He groaned and thumped his head against a moss-covered stone wall in frustration.

"What in the fuck am I doing wrong?!"

For three days, Orion had tried and failed to make teleportation work for him. It wasn't so much that it wasn't working, but the fact that all his efforts at teleporting were only taking him fifteen feet.

The application behind the incantation wasn't a hard one to understand. It revolved around using ley lines to navigate as your spell used them like an automated GPS, or at least that's how he came to understand it. One needed to know where they were going and to keep one part of the spell open-ended in case there was a need for more power to reach their destination.

The reason for that extra power was not every place you wanted to land in had a line running through it, so one would have to make a temporary one of their own. When forming a teleportation point, you had to know where you were going, but more importantly, you had to know where the ley lines were around you at the start.

Essentially it was like hijacking an internet connection via Wi-Fi. The spell allowed someone to jump on and ride along till you got to your destination, carefully keeping the image of the location in mind and slowly feeding power once you reached a point one would have to abandon the line to get to their point of ingress.

The only reason any of this worked was that emanating from the magical lines that criss-cross the world was the Thaumic field.

The Thaumic field attached itself to everything. From trees to people, even the inanimate objects like rocks or dirt. It was why his Radar enchantment worked so well. It was also why Twilight had found him so easily that night in his "laboratory".

The principles of teleportation made sense, though he would never have been able to come up with it on his own. Orion knew he wasn't smart enough even to know where to begin to come up with that kind of theory to start. However, following in others’ hoofsteps had been easy, and he had figured out the idea behind it now.

But none of that knowledge helped him with his issue. The various advanced study books he had "borrowed" had been easily understood, and he had applied them correctly. Yet, he still failed. The distance he traveled seemed set, just like his range in magic. It shouldn't have been possible, considering he was just holding onto the spell. He should have just been able to ride the lines to his desired location.

"It must have something to do with the same issue as my range. But why? Why can I only influence a certain distance? I solved the strength issue. It should have solved the limited range problem as well."

Was he trying too hard?

Orion sighed. He was getting nowhere with this. Tired and angry, he stood, dusted the sewer dirt off of himself, and made for the all too familiar exit. As he did so, he thought of other options.

He couldn't ask Twilight. That last little prank he had pulled, convincing her that Celestia was going to fuck him silly, had really pissed her off. It was the middle of May now, and she had still not spoken to him. It didn't help that she was now in what was essentially the high-school portion of campus grounds. But the brief moments he spotted her when classes were let out were just that, brief.

She would teleport away the moment she spotted him coming, or climb into that personal coach of hers before he could say a word. The few letters he had sent had been either ignored or, in one case, returned.

To make matters worse, the students in his class knew what was up as well. The giggles from the fillies felt significantly cutting.

Fancy Pants, a colt he had only recently been idly talking to during lulls in instruction, had commiserated with him on the fickle nature of mares and then offered to take him out to a spa.

He politely declined.

Fancy was a weird one. The oddly two-toned blue-maned colt was shorter than him by a head and a half but could walk into a room and dominate it by sheer presence alone.

This had not always been the case when he had been first introduced late into the second year of Orion's time in school. The colt had just stood there, in front of the blackboard, stuttering his name and not meeting anyone's gaze with those light blue eyes of his.

His awkward habits continued for about a year. He would keep to himself, doing much the same as Orion himself would do, but without the sullen and often aggressive attitude, many had come to accept.

A sad air seemed to follow Fancy wherever he went.

That all changed, though the black-furred colt had been slow to realize it at first.

It had started with him and the noble pony being paired up for class assignments–just the usual subjects like science or magic—nothing out of the ordinary there.

Orion could not place when it first began. Just one day, while trying to figure out what an inverse pulse was supposed to accomplish, Fancy cursed in frustration. Ponyfeathers was not what he would consider actual cursing. But to hear that come from the mouth of the somewhat subdued noble colt had caused him to double over and roar with laughter.

When asked where that had come from, his classmate just responded in his prim and proper manner. "It felt suitable to the situation." It was too much for Orion, and the whole event left him with giggle fits any time he thought about it.

Since that day, a comfortable companionship had descended on the unlikely duo. It never extended outside the classroom, due to his own reluctance and in spite of the numerous invitations the proper pony had given him.

Orion paused, turning up the radar enchantment to do a cursory sweep of the alley above. There was someone up there.

Over the years, he had gotten used to the perspective and advantage the ornament sitting behind his right ear had given him. As his skill in Artification improved, so too did his iterations for the Radar enchantment. What had been an impression of things around him now was as clear to him as seeing it for himself. Though the color and certain textures still seemed beyond his ability to work into the enchantment currently, he could tell almost immediately who was who after an initial encounter by adjusting for magic signature.

The person above him now, he had never met before.

It was a male for one, tall, broad-shouldered, and a unicorn. "Is he a guard?" There was an awful lot of metal on the pony above, judging from the density he sensed.

The situation was weird. Not because there was a pony above him, that had happened more than a few times since he began coming down here. No, what bothered him was that it was some type of armored unicorn, and the fact that he was a male to boot made him wary. During his entire time spent in the city, he had only ever seen stallions in the military assigned to office duty. Why was this one out and about and hovering over his egress?

"Well, you had planned for this. For once." He thought to himself. He was certainly no Tony Stark when it came to learning lessons quickly, but even he eventually had a good idea.

When he had been still searching for a place to set up his workshop in the early days, he had decided to scout out multiple entry points into the sewer system, just in case.

The results of those searches had given him several access points where he could come and go at his discretion.

Orion moved away from his normal exit and made his way past the hidden chamber, carefully double-checking the enchantments to be sure the room entrance remained disguised as a simple wall. Nodding to himself that all was right, he made his way to the Artisan District and deeper into the sewer system.

Whatever was going on, he felt it best that he had an alibi, and that meant going to the old stomping ground he hadn't visited in months.

Once he had found the right spot, he performed another brief scan that showed the area clear above the ponyhole. Climbing out and carefully placing the lid back, he cautiously approached the end of the alley. From his vantage behind a stone corner, and with the help of his enchantment, he could see no one was really paying attention to anything other than their personal shopping.

Slipping into the crowd, he had to thank vapid consumerism and short attention spans. It was really nice when no one paid attention to you.

It took him twenty minutes and a tram ride from the Artisan District back to the residential area. Back to Evergarden's Home for Wayward Foals.

It would have been shorter, but Orion chose to avoid Forager's shop. There was no telling whether or not Celestia still had the old bull under observation, and he had no desire to stumble into anything that might damn him even if he was only passing by.

Besides, he might have been too tempted to stop by and say hello.

Squeezed between two chatty stallions, the black colt puzzled over who the apparent guard had been hovering near his workshop's main entrance.

They had lingered far too long for his liking.

Stepping out of the station, he shot a quick glance toward his preferred alleyway and saw that no one was there. From where Orion was, he had a pretty good look down the majority of the darkened throughway.

Nothing.

That was concerning. Was he being tracked? "Best to get inside. Something is fucky."

Stepping inside the orphanage, he was greeted by an unusual sight.

Mrs. Evergarden was in the foyer, dressed in a gray pleated gown. Mane done up in a multitude of braids. Lately, the mare had something about her, a glow without luminescence.

Her presence was the norm.

What was odd was the fact that a stallion in steel plate armor stood with her–gesturing and talking in an aggravated manner.

His helmet, which indicated an officer judging by the winged emblem, was attached to a clasp on his hip, leaving his three-tone blue mane free to spill down his back and shoulders. He was all white as far as Orion could tell with the armor on.

The Matron spotted him first.

"Orion, where have you been?!" She huffed. He wondered why she was so agitated. What had been said?

"Whatever it was, I didn't do it." He retorted quickly. Maybe too quickly.

"Answer the question, foal." Piercing sky blue eyes glared at him, accompanied by a surprisingly melodic deep voice.

