Dutifully Yours

Chapter II: Twilight the Magnanimous

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Twilight gasped as she was shaken from her uneasy sleep. Her dreams had been dark, troubled, and wreathed with fire. The sudden jolt had come from the train itself. She glanced outside in southern shifting landscape come to a halt.

“Ugh,” she groaned. “What happened?”

“Attention, passengers!” The PA system rang. “Please do not panic as emergency procedures are now underway.” Heard the commotion of the other passengers, uncertainty and panic rising in the din of their voices. A service attendant, a youthful Pegasus, nervously trotted by on her way toward the engine. Twilight used her magic slide her compartment door open as she ran to catch up with the attendant.

“Excuse me, miss!”

The Pegasus turned around, her shocked expression quickly melting into sternness. “Ma'am, I will have to advise you to return to your compartment while we tend to the situation.”

“But,” Twilight responded, “I can help. I just need to know what's going on.”

“It is the duty of the staff to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers, including emergency situations,” the Pegasus competently recited. “Now please return to your compartment.”

Twilight snorted and stamped her foot, her eyes ablaze. “I am the chosen student of her Majesty, Princess Celestia. I am the bearer of the Element of Magic, an avatar of Harmony.” Twilight stepped forward as the Pegasus withdrew, shrinking before the imposing unicorn. She continued, “And as such, I demand to know what the situation is so that I may assist in any way.”

“There—there's smoke on the horizon,” the attendant stammered. “There's a fire in Seasaddle.”

Twilight's heart fell into her stomach. “Fire on the coast? Why have we stopped?”

The Pegasus shook her head and responded, saying, “It is not the policy of the pony express to ferry passengers into a disaster zone.”

“That makes sense, but there somepony I really care for who lives in Seasaddle!” Twilight looked pleadingly at the attendant. “There must be something we can do!”

“I'm sorry, ma'am,” the Pegasus sighed. “If only you had wings like me, then you would not have a problem.”

Wings. Twilight smirked as the idea hatched in her brain. “I may not have wings,” she said as she looked at the Pegasus’ appendages, “but you do.” The attendant’s eyes widened with realization. She opened her mouth to speak, but Twilight cut her off. “How far away are we from Seasaddle?”

The attendant paused for a moment, then said, “About 30 kilometers, why?”

Twilight then used her magic to open nearby window. “May I have your name, please?” She asked, ignoring the attendant’s question.

“Um, my name is Snaproll.”

“Do you think you can carry up until I can at least see the city, Snaproll?” She asked.

“Are all the Elements as crazy as you?” Asked Snaproll.

Twilight offered the Pegasus a wry smile and responded, saying, “a year ago, I would have answered ‘yes’. Now let's get out this window.”

Snaproll huffed as she pumped her wings against gravity’s tenacious pull. For such a small unicorn, this Twilight Sparkle was heavier than she looked. Snaproll fought the strain in her lungs as she rose higher and higher. She nearly dropped Twilight when she looked to the East.

“Just a bit further, Snaproll!” Twilight called, sensing the strain of her companion’s wings. “You’re doing—” She gasped when she saw the rising plumes of smoke rising over the hills. The flickering fire itself, she could see, dancing in the distance of what remained of the coastal city.

Clegmane… no! Twilight shook her head and fought the tears that threatened to well. Concentrate, Twilight! She urged herself to calm down. Total control was required in order to pull off her intended task. I’ve never done it from this distance before, she noted to herself. “Pull yourself together, girl.” Twilight muttered under her breath. She concentrated on the horizon, on the smoke, the fire, the hills that preceded them. As Snaproll continued to rise, Twilight spotted one hill in particular. At the top was a lonely house, nestled safely away from the inferno below it. That must be Oingon Downs, she thought, hoping against hope that her friend was still there, away from that flaming pyre of a town. Something told her otherwise. The thought seized her heart with icy talons, dropping it further into her unsettled stomach. “This is good, Snaproll!”

The attendant huffed a response, “Beg pardon, ma’am?”

“Thank you for your assistance! You will find my review and commendations when you return!” Twilight cheerfully said to her helper. “Provided, of course, that I come back in one piece!”

“May I ask what you plan—” In a bright flash of white and mauve, the unicorn was gone and Snaproll’s burden suddenly eased, causing her to gasp in surprise. Once she regained her orientation, Snaproll glanced about, not catching a single sight of her charge. She took a long look at the furnace that was distant Seasaddle and sighed heavily.

“Yup,” she muttered to herself, “they’re all crazy.” At that, the Pony Express employee angled her wings and dove down to return to her post on the waiting train below. None of its passengers would get to see the fire, nor would she ever wish them to.

The air around the front porch of Oingon Downs boiled for but a millisecond before snapping into an orb of white light. In that same millisecond, the orb pulsated and grew into a bright purple supernova. Then, there was Twilight. She held her eyes tightly shut as her head turned and her stomach threatened to heave, though she managed to regain control. As she opened her eyes, she saw before her the tall walls and dark green of the wooden exterior of her friend’s house. For that moment, Twilight witnessed the history of a family, devoted to the growth and marketing of onions; a vegetable that she did not personal enjoy. She wanted to drink in the sight of this old house. Oh, the stories that were contained within its halls! Clegmane would have to tell her everything and she would listen, eagerly, just as she had done when she was just a filly. A flickering light illuminated the dark green of the aged abode.

The heat at her back warmed into horrid reality. Twilight quickly turned around to see its source. The southeastern quarter of Seasaddle was ablaze. With the speed of transmission, she calculated, Twilight estimated that the flames would spread to the entire city by nightfall. She glanced upward and the sun passed into early afternoon. There was no time to be lost! Innocent ponies were in danger. Clegmane would have to wait. Twilight charged down the street toward Seasaddle.

As she galloped at full tilt, she saw a discouraging sight: ponies. Hundreds of ponies gathered on the foothills, morosely watching their city be consumed. Hundreds more fled in all directions, screaming at the top of their lungs, “Dragons! They bring fire and death!”

