Raising Tempo

Chapters

Happy Birthday
Little Secrets
Considerations
New Meetings
An Unseen Companion
Minor Reassurances
Foals' Ambitions
Preparing for the Worst
Friendship
Daylight

Happy Birthday

Sunlight filtered in through the curtains of Tempo Reprise's bedroom, slowly rousing the filly from sleep. Her eyes opened and she stretched under her sheets. Tempo rolled out of bed, four little hooves landing on the floor. After shaking herself out and sorting out the mane around her horn, she took the time to stretch again.

Her ears perked up as she remembered something very important. It was her tenth birthday! Tempo Reprise was officially a Big Pony! She trotted straight past her figurines and out into the hallway.

Just before Tempo reached the stairs leading down, voices echoed up them.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Ssh! She's still asleep!"

They were her mothers' voices. Tempo lay amongst the dust bunnies by the wall, rotating her ears to listen.

She heard Rainbow say, "Twilight, it's her birthday! You want me to leave, no, to abandon my daughter, my flesh and blood, on her birthday? Rarity, talk some sense into her."

"Rainbow," Mom replied, "As loath as I am to say it, Twilight is right."

"I'm sorry," Aunt Twilight added, "Princess Luna's vision was clear. The Nightgrasp is going to attack Trottingham tonight. It'll take all day to get there, so we need to leave now. Even as it is, we won't be there until evening."

"But—" Rainbow paused. "Why does it have to be today?"

A whiff of dust drifted past Tempo's nose. She tried her best to quietly blow it away.

"I know." Mom's voice took on that soft tone that Tempo usually only heard directed at herself. "I'm upset, too. But there's nothing we can do. It's like every other time the Nightgrasp's attacked. The Elements of Harmony are the only way we know to stop him."

"I'm sorry," Aunt Twilight added. "Every moment we wait puts more ponies in danger. Pinkie's already getting the Cakes to babysit, so Tempo won't be alone all day."

Tempo was losing her battle against the dust.

"But whatever are we going to tell her?"

"I don't know, Rarity," Rainbow said, "but I do know that the moment we turn him into stone again, I am getting a hammer and a chisel and breaking off his—"

Tempo sneezed.

"Tempo?" Mom asked.

Walking down the carpeted stairs, Tempo looked to see Mom and Rainbow in the Carousel Boutique, along with Aunt Twilight.

"Good morning, Tempo," Mom said. "Happy birthday! You're a ten year old filly today," she added as Tempo reached them.

"It's Big Pony now," Tempo corrected.

"Yeah, babe," Rainbow said. "You heard the Big Pony." She ruffled the mane behind Tempo's horn. "You sure are bigger than you used to be, kid."

"Yup! But..." She looked at Aunt Twilight. "What was all that about a night monster?"

"Oh." Aunt Twilight kneeled down and looked Tempo in the eyes. "I'm very sorry, but a lot of ponies are in danger in Trottingham. Your parents, the others, and I have to go stop the bad guy."

Tempo tilted her head. "Can I come?"

"NO!" Mom's shout made Tempo jump. Mom cleared her throat before continuing, "What I mean to say is that it's very important that you stay home. We'll be just fine, I promise."

Rainbow smiled. "We've beaten this guy lots of times. Way too many times. It's nothing. But uh, you really can't be there. Important hero stuff, big fight, you know."

"But what about—"

"Tempo!" Auntie Pinkie bounced through the front doorway. "Oh wait, I did that wrong! Let me try it again!"

Auntie Pinkie hurried outside again, then walked through the doorway. "Tempo! It's your birthday! But it's also Save Trottingham day. I didn't have a party ready for that. But I do have... ta-da!"

Behind Auntie Pinkie, Pound and Pumpkin rounded the doorway. Neither of them looked happy to be there.

Aunt Applejack entered behind them. "I got everything squared away the best I could back at the farm, so I'm ready to leave when y'all are." Aunt Fluttershy's face appeared around the doorway.

Tempo backed up, eyes darting between all the ponies in the room. She was feeling less like a Big Pony by the second.

Mom turned to the two thirteen year olds. "I was going to cook today, but there's still leftovers in the refrigerator. Her presents are in my room, and your mother's making the cake. We should be home tomorrow around noon. If there's an emergency, take her to your parents. And naturally I'm paying you both extra for the trouble."

Tempo's rump hit the wall. She took deep breaths to steady herself.

Auntie Pinkie's gaze landed on Tempo for just a second before she turned to the room. "Over capacity!" she shouted. "Everypony out!"

Mom and Rainbow looked at Tempo. "Oh crud," Rainbow said. "Tempo, I—hey!"

Auntie Pinkie's head pushed against Rainbow's rear. "I said... everypony out!"

"But it's my house—stop that!" Rainbow continued to protest as Auntie Pinkie forcibly escorted every pony in the room towards the door. "Tempo," Rainbow said just before getting forced out the door, "I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Do what the Cakes say, Tempo," Mom added. "I love you. Pinkie Pie, I am fully capable of walking myself out—" The door closing cut her off

Tempo was alone in the room for about five seconds before the front door opened and the Cakes tumbled in. "You two stay!" Auntie Pinkie ordered before closing the door again.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Tempo watched Pound shake his wings out and Pumpkin dust herself off.

Pound made his way over and held his hoof a few inches away from Tempo's shoulder. "Typical Pinkie. Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Tempo said between breaths. "I'm all right."

"That's good. Happy birthday, by the way." Pound smiled at him.

"Thanks."

"Happy birthday. What's there to eat?" Pumpkin asked from across the room.

Tempo set her spoon down in the bowl. The last of the Oat-O's drifted out of the way, the soggy grains floating atop the milk. Neither Mom nor Rainbow checked to see if she'd eaten it all or asked if she was still hungry.

Mumbling her thanks to Pound, she stood up and made her way back into the Boutique. There were a few blue-ish streamers dangling from the corners, matching her coat. A large banner stretched across the back wall, reading "HAPPY TENTH BIRTHDAY" in orange letters. A folding table had been set up along another wall. It had been draped in a dark purple cloth with an orange stripe to match Tempo's mane. Pumpkin Cake levitated the last of the wrapped presents to a small pile.

They were sparse decorations for a simple party, just how Tempo liked it. All that was missing was Auntie Pinkie standing quietly in the corner.

And Tempo's mothers.

She sat down and stared at the floor. It was meticulously clean, just how Mom liked it. Tempo sniffled.

"You're taking this pretty well, all things considered." Pound sat down next to her right flank.

Tempo looked up. "I am?"

Pumpkin sat at her left. "Absolutely. Every time Pinkie leaves, Li'l Cheese is inconsolable. And his father is still home to take care of him. 'Mommy no!', 'Mommy no!' over and over." She shook her head. "Not that he's any happier when 'Papa' has to go."

After a moment's thought, Tempo said, "Auntie Pinkie didn't seem that upset, though. I wonder if... if she doesn't care."

Both of the Cakes broke out laughing. Pound wiped away a tear. "Are you kidding?!" Pumpkin said. "She's the worst about it! 'My baby' this and 'my baby' that. At least she usually manages to settle down after. But I bet when she gets back you won't be able to get him out of her hooves for the rest of the week."

"He'll be starting preschool this fall," Pound added. "That's going to be awkward. Maybe that's why she has another foal on the way."

Tempo paused. "So you think Mom and Rainbow miss me that much?"

"Absolutely!" Pumpkin said, standing up. She moved in front of Tempo. "I bet they're crying all the way to Trottingham." She dramatically walked backwards in circles, the back of her hoof against her horn. "My baby! My baby!"

Pound suppressed a giggle, then took off and flew a few feet above Pumpkin. "My only precious child, left all alone! This is the most un-awesome thing ever!"

He landed, draping himself across Pumpkin, who strained under the unexpected weight.

"Feel any better?" he asked.

"Yeah."

She didn't.

Tempo sat alone in her room, hooves on her desk, head turned to look out the window. In front of her was an art history book left half-read. Outside, the sounds of springtime wafted in. She could hear leaves rustling in the wind and distant conversations. Some children were playing a game somewhere out of view. The sun beamed in from its place in the sky.

A small bird approached the little ledge outside the window. Tempo followed it with her eyes. The bird's wingbeats slowed, the vibrations of its feathers becoming ever more subdued. Time stretched out as its little talons reached for its perch.

All sound faded away. The bird hung, frozen in the air. Everything was absolutely still, and absolutely silent. The bird, the ponies outside, the children, the world itself, all was stopped. The only motion was Tempo Reprise, who let her head drop onto crossed hooves.

Like a film projector starting up, the world snapped into motion. The bird landed and looked around. The wind blew, ponies conversed, foals played. The bird took off, flapping its wings into the distance.

Tempo sighed. Doing that would only make the day longer.

She turned her head over to look at her sculpting bench. The little Daring Do figurine still needed her legs, and she had three ponies and a manticore in need of painting. Tempo could easily lose days on just one of those, but the desire simply eluded her.

The door to her room opened and Pound stuck his head through. "Pumpkin's getting your cake. Are you ready to open your presents?"

After pushing back from her desk, Tempo stood up. "Yeah, I'm kinda hungry."

She followed him downstairs to where the party had been set up. At the table, Pumpkin was levitating a modest cake out of its box. Looking closer, Tempo could see that it was the same pale blue as her coat, ringed with dark purple icing, accented by the same orange line that her own mane and tail had. On it was a large number 10.

Pumpkin put her hoof to her lips and illuminated her horn again. Ten candles rose out of the box and placed themselves on the cake. Her aura swept up her horn and concentrated itself into a tiny brilliant orange light at its tip. A wisp of smoke rose from the glow.

"Hey," Pound said. "Mom said you weren't allowed to learn that spell yet."

Pumpkin smiled, the spell still bright on her horn. "Did she? I must not have heard her. I guess that makes two of us who don't hear very well, Mister Tornado." She twirled on a hind hoof for effect, the smoke trailing behind her horn.

Pumpkin set the tip of her horn against one of the candles, which instantly lit. She went from candle to candle until all ten were burning. She raised her head, turned to Tempo, and blew her breath upwards as the spell went out.

With a smile, she said, "Don't learn that spell, Tempo."

Tempo made her horn sputter in response.

"Now make a wish," Pumpkin said.

