The Chronicle of the Return

by DracoUnis

Rating: everyone
Tags: Big Macintosh, Slice of Life, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Human, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Comedy, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 73682

Humanity is returning to the world of Equestria, and one human adjusts to life in Ponyville

Air, Water, Earth, Fire...

Long ago humanity used the power of the Elements of the World to build the greatest kingdom in history. Their wisdom and power were legendary, but at the hight of their power, they vanished.

Millennia have passed and one human has returned to the World. Discovered and befriended by the Elements of Harmony, he is but the first of many. It is up to him to make the first steps towards understanding this new world of magic, and humanity's place in it.

Author's note: This Fiction includes elements from the cartoon Avatar: the Last Airbender. Avatar was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, produced and owned by Nickelodeon, and has a talented team of animators, writers, and producers hard at work on a sequel series.

Big thanks to the teams at both Nickelodeon and Hasbro for providing me with the inspiration for this story and entertaining families the world over. Rock on guys.

Published 2011-12-16 12:39:37 UTC
Last updated 2013-05-14 03:04:50 UTC

Prologue: Eclipse/Thunder

It was a quiet night in Ponyville. Luna's moon was shining bright in among the stars, casting soft silver light along the empty streets. All the little fillies and colts were in bed, sleeping well after a long day of play and learning. Many of their elders had retired for the night after a day of hard work. However, some ponies had not yet gone to their beds. Among them was the talented unicorn Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight was curled up on a soft cushion in the second floor of her library, illuminated by the soft light of a firefly lantern. Her assistant Spike had already fallen asleep hours ago. The young purple dragon breathed evenly in his basket, occasionally muttering in response to his dreams. He had grown a little this past year, his spade-tipped tail poking out from the basket even though he was curled into a tight ball. Twilight was considering letting Spike have his own room soon, but right now she had her nose deep in a fascinating book.

Twilight's insatiable thirst for knowledge often kept her awake at nights, and to allow Spike the sleep he needed to grow into a healthy adult dragon Twilight's junior assistant Owlicious was currently on shift. The owl was perched near the window, alert for any call from Twilight but also keeping an eye out for any mice scurrying in the nearby grass. The books were carefully organized on the shelves and all of Twilight's research equipment was cleaned, sorted, and safely stored. Twilight had just finished a difficult and involved experiment, and reading was her preferred method of clearing her mind and organizing her thoughts.

Right now the purple maned unicorn was reading Myths and Legends of Ancient Equestria. Twilight had spotted the book under the library's mythology section and it had caught her interest as an interesting read if nothing else. So after she had tucked Spike in she had settled down with the book, a midnight-blue blanket, and a steaming cup of orange blossom tea. Now the unicorn sighed appreciatively as she finished a romantic tale of two constellations, taking a sip of her cold tea and flipping back to the table of contents to select her next story. She scanned the page with one hoof and stopped at one entry. On Humanity, and the Tragedy of Their Exile.

Intrigued, the unicorn flipped the dry pages towards the story's introductory page. She knew little about the creatures known as humans, beyond the fact that they once lived all over the world, and vanished seemingly overnight. Twilight whispered softly to herself as she read, an old habit of hers that developed when she was teaching Spike how to read. "'Humans are mysterious creatures'" began the introductory paragraph, "'that built a worldwide civilization long before the founding of Equestria. Although little is known about the specifics of their appearance, they were bipedal primates that lived in communities of all sizes. Ruins all throughout known lands have been attributed to their design, and many creatures agree apron the fact of their existence. Although the reason for the species disappearance is unknown, our distant ancestors passed down this myth to explain humanity's origins, nature, and disappearance.' Hm. Interesting." Twilight snuggled deeper into her cushion and kept reading.

"' Long ago, there arose the Firstborn, the most ancient and powerful creatures to walk the lands. The dragons, born of fire and stone; the balrogs, the World Serpents, and many others. The weakest of these creatures were born out of the Crossroads, where Land meets Sea and Sky, where the fires of the World and the fires of the Heavens mingle. They named themselves Humanity.

Humans were weak in body compared to their brethren, lacking claw and scale, inner fire or a shapeless form. But they could watch, and thus they learned. They Watched the World. They Watched the rivers flow and the Sea rise and fall. They Watched the Land sing and the mountains breathe. They Watched the Sky change as it's winds blew and the clouds shifted. They Watched as the Fire sparked and blazed. They Learned through the World the magic of the Elements, and in doing so changed themselves. They Learned the Sea's dance, the Land's song, the Sky's wonder, and the Fire's heart.

Humanity Learned and grew strong, and under the guidance of their King Ignus they built their Kingdom across the world. The Kingdom was good, for Humanity was generous and shared what it had Learned with the other creatures of the World. The creatures of the World bowed their heads to Humanity in respect to their wisdom. But no one knew of the darkness that dwelled within the Human heart, a darkness that could feed on their magic and swallow a human whole.

King Ignus was a fair and wise king, well known for his compassion and foresight. Despite the King's power, the Kingdom was too vast for him to rule alone. To help him rule fairly he granted jurisdiction of his lands to his chosen vassals, the Lords. The Lords were chosen for their power and wisdom, and ruled fairly in their King's name. Among them was a man known as Ceatus, who envisioned a World united under Human rule, and asked Ignus to grant him rulership of the other creatures dwelling within his tithed lands. King Ignus denied his vassal, knowing that the rule of other creatures was not Humanity's place. Ceatus was passionate, and argued for Ignus to grant his request. Ignus grew angry, and forbade Ceatus speak of his desire again. Ceatus obeyed his monarch's order and returned to his tithe.

Although Ceatus was a wise and just ruler, his foiled ambition caused him to grow bitter and sullen. The darkness began to consume him, and he secretly began to absorb other creatures into his rule. Ignus learned of Ceatus's actions and commanded him to stop, but Ceatus could not. His inner darkness had consumed him. Fallen Ceatus declared Ignus a false king, and marched to war against his former King. Ignus, distraught that one of his beloved Lords had fallen to darkness, marshaled his forces against the Fallen. At the battle, Ignus found Ceatus and slew him. The King of Humanity despaired that his people may never master their inner darkness, and wove a great spell of Exile. Humanity vanished from the World, to return only when the last change would bring those most worthy back to the World."

Twilight pursed her lips and tapped her chin with a hoof. The legend had disturbed her; ponies rarely fought among themselves, and a thing such as a civil war was unthinkable. Granted that humanity was a different species that may have had a different mindset. She knew dragons and griffons were more aggressive and willing to fight than ponies. But still, one creature killing another? The thought alone made her shudder.

She shook her head vigorously to clear such dark thoughts from her head. "Twilight Sparkle, stop being such a silly filly." She admonished herself quietly. "It's only a legend, I'm sure that's not what really happened to the humans." The unicorn yawned as she rose from her pillow, surprised by the lateness of the hour. "Owlicious, could you put this back for me. I really need to go to bed, I have to help Pinkie get everything ready for her "Fall has Fallen" party tomorrow. I'll need all the energy I can get."

Owlicious hooted his understanding and grabbed the book in his talons as Twilight used her magic to levitate the book up to his perch. Twilight turned off the lantern and sank into her bed, letting the somewhat disturbing tale vanish from her mind as she sank into a deep slumber.

It was not an hour until dawn when the thunder woke her up.

What the hell was that?

My entire body is filled with pins and needles. I can barely see, were's the campfire? I can't be lost, can I? Maybe that lightning or whatever it was threw me clear?

Oh god. Is that the moon? It doesn't look like the moon. Oh god.

Okay, don't panic, remember. The guys called at about midnight. Those bastards knew I'd be up since I had to close the theatre. There was a lunar eclipse at some ungodly hour in the morning. Last one before 2012 said David. Him and his crazy stories and conspiracies. They wanted to go up into the mountains, camp out away from town to see the night sky. They tried to lure me with beer. Nice try guys, but you keep forgetting I don't drink. Not like you do.

Then David said Karol was coming.

Crap. Legs are going numb. I grab a low branch to keep myself up. I feel the rough bark faintly. I don't remember if that is a good sign or a bad sign. My thoughts are getting… fuzzy. I know that's not a good sign. Got to keep thinking. Remember.

The guys got drunk at the campsite. They had plenty of beer, and a bottle of vodka as well. I left to get some air and maybe actually see the eclipse. Karol followed me. She was tipsy, I had a little buzz myself from the shots. We talked as the moon turned red with Earthlight.

Then, everything started glowing. There was a crack like thunder, and I was here.

The branch snaps under my weight, and I'm on the ground before I know it. I take a planet to the chin and it hurts like hell. I'm barely hanging on to consciousness. My thoughts are slowing down and my eyelids are closing against my will.

I think I see something, bright against the murky forrest. Something yellow, too yellow to be from the woods.

I try to call for help. I should have thought of that earlier. I think I manage to make some kind of sound, but I'm not sure.

It's a shame. I almost kissed her.

The Return of Humanity, Part 1

Twilight galloped outside. The sky was grey and the moon was descending, and almost every pony in Ponyville was out on the dirt roads, talking frantically as they tried to make sense of the thunderous retort that had disturbed their morning rest. As Twilight entered the main square of town she was forced to a hoof-grinding halt as a pink pony suddenly popped up into her path. "Hi Twilight!" Pinkie Pie shouted gleefully.

"Pinkie!" Twilight gasped as she rallied herself, "What's going on? Is anypony hurt?"

"No, everypony's fine." Pinkie giggled, "We all heard this huge BANG! and everypony started running around town. What do you think it was Twilight? Maybe somepony was setting off fireworks, which I hope they were because fireworks mean a big party and big parties mean big fun like games and sweets and drinks and music and dancing!" The excitable pink pony punctuated the end of her rant with a bounce.

"Oh girls! Thank goodness you're all right!" Twilight's other friend Rarity shouted with obvious relief in her voice. The white-coated unicorn's purple mane was a mess of sleep-inflicted tangles, and combined with the sleep mask sitting over her forehead was a telltale sign of the normally impeccably groomed unicorn's rush to locate her friends. "I heard that awful noise and was so worried that something awful had happened. Have you seen anypony else yet?"

"Not yet" and "Nope" answered Rarity's question.

"What the hay is going on here!" Applejack, an orange coated earth pony with blonde hair and ever-present wide brimmed hat barged her way through the crowd to Twilight and the others. "Twilight! What happened? Did some Pegasus set off a lightnin' bolt in their sleep or somthin'?"

"No way!" Rainbow Dash objected as she plummeted from the sky into the middle of her friends. "There aren't any clouds big enough to make a bolt that big in ten miles of Ponyville. Besides, that didn't sound like any lightning I've heard before."

"But where did it come from?" Twilight asked. The four ponies around her grew quiet as they concentrated on their memories. Eventually, Pinkie leapt into the air with a gasp, "The Everfree Forrest! Fluttershy!" And with that, pink pony became pink blur as she zipped off.

Without hesitation Rainbow Dash flew after her friend, her rainbow-streak mane and tail leaving a trail of color in her wake. Applejack was not far behind, shouting as she galloped. "Come on girls! We have to make sure Fluttershy's all right!" Twilight and Rarity followed the farmer quickly, sharing her concern.

Fluttershy's cottage was on the outskirts of Ponyville, so it took the mares several minutes to reach it. When they reached the cottage, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The turf-roofed structure was still intact. The same could not be said of the yard. All manner of animals ran to and fro in blind panic, and a small white rabbit bounded back and forth among them trying his best to keep order amid the panic. Twilight was thankful that the cottage was still standing, but the panicking animals were not a good sign. "Fluttershy's got to be in the forrest somewhere," Twilight reasoned, "There's no way she'd let this go on as long as it has." The rabbit took a leap at one of the panicking chickens, but the hen dodged with a flap of her wings and bolted in the other direction.

Rainbow dash humphed, "Or that explosion startled her so badly she's still hiding under her bed."

There was a great commotion inside the cottage. It sounded like a small tornado was raging inside the place, upturning furniture and emptying cabinets. Pinkie Pie stuck her head out the second floor window, a cooking pot askew atop her fluffy pink mane. "Nope. Not a hair or feather of her in the whole house!" A shellshocked squirrel extracted itself from Pinkie's tail.

"Oh! Hello girls."

The ponies turned to see Fluttershy behind them. The yellow pegasus was whole and unharmed, her long pink mane somewhat obscuring her face as she emerged from the nearby trees.

Pinkie leapt from the cottage window, nearly tackling poor Fluttershy as she pulled the pegasus into a gleeful hug. "Fluttershy! You're all right! We were all so worried because there was a big noise that woke everypony up and then I remembered you live near the forrest which is were the noise had come from and I thought maybe you exploded maybe your house exploded or maybe Angel Bunny exploded TWICE!!" Before Pinkie could resume her tirade she was pulled away by Rainbow Dash, who had taken the pink pony by the tail.

"I'm fine, really." Fluttershy protested in her soft voice.

"Darling," Rarity said slowly, "I'm very happy to see you unharmed but… What is that you're carrying on your back?"

Fluttershy backed up nervously as her friends stepped forward to take a closer look. "I-I found him in the Everfree forrest after that sound earlier. He looks like he's very badly hurt, and I just couldn't leave him lying there."

"What is it?" Rainbow asked, tilting her head to the side.

Twilight Sparkle had moved closer along with the others, expecting Fluttershy's rescue to be a wolf or maybe a small bear. But it wasn't.

The creature was long, almost six feet, and that looked like it was mostly leg. It was arranged strangely, its chest broader than a pony's with it's hips and legs lined up like the creature was supposed to stand on two legs only. It's hind feet were long and flat, while the feet on it's shorter forelegs had five long toes each. Two of the toes on the outside of it's forefeet were set further up the foot, and were held strangely. The head was furred except on the face and ears and lacked a muzzle. A sharp nose stood out between its forward facing eyes. It reminded Twilight vaguely of a…

An ape.

Twilight's mind careened back to the book she had read last night. "Girls. I think this is a human."

"A what now?" Applejack asked bluntly.

"A human. According to legend, they lived in Equestria a long time ago. But they all left." Twilight stepped closer, eyes alight with curiosity.

Fluttershy gave a small yelp of surprise as Angel Bunny, sick and tired of being the only one trying to do anything about the chaos in the cottage yard, thumped his hind leg against his owner's hoof. Fluttershy suddenly noticed the panicking animals and immediately froze up as her brain tried to resolve a conflict of prioraties. "Oh my goodness oh my goodness. I have to calm the animals but I have to tend to his wound so he won't die I don't know what to do…"

Applejack stepped into the yard, all business. "Don't get your mane in a tangle, sugarcube. The girls an' I can corral these critters fer ya while you take care of the hum… that… er, yer patient there."

Fluttershy's expression transformed from near panic to relief as her other friends nodded. "Thank you so much for the help. I don't know what I would have done."

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof nonchalantly. "Aww, don't mention it."

With a parting smile the yellow pegasus walked into her house, moving with care so as not to disturb her passenger.

To the surprise of many of the assembled ponies, Rarity dug one manicured white hoof into the ground. "Well, lets get this over with."

Several hours worth of herding, coaxing, and fence repair later, the six pony friends were sitting in the living room of Fluttershy's cottage. Rarity and Twilight had made quick trips home; Twilight to gather any and all books that mentioned humans from her library (a disappointing but expected few), Rarity to bathe and finally re-style her mane.

Raimbow Dash was standing by the entrance to the kitchen, keeping an eye on Pinkie Pie who had begun baking sweets for the group. Twilight was reading one of the volumes in her little pile while a bored but patient Applejack flipped through another. Rarity was sorting though a pile of scorched fabric that was the clothing Fluttershy had removed from the human. Fluttershy was quietly descending the stairs from her guest room.

"I think he'll be fine with a little rest." Fluttershy answered the assembled ponies' questioning faces. "Those burns were not nearly as bad as they looked."

"Well that's good." Applejack stated as she closed the book she was reading. "Because Twi 'n me have found squat tha' tells us what to expect when it wakes up."

"Um, actually he's a …"

Twilight snorted as she levitated another book out of the stack and started cross-referencing the stories in each. "Humans have been gone since before Equestria was founded. What did you expect, AJ? The Egghead's Guide to Humans?"

" Well, we do know that it has some sense of decency." Rarity huffed as she admired the human's jacket; denim, lined with wool and fastened with bright metal buttons. "Look at all these clothes! So many pockets! Not much in the pockets survived, the poor thing is going to start with nothing."

"Excuse me, but you should know that he's a…"

"Well it better not get any ideas while I'm here!" Rainbow Dash thrust her chest out and spread her wings to make herself look as big and tough as possible. "If it makes one move toward Fluttershy…"

"GIRLS!" Fluttershy's voice cut through Dash's bragging. "The human's a boy, so stop calling him an it."

Dash looked at Fluttershy incredulously. "How do you know?"

Applejack chuckled, "Darlin', from what I saw, he ain't got a lotta fur to hide what he's got."

Dash's mouth worked for a second, before she joined Fluttershy in an embarrassed blush. "Oh. Um, sorry Fluttershy."

"It's okay Dash, you didn't know." The other pegasus said from behind a curtain of pink hair.

Rarity gingerly folded a pair of black boxers, "Well, we know what these are for now." She tossed the underwear into the "keep" pile.

"Hey Twilight!" Pinkie Pie's head poked out of the door to the kitchen. "Got anything about what human's eat?"

Twilight shook her head to clear it of the… images. "Huh? Oh! Sorry Pinkie, no luck on that front either. Why?"

"So I know how many cupcakes to make, of course!" Pinkie said cheerily. "Hey Fluttershy, you know animals! What do you think he eats? Can he eat chocolate?!"

Twilight followed Pinkies line of thought quickly, then abandoned it for her own when it started to curve to the left. "Of course! Did you check his teeth? That should give us a clue."

"We need at least one ta work with" Applejack remarked.

"Well," Fluttershy put one hoof on her chin as she reviewed her memory. "He has some teeth that are sharp, and others that are rounded. So it looks like he can eat a lot of things." The pegasus paused as her pink pony friend leaned in uncomfortably close to listen. "I guess he can have some chocolate."

Pinkie squealed in glee as she zipped back towards the kitchen, and Fluttershy quickly amended "But not too much!" Pinkie quivered to a stop right before the doorway to the kitchen, her face suddenly dead serious.

"There is NO. SUCH. THING!"

And with that, she was back in the kitchen, singing about cupcakes.

I wake up.

The first thing I notice is that I'm warm. I'm under a blanket and on a bed. I think I might be naked.

…

Yep. Definitely naked.

The second thing I notice is the smell of baking. I'm not familiar with the smell. Cake, maybe. Chocolate perhaps. Oh yes. Definitely chocolate.

I also hear voices. They sound like young women, but I can't make out what they're saying. They sound like they are underneath me.

I open my eyes. It takes more effort than I thought, but once they're open I can make out the room I'm in. It's daytime, but whoever brought me here drew the curtains over the window, god bless them. Even through the gloom I can tell the room is brightly painted. Mostly in yellow and green. A clock ticks on a shelf on the wall opposite the bed. I can't see the face clearly, but it looks like the hour is in the neighborhood of late morning.

Parts of my arms are wrapped in linen bandages, as well as my chest and legs. I also feel like I've been washed recently.

God I'm tired. I feel better than I did last night when I stumbled through that forrest. That was weird, surreal weird. I need to get my bearings as soon as possible.

The good news: I'm still alive, somebody's tended to whatever injuries I have (more weirdness), and I can sleep my fatigue off in this bed.

The bad news: I'm in a stranger's bed, in a stranger's house, with no idea were I am or what to do next.

Okay, plan.

Step two: thank whoever went through all this trouble for me.

Step one: sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep…

Twilight Sparkle shut the books with a huff. She magically stacked them and stood up, facing her friends. "Okay, we have no other options. Those books tell us nothing, and we probably don't have the time to look through my old place at Canterlot. We have to write to the Princess and ask her for help!"

Twilight's dramatic announcement was met with a moment of silence.

"Well duh, sugarcube."

"That much is obvious, dear."

"We'd be silly to go to anypony else!"

"If we have to, I guess that's all right."

"I'll go get Spike!"

The unicorn glared at her four remaining friends, as Rainbow Dash had flown off in the direction of Ponyville and was probably halfway to the library by then. "If it was so obvious why didn't anypony suggest it sooner!"

Rarity looked up from her work, repairing a tear in their human guest's shirt. She fixed the other unicorn with a no-nonsense gaze, looking over her red-rimmed glasses with one eyebrow raised. "Twilight, we all know how you are when you get into study mode. It was best to just let you run your course and come to that conclusion on your own." Her piece said, Rarity returned her concentration to the needle and thread floating in her magical light.

Twilight frowned, but she knew that Rarity was right. So instead of pouting she began to compose the letter to her mentor and idol, Princess Celestia. Twilight was sure that the ruler of Equestria had more knowledge about humans than anypony else. Come to think of it, the Princess herself was several thousand years old, and might have had firsthoof experience dealing with humans.

Rainbow soon returned with a windblown Spike in tow. The infant dragon was frazzled but eager to help, producing a quill and parchment as soon as he greeted Rarity. "Ready when you are Twilight," Spike said.

Twilight cleared her throat before dictating the letter to Spike.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

My friends and I are in desperate need of your help. This morning Fluttershy found, alone in the forrest and injured, a living, breathing human.

He is unconscious right now, but we have no idea how to interact with him and no idea when he will wake up. Any advice or assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle."

Spike rolled up the letter and walked to the open window. He took a deep breath and flamed, burning the letter and sending it on it's way to Canterlot and Princess Celestia. "Okay, that's done. What now?"

"We wait for her reply," Twilight said confidently.

"And hope that the human doesn't wake up in the meantime," Rainbow finished snidely.

There was a chime from the kitchen, and soon Pinkie was standing in front of her friends with a tray of piping hot cupcakes balanced on her poofy mane. "There ready! Everypony take one before they get cold!"

Applejack gave Pinkie Pie an exasperated look, but took a cupcake from the tray. One by one, the others took a baked good as well. By now they all knew better than to argue with Pinkie's logic: she believed that the cupcakes would help them relax and take their minds off their worries. They also knew better than to miss out on any of Pinkie's baking. Her sweets were second only to Applejack's desserts, but she had a wider range than the apple farmer.

Spike was just about to take a bite of his cupcake when he suddenly belched. His fire curled in midair before flashing, a scroll floating in the air were the flames had been. Twilight eagerly grabbed it with her magic and unrolled it before her. She was relieved to see the Princess' elegant writing spiraling across the page. She read the letter out loud for her friends.

"Twilight Sparkle,

I am glad you have brought this matter to my attention. I am preparing to leave Canterlot as I write and will arrive at Ponyville within the hour. If your guest awakens before I arrive, please try to keep him calm and explain to him what you can. Don't worry about language, that should not be a barrier. If he seems violent, keep your distance and stay safe.

Princess Celestia"

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, and the other ponies shared her feeling. "Whelp," Applejack said, "The princess is on her way. In a little while this whole mess will be sorted and Ah can get back to Sweet Apple Acres. The east field is ripe for buckin' and Ah can't just let Big Macintosh do all that work himself."

Rarity took up the conversation, mostly to take the minds of her friends off the situation at hoof and the worries that accompanied it. "Do you need any help again, Applejack? I have no projects to work on this week and I have no desire to see you overwork yourself again."

"Nah, it's only one field, Big Mac and I can handle that."

Rainbow joined in, "Ya Rarity, you should see those two in action. They're a apple harvesting machine. They can fill a cart and get it all stored in five minutes, tops."

Applejack gave Rainbow a suspicious glare. "An' how would you know how my brother looks, 'in action'?"

"Why do you think I take naps in your orchard," Rainbow grinned wickedly, more to get a rise out of Applejack than anything. It worked, because Applejack stood up and prepared to chase her pegasus friend down. Fluttershy quickly began to herd the animals she kept in the house out of the room before the rumpus began. Rarity rolled her eyes and refocused on her needlework. Then Twilight asked a question brought the whole room to a screeching halt.

"Hey, where did Pinkie go?"

I'm waking up again. I had some twisted dreams earlier, some involving aliens I think. I'll be glad to forget those.

Again I smell baked chocolate and hear voices underneath me. That's good. It means that I really am here, and I didn't just dream this cottage up.

I hear the door to the room open. I think I hear footsteps approaching my bed. The rhythm is strange, and it kind of sounds like whoever it is is wearing very hard-soled shoes. I'm surprised to find that this doesn't freak me out very much. Its probably the warm bed and the smell of chocolate. Nice, normal, homely sensations. They tell me I'm safe.

The footsteps have stopped by my bed. Its probably whoever got me out of the forrest last night. I am going to open my eyes and see who it is. And, this is important, I will not freak out. No matter what this person looks like, I will not scream, babble, punch, or insult them in a snarky manner. I don't care if I open my eyes and Chthulhu itself is standing there. Do you hear that subconscious? Are we clear? Good.

I open my eyes. I am not prepared.

What is before me is pink. Very pink. It's hair is a darker shade of pink than its face. It has a short rounded muzzle, and big, big blue eyes. It's smiling at me. And it has a tray of cupcakes balanced on its head. Their chocolate. With pink wrappers. And pink frosting.

Do not freak out do not freak out do not freak out damn but that is a whole lot of pink don't freak out don't freak out.

Not freaking out. Good.

"Hi!"

OHMYGODITTALKS!

Calm down, calm down. That sounded like one of the voices from downstairs. I am pretty sure that she is a girl. Nothing with an ounce of testosterone would be that shade of pink, and would not in such copious amounts. She is probably the one who saved my life and hey, she brought me chocolate. I should at least talk to her.

"Uh, hi." Okay not my smoothest moment, but it works.

The creature in front of me leaps up in joy, and I see that it has four legs. She has a tail the same shade of pink as her hair and looks to be made entirely of fluffy, curly hair. She looks like a small horse. And then my brain clicks. She's a talking pony. And she's pink.

I wonder if I can hitch the next lightning bolt back to someplace sane?

"You can talk, that's so awesomely cool!" She's bouncing all over the place, obviously overjoyed that we managed to pry open the lines of communication with so little effort. How does that work, anyhow? "I'm Pinkie Pie!" I would have never guessed. "What's your name? Would you like a cupcake? I promise they are yummy and delicious and how could they not be? They're cupcakes. Chocolate. Cupcakes."

She holds the tray practically up to my nose. That's impressive, because I'm still lying down. But I cannot refute her logic. I'm hungry. And they're chocolate cupcakes.

I sit up on the bed, still a bit sore but a whole lot better than I was earlier this morning. "My name's Patrick." I take a cupcake from the pony's improbably balanced tray. "Thanks for the cupcake. Is this your house?" I take a bite of the confection, although it's probably not the best thing for my health right now. Oh. Oh that's good.

Pinkie Pie giggles at my question. "No. This is Fluttershy's cottage. She's the one who found you in the Everfree Forrest this morning after that big BANG! You're so lucky to be in such good hooves, you know. Fluttershy is always taking in injured creatures from the forrest. She takes such good care of them, why her home's practically an animal shelter but better because she doesn't use cages. Taking care of animals is her special talent you know. Nopony in ponyville is better at taking care of animals than her, not even the veterinarian."

I let Pinkie Pie talk. She's giving me a wealth of information, like were I am (Fluttershy's cottage, in Ponyville apparently) what it's like (more talking ponies, terrific). Besides, my tongue was to busy absorbing the wonderful flavors of the cupcake I was devouring to care about the petty distraction of forming words. But before Pinkie's tirade could continue much further two more ponies entered the room.

The one leading the way has a creamy yellow coat and light pink mane and tail (just what the room needed. More pink). Her aquamarine eyes are currently expressing concern to a degree approaching panic. I also notice a mark on her hindquarters, like a tattoo but without the look of something so artificial. It depicts three butterflies with pink wings and blue bodies. I also notice a mark on Pinkie Pie in the exact same place, a trio of colored balloons with white strings. Oh and did I mention that the yellow pony has wings? They are folded tightly at the midpoint of her body, between her forelegs and hind legs.

The other pony is as purple as Pinkie was pink, although her mane and tail are streaked through with lighter shades of the color. Her mark is a cluster of stars: Five white stars surrounding a sixth, elaborate purple and white one. Adorning her head is a spiraling horn. Her facial expression is one of tired resignation, but when she sees me sitting up on the bed it transforms into one of startled fear.

The pegasus rushes towards me, and the unicorn begins approach with more caution than is strictly necessary.

Okay, this day is probably not going to get any less weird than it is right now. So I decide to check my expectations at the door, strap myself into the seat, and see what else this crazy ride that my life has become can throw at me.

Chapter 1 Author's notes: Thanks for reading this. If you liked this, then please rate, comment, and recommend to any other bronies or Avatar fans you might happen to know. Know that you're input is always appreciated by this humble author, even if my output doesn't always say so.

Don't worry, bending, princesses, and more Everfree Forrest is coming next in Chapter 2

The Return of Humanity, Part 2

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Spike were waiting at the base of the stairs. They could hear voices from upstairs, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Twilight seemed to be talking to somepony. No, somehuman. Their rescue was awake, but it was yet to be determined wether or not their friends needed help yet.

So Rainbow and Applejack were playing their favorite game; Blame the Other Pony.

Spike was still in the living room, eating the abandoned cupcakes. Then sneaking into the kitchen to look for more.

"Ya'll were supposed ta be keepin' an eye on her, Dash. Ya coulda cut her off before she got up them stairs if ya when't too busy getting' on mah nerves." Applejack accused.

"What, am I supposed to be the Pinkie-sitter now? Have you ever tried to keep tabs on that pony, I mean, come on Applejack. That's harder than directing a tornado. Like ten times harder." Dash pushed her head against Appejack's, bringing their eyes closer.

Rarity pushed the two arguing ponies away from each other, stopping the two from gaining momentum. "Girls, please. I think we are all at fault here. It was obvious that Pinkie Pie would try to talk to our guest upstairs. You know how she is. We should have all kept an eye on her, or maybe done something to distract her. Besides," Rarity put a hoof on her chin and tilted her head as she rattled her memory, "I don't think she even used the stairs."

Meanwhile, up the stairs and a bit to the right, Twilight Sparkle was cautiously approaching the bed. Fluttershy was already there, her hoof reaching for the half-eaten cupcake in the human's hands. "Oh, no! You should't be eating that just yet. You could get a tummy ache."

Twilight got a closer look at the human as he guiltily surrendered the treat to Fluttershy. His coloration was strange, so unlike a pony's. His exposed skin was a pinkish-tan color, contrasting sharply with the bright red hair on his head. His eyes were an odd yellow color that seemed to glow in the dim light of the room. She gathered her courage and stepped forward. "Hello. It's good to see that you're awake. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Hello, Twilight, I'm Patrick." Partrick winced slightly as he extended a hand towards Twilight. After looking at the hand for a few seconds Twilight raised her hoof and shook his hand. "And I guess that you are Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy suddenly realized that she was being addressed, so she turned her head to the side and let our a quiet, "Yes."

Patrick smiled, "Well since I haven't had the chance to yet, thank you for getting me out of that forest. You could have easily just walked away and left me there and I would not have blamed you."

"I couldn't have just left you there!" Fluttershy protested, aghast at the very idea.

Twilight cleared her throat. "So Patrick, how did you get in the Everfree Forest anyway? What do you intend to do now that you're here."

"Miss Twilight, I have no idea how I even got here, let alone where here is." Patrick shook his head glumly. "As for what I'm going to do, I haven't decided yet."

Twilight eyes narrowed as she thought something over, then the epiphany hit her. "Ignus' spell! It must have brought you back to this world! I don't know how or why but that has to be the answer. Wow. Human magic. Nopony has ever been able to study it up close. Nopony has ever been able to study it at all. I should go get my equipment, take some measurements..."

Patrick held up his hands to stop the unicorn's excited rant from derailing the conversation, such as it was. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on. You're saying that I got here by magic? Thats redicul… Actually, no. Not really. That explains a whole lot actually." Patrick ran his hands through his hair. "So who's this Ignus guy anyways?"

Twilight was confused by the question. Did this human really not recognize the name of his own ruler? "He's the King of Humanity. He ruled the humans back when you lived in this World. Doesn't he still rule you now."

Patrick gave Twilight a flat stare. "Never heard of the guy."

"What!" Twilight was thoroughly shocked, "You forgot Ignus, but that's ridiculous. It would be like all the ponies forgot about…"

"Princess Celestia!"

"I can finish my own sentences Pinkie."

"No Twilight, look," Pinkie, still balancing the round tray of cupcakes on her head, pointed out the window. Twilight trotted over and pulled the curtains back. True enough, she saw the Princess gracefully making her way up the road to Fluttershy's cottage.

"Oh no!" Twilight panicked as he grabbed Patrick's hand with her magic and dragged him towards the door. "Come on! We have to get downstairs and meet her now!"

"Uh, Twilight, I'm not really dressed for a royal audience right now!" Patrick sounded embarrassed and a bit desperate.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she magically opened the door. "You look fine."

"No, Twilight, I'm naked. I need clothes now." Patrick's tone made Twilight turn her head. He was holding the blanket over his waist with his free hand, and behind him Fluttershy was giving the unicorn a "you should know better" glare and Pinkie was rolling on the floor laughing her head off. Patrick looked very annoyed.

Twilight blushed as she realized what she had almost done. "Oh, heh heh. Um, wait here while I get your clothes from downstairs." Twilight galloped down the stairs. "Rarity!"

Apparently another unicorn named Rarity had insisted on collecting all my clothes in order to wash and repair them. I'm a little annoyed that she took my underwear too, but I have to say she did a good job. You would never think that I got teleported to another world via magical lightning bolt just by looking at me anymore.

Wait a minute, the shirt feels off. No, I actually think it fits better now. Did she alter the fit of my shirt just now, without taking any measurements?

Whatever, Twilight Sparkle looks like she's on the verge of panic. So I follow her down the stairs. In the living room she introduces me to the rest of her friends. "Patrick these are my friends Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash."

"Howdy" No wings, no horn. Orange coat, blonde, and wearing what looks like a Stenson. Relatively normal, for this place. Three red apples for a mark. I can't help but think that those marks are important somehow.

"What's up." Blue pegasus with rainbow hair. She's antsy. Her mark is a cloud and a rainbow-colored lightning bolt.

"Charmed, I'm sure." White unicorn, painstakingly styled purple hair. Her mark three blue gemstones. Seems nice enough.

"Nice to meet you all. By the way, thank you for looking after my clothes Rarity. I thought that they might have been destroyed or something." To my surprise, Rarity waves me off.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, dear. It was the least I could do for you after all."

I check my pockets as Fluttershy leads me towards the couch. I find my phone, but it seemed to have borne the brunt of the teleport-lightning damage. It is now a useless lump of plastic and burned-out circuitry, a nostalgic paperweight. It figures, since I paid off the next two months in advance.

My wallet is still intact, filled with a whole 20 dollar bill. Anouther useless memento of planet Earth. As are my credit cards, driver's license and voter card.

Damnit Obama, you had better win next year.

Key ring's a lump of assorted metal, so that might be worth something at least.

I look up from my sad collection of belongings just as Princess Celestia walks through the door.

Okay, first impression is that she is big. She's no pony, she's a full sized horse. She has golden jewelry: crown, necklace, and elaborate horseshoes that hug her hooves and rise up her legs a bit. Her mark is a golden sunburst, and she is pure white. Her hair is flowing in an invisible wind, sparkling, and streaked with the colors of the dawn. She also has a pair of wings and a long, pointed, unicorn horn.

She's looking at me with a combination of stern caution and deep compassion. I feel some kind of power. It's radiating off the princess in waves. Boy am I glad that she's not angry. I would be a little Patrick stain on the carpet if I ever piss this monarch off.

The ponies bow to the Princess as she enters the house. I'm suddenly conscious of the fact that I'm sitting down while all the ladies were standing. My old man would smack me over the head for forgetting my manners, especially in such grand company. I stand up, then drop to one knee with my right hand over my heart. That seems right. Maybe.

Twilight Sparkle is the first to rise, and her friends follow suit. "Im glad that you came so quick, Princess. I have so many questions for you."

The princess gives Twilight a warm, almost motherly smile. "I was very surprised to get your letter, my most faithful student. But your questions will have to wait I'm afraid. There is another who's questions I must answer."

Celestia approaches me as I stand back up. The sorest parts of my back and legs mildly protest my contest with gravity, but I ignore them. The Princess looks at me again, this time with more curiosity than anything else. "May I ask your name, young man?"

"Patrick Vjorskir, m'am." Being American I have no experience dealing with any kind of nobility, let alone royalty. I decide to treat her with as much respect as possible while retaining my dignity.

"Well Patrick," She's wise enough not to attempt to pronounce my last name. I used to dare my friends to say it ten times fast back in grade school. I won so many sodas. "On behalf of Equestria and my sister Luna, I welcome you to our land. Feel free to stay as long as you like. Now, I imagine you have questions for me."

I consider my first question carefully, taking into account everything I know and what I had discovered during my short conversations with the ponies. "I do Princess. First of all, I heard Twilight mention a King Ignus, and that he had something to do with the magic that brought me here. What do you know about the spell that brought me here, and can you send me back?"

The princess ponders my question for a while, making me wonder if she knows the answer. After a short silence, she says, "Honestly, I know very little of King Ignus. He was well before my time, but I do know that the spell of Exile was his greatest and last act of magic. It was designed not only to transport an entire species from this world to yours, but bring those he thought most worthy of living in this world from back. I cannot tell you how he did it, and the why eludes me.

As for returning you to the other world, I'm afraid I don't know if it is even possible for me to accomplish that feat. Ignus was a very powerful being, and he poured all the magic he had into creating the Exile. Furthermore, human magic is very different from pony magic in execution. I have no idea were to start, and even if I can send you back, I cannot guarantee that the spell would not just bring you back."

Wow. That's a lot to take in at once. Does that mean I'm stuck here? Wait a second Patrick. Stop thinking about yourself for a while. Time to ask the next question. "Okay, that's fine, we can figure that other stuff out later. Am I the only human that the spell brought to this world, or are there or will there be others?"

Celestia smiles at my question, and I feel strangely reassured. I'm sure she can be intimidating when she needs to, but it seems like she prefers to act kind and calm when dealing with others. "I doubt it. Ignus might have been overcome with grief when he created the spell of Exile, but he was wise enough to not let its subjects suffer through isolation. I believe you are among the first humans to arrive. You may even be the first. But you will not be alone long. In the meantime, my student and her friends will do their best to continue to help you adjust to this world."

Even though Twilight and company are very vocal in their agreement with the Princess, I can't help but doubt how much they will be able to help. I am sure that they will try their hardest, but they are ponies while I'm human. We may have certain things in common. We may have a whole lot of things in common. But my nature and theirs are different.

I put my doubts aside for now. That's a bridge I'll cross when I reach it. "Well Princess, if I'm going to be living here, I have more questions about this world. Equestria and ponies in particular."

And there she goes, smiling that calming smile again. How does she do that? "Very well. I have most of the day open and," Her eyes glitter with a humor I am not expecting, "I am something of an expert."

And so the Princess, Twilight, and a few of the other mares spent the afternoon answering Patrick's questions about, well, everything. Subjects that are considered common knowledge, such as magic, cutie marks, and dragons, seemed to fascinate Patrick. He asked about the government of Equestria, the area around Ponyville, and how the ponies scheduled the weather.

Applejack left soon after the questions began. "Ah ain't very good at explanin' things sometimes, an besides Ah got a farm to run and apples to buck. Catch ya'll later."

Rarity left as Patrick's rumbling stomach got loud enough to distract him from his questions. "I do have some business to take care of this afternoon. Patrick, do stop by my boutique sometime soon." When Patrick asked why, Rarity only smiled and said, "It's a surprise~"

Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash stayed behind and helped answer Patricks questions. They were a great help, if a little prone to ranting about their favorite topics. Well, Pinkie ranted about everything, but she eventually became background noise.

Lunch was somewhat less awkward than Twilight expected, Patrick only having a whispered conversation with Fluttershy for a few minutes. He ate the yellow pony's vegetable stew without complaint, and even complimented Fluttershy's cooking once he was done.

It was late afternoon when Celestia stood up and giggled. "I'm sure you have many more questions, Patrick, but unfortunately I have duties to attend to in Canterlot. You can ask one more question before I leave."

Patrick thought for a minute, then asked, "You said humans used to live in this world. Are there any nearby ruins that I can visit?"

Celestia nodded. "There is one that I know of. It lies in the Everfree forrest, near the ruins of the palace my sister and I lived in before Canterlot. Twilight can show you the way." Before she left, Celestia nuzzled Twilight. "Twilight, you must come visit again soon. Patrick is also welcome to stop by any time he wishes."

And with that, the Princess departed in a glowing orb of light that merged with the sun. Pinkie Pie waved and shouted "Goodbye!" Then she turned around with a big smile. "So Twilight, are we going to go exploring a ruin today? We should, because delving into dungeons is fun because there's treasure and maybe monsters guarding treasure, but thats okay because there will be five of us which is more than enough to scare away any monsters. It'll be dark and scary but a whole lot of fun, so can we go, huh, can we, pleeeeeeease?"

Twilight sighed. Pinkie was excitable at the best of times, but the two things guaranteed to get her going were parties or the thought of adventure. "Not today Pinkie. One trip into the deep Everfree at night was enough for me, thanks. We'll go in the morning. If Patrick feels up to it."

The human in question rose from the couch and stretched. Twilight marveled at how tall he was, and not for the first time. At full extension his palms brushed the ceiling of the cottage. "That sounds good to me. Movement is the best cure for sore muscles, and I've hiked through wilderness before." Patrick seemed a lot calmer after questioning the Princess, but he also looked like something was bothering him deep down. That was obvious, even to Twilight. He had been dragged from his home, his world, by the actions somepony took thousands of years ago. Anyp… Anyone would be upset after that.

"You're taking this whole situation rather well, Patrick. I would be a mess if I were in your place right now" Twilight stated truthfully

"I wouldn't." Dash bragged, oblivious to Twilight's efforts to reassure their new friend.

"I'll probably freak out later, when nothings around to witness me emasculate myself," Patrick said with good humor. "Twilight, you mentioned that you live in a library?"

"Yes I do. Do you want to borrow a book?" Twilight wondered what kind of interests Patrick had.

