The Alchemist

by bkc56

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Drama, Original Character, Adventure, Princess Celestia
Length: 22491

A millennium ago, a master alchemist took on a new apprentice. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge proved his instincts correct. And the skills she learned will one day be all that stands in the way of a plot against Princess Celestia herself.

A master of alchemy and magic trusts his instincts when taking on a young filly as a new apprentice. Years later, her training is put to the test when they are called to Canterlot to aid Princess Celestia. With her master away on a mission of his own, the apprentice must use all her alchemy and magic skills to save the princess and help defend the castle.

This story is part of The Quicksilver Chronicles, a series of stories that follow the adventures of Quicksilver and Misty as they make their way through whatever fate throws at them.

Cover art by 108Fiona8Fay.

Thanks to my pre-readers OConnerGT-R, mikemeiers, and FionaF. With a special thanks to my editor EverfreePony.

Published 2021-10-12 20:10:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-10-29 15:02:45 UTC

1. Prologue

It was a sunny, yet brisk winter’s day in Canterlot. The streets were filled with ponies bundled in warm clothes going about their preparations for the rapidly approaching Hearth’s Warming Eve. Decorations enhanced by a fine layer of snow accented most of the homes and businesses around the city. Behind frost-covered windows, Misty surveyed the decorations in her own home with a foal-like giddiness. The holiday was only two weeks away, and she could hardly wait. She adjusted the blanket she and Quicksilver were sharing as they sat together on the couch reading.

After a while, Misty put down the paper she was studying and glanced at her husband. "Would you like some tea?"

Looking up, Quicksilver replied, "Oh, that would be great. Thanks."

She got up and went into the kitchen. She called out, “Shortbread or biscotti cookies? Oh, never mind. Someone snagged the last biscotti already. I wonder who that was?” She soon returned with a big smile and a tray loaded with tea and two plates of cookies. She gave Quicksilver his share and set hers on the side table. Quicksilver used his magic to help her adjust the blanket as she sat down, and they each started their mid-afternoon snack.

“Sorry about the cookies,” he mumbled. She leaned into him for a moment.

“I ran into a friend at the store the other day,” Misty started. “We got to talking about our work as researchers. She found it inconceivable that we would willingly spend our free time reading technical papers.”

Quicksilver chuckled. “I guess it does sound a little strange. But we love what we do.” He gave her a playful shove with his shoulder. “So, what have you been reading today?”

“Guilty. It’s a research paper on snapdragon genetics. You?”

“It’s a paper my dad published…” He flipped to the title page. “Yeah, two months ago. I’m finally getting around to reading it. It’s the latest in a series about organic chemicals in alchemy. Brilliant stuff, as usual.”

"What's it like," Misty asked, "being the colt of two well-known, even famous researchers?"

“I guess somewhat similar to being the husband of a respected botanist.” He grinned at her.

Misty dropped her head on his shoulder with a theatrical sigh. “You know what I mean.”

He snickered. “Yeah, I do. But I usually don’t think about it like that. To me, they’re just my parents. It’s only when somepony else brings it up that I see them that way.”

Quicksilver's eyes drifted up toward the ceiling. "Take school for example.” He took a sip of his tea, inhaling the steam rising off it. “All the professors knew of them. I remember him working on the paper ‘Magic Fields and their Interaction with Inorganic Compounds’ as a colt. And then I'm in this class and the professor assigns that paper as required reading."

Misty giggled. "I bet that was kind of strange for you."

He nodded. "I was tempted to tell him: as a colt I spilled apple juice all over one of his early drafts of that paper. Don't get me wrong. It's a brilliant paper, and helped form the foundation of my own research into alchemy. But yes, it was strange at the time."

“Really?” She had a big grin. “Apple juice? I guess that’s better than grape. What happened?”

“Let’s just say that he impressed upon me the importance of the rule: no food or drink in my dad’s study.”

Misty sat back to look directly at him. “So that’s why you never have anything to drink while you’re working on a paper? Not even tea?”

He shrugged. “Old habits…”

“You’re a big colt now. I imagine you could handle it.” Leaning against him again, she asked, "What about your grandparents? Were they well known for anything like that?"

"No, not really. But if you go way back, there is one relative we know a little about."

"Oh, really? Who? What do you know?” She paused, thinking for a moment. “Oh, I hope it's not one of those apocryphal tales every pony family seems to have about the seafaring relative that decided to give up the sea and started walking inland carrying an oar. And as soon as somepony asked them what they were carrying, that's where they settled to make a new home."

Quicksilver grinned. "Oh, you have one of those in your family too? I think that was supposed to be our great great grandfather. Or was it three greats?"

Misty gave him a light punch on the shoulder with her hoof. "Seriously!"

"Ouch," he feigned with a hurt look that quickly dissolved into a laugh. "Okay, okay, seriously. It's the story of a filly who grew up to be our ancient grandmother with who knows how many greats in front of it. This story goes back almost a thousand years, just a couple of decades after the defeat of Nightmare Moon."

Misty’s wings fluttered almost imperceptibly in excitement. It was as if she was transported back to her foalhood for story time. She scooted closer to Quicksilver and snuggled up against him.

2. A New Student

The elderly unicorn alchemist moved briskly through the streets of the town. He walked with purpose, each step laden with focus and intent. A light breeze blew his long blue mane to the side. His dark cape billowed slightly, revealing his tan coat. Lost in his thoughts, he would do little more than nod if greeted by somepony. Time was one of his most precious resources, and he resented anything that stole away any of that time, including eating, sleeping, or even walking.

He did, however, have one exception. The foals in the area all knew him. If spotted, he would be set upon by them clamoring for a trick or two. Feigning annoyance, he would create a display of colored fire and smoke for their amusement. He looked and moved like a younger stallion during these performances. It was almost as if the squeals of delight sucked the years from him as a poultice would suck the poison from a wound. Of course, it was a silly thought. Still, no one knew his actual age or could remember a time when he wasn't around.

He grinned as he thought about the various rumors and questions that followed him relentlessly. He would scoff at anypony who asked if he, being an alchemist, could turn elements into gold. Still, ponies watched with suspicious curiosity each month as he visited the money changer’s table. The gold nuggets and dust he put on the scale were real, or the money changer wouldn’t take it. Yet everypony knew there was no source of gold anywhere in the valley.

Another rumor told of how he was once attacked by a robber late at night. The alchemist threw something at the bandit, causing him to burst into flames. He was consumed by the fire with no trace left behind. Such stories were as hard to verify as they were to stop, but they served as a better defense than even his magic. No one wished to confront the alchemist who could cast death from his hooves.

He lived in an old stone house about a twenty-minute walk from the edge of town. It was nestled at the edge of a forest, or perhaps more accurately, it was part of the forest. One could walk past and never notice it. Even the smoke from the chimney seemed to be swallowed by the trees as if the forest itself conspired to hide him. And no visitors dared challenge the rumors by knocking at his door. The alchemist liked it that way, as time was short to complete his research and the consequences severe if he didn't.

Yet even his aversion to visitors had the exception of one particular filly.

Over four years ago, on the way home from one of his visits to the town, the alchemist saw a pack of colts who had cornered a young unicorn filly. He recognized the filly by her light blue-green coat and long dark red mane and tail. She was always present for his performances in town. She had been missing that day, and he now suspected this was the reason.

As he drew closer, he could hear the taunts. Following the noise, he looked down into the shallow gully that ran parallel to the road. The incline was sparsely covered with scattered underbrush, giving him a view of the small creek at the bottom. The water had eroded the far hillside, forming a steep face. The filly was perched on an outcropping about halfway up.

Several earth pony colts had her boxed in. They scampered around, barking and howling like wolves on the hunt. They teased her with talk of how she was a cornered fox they would soon get. He had to admit that crouched on the outcropping with her red mane spread over her shoulders, she did have a certain fox-like appearance.

Unfortunately, he could see where this was going. The pack was moving beyond simple taunts. Small branches and the occasional rock were striking the hillside around the filly. A rock crashed directly above her, showering her face with dirt. She shook her head. He winced as a colt bucked another rock. This one would slam into her. At the last moment the filly deflected it with magic.

He left the road and moved down the incline. Each measured step brought him closer to the pack. The colts were still fully focused on the “fox”. With their backs to him, his approach was unnoticed. The new spring grass made his approach as silent as a stalking predator. As he drew closer, he levitated a small paper-wrapped ball from his satchel.

He was close enough to touch them when he stopped, and yet he had still not been noticed. He reared up, towering over them. “So, you like being wolves? Perhaps as timberwolves you can fully enjoy the experience,” he boomed. Multiple pairs of eyes, wide in terror, stared up at him. Slapping his front hooves together, he crushed the paper ball. A thick gray smoke spilled out and quickly enveloped the colts. Using magic, he pulled vines and brambles from nearby bushes and wrapped them over each colt. A couple dropped to the ground and covered their heads with their legs. The rest kicked and bucked as the brambles poked at them. They then turned tail and ran, yelling in panic.

The alchemist turned his attention to the two colts still frozen in terror before him. Dropping to all fours, he looked directly at them. “Flee, you foals!”

The brambles scraped and poked them as they made their escape. The calm of the day broken with their shrieks of pain and terror. They were soon lost from view as they fled through the underbrush.

There would soon be a new rumor about the time he turned a pack of colts into timberwolves, temporarily, to teach them a lesson. Of course, the vines and brambles would fall off by the time the colts reached the town, so there would be no evidence of their transformation. A brief, almost invisible grin passed over his face.

He looked up at the filly. She was wide-eyed, but no longer afraid. It was an expression of wonder and awe.

The threat was gone, yet he didn’t feel he should leave her alone. He knew the farm where she lived with her family. Seeing her home would put him behind schedule. Still, the last few minutes spent teaching those colt bullies a lesson was worth a small delay.

"You may come down now," he started. "I will not harm you and see you safely home."

The filly climbed effortlessly down from her perch and trotted across the stream to where he was standing. Her ears went down as she craned her neck to look up at him towering over her. She lifted a hoof to step back, then changed her mind. In a soft voice she asked, "Would you have really turned those colts into timberwolves?"

"What do you think?"

She glanced at the ground and pawed at the grass a couple of times. After a moment she looked up again.

"No. You are an alchemist, not a wizard. You could scare them, but not change them." After a short pause, she added, "Thank you."

He allowed a slight smile to cross his face and gave a single nod. This girl was no fool and might have some potential. Without saying another word, he turned and headed towards the road. She followed, and they walked in silence until they reached the farm.

As they turned from the road and headed towards the rustic house, the alchemist looked down at the filly and asked, "What is your name?"

“Windflower. But everypony calls me Ann.”

“Why Ann?”

“I once asked my dad about my name. He said that windflowers are actually a number of different plants that grow in the forests and meadows around here. They’re my mom’s favorite, so that’s why I was named after them. He said they’re also called anemones.

“My brothers found that word funny, but they couldn’t say it correctly. So they started calling me Ann just to tease me. At first it made me mad. My mom told me that teasing only works if I let it. So I started answering when they called me Ann. It bugged them so much.” She laughed. “But I decided I liked the nickname. My parents still call me Windflower, but I’m Ann to everypony else.”

"Ann then. So be it," he said with a nod.

Ann’s father spotted them as they approached. He called out to the house, and soon her mom and siblings emerged. Ann was prancing with excitement as she and the alchemist got closer. She almost exploded as she told the tale of how the bullies chased her. As if doing a one-pony show, Ann played each of the parts as she described how the alchemist almost turned them into real timberwolves. She even hinted that some may have started to change as they escaped towards town. A glance at the alchemist told him she was even now playing into what would soon be a new rumor. Smart and clever.

He was invited to stay for dinner as thanks for his help, which he accepted. Pleased by his compliments on the food, Ann’s mother made an offer. For a weekly payment, she would prepare a little extra dinner each evening which Ann would deliver to the alchemist. This would save him precious time, provide him better meals, and give the family some sorely-needed extra income.

The next evening Ann showed up at the alchemist's house and knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she knocked again. What should I do? This is the right time. Is he gone, or perhaps too busy to answer? After another pause, she carefully opened the door just a bit and leaned in. "It's Ann. I have your supper."

The alchemist was sitting at a large table piled high with books, papers, and a variety of containers. A number of spider webs suggested the piles had been undisturbed, perhaps for years. A book lay open in one of the few clear spots. A quill rapidly scratched on the page as he wrote. He did not look up. "Punctual, I see. That is good. You may place it on the table, and I shall eat presently."

Cautiously, she stepped into the room, walked over to the table, and placed the bundle in a small open area. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she looked around.

