The Thorn of Equestria

by Wind-Song

Rating: mature
Tags: Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Main 6, Original Character, Mystery, Second Person, Spike, Adventure, Violence, Profanity
Length: 59127

Nearly a millennium after Princess Twilight Sparkle's ascension to the throne, six ordinary friends from Ponyville set out to defeat an evil power that has taken over the land.

Nearly a millennium after Princess Twilight Sparkle's ascension to the throne of Equestria, a great power darkens the land. The extraordinary task of saving the world falls to six ordinary ponies from Ponyville, but can they overcome their greatest fears? Will their friendship withstand the test before them?

Published 2020-09-20 02:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-01-21 03:36:51 UTC

Prologue

It was a cool morning as the sun rose slowly over the land of Equestria, casting its warm rays on Princess Twilight Sparkle who gazed disconsolately out on the vast meadowland before her from her high palace balcony. The verdant landscape was laid out before her like a map. The balcony, which she had built for this very purpose, faced southward toward Ponyville, still beloved by her even though it had been nearly seventy years since she had ascended the throne and began her rule in Canterlot.

However, between her lofty Canterlot perch and the town of Ponyville lay the grassy hills of Bell Meadow. From the meadow, bedecked as ever with oceans of wildflowers in full bloom, blew a light breeze, carrying with it the sweet-scented perfume of billions of daisies, poppies, and bell flowers which washed over the royal alicorn, easing for the moment some of the distress which had kept her awake all night. The calming wind also brought with it the scent of the dew which, Twilight knew, had only a short while ago lain upon the grass and flowers, but now floated in the air above the meadow in the guise of a gently undulating mist. As the sun’s rays met the mist, it filled the air with a dazzling, almost blinding brilliance as the light caught the tiny droplets.

Behind her, near the doorway leading to her private chambers, Twilight could hear the faint “tap...tap...tap” of dew drops falling amongst the leaves of her decorative topiaries above the familiar din of the waking city below. The marching and shouted commands of the Royal Guard could be heard, marking the shift change as the hooves of its soldiers drummed a disciplined cadence on the palace’s cobblestone courtyard. In the distance, near the base of the Canterlot Terrace, she could see the waterfall cascading downward in glistening silvery ribbons as it poured into the foamy basin at the base of the mountain.

From this basin, the Canterlot river wound its way ponderously south through the vast hilly grassland of Bell Meadow until it joined Saddle Lake, barely visible in the hazy distance.

The once nameless meadow, which stretched between Canterlot and Ponyville, had once been the site of the last great battle Equestria had known in the sixty-seven years since. So named after Grogar’s Bewitching Bell, Bell Meadow was now a place of mystery, superstition, and even fear amongst some of her kind. Stories of strange lights seen in the night, nameless creeping terrors, and even winds that sang to lure ponies to their doom were just a few of the tales she had heard over the decades. It was even said that after Discord retrieved the Bewitching Bell following the battle, he had taken it deep into the meadow and buried it where nopony could ever find it or use it again for evil. Though her studies and research, accompanied by the unshakable burden of rule, had kept her occupied for so many decades, she was determined to, at least at some point, discover the nature of the meadow’s mysteries.

Just beyond Saddle Lake, she knew, lay Ponyville. Barely changed in the decades of her rule, Twilight still saw Ponyville as her home in spite of the fact that she had been living in Canterlot all these years. Her melancholy only deepened with this thought and she quickly drew her thoughts to other matters.

Twilight heard the harsh cry of a rooster in the street below. Applejack...Applejack had had a few roosters. And Fluttershy too, hadn’t she? A nauseating wave of homesickness washed over her. The thought of her friends, now bent with age, lives already magically stretched beyond that of normal ponies, caused a single tear to well up in each of her large violet eyes. With a sniff, she drew one hoof across her face, wiping them away. It wouldn’t do to dwell on that now. After all, making things better was what today was about, wasn’t it?

The piercing whistle of the first train of the day approaching Canterlot Station snapped her out of her reverie. Her friends would be on that train. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity, ponies who were nearer her own flesh and blood than mere friends, would soon be arriving. Instead of the transcendent joy she usually felt, however, she was filled with a sense of trepidation and impending finality. So much rode on what she would be proposing in a few short hours and she wasn’t sure that she was ready. But if she didn’t at least try soon, well...it would be too late.

Twilight stood, the sense of foreboding and the fatigue of her sleepless night causing her normally steady limbs to shake slightly as she walked slowly back inside. She passed through her chambers, spotlessly clean, and out into the hall beyond. Corridor by corridor, stairway after stairway, she made her way down to the throne room. When she arrived, the two guards standing by the rear entry stood at attention, saluted, and pulled aside the curtained doorway for her to enter. Upon entering, she found the room to be vacant, save for a blue-feathered griffon in resplendent armor of white and gold standing patiently in the opposite corner of the long hall.

The floor of the hall glistened resplendently as the light of the morning sun shone through the tall stained glass windows, casting a myriad of colors on the smooth tiled surface like a million brightly glowing gems.

This griffon, while not bent and wizened like Twilight’s five friends, was certainly getting on in years. His wise, gentle face, confident bearing, and highly polished armor bespoke the comfortable but disciplined life as a high ranking member of the Royal Guard. In fact, this particular griffon, Gallus by name, was captain of Twilight’s personal guard and a good friend besides.

Gallus smiled as Twilight entered. Momentarily forgetting her distress, Twilight grinned broadly and walked toward him, only just containing an outburst of enthusiasm in a well-practiced mask of regal self-control.

As she approached, the griffon bowed low before her.

“Your majesty, I…”

This statement was cut off as Twilight, closing the distance between them, pulled Gallus into an embrace with both her front legs as he rose.

“It’s so good to see you, my friend.” Twilight said joyously. “Please, business aside for just a moment, how are you? It’s been so long since I saw you or your family last.”

“Your majesty, the pleasure is all mine.” Gallus replied, allowing some of his formality to fall away. “As you know, I have been busy with this command, but I couldn’t be happier...”

Here he paused, looking earnest.

“...or more honored.” he added. “My family is well. My daughter, Ipsi, just began school a few days ago. Your school, in fact.”

Twilight looked taken aback, “Oh! In Ponyville? So far away?”

“No, no, no!” Gallus replied quickly, giving his head a vigorous shake and sending a few loose feathers drifting lazily to the floor in slow spirals. “Nothing like that. She’s at your Canterlot campus.”

“My word, we have a Canterlot campus now?” Twilight asked, surprised. “When Ocellus took over leadership of the school I assumed she would simply carry on where Starlight left off, not expand beyond Ponyville. This is marvelous! And how is your daughter liking it so far?”

Gallus contemplated for a moment. “She was certainly nervous at first, but I suppose any youngling’s first few days always are.” He chuckled, remembering his own first days at Twilight’s school in Ponyville. “I don’t suppose I was much better myself...all pent up with youthful anger to disguise my anxiety.”

Twilight and Gallus both laughed at this as they recalled the fateful days of the beginnings of Twilight’s School of Friendship.

After a few moments, Gallus started, “Oh, I almost forgot my original reason for coming, your majesty. Your friends have just disembarked from their train at Canterlot Station. My guards are seeing to it that they receive the finest accommodations before the journey up to the palace so they can freshen up first. Should I show them in when they arrive?”

Twilight tensed visibly and Gallus noted this.

Nevertheless, she replied evenly, retreating back into her guise of royal indifference, “Yes please, Gallus. I’ll be waiting for them.”

Gallus nodded solemnly, and, bowing low again, turned to leave.

Twilight again hesitated for a moment, one foreleg raised slightly as though she were contemplating reaching out and pulling the griffon back. She pulled her hoof back as though she regretted some kind of near slip-up and placed it quietly back on the tiled floor before calling after the griffon.

“Gallus!”

Gallus, who had made it about halfway to the door, turned to face her.

“Your majesty?” he replied.

Twilight smiled, “It’s good to see you again. Please don’t be such a stranger. If it’s amenable, I’d like to clear a time in your schedule one night this coming week so you and your family can join me for supper.”

Gallus smiled back, “It would be an honor, your majesty. A great honor.”

Twilight nodded her dismissal and Gallus turned and walked through the large doors at the entry of the throne room, closing them behind him without a sound.

Twilight, meanwhile, turned to her throne. She stared at it for a moment, pondering. She had not asked for it, she had not wanted it. Nevertheless, it had been given her to tend for the last sixty seven long years with no end in sight. Sweet Celestia! How quickly that time had seemed to have passed.

Enveloped by these musings, Twilight walked slowly toward the tall white marble chair with its plush red cushions. She gave it one last look of resentful loathing before she stepped up, turned, and sat on it.

Sixty seven years...Twilight supposed that wasn’t too long in the grand scheme of things. After all, her race, that of the mighty alicorns, did not know the afflictions of age that plagued the rest of ponykind. She would never experience the release of death or the Ever After. Instead, she would endure, long after her friends were dead and gone. That is...if today didn’t go precisely as she hoped it would.

For the briefest sliver of a moment, she felt a stab of hatred for Celestia and Luna for what they had made her...for what she had become. Without her permission, they had changed not only her body, but her very nature. The great burden of immortality now rested on her back, irrevocably thrust upon her without her permission or consent. Not for the first time, she felt a bitter resentment for who she was. She could have stayed with her friends, could have grown with them, lived among them, grown old with them. After a quiet life of bliss and tranquility in Ponyville, she could have died with them, a happy old mare content with the life she had lived. But now even that had been taken from her. She was the eternal ruler of a land which had not even bothered to ask her if that’s what she wanted.

A sharp knock on the throne room door brought her out of her fantasy and back to the present and very real world where she had a very real problem to solve. What was done was done and no amount of bitterness or complaining would change that, which left her with only one option.

Determined, she stood.

“Enter.”

The enormous doors swung slowly open. The two palace guards who had opened them stepped to either side of the doorway, allowing Gallus to cross the threshold. He then turned and stepped aside, revealing five old ponies, wrinkled and bent...her friends, very real and very frail.

In spite of her determination to remain calm, she drew in a sharp breath when she beheld her dear friends as they filed in, lined up before her, and bowed as low as their frail bodies would allow. A long moment of silence followed as Gallus and the two guards exited the hall, quietly closing the doors behind them as they left.

The moment the doors were closed, Twilight’s resolve melted away. The occasion’s seriousness forgotten, she leapt from her throne and closed the short distance between herself and her friends, not bothering to hide the look of longing desperation on her face as she enveloped them in her wings in an all-encompassing feathery hug.

“Luna’s mane, how many times do I have to tell you to stop that bowing nonsense!” Twilight managed to choke out past a laughing sob.

“And how many times do we have to tell you that you’re the queen and we’re gonna bow whether you like it or not. So stop fussin’ over it ya silly filly!” replied Applejack, a broad grin spread across her honest old face.

The other four ponies echoed their affirmation of Applejack’s words in their own various forms, concluding with a compelling cupcake analogy given by Pinkie Pie. She had become quite good at those, thought Twilight.

At this, the six ponies all laughed together as they hadn’t done in years. There had been little enough time for laughter in recent decades. Twilight Sparkle and her five friends, also called the Council of Friendship, saw to the well-being of every aspect of Equestrian life that was within their power to better. From seeing to the mundane needs of Equestria’s ever-increasing population to repelling the land’s weak but ever-present enemies from its borders, the Council of Friendship saw that the citizens of Equestria could live their lives in peace and security.

As the conversation progressed over the course of an hour, Twilight could see in her friends’ eyes an underlying desire to know the real reason she had summoned them to Canterlot growing. Out of respect, they would not press her to hurry, but she knew at some point she would have to turn from the distracting gossip to the real problem at hoof.

“...and then”, Rainbow Dash, who had been recounting the story of their journey from Ponyville, said, “Rarity almost tripped over Pinkie’s ball of ribbon!”

The amused chuckles of all present echoed around the room as the pins on Rainbow’s old flight jacket clinked together.

“That was NOT funny, Rainbow Dash. If I had truly fallen down off that platform, I don’t think I ever would have gotten up again!” Rarity said.

Twilight felt as though she had been dipped in ice water.

Rarity added, “That fall isn’t as inconsequential as it was when we were fillies.”

“Too true!” Pinkie laughed. “But hey! That would have been a pretty amazing way to go! Can you imagine the headline in the Canterlot newspaper?” Pinkie continued in the low, articulate voice of a radio announcer, “Eldest member of the Council of Friendship perishes in fall from train platform!”

Everypony laughed except Twilight, who backed away slightly, looking horrified.

The five old mares looked at her.

“Is everything okay, sugar cube?” asked Applejack, concerned.

Twilight, who had begun to tremble again as though sick with palsy, shook her head, eyes filling with tears for the third time that day.

“No!” she shouted at them. “I’m not okay. YOU’RE not okay! Nothing about this is okay!”

Her friends approached her as she tried in vain to keep her emotions in check and sat down hard on the cool stones of the cold floor.

“Darling,” Rarity began, reaching out one hoof and placing it on Twilight’s shoulder, “This is what happens when ponies get to be our age. Life must end someday, after all. It’s not anypony’s fault, it’s just the way things are.” she said in a consoling voice.”

“She’s right, you know, Twi. We’ve run our race. Soon it’ll be somepony else’s turn to take over and make Equestria better in their own ways!” Rainbow Dash said with an enthusiastic smile.

Twilight, who had calmed slightly, looked up into the eyes of each of her friends in turn. There was peace in those eyes. Each and every one of them. She knew that the only pony in the room who resented their fates was...Twilight.

Her friends didn’t deserve the burden of immortality. What pony would want that fate? She certainly hadn’t, and yet she would presume to convince her friends to bear that burden alongside her? She thought deeply for several moments.

Fluttershy, who had evidently seen Twilight’s raging internal battle, asked in her soft voice, “What’s on your mind, Twilight? You know you can always talk to us, no matter what.”

Twilight let out a long, shaky sigh and without preamble, launched into a tale like none Equestria had ever heard: About how she had spent nearly the last forty years of her life sequestered in her laboratory and library every moment she could spare. About how she sought but one seemingly unattainable goal: the secret to immortality. About how she, after nearly giving up on the prospect that it was anything more than a foalish fantasy, had finally stumbled upon...a way...and how, if they would consent, she wished to attempt the spell on them.

When, after more than thirty minutes, Twilight finally concluded her narrative, the shouts of derision and outrage she had somehow expected never came. Rather, her five friends stood before her, mouths agape, stunned by the fantastical revelation.

They said nothing, but just continued to stare. So this was it, was it? Twilight had tried and given it her best. She knew that this outcome was the most likely and she had spent the last forty years preparing herself for that most likely possibility. But, this was how it was to be, then why did it hurt so much? Why did the slowly growing realization that all of her hopes for remaining united with her friends through the eons had been crushed drive such a dagger into her heart?

And so it was that Queen Twilight Sparkle, the highest power in the land of Equestria, perhaps even the world, bowed her head low, and wept, tears spilling down her lavender cheeks. The light of the mid-morning sun caught each of tear as it fell, each a precious gem glittering like a diamond before crashing against the polished tiles and breaking into a thousand tiny droplets.

For what seemed like minutes, though it had only been about twenty seconds, Twilight babbled streams of nearly unintelligible apologies between her wracking bouts of sobbing. She had done it. Her friends surely hated her now for even suggesting that, for no other reason than her own selfish desires, they should be deprived of their release from the sufferings of the mortal world and a chance at peace everlasting.

As she made to blurt out further apologies, she was stopped by a fuzzy fetlock under her chin. Her head was gently lifted and she found herself looking into Applejack’s eyes, an expression of deepest sympathy on her face.

Applejack turned, looking back toward Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash who all nodded.

Applejack turned back to Twilight and smiled warmly.

“We’re game, sugar cube.”

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Prologue

The Thorn of Equestria

Prologue

By Wind Song

REVISED 15SEP20

Chapter 1 - Life in Ponyville Shimmers

The warm sun beat down on the turquoise feathers and fur of Wind Song’s wings and back as he winged his way home from Canterlot one fine summer afternoon. The sun’s heat bolstered him against the unsympathetic chill in the air around him that was a testament to the great altitude of his flight. A jet stream from the north sped him southward at a speed which would impress even the best of fliers. Of course, he was ranked among the best of fliers as the efforts of the last few weeks in the royal city had proven.

Above him, the cerulean sky stretched uninterrupted from horizon to horizon, tarnished only by the jagged edges of the Foal Mountain Range to the north and the Appaloosan Mountains to the remote south. Somewhere between him and the Appaloosan mountains lay Ponyville, hidden from his sight by distance and a veil of summer haze which even his eagle-like vision couldn’t pierce.

Beneath him, beyond the occasional patches of small cotton ball clouds, lay the expansive green sward of Bell Meadow, dotted with blotches of pink, red, purple, and even the sporadic gold-tinted bell flower. Bell flowers were an enigma of the modern world which were unique to the meadow. According to the long-lived races of Equestria, they had not existed anywhere in the known world eight hundred years prior and few were brave enough to venture into the meadow to retrieve one.

As a young colt, he had always wanted to fly down and pluck a bell flower, but even at such a tender age he had known, as all the colts and fillies of Equestria did, that it was almost certain death to fly amongst the rolling hills and serene pastures. He marvelled at how the vast meadow looked so peaceful and innocent from this height.

A dense bank of dark green-tinted clouds, another unique staple of the mysterious grassland below him, had built themselves up in the east and now rolled slowly over the space between himself and the ground. This hid the meadow from view and eased his discomfort just a bit, but several flashes of red lightning within the clouds drew out a primal fear within him that made him glad he was so high above them.

Wind Song gave a little shiver of unease and drew his head back level with the horizon, tilting his ears backward and flapping just a little bit harder. He felt the powerful muscles in his back, which drove his wings up and down, begin to burn with the pleasant familiarity of exertion and he drew his mind to happier thoughts.

He knew that few enough pegasi could have made the trip from Canterlot to Equestria without stopping for a rest. Most chose to fly around Bell Meadow rather than over it and the few who braved the direct flight rarely chose to do so more than once. For Wind Song, however, the journey was an easy one which he had undertaken on several occasions.

The silvery ribbon of the Canterlot River, which crept ponderously in and out amongst the low rolling hills of the meadow, had acted as a guide in his younger days, but his pegasus’ sense of direction had quickly made all visual navigational aids redundant. So it was that, even with the dense storm below him hiding the meadow from sight, he could make his way with surprising accuracy.

As the river meandered roughly southward, Wind Song knew it would eventually tumble over the cliff that marked the northern side of Saddle Lake. On the other side of the lake lay Ponyville.

Ponyville, ah! What a place it was. Hardly changed in the centuries of Twilight’s rule, or so he was told, the little town was his home. With its quaint cottages and shops, the myriads of friendly smiling faces, the old Town Hall with its belfry at its center...it was, well...paradise.

Wind Song’s friends would be there waiting for him. Moonlight Whisper, Willow Reed, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom had agreed to meet him in the square by Town Hall upon his return. Years of hard work had led up to his accomplishments in Canterlot these past few weeks and he couldn’t wait to tell them the news. These thoughts occupied his mind for some time as he continued to fly steadily southward, tireless in his anticipation.

Somewhat sooner than expected, perhaps only two hours or so later, Wind Song could see a plume of mist rising hundreds, if not thousands of feet into the air above what he knew must be the waterfall at the edge of Saddle Lake. The towering cliffs and enormous waterwork were the product of hundreds of years of erosion and only Celestia knew what else. At any rate, it made for quite the spectacle with its rainbow-like hues dancing amongst the rising mist as the sun reflected off of the billions of tiny droplets.

Just then, Ponyville came into sight. He could see the cottages, like tiny toy houses, dotted along the opposite shore of Saddle Lake and even a glimpse of the small castle on the southern side of Ponyville which had once belonged to Twilight Sparkle but was now the home of Princess Luster Dawn.

The “Ponyville Princess” as she was called, Luster Dawn was an odd sort of princess. She led an adventurous lifestyle, the princess did...braving the most treacherous and farthest reaches of the world for no reason other than that she was curious. Wind Song supposed that was because there weren’t many “princessy duties” to see to in or around Ponyville. Twilight took care of most of those. Not to mention, Ponyville had its own mayor to take care of the remaining necessities. Luster Dawn was more of a Daring Do who just so happened to be an alicorn princess rather than a pegasus.

The excitement of seeing Ponyville for the first time in weeks, the prospect of seeing his friends again, and, last but not least, his recent acceptance into the Wonderbolt’s Academy of Flight left him overwhelmed with jubilation.

An idea crossed his mind. An insane idea, but just...maybe this time he could actually do it. In a wild burst of energy, he looked up into the pristine blue sky and angled his flight upward. Stroke after stroke, he flapped his wings with everything he had, his mad dash upward continuing minute after minute. The air became thinner. It was getting more and more difficult for him to breathe, but he kept pulling himself upward, a lunatic grin spread clear across his face.

Finally just as he became sure he would pass out if he flapped even once more, he tilted himself forward in a glorious arc, closed his wings, and plummeted toward the ground. Faster and faster he fell, mile after mile. The ground grew closer and closer with alarming speed. He was just over the edge of Saddle Lake now. Finally, just as the frigid air began to warm, he felt thousands of tiny ice crystals begin to melt and release themselves from his coat, falling into the air around him.

As he continued to plummet downward, he opened his wings. But, instead of slowing himself with them, he instead sped up. The ground was rising up toward him with alarming quickness. A halo of rainbow light began to dance around the edges of his vision. All he could hear was the glorious rush of the wind in his ears. The halo around him jumped and flickered. He was only about a thousand yards from crashing headlong into the surface of the lake. He was so close!

And then, the impossible thing he had been waiting for happened. The halo of color blew outward like a bomb in a burst of light, a billion unfathomable hues expanding away from him that he knew would be seen for hundreds of miles around.

A shout of raucous laughter broke his lips as he angled himself upward back to the horizon, a tail of rainbow light streaming out behind him as far as he could see as he streaked through the humid air. Wind Song drew level only inches from the surface of the lake. As his speed dissipated, he felt the air behind him give a little “pop” and the rainbow tail vanished. In spite of this, the streak of rainbow light he had left in his wake still hung in the air like a multicolored cloud and the now-enormous halo could still be seen, its diameter increasing with every passing second.

Wind Song dropped one forehoof down to touch the smooth surface of the water, throwing up a tail of mist behind him which glistened in a pale imitation of his sonic rainboom. The sonic...rainboom… Wind Song laughed again. He had just accomplished something that hadn’t been done by anypony in the world in more than half a century! It was at this moment that Wind Song became certain that this was definitely the best day ever.

As he flew over the southern shoreline of the lake, Wind Song began executing little flips and rolls for the amusement of all below. Most of the townsponies were going about their daily business, trotting happily from place to place with the enviable contentment that only life in Ponyville could foster. Others leaned languidly against balcony railings. Still others stood behind food carts selling vegetables or fruit.

As Wind Song passed overhead, he saw the many smiles and the occasional cheery wave directed at him. Two or three times he even heard cheers, though he was never able to figure out where they had come from. Smiling broadly as he drew near the town square, he could see his five friends galloping at full tilt over the bridge that spanned the small segment of river that flowed through Ponyville.

He was home at last. He slowed his flight still further as the tower of Town Hall loomed up before him. He descended in slow spiraling loops around the old belfry, his anticipation growing as he got closer to the ground. At last his hooves met the soft lawn of the town square as he landed and he back-flapped to dissipate his remaining speed.

However, before he could come to a complete stop, his momentum carried him directly into Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, Orange Blossom, and Moonlight. Their jubilant expressions turned to looks of shock as Wind Song crashed right into them. The six startled ponies rolled together in a heap of fluffy and feathered hugs, laughing all the while once they got over their initial surprise.

“Windy!” shouted a pure white unicorn with a good-natured grin, his ice blue mane and tail full of leaves and grass from his fall. “Nice of you to drop in so...um...violently!”

Wind Song let out a bark of laughter. “Nice of you to cushion my fall with your body! Those leaves suit you. You should definitely keep them!” he replied with a chuckle.

“Win...Wind...song!” panted Moonlight Whisper, a dark blue mare whose midnight coat and royal blue tresses of her mane and tail gleamed in the afternoon light. “Did you...was that? The sonic…” she stuttered as she pulled herself to her hooves.

Orange Blossom, a white earth pony mare whose blonde locks had been bunched up into a sloppy ponytail called out, “You bet your bit that was Windy! I saw it! Ain’t that right sis?”

“Darn tootin’!” replied Honeybell, a tangerine mare with mane and tail the color of straw and who was still trying to extract herself from the tangle of bodies and legs,

“I wasn’t sure, but I just...wow! That’s amazing, Windy!” Moonlight finished as Wind Song blushed.

Wind Song had always liked Moonlight. The pretty pegasus was quiet and a bit of a recluse, yes. But when her wit or anger were aroused, she was a force to be reckoned with. She was the kindest hearted of ponies and would give everything she had to make others happy, down to her last bit. You would never guess that she was also one of the most intelligent mares in Equestria. He knew she must be tired from her routine night watches over Ponyville, but she had chosen to come out to welcome him home, and that meant the world to him.

“Thanks, Moonlight.” Wind Song replied with a smile. Was it just him, or did she blush when she smiled too? It was always so hard to tell with her. Nah...they were just friends, and he wouldn’t ruin that for anything in the world.

“So!” Willow Reed, a light gray unicorn with a curly pink mane and tail, overrode any other comments that may have been forthcoming. “You’ve got this big stupid grin on your face, you’ve just executed the first sonic rainboom Equestria has seen in living memory, and I have a fairly significant wager with my husband riding on the outcome of your activities in Canterlot, Windy. I’m assuming you got into the academy?”

Here, she turned to Snow Star, who had been in the process of removing the last of the leaves from his fur.

Snow Star jerked his head around abruptly to face his wife, looking like he had been kicked as the smile left his face. He obviously hadn’t expected Willow to remember this or for her to have mentioned it so brazenly in front of Wind Song. Abashed, he turned to Wind Song, who was feigning a deeply hurt expression at his best friend’s obvious betrayal.

Wind Song, who had come to the conclusion that a well-placed prank was in order, slowly and convincingly allowed his jubilant smile to drain away in lieu of a look of somber resignation.

“Well…actually, um...” he began, pausing for effect as he dropped his gaze.

Willow’s cocky smirk turned to a look of incredulous disbelief just as Snow Star’s eyes widened.

“I...uh…look, I’m really sorry to disappoint...” Wind Song drew this last statement out for a few seconds, looking chagrined as he poked distractedly at a random pebble with the tip of one forehoof.

Honeybell and Orange Blossom were not to be fooled, and stood behind the two nonplussed unicorns, bent double in fits of silent laughter.

Moonlight, who had also been trying to suppress her mirth, blurted out, “Oh come on, Windy. That’s not very nice!” before finally releasing a little snort of amusement.

“Okay, okay.” Wind Song conceded, looking up and kicking the little pebble so it hit Snow Star squarely in the chest with no small amount of force. “I got in!” he finished, hitching his self-satisfied smile back on his face. “...traitor.” he added as an afterthought, shooting Snow Star a sarcastic grin while Orange Blossom and Honeybell finally let loose their pent up hysterics.

Snow Star, who was rubbing the spot where the pebble had hit him, said with a strained smile, “What can I say? She forced me into it, Windy! She bet you’d get accepted and what was I supposed to do? Not bet back? Relationships are all about competition, buddy!”

This last sentence was said with so much resolve that Wind Song let out a genuine chuckle and pulled his friend into a tight one-legged embrace.

Releasing Snow Star, Wind Song said, “I’ll have to take your word for it on that one, my friend.”

After a moment, Wind Song released Snow Star who asked excitedly, “So, you did get in then?”

“Damn straight I got in!” crowed Wind Song thrusting one triumphant hoof into the air.

This proclamation drew a round of excited cheering from all present.

“And…” Wind Song continued with suspense, “I got an invitation to the Canterlot Club of Champions.”

Honeybell’s jaw dropped. “You did not.” she said, flabbergasted. “You got invited to the Champion’s Club?!”

“I did!” Wind Song replied. “Signed by Nightingale herself!”

“What’s the Champion’s Club?” Moonlight asked demurely.

Wind Song and the others froze and turned to stare at her in disbelief.

“What?” she asked, turning a bit red.

“Moonlight Whisper...” began Snow Star,

“...the smartest pony Ponyville has seen in decades…” this statement earned him a warning glare from Willow.

“...doesn’t know what the Canterlot Club of Champion’s is?” he concluded in a tone of utter astonishment.

Moonlight, now positively glowing with embarrassment, spluttered, “Well, I’m more book smart than anything. Sciences are my specialty...and a bit of arcane science...which I guess is still...science…” she trailed off.

A sympathetic Willow stepped in front of Snow Star, giving him a none-too-gentle shove backwards with a hind hoof.

“Ignore him, Moonlight.” she said.

“Hey!” came Snow Star’s muffled reply, cut off by a quick silencing spell from Willow.

“The Champion’s Club is the single most prestigious athletic club, open to only the most able and most daring ponies in Equestria. The fact that Nightingale herself invited Wind Song is an honor of the highest order.” Willow continued as though reading an excerpt from the Encyclopedia Equestria, still maintaining her spell on Snow Star.

A look of comprehension dawned on Moonlight’s face. “Oh, that’s amazing! Thank you for explaining, Willow. But who is Nightin...”

Moonlight’s question was interrupted by a resounding crack which sent Willow reeling backward, holding her horn in one fetlock as though it had been struck by lightning.

“WHAT!?” exclaimed Snow Star, who had evidently broken the spell his wife had cast on him.

“You don’t know who Nightinga…OW!”

Willow had rallied quickly, snatched Snow Star’s left ear in her teeth, and was in the process of leading him by it, not gently, into a small alcove at a nearby shop when Wind Song spoke.

“She’s the captain of the Wonderbolts.”

Loud unintelligible whispering followed by a yelp of pain emanated from the alcove, momentarily drawing the attention of the four remaining friends. A few seconds later, Willow stepped out with a self-satisfied smirk, followed by a chagrined looking Snow Star.

Moonlight looked back to Wind Song.

“Thanks, Windy.” she said gratefully. “I guess I need to do a bit more reading up on these kinds of things.”

Wind Song replied cheerfully, “It never hurts! But worst case, you can always just ask me. I’d be happy to lend any assistance if you need it. Not that I’m likely to be much help to someone as smart as you in anything other than sports or the Wonderbolts.”

Moonlight smiled at Wind Song just as Willow and Snow Star returned to the little group.

Taking a deep breath, Snow Star looked at Moonlight and said, “Moonlight.” he took another deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Snow!” Moonlight replied with a radiant smile.

Snow Star jerked his head over to his wife with a face that clearly said, “See?! I told you she didn’t care!”

“So anyway.” Orange Blossom began impatiently, “What happened? Did you get to meet Twilight? Or any of the council?”

“Nah.” Wind Song replied, a bit disappointed. “Nopony has really seen much of her in the last few months and the council has been abroad lately. She’s been pretty distracted. Something about threats against Canterlot or something. Buuuut…”

Wind Song drew out this last word as he reached to his side, opened one flap of a small saddle bag, and pulled out a rolled up sheet of parchment tied with a purple ribbon. This drew several awed gasps from his friends.

“...I did receive a personal letter from her congratulating me!” he finished.

An amazed Willow used her magic to gently pull the letter from Wind Song’s grasp and, carefully removing the ribbon as though it were made of dried rose petals. She unrolled the parchment, noting the broken seal containing the Equestrian seal, and read aloud,

“Dearest Wind Song, it is my wish to congratulate you on your admission to the Wonderbolt’s Academy of Flight and on your invitation to the prestigious Canterlot Club of Champions! If you should choose to accept the invitation, a commemorative placard will be added with your name on it to the Wall of Fame right here in Canterlot. Many commendations on your breathtaking performance yesterday. I know that all Equestria is anxious to see how you will choose to employ your obvious gift in the field of flight! May the wind rise always under your wings, Princess Twilight Sparkle”

Willow concluded, gently rolling the parchment back up and replacing the ribbon before floating it back to Wind Song’s outstretched hoof.

“Wow, Windy!” Honeybell said in aw. “Who woulda thought that of all the ponies in Equestria, you’d be the one to not only get into the Wonderbolts, but the Champion’s Club! And Twilight! She made it sound in that letter like she was actually there at the arena watching you.”

“I’m not sure.” Wind Song paused, looking confused. “I definitely didn’t see her or her personal guard there. Maybe somepony told her what happened?” he mused.

Snow Star, who had been contemplating something, asked, “What was that you said about threats against Canterlot, Windy?”

Wind Song gave a little chuckle of amusement.

“Oh, that. Nothing more than the usual nonsense. You know, enemies who are upset at the princess for one reason or another. As if Twilight couldn’t smash them all to paste with barely more than a glance.”

Snow Star pressed on, “But you said she seemed a bit distracted. How distracted? So out of sorts that she couldn’t even make it to the tryouts?”

Wind Song, whose expression became less certain, said, “I’m sure she’s busy, Snow. She is the princess, after all. She’s got more important things to do than watch a bunch of pegasi do maneuvers she’s been doing herself for almost a thousand years.”

Snow Star looked even more grim, “And Rainbow Dash wasn’t there either, you said? You didn’t see any of the council?”

“She’s a spirit, Snow. What’s she going to get out of watching us mortals?” Wind Song retorted, though all nearly all of his confidence had gone from his voice.

Willow, who had been gazing downward, seemingly in deep thought, now raised her eyes to Wind Song.

“When was the last time Rainbow Dash missed watching the tryouts, Windy?” she asked, seemingly a bit unnerved.

“I’m not sure...um, I’ve never really paid attention to…”

Willow cut him off, “Never, Windy. Not once in eight hundred sixty-seven years has Rainbow Dash been absent from the tryouts. Celestia’s mane, she barely ever misses the weekly performances.”

Wind Song, a bit ashamed that he hadn’t known these all-important facts about the most famous Wonderbolt to ever grace the Equestrian skies, waved a nonchalant hoof and said, “Well, whatever it is, I’m sure the council will take care of it. After all, what could the most powerful alicorn in existence and five immortal spirits have to worry about?”

“That’s what worries me.” Snow Star said earnestly.

Honeybell, who had been growing more and more impatient by the minute, stuck her head between Willow and Snow Star, looking at each of her friends in turn.

“Well, while the esteemed matters of royalty and immortals are mighty nice to speculate on, I reckon I’d like a certain pony who bet a cask of Apple family cider and a night of free drinks that Windy wouldn’t get into the Wonderbolt’s to hold up to his end of the bargain.”

Snow Star choked.

Wind Song, for the second time that day, whipped his head around to stare incredulously at the now coughing and spluttering unicorn who refused to meet his gaze.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Before Wind Song could say more or kick anything too large at Snow Star, Willow stepped between them.

“I totally agree with Honeybell. Let’s get some drinks. We’ve got a Cutecinera to go to first thing tomorrow morning, so the sooner we get to the Draught Horse, the better!”

“Oooooh!” Orange Blossom bounced up and down delightedly. “A Cutcinera?! Who’s the lucky foal?”

