Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

Onyx and Anya walked off into the Everfree Forest, each of the equines nursing their injuries. Onyx, for his part, wasn't that badly injured. He might have a large bruise on his back in the morning, but he'd live. Anya, on the other hoof, was in much worse shape. Sure, Julius attempted to heal her, but he didn't accomplish much due to his lack of energy and inexperience in healing. The wounds from her fight showed with every step. Anya's injured hoof was slightly limping with every step.

"If you're looking for mercy, you can forget it," Onyx said to Anya. "You were not meant to interfere with Julius's test, and you know that," Onyx chastised Anya.

"Oh please, Onyx," Anya lightly laughed, "if I weren't expecting to get hurt, then I wouldn't have interfered," Anya winced as she limped through the thick undergrowth of the Everfree Forest.

"You still shouldn't have interfered!" Onyx seemingly pouted, earning a chuckle from Anya.

"Your sister was right!" Anya cooed. "You're so cute!" Anya remarked as she looked at Onyx's pouting face. "Come here, cutie!" Anya called to a retreating Onyx.

"Starsdamnit Anya! I'm a scout in the Reĝa Akva Stelo Coven!" Onyx shot at Anya as he backed away from her. "Stop treating me like I'm some helpless foal!" Onyx commanded the slightly giggling mare.

"I know, I know," Anya chuckled as she collected herself. "You're still a stallion, though, and need protecting," Anya said while earning a glare from Onyx. "I know, I know, your whole Stallion's rights thing," Anya sighed as she ducked under a branch. "But seriously, come here. I could do with some love," Anya told Onyx as she limped up to him.

"Fine," Onyx grumbled as he nuzzled with Anya. "You have to stop treating me like a foal, though," Onyx said as excess love energy flowed from him and into Anya. "I'm a fully grown thestral now," Onyx protested as Anya absorbed the spare love energy.

"Yes, I know," Anya said as she stopped nuzzling Onyx, "but you're a stallion. You know that there are far fewer stallions than mares. So you know that you have to be careful and be protected," Anya reminded Onyx. "Besides, your sister would kill me if anything happened to you," Anya remarked. "Tartarus, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't take kindly to Julius, considering he harmed her 'most precious treasure,'" Anya laughed as she and Onyx walked deeper into the Everfree Forest.

"Cut it out, Anya," Onyx blushed, "that nickname is embarrassing."

"Oh, come now, Onyx," Anya smiled as she lightly nudged him. "I think it's cute that your big sister loves her little brother so much," Anya admitted as she dodged an errant tree branch.

"I know, you've said so on so many occasions that I've stopped keeping track," Onyx sighed. "It's just, my sister never even considered another stallion," Onyx again sighed as he hopped over a small hole in the path.

"OK, so she skipped the courtesy of waiting until she was in her mid-thirties to herd with a stallion family member," Anya conceded. "So what? She loves you all the same," Anya told Onyx as the two went down a very well hidden path.

"I know," Onyx yelped as he barely dodged a spiky branch. "It's just, what if I want more mares? I'm a little afraid of what she'd do to them," Onyx told Anya, who just lightly smiled at him.

"You don't have to worry about that," Anya comforted Onyx. "I'll talk to Laurina about it," Anya told Onyx. "Though I do wonder, who exactly are these 'more mares' you're thinking of, hmmm," Anya teased as she leaned closer to Onyx. Onyx just looked away and blushed slightly. "Am I perhaps one of these mares?" Anya devilishly grinned.

"This conversation is going nowhere!" Onyx defensively said as he puffed out his chest and started to walk ahead of Anya.

"By the Maiden, I am, aren't I?" Anya giggled while trying to hop towards Onyx, only to fall, thanks to her injured hoof.

"Stars take you," Onyx sighed as he walked over to Anya and helped her up. "What will I ever do with you?" Onyx asked, shaking his head while helping Anya up.