Patrick walked to the pile of books that Twilight had brought, and to her surprise plucked Myths and Legends of Ancient Equestria out. "This one, if you don't mind. Something to keep me occupied for the rest of the evening. I love myths anyways."

Fluttershy walked up to Patrick. "Um, excuse me. The bed's remade and I'm working on your dinner. I think it's time for you to get some more rest."

Patrick looked like he was going to argue for a second before he relented to Fluttershy's pleading face. He waved at the ponies as he made his way up the stairs. Spike looked disappointed, probably because he wanted to ask the human about his world. Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. "Are you sure you're okay with being alone tonight?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I'll be fine, Rainbow. He's not a bad person, and I'm sure he won't do anything to hurt me by accident."

Dash looked unconvinced, but before she could argue she got a face full of Pinkie Pie. "Come on Dashie! We've got to pack for our adventure tomorrow. Well need lanterns, and string, and balloons and cake and a whole bunch of other stuff. Oh! We can bring our pranking gear and get Zecora good while we're there!"

Rainbow glanced once at Fluttershy, who smiled, before grinning at Pinkie. "Oh you are so on!"

Two pony blurs shot out of the door as Spike helped Twilight pack the books back into her saddlebags. Twilight said goodnight to Fluttershy before heading back to the library, Spike riding along on her back.

"Twilight?" Spike's voice was full of uncertainty.

"Hmm?"

"Things are going to change now that Patrick's here, aren't they?"

Twilight stopped and turned her head to look at Spike, "Probably. But that doesn't mean the change is going to be bad."

The change wasn't all that bad.

I'm in the restroom of Fluttershy's cottage, taking in my reflection. It took a while to figure out how to use a pony toilet, but it was necessary.

Now I'm taking the time to get to know my new look. Back home I had brown eyes and black hair, just about as average coloring as you could get were I live. The new red hair was nice, if a little bright than is normal for a human. Well, maybe not here. I'll have to compare notes when I run into another human. The fact that my eyes now look like they're glowing is just cool. Must be part of this "human magic" the ponies keep talking about.

I sigh as I leave the restroom, climbing the stairs with my sore legs. Celestia said that I was probably the first human to arrive in this world but definitely not the last. That's a small comfort. I have something to look forward to if the human in question isn't feeling confrontational, or just plain psychotic. You can never tell.

I think back on what Twilight Sparkle had said before she left. I am taking this whole new world thing rather well. A little too well. My life wasn't all that rosy back on Earth. I was an only child, and most of my family is dead. The rest were too distant, physically or emotionally, to really know well. It wasn't a sack of crap either. I had a good apartment with a stable, dependable roommate. My job at the theatre was looking up, I had just been promoted to manager and the owner liked me enough that a higher salary was not far off. I had few friends, and although I mostly think of them as jackasses I knew their hearts were in the right place. I was making progress with Karol.

Now that I think about it, none of that really mattered to me. Except Karol and a couple of my friends. The job was okay but I never had any real ambition to advance, let alone make a career out of it. The apartment and my roommate were convenient but I could have lived without it. I always just felt like I was just burning time. I was waiting for something to happen. It wasn't like that all the time. I lived my life as well as I could, with all the passion and enthusiasm I could muster. But. It was just until something better came along.

I stretch out on the guest room bed. Myths and Legends lies on the bedside table, open to the page were the legend of Humanity's Exile begins. I've read and reread it several times. Now it's too dark to read, but not too dark to think. Maybe the reason Ignus's spell plucked me up last night is because I was waiting for something better to come along. Maybe a second chance in this brightly colored land of magic was reserved for those who would seize it for an opportunity to start anew and better themselves, rather than morn what they lost.

Fluttershy's voice interrupts my train of thought. "Dinner!" She enters the room with a plate of salad balanced on her back (apparently Pinkie Pie is the only pony in town who can pull off balancing things on her head). She's carrying a candle in her mouth, and she sets it carefully on the bedside table as I close the book to make room for it. I also take the plate from her back. The salad is a mixture of lettuce and spinach, with chopped carrots, onions, and corn. A small cup of dressing and a hard-boiled egg lay on the side of the plate, and topping the confection are three strips of golden brown, breaded, fried tofu. Theres even a shiny metal fork already in there.

I was surprised when Fluttershy didn't question or judge my dietary choices. I am fully aware that as a meat-eater by choice and preference I may have trouble living in a community of herbivores. Fluttershy works with all kinds of animals, predator and prey alike, so while she is not completely comfortable with my choice of food she also doesn't hold it against me. I also didn't pressure her when she expressed discomfort at the thought of cooking up one of her beloved chickens. So we compromised.

"Fluttershy, you're a saint. Thank you for cooking this for me." I am being completely honest. She is probably the kindest person I ever met, four legs or two. If she were human I would propose to her right here and now, if I weren't still holding a torch for Karol.

It's only been one day. Hope burns eternal as they say.

"You're welcome. I'll be right back with some water for you."

"thnk u" I mumble through a mouthful of salad and tofu as she leaves the room. I eat a couple more bites before taking a break to digest. I breath slowly and evenly, a habit from back when my aunt gave me a few yoga lessons. In, out. In, out.

I notice the candle flame wavering next to me. The sight sets my brain clicking. Fluttershy comes back with my water and I thank her absent-mindedly, barely noticing her leave.

Myths and Legends' description of Humanity learning their magic way back when had reminded me of one of my favorite cartoons. Yes I still watch cartoons, or still did. David used to tease me mercilessly about it, but that doesn't matter now. The name of this particular series was Avatar: the Last Airbender. Like the ancient humans of this world, the characters of that series could manipulate the four elements, but through a spiritual discipline called 'bending' rather than magic.

I have a silly idea, but what the hell. I have no idea if I even have the ability to use magic in the first place. The technique shouldn't matter so much as the belief that it will work, this is magic after all. So I let my memories of the show guide me, to teach me the ways of firebending.

Power in firebending comes from the breath, the rotund old man recites in my mind. I continue to breath. In, out. Breath becomes energy. When we firebend, we redirect the energy in our bodies, through our limbs, I place my forefinger on the candle, underneath the flame, where it becomes fire.

I focus my mind and exhale.

The candle flame shoots up, scorching the ceiling. I yelp and withdraw my finger from the candle, and the flame snuffs out. I lean back against the wall, trying to chase the panic from my system. Then I smile.

I'm a Firebender.

Author's note: Well, this story arc is getting a bit bigger than I thought. But I managed to fit our protagonist's first bending into it. I made up Patrick's last name on the spot, so don't worry if it actually means something.

Also, a cameo from Iroh of the Fire Nation! One of my all-time favorite characters! yay~!

Keep an eye out for part Three, the exciting conclusion to the Return of Humanity arc! Coming Soon!

Uncle Iroh says: You must support the author to keep this fic alive! Remember to rate and comment to tell the author what you think of his story. You will thank yourself in the future.

The Return of Humanity, Part 3

Twilight Sparkle was up with the dawn, carefully double checking her saddlebags to make sure she had everything she needed for her mission into the Everfree Forest. "Rope, check." A magically flouting quill ticked off a box a nearby "Adventure" checklist.

"Compass, check. Climbing gear, check. Extra rope, check. Trail mix, check. Canteen, check. Extra extra rope, check. Okay Spike, I'm heading out now. I should be back by tomorrow, so keep an eye on the library for me."

Spike saluted. "You can count on me Twilight!"

Once Twilight was out the door and around the corner, Spike locked the door. He quickly shut the curtains on all the windows, turned off all the lights, and snuggled back into his basket. "Ahhh."

Twilight trotted down the lane to Fluttershy's cottage. It was looking to be a bright, clear fall day, and many of the shop owners were getting ready for the day ahead. Twilight suspected that she would be the first one at the cottage, so she was very surprised to find somepony waiting for her in front of the cottage. "Applejack! What are you doing here?"

The farm pony chucked and turned to the side to present her own set of full saddlebags. "Pinkie Pie came over yesterday an' tol' me what ya'll are planin' ta do. Ah'm not gonna let my friends travel the Everfree Forrest all on their lonesome, now am Ah?"

Twilight was touched, but also confused. "But Applejack, what about your farm?"

Applejack pawed the ground irritably. "Big Macintosh heard what was goin' on an' practically kicked me outta the house. Said that Sweet Apple Acres would get along just fine without me fer a couple days, an' that ya'll needed me more." She sighed. "I love my brother ta death, but sometimes he's just too darned right 'bout things."

Twilight laughed, "Well Applejack, I'm more than happy to have you along. Why don't we go inside?" Twilight stepped towards the door, but Applejack cut her off.

"Fluttershy told me ta stay outside while Patrick ate his breakfast. She was very insistent on it."

Twilight sniffed the air, catching an unfamiliar smell in the air. "What is that smell?"

Applejack sniffed, then made a face. "Bleh. Smells kinda fishy."

"It is fish." Fluttershy hovered up to her friends. She was carrying an empty basket, having just fed the various animals that lived in and around her home. "Patrick eats meat, so I said it was okay for him to cook some of the fish that I catch for the animals." Applejack looked astounded, but it made sense to Twilight. Fluttershy did say that humans were probably omnivores. "Besides I think he's earned a special treat for what he did last night."

"What'd he do?" Twilight asked curiously. Applejack was still wrapping her head around the idea that Patrick ate meat.

"He found out what his magic is! It was kinda scary at first, but he was so excited Twilight. He was still smiling in his sleep. It was adorable." Fluttershy smiled herself and brought her hooves up to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"He can use magic! What kind, what did he do?" Twilight's mind was too focused on magic to notice how weird Fluttershy watching the 'adorable' human sleep was.

"He should almost be done with breakfast. I'll go ask him if he wants to show you." Fluttershy landed and entered her cottage. Twilight looked at Applejack, who still had a strange expression on her face.

"You okay Applejack?"

Applejack turned to Twilight. "He eats meat, Twilight. Ya know what that is? It comes off'a critters!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "It's not all he eats, Applejack. He was just fine with the stew we all had for lunch yesterday."

"But what if he gets it inta his head that ponies are made'a meat too?!" Applejack looked on the verge of panic.

"Oh yes, I'm going to start eating the talking ponies that saved my life." Patrick ducked under the door frame as he left the cottage. His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Applejack smiled uncertainly at the human. "Um, ya'll heard that, did ya?"

"It was hard not to." Patrick smiled at the earth pony. "Don't worry Applejack. As far as I'm concerned, ponies are not on the menu."

Twilight cleared her throat to get the group's attention. "So Patrick. Fluttershy told us that you discovered how to use your magic last night. Can you show us?"

Patrick scratched the back of his head like he was embarrassed about something. Then he nodded. "Ya sure. Just give me a little room." The ponies backed up a step as Patrick held his hand out, palm up. His breathing shifted, deep in through the nose, then a slow exhalation through his mouth. Then, a flame appeared in his hand, wavering in time with his breath. The flame was red and yellow, and gave off the same warmth any other flame of its size would. With a smile, Patrick threw the flame into the air in an arc, and caught it in his other hand.

"That's very impressive," Twilight praised. She had seen some unicorns pull of something similar, but she wasn't about to burst Patrick's bubble. His eyes were filled with the same wonder that she had felt when she had cast her first spell as a filly. "Do you mind if I cast a spell to see how you're doing it. Magic is my special talent, after all. A glimpse at how human magic works would be fascinating."

Patrick shrugged, "Sure." Twilight stepped closer and cast a simple analysis spell. Her purple aura enveloped the flame as her magic did its work.

Twilight noticed was that Patrick wasn't casting a spell. He was simply feeding magic into the flame, and the flame burned as if it had fuel. It was kind of like Spike's flame, but it was different at the same time. The whole thing confused her.

Twilight dismissed the spell and looked at Patrick with wonder. "Wow. Celestia was right, human magic is very different from pony magic. Can you do anything else?"

Patrick shook his head and the flame vanished. "I think so, but I don't know for sure. I need somewhere I can practice."

Fluttershy exited her cottage, and said, "We talked about it last night. Patrick has a lot of ideas about how human magic works, and I want to help him out even if I don't understand all of it." Fluttershy led them all to a field near the cottage. It was mostly dirt, and any trees were several yards away. The road to Ponyville was clearly visible, so the group could easily spot Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie when they finally made their way to the cottage.

Patrick stood in the center of the field, waving the ponies away. "I'm going to try a few things. They're going to be dangerous, so stay back." Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy sat at the far edge of the field behind him. Patrick took a deep breath, then spun in place and threw both of his arms forward.

There were a few moments of silence before Applejack said, "Whatever that was supposed to do, it didn't work!"

"Just checking something!" Patrick shouted back. Twilight thought she heard him mumble. "I didn't think so." Then he took a stance; feet apart, knees bent, hands curled up and lifted up near his face. He quickly jabbed the air in front of him, and a fireball flew ten feet through the air from his fist. He thrust his other fist out and a jet of flames burned several feet out for a few seconds. He executed a round kick and an arc of flame cut through the air.

So for several minutes the ponies watched Patrick practice his fire magic. Eventually they were joined by Rainbow Dash (who thought the fireballs were awesome), Pinkie Pie (who immediately began eating popcorn), and Rarity.

Twilight would have been surprised, if Applejack had not already made an appearance. "Let me guess, Pinkie Pie dropped by yesterday and told you what we were doing?"

"Of course," Rarity said, "and I decided to come along. It would be a shame to be left behind, safe in Ponyville, while you all took such a risk." Twilight was touched by Rarity's willingness to enter the dangerous forrest with them. Although most ponies took Rarity's fashionista attitude at face value, the unicorn was always willing to stick her neck out for her friends. Although her saddlebags were probably packed with more clothing than practical items. "I say, if this is human magic it is quite impressive. If a bit crude and showy." Patrick must have heard that comment, because a fireball veered off-course and lit a tree on fire. Luckily Rainbow was able to find a raincloud before the blaze could get out of hand.

"Okay, Ah think that's enough a that." Applejack said as she stood up and faced the Everfree Forest. "We'd better git a move on if we wanna reach that ruin before dark." The ponies followed the farm-mare down the trail. Patrick hesitated, so Twilight stopped and gave him an encouraging smile. Patrick took a deep breath and followed, catching up to Twilight after a while.

"While we're on our way there, could you tell me your theories about human magic?" Twilight asked.

Patrick nodded, "Sure, but that's going to take a while."

So I'm tromping through the forest with the mares, telling Twilight about bending. The path is fairly strait and flat, but the full saddlebags on the earth and unicorn ponies make me suspect that the way won't always be as smooth as it is now. I put that worry out of my mind for now.

"The method I use to control my magic is called bending," I say, "It allows the user to control the one of the four elements to which he or she is attuned. In my case, that element is Fire."

Twilight is listening raptly, but she also asks questions. "So different humans will be attuned to different elements? What are the elements, and what do they represent?"

"Fire," I begin, passing on the lessons I learned from a fictional, well aged firebender, "Is the element of power. Humans attuned to Fire have great reserves of desire and will, as well as the drive to achieve what they want. Air is the element of freedom. Humans attuned to Air have a deep sense of freedom and peace, and the ability to express themselves without reservation. Water is the element of change. Humans attuned to Water are adaptable and imaginative. They also care very deeply for those they are close to, like their communities and families. Earth is the element of substance. Humans attuned to Earth are diverse, persistent, enduring, and strong. At least, that's my theory. The whole magic thing is new to me, if you couldn't already tell."

Twilight giggles as we pass a side trail. I see Pinkie and Rainbow turn down the trail. Their whispering to each other and snickering, obviously up to something. Twilight follows my gaze, then rolls her eyes. "Don't worry about those two. They'll catch up to us once they've had their fun. Please, tell me how this 'bending' works."

"Well, it's mostly about harmonizing oneself with the element you're trying to manipulate. My firebending is about feeling the warmth around me. In the ground, in the air, my own body temperature. Then I manipulate my internal energy, and the external energy around me, and that makes fire." I toss a small, short-lived fireball into the air to illustrate my point. I can't help it, it's too fun to not do.

"There's more to it than that, though. Fire is unlike any of the other four elements in it's behavior. Fire is alive, and if left unchecked it can cause massive destruction. If I bend without the proper mental discipline, I risk loosing control of the fire I create."

Surprisingly, I see empathy replace curiosity in Twilight's eyes. The moment passes quickly though. "That's a very interesting way of using magic. It appears simple and specialized at first, but it is so complex and deep. What else can you do? Can you bend an element that you're not attuned to?"

I laugh at Twilight's question. We had begun to scale a rocky hillside, still surrounded by shadowy forest. Pinkie and Rainbow zip past us, giggling madly. I can hear them getting an earful from Applejack up ahead. "That's the first thing I tried to do during my practice session today. I attempted some Airbending, but that was a dud. I don't think any human could bend an element they aren't attuned to. Except, perhaps, for Ignus. He might have been able to manipulate all four elements, thus making him the natural pick for King. As for other ways of using magic beyond bending, I suppose it is possible to create spells of some kind. That's how Ignus began the Exile. I have no idea what the method would be though. So for now, bending."

I bend another fireball as we reach the crest of the hill. The path winds around the side and descends in a series of sharp switchbacks down the steep decline. Down below, I can see a deep ravine at the foot of the hill. "So how does unicorn magic work? We never really got into that yesterday, just that it was more utilitarian than the magic of the other pony types."

Twilight grins. "It's simple to begin with, we just focus our magical energy into accomplishing a task and it happens." Her horn glows, emitting a purple, sparkling aura. The same aura surrounds some of the rocks laying on the side of the path, and Twilight starts spinning and looping them about like a master juggler. I don't mind. It's about time that she got the chance to show off.

"However, spells get more difficult the larger or more complex the task is," Twilight continues. "Most unicorns can only accomplish simple magic outside of their special talent. My special talent is magic, so I can perform more kinds of complex spells than most unicorns can." When we reach the bottom of the hill Twilight drops the rocks. We are entering the deep Everfree now. Old, gnarled trees surround us, their thick canopy obscuring most of the daylight. It is a while before Twilight asks the next question. "So what else can you do with Firebending?"

"Well, for the most part it can augment any task that involves fire. Smelting and forging metal, cooking, heating or lighting a room, that sort of thing. I was practicing the martial aspect of it today, and I was able to use it to help cook my breakfast this morning. There are advanced techniques, but nothing I want to attempt for a while." We stop for lunch by a river. Rarity wanders up and down the riverbank, like she's looking for something before settling down on the grass with us. The other ponies are listening in on our conversation now, and they are beginning to ask me questions as well.

"What kind of techniques?" Rainbow Dash asked through a mouthful of leaves.

I gulp down the last of my bottle of apple juice before I answer. "Well, there may be a way to manipulate and redirect lightning through firebending. It's just a theory right now, and not one I'm eager to test."

"Lightning? That's so awesome! You'll have to show me when you figure that out!"

After we ford the river, me without my shoes or socks, the conversation turns away from magic. The ponies ask questions about me, about what Earth was like, and my life there. There were certain subjects that I answered as vaguely as I could. Some questions I don't answer either because I don't want to, or I just don't know. We cross an old, rickety rope bridge on over another ravine, and I see the ruins of an old palace nearby. I'm exhausted from keeping up with the ponies all day, but the knowledge that our destination is close rekindles my energy.

A few hours later we stop close to a ring of large stones, some stacked atop one another to form arches. The circle is arrayed around the base of a hill. In the hillside facing us is a sealed archway. The entire area is alive with energy, an energy I now recognize as magic.

The majority of the stones are carved, but the surfaces have been so worn by the passages of time that the carvings have lost all shape and meaning. Some might have been scenes or inscriptions once. Most of them just look like random, maze-like patterns with no meaning I can discern. It looks like only one carving survived, an inscription on the archway cut into the hill. It is written in a strange, flowing script that looks a bit like sanskrit. I don't know how, but I can read it.

Here Lies What Once Was Ceatus, Last Lord of Flames, Who Betrayed our King, and Fell Into Darkness. We Dedicate this Place to the Memory of What Hath Been Lost, So That We Shall Not Be Forgotten.

To Those Who Shall Return, We Bid Thee All Welcome. Enter, and Learn Of Us Who Came Before.

The friends set up camp after surveying the ruins. Applejack had brought three tents, in case the unpredictable weather of the forest turned for the worse. The ponies quickly returned to the ruins to explore the sight more thoroughly. Twilight was busy recording observations in a journal when Patrick returned.

He stood in the center of the circle, staring intently on the hillside archway. Twilight joined him. "I've never seen human writing before! Can you read the inscription up there, Patrick?" Patrick read the message out to her, although the tone of his voice was very different from what it was earlier. It seemed tenser, with a sharper edge to it. Twilight suddenly felt uncertain. "So, there's some kind of library or record in there, and it was written for you. We have to get in there."

"Easier said than done, sugarcane."Applejack said, "This here slab's thicker than a hot summer day an' harder than a bison's noggin." She bucked her hind legs against the stone sealing the archway to prove her point. "We might as well jus' dig up the whole hill as try to move this thing."

Rainbow Dash grunted in exasperation. "Aug! That's great! There's no way we're getting in without hauling half of Ponyville out here to help. And thats probably not going to happen."

"Ooh, ooh maybe if I throw a 'Dig Up a Ruin' party, everypony would come and we'd have a bunch of help!" Pinkie Pie opened one of her saddlebags and a burst of confetti burst out, along with a pair of balloons which quickly floated away.

Applejack and Rainbow shared a look. "I don't really think that would work, Pinkie." Rainbow said. Pinkie looked disappointed for one second, then quickly recovered.

"You're probably right. Who would want to dig up some old ruin during a party? That would be so boring, I mean, we would hardly have room for a cake or games with all the shovels and dirt and…" Pinkie had gathered steam and was launching into one of her rants, and Applejack and Rainbow had no choice now but to endure.

Twilight sighed and turned to Patrick. "Sorry Patrick, we probably won't get to open it today. If I study all night, I might find a spell to move that stone."

Rarity walked up to them, "I simply can't believe that the ancient humans would build such a place and not leave some method of getting in."

"They didn't have to." Patrick said. He sounded more like he had that morning, but there was still a worrying undertone to his voice. When the unicorns gave him confused looks, he explained. "This whole place is brimming with elemental magic. I can feel it. Besides, that slab is no obstacle to earthbenders. They could just bend it out of the way. So there must be a way to open it using the other bending disciplines, like some kind of switch or trigger."

Rarity looked around. "Magic? I certainly don't feel anything. Not that I doubt your word, Patrick."

"Well," Fluttershy softly landed by the trio,"human magic is about harmonizing with the environment, right? These stones are definitely arranged in some kind of pattern. Maybe it's some kind of test, or a riddle."

Twilight gave Fluttershy a confused look. "Did you just do a flyby of the site?"

The pegasus dug at the ground with one hoof. "Um, well, Dash was too busy helping Applejack find a way in. I thought it would be important later."

Rarity dipped into a saddlebag and removed a charcoal stick and a sheet of sketch paper. "That was a wonderful idea Fluttershy. Why don't you and I walk around and map out this place. That may give us a clue."

Patrick looked at Twilight, a sly grin on his face. "So, split up the gang and search for clues?"

"That's a great idea!" Twilight trotted off to tell her other friends as Patrick laughed.

They all spent a couple of hours combing the ruins. When they regrouped at the stone circle's center they tried to pool what they had discovered into a plan.

"Well the stones are set up into three different circles, with one stone platform in the middle. I have no idea what that arrangement means. Patrick?" Rarity looked up from the collection of maps and sketches she and Fluttershy had collected.

"No idea."

Applejack spoke up next. "Well that hill ain't natural, an' them rocks came from somewhere else too."

"The only other building around for miles is the ruin of the Princess's old castle. Nothing there except cobwebs." Dash said.

"Twilight and I ran around and around looking for more writing, but we didn't find any. Sorry." Pinkie chirped.

Twilight sighed, "Well, Patrick, did you have any luck."

Patrick nodded. "Yes, I think I did." He pointed a finger at one of the arches. "Standing from the center of the circle I can see one of the freestanding stones through that arch. When I checked it out, I found that a section of the stone had been hollowed out. The stones on that side," he pointed in the other direction, "are the same. I'm going to try throwing some fire in there. That's plan A."

Twilight nodded. "Plan B?"

"We come back later with a jackhammer." Patrick deadpanned. "That's all I got."

"Plan A it is," Twilight declared.

"C'mon girls," Applejack called from the side of the circle furthest from the hill. "Let's give the guy room ta work without worryin' about burnin' us."

The other ponies assembled around Applejack as Patrick positioned himself. When he could see both stones through the arches, he jumped in place. He landed in a wide stance and thrust both arms out to the sides, sending a jet of flame roaring in both directions. It passed through the arches and struck the openings square.

The entire stone circle began to glow, red and yellow like Patrick's flame. There was no doubt that the light was magical, but it didn't sparkle like unicorn light. It shimmered, alternating colors and brightness like a curtain in the breeze. Patrick's eyes glowed yellow, the intensity erasing the iris and pupil. The glow traveled around the inner ring first, then the middle, and lastly the outer ring. When the glow reached the sealed arch, the whole circle briefly manifested colored, mazelike lines. The slab sank into the ground with a grinding sound.

Patrick stopped bending and fell to his knees. Twilight galloped up to him. "Patrick! Are you all right?"

"Ya. Wow, that was. Yikes." Patrick shook his head, then managed to stand up. He looked a little wobbly at first, but he soon recovered. Which was a good thing, because he was soon swarmed by very excited ponies.

"Land sakes, sugarcube. That was mighty impressive what you jus' did."

"Those lights looked super cool! Can you do that with bending now? Can you Lightbend?"

"Yay Patrick!"

"Very impressive"

"And then I said, badger-moles, are you crazy!?"

Patrick held up his hands in surrender. "I just tripped a spell, I just tripped a spell! I can't take credit for what would happen if any other human did the same thing!" He shouted over the din of the ponies all talking at once.

Once they had all calmed down, Patrick and the mares stood on the threshold of Ceatus' tomb. The hallway behind he door sloped down into the earth. No sign of light could be seen. "So," Twilight said nervously, "Is everybody ready?"

Most of the ponies nodded, and Patrick was already beginning to step inside. Only Fluttershy said, "No."

Rainbow said, "Oh come on Fluttershy. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just an abandoned tomb. We'll be in and out before you know it."

"Actually, I believe this is technically a barrow," Twilight corrected.

"Whatever." Rainbow responded.

"B-but," Fluttershy muttered, taking a step back, "it's so dark"

"Well ya." Rainbow looked a little less certain now.

"It's so deep." Fluttershy continued to retreat, shrinking into herself.

"Uh huh." Rainbow stopped hovering and landed.

"And theres a dead thing in there." Fluttershy was a yellow and pink ball, one half of her face hidden behind her mane."

"Uh…" Rainbow turned her head and frantically tried to think of the up-side of going into the barrow.

"Fluttershy, you don't have to come with us if you don't want to." Twilight said in her most reassuring tone.

"I don't?"

"Of course not," Twilight said. "This place has been sealed for thousands of years. We're not going to find any dragons, manticores, or cockatrices in here."

"Besides," Patrick added, "Someone has to watch the camp and keep the animals away from our food."

"Oh, right." Fluttershy cheered up considerably at the thought. "I'll have dinner ready by the time you all get back."

The group began entering the barrow, Patrick in the lead with a small flame in hand to light the way, Twilight and Rarity behind him with horns lit. Pinkie bounced in behind them. Applejack was about to head in when she noticed Rainbow hesitating at the threshold. "Ya commin'?"

"Are you kidding! I wouldn't miss this for the," Applejack entered the barrow, "world." Rainbow swallowed hard before walking inside, rushing to catch up to the ponies and human with light.

We enter the barrow, and before long the hallway crosses another. Twilight suggests that we split up, again, into teams of three. Each team explores one of the hallways to the side. Once that's done, we meet back at the crossing and continue down the entry hall. Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie go right, while I go left with Rarity and Applejack. I've spent the least amount of time with these two, and I don't really feel like exploring this place with Pinkie Pie. Nothing against her, but that pony is practically a health hazard in a place like this.

We start exploring the hallway, which is thankfully short. There are two doors on each wall except the end of the hallway. By unspoken agreement we open the first door on our left.

Rarity's light illuminates a large room, the walls carved with scenes of humans performing all kinds of activities. There are inscriptions as well, but they are hard to make out in this light. From what I can see, most of the scenes here depict the earliest days of human history. I need better light, but before I can ask Rarity to turn her light up Applejack waves me over to an alcove.

"Take a look at this," the farm pony taps her hoof against a basin filled with some kind of liquid. "Smells like there's oil in there."

Of course. They couldn't expect every human to come here to be a firebender, or have helpful unicorn friends. "Rarity, I'm turning the lights on. You may want to cover your eyes" I warn her. Then with a flick of my fingers I send a dart of flame into the basin. The oil ignites immediately. The flames rush out of the basin, down a channel in the wall. Cleverly hidden mirrors catch the light, and the room is suddenly well lit.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Uh oh. That scream came from down the hall Twilight's team went down.

We all look out into the hall, which is also lit by channels and basins of burning oil now. Rarity calls down the hallway, "Is everypony all right?"

Down the hall we see Pinkie's head pop out of a doorway. "You scared Rainbow Dash!" She's giggling madly.

"I wasn't scared, you just startled me a little." Rainbow's protestation rings hollow, her voice is shaky but recovering. Ego heals quickly through denial.

Applejack chuckles as we return our attention to the room. Now I can read the inscriptions, and make out detail in the carvings. They do depict early Humanity, as we dwelled in this world. I see humans emerge from the crossroads. I see them struggle in a world of dragons and other large, terrible creatures. I see them learn the magic of the Elements and form into tribes. The people of Fire hunt and wander through an endless grassland. The people of Earth found cities in mineral-rich hills, farming the land and taming the beasts of their home. The people of Water live on the coasts and islands were they fish and delve into the mysteries of philosophy. Finally, the people of Air dwell in towering mountains and clouds, isolated and mysterious.

The final mural depicts a man, standing above or perhaps between all four tribes. His hair appears to be caught in the wind, and around him is an elaborate mandala depicting the four Elements. The tribes bow before him, with hands upraised in a gesture of offering. I read the inscription to confirm my suspicions.

Thus the King Emerged From His Meditation at the Crossroads. He Brought Forth the Wisdom of all the Elements of the World, and Through it Bound the Nations Together to Form our Kingdom. We Celebrated This Day, for It Began our Golden Age.

I smile and sketch a small bow to the figure in the mural. "King Ignus, I presume."

We check the other rooms, finding more murals depicting the collective history of humanity. Applejack mostly looks at those murals depicting farming and everyday life in the Kingdom. Rarity is frequenting the depictions of the Lords and the court of King Ignus, "Look at all these outfits," she spouts, "So imaginative! Adhering to a central theme but altering the cut and detail! So magnifique, and never at the expense of practicality. Idea~!" Rarity pulls out her sketchpad and begins drawing madly. Applejack looks at me and rolls her eyes.

"Come on Rarity. Ya'll can do yer fashionin' when we get back ta Ponyville. It's time for us ta meet the others." Applejack leads us out of the room as Rarity pouts.

"Inspiration waits for nopony, Applejack." She continues her sketching as we walk.

We meet up with the others in the middle of the hallway. Twilight looks up at me a sad look in her eyes. "We found murals that depicted the last thousand years of human history on this world. They were beautiful, but so sad at the end."

Pinkie Pie holds up a piece of paper covered in charcoal dust. "We made rubbings so we can look at them later. That was fun!" Pinkie's front hooves are caked with charcoal up to the elbows. I shake my head. She probably did all the work in there.

Rainbow Dash is obviously nervous, shifting around on her hooves and keeping her wings half-folded. "Can we finish this up, then. I want to get a little sleep tonight."

"Just one more place to check." I point down the main hallway to a door. A glance out the entryway tells me that the sun has set outside. I follow the ponies towards the door, eager to be done with this place. That's when I feel it.

There is a chill, a void behind that door. There is something sleeping there. Something very bad.

Twilight raises one hoof to open it.

"No!" I shout, but too late.

The second Twilight's hoof touches the stone door it crumbles. Pieces fall away to reveal a wall of darkness that no light penetrates. Two blank white eyes open in the darkness. It hisses, and the flames in the oil trough weaken. Eyes leading, the black wall begins to bulge outward. The ponies are frozen in fear, until I throw a fireball into the dark thing's face.

"Run! Get out of here!" I shoot another fireball at the dark thing, which roars in a disturbingly human voice of pain and wrath. Twilight and the others finally get their flanks in gear and run past me. I back up slowly, every step punctuated by a fireball jab. A dark arm emerges from the thing and takes a swipe at me. I dodge it, but barely. The arm hits a wall, causing a spiderweb of cracks to spread from the point of impact.

Okay, don't get hit.

I retreat faster, kicking an arc of fire in the thing's direction. It's a good thing whatever this is doesn't seem to like fire. It backs up briefly as the fire hits it, roaring again. I manage to get out of the barrow.

"Close it! Quick, before it gets out!" Rainbow Dash shouts at me from the air.

"There's no time! Get Fluttershy and go! I'll hold it off while you get help!" I am not confident that I can survive this monster for that long, but I'll be damned if gets those mares before going through me first.

"Ya can't hold out for that long!" Applejack is standing in the center of the circle, along with both unicorns. "We'll help ya take care of this!" In the distance, I can hear Pinkie Pie grabbing Fluttershy and galloping away with her.

"This isn't up for discussion!" I begin to argue before the dark thing emerges from the barrow. It swings a fist downwards towards us. We evade the blow as it stands erect. It is vaguely human-shaped, a slumped over figure with long thin arms and short legs, and it is over fifty feet tall. It blinks in the light of the moon before focusing on us. "Go!" I blast a double stream of fire into its face, causing it to back up a step.

Twilight and Rarity use their magic to pull the thing's feet out from under it. Rainbow charges into its face, and the dual assault cause it to tumble down to the ground. Applejack stomps a hoof, "We're not gonna leave a friend to fight a monster all by himself. Now quit arguin' and Firebend, mister!"

I give up. That pony is stubborn as a mule.

Still I do my best to keep myself in the center of the thing's attention. I unleash a furious assault, jabbing at the thing's eyes, chest and shoulders. It rises despite my attack, but its arms are to busy protecting itself from my fireballs to attack anything. When it crosses the moon I notice something. It is slightly transparent, not the deep darkness it was in the barrow. It seems to notice too, because it takes a lumbering step back towards the barrow.

I have an idea now, It's crazy, dangerous and could get me killed, but I have no time to hesitate. "Dash! Get me behind it! Rarity, Twilight keep it busy! No questions, just do it!"

Rainbow changes course and picks me up by the arms. Rarity pelts the dark thing with small rocks and clumps of soil, while Twilight conjures a stormcloud from nowhere. The cloud flashes lighting in its face, blinding it. Rainbow sets me down between it and the barrow, uncomfortably close to the monster. If this doesn't work, I'm about to get a terminally shorter.

I bend, throwing up a wall of flames in front of me. The dark thing turns towards me but backs away from the firewall. I know what this thing's weakness is now. I know how to get rid of it. "Light! get light and keep it away from the woods!"

The monster turns toward a nearby shadowy glade, only to be confronted by Twilight. Her horn shines like a beacon. She takes a step forward and the monster and it retreats, more transparent now than it was before. Rarity, her own horn alight, steps between the monster the other side of the clearing. Applejack appears between the two unicorns, holding a firefly lantern in her mouth. Rainbow Dash hovers above with another lantern, causing the creature to shrink away.

I Firebend again, this time sending a line of flame along the ground. I turn the leading flame slowly, circling it around the monster until it is surrounded by flames. The earthbound ponies continue pressing forward until they reach the fire, and Rainbow descends mercilessly. The creature curls up on itself, darkening briefly before disappearing altogether. I extinguish the ring of fire with a sigh of relief.

I look around at the ponies who helped me, suddenly feeling connected to each of them. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Fluttershy, who helped me without expecting a thing in return. Even Pinkie Pie, who trusted me enough to run and get help when I asked her to.

"Is it gone?" Twilight asked.

"I think so." I respond. I begin to laugh. Not because of this ridiculous situation. Not entirely because I'm still breathing after facing a 50-foot shadow monster. I finally know what I want to do now. I want to use my all my skills, all my knowledge, all my strength to protect these ponies from all the things that might threaten them. And not just these ponies. Every pony, every human, every innocent life I can spare. My Fire will be the light at the edge of their lives, a shield against the darkness.

"I'm back!" Pinkie bounds into the clearing with Fluttershy in tow. "The princess found us and… hey! The mean black thing is gone and you're all okay and laughing and Patrick got a cutie mark!"

"Ha ha ha, what!?" Thats all I manage to say before I'm pulled into a breathtaking Pinkie hug. Seriously. I can't breath… Pinkie releases me as Princess Celestia steps up to us, a stern look on her face.

"Come with me Patrick, we need to talk." Uh oh.

I walk with Celestia to the outer ring of standing stones. I get the sense that she knows what happened, so I skip the excuses and explanations and just ask the question on my mind. "What was that thing?"

"That was all that remained of the man known as Ceatus, the shadow of his darkness that endured in that ruin after his death." Celestia answered before turning towards me. "Patrick, I know what you have done here tonight. Thank you for trying so hard to defend my little ponies from that creature."

Okay. I was not expecting that. "You're welcome, your majesty. Wait. Pinkie mentioned something about me having a cutie mark?"

Celestia laughs and her horn glows. A mirror appears next to me and I see something on my back. A golden lantern and within, a single red and yellow flame. A circle of red-gold light serves as the background. "According to my sister, who is most fascinated with you and has begun researching your predecessors with enthusiasm, your ancestors called it a 'duty mark'. Unlike the marks of pony folk, a human's mark appears when he or she decides upon a goal. It represents an ideal to which you have dedicated your very life."

That's deep stuff. We humans are beings of ambition, I won't lie. It makes sense that our mark would have something to do with that. I explain my epiphany to the princess, sharing my desire to protect others from danger. She listens patiently, then smiles knowingly.

"I suspect that you desire to live in Ponyville, then?"

I have to stop to think about that. Do I want to accept that I am now a part of this world, or do I want to return to Earth. My old life is waiting for me on Earth. I could have that all back. Or I could stay in this world. A world of talking ponies and magic. A world of new dangers and wonders. It's a gamble, staying here. But I might just see someone I know someday.

I look back at my new friends. It's no contest. "Yes, if you would have me in your country."

She smiles that smile again, part fathomless kindness and part smug knowledge. "Then it is my honor and privilege to proclaim you the official guardian of Ponyville." She touches my shoulders and forehead with her horn, as if knighting me. "You know, it was the custom of ancient humans to take on a new name after manifesting their duty marks."

I consider it for a while as we make our way back to the campsite. Then I decide. "I am Lanternlight. I keep the darkness at bay."

Author's notes: And that concludes the introductory chapters! The rest of the series will be told from Lanternlight's pov, with a few exceptions. Keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter, "Home is Were the Hearth is."

Twilight Sparkle says: Rate this fic to let the author know how good a job he's doing, and comments are always welcome!

Uncle Iroh says: Also, remember to recommend this story to your friends. Chances are if you like it, they might like it too!

TS: Thanks for helping me with this message, Mister Iroh.

Iroh: It's no trouble at all. Stop by my tea shop sometime, especially on music night. I need somebody to play the tsungi horn next time since my nephew can't make it. (:D

Home is Where the Hearth is

It's a beautiful morning. The sky is clear, the birds are singing, the leaves on the trees are just barely beginning to change color on this early fall morning. There is only the barest hint of the night's chill in the air.

And I, Lanternlight, human guardian of Ponyville, exit my tent and get ready to start my day.

My campsite today is a fallow field in Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was kind enough to invite me to stay in her house, but I didn't want to intrude on her family. Plus, I don't think my taste in dinner dishes would be as welcome as the rest of me. The remains of a cooked rabbit (caught him trying to snatch some harvested apples last night) are packed in a bag near the fire pit. Theres enough left over for a decent breakfast, even though I gave Winona, AJ's little shepherd dog, half of it last night.

So I eat a cold breakfast of apples and rabbit meat. I'm considering my next campsite when I hear pegasus wings above me. I look up and see a grey-coated, cross-eyed pegasus in a mail cap. "Package for you!" She says.

I take a small brown package from the mailmare, who also hands me a muffin before flying off to continue her rounds. It's still warm from the oven. Well that was nice of her.

I look at the shipping tag on the package. It is addressed to me, from Canterlot. I open the box, finding a small note and a small felt bag filled with the golden coins that Equestria uses as currency. I take the note out and read it.

Dear Lanternlight,

The coins are your salary for your first week of duty as Ponyville's guardian, as well as a little bonus to help you pay for constructing a house for yourself. Treat yourself to a day on the town, we have a surprise announcement for you to hear.

Best of luck.

The Royal Sisters of Equestria

"So where do you want to build your house?" Twilight Sparkle asks me as we walk down the street later that morning. "There are some nice empty lots on the south end of town, or maybe that place over by Rarity's. It's been empty since I got here, and you won't have to build a whole house from scratch."

I ignore the gawking faces of the ponies as we pass through. It's only been one week since I arrived in this world. At least it's a step up from my first visit to town: mares screamed, foals were rushed indoors, and the streets emptied in seconds.

"I don't know Twilight. I'd love to sleep in a nice, warm house for once instead of a tent, but so far no place has felt right." I smile as a filly waves at me before her mother pulls her back into the house. At least the kids seem to like me.

Twilight gives me a strange look. "'Right'? Is this a human thing?"

"Maybe. Perhaps. I have no clue." I'm a bit frustrated to tell the truth. "Twilight I've been in this world one week. The rules are different here than they were on Earth. Magic is everywhere and I have no idea where I fit into it."

We're forced stop in the main square. There's a huge crowd in front of town hall. I spot the Apples on the outskirts and head over to join them. "Hey Big Mac," I greet Applejack's brother. He's a solidly build red stallion, with the same blonde hair and green eyes as his sister. His cutie mark is a green apple half. He's also almost as tall as I am.

"Howdy." He's a pony of few words, Big Macintosh. He and I have been spending a bit of time together lately, and it's been a refreshing change of pace from the mares.

"What's going on?" Twilight asks Applejack.

"Mayor's called a meetn'. Got some kinda message down from Canterlot." The farm pony says. "Stop hoppin' like that Applebloom."