Willow allowed a hint of pride to creep into her voice as she replied, “My niece, Sugar Spice. She just got her cutie mark two days ago.”

“That’s wonderful!” Orange Blossom said, bouncing all the more.

“I was actually sort of hoping you all would help me get things set up for the party in the morning.” Willow said hopefully. “If it’s not too much trouble of course.”

“Well, if that’s the case, we better get to drinkin’ pretty soon here, Willow.” Honeybell replied with some urgency. “Late nights n’ early mornin’s don’t mix! Especially when there’s ale involved.”

Snow Star, apparently in an attempt to recover some of his injured pride, popped his head out from behind Willow.

“I have a spell we can use that’ll banish any hangover to Tartarus.”

Willow took a quick step backward, bumping Snow Star roughly with gray rump. “My spell, you mean.” she said testily.

“That one exactly, my love.” replied Snow Star with a coprophagous grin before turning and beginning to march toward the western side of town.

Wind Song, who had been watching the couple’s exchange with amusement, glanced over at Moonlight, who had already been staring at him fixedly. They both blushed furiously and looked away.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue.” Honeybell said, turning and breaking into a gallop to catch up with Snow Star.

“Get back here, moneybags! You’re my bar tab tonight!” she called after him.

Willow rolled her eyes and shook her head, sending her pink curls bouncing. “Well, let’s go do some celebrating, eh friends?”

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 1

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 1

By Wind Song

REVISED 17SEP20

Chapter 2 - The Draught Horse

Situated cozily amongst a hodgepodge of ancient but trim buildings on Ponyville’s old west side, the Draught Horse Pub was well-known by the locals for its cheery service, generous pours, and buoyant music played by the four same musicians time out of mind.

Along with his two grandfoals, Revel and Reverie, the little pub was tended exclusively by a lined and wrinkled old stallion, Celebration by name, who happened to be a retired potioneer from Manehattan. Celebration had grown tired of his life of peddling potions to the grand city’s proletariat and retired to Ponyville where he had lived with Revel and Reverie ever since. Its owner being of such an origin, it is safe to assume that the eclectic concoctions, as scientific in nature as they were artful, were some of the best the country had known and were to be found exclusively at the Draught Horse Pub of Ponyville.

Magically and chemically engineered inebriating masterpieces aside, the little pub also offered beer. One beer, in fact. From the Draught Horse’s tarnished brass taps flowed exclusively the amber glory that was the Equestrian Brewing Company’s famous Twin Horse Ale. At just two bits a pint, the Twin Horse was the cheapest stuff a pony could greatly regret getting drunk on when the following morning came. While the flavor was absolutely excellent, the only readily available thing to dispel the misery it wrought upon its unfortunate victims was a special tonic brewed by none other than old Celebration himself, the recipe for which he had never divulged to any but his grandfoals.

Once in a blue moon and always when it was least expected, Revel and Reverie would assist their grandfather in tapping a cask of the world-famous Apple Family Cider to be served at no charge to the pub’s ever-thirsty patrons. It would be worthwhile to note that, in the nearly one-thousand years since its inception, the Apple Family cider’s worth-per-pour had grown by orders of magnitude known only by the history books and a few overenthusiastic connoisseurs of the beverage. Once served to the very last drop, empty cask would then be set on an equally empty white marble pedestal placed just outside the front door in the courtyard where it would be left to sit for three full months down to the hour.

Into that well-lit courtyard stepped six very thirsty ponies from a high walled alley, laughing heartily and trotting along merrily as though without a care or concern in the world. Wind Song, who noted at once to his great relief that the ostentatious pedestal was empty and had not, therefore, been missed by himself or his friends, led Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom up to the pub’s narrow porch just as a cool wind began to blow in from the north.

From within, the pub’s glowing hearth cast many a dancing shadow across the frosted windows. The sound of a tambourine could be heard above the familiar din of happy revellers as the six friends approached the old building.

“And here...we...are…”, Honeybell said matter-of-factly as they stepped up onto the porch.

Several merrymakers sat at tables and benches on the porch, enjoying a pipe or sipping at mugs of ale or other drinks.

One of them, an old unicorn mare holding a floating a clear glass cup of something which kept shifting through a plethora of pearlescent hues before her, stood to greet the six as they approached.

“Wind Song! I thought that was you! That was some show you put on for us earlier. Haven’t seen the like since I was your age!”

Wind Song took a moment to see who the speaker was in the dim light before his face lit up with recognition.

“Pine Frost! How have you been? I hope Winter Breeze is well?” he asked amiably.

The wizened unicorn replied, “As well as can be expected, Windy. As well as can be expected. As far as my husband though…” her face dropped into a scowl, “He insisted on staying home to finish chiselling away at that dratted old hunk of birch he keeps in the sitting room instead of coming out with me for a few of Celebration’s finest cocktails. But that’s quite alright, I’ve got plenty of fine company here. Ain’t that right, boys?” she said, turning to wink at several uncomfortable looking stallions Wind Song hadn’t noticed who were significantly younger than Pine Frost.

When no reply was forthcoming, she turned back to Wind Song. “Poor lads have drunk their fill from my purse tonight. I may also have been a bit over enthusiastic about our conversation.”

Wind Song noticed one of the stallions rising slowly from his bench and beginning to creep off in the direction of one of the dark side-streets. Thankfully, Pine Frost seemed not to have noticed. She would probably forget by the time she sat back down anyway.

Wind Song laughed uneasily, “I’m sure they’re just...um...tired. Hot day today, eh?”

Pine Frost seemed to have noticed the others for the first time and either missed or ignored Wind Song’s question.

“Willow, darling! It’s so good to see you again.” she said, stepping over to Willow and pulling her into a rough one-hoofed embrace, her drink swaying precariously in its little glowing magical bubble. Then she saw Snow Star. She gave the white unicorn a blunt expression.

“Snow.” she said flatly.

Snow Star, whose face had adopted exactly the same expression, replied, “Pine. Always a…” he coughed. “...pleasure.” he concluded with visible effort.

Pine Frost ignored this last statement and moved on to greeting Honeybell and Orange Blossom. Wind Song cast Snow Star a quizzical look at which Snow Star rolled his eyes and mouthed, “I’ll tell you later.” Wind Song was determined to hold him to that.

“And there’s Moonlight!” Pine Frost exclaimed enthusiastically, reaching one hoof out and touching one of Moonlight’s cheeks.

“Hi, Pine. It’s wonderful to see you, as always.” Moonlight replied with a genuine smile.

“And you as well, my dear. You as well. My goodness, always so polite!” Pine Frost beamed before she turned to Wind Song.

“Windy, my boy, why haven’t you married this beautiful mare yet? My what beautiful foals the two of you could make together! Your athleticism with her looks and brains...Celestia have mercy!” she said with an almost petulant shake of her head.

Wind Song felt that every last drop of blood in his body had somehow made its way to his cheeks and was too distracted by his own embarrassment to see that Moonlight had turned her face so it was covered by her long wavy mane. He heard a snort come from Snow Star’s direction and he turned to give him a scowl, but Willow had already given him a subtle kick to the hindquarters that was making his own face turn red with pain.

Pine Frost either didn’t notice this exchange or she didn’t care. “Well, it’s been wonderful to see you youngsters, but I suppose it’s time I got back to my guests here.”

“Have a wonderful night, Pine. It’s good to see you!” Willow replied. The others gave similar words of farewell except for Snow Star, who was still doing his best and very convincing impersonation of a pony in pain.

As Wind Song pushed the front door of the pub inward, his senses were overwhelmed by a barrage of sights, sounds, and smells. The string band situated in the opposite corner of the room played a melodious jig that danced satisfyingly across his ear drums. The measured hoofstomps of a dozen dancing townsponies accented the music as they jumped and twirled across the floor in a space which the surrounding crowd had cleared for them. The scent of various perfumes mixed with the effluvia of the sweat and hot breath of forty enthusiastic customers, all intent upon making the most of every last second of their time at the Draught Horse.

The pub’s clientele was as diverse as its drink selection. A griffon could be seen playing a hand of cards with a trio of rather put-out unicorns whose stacks of playing chips had shrunk to near extinction. Two hippogriffs were showing a bright pink filly how to throw a dart at a target pinned to the wall, but being without claws, she was having trouble mastering the trick. Off in the corner opposite the band, a little group of foals was gathered around a changeling who kept shifting colors in time to the music for their amusement.

As the six friends entered, a shout of cheering went up from the direction of the bar and Wind Song could see several ponies beckoning them with their mugs. Obliging, the six made their way carefully around the dance floor to join their fellow revellers.

“Ey! There he is! The buck of the hour!” one of them called over the music and cheering as Wind Song found a place nearby to sit, joined almost immediately by his five friends. “Oy! Reverie!” He called.

These last words were shouted at a pretty young filly who was in the process of hesitantly serving two rather drunk looking pegasi another round of ale. She looked up at the stallion who had called her name.

“Would you mind gettin’ my six friends here a round on my tab when ya get a chance, please?” he asked politely, still shouting to be heard over the music, to which Reverie nodded.

“Really, Moonshine, you don’t have to…” Wind Song and Moonlight began together, but Moonshine was having none of it.

“Nonsense! It’s rare enough I get to see you all in here these days. Much less just after one o’ ya cracked a bloomin’ rainboom right over Ponyville, eh?!” he laughed. “A blasted rainboom! In all my born days I never expected I’d see one o’ those, but ‘ere ya went ‘n did it right over me head!”

The six gratefully accepted their first round of drinks and began sipping slowly, enjoying the delicious ale and hoping that Celebration had a few flasks of his hangover remedy handy.

Just then, another stallion spoke from Wind Song’s other side.

“Enjoy it while ya can, lads. A storm’s a comin’.” he said cryptically.

Honeybell looked over at the speaker saying, “Well, now that’s a mighty optimistic outlook ya got there, buddy. What are you rattlin’ on about?”

The stallion sighed and, shifting his posture slightly to get more comfortable, replied, “Y’all ain’t heard of the strange goings on in Canterlot?”

All within hearing range shook their heads.

“Word’s been gettin’ around that ponies is disappearin’. They’ll show up in the city at random, shoutin’ all kinds of fantastic bullshit about someone threatenin’ the Princess. Then, by the time the royal guard gets ‘round to findin’ em, they just vanish. Poof!”

Willow leaned forward so she could see the stallion better, “Well, mister...um…” she paused.

“Fiddlesticks, love.” said Fiddlesticks.

“Fiddlesticks.” Willow nodded. “What proof is there exactly that this is anything more than just another idle threat like what Equestria has been dealing with since the defeat of Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Chrysalis?” she asked.

Fiddlesticks looked a bit annoyed, but continued anyway, “Well, miss, you see, the issue ‘ere is more one that’s been gettin’ worse as time goes on. Usually, when somethin’ comes up worth the Princess’s notice, she’ll send out a few soldiers, kick a little flank, ‘n things just die out after a few days and go back to normal. Some don’t even make the paper. But not this time. This time, we got not only these weirdos popping up ‘n vanishin’, but word ‘as it the whole council’s been sent out to investigate. ‘n can you tell me when the last time was that ‘at happened?”

It was Snow Star’s turn to reply, “And what proof is there that the council is gone? And why haven’t we heard any of this?”

“Got cotton in your ears, ‘at’s why.” Fiddlesticks said, reaching to his right and sliding a newspaper across the bar toward him. “Town crier’s been out all day shoutin’ about it too.”

Wind Song caught the newspaper between his hoof and the bar as it slid by. Opening it, he read the headline, emblazoned in huge letters across the front page, “Equestria Remains Strong”, it read. Beneath it, in smaller bold lettering, was written, “Princess Twilight Sparkle assures Equestrians that the council’s departure is only a temporary precaution. Read more on page 3.” Wind Song passed the newspaper to Snow Star who was seated next to him.

“Sure enough, lads. Gettin’ shadier ‘n shadier all the time. ‘n what about those funny lights in the south? You tellin’ me ‘at’s an aurora? I don’t think so. Wrong time o’ year. And wrong place.” Fiddlesticks added as Moonlight, seated at the far end of the bar, finished reading and passed the newspaper back.

“I don’t know.” Willow said less certainly than before. “This still all seems a bit exaggerated for my taste. A bit of tabloid journalism is a good way to stir things up a bit. Not sure why they’d do it now though.”

Reverie arrived with a second round of drinks. They all nodded their thanks.

“Any o’ you been to Canterlot in the last few weeks? I got a friend what delivers food n stuff to the palace every couple ‘o days who says the royal guard won’t even let him pass no more. Says the whole bloody city has tightened security enough to smother a body.” Fiddlesticks continued.

Willow, Snow, Honeybell, Orange Blossom, and Moonlight all looked at Wind Song who they knew quite well had been in Canterlot over the last few weeks. Wind Song tensed. He well remembered the unusually stringent security measures which had been taken during the time he was in Canterlot. He had been so preoccupied with his training and tryouts that he hadn’t bothered to think that the extra checkpoints, the oddly frequent armed patrols, the fact that there was a guard posted at every street corner, had been anything more than routine practice related to the tryouts. Now that he realized this, however, it became painfully obvious that something strange was going on.

“I...um…” he stammered. “Well, yeah. I mean, well, there was a lot of extra security, but I thought that was because of the Wonderbolts tryouts and shows.”

They all continued to look at Wind Song as though offended he had left out this crucial piece of information.

“You see what I mean?” Fiddlesticks said with a sinister air. “Something strange is happnin’ ‘ere ‘n I swear before long it’s gonna rear it’s ugly head ‘n crash over us all like a wave on the sand. But ‘ey. What’s that matter when we got drinks like this, eh?” He laughed, taking a sip of his drink.

“So, what exactly do you think the threat to Equestria is?” Honeybell asked seriously.

Fiddlesticks guffawed. “I ‘unno. A big ol’ ugly witch what sucks the life out o’ ‘er enemies prolly.” He laughed. “But what do I know?” he lifted his mug and gulped down several long draughts of amber ale. His point evidently having been made, he didn’t speak again.

The six friends dragged their stools closer together, huddling as best they could over the straight countertop.

“I admit,” Wind Song began, “It’s a bit odd. I mean, I didn’t see any ponies running around claiming the world was ending or anything...just the bit about security.”

“Still, that earns some consideration. And what about the bit about the council being gone? It’s been eons since that happened. How many threats are there really that warrant the use of five immortal spirits?” Snow Star whispered loudly.

Honeybell spoke next, “I dunno about y’all livin up here in town, but down by the groves, it’s way darker, ‘n we’ve been wonderin’ what them lights are down south. Figured it was nothin’. I mean, they’re pretty dim even where we are, but they’re definitely there.”

“Snow and I haven’t even noticed them.” Willow said. “We’ve been too busy with Fairweather’s campaign and...OH! Windy! We forgot to tell you! Fairweather won the election!”

“What!? Really?” Wind Song asked, exhilarated. “I’m so glad to hear it! We’ll have to drop by tomorrow so I can wish her congratulations. She’s going to make an amazing mayor.”

Fairweather, a close friend of the six, was the first pegasus mayor Ponyville had seen in more than three hundred years. Her campaign, hotly contested by a crusty old earth pony stallion named Levity who hadn’t even lived in Ponyville for more than a few years, had been the result of countless hours of effort in the weeks leading up to her election...weeks during which Wind Song had been in Canterlot preparing for the tryouts.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be here for her inauguration.” Wind Song continued. There’s no way she’ll let me live this down.”

“She understands, Windy.” Moonlight said. “She tried out for the Wonderbolts herself once, you know?”

Wind Song, nonplussed, gaped stupidly at Moonlight before answering, “You’re kidding? We’ve known her for what...twelve years? And I’m just finding this out?”

Moonlight smiled.

“She doesn’t tell many ponies, and the last thing she wanted before your tryouts was to have you pestering her with questions. She didn’t want to have to discourage you by telling you how difficult it is.”

“Well, I’m not going to lie.” replied Wind Song. “I’m a bit sad I didn’t know that before. There are so many things I would have liked to ask that would have made it so much easier. At the same time though, I can’t resent her. It must have driven her crazy not being able to tell me.”

“Even while she was campaigning she was constantly talking about how she hoped you’d place in the top three.” Moonlight said. “Actually, I think she was as concerned for you as we were.”

The other four nodded in agreement.

Wind Song looked at his five closest friends and felt butterflies in his stomach for how lucky he was to have them...or maybe that was just the ale?

“I love you guys.” he said, and he meant it. “Let’s get some more drinks, eh?”

And so it was that the two pegasi, two unicorns, and two earth ponies spent their night of celebration. Many a toast and expression of congratulations graced the lips of those they encountered. The ale flowed freely, the music played on, and even the somber looking griffon was seen joining the dancers on the dance floor. After a number of hours unknown, when all were spent from the dancing and carousing, they sat at the bar or tables to listen as, one after another, ponies would step up to the stage by the musicians, and sing a song. Most were fast-paced pub songs sung time out of mind in taverns and bars across Equestria. Others were slower and more measured, singing of loves lost or friendships won.

Drink after drink, the six friends talked of their time apart, voices becoming increasingly slurred with their intoxication. Aside from Honeybell, Moonlight was the only one of their number who seemed mostly unaffected by the drinks.

Wind Song filled the others in on the details of his near impossible training and finally, the tryouts themselves.

“So, just before I executed my last heartline roll, I accidentally turned right into the sun. It blinded me so I had to do the roll with my eyes closed. The moment I was level, I pulled up as fast as I could. I missed the judges by like two yards. I could hear them gasp and shout as I went over them.”

Snow Star laughed jovially as he said, “HA! Now there’s something I’d have to see in person to believe.” He snorted, looking around at the others, “That’s just about as likely to happen as Moonlight singing on stage. No offense, Moonlight.” He looked around. “Umm...Moonlight?”

“Fillies and gentlecolts!” came a loud voice from the stage across the pub. “We have a rare treat for you tonight. On stage for the very first time, we present to you the lovely miss Moonlight Whisper!”

Wind Song whipped his head around, as did Orange Blossom, Honeybell, Snow Star, and Willow. He felt as though his jaw had dropped off the bottom of his skull when he saw Moonlight, gorgeous as ever, standing on the little stage in the corner.

Snow Star, who was sitting head-down, face smashed into the table at which they sat, had another mug of ale thrust into his hoof by Willow who sat grinning at his side.

The crowd, still rowdy from the night’s revels, clopped their hooves together and carried on their conversations as though nothing were amiss. Wind Song felt instantly furious at them. Could they not see who was on stage getting ready to...SING of all things? Moonlight had probably spent weeks mustering up the courage to put herself at the mercy of a crowd who was now ignoring her.

Then, the music began to play, slow and soft and his anger was forgotten. It was a tune Wind Song had not heard many years. Not since he had lived in Cirrus with his parents. His mother had sung him this song, not as a lullaby, but as a story.

The fire burned low in the hearth as Moonlight began the first verse in a soft, lilting voice. The sound of her singing was like the sweetest birdsong or like wind blowing through pine needles. The lay began like this:

In the happy land of Equestria

Five hundred long years past

In the little town of Ponyville

Lived six young mares steadfast

Their virtues shone like lightning

Or a lantern in the night

Beloved by friends and fellows

Their lives a leading light

By the beginning of the third verse, Moonlight had the full attention of the crowd, which had gone dead silent to listen to her sing.

The melody continued to tell about the six mares, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, whose heroism had led to the defeat of Cozy Glow, Lord Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis beneath Canterlot on the edge of what was now known as Bell Meadow. It told of Grogar’s Bewitching Bell and how the three villains had used it along with the poison of division to gain supremacy over all the races of Equestria. By uniting those once divided, the six heroes were able to overcome the villains against all odds, turning them into stone, and retrieving the Bewitching Bell.

Wind Song was captivated. Never before had he thought it possible that this song could be sung more beautifully than by his own mother, but here it was. Moonlight had done it and he had the privilege of hearing her every last word.

After nearly fifteen minutes, the tune drew to a close. The last echoes of the strings were the only sounds to be heard above the crackling of the embers in the hearth. Moonlight bowed low, then stood awkwardly as everypony simply stared in wonderment. As she began to turn to walk down the step, the crowd erupted in wave after wave of cheers, hoofstomps, and assorted shouts of approval.

“Well, time to grab some more drinks.” Willow said as she stood, followed by Honeybell, Orange Blossom and Snow Star.

Wind Song, who was still standing, sat down hard on a bench beside the table. Wind Song gazed at Moonlight, transfixed by her performance...and by her beauty. As she passed him, she gave him a shy little smile but continued on without a word. He watched her go as her flanks swayed gently like a tree in the wind…

“WINDY!”

Wind Song, distracted as he was, hadn’t noticed Snow Star creeping up behind him. Snow Star’s head had been almost level with Wind Song’s ear when he had made his presence known and, as a result, Wind Song now lay on his back, having rolled backward off the bench he had been seated on. Snow Star was in hysterics.

“Damnit Snow! Why in Tartarus did you have to go and do something like that?” asked Wind Song angrily, feeling suddenly far too sober as he tried to pick himself up off the cool floor.

Snow Star took a few moments to compose himself. “Luna’s pants, Windy! You should have seen your face!” he laughed. “That was the most priceless thing I’ve seen in a long long time, buddy.”

“Not as priceless as the face you’ll make when I find something long and hard to hit you with. And wait...Luna’s...what?” Wind Song scowled.

“Speaking of long and hard, why is it you haven’t asked that mare out yet? Sober or drunk, you look at her like a hungry manticore staring at a rabbit.”

Wind Song’s anger deflated. Snow Star was right. Why hadn’t he asked her out yet?

“I don’t know, Snow. Every time I try to bring myself to ask her, I always look at her. She’s way too wonderful for somepony like me. I mean, she’s smart, she’s beautiful...she has a heart of gold. She’s way out of my league.” As Wind Song said these words, a pit seemed to form in his stomach.

Snow Star shook his head slowly, smiling a bit. “You know something, buddy? You sound exactly like somepony I know who had a very similar problem.”

Wind Song’s ears perked up. “Do I? What did he do?”

“Well…” Snow Star continued. “That pony was me. And what he did was stop overthinking things.”

“Wait, what? You mean you and Willow?” Wind Song asked.

“Yup!” Snow Star said proudly. “You remember when the six of us had first started hanging out in Ponyville say...five years ago or so?”

Wind Song looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.

“Well, the way you feel now is exactly how I felt then. Yeah, I was a good bit younger and way more prone to overthinking every little thing, especially when it came to a mare like Willow, but I plucked up the courage and, against all of my expectations, she said ‘yes’.”

“So, you think I should just...wing it? Just ask her out of the blue? But what if it’s the wrong time? What if I say the wrong thing?” Wind Song asked disconsolately.

Snow Star looked Wind Song dead in the eyes and said, “You won’t. It’s in your blood. You and her are meant to be together. Have you seen how she looks at you?”

Wind Song thought for a moment. No...he had never really noticed. He was always too nervous around her.

Snow Star seemed to know what Wind Song was thinking and followed up, “Well, buddy, let me tell you something. Ask her when you’re sober, and ask her as soon as possible. There’s no time like the present, my friend. Don’t tell my wife I said this, but that’s a damn fine mare over there.”

Giving a shifty smile and wiggling his eyebrows at Wind Song, Snow Star stood and began walking away, Wind Song shifted his gaze back to Moonlight, who was now leaning on the bar talking animatedly to Revel as he poured her the first of what was undoubtedly many free drinks the rambunctious crowd had bought her after her brilliant performance. “Yeah.” he thought. “A damn fine mare.”

At that moment, Wind Song decided he would ask Moonlight out. Tomorrow night. That’s when he would do it. At sunset perhaps? Maybe just when the moon was coming out. That was her favorite time of day. Yes, that was it.

Wind Song stood, emboldened by his own determination, and walked over to join his friends. The rest of the night wore on in a drunken haze as drink after drink, the revelry and carousing melded together with his own inner thoughts. He remembered himself telling, only Celestia knew how many times, the story of the Wonderbolt’s tryouts. He remembered dancing with Moonlight, her face the only thing he could see clearly as the background whirled behind her in a blur.

As the moon rose ever higher into the starry night sky, unseen by the merrymakers within the walls of the Draught Horse, the six friends became lost in a jovial haze. A few hours later, sitting around a small wooden table on the front porch of the pub, they spoke in slurred sentences of hopes, dreams, and darkest secrets none of them would remember. At long last the moon, drifting slowly closer and closer to the dim horizon, shone over six ponies, all fast asleep.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 2

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 2

By Wind Song

REVISED 21SEP20

Chapter 3 - A Cuteceañera to Remember

The following morning dawned crisp and clear, a thousand hues of red, yellow, and blue splashed across the gray canvas of the eastern horizon. The distinctive call of half a dozen laughingbirds could be heard amongst the branches of the solitary oak tree in the courtyard outside the Draught Horse as the town of Ponyville slowly but surely came to life around it. The chill air, a far cry from the heat of the previous day, was laden with a light fog which settled on every visible surface, including the top of the awning outside the front doors of the little pub.

Under this awning slept Wind Song...that is until the dew, which had collected on it, condensed to form several large drops which rolled off it and right into the unconscious pony’s left ear.

His eyes snapping open, the formerly unconscious Wind Song made his first fatal mistake. He sat bolt upright, jerking his pounding head from left to right to see who had woken him so rudely. At least that’s what he would have done, but the copious quantity of Twin Horse ale from the previous night was having none of it. The sudden movement induced a bout of nausea and vertigo such as he hadn’t experienced in months as the world spun around him, seeming to bob precariously up and down. It was rather like being on a carousel...spinning very very quickly.

As a result, he not only failed to discover who had disturbed his slumber, but he rolled unceremoniously right off the back of the bench on which he had been sitting and found himself in an inarguably horizontal state of being once again. He immediately made the immediate and intimate acquaintance of the hard weathered planks of the pub’s front porch, which knocked the wind out of him and left him gasping for air. A few moments later, as he lay on his back groaning in pain, Orange Blossom popped into his view between himself and the awning above.

“Mornin’, sunshine!” she shouted in the shrill, piercing tone that was the sole province of Orange Blossom.

Of course the last thing a pony with a hangover wants immediately after being woken up and falling backward onto the ground is somepony else shouting in their face. As Wind Song clapped his hooves over his ears, a steady stream of whispered curses issued from his mouth.

“For Celestia’s sake, O.B., keep it down!” he rasped hoarsely, his parched mouth and throat coming quickly to the forefront of his hazy consciousness.

As the ringing in his ears subsided somewhat, he opened one eye slowly and was about to ask Orange Blossom for a glass of water when Snow Star’s grinning face came into view beside Orange Blossom’s, a glass of water levitated before him.

“Hey, Snow. Thanks for the…”

That was all farther Wind Song got before the glass above him tipped and its contents crashed down on his face in a cold torrent.

“Oops! Sorry about that, buddy!” Snow Star said as Wind Song coughed and spluttered. “Was hoping you’d wake up soon. You are awake now, right?”

Wind Song gave a loud cough which made his already pounding head give another throb of pain.

“No thanks to you, asshole.” he replied, coughing again.

“Willow, Moonlight, and Honeybell already left to help set up the Cuteceañera.” Snow Star continued as though nothing were amiss.

“Did they?” Wind Song asked. Wind Song rolled over and again tried to push himself upright with the full intention of giving Snow Star a solid kick, but failed miserably. He felt the bile rise in his throat and decided on the alternative course of action which primarily involved not moving at all. “Pony feathers, this sucks.” he commiserated, closing his eyes.

“Willow said you’d say that.” Snow Star said with a chuckle. “Here.” He pulled a small vial from somewhere in a small satchel he carried and levitated it to Wind Song.

Wind Song eyed the little glass container skeptically. “What is it?” he asked.

“Anti-hangover potion!” Orange Blossom said in a loud whisper while Snow Star gave Wind Song the potion. “Willow said you’d need it.”

“That and a glass of water from anypony who can spare one.” he replied.

Snow Star nodded and went to refill the empty glass while Wind Song popped the tiny cork from the top of the vial and downed the whole concoction in one gulp. It tasted like strawberries...or raspberries? He wasn’t sure. It barely did anything to sate his ravaging thirst, but the relief from the effects of the hangover was almost immediate. His head soon cleared and his churning stomach stopped gurgling.

His relief must have been visible on his face because Orange Blossom gave a radiant smile and clopped her two front hooves together as Wind Song tried again, this time successfully, to stand upright.

“Wow! That potion is something else. Might need to keep a vial or two of that handy. Where did Willow get it?” he asked as Snow Star approached, levitating a now full glass of clear cool water. Wind Song decided that he would save Snow Star’s punishment for a later date.

Snow Star levitated the glass over to Wind Song who took it and drank eagerly.

“She made it.” he said proudly.

Wind Song put the glass down on the table next to him and looked at Snow Star dumbly.

You’re kidding.” he said as more of a statement than a question.

“Not at all, my fine fellow! Not at all. As it happens, my wife is quite adept at the practice of potioneering. When she’s in the right mood.” he paused. “Or drunk.” he added as an afterthought. “Remember that time two or so years ago when we went to the Prancing Palomino and nopony heard from her for three straight days?”

Wind Song closed his eyes, trying to remember. Ah, yes. That time. The recollection of the event made him chuckle.

Smirking, Wind Song said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Willow dance like that before. It was a bit, um...” Wind Song trailed off, searching for the right word.

Snow Star’s grin soured a bit. “Embarrassing. Yes.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad.”

Snow Star stared at Wind Song flatly. “She knocked over Mayor Dartmoor’s beer...Twice.”

“Well, I guess if you put it that…”

“She spun upside down on not one, not two, but three different tables and broke them.”

“Yeah, I guess that was pretty ba…”

“When I told her to stop she called me ‘pencil dick’ and hoofed me in the…”

“Okay! I get it!” Wind Song shouted before Snow Star could continue, but relented somewhat after a moment. “Did she really kick you in the...uh, you know…?”

Snow Star closed his eyes, evidently hoping to blink away the memory. “Not on purpose...”

Orange Blossom had been watching this exchange with a very un-Orange Blossom-like indifference, interrupted, “So, are we going to this party or what?”

“That sounds like a fantastic idea.” Wind Song replied in a stale monotone.

And so, off they marched back toward the town center, Orange Blossom prancing along in front and Snow Star and Wind Song bringing up the rear.

“...and so…” Snow Star said to Wind Song whose cheeks were visibly pink. “That’s why she created the hangover potion.” he concluded.

When they arrived, the town square was already bustling with dozens of ponies preparing for the upcoming cuteceañera. Orange Blossom immediately picked out her sister and galloped across the courtyard at full tilt, catching Honeybell off guard as she was tackled by her younger sibling. The carefully decorated lemon cake which she had been carrying went flying through the air. Thankfully, an attentive mauve and lavender unicorn saw the incident taking place and caught the cake with her magic before setting it carefully down on a nearby table.

Across the square from this occurrence, Willow was guiding a group of six unicorns, all levitating an enormous bowl of punch slowly toward an equally enormous punch stand near the fountain at the middle of the clearing. Nearby, a small cluster of rather stationary stallions stood watching the spectacle of the punch bowl. One of the stallions managed to catch the eye of one of the unicorn mares and winked at her with a smile. The split second of distraction was all it took. The unicorn blushed furiously and lost her hold on the magic. The gigantic bowl swayed precariously and began to tip sideways.

A pair of nearby pegasi, who had been pinning up a banner under the direction of Moonlight, saw the disaster that was about to take place and swooped down to help steady the bowl. They were, for the most part, successful in pulling the bowl back upright, but not before a great wave of the dark red punch had sloshed over the side of the bowl, soaking Willow and all six of the unicorns levitating it.

After a few moments more of effort, the now three quarters full punch bowl rested on its wood pedestal above Willow and five of the unicorns, who glared angrily at the mare who had been distracted.

Snow Star was rolling on the soft grass, legs flailing about in the air above him, and laughing fit to burst. Tears of mirth glistened in his eyes as he finally lay panting and gasping for air.

“Sweet baby corn!” he exclaimed. “I’d give anything to see that again!” he said, still trying to catch his breath.

A scowling Willow, whose formerly grey coat was now nearly the same color as her mane, stomped over to her husband who still lay on the ground giggling.

“Oh, hi honey!” Snow Star said, trying not to keep his laughter in check.

Willow glared at him flatly.

“That color looks good on you. You should totally keep it!” Snow Star said with a snicker.

A few minutes later, the trio was joined by Moonlight, Orange Blossom, and Honeybell.

“Hey guys!” Orange Blossom began as she trotted up. “Woah, nice color, Willow. That’s a good look!”

Willow rolled her eyes.

“Well, everything is ready.” Honeybell said cheerily.

Nodding, Moonlight added, “Yep. And supposedly Mayor Fairweather will be here too.”

“That’s awfully nice of her to make the long and arduous journey...you know, given we’re literally right outside her front door.” Snow Star said sarcastically. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get myself some punch. Mixed, perhaps, with something a bit stronger.” He glanced at Willow who wore a self-satisfied smile, “You know...to help me remember how much I love you.”

“I’ll go with you!” Honeybell and Orange Blossom declared in unison.

Moonlight turned to Wind Song. “Is Snow okay?” she asked as she watched the unicorn and two siblings making their way to the line which had formed in front of the large bowl of punch. “He’s walking a bit oddly.”

“Oh, he’s fine.” Willow interjected, still sporting her smirk. “I just gave him a gentle reminder about why it’s rude to make fun of other ponies.”

Wind Song cleared his throat and grinned. While Willow and Snow Star were always at each others’ throats, he still couldn’t imagine a love more perfect than theirs. They were inseparable, and everything they did they did together.

“Auntie Willow!” came the shrill voice of a young filly.

Wind Song looked over and saw a unicorn foal whose white coat contrasted greatly with her radiant pink hair which was almost exactly like Willow’s.

“Woah, nice color, auntie!” the filly said, her mouth a round “O” of wonderment.

Willow, whose heart seemed to melt at the sight of her niece, walked over and hugged the small unicorn. “Hi there, Sugar. Congratulations! What an exciting day, huh?”

“Yeah!” she squeaked happily. “I can’t wait to show Miss Fairweather!” she exclaimed, shifting her left flank so Willow could see the cutie mark. A bright red medical cross backed by a pink heart and a gray paw print was emblazoned across the filly’s flank.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart! Your mom told me you’ve been helping out at the vet’s office but she didn’t tell me how you got it.”

“I have! Every day! I was releasing a rabbit who I took care of when he had a broken leg and my cutie mark just...showed up!” Sugar Spice was bouncing up and down happily.

Willow beamed proudly. She turned to Wind Song and Moonlight. “Windy, Moonlight, I don’t think you’ve met my niece, Sugar Spice.” She turned back to the filly. “Sugar, these are my friends, Wind Song and Moonlight Whisper.”

Moonlight and Wind Song both raised a hoof in greeting.

“Hi there, Sugar Spice!” Moonlight said cheerfully.

“Congratulations!” said Wind Song.

A look of comprehension dawned on the young unicorn’s face and she said, “Ooooh, auntie, are they the ones you said are gonna get marr…”

“That’s something to talk about another time, sweetie.” Willow suddenly interrupted, looking shamefacedly at Moonlight and Wind Song who had turned to look at each other before looking back to Willow, a bit exasperated.