"But don't tell anypony or it won't come true," Pound added.

Approaching the cake, Tempo made a wish with all her heart and blew out the candles.

It did not come true.

Pumpkin produced a knife. "And the birthday filly gets the first slice!"

"Big Pony," Tempo mumbled, too quietly for either Cake to hear.

Before long, Tempo Reprise had eaten three slices of cake, four scoops of neaponitan ice cream, and had drunk four glasses of punch. The Cakes had eight slices, a dozen scoops, and the entire rest of the punch bowl between them.

"Ready to open your presents?" Pumpkin asked, levitating a small wrapped box. Pound set down the magazine that he'd found under a couch cushion.

Tempo took the box in her hooves and ripped away the wrapping. It was a boxed set of paints, in an entire spectrum of somewhat muted colors. They'd be perfect for painting figurines of ponies. Tempo had been running low on her supply.

The next present was a book on advanced sculpting techniques, sure to teach any interested pony everything she might not have thought of when it came to fine detail. After that, a large block of clay, a very high quality supply imported directly from Abyssinia. Then another set of paint, this time in bright colors, ideal for outfits.

The last, and largest, present was a new oven. The MagiClay 2500 was among the best light duty ovens in the world. It boasted magically-enhanced insulation to keep the rest of the room cool, and could both cure clay and fire pottery, and even maintain its temperature to within two degrees on either setting.

Tempo had begged for that oven, and now it was in front of her. If things had been right, she would be jumping for joy. She would be hugging Mom and Rainbow and thanking them for all the presents she got.

"Do you like it?" Pound asked.

Tempo would have loved them, if things had been right.

Little Secrets

Rainbow Dash stared out the window. Outside, the tops of the distant mountains shone in the rising sun. Inside, the train car bumped with every unevenness in the rails. On the other end of the car, Twilight and Applejack were quietly discussing the events of the night before. Phrases like "their eyes" and "dealing with his friends" passed through Rainbow's ears.

In the center of the car, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike were fast asleep. In the next car over, a statue of an earth pony, lacking eyes or any kind of hair, marked their victory.

Rarity roused herself from her slumber, her head at Rainbow's side. "Mm, good morning."

"Morning." Rainbow didn't look away from the window.

"Did you sleep at all last night, dearie? I was absolutely exhausted. Fighting that horrid stallion, if we can even call him that anymore, was simply grueling." Rarity yawned.

"I'm fine."

A hoof brought Rainbow's head towards her wife. "I know what this is about. There's nothing we could have done. I can scarcely imagine what damage the Nightgrasp would have inflicted if we'd waited any longer, nor what we'd be up against when we got there."

"I know." Rainbow looked away.

"Rainbow. Dearie. I'm positive that Tempo had a wonderful birthday regardless." Rarity maneuvered herself back into view. "We got her that oven she really wanted, and the Cakes are fine babysitters. It's not like she would have wanted anypony over anyways."

Rainbow took a breath. "I let her down, Rarity."

"We both let—" Rarity glanced at the sleeping ponies and dragon, then took a deep breath. "There are... certain things we accepted when we decided to have a foal. Both of us, and Pinkie Pie, too. That sometimes our duty to Equestria would force us to leave them behind. To keep Equestria safe, to keep Tempo safe, we have to... we have to..." Tears welled in her eyes. "Miss out on the biggest days of her life."

Rainbow fought back her own tears, occupying herself with the saddlebags. She pulled out some tissues and a makeup kit and gave them to Rarity. "Here."

A magic aura brought the tissues to Rarity's face. Looking back in the bags, Rainbow noticed three tickets that had been uncovered and removed them. Holding them up to the window, Rainbow said. "The tickets to that travelling band she likes. We were going to surprise her. Too late to get a refund now."

Rainbow turned back to Rarity, who had just opened the kit. "I'm a terrible mother."

Rarity nearly dropped it. "What?"

"I forgot the tickets. I could have given them to the Cakes, and they could have taken her. We didn't even tell them the Roaming Tones were in town." She set her head against the glass. "And yesterday morning, when she nearly got a panic attack, it was Pinkie that noticed. Not me."

Rainbow raised a hoof. "And before you say anything, you were busy giving the Cakes instructions. I wasn't doing anything. She was my responsibility and I failed her." She let her forehead slide down until it came to rest against the edge of the window. "Tempo doesn't deserve me."

She felt two hooves on her back. "Rainbow, don't talk like that. You're a wonderful mother. Just watch: when we get home, she'll leap into your hooves."

Bleary-eyed, Rainbow looked back at her wife, who, despite her smudged makeup, was still the most beautiful mare in Equestria. "I know she will. But what else are we going to miss? Her first major spell? Her graduation? Our grandchildren?"

With a smile, Rarity answered, "I already missed her birth. I would hope to be there for everything else."

Rainbow patted her belly. "I almost missed her birth. That would have been embarrassing." She cracked a smile.

"Well, dearie, it was the end of the world."

The sun hung high overhead as the train approached the Ponyville station. Twilight was saying something about taking the statue to Canterlot like the others and talking to the Princesses, but Rainbow's mind was on her daughter. Knowing Tempo, she'd be at the end, away from anypony else. The Cakes would be with her.

Rarity stood next to her near the door. "Go ahead and get off first, dearie. I'm sure she'll be delighted to see us, both of us, again."

"If she forgives me." Rainbow watched the platform go by, slowing to a stop.

The doors opened and Rainbow took a step.

"CHEESY!" Pinkie Pie shoved her way past and shot outside. Before Rainbow could blink, Pinkie was locked in an embrace with both her son and husband.

Rainbow cleared her throat, then walked out. She saw her daughter, and just for an instant, locked eyes.

"Rainbow!" Tempo galloped up to Rainbow, who automatically knelt down to catch her. "You're back!"

Rarity stepped out of the train and knelt down next to Tempo. "We're terribly sorry we had to miss your birthday. Did you enjoy the presents we got you? Did you have a happy birthday?"

"It was..." Tempo paused to look between them. "Good."

"Awesome!" Rainbow stood up and stretched her wings. "Nice to hear you had a good time."

"Hey, Miss Rarity," Pumpkin said as the Cakes walked up to them.

Turning to the pair, Rarity smiled. "Thank you so much for looking after her yesterday and this morning, and on such short notice. I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

"Not at all, Miss Rarity!" Pound chimed in.

Turning away from the others, Rainbow took to a hover.

"Come on, kid, let's go home."

Rainbow Dash stuffed the last of the wrapping paper in the recycling, then made her way back inside. She located the nearest couch and sat on it, letting her wings flop out. Rainbow closed her eyes, lay her head over the edge, and let out a deep sigh.

A moment later, a small weight joined her. Rainbow opened her eyes again and looked over to see the cutest filly in Equestria.

"Hey, kid, what's up?"

Tempo nestled herself under Rainbow's wing, her head poking out from under her leading edge. "Mom was busy again. And I was wondering something."

Rainbow tilted her head. "Hm? What's that?"

"What's it like? I mean, fighting the bad guy, saving the day?"

"Oh." She sat up a little, but not enough to dislodge her daughter from under her wing. "Well, it's pretty exciting. Gotta do a lot of fighting." Rainbow half-heartedly punched the air. "But I just think about what's back home, and what's really important to me." She reached up to ruffle Tempo's mane.

Tempo looked uncertain. "But is it dangerous? Can you get hurt?"

With a chuckle, Rainbow answered, "Kid, the Nightgrasp is not nearly the worst thing I've had to deal with since I had you." She closed her eyes and let the memories replay in her mind.

After a pause, she heard, "What was the worst thing? Was it the Roundhill?"

"Oh yeah, by a long shot. That thing made bringing you into the world an ordeal," Rainbow said. "Totally worth it tho—"

Her eyes snapped open. Rainbow climbed off the couch. "Tempo, how do you know about the Roundhill?"

Tempo inched back into a cushion. "Uh, um... I uh... I was there?" She gave an utterly unconvincing smile.

Rainbow's eyebrows dropped. "Tempo, you were a year old when we last saw it. There is no way you remember that thing."

Shrinking into the corner, Tempo let her ears droop. "I'm sorry. Am I in trouble? Are you mad at me?"

"I'm not—" Rainbow took a breath, then ran her hoof down her face. "I just want to know how you know."

Tempo's eyes went between Rainbow and the couch cushions. "I um, it was in third grade. I found a book lying out in Aunt Twilight's library. I skipped past a bunch, but it said stuff about a Roundhill thing and the world ending. And then I saw my name and it said that I stopped it. I thought it might have been made up, so I showed Miss Starlight the book. She laughed like she was in really big trouble and took the book away. Then she said something like 'let's forget all about this and definitely not say anything to your parents' and stuck it on a high shelf that I couldn't reach." Tempo paused. "Then I guess I forgot all about it."

Rainbow closed her eyes and pinched her temples.

"You are mad at me."

Doing her best to control herself, Rainbow said, "I'm not mad at you."

"You sound like you're mad at me."

Rainbow stood up to her full height, opened her wings, looked her daughter in the eyes, and put on her best stern voice. "Tempo Reprise. Look at me. I am not mad at you. You did not do anything wrong." Letting her voice soften, she relaxed and said, "Now come here."

Tempo hesitated, then slowly climbed off of the couch. Rainbow immediately wrapped her wing around her, holding her in place. She rubbed her hoof up and down Tempo's back.

"Rainbow!" she protested. "Stop that!"

After doing her best to mess up Tempo's mane, Rainbow released her. "Now go on, go play outside for a bit. I know some of your toys are out there and some sunlight will do you good. Don't leave the yard."

"But did I really save—"

Rainbow put her wing behind Tempo's rump and gave her a push. "Don't worry about that stuff. Go on." Tempo reluctantly went out the door.

After closing it behind her, Rainbow walked straight up the stairs, into the bedroom room where Rarity was stitching something, sat at an empty desk, and promptly swung her forehead into it.

"Rainbow?" Rarity asked. "Whatever happened?"

Without moving, Rainbow answered, "Tempo knows about the Roundhill."

"What? Did you tell her?"

"No! Maybe?" She rolled her head along the desk to look at Rarity. "She found a book about it a couple years ago. Probably one of my stories from when she was born. Celestia knows I told all of Equestria. Starlight caught her. I know we told her that Tempo isn't ready to learn about that. But apparently Starlight didn't think Tempo's parents should know she found out anyways." Rainbow paused. "Tempo didn't think we should know either, I guess."