"But Ah can't see nothin' sis." The youngest Apple family member jumps up again, trying to catch a glimpse of Town Hall over the backs of the crowd. "Mister Lanternlight?" The little filly gives me an expectant, pleading gaze.

I cannot resist. I make a scene of it through, rolling my eyes and sighing. "All right, come here." I duck down and help Applebloom get her hind legs around my shoulders, then grab hold of her front hooves. I stand up quickly, causing the kid to laugh gleefully. That's when the Mayor of Ponyville makes her entrance.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts," classy line, "the Royal Pony Sisters have just reported wondrous news to me. After thousands of years, the people known as Humanity are returning to Equestria. One of them has decided to live in our fair town of Ponyville, and his name is Lanternlight! Let us welcome him into our town and our lives as our new guardian!"

There is a small cheer from the crowd. Most of the ponies here have already seen or heard of me, Ponyville's rumor mill already working as fast as words reach ears. The Mayor continues her speech, "That's not all. In celebration of this momentous occasion the Princesses have declared a feast is to be held in honor of those humans who have returned! Our own Lanternlight will be the guest of honor!"

Okay the announcement had not been much of a surprise. Princess Celestia seemed like a mare who liked to keep on top of her country's affairs. I have not yet met Luna in person, but from what I've heard she sounds like she has her head together. But this celebration thing catches me completely off guard. So does the loud applause from the crowd. Pinkie Pie's not the only pony who enjoys the promise of a party, apparently.

One of the ponies, either out of the loop and curios or wanting some confirmation, shouted from the crowd. "What does this Lanternlight look like?"

Mayor Mare looked around until she spotted me in the crowd. "Why, he's right over there," she says as she points a hoof in my direction. Several dozen eyes turn to look at me.

Oh dang.

I lift Applebloom off my head and set her on her brother's back. "I'll meet you at the library later," I whisper into Big Mac's ear as several of the closest ponies begin to close. They're already asking questions, talking over each other in their excitement. My head is spinning. I don't handle crowds well.

"Eyup," Big Mac acknowledges, backing of with Twilight and his sisters.

The crowd, eager to question their strange new neighbor, quickly cuts of my route of escape. This is going to be a very long morning.

It's well into the afternoon when I open the door to Twilight's library. I have a dry throat, a headache, and I'm carrying a bag packed with 'welcome to town' gifts. At least, the ones that I could fit into one bag.

Twilight, Big Mac, and Applejack are having tea in the lobby. I set my Santa bag on the floor after I duck into the building. "How is it that I go from clearing streets with my shadow to becoming the most popular man in town?" Please let there be a chair somewhere around here. Curse these pony houses and their lack of cushioned furniture!

Spike emerges from the kitchen with the teapot as I pull a cushion up to the table and sit on the floor. The table comes up to my chin, but it's better than standing. The dragon sets a cup of tea in front of me. Mm. Smells like jasmine.

"Ya're the only man in town," Applejack jokes. I shoot her a glare over my teacup.

"They were afraid of you before, Lanternlight," Twilight kindly explains, "but the Princesses' declaration today has reassured them that you're safe. The fact that you've taken up the position of village guardian doesn't hurt either."

"Speaking of the feast, this came for you a few hours ago." Spike hands me a scroll with the royal seal. I open it, and as I suspect it is another letter. This time it is from Celestia alone, and I can almost see her laughter in the pen strokes.

Dear Lanternlight,

How did you like my little surprise? Don't worry, the feast won't be held for some time. It is partially in your honor, but hopefully it will also attract the attention of any other humans that find themselves in Equestria.

I expect you to attend the feast at Canterlot palace. A date and time are written, a few months from now. Formal attire is required, but I'm sure your friend Rarity can help you with that. I'll see you there.

Princess Celestia.

PS: Twilight, I know you're going to read this. Don't worry, you and your friends are invited too. The official invitations won't be sent for a while. Be patient, my prized pupil.

I set the parchment on the table and poor myself more tea. "Well, at least I have something to look forward to now. Other than freezing solid in my sleep."

Applejack gives me a concerned look, "Ya're more than welcome ta build yourself a house on our land, ya know."

"I know AJ. It's just not right, though." I sigh, taking another sip of my tea.

"Dangnabbit, Lanternlight!" Applejack pounds a hoof on the table. "Why do ya have to be so darned picky?"

"I don't know!" I shout. I stand up, pacing as I give voice to my frustration. "I'm restless! I'm tired because I can't get a good night's sleep in the same place twice! I have no idea why, or how I'm supposed to find a place where I can lay my head down to rest! It's just, aug!" I fling my arms up above my head. They trail fire as they rise, sending Twilight into a panic.

"No Lanternlight! The books!" She yells.

"Hey," Big Mac shouts, angry and worried. "Watch the fire, mister!"

I stand still, surprised equally that my outburst caused me to involuntarily Firebend, and at my own lack of control. I should know better than that. I'm in a tree, for gods sake. Strong emotion can amplify bending, even if the bender isn't trying to bend. I can't keep forgetting that.

I sit back down and practice my breathing for a few seconds. In, out. In, out. Slow and easy. "I'm sorry," I say once I've calmed down, "I was not thinking clearly."

Big Macintosh gives me an understanding look. "We need to find ya a place."

"Yup," I respond, taking the cold teapot and heating the liquid inside. The Firebending helps me let of some steam.

"For pete's sake, sugarcane. Ya should'a told us it was this big a problem ta begin with." Applejack looks exasperated, but compassionate.

Twilight nods, still hyperventilating a little after my light show. "Don't worry. We'll find you a place to live before the day's through!"

"Uh, Twilight, you know that only gives us a few hours right?" Spike gives being the voice of reason his best effort.

"Then we haven't a moment to lose!" Twilight trots over to the book shelves, pulling out volume after volume with her magic.

Spike sighs in weary defeat. "Of course not."

"Ah think we lost her, boys," Applejack says, looking on as the carefully catalogued library is practically turned upside-down by the industrious unicorn.

I duck back outside with the Apple siblings. I tell them, "I'll see you two later. I'm going to see if the others can do anything to help." I wave as I head off down the street, thinking about what my other friends could do for me.

Rainbow Dash flies around the area all the time. If I knew what I was looking for I could just ask her to locate it for me. She'd zip around, do her thing, and I'd have a new home in minutes. But I have no idea what I'm looking for, so that option is out the window. I have no idea where to find her, anyways.

I dismiss Rarity as a source of help. I know she's probably bend over backwards to help me, but I can't think of a way that she can. I'd probably spend all my time explaining my situation to her acting as a living clothes dummy. She's adamant about making me some new outfits. I can only imagine what is going through that unicorn's head now that the Princesses have announced the feast.

Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie. I could ask her to help, and she might just stumble across a solution by accident. It's a gamble through, and I'm not eager to spin the Pinkie roulette.

That leaves one pony left. Fluttershy knows the area around Ponyville pretty well, taking care of the animals that live around the town. If anypony has an idea where I can find a place to live, it might just be that sweet yellow pegasus.

My decision made, I turn towards Fluttershy's house when an unfamiliar pony blocks my path. A bright yellow Earth pony colt with a short-cropped red mane, he has a pair of crossed pens for his cutie mark. He's grinning at me expectantly.

"Um, can I help you?" I hope he's not here to give me another gift. Please. I have nowhere to store them.

"Actually," he says, still grinning," I'm here to help you. The names Tracks O'land, premier real estate agent in Ponyville. I've heard around town that you're in need of an abode, and I thought; Well, Tracks, here's your chance to help a fellow out. I'm sure one of my properties are just what you need." Tracks grabs my hand in both hooves and shakes it furiously the whole time he's talking.

"Well thank you for the offer, Mr. O'land, but I'm pretty sure I can't find what I need in Ponyville." I force a smile onto my face as I begin backing up. Tracks gets behind me, though, and begins pushing me down the street with all his earth pony strength.

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Lanternlight! You haven't even seen what I have to offer yet." I try to escape, but Tracks O'land could give Applejack a lesson or two in herding. "I know exactly what kind of property you would be interested in."

I spend the next two hours being dragged around town by Tracks. He shows me dozens of properties, from empty lots to full-blown mansions, from decrepit shacks to town houses. In the beginning I respond to his offers with decreasingly polite variations of "No", but that only seems to encourage him. So I stop talking altogether, using my time thinking of some way to escape the real estate pony's clutches.

Finally opportunity knocks when Tracks is showing me a lot on the outskirts of Ponyville, near the Whitetail Woods. I interrupt Tracks' speech about knowing a contractor who can give me a discount. "Tracks, you've shown me a lot of great properties," but none of them are what I need, "but I have too many choices now. Let me take a bit of a walk to clear my head."

"Of course, of course! Stop by my office once you've made your decision." Tracks gives me a happy wave as I walk up the trail to the woods. Hook, line, sinker.

I walk the trail for about an hour. I admire the beauty of the forrest in autumn, but I also take my time to allow myself time to think. I have a job, but I'm homeless. I mooch of my friends for places to sleep even if it is outside. Yes indeed, this is a great start to my shiny new life in Equestria. I wish the ancient humans had left behind more than just a record of their history. Like an instruction manual.

I sit down on a stump on the side of the trail. Why didn't they leave more helpful information behind? History is great, in fact I agree that it was very important, but a little more detail about magic would have been nice. Did they think that the Exile would let them take their magic with them to Earth? Maybe. They had it for so long, perhaps the very idea of loosing it was beyond them. Still, a little consideration for future, confused generations would have been appreciated.

I've got a nice sulk going when I'm greeted by the pony embodiment of happiness. "Hi there Lanternlight!" Pinkie Pie says, coming into my field of vision from above. I have no idea how she does it, and Twilight says it's best not to question Pinkie's creative interpretation of physics.

"Hiya Pinkie. What's up?"

Pinkie zips back up and approaches me in a more normal fashion. "I'm getting sap for Sugarcube Corner's famous maple syrup," she says in her normal cheery manner. When she sees my face, she tilts her head to the side and tones the happy down a little. "Why so down, Double-L? Still camping out?"

I tell her my troubles and she sits down next to me and listens. I'll say this much for Pinkie, she's the easiest pony to talk to. She may be one fluffy pink ball of energy, and her hyper happy attitude may grate at times. But when a friend needs to talk she listens. No judgement, no advice, no apologies. She'll sit there and listen, and when you're done she'll do her best to make you smile again.

"Aww, it's too bad that you don't have a house to call your very own yet. I'm planning a huge housewarming party for you." Pinkie smiles as she continues, "I'm going to bake a big chocolate cake for you, and invite everypony over and we'll all have lots of fun! I even had Rarity help put together that Twister game you were talking about. We've got the cloth thingy and the spinner, but I think you or Rarity will win because Rarity's SUPER bendy and if Dashie plays her wing feathers will tickle me all over and I'll laugh so hard I'll collapse."

Ponies playing Twister does the trick, breaking my dark mood and causing me to laugh. "I look forward to it, Pinkie," I say as I give her a one-armed hug. "You don't have any idea where I can find the right place to build my house, would you?"

Pinkie looks off into the distance. "Nope. But he might." She points in the direction of the jagged, rocky mountains above the Whitetail Woods. Standing at the end of a trail, almost too far to see, is a human figure in a white robe. He's beaconing to me with one hand.

I get off the stump, running up the trail. The man in white steps off the trail, through a gap in the rocks. "Hey, come back!" I shout after him.

"Go get him, Lanternlight!" Pinkie cheers from behind me.

I round the corner, darting through two spires of granite. I stop and look around, trying to find the man in white. I don't find him, but I do find something else entirely.

I'm in a small valley, about a hundred feet wide and fifty feet long. The late afternoon sun shines through the mountains above me, illuminating the grassy field covering the valley floor. A brook trickles through the field, fed by a spring in the western end. The spring emerges from the mountainside, filling a series of deep stone pools before the water falls into the brook. I walk over to the closest, deepest pool and dip a finger in. The water is surprisingly warm, just about room temperature. A hot spring.

I look east, where the valley opens up to a wonderful view. I can see over Whitetail Wood to Ponyville, the windmill a little to my south. I can see the taller mountains on the other side, Canterlot perched precariously on the tallest peak. This place would have a wonderful view of the setting sun.

The valley has no other exits. The eastern edge is a shear cliff, and the northern wall is solid granite. Where did the man in white go?

Maybe… I sit down on the grass and meditate. I attempt to harmonize with the valley. I breath, as if I'm preparing the Firebend. Then I feel it. It's not a constant flow of power, like the stone circle at the barrow. I can feel a warmth, flowing into me from the ground. This place is attuned to the element of Fire, like I am. I feel comfortable here. At peace.

"Hellooooo~" Pinkie calls as she walks into the valley. "Oh, Sunset Springs. I haven't been up here in forever."

I turn to her, still seated on the ground. "Pinkie," I say, close to tears but not caring, "This is the place."

Pinkie runs up to me, gleeful excitement written all over her face. "It is?!"

"Yes." Yes it is.

"Woo-hoo!" The pink little pony leaps into the air, hoof-pumping in victory. "I'm going to get Twilight, and Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, and Big Macintosh, and, and EVERYPONY! We've got a house to build!" She zips off back to Ponyville, good as her word.

I stay, allowing the feeling of the place to linger. I'm home.

The next few days are a blur of frenzied activity as we work on getting the house built. Every one of my friends joins the effort, and a surprising number of ponies from town pitch in as well. The plans are drawn, foundations are laid, and the frame is erected. I work hard, mixing mortar, laying bricks, and tiling the roof. My Firebending comes in handy a few times, but for the most part I work with my hands.

Finally, on the evening of the fourth day, I look upon my completed house. It is a two-story brick structure, unpainted except for the door and window-frames which are a warm yellow. The roof is red-tiled with yellow accents, with a large brick chimney. The front of the house faces east, and lanterns hang from elaborate iron hangers at the peak of the roof and each side of the face. A stone-paved pathway leads from the valley entrance to the front door. A small stone bridge crosses the brook were it intersects with the path. Another path leads from the back door to the hot springs, lined with lanterns hanging from iron poles. A small towel bar is set in the valley wall near the hot springs. That was Rarity's idea.

I wave goodbye to the townsponies who helped us today, then open the door to my fully furnished house and invite my friends in. We have a housewarming party. We eat some of the truly immense cake that Pinkie baked for the occasion. Twilight stumps us all when we play 20 questions. We play Twister, but nobody wins. Pinkie gets tickled and we all collapse in a pile of laughter. I hoof vs arm wrestle Big Mac. Applebloom falls asleep on my new couch.

It's late when the ponies leave, going to their own homes to turn in for the night. After I wave my friends good night, I extinguish the lanterns, close my door, and get some long-awaited sleep in my own bed.

Applejack says: Thank's for readin' the story y'all. Remember to rate an' comment so the author makes more a' these stories.

Sokka says: Yah, yah. Recommend this fic to your friends, too.

AJ: Come on, partner. Those apples ain't gonna pick themselves.

Sokka: Why do I have to help you pick apples?

AJ: 'cause your big ol' critter ate half a last season's crop.

Sokka: Appa belongs to Aang!

AJ: An' you let him into the barn.

Sokka: …. That's fair. Lead on, oh Queen of the Orchard

Playing with Matchmakers

It's the final harvest before winter at Sweet Apple Acres, and I'm up in one of the Apple's trees. A small basket is hanging from my elbow, filled to the brim with the ripe apples I've picked.

From my vantage point I can see the ponies hard at work. Applejack had asked everyone to help her and Big Macintosh harvest their orchards before the pegasus weather team drop the temperature any further. I volunteered, so now I'm about ten feet off the ground, utilizing every instinct and childhood memory to reach the apples. So far I've managed to avoid falling out of the trees. To be honest I'm very impressed with may pace so far. After two hours about ten trees worth of fruit have been plucked by my hand.

Even at that speed, I'm far behind the Apples. Heck, I'm behind Fluttershy, and she's just carting our harvest back to the barn. Big Mac and Applejack have their own method of getting the apples out of the tree, and it takes seconds compared to my protracted struggles with gravity. How they manage to kick the tree just hard enough to get the ripe fruit to fall is beyond me.

I'm carefully inching my way up a branch towards a beautiful golden specimen of the farm's chosen crop when I spot Big Mac making his way up to me. The red colt seems a little distracted. Maybe it's farm worries. Macintosh isn't nearly as much of a worrywart as his sister is, but he has his moments.

"Hey Mac. I'm almost done with this tree, so just point out the next one you want me to climb and I'll pass this basket down to you," I say, stretching for the apple. My fingertips brush it but it swings away before I can get a good grip. As I adjust my position in order to get a better angle I notice that Big Mac hasn't responded. "Um, Mac?"

I look down to the base of the tree. My stallion friend is looking out over the fields towards Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn is using magic to lift entire barrel-fulls of apples at a time, organizing them for later storage. She tosses her head to flip a bit of mane out of her eyes, and even from this angle I can see Big Mac's eyes get bigger. He's got a silly little grin on his face that would be hilarious if he were not lining his hindquarters up with my tree at the same time.

Uh oh.

"Uh, Big Mac, I'm up here." Please don't. I really don't want to reacquaint myself with the ground that way. He's not paying attention to me. His eyes are locked on Twilight. He shifts his weight and lifts his hind legs.

"Big Macintosh, I'm up the…" To late. The red pony's plate-sized hooves impact the trunk, sending teeth-chattering tremors up the tree. "TREE!"

Ow. Hi ground, it's nice to see you again to.

My fall seems to have snapped Big Mac out of his love-struck stupor though. He walks over to me with a sheepish grin on his face. "Uh, whoops?"

The only thing I can say right now is "Ow."

"You should just go talk to her," I tell Big Mac later. I'm sitting in Granny Smith's rocking chair holding an ice pack to the back of my head. Luckily the only injury I received from my little tumble is a sizable bump back there.

"Nope," the red colt says, sitting next to me in an Applejack-decreed time out.

"Mac, you're crushing on her hard enough to buck me out of a tree. Seriously, go talk to her." The whole issue is graduating from cute to annoying at a depressing rate.

Mac gives me a look. "Ah said Ah was sorry, Lanternlight."

I shoot his look right back at him. "You want to make it up to me? Go talk to Twilight. Talk about the weather, the harvest, anything."

Now he looks kind of depressed. "Ya know Ah ain't much of a talker."

I shake my head, taking the ice pack off my head because that would just look ridiculous. "Then man…er, stallion up and ask her out."

"Ah don't even know if she likes me," the expression on Macs face becomes one of resigned hopelessness.

"Oh, for the love of…" Here's were the conversation gets recursive. "That's because you haven't talked to her! Seriously, if you want something to happen you have to start it yourself." I stand up carefully, hoping that my balance is still unaffected by my head injury. Thankfully my feet stay under me.

Applejack trots up the path, joining us on the deck in front of the house. "How ya doin' Lanternlight," she asks, "that lump on yer noggin feelin' any better?" I nod, causing the orange pony to turn her attention to her brother. "Big Macintosh, Ah can't believe that you would allow yerself to be so distracted. What's on got yer mind so occupied that ya knocked poor Lanternlight out of the tree?"

Mac only turns his head away from his sister in shame. I know that he probably doesn't want to talk about it, but I speak up anyways. "He's got a crush on Twilight."

If Big Macintosh could turn any redder, you would be able to spot Sweet Apple Acres from orbit.

Applejack looks shocked. "Wha? Mac? Crushin' on Twi? Since when?"

The big red colt coughs into a hoof, "Well, ya have her over to help out a lot. An' well, she's mighty pretty an' smart. It just kinda happened." He looks around to see if anybody else is around to overhear. Luckily, the other ponies are taking a break on the other side of the house/barn.

"AJ, please help me talk some sense into this big idiot," no more Mr. Nice Guy. "I've been trying to get him to talk to Twilight for the past twenty minutes." Applejack gives Big Mac a bright, encouraging smile with an undertone of humor.

"Oh, Mac. Ya gotta at least say somthin' to Twilight. Otherwise, yer fealin's will just stew away inside 'a ya." The orange mare gives her brother a good-natured poke in the side. "Now get over there an talk ta her, we got yer back."

When Big Mac looks at me, I give him a grin and a thumbs up. We walk around to the other side of the house. Mac pauses when we round the corner, staring at the object of his affections. Twilight is talking to Rainbow Dash, the annoyed expression on the unicorn's face making it clear that she was trying to debunk some element of the blue pegasus' bragging. Mac rallies his courage and walks over to Twilight.

"'Scuse me?" He says, shifting nervously on his hooves.

"Yes?" Twilight looks at Big Mac curiously.

"Uh, can Ah have a word with you, Miss Twilight? In private?" Mac smiles at Rainbow Dash.

The pegasus looks between the two ponies, before shrugging and flying back to the table where the others are talking asnd sipping apple juice. AJ and I join the group as Mac leads Twilight away to avoid being overheard.

"What was that about?" Rainbow asks us as she sits at the table.

Applejack is watching her brother, a small grin on her face. "Oh, Big Macintosh just needed to talk with Twilight is all."

Rarity looks up from her conversation with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. "Whatever for? I dare say Macintosh doesn't really strike me as the reading type. No offense Applejack."

The orange pony does seem a little peeved, but I answer Rarity's question in true friend style, "That's between him and Twilight." Bro Code; you don't tell a bro's crush to the crush's friends. AJ's his sister, so that doesn't count. "By the way Rarity, are those shirts ready yet? I'm getting pretty tired of having to wash this one every day."

The white unicorn is immediately distracted. "Oh, of course. You can pick them up tomorrow, along with another pair of those denim pants you like so much. I must say, designing clothes for a human has been a wonderful challenge. It was about time I tried something new."

"Ooh! Speaking of Lanternlight and new things," Pinkie interrupts, "We're giving that peanut butter and chocolate cake recipe a try at Sugarcube Corner tomorrow! You should totally come over and help me taste test it after going to Rarity's! Or before you go. Whichever!"

"Uh, sure." Pinkie smiles and goes back to her juice. We talk about some more random stuff before Twilight comes back over. I look for Big Mac, but he's run off somewhere. Maybe he went for a hike. Twilight has a large grin on her face.

"You're not gonna believe this," she squeals, "but Big Mac just asked me out on a date!"

The mares portray different reactions to her announcement. Pinkie cheers. Rainbow nods as if she knew it all along. Rarity squeals along with Twilight, and Fluttershy congratulates her. Applejack does a spit-take, soaking me with apple juice. I just can't win today.

"I know," the purple unicorn says with glee. "It's my very first date ever! We're going out for dinner tomorrow night. Oh, I have to get back to the library. I'm sure there's a book about dates somewhere."

Later that afternoon I'm enjoying a nice, long soak in the hot springs behind my house. The hot water is heaven for my sore muscles, and I have just finished washing away the coating of sweat and apple juice I had built up today. I watch the slowly setting sun and consider how much longer I can stay here before the temperature makes the short trip back to my house unpleasant. My thoughts are interrupted by a visitor.

"Lanternlight, ya home?" Big Mac's strong, steady voice echoes off the valley walls of Sunset Springs. I haven't had a chance to congratulate my buddy on his date yet. Now's a good a time as any.

I call out, "I'm back here, Mac." The red colt trots up to the springs, an expression of deep thought on his face. "Care for a soak? The water is the perfect temperature, I heated it myself." A small bit of Firebending is enough to make the water hiss and throw a thick cloud of steam into the air. Also, blowing steam out your nose does wonders for the sinuses.

"Nah thanks," Big Mac says as he waves a hoof to clear the steam. "I really need ta talk ta ya." He looks, and sounds, even more serious than usual.

I sigh, reaching for the towel draped nearby. Looks like my soak is over. "Let's take this indoors, shall we?" I dry myself off and wrap myself up in Rarity's housewarming gift, a delightfully plush wool robe. We enter my house through the back door into the kitchen. I light the stove and start warming water for a cup of tea. I'm getting addicted to the stuff I swear. I was never really a coffee person anyways. "Tea? Lily sold me a wonderful blend of camomile and lemon yesterday. Just the thing to calm a troubled mind."

"Please." Big Mac watches me brew the tea for a few minutes before speaking up. "Ah need your advice."

"For your date tomorrow night." I suspected as much. I pour two steaming cups and set them on the table, a straw in Mac's. "Is this your first date, too?" He's a good friend, but I doubt that he's had a lot of experience with mares outside of his family.

"Nope. Second." Ah, just enough to be cautious then. Macintosh taps his hoof against the tile flooring as I sweeten my tea with honey. Having a serious talk with this pony is a game of patience and leading. Rushing him just causes him to clam up tighter.

After a few seconds I ask, "So what do you want to ask me about?"

Big Mac takes a deep breath, before diving right into the heart of it, "How can Ah make Twilight like me enough to keep dating me?"

Oh dear. Confidence issues. I had to face those same issues when I first set my sights on Karol. It was only after some hard-learned lessons that I finally relaxed around her. A special kind of lady can do that to a guy. Apparently, Twilight Sparkle was that lady for Big Macintosh. It is time to impart some of my relationship wisdom. "Mac, listen. You can't 'make' Twilight like you like that. It either happens or it doesn't, and trying to force the issue won't help. You just have to relax, be yourself, and let her feelings come to her naturally."

"But," my stallion buddy protests, "what if she doesn't like me?"

"Well, it might take more than one date for Twilight to decide one way or another. And even if she doesn't return your feelings, there's nothing you can really do about it. Since you can't control it anyways, think about what you can control. You. Just be yourself and try to have fun."

"Okay." The poor guy looks a little more sure of himself, but he's still looking like a sad puppy dog. He takes a sip of his tea before asking his next, very important question. "Where should Ah take her then?"

That I can't help so much with. "I have no idea. I've only lived in the area for just over two weeks. I've been in town a handful of times, mostly visiting the girls or shopping for produce. Ponyville's restaurants aren't really my area of expertise." Big Mac's head sinks lower to the ground. Damnit Lanternlight! He needs my advice but it doesn't really have to be specific. "Okay, how about this: take her someplace nice but not fancy. Somewhere you two can sit and talk without too many interruptions."

That brings the red stallion's spirit back up. The look on his face says he might have a few places in mind. He hangs out in my kitchen for about an hour, before leaving to get back home for the night. I watch him walk out of the valley before lighting my lanterns. I use Firebending, shooting small fire darts from my fingertips to light them as quickly as possible. The exercise helps me clear my mind, but not as well tonight as other nights past. Reentering my home, I climb the stairs to the second story.

The second floor of my house is one big, open loft. A fireplace in the outer wall divides the room in half. The western half has my bed, wardrobe, and locker. The eastern half is a study. Bookshelves are built into the walls, although they are mostly bare right now. A large desk sits near the fireplace and a high backed armchair, piled with the charcoal rubbings we took from Ceatus's barrow and my own notes. Like the rest of my house, lighting is accomplished by a network of cleverly placed candles and mirrors. The light gives the place a soft, warm glow.

I sit in the armchair after lighting the fire, a fresh cup of tea in my hands. I consider continuing my study of the history left to me at the barrow, but my mind is in a different place tonight. All this dating talk has brought Karol back into the forefront of my thoughts.

The past couple of weeks have been such a frenzy of activity. First I was getting used to Ponyville, then scrambling to find a place to live. All that rush had pushed the girl of my dreams to the back of my mind, but never out. I have few regrets about choosing to leave Earth behind, but Karol is definitely on top of that list. She was an amazing girl; smart, funny, talented, and beautiful. I had fallen for her the moment I laid eyes on her, and I fell hard. My friends always joked that it was love at first sight. I pursued her with everything I had, but I only wound up hurting myself. So I stopped. I let things happen naturally. We had become friends, and we were starting to grow closer.

Then Ignus's spell brought me here. A whole other world, and I chose to stay rather than search for a way back. I still feel like that was the right choice. I know it was the right choice. But I can't help but wonder. Does Karol think I'm dead, killed and tossed into the trackless forest by some stupid, random lightning strike? Does she think I'm missing? Is she even still on Earth, or did the spell bring her to this world too? Is she frightened, cold and alone in some land far from the friendly borders of Equestria?

I wake up when cold tea spills into my lap. The warm fire must have lulled me to sleep while I sat in the armchair. A little annoyed, I clean up the spill and call it a night. I'm probably going to have to back Big Mac up on his date tomorrow. Even if I can't be with Karol anymore, I can make sure that two of my friends have a shot at something special.

The next day I decide to visit Sugarcube Corner first. The Cakes did an amazing job with the chocolate and peanut butter "Resses'" cake, and Pinkie decided to accompany me to Carousel Boutique so she could hand out free samples to her friends. We enter Rarity's store to find her with Twilight.

Twilight herself looks frazzled, her mane mussed and her eyes shut as she lays on the floor. Rarity is laying a consoling hoof on the other unicorn's shoulder, although she looks a bit confused. Spike is sitting on a nearby stool with his head in his claws.

"Okay, what's going on here?" I ask. This doesn't look like a very good beginning to the day.

Spike speaks with a tone of annoyance. "Twilight got the bright idea to read the entire Relationships section of the library. She was up all night."

Wow. I know Twilight is a heavy reader, but that's going a little overboard. Not to mention that it was a very, very bad thing to do just before a date.

Twilight moans miserably, "I don't know what to do. All those books said a bunch of different things about how to handle a relationship. But Mac and I aren't in a relationship yet. Are we? He asked me out on a date, does that count? Should I kiss him tonight? Or would that send the wrong message? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"Now there dear, calm down. You should now that you have no obligations to do anything tonight. It is only the first date." Rarity pats her friend's head reassuringly.

"But it's my first date ever! I really want it to go just right, but none of the books I read said anything about what a first date is going to be like. What should I do?" The purple unicorn looks like she's on the verge of snapping. Luckily Pinkie steps in with the save.

"Stop fussing and have some cake!" The pink pony scoots up to Twilight and pulls a plate of cake from the basket she had brought with her. The unicorn, however, is still distraught.

"This is not the time for cake Pinkie!" Twilight is chewing on a bit of her mane now. That's not a good sign. "I'm in the middle of a crisis here!" Before the borderline neurotic unicorn can continue ranting a pink hoof stuffs a slice of cake into her mouth. Twilight almost spits it out before stopping. She slowly chews the confection in her mouth, her face visibly relaxing as that edible miracle known as chocolate does it's work.

Pinkie smiles at her blissful friend, "I know, good huh?"

Spike holds a claw in the air. "Can I get a piece of that to?" The little dragon soon has his request fulfilled by the grinning earth pony.

Rarity sighs in relief, "Thank you Pinkie Pie. Now Lanternlight, your shirts are in the back. As you requested I steered away from gemstones, but I did take the liberty of embroidering a few with flame motifs. I know you prefer solid colors, but a little bit of detail won't hurt you." The white unicorn leads me into the back and helps me gather up my shirts. They are mostly darker shades of red, yellow, and orange, and while I am a little peeved that she embroidered a few of the button-ups but I cannot complain about the quality of her work. After all she did do this free of charge. The jeans are just as good, plain blue denim without embroidery with nearly perfect seams. As we leave the back room I spot the designer cover up a box of failed attempts at human clothing. Nobody's perfect.

I barely take two steps into the main room before I'm beset by Twilight, who apparently finished her mouthful of cake and was back to worrying. "Lanternlight," she's practically shouting in my face, "you're a boy!"

"Last time I checked, yah."

"What do I do for a first date? Please, please help. I know Big Macintosh is your friend and I don't want to let him down so is there anything you can tell me?" Oh man, she's got the puppy dog eyes going. Nothing mortal, human or pony, male or female can resist that look. She does it almost as well as Apple Bloom. Plus she's as close as eye to eye with me as she can get. That's just overkill.

"Look, Twilight," I say, gently pushing her off me. "The best thing you can do tonight is just be yourself." Strange, I feel like I've said that before. About this exact same subject. Crazy. "Have fun and don't worry. If things are meant to work out, they will."

My purple unicorn friend bites her lip, a bit reassured but still worrying. I guess it's in her nature. "But what if things get... awkward?"

Rarity takes it from here, "It's a first date. Things are going to be a little awkward at first, but once you get past that it's all upwards from there."

"Besides," Pinkie continues, "You should focus on having fun with the guy you're with. Maybe even ask him out next time." Pinkie waggles her eyebrows suggestively, drawing a giggle from Twilight.

"I don't see why not. Macintosh is quite a handsome stallion, and he strikes me as a perfect gentlecolt. Unlike some others I could name." Rarity's last comment holds an unexpected amount of venom. There's a story there, I imagine.

Our friend finally relaxes, putting her worries aside under the weight of our collective encouragement. "Well, I guess I should start getting ready for my date." She turns to leave, only to be cut off by Rarity. The white unicorn turns Twilight around and begins pushing her towards the stairs to the second story.

"First of all, you are going to get some sleep. No buts," Rarity cuts off a protest before Twilight can even form the first syllable. "Once you're well rested we can start preparing you for tonight. Lanternlight? You can tell Macintosh that he can pick Twilight up here when he's ready."

"Uh, sure." The two unicorns vanish up the stairs, leaving me alone with Spike and Pinkie Pie. I stand there for a few seconds before pointing to the door. "I'll just be heading back home. Big Mac is going to meet me there later. Catch you later Spike, Pinkie."

"Laters Double-L! I got a lot of cake to give away!" Pinkie bounces out the door ahead of me.

The purple dragon perks up a little, probably because he was effectively being left alone with Rarity. "See you guys," he calls out the door. I have a pretty good feeling about tonight.

That evening Big Macintosh and I arrive at the boutique. Mac is freshly groomed, his collar polished until it shines. He knocks on the door with one hoof then shifts around nervously. He adjusts his collar then looks at his reflection in the window.

"You look fine," I tell Mac. He's been doing this ever since we left Sunset Springs, and frankly it's gotten a little annoying. Now I know what David had to suffer through when I was dating Karol. Thankfully Rarity opens the door for us and invites us in.

"Twilight! Your date's here!" A white unicorn filly shouts up the stairs as we enter.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity scolds her little sister, "That was very rude. You shouldn't yell indoors."

"I'm coming!" Twilight shouts back downstairs, sounding a little frantic. Sweetie Belle smiles at her big sister, who rolls her eyes in annoyance. I take a seat on Rarity's model platform to wait for Twilight's grand entrance. As I do a white Persian cat, the unicorn fashionista's pet Opalescence, leaps into my lap and begins purring. Sweetie also comes over to join me.

"Hi!" She's looking at me with curious eyes. "I'm Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom's told me and Scootaloo a lot about you, Mr. Lanternlight."

"I'm sure she has." The little Apple seems to think of me like another big brother. So naturally she takes every opportunity to tell her friends everything she knows about me.

"Is it true that you can make fire with magic?"

Ah kids. If it's bright, new, and dangerous it is bound to be cool. As much as I like showing of, I glance at Rarity questioningly first. She nods tentatively, giving me permission to Firebend inside her store. A little. So I create the smallest flame I can. That's still enough to impress the little filly.

I'm making the flame dance around my fingers when Twilight finally joins us. She's wearing a simple yellow dress with a red stole, with a little makeup on to accent her features. Big Mac is speechless, staring at the purple unicorn until she blushes uncomfortably. "Um, h-how do I look?"

Big Mac says nothing, so I give him a little nudge with my foot. "Oh, uh, you look mighty pretty," the big red lug stammers out. I feel like facepalming but now's not the time. "Shall we get goin'?" He gestures to the door.

"Yes, let's." Twilight follows Mac out the door. He even holds the door for her. They walk down Ponyville's main street together.

"Awww. They're so cute." Sweetie Belle says, her head in her hooves while obvious thoughts of romance run through her head.

Rarity turns her head away from the window, "Yes, I suppose so. You should get going yourself Sweetie. You don't want to keep your friends waiting, do you?"

The filly jumps into the air. "Oh yeah! Apple Bloom and I are sleeping over at Scootaloo's tonight. I gotta go Lanternlight! See ya!" And with that she's out the door.

The older of the unicorn sisters pats her curled mane thoughtfully before she turns to me. "I'm sorry, Lanternlight, but I have to close up the store now. I'll see you soon, we still have to get your measurements for your feast clothes."

Oh goody. Wait a minute, something about this strikes me as odd. "Why are you closing up so early, Rarity? Do you have somewhere to be this evening?"

The unicorn pauses and looks around, "Uh, well. R-Rainbow Dash asked for my help this evening. Something about helping her with a new stunt routine. She's expecting me soon, you know how she is. I'll never hear the end of it if I'm late. Ha ha ha."

Opalescence is giving her owner a meaningful look. I decide to play along, though. "Huh. I didn't realize you knew so much about pegasus stunt flying. You must be really knowledgeable for Rainbow to value your input so much."

"Oh, it's not so much for technical advice," she says as she all but shoves me out the door, "Style is style after all. Well I've got a lot to do and little time to do it see you later bye." Her blue magic slams the door behind me.

One good thing about living with ponies: most of them are horrible liars. I sigh and stretch out, already looking around for good cover to shadow Rarity from. Looks like I have to play interference for Mac and Twilight. Otherwise they're going to be interfered with, and I'm betting Rarity is not the only one of our pony friends that's planning on following those two tonight.

The sun is close to setting by the time Rarity stops. She's outside one of Ponyville's less expensive upscale restaurants, and I can see the silhouettes of Big Mac and Twilight in one of the windows. I'm hiding in the bushes nearby, watching the white unicorn as she debates her next move. My own plan is to get her over here somehow. I shift over to get more comfortable when I see a blonde tail on the ground next to me. Looks like my guess was right.

Applejack is sitting in the same bushes, but she is so intent on spying on her brother and his date that she hasn't even noticed me yet. The farm pony is muttering under her breath. "C'mon Macintosh Apple. Say somethin'. She's a talker, ya just have to get her goin'." In another world, I would suspect her of using a headset to give her brother advice. As we are not in said world, however, I just see a worried sister rooting on her big brother. It's cute, but still an invasion of the couple's privacy. So I give AJ's tail a yank, and dodge the inevitable kick while the pony stifles a yelp.

She looks at me with panicked eyes, then calms down a little. "Lanternlight," she whispers, "what are you doin' here?"

I hold up a finger to shush the orange pony, then return my attention to Rarity. She's speaking to one of the waiting staff outside. Probably trying to figure out a way inside the restaurant without alerting our couple. Luckily, she walks around the building towards the bushes Applejack and I are hiding behind. The waitress walks slightly ahead, so I quickly grab the unicorn and pull her into the bushes. When the waitress pony turns to speak with Rarity again she sees nothing.

Rarity is shocked to see me, a given under the circumstances. "L-Lanternlight!? What are you doing here."

There's that deja vu again. "Going to help Rainbow Dash, huh?" I cross my arms as I look both ponies in the eye. They both begin to talk at once, but I hold up a hand for silence. "Ah, let me guess. You both want to make sure this date goes smoothly. AJ, you're waiting for your brother to come out so you can give him some advice. Rarity, you were planning on impersonating a waitress so you could eavesdrop and maybe slip Twilight some advice." The girls share a quick glance before nodding. I want to smack them both upside the head, but I settle for a shake of my own.

"What in gods," wait, "Celestia's good name were you thinking? Plans like these never turn out well!" I whisper to the both of them, and Rarity at least has the grace to look embarrassed.

Applejack, on the other hand, "Well what are you doin' here then, Mr Dating expert?" Her sentence is loaded with unspoken accusation.

"I'm the guard dog," I say, arms still crossed. Something odd enters the edge of my vision. "Speaking of which, get out of that cloud and come down here Rainbow Dash."

Above us is a fluffy grey raincloud with fuchsia eyes and a rainbow-streaked tail poking out the back end. It's not very hard to guess who it is. "Uh, no Rainbow Dash up here. Nope. Just a cloud."

"Well Mr. Cloud," I make create a flame in my palm while I'm talking, "it's very nice to meet you. Unfortunately the weather schedule says it's supposed to be clear tonight. I'm going to do the weather team a favor and disperse you now, okay? No hard feelings." I shoot a jet of fire up into the cloud. Rainbow Dash leaps out of it just before my flame jet pierces the center, causing the raincloud to puff out of existence.

"Hey!" Dash yells as she lands heavily next to us. "Why did you have to do that for? Do you know how hard it was to find enough moisture to make that thing?" The three of us shush her at the same time. The door to the restaurant opens and we all duck into the bushes. A chef sticks his head out the door and looks around, then shrugs and goes back inside.

Rarity gives Dash her best accusing glare. "And what, praytell, were you doing hovering over a restaurant in a raincloud?" We're back to whispering again and the brash pegasus is wise enough to follow our lead.

"Um, creating a romantic atmosphere?" The pegasus smiles at us guiltily. Our reaction to her blatant is enough to make her confess. "Okay, okay. I was going to prank the lovebirds with a little rain, what's the big deal?"

Rarity gets within a hairs breath of Dash's face before answering. "The big deal? The big deal is that this is Twilight's first. Date. Ever. Even the thought of pranking her tonight." The unicorn gasps. "How could you?"

"An' my brother's been workin' up the courage to ask Twi out fer ages." Applejack glares at our very guilty blue pegasus. "The last thing he needs is fer somepony to rain on his parade. Literally."

Poor Dash's wings are almost touching the ground. "I-I. I thought it would be funny."

Okay, she's had enough verbal abuse for one night. "Look, she didn't get to do it. I think it's best if we all just go home and leave Twilight and Big Mac in peace to finish their date." The three ponies look at each other and nod, but as we're starting to leave we hear Twilight laughing. The next thing I know, we're all peering through the gap in the bushes. Judging from the silhouettes the unicorn is talking animatedly with the big farm pony, Mac supplying a comment now and then. After a few minutes we hear them both laughing.

Applejack is thunderstruck that her brother is actually coming out of his shell. Rarity is smiling and giggling with romantic glee. Rainbow Dash is leaning in closer to actually hear the conversation. I take down a mental note to brohoof Mac when I see him tomorrow. It goes on like this for an hour before I say, "Time to go."

So we leave, one human and three mares walking down the moonlit street. "Hey," I say as we pass a well-lit diner, "you girls hungry?"

Big Macintosh and Twilight step out into the street. The moon is high and the night is quiet, and they turn towards each other.

"I had a really great time tonight, Mac. Would you like to walk me home?" Twilight looks up at the big stallion. This is going to be a very interesting letter to the princess, she thinks, but it won't be about my studies this time.

Big Mac meets Twilights eyes. This night had gone better than he had ever hoped. It was a little awkward at first, but then he remembered Lanternlight's advice and relaxed. The date had only gone smoother from then on. "Ah would like that very much."

