Incarnate: Book Two of the Nexus

It was a pitch-black, moonless night. Further into the shadowy streets of Ponyville could be seen pools of flickering orange-yellow illumination as the lamp-lighters went about their work, slowly working their way to the edge of town.

In this present darkness, on the cold and soft soil of Everfree Lane, Rosepetal the deer could be mistaken for an earth-pony in the shadows. She walked alongside Skyblazer the pegasus until they reached a small house with a fenced garden.

"Stay here for a moment, Rose," whispered Sky into the night.

Rose heard the soft creak of a gate and a gentle knock of a hoof against a door. Another knock, very slightly louder. The door opened, candlelight spilling out of the aperture.

A soft and sweet voice perfumed the air, "Oh, hello Lightning. It's awfully late, is anything the matter?"

"Actually," answered Sky's male voice with a distinct country accent, "I'm Sky, her son."

"Oh my, sorry. I was sound asleep and I'm not all awake right now," Fluttershy inhaled deeply and hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's not polite to wake a pony up unless it's an emergency."

"Well, it is..." Sky began.

"What happened, are you hurt?" Fluttershy asked with concern in her tired voice.

"Um, well... I just got back from a far-away land. I met a talking deer there, and she was in need of a new home. She's right out front, I was hoping you could help?"

"Well certainly, Sky, but I do suppose it could wait until morning."

"I don't want to startle anypony and she can't speak our language."

"I see. You two can stay the night then, but I simply must get sleep. I am a very early riser, you know."

Sky wondered when Fluttershy had become this assertive. He nodded and thanked her, and asked Rose to come on in. He also informed the deer,

"She says you may rest here for now. I am still using magic to translate, so if I need to leave you won't be able to talk with her. Okay?"

"When can I return home, Sky?" she inquired.

"...well, I don't know if we can get back through the Dreamspace. It's not an easy thing."

"Ah, so I may be here for a while."

"Yes... here, you must be hungry. Let me get some food out of my pack."

Sky brought Rose to the dining table while Fluttershy returned to her room with a yawn. Did she... just ignore a talking deer? Fluttershy, friend of animals?

Rosepetal said something which went right past Sky, unheard, as he simply sat at the table and stared at the closed bedroom door.

Fluttershy, the sweet and gentle gardener pony, had become more cold and calloused. Granted it was a very minor thing but... for her to just get some sleep rather than meet a fascinating animal from another land? Not even a 'Hello'?

Looking back down at the table, where a parcel of hay was set next to fruits and veggies, Sky slowly divided the food and gave half to the grateful and famished Rose.

He shook his head and pushed his half over to her as well. He said good night to her and carefully made his way over to a plush easy chair.

Sleep was instant, dreams were complex. In the midst of one dream so abstract as to defy easy description, a blurry winged figure swooped through the confusion of color and sound like a boat leaving a wake in water. A far-off voice echoed, Come this way, Sky.

Sky found himself floating off like a stray ember, leaving behind the cacophony of disjointed sights and sounds. The dream began to fade away until they were somewhere else entirely. Ahead of them could be seen a garden. Unlike Fluttershy's vibrant garden outside, this dreamscape only had trailing vines and flowers of black and purple.

Do you like it? came the dreamy voice again with an echo, It is my favorite place to go when I need time to think.

The garden seemed to come into greater focus. Sky felt a stronger presence of being himself, in the body of a pegasus, with synaptic control over wings and legs and a tail.

Echoes dulled down, the blurry landscape cleared, and Sky found himself sitting facing Princess Luna within her dream-world garden. It was, indeed, a very calm place.

A gentle ripple of falling water could be heard. Sky looked over his shoulder for the source: a pond where lilies blossomed, a bullfrog croaked, and water cascaded softly down a series of flat rocks.

"We need to talk, Skyblazer," came the firm voice of Luna. Sky turned and nodded sheepishly.

There was a sudden blaze of light. When it faded, Princess Celestia stood before them. Sky bowed. Celestia glared at them, ears down. She spoke to them both,

"I'll have you know I lost sleep to be here."

Both Sky and Luna were quiet, each with a rather sheepish look on their visage.

Celestia turned to her sister and scolded her, "How could you possibly have let him do that?!"

Celestia was as angry as Sky had ever seen her. Her usual mane and tail of blue astral energy now encompassed her whole body like an aura, flickering off of wingtips like flame.

Luna scrunched her face up and retorted, "I thought you said we weren't going to infringe upon the personal choices of mortals!"

"Well certainly, but don't you think this maybe qualifies as a special situation?" Celestia fired back.

