Opening

by mr_whatnot

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Celestia, Main 6, Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mare Do Well, Adventure
Length: 9658

When civil war breaks out in Equestria, Twilight must make a choice. Luna or Celestia?

Revolution is rippling through Equestria. Twilight is left with a choice. Will she support the Lunar Republic, or the Solar Empire? On top of that, a mysterious secret order of wizards is somehow involved in Twilight's fate. She travels from city to city, guided by the mysterious Clover, searching for some answers in a world full of questions.

Published 2012-10-26 21:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-11-11 19:36:22 UTC

Chapter 1

It was a normal day in Ponyville.

The sun beat down on Applejack and her sister as they bucked the trees of Sweet
Apple Acres. She didn't mind the heat; she welcomed it actually. It made her
work harder. And it would make her enjoy her ice cold glass of apple cider that
much more. Applebloom was not so optimistic. "Applejack, why doesn't Big
Macintosh have to help harvest today?," she pouted. Applejack sighed and gave
the tree a buck. Ripe, shining apples cascaded from the branches, and fell into
Applebloom's expertly maneuvered basket. "Ah' told ya' Applebloom, Big Mac is
doing the taxes," replied Applejack. "But why can't Granny Smith do the taxes,
like usual?" Applebloom inquired. Applejack was losing patience. She must have
explained this once already. "Applebloom, you know Granny's no better at them
fancy mathematics than you or me. Big Mac is more useful in there than out
here." Applebloom frowned, defeated. She knew that this meant as much as twice
her daily farm work. AJ took notice of her sister's sad expression. "Cheer up,
sis," she said, glancing at the sky, "It's about time for lunch. Why don't we
head back to the house and see how Big Mac's doing?" Applebloom visibly
brightened up. "Okay!" she said.

It was a normal day in ponyville.

The clouds floated through the sky, peacefully resting on air. Nature had
decided that today would be a wonderful day for rain. The weather team had other plans. The clouds were darkening, drifting closer to one another. If they had
been faster, they may have managed to have a light sprinkle over town square.
But for a cloud, being faster than Rainbow Dash is a pretty tall order. She
swooped in, flying directly for the largest cloud. Putting on an extra burst of
speed, Rainbow punched through the cloud, dissapating it. Flying to the next
largest, she turned and bucked it hard. Rainbow Dash zoomed to the last of the
large clouds, and with a not-so-gentle push, sent it spinning towards Sweet
Apple Acres. "How was that?" asked Rainbow excitedly, "What was my time?" Cloud
Kicker checked her watch. "9.8 seconds." Rainbow Dash punched the air with joy.
Under ten seconds three times consecutively. If she kept this up, she would have
to invent a new word to classify how awesome she was. No, wait. Inventing words
sounded like Twilight's job.
"Whatever!" Rainbow exclaimed, "We have nothing else to do today. I'm going to
get something from Sugarcube Corner. Weather team..." she was prepared to say
'weather team dismissed,' but Rainbow noticed that it was only her and Cloud
Kicker. "Hey, where is everyone today?" she asked Cloud Kicker. The gray pony
raised her eyebrow. "They didn't come today because, as usual, you did the job
yourself. I only came to measure your time." Rainbow was impressed with herself.
Was she really that good? The doubts were erased as soon as they surfaced. Of
course she was! She was Rainbow Dash! She waz the winner of the Best Young
Fliers Competition. She was a hero of Equestria. She was... Hungry. Rainbow
hadn't realized the appetite she worked up. Oh well, she thought, only one way
to fix that. She sped towards Sugarcube Corner.

It was a normal day in Ponyville.

Fluttershy was just beginning her daily chores. She had already fed Angel, the
impatient bunny had awakened her for that express purpose. She checked the
chicken coop. The fowl were resting peacefully. Fluttershy counted each one to
ensure that none had wandered off in the night. One, two, three, four, five...
All twelve! Good. Now to check the mail. As she trotted to the mailbox, she
hoped desperately that the old mailpony hadn't mixed up her mail again. Being
too shy to correct the mistake, she now owned several editions of Playcolt, all
of which she had hidden without even taking a peek. She couldn't help but wonder
who was ordering them.
Regardless, the old stallion had delivered the correct mail. Fluttershy opened
her mailbox to find what she had been waiting for: Her monthly copy of Nature
Nurtures. The yellow pony gripped the magazine in her teeth and galloped back to
her hut. She bolted the door behind her. She did not want to be disturbed.
Relaxing, Fluttershy sank into her sofa. The animal lover was very happy to have
her new issue. She opened it hastily, pouring over every tip, suggestion and
how-to for animal care.

It was a normal day in Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash trotted into Sugarcube Corner. It was the same as always. Same
comfy chairs, same sugary decorations, same Mr. Cake and same Mrs. Cake. But
there was someone absent. "Where's Pinkie?" Rainbow asked, trotting to the
counter. Mr. Cake sighed deeply. "She's dealing with an existential crisis right
now." he responded. "Again? That's twice this week! Have you been leaving her
with drying paint lately?" Mr. Cake shrugged. "What can I say? She's Pinkie
Pie." Rainbow let out an exagerated sigh. "Alright then, I'm going to take a
nap. When Pinkie solves her dillemna, tell her I'll see her tomorrow." With
that, the blue coated pegasus flew out the doors of Sugarcube Corner.

It was a normal day in Ponyville.

Rarity was just putting the final touches on her newest creation. It was an
extravagant dress, with a light gold cloth lined with deep velvet. Rubies were
set into the fabric on the back, forming a heart shape. The dress came with a
silver neckless studded with a massive sapphire. Rarity had no doubt that this
fashion would be all the rage in Canterlot. It was not as elegant as she would
have liked, but Hoity Toity would certainly be pleased. She stepped back,
admiring her handiwork. It was beautiful. It was perfect in every- wait, is that
a spot? Looking closely, Rarity realized that the had spilled a few drops of
blue dye on the side of the gown. She quickly used her stain-removing spell to
get rid of the unsightly blotch. There! All done. Just then Rarity heard a crash
from the kitchen. She groaned. Was Sweetie Bell trying to cook again? Rarity
poked her head in the kitchen and saw that her little sister had, indeed, been
attempting to make... Something. The result was a singed can of tomatoes, a
warped spoon, half-cooked elbow noodles and a comically mishapen carrot.
"Sweetie Bell, what in Equestria were you trying to cook?!" Rarity asked.
"Soup!" Said her sister with a smile. "Sweetie, ah- well, um- Darling, I-"
Rarity let out a sigh. "I'll clean this up."

