The Children of the Storm

Chapters

The Three Seekers
The Three Riders
The Three Messengers
The Three Wanderers
The Three Divided
The Three Emissaries

The Three Seekers

Applejack frowned as the taxi that had ferried them so far from home pulled away. "Remind me again why we didn't just have'm drive us into Cloudsdale?" she asked her companions.

"Most of Cloudsdale's too rough for autos to handle," Rainbow replied, slipping the straps of her pack back around her shoulders. "and the main place that isn't is on lockdown. No, we're getting in the old-fashioned way; horsepower."

"An' you're sure that's the only way?" AJ asked as they began walking through the small town they'd been dropped off in.

"The only way? No," Rainbow shook her head. "The best way? Yes. Horses'll be able to get us in and make getting around inside a lot easier. Besides, the place we're going through has a tradition of horse-riding; seeing me and Flutters on horseback should help calm them down."

"Girls," Fluttershy whispered, pointing at a nearby shop. A nearby, neighing shop.

"Perfect timing," Rainbow smiled, waving for the others to follow her as she headed inside the wooden building.

The inside was cramped, a small waiting area in front of a countertop, behind which they could see the entrance to a full storeroom and a passage from which periodic neighs issued, clearly the stables. A bored-looking man leaned on the countertop, head resting on an outstretched hand, barely looking up as they entered. A lonely lamp glimmered in the dusty air.

Rainbow put on a winning smile and walked up to the counter. "How much for three horses, saddles, bridles, and bits?" she asked.

The shopkeeper flashed a bored glance at her. "120,000," he yawned in reply.

AJ hacked in shock; she could buy a decent auto for that much!

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow at her. "Is your friend okay?" he asked without a note of actual concern.

"I would be if you weren' tryna rip her off," AJ retorted, clearing her throat. "120,000's enough for double what she's askin'."

"Not for these," the shopkeeper smiled dully. "I sell genuine Cloudsdales, I have a deal with a breeder across the border. Striders and steppers, finest you'll ever see. 120,000's a bargain for these beauties."

"Mind if we checked them out for ourselves?" AJ asked, crossing her arms.

"Be my guest," the shopkeeper chuckled, opening a gate in the counter and ushering them through. AJ marched through the passage to the stables, seething with righteous anger. Even if he was telling the truth, she was going to advise Rainbow try somewhere else; no horse was worth 40,000 a pop, even with equipment.

There were five horses in the stables, all bearing the famous tufted hooves of Cloudsdale. They all looked to be in good health, and the stables seemed reasonably clean. It didn't matter to her, though; even if this guy's operation was clean as a whistle, she wouldn't let him just rip her friend off.

Two of the horses whinnied as Fluttershy walked in, stretching to the end of their leads in an attempt to reach her. "Oh, my," she whispered. She stretched her hand out to one of them, and it brushed against it, nickering softly. "So soft," she murmured happily as she brushed its fur. "And such a beautiful coloring."

"That's Klartake," the shopkeeper said proudly, emotion finding its way into his voice for the first time. "Fast, smart, and like you said, lovely coat. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw those dapples; visitors love them, they sell like hotcakes."

"Then why're they still here?" AJ asked pointedly.

The shopkeeper glared at her. "Not many visitors recently," he sharply replied. "Whatever's happening in Cloudsdale's scared them off. They don't like the storms."

"Well, we do," Rainbow smiled. "Besides, for me and Flutters here," she clapped her hand on the named girl's shoulder. "even if something's happening in Cloudsdale, it's still our home."

The shopkeeper's shoulders slumped at that for some reason. "You're both Dalers?" he asked wearily.

"Yep," Rainbow nodded. "So, it was 90,000 for the horses and things, right?"

AJ snapped around to look at her friend in confusion; had she seriously not heard him right? Or was there some Cloudsdaler-only discount she didn't know about?

"100,000," the shopkeeper sighed.

"Hang on a minute," AJ protested, pointing an accusatory finger at the shopkeeper. "You just told her it was 120,000!"

"And now we're dealing it down," the shopkeeper snapped. "just like she would've done earlier if you hadn't butted in."

"Hey," Rainbow frowned. "just because AJ made a mistake doesn't mean you can treat her like that."

"I've had it up to here," the shopkeeper savagely gestured at their throat. "with outsiders telling me what I can and can't do. First how much my horses are worth, then how much my equipment's worth, then how I'm supposed to accept my payment; I've had it. No more. Either 95,000 in notes, now, or we're done here."

AJ stomped forward, preparing to show him just how done she was with him, but was interrupted by the sound of Fluttershy opening her purse. She pulled out a few notes, as well as a strange, large coin, and handed them over for inspection. "Will this cover it?" she asked quietly.

The shopkeeper's eyes bulged at the sight of the coin, and he gingerly, almost reverently, picked it up. He held it up to the light, then swallowed. "I'll, uh," he weakly murmured. "get the rest of your order ready. In-in the meantime, see who catches your eye. The-their names are on the wall. I'll-I'll-I'll be back." At that, he scurried away, clutching the coin tightly to his chest.

"What was that?" AJ asked in bewilderment after he left.

"Almost solid gold," Rainbow cackled. "I love it when you pull that, Flutters."

"Gold?" AJ's eyes bulged as she turned to the blushing Fluttershy. "Where'd you get that?"

"My parents own some properties," she murmured. "I thought we might need access to hard money, so I tapped into my savings before we left."

"She's being modest," Rainbow bragged. "Her parents own more land than Sweet Apple Acres, and they're loaded. Like, more loaded than Twilight."

"And I've told you, Rainbow," Fluttershy frowned. "it's not just my money. Mother and father give me an allowance-"

"Of, what, 5,000 bits a month?" Rainbow snorted. "And you use like a quarter of that, stuffing the rest in that bank of a savings account?"

Fluttershy's beet-red face replied for her.

"Well," AJ chuckled breathlessly. "Learn some'n' new everyday. Now, uh, do we wanna choose who we actually wanna-"

Fluttershy pointed at Klartake, then a mud-colored mount, then one as black as night. "We should take them," she said. "Jordskred likes you, Applejack, and Morkhest says he liked your fire."

"That's right," AJ murmured, looking at Fluttershy's faint geode. "You can talk with'm. Wait, you di'n't say why you wanted us to take Klartake."

Fluttershy sheepishly scuffed the ground. "I, uh," she mumbled. "think she looks really pretty."

The dappled mare neighed appreciatively, and nuzzled the side of Fluttershy's side, drawing the girl's attention away from her embarrassment.

"Apologies for the delay," the shopkeeper said as he returned, bearing a wheelbarrow full of riding gear. "Had to make sure I brought gear to fit everyone. So, who strikes your fancy?"

"Klartake, Jordskred, and Morkhest," Fluttershy smiled, gently rubbing her hand along the first named's muzzle. "If I need to pay more for her-"

"No, no, no," the shopkeeper shook their head. "No, you've already paid plenty. Besides," he sadly sighed. "I doubt I'll find a better buyer for her anytime soon. Like I said, not that many visitors lately, and locals would drive as hard a bargain as you did. Anyway," he clapped his hands. "just let me fit them for you and you should be ready to go. That is," he looked at Applejack. "assuming all of you know how to ride."

"I'm not an idiot," she glowered back. "I can ride a horse just fine, thank you very much."

"She'll be fine," Rainbow nodded. "She's a farm girl, she can handle herself."

"Farm?" the shopkeeper snorted, taking out a saddle and walking over to Klartake. "You mean one of those overglorified gardens where robots and computers do all the work?"

"She means Sweet Apple Acres," AJ retorted. "160 acres tended with love an' care, an' muscle as much as motors."

"Hm," the shopkeeper hummed approvingly. "Not like our usual visitors, that's for sure. Most of them don't know hunger, real hunger, not just a little craving, and they wouldn't know a real day's work if it ran up and hit them in the face."

"You'd be surprised," AJ answered. "One of our friends, she's a real city-slicker, seems kinda frou-frou most of the time. Once it gets down to the nitty-gritty, though, she's just as tough as me'n' Rainbow. Underneath all those dresses an' glitter's some real tough steel."

"Then you're lucky to have her," he mumbled as he finished fitting the saddle. "Most of the visitors we get are glitter underneath the glitter. They don't fight, they don't do real work, they don't even try to negotiate; they're butterflies, torn away in anything stronger than a summer breeze."

"Have you seen'm in anythin' stronger than a summer breeze?" AJ pointedly asked.

"No," the shopkeeper grunted as he took another saddle out and moved over to Jordskred. "because they run away from it. They give up before I can see if they've got steel or glitter underneath, and that tells me all I need to know."

"Does it?" Fluttershy quietly asked. "Private Pansy fled from countless fights, and she was still one of Cloudsdale's greatest leaders. It's not how many fights someone's in that shows their quality, it's how they fight in those battles they take part in."

"Maybe," the shopkeeper shrugged. "Doesn't tell me much, though; most of the visitors we get don't fight in any. Not on the field, not on the farm, not in the woods, not even in the courts or the capitol."

"Have you had any visitors from the Unmarked?" Fluttershy asked. "It certainly sounds like they're willing to fight."

"Yeah," the shopkeeper snorted. "The wrong war. One of them came out here, railing against the government, but they ignored the real problem to focus on stuff like some incident at an amusement park, 'magic' they called it. Look," he sighed. "I understand, there does seem to be magic popping up, it does seem dangerous, and we should probably look into it, but magic's a tool, no different than a hammer. A hammer can be mighty dangerous if you use it wrong, but it's great if you use it right. The Unmarked hate magic, call it 'the tool of the oppressive elite,' but that's like hating a hammer 'cause someone's attacking you with one; don't focus on the tool, focus on your attacker. If the elite are using magic to oppress people, don't try to stop magic, they'll find some other way to squeeze us, focus on stopping them; stop the criminals, not the tools they use to commit their crimes. If their Starlight Glimmer focused on that instead of trying to stop magic, I'd be the first to vote for her."

AJ sagged a bit in relief; while the shopkeeper's support of Starlight was still concerning, possibly indicating that they'd encounter more supporters of her's out here, at least it sounded like they might not have to fear anti-magic mobs.