"And what if I had stopped him from rushing in? What if in so-doing I were to disrupt the timeline of what is meant to be?"

Celestia paused at this, but quickly spoke up, "Then, perhaps, you wouldn't be facing the arduous task of gathering every single dangerous creature which has now been loosed from Dreamspace!"

Luna huffed. Skyblazer backed off a few steps, but Celestia noticed him. Her horn flared yellow and Sky was roughly yanked forward and back into the conversation.

Celestia didn't need to say anything to him. She gave him an askew glare which pierced right through him. From a saddlebag at her side came a piece of parchment, which was hovered over to him and held where he could read it.

It was a map, showing all of Equestria and some surrounding areas. Several names could be read on it, glowing in various colors. Down in Appleloosa were two which Sky recognized: Trixie and Starlight.

One name was apart from the others, far off to the East and glowing a dark blue: Cobalt. The location: near Griffonstone.

Skyblazer slowly spoke with tears in his eyes, "I don't know why she left me! And yeah it was reckless, but I swear I did everything I could to get to her!"

"Well," conceded Celestia, "you certainly did a damn fine job tearing two dimensions asunder to find her."

"Look, how was I supposed to know what would happen? That the, place, was even possible?"

"You weren't, young one, but a certain someone should know better."

Luna seemed to visibly shrink as she hid her face within her wings. Her sister took a few deep breaths, and the blue energy surrounding her returned to normal, and she spoke calmly,

"We cannot change that which has already been done. It would only cause more problems if I did. Luna and Sky. Do you even know what avalanche of shit you have rained down upon Equestria?"

Celestia's horn flared once more. Two shovels suddenly appeared, each tossed to the ground with a clank.

"My meaning should be clear," said Celestia as she became enveloped in a golden blaze of magic, fading out of the Dreamspace.

After a moment, Sky turned to face a very unhappy Luna. He spoke quietly,

"Luna, I swear I saw the stag again. The one we saw in your memory."

This prompted a startled look from Luna, one ear down. Sky continued,

"He told me that all the magic sources are going to die, and trying to stop it will only make things worse, and... I think... I might have maybe damaged the source of all dark magic. Yeah..."

"Well, I can repair the damage to Dreamspace," began Luna wearily, "but it shall take several moons and until it is finished I cannot gather the anomalies."

"You mean, the monsters?"

"Yes... so I'll have you and Cobalt do it."

Sky blanched. He stammered, "I don't think we could possibly..."

"Now, I know you two have to eat and keep your equipment in good care in order to handle creatures of this magnitude."

"You can't be serious..."

"So although this is your fault, I shall pay you bits. Just don't tell Celestia."

"Okay, first Cobalt doesn't want to be with me..."

"Pony-feathers, you know that's not true. Now then. Slay the monsters if you must but these are ones we'd rather preserve and study. I'll teach you the ancient magic needed to transport an object into the Dreamspace."

"Wait, hold on, what do you mean that's not true? She said 'I'm sorry' and ran off! As far away from me as possible!"

Luna eased down to lie on her belly, wings tucked in. She spoke softly, "And where did I say that portal led to?"

"East, by the dragonlands and... Griffonstone."

"Do you sincerely think she would go back to the place she most hates simply out of breaking up with thou?"

"No, of course not. She wants to make her home a better place, I get it."

A sad nod from Luna, "With her newfound power. There seems, however, to be a hindrance."

Sky looked at the map again. Cobalt's name wasn't in Griffonstone, not exactly. A bit more to the south, between there and the Dragonlands.

"What's she doing?" Sky wondered in concern.

"She's alive and well, wherever she's at," reassured Luna.

"I'll go help her, just let me get Rose settled in first."

Luna stood up and unfurled her wings. She stared Sky in the eyes as her horn glowed deep purple and the dream garden began to fade away.

Skyblazer awoke with a start in the chair. It was difficult to move.

He could see why when he opened his eyes: Rosepetal was curled up right against him, back to back. Sky grimaced and slowly got off the chair so as not to wake her.

Sky shook his head, quite uncomfortable. She was very cute and sweet, honestly, but Sky already had someone and Luna was right. Cobalt had not left because of him. It was time to leave that deer in the capable care of Fluttershy and take another long, long flight.

As Sky gently placed the quilt back over the deer, a paper fluttered to the ground. It was the arcane map Celestia had given him in the dream. This was tucked into a pocket of his pack.

He then picked up his saddlebag by a strap and slung it over a dining chair. He had a seat, groaning at a sharp pain which stood out among the other injuries, and began unpacking parchment.