Applejack was tired. She finished a full day's work in a morning, and she didn't
look forward to repeating it in the afternoon. The farmer pony sat in her bed,
grimacing at the thought of the work that lay ahead of her. On top of that, Big
Macintosh didn't seem to feel very good about the taxes. He was great at
mathematics, but he obviously prefered the hard, honest work of a farm pony.
Glancing at the wall clock, AJ determined that it was time to get back to work.
She stood up to trot out of her bedroom when something caught her eye. In the
center of her floor lay a scroll. Immaculately clean, it shone from her dusty
floor like a beacon. It bore the royal seal of Canterlot. But it was different
from the letters the Princess normally wrote. It was... Darker, somehow. But the
darkness didn't seem evil. Applejack was puzzled. What in Equestria could this
mean?

Fluttershy put down her copy of Nature Nurtures with a contented sigh.
Fluttershy already knew most of the tips in the magazine, but there were always
some new tricks. And Fluttershy was looking foreward to trying them out on
Angel! She scanned the room, looking for her pet bunny. But, in searching, she
found something else. In the center of her living room floor sat a scroll, bound
in dark blue cloth and sporting the Canterlot Royal Seal. Fluttershy frowned,
confused. She could have sworn that the scroll hadn't been there when she sat
down. How had it gotten there?

Rarity was exhausted from cleaning up her little sister's mess. Sweetie Bell was
a darling, but Rarity had never met another pony who could accidentally burn
soup. She collapsed into her favorite lounge chair. Her eyes drifted closed and
she was about to daze off when she felt something. It was a twinge, a feeling in
her horn. She knew it well. How could she not, being friends with Twilight
Sparkle? It was the feeling of magic. Opening her eyes, Rarity saw before her a
pristine scroll, bound tightly and bearing the royal seal. She also noticed the
magic softly radiating from it. It was different from the Princess's letters.
Whereas a letter from Celestia would practically burst with the glow of magic,
this letter had a glow more subtle. Rarity concluded that this letter could not
have been sent by Celestia. I wonder, mused the unicorn, Who sent this scroll?

High up in the clouds, Rainbow Dash was preparing for her daily nap. Her usual
resting spot was currently the place of residence for some bluebirds, so she
would make do with a cloud. Rainbow glided along lazily, looking for the right
cloud. Most of the clouds today were small, and not suitable for naps. And as
she searched, her eyes happened upon a strange sight. Resting atop a gray cloud
lay a pristine scroll. Rainbow flew in for a closer look. Her eyes widened. It
had the royal seal on it! But why was it on top of a cloud?

In the back room of Sugarcube Corner, a bright pink pony stood completely still,
her glazed eyes staring into the distance. She blinked, coming out of her
trance. The bowl doesn't stop existing, Pinkie Pie realized, it just becomes
less organized. Her once blank face broke into a familiar smile. Who would have
thought that dropping a bowl on the ground could start an existential dilemna!
Pinkie leaned down and began to collect the shards of ceramic that once
contained her lunch and put them on her tray. The bowl, or rather, the lack of a
bowl, would come out of her salary of course. Pinkie knew that, and she was
happy with it. She placed the last bit of ceramic on the tray and turned to the
site of the accident. Before her eyes Pinkie saw a scroll, bound in dark cloth
bearing the royal seal. When had that gotten there?

Five ponies, all far from each other, grabbed five scrolls. Five ponies broke
the seal and unwrapped five scrolls. Five ponies read:

PONIES,
I wish to speak with all six of you regarding a matter of great importance. I
will be in Twilight Sparkle's library at nine o'clock.
The fate of Equestria is in your hands once more.

Luna

Twilight Sparkle opened her door to see her five friends standing before her.
They seemed concerned. "Uh, hi girls," said Twilight hesitantly, "What brings
you here?"
"Darling, you did receive the Princess's letter, correct?" asked Rarity.
Twilight had a rush of clarity. "Oh! I see. You wanted to discuss what Luna
might be up to."
Applejack looked at her curiously. "Uh, actually Twi, we were going to just let
her tell us."
Aaand there goes the clarity. "What do you mean?" The unicorn asked, "Did you
invite Luna here?"
"Didn't you get her letter?" asked Pinkie, "She said she was going to come to
your library at nine o'clock to talk to us!" The party pony giggled excitedly,
"She said it was SUPER important."
Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh no no no no NO!" Twilight shouted, "This is bad.
This is very, very bad. Girls, listen to me-"
The clock struck nine. And suddenly, Luna was standing there. She had
teleported, but not in a brilliant flash like most ponies. It involved no smoke,
no awe factor. One moment she was not there, the next she was. The six mares
stared for a moment, mouths agape. Breaking the silence, Luna spoke, "Greetings,
friends. I apologize for calling you all on only a day's notice." Twilight
gritted her teeth. Luna seemed troubled, but she continued. "The matter of which
I speak to you is of great importance. The fate of Equestria depends on this."
The six friends were disturbed and intrigued. Is Discord back?, wondered
Applejack. Is it the Changelings? Thought Rainbow. "Is this a fanficton?" asked
Pinkie. The ponies in the room looked at her, confused. "Mmm, yep, definitely a
fanfiction. Carry on."
Luna continued, "Before I tell you more, you must swear to never tell another
pony this information."
The mares were hesitant. How could they swear to keep a threat to Equestria
quiet?
Pinkie Pie stepped forwards. Giggling, she swore, "Cross my heart and hope to
fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I promise!"
Rarity took a step forward as well , and said, "I will not tell a soul,
Princess. Trust me, I can keep a secret."
Applejack stood her ground, but swore nonetheless, "Ah promise, yer Highness."
Fluttershy cowered on the floor. She had always been terribly afraid of Luna. "I
p-p-promise," Fluttershy managed to say, regardless of her terror.
"I swear I won't tell anyone, Princess!" Shouted Rainbow triumphantly, as if
there was a contest to see who could swear the loudest.
"Good," Said Luna. "Now, Twilight..."
Luna turned to the student. Twilight's horn was glowing violently. "Twilight?
What-" The purple unicorn let out a blast of dark purple magic, striking Luna in
the chest. The Princess flew backwards, knocking into a bookcase. An avalanch of
books fell on the dark pony.
A chorus of voices cried out at the suddenly violent unicorn.
"Twilight! What in tarnation did you do that for?"
"Twilight! Oh dear, what did you do? You could have hurt the poor Princess."
"Oh no! Of all the worst things that could happen, this is The. Worst. Possible.
Thing!"
"I really hope this isn't a grimdark fanfiction."
"Twilight! What the heck! You just shot a Princess!"
Twilight held up her hoof, silencing them all. "Earlier, you asked if I had
gotten the Princess's letter," She said, "And it's true. I did get a letter
today. It was from a Princess. "She turned to her friends. "But while you got a message from Luna, mine was from Celestia. It had three simple words on it." Twilight put on a grim, determined expression. "Beware of Luna."

