to the south. Well, I’ll see you in a bit.”

And with that, she trotted out the door after Raven.

Author's Note

And here we see a corax and its natural inclination to shoot off its mouth, even when she really shouldn't.

Ch 12 – What do you do with a sarcastic corax?

Dawn Wings trotted a few steps behind Raven through the corridors of the castle. Normally, she’d be chatting up the unicorn, seeing what sort of info she could get out of her, or just making small talk to get a sense of what she was like as a person. Sadly, now that she was out of the translation circle, the language barrier had come crashing down between the two again, making it impossible for the corax to subtly interview her.

So, instead of talking to her companion, she mulled over her situation. She had a feeling that the interview with the royals hadn’t gone as well as it could have, but that was to be expected. She was an outsider to these ponies, and one that wasn’t even native to their world. Of course they’d be leery of her. Add to it that she really didn’t know how to handle them, and she was basically firing blind.

Then there was that little freak-out she had near the end. Completely justified, mind, but it was a freak-out nonetheless. But in typical corax fashion, her mouth had gotten ahead of her, and she’d called out Luna on her fall to the Wyrm. From the way the lunar princess had reacted, Dawn Wings new that she’d crossed a line.

She only hoped that she’d made at least a good enough impression that they wouldn’t try to toss her into prison for disrespecting royalty. She doubted that they could keep her if they tried it, but it was the principle of the thing. And she didn’t want to show her hand by just vanishing into thin air. She’d been careful to omit most of her actual capabilities when she told her story, particularly her capacity to travel to the umbra. After all, while the ponies clearly didn’t trust her yet, she didn’t trust them yet either. Especially with something as powerful as her ability to step sideways.

Despite her thoughts churning like water under a waterfall, Dawn Wings kept her senses sharp. She could still feel the subtle chill telling her that the hidden guards were nearby, following her.

Sighing, Dawn Wings realized that the corridors Raven was taking her down were not the same ones that she had used to arrive. They were simpler, more sparsely decorated and significantly less showy than the one’s the princesses had used. Servant’s corridors, she concluded. Still, they were headed in roughly the same direction, and so long as they got outside without incident, she’d be happy.

*****

“She’s dangerous.” Shining said calmly to the alicorns. “I don’t know how she did it, but the moment she walked in, she knew where all of my Mistknights were hiding. The fact she was so unconcerned about making it known that she knew is almost more troubling.”

Shining sighed before he continued. “However, to answer your question Princess, no, I don’t believe she’s an immediate danger to us. Still, it would be a good idea to handle her carefully.”

“Agreed Captain.” Luna said. “From what we saw in her dreams and what she has told us, she is more than willing to commit violence against those she considers a threat. There is also the issue of the powers she did display in her dreamscape, yet curiously omitted from her narrative. With what little we know of her abilities, it would be folly to assume they were simply flights of the fantastic.”

“Not to mention that she ‘conveniently’ knows the whereabouts of a changeling in Ponyville.” Cadance said with mild distain. “Why didn’t she tell us earlier?”

“It was a cunning move on her part Cadance.” Luna said, “Consider. Now we have a reason to keep her around. Truth or no, we are now compelled to investigate her claims. And as she gave no detail, we are going to have to rely on her.”

“So what, she gets to roam free to do Faust knows what to our ponies?” Cadance hissed. “I say we lock her up and get the information out of her.”

“Cadance… that’s enough.”

Everypony in the room turned to Celestia, who had remained silent until now.

“We’re going to help her.”

“Auntie, you can’t be serious.” Cadance exclaimed. “At best, we should be working to send her back to that pit of a world she comes from, not asking her to settle down here. I think she’s made it pretty clear that she doesn’t want to.”

“Niece Cadance, we can not return her to her old world.” Luna said firmly. “How would we even start? Nopony aside from Starswirl or Discord has ever succeeded in harnessing dimensional travel without splattering themselves across Equestria. And do you want to release the latter just to remove Dawn Wings from our world? No, I think not.”

Princess Luna paused before continuing.

“Besides, from what we learned, she did not actually travel here in any normal sense. She was subjected to an ontogenic paradox that was meant to remove her from reality, but that fate was avoided by her quite literally being forced into existence in our world. We suspect that the feedback we felt twas reality bending to accept her existence in Equestria instead of her own.”

Cadance and Shining Armor both looked at Luna. “What?”

Celestia cleared her throat, drawing the others' attention.

“The short of it is she’s stuck here. And as to why we’re going to help her, we’re doing it because its what’s right.” Celestia said, “Think about what you’re saying Cadance. You want to imprison her? For what? Reminding you of the changelings? I expected better from you. She’s done nothing wrong, other than be rude. And honestly, I’m willing to overlook that given her circumstances. This time at least.”

Cadance looked away, unwilling to meet the gently disapproving glare of her aunt.

“So then what do you propose your highness?” Shining said calmly. “Integrating her into Equestrian society would be difficult. The language barrier could be overcome with enough time. It’s the cultural issues that I’m more worried about. Even with what little she’s told us, adjusting to our way of life will be… trying for her. I can see it in her eyes. She’s accustomed to conflict, violence and strife."

Shining paused as his face screwed up in through.

"No… it goes past that. She craves it. I've seen that look on old soldiers. Honestly, she’d be more at home with the Griffons or Zebras than in Canterlot.”

“That might be true Captain, but consider this: do we want somepony with her abilities turned over to a foreign power?” Celestia replied. “You said it yourself: she’s dangerous. If her shape changing powers were the only thing we needed to worry about, I still wouldn’t be willing to hand her over to the Griffons or the Zebras. And like my sister, I’m sure she didn’t tell us everything she’s capable of. Whatever magic she’s using to communicate with us is evidence enough that she’s more than meets the eye.”

“I’m not sure I follow.” Shining said.

“Consider this: what did she say to my sister?”

Shinging and Cadance turned towards Luna, who’s face was scrunched up in disgust.

“She had the gall to bring up our disgraceful fall to the Nightmare.” Luna hissed.

“Yes, she did. Now, why is that so important? Think about it for a moment.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow auntie.” Cadance replied, “Its common knowledge what happened to auntie Luna…”

Cadance froze.

“…she’s only been here a week.”

“And if she doesn’t speak our language, and was sticking to the Everfree, there’s no way she could have known about Nightmare Moon’s return!” Shining concluded.

“Exactly.” Celestia hummed, nodding her head, “Somehow, she knew of things that by all rights she couldn’t have known. That’s why I want to keep her here, with us. Whatever she’s capable of, I don’t want it in the hands of a foreign power. Especially ones as opportunistic as the griffons. She’d be far to dangerous.”

Celestia paused, taking a sip of her tea before continuing.

“Besides, I never said I wanted her to stay in Canterlot. I’m thinking somewhere a little less formal, much more rural and a lot more prone to excitement.”

“You’re talking about Ponyville, aren’t you?” Shining said flatly.

A very slight smirk tugged at the corners of the solar princess’s mouth.

“Good catch captain. Of course, I’m also going to request that she help find the changelings. Don’t give me that look. Where there’s one, there’s bound to be more. And if they’re in Ponyville, three guesses why.”

“They’re probably out for revenge over what happened in Canterlot.” Shining said coldly.

“That’s very likely. Another likely scenario is they’re after Twilight, since she’s the lynchpin that keeps the Elements empowered. Besides, I know Crysallis, and she’s not going to let such a humiliating defeat go unpunished.” Celestia said. “But, if Dawn Wings can figure out who’s a changeling…”

“Then she’s our best change to root them out, and keep my sister safe.” Shining concluded.

“Provided she really can figure them out.” Cadance huffed.

“Do you have any other ideas Cadance?” Luna said, “Other than unjustly holding her?”

“Shiny, you can’t be seriously considering letting her near Twily, can you?” Cadance plead.

“She’s already been near Twilight, and no harm has come to my faithful student.” Celestia sighed, “In fact, it was Twilight that helped track her down in the first place. So she’s already involved.

“Besides, I’m not going to ask her to move in with Twilight. I’m going to ask Twilight and the Elements to help her adjust, learn the ins and outs of Equestria, and above all else, make her feel welcome. And since Twilight will so dutifully keep me apprised of Dawn Wings’ progress, we’ll know exactly what she’s doing at all times.

“So, here’s what I propose…”

*****

Dawn Wings languidly stared up at the clear blue of the sky. Normally, she’d enjoy such a view, since it would have reminded her of the Mojave during the summer. Open skies as far as the eye could see. Knowing that there were so many thermals that would give her lift and take her above the mostly unspoiled desert landscape. The hot, clean air that would whip across her face as she flew high above the creosote and salt-brush scrub prowling for lizards and ground squirrels to catch. The relatively low population of filthy monkey-beasts stinking up the place. She loved the mountains, but she also loved the desert. And the open skies of the desert were always something she looked forward to. It was primal, wild, and untamed. It was a wonderful reminder of all that was still right in the world.

This clear blue sky, however, was nothing like that. Instead of the rain-shadow of a mountain keeping the clouds at bay, it was packs of marauding pegasi. Like a gang of thugs, would instantly descend upon any clouds that dared to drift near the capital and shatter them with whatever strange powers they had. There was no natural, untamed beauty to this sky. It was artificial and contrived, as though the very thought of everything not being micromanaged and carefully controlled was just wrong.

The sight made her blood boil.

Grumbling and looking down from her perch at the top of the cottonwood tree she’d flown into, she regarded her escort for a moment, and the fuchsia maned, rose pelted pony she was currently trying to calm down. She assumed that this pony was another of the gardeners, since she was unarmored, and had gotten riled up when the equus formed corax had flown up into the tree’s branches to composed herself. If she’d been able to shift back to corvis form without being seen, she doubted there’d have been an issue. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had the opportunity, and she really hadn’t felt like staying on the ground. So, she’d found herself a branch where she could brood in peace.

Which the pony in charge of this section of the garden clearly took issue with. Loud, irritating issue with.

Crossing her forelegs across the branch and resting her head on them, she regarded the pair below her. All she wanted was a little quiet to wait out the royals’ judgment. The thought of just stepping sideways and bugging off was very tempting, but that’d probably get Raven into trouble. Sure, she didn’t exactly know Raven just yet, but she seemed nice enough.

For a mage.

As much as she disliked the meddling these creatures did with the natural world, she wasn’t going to be petty. With a weighty sigh, she spread her wings and leapt from the tree, gliding down to the ground and landing by the pair. Both Raven and the gardener looked at her suddenly as she landed. They were stunned for only a moment before the gardener started chewing her out. Dawn Wings turned to Raven, who sheepishly smiled at her and chuckled.

‘I wonder what fresh pony eyes taste like.’ Dawn Wings thought as briefly fantasized about shifting to crinos and pinning the gardener to the ground, driving her beak into the pony’s eye socket and yanking out the tasty treat. She brushed the thought aside as soon as it came into her head. No reason to get herself into actual trouble with the royals.

Sighing, Dawn Wings turned away and began to trot off. As the gardener continued to shout at her, she could hear Raven following close behind. As soon as they rounded a corner, Raven spoke to her, her voice apologetic, though there was a slight hint of annoyance as well. Dawn Wings stopped walking and looked at the unicorn in a way that conveyed rapidly growing frustration.

“Have we forgotten that I don’t understand a word you’re saying, stick head?” Dawn Wings said sweetly, though her tone was dripping with venom.

Even without understanding the worlds, Raven covered her mouth and gasped, clearly remembering the currently impenetrable language barrier that Dawn Wings was stuck behind without the princess’s translation spell. Dawn Wings solemnly flicked her own upraised hoof as if she were shooing away a insect, trying to convey to Raven that she wanted the unicorn to drop it. After a moment, Dawn Wings pointed a her hoof at Raven, then gesticulated in the direction they were headed, followed by pointing at herself, made the same gesture, then pointed at the unicorn. Raven nodded, and took the lead, with Dawn Wings falling in just a little behind her.

Hopefully Raven would at least take them somewhere that she wouldn’t get yelled at for trying to decompress. Because she was seriously considering just ditching the unicorn and heading back to the forest via the umbra, damn the consequences to Raven or herself.

As they trotted, the path turned towards the walls of the castle, until the hedges opened up onto a large courtyard covered in a luxurious lawn and dotted with several large benches. At the center there was a large fountain, one with a marble and onyx sculpture of the two incarna rearing up in the center, their backs to one another and their wings entwined. There were several other ponies in the courtyard, almost all of them unicorns, either sitting on the benches or on the grass.

Raven trotted over to one of the benches, and, climbing up onto it, folded her legs under her body and settled down. Dawn Wings regarded her for a moment before trotting over and settling down on the opposite side of the bench from the unicorn.

Dawn Wings looked out over the plaza, regarding the ponies and the elaborate fountain in the center. Sure, it was pretty, but the setting wasn’t exactly her type of space. Though, she supposed that Raven brought her here because it was a spot she found relaxing. Well, she was at least trying. And that did count for something.

Unfortunately, it was close to the last place Dawn Wings wanted to be. Not because the setting itself was unpleasant. The whole area was beautiful, in an anal-retentive, super orderly sort of way. No, it was because there were lots of other ponies all around her, and most of them were holding conversations. The sight and sound of which was torture to the corax, like she was stuck in a cage, but could see other ravens outside, flying freely in the sky.

Closing her eyes, Dawn Wings sighed through her nostrils before resting her head on her forelegs. She could feel Raven’s concerned stare on the back of her head, but didn’t open her eyes or even acknowledge the pony. She just turned her head away and focused her mind on reliving a happy memory of flying over the mountains with Cloud Chaser. Thinking about him still stung painfully, but she did her best to focus not on the heartache, but on the bit of joy it was colored with. And right now, she needed it.

Author's Note

Short-ish chapter this time.

I feel its important for this chapter to emphasise something about Dawn Wings and her mentality: she's a corvus breed corax, meaning she was born a bird. Therefore, her ethical and mental perspective is more avian than human.

Ch13 - Twitch Gaia save me!

*In the sky between Canterlot and Ponyville, near dusk*

High in the air, Dawn Wings, now back in her corvis form, languidly glided towards the Everfree Forest. It’d been a long day, made longer by the extensive preperations that she and the princesses had made regarding her assignment. She was, quite frankly, spent. While the princesses had offered to put her up in one of the hotels in Canterlot, Dawn Wings had declined, opting to simply head back to the Everfree. Once clear of the city and any prying pony eyes, she’d shifted back to her natural form. Then, calling upon her power, she turned her body to “autopilot” mode. As the gift guided her back to “home,” she let her mind drift back to her final conversation with the ruling incarna.

*Five hours ago, Canterlot*

“Dawn Wings” Celestia had said when the corax and Raven had returned to the meeting room. “We’ve come to a decision.”

“Oh goody.” Dawn Wings deadpanned as she propped her elbow on the table and leaned her cheek on her hoof. “Does it involve being executed? Because I’d really rather not have to deal with that. Dying is such a hassle.”

Celestia regarded the corax for a moment before replying.

“I’m not sure why you’d think that, but, no, you’re not going to be executed, or imprisoned.” Celestia said, her eyes briefly flickering over to Cadance, who looked away. “Instead, we’re going to make a deal with you.”

Dawn Wings quirked an eyebrow as she met the princess’s eyes.

“Oh, what sort of deal?”

“We’re willing extend to you probationary citizenship in Equestria, and provide you with tutelage in our language. Additionally, you will be given assistance in integrating into Equestrian society, as well as be provided temporary lodging in Ponyville until the time that we deem you’ve learned enough to manage on your own.”

Dawn Wings keep a straight face, but subtle hints of surprise and elation began to creep into her eyes. The cultural integration thing she couldn’t care less about, but the prospect of learning their language was more than enough to get her excited. While she could probably pick it up on her own, having at tutor would greatly speed up the process.

“That’s a generous offer. Don’t worry about wherever you were gonna stick me though. I’m perfectly happy staying in the Everfree.” Dawn Wings replied.

“Are you sure?” Luna asked.

“I’m quite sure.” Dawn Wings said dryly, “I’d be far more comfortable there than in town.”

“It is not a matter of your comfort, Dawn Wings. It is a matter of earning their trust.” Luna said, “The ponies of Ponyville are terrified of the Everfree. If they suspect that you are living there, they will have a hard time welcoming you.”

Dawn Wings bristled a bit, but held her tongue. She suspected that the housing thing wasn’t just to ‘make the ponies more comfortable around her.’ It was also a way to keep tabs on her. Though it wasn’t her biggest hang up. On Gaia, she’d never owned a house in any human settlement, nor had she ever wanted to. If she had to, she stayed with friends or contacts in her network. Even her human cover identity, Nicole Alba, didn’t have a permanent residence, only a P.O. Box. Still, she wasn’t willing to press the issue.

“Alright. Fine. Whatever.” Dawn Wings huffed. After all, just because they gave her a place to stay didn’t mean that she’d have to use it. “Can you at least set me up somewhere as close to the forest as possible?”

“We believe that can be arranged.” Luna said before addressing her sister, “Do you think the Apples would be willing to put her up for the time being?”

“Please tell me that the fruits aren’t also sentient and capable of speech. I had a hard enough time coming to terms with talking ponies. I don’t think I could handle living in The Annoying Orange.” Dawn Wings deadpanned.

Luna gave Dawn Wings a look of ‘I’m not sure if I should be insulted or confused.’ “No… the Apples are the family that runs Sweet Apple Acres, the orchard along the edge of the Everfree. Surely you have noticed it during your time in Ponyville.”

“Oh, yea, that place.” Dawn Wings said. “Sure, that’d work. So, what’s the catch?”

“Catch?” Luna asked.

“No disrespect meant, but don’t treat me like I’m an idiot.” Dawn Wings said as she lifted her other foreleg and casually examined the back of her hoof. “I wasn’t hatched yesterday. I know how this sort of thing works, and there’s always a catch. So, lets hear it.”

“Very astute.” Celestia chimed in. “The ‘catch’, as you put it, is we want you to share any and all information you’ve got on the changelings in Ponyville, as well as your cooperation in tracking them down.”

“Oh? What makes you think I can help with that second part?”

“You’ve not exactly been discrete about what you’re capable of.” Celestia said with a knowing smile. “Even if you haven’t been forthright with all of your abilities, you’ve made it clear you are a more than capable investigator. Am I wrong?”

“I can see why you’re in charge, princess. Can’t say that’s unexpected.” Dawn Wings replied as she lowered her hoof and tuned her eyes towards Celestia before flashing a cocky smile. “Well, I was planning to do that anyway, so no skin off my back.”

The princesses and Shining all blinked.

“You were?” Shining asked.

“Why wouldn’t I? I mean, its kinda my job. Sure, I don’t exactly know you and your kind just yet, and to be honest, you get under my skin in a lot of ways, but I’ll be damned if I stood by and just let a bunch of emotion-sucking Wyrm-born ticks do what they please. They certainly sound like something the Eater-of-Souls would shit out into the world.”

The ponies all regarded the pegasus. None of them really had any idea what she was going on about, but they decided it was probably best to just let it slide. For now.

“So, I take it you agree to our proposal?” Celestia said.

“Not quite. There’s something I want your word on before I agree: you keep what I am just between the people in this room.” Dawn Wings said gravely.

“What do you mean?” Celestia replied.

“That I’m not a pony, that this isn’t my only form and that I’m not from your world. Agree to that, and we’re good to go.”

“Why?” Shining asked.

“Call it proper paranoia. I’m not interested in some over zealous nutjob coming after me to yank out my organs or dissect my brain because I’m something new.” Dawn Wings said dryly, causing the ponies to look at her with varying degrees of horror and revulsion, “Besides, if I’m going to help you flush those bugs out, I need to keep a low profile. The fewer people that know what I am, what I’m capable of, or where I come from, the easier it’ll be for me to do that.”

Luna and Celestia shared a quick look before nodding.

“I think we can agree to that, so long as there’s two more added to the list.” Celestia said.

“Who?” Dawn Wings replied.

“My student Twilight Sparkle and her assistant Spike.” Celestia said, “She will be the one organizing your tutelage, and will be your means of communicating with us regarding your progress in tracking down the changelings.”

“She’s not a vampire, is she?” Dawn Wings deadpanned. “Because if she’s a sparklepire, I’m so done with this place.”

Again, the ponies in the room weren’t sure how to respond.

“No… she’s just a pony.” Shining slowly replied.

“Why would you think she’s a vampire?” Cadance asked.

“PTSD caused by some of the worst books in the known history of the written word.” Dawn Wings said with a nauseated shudder.

“My traumatic association with hot, stinking literary toxic waste aside, why do they need to know about me?” Dawn Wings asked as she crossed her forelegs.

“Like I said, she will be aiding you in tracking down the changelings. And if she’s going to be involved, she’s going to have to be in on it.” Celestia said, leaving it unspoken that Twilight already knew that the corax wasn’t native to Equestria, though not the specifics of her ability to change forms. “So, do we have a deal?”

Dawn Wings mulled it over. She didn’t like this. But, if it was just the five in the room and these Twilight and Spike characters, it was a small enough circle to keep things on the down low. And, if she was going to be honest with herself, giving up on this would put her back at square one, which meant she’d be stuck learning their language, and trying to make new connections all on her own. Sure, she’d had peaceful enough contact with Zecora, but the zebra didn’t strike her as typical for Equestria. At least if she agreed, she’d be able to earn the favor of the diarchy.

She didn’t like it, but she liked the other option even less.

“Yea.” Dawn Wings said with a nod. “Not exactly sure what I’m getting myself into here, but, sure, you got yourself a deal sunshine.”

Celestia smiled gently as she addressed the corax.

“Excellent.” Celestia said as she lit her horn and levitated a scroll and quill. Rapidly writing out a letter, she sealed it with a wax stamp, and then levitated it into the air, where it promptly vanished in a puff of green flame. “I’ve just informed Twilight to expect you tomorrow morning.”

“That’s great. And how do I find her?” Dawn Wings deadpanned. “I can’t exactly ask for directions.”

“You need not worry. You’ll find her at the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville.” Celestia said as her horn glowed and a map materialized in front of the corax. “The library’s inside the large oak tree near in the Northern part of town, right here.”

A point of light manifested on the map, indicating the location in question.

“Hmm. Okay, got it.” Dawn Wings said as she committed the map to memory. She already had pretty good internal map of the town, but having an official layout didn’t hurt. Then a thought occurred to her.

“Before I tell you what I know about the infestation in Ponyville, can you give me a little rundown on the bugs. If I’m going to track them, I could use a bit more info: how do they operate, what’re they capable of, etc. etc. If I know how they work, and what they can do, it’ll make my job easier.”

“We expected as much.” Luna chimed in. “Frankly, we do not know much more than we already told you, but we can accommodate you in that regard. Captain Armor, would you please debrief her.”

“Of course princess.” Shining said before he began his explanation.

*Castle of the Two Sisters, the next morning*

Dawn Wings inhaled sharply as she opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw that she was back in the ruins of the castle, perched in the rafters of one of the old towers. Chuckling to herself, she realized that she’d actually fallen asleep on her trip back. It was another one of those times she was glad that she’d picked up that particular gift back in the early years after her first change. If she’d fallen asleep while on the wing, she was clearly spent.

After rolling her neck and flapping her wings, the corax looked to the eastern horizon, and saw that the sun was just starting to rise.

‘Well, might as well go meet Sunbutt’s student.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she flew out of the rafter and landed in the crumbling frame of a window. Looking to the rising sun, she began to go through the motions of her morning prayers, but before she could begin, she stopped, and remembered something that the knowledge spirit had told her. Something insidious, unpleasant, and it was, without a doubt, true.

This sun wasn’t Helios. It was Brigid.

Even with all that she’d been through in the last few days, somehow that really cemented it for her. This sun that she was bonded to and drawing her power from, wasn’t the same sun that she’d known for all her life.

As she looked around at the mountains and the forest around the ruins of the castle, a crushing revelation crystalized in her mind. This world was Equs, not Gaia.

It was the final nail in the coffin. She’d known it intellectually up till then, but it really, finally sunk in: this wasn’t her world. She’d mostly come to grips with her situation. While she wasn’t over the horror and grief of being separated from her home, she was at least coping with it. Instead, the sinking feeling in her gut was something deeper, more spiritual: it felt wrong to thank Helios and Gaia when they weren't providing her with her powers. Instead, she was effectively stealing from two spirits that she didn’t know, without giving them their proper gratitude.

Sure, she might steal material objects on occasion, but she wasn’t going to steal from her patron spirits. That would be sinking as low as the monkeys, and she refused to do something like that.

Instead of reciting her normal oath, she looked into the sky.

“Father Raven, give me the strength to persevere in the face of this adversity. Let me find my way in this new place that I’ve been lost, and let the secretes that I uncover find their way to your ears, that you can tell Gaia and Helios about this screwed up, mind-fuck of a world that I’ve ended up in. I’m sure they can use the laugh.”

“To lady Bridged and the spirit of Equs, thank you for the gift of your light and life, that I may serve my role as your eyes. Though I am not born of your world, I still offer you my services in the hope that I may be of aid to you.”

Straitening up, Dawn Wings called upon the change, and shifted into her equus form. Rolling her shoulders and tilting her head back and forth, she took to the air and launched herself out of the window. Turning north, she began to fly towards Ponyville. She had an appointment to keep.

*Golden Oaks Library*

“Twilight, calm down!” Spike shouted as Twilight ran around the library, yanking books off the shelves only to unceremoniously shove them back seconds later.

“Calm down? Calm down! I can’t calm down!” Twilight wailed, “There’s so much to do before Dawn Wings arrives! The princess is counting on me to help her!”

Spike lowered his head and sighed. Ever since Princess Celestia had sent her several lengthy letters asking her to help that weird pegasus… Dawn Wings… not only adjust to Equestria but also help her track down a supposed changeling infestation in Ponyville, Twilight had been spazzing out. It had started out mild enough, but from the bags under her eyes, and the frazzled look on her face, Spike suspected that she hadn’t slept much last night, if at all.

“And she’s not just any visitor! She’s literally form another world! Do you know how many ponies dream of actually meeting an alien! And I get to teach one about Equestria! What if I mess it up? What if she doesn’t want to learn? Argh!”

Twilight rubbed her hooves against her forehead. A few seconds later, she felt a poke on her side. Taking a quick look down at the source of said poke, she saw Spike standing next to her, holding a sheet of parchment.

“Checklist?” He said evenly.

“Ah, yes! Spike! Thank you!” Twilight all but yelled as she grabbed the parchment in her telekinesis. A list was just what she needed. As she snatched a quill and prepared to write, she noticed that there was already a list on the parchment. Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she read the document.

Things to do before Dawn Wings arrives
1) Take 20 deep breaths
2) Relax
3) Take another 20 deep breaths
4) Stop freaking out
…

Twilight lowered the list slowly and scowled at Spike.

“Har har har, Mr. Funny Dragon. You should take that act on the road.” Twilight deadpanned.

“Are you arguing with the checklist?” Spike said, a wry half-smile on his face as he looked Twilight directly in the eyes. “Seriously Twi, if you’re a mess when she shows up, do you think she’s going to want to learn anything from you? Especially since you made such a “good” first impression back at Zecora’s.”

Twilight winced as she remembered Dawn Wings’ reaction to their first face-to-face meeting. Now, with that bad first impression already looming over her, she had to not only mend that bridge, but also help her learn all that she could about Equestria.

“I’m sure you can do this Twilight,” Spike continued, “but not if you’re spazzing out. Just calm down, be rational about all of this, get yourself organized, and you’ll do fine. I’m sure that once she gets to know you, she’ll be glad it was you teaching her.”

Twilight sighed and lowered her head, looking over the rest of the list. Spike was right, of course. Having the checklist in t.k., she began to relax and think more rationally. This wasn’t the time to be freaking out; it was the time to be getting ready to help out somepony in need. And to do that, she needed to be on the top of her game.

Taking a deep breath, she looked back at Spike, her voice no longer panicked.

“Thanks Spike. Alright, let’s get started… first thing on the list is parchment and mouth pens. Can you grab them from the study while I get the lesson plan put together?”

“On it!” Spike said with a salute before scampering off.

*Outskirts of Ponyville*

Dawn Wings glanced down to the land below her, as it gave way from woodland to meadow, then village. It was still early, but many of the ponies were already up and about getting ready for the day. Turning her eyes back towards the horizon, the corax glided slowly above the town.

She was nervous.

It was the first time she’d shown up in Ponyville in her pegasus form, and she was, frankly, not liking it. She knew she had to play her cards perfectly to avoid being too conspicuous. Not because she was an outsider. Rather, because she was an outsider that was far too familiar with the town. Even if she’d read a map, there were certain ways people behaved when they visited a location for the first time. So, even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t fly directly to the library.

She needed to be “lost” for a bit, which meant she needed to be seen slowly flying above town and looking like she wasn’t entirely sure where she needed to go. But to really sell it, she’d have to land and “ask for directions,” so to speak. She couldn’t literally ask for them, but was pretty sure she could get pointed to the library if she used a questioning tone of voice and said “Golden Oaks Library” and “Twilight Sparkle”.

The trick would be to keep contact as minimal as possible at first, while making herself as non-threatening as she could. Little towns like this tended to have rumor mills like no other, and news of her arrival would spread like wildfire, and she needed to make sure that the first impression she left was one of “this pegasus is a foreigner, she’s visiting Twilight Sparkle, she doesn’t speak our language, but she’s harmless and we don’t need to worry about her.”

She decided that the best place to begin her act was in the market. But, like going to Golden Oaks, she couldn’t fly there directly. Instead, she had to “meander” for a while, while appearing to be searching for it. Of course, this time it would be easier, since she could fly, which gave her a chance to spend a little less time “lost” because she could use her altitude to “spot” the market.

So, she flew over Ponyville, sweeping her head back and forth as though searching for something. She saw several ponies look up at her as she flew by, their remarkably human expressions only mildly curious, as if to say “Is that someone new? She looks a bit lost.”

It was a good start.

After a few minutes, she arrived at the edge of the market. Slowly descending and gently alighting on the ground, the disguised corax took a moment and started looking around, acting as though she was nervous and slightly uncomfortable. With how early it was, most of the vendors were still setting up shop for the day, while there were only a few ponies other than the merchants present.

Of the ponies that were present, she spotted the ones she had hoped to find: the apple farmer and her little sister. The very ones that she suspected she would be rooming with in the near future. She’d landed near their stall by design, but had done so in a way that she hoped would look like happenstance. The two of them were currently unloading several baskets from a large wagon, as well as some jugs of brown liquid Dawn Wings assumed were apple cider. At the moment, the mare and filly’s backs were to her.

‘Good’, she thought.

Slowly, Dawn Wings trotted up to the two ponies.

*****

“Apple Bloom, can ya’ grab that there sack o’ pink pearls an’ put ‘em on the end next to the Grimes' goldens?” Applejack said as she moved a few more jugs of cider behind the stall.

“Sure thing sis!” The filly replied eagerly as she grabbed the basket in question and placed them where she’d been instructed.

As she organized the jugs, Applejack heard hoofbeats coming towards the stall.

“Ah’m sorry, but we ain’t open yet.” She said without looking up. “Come back in a few and ah’ll be happy to help ya.”

The hoofsteps stopped, but didn’t retreat. Instead, she heard the hooves shuffle, as though the pony in question were nervous.

“Oh, wow! Haven’t seen you around here before. Ah’re ya new in town?” Applejack heard Apple Bloom exclaim cheerfully.

Lifting her head, Applejack was about to reprimand Apple Bloom for being rude, but she stopped once she got a good look at the newcomer. The first thing she noticed about the red pegaus mare was how lanky she was, and that she probably could do with a good meal or ten. Despite her almost anemic thinness, she held herself with coiled ease and confidence, her posture subtly saying she was taking in everything around her and was ready to respond. Her face was a bit more angular than average, but was strangely non-descript outside of that. But what really struck Applejack were her eyes. It wasn’t the unusual black color of her sclera. It was the intensity of them. They were old eyes. Ones that had seen far too much, and carried both a sharpness and weariness that spoke of a level of strife that Applejack could barely imagine.

And those intense, fierce eyes were currently staring at Apple Bloom with curiosity as well as both slight confusion and a touch of nervousness. It was a look that Applejack couldn’t quite place.

“Ah, howdy there.” Applejack said as she overcame her initial shock and approached the mare. “Can Ah’ help ya with somethin’?”

The pegasus turned her head and gave Applejack the same confused look she’d given Applebloom before rubbing her fetlock with a hoof and looking away sheepishly.

Then, she turned back to Applejack and pointed to herself, then her eyes, then gestured vaguely off in the distance.

“Gld Oks Libry?” She said as she gestured to the northeast, her thick accent making it hard for Applejack to understand.

“What?” Applebloom said, “Sis, you understand that?”

“Ah think she’s tryin’ to find Twilight’s place.” Applejack said to her little sister.

“Twil… Twil Spakel?” The pegasus asked before nodding enthusiastically, before pointing to herself, then her eyes, then away from herself. “Twil Spakel!”

With that, she began rambling in a bunch of words that sounded like harsh, almost nightmarish gibberish to the Apple sisters, but included “Twil Spakel” before gesticulating in roughly the direction of Twilight’s place.

“Whoa.” Apple Bloom said as her eyes widened with fear, “Sis, what’d she just say. That sounded crazier than a mountain lion on catnip.”

“Apple Bloom, manners.” Applejack gently admonished, though she was inclined to agree. Whatever language the pegasus was speaking, she couldn’t make head nor tail of it outside of her friend’s name.

Turning her attention back to the pegasus, she saw her still pointing roughly in the direction of Golden Oaks Library.

Nodding, Applejack pointed in the same direction and said “Yea, Golden Oaks Library.” Before flicking her hoof a couple of times.

The pegasus briefly looked in the direction Applejack’s hoof was pointing before smiling and nodding. She said something else in that same terrifying language before bowing her head slightly towards the two sisters, spreading her wings and taking to the air. Looking over her shoulder, Applejack saw the pegasus look back to them, wave graciously, and fly off in the direction of the library.

“You got any idea what that was all about sis?” Apple Bloom asked, before an idea struck her. “Wait, ya think she’s the one Twilight said we’d be puttin’ up for a while?”

“Might be, Apple Bloom. She just might be.” Applejack said as she went back to getting the stall set up for the day. “Guess we’ll find out tonight.”

*****

About 5 minutes later, Dawn Wings landed in front of the hollowed out tree that had to be the Golden Oaks Library. Scrutinizing the tree, Dawn Wings got the distinct impression that, unlike Zecora’s bond with her tree, this Twilight Sparkle didn’t have as intimate a connection to her home. There was no wellspring of spiritual power flowing through the tree. Rather, the symbiosis didn’t seem mutualistic, but rather commensal. The tree was healthy, but while the pony’s presence didn’t seem to be harmful to the plant, it wasn’t beneficial either. Of course, if she wanted to know how the tree felt about its occupant, she could always ask its spirit directly in the umbra.

But that was something for another time.

Trotting up to the front door, Dawn Wings reached out a hoof and rapped on the surface three times. From within the tree, she heard a muffled response, and instantly tensed up.

‘No. No! No no no no no! This has to be some sick joke!’ She shrieked in her head.

Because she knew that voice.

She heard trotting inside the building coming towards the door. She could just leave. Forget all about living among the ponies. Fly off into the umbra and never come back. It would be so easy too. Just open her wings and leave…

The door opened. There, standing in the door, was her stalker, wearing a pleasant smile.

Dawn Wings felt her left eye twitch violently.

If she ever managed to get back to Gaia, she was going to find a way to track down that Malfean. And once she found him, she was going to gore his eyes out with her beak, cut out his tongue, rip out all the tendons in his arms and legs with a pair of rusty pliers, and spend at least three years repeatedly peeling off every inch of his skin with a lemon zester.

Author's Note

Yea, Dawn Wings isn't exactly happy to see Twilight again.

Ch 14 – This is… going to take a while.

*Golden Oaks Library*

Twilight found herself sweating a little as she stood in her doorway opposite her guest. Just beyond the threshold was the strange, otherworldly entity wrapped in the guise of a pony named Dawn Wings, who was fixing her with an expression that was a mixture of annoyance and cold fury. Clearly, the pegasus was not pleased to see her again.

Nervously looking away, Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and chuckled.

‘This is off to a good start.’ She thought.

“Twilt Spakel?”

Twilight looked back to the pegasus, who was now pointing a hoof at her.

“Uh?” Twilight muttered, not sure how to respond. Even as mangled as her pronunciation was, she was pretty sure that the pegasus had just asked her name.

“Twilt Spakel?!” Dawn Wings demanded as she pointed at the unicorn with a bit more force, the furrow in her brow deepening.

Sheepishly, Twilight nodded. “Yea, I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight fidgeted slightly as Dawn Wings slowly lowered her hoof and just stood unmoving, boring into her soul with those cold, calculating black eyes. Then, after a few painful seconds, she closed her eyelids and slowly inhaled through her nostrils then out through her mouth. Opening her eyes, her expression softened slightly, going from glacial to figid, though it still felt hard as stone. Lifting her right hoof and turning it hoof-up, Dawn Wings made a small vertical circle with the appendage, as though she were asking to be let inside.

“Oh! Sorry, sorry. Please come in.” Twilight gasped and nervously stood aside, raising a hoof and ushering the pegasus in. Curtly nodding, Dawn Wings stepped inside the library without bothering to look at Twilight. Once the pegasus was in the building, Twilight closed the door and turned to face her guest, who was looking around the library with what Twilight could only call an appraising look.

Twilight took a deep breath to calm herself. How to start things off? Did she go up to the pegasus and properly introduce herself? Just jump right into the lessons?

The unicorn jumped slightly as said pegasus turned back towards her and fixed her with her hard, onyx black eyes. For the second time in the span of only a few minutes, Twilight chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head.

‘Yea, this is off to a good start. Yes indeed.’ She thought.

Steeling herself, Twilght trotted up to Dawn Wings and offered her a hoof, putting on the warmest smile she could as she met the other pony’s eyes. She’d read that when trying to make a good second impression after a bad first, it was important to show the other pony that the way you acted the first time wasn’t how you usually were, and hopefully that would convince them to give you another chance.

Twilight winced internally as Dawn Wings looked down at the offered hoof without moving to return the gesture. For a moment, she thought that the pegasus would reject the peace offering. Then, much to her relief, Dawn Wings reached out and placed her hoof on Twilight’s and gently shook it. As she did, a small bit of tension left the unicorn’s body.

It was at least something.

*****

“slï” Twilight said, pointing to the next character in the Equestrian alphabet.

“sï” Dawn Wings replied, trying to pronounce the sound the unicorn had made. She grimaced, knowing that she’d got it wrong.

“slï” Twilight repeated.

“sli” Dawn Wings repeated. She was closer now, but still not quite there. Luckily, she saw the unicorn nod. She’d gotten close enough.

Setting down the pointer that she’d been holding in her magick, the unicorn sighed and sat down. Dawn Wings guessed that her tutor needed a break. And, quite frankly, so did she, a fact emphasized when she rolled her back and neck, hearing a satisfying series of pops from her joints. As she groaned contentedly, the corax looked up at the sky through one of the library’s windows. From how far the sun had moved, they’d probably been at this for close to three hours. The thought of that alone was enough to make her tired.

Flaring her wings out and flapping them gently, she turned her attention back to the large poster the unicorn had been going over, one that was covered in a series of rune-like symbols that sort of reminded the corax of a weird mix of Arabic script and Japanese hiragana. She was grateful that the mage hadn’t started off with words, instead choosing to focus on the basics of the pony alphabet and its pronunciation, which suited her just fine. Better to learn to crawl before having to swim blindfolded with starved tiger sharks.

Still, from what she saw in the school a few days prior, and what she was being subjected to now, the pony’s written language was decidedly more complex than she’d been expecting. First, there was its structure. Each symbol represented a consonant-vowel combination, but from what she’d gotten from the mage’s lecture so far, the exact pronunciation was dependent on accenting modifiers added after each symbol. As quick of a learner as she was, Dawn Wings was honestly daunted by this writing system, especially if she was actually expected to write that stuff without hands.

And it was clear that the spoken form was almost as complicated.

She’d been surprised by the melodious qualities of the pony’s language when she arrived, but now hearing it broken down into its elementary form, she was amazed at how similar the individual phonics of the language were to musical notes. It was like the thing was built with the dual purpose of speaking and singing.

As she stared at the poster, she felt an uncomfortable jab in her gut. Casually lifting her foreleg and rubbing her stomach, the corax chuckled to herself as her body reminded her that she needed to eat something.

Rising, Dawn Wings began to head to the door. As she did, she heard the unicorn rise and call out after her. Turning back, she regarded her tutor for a moment before raising a hoof, opening her mouth, and pointing to the open orifice. Trusting that the unicorn got the message, she turned back to the door to leave. However, she stopped when her host called out to her a second time. Turning back to the unicorn, and saw she’d raised a hoof as though she were asking the corax to wait.

Once she saw Dawn Wings stop, the unicorn turned towards the upper levels of the library, and called out, presumably to… the princesses had called the small lizard creature “Spike”. A few moments later, he yelled back down from the depths of the library. They traded words for a minute before the unicorn turned back to the corax. Raising a hoof again, she pointed to Dawn Wings, then herself, to the front door, and finally to her own mouth.

‘Guess she’s inviting me out to get something to eat.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘Eh, why not? S’ not like I’ve got anything to lose.’

Shrugging slightly and nodding, Dawn Wings watched as the unicorn’s face slowly turned up into a smile. Raising a hoof and gesturing for her to wait, the unicorn practically galloped into one of the back rooms, before emerging moments later with a pair of bags slung over her back.

‘Heh, a pony purse. Cute.’ Dawn Wings thought as the unicorn approached the front door and opened it with a burst of her magick. If she was honest with herself, she had planned to go scavenging in the Everfree. Now that she had company, that idea was blown apart. After all, she doubted that a herbivore would enjoy fresh carrion or whatever small animals she could catch. Still, she decided to make the most of it. After all, going around town with the Princess’s student would help establish her cover.

She just hoped that wherever they went, it’d be low-key. The day was already stressful enough.

*****

‘This was a mistake.’ Dawn Wings mentally growled as she “read” the menu in front of her. The mage had to know that she couldn’t actually understand the thing, not if she was just learning the ~~Helios~~ Bridgid damned alphabet. As she glanced up at her guide, she fixed her with an annoyed glare before flicking her eyes down to the menu, then back to the mage. The unicorn chuckled sheepishly under the power of her frigid eyes, and then went back to looking at her own menu. Dawn Wings got the distinct feeling that either it’d slipped her mind, or she was pulling something on the wereraven.

And as much as she wanted to be angry at the pony, she had a feeling it wasn’t the latter.

Dawn Wings sighed and awkwardly closed the menu with a hoof. Resting her left elbow on the table, she propped her head up and closed her eyes.

The trip from the library had been a painfully slow walk through Ponyville. The worst part was having to stay grounded. Even as ridiculous as her current body was, at least it could fly. But, since she was ostensibly being shown around town, she couldn’t just fly off on her own. So, she’d stayed grounded, and walked with the unicorn.

After a few painfully silent minutes, the two had arrived outside the shopping district. Dawn Wings watched her guide look around before selecting a place to eat. Gesturing for the corax to follow, she made her way towards the outdoor café with the garish mushroom theme Dawn Wings had observed during her earlier trips to town.

She followed the unicorn in through the front door and to one of the tables out on the patio. A minute or two later, the waitress came over and set a couple of menus in front of them. Menus that, to Dawn Wing’s mounting irritation, had no pictures.

‘Why would they?’ She thought as she sighed out her nose.

Opening her eyes again, she aimlessly began to scan the other ponies at the diner and milling around in the market square adding to her internal catalog of faces, colors and buttoos. It wasn’t terribly productive, but it gave her something to focus on other than being annoyed.

Presently, their waiter arrived, and, after pulling an order form out of his pocket with his mouth and setting it on the table, spoke to Dawn Wings, presumably to ask her what she wanted. The corax languidly turned her head towards him without lifting it off her hoof before replying.

“Sorry, but I can’t read this damn thing.” She said evenly as she gestured to the menu with her other hoof, then to her guide “Ask stick-head.”

Looking him in the face, Dawn Wings got to see a very delightful look of “what the fuck did I just hear” work its way across his features. Flicking her eyes around to the other tables, she saw the other nearby ponies had the same look of shock and mild horror written across their features.

After recomposing himself, the waiter turned to the other pony at the table, who said something to him. He nodded after that, pulled out a pen with his mouth, wrote something down on the pad which he proceeded to stuff back in his pocket, nodded to them both, then trotted off.

Sighing, Dawn Wings went back to pony-watching while her guide sat across the table, looking a little uncomfortable with the silence. Eventually, the unicorn reached into her purse with her magick and pulled out a book. Dawn Wings quirked an eyebrow, but decided that letting the unicorn read was better than having her sit there staring at her uncomfortably.

Subtly rolling her eyes, Dawn Wings turned her attention back to the crowd of ponies in the market. Time felt like it was slowing down as she scanned the crowd, watching the ponies move about as a living mass of flesh and pastel. There was something meditative about people watching. The simple, dedicated movement of living bodies with a decidedly random flow as each individual in the throng made their way towards a destination. All the little paths being walked in an uncoordinated mass of life, yet without any collision or conflict.

‘I guess there are some things that aren’t that different here.’ She thought.

Yet, as she watched, she began to notice something out of place as a familiar chill worked its way up her spine. What she was seeing wasn’t anything obvious to a casual observer. Rather, it was something very subtle. While the majority of the ponies were moving around normally, there was always at least one pony in the plaza that was subtly keeping an eye on the table where she was sitting. These ponies would only stay in the area for a few minutes at a time before moving off and being replaced by another, different pony.

Dawn Wings instantly went from meditative to full observation and threat assessment mode.

Focusing her full attention on the watchers, yet making sure her own posture didn’t change or betray her now laser-sharp focused, she began to take in all that she could about them. At first, she thought that they might be watching her. But, as the pony currently watching the table was replaced by another, she realized something. Their eyes never really focused on her. They were focused on the princess’s student.

Whoever these ponies were, they were interested in the mage.

As the realization hit her, she spotted someone interesting making her way across the plaza. Not that she looked particularly interesting, because her appearance was actually rather plain for one of the equines. Rather, it was someone who shouldn’t have been there. Because Dawn Wings had drank the last vision from her corpse’s eyes not two days ago in a canyon about twenty miles from town.

‘Well, you’re pretty spry for a dead horse.’ Dawn Wings thought as she watched the mare walk up to one of the stands and begin making small talk with one of the vendors. As she did, the pony currently watching the princess’s student moved off.

And the dead mare walking subtly replaced the watcher.

Dawn Wings mood began to rise. She hadn’t expected to run into the identity thief this soon.

‘Hmm, bet you’re what I’ve been sensing, aren’t you.’ Dawn Wings thought cheerfully as she called on her power. An invisible pulse of spiritual energy burst from her body and rapidly spread out to the surrounding area. To her satisfaction, the dead mare walking lit up as a threat. To her even greater satisfaction, she also could sense a second threat moving off, presumably the tick that was watching her companion before. Dawn Wings smirked internally, though her outward expression never changed. So the ticks were one of the things she was picking up. Maybe, one of her other gifts could tell her a bit more about…

Dawn Wings found her vision suddenly obstructed as the waiter returned with their orders. As soon as he’d moved out of the way, she saw that the dead mare walking was gone. Swearing internally, but betraying none of her irritation outwardly, Dawn Wings cursed her luck. No matter. She could start tracking her down later. Especially now that she knew she could detect them with her powers. Sure, she probably wasn’t the only type of threat she was picking up, but it gave her something to work with. It was a shame she didn’t get a chance to try out some of her other gifts on them before they escaped.

She could experiment later. Now was time… for…

Dawn Wings looked at the plate before her, not bothering to hide her confusion. It was a sandwich. Filled with flowers. And a pile of what she could only guess was deep fried hay.

‘Really?’

Looking up at the unicorn, she saw her already biting into her own, identical sandwich. The unicorn, feeling Dawn Wing’s eyes on her, looked up and smiled sweetly before turning her attention back to her own meal.

‘Should have just gone scavenging. I could use something rotted and bloody right now.’ She thought as she resigned herself to the floral sandwich. As she ate, she refused to admit to herself that it was actually not half bad. Her mind was instead on something else.

The ticks.

This wasn’t just an infestation. They were after something.

Or rather, someone.

It was obvious they were intensely interested in the princess’s student. But to what end, the corax could only guess. From what she’d been told by the princesses, her guide had been instrumental in foiling the tick’s plans to conquer Canterlot. Depending on the state of their queen, these changelings could be out for revenge, or trying to learn enough about the princess’s student to remove and replace her.

Dawn Wings groaned internally as she ate. She just didn’t have enough information to go on.

She had to admit, they were good. Rotating observers. Making sure they kept their spying to brief stints to avoid being obvious. It was remarkably subtle, and frighteningly well coordinated. To any normal observer, their trick would have worked.

But she wasn’t a normal observer. She was a corax, and it was her job, nay, her very nature, to notice things.