First he unfolded a large map of Equestria. It was covered in notes and additions and took up the entire surface area of the table. All of Equestria was depicted, and some of the wildlands outside of their borders.

Sky took the left corner gently in his mouth and pulled the map so that the right half rested flat on the table. An expanse of ocean was depicted here with wavy blue lines, unnamed, for Pony-kind stayed in Equestria except for a few western isles.

To settle East was unthinkable, between dragons, griffons, and seafaring rogues. Hurricanes often plagued those waters as well, sometimes reaching Manehattan. If there were any islands in the East ocean, whether wild or settled, they remained unknown.

A landmass occupied the right border of the map. It was a vertical sliver from top edge to bottom, labeled simply, 'Dragons be Here'. What lie further inland, and how far it extended, was not mapped and perhaps never would be.

Here in the refuge of Equestria, especially in cities, one did not need fear the drakes. To venture into their land was foolhardy, for dragons had a very short temper and no reservations against eating another sapient race.

Skyblazer grimly considered this fact as he stared at the map with distant eyes. He shook his head and placed the arcane tracking map on the table. This one was much smaller and less detailed. Cobalt's name, in dark blue, remained stationary not far from the dragon's homeland.

Another look back at the large map. Notes in black ink had been scrawled on the Eastern land, messy but legible. Most prominent was a red line dividing the land into North and South sections.

North was labeled 'Griffonstone', while the South was called 'Dragonhearth'. A smaller note said these were rough translations. Several other items had been noted on the expanse of empty parchment: The Spire of Magnus, Volcano of the Trials, Throne-Cavern of Crystal.

The nearest landmarks to Cobalt were a lake (a blue circle) and a forest (a number of green triangles). A tiny note here said that limestone caverns were around this lake, too small for dragons to access. Apparently Luna and Celestia had used them as a campsite far in the past while exploring, and that was why the caves had been noted on the massive framed map in the royal castle which Sky had copied from.

Sky heard the creak of a door opening and looked up. Fluttershy was awake now.

The light-yellow pegasus stepped out and gently kicked the door closed with a back hoof. She greeted Sky midway-through a groggy yawn. Her mane was a mess and her wing feathers were all ruffled.

This only made her more adorable. She took a towel from a closet and stepped into the bathroom, asking Sky to put some tea on.

Sky stepped away from the table and placed a kettle on the burner. He found a few tins of tea and sugarcubes on a shelf. Everything in this kitchen was in white or pink, accented by green plants and varicolored flowers.

The ruckus awoke Rosepetal. The deer neatly draped her quilt over the chair, lightly bounded off, and stretched her limbs. She walked around the cabin, her small hooves thudding on the planks, examining everything with curiosity.

Fluttershy emerged in a cloud of steam, fanning her wings to get the remaining water off. She fixed a cup of tea in what she would call a mug, which was a porcelain facsimile of a bucket with a metal handle. She took the wooden grip of the handle in her mouth and carried the bucket-mug of scalding tea to the dining table.

She retrieved a comb with a very long handle from the bathroom before having a seat in an aged, crackling white wicker chair at the table. Holding the end of the comb in her mouth, she was able to use this comb-on-a-stick to brush her mane back to its usual curl.

Rosepetal bounded over in a graceful arc, sat next to her, and watched with bright, curious eyes. Skyblazer wearily trod over and had a seat across from Fluttershy, who observed his packed bags and tense expression with some worry.

Once her mane was in order and she had a sip of tea, Fluttershy addressed the fascinating Rose, "Oh my, a real talking deer!"

Sky cut in, "I'll need to use a spell of translation so we can talk," he closed his eyes and focused on the magic, a golden glow emitting from his amulet. It sparked a couple times, but stayed steady and functional. Sky gave a nod to Rose.

Now the deer spoke up, "I am Rosepetal. Your house is very lovely. I did not know you could keep flowers happy within doors--it is very nice."

"My name is Fluttershy, and thank you. Do your kind drink tea?" this prompted a nod 'yes', and Rose was given a mug.

Skyblazer explained nervously, "She... can't go back home. A winter storm destroyed the village."

"Oh no, that's awful!" exclaimed Fluttershy in a voice slightly louder than her usual whisper-quiet one, "Well, I can certainly take care of her and help her settle in Ponyville."

"Is Twilight around?" asked Sky, "I'm sure she could help with translation."

"You haven't heard?" asked Fluttershy in surprise as she gazed at Sky over her steaming mug. She added, "You're all ready to go, so I had assumed you already knew."

Sky didn't have a response for this. He sat patiently, sipping his sugary tea.