"One last question," Fluttershy chirped. "Who are the elite?"

"The high horses," the shopkeeper replied, pulling the saddle taut across the muddy mare's belly. "The high-risers in the city who think that, just because they hoard more bits than I see in a year, they're worth more than I am. Once bits become more important to you than people, that's when you know you're an elite."

"Would your neighbors give the same answer?"

He blinked, then replied, "They might not put it in the same words, but yeah, I think they'd agree with me."

"What about the visitors you mentioned?" she pressed. "Would they give the same answer?"

"No," he snorted angrily, grabbing the last saddle. "They'd find someone higher up to complain about. The richest, most powerful person in the world would try to find someone else to call the elite, otherwise they must be, and everyone knows that the elite have to care for those under them, just like a parent cares for their kids. If someone else is the elite, the rest of us aren't their kids, we're their workers, their servants, something that they like the idea of a lot more."

"What about a beggar?" she asked.

"Huh?" the shopkeeper turned around in confusion, pausing his anger-fueled fitting to a snort of relief from Morkhest.

"Would a beggar give the same answer?" she elaborated. "Would they agree with you about who the elite are?"

"Well, I-I don't know," he stammered in reply. "I-I think so, though maybe they'd aim a bit-a bit lower."

Fluttershy looked at him curiously. "Maybe low enough," she murmured. "to include you by mistake? All have more than a beggar, at least to the beggar's eyes, and those eyes might look at your business, your supplies, your horses, and think them very much, and what are the elite but those who possess very much?"

The shopkeeper swallowed, then finished fitting Morkhest's saddle. "I think," he said, obviously fighting to keep his voice level. "it might be best if we were to finish this quickly. Don't want to delay you for too long, after all."

"Oh, yes," Fluttershy nodded. "We have a long road ahead of us."

"And a dark one, I don't doubt," he mumbled, almost too low to hear.

The Three Riders

They rode out shortly, the shopkeeper staying almost silent for the rest of their transaction. Once the horses were equipped and in their care, they mounted up and, after a brief good-bye, led their steeds out of town at a slow trot.

A green plain opened before them, rolling away west towards the north-eastern corner of the Cloudsdale Mountains. To the north, south, and east it rolled unto the horizon, though above that horizon they could faintly see hints of what lay further along; cloudy skies to the north, the barest hint of the leaves of the White-tail to the south, the speckling of lights and shapes that marked the other villages they'd traveled through in the crownlands to the east.

"Come on," Rainbow said as she sat atop Morkhest. "Our way in's a while's away, and I don't think any of us want to risk riding at night. Let's go, we're burning daylight."

Applejack, atop Jordskred, looked up at the Sun, now approaching noon, and nodded; they'd wasted enough time here. Gently clicking her tongue, she spurred her steed on, and soon they were crossing the grass at a brisk trot.

They made good time, keeping a strong, steady pace and eating lunch in the saddle, though slowing their mounts down to do so. The mountains grew and grew before them, until they seemed to touch the roof of the world, while the plains rolled themselves up beneath. As the Sun passed the halfway point on its downward journey for the day, they reached the feet of the mountains, though to Applejack's confusion they skirted them to the right, to the north, away from the main road through the mountain chain.

"Uh, Rainbow?" she asked the lead rider. "I thought you said you had a way in?"

"I do," she called back over her shoulder. "It's this way."

"I thought you meant you had a way through the main door," AJ replied.

"If the Spear Gate's closed, I'm not going to be able to open it," she called back. "When that thing locks down, it locks down; it'd pretty much take an order from the governor to open it, and even that might not work."

"So what is your way in?" AJ asked. "Some kinda secret entrance?"

"Hardly a secret," she replied. "People've known about Flatmarch for thousands of years, the Spear Gate's just quicker, closer to Castellot and the South. Here's hoping Swift hasn't gotten the same idea as them."

"Swift?" AJ furrowed her brow. "What's that?"

"Not what," Fluttershy answered. "Who. House Swift is the family of the March-Warden, entrusted by Cloudsdale with keeping Flatmarch safe. They're kind of mayors, keeping Flatmarch safe and running smoothly, though the position is inherited instead of elected. If I recall correctly, the current head of House Swift is Lady Fleetfoot Swift, though I can't remember how she was described."

"What if she doesn' let us through?" AJ asked. "What then?"

"Then we try the Northern Gap," Rainbow replied. "If that doesn't work, Storm's Pass. If worst comes to worst, we can try the Whispering Marsh, though I don't think bringing the horses through there would be a good idea."

"There sure are a lotta holes in this fence," AJ jerked her head at the stony walls of the mountains.

"And a lot more people keeping eyes on those holes," Rainbow replied. "Houses Thunder and Hail keep watch on the Northern Gap, Storm's Pass goes right past House Rider, Houses Zap, Storm, and Mist guard Boulder Pass, and House Mist is the only group of people who know their way through the Marsh."

"You sure know a lot about this place, sugarcube," AJ whistled.

"It's our home, AJ," Fluttershy replied. "Every child in Cloudsdale grows up learning these things, about the different parts of the state and the twelve great houses. We were taught to be proud of our home, as well as what exactly we were to be proud of. Though," her face fell. "I'm not proud of all of it."

"Don't forget what you told that shopkeeper, Flutters," Rainbow called in uplift. "Cloudsdale needs Private Pansies as much as it needs Commander Hurricanes."

Fluttershy softly smiled back at her old friend, then turned back to Applejack. "Some of the kids at the schools I went to made fun of me for being gentle and not liking fighting. They called me 'the pansiest of pansies.'"

"Sorry, Shy," AJ tried to console her. "For what it's worth, I like that about you; sometimes that kindness of your's is just what I need to cool my head an' think things through."

"Thank you, Applejack," Fluttershy smiled back. "That's worth a lot to me."

They fell into silence for a few moments, until AJ cleared her throat and asked, "So, what house do you belong to, if you don' mind me askin'?"

"I don't," she shook her head. "My family's House Flutter, not one of the great houses but still impressive. Funnily enough," she giggled. "if we'd managed to get in through the Spear Gate we might've been able to see them. Our lands are in the Rainbow Vale, just a bit southwest of the gate."

"Huh," AJ chuckled. "Is that where your family lives, Rainbow?"

"Yep," she nodded. "Been there for generations."

"Are they one'o them great houses Flutters mentioned?" AJ smiled, before smirking. "Has Rarity been missin' out on schmoozin' with Lady Rainbow Dash?"

A stark silence fell, along with a chill.

"No," came the quiet reply. "We're middle-class, nothing more."

"Dash?" AJ frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she blatantly lied. "Come on, I want us to get a little farther before we stop for the night." Digging her heels into Morkhest's side, she drove him into a gallop, pulling away from the others.

"What wassat?" AJ asked her down-faced companion. "Shy, do you know what's wrong with her?"

"Yes," she sadly murmured in reply. "But it's not my place to tell. Come," she clicked her tongue, causing Klartake to speed up a bit. "Rainbow's right, we should keep going while there's still light. Not as fast as she's going, though; she needs some time alone."

Frowning, AJ nodded, then spurred her own steed on, driving her at a canter towards the light of the dying sun.

As the last rays of the Sun bled away, they stopped, coming to a rest where the mountain nearest them began curving back in, a curve that Fluttershy said would lead them to Flatmarch the next day. While Fluttershy saw to the horses' grazing before convincing them not to run away in the night (they had nothing to hitch them to), AJ prepared dinner, if she could call it that, and Rainbow silently made camp. She laid out their sleeping bags closer together than usual; they lacked the materials for a fire, and might need more than the fall air to keep them warm.

They ate in silence, Fluttershy looking sadly at her old friend who seemed intent to focus only on her dinner, or at least to give the appearance of doing so. Eventually, they finished, and sat silent in the autumn air.

"I'm sorry, sugarcube," AJ sighed as the silence became unbearable. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, askin' about your family. Just curious, was all."

"It's okay," she murmured in reply. "If it's alright, though, I'd prefer it if you didn't ask about them again. Also," she shifted uncomfortably. "I'm going to have to ask you two not to call me Rainbow Dash once we're in Cloudsdale. Don't want to attract too much attention."

AJ nodded, her frown deepening as she saw the ease with which Fluttershy agreed; just what was it that was troubling Dash? What was so bad that she didn't want others to know she was back home?

"If you have to name me," she continued. "call me Platinum-" (AJ noticed Flutters' eyes widen at the name choice) "-and hope that that's enough. And, AJ, before you start worrying that I'm making you lie, don't worry, I'm not; my parents call me Platinum, sometimes. It is a name for me, just...not one I use that much."

"Like a nickname," she nodded. "I gotcha. I'll," she flashed a glance again at the somber-faced Shy. "try to remember."

Rainbow nodded, then laid back, as if the strings holding her up had been slackened. Her face, smiling so confidently back at the shopkeeper's, became morose, and, more worryingly, full of doubt. AJ frowned; what could be troubling her friend? Rainbow Dash never doubted herself, though that was sometimes more of a weakness than a strength. What was causing her to do so now?

She was pulled away from her concerns by the sound of Fluttershy humming, wordlessly singing a tune AJ'd never heard before. As she sang, her fingers twitched, almost imperceptibly, as if they were plucking an unseen instrument. After a few moments of the wordless, haunting music, Fluttershy began reciting the lyrics of the tune, chanting:

Beneath the mountain snowy, giant,
Lies the still Commander quiet,
Girt in armor black and golden
And bright cloak that hearts emboldened.
But breathless beats not wrinkled gorget,
Nor stir lips that once ordered it;
Still and shrunken lies his snow-beard,
Cold stony hands clutch his cold spear.
Joins his kinsman, burned and scattered
On the wind, no more to gather
Again as one until world's end;
Soon shall he likewise ride the wind.
By the bier her station keeping
Sits the Vingols' mother weeping,
Clad in black plate with silver marked,
A spear of grief piercing her heart.
Commander's bane, commander's hand,
Craven coward, bravest in land,
A sheep in war, a bull saving,
The last the Three Parents remaining.
Gives a nod, eyes full with sadness,
The dead's pyre the torch rammeth;
Hurricane flies in a storm of ash,
Private leal staying to the last.