“Dragons! They took my husband!”

“Unquenchable fire! Everywhere!”

“Where’s my foal? Has anypony seen my foal!”

“Dragons!”

“Run for your lives!”

“Dragons!”

“Dragons?” Twilight repeated. No time to question! I have to get this fire under control! She quickly reached the outskirts of Seasaddle where pumper wagons sprayed ceaseless streams of water onto the flames. Yet, for all their efforts, the fire could not be contained and would not be wrested. The firefighters, covered in soot and sweat, did not take notice of the purple newcomer approaching them and the fire. As the flames licked the afternoon sky, Twilight stamped her hooves, thinking of what to conjure, what to cast, what spell that can cool these unusual flames.

“Aha!” Twilight stamped a final time and shut her eyes when the solution came through. Quickly, she angled her horn in the direction of the nearest building set ablaze. With a bright purple hue, her horn came to life and cast forth a great cascade of magical film, which wrapped the building entirely. Without a second’s hesitation, snow, ice, water and foam fell upon the building, covering it completely. With a loud hiss, the inferno was silenced and the fire contained.

This time, the firefighters took notice and gawped, open-jawed at the little unicorn that had slipped past their guard. With a sheepish smile, Twilight waved innocently and said, “Um, just a trick I learned back in Canterlot. You don’t mind of I help, do you?”

All five of that pumper’s crew shook their heads unanimously, saying, “No ma’am!”

At that, Twilight nodded and returned her focus to the flames. Again and again, she cast her spell, building for building, block for block. The Seasaddle Fire Department trailed after her, spreading out and tackling the fires on their own terms. They were making progress, but Twilight’s knees began to wobble. The spell’s magical drain had begun to take effect and the inferno raged on still. It was not until a hoof placed itself upon Twilight’s shoulder that she saw the face of a young unicorn, dark of coat and with a bright smile. No armour or helm or spear accompanied him.

“I… I remember you,” Twilight huffed, returning his smile.

“It’s surprisingly good to see you again, Lady Sparkle,” the unicorn replied.

“Gen D’arme!” Twilight recalled the helpful guard from Canterlot during the dragon incident six weeks past. “What are you doing here?”

“No time to explain,” Gen D’arme said, shaking his head. “We have to get you out of here!”

It was Twilight’s turn to shake her head, “No! We need to stop this fire!”

“It’s not the fire, Lady Sparkle!” urged Gen D’arme, “It’s the—”

A loud roar erupted from behind the row of nearby buildings. The rumbling that followed nearly took Twilight off her hooves, had Gen D’arme not been there to steady her. “Dragon!” somepony screamed.

With another roar, the building collapsed into a heap of dust and rubble. From the rising ash and soot, a great black form overtook the flames. From the wall of rising smoke, a pair of blue eyes emerged, sitting atop a long black snout. Yet another shrieking roar bellowed forth from the creature’s throat as it lunged forward and down. Another figure emerged from the rubble and narrowly dodged the strike. Twilight gasped when she saw the dark coat and the glimmer of shield, spear and helm against the light of the surrounding flames. It was a large pony, a unicorn stallion levitating his weapons and defences. A deep gash flowed freely of blood upon his right flank, obscuring his Cutie Mark. Ash was smeared across everything else.

“Clegmane?” Twilight whispered. The dragon recoiled from its previous lunge, only to receive a spear to the side of his head, just below the eye. Without a sound, the beast struck out with its tail and cut the stallion’s hooves out from under it. With a pained grunt, he fell to the cobblestone.

“Clegmane!” Twilight shouted as the beast opened its mouth and spat a jet of flame onto the downed nuisance of a pony that dared defy it. The fire enveloped the withered stallion completely. The flames died down and the smoke cleared. Only, the dragon hissed instead of casting a victorious howl. For, Clegmane remained unharmed, and was instead encased in a bright purple bubble. Twilight’s horn glistened as her eyes became narrow and focused.

The stunned Clegmane glanced behind him and saw a pair of ponies facing him and his opponent. One, a unicorn stallion, he recognized as Gen D’arme: a dependable pony, but lacking in experience.

The female pony, on the other hand, cause his breath to catch in his throat. “Twilight?” Her eyes were focused completely on him and the spell she had cast. Glancing about, he saw the means of his preservation. With another glance back to Twilight, he smiled warmly, though she did not see it at first. A low, irritated growl pervaded and Clegmane shot back up to his hooves, gathering his spear and shield. A giant talon rose up and came crashing down onto the bubble, fracturing it. Furrows and cracks snaked along the dome. Another stomp and the bubble broke, though Clegmane dove free of it. With a mighty wind-up, Clegmane lunged forward and threw his shield at the dragon’s vulnerable throat. With a clang, the rim struck home and the beast opened its mighty maw, exposing its fangs. Using his magic once more, Clegmane reared up and threw his weight forward, casting his spear into the mouth of the dragon. The spearhead connected with the roof of the dragon’s mouth and buried itself deep. Howling in pain, the dragon instinctively closed its mouth, using its tongue to dislodge the embedded weapon. Clegmane panted and reached out with his magic for the shield that landed in a clatter nearby. Sweat and blood dripped from his wounded brow and open flank. Twilight could see that he struggled simply to breathe.

“Lady Sparkle, try using that spell of yours on the dragon’s mouth while its open!” Gen D’arme shouted as he ran past her to get to Clegmane. A pair of fire axes was held in his magical grasp and he handed one to his old captain. Clegmane nodded and accepted the offer with a sly glance toward their enemy. At once, they charged.

“For Seasaddle!” Gen D’arme hollered as he lashed out at the dragon’s ankle.

“For Equestria!” Clegmane roared as he jumped into the air toward the dragon’s underbelly, slashing across the scales.

“For Celestia!” Gen D’arme struck again and again.

“For Twilight!” Clegmane delivered yet another blow to the dragon’s ever-weakening belly.