Chapter 2

"Careful now, Twi," Applejack warned as Luna rose from the pile of volumes,
"Y'all wouldn't want to hurt the Princess, would ya?"
A look of worry crossed Twilight Sparkle's face. She hesitated.
The brief hesitation was enough. Luna's horn shimmered. And Twilight suddenly
lost the ability to move. Though she told her limbs to walk, they were
stationary. Silent.

A slight smile crept across Luna's face as she assumed a regal pose.
"Now, Twilight Sparkle, can we have a mature conversation without violence?"
Twilight was incredulous. "How- How are you doing this?" she asked through
gritted teeth, "The amount of power- how...?"
Luna's face broke into a grin. "Even with all your studies, you have never heard
of Zodiac magic?" Luna didn't seem very surprised. On the contrary, she appeared
to be rather pleased. "My sister must have been thorough, to keep such a secret
from you."

Twilight racked her brain. Zodiac magic? She had no memory of this type of
sorcery. Perhaps it was from before Nightmare Moon was banished.
"You could never match the power of a Zodiac Mage," Luna scoffed. Twilight fell
to the floor in a jumble of legs.

"Now, lets talk, shall we?" Luna said, stepping forward, "Like I said before,
Equestria is in danger. But unlike many of its former foes, this threat comes
from within. For the second time in history, Equestria is going to war with
itself."

Gasps were heard from the six mares. Rarity collapsed melodramatically, landing
comfortably on Twilight's couch.
Luna's words once again puzzled Twilight. The second time? Though she was well
versed in Equestrian history, she had never read anything that referenced a
civil war.

"Is there a revolt going on?" asked Rainbow. She smacked her fist against her
palm. "Do you want us to crush it?"
"No, Rainbow Dash. That is exactly the opposite of what I want."

Twilight Sparkle was aghast. "Princess Luna," she asked, amazed, "Are you saying
you support this?!"

The dark pony looked into the young unicorns eyes. "Of course I support it. I
did start it, after all."

The six ponies were once again shocked by Luna's revelation.

"But, Princess..." Applejack looked up at the royal figure. "Why?"
Luna responded. "Because this way of life is obsolete. Outdated. Dead.
Twilight, Name three countries other than Equestria."
This question took the pupil by surprise, but she answered quickly, "The
Commonwealth of Glascow, The United Federation of Girrafrica, and The Republic
of New Zebra."

Luna nodded. "All nations on the Equestrian peninsula. Now what is Equestria's
official title?"

"The Solar Empire of Equestria."

Luna glared at Twilight "Empire. Not a Democracy, not a Republic, an Empire. It
doesn't even have a constitution!" Luna's rage was building. "It is tyranny,
plain and simple. Celestia has absolute power. Her will is law. She is, for all
intents and purposes, a goddess," Luna spat. She glared at the mares before her.
"Ponies are going to be oppressed."

Twilight spoke up. "But Celestia has never harmed another pony! She hasn't
oppressed anyone!"

Luna turned on the student, her fury overcoming her demeanor. "And what about
when Celestia dies?! Who can assure us that she will not be replaced by a cruel
dictator?!" Luna stepped back, regaining some of her calm. "The point is,
Twilight, ponies have no say in their government," Luna said shakily, "Celestia
won't even let ponies choose their own jobs!"

"Hey! That's not true. I chose to be on the weather team." Rainbow shouted.
Luna turned to her. "And what if you wanted a different job. Say, shoe-making?"
The cyan pony snorted. "That's ridiculous! I can't make shoes! And even if I
could, shoe-making is lame."

Luna was silent for a moment. Her expression seemed... Troubled. Sad, almost.
"Did you know that Spitfire is a painter?"

Rainbow was startled. "A painter? C'mon, Princess, no Wonderbolt would ever do
anything that lame."

"But she does. She's rather good at it, too. When she speaks about her passion
for art..." Luna's voice trailed of wistfully. "Spitfire loves painting with all
her heart and soul. But she isn't as good at painting as she is at flying." The
anger crept back into Luna's voice, "So she is forced to fly, to do tricks for
the enjoyment of others. Do not mistake me, she enjoys flying, but she loves her
canvas infinitely more."

For the first time that night, Rainbow was speechless. Spitfire, Captain of the
Wonderbolts. An artist? But Celestia wouldn't let her? Could it be true?
"Don't listen to her, RD!" shouted Applejack, "She just wants to take over
Equestria. All she cares about is power. She doesn't want what's best for
anypony but herself!"

Much to Rainbow's surprise, Luna nodded. "Yes. I do want power. And I have the
means to achieve it. So why shouldn't I take it? Nothing holds me back." She
leaned in close to Rainbow and whispered, "What is holding you back?"
The limited roster, Rainbow thought, that's why they won't let me join the
Wonderbolts. She told Luna this.

But Luna shook her head. "No, Rainbow. The Wonderbolts have wanted you for
years. Ever since the first Sonic Rainboom, they have been begging Celestia to
let you join."

W-what? The Wonderbolts asked for me? "Then why didn't I make the team?" Rainbow demanded, "What is holding me back?"

Luna repeated her last sentence. "They have been begging Celestia to let
you join."

"Wait...! You mean..." Rainbow suddenly understood.

"You are an asset to her, Rainbow." said Luna, "A weapon. A tool. She doesn't
want the Element of Loyalty living in Cloudsdale. It would be difficult to
mobilize the Elements quickly if you lived away from the rest. Less convenient."
Luna said all this softly, comforting the young pony. "She does care about you."
That struck something in Twilight. "No!" She shouted, her horn shimmering with
fury, "Princess Celestia does care about us! She loves us! She took me in to be
her private pupil! She worried about me! She made me find my friends!" Her horn
glowed more intensely than ever. "How do you explain that, Princess?" she spat.
Luna did not even look at Twilight. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies
closer." She said quietly.