"The funeral of Hurricane," Rainbow murmured sadly. "The passing of the father of five great houses, and the greatest leader Cloudsdale's ever seen. Lion had died years before, and Private Pansy quickly followed Hurricane, dying of a broken heart. Thus did the Vingols learn to do great deeds, that they might not be forgotten, and to do them soon, because no one knows when they will die."

AJ stared in shock at her friend's melancholy face. "Wow," she breathed out after a few moments. "That's-I've never heard you talk like that before, sugarcube. Never knew you could be so-so deep."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," she mumbled back.

AJ scowled. "I'd be glad to learn."

Silence. Then, "We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Applejack obeyed, clambering into her sleeping bag with a thoughtful frown on her face. It would be a long day tomorrow, and it would be longer for her than Rainbow expected; somehow, some way, she was getting answers tomorrow.

She fell asleep to thoughts of discovery in her mind and Rainbow's pensive face taking first watch.

She woke up with the dawn, finding her friends' sleeping bags both empty. Warily, she climbed out of her own as quietly as she could, then looked around to see if she could find the others. Thankfully, she quickly found them, standing a short ways away on a small hill, watching the rising Sun.

"Rainbow," Fluttershy whispered, quiet to the point where AJ had to strain to hear her. "you know she won't abandon you over this."

"It's not just her, Flutters," Rainbow sighed in reply. "It's pretty much everyone I've ever met, aside from you and our parents. How many people would be willing to stand beside a fraud like me?"

"You're not a fraud," Fluttershy retorted as AJ froze in shock. "This is just a different aspect of your personality, no different than the way you care about Tank."

"Sure feels like I am," she grumbled.

Before she could explain why, AJ brushed over the grass, a movement Fluttershy's quick ears picked up. She turned around and smiled at the last member of their party. "Good morning, Applejack," she greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

"Just fine," she replied, rising to her full height. "You two?"

"I slept well," Fluttershy nodded.

Rainbow looked down at the ground. "I got enough," she blatantly lied. "Now that you're up, though, let's grab some breakfast, then get this party started."

They ate quietly and quickly, AJ glaring at Rainbow as if the sheer weight of her gaze would cause her to explain why she felt like a fraud. It didn't, and then they were in the saddle again, proceeding at a brisk trot. They were following the curve of the mountain to their left, Firehall Fluttershy called it, though they were still a good distance from its feet; aside from being rockier and steeper than the grasses and downs of the March, they were also more secluded, making travelers who rode through them more suspect: what reason would a law-abiding citizen have for trying to stay hidden, after all.

After about two hours of riding, Rainbow's caution (two words AJ'd never expected to use together, even in thought) proved wise; more hooves, distant for the moment but rapidly approaching, beat on the grass. She could faintly see the other riders, galloping out of the south, though she couldn't count how many of them there were at this distance.

"Flatmarch patrol," Rainbow grunted, slowing her steed to a halt. "We'll wait here for them; they've almost certainly spotted us, we can't outride them, and charging an auxiliary Guard force isn't the best idea."

"Any idea what they'll do to us?" AJ asked as Jordskred whinnied to a stop.

"Hopefully nothing," Rainbow replied. "They're peacekeepers, so as long as we're not disturbing the peace we should be good. If they've closed the border here, though, they'll probably show us off."

Fluttershy pulled up alongside them, and they waited and watched as the patrol drew nearer. Applejack could count them now, a little over two-dozen, all armed and mounted. Sunlight faintly glinted off of their staffs, and she shivered at the thought of them switching to their spears; Homestrian killing Homestrian was wrong, a relic of the past, something she had no desire to think of as tradition. Hopefully, even the famously-militant Cloudsdalers felt the same way.

Time passed. The patrol was within shouting distance now, a fact Rainbow took advantage of. Cupping her free hand to her mouth, she called out, "What news from the west, riders of Flatmarch?"

The Three Messengers

The patrol galloped the rest of the way over, fanning out to form a wide circle around her and the others. Staffs were leveled, pointing at them, and wary glances looked out from under their helms. Strangely, not all those helms were the same; some were colored a pale green, others a faint sky-blue, with their bearer's plate matching.

One of the patrol drove their horse a few steps forward, bringing her (AJ could see it was a her beneath the pale green helm) closer to the three. She looked them over curiously, then raised her hand in gesture of peace. "Well-met, rider," she replied to Rainbow. "But before we reply, might I ask who asks for this news?"

"I'm Platinum," Rainbow nodded, before gesturing at her friends. "these are Fluttershy and Applejack. We're from Crystal City."

"And I do not doubt I know why you ask for news from the west," the patrolwoman chuckled, before sighing. "It isn't good news, though; all the state is under curfew and locked down."

"Why?" Rainbow pressed. "And don't say 'You won't believe me,' you'd be surprised at what I find believable."

"That question Miss Blossomforth cannot answer," another member of the patrol, this one a man clad in sky-blue, said as his mount stepped forward. "but not through any fault of her's; the leaders of the great houses have agreed to keep the answer to that question secret, save from those they trust most."

"An' how do you know that?" AJ asked. "Are you one of'm?"

The man nodded, then reached up and took off his helm, throwing his navy hair up into the wind. "I am Soarin Skies," he answered. "Lord Skies of Skyspear, if you want to be formal, chief of the great house House Skies."

"Why are you out here?" Fluttershy asked, furrowing her brow. "I'm not wondering because I doubt your courage, but because I don't doubt the distance you'd have to travel. It took us four hours to go around Firehall, and it wouldn't be much shorter for you. And why didn't House Swift send to Firehall for aid? Why isn't House Blaze here helping their neighbors?"

Soarin's face darkened. "House Blaze is helping," he firmly replied. "just not in this specific patrol. There are more defenders of the March than just us, after all. As for why I'm here, the governor commanded it; Skyspear needs me less than the March does now. And I don't dwell as far away as you think; I and my riders have camped near House Swift's main keep for several weeks now."

"Defending the March?" Rainbow frowned. "Defending it from what?"

"Foes," came the terse reply.

Rainbow sighed, then dismounted, raising her hands in gesture of peace as the patrol tensed. Muttering to herself, she turned around, then paused as she faced a gap in the ring. Smiling, she pointed through it, directing everyone's gaze at a wildflower a few paces away. "Do you see that flower, Soarin?" she asked.

Hesitantly, he nodded.

In a blink, Rainbow disappeared, spooking the patrol's horses, before reappearing just as quickly, stretching out the plucked flower to Soarin. He stared at it and the girl holding it, awestruck.

"Like I said," she smiled. "you'd be surprised by what I'm willing to believe."

"What you," Soarin hesitantly replied. "and your companions," he flicked a glance at the head-shaking AJ and furrowed-brow Fluttershy. "are willing to believe isn't the only thing I need to consider. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you what you're asking about, not yet. However," he raised his hand, forestalling Rainbow's protest. "your, ah, display makes me think that you three might be able to be trusted with the knowledge you're looking for. I'll take you to the governor and see if he agrees with me; if he does, then I'll tell you. If not, I hope we'll be able to part as friends."

"Sounds fair," AJ shrugged. "Whadda you say, Shy?"

"I think it sounds almost perfect," she smiled. "I just wish we didn't have to be so suspicious of each other."

"These are dark times," Soarin sighed. "and in the dark, care needs to be taken with new faces, to make sure they're not enemies trying to sneak past."

Thunder rumbled to the east. Turning, they saw a sudden storm, squalling towards them out of a previously empty sky.

"Where'd that come from?" AJ asked. "I mean, I'd heard that this place had crazy weather, but that's some'n' else."

"Dark times," Soarin carefully replied. "The weather's taken a strange turn, strange even for us; storms and complex systems coming out of nowhere before quickly vanishing back there. Some say that the wind doesn't love us anymore, that it's taking back the gifts it gave us with interest."

"An' whadda you say?" AJ asked, curious.

"I say it's not the wind doing this," he answered. "but something on the wind. I've heard many storms while living at Skyspear, but these newer ones sound different. The rain gallops instead of pouring, and the thunder..." He pursed his lips. "...call me whatever names you want, but to me it's sounded like laughter, great, cruel, booming laughter."

They stared, somewhat unnerved, at the rapidly approaching storm.

"Come," Soarin wheeled his mount around. "We have a long journey ahead of us."

They split up, Soarin taking the Rainbooms and about half of his Men to see the governor, Blossomforth keeping the rest and finishing the patrol. After she did so, she was to return to Flatmarch Keep and tell Fleetfoot and the others what Soarin was doing, and inform Soarin's brother that, until he returned, he was in command.

"Why not just call him yourself?" Rainbow asked as the two groups parted, the storm thankfully melting away before it reached them. "Does it need to be more official than that?"

"Try calling someone other than your friends," Soarin said.

Puzzled, Rainbow pulled out her phone and tried to do so. She found no signal, and no network to try texting them instead. "This is stupid," she grunted as she shoved it back in her pocket. "I'd've thought two great houses would've been able to scrounge up at least some basic cell service or wifi for out here."

"They did," Soarin replied. "Since the storms have started, though, it's been having trouble. It was patchy for the first few days, but now it's simply out of order."

"That's why Cloudsdale's seemed so quiet," Fluttershy murmured in understanding. "You haven't been able to talk to us electronically."

"One reason, yes," Soarin nodded, though his tone was guarded.

"Well, hopefully we'll be able to learn the others soon," AJ said.

Soarin nodded, but stayed silent, clearly deep in thought.

The March flowed swiftly beneath them, their steeds' hooves pounding the grass like a downpour. Firehall and its mirror across the gap leading to the March retreated below the horizon, though they kept their heads poked above it to keep cautious watch on the newcomers as they rode southwest.