Twilight heard this and her heart rose from the depths of her stomach. She ground her teeth as she prepared her spell and aimed her horn at the dragon’s open mouth. Her strength ebbed as she gathered the energies necessary for the conjuration. Her knees wobbled and her back ached, but eventually, she smiled.

“Hey, dragon!” she called with a loud, clear voice. The black beast turned its icy blue eyes to its new challenger. With a smile, Twilight prepared to unleash her spell. “Cool off!”

At that, Twilight unleashed a steady stream of magic, liquid beams of ice burst forth and caught the dragon’s mouth, freezing its tongue, throat and belly. With a holler of pain, the dragon thrashed about and unfurled its wings, unable to set the air aflame. A great gust blew Twilight, Clegmane and Gen D’arme back and into a nearby water pumper, its contents spilling upon all of them. Before anypony could register what had happened, the dragon took wing and was gone.

Amid the smoke-laden skies, rays of the late afternoon sun broke through. Twilight lay in a pool of water while the city continued to burn. She felt her fatigue begin to take its toll, her head and horn ached. Before the blackness could claim her, she turned her head to see the face she had travelled so far to see. His amber eyes were locked onto hers. A small smile was upon his lips. Thank you, Clegmane mouthed as his heavy lids closed. She reached out to him, but was lifted up and away.

“We have some live ones!”

“Not for long if we don’t evac them.”

“The mare, get her loaded first.”

“No…” Twilight protested, still reaching for Clegmane. “Him… first….”

“Let’s hurry up, ponies!

“Move out!”

“Get rest of those unicorns set up! We’ll have to lift the entire Pintocific if we have to!”

This was the last thing Twilight could recall before her vision darkened: Voices.

At least I got to see him again.

Cotton. Twilight felt cotton pressing against her cheek, warm and soft to the touch. A light blanket was draped over her, though she curled herself up, despite the warmth. A distant beeping kept a steady rhythm that caused her eyes to flutter open. Light flooded in from the nearby window, which had been opened to allow a cool morning breeze that tickled her nose. She sighed deeply and stretched her limbs. How long has she been out? Where was she? Was she still in—

“The city!” she cried as her head popped up from the pillow. Quickly, Twilight rose from the bed, only to feel a tug at her ankle. Frantically, she glanced down to see what she was tethered to. A long tube ran, firstly inserted into her venous return—the radial, she estimated—from a small bag containing a clear liquid. Not only did she note the presence of the tube, but several leads adhered to her chest near her heart, themselves leading into a nearby electrocardiogram machine. She was in a hospital, or intensive care clinic of some sort. The original question remained: was it in Seasaddle or had she been evacuated to nearby Vanhoover?

Questions, questions, questions and no answers seemed to stem their tide.

Until. “Ah, glad to see you’re up and about, Miss Sparkle!”

Twilight turned her attention to the doorway of the single bedroom she had been placed in. Standing in the threshold was a young stallion, garbed in stained nursing scrubs. Despite his youth, Twilight saw heavy bags under his eyes, which were shaded a slight red. She suddenly felt guilty for having been so well-rested when this nurse seemed worse for the wear. And yet, he bore a cheerful smile that shamed the fatigue upon his visage. Twilight took a quick glance at the nurse’s identification card that carried his name: Woolencap. Woolencap? She thought. That’s a silly name. She smiled back, though a little giggle did escape her throat. Nurse Woolencap raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. “Is something the matter, Miss Sparkle? I’m your nurse, Woolencap, and if you nee—” The young stallion was interrupted by the raucous laughter of his mirthful client at the mention of his name. Then it hit him.

“Ah,” he deadpanned as he rolled his eyes. “Not the first time somepony’s gotten a kick out of my name.” Twilight was barely getting control of herself. “Nor will it be the last.”

“I,” she stammered, wiping tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Nurse…”

“Woolen—”

“Woolencap, yes!” Twilight snorted. Woolencap simply waited, patiently. Somehow.

“I’m glad that you’ve taken some enjoyment, Miss Sparkle,” said Woolencap as he stepped forward. “You probably needed a good laugh after what you did yesterday, eh?” he asked, trying to lighten up.

“Yesterday? It’s already been a whole day?” Twilight put an end to her giggle fit and fixed the stallion with an invested stare.

“Correct, Miss. We’ve been up all night taking in ponies. The burn ward is overflowing, so we’ve had to doubly sterilize and make use of other wards.”

Twilight glanced out the window into the cityscape. “Does that mean we’re still in Seasaddle?”

“Well, yes,” replied Woolencap. “Thanks to you and Sir Clegmane, of course!” The nurse’s smile returned, full of admiration. The bags under his eyes no longer seemed to burden him as he added; “Nothing gets the endorphins pumping like being the nurse caring for a pair of heroes. Media’s been hounding the hospital for hours now. We had no problem with kicking ‘em out; reciting sanitation and infectious disease protocol and all that jazz.” Woolencap offered a wry smile.

Twilight, however, latched onto one word in that entire monologue: Clegmane. “Did you say Sir Clegmane? Is he here? On this floor?” She tried not to sound too eager, but her hooved told otherwise. The EKG and IV cradle rolled along the floor after her as she came face-to-face with Woolencap, her eyes wide with anticipation.

The nurse placed a hoof lightly upon Twilight’s tense shoulder and said, “Careful with that IV, Miss Sparkle. You’ve been severely dehydrated since your encounter with the inferno, you’ll need the electrolytes in that saline solution.” He walked around his patient to check the bag she was tethered to and then moved toward the EKG, which beeped wildly with her agitated pulse. “This thing, however, we’ve needed a replacement for since the neighties, according to my mentor.” Woolencap gave the machine a little bump with his hoof and grumbled. Twilight watched him, waiting.

Woolencap continued, “To answer your question: Yes, Sir Clegmane is next door and is demanding to be discharged despite that so-called ‘shaving accident’ he calls an injury on his flank.”