Still. First thing’s first. She needed more intel to figure out what was going on with the ticks.

For the first time in days, Dawn Wings’ mood actually started to improve. Because, finally, she was back on the job.

Ch 15 – They’re trying to kill me, aren’t they?

With a frustrated groan and several angry sounding words that were probably very vulgar, Dawn Wings spat out the mouth-pen she’d been writing with and slammed her head down onto her desk, smearing the Equish letters across her face.

Twilight slowly lowered her pointer and considered her student for a moment.

“I think she’s had enough Twi.” Spike said from across the room as he tossed an amethyst shard into his mouth.

“Probably.” Twilight said as Dawn Wings continued to pointedly not lift her head from the desk.

“Definitely Twilight. The word you’re looking for is ‘definitely’.” Spike replied as he noisily chewed his snack. “You’ve had her at this for almost four hours straight. I’m not sure what’s more impressive: you going on for that long, or her actually trying to stick it out.”

“It couldn’t have been that long!” Twilight protested.

Spike simply pointed to the wall clock, taking no small amount of satisfaction in Twilight’s shocked expression.

“Okay, maybe it could.” She muttered with a light chuckle. Looking back over at Dawn Wings, she noticed that the pegasus hadn’t moved since slamming her face down onto the table. In fact, the only sign that she wasn’t asleep was an occasional low groan that escaped her throat. “Guess I went a little overboard.”

“A little?”

“Fine. More than a little.” Twilight muttered as she looked back to the clock. “This is probably a good enough place to stop.” Pausing, another thought came to her, as she considered the clock for a few moments longer. “Actually, I better get her to AJ’s. I bet she’s wondering where we are.”

Breaking into a trot, Twilight made her way towards Dawn Wings. As she approached, one of Dawn Wings’ eyes snapped open and fixed Twilight with the same scathing, icy look that she’d had when she’d first shown up that morning, followed by a sound from deep in her throat that was a mixture of a low hiss and a growl. Twilight paused and took a step back, more than a little unnerved by the combination of cold fury in the pegasus’s eyes and the strange, hostile, and very un-ponylike sound she just made.

Steeling herself, Twilight stepped forward and met Dawn Wing’s eye before pointing to herself, then to the pegasus, towards the door, made a couple of small circles with her hoof, and then closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side as though she were sleeping, hoping that she conveyed the message that she was taking Dawn Wings to where she was staying.

Dawn Wings stared at her impassively for what felt like an eternity. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, peeled her face from the tabletop and turned to look directly at Twilight. With a huff, she rose to her hooves and nodded.

As she did, Twilight put a hoof up to her mouth to suppress a giggle, prompting Dawn Wings to narrow her eyes menacingly. Calling upon her magic, Twilight summoned a hand mirror from the bathroom, which she put up to show Dawn Wings her reflection.

Dawn Wings took one look at her reflection before her face relaxed into a bemused smirk as a light chuckle escaped her throat. There was black ink was smeared across most of the upper part of her muzzle and face, staining her fur nearly the same shade as her mane, and making her look like she was wearing some sort of mask.

Twilight smiled and pointed to Dawn Wings before gesturing for her to follow as she trotted towards the bathroom. Once both mares were inside, Twilight lit her horn, and t.k.ed open the cabinet before summoning a second t.k. field and snatching up a bottle of shampoo and a towel. Levitating the container over to Dawn Wings, she wagged the bottle of soap in front of the pegasus, then pointed to the shower.

Taking the hint, Dawn Wings snatched the bottle with her teeth and nodded as she made her way over to the tub. With a satisfied nod, Twilight draped the towel over the towel-hook on the door before she turned away and exited, leaving Dawn Wings to clean herself up.

*****

Dawn Wings glared down at the bottle of what she hoped was some form of soap clenched in her teeth, before slowly making her way towards the tub. She had to admit, the fact she smeared ink all over herself in her frustration was actually pretty funny. But it also meant she had to clean herself up before she went to formally meet the apple farmers. “First impressions” and all that crap.

Setting the bottle down on the edge of the tub, she regarded the knobs for a moment before sighing. Like many of the things the ponies made, they bore an uncanny resemblance to those made by the humans. Which, in a vacuum, might not have been that big a deal. But, in her current circumstances, her lack of hands to turn the damn thing on was a serious barrier to actually making use of the shower.

Looking over to the sink, she saw that her options there were similarly limited.

Either the ponies had some way to operate the devices without fingers, or both spigots were operated by telekinesis. With how casually she’d seen the unicorns flaunt their magick, she had a feeling it was the latter.

Grumbling to herself, she found the humor of her predicament swiftly draining out, and replaced by annoyance. Of course, she had a way to get around the problem. She was just reluctant to do it, because if she did, she’d risk the unicorn coming back and seeing her do it. Even if she and the lizard were in on her secret, she didn't want them seeing her change forms if she could help it. Princess Strawberry Smoothie's reaction was clue enough that such a thing wouldn't go well.

Glancing towards the door, she spotted what she hoped was a lock-button on the knob. Trotting over, she pressed it in with a hoof, satisfied to hear a soft click as the lock engaged. It was something at least.

Now assured of some manner of privacy, she turned her attention back to the matter of the shower. With a moment of concentration, she called forth the change. Instead of allowing the change to wash over her entire body, she focused her will on limiting the transformation to her forelegs and hooves. Doing this sort of limited transformation was not simple, but she didn’t want to go full crinos and not be able to fit into the shower stall. And as tricky as it was, she was more than experienced enough with the process that it barely took more than a little extra focus to limit the change.

Flesh began to warp and reform itself as the change spread down her limbs, her hoof shrinking and being joined by new digits formed from her body like wet clay being molded and pulled by an invisible force. Within moments, her two forelegs had transformed into a pair of feathery wings bearing taloned, tri-dactyl hands at the wrists.

Reaching up, Dawn Wings grasped a knob and turned on the water, hoping that she had chosen the cold-water. She never really liked warm-water. It just felt wrong to her somehow. As the pleasantly chilly liquid began to flow from the showerhead, she stepped into the stall and sat down in the stream before popping open the bottle with a talon. Once she poured a generous amount of the soap onto her upturned palm, she began to scrub her fur clean of ink.

*****

Several minutes later, Dawn Wings emerged from bathroom, her fur now mostly clean of ink. Beyond scrubbing her face, she’d washed her entire body as well, and done her best to make herself look presentable. After she’d finished her shower and dried herself off, she’d taken some time to brush her unruly mane and tail into something a little bit neater. While she probably wouldn’t be presentable enough to attend any high-society functions, she had at least cleaned up enough to look and smell like she didn’t just come from two months of roughing it in the woods.

While she might not care too much about such things, she had a feeling that the ponies might.

Descending the stairs, she spotted the unicorn, whose name she’d determined was properly pronounced Vinemana Vishicta, and lizard-boy, Tlectalae, lounging in the main foyer of the library, the former with her face in a large tomb, while the latter was engrossed in what looked a comic-book of some sort. At the sight of the latter, Dawn Wings could only shake her head and sigh.

‘Just one more parallel with the monkeys.’ She thought as she continued her descent.

As she approached, both of the library’s occupants heard her hooffalls and looked up from the books they were reading. At the sight of her, the unicorn smiled warmly and stood up before trotting over, while the lizard-boy only briefly regarded her before turning his attention back to his comic. As the unicorn approached, she gave Dawn Wings an appraising look, probably to inspect how well she’d cleaned herself up. From the small, swift nod she made, Dawn Wings figured the unicorn was satisfied with the pegasus’s appearance.

Slowly flicking her head towards the door a couple of times, the unicorn turned towards the lizard-boy.

“Lora vitima Tlectalae.” She said.

“Naletha marali tashacata ve moha.” He said in response, before grumpily putting down the comic and rising to follow the unicorn as she made her way towards the door.

Rolling her eyes at the display, Dawn Wings trotted after the pair, happy that, even if she couldn’t understand them yet, she at least was starting to hear the words a little more clearly.

*****

All around her, the town was beginning to wind down for the day as shops began to close up and ponies headed home. Dawn Wings trotted a few paces behind her guides as they made their way through town, the lizard having hopped up onto the unicorn’s back soon after they left the unicorn’s tree. Their pace was casual and easy, and the two of them chatted with each other as they walked. Dawn Wings, for her part, was content to simply follow behind and watch the town start to make ready to bed down for the night.

The sun had begun to set, filling the sky with an explosion of beautiful color. Even if she knew that it was just a trick of the atmosphere, the sight of Bridgid giving this part of the world one last display of beauty before moving on to warm another spot with her life-giving light filled the corax with a comfortable sense of peace. Taking a deep and contented breath before letting out a happy sigh, Dawn Wings soaked up the ambience of the display.

Looking back to her companions, she saw they were staring at her, both of them wearing confused looks. Gesturing with her hoof, Dawn Wings pointed to the horizon.

“What? It’s a beautiful sunset. Can’t I enjoy it?” She said, taking a small bit of satisfaction at their obvious confusion over her words. It might have been a little mean spirited of her, but she still got a kick out of just how the ponies reacted to English. Suppressing a chuckle, she wondered just how much she could really mess with them by mixing in some Spanish, Chinese or Kawaiisu.

There was a moment of awkward silence between the three of them, before the unicorn simply shrugged and continued on her way, with Dawn Wings turning to follow. Dawn Wings had to admit, the town had an almost delightfully quaint feeling to it. As far as towns went, it wasn’t that bad…

All tranquil thoughts flew out of her mind as a familiar chill ran up her spine to the nape of her neck. A fraction of a second later, spiritual energy bloomed from her body as she sent out a pulse of her threat detection gift. To her dismay, she sensed three very close by, one ahead and two behind.

‘Not good.’ She thought as she continued to walk, controlling her body language to not let their stalkers know they’d been found out. Though she didn’t have any proof, she had a feeling that the threats might be ticks. She hoped that they were just tailing her guide, and not planning to make a move.

Looking at the unicorn and lizard, Dawn Wings found herself weighing her options. Abandoning them was the first that came to mind, but not one she liked. Outside of the repercussions of leaving Celestia’s protégé to her fate, the thought of leaving them to fend for themselves didn’t sit right with her. Sure, the unicorn hadn’t exactly made a good first impression, but Dawn Wings was rapidly coming to terms with the fact that she wasn’t a bad person, for a mage. A little annoying, over zealous, and a touch insensitive? Sure. But that didn’t mean Dawn Wings wanted to see her get hurt.

Warning them also wasn’t an option. She couldn’t exactly tell them that they were being tailed, and she doubted there was any way she could use body language to subtly warn them. After all, they weren’t corax. Even if she could tip them off to the threat, she had no idea how they would react. She was confident in her own ability to keep cool under duress, but both the unicorn and lizard were an unknown quantity. Even if they didn’t freak out, the unicorn’s body language would potentially change enough to alert the ticks they’d been had. And that could put an uncomfortable spotlight on her, because it would be obvious that she was the one who tipped the other pony off. And that would raise questions of how she knew. And if there was one thing that creatures who tried to keep themselves incognito hated, it was someone being able to sniff them out.

And fighting was probably her least favorite choice. She had no idea what these ticks were capable of, and the prospect of having to reveal her crinos form not only to the unicorn, but the ticks as well, was not one she liked at all. If she wanted to stay incognito, any connection between her and her alternate shapes had to be kept on the down low. And short of making sure she killed all of the ticks that were following them, she couldn’t be sure one of them wouldn’t get away and tell the others about what she could do. Even if she fell back, shifted into crinos, and returned, it still didn’t guarantee that she’d get all of the ticks. And even if the unicorn was in on the secret and knew about her war form, she didn't want to deal with a potential freak-out.

Her thoughts a whirlwind, she was at least thankful that they were currently on one of the main routes through town, and that there were still plenty of other ponies around. If the ticks were anything like the leaches back home, they’d try to avoid drawing any attention to themselves.

That didn’t alleviate her concerns for what would happen once they approached the farm and had fewer potential witnesses.

*****

The sun had nearly set when they crossed from the edge of town and road opened up to reveal the vast orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. Looking about, Dawn Wings was once again impressed by the sheer magnitude of the entire operation, especially since she’d never seen anyone but the Apple family tending to it. How three ponies managed to harvest, process and distribute so many apples before they went bad on the trees was simply incomprehensible, even with what she’d seen they were capable of.

The more she tried to apply Gaian logic to this place, the less sense it made.

Even with the momentary distraction, she was still keenly aware of the looming threat of the nearby ticks. They’d kept their distance the entire time her little group was making its way towards the farm, but now that they were clear of town, she could feel them starting to close in a little.

Thankfully, they reached the front gate of the farm without incident, and made their way towards the barn-house. Much to her relief, the ticks didn’t follow them onto the property, instead remaining in the cover of the outskirts of town. Dawn Wings inwardly sighed. But, it still begged the question, would they try something when the unicorn went home? She furrowed her brow in frustration. She had a feeling she’d be trying to slip out and follow the unicorn back just to make sure she got home safely. It wouldn’t do to have her killed and replaced like the mare she found in the canyon.

As the neared the house, the lizard-boy hopped off of the unicorn’s back and took up a position on her right, while Dawn Wings took note of several things about it that started raised a few red flags in her head. The entire place was quiet, save for the sounds of some of the farm animals. The house itself was completely dark, and had the curtains of the windows drawn. At this time of day, she’d expect there to be at least some sign of the farmers, either out in the orchard or around the building. While her instincts weren’t warning her away from the area, and her power was only detecting the ticks moving off behind them, she was still wary. After all, she knew from experience that they weren’t 100% dependable.

Had the family gone out for some reason? As far as she knew, they’d arrived more or less unannounced, so she supposed it was possible. It wasn’t likely that they’d turned in this early in the day.

Her musings were interrupted by an energetic and cheerful series of barks. Turning her attention in the direction of the sound, she spotted a white and brown border collie cheerfully bounding towards them. She recalled seeing the animal around the last time she’d been at the farm, usually close to the orange mare. Dawn Wings watched with great amusement as the dog happily ran up to the unicorn before jumping up and licking her face, causing the mare to giggle and happily chide the enthusiastic canine before gently pushing her off and patting her on the head.

Dawn Wings watched the exchange with an amused smirk as she approached the newcomer. ‘Guess dogs are dogs, even in this place.’

Her amusement was short lived. As soon as she approached the dog, the animal switched her attention from the unicorn to her. With an enthusiastic yip, the dog ran up to her and began to run circles around the pegasus, happily alternating between barking and sniffing the newcomer. Dawn Wings found herself chucking at the animal’s antics, even as she shifted her body slightly to keep the dog out of her personal space. Eventually, the dog decided she knew Dawn Wings well enough to give her the same tongue-bath treatment that she’d given the unicorn.

“All right! All right! Enough of that! Down!” Dawn Wings chuckled as she gently pushed the dog off with her hooves before scratching the animal behind the ears. The dog responded happily to the attention, turning her head slightly to make it easier for the pegasus to scratch just the right spot.

Looking at the unicorn and lizard, Dawn Wings just shrugged at their amused look.

Eventually, Dawn Wings stopped her scritching, much to the dog’s disappointment, and made her way to the unicorn, her new friend padding up along side her. Pointing to the house with her hoof turned up, Dawn Wings raised and eyebrow and cocked her head to the side.

The unicorn shrugged in reply, then turned to the dog and spoke to it in a sweet tone. “Baethaleta co vanathei di Maeitechusho.”

Of the words the unicorn used, the only one she could really catch was techusho, which she had learned was “apple.”

In response, the dog barked enthusiastically and ran up to the door, before scratching at the wood and whining.

“Pamale botae patama cos medéa.” The lizard said as she walked up to the unicorn, which caused the mare to perk up instantly.

“Tulushäe peshama valáe mataeta MaTe. Amalâlta henale van Vinemana Vishicta.” She said as she knocked on the door. From within the house, Dawn Wings heard a familiar, rough, contralto voice respond, though she couldn’t really make out the individual words through the wood. Upon hearing the farmer’s reply, the unicorn pushed open the door and ushered Dawn Wings inside.

The corax narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the pony, before rolling her eyes and trotted towards the door. Yet, the moment she stepped into the darkened house, she felt an ever so slight chill ran up her spine. Before she could turn and warn her companions, she heard the unicorn and lizard enter behind her and close the door.

“Ethali!”

“AAAAAAHHH!” *wham* “Ow!” *crash* “Vi salas ló…!”*thud*

Dawn Wings found herself tangled in a mass of hooves, fur, feathers and scales, staring at the ceiling. As her brain registered what had just happened, she realized that she’d catapulted herself backwards after being startled by dozens of voices screaming and blinding her by suddenly turning the room’s lights on. Grumbling internally, she realized that in her attempt to put some distance between her and the source of the noise, she’d inadvertently collided directly with the unicorn and the lizard. As her eyes regained focus, she saw that the room was full of ponies, all of whom were staring at the tangle of body parts she was currently snared it with a mixture of amusement and concern. Beyond all of the occupants, the room was also full of party decorations, including a large banner and several tables of food.

‘I knew it. They’re trying to kill me.’ Dawn Wings deadpanned in her head as she struggled to detangle herself from her current predicament.

*****

“Whoa! Twilight, Spike, are yah okay?” Applejack called as she, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie made her way over to her friend’s side. Seeing the snarl of limbs that included her friends and a familiar looking brick red and black pegasus, she had to suppress a chuckle as she offered a hoof to the struggling trio “Ya need ah hoof, sugarcube?”

“That would be nice AJ, thanks…” Twilight replied from under Dawn Wings, who was currently wriggling around trying to free herself and get back to her hooves. A minute later, the three newcomers were dusting themselves off. Spike and Twilight were taking the whole thing in stride, while the third member of the pileup, the guest of honor, was decidedly less than pleased, if the sour look on her face was any indication.

“Hi there, I’m Pinkie Pie! Were you surprised? You totally looked surprised!” Pinkie said cheerfully as she suddenly materialized next to Dawn Wings, causing the pegasus to flinch back. “I bet you’re wondering what’s going on. Well, I heard that there was a new pony in town, so I decided to ask around, and while I was doing that, I ran into Applejack, and she said she’d seen you, and that you would be staying with her, so I had a great idea to throw you a ‘welcome to Ponyville’ party, and thought, what was the best way to surprise you, and then it dawned on me, you would have to come to Sweet Apple Acres eventually if you were staying here…”

“Um, Pinkie…” Twilight tried to interject.

“…and since you were going to show up here eventually, this would be the best place to throw you a surprise party…”

“Pinkie.” Twilight repeated with a bit more force. She remembered how badly Dawn Wings had reacted to her when she got in her face at Zecora’s. Chancing a look at the pegasus, she was surprised to see Dawn Wings wasn’t getting angry. Instead, she was just staring at Pinkie with a confused, deadpan expression as she leaned back to get Pinkie out of her personal space.

“…so I asked Applejack if she’d let me throw you a party, and she said it was okay, so I got a bunch of ponies…”

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted.

“Yes?” Pinkie said as she turned her attention away from Dawn Wings to Twilight.

“Pinkie, she doesn’t understand you.” Twilight said as she trotted up to the other mares.

“What do you mean?” Pinkie said with a slight tilt of her head.

“Just that. Dawn Wings doesn’t speak Equish. She arrived in Equestria about a week ago, and she doesn’t speak Equish yet.” Twilight repeated, causing a murmur of confusion to spread through the room.

Pinkie froze up for a moment, then turned to stare at the pegasus, who had taken a few steps back but was still fixing her with the same nearly unreadable, deadpan look Twilight had become accustomed to.

“Uh, oopsie. Didn’t know you couldn’t understand me. Um…uh…hi?” Pinkie said with a sheepish smile and a guilty wave of her hoof.

Dawn Wings regarded her for a moment, before she closed her eyes and sighed. Then, opening her eyes back and looking directly into Pinkie's, she smiled slightly before waving a hoof at the decorations, then at pointing to Pinkie.

Interpreting the pegasus’s gesture to mean ‘did you do this?’, Pinkie smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Yupperoonie! Oh, oops, right, sorry.”

Raising her hoof again, the pegasus pointed at Pinkie, repeated her encompassing the room gesture, then pointed to herself while tilting her head to the side.

Again, Pinkie nodded vigorously in response.

Much to Twilight’s surprise, Dawn Wings simply closed her eyes again as she shook her head slightly, a lopsided smile on her face and a single chuckle escaping her throat. When she opened her eyes again, she reached out and patted Pinkie on the shoulder, while her smile became a little wider and much warmer. Pinkie lit up like the sun as her face split into a huge grin. Eyes still sparkling with joy, she grabbed Dawn Wings’ hoof and pulled her off to the party.

A bit of tension she didn’t know she was holding in left Twilight’s body. She half expected Dawn Wings to be angry about being startled like that, or having Pinkie in her face practically as soon as she walked in the door. Faust knows the pegasus was irritable enough around her. Instead, she looked more amused than annoyed.

“Well, that turned out better than it could have.” Spike said.

“What do yah mean Spike?” Applejack asked.

“Well, she’s been kinda… grumpy… all day. I don’t know. She’s taking Pinkie a lot better than she took Twilight the first time they met.” He said as he watched Pinkie showing Dawn Wings around the room. It was a little strange seeing the energetic earth pony giving the dour pegasus a tour without speaking.

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad.” Twilight said.

“Why, what happened?” Rainbow asked.

“Eh heh heh heh. Nothing. Lets not worry about that and just have some fun. No sense ruining a Pinkie party with that kind of stuff.” Twilight said as she snagged Spike with her t.k. and dragged him off.

The other mares watched them go before following their friends to join in the festivities.

*****

The party slowly got into full swing as the evening wore on. Despite her initial annoyance, Dawn Wings found she was actually enjoying herself a little. The pink mare, Shásháme Uata, eventually stopped dragging her around showing off the party and just let her go around on her own, though she’d occasionally and inexplicably pop up next to the pegasus and hand her another plate of food. Dawn Wings didn’t mind at first, though after the third plate, she started to politely decline the dishes the pink pony was foisting off on her.

Otherwise, she fluctuated between playing some of the party games with the other guests or just stand off on her own and just watching everyone. Admittedly, this sort of party wasn’t really her thing, but she was still grateful.

It still dumbfounded her that the pink one had organized all of this just for her. She was a stranger, and yet, a bunch of ponies had gone along with the spastic one’s effort to throw a party for her. It was just flat out odd. These ponies were so like the monkeys in so many ways, yet so completely different in others. No human she’d ever met would go this far out of their way to make a complete stranger feel welcomed like this.

Of course, while Shásháme Utala and a few of the other guests seemed to genuinely welcome her, most of the other ponies felt a lot more distant. Dawn Wings got the feeling that they were here for the party rather than to make a real connection to the newcomer. Especially after they learned she was a foreigner and didn’t speak their language. They were friendly enough, but she got the feeling that the whole not being able to speak their language was more than a little off-putting, like they just didn’t know what to do with her.

Sighing, Dawn Wings regarded the throng of guests, and found herself beginning to feel resentful again. Like a starving woman in a room full of steel cans of food, and the only can opener behind a combination lock, she looked out at the other guests, and felt a painful stab in her chest. She didn’t blame Shásháme Utala. The pony was only trying to make her feel welcome, and, to an extent, she’d done just that. But, she had also inadvertently rubbed salt into a very raw wound in Dawn Wings’ heart.

She turned her eyes towards the closed windows and sighed. What she could really use right now was some air. But not just going outside to breath. She wanted to fly. To get above everything and feel the wind in her wings, and for a few minutes, forget about everything and be free in a place that felt familiar and right.

But, it didn’t feel right to just get up and leave either. Not after Shásháme put so much effort into actually making this party happen. Painful as it was, she wasn’t going to ruin that sort of effort by just up and leaving, especially since the whole thing was meant for her.

It was quite the catch-22. There was a party for her to enjoy, but ultimately, she felt like she was stuck sitting on the outside of it looking in, able to see the fun she could be having, but not really able to actually enjoy it. But she couldn’t bring herself to leave, because as unhappy as the situation was making her, she wasn’t ungrateful enough to just ditch the effort the pink one had put into the whole thing.

Even if what she really wanted was to be outside and flying.

Ch 16 – Time For a Bug Hunt

Shâshâme’s party had begun to wind down and most of the guests had left, leaving only about a dozen or so ponies to help with cleanup, including Dawn Wings. After helping Shâshâme carry out some of her supplies, including a cannon of some sort, Vinemana Vishicta had pulled her aside and properly introduced her to the farmers. Dawn Wings was already familiar with the orange mare (Maeitechusho), yellow filly (Anaretechusho) and red stallion (Retelo Cameta), but made a show of feigning slight recognition of only the former two. The elderly green mare (Liléta Luthala), on the other wing, was new to her, though she did recognize her voice from her first visit.

Unfortunately, the entire process was painfully awkward for the corax, and she found herself fidgeting as Vinemana and Maeitechusho amicably chatted. With the few times that the unicorn flicked her head towards Dawn Wings, the corax got the sense that the conversation was about her.

‘I hate not being able to speak for myself.’ She thought bitterly as she listened to the two talk.

Her brooding was interrupted when she felt a slight poke on her foreleg. Looking down, she saw Anaretechusho staring up at her with youthful curiosity.

“Maliatha oshele tola tetha.” The filly said. “Nerelae yateleto baema lo?”

Dawn Wings simply regarded the filly for a moment, who continued to look up at her with expectant eyes and a cheerful smile.

‘You’re a brave little one, aren’t you?’ Dawn Wings thought. In her time around the humans, and her own chicks, she’d found that most children were either terribly skittish around strangers, or unfortunately courageous. The little redhead obviously was the latter.

“Sorry kid, can’t answer a question when I don’t know what you just asked.” Dawn Wings said in a warm tone.

To the filly’s credit, she didn’t flee in terror, instead only taking a small step back, her expression shifting from cheerful to slightly frightened.

“Tea tiata co venete lonathale. Vate cha atimi.” She said, her voice now tainted with a hint of nervousness.

“It’s fine kid, don’t worry about it.” Dawn Wings replied, trying to keep her voice gentle and reassuring as she put on a soft smile.

Spotting movement out of the corner of her eye, she glanced behind her, realizing many of the remaining guests had also been unnerved by the sound of her speaking. With the exception of Shâshâme and a few other ponies, most of the others were staring at her with mounting trepidation, a few having actually backed away from her.

Dawn Wings chuckled at their response.

‘Typical. Just like the monkeys.’ She thought. ‘Xenophobic bastards.’

As fun as it was to weird the ponies out, she just wanted to be shown to wherever she was going to bunk so she could get out of this ridiculous pony body and back into her own, far more comfortable natural one.

Spotting the little redhead stifling a yawn, Dawn Wings saw an opportunity. Sure, it’d mean ditching cleanup, but that wasn’t really her problem.

Feigning a casual yawn of her own, Dawn Wings shook her head slightly before wiping her eyes with a hoof, carful to make the action look as natural as possible despite not actually being that tired. It appeared to work, as the action drew the attention of the unicorn and apple farmer. As the former trotted over, she pointed to Dawn Wings with a hoof before repeating the same “sleep” gesture she made earlier.

Dawn Wings simply nodded and casually rolled her neck.

Taking the bait, Vinemana turned to Maeitechusho and spoke to her, prompting the farmer to nod and gesture for Dawn Wings to follow. Nodding herself, Dawn Wings rose with false lethargy and gestured for the farmer to wait a moment.

Trotting over to Shâshâme, Dawn Wings bowed her head to the pink mare and extended her hoof. Shâshâme face split into a giant smile before tackling the corax into a giant hug, much to Dawn Wings’ discomfort. The corax let out a startled squawk at the sudden invasion of her personal space and having the air crushed out of her lungs.

“Please let me go.” Dawn Wings hissed, her brow knit into a scowl.

Shâshâme looked up at Dawn Wings’, uttered a small, apologetic sound and released her before chuckling and rubbing the back of her head. Dawn Wings simply rolled her eyes and gave the pony a friendly tap on the top of the head with the back of her hoof before turning back to Maeitechusho and Vinemana.

Gesturing for the farmer to lead the way, Dawn Wings began to trot after the other pony, taking care to make sure her body language read slight exhaustion, a performance aided by the fact it wasn’t entirely an act. One she’d allowed her mind to process the idea of sleep, she realized that she was actually quite tired.

Once out of the main living room, the pair climbed up a flight of stairs to the second floor, before walking down a short hallway towards the southern end of the house. As they reached the end of the hall, Maeitechusho pushed open a door and gestured for Dawn Wings to enter. The room itself was fairly spartan, only having a small bed, a desk and lamp, as well as a pair of windows facing south and east. Dawn Wings stepped inside, and taking a look around before turning back to the mare and nodding gratefully.

“Unalia tsua.” The farmer said. “Chucala manateala.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Dawn Wings replied, “Good night.”

The mare lingered for a moment, before shrugging and taking her leave. Pushing the door closed behind the farmer, Dawn Wings sighed and sank to the floor, choosing to just lay there for a few minutes and relax.

‘Alone at last.’ She thought. Looking back up at the door, she found that there wasn’t a lock.

‘Wyrm-piss.’ She thought. Not having a way to secure the door put a damper on her mood. Still, the bed looked like it might be comfortable, though she’d planned to sleep in the rafters rather than suffer resting in her pony body. Her irritation was offset by the fact that the room had windows. Even better, one was east facing, so she’d be able to properly watch the rising of the sun.

Trotting over to the window, she nosed the latch up and turned a small crank to open the portal. Dawn Wings happily noted that unlike the unicorn’s home, all of objects in this house were designed with the use of hooves and teeth in mind. It made sense, since the farmers were all normal ponies, not mages.

Taking in a breath of the cool night air, she looked up at the sky, but found the beauty of both Cerridwen and the stars was offset by the sky’s persistent, unnatural cloudlessness. Still, Bridgid’s sister was putting on a lovely show, and the corax found herself smiling as the night sky slowly melted away some of her anxiety. Looking down, she spotted the last few guests making their way home, including Vinemana and Tlectalae.

As she saw them making their way towards the gate of the farm, a sudden horrible thought hit her.

The two of them were making their way back to the library.

Alone.

In the dead of night.

And right back towards the ticks.

‘Gaia’s stony tits!’ Dawn Wings swore internally. With the other ponies all heading home after the party, she didn’t think the ticks would make a move. But, if they saw an opportunity that they couldn’t pass up…

Glancing back at the door, she hoped that her hosts weren’t going to come and check on her later. It’d be awkward if they did and found her missing.

However, the thought of the princess’s student and her pet being assassinated and replaced didn’t sit well with her either. From what the incarna and captain Ropeman told her, the changelings didn’t kill their targets, only took them hostage. From the corpse she found in the canyon, she knew that either they were wrong, or that the ticks had evolved their tactics after their earlier defeat.

Either way, it didn’t matter.

As much as she wanted to perch and get some sleep, Dawn Wings resigned herself to heading back out. Stealing one last glance back to the door, Dawn Wings closed and latched the window before trotting over to the desk lamp and switching it off. Once veiled in darkness, she called on the change and she shifted back into her natural form. Flexing her spiritual power, she stepped sideways through the veil into the spirit world and headed out into the night.

*The sky above Ponyville, material world*

‘They’re on the move. One… four… nine… two more since the last time. Or maybe they’ve just congregated.’ Dawn Wings thought as she drifted high above the rooftops of Ponyville, her powers warning her of multiple threats stirring throughout the town. In the distance, she could see the purple unicorn, and could sense at least three of them tailing her, but others were moving with similar purpose all across the village.

‘This is bad. This is very, very bad.’ She thought as she pumped her wings faster, rapidly gaining on the unicorn and lizard. Now gliding just above the pair, she could faintly hear them chatting amicably with one another, blissfully unaware of their imminent danger.

She could still sense the ticks nearby, but they were either being cautious and waiting for an opportunity, or they were still simply in reconnaissance mode.

Closing her eyelids, Dawn Wings pushed spiritual energy and her will into her eyes. As she opened them, the town now looked as though it were the middle of a clear, sunny day, rather than the dead of night.

‘Much better.’ She thought as flapped harder to gain some altitude and gain a wider vantage over the town. She could see ponies moving all through the village now, like so many Technicolor ants, nearly all of them guests at the party Shâshâme had thrown for her. She didn’t bother to recognize them though. Instead, she focused her attention onto Vinemana. Relaxing, Dawn Wings allowed her active mind to fade away as she entered her state of passive hyperfocus.

Soon conscious thought faded away. There was no Dawn Wings, no unicorn and lizard, no ticks, no freaky pony world. There was only the pattern of movement around a fulcrum.

At first, there was nothing. Only the fulcrum moving along its path. Yet, as she absorbed the world around her, a pattern began to emerge. It started with one shape, then two, then finally three. The three shapes moved around the fulcrum. Always circling at a distance, yet never closing in. As soon as the fulcrum would pass one of the three, another would move ahead. They never moved in front of the fulcrum, only behind, and always from far enough away that they wouldn’t be noticed. The circling ones never made a sound, but moved with nearly perfect coordination, as though they were wordlessly communicating with one another.

They stuck to the shadows, and would have been undetectable to any normal pair of eyes. Fortunately for Dawn Wings and unfortunately for them, her eyes were far from normal.

With a slow intake of breath, Dawn Wings broke out of her meditative trance, and focused her attention on the three ponies she could now clearly see following her tutor. With a shiver of disgust, she recognized them from the ponies she’d seen stalking the unicorn earlier in the day.

It was a confirmation of her fears. The ticks were targeting the unicorn. For what purpose, she had no idea, but that didn’t matter. They were a threat to the princess’s student, and to the ponies.

Still, as long as they didn’t try anything, Dawn Wings knew that she could get some vital intelligence out of these three. After all, while she knew the faces they wore, that wasn’t enough. She didn’t know where the ticks were holding up, and if she was going to help flush them out, she needed to know where they were hiding.

Slowly dropping in altitude, the corax landed on the thatched roof of a building behind one of the ticks. The unicorn would pass by soon, and the tick would be on the move again. But, it gave her an opportunity to see just how much she could learn from the creature.

Calling on her power, Dawn Wings once again focused her spiritual energy into her eyes. This time, however, she did not seek to improve her sight to view the world as though it were illuminated. Instead, she focused her eyes on a more abstract and ephemeral properties of the world: properties of truth behind form and on taint of the soul. On Gaia, these gifts allowed her to identify her fera brethren, as well as other beings that were not as they appeared. While her garou friends would use their sense of smell to “sniff out” other supernaturals hiding themselves in deception, she could use the same powers to “see” past them.

And as her sight pierced the lie around the “pony” before her, she got a brief glimpse of the truth beneath.

The creature had the same basic shape with the pony it was pretending to be, but beyond that, the similarities ended. Rather than fur, the creature’s body was sheathed in smooth black chitin, which was perforated in several places, particularly the bottom half of their legs. A pair of tattered, fly-like wings rested on the creature’s back, while a small, curved horn emerged from its forehead just above its eyes.

But almost as important as confirming that this creature was indeed a tick, the other sight she’d called on showed her something far worse.

All across the creature’s body, there was a spiritual effluence, like veins of festering puss writhing and swirling around the very core of its being. This spiritual contamination gnawed at the creature, as though it were seeking to devour the world through this mortal vessel.

It was confirmation of another of her hypothesis.

The ticks… the changelings… were wyrmspawn. And off all the heads of the hydra they had to be associated with, it just had to be the Eater-of-Souls.

‘Sometimes, it sucks to be right.’ She thought.

Eventually, the unicorn trotted past the hidden tick, which waited a few moments before breaking from cover and moving to get ahead of its target again. Dawn Wings waited for it to be far enough away to not hear her take off before launching herself into the air and circling back up into the sky.

‘I guess all that’s left to do now is see what their next move is.’ She thought as she regained her elevated vantage.

The remainder of the unicorn’s trek back to the library was, thankfully, uneventful. The ticks continued their circling, while Dawn Wings continued to observe them from the safety of the sky. If they just kept observing her and didn’t actually try anything, Dawn Wings would be a very happy corax.

Yet, as the unicorn got closer to her home, the ticks changed tactics. Two of them broke off and made their way around to the other side of the building before concealing themselves in the shadows of the adjacent houses. The third, however, stood up and was briefly engulfed with green flame, its original disguise being replaced by a familiar looking blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail.

Dawn Wings glared down at the creature as it took to the air and gained altitude before flying down towards the unicorn and called out to her as she reached her front door. Looking back over her shoulder, the unicorn’s face split into a smile and a warm greeting as she turned to wave at the marauder, who landed next to her and her pet lizard.

‘Not good.’ Dawn Wings thought.

*****

“Hey Rainbow!” Twilight called as her friend landed next to her.

“‘Sup Dash.” Spike said.

“Hey Twi. Hey Spike.” Rainbow said. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“Of course. Nothing quite beats one of Pinkie’s ‘welcome to Ponyville’ parties.” Twilight said, “How about you?”

“Hay yea!” Rainbow said before her voice dropped a little and she looked back towards Sweet Apple Acres, “That new mare’s kinda weird though. What was her name again?”

“Well, I’m not sure how to actually pronounce it in her native language, but I think it translates to Dawn Wings in Equish.” Twilight said, “And don’t call her ‘weird’ Rainbow.”

“Twilight, she is weird, and you know it.” Spike said.

“Spike, I’d expect you, of all dragons, to know better.” Twilight chided.

“Never said it was a bad thing. But she’s not exactly normal, now is she?” Spike said.

“Oh this I’ve got to hear.” Rainbow said with a sly grin.

“Rainbow, there’s nothing to hear. Sure, she’s not normal by Equestrian cultural standards,” Twilight said as she gave Spike a disapproving look, “but I’m sure she finds us strange and abnormal too. Its all about perspective.”

“Eh, fair enough.” Rainbow said with a wave of her hoof. “Kinda like Zecora then?”

“Exactly.” Twilight said as she turned towards the door. “In any case, I’ve got some stuff to do before I get to bed, so I’ll see you tomorrow Rainbow.”

“Actually…” Rainbow said sheepishly before looking around, and rubbing the back of her head, “I was wondering if you could come with me for bit. There’s something I need to talk to you about… in private.”

“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked, her face twisting a bit with concern.

“Oh, no, nothing’s, well… wrong… exactly.” Rainbow said quickly. “Its just that, well, its that I kinda need some help with something, and I figure you’d be the best pony to give it to me.”

“What sort of help?” Twilight asked, confused about how evasive Rainbow was being.

“Look, it’s a little embarrassing.” Rainbow said. “And no offense to Spike, but I’m not sure he needs to hear it.”

“Why not?” Spike said as he crossed his arms.

“Because its something that’s between mares. Just… trust me Spike. I really just want to talk to Twilight. Alone.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Spike growled as he turned and trudged towards the door.

“Sorry Spike. This shouldn’t take too long.” Twilight said before turning back to Rainbow. “So, what’s wrong Rainbow?”

“Well, I can’t talk about it here. There’s a spot nearby.” Rainbow said as she turned and began to trot off.

Twilight looked at Rainbow for a moment before cantering up to her friend. “Rainbow, seriously, what’s going on? You’re starting to scare me a little.”

Rainbow was quiet for a little while, only looking over to Twilight as they neared some of the houses.

“Don’t worry about it Twilight. It won’t take lo…”

Fssssssst.

*Splack*

*Thunk*

Twilight blinked.

There was something wrong. She could feel a warm liquid on her face. And there was something wrong with Rainbow Dash. One second she was talking, and the next, she wasn’t. And for some reason, there was red all over her left eye.

Then Rainbow shuddered.

And fell to the ground.

Perfectly still.

Why wasn’t she moving?

“Rainbow?” Twilight asked as she poked the fallen pegasus, her mind still not quite registering what had just happened. Why wasn’t Rainbow moving?

Then it hit her. Rainbow wasn’t just not moving.

She wasn’t breathing.

Just as that revelation hit her, there was a flash as Rainbow’s body was engulfed in green flame. Twilight took a step back as the body of her friend immolated itself.

Because as the flames died, she saw that it wasn’t Rainbow Dash she’d been talking to.

It was a changeling.

A dead changeling.

Twilight's scream tore through the night air.

*****

Dawn Wings body rapidly shrank from her crinos form back to her natural avian one.

When the changeling impersonating Crayons had started to lead the unicorn towards the other nearby ticks, she knew she had to act, and act quickly. She couldn’t warn the unicorn, because, beyond the language problem, it’d leave her exposed. On the other wing, she couldn’t attack the changeling directly and hope that the unicorn wouldn’t intervene on behalf of the disguised bug. She wasn’t even sure if killing the thing would break its disguise, so even striking quickly wasn’t an option. Yet, when she saw the other ticks getting ready to spring their trap, she had to make a decision.

‘Shit!’ She thought as her mind raced, desperate to come up with a course of action. A few fractions of a second later, she had a plan. It was a bad one. But it was the only one she could come up with that left the unicorn alive and that kept both of them out of the cross-hairs. But, it would probably cause a lot of panic, both among the ponies, and the changelings.

But between that and watching the pony potentially be murdered, it was the best option available.

Calling on the change, she’d shifted into crinos, and then summoned her gift to sharpen and harden her wing feathers. Then, maintaining lift with her uppermost wings, she grabbed one of the bladed pinions in her claws, and yanked the shaft free of her skin, wincing slightly from the sharp pain.

Holding the feather and drawing upon her rage, Dawn Wings poured the mystically enhanced emotion into the feather, empowering it with the desire to pierce and tear flesh. Looking at the changeling, she directed her rage at the wyrmspawn, and, winding back her arm, threw the feather directly at the creature’s head.

The feather, desperate to sink into the object of its fury, flew straight and true before striking the tick directly in the eye. Empowered by rage and the sharpened to a razor’s edge by the lingering spiritual energy of Dawn Wings’ other gift, the feather punched through the wyrmspawn’s eye like a high velocity flechette, passing through its head, and out the other side before embedding itself in the ground near the creature.

‘Gotcha.’ Dawn Wings thought as she watched the tick shudder for a moment as its body began to shut down. Quickly turning her attention to the other ticks, she was satisfied to see that they’d frozen in place, the looks on their disguised faces painted with shock and outrage. However, before either of them could move to intervene, Vinemana let out an ear-piercing scream.

The response was instantaneous. The lights flashed on from several of the nearest houses, and a few ponies threw open the shudders to see what was causing the commotion. At the library, the door burst open and the lizard came running out. Spotting the unicorn, Tlectalae broke into a sprint, before pulling up short upon seeing the body of the changeling. However, Tlectalae recovered quickly and ran up to Vinemana and began to try calming her down.

Soon, other ponies began to come out of their homes to see what was going on. Cursing, Dawn Wings shifted back into her natural shape, and landed in the uppermost bows of the unicorn’s tree. This was going to complicate things. Still, a crowd would probably keep the other ticks from trying something.

Looking towards the changelings, she noted that they were gone.

‘Shit, they’re going to get away.’ She thought.

Focusing her power, she reached out with her sight, desperately trying to pick up the spiritual effluence the ticks emitted. It took a moment, but she spotted one source of contamination quickly moving away from the scene. Not giving Vinemana a second thought, she launched into the air and began to follow the source of wyrmtaint, staying as high in the air as she could without losing the trace.

The creature made its way through town at a casual yet brisk pace, doing its best to keep out of sight. Twice, the tick ducked into cover, and shifted into a different pony’s form. Dawn Wings smiled to herself. She had to give credit where credit was due, it was a clever tactic to throw off a pursuer. And against anyone else, it might have worked. But against someone with the tools Dawn Wings had at her disposal, it wasn’t nearly enough.

As the tick ducked behind another building, Dawn Wings wyrmsense picked up another source of corruption approaching. It was soon joined by a third. Silently gliding down from the sky, the corax landed near the tick she’d been following. A few moments later, five other ticks arrived, and gathered up around the first. Scowling, the corax recognized at least two of them from Shâshâme’s party.

Dawn Wings cocked her head. Of the six ticks below her, she could only sense wyrmtaint on three of them. Then, it dawned on her: the two that had been at the party were not wyrmtainted.

‘What’s going on here?’ Dawn Wings thought, ‘Wait, could they be…’

Focusing her spirit into her eyes, she glared down at the assembled vermin. As her sight pierced their disguises, she only saw three ticks, though one was larger than the other two. But the other three, weren’t ticks.

They were fully normal ponies.

Dawn Wings scowled down at the gathering.

‘So, there are pony’s collaborating with the ticks. Color me not surprised.’ Dawn Wings thought bitterly as she committed their faces, coloration and buttoos to memory. If there were ponies collaborating with the ticks, she couldn’t rely on her gifts to easily pick them out. And that they were probably not the only ones in town.

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of the six beginning a hushed conversation. Realizing that it might be important, Dawn Wings slowly made her way across the rooftop until she was close enough to make out what they were saying. Turning her head, Dawn Wings focused on memorizing everything. She might not know what they were saying, but she knew that there were others that would, and who might be interested in knowing.

The first was explaining something to the others, which was followed by a series of short, and angry responses. If she was to make an educated guess, Dawn Wings suspected that the one she’d been following had just told the others about the mysterious death of their ally, and the subsequent exposure of their presence in town.

There was a heated exchange of words between the tick she’d been trailing and the three ponies. However, before it became too heated, the largest tick stomped her hoof and hissed what sounded like a warning to the others, who instantly quieted down. Pointing her hoof at each of them in turn, she growled a series of instructions before flicking her wrist and appearing to order them to leave. The others shied away in submission, before turning and dispersing into the night. Only after the others had left did the authoritative one turn to depart.

Dawn Wings smiled. Waiting until they were unlikely to hear her taking to the air again, she spread her wings and launched herself into the sky once more. Instead of following her original target, she began following the one that had issued the orders to the others. If she was a higher ranked member of the nest, this was clearly the one Dawn Wings needed to tail.

Soon, the changeling arrived at a non-descript cottage near the northern part of town. Landing in a nearby tree, Dawn Wings watched as the tick skulked in the shadows. For a few moments, the tick kept herself hidden, most likely to ensure that there were no witnesses. Once it was confident that she was alone, her body briefly was wreathed in green flame as she changed her appearance, taking the shape of a young unicorn stallion before trotting up to the door, pulling a key out, and stepping inside.

Silently gliding from the treetop to the house’s thatched roof, Dawn Wings called on her power to detect threats, and found that while there were now only six in range, one was directly below her. What struck her most was that the magnitude of this tick’s threat was slightly higher than the others.

‘I guess this is where the tick’s hiding.’ She thought as she slowly paced across the roof. Looking around, she committed the location to memory before walking up to the chimney and defecating on the southwest corner of the brick structure. It wasn’t the most pleasant way to mark which house it was, but it was one that the home’s occupant wouldn’t likely notice. Or remove.

Still, she was not exactly enthusiastic about the next few days. Killing that tick was going to make them a lot more cautious, especially since she was sure they didn’t know who had done the deed. She had made sure to wait till the tick was in full view of its comrades when she’d put her feather through its head so it would be obvious that it wasn’t Vinemana. At the same time, this was going to escalate things. To start, she’d killed one of them, and she was certain that wasn’t something they were likely to forgive.

Then there was the matter of the ponies. Now, they were aware that there were changelings in their midst, and if these equines were anything like the apes, it would probably cause no small amount of panic. Not to mention the issue of the collaborators. Just how many of the town’s citizens were in league with the wyrmspawn?

It would probably put a bit of a crosshair on her, because she was the new mare in town. And a foreigner to boot. As unfortunate as it was, outsiders were often the first ones that were lynched when a mob got itself worked up.

Dawn Wings’ musings were interrupted when she heard a trio of voices from within the house. Straining her ears, she could hear a masculine voice, presumably the tick’s, as well as a pair of feminine ones, one that sounded very young. Focusing her mind, Dawn Wings called on her ability to see wyrmtaint. As she looked down towards the source of the voices, she could only see one point of contamination.

‘Whoever’s in there with the tick isn’t one of them.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘More collaborators?’

Taking off, Dawn Wings landed on an adjacent roof, and peered into the windows nearest the voices. The changeling was there. Along with two other ponies. One, a young mare that looked only a little older than the currently disguised tick. The other was a filly, probably not much older than Maeitechusho’s little sister. The tick was currently sitting on a sofa with the little one curled up between his forelegs, chatting with the mare, with a warm look on his face.

Dawn Wings rage began to boil. If the ticks made a living by replacing ponies to feed on love, this one had obviously replaced the loved one of the non-changelings in the house. And if what she saw in the canyon said anything about how they were operating now, the stallion that the tick was impersonating was probably dead and discarded somewhere like unwanted trash.

Taking a calming breath, she focused her eyes on the tick, a low hiss escaping her throat. Now wasn’t the time to be vengeful.

Now was the time to be smart.

Staring at the wyrmspawn, Dawn Wings called on her spiritual energy and sent it lancing towards the tick like a javelin. As it connected with its target, Dawn Wings’ mind’s eye shifted.