“Okay!” Sugar Spice chirruped. “I’m gonna go say hi to my friends. By aunt Willow! Love you!”

“We’ll see you in a bit, sweetheart. Love you too!” Willow replied as the filly turned and bounced happily to a small group of foals who had apparently been waiting for her.

“Really?” Wind Song and Moonlight asked Willow together after Sugar Spice had rejoined her friends.

“What?! So she overheard a conversation. You know how kids are.” Willow said defensively.

Wind Song rolled his eyes and turned to Moonlight whose expression, he expected, would be much like his own. Instead, he found she was looking at her front hooves and wearing a look of deep contemplation, almost longing. He knew he needed to say something, but what?

He had just settled on simply blurting out the first thing that came to his mind when Willow pulled up short, rubbing her head just at the base of her horn, a look of confusion and worry darkening her features.

Wind Song looked up at her and asked urgently “Willow? Are you alright?”

Suddenly a collective intake of breath accompanied by various sounds of awe and wonderment filled the air in the square below.

The three ponies turned quickly to see what was happening, sounds of admiration and amazement escaped their own lips.

Near the base of the stairs of Town Hall, what appeared to be a shimmering cloud of glowing pink and yellow fireflies coalesced to form the indistinct form of a pony. The sound of a driving wind filled the air. The apparition sharpened and at once, all present knew who and what they beheld.

As a whole, every single pony in the square dropped down to one knee in a kneeling posture. As Fluttershy, for it was Fluttershy, scanned the assembled crowd, a vast aura of affection and contentment radiated out from the spirit, washing over Wind Song, Moonlight, and Willow like a tidal wave. Cries of joy escaped the lips of many present and Wind Song felt tears in his own eyes as the irrepressible sense that all was right in the world spread across the gathering. Birds for miles around erupted into song and the fragrance of a million blooming wildflowers filled the air.

With a grace and elegance not shared by the mortal world, the spirit stepped forward, translucent hooves never quite touching the ground. In the wake of her passing, grass and flowers grew and blossomed before the very eyes of all present. The sun, which was nearing its zenith, seemed to shine a little brighter.

Fluttershy moved deliberately across the square, right toward Sugar Spice and her friends, who still knelt in their tight little group.

As the apparition approached, all but the curly pink-maned unicorn filly backed up three or four paces, leaving Sugar Spice face to face with Fluttershy.

The glowing mare stopped, bent, and raised Sugar Spice’s chin, bidding her to stand on all four hooves. The look of pure love emanating from the spirit was beautiful beyond compare and made Wind Song feel deepest remorse for every unkind word he had ever said and every unkind act he had committed.

Sugar Spice, on the other hand, looked radiant. Fluttershy seemed to be asking the filly questions, spoken so low that nopony else but her could hear. For ten minutes, the winged form of the immortal pegasus asked question after question. After each question, Sugar Spice would either nod or shake her head, sometimes frowning, sometimes glowing with excitement as she shook or nodded her head. Evidently satisfied with the filly’s answers, Fluttershy stooped low, touching her forehead to Sugar Spice’s own. A look of ecstasy illuminated Sugar Spice’s face and her cutie mark began to glow brighter and brighter.

Soon, the mark on the filly’s flank was glowing like a miniature sun. So bright it was that Wind Song had to avert his gaze and close his eyes for fear it would blind him. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the light faded again. As Wind Song opened his eyes again, the glowing image of the cutie mark lay burned into his vision for nearly a full minute.

As the world around him lightened and he was again able to see, he looked at Sugar Spice’s cutie mark and gasped. The mark, a good enough mark by all accounts, was now outlined in sparkling gold and backed by three silvery butterflies, just nearly the same color as the filly’s white coat.

Suddenly, the spirit of Fluttershy stood erect, looking alert. She looked around just as a startled deer might when it hears a strange sound or smells a predator approaching. After a few moments, her eyes widened in...was that shock? Then, without warning, she vanished.

As everypony rose to their hooves, Wind Song saw Sugar Spice’s friends and several nearby ponies crowding around the filly to see her new cutie mark.

“Wow! That was really something!” Snow Star said as he, Orange Blossom, and Honeybell returned, large glasses of punch held or levitated before them.

Wind Song, still awed by the experience, simply nodded.

Moonlight, who was wiping her eyes with a fetlock, said excitedly, “It really was! It’s been ages since anypony saw Fluttershy last. She’s usually so solitary and quiet.”

“Yeah!” chimed in Orange Blossom. “The only part I don’t get was at the end where she…” but she didn’t get any farther. At that moment there was a deafening boom and the earth under them gave a violent lurch. The world went dark as though the sun had been a candle and somepony had snuffed it out. All six ponies were sent stumbling and reeling.

The sound of falling glass could be heard all around as the windows of neighboring buildings were blown out by the concussive blast. Several ponies screamed.

As the six began to get to their hooves, Wind Song noticed that Snow Star and Willow both looked ill.

Snow Star, whose normally cheerful eyes were suddenly wild with fear and who was helping Willow to stand, looked quickly over to Wind Song. “Windy. There’s something wrong. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something very very wrong.”

Wind Song, nonplussed and still trying to make sense of what had just happened, cocked his head to one side as he also pushed himself into a shaky stance. “What do you mean?” he asked urgently, looking up to see what had happened to the sun.

The sun, which was now at its peak, was only a glowing ring of blinding fire behind the moon. Wind Song stood, gazing at the eclipse for several seconds before a dull roaring noise came rolling in from the north like distant thunder. Only, instead of ending in silence, the roaring only continued to get louder.

“We need to get to the belfry...now!” Wind Song said, raising his voice slightly so as to be heard over the rumbling.

The others nodded and allowed Wind Song to lead them single file, except for Snow and Willow who stood close together, to the steps of town hall. The six proceeded through the front doors and to the spiral staircase at the corner of the building. They passed the second story landing and soon came to the third story where, just outside a ring of doors and windows, a balcony ran the structure’s circumference.

The glass in the myriad of doors and windows had mostly been blown out and the six friends had to tread carefully to avoid stepping on the thousands of sharp shards. As they exited onto the circular balcony they all noticed that the roaring sound had grown louder. Wind Song could feel it rumbling in his chest and the floor trembled under him. Looking to the north, he observed a glow coming from the distant royal city of Canterlot. Such a bright light to be seen from so far away.

All of the sudden, an urgent voice came drifting across the landscape, but it didn’t sound as though somepony were shouting. It sounded as though the voice of Twilight herself spoke directly into his mind.

“Go! Go, sisters! She’s too strong, I can’t...I can’t...Aaaaaaah!” this last shout of fear or pain, Wind Song knew not which, was cut off suddenly as though somepony had gagged the speaker.

The rumbling, which had become a roar, vanished and the world went momentarily still. Then, the purple light in the distance vanished and a blinding flash of red illuminated the world all around him, casting the shadows of the six friends in sharp relief on the walls and buildings behind them. With the light came an unnatural, piercing shriek, louder by magnitudes than the rumbling roar had been.

Even with his hooves held firmly over his ears, the noise was still deafening. And yet, it grew still louder. Wind Song felt the twin “thuds” of Willow and Snow Star beside him hitting the planks of the balcony as they dropped. Wind Song was powerless to help them as they lay on the floor, eyes closed and writhing in obvious agony. Their mouths were open in a soundless scream that not even they could hear.

Wind Song heard one of the few remaining windows behind him shatter violently, sending shards of glass flying in all directions. He felt pain as many of them pierced or glanced off his back and neck, leaving small bloody gashes and scratches in his blue hide. Sparks like tiny bolts of lighting began to arc from seemingly random points on the buildings around him.

The air around him filled with a metallic scent which got into his nose, eyes, and mouth. It was in his lungs. He was choking on it. He couldn’t breathe. As his vision began to fade, he felt a hatred so powerful it numbed him. It drove out every other emotion as he gasped for air. The last thing he remembered was the sensation of his limp form hitting the solid wood planks of the balcony, and then he knew no more.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 3

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 3

By Wind Song

REVISED 22SEP20

Chapter 4 - Black Rose

“Windy!”

The distant but piercing voice echoed in Wind Song’s addled brain like a flock of angry bats in a cave. Was he still hung over after the night of dancing and debauchery at the Draught Horse? It certainly felt like it. His head ached something fierce, his throat was dry…

“Windy!”

That panic-stricken voice shouting for his attention sounded more urgent this time. He knew that voice. It sounded so familiar, but it was like something he’d heard in a half forgotten dream. He’d reply...eventually. Right now, he was resting. He was so exhausted though he knew not why, but he supposed that’s what happened when you downed...how many was it? Twelve pints? Fifteen? He really didn’t want to think about that right now. He just wanted to go back to sleep.

“Wind Song!” came that voice for a third time, laden with urgency.

The use of his full name startled him out of his daze. When he opened his eyes and saw Orange Blossom standing over him, indistinct but obviously battered and bloody, the whole of the previous day’s events came rushing back to him along with the myriad of aches and pains he had somehow forgotten. The roaring and rumbling had gone, and the sun seemed to be in the right place. The moon was no longer visible, but that coppery unpleasant taste was still in his mouth and throat, which were as parched as the Bone Dry Desert many leagues to the south.

He gagged and coughed as he pushed himself into an upright resting position and spat out globules of mucus and blood onto the wood planks beneath him which were covered in broken shards of glass.

Without sparing a moment, Orange Blossom, face streaked with blood and tears, bent low beside him, and in a voice containing far more gravity than befitted her generally pleasant demeanor, said, “Wind Song! Hurry! The Willow and Snow!” while jabbing a hoof to her right, just beyond Wind Song’s field of vision.

At this, a sense of dread came over him and, forgetting his own troubles for the moment, pushed himself quickly to his hooves.

A few yards away on the balcony lay two figures, legs still held tightly over their heads, eyes squeezed tight shut, tears spilling down their cheeks. Their mouths were open but no sound came out. They were both jerking and shuddering, each spasm appearing as though some invisible force was landing blow after brutal blow down upon them. Honeybell and Moonlight stood over the thrashing unicorns, utterly horrified and powerless to help.

Wind Song didn’t spare time to think.

“Move them away from the glass!” he barked at Moonlight and Honeybell.

It was a good thing he said this because even as he bounded over to help his friends, Willow and Snow Star’s thrashing over the glass-strewn floor was carving deep bloody gashes into their backs and sides. Finding a glass-free place on the platform proved to be more difficult than Wind Song had anticipated, so Moonlight used her tail to sweep a space clean about a yard away.

This whole ordeal only took moments, and as they were heaving Willow and Snow Star into the clean patch of wooden decking, they suddenly stopped moving.

“Snow?!”

Wind Song stopped moving, gazing hopefully at his two friends.

“Willow?!” he called louder.

They weren’t breathing. Wind Song immediately stooped down and put his ear to Snow Star’s nose, listening and feeling for the warm breath that should have been coming from it. But there was none.

Moonlight, who knew something of healing, had already rolled Willow onto her right side and had begun pushing quickly on her side just behind the shoulder.

Wind Song looked puzzled, but only for a moment before he followed suit, copying Moonlight’s rhythmic up and down motion on Snow Star.

“Slower.” she said simply after a moment, surprisingly calm in spite of the situation, and so Wind Song slowed.

Orange Blossom and Honeybell looked on, stricken and worried.

Ten seconds passed. Thirty seconds. A full minute.

The exhausting events of the last few days were finally starting to take their toll on Wind Song. He knew he was only a few moments away from collapsing from exhaustion.

Then, he heard a coughing gasp come from where Moonlight stood. Willow stirred slightly. A dribble of blood ran out of the corner of her mouth. She didn’t open her eyes, but she was breathing. Perhaps that meant there was hope!

He redoubled his efforts on Snow Star and was rewarded a few moments later with a cough and several deep inhalations.

“Snow!” Wind Song called to Snow Star, who stirred and slowly opened one eye.

Wind Song and the others stood back a few paces to give him some room. Snow Star shuddered slightly and began to take in his surroundings, seeming not to recognize his friends. Then his eyes fell on Willow.

“Willow!” he shouted. His voice broke as he coughed again and rushed to her, pulling her into his arms and releasing a hysterical cry of anguish.

“Snow.” Moonlight began. “She’s going to be fine. She just hasn’t woken up yet.” she said, placing a comforting hoof on his back.

Snow Star winced at the contact and jerked backward as though he had been whipped.

Moonlight pulled back, looking a bit hurt. Snow Star seemed to realize what he had just done. He looked up at Moonlight with his two bloodshot and watery eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Moonlight.” he said mournfully. “It’s just, we’ve been gone so long and I thought that you were all...well…”

“‘Gone so long’?” Wind Song asked. “What do you mean? It’s only been, what?” He looked at Orange Blossom.

“It’s only been about seven or eight minutes, Snow.” Orange Blossom said, confused.

Snow Star, who had been stroking his wife’s mane with one hoof, stopped, looking dumbfounded.

“That’s not possible. We were gone for months.”

Snow Star let his eyes drop back to Willow, who had begun to stir at last.

“It’s okay, honey. We’re home safe.”

Willow’s eyes snapped open. She jerked upright and scrambled away from Snow Star back toward the opening that led into Town Hall’s third story.

“NO!” she screamed. “No! Don’t, please! Don’t! Not again!”

She swept her gaze from left to right, looking desperately for an escape, then comprehension seemed to dawn on her.

Snow Star had walked slowly over to her and reached out a tentative hoof toward her.

She gazed at him, a look of pained doubt crossing her face for only a moment. “Snow? Are we really back? You’re not...You’re not…” she stammered as Snow Star bent his head down, gently touching his horn to hers.

Understanding suddenly sparked between them and some of Willow’s tension eased visibly. She collapsed to the deck and began to weep tears of relief.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Snow Star consoled, again pulling her into an embrace, which she returned, sobbing convulsively into his shoulder. “We’re safe, we’re back.”

Wind Song made a mental note to ask Snow Star later about this strange magic whereby he was able to convince Willow that they were back from...back from where?

Seeming to sense the mountain of questions his friends were itching to ask of him, Snow Star said, “Not now. We need to find Fairweather.”

“Wait, but…” Wind Song began.

“No.” Snow Star said firmly. “I’ll recall what happened once and never again, and the mayor needs to be there to hear it. Equestria has an enemy who even the Council of Friendship can’t stand against.”

Honeybell looked puzzled.

“Enemy? Who?”

Snow Star opened his mouth to reply but Willow, who had suddenly stopped crying, looked up and, with a look of total indifference on her face, raised her right front leg, pointing it to the north before saying in a flat monotone, “Her.” She chuckled madly. “HER!” she almost screamed before falling limp in Snow Star’s grasp.

All but Snow Star and Willow turned to look toward Canterlot. Wind Song and Moonlight stepped forward to the balcony railing as though the extra few inches would help them see their foe more clearly.

The royal city seemed to be in its proper place. What exactly was it they were supposed to be looking for? Wind Song was about to turn back to Willow and ask that very question when a sound like the breath of a god came whistling down across the landscape.

Wind Song couldn’t move. The world had gone utterly silent. Held in place by an unseen force, the only things he could do were breathe and, as he soon found, move his eyes. He couldn’t speak or make a sound. Shifting his gaze to the left where Moonlight stood beside him, he saw that she appeared to be similarly immobilized, the expression of surprise she had apparently been wearing when the magic struck cast on her features like a statue. He moved his attention to the town square below him. Without exception, every pony was held completely and utterly still, down to the foals who had been frolicking amongst the flowers left by Fluttershy.

What magic could possibly do this? Even Wind Song knew that magic was affected by distance. Willow and Snow Star had told him that at a few hundred paces, even the most skilled unicorns couldn’t manipulate objects larger than a pebble, and even that was extremely taxing. This was a greater distance by far. A distance it had taken him nearly half of the day to travel, and by flight no less. No, this was no mere pony. This was a force unlike anything he had ever heard of, even in the stories of old. For the first time, real fear took hold of him.

Without warning, a cold, bodiless female voice spoke out of the air.

“Equestria.” it addressed the unwilling listeners.

“We are Black Rose, your empress.”

The words were pronounced perfectly, almost artfully, but with an unshakeable stoicism which implied absolute authority and would bear no scrutiny from its detractors.

“Your former princess...” Black Rose continued, a tone of something which transcended mere hatred creeping into her voice. “...Twilight Sparkle…” these last words were spat, as though the speaker were expelling something nasty from her mouth. “...is dead, the Council of Friendship disbanded and scattered like dust.”

“No!” Wind Song thought desperately.

“For near a thousand years, the citizens and resources of this land have been squandered on the frivolities and personal satisfaction. The wastrel, Twilight Sparkle, sought to keep Equestria locked in an endless state of stagnation, finding the notion of progress to be abhorrent and distasteful. You, her subjects, were to be the basis of a monarchy which discouraged advancement and innovation, all in the name of what she called...Peace.”

Black Rose paused for a moment to allow these words to sink into the minds of her listeners.

“We...” She continued, “...shall do better. No longer will you be slaves to your own ignorance. No longer will this land be held back by a princess who cared only for her own peace of mind. No longer will industry and change be restrained by one who feared that the advancement of her subjects would lead to her usurpation. For my part, I have no such fear. Together, we will build a new Equestria.”

Again, the voice paused before continuing, “Stand with me, and be a part of building our glorious future.”

Suddenly, from below in the courtyard, Wind Song saw a bright flash of light and heard a loud “snap”. A baby blue unicorn mare, the same mare, in fact, who had been distracted while levitating the punch bowl earlier that morning, had evidently been able to break the spell binding her fellows in place. Wind Song wondered how she had been able to do it.

She shouted into the sky, “Go back to where you came from, witch!”

Wind Song thought she had been going to say more, but her words caught in her throat. She gagged. Blood began to trickle down from the corners of her mouth, which she closed tightly, eyes suddenly turning from defiance to panic. Helpless to go to her aid, Wind Song watched as she suddenly convulsed and collapsed to the ground. As she struck the cobblestones of the path she had been standing on, her mouth opened and blood poured out along with something solid-looking. Wind Song couldn’t see, and he didn’t want to see.

Wind Song knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was dead. He screamed internally at his own helplessness. He had always been so capable, so independent. Why was it that now, when Ponyville needed him most, he was able to do nothing?

Wind Song thought he could hear a note of satisfaction in Black Rose’s voice as she continued, “Stand against me, and die.”

All at once, the sounds of the world returned. Wind Song’s control over his own movement returned so suddenly that he only just managed to keep himself from falling to the ground like Moonlight did.

Immediately, cries of lament went up in the town square below. Wind Song didn’t look. He had seen too much today and there was nothing more he could do. They needed to find Fairweather, quickly.

He turned to help Moonlight up, pulling her quickly to her hooves. Honeybell and Orange Blossom had managed to remain standing, but were shaking precariously. It looked like a gust of wind could blow them over. He looked at Snow Star, who still sat on the ground holding the unconscious Willow.

“The mayor.” Snow Star said, looking up at the others.

Wind Song nodded in unison with the others.

As it turned out, a thorough search confirmed that the Town Hall was utterly deserted. Neither Fairweather nor any of her assistants were present. They would need to search elsewhere. As they walked down the steps of Town Hall, Snow Star carrying Willow on his back, Wind Song saw Fiddlesticks from the previous night. Fiddlesticks turned and locked eyes with Wind Song and gave him a knowing stare.

Wind Song tore his eyes away from the pony who he knew now had been right. Equestria wasn’t a place where this kind of thing happened. At least, not anymore. But it had, and he was right in the middle of it. As these thoughts distracted him, he accidentally walked right into Pine Frost who was huddled around the dead unicorn’s body with a little knot of mourners, doubtless friends and family. The old mare’s face was streaked with tears and a look of scornful determination rested on her wrinkled features.

“That was my granddaughter, you know. She was engaged to be married next month, just when the leaves started to change.”

“Pine, I’m so so…”

But Pine Frost interrupted him “You get that bitch, Wind Song. You and your friends, you get her for my granddaughter.” her old voice cracked with emotion.

“Pine, I have no idea what you think we can do to stop whatever did this. We’re just trying to find the mayor.”

“Nonsense.” she shot back at him. “Not once since Twilight’s ascension has Ponyville seen the type of friendship that you six share. Not since Twilight and Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack. If any ponies are destined to change the world, it’s you six.”

Pine Frost turned back to the little group of mourners.

“I’ll take that under advisement.” Wind Song said placatingly, convinced that the old unicorn had lost her mind. After all, who could blame her?

Without turning back to Wind Song, she said, “Word’s been getting around that Fairweather went to the hospital to visit with the injured.”

“Ponyville General?” Wind Song asked gratefully.

“That’s the one.” Pine Frost replied, but said no more.

So it was that the six friends, Willow still being carried by Snow Star, made their slow way out of the square and up the winding path toward the hospital. As they walked, Wind Song caught up to Snow Star, who was in the lead.

“Snow?” Wind Song asked hesitantly.

Snow Star jumped slightly in surprise. What in Celestia’s name had happened to them? First pulling away from Moonlight and now startled by his own best friend? He looked so tired and so worn.

“Oh, hey.” he replied blandly, looking forward again.

“I meant to ask you, what happened between you and Willow earlier?” Wind Song asked.

“I already told you, Windy, I’m not going to talk about that now.”

“No, not that.” Wind Song clarified. “I meant, what happened when you touched Willow’s horn with yours? You managed to convince her that you weren’t, well, in the other place.”

Snow Star didn’t reply immediately. After a moment, he sighed and said, “Have you ever heard of the ‘unicorn’s touch’?”

Wind Song shook his head.

“The ‘touch’ is a trait all unicorns share. We can share thoughts, sensations, and emotions telepathically.”

Wind Song’s eyes went wide with surprise. “You mean, you can talk to each other through your minds?”

It was Snow Star’s turn to shake his head as he replied, “No, not quite. We can’t hold a conversation like you or I are now. We can convey impressions, feelings. You know that feeling you get in your chest when you’re happy or sad or angry? Not the words, but the emotion itself.”

Wind Song pondered this for a moment before nodding.

“Well, we can share those impressions to one another telepathically. As with all magic, the effect decays with distance, but in close proximity, the more powerful unicorns can go so far as to alter the emotions of ponies less powerful than themselves.” Snow Star elaborated.

“Does that mean you can even make me feel different without me knowing it?” Wind Song asked, genuinely curious.

“Not necessarily.” said Snow Star. “Depending on the experience a pony has with the manipulation of emotions, they may be able to tell when a unicorn is meddling with their mind.”

“Oh, I see. So, you just pushed on Willow’s emotions to make her feel more comfortable?”

“A little bit, but there’s a bit more to it than that. You see, every pony, regardless of whether they’re an earth pony, pegasus, or unicorn, has a telepathic signature kind of like…” Snow Star’s brow furrowed as he tried to think of a good comparison. “Kind of like how each pony has their own unique scent.”

This was something Wind Song understood. He had noticed vaguely how everypony smelled different somehow. The same, but different. He noticed this especially with Moonlight. He couldn’t put his hoof on exactly what it was she smelled like, but it put him in mind of a fresh autumn night breeze blowing gently through the whispering trees, the moon shining through the branches and creating little patches of blue light. In a way, her scent was as distinguishing as her cutie mark.

Snow Star continued, “Well, with unicorns, our horns have to be touching to convey this signature from one to another. It’s something which reveals everything about who you are. And I mean everything. You have to know everything about yourself and be able to admit everything about yourself as it is. The good, the bad, the embarrassing...It’s a difficult process to learn, but it’s more intimate than the closest physical relationship two ponies can have.”

At this, Wind Song felt a bit put out. What a thing it would be to have that kind of relationship with Moonlight.

“It’s a shame we can’t do that. We pegasi I mean.” Wind Song mused.

“Actually, you can.” Snow Star corrected.

Wind Song looked over at him hopefully.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Snow Star replied. “I’m not exactly sure how, but it’s possible with practice. You’ve got to be very familiar and comfortable with whoever you want to share it with, but it’s possible.”

“How did I not know this before?” Wind Song asked, speaking more to himself than Snow Star.

Nevertheless, Snow Star replied, “It’s not something widely spoken of because for unicorns, that kind of communication comes naturally, and once we know what our mental signature is, it’s just a matter of touching horns and willing the other pony you’re in contact with to feel it. It just comes naturally, bearing in mind of course that it’s not something to be shared with just anypony. To have somepony else understand everything about you with no delusions whatsoever, well...that’s giving up a lot of power for exploitation by the wrong pony.”

“So, what does that have to do with why you were able to comfort Willow so much?” Wind Song asked, getting back to the original point.

“Well, when we were in…” Snow Star paused. “...When we were dreaming, we could see each other, but when we touched horns, we couldn’t feel each other’s mental signatures. So, when we got back...er...woke up, I willed her to feel me there and, well, she did. That was proof enough that we were really back and it wasn’t just a continuation of the nightmare.”

This turned out to be a lot for Wind Song to take in during their relatively short conversation, but he figured he understood most of it. He was a bit hurt that Snow Star hadn’t told him this before, but if this was something totally natural unicorns, it was to be expected that he wouldn’t have thought to mention it.

The fact was, Wind Song was a bit envious of the link that Willow and Snow Star shared. He was jealous of how they could so easily be there to reassure one another. Magic really was something else. So useful, but so dangerous. He turned his head unconsciously to look at Moonlight, who was talking to Honeybell and Orange Blossom. He wondered if perhaps, maybe someday he could share the very nature of who he was with her like Snow Star had described. Not yet, but someday.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 4

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 4

By Wind Song

REVISED 01OCT20

Chapter 5 - Grim Recollection

Wind Song lashed his tail impatiently against his flanks as he, Snow Star, Orange Blossom, Honeybell, and Moonlight waited near the back of a long line of ponies which wound its way down from the front doors of Ponyville General Hospital. Wind Song and Snow Star, who had taken up the rear of the procession, took it in turns to carry the unconscious Willow who, in spite of the bouncy journey to the hospital and constant chatter of anxious ponies, had not yet woken from her faint.

“Oh, come on. Can this possibly go any slower?” Snow Star mumbled to no pony in particular.

Wind Song looked anxiously at his friend. Snow Star looked terrible. Beneath the mask of frustration he wore was a look of deepest melancholy he had never seen before. He wondered to himself what his friends could have possibly experienced that could have brought about this change for the worse.

After another five minutes, during which the line had stepped forward only two or three paces, Wind Song, who had been holding Willow, passed her gently back to Snow Star, stepped out of the long queue, and made a beeline for the front doors of the hospital.

“I’ll be right back.” he said as he passed his friends.

Many looks met him as he passed. Some, who thought he was trying to cut in line, glared indignantly, though they said nothing. Others who knew him, and most of the town did know him, looked at Wind Song hopefully. He returned the latter gazes with a reassuring smile and a nod, hoping against hope that it would do some good to ease the fears undoubtedly running rampant amongst the waiting townsponies.

As Wind Song arrived at the front doors, he was met by a unicorn in a white lab coat, stethoscope hung stereotypically around his neck and clipboard held firmly in his right fetlock. He looked almost as exhausted as Snow Star did, but without the underlying air of hopelessness his friend exhibited. The doctor appeared as though he had run a marathon and had just been ordered to haul a cart of bricks all the way to Canterlot.

“Can I help you?” the doctor said wearily, looking down at the pegasus.

“Heya, Doc.” Wind Song replied. “Busy day, eh?”

The unicorn gave him a flat look and said, “You’re telling me. Half of the ponies here have no business coming to a hospital. Most of the so-called ailments are small lacerations and bruises. Almost makes you wonder if some of them have ever been injured before.”

Wind Song, who had had everything from broken bones to concussions as a result of his training, let out an exasperated whinny. “Bruises? You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“Nope.” said the doctor tiredly. “Not even remotely. Myself and the nurses just started turning away ponies with lesser injuries about five minutes ago. That should speed things up a bit.”

Just then, a green pegasus nurse who looked just as careworn as the doctor did, walked up. “Doctor, I’ve got a patient with what looks like a sprain in his hind leg. Should I admit him? Or send him to outpatient?” At that moment, the nurse seemed to notice Wind Song.

“Oh, hey Windy. Didn’t see you there!” she said, her tension easing a bit. “What brings you in today? Not here for those tiny cuts, I hope.”

“Hey, Cloudburst.” Wind Song replied with a friendly nod. “No, actually. I was hoping my friends and I could get in to see the mayor. It’s somewhat urgent.”

Without waiting for Cloudburst’s reply, the doctor shook his head. “No no no. If I let you and your friends in right in front of this crowd, they’ll break the doors down. You’ve got to wait, just like the rest.”

Wind Song snorted, tilting his ears back slightly. “Look, doc. It’ll only take a few minutes. Two of my friends have some very important information regarding this whole fiasco that she needs to know about.”

“Look...Wind Song was it?” replied the doctor with a sigh. “Under normal circumstances, I’d absolutely oblige, but not today. The last thing we need when the whole town is in a panic is a riot.

Just then, Wind Song noticed Cloudburst, who had been listening intently to the conversation, give him a surreptitious wink before turning and walking back toward the hospital entrance.

“...and so I’m sure you can understand why I can’t just let you in.” the doctor concluded.

Wind Song glanced back to the hospital entrance and saw the last bit of Cloudburst’s frizzled wisp of a tail vanish past the double doors.

“That’s fine, doc. I get it. Thanks for your time.”

Wind Song turned and trotted quickly back to where his friends were waiting about a hundred yards off.

“Any luck?” Moonlight asked as he returned.

“We’ll see.” Wind Song replied with a sigh.

Another ten minutes passed wherein the only thing that happened was that the line progressed another five or six yards. Wind Song was beginning to lose hope that anything would come of Cloudburst’s efforts on his behalf until a few moments later, a whooshing and rustle of feathers overhead alerted them to the arrival of the very pegasus they’d been waiting for.

Fairweather, whose meticulously ironed pink blouse contrasted sharply with the dappled storm-gray hues of her coat, landed gracefully before the six friends. She quickly folded her wings and drew to a stop.

“Ah! Excellent. I figured I’d find you six here.” she said in a loud whisper. “Follow me, please. And quickly.”

Drawing as little attention as possible, the little group made their way to the hospital’s side entry where Cloudburst waited, holding the door open for them.

“Thanks, Cloudburst. I owe you one.” Wind Song said to the pegasus mare, giving her a quick hug as he passed.

“Don’t mention it, Windy. Doc’s a bit flustered at the moment. He’s never had to deal with this kind of thing before.”

“And you have?” Wind Song asked as the rest of his friends passed through the doorway.

“Manehattan, you know? The only place busier than the taverns and theaters is the hospital.” she replied as she followed Wind Song through the door, locking it behind them.

Once inside the hospital, Fairweather led them up the corridor then to the right where a stairwell brought them to the second story landing. Cloudburst, who had moved to the head of the group, unlocked the first door on their right and held it open. As they processed in, they saw that this was not just an ordinary hospital room, but a fully furnished living space complete with a sofa and a tiny stove in the corner.

“Thanks, Cloudburst. Please see to it that we’re not disturbed.” Fairweather said gravely.

The nurse nodded respectfully and backed out of the room, pulling the door shut with a click.

Without waiting, Snow Star carried his wife over to the only bed in the room and lay her gently down on it. She stirred again slightly and mumbled something inaudible.

As soon as Cloudburst was out in the hall, Fairweather said, “Snow Star.”

The distraught unicorn looked up at the mayor with pardonable impatience.

“Please, Fairweather. We have to tell you…” he began, but Fairweather interrupted him.

“Wait. Before you say any more, can you cast a privacy spell on this room?”

The poor unicorn looked more tired than ever as, with a resigned sigh, he nodded. He closed his eyes, bowed his head, and a few moments later a glowing tendril of light began to issue from his horn, drifting slowly toward the ceiling. A few seconds later, the light flickered and went out.

“Damnit!” Snow Star cursed, panting heavily as he rallied his remaining strength for a second attempt.

This time, the little stream of light made it no more than a couple of inches before going out again. Snow Star collapsed to the floor, trembling, with his head right next to Willow’s.

For a moment, Wind Song wasn’t sure if Snow Star would burst into tears or pass out, but he did neither. Unexpectedly, Willow opened her eyes slightly, reaching out one feeble leg to caress Snow Star’s cheek. Leaning forward slightly, she touched her horn to his. They looked into each other’s eyes and something profound came over them. It was that same look of contentment and knowing which Wind Song had seen in them earlier on the destroyed balcony of Town Hall.

This time, the magic definitely worked. The little tendril of light, now thicker than a pony’s leg, stretched straight to the ceiling. It seemed to all present that a smoke or fog emanated from the point where the light touched the ceiling. As it spread, translucent and rippling, and came in contact with each of the room’s four walls and slowly fell to the floor like a long hazy curtain, where it rested, still glowing slightly.

All at once, the room went dead silent, save for the labored breathing of the two unicorns. The wind in the trees, the impatient murmurs of the crowd outside, and chirping of the birds had gone completely

While this achievement left both Willow and Snow Star winded, they managed to remain conscious as Fairweather offered each of them glasses of water which must have been left there by Cloudburst.

“Welcome back, Willow.” the mayor smiled. “And thank you both for casting that spell. We cannot chance being overheard.”

Willow glanced up from her husband, who still held her gaze.

“Thank you.” Willow replied between her deep breaths.

Fairweather nodded before continuing, “I understand this may be difficult, but I need to know what you saw with no details left out. By all accounts, and I’ve listened to several in the last hour or so, Black Rose seemed to take a particular interest in the two of you.”

Snow Star looked at Willow, but she shook her head, eyes beginning to glisten. He nodded and turned back to Fairweather.

“Fairweather.” he began grimly. “I think Willow and I accidentally saw what Black Rose has planned for Equestria.”

Fairweather’s eyes widened a good deal, but she only nodded for him to continue.

“Just after we got up onto the balcony at Town Hall, Willow and I both found ourselves in bed in a house in Canterlot. Our house in Canterlot.”

“You have a house in Canterlot?” Orange Blossom piped up.

“No, of course not. But for some reason, we were utterly convinced that we did. For some reason, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. We totally forgot about the incident on the balcony and we were convinced we’d always lived in Canterlot. We lived in a nice house on Trottingham Court in an upscale part of town, we both worked for the Canterlot Spellweaver’s Guild, and we attended balls every other evening or so. Honestly, everything about our lives seemed perfect, almost like something out of a dream, but it felt so real that neither of us questioned it.”

“Ooooh.” replied Orange Blossom, drawing out the word.

“Anyway” Snow Star continued. “We all lived under the benevolent and prosperous rule of Empress Black Rose who nopony ever saw because she was always off conquering new lands for the great Equestrian Empire.”

Several sets of eyebrows were raised at this last statement.

“Yep.” Snow Star continued in response. “We remembered absolutely nothing about our lives before we lived in Canterlot and so the empress was just another part of the dream we were living in. We didn’t remember Ponyville, Princess Twilight...anything. Everything was so perfectly ordinary, we didn’t even notice when the pegasi and earth ponies started vanishing. At least not at first.”

Of all the things Snow Star had said so far, this got the most attention.