They slowed down for a quick lunch as the Sun approached its peak, AJ looking around curiously as she munched. Rolling grassy plains billowed back north, hills rose up to the west, and to the south the grass began to fade away, giving way to bare stone sloping slowly upward. And everywhere she looked, she saw the mountains, however faintly, the famous ringing stone wall of the state. One of them loomed to the south, rising out of the ground like a giant stone fist.

"Boulderhead," Soarin said, following her gaze. "Largest of the Range. You can see him from anywhere in the state, people say."

"Mighty impressive," AJ whistled appreciatively. "Which one's the smallest?"

"Hurricane Peak," Soarin smiled. "You'll be seeing it soon, hopefully; the governor lives there."

"Lookin' forward to it," AJ smiled back.

"It'll be at least a day's ride, though," one of Soarin's soldiers warned. "It's 120 kilometers to Windy Hill, and that's as the wind flies. As the horse rides, it'll be longer by at least half."

A dull rumble echoed up from the south. A darkness began gathering around Boulderhead's peak.

"And even longer if the weather turns," Soarin muttered. "Come. We should press on while the weather holds."

They set out again, holding west, and soon the terrain changed; the hills drew nearer, while the grass retreated, leaving more and more of the ground bare and rocky. By the time they reached the feet of the hills, the bare ground was only a stone's throw away, gently sloping upward as it cragged south.

"What is this?" AJ murmured.

"One of the Range's roots," one of the soldiers answered. "The Western Ridge fences Flatmarch from Rainbow Vale and the Spear Vale, though not as much as the trunk it supports fences out the rest of the world." She turned to look at AJ curiously. "I can't imagine what it's like to live in Crystal City, so open, so...unprotected. We have our mountains, the wind, and our spears to keep our enemies at bay, but you don't seem to have anything. How do you survive, so open like that?"

"We try not to have that many enemies, for one," she joked, inviting a bark of laughter from the soldier. "'Side from that, most of the time we survive just by trustin' each other, trustin' that we'll have each other's backs an' that we won' stab each other there first chance we get."

"Don't put faith in those who promise friendship while the Sun shines," the soldier warned. "Many times, it fades away when the Sun does."

"Because they're afraid you'll do the same," AJ retorted. "Doesn' matter whether Sun's shinin' or hidin' behind a cloud, trust's a two-way street; if you want someone to trust you, you need to give'm a reason to. If you show'm that they can trust you, rain or shine, then they'll stand with you no matter how dark the sky gets."

"True trust like that," the soldier replied. "is only revealed when the Sun disappears. It's a spear that you can only find when you already need it."

"Better'n findin' an' usin' it when you don't need it," she protested.

"Is it worth it to save the lives of the innocent only for someone else to take them?" the soldier asked.

"Who says someone else will?" AJ retorted.

"Who says they won't?" the soldier shrugged. "It's not our place to decide what will or won't happen, only to prepare for whatever may. And I would rather prepare for the worst than cross my fingers and hope for the best."

"Preparin' like that only makes the worst that much more likely," AJ replied. "It's one of'm self-fulfillin' prophecies."

"Better that than an unforeseen one."

AJ blinked in shock. "But," she murmured. "but that means people'll die, innocent people. Would you really throw their lives away like that?"

"Not lightly, no," the soldier frowned. "But if I was forced to choose between sacrificing the few or letting the many die, I would do all I could to let the many live. With either choice, I would be killing the innocent, either through action or inaction, and I would rather kill fewer."

"You might not have to kill any," AJ weakly smiled. "Trust that your friends'll have your back if things start gettin' bad. Put your spears away until you really need'm."

The soldier raised an eyebrow at her. "And what if our friends are in need at the same time we are?" she asked. "Which of us is to allow our innocents to suffer? You are right, trust is important, but the most important thing to have trust in is your strength. If you can trust in your strength, you don't need to trust in friendship."

"But what about when strength ain't enough?" AJ stammered. "What about when there's some'n' too strong for you?"

"Then either trust in friendship," the soldier spurred their mount into the hills. "or trust that those who remain will prove stronger than you."

The Three Wanderers

They meandered through the hills, their path winding up and down and forcing them to move at a slower pace. The drop in speed gave AJ time to mull over what the soldier had said to her. She knew it was wrong, Sunset had shown her, but how could she show the soldier she'd talked with, and any other Cloudsdalers who shared her opinions, that?

She sighed, then looked down at her geode. It made sense that it gave her strength; it was one of the main good things about her, along with her determination. She could heft a barrel of apples, and do it for the whole day, but that was pretty much the extent of her abilities; she wasn't as smart as Sunset or Twilight, as clever as Rainbow or Rarity, and she definitely wasn't as creative as her or Pinkie. She was a rock, like Pinkie's sister, dependable and sturdy but not much else.

She shook her head; she didn't need to be. Her friends were with her, she could ask one of them to try to figure out how to show the Cloudsdalers that friendship was the right way to go. Probably Fluttershy; Rainbow wasn't much for debating things like this.

She frowned; that was right, she needed to investigate Rainbow's weird behavior. If her acting shady about her past and asking them to hide her name hadn't been suspicious enough, the snippet of talk she'd heard between her and Fluttershy earlier in the morning confirmed that she was hiding something, and from the sounds of it something big. But what? And who could she ask to find out?

She flashed a glance at Lord Skies, currently looking around the hills idly. Biting her lip before reassuring herself that Rainbow had probably only meant not to ask her about her family anymore, and that, even if she had meant not to ask anyone about it, she was lying to AJ, so it was fair for her to ignore it, she gently turned her mount until she was trotting alongside Soarin. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Pardon me, Lord Skies, but can I talk to you for a second?"

"Please, Applejack," he smiled back. "Call me Soarin. I don't like to stand on ceremony if I can help it. Anyway, you had a question?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied, caught off-guard by how casual he seemed. "Have you heard of someone called Rainbow Dash?"

Strangely, he laughed at that. "Every child in Cloudsdale has," he replied, chuckling. "and nine out of ten of them have played at being her."

She scowled to herself; so much for 'middle-class.' "Really?" she drawled. "An' what's she known for?"

"Holding the Spear Gate with the heads of the other great houses," he replied. "They were outnumbered more than a hundred to one, but they managed to hold the gate."

Apparently, 'middle-class' was as easy to redefine as Fluttershy showed 'elite' was. "Really?" she asked. "I never heard about that."

"Guess the stories people tell vary from state to state," he shrugged. "Trust me, though, everyone in Cloudsdale knows about her."

"What happened to her?" AJ asked, leaning forward in anticipation. "After that business with the gate, I mean."

Soarin bowed his head. "She died," he answered. "She saved Cloudsdale, but she didn't survive to see that."

Feeling sick to her stomach, AJ prepared to tell him about the imposter wearing a dead girl's name, but was preempted by him continuing, "Her niece brought her back to life, though; she put on her aunt's armor, led the charge, and the enemy broke at the sight of Rainbow Dash's shade. She has lived ever since, House Prism providing a new Rainbow Dash every generation to bear her name and post."

AJ licked her lips. "Is," she asked. "House Prism near the Rainbow Vale?"

"Just on the edge," Soarin nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wonderin'," she replied, turning to look at her lying friend, a ways ahead.

"Then would you mind answering a question of mine?" Soarin asked.

"Question for a question sounds fair," she smiled back.

"Who sent you here?" Soarin's face became a mask of professionalism. "Curiosity doesn't drive the curious as far as you've gone, and burglars or disturbers of the peace wouldn't have traveled as openly as you have. So tell me, and speak truly, who sent you here?"

AJ scratched the back of her head; Celestia had told them not to blab about their mission, but that didn't mean they couldn't tell anyone, just that they needed to be careful about who they told. It would help them if Soarin knew why they were here, and he seemed trusty, and the kind of guy who could keep his mouth shut. Screwing up her courage, she replied, lowering her voice, "I'm gonna have to ask you to keep this a secret, but we're here on royal orders."

"Royal?" Soarin whispered back, furrowing his brow. "The princess sent you here?"

"Someone under her," she replied, taking a hard copy of the email ordering them here (she was extremely grateful that Celestia had printed it out for them before they left) out of her pack and handing it to Soarin. He read over it, bewilderment growing on his face, before handing it back to her.

"I haven't heard about the appointment of this Sunset Shimmer," he quietly said. "either from those who trade and talk with Flatmarch or the Spear Gate. But it looked legitimate, down to the seal the government accounts put on their emails. But then why haven't we heard about her?"

"Maybe they're tryna keep it on the down-low?" AJ offered as she put the paper away. "Lettin' word slip that they hired someone to help with magic might spook people, make'm think it's dangerous. Might," she frowned. "might help Starlight get elected."

Soarin's steed whinnied. Soarin calmed them down, then turned a cautious glance to AJ. "Don't speak that name so loudly," he warned her. "or so darkly. She has her supporters here, though not as many or as strong as she does outside; there is little love for Crystal City, Castellot, or Manehattan in some areas here, though they don't like Starlight's immobile stance on magic any more. Magic is dangerous, they agree, but so is electricity, and those places we've managed to electrify are thriving. Magic is a tool to them, one that can be used for good or evil, but the elite in the cities seem to them only useful for the latter."

"But aren't the great houses elites?" AJ asked, confused.

"Not anymore than an older sibling is elite," Soarin shook his head. "They can talk with us, see us, they work alongside us a lot of the time. How could they do that with the elite? We can't be the elite, then. At least, that's how I think they view it. Speaking of viewing," he asked. "why didn't you show us that paper when we first met?"

"Tryna keep it as low-down as possible," she replied, before wincing. "At least, for as long as I can. Once we meet up with the governor, I've gotta feelin' quiet's the last thing this is gonna be."

"Probably," Soarin admitted. "It would be a good idea to prepare for that possibility, at least."

"My lord," one of the other riders called back. "there's something you should see."

Frowning, Soarin spurred his steed forward, AJ following shortly behind.

Atop the hill from which the call had come, she saw a footprint, or at least what looked like one.

What had made it, though, she had no idea; it was wide and splayed, four thin branches growing out of a small oval, shallowly pressed into a patch of bare mud. Lifting one of her feet out of her stirrup, she measured it with her eyes, which quickly widened; whatever had made that had made it with feet three times larger than her's.