“May I go see him?” Twilight nearly demanded with an anxious shifting of her hooves.

“Of course, Miss Twilight,” Woolencap responded cheerfully. “Doctor says you’re clear to get unhooked from the EKG once I clear your vitals. The IV will have to stay until we’re sure that your hydration is optimal. That sound fair?” Twilight nodded feverishly.

“Oki-doki-loki, then let’s get started!” Twilight simply stared at Woolencap as he took a sphygmomanometer out from a nearby drawer and pulled his stethoscope free from his pocket. As the was placing the instrument in his ears, he politely asked, “May I ask you to sit back down on the bed while I take your blood pressure?” Twilight wordlessly obeyed and raised her left hoof out to let Nurse Woolencap work his trade.

Finally, she asked, “Nurse?”

“Mm?” replied the busy healthcare professional.

“Would you happen to be familiar with one Pinkamena Diane Pie?”

Woolencap took a moment to process the inquiry. “And they say I have a weird name.” Twilight rolled her eyes, but the nurse continued, “Personally, I’ve never met her, but I do have a good friend; geologist, good guy, who has a major crush on somepony by that name or something similar. I think he calls her Pinkie, but I doubt he’s even met the girl.”

“Ah,” said Twilight and the matter was dropped. She watched as Woolencap diligently checked her vital signs and jotted the results down. The darkness under his brown eyes spoke of a sleepless night and many horror stories that only a nurse could bear to withstand. This young stallion, this Woolencap had been worked to the bone in an effort to contribute to his hospital. That kind of integrity was becoming a rare asset in the lives of most ponies of the day. It was then that she noticed that this hard-working nurse was actually an Earth pony. If she wasn’t reminded before, Twilight could now hardly deny that Woolencap reminded her of Applejack back in Ponyville. And, just like Applejack last year, Woolencap seemed ready to drop at a moment’s notice. The only thing that kept his standing was a sheer force of will. Applejack would respect that.

“You know, Nurse Woolencap?” began Twilight.

“Mm?” asked the nurse who was busy disconnecting and storing the EKG.

“I think you’d get along well with my friend Applejack. She’s quite the worker herself when it comes to supporting others. She’d definitely know a think or two about endless, back-breaking tasks.”

“Is that so?” asked Woolencap, clearly interested. “Do you think you can put in a good word for me with her?” He winked. Both he and Twilight laughed.

“Sorry,” she said, “AJ’s taken. Speaking of which, I need to head back for her engagement party just as soon as a finish what I’m doing here.”

“What were you doing other than saving the city and her people?” Woolencap asked, genuinely interested.

“She came to pay a visit to a sorry old warhorse like me. Celestia knows why she would bother.” A gruff voice answered from the doorway. Both Twilight and Woolencap looked over and saw the large, dark unicorn stallion standing there. His mane was singed, but still displaying its salt and pepper features. Upon his chin and along his jaw line, a dark beard had grown, initially unnoticed by Twilight the previous day. She saw that it was actually quite dignifying and becoming of a stallion of his status, especially adorned with the speckles of grey. Only this time, he bore to helm or shield. His body was entirely bare, free of weapons or armour. Twilight followed his firm jaw toward his large frame that still carried dense muscle and sinew gain from years of a strict, physically demanding lifestyle. It was then that she noticed his flank, scarred, burnt and broken, concealed only by a fresh series of bandages.

“Clegmane! You’re alright!” Twilight leapt up and galloped toward him before suddenly wrapping her forelimbs around his neck and burrowing her head into his chest. Clegmane shifted awkwardly and coughed as he stepped back and looked down to the smaller mare. A rare smile dared to traverse his long visage, but it failed to distract the reason for Twilight’s sudden gasp. She saw it then, the right side of his face that he had managed to keep shortly well hidden. Or maybe she just refused to notice until now that a black eye patch covered his right eye. Deep furrows, cleaned and tended extended beyond the cover of his patch. Before Twilight could ask, she reached out to hold the side of his head sympathetically.

Clegmane withdrew and said, “I caught some flak in that final few minutes. Nothing to worry about.”

Worry was at the forefront of Twilight’s mind. Her chest clenched as she took in his battered face and bandaged body. Guilt swam within her, unleashing a torrent of anger: anger at the flames, anger at the dragon who caused them, anger at herself for not being there for him sooner. That anger swiftly subsided into an icy pain that gripped her heart.

“I’m sorry,” she sadly admitted, her head hanging low in remorse.

“For?” he asked, placing a hoof beneath her chin and raising her head up once more. She could not help but flush at the gentleness of his worn hoof. Her eyes met with his one, sole remaining. Had they been unharmed, they would have been the same amber eyes that she recognized from so many years ago, from when they had first met. She was sure he thought nothing of her then, being the curious, questioning filly that she was. She reached out to stroke the side of his face once more. Clegmane’s hoof gently intercepted hers and brought it back down to the floor. Again, he asked, “What are you sorry for? Saving the city? Saving all of those ponies? Saving my worthless hide?”

Twilight shot her scarred friend a sharp stare. “You may not be a part of the Guard anymore, Sir Clegmane, but I will not tolerate your self-punishing verbiage in my presence. I am upset because I should have been here right away, and if I had, you would be well, still have your eye and would not consider yourself worthless!”

“Hm,” Clegmane grumbled. Slowly, he said, “I am glad to see that you received my letter.” Immediately, Twilight’s nerves cooled with the smoothness of his firm voice. “Further more, if you permit me to say so, I am surprised you’ve arrived so soon after I sent it out. How long did it take you to prepare?”

“I left the next day.” Clegmane’s stonewalled countenance offered some semblance of being taken aback. His good eye widened, only slightly. His strong jaw dropped, only slightly. Despite this, Twilight hung her head with guilt, for she felt the cost of her rash decision.

“Why?” Was all that Clegmane asked. That question carried with it all that Twilight knew what was reasonable to ask: why so soon? Why not reply first? Why in such a hurry? And she knew the answer, though she would not say.