Snow Star carried on. “We had always worked side by side with the two other pony races without distinction. They started disappearing so gradually that nopony seemed to notice something strange was going on. The first time Willow or myself noticed something was wrong was when the guild receptionist, Maple, didn’t show up for work. We asked after her and were told that she had put in her resignation the previous evening and wouldn’t be returning. Somehow, nopony knew anything else. They didn’t know why she had quit or where she had gone, and that struck Willow and I as being odd.”

Snow Star paused momentarily and took a sip of his water before proceeding.

“Anyway, this was when we first started really paying attention to our surroundings and noticed, during the fifteen or twenty minutes of our walk home from work that evening, that we only saw only one or two pegasi and a couple of earth ponies out and about. After that, things only got stranger. The following morning while reading the paper, full of the usual government propaganda about a ‘perfect empire’, I started flipping through the pages. Wedding announcements, great achievements, sports...it was all unicorns. Every last word. Not once were the other races mentioned. It was almost as if they were being erased from existence.”

While Snow Star had been speaking, Wind Song noticed that his friend’s tone had been becoming more and more distressed.

“I showed Willow the paper and we both agreed that it was probably best that we didn’t mention our findings to anypony else until we got a bit closer to figuring out what was up. Over the following five or six weeks, random bits and pieces of our real lives here in Ponyville started to trickle through, though we never fully realized we were dreaming. We spent ages investigating but nothing else turned up. Things started to level out and we lost interest in the disappearances.”

“It wasn’t until we were on our way home one Friday evening that this whole world turned on its head. Willow and I had been chatting about our jobs and whatnot when we accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up in Canterlot’s north quarter.”

“The slums.” Fairweather said knowingly.

“The slums.” Snow Star confirmed. “Everything was all run-down and dishevelled, buildings were falling apart, garbage was strewn around everywhere...in fact, the only thing that was nice about the place was the streets, which looked new and were completely spotless. The odd part was that there wasn’t a single pony from one end to the other, rich or poor.”

“For those of you who don’t know, Willow grew up in Canterlot. She’d been to the north quarter any number of times for charity reasons and she told me that the place was normally packed full of needy ponies trying to make their way in Canterlot.”

Willow, who had turned away when Snow Star had begun the story, sniffed loudly and nodded without turning her head.

“We decided to check a few houses to see if anypony was hiding in there, but we found nothing. We even tried calling out, but didn’t get an answer. We were almost through that quarter and getting pretty close to Criollo Circle when we smelled something.” Snow Star squinted and wrinkled his nose at the memory. “It smelled like an abandoned butcher shop. I’ve smelled rotting meat before, but this was worse. Neither Willow nor myself knew what to make of it. We followed the smell to a drain in the side of the road that was too small to climb through. That bit we found to be really strange because Canterlot’s sewers are separate from its drainage tunnels. It took quite a bit of talking, but we decided that we weren’t going to wait to investigate. We pulled open one of the drain access covers and climbed down a ladder into a tunnel that was just tall enough for us to walk through without bumping our heads. The smell was so bad that we almost turned back.”

“After a quick light charm, we noted that the tunnel we were in split off two ways. We could go either west or south. We opted to go down the south leg of the tunnel because it smelled worse in that direction. We cast a quick spell to purify the air we breathed and set out south. Initially, the walls were all lined with stone arches, but as the tunnel continued, it sloped downward and, after about what we guessed was around a mile, it was rough-hewn rock.”

“Are you okay, Snow?” Moonlight asked. And well she might ask. Wind Song looked down and saw that his friend was trembling visibly.

Snow Star merely shook his head and continued. “When we stopped for a quick rest, Willow heard a noise in the distance. It was all a bit confused...like a combination of a dozen blacksmiths pounding out horseshoes mixed with occasional shouts we couldn’t understand. So, of course, we got up and continued toward it. We walked another five or six hundred yards before the tunnel made a sharp left turn. We saw a faint light coming from just in front of us, up and to the right.”

Snow Star’s voice had become a dead, emotionless monotone. Everypony in the room held their breath.

“We put out our light charms and found that if we leaned against the wall, we could see through the little rectangular opening where the light was coming through.”

“What was it?” asked Fairweather urgently, almost in a whisper.

“We had found the missing pegasi and earth ponies. The opening looked out over an enormous underground ravine. The walls were almost completely covered in what looked like gigantic clear gems or crystals. What had to be hundreds of ponies were chained together on platforms along the walls, mining the crystal. A few unicorns were scattered around, yelling at them. I even saw two or three with whips.”

A single tear dropped from the tip of Snow Star’s nose as he looked at the floor. His audience was utterly silent.

Snow Star’s voice quavered as he went on. “They were slaves. All of them. Young and old, stallion or mare. I wanted to jump through that opening and kill as many of those taskmasters as I could. I didn’t care. Willow was the one who stopped me. She told me to remove my air purifying spell. I did. The stench cleared my head. I realized the rotting smell we had come down into the tunnel for wasn’t coming from that opening, but from further down the tunnel.”

Willow, still facing away from the group, began to cry in earnest now. Snow Star still looked at the floor. A small puddle was forming beneath the eyes none of his friends could see, yet he still continued to speak in short sentences broken with long pauses.

“A scream from further down the tunnel made us both jump. It sounded like the scream of a filly. We rose and galloped toward it. We came to a metal door in the wall ahead of us. It was open slightly. We looked through.”

Snow Star stopped speaking and, like Willow, turned his head away from the group and pushed his face into the side of the mattress.

Fairweather, her own voice thick with emotion, asked quietly, “What did you see?”

Snow Star said nothing.

Unexpectedly, Willow spoke without turning her head. Her voice was surprisingly level and clear.

“You know how it’s said that foals have greater magical potential than one hundred grown ponies?” she asked.

Everypony shook their heads except for Moonlight, who whispered, “Yes.”

All present, save Willow and Snow Star, stared at her in surprise.

Moonlight ruffled her wings. “In the field of arcanology, which is the study of magic as a science, it’s commonly known that every pony, whether pegasus, earth pony, or unicorn, has similar magical potential. This potential is greatest in young foals and a vast amount of that potential is manifested when…”

Willow cut Moonlight off, “...Manifested when a foal discovers their life purpose in the form of a cutie mark. Taken word for word from ‘Enchanting Anomalies’ by Twilight Sparkle.”

A look of horror began to grow first on Moonlight’s face, then on Fairweather’s, as comprehension dawned on them, followed by the others a few moments later. Wind Song’s blood went cold.

“Cages.” Willow finally turned her bloodshot eyes to her friends, tears spilling down her face in an unbroken stream of grief. “Dozens of cages packed with colts and fillies were lined up along the wall opposite from where we looked through the door. On the other side of the room were stacks of small faceted and polished gems, each held in a metal frame. One by one a colt or filly was pulled out of a cage and…” Willow’s face twisted into a tight grimace and she buried her head in the pillow.

Snow Star looked up, a look of utter rage darkening his features.

“THEY WERE BEING HARVESTED!” He shouted so loud his voice cracked. “HARVESTED LIKE FUCKING CROPS.” He turned and pounded his head against the bed frame, sobbing convulsively.

“For their magic?” Fairweather asked, tears in her own eyes now despite her best efforts to remain calm.

Snow Star, who had looked back down at the floor, nodded.

“Did they live?” Fairweather asked simply, but she had already guessed the answer.

“What we had smelled all the way up in the north quarter was coming from the pile of bodies. Hundreds, Fairweather. Maybe thousands, I don’t know. Their magic was somehow stored in the gems Willow mentioned. Willow and I both saw something in the center of the room. It was a machine of some kind. The largest part looked like a piece of amber and a piece of diamond, somehow fused in the exact middle. We would have studied it closer, but then...she found us.”

“Black Rose.” Fairweather said, making it a statement rather than a question.

Snow Star nodded and said numbly, “Until that moment, neither Willow nor I had ever even had the foggiest idea of what pain was. The world around us vanished and all of our memories suddenly came back. She tortured us, Fairweather. Tortured us until we were at the brink of madness, demanding to know who we’d told. We said nothing, so she would torture us again. . We knew that if Rose believed even for a moment that we hadn’t told anypony, she’d have killed us then and there. But if she killed us, and believe me, there were many times we wished she just would, we wouldn’t be able to pass on what we’d seen. So...we endured. I don’t know what she is, Fairweather, but she doesn’t fit into the normal pattern of things. Her power was...overwhelming, more than anything you could ever imagine, even in your wildest dreams.”

Without another word, Snow Star crept up onto the bed with Willow where they sat in total silence.

Fairweather was analyzing all of this new information.

Wiping her eyes with a foreleg, she called, “Cinder!”

Instantly and without warning, a wreath of flame sprang into existence in the middle of the room. This caught the attention of even Snow Star and Willow who turned quickly to observe the strange occurrence. The flame quickly burned itself out, revealing a small ruby-colored dragon who stood, looking anxiously around the room.

Fairweather addressed the room, “My friends, this is my companion and dear friend, Cinder.”

The dragon waved timidly. The others either nodded or waved in reply.

“Cinder is in direct correspondence with Spike of Canterlot.” Fairweather continued.

The others gaped at her, disbelieving.

“You mean Spike as in…” Honeybell began.

“Sir Spike, advisor to Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Fairweather said. “About an hour ago, Cinder received a letter from Spike.”

Cinder dutifully handed Fairweather a roll of wrinkled parchment which looked as though it had been dropped in a puddle of water then dried over a mantlepiece. As she opened the scroll, Wind Song noted that the letters on the parchment, which were scrawled in a shaky and uneven script, looked as though enormous tears had dripped onto them, causing the ink to run down the page.

With substantial effort on Fairweather’s part, she read out the short message:

“Fairweather,

Twilight is alive, but has been captured. It is only a matter of time before I am discovered by Black Rose or her goons and I have information I must pass on. Please have the six ponies we spoke of meet me at my current place of residence at the earliest possible opportunity. Be on your guard. Rose is sending soldiers to Ponyville to seek them out, but she wants them alive. Please understand that Rose is not invincible and can be defeated. We are all in this together.

May the wind rise ever under your wings,

Spike”

Wind Song whistled in astonishment.

“‘...the six ponies we spoke of’?” he quoted. “I think you have some explaining of your own to do, mayor.”

Just then, there were three bright flashes of green light, accompanied by three concussive reports which they felt even through the silencing spell Snow Star and Willow had cast.

Fairweather immediately whirled toward the far window.

“DAMN! They’re here! It should have taken them hours!” she said, turning quickly back around.

“Who?!” Wind Song and Orange Blossom asked together.

Fairweather ignored the question. “I’m sorry I don’t have more time to explain. Spike is currently hiding in the Crystal Caverns under Canterlot. You need to get to him. The quickest route is through Bell Meadow.”

This pronouncement was followed by a storm of angry protests.

“Through Bell Meadow? Fairweather, you’re insane!” Wind Song shouted indignantly over the others.

“I’m not insane, Windy. The railways are being watched and you can’t all fly.” Fairweather replied bluntly. “Unless you’re prepared to submit to the reality that Black Rose seems to have prepared for Equestria or unless you can come up with a better idea in the next sixty seconds, I need you all to trust me.

Wind Song’s reply was halted by several crashes and bangs as well as the sound of splintering wood somewhere on the floor below. Somepony screamed. Apparently Willow and Snow Star’s silencing spell had been broken.

“All of you, quickly! Get into that closet over there. There are packs I’ve prepared for each of you hanging on the opposite wall. Once you have those on, stomp on the floor three times. I believe Spike has the information necessary to defeat Black Rose before she begins executing her plans, but you have to go, now!”

They could hear hoofstomps echoing up the stairwell.

“GO!” Fairweather whispered as loud as she could.

There was nothing for it. The six friends leapt up, Wind Song and Honeybell helping to pull Willow and Snow Star to their hooves, and galloped across the room toward the only other door. Wind Song pulled open the door and held it while everypony clambered in.

Just as Wind Song was preparing to follow Moonlight through the door, Fairweather called, “Windy, Moonlight!”

The two pegasi turned to face her.

“As soon as you’re all ready, stomp three times on the floor. Once you reach the bottom, follow the west tunnel to the surface.”

Neither Wind Song nor Moonlight understood what Fairweather meant. Nevertheless, they both nodded and jumped into the closet.

As Wind Song pulled the door shut, he watched through the narrowing gap as Fairweather turned and nervously exited the room.

The door drew shut with a “click”. Wind Song locked it and turned to see the others frantically helping each other strap on their saddlebags.

“Oy! Whatchu doin up this way, bitch?” the angry voice of a stallion said from the hallway.

“Excuse me?” came the indignant voice of Fairweather.

Wind Song grabbed his own saddle bag, hitching it into place on his back and securing it in place.

“I asked, what’s the mayor of this bloomin’ backwater doing up in this wing o’ the bloody hospital all alone?” the voice came again.

Wind Song could hear two sets of hooves enter the room just outside the closet and he pressed his ear to the door.

“Seeing to the patients, of course, you idiot. What else would I be doing in a hospital?” Fairweather shouted with contempt and without a single hint of fear.

Wind Song heard the stallion growling and could just imagine him kicking Fairweather through the wall when another voice came from immediately outside the closet door, making him jump back in surprise.

“Ey, boss!” the second voice said. “What about in ‘ere?”

“What kinda stupid are ye?” asked the first voice. “Why you gotta ask me ‘bout everythin’? Just open the damned thing and check.”

Somepony tried the handle on the closet door.

“It’s locked!” came the second voice.

“Well, bust it down then, ya dunce!” shouted the first voice.

“This’ll be the fourth damned door I’ve ‘ad to bust down today! You want me to break a leg?” asked the second voice almost petuously.

“Caltrop, a broken leg’s gonna be the least of your worries if you don’t get to it!”

“Fine, fine fine.” replied Caltrop.

It was time to go, thought Wind Song as he heard the retreating hoofsteps of Caltrop, who was undoubtedly preparing to batter the door down.

Wind Song looked at his friends who all stood staring at him, pupils pinpricks of fear.

“Stomp on the floor three times, she said.” Wind Song reminded himself.

Hoping against hope that Fairweather knew what she was doing, Wind Song gave the floor three solid stomps. “Bang, Bang, BANG!”

Wind Song’s final stomp on the floor was punctuated by a loud crash and the sound of splintering wood as the door of the closet burst inward. The light spilling into the dark space outlined the silhouette of two burly looking unicorns who were staring directly at them.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 5

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 5

By Wind Song

REVISED 18OCT20

Chapter 6 - The Cave

Caltrop’s sudden bellow of surprise was cut off as suddenly as a radio being unplugged as the six very startled ponies dropped right through the solid wood of the closet floor. It happened so quickly that they only managed a sharp intake of breath before the rush of the passing air filled their ears, drowning out every other sound as they plunged into utter blackness. Unable to see or hear, they tumbled downward, their speed increasing every moment.

As Wind Song’s daily workout routine regularly consisted of succumbing to the demands of gravity, his head was the first to clear. His first instinct was to open his wings and bring a stop to what would otherwise inevitably be an instantaneous and bloody end. However, two thoughts stopped him.

For one thing, opening his wings here, in a place where he couldn’t see his surroundings, could spell disaster. The words of his flight instructor, which had been drilled into him time and time again, momentarily drowned out the roaring of the passing air.

“Your wings are your most precious asset but also your most vulnerable. Think twice before opening them in unknown places.” she had said.

For another, Fairweather was a trusted friend and would never do anything to put either him or any of his five friends in harm’s way. If she had wanted them to plunge down a deep dark pit into only Celestia knew where, then she must have had a good reason for it. He only hoped that Moonlight also had the presence of mind to resist the urge to open her wings.

This particular concern, however, was put to rest as his fall carried him face-first into what could only be the folded feathery wings of another pegasus.

It was impossible to tell how long they fell for. It could have been a few seconds or a few minutes for all Wind Song could tell. Without warning, a dim glow came into existence, forming like bubbles around the six falling ponies. As the light grew in intensity it began to sparkle and shimmer hypnotically. Wind Song felt as though he had been laid gently into a large warm blanket and, almost at once, felt the speed of his downward descent beginning to slow.

The roaring of wind in Wind Song’s ears quieted and he let out a great sigh of relief when he saw that his friends were slowing as well. Willow and Snow Star, who lay in a more or less upright position much like Wind Song’s own, stared wildly about, their pupils tiny pinpricks of alarm. Honeybell and Moonlight both seemed to have been caught with their noses pointing downward as they scrambled to right themselves. Orange Blossom, however, was completely upside down, legs scrambling haphazardly in the air as she screamed at the top of her lungs trying to find which way was up.

Honeybell, who after a moment had succeeded in pushing herself into a more comfortable position, reached out toward her flailing sister. Her leg passed right through whatever the spell was that held them and she succeeded in pulling Orange Blossom right side up.

By now, the magical auras of light were almost like little bonfires around each of them and Wind Song was able to get a look at what it was they were falling through.

A vertical cylindrical pit of rough dark rock surrounded them. It was about five yards across and Wind Song immediately concluded that it had only been through some spell or another that they hadn’t struck its jagged sides as they tumbled through the air. He was especially glad now that he’d chosen to keep his wings at his sides.

Their downward progress continued to slow until the walls of the pit widened suddenly into a huge octagonal chamber. The walls of the chamber were smooth stone, though this was difficult to tell because every inch of them was covered haphazardly in multicolored drawings which Wind Song couldn’t quite make out.

Below them, the eight-sided floor of the chamber, about thirty yards from edge to edge, was rising rapidly to meet them. At its center, a pile of hay lay in the middle of an eight point compass rose painted on the floor.

The six friends’ rate of descent slowed first to a crawl, then to a complete stop about half a yard above the pile of hay. With a faint “pop”, their bubbles vanished, dropping them into the hay and once again leaving them in complete darkness.

“Is everypony okay?” were Wind Song’s first words as all six ponies lay breathing fast, hearts pounding frantically.

“I don’t know about you, but if I ever get a hold of Fairweather, I’m gonna pluck her like a chicken! And damn that Black Rose bitch to Tartarus!” Honeybell’s frustrated voice came from a short distance away.

Orange Blossom, whose voice was hoarse from screaming, rasped from near where Honeybell had spoken, “Never better.” This proclamation was followed by the sound of her retching onto the floor.

The two unicorns both gave a noncommittal grunt from Wind Song’s left.

Moonlight, whose rapid breathing Wind Song could hear from just next to him, said shakily, “I’m...fine...I...think...”. Each word was punctuated with a gasp for air.

A moment later, a flash of orangish-red light came from where Willow and Snow Star had been lying. Wind Song thought for a moment that they were trying to strike a flame, but a second flash a moment later revealed that the glow had been coming from the tip of Willow’s horn, which dimly illuminated her strained features as she attempted to cast the spell.

As the second flash of light died, Willow let out a cry of frustration which echoed off of the high chamber walls, reverberating back and forth and sending Wind Song’s head spinning as his sense of direction was obliterated.

“A light charm!” Willow sobbed miserably. “I can’t even do a damned light charm!”

A few seconds later, however, the light came to life ten times stronger than before, revealing Willow and Snow Star with their horns touching. The two unicorns gazed at each other, their sad eyes locked. Once again, Wind Song saw the enviable closeness between them that he had noticed on the balcony above the Town Hall.

As Willow and Snow Star separated, their lights continued to glow, although now they flickered uncertainly, almost like a candle that was about to go out.

For the first time, they were able to really take stock of the room around them. Though the ceiling of the chamber itself was lost in darkness, the light of the unicorns’ spell revealed the drawings on the walls he had seen before. Wind Song noticed now that they weren’t quite as disorganized as he had thought. They were divided into sections about two yards tall and three yards wide, each of which depicted two alicorns, one black and one white, repeated over and over again in varying patterns of ever-increasing complexity and detail.

His eyes followed the drawings all the way down toward the base of the wall where he noticed that each of the wall’s eight sides had an empty doorway in it leading into utter blackness. Each door was crowned with a mantle on which a letter indicating a point of the compass was carved. He stared for a moment at the word “South East” above one of the doors, feeling that something was wrong about it, but he wasn’t quite sure why.

As he continued to look downward he saw the compass, at the center of which they all lay. It was enormous; nearly as wide as the room itself, and covered in elaborate scrollwork. Each of the compass’s eight points terminated directly in front of each of the eight dark doorways. Just below each point was a depiction of one of eight phases of the moon. Further toward the center, just visible under the pile of hay, was a large and ornate drawing of the sun whose eight tendrils of light spread out to meet each of the compass points.

Wind Song felt his hair stand on end as he quickly realized he was looking at the legacy of an Equestria even older than that of Princess Twilight. Willow and Snow Star seemed to have noticed this as well. They had stood and begun to move about the chamber, causing his own shadow as well as those of the others, to shift hauntingly about as the source of light changed position. Even in the unicorns’ states, they seemed to marvel at what they saw with expressions of open amazement.

They likely would have continued on like this for hours had Honeybell not chosen that moment to say, “Now, I like fancy pictures ‘n such as much as the next pony, but don’t y’all think we should get a move on if we’re gonna avoid getting caught by these minions of Rose’s?”

As Honeybell said this, Wind Song noticed that she kept glancing nervously around. Orange Blossom, who lay next to her, had shoved her head into the hay up to her neck. He made a mental note to ask them about this behavior later before replying, “You’re right. Seems we forgot why we’re down here to begin with.”

Willow, who had been looking closely at a series of drawings at the base of the door labelled, “North”, looked up and said sourly, “It would help if Fairweather had told us which way we needed to go.”

Moonlight rolled herself upright and replied, her voice still shaking slightly, “She did. She told me and Windy as she was leaving the room. We have to go west.”

Honeybell didn’t even wait a moment before reaching down and pulling Orange Blossom’s head from the hay pile.

“Perfect.” she said, standing quickly. “Off we go then.”

Honeybell and Orange Blossom broke into a trot, aiming for the door labelled “West” before Moonlight said to the room at large, “But wait, don’t you think we should check the packs Fairweather left us first? Judging by how far we fell, it’ll be a long while before we get to the top.”

Honeybell, who had turned to glare incredulously at Moonlight, was not easily deterred, however.

She replied, “No, Moonlight. It can wait til we get up to the top.”

“Honeybell is right. Let’s get some distance between us and those goons up above before we stop. I would hate to get caught by them down here.” Snow Star said grimly.

Honeybell nodded to Snow Star appreciatively.

“Exactly, Snow.” she said before turning and walking through the doorway in spite of the fact that it was totally dark.

Wind Song, who had been staring at the word “West” on the mantle above her, called out, “Wait!”

“Oh come on!!” Honeybell’s voice echoed from where she stood in the tunnel, just beyond the unicorns’ light.

“What is it, Windy?” Willow asked quietly.

Wind Song continued to look at each of the labels above the doorways in turn before realizing that he now knew what was wrong with them.

“That’s not West.” he said.

Honeybell emerged from the dark tunnel, ears laid back in irritation. She swivelled her neck around and looked up at the mantle above the low doorway. After a moment, she turned around, looking sarcastically at Wind Song.

“Now look, Windy.” she began levelly. “I’m no Daring Do, but I can sure as sunrise read the word ‘west’ when it’s right in front of my face.”

Wind Song rolled his eyes.

“No.” he said. “I mean, those compass points are mislabelled. That door doesn’t go west.”

Everypony stared at Wind Song for a moment as though he were insane. Suddenly, from close by his left side, he heard a long whispered, “Oooooooh!” from Moonlight.

Orange Blossom and Honeybell both looked at each other quizzically. Willow and Snow Star cocked their heads comically to one side.

Seeing their confusion, Wind Song elaborated, “Pegasi have compasses in their heads. We can feel which way is north. It’s like a tiny tugging sensation at the front of our minds. I assumed you all knew that.”

Honeybell and Orange Blossom’s jaws dropped in surprise while the unicorns’ mouths formed small “o’s” of comprehension.

“You mean to say,” Orange Blossom replied, “that we’ve been friends for near ten years now and y’all never thought to tell us that?”

Moonlight said understandingly, “It’s a part of who we are, just like Willow or Snow’s horns. We wouldn’t have thought to explain that to you any more than we would think to tell you we had stomachs or lungs.”

“Well, that would definitely explain why Fairweather told you two and nopony else.” Snow Star said, pondering this new information.

“So, which way is west, then? If we don’t get outta here I’m gonna...” Honeybell asked with a hint of agitation.

At this statement, Wind Song’s resolve to remain silent to Honeybell’s obvious impatience broke like a stepped-on twig.

“Look. I know we’re all in a rush here, but what exactly is your problem?” he asked, dropping all pretenses of restraint and letting all of his frustration roll out over her like a tidal wave. “We’ve got enough to worry about here without your attitude making things worse!”

The moment the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them, but as Honeybell opened her mouth to give an equally angry reply, she paused. After a few moments of indecision, she seemed to droop slightly before saying, “Look, I’m sorry, Windy. I’m not tryin’ to make things harder, but we earth ponies have a...uh...born fear of tight spaces and places underground, like this ‘un.”

Wind Song’s tension deflated.

“I’m sorry.” he said, hanging his head slightly. “I didn’t mean to lose control like that. I guess I’m letting the stress of this whole thing get to me. I wish I’d know that before and we could have all gotten out of here sooner.”

“Looks like you pegasi ain’t the only ones with secrets ya haven’t told anypony, eh?” Honeybell replied with a wry smile.

“I guess so.” Wind Song looked up with a little smile of his own. “Just goes to show that…”

“Great, great!” Orange Blossom interrupted. “Now that we’re all friends again, can we pleeeeease get going?”

Moonlight giggled and started for the door labelled “South West”. Orange Blossom and Honeybell rushed by Wind Song so quickly that he felt the wind of their passing before he and the unicorns followed.

In spite of their urgency, it was inevitable that they couldn’t all keep up a quick pace for long. Willow and Snow Star, who had taken up the head of the little column of ponies, progressed slowly, their hooves dragging and heads hung low. Wind Song thought the lights coming from their horns looked dimmer, but he wasn’t certain. Behind the unicorns, Honeybell and Orange Blossom stayed alert and squinted into the darkness ahead. Wind Song and Moonlight brought up the rear, plodding slowly along, the “clackity clackity” of their hooves the only sound reverberating off the low ceiling and close walls of the narrow tunnel.

In this manner, what must have been several hours passed without a word, although Wind Song heard a stomach growl once or twice. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Moonlight give him the occasional glance. However, every time he turned his head to look back at her, he found her looking forward, her wavy mane hiding all but the tip of her nose from view.

Another hour passed. The intermittent hissing of a whispered conversation could be heard coming from the Willow and Snow Star though Wind Song never caught any of what they were saying.

“Windy?”

The word spoken from his right pierced the silence like a gunshot, making Wind Song jump with alarm. He saw a sudden flash of blue and white in his vision as he cracked his skull against the low ceiling. A whispered stream of curses issued from his mouth as he sat down hard, holding his now throbbing head.

“Oh Windy, I’m so sorry!” came the voice again, which Wind Song now realized belonged to Moonlight.

“Hold up, everypony!” Honeybell called after the unicorns, exasperated. “I think Windy back here needs a minute.”

“I’m fine.” Wind Song said, rubbing the bruise which was rapidly forming on his head. “Keep going. Moonlight and I will catch up in a minute.”

The earth ponies didn’t need telling twice before they turned back around and continued to march forward. Wind Song felt Moonlight’s warmth as she sat down next to him. He opened his eyes, the retreating glow of the light spell making it difficult for him to see her.

“I’m really sorry, Windy. I didn’t mean to make you jump.”

“It’s fine.” he replied. “You didn’t mean to. Is everything alright?”

A brief silence followed as they both stood and started walking again.

“I don’t know, honestly.” Moonlight said. “This whole thing has me wondering how it’s possible we got involved in this...and why.”

“What do you mean?” Wind Song asked, staring fixedly at the floor in front of him, acutely conscious of Moonlight’s closeness.

Moonlight looked thoughtful for a moment and said, “I mean, you, me, the others...We’re all just your regular run-of-the-mill ponies from Ponyville but somehow we got caught up in a fight between gods.”

This statement made Wind Song look up.

“Gods?” he asked.

“Sure. Just look at Princess Twilight. It’s been said time and time again that even Celestia and Luna’s powers pale in comparison to hers. Some also say that Twilight herself was the one to turn the council into spirits, although nopony has any clue how she did it. Then there’s the council itself. Five immensely powerful immortal spirits, Windy.”

Wind Song turned these words over in his head for a moment, the still-throbbing knot where he’d hit it against the ceiling momentarily distracting him.

“I suppose I sort of see what you mean.” he said.

“And then there’s this Black Rose. If what Spike wrote in his letter is true, she managed to capture Twilight and scatter the council. Whatever she is, she’s a power unlike anything Equestria has ever seen. And if that’s not enough, assuming all goes well, we’ll be speaking with Spike himself in a few days. Where do we come into all of this? It’s not natural. It’s not right.”

This gave Wind Song quite a bit to think about and he was silent for a long moment before replying, “You know, Twilight and the council themselves were once normal ponies from Ponyville, just like us. Rainbow Dash came from Cloudsdale just like you did. Honeybell and Orange Blossom’s citrus field might be small, but it’s barely a mile from Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack lived. Rarity’s Carousel Boutique isn’t there anymore, but Willow and Snow’s cottage is just around the corner from where it used to be. If you think about it, we’re not so different from them. Instead of asking ‘Why us?’, it might make more sense to ask, ‘Why not us?’”

It was Moonlight’s turn to look thoughtful. “I guess so. It’s just that we used to spend so much time studying them in history class or reading about them at home that we never took the time to consider ourselves doing great things.”

Wind Song chuckled. “Speak for yourself. I basically worshipped Rainbow Dash when I was growing up in Cirrus. Living with my dad was rough so I never really had anypony to look up to until mom told me about a little blue pegasus from Ponyville who became one of the greatest fliers in history.”

Moonlight gazed up at Wind Song.

“I wanted to be an athlete but pops would always tell me that I was ‘delusional’ and that I should ‘get my head out of the clouds’. My mom always encouraged me to follow my heart, but dad would almost always cut her down. I don’t think it was until after mom got sick and died that dad really came to terms with what he’d done.”

Moonlight looked aghast.

“I’m so sorry, Windy. That’s terrible!” she said sorrowfully.

“I was crushed, obviously. Mom always reminded me of Rainbow Dash, always telling me I could do great things and be whatever I set my mind to. After she died, I packed up what little I had and left for Ponyville. I figured that if Rainbow Dash could become great in Ponyville, then so could I.”

The two pegasi walked along for several moments, Moonlight never taking her eyes off of Wind Song.

She looked back down and said in barely more than a whisper, “It sounds like you’ve had a hard life, but I’m glad fate brought you here, Wind Song.”

The glowing red flicker of Willow and Snow Star’s lights had been growing farther and farther away from Moonlight and Wind Song as they spoke, but now it appeared to have come to a stop. Cantering to close the distance, the two pegasi found that the others had stopped not to wait for them, but because they had come up against a wall of solid rock. To the left, a pile of stacked stones, each about the size of a buckball, blocked what seemed to be the only way forward. Near the center of the pile, a narrow beam of orange light shone through a small gap in the stones, illuminating the opposite wall in a dim glow of tawny gold.

“Whadaya s’pose this is all about?” Honeybell whispered.

“I’d say it was a cave-in if those stones weren’t so well arranged.” Moonlight replied.

“Fairweather didn’t say anything about the tunnel being walled in.” Wind Song added. “I sure wish we knew what was past that wall. Any ideas, Willow? Snow?”

Both unicorns had taken the time to sit down on the cool stone floor during the exchange. They both looked exhausted as they stared fixedly downward, breathing heavily. Snow Star merely gave a shrug, not taking his eyes off the ground.

A moment later, Willow spoke so quietly as to be nearly inaudible, “Snow, help me.”

Snow Star looked up at his wife, cocking his head quizzically to one side.

Willow nodded at the stone wall. “I can’t do this on my own.”

After a few seconds, Snow Star seemed to comprehend what Willow was talking about.

“Oh. That.” he said, bending his head forward and placing his horn against Willow’s and closing his eyes in concentration.

The red glow which had been coming from their horns vanished suddenly to be replaced by a thin ribbon of pale blue magical light. This ribbon fell to the floor almost like water before snaking its way across the floor to the stone wall. The magic seemed to diffuse through the stones, working its way between them, and presumably, into whatever lay beyond. From where the ribbon met the rocky wall, the magical tendril flushed suddenly from blue to the same orange color as the beam of light just above it. Without releasing the spell, Willow and Snow Star both looked up and opened their eyes.

Moonlight, who was staring at the unicorns, let out a gasp of surprise which drew Wind Song’s mesmerized gaze from the ribbon of light to the wide open eyes of Willow and Snow Star. In those two pairs of eyes was reflected neither the dingy wall of the cave nor any of the four ponies who stared at them in awe, but rather a grassy meadow, lit in the red and golden hues of a magnificent sunset.

Willow and Snow Star closed their eyes and the ribbon vanished suddenly, throwing the whole tunnel into darkness save for the beam of light coming from between the stones which had now turned a vivid pinkish orange.

“What was that?!” Orange Blossom asked in amazement.

Snow Star, whose outline was just visible in the beam of sunlight, spoke out of the twilit tunnel.

“Liquid sight spell. Let’s us see through anything with a hole in it larger than a needle.” he said, lowering himself the rest of the way down and lying his head on his front legs.

“And it uses far more energy than we had to spare.” Willow said with a heavy sigh of exhaustion, lying down next to Snow Star.

“So exactly where are we?” Wind Song asked eagerly.

“Bell Meadow.” Snow Star replied.

Neither of the unicorns said anything more, but as the pink light faded to darkness, Wind Song heard a loud snore from Snow Star.

“I guess that means we’re staying here tonight.” Wind Song said, feeling around in the dark for the canteen that was hanging from his saddlebags.

He found it and took several deep draughts. Gratified gulping from around him told him that the others were doing the same. After that, there was nothing to do but wait for morning and hope that as close as they were to the treacherous meadow, the wall of stones would keep them safe for the night.

A little shower of sparks momentarily lit the wall opposite him and soon the glow of a little flame from a small oil candle soon lit Honeybell’s satisfied face, bathing her in a pool of warm light.

In that light they all sat and quietly nibbled on some oatcakes before they lay down on the cool ground and, without a word, fell fast asleep.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 6

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 6

By Wind Song

REVISED 20OCT20

Chapter 7 - Bell Meadow

Wind Song stood in a grassy field, lit only by the pale silver light of the full moon and extending in every direction as far as his eyes could see. The only sound which pervaded that serene place was the soothing rustle of the grass which swayed gently in a light breeze and brushed lightly against his hooves and fetlocks. The breeze carried with it the ambrosial fragrance of millions of blooming wildflowers, sweet as honey and stronger than anything he had ever imagined possible. Above him, a billion stars winked out at him from the inky canvas of the night sky and almost seemed to be reflected in the ground beneath him. The moon, which hung only a little way above the horizon, shone bright and clear as it crept slowly toward the gray horizon.