The front part of the house was one large living space, although it looked more like a library filled with bookshelves and cabinets. Every open area she saw was piled high with books, parchments, bags, flasks, and items she couldn’t identify. There was dust everywhere. She glanced down and noticed that even her hoofsteps kicked up small clouds. She looked at the ceiling and saw an abundance of cobwebs stretched from the support beams down to the high shelves. Even the cobwebs were dusty. To the back of the room were three darkened doors. Probably a kitchen and bedrooms, she thought to herself. She stifled a sneeze brought on by the dust and a number of strange odors in the room.

Ann startled when he broke the silence. "Thank you for bringing my dinner. If there is nothing else..." He did not look up from his work.

"No. I will pick up the crockery when I bring tomorrow's meal."

With that Ann carefully returned to the front door and softly closed it as she exited.

As time went by, Ann got in the habit of bringing her dinner too so she could eat with the alchemist. They seldom talked, but she felt comfortable in the house in a way she didn’t at home. Home felt like family. This felt… different.

Dinner was done, and they each sat at their respective tables. She decided it was time to ask a question that had been on her mind for some time.

She cleared her throat. “Can I ask you something?”

He looked up from his journal. “Yes?”

“All these books.” She gestured around the room with her hoof. “They show you can read. And I see that you can write. As an alchemist, you would be able to do numbers too."

He nodded. "Yes, that is all true."

“Will you teach me? Please?” She stood up from a small table where she ate and took a couple steps closer to the alchemist. “I want to read and write, and be able to do numbers. Please."

He shook his head. “I am very busy with my research. I have little time to spare to teach you.”

“But you do have some? A little? And I could pay you. Not with money, but with chores. I could do some dusting, or run errands, or do your weekly shopping. I could do things that would save you time, time you could use to teach me. I’ll work hard.”

He sat back in his chair. “And what of your parents?”

She smiled and pranced in place for a moment. “I already asked them, and they said yes.”

Without any comment, he raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“No, really. My dad said it would have to happen during my free time. I still have to do all my chores at home. But he said an education might get me a job in the city, or perhaps marry a shopkeeper who needed a wife to help him run the business. He was totally okay with it.”

He raised his head, looking down his muzzle at her. Her enthusiasm faltered under his gaze. “That is a surprising reaction from one who works the land for his family’s livelihood. And what of those chores? In a family such as yours, everyone, even foals, work. It takes everyone, without exception. When will you have any time for lessons?”

A cautious smile returned. “He said he would shift our chores around so that all mine were in the morning. He would wake me up before dawn when he gets up. If I get everything done, I could leave after lunch. Even with my chores here, there would be plenty of time to learn. My mom said she would continue to pack two dinners so I could eat here and study after. As long as I’m home before sunset.”

Clearly she wanted this badly. The potential he had seen before was becoming more evident. But would that be enough after a few weeks of waking before dawn each day? “Very well. We will start your education and observe how it goes.”

Turning suddenly serious, she confidently declared, “I will not disappoint you.”

As the weeks went by, it was clear she consumed knowledge as a fire consumes dry grass. Although, sometimes, the grass fought back.

Ann growled and stomped a hoof. "What is it, child?" the alchemist asked as he looked up from his book. "Is knowledge resisting your conquest today?"

She rested her legs on the small table she used for study and sat up straight. "It's this problem you gave me. The answer is obvious, but I can't get the numbers to work out."

“Then ask for help.” He sat the book down on a side table next to his chair.

She replied softly as her gaze drifted down to her table, “I don't want to look like I'm dumb or not trying.”

The alchemist paused. “The point of learning is to be exposed to new things that you don't yet understand. There is no shame in asking for help as you learn.”

She glanced up. “Really?”

He chuckled. “If you never need to ask for help, then the lessons are not advanced enough.”

With a heavy sigh, she asked, "Master? Could you please help me with this?"

He stood up and walked over. He looked at her paper for a moment, then asked, "If you take twenty percent of something, do you end up with more, or less than the original number?"

"Clearly less."

"So twenty percent of ten is..."

"Two."

He pointed to a line on her paper. "So why is twenty percent of this more than the number you started with?"

It only took a split second for her to reply, "I forgot the point!" She scribbled some quick figures, then looked up with a large grin. "That's the answer I was expecting." She paused, and her grin fell away. "How did you see that so fast? Why couldn't I?"

As he returned to his own chair, he answered, "Familiarity with a problem brings with it a kind of blindness to errors. You see what you expect to see, not what actually is. Someone not yet blinded may see what you can not.” He sat down on his chair. “I believe you have more problems to do?”

3. A New Apprentice

Her education continued steadily. And then one day, it was over.

She had just finished transcribing a set of his notes into her master’s journal. As she closed the book, he sat down across the table from her.

"You have been a model student and have learned everything I have to teach you. We are done. I have nothing more to give you. With what you have learned, you can go study anything you want. It is time for you to seek out your next teacher."

"I already have," she responded immediately.

With no hint of surprise in his voice, he replied. "You have? What will you study now?"

"I have been thinking about this for many moons. I have considered it carefully. My next teacher will be you. I wish to learn about alchemy and magic. I want to be your apprentice. Teach me everything you know. Please."

He silently regarded her for several moments. She fidgeted in her chair, but did not break her gaze. Without a word, he stood up and walked into one of the back rooms. She could hear the sounds of things being moved about before he returned with a set of saddlebags. He set the bags on a chair and opened one side, then levitated out a silver chain. As he held it suspended before Ann’s eyes, she noticed a small flat blue stone spinning at the end.

“This is a stone of protection. It is a hard artifact to find.” A slight grin crossed his face. “I have several.” The grin faded away. “On one side is inscribed a rune of physical protection.” He paused. “Do you remember that day at the stream? That pack of bullies who were throwing things at you? This would have helped even without your own magic. On the other side is a rune of magical protection. Together they will help keep you safe. It is not like armor, but it will help.” He set it on the table.

Next, he pulled out a hooded cape that looked the same as the one he wore whenever he was out. He placed it on the table as well.

“This cape is also enhanced with a spell. It will keep you dry in the rain, warm in winter, and protect you from the sun in the summer. In time, you will learn to refresh the spells on it yourself.”

Ann stood and walked around to the other side of the table. She reached out to pick up the cape. The alchemist placed his hoof on hers to stop her.

"I know you have considered this, but have you truly weighed the consequences? To be an alchemist's apprentice is not something to be done on a whim. It will be harder than anything you have studied thus far. You will see and learn things you can never repeat, save perhaps to your own apprentice in some decades. You are selecting who and what you are for the rest of your life. Are you absolutely sure?"

She looked at him with moist eyes. Then, standing up straight, she declared, "I know. I have freely chosen this. I will not falter."

He removed his hoof, and she picked up the cape and clutched it to her chest. A couple of tears ran down her cheeks as she stood there with her eyes closed. Her heart was racing.

"It is done," he said. "You have now changed. Yesterday you were a little filly trading dusting for reading lessons. Tomorrow you will be a young mare finding your place in the world of alchemy. That world will challenge you, but you have shown you are not one to be intimidated. Never doubt the path you are on, the path you have chosen.” He smiled at her. “Go to your home now and rest, for tomorrow the hard work begins."

Shortly after noon the next day, she appeared at the house like normal. She entered and greeted the alchemist.

After returning her greeting, he looked up. “And how do you like your cape?” he asked, noting how she fidgeted.

“I don’t think I do. I’m not used to wearing anything. It itches my rump and gets in the way of my tail.” She flicked her tail which did little more than shift the cape a bit.

The alchemist laughed deeply. “I remember a… long time ago. I felt exactly the same. I hated the way it lay on my mane.” Ann nodded vigorously while scrunching her nose. “Now I can’t leave the house without it on me. You will grow accustomed to it soon enough.”

“I hope so.” She gave herself a shake and prepared to remove the cape.

“Don’t take it off yet. We have an errand to run today.” He hoofed her a small pouch which was very heavy for its size.

"Take this and place it in your saddlebag. When we reach the town, you will go to the money changer to exchange it for the bits I need to purchase supplies."

"But I’ve never used the money changer..."

He shook his head. "That isn’t a problem. Today is a good day to learn. Just remember to keep your wits about you."

With that, he put on his saddlebag, added his cape, and went out the door. She followed, closing the door behind her. The road to town tended to be quiet this time of day with ponies busy on their farms. They didn’t talk while they traveled, as the peacefulness of the day almost seemed to forbid it. When they passed a particular spot, Ann glanced down at the creek where the alchemist had saved her some years ago.

As they entered the town, ponies watched them go by. They leaned out of windows or stood in doorways. The eyes followed the pair, filled with curiosity, displeasure, or judgment. There was no question what the cape she wore meant as she walked beside the alchemist. Some new rumors would be traded today along with other market goods.

As they moved through town, houses began to give way to shops and businesses. Most buildings had the customer area in the front, with the owners living in the back. The more successful flaunted their wealth with a second story for their living quarters. They quite literally looked down on their neighbors.

When they reached the outdoor market area, the alchemist addressed Ann, “I have something I must attend to. You proceed to the money changer. Be vigilant.” He turned to go down a side street.

As he walked away, she called out, “I will.” She then continued on.

The town’s market was a rectangular space that broke up the line of houses between two streets. The resulting open area was surrounded by shops and filled with a variety of carts, tents, and tables. Ponies meandered around them, browsing the goods and haggling over prices. It was noisy, chaotic, and fun.

Ann moved through the crowded market, making her way to the money changer in his usual spot. He always set up his table in the same location in front of a store owned by his brother. The table was attended by a middle-aged and rather overweight pony. He seemed to be tempting fate and gravity with the small stool he sat on. Despite the busy day, there were no customers at his table. Nopony seemed to be interested in socializing with the likes of him.

“Good day. I would like to exchange some gold today.” He waved at a scale which sat prominently on the table, inviting its use in a transaction. As she had seen the alchemist do many times before, she dumped the gold dust on the tray. He added weights until it balanced and read off the weight. After stating the conversion rate and total, he set the bits on the table.

"There you go. Take your money and be off, as I have other customers coming." He waved a hoof dismissively.

She stood, looking at the bits for a moment. "I'm sorry, that is not the correct amount."

"It's exactly what I told you," he replied, counting off the stacks aloud.

"Yes, it is, but the math is incorrect. There should be ten more coins given the weight and rate you stated."

"Are you suggesting I don't know what I'm doing? Or perhaps you are saying I can't do the math?" he sneered with an indignant attitude.

Wanting to make sure the ponies already eavesdropping could hear better, Ann spoke a little louder than necessary, "I believe you know exactly what you are doing, and you know exactly what the gold is worth in bits. We can assume you just made an error in addition, or," and she raised her voice just a bit more, "we will know that you are trying to cheat your customers."

The gathering crowd began to murmur a bit, and a slight shadow of concern passed over the money changer's face. He made a show of re-checking the piles of coins.

"Oh, yes, it seems I made a small error. Here are the additional bits." He blew out a breath and looked off in a random direction.

"Thank you. I'm glad it was only a simple mistake." She gave him a patronizing smile.

She picked up the bits and placed them in her saddlebag. Turning around, she almost bumped into the alchemist standing directly behind her. With a small gasp, she stepped backward until her rump hit the table. She stared up at him, mouth hanging open. He looked down at her with the barest hint of a smile.

"Very well done. Please go purchase the food we shall need for the week. You know what to get."

He then moved around the side of the money changer's table. Leaning close, he softly hissed, "My apprentice speaks in my name. She acts on my behalf. She operates with my authority. I will not be cheated. Do not try me on this."

The pony said nothing and merely stared at the alchemist with wide eyes. His breathing was fast and shallow, with sweat breaking out on his brow. After a few seconds, the alchemist straightened up. With a final glance down his muzzle at the money changer, he turned to catch up with Ann. The crowd began to disperse in small groups softly muttering among themselves.

True to his word, the following weeks were harder on the apprentice than anything that had come before. There were so many names and formulas to memorize that Ann thought her head would explode. Techniques of measuring and mixing even invaded her dreams. She had never been happier in her life.

Ann stood up from her table and stretched each of her legs out in turn to work out the stiffness. “I’ve finished another set of ten measurements.”

He looked up from his journal. “And how accurate were you this time?”

She tilted her head to the left, then to the right to relieve the soreness in her neck. “Five were as close as you said I needed to be. Four were slightly underweight, and one a bit over.”

“That’s the best you’ve done so far. Again.” He returned to his reading.

“Why am I practicing estimating the amount of ingredients before using a scale? I’ll always have my equipment with me.”