“I don’t know,” was her lie. “I don’t know why I decided to leave right away. I don’t know why I chose to do so, even if that meant leaving my dragon friend behind; my brother who had just risen from a six-week coma of mysterious onset. I don’t know why I left him behind, even when he had just announced his engagement to one of my best friends.”

“The young dragon? Master Spike?” Clegmane clarified.

“And Lady Applejack, yes.”

“Hm. Strange pair,” remarked Clegmane, flatly.

“Tell me about it,” Twilight gave a hollow laugh.

“Um,” a new voice entered the conversation, “I’d hate to interrupt, but I have your discharge papers here, Miss Sparkle, signed by the doctor. I just need your signature and we can free you to meet the mayor.

Twilight signed the papers as Nurse Woolencap gently removed the IV line from her ankle and quickly patched the insertion point. “Wait, what?” she finally asked, handing the clipboard back to him. Woolencap took the board in between his teeth and repeated, “Va Ma’or wans oo ee ewe.”

“The mayor apparently wishes to meet with you.” Clegmane said.

Nurse Woolencap nodded, spitting the board onto a nearby cart. “Word travels fast here in Seasaddle, so the ponies know who to thank for helping control the harshest of the fire. The fire chief spoke of a purple mare with a sparkling cutie mark. The paramedic superintendant confirmed police requests for a pony matching your description and, like I said before, we at the hospital have been beating the media back ever since.”

“But,” Twilight shook her head, “but why me? Why not everyone involved with the emergency services? Why not Clegmane? He fought the dragon, for crying out loud!”

“I’ve already been approached,” Clegmane huffed. “Told them to piss off or else I’d find my spear again.”

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at him then. “Well, what about Gen… Gen D’arme!” She gasped, “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine, Twilight.” Clegmane placed a reassuring hood on her shoulder and she clamed down. He continued, “I’ll take you to him. Thank you, nurse. We’ll be off after we visit our comrade.”

“Sure thing!” Woolencap called after the pair as they left the single room. As Twilight rounded the corner, she swore she could hear the young nursing stallion mutter, “A dragon and a pony? How does that work?” She chuckled.

I’ve since learned not to question matters of the heart, she recounted to herself as she glance next to Clegmane pacing closely and gracefully next to her. Then again, maybe I just don’t know what the hay I’m doing.

Twilight saw Gen D’arme smiling widely as she trotted into the four-bed wardroom. That smile quickly thinned as Clegmane followed her in. At once, the bed-ridden stallion rose and straightened his back before struggling to raise his arm in a weak salute. She saw the cast that encased his forelimb. So focused was she, that Twilight did took no notice of the remaining three beds being occupied by other ponies, all with bandages and burn scars. They watched with wide-eyed wonder as the legendary stallion that fought the dragon also accompanied the purple unicorn that saved the city. As they approached the bed of the wounded guard, they kept their voices to themselves.

Clegmane’s deep voice nearly startled her. “Lock that arm down, son. There’s no need to salute me anymore. I’m no longer captain, remember?” Twilight could hear the resentment that resonated within his quiet grumble.

Gen D’arme kept his torso rigid as his arm came down again. “You will always be my captain, sir.” To this, Clegmane gave a short nod, saying nothing else.

“Does it hurt?” Twilight asked, her voice laced with concern as she approached Gen D’arme’s bedside.

“Naw, ma’am,” Gen D’arme chuckled as she looked over his cast. She saw that it was properly set, professionally tended to and with no visible defacement.

“They do good work here,” Gen D’arme remarked. Twilight nodded in agreement.

“Word on the ward is that you two are heroes!” Gen D’arme declared joyfully. “Boy, does the mayor want a piece of you. Heh.”

“We’ll be sure to let the mayor know that you deserve recognition, as well as all of Seasaddle’s services,” Twilight replied. “I didn’t do much.”

Gen D’arme frowned, raising his eyebrow. “Not much? Bull!” He scoffed, “I’m looking at the mare who managed to conjure a combination series of Deep Freeze, Foam and Water spells, not once, not twice, but nearly a dozen times across the Eastern Blocks.” Twilight blushed with the shower of praise. Gen D’arme then traded looks with Clegmane and continued, “And Sir Clegmane the Steadfast—if I may, sir—single-hoofedly took on that nasty black dragon for nearly an hour before Lady Sparkle arrived!” Twilight could see that Clegmane still looked unenthused when Gen D’arme sighed in defeat. “Fine, forget it.”

“You helped, too, Gen D’arme,” Twilight said with a smile.

“Please, Miss Sparkle, call me Gene. It’s less formal.” The young soldier offered.

Twilight gave an enthused laugh and replied, saying, “Only if you call me Twilight from now on. There should be little formality among friends.”

“Of course, Twilight. And thank you.” Gene leaded back and relaxed in his bed.

“No problem, ‘Gene’.”

“I’m content with calling you Gen D’arme.” Clegmane stated.

“Very good, sir.” Gene nodded and Clegmane received.

“How long are they going to keep you here, Gene?” Twilight asked.

“They said maybe a week. Something about ensuring the prevention of infection, I don’t know.” Gene waved off the concern.

“Are you going to be okay?” She asked.

“I’m a Guard of the Citadel, Twilight,” Gene said with absolute conviction. “I cannot be stopped by a few broken bones.”

“Well-said, son.” Clegmane did not smile, but Twilight could tell he was being sincere. This did not appear to be lost on Gene either. Silence pervaded the group, amid the bustling hallways outside the room.

“I think we should go meet the mayor now, Clegmane, and see what he or she—”

“It’s a he,” Gene corrected.

“—What he wants,” Twilight concluded before she and Clegmane turned to head out the door.

As they did so, Gene called, “He’s a sneaky bugger, be mindful!”

“Thanks for the head up, Gene,” Twilight called back.

“Good luck!”