*****

Dawn Wings gently flapped her wings as she glided through a misty woodland. All around her, she could see trees filling the landscape into the distance, with only the faintest trail to guide her through the mist. Still, she pressed on. Moments later, she broke free from the treeline and spotted her goal, a gnarled, blackened tree covered with dozens of small, teardrop shaped fruits. Some of these fruits were blue, others were red, and a few were silver.

Upon seeing the tree, her mouth twisted into a sinister, malice filled grin. Unlike the unicorn, this tick had a lot to hide. On the one side, it meant so much delightful blackmail potential. On the other, it meant that she wasn’t as likely to get something immediately useful.

It was no matter. She was here to get a secret out of this tick.

Flying over the veritable wall of thorny brambles surrounding the tree, she gently alighted on one of the branches before taking stock of her choices. As she swept her head back and forth, her eyes fell onto one of the nearby branches, and she made her choice: a medium sized silver fruit.

Working her way up the branch, she snatched the fruit in her beak and swallowed it whole. Instantly, brilliant silvery light emerged from her eyes as she was consumed by a vision.

She found herself standing in front of the changeling, its disguise gone, and its eyes clouded over.

“I’ve always loathed the Queen.” The tick said mechanically. “She claims the majority of the love we collect for herself, and leaves us to starve. As one of her High Reavers, it was simple enough to steal some for myself. It was delicious. Not like the dregs she gives us, but pure, sweet and divine. Once I got a taste, I couldn’t give it up. When the others bring me love to tithe to the queen, I’ve been keeping 1/20th of the pure love for myself. I now keep two ledgers to track what is brought in: one with the amounts we've collected, one with the falsified amounts to be sent to the main hive. If she ever finds out, she’ll have me gutted on the spot. I have to be careful.”

An instant later, Dawn Wings found herself back in her own body. Turning away, the corax snorted through her nostrils as she took to the air and headed back towards the apple farm.

‘Oh, yes, I’m going to take a lot of pleasure in hunting down these bug-eyed freaks.’ She thought to herself.

*****

“Okay Twi, the letter’s been sent to the princess.” Spike said as he brought the mare another cup of tea. Twilight didn’t acknowledge her little brother’s comment beyond a small nod and a slight shift as she pulled the blanket draped over her shoulders a little tighter around her body.

Twilight’s mind drifted back to that awful moment. The sight of Rainbow Dash’s head impaled by some unknown force that completely destroyed one of her eyes and ripped a hole in the bottom of her jaw. Seeing one of her best friends go completely still. The horrid revelation that it wasn’t actually Rainbow, but a changeling.

And the blood.

There was so much blood, both leaking from the changeling’s gaping wounds. And on her face from when the impostor’s eye was obliterated.

Even after taking a shower, she could still feel it in her fur.

Twilight sniffled again. Spike had dragged her back inside and managed to calm her down enough to get her cleaned up and sit in front of the fireplace. He’d wrapped her up in the warmest, most comfy blanket he could find, and had prepared her favorite tea before writing a letter to princess Celestia letting her know what happened.

Turning her head to the side, she saw him standing next to her, a fresh cup of tea in hand. She could feel the tears starting again, but she was too shaken up to bother holding them in. With a hiccup, she bowed her head again and began to quietly sob.

Setting the cup and saucer down on the mantle of the fireplace, Spike waddled over to Twilight and wrapped his arms around her.

“Shh. Shhhh. Its alright Twilight. I’m right here. Okay?” He gently cooed as he stroked her back. “I’m right here.”

Twilight wrapped her foreleg around the little dragon and pulled him tight to her. He was so small, but also so warm and comforting. It was such a little thing: him holding onto her and telling her it was okay. But, right then and there, it was exactly what she needed. So she pulled him even closer and let him gently rock her back and forth.

‘Oh Spike.’ She thought as the baby dragon continued to hold her. ‘Thank you.’

Author's Note

Yea, so… that happened.

For the record, I really don't like stories where someone sees a friend or family member killed or hurt, and just walks it off. That's not how most civilians would react, especially those not accustomed to seeing that sort of violence. Twilight, for all of her adventures, has never witnessed someone die violently right in front of her, especially someone she thought was one of her friends.

Ch 17 – Greeting the Rising Sun

*Ponyville*

Dawn Wings earlier good mood was rapidly souring again. After she’d marked the lead tick’s hideout, she’d flown back to the library, hoping to recover her feather. Without knowing what sort of forensic magick the ponies wielded, she needed to keep any direct link to her out of the ponies’, and the ticks’, hands.

As she alighted in Vinemana’s tree, her face twisted into an annoyed scowl. The area was cordoned off by several dull-coated ponies in uniform; four were standing at attention, facing away from the corpse, while two others, a light grey pegasus mare and a dark blue unicorn stallion, were going over the scene. They were currently focused on the changling’s corpse, the mare photographing it while the stallion dictated what his partner was saying.

Looking past them, Dawn Wings heart sank. The feather was already gone, an evidence marker already placed where the feather had embedded itself in the ground.

‘Shit’ Dawn Wings thought as she desperately looked over the crime scene. Spotting an evidence bag, her heart sank. Her feather was probably already in there. Retrieving the damn thing would be even harder now.

Harder. But not impossible.

She just needed to be patient.

Concealing herself in the bows of the tree, Dawn Wings watched and waited. The two lead investigators said very little, but from the subtle nods and gestures, Dawn Wings could see they had worked together for a long time. And, from the meticulous nature of their documentation, they were obviously experienced detectives. They might be useful once she got a handle on the pony's language, if they proved to be trustworthy.

Soon, the ponies had finished their documentation, packed the changeling’s corpse into a body bag, and loaded it onto a cart, along with the evidence bags. The detectives then strapped themselves into a harness and began to pull towards the center of town, flanked by the other officers, with two in front, and two a short distance behind. Taking to the air, Dawn Wings began to follow.

Gliding as quietly as she could, the corax waited until the cart passed between lampposts, throwing the back into shadow. The instant the cart was hidden from view, she gave a single hard flap of her wings to launch herself forward before pulling them in. Like a descending arrow, she dove into the back, before flaring out her wings to stall her forward momentum and landing roughly on the bodybag. She was grateful that the cart was making so much noise as it rolled along, because she was sure she’d hit the bed harder than she thought.

Shaking the stars out of her eyes, she began working her way up to the evidence bags. When she reached them, she began to gently prod each one. On the second try, she felt the telltale shape of her feather. Gently pulling the bag out from under the others, she carefully put her foot on the edge, and delicately worked her beak between the tape and seam, slowly pulling the edge up. It was measured work, thankfully muffled by the sound of the axil creaking and wheels bumping along the road. It took several tense minutes of pulling before she managed to get the bag open. Pinning the flap and peering inside, she spotted the long, black shaft of her feather, still slightly damp with tick blood.

Looking around quickly to make sure she still hadn’t been noticed, she carefully pulled the feather out, set it on the floor of the cart, then pressed the bag closed. Then, taking the feather in in her beak, she waited for the cart to pass between the lamps again. The moment she was masked by shadow, she stepped sideways into the umbra.

‘That was way too close.’ She thought as she took to the penumbral sky. Now she just needed someplace to destroy the evidence. Friendly or not, she wasn’t going to leave a piece of herself for some spirit to get their hands on. Spotting a street lamp, she descending from the air and landed on one of the cross bars. Transferring the feather to her foot, she worked the case open, and shoved the feather into the spiritual flame. Instantly, it began to smoke and burn before being reduced to unrecognizable ash. Satisfied, she pushed the casing closed and took to the air.

A few minutes later, she’d arrived at the farm. She prepared to sneak into her room and get some rest, but as she looked over the trees and open sky of the orchard, she decided that she really didn’t want to be inside. Not after having to spend so much time indoors the previous day. Stepping sideways and landing in the bows of one of the apple trees, she settled down and fell asleep under the stars.

*Sweet Apple Acres, an hour before sunrise*

A cool morning breeze whispered through the vast orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, gently tussling the leaves and ripe fruits. As it passed through one tree, it also rustled the feathers of one large raven, unceremoniously pulling her from her pleasant dreams of snow caped mountain peaks and clear skies. Inhaling deeply, Dawn Wings cracked her eyes open and fluffed out her feathers.

Turning her head left and right a few times, she let out a disappointed sigh before looking back towards the farmhouse.

‘Great, I’m still stuck in wackyland.’ She thought before rolling her head back and groaning. ‘Yay, yippie, woo-hoo, yea and all that crap. Ugh!’

Eyeing the farmhouse, she happily saw that the lights were still off. ‘Good’ She thought, ‘They aren’t up yet.’

Stepping sideways once more, Dawn Wings made her way back through the penumbra and into her room. Re-emerging from the spirit world, she landed on her bed, silently worked her way under the covers, and shifted her body into her equus form.

Looking towards the window, she mulled over what she’d learned. At her best estimate, there were maybe eight threats in town as of last night. For how many ponies there were, that wasn’t that many.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure how they would respond to the death of one of their own. Would they call in more of their kind? Would they retaliate? If they were leeches, she’d know what to expect.

It was another very unpleasant reminder of just how far she was from home.

The tick’s reaction alone would be an issue, but there were other pieces on the board that she should’ve expected: regular ponies in league with the ticks. That her gifts could help her make the ticks was a Gaiasend, but the presence of the pony collaborators completely changed the game. Were these ponies under the sway of the ticks like the leech’s ghouls? Were the collaborators working willingly for the changelings, or were they innocents being deceived or blackmailed into serving?

Blackmail.

The thought made the corax chuckle. She’d learned some very juicy blackmail material about the lead tick. Too bad she didn’t really have a way to use it. That was a bridge she’d have to cross when it came time. She might try to pass it on to the princesses.

Groaning into her pillow, she suspected that things were going to speed up soon. The ticks had been made, and with that exposure, they were likely to either accelerate whatever their plans were, or circle the wagons and wait out the storm. Still, not knowing how the ponies would react to the situation made her uneasy. Or how the ticks would react to their reaction. So many unknowns made her head hurt.

Maybe she could find a way to coordinate with any investigators that they would deploy.

Investigators.

She had a feeling that her feather vanishing from the police’s evidence bag would cause some problems for those two detectives, but it couldn’t be helped. She wouldn’t risk leaving it in their hands. Not with so many mages around. It was too bad, honestly. Her human guise ‘Nicole’ had a good working relationship with some of the LAPD’s less corrupt members, and a few of the more crooked ones, and had helped them on occasion. And as far as humans went, the former were… tolerable, and the latter were useful.

If she’d been back home, she wouldn’t have had to worry about leaving her feather in their hands. A few thousand dollars under the table, a couple of threats, and the evidence would have disappeared. And with so few humans willing to accept the supernatural even if they took the feather, they wouldn’t be able to make any sort of connection to her.

But this place? With so much magick, and no real connections to call on, she was on her own.

It really hammered home that she needed to be more careful in the future.

Sighing through her nose, Dawn Wings rested her chin on the pillow and closed her eyes.

‘This would be so much simpler if there were other corax here.’ She thought bitterly, her heart starting to ache like she’d been stabbed with a gold dagger. Clenching her jaw and hissing through her teeth, the corax wrestled with her mounting frustration. Looking back to the window, she saw through a crack in the curtains the eastern sky starting to brighten. The sun would be up soon. Rising, she made for the exit. At least she could still say good morning to Bridgid before getting to work for the day.

*****

Apple Bloom’s yawn broke the silence in her room before she stretched her forelegs and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Throwing off the covers, she rolled out of bed, and trotted over to her dresser before pulling out a clean ribbon. After brushing her mane and tying the ribbon into a bow, she cheerfully trotted over to her door. It was the weekend, and that meant she got to help Granny make her special spiced apple fritters for breakfast. And that meant getting up a little early and getting a basket of gravensteins from the barn.

Trotting up to her door, the filly pushed it open before making her way to the front of the house. Exiting the house and trotting to the barn, she hummed tunelessly as she went. The filly had a spring in her steps as she found herself enjoying the crispness of the pre-dawn air and enticing smell of the ripening apples on the trees.

The anticipation of Granny’s fritters only made it better.

Entering the barn and retrieving one of the baskets, she made her way back outside before nosing the barn doors shut. As she turned to head back to the house, she spotted their guest… Dawn Wings, if she remembered correctly… purposefully trotting towards one of the nearby hills.

‘Where’s she goin’?’ Apple Bloom thought. Setting her basket down, she began to follow the pegasus. Soon, Dawn Wings had reached the summit of the hill, and turned to face the eastern horizon, before sitting in the grass, like she was waiting for something. As she neared the hill, Apple Bloom hid herself behind a tree to watch. After a few minutes, she saw the pegasus spread her wings as the sun began to crest over the horizon, turning them up to present as much of their underside to the morning’s light as possible.

The gesture was followed by the pegasus speaking to the rising sun. As she listened, Apple Bloom was struck by something. Whatever language she was speaking in, it wasn’t the same one she used at the party. The sounds were still harsh and sharp compared to Equish, but they were distinctly different. And, unlike when she spoke casually, her voice, while still grating, was almost melodious and gentle. Apple Bloom’s wonder deepened as Dawn Wings tilted her head back and said another stanza in the same language, now directed at the sky instead of the rising sun, before finally lowering her head and spoke again to the ground. Rising to her hooves and saying one last stanza, the pegasus folder her wings and sighed.

Apple Bloom had no idea what she just witnessed. She’d never seen, let alone heard of, anypony doing anything like that, even in her history or geography classes. It was more than a little unsettling, made even stranger because she couldn’t understand what Dawn Wings had been saying. Yet, something about the whole thing seemed… reverent, as though she were thanking the sun, sky and earth.

Her pondering suddenly came to a stop when the pegasus turned her head slightly and looked where the filly was hiding from the corner of her eye. There was a trace of annoyance in her expression, but it was outweighed by another emotion: wariness.

“App-lécrÿ-stál.” Dawn Wings said, evidently struggling over the word. It was mangled, and she’d pronounced the first part wrong, turning “bloom” to “crystal”, but the filly was certain that the pegasus had tried to say her name.

Sheepishly, she stepped out from behind the tree and walked towards the other pony.

“Ah’m sorry. Ah’ didn’t mean to spy.” Apple Bloom said before looking up at the older mare, “What were ya’ doin?”

The filly found herself under the weight of Dawn Wings intense eyes for a few moments, causing her to back up a little before the older mare simply turned away to face the eastern horizon. As she did, Apple Bloom saw a flicker of something new on the mare’s face: a sort of distant sadness.

There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence between them as Apple Bloom tried to figure out what to do next. Yet, before she could come up with anything, the pegasus began to speak, this time in her normal, almost painfully grating language. The older mare wasn’t addressing her, but instead simply spoke, like she wanted to say something, even if she knew she wouldn’t be understood. The filly found herself torn between how unpleasant the sound was, and the sadness behind the words. All to soon, she stopped speaking, and returned to simply watching the sunrise.

Apple Bloom was still at a loss. Something was obviously bothering Dawn Wings, but the filly wasn’t really sure how to help. Sucking in a deep breath, Apple Bloom slowly trotted up to the pegasus. As she reached the older mare, she put on the warmest smile she could before extending her hoof and putting it on the pegasus’s foreleg. As Dawn Wings turned her head to look at the filly, Apple Bloom saw her face softened as a slight smile played along her features, though her eyes was still were unyielding as stone.

Lifting her other hoof, the pegasus reached over and gently mussed the filly’s mane, prompting Apple Bloom to squeak indignantly. Apple Bloom heard Dawn Wings chuckle as the filly glared at her. After a moment, the mare’s eyes softened and a slightly warmer smile played across the pegasus’s features. As it did, she rose to her hooves and took a few steps away. Crouching down slightly and spreading her wings, the pegasus suddenly sprang up, launching herself into the sky with a great flap, kicking up a cloud of dust and leaves.

Apple Bloom waved a hoof in front of her face, fanning the grit away as she watched the mare fly north towards Ponyville. The filly’s thoughts churned back and forth: why was Dawn Wings talking to the sunrise? But more importantly, why did she look so sad? When she’d seen her at first, she thought it was like when AJ and Mac talked about their late parents. But now? Now she thought that it might be even deeper than that.

Miss Twilight had said that she was a foreigner, like Zecora, but didn’t really say much past that. Could she be lonely? But if she was lonely, why did she leave just now? Whenever Apple Bloom felt lonely, she always could go see her friends, or her family. Was that it? Was she homesick?

No, this was worse than homesickness somehow.

Slowly rising and using a hoof to fix her mane, the filly began to make her way back to the house. She’d be sure to save Dawn Wings a few extra fritters. Maybe that would make her feel better.

*Ponyville, a few minutes later*

There was something different in the air now. As she had flew over Ponyville, she’d felt a distinct, subtle tension about town. Most of the ponies weren’t acting too different near the outskirts, but as she’d approached the library, that began to change. Many of them were furtively whispering to one another, their body language showing a subtle degree of stress and fear that hadn’t been present the previous day.

‘Seems like word about the tick is spreading.’ She thought as she maintained a relaxed, unconcerned pace, being ever mindful of her need to look like she was unaware of what had happened the previous night. It was a simple enough act to pull off, but she wanted to make sure it was convincing. Despite her apparent nonchalantness, she still took in everything around her, including the few furtive glances in her direction, which were followed up with poorly concealed whispering. Though the looks were far from suspicious or hostile, they were cautious.

‘You know, I really shouldn’t be surprised.’ Dawn Wings thought. A “wolf in sheep’s clothing” had been exposed in their midst, and now, they were wary. And that meant she’d have to be extra careful. Scared animals were dangerous animals, especially the kind with a herd mentality. If she gave them a reason to think she was a tick, or if the ticks decided to gaslight the ponies, they’d probably come after her. While she fairly confident that she could get away if she needed to, running from an angry mob, especially one with other flyers and magick users wasn’t on her list of ‘super-fun happy good time’ activities.

She just needed to play it cool, and make sure that she didn’t give anyone the impression she knew what was going on.

As the unicorn’s tree came into view, Dawn Wings began to descend before alighting near the tree. As she trotted up to the front door and knocked, a familiar chill worked its way up her back as she could feel eyes on her from behind.

Knocking a second time, Dawn Wings trotted away from the front door and casually looked at one of the windows above, as if checking if Vinemana were home. In truth, she was using the glass to get a look behind her. Sure enough, she spotted a pony surreptitiously watching her. Spiritual energy flooded into her eyes as she sought to see if there was Wyrm-taint on the pony.

There wasn’t.

That at least ruled out ticks.

But there was more. Like in the market the previous day, there were several ponies surreptitiously lingering around Vinemana’s tree. But, unlike the one’s that were hanging around the market stalking her teacher, these ponies were not only keeping an eye on the tree, they were scanning the area around it, watching anyone that walked past.

These ponies were not stalking the unicorn.

They were guarding her.

‘Seems like either captain slipknot or the princesses aren’t too keen on the purple one being unprotected. Still, how’d they… oh, right, the lizard’s magick.’ Dawn Wings thought bitterly before turning her attention back to the door. ‘Hmmm, star-butt’s not answering. Well, no point hanging around.”

Just as she was turning to leave, her ears picked up the sound of the front door opening. Glancing back, she spotted Tlectalae peak out.

“Tala co meleca.” He whispered.

‘Well, lizard’s up. It’s a start.’ She thought as she reversed course back towards the tree.

*****

Red.

Everything was red.

Not a warm, pleasant red like a rose or a fuchsia.

It was an angry red; one that was primal, visceral, and coarse.

All around her, she could see nothing but this slick, grotesque crimson hue. It coated everything, dripping from the ceiling, flowing down the walls, and pooling on the floor.

Before her, floating in the crimson effluence, were the bodies of ponies she recognized.

Rainbow Dash, skull pierced.

Rarity, her throat torn out.

Applejack, her legs crushed and broken.

Pinkie Pie, chest split open.

Flutter Shy, her wings ripped off.

Spike, his head and body floating next to one another in the slowly growing sea of red.

Slowly, she waded through the red as she tried to reach her friends. But, as she moved forward, the red began to rise, slowly. She quickened her pace. The red began to fill the room. The red has risen half way up her legs, but she was almost to them.

Just a little further.

The red was up to her barrel now. She wasn’t walking anymore. She was swimming in the red.

She reached Spike first, stretching out a hoof to grasp him.

His eyes snapped open and locked onto her. She recoiled from the sudden movement. It was then she realized that all of the others had also opened their eyes and were glaring into her soul.

Then… they started to laugh.

It wasn’t a jovial laugh. It was a cold, hollow laugh, one devoid of humor, but instead filled with cruel arrogance. As one, her friends lifted themselves out of the red like marionettes being pulled up by their strings. Before she could back away, all six erupted into green flame, which quickly subsided to reveal the sleek black forms of half a dozen changelings.

They began to slowly advance on her, their movements stilted and unnatural.

Just as she was about to scream, she suddenly felt a familiar presence. One that was cool and soothing, like gentle moonlight.

“Be gone!” A majestic voice bellowed from behind her as a wave of silvery light washed across the world, pushing away the flood of red and the changelings, before causing them to vanish into stardust. In an instant, she found herself resting on an endless deep blue cloud, while the sky overhead transformed into a beautiful starscape.

“Princess?” Twilight said as she turned to face the alicorn.

“Be at ease Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna gently assured her as she alighted on the cloud next to the unicorn.

Yet, even with the moon princes’s calming presence, Twilight still found herself shaking like a leaf as she fought back the nightmare’s horror, tears slowly rolling down her face.

“Shh, shh, shh.” Luna said as she sat next to the trembling unicorn. “It is okay. You are safe now.”

It took a few moments, but eventually Twilight’s tremors slowed. Slowly, she raised her head and met the princess’s eyes.

“Thank you.” Twilight finally choked out.

“Young Spike informed us of what happened, so our sister asked us to keep an eye on your dreams. It seems that it was a wise choice.” Luna said. “Do you wish to speak of it? We suspect that there is more to it than the young drake conveyed.”

“I’m sorry Princess Luna, but… no. Not yet.” Twilight said, her voice still shaking.

Luna regarded the unicorn for a moment, before nodding her head.

“Very well. Know that we are here if thee need us. We should also inform you that your brother has dispatched a contingent of royal guards to protect you and your home. They should already in place by the time you wake.” Luna said before rising. Twilight rose to her hoves as the lunar princess prepared to leave. “You need not worry Twilight Sparkle. The nightmares will not return once we depart. You will not be troubled again this night. Sweet dreams.”

“Thank you Princess.” Twilight said.

*****

Spike gently stroked Twilight’s mane as she whimpered again in her sleep, causing the little dragon’s brow to knit itself even deeper with worry. It wasn’t until a couple hours before sunrise that she’d finally managed to fall asleep, and Spike had been unwilling to leave her side. As he ran his claws through her mane, her face slowly relaxed, and her slumber became less fitful. As she did, he relaxed and pulled the blankets a little further up on her body before curling up next to her, sending silent thanks to Luna. Stretching his jaws in a large yawn, he drifted off to sleep.

Only to be jarred back awake by a series of loud raps on the front door. Spike turned his head swiftly to make sure Twilight was still asleep. He sighed with relief when he saw she was still slumbering peacefully, then checked the wall clock. Two hours. He’d been asleep for two hours.

Not nearly enough.

A second series of knocks, this one slightly louder than before, thundered through the library, causing Twilight to shift in her sleep and mumble before curling deeper into her blankets.

Groggily hopping off the bed and making his way downstairs, Spike pushed the door open. From the opening, he spotted Dawn Wings turning away as though she were about to leave.

“What is it?” He said tersely. What was she even doing here? It wasn’t even an hour past sunup.

As she spotted him, she stopped and met his eyes with a much friendlier look than the one she’d given the previous day.

“Twelegh Spearkle?” She asked.

Spike stared at her a moment, before pointing upstairs, then tilting his head and placing his cheek on his hands and closing his eyes, imitating the gesture he’d seen Twilight use with the pegasus to indicate sleep.

Dawn Wings’ mouth tightened before she irritably blew a sigh out through her nostrils and crossed her forelegs across her chest. Spike watched her lower her head and close her eyes, as though deep in thought. She sat there for a moment, not moving, before she stood and pushed past the young drake into the library.

“Hey!” Spike barked as the mare made her way to the central table.

Slowly, Dawn Wings turned back to the young drake, her eyes softening and her posture becoming far less rigid. Glancing back to the table for a second, she lifted a hoof and gestured for Spike to come over.

Cocking an eye, Spike waddled over to the mare.

As soon as he reached her, Dawn Wings tapped her hoof against the floorboards in a pattern of short, rapid bursts: three-four, six-two, four-four.

“What?” Spike said as he raised an eyebrow.

Dawn Wings narrowed her eyes at him and tightened her mouth before repeating the tapping: three-four, six-two, four-four.

‘What’s she doing?’ He thought.

Spike’s eyes widened and he darted towards the study. He knew what she was doing. It was the code. In the letter that had come from Princess Celestia regarding the arrangement between Twilight and Dawn Wings, there was a separate one for Spike. One that he’d been instructed not to share with Twilight. At first, he’d been excited, but it quickly turned to trepidation when he’d read the contents. It was a set of instructions that detailed a set of tap code patterns between Dawn Wings and himself.

Celesita had known that the language barrier between their foreign visitor and the rest of Equestria would have made it nearly impossible for Dawn Wings to communicate her need to pass on information, so she had set up a cipher with the Corax ahead of time, and shared it only with Dawn Wings and Spike. The code was set up to contain three pieces of information: the first pair of numbers was the urgency, the second was the type of information, and the third was the subject.

Pulling open a hidden drawer in one of the filing cabinets and rummaging through the papers, Spike found the cipher. Wracking his brain, he recalled the pattern Dawn Wings had used, and, eyes flickering over the paper, ran the translation.

Three-four: important

Six-two: threat assessment

Four-four: changelings

Spike’s eyes widened. As he re-read the cypher, to be sure he’d interpreted it right, felt a sudden presence behind him. Turning lowly, he saw Dawn Wing’s silhouette in the door. The pegasus regarded him curiously, before loudly clearing her throat.

“Oh, yea, right!” He yelped as he turned and led her towards one of the desks. Dawn Wings regarded it, and the stack of blank pages and writing quills on its surface. Looking down at the little dragon, she lifted her hoof and made a shooing gesture.

“Um…” Spike stuttered, unsure how to respond.

Rolling her eyes, Dawn Wing’s pointed her hoof towards the door and raised her eyebrows before subtly nodding her head in its direction.

“Oh.” Spike softly muttered, finally catching her meaning. Turning, he made his way out of the room. Before he exited, he turned back to Dawn Wings, who simply looked at him over her shoulder and nodded. Giving her one final look, Spike closed the door and walked to the living room, his head spinning as he tried to figure out exactly what their unusual guest was up to.

Author's Note

Well, looks like Dawn is starting to warm up to a few of the Equestrians. I can see her and Apple Bloom getting along pretty well, to be honest, mostly because Dawn's raised several chicks over the years, so she's got a bit of that maternal instinct going.

Ch 18 – Why is trying to submit a report so hard?

*knock knock knock*

Spike slowly lowered his comic book and glared at the door, a low snort emerging from his nostrils along with a small puff of flame, before he looked up to the second floor. When he didn’t hear Twilight respond, he let out a breath of relief. She was still sleeping. Still, this was the second visitor today. The first was still skulking around in the study, doing Celestia knows what. Spike found it odd that she’d all but kicked him out, but he supposed she had her reasons. She probably didn’t want him seeing whatever it was she was writing.

After all, from what Celestia had told him and Twilight, she was a spy back in her home world.

Spike almost laughed at the sheer absurdity of all of this. It was like he was living out one of his comics! There was an actual, honest to harmony alien in their home. And a spy nonetheless. Sure, she didn’t exactly strike him as a spy, but maybe that’s because the only spies he knew about were from the Swift Lightstep: Agent of the Crown novels Rarity would always…

*knock knock knock*

Snapping back to the present, Spike remembered that there was somepony waiting outside. Rising from his cushion with a grumble, he headed to the door. With his luck, I’d be Shining with an entire continent of royal guards ready to stampede in and set up a defense perimeter around his sister.

“All right, all right, what is it?” Spike groused as he opened the door, his irritation slightly evaporating when he saw the three ponies standing by the entry: Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity

“Oh, hi girls.” Spike said as re regarded them. “What’re you doing here this early?”

There was a moment of silence between them as the girls looked at each other.

“We came to check on Twilight.” Rarity said somberly.

“We heard about what happened last night.” Rainbow growled, “…about the changeling.”

“We wanted to make sure Twilight was okay and safe, Spike.” Pinkie said with little of her usual cheer.

“Can we come in?” Rarity asked, “We’re worried about the poor dear.”

Spike glanced back into the treebrary.

‘Twilight’s still sleeping, but they’re worried. I should probably let them in, but make sure they stay quiet.’

“Okay, but keep it down. Twilight’s still sleeping.” Spike said as he ushered the girls in.

“What exactly happened Spike?” Pinkie asked as she and the others made their way into the tree. “I got a twitch in my back leg and a itch in my ear, which means that somepony I know is sad and afraid. Then I heard from Roseluck that there was a changeling, and it tried to take Twilight.”

“Yea, kinda.” Spike admitted. “We were just getting back from the party, when Rainbow showed up…”

“What? But I wasn’t anywhere near here. I was flying Shy home.” Rainbow said.

“Yea, but we didn’t know that at the time. The fake Rainbow convinced me to go inside so she could talk to Twilight about ‘mare stuff’, whatever that means.” Spike growled, “Next thing I know, Twilight’s screaming her head off, and I come running out to find a dead changeling next to her.”

“How dreadful.” Rarity gasped. “Do you… do you know how it… died?”

“Sorta. I didn’t see it happen,” Spike said as he shook his head back and forth, shuddering as his mind went back to it. “But I did see the results. Thing’s head looked like someone threw a spear through it. Just… ruined. Eye popped like a water balloon… blood everywhere, including on Twilight…”

“Gracious / Holy Sun! / *gasp*”

“Yea. Pretty much.” Spike said, “After I managed to get her inside and cleaned up, I sent a letter to the princess to tell her what happened. Twilight didn’t fall asleep until around three in the morning, and didn’t really look like she was resting well until two hours later. I think she was having nightmares.”

“And… how is she now?” Rarity asked.

“Sleeping. I think princess Luna helped with the nightmares, but she’s had a very rough night.” Spike said as he looked back towards Twilight’s room. “If you want to wait for her to wake up, that’s fine. Just try to keep it down. She needs her rest.”

There was a murmur of agreement between the three mares.

“Ahem.”

All four heads turned towards the noise, their eyes falling onto the form of the foreign pegasus they’d all met last night at AJ’s, who was currently holding a sheet of parchment paper in her mouth, looking a bit confused.

“What’s she doing here?” Rainbow hissed.

*Minutes earlier, in the study*

Dawn Wings relaxed as she dropped the quill into its holder and shifted her foreleg back to its equine state. With a proud smile, she stared at the stack of papers before her. Superimposition encryption was tricky, but worth it in the end. Now she just needed to get Tlectalae to send it to the princesses, and she could get on with her investigation.

After all, she kinda doubted her tutor was going to be up anytime soon.

As she trotted to the door, she froze; there were new voices in the library. Familiar voices: Tlectalae, Shásháme Utala, and two others: the white and purple unicorn she recalled was named Ielilana and her former tag partner Crayons, or Pleai Calethata.

‘Why are they here?… Well, they’re probably coming to check on Vinemana after hearing about the tick.’ She thought as a sigh escaped her throat ‘Great, now I can’t just head out there and grab Tlectalae. Nothing is ever easy, is it?’

Looking at the stack of parchment, she hastily concocted a plan. Snatching up one of the mouth pens, she scrawled a sheet of “mouth writing practice”. Grasping the paper in her lips, she made her to the door, pushing it open and stepping out into the main library.

Once out into the main room, none of the ponies or Tlectalae noticed her as she made her entrance. Clearing her throat to draw their attention, she put on her best confused expression.

“Chaet metheco li nacta?” Pleai hissed, her tone and posture shifting to slightly hostile. Dawn Wings kept her confused expression on as she regarded the pegasus.

“Vishicta amalete na amemathi co daethe.” Tlectalea replied, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “Tsica agaeti ma chete. Ereithale tae malemata lotame cho tamatala. ”

Cocking her head, Dawn Wings continued to feign ignorance for a moment longer. Then, with a noncommittal shrug, she walked up to the others, lowered her head and presented Tlectalae with the paper. Thankfully, he appeared to catch on, and began to look the thing over.

While she was waiting for him to finish his inspection, Dawn Wings looked at the others, making sure to look like she had no idea why everyone was so tense. Of the three, Pleai the most openly on edge, while Ielilana’s disposition seemed more nervous than tense, while Shâshâme’s glowing, sunny disposition from last night was only slightly muted. They were all on edge, but not liable to lash out.

A soft tap on her foreleg drew Dawn Wings’ attention to Tlectalae, who held up the paper, pointed at it, shook his head, and then pointed back to the study. Pretending to deflate a little, Dawn Wings turned and began to head back to the other room, Tlectalae right behind her.

Dawn Wings could hear the three mares start to whisper as she left, but she paid it no mind. Let them gossip. It wasn’t like she could actually do anything about it.

Once in the study, Dawn Wings’ face quickly morphed back into her usual neutral, cold scowl. Looking over her shoulder, she grumbled a bit, then turned back to Tlectalae, her expression relaxing as she tapped out the code for: Important, location information, changelings.

Tlectalae nodded, and held up his hands, indicating that he wanted her to give it to him. Dawn Wings smiled a little, before jerking her head in the direction of the desk, trotting over and indicating the stack of papers. She couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the wide-eyed look on his face as he scampered over and picked up one of the papers. The incredulous expression on his face was just priceless.

The paper he held only had a few small, precise lines on it, each one random and meaningless. Of course, they would have no meaning on their own; the pages had to be merged in a certain order to make any sort of sense. Only after the lines were combined correctly did they produce a meaningful image. And the only way to know the order they went in was to use the cypher; a cypher she’d created with the princesses before she had left Canterlot.

Regarding Tlectalae, she ran her hoof up the side of the stack, careful not to cause it to fall over, and tapped out the code for: Important, threat assessment, changelings. With a shrug, he gestured for her to step back, before inhaling deeply, his chest inflating like a balloon, then exhaling to unleash a stream of green fire.

Even knowing that he was going to do it, Dawn Wings still found the idea of magickal object transport via fire odd. Still, she’d been assured by Celestia that this was the fastest and most secure way to get her reports directly to the princesses.

Report sent, Dawn Wings nodded to Tlectalae, giving him a small smile as thanks. Lifting her hoof, she pointed to herself, then towards the outside, to her eyes, then tapped out four-four. Tlectalae nodded in return, giving her a thumbs up and a cheeky grin. Clearly, the little lizard was enjoying this.

In return, Dawn Wings gave a quick salute. Rolling his eyes, Tlectalae hopped down from the chair and began to head towards the door.

*****

“I don’t like this.” Rainbow growled. “First she shows up, then a changeling impersonates me to get at Twilight. And now, she’s in Twilight’s home, early in the morning.”

“But Dashie, Spike told us that she’s here to learn how to speak Equish from Twilight.” Pinkie replied. “What does that have to do with changelings?”

“Maybe she's one of them.” Rainbow said, glaring at the door.

“Rainbow Dash, I understand you’re upset, but it’s one things to be suspicious,” Rarity said, “and another thing entirely to make baseless accusations. Remember what happened with Zecora?”

Rainbow huffed and fixed Rarity with a glare.

“Look, all I’m saying it's a really odd coincidence that right after she arrives, we end up with a dead changeling.” Rainbow said, “Right after her welcome to Ponyville party. It seems like far too much of a coincidence.”

“I get where you’re coming from, darling, but consider: she doesn’t speak Equish.” Rarity countered, “Why would Chrysalis send a changeling that doesn’t speak our language?”

“She could be faking it.” Rainbow said as she sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs.

“I don’t think so Dashie. She was, like, super sad last night watching everyone.” Pinkie interjected, “I mean, sure she could be acting, but I know sad, and she was sad. It wasn’t the ‘I just read a really upsetting story’ or ‘my favorite candy got canceled’ or ‘they’re out of brownies at Sugar Cube Corner’ sad. This felt like ‘I’m lonely and left out’ sad. I could see it written on her face like a cutie mark on a flank. Maybe she needs another party… or some cupcakes… or maybe a hug. Does she like hugs? Hmm, hugs are wonderful…”

The others tuned Pinkie out as she began to ramble.

“I think what Pinkie is saying,” Rarity continued, “is that while a little caution is okay, darling, don’t just assume. She very well may be innocent in all this, and the changeling just took an opportunity when it saw it.”

“Fine.” Rainbow huffed, “But I’m keeping an eye on her.”

“If that’s what you want, go ahead.” Rarity replied, “Just don’t go overboard.”

Rainbow was about to reply, but stopped when she heard a creak from above. All three mares immediately turned their heads to see the disheveled and exhausted form of Twilight Sparkle standing at the head of the stairs, looking down at them with trepidation. No, not at them. At Rainbow.

“Twilight, darling, we heard about last night.” Rarity said as she made her way to the base of the stairs, “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

Twilight didn’t reply, but continued to stare at Rainbow, like she was seeing a ghost.

“Twilight…” Rainbow whimpered.

“Is it really you Rainbow?” Twilight muttered. “Are you really Rainbow Dash?”

The words, spoken in a soft whisper, hit Rainbow in the face like the paw of an ursa major.

“Yes. Yes, it's me Twilight. I swear!” Rainbow said, her voice pained.

Slowly, Twilight trotted down from the second floor and made her way towards Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow.

“Do you still have that ruby you got three days ago?” Twilight said, her eyes suspicious.

“Ruby?” Rainbow said, “I didn’t get any ruby… wait, are you talking about the thing with the bird? Yea, I’ve got it. Just not on me. And it was quartz, not ruby.”

Twilight all but lauched herself forward and threw her forelegs around Rainbow Dash, before breaking down into a nearly hysterical, sobbing mess as she hugged her friend so tight it was almost painful.

“It is you.” Twilight sobbed, her voice overflowing with relief ash she held onto her friend, afraid that if she let go, the pegasus might disapear. “Thank Celestia. Rainbow, I saw you die last night. I know now it was a changeling, but I saw you die. Right in front of me. I saw you die…”

Rainbow slowly returned the hug, her heart breaking as Twilight sobbed into her shoulder.

“Its alright Twilight. I’m okay.” Rainbow said as she held her distraught friend. “I’m okay.”

“Twilight, dear,” Rarity said as she approached the other unicorn and gently pressed her side against Twilight's and nuzzled her on the back of the neck. “do you want to talk about it. I understand that this is probably still raw, but we’re here for you if you need anything.”

“Abso-positively-lootly.” Pinkie said, her voice more subdued than usual. “How about some breakfast? I can whip you up a batch of my special “super happy make your tummy and your heart smile” waffles. Or a batch of “cheer me up and lift my spirits” stuffed crepes. Does that sound good?”

Twilight let go of Rainbow and turned to Pinkie, pulling her into a much gentler but no less relieved hug.

“Yes Pinkie.” Twilight said with a sniffle and a small smile. “That sounds good. Just make whatever you want to. I know I’ll love it.”

“Righty-o.” Pinkie chirped, her hair regaining a bit of its spring. “I’ll get started right away.”

Twilight released the pink pony, who vanished into the kitchen. Twilight smiled after her, before taking a quick look around the room, noticing the suspicious absence of one important member of the household.

“Girls, have you seen Spike?” Twilight asked, her eyes becoming frantic.

“Yes. He’s in the study with … Dawn Wings, was it?” Rarity said. “She was here when we arrived. I think Spike said something about her being here for her Equish lessons.”

“Oh shoot. I forgot about that. I need to get her lesson plan ready.” Twilight said as she began to head towards her desk, only to be stopped by Rainbow.

“Uh-uh Twi. You’re going to take the day off.” The pegasus said firmly, pausing for a moment when she noticed Twilight flinch as she got close. “I don’t care what her deal is, you’re exhausted and upset. You need to rest.”

“Quite so, Twilight.” Rarity chimed in. “I’m sure she’ll underst… well, she might not understand, but that’s only because we can’t explain it to her.”

“But…” Twilight began, but closed her mouth and looked behind Rarity as she saw the door to the study open. Standing there was Dawn Wings, along with Spike.

The pegasus’s expression was mildly frustrated as she grumbled something in that horrifying language of her’s, her head down as she walked out of the room just behind Spike. Lifting her head, she looked at Twilight, her expression shifting from recognition and highly subdued enthusiasm to concerned confusion. Walking up, Dawn Wings looked her over and cocked her head to the side, taking in Twilight’s disheveled and exhausted appearance.

Lifting her right hoof, she pointed at Twilight, made a couple of swipes across her neck, then made the sleep gesture, as if she was asking Twilight if she’d slept.

Twilight shook her head no.

Pointing to the easel that Twilight had used for their lessons yesterday, Dawn Wings cocked her head to the side, silently asking if there were any lessons today?

Twilight shook her head with an exhausted sigh, her expression remorseful. Dawn Wings looked disappointed for a moment, before concern replaced it. Trotting past Twilight, Rainbow and Rarity, she sat down at one of the desks.

“What’s she doing?” Rainbow asked Rarity, whom only shrugged in response.

Grabbing a mouth pen, Dawn Wings quickly wrote something on a loose sheet of parchment. Fanning the paper with her wings, she picked it up and brought it over to Twilight, holding it in her mouth.

On the surface, there was a crude drawing of Dawn Wings next to a single dot. Below, two dots, with the image of a sun, Dawn Wings cutie mark over Golden Oaks Library with an arrow leading away from it and to a picture of an apple tree. Below that was three dots with a crude moon. And finally, a set of four dots with a Sun, and the same images of the library, apple tree, and Dawn Wings’ cutie mark, only this time, the cutie mark was over the apple tree, and pointed towards the Golden Oak.

Looking at the paper, Twilight understood. Lighting up her horn, she summoned an illusion to animate the sequence of events that Dawn Wings had drawn, with a little clock indicating the passing of night and day.

Dawn Wings nodded; she’d come back tomorrow for her lessons.

Looking at the other mares in the room, then at Spike, Dawn Wings expression remained concerned, as if she was trying to figure out what was going on. Eventually, she simply shrugged, looked at Twilight, pointed at her, then made the sleep gesture.

Twilight smiled a little, then nodded, a gesture that Dawn Wings mirrored. With little fanfare, the pegasus headed towards the door.

“Hey Rainbow.” Twilight said as she turned to the blue pegasus. “Would you go with her. I doubt AJ’s heard about what happened.”

“Are you sure Twi?” Rainbow replied, sensing that Twilight was finding it hard to be around her from the way the unicorn shied away from her whenever she got close.

“Positive. I’d rather her hear it from one of us that through the gossip mill. We need to be ready in case they try something again.” Twilight said, not looking at Rainbow as she said it.

Rainbow looked like she was about to protest, but stopped, and with a sigh, nodded.

“Okay Twi. Stay safe.” She said before giving the unicorn a hug, and tried to ignore the subtle reluctance when Twilight let her go.

“Don’t worry, darling. Pinkie, Spike and I will make sure of it.” Rarity said.

“Pinkie Promise!” Pinkie called from the kitchen.

“You can count on us.” Spike said as he thumped his chest.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.” Rainbow said as she headed out the door.

*****

Dawn Wings smiled a little as she spread her wings and prepared to take off. After heading back to the apple farm, she planned to slip towards the Everfree and shed this irritating pony form. She had work to do, and she wanted to get back to it.

“Ceae! Leta cho mathela!”

Forcing down a sigh, Dawn Wings turned back to see Pleai trotting up to her. Now that she wasn’t attempting to play a part to get her report sent off, her expression reverted to her usual stony deadpan as she regarded the other pegasus.

‘What does she want?’ Dawn Wings thought as she stared Pleai.

“Vis alocata tae Laecha Techusho Yaetaca.” She said as she approached, before indicating the direction of the farm. “Cocho enae lithca Maeitechusho.”

Dawn Wings regarded her for a moment.

“I can't understand a fucking thing you’re saying Crayons.” Dawn Wings replied, her eyes narrowing with irritation.

Much to her surprise, Pleai didn’t recoil from hearing English, but did pin her ears back slightly.

‘Not bad Crayons.’ Dawn Wings thought as she regarded the polychromatic mare. ‘I knew you were braver than most of your kind.’

Shrugging, Dawn Wings crouched down and took to the air, heading back towards the apple farm. To her irritation, Pleai took off and began to follow her, even pulling ahead as though trying to race her. Dawn Wings simply gave the other pegasus a sidelong glance and rolled her eyes with a frown. She knew from her game of tag with the mare that there was no way she’d out fly her in a straight up contest of speed, even with her gifts. And there was no reason to burn the spiritual power to do so. So she kept at a steady, unhurried pace.

Glancing at her flying companion, Dawn Wings noticed that she was clearly itching to go faster. Huffing, Dawn Wings waved her hoof to draw Pleai’s attention, then flicked it ahead of them, trying to indicate that she could go ahead if she wanted. Pleai regarded her for a moment, then, looking ahead, took off at high speed. Dawn Wings shook her head as the younger mare flew away.

‘So impatient.’ Was all she could think as she continued on her way. At best, she’d arrive maybe 2 minutes before Dawn Wings would.

Dawn Wings considered flying off, but Pleai was going to be expecting her to arrive after her, and it wouldn’t do to just not show up. Not when she needed to be seen arriving at the orchard after "saying" it was where she was going.

Sending out a threat detection pulse, Dawn Wings was pleased to note that the number of threats she felt wasn’t any larger than the night before. That either meant that the ticks hadn’t had time to bring in anymore of their kind, or they were keeping hidden.

Either way, it suited her fine.

Spotting the orchard and house, Dawn Wings landed outside and headed towards the front door. Might as well go in and see the ponies for a bit, before heading back out and getting to work.

*****

“Yo! AJ! You around?” Rainbow called into the house.

“Lansakes Rainbow Dash, yah don’t gotta shout like that. Ahm’ in the kitchen with Bloom an’ Granny.” Applejack called back.

Rainbow made her way into the farm house, where she found three of the Apples around the kitchen table, a massive plate of apple fritters between them. Trotting up, Rainbow Dash snatched one of the fritters and downed it.

“No, by all means, help yourself.” Applejack snarked.

“Thank you.” Rainbow said as she chewed and took a seat.

“So, what brings yah out here so early? Yah’re not usually up an’ about till later.” Applejack said as she regarded the pegasus.

“We’ve got a problem AJ.” Rainbow began, only to hear the front door open moments later and the sound of hooves on the hardwood floor.

“What sorta problem.” Apple Bloom asked, her eyes curious.

The visitor had apparently heard her, and began to make their way to the kitchen. Moments later, Dawn Wings walked through the doorway, and stared at the assembled ponies.

“Hey Dawn Wings!” Apple Bloom chirped happily, gesturing for the pegasus to come over, then pointed at the large plate on the table. “Ah made sure to save ya’ some fritters, if yer hungry.”

Dawn Wings regarded the filly for a moment, before her stony expression relaxed a little and she trotted over to take a seat next to the little redhead. Reaching out with her mouth, she snatched a fritter and, pinning it between her hooves, she began to slowly eat. Noticing the odd looks she was getting, she raised her head and looked around at each of the other mares in the room, a confused look on her face as if to ask “what?”

Her eyes never leaving her guest, Applejack reached out with her hoof, gently picked up a fritter with the frog of her hoof, brought it to her mouth, and took a bite.

Dawn Wings’ eyes widened as she appeared to comprehend her faux pas. Bowing her head slightly, she muttered a hasty set of strange sounding words, most likely an apology. Apple Bloom patted her on the leg, smiling at her and trying to let her know it was alright.

“So… anyhow.” Rainbow said as Dawn Wings continued to eat her fritter, an embarrassed look on her face. “Have you heard about what happened last night after the party?”

“Nope, can’t say ah have.” Applejack said as she continued to eat her fritter.

“Did somethin’ happen?” Apple Bloom said, as she looked at Rainbow Dash.

“Yea.” Dash said, “AJ… last night a changeling tried to snatch Twilight.”

“What!” AJ, Bloom and Granny all exclaimed, startling Dawn Wings into nearly dropping her fritter. The red pegasus looked around at the others in the room, clearly confused and startled as to where their outburst came from.

“What happened? Is she okay?” AJ demanded as she grabbed Rainbow’s shoulders.

“Physically, she’s just sleep deprived. But mentally, that’s a different story.” Rainbow said, before grabbing a fritter and tearing into it. “The changeling… it disguised itself as me to get close to her. But before it could lead her off, something killed it. Right in front of Twilight. She has no idea what did it either.”

“Oh sweet Celestia!” Applejack gasped.

“That’s awful!” Apple Bloom cried.

“Ah swear, you youngins and ahll the crazyness yah’re mixed up in.” Granny said as she shook her head.

“AJ, I know how this is going to sound, but do you know if Dawn Wings was here all last night?” Rainbow asked, not noticing the quick glance she got from the mare in question at hearing her name.

“Ah’m pretty sure. She had her window closed when I helped Pinkie take the food scraps to the compost heap, an’ the thing don’t open except from the inside.” Applejack said. “Why?”