"How old is it?" Soarin asked, his voice level.

"A few days," one of his soldiers, dismounted, answered. "No more than five, I'd guess. I'm sorry, that's the best I can give you."

"Strange," Fluttershy murmured, peering intently at the print. "It almost looks like an amphibian made it."

"Maybe a bird?" Soarin offered.

"Maybe," Fluttershy replied, narrowing her gaze. "I don't know. It doesn't look like any bird I've ever seen."

"Or any toad I've ever seen," Soarin added. "Amphibian, I mean, any amphibian I've ever seen."

"Whatever it was," the dismounted soldier sighed. "it looks like it just made the one print, either that or time swept away any other tracks it left. What do you say, Soarin? Do we try to pick up its trail?"

"It's gone too cold," Soarin shook his head. "We'll let Mountainboss know if we meet any of their patrols and tell Fleetfoot and the others about it once we get back, but I think that's all we can do for now. Just in case it stayed around here, though, I'd like us to pick up the pace for the rest of the day. Rather not be trapped here with something potentially hostile at night."

The others nodded, and followed him as he spurred his horse as fast as he dared in the uneven terrain. As they did, AJ maneuvered Jordskred until she was alongside Fluttershy, who was frowning in thought. "What're you thinkin', Shy?" she asked in a whisper. "You think Soarin's right 'bout that thing bein' from a bird?"

"I don't know," she replied. "It could be, but at some points, it seemed a bit...I guess 'thick' would be the right word. Even aside from that, it just didn't feel like a bird print for some reason."

AJ flicked a glance at Fluttershy's geode, half-hidden under her sweater. "I reckon I've got an idea why," she murmured. "But if it's not a bird, what is it? You said it seemed like an amphibian made it, like some kinda freaky giant frog?"

"I don't know," she sadly shook her head. "That doesn't seem right either. It doesn't make any sense."

"We'll make sense out of it," AJ reassured her. "Either that or someone else 'round here will. We've got this, Shy, don' worry."

She smiled softly at her in thanks, before a pensive look washed over her face. "Did Soarin seem off to you back there?" she eventually asked. "He seemed a bit tense to me."

"A bit, yeah," AJ nodded after a few moments' thought. "There was that weird stumble after you told him it didn't look like the print of any bird you'd ever seen, for one. 'Course, that might've been 'cause he was lookin' at this print made by who-knows-what."

"Yes," Flutters murmured in agreement, staring off into the distance. "Who knows what."

They escaped the hills as the sun descended, stopping for the night a few meters away from their feet. They made camp much as the Rainbooms had last night, though Soarin set multiple watchers for the night, watchers which he refused to allow those he began referring to as his guests to join. "Keeping watch is the duty of the host," he'd said when AJ pressed him about allowing her to help shoulder the burden. "not the guests. Don't worry, it's no worse than we'd bear if we were alone. It's a light burden, if even that; 'hospitality's no true burden,' as the saying goes."

Once again, they lacked the materials to make a fire, and once again company more than made up for it. She and one of Soarin's soldiers, High Spirits, managed to scrounge together a decent dinner between their supplies, one that found a highly-appreciative audience. They talked and laughed while they ate, leaving serious topics behind in favor of the low and high points of simple everyday life. Rainbow and Fluttershy broke down laughing when she and Cerulean Skies, another member of Soarin's crew, got into a fight about who got up earlier, her to tend her farm or him to tend his sheep. She won, and proceeded to regale the crowd with the story of Apple Bloom's first attempt at apple-picking. There was food and friendship and cheer, enough to forget her troubles for a while.

Until those troubles found her again, in a lull in the conversation. Their talk quieted down as the last of them finished eating, until Soarin snapped his fingers. "That's it," he whispered to himself, before turning to smile at the confused Applejack. "You remember that thing you were asking me about earlier today?" he asked her. "That story?"

"Story?" AJ frowned as the others turned to her. "Story, story, stor-" She remembered, then, and flashed a distressed look at the other Rainbooms. "Oh, that story!" she laughed shakily, waving her hand. "'S'okay, Soarin, you managed to tell me what I needed to know, I don' need no more!"

Soarin shrugged, then replied. "Well, even if you've had your fill, it's a good story, and it is tradition to have a song before sleep in Cloudsdale." He closed his eyes, as did AJ as she grimaced, and then Soarin began to sing:

The Commander's brow was heavy
And his speech weary low
As looked he out from 'top the Gate
Upon the coming foe.
"Their van will draw nigh upon us
Before be closed the Gate,
And if they prize it from our hands
Dark shall be our land's fate."

But up spoke Rainbow Dash the brave,
The warden of the Gate:
"Why do we ask us 'do or die?';
Death is all mortal's fate.
The flier dies as the steadfast does,
As do the mean and great;
Though we shall die, the war we'll bar
If we meet them at the Gate."

She leapt deer-down from the battlements,
Her fellows at her heels,
And marched and stood without the Gate
Which creaked and groaned its wheels.
They drew their swords and spun their spears
As the foe drew e'er nigh,
And grimly stood within their way,
To bar and fight and die.

AJ kept her eyes firmly on Soarin as he sang of the Battle of the Gate, of the valiant last stand of the twelve great houses' leaders and the Commander. She tried to listen, but the heat of the glare the other Rainbooms were shooting her made that difficult. She managed to tune them out for bits and pieces, before eventually managing to ignore them entirely as the ending drew near. Reinforcements had poured out of the Spear Gate and driven the enemy back, but a rearguard prevented it from turning into rout, and now Rainbow Dash lay dying in the arms of her niece, dying at their hands:

"Oh niece of mine! Oh niece of mine!
I must leave you, I grieve!
But though I pass, my heart is high,
For a safe home you I leave!"
And then she closed her blazing eyes
And loosed her lungs in gasp,
And in the arms of her dear niece
She sighing breathed her last.

But her dear niece did grieveth not,
But fell into a rage
And bore herself her aunt's bronze arms
With savage saddened strength.
The rearguard froze in shock as she
Charged, for seemed to them
That there Dash stood with sword in hand,
The last of the dozen!

With red the grass beneath her feet
And red her armor bright
And red the glow of the dying sun
That bathed her in its light.
"Come on, come on!" the great lade called;
"My sword is hungry still!"
And with a cry of savage rage
She charged down from the hill.

And now, when night draws up its cloak,
And drives all to their homes,
And lights arise like household stars
And doors like great Gate close,
With weeping tears and lion's cries
The story Men still say
How Rainbow Dash kept safe the Gate
And does so to this day!

All save the Rainbooms applauded as Soarin finished, then turned to look at those who stayed silent. They started in confusion; while AJ was desperately looking around, biting her cheek, Fluttershy was glaring at her in fury, and Rainbow had a resigned look on her face.

"What happened," Fluttershy asked in an acid voice. "to 'Don't ask about it anymore,' Jacqueline Apple?"

AJ flinched, then stammered, "Technically, that was only 'bout her family-"

"Technically," Fluttershy cut her off with a voice like a sword. "it was none of your business."

"She's my friend," AJ mumbled half-heartedly. "That makes it my business."

"It doesn't, and you know it," Fluttershy retorted. "You had no right to snoop about her."

"I might've agreed with you," AJ clenched her fist. "if I hadn't overheard you two talkin' 'bout how you were lyin' to me. I'd say knowin' that somebody's lyin' to me gives me the right to try to find out what they're hidin'."

"We weren't lying to you," Fluttershy replied. "We were trying to keep a secret, something you agreed to do. So much for your 'Apple word,' hm?"

"Keepin' a secret's one thing," AJ retorted, bristling to her feet. "Lyin' to the person you wanna have help you keep the secret's another. If you wanna trust me, don' turn right around an' give me a reason not to trust you."

Fluttershy prepared to answer again, but was stopped by a weary hand from Rainbow. "Enough, Flutters," she sighed. "Enough." Turning wearily to AJ, she asked, "So you think you know who I am now?"

"I do," she hotly nodded. "An' I know why you didn' want us to use your name, Rainbow Dash."

Silence fell. AJ's finger hovered in the air, pointing accusatively at her morose athletic friend, while Fluttershy seethed beside her.

Then the silence was broken, by the sound of Soarin's laughter. "Hate to rain on your parade, Applejack," he chuckled. "but I've met the real Rainbow Dash, and unless she can change her height, age, and colors, this isn't her."

"Wha?" she gasped in confusion.

"Applejack," Rainbow sighed. "You remember when I asked you to call me Platinum while we were here?"

"Yeah," she nodded, frowning. "You said your parents called you that."

Rainbow winced, then replied, "They've called me that since the day I was born. AJ, I wasn't asking you to lie about my name while we're here." She looked at the ground in shame. "I was asking you to stop lying about my name."

AJ blinked, bewildered.

"I'm not Rainbow Dash," she continued. "You never really knew a Rainbow Dash. I've been lying to you about my name for the last five years, I've been lying about it to almost everyone for almost my entire life. But now, I'm going to start telling the truth." She turned to the stunned Applejack with a determined look on her face. "You were right, AJ," she said. "My parents did give me a nickname. But Platinum wasn't it; Platinum's my real name, Platinum Brilliance. Rainbow Dash was the nickname, the persona, the mask." She bowed her head in sorrow. "The lie. I'm sorry, AJ; the Rainbow Dash you thought you knew was fake, a lie. She's as dead," she sniffed. "as the woman who inspired her."

AJ simply gaped at her, staring in shock. Then, surprising everyone, even herself, she began walking away from the camp, flatly murmuring, "I need to think."

The others watched her go, then watched as Soarin left after her. "I'll be back as quickly as I can," he said. "It's probably not a good idea for any of us to be alone right now; whatever made that track we saw might be out here."

Then silence fell after he left, Soarin's soldiers muttering amongst themselves, Fluttershy rubbing her friend's back in comfort, and Platinum holding her head in her hands.

The Three Divided

Soarin quickly caught up to his quarry, finding her pacing the grass a short distance away and muttering to herself. "Doesn' make sense," he caught her mumbling, over and over. "It just doesn' make sense."