Fluttershy smiled broadly, "Twilight said she has an important quest. She went to Everfree to meet Zecora and help gather potion ingredients."

A look of stunned understanding appeared upon Sky's visage, "My sister... they're going to cure her. That's... that's great news, Fluttershy."

An impatient Rose interrupted, "Sky, when can we go back to Mirage? Do you really think it fell to the storm?"

Sky put his ears down and grimaced. He spoke the truth, "I'm sorry Rose, but the storm was bad. I'm afraid... the village didn't make it."

"Oh..." lamented Rose, trailing off into quiet for a moment. At length she continued, "I suppose I'll need to settle in your village now. It is strange, you must understand, to be in a village of ponies."

"Trust me, I get it," said Sky, "It was just as strange for me in your village."

Fluttershy cut in between sips of tea, "By all means Rose, you may feel welcome here. Ponyville is a very peaceful place."

A quiet fell over the table. Each of the three considered saying something, but thought better of it and returned to their tea. Warm rays of sunlight filled the room through expansive windows. The only sound was birdsong.

Skyblazer seemed restless, constantly shuffling his wings as though ready to take off. Fluttershy asked him,

"Do you have someplace you need to be?"

He explained, "Fluttershy, do you remember Cobalt? The griffon I told you about."

A curt nod. Sky continued,

"We've been through a lot together... forged a friendship through the fire."

With great intelligence Fluttershy asked in a soft voice, "She is very special to you, isn't she?"

Sky almost broke down into tears. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply before responding, "I love her. I don't know why she left like that... but Luna herself came to me in a dream and told me that, maybe, it's not about me."

Fluttershy listened quietly, intrigued, while Rosepetal chased a butterfly out into the garden.

"I think... she intends to use magic to bring change to Griffonstone," concluded Sky.

"That's a very, very long ways from Equestria," said Fluttershy.

Sky responded, "I'll fly over the entire damn ocean if that's what it takes to see her again."

"I know. But be safe, okay? There are so many scary things out there... things that have scales, and breathe fire, and tend to eat trespassers."

Sky gave an arrogant glare, "I'm not afraid of dragons."

Again Fluttershy spoke in a soft whisper, "I know. I can take care of the deer until Twilight gets back," now Fluttershy rose from her seat in a graceful flutter of wings.

She walked over to Sky and gave him a very intense stare. He gazed back, transfixed by the power this hypnotic gaze held. It felt overwhelming and almost... magic.

Still firmly looking him in the eyes with as serious an expression as Sky had ever seen her have, Fluttershy spoke, "Go to her, be there for her. If you love her, even though she's a scary griffon, then be strong so she has someone to lean on."

Now Fluttershy looked away. Sky shook his head, just about seeing spots after the stare. He wondered if that was a spell of some kind, but if it was, Fluttershy was not forthcoming with an answer.

There were no further words exchanged. Skyblazer nodded, walked out into the sunshine, stretched, and galloped away into flight.

Rosepetal soon returned. Though Fluttershy couldn't understand the deer it was clear she was looking for Sky. Fluttershy shook her head no and gestured up at the empty air. Rose nodded sadly.

Deep within the snow-covered Everfree forest a strange chime could be heard. The haunting yet peaceful alarm rang three times. It was followed by the discordant noise of shattering glass.

Nearby the fabled Tree of Harmony, several ponies gathered in a hidden cavern. Twilight Sparkle walked grimly past the broken magic seal, towards a glittering pool further in.

With Princess Celestia and Zecora the alchemist guarding the egress in case of nocturnal monsters, Twilight used magic to scoop up a thimbleful of the water into a glass bottle.

The bottle vibrated intensely, light flashing within. It settled, and Twilight exited the cavern, but not before ancient magic runes were drawn in the moist soil and a new seal was placed.

All was at peace outside the cavern. The only sounds were crickets and the chafing rustle of wind through the hardy pines on this chilly evening. Zecora and Celestia sat like statues on either side of the cliff wall in which the cavern was hidden, dim figures in the pale winter moonlight.

Much like Sky in the storybook world of Meadowbrook, the ponies gathered here on this night pursued a quest of magical restoration in the depth of winter. The story of Violet's cure, however, was to be a far more peaceful one than that of the doomed deer.

Twilight trotted alongside Zecora back towards her cabin. Princess Celestia flew at a slow pace overhead, alert for monsters. Their trip was only a few hours and only one monster was encountered: A rock troll, hungry and in search of hibernating animals.