Soon, the soothing “swish swish swish” of his slow hoofsteps in the grass joined the sigh of the breeze in the grass in a discordant sort of harmony. The tranquil setting left the pegasus spellbound as he plodded along to a destination he neither knew nor cared about. Wading through that moonlit field in the dead of night with only his thoughts for company was intoxicating. He walked for what must have been hours, simply taking in the beauty of his surroundings and breathing the clean crisp air.

Suddenly, Wind Song pulled up short, becoming instantly alert. He spun on the spot, searching for whatever had disturbed his peaceful amble, but he beheld only the soft grass, lit grey in the moonlight and stretching to the horizon in all directions. He felt his heart rate increase as he scanned the land a second time. Someone was watching him, he knew it. But where were they?

Wind Song stood in place, confused, and lifted one hoof to scratch his head when he felt a sudden sharp pressure around his mind as though a consciousness, not his own, were trying to push its way into his brain. He spun around again, searching everywhere for the invisible force, but the pressure subsided as quickly as it had arrived, and again all was silent. Confused and wary, he made to resume his walk.

“Wind Song!”

The voice had come from nowhere...or everywhere. He couldn’t tell. It was all around him and seemed to come from the sky and earth itself. Suddenly, the mental pressure returned in full force as the voice rang out again, this time stronger.

“Wind Song!”

“Who are you?! What do you want?!” Wind Song shouted into the darkness as he sat down hard, lifting his forehooves to cover his ears and closing his eyes as the pain in his head increased.

The moment his hooves touched his ears, he pulled them away again. They were covered in something wet and sticky. He didn’t want to open his eyes. A thick, warm wind replaced the cool breeze and, even as he held his breath, he could still taste the reeking stench of rotting flesh over the metallic coppery scent of blood in place of the earlier blooming flowers.

As his eyes opened, he beheld a setting quite different from the one he had been in only moments before. Where the moon had been now floated an orb of glowing liquid red, like a giant vermillion eye staring into his very being. His horror only grew as he felt something warm and wet lapping at his legs. What he saw made his heart pound in his chest as he opened his mouth in a soundless scream of terror.

“Wind Song!”

Washing around his legs was a tempestuous sea of thick crimson liquid. Nopony needed to tell him what it was. He was knee-deep in an ocean of blood, and the level was rising. He looked frantically in all directions, seeking something, anything, but all he saw was red, red, red. He heard somepony scream, but whether it was in pain or terror he couldn’t tell.

As he spun back to face the bloody moon, his legs bumped into something solid. Floating on the undulating ruby colored fluid and staring up at him with one milky, unseeing eye, was the body of a small turquoise filly, flank unmarked by the destiny she would never grow to see. He felt the bile rising in his throat as he backed away, trying not to vomit when he backed into yet another body. This time he did not turn. All around him, thousands upon thousands of foals, clearly dead, were bobbing to the surface, blank flanks all.

“Windy! Please wake up!”

He broke into a full on gallop, splashing through the sea of bodies trying with all his will to get somewhere, anywhere. With a sudden splash, he tripped and fell into the tide of crimson, becoming fully submerged, but when he attempted to rise, he found that he couldn’t find which way was up. He desperately spun around looking for the surface, but the blood burned his eyes, ears, nose, throat...he was drowning.

“Wind Song!”

With a jerk he sat and threw up the contents of his stomach across the cool floor of the tunnel, dimly lit by Honeybell’s candle.

“Damnit!” he spat, heart still pounding and eyes flooded with cold tears as he trembled as though from a fever. He felt a warm fuzzy leg draw around him and heard the consoling voice of Moonlight Whisper. That touch, combined with the musty scent of the moist air was what convinced Wind Song that he was really back. But that dream had seemed so real! He could almost still taste the coppery flavor of blood coating his tongue.

“It’s alright, Windy. It’s okay. You’re here. You’re safe.” she said, the strain evident in her own voice as it echoed off the close walls of the cave.

Wind Song heard a coughing sob from somewhere across the room and, through a film of tears, saw Honeybell and Orange Blossom holding each other in a tight, almost desperate embrace. Between Wind Song and the two earth ponies lay Snow Star and Willow. Their eyes were clenched tight shut as they held each other close.

“What happened?” Wind Song asked Moonlight when he had finally found his voice. “Did you…”

“No” replied Moonlight quickly. “I didn’t see anything, but I felt it. Oh, Celestia and Luna have pity, I felt it, Windy. What is it you saw? You and everypony else looked like you were having terrible nightmares.”

Wind Song simply shut his eyes and shook his head.

“Later.” he said firmly.

Moonlight nodded understandingly, never taking her foreleg from Wind Song’s back. They sat like this for several minutes, not saying a word or making a sound. Wind Song’s breathing and pulse slowed and the tears stopped flowing.

“I’m so sorry.” came Snow Star’s choked voice from where he sat next to Willow. “We’re both so, so sorry.”

The two pegasi and two earth ponies looked up at him.

“What in Equestria do you mean, Snow?” Moonlight asked quizzically.

Snow Star shifted uncomfortably before replying, “We tried to contain it. We did everything we could, but when we dream, it’s near impossible to keep such strong emotions from getting out.”

“You mean you projected your emotions telepathically?” Moonlight asked in amazement.

Wind Song felt his sympathy for his two friends growing as Willow said in a quavering voice, “Yes. We did everything we could to hold it back, but it was like we were locked in the dream and couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Wind Song noticed that her voice was halting, hesitant...embarrassed?

“It wasn’t either of your fault.” he replied reassuringly while at the same time wondering if this would happen every time they tried to sleep at the same time. If that was the case, they had a very long journey ahead of them.

Over the next several minutes, they each recounted what they had seen and felt, though with frequent pauses when their emotions failed them. As it turned out, all five had seen the same thing. Only Moonlight had been spared as she had been awake at the time.

The six friends sat in silence for a while after that, neither speaking nor making a sound. It wasn’t until a few hours later that Wind Song, who had been in a sort of doze, noticed the thin beam of morning light coming through the gap in the wall of stacked rock. Morning had arrived.

Most of the others had fallen back to sleep, including Moonlight, who lay curled up by his side. Honeybell lay on her back against the far wall snoring loudly, one hind leg giving the occasional twitch. Orange Blossom lay facing the wall, idly rolling a small round stone between her forehooves. The unicorns looked exhausted as they each slept in the other’s embrace.

Loath to wake them just yet, Wind Song simply sat and watched Moonlight as she slept. Her side rose and fell gently, the sound of her breathing only just audible. The thick midnight curls of her mane hung haphazardly over one side of her face, obscuring her eyes and part of her nose. Her left wing lay opened, draped over her side and flank like a feathery blanket. Wind Song was enraptured by the sight of her and he couldn’t look away.

“Mornin’ lover boy.” came a soft voice directly in his left ear.

Wind Song, whose nerves were already on edge, let out a shocked yelp as he leapt to his hooves and spun toward the voice, spreading his wings defensively. However, standing before him wasn’t any of the innumerable terrors his spent imagination had been expecting, but Orange Blossom. The small white mare was doubled over in an unchecked fit of laughter, scarcely able to breathe.

At Wind Song’s shout of surprise, everypony had become immediately awake. They all stood, ready for action as Wind Song fumed, his murderous scowl totally lost on the mirthful Orange Blossom.

“What in Tartarus was that about, Windy?” asked Honeybell who seemed to be having trouble fully opening her eyes.

“Nothing a little clobbering won’t fix.” replied Wind Song sourly, still glaring at Orange Blossom.

After everypony had settled down and Orange Blossom gained some meager semblance of composure, the little group began to take stock of their supplies. Fairweather had done an admirable job preparing their packs. Each had a canteen of water, five or six oat cakes, flint, a tinderbox, several beeswax candles, and a length of rope. There were also other things like a tin of salt, several bandages, a short knife, and a small roll of parchment with quill and ink.

As Wind Song was rummaging through his pack, he noticed a little pouch concealed behind a seam inside one of the saddlebags which contained a corked vial of blue liquid that Wind Song couldn’t identify. Near the base of the vial, marked in gold ink, were the words, “H.P. 422 - Canterlot G.P.M.”.

Wind Song was eying the vial, wondering what it could possibly be when Willow let out a gasp of surprise.

“Sweet Celestia!” she exclaimed, holding up a glass vial just like WInd Song’s and showing interest in something for the first time since the previous afternoon.

“What is it?” Wind Song asked.

Willow, who was looking closely at the potion held carefully in both hooves, replied, “Healing Potion number four twenty two. One of Twilight’s creations.”

At this, Moonlight’s looked up from her pack, wide-eyed.

“It’s really expensive.” Willow continued. “The flower it’s derived from, the magenta bloom, is endangered and only grows along coastal cliffs that are almost impossible to access. I can’t imagine how Fairweather managed to get six vials of it.

“Wait.” Honeybell said from where she sat holding her water canteen. “What you mean by ‘healing potion’? You mean like, if my leg got chopped off or somethin’ I could just throw a few drops of that stuff on it and, poof...all better?”

Snow Star, who was looking curiously at Willow’s vial, replied, “No. It’s not quite like that. It can’t grow back missing flesh or bone, but it does have the ability to heal what’s already there.

Willow cut in, “Assuming you’re not already dead, of course.”

“Exactly” Snow Star continued. “If you get stabbed, cut, bruised, or break a bone, this will heal it.”

“It works exactly like H.P. four nineteen, except that four twenty two not only heals the wound, but it also restores some or all lost blood using the water and minerals in your body.” Moonlight said excitedly as all present stared at her in surprise. She looked at her friends with a shy smile before concluding demurely, “Twilight Sparkle’s Dissertations on Transmutation, Volume Seven.”

Several more minutes passed before all six ponies had eaten a dry oat cake or two, repacked their supplies in the saddlebags, and stood staring at the wall of loose stones piled between them and the meadow beyond. Only a few yards lay between them and one of Equestria’s most treacherous landscapes, and they were about to cross it. Each of the six ponies hesitated, none moving until Honeybell finally let out a long sigh and stepped forward, beckoning to Orange Blossom who joined her.

Honeybell selected a loose medium sized stone about the size of a grapefruit from the base of the pile and gave it to Orange Blossom. Honeybell turned and poised herself as though to buck the entire wall.

“What exactly do you plan on…” Wind Song asked as Orange Blossom tossed the little stone between Honeybell and the wall. Quick as lighting, one of Honeybell’s hind legs shot out and, with unerring accuracy, struck the stone in mid-air with her hoof and sent it flying into a large boulder at the base of the mound of stones.

With a loud “CRACK”, the boulder fractured. Jagged black lines spidered out from where the smaller stone had struck it. The boulder crumbled, and with it, several of the stones stacked above it, creating an opening about two yards wide. The early-morning sunlight poured into the cave along with a cool breeze laden with the scents of dew and grass.

Honeybell and Orange Blossom were through the gap and into the open field beyond before anypony could say so much as a word. Their joyous shouts and peals of laughter resounded throughout the tunnel as Wind Song stepped forward through the opening. He was instantly blinded by the brilliance of the morning sun as it reflected off the tiny droplets of mist which still hung in the air.

As his eyes adjusted, he beheld a landscape disturbingly similar to that of his dream from the previous night. A chill crept over him that had nothing to do with the cool breeze blowing down from the north and he froze in place as the three remaining ponies filed out of the tunnel and stood on either side of him, their eyes going wide as they saw the hazy meadow. Behind him, Wind Song saw the dark entrance to the tunnel opened into the rocky side of a low hill. The opening was largely concealed by long grass and a few vines which hung over the edge above it, making it nearly impossible to see from above.

Still overcome with trepidation, Wind Song remained stock still, not wanting to leave the safety of the tunnel behind him. Honeybell and Orange Blossom were having no such inhibitions, however. The two earth ponies jumped and frolicked about, laughing and calling out in happy voices. One moment they would be rushing about, the next they would drop down and roll about in the grass, legs kicking wildly about in the air.

Five minutes had passed before they rose from the ground, breathing hard and covered in grass and bits of earth. They trotted over to the others, smiling broadly.

“Now, that’s a whole lot better if ya ask me!” Honeybell said cheerily. “That underground nonsense wasn’t as bad as I expected, but the surface is where I belong, and nowhere else. Ain’t that right sis?”

Orange Blossom, who had become distracted by a little purple flower at her hooves, looked up at Honeybell and nodded vigorously. “You said it, sis! I think I might actually enjoy this part of the trip!”

After the two earth ponies got their breath back, the little group pointed their noses northward. The jagged outline of Canterlot, with its towers and terraces and the palace at the top, was just barely visible in the distance. The tunnel, it seemed, had let them out roughly a third of the way across the meadow, thus avoiding major obstacles like Saddle Lake and the cliffs on its northern edge. As hesitant as he had been, Wind Song couldn’t deny that their journey was off to a favorable start.

The six ponies spoke not a word as they ambled their way along the grassy slopes of Bell Meadow. It wasn’t the sort of place that encouraged that sort of thing. The normal hustle and bustle of Ponyville had been left far behind them, giving way to a tranquil silence broken only by the sound of the breeze and soft swishing of the grass around their hooves.

The soft purples, oranges, and pinks of early morning gave way to lighter shades as the sun crept slowly into the summer sky. All around them, flowers opened, erupting into oceans of color that had until this point been hidden from them. The blooming of the flowers was accompanied by a myriad of sweet and savory fragrances unlike anything Wind Song had ever smelled before.

“Maybe this won’t be too bad after all.” thought Wind Song as he led the little party northward toward Canterlot. It was difficult, nay, impossible, to believe that bad things could happen in a place such as this. Black Rose, Twilight’s capture, Equestria’s fate...even his nightmare from the night before seemed to matter little in comparison with the peace and beauty he and his friends were experiencing.

The very breeze seemed to be singing a sweet, soft lullaby as they ambled along, lulling him into a dreamy daze. Wind Song could almost hear the words of the lullaby as it drifted by on the breeze, but they were always just out of hearing. The pegasus focussed harder, trying to understand what the winds were singing, but the harder he tried, the farther out of reach they seemed. He stopped walking to listen and felt himself drawn toward the ground as the song progressed. If only he sat still for a few moments, he would be able to hear it.

WHAP! Wind Song snapped awake. He had been sitting, just ready to lie down when Moonlight’s wing had hit him. While individual pegasus feathers were light as air, a wing full of them accompanied by the bone and muscle which held it all together wasn’t exactly weightless. It hadn’t been a cruel smack, but it had been sharp enough to snap him back to his senses and leave a cluster of flickering stars dancing before his eyes.

“Windy, I’m sorry!” came the muffled voice of Moonlight.

As Wind Song’s blurred vision cleared, he saw Moonlight beside him, one wing held over her face in shame, her eyes peeking reluctantly between a gap in two of the larger flight feathers.

“I’m so sorry!” she said as Wind Song stared at her, dumbfounded. “I had no choice. Whatever that song was, it was trying to get all of us to fall asleep. Only Celestia knows what would have happened then.”

A chuckle from behind him made Wind Song whirl around. Honeybell and Orange Blossom stood there, grinning at him good-naturedly.

“Don’t worry, Windy. She did us first.” Orange Blossom said.

“And us.” Willow said from the rear of the line.

“The breeze blew me n’ O.B. out like candles. Those wings are heavy, ain’t they?” Honeybell said, chuckling again.

“What exactly was that, Moonlight?” Wind Song asked, ignoring Honeybell.

“I’m not actually sure.” she replied. “There are a lot of things about Bell Meadow that haven’t been studied because of how dangerous it is. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was one of the reasons ponies sometimes come in here but never come out again.”

Wind Song nodded understandingly as he stood. “It was strange. The harder I tried to hear what the wind was saying the more I got drawn into it.”

“It was definitely a weird experience.” Snow Star said from next to Willow. “I’d suggest we stay alert and keep an eye on each other from here forward. We don’t want to be another statistic like the ones Fairweather was talking about.”

And so, off they went again. Wind Song and Moonlight led the way, providing a direction for the little group. The two unicorns came next, followed by Honeybell and Orange Blossom in the rear.

“Is anypony else hungry?” Wind Song vaguely heard Orange Blossom ask from the back of the column.

“We’ll stop for a break in a little bit, O.B. What matters right now is that we get across this meadow before it gets dark.” came Willow’s reply.

Now that she mentioned it, Wind Song noted that it was well past noon and the sun had already begun its downward journey back toward the western horizon. While Canterlot was definitely closer, it was still a good way off. He set a faster pace and the others followed suit without complaint. In this way they trudged along, step after weary step.

There were several attempts at conversation, but they all died out as quickly as they had begun. It wasn’t until a startled, “Orange Blossom! No!” and a loud “MMMM! MmmmMMM!!” came from a little way behind the group that Wind Song paid real attention.

He spun on the spot and could already see Honeybell and the two unicorns rushing back to Orange Blossom whose nose and mouth had been wrapped in something long, black, and wriggling like a great obsidian snake. On the long black vine, just above Orange Blossom’s nose, sat a bright yellow and pink flower which Wind Song hadn’t remembered seeing anywhere else on their journey. In fact, he didn’t think he’d ever seen one before in his life.

“Oh my!” Moonlight called out, immediately dropping her saddle bags and beginning to rummage through them.

“Help!” called Honeybell desperately as Orange Blossom fought against the strange vine, which seemed to be trying to drag her forward.

Wind Song rushed to help Honeybell and the unicorns. As Wind Song arrived, two more vines shot up out of the ground and coiled themselves around Orange Blossom’s front legs. Honeybell had grabbed hold of Orange Blossom’s middle and was attempting to pull her backward and out of the grasp of the writhing tentacles. Willow and Snow Star were trying desperately to conjure some sort of spell.

Having no idea what to do, Wind Song dashed to where the three vines came out of the earth four or five yards from their captive. He gave the ground there three hard stomps before the dirt began to froth and boil like water. Terrified, he backed away as a hole a yard wide opened in the earth, revealing row upon row of sharp angled teeth.

“Moonlight! Help!” the bewildered Wind Song shouted to Moonlight, who still seemed to be searching frantically for something in her pack.

Wind Song dashed back to where Orange Blossom strained and pulled against the vines. Tears streamed down the filly’s cheeks as she jerked back and forth, trying to break the grip of the creature, but to no avail. She seemed hopelessly entangled in the things.

Then, without thinking, Wind Song bent forward and bit down hard on the vine holding Orange Blossom’s right foreleg. It felt tough and rubbery in his mouth, with thousands of tiny prickly hairs sticking out at all over it. In spite of its solidity, however, the vine released its hold on Orange Blossom’s leg, recoiling like a snapped bowstring as the creature it belonged to let out a loud whining grunt.

Wind Song dodged just in time as the vine came shooting toward him, narrowly missing his own forelegs as he leapt backward. This wasn’t working. He had to come up with something else. The loosed vine snaked back over to join the other three as Orange Blossom skidded forward a full yard, dragging Honeybell with her.

“MmmmM!! MMMM!” Orange Blossom yelled unintelligibly.

The two unicorns had only succeeded in making a few sparks as Orange Blossom slid forward a whole yard. Abandoning their attempts to use magic, they leapt forward and, just like Honeybell, grabbed hold of Orange Blossom’s midriff and pulled with all their strength.

“MOONLIGHT!” Wind Song bellowed again at the midnight blue pegasus, who was still searching frantically through her pack.

All other options exhausted, Wind Song did the only other thing he could think of. Jumping forward, he joined Honeybell and the two unicorns, but having no room to hold on to her, reluctantly bit down on her tail and tugged. Orange Blossom slid forward another few feet, her rear hooves digging into the soft earth and etching deep furrows in the grassy turf.

Without warning, the sharp “CRACK” of breaking bone split the air as Orange Blossom’s front leg snapped just below the knee. She screamed and whimpered in pain, though her anguish was muffled by the vine around her mouth shut. Again, the whole group slid forward another full yard as Orange Blossom’s body went completely limp in a dead faint.

Just then, Moonlight leapt through the air, her water canteen held firmly in her teeth, glided for a few moments, and landed less than a foot from the maw of the strange creature. Quickly unstopping the cork on the canteen, she dumped the contents down into the creature’s mouth then, for good measure, dropped the whole canteen down into the hole.

A bellow that shook the ground came from the thing along with another one of its strange piercing grunts as Moonlight leapt backward away from the mouth. Immediately, the vines began to unravel from Orange Blossom. The two earth ponies, two unicorns, and Wind Song all fell backwards in a sweaty pile as the vines retreated into the ground. As they vanished, the mouth closed, the grass forming around it and leaving no indication that anything had ever been there aside from a small yellow and pink flower which poked out just above the surface.

It took a full twenty minutes to bring Orange Blossom around, during which Moonlight and Willow worked to clean the wound around Orange Blossom’s broken leg. The whole time, the others praised Moonlight’s quick thinking.

“What was it you used to get rid of it?” Willow asked Moonlight.

Moonlight replied, “Salt and water. We were just super lucky we had salt handy.”

“That we are.” Honeybell said admiringly as she held her sister.

Orange Blossom’s bone, which had pierced the skin when it broke, stood out bizarrely white against the bloody sinew and muscle surrounding it. Orange Blossom groaned in pain as the bone was set and Snow Star dripped several drops of the precious healing potion onto the wound. Wind Song watched in fascination as the skin drew together over the wound, knitting itself together and leaving no sign that it had ever been broken.

“Now, although the skin healed pretty much instantly, the bone will still take a few hours to mend, so you definitely want to keep weight off of it until then.” Willow said dispassionately as she positioned an improvised splint around Orange Blossom’s leg.

Orange Blossom nodded feebly, letting out a yelp as Willow drew the cords tight around the splint.

“How much farther do you think we have to go, Windy?” Snow Star asked Wind Song.

Wind Song made a few quick mental calculations before he replied, “Well, I’ve only ever flown across Bell Meadow so it’s hard to tell for sure, but I’d say another four or five hours hard going.”

This merited a collective groan of frustration from the others.

“We only have another, what...two and a half hours before the sun sets?” Honeybell said, holding one foreleg up between her face and the sun. “How in Equestria do you reckon we’re going to get there in time? I dunno about y’all, but I don’t wanna be stuck out here after dark.”

Wind Song bristled. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. The longer we sit here talking, the longer it’s going to take us to get there. I only hope we didn’t wake anything up with all of that commotion back there. Willow, is Orange Blossom ready?”

“Yes.” Willow replied simply.

“Wake anything up?” Snow Star asked, looking at Wind Song.

“Now just hold on to me sis. Yep, just like that.” Honeybell said to Orange Blossom as the younger sister draped her injured leg over Honeybell’s back.

Just then, something occurred to Wind Song. “Hey, O.B., what exactly did you do to piss off that plant thing?”

Orange Blossom looked away, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink.

“You tried to eat the flower, didn’t you.” Moonlight asked.

Orange Blossom nodded.

“That creature is one of only a few specimens native to Bell Meadow that have actually been documented. It’s called a ground lamprey, but it’s actually related to the giant tatzlwurm. You’re lucky it was only a small one.”

“That was a small one?” Snow Star asked incredulously.

“Very small.” Moonlight replied. “They can grow up to twenty times that size. Full adult tatzlwurms are known to eat entire villages and since the ground lamprey is related to them, although the magic of the meadow has twisted them into something strange, it’s believed that they can become just as large.”

After repacking the items which Moonlight had strewn all around her saddlebags, the little company headed on their way, again marching northward at an accelerated pace with Honeybell and Orange Blossom walking between the pegasi and the unicorns. In spite of the complications with Orange Blossom’s leg, they made reasonable progress, though not without the occasional stumble as the situation warranted.

“Hey, Windy?” Snow Star said a short while later.

“Hmm?” Wind Song replied, looking up at his friend who had caught up with him. Snow Star looked a bit disconcerted. That was odd.

“What was that you said earlier about waking something up?” Snow Star asked, looking nervously to the west.

“What do you mean?” Wind Song asked as he turned to look in the same direction as Snow Star.

In the distance, between the six ponies and the horizon, a rack of dark clouds was building itself up so quickly that even as Wind Song watched, it was growing larger and larger. His blood froze as a flash of red lightning arced across the sky between two of the clouds. Several seconds later, instead of the deep roll of thunder, came the distant tolling of a gigantic bell.

“RUN!” Wind Song shouted at the top of his lungs as the roiling swath of black clouds continued to build and billow, driving on directly toward the little company of ponies. He didn’t have a clue where they were supposed to go, but they were being hunted, and they had to run until they dropped.

The sanguine disc of the evening sun appeared between the clouds and the horizon, scattering its vermillion rays across the disastrous landscape as the storm advanced. The biting wind coming out of the west, which had begun as a light breeze, now tore across the meadow without mercy as the rain began to fall, pelting the six friends like tiny stones.

The long, drawn out tone of a vast bell rang out again, this time even closer. The sound caused a primal sense of dread in Wind Song who felt a sudden overwhelming fatigue accompanied by a feeling of despair unlike anything he had ever experienced. He stumbled and almost fell over from the brute force of the onslaught, all thoughts of escape now turning to hopelessness as he looked back at his friends. If he had thought his heart couldn’t sink lower, he was wrong.

Honeybell and Orange Blossom, who had fallen far behind when the group had tried to make their escape, were trying to catch up. Snow Star and Willow, on the other hoof, had fallen to the ground, heads laid upon the grass, though whether they were dead or merely unconscious, Wind Song could not tell.

Summoning all of his strength, Wind Song forced his eyes fully open and began to drag one hoof in front of the other, desperately trying to get to his friends. He had to do this. He had to help. The frigid rain was pouring from the sky in sheets that blinded him and stung like stinging insects where the drops hit him.

Just then, he was startled by a blinding flash of red just overhead. A moment later, the peal of the bell erupted from the sky above. Wind Song felt himself slump to the ground. He didn’t have the energy to stand, to hold his head up, to breath. As his sight faded, another flash of lightning lit the sky, illuminating the shape of a hooded figure which stood at the crest of the hill directly in front of him. The figure drew something out from beneath its cloak and held it aloft toward the storm as though in defiance. The “something”, whatever it was, began to glow. First like a candle, then like a bonfire, then like the sun. Then, his vision flickered and went black, and he knew no more.

Author's Note

A NOTE OF APOLOGY:
As with all worthwhile pursuits in life, mistakes are often the best teacher. Writing a story is no exception. My only regret is that my mistake fell to my readers.
As such, I'd like to apologize for subjecting you to the first rendition of Chapter 7 which was, without a doubt, horrendous. I know your time is valuable and my excitement to continue on telling this story ironically led to a disappointing four-thousand word waste of your time. I hope this most recent rendition of Chapter 7 makes up for that!

May the wind always rise under your wings.

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 7

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 7

By Wind Song

REVISED 30NOV20

Chapter 8 - The Hermit of Harmony Hill

Wind Song awoke to the delicious scent of cooked carrots and potatoes mixed with the spicy odor of various herbs. The jarring “CLANG” of what he could only assume were pots or pans made his hazy thoughts come into focus.

His eyelids felt heavy as lead, but he dragged them open and found himself in a large round room, dimly lit, about eight yards across. Looking up, he saw a solid looking timber framework rising in the shape of a cone to a peak in its middle about fifteen feet above the floor.

From where he lay, covered in a thick woolen blanket, he could see that at least half the room was surrounded by small dark windows. The sharp tapping of rain on glass came from the windows which rattled in their frames as a gale outside tore over the meadow. For the first time, Wind Song noticed the dull roar of heavily falling rain and mighty gusts of wind from outside, which came together in a frightening cacophony of sound.

He sat up and looked about. At the far end of the room, with back to him and bent over a large pot which stood boiling on a wide hearth, stood the same cloaked figure Wind Song had seen on top of the hill before he had fainted. This time, however, the pony’s hood was drawn back to reveal a shaggy lead-colored mane, still damp and glistening with residual rain water, hanging sloppily over a coat of cloud grey.

“Ah, you’re awake at last, my son. Are you hungry?” the pony said without turning as he poured several whole carrots from a large wooden bowl into the pot.

Wind Song, caught off guard, made no reply.

“He can’t be talking to me.” Wind Song thought.

The strange pony reached out with one hoof and took down a large wooden spoon from the wall and began to stir the delicious smelling concoction.

At once, Wind Song’s stomach let out a loud growl at which the other pony replaced the spoon on its wall hanger and turned to face him. The face he beheld bore two understanding eyes that were a shade of blue so bright they almost seemed to glow. Beneath these, the stranger bore a smile so full of compassion and love that Wind Song immediately felt at ease. Wind Song noted no horn on the pony’s brow.

“He must be a pegasus or an earth pony.” Wind Song mused quietly.

“Perhaps I am mistaken, but that was the rumble of a hungry pony’s stomach, and not of thunder.” the other pony said with a chuckle. “Would you not agree, Wind Song?” he asked, the gentle smile on his wrinkled old face never wavering.

Wind Song’s eyes went wide with surprise, at once regaining his sense of wariness as he pushed the wool blanket off of him and stood, adopting a defensive posture. How had the stranger known his name?

“Where are my friends?” Wind Song asked cautiously, fearing the pony would refuse to answer.

The stranger immediately nodded toward somewhere behind Wind Song, who turned quickly before letting out a sigh of relief. His pent up tension eased somewhat as he beheld Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Orange Blossom, and Honeybell all lying on the floor, either sleeping or unconscious and covered in blankets much like Wind Song’s own. At once Wind Song turned back to the stranger.

“I guess I should thank you.” Wind Song said. “But who exactly are you? And where are we? How did you get us all inside? How did you know my name? What did you…”

Wind Song was interrupted by a kindly chuckle from the old pony.

“All in good time, my son. All in good time. First, you must eat. You’ve all been through quite the ordeal today and if you don’t get some sustenance in you I’m afraid you’ll pass out again and by the time you wake up the stew will be cold.”

As the pony said this, he turned back to the pot and, picking a large ladle from the wall by the hearth, drew out a large scoop of russet colored stew, steaming and loaded with chunks of vegetables. This he poured carefully into a wooden bowl on a large rectangular table behind him to his left. He did the same for the other six bowls which, Wind Song now noticed, were arranged neatly at the table in front of six identical stools.

“And now, I suppose, it’s time to wake your friends as well.” the pony said, turning back toward Wind Song. “I was going to let you all sleep a bit longer, but you happened to wake up before I finished. It’s an uncanny ability you pegasi have, resisting the foul influence of these bell storms.”

“Ah. ‘you pegasi.’ So he’s an earth pony.” Wind Song thought to himself. “Are they still unconscious?” he asked aloud.

“No, no. Only sleeping, albeit very soundly I’m sure. After what you’ve all endured today it’s a lucky thing you’re still alive.”

Wind Song nodded.

“Well,” he said. “I guess I’ll wake them up then.”

“No need, my son.” the pony said. Then, in a low voice, he spoke a word in a strange language Wind Song had never heard before.

At once, Wind Song heard a stirring behind him accompanied by a yawn or two. He turned and saw that his friends were awakening.

Startled, Wind Song turned back to the stranger who had returned his attention to preparing the table as though nothing had happened.

“How in Celestia’s name did you do that? You’re no unicorn.” Wind Song demanded as the rustling of blankets behind him told him that the others were probably listening.

“My son, if you think unicorns are the only beings in Equestria capable of magic then I’m afraid you’ve been sorely misinformed.” the stranger replied gently.

“But, you’re a pony, aren’t you?” came a voice from beside Wind Song.

Wind Song turned to see Willow standing next to him, her eyelids still drooping with the heaviness of her sleep.

“Aye, that I am, daughter.” the pony replied with a smile. “Magic takes on many different forms in each of us. Unicorns simply have the most direct way of drawing it out. That does not mean it lies beyond the reach of the rest of us.”

Snow Star, Orange Blossom, Honeybell, and Moonlight had also risen and stood beside Wind Song.

“Now come, all of you, and eat with me.”

Together, the six friends joined the old pony, who had settled himself at the table. After they had each seated themselves in front of a bowl of stew, they all looked up their host, waiting politely for his permission to begin. However, a loud slurping and gulping from the far end of the table interrupted their attempt at diplomacy as Orange Blossom, whose last meal had attempted to eat her, submerged her entire snout in the delicious smelling stew, abandoning all pretense at decorum.

Orange Blossom’s five friends sat with their mouths agape, staring at her. Chagrined, Honeybell turned to the stranger to apologize, but before she could do that, a bark of throaty laughter came from the direction of the old stallion.

The wizened pony was shaking with mirth as he raised his cup of carrot juice and sang, “Dig in!”

All seven ponies fell to with gusto, though none quite so enthusiastically as Orange Blossom. The meal, which was the first decent one they’d had in two straight days, was delicious. Wind Song was left in awe at the old pony’s ability to cook as every bite of the stew revealed a flavor that had escaped him before.

Each pony wordlessly devoured four full servings of stew, except for Orange Blossom who had eaten five, before the ladle scraped the bottom of the now empty pot. As the fire on the hearth burned low, seven ponies sat contentedly around the table, bellies bulging slightly. Honeybell released a burp that reverberated around the room.

“Thank you for the meal, um...sir.” Snow Star said to the old pony. “Assuming Honeybelch over here is able to resist blowing your house up, I’m not sure how we can ever thank you.”

“No thanks are necessary, Snow Star.” the pony replied. “It was the least I could do for the six ponies of whom the winds have sung these last several moons.”

At this, the six friends’ eyes went wide and they looked at each other in turn, confused.

Their host, however, continued as though nothing were amiss, “And now, I suppose you would like to know who I am.”

This drew their attention back to the gray pony.

“Oh, yes please!” Orange Blossom said.

The stallion nodded.

“Know then that my presence here is a closely guarded secret. While I will not force you to swear silence on the matter, I respectfully ask that you do not speak of me to anypony.”

The six friends nodded earnestly.

“Thank you.” the old pony said appreciatively. “I would tell you my name, but that is a secret I share with no one. Please don’t be offended, though. Not one pony from the lowest beggar to the loftiest empress knows my name. To the few who do know of me, however, I’m known as the Hermit of Harmony Hill.”

The hermit leaned forward and took a sip of carrot juice before continuing.

“Now, as you may or may not know, I am aware of your predicament, for which I am in no small way responsible.”

The hermit raised one hoof to silence the sudden slew of questions which were hurled at him. Once they were all silent again, he continued.

“As I said before, I have known of your coming for some time now. For what purpose I knew not, however. At least, not until nearly two days ago when Black Rose overwhelmed the powers of Canterlot and took the throne for herself. I warned Twilight Sparkle two months ago that something was coming, but what exactly it was to be was hidden from me.”

Unable to resist the urge to speak, Wind Song asked, “Please, sir. Who is Black Rose?”

“Alas, of that I am unsure.” the hermit said, for the first time beginning to look grave. “While I know more of the present situation than most, of Black Rose I know little or nothing. I also did not know where these events would take place. I received enough notice of some impending danger to Equestria to warn Twilight ahead of time so she could make necessary preparations for an attack. I was also told that six ponies from Ponyville would be our greatest chance of survival.”

“Who told you about us?” Moonlight asked curiously.

The hermit smiled.