Twilight bristled with rage. "I AM NOT HER ENEMY!" She screamed.
"Of course not." Replied Luna calmly, "If you were, you would be by her side
24/7. But you aren't her friend either. She sees two classes of creatures:
Enemies and tools. As you said, you are not an enemy to her." Luna stepped
toward the window. "Have you ponies ever wondered why all six of you met?" she
asked, "Do not make the mistake of blaming fate, or coincidence. What are the
odds of all six Elements of Harmony living in the same town? And right next to
the forest that held the Elements themselves? Isn't it a curious coincidence?"
Applejack stepped in. "Luna, ah know what you're implyin' and I don't believe a
word of it. How could she be sure that all six of us would be in the same town?
An' how could she know that we would be friends?"

"Sister always was a master at planning," said Luna, "I rarely could beat her in
a game of chess. Think of the events that made you come here. Rainbow, why did
you come to Ponyville?"

Rainbow Dash thought hard. "Well, I did get expelled from Advanced Flight
Camp... And then I saw an ad for a Wonderbolts show here, and when I got here
there was a house for sale." The memories were becoming clearer with each
passing moment. "It was a cloud house, and it was super cheap. There were three
job openings: Librarian, Weather Team and Animal Caretaker."

Luna cut in, "And you were good friends with Fluttershy at this time, correct?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah. Fluttershy was kicked out of flight camp too. She took
the Animal Caretaker job, and I joined the Weather Team."
Luna looked at Rainbow. "Who controls the flight camp?"
"The head counselor."
"And who makes the Wonderbolt's schedule?"
"Their manager."
"And who controls Ponyville's real estate prices?"
"The mayor."

Luna nodded once more. "These three ponies all happen to report directly to one
pony. Do you know who that is?"
Rainbow bristled. "Celestia."

"Now hold yer horses, Luna." Applejack stepped in, "I've lived in Ponyville my
whole life. She didn't kick me outta nowhere!"

Luna turned to the stout farmer. "Yes. You were the stationary piece. It was you
who determined the location. If you had lived in, say, Fillydelphia, then all of
your friends would have been there too. Of course, it was rather convenient how
the Everfree Forest was so close by."

"What about me, Princess?" Twilight asked angrily.
Luna looked at the young pupil. "Twilight Sparkle. The final piece. Once you
fell into place, the entire plan clicked. You were the easiest to maneuver. No
guesswork involved, just orders."

"And meeeee?" Pinkie asked happily.

Luna chuckled. "Knowing my sister, she probably would have just told you that
Ponyville had lots of parties."

"Ohhhhhhhh. So Celestia was the pony with the mustache!"

Typical, Thought Twilight, All it would take to convince Pinkie to
move was a party. Then a thought struck her. "Princess," Twilight was
puzzled, but still seething. "Why did you come to us? You must have other
pupils. What makes us important?"

"There are two reasons why I came to you ponies specifically. First," a familiar
case appeared out of thin air in front of Luna. It was a blue box, with gems
embedded in it on all sides. Gleaming gold outlined its edges. "I want to give
you these."

"Princess! Those are the Elements of Harmony!" Shouted Twilight, "You stole them
from Canterlot Tower!"

"These Elements belong to you six. Celestia had no right to hoard them."

"Uh, Princess? These don't look like the Elements of Harmony."
"Right you are, Applejack. The Elements were originally golden necklaces, and
their power could only be harnessed when they were together. Even then, their
potency was greatly reduced. The sort of magic that the Elements use is
drastically weakened by the presence of gold. I have transformed them for you.
They now posses the power they were meant to have. For the Element of Kindness,"
Luna lifted a cloak from the case, "Fluttershy, I wove your Element into a cape.
The pony wearing it has the ability to stop violence. On a large scale, it will
be ineffective, but with one or two ponies, it could save lives." The cape was
simple, plain. It was a light brown color, with a hood and a clasp to hold it at
the neck. The clasp was a brilliant pink gem shaped like a butterfly.
Fluttershy grabbed it tightly and retreated to the sofa, curled up. She looked
like she was about to cry.

"For the Element of Laughter," Luna pulled a bright pink trumpet from the case.
"Your element has the power to bring laughter to other ponies. Blowing this
instrument will-"

"I don't like it," said Pinkie Pie matter-of-factly.
"W-what?" Luna replied, shocked.

Pinkie turned up her nose at the princess. "I. don't. like. it. You can keep it.
I am not taking that trumpet."
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's a trumpet."
"What's wrong with trumpets?"
"They're boring."
"*sigh* How can I make it less... Boring, Pinkie?"
"I don't know."
"Would you like some other instrument?"
"How about... An ocarina?"
"An... An ocarina? Really?"
"Yes!" Pinkie was squealing with delight, "A bright blue ocarina!"

Luna slumped. "Fine, Pinkie, I'll turn it into an ocarina." And that was that.
Instead of a pink trumpet, a bright blue ocarina hovered in front of Pinkie.

"Yay!" giggled the pink pony, "You're the best!" Before Luna could react, Pinkie
had her wrapped in a tight hug. The Princess hugged back awkwardly, desperate to
be released. After a few moments, Pinkie did just that. As the grinning pony
stepped back, Luna resumed speaking. "For the Element of Loyalty," Luna now
hoisted a gleaming helmet from the box. "With this you can put courage in the
hearts of any pony who is your ally, and strike fear in the hearts of your
enemies." Rainbow took the helmet. It shined in the candlelight. The piece was
quite obviously military grade, meant for somepony very powerful. Yet, it was a
simple headpiece. Two colors, black and gold, made up the helmet's color scheme.
It looked oddly familiar. Rainbow couldn't place her hoof on it, but...

"Hey!" she exclaimed, coming to a realization, "This is the prop I wore on
Hearth's Warming Eve! Commander Hurricane's helmet."

Luna confirmed the blue pony's assessment. "Correct. That is indeed Commander
Hurricane's helmet. But it is no mere replica."

Twilight stared dumbfounded. "But they could never find any artifacts from the
last tribe leaders! Archeologists have been searching for years!"
0Luna wagged her hoof at Twilight. "Haven't I told you about the secrets Celestia
keeps? Now," She cleared her throat, "The Element of Honesty," Before Luna could
retrieve the element, Applejack approached. She walked right up to the Princess,
stuck her nose in her face and said, "No. I ain't takin' anything from a traitor
like you."

"Perhaps you don't understand. This is not a bribe, Applejack."
"I don't care what it is. I won't accept any presents from you!"
Luna straightened up. "Alright then. It is your decision.