The alchemist glanced up. “Not all mixing happens in the laboratory. What if you are out somewhere without your tools and need to create a mixture? Estimating may be the only scale you have. What if you have a scale, but time is critical and can not be wasted adding and removing small amounts trying to get the correct weight. What if a pony’s life is dependent on creating that mixture in time?” He paused, his eyes locked on the apprentice. “Will you tell the pony’s family they were lost because you were too slow?”

She stood with mouth agape for a moment. “Have you ever had to do that?”

His gaze drifted off in a random direction. “I have been called upon to aid various groups… Sometimes, things do not go as planned… You try, but sometimes you are unable to… I lost her... ” He shook his head and refocused on her. “As I said, you may not always have the benefit of your laboratory.”

She sat down and began dumping her measured samples back into their containers. “I think I’ll do the exercise again. With more practice, I bet I can get ten out of ten.”

“That is good.” His eyes went back to his journal, though they did not see it. He sighed heavily, lost in his memories.

As the months went by, Ann’s lessons became more complex and, sometimes, more dangerous. The alchemist also encouraged her to work on her own special projects.

Ann burst into the house and pranced in place. "It worked! It worked."

The alchemist looked up from studying some mineral samples. "You have a variety of assignments and projects. Which one are you referring to?"

She waved a hoof back and forth in front of her. "Oh, sorry, sorry. It's the one where you hide a message on a page."

He nodded. "Dipping the paper in a solution that hides the message, which can be then revealed with the application of a specific spell."

"Yes, exactly. And you know I've been trying to get it to work without a pony needing to know a special unlock spell? So anypony could simply touch the page to reveal the message?"

"Yes. And I know your last three attempts burst into flames when you had me try to unlock them." He raised his leg and inspected the bottom of his hoof.

"Psssh.” She shook her head several times. “The original formula was wrong. Too much phosphorus. I can get the same results with one-tenth as much."

He turned his hoof to face Ann. "My hoof is grateful for your refinements."

"Yes, yes. So last night I soaked a paper in two mixtures. One half for unicorns, the other half for earth ponies. This morning I tried it with my dad. First, with us touching the wrong sides. Nothing happened. Then we touched the correct sides. There was a little puff of smoke, no flames..." She flashed him a grin. "And the message revealed itself. It worked perfectly."

He sat up in his chair. "And what did this secret message say?"

"It said 'I love you, dad', and I signed it 'your favorite unicorn daughter'. It was all there, visible on the paper." She waved the sheet of paper at him.

"I believe you are his only unicorn daughter..."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, which makes me his favorite." She looked down as she sat the paper on her table.

He paused. "Your logic is sound."

He stood up and walked over to her. "Windflower..." Her head snapped up. He almost never addressed her by that name.

"You should be very proud of what you accomplished. Such a complex combination of alchemy and magic is no small feat. Few would succeed." He paused for a long time, then smiled warmly. "I am very proud of you. Your growth as a person and an alchemist has been fulfilling to watch. I am pleased to have been a part of it."

She tackled him in a hug. "Thank you." She sniffled a couple times.

He briefly returned the hug. Letting go, he cleared his throat. Ann stepped back. "I believe you have some test results to document in your journal?"

"Yes, I do." She went back to her table and sat down. "And I need to figure out the mixture for a pegasus. Next, I want to do a test that requires all three races to unlock."

Ann stepped into the alchemist's house. She paused to push aside the covering over the window by the front door. She glanced at the alchemist. He must be in a good mood today, as he didn’t even harrumph at the incursion of sunlight. As she shut the door, she froze. There on her table were ten small vials filled with various powders. She began to prance in place. "This is new! This is something brand new. What is it?"

The alchemist chuckled. "Your enthusiasm is... infectious. Yes, this is a new exercise that you'll be doing every so often going forward."

She stopped prancing and walked to the table to look at the vials. "What are they? What do I do with them?"

With a smirk, he replied, "I don't know what they are. And that's what you will figure out. Each numbered vial contains an ingredient you have used in previous mixtures you have prepared. You will figure out what each one is and write them down on a list."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "How will I do that? How can I figure out what they each are?"

"You have learned many skills to help you identify and check the quality of raw ingredients. Today you will use those same skills, but in a slightly different way. There's smell, texture, if they dissolve in water, if they burn and what color, as well as many others. Use the knowledge you have acquired.” He paused for a moment. “You have been working with these ingredients for months. You know them well. Reach out with your magic. Feel their familiarity." He then returned to the book he was reading.

Ann moved around the table to sit down. With her brow furrowed in concentration, she studied each vial. She selected one, opened it, and smelled. A subtle smile crept across her face. She closed her eyes and probed it with magic. “Got one!” She grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote down the vial’s number and the compound’s name.

The alchemist did not look up. “The others may not be as easy…” He cleared his throat trying to mask a grin.

Several hours of diligent study had passed. Finally, she sat up straight and announced, “Done!” She levitated the paper with her answers to the alchemist’s table and leaned back in her chair, stretching her back. “I need a little walk.” She stood up.

“A moment…” he said as he lifted a hoof. His eyes drifted down the page. “You correctly named nine of the items. You misidentified potassium chloride as sodium chloride. A simple flame test would have clarified the correct answer.”

She smacked her forehead with a hoof. “I knew that.” She lowered her leg. “So... I passed?” She smiled hopefully.

“Your performance was... acceptable. But be warned, future exercises will not be as easy as this first one.”

“Easy? I spent hours on that!”

He glanced at her. “You only spent hours. I underestimated your skill and made this first one too simple. I will correct that oversight.”

Ann stood, mouth agape.

“Fear not. I have more skills to teach you that will make it possible to identify ingredients and even mixtures with ease.”

Ann’s mouth snapped shut. “New skills? What new skills?”

He regarded her for a moment, then pointed to a table against the wall. Its surface was cluttered with lab equipment and notes. Along the back, by the wall, was a relatively clear area. Setting in it were three metal stands. Each had a vertical bar with a crosspiece clamped to it partway up. “Go look at those. Tell me what you see.”

She walked to the table and studied the experiment set up on it. “They look like little slips of paper hanging over a dish of liquid. Each strip is smeared with color.”

He nodded. “Indeed. For mixtures that can be dissolved in a solvent, like water or alcohol, that is a way to essentially see what it’s composed of by studying the trail it leaves on the paper. It’s a technique developed by a wise Saddle Arabian wizard some years ago. You shall learn how to use this.”

“Oh, when? Can we start today?” She hopped in place a couple times.

“Patience, apprentice. I know you thirst for knowledge, and it will come in time.”

Ann calmed down, tilting her head. “You said skills. This is one. What other new skills?”

He squinted at her. “If I tell you, will you promise not to inundate me with unabated requests about when you will learn it?”

She grinned. “Yes, yes, of course.”

The alchemist lifted his head and glared down his muzzle at her.

Ann lowered her ears. “Yes, I promise.”

He held his stare a moment longer. “Very well. You have been working with magic and levitation to remove impurities from ingredients.” She nodded. “The spell you use to identify the impurities is a trivial form of a spell you can use to identify ingredients in a mixture. They are based on the same root magic.”

“And you will teach this to me?” He raised one of his eyebrows. “I didn’t say anything about when. I was just asking if I would learn it. One day... Eventually…” She gave him her best puppy dog eyes expression.

“Yes, I will teach it to you. One day.” He smiled. “Now, the hour is getting late. So if you would be so kind as to run home and see what your kind mother has prepared for us this evening. I find myself rather hungry.”

Some months later while returning from the town, Ann finally decided to ask a question she had been wondering about for some time.

“Master, what about regular unicorn magic? Most everything you’ve taught me has been related to alchemy and mixing. When will you teach me more traditional spells?”

He glanced at her. “Learning magic is about more than just how many spells you know. You must be in touch with your environment, drawing on the energy all around you. The spells you have been working on for months have helped you improve that ability.”

“I guess…” She sighed. “It’s mostly magic I already knew, like levitation.”

They arrived at his home and went inside. “You must truly understand the spells you know before you can learn new ones. Levitation is perhaps the most basic of spells a unicorn can learn. When we first met, you had difficulty eating soup with a spoon without spilling. Yesterday, while wearing a blindfold, you were able to levitate individual grains of sand out of a pile. Reaching out with magic, you sorted them by size and color. Few possess skills that refined.”

They removed their capes and saddlebags. “And teleportation magic. Since learning that, you have gained strength, distance, and accuracy. You can even teleport the smoke bombs we use to entertain the town foals. Teleporting other items is not a common skill.”

The alchemist sat down, indicating a chair for Ann. “And shield spells. You are no longer a filly on a ledge blocking rocks thrown at you. Now you can defend yourself from fire either natural or enhanced, from items thrown at you, and from magical attacks.”

“Okay. But when will I learn attack spells?” She gestured to herself. “You can cast the attacks that I practice defending against. When will I learn to do that?” She looked down and ran her hoof over the tabletop.

He furrowed his brow. “Why would you want to know spells that can hurt or kill a pony?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It may be necessary to defend myself or somepony else. There may come a time when I need such a spell. I should know how to use them.”

The alchemist narrowed his eyes at her without uttering a single comment. Her ears went down under his prolonged gaze.

Finally, he asked, “I understand your desire to learn more, but such magic is dangerous. Can you return life to a pony once it has been taken away?”

“No, I can’t,” she said softly.

“Then do not be in a rush to learn how to take away something that you do not have the power to return.”

Ann slumped down in her chair, unable to meet his eyes.

He continued, “Magic is a tool, like those we use in alchemy. Tools are not good or evil, but they can be used for good or evil purposes. The spells you seek are similar to those types of tools. They are a means to an end. But a spell can be cast quickly and without taking the time to consider the consequences. I will teach you such things in time. You just need more growth and maturity to fully understand the responsibility of the knowledge you seek.”

Seeing the distress she was in, he added, “Do not feel bad. There is no harm in asking, and it was not my intent to rebuke you for the question. I just wanted you to fully understand the weight of the knowledge you desire.

“But perhaps it is time for another lesson in magic, similar to sorting sand.”

She signed. “Not more exercises with a blindfold on…”

“No, not this time. You might trip.”

Her brow furrowed. “Trip? Where am I going?”

“Not far.” He pointed to a shelf. “Take one of those small bags, and go to the stream in the forest behind the house. Use your magic to search the streambed for gold. When the bag is full, return here.”

Her eyes went wide. “Wait a minute. Every month when we go to the money changer, we’re using gold you got from that stream?”

“Well, surely you didn’t believe the rumors that I could conjure it out of lead or iron?” he replied with an uncharacteristic grin.

4. A Call to Canterlot

Ann had just returned from her weekly trip to town for supplies. She idly hummed a little tune as she stepped into the house. Before she even had a chance to close the door, the alchemist turned towards her, rattling off instructions.

“Put that stuff down somewhere.” He waved his hoof. “It’s not important. Get our saddlebags. On the table, you’ll find two lists.” He pointed at them. “Pack your bags with the items from your list. Do the same for my list. We’ll be leaving within the hour.” He closed a book he’d been looking at and tossed it aside.

It only took a second for her to recover. She kicked the door closed and set down the packages. “Where are we going?” Stepping to her table, she levitated the lists and began skimming through them.

He did not look up from the papers he was reviewing. “We are going to Canterlot, and we won’t be stopping anywhere tonight. It’s a long walk, and we have no time. Princess Celestia is expecting us. No more questions. Prepare yourself. We can discuss more as we trot.”

She set the lists down. “I should have everything ready in a half hour, perhaps less.”

If they hadn’t been in a hurry, it would have been a wonderful day for a walk into town. The sun was deliciously warm on their faces, and the grounds were flanked with infinite shades of green plants. As they trotted down the road, Ann’s curiosity could no longer be contained. “Why has the princess sent for you?”

“Have you ever heard of The New Lunar Republic?”

“Yes. It’s a group of ponies who follow Princess Luna, or perhaps more correctly, Nightmare Moon. I don’t know much about them other than that their numbers have been declining in the last few decades.”

He nodded as he glanced at her. “You are correct. Princess Luna always had her followers; ponies who aligned with her rather than with Princess Celestia. Despite the banishment of Nightmare Moon, a remnant of true believers think they can force Princess Celestia to end the banishment. And right now, a small army of her followers is marching towards Canterlot with the intent of forcing the princess to do this.

Ann gasped. “Can she? Can the princess bring back Nightmare Moon?”

He shook his head. “No. The power of the Elements of Harmony can not be undone in this age.”

“And we are going to Canterlot to…?”

“I have been aligned with Princess Celestia from before Princess Luna’s revolt. I provided some small service to the castle in the resulting chaos. Now, I go to lend my service again. As my apprentice, you also come and may have some part to play.”