Rarity took a deep breath and let it out her nose.

"My thoughts exactly," Rainbow said. "The worst thing is, she's convinced I'm furious at her for knowing."

"I am going to have a few choice words for Starlight the next time I see her. Where is Tempo at the moment?"

Raising her head, Rainbow said, "I sent her outside. I don't want her to see how I'm feeling right now."

Rarity set her fabric down. "In that case, I should at least keep an eye on her. If Tempo thinks we're angry at her, the last thing we should do is leave her unsupervised."

Rainbow stood up. "You need to work on your designs, and I'm the one who started this whole mess. I gotta be the mom this time."

"If you're sure, dearie." Rarity went back to her sewing.

Mulling over her conversation in her mind, Rainbow made her way down the steps. "Of course I drop that on her and ditch her," she mumbled. She arrived at the front window, sat down, and looked out.

Outside, her daughter was investigating one of her hula hoops. Tempo swung it around her neck a few times, then picked it up experimentally, waving it once or twice. Rainbow sat up, unsure of what Tempo was doing. Tempo seemed lost in thought. She set the hoop down and walked in a circle, staring at it as if she were trying to figure out its purpose. Tempo then picked it up one more time.

Tempo and the hoop winked out of existence.

Rainbow stood bolt upright.

"Tempo?"

She burst out the door.

"Tempo!" Looking around frantically, Rainbow called, "where are you?"

Rainbow launched herself into the air and looked this way and that. "Tempo!"

She flew around the backside of the house and quickly spotted her daughter and the hula hoop. Landing hard, Rainbow grabbed Tempo. "Wha—you—there—"

The back door opened and Rarity hurried out. "Rainbow, what's wrong?!"

"I..." Rainbow panted. "Tempo was there and then she was gone and... what in the world was that?"

Tempo Reprise's head dipped just a little, along with her ears. "Um. Mom, Rainbow... I think I can kinda sorta slow down the world. And maybe... make it stop completely. Like... stop-stopped."

"Ah," Rarity said, "and here I thought it was important. Pardon me, I must find somewhere to faint." She staggered back into the house.

Rainbow's legs turned to jelly and she collapsed onto her rump.

Tempo slowly shrunk back. "Now I'm in big trouble."

"And then Daring Do said, 'Stop right there, Caballeron! I know you have the Titanium Trunk! Hoof it over.'"

Next to Rainbow Dash, Tempo was tucked into bed, snug and warm. The filly's little ears listened intently to her mother. Outside, the moon's light shone across Ponyville and the stars glittered overhead.

Rainbow turned a page of the book. "Of course, Caballeron wouldn't give it up that easily. He put in a lot of work stealing it from the Ivory Temple." She looked at her daughter. "You know what he said, kid? He turned around and said—"

Downstairs, there was a knock at the front door.

"Whoops," Rainbow said. "Sounds like storytime's over." Closing the book, she told Tempo, "Sleep time, kid."

"But I want to know what he said," was Tempo's response.

"We'll find out what he said tomorrow, all right? Something villainous, I'm sure. Get your sleep."

Rainbow kissed the base of Tempo's horn. "Good night, Tempo."

Leaving the bedroom door open only an inch, Rainbow left her foal and descended the stairs. She entered the Boutique to see Rarity letting in the night's visitor.

"Fluttershy, darling," Rarity said, stepping back, "I'm terribly sorry to bother you at this time of night, but you're the only pony I can think to talk to about this."

"Oh no, it's no bother at all." Fluttershy stepped inside and made her way into the dining room, where Rarity had some tea ready.

She sat down, filling the cup in front of her. "So, what's on your mind?"

Rainbow pulled the chair back to let Rarity sit before seating herself at the table and getting a cup of her own. Rarity was the first to speak. "Fluttershy, what do you know about the Nightgrasp?"

Ears perking up for just a second, Fluttershy said, "Well, I only really know what Twilight's told us, and what we've all seen when facing him. If you have questions, I think you should wait until she gets back from Canterlot."

"No, no," Rarity responded, "I want to talk to you about him. He's an earth pony, a stallion." Rarity paused. "Which means he used to be a colt. And a baby before that. He was raised by somepony."

Fluttershy set down her tea and thought for a moment. "I see. This isn't about the Nightgrasp."

She looked at the other two.

"This is about Tempo."

Considerations

Tempo Reprise couldn't sleep. The events of the day replayed over and over in her head. Mom and Rainbow said they weren't mad but they looked like they were mad. Tempo had screwed up, but didn't understand how or even when.

She heard voices through her slightly-opened door. One of them she recognized as Aunt Fluttershy. Tempo couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here. Slowly, quietly, she climbed out of bed and gently opened the door. Step by careful step, she made her way to the top of the stairs and listened in.

"How long has she been able to do that?" Aunt Fluttershy asked.

"According to her," Mom answered, "about a month and a half."

Silence.

Rainbow spoke up. "Look, the Nightgrasp. He was a stallion who never made any friends, right? Then, I dunno, he went crazy, whipped up a vat of something weird, dove in, and turned into what he is now, right?" A teacup clinked.

"That's what Twilight said," Aunt Fluttershy answered.

"I believe Rainbow's point," Mom said, "is that there are some abilities that ponies simply... are not meant to have. The Nightgrasp is our current example, but we've dealt with such ponies many times. Including when I... ah... was taken by the Inspiration Manifestation. The ability to shape the world to my will was simply too much to resist."

"I should have seen this coming," Rainbow said.

Mom answered, "Dearie, however could you have predicted that our child could stop time?"

"I got jerked around through time. Which means she got jerked around through time. Of course the Roundhill would have had an influence." Rainbow sighed. "You know what this means, right? Time didn't slow or stop for me. I went back."

More silence.

"You think," Aunt Fluttershy said, "that someday, Tempo might be able to go back in time?"

Tempo froze. She had never considered the possibility.

"And what if she can?" Rainbow asked. "Let's face it: Tempo has no friends and an unnatural power."

"I would not have put it so bluntly," Mom said, "but Rainbow has a point. On top of that, we did miss her tenth birthday."

Rainbow added, "And she thinks we're angry with her." A thump. "And I told Equestria, and her, that she's the world's savior."

Another few seconds of silence.

"How does Tempo feel about all this?"

Tempo had no idea how to feel.

Rainbow answered, "I don't think she understands. I don't think I understand."

Mom added, "She was very quiet at dinner. I can't blame her."

Aunt Fluttershy paused, then said, "Has she ever tried to make friends?"

"Not that I know of," Rainbow said. "She's always been really shy. A lot like, well, you know."

Mom hummed, then said, "I see what you're getting at. Celestia knows friendship certainly solves a lot of problems. If we can find Tempo a good friend or two, then perhaps things will work out for the best."

Tempo tried to imagine meeting a strange pony her age. She figured they would make fun of her. Or they'd be jealous of her for Mom and Rainbow being her mothers. Tempo had a hard time just keeping herself together in the classroom full of foals, even off in the corner.

She shuddered. Meeting foals needed her to be brave, and Tempo was not as brave as Mom or Rainbow.

Tempo realized that she had missed part of the conversation below.

"Thank you so much for coming over," Mom said. "I feel much better now."

"Yeah," Rainbow added, "we got more of a plan than we did an hour ago."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Aunt Fluttershy answered. "Let me know how things go."

Tempo heard a hoofstep on the bottom stair. Taking her cue to leave, she hurried back into her bedroom and shuffled her way under her covers. She followed up with her best impression of a sleeping filly.

"Thought I closed this," Rainbow muttered at her door, pushing it until only a sliver of light shone in.

"Tempo."

Tempo rolled over.

"Psst. Tempo."

Her eyes slowly opened. Rainbow was at her bedside in the dark.

"Sssh."

The sun had almost risen outside. Tempo rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Huh?"

"Rarity doesn't know we know, so stay quiet," Rainbow whispered.

Sitting up, Tempo asked, "Know what?"

Rainbow slowly pulled the covers off the bed. "Come on." She motioned her head towards the door.

"Is something going on?" Tempo staggered towards the door after Rainbow.

"Uh-huh. That's why we gotta move real quiet." Rainbow stuck her head out into the hallway and looked both ways. "Coast is clear, let's move."

"But... what's happening?"

Rainbow turned back around. She looked left and right, then placed her hoof on Tempo's lips.

"You didn't hear it from me, but... it's Pancake Day."

Tempo perked up immediately.

Rainbow moved to the door. "Ssh. Follow my lead and play it cool. She won't suspect a thing."

With a nod and careful footsteps, Tempo followed Rainbow out into the hall and down the stairs.

Rainbow sat down at the table. "Hey, babe, what's for breakfast?"

Tempo sat down at the table. "Hey, Mom, what's for breakfast?"

Mom looked at Rainbow.

Mom looked at Tempo.

Mom looked at the stack of fresh pancakes directly in front of the pair.

Like a switch had been flipped, Mom's expression brightened. "Why, we're having pancakes!" She levitated two onto each plate.

Rainbow gasped. "I had no idea! Kid, did you know we're having pancakes?"

"Nope!" Tempo shook her head.

After slathering her pancakes in syrup, Rainbow cut a large chunk off and shoved it in her mouth. Tempo poured a little on her own, then cut off a more filly-appropriate piece.

It was halfway to her mouth when the thought struck her: just the night before, Mom and Rainbow sounded so different. The two mares with her eating pancakes were bright and happy, not worried. She could scarcely believe they were the same ponies.

Tempo placed the pancake in her mouth and slowly chewed. It was as delicious as Mom's pancakes always were, but she barely noticed the sweet taste flowing across her tongue. Tempo often didn't know what to do, but Mom and Rainbow always did. They fought bad guys like the Nightgrasp. There was no way they could actually be afraid of anything.

"Tempo?" Mom's voice brought her back to reality. "Are you feeling all right? You've barely touched your breakfast."

"Mm?" Rainbow, mouth very full, looked over at her. With effort, she swallowed. "Something wrong with your pancakes? You want mine?"

Tempo looked up at her parents. "Oh, no, they're really good." She took another bite.