Now then, for the Element of Generosity," Luna lifted a familiar necklace from
the case, "I have changed your Element only slightly, Rarity. Rather than gold,
this necklace is made from silver. You did have a certain fondness for it that
had exceeded the others. It's ability is... Peculiar. Dangerous in the wrong
hands. To put it simply, wearing this gives you the power of persuasion. With
the Element of Generosity, you can make anypony give you almost anything you
want. Money, information, a ride to the Gala, or whatever else pleases you."
Rarity took the necklace and placed it over her head. The purple gem glimmered
from its perch inside the golden mesh. Rarity was mesmerized. Though she had
used the Element twice before, she would never quite become accustomed to the
beauty of the lavender gem.

"And finally, for my sister's 'dear' pupil," Luna turned to face Twilight. "The
Element of Magic. The spark that unites the others. I have something special for
you." She gripped the final object with her hoof and lifted it from the
bejeweled case. A long, simple staff. A knot in the top of it surrounded a gem
shaped like an eight-pointed star. "Twilight? This was once the weapon used by
Star-Swirl the Bearded. This staff is soaked in the magic of the great conjurer.
It will be a useful tool to you, if you are predisposed to use it." Twilight
reached out with her magic to grab the horn telekinetically. But she failed to
find a grip. She tried and tried again, but even with her deepest concentration
she failed to find purchase. Luna sensed her frustration. "The staff of
Star-Swirl is entirely impervious to magic of all kinds. Even the most powerful
of spells can do nothing to affect it."

Twilight reached out again, now with her foreleg. She laid a hoof on the
enchanted wood. Instantly, her vision twisted. Her eyes fogged up, and she felt
dizzy and disoriented. With a cry, Twilight Sparkle blacked out.

Chapter 3

Do you wish to make the covenant?

Twilight Sparkle stood groggily. Darkness surrounded her. She saw nothing but
black for an infinity ahead of her.
Do you wish to make the covenant?

That voice again. It was definitely a mare's. It rang on all sides of Twilight.
It's origin was unclear. "Who are you?" shouted Twilight, "Show yourself!"
The space in front of her shimmered. A figure appeared. It was covered almost
entirely by a long, plain cloak. Her face was concealed by the hood. The
question repeated, clearly coming from the cloaked figure. The garment looked
vaguely familiar to Twilight.
Do you wish to make the covenant?

"What covenant? Who are you? Why am I here?" Twilight stamped her hoof in
frustration. "Where IS here, exactly?"

The figure was silent for a moment.
Do you wish to make-
"No! I don't want to make your covenant!"
...What a shame.
"Who are you?" Twilight repeated, more curious now than angry.
I cannot tell you that.
"Well I have to call you something."
You may call me Clover.
"Fine, Clover. My name is Twilight Sparkle. Now where am I?"
What do you last remember?
"I was in Ponyville Library, with my-"
Then you are in Ponyville Library.
What? This can't be the Library. Unless...
"This is an empathy link."
Correct. Touching the staff of the High Astronomer forms an empathy link with
the guardian.
"High Astronomer? This is Star-Swirl the Bearded's staff."
Star-Swirl was the founder and first High Astronomer of our order.
"Order? What order?"
...I have said more than I should have.
"What are you talking ab-"
Mention our meeting to no one. Farewell, Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight stood in the library. Her hoof clutched the staff of Star-Swirl. Her
eyes were set on Luna. She blinked dazedly. "How long was I out?"
"Out?" Applejack asked. "What do you mean 'out?'"

Of course. The encounter had taken no time at all. Such was usually the case
with empathy links, but this was Twilight's first experience. How strange. What
covenant was Clover talking about? What order was she part of? Why did that
cloak look so familiar?

Clover… she called herself the guardian. Guardian of what?
Twilight realized that ponies were staring at her. She laughed nervously. "It's
nothing. I just... I was just so excited to be holding Starswirl's staff."
Applejack raised an eyebrow. She could tell that Twilight was lying.
Should I confront her? Wondered the farmpony. No. She was probably
hiding something from Luna. I'll just ask her about it later.

"My ponies," said Luna, "Whichever side you choose today, these Elements are
rightfully yours. My sister had no right to withhold them from you. But the
Elements were not the only reason I came to Ponyville." Luna pulled a large
scroll from the chest. She placed it on the floor in the middle of all the
ponies. Slowly, she unraveled it. "Do you see? Now you understand why this
town's allegiance is so vital."

It was a map of Equestria. Twilight was puzzled. What did this have to do with
Ponyville?

She took a closer look. It was definitely Equestria, but the map was altered.
Instead of a single nation, the territory was split between three regions. In
the South, bordering Glascow was a strip of land, smaller than the others but
still sizable, containing several big, industrial cities such as Baltimare and
Las Pegasus. The legend marked this territory as the New Lunar Republic. In the
North lay the Solar Empire of Equestria, with the largest borders. At its edge
was Canterlot, marked as the capital. And in between these two nations was a
narrow strip of land. The map legend told Twilight that this land was disputed.
And at the heart of the disputed territories sat none other than...

"Ponyville," Twilight whispered. Luna nodded. "Your town will be at the center
of this conflict. Celestia will do everything in her power to keep this town,
and I will do everything I can to control it as well."
"But... Why do y'all want Ponyville so bad? It ain't a big town."

"It is directly southwest of Canterlot. If I took it, I would threaten the
Empire's capital city and, indeed, Celestia herself. My sister will commit
hundreds of troops to stop this from falling into my hooves. It is also in close
proximity of the Everfree, and is a necessary stop along the Griffon Railway.
Though Ponyville is not large, it's strategic location makes it vital.
War is fast approaching Ponyville. The battle fought here will be one of the
fiercest in Equestrian history. Now is the time to decide. Will you remain
foolishly loyal to your cruel Princess, or will you join the me and New Lunar
Republic for a free Equestria?"

"No! We ain't joining you!" Applejack shouted, "You're a traitor, Luna! We stand
with Celestia, right girls?"
Silence fell over the small library.
"...Girls?"

Fluttershy broke down into tears. Sobbing, she said, "I just... I don't want to
fight, I- I'm scared."

All ponies stared at Fluttershy. They had forgotten that such a sensitive pony
was with them.

"Now look at what you've done," said Applejack, "You want us to pick sides? What
about ponies like Fluttershy? She wouldn't hurt a fly, and you're asking her to
fight for you?"