"Yeah, not with Johnny Law here, I don’t think so. This feels like an "I need a lawyer" type thing." He air quoted.

"Orion…" Mrs. Evergarden said sternly. He relented.

"Fine." He let out a heavy sigh. He trusted the matron, and this really didn't make him feel like he was in any specific trouble. Orion just wanted to tweak the stuffy guardstallion's nose a bit. "I was wandering about the Artisan District. They got a sale on glass work, and I was thinking of getting something for my window this summer."

Now that he was thinking about it, this must have been the guard that had been above the ponyhole earlier. "Why was he back there?" The magic flowing off him was similar.

"Can anypony corroborate that?" Came the officer's quick response.

"Listen, Detective Nosey. I don't like people. So no, likely not. Though some folks might have seen me in the crowd, who knows." That got a snort. "What's all this about?"

"There's been a rash of disappearances lately. Not just here but across the nation. Not much more than one or two, but it's a noticeable trend." Mystery Stallion was surprisingly forthcoming. Either that or it was a convenient lie.

"So what, you thought I was the next case Officer….?"

"No. But it helps to be sure." This was all very weird. As the silence stretched, Orion cocked an eyebrow, and the stallion before him grunted before continuing. "I am First Lieutenant Shining Armor."

"Now, why is that name familiar?"

"Okay, Shinedown, what-"

"Lieutenant Armor."

"Shining-ass then."

"Orion, please?!"

The colt hung his head and sighed again. He was doing that a lot lately.

"Sorry. He's annoying." The matron smiled softly in what he hoped was commiseration. "Officer Armor. What is it that you want from me? Because it's clear you're not here to follow up on leads."

Giving a sideways eye at Mrs. Evergarden, the officer spoke.

"Why did you embarrass my sister in front of the Princess?"

"Embarrass….dude. I don't even know you. How would I embarrass your sister?" Then it clicked. "Oh….oooohhhh. You're Twilight's older brother?" A quick nod. "Heh. Heheheh." He couldn't help but laugh a little.

"And what is so humorous?" The glare increased in intensity.

"You're the BBBFF!" He shrieked–full laughter wracking his body now.

Shining got a dangerous gleam in his eye and took a step toward Orion.

"Listen here, you little bucking-"

"COLTS!"

Mrs. Evergarden's full-throated shout brought them up short. Both humor and malice vanished in an instant.

"I will not have you two tearing at each other in MY orphanage." She reached out, grabbed both of them in her magic, and towed them to one of the interview rooms down the hall. "Now, you will conduct yourself like gentlestallions. If there is an issue, I expect you to talk it out like two reasonable ponies. Am I clear?!" She hissed as she shoved them both into the small space.

"Yes, ma'am." Both males said in unison.

"Good. I will be back in twenty minutes. I expect you to have it sorted out by my return. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." They repeated once more.

"Good."

With that, she slammed the door, leaving the pair dumbfounded.

A thing he noticed about the race was despite the role reversals in their society, some things were still the same—mothers were gonna mother.

"Okay, now that was weird as hell." Never in Orion's time at the orphanage had she acted quite like that. "The hell is going on?"

"Reminds me of some of my instructors…." Shining's remark made him nod in agreement.

"Yeah, never seen her like that before. I mean, sure, she could get angry. Hell, even shout. But never…that."

They turned and looked at each other.

"Listen, you clearly got a problem with me, but I bet there is some context you are sorely lacking. Let's...let's just do as she says." Orion made his way to a chair. The officer followed suit.

Once settled in, they sat there. Shining Armor staring dead into his eyes made it awkward to begin.

After several minutes the black colt had had enough of the tension and decided it was time to break the ice.

"So, I take it you've come to bitch at me about your sister?" The stallion's face scrunched up. Likely at his liberal use of swears.

"Yes. What you did was the lowest, most vile thing I have ever heard of. Not only did you embarrass my sister. You did so while implying that the Princess was...was going to-"

"Make me her stud, yeah." Orion chortled softly.

"That! It's disgusting for you even to imply that the Princess would want anything like that!" Shining barked back.

"So, the Princess isn't a mare?" Entertainment after a shitty day. This was lifting his spirits as he watched his verbal foe splutter and blush at what he was implying.

"T-the Princess is a-a mare! She…she just wouldn't want that! From you!"

"Really? You know her mind, then? Her intimate thoughts?" Watching someone go white as a sheet was always fascinating, which was impressive for the white stallion before him as he somehow began to look a bit ghostly.

After a few minutes, Shining got himself under control.

"You, have besmirched the name of the Princess with these baseless accusations. You have hurt my sister by co-opting her participation in the slander. How dare you?"

Orion had to admit that the stallion had gotten himself under control faster than he thought he would have been able to. Though, it was funny how he and Twilight seemed to react much the same. Still, he figured it was time to be serious and explain himself. If only to get this asshole to leave him alone.

"Okay, listen. And please don't interrupt." Flexing his fingers, he began drumming them as he slowly responded.

"First and foremost, it was a JOKE. Don't." He snapped when Shining opened his mouth. "Wait and listen." Nodding once the officer closed his mouth again, he continued. "I don't know if you have ever been alone with Celestia in any capacity, but the lady is intense. She has a knack for making you say things you wouldn't and digging into every crevice she thinks will pull something to the surface. Talking with her is like playing chess with a knife over your head. Every mistake makes that knife feel a little closer."

"I can…agree with that." The stallion shuddered. Bad memories? "But she is Princess Celestia. You best remember that."

"Whatever. Still, my reason for involving your sister was circumstantial. She was my best bet for getting out of the conversation with the mystery of what color my shit was that morning."

"You're disgusting."

"Granted, and you said that already. If I could continue?" He grinned as he got the nod again. This was going well, all things considered. "My rather expressive expressions aside. I actually explained that to your sister afterwards, but by then, she had already done the typical Twilight panic and freaked out. Yeah, I embarrassed the hell out of her, I never expected her to yell at Celestia, but there it was. My only goal was to get out of there. You know what happened to land me there, right?" He had to know just how much the officer before him actually knew of his life up to this point.

"Yes, three mares had taken to chasing you and had backed you into an alley. Very foolish for you to be out that time of year, by the way." Shining Armor said neutrally.

"Yeah, I managed to knock one of them out, then She showed up and handled the rest." It was his turn to shudder at the memory of Celestia's arms rippling as the monarch clenched and unclenched her fists. The mare was hiding a lot of power under that fluff.

"I read that as well. It was…impressive for your age."

"Mhm."

"So." Shining coughed into his hand. "Your goal was to merely remove yourself from an undesired situation. Do you really believe that makes it okay?"

"At first. Yeah." The glare returned with heat, and Orion sighed. "I have a…habit. Of doing before thinking. In situations where I have no control, I tend to panic and go with my instincts." He spread his hands before himself.

"Like with the timberwolves?"

"Ah. Heard about that one as well, did ya?" The glare softened a little. Was there a bit of respect in those eyes? "I had a plan. Then some roof tiles told me to go fuck myself and dropped me into hell. But still, the moment those go bad, I tend to make dumbass choices that don't always work out. In the case of your sister, it half worked. I got out of the interview, but I pissed her off doing so." He shrugged his shoulders.

For a moment, Shining Armor eyed him speculatively.

"You are not exactly what I had expected, considering the reports."

Orion's ears perked up. "Oh? What do they say?"

"That you are crass, rude, and amoral. A danger to the common pony. And indeed, you are in some of those." He steepled his fingers. "But from where I am sitting, I don’t believe you're amoral. You also seem to possess a healthy dose of humility and regret."

"Oh, trust me, I regret a lot of things. More than you could ever know. But I am a dick." He chuckled. Twilight's brother did not join him.

"That's not normal. Colts, don't act like you. You're an anomaly, and my superiors are starting to take notice. Some of the nobles are as well. Your…exploits are a subject of conversation for many circles."