As they approached Canterlot, the road became packed with ponies leaving the city. Most carried simple saddlebags. Some carried pack saddles loaded with boxes, bags, or bundles. And a few pulled carts loaded with all their valuable possessions. Ann caught glimpses of furniture, artwork, or the occasional statue. What were they thinking? she thought to herself. Their faces all wore the same expression: fear. Few talked in hushed voices, and nopony smiled. The alchemist and his apprentice moved off the road to walk parallel. It was the only way to make progress toward the city.

The alchemist studied the city skyline. “I see no smoke or fire. This is probably an evacuation rather than refugees fleeing a fallen city. I hope we are not too late.”

They encountered fewer and fewer fleeing ponies the farther into the city they got. This allowed them to move faster, and by mid-morning they were standing in the antechamber in the castle. The guard opened the door to permit the alchemist and apprentice into the throne room. Ann's eyes were like saucers as she took in the grandeur of the space. The room was somewhat longer than it was wide, with an ornate vaulted ceiling. The side walls had regularly placed tall narrow glazed windows. Sunlight streamed through the glass, lighting up the entire room. The spaces between the windows were filled with large hanging tapestries depicting life in Equestria. A variety of small tables and empty chairs lined the walls. A few royal guards were standing at attention at their posts. Two officers walked past them on their way out.

And at the far end, seated upon her throne, was the Princess of the Sun. Ann gasped softly. She never thought she would ever actually see the princess in person. Yet here Ann was, walking down the plush maroon carpet. She took several slow deep breaths to steady herself and glanced sideways at the alchemist. How much closer are you going to go? she thought. She faced forward again. The princess was looking directly at her. Ann wasn’t frightened by the princess's gaze, she just felt… small. She fought to keep her ears upright. She willed the alchemist to stop walking. Too close, too close!

Finally, the alchemist stopped. “Princess Celestia,” he said and bowed low. Ann copied his movements perfectly even as her heart raced in her chest.

The princess smiled. “Greetings, Master Alchemist. Thank you for answering our call. And is this your apprentice you have written about?"

Rising from the bow, he gestured towards Ann. "Yes. This is Ann. I felt it was important that she accompany me here. She is very skilled and has much to offer."

The apprentice bowed again. “Princess Celestia.” She hoped the princess couldn’t see her legs shaking slightly.

“Welcome, Windflower. We are pleased to meet you.”

Ann raised her head, perhaps a little too fast. She felt just a little bit lightheaded.

The princess chuckled. "Your master has told us of both your true name as well as what most call you. Still, we think Windflower is a beautiful name for one such as you. Her eyes twinkled. "You must be very tired from your long journey here." She glanced to the side of the room. "Thunder Surf?"

A member of the Royal Guard standing along the wall stepped forward and saluted.

"Would you please see to Windflower's needs and take her to her room?"

"Yes, Your Highness." He stepped smartly over to Ann. "Miss Ann, if you would please follow me?"

As they walked out, Ann asked, "What about my master? I'm sure he's tired too."

"It would appear the princess still has some business with him."

Once out of the throne room, Ann leaned against one of the large pillars in the antechamber. She tried to control her rapid breathing.

Thunder Surf stepped closer. "Are you feeling well?"

She waved a hoof at him. "Yes, yes, I'll be okay. I'm just a little..."

"Overwhelmed?" he offered.

Ann nodded. "I was born and raised on a family farm outside a small town. I've never even been to the city. Now all of a sudden I'm not only in the capital, but I'm meeting the princess herself. It's just so much to take in."

He snickered. "Believe me, I understand. I've been where you are now. If you can walk, let's get you some food. You'll feel a lot better after a meal and some sleep."

Ann pushed herself off the pillar, and they started walking down a hallway. "The dining area is just down here on the right. They have a wide variety of food available and can make almost anything you might want."

They reached the room, and Ann peeked around the corner. It was an elegant setting, with white tablecloths on huge tables, each with a fancy centerpiece. A few ponies were having lunch with waiters hovering nearby.

Ann backed up. "Nobles, dignitaries, and delegates. I can't eat in there." She turned to look at Thunder Surf. "Where do you eat? Can I eat with you? Anyplace but in there."

He snickered. "The princess did say to attend to your needs. If you need a less formal dining area..." She nodded vigorously. "Then it is my duty to provide that. This way, please."

They took some stairs down a couple levels to a much less fancy part of the castle. "This is the guards' mess hall. Perhaps you will feel more comfortable, although the food won't be as nice."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. I eat pretty basic stuff, so this will be fine."

As they entered, a group of ponies sitting at a table looked up.

"Hey, Surf, that your special filly?" one said.

Another added, "Or your sister?"

And a third, "Can you introduce us?"

"Cool it, colts," Thunder Surf replied. "This is a guest of Princess Celestia. She just found the air in the formal dining room a little... thin."

The first guard who had spoken stood up. "Our apologies, miss. We had no idea. I don't believe we've ever seen a royal guest eat down here before." The other two guards rose and bowed.

Ann smiled. "Please, it's fine. I'm a practical mare. This looks perfect, and I feel very safe with you all here."

The three stallions returned her smile, sat down, and resumed their meal. Thunder Surf led her to a counter where some food was laid out. "Take whatever you want. If you desire something different, I can call the cook to see if he can accommodate you."

"No, no. This looks fantastic." She levitated a plate off the stack and began adding some things to it. "Is there food out all the time?"

He followed along as she worked down the counter. "Yes. We have guard shifts all day, every day. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, there are ponies getting meals before, during, or after a shift. It's actually pretty quiet in here right now."

Ann stopped to look at him. "You're not eating?"

He shook his head. "No. My break isn't for a couple hours. I'll just grab some tea while you eat."

Ann took her plate with a modest selection of food and followed Thunder Surf to a table. She began to eat. "Hmmm, this is really good." She closed her eyes as she chewed. After a few minutes, she asked, "Thunder Surf, can I ask you something? I could really use a distraction."

He took a sip of his tea. "Sure, what would you like to talk about?"

She sat her fork down to take a roll. "Well, as I'm eating, I was actually hoping you'd do the talking. Where are you from? How did you become a member of the Royal Guard?" She took a bite of her roll and watched him expectantly.

He took another sip of tea. "Well... I grew up in a coastal village of mostly earth pony farmers. I was always large for my age, and with size came strength. I think the second most common thing I heard my mother say was, ‘It sounds like the thunder of surf at the shore, stop running in the house!’”

Smiling, Ann asked, “What was the most common thing?”

“How much she loved me,” he said with a grin.

“As I grew up, I realized farm life was not for me. Even as an earth pony, I seemed to have zero talent for working with growing things. But I was strong. Unfortunately, that resulted in a never-ending series of requests: please drag this heavy thing, please lift this heavy thing, please push this heavy thing.” He rolled his eyes. “I was getting sick of it.”

“I can imagine,” she said as she chewed.

“Then one day two members of the Royal Guard came through town looking for possible recruits. Three of us signed up that day. A couple of weeks later we were at the basic training camp. Over the next few weeks, the other two gave up and returned home. But not me.” He sat up a little straighter. “I’d finally found something I enjoyed and that I was good at. Skip forward a few years and I’m a member of Princess Celestia’s private guard. I love it.”

“I’m sure your mom and your whole family are very proud of you. Being a member of the private guard is no small achievement.”

He smiled. “They are. Of course, they wish I was closer to home.” He shrugged. “But they can see how much I love my work, and they know how important it is.”

He drained the last of his tea. "Looks like you're done?" She nodded. "Then let's show you where your room is so you can rest for a while."

Ann stifled a yawn with her hoof. "That sounds great. And you were right, I feel a lot better now."

Ann placed the dish with the last ingredient on the scale. Even after all these years, she would still estimate the amount and then place it on the scale. Seldom did she need to further adjust the amount. This felt right. She knew who she was when she was preparing mixtures. She could focus on the process, and all her anxieties about where she was faded into the background.

After weighing, she poured the ingredients into a mixing bowl with the others. Once it was thoroughly mixed, she dumped it into a larger cylinder and put the top on.

She heard a noise behind her, and somepony cleared their throat. "So, this is where you got off to. I should have guessed."

Without looking back, she replied, "Hi, Thunder Surf. I had a great little nap, and then found somepony who could point me to the castle's compounding lab." She started to turn around. "I feel more at home when I'm--" She gasped. "Princess Celestia! Master?" She bowed deeply.

The alchemist stepped forward. "Ann, so… what have you been mixing?"

Her eyes darted between her master and the princess. "As I said, I found my way here to explore. This place is amazing. I mean, just look at that scale..." The alchemist cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, right, sorry. So I was exploring when the chief medical officer came in. He knew who I was when I introduced myself. We got to talking, and he explained that he was concerned that they may run out of a couple critical mixtures should a conflict erupt. He said the normal mixers had already been evacuated." She smiled. "I told him that mixing is what I do and offered to help." She reached over and gave the scale a gentle tap, causing it to swing up and down.

“He asked me to prepare two mixtures: one that’s used to stop bleeding, the other to reduce pain so wounds can be stitched closed. He told me to follow the formally documented mixing instructions.” She tapped the open book on the table. “They’re almost the same as the ones I already know. He asked me to mix enough to fill these two cylinders. I just finished with the second one.”

Princess Celestia took a couple steps into the room. "Master Alchemist?"

He turned to face the princess. "If my apprentice mixed these, you can be assured they are correct and as the formulas prescribe."

"Very well." She glanced at one of her guards. "Sergeant, please see that these are delivered to the medical wing."

"Yes, Your Highness." He walked to the table. "Are they ready to go?"

Ann held up a hoof. "Just one second..." She double-checked that the lids were secured, and the labels were applied. "Yes, they're ready."

He levitated both containers and walked out of the room.

"Windflower..." Ann turned to face the princess. "Thank you for your work. We desperately hope those mixtures are not needed in the coming days, but if they are, we are glad they were prepared by someone so skilled." She glanced at the alchemist. "Master Alchemist, we look forward to your return. Be safe." The princess then left the room, taking all the guards with her save for Thunder Surf.

Ann looked at the alchemist. "Master, you’re leaving?"

He sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Yes. There is... a serpent, prepared to strike. The princess has asked me... I am accompanying a group being sent to defang it. In my absence, you will serve the princess in any way you can."

Eyes wide, she shook her head. “But master, I don’t... I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“Apprentice..." He paused and took a step closer. "Ann. You have already helped without being asked. You are skilled, wise, and understand the responsibilities of your actions. I don’t know what you may be called upon to do, but I am confident that you will act in a manner that I will be proud of. Remember your training and remain alert to the events around you. They will guide your actions.”

He reached out to touch her cheek. She moved closer and gave him a hug. She whispered in his ear, "Please, be safe." After a moment, he stepped back. As he stood up straight, all the fatigue left his face. He turned and headed for the door.

Suddenly, Ann called out, “Master, wait…” She levitated two paper wrapped balls and trotted over as he looked back at her. “Here, take these.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “I see medical needs are not the only thing you’ve been mixing. These are larger than the ones you usually make.”

She smiled softly. “I assume that wherever you are going, you won’t be doing a magic show.”

“Indeed.” He opened the flap on his saddlebag, and she put them in. “Thank you.” He strode out of the room.

Thunder Surf stepped forward. "Miss Ann, are you okay?"

She looked at him with a hint of tears welling up in her eyes. "He's an old stallion. I’m afraid he could be hurt, or..."

"I've heard a few stories over the years. I think your master may be more capable than you realize. Try not to worry. There is a group of royal guards with him. Although... I'm not sure if they are tasked to protect him, or if he's there to protect them." He gave her a little wink. "Still, it's getting late. May I escort you to your room?"

She shook her head. "No. First I must clean up. You never leave your mixing space a mess. Everything must be cleaned and put away."

He nodded. "Of course. I understand." He smiled at her. "Would you like some help?"

"That would be great. If you could put away the raw ingredients... Each is labeled. They go on the shelves over there." She pointed at them. "The shelves also have labels. So check the empty spots and put each container where it goes. I'll clean the mixing gear."

It didn't take long to put the lab back in order. Ann picked up her saddlebags and walked to the table with the rest of the paper balls like the two she had given to her master. She started putting them in the bag.

Thunder Surf walked over. “What are those?”

She allowed her hoof to gently set on one as she closed her eyes and smiled. “They’re magic.”

Thunder Surf softly asked, “Magic?”

After a few moments, Ann opened her eyes again. “I was the only unicorn in a family of earth pony farmers. My parents loved me, but they didn’t know what to do with me.”

“I bet that was hard.”

She nodded. “It was. There was no magic school, so I had to learn by asking questions of every unicorn in town willing to listen to me. Most considered me too young to be interested in such things.” She paused as a smile crept onto her lips. “One day, my brothers took me with them into town to see some old wizard perform. They said he showed up once a week and would sometimes do tricks.”