As soon as Twilight and Clegmane left the threshold, she could hear multiple voices suddenly erupt from the room, all with questions directed toward Gene. She shrugged it off as she and Clegmane trotted toward the main entrance of the hospital. As they did so, she could feel eyes following her and her friend. Voices, hushed and awed, were about them. Twilight could not pick a specific private conversation, but she did not less droop her ears with all the wanton attention. It was then that she felt something brush against her shoulder. She turned her head to see that it was Clegmane getting closer. Is he trying to protect me? She wondered. Heat flushed her cheeks as they followed the exit path.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” Clegmane softly asked, his deep voice only above a whisper.

“I’m fine!” she squeaked. But no sooner could he reply that they were outside the hospital and surrounded by ponies. Bright flashes blinded her, voices floored her thoughts and countless microphones were shoved, not only in her face, but in Clegmane’s as well.

“Miss Sparkle! Miss Sparkle!”

“Sir Clegmane! A word, please?”

“What spells did you use that the Seasaddle Fire Department could not?”

“Sir Clegmane! What was it like being the only pony is modern history to actually face and survive a physical clash with a dragon?”

“ENOUGH!” Clegmane’s voice bellowed, augmented by the green glow of his horn.

At once, the crowd parted, silenced and cowed by the force of his booming voice. Through the path cleared, a unicorn stood at the very end, flanked with a darkly coated, shaded, well-built security Earthen stallion on each side. The central pony was tall and sported a grey coat with a dark, slicked-back mane. Upon this pony’s visage was a wide, knowing smile. His blue eyes were bright and friendly. A red rose was clipped to his green necktie which waved lazily in the passing breeze. With that breeze, came the smell of charred wood, melted plastic and steam. Twilight nearly gagged at the stench as she and Clegmane approached the unicorn waiting for them.

“Impressive use of the Canterlot Voice, Sir Clegmane the Steadfast!” The unicorn’s voice was shrill, high-pitched and very flamboyant. “Though, I hesitate to call it Royal, in the absence of our Princesses. Welcome to Seasaddle!” The unicorn chuckled and raised his hoof to shake. Twilight raised a brow and Clegmane’s stone face did not move, nor did his hoof.

“I would suggest for you to shake Mayor Coffee Bean’s hoof, sir!” warned the nearby security stallion. Clegmane did not answer. The stallion stepped forward with his forelimb lifted, only to have Clegmane swiftly side-step, grab the limb and hoist. With a startled grunt, the earth pony was raised up and over before crashing down to the ground. At least he would have crashed, had it not been for a purple aura that wreathed both ponies, separating them. At once, the victim to Clegmane’s Buckchak Silat was quietly reoriented back onto his shaking hooves and gently set down. Clegmane, on the other hand, was harshly forced back next to Twilight as her horn ceased glowing. The former guardspony glanced down to Twilight only to have an elbow sharply delivered to his ribs. It was no heavy strike, but enough for Twilight to get her point across. Clegmane grumbled, but made no protest. Inwardly, she smiled.

Outwardly, she spoke, saying, “Please forgive my friend. He’s been through a rough day, as we all have, I’m sure, Mister Mayor.”

The shocked expression that plastered across the mayor’s melted into a formal smile. His hoof was still raised, but simply shifted to Twilight. “Oh, no, Miss Sparkle! Please forgive Brutus here, he can be quite forward and protective of my interests. Again, I welcome you, both of you, to our fair city!”

Twilight took the hoof and shook. Mayor Coffee Bean seemed wise enough this time to offer Clegmane a simple nod. The warrior stared through the fellow unicorn, who chuckled nervously. “I must emphasize my welcome on behalf of all the citizens of Seasaddle, that we owe our fair city’s continued existence, not only to the service ponies who strove to save it, but to you two in particular, strangers who risked their lives to expel what we could not!”

Twilight smiled, but shook her head, saying, “I appreciate the, er, focus that you’ve decided to give us, but I’m sure this gratitude is best reserved for the service ponies and their families.”

“But nothing, Lady Sparkle, Sir Clegmane—my that sounds rather fitting together—your exceptional skill and bravery leave our citizens with something to aspire toward!” Twilight opened her mouth to protest, for she knew that Clegmane would only stare through the Mayor again. Coffee Bean, however, raised a hoof to politely cut her off before she could begin. “Please, Lady Sparkle, I would be more than happy if you and Sir Clegmane could at least humour me by accepting a ride in my personal carriage back to city hall, where I would be further obliged to offer you both a spot of tea—or coffee, if you prefer, Seasaddle’s finest—and discuss some opportunities with me.”

What kind of opportunities? Twilight wondered. She looked up at Clegmane, who simply stared forward like she always knew him to. Seasaddle coffee sounded really good to her, especially after yesterday. She may not have noticed before, but she could definitely feel some residual stress that frayed her nerves. Perhaps the worst of it was yet to hit, she presumed. As she stared at stone-faced Clegmane, wounded Clegmane, Twilight could not help but feel that stress and worry begin to rise in her breast. The sight of his patched eye and bandaged flank threatened to fray her nerves even further. And yet, he seemed to be doing fine. She knew that his stoic expression cold veil anything, however. It hurt her to see him so broken, yet so strong at the same time.

She decided to answer for the both of them, “Clegmane and I accept your invitation, but the Princesses must be informed of this tragedy before any opportunities can be discussed.”

The Mayor offered his widest grin. “I heartily agree with you, Lady Sparkle! Now please, after you.” Twilight stepped into the luxurious carriage amid the torrent of flash photography and desperate voices, yearning for a word, any word. They avoided Clegmane as he, too, entered the spacious carriage. Mayor Coffee Bean and his bodyguards followed suit and sat opposite the Lady and the Sir.