“Just covering our bases.” Rainbow sighed, “It just feels odd that she shows up, only for a changling to make a play at Twilight the same day.”

“But, that don’ mean ah thing.” Apple Bloom protested.

“I know it's a stretch kiddo, but I had to be…” Rainbow began, before the sound of a loud, sad sigh cut her off. Looking up at Dawn Wings, she saw the mare stand up and turn to leave, a sad, lonely expression on her face. She didn’t even look back as she made her way out of the kitchen. Moments later, they heard the front door open and softly close.

“What the hay was that all about?” Rainbow said.

“Ah think ah know.” Apple Bloom said as she looked at Dash and her kin. “Ah saw her this mornin’, an’ she looked super sad an’ lonely. Ah think she’s home sick or somethin’. Ah guess us talkin’ in front of er’ made her feel left out.”

Getting up from her seat, Apple Bloom scurried to the door.

“Ah’m goin’ to go see if she’s ahlright. Be back in two shakes.”

Then the filly was gone, leaving the three older mares behind.

*****

Apple Bloom opened the front door, and saw Dawn Wings walking away, her neck slumped.

“Wait!” Apple Bloom called out, and ran up to the pegasus. Dawn Wings stopped and turned, only to have the filly look at her with a regretful expression, before putting a comforting hoof on the mare’s left foreleg.

Sighing, Dawn Wings regarded the filly for a moment, before giving her a sad smile, and shaking her head. Pointing to herself, she then pointed to the sky and stretched out her wings. Removing her hoof from Dawn Wings’ leg, Apple Bloom nodded, and took a step back, before Dawn Wings crouched down and launched herself into the air, taking off towards the Everfree.

Apple Bloom regarded her for a moment, before sighing and heading back to the house.

‘Ah guess she jus’ wants to be alone fer now.’ The filly thought as she pushed the front door open and made her way back to the kitchen.

*****

Dawn Wings pushed down a growl of frustration as she flew.

‘Fuck you Crayons.’ She thought. ‘I know you didn’t mean to, but dammit, you just had to remind me that I still can’t hold a fucking conversation.’

As she neared the Everfree, the corax looked up into the sky, at the ground and all around herself, before diving into through the canopy of the trees. Now assured that she wasn’t going to be spotted, she willed the change and shifted back to her natural, corvis form. Landing on a branch, she sighed happily. It felt good to be back in her proper skin again. She was pissed at Pleai, but she wasn’t going to hold a grudge. It wasn’t the pony’s fault.

Not directly or intentionally anyway.

Besides, she had far more important things to worry about now. After all, she had ticks to track down.

Ch 19 – Things seem to be escalating…

* Canterlot *
With a frustrated huff, Shining Armor set the two sheets of paper he was holding up to the lantern back down and closed his eyes. It seemed that Dawn Wings was right: there were changelings in Ponyville. A fact confirmed by one of them trying to kidnap his sister, only to end up dying under mysterious circumstances.

He'd been up all night going over the reports from Ponyville, including one about evidence apparently just vanishing from the back of the police's cart while in transit to the Ponyville PD building, organizing and deploying a few covert guard units to watch Twilight's home, as well as the rest of the elements, and trying to get a couple of hours of sleep before having to report for duty the next morning.

Then… a new headache had been dumped in his lap. In the middle of the early morning strategy meeting with the princesses over how to respond to the attempt on Twilight, a mountain of papers materialized in a burst of dragonfire and landed with a heavy thud right in the middle of the table. When princess Celestia checked to see why Twilight had sent such a large stack of paper, she realized that it wasn’t from Twilight.

It was from Dawn Wings.

Moments later, princess Celestia had rifled through the stack and pulled out the fifteenth page, finding a set of inscrutable, alien looking symbols. A flash of golden light later, and a small notebook appeared in her magical grip. Rifling through the pages of the book, the princess found what she was looking for: which cypher Dawn Wings had used to encode her message.

“Captain,” Celestia said as she snapped the book shut. In a flash of golden light, a hard-light illusory duplicate of the cypher page materialized in front of Shining, which he took in his magic. “Please begin decrypting the message from Dawn Wings. I have a sinking suspicion that this involves the changeling that was killed last night.”

“Yes, princess. Regarding my recommendation?” Shining said as he snatched the pile of papers in his magic.

“I agree captain. Please deploy a platoon of Silverknights and one squad of Mistknights to Ponyville to begin an investigation. However, I disagree with your recommendation to oversee this personally. Instead, send lieutenant Vexing Tactics to manage the operation. I need you here in Canterlot in case Chrysalis tries to return.”

Shining almost began to protest, but stopped himself and nodded solemnly. Celestia was right. As much as he wanted to oversee the operation personally, he was needed in Canterlot.

“As you wish princess. I’ll pass the orders on and begin the decryption.”

That had been over an hour ago.

Now, Shining was sitting in a secured room with three members of the Equestrian Intelligence Service (EIS), working to decode the document. As much as he was loath to admit it, Dawn Wings knew what she was doing. This encryption was masterful and thorough.

And horrifyingly frustrating.

Grumbling to himself, he lifted the sixth and tenth page of the stack, turned the latter 90° clockwise, and summoned his magic to transfer the ink from one page to the other, creating a new, more coherent image.

“Captain, I’ve finished this portion.” One of the EIS agenst said, holding up a completed page.

“Excellent. We’re almost done here.” Shining said as he lifted the newly completed document and added it to the first page they’d generated.

Fifteen minutes later, Shining leaned back in his chair and sighed. Laying on the table before him were three pages, stitched together from the fragmented and disjointed lines of the massive stack Dawn Wings had sent.

“Good job everypony.” Shining said with a relieved sigh. “Why don’t you all take a break before you head back to your offices. I’ll deliver these to the princess.”

“Of course captain Armor.” The lead EIS agent said before she and her colleagues rose and made their way out of the room.

Shining regarded their departure for a moment, before lifting the stack of “used” papers in his magic and immolating them. No sense leaving materials around that could later be used to break Dawn Wings’ code.

Lifting up the papers, Shining regarded them with a frown.

The first page was a highly detailed map of Ponyville, with a house in the north west portion of town marked with a picture of a changeling, along with two ponies. Above the changeling, there was a set of three dots and two horizontal lines, indicating an enemy in a leadership position, along with two ponies, a filly and mare, with four dots and a diagonal line next to them, indicating potentially not enemy.

Setting down the first page, Shining regarded the second. On this page, there is a row of nine repeating “three dot symbols”, one of which had two horizontal lines next to it, three of which had diagonal lines adjacent to the dots, while another had three slash marks through it. Shining balked slightly at the last, because it confirmed his suspicion: Dawn Wings was the one responsible for killing the changeling. While he was grateful for the corax saving his sister, the ramifications of her actions could have lasting consequences. Chrysalis, while willing to sacrifice her troops in combat, did not take kindly to her subjects being killed when it wasn’t to her advantage.

Pushing the thought aside, Shining continued to examine the report. Below four of the symbols indicating enemies, including the one with the leadership and killed symbols were changelings. Directly below each, connected by lines, were drawings of ponies, including cutiemarks. But what got Shining’s attention were the three with the diagonal lines adjacent to them. Because below these three, there were no changelings. Only ponies with enlarged drawings of their cutiemarks.

The sight of it made his blood boil.

“So, you think that these three are working with the changelings, do you?” Shining said through gritted teeth. “Harmony, I hope you’re wrong birdbrain…”

Looking at the final page, Shining found himself smiling a little. Now this was an interesting tidbit of information. The illustrations were something like a comic strip, telling a pictorial story: a changeling took a bottle of liquid decorated with a heart from another changeling, wrote something in a notebook, poured off a small amount into another container, and then wrote something into a new notebook, and passed the bottle on to another changeling. The final image on the page was of the two notebooks.

Chuckling to himself, Shining rose and began heading for the Day Court. Celestia was going to want to see these as soon as possible. His good cheer was slightly tarnished by the fact that they’d promised Dawn Wings at least a week to gather as much information as possible. After all, they didn’t know where the changelings were hiding, or if they had any ponies held hostage. Hopefully Dawn Wings would uncover more in the next few days.

He just needed to trust in Lt. Vexing to do his job and make sure that the town was secure.

* Ponyville *

Dawn Wings flapped her wings hard to reverse her momentum as she landed on an upper balcony of the Golden Oaks library, looking in through one of the windows to check on the ponies inside. Sure enough, Vinemana, Tlectalae, Shásháme, and Ielilana were all still inside, the latter three obviously trying to help Vinemana recover. A small twinge of jealousy and resentment wormed its way into Dawn Wings' mind, but she pushed it aside with a deep, cleansing breath. She wasn't going to hold her own loneliness against the ponies. It wasn't their fault.

Dawn Wings turned her attention away from the inside of the building and to the task at hand: the ticks.

Focusing her power, she sent out a pulse of spiritual energy, which, frustratingly and thankfully, did not come back with any threats in the vicinity. On the one wing, it was good that the ticks weren’t prowling around. But on the other wing, it meant that they had gone to ground and were now biding their time. That made her job that much harder.

She needed a new plan of attack.

First thing’s first: head to the lead tick’s home base, and see if there was anything she could learn. If she was lucky, she’d find the tick so she could tail it and see where it went. If that didn’t work, then she’d figure something else out. With one last glance at her tutor and her friends, Dawn Wings took to the air and headed off to her next target.

*****

A few minutes later, Dawn Wings alighted in the branches of the large oak tree near the lead tick’s house.

‘Better check to see if its around.’ Dawn Wings thought as she pulsed the area for threats. Her gift returned three threats, but all of them were off in the distance.

‘Well, that’s great. He’s not here.’ Dawn Wings grumbled. That meant that she would have to fly around town looking for the ticks, which wasn’t a premise she was eagerly anticipating.

‘Hmmm.’ She thought as she stared into the windows. It didn’t look like any of the occupants were home. ‘Well, maybe I can find something inside.’

Moving deeper into the branches of the tree, Dawn Wings pushed through the membrane of reality as she stepped sideways into the umbra. Upon emerging in the spirit world, a familiar chill ran up her spine, and as she turned to face the tick’s house, she froze. All across the surface, cracks and fissures split the walls open, and a thin coating of puss-like ooze covered the surface and appeared to be slowly consuming the umbral structure. But that wasn’t what had set her danger senses off. Crawling across the wall was a dog sized, blood-red, assassin bug like creature with dozens of pony skulls stuck to its back.

‘Shit!’ Dawn Wings swore in her head as she hunkered down in the tree. She knew what that thing was: it was a bane, a malevolent spirit born from the presence of wyrm-taint. And like the spiritual effluence coating the house, it was aligned with the Eater-of-Souls.

Sending out a spiritual pulse, she was relieved to find that there was only one threat in her immediate vicinity: the bane. And thankfully, from what she could sense, it wasn’t a particularly strong one. Still, no need to risk injuring herself getting past the thing. As usual, the best approach was to be stealthy.

Taking to the air, Dawn Wings flew away from the house and wheeled up into the sky, before circling back around the other side and slipping through a crack in the wall. Landing in the house and straining her ears, she could hear the bane crawling around outside. She sighed with relief that the thing hadn’t noticed her yet.

Looking around, Dawn Wings saw that she was in the umbral equivalent of the house’s living room. Not likely to be somewhere the tick would keep important information. Checking the window to see if the bane was looking inside, and founding to her relief that it wasn’t, she took to the air, flying up and towards the staircase to the second floor. If there was any room that might have something she could work with, it would be the private, upstairs ones.

After ascending the stairs, she found herself in a long hallway with multiple doors lining the sides. Dawn Wings flew down the passage, using her Wyrmsight to sense out which room had the greatest amounts of Wyrmtaint. Any room with a higher than ambient proportion would be the most likely spot where the tick spent its time.

After checking three rooms, she hit paydirt: the study was just filthy with Wyrmtaint. Unfortunately, she could also hear the bane crawling around on the outside of the house directly above the room. Clearly, it was drawn to this particular space, probably by the regular presence of the tick. Backing out, Dawn Wings crept towards away from the study, and towards another nearby room: the master bedroom. The Wyrmtaint was still coating everything in space, but that wasn’t why she’d chosen to return. She’d chosen this room because of the presence of a large floor mirror. Even as proficient as she was with stepping sideways, there wasn’t any reason not to use an easier point of egress when it presented itself.

Focusing her will on the mirror, Dawn Wings took off and flew towards the surface, passing through the glass and exiting into the physical world, before landing on the footboard of the large bed situated against the back wall of the bedroom.

Listening, she strained her ears for any sign of life. Upon hearing nothing, she sighed with relief and hopped down from the footboard and made her way back towards the study. She’d have to walk it, because the physical hallway was too tight for her to easily maneuver, as opposed to its larger umbral counterpart. Still, it only took a minute for her to reach her goal. Hooking her beak onto the edge of the door, she cracked it open enough for her to slip her beak between the door and the frame, then push it open enough to allow her entry.

Now in the room, Dawn Wings fluttered up to the top of one of the bookcases, and quickly scanned the room. Three massive bookshelves. A couple small busts on a large writing desk with quills and lots of parchment. A filing cabinet.

‘Nothing terribly obvious, that’s for sure.’ She thought as she surveyed the room. ‘And I can’t just toss the place. Don’t want to leave any obvious evidence I’ve been here. Not yet at least.’

Looking around, she grumbled to herself. This has seemed like such a good plan at the time. But her persistent illiteracy and lack of reasonably accessible opposable thumbs meant that she really couldn’t search the place properly.

‘Well, this is a bust. I’m not going to get… wait a second…’

While she hadn’t found anything directly, when she stopped to think about the last ten or so minutes, she had learned something. So far, from her brief stints in the area, she hadn’t seen any banes. At all.

But there was one hanging around this building.

If the banes were attracted to places where the ticks were hanging out, then she could use them as a potential indicator that there was tick activity.

‘Better than nothing.’ She thought as she fluttered down to the floor and made her way back to the master bedroom. As she did, she heard the door downstairs open, and two sets of hooves make their way inside, as well as the voices of a filly and mare making their way towards the staircase.

‘Shit!’ Dawn Wings swore as she took to the air and flew into the master bedroom. She could hear the mare quietly speak, as if asking what she just heard. Thankfully, she hadn’t started climbing the stairs yet. Turning sharply towards the mirror, Dawn Wings focused her spiritual power and flew through the glass and into the umbra.

‘Too close Dawn Wings. Too close.’ She thought as she alighted on the footboard. Yet, just as she landed, a cold chill ran up her spine and she snapped her head in the direction of the hallway. Now that she’d focused her attention, she could hear the sound of grotesque scuttling coming from outside the door.

Moments later, she spotted the bane peak its head through the door and look at her with cold, hungry eyes. Instantly, the creature hissed and rushed into the room.

‘Nope! Not doing this now!’ She thought as she took to the air just as the bane lunged at her, attempting to grab her in its spiny forelegs and drive its spear-like proboscis into her flesh. Dawn Wings twisted in the air and dodged out of the way, and flew over the spirit’s back. The bane hissed in frustration as its prey evaded it and flew through a crack in the roof.

Dawn Wings didn’t bother to look back, instead gaining altitude as quickly as she could. When she didn’t hear the sound of the bane pursuing, she breathed a sigh of relief.

‘That was too close.’ She thought as she put distance between herself and the house. ‘If those things hang around the ticks, this is going to be trickier than I thought. But, on the bright side, I’ve got a potential lead.’

With a satisfied smirk, she began to glide over the umbral town, looking for the telltale signs of puss-like spiritual effluence and blood-red banes.

*Early afternoon, the umbra*

‘Well now, that’s certainly not a sight you want to see.’ Dawn Wings thought as she landed in the bows of a large tree, her eyes taking in the sight below her.

Her search through Ponyville had turned up remarkably little, except a couple more houses with a bane or two and a putrid coating of Wyrmtaint. She’d made a mental note to check on the buildings later, but had elected to keep searching for anything of greater note.

And, much to her intense delight, she’d found it.

Unlike the other buildings she’d found, this one wasn’t just painted in Wyrmtaint, it was practically oozing with it. Massive veins covered the surface, pulsing with vile, reeking fluid that spilled out of crusted spigots to pour corruption all over the ground. Even more telling were the half dozen or so assassin-bug shaped banes that were crawling all over its surface, including one particularly large specimen that didn’t carry just pony skulls, but whole, rotting corpses.

‘Yea, definitely want to steer clear of those things.’ Dawn Wings thought as she regarded the malevolent spirit. If it came down to it, she might be able to match one of the weaker banes one on one, but that big one was way out of her league. A hiss of frustration worked itself out of her throat. ‘What I wouldn’t give for Bright Claw and her pack right now.'

Sending out a spiritual pulse, Dawn Wings’ powers told her that there were a dozen threats in and around the building, three of which were much greater than the others. That confirmed her suspicions, and fears: there were more banes inside, and two of them were big ones. That made things even more complicated. Even if she could breech the building and avoid the banes on the outside, she doubted she’d be able to evade them in a confined space.

Thankfully the banes hadn’t noticed her, and she intended to keep it that way.

Taking in the building, considered the details she could see under the corruption: two large windows made up the majority of its front, with Equestrian script written across it, clearly proclaiming the establishment’s name that she couldn’t read, with dozens of tools and items on display, all smeared in spiritual puss. Through the windows, she could see rows and rows of merchandise being slowly drowned in the yellow-white fluid leaking from the ceiling.

‘Looks like some sort of general store. I bet whatever the ticks are up to, a good portion of it is going down in there.’ Dawn Wings thought as she regarded the building. ‘Tch. There’s no way I’m getting in there. Not with all those banes crawling around. Might be worthwhile checking it out in the physical world after dark.’

Turning to leave, she considered her options. Her current best bet was to head to the woods near the west edge of town, step sideways, and see if she could find a way to get inside the building after the sun went down. But before that, she needed to put in a little face time with the Techusho family. She still had a cover to maintain.

She'd just wait until after dark, and see what she could find.

Author's Note

Regarding the banes Dawn Wings encounters, they're based on Acanthaspis petax, the corpse-wearing assassin bug.

Ain't nature grand?

Ch 20 - Through the caverns and into the woods…

Dawn Wings found herself lazily gliding over Ponyville in corvis form. For the first time in days, she was actually in good spirits. She had a lead on the most likely place for the ticks to be hiding. And, with any luck, she’d be able to get some more intelligence on their activities tonight when she went back. For now, she wanted to check the place out in the material realm, and maybe figure out how she was going to get in tonight.

Because she couldn’t just use the umbra to sneak in. Not with all of those banes hanging around.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of a train whistle. Looking down, she realized that she was flying over a train station of some sort.

‘Didn’t realize the ponies used trains. Eh, at least they don’t have cars.’ She thought. Yet, as she flew over the station, she saw the passengers unloading, and had to fight back a pained groan; out of the train cars poured dozens of armored stallions and mares, each wearing ornate silver plate barding.

‘I swear to Gaia and Equs, you ponies have as much subtlety as a Get of Fenris trying to start a bar fight!’ Dawn Wings wanted to scream as she watched the soldiers making their way to a mustering point. ‘Ugh, couldn’t you have just sent a few soldiers Sunbutt? Not a whole fucking platoon?’

Taking a deep breath, she composed herself as best she could.

‘Well, nothing I can do about it.’ She thought as she flew past the station. ‘If anything, this’ll hopefully keep the ticks from making a move.’

*****

It was after dark as Dawn Wings made her way back towards town. After seing the incredibly unsubtle display of the guards arriving, she’d flown by the spot where she’d seen the mass of Wyrmtaint. She’d been right in her initial assessment of the establishment: it was a general store. And, to her irritated amusement, one of the collaborators just so happened to be manning the front. A quick spiritual pulse told her none of the ticks were immediately present though.

'Why would you be working for the ticks?' Dawn Wings thought. 'Hmmm, lets find out…'

Pooling her spiritual energy, Dawn Wings sent it lancing towards the pony manning the counter. As the tether of spiritual energy struck, her mind's eye shifted.

Slowly flapping as she flew through a vast, misty woodland, Dawn Wings found herself following a narrow path deeper into the trees. Soon, the woodland gave way to a small clearing. At the center, a large, black tree stood, surrounded by a wall of thick, thorny brambles, some of its branches bearing small, silver or blue, tear shaped fruits.

Flying over the thorny hedge, the corax landed in the branches and regarded her options. There were a number of smaller fruits, but those weren't worth her time. No, she needed something bigger.

Looking to one of the branches mid-way up the tree, she spotted what she was after. A sizable, deep silver fruit. This was an older secret, but chances were that it was the one she needed.

'Perfect.' She thought as she fluttered down to the branch and snatched the fruit in her beak. Throwing her head back, she swallowed it whole. Moments later, her eyes shone with silver light, and a new vision replaced her old one.

She found herself standing behind the main counter of the store in the early evening, looking out through the eyes of the pony who's secret she was raiding. Stifling a yawn, the pony flexed her neck and sighed, before looking at the clock. From what Dawn Wings could tell, she was waiting to close up for the night and head home.

The sound of a bell caused the pony to snap her head towards the entrance. Upon seeing the pony walking in, her smile got wider.

"Barley!" She said with a warm smile as she trotted up to the golden brown, yellow maned normal pony stallion that had walked in the door. She cocked her head with confusion as she addressed him. "What are you doing back so soon? I thought you were heading to Hollow Shades for the next couple of weeks."

The one called Barley regarded her with cold, detached eyes, and a slight, venomous smirk.

"Ah, you must be Spring Leaf." The stallion said, though without the warmth Spring Leaf normally associated with him.

"What? What are you talking about Barley?" Spring Leaf said, taking a step back.

Barley didn't respond immediately, only look around the store, as if to make sure there were no other ponies present. Only after checking did he respond, his tone still cold.

"Do exactly as I say. Lock the door, turn the sign to closed and draw the curtains. After you do, we're going to the back of the store. Make any wrong moves, and Golden Barley dies. Am I clear." The stallion that looked like Barley said.

Spring Leaf's heart leapt into her throat and her irises shrunk to pinpricks. With a subtle nod and lump in her throat, she turned towards the front door and turned the latch and flipped the sign to closed, before drawing the curtains.

"Who are you? What have you done with my brother?" Spring Leaf said with a shaking voice as she turned to the stallion.

"You'll find out soon enough. Come with me." He said as he headed towards the back of the store and towards the basement storage space. With only a moment's hesitation, Spring Leaf followed.

As the two descended the stairs in silence, Spring Leaf kept glancing at the fake Golden Barley, desperate to figure out what was going on. Yet, as soon as they were in the basement, he turned and regarded her. Moments later, sickly green flame flashed across his body, revealing the smooth, black carapace of a creature she'd only ever heard about in legends: a changeling. The creature must have seen the mounting panic in her eyes.

"Make a sound, and your brother will die. And it won't be a swift death." The creature hissed, "No, it will be a slow, drawn out and agonizing death. Do I make myself clear."

Slowly, numbly, Spring Leaf nodded.

"Good." The changeling hissed. "I will get straight to the point. We have your brother. He is alive, for the time being. Cooperate, and he lives. Resist, and he dies. Am I understood?"

Another nod.

"From now on, you work for us. We will be using your store as a base of operations, and you will aid us in maintaining our cover in Ponyville." The changeling said as it approached Spring Leaf, who backed up until she ran into a shelf. "Others will be arriving soon, and we will be making some… additions to your store. You will continue with your daily life, as you always have, but you will tell us of any odd goings on around town, and help us keep track of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Attempt to betray us, and your brother will suffer. But, so long as you cooperate, we can guarantee his safety. Do you understand?"

Spring Leaf sobbed once before tearfully nodding.

The changeling smiled wickedly.

"I'm so glad." He said with a sweet yet venomous sneer. "Now, we're going to go upstairs and let a few new friends in the back. After that, you can go home. I will be there shortly. Remember, try anything, and Golden Barley will pay the price."

"Why are you doing this?" Spring Leaf managed to whimper.

A cruel smile worked its way across his face as a flash of green flame engulfed the changeling, and was replaced by the fake Golden Barley.

"You don't need to know that. Now, lets get back upstairs, big sister…"

Dawn Wings' mind returned to her body as the secret she learned finished playing back in her head. Regarding the mare behind the register, the corax felt both seething rage and nauseated revulsion, tempered by pity.

'So they're threatening you.' She thought as she regarded the pony. 'You don't want to be helping them then, do you? Hmph, I'll have to let the princesses know about this. Maybe they can help you find your brother.'

Pushing what she just learned aside, she regarded the store. Now, more than ever, she needed to get inside, and she needed to do it quietly. Taking to the air, she began to scout out potential entrances to the building. As she flew around the back, she found one: a small, open awning window that lead into the back room of the store. Smiling, she hoped that the Spring Leaf wouldn't close it at night.

After surveying the building, she headed back towards the farm, flying out over the orchard to find a private place to change into her equus form before heading back to the farmhouse. When she arrived, she was greeted by Anaretechusho. The filly seemed eager to help cheer her up, and had all but dragged her to the kitchen and handed her a large mug of what Dawn Wings could tell was apple cider and a few more of the apple pastries from earlier.

Dawn Wings found herself smiling a little at the filly’s efforts, placing a hoof on her shoulder and smiling warmly. She had to admit, the kid was growing on her. In a lot of ways, she reminded her of one of her own chicks, her third successfully fledged daughter Mountain Breeze.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the Anaretechusho doing chores around the farm, and eventually helping put together dinner with the other members of the family. Dawn Wings was still not entirely used to the herbivorous diet she found herself eating with the ponies, but she made the most of it.

After dinner, she helped with the cleanup, and excused herself to her room. After that, it had been simple to close the door and step sideways into the umbra. Shifting to her corvis form, she made her way back towards town, and what she hoped was the tick’s nest.

*****

It was now well after dark. Having flown high up into the sky and stepped sideways back into the material world, Dawn Wings alighted on the tree near the general store. As she’d expected, the store was closed for the night, and from all appearances, locked up tightly.

Sending out a spirit pulse, she was displeased to sense two threats within the building, but further down underground.

‘So, the ticks are hiding in the basement. That figures.’ She thought as she recalled what she'd learned from Spring Leaf's secret. With renewed focus, she took back to the air and flew around the back of the building. Much to her relief, the window was still open. It would be a tight fit, but she was sure she’d be able to squeeze through. Flying up to the awning window, she squeezed and wriggled her body under the open panel and into the room.

‘Alright.’ She thought as she landed on a stack of crates, her neck slightly kinked from the effort ‘where to now?’

Pushing spiritual energy into her eyes and focusing her will into the gift, she augmented her vision to allow her to see in the darkness of the unlit room. Thankfully, the door leading out was simply on a hinge without a doorknob, probably to facilitate moving merchandise in and out of the room. Landing, she pushed the door open with her head and made her way into the main storefront of the shop.

All around her, short shelves of knicknacks, basic supplies, and small luxury items were displayed in a simple yet functional way. Looking towards the front of the store, she could see the large picture windows had been covered with a pair of curtains, presumably to keep ponies from looking in after hours. It was basic security, but the town didn’t strike her as needing much more. It certainly made her job easier.

Surveying the room from the top of one of the shelves, she spotted what the way downstairs: a second door on the opposite end of the wall the first storeroom door. Unlike the first, this one was equipped with a handle. Taking to the air and softly landing near the door, Dawn Wings regarded it for a moment before calling on the change. Muscles and bones rapidly expanded as she shifted into crinos form, and, carefully grasping the handle, opened the door.

The hinges creaked a little as she pulled the portal open. Beyond the door there was a small landing and a staircase leading down into the earth. Stepping through as quietly as possible, she pulled the door closed behind her and shifted back to her corvis form. Hopping into the air and gliding down, she found herself in a second storeroom, this one clearly holding more valuable merchandise than the first, considering that most of the boxes in this part of the store were wooden crates with padlocks.

As she landed on another stack of crates, a familiar chill ran up her spine. Turning in the direction of the sensation, she spotted another door with light pouring out from underneath.

‘That wasn't in the memory I saw. Looks like the "improvement" the ticks were planning. ’ She thought as she fluttered over. Powering up her Wyrmsight, she could sense two pools of Wyrmtaint behind the door. ‘Two of em back there. Not great, but not terrible.’

Looking around the room, she considered her options to get through the door. She couldn’t just enter like she’d done upstairs. Instead, she had to draw the ticks out and sneak in when their backs were turned. Looking around the storeroom, she spotted a smaller case on top of one of the shelves that looked light enough for her to knock off. Nodding, she fluttered over and, pressing her side to the wood, she pushed with all her might. It took a minute, but eventually she shoved it off the shelf.

The crate hit the floor with a heavy crash and the sound of breaking glass. Taking to the air, she heard the ticks come rushing to the door, the sound of a deadbolt unlocking coming from the other side. She barely made it back to the shelf next to the door in time for the two ticks, each of them disguised as ponies, to come rushing out.

‘Taepate iletoma canata chae lathata.” She heard one of the bark to the other.

‘Laceta.’ The second replied.

‘Well well well, hello there.’ Dawn Wings hummed as she watched the two of them head into the storeroom to investigate the sound, because she recognized the tick’s voice. It was the lead tick. Smirking at her luck, she quickly glided through the door and into the room.

Whereas the previous room was normal and mundane, this one was straight out of some of the less pleasant places Dawn Wings had entered when on assignment. The walls were coated in a black, resinous material, with dozens of small, glowing tubercles filling the space with sickly green illumination. From the ceiling, there were nearly a dozen pods hanging from strands of the resin, each one ending in a large sack that contained a comatose pony suspended in green, glowing slime. She could see the slow, gentle rising and falling of the pony’s chests in the slime, indicating that somehow they were being kept alive by the fluid, though they looked somewhat emaciated.

It matched what she remembered princess Luna had told her about tick feeding pods.

At the far end of the room, there was a large cart, filled with two smaller sacks, each filled with swirling pink mist, waiting at the mouth of a long corridor leading deeper into the earth, its walls covered in the same disgusting resin and glowing tubercles as the room they were currently in.

‘That must be the collected love the lead tick’s been skimming off of.’ She thought as she landed on top of one of the pods. Hearing hoofbeats coming from the other room, Dawn Wings did her best to hide herself from sight by landing on top of the pods. Moments later the two ticks came back in, their disguises dropping in a burst of green flame.

‘Taepate etele caletheta rawata osalae.’ The lead tick said to the second one.

‘Vaare, elaebala raetana.’ The second said.

‘Cael manilata pateya lechama.’

‘Maera etasalo.’

Dawn Wings watched as the two of them approached the cart. Pulling out a small ledger from the back with his magick, the lead tick inspected the contents of the cart, before using his magick to jot something down in the book. Passing the book to the other tick, he waited as his subordinate checked the numbers and nodded, before signing the document and passing it back.

‘Naeclea palase tema.’ The lead tick said as he hooked himself into the cart's harness. ‘Lepoeca neteva.’

The other tick nodded and headed to the door leading back to the basement. Now alone, the tick began to make his way down the corridor. After a minute to give her a safe following distance, Dawn Wings leapt off the pod and began to follow. Chancing a look back, she felt a twinge of guilt for leaving the ponies trapped in the pods, but knew that she couldn’t free them. Not yet. Best to let Captain Ropeman take care of them once she passed the intel off to him.

Dawn Wings carefully continued to follow the tick, making sure to note any side corridors, twists, turns or whatnot. There was a very real likelihood that she might have to find her way back this way at some point.

After what felt like around ten minutes of walking, the tick and its cart came to a stop. Thinking quick, Dawn Wings landed and hid behind a raised ridge of resin jutting from the side of the corridor. Peaking around, she spotted the tick checking behind him, before unhitching himself from the cart and approaching the wall. Pressing his hoof on one of the glowing tubercles, Dawn Wings heard a soft click. Instantly, the resin on the wall drew back like an iris, and revealed a small alcove.

Inside there was a small container with a long hose hooked to the top, the other end of which was tipped with a long, stinger-like needle. Grabbing the hose in his magick, the tick drove the needle into the side of the storage container, and drew off a small portion of the swirling mist. He repeated the process with the other container, until the small container was filled.

Returning the hose, he pulled the ledger from the cart and slipped it into the alcove, before pulling a second ledger out with his magick and jotted down a new set of numbers. Dawn Wings then saw him forge the second tick’s signature, and drop the new ledger into the back of the cart.

Dawn Wings couldn’t help but smile as the tick pressed the same tubercle again, causing the wall to close up. Hooking himself back into the cart, the tick resumed his march down the corridor. This was too good to be true. She’d have to come back later and see if she could get her beak on that ledger.

Waiting for the tick to put some distance between them, she flew over to the spot where the tick’s hidden stash was. Eyeing the wall, she made sure to memorize exactly which tubercle the tick had pressed to open and close the chamber. Satisfied that she’d got it memorized, she took back to the air and continued her pursuit.

*****

After a little while, the resinous coating on the walls faded away, and gave rise to smooth, natural stone. Now without the light of the tubercles, the tick lit his horn with green flame to light his way. Thankfully for Dawn Wings, she didn’t need such things to see. Not with her gift empowering her sight.

Another long walk through the tunnels ensued, until they came to a large, open cavern. Dawn Wings dropped to the ground and hid behind a stalagmite. Waiting in the center of the cavern were two more, undisguised ticks. Walking closer, Dawn Wings could barely overhear them holding a conversation. Peaking around the stalagmite she was hiding behind, she saw the lead tick hand over the second ledger to the other two, who inspected the cart and nodded, before signing the document and magicking it back.

With a nod, the lead tick unhooked himself from the cart and, stepping out of the way, allowed the other two ticks to transfer the pods to their own cart, before turning around and heading back in the direction he came. The other two nodded to one another before heading towards one of the cavern exits.

Once both set of ticks had left, Dawn Wings took back to the air, following the pair that were currently leaving with the cart.

She eventually caught up with the pair, keeping back far enough to watch them and memorize their route without being noticed. Several twists and turns through the caverns later, and they emerged from the underground and out into the woodland west of Ponyville.

Landing in the branches of an ash tree, Dawn Wings watched the ticks head off through the woods. She considered tracking them, but decided against it for the time being. She didn’t know how long it would take to follow them to their destination, or if they would even reach it tonight.

No. She’d gathered enough intel for now. She needed to get back to town and send a report.

*****

Judging from the position of the moon, it was probably close to midnight by the time Dawn Wings arrived at the Golden Oaks Library. While she was sure that she could send her report in the morning, she didn’t want to wait. Not with what she learned.

Much to her relief, she saw light still coming from one of the upper rooms. Landing on the balcony, she peered in, spotting Vinemana and Tlectalae sitting on a bed, both reading; Vinemana a large tomb, Tlectalae a comic. She noted that Vinemana looked much better, though still somewhat harried.

Fluttering over to the window, Dawn Wings approached the glass panes and tapped her beak against the surface. Instantly, both occupants of the room looked up and saw her peering in. Vinemana’s horn lit up with magick as she stared at Dawn Wings, before visibly relaxing. Horn still lit with her magick, she pulled the window open, allowing the corax to enter.

Fluttering in, Dawn Wings landed at the foot of Vinemana’s bed and looked at the two occupants, before using her beak to tap out the cypher code for critical information, immediate, and changeling nest. Vinemana looked at her curiously, while Tlectalae's eyes went wide and got to his feet instantly.

“Caletaema Tlectalae.” Vinemana said.

“Nealeca mecheca vahena co ulalema Xelanota.” he replied.

“Lemaca?”

Narrowing her eyes, Dawn Wings tapped her beak on the foodboard to get their attention. Gesturing her head in the direction of the door, she pointed her beak at Tlectalae. As he nodded, she fluttered over to the door.

Looking back at Vinemana, he uttered a small, apologetic noise, and hopped down from the bed. Opening the door, he ushered her out, with Vinemana staring after them. Fluttering up to the banister, Dawn Wings watched as Tlectalae headed down to the study, before gliding down and swooping into the room.

Grabbing several dozen sheets of parchment, Tlectalae set them on the desk. Dawn Wings landed on the desk, before gesturing for the lizard to exit the room. He gave her an irritated look, but with a shrug, exited. Once he was out of the room, she shifted into crinos and began to write her report.

*****

Twenty or so minutes later, Dawn Wings, after returning to corvis form, called out to Tlectalae. Moments later, he arrived in the room, and saw her indicate the stack of papers she wanted sent to Celestia. His face betrayed a fair bit of irritation, but he complied, sending her report along with a burst of fire. Nodding and smiling at him, Dawn Wings followed him out of the room, then flying up and landing on the banister at the head of the stairs. As she waited for him to climb to the top floor, she regarded Vinemana.

She looked a little better than this morning, but she still had a distant, haunted look in her eyes.

'Sorry to put you through this star-butt. But its a much kinder fate than you ending up dead or stuck in the tick's love sacks.' Dawn Wings thought as sympathy welled up in her chest at the sight of the unicorn's continued distress.

Soon, Tlectalae arrived, and the two of them entered the bedroom. Flying over his head and landing by Vinemana, Dawn Wings regarded the unicorn. Slowly, Vinemana looked at her. Seeing she had her tutor's attention, she tried to convey concern for the unicorn with a tilt of her head and a low croak. With a tired sigh, Vinemana nodded, though her face was still strained, she managed a small smile.

Extending a wing, Dawn Wings reached up and pressed her primary feathers against the side of the unicorn's face, trying to offer comfort.

Vinemana smiled a little more genuinely at that, before nodding. Withdrawing her wing, Dawn Wings hopped up to the windowsill and looked at the unicorn. Nodding, she used her magick to open the window. With one final look, Dawn Wings took off. Once she was far enough into the night sky to avoid any prying eyes, she stepped sideways and headed back towards the orchard.

Author's Note

More information gathering. And the noose is slowly tightening on the changelings.

Ch 21 - They're going to be the death of me…

Cold wind whipped past Dawn Wings’ head as she soared high above a beautiful sea of conifers, lakes and granite outcrops. All around her, thick, fluffy clouds filled the sky, creating a mosaic of beautiful light and shadows on the landscape below, as the crip, clean air of the High Sierra Nevada filled her nostrils and lungs. Banking, she dove down, weaving through limber pines and cedars, skimming the surface of rivers in their canyon canals.

‘I missed flying here so much.’ She thought to herself as she wove around another bend, savoring the beauty of the decaying granite cliffs on either side of her and all of the luscious vegetation lining the valley. Feeling an updraft coming up ahead, she prepared herself and flew into it, allowing the column of air to shoot her up into the sky and out of the canyon. Banking her body, she turned sharply and fell out of the updraft and dove back towards the river below. Pulling out of the dive, she skimmed the surface of the water, before climbing again and flying back towards the south.

‘I haven't felt this good in… weeks!” Dawn Wings croaked as she soared higher. ‘All that’s missing is…’

‘What’s missing Wings.’ A voice said from beside her. Turning her head, she spotted the familiar form of a handsome raven flying next to her.

‘Cloud Chaser!’ Dawn Wings practically cried as she banked towards him, tears of joy starting to form in her eyes ‘Oh Gaia, you have no idea how much I missed you.’

‘I have an idea…’ He said warmly. ‘Say, I found fresh jackrabbit carcass near a big patch of desert peaches to the south. How about we head over before the other birds show up and decide to take all the goodies.’

Dawn Wings’ face lit up like a sunrise.

‘Cloud Chaser, you sweet talker you. You know just how to woo a girl right, you know that!’ She said as she flew closer and brushed the tip of her wing feathers against his.

‘I try.’ He said, flashing her a cheeky look before banking off. ‘c’mon, it’s this way.’

Just as Dawn Wings adjusted her wings and began to follow, she felt a presence. Not a threatening one. Rather, a calming, ancient presence that soon filled the world with cool air and the scent of myrrh. Before her eyes, Cloud Chaser’s form faded away, as did the mountains and open, sunny sky. In their place, an ocean of navy blue clouds materialized as the sky shifted into a vast starscape, and the sun was replaced by a massive, silvery moon.

“Dawn Wings. Attend us.” A familiar voice called out from behind.

The reality of her current situation slammed into Dawn Wings like a semi-truck. She was asleep and dreaming. And that meant that…

‘Gaia’s stony crevasse and magma spewing tits, you couldn’t wait until the morning, could you, you fucking horse!? Oh no, instead of letting me have just a few minutes with my Cloud Chaser, you had to come barging in!’ Dawn Wings swore in her mind as she banked and headed towards princess Luna. ‘What the hell do you want!?’

As she approached, a black branch with silvery leaves emerged from the clouds, giving Dawn Wings a place to perch. Her irritation not abating, she landed on the limb and regarded the lunar incarna.

“Hello princess. What can I do for you?” Dawn Wings said, doing her best to keep her tone even.

“Good night, Dawn Wings. We apologize for intruding on your dreams in such a way, but we are afraid that we and our sister felt that this could not wait.” Princess Luna said, though her tone was far from apologetic.

“Well, what can I do for you? Have a problem deciphering my last report?” Dawn Wings said, “I can understand that. Corax ciphers can be hard to decode if you’re not used to them.”

“We were not involved in deciphering your message, so you need not worry about that.”

“Good to know. Delegation is important when you need something done right and its something you're not competent in.”

Luna narrowed her eyes at the corax, before pushing forward.

“Your poor attitude aside, we wish to inform you that we are going to move on the changelings tomorrow to rescue our ponies. We wanted confirmation that you will not take part in the operation.” Luna growled.

“Wait, wait, wait… hold on? You’re just going to bust in and raid the place?” Dawn Wings said with a furrowed brow.

“Indeed. Our priority is to rescue our citizens and drive the changelings out of Ponyville. We believe you have provided us with enough to do both. I trust you have no issue with this course of action.” Luna said.

“Do you want my honest opinion here moon-butt, or do you just want me to tell you what you want to hear?” Dawn Wings said with narrowed eyes. “Because, frankly, they’re about as far from the same thing as this place is from having good internet.”

“Watch your tone Dawn Wings. Our sister may have shown you leniency earlier, but that was not a permanent arrangement, particularly with us.” Luna said as she lowered her face and glared at Dawn Wings. “You will speak to us with respect, lest you incur our ire.”

Dawn Wings’ returned the princess’s glare, but she knew that there was no contest here. Luna held all of the cards, no matter what Dawn Wings would have liked. Bowing slightly, Dawn Wings replied. “Of course princess. Please, forgive me.”

Luna rose back to her full height, continuing to glare down at Dawn Wings. “Very well. Now, why do you object to our attempts to rescue our ponies?”

“Do you want my honest opinion?”

“So long as you remember your place and speak respectfully.” Luna sneered.

“Okay. Frankly, I think you’re being rash and not looking at the long term. You go in there and flush out the ticks? Great, you’ve pushed them out of Ponyville. But, you’re only benefiting yourself in the short term.” Dawn Wings replied, forcing her tone to be respectful. “If the ponies the ticks are holding will survive for a little while longer, why just cut off the tip of the snake's tail when you could cut off its head.”

“What are you getting at.” Luna cooly replied.

“Look, what happens to a snake when you cut its head off? It dies. Drive the ticks out now, and how long before they come back again? But find their queen, and take her out of the picture permanently, and what happens to the rest of them? My guess, they’re going to be much easier to deal with. Give me a little more time, and I’m sure I can figure out where she’s hiding. Then you can go in and remove her… permanently.”

Luna regarded her for a moment.

“You would suggest leaving our ponies in the hands of the changelings for longer than necessary on the chance that you might be able to find where Chrysalis is hiding?”

“With all due respect, your highness, this is a small price to pay in the short term for a potentially massive long term payoff. Please, just give me more time.”

“I’m sorry, but this is not a discussion. We will be rescuing our ponies, with or without your aid.”

Dawn Wings wanted to scream in frustration. She just couldn’t believe how impulsive the incarna were being. Especially for immortals.

“One more day. That’s all I ask.” Dawn Wings pled. “Give me one more day. You go rushing in now, and we might lose any hope of tracking Chrysalis down. But, if I can get the lead tick’s false ledger, and you can take him, you might be able to convince him to give up where Chrysalsis is hiding. Please.”

Luna regarded the corax.

“One day.” Luna said in a tone that brokered no argument. “You have one day. Once you have the ledger, deliver it to us through young Spike.”

“Thank you, your highness.” Dawn Wings said as respectfully as she could.

“Do not make us regret this decision.” Luna said, before she faded away, leaving Dawn Wings to stare off into the stary void of her dreamscape.

*****

The morning saw Dawn Wings make a quick exit from the apple farm after a her morning oath to her patron spirits and an even quicker breakfast with the apple farmers. She was on a time limit now. It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to be on them. She was. It was a rare day that she wasn’t.

But there was a difference between a time limit made by rash, impulsive, short term thinking, and because the information she had was time sensitive. She could work with the latter. But she hated the former.

Still, she wearily acknowledged that she couldn’t act right away. If she was going to maintain her cover, and keep learning the pony’s blasted language, she needed to put in face time with Vinemana. She just wished she could pick the damn language up faster, because only being able to hold a conversation with Sun-butt, Moon-butt and Angry-parfait was not feasible.

So, she found herself flying over Ponyville in the direction of the Golden Oaks Library. Compared to yesterday, the town had a markedly different feeling as dozens of guards patrolled the streets in groups of three. While the ponies were still on edge, there was considerably less tension in the air compared to before their arrival.

‘Herd animals…’ Dawn Wings thought to herself with a sigh. ‘Still, better that they’re not panicking than having them on edge.’

Minutes later, her goal came into sight, as did the familiar chill up her spine warning her of danger. Sending out a spiritual pulse, she could feel half a dozen threats all around the library.

‘Could the ticks be that foolish?’ She thought as she activated her Wyrmsight and scanned the area. To her surprise, she found no Wyrmtaint.

‘Then what am I…’ She thought, before noticing the two pegasus stallions standing in front of the library’s entrance. ‘Wait, I remember, Captain Ropeman has stealth troops. He must have them stationed around the library. You’ve got a real sister complex, don’t you rope-boy?’

Chuckling, Dawn Wings alighted some 10 feet away from the front door of the Golden Oaks Library, then trotting the rest of the way to the tree. As she approached, the guards snapped their wings to bar her path. Grumbling with irritation, Dawn Wings found herself not all that surprised by the actions. It was frustrating nonetheless.

Regarding the soldiers, she took a step back and inflated her chest!

“Hey! Star-ass! I’m here for my lessons! Tell these goons to get the fuck out of my way!” She yelled in English. Much to her satisfaction, she saw the tiniest traces of horror spread across the guard’s stoic features. Seemed that even they found the language frightening.

Much to her satisfaction, she could hear the sound of hooves approaching the front door from within. Moments later, the door slowly swung open, revealing the slightly haggard form of Vinemana Vishicta.

*****

Twilight sighed as she put the finishing touches on her lesson plan for the day. Looking over her notes once more, she had to stifle a yawn. She knew she should expect Dawn Wings soon, but she wasn't sure how much use she was going to be. The ~~pegasus~~ corax was an even earlier riser than she was, and unlike her, had probably gotten a full, proper night of sleep. She, on the other hand, had slept fitfully, the haunting images of the fake Rainbow Dash's death still occasionally forcing themselves into her mind. Giving the documents one final check, she set them down with a satisfied nod. Now she just needed some…

A horrific snarling like something from the depths of tartarus erupted from outside, making Twilight nearly jump out of her skin. At first, she thought an ursa major had been attacked by a tazylwurm and was being throttled by the neck. Putting her hoof to her chest, she took a deep breath to slow her heart, and realized that she knew those sounds.

They were Dawn Wings’ native language.

“Why is she yelling outside my front door. Especially so early.” Twilight grumbled as she made her way to the front door. Pulling it open, she had to suppress a groan, as she spotted the wings of two Silverknights blocking the entrance. She received a letter from the princess that Shining deployed a platoon to Ponyville; she just hadn’t expected them to be standing outside her front door.

“Gentlestalions, could you please let her through. I’m expecting her.” Twilight said. Moments later, the guard’s wings snapped shut and they stepped to the side.

“Thank you.”

Looking to Dawn Wings, she saw the pegasus giving her that icy glare she was so used to, almost causing her to step back in shock. It was so different from the sympathetic look and gestures that she’d used last night. Pushing it aside, Twilight ushered Dawn Wings into the front door, before giving the guards one last look, and closing the entrance.

Turning to face Dawn Wings, Twilight nearly did a double take; the pegasus’s expression had morphed into a much softer and far friendlier one as she looked at Twilight. The contrast between her earlier expression and her current one was almost like night and day.

Unsure how to respond, Twilight opted to return the friendly look, then head over to her chart. As she takes up her spot at the table, Dawn Wings likewise moves over to her desk. Meeting Twilight’s eyes, the pegasus noded and picked up her mouth pen.

*****

As noon rolled around, Twilight set down her pointer and sighed, before a large yawn forced itself out of her throat. Much to her relief, Dawn Wings was making good progress with the phonics of Equish. Her accent was still almost unbearably thick, but she was at least beginning to pronounce things right. Her mouth-writing still left a lot to be desired, yet she was starting to get the hang of it. It would be a while before Dawn Wings was writing and reading Equish.