He tapped the floor with his hoof. “The alchemist, right?”

She laughed. “Yes. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. He did unicorn magic. He did magic with alchemy before I knew such a thing existed.” She turned around to face Thunder Surf.

“He used a lot of smoke bombs in his shows. He’d set them off among us. We’d run and jump through the smoke yelling and laughing.” Again her eyes closed and she leaned forward as if to leap. “I can still smell the sulfur.” She looked at him. “It was… wondrous...”

She reached back and tapped the table. “So, smoke bombs can be very useful.” She winked, and then packed the rest of them into her saddlebag. Once she was done, Ann took one last look around the lab to make sure everything was in its place. Then they left and started walking towards the guest wing.

After they’d gone a short distance, she glanced at him. "Thunder Surf, can you tell me what's going on with the New Lunar Republic? I've been in my room or the lab and haven't heard anything."

"Some of our information is unreliable, but we estimate a force of several hundred has moved into Canterlot. That's more than the Royal Guard can fend off if they attack the castle. I know they’re working on plans for the defense of the castle, but that’s above my pay grade.”

Ann was quiet for a few paces. “The medical officer spoke of evacuations…”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Word went out before you arrived to evacuate the city. But it’s hard to notify everypony, and many won’t leave assuming the princess will fix everything. And as you know, earlier today, an evacuation of the civilians in the castle was started. It should be done by now.”

“Which is why the lab mixers are already gone.” Ann added.

“Yes. The few civilians that remain are volunteers, as dedicated to the princess as the Royal Guard. Our observers indicate their forces are still spread throughout the city and in some camps outside it. They won’t move tonight."

"And what of me?"

“Honestly, I’m not sure. Your master thought it important to bring you with him. The princess sees something in you, or you would have been evacuated. I gather you want to be here?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes…”

“Then I assume when the time comes, you’ll know what to do. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but from what I've seen, I believe you will be ready."

They arrived at Ann's room.

"Try to get a good night's sleep." He opened the door. "Rest well, Miss Ann."

"Thank you, Thunder Surf. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

5. Treachery

Even after all the changes over the years, Ann was still a farm filly at heart. So it was no surprise that, despite her weariness, she awoke just before dawn. She stretched and felt how unusually smooth the sheets were. Suddenly, she sat up and looked around the room. This isn’t my bedroom, this is the castle. She closed her eyes for a moment, then her hoof covered her mouth as she remembered. She rolled out of bed and was ready for the day in minutes. She put on her saddlebags and exited the room.

As she walked down the hallway, she noticed that it was empty. There should be a couple guards standing down there... She shrugged it off. Still, she walked a little faster. Her ears constantly swiveled. Occasionally she would glance behind her.

"First stop, food," she said aloud as she trotted down the stairs towards the guard's mess hall. Ann stopped in the doorway. The room was completely empty. She pawed at the floor. There should be at least a few guards here this time of day. She walked towards the entrance to the kitchen. Even the on-duty cook was missing.

There was a little food left out, so she grabbed a muffin and some juice. The whole time her eyes scanned the room and watched the door. Her bites were rather large and not well chewed. A distant noise made her stop mid-bite and listen. Her tail flicked nervously. Once finished, she trotted to the exit and began to make her way up the stairs and towards the throne room. As she walked down a hallway, she heard a distant sound. She stopped to listen, ears forward and alert. It was the sound of galloping hooves, and they were getting closer. Ann took several steps back, and lowered her head. Her tail flicked nervously.

Suddenly, a pony skidded around a corner just ahead, bounced off the wall, and started to gallop towards her. "Thunder Surf!" she called out.

He slid to a stop in front of her. "Miss Ann. We need your help. Princess Celestia has been poisoned."

She reeled at his words. "What?"

"There's no time." He turned around. "I'll explain as we go."

Ann bolted forward and paced with him as he started to trot. Once around the corner, they broke into a gallop.

"We had a spy in the castle, a member of Celestia's private guard.” He snorted angrily. “We believe he slipped something into her tea. He was captured trying to leave the castle."

She shook her head to get her mane out of her eyes. "I don't understand. Don’t they need the princess to bring Nightmare Moon back?" They galloped on for a bit. "I haven't been this way before. Where are we going?"

"To Celestia's private chamber. It's just ahead."

The hallway was full of guards who stepped back to make a path as the pair galloped by. Ann was starting to pant by the time they slowed to a walk and entered the chamber. Princess Celestia was lying on her bed with several guards positioned around her. Her eyes were closed, but she was still breathing. The chief medical officer stood next to the princess, his horn glowing with magic. Hearing the pair enter, he turned to face them.

"Thank you, Thunder Surf. Miss Ann, we are in desperate need of your help."

She stared wide-eyed between the officer and the princess. "I... But I... I have nothing to work with. Nothing I can analyze. I can’t wake up the princess. I'm not a healer. I'm not a doctor." She retreated a step.

The officer matched her step. "But I am, and I've examined her very carefully. This is not magic, nor is she simply sick. This is organic in nature." He signaled one of the guards to approach. "We apprehended the traitor as he tried to escape. Fortunately, he was dumb enough to still have the mixture on him." The guard held up a half empty container of powder. "Miss Ann, we need you to figure out what this is, and, hopefully, prepare an antidote."

He levitated the container from the guard and floated it in front of her. "I'm not an alchemist. This isn't my field."

"And I guess the mixers in the lab are all evacuated..."

"Correct. Even if they were still in the castle, they also aren’t trained alchemists. They just create the mixtures and potions we use in the castle. We haven’t had a true royal alchemist for many years. And your master is not here."

Ann stood, frozen in place, staring at the container floating in front of her. She swallowed hard. After a quick glance at Thunder Surf, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. My master has had me do this exact exercise hundreds of times. She looked back at the officer. ”You're right. I will do what I can." She took the container, slipped it into her saddlebag, then spun around and galloped out of the room retracing the route back to the lab. Thunder Surf followed hot on her heels.

After a few strides, Thunder Surf moved up next to Ann. "We don't believe they intend to kill the princess since they need her to restore Nightmare Moon. But by disabling her, she can’t help defend the castle.” They exited one hallway, galloped through a gallery, and turned down a different hallway. “We think the spy was supposed to tell them when to start their attack. Without the help of the princess, we would lose the castle. Catching the spy will buy us some time.”

Ann was starting to pant. "What if... there are more spies?"

"We've doubled all the guards, and everypony at a station or on patrol is in teams of three ponies selected at random."

"Except us?"

"There are already guards waiting for us at the lab. Nopony should be able to get away unseen."

They turned the final corner into the hallway leading to the lab. Ahead they could see the three guard members waiting for them. A pegasus opened the door, allowing the pair to enter. The three guards followed them in and arranged themselves by the door. Ann gave them a quick glance. She shuddered. All three were in full battle armor. There was an earth pony with a metal-tipped spear, a unicorn with a sheathed sword, and a pegasus with gleaming wing blades. Her eyes lingered on the cutting edge of the blades. She had never seen anything so... deadly.

Thunder Surf spoke low, "Don't fear, Miss Ann. They are here to protect you, as am I. Focus on your task."

She glanced at him, nodded once, and moved to one of the open tables. After removing her saddlebags, she levitated the container with the poison onto the table. With absolute certainty she moved from cabinet to cabinet, collecting the glassware and tools she would need.

Thunder Surf walked to the table she had selected. “Miss Ann…”

“Hmm…?” She took a moment to organize everything on the table, pulled up a stool, and sat down.

His eyes scanned the row of equipment she had lined up. Softly, he asked, “Can you explain what you’re doing?”

She glanced over at him. “What? Oh… sure. I get it. Private guard. You need to know what’s going on.” She grabbed the container with the leftover mixture and removed the top.

He nodded. “Yes, if you would, please. I’m also just curious about what an alchemist does.”

“Sure, no problem. It’ll be just like when my master tests me and demands I explain every step I take.” She placed a piece of filter paper over the open container and inhaled. She closed her eyes as she sniffed a couple more times, then set the container down. "No odor. Probably tasteless too if they expected the princess to drink it undetected."

Thunder Surf pulled out an available stool and sat down.

She looked over at him. “So, I’m going to run a series of simple tests on the mixture. I doubt any of them will tell me what it is, but they will help tell me what it isn’t. Like not having any odor rules out a lot of things right there.” She put the used filter paper in a tray positioned well away from everything else.

Ann poured some of the powder into a small dish and studied it. “It’s too finely ground to see any specific colors. And being a mixture, a flame test won’t tell me anything.”

Thunder Surf pulled the dish closer to take a look at it.

“Careful, not too close. You don’t want to accidentally breathe in any of the powder.”

He glanced up at her, then poked at the dish with a hoof to scoot it farther away. “I wasn't very good at science in school. I couldn't ever do this. And you seem so good at it.”

Ann smiled. “I could never do all the things you do as a royal guard. But science is my life.”

She levitated a glass tube, added some distilled water, and dropped in some of the powder. "Dissolves rapidly with no color or residue. Again, as expected if being added to a drink. So again, what I see here rules out a number of additional possibilities.”

She slid a metal stand over. It had a broad flat base and a vertical bar. Two cross pieces were clamped to the bar at different heights. She secured the tube to the lower one. She removed a thin strip of paper from a container and hung it from the top bar using a small alligator clip. The top bar was adjusted until the paper just touched the liquid in the tube. Every movement was precise, practiced, the result of years of repetition.

Thunder Surf leaned closer and lowered his head to look at the contraption. "What’s that for?"

Ann looked at him. “How shall I explain this… You know how a prism allows you to see all the colors that make up sunlight?” He nodded. “This will allow me to see some of the ingredients that make up the mixture. That’s not totally accurate, but you get the idea…”

He nodded, “I guess...” He squinted at the contraption.

She sat back on the stool. "Each soluble ingredient leaves a unique signature on the paper. If you know what to look for, you may be able to identify some of them. The more ingredients you can identify, the easier it is to deal with the ones that are left."

She leaned forward again as her horn began to glow. "Using magic, I can accelerate the process, saving us a few minutes." The paper began to glow, and they watched a smear of color climb the strip. The magic faded, and she squinted at the strip. "Looks like two main ingredients that I need to figure out, and some trace stuff. Probably just impurities."

“Wow, it just looks like a smear of color to me. You really seem to know what you’re doing. I hope you can figure this out.”

“I’m doing my best. At least I only have to figure out two things.” She slid over a petri dish and put a tiny bit of the mixture in it.

“This mixture is like dumping the pieces from two jigsaw puzzles in a bowl, mixing them together, and throwing away the boxes. I need to assemble the two puzzles with no pictures to guide me.” Using the spatula she spread it out into a thin layer. “I can use magic to essentially look at each grain of powder as another puzzle piece. The more of them I look at, the better image I have. And if I'm lucky..."

She looked at the guards, and then at Thunder Surf. "This is a hard spell, and I'll need to keep it going for a long time. I need to focus, so please, no talking, no distractions."

She turned back to the dish, closed her eyes, and started the spell. Her horn began to glow, and little twinkles could be seen in the dish. It was as if individual particles were enveloped in magic for a few moments, and then went dark again.

Time marched on. The room was as quiet as a graveyard. Quieter. The guards controlled their breathing to keep silent. Nopony moved or made a sound. Thunder Surf glanced at the three guards. One shrugged. What else could they do?

Ann sat motionless. She barely breathed. Sweat formed on her brow and ran down her face. The only difference between her and the various statues in the royal garden was that Ann appeared to still be breathing.

A drop of water fell from a spigot and splashed in the bottom of the sink. All four guards turned to glare at the offending sound, then back to the apprentice to see if she had been disturbed. The unicorn guard reached out with magic to give the valve an extra twist to stop any further droplet incursions.

More time passed.

Suddenly, Ann called out, "Got one!" All four guards startled. The earth pony almost dropped his spear.

"Miss Ann--"

"Shh." She held up a hoof. "Almost done..." She was so focused that she forgot to lower her leg.

A few more minutes ticked away. Ann opened her eyes and sat up. "Got the other one." She spun on the stool to face Thunder Surf. "The first one is a simple general anesthesia drug. The other is a more complicated compound that interferes with a unicorn's ability to cast magic. Neither is a poison. The princess’ life is not in danger from this mixture."

"Whew, that is good to hear. Can you make an antidote?" Thunder Surf asked.

"For the first one, yes. For the second, no pony has found anything to counteract it yet."

His brow furrowed in worry. "But... what does that mean for the princess?"