Orion blinked and looked away. That…was not a good thing.

He had tried to keep a low profile, and his actions had been just the opposite. His conversations with Fair Heart were going well, but it was too late to avoid eyes on himself at this point. He had proverbially screwed the pooch on this one.

"Trust me." He tapped his fingers on the table nervously. "That was not the plan."

"What was the plan then?" Shining leaned forward.

"The plan was…to get through school and get the hell out of Equestria."

That got the older pony to gape.

"You want to leave?! Why?!"

"Dude, let's be real. There is nothing here for a guy like me–too many rules. Too many expectations that I am finding as I grow older are becoming iron clad. To everyone around me, my rebellious nature is getting annoying for most people." He shrugged and leaned back in his seat to stare up at the ceiling. "It might seem a lovely fate for many, getting married to a herd, having some kids, taking care of the home. I…I don't want that life." He fixed Shining with a glare of his own. "I want to be free to choose my own path without being forced to someone else's tune."

He kept back the fact that he often felt that his strings were being plucked by somebody else lately. The thought bothered him greatly.

"You really are unusual…I think you and my father would get along." The sudden smirk on his face was very disturbing in the wake of the grilling he had just received. "He had a habit of bucking trends as well. And I suppose I do too, to some extent, considering my position."

Orion blinked in surprise.

"Okay, what the hell, dude? Here you were, giving me the brotherly third degree, now your all smiles?" He was uncomfortable with the situation. Did all ponies in government have this two-faced ability?

"Haha, I had to give you the third degree. My sister likes you. I have to know what kind of pony she has an interest in." He responded companionably. “Besides, the Princess is her own mare. I had a feeling you had been joking. But you can never be too sure.” He smirked, and the colt couldn’t help but agree and frown simultaneously.

"Okay, so he is not an idiot. But seems to think there is something there that is not with his sister. Another Silver Bell issue."

Orion wasn't blind, though he had denied it at first. Twilight Sparkle was crushing on him. Hard, considering what happened in March, it was too obvious to ignore any longer. But it felt wrong to him, though. He was an adult in a teenager's body, after all. It made him feel dirty, like he would be taking advantage of her or anyone around his body's current age. The situation was just awful in general.

"Couldn't even be reborn as an adult, for fucks sake."

"I…don't know how to tell you this." Shining's eyes narrowed. "I'm not actually interested in your sister. Or anyone for that matter." He struggled not to wilt under that gaze. "It's not that she's not cute or pretty or anything like that.” Thinking back on that night, he barely suppressed a blush remembering the half-done blouse she had been sporting. “It's just…well, I want to leave. No mare or filly is gonna want to allow that, and you know it. I can't afford to get attached to anyone. Ya know?"

For a long moment, Orion thought he was going to get his head caved in, then Shining Armor sighed.

"That makes sense. But you're going to hurt her feelings. Does she even know?"

"At this point, she should. I've made it plain that I'm not interested in anything like that. Not just to her, but everyone in general." Though it seemed Lazy Rain had yet to get the picture from the way she had begun hovering around him once more. Like back in the old days, she seemed to try and stick by him. Even during lunch, to which he was now hiding on the roof after getting his meals. The filly would not get the hint.

"I…see. Well, I can't really lay fault at your hooves, then. Not entirely, at least." The older pony shrugged in his armor. "I have another question for you."

"Shoot," Orion replied, leaning forward.

"Have you seen any suspicious activity in the area lately? Around nightfall or a little afterward?"

"Oh shit."

"Noooo….why? What's up?" He had to be wary. The memory of Shining hovering above his exit from earlier in the day came back to his mind.

"I was being honest about ponies going missing. Not just ponies but griffons as well. No word on if minotaurs have been suffering these events as so few live outside Minos. And no pony hears about Diamond Dog losses." He grunted. "There have been sightings of somepony lurking in the alleyways in this area at night. It's not my assignment, but I took a look out back a little while ago, though I have not seen anything suspicious. Still, I advise you and the residents of this home to remain vigilant."

"Huh. Honestly, I haven't seen anyone or anything. But I'm usually in bed just after ten or so. How bad is it?" He fought not to fidget in his seat. Orion had long ago learned that unnecessary movement made people uneasy.

"Bad enough that a sweep of the sewers is being planned for the summer. No pony has been down there in ages save for the workers. Most of the maps have either been outdated or lost entirely, so this would be a good time to make sure the tunnels are what they should be."

A chill swept through him. It was the absolute worst situation.

"Um. Why tell me? That's kinda sensitive information, isn't it?" Orion was proud his voice didn't tremble.

"Orion, you have Princess Celestia's confidence. I mean, you speak with her more often than most noble ponies I know. Not to mention you are friends with my sister. Your reputation of brutal honesty had been well reported on as well." Shining smiled. "I have done my homework on you."

"That's fair." He would have to move the sensitive items, not tonight, but soon. He couldn't uproot the forge, but he could remove everything else. He only hoped Forager would be willing to hold onto everything for him.

Not to mention the old bull would need to be warned.

His summer was screwed.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Eager to get rid of me?" Shining Armor asked, mirth in his eyes.

"Hell, yes. You're annoying."

That drew a laugh from the guardspony. Just then, Mrs. Evergarden returned from where she had gone off to. She had a self-satisfied smile that just reeked of her having stuck around to listen, but Orion had not sensed her presence anywhere near them.

He wondered if she had planted some type of mystery device inside the interview room.

A little bit of small talk later, and First Lieutenant Shining Armor was heading out the door.

As they waved goodbye to Twilight's older brother, his mind lamented. "Now, what am I going to do?"

His summer shot, life was looking pretty bleak for the man turned pony.

Forager turned out to be more than willing to help him hide his craft and equally alarmed that he would have to secure his own entrance into the sewer system for the foreseeable future.

Instead of loading up one of the old bull's storerooms, they had put it all under some hidden floorboards in his bedroom. All Orion's notes, books, equipment, and the items he had made fitted quite nicely within the snug space.

The plan was for his things to stay with the old bull till the coast was clear, which could end up being upwards of a year if the search teams took their time.

Stepping back into the sewer, the blacksmith surprised him with washcloth bags that clinked loudly when he took them. "The hell is this?" He asked as four bags threatened to fall out of his arms and onto the sewer floor.

"That, little colt, is your pay for all the work you've been doing for me." Came the minotaur's gruff reply, a broad smile on his face.

"Dude, you pay me with raw gold and gems already." Orion retorted.

"True, but most of that ends up back here with me in my shop when you fill the orders I have asked for. And the rest ends up being used for your own projects. I believe you earned your compensation, my friend."

The pony could only nod in agreement. He was putting the majority of what he got back into Forager’s hands at the end of each month.

"Dare I ask how much is in these?"

The smith tapped his lip with a thick finger. "Roughly thirty thousand, I think. You've been working for me for some time now. I've been just depositing your commission into those since you started."

Orion wanted to yell at him, but after a moment, he just chuckled. He had been bamboozled.

"Got your apprentice after all, huh?"

"I most certainly did. In a rather unorthodox manner, but still did. Better? You have a raw talent I've not seen in many others. In a few years, I expect a masterwork from you." He chortled.

"Yeah, I'm gonna need a bigger forge for that." He looked at the bit bags in his arms. "Listen, I'm not gonna be able to hold onto all of this. Can you drop this in a bank for me? Maybe a safe deposit box? Just give me the key, and I can collect it all once I graduate."

"Don't wish to take it with you?" Forager asked in surprise.

"No. A guy my age running around with this much cash? That's just begging for questions. Just get me a key and let me know where ya planned to put it." He handed back the bags, which looked tiny in the smith's hands.

"Alright then, what do you plan to do in the meantime? With summer coming, and you, unable to work or study.…" The bull shrugged his shoulders.