But, progress was progress.

Looking at Dawn Wings, Twilight saw her stretch her wings out and stand. Waving a hoof, Twilight waited until she had Dawn Wings’ attention.

“Food?” Twilight said as she pointed to her mouth and took a bite out of the air.

Dawn Wings seemed to consider it for a moment, before nodding and gesturing to Twilight to lead the way. With a nod of her own, Twilight t.k.ed over her saddle bags and ushered Dawn Wings to follow her.

“Spike! We’re going out to get something to eat at Sugar Cube Corner! Do you want anything?” Twilight called up to the second floor.

“Yea. Could you grab me a cherry/chocolate cupcake?” Spike called back.

“Okay. See you in a bit.”

Turning to the door, she spotted Dawn Wings waiting for her. Her expression was inexplicably back to her resting icy one, though Twilight noted that it was now a little less frigid than before.

‘Why does she keep doing that?’ Twilight thought as she approached the door and exited, Dawn Wings following after her.

Their trek through town to Sugar Cube Corner was made in relative silence, only punctuated by the occasional hello from other ponies. Twilight’s own mood was getting better; she was still a little on edge after what happened two nights ago, but she was improving, now that the shock had worn off.

It still didn’t sit well with her that there were changelings hiding out in her town. And from what she’d been able to get out of Spike, Dawn Wings had been helping sniff out the changelings.

That was one of the biggest surprises. Twilight knew Dawn Wings was unusual, but just how little she knew about the alien mare made her head spin. She was like nothing Twilight had encountered before. She wished that she could actually talk with Dawn Wings and learn more about her, her world, what she could do… just about everything about her was such a tantalizing mystery. It was almost more frustrating than trying to figure out Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense.

But she'd have to be patient. Until Dawn Wings learned conversational Equish, all of the mysteries she had to share were locked away.

Twilight’s mind snapped back to the present when she realized that she'd been walking on autopilot and they’d arrived at Sugar Cube Corner. Looking towards Dawn Wings, she found the pegasus was looking at her with what she could only describe as side-eyed confusion. Chuckling to herself, Twilight pushed open the door to the bakery and ushered Dawn Wings in.

Shrugging, Dawn Wings walked into the building, followed by Twilight. Looking towards the front counter, Twilight was surprised to see both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy chatting with Pinkie. Despite the small panic attack she felt coming up upon seeing Rainbow Dash, Twilight did her best to hide it as she called out to her friends.

“Twilight!” Pinkie called as she materialized next to the unicorn, before scooping her up in a massive bearhug. “How are you doing? Feeling better?”

“Hi Pinkie… yea… doing better.” Twilight said as she fought for oxygen. “Can’t breathe though.”

“Pffft. Breathing’s overrated, silly.” Pinkie chirped as she released Twilight.

“We can agree to disagree on that Pinkie.” Twilight said as she took a few glorious breaths of air. Just as she stopped seeing stars, she heard a distressed squawk from behind her. Without looking, Twilight knew that Pinkie had snatched up Dawn Wings, and was currently crushing the pegasus in a similar hug to the one she’d just escaped. Glancing behind her, she saw that her suspicions were true.

Dawn Wings, for her part, simply glared at Pinkie in the clearly unexpected embrace. Her eyes never leaving the pink earth pony, she spoke in her native language, her tone somewhat annoyed, but not hostile, prompting the party pony to look up at her and let her go with a chuckle. Twilight could only chuckle herself as Dawn Wings fixed Pinkie with a stern yet friendly glare before she lifted her hoof, playfully and gently bonking the earth pony on the top of the head, earning a giggle. It was uncanny how eerily similar it was to the first time the two of them met. Minus the unexpected pony-pile she'd ended up in.

“So, Twi, you feelin’ better?” Rainbow said as she approached the other three ponies.

“Yea. I am. Thanks.” Twilight said as she regarded the pegasus. Having Rainbow this close was giving her mild flashbacks, but she managed to brush them away. This was Rainbow. The real Rainbow. She was fine. She was alive. She was okay. Twilight just needed to keep reminding herself that.

“You here for lunch or something?” Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow, likely noticing Twilight's changed demeanor.

“Yup. Taking a break from the language lessons. What brings you here?”

“With all the guards everywhere, Flutters didn’t feel like coming to town without me, but she needed to grab something from the market.” Rainbow said, “So, we figured we’d stop here first, get something to eat, then take care of her errands.”

Twilight smiled and nodded at that, before something struck her.

“Wait? Where’s Fluttershy?”

All three of the native Equestrians realized that they were missing one member of their group. Looking around, they spotted a tuft of pink hair poking out from behind the counter. Twilight’s eyes went wide as she turned back to look at Dawn Wings, who was currently staring intensely at the spot where Fluttershy was hiding.

This… wasn't unusual for Fluttershy, if she was being honest with herself, but she couldn't figure out what set her off this time. Then, it hit her.

‘Most ponies find Dawn Wings’ language terrifying. I can’t imagine how freaked out Fluttershy must be right now.’ Twilight thought as she raised a hoof to Dawn Wings to get her attention. As the other pegasus turned to her, Twilight made a ‘wait here’ gesture with her hoof, then turned to Rainbow.

“Rainbow, could you go check on Fluttershy? I’ll grab us a table.”

“Sure, Twi.” Rainbow said as she regarded Dawn Wings with suspicious eyes, before turning to help calm down her friend.

“Are you staying for lunch, or did you just want a snack?” Pinkie chirped as she headed back behind the counter.

“Lunch please. Something savory, then sweets for dessert. And a cherry-chocolate cupcake to go for Spike.”

“You got it Twilight!”

Looking back to Dawn Wings, she gestured for the pegasus to follow her. Said pegasus gave her a slightly unamused look, but complied. Picking a table by one of the large windows, she noted Dawn Wings chose to take the seat nearest the window. Shrugging internally, she took her own seat and waited for her friends.

A few minutes later, Rainbow and Fluttershy joined them, the later sitting as far away from Dawn Wings as she could, and occasionally shooting nervous glances her way. Twilight made small talk with her friends while Dawn Wings stared out the window, watching the ponies outside. In the back of her mind, Twilight wondered just what Dawn Wings made of Ponyville and everything.

Soon, the food arrived: both Rainbow and Futtershy had vegetable and flower sandwiches, along with a couple of smoothies. For Twilight and Dawn Wings, Pinkie had brought a hayburger with fries and a large salad, respectively, both of them receiving mixed berry tarts for dessert. Pinkie had had her own plate: a massive stack of haycakes with strawberries.

"You're joining us Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"Yup! Mrs. Cake told me to take my lunch early, so I can eat with you!" Pinkie said before she slurped up five of her haycakes in one lick. Of the five mares at the table, only Dawn Wings seemed surprised by the act. Looking at Twilight, she gave the unicorn a cock-eyed look and flicked her head in Pinkie's direction.

Twilight simply smiled and shrugged, to which Dawn Wings narrowed her eyes and looked back at Pinkie, who had already slurped down another several cakes, then back to Twilight, to Pinkie, Twilight, Pinkie, before closing her eyes and furrowing her brow, blowing a frustrated sigh out of her nostrils and starting on her own salad.

"So, Twi, any word from Princess Celestia about the whole business with the changeling?" Rainbow asked between bites of her sandwich. "There're Silverknights everywhere around town, so she's got to have some sort of plan."

Twilight thought about it for a minute.

"Well, I think she's just trying to secure the town right now." Twilight said, "She hasn't really told me anything, other than they've got someone looking into whether there're any more changelings around. But, until they're done with their investigation, the Silverknights are going to be hanging around."

"Um… do you know how long that's… going to take?" Fluttershy said softly.

"I'm afraid not." Twilight sighed. "Sorry Fluttershy."

"Oh…that's okay…"

"So are we going to get to do anything?" Pinkie chimed in, "I don't like the idea of those meanipants changelings messing around with Ponyville. Especially if they're sticking ponies in those goopy pods. I mean, playing in mud can be fun, but that changeling goo is way too nasty to be fun like mud. Maybe if they filled them with water, they'd make good waterballoons, but, yech, not that gunk."

Twilight chuckled a little at Pinkie.

"If we need to get involved, I'll let you know Pinkie. We're just going to have to wait and see."

"Okie dokie lokie." Pinkie chirped, before she cocked her head to the side before pointing at Dawn Wings, "Hang on Twilight, somethings very wrong over there."

Turning, Twilight saw Dawn Wings staring out the window, her eyes slowly panning around the street. From what Twilight could tell, she was just pony watching like she had the first time they'd gone out to eat.

"Pinkie, you know she doesn't understand us, right." Rainbow said "She's probably just bored."

"No, not that silly." Pinkie chimed in "One second."

Somehow, in the next moment, Pinkie was sitting next to Dawn Wings. Twilight looked down, and realized that she'd swapped places with Pinkie. She wisely ignored it. It was just Pinkie being Pinkie.

With a big smile on her face, Pinkie tapped the pegasus on her shoulder, breaking her out of… whatever she was doing. Turning her head to Pinkie, she cocked and eyebrow as she was greeted with the earth pony's smiling face, and the untouched fruit tart that she was holding on her upturned hoof, which she gently shook in Dawn Wings' direction.

Raising her hoof, Dawn Wings shook it back and forth a little, trying to indicate that she didn't want it. At that, Pinkie broke out her biggest, saddest, puppy-dog eyes and trembling lower lip, aiming them directly at the pegasus. Dawn Wings almost recoiled at the sight, before raising her hooves in a placating gesture, trying to get Pinkie to stop the weapons grade guilt trip.

Pinkie's expression immediately returned to her normally cheerful one, as she presented the tart to Dawn Wings, wiggling her hoof back and forth to emphasize the sugary treat. With an exaggerated sigh and a small, lopsided smile, Dawn Wings accepted the dessert, taking it on her hoof. Raising it to her muzzle, she took a small, experimental bite. A moment later, her eyes went wide and she inhaled deeply, looking down at the treat in her hoof before looking back to Pinkie.

"Heh, looks like she likes it." Fluttershy whispered to Rainbow, who nodded with a smirk.

Dawn Wings pointed at the pastry, then at Pinkie. Interpreting that to mean 'did you make this?' Pinkie nodded vigorously. A throaty chuckle escaped Dawn Wings as she smiled warmly at Pinkie, a few stray tears of joy starting to form in the pegasus's eyes. Setting the treat down, she pulled Pinkie in a gentle hug with both her forelegs and wings, causing the earth pony to beam.

"Tæk yeaq" Dawn Wings said in broken painfully Equish as she squeezed Pinkie a little tighter.

"You're welcome." Pinkie replied with a smile as she returned the hug.

Releasing Pinkie, Dawn Wings picked up the tart and continued to slowly eat her dessert, obviously trying to savor every bite, as she turned her attention back to the window and the ponies walking around outside.

"Okay, that's better." Pinkie said from her original seat.

"What's better Pinkie?" Twilight asked, now sitting next to Dawn Wings again.

"She was feeling sad." Pinkie said matter-of-factually. "And… well, I made that tart just for her. I didn't want it to go to waste. Do you know how hard it is to get huckleberries and desert peaches this time of year?"

None of the other mares at the table knew how to respond to that.

"What're desert peaches, Pinkie?" Rainbow finally asked.

"They're from peach bushes that grow wild in the Marejave desert, Dashie. What else?"

"Pinkie, that desert is thousands of miles away in Cerverica! How in Celestia's name did you…" Twilight began to ask, but cut herself off. Questioning Pinkie could only lead to madness. "Ahem. Never mind. Why did you need desert peaches for a tart?"

"Well, she really likes them, Twilight. Why else would I use them?" Pinkie said.

"You made that tart for her specifically?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yupperonie!" Pinkie chirped back happily.

"That was really nice of you Pinkie." Fluttershy said. "I'm sure she appreciates it."

"But how did you know she likes those fruits specifically?" Twilight asked. Even for Pinkie, this seemed a little out there.

"I have my ways." Pinkie said conspiratorially with a wink, before shoving the last of her haycakes into her mouth and swallowing them in a single gulp. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she rose from her seat. "Anyhow, I should get back to work. Don't forget to stop by before you go to grab Spike's cupcake on the way out."

"Of course Pinkie." Twilight said as the pink pony bounced away.

The rest of the meal was eaten in amiable silence. Once they finished and picked up Spike's treat from Pinkie, the mares parted ways, Twilight and Dawn Wings heading back to the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight couldn't help but feel warm inside at the look on Dawn Wings' face, because there was just the slightest hint of a smile forming at the corners of her mouth. It was different from the other smiles she wore when she interacted with Twilight and the others. Because, for the first time since she's met the alien pegasus, she almost looked like she was in a genuinely good mood.

Author's Note

Little bit of a break before we get back into the thick of things. Also, I don't think Luna likes Dawn all that much. Sure, the feeling's mutual on Dawn Wings' part, so, y'know…

As an FYI, the photo at the beginning of the chapter is from near the area Dawn Wings calls home, and was taken by me on a floristic surveying trip I participated in.

Also, Desert Peaches are a real thing. If you're curious, take a look here. As for how Pinkie got her hooves on enough to make a tart for Dawn… it's Pinkie. That's all that needs to be said.

Ch 22 - Making the best of impulsive descisions.

Night had fallen across Equestria, bathing the land in gentle moon and starlight. Most of the inhabitants on the nightward half of the planet were asleep, their minds drifting off to the dreamscape. But there were others who were still awake. Some enjoying the beauty of the night sky. Others reveling in the end of their busy day and taking time to relax and make merry. Still others used the time for intimate trysts and rondeveus, spending time in the arms of their lovers in the solitude that only the blanket of peaceful darkness could provide.

But for some, this night held no peace. One such individual was Dawn Wings, who now found herself sitting in the bows of a tall ash tree in the woodland west of Ponyville. Despite the beauty of the night, she found there was little to enjoy in the lovely sky or the peaceful dark.

Despite her earlier good mood, she was more than a little irritated by her current circumstances.

Her day had actually gone well. Her lessons with Vinemana were progressing. She was still a long way away from understanding Equish, but she was getting there. And, if she was going to be honest with herself, she was warming up to her tutor and her lizard.

Then there was Shásháme.

Spastic. Hyperactive. Strange Shásháme.

Her energy was just sort of contagious, and Dawn Wings found herself bewildered by the pony. Today's encounter was no different. To start with, she had no idea how Shásháme had a huckleberry and desert peach tart on her. They were some of her favorite fruits, so the fact that the energetic pony not only had a pastry made with them on hand, but had given it to her in the first place was beyond strange. Had Shásháme been a corax, Dawn Wings could have understood it. Bus she wasn't. She was just a pony.

It made no damn sense, just like the rest of this world. But, if she was honest with herself, at this point, she was beyond caring.

She'd savored the confection as long as she'd been able, since the flavors had made her feel closer to home than anything since she got to this world. So much so that she had quite literally broken down crying with joy. How the pony had known she'd been dreaming about desert peaches, or how she even got them in the first place, didn't matter. All she knew was that having that little taste of the Mojave desert had made her feel better than anything had in days. She hoped that Shásháme could somehow get more.

But even the warm feeling of budding friendship and nostalgia couldn’t offset her currently bad mood.

No, her mood was soured by the fact that she had been forced to move her time table up because of the impulsive, short sighted decisions of two incarna that should have had the damn vision to see that they were throwing away a perfect opportunity to stop a problem from being a problem ever again. She just hoped that they actually had a long term plan for this whole thing, but she couldn’t, for the life of her, see it. But, since she couldn’t actually do anything about the situation, she’d just have to make the most of it.

So far, she hadn’t seen any sign of the ticks moving in or out of the cave, which was something of a good sign. She hadn’t been able to watch them long enough to determine their delivery schedule, so she’d arrived early in the evening, hoping to catch the ticks coming to collect any love they’d harvested in the last day. This was going to be her only opportunity. She’d wait a little while longer for the collectors would arrive. Once they were inside the cave, she would tail them, and ambush the lead tick as it made its way back to where they were holding the captive ponies.

If all went according to plan, which she knew was entirely unlikely, she’d ambush the tick right as it swapped ledgers. The ledgers themselves were not a sufficient prize. No, she needed the lead tick too. And since the princess had made it very clear they didn't care about capturing him, only recovering the captured ponies, it was up to Dawn Wings to secure him. And that meant she needed to take him alive.

So, she sat in the tree, periodically sending out pulses of her threat sense into the night, hoping to detect something. She’d been staking out the area for over two hours at this point, and still nothing. If it came down to it, she’d just have to fly in and take her chances that the lead tick was in the larder.

Much to her delight, twenty minutes later, her powers picked up two new threats coming from the west. Pushing spiritual energy and force of will into her eyes, she called on her sight enhancement powers. Now freely able to observe the landscape, she spotted two non-descript ponies, pulling a cart towards the tunnel entrance along a hidden but well worn path through the trees.

She knew they were probably ticks, given where they were heading, but needed confirmation. After all, they could be ponies in league with the ticks. Once again focusing her spiritual energy into her eyes, she set her mystic vision against their disguises. As her sight pierced their illusions, she saw the black carapaces, fly wings, and perforated limbs of changelings.

'Alright. We have confirmation.’ She thought as a smile slowly worked its way into the corner of her mouth. She waited for the two ticks to enter the cavern. Once she was sure they’d gone in far enough that they wouldn’t hear her, she took to the air and began to follow.

Soon, she found herself once again in the twisting passages of the cavern, following the tick’s cart. Making mental notes and comparing the route they took before, she realized that they were taking a different path downward, but still in the general direction of their previous meeting point.

Eventually, they reached the rendezvous point, and took up a waiting position. Dawn Wings herself landed a bit further back in the cavern, hiding behind a stalagmite as she watched and waited.

“Velona meleola catame salus, telemeca cho lathema tala.” One of the ticks said as they waited. “Semele cha balathe ne selana.”

“Tecelama dapale chathamala ve salamata.” Her partner said with a slightly irritated look. “Helepa jaletena cho lethaca velos. Netega tulema le pecheli gavame.”

“Silose manapata aretacama leso natima.” The first tick replied, her face wearing the expression of one that had just been scolded.

“Emepa chelama ithe nataca.” The other said before simply staring down the tunnel.

‘Gaia I wish I could have understood all that.’ Dawn Wings thought as she watched.

Thankfully, it wasn’t much longer until she heard the telltale sound of another cart coming from deeper in the cavers. Arriving with little fanfare, she saw the unmistakable form of the lead tick hauling another half dozen pods. Unlike his cohorts, he was undisguised.

“Umalia pelemeta. Tebeshala cathe arama.” The lead tick said as he approached.

Nodding, the other ticks levitated the pods into the other cart and, looking over the ledger the lead tick presented, signed it, and passed it back.

“Clereha velone eteli henala.” He said before turning back down the tunnel and trotting off. The other ticks also turned to leave. Once both were out of sight, Dawn Wings took to the air and began to follow the lead tick.

‘Alright you bastard.’ She thought. ‘Moon-ass expects me to just hand over that ledger. I think I'm going to give her something far more valuable. You.’

She soon caught up with the tick, but kept her distance. She needed to take the tick alive, and that was going to require careful timing.

Soon, the tick arrived at his hidden stash. As the resin on the wall began to retract, Dawn Wings pulsed the area, and to her great satisfaction, there were no other threats. A small smile worked its way across the edges of her mouth. The tick, in the mean time, was looking around and checking behind him to be sure he was alone, he began to grab the second ledger.

‘Now or never!’ Dawn Wings thought as she called on the change, pushing her primal fury into the action as she dove towards the tick, her form rapidly expanding as she instantly shifted into her war form.

The tick must have heard her coming, because he wheeled around to face her, his horn lighting up to strike down whatever was coming. But as soon as he saw Dawn Wings, his eyes went wide as dinner plates. Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't anything like her crinos form. Before he could react, Dawn Wings had closed the distance between them and snatched him in her fore-claws, her left hand grabbing his face, while her right hand grasped the base of his wings, driving the sharpened points of her claws into the gaps in his carapace and into the flight muscles, piercing and disabling them.

Capitalizing on his shock, she used her momentum to carry them into the wall of the tunnel. As they impacted, the tick let out a sharp cry of pain. Using on the opening his shock provided, she pulled his head back and slammed it against the resin covered surface. The blow had the desired effect of dazing him, but she wasn’t finished. Pulling his head back again, she quickly repeated the action, slamming his head against the wall a second time. This time, the impact had the desired effect and knocked him out.

‘That went well. Now to grab the ledgers and get you out of here.’ She thought as she looked around the alcove. There was very little to work with: only the two books, the pod containing the stolen love, and the hose he used to siphon off the contents of the other pods.

With a low hiss of frustration, she slashed the hose with her claws. Pulling it free, she wound it around the tick’s limbs, binding his legs. Hoisting him over her shoulder, she carried him over to the cart and carefully set him in, along with the ledgers. As much as she hated the idea, she was going to have to carry him out in crinos form. She wasn’t going to be defenseless if she ran into other ticks along the way.

Looking back into the alcove, she considered the pod of stolen love. Making a split second decision, she grabbed the pod as well, gently setting it into the cart next to the unconscious tick. It might come in handy.

*****

Emerging from the caverns some time later, Dawn Wings took a minute to breathe a sigh of relief. She was out of the tunnels. Now was the matter of getting the tick to the capital. If she could take him into the umbra, it wouldn’t be an issue.

‘Howls-at-Dusk, where the hell are you when I need you? Oh, right, you’re back on Gaia. How could I fucking forget!’ She thought bitterly as she regarded the tick and her cargo. Wracking her brain, she growled with frustration. She didn’t have anywhere she could stash him that was secure, and couldn’t exactly show up in town with him in tow. There’d be too many questions.

‘Guess we’re making a late night delivery to Canterlot. Joy.’ She thought to herself. Looking back one last time, she just hoped that she’d be able to reach the city before her captive woke up. Granted, he was secured, and she’d crippled his wings when she’d ambushed him, but having him wake up while they were in flight would be a problem.

‘Just have to risk it.’ She thought. ‘Best bad option ahoy.’

Spreading her wings and breaking into a gallop, she took off, pulling the cart behind her and into the sky. Once airborne, she turned north and flew towards Canterlot. Knowing she had little time to reach the capital, she poured her fury into her wings, augmenting her flying speed. The cart behind her lurched as she poured it on. She didn’t have any time to waste.

*****

Luna was sitting on her throne, a status report from Lt. Vexing in Ponyville held in her t.k. It looked like the preparations were well underway to raid the changeling nest and rescue the ponies trapped inside.

Even if everything was in place, she stayed her hooves, though at the thought, a angry snort of frustration escaped her nostrils. She knew she’d promised Dawn Wings an extra day to collect intelligence, but the whole thing didn’t sit well with her. She wanted her citizens safe, and she wanted the changelings out of Ponyville and in custody. Chrysalis could be dealt with at any time, but losing even one of her citizens to her machinations was something she would not tolerate. Not after all of the lives lost in Trot and Timbucktu.

As she was brooding, a thestral night guard burst into the room, his features stern and controlled, but carrying a note of urgency. Upon reaching her, he dropped his head down low and bowed, waiting for her to give him leave to talk.

“Rise, my night blade. What brings you to us with such haste.” Luna inquired as she regarded the thestral.

“Your highness, we’ve spotted an unusual hippogriff approaching Canterlot airspace at high speed.” The guard said as he rose to address the princess. “It appears to be heading directly towards the castle. We’ve already dispatched two wings to intercept.”

Luna’s mind raced. A hippogriff? What in the name of harmony was a hippogriff doing in Equestrian territory. Then, it struck her. There was one creature who she knew of that could be mistaken for a hippogriff.

‘No! She would not be coming to us directly, would she?’ Luna thought.

“What is so unusual about this hippogriff?” Luna said, her tone betraying none of her immediate distress. She hoped that she was mistaken.

“It looks like no hippogriff we’ve ever seen. More crow like than hawk or eagle." The thestral reported. "And, she’s pulling some sort of cart. We were unable to identify the contents before we dispatched guards to intercept her, but she was coming in fast. And she was coming in at maybe 20 wingpower, almost three times the normal hippogriff limit."

'Equs damn you Dawn Wings.' Luna thought a she stood up and regarded the thestral. 'What are you doing?'

“Where is she now?” Luna said.

“Your highness?”

“I know this hippogriff.” Luna said firmly. “She's an ally, so do not engage her. We will deal with her.”

“Yes, your highness.” The guard said, “She’s currently about ten miles outside the city to the south west.”

“Thank you.” Luna said, before lighting her horn and vanishing in a burst of cobalt blue light.

*****

Dawn Wings had a feeling things might go like this. She was approaching the capital unannounced, in the dead of night, in her crinos form, hauling a wagon at high speed. Even with how well her feathers blended into the night sky, she wasn’t surprised that she drew the attention of the local guards.

Guards that were thankfully keeping their distance, but also boxing her in. She just hoped that they didn’t try to attack while she was hooked up to the cart. Losing her cargo was not an option, and she couldn't fight them off while burdened with the extra weight.

'Really missing you right now Howl. Would've been way easier to come in through the umbra.' She thought to herself as she watched the guards slowly tightening their formation around her. They'd called out to her earlier, but she hadn't been able to respond. Not without possibly tipping them off to her nature, since some of the guards in the castle had heard her speak before. And she didn't want them making those connections. She just hoped they wouldn't try to attack her.

Just as she was considering how to deal with the situation, a burst of cobalt blue erupted in the air above her. Looking up, she saw a very familiar, and very irritated, princess Luna.

“Dawn Wings! What are you doing here?!” Dawn Wings heard the princess yell. “We did not request you come to Canterlot!”

“My apologies, your highness, but circumstances changed.” Dawn Wings said, making sure to use Kawaisu instead of English, as she gained altitude and began to approach the princess. As she did, she saw the bat-winged pegasi begin to close in on her.

“Hold!” Luna shouted, her guards stopping and hovering in place. “She works for us! She is allowed to approach.”

The guards all looked at one another skeptically, but held their positions. Dawn Wings didn't bother to correct the princess. After all, she didn't work for her. At best, she worked for her sister. But she wasn't going to say that. Not when she needed to get her cargo dropped off and get back to Ponyville.

“Thank you, your highness.” Dawn Wings said with a measure of relief.

“Do not thank us yet. You have yet to answer our question.” Luna said evenly as Dawn Wings flew up to her. Turning in the air, the princess began to lead the corax towards the palace, knowing that she would be unable to hover with the cart attached to her. Chancing a look back at said cart, Luna was shocked to see the slumbering form of a bound changeling, along with a small changeling love harvesting pod, and two books.

“Dawn Wings, what have you done?” Luna said coolly.

“I saw an opportunity, and I seized it, princess.” Dawn Wings said as she flew. “I went to retrieve the ledger, and ran into this bug-eyed freak making a delivery of stolen love to another group of changelings. So, I figured, what better way to make sure we could use the ledger’s information than to grab the tick writing it down.”

“And you thought to bring him here?” Luna said, her voice incredulous.

“Well, it was either that or leave him somewhere and risk him escaping. I figured this was the best option I had.” Dawn Wings said as she looked at the princess. “I just hope you can get something out of him. And that I didn’t do too much damage to his brain when I knocked him out.”

Luna looked back at the cart, then to Dawn Wings.

“Very well.” She said with distaste. “Bring him to the palace, and we shall see what can be done.”

“You got it, princess.” Dawn Wings said, saluting as she flew beside the alicorn.

Luna narrowed her eyes at the corax, unsure if the salute had been mocking, or genuine. Knowing Dawn Wings, it was probably meant as mockery, prompting the princess to snort with irritation.

“Just… come along. We will need to wake Shining Armor to deal with this… mess.” Luna said with a low growl as the two of them approached the palace. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a small amount of smug satisfaction in Dawn Wings' eyes. 'Your master was right. You are a pain in the cutie mark.'

Author's Note

Dawn Wings does not agree with the princess's decisions. What does she do? Obeys the letter of the law, but not the spirit. Or incarna in this case.

…I'll just see myself out now.

As I publish this, the semester is hitting its midpoint, so my attention has been diverted between this, dissertation work, and teaching. Thanks to everyone who continues to read this. Dawn and I appreciate your continued interest and support. I'll try to keep up the weekly updates, but if things slip a little, I apologize.

Ch 23 - Blackmail is such an… unpleasant word…

* Canterlot Castle, prisoner infirmary*

Shining Armor trotted down the main corridor of the infirmary flanked by two other royal guards, his expression grim and, if one looked close enough, tired and irritated. He wasn’t just irritable because he’d been woken up at an unreasonable hour. As a soldier, he was used to having his sleep schedule disrupted at a moment’s notice.

No, he was irritated because of why he’d been woken up.

Turning a corner, he spotted the room he was heading to. It wasn’t hard to identify it: four royal guards stood at attention by the door, with at least three others inside the room with the doctors treating the prisoner inside.

A prisoner that was delivered to them over an hour ago by Dawn Wings. And suffering from some pretty nasty injuries, most likely gained when the corax subdued him.

As he approached the door, the guards saluted.

“Pass phrase.” One said, his features stoic.

“Winds of change, future opens to those with courage.” Shining said.

“Welcome captain.” The guard said as he allowed Shining past.

Inside the room, Shining saw two of the castle’s finest doctors working their magic on the prisoner, the latter of whom was currently resting on a surgery table under a glowing, blue-tinted lamp that contained a sedative enchantment. The scene in and of itself wasn’t strange. What was strange was that the prisoner. Said prisoner wasn’t a pony. It was a changeling.

Noticing the Captain, Doctor Arnica Poultice’s magic died down as he turned to face Shining.

“Well, Doctor, what’s the prognosis?” Shining said as he regarded the changeling. “I want to question him as soon as possible.”

Looking back at his patient, Dr. Arnica’s face turned into a brief frown, before returning his attention to Shining.

“Walk with me Captain.” The doctor said as he led Shining out of the room.

“I take it there were complications.” Shining said as he and the doctor exited the room to stand in the hallway.

“Of a sort.” Dr. Arnica replied, “When the prisoner was brought in, he was suffering from both a moderate concussion, and severe lacerations to his wing muscles.”

“Were you able to treat him?” Shining asked.

“Well, yes and no. The concussion was simple enough to deal with. A few healing spells and a dosage of anti-inflammatory medicine seems to have cleared up the worst of it. When he wakes up, he’ll have a bit of a headache, but thankfully there shouldn’t be any long term damage.”

“That’s good.” Shining said with an even tone of voice, “What about his wings?”

Dr. Arnica looked uncomfortable for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head.

“That’s where things get strange.” He said with a weary tone. “For some reason, the wounds are resisting treatment. None of our healing spells are having any sort of effect on them.”

Shining raised an eyebrow.

“Go on.” He said.

“I just… I have no idea what’s going wrong.” The doctor continued as he wiped his forehead with a hoof. “Even class 3 healing magic just seems to wash off them. The bleeding stopped on its own, but the wounds themselves aren’t healing. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Do you know what caused the damage?”

“That’s where things get even stranger. The wounds look like they were caused by some sort of talon strike, like from a griffon of hippogriff.” Dr. Arnica said as he looked back to the room. “It was a precision hit too. Whatever attacked that changeling went directly after his wings and lacerated his flight muscles. Unless we can find a way to treat the damage, he may never be able to fly again.”

Shining considered this new information.

“Can you detect any thaumatic contamination on the wounds?” Shining asked.

“No. Nothing.” Dr. Arnica replied, “After the first spell failed, we immediately checked. But we found nothing. No dark magic pollution. No chaos magic. No wounding enchantment contaminating the injuries. Whatever is preventing us from treating his wounds, it’s nothing we’ve ever dealt with.”

“I see.” Shining said, adding this new information to possible threats that Dawn Wings posed. “Other than his wings, is the prisoner healthy enough to be questioned. We’ve got a limited window of time to do it before Chrysalis figures out we’ve got him.”

Dr. Anrica looked at Shining sternly, his medical training fighting against his need to abide by his C.O.’s needs.

“Yes, he should.” Dr. Arnica said slowly. “The concussion’s been treated, so he should be well enough to answer questions. But, I would advise not aggravating him too much, lest he re-open the wounds on his back.”

“How long until he wakes up?”

“Once the sedative field is removed? 10-15 minutes, max.”

“Good.” Shining said with a nod, “Once he can be moved, have him transferred to interrogation room 7, but keep him sedated. I don’t want any surprises.

“Of course Captain.” Dr. Arnica said with a salute.

Turning to leave, Shining closed his eyes and fought down a groan.

‘Damn you, Dawn Wings. I didn’t need this pile of horseapples on my plate.’

*****

Some twenty minutes later, Shining found himself in a large, sterile room sitting at a table. Stationed in the corners of the room were four of his mist-knights, each one cloaked by their armor’s enchantments. Sitting opposite him at the table was the changeling, all four of his legs and his neck shackled to the ground by sturdy chains, each one etched with magic-suppression runes. Attached to the ceiling was another sedative field emitter, which Shining had turned off moments ago, but could have reactivated at a moment’s notice.

Pulling on his magic, Shining cast a simple “wake-up” charm on the changeling. With a confused snort, the changeling opened his eyes. Moments later, he laid eyes on Shining armor, and his expression went cold.

“Good. You’re awake.” Shining said as he regarded the changeling. “You probably know who I am, but in case you don’t, my name is Captain Shining Armor of the Canterlot Royal Guard. And I have some questions for you.”

The changeling said nothing. Instead, it looked around the room, and then down at its restraints.

“Don’t bother trying to use your magic. Those suppressors were specifically designed to contain changeling magic. You won’t even be able to change form as long as they’re on.” Shining said. “Now, lets get down to business…”

Shining took a small sip of coffee before regarding the changeling.

“Let's just get the basics out of the way. You were captured under Ponyville. We’ve determined that you and your fellow changelings kidnapped and held nearly a dozen of our citizens hostage to drain of their love. We also know of at least one pony that was killed by you and your kind, one…” Shining pulled open a folder with his magick, looking at the report he’d received from Dawn Wings on her first visit, “…Spearmint Frost.”

The changeling simply regarded Shining with barely veiled loathing. Shining continued on.

“We also know that you’re one of Chrysalis’s High Reavers, meaning you’re a fairly important changeling, and have been in charge of the… occupation of Ponyville.” Shining said as he looked through the folder again. “And from everything that you’ve done, you’re looking at a potential lifetime in the dungeons of Canterlot. Not a fate I’d be enthusiastic about.”

The changeling narrowed his eyes as a low hiss escaped his throat, but still said nothing.

“Look, we know most of you changelings don’t like Chrysalis. So, here’s the deal. You tell me where she’s hiding, and maybe I can be convinced to reduce your sentence.”

The changeling remained silent, his glare continuing to bounce off Shining’s stoic bastion.

“I see.” Shining said as he regarded the prisoner. “Well, I think it only fair to tell you that we’re currently raiding your little nest under Ponyville. As we speak, one of my lieutenants is storming the caverns you and your kind have been using to ferry out the love you’ve been draining from our citizens. Make no mistake, my subordinate will reclaim our ponies, and capture all of your cohorts.”

The changeling narrowed its eyes, and a small smile worked its way up the edges of his mouth.

“Don’t believe me eh? Think I’m bluffing? Well, here, look at this…” Shining said as he pulled out a piece of paper from the folder and slid it in front of the changeling, causing his eyes to go wide with shock.

On the paper was a map of Ponyville, individual houses marked with locations for changelings, as well as detailed drawings of the primary disguise each was using, and the collaborators that had been working with them. Spring Leaf’s General Store had been marked as well, with at least a dozen ponies noted to being held in the basement. Flipping the page, Shining revealed a detailed map of the underground tunnel network, that led from Ponyville to the Whitetail Woods.

“Believe me now? Your subordinates are being apprehended as we speak, and will be brought to Canterlot for interrogation. We’ll be offering them the same deal as you. But, we’re not going to show leniency on everychangeling we capture. Only the first two that give us the information we want. I’m sure you’d rather it be you than any of the others, now wouldn’t you?”

The changeling’s face returned to cold, impassivity.

“Still don’t want to talk?” Shining said with an exaggerated sigh. “That’s too bad. I didn’t want to resort to this, but you’re leaving me no choice.”

Pulling out a third photo, Shining slid it up to the changeling. Where seeing the complete map of changeling occupancy in Ponyville had led to shock, what the changeling now saw prompted outright horror.

“How did you…!?” He exclaimed.

“Oh, so you can speak? Well, how we got these doesn’t matter. Just know that we have those ledgers in a safe location, as well as the vessel containing the love you ‘skimmed off the top’ from your shipments to Chrysalis. I just want you to know, that if you should decide not to cooperate, those ledgers might just find their way into the hooves of one of your subordinates, who will just so happen to be in a cell with a faulty lock and suppressor runes…”

“You wouldn’t dare!” The changeling wailed in horror.

“I don’t know what you mean. After all, it wouldn’t be my fault if somehow a changeling escaped with evidence of your treason. Evidence that they would be oh so willing to give to your queen in exchange for your position. We know how cutthroat the swarm can be.”

“I can’t tell you anything! Chrysalis will kill me!” The changeling screamed.

“And she won’t if she somehow learns about your little thefts?” Shining said.

The changeling’s demeanor shifted rapidly to terrified. In his agitation, he tried to use his wings to fly away. The instant he did, he let out a sharp, piercing scream of agony as the muscles connected to his wings tore even further, causing him to double over in pain.

“Right, I should have warned you.” Shining said evenly as he pulled the documents away from the changeling and put them back into their folder. “We don’t know who brought you in, but whoever they are seems to have damaged your wing muscles, so I wouldn’t try that again.”

“You…bastards.” The changeling whimpered.

“Don’t blame us. We tried to treat the damage, but something about those wounds resisted our magic. I’m sure, in time, they might heal, but you’d better not use them until then.” Shining said, his voice lacking any sympathy. “Now, getting back on topic; are you going to cooperate? Or are you going to end up on Chrysalis’s hitlist. It's your choice.”

“If I’m dead either way, why would I betray my kind and help you, pony?” The changeling spat as he glared at Shining through pain laced eyes.

“Why not? You’ve already betrayed them by stealing that love. And, if we’re being honest here, we know you hate her.” Shining said as he watched the changeling’s eyes go wide again. “Don’t bother asking how we know. But we know. So, if you’re dead either way, why not help us? Think about it: helping us means that you and your kind will be free from Chrysalis’s control. What better revenge against a ruler you hate than making sure her enemies can bring her down.”

Shining could see something shift in the changeling’s expression. He knew he was trapped. Now, all Shining needed to do was land the finishing blow.

“Tell you what. I might be able to convince the princesses to grant you limited amnesty in return for your cooperation.” Shining said as he got up from the table. “You won’t be allowed to go free, but we’ll ensure that your living conditions are comfortable, and we’ll keep you safe from Chrysalis’s wrath. And, once Chrysalis is taken care of… who knows? You might be allowed to go free.”

Shining trotted up to the door, using his magic to unlock its seals.

“Think on it. But, think quickly. I expect my subordinates to be bringing in the other changelings from Ponyville soon, and if you haven’t made a decision… well, one of them might take the deal to save their own carapaces, and you’ll get nothing.”

And with that, Shining walked out the door and closed it, sealing the changeling inside.

*****

Consciousness slowly intruded on Dawn Wings’ mind, forcing her back to reality and away from her dreams of snow-capped peaks and tasty lizards. Cracking her eyes open, she sighed through her nostrils as she slowly rose from her bed.

‘Her bed.’ She thought ruefully. ‘Ugh. Never in a million years.’

Her late night trip to Canterlot had taken more out of her than she cared to admit, but the price had been worth it. The princesses had the lead tick in custody, and if Moon-ass had kept her word, the tick’s nest had been raided sometime in the early morning hours after she’d snatched their leader.

That was going to make going through town so much more entertaining this morning. With her luck, the ponies would be panicking over the whole thing. Hopefully Ropeman’s soldier’s didn’t botch it and let the changelings get away. Gaia only knows what sort of panic that might cause.

Groaning, she decided to get up and prepare to greet Bridgid. After all, it was out of her wings now. And with that taken care of, maybe she could actually get to spend some time learning Equish and maybe get herself settled.

‘Getting settled.’ She blanched as the thought crossed her mind. ‘There’s no fucking way I’m going to end up one of these docile, domesticated ponies. Not now. Not ever…’

Pushing the unpleasant thoughts out of her head, she stretched her back and wings out, before hopping out of the bed and heading out the door and downstairs. As she passed the kitchen, she spotted Maeitechusho and Retelo Cameta sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast. Seeing their guest, Maeitechusho gestured for her to join them. Looking out the window, Dawn Wings could tell that the sun would rise soon.

Raising a hoof, she tried to convey that she’d be back in a moment, which only prompted the two ponies to look at her with raised eyebrows. Huffing through her nose, she turned and walked out the door. Once outside, she flew to the hill she’d chosen for her morning oaths, and waited patiently for the sun to rise.

Soon, the glowing orb had begun to crest the horizon, prompting Dawn Wings to spread her wings out and present them to the firey orb.

“To Bridgid, I offer my thanks for your life giving light, your fire to fuel my strength, and the bounty your power provides.”

Looking to the sky, she spoke again.

“To Raven, I hope my words are reaching you, and that you’re enjoying my suffering you cagy old bastard. I’m sure all of this has been very entertaining for you and Gaia.”

Looking to the ground, she said her penultimate oath.

“To Equs, I offer my insight, so that you might know what is happening on your body, and my solemn oath that I will do what I can to ensure that the agents of the Wyrm do not poison you like they’ve poisoned Gaia.”

Rising to her hooves, Dawn Wings completed her morning oaths.

“To the spirits of the Sun, World and father Raven, I swear to serve as your eyes for as long as I live.”

Folding her wings and turning back to the house, Dawn Wings was only slightly surprised to see Maeitechusho and Retelo Cameta standing outside the house, watching her as she did her morning ritual.

Taking to the air, she flew over to the house and landed by the two ponies, both of whom were looking at her with curious eyes.

“What?” Dawn Wings asked with a shrug, knowing that the ponies couldn’t understand her.

Snapping out of their confusion, the two of them gave her an odd look, as if unsure what to make of what she’d just done, before turning and walking back inside, with Dawn Wings following behind. Soon, all three were seated at the kitchen table, a large plate of apple and straw filled flapjacks being shared between them. For her part, Dawn Wings only ate a few of the thick, heavy pastries compared to the other ponies at the table. Too much to eat would slow her down when she was flying.

Finishing her flapjacks, Dawn Wings rose and, after bowing to her hosts, made her way outside and took off, heading towards the Golden Oak Library. Hopefully, Vinemana would be up and about, and ready for another day of drilling Equish into Dawn Wings’ poor brain.

*****

A steady pulse of spiritual energy repeatedly emerged from Dawn Wings as flew through Ponyville.

And she was happy to find that her gifts were detecting no active threats in town.

‘Looks like Ropeboy managed to actually not screw things up.’ Dawn Wings thought as she flew. ‘Good for him.’

As she flew, she saw that dozens of ponies were making their way towards the general store that the ticks had been using as their hideout. Suspecting what was going on, but not wanting to look like she was already in the loop, Dawn Wings feigned confusion as she landed and watched the ponies rushing towards the west end of town. Taking a short look and shifting her expression to confused curiosity, she took back to the air and flew in the direction the ponies were all headed.

As she drew closer to Spring Leaf’s store, she saw the large crowd of ponies gathered round it, with the silver-armored guards holding the crowd back. On the ground, there were over a dozen pods, each being slowly cut open and split in half. As each pod was opened, the soldiers extracted an emaciated, hollow eyed pony. These ponies, once free of the ensnaring slime, were carried to a makeshift medical tent by the soldiers and handed over to ponies wearing medical scrubs.

Making sure to keep her expression unsure what she was seeing, Dawn Wings was internally smirking. Hopefully they hadn’t just grabbed the tick’s pods, but managed to grab the ticks themselves.

‘Well, enough sightseeing, let's get to Vinemana.’ Dawn Wings thought as she turned away and flew towards Golden Oak Library.

*****

The first thing that Dawn Wings noticed when she arrived at the library was the distinct lack of guards. It was a sign that either they were confident that they had cleared the town of ticks, or they were all needed for the raid. Regardless, it would be nice just to be able to walk into the library as usual, and not have to deal with any… surprises…

Dawn Wings furrowed her brows as she approached the door to the library and heard a trio of voices within. It wasn’t that there were three speakers inside. Two of the voices were familiar, but the third was not, at least not immediately, though there was something subtly familiar about it. No, that could have been expected. What she didn’t expect was to understand one of them through her ability to understand Spirits.

Standing on the outside of the door, Dawn Wings swiveled her ears to listen.

“Yes, Twilight, from what we’ve been able to get from the changeling, they were just here to observe you and the other elements.”

“Camaleta co amavelana lathus paemeta.” Vinemana said, “Velamus patamala cho laete.”

“Opportunity, would be my guess.” The unknown speaker said. “Hopefully, they won’t be back any time soon.”

“Meala ticheba ulamenate leteme ves panemo ieveta.” Dawn Wings heard Tlectalae say.

“We’ve got a plan in motion, but we need Dawn Wings before we can proceed.” The unknown pony said, “Speaking of… Dawn Wings, I know you’re outside the door! You can come in any time now!”

Dawn Wings raised an eyebrow as she heard Vinemana and Tlectalae both express surprise at the third pony’s exclamation. She had a feeling she knew who the third speaker was, but she’d have to get a look at her to confirm.

Pushing the door open, the corax stepped into the library, a pleased smile stretched across her face. Looking the other occupants of the room over, she recognized her tutor and her lizard, but she didn’t recognize the rose fured, magenta maned pegasus with a sunflower buttoo standing next to Vinemana. At least, she didn’t recognize her face. But, pushing spiritual energy into her eyes, her sight pierced the magick around her, and revealed the radiant form of princess Celestia.

“Hello, princess Celestia. This is… unexpected.” Dawn Wings said before dropping into a respectful bow. Unlike with Luna, the corax didn’t need to feign respect to Bridgid’s incarna. “To what do I owe the privilege of your company? I trust there was nothing wrong with the gift I brought you last night. I'd have wrapped it in a bow, but, y'know, they were out at the store.”

Both Vinemana and Tlectalae starred in nearly slack jawed surprise and mild horror as Dawn Wings spoke. Dawn Wings realized that this was probably the most verbose they’d ever heard her being, and it was probably freaking them out a little.

“Somehow, I can’t even pretend to be surprised that you knew it was me.” The disguised incarna said as she smiled at the corax. “No. Nothing specifically was wrong with it, but it did set some things in motion.”

“Really? Well, I’m all ears.” Dawn Wings said as she rose from her bow. “What can I do for you, your highness?”

“I’ll explain in just a moment. Twilight? Spike? Will you come a little closer? You’re going to be in on this too.” Celestia said, snapping pony and lizard out of their shocked stupor. Lighting her horn, Dawn Wings saw the familiar magick of the translation spell manifest and settled down onto the floor of the library. “Much better.”

“Princess, what’s going on, and what did you just do? I’ve never seen a spell matrix even remotely close to as complicated as this.” Twilight said with awe as she stared at the runic circle, trying to decipher the spell matrix.

“Well, my guess is she wants us all on the same page, Sparkle.” Dawn Wings said, taking a great degree of satisfaction in the shocked look on Vinemana and Tlectalae’s faces.

“What the…!” Tlectalae exclaimed.

“I can understand you!? Princess, is this circle translating for us?” Vinemana asked in rapid succession.

The disguised princess lifted a hoof to her mouth and tittered lightly.

“Yes, Twilight.” Celestia said, smirking even wider as Vinemana’s eyes became enormous and she began to happily trot in place, a giant, manic grin spreading across her face as her head whipped back and forth around the perimeter of the circle, trying to take in everything in the spell matrix she was seeing.

“Oh my gosh, this is incredible. How does this work? Is there a trigger rune that’s deciphering our thoughts and altering the sound we’re picking up? Wait, I think I see a universal binding glyph on the third tier circle. How is that not shorting out the fifth integration tangent angle of the other two?…”

The other occupants of the circle continued to watch as Vinemana had a Vinemana-moment. Looking at the other two, Dawn Wings could see Tlectalae all but facepalm at the unicorn’s nerdgasming. Looking at the princess, the corax noticed that there was a hint of mirth under the incarna’s mask.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you, princess?” Dawn Wings asked as she trotted up to the princess.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dawn Wings.” She said, though there was an amused smile in her eyes.

“Sure you don’t, your highness. Sure you don’t.” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the still rambling unicorn. “So… do we want to let her work this out of her system, or get her back on track?”

“We should probably get things back on track. I can’t stay for much longer.” Celestia said with a tiny smirk on her face.

“Right, right. So, do you want to snap her out of it? I’m not sure she’d enjoy me doing it.” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the unicorn, still lost in her own little world, but had somehow, inexplicably, managed to grab a quill and scroll, upon which she was taking furious notes as she rambled.

“I suppose I should.” Celestia said, before turning to the unicorn. “Twilight… test.”