She stood up from the table and went to the shelves of ingredients. "I'll explain it when we get back to the medical officer. I just need a few more minutes..." She levitated several containers to a different table equipped with a scale and mixing equipment. With speed and efficiency, she measured ingredients, mixed them together, and poured the results into a small container. She slipped it into her saddlebag and headed out the door. "Let's go!"

Within moments all five were galloping down the hallway back to Celestia's private chamber. The three guards remained in the hallway as Ann and Thunder Surf entered the room.

The chief medical officer spun around. "Did you find something? Can you help the princess?"

Ann trotted up to him. Thunder Surf hung back a bit. "Yes, I figured out what's in the mixture." The officer let out a relieved sigh. "It's composed of two things. The first is a general anesthesia. If the container was full to start with, and based on how much is missing, it would probably keep her asleep for close to a full day. I mixed an antidote."

The officer perked up. "So, you can wake her up now?"

"Yes." She levitated the container out of her saddlebag and sat it on a table next to them. "Dump this under her tongue. It will be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. I would expect her to awaken within minutes."

He glanced at Thunder Surf, who nodded once. He then opened the container, walked to the princess, and did as instructed. He turned back to Ann. "And the other?"

"It's similar to an anesthetic, except that it specifically interferes with a unicorn's ability to cast magic. The magic is still there, they just can't focus so they can use it."

"Is there an antidote?"

She shook her head. "No, there isn't. It will have to wear off as her body breaks it down naturally. Again, it will probably last about a day."

The princess let out a soft moan and shifted her position in the bed.

Ann glanced at her. “That was quicker than I would have expected.”

The medical officer moved in close to the princess. “Princess Celestia, are you awake?” After a few moments he reached out and gave her shoulder a gentle shake. “Princess Celestia, can you hear me?”

She moaned again, and opened her eyes just a crack. “Yes, but we are… What happened?”

“You have been drugged. What’s the last thing you can remember?”

She squeezed her eyes shut, and then opened them a bit wider. “We were taking a short break in our chamber and having some tea. Our magic… The teacup fell to the floor and broke. We looked down at it, and the floor rushed up… We don’t remember…”

“You were given a drug to put you to sleep. That was a few hours ago.”

She lifted her head and took in the room. “That doesn’t seem long enough to be of any value.”

“It was supposed to be closer to a full day.” The officer looked over his shoulder at Ann. “But we had a skilled alchemist in the castle who was able to identify the mixture and prepare an antidote.”

The princess looked at Ann. Once again, Ann felt… small. Though her breathing was steady, and her heart did not race. Ann did not avert her gaze.

The princess smiled. “Windflower, we…” Her voice softened. “Thank you.” Ann bowed.

The princess turned back to the medical officer. “What of our magic?” She closed her eyes for a moment. “We cannot feel it.”

“The other drug in your tea blocks your ability to cast magic. There is no antidote, but Miss Ann believes it will wear off in about a day.”

Celestia’s eyes went wide. She looked at the guard standing by the foot of her bed. “Captain, what is the status of the attacking forces? Be brief.”

He moved up to the head of her bed. “Their forces are advancing towards the castle. Observers say all the camps outside the city are empty. We believe the spy accomplishing his treachery was to be their signal to start the attack. Since he was captured, they don’t know if he was successful.”

“What of our defenses?” The princess sat up in bed. Her eyelids no longer drooped as she held the captain’s gaze.

“With your status in doubt, we selected a previous plan that had been rejected in favor of one that relied more on your ability to intervene. The outer gate will be only lightly secured, allowing the forces to breach it with little damage. The layout of the courtyard will force them into a choke point to approach the inner gate. If we are very lucky, we may be able to hold our defense there with our limited numbers.”

“A wise strategy, Captain. You have done well.” She kicked off the covers. “We must get to the observation balcony.”

The medical officer stepped forward. “Princess, you need more rest.”

“We will rest later.” She put her legs over the edge and slipped out of the bed. Almost immediately, she collapsed onto her knees.

“Princess!” The medical officer rushed to her side.

Princess Celestia shook her head. “It would appear we may need some small assistance.”

The captain scanned the room and pointed at two unicorns. “You two!” They stepped forward and saluted. “One on each side, aid the princess.” They saluted again and moved into position. Their horns glowed as they helped the princess back to her hooves. Her first steps were shaky and tentative, but the guards kept pace supporting her.

The captain barked, “Everypony, to your stations.” Most of the ponies in the chamber and hallway galloped off. Each step Princess Celestia took was a little quicker and more confident. She raised her head up. As she exited the room, members of her private guard fell in step behind her. Thunder Surf and Ann brought up the rear.

Ann glanced at Thunder Surf. “What is this balcony the princess mentioned?”

“About halfway up the tower we are going to is an ornate room with a large balcony. It’s used to host social gatherings for visiting dignitaries. The balcony provides an impressive view of Canterlot as well as the lands in the distance. And like so many things in a castle, it also serves in its defense.”

As they continued on their path to the tower, two guard members galloped up from behind.

“Captain! Captain!” one called out.

The procession stopped, and the captain moved back to meet them. “Report.”

“The attacking forces have breached the main gate. It was undamaged, as anticipated. The pegasus observers have retreated to the inner wall. The forces are moving into the courtyard now, but are not attacking yet.” He stood at attention.

The captain nodded once. “Thank you. Return and inform the commanders that the princess will soon be in the observation balcony and to await further instructions.”

He broke his rigid pose to look at the captain. “So the princess is okay?”

“You have your orders,” the captain barked.

He saluted. “Yes, sir.” The pair turned and galloped away.

The captain returned to the princess. “We must hurry. Time is short.”

7. Graduation

There was a knock at the door. Ann opened her eyes and blinked a few times. The bed was soft and warm. And the bright sunlight streaming in through the window really made the mosaic artwork on the ceiling stand out. Funny how she’d never noticed that during the last couple days.

Sunlight? She furrowed her brow.

Sunlight! She bolted upright in bed. “It’s late. It’s so late.”

There was another knock. She startled and kicked at the covers, trying to get out of bed without falling on her face. “Coming…” She dropped to her hooves, trotted to the door, and opened it. Thunder Surf stood in a relaxed pose with a front leg crossed. “Thunder Surf! I’m so sorry. I must have overslept. Is anything wrong? Are we under attack again?”

He held up a leg. “Please, Miss Ann. Calm yourself. There is no problem, and you certainly deserved to sleep in after the day you had yesterday.”

She took a deep breath. “So there’s no emergency?”

He chuckled. “No, no emergency. I just thought I might escort you to get something to eat. And later you need to stop by the throne room as Princess Celestia would like to see you. But there’s no rush. She has many duties to fill the day.”

“Okay. I… Give me a few minutes to get ready. Would you like to come in?”

He backed up a couple steps. “No, Miss Ann. I’ll wait here until you’re ready.”

She closed the door and leaned against it. After several deep breaths, she went into the bathroom. She was much calmer when she exited her room.

“All clean and shiny?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes. I’m sorry I took so long.” She pawed at the floor.

“No, it’s fine.” He shook his head a couple times. “We don’t have a fixed schedule. Now, if you’d like, can we get you some brunch?”

She sighed. “That would be great. I realized I am pretty hungry.”

He turned to head down the hallway. “The guards’ mess again, I assume.”

She fell in next to him. “Absolutely. I feel comfortable there.”

It didn’t take long to descend to the mess hall. As they walked in, Ann suddenly stopped. The place was packed. Every table was full, and there were ponies lined up against the walls. Many wore their regular on-duty armor.

A pony close to the door jumped to his hooves and yelled out, “Attention!” Everypony stood up and faced Ann. They all stood motionless looking at her. Then some of the ponies in the front started to stomp their hooves. It spread throughout the room. The sound was deafening. Ann could feel the floor vibrating.

From out of the middle of the sea of faces, she saw the captain step forward. He raised a hoof, and the room went completely silent. He stopped a couple paces away from her and faced his troops.

“We have all taken an oath to protect the princess. Whatever it takes. We therefore had no illusions about what yesterday meant to us. Until the last pony.” He turned towards her. “Miss Ann, your actions tipped the balance in our favor. You probably saved the lives of everypony here.” He glanced at some bandaged guards standing by the wall. “Some you saved twice with the medical supplies you prepared.”

He paused for a moment, then looked directly into her eyes. “It's said you can't really know a pony until you've stood shoulder to shoulder with them in battle. I was on that balcony yesterday. I witnessed your skill as an alchemist. Your bravery in putting yourself at risk. Your composure under extreme stress. And your... empathy for the fallen.”

His hooves clicked together as he came to attention. “It was my honor, our honor to stand with you in defense of our princess and this castle. Thank you.” He crisply saluted, immediately echoed by the rest of the room. They held for a moment, and then dropped their legs.

Ann stood, mouth agape. Thunder Surf softly cleared his throat, and her mouth snapped shut. “Thank you. I was just doing what I felt was right. What needed to be done to save lives.”

“That’s what we all do, miss. But you did so as a civilian. That deserves to be recognized.” He turned to face the assembly. “As you were. Those on duty, get moving.” He smiled at Ann as he strode by and out of the room.

Thunder Surf guided Ann to the side as a flood of guard members exited. Many smiled or waved as they passed by. A few saluted again.

Once the room was clear, there were only a few scattered ponies left at the tables, eating. Ann whipped around to face Thunder Surf. “You knew about this, didn’t you?” She glared at him.

He shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe?” He paused. “Look. The whole guard has been talking about what you did yesterday. They just wanted an opportunity to express their thanks. Remember, saved lives…”

Ann held the glare just a second more, then relaxed into a smile. “Yeah, okay, I get it. It was just really embarrassing to have that many ponies staring at me.”

He returned her smile. “Well, it’s over now. Let’s get that brunch you wanted.”

Ann collected a nice big plate of food while Thunder Surf just had his usual tea. “You guards eat really fancy food.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, compared to what I normally eat at home…” As she ate, Ann noticed the chief medical officer and a nurse walk in. He scanned the room, stopping when he spotted Ann. With a nod to his companion, they walked over to the table.

The officer addressed Thunder Surf. “I guess we missed the gathering?”

“Yeah. It broke up perhaps ten minutes ago.” He gestured invitingly to the two open chairs at the table. “Please, have a seat.”

As they sat down, the officer continued, “That’s too bad. We wanted to be here, but we were a little delayed with surgery.”

The nurse snorted. “A little delayed?” She shook her head while giving him a playful push on the shoulder. “With the exception of a few short breaks, we’ve been working on an unending queue of injured for like the last twenty hours straight.”

“We did get through all the critical and serious cases,” he retorted.

“And... we didn’t lose a single patient that made it to the medical wing,” she added. They leaned forward and nuzzled for a moment.

Ann glanced sideways at Thunder Surf. He explained, “You’ve heard of couples who are so close they can finish each other’s sentences? These two can do entire surgeries with little more than the occasional grunt or a nod. We are lucky to have them, especially when things go bad… like they did yesterday.”

The couple smiled at Thunder Surf. “It’s probably just as well that we were late,” the officer continued. “I really wanted to speak to you in person, Miss Ann. That would have been hard in a room full of troops.” He sat up a little straighter.

“I wanted to personally thank you for the mixing you did the other day. Those compounds have a shelf life, so we don’t keep large amounts on hand. Certainly not enough for a major engagement like we had yesterday.” He shifted in his chair and leaned forward on the table. “We ran out of our supply very quickly. Without the containers you had prepared…” He glanced at his wife. “We’d have lost at least a dozen more ponies before we could get them into surgery.”

“Perhaps as many as twenty,” she added. “And that doesn’t count how painful it would have been for the survivors we worked on without the topical anesthesia you also mixed.” She paused to see Ann staring at her. “Is something wrong?”

A little startled, Ann shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I just realized I recognized you from yesterday. I saw you run across the courtyard. You slipped in a puddle of… You fell down. And when you got back up…” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Sorry, I was just back on that balcony for a second.”

The nurse let out a long sigh before she spoke. “I do much better in the surgery with just a single pony. It’s controlled, manageable. Battlefield triage is hard, so chaotic. You find a pony and realize there's nothing you can do. He only has a few minutes left. And you can't even sit down and hold his hoof until the end because there are three other ponies next to him you might be able to save if you don't delay.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “So you watch him slip away, scared and alone, while you desperately try to save a comrade, or perhaps an enemy. I hate being forced to do that.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “But then you remember those other three ponies you did save. And you realize as horrible as it was, in those few minutes, you made a choice, and it made a difference. And that difference is why we do what we do.”

Her husband leaned over, and they embraced. Ann wiped her eyes.

The couple released each other and stood up. He addressed Ann. “We need to get back. There are still a lot of ponies who require stitches and other care. I just really wanted to thank you. You're not on staff and under no obligation to help. Yet you did, and it made a huge difference to a lot of ponies.” He nodded to Thunder Surf, and then they turned and walked out of the room.