"Well," Anya started to say, a smirk growing on her face, "if you had it your way, I'm guessing breeding, maybe some cuddling, perhaps some walks by the lake," Anya joked, much to Onyx's embarrassment.

"Would you stop it, please?" Onyx pleaded as the two continued down the hidden path. With each step down the trail, Anya became more aware of Onyx's gaze on her.

"See anything you like?" Anya teased as she flared out her wings.

"I'm just worried about your injury. It would be bad if you kept falling," Onyx sighed as Anya draped one of her wings over Onyx's back.

"Come now," Anya coyly whispered. "You can tell me the truth," Anya teases while gently nibbling at his ear.

"OK, OK, fine," Onyx says while blushing. "Yes, I have thought of you in that way," Onyx admits while avoiding Anya's gaze. "There, are you happy?" Onyx asked his cheeks almost as red as Anya's chitinous skin.

"There, there, was that so hard?" Anya chuckled as she dragged her wing across Onyx's back. "It's OK, your big changeling sister understands," Anya cooed as she rubbed her cheek against Onyx's cheek. "I'm OK with sharing your bed with you and your sister," Anya said, winking at Onyx.

"Come on, Anya, don't tease me like that!" Onyx blustered, his face growing even redder.

"Oh dear sweet Onyx," Anya started to say in a singsong voice, "who said I was teasing?" Anya asked as she kissed Onyx's cheek.

"I, ummm, I uhhh," Onyx stammered. Not paying attention to his surroundings, Onyx walked headfirst into a tree.

"Oh, Onyx, never stop being cute," Anya chuckled as she helped Onyx recover. Shaking his head clear, Onyx just gave Anya a bashful look before turning his attention to the path. Going down the winding path, Onyx and Anya followed the nearly perfectly hidden trail. If the clues to Zecora's house were difficult to spot, then these were borderline impossible to see. Cutting through some of the roughest brush the Everfree could offer, the two made their way through dense brambles and various poisonous plants.

"Almost there," Onyx said with a sigh. "How are you doing, Anya?" Onyx asked as he looked beside him.

"Don't worry about me," Anya confidently told Onyx as she followed beside him. "I'm a strong mare; I'll be OK," Anya winks as she falls slightly behind Onyx.

"No, Anya," Onyx said as he walked behind Anya. "You take the lead here. If you start to fall, then I'll be able to catch you," Onyx told Anya as he walked carefully behind Anya.

"Awww, you do care," Anya chuckled as she took the lead. Anya started to walk along the cliff edge, being very mindful of her footing. The edge was a near straight fall down; sure, both Anya and Onyx had wings, but the shock of falling suddenly still wasn't pleasant. Anya kept her footing well; sure, the ledge was narrow, but not so thin that an equine would have trouble crossing. Now a minotaur or something larger would have great difficulty passing over the ridge. Step by measured step, Anya and Onyx carefully made their way across the cliff's edge.

"Finally across that gap," Onyx sighed in relief as he finished crossing the edge.

"It's good to walk over that," Anya said as she rolled her shoulders. "Best not to get too used to flying over everything," Anya chuckled as the two continued down the trail towards the coven.

"I know right," Onyx chuckled as he walked beside Anya. "I swear some pegasi fly so much that they forget how to walk," Onyx joked as Anya laughed. As the winding trail came to a clearing, Anya and Onyx walked into the middle of the clearing. "Might as well prepare now," Onyx sighed as he gathered himself.

"No time like the present," Anya comforted. "Hey, Laurina, we're back!" Anya shouted at a cliff-face. Nothing happened. "A stickler for the rules," Anya sighed while walking up to the cliff-face. "As night falls, we shall head out. We heed the stars' calls, and they plot our route," Anya said to the cliff-face. As Anya finished talking, a magical glow surrounded a section of the cliff-face. For the briefest of moments, that section shimmered and shone before it became transparent. "Stallions first," Anya said to Onyx, who just rolled his eyes. As the pair walked into the now open entrance, a slightly larger thestral came barreling towards Onyx.