"I have no fucking clue." It was going to be a boring ass summer vacation, that was for sure.

The last week of May brought another letter from Screaming. Inside was a pair of train tickets, one for a trip to Griffonia and the other was for the return. Both were redeemable at any time during the summer.

"Dear Orion,

"I know, I ask again and again, with little hope these days. I get it, you're technically still underage, and I'm sure Mrs. Evergarden would be less inclined than an actual parent might be. Yet, I implore you, please try and come and visit me.

"I miss you, and hearing of your life in Canterlot is nice, but hearing your voice would be better. I can't make you ask Mrs. Evergarden, but I can beg you to consider trying.

"Yours truly,

"Screaming Rush"

Orion had to laugh. "Well, her handwriting has certainly improved over the years."

The poor griffoness had been trying her hardest to get him to visit her for the past two years or so. The last had been asking him to come to visit during estrus, which led to his unfortunate involvement with the mares who chased him through the streets.

He was never going to get permission. Mrs. Evergarden was still pissed at him over the timberwolf fiasco. The mare had staunchly informed him that he would be denied outright if he did not arrange for someone to watch over him first.

Placing pen to paper, he began to write yet another rejection letter when he stopped.

An old saying came to mind. "Better to ask forgiveness than permission."

It was a terrible idea. Yet, with the end of classes looming, and nothing to do with his break from school, the prospect of haunting the halls of the orphanage looked less and less appealing as his mind weighed the pros and cons of simply heading north.

With or without permission.

He hadn't been outside Equestria since Stalliongrad, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in what Griffonia was like.

The prospect of real meat made his mouth water.

But he barely knew a thing about the neighbor above. Sure they covered it in class, but the country was largely a mystery.

"Okay, before I do anything, consider anything, why don't I just go and read up on it? See if it's worth it."

His plans set for the day, he placed the fountain pen, the latest creation his mind had conjured up, down and made his way to the library on the fourth floor.

Hopefully, there was something he could learn from there. Otherwise, he was going to have to beg for permission to go to the city library instead.

Orion was sick.

He had heard the country was relatively poor. But it was a wonder that it hadn't all burned to the ground by now.

His initial search had not been that fruitful other than to highlight topography, main exports and imports, and a map. That had not been enough, so he had been forced to turn to begging to be allowed at Canterlot City Library, in which he found news clippings and articles on the northern nation. What he found twisted his stomach into knots.

Famine, banditry, and disease that claimed the lives of children and adults alike. It was a complete shit show.

Several towns had succumbed to abandonment, and most ports were shut down as well. As he dug deeper, the why became apparent.

The current King, a Sigurd Bloodbeak Fairheart, had inherited this disaster from a long line of terrible rulers. He couldn’t help but note how close his therapist’s name was to griffon royalty, but he ignored it.

According to pony history, Griffonia had always been an aggressive nation, constantly squabbling with Equestria over even the most minute of offenses. Skirmishes would often erupt along the borders. Though they were short-lived, this still caused both sides to raise garrisons along the natural divide of the Garberithian Mountains to the north. The unicorns still called it the Unicorn Range, but it seems history wasn’t quite so in love with that name.

Things after that simmered for a while. Only sword rattling followed those first few hundred years.

Then, some eight hundred years ago, King Oskar Bloodbeak rallied the troops and launched a surprise attack across the Hoofprint Sea, toward Manehattan. The results of what should have been the starting salvo in a prolonged and costly war, ended up being beyond what anyone had expected.

The griffin king had gotten it into his head that assaulting during estrus season would mean a weaker defensive force for the city, easy pickings, so to speak, and a great time to shore up defenses before pushing inward from there. It was sound logic, in Orion's opinion, as the main force would be too distracted to form a proper counter-offensive.

However, something drastic occurred in that port city. For whatever reason, every mare, and a fair amount of fillies old enough, flew into what was essentially a breeding frenzy and ended up raping the majority male army that had been sent to capture them. No one knew to this day the how and why that had happened, as estrus should not have affected any of the pony females to such a degree that a week-long event of debauchery ensued.

Needless to say, it was a terrible embarrassment for both nations, as the fruit of that war and heat-driven union birthed the hippogriffs.

Neighbon was born in the wake of the international incident. A small strip of land on the coast not worth the effort to piss on had been given up to provide a place to stay. It was the one time Equestria had given up land willingly to Griffonia.

Though, there was never an answer as to why ponies didn't simply bring the ill-gotten spawn into their fold.

The latter nation became a steward of sorts for the crime of their attack on their pony neighbors, governing the Neighbonese until they sued for independence two hundred and fifty years ago.

During that time, Oskar Bloodbeak had abdicated his throne to his son Prince Esker Bloodbeak.

Once Neighbon left the safety of its parent nation, the Griffonian economy took a nosedive as it turned out the tiny territory had been all that had kept the older kingdom from collapsing. Since then, the country has fought and struggled to feed its people. To protect themselves within their own border against the very people that were supposed to come together.

It was an unmitigated disaster.

It didn't make sense to Orion. There was entirely too much that was being unsaid, and there was no talk of their agriculture. No indication of their manufacturing. Just death, and disease.

Going into the library hadn't given him any ideas on what to do either.

"What can I do?"

It was when he began stepping off the tram from his trip deeper into town that the ramifications of that thought had hit him.

The black colt had already made up his mind. With a groan turned shout that made two stallions jump away from him, he realized he was going to climb into yet another situation that didn't really need his input.

Laying down that night, he determined that he would need bits. Lots of bits.

"Didn't I just get paid?"

Stuffing the last book, an entry on farming in temperate zones, into the satchel, he sighed as he closed the flap and slid it under his bed.

"That makes three." He muttered to himself.

He didn't know what had been the bigger pain–getting the key to the lockbox from Forager, or having to smuggle several books and bits into his room. Shining hadn't been kidding when he had mentioned they were searching the sewer systems.

Orion had made the gamble to initially hide his things in one of the older sewer pathways. The area was crumbling and no longer in use other than as a service tunnel. In one alcove, he stuck everything to the ceiling using an expanding foam formula he had developed from memory and magical assistance with the limited equipment he "borrowed" from his science class.

It wasn't till his second near encounter that he decided to move everything into his room.

Getting the key hadn't really been all that difficult. It was timing his interaction with the bull that had been straight awful. Over the past year, the smith's shop had been stuffed full of various noble and mercantile ponies. All yammering at the poor bastard as he struggled to do his chosen profession.

From what Orion had learned, even after years, they still believed he knew something of the idea of the mysterious enchanter who fixed the Princess's gate.

The fact that they were right was immaterial.

This interference was also the reason why he often found himself making the jewelry and even fancy pony shoes that Forager would typically do.

No. No, it was dealing with the bank manager herself that had been the worst, brief though it was.

"That Bitch."

There were few mares that had earned a title with as much bite as he put into the word. Velvet Backwater being one such example.

However, Rosemary Coin Pinch had to be the worst on that current list. The pink-furred, blond-maned terror, stuffed in an unflattering purple mare's business suit with yellow pinstripes, deserved to have her rear kicked over her head.

Walking into the bank, he grimaced. He knew Forager had told him he wanted security but really wished he had taken the risk to just use one of the less…opulent businesses instead.

The outside was almost a perfect mirror image of Celestia's castle. Though it was significantly reduced in size, that didn't stop whoever had paid for the thing from painting it all the garish colors they thought would clash. His eyes hurt.

Inside looked like someone had been given meth and a gold paint brush and let loose on the walls of the building.

There was even gold fused into the marble.

Orion felt underdressed despite the green collared shirt, and black slacks Rarity had made for him. Though it easily got him by the door greeter, he felt more than a little overwhelmed by all the wealth on display.

Rosemary had recognized who he was and had stopped him before he could make it five steps toward the safety deposit boxes. "And what do you think you are doing here? Ponies of your means…are better served in the Stable District." She sniffed loudly.

