*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