“The winds.” he said simply. Seeing the confused look on the six friends’ faces, he continued, “The winds blow everywhere all across Equestria and the lands beyond. They carry the worries and words of the world’s inhabitants with them and sing about them to those with the will to hear. That is how I heard of you six. Wherever Black Rose came from, however, she must have been either very far away or concealed in a place where wind does not blow and, therefore, could not detect her preparations.”

Wind Song and the others still looked uncertain and a bit confused, but nodded nevertheless.

The hermit continued, “When I heard that six ponies of Ponyville would be those on whom the fate of Equestria may rest, I contacted Luster Dawn who alerted Fairweather. They kept the matter a secret, but prepared a cleverly disguised escape route through which you would be able to get out of Ponyville when the time of need arrived.”

A collective “aaah” of understanding made its way around the table.

“In spite of my warnings, however, Princess Luster Dawn attempted to take the task of seeking out and destroying this danger, this Black Rose, into her own hooves. It has now been nearly three weeks since I last heard tell of the princess’ whereabouts. Her prospects, I’m afraid, are poor when not even the wind can find her.”

The six friends’ faces fell, their curious gazes turning to looks of dismay when the hermit said these words.

Wind Song stood abruptly, bumping the table and causing his own empty cup to fall over.

“We have to save her, then.” he said with conviction.

The hermit, however, only shook his head and said, “Don’t be foolish, my son. Wherever Luster Dawn is, she is far beyond any of our reach. Her life lies in the hooves of fate and your expedience in defeating Black Rose.”

“You see, mister hermit,” Honeybell said, a hint of trepidation entering her voice, “that’s something we still don’t quite understand. How is it that when Princess Twilight and the whole derned council got their flanks handed to ‘em by Black Rose, you or anypony else think that six normal ponies are gonna be able to give her what for?”

“That is yet another aspect of this whole thing that remains beyond my ability to understand. Whatever the case, the collective forces of Equestria, both great and small, believe you can bring her low. I expect as you continue on your journey, the many pieces of this puzzle will begin to fall into place.”

“So, what you’re saying is that because some mystical voices came on the breeze and said we could defeat a literal goddess, the most powerful being in the world, we’re just supposed to believe that and march to what is almost certainly a very slow and painful death?” Willow asked skeptically, her rudeness startling even Honeybell, who until this point had always been the most blunt of the six.

“What I’m saying, daughter,” replied the hermit levelly, “is that if you shrug off this burden, the hope of all Equestria falls with it. If that is the case, we all might as well slit our own throats for we will all meet the same end and save Black Rose the trouble of doing it herself. You are the only hope this unhappy land has left. No others exist who can challenge Black Rose. Of all ponies, I believe you and your husband should understand what tragic events await Equestria should you fail.”

At this, Willow and Snow Star looked stricken. The hermit was right. This was no time to turn from the task fate had assigned them. A long silence ensued as the hermit simply looked at the two unicorns. His gaze, however, was not one of anger or indignation, but a sympathy so deep as to be almost tangible.

A lone tear slid down Willow’s cheek as she replied, “I’m sorry, father.” Her tears began to flow freely as she sniffed, “I’m so sorry. You’re right. I’m...we’re...we’re just so…”

The hermit again held up one hoof, silencing her. “You have no need to explain yourself to me, my daughter. Few could have withstood what you and your husband have endured these last few days.”

The hermit’s own eyes glistened as Willow and Snow Star held each other close and silently wept.

Then, standing, he said carefully, “What you have both seen and felt is not something I can remove, but perhaps, if you will allow me, I can dull the pain for a time and make your burden an easier one to bear.”

Willow and Snow Star both looked at the hermit in amazement.

Snow Star said hoarsely, “Can you...would you...really?”

Willow simply choked out, “Please. Anything.”

The hermit nodded and, stepping slowly back across the room toward the six blankets on the floor, beckoned and said, “Come here, my foals.”

Willow and Snow Star stood and walked eagerly toward the hermit as though they were parched and thirsty and he held a bucket of cool clear water.

“Now, please know that what I am about to do will only last for a time. I cannot hold off this terror forever, and I’m afraid that as long as Black Rose is still alive, and perhaps even thereafter, your condition will only worsen. This, however, will not come to pass until you have had the opportunity to defeat her.”

Willow and Snow Star nodded.

Adopting a more stable stance, the hermit steadied himself and began to chant in that same strange language Wind Song had heard him use earlier to wake his five friends. Only a few seconds passed before Willow and Snow Star both jumped in surprise. Their horns began to glow of their own accord. Each horn began to exude what Wind Song could only describe as magical sludge. The brownish green substance had no glow of its own, but was obviously insubstantial as it floated in apple-sized globs toward the hermit. As the magical substance approached the hermit, it did not go toward his head as Wind Song had expected, but rather toward two points on either side of his back near his shoulders. The old hermit grimaced in pain as it diffused through his russet cloak and into his back.

Ten seconds passed, twenty, thirty...finally, after more than a minute, the glow of the unicorns’ horns subsided and the flow of magic ceased.

“Wind Song.” said the hermit.

Wind Song wrenched his attention away from Willow and Snow Star, whose heads were tilted back and eyes closed in some sort of blissful ecstasy, and said, “Yes, father.”

“Would you please bring me one of the chairs from the hearth?”

Wind Song nodded and, picking up one of the wood chairs, carried it in his mouth, setting it before the hermit who immediately sat down and buried his face in his hooves.

“Thank you.” the hermit said simply.

“Are you okay?” Honeybell asked the old stallion.

The hermit took a few moments to reply. Looking up at Honeybell, he said with a weak smile, “I will be, my daughter. Thank you.”

Then, looking up at the two unicorns, he said, “And now, you both may rest easy. If you wish, I can place upon you a dreamless sleep where not even the faintest shadow of a nightmare will disturb you until you wake in the morning.”

Snow Star, who was still revelling in the bliss of relief, replied, “Sir, thank you. I...we, that is, Willow and I can’t possibly repay you for everything you’ve done for us tonight. If it’s within your means and you’re willing, a dreamless sleep would be amazing.”

“Then make yourselves comfortable.” said the hermit.

After Snow and Willow were settled next to each other in their blankets, the hermit stood again, this time far more unsteady on his hooves than he had been.

Looking intently at Willow and Snow Star, he said with all the deliberation and authority of an emperor, “Be at peace.”

At once, the unicorns’ eyelids drooped and closed. For the first time in nearly two days, twin smiles graced their faces and they slept. A short while later, Wind Song and the others joined them in the world of slumber, but the hermit himself remained awake, keeping watch. After the rain stopped, he opened a window and sat back upon his chair. A fresh cool breeze wafted in from the outside, surrounding the hermit who spoke in a low whisper until Wind Song finally drifted off to sleep.

No sound of birdsong graced the quiet meadow as the sun rose the following morning. Outside the windows of the hermit’s home, the gray hills of Bell Meadow faded into the hazy distance. The first rays of the new day were reflected in the mist which hung over the meadow like a blanket, casting their light into the old building and waking Wind Song from his deep slumber.

To Wind Song’s surprise, he felt an unusually potent sense of well-being as he dragged off his blanket. The hermit sat before one of the long east-facing Windows, watching the sun outside as it crept slowly into the sky and talking in whispers to Moonlight, who stood quietly next to him. The dew drops on the grass glistened in the sunlight like millions of tiny crystals. As Wind Song stood, one of the floorboards let out a harsh “creeeaaak” when he put his weight on it. Both Moonlight and the hermit turned.

“Ah, good morning, Wind Song. How are you feeling this gorgeous morning?” the hermit asked.

“Good.” Wind Song said. “Really good, thank you. In fact, I don’t think I’ve felt this well since before I went to Canterlot.”

“That’s wonderful news, my son.” the hermit replied. “You’ll all need all the strength you can get for the task before you. Miss Whisper here has just been telling me about your adventures these last few days.”

“I’d hardly call them ‘adventures’.” Wind Song scoffed. “More like ‘A pony’s guide to being in the wrong place at the wrong time...repeatedly.’.”

Moonlight giggled and the hermit let out a loud bark of laughter which caused the hitherto sleeping ponies behind Wind Song to stir in their blankets.

After the hermit’s laughter subsided, he turned back to the window and gazed once more at the hills of Bell Meadow.

Letting out a great sigh, he said with a touch of melancholy, “It has been nigh on ninety years since the blessing of humor graced this house, Wind Song. It makes these old bones feel young again.”

“Ninety years?” Honeybell asked incredulously from behind Wind Song. “Exactly how old are you?”

The hermit turned back toward the others and for the first time, Wind Song saw the depth of the creases and wrinkles of age about the old stallion’s eyes. Though they bespoke many long years amongst the hills, he certainly didn’t look to be a day older than fifty.

“Three moons ago,” the hermit replied. “I celebrated the one-hundred twenty seventh year since I first drew breath and the ninety-eighth since I first stepped through the front doors of this cottage.”

The six younger ponies gaped in amazement, but did not question his statement further.

“Father, if I might ask, what exactly brought you to build a home in the middle of Bell Meadow of all places?” asked Willow curiously.

The hermit chuckled, “Build it? I did not build this place. The Cottage of Harmony Hill was here for many decades before I was forced to settle here, although it wasn’t called such when it was first constructed. Nearly four centuries ago, after the insurrection of Manehattan, a few refugees fled that once great city and settled here on the largest hill in the vicinity. They called it ‘Hominy Hill’, so named for the corn they grew for sustenance, and built this house into its steepest side.”

Wind Song looked around him and, for the first time, realized that there were no doors or windows opposite the one the hermit was sitting in front of. He never would have guessed that the cottage they were standing in had been built into the side of a hill.

“Why is it called ‘Harmony Hill’?” Orange Blossom asked.

The hermit paused in his speaking and reached for a wooden mug on the window sill and, after taking two deep draughts, replied, “Travellers knew this place well, for this was back before Bell Meadow had turned wild and dangerous to ponykind. When the travellers stopped here for a meal and a rest and heard the name of ‘Hominy Hill’ spoken in the thick Manehattan accent of the settlers, it sounded to the travellers like they said ‘Harmony Hill’, and so the name stuck. But, enough chit chat. Isn’t it time you were all on your way?”

Wind Song sighed aloud when he heard these last words. The short time they’d spent with the old hermit had been, well, wonderful. He felt rested and at peace here and he was loathe to leave what he felt was the last sanctuary he and his friends were likely to find before their journey’s end.

In spite of his reluctance, however, Wind Song nodded and said, “Better late than never, I suppose.”

The Hermit of Harmony Hill gave Wind Song an understanding smile. He stood with a grunt and, walking to the front door, propped it open. One by one, he pulled six saddlebags down from pegs on the wall beside the door, and handed them to each of the six friends as they preceded him out the door. He also gave to each of them a moss-green cloak with which, he explained, they could shield themselves from unfriendly eyes as they drew near Canterlot.

Once they were outside, the bright morning sunlight and cool damp air gave new life to what would have otherwise been a regretful parting. To his left, Wind Song saw the jagged outline of the nameless mountain on which Canterlot was built, and the dim shape of the royal city itself, perched as ever on the mountainside. The wet grass was crisp and green and let out a pleasant ‘crunch’ as seven sets of hooves traversed the cottage’s yard. The fog of the morning was lifting and, as they made their way past small beds of various fruits, vegetables, and flowers, Wind Song felt his spirits rise.

“I expect you can find your way from here?” the hermit asked.

Wind Song grinned and replied, “I think we can figure it out.”

“Father, thank you again for everything.” Snow Star said humbly. “I, I don’t know what we would have done without, well, you know.”

This drew nods and similar words of thanks from all present.

“The pleasure was mine, my foals. The world is cruel enough without at least some of us doing our bit to make things better.” the hermit acknowledged. “May your burdens be light, your journey easy, and may the wind rise ever under your wings.”

The snippet of the old pegasus blessing surprised Wind Song. It was too seldom spoken these days, even amongst the winged races of Equestria. To hear an earth pony speak those ancient words, words first spoken by Rainbow Dash as she drew her final breaths, was unheard of.

Just then a gust of chill wind blew from the north and caught the hermit’s russet cloak. The hermit quickly turned and caught the side of the cloak in his teeth, pulling it back over himself, but not before Wind Song saw two large scars on either side of the elder pony’s back just below his shoulders.

“You’re a pegasus!” Wind Song exclaimed in surprise.

“That may have been true once, my son, but no more. It has been near a century since the winds bore me on their backs or I felt the cool mist of the clouds in my mane.” The hermit said these words with a sad smile.

Wind Song heard a note of deepest regret in the hermit’s voice. He couldn’t imagine being parted from his wings...to be unable to fly, to feel the wind or hang in the firmament between the ground and sky. The thought was so alien and so horrific that Wind Song felt tears of shame welling up in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” Wind Song whispered quietly.

“My burden is not yours to bear, my son. It is not our lot to dwell on the past, but look to the future.” the hermit continued. “My winglessness and banishment here are both tokens of a punishment I earned for myself many years passed. Each moment of each day that I can still draw breath are treasures I never deserved. I only hope that by my presence in this place I can somehow begin to atone for the crimes of my youth.”

“You mean somepony did this to you on purpose? What did you do?” gasped Moonlight, eyes glistening.

“My daughter, as I said, we must all look to the future. To recall my past faults for any but my own conscience would be more shame than I could bear.”

Moonlight and Wind Song both nodded.

“Farewell, my friends. The hopes and wishes of all Equestria go with you.”

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 8

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 8

By Wind Song

REVISED 30NOV20

Chapter 9 - Spike

A hundred yards beneath the soaring archways and towering buttresses which supported Canterlot, along the winding silver ribbon of the Canterlot river, six figures clad all in green crept surreptitiously toward the sheer side of the mountain on which the royal city was built. As the setting sun drew nearer and nearer to the horizon, these six travellers would be all but invisible to any who gazed down upon them from the many hundreds of windows and balconies in the city above.

One of the cloaked figures, a midnight blue pegasus, carefully drew back the corner of her hood and turned her head skyward, gazing up at the enormous overhanging mountain city with one indigo eye. She found the silence and emptiness of the usually festive city to be dismal and a bit disconcerting. Right now, the joyous shouts of frolicking foals, the merry music of minstrels, and perhaps even the rhythmic marching hoofsteps of the royal guard should have been floating down from Canterlot. Lights ought to have begun to appear, winking out like thousands of tiny fireflies from windows and street lamps above. However, all was dark and silent.

“Moonlight!”

The urgent whisper from beside the pegasus made her jump with surprise.

“Pull that back over your head!” came the urgent whisper again from beneath another one of the green hoods. “You don’t want anypony to see you.”

A bit embarrassed, the pegasus hesitantly pulled the hood back over her ears and forehead and said with a hint of longing, “Sorry, Windy. I just wanted to see Canterlot. It’s been so many years since I was here last.”

The other pony sighed and replied, “It’s fine. Let’s just get into the caves, find Spike, and boot this Black Rose witch off Twilight’s throne, then you can spend as much time here as you want.”

Moonlight simply nodded in reply.

Forty minutes later, after the sun had well and truly set and the inky darkness of night had set in, the six ponies passed beneath the enormous terrace on which rested the royal palace. The roar of the waterfall, which cascaded down in crushing torrents from the city above, echoed off the side of the mountain and underside of the terrace above as it crashed into the churning water of the basin below. Around this basin marched Wind Song, Moonlight Whisper, Willow Reed, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom.

Drawing near the sheer rock wall, the six friends beheld a gigantic jagged crack in the mountainside about twenty yards tall and six yards wide. The crevice was even blacker than their surroundings and strange echoing whispers seemed to issue from within the crack that had nothing to do with the rushing of the waterfall behind them. This only served to strengthen the six ponies’ sense of trepidation as they stood before the entryway.

Orange Blossom gulped, “So...we goin’ in there?”

“Yup.” replied Honeybell.

“Crystal Caves?” asked Orange Blossom.

“Yup.”

“Spike?”

“Yup.”

In spite of this exchange, it was still several minutes before Wind Song took one tentative step forward.

“Well, Spike isn’t going to find himself.” he said with a little too much bravado.

As the six ponies crossed the threshold, they never allowed more than a yard or so to come between them. As they plodded along, Willow and Snow Star struggled in unison to cast an illumination spell. Their grunting and straining efforts were rewarded a short while later as an insubstantial glowing orb of warm yellow light popped into existence and hovered, like an enormous firefly, just above the heads of the little group.

Panting, Willow and Snow Star drew apart. They looked up at their little floating light with a look of deepest sadness. Wind Song couldn’t blame them. After all, this simplest of spells was one of the first which young unicorn foals were taught. To have gone from being two of the most talented unicorns in Equestria to barely being able to create a light had to be a difficult burden to bear.

The light, which flickered uncertainly like a candle about to go out, wasn’t much to behold and was barely strong enough to illuminate the walls to their left and right. The stone-laden corridor ahead remained black as ever as the little group picked its way slowly forward in silence.

“Aren’t there supposed to be crystals here? After all, it is called the ‘Crystal Caves’.” Willow asked from the front of the column thirty minutes later.

“You know” replied Wind Song, “I’ve been wondering that myself. I haven’t seen a single crystal or gemstone since we got in here.”

“I wonder if…” Moonlight began when the path they were on, which had become narrower and lower as they walked, suddenly opened up into an enormous natural cavern.

Far overhead, the weak light of the unicorns’ magical lantern was reflected and refracted in hundreds of gigantic crystals whose size was in proportion to the vast chamber that surrounded them. The light seemed almost to be magnified as it was splashed across the walls in a thousand fantastic shades and shapes, shifting and moving as the ponies who controlled it moved. Only the far end of the chamber was hidden in darkness.

“Woah.” Honeybell gasped. “Now whaddaya s’pose this is?”

“I think we found the ‘crystal’ of the ‘Crystal Caves’” said Orange Blossom, looking about in awe.

Wind Song and Moonlight, meanwhile, inspected the rest of the chamber. With the enhanced eyesight of the pegasi, they were able to pick out the pale outline of something at the far end of the room which extended from the floor and vanished behind a few of the large crystals which hung in front of it.

“Is that...a door?” Moonlight asked.

“A door?” asked Willow. “Where?”

“That’s sure what it looks like.” Wind Song said carefully, taking a few tentative steps forward.

“I can’t see anything.” Snow Star said, squinting into the darkness and tilting his head in different directions in an effort to see beyond the veil of blackness.

Moonlight and Wind Song stepped in front of Willow and Snow Star and began to lead the way up the grand cavern. As the little group progressed up the colossal corridor, the reflected light of the unicorns’ magic illuminated a massive closed door ten stories high. As they drew nearer, the ponies noticed that it wasn’t one door, but two doors which drew together at the center. Each one was made of what appeared to be dozens of whole tree trunks squared and stacked together to create each solid piece and a faint light shone from the hair-thin crack beneath them.

Bound in bands of iron as wide as an apple cart, the huge doors were divided into six panels, each depicting an intricately carved scene from the lives of one of the six extraordinary ponies from old Equestria: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle. Where the doors met at the center, the form of a great dragon was carved. The dragon, which seemed to be reaching out to envelope the six ponies in its embrace, could be none other than Spike.

“A bit ostentatious, you think?” Willow asked with a touch of sarcasm.

“I think that depends on who you ask.” Snow Star replied. “Feel free to ask Spike that, though.”

“Assumin’ he’s even in there.” Honeybell said.

Wind Song turned to Honeybell, “Why wouldn’t he be?”

“Well, supposing Black Rose has been looking for him…” Honeybell said. “What’s to prevent her from havin’ found him and captured him like she did Twilight?”

“That’s a terrible thought.” Moonlight replied.

Wind Song stepped forward.

“There’s only one way to find out.” he said firmly before turning back to the door, lifting one hoof, and pounding on the solid wood of the door three times.

Thirty seconds elapsed before the echo of the knocks finally faded to silence.

“Maybe he’s not home?” suggested Orange Blossom.

“Or he got himself captured.” said Honeybell.

“I dunno.” said Wind Song nervously. “Maybe he’s just sleeping?”

As Wind Song raised his hoof to knock again, the sound of a low rumble came from within and a voice like the voice of the mountain itself shook the ground beneath the six ponies as it said slowly, “ENTER.”

The loud CLANK of an enormous bolt being drawn and a latch opening again filled the cave in a myriad of confusing echoes. Wind Song marvelled at the prospect of the sheer size of the implements that could make that kind of clamor, and how large a creature would need to be to even come close to moving it. With a deafening groan and grinding, the doors began to swing slowly inward.

As the crack between the pair of doors widened, a cool blue light spilled out, blinding the six ponies after their journey through the dark. The faint odor of brimstone which wafted over them was quickly subdued by the much stronger scent of wildflowers and honey. The distant swishing and bubbling of running water also met their ears just before they heard the rustle of scales as they scraped against stone.

As the now open doors ground to a halt and the ponies’ eyes adjusted, they beheld a room even larger than the antechamber they were standing in. Hanging from the ceiling hundreds of feet overhead they saw what appeared to be a colossal chandelier made entirely of natural crystal. From that chandelier came the cool blue light which illuminated the vast chamber. Beneath that mystifying array of glowing crystal stirred the single largest creature any of the six friends had ever laid eyes on.

The thousands of purple and green scales of Spike’s armored hide glittered like gemstones as they caught the light of the glowing chandelier above. The dragon lay languorously upon a massive velvet cushion, his wings, each segment the size of a ship’s sail, were folded neatly at his side. The sinuous length of his tail stretched away from the six understandably nervous ponies and into the darkness behind him.

As soon as the ponies crossed the threshold, Spike leaned forward and uttered a single sharp word in a strange language. Nopony had any opportunity to ponder this, however, for the moment the word had left Spike’s mouth, a glowing circle of light flared to life beneath each of the six ponies as they were frozen in place, unable to speak or move save for blinking.

At once, Spike’s gaze fell upon Wind Song. The pegasus felt as though his soul had suddenly been laid bare beneath the dragon’s scrutiny. Memories from the last few days...the tryouts at Canterlot, the Draught Horse, Black Rose’s speech, the journey through Bell Meadow, the hermit...all flashed before Wind Song’s eyes in a span of mere seconds. As Spike’s attention moved on from Wind Song, the pegasus felt suddenly incredibly weak and utterly drained of energy. Had it not been for the spell holding him in place, he would have fallen to the ground.

Next, the dragon’s gaze moved next to Moonlight who stood next to Wind Song, and then to Honeybell, and so on. A full two minutes had elapsed before Spike finally seemed to be finished. He gave one slow blink, the enormous emerald irises momentarily covered by his eyelids.

Instantly, the spell holding them in place released them. A gasp ran through the little huddle of ponies as they struggled to keep their balance and shaking all the while.

“Wind Song, Moonlight Whisper, Honeybell, Orange Blossom, Willow Reed, and Snow Star.” Spike’s voice rumbled as a plume of smoke and steam rose slowly from each of his cavernous nostrils. “I am truly sorry to greet you like I did, but dark times such as this don’t forgive a lax sense of security. I had to examine your minds to ensure you weren’t impostors.”

Still shaking, Honeybell replied, “It..it’s fine, mm...mister Spike, sir.”

The others nodded in agreement as they wobbled into a sloppy bow.

“W...we understand.” said Moonlight. “We’re just sorry those kinds of precautions are necessary. W...where e...exactly are we?” she asked, looking around the enormous cave.

Spike replied, “Please don’t bow to me, ponies. If my hopes prove true, it will be you to whom I will bow in thanks should you manage to save Equestria. As for where you are, you are in my home under Canterlot. It was prepared for me many centuries ago when I grew too large to live in the palace above.”

“You live in a...a cave?” Wind Song asked, incredulously and the scaly ridges above Spikes eyes rose. “Spike, royal advisor, elite tactician, and one of the most fearsome dragons in the history of Equestria lives in a cave? Meaning no disrespect, but how could the princess do that to you after all your years of service?”

A sound like two enormous boulders grating together echoed in the cave as Spike laughed, “You misunderstand, Wind Song. Taking up residence here was actually my own choice.”

The retort Wind Song had been about to utter died on his lips at this pronouncement.

Spike continued, “As I became older, my desire for action and inclusion in society waned until I wanted nothing more in life than to live in peace and quiet. The company of others, including that of my own kind, became tiresome, save for that of Twilight and our five other friends. Of course I didn’t want to tell Twilight that, for fear she would take offense and think I didn’t want to be around her. When I became too large to house in the palace, Twilight offered to repurpose the east wing of the palace for my use as a home. I knew that Twilight had been intending to extend her library into that wing as she continued to collect books from around Equestria and was amazed when she offered to give it to me instead. Instead, I suggested the use of the caverns under the city, which had lain unused since Canterlot was built.” Spike chuckled again, parting his lips in a grin and exposing dozens of razor sharp teeth, each as big as a pony. Looking thoughtful, he continued “I think she was extremely relieved when I made the suggestion, although she felt bad that I would no longer be close to her.”

The ponies released a collective “Aah” of understanding.

Snow Star, who had been thinking to himself, finally asked, “So, we met a strange character in Bell Meadow...he called himself the…”

“The Hermit of Harmony Hill.” Spike confirmed, interrupting him.

“Yeah. That’s him. Who exactly is he?” asked Wind Song.

Spike looked thoughtful as he replied, “I do not tell you this lightly, for it is a great secret, but the hermit was once a pegasus of Cloudsdale several hundred years past. It is still debated as to exactly what he did to merit his fate, but it is said that the crime he committed was so terrible that his death would not sate the pegasus race’s desire for vengeance. His wings were lopped off and his very name erased from history. He was then exiled to Bell Meadow where he has lived ever since, his sole task to keep watch over the Bewitching Bell of Grogar, where Discord hid it after the defeat of Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek. It’s said that his extended life is a result of the bell’s magic, though nopony knows for sure.”

The six ponies looked at each other in wonderment.

“He told me you were almost here, and none too soon. Though I’m not sure why, it seems Black Rose is set to begin mining these caves of their crystal in short order.”

Willow and Snow Star looked at each other knowingly.

“Should she do that, I’ll be lucky to escape with my life. The magic of the race of dragons that protects me from magical detection is the only reason I have yet to be found here. It’s only a matter of time, however before I’m found and slaughtered like the rest of Twilight’s court.”

Any hopes the six friends had been entertaining that Spike might be able to defeat Black Rose died as he said this. What creature in all the land could possibly be so terrible that it could scare a dragon? Much less the advisor to the princess.

“Before that happens, it is crucial that I impart to you essential information regarding what little I know about Black Rose.”

“Excuse me, sir.” Wind Song said.

“Just Spike, please.” interjected the dragon.

“Umm...sorry.” Wind Song continued awkwardly. “Spike, then. Not to underestimate you, but how could you possibly know that Black Rose is planning on mining here? Do you have friends in the city who bring you information or something?”

Shifting his enormous muscled bulk slightly, Spike looked upward toward the crystalline chandelier overhead and said, “Throughout the stones in these caves and the city above lay a network of crystals said to be more perfect than any in all Equestria. Crystals like these, in fact. It is said, and I happen to agree, that they are the perfect conduits for magical energy and, with the right enchantments, can be linked to each other. It was a secret Twilight discovered centuries ago when she was trapped down here by Queen Chrysalis of the changelings, who mocked her through the crystals as she and the princess Cadance tried to escape to save Twilight’s brother from Chrysalis’ evil enchantment.”

“Cadance?” Wind Song and Moonlight asked at the same time.

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza” Willow and Honeybell replied simultaneously.

The two pegasi let out a long “oh” of understanding as Spike continued.

“Well, shortly after she ascended to the throne, replacing Celestia and Luna, Twilight made the enchantment Chrysalis had used permanent so that while I was down in these caves, I could communicate with Twilight at need. Recently, however, the crystals have been put to a different use. I’ve been using them to quietly monitor Canterlot and the goings-on there. I know nearly everything that happens in the city above and only yesterday I overheard Black Rose laying out her plans to mine the Crystal Caves.”

Willow, who had begun to shiver nervously, said shakily, “Um. Spike.”

The dragon’s iron gaze turned toward her.

“We...that is, Snow Star and I, know why Black Rose wants to mine the crystals here. And possibly what her plans are for Equestria.”

Spike’s eyes went wide with amazement. His diamond-hard scales scraped against the stone floor as he leaned forward suddenly, startling the six ponies and making Orange Blossom let out a little scream of surprise.

“You do?!” Spike asked urgently. “Please tell me everything you know.”

Willow and Snow Star were now shaking so much that they had to sit. Snow Star was breathing heavily as though he had just run a mile at full gallop. A tear trickled down under each of Willow’s tightly shut eyes.

“Can’t you...I mean...would you...just take it from our memories?” Willow asked tremulously, still not opening her eyes.

Spike cocked his head on one side in confusion when Wind Song spoke up, overriding the dragon’s forthcoming remark, “I can tell you, Spike. I just ask that Willow and Snow Star be allowed to go elsewhere while we do.” He looked at the two trembling unicorns sympathetically. “I wouldn’t want them to have to recount that experience again for any reason.”

Spike now looked more confused than ever, but he nodded anyway.

“Very well.” he said after a moment’s consideration. Then, turning his attention to Willow and Snow Star, he continued, “There is a small room at the back of this hall with food and water as well as a bed that Twilight uses when she comes to visit me. You’re welcome to use whatever you find there.”

The unicorns didn’t need to be told twice. They nodded their thanks to Spike and hurried toward the back of the hall and out of sight. Spike watched them as they went, shifting his enormous tail slightly so they didn’t have to go around it. Then, he returned his attention to Wind Song.

It was thirty full minutes before Wind Song’s recollection of the horrors Willow and Snow Star had experienced concluded. As he spoke the last words of the horrific affair, the whole room lay silent for a long while. Spike looked like he was going to be sick. Even Wind Song felt his stomach turn slightly after recalling it.

“So.” Spike began quietly after a long while. “She intends to garner power for herself by sapping the magical energy from FOALS?” His voice shifted from one of shock to one of outrage. “That witch kidnapped Twilight, scattered our friends, and intends to murder the foals of Equestria for no purpose other than to gain power?!”Spike’s fury was now like a thunderstorm.

The dragon’s fury was like a thunderstorm. He rose and let loose a deafening roar which made the ponies cower in fear and shook the entire cave like an earthquake. A rippling jet of green flame hundreds of yards long licked the stone ceiling above the giant doorway and blinded Wind Song who, in spite of his better judgement, could not bring himself to look away from the dazzling spectacle.

Willow and Snow Star, who had heard Spike’s roar, came galloping at full tilt back to the front of the chamber, looking beaten but alert.

Spike gradually calmed himself, though a cloud of anger like a distant tempest still suffused his every word as he eventually replied, “This is far worse than I thought. If her purpose was to simply conquer the land, then that wouldn’t make her any worse than Chrysalis or Tirek or any of the other villainous creatures we’ve had to deal with. But to murder innocent foals…” Spike stopped short and shook his head from side to side. “And from one of our own kind.”

All six ponies’ jaws dropped open, dumbfounded.

“Wait!” Honeybell said, utterly stunned. “You don’t mean Black Rose is a PONY do you?!”

It took Spike, who was seemingly preoccupied with his own thoughts, several moments before he looked over at Honeybell.

“Tell me.” the dragon said slowly. “Are any of you familiar with the name ‘Rose Bud’?”

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 9

By Wind Song

REVISED 14DEC20

Chapter 10 - The Tale of Rose Bud

Four hundred years ago, when Twilight was in the prime of her rule, she instituted the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns for the prodigies of Equestria’s race of unicorn ponies. This new institution, modelled after Princess Celestia’s own School for Gifted Unicorns, was prestigious, even among the wealthy. However, its prestige stemmed not from its cost, for admission was free to those who proved themselves talented and ambitious enough, but for the level of skill and aspiration the school fostered.

With but one exception, every pony who walked those hallowed halls went on to serve Equestria in a caliber of the highest order. They were the most driven, the most intelligent, the most powerful, and the kindest ponies to ever walk this land. Beyond mere knowledge, the school fostered keenness of mind and logical thinking. It not only taught the skills of command and leadership, but how to follow and work as a team.

The school thrived for a full century, student after student thriving and blooming like a well-cultivated flower and entering society with honor and integrity.

However, in the one-hundred and twenty-second year of the school’s operation, a young orphaned unicorn filly stumbled, sodden and bedraggled, out of the horror-ridden depths of Bell Meadow. The cause of her parents’ demise was unknown and the filly herself claimed she had no memory of what happened. She could recall neither where she had lived nor to whom she was related. The only thing she could remember was that her name was Rose Bud.

Immediately, Princess Twilight Sparkle took interest in the young filly. After all, a great philosopher and scientist like Twilight couldn’t resist the allure of such a strange curiosity as Rose Bud. For many a week, Twilight nursed the filly back to health and in that time it was discovered that Rose Bud was no ordinary unicorn.

Her extraordinary acuity and talent for magic at once became self-evident, eclipsing even the most gifted of Twilight’s students. Even the most difficult of the spells Twilight taught her younger students Rose Bud executed with ease. The few spells with which she struggled, she tackled with a single-minded determination until she had mastered them.

For a month or a bit more, Twilight puzzled over her new charge’s unprecedented skill, certain that she would make a grand addition to her school, but unsure of where to place her. It was clear that Rose Bud’s prowess put her far beyond the elementary years of the School for Gifted Unicorns and that placing her with the younger students would be a waste of valuable time and talent. Or so Twilight thought.

One day, nearly two months following her arrival at the Canterlot Palace, Rose Bud came running into the throne room where two emissaries of the changelings sat in audience with Twilight. The unicorn filly’s eyes were brimming with tears as she ran to Twilight, sobbing hysterically.

“Princess!” she cried. “I’m so so sorry! I didn’t know what I was doing and I...I...please hurry!”

Without delay, Twilight made her apologies to the visiting changelings and followed Rose Bud to her quarters from whence issued a smell most foul...that of burning hair and flesh.

Even Twilight, with all of her years of experience with violence, was revolted by what she saw. On the carpeted floor of Rose Bud’s tower bedroom, lay what appeared to be a partially liquified, smoking, bubbling puddle of brown and red tar. The only indication that the revolting mass had once been one of the three palace cats was the single twitching paw which stuck out of it at a forty-five degree angle.

Appalled, Twilight inquired of the filly what had happened.

The tale the young unicorn spun was, no doubt, cleverly woven. In the end, she managed to convince Twilight that she had tried to grow the cat’s fur, but had mistakenly dissolved the whole cat instead. What nopony else had seen was that on the previous day, that same cat had used Rose Bud’s journal, which had been left on the floor, as a scratching post.

As was to be expected, Twilight was upset with the filly, but saw the lapse in judgement as a sign that it might be best if she were enrolled with students of her own age anyway, despite her advanced skill. After all, Twilight’s school taught circumspection as well as magic, and this action of Rose Bud’s was far from circumspect.

After comforting the young foal and admonishing her for experimenting on a living creature without having attained mastery of her spell, Twilight imparted to Rose Bud her intention of enrolling her in the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. Rose Bud’s excitement at this pronouncement eclipsed the unpleasantness of the disgusting task to which she had been entrusted of cleaning up and burying the remains of the dead cat.