In an instant, Vinemana’s irises shrunk to pinpricks and she snapped to attention, tossing the scroll to the side and staring directly at the incarna. Yet, upon seeing the look on Celestia’s face, she relaxed slightly, even beginning to scowl a little.

“Princess…” Vinemana said with a little bit of hurt. “That wasn’t very nice…”

“I’m sorry, my faithful student, but it was the fastest way to get you out of the Twilight-zone.” Celestia said with a little regret in her voice.

“Still…” Vinemana began.

“Look, star-butt, I don’t know what your deal is with tests, but as funny as it was to watch you have your little meltdown, I think we should probably get back to why princess Celestia’s here.” Dawn Wings said as she walked up to the unicorn. “Which I’m pretty sure isn’t to watch you nerdgasm over a translation spell. Unless it is, in which case, I could use some snacks before we get back to the show.”

Vinemana turned to Dawn Wings and narrowed her eyes.

“Are you always like this?” Vinemana said, irritation creeping into her voice.

“Only when it’s amusing. Or I’m bored.” Dawn Wings replied with a half smirk. “So, eh, 80% of the time, give or take.”

“I’m starting to think teaching you Equish is going to be detrimental to my sanity.” Vinemana said with a huff.

“Aw, don’t worry. You’re already completely crazy, star-butt. Functionally crazy, sure. But crazy nonetheless.” Dawn Wings replied, her half-mouthed smirk never leaving her face.

Before Vinemana could reply, the corax turned to the princess.

“So, now that we’re all back to reality, I take it that this little visit has something to do with the ticks you just yanked out.” Dawn Wings said with a serious tone of voice.

“You’re quite right Dawn Wings.” Celestia said. “To get straight to the point, from what we managed to get out of the changeling High Reaver you captured, and with independent corroboration from the other changelings, we believe we’ve managed to pin down where Chrysalis is hiding.”

“What!” Tlectalae yelled. “You know where she is? And you haven’t dropped a solar flare on her yet?”

“Spike’s right.” Vinemana said, her face twisting into a scowl. “If we know where she is, I say we take her out now.”

“Don’t worry about that, my faithful student, we will.” Celestia said, “It's for that very reason I’m here to collect Dawn Wings.”

Dawn Wings could only raise an eyebrow at that.

“And what do you need little old me for?” She said with barely veiled interest.

“You’ve proven yourself more than capable of scouting out the changelings without being detected.” Celestia said with a knowing nod. “If I send pony scouts, they’re bound to be found out, and Chrysalis will know we’re coming.”

“Ah, I get it. You want me to confirm that the ticks you interrogated weren’t selling you a plate of ‘dish towel’-tempura before you commit to a full scale attack.” Dawn Wings said with a satisfied smirk. “Sounds fun. And if I find the tick-queen, do you want me to see if I can put her down, or…”

“No. We intend to take her alive.” Celestia said sternly.

“That’s a surprise.” Dawn Wings said.

“I agree.” Vinemana added, “Princess, why do you want to capture her? At best, she deserves nothing less than to be added to the statue garden.”

“Indeed Twilight, but our plan is to remove Chrysalis from power without regicide.” Celestia said, “Killing her would just make the changelings fight that much harder against us to avenge her death. But, if we take her, and show the changelings that without her poisoning them with her hate, perhaps we can make peace. Even coexist in some way.”

Dawn Wings let out a loud, humorless laugh.

“I’m not sorry to say this princess, but that’s bullshit. The ticks are wyrmspawn, and wyrmspawn exit only to destroy.” Dawn Wings hissed, her contempt on full display. “It’s really cute and admirable in some deluded sort of way that you want to save them, but from where I’m sitting, I say if you take the queen, use her as bait to lure the rest of them in, and burn them to ash like the roaches they are. Your world would be better off for it.”

Both Vinemana and Tlectalae balked in horror, while Celestia regarded Dawn Wings with a scowl, but the corax didn’t flinch.

“Dawn Wings, I appreciate your input, but that’s not how we do things. In Equestria, we believe in redemption, harmony, and friendship, not genocide.” Celestia said, “Make no mistake, Chrysalis will be removed from the board. But by doing so mercifully, we hope to show them that despite all she and their kind have done to us, we still are willing to hold out the hoof of friendship.”

Dawn Wings scowled at the princess. She didn’t like this. Not one bit.

“Alright. Fine.” Dawn Wings said with a huff. “But, for the record, I think this is a terrible idea. You don’t know Wyrmspawn like I do.”

Celestia’s face morphed into a warm smile.

“Perhaps, Dawn Wings.” The incarna said with a maternal tone, “But you don’t know how the game is played on Equs like I do. You said so yourself not too long ago. So, I ask you to play by my rules for the time being, and see if maybe you learn how our game is played.”

Dawn Wings looked Celestia in the eyes, and saw nothing but determination and hope. It was madness. This crazy pony incarna thought she could she could turn Wyrmspawn away from their very nature? Naive. But, she was right about one thing: She knew how the game was played on Equs.

‘Maybe it’s time I start trying to learn the rules too.’ Dawn Wings ruefully thought.

“Okay, you win. I’ll play by your rules. For now.” Dawn Wings conceded. “So, where am I headed?”

Author's Note

So, we've cleaned up one problem. Now onto deal with the next.

Ch 24 - So, are there garthim in that thing?

The sun was high in the sky as Twilight and Spike made their way towards Sweet Apple Acres. It had been nearly three hours since princess Celestia had departed with Dawn Wings, and Twilight was still trying to wrap her head around the whole thing. Princess Celestia was planning to attempt to capture Chrysalis? And she was going to have Dawn Wings be the one to track her down? The whole thing was giving Twilight a headache.

The least of which had to do with actually talking to the otherworldly pegasus. From what she remembered of her conversation with Raven in Dawn Wings’ dreamscape, the spymaster had said that she was a handful. But he didn’t mention that she was kinda a sarcastic jerk. That she felt so at ease speaking to princess Celestia with such casualness and frankly outright rudeness was almost too much for Twilight to take.

“So, Spike, do you remember the cover story we’re giving them?” Twilight said as she looked at the little dragon walking along next to her.

“Yea.” Spike said. “Princess Celestia called her back to Canterlot, first to check in with her to see how she’s integrating, and to talk with some of the professors at CSGU to try figuring out that language of hers. If she's gone for a while, we tell them that she chose to go exploring around Equestria for a bit.”

Twilight nodded.

“I still don’t get why she’s so darn secretive about what she is.” Spike said they walked through the gates of Sweet Apple Acres and towards the Apple’s house. “I mean, it’s so cool.”

“Probably the same reason the Power Ponies or Steel Stallion keep their identities secret in your comics: she doesn’t want anypony to know who and what she is.” Twilight said with a smile. “She is a scout and a spy, after all. Kinda hard to do her job if everyone knows what she does.”

“I guess.” Spike said as he folded his hands behind his head as he walked alongside Twilight. As they approached the farmhouse, they spotted Apple Bloom and Granny Smith out front, the former playing with Winona, the latter sitting in her rocking chair and watching her granddaughter. Hearing Twilight approaching, Winona turned away from Apple Bloom and ran up to the unicorn and dragon, pouncing on the former and licking her in the face.

“Hello to you too Winona.” Twilight said with a giggle as she gently pushed the dog off and patted her head.

“Heya Twilight! Heya Spike!” Apple Bloom called as she scampered up to the two visitors. “What’re yah doing here? Comin’ to see AJ?”

“We are. But we’re also here about Dawn Wings.” Twilight said.

“Why, is somethin’ wrong with her?” Apple Bloom said with concern.

“No no, nothing’s wrong. Princess Celestia just wanted her to come back to Canterlot for a bit.” Twilight said reassuringly to the filly, “She wants to see how she’s holding up, and have some of the university professors try to figure out that language of her’s.”

“Oh, okay.” Apple Bloom said. “How long’s she gonna be gone?”

“Probably for a while.” Twilight said with a reassuring smile. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. In any case, do you know where AJ is?”

“Yea, she’s in the back forty, probably the south east part.” Apple Bloom said.

“Thank you Apple Bloom.” Twilight replied.

“Sho’ thin’ Twilight. When yah’ see Dawn Wings next, tell her I said hi.” The filly said before scampering off to resume her game with Winona.

With a nod to Spike, Twilight began to trot passed the farmhouse and towards the part of the vast orchard that hopefully included Applejack. A twenty minutes or so of wandering through the trees, and they hit paydirt when they spotted Applejack tending to a large patch of trees. The fruits were still ripening, so rather than bucking, she was removing weeds and leaf litter from around the trunks.

“AJ!” Twilight called out to the farm pony. “Have you got a minute?”

Looking up from her work, Applejack smiled as she spotted Twilight and Spike.

“Twilight! Spike!” AJ called as she trotted over. “How’re ya’ll doin’?”

“We’re doing well AJ.” Twilight said, before her tone turned serious. “I just wanted to warn you that we might be called out on element business soon.”

AJ’s jovial mood turned sharply, and she became dead serious.

“What’s happenin’. It got somethin’ to do with tha changelin’ that went after yah’?” Applejack said.

“Yes. Last night, the silver-knights located and raided a changeling nest under Barnyard Bargains West.” Twilight said grimly. “They managed to capture six of them, and rescued at least a dozen ponies. Princess Luna had them taken back to Canterlot for interrogation. I think she’s trying to find where Chrysalis is hiding.”

“Whoa. That’s crazy Twi.” Applejack said with a whistle. “So, we’re on standby in case she figures out where that nasty varmint’s hidin’.”

“Pretty much.” Spike said, “I think she may be planning to go after Chrysalis once they figure out where she is.”

“Good.” Applejack growled, “That bug’s got whatever the princess has planned comin’. Thanks for lettin’ me know.”

“Of course AJ. Are you free later? I’m going to tell the rest of the girls, and then have a planning meeting at Golden Oak Library. Think you could be there around 4pm?” Twilight said.

“Yea, ah should be done by then.” Applejack responded.

“Good, I’ll see you then.” Twilight said, before turning to leave. She got exactly two steps before Spike poked her leg, causing her to stop. Looking down at him, he pointed to AJ and mouthed the words ‘Dawn Wings.’ At that, Twilight’s eyes widened a little as she remembered her other task.

“AJ, one last thing.” Twilight said as she turned back to the farmer.

“Ah’m all ear’s Twi.” Applejack said as she looked over her shoulder at the unicorn.

“Dawn Wings won’t be staying with you for a little while.” Twilight said, “Princess Celestia summoned her back to Canterlot. Something about checkin in to see how she’s doing, and see if the professors at the university can work out anything about her language.”

Applejack regarded Twilight for a minute.

“That seems kinda weird Twi. Why would the princess herself be askin’ for her.” Applejack said as she turned back to the unicorn. “Seems a might suspicious if you ask me.”

Twilight’s mind raced as she tried to come up with something to say. Luckily, Spike was there to pick up the slack.

“Well, I think it was the princess that found her in the first place, so maybe she’s just concerned.” Spike said, “I mean, Dawn Wings is pretty unusual, especially that language of hers. You’ve heard her talk.”

“Ah’ guess.” Applejack said, “Ah hope it doesn’t have anythin’ to do with them changelings. Ah’d hate to learn ah had one of them varmints livin’ under mah’ roof.”

“Don’t worry AJ.” Twilight said in a reassuring tone, “I’m 100% certain Dawn Wings isn’t a changeling.”

“If yah say so Twi.” Applejack replied skeptically. “Ah’ just think she’s mighty odd, if yah ask me.”

“You thought the same thing about Zecora too, one uppon a time.” Spike replied. “And look how that turned out.”

“Spike…” Twilight warned.

“Nah, its okay Twi.” Applejack said with a smile. “Spike’s right. Bloom seems tah’ like er’, so ah guess she’s ahlright. Ah’ just hope she’s not gettin’ mixed up in the stuff with tha’ changelings.”

“Don’t worry about her, AJ.” Twilight said, “I’m sure she’s doing just fine.”

“Ahlright Twi, if yah say so.” AJ said before turning back to her work. “Ah’ll see yah later tonight.”

“You too AJ.” Twilight said as she and Spike headed back to town.

*Elsewhere, far away from Ponyville, in the umbra*

Dawn Wings’ eyes narrowed with rage as she flew above the twisted, corrupt landscape of the umbra. From the location she’d been given by princess Celestia, and directions given to her by her gifts, she was heading towards what she hoped was the tick’s home, and, with any luck, where she’d find the tick queen.

And from the corruption below her, she knew she was on the right track.

The further she flew, the more desolate the umbra became. Once pristine streams and forests became twisted and grotesque, the clear, clean waters replaced by rivers of foul smelling sludge and the trees covered with cancerous tumors and pulsing veins filled with sickening white puss. Other plant life turned sickly and dead, as though the life were being leached out of the realm.

Then, there were the banes.

The malevolent spirits were rare at first, but soon became more common. Most of them were the hideous assasin-bug like ones, but as she flew, she began to see other types. Some were massive leech-like creatures that swam in the toxic sludge of the rivers, snapping at any passing spirits they could reach. Others were vicious looking centipede like creatures that fed on the assassin-bug banes. At one point, as she flew over a large valley, she spotted a pack of ooralath; vicious, deinonychus-like spirits covered in hardened carapaces like an insect. The malevolent things had managed to drag one of the massive leeches out of a nearby river, and were in the process of using hit and run tactics to slowly rip it apart.

There was no doubt about it in Dawn Wings’ mind. She was getting closer to the epicenter of a massive amount of wyrmtaint.

In a twisted way, it was nostalgic and natural feeling. Having been around so much sugary sweet cheer for the last month, there was a certain amount of comfort in the presence of the same kind of nastiness she was used to in Los Angeles and Bakersfield.

Still, she kept her wits about her as she flew. She was heading into the heart of enemy territory, and that meant her life was on the line. But, at the same time, that also gave her a thrill. She missed the danger of active duty. She missed the challenge of infiltrating enemy territory. And she missed the life or death stakes involved.

‘Glad this world isn’t making you soft, Wings.’ She thought to herself as she flew.

The land became more and more corrupt as she flew onward along the spirit trail her gift had laid down for her. Soon, the twisted trees and vegetation vanished altogether, replaced with pools of crusted sludge, small pockets of balefire, and dozens of banes. More disturbing were the long, vein-like roots that stretched across the landscape, each one oozing reaking puss and the corpses of dead spirits onto the umbral ground.

Then, as she flew over the crest of a hill, her goal came into view. Below her was a massive valley, its landscape thoroughly polluted by wyrm-taint and absolutely infested with assassin-bug banes. And at the center was the conflux of the puss spewing roots that snaked and twisted across and through the ground. Even from this distance, the structure was massive, resembling a black, twisted termite mound. But what was worse were the dozens of long, grasping, raptorial insect legs that sprouted from its surface, writhing and twitching in the air, occasionally lashing out to snatch banes off the surface to feed into large slavering maws at its base of the mound.

‘Looks like this is the place.’ Dawn Wings thought as she regarded the structure. Pushing spiritual energy into her flesh, she stepped sideways out of the umbra, and into the material realm. As she exited, the landscape became less openly horrifying, but no less barren and dead. All below her, the ground was bare and dry, without a hint of healthy vegetation. Even the trees were dead and bare, the exposed wood under the cracked and flaking off bark bleached.

Landing in the bows of one of the dead trees, Dawn Wings’ brows furrowed with anger at the desecration of the land below her.

‘How in the name of Gaia could the ponies have missed this!? I thought the ticks were subtle. This is as subtle as a black spiral dancer orgy, just with less murder.’ Dawn Wings growled in her mind as she surveyed the valley, her rage boiling just below the surface. She clamped down on it hard, forcing herself to stay calm. ‘Did you four legged morons never even consider looking for them before? Gah! I had a feeling before, but now I’m sure of it: every one of the equines is a nut-job. And not the kind the monkeys give their significant others.’

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Dawn Wings managed to calm herself enough to focus on the task at hand: penetrating the hive, mapping its interior and figuring out where Chrysalis was. If the ponies were going to try to take the queen, then she was going to give them the best possible chance she could.

And that meant observations. Lots of observations. Right in the middle of the hornet’s nest, so to speak.

She was almost giddy with anticipation.

But first, she needed a plan of attack, because from the size of that thing, this was going to be a multi-day affair. Maybe even weeks long if she was being honest with herself. With that realization, something else suddenly came crashing down on top of her head.

With how dead and barren the landscape around her was, there was probably nothing for her to eat… anywhere. No plants meant no herbivores. No herbivores meant no predators. No predators or herbavores meant nothing to scavenge or hunt. She wouldn’t even be able to find fruits or seeds to eat.

There was a moment of cold realization: she wouldn’t be able to stay in the tick mound and survey continuously. She’d have to leave and come back on a daily basis. Which, given the barrenness of the land, meant that she’d stick out even more. If other animals were avoiding the area, she’d be the only bird anywhere within at least a hundred miles, if her internal odometer told her anything about how far she’d traveled to get here.

‘Well, you wanted to play on hard mode Wings. You’ve got nobody to complain to but yourself.’ She thought with a chuckle. Truth be told, she wasn’t entirely unhappy about the situation.

Lifting her head, she spread her wings out and leapt from the tree. ‘Time to get to work.’

*****

High in the night sky, Dawn Wings circled the perimeter of the tick nest, her spiritual energy blooming out every so often, seeking out threats as she surveyed the external structure. Below her, she could see hundreds of un-disguised ticks guarding the entrances to the hive. In a lot of ways, the way they were positioned and the shape of the hive made her think of termites.

Occasionally, she’d spot a small number of them fly away from the nest, or arrive carrying large pods of pink vapor. Stolen love energy, she realized. So those were part of the foraging teams. Making a mental note, she put “finding internal larder of captured ponies” on her list of things to look for once she was inside the hive. Because if the ticks were dependant on their foraging teams, then that gave the princesses an avenue of attack.

With one final spiritual pulse as she circled the perimeter, she looked down to make sure that the ticks hadn’t noticed her circling above their hive. It appeared that none of them had spotted her. Bracing herself to get the hell out of Dodge the moment they took notice, she circled down and landed on the side of the structure, away from the entrance / vent holes, and took stock of what she’d learned.

There were approximately 2,000 ticks in the hive, possibly more deeper in the ground and out of range of her power. She’d get a better sense of their numbers once she was inside.

Guard shifts changed at rough estimate every hour. The guards stayed under the cover of the hive, and rarely ventured outside the caverns. The large, ground level entrances were the most heavily guarded, while those higher up were less well protected.

Those openings that weren’t guarded were covered in large resinous grates with bars far too thin for a pony or changeling to fit through, but wide enough for her corvid form to slip between. If the nest was structurally similar to a termite mound, these upper shafts were thermal exhaust chimneys to help keep the nest cool. If so, these were potential points of ingress and egress for her as she surveyed the tick’s nest.

Foragers would arrive from outside every four hours or so, and always in pairs.

There was no sign of any form of artificially maintained agriculture around the tick’s nest. She didn’t know if the ticks only fed on love, like the leeches could only feed off blood, but if they didn’t, and they were receiving no gathered food, and didn’t grow it outside the nest, that meant they would have to be growing it inside the nest itself, or they were carnivores and fed on meat. Which still led to the issue of what did they eat? If there was an internal garden or larder of sorts, that was another potential target.

Looking at the nearest exhaust vent, Dawn Wings considered her next move. This was going to be a challenge. And she relished a good challenge.

*Dawn Wings’ mental notes, day two*

Continued observation of the outside of the tick nest. So far, avoided detection, though had a close call with a squad of changelings that unexpectedly did a sweep of the sky above the nest. Avoided contact by hiding in a cloud. Thankfully the ticks do not appear to control the weather like the ponies do. Found a source of water coming from the nearby cliffs. No food available in the stream, but the water is pure enough to drink, and does not show any signs of wyrm-taint. May have to return to more verdant area and gather supplies to stash near water so as to not need to travel as far afield to find food. If possible, may attempt to place small stashes in the chimneys if it appears that they will not be found by patrols.

Still no sign of any sort of food coming or going from the nest other than shipments of stolen love. No sign of refuse piles either. Ticks either keep everything in the hive, or they subsist entirely on love, as suspected. In addition, ticks seem to have their own language, which consists of hisses, clicks, chirps and whistles. Will attempt to pick up as much as possible while observing.

No sign of changeling queen. Expected.

*Day six*

Supply stashes set up. Had to spend two days ferrying supplies to the site of the spring, then to the tick mound after dark. Most supplies consist of dried berries, nuts and meat gathered from the more verdant areas around the tick’s territory. Caches should provide needed food for at least a month’s worth of observations if only corvis form is used. Best case scenario will not require shifting to other forms.

Have begun making first ingresses into the hive. Was correct in my initial assessment of the structure. Vents are part of a cooling system that ferries hot air out of the nest and draws in cooler air through heavily guarded tunnels at ground level further away from the base of the mound. Possible route of attack: shatter the vents and prevent the passive cooling system from functioning, rendering the inside of the nest unbearably hot. Unsure of heat tolerances of ticks. Consider later.

*Day ten*

Chimney system mapped. Few ticks found in this area. Mostly the occasional patrol, which have been easy to avoid if staying close to the walls of the chimney. Have begun to penetrate the inhabited areas.

Parallels to termite mound continue to compound.

The internal structure of the tick mound uses the same resinous material that the caverns under Ponyville utilized, though far more refined in appearance. Light is provided by glowing tubercles embedded in the surface of the resin. Irregular shape of the tunnels have been invaluable in avoiding detection by ticks, as well as use of gifts to detect approaching patrols. Said patrols are infrequent and consist of few individuals.

Outermost layers of the hive appear to be occupied by rank and file ticks, as well as several garrisons of soldier ticks that can be ready to defend nearby entrances at a moment’s notice. Garrisons are spread out in a way to allow overlapping deployment of soldiers. Overlapping deployment space means that frontal assault from outside the hive is inadvisable, as defensive assets can be brought to bear far too easily.

Still no sign of any sort of agriculture, livestock, or larder. Seems likely that the entire hive is dependent on love to survive. This provides an opportunity for a siege to break the changelings: destroy their supplies of love, and seal them in to deprive them of sustenance. May propose to princesses.

*Day fifteen*

Most accessible outer tunnels and drone areas have been mapped. Ticks appear to operate in small “family” units, but the exact nature of the relationship is unknown. Have found no sign of any sort of latrine or waste disposal rooms/areas, further adding weight to the hypothesis that the ticks sustain themselves purely on love.

Located numerous entrances into the inner layer of the hive. Working out the patrols and shifts has been difficult. Brief excursions into the umbra has revealed the presence of numerous banes. May be possible to make brief trips into the umbra to bypass guards, but would be risky. May have to use this tactic if no other options to stealthily make deeper ingresses possible.

*Day nineteen*

Outer tunnels almost completely mapped. Several close calls with patrols, but managed to avoid detection. Found what appears to be a dispensary that the changelings receive portions of love in the form of small membrane-bound sacs.

Also, constant exposure has borne fruit, and have begun to understand the basic structure of the tick's language.

Will attempt to penetrate into the inner layers tomorrow.

*Day twenty*

First day mapping the inner layers of the hive. Penetrating this deep has required passage through the umbra, as the checkpoints leading to this layer are too narrow for undetected flight. So far, luck has held out, and have not attracted the attention of any banes. Hopefully luck will hold out, but can’t count on it.

Inner layers of the hive contain far more opulent dwellings, likely those of high-ranked ticks. One area of note observed was a large library. Books contained within appear to be made of the black resin used by the ticks for their construction, with thinner slips of resin as the internal pages.

*Day twenty-five*

Progress of mapping the inner layers of the hive has been slow due to increased patrols by guards, but would surmise that ca. 90% of the major elements of the structure has been cataloged. Had a few close calls, but managed to barely avoid detection. Should have picked up a few stealth gifts, but never had much need before. Hindsight. 20/20. All that good stuff.

Most importantly, located the larders. Most of the stolen love is stored in a series of decentralized chambers throughout the inner layer of the hive. Love is stored in large pods, easily thirty times the height of the average tick, and dispensed to the rest of the hive after being diluted through some unknown process. Rarely, the energy is taken without cutting, and delivered deeper into the hive. Most likely to Chrysalis. May attempt to follow.

Also located an internal “food” supply in the form of rooms filled with tick pods. Output from these pods appears to be low, and most likely supplemental to that of the amounts brought in by the foraging teams.

Tick language continues to remain elusive, but, like the pony language, the beginings of comprehension are forming.

Choosing to remain in the inner area instead of returning to outer levels to eat at a larder to make more observations.

*Day twenty-eight*

Chrysalis and the royal chamber has been located! Passages leading to the queen are heavily guarded, but bypassable through the umbra. Narrowly avoided being attacked by banes when I passed through, but managed to dissuade them from approaching with an application of Bridgid’s fire. Can’t over use that particular gift. Requires too much spiritual energy to summon, and without a safe place to restore my reserves, expenditures must be judicious. However, this has also provided some very useful information: the banes are cannibalistic, and will readily set upon a wounded member of their kind. Discovered this when I injured a large one, only for it to be swarmed and drained dry by the other bane-bugs in the area.

The royal chamber includes a large, opulent living area, private library, throne room, private larder of uncut love, and, surprisingly, a large nursery filled with tick eggs and grubs, presumably produced by the queen. Chrysalis appears to hold court with high ranking ticks for a portion of the day, but spends quite a bit of time tending to her eggs and hatchlings, along with several nursemaid ticks. Witnessed her kill several after they hatched due to some apparent imperfection.

As day and night do not mean anything this deep in the hive, internal clock has been used to estimate the queen’s schedule. She appears most active around dusk and dawn, with short periods of inactivity at the sun and moon’s zenith. These short periods of rest may be useful for striking at her, should a means of quickly penetrating this deep into the hive be found.

Will observe a few more days, then return to Canterlot.

*Day thirty-one*

Innermost part of the hive has been mapped. Thankfully, few patrols, but the constant presence of the queen made detailed surveying of the entire space nearly impossible. Had several more close calls.

Made potentially major discovery. Chrysalis’s throne appears to be a fetish of some sort, as it bears an immense amount of Wyrm-taint. Took a risk and examined it from the umbra to confirm. Suspicions worse than expected. Throne houses a powerful bane aligned with the Eater-of-Souls. Unsure of the function of the throne, but from what was observed, it serves as the epicenter of the veins and corruption polluting the umbra around the hive. May prove a serious problem if the influence of the throne’s power is as wide as the range of its veins. If it is powered by an Eater-of-Souls allied bane, it might also go a long way towards explaining why the surrounding land is so desolate and dead, especially if its affecting the material world.

This intelligence should be sufficient for the ponies to make their strike on the hive and capture the queen. Will provide advice on best use of tactical weak points, but acknowledge that they will likely be ignored.

Am now exiting the hive, and will return to Canterlot.

Author's Note

So, a few things about this chapter.

Originally, I was going to include a mass grave of various creatures that the changelings kidnapped, drained of love, hypnotized, and used as labor until they dropped dead from exhaustion. But, after thinking about it, realized that it didn't really fit what I wanted with the tone of the story, because it would make it too much like WoD, and not Equestria. The one constant that I swore to myself for this was that I couldn't deviate too much from the canon behavior of the characters and the setting, so that Dawn Wings' culture shock could be more complete. Having the changelings basically turn into skeksis would have undermined that too much, so it was dropped.

Another is the changeling "castle". I don't like the canon one, mostly because its just poorly constructed as a defensible structure. I get that Chrysalis thinks the throne makes her invulnerable, but it's in the most vulnerable position possible (right at the top of the spire). All it would take was to chuck a massive boulder at high speed into that thing and down it would come. So, I'm changing it up, and making the changeling castle/city laid out more like a termite mound. Far more defensible, more accurate to how real insects build their homes, with a far better location for the throne.

Also, to address why Dawn can still use her powers around the throne, its simple: her powers aren't equestrian magic. Magic is part of the world of Equs, and is therefore a natural force. Dawn Wings powers are explicitly supernatural, meaning that they operate outside of the bounds of Equs's natural magic systems. So the throne, which suppresses all natural magic other than that of the changelings, has no effect on Dawn or her powers. That's also why the land around the changeling's domain is so desolate: as magic suffuses everything, suppressing it kills/drives off all natural life.

Ch 25 - I… I hate this place.

It was still hours before dawn when Dawn Wings arrived at Canterlot. Even traveling via the umbra and using a few short-cuts, it was a long way to reach the pony capital. And despite how much fun she’d had scouting out the ticks, she was ready to not be surrounded by Wyrmspawn for at least a few days. Hell, after a whole month of nothing but ticks, she could even put up with the ponies.

…for a little while.

Much to her chagrin, she realized that the ponies were actually growing on her. Or, at least, a few of them. Mostly Shásháme and Anaretechusho if she was being completely honest with herself. And Vinemana and Tlectalae, to her irritation.

…Maybe she’d go see Shásháme when she got back to town.

She could use a good laugh.

Reaching the edge of Canterlot, Dawn Wings banked hard and flew below the lip of the city before stepping sideways back into the material realm. Gaining altitude and flying past the strange rainbow-colored waterfalls (she didn’t even want to consider how they were possible), Dawn Wings looked towards the eastern horizon.

Still dark, but given that the sun moved by Celestia’s command, that meant practically nothing. Looking to the moon, she saw that it was closing in on the horizon. She probably had a couple hours or so before the princess would raise the sun.

‘Nope. Never going to let myself get used to that idea.’ She thought to herself as she headed to the palace. She could probably get a couple hours of sleep before the princess was up and about.

As she approached the palace, she headed straight for the princess’s tower and balcony. Spotting it, she fluttered down and perched on the edge of the roof overlooking the platform. This would be the best place to catch Celestia before she got waylaid by her morning duties.

Taking a deep breath and relaxing, Dawn Wings closed her eyes and allowed herself to slip off into the first relaxed night of sleep she’d had in months.

*****

Dawn Wings slumber was rudely interrupted by a gentle prodding to her shoulder. Grumbling and forcing her eyes open, she realized that the sun was up.

‘Crap,’ she thought, ‘I was so tired I slept through the sunrise. Probably missed the princess too.’

Stretching and flapping her wings, she heard a soft giggle from below. Looking down, she spotted the very pony she was looking for; princess Celestia, who was looking up at her with an expression that was far more openly amused than she’d ever seen the incarna.

“Did you have a good nap Dawn Wings?” The princess asked.

“I was until someone woke me up.” Dawn Wings replied with an amused smirk. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not terribly long.” Celestia said “You just looked so peaceful sleeping there that I almost couldn’t bring myself to wake you up. But, if you’re here, you must have finished your scouting job.”

“Got it in one princess.” Dawn Wings said with a yawn. “Yea, bug nest’s mostly mapped. At least the areas I could get to. Did find the bitch queen though. She’s dug in deep. Probably have to just level the place if you wanted to get to her.”

“I honestly hope it doesn’t come to that.” Celestia said. “At any rate, why don’t you come down and join me for breakfast. Then we can get on with the debriefing.”

Dawn Wings shifted uncomfortably. The thought of eating with the princess didn’t entirely sit well with her.

“Princess, may I speak freely for a moment.” Dawn Wings said with a polite bow.

“Of course Dawn Wings.” Celestia said. “What’s on your mind.”

“As you’ve so adroitly pointed out, I don’t know the game in this world.” Dawn Wings said, keeping her tone even, “But where I’m from, I would never dream of sitting at the same table as someone of your station outside of reporting my findings. I’d probably be thrown in jail if I even tried.”

Princess Celestia’s smile became a little wider.

“Well, be glad you’re not in your world anymore.” The princess tittered. “But, if you’re not comfortable eating in the palace in a formal setting, maybe you’d be alright with eating in the garden? I enjoy having my breakfast out by the peach trees ever so often. And you wouldn’t even need to change out of your ‘feather coat’ that way.”

“I don’t want to impose, your highness.” Dawn Wings said “But, if you insist, I’d be happy to accept the offer.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” The princess said. “Do you have anything you prefer?”

“I do” Dawn Wings said wistfully, “But, I doubt you’ll have them available. Unless you’ve got tortoise eggs, desert peaches or fresh jackrabbit carcass.”

“I’m afraid not.” Celestia said without batting an eye.

“Well, are the peach trees producing fruit? You mentioned there were some by where you wanted to have breakfast.” Dawn Wings said.

“There should be a few left.”

“If its alright with you, I can catch a few bark beetles and grab a peach,” Dawn Wings said with a bow, “so don’t worry about me.”

“Oh come now, Dawn Wings.” Celestia said, “Won’t you let me treat you a little? I can’t imagine you’ve had a good and proper meal after a month with the changelings.”

Sighing, Dawn Wings looked to the side.

“I’m sorry, your highness.” Dawn Wings said, “I just don’t feel right asking you to order something for me. I know you’re offering, but… it just feels wrong.”

“Hmmm, well, in that case, would you feel better if I just got two orders of whatever I’m going to get, and shared the other with you?” Celestia said.

“I… I think I’d be okay with that. But… are you sure you’re okay with it?” Dawn Wings said hesitantly.

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.” Celestia said with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“LIke I’ve said, I just know the rules of my game.” Dawn Wings replied as she looked at the princess. “That’s just not a thing that’s done back home.”

“Well, then be grateful that you’re here instead of there.” Celestia said with a smile. “So, please, go down to the garden and wait for me. I’ll meet you there in a little while.”

“As you wish your highness.” Dawn Wings replied with a bow as she took to the air and glided down towards the gardens.

*****

Much to Dawn Wings’ relief, breakfast passed with relative ease. For her part, the princess mostly made small talk, trying to learn more about her, where she was from, and what her world was like, which Dawn Wings was happy to oblige. She found it was… oddly easy to speak to the princess. And, frankly, Dawn Wings needed to talk to someone after a month of observing nothing but ticks.

And so, after finishing their meal, Dawn Wings shifted into her equus form, and followed the princess inside to debrief her on what she’d found in the tick-mound. Dawn Wings found herself giddy with anticipation as they walked.

“So, is the plan to still go after Chrysalis? Because if that’s the case, I’ve got a few ideas about how to reach her.” Dawn Wings said with a respectful nod to the princess as they trotted down down one of the corridors, “Unless you’ve changed your mind and want to put her and the ticks down permanently. Because if that’s the case, I’ve got some ideas for that too.”

“Actually,” Princess Celestia said with a small smile, “there’s been a development since you left that has given us a new opportunity. One that I think will give us a chance to end this peacefully.”

“Oh?” Dawn WIngs said, “Does it involve bug spray? Because I can get behind that.”

“No, not quite. I think it’ll be better if I explain after we’ve finished the debriefing.” Princess Celestia said as they rounded a corner, and spotted the form of a familiar unicorn with glasses. “Ah, good morning Raven.”

“Aleata matea ulalema Xelanota” Raven said as she approached, “Amereta laepata camela wepala Naoca Aelemeca.”

“Indeed.” The princess said. “Has the parchment, quills and ink brought to meeting room 10?”

“Ceae. Reca tea telece aereta ulalema Peateca, ulalema Epalanesa, Vinetecha Tilachena?” Raven said.

“Yes, though give us an hour or so before you bring them.” Celestia said, “And, also, be sure to bring our special guest. I want him here for this.”

“Chenata ulalema.” Raven said before turning and walking away.

Looking up at the princess, Dawn Wings couldn’t help but smirk.

“So, I take it that this special guest of your has to do with your change of plans?” Dawn Wings said as they resumed their walk. “Who is he?”

“Patience Dawn Wings. Patience.” Celestia said with a smirk, “You’ll meet him soon.”

“Now I’m really curious.” Dawn Wings said as she followed the princess.

Soon, they reached what Dawn Wings figured was meeting room 10, and entered with little fanfare, passing several gold armored guards as they did. In the room, Dawn Wings spots a large meeting table with several very large sheets of parchment, and several inkwells with fresh quills.

“Now, normally I’d have a CEA agent debrief you, but thanks to your… unusual circumstances, I’ll be the one interviewing you.” Princess Celestia said with a hint of mischief, “I trust that’s not a problem?”

“Nah! Socializing and reporting are two different things.” Dawn Wings said as she made her way to the table, keeping a straight face the whole time. “Unless, me telling you what I found is going to put you to sleep. It’s pretty boring when you get down to it.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage.”

“Well, okay then. You asked for it.” Dawn Wings said as she sat down. “One thing first though.”

Calling on the change, Dawn Wings transformed her forelegs into their crinos state, before reaching over and grabbing a quill. Looking at the princess, she was pleasantly surprised that the incarna hadn’t reacted when she’d pulled that particular trick.

“So, how’s this going to go down?” Dawn Wings said as she prepared to start.

“Well, why don’t you start by drawing out maps of the places you managed to scout, and while you’re doing that, you can report to me what you found.”

“As you wish, your highness.” Dawn Wings replied, before dipping the quill into the inkwell and getting to work.

*****

An hour passed in the blink of an eye, with Dawn Wings rattling off as many details as she could about her time in the changeling nest, while drawing out detailed maps of the interior. Just as she was finishing up the details on Chrysalis’s chamber, she heard the door open as Raven Inkwell poked her head in.

“Che itala ulalema?” She asked as she looked at the princess.

“Dawn Wings, how much longer do you need?” The princess asked.

“A couple more minutes at most.” Dawn Wings said, “I just need to finish up this map and I’m done.”

“Excellent.” Celestia said before turning to her seneschal. “Raven, could you bring the others? I believe we’re ready to begin.”

“Chenata ulalema.” Raven said as she exited the room.

As Dawn Wings began to put the finishing touches on her map, she glanced up to the princess.

“So, what exactly are you planning your highness?” Dawn Wings said as she drew.

“You’ll see.” Celestia said with a smirk. “Though, if you want a hint, it's going to be a good lesson for you about how different Equestria is from your world.”

“Tease.” Dawn Wings said with a smirk, earning a small titter from the princess.

Ten or so minutes later, Dawn Wings had finished up her map and reverted her forelegs to their natural state, and was sipping tea with the princess. Tea wasn’t really her thing, but she wasn’t going to turn down the princess’s offer.

Hearing the doors open, Dawn Wings perked up and spotted several ponies filing in, including Princesses Luna and Cadance, Shining Armor, Raven Inkwell, and an unknown pegasus stallion with a green coat and aquamarine mane and tail, and butterfly buttoo. Of the five, she noticed princesses Luna and Cadance giving her irritated glares, while Shining, much to her surprise, gave her a look that almost approached respect.

‘That’s new.’ She thought as her eyes traced over the others and landed on the mysterious pegasus.

“Who’s that?” Dawn Wings asked as the stallion drew closer and sat at the table next to Shining and Raven.

“He is the one we hope will let us make peace with the changelings.” Celestia said cryptically.

“And how exactly is he going to do that?” Dawn Wings asked with genuine curiosity. As she spoke, she saw the stallion look at her with a mixture of horror and recognition. The horror she expected thanks to how the ponies reacted to English, but not recognition. Because she was quite certain that she’d never seen him before.

“You’ll see. But first…” Princess Celestia’s horn lit up and a familiar magic circle surrounded the table. “Good. Everyone’s here.”

“Thorax, there’s no need for the disguise anymore.” Princess Celestia said to the unknown pegasus.

“Very well, your highness.” The stallion said, before a wave of aquamarine flame passed over him. In an instant, the stallion was replaced by a tall, light lime green beetle-like pony with antler-like horns, and beautiful, beetle wings and membranous tail.

Dawn Wings could feel her rage flaring up violently. It was a changeling. And not just any changeling, but the lead changeling she captured.

“Princess…” Dawn Wings hissed softly as she readied herself to shift into her crinos form. “What is going on here? Why is that Wyrmtainted tick walking around free?”

“Wyrmtainted tick?” Thorax said as he looked at Dawn Wings with mild aftront.

“Dawn Wings, please calm down. He’s not a threat anymore.” Princess Celestia said as she glared at Dawn Wings.

‘We’ll see about that.’ Dawn Wings said as she pulsed the room for threats.

And found none.

‘What the fuck?’ She thought as she called on her Wyrmsight. Glaring at the tick, she forced her will into her gift, putting as much force behind it as she could.

Nothing.

There was no sign of Wyrmtaint on him.

“Impossible.” Dawn Wings whispered, her expression shifting from enraged to utterly baffled. “That’s just not possible…”

“Is there something wrong?” Princess Celestia asked with an amused smirk.

“He… he’s clean! I can’t find any Wyrmtaint on him! Nothing at all!” Dawn Wings snarled, “That’s not possible. That love-eating crime against Equs was so filthy with Wyrmtaint he and his kind were drawing in banes! How in the name of Gaia did this happen?!”

“What’s she on about? What’s Wyrmtaint?” Thorax said, now looking more than a little confused, and insulted.

“Perhaps if you’d calm yourself down Dawn Wings, we could explain.” Shining said with a smug smile.

Dawn Wings took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. Once she was certain she wasn’t going to flip out, she looked at Shining, who was still giving her a smug smile.

“Captain… I would very much appreciate being brought up to speed on whatever you did to scrub the Wyrmtaint off the… changeling that is sitting next to you.” Dawn Wings said as calmly as she could, without looking at said changeling, before her voice dropped dangerously. “I mean, if it's not too much trouble for you…”

“Mind your tone Dawn Wings.” Princess Luna interjected. “Need I remind you you’re addressing royalty.”

Dawn Wings bristled at the lunar incarna, but wisely chose not to press the issue.

“Of course. My apologies captain.” Dawn Wings said with a slight bow of her head.

“Apology accepted.” Shining said evenly. “Now, as for what’s happened…”

*Twenty days ago, Canterlot Maximum Security Dungeon*

Shining Armor and princess Cadance made their way down the corridor, flanked by several guards.

Both of them had stern yet concerned looks on their faces as they made their way towards the most secure part of the dungeon: the changeling holding area.

Shining had a problem. The small amount of love Dawn Wings had brought them with the changeling High Reaver had run out, and the changelings were starting to starve. They’d offered them pony food, but had been told by the High Reaver that they needed love to survive. Now, five of them were almost too weak to move, while the High Reaver could barely stand.

That was when Shining made his decision. As much as he hated the changelings, as a soldier of Equestira, and as a stallion of good conscience, he couldn’t allow them to die under his watch.

Hence, why Cadance was with him.

“Are you sure about this Shining?” She asked as they passed by another group of guards.

“Positive, Cadance.” Shining said as they marched onward. “Enemies or no, they’re our prisoners, and I can’t have them die. How can we live by the ideals of harmony if we can’t show kindness and generosity towards those that are in our care? Don’t worry, I won’t let them take much. Just enough to stay alive.”

Pausing, he turned to his wife.

“I know this is asking a lot of you, my beloved,” He said with remorse, “But you’re the only one I can trust with this.”

“I understand Shining.” Cadance said as she nuzzled his neck with her’s. “Let’s do this.”

With a nod, Shining turned and trotted past the last guard checkpoint, and into the holding area where the changelings were locked up. From the looks of them, they were not going to last much longer. The five lower ranked ones were barely breathing, while the high reaver sat slumped against the wall of his cell, looking forlornly at the others.

“High Reaver.” Shining said, drawing the changeling’s attention.

“Hello captain.” The changeling wheezed. “Come to gloat now? And I see you brought the princess of love too. Heh. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Not after what we did to you.”

“No.” Shining said, “We’re not here to gloat. We’re here to offer you something.”

“Oh… what might that be? A swift death.” The Reaver said, “Well, I’ll take that over starving. Just… promise me you’ll make it quick and painless. I don’t want my subordinates to suffer.”

Cadance stepped forward, looking down at the changeling.

“You and your kind have hurt me and my ponies far more than I want to consider.” Cadance said with a scowl. “But… you’re starving. And as much as I can’t stand the sight of you, you don’t deserve to suffer like that. No creature does. But to answer your question, no, we’re not here to kill you. Not like this.”

“Then, why are you here?” The Reaver said as he barely managed to lift his head.

“I’m here to offer you love.” Cadance said. “My love. I’m willing to let you have enough to stave off your deaths.”

“What? Why would you do such a thing?” The changeling said with a small amount of hope in his voice.

“Because no creature deserves to starve to death, when another could give them what they need to live.” Cadance said. “Please, let me help you.”

The Reaver looked at Cadance, trying to see any hint of deception. Then, he looked to Shining. Then the changelings in the other cells. They wouldn’t last much longer.

“Alright.” He said, “You win. I accept your offer.”

Approaching the cell, Shining placed his horn on the lock and opened it. Pulling the door open, he and Cadance entered the cell.

“Remember. Don’t try to take more than you need.” Shining warned. “If you do, you won’t get a second helping later.”

“I… understand.” The Reaver replied. Opening his mouth and feebly lighting his horn, he inhaled sharply. As he did, a shimmering stream of pink energy flowed out of Cadance’s chest, and into his gullet. As it did, his body began to regain some of its vigor, and his eyes became clearer. As soon as he was able to stand on his own, he stopped.

“Thank you, princess.” He said as he regarded the alicorn.

“Don’t thank me. Thank Shining. He’s the one who convinced me.”

“Then, thank you captain Armor. But, my gratitude to you stands, princess.” He said with a bow to the alicorn. “Now, please, help my soldiers. I don’t know how much longer they have.”

Nodding, Cadance and Shining exited the cell, locking the door behind them. As they approached the other cells, they saw to their dismay none of the changelings were moving. Only the slow, shallow rise and fall of their chests told them they were still alive.

“Reaver, I don’t think they’re in any state to feed.” Shining said as he turned back to the cell he’d just exited.

“Can you do something?” Cadance asked. “Maybe give them some of the love I just gave you?”

“I… I don’t know. No changeling has ever shared love with another before.” The reaver said, his eyes looking mournfully at his subordinates.

“Well, if we don’t do something, they’re going to die.” Shining said as he approached the cell. “Can you at least try?”

“I…” The reaver said, his eyes flicking between his captors, and his brethren. It went against everything the queen had ever told them. Love was to be taken. Not given. But… the princess had given him love freely, and it had been more invigorating than any he’d had before. Even the pure love he stole from the shipments.

This love was his. But, looking at the other changelings… his changelings. His soldiers. He was responsible for them. It went against everything the queen had taught them. Against their nature. But, he had to try. He couldn’t let his subordinates die in this place, starved of love.

“I… I can try.” He finally said, “Please, let me out. I swear to you that I won’t try to run.”

Sharing a look with Cadance, Shining nodded. Pressing his horn to the lock, the door opened, allowing the High Reaver to exit. Slowly, he walked up to the other cells, his eyes falling onto his brethren.

‘Please, let me save them.’ He thought. Grasping the love in his body, he willed it to exit him and spread to his soldiers.

As the energy began to spread out, his body began to glow. Slowly, he rose into the air as the flow of love changed from a stream to a series of successive rings, that flowed into the bodies of his soldiers, revitalizing them.

Both Shining and Cadance stepped back, unsure of what was going on.

As the love flowed into the changelings still in their cells, the High Reaver’s body began to glow brightly, before being enveloped in a glowing chrysalis. Moments later, the chrysalis dissolved into a burst of light, revealing a new, beautiful, beetle-like creature in place of the High Reaver.

Slowly, the Reaver floated to the ground, his eyes fluttering open. Moments later, the other changelings began to stir, gazing upon the metamorphosed High Reaver in awe.

“What… happened?” He said.

“I don’t know.” Shining replied, “When you shared the love you had received from Cadance, you changed.”

Looking down at himself, the High Reaver seemed lost in thought.

“I… I understand now.” The being that was once the high reaver said, looking at Cadance and Shining. “Chrysalis lied to us. Told us that the only way for us to feed was by stealing love. But now, I understand. That is not the way we were meant to gain love… if we share it freely…”

“Your true forms are revealed…” Shining said with awe.

“Yes. And the hunger abates.” The true changling said, “My brethren, please, be bound by Chrysalis's lies no more. Share the love you have received freely with the others here, and be reborn as you were meant to be.”

The changelings in the cells all looked at one another briefly, sharing a look of cautious optimism. Closing their eyes, they floated into the air, willing the love within them to be shared among the others in the dungeon.

And in a brilliant flash of light, they were transformed.

*Present Day, Canterolot, Meeting Room 10*

Dawn Wings… was not a happy corax, her mind wrestling with what she’d just learned from captain Ropeman. This was utterly ridiculous. Wyrmtaint clung to whatever it got onto. Poisoned it. Corrupted it like a cancer.

It couldn’t be cast off with such a simple act as sharing “food” with another.

Looking at Thorax, her eyes narrowed dangerously, and her mouth tightened into a small, narrow, angry frown.

“So… if I’ve got this right.” She said in a low, dangerous tone, “Somehow, the act of just giving away love like some hippie was enough to not only transform him into some sort of prettyboy beetle, but burnt off the influence of the primal force of corruption, consumption and destruction so completely that I can’t even detect its presence on him anymore. Is that right?”

“Dawn Wings, please calm yourself.” Princess Celestia said as she regarded the corax. “I realize that this is probably hard for you to understand, but…”

“Princess, please excuse my impropriety here, but this is not ‘hard to understand’.” Dawn Wings said with as much calm as she could muster. “What you’ve just told me is flat-out impossible. From what I’ve seen of the ticks, the Eater-of-Souls is as ingrained in them like water is in river, and now, you’re telling me, that corruption can be cast off like it’s just a fucking coat?!”