"What doesn't?" he announced himself, startling her and causing her to whip around. He raised his hands in gesture of peace in response. "Don't worry," he reassured her as he drew closer. "I haven't come out here to sway you one way or the other. We don't know where whatever made that footprint went, and going alone when a potentially dangerous animal's the neighborhood isn't a good idea. And, if I read you right, then being alone right now is the last thing you need."

"I need to think," AJ scowled at him.

"And two heads think for three," Soarin replied. "So, what are you thinking? What doesn't make sense to you?"

"Dash--Platinum lyin' 'bout her name like that," AJ answered, her scowl giving way to a look of confusion and dismay. "Why? What did she have to gain by lyin' 'bout her name for so long? An' why choose Rainbow Dash of all things? She grew up here, if she didn't like her name why'd she pick some'n' everyone else would know was a lie? If you lie, you lie to hide some'n', not send up a firework sayin', 'Look at me, I'm lyin'!' All that does is make people dig past the lie faster."

"I don't know," Soarin confessed. "The only ones who would are your companions back at camp."

"An' how am I supposed to trust them, either of'm?" AJ snarled. "One of'm's been lyin' to me for years an' the other's been helpin' her lie. How am I supposed to know they didn't lie 'bout Fluttershy's family, or even her name? How am I supposed to know they ain't lyin' whenever they open their mouths? How can I trust someone after they stab me in the back?"

Soarin's face hardened. "The same way I can trust you after you did so to me," he replied, causing AJ to flinch. "I don't appreciate being used, Applejack, and I appreciate being used in treachery even less. Your companions, from the sounds of it, were behaving suspiciously, but that did not give you the right to behave like you feared they did. If treachery should be repaid with treachery, then how can trust ever be regained? Trust, once broken, invites more breaks, until eventually it's destroyed. You were right to be wary of them, just as they're right to be wary of you now. However," he breathed in. "that's only if you accept the invitation of broken trust. You can choose to refuse it, and instead repay treachery with truth. Trust will still be broken, but you'll be working to rebuild it instead of widening the gap. Wariness does not need to mean the end of trust, only a hurdle in its path. For example, I am wary of you now, Applejack, but I do not choose to stop trusting you. My trust will be harder to come by, however; once bitten, twice shy as the saying goes."

AJ grimaced, but nodded; as much as it pained her to admit it, Soarin was right, and if she were in his place she'd probably have done the same. "Sorry," she murmured in apology. "I was just-no. No, no explanation can make up for treatin' you like that. I'm sorry, Soarin. I'm sorry."

He nodded in acceptance, then asked, "Now knowing that, what do you plan to do regarding your companions?"

AJ bit her lip, then opened her mouth to speak.

Fluttershy's soft singing voice dully rang in Platinum's ears as she numbly stared after the departed AJ and Soarin. Flutters was right, she should've told her, should've told everyone, a long time ago. Even if they'd left her afterwards, it would've been under better conditions than this. She buried her head in her hands again; once again, she'd ignored her better nature and hoped the problem she'd warned her about would simply go away, and once again that strategy had failed.

There was a whisper in the grass. Platinum lifted her head and felt her eyes bulge as she saw Soarin and a pensive-faced Applejack walk back into camp. Fluttershy was saying something, as was Soarin, but Platinum couldn't hear them; all she could see, all she could sense, her whole world, was the thoughtful face of one of her best friends, or at least the girl who had previously been one of her best friends. She felt her heart pounding against her chest; it was only now that she realized just how much she valued Applejack's friendship, now when she stood the greatest chance of losing it.

"Platinum Brilliance," Soarin's voice cut through her panic. "Applejack has something to say to you."

AJ nodded at him, then breathed in deep. Releasing her breath and opening her eyes, she looked levelly at the shaking Platinum. Her gaze was stern and keen, and beyond that unreadable; it thickened the air, until the camp was almost a cloud of tension.

Then she opened her mouth, slashed through the cloud, and stated, "My friendship was with Rainbow Dash, not Platinum Brilliance."

Platinum bowed her head, in grief and acceptance; it was no more than she expected, no more than she deserved for keeping such a secret from-

"However," AJ continued, causing Platinum to startle back up in confusion. "I don' think that Platinum Brilliance expected that she'd be tryna be friends with Applejack the Backstabber, not Applejack the True. Therefore, just as Platinum Brilliance apologized for lyin' 'bout who she was, so does Applejack the True apologize for bein' Applejack the Backstabber."

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, but turned to Platinum and waited for her judgement. It came quickly, as she stammered, "It is forgiven." Though her friend looked displeased at this, she nodded in acceptance, but still kept a wary eye on Applejack.

The farmgirl smiled, then breathed in again. "My friendship was with Rainbow Dash, not Platinum Brilliance," she repeated, before lifting her gaze up to smile at Platinum. "But I'm willin' to try bein' friends with her."

Platinum stared back at her, stupefied, before beaming in joy. "Thank you," she choked out, tearing up. "Applejack the True."

AJ smiled and dipped her head in acceptance. But then her face fell, and her hand went to her geode. "If either of us lies like Applejack the Backstabber or Rainbow Dash," she frowned. "I'm not sure how badly that'll affect our friendship. I promise to never trick you like that again or lie to you, but-"

"Swear it," Fluttershy whispered. She paused as all eyes in the camp turned to her, then grit her teeth and continued. "Swear it," she repeated, louder. "both of you. No more tricks, no more lies, no more breaches of trust, no more snooping on the other's secrets. Swear to be only honest with each other, and to respect when the other says that there's something they need to keep quiet. Swear to trust each other, like you both should have earlier."

They lowered their heads in embarrassment, then met each other's gaze. After a few seconds, AJ nodded, and replied, "Sounds good to me. What d'you trust me to keep my word by, Platinum?"

Platinum's eyes widened in realization. Fumbling, she grabbed her geode and lifted it up. "I swear," she stuttered. "to never trick or lie to you again, to never breach your trust, and to let you keep your secrets. I swear to be honest with you, to respect your privacy, and to trust you always. I swear this all by Loyalty."

AJ stared back at her, then lifted up her own geode. "I swear to never trick or lie to you again," she repeated. "to never breach your trust, an' to let you keep your secrets. I swear to be honest with you, to respect your privacy, an' to trust you always. I swear this all by Honesty."

Fluttershy held her's up. "Kindness stands witness," she declared.

All three geodes stayed dark and silent, but their wielders felt something in their hearts; a gentle glow or warmth, like the Sun shining on their back. And suddenly Fluttershy knew, somehow, that the promise she'd witnessed would never be broken; the magic they bore would prevent it, not by controlling their minds but by reminding them of their friendship, making the thought of hurting the other-them in such a way intolerable.

"Whoa, nelly," AJ murmured, evidently feeling the same thought come over her.

"Wow," Platinum affirmed. "That felt...weird, but also kinda cool. Speaking of cool," she looked nervously at Applejack. "are we cool?"

AJ looked at her thoughtfully, then extended her fist forward in a familiar gesture. After a few seconds of shock, Platinum beamed and knocked against it with her own.

"We're cool," AJ nodded.

"What about you and her?" Open Skies asked, pointing between AJ and Fluttershy. "You two seemed the maddest at each other, don't you wanna patch that up?"

"So long as Applejack agrees to keep her promise," Fluttershy replied. "I am content."

"An' she was only helpin' her friend," AJ answered. "She was just bein' loyal, an' so long as Platinum keeps her promise that's just fine."

Though she seemed a bit disappointed at the simple and comparatively easy resolution, Open Skies nodded.

"Now that that's dealt with," Soarin clapped his hands together. "we should get some rest. I know you two probably want to talk, but let it rest until tomorrow; we still have plenty of travel time to fill up."

The Rainbooms nodded, AJ somewhat reluctantly, then bedded down for the night. As she looked up at the starry sky, clearer even than at Sweet Apple Acres, though, a question came to AJ's mind.

"Psst, Platinum," she whispered. "Is there a constellation of Rainbow Dash anywhere?"

Her new friend's sleeping bag rolled over. "Look for six stars in a curving line," she replied. "That's the crest of her helmet. You should be able to find the rest."

"Alright," she nodded. "G'night."

"G'night," she replied, rolling back over and quickly falling asleep. AJ took a while to follow, though, and not simply because her stargazing delayed her; doubts roiled her mind, doubts about Fluttershy, doubts about Soarin, doubts about Platinum. "That's it?" they asked. "She lies to you for years, then after a talk with some stranger and a few words from her you want to be her friend? Do you really think this is going to be the end of her lies?"

"It's not an end," she murmured in answer as she slipped into slumber. "It's a beginnin'."

The Three Emissaries

The three Rainbooms looked at each other as they rode out the next morning, Soarin grouping them together so they could talk. AJ was grateful for that, though the air between them was still a bit tense; Platinum almost shook with nerves, while Fluttershy's gaze burned against AJ's skin, as if it was trying to tear it away and reveal her plainly, without any disguise or secret.

They ate a brief breakfast in the saddle, then fell into an anxious silence, frozen tension waiting for a question to shatter it.

That question came when AJ cleared her throat and asked, "So, Platinum, I gotta ask; why? Why go to all that trouble of callin' yourself Rainbow Dash?"

She bit her lip. Then, sighing, she grumbled to herself, "No, no more lies. She deserves to know." Then, looking at Morkhest's mane in embarrassment, she asked, "AJ, did you ever have to get a shot when you were a kid?"

AJ crinkled her nose. "Yeah," she replied, not particularly fond of the memories. "Why d'ya ask?"

"Well," Platinum replied, rubbing the back of her head. "when I was little, like littler than Scoots, I needed to get one, and I really didn't want to. You know how it is, those needles seem scary to a little kid. I was so scared I could barely sleep that night. At first I tried thinking of ways to get out of it, like faking being sick, but then I thought of something else; what if I made myself not afraid of it? What if I made myself brave enough to face it, like heroes in stories made themselves brave enough to face the monster? And one of those heroes, the one I knew the best?"

"Rainbow Dash," AJ murmured, furrowing her brow. "But that was when you were a lil'one. Why'd you keep it up after that?"