With a lopsided smile, the Mayor watched them for a brief moment. Twilight saw his eyes smoothly shift between Clegmane and herself. The awkward feeling of being appraised and judged hung in her mind, though she opted to look out the window toward the swiftly passing landscape. The morning sun had only risen an hour ago, yet the residual smoke screen from the inferno hung tenaciously in the air. Weather Pegasi worked feverishly to clear the sky above the destruction. Blackened buildings and warm cinders pervaded the eastern blocks of the seaside city. She frowned at the sight, but was brought out of her stupor by Mayor Coffee Bean clearing his throat, which brought her attention back to him.

“I see that you are quite protective of Lady Sparkle, Sir Clegmane. One could definitely confirm that you are, indeed, steadfast, even in retirement.”

Twilight flushed slightly. Clegmane said nothing, but merely nodded. The security stallion to the mayor’s right shifted in his seat slightly.

The Mayor pressed on, regardless, “Witnesses claim that your spear did not break, even against the dragon’s scales. How fortunate. Canterlot’s smithies should themselves be praised!”

Again, nothing.

“Others say that you were not alone when Lady Sparkle arrived, that a younger Guard stood with you against the beast.”

“Gen D’arme.” Clegmane grunted.

“Ah yes, thank you,” Coffee Bean nodded, “Can you, perhaps, inform me of the Gen D’arme’s fate?”

“He lives, your honour.” Clegmane answered, still staring through the back wall of the carriage.

“Good!” cried the Mayor. “Then he, too, shall be commended at once!” Clegmane did not answer, but, again, nodded his approval. Twilight suddenly felt the eyes of the Mayor settle upon her. Here is comes, she thought: the barrage of questions.

“If I may, Lady Sparkle,” the stately unicorn began, “what brings you to Seasaddle to begin with? Friends? Family? Royal business?” She saw him subtly glance at Clegmane before returning his inquisitive gaze to her. “Or pleasure?”

She frowned inwardly. Is he assuming something? Am I? She was not prepared for the implications and insinuations. Play it cool, Twilight. You’re here for a visit… with your old friend… older friend… much older friend, whom you’ve had a crush on since forever! Just visiting. No more, no less. She looked over to statuesque Clegmane and then back toward the grinning mayor. “Just seeing the sights,” she replied evenly.

“Ah yes,” cooed the mayor. “Seasaddle has many older, but no less commanding sights to appreciate. That does not mean that the younger areas are unfit to explore.” He chuckled. Twilight chuckled, of only to humour him. Clegmane did nothing.

After what Twilight felt was an eternity, the extended carriage came to a smooth halt in front of Seasaddle City Hall. Mayor Coffee Bean magically held the door open as both Twilight and Clegmane stepped out once again into the morning sun. Twilight’s eyes widened when she saw its very regent standing tall before her amid a crowd of ponies that surrounded the building to see her. At once, Twilight bent the knee and bowed low before Princess Celestia.

“You may rise, Twilight Sparkle. As may you, Sir Clegmane.” Celestia’s voice carried along the sea breeze, as if it commanded the weather itself. Twilight rose with the command. Her ears perked when they perceived the effortful grunting of Clegmane as he, too rose. She turned her head and offered a worried glance. Clegmane did not see it, for his amber eyes bore the sight of Celestia. This determination on his part did not shame Twilight’s worry as she watched his chest rise and fall with pained effort. His hind leg just below the deep wound on his flank shook unsteadily. Still, the remainder of his body remained rigid with disciplined focus. She frowned as she watched him, but then quickly turned to face the Princess, who now stood mere meters away, as if she had floated silently down the stairs to the street level below.

“Is something the matter, Twilight?” Celestia asked, her violet eyes and velvet voice laced with concern. Twilight bit her lip and watched Clegmane in her periphery. His shaking seemed to have stopped, but she was not entirely sure.

“Nothing is bothering me at the moment, Princess. I assure you that it can wait.” She could never lie outright to Celestia, but there were more important matters at hoof.

“Very well,” began the Princess, evenly. She continued, saying; “Now if you will please follow me, both Sir Clegmane and yourself, I have an announcement to make.” Celestia gave a curt smile and beckoned the pair to follow her back up the stairs. Each stone step echoed softly with Twilight’s every tepid motion. Despite her hooves being shod with golden armoured shoes, the Princess made no sound as she ascended. Behind Twilight, Clegmane huffed with the pressure placed upon his wounded flank, making his steps heavy and clumsy by proxy. Again, Twilight glanced back toward him and offered a small smile. Much to her surprise, Clegmane locked his eyes with hers and grinned back, despite the wincing made evident with his every step. Quickly, she returned her focus to the stairs before her, hiding the heat that claimed her cheeks. As she did so, Twilight’s eyes met those of the Princess, who offered a sidelong glance back at her faithful student. A small grin impressed upon her regal face accented the knowing gleam in Her Majesty’s eyes. Twilight’s face flushed deeper as the fur on the back of her neck began to rise with embarrassment. Her tail flicked apprehensively.

Upon the very top of the stairs, a large dais was set, garnered in the drapery of Equestria and the City of Seasaddle itself. Above the Royal Crest and the City Emblem, an oak podium sat, facing the ever-growing crowd beneath them. Once they reached the top, Twilight saw that the Mayor, his security and staff were already waiting at the opposing side of the dais. He and the Princess exchanged nods and the Mayor approached the podium. The murmur of the crowd settled into nothingness as he raised his grey wings, and then slowly lowered them. The ponies attention rapt, the Mayor cleared his throat.

“My brave citizens! My fellow ponies!” He began loudly. “Together, we have born witness to a horrible tragedy, a great trauma and acts of bravery yet recorded by the histories! To those who have been spared the first-hoof experience, the rumours and reports you have heard and read are true! A dragon was in our midst!” The crowd gasped in horror. “Our fair city was attacked and set ablaze by the breath of this same dragon. He who struck a blow against us; he whose reasons and motives remain a mystery; he who has, with these heinous deeds, earned himself the unending ire and fury of us, the ponies of Seasaddle!”