Dawn Wings’ left eye twitched violently as she continued to stare at Thorax, the changeling looking at her like she’d lost her mind. As did most of the ponies in the room not named princess Celestia.

“You know what? Fine! Whatever!” Dawn Wings said as she threw her hooves up into the air with a frustrated shout. “Lets just toss out everything about how the world’s supposed to work and just roll with it. Not like I haven’t been doing that for months now!”

Dawn Wings took a few deep breaths after her tirade, her freakout spent.

“Better?” Princess Celestia said with a smirk.

“Not even close.” Dawn Wings said curtly, “But, y’know what? I don’t care! Lets just get on with this before some other world shattering revelation comes along and I decide that I can’t take it anymore.”

At that, princess Celestia nodded and turned to address the rest of the ponies and changeling in the room, noting the amused looks they were sporting.

“Well, now that everyone’s on the same page,” the solar incarna said, “I think we should start by deciding how we’re going to approach the changelings still under Chrysalis’s thrall…”

Author's Note

What? We got beetle-lings before Glim-glam got involved? For want of a nail indeed.

Also, I have a feeling Dawn's going to need a mug of AJ's hard cider when she gets back to Ponyville. Or ten. Hell, she's probably going to need a whole barrel, if I'm being honest.

Ch 26 - Time for some fumigation!

A cold, dry wind blew across the dead landscape of the changeling kingdom. Even in the pre-dawn light the landscape was horrifying in its desolation. From high in the sky, Dawn Wings, in her corvis form, surveyed the familiar barneness with a frown. She’d been expecting to come back with an army of ponies (and she swore to herself that she would never allow that to not sound weird) ready to storm the changeling castle and apprehend their queen. She was expecting to infiltrate the tick mound again and lead the princesses to the center of the hive. She was expecting to watch the solar princess drop a giant sphere of burning plasma on top of the hive and burn the ticks like ants with a magnifying glass. Hell, she was expecting that maybe they would lay siege to the whole structure, starving the ticks until they surrendered.

She was not expecting a small group, consisting of Princess Celestia, Captain Ropeman, a half dozen royal guards, and a couple dozen metamorphosed ticks, lead by High Reaver Thorax, to be camped out on a hill outside the dead-zone, waiting for Celestia to raise the sun and begin their diplomatic mission.

If she were less collected, she’d probably be screaming right now. The sheer ascanineness of the plan saw fit to that.

*Two days ago, Canterlot*

All of the assembled members of the impromptu council regarded the maps and intelligence reports Dawn Wings had produced.

“This… this is terrifyingly accurate.” Thorax said as he regarded the maps. “At least the outer and middle regions. But I can’t confirm the innermost layers of the hive. Even I’ve never been allowed that deep.”

“Impressed beetle-boy?” Dawn Wings said, earning an irritated glare from Thorax.

“How in the name of Love did you make this?” Thorax said as he regarded the pegasus with horror and awe.

“That’s for me to know, and you to wonder.” Dawn Wings said. “Just because we’re supposedly on the same side now doesn’t mean that I trust you yet, bug.”

“Dawn Wings…” Luna said in a warning tone.

“Fine.” Dawn Wings huffed. “So, regardless of my methods, what’s the game plan for taking out the bitch queen? I’d suggest dropping a solar flare on that mound, but I know you’re not going to agree to that, so let’s hear what you’ve got instead.”

An irritated sigh escaped princess Celestia as she regarded Dawn Wings.

“I already told you, that’s not how we do things here.” She said as she glared at the corax, who didn’t even have the decency to look abased by her admonition. “Before you returned, Thorax and captain Armor visited several changeling outposts and managed to convince them to turn away from Chrysalis’s ways. There are now over two dozen purified changelings on our side, and we’re hoping to convince the rest, including Chrysalis, to abandon their destructive ways and be reborn.”

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” Dawn Wings said tersely as she eyed Thorax.

“Thorax, Shining Armor and I are going to head to the changeling kingdom, along with the other true changelings, and attempt to negotiate with the hive.” Celestia said. “It will be a gamble though.”

“Why?” Dawn Wings asked “Because you’re going to be walking right into enemy territory into the middle of an army 2,000 plus strong?”

“Not just because of that.” Thorax cut in. “Because of the dead-zone.”

Dawn Wings turned to him. “And what is that?”

Thorax regarded the corax with slack jawed surprise.

“You… didn’t feel it when you were in the hive?” Thorax said, his voice incredulous. “The queen has something… something she keeps deep in the hive that suppresses the magic of any creature other than a changeling within twenty kilometers of the hive. How could you have not noticed your magic being blocked?”

Dawn Wings’ mind raced as she took in this new information. Twenty kilometers was the edge of the dead-zone where the vegetation became stunted and withered. And, if the distance in the umbra was any indication, was the extent of the area covered by the bane that was bound…

“…her throne.” Dawn Wings whispered. “It’s her throne. That’s the source of the dead-zone. Gaia, how did I not make that connection…”

Turning her attention back to Thorax, Dawn Wings smirked viciously.

“That’s something you’re just going to have to wonder about.” She said. “But, regardless, I know what’s blocking the magic in the area. It’s Chrysalis’s throne. It’s the epicenter of the dead zone. I’m betting that if we destroy it…”

“… the dead-zone fades.” Shining Armor said, before turning to Thorax. “Thorax, can you or one of your changelings reach the throne?”

“No.” Thorax said regrefully. “Only the queen’s elite guard, generals and the queen herself are allowed into the deepest parts of the hive. They’d kill us before we ever got close…”

Turning his head towards Dawn Wings, he smirked. All as one, everypony else at the table turned to Dawn Wings.

“Why do I have an idea where this is going?” Dawn Wings said with an amused smirk. “You want me to infiltrate the hive and wreck the bitch queen’s throne. Is that right.”

“Wow, you actually are smart.” Thorax snarked at the corax.

“I’m surprised you could notice.” Dawn Wings snarked back. “And what will you be doing while I’m risking my neck.”

“We…” Celestia cut in, “…will be conducting our diplomatic mission. Hopefully, with us distracting the rest of the hive, you’ll have the chance to slip in and wreck the throne. That way if the negotiations fail, we’re not helpless.”

“I see.” Dawn Wings said, all mirth leaving her voice. “So, you’re going to use yourself as bait while I go and break the throne? Is that it?”

“Essentially. Though I’m hoping that we can resolve this without it coming to any sort of violence.” Celestia said.

Dawn Wings looked at the rest of the ponies and the changeling in the room.

‘This is… the dumbest idea I’ve ever had to deal with, and I’m friends with garou.’ Dawn Wings thought.

“Well, if that’s how you want to handle this, then I guess I’m onboard.” The corax said as evenly as she could. “I just hope this doesn’t go completely pear-shaped.”

“Then it’s settled.” Princess Celestia said, “Thorax, will you and Shining work out the logistics?”

“Of course your highness.” Thorax said, “But what about you.”

“I’ll be along momentarily. I need to speak with Dawn Wings in private for a moment.”

The others in the room nodded and rose to leave. Once they were alone, princess Celestia dropped her translation spell.

“So, what do you need from me, your highness.” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the incarna.

“I just need a promise from you.” Celestia said as she regarded the corax.

“Okay. What?”

“I need you to swear to me that if you find Chrysalis, you won’t kill her. Incapacitate her if you must, but I want her brought in alive. Do I make myself clear?”

“Princess… I don’t think…”

“Dawn Wings, I know that’s not true. You’re constantly thinking, so don’t sell yourself short.”

Dawn Wings narrowed her eyes and chuckled.

“Okay, fine, you’re right. But still…”

“I know it’s a leap of faith for you, but you’ve seen what can happen when Harmony is given a chance. Please, let me show you that our ways work too.”

With a sigh, Dawn Wings shook her head. This was stupid. This was beyond stupid. She didn’t need to make this promise.

Actually, that wasn’t true. She did need to make it. Because if she didn’t, the princess might revoke the deal she’d made. And she didn’t feel like being alone again. Not after starting to find something somewhat worthwhile here.

“You’re all nuts, you know that?” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the princess. “But, this is your show, so… as much as I hate it… I’m going to play by your rules. You want her alive? Fine. I swear to you that if it comes down to it, I won’t kill her. Unless it’s her or me, then all bets are off.”

Celestia regarded the corax for a moment, before a small smile worked its way onto her lips.

“Thank you Dawn Wings.”

*present time, changeling kingdom*

Princess Celestia’s power faded as the sun rose across the horizon. As the princess finished raising the sun, she and her entourage began to make their way towards the tick’s mound. As they passed the edge of the dead-zone, the princess’s mane lose some of its waver and fell flat against her body. The other ponies with her all stopped to stare, before Celestia drew their attention and got them moving again.

‘Guess the beetle was telling the truth.’ Dawn Wings thought as she flew ahead. The ticks would notice the princess and Beetlejuice soon enough. That meant she needed to get into the mound as quickly as possible.

Pumping her wings as hard as she could, Dawn Wings sped ahead.

As she neared the mound, she spotted a lot of activity near the northern entrances, which were the ones in the direction that the princess was coming from. Hundreds of ticks wearing armor and wielding weapons made from the same resinous substance as the hive came flooding out.

‘I really hope you know what you’re doing princess.’ Dawn Wings thought as she circled the long way around the hive, and, once she was sure that nobody’d seen her, dove into one of the ventilation shafts.

*Hill overlooking the hive, at the same moment Dawn Wings entered the hive.*

“She’s heading in now.” Celestia said to Thorax.

“How can you be so sure?” The former High Reaver said as he stared down at the changelings massing below.

“I just can. Trust me.” Celestia responded as more changelings approached.

“Your highness, please.” Shining said as she stepped up to the princess, the other guards flanking him. “Let us at least stand in the front. You’re too exposed like this.”

“I appreciate the concern captain.” Celestia said, “But this is where I belong.”

Shining bristled.

“I don’t like it.” He said.

“I understand captain Armor, but I need you to trust me on this.” Celestia said with a smile.

“I… very well your highness.” Shining said before turning to Thorax, his eyes narrowing. “I’m holding you responsible for her safety Thorax. Do not allow any harm to come to her.”

“As one soldier to another, you have my word that I will keep her safe, captain.” Thorax said as he stepped up next to Celestia, his eyes meeting her’s. “Are you ready, your highness?”

“I am Thorax. Let’s go and free your people from Chrysalis’s clutches.”

And with that, the two of them, along with their entourage, began to descend the hill towards the waiting swarm. Despite her calm outer demeanor, Celestia was genuinely concerned. Thorax had been right. The dead-zone was blocking her magic. She’d never felt so naked and weak before. Even back when she was still a mortal unicorn, she was never this vulnerable. It was a strange sensation, to be sure.

She wasn’t sure if she exactly hated it, if she was honest with herself.

She pushed the thoughts aside as she neared the horde. Now was the time to see if her gamble was going to pay off.

“Princess Celestia.” A large changeling in High Reaver armor said as he approached, his voice cold and condescending. “You were foolish to come here. Perhaps you’ve come to surrender to our queen? A wise choice.”

“No, I haven't come to surrender, only to talk.” Celestia said as she stepped towards the High Reaver. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see the other changelings of the horde begin to circle around her and her entourage, boxing them in. “Tell me, High Reaver, what is your name?”

“We have nothing to say to you, pony.” The changeling responded as he began to charge his horn. “If you’re not going to give yourself up, then I guess we’re going to take you by force.”

“Brother! No!” Thorax said as he stepped past Celestia and interposed himself between the other High Reaver and the princess.

“Brother? You dare mock me…creature. You’re no brother of mine. My brother is gone!” The High Reaver hissed as he lowered his horn, preparing to fire his magic.

“Pharynx, it's me. Thorax.” Thorax said as he approached the other changeling. “Please, brother, stop!”

Pharynx’s power died down as the spell he was preparing faded and he regarded Thorax, his eyes wide with horror and wonder. As he did, a murmur spread through the rest of the horde, whispers of Thorax’s name and questions about what had happened to him drifting through the air.

“Thorax… is… is that really you?” Pharynx said as he approached Thorax. Reaching up, he touched his brother’s sternum, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. “By the Hunger, what’s happened to you brother?”

“I’m free, brother.” Thorax said, “The Hunger. It’s gone.”

“The Hunger is gone? Impossible. Oh, what’s happened to you, brother? You… you… this… what happened?“ The High Reaver said as he regarded his sibling with pain in his eyes. Seconds later, he snarled and wheeled around to face Celestia, his horn re-igniting as he pawed the ground. “What have you done to my brother, you miserable pony!? What have you done!?”

“She did nothing to me Pharynx. I simply learned the truth.” Thorax said as he rested a hoof on Pharynx’s shoulder, causing the smaller High Reaver to flinch. “All these generations, the queen has been lying to us. Deceiving us. She has always taught us that love is to be taken. But, there is another way.”

“No, there isn’t.” Pharynx said as he backed away from Thorax and regarded him with suspicion.

“Yes… there is, brother. My new form is proof of it. Love need not be taken. Love can be shared, freely, and willingly.” Thorax said, his voice confident yet calm. “All these years, Chrysalis has lied to us. Manipulated us to do her bidding. How often did we nearly starve when we were younger, because she hoarded all the love to herself?”

A murmur passed through the horde as some of the changelings began to agree.

“If the love we gathered was shared equally among all changelings, I’m sure that we wouldn’t have had to collect even a tenth of what we always did. But, we always needed more. And it always went to the queen. Never to us.” Thorax continued. “We starved while she gorged herself.”

“It is her right as the queen!” Pharynx protested. “That is how it has always been.”

“But it need not be, brother.” Thorax replied, “When I was held captive by the ponies, I was starving. Even with the love they’d captured from our nest in Ponyville, there wasn’t enough to keep us all alive. But, when princess Cadance shared her love with me, and I willingly shared it with the others who were too weak to feed, I was changed. The hunger vanished, and I was reborn! Please, brother, do not be poisoned by Chrysalis any longer!”

“I… no… you’re wrong. You’re being deceived by pony trickery.” Pharynx protested.

“He’s not!” One of the changelings from behind Thorax said as she stepped forward. “He’s telling the truth, High Reaver.”

“Who are you?” Pharynx said as he eyed the new changeling suspiciously.

“My name is Elatra, High Reaver. I was one of the changelings under Thorax during the mission to Ponyville.” Elatra said as she bowed her head slightly to Pharynx. “When we were captured, the ponies had us imprisoned in the catacombs under their castle. They tried to take care of us, show us kindness and mercy, but without love, we began to starve. In the end, we were too weak to feed when they realized they would have to give us love to keep us alive. But, your brother was strong enough to hold out, and, with the love they gave him, he saved us. He shared the love he was given freely. And when we did so too, we were transformed. Purified of the hunger.”

Another murmur spread through the horde.

“We all were saved.” Another changeling came up from behind Thorax and Celestia. “My name is Hemelytra. Thorax came to us over a week ago. We were skeptical at first, but we trusted him, and when we shared the love we’d gathered, we became what you see now.”

“We all came to see that there is another way, High Reaver.” Elatra said, “Please, trust in him, and cast aside the lies that Chrysalis has fed you for too long.”

Pharynx backed away, his face pained and confused.

“Brother,” Thorax said, “do you remember when we were younger. When I stole an extra packet of love so that you wouldn’t starve. You trusted me then to not kill you and keep it for myself. I’m asking you to trust me now. Please, brother, trust in me…”

“I… I can’t.” Pharynx said. “I…”

“I’ll do it!” A voice from within the horde said.

Looking behind Pharynx, they spotted a slight female changeling step forward.

“Ocellus, what are you doing?” Pharynx said. “Stay back.”

“Pharynx, I trust him. Your brother… I want to believe in him. I want to believe that the hunger can abate.” Ocellus said as she regarded the brothers.

“And if it’s a lie. You will give up what little love you have for nothing.” Pharynx snapped.

“I’m willing to risk it.” Ocellus said. “What must I do, Thorax?”

“There is no great secret.” Thorax said with a gentle smile. “Simply will the love within you to be shared with everyling around and the metamorphosis will happen.”

“I…I understand.” Ocellus said.

“Ocellus, no!” Pharynx protested.

“It's fine, High Reaver. I trust him.” Ocellus said as light engulfed her, releasing a ring of pink energy that spread to the nearby changelings. As it did, Ocellus was lifted into the air, and engulfed in a chrysalis of light. In moments, the light receded, leaving a pale blue, light amaranth maned changeling in her place.

A gasp escaped the horde as Ocellus opened her now cyan eyes and looked around.

“Ocellus, are you…?” Pharynx said as he approached the younger changeling.

“It… it’s gone.” Ocellus said, her eyes wide with wonder. “The Hunger. It’s gone.”

Pharynx stepped back, eyes wide with shock.

“That’s impossible.” He said as he looked to Thorax. “You… you were telling the truth! But… how?”

“I don’t know brother.” Thorax said as he stepped forward, his voice pleading, “But, you see the results. The Hunger is gone. Think about it brother. We can be free. No more Hunger. No more hiding in the shadows. We can live in the light, not skulk in the dark. Please, brother, be reborn and join us in this new world. Please, trust in me…”

“I… I’ll trust in you…” Pharynx said, eliciting a gasp from the horde.

“Thank you, brother.” Thorax said as he turned to address the horde. “All of you, you’ve seen what sharing love has done for us. What it can do for you. You have been deceived by Chrysalis’s lies for far too long. Share the love within you with the others around you, and be reborn. Be free of the Hunger!”

“Let us heed his words, my brethren.” Pharynx called as well. “I’m willing to trust in him.”

And with that, Pharynx let the love within him flow outward, willing it to be shared among the others. One by one, the other changelings followed suit, each one rising into the air and becoming engulfed in light. As more and more changelings joined in, the energy grew in power, until it erupted outward in a burst of energy, spreading across the landscape, before passing through the hive. Moments later, the chrysali of light receded, leaving an army of transformed changelings in its wake.

As the wave receded, Celestia felt two things. The first was her magic returning to her. From a quick look behind, she could tell that it had returned to Shining as well. The second was a spark of solar essence rapidly retreating to the south.

‘Dawn Wings.’ Celestia thought. ‘Where are you going?’

Turning to Thorax, who was in the midst of being swarmed by the transformed changelings, Celestia considered their next move. As she did, she felt Dawn Wings draw power from the sun, her solar essence flaring up violently.

‘No! Dawn Wings, please, you promised.’ Celestia thought. Because she recognized that flaring. It had happened the night that Dawn Wings had killed the changeling in Ponyville. It had happened the day she’d brought Thorax to them, his wing muscles destroyed and his skull nearly cracked open. And it had happened the day that Twilight had first found that Dawn Wings was the entity connected to the sun. And on two of those occasions, it meant she was on the attack.

“High Reavers.” Celestia said as she approached Thorax and Pharynx, “I fear that queen Chrysalis has fled to the south, and may be in terrible danger.”

Pharynx and Thorax shared a look.

“How do you know, your highness?” Thorax asked.

“I cannot say, but I ask you to trust me.” Celestia said urgently, “We need to go now if we want to take her alive.”

“Why should we?” Pharynx said with contempt. “That witch has been lying to us and using us for years.”

“Because,” Celestia said, “She deserves a chance, just like all of you.”

There was a mumur through the horde, most of the changelings not willing to risk themselves for their former queen.

“I’ll go.” Thorax said.

“Brother?” Pharynx replied, his eyes wide.

“The princess is right. She deserves the chance.” Thorax said, his face determined. “Even if she hasn’t earned it. Even after all she’s done to us. She may be saved. And if she can’t, she can’t be allowed to roam free. She has to be stopped. Here and now.”

“Then go. We’ll deal with the rest of the hive. Show them the way to break free.” Pharynx said as he hugged Thorax. “Stay safe, brother.”

“Thank you. Princess, are you ready?” Thorax said as he turned to Celestia.

“Yes. Lets go.” Celesita said as she took to the air.

*Fifteen minutes earlier, in the depths of the hive*

Dawn Wings hid herself in another alcove as a squad of armored tick charged by. Whatever was going on outside, it was stirring up almost every tick in the hive. Many of them were rushing to the north side of the city, or hunkering down and preparing to defend one of the junctions leading deeper into the hive.

And while it made penetrating the hive easier, as most of the guards had moved to the northern section opposite where Dawn Wings had entered, it meant that those left were on high alert. Still, the infiltration was almost embarrassingly easy thanks to just how many nooks and crannies there were in the walls of the hive. Did the ticks never suspect that there would be anyone willing to infiltrate their hive? If so, it was either pure foolishness or arrogance on their part.

Hearing a group approaching, Dawn Wings ducked into another hole in the wall, waiting for the ticks to pass. Pulsing the area and feeling the nearest threats heading north, with hundreds of others moving around erratically, she exited her hiding place and moved deeper into the hive.

As she hid from another passing group, she racked her brain to figure out what to do next. Her mission was to destroy the throne, but she wasn’t sure how she was going to do it. If Chrysalis was absent from the throne room, she might be able to simply smash it by pushing it over. But that wasn’t guaranteed to work. And of course she didn’t ask the ponies for explosives, assuming they had them, because that would have been thinking ahead. Then again, carrying a bomb around with her in the hive wasn’t the best idea.

Seeing the coast was clear, she glided out of her hiding place and penetrated deeper into the hive. After another ten minutes of playing chicken with the patrols, she reached the gates to the inner sanctum. Seeing them sealed shut, she cursed her luck. She’d need to step sideways into the umbra.

Right into the middle of all the banes.

But, it was her only choice.

Flexing her spiritual energy, she pushed through the membrane separating the physical world from the spiritual. Emerging into the umbra, she ducked into an alcove in the ceiling.

There were two dozen or so assassin bugs, including a big one, blocking her way.

Thankfully, they hadn’t noticed her. But, there was no way she was going to get by them easily.

Not without a distraction.

Reaching down with her beak and plucking a feather loose, she pushed her fury into the pinyon. Even without her other gift sharpening and hardening it like steel, it would still inflict damage. She just hoped it would be enough to draw the bugs off.

Sighting one of the banes off to the far end of the tunnel, she flicked her head and sent the feather flying. Empowered by her rage, the pinyon flew strait and true, before piercing the bane between the eyes, sending black ichor everywhere and causing the bane to emit a shriek of pain.

All at once, the other banes turned towards the wounded one, their eyes staring at it with menacing hunger. Then, they charged. The wounded bane didn’t have time to respond before it was set upon by the others, their probosci piercing its body even as it thrashed, desperately fighting back.

Taking to the air, Dawn Wings paid the bane being devoured no mind as she flew into the inner reaches of the hive.

*****

Dawn Wings stepped sideways out of the umbra and into the inner sanctum. As usual, the corridors were empty.

‘Looks like even in a crisis, the bitch queen doesn’t want anyone in here.’ Dawn Wings thought as she made a beeline straight towards the throne room. Arriving at the door, she landed and listened. Inside, she could hear four voices, one of which she knew was Chrysalis’s. Edging towards the entrance of the room, she chanced a peek through the door.

Inside, she saw Chrysalis seated on the throne, three large ticks on the ground below her engaged in a heated debate. From what little she could gather thanks to her month listening to the tick’s language, something had gone wrong with the force sent to subdue princess Celestia. Something to do with an unknown creature arguing with the High Reaver leading the horde.

‘Guess that’s Beetlejuice.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she watched the argument. Eyeing Chrysalis’s throne, she growled internally. ‘No way I’m getting at that thing now. Not without getting myself killed in the process. Damnit, how am I supposed to…’

Dawn Wings never got to finish her thought. The hive shook violently under her feet as a wave of pink light swept through the chamber, passing through the assembled ticks. Yet, the moment it struck the throne, the fetish began to violently shake, dozens of cracks and fissures forming on its surface. Chrysalis looked down at the throne, her face contorting into one of shock and horror as the seat began to rattle and shake violently. With a startled scream, she lept from the throne as it exploded, throwing her to the ground.

The effect this development had on the queen was instantaneous. Turning to the other ticks, she barked out a series of orders. The others looked at her, then solemnly nodded. In a flash of green flame, each one transformed themselves into a duplicate of the queen, and rushed out of the room, prompting Dawn Wings to duck into an alcove as they passed.

‘Guess they’re going to go play decoy.’ Dawn Wings thought as she turned back to the throne room. Pulling herself to her hooves, Chrysalis was briefly engulfed in flame as she transformed into a regular changeling drone. Turning, she swiftly made her way to the east wall of the chamber, and pressed a series of hidden buttons, causing the wall to split open, revealing a secret exit. Looking back once, she ducked into the corridor and vanished.

Wasting no time, Dawn Wings took to the air and pursued.

She considered just attacking the queen right then and there, but decided against it. The space was too confined for her to properly fight, especially since Chrysalis had access to her magic. No, she’d have to wait until they were outside, where she could use her mobility to her advantage. So she chased the queen tick through the corridors as she fled. As the corridors became less and less well lit, she pushed her spiritual energy and her willpower into her eyes, allowing her to see in the dark as clear as if it were day.

Deeper and deeper into the earth they went, until the corridor began to turn upward. Moments later, Chrysalis stopped and, glancing behind her one last time, used her magic to push a large stone slab out of the way, revealing the outside world. Wings thrumming, Chrysalis bolted for freedom, quickly followed by Dawn Wings.

As she landed by the entrance to the cave, Dawn Wings spotted the queen tick flying off towards the south.

‘You’re not going anywhere bitch queen.’ Dawn Wings thought as she called on the change, her form rapidly shifting into her crinos form. Galloping forward, she took to the air, pushing her primal fury into her wings to give her a burst of speed, allowing her to rapidly gain on the fleeing tick.

‘This ends here.’ Dawn Wings thought as she sent spiritual energy into her wings, causing the feathers to harden like steel and take on a razors edge. Plucking a feather free, she poured her fury into the feather, and, twisting her arm below her, brought it around in a wide angled pitch and threw the feather.

Chrysalis, moving at such high speed, didn’t hear the feather approaching, and didn’t know what hit her when the pinyon buried itself right between her wings, the shaft piercing a quarter of its length into her and punching directly into her flight muscles. Chrysalis screamed in pain as she tumbled out of the air, her speed causing her to bounce and tumble across the rocky terrain, leaving her dazed.

‘Now’s my chance!’ Dawn Wings thought as she flapped her wings hard and angled downward. As she dove, she snapped her wings out, intent on using the leading edge to sever the queen tick’s head.

In an instant, she remembered her promise to Celestia.

She was to take the queen alive.

But she was a threat to Equs. A parasite. A tumor that needed to be removed.

She had to die.

But… she’d seen how Thorax had shed his Wyrmtaint. How he’d been redeemed.

This wasn’t her world. Her ways were not their ways.

The weight of her promise to the princess slammed into her chest like a truck.

‘I hate you so much right now, Sun-butt.’

Seeing Chrysalis beginning to recover, Dawn Wings cocked back her arm and raised her fist. Chrysalis barely had time to scream before Dawn Wings flew straight past her, slamming her fist into the queen tick’s head, the force of the impact sending her head slamming into the ground and knocking her unconscious, causing her to revert to her natural form.

Wheeling around, Dawn Wings flew back and landed next to the tick, shaking out her forelimb. She was sure she’d probably fractured some of the bones from the impact, and forced her spiritual energy into the limb to heal it.

‘You owe me for this Sun-butt.’ She thought as the bones mended themselves. ‘Now, what to do with you…’

*****

Princess Celestia, accompanied by High Reaver Thorax, flew rapidly to the south-east, following the beacon that was Dawn Wings’ solar essence.

“Are you sure she’s this way?” Thorax called.

“Positive.” Celestia said as she flew. They were practically on top of Dawn Wings now. Chancing a look down, she spotted an unconscious black form on the ground.

“There!” She called as she began to descend, Thorax right behind her.

Landing, the two of them cautiously approached the battered form of the former changeling queen.

“Is she alive?” Thorax growled as he approached his former queen, rage and hate filling his heart as he looked on his tormentor.

“Yes, she is. She’s just unconscious.” Celestia said as she observed the fallen queen. Calling on her magic, the princess cast a shield spell the changeling.

“So, what happens to her now?” Thorax asked.

“My hope is that she accepts the purification, and would be willing to put aside her hate. But, in the event that she doesn’t, then it’s up to you and your kind now Thorax.” Celestia said. “Even if she’s my enemy, she’s still a changeling. Had she been in Equestria, she would be subject to our laws. But, she’s not, and I won’t impose Equestrian law on your people.”

“I… in the name of our new friendship, I think it should be both our people that chooses her fate.” Thorax said, looking at the princess, “I don’t believe we’d be able to hold her if we kept her. Would you be willing to detain her until we can offer her the chance to purge the Hunger from her body. And if she refuses, then we’ll have to come to an agreement about what to do with her. Does that sound fair?”

Smiling, Celestia nodded.

“It does.” Looking at Chrysalis, Celestia’s brows narrowed. “Thorax, would you be willing to retrieve Shining Armor? I’ll stay and make sure Chrysalis doesn’t get away if she comes to.”

“Of course. Please stay safe, your highness.” Thorax said as he spread his wings and took to the air.

Waiting until he was out of sight, Celestia turned her head towards one of the nearby trees.

“Dawn Wings, you can come out now. I know you’re there.” Celestia called.

“Once again, not surprised you knew I was here.” A familiar and terrifying voice said from the hollow of the dead tree. Soon, a black, feathered form emerged from the trunk and, spreading her wings, fluttered over and landed on a boulder by the princess, before bowing respectfully, then raising her head to look at the alicorn princess.

“Well, I kept my promise. She’s alive.” Dawn Wings said.

“You did indeed.” Celestia said, “I’m proud of you, finding mercy towards something that you despise so much.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea princess. If it hadn’t been for the promise I made you, you’d be seeing just how long this roach would have lived after I chopped her head off.” Dawn Wings said coldly as she regarded the unconscious Chrysalis.

“Still, regardless of why, I’m glad you spared her nonetheless. Perhaps there’s hope for you embracing harmony yet.”

“I wouldn’t hold your breath, your highness.” Dawn Wings replied as she turned her attention back to Celestia. “I like the way I am, thank you very much. Just because I’m willing to play by your rules doesn’t mean I’m going to be domesticated by you and your ponies.”

“I don’t suppose you would be, would you?” Princess Celestia said with a sigh. “Still, you did good work here today. You have my thanks.”

“Well, thank you, your highness.” Dawn Wings said with a slight bow. “So, what now?”

“I suspect Chrysalis will stand trial for what she’s done, both to the ponies, and to her own people.” Celestia said with a tired sigh, “If she accepts the metamorphosis and vows to change her ways, she might be allowed to continue as monarch of the changelings. But, as I doubt she will, the most likely outcome is that she’ll be imprisoned in Tartarus, or petrified to serve out her sentence.”

Nodding, Dawn Wings looked at the mid-morning sun.

“And me? What happens to me now?” Dawn Wings said, “I’d like to think I’ve proven my worth.”

Celestia chuckled a little at that.

“You have indeed, Dawn Wings.” She said as she regarded the corax. “In the future, I may have need of your skills, but for now, I would recommend that you return to Ponyville and continue your lessons with Twilight and her friends. From what I understand, you’ve begun to make friends with a few ponies there.”

Celestia saw one of Dawn Wings’ eyebrows rise slightly.

“I suppose that’s true.” Dawn Wings finally said after a few moments. “You’re never going to stop trying to tame me, are you?”

“Don’t think of it as taming Dawn Wings.” Celestia said with a warm smile, “Think of it as giving you a few lessons in harmony.”

“You say tomato, I say deadly nightshade.” Dawn Wings said as she heard the beating of wings in the distance. “Well, I better make myself scarce. See you back in Canterlot, your highness.”

Taking to the air, Dawn Wings sped off into the distance. As soon as she was out of sight, the princess felt the presence of solar essence vanish.

Chuckling to herself, Celestia looked towards the rapidly approaching forms of Thorax, Pharynx, and a dozen other purified changelings, as well as her solar guards with two carriages being towed behind four of them, one carrying Shining Armor.

“Indeed. I’ll be seeing you soon too Dawn Wings.”

Author's Note

We're close to wrapping this thing up. I suspect there's just an epilogue to go, and then I can put this one to bed.

Epilogue - Finally settling in, ponies are still crazy…

*Ponyville, three months after the transformation of the changelings*

A soft tinkle of a bell rang out as the door to Sugarcube Corner opened. In response to the sound, Pinkie Pie peeked her head out of the kitchen. Spotting her latest customer, her mouth turned up into a happy smile.

“Dawn Wings!” She chirped as she bounced out of the back room and pulled the pegasus into a hug. “Oh, it's been so long. How are you? Where’d you go this time? Oh, oh, I bet it was somewhere with lots of monsters that you had to fight, using the power of the sun and your wits.”

“Hello, Pie. I fine.” Dawn Wings responded. Five months of practice in Equish had borne fruit, even if her verbal capacity was still a little broken. “No fight monsters. Just surveying for princess. Go south. Almost boring not for dragons. No sense humor.”

“Awww.” Pinkie said as she put Dawn Wings down, “Why do you say that?”

Dawn Wings chuckled as she headed towards the counter, looking over the pastries and breads avaiable.

“Not go in details.” She said as she continued to browse the pastries. “Just say some not like being made fool. I take blueberry strudel please.”

“Oh? What did you do?” Pinkie said as she grabbed a large piece of the pastry Dawn Wings ordered and put it on a plate. “That’ll be five bits.”

“Not long story.” Dawn Wings said as she pulled out her coin purse with her wing and set down ten half-bit silver coins. “Princess ask me survey strange earth shaking, find punk red dragon and friends hurting rock lizards. Make earth shake.”

“Ugh, sounds like that blockhead Garble and his goons.” Pinkie says as she blows a raspberry, before scooping up the coins and depositing them in the register. “So, then what?”

“Come sit, I tell rest story.” Dawn Wings said as she headed to her usual table, where she was soon joined by Pinkie. “Prank dragon by dropping rock on head. Lure away from rock lizards. Into deep cave. Sneak out while dumb dragons look me. Bet still trying find way out.”

“Pff. Ha ha ha! Dawny, you are terrible.” Pinkie said with a grin.

“Say that like bad thing.” Dawn Wings said with a smile as she took a bite of her streudle. “Enough about me. How you and town doing?”

“Things are periodically hectic, but that’s what you get in an episodic series.” Pinkie said with a flick of her foreleg.

Dawn Wings regarded Pinkie with narrowed eyes, before she shook her head and sighed.

“Don’t know talking about. Not want know either.” She said before taking another bite. “How thing with shiny bug ponies going? News about bad bug pony?”

“Oh, yea, that’s a whole thing.” Pinkie said with a groan. “Chrysalis’s trial started right after you left the last time. Didn’t go too long either. From what I heard, Celestia and Thorax offered her the chance to be pardoned if she did the whole ‘turn into a pretty changeling’ thing like the rest of them. Surprise surprise, she said no.”

“Oh, what happen after?” Dawn Wings said, popping the last of her pastry into her mouth.

“Well, Thorax wanted to petrify her, but Celestia insisted that they only imprison her in Tartarus.” Pinkie said.

“Tartarus? What that?”

“It’s where the princess puts the worst meanies in the world for a time out. It’s like a big prison. She’s going to be down there for at least a thousand years, with the opportunity for parole after 700.”

“Seem lenient given what I hear she do.”

“It is, but that’s princess Celestia. Merciful to everyone, even if they’re big mean poopieheads.”

“What about shiny bugs? Who lead now?”

“From what I hear, they chose Thorax to be their new king.”

“You mention him before. Who he?”

“I think he was the one to figure out how to make the other changelings nice.”

“Guess make sense. Hope good leader.”

“I think so. Me and the girls met him after the trial. Nice guy. If a little stiff.”

“Eh, some creature have stick in butt. Nothing do about.”

“Oh, he’s not that bad.”

“I take word.” Dawn Wings said as she got up and gave Pinkie a short hug. “Need get going. Things do.”

“Awww. Leaving so soon?” Pinkie pouted as Dawn Wings let her go.

“Be here to rest day before go back out morning. Short time visit.” Dawn Wings said, “Need say hello Apple and Sparkle. Maybe see you next time in town?”

“Oh? How about a ‘welcome back from wherever you’ve been’ party at Sweet Apple Acres later?” Pinkie said with a pleading smile. “It’ll be fun!”

“Not say no to Pie Party.” Dawn Wings said. “Just no scare like first one. Neck still sore from Sparkle and Spike landing me.”

“Oh, fine.” Pinkie said with a mock pout.

“I sure still fun.” Dawn Wings said as she gently bonked Pinkie on the top of the head, prompting the pink mare to giggle. “See later.”

“Bye.” Pinkie chirped before heading back behind the counter.

*****

Stepping out of Sugarcube Corner, Dawn Wings let out a happy sigh, before spreading her wings and taking to the air. Truthfully, she already knew about Chrysalis’s fate, but it still helped to maintain her cover if she feigned ignorance of things she shouldn’t have known about. And it was a good excuse to catch up with Pinkie Pie.

Thinking back to the last few weeks, she had to suppress a smile. She hadn’t lied when she said she’d headed south to investigate the earthquakes coming from the “Dragon Lands”. The whole situation had been a lot of fun. And while the scouting was the icing, putting those idiotic dragon punks in their place was the cake.

She supposed that if they all worked together, they’d be able to dig their way out of that cave. With about a week’s worth of work.

Give or take a few days.

Still, with that assignment done, she needed to check in and get her next job. And for that, she was heading to meet with the local EIS agent.

Spotting her destination, she descended from the sky and landed in front of an unassuming candy shop. Pushing the door open, she made her way inside.

“Hello, welcome to the Sweetie Drops Candies.” A mare with cobalt and fuschia mane that Dawn Wings knew went by the name Bon Bon while in Ponyville said from behind the counter. “How can I help you today?”

“Hi.” Dawn Wings said as she approached the mare, “I here pick up special order. To go please.”

“What kind of special order?” The mare said.

“Here. I got receipt.” Dawn Wings said as she pulled out a sheet of parchment, five silver bits, two gold bits, and one copper bit, which she set on the counter, arranging the coins so that they resemble a smiling face on the parchment.

“I see.” Bon Bon replied. “Going for a long trip?”

“That am. Still figuring out where go.” Dawn Wings said as Bon Bob began to fill a small paper bag with candies, before surreptitiously slipping in a small sheet of parchment. “Need make up mind.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Bon Bon said as she handed over the bag of candies, taking the bits and the parchment and stashing them in the register. “Enjoy your special order. They’re limited time, so enjoy them while you can.”

“I sure I will.” Dawn Wings said as she put the sack of candies into her saddlebags. “You have good day.”

“You as well.” Bon Bon said with a pleasant wave as Dawn Wings exited the candy shop.

‘That takes care of that.’ Dawn Wings thought. ‘Think I owe the kid a visit next.’

*****

The scent of ripening apples filled Dawn Wings nostrils as she flew towards her former host’s home. Smiling, she recalled the first time she’d been to the orchard. It brought back a certain nostalgia for the corax. This was the place where she’d first seen the ponies. The place where she first learned that she wasn’t on Gaia anymore.

And, ultimately, where she’d started to learn to… tolerate her circumstances.

Because that was as far as she was willing to let herself fall. She’d tolerate this world.

But never accept it.

Her introspection was interrupted by the sound of laughter below. Looking down, she spotted Apple Bloom, along with her partners in chaos, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, playing with Winona in the front yard of the main farmhouse.

Slowly descending, she landed near the three fillies.

“Good morning Bloom.” Dawn Wings called, drawing the attention of the fillies and dog.

“Dawn Wings! Hey, how yah doin’?” Apple Bloom called out in response. “When’d yah get back in?”

“Not long. Stopped by see Pie.” Dawn Wings said as she trotted up to the fillies. “Also got candies Bon Bon for trip. Want?”

At the prospect of candy from Bon Bon’s, the fillies all scurried up to the pegasus.

“So, where’ve you been?” Sweetie asked, “Bloom said you got a job with the Sashaying Corps.”

“Surveying Corps, Sweetie. Surveying.” Scootaloo corrected. “Sashaying is something that mares do around stallions. I think.”

“Oh, heh heh heh.”

“Was south.” Dawn Wings said as she slipped the bag of candies out of her saddlebags with her wings, before plucking one out for each of the fillies. “Near dragons. Weird earthquakes. Dragons made. Fixed problem.”

“When yah ‘fixed’ the problem, yah let em live, raight?” Apple Bloom said with a cheeky smirk as she took the offered candy from the corax.

“Maybe lived. Didn’t wait find out.” Dawn Wings said with a smirk of her own. “How things been I away? Not getting too much trouble… right?”

“Us? Get in trouble?” Sweetie said with a giant, innocent smile. “Not in a million years.”

“Want say believe, but don’t.” Dawn Wings said as she regarded the fillies. “What break this time?”

“Um, well…” “Yah see…” “The thing is…”

“Second thought. Don’t want know.” Dawn Wings said as she watched the fillies stammer out their replies. “Better for health.”

“So… how long are yah gonna be in town?” Apple Bloom said, trying to change the subject.

“Only day. Need get back to work.” Dawn Wings said with a smile. “But, Pie wants have party later. Think want here.”

“Ah’m sure AJ’d be ahlright with that.” Apple Bloom said.

“Aw yea!” Scootaloo hoof-pumped. “Pinkie Parties are the bomb!”

“True.” Dawn Wings said, “Just not end up under book pony.”

“Yah gotta admit, it was kinda funny.” Apple Bloom said.

“I admit nothing. Even true.” Dawn Wings said with mock indignation. She maintained the facade for about three seconds before she allowed herself to start giggling, which promptly spread to the fillies.

Reaching over, Dawn Wings ruffled Apple Bloom’s mane affectionately.

“Going take care few things. I just wanted stop say hi. You three try not blow up things until I leave.” Dawn Wings said.

“We’ll try.” The three said with huge grins.

“All I ask. Stay safe.” Dawn Wings said as she took back to the sky.

*****

‘Glad to see the kid’s doing okay.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she flew up to a nearby cloud and perched herself on top.

Ruffling through her saddlebag, she pulled out the bag of candies with a wing. Rifling through the assorted caramels and toffees, she pulled out the envelope agent Sweetie Drops had slipped in for her.

Breaking the seal and pulling out the letter, she read her new orders.

“To Agent Dawn Wings of the Equestria Intelligence Service

Princess Celestia has informed us of a dangerous spike in dark magical energy in the frozen north. She suspects it to be the potential return of the fabled Crystal Empire, and its tyrannical overlord, the dark unicorn King Sombra.

Your orders are to head north and scout for any sign that the empire or King Sombra are returning, and report to her majesty if you find evidence of either.

Time is of the essence. Should Sombra return and be allowed to reclaim the Empire, the threat to Equestria’s sovereignty will be great.

The former location of the crystal empire is marked on the map below.

Good luck agent Dawn Wings.

The EIS”

Dawn Wings smiled a little as she examined the map, committing the location to memory, before slapping the cloud, causing an arc of electricity to surge out. Holding the letter in the stream, she watched as it was incinerated.

Rising to her hooves, she stretched her neck and wings out, before looking back down at Ponyville. With how far she’d be flying, if she left tomorrow morning, the trip would take about three days, if she hustled.

‘Guess I’ll stay for Pie’s party.’ She thought as she watched the ponies down below. She had to admit, this place wasn’t nearly as boring as she thought it would be. True, it wasn’t exciting in the way that she’d prefer, but at least it wasn’t dull.

Even if she still missed her old home…

Her friends…

And her beloved Cloud Chaser…

Even with all of them missing from her life, she was starting to find new reasons to go on. They’d never replace what she’d lost, but… maybe, just maybe… they’d given her something new to fight for.

Author's Note

And so, here we end this story. Honestly, I'm not entirely happy with how this is wrapping up, but I could feel myself floundering for where to take this thing, so I figured better to wrap it up as best I could.

I may come back to Dawn Wings and her adventures in Equestria again, but first, I've got some other ideas I'd like to work on.

Thanks to everyone who's read this story. Dawn and I appreciate your patronage.

The Voice in the Water

Prologue - Ouch, my aching feathers…

Deep within a untamed and tangled forest, its trees covered in wild, chaotic growth, across a immense chasm filled with swirling blue mist, there was a massive, ancient castle. Though the structure was clearly long abandoned, it stood proudly, shrugging off the weight of ages that slowly threatened to tear it down, and still had an unearthly beauty to it. The castle looked as though it were carved from solid stone, but upon closer inspection, it was in fact built from millions of tiny, perfectly square blocks stacked upon one another, and fitting so tightly together that it would be impossible to even slip a hair between them. Every angle of the castle was sharp and precise, even in the areas where a tower or archway had collapsed.

While the castle itself was magnificent to behold, it paled in beauty to what was above. Hovering exactly fifty meters above the structure were two geometrically perfect dodecahedrons, one glowing bright orange, the other with exactly half of its faces black and half silver. These two objects slowly circled the perimeter of the castle, causing the very stone to change color. When the glowing orange object passed, the stones turned into the purest white marble, and radiated shining warmth. When the black and silver object passed, the stones became perfect black onyx twinkling with thousands of small pinpricks of light, and became cool and soothing. These twin objects lazily chased one another around the perimeter of the edifice, always following their sibling in an endless dance of light and dark.

If one were to descend into the castle itself, they would find a multitude of chambers, all long deserted by whoever had built it. The only inhabitants that could be seen were dozens of large, silvery spiders, who filled large swatches of each room with their glimmering, crystalline webs. These webs, rather than detract from the splendor of the castle, only added to it, creating a shimmering lattice that glowed in the light cast by the twin objects above.

Within one of the deepest chambers of the castle, there stood a mirror. Like the rest of the structure, the mirror was geometrically perfect, all of the six edges of its reflective pane perfectly parallel to its twin. And, below this reflective masterpiece, there was something completely out of place: a large raven splayed out on the floor, twitching periodically.

Slowly, the bird began to stir, and with a deep and pained groan, she carefully opened her eyes. Yet, as soon as she raised her eyelids, she slammed them shut again, the very act of seeing sending a wave of searing agony into her brain. It wasn’t just her eyes that hurt though. Almost every part of her body ached, including the parts that shouldn’t be able to, like her feathers, the tips of her claws, and her beak. After a few moments of simply focusing her mind on regenerating whatever injuries she had, she tried the whole “opening my eyes and using them to detect pictures” thing a second time. This time, instead of her brain playing chicken (and losing) with the act of seeing, she managed to get a good look at the chamber she was in. Making note of how the walls were regularly alternating between two colors, Whispered Secrets Carried Upon Wings of Dawn, or Dawn Wings for short, slowly began to collect her thoughts.

‘Well, either my brain’s scrambled and I’m seeing the world upside down, or I’m on my back.’ She thought to herself. Shifting her body a little bit, she got a sensation that wasn’t pain and could feel the hard stone of the floor along her spine and the back of her wings, the latter which she could tell were spread out to her sides.

‘Yea, on my back. But, still alive… yay. Now if I could just get the license number of that giant, burning oil tanker Godzilla threw at me.’ She mentally groaned as she pulled her wings in, and began to roll over to get to her feet. ‘Ugh, that doesn’t feel good.’

As she tried to stand, her body was hit with another fierce wave of agony. Flopping back down to the ground, she discovered that, while resting on the ground was kinda painful, it hurt significantly less than trying to stand.

‘Alright, alright, you win body. I’ll stop trying to move you till you’ve had a chance to fix yourself up.’ She thought as she pushed more of her spirit into repairing her wounds. Slowly the pain began to subside as her spiritually enhanced flesh continued to mend. ‘Would be nice if I knew where in Raven’s name I am.’

*Several hours earlier, in another world*

Dawn Wings slowly turned her head as she flew over the urban hellscape that was the slums of South East Los Angeles. As much as she would rather be somewhere up in the mountains, enjoying the spring air with her mate Cloud Chaser, she had a job to do, and Raven be damned if she wasn’t going to do it right. There had been over a half a dozen kidnappings in this area the last few weeks, and her gut told her that there was something more sinister than just the ground apes doing the normal evil shit they do to each other. The break-ins had been too quiet and too clean.

The police, as usual, were useless. The neighborhood was one of the poorer ones in the area, and most of the families were illegal immigrants. Since they weren’t likely to get any decent bribes out of it, the cops were less inclined to give a rat’s ass than they usually were. The fact that whole families were missing allowed the disappearances to be written of as them simply leaving to keep ahead of the immigration authority. Dawn Wings, however, was not so swift to dismiss the vanished people as a bunch of humans avoiding deportation. Not that she would mind being wrong.

But her instincts said that it probably wasn’t anything benign.

After the fourth disappearance, she had spent two weeks studying the locations, times and distances between the incidents, and she had begun to see a pattern emerging. And if there was one thing she knew from all her years in this game, it was to never ignore a pattern. It was this pattern that led her to this block. If she was right, and she really hoped she wasn’t, this was the next spot to be hit.