Trolls possessed a modicum of intelligence and this one knew well enough to avoid the three majestic ponies as they passed. On feeling the sheer, overwhelming weight of their combined magical power, the troll simply fell back into the shadow of the trees and caused them no obstacle.

Soon they reached the tidy, snow-covered home of Zecora. The zebra paused on the porch to shake off the snow, as did her companions. They entered, combined the proper ingredients, and waited only long enough to quickly eat while the bottle heated in the embers of the fireplace. Twilight removed the hot glass with her telekinesis and set it aside gently. Zecora rekindled the fire, used an iron to poke and prod the sticks into place, and closed the glass and iron door so that the heat would radiate throughout her cabin.

The other two didn't rest long enough to warm up. They said their thank yous and farewells, tightened each other's saddlebags, and stepped outside.

Twilight Sparkle and Celestia stepped a respectable distance from the house. Their horns began to shine and the air shimmered. They were gone in a flash, the violent roar of displaced air rattling the dishes in Zecora's cabin. The zebra gave a fierce look in the direction of the sound and spoke quietly to herself, “As you conclude your quest, I wish you only the best. Farewell for now my friends, may we soon meet again.”

Distant thunder rumbled in the river valley south of Dodge Junction. Twilight and Celestia found themselves in another forest, far removed from Everfree but equally full of snowy, nubile deciduous trees and thriving boughs of hardy pine.

Celestia spoke up in a voice a little louder and hastier than her usual calm, patient tone, “Twilight, shield thyself.”

The purple alicorn did so, and just in time. Something unseen and heavy slammed into her shield spell in the dark, with enough weight to bring Twilight to a crouch as she increased the energy of the spell through calm force of will.

Her eyes adjusted once more to the dark after the bright cacophony of teleportation. The dim, purple light of her shield illuminated a fallen pine lying beside her. An unnatural notch had been cut into the trunk, perfectly round and smooth as no tool could hope to cut.

Twilight nodded her understanding. She had reappeared within the tree, and her spell had neatly cut through it, chopping it down. She voiced the same concern which Celestia had, “It really is getting worse, isn't it?”

Celestia was grim. She resumed her properly paced, calm tone of voice as she said, “The Dreamspace should be able to place us where nothing is in the way. I don't recall if I have told you this...”

“Yes, Dreamspace is the medium by which magic travel is possible,” answered Twilight, as she dusted pine bark and twigs off her fur with her wings, “This is a fine campsite. Let's rest here until morning.”

Between the two powerful casters of magic, it was trivial to setup a large tent and warm the interior. Celestia accessed Luna's dimensional pocket, returning through the gash in reality itself with quilts and pillows.

Twilight dug into her saddlebags for a basic dinner as the princess closed the rift. They ate silently, nestled into their blankets, and found a few hours in which to sleep before shrill sunlight and birdsong woke them up.

The camp was packed swiftly. Their hooves thudded on the snowy ground, their wings extended in a delicate and aerodynamic display of flight feathers, and they caught lift on the freezing winds of winter.

Farmland furrows passed beneath them in a uniform quilt of white and brown. Stone fences divided ancient properties into squares. Cozy puffs of smoke issued from chimneys of homes nearby dirt roads. The roads formed their own, much larger squares as they crisscrossed the countryside.

The two fliers diverged left and right to avoid a late flock of migrating winter birds. As the pair tilted in a sharp angle to glide near each other, Twilight yelled over the wind noise, “Land where the saplings are.”

Celestia did so, in a gentle spiral so as not to disturb the dormant, chest-high trees all wrapped up against the winter cold. Not far from this orchard that was not yet an orchard, the tidy farmhouse of the Barley's sat regally with a fresh coat of dark brown paint upon the boards.

Lightning Ridge, the mother of Skyblazer Haycart, sat on the back porch wrapped in a wool blanket with a steaming mug of something sitting next to her. As she had done the previous morning, she kept watch across her fields, looking away from the bright morning sun on her right.

The two distant figures drew near enough for their fur color to be seen, but Lightning didn't need to see Celestia's glossy white fur to recognize the graceful and powerful ruler of Equestria.

Now Lightning sat up, the blanket trailing behind her. Having just woken up, she had not yet equipped her usual cloak. In the light of sunrise her wheat-gold fur and feathers could be clearly seen. So, too, could be seen her lack of an entire left wing.

She ducked her head and craned out her neck to sip her hot beverage. She then stood, stretched, and stepped off the porch to meet the two.

Twilight, though exhausted and freezing, galloped forward to embrace Lightning in a hug which involved front legs and wings and a nuzzle of noses. Celestia calmly stepped up, a faint smile on her visage, and rustled her sore wings as she sat in the snow.