"Welcome back, sweetie!" A feminine voice sang as the female thestral tightly embraced Onyx.

"Geez, Laurina," Anya lightly laughed as she entered. "Give the poor stallion a break; remember the test," Anya reminded Laurina as the entrance closed behind the two.

"I know," Laurina disapprovingly said. "It should have been me to go, not my dear sweet little brother," Laurina said as she tightly embraced Onyx against her tuff.

"Mhhhph," Oynx muffled as he finally broke free of his sister's embrace. "Sister, if you went, then you two would have battered each other senseless," Onyx told Laurina as he took a few steps back from her.

"I might still have to if he hurt you," Laurina told Onyx as she went to nuzzle him.

"He got in a solid hit, but I'm fine," Onyx told Laurina as he looked at Anya. "Anya though took far more damage," Onyx said as Anya limped up to Laurina.

"That crazy human," Anya chuckled. "Instead of dodging, he punched my diving hoof. At least I gave it as hard as I took it," Anya laughed while Onyx sighed.

"Yes, and he got a solid strike on your back," Onyx reminded Anya.

"Please, don't remind me. My back is still killing me," Anya said as Laurina walked up to Anya.

"He attacked you? Why did he attack you?" Laurina asked, her voice steeped in concern.

"Anya interfered in the test. After Julius caught me, she jumped in," Onyx told his sister, while Anya just sheepishly laughed.

"Anya," Laurina firmly said, "you know you were not supposed to interfere in the test. I ordered you to watch out for my Onyx, nothing else," Laurina chastised Anya while tapping a hoof against the ground.

"I know, I couldn't resist, though," Anya told Laurina while lightly patting Laurina's back with one of her wings. "Besides, I gave it to Julius pretty well, so don't worry about paying him back for anything he did to Onyx," Anya told Laurina.

"Anya, you'll worry my sister if you say that," Onyx said as Laurina ran up to Onyx. "Relax, sister, I'm fine. I just got thrown to the ground and took a hit to the back of my neck. Trust me, Anya got the worst of things," Onyx tried to comfort his sister.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Laurina firmly said. "Not only are you a stallion, but you're my brother. I don't care why; you should never get harmed," Laurina cooed as she nuzzled her brother.

"Stars curse you, Laurina," Onyx cursed as she struggled against his sister's nuzzling. "I'm a fully grown thestral; stop treating me like this!" Onyx exclaimed as he tried to break away from his sister. "For star's sake, I'm in the military! Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get in?" Onyx reminded his sister as she nuzzled him.

"I know, as a stallion, it's difficult," Laurina said as she lightly rocked Onyx's head in her wings. "If I had it my way, you never would have joined. Even as a scout on patrol, it can be perilous. You really should be back home, planning our family," Laurina cooed as Anya laughed.

"Starsdamnit, Laurina!" Onyx exclaimed at Laurina's statement. "Stallions can do more than merely stay at home and tend to the household," Onyx protested.

"Yes, yes, your stallion's rights thing," Laurina sighed. "You know you have it better here than in Equestria, right? I mean, sure, we're no Zebrica or any of the splinter countries of the former Griffon Empire, but still, you have it quite good," Laurina reminded Onyx.

"I know, I'm still going to push for more, though," Onyx said as Anya ruffled his mane.

"Ever the idealist," Anya laughed as she looked at Laurina. "Listen, my hoof is still in pretty bad shape. I'm going to go to medical and get it fixed up. I'll see you two later," Anya told the pair as she started to fly off. "Oh, and don't forget to give your sister your report," Anya reminded Onyx as she flew off into the hollowed-out mountain.

"Ah right," Onyx chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck with a hoof.

"Yes, the report," Laurina said as she took a few steps away from Onyx. Clearing her throat, Laurina prepared to speak. "Master Corporal Onyx Glowerwing," Laurina started to say as she regained her composure, "you were given a mission by the Coven Council to investigate and subsequently test the human known as Julius. Seeing that you have returned, I suspect that you have finished your assignment. I expect a full report on my desk within four hours!" Laurina commanded.