‘Doubt it’s the local leeches.’ She thought as she landed on the roof of a dilapidated apartment building. ‘Doesn't really fit with the Kuei-jin's M.O. And the Camarilla isn’t interested in starting an open war over this area. Could be the cartels. Argh, stop it. No sense in psyching yourself out.’

Dawn Wing’s thoughts trailed off as she began to focus on her job. Calling upon her power, she closed her eyes and she sent spiritual energy flooding into them. When she opened them again, she could see as clear as if it were noon on a bright, sunny day. Of all the powers she had at her disposal, this one was probably among her favorites. Night scouting was so much easier when you could see perfectly, but your enemies couldn’t.

Now came the hard part: waiting. Taking a deep breath, Dawn Wings focused her mind and allowed her consciousness to fade away as she entered an observational trance. Soon, conscious thoughts were all but gone, and her mind was lost in the pattern.

Despite the late hour, there were still some people out and about, though they were mostly transients. Soon, even they moved on, leaving her alone. The minutes wore on into one hour. Then two. Some rats scurried around in the alleyways. A stray dog rummaged around in an overturned trashcan. Night insects buzzed. Reflexively, she stretched her wings and flapped them a couple of times to get her blood flowing again, before settling back into her vigil.

‘Better a dull night than an eventful one.’ A tiny voice in the back of her mind thought as she adjusted on her perch and settled back in.

More time passed. The night had settled comfortably over this section of the city, bringing a pleasant calm that was so rare in such an urban area. Then, the pattern began to subtly, yet suddenly changed. The dog, which had lain down to sleep, suddenly woke up and ran down the road and out of sight. The rats vanished. The insects went silent. Her conscious mind came rushing back. Instantly on alert, she called on another of her gifts, one that would let her detect the presence of threats. There were at least four of them nearby. And whatever it was, it clearly wasn’t something that normal animals liked. Now fully snapped out of her trance, Dawn Wings began to actively scan the neighborhood from her vantage point.

‘Where are you? Where are you…’

‘THERE!’

It was a group of what looked superficially like four humans. To normal sight, they might have blended into the darkness of the alley they were hiding in, but to Dawn Wings’ enchanted sight, they stuck out like a mall Santa streaking in the summer. The first thing she noticed was how deformed they looked. One had a misshapen pair of arms that resembled tentacles more than limbs, and overly large, pure green eyes. One looked like she was made of black, rubbery plastic, and had no hair on her body. Another had an enormous, distended stomach and lacked lips over his mouth, making his face look like a macabre grin. The final one was covered in some sort of grotesque boils, and had arms clearly far to long for her body, with her hands ending in long, sharpened talons.

‘Fomori. That’s not good.’ Dawn Wings thought. Of all of the Wyrm’s minions, these bane possessed humans were the most wretched. But, as pitiable as they were, they were Wyrm minions, and deserved little more than a quick death.

The rubbery one quickly looked out of the alley, checking down the streets before gesturing for the others to follow her. Skittering across the street, they swiftly made their way to one of the smaller buildings. Arriving at the front gate, Dawn Wings watched with interest as the rubbery one compressed her body and squeezed through the gap under the barrier, before opening it and letting her companions in. She repeated the same trick on the front door by compressing herself and squeezing through the mail slot. After she unlocked and opened the door, the other marauders entered the building.

When she was a green, hotheaded rookie, Dawn Wings might have attempted to stop them. Even as weak as she was compared to her fera cousins, she could still have probably handled four formori. But, this stank of something bigger. Most fomori were not subtle like this. If they were being stealthy, then there must be more to it. At best, they were kidnapping people to eat them, in which case once she found their lair, she could deal with them. But, if they were serving a higher master, finding the guiding force and pointing the local garou in that direction would be a smarter course of action. Or even better, alert the local revs. The Kuei-jin probably wouldn’t take kindly to some wyrm spawn messing around in their territory. Blood suckers they might be, but she knew they were bloodsuckers that hated wyrmspawn. There were so many effective ways to handle this that didn’t involve her getting in the middle of it. It wasn’t her job to fight.

Her job was to figure out where to point the guys who’s job it was to fight.

Minutes passed, and Dawn Wings didn’t hear a sound. No screams. No crashing. Nothing. After an eternity of moments, the fomori emerged, each carrying a bound, gagged and unconscious human. Tentacles had a child under each arm, while pot-belly had a teenage girl held in his flabby limbs. Boils had what Dawn Wings could only assume was the children’s mother slung over her shoulders, with rubber-made carrying what was likely the human’s husband. Five victims in all had been subdued, trussed up like hogs, and silently dragged out of their home in the dead of night. Yea, these were not your typical fomori.

Taking a quick glace around the street, rubber-made gestured for the others to head out. Unseen on the rooftop, Dawn Wings spread her wings and quietly took off in pursuit, making sure to stay back as far as possible while still keeping her targets in sight. The fomori quietly and carefully made their way through the alleyways to a large, unmarked van. With expert precision, they tossed their captives into the back of the van, before piling in and starting the vehicle up. The van slowly began to drive out of the neighborhood, unaware they were being tailed from the sky.

*****

It was nearly an hour later when the fomori pulled the van into the parking lot of an abandoned industrial building. As the four of them got out and began to unload the hostages, Dawn Wings landed in a nearby tree. She had to admit, they were good. They had gotten on and off the freeways, driven through a dozen suburbs, and crisscrossed back and forth between residential and industrial areas at least six times. If any normal pursuer were tracking them, they would have been lost a long time ago.

Luckily for Dawn Wings, she wasn’t a normal pursuer. It wasn’t easy, but she managed to keep the van in sight, though she had to use more of her gifts to do so. Still, the investment paid off, and had found what she was sure was their hideout.

Even without her gifts to show it, every one of her instincts was screaming that this place was dangerous, and that the area was completely polluted with Wyrm taint. Most of the brick structure had fallen into disrepair. Two of the four walls were collapsing, and the windows were broken. Dozens of abandoned chemical drums littered the yard, many of them still spilling out their contents onto the ground, creating a mire of sludge that stank of oil and something metallic. There was almost no vegetation, and what was present was sickly and stunted. Remnants of an old sign read “Green Side Industrial Chemicals”, though the lettering was barely legible due to age.

The site instantly ruled out Pentex as the immediate backers. Too dilapidated. A manifest bane spirit maybe? Black Spiral Dancers? Dawn Wings stopped wracking her brain, and instead focused back on the topic at hand.

‘Don’t speculate. Observe.’ She chided herself.

After watching the fomori carry their hostages into the building and waiting for a minute, she silently glided over to the structure. The sense of impending danger she felt went from a subtle chill to a fullblown icy shudder. Quickly invoking her gift again, Dawn Wings detected at least two other threats inside, though there was some sort of interference deeper within the building. Now really on edge, she followed them inside, doing her best to keep out of sight. Two unknown threats and the possibility of getting caught inside without an easy escape route was not what she considered an ideal situation.

The fomori soon arrived in a large room. Dozens of enormous, rusted vats filled the space, broken piping and catwalks hanging precariously from the ceiling. As the fomori approached the center, she saw what had set off her threat detection powers, causing her to freeze in place. She stood completely still, barely breathing as two large, bestial shapes emerge from deeper within the complex. The creatures were massive, standing at least three feet taller than the fomori, and were quite a bit bulkier. Beyond their size, their most obvious features were their lupine heads, tails, clawed hands and digitigrade legs, making them look like humanoid wolves. One was hairless, and covered in a multitude of ornate scars. The other had black fur, a noticeable underbite, and a pair of mismatched eyes, one visibly larger than the other.

‘Black Spiral Dancers’ Dawn Wings thought ‘sometimes I hate being right.’

This was getting far more complicated. If there were Black Spirals involved, this was more than she could even hope to deal with on her own. She knew that she should leave. But, she couldn’t. The job wasn’t done. All she had confirmed was that there were Wyrm-wolves here. She had no idea what they were doing, or why they were taking those people. If she was going to call in the garou, she needed to know what her allies would be charging into. Not having enough information when striking an enemy stronghold could be lethal. And she wasn’t going to send her friends into the fire without some idea where the gas leak was.

“Yoo gut ell of tham?” Underbite asked as he gestured towards the bound humans.

“Yes.” Rubber-made responded, “And we weren’t seen. I’d think by now you’d trust us to do our job.”

“Yoo ded bothch the furst joub yoo wur saent un.”

“That was months ago. We’ve got this.”

“Hmph. Suo yoo sei.”

“Enough! Lets go. The master is waiting.” Scar-skin growled as he turned back towards the passage he had come from, his partner following suit, with the fomori falling into line behind them.

‘Master?’ Dawn Wings thought as she slowly began to follow, her mind racing because her power hadn’t detected a third new threat in the building. ‘Well this keeps getting better and better.’

*****

Deeper and deeper into the abandoned factory they descended. Dawn Wings kept to the ground or glided when she had to descend any stairs, knowing that the flapping of her wings might draw attention from the Wyrm-party she was following. Once during the trek, the teenager had awoken. Panicking, she had begun to struggle, but was quickly knocked out again by a sharp blow to her head from scar-skin, who reprimanded pot-belly for letting her make any noise. The fomori apologized to the werewolf before falling back into line.

Eventually, the Black Spirals and fomori reached a large set of rusted steel rolling doors. With a mighty heave, the wyrm tainted werewolves pulled the doors open, the wheels screeching in protest as they rolled along their rails. Once open, the six of them and their five hostages filed in. From where she was hiding, Dawn Wings couldn’t see into the room, but every one of her instincts was screaming that there was something extremely dangerous in there.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Dawn Wings crept forward, making sure to keep to the shadows as much as possible. This was the final piece to the puzzle. Once she knew what was in that room, she could get out. She felt bad for whatever was about to happen to that family, but she knew, ultimately, there wasn’t anything she could do for them now. Heroics worked in the movies and comic books. Reality wasn’t nearly so forgiving.

As she cautiously peeked around the corner of the door, she had to suppress a croak of horror at what she saw. The room, clearly once a large storage space, was now a charnel pit. A forest of chains hung from the ceiling, most of them ending in large steel hooks covered in dried gore. Where the walls weren’t covered in sprays of blood, sheets of flayed human skin, or corpses violently nailed to the surface with rebar spikes, were dozens of glyphs that shone with angry red light. On the floor, there was a massive, elaborate runic circle carved into the concrete, at the center of which was an enormous bonfire. One look at the flames told Dawn Wings that this was no ordinary, healthy fire. Rather than clean, orange flame of true fire, it was an almost waxy, sickly green flame that roiled and hissed in its brazier. It was balefire, the corrupted, toxic perversion of true flame that came from the spiritual effluence of the Wyrm.

The fomori quickly began to take their captives to five points along the edge of the circle, where they stripped the unconscious humans naked before shackling their wrists and ankles together. Once the captives were restrained, underbite threw a switch, causing five pairs of chains to lower from the ceiling. Once low enough, the fomori grabbed and drove the barbed hooks at the end of each chain through the captive’s shoulders. The pain instantly woke the humans, who could only look around in panic as they were hauled painfully into the air by the hooks embedded in their flesh, their screams muted by the gags that were still in place.

Dawn Wings’ mind was racing. This was more elaborate than a typical Black Spiral ritual. This was…

“Welcome back, my friends.” A smooth, greasy voice proclaimed from across the room. “So glad you made it on time. I was afraid that I’d have to punish you for being late.”

Dawn Wings’ eyes immediately snapped over to the source of the new voice, her heart racing and her blood running cold. This newcomer appeared to be nothing more than a man, but his sudden appearance, and the flowing, blood-drenched ceremonial robes he wore made her terrified. Beyond his odd appearance, she could sense tremendous power coming from him, his whole body exuding Wyrm-taint like a blast furnace. This “master,” as the Black Spirals had called him, was something that she had only ever encountered once, and was something she had hoped to never meet again. A Malfean. A mage that had given himself to the Wyrm. The threat that this being posed was nearly immeasurable. On their own, mages were some of the most dangerous beings on Gaia. The ones in service to the Wyrm were even more dangerous, because they actively used their power to pervert the world and spread corruption.

“Hau menni mur av theas ryets duu yoo naed tu du bifar yoo ‘re raedy Maester?” Underbite slurred as he and his partner approached the mage, before dropping to their knees and bowing their heads.

“Two or three more. We need more pain and blood to finish corrupting the leylines around here. It shouldn’t be long till this place is ready.” The mage said smugly.

That was all she needed to hear. This needed to be stopped. Slowly backing away, Dawn Wings began to retrace her way back out, though the very act of retreating made her heart ache. As much as she disliked humans, nobody deserved to have their body, mind and soul used as fuel to power a Wyrm-rite. She had to keep reminding herself that if she tried to intervene, all she would accomplish would be getting herself killed, and leaving the mage free to continue whatever he was planning. She needed to alert the garou. They could take care of it.

Unfortunately, in her distress and haste to escape, she wasn’t as careful as she should have been. As her foot touched the stairs, she felt a surge of power. Looking down, she saw a glowing rune etched on the stair. On her way in, she hadn’t noticed them, having glided down the stairwells. She swore internally at her amateurish mistake. Almost instantly, she could feel power erupt from the chamber behind her, as well as a shout from down the corridor.

“Something tripped the wards! Get after it.”

‘Okay, cover’s blown! Screw stealth! Move your tail feathers D-Wings!’ She shouted to herself internally as she quickly spread her wings and began to fly up the stairs towards the exit.

Behind her, she could hear the sound of rapid footfalls as the fomori, Black Spirals, and Malfean rushed out after her.

*****

On a scale of one to “fuck my life,” this evening was quickly reaching the latter as far as Dawn Wings was concerned. As she flew free of the building, the mage and his cronies suddenly appeared out of nowhere directly in her path, forcing her to stall her forward momentum.

‘Dimensional translation.’ She thought. ‘fucking mages.’ Seeing her, scar-skin turned and took a quick sniff of the air. Instantly, his expression turned to rage as he pulled his lips back into a fierce scowl.

“It’s a corax!” Scar-skin snarled as he pointed directly at her, “Don’t let it get away!”

‘Figures.’ Dawn Wings thought to herself as she banked as hard as she could and tried to gain altitude quickly. Hoping to escape into the Umbra, she attempted to step sideways, but found that the instant she tried, she nearly wretched as her body was wracked with vertigo, nearly causing her to fall out of the sky.

‘Of course the mage warded the area. Why wouldn’t he?’ She thought as she pumped her wings faster, calling upon her power to augment her top flying speed. ‘Better to put some distance between me and them before they can…’

Dawn Wings thoughts were cut off as bullets tore through the air and nearly hit her. Looking back, she saw the fomori had begun to pursue her in their van, with boils and pot-belly hanging out the sides, firing automatic rifles at her. Behind them, she could see scar-skin and underbite following on a pair of motorcycles, ones that had clearly been custom built to accommodate their massive crinos forms. Dawn Wings heart sank at the sight, because that left the Malfean unaccounted for.

Almost on queue, the mage translated onto a building in front of Dawn Wings, before thrusting out his hands at her and invoking his magic. Banking as hard as she could, she felt the mystical distortion in the space she had occupied just moments before, which suddenly imploded with a deep “whump”.

‘Two points closer to F.M.L.’

Flapping hard to pour on as much speed as she could, Dawn Wings shot through the night sky, dodging bullets, all the while trying to outrun the mage, who continually got in her path and tried to annihilate her with his magick as he herded her back into range of his allies.

Dawn Wings desperately looked for a way to escape. She was a fast flier with her gift empowering her, but she didn’t have a limitless amount of stamina. Between the dodging and rapid flight, she was wearing out. If she didn’t get away soon, she knew that she’d exhaust herself completely, and then she’d be killed.

Forcing the thought away, she sped on, continuously dodging lead and mystical death. Searching her memory for anything that might give her a way out, she recalled there was a highschool a couple of miles from her position. Normally, she wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but there was one detail about it that could get her out of this mess: a very large mirror on the rear of the statue out front. Mirrors served as the best doorway to the Umbra, one that she hoped even the mage couldn’t completely close. It was her best shot. Dodging another blast of mystical energy, she turned sharply and sped towards what she hoped would be her salvation.

Minutes later, she landed on the roof of the building, panting for breath. Below, she could see the mirror in the moonlight. Swallowing, she took off just as the mage translated in behind her. Banking hard, she dodged another annihilation blast as she rushed towards the mirror. As she dove, she invoked one of her most powerful gifts, one that wrapped her body in a spiritual coating made to ease her passage through the gauntlet, the mystical barrier that separates the real and spirit world. Pumping her wings, she focusing her power on shifting into the umbra, using the mirror as a conduit.

‘Just a couple more feet, you can make it…’ She told herself as she could feel her body beginning to pass through the barrier into the spirit world.

“Die!” The mage snarled as he invoked his magick. Sending out a wave of dimensional disruption, he pinched space-time and causality around the corax, hoping to force reality into not recognizing her as real. Invoking this level of power greatly increased the chances of paradox, but he couldn’t afford to let the spy get away.

As the disruptive magicks struck her, Dawn Wings’ world turned inside out. Reality and time seemed to invert and explode. The barrier between the worlds distorted, extended and snapped back into place. Her gifts mingled with both the mage’s magicks and her transition into the spirit world. She felt a horrid lurching and acceleration, and then everything went black.

Translating down to the ground, the mage regarded the black char mark where his power had struck the corax. A couple of minutes later, his minions pulled up, having followed the magickal beacon he had implanted in their souls when he first bound them to his will.

“Check the other side of the gauntlet.” He said as he turned to his Black Spiral Dancer slaves. “Make sure the bird didn’t make it across.”

Bowing, the two werewolves stepped sideways into the umbra. Finding nothing, they soon returned to the material world. “There is no sign of the corax, master.” The scarred werewolf said as he and his partner bowed to their master.

“Good. But we can’t be sure if it told another of its kind about our lair. When we get back, kill the sacrifices, and move out.” He said as he began to walk towards the van. After bending reality as much as he had over the last ten minutes, he wasn’t going to risk using any more power for a while. “Pity though. All that work lost because the site was compromised.”

*Present Time*

After spending far too long simply laying on the ground going over the events of the previous few hours and focusing her spiritual energy on healing her body, Dawn Wings felt that she was recovered enough to get up and move around without feeling like she was being rolled around in red-hot broken glass.

‘Whatever that mage hit me with must have really messed up my passage. This doesn’t look anything like any part of the umbra I’ve ever visited.’ She thought to herself as she took in the room. ‘With my luck, maybe I’ve ended up in Narnia.’

Flapping her wings and taking to the air, Dawn Wings began to navigate the castle’s corridors, trying to find a way out. As she did, she noticed a few things about the labyrinth. Everything was too geometrically perfect, from the walls, to the doorways, to the dilapidated furniture.

‘Weaver site.’ She thought as she passed a perfectly organized and orderly pile of rubble and an immaculate totaled bedroom. ‘Too damn orderly not to be. Whoever built this place must’ve been an anal retentive control freak.’

Minutes passed as she flew through the corridors of the castle, always going up if she had the choice. As she emerged from another corridor, she came upon what was clearly a throne room. On one side, there were two massive chairs, one made of pure gold with an elegant sunburst above it, the other of silver with a majestic crescent moon surrounded by shimmering stars. All around the room, tapestries bearing a combined sun/moon symbol hung listlessly in the still air. Even more fantastic, this room was the apparent fulcrum of the changing colors of the stones that made up the castle, with half of the room being marble at any given time, and half being onyx, their states slowly turning counterclockwise along a central point.

As she stared at the golden throne, she was filled with a sense of awe and calm, despite the physical danger it represented to her. Taking a moment to simply bask in its presence, she realized that the throne was emanating the same spiritual power as her patron Celestine Helios. Had a servant of the Sun once occupied this throne?

Looking next to the silver throne, Dawn Wings suddenly got a sensation in her spine that made her feathers stand on end. Something about it felt wrong on a deep level. Flying up to the massive chair, she began to examine it closely. It was then that she found what was so unsettling about it. Or rather, what was on it. It was a thin coating of greasy slime. Looking around the room, she saw more of the spiritual effluence, which manifested itself when the stones changed to onyx, but vanished when they returned to marble.

Dawn Wings recoiled when she realized what the spiritual muck was. It was Wyrm-taint. Somehow, someone of great spiritual power had fallen to the Wyrm in this room, and left a scar on the spirit realm. Scrutinizing the grime with one of her gifts, Dawn Wings could pick out three specific types of contamination: Abhorra, the hate urge, Karnala, the desire urge, and Gree, the despair urge. For one being to be contaminated by not one, but three Urge-Wyrms was astounding, because it meant whoever it was had been completely consumed by all three emotions for years before succumbing.

Looking back to the golden throne, Dawn Wings suddenly had a horrid realization that the symbolism of the room was showing her. If the gold throne belonged to a spirit in service of Helios, then the silver one must belong to one that was in the service of his sister, Luna. Through it was practically unheard of, it was possible for any spirit to fall to the Wyrm, even one in the employ of a Celestine. Was that the reason this building was abandoned? Had the sun-spirit been driven away by a Wyrm-tainted former moon-spirit. Shuddering, Dawn Wings hoped that whoever this treacherous moon-spirit was, they had been put down, and put down hard.

Deciding that it was time to make her exit, Dawn Wings sped out of the room. It took another ten minutes or so of flying through the building before she finally found an opening in the roof. Landing on one of the buttresses of what she now could see was a castle, the corax took in the surrounding scenery.

‘Toto, I don’t think we’re in California anymore.’ She thought to herself. For one, there were no castles in Los Angeles, outside the magical hell that was the Disneyland amusement park. And she’d seen the umbral representation of that madhouse before. It wasn’t something she’d ever forget, despite how much she would like to.

Then there was the massive forest surrounding the castle. Not something one would find in the middle of a large arid basin that had been developed into a concrete wasteland.

The state of the forest intrigued her greatly. Unlike the castle, which was strongly aligned with the Weaver, the forest below was more in touch with the Wyld. Chaotic, disordered and untamed, the woods were a place where the hand of order had very little sway, which was something she took great comfort in, as it was similar to the Umbral forest of her home in the Sierra Nevada.

Spreading her wings, Dawn Wings took to the sky, gliding out over the woodland. Even under the current circumstances, she was tempted to start exploring this new umbral landscape, but she forced herself to put the idea aside. First she’d need to get her bearings. Then she’d have to report what she found to her allies. Then she could explore. With one final glance at the wilderness below her, she attempted to step sideways out of the umbra and back into the material world. To her surprise, she found the gauntlet remarkably thin.

‘Huh, not usually that easy to get across.’ She thought to herself as she emerged into the physical world. Noting that it was still the dead of night, she had to wonder just how long she’d been out. Was she even still in the same time zone?

Then there was the moon, which was a bit brighter than she remembered it. ‘Probably just the lack of light pollution.’ She thought as be began surveying the landscape around her. As she scanned the horizon, she managed to barely pick out the signs of a large town off in the distance.

‘Town means people. People means infrastructure. Infrastructure means I can figure out where in Raven’s name I am, and maybe get an email off to Cackling Mesa, or Bright-claw.’ She thought as she turned towards the town with a flap of her wings.

As she passed over the forest, she noticed that it gradually began to give way to a massive orchard. Acres upon acres of orderly trees stretched out below her. Flying low, she saw that they were apples. As she looked over the groves, her stomach gave a sharp pang of hunger. Figuring that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if she ate something and waited till morning to get her bearings, she banked down and landed in one of the trees. Moving along the branch, she pecked at one of the apples for a few minutes, letting the sweet and sour fruit take the edge off stomach. After following it up by prying a few sleeping insects out of the bark, Dawn Wings settled in and let herself begin to drift off.

‘First thing I’m doing in the morning is getting to a computer and sending word to Bright-claw about that mage. I hope her pack makes him die painfully when they get their fangs on him. Maybe they’ll yank his intestines out through his ass and strangle him with ‘em.’ And with that pleasant thought in her head, Dawn Wings closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

The prologue of this story is going to be one of the most overtly gory for some time. If you're unfamiliar with the source material, just know that this chapter is relatively tame for the setting.

Terms (Links to the White Wolf Wiki will be provided when deemed necessary)

Leech - derogatory fera term for Cainite Vampire
Kuei-jin - East Asian vampires, and unrelated to the western Cainite vampires (see above).
Camarilla - One of the major vampire powers. Slightly less dangerous to mortals than their ideological enemies, the Sabbat.
Fomori - Humans possessed and mutated by a malevolent spirit known as a bane.
Wyrm - one of the primal forces of existence, the Wyrm once embodied destruction and renewal, but thanks to the actions of the Weaver, has been transformed into corruption.
Pentex - A multi-national corporation fully in the thrall of the Wyrm.
Black Spiral Dancers - A tribe of garou (werewolves) that have fallen as a whole to the Wyrm.
Mage - A human that has awoken to the power of magic.
Malfean - A corrupt mage that serves the wyrm.
Umbra - the spirit world
Stepping sideways - the fera ability to pass between the physical world and the umbra.
Weaver - primordial spirit of order. Insane and responsible for causing the Wyrm's current entrapment.
Wyld - primal spirit of chaos and creation. The least malicious member of the Triat.

Ch 5 – Hmm, apparently, there aren't just ponies around here…

*Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, the umbra*

Dawn Wings opened her eyes slowly before stretching her wings and neck out, then yawning widely. Flapping her limbs vigorously, she rolled her shoulders and neck before gliding down from the rafter where she’d slept and landed on the sill of one of the windows facing the castle’s large courtyard.

Hopping off the stone and casually flying down to the flagstone below, she stepped sideways out of the umbra and into the material realm. Once she had landed, she turned towards the rising sun, and croaked her morning oath to her patron spirits before her mind drifted to her agenda for the day.

Despite how hard she had pushed herself the day before, she was completely rested and restored thanks to her regenerative abilities. Although, after her little game with Crayons, she had a feeling it would be a good idea to spend some time away from the village. Even if the encounter had ended well, she didn’t like the way that unicorn kept showing up and getting involved in her business.

So, instead of heading back to town for another day of observing the ponies and trying to pick up more of their language, she planed to explore the forest a bit. It would also be a good chance to get more practice in with her equus form. She had most of the basic motor functions down thanks to the instinctive aptitude she gained as a natural shapeshifter. Still, it was best to get used to her new bod’ under practical circumstance.

Dawn Wings called upon the change, her body reshaping itself till she was in equus form. Tapping the tips of her right then left hind hoof on the moss-covered flagstone, the pegasus spread her wings and, with a couple of strong, downward flaps, lifted off the ground and flew over the outer wall.

Soaring out into the forest, Dawn Wings hummed contentedly to herself. With no destination in mind, she shot out over the trees, looking for anything interesting.

Under the cover of the foliage, a hooded figure watched the unknown pegasus fly away from the abandoned castle and out over the woods. Turning in the direction the newcomer had flown, the figure silently began to follow, as the morning sun glinted off several pieces of gold around her neck and dangling from her ears.

*****

Dawn Wings leaned her body back and flapped her wings to stall her forward momentum before gently setting down on the ground. From the sky she’d spotted a gorgeous waterfall cascading over the edge of a high cliff into a large, clear pool surrounded by all sorts of wildflowers. Deciding that she could afford to take some time to enjoy the scenery, she’d landed along the outer edge of the pool, and began to trot around the perimeter.

All in all, while this world was still very alien, but she could honestly say it had its charms. For one, the air and land were remarkably clean and untarnished, which was a far cry from the polluted wasteland that was Los Angeles. Also, the inhabitants, despite their rather whimsical and somewhat irritatingly cheerful demeanor, weren’t nearly as openly revolting as the humans. The Wyrm’s presence was minimal, though the Weaver’s touch was a bit overstated near the ponies. Still, there were no fomori, no banes, no incestuous, cannibalistic wyrm-tainted werewolves, and no vile multi-national corporations seeking to turn the world into a polluted wasteland.

‘I wish Cloud Chaser could see this place. He’d love it… here…’ Dawn Wings thought before the bottom suddenly dropped out of her stomach. So far, she had managed to avoid thinking about him, but at the thought of her mate, her irises shrank to pinpricks and her hind legs gave out, causing her flank to plop unceremoniously to the ground.

“Cloud Chaser…” She whispered to herself. She’d been so occupied with trying to figure this place out that she hadn’t had time to think of her mate. Until now. Her sweet, goofy, frustrating and courageous mate…

She could feel the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes as she tilted her head back and looked up into the sky.

Like their non-fera cousins, corax mated for life, though for the corvid-breed wereravens, this was bitter-sweet. Natural ravens, even kinfolk, rarely lived longer than fifteen years. Corax, thanks in part to their half-spirit nature, could live for six times that length. Dawn Wings always knew she would outlive Cloud Chaser, but she had hoped that she could be there with him until the day that he died.

Now? Now she was separated from him by a cruel twist of fate that had exiled her to another world.

She could already picture him, waiting for her to return to their nest, wondering what had happened to her. For normal ravens, the loss of their partners would break them, causing them to lose all will to hunt or forage. She could see Cloud Chaser, alone, distraught, and overcome with grief, without the will to find himself a meal.

And what about the others in her life? What about her oath sister Cackling Messa? She had met the nuwisha soon after her first change, and the two of them had been inseparable ever since. How would that silly ball of pranks and laughter react to her disappearance? And what about her garou friends Bright-claw, Tristen Moonsong, Howls-at-dusk, and Alexis Wild? Would they think she died in battle? Would they dedicate songs to her as they mourned her loss? Would Gnawing Hunger, her ratkin friend, mourn her too? What of her freinds among her fellow corax? How many souls would be forced to suffer the loss of their friend and ally?

And what about her? She’d never see her beloved Cloud Chaser, never laugh with her oath-sister, never sing, drink and party with her wild, reckless, idiotic garou friends. She would never get to trade secrets with her kin and swap stories about her exploits.

Unless by some miracle she made it back to Gaia, she would never see any of her loved ones ever again.

The thought was too much for her as her forelegs gave out and she fully collapsed to the ground. The tears now freely slid down her face as she gently sobbed on the beautiful, clean grass and flowers around that gorgeous pool and waterfall.

*****

Zecora heard the sobbing before she came to the clearing by Crystal Sky waterfall as she moved with practiced grace between the trees and brush, making almost no sound as she did. Normally, the zebra shaman wouldn’t have been concerned with keeping quiet as she moved through her forest home. Though the Everfree was rife with predators, most of them ignored her thanks to her mysticism making them to perceive her as “not food.”

Now, she was moving silently because she was following something that was decidedly not one of the local predators, natural or otherwise.

Earlier, she had spotted a pegasus emerging from the old ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Any other time, she would have ignored the outsider, but there was something about her that drew the shaman’s attention. For one, most of the local ponies chose to avoid the Everfree, and fewer still would be brazen enough to enter the ruined castle. That alone would have piqued her curiosity.

But that was not the whole reason she was interested in this stranger.

It had to do with her unusually strong roho, a concept that could be crudely translated as spirit or essence in the Equestrian tongue. Even for a shaman, Zecora was especially adept at sensing roho. And never, even in Zebraca had she encountered a roho quite like this one. With few exceptions, all Equestrians had a roho that was tied exclusively to their species. Some unique individuals, such as the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, had a secondary one, such as Pinky Pie bearing both earth pony and laughter roho.

This pegasus didn’t have a single roho: she had three. Beyond her pegasus roho, she had two others, though they were both subdued. The strongest of these secondary roho was kunguru, the spirit found in ravens. This alone would have been strange enough. But it was her other roho that drew Zecora’s curiosity. Unlike her primary pegasus or kungururoho, this tertiary one blazed with both life-giving light, and searing, destructive fire. The only source of such roho was jua: the Sun. And outside of the Sun itself, Zecora only knew of one being that bore such a roho: the Sun’s own avatar, Princess Celestia. Moreover, the fusion of the pegasus’s roho to her body was nearly complete: she was less a vessel for her roho like a normal being, and more an amalgam of both roho and flesh. Even normal ponies, who’s roho would could be manifested in the world as their tribal magic, were still merely vessels to this force.

To the shaman, such a creature was unprecedented.

So, Zecora had followed the outsider, hoping to determine exactly who, and what, she was. What she hadn’t expected to hear was the sound of gentle sobbing in the direction of the spiritual presence. Coming up to the edge of the clearing, she spotted the brick-red pegasus, collapsed on the ground, her eyes streaked with tears, gently crying as she buried her muzzle under her forelegs.

The sight tugged at Zecora’s heart. There was such loss in her sobs, as well as deep despair. Forgetting her curiosity, the shaman was overcome with another desire; the desire to ease the pain of another living soul. Stepping slowly out of the trees, Zecora began to approach the weeping pony.

Despite her distraught state, Dawn Wings’ sharp ears heard the rustling of branches near the edge of the clearing. Fighting instincts honed over years of scouting and combat against the minions of the Wyrm kicked in as she snapped her head in the direction of the sound, and quickly used her wings to launch herself back and put some distance between her and the source. Emotions were pushed aside as she went into fight or flight mode. As she leapt, she invoked her threat detection gift and readied herself to shift into her crinos form. As she landed in a defensive stance, she detected no threat, so she relaxed slightly as she saw the hooded figure of another pony stop suddenly. Her eyes narrowed as she regarded the newcomer suspiciously.

The newcomer reached a hoof up and, slowly lowered her hood, revealing a black and grey striped face with a high Mohawk like mane, as well as gold ear and neck rings. Dawn Wings cocked her head to one side as her eyes quickly looked over the other pony.

‘Is that a…zebra?’

Zecora stood still, regarding the pegasus. The speed with which she reacted to her presence was impressive, on par with the finest Zebracan warrior-knights. But that wasn’t what had got the zebra’s attention, and caused her to freeze in her tracks. As the other pony had sprung backwards, her roho had suddenly flared. As it did, the shaman had felt a wave of spiritual energy of some sort bloom from the outsider and over her the instant the flare occurred. Though she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, the energy almost felt like it was… assessing her in some way. And as soon as she felt it pass, the pegasus had relaxed almost imperceptibly.

‘She’s a strange one, that’s for sure. A display like that I’ve not encountered before.’ The shaman thought.

“Wanted to startle you, I did not. Please, I mean no harm, so don’t be distraught.” Zecora said, smiling towards the other pony and bowing her head slightly.

Dawn Wings mind raced, as she tried to assess the situation. The zebra was talking to her, but she still couldn’t understand what she was saying. However, she did notice that the zebra’s words had a decidedly different cadence from the speech of the other equines. It was almost poetic, and sounded like she was rhyming.

Zecora lifted her head, and looked at the pegasus, who was still looking at her intently, though from her body posture, the zebra could tell she was no longer on guard. Instead, had her head tilted to the side, as though in thought.

“You can trust my words, for they are true. My name is Zecora. Pray, who are you?” The zebra said, extending her hoof towards the pegasus.

Having now gotten a closer look at the other pony, Zecora noticed a couple of things. The most striking were her eyes. The irises matched her mane in color, and were so black she couldn’t tell them from the retina. But beyond the color, there was something more to them. They spoke of dark, hidden secrets, a will made of nearly unbreakable stone and a weight that would have broken the back of any lesser pony. The only eyes she’d ever seen like that were those of her mentor Umoya Imbali.

Looking over the rest of the pegasus, Zecora also noticed that she looked lean and hard, to the point of almost appearing malnourished. Most pegasi were naturally built lightly, but there was still a softness to even the most athletic of them. This pegasus lacked that softness. Instead, she was hard and weathered; her musculature was finely honed, like braided cord. Everything from her posture, her body’s roughness, and the fierce, uncompromising look in her eyes told the shaman that this pegasus was nothing like the domestic ponies of Equestria. She was something different. Something born of the wild.

Again, Dawn Wings just stood there, wishing that she had a better understanding of the language of this world. Though she couldn’t quite put a talon on it, there was something about this zebra that the corax found sympathetic, as though she were a kindred spirit.

Throwing caution to the wind, Dawn Wings slowly began to approach the other pony. “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak your language.” She said in English.

Zecora’s head snapped back and eyes shot wide open. Whatever language she had just spoken in, it was nothing like anything she had ever heard in any of her travels. The sound was coarse, hard, and almost terrifying, to the point of being almost painful to the ear. Whoever this pegasus was, she was clearly not from anywhere near Equestria or Zebraca. Zecora continued to puzzle over this as the pegasus stopped five hoofs away from her, before sitting down on the grass and regarding her.

This presented a whole different problem, Zecora realized. Still, she wasn’t willing to let it end with just that.

Lifting a hoof, Zecora pointed to herself. “Zecora.” Then, pointing a hoof at the pegasus, she flicked her nose up slightly.

“Ze-co-ra?” The pegasus replied, forming the unfamiliar sounds of the name out carefully and pointing a hoof at the zebra.

Zecora nodded.

Lifting a hoof, the pegasus pointed to herself “Dawn Wings,” she said slowly.

“D-aw-n W-i-ngs?” The zebra replied, trying her best to replicate the unfamiliar sounds of the pegasus’s language as she pointed to the pegasus.

Nodding slowly, the pegasus smiled. True, this “Zecora”’s pronunciation was slightly flawed, but she got close enough.

Bowing slightly, Zecora extended her right hoof to the pegasus. “A pleasure to meet you, Dawn Wings.”

Looking down at the offered hoof, Dawn Wings slowly approached and cautiously extended her own hoof before touching it to the zebra’s like she had seen the ponies do in town, careful to avoid getting too close to the golden rings she wore. “Hello Zecora.”

The two of them stood there for a moment, each smiling as they carefully observed the other.

Slowly, Zecora turned back towards the treeline, and beckoned the pegasus to follow her with a flick of her head, before she pulled her hood up and trotted to the edge of the clearing.

Dawn Wings regarded the zebra for a moment. ‘Is this an invitation? Does she want me to follow her?’ she mused. A repeated beckoning from the zebra seemed to confirm that, yes indeed; she wanted Dawn Wings to follow.

‘I suppose it would be rude to turn her down. Worst comes to worst, I can probably get away by flying.’ The corax thought as she began to trot after Zecora, her mind inadvertently distracted from her depression by the zebra.

*Zecora’s Hut, some time later*

Dawn Wings stood before a large tree with the zebra, one that at once surprised her and excited her. The surprise was that the tree, despite still being alive, was clearly the zebra’s home. Beyond the few decorations on the outside, there was a door built directly into the trunk, as well as several windows. The whole thing told the corax that her new companion clearly had a strong connection to the natural world, as the way her home was integrated into the tree was not intrusive, but symbiotic.

Her excitement came from the spiritual power radiating from the thing. By accident or design, Zecora had built her home upon a ley line confluence. On Gaia, such places were immensely valuable to the fera, for they served as a focal point for spiritual energy, and were thus both highly coveted and fiercely protected. That the spiritual energy radiating from it felt clean and pure only excited the corax more. If Zecora was living here, and the spiritual confluence was pure, then it spoke volumes on the character of her new companion.

Pushing the door open with a hoof, Zecora beckoned Dawn Wings inside. Smiling, the pegasus gave her a slight bow before walking across the threshold and into the tree.

*Everfree forest, to the northwest of Zecora’s Hut*

“Twilight, why are we doing this again?” Spike asked as he hopped over a large root that had burst from the ground across the path. Earlier that day, Twilight had told him to pack their collected notes on the solar raven, along with several blank scrolls, and enough food for a full day away from the treebrary. After the drake had finished packing, the two of them had set off for the Everfree Forest.

“I already told you.” Twilight said as she pushed a branch aside with her telekinesis. “Every book I’ve consulted has turned up nothing on the solar raven, even the ones from Canterlot. But, since Zecora knows myths and legends that are not written down in Equestiran literature, maybe she might have heard something about this creature. At this point, it’s the only chance we’ve got to learn anything about the solar raven short of capturing it.”

“What about the books at the Great Library? Maybe there’s something there.” Spike said to his big sister, his eyes darting about as he watched for possible threats in the thick foliage.

“I thought about that, but to go there, I need Princess Celestia herself to take me. And I’d rather exhaust every possible option outside that before asking her. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.” Twilight said as she continued along the path.

Twilight had a second motive for heading into the forest, one that she didn’t tell Spike. Both times that she had spotted the solar raven, it had flown off in the direction of the Everfree. Though the chance was slim, there was the possibility that she could encounter the elusive bird while getting help from Zecora. To that end, she had cast her solar detection spell, and was now maintaining it with the barest trickle of her magic. With how vast the Everfree was, the chances of coming upon her quarry were slim. But, if there was any chance to find the slippery thing, she’d take it.

*Zecora’s hut*

‘Howls-at-dusk would be right at home in this place.’ Dawn Wings thought sadly as she looked around Zecora’s hut, imagining her Uktena friend and Zecora comparing notes on the occult. While her initial elation of having some company had distracted her from her earlier melancholy, it returned full force after Zecora had led her into her home and guided her to sit at a low table. Despite her mood souring, the corax managed to maintain a neutral expression as she sat and waited.

Across the room, she could see the zebra busy preparing something in a large kettle, as well as warming some sort of flatbread. Carefully watching her new companion add dried leaves and flowers to the ceamic vessel, Dawn Wings concluded that she was probably making tea. Tea sounded good right about now.

Looking back around the inside of the tree, Dawn Wings tried to focus on taking in everything to distract herself from thoughts of her exile. Though she was loath to apply such a term to a non-fera, this Zecora, had she been one of the changing breeds, would probably have been a theurge. Just one more thing she would have had in common with Howls-at-dusk.

Dawn Wings lowered her head and sighed. She had to stop thinking about it. She could mope about it all she wanted, but the fact of the matter was that she was clearly and truly stuck. Obsessing over what she lost wouldn’t do her any good. Like with so many other hard times in her life, she needed to focus on when and where she was at that moment. For whatever reason, she was here, trapped in this new world, and no amount of crying, whining or raging would change that.

Still, it was easier said than done.

‘Suck it up you fledgling. Just do what you’ve been telling yourself: make the most of it.’ She thought as she saw Zecora bringing over the kettle, rolled bread, and some fruits and flowers on a tray, along with a pair of half-gourds. Setting the tray on the table, the zebra seated herself opposite the pegasus, before pouring each of them a generous gourd of the hot liquid. Despite her less than stellar sense of smell, the scent of the tea was quite enticing, though Dawn Wings intended to let Zecora take the first sip.

“No need to be shy, please drink and eat. You seemed down, so it’s my treat.” Zecora said as she waved at the foods on the tray. Her guest cocked her head quizzically, which reminded the zebra that they didn’t share a common language. Still smiling, the shaman picked up a fruit stuffed chapati bread and took a bite, before setting it down and taking a sip of her tea.

Having seen Zecora begin, Dawn Wings bowed her head to her host before picking up her own half-gourd and taking a slow sip of the hot liquid. The flavor was both minty and flowery, giving the corax a calm feeling as she took a second, much longer sip. Setting down the cup with a contented sigh, she reached over and picked up one of the pieces of rolled bread with her hooves. Taking a bite, she was startled to discover the familiar taste of both thimbleberry and huckleberry in the center. As she took a second bite, her smile started to grow.

Unlike many of her kinfolk, Dawn Wings preferred to catch her own meals in the wild, not scavenge the disgusting leavings of the humans. Despite preferring wild foods (lizards and poison oak berries being a personal favorite), she had always had a weak spot for human baked goods, with fruit pastries being her favorite. It would have been fair to say this was on par, if not exceeding, the things that she would occasionally get when she used her human form on assignment.

After slowly savoring the delightful confection, which she chased with another sip of tea, Dawn Wings looked at Zecora and bowed her head again, this time more deeply.

“Thank you.” She said, hoping that even if her companion didn’t understand her words, she could at least understand her sentiment.

As she looked back to Zecora, she noticed a gentile smile on the zebra’s face, one that the wereraven happily returned. For the next few minutes, the two of them simply sat at the table, sharing each other’s company and enjoying some good food. Though she probably wouldn’t make a habit of it, Dawn Wings decided that it probably wouldn’t hurt to visit Zecora every so often.

*****

Twilight Sparkle quickened her pace as she and Spike approached Zecora’s hut. Normally, she would be concerned about making too much noise in the Everfree, but at the moment, her mind was on something else. Her spell had detected the solar presence in the direction of her destination. Were it not for the regular and almost routine frequency that strange coincidences occurred in her life, the unicorn might have thought the chance of running into the solar raven near her destination would have been too weird. Instead, the mage simply went with it. After all, stranger things had happened.

“Twilight, slow down!” Spike yelled as he rushed after his big sister, his shorter legs pumping hard to catch up with the unicorn. “What’s the hurry?!”

“Its here!” Twilight shouted as she ran. “The solar raven is here!”

“What?” Spike called, “Are you sure?”

“Positive!” Twilight called back as she galloped down the path.

Reaching the tree-hut, Twilight reduced the sensitivity of the scanning spell, trying to pinpoint exactly where the energy was coming from. With a start, she realized that the solar energy was coming… from inside.

Twilight froze. Did Zecora know something about the raven? Had she called it? The unicorn’s mind was racing a hundred miles an hour as Spike finally managed to catch up and stop next to his sister, clutching his knees as he bent over and panted, trying to catch his breath.

“Okay…Twilight…why’d…we…stop…” Spike said between pants as his lungs desperately sought to gather oxygen.

“Its here.” Twilight whispered.

“Where?”

“Inside the hut.” Twilight said as she slowly approached Zecora’s home. Raising a hoof, the unicorn firmly but politely knocked on Zecora’s door.

“Zecora, are you home?” She called.

*****

Setting the half-gourd down, Dawn Wings let out a contented sigh, having finished her second cup of tea. Opposite her, Zecora tapped the teapot and gestured to the now empty vessel, non-verbally asking if the pegasus wanted another refill. Dawn Wings raised her hooves and spreading them a little ways apart while nodding her head. Nodding, the zebra lifted the metal container and poured a small serving of the now cooled tea into her guest’s gourd. Smiling appreciatively, Dawn Wings picked up another piece of fruit and began to chew on it.

As she was swallowing, there was a knock at the door. Both ponies turned their heads towards the source of the sound.

Then Dawn Wings heard the voice. She didn’t need to know the words aside from her host’s name, because she recognized the speaker’s voice.

‘Oh Raven, Helios and Mother Gaia! Not HER!’ Dawn Wings screamed internally as her fera born rage flared, though years of training and intense will kept her face completely calm and composed outside a small twitch of her eye and a slight clenching of her jaw. She quickly flicked her eyes back towards Zecora, and relaxed slightly. From the surprised look on Zecora’s face, her host had clearly not been expecting the mage.

‘Seems like this wasn’t a setup.’ The corax sighed, ‘You’re being paranoid Wings. There’s no way that Zecora and the unicorn know your pony and raven bodies are the same being. There aren’t any other fera here. Just play it cool, and maybe she’ll go away. No need to be alarmed.’

Zecora, on the other hand, was more than slightly alarmed by what she had felt moments before. The instant that her guest had heard Twilight Sparkle speak, her jua roho had flared up explosively, as though the presence of the unicorn had set her off somehow. Turning her head back to the other pony, she could see her tea companion had tensed up, though to any normal pony, it would have been unnoticeable.

‘The sound of Twilight’s voice has made her tense. Why would she react in such a way to her presence.’ Zecora thought to herself as Dawn Wings turned to look at her. Recalling how the pegasus had reacted to her at first, the shaman wondered if her guest was just really wary of strangers. With her inability to communicate in the local language, it might make sense that she’d be a little jumpy around new ponies.

Putting the thought aside, Zecora motioned to Dawn Wings to stay seated as she rose and trotted to the door. Opening it, she could see the eager face of one very purple, and slightly agitated, unicorn, along with Spike, who was standing next to his sister, trying not to look bored.

“Twilight Sparkle, what brings you here. Its not often that you chose to appear.” Zecora said, looking the unicorn in the eyes.

“Uh, hi Zecora. Umm, sorry to be a bother. Can I come in? I need help figuring something out, and I’m pretty sure you can help.” Twilight said as she tried to sneak a peek into Zecora’s hut. Unfortunately, Zecora’s body was blocking most of the entrance. Even with the obstruction, Twilight’s magic was telling her that the solar presence was indeed in the house.

“Normally, I’d not have a problem with your request. However, I must decline, as I have a guest.” Zecora said.

“Guest?” Twilight responded. “What sort of guest?”

“A red pegasus mare, whose tongue I do not know. I found her alone in the forest, suffering great woe.” Zecora said, as she glanced back at Dawn Wings, who was casually pouring herself another serving of tea, though the shaman’s keen eyes could tell she was still on guard. Her roho had calmed down considerably, but there were still flickers of the fury she had felt.

“A pegasus?” Twilight said, cocking her head to the side.

Zecora nodded.

‘A pegasus… not a raven…’ Twilight pondered.

“Would it be alright if I came in and met her?” Twilight asked, her curiosity now really getting fired up.

“I see no harm, so it should be alright. But she’s a bit on edge, so please be polite.” Zecora responded as she stepped to the side to admit the unicorn and drake.

Author's Note

This chapter marks the end of the lighter aspects of the story, and the beginning of things getting dark.