The two walk slowly down the street. After a few minutes of walking Twilight leans against Mac's side, and the big pony blushes a bit before leaning back a little. "It's a beautiful night," Twilight says softly. "Why don't we take the long way home?"

"Eyup."

Rainbow Dash says: If you think this fic is awesome as I am, then rate and comment! It'll encourage the author to keep writing chapters.

Toph: And don't forget to tell your friends about the story. Recommending is how you'll keep this story alive.

RD: So you ready for another round of hoof wrestling, Squirt?

Toph: Only if you're ready to loose again, Twinkle-hooves.

RD: Bring it on, dirt princess!

One if by Land

"Hold still, Lanternlight." Rarity floats another length of cloth around my shoulders. She's been pinning bolts of various colors and materials to me all morning, and I am quickly running out of patience. I need to go hunting today. My meat cellar is a little bare.

"Rarity, I appreciate the effort, but do you really need to do this all right now?" I try to keep as still as possible as I talk. The unicorn frowns as my duty mark manifests on the back of the cloth, then clicks her tongue and removes the cloth draping me. "The Princesses haven't even sent out the invitations to the feast yet. You have plenty of time to come up with my suit for the party."

"You can't start too early," with her horn aglow the white unicorn makes several cuts and adjustments as she speaks. "Besides, this way I have plenty of time to make any necessary adjustments or changes. It's a terrific challenge making your clothing, and I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've had to rely on trial and error. Mostly error." She mumbles that last part. "So I want to take my time and get this right. Any designs catch your eye?"

With a sigh I step off of the platform and begin rifling through the sketches lying on a nearby table. I can tell that most of them are inspired by the carvings in Ceatus's barrow. Most of them are a little too ostentatious for my tastes. One has a ridiculous headdress that is modeled after a flame. Another is encrusted with enough gems to make Elton John envious. Not my style, even though gemstone studded clothing is Rarity's signature. As much as I want to spare my friend's feelings, none of these outfits really appeal to me. I'm about to say as much when a hastily opened door preempts me.

A tan earth pony with red hair and a rose cutie mark is panting by the door. I recognize her from my first visit to town, she was one of the first ponies to panic and hide from me. I think her name is… Roseluck? Something like that, anyways. "L-Lanternlight! A monster! There's a monster tearing up the square!"

Rarity looks at the pony interrupting her work with more than a little annoyance. "Really, Rose. You should not just barge in like that. It's unladylike. Besides, you're probably just overreacting again."

At that moment, a boulder the size of a small house slams into the lawn outside, just to the left of a smaller grey boulder that was already there. Rose glares at the unicorn and points a hoof at the boulder without even looking over her shoulder. "Does that look like overreacting to you?" The pony's voice drips with sarcasm. The white unicorn gives the red-maned pony an embarrased grin.

I stuff one of my jacket's pockets with a handful of sketches. "Sorry Rarity, duty calls." I run out the door and down the street into the square.

When I arrive I pause to take in the sight. The square is a disaster area. Wrecked stalls litter the broken ground, spikes and pillars of rock are everywhere, and a few nearby structures are leaning on or sinking into their foundations. It couldn't have happened on a worse day; as a rural town, Ponyville held a farmer's market in the square every weekend. The Apples own a stall and everything. It was a good way for the farmers to supplement their income, not to mention socialize with those who lived in town. Speaking of farm ponies…

"Applejack!" I call for her as I run into the wrecked square. Of all the Apples she usually ran the family's stall. Granny Smith was too old, Big Macintosh was to quiet (and distracted nowadays), and Apple Bloom had shown a little too much enthusiasm last time her big sister let her help. I run around a wall of disturbed ground several feet hight and call again, "Applejack!" Whatever had done this was bad news. This damage is on the scale of a small earthquake.

After leaping over the remains of a stall I spot, and hear, the pony I'm looking for. "let go ov de abbelss, ya vamit!"

The orange earth pony is playing tug-of-war with a strange creature over a basket of apples. Her opponent has a sleek, bullet-shaped body with a kind of spine on its back. It has large, blunt claws on its forefeet, and its hind legs are heavily muscled. The tail is a long, flat affair reminiscent of an alligator. In response to AJ's demand it lets out a low growl that I can feel through the ground.

The creature stomps the ground with it's left hind foot, and I feel the magic in the ground shift under my feet. A pillar of earth shoots up under Applejack's hooves, tossing the orange earth pony into the air along with the apples. She shouts in surprise and terror as she flies over the houses, but I see a rainbow streak rush out of the clouds to catch her. Knowing that my friend is in good hooves, I return my attention to this dangerous, and apparently earthbending, creature.

I enter my fighting stance, but I am ignored in favor of the basket. The whatever-it-is opens its mouth wide, giving me a good look at an impressive array of teeth, and catches the basket. Then it chomps down and swallows, basket and all. It turns its attention to me. In those black, beady eyes I can see that this creature is thinking about how good I might taste. Well lets see if this thing likes spice!

I jab a couple of fireballs in its direction, dodging the fountain it sends whistling my way by flicking its tail. My flames splash against its skin and it flinchs. A flinch? I dodge another rock and dash forward, kicking a large arc of flame towards the creature as I close the distance. I alter my course while I'm hidden behind the burning streak.

As I predicted, the creature raises up a wall of earth to shield itself from the flames. I hear another annoyed growl, so I leap into the air before a pillar of rock throws me into the sky. My next move is to hit the earth shield with an axe kick firebomb. The dirt construct breaks under my attack, but before I can follow through I'm knocked into the air by a claw swipe. Ow. I hope whoever lives in this house isn't too upset about that second-floor window.

By the time I get back to the window I see the creature sniffing the air, then lumbering off in the general direction of Sugarcube Corner. Oh no, this thing is difficult enough to fight without it having the advantage of a sugar rush. I leap out of the window, landing a lot better than I usually do. With big, sweeping movements I build up a large fireball. I'm about to send this thing running towards the nearest river when a pony dives into my line of fire.

"Stop!" I toss the fireball into the sky to avoid turning the pegasus into a pile of cinders.

"F-Fluttershy," I sputter, "get out of the way! I need to get that thing out of the village!"

"Please don't hurt it! It's confused and hungry and probably scared."

Scared?! The last emotion I can imagine that creature feeling is fear. Causing fear is more like it.

My little light show apparently caught its attention, because I barely have enough time to tackle Fluttershy to the ground before another large boulder passes over our heads. I pull her up and behind cover (pegasi are very light) while I toss more fireballs across the square to discourage the beast from charging us.

"Lanternlight! What's going on?!" Great, now Twilight Sparkle has decided to join the party.

Luckily I'm not too distracted to duck another boulder. "What do you think? Encouraging," flying rock, "an unwanted visitor to leave through meaningful," another rock, counter with fireball combo, "dialogue." My combo gets broken by an approaching spike of rock. I dodge and the building behind me gets a new entrance. Wonderful, I've graduated from mildly annoying pest to seriously annoying pest.

Twilight, oblivious to the flying rocks and fireballs, stares intensely at my opponent. "Is that what I think it is?" I'm forced to keep my snarky response to myself, seeing as I'm busy trying to not die. The creature starts to close the gap between us uncomfortably fast.

My unicorn friend looks around the ruined square, in which a good part of the debris is now on fire. She gallops off towards a partially intact stand while I keep trying to convince the beast that backing away from the fireball-chucking human is a good idea. Fluttershy, meanwhile, has the good sense to stay behind cover while trying to convince the two of us to stop fighting. Unfortunately the beast is not listening and I have no plans to die today.

Behind me I can hear a knife chopping away at something on a wooden countertop, then a whole clove of chopped garlic floats over my shoulder. The beast stops for a few seconds and sniffs. Then it backs off a step. Twilight steps forward and tells me, "Roast it." When I give her a dumbfounded gaze she says again, "Roast the garlic, Lanternlight! Now!"

A light jab, sending a tongue of flame to brush lightly against the garlic, is apparently enough to get the job done. The beast gets a whiff of that and backs up another three steps. Twilight floats the garlic closer and it dives into the ground. We hear rumbling as the creature burrows out of Ponyville, and away from the garlic, as fast as it can.

Now that the creature's gone I sit down hard and try my best to catch my breath. I never considered myself a slouch when it comes to physical fitness. In fact I'm probably more active now that I'm practiceing firebending every day. But there is a huge difference between practicing firebending forms in the front yard and fighting for your life. Eventually I recover my breath long enough to talk.

"Garlic?" I ask Twilight incredulously.

She nods, looking rather pleased with herself. "Garlic," she affirms.

"I toss fire at it and it acts like I'm a mosquito. You come along with some garlic and it runs like some kind of demon is after it." I drop the rest of the way to lay the ground.

Fluttershy walks up to me with a look of concern on her face. "Lanternlight, you're shaking."

I hold my hand up and watch my hand quaver as the adrenaline leaves my system. Suddenly feeling the aches and pains of my muscles, I sigh and cover my eyes. "I could really use a cup of tea right now."

I am sipping a hot cup of jasmine in Twilight's library a few minutes afterwards, watching on as Twilight, Spike, and Big Macintosh practically turn the library upside down. Fluttershy is applying bandages and disinfectant to the numerous cuts I had accumulated during the fight. We haven't seen hide or hair of Applejack or Rainbow Dash yet. They're probably helping Rarity and the others with the cleanup of town square.

"What are we looking for again?" Spike asks from the top of a ladder.

"Something about rare magical animals from outside Equestria," Twilight says, looking through a stack of books on a nearby table. "I know I read a book like that yesterday. Ohhh, where is it?"

Big Mac turns away from a bookshelf. "Ya remember where yah had it last?"

The purple unicorn rubs her head with a hoof, squeezing her eyes tightly closed to remember. "I was… reading it before bed. It was so interesting that I took it, AHA!" She's off, climbing the steps to the library tree's upper stories. I grin at the sight, but wince as Fluttershy begins cleaning one of the deeper cuts.

"I'm sorry," the yellow pegasus says for the hundredth time. "We're almost done, just have to patch up this last cut and you'll be good as new. With a little rest." I can hear the small undertone of an order enter Dr. Fluttershy's voice towards the end there.

"Thanks for patching me up Fluttershy, but I don't think I'll be resting anytime soon." I shrug back into my shirt and jacket, incredibly thankful that I did not need stitches.

Fluttershy gives me a look, but lets the matter drop when Twilight comes back down the stairs. "Here it is," the unicorn says triumphantly. "Far Tale's Foremost Guide to Fantastical Beasts for Far-Flung Explorers! Thanks, Macintosh. It was under the bed, just where I left it."

"Told'ya," The big colt enjoys a thank-you cuddle. Fluttershy and I smile at the scene while Spike makes a face next to us.

"They've been doing that all morning," the little dragon complains. I cover my grin with the teacup when he rolls his eyes dramatically.

"So Twilight, what does this book say about our beastie?" The book she floated down with her is very thick, which leaves me to believe that either this Far Tale character was an exhaustive researcher or covered a lot of species. Since the book caught the bookworm unicorn's interest the answer is probably both.

Twilight sets the book down and begins flipping though the pages at a rapid pace. "Here it is," she says, "the Terranian Landshark."

"Excuse me?"

"Landshark." I can't help but facepalm. The name is appropriate, but it's just so corny. Twilight recites the entry, "This large, predatory species dwells in the vast dessert of Terrania. The beasts are rarely sighted as they lay claim to vast swaths of territory in which to hunt. They are especially noteworthy for their prodigious appetites, often compared to that of the Common Parasprite. They will consume any available food source although they prefer meat, but a starving individual will often consume plant matter or c-corpses before moving on to more mobile food sources. Landsharks enjoy a powerful sense of smell, capable of detecting a single drop of water within five miles."

"The landshark is a dangerous predator due to its ability to burrow beneath sand, earth, and rock undetected. Rumors hold that certain individuals can expand this ability to control earthen materials within the vicinity. Travelers are advised to follow the native's lead and carry garlic or onions with them when traversing the desert, as the powerful smell of the bulbs are one of the only things garanteed to repel a landshark." Twilight looks from the book, a small, frightened smile on her face.

Fluttershy has an equally disturbed look, and Big Mac looks like he's on the edge of panic and rage. We where very lucky that the landshark here was focused more on getting food than hunting ponies. Things could have gotten a lot worse.

A welcome distraction barges in the door in the form of the absent ponies. Applejack collapses on the floor while Rarity takes a seat with the rest of us by the table. Rainbow Dash flies through and lands next to me. "Hey there champ," the blue-and-rainbow pegasus gives be an affectionate (but painful) jab in the bicep. "I hear you saved the town from a rampaging monster this morning."

I rub my left arm and respond humbly, "I just grabbed it's attention. Twilight's the one who drove it off." Rainbow rolls her eyes and blows off my modesty.

Big Mac, on the other hand, walks over to his sister. "Welp?"

AJ sighs into the floor. "Tha stand's a loss. It's in more pieces than broken china."

The stallion nudges her to stand. "Insurance'll cover it."

The orange mare stands up and shakes her head. "That's nawt what's bothering' me, Big Macintosh. We lost almost every apple we brought taday, and all tha others are in the same boat. Golden Harvest walked inta town a bit ago an' she lost her whole cart! If that monster causes any more mischief, we'll barely have enough food left ta last us the winter!."

"Unfortunately AJ, that's not even half of the problem." I hate having to heap more bad news on her, but I can't be anything other than strait right now. I'm going to be needing everypony's help to resolve this.

"Oh my," Rarity gasps, "don't tell me that this could get any worse than it already is."

Oh, Rarity, please learn not to taunt Murphy. Luckily my stallion friend is here to back me up. "Eyup."

While Twilight fills the rest of the mares in on what exactly we're getting into, I can feel a plan starting to take root in my head. Some of it's logical, some of it's inspired, and the rest is just plain crazy. So when Rainbow Dash asks "So what are we going to do?", I have an answer.

"I have an idea."

It is well past noon when the ponies meet up with me again. I'm sitting on one of the bare, rocky hills beyond the Whitetail wood next to a cookfire. A freshly caught rabbit is roasting on a spit above the fire, and I'm putting away my hunting gear: bow, arrows, and knife. The smell of cooking meat is making my mouth water. I sit down just as the ponies reach the crest of the hill.

First Twilight trots up to my little campsite with a determined look on her face. Applejack, Big Mac, and Pinkie Pie come into view after the unicorn, all pulling a wagon that contains a huge metal box. Rarity brings up the rear while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash descend from the clouds. Soon the whole gang is here, minus Spike.

Applejack makes a face when she smells the roast rabbit. "Phewie. Ah could smell that from the bottom of the hill, though I got no clue why ya went through the trouble of cookin' up tha bait."

I grin, amused by my friend's discomfort. "Oh this isn't the bait," I wave the skewered meat through the air to cool it, "this is lunch." With exaggerated gusto I take a big bite out of the rabbit, savoring the flavor and the looks of disgust on most of the ponies faces. I swallow my bite and gesture to the other side of the hill. "The bait is ripening in the sun back there. By now it should be nice and fragrant for our subterranean friend." My improvised prank over with, I set the roast rabbit aside.

Twilight fixes me with a very serious look. "Are you sure this will work?" she asks.

"For the third time, its the only plan we've got," I sigh and run a hand through my hair, "other than hanging ropes of garlic and onions all over Ponyville and waiting for the Princesses to come to our rescue." Oh the irony of that statement.

Okay Lanternlight, this is it. This is the first true threat you've faced since becoming Ponyville's guardian. You have a plan and a back up plan. Now it's time to set the scene. "Rainbow, did you get permission from the mayor to lay down the fog?"

Rainbow salutes while hovering, "Permission granted. The weather team and I will get started on that in a bit."

"Good. Twilight, Rarity, do you have the spell we talked about down?"

Rarity pats her curled mane, "It took a lot of practice, but I was eventually able to, eh, somewhat master it."

"Don't worry, you did great," Twilight reassures her, "I've rarely seen Spike fall asleep so quickly."

"Okay. AJ, how's the cage? I honestly didn't expect you to find one so fast."

"I built it!" Pinkie hops into my field of view. "I was helping the Cakes fortify their pantry when Applejack dropped by and asked for help, so I brought some of the stuff we were using to reinforce the floor and made this! I even decorated the inside so the landshark can have a big welcome home party when he gets there!" I resist the temptation to look inside, already knowing that if Pinkie's idea of interior design involves streamers, balloons, and confetti. Besides, why does a bakery need several sheets of six-inch thick iron? And were did my pink friend get the equipment to wield it together? You know what, never mind. Questions and Pinkie Pie don't mix.

"Right. We all know what we need to do. Let's do it." Twilight catches up with me as I walk over to retrieve the bait.

"I really hope this works, Lanternlight." I look into the unicorn's eyes and feel slightly ashamed. If this plan falls through, I might have to expose the ponies to an ugly part of human nature. As much as I don't want to.

"It'll work," I reassure her and myself. I stow the bait, a bloody mix of internal organs from some of my more recent hunts, inside the iron cage. "It's a good plan. Now we just hope that the landshark doesn't…"

At that moment I feel a tremor under my feet. I don't even look around, I just shout, "Run!" Before the Earth ponies take off with the wagon I jump on top of the cage and hold on for dear life. The three ponies pulling the wagon spring into a gallop, and as the wagon bumps and bounces it's way across the rocky terrain I see the dorsal spike of the landshark emerge from the ground like an inverted plow. As I suspected, in order to keep up with us it needs to move through the loose topsoil rather than the dense rock under it. Good to know.

To my left I can see Rainbow and the other weather pegasi frantically dragging clouds down towards the ground. Their efforts are slowly generating the fog bank we need. The unicorns are keeping pace with the wagon. Boy am I glad to be riding on the wagon. The quadrupeds would have left me far behind by now.

I almost panic when I see more of the landshark surface behind us. I have no idea how smart this thing is, but I definitely don't want it seeing the cage we built for it before it gets inside. The wagon hits a particularly nasty bump, and I manage to turn my near fall into a flip and land closer to the ponies pulling the vehicle. "Go faster, go faster. It's catching up with us. Please go faster."

"Ya wanna help pull this thing?" Applejack shouts at me as we skid around a hairpin corner.

Another crazy idea rattles its way inside my head. "I can push." I carefully stand erect and take my stance atop the cage.

"Excuse meEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Applejack shrieks as I unleash a powerful jet of flame behind us. The flames push us forward like a rocket engine.

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Pinkie shouts in glee as we rush towards the fog bank. My flame jet fades after a few seconds, leaving me panting and exhausted, but that seems to have allowed us to evade to landshark, for now.

We slow down as the wagon is enveloped by the fog cover. The unicorns soon catch up with us, and our pegasus friends swoop down to join the group. "Okay, let's get into position," I say in a quiet voice. The Earth ponies unhitch themselves from the wagon and walk away while I open the cage. Twilight and Rarity hide themselves nearby, ready to work their magic. Rainbow Dash remains airborne while Fluttershy lands in a tree, both ready to help where they can.

"Here it comes," Big Mac warns me as I'm heaving open the heavy metal door. I duck out of sight before I hear the landshark surface. I can't see it through the thick fog, but I can hear it sniffing the air. Slow, rumbling footsteps warn us of its approach, and in a few seconds the creature becomes a dark silhouette. It cautiously advances on the wagon, sniffing the air around the vehicle with what seems like suspicion. The landshark looks around in the fog. Then it rumbles deep in its throat and turns away from the baited cage.

Damn. The plan has not exactly failed, but we need to encourage the shark to enter the cage a different way. Then I see a brightly colored pegasus cut the landshark off before it leaves our sight. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Rainbow Dash's brash challenge is clearly audible to everyone.

The landshark rumbles again and sends a small rock Rainbow's way, but the athletic pegasus dodges easily and charges. The shark ducks into the ground before the she makes contact. The blue-coated pegasus lands and begins pawing the ground as if she can dig her opponent right out of the rock. "Get back up here so I can wup your tail!" The rock suddenly contracts around her hooves, cementing all but one to the ground.

"Huh?" Rainbow inspects her hooves for a second before attempting to take off. Although she flaps her wings as hard as she can, she's trapped. "Hey, that's not fair," she shouts at the absent landshark. The pegasus tries do dig herself out with her free hoof, but the rock holding her is firm and sturdy. That's when the shark surfaces again with it's mouth open wide.

Dash screams and closes her eyes, shielding herself with one foreleg.

I leap out from behind a boulder and throw a fireball into the landshark's gaping maw. I get more of a reaction this time. The shark bellows as my flames singe the sensitive tissue inside its mouth. The creature shakes its head and fixes its beady eyes on me.

"You recognize me, don't you Bruce?" I ask the landshark. Bruce growls and his eyes narrow. "Yeah you do. come on." I maneuver myself in front of the open cage. "Come on!" I toss another flame at his face, careful not to hit Rainbow. Bruce bellows and steps forward, sliding the pegasus aside with his other foreclaw.

"That's it. Dinner and revenge right here. Come and get it." I hold my ground and jab a flame dart at his right eye, keeping Bruce focused on me. The shark growls and advances further before throwing a rock strait at me. Before I can dodge the projectile is deflected by a flare of purple magic. Twilight is standing next to me, her horn glowing and ready. Oh no. "What are you doing?!"

"Covering you." The unicorn deflects another bolder. She then grabs the bottom of my jacket in her mouth and begins pulling me into the cage. "Cmm n."

I reluctantly back up, snap-kicking fire Bruce's way. The landshark grunts in frustration and lowers his head. "Twilight there's no way out of here." The glow around her horn intensifies. Bruce pounces at us. Theres a flash of light.

Next thing I know I'm standing a few feet away from the wagon as an angry landshark collides with the back wall of the cage. "Closeitcloseitcloseit." Twilight gibbers next to me. Rarity slams the door shut with magic and the Apple siblings throw their weight against it and dig their hooves into the ground. Bruce bellows and thrashes inside the cage as Pinkie slams the lock down on the door. Then she adds a padlock, then wraps the metal box in heavy, padlocked chains for good measure.

Twilight steps forward with her horn glowing again. I can see the purple aura of her magic inside the cage and hear Bruce calm down as her sleep spell begins to take hold. Her face is flushed as the unicorn concentrates on the spell. "Rarity…" she calls.

Immediately the other unicorn joins her magic to the spell. Bruce calms down more, but he is obviously resisting. He occasionally thrashes in the cage, rocking the wagon side to side. It looks like the unicorns might exhaust themselves before putting the landshark to sleep. Fluttershy floats down from her tree and hovers next to the cage's viewport. And she starts singing.

"Hush now, quiet now it's time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now it's time to go to bed."

I'm about to reprimand the pegasus when I hear Bruce yawn in the cage. Two more verses and the landshark falls asleep with a rumble and a boom. The rest of us hazard a peek inside the cage we see what was once a ferocious and dangerous creature sleeping like an infant. "That's a good boy," the yellow pegasus whispers with a smile. "Don't worry, we'll get you back where you belong before you know it." Bruce rumbles contently and turns his belly towards us.

"We!" Pinkie begins before she's shushed by everyone. "Sorry," she whispers, "we did it. whohoo~!"

"That's great." Rainbow Dash says from her position. "Now could somepony please get me out of this stuff?"

A division of Canterlot's royal guard arrives later in the day to take Bruce back to his homeland. The white pegasi are very cross with us for handling this on our own, at least officially. Their commander takes me aside and recommends that I at least send a message to Canterlot before taking on a dangerous creature threatening Ponyville with only the Elements of Harmony as backup. I give him my word that I will do so and they fly away with the cage in tow.

I watch the landshark disappear over the horizon and wonder. How in the World did he get to Equestria? Did he wander out of the dessert, or did someone bring him here? If so, why? Was he going to be part of a zoo? Did someone release him in this country intentionally? Well, the answers to those questions won't be found today. The sun begins to set as we begin making our way back to town.

I shove my hands into my jacket pockets to keep them warm in the chill autumn evening. Something crumples against my hand. Curios, I remove a balled up piece of paper and unroll it in my hands. It's slightly smudged charcoal sketch, one of Rarity's. It depicts a man of my build in an elegant three-piece suit with a long, arrowhead shaped cape thrown across the shoulders. I smile and gently tap one of the white unicorn's ears to get her attention.

"You know, I think I found a design that fits my style quite well." I tell her as I hold the sketch out for her. She looks at me incredulously, then begins to laugh. I join her.

It's nice to know that whatever happens here, I don't have to face it alone.

Trixie says: The Great and Powerful Trrrixie demands that you comment and rate.

Azula says: You should also recommend this fic to your friends. Or I'll find you.

GaPT: Right. That way Trrrixie can make her appearance as the rightful focus of the story.

Azula: And with the legions of fans at our disposal, we can conquer the sight. Equestria Daily will kneel before us, 4chan will fall, and I, Azula, WILL RULE THE INTERNET!!!

Both: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

GaPT: What, what?

BTW: Hush Now, Quiet Now by Daniel Ingram. Produced for MLP:FIM

Night of the Cutie

I love lazy days like today. No chores needing to be done, no trouble afoot, and no monsters tearing up the town. I can just sit at this outdoor diner in Ponyville and just let life happen around me. Today's weather is a bit overcast as the pegasus weather teams prepare for the turning of the seasons, and there's a little bit of bite to the air that tells me that winter is on its way. Luckily my favorite denim jacket is lined with wool and does a terrific job keeping the cold out.

I take a sip of warm tea as I enjoy the day and watch the ponies go about their daily business. The street is mostly empty as three little fillies run in. I recognize Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle immediately, so the pegasus they're chasing must be their friend Scootaloo. The orange filly is bouncing a ball off her snout. "Ten, eleven," she counts as she scrambles to keep up with the flying ball. "Thirtee- Darn it!" The pegasus looses control of the ball, sending it arcing over the street.

"I've got it!" Sweetie Belle shouts, "I've got it!" She springs into the air to intercept the ball. However, the ball's angle causes it to rocket off the unicorn filly and break through a nearby window. Sweetie wilts a little as as the sound of more breaking glass emerges from the store, no doubt the result of a rapidly bouncing ball ricocheting its way around a store full of expensive and fragile wares. "Uh oh."

"Oh no. What are we gonna do now?" Apple Bloom says.

"Ask for our ball back?" Sweetie suggests.

With a mournful sigh for the loss of my peaceful afternoon, I get up and make my way over to the fillies. "You girls getting into trouble again?" I ask rhetorically.

"Lanternlight!" The little earth pony squeals.

"You three should go apologize to the owner of that shop." Scootaloo rolls her eyes, but the other two are listening politely. "The sooner you apologize, sooner any grudges disappear."

Unfortunately for my attempt at teaching the girls a moral, the owner of the damaged store emerges onto the street. He's the size of Big Macintosh and he looks kinda angry. Scratch that, he looks furios. I can kinda understand why. His cutie mark is a prism, so the chances are his store sold glass or crystal. The expensive kind. "You kids are in so much trouble!" He shouts at the top of his lungs.

"Except now," I amend myself. "Run for it girls!" I take off down the street, the Cutie Mark Crusaders at my heels. I can still hear the shop pony ranting after us, but for whatever reason he doesn't come after us. After turning a couple corners I stop to catch my breath. The young ponies who followed me look up at me expectantly.

"So," Sweetie Belle says uncertainly, "we're not going to get our ball back?"

Later I'm looking out at Sweet Apple Acres' orchards from the farmhouse's front porch. The trees are bare-branched in anticipation of the coming winter. I'm sitting lotus-style on the wooden deck with the farm pony while we keep an eye on the kids. I escorted the Cutie Mark Crusaders here after the incident in town, and while Applejack was a little disappointed at the way I handled it she was glad that I kept her little sister out of trouble.

"Applejack, take mercy on my poor, suffering behind and get another chair please? I can't just stand around for hours like you ponies do." I shift the sore muscles in question in a futile effort to locate a softer spot on the cushion I'm using as a seat.

"Don't go changin' tha subject, ya rascal," the farm pony counters. "Everypony else is gonna get an earful from Shattered Spectrum for this. It's only fair, and responsible, for ya to get a share a' that too."

With my chin in one hand, I narrow an eye towards the pony accusingly. "I left because I would rather interact with him after he's had a chance to cool down." A green eyed glare responds to my excuse. "Fine, I'll talk to him. Later. Todays pretty much as close as I can get to a day off and I want to enjoy the rest of it."

Apple Bloom ran past us, blurting out "Siswe'regointothaclubhousewe'llbebackfordinnersoseeyathen!" before rounding the corner and vanishing down a trail with the other two fillies. Applejack shouts after them "Make sure ya'll clean up before comin' to dinner!"

We hear a distant "Okay!" from the girls.

The orange pony returns her attention to me. "Fine. Ya'll can have your day to relax. But tomorrow you're helping me an' Rarity round up tha Crusaders to apologize ta Mister Spectrum."

I consider saying something sarcastic. It would be a good way to put a burr under my friend's saddle, as the saying goes. But knowing how stubborn AJ is she'll probably find some way to turn it into an argument. So I just settle for a simple grunt of assent. That seems to satisfy her.

"Miss Applejack?" An earth pony in a postal uniform trots up to us.

Applejack stands up. "That's me."

The post pony pulls a card from his saddlebag. "Telegram." As he hands her the note he spots me. He stares at me while AJ reads the telegram, his jaw hanging loose. I smile and give him a little wave. He tilts his head to the side in confusion. Most of the townsponies have become used to my appearance by now, but I still get this reaction on occasion.

"Oh no," Applejack gasps as she finishes the letter. She runs out from under the porch cover and shouts up to the second floor of the farmhouse. "Big Macintosh!" Her big brother pokes his head out of a second-floor window, a pen dangling from his mouth. "Uncle Apple Strudel's hurt himself! Braeburn's askin' us to come over there and help him with readyin' thier fields fer winter!" Big Mac nods and pulls his head back indoors.

"Hey, Lanternlight, can Ah ask ya a favor?" She asks as she begins to walk down one of the farm's trails, urging me to follow with one hoof. I follow, genuinely curious about what Applejack could possibly need from me in this situation. "I know this is a lot to ask all of a sudden like this, but could ya look after tha girls while Mac and Ah take care of this sitiation in Appleloosa?"

"Huh? Apple Bloom lives here, and don't the other two live with their parents? Why would you need me to watch them?"

"My sis and her friends have been plannin' to have a sleepover this weekend for weeks. Nopony else had the space or the time to look after them, and since their clubhouse is on the property anyway Ah said we could take 'em in. But with this emergency we can't let them stay here. Granny Smith just can't keep up with those three at her age, an' Ah'd feel bad dumping the girls on anypony else."

"So you've decided to dump them on me instead?"

"Now don't get yer hair in a twist. You've had a lot of spare time since that Landshark ruckus, an' Ah feel that Ah can trust ya to keep an eye on the Crusaders without keepin' em from havin' fun. Ya proved that this afternoon"

Flattered by Applejack's faith in me, I turn my head and feign a sigh to cover my smile. "Well, if you put it that way." Truth to be told, she's pretty much hit the nail on the head as far as how busy I've been these past two weeks. My firebending training has reached a plateau, so I haven't been able to develop any new techniques to practice safely. The research and compilation of the histories from the barrow is moving at such a pace that even three little ponies can't really slow it down much more. Heck, even my larder's fully stocked for the winter so I won't have to hunt for a month, maybe two if I can stretch it. "I suppose I can look after them for a few days."

AJ rolls her eyes at my false exasperation. "It's mighty kind a' ya to go through so much trouble fer me," she snarks. "Seriously though, those three can be a handful. Ya gotta to stay on yer toes to keep 'em outta trouble."

We round a hill and walk towards the Crusader's clubhouse. The small wooden structure is built into a old oak tree, with a variety of structures added on to the roof. The fillies in question are nowhere in sight. After taking a peek into the clubhouse, my orange companion shouts for her sister. "Apple Bloom!"

"Sis, look out!" Apple Bloom's voice echoes from up the hill. We turn in time to see Sweetie Belle barreling towards us in a makeshift go cart. She's trying to turn away from us, but the steering wheel comes loose. Applejack leaps into the cart's path and braces herself, lifting her hind legs and stopping the out of control vehicle cold. Unfortunately Sweetie Belle comes flying out of the seat. I leap up and catch the unicorn filly, grateful that she's wearing a helmet as she dives headfirst into my stomach. We collapse onto the ground.

"Is everyone all right?" AJ asks while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom run down the hill.

Sweetie Belle sits up and shakes her head, a dazed expression on her face. "I'm okay," she says, taking a step and tumbling off me. Her friends approach us looking more than a little sheepish. The cart's wheels fall off their axles and roll off into the fields.

"I see what you mean," I groan.

"Why do you live way out here?" Scootaloo asks me. I'm leading the fillies up the trail to Sunset Springs. The Crusaders have been unusually quiet on the way up here, probably because of the chewing out they've received from Applejack about an hour ago. At least they were, until now.

"I have to," I explain, "because it's the only place near Ponyville that is attuned to elemental magic I've been able to find. By living here I can sleep better, not to mention it's an excellent place to practice firebending."

Sweetie Belle perks up. "I think I heard Miss Twilight say that she thinks that humans are sensitive to geo… geo…?"

"Geomancy," Apple Bloom finishes, "it's the way the land and magic interact with each other."

Scootaloo gives her earth pony friend a confused look while Sweetie nods. "Yeah, that's it." I lead them through the entrance to my little valley. Lighting the lanterns along the path on my way towards the house, I take out my key ring and prepare to unlock the door.

"Still, aren't you the guardian of Ponyville? Shouldn't you live closer to the town you're supposed to be protecting?" Scootaloo asks. She brings her scooter to a halt in front of the door, looking up at me with questioning eyes.

"I'm not that far away. Besides it's not like Ponyville's out of sight." The setting sun still lights up the valley, throwing the mountains and village into sharp relief from the orange sky. The Crusaders take in the sight while I unlock the front door. "Now then," I say in a voice authoritative enough to grab their attention. "Before the, what are you calling this weekend again?"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER THREE-DAY CRUSADING MARATHON! YAY!" They shout in unison, scattering the few winter birds in the vicinity.

"Right. Well, before any crusading can take place you need to know the three rules of Sunset Springs. The first rule, and this is important for your safety and mine, do not interrupt me while I'm practicing my firebending forms. My fire can and will burn you just like any other fire if you're not careful. Is that clear?"

"Yes Lanternlight."

"Second rule: Stay out of the cellar. I keep some things in there that are not for foals to see or play with. There is no reason for you three to mess around in there anyway. Understood?"

"Yes."

"The third, and most important rule is…" I look around, then beacon to the kids, "Come closer, it's a secret." I kneel down and cover my mouth. The Crusaders step closer to hear my whisper, "The third rule is…"

I blow into the party whistle I borrowed from Pinkie, and the green tube of paper unrolls and buzzes. The fillies jump in surprise, stunned at the sudden change of my demeanor. "Have fun," I finish with a wink. All three girls laugh at my silly grin. For all my complaining when AJ suggested this sleepover I'm actually not too bad with kids. Karol said it's because I'm still a kid at heart myself.

"Hey Lanternlight?" Apple Bloom asks.

"What kiddo?"

"What exactly does a guardian do?"

"Yeah! Maybe we can help you out!" Sweetie Belle says.

"And get our cutie marks in town protecting!" Scootaloo adds.

My hand comes up to my chin thoughtfully. "I can teach you about the duties of a town guardian, I suppose. If you three are willing to be my apprentices for a day, starting now."

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER GUARDIAN APPRENTICES! YAY!"

I'll take that as a yes. "Okay then, listen up apprentices. The first and most important duty of a guardian is to look after yourself. You have to be ready, trouble can come at any time. So, is anypony hungry?" Three grumbling stomachs answer my question. "Then let's wash up and get dinner started."

After helping the girls wash their hooves in the springs, I lead them into the house. We prepare a dinner salad, although I'm careful to hide the deer steaks I have marinating in the fridge. Because of the varied tastes of the Crusaders the salad is a little schizophrenic but I manage to keep it edible. When night falls I head outside into the field to practice.

Scootaloo comes out to watch me while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle start exploring my house. My evening routine is the more difficult of the two, mainly because I purposefully wait until after sunset to practice. Without the sun in the sky, firebending becomes much more difficult. Near the end of my routine the young pegasus speaks up. "So, what does your cutie mark mean?"

I hurl an arc of flame skyward with a wheel kick, grimacing at the weak and thin flames. "It's called a duty mark." Maybe if I change the stance and take a deeper breath? Na, that just makes a bigger, shorter-lived arc better for close-quarters. "It's different from a cutie mark."

"How?" The little pegasus tilts her head in confusion.

"Rather than representing a special talent, a duty mark manifests when a human makes a choice. When we dedicate ourselves, our lives, to a cause. Mine represents my determination to protect others from harm. Just like a lantern in the night, I keep the darkness at bay." I finish my routine and sit down to meditate, flanked by two of the iron-wrought lamps keeping my training field lit. Scootaloo stands awkwardly by the door for a minute, before asking another question.

"So, you made your duty mark appear?" Her tone is admiring as well as inquisitive, but I still do not appreciate the interruption of my meditation. Patience, Lanternlight.

I turn towards her, still in a meditative position. "Not really. When I made the decision I was unaware duty marks even existed, and even then I don't think its something that can be forced to appear. Dedicating your life to something is not a trivial decision, and definitely not something to be done lightly."

I watch the filly's face fall as she listens to my words. When I finish she kicks the grass despondently. "That's what everypony tells us. They all say that all we need to do is be patient and we'll get our cutie marks eventually. But if we sit around and do nothing, how are we ever going to find our special talents?"

Well, nuts. She's making a face. A kind of half angry, half sad, all disappointed face. It's almost breaking my heart just to look at it. As much as I want to reassure her I know that the elder ponies are right. Maybe I'm looking at this wrong. Maybe…

"Maybe you're looking in the wrong places." I think aloud.

Scootaloo looks at me like I'm crazy. "Huh?"

Congratulations, Lanternlight! I've been living kind of like a kung-fu master for the past month and a half. I live alone in an isolated location overlooking a town I protect, I practice a mystical martial art, and I drink tea almost more than water. Now I've graduated to speaking in riddles. All I need to do now is learn some cryptic old sayings, maybe even grow a beard, and the transformation will be complete.

Well, I do have three "students" for the weekend. I might as well make the most of it. And who knows, I might learn something in the process of teaching the Crusaders. Isn't that how these things are supposed to go?

"Scootaloo, would you go get Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle for me. I think its time for your next lesson." The orange pegasus nods and dashes inside, calling for her friends. In record time all three Cutie Mark Crusaders have assembled before me. I'm still sitting on the ground, my legs crossed in the meditative position. The three kids are looking expectant and excited.

Apple Bloom spoke first, "So what are ya gonna teach us? How to fight off monsters?"

I grinned and shook my head, "Oh no, not so close to bed time."

"How to look for signs of trouble?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Another shake of the head caused Scootaloo to guess next. "How to patrol a town?"

"Not that either." I patted the grass beside me. "Come and sit down with me. I'm going to teach you how to meditate."

Apple Bloom gasped. "Like Zecora does, except she balances upside-down on a stick."

I've heard of the zebra herbologist before, but I haven't had the chance to meet her in person yet. "Her technique is a little different from mine. The goal is the same, though." The fillies walk over and sit in a semi-circle around me; Sweetie Bell to my left, Scootaloo to my right, and Apple Bloom right across from me. I begin to demonstrate. "First you must relax yourself and breath. Let your muscles relax from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet." I open one eye to monitor the girls, finding all three staring at me. "Closing your eyes usually helps."

Three pairs of eyes immediately snap shut. With a grin, I continue the lesson. "Breath in through your nose as deep as you can. Then let the breath out through your mouth. Keep your throat open the whole time, like you're saying 'ah' for the doctor." Sweetie giggles a little at my simile, but I can see all three starting to relax and breath like I told them. "Very good."

"Now clear your mind." I close my eyes and follow my own lesson. "Focus all your attention on your breathing. Let all other thoughts in your mind float away, and bother you no more." For about a minute, maybe more, the only sound I hear is our breathing. It is so peaceful that I can feel the flames in the lanterns flickering in time with my breathing. Then Scootaloo speaks up.

"Lanternlight? you started this lesson because I brought up cutie marks, right?"

"That's right."

"Is this supposed to help us get our cutie marks somehow?" She demands.

My knowing grin seems to get on her nerves a bit, but now both of the other girls have opened their eyes and are looking at me expectantly. "Are you thinking that all I'm doing is teaching you how to sit still and do nothing?" One look into her eyes gives me my answer. "While many use meditation for that purpose, that's not the point here. When you have a clear mind, it's easier to find the answers you already know."

My answer earns me another confused look, this time from all three Crusaders. "Huh?", they chorus.

"When your mind is troubled and filled with many thoughts, it might be difficult to remember what you already know." I explain, looking at each filly in turn. "Meditation allows you to clear those thoughts, so when you ask yourself a question you can find the answer more easily. I can guide you through this process tonight. Later on, you will have to ask yourselves the right questions. And let me tell you, finding the right questions is a trial all of its own."

My temporary students look at each other before nodding in agreement and turning back to me. "So what questions do we ask ourselves?" Apple Bloom asks.

"That depends on what you want to meditate on." I'm feigning ignorance at this point, because their answer is obvious.

"Our cutie marks!" Scootaloo chirps.

"Very well then," I say, "let us begin."

We close our eyes. I wait until I can hear their breathing even out before I ask the first question. "What do you know about cutie marks?"

Sweetie answers. "They represent a pony's special talent."

"Somethin' she can do that no other pony can do as well." Apple Bloom says.

"It's what makes her unique." Scootaloo finishes.

"Why do you want to get yours so badly?"

"Everypony else our age already has theirs." The earth pony says. "Ah don't want to fall behind."

The other two remain silent. They must feel the same way. Exclusion from your peers is very harsh at their age. I move on. "What do you think your special talents are?"

Scootaloo speaks first, "I want to be the best flyer in Equestria, like Rainbow Dash!"

"I want to be a clothing designer like my big sister!" Sweetie says.

"Ah… Ah don't know." Apple Bloom says, slowly and sadly.