Twilight spoke one word quietly, “Barley?”

A nod from Lightning, “He is aware.”

Celestia leaned back and unclasped the buckle of a small pouch. It was a buckle of the kind seen on overalls, an easy one to manage with just the mouth for dexterity. From this pouch she extracted a small bottle of thick glass, where a liquid sloshed in a medicinal light red.

This bottle was passed over to Lightning, who held it gently in her mouth as she creaked open the door and stepped into the kitchen. Twilight and Celestia stepped onto the porch, shook off snow, and followed her into the wonderful shelter of a warm and cozy farm home.

A door next to the staircase led into Violet's room. The filly lie curled up in her blankets, shivering, coughing and sneezing occasionally. Lighting softly placed her right wing on her daughter's back and spoke to her visitors without looking at them,

“She always does worse in the cold, and she just won't listen to us and stay in. Winter is the only season she has enough time to visit her friends 'round here, you see.”

Twilight and Celestia quietly nodded their understanding. A loud thud came from the living room as a door was closed. Celestia stepped out of the small bedroom to make space for Barley Haycart to enter.

The old, worn-out draft pony was sober and serious. He sat down on the other side of the bed from Lighting, moving the bedding back over Violet. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath before speaking in a gravelly tone, “Give her the medicine. But just know, if this weird magic of yers makes her condition worse... I don't ever want to see your flank around here again, Twilight.”

Twilight looked him in the eyes with her ears flat back, a grave expression on her face, and nodded. Lightning set the bottle on the nightstand so she could uncork it. She brought the strong-smelling bottle over to the bed and asked,

“Violet, honey, are you awake?”

Violet groaned a pained “Yes.” She slowly rolled over onto her belly, raising her head up. Her fur, a light lavender, had a few thinning spots despite her healthy diet.

“I have medicine for you. It may taste bad, but I need you to take it.”

Violet yawned and replied with a tiny bit more fervor, “I'm not a little filly anymore, ma. I'll take the medicine.”

Lightning tipped the bottle of red liquid into her mouth. Violet made a face at the cough syrup flavor. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Lightning set the empty bottle on the nightstand as Violet sat up shakily.

“Huh. I feel...” Violet began, before suddenly cutting off her words. She stopped shivering and began staring at the wall as though she had seen a spider.

Barley, concerned, stood up and gruffly said, “What is it? Are you feelin' alright?”

He took a startled step back and dropped like a stone back to sitting, his mouth agape. Violet's light purple fur began glowing an intense gold, the color suffusing her entire body and growing until golden light filled the room.

The golden glow became a brilliant glare and elongated shadows stretched out across the floral wallpaper, one for each pony gathered in the room. Three stood sentinel, as though on watch. One shadow sat patiently on the floor beside the bed. One shadow sat still, cast by Violet, although she was the light source. This shadow stood up. It moved to the window in a fluid motion as though floating and faded from the room.

Somewhere over Eastern Equestria, sitting on a cloud with all the land in miniature far beneath him, Skyblazer rested his wings for a moment. His canteen sat beside him, moisture slowly draining into it by a very precise application of his cloud-forming magic.

He shifted to lie down on the edge of the cloud and look over the forest and farmland below with a grim smile. Could he and Cobalt really defeat creatures regarded as hazardous by the princesses?

A rich golden glow met his eyes. Odd, as it was mid afternoon and sunset was far off. Sky reached out with a front hoof, lifting the fine silver chain on which his amulet was attached. The square cut gemstone shone with brilliant golden light, in contrast with the silvery puffs of cloud and saturated blue of the sky around him.

In a guest room within the crystal castle of Ponyville, Maud Pie found herself awakened from a restful afternoon nap. At first she wasn't sure what had woken her up. As the sleepy cobwebs cleared, she noticed an intense silver glow coming from the wardrobe, which wasn't a thing that wardrobes typically do.

Maud got up, stretched and yawned, and approached the wardrobe with wary curiosity. She took one of the metal rings in her mouth and opened the cabinet door.

The glow came from a simple wooden box on the bottom shelf. She nudged it open, revealing her earring: an Element of Conflict.

She picked up the earring and jumped back up onto the bed, lying on her side on the jumbled bedding. She set down the earring and considered it.

Why were Sky, Cobalt and she considered unworthy? They had all very well proven themselves to be heroic and caring figures. It didn't seem the least bit fair to be given Elements of Conflict when her trio got along just fine.

The overwhelming silver light gradually faded until the earring was dim once more. Maud shook her head 'no'. All that it meant was that others might not consider the three of them as anything special. It didn't mean that they weren't heroes or worthwhile of being selected by the ancient magic.