The anger of the crowd rose with Mayor Coffee Bean’s voice. He sure knows how to work up a crowd, Twilight noted as the pegasus’ wings once again unfurled with the vivid description of his hatred for the dragon. The ponies of Seasaddle, she could see, soon adopted this hatred. The flames in their eyes mirrored those they had survived. Their collective breaths may have been able to rekindle that very fire. Her train of thought derailed with the thunderous applauds of the citizens as they welcomed their Princess. Shaking her head, Twilight saw that Coffee Bean’s speech had ended and had transitioned to the introduction of Princess Celestia, who took his place on stage.

“Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, my little ponies, for having me this morning.” Celestia began with a graceful smile. All the anger and hatred that painted the masks of all in attendance soon melted and gave way to loving adoration of their Princess. “Yesterday was, indeed, a day of infamy for the City of Seasaddle. Never before has a dragon so ruthlessly and needlessly attacked those whom they prefer to avoid. This remains a mystery, even to my experiences. But rest assured, citizens! All mysteries can be solved with the proper application of effort and investigation.” Celestia paused for a moment and Twilight saw that the Princess quickly glanced over toward her. Or was it Clegmane? The eye of the Princess swept across both of them. Twilight futilely glanced between the speaker and Clegmane, the latter himself bore an equal expression of perplexity.

“I can confirm two things, my little ponies,” Celestia continued. “I can confirm that your ears do not deceive you about the news from Canterlot: dragons have threatened our capitol, our homes, our lives and our very way of life for reasons unknown.”

Reasons unknown? Twilight wondered, perplexed. They gave their reasons to me, personally! They wanted Spike. Why would the Princess lie about that, unless….

“Regardless, their numbers were turned back, placated with our offer of peace.” Celestia paused to allow that information to distill within her crowd. Quiet murmuring resounded from the old stone walls of City Hall.

“At least, this was the case for the most reasonable of these dragons. There appears to be descent among their ranks, a rogue who chose this fair city out of nothing more than a whim.”

The crowd’s hushed din grew as the Princess continued her description, many nodding with understanding. Twilight saw that many still grumbled, their eyes laced with the same unchanging fury. How many ponies had lost their homes? She wondered. Who among them lost loved ones? She shuddered to think of it, of losing her parents, her brother? Spike? She looked to the east, toward distant Canterlot and even further to Ponyville. The strings of longing tugged suddenly at her heart. How was Spike doing without her? Then again, she reasoned, Applejack was probably with him at this moment. Another shudder took her. How will his parents react to this? How will the rest of Equestria react to them? The strings tugged harder.

“Rogue or not, alone or not, I will not permit my ponies to be vulnerable to Dragon flames.” Celestia’s voice carried on, louder than before. “I will not allow such a violent and destructive creature to roam freely within our borders. I will not allow this crime to go unpunished.” Twilight watched on as the crowd beneath them cheered and applauded their Princess’ resolve. Her words flowed through Twilight’s ears, surely as she believed them to pervade theirs. It was a wonderful declaration of love, of fealty for her subjects. Twilight could not help but smile at her mentor, who spoke on, saying, “This fire was contained and defeated by the heroics of the Seasaddle Fire Department, this much is true!” The crowd cheered their brave fighters. “This city was supposed to be doomed by dragon fire, instead it has become Seasaddle the Delivered and now, Seasaddle the Indebted, because there is one who faced the flames and aided in a way that no other could. This singular pony, casting spells of great complexity, did undeniably reverse the fortunes of this fair city!”

Oh no… Twilight groaned as she felt the weight of the speech shift in her direction. Please don’t put the focus on me…. She felt a presence near her, a warm, calming reassurance that she had rarely felt before. A gentle hoof was placed upon her shoulder and Twilight saw that it belonged to Clegmane, who looked down to her and nodded curtly.

“I’ve seen you face dragons and fire, Twilight. Now it’s time for you to be just a little braver.” His words hung in her mind, sweet as they were.

“What about you? You fought the dragon itself!”

“But, what good would it have done? He almost killed me. And what of it if I had managed to slay him in turn? The city would have burned all the same.” Clegmane’s deep voice rumbled, his eyes downcast.

“Don’t say that!” She urged, placing her own hoof on his shoulder now.

“I say to you, my loyal subjects, that this brave unicorn was not alone in her endeavors, for there is one who personally faced the beast and fought it with fire of his own!” Twilight allowed the corner of her mouth to tug into a crooked smile as she watched Clegmane’s reaction.

His good eye widened for a moment before whispering to her, “I stand corrected.”

“You know of them, Seassaddle, these heroes who you seek!” Celestia was really playing it up now. “My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. My loyal Captain, Sir Clegmane. Come forth and be recognized!”

Twilight urged herself to step forward into the welcoming cheers of the crowd. Clegmane followed suit. From above, pegasi dropped roses and streamers. Champaign bottles popped with well-shaken fervor, casting triumphant arcs across the sudden celebration of heroes. I should be used to fanfare by now, Twilight argued to herself as she took her lace next to Celestia. One would think that facing the Nightmare, returning the Princess of the Night, and outwitting the Discord would have prepared me for receptions such as this. I guess some ponies never get used to certain things. She glanced at Clegmane who stood rigidly next to her. His face had taken on its stonewalled hue once more. Would I ever get used to that injury, knowing how badly he’d been hurt? The Princess spoke on and over the cheering, “As requested by Mayor Coffee Bean and City Council, and by my own Royal Decree, I do hereby appoint, on this new day and henceforth, that Sir Clegmane the Steadfast—” Celestia glanced at the elder stallion with warmth in her eyes, and then to Twilight.

That’s a good name for him, thought Twilight: Clegmane the Steadfast pretty much sums him up nicely. I wonder what kind of honorific I could earn—

“And Lady Twilight the Magnanimous as Protectors of the City!”

Twilight the what? Magnanimous? Protector of the City?

A thunderstorm erupted in her head, yet all that Twilight Sparkle could manage say was, “Oh.”