Her friends give her confused looks. "Everypony else in mah family knows what they're good at," the yellow filly elaborates. "Applejack can take care of an apple orchard like nopony else. Big Macintosh can't be matched when it comes to manual labor, an' he also takes care of the business side of things too. An' Granny Smith takes care of all of us! She taught us all how to run the farm, how to cook, clean, and take care of ourselves too! Ah just help em all out where Ah can, even if Ah sometimes make a mess a' things. So Ah really can't say what my special talent is."

The other two girls share a look. I doubt Apple Bloom shared this feeling with them. But it fits with the stories I've heard of the Crusader's past exploits. The little earth pony has always been the most driven to find her cutie mark. All this time she's been trying to find her place in the world, her place within her family. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have been aiming for their idols, which is normal but not helpful.

"You're on the right track, Apple Bloom." I say.

"Ah am?" She looks surprised.

"She is?" The pegasus and unicorn look shocked.

"Yes. As you said before, a cutie mark not only represents a pony's talents. It also represents what makes them unique. For example, Applejack's cutie mark is three apples. Sure, she's a talented apple farmer, but it also represents her devotion to her family. Likewise, my duty mark is a golden lantern. I am the flame, the lantern represents my home, my friends. The light is my desire to protect others. A mark represents more about you than what you see at first glance." I point at Apple Blooms chest. "To find it you must look around in here and," my hand travels up to her forehead, "in here."

Scootaloo rubs her temples. "This is hard."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy," I say with a grin. By now I notice the other two fillies have begun shivering in the frigid autumn night. We've been out here longer than I thought. I check the eastern sky, seeking the moon. I can just barely make out its glow behind the mountains, meaning that it's roughly three hours until midnight. "That's enough for tonight, time to go to bed."

The Crusaders object, much like any kid their ages would. They want to stay up later, but my good natured promise to wake them up early tomorrow persuades them to follow me up to the bedroom. I tuck them into my own bed. I bend the flames in the fireplace into slow-burning coals. With a final good night I descend the stairs to prepare my own bed for the night. While my couch doesn't really look very luxurious draped in by spare sheets and blanket, it looks comfortable enough.

After dousing the lights and making sure the doors are secure, I settle into my improvised bed and wait for sleep to come.

A strange chill runs through my body. I leap of the couch and land reflexively in my combat stance. My eyes scan the room for any threats. What I see in the living room of my house is…

Nothing. It's pretty much in the same state as I left it when I fell asleep. The fire has died down to glowing embers, everything from the coat rack next to the fireplace to the curtains over the kitchen entrance are undisturbed. The front door's even still locked. Okay…

The hairs on the back of my neck are still standing on end, so I walk through the rest of the house to make sure everything's okay. The kitchen and dining room are empty and intact. Nothing's hiding in the bathroom or the closet under the stairs, and after I unlock the back door I enter my meat cellar. Unlike two weeks ago when a raccoon somehow found his way in there, no varmints are making off with my hard-earned carcasses tonight. Apprehension grows as I hurry up the stairs to check on the girls.

To my relief I find them all safe, snug, and sound asleep in my bed. The three fillies have snuggled together tightly against the chill in the air, but as adorable as the scene is I still double-check the upstairs loft for anything out of the ordinary. Even though all is well my weirdness sensor is still buzzing like mad. When I look out the round western-facing window I see something out there that stops me cold.

Standing at the edge of the cliff stands a pale human figure. I can't quite make him out, but he's looking directly at me. I run downstairs, grab my jacket, and storm out the door. He's gone, but I feel something pulling me towards the Whitetail Woods. As much as I want to write this whole thing off as a trick of the mind and go back to sleep, I am compelled to investigate. Before I leave I make sure to lock the front door.

The full moon it at its zenith, lighting my way through the forest. I keep an ear out for the sounds of wild creatures. I have had a few territorial disputes with the other predators that live in the area, and the local wolf pack's alpha male is a vindictive bastard. So I travel with a light step and refrain from bending a flame to light my way. Note to self, thank Princess Luna for making tonight bright and clear.

Eventually I find my way to a moonlit glade in the middle of the forest. An incredibly ancient oak tree stands over a bend in a creek, and I almost trip over the remains of a toppled standing stone half buried under the grassy soil. Watching my step, I draw closer to the oak. I lay a hand on the trunk and feel a complex pattern of maze-like lines scarred into the tree's bark. It doesn't take me long to recognize these signs. Humans were here. A long, long time ago, but they were here.

A gruff voice interrupts my reverie. "It's about time someone got here. I've been waiting all night."

I turn around and find myself face to face with a massive bull elk. His shoulder easily reaches my neck, and muscle ripples under his grey coat. Two impressive thirteen-point antlers top his head. He also looks old. His body looks a little thinner than normal, and his eyes are obscured by white cataracts. He gives me an appraising look up and down. "Well well. My eyesight might not be what it used to be, but I never seen anything like you before. Ah well, if you're here you must'a felt my call."

So that's what that feeling was. "What is this place?" The elk snorts at my question, apparently taken aback by my ignorance.

"You're kiddin'," he says incredulously. When I give him a flat stare, he shakes his head. "What did your mama teach ya, kid? This is the Pact Tree, neutral ground for predator an' prey alike. Predators use it for a meetin' ground, but it has another use. Ya see, when an old herbivores like me, livin' free an' wild unlike the pony folk or their partners, get long enough in the tooth we got two options. We can try to live out our last days strugglin' and weak, or we can come here and get some help endin' it. Quick, clean, and dignified. Ya should'a known all this already."

"I'm new here," I look him over again. "You don't look that bad to me, to be honest."

He gives a short laugh, genuine but filled with black humor. "Don't let my good looks fool ya. I've been gettin' sicker recently, so if ya don't off me this winter will probably finish me off." He looks at me, and I can see in his eyes that he's tired. So tired. "I don't want to go that way kid. Finish me here and now, do me a favor." I'm frozen in place. I never suspected that something like this was possible in this World. Correction, I never thought about it. I preferred to spend my time with the ponies and not dwell on things like this. I mean, it makes sense logically. Morally, it could even be seen as a mercy.

The bull elk snorts again as he watches me wrestle with my mind. "Humph, I never thought I'd see the day. A meat eater having an attack of conscience when confronted my a free meal." He gives another dark chuckle at my reaction.

"Well hunting is one thing," I explain myself, "but this… I have enough meat stored away to last the winter. I made a promise to myself, and someone else, that I would only hunt for food."

"I understand. Don't worry kid, my death won't go to waste. The predators know that this here's a good place to look for a meal if times are lean. Just leave my body and somebody will come by to take care of it. Probably Rockjaw, I hear his mate is pregnant and mountain cat females get savage with their toms when expecting. Kicked him right outta the hills last time. And if not him there's always the wolves and the ravens. Nature will take care of the mess if you don't." I hesitate again, and his tone changes. "Please kid."

I make my decision. "Lay down."

He drops onto the grassy floor, his legs folded underneath him. "So how we gonna do this, kid."

I straddle his back and take an antler in each hand, bracing myself with my knees. I remember that time on a back road in the mountains. A buck deer on the road, the night was dark, and I didn't see him until it was too late to brake. "Breaking the neck. You might feel a pinch."

He looks at me one last time. "Thanks kid."

My hands wrench sharply to the side, and then it's done. I feel numb, not noticing I'm walking until I'm fumbling for the key to my front door. I'm inside. I lay down and try to get some sleep.

"We had a great time!" Sweetie Belle gushes to her sister. Rarity showed up this morning with Fluttershy to pick up the kids. I'm glad for that, because the past two days have been exhausting. "Lanternlight taught us about the things he does to protect Ponyville, which was nice. But then it rained all day yesterday, so we had to stay in the house. Then Lanternlight told us a story."

"Really," the white unicorn says with a smile on her face. "What kind of story?"

"A good one! It had a princess!" The younger unicorn chirps

"And bender fights!" Scootaloo adds.

"Pirates!" Apple Bloom yells, not to be left out.

"True love!"

"Revenge!"

"Miracles!"

"Well, that sounds exciting." Rarity cuts into the Crusader's tag-team rant. "I'll certainly have to hear it sometime."

I smile at the thought. "I'll make sure Twilight's there to record it all," I snark. Yes, I told them the story you think I told them. I modified it a bit though. Certain characters stayed human but sword fighting prowess became bending prowess. Other characters became ponies, one became a kind-hearted dragon, and the cast was expanded to add a few more ponies in. And an Avatar may or may not be involved.

As we walk towards Ponyville, I fall behind a bit. Fluttershy changes her pace to walk beside me. "Um, I'm sorry if I'm intruding but is something wrong?"

I realize that I've stopped. All that time with the kids has been forcing me to hold back on the emotions. "I…" I begin. If anypony will understand it's Fluttershy. "I was called to the Pact Tree two nights ago."

"Oh," the yellow pegasus pauses and places a consoling hoof on my hand. "Oh, Lanternlight. Are you okay? Do you need to talk about it?"

"A little bit. I've had time to get over it a bit, but talking would be nice." I start walking again, feeling a little better. "Thanks Fluttershy."

Pinkie Pie says: Ohmygosh! That last part was so sad! I'll have to remind myself to give Lanternlight a big chocolate cupcake later. At least Fluttershy was with him and that made him a little less sad, and the Crusaders were in this chapter so it wasn't all sad. Not that there's anything wrong with a sad story.

Zuko says: Um, Pinkie?

PP: But this isn't supposed to be a sad story. I know, because the author told me that this story is supposed to stay away from all that grimdark going around. I'm happy about that because bleh! I hate grimdark stories about us. That's not what we ponies are all about, yaknow? Were about friends and parties and adventure and cake and parties and getting along and being nice and PARTIES.

Zuko: Pinkie!

PP: Yes Zu-zu?

Zuko: -_-' Weren't we supposed to say something?

PP: Oh yeah, silly me. Hey! You out there! If you liked this story click the thumbs up button at the top. That'll encourage the author to keep writing and writing! Also, if you click the thumbs down button it means your a meanie-mean-meanie-pants. >:P

Zuko: *Sighs* Comment too. The author always welcomes critiques and/or input from you readers. This is practice for his writing skills after all. Also, visit and comment on his blog.

PP: So what do you want to do next Zu-zu?

Zuko:

Don't call me that!

PP: But your sister told me that you love that name.

Zuko: Of course she will. Hey, did you know her birthday's tomorrow? >:D

PP: *GASP!!*

Lighthearted

Winter has finally come to Equestria. I can tell because I'm crunching through three inches of snow as I make my way down Ponyville's main street. Even better, I forgot that it had been scheduled to snow today. So while I was wrapping up a quick patrol of the western edge of town the snow started falling. After a short internal debate between two options, spending the rest of the day at home sitting next to my warm fireplace or layering up and making sure all is well in town, I bundled up and started checking up on my pony friends.

The townsfolk are giving me confused looks as I pass by. Thanks to some sadistic weather pegasus the temperature has been dropping like a stone all afternoon. Between the thick wool sweater, the two shirts I've layered underneath that, my wool-lined denim jacket, the knit beanie, gloves, and scarf I'm almost unrecognizable. In fact my duty mark might be the only clue the ponies have that it's me underneath what to them must seem like a ridiculous amount of clothing. Excuse me for lacking a nice layer of insulating fur to protect me from the weather.

Luckily I can keep the chill off with a firebending technique that I have recently mastered. Occasionally I take a deep breath and exhale, tiny flames dancing among the steam my breath leaves in the cold air. At the same time the inside of my jacket becomes a few degrees warmer. The breath of fire augments my own body heat, keeping a steady temperature under my layers of insulating armor. Thanks to that I'm not nearly in as much of a bad mood as I would have been on a similar day back on Earth. Magic definitely has its advantages.

After a while I feel like I'm being watched. I look behind me and I see a minty green unicorn with a harp cutie mark following me, watching me with almost disturbing intensity as I walk. Feeling slightly annoyed, I turn and ask, "Can I help you?"

The unicorn stops in her tracks and shakes her head. "No, no. I'm just walking down the street. Going somewhere. Yah." I turn away from her awkward smile and continue on my way. After a few feet I hear someone fall, and sure enough the same unicorn is flat on the ground. It looks like she might have tried to walk on two legs? That hardly makes sense. Anyway, a light yellow earth pony with a three candy cutie mark walks by and drags the unicorn off before I can help her to her hooves.

That was weird. Continuing my patrol I make a mental checklist of friends I've checked on. Sweet Apple Acres has been locked down by Applejack and family. Twilight has extensively winter-proofed her library, when I left she was going through the checklist a third time. Rarity is happy that the change in weather has slowed down business. With the "Welcome back Humanity" feast right around the corner the unicorn dressmaker has been nearly buried in orders for party gowns. Fluttershy is snug in bed, forced there by a minor cold. I know for a fact that Rainbow is up in the sky above me somewhere helping keep the weather in line. She's the one that reminded me about the weather schedule, after the snow started. Thank you very much, Dash.

There's only one pony left to check up on. Pinkie Pie. With a quiet groan I change course and head towards Sugarcube Corner. I'm about to receive my dose of crazy for today.

The snow is coming down harder when I open the door to the confection-themed bakery. Thankful for the warmth emanating from the kitchen ovens, I remove my hat and stomp the snow from my boots. The main room is the same collection of tables and display cases that I've seen on my previous visits. The owners, the Cakes, are nowhere to be seen. They might be upstairs taking care of their twin foals. I don't see Pinkie anywhere either.

I walk up to the counter and ring the service bell. Not a second later a pink blur zips down the stairs and skids to a stop behind the counter. "Hi Lanternlight!" Pinkie greets me with her usual enthusiasm. Her pink coat is smudged with patches of flour. She must be working on something.

"What's up Pinkie?" I take off my gloves and start shedding layers so I can enjoy the warmth without getting baked myself.

"Well, there's the ceiling, then the Cakes rooms above that, then my room that I rent from the Cakes. Oh! It's snowing outside too. Did you know that?" No, that completely escaped my notice. "I guess that's why you're wearing so much stuff. I love the snow. Actually I love the day after a big snow better! Then I have all day to make snow angels and snowmares and have snowball fights! It's the best part of the whole winter. Except maybe for Heath's Warming Eve, but that's a tough call. The year's first snow is fun, but there's all sorts of candy, cakes and treats that come with Hearth's Warming. What do you think?"

I just stand there in front of the counter patiently waiting for the pony to finish her thought. "Actually Pinkie, I'm making sure everyone's safe and sound before heading home for tonight." A quick look around the shop gives me the feeling something's off. "Where are the Cakes?"

Pinkie walks around the counter to gaze out the window. "They took a train up to Canterlot. Can you believe it? Princess Celestia herself asked Sugarcube Corner to help cater the feast! I was so excited when I heard!"

"That's good news." Honestly, the Cakes are hard workers and great cooks. They deserve the recognition they'll get for catering one of the biggest events in the capital this year.

"Yessiry! Oh." The suddenly places a hoof on her mouth. "I forgot, the twins are napping upstairs. We need to keep the volume down."

Says the girl who breaks into song at unpredictable times. "Sure thing. When are Cup and Carrot supposed to get back?"

"They have a ticket for the six o'clock express. That takes about an hour." Pinkie walks back towards the counter. She hops her forelegs up on the counter to bring her face to my eye level. "Want some hot chocolate before you head back out there?"

Damn you mouth, stop watering right now or I'll try hay fries again. "No thanks. It'll start to get dark pretty soon, so I'll just start heading back. Maybe I'll come by tomorrow." I head towards the door, shrugging on my sweater and jacket on the way. As I reach for the door handle something, strange, happens to Pinkie. Even for her. Her ears flop, her eyelids flutter, and her knees twitch.

"Wait," she shouts as I grab the door handle, "Lanternlight, don't open that..!"

The door swings in faster than I intended, and next thing I know I'm bowled over by a micro avalanche. I burst through the snow to find a Ponyville buried under at least two feet of white. At least, as much of Ponyville that I can see. What had started as a light, gentle snowfall has become a small blizzard. Visibility begins to fade at maybe ten feet, and I can forget about trying to spot anything beyond thirty. The wind is flinging the snow about wildly. There is no way I can find my way home in this.

"Oh no," I groan as I stand up. A few uses of the breath of fire technique renders me dry and toasty, which is more than I can say for the entry mat.

"What the hay!" Pinkie says as she kicks the door shut. "It wasn't supposed to snow like this today. Somepony must have picked up the wrong cloud or something."

"I'll help you clean up," I say, "grab a couple towels, I'll melt the snow."

Pinkie gives me a look. "How?"

"Uh," I light a flame above my index finger, "duh."

"Oh, yeah! That's handy." She trots off to retrieve the towels while I form a steady but intense flame between my hands to melt the snow. In minutes the mess is cleaned up and we're looking out one of the front windows into the snowstorm.

"Looks like I might have to crash here Pinkie." I am reluctant to do so. I like to keep a limit on how much time I spend with the physics-defying pink pony, but necessity is the mother of… Wait, I'm using the wrong proverb. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Sure, you can sleep over. Hey, how about you tell me about more about the party games humans play! And we can play games! It'll be so fun." Remembering the foals upstairs, she lowered her volume. "As long as we keep it down."

Is it too late to try braving the blizzard?

"Sorry!" Pinkie says cheerfully as her blue pawn nocks mine back to the starting circle. I sigh and rack my brain in order to come up with some kind of strategy to keep her last piece from advancing the rest of the way to the home circle. We've been playing various board games for the past couple of hours and though some unfathomable combination of skill and dumb luck the pink pony has been winning non-stop. Except for the pony version of Risk, but of course the human wins a game based on conquest. That, and Pinkie's a horrendous strategist.

Luckily a steady stream of hot chocolate and snack food has kept my spirits up. I guess this afternoon hasn't been all that bad. Certainly not as bad as I feared. My pony friend has been relatively calm, not to mention she's been excusing herself every so often to check on the foals. It's actually been rather relaxing.

Of course, the minute I begin to enjoy myself this day throws another curve ball at me.

Something bursts through the second-floor window. Cold wind tosses game cards, confetti, and snow around the room as a rainbow-streaked blur crashes into the room. "Lookout!" Rainbow Dash yells as she flies past us. The pegasus slams into the opposite wall, coming to rest upside-down with her back against the wall.

"Dashie!" Pinkie runs over to the stunned flier while I push the window shut. "Are you all right?" The pink pony asks as she helps her friend get back on her hooves.

"I'm not," the newly righted Rainbow Dash says, "the storm's gotten away from us! I've got to get back up there and help the rest of the weather team get it back under control." She tries to fly back out through the window, but I manage to grab hold of her tail before she hurts herself.

"Hold on Rainbow." I swing her around to face me. It speaks volumes about the blue pegasus' flying skill that she remains airborne. "What happened?"

"Okay, so a few hours ago some of those weird clouds from the Everfree Forest blew into the storm we were making. Usually we are able to catch them before they make any trouble, but with all the cloud work we've been doing lately somepony lost track of which clouds were going were." Rainbow points out the window to the worsening snowstorm. "Before we knew it, the storm was growing out of our control. I was trying to shift one of the banks when Ditzy Doo knocked me into a downdraft."

"Oh no!" Pinkie rushes over to her closet and begins to pull out a variety of pony snow gear. "Mr. and Mrs. Cake should have gotten home by now. I've got pinchy knees, so I really hope nothing bad happened to them." With confounding flexibility the pink pony manages to slip into a wool-lined saddle and blanket, along with a quartet of boots and snowshoes and other cold weather gear. With her curly mane secured under a pink beanie, she begins charging down the stairs. "Come on, we've got to get to the train station!"

I grit my teeth and vault the railing around the stairwell, landing directly in front of my frantic friend. "Stop and think Pinkie. You can't just run off and leave the twins alone."

"But," she begins.

"But nothing," I put a reassuring hand on her head. "Don't worry. Rainbow and I will go to the train station and find out what's going on. You stay here, maybe get a hold of Twilight and the mayor if you can. Make sure the town can get through this." Those big blue eyes are still full of doubt and worry. "Don't worry. I promise to do everything in my power to make sure the Cakes get home safe and sound."

"Pinkie promise?" She asks. The request confuses me a little. Ponies don't even have fingers, so how would a pinkie promise work. Apparently Pinkie picks up on my confusion and clarifies. "Like this; 'cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.'" It even comes with a sequence of hoof motions. Okay, so a Pinkie Pie promise. I can do that.

"Cross my heart," I reassure her. As I go through the ritual I mentally complete the human version of the oath. Hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. "I will bring the Cakes back to see their foals again."

"Okey dokey lokey." She pulls me into and Dash into a big hug before returning to normal, Pinkie Pie standard super-hyper mode. "Don't you worry about a thing, Double-L. Pinkie 'Responsibility' Pie has Ponyville covered." She gives me a snowshoe salute and marches back up the stairs.

Rainbow hovers over to me. "So what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!"

"Give me a minute." The impatient pegasus watches me incredulously as I reapply my layers of heat-preserving clothing. "What? You don't expect me to go out there in only a tee-shirt, do you?"

Ponyville Station is the rural town's link to the rest of Equestria. In addition to the trains carrying goods and ponies to and from town, but because the building also houses the telegraph office. So the Station is still open, despite the weather. As we approach the building the office's delivery colt steps out into the storm with saddlebags full of telegrams. I wish him luck as Rainbow and I enter the station.

The telegraph office is mostly empty. The only other people in the building are a unicorn mare who I assume is the operator, a pair of stallions wearing conductor's caps, and a donkey in heavy clothing. The unicorn behind the counter greets us immediately. "Good evening. Are you looking to send a message or… Oh! Mister Lanternlight, how can I help you?"

"What can you tell me about the express from Canterlot? Did it leave on time?"

"Well, yes. We got a wire from Canterlot Station about an hour and a half ago saying that the train was on its way." Although her expression is neutral, I can detect a note of worry in her voice.

Rainbow flies up to the counter. "Were is it now? It should have arrived already."

"If I were running that engine in weather like this," one of the conductors says, "I would'a stopped the train as soon as I saw the weather goin' belly up. Goin' full tilt into this much snow could cause a derailment."

Rainbow's ears droop with concern, but I can't let the worst case scenario affect me. "Let's put together a search party and find out what happened, then."

The donkey speaks up. "We're sending the word out that we're looking for volunteers, so once the weather clears up we'll get moving,"

"We can't wait that long!" Dash argues, hovering over the table and getting right in the donkey's face. "They could be out there right now, cold and hurt. Not knowing if they're going to see their families again. We have to go find them now!"

The donkey places his front hooves on the tabletop and pushes back at the pegasus. "How do you expect to find the train in this mess, huh?"

I grab the pegasus' rainbow-colored tail and pull her away before she can keep arguing. "Dash, I know you're eager to help but you have to listen to me now, okay?"

"But this is my fault. I should have spotted those clouds before they got into the storm. I could have stopped them in time. Now Carrot and Cup could be dead and…" Her eyes brim with tears of frustration.

"Hey, stay with me. I need you to go up there and help the weather team tame this storm." I give her a little punch in the shoulder. "They need the best flyer in town helping them out, right?"

"Right." She says, wiping her tears away.

"Now, I'm going out there. The search party should catch up with me when you can." I say, already heading out the door. "I'll give you a signal when I find them."

"Wait," the unicorn calls after me. "The sun's setting, you'll freeze to death if you're outside too long!"

Still facing the door, I snap my fingers to create a flame big enough to make my point without burning the wooden building down. "I think I can find a way to stay warm."

Rainbow blows past me as we leave the station office. "Stay safe," she shouts over her shoulder as she climbs toward the storm.

"You too," I don't know if the pegasus hears me before she's lost in the whiteout. With a sigh I turn towards the platform and start making a plan to back up my rash promise to find the lost train. Unfortunately the snowfall has covered the tracks in at least three feet of snow, so I won't be able to follow that without digging up the snow every few feet. I don't have time for that, and more importantly the passengers on the train have even less time. Who knows what condition they're in? Are any of them hurt? Can they keep warm until help arrives?

Banishing those questions from my mind with a firm shake of my head, I refocus on how to find them. During my rumination I spot the telegraph cable. Tracking it through the darkening sky, out towards the mountains, I have an epiphany. The cable follows the train tracks! That way the crew can keep an eye out for problems like downed poles or faulty cables. I grin and punch my palm. I can find the train this way.

Eager to find the train and get the trapped ponies to safety, I jump into the snow and start following the cable. Bless these ponies and their lack of wireless communications! This is going to be a piece of cake.

Note to self. Trudging through three feet of snow for four hours is a bad idea. Doing so during one of the worst snowstorms on record is worse.

Trudging through three feet of snow, in a snowstorm, at night when depending on firebending to keep yourself alive, for four hours may just win me the Darwin Award.

Never mind the gnawing hunger in my belly that comes from skipping dinner. I huff another breath of weak flames, and once again manage to keep myself hovering just on the edge of hypothermia. My pants and boots are soaked from the snow, my nose is numb, and even with the thick gloves a definite chill is creeping up my fingers. To summarize, misery has been my only traveling companion for the last two hours.

Yes, this is definitely not my finest moment. But as I see a faint light in the distance, all doubt flees my mind. When that light defines itself as one of several train cars, I definitely feel that this has been worth it.

It is with high spirits that I knock on the door to the closest passenger carriage. The door opens cautiously, washing me with light, warm air, and the tantalizing scent of hot chocolate. A sophisticated-looking earth pony mare sticks her head out of the carriage door. "He-Wa ha ha," she screams as she sees me, jumping almost a foot strait up into the air.

Okay, I can understand that my appearance is a bit of a shock to ponies. Probably more so now, since I'm almost waist-deep in snow and bundled up in enough wool to impersonate a sheep. But come on, I'm can't look that menacing. "Good evening miss," I say, careful to keep my annoyance out of my tone. "I am Lanternlight. I came up from Ponyville to look for this train."

"W… I… huh?" She blabbers.

"I get that a lot miss. Excuse me?" I step past her and shout into the car. "Carrot Cake! Cup Cake! You in here?"

To my great luck and relief I spot the blue coat and distinctive pink mane of Mrs. Cake. The matronly earth pony immediately makes her way up to the front of the car. "Lanternlight! Thank Celestia you're here. My, you look exhausted. Come in out of the cold and we'll get some hot chocolate in you."

"Considering the time, Princess Luna is probably the one you should be thanking." We walk into the car and to I get pushed into a seat. The car is well-lit by firefly lanterns and several ponies are huddled underneath blankets. Some kind of unicorn magic is keeping the air a comfortable temperature.

A piping cup of hot chocolate is thrust into my hands by Mrs. Cake, who sits next to me with a concerned expression. "How's Ponyville? Is everypony safe?"

"For the most part." After taking a sip of the hot beverage I continue, "The pegasi are scrabbling to get the weather under control, and we all got worried when the train didn't arrive on time. I volunteered to find you." Speaking of which, "Is your husband okay?"

"Carrot's back in the dining car, helping the chefs prepare the hot chocolate and keeping the ovens going so we don't all freeze."

I breath a long awaited sigh of relief. Now that I know the Cakes are all right I can fulfill my promise to Rainbow Dash. After thanking Cup Cake for the hot chocolate, I step outside and climb onto the train car's roof. The thin layer of melting snow makes for slippery footing, but I grit my teeth and take a wide stance. My feet almost slip, but I avoid performing an unintentional (and painful) full split. With big sweeping steps I advance, taking a big breath and building up a large fireball. Then I hurl it up into the air. It doesn't travel far before gravity begins to take hold. I wonder if this is going to work the way I think it will? Well, I won't know until I try.

As my fireball reaches the apex of its climb I thrust a small flame dart into the center. The fireball appears to curl around itself before bursting like a firework, scattering smaller flames in all directions. A few even break the cloud layer.

Satisfied with my improvised flare, I go back inside the car to await the search team.

The sun rises on a world covered in a thick layer of gleaming snow. Through the window I can hardly make out the terrain around us. I'm trying to estimate when the search party from Ponyville is going to be here when I hear something.

Carefully stepping around slumbering ponies, I walk out into the cold sunlight. A quick breath confirms that my firebending is back to full power. That's nice, but what I see heading up the hill towards the stranded train is even better. The search party has arrived, and it is being led by none other than Pinkie Pie.

The pink pony is singing some kind of marching song, with lyrics goofy enough to cause the ponies following her to laugh every few lines. She's also dragging along a bunch of balloons.

Following her are Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, and a few others I don't recognize. Applejack and Twilight are pulling a sled along behind them, as are several other pairs. I spot Rainbow circling overhead. Waking up a few of the ponies in the car with care, I tell them to spread word that rescue has arrived before walking out to meet my friends.

"HEY LANTERNLIGHT!" Pinkie shouts as soon as she spots me.

"Glad you guys made it." I say when I get within a reasonable conversation distance. I look at Twilight. "How are things in town?"

"A little snowed in, but fine." The purple unicorn steps up to whisper to me, "As soon as she heard we were following you, Pinkie joined in."

The pony in question pops in between me and the unicorn. "Well, duh," she says, "you said you were putting together a search party. And if there's one thing I know how to do it's PARTY!" She rears enthusiastically and throws her hooves up, summoning a typically inexplicable bust of confetti. Twilight sighs and puts a hoof on her forehead, while Applejack just shakes her head and chuckles.

Oh, Pinkie Pie, don't ever change. "Let's get these ponies out of here." I say, leading the way to the train.

Flutteryshy says: Um… Please rate and comment. The author wants your feedback, even if it is, um, negative.

Appa says: Rwor.

FS: Oh, and we would love it if you recommend this fix to your friends. The more readers the better right?

Appa: Grrrrrrrwom.

FS: Poor baby bison, he had too much to eat and now his tummy's all achy. You're lucky Applejack is such a nice pony, she's a little mad that you got into her harvest.

Momo: Eek ee.

FS: Yes, you should apologize too. Shame on you, tricking Sokka like that.

Momo: Eep. <._.>

Trials of Fire

Yawning and stretching in the chair, I toss my dry quill onto the cluttered surface of my desk. The finished wood is hidden under the sheets of parchment notes, rubbings, and transcribed histories. Golden light from a reading lamp provides the only illumination in my study.

Over the last few days I had been quietly compiling the history that had been inscribed in Ceatus's barrow. Thanks to a combination of what rubbings my pony friends and I had been able to make during our initial visit, as well as the notes, sketches, and transcriptions I've made during my later visits, the area around my desk has become a mess of paper. Eventually I gave up on trying to control the mess that had slowly taken over my study.

I'm no historian. I have no idea how to do this, but I'll be damned if I don't give it my best shot. As the first human to return to this world (that I know of) I feel that this is my responsibility. Besides, I have an ulterior motive.

Magic is everywhere in this world. Dragons the size of buildings fly and breathe fire. Plants have poisons that play pranks on their victims by transforming them. Heck, my new best friend's girlfriend is literally the magical unicorn. Obviously we humans have our own mojo to throw into the mix.

I think there's more to human magic than just bending the elements. It goes without saying that Ignus had used some epic method to banish every human from this world with a contingency to bring us back this far down the line. Some kind of magic was keeping the barrow sealed for eons. More interestingly, the Pact Tree in the Whitetail Woods is obviously enchanted. There has to be some method to create more lasting and utilitarian effects with my magic, and my predecessors knew what it was. But what is frustrating me is that the history I've gotten my hands on mentions so little about magic.

Without warning the lamp on my desk goes out, extinguishing the only light in the room. I sigh and carefully pick up the lamp, turning it in my hands and measure the thing's weight. The oil reservoir is empty. That's strange, I just filled it last night. This model is supposed to hold enough oil to last two days.

Wait, what time is it?

Just as I think that, I become aware of someone pounding on my bedroom window. "Hey Lanternlight! Are you home?" Rainbow Dash's shout reverberates through the window. I walk over and whip open the curtains, squinting against the morning light. To no surprise the blue pegasus is hovering with her face inches away from the glass, one hoof impatiently tapping the frame.

With a reluctant sigh I open the window, shivering as cold winter air blows into my loft. Behind Rainbow the view is magnificent: from mountaintop to valley floor, as far as the eye can see, Equestria is covered in a white blanket of pure snow. I'll have to wait until later to fully enjoy the view. Right now I have a rainbow-colored friend flying into my house, without even waiting for an invitation.

"Morning Double-L," Rainbow says nonchalantly as she hovers through the open window, using the nickname she picked up from Pinkie.

"Good morning, Dash," I respond as I testily push the window closed. I took a quick glance at the clock. "You're up and about earlier than usual today. What's the occasion?"

The pegasus shrugs and lands on the rug in the center of the room. "I just felt like getting an early start today. Thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to hang…" She pauses and tilts her head to the side when she spots my desk. Or rather, the paper and ink disaster area that my study has become. "Out?"

As she continues to stare at my desk I start up the fireplace, eager to restore some of the warmth that fled through the open window. My firebending makes such tasks trivial, with a little kindling and a small stream of flames I soon have a merrily crackling fire going. "So who asked you to check up on me?"

"Huh? N-nopony. I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out today. That's all."

Fingers count off the evidence. "You're up before noon, I've been isolated here for at least a day and a half. The blizzard snowed in the trail leading up to the house, making it difficult if not impossible for an earth pony or unicorn to make the trip up here. Fluttershy probably won't leave her cottage and animals for anything short of an earthquake right now. Ergo you were asked to check up on me. Was it Applejack or Twilight?"

"Twilight," the mare admitted, "she came storming into my house using that cloud-walking spell, practically tossed me out of bed, and hassled me until I agreed to check your house." Still on the floor, she trots over to my study and begins investigating my desk. "Don't tell me this stuff is what's been keeping you holed up here for three days?" She sniffs a dirty bowl near my desk and makes a face.

"Yes indeed," carrying on the conversation as I begin to clean up what looks like the remains of several meals.

"Ha, I never took you for the egghead type Double-L."

Ignoring her comment, I bring all my dirty plates down the stairs to wash. After making sure none of the pipes are frozen I fill the sink, warm up the water, and get started. After a few minutes Dash shouts down at me, "Hey, what is all this stuff anyway? I can't read this chicken scratch." Apparently the blue pony's curiosity got the better of her.

An interesting fact about being human here; language is no barrier to us. Somehow, we learn some kind of magic speech on arrival. Anything I say to a sapient creature is understood, and I can understand them. Yet another facet of life aided by magic, although whether this is natural or the work of yet another ancient spell is a mystery. The same cannot be said about said language's written form, unfortunately. I have decided to name this language Babel, for the old myth about the tower.

"It's the history we took from the barrow. I'm trying to organize it so I can learn more."

"Learn what? It's history; a bunch of old stories about old, boring ponies who lived a long time ago." Well it's nice to know your opinion of the subject, Professor Dash.

Finishing off the dishes, next I eagerly prepare myself some tea. As the bag steeps in the cup I shout back up to my winged friend. "I'm looking for something specific, but I haven't found it yet."

"What is it?"

"I don't think you'd find it interesting."

Rainbow takes that statement as a challenge. "Try me"

"How the ancient humans casted spells way back when."

The next thing I know, the pegasus in nose to nose to me. It takes a lot of effort not to spill hot tea all over myself. The culprit is as oblivious to my plight as she is to my scolding glare. "This is perfect!" She nearly squeals with glee.

"How so?" I ask in a voice dry enough for a dessert midsummer.

She floats around me, putting a foreleg around my shoulder. "Okay hear me out. I say we take your project over to Twilight's place and let the egghead take a crack at it. All you have to do is say the word 'magic' and she'll be all over this like fuzz on a parasprite." She draws me closer like some co-conspirator. "Think about it; you get some expert help with your problem, Twilight gets a riddle to occupy that big, busy brain of hers, I get her off my back and a warm place to spend the day. Everybody wins!"

That last part causes me to cock an eyebrow. "I thought pegasi aren't bothered by the cold."

"Pfft." She waves me off and almost dislodges my teacup again. I am sorely tempted to splash a bit on her face to give her a reality check, but that would be a waste of good tea. "So? That doesn't mean I like it."

As reluctant as I am to involve others, this is my responsibility after all, it's not a bad plan. I've been getting nowhere on my own, and the likelihood of stumbling onto another treasure trove of information like the barrow is somewhere between that of penguins vacationing in the tropics and demons needing arctic gear. And if anypony can help me, that pony would be Twilight Sparkle.

"Okay, let's do it."

Rainbow ascends to the ceiling with a wild whoop. "All right! Get those papers together, I'll grab my saddlebags and fly them to the library!" And with that, a rainbow streaks out my front door and towards Ponyville.

I take a sip of my tea and savor today's fleeting moment of peace.

It is official: I hate the snow. More specifically, I hate trudging through the snow. Not that the knee-high layer on the floor of the Whitetail Woods gives me much of a choice as I make my way down the hill towards town. Luckily the ponies have already plowed the majority of the snow out of Ponyville's streets, so once I'm in town the going is a lot smoother. Although the steam rising from my clothes earns me a few curious looks.

The library had shed it's leaves for the winter, but the lights in the windows testify that the residents are very much awake. Tired as I am from my arduous walk, my spirit lifts a little as I knock at the door. I am greeted by none other than Spike.

"Lanternlight, good to see you made it." The little dragon takes in my clothing-swathed form. "Um, can I take your coat?"

With tremendous gratitude I step though the door and start removing my layers of shirts. "Thanks Spike."

I hear a muffled "no problem" as the dragon teeters off with a pile of fabric almost as big as he is. After removing my boots I walk into the library proper. As usual Twilight is sitting at the central table, reading a book under the watchful eye of a wooden unicorn bust. Rainbow's saddlebags, packed full of my research notes, are sitting on the floor next to her. The pegasus they belong to has parked herself on top of a bookshelf. And, to my great surprise, reading a book of her own.

The sound of Spike closing the coat closet snaps both girls back to awareness. Twilight grins when she sees me. "Oh, Lanternlight, you're here. Now we can really get started." The lavender unicorn magically lifts the bag and sets it on the table, extracting and sorting the loose-leafed notes within.

"Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't start without me."

"Oh, she tried," Rainbow remarks from on high.

The unicorn blushes under my curios look. "I started to review your notes but," she pokes a hoof at my handwriting, "it was a little difficult considering I couldn't read a word of it."

"Oh come on, my handwriting isn't that…" I give myself a well-deserved smack on the forehead. Of course I wrote down all my notes in Babel. "Sorry about that."

I don't like the way Twilight's smiling at me right now. "That's okay. You didn't expect to come to anypony for help with this after all. But as a good friend I'm willing to help, even on short notice. Anyway, we've got a lot of work to do if we're going to find out how humans are supposed to cast spells." With a wave of her horn a flurry of paper flies through the room, my notes hovering in neat rows and columns in a semicircle around us. "Spike." Her call is answered immediately, the purple and green dragon standing ready with a notepad and quill in claw. "Ready?"

The librarian's number one assistant salutes, "Ready and willing."

She fixes me with a sly look. "You ready for this?"

Slightly fazed but entertained, as I have yet to see this side of the bookish unicorn, I nod my head in her direction and grin back. "As I'll ever be I guess."

"Rainbow Dash, you gonna help to?" Twilight asks our pegasus friend.

"Na," replies the blue mare. "I'm no good at this egghead stuff. If you don't mind, I'll just browse the fiction shelves and stay out of your way."

The unicorn shrugs. "Suit yourself, but don't be afraid to jump in if you have any ideas." The pegasus rolls her eyes in response before returning her attention to the book in front of her. "All right, I already went through my study preparation checklist. First of all we need to get these notes organized. How about chronologically?"

"Okay. I've been able to group events into three time periods so far. First there's the Pre-Kingdom era; the time before Ignus united the four nations under his rule. Notes from this era are marked with this symbol." I tap the Babel symbol on the bottom of a page. A more literal translation would be "Before Our King". Twilight levitates the papers bearing that mark to the farthest left.

"Next, the Kingdom era, when Ignus reigned." I tap another symbol meaning "His Golden Reign". Again the notes re-organize themselves in midair.

Pointing out my last marking, I conclude. "And finally the Exile era. It begins with Ceatus's rebellion, and ends with Ignus beginning the Exile." This last symbol translates as "Our Sorrow," appropriately. These papers settle on the far right.

Looking at our research materials, it becomes clear that the majority of information I have is focused on the Kingdom period. That should work to our advantage, though. The hight of human civilization is most likely the time when humanity's magical knowledge was the most advanced and widespread.

"It's a start," Twilight says. She walks along the flouting wall of parchment bound history, subjecting my notes and sketches to her ruthless scholars eye. "Let's get events in order before we go any further. Then we'll look for any mention of great feats of magic or famous magicians. After that we'll cross-reference locations with Equestrian history and see what we find out. Got all that Spike?"

The dragon lifts his head confidently. "Of course."

"Good," the unicorn chirps. "All right Lanternlight, what happened first?"

"Well," I grab a sheet full of notes and sketches and pull it out to the side, surprised to find it still floating in the air. "Nice trick. Anyway, first there's the birth of mankind out of the Crossroads. Then…"

And so it goes on. For a little over four hours Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and I work together to organize, decode, and dissect my notes. It doesn't take me long to figure out just how out of my league I am. What I spent three days working on has only scratched the surface. The unicorn is not only making more progress in minutes than I was accomplishing in hours, but pointing out errors I had made ordering events within the timeline. All in all, we make tremendous progress compiling the history into a complete and supposedly accurate timeline.

Our true goal, finding clues to how humans handled magic way back then, still eludes us.

Twilight isn't taking it well.

"Arrg! This makes no sense! Are you sure you translated that part about Yannath right?"

"I'm sure, that set of symbols literally means 'Great Practitioner of Humble Magic'."

My unicorn friend turns around to continue pacing through the mess of reference books we've accumulated. "What the hay does that mean? Was she a great wizard who thought her magic was no big deal? Or was it a title placed upon masters of the bending disciplines? No that was a different thing, um…"

"For a waterbender like her, the title was 'Master of Dancing Waters'," I helpfully supply.

The unicorn stops and shoots me an irritated look. "Your predecessors really had an obsession with fancy titles, didn't they?"

"Tell me about it. I sometimes think this language was built specifically to wax dramatic."

Unfortunately the disheveled brainiac does not appreciate my attempt to lighten the mood. "Lanternlight, focus!"

"Twi? Yah in here?" The deep, welcomely calm tones of Big Macintosh reaches us from beyond our wall of history. The big red stallion walks up to us with a slightly worried look on his face, a green and red scarf around his neck matching the winter coat covering his back. Spike takes a peak out of the kitchen with a tea tray in his claws, before groaning and retreating back in.