Mom and Rainbow looked at each other. "All right," Mom said, looking back at Tempo, "as long as everything's okay."

She pushed the thought from her mind. Mom and Rainbow were grownups, and grownups knew everything. It was just Tempo who didn't understand.

Tempo lay on the floor of her bedroom, idly paging through the book she'd gotten for her birthday. It was interesting, she supposed.

She heard the front door of the house open. Tempo glanced out the window. The sun was still high in the sky. Rainbow wasn't due to be back home for several more hours.

After a few minutes, Mom's voice from downstairs made Tempo jump.

"What do you mean we lost Filly's Fabrics?"

A pause.

"Why did they pull out of the contract? They're seventy percent of our supply!"

Tempo crept towards her door.

"And what happened at the Baltimare shop? What incident?"

Slowly, Tempo pulled open her door and made her way towards the top of the stairs. Below, she could see Mom and a blue earth pony grownup she hadn't seen before. Mom looked very, very mad and the other mare looked a little scared.

The mare read off of a piece of paper on the ground. "...and she said that it was her store and that her store would only accept proper, high-class ponies. And not griffins. Especially ones, who, quote, 'looked like he crawled out from under the pier and smelled even worse'." The stranger's ears hung low.

Mom took a very deep breath. "She said that... to whom, exactly?"

The stranger backed up a step. "According to the report, a board member for Filly's Fabrics. She called him a liar and threatened to summon the police." The mare swallowed. "Then he left."

Mom's eye twitched. "And then?"

The mare pulled some papers out of a nearby briefcase. "We have copies of letters sent back and forth."

With a flick of her horn, Mom yanked the paperwork out of the other pony's mouth and held it up to her face. "I see. Wait a moment, this was two weeks ago?"

Mom stomped her hoof very hard. Tempo shrunk back.

"I'm sorry, Miss Rarity, we only found out yesterday. Miss Stitch did her best to hide it from us."

With more hoof stomps, Mom advanced on the mare. "Well tell Miss Stitch that they are my stores, and if I ever see her try to sell so much as a bandana in one, then a princess had better be buying it, because only an alicorn will be able to stop what I will do to her." Mom's magic snatched up the briefcase and flung it to the other end of the room, the papers inside scattering across the shop.

The mare hurried outside, leaving Mom alone. Tempo inched her way downstairs. "Mom?"

Mom spun around. "What?"

Tempo stumbled backwards until she fell, ending up on her side. "I-I-I wanted to know if everything was okay."

"Everything is fine." She looked at Tempo the same way she looked at the mare. Tempo scooted away from her, still on her side.

Mom's face fell. Closing her eyes and turning her head away, she said, "Tempo, go back to your room."

"But—"

"I cannot deal with both this and you right now. Go to your room."

"O-okay, Mom." Tempo got to her feet and made her way to the stairs. Halfway up, she said, "I'm sorry."

Mom didn't reply.

Some time later, when the sun hung low to the horizon, Tempo heard the door slowly open behind her. "Hey kid," Rainbow said, "finish your homework yet?"

"Um," Tempo replied, "some of it." She hesitated. "I'll do the rest after dinner."

Hoofsteps walked up next to her. "Hey, you know the rule: no sculpting or painting until you're done with—oh. You haven't." A pause. "Everything okay?"

"Mom's really mad."

She felt Rainbow lay down next to her and lay a wing across her back. "I know. Somepony did something bad to her. I'd be really mad, too."

"Oh." Tempo looked away from Rainbow.

Rainbow shifted just a little. "I can tell when there's something on your mind. What is it?"

"Um." Tempo had listened in on them the night before. She knew, deep down, that was something she shouldn't have done, that was a bad thing to do. If she said it, she knew that Rainbow would be mad like Mom was.

"Tempo, come on." Rainbow nudged her side. "You know you can tell Rarity and me anything."

"Am I a bad pony?" The words tumbled out of Tempo's mouth.

Rainbow choked. "What?! Where did that come from?"

"Um. I... Um..." She frantically searched for an explanation that wouldn't make Rainbow mad like Mom was.

"Tempo, listen. You're a great pony. Just today Cheerilee told me that you're the quietest pony in the classroom. Maybe a little too—you know what, that's beside the point. Your grades are..." Rainbow paused. "They're better than mine were at your age. Or ever, really. You'd be a great friend for anypony you meet."

Scratching her chin, Rainbow said, "You remember your aunt Sweetie Belle and her friends, before they moved out of town?"

Tempo looked over. "They were bad ponies?"

"No, no. Well, usually not. But I've seen how some mean ponies treated them when they were about your age, and I can't see you acting like that. My point is"—Rainbow's wing held Tempo tight against her side—"You're a good pony, and I'm happy you are, all right?"

Standing up, Rainbow tapped Tempo's side with her wing. "Now go do your homework."

New Meetings

Rainbow descended the stairs into the Boutique, where Rarity was picking up the loose paperwork.

"Is uh," Rainbow started, "is everything going to be all right?"

"First Tempo and now you," Rarity muttered. "Yes, Rainbow," she said louder, "I will sort this all out. It will take many meetings, many apologies, and some rather expensive concessions I am sure."

With a sigh, Rarity said, "I snapped at Tempo earlier. I really shouldn't have; it's not her fault."

"Oh..." Rainbow paused to think. "I guess that explains why she asked me if she was a bad pony."

Rarity dropped the paperwork. "Now that on top of everything else."

Rainbow pressed herself against Rarity's side and put her wing across her wife's back. "It's all right, we'll figure this out."

"We don't have a choice." Rarity's magic picked up a few pages again. "How was this easier when we still had to change her diapers and wake up three times a night to feed her?"

"I had to wake up three times a night to feed her," Rainbow answered with a smile. "You just had diaper duty." Taking a moment to look around at the scattered pages, she said, "I guess Operation Friendship is on hold."

Once again, Rarity set down the pages. "No, no, we must help her find a friend. Tempo's well-being is much more important than any of this." She magically fished out a large envelope.

A page emerged. Rarity explained, "Information on many children that Tempo has not met, curated by the Princess of Friendship herself. Guaranteed to be free of any megalomaniacal urges. Tempo is sure to find somepony or two she can connect with."

Rainbow glanced at the young pony on the page before it slid back into the envelope. "A big list and friendship. That's from Twilight all right. So, she knows about the time thing?"

Rarity set herself back to picking up her business paperwork. "She has been informed of Tempo's unusual ability, yes. However..."

Taking care not to step on any pages, Rainbow made her way in front of her wife. "Let me guess, she doesn't believe you."

"Twilight has a real talent for asking questions I don't know the answer to. How am I supposed to know how Tempo breathes or what happens to the air around her when she moves?"

"Magic?" Rainbow shrugged.

"You would think she'd accept that as an answer." Rarity put some pages back in the briefcase. "Perhaps we should ask Tempo to give her a demonstration someday. Until then, getting her a friend will have to be enough to prevent any villainy she may someday plan."

Rainbow smiled. "The power of friendship saves Equestria again. Just like old times." Her smile faded. "Think it'll work?"

Putting away some pages, Rarity answered, "This is not one of the challenges I expected to face when I asked you for a foal."

"You know foals," Rainbow said, eyeing the envelope of friends, "always full of surprises. Tempo just gave us a really big one."

Rarity gave the envelope a quick wave. "Let's hope that she takes our own surprise well."

The next afternoon, Rainbow eased open the door to Tempo's room. Inside, she saw her daughter hunched over her workbench, peering through her eyepiece. A tiny knife was attached to a harness on her hoof, and she busily poked at something out of Rainbow's view.

Tempo didn't notice Rainbow leaning against the doorway. Her focus was entirely on her sculpture. It was destined to be Daring Do wearing a cape in an action pose if Rainbow remembered right. Tempo shifted her weight. Her cutie mark, a statue and paintbrush, warped with her thigh. She'd earned that mark five months ago.

Rainbow smiled. It was good to see that Tempo had gotten back to her sculpting, even if it meant that she probably hadn't done her homework yet.

The dull knife moved away from the sculpture. Tempo turned the base of the model back and forth, checking her work.

Stepping forward, Rainbow softly called, "Tempo."

Tempo's ears perked up. She turned to her side in her chair and looked behind her. "Yeah?"

"Can you take a break? Rarity and I have somepony we'd like you to meet."

Rainbow saw her daughter's eyes drift between her, the sculptures on her shelf, and the floor. "Um," Tempo said. "Sure."

Tempo climbed off the chair.

"Whoa!" Rainbow darted forward. She swept Tempo's right forehoof up just before the knife strapped to it hit the ground. "Hey, you forgot something. Don't want to break another one of these."

Tempo pulled the offending hoof back towards her chest. "Sorry, Rainbow." She carefully unstrapped the little harness and set it on the bench.

"It's all right, kid, just be more careful with your stuff. Now c'mon."

After checking to make sure her daughter was following, Rainbow made her way into the hallway, opened her wings, and glided downstairs. Touching down, she turned around to see Tempo at the top. Next to Rainbow, Rarity closed her briefcase. Unlike the one she had the day before, this briefcase was blue and studded with amethysts. Rarity liked that one. Levitating in front of her was a clipboard and her glasses were perched on her snout.

"Got all the business stuff taken care of, babe?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity sighed. "Not even close."

Rainbow glanced at Tempo, who was making her way down. "I can watch Tempo for the friendship stuff by myself, then."

"Absolutely not," Rarity replied calmly. "I need to be there for her as much as I can, even if that means bringing my work with me."

Tempo, who had reached her parents, looked up at them. "Who did you want me to meet?"

Walking towards the door, Rainbow said, "They're outside. Let's go make a new friend."

She paused and whispered to Rarity, "Where are we going again?"

Rainbow Dash stood at the edge of the small, grassy, field. It was near the edge of town, and the treeline of the Everfree stood in the near distance. A lone but sizable house stood somewhat nearby, set apart from the buildings composing the rest of the town. Next to Rainbow was Tempo, trying her best to stay close, and Rarity, already nose-deep in her paperwork.

"Why hello there," a voice called. Rainbow turned to see a light pink unicorn mare approach, a green unicorn filly in tow. "You're Rainbow Dash and Rarity, of course. All of Equestria knows you two. And that must be Tempo Reprise."

Tempo made eye contact with the mare, then the filly. "H-hi."