Cobalt was a griffon. Ponies often feared and despised those. Skyblazer was still a foal, with a foal's ambition and puerile behavior. Some may underestimate his courage and sense of responsibility. And what about herself?

After a pause to consider, Maud concluded she was quite ordinary and unremarkable. A very simple, down-to-earth pony who enjoyed the study of rocks and minerals. Not many friends or hobbies outside of that...

Indeed, she was a strange choice. The Elements of Harmony had gone to interesting ponies with lots of friends and important roles in town. No wonder she had gotten an aspect of conflict.

Maud returned the earring to the wardrobe, neatly made the bed, picked up a basket, and headed out into the halls of the crystal castle with the Ponyville farmer's market as her destination.

Far away and across an ocean, in the Dragonlands, was a region of twelve lakes. Limestone caverns formed a labyrinth here. These had once been temporary shelter for minotaur fishers long ago. Now, the caverns served as a playground for the young dragon whelps who could still fit within their narrow confines.

It was possible to travel from the dragons' home to the Dozen Lakes through these caves, and thereby avoid flying over the craggy mountain range which towered into the sky. Over the course of time, young dragons had explored the caves and carved crude maps into the stone, illustrating the passage through.

One such map was now illuminated by the flicker of torchlight as a pair of travelers rested in a sandy cavern marked by an X on the stone map and primitive runes which read, "The Warm Room".

Judging by the smooth wear on the limestone walls and the soft, silky sand which formed its floor, this area was subject to floods. For now, it was bone dry.

The first traveler, a griffon with soot and mud covered white fur and burnt blue feathers, stretched out and lie on the sand on her belly with her limbs all stretched out in a manner that would be considered impolite in public.

This was not public. Rather, it was as far as Cobalt had been from civilization in quite some time since meeting Sky. Tears welled up in her eyes as she lie her chin on the hot sand, and her mind wandered.

Dammit, I miss you Sky. And the nice folk in Ponyville. And Maud too, if I'm being honest. She really is a great friend when you get to know her.

Cobalt's companion spoke up, snapping her out of her reverie, "Don't fall asleep just yet, what about food?"

With some effort, Cobalt raised her chin from the warmth of the sand which was lulling her into contented slumber. She answered,

"I'm fine, but you need to eat. You told me yourself, Ember, that you dragons aren't like us griffons. You need food to keep your body warm."

Ember the dragon, the runt of the litter with deep blue scales, scowled and responded haughtily, "My fire sac won't go out over just a couple missed meals, and we're almost out of the caves. Besides, we can stay here in the warm room for the night. Or day. Whatever it is."

Cobalt put her chin back on the sand and closed her eyes. Ember's voice met her ears, "Mind if I get the food out of your packs?"

"Go on ahead," answered Cobalt in a quiet, half-asleep voice.

A sudden shriek from the tiny dragon caused Cobalt to sit up suddenly. Ember spoke in an embarrassed tone, "Sorry, your magic ring just started glowing out of nowhere."

The griffon looked down at her talon. Huh, the thing was glowing. She shook the ring a couple times and the glow faded. With a shrug, Cobalt lie back on the sand. Before she closed her eyes once more in an attempt to sleep, she used her bejeweled talon to move the golden chain of a locket out from where it hid in the white tufts of fur at her chest.

The locket was opened with a click. Within was a small photo of Sky and she, carefully cut into a heart shape. The picture had been taken during their brief visit to Cloudsdale, and the loamy white cloud surface billowed all around.

This prompted a small smile. It had actually been a pretty boring place to visit. Everything was made of cloud, uniform in appearance, and the view was nothing new for flying creatures like Sky and her. Nothing to write home about.

Cobalt felt a tugging against the straps of her saddlebags as Ember got out the smoked fish and baked potatoes wrapped in parchment. Sounds of ferocious eating ensued.

There was a pause as Ember spoke again, "Cobalt, you already saved my life. You don't have to starve for me, you haven't eaten all day."

"It's not that. Leave me alone," said Cobalt very slowly, hardly able to keep coherent thought as sleep fought to overtake her exhausted body. She rolled over onto her side, stretched once, and promptly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Celestia, ears perked up and an expression of confusion and alarm on her face, squeezed into the bedroom. Barley, who still sat with his jaw hanging open and ghosts of the past in his eyes, grimaced and growled as he stepped forward and hugged his daughter tightly with his front hooves.