He winced at her voice and wanted to snap at her demeaning attitude. The Stable District was considered the poorest location on the second plate. Close to the foundries and warehouses of the third.

"Relax, lady," the wrong thing to say, "I'm just here to check out your lockbox security. I got some stuff I wanna stash and hoped to find someplace a little more secure than the run-of-the-mill deposit boxes."

Coming here was already a risk, but if he played off like the arrogant ass that every rich person was, he figured he could get in and out without much trouble. It was best not to mention he had a key to the place just yet.

She laughed. Full-on laughed in his face.

"An urchin like you? Afford a lockbox in MY bank? Don't make me laugh." She cackled.

"No, I think you already did that for yourself." He deadpanned, which made her mood darken considerably.

"Listen to me, colt." She filled that word with a lot of scorn. "I know who you are. You're trouble. I will not have you infecting this establishment with your filth or your ill manners. Besides, you could not even afford our rates. You don't even have a herd." The mare sneered and said that last part very loudly.

Orion had forgotten that the bank lobby wasn't exactly empty. Many ponies started whispering amongst one another. There were more than a few struggling to restrain snickers as they hid short muzzles behind their hands.

That bothered him more than he liked, but not as much as Coin Pinch wanted. Still, his mouth chose the attack option in his brain's menu screen.

"You're seriously trying to shame me for circumstances that were literally outside of my control?" He asked incredulously. That served to hush the crowd and make the bank manager's already darkened features somehow darker. "What kind of low I.Q. smoothed brain thought process made you think that was a valid criticism?"

Somewhere in his mind, a tiny voice groaned and mumbled something about "low-profile" and "shutting up", but it was summarily ignored as he interrupted her just as the bank manager opened her mouth.

"Let me guess? Mommy got you this position. Because there is no way, someone like you has the critical thinking power to do the basic math to work your way up from cashier."

The crowd laughed, and she went from dark pink to bright red from the neck up. The voice in his head just sighed.

"SECURITY!" The now enraged pink mare screamed, her fellow rich ponies still laughing at her.

As he was hustled out by a very burly earth pony mare, he couldn't help but ponder the fact that the whole lot of them just turned so easily against someone who was essentially one of their own.

Twilight's summation of those in her unwanted peer group was correct.

He decided against another attempt as he had made too large a scene not to be noticed stepping onto the same street as the establishment.

His second, and far more successful attempt to get his money out of a bank involved yelling at Forager.

"Dude, what in the hell?!"

"Now, Lad. I had no idea that Miss Pinch would be so averse to you coming into her establishment." The old bull raised his hand in a placating gesture.

Orion was not soothed.

"Miss Pinch? That name makes sense, actually. I spent less than five minutes in her company, and I can already tell you she has about as much mercy as a purple nurple. No one's gonna wanna marry that bitch!"

Forager thumped him on the head with his fist.

"OW!!" The colt's hands clapped onto the top of his head. "The hell was that for?!"

"Because you demean yourself as well as her." His voice boomed in the old warehouse they had chosen to meet up in. "Yes, she is unbearable. She was not even that kind to myself. But it was not because of what I am, but what I lacked."

"What? A horn drilled into the center of your skull instead of the sides." He rubbed his head gingerly. "That fuckin' hurt!"

"No." The smith said solemnly. "It's because I lack a herd."

"Yeah, she said the same thing to me. What of it?" Retorted Orion.

Instead of responding, Forager just stared for a moment before murmuring, "You don't know…."

"Know what?" This was strange. And the man turned colt didn't know what to make of the old bull's sudden change in demeanor.

"Lad, do you know why a herd is so important to ponies?"

"Yeah, not enough dick to go around, so groups will form up around one male. Duh." He said dismissively.

"That…is one aspect and an important one, true." The minotaur scratched at the patch of fur on his chin. "I never imagined telling a pony what was supposed to be common knowledge for them…."

"You gonna get on with it? What's so fucking important about a herd?"

"A herd is more than just a family to take care of one another." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Say I was to hire you on as an official apprentice, I would also be examining your family. Your Herd." Forager gesturing a circle.

"Why?" Orion couldn't understand. What bearing did a family have on an apprenticeship?

"Upbringing. Is the herd a noble one, doing good by their community, or are they a sneaky sort? Stealing from honest ponies. It's far more complicated than that, of course, but it's essentially-"

"They're my resumé." The colt said quietly.

"That, and they are a reflection of who you are as a pony." Forager finished. "It's the reason why you don't have a gaggle of fillies following after you as well. Word gets around, and the paper occasionally pops up with an article on you."

"Wait. What?" The old bull chuckled richly.

"Orion, in this city, image is everything. A normal colt would have two or three fillies floating about, attempting to do things for him. You do not." Rotating a hand, he shrugged his shoulders. "Now, we could say that is because of Princess Celestia's student. As far as I can tell, Twilight has made it pretty clear she is interested in you."

"Okay, but she doesn't do anything for me. Doesn't follow me around." Orion retorted. This conversation was drifting away from the comfortable, and he wanted that to stop. The where, was the problem.

"She doesn't? Lad, the Lass gets you the books you ask for. She offers her own notes to help you. Twilight even invites you to places you would otherwise not show an interest in." His smirk made his heart sink.

Twilight Sparkle knew he was not interested in a relationship. He had made it very clear that night on castle steps years ago. Yet the girl has been persistent. Or maybe he had just chalked up what she had done as just being really good friends. First Shining, now him.

The smith was making him unsure of that now.

"Enough." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So, is that why Miss "I-got-a-teller-in-my-ass" was such a dick to me?"

"Yes and no. She was rude because of your reputation. As I said, the papers have been talking about you on occasion. Not much of it has been good, I'm afraid to say." He chuckled softly. "A herd would have gone a long way to softening that, I think. But as you have remained an orphan by choice, you don't have that safety measure."

Orion had read some of the hit pieces made against him. Tabloid dribble. Still, Forager had a point. Besides the one-time article on the third page of the Present Times, no one really gave a damn about facts and truth.

"I think we've gotten too far away from the subject at hand." He waved his hands in the air as if to dismiss the conversation. "I need you to transfer my money someplace else. Somewhere where I can walk in, and no one is gonna look twice at me. Please?"

"I can do that, Lad. What's the occasion? I was led to believe, by you no less, that you had no need for the bits."

Orion debated on how much to tell the old bull, then shrugged.

"Going on a trip north." A flat stare was his gift.

"Colt, you need to give me more than that." Fist on hips, Forager tried to loom over him. It was hard to do with the colt as tall as his neck and his slightly curved horn pointed at his face.

"Fine, fine." He placatingly waved the bull down. As much as he hated it, adults here would still treat him like a kid. "I am going north. To Griffonia. I have long rejected an invitation, and with the sewers being otherwise closed to me, far too much time on my hands for the summer."

He could have simply fucked off back down to Ponyville. However, the prospect of dealing with Granny still made him nervous.

Orion wasn't afraid of her, just scared of disappointing the old mare. She had a way about her to make you feel guilty, and his snub of her family's open-armed welcome still bothered him. It was the right thing to do. For their sakes, if nothing else. Still, he just wasn't ready for that.

"Griffonia? And who has been trying to invite you up?" Forager scratched at his beard in thought. "Are you even allowed to leave the country?"

"Not likely to the second, but better to do and ask forgiveness later than not do and be bored for the summer." He chuckled. "As for who has been inviting me up to Equestria's hat, an old childhood friend has been spamming letters for the past couple of years. Really insistent like. So considering my options, I figure why not."

The smith chuckled with him and smacked him on the back. "Careful, Lad. You're gonna get in real trouble being so flagrant with the rules." Taking a step back, he clapped his hands together. "Well, I believe it is time I head on back. My order should be filled by this time, and that…mare," he filled the descriptor with a fair bit of scorn, "will be wanting her payment."