The mare nodded to Tempo's parents. "I'm Orchid Berry, and this is my little pride and joy, Emerald Snow."

Rarity looked over the top of her clipboard. "Charmed. Tempo, be a dear and go play with Emerald."

Cautiously, Tempo walked into the field, followed by Emerald. "Um, I'm Tempo Reprise."

"Emerald Snow. Mom didn't tell me you were a unicorn." Emerald looked at Tempo's horn.

"Oh." Tempo looked at Emerald’s horn. "Me neither."

"I can do lots of magic. Mom says I'm going to be really good at it." Emerald's horn lit up and a nearby rock hovered into the air. "See? What magic can you do?"

Rainbow grimaced just as Tempo looked at her. Tempo paused, then looked back at Emerald. "Oh! I can do one!"

Closing her eyes, Tempo strained. Her horn sputtered sparks for a few seconds, then glowed. It was faint against the light of the sun, but in Rainbow's opinion Tempo's spell was good at night. "A light spell!" Tempo announced.

"That's it?"

Tempo's spell flickered out. "That's... that's all I know how to do."

"Ugh!" Emerald marched past her mother. "Mom, this one's lame! I don't want to be friends with a unicorn who can't do magic!"

Rainbow could only stare. Orchid hurried after her daughter. "Now young mare, that's no way to behave..."

Rarity turned to Rainbow. "Perhaps her next friend will be less of, ah..."

"A total jerk," Rainbow finished her sentence.

"You must be..." Rarity started.

"Spring Breeze," the muscular pegasus mare answered. "And this little hooffull is my son, Gable."

Spring motioned to the dark turquoise griffin with the light brown head.

"Tempo," Rainbow said. "How about you two introduce yourselves to each—"

Gable grabbed Tempo by the hoof and darted out into the field. Letting her go, he jumped into the air. "Hi! Hi! Hi! I'm Gable!" Tempo barely had time to stagger before Gable swooped down. "I love meeting griffons and ponies and everyone!" He landed and did a backflip. "And you're Tempo!"

"Wha—"

At Tempo's side, he said, "Is that a cutie mark? Do you make statues? There aren't many statues around here! What about the one in the middle of town? Did you make that one?"

At her front, he said, "What do you like to do? I like to fly!" He took off, causing Tempo to fall over backwards. Rainbow could see her chest heave.

Gable landed directly on top of Tempo, standing over her, his face inches from hers. "I can't wait to get to know everything about you!"

Tempo took two deep breaths, then vanished.

Gable looked around. "Huh? Where'd you go?"

Rainbow felt something brush her belly. She looked at her side to see Tempo peeking up from underneath her.

"Sorry."

Tempo and the blue earth filly looked at each other.

"So," Aqua Twirl said, "what do you like to do for fun?"

"Well," Tempo replied, "I make little figurines. I sculpt them out of clay and paint them. I got a bunch at home."

"That's neat. I like to run on the track. I'm going to be the fastest pony ever."

"Well, Rainbow's the fastest pony ever, but maybe you can run good, too. But... I'm not really into running... or sports."

"Oh." Aqua looked down. "I'm... not really that interested in little toys or figurines. I don't think there's much we can do together."

"Yeah. Was nice to meet you though."

"You, too."

Tempo walked away, towards Rainbow and Rarity. "She was nice, at least."

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "We'll find you somepony you can hang out with in no time." She looked at Rarity. "Who's next on the list, babe?"

Rainbow lay on the bed, hooves and wings splayed out. "Twenty. Twenty friends and not one worked."

Rarity removed her hoof from her own forehead. "I swear foals were nicer when I was her age. But let us go down the checklist, shall we? First of all, Tempo has a power not meant for mortal ponies, one that may or may not become more potent as she gets older."

"Check."

"Her parents abandoned her on her tenth birthday."

"Check."

"She has been told, by her own mother, that she is the savior of the world."

"Ugh, check."

"She has no friends."

"Make sure you add to the list that friendship's gone badly for her."

"What are we going to do?"

Rainbow rolled onto her back. "We can move to Canterlot."

Moving to look out the window, Rarity said, "There would be more ponies her age there."

With a wave of her hoof, Rainbow added, "And when she decides to overthrow the princesses, it'll be convenient for all of us. You can sew Empress Tempo's gown while I lick her horseshoes clean and dance for her amusement."

Rarity climbed onto the bed and laid her head across Rainbow's chest. "Would that really make her happy?" She sighed. "I wish there was something we could do."

Rainbow wrapped her hooves around her wife. "It's all right. We'll think of something, okay? We can't give up on her."

"We won't," Rarity said. "We won't."

An Unseen Companion

Tempo Reprise wandered down the stairs. She glanced up to see Mom surrounded by her papers, her mane and tail frazzled. Mom was writing something while moving her work back and forth across the table.

With uncertain steps, Tempo walked up to Mom. "Mom?"

"Hm?" Mom's eyes stayed on her work. "I'm sorry, can it wait? I'm very busy right now."

Mom was always very busy.

"I was just wondering if I could go outside."

Without even a glance in her direction, Mom answered, "Yes, you can play outside. Don't wander too far."

"Okay, Mom." She paused. "I love you."

"Love you too, Tempo."

Tempo walked towards the door. When she reached it, she looked behind her. She didn't know why she hoped that Mom would be looking, but Tempo saw only her backside. Ears and tail low, Tempo went outside into the afternoon air.

Instead of playing, Tempo walked. She drifted wherever her hooves decided to take her, utterly oblivious of the other ponies in town. Mom was very busy, Rainbow was away at her Wonderbolts practice, and Tempo was alone.

While her body wandered, her mind focused. Rainbow had said that Tempo wasn't a bad pony. Mom had yelled at her. Tempo didn't understand. Snippets of the conversation that she shouldn't have heard replayed in her mind, over and over. Something was wrong, and she didn't know what.

Tempo looked up for the first time since she started walking. She was at the field, where Mom and Rainbow made her meet others of her age. Every day for more than a week she had met creatures that were supposed to be her friend. Every day she made friends with none of them. Friendship was exhausting.

Situating herself under a tall tree, Tempo sat down and set her back against its trunk. She had no idea what any of it meant, what to do anymore.

A burst of loud rustling from above startled Tempo out of her thoughts. She scrambled to her feet. Something fell out of the tree and landed on the dirt, just barely missing a large root. The satchel fell over, dumping its contents on the ground.

Cautiously, Tempo investigated the new items. There were jars of paint and several brushes, much larger than the ones she was used to working with.

Tempo looked up, but all she saw were branches so thick, she could barely make out the green leaves above them. She walked around the tree several times, looking for the source of the mystery package.

"Oh, no." A voice that sounded like it belonged to a colt came from the branches above. It was accompanied by a slight rustle.

"Um, hello?" Tempo called up.

Silence.

"Hi," came the eventual, yet quiet, answer.

After looking down at the satchel, Tempo asked, "Is this yours?"

More silence.

"Yeah."

Tempo took a few more steps around the tree, hoping to see whoever was talking. "Do you want it back?"

"Yeah."

"All right." Tempo meticulously placed each paint jar and brush back in the satchel, then closed the latch. She picked it up in her mouth, then considered the situation.

Tempo set it down again. "I don't think I can throw this very high and I can't lift anything with my magic yet." She paused. "Can you come down and get it?"

After a short while, he spoke in a soft voice, "Actually, you can keep it."

"But you wanted it back. It would be stealing if I took it. I think. Besides, I already have paint and the brushes are too big." She thought. "Are you stuck?"

More rustling. "No."

Tempo still couldn't see him in the branches. "Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Then come down here and get it."

The colt was quiet again. Tempo glanced to the side to make sure the world was still moving.

"You still there?" she called.

"Yeah."

Tempo wasn't sure what to say or do.

"Hang on," the colt said. "Um, can you not look?"

"What?"

"I'm coming down, but you can't look."

"Uh... okay." Tempo left the satchel next to the tree's trunk and walked a few steps away. She sat down and closed her eyes.

Above and behind her, she heard a series of rustles. "Are you looking?"

Eyes still closed, Tempo turned her head towards the voice. "You told me not to." She turned away again.

She heard wings flapping, followed by hooves touching down. A muted clinking signaled what she assumed was the colt picking up the satchel.

The world slowed to a stop, its sounds fading away to nothing. Tempo had the perfect chance to turn around, to see what this mystery colt looked like. In the frozen instant, she wondered how he might appear. Tempo could find out, turn back around, and he would never know. The colt would think she didn't know, and she would. It would be her secret, forever.

It would make her a bad pony to the colt who had asked very nicely and also very quietly. She shook her head and the world started up again.

"You didn't look," he said behind her.

Ears back more out of annoyance than trying to listen, Tempo repeated herself, "You told me not to!" The world slowed slightly before resuming its usual pace.

"I didn't think—I mean, thank you." His hoofsteps moved near the tree.

"So can I look now?"

His walking stopped. Then a single, hesitant step. "Do you want to look?"

Tempo frowned. "Yeah. That's why I asked. I want to at least see you."

"Oh." He took more steps. "Well... I guess you can look."

Tempo stood up and turned around, keeping her eyes closed. "Are you sure?"

"No. But... you asked nicely, so you can look."

A pang of guilt stabbed through Tempo's stomach. If she had looked before, he would be saying the exact same thing.

The colt spoke up, "I said you can look."

Tempo peeked her left eye open. She saw the tree, with the face of a brown colt sticking out from behind it. Tempo opened her eyes fully. A short teal mane sat on top of his head, matching the shorter tail poking out the other side of the trunk.

A light brown spot sat on his face, just above his snout, as did light spots atop his ears. His yellow eyes met Tempo's rose ones.

"Um," Tempo said. "Hi. Thanks for letting me look?"

"You're..." He looked down then up at her again. "you're welcome."

"I'm Tempo Reprise, by the way." She took a step towards him.

He took a step backwards behind the tree so she could only see one of his eyes. A brown hind leg appeared on the other side. "That's a nice name. Hi, Tempo Reprise."

"So." Tempo intentionally looked to the side. In the edge of her vision, she could see him relax and inch out. "What's your name?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm..."

Tempo waited, then very intentionally looked away. "You're?"

"D-Dapple. Dapple Coat."