The golden glow ensconced them both. It began to fade until the room was dim once more, sunlight poking dusty streams through the window shutters. Violet continued staring at the wall. Her face drooped, tears formed in her eyes, and she began to cry.

At once Barley was off the bed and across the room. He barged towards Twilight and Celestia, his muttered words full of accusations and cussing. The two of them stood calmly, serenely, accepting whatever it was they had just caused as their onus to bear.

“Dad, I'm fine,” came a small voice, “Don't be mean to them, please.”

Violet Haycart stood next to her father. She didn't shiver at all and her fur gleamed full and healthy. There was no telltale shake to her legs indicating she was about to collapse. Her breathing was normal and steady, no shortness of breath.

She spoke clearly, her words not marred by stuffed sinuses, “I feel... better than I have since winter began. By Celestia—sorry,” the princess gestured that it was fine, “but I feel so much better. I just—I don't know what to say. Um, thank you,” Violet began to sob again.

She walked over to Twilight and leaned against her side, crying, as Lightning walked over and comforted her daughter. Violet wiped the tears from her eyes and said, “If it's okay with you, ma, I want to go outside for a bit. I feel like taking a run.”

“Go right on ahead,” replied Lightning as Violet practically bounced out of the room. Everypony else in the room went outside after her.

Barley seemed in a state of shock. He spoke quietly, “Jus yesterday she couldn't hardly walk outside to piss without leaning on the wall for support...” he took a few steps towards Celestia and Twilight.

Celestia moved her right legs back to brace herself without thinking about it, in a smooth motion like the flow of water. Yet any kick or strike she expected did not come.

Instead, Barley bowed while holding his straw hat in his mouth, his dirty, platinum-gray mane spilling out over his eyes. He spoke curtly, “Thank you, ma'am.”

Twilight, in a fit of surprise, quickly told him not to thank her. Celestia smiled calmly and said gently, “Rise, Barley Haycart of Dodge Junction, son of Granary Haycart.”

Barley did so with a smirk of his own. For a rare occasion his response was a happy and amused one, “Why, I don't reckon fancy speech like that has ever been heard this far out in the country.”

“In the distant past, it was not so,” replied Celestia, “But I concur with Twilight. Your gratitude belongs to the alchemist, Zecora.”

A pained and startled look appeared in Barley's eyes. That zebra? A drunken, hazy memory came to mind and he visibly flinched. He had threatened her and driven her off his land, in fear of her dark magic which had now brought healing to his daughter.

“How can I...” he paused, “She won't come back round here anymore, after I treated her, I don't know how...”

Twilight stepped up, shushing him, “I'll let her know you want to apologize.”

“Yeah, that,” muttered Barley uncomfortably.

Violet galloped past, her black mane fluttering in the wind and, somehow, already full and dark instead of ragged and thinning. Barley shook his tired head at the force of magic in his world.

Despite the cold, which would normally leave Violet leaning on the house in fits of coughing wheezes if she so much as tried carrying a bucket of water in, Violet ran with gusto and vigor.

She finally paused, panting and sweating, and thanked Twilight and Celestia again before bounding off towards the main gate and the dirt road where her neighborhood friends would soon be meeting her for the day.

The princess and Twilight stayed for breakfast. Twilight used the time to catch up with her old friend Lightning. It seemed things were really looking up this year. Barley had accepted an orchard, among other changes and additions to their farm.

A small herd of goats who had been having trouble with the rough winter now had an agreement with them. A safe place on their property and a warm barn to sleep in with hay to eat in exchange for their milk.

Between fresh fruit and fresh dairy, the Haycart family could draw in lots more income on their visits to town.

The two visitors left the farm with words of thanks and farewell in their ears as they took flight, smiling. They flew for a while longer, enjoying the scenery and the warmth of sunlight on their backs and wings in the jarringly cold winter day.

Down below, on the dirt road, could be seen a small group of ponies. One of them waved frantically, trying to get Celestia and Twilight to land. After exchanging a glance, they did so.

It was Violet, with a group of friends with various shades of fur, five friends in total. Enough for a backyard buckball team, and indeed, they carried a few leather balls about the size and weight of a soccer ball along with wooden buckets to serve as goals.

One stocky draft pony colt carried six fence posts slung in a harness over his back, to mark off the field.

Violet stepped a bit away from her friends and said, “Twilight, I need to talk to Celestia alone please.” Twilight stepped back. Violet leaned in close to Celestia's ear and whispered to her,

“Please tell Luna to make sure my brother and his griffon friend are safe. They are about to be in real danger.”

With absolute stunned surprise in her immortal eyes, Celestia nodded sagely and let Violet go back to enjoy her company of friends.