"Mac! You're done with your chores already?" The unicorn welcomes her boyfriend by magically removing his winter gear and stowing it in the coat closet.

"Eeyup." The big guy looks at the floating wall of text before him and whistles. "What'cha got here that's got ya so frustrated, sugarcube?"

The unicorn mare looks at her earth pony stallion questioningly. "How'd you know I was frustrated?" In response Mac simply raises a hoof to brush the lavender unicorn's slightly frazzled mane, then points to the small rut carved into the floor from her pacing. The big pony's touch makes her blush, and her embarrassment at being 'caught' deepens the red gracing her cheeks. "Oh," she says with an embarrassed little giggle. And now it's the boy's turn to blush.

Rolling my eyes at the couple (they are just too cute) I catch my friend's attention with a polite cough. "Hey Big Mac."

Mac raises his head from Twilight's eyes and sees me. "Howdy Lanternlight," he nods upwards, "Miss Dash."

Now that things have finally gotten interesting enough to draw her away from her small pile of printed adventure, Rainbow stretches and drifts down from her perch. "What's shakin', big guy? Come to check up on your fillyfriend here?"

The stallion nods. "Eyup." Finished greeting us, he turns to his sweetheart and raises an eyebrow. I still find it incredible how much the big guy can communicate with just a look.

"Oh, right." Twilight gestures towards the wall of history before us while answering Mac's question. "I'm helping Lanternlight research human magic, specifically how it was done before the Exile. We've been searching through all the human history we have to try and figure it out. We found plenty of references to great magicians and notable works of magic, but these records are so vague about how they accomplished it that it's been driving me up the wall!"

"She's not kidding," Dash says. "Spike had to calm her down once, it looked like you were going to blow a gasket there, Twilight."

"We've tried everything," The unicorn wails, resuming her pacing. "Cross-referencing the locations to Equestria's history didn't work. Trying to extrapolate specialties from the magicians' names or titles hasn't helped. But the answer has to be here somewhere. This is all the information we have."

I shrug in response to Twilight's tirade. "In all honesty, the answer might not be in here." To reinforce my next point I tap a floating page. "This is a history, not a grimore. During the Exile the humans probably couldn't comprehend the possibility that they would loose their magic. If they assumed that their magical traditions would survive the transition then they had no reason to try to preserve them."

Big Mac puts a yellow hoof up to his chin, while behind us Spike walks out of the kitchen with a heavily laden tea tray. After a few seconds of thought the red earth pony drops a bomb on us. "Were'd these magicians learn how ta do their magic? They had ta learn it somewhere."

It goes quiet for a few seconds as the implications of the stallion's deduction percolates through our brains. In a single synchronized motion the unicorn mare and I bring our forelimbs up and smack our foreheads. The pegasus hovering overhead comes to her own realization. "And if that place is still around, maybe it has a scroll or tablet or something that we can use!" Impressed at her own idea, she does a quick loop in mid-air. She stops and blushes when she realizes the rest of us are staring at her. "Well, okay, something that Lanternlight can use."

Twilight shoots Rainbow a knowing look. "And you said you were no good at this egghead stuff," the unicorn compliments. The blue pegasus grins and lifts her head in acknowledgement of the praise, and I roll my eyes. If that girl's head gets filled with any more hot air she won't even need wings to stay airborne.

"Hey guys, the tea's ready," Spike calls from the kitchen. In an instant I am seated at the library's dining room table, inhaling the heavenly scents of ginger and lemongrass from the steaming cup in my hand. A very bemused dragon stands by the door, soon joined by the three ponies. Now it's my turn to be stared at.

"What," I say defensively, "it's good tea."

After that we're all sitting at the table, enjoying the tea and sandwiches the little assistant made for us while planning our next move. To be more specific, three of the four of us are enjoying the lunch. We're a plate short.

"Spike, why didn't you make tea for Mac?" Twilight looks disappointed and a little miffed about the uneven portions.

The dragon, however, does his best to look innocent. "I didn't hear him come in." One look from the unicorn is enough to turn his excuse into an apology. "Okay, okay, sorry. I'll get him a cup." He walks over to the cupboard, grumbling the whole way, and returns with what is probably the ugliest teacup in the whole house. "Here," the dragon says with a little bit of an attitude in his voice.

With the purple pony giving him a look that clearly says, "We will be talking about this later," the little dragon stalks out of the room. Dash and I silently note the tension in the air while the Big Mac stoically pours tea into the visually displeasing cup. Twilight smiles at us to break the atmosphere, "Sorry about that. Are you hungry Mac? If you are, I could split my sandwich with you. I'm not sure if you'd like it though, it has daisies in it. I'll make you another one."

The big stallion lifts up a hoof to cut off the unicorn before she gets up. "Ah'm fine," he says while patting his stomach. "Had lunch before Ah left the farm." Twilight grins sheepishly and sits back down. I take advantage of the distraction to sneak a peak at my sandwich to make sure it's flower-free. Thankfully all that rests between the two slices of nut bread is a slice of cheese with lettuce, tomato, and mustard.

Dash changes the subject with her usual subtlety. "So, were is this human magic school anyway? I wasn't really paying attention while you two were doin' your egghead thing."

The unicorn floats a few of the notes into the kitchen, smiling in a very self-satisfied way. "That's what we're going to find out." She takes a bite out of a sandwich and scans the papers. "I know there was something here about magicians teaching others in the Pre-Kingdom…"

"Before the King came, the hidden mystics of Air were the greatest of magicians," I recite entirely from memory, "and many rulers sought to purchase their services. The Air Mystics never bowed to those demands, preferring the solitude and peace of their mountaintop towers. When the King came to them, the wisest of them encouraged their fellows to join his cause. After the Kingdom was founded the towers were open to any who wanted to learn the ways of the Mystics." Great, now they're starring at me again. In fact, Rainbow's getting right in my face and inspecting me suspiciously. "What?"

A cyan hoof reaches out and prods my forehead experimentally. "Just wondering if some kind of freaky magic made you and Twilight switch brains or something."

I push the pegasus back and glare at the insinuation. "Rainbow, I've been holed up in my study for three days with those notes. I could probably recite them backwards."

"That's my point."

An impatient cough interrupts our stare-down. "If you two are finished, maybe we can focus on the task at hoof?" Twilight's tone of voice indicates that she has had quite enough of this nonsense. The pegasus and I return to eating our meals in silence. "Thank you. According to the rest of these notes, one of the towers was especially known for recruiting and training magicians. It was the first dedicated school of magic in the Kingdom. Several of the mages noted in the histories claimed to have attended this tower. And it was called…" Purple eyes narrow as she focuses all her concentration on the words on the page. I'm surprised the parchment didn't immediately burst into flames. Finally, the unicorn sighs in defeat and magics the parchment over to me. "What does this symbol mean?" The character in question remains highlighted by purple sparkles after I grab it.

"Literally, 'The Mountain Like Unto A Sword'. A more practical translation would be 'Sword Mountain.'"

"You wouldn't happen to have a picture of this place in there, would you?" Rainbow asks, and I swear I can hear the gears in her head turning. Twilight riffles through the notes until she finds one with a sketch on it and floats it over to her pegasus friend. The cyan athlete inspects the picture thoroughly, then shoots up from the table. Big Mac steadies the table before the frantic action can spill the tea and food all over the kitchen. "I knew it! I knew it! This is the mountain, I can't believe it." She excitedly prods the sketch with a hoof, sharing her discovery with us. "This mountain is only a few miles away from Cloudsdale! I remember because the Watch always told everypony to stay away from some ruins at the summit. Of course, I used to try and sneak in but I would either get caught or some weird crosswind would force me away!"

Twilight and I stood up in our own excitement, the unicorn slamming her front hooves on the table to bring herself closer to the hovering pegasus. "Are you serious," we ask in unison. Mac steadies the table once again and pours more tea into his cup, seeming almost bored. He probably has to deal with something like this every day, knowing his family.

Rainbow nods and jabs the parchment again. "There's no mistaking this mountain. So what are we going to do now? Are we gonna go there and do some exploring? 'Cause that'd be awesome."

Twilight puts a hoof to her chin and hums to herself, "Well, it's not that far away. I never thought that we would find the school in Equestria's borders. If I let the Princess know where we're going I'm sure the Cloudsdale Watch will let us into the ruins. So, yeah, I guess we are…"

"No," I interrupt Twilight before she can finish. The ponies are looking at me incredulously, so I explain myself better. "Look, this whole thing is my responsibility. I need to learn magic so I can better protect this town, and I would be a tremendous hypocrite if I let you risk yourselves on my behalf. So if it's all the same to you guys, I'll find my way over there and see if I can't find anything." I get up and make my way over to the kitchen door, but I'm cut off by Big Mac before I take three steps.

"Nope," the red stallion says evenly.

"Yah," Rainbow says as she joins him in front of me, "there's no way we're just going to leave you to handle this all on your own. Especially if it's dangerous."

"Lanternlight, you don't even know where Cloudsdale is, or how to get there. You've never even been to another city." Damn you Twilight Sparkle, and your logic. "Not to mention Rainbow already knows how to get to the mountain, you'll probably need help locating and deciphering any information that might be in the ruins, getting the equipment up there, and so on."

"You don't understand, Twilight, this is about more than that." I kneel down to put myself at eye level with the unicorn. "It will be dangerous. The mystics almost certainly left something behind to defend their secrets, and take it from me, human defenses can be downright nasty. I'm supposed to protect you from danger, not lead you into it."

"We're your friends," she says. She puts a purple hoof on my hand, gently. "You need help and we can give it. Besides, we're no strangers to danger."

Rainbow wings over next to Twilight and punches me in the shoulder. "Seriously, we've faced off against a super angry, crazy Princess, beaten the spirit of chaos himself, and drove back a whole changeling invasion. We know what we're doing."

The unicorn gives her friend a look. "That last one wasn't us."

The pegasus waves her off. "We helped. My point is, you're going to have to trust us, Double-L"

Glancing back and forth between the two mares, trying to find some argument that will persuade them to stay behind. I have no way to guarantee their safety if they come along. Then the meaning of what Rainbow said hits me. My friends are adults, and I know that they're far from helpless in a dangerous situation. Can I trust them to keep out of trouble? More importantly, can I trust them to get themselves out of it if I can't?

Trust is a funny thing. You just have to hope and take the plunge.

"Okay." I try to ignore the way my stomach flips when I say that.

The mares physically relax when I say that, letting out breaths none of us had noticed them holding. Behind us, Macintosh puts a hoof forward and says, "Ah'm willin' ta come along. Ya'll need somepony else ta watch yer back."

Twilight is very surprised. "You want to come with us?"

"Eyup."

The four of us share a knowing look. The unicorn sighs and rubs her forehead. "AJ's not going to like this."

The next morning finds me trudging to Sweet Apple Acres to meet the ponies before setting out. A large canvas pack, custom made at great expense to your's truly, is strapped to my back. The pack is heavy with spare clothing, food, mountain climbing gear, and a brand new notebook with a carefully packed ink pot and fountain pen. Once again I have to make my own path through the snow. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here. If every winter is going to be like this then I should invest in a sturdy pair of boots, and some snow pants. Jeans are good, but they get soaked during these trips and my breath of fire can only do so much while I'm hiking.

Thankfully the area around the Apples' farmhouse has been cleared of snow, so I take a second to steam myself off before hunting down my companions. A part of me wonders if they had managed to persuade Applejack to let her brother go like they said they would yesterday. Knowing how stubborn the farm filly (ha) could be, she might still be arguing with them right now. Rainbow certainly wouldn't have been a great help in that regard. The pegasus seems to enjoy pushing the earth pony's buttons to satisfy her own competitive nature.

So I was very surprised to turn the corner and find Applejack helping Big Macintosh into his enormous pair of saddlebags. Twilight was sitting nearby, her own bags packed to bulging and levitating a scroll in front of her. Spike was standing by her, looking grumpy and sleepy-eyed at this hour. Rainbow was looking worse, yawning and nursing a cup of something hot and possibly caffeinated. The pegasus's back was bare of any luggage.

"Ya sure ya packed everything, Macintosh? Them saddlebags felt a mite light ta me," I hear Applejack say as I make my way over. She prods the offending pack with a hoof, frowning as its contents shift and resettle.

If the red stallion is troubled by this, he shows no sign. He simply nods and says, "Yup."

The orange pony turns to the nearby unicorn. "Maybe we should go over the list again," she says, "just ta be sure."

Twilight squints as she puts the finishing touches on the floating paper before her. "AJ, stop fussing. Mac and I triple-checked his bags last night, and checked them again this morning. Trust me, everything we need is present and accounted for." The unicorn finishes her writing with a flourish and rolls up her work. Just as Spike is nodding off, his caretaker/boss/big sister pushes down on his tail like a lever. The surprised dragon jerks awake with a shout and flames, burning up the scroll in his green flire. He gives Twilight a glare as the smoke makes its way to Canterlot. The unicorn dodges by waving at me, "Hi Lanternlight."

"Hey guys," I say as I approach the group. Catching a whiff of the pegasus' beverage, I give her a mischievous grin. "A little early for you, Dash?"

The cyan weather mare blows the steam across the surface of her drink before taking a large gulp. "Talk later, coffee now."

The rest of us, except for Applejack, share chuckle at the sleepy pony's expense. The farmer tightens the last strap of her brother's saddlebags, perhaps a little too tight judging by Mac's face. Ignoring the green eyed glare directed at her the orange mare turns towards Twilight. "Alright, he's ready to go wherever it is y'all r' goin'," she says. Nervously adjusting her hat, she voice takes on a bit of a demanding tone, "Where exactly is it yer goin' again? From what y'all have packed, Ah don't think this is gonna be a day trip to Canterlot."

Twilight wilts under the relentless gaze of her friend, giving in quickly to those inquisitional green eyes. "Um, well, since Lanternlight is here anyway, I think it would be okay for you to listen in while I go over our, um, itinerary." The unicorn pulls an epically long scroll from her saddlebags and clears her throat.

"First, we take the 8:40 train to Cloudsdale. From there we go to the Watch office near the station so we can get clearance to investigate the ruins on Sword Mountain."

"Whoa there!" An orange hoof is raised in protest. "Sword Mountain? That peak west a' Cloudsdale that Fluttershy told us all those ghost stories about last time we were there? What in all the green fields of Equestria are you taking my brother to a haunted mountain fer?"

"It's not haunted," a strangely mellow Rainbow Dash objects. "Ponies see weird stuff there now and then. Probably because the ruins there used to belong to some human wizard guys."

The unicorn with the schedule glares at the other mares. "If I can continue? Good. After that we get some lunch, of course. Then we walk or take a cab to the trail head. We should be able to make our first camp at the foot of the mountain! Tomorrow…"

She goes on like this for a half hour. Dear god, this scroll is at least seven feet long! I think she even… Yes. She even scheduled our bathroom breaks. Dash and I exchange accusing stares, mine saying "it was your idea to get her involved in the first place," hers saying "you thought this was a good idea."

Luckily Big Mac saves us all by snatching the scroll away from Twilight. With a grunt of effort, he hurls the monstrous schedule out over the hills of Sweet Apple Acres. I swear I even see a spark of light in the distance. The unicorn is staring in the direction of the toss, her mouth open wide as what was probably several hours of work achieves low orbit. Her coltfriend just adjusts his saddlebags, sticks a stalk of hay in his mouth, and says, "We'd better get goin'." The red stallion lowers his head and pushes the catatonic scholar towards the train station.

Rainbow Dash and I hesitate for a few seconds before we follow the couple. "He is going to be in so much trouble when she snaps out of it," I observe

The pegasus nods before taking off, grunting "Uh-huh." Behind us I hear Applejack hollering.

"Y'all come back safe now, ya hear!"

One train ride (and awkwardly overheard argument) later, I'm getting my first look at Cloudsdale. Of course, I have to look up due to the pegasus city being made out of clouds.

Due to the city's unique composition, the train station was earthbound. Around it, a whole district of the city had sprung up to cater to earth and unicorn pony visitors. Advertisements for hotels, restaurants, and hot-air balloon rentals littered the walls of the station's lobby. I am reading one of the little tourist pamphlets while we wait for Rainbow to finish her talk with two grey-and-blue armored pegasi who are probably members of the City Watch. Twilight and Mac were sitting close by. The unicorn is pointedly not talking to the big stallion, who is pretending it isn't bothering him. They're probably each waiting for the other to apologize first.

In due time, Dash came back with permission to poke around the ruins atop Sword Mountain. A pegasus cab, pulled by a team five strong thanks to our equipment, takes us to the trail head. A glance up the hill confirms my fears. From base to peak the mountain is shrouded in white snow. I take a deep breath and puff out a cloud of fire-laced steam in annoyance. Winter in Equestria sucks. So hard. When you. Are. A. Firebender!

Thankfully Big Macintosh thought ahead. He pulls out a miniature snowplow from one of the many bags on his massive frame and starts strapping it on. Twilight helps him with some of the hard to reach straps, being a little more rough than technically necessary. Then the stallion takes the lead, pushing the snow out of his way with a steady, unstoppable pace. The unicorn and I fall in behind him, and Dash flies over us and the snow. The pegasus scouts out the trail ahead of us, pointing out the ribbon marked trees on either side.

After about two hours of silent hiking, Twilight sighs and speaks up. "I'm sorry, Mac. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

After a few seconds, Mac replies. "Ah'm sorry too."

The two share a glance that would have turned into a cuddle if the cleared trail wasn't so narrow. Rainbow and I heave relieved sighs. "Finally," the cyan pegasus declares, "I thought those two were never going to make up." She hovers closer to me and whispers in my ear. "I was seriously thinking 'what would Pinkie Pie do in this situation?'"

"Sing a song?" I suggest innocently.

The pegasus sticks her tongue out in distaste. "Bleh! Probably."

The rest of the day passes quickly. Even with the snow piled up to my waist we make good time, chatting to keep the boredom at bay. We reach our camp site before dark. With a little magic and work, the site is cleared and our party settles down for dinner. Twilight uses the opportunity to go over her plan for tomorrow.

"We should reach the ruins by noon," she says from her place by the campfire. She and Big Mac are laying side by side. "Once we get to its elevation, we'll be able to feel the wind-barrier protecting the school. We'll need to find a way through it." She points a hoof at her pegasus friend lounging on a branch overhead. "Rainbow, do you think you could find a weak point in the barrier?"

"Sure," the daredevil says through a yawn, "no problem."

Twilight rolls her eyes and finishes going over her plan, "In that case the rest of us will look for a way through on the ground. And then it's into the ruins we go."

Mac nuzzles his marefriend when she's finished. "Ain't that easier?"

Chuckling at the glare that the unicorn directs towards her beau, I scarf down the rest of my dinner (mmm salted venison and potatoes) and salute the couple. "I think we should follow Rainbow's lead," as if on queue the pegasus snores softly, "and hit the sack."

The next day, after a short hike, we reach the ruins.

The Air Mystics had built their school into the mountain, carving structures out from the rock of the mountain itself. Each building was cut in sharp angles. Rectangles stood on the ground or hung off the walls and ceiling, with an occasional cylinder rising from floor to ceiling between them. Badly eroded statuary is scattered among empty doors and dark windows. The whole place reminds me of the old cliff dwellings in Arizona, if you replaced red sandstone with grey mountain granite.

My musings are interrupted by a pegasus-shaped blur flying past me and slamming into a tree. Rainbow shakes her head in an attempt to recover from her latest attempt to penetrate the ruin's mystical defense. "Horseapples," she curses, "I was sure I had it that time."

"I think that's enough for now, Rainbow." Twilight's horn is glowing as she probes the area with her magical senses.

"Aw, come on. I've still got plenty of flight left in me. Just one more time, I'll find that weakness for sure!"

"That's what you said the last five times." My pegasus friend gives me a stink-eye for that remark.

The unicorn returns her full concentration to her task while I refocus on my inspection of the ruins. The wind-barrier blows gusts past us, keeping this shoulder of the mountain clear of snow, trees, and just about anything else except for grass. Big Mac is standing by to assist us when we ask for him.

"Okay, so it can't be pushed through, it circulates too fast to have a weakness for more than a fraction of a second, no pattern that I can find." I can hear the purple unicorn mumbling to herself, trying to figure this out. "I can't dispel it either. As far as my magic is concerned, this is a natural process. I guess I could use my own barrier to get us through it, but that's a different kind of risky. There has to be a way to bypass this barrier."

Scanning the mountainside, I spot an odd shadow that stands out from the cracks of the cliffs around us. Walking closer, the shadow gains definition as what seems to be a carved line. Expanding from that, I begin to notice a pattern emerging from the granite wall. Distinctive, maze-like, and from previous encounters definitely the work of human hands! The lines terminate in one spot.

Eager to investigate this clue, I start to clamber up a boulder to the termination point. My climbing gets the attention of the ponies. Rainbow flies up after me. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"There's something up here." With a grunt I pull myself up onto the top of the boulder. Tracing the lines to the termination point, I find a semi-eroded petroglyph of a hand carved into the rock.

The pegasus traces some of the lines above me with a hoof. "What do you think these are for?"

Looking from my hand to the petroglyph, and something clicks in my head. "Every door has a lock," I think out loud, "and every lock has a key."

By now my actions have attracted the attention of the other two. Twilight curiously approaches, "Did you find something Lanternlight?"

I barely hear her question. All my attention is focused on the hand glyph, my own hand inches away from the carved stone. Ready to pull it away the minute something goes 'click', I touch my hand to the cold, rough surface. A sort of tingling sensation starts to travel up my arm towards my spine. The wall shows no other reaction.

Okay. Different solution then?

Keeping my hand on the glyph, I take a breath in preparation for a big bending action. Then something altogether unexpected happens.

The tingling becomes a surge that runs up my arm and along my spine. My back is forced to full extension as the base of my spine is drawn towards the ground and the top of my head is pulled towards the sky. The area around me is illuminated by yellow light, the glow coming from somewhere on my body and the glyph. Suddenly yellow sparks burst from the stone beneath my hand, tracing the lines in cliff until they reach the barrier. The entire pattern flashes in a yellow and red aurora before fading. The surge stops and I'm left standing shock still on the bolder.

"By all that is holy, that was intense!"

A blue hoof prods me out of my trance. Rainbow is grinning at me, Twilight is staring at me with her mouth agape, and Mac is… gathering up the equipment while the mares' attention is on me. Smart guy.

I climb down the boulder to follow our packhorse, and I'm soon joined by the astonished purple unicorn. "Bu… Wha… How?!" Her stammering is downright adorable, and I savor her confusion for a few seconds before I answer. It's a rare occurrence for somebody to out-magic Princess Celestia's favorite student.

"I turned the key," I say in a mysterious tone of voice. The unicorn glares at me and drives a forehoof into my thigh. "Ow! Okay. There was a preset spell carved into the cliff. Kind of like the one at the barrow, but with a different trigger. Happy now?"

"Why yes, thank you," she says with a smug little grin on her face as we pass the boundary into the ruined school. After a few minutes of staring at the sights around us, the four of us unanimously decide to enter the largest doorway of the cylindrical tower in the center of the 'campus'.

As soon as I cross the threshold I feel something zing from my heel up my spine. Sudden light illuminates the room, revealing great rounded walls and a polished floor. Across from the entry is an intact metal door at least twenty feet tall, inscribed with the familiar characters of Babel. I cross the room to read the inscription, careful to avoid any possible traps. Not that I can spot any in the smooth stone surfaces around me, but I'd rather be cautious and wrong than brash and dead.

The ponies follow my lead. Twilight already has a notebook out and is recording her observations as we walk, or in Rainbow's case hover, across the room. Our footsteps echo through the empty building.

At the enormous door we stop. This has a handle, thankfully. I don't want to trigger any more spells without knowing more about how they work. For all I know they could be rigged with traps or other contingencies if you don't activate them the right way. At this thought I realize that I had really lucked out at the cliff. Oh well, water under the bridge.

Twilight subjects the writing carved into the door to her scholar's eye, which then travels along the door itself. With a thoughtful gleam in her eye she turns to me and asks, "Lanternlight, translation?"

"We Who Were the Mystics Welcome Those Who Return to Our House," the inscription reads. "Within These Vaults Lie the Secrets of Our Power. They Are Yours to Claim, If You Can. Our Trial Shall Test Your Virtue, and Only Those Worthy Shall Pass."

Rainbow whistles above us. "Now that's a challenge if I ever heard one."

"Eeyup," Mac drawls in agreement.

The unicorn mage next to me purses her lips and taps the end of her quill against her chin. "Well, only one way to go." Her magic grips the door handle and pulls the door open. Looking at me with a sly grin, she gestures into the darker room beyond, "Your trail awaits."

"You know this is probably a trap, right?" I say evenly.

"There's only one way to know for sure," she replies. Her gazes at me encouragingly. With a deep breath and more than a little apprehension I cross the threshold.

I freeze as the room lights up, ready to dodge out of the way of all the nastiness likely to be tossed my way.

The ceiling doesn't collapse.

Spears don't pop out from all around me, impaling me like a shish kebab.

No poison darts fire from hidden tubes.

Not even a rolling ball of crushing doom.

Huh.

Poisonous animals? Quicksand? Spiky pit trap?

No?

Okay, I can work with that.

The room I'm now in is a long, rectangular hall sloping down towards a massive set of double doors. The walls are covered in intricate murals, colored tiles gleaming in the magic light. The doors, however, are what grab my attention the most. Three hollow copper spheres, whole except for a circular gap in the front, surround a complex locking mechanism. I recognize it from the cartoon that led me to discover how to tap into my innate magic when I first arrived here. It's a bending lock.

I contemplate the door while the ponies file in behind me. Three ports will be problematic. I haven't even tried to create multiple streams of fire at once, so far I've been able to get by with fireballs, flame darts, and single streams. My most advanced technique so far is the Breath of Fire, and I've been practicing it so often that it's become almost like second nature to me.

This is going to be a challenge.

Twilight interrupts my concentration. "Lanternlight, you have to come look at these murals."

"Not now Twi," I say as I check my friends distance (acceptable), take my stance, and bend for all I'm worth. I start with a steady stream from one hand to the upper right. Then I thrust the other forward in a palm strike, shouting a kiai as another stream erupts from it. The stream is weak and short at first, so I rebalance my energies. My first stream gets a little weaker as my second builds up, until my second reaches the sphere on the upper right. By that time I reach my limit and have to stop.

Rainbow lands behind me and gawks. "Awesome! But I think you need to hit all three for it to work."

I roll my eyes, thankful that the pegasus can't see my face right now. Taking a low stance, I extend my right foot along with my hands and, after adjusting my energy flow again, successfully conjure three simultaneous streams of fire. The problem is, they're too short.

"Damn," I curse.

The unicorn pipes up again behind us, "You really should come look at this."

"We're kinda busy, egghead." The cyan pegasus cocks her head to the side thoughtfully. "Can you get closer?"

"Nah," I reply, "the angle would be all wrong."

"Okay, maybe if you stood like this?"

Fwoosh! "No sale."

"Well, um, maybe jump into the air?"

"Worth a shot." Fwoom! Smack! "Ow. I'm not trying that again."

"Lanternlight!" We ignore our unicorn friend's shout.

"Hey! I could carry you!"

"Ha ha! No."

"Okay… Ooh! Firebending triple-slice combo!"

"Sounds like a pizza order, but okay." Foom-fwoom fwooosh! "Goddamnit!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Her second cry also goes unheard.

"You can do this, Double-L! No quitting! I want three streams, one at a time, in quick succession. Hit those doors hard!"

"Yes ma'am!" Fwoosh, fwooosh, FWOOOOOOSH! "Oh come on you fu…"

"Big Macintosh!" Twilight orders under my stream of curses.

"Eeyup." The stallion grabs me by the back of the shirt and drags me away from the target of my wrath.

"…And you can choke on it!" I finish my tirade with a rude gesture I picked up from that cabbie in New York. My captor swings me around and sets me in front of a very cross purple unicorn.

She cocks an eyebrow. "Are you done?"

I take a deep breath and clear my head. "Yes, yes I'm done."

The unicorn nods in approval and steps to the side. "Tell me what you see here."

I take in the murals before me. Colored tiles are artfully arranged to portray people and scenery in nearly perfect perspective. Hooded and robed figures are prominent in every picture. Humans, ponies, and other creatures are presented in painstaking detail. Below the scenes a continual bar of inscribed bronze, giving no more detail than names and places.

"Another history," I answer after my quick scan, "nothing helpful."

"Look closer." Twilight taps one scene with her horn. "Those robed figures are probably Mystics. Examine each scene carefully and you'll notice that there is never just one of them."

By god, she's right. Never once is a Mystic appear alone in a scene. They always seem to be in groups, two at the least but more often in quartets. "Huh," I observe.

Satisfied that I've gotten this point, the unicorn engages full Lecture Mode. "Most magical traditions, from Unicorn Wizards to Griffon Sorcerers, are solitary practitioners. They usually operate alone and pass their practices along to a single student. A few organizations exist for mages, but they are more of a formality. The master-apprentice tradition is strong and still adhered to today, even in magical academies."

Rainbow yawns and curls up behind Mac and I, giving into her natural reaction to lecturing and making up for the naps she's missed for the last couple days. Deep in her academic stride and perhaps a little oblivious of the rest of the world the unicorn doesn't notice and keeps going.

"But the Mystics were different. If my theories are correct, then the elemental magic they wielded placed far more strain on their bodies than the magic of other races. As the potency of their spells grew, the strain increased exponentially! So to lighten the load the Mystics worked in teams. Ideally these teams were composed of four practitioners, each one attuned to one of the four elements. By balancing their magic with the Elements of the World through each other, the Mystics were able to create more powerful spells together than they ever could separately. It was a brilliant system!"

Okay, I kinda got lost there. "And," I prompt the unicorn, "how does this help us get through that… door."

"That's just it," Twilight explains, "that door was never meant to be opened by a single person. The most powerful magic humans could wield was accomplished by working together."

I throw my hands up in frustration. "Great. Now all we have to do is go get another human to help me open this… thing up. Oh, wait, I'm still the only one known to be in Equestria. Oh wait, I forgot, I am currently the only human in the whole known WORLD!" With a sigh my arms come down, and my body turns to face the entrance. "Well, it's been fun kids. Better luck next time, I guess."

The unicorn cuts me off before I can take one step. "Wait a minute and let me finish. You can't get through that door, but We might be able to. There are a lot of scenes in here depicting the Mystics interacting with other species, including ponies. They might have left a way for a human accompanied by friends from another race to get in."

I frown in doubt, but she counters my expression with a pout and teary eyes. "Please let us at least try," she almost whimpers.

I cave like a wet house of cards. "Fine."

"Yay!" She squeals, sits up and claps her hooves together in joy. Behind us Mac gently nudges Rainbow awake with a hind leg. Twilight trots past them and lights up her horn. A purple glow covers the locked door and the unicorn begins to mumble to herself. "Uh-huh. Okay, so that does that and that goes there… Interesting… It looks like if we… And then we can… That should work!"

Eyes alight with inspiration, the unicorn turns to the rest of us. Her mane billows with the motion and she takes a proud, heroic stance. "Big Mac, you take the bottom sphere. On my signal, rotate it thirteen degrees clockwise, roll the gap into the door at a ninety degree angle." The earth pony nods his understanding and takes his position. "Lanternlight! After you here our spheres click into place, put as much fire into the upper right port as you can! Rainbow Dash!" The pegasus hovers expectantly, eager to help.

For a few seconds the only sound in the hall is the flapping of the flying pony's wings.

"Um, give us moral support?" Twilight says awkwardly. I facepalm.

The pegasus lands and rolls her eyes, but she smiles as she does it. "You can count on me."

The unicorn grins sheepishly in thanks. She and I take our positions while Couch Dash sounds us off. "Ready." Mac grips his sphere as best as he can. "Set." Purple sparkles dance around Twilight's horn.

"GO!"

At Rainbow's shout, the ponies turn the bronze orbs in their settings. The ancient devices groan and shift slowly. With a final complaint, the sphere in the unicorn's magical grip clicks into place. Mac wrestles his into place a half second later. Everything else is lost as I hurl forth a blazing stream of flames with both hands.

The door hisses black smoke as the locking mechanism releases its grip. After the sound of grinding metal and sliding stone dies away, the doors glide inwards, opening the room beyond to us.

Of course, the first to celebrate our victory is Rainbow Dash. "Yes!" She jumps into the air and streaks into the vault behind the door. "The trial is defeated and the treasure is ours! Who's awesome? We're awesome!" The pegasus does a mid-air victory dance while the rest of us file into the room.

This place is huge. Shelves are carved into the circular walls in a pattern that follows three spiral staircases as they ascend to the ceiling, almost fifty feet above us. Each shelf holds several stone slabs, each slab framed in painted wood. Sturdy handles are carved into the wood. Titles are embossed into the wood in Babel to allow for easy identification.

Curiously I grab the closest slab and pull it out of its slot. The tablet is made of basalt, the characters and diagrams carefully carved and gilded to prevent the writing from loosing legibility to the rigors of time. The stone itself seems to have undergone some kind of lamination to seal it away from the elements.

Twilight looks like she has found her paradise. "Look at all this! They were able to preserve so much of their knowledge! I can't wait to start studying it." She snaps out of her nerdgasm when she remembers why we came here in the first place. "And of course you will be casting spells in no time. Isn't this exciting Lanternlight?"

Smiling, I pat her on the head. "I couldn't have done it without you guys. I'm sorry I was so stubborn about accepting your help." Something about that statement makes all three ponies erupt into laughter. "What?"

Once her giggles die down, the unicorn says, "You are not the most stubborn friend I have, especially when it comes to asking for help."

I have my suspicions. "Applejack?"

"Eyup." Mac confirms between chuckles.

Rainbow takes to the air again. "Well, I'll get on over to Cloudsdale and see if I can't get us some help getting these out of here. Be back in a jiffy!" A rainbow blur flies out of the ruins, no doubt to return with a few carts and helpful pegasuses.

Twilight levitates a quill, ink, and parchment out of her bag and into my hands. "What's this for," I ask.

A smile splits the unicorn's muzzle. "You're the only friend I have who hasn't written a report to the Princess." My confused look only makes her giggle. "It's a special assignment. When one of us learns a lesson about friendship, we write a letter to Princess Celestia telling her what we learned. It's become a bit of a tradition."

"Sure," I say, "but right after this I need to start studying these tablets. I've got a lot to catch up on."

"Of course."

Dear Princess Celestia

Sometimes I can be so preoccupied with my responsibilities that I can neglect my friends. When it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders it becomes difficult to recognize when I'm in over my head and need help. This past week, a lot has happened to remind me that while my duties are my own, I don't have to face them alone.

As a side note, I have recently discovered some ancient artifacts that, while rightfully mine, are a little difficult for me to store and maintain on my own. I think I can trust their care to you and your sister until I need them.

Yours truly,

Lanternlight.

Katara says: Thanks for being so patient. This story needs all the support it can get, so like, favorite, and comment so the author can get your opinions on where this story's going.
Rarity says: And of course you should recommend this fic to all your friends. Spread the love darlings!
Katara: Thanks for taking me to this spa, Rarity. I haven't been this relaxed in ages.
Rarity: You're welcome. When we're done here, we should stop by my boutique. I have some wonderful designs I would love for you to model for me!
Katara: …
Rarity: Um, Katara?
Katara: Zzzzz
Rarity: Oh, poor dear. You really needed this, didn't you. *looks around* What are you all still doing here? /:I

Finding Time

Now is the time. All of my study, all of my practice, every single solitary second of prep work has all been leading to this moment.

I take a deep breath and concentrate. A tingling sensation runs up and down my spine as magic travels through my chakras, just as the tablets said it would. Exhaling, I run the energies through my body to the contact point. Lines, each painstakingly painted on the surface of the object glow with yellow light. The spell is complete!

The paper square in my hand glows softly. I can't possibly contain my grin.

With a little magical nudge, the homemade charm in my hand stops glowing. Another lights it up again. The spell is working like a, well, like a charm. I do a little victory dance after turning my paper lantern off and setting it down on my desk.

I happily collapse into my armchair. The last few weeks have been one big blur of studying, studying with Twilight, and finally the preparation of the spell. Add that to all the hectic events that normally occur in Ponyville and that equals one exhausted Guardian.

Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I took a day 'off'. Well, I tried once but I got talked into babysitting the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not exactly the most relaxing way to spend a day.

Today is actually the perfect day to spend doing nothing at all. The pegasi had deposited a fresh layer of snow last night. My pony friends are all either busy to visit or content to do their own thing today. I hear opportunity knocking.

A quick glance out my loft window confirms that nothing's making its way up from town to disturb my day. I lock my door just to make sure, then go to my kitchen. A day like this needs peach blossom tea!

Meanwhile, at the library, Twilight Sparkle is having a good day. She's reading some research materials for her latest project, her library is clean and organized, and most importantly Big Mac has taken the time to come over. The two are so deep in snuggle territory they could apply for immigration. The big red stallion has his nose deep in his own book.

The intimate silence is suddenly broken by a green-tinted belch from upstairs.

Startled, Twilight turned her head and shouted through the walls. "Spike, is anything burned!"

"No!" the young dragon shouts back before running down the stairs. The unicorn couldn't help but notice the scroll held in her assistant's claw. Or the fact that he is heading straight for the door.

"Is that a letter from the Princess?" Twilight's question brings Spike to a screeching halt.

"Uh, yeah?" When he spots the eager look in his caretaker's eyes, the dragon quickly hides the rolled up parchment behind his back and begins blabbering. "It's for Pinkie Pie though, and it must be important if she sent it through me. I'm going to make sure it gets to her. I'll be back in a bit."

The door slams, leaving a pair of very perplexed ponies alone in the library.

Twilight sighs. Spike has been behaving strange lately. Maybe it's because of Big Macintosh? Spike did seem extra grumpy whenever the red stallion came over. Maybe it was part of Spike's dragon instincts coming to the surface? The unicorn knew from past experience how territorial adult dragons could be, and her little Spike was growing up. Maybe she should have another talk with Zecora the next time she visits the zebra's hut for tea.

Her melancholy transforms to something else entirely as she realizes something.

"Hey Mac?" she says as she turns her head slightly and gives him a Look.

He knows that Look. It excites and terrifies him at the same time. "Eyup?"

"We're all alone right now." Her face gets closer to his.

"Eyup."

"Quiet day, nopony around to disturb us…" She edges closer.

The door proves her wrong by choosing that exact moment to burst open, revealing a cheerful orange earth pony and a hovering cyan pegasus. "Howdy y'all! Who's up fer some hot cider?"

"Nope," Mac says softly under his sister's voice.

"Horseapples," Twilight curses under her breath. "Hi girls, come right in," the unicorn says in a cheery and only slightly sarcastic voice.

Rainbow chuckles as she flies over to the room's central table. "Hope we didn't interrupt anything," she teases, receiving a pair of flat stares from the couple. AJ, conveniently busy pulling something out of an insulated saddlebag, misses the entire exchange.

Curiosity draws Twilight over to the table as the orange mare places a pitcher-sized thermos on the wood table. She places one hoof on the side of the container to feel its temperature, then takes a small but appreciative sniff at the steam wafting from the spout of the vessel. Mouth watering slightly, Twilight turns to her friend to say, "This is wonderful, Applejack. What's the occasion?"

"Ain't no occasion Twi," the farmer replies. With a few adroit flicks of her tail she slides four mugs across the table to each pony. "It's a bit of a tradition that my brother an' me started. Every heavy snow we take the afternoon off and catch up over some warm apple cider. Thought you might enjoy the company."

The unicorn smiles and takes a seat at the table. "Then I accept your invitation, AJ. Although I have to ask, what are you doing here Rainbow?"

Dash's answer is cut of by the farm pony. "Ah swear this one can smell our cider from a mile away. Wasn't halfway to town before she came flyin' over to ask me where I was goin' and what Ah had in my bag."

"Hey, you were the one who packed an extra mug," the pegasus countered. The other mare put on her most innocent face, which caused Twilight to break into giggles.

Big Mac steps up to his own seat and pushes his mug forward. "What are ya waitin' for, sis? Fill 'em up."

The mugs are filled and the ponies begin drinking. Twilight finds she enjoys listening to Mac and Applejack talk while the cider warms her up. While the siblings talk about their farm and family, Rainbow starts a conversation with Twilight about the fiction series she recently started reading. It is a rather pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

"Hey Twi, Ah got somethin' Ah've been meaning to ask ya." AJ says after talking a while with Big Mac.

"Sure, what's up?"

The orange mare's face gets a little serious. "We got our tickets for the shindig that the Princesses are throwing in Canterlot next week. Ah just wanted to ask ya what ta expect."

Twilight tilts her head to the side, confused by the farmer's request. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, shoot. Ah ain't no good at this." AJ quiets down as she carefully puts her mind together. "What Ah mean is how do we handle the other humans that show up? Lanternlight has always been awfully dodgy when we try to ask him what his folk are like. Ah just wanna be prepared for 'em is all. Bein' at a fancy party again ain't gonna help me feel settled neither."

The unicorn considers the presented conundrum for a bit before answering. "I think the best thing for us to do is just to keep an open mind and but our best hoof forward. There's not much we can do other than that."

Dash refills her mug while she indulges her curiosity. "So what do you think these other humans will be like?"

"Don't know, we'll find out when we meet 'em," Mac states sagely.

"Yah, but come on, let's at least guess. It's not like the ones we meet at the banquet will be the only ones we ever see." The pegasus takes a sip of cider before continuing. "We don't know how many are gonna be coming to Equestria before this Return spell thingy is done. Some of them are probably gonna be moving into Ponyville, so we should get used to the idea of meeting new humans. Y'know, make plans to include them in stuff like Winter Wrap-up and Nightmare Night."

Intrigued by the pegasus's suggestion, the unicorn begins to give into her compulsion to theorize. "Hmm. You're right about that Rainbow. We should get used to the idea of having more humans around. They could bring a lot of changes to Equestria."

Applejacks eyes narrow suspiciously. "What kinda changes?"

Remembering how rooted in tradition Applejack and her family are, Twilight frantically waves her hoof in a frantic attempt to allay her friend's fears. "Nothing bad, it's just… well, look at everything Lanternlight's done around here. He might live out of town, but the town feels a little safer with him around. He's fought monsters, looked for missing ponies, and he keeps the other predators away from the outskirts. Not to mention the information we got from the ruins on Sword Peak! Humans had some fascinating insight on how magic works!"