Platinum flinched. "Did you know I was nervous on my first day of school?" she asked. "My legs were shaking so bad, it's a wonder I managed to walk up to the schoolhouse. But then I realized that being nervous felt like being afraid, and what had helped me stop being afraid before? Acting like Rainbow Dash. When I started middle school, I was nervous, so out came the Rainbow Dash act again. When I went to CHS, it was the first time I'd left the state, and I was terrified; I'd never been so far from home before, and definitely not for as long. So Rainbow Dash came out again, and she just...never went away."

"I understand havin' a role model," AJ replied. "But why'd you change your name? Havin' Rainbow Dash as your role model doesn' change who you are."

"It wasn't just a role model," Fluttershy whispered. "It was much more."

Platinum nodded, then said, "You know how I like doing imitations, right? Like, here's Rainbow Fash," she demonstrated, quickly shaping her hair into a rough copy of Rarity's hairstyle and imitating the accent of the same. "Oh, darling, what are you wearing? It's autumn, darling, those are fall colors; do you wish to light your reputation on a pyre? Or how about Reading Rainboom?" Quickly, she became a crude replica of Twilight in both hair and voice. "I feel more intelligent already, only twelve point 113 seconds into the transformation! By the time we return home, I'll probably be smart enough to calculate how much time I'll need to dedicate to studying for the rest of the semester! And I'll be smart enough," she returned her hair to its usual wild appearance, her voice returning to normal as well. "to switch to Rainbow Dash when I need to be brave. Rainbow Dash wasn't just a role model, AJ, or at least she didn't just stay one; the more I grew up, the more often I became nervous, and the more often I put on my Rainbow Dash mask so I could fight off the fear. And the more I put it on, the more...complete it became, more defined. At first, she was just a hero, a role model who was brave and fought the monsters I was scared of; once I started school, she became a mentor, whispering encouragement into my ear whenever I felt nervous or scared; when I entered middle school she became a coach, telling me how to do stuff; by the time I got to CHS, I basically asked myself 'What would Rainbow Dash do?' about anything, and the mask of her I'd developed could usually give me an answer. That's why I seemed to shut down sometimes, like when I was really scared; that wasn't just me being scared, that was Rainbow Dash, the mask I'd created explicitly to be brave, being scared. I was literally scared so badly I didn't think I could get brave enough to face my fears. Rainbow Dash was my bravery; if she was scared, how could the rest of me get brave enough to overcome that?"

"You make it sound like she was a different person or some'n'," AJ frowned.

"Not that far," Platinum bit her lip. "but it felt like she was--is--close. It's like...you know how people sometimes say that, if they didn't sleep well, it's like they're a different person? It's like that for me and her; whenever I want to be brave, I put on my Rainbow Dash mask, and it's like I become a totally different person. Sometimes it's good, sometimes, like before Sunset called us out at the Battle of the Bands, not so good. The point is, I change when I put on a mask, and I've put on Rainbow Dash so many times that..." She put a finger to her lips in thought. "You know how clothes fit better if you wear them more? It's like that for my masks, and I've worn Rainbow Dash so much that she fits over a lot more of me than, like, Reading Rainboom does." She swallowed. "AJ, I'm not going to lie; I'm not sure who's more developed, Platinum Brilliance or Rainbow Dash. Platinum Brilliance...AJ, this is the first time in years that I've worn her, and there are some areas she doesn't cover that Rainbow Dash does. Rainbow Dash likes wearing sporty stuff, like this," she tugged gently at her dark blue jacket. "It's been so long since Platinum Brilliance shopped for herself that she can't remember what she likes wearing. Rainbow Dash knows her name, responds to it, and isn't afraid to let others know it; the last time Platinum Brilliance heard her name spoken was when Sunset came to power and was digging up dirt on her." She sadly chuckled. "Did you notice how most of my other masks' names are puns on Rainbow Dash's? That's because I'm used to putting them on over her's. Let me rephrase that; I'm more comfortable imitating someone while I'm trying to be someone who only exists in my head than I am while being myself. Rainbow Dash isn't me, she's a mask, a-an act, and I'm more comfortable being her than being the actress underneath. You want to know why I've been Rainbow Dash for so long, AJ?" She looked tearfully at her stunned friend. "I've forgotten how to be Platinum Brilliance. I've been lying so long I've forgotten the truth."

"I," AJ stammered. "I-I-"

She couldn't think of anything more to say; who would be able to, when faced with something as shocking as that? She'd thought that Platinum had bad memories of her original name, or a bad relationship with her parents, not a crisis of identity. From the way she described it, it wasn't that Platinum didn't like her true self, she'd flat-out forgotten that true self. Rainbow Dash had basically taken over her life, replacing Platinum like the aliens in one of those sci-fi movies her sister'd dragged her to. Platinum Brilliance wasn't a secret AJ was trying to uncover; she was a dead girl she needed to bring back to life.

Rainbow evidently misunderstood her silence, tearing up, whimpering, "I need some air," and riding away from the others. AJ futilely reached after her as she left, while Fluttershy merely shook her head sadly.

"That's why she wanted to keep this secret," the shy girl sighed. "It's not just that she likes being Rainbow Dash, she doesn't know how to be Platinum Brilliance. Without that mask, she doesn't have her true self brought to light; there's not enough to see. She can imitate a thousand people, but not herself. She's a rainbow of people, every possible mask and color. All, except for Platinum."

"But that's silly!" AJ sputtered. "If she can do some'n' while actin' like someone else, doesn' that mean she can do it when she ain't? I mean, she can' put anythin' in her actin' she don' have herself, right?"

"Yes," Fluttershy nodded sadly. "The problem is she only seems to find those qualities when she puts the mask on." She sighed again. "It's hard," she confessed. "It's so hard to see her tear herself up like this. I want her to be able to take off the mask as much as you do, Applejack, and I've tried to help her do so before, and I know she can; like you said, she doesn't put anything that isn't part of her into them, there's nothing that belongs to them that doesn't belong to Platinum. But it's like she can't realize that, like there's some mental block preventing her from seeing that. It's like she's dying of thirst, and she thinks the glass of water I'm showing her is a mirage. But what's this?" she frowned suddenly.

Turning to follow her gaze, AJ saw Soarin riding over to them. He pulled up alongside, then asked, "Is everything okay? I saw your friend ride off."

"I just took too long thinkin' 'bout what to say," AJ scowled at herself. "Poor thing must've thought I was tryna figure out how to go back on my promise. The things she told me, Mr. Skies...Even I can see why she hid'm."

"Again, call me Soarin," he frowned. "Is she still able to help you with your mission?"

"She gave her word that she would, Lord Skies," Fluttershy sternly replied. "Her word is as strong as steel. She will be there, whatever state she's in." Her face fell. "I just hope it's a better one than the one she left here in," she murmured.

"I hope so, too," Soarin nodded in sympathy. "The others say she looked quite distressed."

AJ clenched her reins tighter as she remembered the loss in Platinum's eyes. "She has every right to be," she grumbled.

Soarin hesitated. "Dare I ask why you say that?"

"Personal problems," AJ replied, a sick feeling in her stomach as she remembered Platinum's struggle with identity. "Really personal problems. If you wanna know more, I'm gonna have to ask you to ask Flutters; I'd rather not talk 'bout it, if you please."

"Then I'll trust that I don't need to know any more," Soarin nodded, before leaving them with a wave goodbye.

Platinum fell back in with them a while later, AJ's attempted apology waved away with a sniffle. The almost broken look on her face discouraged further conversation, and they rode the next hours in silence. A patrol from Mountainboss caught up with them around ten, but they stayed too far away from the conversation to hear any of what was said. After that brief meeting, they continued on their way southwest, the sloping grasses of the plain rolling beneath them.

Every so often, they passed by evidence of civilization, whether that meant isolated homesteads, shepherds and their flocks, or the occasional small village. Most of the time these encounters were from a distance, but every so often they came closer, whether that meant offering a quick helping hand with a repair job on a farm or surfing around the edge of a great wave of sheep. They never stayed for long, though, despite the countless offers they received; it appeared that hospitality was greatly admired in this section of Cloudsdale, what Fluttershy said was called the Hurricane Vale. They slowed for lunch at about noon, shortly before crossing a bridge over a churning river.

"Careful," Soarin warned as they crossed the simple wooden structure. "Even this far south, Snowfall's still cold. Rumor says Whispering Marsh is full of those who've fallen in, frozen solid before being carried south and buried in the muck."

"We're not goin' there, are we?" AJ asked, wrinkling her nose. Just because she wasn't Rarity didn't mean she found the idea of trudging through a swamp attractive.

"No," Soarin shook his head, pointing west at a slowly-rising peak. "Our destination lies that way, about three hours away."

AJ nodded, then asked, "So, what's the governor like?"

Soarin's face fell. "Wine, mainly," he answered. "Both spellings, if you catch my drift."

"That good, huh?" AJ winced. "How's anythin' get done?"

"His secretary's talented," Soarin replied. "And where she can't work, the great houses and local lairds, like your friend's House Flutter, step in."

"Then why don' you replace him?" AJ asked. "Get some fresh blood in power. Sounds like this secretary of his could do pretty well there."

"It's," Soarin hesitated. "complicated. You'll understand after you meet him." Before she could ask him what he meant, he rode away.

She scowled as she saw him return to the front of their patrol. An uncomplicated answer that didn't give her twenty more questions; was that too much for her to ask of the world this day? Soarin said that she'd understand why Cloudsdale didn't just remove the governor after she met him. She hoped she did; if she didn't, she was going to scream.

Windy Hill, capitol of Cloudsdale state, appeared before them, though it wasn't as impressive as AJ'd expected; a few small houses and other assorted buildings atop a low hill, surrounding an eight-sided building made of light-colored wood and deep green shingles. Clearly the capitol building itself, it seemed small and fragile; she half-expected it to simply blow away before their eyes, borne on the constant, steady wind that blew through the area.

They rode closer, the town--AJ couldn't call it a proper city--staying silent as they approached. A few grooms popped up as they arrived to stable their horses (a fair few of the buildings she'd first thought were houses turned out to be stables), but other than that it was like the town was deserted.