Luna ignored the seething farmpony. She approached the small yellow pony who lay
blubbering on the floor. "Fluttershy, you may remain neutral. Stay in your hut,
care for your pets, I will not make you fight anyone."
Fluttershy looked up at Luna, tears in her eyes. "Th-th-thank you, P-princess."
Luna nodded. "Pinkie Pie? Have you made your decision?"
Pinkie thought hard for a moment. "You said that there's a war coming, right?"
"Yes," Luna replied.
"And wars have soldiers, right?"
"Naturally."
"And soldiers need food, right?"
"Well... Yes."
"And cupcakes are food, right?"
"I- I suppose."

Pinkie giggled triumphantly. "Then I'm gonna make cupcakes!"
Luna sighed. "Pinkie, which side are you making cupcakes for?"
"All the sides, silly! Everypony needs cupcakes!"

Hmm, thought Twilight, so Pinkie Pie will be neutral too. "Rarity? What about
you?"

Rarity was looking at the floor, but the conflict in her mind was clear. "I'm
not sure, your majesty," Rarity said, "It is a difficult choice to make on the
spot."

"Are you worried about your friends, Rarity? Worried that you won't all stay
together?" Luna leaned in closer to the fashionista, "I'm sorry, but there is a
war on the horizon. Your choice will affect the lives of ponies across
Equestria. If you-"

Applejack bucked the Princess in the jaw. The force sent Luna flying into
another bookcase. "If you don't stop tellin' your lies, I'll make you stop!"
said the farmer through gritted teeth. She couldn't stand to just sit there and
listen to Luna try to turn Rarity into a traitor. Applejack trotted over to
where Luna lay dazed. Celestia be my witness, I will stop Luna from taking over
Equestria, she thought as she raised a hoof to kick Luna's head.

Applejack got her karmic dues as Rainbow knocked her away from the Princess with
a flying tackle. The ponies tumbled to the floor. "Rainbow! What the hay are you
doing?" asked Applejack, as she wrestled with her Pegasus friend.

"Stopping you from killing Princess Luna!" Rainbow angrily said in reply.
Applejack bucked hard, sending the cyan pony flying in the air. Not the smartest
move, as 'flying in the air' happened to be Rainbow's specialty. Wheeling
around, she dove at AJ while the farmpony was still getting up. A flying punch
sent the orange mare soaring into yet another bookcase.

If they keep this up, I'll have to re-shelve the whole library, thought
Twilight. She subsequently dismissed the thought, realizing that with two of her
best friends locked in combat and her country on the brink of a civil war, the
Derpy Decimal System was the least of her worries.

Applejack lunged at Rainbow, narrowly missing the Pegasus as she soared higher.
Rainbow swooped to the nearest bookshelf and knocked the entire Daring Do
series onto Applejack's head. Luckily for the orange pony, Twilight only stocked
the paperback version.

Luna stood. Her horn glowed softly. Rainbow Dash plummeted as her wings failed
to move. Applejack's legs were similarly immobilized.

"Ponies, please, there is no need for violence."
Though her limbs were paralyzed, Applejack was still able to speak. "Rainbow!
Why in Equestria did you attack me?"
"Because you attacked the Princess!"
"Stop shouting, you two. The war-"
"The Princess is trying to overthrow Celestia-"
"She was talking! Luna hasn't done anything-"
"SILENCE!"

The ponies complied. Luna cleared her throat. "Thank you. As I was saying, your
choice tonight will affect ponies across Equestria. Rarity?" she turned to the
white pony, "Have you decided yet?"

"I-I have, your highness. I will stay with Celestia." Luna frowned,
disappointed. "Rainbow Dash? Will you join me and-"
"Yes," Rainbow said firmly, "I'm with you, Luna."

Applejack stared at her, aghast. "Rainbow! What the hay are you doing?
Y'all are supposed to be the Element of Loyalty! An' now you're going to betray
your country? Your Princess?"

Rainbow whirled around to face her friend, eyes blazing. "And what do you know
about loyalty? Huh? My country? My Princess?" She spat, "What has
Celestia done for me? Until tonight, I never owned the Element of Loyalty.
She did. Some ponies would be happy with Celestia controlling their
lives. But not me." Rainbow turned away. "If I stay with Celestia," she said
coldly, "Then I am disloyal to my own principals."

"Well," said Luna, "I am glad you have chosen the Lunar Republic, miss Dash.
That leaves only one pony to decide." she turned to the purple unicorn,
"Twilight?"

Chapter 4

"Get up, Spike. We're leaving."

Spike awoke with a start. "Wha...? What?" He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Where?"

Twilight hastily packed her saddlebags. "I don't know. Somewhere. Anywhere."
She had to leave. She couldn't stay in Ponyville. Not with a war coming.

"Wait, Twilight!" said Spike, stumbling out of bed, "What happened?"
Twilight took a deep breath. "I'll explain on the way. Pack your things. We're
leaving." her eyes hardened. "Now."
"But..."
"NOW, Spike."
The baby dragon gulped. "OK."

Twilight went back to packing. She had little space in her saddlebags. What to
bring? Basic provisions, of course. Dried apples, nuts, and a few dandelions.
It would last her about three days. That was only enough time to travel to a small town like Hoofington, unless she took the railway. She would have to resupply there. She levitated her purse above her bags and emptied the contents. Only about 20 bits. She stomped downstairs and
stood in front of the bookshelves. Egghead, E, E... There! The Egghead's
Guide to Finance. She pulled it out with her teeth and tosses it to the ground.
The book was unimportant. It was what lay behind the tome that mattered. In an
unremarkable bag in the unremarkable compartment was a remarkable amount of
coin. 1200 bits. A lifetime's savings. Of course, it was a lifetime that never
had a job until 2 years ago, but it was worthwhile nonetheless. She carried the
money back up to her saddlebags. After securing the knot, she placed the sack
inside her right saddlebag. Money, check. Food, check. Clothes? Twilight
pulled a dark folded outfit from her wardrobe. She unceremoniously threw it into
her left saddlebag. Check. The bags were now bulging. She had a bit of
space in the right bag. "What else, what else..." her eyes lit up. The
map!

Twilight rushed back to the library and looked at the table. It was still there,
Luna had left it. Twilight grabbed the map in her teeth. At least now she knew
what areas to avoid. She started upstairs, but something caught her eye.
Star-Swirl's staff lay on the floor, next to a pile of books. Empathy
link... Twilight had little knowledge on the subject of empathy links. She
had read about them in the Encyclopedia Magica, but that had been brief and
vague and Twilight honestly had no reason to do further research. "I wonder..."
Twilight pulled a book titled Encyclopedia Magica: E-D from the
bookshelf. She flipped through the pages, looking for the article. Empathy...
Empathy... There! Twilight read the short paragraph.