At the mention of 'the M word,' Dash rolls her eyes and grins. "Let me guess. You've been helping Double-L get through all those tablets we hauled down from that mountain, all so you could learn all you could about his magic?"

"Ya nailed it right on the head, Rainbow," Mac smiles mischievously at his marefriend's blush.

"That's not the only reason! And besides, we're learning together." Dash looks at Twilight disbelievingly. "Anyway, the tablets contained some fascinating information. The humans studied the way magic acts within the body thoroughly. They hypothesize that magic flows through the body in a network of pathways and nodes called chi. This network is rooted to the points were magic enters the body, known as chakras. Each chakra…"

"Boring!" the pegasus interrupts the unicorn before she can begin lecturing. "I swear, you can be as bad as Pinkie Pie sometimes. I wanna know what you think about humans, not their magic."

Applejack smiles at the antics of her two friends. "Ah agree with Dash on this one, sugarcube. More guessin', less lesson."

Her momentum broken, the scholar sighs melodramatically. "You two are no fun," she says with a false pout. "Well, what do you want to guess about?"

Ever practical, the farm mare kicks off with the most important subject in her mind. "What'll these other humans do? Ah mean, Lanternlight is the town's Guardian but he's also kinda explorin' what it means to be human round here."

Twilight wracks her brain for an answer. "That will depend on each human, and what they chose for their duty."

Dash snickers as she asks, "Duty?"

"Yes. Celestia told Lanternlight that a human gets his or her Mark when he or she decides to dedicate his-or-herself to a cause or purpose, as opposed to discovering a special talent. Said dedication is called the human's duty. Hence the term 'Duty Mark.'"

Mac picks up his marefriend's lecture. "Lanternlight wants to protect everypony from the dangers in the dark, an' when he realized that his Mark appeared. He even picked up a new name fer himself afterwords."

"So what yer sayin' is a human will take whatever job fits their duty best, like ponies an' talents?" AJ tapped a hoof pensively. "Makes sense."

"Duh, but what'll it be like?" The pegasus lifts her gaze up to the ceiling. "I wonder if one of them will be a fast enough for me to race. That would be super awesome."

"Humans can't fly sugarcube."

"Nope."

Ignoring the Apple siblings' cold logic, the daredevil turns to Twilight. "What do you think, Twi? Can't you see me and a human in a race, neck-and-neck, dodging obstacles, crossing the sky so fast that the audience head spins? I would win, of course, but a race like that would get me into the history books for sure!"

"We'll see," the unicorn responds evenly. "Honestly, I'm more interested in seeing how much a human's elemental affinity influences personality traits. So far Lanternlight has been correct about humans attuned to Fire being exceptionally driven."

"What's all this about elements?" Applejack asks in confusion.

Before Twilight can launch into another lecture, the unicorn's body loudly reminds her that she skipped breakfast today. Her growling stomach brings the room to a halt before everypony erupts into laughter.

"Cm'on sugar, ya can fill us all in over lunch." Mac stands and leads the mares into the kitchen.

With exaggerated care I place the tomato slices on top of the layer of onion. Satisfied by their position, I stack a pair of lettuce leaves over that. With the placement of the top slice of bread my sandwich is finished and I cut it into halves. That done, I check my oven to make sure that my homemade french fries are not burning. Satisfied, I pour myself another cup of tea and wait for the final piece of my lunch to finish cooking.

This is the good life.

*Ding*

"There! All done," Rarity proclaims with no little satisfaction. She gazes upon the finished product in front of her, proud of a job well done and a self-imposed challenge completed. Secured around an improvised mannequin is the final product of nearly two months of planning, designing, redesigning, and constructing. Lanternlight's suit, ready for the rapidly approaching banquet.

The suit was an exquisitely tailored three-piece ensemble, with cape. First of all, the jacket. Rarity had chosen a thick material of a deep burgundy color, to accent the colors of the human's Duty Mark when it manifested on the cloth. The unicorn had been thrown a bit when she discovered the mark's ability to manifest over coverings, but she had quickly adapted. The pants were made from the same material in a slightly lighter shade. Through a bit of effort and a few well-spotted bargains, the dressmaker had secured enough brass to fashion buttons and cufflinks for the suit jacket. The shirt under the jacket she had decided to shape out of sunny yellow linen. Lastly, a red silk necktie bound the shirt and jacket together, accompanied by a brass tie pin with a small but brilliant blue sapphire. The burgundy cape draped over the suit and was secured at the shoulders, the edges trailing down to a point near the wearer's knees.

Scattered around the room are several other outfits the designer created for her friends and clients, all for the upcoming celebration. She had never been so in demand before.

Unable to contain herself any longer, the overjoyed unicorn squeals before giggling and bouncing up and down in place. "Rarity, you have done it again! All this work finished with time to spare! It might of got a little close to the wire, but all that extra effort paid off in the end!"

Stopping her excited bouncing, she turns and begins prancing around her workroom. "I can just imagine the reaction of the ponies at the banquet when they see Lanternlight walk in. Even better, the humans will be thrilled to see the work of a designer who has such obvious skill."

Throwing a hooded cloak over her shoulders with magic, the unicorn stands awkwardly on her hind hooves and alters her tone of voice. "Why, look at that man in the suit! Such a marvelous piece of formal wear!"

Jumping to a different location, Rarity continues her one-pony play. "And to think all I could find that fit me are these rags!"

"I simply must find the one who made that outfit!"

"Uh… hello?"

"Indeed! I will have to order two outfits from that designer!"

"Rarity?"

"I'm sure the mare who makes such exquisite clothing is worth traveling any lengths to meet!"

"Excuse me, Rarity."

Finally noticing the soft voice speaking at her from the door, the amateur thespian quickly drops down to her normal posture and hides her blush by straightening out a dress. "Oh, Fluttershy. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

The shy pegasus smiles and ignores the fact she just witnessed her best friend acting like a filly in a school play. "Oh, it's no problem at all. I just stopped by to make sure you were ready for our spa day. Because you've been so busy lately I thought you might need to be reminded." The mare stops for a second as she realizes the possible implications of what she just said. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to say that you're forgetful or anything."

"Don't worry dear, your concern was well-founded." Feeling relieved, the unicorn turns to face her friend, "And your timing is impeccable. I just finished tying up some loose ends here, and I was so excited I almost forgot our appointment. Just give me a moment to lock up and we'll be on our way."

"Take your time, you don't need to rush for me." Fluttershy takes a moment to admire the dressmaker's crafts. "These are so beautiful. I'm amazed you got them all done so quickly."

"I won't lie, it was a trail. The late nights will all be worth it though." A key floated out of a drawer at the unicorn's magical bidding. "Now let's get to the spa darling. I feel like celebrating!"

After closing the boutique and slipping into her winter gear, the unicorn followed her friend towards the Ponyville Day Spa. As they walked through the quiet streets they enjoyed a comfortable silence. The pair never really felt the need to chat in the street, heaven knows Fluttershy would be terrified to be overheard by anypony she didn't know. Maybe that is what surprised Rarity so much when the pegasus breaks the silence.

"Um, Rarity… I don't mean to pry or anything but…" She stumbled her way through several more false starts before finally blurting out her question. "Do you ever get the feeling that Lanternlight might be lonely?"

"Lonely? Whatever gave you that impression?" The pair's hoof-steps echoed off the walls surrounding the nearly empty street. Occasionally a pegasus would dart overhead or a pony would trot past as they traveled from one island of warmth to the other, but for the most part the two might as well be alone. "I know he had a bit of trouble fitting in at the beginning, but it seems like Ponyville has well and truly taken him in. It's like he's always lived up on that hill."

Slowing down a bit to consider her answer, the pegasus falls a bit behind her friend before speaking up. "Well, I know that, but he's still the only human that we've heard of. And I can see how hard it is for him when he makes a joke or says something we don't understand. You should see how the animals react to him. Dogs and cats like him fine, as do some of the birds, but anything that lives in the wild won't go near him. He and Angel bunny don't get along very well."

"He is a predator Fluttershy, as much as we like to forget that sometimes." The delicate sensibilities of the unicorn shudder at the memory of the human's eating habits. "We can't fault him for that. It's in his nature, as well is the frankly morbid sense of humor he derives from it."

"That's exactly the point I'm making," the pegasus's voice raises about two decibels. That is fairly shouting for the shy yellow pony. "As good of friends we've been to him, we are still ponies and he's not. He needs to see others of his kind, or I'm afraid of what will happen."

"He's not exactly living in total isolation. I understand where you're coming from though, I remember the whole drama with Rainbow's griffin friend. Gilda, was it?"

"How do we help him, though? I mean, we are already trying so hard to make him feel welcome and comfortable. What if that isn't enough?"

"Have you forgotten already my dear? The reason the Princesses are holding that banquet in the first place is because Lanternlight is just the first of many. Why, I've already heard rumors of two humans arriving in Canterlot already. I bet in a year or two our friend will have more human contact than he can stand. As the first of them to officially become a citizen of Equestria, not to mention all that effort he's put into mastering his mag- Uhg, bending. He may just become something of a celebrity among his own kind."

"That would be, um, nice. As long as it doesn't go too far."

"He'll have us looking out for him, and perhaps one or two human friends who'll be willing to help by that time. I'm sure between us we can chase off any paparazzi if it gets too intense."

"Really? You think more humans will want to move here?"

"I might be a bit biased, but no town I know can compete with Ponyville when it comes to a place to live. Our home has a certain charm. Not to mention how events always conspire to make things a bit interesting every now and then."

"No kidding."

The two mares share a laugh before a cold wind blows down the street. Rarity shivers as the cold draft cuts through her saddle, blanket, and coat. The unicorn doesn't remember the point when they stopped walking but they are standing just two blocks away from the warmth and comfort of the spa. "Brrrr. Why do they have to make it so cold this time of year? Let's hurry to the spa."

"Oh yes," Fluttershy agrees as they begin trotting towards the tent-shaped building. "A warm bath would be just heavenly."

Nothing beats a nice, long soak in the tub after a big lunch. Which is, coincidentally, exactly what I'm doing right now.

I stretch out, enjoying the feeling of being submerged up to my chest in steaming water. I've always wanted to have a big tub to soak in, ever since I began to outgrow the tub in the old house. My apartment back on Earth just had a shower.

Huh. That's a new thought, 'back on Earth' instead of 'back home'. Maybe I've finally accepted the idea of living in this world for the rest of my life. Not that I really had a choice in the matter, but as they say, 'Acceptance is the first step towards moving on.'

It still makes me sad to think about all the people who I might never see again. It would be nice to send a letter to my parents letting them know I'm all right or something like that. They might not have been the best, the divorce certainly hadn't made it easy for me to spend time with them what with all that custody bull shit, but they tried their hardest and they have their hearts in the right place. Then there's the guys. And Karol.

Damn it I need to stop thinking about her.

Focusing back on the moment, I notice that the temperature of my bath has dropped from comfortable to lukewarm. A little firebending gets the steam rising from the water's surface once again. A few more minutes can't hurt.

Pinkie Pie jumps out of Sugarcube Corner's kitchen to report to her employer. "That bunt needs a just a few more minutes Mr. Cake," the cheerful young mare says to the orange colored stallion sitting behind the bakery's counter.

"Thanks Pinkie," Carrot Cake responds. He can't help but smile, the energy of his employee/boarder/all-but-adopted-daughter as infectious as always. Taking note of the time on the clock above the bakery's sitting room he turns towards the kitchen's swinging doors. "Let's trade for a bit. I need to check on the test batch of cookies for the banquet anyway."

Without hesitation or bothering to cross the space in between, the pink mare appears behind the counter. "No problem. Oh! Could you save me one of those? Or two, or four, or eight, or sixteen? They smell super yummy."

"I'll bake a batch just for you if they turn out right. Call me if you need any help." The baker disappears behind the doors to ply his trade.

"Okeydokeylokey!" With the day being as slow as it is, Pinkie honestly doesn't think she would need to disturb Mr. Cake for any reason. But on the other hand, you never know, ya know. The mare giggles at what she just thought. She had grown to like some of the things Lanternlight said without thinking. Sometimes he would say every-body or every-one instead of every-pony like most of the town did. That is kinda funny, but in a good way.

A ringing bell brings the pony to attention. "Hi Spike," she greets the little dragon as he walks into the bakery. "What brings you to Sugarcube Corner today? Got a craving for something sweet and warm to chase the cold away?"

The kid perks up at the mention of sweets, but quickly shakes the impulse away. "Sorry, not today Pinkie. I actually came over because I got a letter for you."

"A letter like 'Ididmyburpy-fwooshthingandaletterpoppedoutanditwasforyoufromthePrincess' or did Ditzy Doo accidentally give Twilight my mail again?" All said in the space of about one second, so it takes the purple dragon a bit to process the pink pony's reply.

"Uh, the first one, I think. Here," Spike presents the rolled up scroll to its recipient, who takes it from him with her typical enthusiasm. His task completed, the dragon starts to leave but lingers near the door. "Uh… Pinkie? Can I stay and help you look after the store for a little while?"

Sensing something off about her little friend, the pony puts her royal message aside and turns her entire attention towards Spike. "Thanks a lot for offering, Spikey, but today's such a chilly day everypony is staying home where it's toasty-warm and cozy so we're not very busy. The only reason to be out right now would be to have a snowball fight or play snow forts or go sledding. But it's so cold out that it would only be fun for a teensy tiny little while. I remember just last year the Crusaders and I went out and had a super-fun day in the snow and ignored every shiver from our bodies, and we all got sick. Being sick is no fun, because then all you can eat is vegetable soup, which is good but let's face it it's no cupcake. I tried to make veggie soup cupcakes once. I made such a mess of the oven and Mrs. Cake was so mad that she…"

By virtue of several similar experiences, the dragon simply lets the rant wash over him. Knowing that the pink chatterbox had hit her stride , he begins backing out the door. "Okay, I'll just see if Rarity needs help with anything then."

"… so I learned never to let a wallaby spot for me. Why don't you want to go home?"

The sudden question brings the young dragon to a full and complete stop. "Uh, well, um… I just…" He stutters like that for a while under the merciless blue gaze of Pinkie Pie. "Okay, okay! Big Macintosh is at the library again, and Twilight's spending time with him today. I just… I don't want to bother them, that's all."

"Oh, Spike, that's whats bothering you?" Pinkie asks in sympathy.

"Kinda," he responds. He taps his claws together before asking a question. "Um, Pinkie? Why do things have to change?"

Now it's the pony's turn be struck speechless. She recovers lightning-fast and shouts into the kitchen. "Mr. Cake!"

The stallion runs out of the kitchen in a panic. "What? Is there another dragon on the loose? Incoming Parasprites? Elder evils from beyond the limits of space and time?" The orange pony got a good look at some purple scales as an equally surprised baby dragon is shoved in his face by a pair of pink hooves.

"This is a sweets emergency! I've got a dragon that needs a plate of snicker-doodles and a cup of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, stat!" Pinkie whisks the dragon away to a table, sitting down across from him and staring at him with an unnervingly serious expression. "Oh, and that bunt cake is probably finished by now"

Recovering from what he and his wife have come to call 'Pinkie Shock,' Carrot Cake turns around and returns to the kitchen. He has a pretty good idea what his employee is up to. One did not live under the same roof as Pinkie Pie without picking up on some of her ways.

The pony and dragon pair sit in silence for a few minutes. Spike considered leaving just before Pinkie started talking. "Okay Spikey, I need you to listen to me. I am being completely, absolutely, one-hundred-and-twenty-thousand percent honest with you. Change is gonna happen whether you want it to or not. That's just how it is. You can't control when, or how, or where, nobody can."

The dragon's mouth opens to complain, but his elder holds up a hoof to forestall him before he can get a word out. "What you can control is how you react to it. You can accept the change and adapt to it, or you can try to fight it. And believe me, nopony is ever happy if they try to fight change. I know cause I tried."

"Back when I first got my Cutie Mark, my parents were very happy for me. But as time went on they realized I wouldn't be very happy with them. There's not a whole lot to party about when you live on a rock farm, after all. So one night they came to my room and told me that they were sending me to live with Papa's cousins in Fillydelphia. And was. I. Upset. I was just a little filly then, and I wanted to stay home with my parents and my little sisters, so I thew the biggest tantrum in the history of tantrums. I screamed, I cried, I locked myself in my room for days. I somehow got the idea that my parents didn't love me anymore. So I ran away. My parents weren't able to catch up with me, and eventually I wound up in Ponyville. The rest is history."

"What happened to your parents?" Spike asks through a mouthful of cookie.

"I wrote them when I first moved in with the Cakes. They were happy I was still alive and proud that I found a place to live where I can party my heart out." Pinkie smiles at the memory.

"That's great, but…" The dragon pauses to consider what to say next, idly pushing a snicker-doodle around his plate. "This is different. Big Mac and Twilight are getting pretty serious. What if they get married? Will Big Mac move into the library, or will we have to move to Sweet Apple Acres? What happens when they have foals? Pinkie, I'm not ready for all this to happen yet!"

"Whoa whoa Spikey, you're jumping ahead a bit don't you think?" Pinkie quickly snags one of the dragon's cookies and continues speaking through a mouthful of crumbs. "Not that it wouldn't be super-duper if Twilight and Mac tied the knot, and I would be so excited to be an auntie to their foals. I have so much fun looking after the twins already. None of that's happening for a while though, not if Applejack has anything to say about it."

Spike looks up from his hot chocolate to say (though a beard and mustache of whipped cream), "But how do I deal with it when it happens. I don't think I'll ever be ready."

Pinkie considers this latest conundrum, then answers, "Well, look at Lanternlight!"

"Huh?"

"Think about it, he's probably the best example you have of somebody who's gone through a big, sudden change. He was just walking along one day, minding his own business, then Poof! Suddenly he's in a whole new world he doesn't understand, Princess Celestia tells him that she doesn't know how to send him back, or if she did that he wouldn't just get poofed right back here again, and what did he do? He decided to start learning about this world instead of moping about it, that's what! Now he's got a house, a job, and he's going to be the first ever human magician. Well, not the first ever ever, but the first in a really really really really long time. Double-L chose to adapt to what changed rather than try to fight against it."

Trying to wrap his brain around that idea, Spike polished off the cookies and hot chocolate. "Um, thanks for the talk Pinkie. I should probably go home now."

"Okey dokey lokey. Don't worry about what Twilight and Big Mac decide to do. No matter what happens you'll never stop being her Number One Assistant! Wait! Can you take these cupcakes over to the library? You guys need to keep more sweets around." The pink baker drops a tub full of confections into the dragon's arms and waves goodbye as he walks off into the clear winter day.

Satisfied that she has soothed her friend's worries, for the moment anyway, Pinkie returns to her station behind the counter. She spots the royal letter laying where she abandoned it, and with blinding speed picks it up, breaks the seal, and begins reading.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehehehehehehehehehe!"

The sound of Pinkie's squeal causes Carrot Cake to peek out of the kitchen. "What's going on now?"

He is greeted by one of the biggest grins ever to grace the pink party planner's face.

"This is going to be my best. Party. Ever!"

I wake up with a start. The book resting on my chest slides off and lands on the floor beneath the couch with a thump. Groaning, I stretch the lethargy out of my limbs and pick the book up. I kinda wish that nap had lasted longer, my couch is especially comfortable today and the evening sun has warmed it up just right.

Actually, I feel like making myself dinner. Best get that started now.

"I believe that wraps up the dinner menu, along with the guest list and security arrangements, and the after-party is out of our hooves," Celestia says with satisfaction as the last of the chefs are escorted out the doors of Canterlot's throne room.

"Thankfully," her younger sister yawns. Luna holds a steaming cup of coffee with her magic. "Why did you wake me up for this again?"

The white alicorn smiles at her still groggy sibling. "This is a very important celebration we're planning, Luna. As I remember, you were the one who insisted that we commemorate this occasion."

"I understand that part, Tia. What I mean to ask was if you could not have delayed these matters until a reasonable hour." The Princess of the Night cracks another wide and distinctly unladylike yawn. "This is seriously cutting into my, how does the phrase go, beauty sleep?"

Celestia rolls her eyes and pokes her sister in the side just as the dark alicorn takes a sip of coffee. The touch tickles the younger princess, causing her to spray a fine black mist an impressive distance down the white-tiled room. Much to the long-suffering annoyance of the attendants, but neither royal pays it much mind.

"Don't be such a prima donna. I only woke you up at five in the afternoon, and you have to raise the moon soon because of the winter schedule anyway. Besides, you can't say you haven't been enjoying yourself." A certain twinkle enters Celestia's eye as she talks.

Blushing slightly, Luna carefully dabs the lingering drops of coffee from her lips with a kerchief. To buy some extra time to compose herself, she turns her attention to cleaning up the rest of her spit-take. "Well, the return of an entire species from magical exile is not exactly a regular event. I feel that we should make this night a special one for all involved."

"I quite agree. Now," Celestia nods to the seneschal, dismissing him and the rest of the court for the evening, "let's get tonight started, then we can get to work on the day's paperwork."

"Very well," her sister says noncommittally. The two alicorns stand and stretch out before making their way out to the balcony. From there, the castle's immaculately kept gardens are visible, and beyond that stretches western Equestria in a patchwork of farmland, prairie, forest, and mountains. The sun sinks beyond the horizon to be replaced by the cool silver light of the moon in the eastern sky.

Celestia turns around and began to reenter the castle, eager to finish her last few duties and get into her bed for a full night's sleep. Luna lingers, however, looking around the gardens in search of something. It only takes a few moments for the elder Princess to catch on to her sister's behavior.

"Luna, is something wrong? Have you seen something?"

Her sister's concerned voice breaks the alicorn's focus. "I… No sister, I did not see anything tonight."

"Tonight? That is a suspiciously specific answer."

Knowing better than to try to evade the subject now that her sister had caught her, Luna decided to be completely honest. "I might just be seeing things, but every now and then I get a glimpse of… something."

"Do you know what it is?"

"No, it never lingers long, but I know what it looks like. A male human, in white robes. His hair and beard flows in an unseen wind, like our manes."

That catches Celestia's attention. "When did you see this human last?"

"A few nights ago, when I found Tabitha out in the mountains." Luna sees her sister's mind processing this information and interrupts when she starts speaking, "Yes, when I spotted him, I flew closer to try to get a better look, and that played no small part in my discovery of the girl."

The two alicorns sit in silence for a few minutes, letting their minds catch up with each other. Finally, the younger spoke up. "Do you think he is really…"

"Maybe, but probably not," the elder answers. "It is most likely a contingency built into the Return that helps ensure that its subjects survive and help them to acclimate. At least, that's what I would do if I were in his situation."

Luna's eyes lower and she leans into her sister, simple contact holding as much significance as a full embrace. "You very nearly were."

Celestia nuzzles her sister, and feels a little more of an old wound heal. "The circumstances may have been nearly identical, but the actions he and I took were vastly different. As were their consequences." Naturally falling out of the embrace, the white alicorn leads her sister back into the warm light of the castle and their waiting duties. "But that's enough dwelling on the past. How is Tabitha doing, by the way?"

"She has recovered nicely, and the orphanage has taken her in without much trouble. Miss Kinderheart has reported that the girl is having a difficult time adjusting. Perfectly understandable, considering her circumstances."

"You seem to have taken a shine to her. I hear that you even paid to get her new clothes, including a rather expensive dress for the banquet."

"It was the least I could do, sister. She was so lost when I found her. The last time I visited her she told me that she had run away from her home in the other world. It pains me to think what would drive a child her age to flee her parents in such a desperate way."

"A sad tale, to be sure, but we can do little but try to steer her towards a brighter future. And have you managed to contact our other guest?"

"The Guard had a hard time finding him, he has been staying in a different hotel every night. I don't think he is aware of the effect geomancy has on him yet. But he received the message and sent a reply that he'll plan on attending, and thanks us for the stipend we provided. According to Shining, he is a very polite individual."

By now the Princesses have arrived at their shared office and taken their seats at their respective desks. The conversation is punctuated by the scratching of quill pens and the dry ruffling of paper as the royalty attend to the bureaucracy.

Luna continues to speak even as she goes over the reports from her Night Guard. "There is already talk of a third human living in Canterlot. Apparently there were a few complaints filed with the Night Guard by some of the residents in the Upper District about a month ago. Something about thunder sounding late at night."

"Somepony probably took in the human and want to keep it hushed up until the banquet."

"They're doing a poor job of it. Several sightings of a strange bipedal creature have been coming in from the Upper District recently. I think whoever's been housing this 'surprise' guest is having a hard time keeping an eye on him or her."

"What estate is the closest to these sightings? We may have to intervene if somepony is planning to use this individual as part of some kind of power play."

"My best guess: the home of a pair of… hereditary financiers? A husband and wife named Jet Set and Upper Crust."

Celestia giggles, "Oh those two. Don't worry about it. Whatever those two might have planned they are in way over their heads already. It should prove entertaining to see what kind of," the millennia-old Sun Princess snickers, "'plot' they have up their sleeves."

The more serious nocturnal sister raises an eyebrow at her sister. She hates it when Celestia acts like this, she really does. "And the human they might or might not be planning to use for this 'plot' of theirs?"

"When the dust settles we'll take the appropriate action. If he or she is an adult, then we provide him or her with the stipend and send him or her on his or her way. But if the human is a child, then we take the same path as we did with Tabitha. Simple as that. Remember, Luna, we stopped playing politics a long time ago."

The dark eyebrow is raised again, this time in doubt rather than exasperation.

"That doesn't mean it's not fun to watch," the white-coated alicorn says innocently.

Deciding that she has had enough of her sister's mischievous sense of humor for now, Luna buries herself in her paperwork. She uses a set of tax reports to hide a smile from Celestia, however, because she is just as excited as her sister to see what will happen at the banquet. The next week will pass like molasses for both of them, no doubt.

Arching through the air, I bring my right heel down on the ground hard. The flying axe kick sends a shockwave of yellow and red flames along the ground. Not waiting for my momentum to break I immediately launch a flurry of fireballs from my fists, twisting up and to the right. Finally I end the sequence by creating a swirling orb of fire around me. When the flames die I am no longer at their center, twenty-five feet to the west and back in the center of my practice area.

God I love that trick.

I turn to the west, where I can just barely make out the last glowing fragments of the sunset behind the craggy hill that shelters my home. Putting my right fist into my palm, I bow. Bidding good night to the Sun, the source of all firebending, ends my practice routine. The chill air immediately latches onto the sweat staining my shirt and I shiver. Perhaps my next big project will be to build a dojo so I don't have to practice outside on a freezing day. Like today.

The good news is that my fireplace is already lit and crackling in welcome as I come back in. Soon I will take my second bath for the day and then do a little light reading in bed with my new paper lamp. Honestly, it was nice to take a day like this. I feel nice and de-stressed after all that work I did to cast my first spell.

Fact; studying with Twilight Sparkle is not for the faint of heart. Or people who like to get a decent amount of sleep. Big Mac and Spike saved my ass from sleep deprivation more than a few times the past week.

On my way to the bathroom I spot a pile of mail waiting for me by the front door. Deciding now's a good a time as any, I pick it up and begin to sort through it. After a couple bills, a letter from a Canterlot newspaper I immediately toss into the fire, and some kind of offer from 'Flim Flam Incorporated' (you might want to change your company name there guys) that becomes more fire fodder, I find a very strange piece of mail.

"You are cordially invited to, blah blah blah, on the day of… to be hosted at Canterlot Palace in honor of the Return of the Human Race!"

I re-read the invitation in shock. The most ridiculous thing about this is I completely forgot about the Banquet. And it is next week. As in within a period of seven days. Every human in Equestria is invited to it, and I've been too involved in my study of magic and advancing my bending prowess to notice all the little clues. I'm a bit worried about the party and how the other humans are going to act, granted.

Right now I'm more concerned that Twilight might be contagious.

Tomorrow I'll go into town and check in with my friends, get my head together, and prepare for the banquet. A week is plenty of time to plan and start coming up with topics of conversation for when I meet these other humans. No big deal.

For now, though, bath and sleep. I need both of those things if I'm going to be at my best.

I wonder who'll be there?

Princess Celestia says: Thank you all very much for your patience. The author had a very hard time coming up with an update for this story. As usual we ask you to like, favorite, and comment so he knows he's doing a good job.

King Boomi says: Don't forget to recommend this fic either, so we can get more readers in this thing. Believe me, things are just getting interesting, and I know interesting.

Celestia: Speaking of interesting, Boomi, your outfit is…

Boomi: I know, isn't it great. It's the latest style from Ba Sing Se!

Celestia: I don't think it's the right size for you, though. And the color, well…

Boomi: Hmmm, it does feel a little small now that I think about it.

Celestia: Actually I meant to say it is…

Boomi: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! *riiiip*

Celestia: Oh my. 0_0

Boomi: Like what you see?0u<

Night of Their Lives, Part 1

"Are you certain the jacket fits comfortably? I'm a little worried it might be a bit tight across the shoulders." Rarity fusses, trying to tug my outfit around with her magic while our group makes its way to the Ponyville train station.

For my part, I just keep fighting down the temptation to bop the white unicorn on the horn. "The suit fits perfectly, Rarity. Now stop messing with it so I can walk in a straight line." Blue sparkles stop appearing on my clothes and the designer grins sheepishly. "Thank you."

"Woohoo!" Pinkie bounces ahead of the rest of us. Her outfit flounces along with her movements as she runs and bounds about. "We're gonna have so much fun, and the food is going to be so yummy because it's a banquet put together by the Princesses. I'm so glad the Cakes gave me the night off because they're catering and now I won't get in trouble for eating any of the food before it leaves the kitchens…"

The rest of us follow the hyperactive pink mare. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Big Macintosh, Rainbow, Spike, and even Fluttershy, all of us dressed to the nines and ready to rub elbows with the best and worst of Canterlot high society. I look up to the mountainside capitol, the white walls gleaming in the late afternoon sun. Mac notices my hesitation and falls back to walk next to me.

"Nervous?" he asks.

"Yup."

"How come?"

"Just wondering what it's going to be like when I finally meet these other humans." Nerves and uncertainty cause me to run a hand through my hair. "Nothing's ever certain when it comes to my kind, Mac. Literally anything could happen."

"In a castle surrounded by the best of the Royal Guard, watched over by both Princesses of Equestria." The big guy raises an eyebrow, challenging me to come up with a counterpoint.

I sigh, "You have a point there, Mac. I'll just have faith that it'll all turn out for the best. Thanks."

"Eyup," he says and trots to catch up with the mares. We reach the platform and we talk amongst ourselves to pass the time. A few more well-dressed ponies gather around and wait for the express train to pull into the station. I turn my gaze upward to the castle city once more.

This is going to turn out to be an interesting night.

I've got to hand it to the Princesses, Canterlot Castle is much more impressive up close. The walk up to and through the castle gates gives me the appropriate impression of the power and prosperity of the nation the building's residents rule. The drawbridge is a nice touch too, few castles have a moat that turns into a waterfall.

The ponies and I enter the main hall last, letting the other Ponyville guests enter ahead of us. Up a short staircase the two rulers of Equestria stand regally, greeting each guest that climbs up to the entrance to the ballroom and party grounds past them. It's a good thing we're the last in line, because we get special attention.

"Twilight Sparkle, I am so glad you could come!" Celestia greets us warmly. She's looking just as gentle and powerful as ever, although now I have a better understanding of the power I feel flowing from her. "Of course I'm happy to see the rest of you as well. Luna and I are very grateful that you all took the time to be here tonight."

Luna steps forward and addresses me, "You would be Lanternlight, I presume?"

"Yes, your Majesty," I say as I put my right fist into my left palm and bow to the sisters. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Luna."

Perplexed by my odd mix of manners and casualness, the night princess answers. "Likewise, sir. I believe that this is your first visit to Canterlot. How do you find the city?"

"It is certainly a unique and striking place, especially at sunset."

Celestia smiles like I said something funny. "Yes it is, I think the white walls pick up the colors of the sky nicely. Now, as you are the last guests to arrive we should go in and mingle for a while before they bring out dinner." Twilight and I glance at each other while the other ponies agree and walk into the crowded ballroom with Luna.

"Excuse me Princess, but Lanternlight and I would like to have a word before you get too busy." The purple unicorn looks very nervous, but that's understandable since she probably thinks she's making demands of her teacher and idol. She can be a little weird when it comes to Celestia.

"Of course," the white alicorn says.

We wait until the others are inside the ballroom. Once the hall is empty of everyone but the three of us, I ask the question that has been plaguing me for a week. "How many?"

I don't have to elaborate. "There are three other humans attending the banquet tonight; a man, a young woman, and a little girl. None of them appear to be hostile or have ill intent towards the ponies or each other. You can rest easy, Guardian."

I let out a breath that I never realized I'd been holding. Celestia's a good judge of character and I already know she wouldn't let anyone or anything within sight of Canterlot if it was going to hurt her subjects.

"Are there any humans who have come to Equestria but are not attending the banquet?" Twilight asks. "Surely more have come back than just four by now."

The white alicorn sighs and furrows her brow. "That's a much more difficult question to answer. The three here are the ones we know have been living in Canterlot for the last few months. We know of at least ten others who have appeared in cities and towns scattered across the country. I believe that there are many more that arrived in the wilderness and remain there still. After the banquet, Luna and I intend to send out search parties to comb the countryside for any lost humans."

"Thank you Celestia, I feel a whole lot better now that I know that you're handling this seriously," I say.

"Do you have so little faith in me, my brave human?" Is she teasing me? If so, she's got the best poker face I've ever seen.

"Having faith is one thing, knowing is quite another," I say humorously, testing the water. To my slight surprise that elicits a short laugh from the white-coated princess. "I should go and mingle. I'll see you at dinner."

"And I should find my brother," the smaller purple unicorn says, much to my surprise. "We really need to catch up, and I want to introduce him to Big Macintosh. If I can find you before dinner I'll introduce you too, Lanternlight."

I kinda feel sorry for Mac. "Sounds good," I say as we both enter the crowded ballroom. Peering over the sea of colorful heads, backs, and formal wear, I begin my quest for something that has eluded me for the last three months.

Human interaction.

A few minutes of fruitless searching later, I get yanked aside by Rarity. "There you are, Lanternlight. There is somepony here that you just have to meet." She's got my hand enveloped in her magic, making it almost impossible to escape. So I just go along with it.

The unicorn pulls me across the room to a small crowd surrounding a dapper, blue-maned unicorn stallion. The surrounding ponies are all well dressed and hanging off of the stallion's every word in a way that is almost disturbing.

"Fancy Pants, may I introduce my friend and the guardian of Ponyville, Lanternlight," Rarity lifts a hoof daintily in my direction. "Lanternlight, this is Fancy Pants, a very influential financial advisor in addition to running his hereditary toy company."

"I say, it is absolutely smashing to meet you good fellow," Fancy Pants says as he nods in my direction. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you have built quite a reputation for yourself. Everypony in Canterlot has heard of your deeds, defending Ponyville from a monster attack and unlocking what was probably the most tantalizing archeological site in the nation being the two best known. Very impressive if I do say so myself."

The crowd around us murmurs in agreement, their curious looks causing me to break out in a sweat. I'll take another Landshark attack over being the center of attention like this. "I was just doing my duty sir."

"Humble, a very admirable trait in a stal… oh, my apologies," the unicorn stallion clears his throat and corrects himself, "in a man." Fancy's entourage choruses its own approval but Rarity notices my nervous fidgeting and speaks up on my behalf.

"Lanternlight has many admirable traits, the last few months have been rather interesting as we have gotten to know him better. Speaking of which, may we pull you aside and have a talk in private?" The unicorn directs a quick but blood-freezing glare at the ponies surrounding us. "It will only take a few minutes. We would never dream of frittering away your precious time on ourselves, dear."

If anyone in the crowd has any objections the words die in their mouths when they catch that blue-eyed gaze. Fancy Pants himself appears to be oblivious. "I can always make time for you and your friends, Miss Rarity."

The three of us walk away, exiting the room and entering a little side hallway that probably connects the party rooms to the kitchens. A few ponies trot past here and there but the hall is mercifully empty. I sigh in relief, happy to be away from the crowd.

"I usually just ignore them," the unicorn stallion says slyly as we walk by a pair of servants carrying trays of drinks.

"Huh?" I must sound so intelligent right now.

"Those ponies. I find it much easier to deal with their kind if I just imagine they aren't really there every now and then. And they truly aren't, in a subtle but very important way." We stop in front of one of the castle's many tapestries and the conversation really starts. "Now my lad, I must ask what you think of Canterlot so far?"

"It's a lot bigger than it looks from Ponyville, but I like it. There's a lot of interesting architecture, especially around the castle."

The stallion grins and polishes his monocle on his waistcoat. "It's always nice to know that one's hometown has made an impression." The monocle is replaced and he turns his attention towards the mare accompanying us. "And of course it is always a joy to see you in town, my dear. You're looking just as smashing as always."

Rarity blushes a bit and bats her eyelashes even as she waves off the compliment. "Oh, you flatter me sir." The two of them share a laugh, making me feel like a third wheel. "And how is your lovely wife Fleur doing? I haven't seen her yet tonight. Is it true what I've heard and you two have finally…"

"Fleur, couldn't come tonight, I'm afraid." Fancy's voice grows quiet with emotion. "She needs time to recover from the… accident."

Okay, if I'm understanding this situation right then this just got a whole lot more awkward. I kinda want to comfort the guy, but from the look in a certain white and purple unicorn's eyes she's already on the case. Then I see a way to gracefully extract myself from the conversation.

"Excuse me," I say as I walk away from the two white unicorns. Fancy Pants nods solemnly before he begins to pour his heart out to Rarity, who stands ready to comfort her famous friend. Purposefully ignoring their conversation, I make my way over to the man standing by the door to the kitchens.

He is a rough-looking man, only a few inches shorter than me and packed to the brim with muscle. Brown hair streaked with a few strands of iron grey top his head and form an impressive mustache, both of which look as though they have been groomed recently. His eyes are a warm, earthy brown that glows slightly. His suit is a fine-pressed but battered navy blue dress uniform, bedecked with a few military medals and emblazoned with sergeant's chevrons on the shoulders. An old scar runs across his right cheek from underneath the eye almost to the ear.

From this angle I cannot tell if he has a duty mark or not, but hopefully it will come up in conversation.

"Hello, sir. I've been looking for you."

The man nods at me and adopts a neutral stance, his arms relaxed at his sides. He's ready if I try to start trouble, but isn't looking for it. "Hullo. Heard that there would be another bloke at this party." British accent, obviously military, and sizing me up while I do the same. "You the one that was in the papers a few weeks ago? Lamp-light or summat?"

"Patrick Vjorskir, Lanternlight, royally appointed guardian of Ponyville and amateur magician." Introduction done, I put my hand forward and look him in the eye.

After a few tense seconds, the man grips my hand in my own and gives it a firm but friendly shake. "Sergeant Brian 'Ironsides' MacLond, retired from Her Majesty's Special Air Service. Pleasure to be meeting you. You American? Your accent's right but the surname throws me right off."

"It happens a lot," I laugh, "my grandfather was Norwegian and smuggled himself across the Atlantic under an assumed name. What about you? Scottish?"

"On me Mum's side, but I was born and raised in Wales." He grins at me and speaks in English rather than Babel, "Now we're both immigrants to a land of pastel-colored, magical, miniature horses. Me old squad would be laughing their arses off if they could see me now, they would."

"If it means not being lost in the wilderness or dropping into Griffon territory, then theoretical ridicule is a small price to pay." I respond, also in English.

"Got to say lad, you're a good bit younger than I expected. Reminds me of some of the lads I booted out of Selection back on Earth." Brian gives me another appraising look. "They say you've been here the longest. You must know a thing or two about livin' here, right?"

"After almost four months? I certainly hope so. I'll answer your questions if I can."

"Okay, first off: where can a red-blooded man like meself get his hands on a nice steak or three around here? All these greens are fine, but I need a bit of meat to round out the old diet, y'know?"

I grin at that question. "Okay, this might be unpleasant for you to hear," I immediately reconsider that statement. "Probably not though. Equestrian law states that all civilized carnivores have to hunt wild animals for their meals. The ponies do keep livestock but it's more a matter of partnership than domestication. So there are no butcher shops, no pre-packaged steaks, and certainly no burger joints. I recommend investing in a good bow and knife."

The other human sighs sadly. "So if I want a bacon sandwich..."

"Oh, don't get me started on bacon," I groan. "The only wild pigs in the area are boars, and those guys are almost more trouble to take down than they're worth. Almost."

Brian laughs. "Looks like I'll get some use out of my survival training yet."

"Lucky you. Anything else you want to ask?"

"Err, yeah, it's about a problem I've been having. Sleeping." The former SAS operative gives me a cautious glance but otherwise refuses to reestablish eye contact.

"Oh, that. That's one of the weirder things about living here, and I had trouble with it at the beginning too. Basically we have to sleep in a geomantically active area in order for our bodies to rebalance our natural magic flow," I say proudly, finally getting a chance to show off my hard-earned knowledge.

"Huh?" Brian asks in confusion, completely deflating the confidence I had built up. It also reminds me that I need to establish what he does and doesn't know.

"Okay, you know how unicorns use their horns to move things around?" The man nods, prompting me to continue. "That's one of the most common expressions of a force called magic, and it is everywhere in this world. It's how the pegasi influence the weather and earth ponies maintain the land. Every living creature here can influence it and is influenced by it. Humans included."

"So if I don't sleep in a place with a lot of ambient magic, my body gets all confused?" he asked, looking a bit confused himself.

Knowing anything more in-depth would either go over his head or take way too long to explain, I just say, "That's one way of putting it." With a smile and a nudge I begin to guide him back into the party proper. "Let's go talk to the Princesses about finding you a place to live. Who knows, they may even offer you a job!"

How hard can it be to find towering, majestic, flowey-maned alicorns in a crowded castle? Pretty difficult, actually. Brian and I have spent the last fifteen minutes making our way through the ballroom, garden, and a few of the lounges and sitting rooms that the party has spilled into. Neither of us have seen hide or hair of the two ponies we seek.

So with little else to do, and to distract myself from the crowds around us, I start up a conversation. "So I see you have your mark already."