The new semester only weeks away, Rose Bud spent all of her spare time sequestered in her room, studying and learning the rudimentary skills Twilight saw fit to teach her. While all of these skills were fundamental and repetitive, Rose Bud did not complain. Rather, she fell to the task with gusto, putting to rest Twilight’s concern that Rose Bud perhaps lacked the common sense her school prized. If the filly was anxious to learn and atone for her slip-up, she would not be punished further by being held from exercising her full potential.

On her very first day at Twilight’s school, it was clear that Rose Bud was in her element. Not only was the filly instantly popular amongst even the older students, but her insatiable desire for knowledge promised that she would undoubtedly be the greatest student to ever walk the halls of the School for Gifted Unicorns. Her popularity did not cease with the students either. Rose Bud was every professor’s favorite, knowing what to say and when to say it to ensure a high opinion. Her wit and charm brought smiles to the faces of all who encountered her, even the uncommonly wary.

In this manner, five years passed. Rose Bud grew rapidly in knowledge and prowess, excelling far beyond everypony’s expectations. In spite of her status as a student, she was awarded Cosmare’s “Canterlot’s Most Charming” as well as featured on the covers of Gallop and Prance and Vanity Mare. Rose Bud’s prestige didn’t stop at charm and appearance, however. Her arcanoscientific prowess merited the “Pioneering in Magic” column in The Canterlot Chronicle not just once, but a record-breaking seven times.

It should be noted that the professors of the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns were some of the most skilled and intelligent ponies in existence. Twilight herself oversaw the selection of each teacher to ensure that they were among the elite of their respective skill sets. Even so, it didn’t take long after Rose Bud’s second “Pioneering in Magic” column for teachers to start coming to Rose Bud herself with their questions.

“It wasn’t until Rose Bud was nearing the end of her seventh year at the school that everything began to go wrong.” Spike said solemnly. For, of course, it was Spike who was telling this story.

“Twilight was attending to various school matters when Rose Bud knocked on her office door. Of course, Twilight invited her in. She conjured Rose Bud a seat and asked her how she could be of assistance. That’s when Rose Bud made her first critical mistake. You see, up until this point, Twilight had been extremely wary of her. At Twilight’s request, I had kept a close eye on Rose Bud when Twilight was attending to her royal duties, and let me tell you...that filly was one of the most cautious and snake-tongued malefactors this world has ever known. She knew exactly what to say to charm other ponies. The only one who didn’t fall for her charade was Twilight herself.”

Spike lifted one claw and flicked a loose scale from his glistening hide. The scale flew a dozen yards or so and landed bounced across the floor with a metallic clinking.

“Anyway,” Spike continued. “Rose Bud had come to Twilight with a question. She asked Twilight if she would divulge the nature of a spell so powerful that, when it was cast, had shaken Equestria to its very foundation.”

The six ponies stared at Spike, riveted by his tale.

“That was the first time Twilight realized that she had made a grave error in teaching Rose Bud.”

Moonlight, her voice quivering with anticipation, asked, “What was the spell she wanted Twilight to tell her about?”

Spike looked grave. “As you all know, when Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were nearing death, Twilight used a spell on them that she had spent decades formulating to turn her friends into immortal spirits.”

The six ponies nodded.

“That was the spell Rose Bud sought. Knowledge of what Twilight had done was no great secret. In fact, she had been praised for her achievement and nothing but good had come of that spell. However, she had always felt uneasy at its mentioning. In spite of its obvious merits, Twilight never got over the feeling that she had been tainted by executing such a piece of magic. She always felt that meddling in the whys and wherefores of death was more than just a simple taboo. To have a student, especially one like Rose Bud, inquire about the details was more than Twilight was prepared for.”

“What did she do?” asked Orange Blossom in a hushed voice.

Spike sighed, “I’m afraid she lost her temper. And quite badly too. After that day, Twilight’s relationship with Rose Bud was never quite the same. There was always this tension between them when they were in the same room. Even when they weren’t speaking or looking at each other, you could almost feel the distrust. Needless to say, Rose Bud never confided in Twilight again. It seemed afterward that Rose Bud was content to simply finish her final three years at the school and be on her way. For the next two years, things continued much as they had. Rose Bud continued to receive the praise and admiration of teachers, fellow students, and the general public. She continued to excel at her studies and make even the smartest unicorns look plain and uneducated. The only pony who didn’t adore every aspect of her existence was Twilight.”

Having evidently grown uncomfortable, Spike shifted his weight to his other side as he lounged on his giant cushion, a loud grunt issuing from his mouth along with a puff of dark smoke.

“Well.” he continued. “About halfway through her ninth year, Rose Bud proved again that she lacked the sense that the school demanded.”

“Did she kill another cat?” Wind Song asked sarcastically.

Spike looked grim. “Worse. Far worse. It was a rainy afternoon in winter when there was a loud scream from one of the empty classrooms. It was fortunate Twilight was close at hoof when the cry went up, otherwise rose bud may never have been discovered. Even as Twilight kicked down the classroom door, she beheld one of Rose Bud’s acquaintances lying on the floor. The poor filly was shrivelling like a raisin...with Rose Bud standing over her, horn aglow. Before Twilight could do anything, Rose Bud cast a spell that bound everypony in place. It was only about six or seven seconds before Twilight was able to break the spell, but it might as well have been an hour for all the good it did. That was all the time it took for Rose Bud to run to the window and jump out of it, off the side of Canterlot, and into the edge of Bell Meadow.”

Wind Song and the others looked aghast.

“What did she...that is, Rose Bud, do to her friend?” Willow asked, horrified.

“I’d be hard pressed to call her Rose Bud’s ‘friend’. She never really had any proper friends. She simply had admirers. But, to this day nopony is absolutely sure what she did. By the time Twilight had freed herself of Rose Bud’s spell and attempted to save the poor cursed filly, it was too late. The body had become barely anything more than a skeleton. A couple minutes later and even the skeleton had crumbled to dust.”

“That’s terrible!” Moonlight exclaimed in a choked voice.

“What happened to Rose Bud?” Wind Song asked carefully.

“She fled.” Spike said flatly. “Got away. I watched her jump from the window myself. About three quarters of the way to the ground, she just vanished. I don’t know how she did it, but this was Rose Bud. Of course Twilight sent every available member of the royal guard that could be spared to find her. She even hired mercenaries to bring her back alive. This was all mostly to keep up appearances, of course. Twilight knew as well as I did that if Rose Bud didn’t want to be found, she had the skill to hide herself as long as she wanted.”

Spike paused and took a deep breath.

“Of course her teachers were all appalled.” Spike said as he exhaled. “Most of them thought the whole thing was some kind of elaborate prank. It wasn’t until Twilight shared her memory of the incident with them that they actually believed it.”

The six ponies sat in silence, pondering all they had just heard. Spike, meanwhile, waited patiently while they considered.

Finally, Wind Song spoke up, “So, that’s an interesting story and all, but what does any of that have to do with Black Ro…” he froze. “Rose Bud is Black Rose, isn’t she?”

Spike smiled morosely, “It’s hard to be one-hundred percent sure, but...yes. I’m fairly certain that Black Rose was once Rose Bud.”

“So she figured out Twilight’s spell after all then?” Snow Star asked. “You know, the one that made the Council of Friendship immortal?”

“I don’t think so.” Spike replied carefully. “I won’t go into exact detail, but Twilight’s spell turned the Council into spirits. Or rather, bound their spirits to the land itself. Black Rose is no spirit. Unlike the council, she still has a body...of a sort…”

“Of a sort?” queried Moonlight.

“Of a sort.” affirmed Spike. “She’s become warped and twisted, but she’s still flesh and blood like the rest of us.”

“Well then,” Wind Song said with a slightly exaggerated sense of optimism. “Since she’s still flesh and blood like us, it probably means she can be killed like us, no?”

Spike nodded slowly. “In theory, yes. Those were my exact thoughts. The problem is that in spite of all of the preparations Twilight made after the hermit sent his warning, Black Rose still captured Twilight like it was nothing. There’s something else going on here. No pony alive should have that much power. Even Celestia and Luna were weak compared to what Twilight became, and still she was defeated so easily.”

As Spike spoke, Willow had begun to shake again, although not with fear this time, but with anger.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and burst out, “What in Tartarus is wrong with you?!”

Spike quickly turned to face the raging unicorn. The five other ponies stared at Willow, appalled at her lack of respect.

Nevertheless, Willow continued, “We come all this way with the promise of a hopeful solution only to have our greatest hope for success rail on and on about how this whole damned thing is hopeless! Well, mister dragon sir!” This last word was spoken with a mocking contempt that was almost palpable. If this is your idea of encouragement, it’s a pretty lousy one! If this whole gambit is as completely hopeless as you keep implying it is, then I give up! I might as well just go back to Ponyville and, if I don’t get my ass killed in Bell Meadow, I’ll turn myself in to those lovely croanies of Black Rose’s. OR…” she added as an afterthought. “...maybe I’ll just march right on up to Canterlot right now and turn myself in. That’s one less pony she has to look for and I’m sure my death will at least be quick instead of slow and painful! That way at least I won’t have to be alive when all of those colts and fillies get the life force sucked out of them.”

All present simply stared at Willow as she stood there. Her legs spread as though she were about to charge and her chest heaved. She wore an expression of utter rage on her face but, in spite of that, a steady stream of tears poured down her cheeks. A few moments later, Snow Star carefully stepped forward and put one leg around the mare, pulling her to him in a tight embrace.

That was all the poor unicorn could take. She lost control completely and broke into hysterical sobs while Snow Star stroked her mane and patted her back.

Spike, who had been watching all the while, too dumbfounded to speak, finally said, “Willow, Snow Star, all of you...I’m so sorry. I let my own fears get the better of me and didn’t think before I spoke. I’m truly sorry. As it happens, though, Twilight had a plan in the eventuality that she was killed or captured, and that is why you six are here. If you are still willing to hear me, I’d like to explain what I know.”

Moonlight, Wind Song, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom, who had all been looking shamefacedly at the ground, suddenly looked up. Two minutes passed in silence as Willow’s sobs subsided into the occasional loud sniff.

Finally, Willow turned, pulling herself carefully out of her husband’s grasp, and facing Spike with a look of determination.

“Tell us.” she said firmly.

An apologetic grin split the old dragon’s lips.

“Thank you, Willow.” Spike said. “Twilight, as always, has a contingency plan for everything, this included. Above in the city of Canterlot, at the base of the east tower of the palace, is a secret entry to a library containing Twilight’s most treasured books.”

“But what’s the plan?” Snow Star interrupted, still a bit irritated that Spike had upset Willow so deeply.

Spike replied slowly, “I don’t know.”

“WHAT?” the six ponies asked in unison.

Spike continued, “Twilight determined that the only way to keep the plan out of Black Rose’s hooves was to keep it a secret from everypony, the Council included. She imparted to me the location of the book...Palace, east tower, under the secret library.”

“Under? Why does it always have to be under?” Honeybell commiserated.

“Under.” Spike repeated. “When you reach the library, search the shelves for ‘Friends and Fortune’ by Starlight Glimmer. Open the book to page six hundred seventy-two and read the seventh line backwards.”

Silence.

“You can’t be serious.” Willow said sarcastically after several moments.

“Unfortunately.” the dragon said, chagrined. “Beyond that, I’m unsure of what to expect. You six are the only free ponies capable of retrieving whatever it is Twilight has hidden there.” He paused. “Will you go?”

Several moments elapsed where the six friends looked from one to the other before, as one, they nodded.

“Excellent!” Spike crowed triumphantly. “I’ll see you off. There is a path ahead that leads to the surface that I’ll show you. For my part, I need to make ready to fly from here as quickly as I can.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Wind Song asked incredulously.

“I have an errand far to the south.” Spike replied with stony determination. “The dragons are a race that is hard to rouse, but once they are, we’ll fly together back to Canterlot. If it’s a war Black Rose wants, it’s a war she’ll get.”

The six ponies whooped loudly at this pronouncement. In spite of the earlier trepidation, defeating Black Rose suddenly seemed far more possible.

As the group followed Spike toward the rear of his chamber, he gave them instructions on the best paths to take and what to do if they encountered soldiers. Once they reached the back of the room, Spike stopped in front of a small pony-sized door.

“Now, there are exits through here that would be shorter, but they’d let you out straight into the palace. Follow this path straight on. Always straight on. It will let you out in the streets just northeast of the palace in the slums. From there it will be an easy journey to the east tower.”

“Thank you, Spike.” Wind Song said earnestly. “I hope we get to meet again.”

The others nodded their agreement.

“Me as well, my friends. May the wind always rise under your wings.”

Each pony waved at Spike as they turned and stepped single file through the low doorway and into the tunnel that would lead them upward to the heart of their enemy’s power.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 11

By Wind Song

REVISED 14DEC20

Chapter 11 - Canterlot

And so it was that Wind Song, Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Orange Blossom, and Honeybell found themselves once again in a narrow underground passage which, if Spike’s words proved true and this wasn’t some kind of elaborate trap meant to ensnare them, would lead to a drain cover in one of Canterlot’s less privileged districts. A cool humid breeze blew steadily past them, reducing the sense of claustrophobia which they would have undoubtedly experienced were the air still and warm. The six ponies made slow progress up this rough tunnel, bent low to avoid bumping their heads on the many larger stones which stuck out at odd angles from the walls and ceiling.

Below their hooves a small slow trickle of water ran past down the slope the passage up which they slowly progressed. The walls, as Wind Song discovered when he accidentally brushed one with a slight shift of a flank, were cold and damp and covered in a thin layer of slime. The dank scent of mold pervaded the cramped space and made Orange Blossom sneeze several times.

An hour into this part of their journey, Willow and Snow Star, who had been leading the little party, stopped in their tracks, going still as statues. Wind Song stopped too and could hear the unicorns’ ragged breathing which sounded far more labored than the easy walk warranted. These thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Honeybell walked right into him from behind, nearly causing him to fall forward.

“Oops. Sorry, Windy!” Honeybell said apologetically, looking chagrined. “Didn’t see you there. Is everything o…”

She went quiet as she saw Willow and Snow Star who now stood trembling in the middle of the passage.

“Willow? Snow?” Moonlight said, walking forward from her place beside Wind Song and stretching out one leg and tentatively tappin Willow on the flank.

Instantly, Willow let out a scream and jumped several inches into the air before the muffled “plock” of her skull hitting the cave’s low ceiling reverberated through the air like a hammerfall and her little orb of magical light winked out. Willow dropped to the ground, rubbing her head with one hoof.

Snow Star had also jumped slightly and turned around to face the others. In the dim light of his horn, Wind Song saw Snow Star’s wide, terrified eyes swimming with tears.

In a voice so steady it surprised the others, Snow Star said, “We need to go. Now.”

These five words were not spoken loudly, but they passed the unicorn’s lips with a sense of earnest urgency that nopony with enough sense to value their own life hardly ever disobeys.

“Is she here?!” Willow called out, apparently finished rubbing her bruised skull and staring wildly around the tunnel.

“Is who here?” Honeybell asked quickly.

Snow Star turned back to Willow and helped her to her hooves, still breathing hard, and said, “No, she’s not. We just need to get out of here.”

Willow and Snow Star turned and, without another word, began to move more quickly up the sloping passage. The others quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind in the darkness with no light.

“What do you think that was about?” Wind Song asked Moonlight as they cantered to catch up to the unicorns who were already thirty or so paces ahead.

The steady “cloppity cloppity” of Honeybell’s and Orange Blossom’s hooves sounded behind the two pegasi as they also tried to catch up.

Moonlight looked thoughtful as she trotted beside him before saying, “I’m not sure, but if I had to guess, I’d say this was the tunnel they saw in their...dream, or vision...whatever it was.”

Wind Song then remembered what Willow and Snow Star had said about the tunnel they had entered when they had seen Black Rose’s thoughts leading down under the streets of Canterlot through a drain cover in the slums.

“Oh no.” Wind Song replied, looking beat.

Moonlight nodded in agreement.

The unicorns clearly knew their path well as they passed passage after dark empty passage which led off to one side or another, always going straight ahead. They soon put on even more speed, breaking into a full gallop as their fear drove them forward. This went on for at least twenty five minutes before they finally slowed and came to a stop against a solid wall of brick, breathing hard and covered in sweat in spite of the cool air. Above them, a large round metal cover sat in what Wind Song could only assume was the recessed hollow in the street above.

It took all six ponies, including Honeybell and Orange Blossom’s prodigious strength, to remove the huge metal disc. It scraped loudly over the cobblestones above as they heaved it out of the way. Each of them helped the others scramble out of the newly created entry and onto the street.

Willow and Snow Star looked relieved as they stepped into the narrow street in Canterlot’s west district and extinguished their lights. This last action plunged them into near darkness when the flickering luminescence of the street lamps failed to illuminate their surroundings. The only visible light was that of the moon above, which shone down and laid on their surroundings like a pool of liquid silver and seemed to give every surface a strange, oddly flat appearance.

At last, as Honeybell was finally heaved to the surface by Orange Blossom and Wind Song, and the six exhausted ponies stood panting in the empty street, complete silence met their ears. Without waiting, Wind Song beckoned quietly to his friends to follow him off the street and into the concealing shadows of a nearby building.

The ramshackle building in whose shadow they rested seemed to be falling apart at every plank and joint. Wind Song felt that a small breeze could bring the whole mess of the thing coming down on their heads if they weren’t careful. Taking a few nervous steps back from the tumbledown structure, he addressed his friends.

“Now,” he began. “Spike said that whatever we’re looking for is beneath the east tower of the palace. Do any of you know how we should go about getting there?”

Snow Star obliged this question with a nod and said, “After we get out of the slums and into the nicer part of the city, we’re likely to be far more conspicuous and there will probably be other ponies and guards around. If we stick to the shadows and alleys we’re far less likely to be noticed. The tricky part is going to be getting into the palace grounds themselves. There’s a wall surrounding the entire estate and a wide street outside of that.”

“Is there nowhere where buildings come right up to the wall where we can jump over without being spotted?” Moonlight asked hopefully.

“Unfortunately not.” Snow Star replied grimly. “The road surrounds the entire inner portion of the palace that isn’t on the edge of the city terrace. We’ll have to find a way to get across the street and over the wall without being spotted.”

“Is it usually busy at this time of night?” Wind Song asked. “When I was here last week, I was always asleep by now.”

“Sometimes.” advised Willow. “Every evening on the streets surrounding the palace, there’s the Festival of Lights which goes from just before sunset until nearly midnight. But somehow I doubt that’s going to be happening with Black Rose here. What I’d be most worried about are guards, assuming she has any wandering around.”

Wind Song looked thoughtful and nodded a moment later.

“Well, I guess there’s nothing for it but to give it our best. You heard Spike, if we can’t do it, nopony can.” he said.

“Somehow I still think that’s all a bunch of hooey.” Honeybell added. “But I’m still up to givin’ it our best shot.”

The others nodded and murmured their agreement as Willow and Snow Star, who knew the city best, began winding their way carefully through the rat’s nest of dilapidated buildings toward the palace, the earth ponies and pegasi following closely in their wake.

As they progressed slowly westward, the buildings gradually shifted from ruinous crumbling husks to nicer ones. By the time they neared the palace, they were made all of whitewashed stone and brick, well-kept and prosperous. The strange part, however, was the lack of lights and ponies. On the numerous occasions where the six friends had to pass by a window, they would look cautiously inside but see only darkness behind the thin panes of wavy glass.

The whole while, not even the sound of the wind broke the crushing silence. When at last the towers of the palace became visible, looming like sleeping giants above the roofs of the surrounding buildings, the Wind Song noticed a dim light in the distance at the end of the alley they were currently in. As it turned out, the alley opened onto the wide, well-tended street Snow Star had mentioned.

Well lit by glaring lanterns and twenty yards across, the enormous street was more like a highway. “Prance Boulevard” as the street was called, abutted directly up against a low white stone wall surrounding the palace. Beyond that, only the midsections and pinnacles of the palace buildings were visible, including the peak of the east tower that was their destination. The six ponies loomed hesitantly in the protective shadows of the buildings surrounding “Alicorn Alley”, their hearts beating in anticipation for what they knew they had to do.

Clearing the wall would be no great feat, Wind Song thought. About three yards high, the wall wasn’t really meant to be a defensive structure, but rather just a barrier to keep the palace lawns free from the noise and bustle of the city and the curious gazes of prying eyes.

Wind Song glanced several times up and down Prance Boulevard, looking for any signs of movement or occupation by Black Rose’s forces. To his amazement as well as that of Willow and Snow Star, the street seemed utterly devoid of inhabitants. They found it hard to believe that Black Rose would have marched on Canterlot without at least some sort of fighting force to subdue the royal guard. If there were any unfriendly creatures lurking about, however, they were certainly doing a good job at concealing themselves.

“I’m going to run across the street and stand by the wall.” Wind Song said conspiratorially. “Once I’m across, I need you, Moonlight, to climb on my back and look over the wall to see if anypony is there. If there is, we run right back up this alley and come up with a different plan. If it’s clear, we’ll signal for the rest of you to come over. Once all of you are over the wall, I’ll glide over and join you on the other side. From there, it looks like a pretty quick trot to the east tower.”

In gratifyingly short order, the others nodded their consent. At this, Wind Song turned back toward the street, looked both ways, and with a gulp of nervousness, stepped out into the light of the street lamps. As he crossed, he was especially careful to step as quietly as possible in order to avoid creating noise with his hooves.

A short while later, he drew up against the wall on the opposite side and signaled to Moonlight to join him. As the pegasus mare met with Wind Song, she stepped up onto his back. Wind Song winced as one of Moonlight’s hooves jabbed his spine. She peered carefully over the wall, looking first left then right before stepping down and whispering something in Wind Song’s ear. Wind Song signaled to the others who, after one last glance up and down the Prance Boulevard, stepped out single file and began the long crossing.

Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom were only about half way across the street when three unicorns, arrayed in black armor, walked brazenly out onto the street from a side alley a short way up Prance Boulevard. The four ponies froze in place as the three unicorn guards, whose attention seemed to be occupied by a scroll held in the lead pony’s fetlock, had turned away from them and began plodding slowly up the street away from the six friends, talking loudly all the while.

After the guards disappeared around the corner, Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom hurried across the remainder of the street and, using Wind Song’s back as a step, leapt silently over the top of the wall and landed on the lawn on the other side. With one last look around, Wind Song broke into a canter, just fast enough to get some air under his wings, and glided over the wall to join his friends.

As Wind Song’s hooves met the cool dew-laden grass of the palace lawn, he noticed that it was far darker than the street on the other side of the wall, lit only by a few icy blue lamps which followed a narrow stone path straight up to the base of the eastern tower. From the sole door at the base of this smaller tower emanated the warm glow of candlelight. The great stained glass window of the throne room and great hall as well as the small square windows in the five remaining towers were dark.

Although he saw no movement, Wind Song felt like he was being watched. The dark empty windows of the towers which loomed threateningly before him looked like many-eyed creatures, looking dispassionately down at the approach of him and his friends. He confided his fears to Moonlight who nodded in agreement and gave the grand edifices an uncomfortable glance.

The easternmost tower, the one which they sincerely hoped held the secret to end the reign of Black Rose, was gratifyingly close and did not require them to pass any of the other buildings. As the six ponies approached this tower, their hoofsteps made surprisingly little noise in the lush grass. They stayed just beyond the edge of the blue lamps’ cold light, approaching the lit doorway from the side.

It was Wind Song who first peered through the doorway and into the little room at the base of the tower. The perfectly round room was only about eight or nine yards across with a round, ornately decorated carpet at its center. On that carpet rested a small square table made of dark wood and polished to a mirror finish. Wind Song noticed a large brown leather tome, bound in brass, sitting on the center of the table next to a single glowing taper. On the opposite side of the room, a narrow stone staircase wound its way about the circumference of the tower and vanished into blackness as it spiralled out of sight. Aside from those few things, the room was completely empty.

Wind Song felt a somepony tap his flank. He whirled around and saw Moonlight looking at him nervously, one hoof still held about chest level. The others, who stood behind her, merely looked curious.

“There’s something wrong, Windy. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Moonlight whispered quietly.

“I don’t like it any more than you do, Moonlight.” Wind Song replied. “We’ve got to do this though.”

“That’s not what I mean. I mean, something’s wrong. This is too easy. And where is everypony?”

“I’m not sure. But if we don’t figure this out soon we might as well not have come at all.”

“Hey!” Honeybell’s louder whisper came from behind Moonlight. “What’s the holdup?”

In unison, Wind Song and Moonlight glared at Honeybell and put one hoof to their lips.

Wind Song rolled his eyes, turned quietly back toward the room, and stepped forward into the candlelight. No shouts or sound of alarm rang out as Wind Song crossed the small room and stood examining the table. By now the others had joined him. They made their way cautiously around the room, searching carefully for any hidden doors or levers that might lead to the secret room Spike had told them about.

“Couldn’t Spike have at least given us more information on what to do once we got here?” complained Snow Star as the six ponies drew together around the table.

“Maybe he didn’t know himself.” Wind Song said, examining the large leather volume on the table.

Though no words graced the smooth leather surface of the cover, the bust of an ornate gold filigree unicorn was emblazoned at its center, gazing out at the six ponies through a single glowing emerald eye. The creature almost seemed to be alive. Wind Song looked at it intently for a moment, then gently turned to the first page of the book.

“The Legends of Equestria” the first page read in large elaborately inked characters. The other five ponies looked at the book curiously as Wind Song flipped idly through the pages. He knew what this book was. It was the history of Equestria, starting with the reign of Celestia and Luna and ending a number of years after Princess Twilight’s ascension to the throne. These were the stories he had read time and time again in school when he was just a foal. He knew the stories almost word for word and recognized many of them at a glance as he turned the pages.

He was about to close the book when a light breeze blew in through the doorway, flipping the last few pages. Stuck to the inside of the book’s back cover was a photo of Princess Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity, standing before a gorgeous sunset. While Twilight looked to be in her prime, her five friends appeared to be fairly old. Their hair had lost some of its former brilliance and, in the case of Rarity, streaks of grey were mixed with her once entirely purple mane. Wind Song stared at the picture.

“Or…” Wind Song said slowly. “Maybe he did tell us.”

Wind Song closed the volume and carefully flipped it back over so its front cover was again visible. Experimentally, he placed one hoof on the book’s cover, just under the golden unicorn’s chin. The glow of the unicorn’s emerald eye, which Wind Song had initially taken to be a trick of the candlelight, grew perceptibly brighter.

Wind Song looked up at his friends who were still staring at the book.

“Spike said it would take all six of us to do this.” Wind Song said solemnly.

Moonlight reached forward tentatively and also placed one hoof on the cover, next to Wind Song’s own. Again, the emerald seemed to glow even brighter.

A few seconds later, four more hooves joined Moonlight’s and Wind Song’s on the cover of the book. As Orange Blossom’s hoof made contact with the worn leather, the floor seemed to jolt beneath the six friends. A grating sound came from beneath them as the entire floor of the tower began to rotate slowly clockwise. As it rotated, a line of oblong stones which ringed the outer portion of the room began to sink into the floor, creating a stone staircase leading downward.

After about twenty seconds, the movement abruptly ceased, nearly knocking the six ponies to the ground, and all was once again silent. They looked at each other, hearts pounding with anticipation they turned toward the first stone step.

“All six of us, he said.” Willow whispered.

The others nodded as Willow stepped forward, leading the way carefully down the stairs. What met them when they reached the bottom a short while later was a round room far wider than the one above. They were surrounded by books. Shelves upon shelves ringed the wall from floor to ceiling, playing host to works scarcely thicker than a golden bit to huge tomes as thick as a pony’s neck. Around them on the walls, six sapphire orbs emitted a steady blue light similar to the lamps outside the tower, mounted in six identical silver sconces.

“Oh come on!” whined Orange Blossom. “At least there was only one book upstairs.”

Willow, who had wandered up to one of the glowing sapphire orbs, lifted on hoof to the silver sconce and craned her neck for a closer look.

“Even for six ponies, this is a lot of books to look through.” Moonlight added skeptically. “It could take weeks to skim even the hundredth part of these.”

Snow Star had joined Willow by the sapphire orb and the two unicorns were making their way over toward the second one when Honeybell said with exasperation, “I hope you two are enjoyin’ the decor!”

Willow and Snow Star seemed not to hear her as Willow reached up to one of the silver sconces and gave it a tug with one leg. Instantly, a faint clinking of metal, something like a chain rattling, seemed to come from the walls around them.

“Actually, we’ve been busy putting two and two together.” Willow said with pardonable smugness as she moved to the next sconce and made to pull it as well.

Just before she pulled the second, however, the clanking stopped.

“Exactly what I thought.” Willow said, looking at Snow Star, who nodded in reply. “All of you grab a sconce, but don’t pull it until I tell you to.”

A few moments of bustling about saw all six ponies standing before a sconce of their own. Like the emerald in the unicorn’s eye from the book, the sapphire orbs seemed to glow just a bit brighter as their respective ponies drew near.

Once they were all in place, Willow called out, “Now!”

At the same time, all six ponies pulled on a sconce. Instead of the expected grinding of stone or secret passage appearing, however, the orbs suddenly went black, engulfing them in total darkness. The light from the room above was no longer visible for some reason and the crushing darkness seemed almost tangible.

Then, at the middle of the room, a dim purple glow came into being, growing gradually like a flame and casting the room in a hazy violet radiance. They were no longer in the library, but an unknown hexagonal chamber whose smooth walls glistened as though encrusted with tiny diamonds and the ceiling was lost in darkness.

Wind Song looked about him and saw that his five friends were still in the same positions they had been when they had pulled their sconces and were looking at one another, wide-eyed. The purple light continued to grow until it finally coalesced into the shape of a pony. A unicorn.

To their utter astonishment, before the six friends stood none other than Twilight Sparkle. However, it was not the alicorn princess Twilight they knew, but Twilight as she had been the day she left Canterlot for Ponyville.

Not knowing what else to do, the six ponies dropped forward into a low bow before the spectre of their princess. They held this position for several moments before the glistening image spoke.

“You can all stand at ease. I’m not the princess, but rather a shadow of her consciousness concealed here by her. She gave much of herself to put me here. I must assume by your presence here that Rose Bud has defeated me and is planning to take over all Equestria?”

“That she has.” Snow Star said sadly as the six ponies stood again. “She plans to harvest the magical energy from ponies and use it to conquer the rest of the world.”

The shadow of Twilight looked surprised at this statement.

“This is far worse than I’d imagined.” she said. “If that’s the case, then it’s more important than ever that we set about defeating her immediately.”

Willow asked hesitantly, “Then in that case, what are you here for?”

The spectral image smiled and replied, “To aid in the protection of Equestria’s last hope for salvation: you.”

“I still don’t understand.” Wind Song said. “What does all of this have to do with us?”

The spirit Twilight responded hesitantly, as though contemplating how much she could tell them, “I can’t tell you everything right now, Wind Song. If Rose Bud manages to capture you and steal my plan from your memories, there will never be another chance to save Equestria.”

The image of Twilight began to walk about the room, looking at each of the six ponies in turn before continuing, “What I can tell you, however, is this. If my physical self was to be captured by Rose Bud, or Black Rose as she calls herself now, my five sisters were to flee to the far ends of the world and wait for you six to find them and bring them together at a place only they know about.”

Wind Song sighed. All this time, he and his five friends had been hoping for some kind of explanation; something that explained why they had been dragged into this. He would have argued for further information, but he could see the resolve in the creature’s expression, and so he held his peace.

“Where can we find them?” Wind Song asked resignedly.

The spirit Twilight seemed to stare at something the others could not see. Her eyes went momentarily wide, then she turned to face the center of the room. A glowing aura issued from her horn, seemingly without effort and three small scrolls appeared.

“These scrolls” she began. “Will lead you to the rest of the council. Where the scrolls fail, remember one thing: Follow your hearts. Once you find the council, follow them and trust their judgement. They will lead you and all of Equestria to victory against Black Rose.”

Twilight turned and stepped toward the two pegasi.

“Moonlight Whisper and Wind Song.” she said. “To you I entrust the task of seeking out Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.”

She levitated one of the scrolls, a swirling mix of sky blue and butter yellow, to Wind Song who reached out and plucked it from the air with one fetlock. Twilight then turned to Honeybell and Orange Blossom.

“To you, the earth ponies,” Twilight said. “I entrust the finding of Pinkie Pie and Applejack.”

Honeybell received a scroll the color of burnt umber as Twilight turned to the pair of unicorns.

“And to you, my friends, I entrust the finding of Rarity.”

Willow attempted to catch the white and purple scroll in her own magic, but the aura of light around her horn flickered and died. As the little roll of parchment fell to the floor, Snow Star added his strength to Willow’s and, together, they caught it and held it before them.

“And now, my dear friends, I wish you the best of luck.” Twilight said seriously. “Be swift and be secret. Black Rose has servants all over Equestria in the most unlooked for places, but don’t allow the difficulties of the road ahead to deter you from the path to victory. May the wind always rise under your wings.”

Without another word, the spirit turned its head skyward and, in a flash of light, vanished.

The six ponies were once again in the secret library under the east tower. They stood still for a moment, dumbfounded at the dizzying experience they had just endured.

“Well, I guess we should get going.” Wind Song said aloud, looking down at the scroll he held. “We wouldn’t want to be caught dow-”

A sharp pain in the right side of his skull interrupted this final sentence. The pegasus didn’t even have time to be surprised as he saw a flash of blue and his vision went suddenly black and he collapsed, insensate.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 11

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 11

By Wind Song

REVISED 21DEC20

Chapter 12 - Jailbreak

Wind Song was torn from his involuntary slumber by the resounding bang of a reinforced door being slammed. A dull throbbing pain in his skull, token of what could have only been the source of his unconsciousness, asserted itself as he opened his eyes and he was instantly blinded by the light of a torch burning in its bracket on the stone wall opposite the cold jail cell in which he lay. His throat was parched and sore. Dozens of aches and pains came to life all over his body, including a particularly painful spot on his head.

He shivered violently with the cold of the stones he was lying on and, as he attempted to sit up to get a better view of whatever had made the loud banging sound, his body ached in protest of its poor treatment.

An ominous “clack, clack, clack” and the muffled creaking of leather armor echoed up and down the passageway outside his cell as the source of the clatter made its approach. The pegasus, unsure of what to do, lay back down upon the floor and again closed his eyes, pretending to be unconscious. One eye, however, he left slightly open so that he saw the hazy outline of the enormous griffon which stepped haughtily into view, silhouetted black against the torchlight.

The creature stopped before Wind Song’s cell and, reaching out with one claw, hooked a ring of large keys, which chinked and chattered as he sifted through them. The griffon found the correct key and he inserted into the lock on the cell door, which opened with a loud groan.

Another pair of griffons, slightly smaller, stepped into view behind the first. They appeared to be dressed similarly, the edges of their brown leather armor being just visible as they stood beside the light of the wavering torch. They were carrying something between them. A soft, dark bundle of something...or somepony.

Wind Song’s heart began to pound as he realized what it was. The larger griffon took whatever the two smaller ones were carrying in one beefy foreleg, and heaved it unceremoniously into the cell where it landed a few paces from Wind Song and rolled over a few times, motionless. Wind Song felt a strong combination of panic and anger rise up within him.