"Yes, General Coveness Glowerwing!" Onyx responded. "The Report shall be on your desk within four hours, General Coveness Glowerwing!" Onyx finished responding.

"Very good. Dismissed!" Laurina commanded as she walked off towards her office.

"You'd think having a big sister as a general and on the council would have made me getting into the military easier," Onyx started to mumble once he was alone. "But no~" Onyx exaggeratedly said, "instead of helping, she tried to block it," Onyx sighed as he started to walk off towards the barrack. As Onyx walked off towards the barracks, soft gems twinkled from the ceiling, lighting the massive cave; it was like the stars themselves illuminated the cave. Looking up at the cave ceiling, Onyx sighed. Paperwork sucked, but it had to get done; after all, it's what the bureaucracy wants. And as always, the bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy. Absentmindedly walking towards the barrack, Onyx ignored the thestrals and reformed changelings around him. As he approached the barrack, the doors opened up.

"Oh, you're back, Onyx," a female voice said as Onyx entered the building. "How did your 'special assignment' go?" the female thestral teased as she lightly bumped his shoulder.

"I think it went well, Xiaolee," Onyx responded as he made his way to one of the barrack offices.

"Awww, not going to say more than that?" Xiaolee moaned. "Come on; your top-secret assignment was all the talk of the barrack," Xiaolee pleaded with Onyx.

"For the umpteenth time, no," Onyx firmly told Xaiolee. "Although you did just remind me of something," Onyx said as he made his way to Major Alarie's office.

"Going to the Major, why?" Xaiolee asked as she followed Onyx.

"You, you and the others in the barracks, that's why," Onyx responded before stopping by a door. Knocking firmly at the door, Onyx piped up, "Major Alarie? Master Corporal Onyx Glowerwing, requesting a meeting!" Onyx sounded off before the door. Moments passed in silence.

"Enter!" A single command came from the room. Leaving Xiaolee behind, Onyx entered the office. Looking around, Onyx noticed a single thestral behind a desk, with four guards standing at attention in the room. "Why have you requested this meeting, Master Corporal Glowerwing?" The thestral behind the desk asked.

"Major Alarie, as you know, I've been given a top-secret assignment," Onyx started to say.

"Yes, yes, and it's been the talk of the barracks for the last month. What of it, Master Corporal Glowerwing?" Major Alarie asked while cutting Onyx off.

"My assignment has been completed," Onyx continued. "General Coveness Laurina Glowerwing wishes for a full report. As my assignment was, and still is, top-secret, I request the usage of a private office, Major Alarie," Onyx requested, as Major Alarie got up from her desk. Walking over to Onyx, the mare held him in her gaze for a few moments.

"Since it's for a top-secret mission, and report, very well," Major Alarie said as she made for the door. "You and two of the guards, come with me," she commanded as she left her office. Onyx and the two guards closest to the door followed Major Alarie out. Walking down the hallways, Onyx found himself by an unmarked room. "Here," Major Alarie said as she unlocked the door. "You may write your report in there. You two guards!" Major Alarie said as she turned to the two guards. "You are to make sure nocreature enters that room other than Master Corporal Onyx Glowerwing. After Master Corporal Onyx Glowerwing is finished writing his report, you are to escort him to General Coveness Laurina Glowerwing's office. Then return immediately, understood?" Major Alarie commanded.

"Yes, Major Alarie!" The two guards responded.

"Perfect," Major Alarie said before turning towards Onyx. "What are you still doing out here?" Major Alarie shot at Onyx. "Do you want me to smoke you like a salmon? You have a report to write up! Get in that office and write it up! Understood, Master Corporal Glowerwing?" Major Alarie commanded Onyx.

"Yes, Major," Onyx responded as he entered the office. After hearing the door shut, Major Alarie walked back to her office to finish her paperwork.