Tempo looked at him. "Dapple Coat? That's a nice name, too."

Dapple's head poked out farther. "You think so?"

She could see more light spots on his neck, in addition to the satchel hanging from it. "Oh! Do you paint?"

"Yeah!" Dapple's face brightened for the first time since they'd met. "Do you?"

"I paint my figurines," Tempo said, turning her cutie mark to face him. "I mean, I sculpt them first, then I paint them."

His eyes went to Tempo's flank for a second. "That's nice. I was just about to start a painting of some leaves when..." He looked up. "Oh, the canvas is still up there. I should go get it. Tempo, can you..."

"Hm? Oh yeah! Right! Okay." Tempo turned around, sat down, and closed her eyes.

She heard the flapping of wings, followed by the leaves rustling. A moment later, Dapple touched down again. Tempo heard a wooden frame get set down.

Turning her head, Tempo asked, "Can I look again now?"

Dapple's hooves shuffled on the grass. He took a deep breath. "Um. I think... Yeah... but only if you promise not to stare."

Opening her eyes, Tempo turned around. Ahead of her, Dapple stood with his side to her. Tempo could see that he was tall for a foal, lanky even, and covered in large light brown splotches. As much of his torso was light as it was dark. The splotches ran down both his forelegs and even onto his wings. She had never seen a pony colored like that before.

Tempo's mouth hung open as she stared.

She clamped her eyes shut and turned away. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Dapple shuffled his hooves again. "It's okay. I said you could look. I just... I don't like being looked at, that's all. I came out here because nopony else ever does. It's a good chance to paint plants and rocks without being seen. But you were nice to me and let me have my paint back, so I thought it would only be fair to let you look."

Slowly opening her eyes, Tempo kept her head turned away enough for Dapple to stay at the edge of her vision. "Mom makes suits and dresses. She can sew something so ponies don't have to look at you."

"That's really nice of you, but I really hate how clothing feels. Dad says it's some kind of condition."

"Oh. That's too bad." Tempo paused. "Well, thanks for letting me look. Even though I don't see what the big deal is. And for talking to me."

"Actually..." Dapple shifted his weight. "I live right over there." He motioned his wing to the lone house at the edge of town. "Do you want to hang out for a bit? I can show you some of my paintings. You can stare at those all you want."

Tempo turned towards him, making a conscious effort to look away from his spots. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like to see them."

The house's foyer was pretty big, in Tempo's opinion. Like the Boutique, it was two stories tall, but its ceiling was pretty high and even bigger sideways. A lot of it was made of wood. It looked fancy. She thought Mom would like it.

"Dad, I'm home!" Dapple called. There was no response. "He must be busy drawing," he explained.

With a few flaps, Dapple flew up to the balcony above. He landed, then looked back down. "Oh. My room's upstairs."

Tempo looked up at Dapple, then looked away from Dapple and at the stairs. "Coming," she said.

She climbed the stairs, noting the photographs on the walls. All of them were of buildings. One or two were fancy cloud structures. None of them looked familiar.

Tempo reached the top and did her best to follow Dapple without looking at him. He opened a door and walked in.

Following him, Tempo looked around. The bedroom was bigger than hers and her parents' combined. A series of oil paintings hung on the walls. There was one of a leaf, one of a plain suitcase, one empty jar, one close-up of a stream, and more. Some were better-painted than others, but they all impressed her.

Dapple set down the satchel and small canvas. He pointed out a painting of a wispy cloud hanging on the wall. "I painted this one last week. What do you think?" Every tiny bit of vapor was represented on the canvas.

She looked it over. "This is amazing! I've never seen a painting like this." Tempo hadn't seen many paintings in general. She turned to him. "How long did this take?"

He shrunk back from her gaze.

Tempo turned away and looked at the floor. "Sorry, sorry."

"Took me about three hours," Dapple's voice said.

She looked back at the painting on the wall. "Wow, it takes me all week to make something. Well, most of that's school. And homework." Looking around at the other paintings, Tempo asked, "How come these are all of little things?"

He took a few steps. "Well, I like to paint lots of little details. I think it's really fun. But... big things have a lot more details and that's kinda scary to think about having to do."

"That makes sense. Think you'll ever paint something bigger?"

"I've..." A hoof shuffled. "Actually, I've always wanted to try painting a pony. But Dad's too busy drawing all the time to hold a pose. And I don't like anypony else to look at me."

Tempo pondered. "You could paint yourself?"

"But then ponies would see me all the time! I can't let that happen!" He hesitated. "I could paint... what about you?"

"Me? Wouldn't I have to look at you?" She tilted her head, her eyes still on the walls.

"You looked already. Maybe... try looking at me again."

Tempo turned to see him. Dapple stood straight up, his wings half-extended and trembling.

As she watched, his wings fell and his legs buckled. She turned away. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Uh, if I have Dad put up a curtain I think I could do it. Maybe I can paint just part of you, then if it's okay I can try all of you." Tempo heard him stand up again.

"What about my face?"

"No, that's too many details to start with. It'll take too long." He paused. "I can paint just your eye."

"My eye?" Tempo blinked a few times. "Well, all right." She looked out the window. "But I should be getting home. Mom'll get worried if I'm away for too long."

"Oh. Yeah. Can you come back tomorrow, then?"

Tempo walked towards the door. "Tomorrow. I promise."

Entering the Boutique, Tempo saw Mom still with her rear to the door and her nose in her work.

"Mom?" she asked. "I'm back."

Without looking, Mom said, "Ah, yes. Did you have fun?"

"Uh-huh!" Tempo nodded. "I hung out with somepony for a while."

"You did?!" Mom turned around so quickly, the glasses fell off her face. "Who was it?" She shuffled some papers around and produced a large envelope in her magic. "Let me guess, it was that delightful little Opal filly. You know, the unicorn with that stylish mane. I knew you two just needed a little more time together."

Tempo shook her head. "Nope!"

Mom's eyes went to the envelope again. "Ah, then perhaps the orange earth filly..."

"Uh-uh!"

"Then whomever did you stay with?"

"His name's Dapple Coat."

Mom paused, then searched through her envelope before lowering it.

"Who?"

Minor Reassurances

Rainbow touched down outside the Boutique and opened the door. Ahead, Rarity was busy sorting out her business stuff.

"Hey, babe, I'm home."

"Rainbow," Rarity said, "Tempo's said she spent time with somepony today."

"Awesome!" Rainbow bounced over. "Who is it? It's not that Opal kid, is it? I don't think she'd be a good fit for Tempo."

"She says his name is Dapple Coat."

Tilting her head, Rainbow asked, "Who?"

"My thoughts exactly. I've never heard of any foal by that name." Rarity shoved some paperwork around. "And I really must untangle this mess so I can't ask her about her new friend. If this Dapple Coat turns out to be a bad influence, it'd be even worse than no friend at all!"

Rainbow saluted. "Got you loud and clear, babe. I'll talk to her."

After planting a kiss on her cheek, Rarity said, "Thank you so much. Also I'd like it if you made dinner tonight."

"Sure, sure." Rainbow laughed. "Hope you want salad, though."

She turned and walked up the stairs. Checking at the door to Tempo's room, she saw her daughter busy with her homework. Rainbow couldn't help but smile at the irony.

"Hey, kid," she said, letting herself in, "can you take a break?"

"Rainbow!" Tempo hopped off the chair and gave her mother a hug. "How was your practice?"

"Ow. Real intense. Kinda sore." She pried Tempo off of her. "Rarity tells me you made a friend today."

"A friend?" Tempo thought for a moment. "I guess he's my friend." She looked up at Rainbow. "But you and Mom weren't there, so I don't know if it counts."

"What? It totally counts! His name's Dapple Coat, right?" Manifesting all the subtlety she could, Rainbow asked, "Soooo, how old is he?"

"I dunno," Tempo said. "He looked about as old as the ponies you and Mom made me meet."

"Cool, cool. That's good." She spun her hoof in a circle. "Is he uh, a pegasus, a unicorn, an earth pony, a griffin, a hippogriff... a kirin? Is there another kirin family in town I don't know about?"

Tempo giggled. "He's a pegasus."

Rainbow lay on the ground. "So what's he like?"

"Well..." Tempo settled down under her wing. "He likes to paint, like, paintings. But only of little stuff. He's pretty quiet, but I kinda like that. I looked at him a few times."

Rainbow didn't quite understand what she meant. "A few times? I mean, what's he look like?"

"Oh." Tempo's eyes roamed the room. "I don't think he'd want me to say how he looks. He's a nice pony and I don't want to make him mad at me."

"Yeah. Don't want to make your new friend mad. He does want to be your friend, right?"

Tempo paused. "I don't know. I've never had a friend before. He said I was nice."

Rainbow stood up and rubbed Tempo's mane. "Then it sounds like you do have a friend now. But it's up to you to make it work, all right? Friendship can be hard sometimes, but it's always worth the effort."

Squirming out from under her mother's hoof, Tempo said, "You sound like Aunt Twilight."

"Ha! Well, she knows a lot about that kind of thing." She headed towards the door. "Your schoolwork's worth the effort too, so finish that up. Dinner's on me tonight."

Rainbow closed the door and made her way down the stairs. "Well," she told Rarity when she reached the floor, "I got a little more info out of her. He's a pegasus her age who likes to paint. And I'm about sixty percent sure he isn't imaginary."

"Having physical friends is always a bonus. Though I checked every list Twilight gave us and I cannot for the life of me find any colt named Dapple Coat in town." Rarity turned to Rainbow. "Where ever did she find this pony?"

Walking up next to her, Rainbow said, "You know what? I think I know how to find out."

The next day, Rainbow stood at the door to the sizable house. She recalled it being built a couple years ago, but had no idea who lived in it. It looked expensive, in any case.

She looked over. "This is the place, right?"

"Yup." Tempo nodded at her side.

Rainbow spotted a chain and handle hanging next to the door and gave it a tug. On the other side of the door, a series of bells chimed.

Before too long, Rainbow saw a shape move on the other side of the frosted glass window and the door opened. A dark purple pegasus stallion with a brown mane opened the door. Tempo shifted a little closer to her mother.

"Good afternoon," the stallion said, "can I help you?"

"Hey," Rainbow answered, "this might sound a little weird, but does a colt named Dapple Coat live here?"