Foragers' feud with Coal Hammer, an earth pony mare that matched the bull in everything but gender, had been cordial if tense. The blacksmith pony, for years, had tried to ensnare the poor guy into a herd. He had finally rebuffed her, rather forcefully.

Now, the pair still does business, but it's always a stressful affair for the minotaur.

"Yeah, good luck with that. Key will be?"

"I'll have it placed in the usual spot."

He supposed he should have expected it, but it was still unfortunate. It meant he would have to go back into the sewers in order to get it.

When Orion and Forager's partnership of sorts first started out, they had come up with a dead drop location in one of the many filtration plants underneath Canterlot. The usual was the one closest to the old bull's shop with a surface entrance he had made the lock and key for years ago. The smith had kept a copy of that key with him and had made one for his not-apprentice recently.

No names were ever mentioned. Just a brief summary of what work was required, and an overabundance of materials that the colt would make use of the leftovers, once whatever project needed to be done had been completed, of course.

"Damn. Yeah, okay. I'll have to change up and go down there during the day. See ya around, Boss." He waved as he made his way to a sewer grate inside the old warehouse.

"Stay safe, and be careful up there, Lad. I hear Griffonia is not the safest of places to be in these days." The smith made his way toward the door toward the alleyway in the back of the building.

"Mhm." His mind was already turning over the logistical issues with the amount of bits he planned to bring with him.

Getting the new key had been easy. Avoiding the guards was an entirely different beast altogether.

He had gotten into the filtration station from a window at the rear, a last-minute plan that allowed him to avoid the sewer tunnels altogether and the front of the building entirely. Though, that did mean going all the way to the Artisan District and circling around Forager's shop again. He still couldn't figure out how the smith managed to get inside himself undetected, as big as he was. Still, Orion went through great pains to avoid notice that Saturday morning, which is why, instead of using the front door, he wiggled his horsey rear into the window in the back.

The traffic in the market area was surprisingly light, but he suspected it wouldn't be long before it picked up.

The dead drop, a small carved alcove in a wall, was behind an old metal cabinet that would only move in one direction as it was wedged in the corner away from the pumps and large filters.

Relying on a combination of gravity suction, a gear system that turned a waterwheel, and a crystal battery that needed charging once a month, along with a good cleaning of the entire mechanism, the filtration station thrummed loudly.

Orion didn't like being in there. Part of that reason was because the crystal battery, an ancient and monstrous unit that took up the majority of one side of the chamber, seemed to interfere with his enchantments.

Because of this, he didn't hear or sense the pair of city guards, earth ponies mares, entering through a hatch that connected to the rest of the sewer system at the bottom of the filtration hub.

The loud clang as the hatch hit the wall was all the warning he had as he abandoned putting the locker back in its original place. Jumping onto the battery across from the metal cabinets, he flattened his frame into the dust and muck that coated the top of the power unit.

"...So I tell him, "are you gonna bend me over? Or am I gonna have to show you how to handle a mare?" A voice spoke.

Laughter erupted from two voices simultaneously as the hatch banged close. He winced. This was bad, all it would take was one of them to take a peek, and he would be busted.

"I bet you had him screaming by the time you wrung him out, Strap." Retorted another voice. From his place on top of the unit, he couldn't see either one as of yet. But their hooffalls said they were either big ladies, or wearing a whole lot of gear.

The hatch they came from sat below all the machinery. One would take either the stairs or just jump to reach the bottom of the chamber.

Not that any of that helped Orion.

"Naw, sadly, his mother had come in just as it was about to get good. Damn hornhead chased my flank right out of there." More laughter. "No clue where she got the cudgel from but wasn't about to stop and ask." The guard known as Strap finished lamely.

"Ahh, don't beat yourself up about it. I'm sure there will be another chance. Stallions are easy." Commiserated her still unnamed team member, wooden boxes were being shifted about as they talked. "I don't see nothing. You?"

"No. Though take a look at this…somepony carved a pocket into the wall behind this locker." He heard the distinct sound of metal scraping stone.

“Oh…shit.”

"Huh, how 'bout that. Perhaps one of the sewer hogs?" Said the other.

"You mean one of the maintenance crews?" Asked Strap.

"Maybe, I dunno. Might wanna report it." A loud clang followed more scraping noises. Did they actually put it back into place? Orion desperately wanted to know what they were doing but dared not peek his head above the edge.

"Naw, so what if the sewer gals have a secret little contraband cubby hole? Remember basic? Wrathful found that stash of cider hidden in the flooring. Heh, Needle, that had to be the greatest night during training!"

The now-named Needle guffawed loudly.

"Yeah, till the bucking morning. Sergeant Butterfly was not happy!" She howled.

"Had us PTing the whole buckin' day!"

"As riveting as this walk down memory lane is for you, can you both kindly fuck off now? Preferably without you looking back at the battery would be lovely." He thought sourly. Orion was no longer as panicky as he had been, just annoyed now at the inconvenience of these chatty Cathys.

It took another minute for their humor to run its course.

"Well, I don't see anything else. What now? Head back into the tunnels?" Asked Needle.

"Please fuck off back into the tunnels." He pleaded in his own mind.

"Yeah, we ain't got a key for the door here." The clopping of hooves on stairs was followed by the rustic grind of the hatch being pulled open again. "After you."

"Oh, no. Stallions first." Giggled the other.

"WILL YOU FUCKTARDS, PLEASE JUST GO!"

"You shit." The sound of a hand smacking steel rang into the air. "Get your flankhole into the hole!" Laughed Strap once more.

Soon enough, the hatch banged closed, and Orion let out the breath he had been holding for what felt like an hour. He remained laying in his bed of dirt and sewer grime for another ten minutes, just in case.

Once sure that the coast was clear, he rushed for the slightly open window and clambered out into the alley behind the sewage plant.

Looking down at himself, the colt sighed. "I look like ten pounds of shit in a five-pound bag." No amount of cleaning spells were going to get all of the grime out, and now he had a very pungent aroma that wafted about him.

Rather than wander back to the orphanage. He instead headed toward a nearby park.

Any clean spell could be performed on its own without any additives to the mix. However, the spell's effectiveness increased significantly if you had water on hand and some leaves.

He was not about to head home smelling like he rolled in dogshit.

Retrieving his funds, roughly a third of what he had been paid by Forager, from a run-down brick building on the third plate had been simple.

The name on the building had made him chuckle. Pony Bank. That was it.

Inside, the tellers were run by griffons, and a diamond dog managed the establishment. His brief conversation with the mutt gave a clear indication of who had named the place. Still, he had a much easier time getting the bits from the lockbox this go around.

Purchasing the books and various travel items he would need had only been a mild inconvenience. Most bookstores were more dedicated to selling magazines and self-help books than anything of any real worth. So it took a couple of days to buy everything and smuggle it into his room.

Now with his three travel packs settled snugly under his bed, he took a seat at his writing desk.

"I'm gonna have to leave a letter." Orion mused.

He was already breaking the rules just by leaving the city without permission, let alone the nation. He should at least let Mrs. Evergarden know his destination. Pulling out a slip of paper and tapping the fountain pen against his lips, he thought about how to apologize. She was going to be super pissed.

He chuckled.

"Dear Mrs. E,

"By the time you see this, I will likely be long gone.

"I'm not running away, I will be back. However, I haven't had a vacation in some time. So with that in mind and a boring summer ahead, I went ahead and made plans.

"Actually, Screaming made plans. You remember her, right? The griffon chick who lived here when I arrived? Well, turns out she had more than enough money to pay for a train ticket there and back. Oh, right. The where is Griffonia. More specifically, Griffonstone itself.

"Now I know what you're thinking. "Are you crazy?!" And the answer may surprise you.

“Yes.

"I may be a little crazy. But I'm bored as hell, and I think I've put Screaming off long enough, don't you?