"Where is everyone?" she asked Soarin in a hush, some instinct urging her to be quiet. "This is like a ghost town."

"You remember when I told you about who stands in for the governor?" Soarin answered, the same instinct apparently afflicting him, too. "I got it a bit backwards; problems usually go through mayors or thains or elected officials like that, then on to the local lairds, then to the great houses, and only then do they go to the governor. Basically two or three things come up here in a year, and the great houses basically decide whether those two or three things actually are resolved the way Windy Hill wanted."

"Then what's the point of the governor?" AJ asked. "If these great houses take care of everythin', why do you even need a governor?"

"Makes it easier to deal with the other states," Soarin replied. "Governors might not be comfortable talking with nobles, but they are comfortable talking with other governors."

"But why have a whiny drunk governor then?" AJ asked, confused. "Who'd be comfortable talkin' to them?"

Soarin sighed. "You'll see," he sadly replied.

All now dismounted and their steeds seen to, the party approached the capitol building, meeting two other inhabitants as they arrived. Door guards, barring the door with their crossed long spears, protected by grey mail and deep green plate. White enamel wind traced the flowing pattern of a horse on their breastplates.

Soarin walked up to them and raised his hand in greeting. "Soarin Skies has arrived," he announced. "He has visitors for the governor."

"Are they armed?" one of the guards asked.

Nervously, unsure whether they'd count it as a weapon or not, AJ clutched her geode, a movement that did not go unnoticed. "What've you got there?" the other guard asked warily.

"Nothin'," AJ desperately, and badly, lied.

"Nothing doesn't make you nervous," the guard retorted, lifting their spear away from the door. "Lord Skies, what is she hiding?"

"Some sort of necklace, I think," he replied, clearly--even to AJ's ears--trying to make himself sound casual.

"A necklace doesn't inspire a lord to lie," the guard scowled. Turning to AJ, they pointed their spear threateningly. "Tell me the truth; what is-"

"A special necklace that allows her to use magic," Platinum blurted out, breaking her hours-long silence.

"Magic?" the guard frowned, letting their spear dip. "What kind of magic?"

"Super-strength," AJ sighed, not wanting to try putting the cat back in the bag now that Platinum'd let it out.

"Any tool that gives deadly strength is forbidden to pass," the second guard said, thumping their spear. "The stone stays out here, with its bearer if she doesn't wish to part with it."

"Those of us Lord Skies wishes to show the governor all have similar stones," Fluttershy replied, lifting up her own. "Our magic is not the same as her's, but super-speed and the ability to speak with animals may prove as deadly as brute force. As for taking them off, we don't know what would happen if we left them together, or if someone else, possibly tempted by some power of their's, were to put them on. They're too dangerous to leave alone, and our mission requires us to see the governor."

"Then your mission must fail," the second guard answered. "The stones will not pass this threshold. We will not risk the governor's safety."

"If we were a threat to his safety," Platinum asked. "do you think you'd be able to stop us? Applejack can lift a boulder with her bare hands, and I," she raced over to stand between the guards, then returned to her previous position before they even noticed she was there. "could get past you no trouble. Besides, if we were a threat to the governor's safety, wouldn't we have found a different, less guarded way in? Why go up to the guards if you're trying to sneak in, right?"

While the second guard pointed their spear at Platinum in shock, the first thumped their's on the ground and moved it aside. "The swift girl is right," he told his comrade. "If they were a threat, either we wouldn't know it or wouldn't be around to stop them." He turned his gaze on Applejack. "I don't know why they tried to keep the stones secret, but I know it's not for ill intent."

The second guard hesitated, then haltingly echoed the movements of their comrade. "Very well," she grudgingly said. "They may pass. Their comrades' weapons, however, as well as any other weapons they have, remain out here."

An assortment of knives, staffs, and swords were given to the guards for safekeeping. When AJ gave them her hunting knife, however, the second guard's hand fell on her shoulder and she hissed in her ear, "I'm trusting Quarter's judgement of your actions. Betray that trust, and we'll see just what I'm able to do to stop you."

AJ nodded, then brushed her hand off and followed the others to the wooden doors of the capitol building, the doors which opened at the prodding of the guards. As they passed inside, onto scuffed wooden floors, AJ found Platinum, nudged her with her elbow, and whispered, "Great job, Platinum."

Unexpectedly, her friend's face fell at that. "It was Rainbow Dash who said that stuff," she sadly replied. "Platinum didn't know what to say, so she asked Rainbow to speak instead."

AJ frowned, but before she could argue with her friend's bleak assessment of her abilities Soarin said, "Follow me. The sooner we speak with the governor, the better."

He led them through the faintly-rattling halls, eventually coming to the door of an office. Soarin motioned for the others to wait, knocked on the door, then poked his head in and mumbled inaudible words. After a few moments, he came back out and said, "It'll just take a few moments for them to get ready."

After a few seconds' wait, during which AJ was sadly unable to confront Platinum, the door clicked open and a soft pink hand ushered them in. They obeyed, Soarin leading the way, emerging in an office of middling size. A window in the back wall looked out on the windswept hill, the side walls stood decorated with trophies, awards, and flags, and in the center of the room stood a desk with two seats behind it. In the smaller seat, to AJ's right, the bearer of the pink hand sat, a professionally dressed woman who looked like she could give Rarity a run for her money in the looks department. She smiled maternally at the group as they entered, filling almost half the office, then cleared her throat and said, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Clear Sky, and this," she gestured to the other seat behind the desk. "is the governor of Cloudsdale, Lord Wind of the Great House Rider, Lord of Storm's Deep, Defender of the West."

The governor looked out at them with a glazed expression, red eyes looking dully out from an old face surrounded by a well-kept crown of grey hair, while a downward sloping mouth lay surrounded by an unkempt beard. He looked almost dead, and for a moment AJ thought he was, until he moved his gnarled hands to brush his wrinkled shirt.

"Your lordship," Soarin bowed. "I've found some people who I think can help us." He motioned for AJ and the others to come forward, and then gave the governor their names.

Lord Wind looked at them wearily, then dismissively waved. "Bah," he mumbled. "Only two'f'm are Cloudsdale stock, and those two're Pansies. Unless flower-crowns can save us, they won't be able to help."

"I wouldn't be so sure, your lordship," Soarin replied. Turning to AJ, he said, "Applejack, lift me."

"Wha?" she blinked in confusion.

"Show him that you can help," he explained. "I'm in almost full armor, if you can lift me that'll show how strong you are."

She looked at him, then the vaguely bored governor, and set her face. "Okay," she grunted, rolling up her sleeves. "Time to show this fella what an Apple can do." Bending down, she grabbed Soarin by the ankles and, with a heave of effort, lifted him into the air.

Soarin smiled down at the stunned Clear Sky and Lord Wind from his perch over AJ's head. "Do you still think she can't help us, your lordship?" he asked.

Lord Wind laughed at that, a raspy, broken laugh. "Yes, Lord Skies," he replied. "Your monkey's circus tricks won't be enough to help us."

"Monkey?" AJ snorted, dropping Soarin to the ground as she marched up to the governor's desk. "I ain't no monkey, and this," she thrust her geode at him. "ain't no circus trick."

"No," Lord Wind snorted. "But neither is it enough to save Cloudsdale. Fight, if you want, I give you leave or whatever you came here for; try to fight or help or save the day. You won't be able to. Nobody will. Soarin brought you here on a fool's errand, one with as much hope as I have."

"What're you talkin' 'bout?" AJ asked. "What's got you so glum?"

"That's right," Lord Wind grunted, tapping his temple. "I told the others not to tell anyone they didn't trust. Well, if he brought you here all the way from Skyspear, he must trust you, and even if he's wrong to," he darkly chuckled. "it won't matter soon. Clear Sky," he ordered his secretary. "bring Thunderlane here, and tell him to bring it."

"Yes, my lord," she nodded, quickly squeezing out of the office.

Lord Wind sighed as she left. "I need to send her away soon," he mumbled softly. "Her and the kid. This isn't their fight."

"Fight?" Fluttershy frowned. "With who?"

"You're right," Lord Wind sighed, tapping his temple again. "Fight's the wrong word. Slaughter, that's the one I'm thinking of. Bloodbath. Massacre. Butchering. Fight implies a chance at victory, something not even your shiny magic rocks give us."

"Who're you fightin' 'gainst?" AJ asked in horror. "Who would do a thing like this?"

"Not who," a new voice, Thunderlane she assumed, grunted as he opened the door.

"Not who?" AJ furrowed her brow, turning around to look at him. "What d'ya mean not--what in the world is that?"

Thunderlane grunted as he heaved the thing he was carrying onto the floor of the office, the others present clearing the way by unspoken command. It landed with a thud and a faint squelch, and then fell still.

It was big, easily a good three heads taller than her and wider than Big Mac. It was vaguely Man-shaped, but only in the most generous sense of the word; its arms were long, thing, and wiry, ending in a hand with fingers like short ropes. Its head was wedge-shaped, with some kind of frill along the top and a thick pair of lips on the front, its closed eyes, as large as bowling balls, bulging out from the sides. Its back was arched like it was bent over, though the bulging belly which oozed out over the floor made her think it walked like that normally. Its legs, stout, toned, and thick, ended in frog-like feet.

Feet that were almost three times as big as her's.

"What."

AJ blinked; Thunderlane's voice had dragged her out of her thoughts. "Er, come again?" she asked.

"It's not a 'who' we're fighting," he panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's a 'what.' And this," he kicked the thing on the floor. "is that 'what.'"

"But," Fluttershy murmured, peeking over his shoulder. "what is it?"

"The enemy," Lord Wind replied, a dark laugh in his voice. "The enemy, and the end of Cloudsdale. Thunderlane," he ordered, the youth snapping to attention as he spoke. "tell them your story. Tell them about the brave deed of Thunderlane that will be sung of as long as Cloudsdale stands." His face darkened. "Then let them know why nobody will sing of it by the time Hearth's Warming rolls around."