"As a matter of fact, he does. But why do you ask? I can't imagine he's gotten into any trouble." He laughed.

"Nah, my kid Tempo Reprise here met him yesterday and I figured I'd tag along, you know?" Rainbow smiled.

The stallion leaned down to match Tempo's height, prompting her to back up a step. "Tempo Reprise! So you're the filly my little Dap won't stop talking about!" He stood up. "Come in, come in!"

After they entered, he closed the door behind them. "I'm Rafter Span."

"Rainbow?" Tempo trotted in front of her. "Can I go see Dapple? I mean, talk to him?"

Rainbow rubbed Tempo's mane. "If it's all right with his dad, go right ahead."

Motioning up the stairs with a wing, Rafter said, "He's in his room."

"Okay. He's going to paint my eye today!"

Tempo galloped upstairs.

Rainbow paused. "Does she mean her eyelid, or...?"

She heard Tempo knock on his door. "Dapple? It's me." A pause. "All right, I'll close my eyes." The door opened and closed.

"I'm Rainbow Dash, by the way," she told Rafter. "And that was Tempo."

Rafter walked towards another part of the house. "A pleasure to meet you both. Here, let's talk in the study."

Following him through the hallway, she marveled at how nice everything looked. "Quite the place you got here. It just you and the kid?"

"Ever since Swift Flank, my older colt, moved to New Cloudsdale last year."

They arrived in what Rainbow assumed was the study. Bookshelves lined three of the walls, with the fourth taken up by large cubbies stuffed with enormous scrolls. One of those scrolls was spread out on the large desk. On it, pencil lines made out the shape of a tall building.

Sitting on a plush-looking chair, Rafter motioned for Rainbow to sit on another. "Swift's finishing his performance flight school there. He hopes to apply for the Wonderbolts soon."

Rainbow sat down on the very comfy chair. With a smile, she said, "I'm a Wonderbolt myself, so I'll have to keep an eye out." Quickly, she followed up, "Though I'm not allowed to play favorites or anything." She looked around. "So what do you do to afford all this, if you don't mind?"

"Ah." Rafter motioned at the desk. "I'm an architect. Not to toot my own horn, but I like to think I'm one of the best. After the incident ten years ago, ponies like me were in incredibly high demand. Lemons into lemonade, you know. A lot of very rich businessponies needed some very expensive buildings in a very short amount of time. I easily made enough to retire, though I still take on the odd job here and there to keep myself busy."

"Ah, yeah." Rainbow coughed. "That was a rough time. Had the kid during that."

"Is it just you and her back home?"

Rainbow waved a wing. "Tempo's my only foal, but I live with my wife, Rarity, too. She was too busy with work to come by. Kind of a shame; she'd love this place."

Smiling, Rafter said, "Thank you. I designed it myself."

"So..." Rainbow rubbed her hoof against her side. "Not to uh, be a jerk, but... what's the deal with Dapple?"

Rafter looked down. "Dapple's a good, sweet colt. But he has a very rare coat pattern. His splotches bother him to a degree I can't understand. I tell him he looks great, but the poor colt just won't believe me."

He looked up again, gazing out a small window nearby. "Dapple won't stand in front of a camera, much less any ponies outside his family." He shifted his weight in his chair. "I have to homeschool him myself. Your daughter's the first other pony he's ever spent any real time with. And even then, he says she still has to look away for him to be comfortable."

He sat up. "But I'm really grateful. This is the happiest he's been in a long time."

"Oh no no." Rainbow waved her hoof. "Tempo's not good with ponies, either, so I'm super glad she found a friend. You have no idea. Even if she can't actually look at him. Not the weirdest thing I've seen."

Rainbow got to her hooves and stretched out. "But this is a big load off my mind. Nice talking to you."

"You both are welcome anytime. If you don't mind, I should get back to this." Rafter relocated to the desk.

Rainbow made her way up to Dapple's room. "Hey, Tempo, it's time to go home."

She opened the door. Inside, she got a full view of a splotchy brown colt with a short teal mane. Dapple's eyes locked on hers and he scrambled backwards, losing his balance.

Tempo ran up and slammed the door in Rainbow's face. "No looking!" she shouted from the other side.

Rainbow blinked. It was the first time her daughter had ever closed a door on her like that.

"Uh—"

"It's the rule! No looking!"

Glancing to the side, Rainbow said, "Right. Sorry. Tell him I'm sorry."

Hoofsteps approached the door before a soft voice answered, "It's okay. But please don't look again."

"I guess you're Dapple Coat. Hey, I'm Tempo's mom."

Dapple said, "I thought your mom was a unicorn."

Tempo's voice replied, "Mom is a unicorn. But this is Rainbow. She's my mom, but she's not Mom."

A second of silence. "I don't get it."

"Anyways," Rainbow said, "it's time to go home."

"Aww," Tempo whined, "but he just started painting. Can I stay here? Please?"

Rainbow wasn't sure where to look, considering it was just the door in front of her. "Well, if it's that important for your friendship... all right, but be home before sundown, okay?"

"Okay! Come on, Dapple, let's get back to painting."

"It was nice to talk to you, Miss Rainbow," he said.

"Dapple," Tempo said, "it's just 'Rainbow'." She trotted away from the door. "So I sit like this, right?"

"Uh-huh. Hold still and don't open your eyes yet." Dapple's hoofsteps walked away.

"All right, so Rainbow's my mom. And Mom's a unicorn... no, no, Rainbow's a pegasus..."

Rainbow turned away and headed down the stairs.

"Good luck explaining the difference between Aunt Fluttershy and Aunt Sweetie Belle, kid."

Rainbow was finishing up her late afternoon flight when she spotted Tempo walking home, a paper bag in her mouth.

She landed between her daughter and the front door. A glance to the western horizon confirmed the deadline. "I'd say about half an hour late, kid. Gotta learn to watch the clock."

Tempo set the bag down. "Sorry, Rainbow, it took a while to dry. But look! Dapple made me this!"

With the rustling of paper, Tempo pulled out a painting. Looking at it, Rainbow saw that the small canvas held a close-up of Tempo's left eye.

"Well, that's... something," Rainbow said. She looked closer. "Actually, lemme see that."

She took the canvas from Tempo, then held the painted eye up next to her daughter's real one. "Hey, that's pretty good! Your friend's got some talent." Putting it back in the bag, she said, "We gotta show this to Rarity, come on."

Tempo followed Rainbow inside, where Rarity was engrossed with a stack of papers.

"Hey Rarity," Rainbow said, "want to see what Dapple painted?"

"Mm," Rarity responded, "I'm sure it's very nice."

Rainbow thought for a second.

"Hey babe, I got Tempo's eye in a bag, check it out!"

"It's super gross!" Tempo added.

"I'm sure it is," Rarity said, not looking up.

Glancing between them, Rainbow said, "All right, how about we hang it on your wall. That way you can see your eye whenever you want. Rarity can see it too when she goes in your room, but she's pretty busy right now."

"It's okay that Mom's always busy," Tempo said with a smile. "I have lots of fun with you, Rainbow."

Rarity froze. Tempo looked over at her.

Rainbow opened her wing both to block Tempo's view and scoop her towards the stairs. "All right, kid, let's head upstairs and take care of that painting."

"But why did Mom—"

Pushing her daughter along, Rainbow said, "Upstairs, let's go." She glanced back at her wife as she escorted Tempo up.

Rainbow tilted the painting a smidge to the left.

"There!" Tempo said.

After landing, Rainbow took a step back. "Perfect. Now you'll always be watching for bad guys in your room."

Tempo looked up at the painting. She scratched her chin. "I should make him something."

Rainbow walked between her and her sculpting bench. "If he's making a painting of you, how about you make a sculpture of him?"

"Noooo," Tempo whined. "He doesn't like being looked at, and he doesn't want a sculpture that looks like him, either."

"Oh yeah, sorry." Rainbow glanced at the shelves full of little figurines. "Anypony else he'd want?"

"I know!" Tempo went to her desk, opened the art history book she'd gotten for her birthday, and flipped through the pages, stopping on a photo of a pegasus mare. "Here! Feather Brush, one of the big important painters from a long time ago. Dapple said he was a big fan of her work. I can make a sculpture of her!"

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

Sitting down at her bench, Tempo looked over the Abyssinian clay.

Flashing one more smile towards her daughter, Rainbow walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. She slowly walked down the stairs to where Rarity was hunched over her work, unmoving.

Rainbow approached her wife. "Rarity?"

"You heard her!" Rarity stood bolt upright. "You're her favorite!"

"Calm down, Rarity, that's not what she said." Rainbow laid her wing across Rarity's back.

Gripping Rainbow's wing with her magic like it was a blanket, Rarity went on, "She said it herself. She has more fun with you than with me. When Sweetie Belle was born, Mom and Dad gave her so much attention that I thought should have been mine. I was so jealous of Sweetie Belle. And now fate has decreed that I must be jealous of you!"

Rainbow tried to ignore how much getting her feathers tugged on hurt. "It's not that bad, babe."

Rarity released the wing and turned to look Rainbow in the eyes. "Which of your parents is your favorite, Rainbow? If you had to choose: your mother or your father?"

"I... uh..." Rainbow shook her wing out.

"Exactly! You can't decide! I can't decide!"

Rainbow glanced up the stairs, half-expecting to see Tempo's face looking down them.

Rarity paced back and forth, trodding on the loose papers. "Tempo did decide. I've been trying so hard to salvage my business that I've lost my daughter. What a sick joke it is that she calls me Mom, when you're more of a mother to her than I'll ever be."

"Rarity..."

"That's what she'll tell her friend: You're her mother, and I'm just some strange mare that lives in her house with her papers. 'Oh yes', he'll say, 'you sure love your one and only mother.' Her friendship is such an important part of her development and I don't even know what he looks like!"

Rarity pressed her face against Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow felt the moisture soaking into her fur.

"If it makes you feel any better, he likes it that way. I only got a glimpse myself."

"Tempo can take him on a trip through time! All over the history of Equestria, witnessing the greatest feats in pony history. But she'll have to stop time when she visits me to let her remember who I am. But not to worry, she'll let you come along. Maybe she'll alter history to make me unnecessary entirely!"

Rainbow blinked. "Rarity, babe, she's not going to do that."