Empathy links are spells that form a mental bond with two ponies. Once
formed, the ponies can telepathically reach out to one another to activate the
link. While the empathy link is activated, both ponies will be in the mind of
one of the ponies. That pony has near absolute power, as it is their own mind.
However, if either pony is harmed in this mental landscape, the link will be
severed. Empathy links are very difficult to form, and can cause psychological
damage if performed poorly. The empathy link was invented by Dr. Bab E. Lon, as
one spell in his famous research of language enchantments.

"Interesting..." Twilight glanced back to the staff. It hadn't moved.
How can a pony be inside an item? Questions rose to the surface of her
mind. Questions about Clover, about her order, about Starswirl. Inquisitive
thoughts bubbled within her. I'll ask Clover. She has to be able to tell me
something, right? Twilight looked back at Starswirl's staff, focusing her
mind. She closed her eyes and reached out. For a split-second, she felt
something. Then, it was gone.

Twilight opened her eyes to see blackness everywhere.
Do you wish to-

"No, Clover. I am here for answers. And I won't stop until I get some."

Clover was silent for a moment. Then, her cloaked form shimmered in front of
Twilight.
Ask, she said.

Twilight had so many questions. More than she could count. She blurted out the
first that came to her mind, "Where have I seen that cloak before?"

Clover stared blankly. Twilight could sense her expression, even though she
could not see Clover's face.

This garment has always been in my possession. If you have seen it, it must
have been after I passed on.
Twilight was baffled. "Passed on? As in... Died?"

Clover nodded. When I agreed to become guardian of the High Astronomer's
staff, a part of my soul was extracted from my body. The soul fragment was
imparted upon the staff, such that I would be able to provide counsel and
guidance to its owner, the High Astronomer. The rest of my soul lives on, or
more likely, lived on in my original body.

"When did this happen? How long ago?"

I do not know the present date, but I have been here since 207 D.R. It was
ruled that I should guard the staff at The Third Council of Minneapony.

"D.R.?! As in Discord's Reign? That was over a thousand years ago!"
A thousand years...? I wonder, does my order still survive?

"That was my next question. What is the order you are talking about?"
I cannot say. We are sworn to secrecy, to never tell an outsider.

Twilight was getting impatient. "Clover, by the sound of things, your order is
long gone. Can't you at least tell me who they were?"

Clover didn't speak. She seemed to be pondering something. Finally she said,
Lets make a deal, Twilight Sparkle. You are as curious about the order as I
am of its fate. I am bound to not speak of them to an outsider. However, you may
come to learn about them.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" Asked Twilight, suspicious.

I will give you directions, and if you follow them, you will learn all you
wish about the order. I, in turn, will learn what had become of them.
Twilight thought for a moment. Clover was difficult to read, as her face was
covered by a hood and her body language masked by a long, flowing cape. But she
seemed trustworthy enough. And besides, Twilight had no other leads. She didn't
trust either princess right now. Clover was her ticket to being more than just a
pawn. She grinned.
"Deal."

Chapter 5

Two silhouettes moved down a dirt road. One was clearly equine, though he couldn't tell if it was a stallion or a mare. It carried a long staff with a jewel set into the top, emitting a light glow. The other was a tiny fellow, slouched across the pony's back and snoring loudly enough to awaken a deaf pony. He wasn't deaf though. In fact, he was quite a light sleeper, with excellent hearing. It took him less than a second to size up the two of them. Travelers, no doubt, but not fighters. That was the important bit. A good highwaypony could tell in an instant whether or not a pony would fight back. If they did, he would be in trouble. He wasn't a fighter. Why should he be? It was the threat of force that convinces ponies, not the application. And he was good at convincing ponies. The silhouette of the pony started to speak. “Alright Spike, this looks like a good place to stop.” A mare's voice. He grinned. Even better. Mares never fought back. These two would make him a nice little profit to bring to Mr. Ranger.

The mare laid her belongings in a small clearing beside the road. The small figure named Spike groggily assisted her. Her horn began to glow. 'A magician,' he thought, surprised. The ground around the two figures warped, and large tree branches emerged from the soil. They rapidly grew to form a tiny hut of leaves and branches. 'And a powerful one at that.' He shook his head. 'No matter,' he thought, 'Even powerful wizards are usually cowards.' He watched as the two began to move their things into the makeshift shelter. 'Now or never.' He stepped out of the bushes calmly. “Hello there, young miss!” Rapparee Rookwood said brightly, “I have come to relieve you of your purse.”

Twilight Sparkle turned to face her foe. It was an elegant looking pony, with a steel blue coat and a golden mane. His face was difficult to see in the dark night, but it was clear that he held a rather sharp rapier, and even clearer that the sharp end of the weapon was pointed directly at her. She thought furiously for a moment. She couldn't afford to lose her money. She considered trying to talk him out of it, but dismissed the thought immediately. He was probably used to ponies trying to convince him that he shouldn't take their life savings at sword point. She glanced at Starswirl's staff. It was a few feet away, its lower end peeking out of her shelter. Twilight didn't know many combat spells. In fact, she only knew one. Magic Missile. Looking back at the highwaypony, she knew that it wouldn't be enough. She was exhausted from a long night of walking, and had little strength. But if she could reach her staff... “O-ok,” Twilight said, trying her best to sound shaky, “M-my bits are in my shelter.” She moved to get them, but a sharp rapier pressed itself against her neck. “I think I am capable of fetching them myself, don't you?”

'Not good,' thought Twilight. There was no way she could get to Starswirl's staff now. Raparree moved around Twilight, keeping his eye on her hooves and his sword on her neck. He stopped. He now stood directly between Twilight and the staff.

The highwaypony let out a sudden yelp. He turned his head to see a small but determined baby dragon, its jaws clamped around his tail. Twilight smiled. Spike could always be counted on. “Get off me, you foul lizard!” shouted the highwaypony, shaking his tail to try to dislodge Spike. Twilight ran past him and grabbed Starswirl's staff. She let her magical energy flow through her and into the staff. She turned and fired a bolt of energy right at the attacker. It hit him in the chest, sending him flying. He hit the ground with a thud, unconscious.