“That’s the last of em.” said the smallest of the three griffons in a female voice that had a slight rasp to it.

“For the sake of your pathetic skin you better hope it is, Fuga.” came the angry, and unmistakably male reply of the first and larger griffon as he slammed the cell door. “You almost left that one to escape. And if that had happened, do you really think the mistress would have let you live?”

“What exactly did you expect, Somnus, you dick?” the remaining griffon, also male, replied hotly. “It was pitch black in there and you didn’t give us any lights!”

The largest griffon, evidently called Somnus, said with a growl, “Do you think that excuse would be enough to keep you alive if the empress lost one of these six just because you didn’t look well enough? Libertus, she knew all six were there, because that’s the only way they could have gotten into the shadow chamber.”

The smallest griffon, Fuga, looked shamefully down at the floor, “Maybe. I just don’t understand what we’re doing here, Somnus.”

Somnus brushed by Fuga and Libertus, barely avoiding igniting his feathers on the torch as he passed.

“You know what we’re doing here.” Somnus snarled. “We’re doing what’s gotta be done. Now, come on. We’ve got a few ponies from the royal guard who haven’t died yet that are owed a solid questioning.”

The two smaller griffons followed the larger out of view, Fuga trailing behind Libertus and dragging her lion’s tail on the floor dejectedly, though Wind Song thought he saw her spare him a momentary glance of sympathy. A moment later, the same loud sound which had woken Wind Song up in the first place rang throughout the stone room again as the door closed.

Immediately, Wind Song rushed over to the little dark figure lying on the floor. Several large feathers could be seen, sticking out from the others at odd angles over the sleek dark hair of its coat.

“Moonlight!” he whispered loudly as he sat down next to her and attempted to shake her into wakefulness.

The little midnight blue pegasus didn’t move, but this only served to stir Wind Song into giving her a more vigorous shake.

“Windy.”

The voice had come from behind Wind Song, who stopped shaking Moonlight and turned to see the dark form of Honeybell in the cell next to his own. The skin around the bedraggled mare’s left eye stood out in the stereotypical black and blue of a riotous bruise and half-dried blood had soaked the side of her head.

“Honeybell!” Wind Song exclaimed. “What’s going…”

“Shhhh!” Honeybell hissed urgently, lifting a hoof to her mouth. “You don’t want them to know we’re conscious yet, Windy.”

Wind Song responded, this time in a much lower voice, “Sorry. But why does it matter if they think we’re awake or not?”

Honeybell shook her head, “Because the longer we stay ‘unconscious’ the longer we get to live without being tortured and the more likely it is that we’ll all actually be conscious together. That’ll give us a better chance of getting out of here.”

“Tortured?” Wind Song asked with trepidation.

Another pony crept into the torchlight beside Honeybell. It was Orange Blossom, who was sporting a large bump above her left eyebrow, though she didn’t look quite so beaten down as Honeybell.

“Yeah. Didn’t you hear what that griffon, ummm...Somnus I think his name was...telling the other two about the royal guard ponies?”

The truth was, Wind Song had been so focussed on Moonlight that the exchange between the three griffons had gone largely unnoticed.

“Um...well, no.” he said. “And speaking of griffons, what’s up with that? Is Black Rose a griffon? I’ve never heard of them being able to use magic.”

“We don’t know.” echoed the voice of Willow from behind Honeybell and Orange Blossom’s cell.

Wind Song looked in that direction but the unicorn seemed to be completely enveloped in darkness.

“We think it’s more likely to be one of the Arimaspi.” said Snow Star from roughly the same direction as Willow. “After the griffons defeated their king when he tried to steal the idol of Boreas, the remaining Arimaspians were never heard from again. While they’ve been thought extinct for millenia, there’s no actual evidence to corroborate that theory or any stories that tell of how, or if, they actually died.”

“It just doesn’t follow that a race as powerfully magical as the Arimaspians could just vanish for no other reason than that their king was killed.”

“But what could they possibly want from us?” Wind Song asked. “And why would the griffons be working with them instead of against them?”

“We don’t know.” replied Willow and Snow Star in unison.

Honeybell and Orange Blossom also looked at each other, then back to Wind Song and shrugged. There were several moments of silence. An equine scream of pain echoed distantly from somewhere outside the door of their cell block. Apparently Somnus had held true to his word. Wind Song shivered, not entirely because the cold.

“Where exactly are we anyway?” he asked.

“Twilight’s palace, of course. In dungeon prison, cell block three.” said Willow.

Wind Song looked at, or at least in the direction of, the unicorn, amazed.

“How could you possibly know that?” he asked.

Willow let out a little whinny, “It was ages ago. Just after I graduated from the Academy of Magic, myself and a few of my fellow graduates were hired by the royal guard to reinforce several of the old lesser wards surrounding the palace dungeons.”

“You went to Twilight’s school?” Wind Song asked incredulously.

“Oh, no no. Nothing like that. I wasn’t nearly talented enough to get into Twilight’s school.” Willow said, an air of disappointment evident in her reply. “Our studies were more focused on brute-force utility than they were on delicacy.”

“We need to get out of here.” Wind Song said seriously, turning and looking back at Moonlight.

She had stirred and groaned. Wind Song immediately jumped up and ran to her side.

“I’m so sorry.” Moonlight said in a voice of profound melancholy, opening her great dark eyes and looking up into Wind Song’s worried face before closing them again. “I tried to get away with the scrolls. If I had been a little quicker, I could have gone for help.”

“No, no. You have nothing to apologize for.” Wind Song said comfortingly.

“Windy.” Moonlight said urgently, opening her eyes again and pushing herself into a half-sitting position. “They have the scrolls. That was our only hope for defeating Black Rose.”

“Then we’ll get ‘em back.” came the voice of Honeybell from over Wind Song’s shoulder.

Wind Song and Moonlight both turned to stare at the battered earth pony.

“And how exactly do you propose to do that?” replied Willow from out of the darkness.

“Willow, you said you know about the spells around this place, right?” Honeybell asked.

“Only the minor secondary and tertiary ones. The ones on these cells were placed by Twilight herself ages ago. I don’t even want to know what would happen if Snow or I tried to pick the locks on these cells with magic. Whatever it is, it wouldn’t be good.”

Wind Song cursed.

Just then, there came a quiet click at the dark end of the corridor outside the cells, followed by the faint creak of rusty hinges. The six ponies stiffened.

Quietly into the room stepped Fuga, the female griffon who had helped carry Moonlight into the room.

“What do you want?” growled Honeybell, none too kindly.

But, as the creature’s face came into focus in the torchlight, the expected cruel sneer of their captors was not present there. In spite of her cold reception, a look of deepest sympathy plagued her weary-looking features. Rather than speaking, she simply stared at them in silence, seeming to ponder the grim fate of her captives.

After several long moments held in silence, the ponies were beginning to wonder if Fuga would ever speak when she said unexpectedly, “You have information, information that Black Rose needs to complete her conquest of Equestria.”

Honeybell, who was still glaring at the griffon, replied, “Actually, y’all took that when ya bonked us on the heads a few hours ago.”

“The scrolls were blank.” Fuga said with an air of...was that triumph? “When my commander, Somnus, handed them over to Black Rose, she opened them and tried to read them, but there was nothing on them.”

The ponies’ eyes went wide.

Honeybell, still glaring angrily, replied, “And I s’pose y’all want us to tell ya what was on those scrolls, don’tcha? Well, I for one ain’t sayin’ a word. Not even if y’all…”

“Black Rose wants the information that’s on those scrolls.” Fuga interrupted. “Her powers are far greater than those of the strongest creatures of legend, Twilight, Celestia, and Luna included. If she wants that information from you, she’ll get it whether you like it or not.”

“So, ya just here to gloat then?” asked Honeybell sourly, sitting down hard on her haunches.

Wind Song, who had noticed that Fuga kept calling Black Rose by her name rather than “empress”, asked before the griffon could reply, “You don’t want Black Rose to get that information any more than we do, do you?”

The griffon turned one gleaming yellow eye to Wind Song and shook her head solemnly.

“So,” Willow asked from the shadows of her and Snow Star’s cell, “what she plans to do with the foals, sucking the magic out of them, that’s true?”

The griffon looked horrified, “She’s planning what?! I mean, I knew she was planning other things, but not that.”

“Other things?” asked Moonlight.

“When we, that is, Black Rose and the griffons, first arrived, we all knew that Black Rose wanted to capture Twilight’s power and take her place. While she was trying to subdue Twilight, she hinted that there was something else, and that once she found it nopony would ever question or challenge her. If she’s planning on harvesting ponies for magic, well, not even an army could stand against her.”

As Fuga made this last statement, she seemed to deflate. She sat down on the cool stones, her lion’s tail swishing back and forth.

Snow Star, however, perked up, “‘Trying’ to subdue Twilight? So Black Rose isn’t invincible?”

Fuga shook her head, feathers ruffling slightly, “Definitely not. She may have powers beyond any creature in the world, but she’s definitely not invincible.”

For the first time since they were captured, the six ponies felt their hopes rekindle like the radiant heat of a freshly ignited candle.

Wind Song asked, “So, why are you telling us this? And why are you here?”

Fuga looked straight at them, “Do you want to get out of here?”

The six ponies, who had been progressively leaning farther and farther forward toward Fuga without realizing it, all nodded vigorously.

Notwithstanding this sudden turn of their fortunes, however, Honeybell suddenly looked suspiciously at the griffon and asked, “Why?”

“What Black Rose has planned, what she’s doing...it isn’t right. Not even a mountain of gold can convince me otherwise.” Fuga paused, continuing in a regretful undertone, “I only wish the others of my kind could see that.”

The sincerity with which she said these words was what finally convinced Honeybell she was in earnest.

The earth pony mare nodded to the griffon, “Let’s do this.”

As though on cue, Fuga stood and said, “Great! I’m going back out to make some preparations. There are several hidden hatchways that lead out of the palace and down into the Crystal Caves, but most of them are in well-travelled halls and rooms on the other side of the palace. As far as I’m aware, there’s only one down here in the dungeons. It’s in the west wing, and the room it’s in is guarded.”

“Oh, perfect! The Crystal Caves!” began Orange Blossom loudly. “That’s where..”

Honeybell slapped a hoof over her mouth and said, “Hush!”

Fuga continued as though she hadn’t been interrupted, “I’ll distract the guard there but I’ll need all six of you to be up and ready to go quickly when I get back.”

The ponies nodded.

“Well, this ought to be the easiest jailbreak in the history of jailbreaks.” Honeybell said after Fuga left the room.

“I only hope she knows what she’s doing. I mean, you saw the size of that other griffon...Somnus I think. He’s huge!” observed Moonlight.

The six friends had been sitting in their cells for about an hour when the cell block door opened. They all stood, anxious but ready to be on their way.

The figure that stepped into view, however, wasn’t Fuga. It was Somnus. They all took several steps back. All except for Orange Blossom that is.

“Well well well.” he said superciliously. “Look at you all here, all ready for me.”

“Why are you here?” Orange Blossom said with a snort of derision.”

“O.B!” Honeybell whispered loudly, looking worried.

The gigantic griffon simply laughed, “Oh ho ho! We’ve got a live one, eh? Well, if you must know, the empress asked me ever so kindly to come down here and bring one o’ you upstairs for a little chat. Something about some scrolls, I think.”

Somnus looked directly at Orange Blossom and leered at the defiant but trembling white pony.

“I s’pose you wouldn’t mind going first.” Somnus said, drawing out the key to the Honeybell and Orange Blossom’s cell, unlocking it, and drawing open the door.

Wind Song had to give the two earth ponies credit. Honeybell and Orange Blossom both stood their ground valiantly, that is until one of Somnus’ massive rear lion’s paws came around suddenly and bashed Honeybell squarely in the chest, sending her flying into the wall at the back of the cell.

“Honeybell!” the others called, hurrying to the bars between their cells.

“No, noooo!” screamed Orange Blossom as Somnus casually reached out and grabbed the distracted filly by one hind leg and began to drag her toward the cell door.

Spewing obscenities, Somnus gave Orange Blossom a hard yank. She had reached out and, grabbing hold of the bars of the cell door with her front legs, hung on like grim death. It was a true testament to Orange Blossom’s strength that she was able to hold on for so long. In the end, however, Somnus was still the stronger contender and managed to pull her free. Orange Blossom screamed and fought, trying to get loose. Just as Somnus finally managed to get the thrashing filly wrapped under one arm, the door to the cell block unexpectedly opened again.

In the doorway, lit from below by the strange glow of an amber colored gemstone, was Fuga.

“Oy! Fuga!” Somnus bawled. “Give me a hand with this one. She’s a fighter.”

What Somnus didn’t seem to notice was that the glowing gemstone was embedded in the haft of a spear a yard long, and it was aimed right at the larger griffon’s chest.

“Let her go.” growled Fuga in a low voice.

“What? What the shit’s the matter with you?” Somnus asked angrily, seeing the spear for the first time. “You said you were watching the…”

“I said, let her go, sergeant.” Fuga said again, interrupting him.

Somnus seemed to think for a moment, then dropped the writhing Orange Blossom who scrambled to her hooves and rushed to Honeybell.

“Oh I’ll let her go alright. Right back to the empress she’s gonna go, but not until I’ve ripped out every last feather on your pretty head! Now, put that spear down before you hurt someone and follow your orders!”

When Fuga remained where she was, the cornered Somnus growled and rushed at the smaller griffon.

Without flinching, Fuga rotated the spear in her claw on its axis, at which the gem on its shaft flared to a blinding brilliance. She shouted one syllable in a language none of the ponies recognized and, with a resounding “crack”, the spear shot forward toward Somnus.

Somnus was quick, but before the griffon had made it halfway to Fuga, the glowing spear had already buried its full length in his chest.

The huge griffon froze in mid-air as though time itself had stopped. His eyes had gone wide with surprise as though he hadn’t expected Fuga to actually try to kill him. The spear still glowed blindingly bright within his chest, so bright that everypony could see the silhouettes of Somnus’ ribs and spine standing out against the brilliance of the surrounding translucent flesh, feathers, and hair.

It was over in a heartbeat. From the spot where the spear had pierced Somnus, the whole griffon went up in a puff of glowing ash and embers. The charred husk of a griffon’s skeleton was all that remained, smoking and smoldering on the stones of the cell block floor. The acrid stench of burning bone, flesh, and hair permeated the air of the small room and all present coughed loudly.

“Come on! Quick! Someone will have heard that!” shouted Fuga, hooking Somnus’ key ring with one claw from its owner’s ashes and releasing the six ponies from their cells.

“What was that thing?” asked Willow, who was helping to support the dazed Honeybell as Fuga guided them hastily along the dimly lit passages of the dungeons. “The spear I mean.”

Fuga replied breathlessly, “Invention of Black Rose or the Arimaspians. I’m not sure which. It uses magical energy stored in its gemstone to launch and guide it.”

“Magical energy?” Snow Star asked, looking fixedly at the griffon. “From where?”

“I’m not actually sure.” she replied, then she saw that Snow Star and Willow were looking steadily at her.

The realization seemed to strike her like a hammer blow.

“Oh.” she said, her eagle’s beak open in a griffon’s approximation of shock.

A couple minutes later, they reached a large open chamber. Torches gleamed in brackets on either side of a large entryway which was secured with a huge iron portcullis whose bars were each thicker than Wind Song’s hooves.

“How are we going to get through that?” Moonlight asked in dismay staring up at the intimidating structure.

“We’re not going through there.” replied Fuga, guiding them to a large model of a set of balanced scales.

“We?” asked Wind Song hopefully.

Fuga looked momentarily up at Wind Song.

“We.” she replied. “If you’ll have me.”

As one, the six ponies smiled and nodded to which Fuga responded with a glowing smile.

The brilliantly wrought sculpture stood on a stone plinth about a yard high, which Fuga began to push on with all of her strength. Pretty soon, Orange Blossom separated herself from the others and, with her prodigious strength. With a loud grating sound, the little pillar slid aside to reveal a dark, crudely cut hole, which opened into total blackness.

“Okay, now, follow me, and stay close behind me.” said the griffon when a sudden echoing clamor made her freeze with one hind food held stationary over the entrance. Shouts followed shouts in the distance, rebounding off of the stone walls of the dungeon. And they were getting closer.

Fuga grimaced, eyes going wide with fright.

“Change of plan! Once you get into the tunnel, follow it upward until you reach a bunch of side passages. Take the fourth passage on your right. That’ll get you back to the caves and out of the city without being noticed.” said the griffon urgently.

“Wait! What about you?” asked Orange Blossom.

“I’ll come down after you! Now go!”

One by one, each of the six ponies lowered themselves into the tunnel below the entrance and helped pull the others down. The voices and shouts were getting close now. Wind Song, who was the last to enter the tunnel, stood with his hooves braced on the wall of the entrance. The griffon, however, didn’t move.

“Fuga, come on!” Wind Song called to her.

Instead of climbing down, however, Fuga simply looked down at Wind Song and said, “It’s too late! They’re almost here! Go, save Equestria!”

Fuga then made a lunge for the pillar.

“No!” shouted Wind Song, but it was already too late.

With a bellow of exertion, Fuga gave the heavy pillar a mighty heave. As stone scraped against stone, the little light left in the tunnel was snuffed out, and the six ponies were left in darkness.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 11

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 12

By Wind Song

REVISED 20JAN21

Chapter 13 - Sorrow

It took twenty frantic minutes of scrambling about inside the walls of Canterlot Palace for the six ponies to realize that they were lost. In the heat of the escape, they had forgotten Fuga’s directions and, as best they could remember, had skipped one or two of the steps she had mentioned...or was it three?

The other issue which they found themselves facing was that the passages seemed to be, or at least had been, fairly well travelled. While the tunnels were unlit, the light of Willow and Snow Star’s magic revealed a well-worn but unerringly perfect facade of cleanliness. They knew they had to be quiet, lest they be discovered by only Celestia knew what, and hoped against hope that they would soon find their way to the safety of the Crystal Caves.

On occasion, they would come across an opening where light spilled in from some hallway or sitting room of the palace. On one occasion, Wind Song found himself almost face to face with an armed and armored griffon standing on the other side of one such opening. At first, the frightened pegasus was sure he had been seen, but after a few moments, it became clear that the guard could neither see nor hear him. The entrances to the tunnels were magically hidden. Well, that was a relief.

The six friends had begun to think they would never find their way out when, after walking through a tunnel they swore they had already been through, they heard the faint echo of voices through a wide opening on their left. They stopped, and listened.

“...by the west dungeon, your imperial majesty.” came a shaky male voice that sounded almost like the third griffon who had helped Fuga carry Moonlight into the cell block earlier.

The opening in the wall was just wide enough for the six ponies to squeeze their faces into it and, through a veil of what looked like thinnest red linen, peered five or six yards down into the throne room of Canterlot Palace.

The voice, belonging to the smaller male griffon from earlier, continued, “She cornered herself in the entrance chamber of that wing.”

“And the body?”

This question issued from the throne, but the speaker was hidden behind the elegant chair’s high brass back. For reasons unknown, the sound of the voice sent a thrill of horror through Wind Song. The sheer malevolence it contained sent the icy sensation of freezing water flowing down his spine and froze him in place. Those three words contained more force than the entire Equestrian Army, more than Twilight, moreso even than the five spirits of Equestria, the Council of Friendship. He knew that voice. It was the one he had heard echoing in his mind nearly a week ago. It was the voice which had proclaimed itself Equestria’s new ruler. The voice of Black Rose.

Something like thin, translucent silk was draped down either side of the throne. The odd thing was that the material, whatever it was, didn’t seem to hold its shape. It shifted and billowed in lazy undulating waves as though a light breeze were catching it up.

“The south dungeon, your majesty. It wasn’t exactly a body, though. Just ashes. And this.”

The griffon held out in one trembling claw the amber gem that Wind Song remembered seeing in the spear Fuga had used to kill Somnus. There were several moments of silence.

“She would use my own tools against me, to aid my enemies?”

The words were cold, derisive, and smooth as glass as they were delivered.

“It would seem so, your majesty.” the griffon said, bowing low. “I am ashamed to have ever served with her.”

“That may be.” Black Rose said, an edge of impatience creeping into her voice. “But what of the prisoners?”

“Escaped, your majesty.” came the tremulous reply.

“To?”

“We’re not sure. I have several of my company searching the palace grounds as we speak.”

Black Rose let out a sigh.

“General.” she said after a few moments in a weary voice so quiet even the six ponies behind the throne could barely hear it.

Unexpectedly, a disembodied voice, almost a growl so deep it was hard to make out the words, echoed around the enormous room.

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” came the reply, which rattled Wind Song’s teeth in his skull.

Along with the voice came what could only be later described as a presence. The sense that something ominous was in the room, though nopony could tell what it was, only that it was vast, menacing, and extraordinarily powerful.

“Send in the prisoner.”

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.”

Immediately, the two large doors at the opposite end of the throne room swung inward on their hinges to reveal two strange looking creatures Wind Song had never seen before. They were dark and indistinct, as if they were seen through smoke. Their shape was vaguely pony-shaped, but they seemed to float a few inches above the smooth marble floor. Walking chained between these creatures, her head held high and defiant, was Fuga.

The male griffon who had been speaking to Black Rose stepped aside and looked away. Wind Song heard Moonlight gasp next to him. Though he had assumed Fuga had been caught, it still caught him off guard to see their rescuer marched up the empty room toward what could only mean death.

“We have to do something. We have to rescue her!” said Orange Blossom shakily.

“No!” whispered Wind Song urgently. “Don’t be an idiot! There’s nothing we can do. Black Rose could vaporize us with a glance!”

“What do you have to say for yourself, griffon?” Black Rose asked, again drawing the ponies’ attention. “Did you not swear your loyalty to me? Did you not accept my offer of gold beyond measure in exchange for your service like the rest of the Arimaspi Opinici?”

Fuga, who seemed to be trying to compose herself, took several seconds to reply. When she did, her voice was filled with conviction and vehemence, without a trace of fear.

“I promised my service to a queen, for the conquest of Equestria. I swore to win you your prize and nothing more. Not to ruthlessly murder foals by sucking the magic out of them. No. I may be selfish, but I still have a heart.”

Another moment of silence.

“You seem to be under the misapprehension that you’ve hindered my progress. The ponies in question were relying on the information found in the Shadow Chamber under the west tower to find the Council of Friendship and destroy me.” Here, Black Rose actually laughed, “And even if they had, do you honestly think they could stop me? I hold the power of a god and, in a few short weeks, I’ll be stronger still.”

She paused.

“But still.” Black Rose continued, sounding thoughtful. “To put your misguided assumptions to rest…”

A pale white glow began to shine from the throne and into being came three scrolls, sealed in purple wax and ribbon. They ignited, much as Somnus had. Instantly, violently, and destructively. A quiet “woosh” sounded from where the scrolls, now mere white dust floating in the air, had been a moment before.

Fuga’s face fell.

“Do you think I need those six ponies to find the delicate spirits of five mares brought into being by the least of Equestria’s rulers? Ha! All you’ve done is waste my time. But that will be paid back in my satisfaction of watching you die.”

The two strange creatures who were holding the chains attached to the collar and cuffs binding Fuga, had apparently let their guard lapse. Without warning, the griffon leaped forward, tearing the chains from the creatures’ grasp, and rushed at the throne, wings open and face set in a look of stern determination.

Less than a second passed, and suddenly, without a word uttered, time seemed to freeze. The two creatures whose wits had recovered enough for them to make a grab at Fuga, had frozen in place. The griffon herself had also gone absolutely still in mid-air.

Something, a figure dressed in black, detached itself from the throne and stepped purposefully forward toward the frozen griffon ten yards away. The shape was that of a pony. A unicorn? But something was wrong, something other than that its vaporeous garment seemed to be composed entirely of thick black smoke. Wind Song couldn’t place it, but something wasn’t right about the creature. It was a pony, but not a pony.

It reached Fuga and, without apparent effort, stretched itself upward, its legs growing longer until it was on a level with her. It spoke quietly a few short syllables directly into where the griffon’s ears ought to be, then shrank back down to a normal size. It then turned and started back toward the throne. But what was it? Wind Song couldn’t see its face. It was there and yet not there. He could see it distinctly, but he couldn’t make out any of the features. It was almost like trying to remember the face of someone one sees in a dream.

As the creature, which was presumably Black Rose, again seated itself on Twilight’s throne, the black edges of the garment again trailing down on either side of it, the two other creatures guarding Fuga unfroze and tumbled forward a bit gracelessly. They drew themselves up and moved backward several paces.

So, was that all she was going to do? Freeze time? Hold her prisoner forever suspended a yard above the throne room floor?

A pained wheezing issued from the griffon. Wind Song looked back up at Fuga, who seemed to be deflating. Her feathers and fur began to gray and the wheezing died out into a constant, long exhalation. Feathers and fur began to drop out, revealing the dry skin underneath, which was getting wrinklier and wrinklier by the minute. Fuga looked like a grape being dried into a raisin. Her eyes shrivelled and the surrounding skin cracked and caved in, turning into a dark, leather-like casing around bones whose shapes stuck out like tent poles. The gasping had stopped and steam was rising from what was left of Fuga as her dried corpse dropped to the floor.’

The six hidden ponies were speechless. A tiny squeak of terror came from Moonlight and Honeybell and Orange Blossom both swore over and over in whispers.

“General.” Black Rose said suddenly.

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” Came the impossibly deep voice from earlier.

“Marshal a company of fifty umbrum and march to Ponyville. Destroy it. Also, send a few griffons down to the mouth of the Crystal Caves. I think they’ll find they’ve been missing some prisoners.”

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” came the voice one last time, and the presence withdrew.

The six ponies drew back from the opening and stared at each other.

“The scrolls!” Honeybell said in a panic. “How are we going to defeat her without the scrolls?!”

“Nevermind the scrolls!” Wind Song said, drawing further back into the tunnel. “We need to warn Fairweather! We have to get back, quick!”

“How?” asked Orange Blossom. “Will you and Moonlight fly ahead? And what about the company of...whatevers Black Rose is sending into the caves?”

Wind Song replied, “I think I might know someone who will help us.”

Oddly, it only took two more minutes of frantic searching to find the small side passage conveniently labelled “Crystal Caves” twenty yards up the tunnel. Into it they all clambered and, after half an hour of running for their lives, burst out into Spike’s enormous antechamber.

“Spike! Spike!” shouted Wind Song who came into the room first.

The colossal dragon, who had been sitting more or less where they’d left him, stood faster than anypony thought it was possible for him to stand.

“Eh? Huh? What?” Spike’s voice boomed.

“Spike! We have a huge problem!”

Orange Blossom overrode whatever else Wind Song was about to say, “Black Rose knows we’re here! She’s sending guards down to catch us before we escape!”

“And she’s going to destroy Ponyville!” Moonlight added.

Spike stiffened visibly at this last statement and his face contorted into a grim scowl.

“What of Twilight’s plan?” he asked, his temper clearly being held in check by a few bare threads of self control.

“We have to find the Council, but Black Rose got the scrolls with the instructions and destroyed them!” groaned Willow.

A low growl emanated from the vicinity of Spike’s throat as he replied, “Then we fly now straight to Ponyville. After that, I must leave you and travel south the dragon lands. Once there I can awaken the rest of my race and we can openly confront Black Rose. Is she sending griffons to Ponyville?”

“No.” Wind Song said, trying to remember what Black Rose had said. “She said to send um...um...umbrin or someth…”

Spike’s narrow eyes widened, “Umbrum?!”

“That’s it!” Wind Song replied.

“In that case, I hope it’s not too late. They’re fearsome and fast, but fifty of them is no match for me, but we need to leave now!”

At Spike’s direction, Wind Song, Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom followed him through the exit to his chamber and up the narrow passages that lead to the entrance to the Crystal Caves at the base of Canterlot Mountain. About halfway along this route, they heard hurried steps and shouts of what could only be the group of griffons Black Rose had sent to stop them.

Sure enough, a few moments later several griffons, about twenty in all, came to a dead stop as they beheld Spike standing before them like a giant living purple mountain. The six ponies had to cover their eyes as the blinding greenish-white flames cooked all twenty griffons in their armor. As they passed what remained of their would-be captors, Wind Song could hear their skin sizzling inside the pounded iron armor, some of which had become so hot that it melted. The acrid stench of burnt hair, feather, and bone accompanied the sweeter scent of burnt meat. Moonlight and Orange Blossom both wretched.

As soon as they cleared the cave mouth, Spike invited the ponies to climb onto his back, which they did with a bit of hesitation on the part of the unicorns and earth ponies. The moment they were situated, Spike dug his powerful hind legs into the ground, gouging two giant pits into the rock and earth, and launched himself into the sky.

Everypony except Wind Song and Moonlight watched in awe and wonder as the land whipped by hundreds of yards below. The ground it had taken them two full days to traverse was a blur as they sped their way south toward ponyville. However, try as they might, they never saw the little hollow where the Hermit of Harmony Hill lived. As they flew, along, the ponies filled Spike in on what they had seen and heard.

“Umbrum and griffons…” Spike repeated after Moonlight had concluded the tale. “And in Arimaspi? But you didn’t see any Arimaspians there did you?”

“Nope. Not one.” Honeybell responded. “From the sound of it, all them griffons were down at some Arimaspi city or some such.”

Spike looked thoughtful.

“Hmmm.” he said. “When we get Twilight back, I’ll have to do a little research into that. I have no idea why there would be griffons in that old city. I thought it was abandoned.” He made a contemplative pause. “Or inhabited by the Arimaspi still. But Arimaspi and griffons would never consent to work together.”

“Mysteries upon mysteries.” Willow said in an unenthusiastic monotone. “Is that Saddle Lake already?”

Only three or four hours had elapsed since Spike had first taken off, but sure enough, the white haze of the falls was rising above the cliffs which marked the northern edge of Saddle Lake. However, beyond the winding curtain of mist, a patch of darkness was wafting up off of the horizon. The hearts of six ponies and one dragon dropped like stones.

“No.” Wind Song said in a whisper.

“No!” cried Honeybell tearfully as the group broke through the mist and beheld their beloved home.

“Faster, Spike!” called Wind Song.

“I’m going as fast as I can, Wind Song.” said Spike, grunting after each word.

However, in spite of this statement, there was a perceptible increase in speed as they began to drop lower and lower.

Fanning out his leathery wings to catch the air, Spike landed heavily on the southern shore of Saddle lake. All that was left of Ponyville was a blackened smoldering husk. The only sound was the cracking of the charred planks as they expanded and contracted with the heat. Moldering skeletons lay strewn across every courtyard as they passed through the little town toward the square.

Orange Blossom and Moonlight sobbed freely. Honeybell was trying, and failing to put on an air of stoic impassivity, but her emotions ultimately won over as the sight of burned building after burned building slid past. Wind Song felt hot tears spring into being and roll down his cheeks as his eyes fell on the lifeless forms of the two younger bar keepers of the Draught Horse, Revel and his sister Reverie. After that, he kept his eyes pointed decidedly forward.

He saw Willow drop to the ground, her face buried in her forelegs as she tore aimlessly at the brown grass.

“I can’t do this!” she wailed as Snow Star bent low and, nuzzling her gently, helped her shakily back to her hooves.

As plentiful as the dead were, there were many others yet alive milling about, either soot-stained and weeping, or else twitching feebly on the ground with injuries that would soon come to claim them for the realm of the deceased, the Ever After. As Spike and the six ponies plodded miserably along, many of the former looked up sorrowfully at them as though to ask, “Why did you let this happen?”

Though there was nothing they could have done to speed their passage to Ponyville, Wind Song nevertheless felt shamed and, red-faced, looked at the ground as the little group walked.

At last, the Town Hall, or what was once the Town Hall, came into view. The enormous timbers which had comprised the building’s structure were scattered like twigs. The building had not just been burned or turned down. It had been blown apart. The lovingly wrought woodwork which had once framed the doors and windows had been shredded by what looked like claws. Every window was smashed, every board broken. From underneath one particularly large pile of such boards protruded a dappled storm-gray flank, leg, and hoof.

With a gasp of surprise, the six ponies rushed ahead of Spike and began furiously hauling board after board off of the limp form of Mayor Fairweather. The poor pegasus had clearly been inside the building when it collapsed. Several jagged spikes of broken wood had driven themselves through one of her shoulders and another through her left flank. Great gobs of white and red flesh and muscle hung off the ends of the spikes and blood ran down them, dripping like crimson tears onto the sooty earth below. She was burned, too. The raw red flesh of a large portion of her back stood out stark against the mottled gray of her coat.

Before they saw all of this, the six ponies already knew it was far too late to save her. That was why when Fairweather let out a feeble gasp and weakly opened one bloodshot eye and looked up at them, they were duly surprised.

“Hey, friends.” she gasped after each word and gave a weak little smile. “So glad you could make it.”

“Fairweather!”

Moonlight had inserted herself between Wind Song and Fairweather as she said this and begun looking frantically at her wounds.

“Fairweather!” Moonlight said again, tears still spilling down her face. “It’s okay! We’re here. I can fix this! Just let me…guys! Help! Quick, get some bandages! Do we have more…”

“Moonlight, all of you.” Fairweather interrupted as she coughed up a glob of blood. “Please, listen. I don’t have much time.”

Fairweather worked in a few choked gasps for air.

“There’s nothing you can do for me. I’m dying.” she continued. “But, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Another shallow breath.

“No matter what the horrors you see, don’t forget that Equestria needs you. You’re our only hope and you can’t let despair rule your actions.”

She coughed again and it was several seconds before she continued, “Whatever you do, don’t forget that this isn’t the end, and that whatever you do here to help your fellow ponies will be remembered forever, both here and in the Ever After.”

The pegasus mare seemed to convulse as she fought for another breath.

“We know you can defeat Black Rose, and we hope you know that too. If your hope dies, so does that of all Equestria.”

Fairweather let her eyelid droop shut.

“I love you all.” she said weakly. “And I’ll see you again...someday. After all, this life is only the beginning.”

Then, in a voice so low they could hardly hear it, she began to sing,

“May the sun shine bright,

May clouds and sky sing.

May your sight stay sharp.

And may the fair wind rise ever under your wings.”

The last verse to a longer composition, an ancient blessing of pegasi long past, hung in the air like a sweet fragrance as a soft breath of air escaped Fairweather’s lips for the last time. It was an apt soliloquy, as they were the same words Rainbow Dash herself had composed and spoke as she passed from this life.

Silence.

“You know something?” Wind Song said after a moment, wiping away a tear. “She was right.”

The others looked up at him, their tear-streaked faces showing not just sorrow, but determination as well.

He sniffed and continued, “This may only be the beginning, but we’re going to make that heartless bitch in Canterlot regret every last moment of it.”

When he had finished speaking these words, Spike let out a terrible roar that shook the earth beneath them. A great rippling green flame shot a hundred yards into the darkening sky, a defiant bellow to any who would challenge those who stood against Equestria. In this way, the six friends began their journey across the land and rid the world of the Thorn of Equestria.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 13

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 13

By Wind Song

REVISED 20JAN21