"What now?" he responds, a bit distracted. To clarify I point to his back, where a metallic grey crusader shield is emblazoned. The shield itself is covered in dings and spots of rust, but it gives the impression of unyielding solidity. Noting where I'm pointing, the sergeant rolls his eyes. "Oh aye, that ruddy thing. Been there since I got to this world. The ponies always seem to think it's important for some reason."

My brain hatches a bit of a plan, all to confirm a little theory I have. I change the subject a before I give in to the impulse to explain Duty Marks directly. "So how did you get your call-sign, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh that's a story, lad," Brian taps his nose and grins at me as he launches into his tale. "T'was my first op with the SAS, and we had to extract some hostages from the arsehole of South America. I had point as we crept up on the compound where some terrorists were holding hostages, including some British embassy workers. Some blighter spots us and takes a pot-shot. The bullet ricochets offa me cheek," he pats the scar on his face, "but I hardly felt it at the time and just took the shooter out."

"You should have been knocked out, at least," I say with no little astonishment.

"That's not all. When the op started to go south I ran interference while the others got the hostages out. Ran around the place firing me weapon, cursin' up a bloody storm, and drawing all kinds of fire. Me squad was shocked as hell when I made the rendezvous. Medic took one look at me and told me that I was lucky to be alive. I had been shot forty-six times. Thank God Almighty for body armor, it stopped most of the bullets and the rest missed anything vital."

"Why Ironsides though? Would have been just as easy to call you Tank or Juggernaught or something like that." We peak into another lounge while I speak.

The ex-SAS man chuckles. "I was raised by me Mum to be a real gentleman, one of those real old-fashioned ones. It didn't escape the squad's notice either, especially when officers or ladies were about. So they dubbed me Ironsides after those old warships from the late 1800's."

"Clever," I say, ready to clinch the point. "What made you decide to distract those terrorists all by yourself?"

Brian scratches the back of his head. "I don't know if I can answer that right. I mean, I'm a soldier, trained to kill and perfectly aware that my life could end at any moment. It comes with the job. But that night, those terrorists had dragged civilians into a battlefield. They never asked for that danger, the uncertainty of whether or not they will make it to see the next day. I knew, right at that moment, that I had to keep those people safe. Don't matter if I have to use me own body as a shield, I'll keep innocents safe from harm."

I snap my fingers as he finishes his sentence. "And that is why you have your mark!" The other man gives me a look that is equal degrees confusion and exasperation. With a smile, I explain the meaning and significance of a Duty Mark and the old tradition of taking a name after earning one. He gets it as we continue walking, having abandoned our search for the moment in favor of the conversation.

That is, until our talk is interrupted by my favorite lavender unicorn.

"Lanternlight!" Twilight shouts from across the room, waving one hoof frantically to get our attention. Brian, or Ironsides, points in her direction. I shrug and lead him through the room to Twilight's group. With her are both Big Mac and Applejack, along with two ponies that I am not familiar with. "Lanternlight, this is my big brother, Captain Shining Armor of the Canterlot Royal Guard." A unicorn stallion almost the size of Mac gives me a big smile and a nod, "And this is his wife and my sister-in-law, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire."

A pink alicorn with a yellow, pink, and purple mane rolls her eyes and lifts her hoof for me to shake. "Just call me Cadence, please. Who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Brian MacLond, Ironsides. Formerly a sergeant in the United Kingdom Armed Forces Special Air Service regiment. Brian, I'd like you to meet Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Big Macintosh." I point to each pony as I introduce them.

"A pleasure to meet you all. Ladies, Your Majesty," he sketches a bow to Cadence before casually saluting Shining. "Captain."

"Sergeant," Shining salutes back. "Nice to meet you Lanternlight. Twilight sent us a few letters about you. It's always good to hear that my sister is making new friends."

"Shiny," Twilight groans.

"Nice to meet you too, Captain." I shake the unicorn stallion's hoof and fall into the conversation, keeping an eye out for any figure that might be the other two humans present. As time goes on the group splits into two different conversations. Ironsides and Shining discuss military stuff while the rest of us look on.

"Well, it looks like they hit it off," Cadence observes dryly.

"No kidding," Twilight responds, rolling her eyes as the two soldiers blather on.

"So Twilight, you're finally dating!" The pink alicorn's sudden change of subject causes freezes both the purple unicorn and her big red coltfriend in place. "And with such a handsome gentlecolt too. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I… w-we… uh," the lavender unicorn stammers for a few seconds before her anxiety explodes. "Mac, Shining, BBBFF, fighting, ruin party, Gala all over again. Disaster!"

Macintosh pats his panicking marefriend on the back, "Calm down sugar. No need to panic." The big guy guides his significant other through the process of recovering from a panic attack. Cadence and I share a chuckle at the rather typical sight.

"Oh, you two are very good for each other," the princess says through her laughter. Done teasing the couple, she turns to see me looking around the room and the smile dissapears from her face. "Oh… I'm sorry Lanternlight, are we keeping you from looking for someone?"

Caught, I shrug and wave her concern off. "I'm just trying to find the other humans here. See if I can help them at all."

"If it helps, I think I saw the younger girl in the sitting room across the hall."

I take a few moments in the hallway to study the girl before I approach her. She looks to be no more than ten or eleven years old, with black hair and ocean-blue eyes. The dress that hangs from her gangly frame looks to be a hastily modified pony dress made of felt. The outfit is a shade of purple that would give Rarity an aneurism. She kicks her legs against the seat she's occupying, studying the empty room with the bored expression of a kid waiting for something interesting to catch her eye.

Might as well give the kid something to do. Tapping my knuckles on the doorframe to get her attention, I step into view and give her a smile. "Mind if I join you?"

I don't know if she's surprised at being approached by another human, or that I'm even asking her permission at all. "Uh, sure," she says uneasily. She watches me carefully while I take a seat on the fainting couch across from her.

"My name's Lanternlight," my hand extends forwards. "I live down the hill in the village of Ponyville."

The girl eyes my hand warily before giving it a brief shake. "I'm Tabitha." She releases my hand and reclines back into her couch. "Are you the man that's been in the newspapers lately?"

"That would be me, yes."

"Did you really fight off a giant monster?" There is a spark of interest growing in her eyes.

"To be honest, my friends and I tricked it into a trap and had the Guard haul it away. And it wasn't all that big." My humility is lost on the girl, who begins to lean forward.

"Is it true that you were the first one here?" she asks.

"The first that we know of. Humans might have appeared outside of Equestria before I was zapped in." This girl's questions are starting to remind me of a certain unicorn.

"Do you know how we got here? Obviously magic, but what kind of magic?"

Latching on to a topic that would let me segway into others, I begin to lecture. "That's a long story, Tabitha. Long ago a man called Ignus ruled over the humans of this world, and in the aftermath of a civil war he cast a spell to…" A squeal from the girl cuts me off before I can get very far.

"We can cast spells? We get magic?" She jumps off the couch in her excitement, all but shoving her face into mine. "What is it like? Do you know it? Can you show me how to use it?"

As rapid-fire as her questions come, this girl has nothing on Pinkie Pie. "Yes, obviously, long answer, I do, and maybe." Tabitha quiets while her brain processes my answers. Seeing an opening, I pounce on it. "My turn! How have you been doing here in Canterlot? Are you feeling all right, any problems sleeping or anything?"

The girl sits back down and averts her eyes, clearly uncomfortable with answering my questions. "Uh, I'm fine. The princesses helped me get settled. They even made sure I had a place to sleep and everything."

"Really," wow, those two really are on top of things around here. "So where are your parents, still on Earth or do you know if they will be coming later?"

"Doesn't matter to me," she says with the kind of anger only a kid her age can hold. "My real mom and dad are dead and my foster parents never really cared about me anyways."

O-kay, the kid has an issue with her pre-Return life. Good to know?

Before I can make any effort to console the girl or even apologize for unwittingly bringing up a sore subject, someone barges into our little bubble of awkwardness. A unicorn stallion almost as tall as Shining and Mac steps into the room, his blonde-maned head held high. He gives the two of us a condescending gaze before making a shooing motion with his hoof.

"If you two creatures would kindly leave, I require some privacy. All these commoners have already ruined my day and I don't need two glorified gorillas making it worse." Why the… He doesn't even have the courtesy to mutter that last part. Just stated it right to our faces.

"Hey, we were here first!" Tabitha says with perfect playground incredulity. The snobby unicorn is taken aback.

I sigh, wondering how I keep getting into these kinds of situations. "I'm sorry sir, but the young lady and I are having a conversation. I don't know what your opinion of us is but there is no call to be rude." Regardless of what one might assume, diplomacy is an important skill for a martial artist to practice. Less people get hurt that way.

Despite my efforts to disarm the situation, the unicorn remains annoyingly affronted. "How dare you beasts talk back to your betters. Do you know who I am?"

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting you before." Believe me, we would both remember the encounter.

"I am Prince Blueblood, nephew of Princess Celestia herself." He tosses his head and I swear he uses something to make sparkles out of nowhere. "You may beg for forgiveness now."

Yeah, it's getting more difficult keep myself from toasting this guy by the second.

Tabitha beats me to the punch, not literally, thank god. "Okay, well, what do you do?"

"What?" Blueblood asks, his ego easily punctured.

"Well, if you're a prince, then you have to be in charge of something, right?" Blueblood's right eye twitches. "Like protecting Canterlot, or the Royal Guard." I see a little bit of red creep up under his white fur as the little girl continues to innocently belittle him. "Even maybe running the nation's money. It'd be embarrassing if your aunt didn't think you could do anything." There is a sound not unlike a steam whistle as the ne'er-do-well prince's face twists into a mask of rage and embarrassment.

My instincts and self-imposed training take over, throwing me between the pre-teen girl and the enraged unicorn stallion. My body tenses and I ready to make the first strike the minute I see his horn light up.

But that doesn't happen, because the unicorn bursts into tears right in front of us.

"Y-you shouldn't speak to me like that. Just you wait, I'll tell my auntie and have you thrown into a dungeon!" Openly weeping, Blueblood runs out of the sitting room like we had just set his tail on fire.

"Does Canterlot even have a dungeon?" Tabitha asks me in confusion. I simply shrug in response.

At that moment the far more regal Princess Cadence walks in, looking down the hallway that her relative just galloped through. "What happened?"

"I have no idea," is my honest answer.

The pink maned alicorn shrugs off her confusion and speaks to me. "Lanternlight, dinner's almost ready and they'll start seating any time now. You should probably go to the gardens and get some fresh air. You're smoking."

I glance down at my balled up fists, only now conscious of the smoldering heat emanating from my knuckles. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." As we leave the room I shake my hands to dissipate the lingering heat and magic. When I part ways with the girl and pony, I hear Cadence introduce herself to Tabitha.

My walk through the halls of the castle is a long one, maybe because now I have nobody to distract me from the curious stares of the ponies that I pass by. Luckily the trip to the nearest garden does not take long. The cold mountain air clears my head immediately, allowing me to take a few minutes to enjoy the night sky and the moonlit view of the immaculately kept grounds from a terrace.

I lean against the railing and take a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet before plunging back into the party. Why am I wound so tight tonight? Sure, being in a castle full of people (or ponies in the local parlance) who I don't know and who are paying extra attention to me is part of it. There's also the fact that, from Twilight and company's stories alone, I have a sneaking suspicion that large celebrations are trouble magnets in Equestria. I'm half expecting a dragon to come roaring through the walls at any second. Not that I would have half a chance to leap into action myself with the two elder princesses here.

Still, I have the sense that something important is about to happen. Maybe not catastrophic, but important.

The door behind me opens and closes, heralding the arrival of a new visitor to the terrace. Oh well, the privacy was nice while it lasted.

That's when I hear a very familiar voice say, "Holy crap, Patrick?"

Sokka says: To be continued.

Rainbow Dash: Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.

Sokka: Very nice.

RD: Thanks.

A special thanks to Bemmo for agreeing to be my editor.

Night of Their Lives, Part 2

I see her there, silhouetted in front of the doors, making this meeting seem unreal.

She's changed. Her hair's grown out a little from the severe pixie cut she favors, but not much. The light reflects off of her now silver-white curls, a drastic change from the inky black they were back then. Eyes that were once brown now shine a bright sky blue in the shadowy night.

But she's still a tiny thing, barely five foot tall and built like a willow branch. People have called her 'petite' before but they were just being generous. Despite that she always holds herself like she can take on the world all by herself. I can recognize that moxie anywhere.

"Karol?"

She smiles and leaps at me, enveloping me in a tight hug and almost knocking me over in the process.

"Oh my god, it is you!" she says into my shoulder. Her grip tightens around me like I could vanish at any moment.

"It is me," I brilliantly observe, "and it's you. I mean, you're here."

The hug suddenly ends and Karol drives her fist into my upper arm. "You're damn right I'm here! I just spent the last month being sheltered by a pair of stuck-up, high-class, pastel-coated, miniature unicorns! That can talk! And did you know that the cows talk, donkeys talk, and apparently mules too and I don't really want to think about that too much because of the things that are implied just by their existence. The longest, most interesting conversation I've had since I've got here was with my 'host family's' guard dog. Pat, what the hell is this place?"

"Another world," I reply, rubbing my abused bicep.

"Care to elaborate there, Sherlock?"

"Later, it's a very long story and I'm too happy to actually see you again to really get into it." To spare my arm another beating I take her hands in mine. Just like that she relaxes, the tension flowing out of her body and one of those smiles graces her face. You know the one, the kind a girl gives you when she thinks you're being cheesy and sweet at the same time.

"Well, I'm happy to see you to," she admits. "And wow, look at you being all swanky. I've got to say, the cape's a nice touch, makes you look all dramatic and swashbuckley."

"And you look…" My voice falters now that I've finally noticed what she's wearing. "Goood…" Oh my god, a pink silk dress with a metric ton of lace at the neck. A pouffy skirt with a bustle on the back and… A bow. A big pink and red bow tied at the small of her back. "T- I'm sorry, I can't finish that with a straight face," I snicker, trying my very hardest not to break out laughing at her dress.

"I know right?" Karol steps back and gives a little twirl to give me a good look at the pink monstrosity. "If you think this is bad, you should have seen some of the other stuff Upper Crust tried to force me into. Fun fact; saddles are not made with comfort or human posture in mind."

"What are designers thinking these days?"

"Oh, it gets better." She pulls up the skirt a bit and kicks out a ratty blue sneaker from the pink lacy curtain. "Social event of the year and I walk down the red carpet in my trusty ol' Converse. That'll make the society page."

A warm silence overtakes the garden as we grin at each other. All this time missing her, and now we're here together snarking and sharing laughs like nothing had happened. It can be intoxicating, being with somebody you love. Come to think of it, she's getting closer. I lean in and she reaches up…

Right on cue the sound of an opening door breaks the mood as a unicorn waitress pokes her head out. "Excuse me, but the seating has begun for the banquet." She is either oblivious of what she just interrupted or was actually trying to ruin the moment. "It is traditional for the guests of honor to be seated first."

Karol and I are blushing like teenagers at prom and awkwardly clearing our throats at the sudden intrusion. Karol even takes a step away from me in an attempt to appear more innocent. "Thank you, we'll be right in," I say tensely. The waitress nods and closes the door, waiting for us just on the other side of the glass.

Rigidly aligned tables fill the dining area, arranged in lines below a dais that elevates the Princess's table. The waitress leads the two of us up to our seats, just on Celestia's right. Tabitha and Ironsides are seated on the opposite side, left of Luna. While I sit down I can feel the jealous glares of one hundred of Equestria's politicians as they try weigh me up. I feel uneasy under so much scrutiny.

Luckily the closest table is filled with friends. Twilight, AJ, and Mac are sitting with Shining Armor and Cadence, while Rarity and Fluttershy are chatting up Fancy Pants on the table's other end. Dash and Pinkie take up the middle. The blue pegasus is chatting with an aquamarine pegasus with a yellow mane and tail, while the pink earth pony is rambling to a white unicorn and grey earth pony with music-related Cutie Marks.

The entire hall goes quiet as Celestia stands and speaks. "Good evening everypony. Tonight we celebrate a very auspicious occasion."

Luna stands as well, picking up the speech as Celestia drops it. "After thousands of years in a self-imposed exile from our world, Humanity is now making their return. Many of you do not know of these people. Few but the most dedicated of scholars know of the ancient stories of their time here."

"Indeed, and even those have been considered little more than myths for centuries," Celestia continues. "In light of this Return, my sister and I have decided to offer sanctuary, and citizenship, to all humans within the Principalities of Equestria."

The Princesses' announcement causes a torrent of murmuring to break out among the nobleponies, and I can see a few less elaborately dressed equines jotting down notes in pocket notebooks or on cocktail napkins. Another hush descends when Luna clears her throat.

"Humanity has much to teach us, but before they can do that they must understand themselves. For a few years they will be lost, unsure. We must help the men and women who will walk among us find their place in this world." Luna finishes by extending a wing behind Tabitha and Ironsides, while Celestia does the same with Karol and I.

"The four sitting at this table are only the first to accept Equestria as their new home. I urge you to welcome them warmly and treat them with the same respect you would any pony." The elder sister casts a knowing look around the room, likely to give any troublemakers present something to think about.

"Now, let the banquet begin," the Princesses finish in unison, flaring their wings. On cue the doors open and an army of platter-bearing waiters march in with the first course. Platters of salad are set on the table and a selection of dressings is presented. Wine is poured, napkins are tucked and soon the hall is filled with the sounds of cutlery and talk.

I still don't feel completely at ease, so I turn to Karol to hopefully distract myself from the crowd below. "So, how has your stay been so far?"

She pulls the fork out of her salad and uses it as a pointer. "You see those two yuppie unicorns over there?" I spot what looks like a high-class couple, a grey stallion and a dull yellow mare, chatting up a table of other aristocrats. Occasionally one or the other will shoot a nervous glance towards our table. "They're my 'hosts', Jet Set and Upper Crust."

"They sound, um, wealthy?"

"Oh, they're wealthy all right. Rich enough to keep me under lock and key for the last two weeks." Her grumbling is punctuated by stabbing her fork deep into the helpless, hapless salad.

"What?" My tone makes Celestia's ear rotate towards me.

"Oh, it was 'for my own good' they said," the ceramic plate tinks as the silverware punctures its vegetative armor. "To 'give me time to adjust', and 'learn about Equestria'. Do you know what they taught me?" Another stab. "Etiquette!" Stab. "Politics!" Stab, stab. "Any time I wanted some fresh air I had to sneak out. It was like I was a teenager living with a pair of overbearing parents. It seriously pisses me off." She then bites the salad off her overloaded fork and chews with all the pent-up frustration she can muster. My own salad remains untouched as I am too busy trying to figure out how to set the stallion's tail on fire and make it look like an accident.

The sudden appearance of a griffin startles me out of my train of thought, mostly because he is somehow sporting a whiplash mustache on his beak. "Bonjour, I am Gustav leGrand, Chef and baker extraordinaire!" Gustav bows to our table, sweeping one wing over his chest. "By ze Princesses' commission I have prepared a selection of, ahem, special dishes for your main course."

With a flourish, Gustav presents four small menus in his other wing. One of the unicorn staff levitates them into our hands. A casual perusal reveals some pretty weird things. "Chimera steaks, Leviathan fillet, haggis?"

"Most of these animals are myths where we come from and you get hung up on haggis?" Karol whispers.

"It's gross," I whisper back. What, it's a sheep's stomach! I know the carnivore's creed in Equestria is 'waste not want not' but, ew.

Twilight tilts her head towards the table. "What is it?"

"You don't want to know," Karol and I answer in unison.

"How rare are these?" Ironsides pipes up from the other side of the table.

Gustav grins at the question, "Ah, you are a gourmet I see. Quite a few of these dishes were very hard for the hunters, led by my very own nephew, to acquire. But if you would like something a little more hard to find, we might be able to locate something on short notice, oui." The griffin puffs his chest out and fiddles with his mustache in pride.

Ironsides gives the chef a bemused look. "Actually, I was asking how they are cooked."

A very disconcerting look of surprise pops onto Gustav's face. "Cooked?"

Karol drops her menu.

"Ah, yes of course that is what you meant," the griffin says nervously as he frantically tries to salvage his reputation. "Why, uh, that very much varies with the dish, but I and my staff will certainly prepare it to your order."

Ironsides gives me a mischievous glance, to which I respond with a grin and a nod. "If that's the case, I would like a Chimera steak. Medium well, please."

"Might as well give those ribs a try," the ex-SAS man grunts. "Medium rare if ya please."

Our mustachioed chef nods eagerly. I can already see the wheels turning in his head as he turns his attention to Karol. "Anything for you, mademoiselle?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Can I have some chicken nuggets?" Tabitha asks innocently. Gustav stands there poleaxed, trying to decide if he should be insulted or confused.

Luna leans over towards the girl and whispers, "I believe it would be best to stick to the menu."

After a decent — if haphazardly cooked — steak, three more courses and another speech by the Princesses, the event returns to its former atmosphere, meaning that everybody breaks up into murmuring little cliques and disperses into the halls and sitting rooms of the palace.

Consequently, I can gladly surround myself with familiar faces instead of the curious eyes of strangers. The Ponyvillians have all gathered in one of the larger rooms, with the addition of Cadence, Shining Armor, Karol, and a lone Fancy Pants. I introduce Karol to everybody and she is immediately cornered by Rarity, who takes it upon herself to console the woman about her incredibly unflattering dress. "Pink," Rarity says, "simply is not your color."

"Poor girl didn't stand a chance," AJ chuckles.

"Eyup," her big brother agrees.

Meanwhile, another sibling pair is having a far more in-depth conversation, one that I can't help overhearing because of Twilight's nearly panicked babbling.

"You're really okay with me dating Macintosh? Are you sure you're not going to get overprotective and try to chase him away or…"

"It's fine, Twily. Mac seems like a decent guy and it looks like you two really like each other. What kind of brother would I be if I got in the way of that?" Shining says, causing his sister to sweep him up in a grateful hug.

The sudden screech of feedback shatters the room's privacy, and it is not long before the culprit's amplified voice follows. "Good evening everypony! My name is Pinkie Pie, and do I have a very special evening planned for you all! At the request of the Princesses I have arranged a super extraordinary, post-banquet, Welcome to Equestria After-party! Anypony who wants to attend, please gather in the ballroom and be prepared to have a ton of fun~!"

Having used the distraction to escape the conversational grip of Rarity, Karol sidles up to me. "Thank god, I thought I might never get away from her." Seeing my grin she gives me a bit of a glare.

"I didn't say anything," I say in a mock innocent tone.

"Somebody should have warned me beforehand."

"I have no idea who you mean."

"Uh huh," she gives me a playful look before continuing. "So what's the deal with this whole after party thing? I didn't think stuff like that happened at the Castle."

"Actually," Twilight pipes up, "Princess Celestia has been holding events in the castle for years. They've been pretty exclusive to high society for the most part, but if Pinkie's handling this one it should be open to everypony."

AJ senses Karol's confusion and elaborates. "Pinkie's a friend of ours, and the best party planner from here to Las Pegasus."

"No joke," Cadence says, hooking a hoof around Shining's and pulling her husband close. "Our wedding reception was a hit thanks to her."

"One does not simply miss a Pinkie Pie party," Rarity states smugly.

"Sounds good, I could use some time to unwind." I'm not surprised at Karol's eagerness, back on Earth she used to be a real party animal. She spent a lot of nights trolling downtown clubs, crashing house parties, and seeking out new venues. It has always been something she loved to do, she told me a few months before I was pulled here by the Return.

"Let's not wait waste any time, if we're late then we won't get any cake," I say.

"Ooh, cake," Karol says with two hands on her stomach and a hungry gleam in her eyes.

The ponies take the lead as we all head for the ballroom. Cadence takes up the rear of the little herd, and after taking a quick peek at us bipeds she spreads her wings and picks up the pace. The others all start walking faster in response but give the Princess a confused look.

"Err, I really want to get there before the cake is gone," she says in excuse.

I don't know if it is the sight of Cadence's open wings or the notion of hurrying or a combination both, but Rainbow gets a gleam in her eye and a wicked grin on her face. "Well, if you want to get there so badly, we can just fly there and leave these ground-bound slowpokes in the dust." Cadence is clearly taken by surprise and the blue pegasus uses the opportunity to carry on. "Although, you don't have to. If your wings have gotten weak from sitting on a cushion all day it's not really your fault."

Cadence instantly goes from uncertain to sly, "Oh, I might be a little rusty, but I can still keep up with you, Miss Dash."

Still grinning broadly, the rainbow-maned pegasus gets aggressively close to the taller alicorn, "Only if I take it easy on you, Princess."

"On three?" the princess challenges with one raised eyebrow.

The racer grins evilly and takes a ready stance facing down the hallway. "One."

Cadence takes a stance beside her. "Two."

The rest of us gather around the impromptu starting line; Twilight has her face in her hoof as if she wants to vanish from this entire situation, Shining's reaction is somewhere between confusion and amusement, Big Mac has picked up a tiny blue flag with Rainbow's cutie mark somehow, AJ is just shaking her head in bemusement, Fancy Pants seems to be anticipating the beginning of the wing-race, Rarity's mouth and eyes are open wide as she struggles between being scandalized and incredulous, and Fluttershy just stands awkwardly to one side.

"Three!" A pair of blurs head off down the high-ceilinged palace halls leaving the rest of us standing windswept in the middle of a hallway.

Rainbow even completes the moment by shouting a taunt back at us, "Hurry up you guys! If you're lucky there might be some crumbs left by the time you get there!" As they turn a sharp corner I hear Cadence's joyful laughter echoing down the hall.

The first of us to move is Fluttershy, who removes her outfit's headdress and hands it to Rarity. This is enough to snap the white unicorn out of whatever state she was in and turn her attention to her pegasus friend. "Fluttershy?"

"I'm sorry," the yellow pony apologizes as she hovers up gently, "but I think I saw the Cakes roll out the MMM." And with that she floats gracefully towards the party.

"MMM?" Rarity gasps, her eyes sparkling. Fancy walks up next to the mare, who immediately starts stuttering, "Can you believe… I-I mean really, l-losing all sense of decorum… O-over something as s-s-simple as a cake. A scrumptious, one-of-a-kind, masterpiece of sugary perfection masquerading as a humble cake…" The unicorn stares down the hallway wistfully for a full second before tossing the headdress in her hoof over her shoulder and galloping after the others. "Oh, who am I kidding? I swear if there is nothing left of that cake before I get there you are in such trouble! Rainbow Daaaaash!"

"That's the spirit Rarity! Tally-ho!" Fancy rears and takes off himself.

AJ trots up beside Shining Armor. "Well partner, there they go. Looks like we're fallin' behind."

"Yeah, looks like we don't have a lot of time." Shining turns his head towards us and salutes. "Sorry guys, but it's every pony for themselves at this point." Before Twilight or Mac can react, their siblings motor down the hallway without looking back.

Twilight shakes her head, "Not even two minutes pass and everypony is already acting like they're schoolfoals again."

"It's one of Pinkie's parties all right," Mac states, nodding.

Suddenly, Karol begins giggling, bending over and putting a hand on her mouth to try and keep it all in. After a few seconds she can't hold it anymore and bursts out into a full belly laugh.

"Hahahaha, t-that was , ahahahahaha!" Karol gasps as she tries to squeeze a sentence between her fits of laughter. "The best thing, hahahahahaha, I've seen, heehehehehehee, all, hah, week. I need to hang out with you guys more often."

"Well, you're welcome to come to Ponyville any time you like," Twilight says with a friendly smile.

"I think I'd like that." Karol says.

"C'mon big guy," the unicorn bumps her big stallion on the shoulder, "we should go keep everypony out of trouble."

"Eyup." Mac starts following her down the hallway, before turning his head towards us. "Y'all can take your time catchin' up now." He says with a wink.

Karol quickly turns away and puts a hand over her mouth to muffle another fit of laughter. "Looks like somebody has a wingman."

"He's doing a better job than David ever did," I remark dryly.

The woman next to me grins and nods as we start walking again. "Yeah, I remember that whole incident at the…" A pair of unicorns cut off our conversation at the same time as they cut off our route to the ballroom. I recognize them as Jet Set and Upper Crust.

"Oh, Karol dear, there you are," the mare (I don't know which one's which) intones in a bored manner. "Let us leave the palace before we witness that country mare absolutely ruin the night with that dreadful party of hers."

"Indeed," the stallion says, already miles away in his head.

Karol narrows her eyes but puts on a friendly smile. "Actually guys, I think I'll stay for the party. It sounds like a really good time. I'll catch up to you two at the house, all right." Her response sets off the yellowish unicorn.

"Young lady, if you think we are just going to let you attend that barbaric excuse for a social event then you have another thing coming!" The pony steps close to the woman, getting as far into her personal space as possible without touching her. "We've spent weeks teaching you the skills you need to make it in Canterlot, and I for one won't see you waste them by spending time with low-class louts like those ponies from Ponyville."

Now the husband decides to speak up. "If you wish to destroy the reputation we so graciously built for you, then go right ahead. Just keep in mind that if you do so, then there may not be a place for you in our home anymore."

Blueblood has already eroded much of my patience for arrogant jerks tonight, and these two are quickly using up my remaining supply. Luckily Karol snaps before I turn the married morons into entitled unicorn flambe.

"Okay, I have had it with you!" Karol leans over to place herself right in the wife's face, causing her to back up in surprise and fear. "Let's get something clear right now. I am a grown woman, a physical, mental and legal adult who is capable of making my own goddamn decisions!" Her shout is amplified and accompanied by a suspicious gust of wind. "What I am not, is your teenage daughter. So I am going to that party, I am going to dance and sing and make a total idiot of myself! Hell, if there's booze then I'll even get drunk! Why? Because I can and there's not a damn thing you can do about it!"

Between the shouting, threatening language and howling winds Jet Set and Upper Crust have been forced into a corner by a human who is probably less than half their total mass. Both are very frightened and windblown, holding on to each other for dear life as Karol begins to wind down. "Now, I'm going to go to a party with my long lost friend, have a good time, and get back to the house so late that I'll have to get Franklin to let me in. We will discuss my future living arrangements tomorrow." The woman puts her bushy skirts to good use as she flounces off towards the party, but not before shooting one last insult over her shoulder. "Y'know it's just sad when your house guests can rely on your dog more than you."

I place my fist in my palm and bow to the shell-shocked couple. "Have a good evening," I say before taking my leave and heading towards the ballroom myself.

When I enter the ballroom I find Karol whispering with Rarity while the others gather around some of the many round tables scattered across the room. Shining Armor and Applejack are sitting on opposite sides of the table, a large pitcher of water and a plate of cubed salt between them. Rainbow stands by as if she's officiating some kind of contest between the soldier and the farmer, which is probably true considering her personality. Twilight and Mac are watching their siblings with the kind of tired resignation that can only be born from watching family members make stubborn fools of themselves one too many times. At a nearby table Pinkie is chatting away with Cadence and Fluttershy, while Spike and Fancy Pants are grooving away on the dance floor to the tunes of the blue-haired unicorn DJ performing on the stage.

A surprising amount of ponies dance, eat, and laugh under the flashing lights and booming music. The joy and revelry in the atmosphere is infectious. This is the first time I've attended one of Pinkie's large-scale parties and I have to admit that the mare's talents seem to know no bounds.

I approach the mare and woman whispering in the corner. "And what are you two plotting I wonder?"

Rarity immediately turns her head away and pretends to look innocent. Karol, however, doesn't even bother. "Sorry, no time to talk," she blurts before grabbing the unicorn and running off towards the stage. I quickly lose sight of them in the motion and noise of the party and decide to turn my attention to the table that the Apple and Sparkle siblings have claimed.

We soon became embroiled in AJ and Shining's salt-licking contest as the white cubes steadily vanished and Rainbow excitedly counted off each pony's score. Every so often one would pause and empty a glass of water to ease the intoxication that was building up in their system, allowing the other to build a momentary lead.

"If this goes on much longer we'll have to carry these two back to the train station," Twilight remarked dryly as Shining downed his fifth cube of salt.

At that moment the music suddenly cut, bringing a chorus of confused and disappointed shouts from the crowded dance floor. Lights dimmed, allowing a quartet of traveling spotlights to draw everyone's attention towards the stage. Each spotlight settles on an earth pony musician standing or sitting in front of an instrument. A final spotlight turns on, revealing Karol standing with a microphone in hand.

Her dress looks like she had taken a pair of scissors to it with a vengeance, the lace cut away and the skirt transformed into a ragged edge that still manages to be aesthetically pleasing. The bustle and bow have been done away with entirely and the sleeves appear to have been torn off at the shoulders. The look is definitely more in line with her personality.

"Good evening, Canterlot! Sorry about jacking the stage, but I thought you might want to hear some music from the world humans used to live in." Karol's announcement causes some curious muttering among the ponies in the room. "Some of you might be wondering why I'm doing this, so I'll just say that I love music. The right song at the right time can make you laugh, or cry, or get angry, or inspire you to get up and do something. So tonight I want to share that with all of you, to thank you for this warm welcome to your country. Tonight, I will make your hearts soar!"

She turns and nods at the stallion sitting at the piano bench, who nods back and begins playing his instrument. The tune is vaguely familiar, but I can't place it. At least, not until the woman begins singing.

"Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere..."

The ponies grow quiet as the song goes on, absorbing the lyrics and melodies of Earth Karol brings to them through her performance. Her passion grows throughout the performance, causing her to run and jump across the stage as she sings. By the end of the song she is breathless and the crowd before the stage is silent.

The silence stretches across minutes.

Then Pinkie leaps out of the sea of ponies and onto the stage, shouting, "That was fantastic! Oh, oh, do another one! Do another one!" Her last sentence is punctuated with a gleeful squeaky sound.

Karol looks out across the ballroom, meeting my eyes. I give her a smile and an encouraging nod, and am immediately rewarded when a heartfelt smile spreads across her face. "What do you say ponies," she challenges her audience, "do you want some more?"

Their response rattles the windows of the ballroom in their frames.

"YEAH!"

"Okay then, here's a little something written by a man named Freddie Mercury!"

"That was amazing! No performance I've ever done has been like that!" Karol is gushing as I lead her out into the gardens again. She's practically jumping with every step she takes, making it difficult to keep up with her.

"I just can't believe you were able to keep up with Pinkie of all ponies," I chuckle. Noting that our destination has been reached, I pull us to a stop and turn my gaze up towards the sky. Faint glimpses of the starry sky can be seen through the thick winter clouds over the city.

The lady at my side joins in my stargazing, still radiating energy and joy like a little light bulb. "I have no idea how I knew the words to that song, but once I got into it was just so natural." She gives a short laugh at the memory, "For weeks I've been hearing so much casual talk about how magical this world is, but I never really believed it before now."

"It kinda sneaks up on you, doesn't it? I guess they just treat it all so casually because a lot of magic is so everyday here." A rainbow blur catches my attention as it descends from the sky. "Speaking of which…"

A fluffy white cloud comes to a sudden stop in front of our terrace, its pilot reclining on its wispy surface. "Did somepony order a cumulus?" Rainbow grins smugly while polishing one hoof casually against the top of her dress.

Karol's eyes widen as she takes in the sight of the pegasus relaxing on the mass of vapor. "Wow. So that's how you guys control the weather." She steps up and extends one finger, probably debating whether or not to poke it. "Looks really soft. It's probably really comfortable," she says with longing jealousy.

"What are you waiting for then? Have a seat." She cocks an eyebrow at me in disbelief at my suggestion. "Call it a hunch." I say with a grin and a shrug.

"Don't worry, I'm here for back up. Even if you do fall through," Rainbow pauses when I give her a little glare, "which you won't; I'll catch you before your feet can make it all the way through the cloud."

The pegasus' boast seems to give Karol a little bit of confidence, as the woman puts on a determined face and places a hand on the cloud with a little more certainty. She's surprised when the vaporous surface yields slightly under the pressure of her hand. Slowly, she places her other hand on the cloud and gets a good grip, kicking one leg forward to sink the toe of a blue Converse into the white fluff and form a foothold. With a grunt she begins to haul herself up to the top.

The speed with which she rises surprises her, causing her to roll head over heels to the middle of the cloud with a bit of a squeak. Rainbow hovers up from her perch to get out of Karol's way. Once the white-haired woman recovers, shaking away some wisps that cling to her head, she curls her legs into a meditative position. A smile slowly grows on her face as her wonder builds.

Karol bounces up and down curiously, the cloud remaining in position but reacting with a springy compression like a well-used mattress. "This is so cool!" Her next experiment is to pull a tuft off of the main mass and bat it upwards. The three of us watch as the tiny white cloud slowly drifts upwards to rejoin its fellows in the upper atmosphere. "Patrick you've got to try this."

Trying not to put a damper on the woman's enthusiasm, I chuckle nervously and put my hands up. "Clouds aren't really my thing."

Rainbow lands next to Karol and says, "Yeah, he just gets to shoot fireballs and stuff like that."

Karol gives me a questioning look and I shrug "I'll explain that later." I'd really rather not explain to Karol how I figured out how to firebend right now. She'd never let me live it down.

Luckily I get bailed out by the ballroom door opening, revealing Twilight leading the ponies out with a sleepy Spike on her back. "Oh, there you are. I really hate to break this up, but we need to get going. It's late and we have to make sure those two goofballs get to the train station okay." She points to indicate AJ and Shining, the orange mare draped over Mac's back and the unicorn leaning heavily on Cadence as he struggles to walk in a strait line. Both are giggling like little kids, Er, foals.

"S-so then, Twiliy hid in her room while Mom tried to get our neighbor's cart out of the roof," Shining says, his words slurring slightly. "All the while the filly was panicking about 'being kicked out of magic school' and 'Princess Celestia forbidding her from studying magic forever and ever.'" The two intoxicated ponies burst out laughing. In front of me Twilight blushes in embarrassment.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up in a bit," I say, ignoring the two inebriated ponies still chuckling behind her.

Applejack stops laughing long enough to say, "Hey, have I told y'all about the time Granny caught Big Macintosh playin' with dolls behind the barn?"

"And that's our cue," Cadence says nervously, quickly pulling her husband along with the rest of them as the ponies walk (or in Pinkie's case, bounce) towards the Castle gates.

"We'll be waiting for you at the entrance, darling. Feel free to take your time," Rarity calls over her shoulder as she departs. Rainbow gives me a sly wink and flies off after our friends.

Now it's just me and her. An awkward silence stretches itself across the garden terrace before we both try to fill it. After a few fumbling false starts I finally clear my throat and say, "Well, I guess I should get going."

Karol fidgets around on the cloud a little before answering. "Yeah. I should probably, uh, head back too."

Another few seconds of quiet descends on us.

"You should come down to Ponyville sometime. I could show you around and explain this whole magic business a little better." I give her a hopeful smile.

Much to my relief, she smiles back. "That would be nice."

I can't think of anything else to say, so I mumble, "So I guess I'll be seeing you," and turn to make my way home.

"Hey."

When I turn back I am suddenly hit with all ninety-two pounds of Karol. Her arms wrap around my neck and she uses the momentum of her leap to hit me with a deep, heated kiss.

For a few wonderful seconds, my brain shuts itself off.

After she releases the kiss and lowers herself back to the ground, she puts her hands on either side of my face. "You've been owing me that for three months." She lets go of my head and steps back. "I'll be coming down to Ponyville next week, so you'd better have the grand tour and a big, greasy cheeseburger ready for me when I get there."

With that said, she runs off into the castle and out of sight. As for me, I walk towards the gates in a happy daze. When I catch up with the ponies my dopey smile earns me a congratulatory jab in the arm from Rainbow and a round of the 'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' song courtesy of Pinkie.

Snow falls on the quiet streets of Canterlot as we make out way towards the station to catch the last train to Ponyville. The peace and quiet has lulled Spike to sleep and AJ looks like she's having trouble keeping her eyes open. We arrive at the platform and pack ourselves into the car, and I'm looking forward to lighting my fireplace back home and getting some shut-eye.

Fluttershy settles herself onto the seat next to mine, asking softly, "Did you tell Karol about her Mark?"

It had appeared during the impromptu concert. The Duty Mark stood out against the pink fabric of her dress, adorning her back with a pair of white wings that spread themselves upwards and outwards, the inner curves of the wings subtly outlining the shape of a heart.

"She'll find it herself." The train whistles and lurches into motion, taking us home.

Author's Note

Hmmm, what is this? A note box? Don't mind if I do!

So this chapter is the end of this story.

Next story arc promises more action, bending, and magic than this one. It is a dedicated adventure story tentatively entitled 'The City of Man", to be followed by another collection of slice-of-life stories focused around Double-L and company, then another, far more epic adventure. Keep an eye out if you please.

Thanks to everybody who read this tale! I'll see you in the next one!

Epilogue/Protest

*Camera pans across Capitol Hill, focusing on random figures in the background and zooming out at random. Protesting men and women are gathered in front of the steps. Many are holding signs reading "We deserve to know!", "Stop the secrecy!", or "Find the real culprits!"*

Cameraman: Camera's good.

*Camera refocuses on a young brunette woman in a suit holding a microphone with the CNN logo on it.*

Reporter: Check check.

Technician:*off-camera* Sound is on and good. We'll be going live in ten.

*The reporter adjusts her suit and hair to make sure she looks professional.*

Technician: Live in three, two…

Reporter: Good afternoon, this is Maria Stephans coming to you live from Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where hundreds of protesters have gathered demanding answers from Congress regarding the continuing disappearance of people all over the world. In the three months since these sudden, random vanishings began, no answers as to who or what is behind this phenomenon or why it is happening. Governments world-wide have been tight-lipped about these events, and while several terrorist organizations have claimed responsibility and issued demands no definitive evidence of their involvement has been uncovered.

Now desperate people in nations around the world are protesting in their capitols, demanding answers to their questions. Many of the people here are missing family and friends, loved ones missing or vanished without a trace. Sometimes, right before their eyes. Just yesterday young Congressman Paul Andre vanished in the middle of a session of the House of Representatives. It seems no one is safe from…

Cameraman: Mary! Mary!

Reporter: What is it Bill, we're live for God's sake!

Cameraman: You're glowing!

*The young woman looks at her hand, now enveloped by a multicolored aurora.*

Reporter: Oh sh- *Loud boom and bright light, then she's gone.*

To be continued

Author's Note

Just a little scene that I thought would tie this story up nicely. It wouldn't leave my head until I got it up.

The sequel is out, by the way.