"Anyways, by the time you search my room and find this letter, I should be most of the way there. I will be careful. I will stay safe. And yes, I did pack extra underwear. No smelly butt for me.

"Sorry for making you worry. I'll see you at the end of summer.

"Orion

"P.S. Don't tell the Princess where I am. I have a feeling she would cut short my vacation."

Folding the letter up, he pulled the wax kit Mrs. Evergarden had gotten for him a few birthdays ago over and opened it. It was rare that he had the chance to use it.

Inside was spare blue wax cubes, the stamp, and a heating spoon to help melt the wax.

When he first got the kit, there was a blank gold stamp inside meant to be carved with a sigil. The trouble was that he had no idea what to choose. A crest was out of the question as he had no family. His initials were out too. True, no one would know the reference, but he would. So O.F. was off the table as well.

A pegasus filly had run by the table he was at, jazzed up on the overly sweet cake that had been purchased for him that he could not, nor would not eat. A deep blue feather fell from one of her wings onto the kit in front of him.

His grandma once told him that finding a feather in your path was good luck. A sign of God's blessing and will.

While he had no love for her "Almighty", nor the belief in it, he could not help but take that as a sign. So he set about carving a feather as best he could into the gold surface.

Pressing the stamp into the freshly melted wax, he held it there for a moment before pulling it away.

The image of a feather stood out in the blue wax that held gold shavings. Orion had to admit, he had done a damn fine job in making it.

Putting the kit away after it cooled, he placed the letter on his bed. It was almost midnight now, and the train to Griffonia was in a couple of hours. It would take him a few days or so to get to his destination, and he wanted to get a nap in at the station before dawn hit on his trip north.

"I hope Mrs. E. won't be too pissed at me." He chuckled as he pulled on the first of the three packs out from under his bed and opened the window.

Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, was bored. A yawn threatened to force past her lips, but she suppressed it.

This was an unusual summer. A leak in the Great Hall had been discovered in May, and rather than just patch it, the monarch had instead chosen for a complete remodel. After all, it had been a few hundred years since the last update.

However, this remodel meant she had to close Day Court for the summer to give the architects a chance to evaluate and begin their task. No other chamber in the whole of the castle could contain the crowds that would often come to either watch the petitions or pose one of their own.

Celestia could have simply held court outside, but that would have disrupted weather patterns for the city and surrounding land. So she suspended it in its entirely. Secretly she hoped that ponies would finally get the idea in their head to send their grievances to their local magistrates. However, there wasn't much hope of that.

Still, this left the white monarch with not much to do. Without Day Court, she was able to breeze through reports and assessments with ease.

The line out to the desert town of Appleloosa was finally underway and going well. The Buffalo tribes were not pleased, but they had negotiated crossings in key areas for them to run their Sacred Lands.

She snorted derisively at that thought. Six thousand years ago, those lands were in the control of a particularly nasty tribe of Validins. The vulpine race had made life for travelers a misery that often ended in rape and death.

Celestia and her sister had wiped out the tribe. Both out of necessity and anger. Their latest attempt to sway the pony tribes into uniting had failed when Black Rip, a pegasus, had been hired to assassinate Primarch Post Mortem by that very tribe in an attempt to keep the area unstable. They were oblivious to the sisters’ own efforts and had been merely wanting to keep their way of life secure.

Thinking about it afterward and now, she could not help but feel the mare's name was a telling of her fate. Unfortunately, the assassination had been a success, and the region had been once again thrown into chaos.

In frustration, the pair of sisters had traveled out, found, and slaughtered the tribe. It was both justice and a great stress relief for them both.

A few centuries later, the first of the nomadic Buffalo tribes showed up to claim the land. Neither immortal was inclined to dispute them nor inform them of who originally owned the territory.

Well, she had her rail line, and they still had their trampling grounds.

She shifted the papers on her desk.

Still no word on who was haunting the alleyways and dark places of the city. The sewer was going through its sixth search. Other than finding a few more undocumented chambers within the tunnels, nothing had been discovered.

The city guard did find several Bornatus Spider nests below and evidence that there were more, but those seemed to have burned away some time ago. The monarch had ordered them purged, and the pests stamped out with ruthless abandon.

It was a surprise to see them outside the Everfree.

The nasty little things, while not dangerous on their own, were capable in a group to paralyze and feed on a pony. She would not have that happen so close to her seat of power.

Other than that, nothing. She sighed in exasperation. What to do?

Her student could provide some entertainment, not to mention she should be testing the limits of her current strength and capabilities. She need not worry about her protégé's intelligence, as the filly absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Instead, she wanted her to learn to use her intellect and understanding to their utmost. It was not yet time to impart knowledge of a more political nature. The filly was just not ready for that yet.

Sadly, Twilight Sparkle was out with family. Celestia had allowed Shining Armor to return to the capital for some rest and relaxation. Though his return was due in large part to Cadance wishing to see him.

He was handsome, so she could not blame the young alicorn for her interest.

A door creaked open, and her head snapped up. Lucky Write stood there with a frown on her face.

"Mrs. Write? What is wrong?" She asked, standing and coming around her study's desk.

"The sixth sweep is already done, you're Highness. Nothing has been found." She thumbed through a thick stack of papers clutched in her right hand. "The spiders have been eradicated, and work crews have been directed to clean the area." She yanked out one packet. "Also, it was noted that there were several locations in need of repair. Raven has already allocated funds and ponies to the task."

Celestia nodded approvingly. She and Miss Inkwell were proving invaluable. They knew what was expected from them and excelled with little direction, a far cry from the common pony that she would often deal with.

"Very good. As to the mysterious figure lurking in my city, somepony might have tipped them off. Have Internals investigate. If we can not find our lurker in one manner, we shall find it in another."

The trend of missing ponies had begun to get attention from a national level now. Whole communities were putting forth complaints, and the monarch was determined to find out what was happening.

"Is there anything else, Mrs. Write?" She asked hopefully. Any distraction would be welcome.

"No, my Princess. The rail line is well on its way to being completed by the end of fall. Parliament has decided to take the week off, which is rare, and I see you have already finished off the reports of the day. It looks like you have one of those rare moments off, Highness." The normally dour pony smiled up at her.

Celestia's hopes died.

The monarch could always read, but lately, she hadn't found anything to interest her. Tea sounded nice till she remembered that she would have it alone once again.

"Wait…"

Orion's name sprung into her mind. She could not believe she had forgotten about the troublesome little colt. Since March, he had kept his head down, and it was well into June now.

"Mrs. Write. Would you be so kind as to extend an invitation to the castle for Orion Falls?" She could have tea with him and ask about the projects he no doubt had hidden away from view. The pony had come up with a number of unique ideas, and she wanted to know what he had planned for the summer.

"You want me to…invite…him?" Lucky's voice was incredulous and mirrored her expression. "Your Highness, do you really think you need to involve yourself with the likes of…him?"

Celestia almost sighed. Her secretary's animosity toward Orion was well noted, and as far as she had been able to determine, neither side wished to mend the bridges between them.

"Are you objecting?" She asked kindly. The royal Alicorn could appreciate her aid's concern, but this was very close to insubordination.

"No! NO! I apologize, your Highness, but that colt is no good. You must see it!" She fidgeted before continuing on, much quieter than her initial outburst. "There have even been rumors. Unsavory tales…involving you…and him."

This time Celestia very much did sigh. Even groaned on top of it.

How could she forget the rumors that she had been about to have her way with the colt? Had Twilight not shouted as she had, no pony would have even known he was in the castle but the guards.

"I will not allow rumors to spoil things for me, Mrs. Write. The only way to dispel these words of hearsay is to go on as if they do not exist. Please, send my invitation."

Lucky's lips opened and closed a few times before she closed them fully, and her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at her ruler.

"You are right, Princess. I will send the letter out immediately.”