Ann pushed her almost empty plate away. “I think I’m done.” She looked at Thunder Surf. “You know, I’ve led a pretty sheltered life back in my little town. I’m not sure how much I like the larger world.”

“I know it can be hard sometimes.” He laid a hoof on hers. “But things like yesterday are rare. There’s a lot more that’s beautiful and worth seeing than there is bad stuff. The world is a better place if you’re out in it.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

He pulled back his leg and cleared his throat. “So, since you’re done, how about we wander up towards the throne room?”

As they walked down one of the hallways, Ann commented. “Thunder Surf, something’s wrong…”

He stiffened and glanced around. “What is it, Miss Ann?”

“We’re walking.”

He raised his head and let loose with a hearty belly laugh. “You’re right. It is weird to be walking. Everywhere we went yesterday was at a full gallop.”

She grinned at him. “I haven’t galloped that much in a day for some time.”

"And I've probably fulfilled this week's PT requirements just sprinting around the castle."

They walked on in silence for a while. Ann bit her lower lip as she gave him a subtle glance. "Hey, Thunder Surf, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Miss Ann, anything."

"Do you ever take vacations? I mean, long enough to go somewhere?"

"Yes, we get a couple periods of extended leave per year. I typically go home to visit my family."

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she focused straight ahead. "Well... If you were ever interested in seeing someplace new... There's a... I know a nice little farming community you could come visit. If you wanted..."

"That sounds like it could be fun, Miss Ann." He looked over at her.

She met his gaze. "Oh, and... perhaps... you could just call me Ann?"

He smiled gently at her. "I'd like that very much."

Ann pranced for a couple steps, then caught herself. Lowering her head, she whispered, "Sorry."

"It's fine. I might prance too... if it were allowed." He winked at her.

As they reached the antechamber, they saw the alchemist waiting in the middle of the room. Ann smiled. “Master, it’s good to see--”

The alchemist briskly strode towards her. With his head held high, he looked down his muzzle at Ann. "Windflower. Some small assistance you said? I have spoken with the princess, the captain on duty yesterday, the chief medical officer, and even Thunder Surf here. I am well aware of what you have been up to in my absence. There can only be one response to the actions you have taken.” He paused. “I’m afraid you can no longer be my apprentice.”

Ann gasped. Her legs trembled, and the room seemed to fade from view.

He lowered his head and smiled. "Therefore, from this day forward, you will bear the full title of alchemist. Your actions these last two days were more than I could have hoped for from an apprentice. You acted with skill and wisdom. You made a difference. And in the end, making a difference is what an alchemist does. Congratulations." He reached out and gently touched her cheek.

“I saw the potential for something those many years ago. I took a chance hoping you were what was needed. I had no idea what that might be, but I had faith that the universe did. Your years of work and hardship have produced what you are now. And I couldn’t be prouder.”

Thunder Surf snorted once. "Huh! Who knew the old stallion had such a wicked sense of humor. Miss...” He cleared his throat. “Ann, let me be the first to congratulate you on your new title. You truly deserve it.”

“An alchemist? I’m a real alchemist?” She glanced back and forth between the two. A smile started to form, and then fell away. "Does this mean I have to leave? I don't want to leave. You’re not going to kick me out, are you? I have so much more to learn..."

He reached out to touch her shoulder. "No, it doesn't mean you have to leave. I would enjoy your companionship for a short time more. But soon, you will need to set out on your own. Soon, you will want to do so. You must find your own path as an alchemist and follow it wherever it may lead you. And I am excited to see where that will be."

8. Epilogue

Quicksilver took a sip of his tea. He then reached for another cookie.

Wait, that’s it? You’re just going to leave Ann standing in the antechamber?” Misty asked, her voice a bit higher-pitched than normal.

He nodded. "Yup, I'm afraid so. That's all we have of the story." He set his tea down.

"But... But... What did Princess Celestia say to Ann? Wait, no, what happened between Ann and Thunder Surf? Did he go visit her? And did Ann ever leave her master and go off on her own? There’s so much more to know about Ann’s life."

He shrugged. "We'll never know for sure."

Misty harrumphed, and then with a sly grin she softly said, "You know, that Thunder Surf sounds like a cool pony. I bet I could have been interested in him. And we know he likes the sciency mares..."

Quicksilver choked on his cookie. "What...?"

"Gotcha! That'll teach you to stop when Ann’s adventure as an alchemist is just getting started.” She paused for a moment. “And besides, I really like the stallion I got. I wouldn't trade him for a stable full of royal guards." She nuzzled his neck.

He kissed the top of her head. "I guess that's okay then. So, what did you think of the story?"

Her eyes drifted up towards the ceiling. "Well... It's more imaginative than a pony-with-an-oar, and you are a much better storyteller than I would have thought. You really should write it down. It's a great story. You could fully explore her life as an alchemist, and perhaps even turn it into a book. It would be fun to publish something that's not just another technical paper."

"It's funny that you should mention writing it down..."

She tilted her head to the side. “Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s already written down in Windflower’s journal.”

Misty sat back to look directly at Quicksilver. “She had a journal? And after a millennium, it’s still around?”

He nodded. “Yes. It’s been in my family, passed down from generation to generation over the centuries. Years ago, my great grandparents donated the journal to what was then the brand new Canterlot Museum of Pony History. Their restoration department made an exact replica for my grandparents so we could keep it in the family. My parents have it now. They’d often read to me from it as a colt.”

She squinted at him with just a hint of a pout. “Well, if you have the journal, then you know the rest of Ann’s story. Why are you holding out on me?”

He shook his head. “The years have not been kind to it. Most of the back half is missing. There are just scattered pages here and there, usually with water damage or otherwise illegible. There are also a few blank pages at the end. The story I told you comes from the first half that’s still intact.”

“Okay, so with the journal, we know we only have part of the story. Are we sure that what’s there is completely accurate? Many ponies write as much about their hopes and dreams as about actual events. What if it was little more than a draft of a story she was writing?”

He tapped at his chin with a hoof. “I suppose that could be possible. Although we do have some corroborating evidence.”

“Like what?”

With a devious smile, Quicksilver asked, “So who all was present for those events?”

“Well, there were a whole bunch of ponies there, but they’re all long gone. The alchemist and Windflower obviously. Thunder Surf, and all the other royal guards. And of course Princess…” Her eyes widened.

“Yes?”

“Princess Celestia was there a thousand years ago. She would remember Windflower and all the events.”

He chuckled. “Not only remembers, but she has also confirmed them. She penned a scroll to confirm the events she was physically present for. That scroll, signed by her, with the Royal Sun Seal, is on display in the museum next to the display containing the journal itself.”

Misty sat, eyes wide, mouth agape.

“There’s some other supportive documentation too. And it answers your question about Ann and Thunder Surf. Official records show that she and Thunder Surf were married some time after the events in the journal. She moved to the castle and took the position of Royal Alchemist. They also had three colts together.”

“So it really is all true? Wow. I’d sure like to read the journal myself.”

“I’m sure my parents would let us borrow their copy.”

“I think I’d rather have my own copy. I know it wouldn’t be the original, but it would still be neat to have.”

“Like all their ancient texts, the museum either has a reproduction for sale, or you can special order one. A couple of the books in my library are special order reproductions of ancient texts. They aren’t cheap though.”

“I remember seeing those. I just didn’t think about where they came from.” She gave him a playful push with her shoulder. “We can afford it for a piece of family history.”

“Sounds like a good idea for a Hearth’s Warming Eve present. I’m just not sure if they can get it done in time.”

Misty gave him a flat stare.

“What?”

She raised her head to look down her muzzle. “I’ve seen that big box you think you have hidden in your office.”

He shrugged. “Okay, perhaps your birthday then...”

“I’m already looking forward to it.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss.

“So that’s one of my family stories. Do you have a heritage story you can share?”

Misty put a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. “Well… There is one I can think of. I have an ancestor, a few generations back, who was the captain of a small cargo ship. The lighthouse was out one stormy night as they were coming into Horseshoe Bay. They ended up on the rocks. Everypony got safely to shore in the lifeboats, but the ship was lost. He took one of the lifeboat oars, slung it over his withers, and started walking inland…”

-- The End --

6. Battle for the Castle

They entered what in a less stressful time would have been an elegant sitting room. It was open and airy with a number of benches around the perimeter, and a variety of lavish couches and chairs scattered about. The walls were covered with richly colored tapestries. The far wall had three sets of double doors. They were all open, allowing easy access to the high balcony outside.

The princess strode to the center of the room and stopped. "Thank you for your assistance." The two unicorns allowed their magic to slowly fade and moved away. The princess adjusted her hooves as the extra support diminished. Lifting her head high, Celestia headed towards the doors leading out to the balcony.

"Princess," the Captain called out. "Please..." She paused, glancing back. "The attacking forces do not know of your status. If you step out there now, they will see you and have time to consider what that means. If they change their strategy and decide to attack from multiple points... It would be best to wait. If you appear once they have committed to a course of action, they will not have time to think. It will sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt into the ranks. They will have to make a snap decision to proceed, or to abort and retreat."

"Very well. We shall wait for a time." She walked to a nearby couch and sat down.

Ann started moving towards the balcony. "If you're going to look, stay low," Thunder Surf cautioned as he followed her.

The balcony was wider than the room behind it. The railing was solid with the occasional vertical slit. Perfect to use as cover while being able to observe activity below. She looked up and noticed the balcony was covered by a solid yet beautifully carved awning that would provide protection from the rain, as well as attacks coming from the air. Much of the castle was probably built with this same type of dual functionality.

She moved just close enough to the railing to get a view of the parts of the courtyard close to the outer wall. She gasped at the scene. There were already three phalanges of ponies inside the wall. Another group was marching in through the gate, and she could see a fifth approaching from the outside. Each phalanx consisted of a couple score of Republic troops arranged in six ranks.

She turned towards Thunder Surf. "There are so many. How many troops do we have?"

"Just under a hundred. I’m not confident we can hold off that many if their commanders have half a brain for strategy."

She scanned the scene again and then declared, "I have an idea." She spun and took off at a gallop through the room.

Thunder Surf followed, but paused when he got to the princess. He glanced between Celestia and the departing Ann while biting his lip. The princess looked at him and tilted her head in the direction Ann had gone. "Remain with Windflower." He took off in pursuit.

As Ann galloped through the halls, there was a sound like thunder of surf at the shore coming from behind her. She smiled and glanced back to see Thunder Surf closing the gap. "Stop running in the house," she called out. In a few more strides he caught up with her, a slight grin on his face.

"We going to the lab?"

"Yes."

"What are you going to make?"

"Still working on that part."

As they entered the lab, Ann levitated her saddlebags off and set them on an empty table.

Having stopped just inside the door, Thunder Surf asked, "What can I do to help?"

Without glancing back, Ann replied, "Take out all the smoke bombs I made. Line them up on the table and open each one where they are tied at the top." She skidded to a stop in front of the shelves of ingredients.

She paused. If I mix equal parts of those two, I'll have a fast-acting poison effective over a broad area. Or I could use those three to make a mixture to incapacitate the attackers. It's almost as fast, but won't affect as many ponies. She pawed at the floor as her gaze jumped between the various containers of ingredients. She glanced at Thunder Surf. No, I need to figure this out myself. She looked at the shelves again. The poison is easy to mix, the measurements don’t even have to be that accurate. The other mixture will have to be more precise. That will take me longer.

And then she remembered her master’s words: Do not be in a rush to learn how to take away something that you do not have the power to return.

"I know what I'm going to make," she called out as she levitated three containers off the shelf.

Thunder Surf was halfway done opening the bombs. "What?"

Ann set the containers down on one of the tables. "Something to save lives."

She grabbed a measuring bowl and poured in the first ingredient. Ann glanced at the scale. No time, my estimates are good enough. She dumped it into a larger mixing bowl and repeated the process for the next two ingredients.

Thunder Surf called out, "They're all open and ready." He backed away from the table.

Still mixing, Ann levitated the bowl to the other table. "Please grab my saddlebags. As I seal each one, put it in the bag." She then went down the line, adding the mixture to each bomb, stirring it in, and re-sealing it. The bowl was empty when she finished the last bomb. She paused. "I hope I can get back to clean this up before my master sees..." she said as she dropped the mixing bowl on the table.

Thunder Surf closed the saddlebags and put them on. "Let's go!" They raced back to the tower.

They galloped through the room and out onto the balcony. As Ann slid to a stop, she pointed at the railing. "Put the bag down there." She looked over the railing and gasped. One phalanx was already moving towards the inner gate. A second was just starting forward to fall in behind the first.