Rapparee Rookwood opened his eyes. He felt a soft warmth on his side. “Oh, you're awake,” came a voice. He sat up groggily. He was sitting next to a fire, the first rays of dawn breaking through the clouds. A purple-coated pony was moving towards him. “I was wondering when you would get up.” He squinted. She seemed vaguely familiar. He tried to think of where he had seen her before. His head throbbed. Dear Celestia, what had happened? His eyes widened as he remembered. “You...!” He gasped, scrambled back defensively. “Hey, it's OK,” she said, smiling, “I won't hurt you. Well, not unless I have to. Again.” Rapparee looked around for his sword. It was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, the purple mare was still coming towards him, with a friendly expression on her face. “Calm down. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” She stuck out her hoof. He shook it hesitantly “Rapparee. Rapparee Rookwood.” 'Why was she being so kind to him?' he wondered, 'I tried to rob her! And then she nearly killed me!' He tried to get his bearings. They were in the same small clearing that he had been knocked unconscious in. Twilight's staff lay on the other side of it, with her other belongings. It was a powerful weapon, but it would do him no good. He was an earth pony. It would be as useful as a stick. In fact, in his hooves, it was a stick.

Twilight held out a small plate to him. “Here. You must be hungry. I found a wild fig tree nearby, so I have food to spare. Go on.” Rapparee ate the proffered fruit. He was beginning to feel better. “What time is it?” He asked between bites. “About 6:30,” replied Twilight, “Though you have been out for more than a day.” Rapparee stopped with the food still in his mouth. “You mean...? You mean I've been here for over 30 hours?” This was not good. He was supposed to check in with Mr. Ranger every day. They would be out looking for him soon. “Listen, Twilight,” he said urgently, dropping the plate, “You need to get out of here. Fast. Leave me here and run.” If the boys found out that he had been beaten by a naive young mare like Twilight, he would be out of the gang for sure. And Mr. Ranger didn't like loose ends. “I can't just leave you here to terrorize this road,” said Twilight, “I am going to turn you in.”

'Turn me in...' thought Rapparee, 'It would at least be an alternative to facing Mr. Ranger.' “OK then,” he said quickly, “You can turn me in to the royal guard at the next town. Lets get moving then.” He stood up.

“Leaving so soon, Rookie?” Twilight and Rapparee turned to see a rapier wielding pony standing on the road. “J-Jack! You, uh...” he gulped, “what are you, uh... I was just about to check in with the boss, but I uh...”

“Oh, do be quiet, Rookie,” said the gray coated highwaypony, “You know the rules. If you don't check in with the boss every day, I come looking.” His face brightened he saw Twilight. “Why, hello there young miss! And what are you doing with a big, bad highwaypony like Rookie here?”

Twilight faced him determinedly. “I am turning him in.”

'Oh, Celestia,' thought Rapparee, 'Is she really that foolish?'

Jack seemed amused. “Oh, Are you now?” he said with a grin, “Well, Mr. Ranger doesn't like it when one of his boys gets arrested. So I'm afraid I can't let you do that.”

“Surely we could come to some arrangement,” said Rapparee quickly. “Perhaps she can buy my contract?” 'Everyone has a price,' he thought, and for the first time in his life he hoped his was low. He had only a bit of pocket cash, and when the truth got out he wanted to be either miles away from the boss or not his problem anymore. He would prefer the latter. Mr. Ranger found things out fast, and Rapparee didn't like running.

“I think I had better take you two to see the boss,” said Jack slowly.

The three ponies arrived at a small barn. Jack trotted up to the barn doors and knocked five times. “Six-String Jack?” came a voice from the inside. “The one and only,” replied Jack with a smile. The door swung open. He turned to the ponies behind him. “Don't even consider running,” he said. They considered it anyways.

The three ponies trotted into the single room of the barn. Seated on various hay bales, barrels and woodpiles were ponies of every type and color. Some were playing cards, some were eating, some were sleeping. A few even held instruments, playing tunes for the others to general apathy. They did not seem mean, or brutish. They actually carried themselves about with an air of gentleness. “Mr. Ranger!” Shouted Six-String Jack, “I've got a pony here who wants to buy Rookie's contract!”

A large figure dropped down from the rafters, hitting the ground with a thud. It was a golden stallion with a dark brown mane. He wore a large stetson. “That so?” said the pony, grinning toothily, “Ace, mate! I can always make a heap of moolah when a bloke buys his contract!” Twilight furrowed her brow. Even with her extensive vocabulary, she only understood about half of that sentence. “The name's Bush,” said the stallion, ”Bush Ranger.”

Mr. Ranger was not what Twilight had expected at all. She imagined a cigar smoking, suit wearing mob boss with no sense of humor and a necktie that cost more than her house. Admittedly, she got the house for free. Still, for a pony with no job, free was at least a year's wages. Instead, she got a grinning, energetic young stallion with a Sydneigh accent.

“Don't mistake him,” said Rapparee under his breath, “He's ruthless. The friendly energy is just an act. Stay on your guard.” he glanced around before adding, “And be ready to run.”

“Where are my manners? I'm lairing it up! Jack, grab me a stubby and get these folks some tea.”

“Yes, right away sir,” said Jack with a slight smile.

“Now, where were we? Oh yeah! Buying his contract, eh?” asked Mr. Ranger, “You little ripper!”

“Er, sir,” said Jack hesitantly, “The teapot is broken.”

Mr. Ranger's face fell. “The billy's cactus? Crikey, I thought it would last. No drama, get our friends some damper. And my stubby.” He turned back to his guests. “Sorry about old jack, the ocker's not the full quid, eh? Now,” He settled into a hay bale, “Let's talk price. What do you say to...” he thought for a moment, “4,000 bits.”

Twilight's mouth dropped. “4,000? Are you serious? I don't even own-” Rapparee placed a hoof over her mouth, cutting her off.

“C'mon, uh, mate,” said Rapparee desperately, “That's pretty, er, exy. Can't you, uh, give a bloke a fair go?”

Bush Ranger was silent for a time. He stared at them blankly. Then his face broke into a grin. “Ah, Rookie. You know I love a dag. Alright,” He crossed his forelegs, “make me an offer, and we can haggle.”

“How much money did you say you had?” whispered Rapparee out of the corner of his mouth. “1,200,” said Twilight.

“2,400!” said Rapparee.

“3,500” replied Bush.

Rapparee gulped. “2,600”

Bush Ranger narrowed his eyes. “3,200”

“2,700”

“3,000”

“Get ready to run,” Rapparee whispered to Twilight.

“2,700”

“2,900”

“2,800”

“Deal”

Rapparee nudged Twilight. “Now,” he whispered.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” he said to Bush Ranger with a smile. He looked at Twilight. Without another word, they turned, took a few casual steps towards the door, and took off in the approximate direction of not here.