A couple of hours later found Celestia in the gardens. A view of the valley spread before her. She liked this location.

Magenta eyes touched on a fair size town directly south. Their turn for the Summer Sun Celebration was fast approaching, if she remembered correctly.

She enjoyed going to small towns to hold her summer event. For one, the monarch just enjoyed that small-town feel. But it was far more important than just her feelings.

A village visited personally by her encouraged many to move from cities into these smaller settlements when they explored during her events. This was good, for a city should not be too large for the area to support them. It was also important to give those city ponies another viewpoint. In the past, those remaining in high population centers would often have a more insular and wrong view of the world.

This would break them of that.

She only wished she had thought of it herself instead of Starswirl making the point. That clever stallion had watched the effect she had on others for years.

A tea tray was placed on the table before her. Just on the other side was a second smaller chair for her soon-to-be guest. She looked forward to bantering words with him. Celestia smiled to herself and looked to the door.

Instead of a disgruntled colt, no doubt pulled from his studies, her current Captain of the Guard, one of the few stallions in her service no less, stepped through instead. He saluted, and his eyes darted nervously.

"Broad Blade? What is it? Has something happened?"

"Princess, I ah…..I regret to inform you…."

Shining chuckled at his sister's antics. Twilight's mouth had not stopped moving since he had woken up that morning. Babbling excitedly and asking a myriad of questions, then talking over him when he tried to answer, she carried on as if they were the only two ponies in the world. He loved her, but his fellow guards were right. The filly was a spaz.

They were at the sink in their family's home. He, washing the dishes, and her whisking them away dried before they even reached her hands. Twilight used magic too much, in his opinion.

Still, her diatribe on the merits of Storm Trot's principles of weather control was amusing.

"When had she gotten so into weather control?" He mused to himself.

A loud knocking came from the foyer in front of his family's home. The knock was crisp and quick. His stomach sank.

"MOTHER! I got it!" He shouted down the hall toward the living room where both of his parents were. "Can you finish this up, BLSFF?" He had stumbled over that a few times when he was younger. Now it was just second nature.

"I sure can, BBBFF!" She chirped.

"Thanks!" With that lump at the base of his belly, he marched down the hall with a grim frown. "If they ruin my vacation.…"

They did, in the form of a pair of officers.

"Captain Broad Blade?" Turning, he noticed the new Second Lieutenant Spitfire of Canterlot's EAD. "Lieutenant?"

"Apologies. I know this is your time off, and I am reluctant to pull you back, but the Princess has given this order directly." The stallion grabbed his collar, tugging it as he let out a nervous cough.

"What's the situation?" All anger and frustration swept away as military discipline surfaced. He could complain later. More than likely, he would be hearing the complaints from Candance and Twilight rather than voicing them himself.

The lieutenant took over. "As of eleven twenty-four yesterday, Orion Falls of "Mrs. Evergarden's Home for Wayward Foals" has been missing from his room for two weeks and three days."

Shining glanced quickly behind himself to ensure Twilight wasn't in hearing range, then closed the front door.

"Do we know what happened? Why wasn't this reported sooner?" He asked quickly in a hushed tone.

"Yesterday, Princess Celestia intended to extend an invitation to Orion Falls for tea in the south gardens." The captain spoke up. "A city guard was dispatched to retrieve him. Upon arrival at the residence, he was not to be found. As to the reason why it was not reported." He lifted a sheet of paper with blue wax still stuck at one edge.

Taking the letter, Shining Armor read. Then groaned. "Is this for real?"

Spitfire chuckled. "It is. The Ticket Master on platform three recognized his description when we went to confirm. The train conductor also confirmed that he had been aboard the northern line when it departed that early morning." That chuckle turned into a small laugh. "I have to admit, the ovarian fortitude of this colt is incredible."

"This is no laughing matter, Lieutenant." Snapped Broad Blade.

"It kinda is, Sir. I mean, look at what he gets away with! Not to mention just last year, he killed a Timberwolf. Who knows how long he's been just leaving the city at his leisure? Why hasn't Princess Celestia done anything about him?"

"Lieutenant! This is not for us to question. Only comply with her orders." He coughed and turned back to Shining. "As it stands, the Princess wants him retrieved. In haste."

"Sir, I do not mean to sound flippant. But why is he so important? And, why me?"

"I believe it might be something close to what the Lieutenant here has said. This may just be Princess Celestia's way of trying to scare him into acquiesce." He muttered something too low for Shining to hear correctly. "As to why you have been selected, I am not certain. Possibly because you are one of the few active stallions in the military and given your talents for capture and detainment.…" He left the rest unsaid, but the First Lieutenant understood.

His ability to conjure shields of varying strength and size effortlessly was not just limited to protection. His trainers had been quick to see the merits in using him for live capture missions, often with more than one target. Hence why he was taken from one location to another.

Shining wasn't just useful in capturing criminals and enemy commanders either. The science community had noted his strength and had already requested his service in more than one study.

As it so happened, this coming fall had him being sent to the Everfree to capture and study timberwolves. Orion Falls and Errant Strikes report on their behavior had given a resurgence to attempting to understand the elusive beasts.

"Sir, that still doesn't cover why Orion Falls is so important." He brought his first question up once more.

"It likely has something to do with your sister." Retorted Spitfire. "Nepotism at its finest if you ask me."

Shining did something most stallions would never even consider. He loomed over the diminutive mare and glared down at her. His father would admonish this behavior, but he would not allow anypony to speak ill of his sister to his own face.

"Do you have a problem with my sister, Lieutenant?" The heat in his voice and eyes made the pegasus take a step back in alarm.

"N-no. Lady Sparkle has earned her position. It's…it's just the fact that with her position, friends of hers get special considerations. I…I think the colt has been in the company of her Highness more often than should be proper."

His fist clenched. "That bucking rumor.…"

"I would not give much credence to rumors without the facts to back them up." There may have been another reason why the Princess chose him. "I have recently spoken with Orion. From his own lips, he has spoken to the inaccuracies of the whispers happening within the castle."

"Wait? You've spoken to him?! When?!" Eyes wide in anger, Spitfire stepped closer.

Raising his hands, it was his turn to ward off her approach. "The truth is far odder than the reports have suggested. There are a few statements I feel that are false to his character. Orion has admitted to the fact that he is less than anypony's ideal pony. However, he shows remorse and an ability to think far more clearly than our intel would suggest."

The pegasus stepped back with the assistance of her wings.

"Really now?" She pressed fingers to her chin and turned away. A frown creased her features.

The captain took over. "Regardless of whether his report's accuracy is correct, Orion must be found and brought back. He is a minor under the stewardship of the Throne by way of Mrs. Evergarden's orphanage. And the Princess has demanded his return."

"Understood. When do I leave?" Shining Armor kept the dissatisfaction from his voice.

"Tonight. You will be accompanied by three members of the Rovers." That was good. The Rovers were a branch of the Equestrian Armed Forces that specialized in recon and rescue. Broad Blade gestured to Spitfire. "The Second Lieutenant here will be going as an aerial scout as well. With your combined talents, Orion Falls should be easily found and restrained."

The white stallion nodded. He wondered if he should tell his sister.

Author's Note

And Good Afternoon! Well, good afternoon from my time at least. If your reading this just as I posted this, that means it was put up on a Saturday.

Surprise!

The reason for this is simple. I have shit to do tomorrow and I wasn't sure I would have time to hit the old publish button on Sunday.

I'm sure you all noticed a few key changes to the original tale by now. Well, those are going to get worse, or better depending on your view. I made Orion a bit too OP in my opinion and wanted to cripple him just a little more. MOAR!

Monk wouldn't say I was abusing him however, just making him less of Gary Stu.

Alrighty. I'm done yaking. Have a great rest of your day and donate to my Kofi to help me get some equipment and art for the story.

Thanks for reading.

Peace!