She flipped open her saddlebag. There was only time to levitate two of the smoke bombs on top of the railing. She glanced at the lead phalanx again. They would reach the inner gate in seconds.

One at the front, the second at the back. She focused on her target. There was a flash as the bomb teleported into the midst of the troops and exploded. The smoke spread rapidly. Ponies coughed, and the ranks began to break. Another flash and the second exploded a little behind the first. The two clouds of gray smoke expanded and merged. Ponies started to collapse

Ann repeated the process with two more bombs and the second phalanx. More ponies stumbled and collapsed.

Ann noticed activity outside the main gate. A half dozen unicorns from the Royal Guard were sneaking forward. She saw their horns flare. The gates began to glow under their combined magic and then swung closed with a bang. Ponies in the rear ranks turned and looked at the locked gate. Officers yelled orders to get back in formation, but they too eyed the cut-off escape route.

Ann saw movement to her right and glanced over to see Princess Celestia calmly step up to the railing. Hundreds of eyes in the courtyard looked up at the balcony.

Everything paused. A visible wave of unrest moved across the courtyard. The captain muttered, "That's exactly what I was hoping for."

The moment passed. Phalanx commanders started barking out orders. Ponies pointed at the balcony. Two blasts of magic hit the awning above the princess. Bits of plaster and rock rained down on her. Another blast hit the railing in front of Ann. She flinched as chunks of it hit her face and neck.

Ann shook her head and looked back towards the courtyard just in time to see a crossbow bolt flying straight towards her. There was no time to react, or even blink. Death was a fraction of a second away. At the last moment the bolt veered slightly to the left, flying past her head. The fletching stung her cheek as it went by. A loud thunk accompanied it embedding into the overhang above her. She turned to look and touched the necklace of protection she still wore every day. Thank you master.

"Shields!" the captain yelled. Two unicorns moved to either side of Celestia and a curved shield spell formed in front of her. Two more blasts hit the shield, causing it to shimmer. Another unicorn moved up to Ann's right and threw up a shield. Its surface rippled with energy, slightly distorting the view of the courtyard.

"No!" Ann called. "That's too high. I need to clearly see my target with no magical interference in the way."

Thunder Surf moved closer. “Can’t you just levitate them down there?”

“Yes, but if they see them coming… The bombs need to just appear without warning.”

He shook his head. "We can’t lower the shield. That will leave you exposed. It's not safe."

She glared at him. "If I can't finish this, nopony will be safe."

He nodded at the unicorn who lowered the top of the shield until it was even with the railing. Ann levitated two more bombs to the railing and prepared to send them.

There was a flash of magic to her left. She jumped as the teleport magic washed past. A unicorn in Republic armor towered over her. His magic held a long curved sword high over his head. Her mind went blank as she looked into his cold eyes. The sword began to arc down to strike.

A sudden blur of fur smashed into the unicorn. Thunder Surf brought his full earth pony strength and weight against the attacker. They slammed into the railing and fell into a pile of thrashing legs. Thunder Surf recovered first. As the unicorn started to rise, he was struck by a two-hoofed buck. He flew against the railing, grunting as the air was knocked out of him. The sword clanged as it fell. He struggled to get his legs under him. Thunder Surf bucked a second time. The railing gave way, and with a yell the unicorn fell from view.

Ann looked straight down. The unicorn lay there, a dark red pool expanding around his head.

"Miss Ann." Thunder Surf reached out with a hoof. "You're okay. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Ann looked up at the courtyard. The scene before her dissolved. As it became clear again, she was standing in her hometown, a score of excited foals jumping and yelling before her. She set off another smoke bomb accompanied by a chorus of oohh's and aahh's. She glanced behind her to see the alchemist watching the show, a slight smile on his face. But the yells of the foals were wrong, distorted. There was no delight, only urgency and anger. She looked forward again and saw the ranks of troops in the courtyard below. This was no magic show. A failed trick would not result in a few sighs of disappointment. The stakes were too high.

Ann scanned the courtyard. There were three formations left, one phalanx on the left, two on the right. She felt a slight breeze against her cheek. Four bombs in the groups on the right and let the wind carry the smoke. She grabbed the bombs and without pause detonated them on target. A few more seconds had the last two delivered to the remaining phalanx. More than half the attackers were down. Those that remained were quickly dissolving into chaos.

The inner gate opened, and a score of royal guards rushed forward. The attackers’ forward progress was lost. Panicked orders were yelled, and a group from the lead phalanx hastily formed a defensive line. The charging Guard hit the line to the sound of crashing armor. Blasts of magic crackled in the air. A second charge of guards exited the gate. They veered slightly to the left and broke through a weak point in the line.

Pegasi from both sides circled above the battle. Like two flocks of birds fighting over territory, their movements were chaotic and violent as they clashed for dominance of the skies. A blast of magic from below slammed into a Republic pegasus and he fell to the ground with a heavy crash. Ann watched as two pegasi charged at each other. At the last second, they both spun and jogged in flight. One of them dropped from the sky. She couldn't tell which side he belonged to.

The Republic troops were starting to panic. Some turned towards the main gate just as it flew open. A score of royal guards charged in to attack from the rear. They blew through the startled ponies leaving a trail of bodies. At the same time, a third wave emerged from the inner gate. They swung to the right heading for what was left of the two groups on that side.

There was no order left in the Republic forces. No ranks were formed, and no defensive lines left intact. Small groups of troops huddled together surrounded by the Royal Guard. As the Guard closed in, the defeated soldiers began to drop their weapons and surrender. The battle was over. The sounds of conflict were replaced by the cries of the wounded and the silence of the dead.

Ann saw the chief medical officer emerge from the inner gate followed by a dozen other staff members. An earth pony mare slipped on a puddle of blood and fell, sliding along the ground. She recovered her hoofing and continued to run towards the wounded. Her entire side, flank, and hip were covered in blood. It dripped off her as she ran.

Ann heaved and bolted to the far edge of the balcony. Her breakfast was long gone, but that didn't stop her from trying to lose it. Thunder Surf rubbed her back as her body convulsed. Finally, her body relaxed, and she stepped back. She looked at Thunder Surf with tears freely flowing. "I had no idea. It's so..." She squeezed her eyes tightly closed. "Horrible."

He moved in close, almost cheek to cheek. "There is no glory in battle. There are only those who live, and those who don't." They stood for several moments. Ann sobbed. He turned towards the door. "Let's get you inside. You don't need to see any more of this." As they moved towards the door, they saw Princess Celestia jump over the railing and glide down to the courtyard.

Ann was visibly trembling as they walked into the room. Her heart raced, and her breathing was fast and shallow. He guided her to one of the benches along the wall. She sat, leaning forward with her head down. She stared at the floor.

Thunder Surf asked, “Are you okay, Miss Ann? You’re so pale.”

“I’m scared... I can’t breathe... I think I’m going to be sick...” Her face was tight with fear.

He moved directly in front of her and sat down. “Look at me. Right here,” he pointed to his eyes. “You’ll be okay. I know exactly what this is. You’ve just come out of a battle, as surely as if you were fighting yourself. Your body is full of adrenaline. What you’re experiencing is normal.”

He reached out and took one of her hooves in his. He could feel it tremble.

“Just breathe. Take big slow breaths and let them out.” He paused as she inhaled deeply and blew it out through puckered lips. “Good, another. Nice and slow. Focus on what I’m saying.” He gently patted her hoof a few times.

“This is what happens as you come down from an adrenaline rush. Even experienced warriors have these feelings, but they are trained to control them. Keep breathing. Deeper... Slower…” Ann sat up a little straighter.

He gave her hoof a little shake. “You did great out there. The attack was stopped almost as soon as it began. A lot of pony lives were saved today. I know the princess was relieved. I saw her while you were… distracted. She’s very good at masking her emotions, but when you’ve been a personal guard for a while, you can still read them.”

Ann shut her mouth and breathed through her nose. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and leaned back against the wall. A slight smile appeared on her lips.

He slowly nodded his head. “That’s better. You’ve calmed down a lot in just a few moments. See, you’re learning to control your reactions better already. How are you feeling now?”

Ann closed her eyes, took another slow breath in, and then let it out. She opened her eyes again. “I think… I think I’m doing better. Yes, I know I’m doing better now. How did you do that?”

Thunder Surf smiled and leaned back a bit. “I had a sergeant do the same thing for me once after an... incident. Well, without the hoof holding.” He chuckled. “It’s about shifting your focus from what you just went through, to what you are experiencing right now, and helping you control it.”

He set her hoof down on her leg, and with a final pat, let go. “You’ll be okay now. These thoughts may come back, especially late at night or when you’re alone. Just remember to breathe and that you’re alive and well. You did what was needed, what was expected.”

Ann took another deep breath. “Thank you. You’re good at what you do. Do you mind if I give you a hug?”

He nervously glanced back at the two guards by the door, then invitingly extended a leg towards her. Ann hopped off the bench and wrapped both forelegs around him in a tight hug. He returned the embrace. She didn’t linger, releasing him and hoping back up on the bench.

“Thank you. I’m okay now.” She carefully studied the floor as a slight blush colored her cheeks.

Thunder Surf stood up. “Very good, miss Ann.” He stepped back a few paces and resumed his position as her escort. The other two guards didn’t do or say anything.

Ann leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She allowed her mind to drift back to simpler times. She saw herself in her master’s house, studying texts or working on assignments. Things she enjoyed, where no pony’s life was dependent on her.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. “The lab…” She hopped off the bench. “I’ve got to clean up the lab!”

Thunder Surf smiled. “Miss Ann, I’m sure that can wait a bit--”

“No, it can’t. Never leave the lab a mess. That’s one of my master’s most important rules. If he found out what I did… what I didn’t do...” She headed towards the door.

“Please, you really should rest here a bit longer.”

She glanced back. “You rest. I’ll rest after I’ve cleaned up.” She exited the room.

He glanced at the two guards who both just shrugged. Shaking his head, he trotted after her.

When she reached the lab, she paused. “What a mess.” She pointed at each table as she rattled off the source of the disorder. “The poison analysis, mixing the antidote, mixing the sleep agent, filling the bombs. Oh, I hope he doesn’t see this.”

“It’s not that bad, Miss Ann,” Thunder Surf assured her. “Time was critical, you couldn’t delay to brush up a little spill.”

She spun to face him, her eyes pleading. “You won’t say anything, will you?”

He chuckled. “I promise, the secret of your little indiscretion is safe with me.” He scanned the room. “Can I help?”

She let out a relieved sigh. “That would be great.” She pointed at one of the tables. “You can start by wiping down that work surface and sweeping the floor?”

Working together, they had the entire lab cleaned in about a dozen minutes. Once done, Ann plopped down on a bench at one of the tables.

Thunder Surf walked over to her. “Shouldn’t we go someplace where you can rest now?”

She looked at him and smiled. “I am resting. I’m never more relaxed than when I’m in a lab. Stick a bed in the corner, and I could happily live here.” She looked wistfully at the shelves full of ingredients. “The research I could do here…” She crossed her legs on the table and laid her head on them.

They sat quietly for some time until they heard a noise at the door. They both turned to look.

“Master!” Ann jumped down and bolted across the room towards the alchemist, then jerked to a stop. His neck and shoulder were covered in dried blood. His mane was disheveled, and his cape had a large tear in it.

“Master!” she shrilled. “You’re hurt!” Thunder Surf rushed to assist.

The alchemist raised a leg. “Please, be calm. This is not mine. I am uninjured.” Ann stood, her focus jumping between his face and all the blood. “Unfortunately, the serpent did not want to cooperate. It turned… unpleasant. In the end we were forced to behead the serpent in order to stop it.” He glanced down at his bloody shoulder. “I wished it was not so.” He closed his eyes for a moment.

He looked up at Ann again. “The princess is waiting for my report. However, I saw the aftermath of a great battle outside and had to find you first to check on your well-being. Are you uninjured? Are you safe?”

Ann nodded. “I’m fine. I had somepony watching out for me.” She glanced over at Thunder Surf.

“Were you able to be of assistance to the princess?”

“Yes, I was able to provide a little help.” Thunder Surf rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m pleased. I knew you would be able to aid Celestia. But I must go. It’s not good to keep the princess waiting.” He started to turn.

“Wait…” Ann called. She trotted over and gave him a hug. “Thank you for coming back safely.” She released him. He smiled, and then left the room.

Thunder Surf cleared his throat. “A little help? Are you kidding me?”

“It wasn’t really that big of a deal. I’m worried about him and what he just went through. There will be plenty of time to talk later. And speaking of later…” She patted her belly. “It’s been a long time since that muffin I had for breakfast. Do you think we could go get a little something to eat now?”