Rarity looked up, her mascara running down her face. "How do you do it, Rainbow? How do you always know what to do, what to say to her?"

Smiling, Rainbow answered, "The secret is, I just make it up as I go along. Tempo loves us, both of us. That makes her easy to please." She looked up the stairs.

"Why don't you give it a shot?"

Foals' Ambitions

Tempo's brow was furrowed in concentration. There was a beautiful sculpture somewhere in that lump of clay, one that Dapple would love to see. Designs and poses flickered through her mind, all competing to be the one that would take physical form.

She sketched a few more candidates on the nearby sheet of paper. Some smudges marked where Tempo had changed her mind.

Looking back at the clay, some possibilities floated through her mind's eye. Most involved Feather Brush and a canvas. She wondered if adding a smock would be appropriate. A palette would be likely, but she was unsure where to put it.

The sound of her door opening interrupted her train of thought.

"Tempo?" Mom asked.

Tempo looked up and turned around to see Mom in the doorway. She wasn't holding herself as high as she usually did.

"Mom? Is something wrong?"

Mom's eyes went to the wall. "Oh, is that the painting your friend made? It looks lovely, I must say. The spitting image of you."

Tempo looked at the painted eye. "Uh-huh! Rainbow put the nail in the wall and hung it up for me."

"I can imagine. It's high up and you can't levitate things yet." Mom cleared her throat. "Are you, ah, busy with that?"

Glancing back at the clay, Tempo answered, "Yeah, but you're here so I can wait."

Mom grimaced and looked away.

Tempo shrunk in her chair. "Did—did I say something bad?"

"No!" Mom swept forward, grabbing Tempo and locking her into a hug. "You didn't do anything wrong, Tempo. You didn't do anything wrong. You're a wonderful, marvelous filly and I love you more than anything else in the world."

Tempo squirmed, but Mom's grasp was beyond her ability to break. Thankfully, the hold was released before Tempo ran out of air.

Mom lay on the floor and patted the ground next to her. Dutifully, Tempo lay at her side.

Looking over at her Mom said, "I know I've been terribly busy, and I haven't been able to spend much time with you recently. I am happy that Rainbow is there when I can't be. However, I have an idea. Tempo, you can say no, but if you wouldn't mind... may I... do some of my paperwork in here? With you, while you sculpt? I could bring in a table."

Tempo looked around. "Yeah, that's okay. There's room over there."

"Thank you so much. Tempo, I promise I'll change. I'll become the Mom you deserve." Tears swelled in her eyes.

Tempo looked up at her face. "But I don't want you to become a different Mom. Please don't turn into another pony. I want you to stay my Mom, no matter how busy you are. I love you, Mom."

"Y-you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that!"

Mom's foreleg raised up and came down on Tempo's shoulders, pinning her to the floor. Tempo's hooves scrabbed against her bedroom floor to no avail. She felt wet spots on her neck. Tempo wiped it with her hoof to see a blue-gray mixture.

"Eww! Mom! Your makeup's coming off! You're getting me dirty! It's not bathtime yet! Moooom!"

"All done!" Tempo announced.

Mom looked up from her papers. "Let me see." Her magic levitated Tempo's homework over to her, where she looked the pages over. "Everything appears to be in order." She returned Tempo's homework to the desk.

"Can I go to Dapple's house now?"

"So long as you inform Rainbow and are home before dinner, you may."

Tempo cheered and galloped out of her room. On the way out of the Boutique, she called, "Rainbow, I'm going to Dapple's house!"

A faint "All right" from above answered.

She trotted all the way through Ponyville and to the large house at the edge of town. Tempo jumped at the doorbell chain, snapping her jaws at the handle. Unfortunately, despite her efforts, she was too short to reach.

Tempo raised her hoof and knocked on the door instead.

A moment later, Dapple's dad opened it.

"Hello, Mister Span! Is Dapple home?"

"Of course, he's in his room." Dapple's dad stepped aside.

Tempo galloped up the stairs. "Thanks, Mister Span!"

She rapped on the bedroom door. "Hey, Dapple! Can I come in?"

"Tempo?" he answered. "Just a second... all right."

She trotted inside. "Dapple, guess what?" she asked the curtain hanging across the corner of the room.

Not waiting for an answer, she said, "Mom and Rainbow loved the painting!"

"They did?" Dapple's face poked out around the curtain. Tempo made sure to look to the side.

"Yes!" She bounced in place. "Rainbow hung it in my room and everything!"

"That's good."

"You said you wanted to paint the rest of me, right? Can you? Please please please?" Tempo walked up to the black curtain hiding his body from view.

Dapple shifted his weight. "Well... I do really want to try it. But I noticed the lighting in here isn't very good. I'd have to paint you somewhere else."

Scratching her chin, Tempo said, "Um, the front hallway had a lot of light. Can you paint me there?"

"We should look." Dapple took a step towards the door, then hesitated.

Tempo walked ahead of him, leaving his room and going downstairs.

She heard Dapple walk up behind her. "It gets pretty bright in here when we light the chandelier. Here."

Dapple walked up to a small lever on the wall next to the front door. Out of the corner of her eye, Tempo saw him push it up. A flash of magic shot up the wall, across the ceiling, and down the chandelier. Seconds later, the dozens of candles on it were lit. Even with the sunlight outside, there were enough candles to noticeably add to the room.

"It's pretty bright after dark," Dapple explained. "But it's a lot of candles, and ever since I learned how to fly, Dad makes me replace them all when they get low. It takes forever."

Tempo looked up at it, trying to imagine replacing every single candle on it, even with what magic she'd someday have. Dapple pulled the lever down again. Another flash of magic extinguished the flames.

Dapple said, "But it is pretty good lighting. I think we could do it here."

Looking around, Tempo spotted a light couch, or as Mom called thiers, a camelback. "Here, Mom likes to lay on these." She hopped up, flopped onto her side, and stretched her hind hooves back as far as she could while her forehooves reached for the other end. She raised her snout to the ceiling.

"Like this. And then she talks about her dresses. 'Oh my beautiful designs are unappreciated! This is the worst thing ever, Tempo!'" She glanced down at Dapple before remembering herself and looking away.

Dapple walked up to her. "You want me to paint your stomach?"

"Well..." Tempo looked at her body. "I guess that'd be pretty boring. How about..."

Tempo rolled onto her belly. She crossed her forelegs and let her left hind leg dangle off the side. Looking back, she flicked her tail a few times until its tip hung next to her leg. She then set her head on her forelegs, facing it towards Dapple, keeping her eyes away.

"Here. I saw this in one of Mom's magazines and thought it was nice."

Dapple paced for a bit, looking at her from different angles. His eyes went from her face to her chest, then to her cutie mark, her tail, and finally to her hanging hoof.

"That's... a lot of detail." Dapple took a breath. "Let me get an easel."

After a few minutes' work, Dapple was mixing colors on the sizable palette propped up next to the large easel. As Tempo sat on the couch, she couldn't help but glance between the colors of the paint and her natural coloration. Although the sizable canvas blocked Tempo's view of him, spotted brown legs still walked to and fro beneath it. Occasionally his tail or rump appeared on one side.

Dapple's head poked out the side of the canvas. "I think I'm ready to start. Can you lay down?"

She eagerly laid down and put herself in the proper pose. Tempo was getting a great painting made of her and she was going to make Dapple a figurine of Feather Brush. She shivered in anticipation, kicking her loose leg.

"Are you okay?" Dapple asked.

"Sorry." Tempo held more still, pointing her eyes at the wall.

The motion of Dapple's legs caught her attention again. The spots running up his forelegs were obvious from her angle. She wondered if he knew she could see them. She wondered if she should say something. Tempo looked at the wall again. She busied her mind with the figurine she was making, a tiny pony and easel forming in her thoughts.

Dapple was going to love it.

"Tempo, slow down, you'll make yourself sick."

Tempo looked up at Mom. She set the cinnamon roll back on her plate and chewed the one still in her mouth.

"Srry, js wntd—"

She felt a wing tap her side. "And don't talk with your mouth full," Rainbow said.

Tempo swallowed, and gave Rainbow a sheepish smile.

Smiling back, Rainbow said, "You must be excited to start your weekend. Let me guess, Dapple's place?" She took a bite of her own roll.

Mom chimed in, "It is nice to know you two are getting along so well."

"Uh-huh," Rainbow said through her roll.

Tempo jabbed Rainbow's side with her hoof. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

Rainbow finished chewing before swallowing her bite. "You got me there, kid. But you should finish your breakfast before you go to Dapple's." She shoved the rest of the roll in her mouth.

"I'm going to paint his figurine first. He said he's going to finish the painting today so I gotta surprise him when he's done. We're gonna surprise his dad too when he gets home tomorrow. He's in Dodge Junction to help them figure out a new building. Dapple made him promise not to look at the painting until it's done."

"Ah, yes," Mom said, "the painting your friend's been working on with you all week. What did you say its subject was, again?"

"That's a surprise, too! I'll show you when it's done. You'll both think it's really great."

"I'm sure we will," Mom replied. "But until then, you should eat like Rainbow..." She looked at the mare whose mouth was overfilled. "You should eat like I am."

It took only two more rolls before Tempo's hunger was satisfied.

She set her forehooves on the table. "All full! Can I go paint now?"

Mom looked at her. "You may resume your craft when you have wiped your mouth clean."

Rainbow looked over and grabbed a napkin. "Or I'll do it for you."

"Oh, yeah?" Tempo stood up.

"C'mere and take what's coming to ya." Rainbow smiled.

Tempo ran away.

She darted to and fro in the Boutique, but Rainbow hovered in front of her at every turn, wielding the dreaded napkin.

The front door opened. Tempo turned to look. In an instant, Rainbow had her pinned to the ground. "Gotcha!"

"Nooo!" Tempo squirmed on her back as the horrible napkin swept across her face.

Rainbow stood up, her hind legs astride Tempo's body. Wings spread wide, she held the dirty napkin aloft like a trophy.

Then Rainbow turned around. "Sup, Twilight?" She dropped to all fours again, the napkin fluttering to the ground.

Looking up, Tempo saw Aunt Twilight in the doorway.

"Twilight?" Mom asked as she walked into the room. "What are you doing here this early?"

Aunt Twilight sighed. "I'm sorry, but I got another message from Princess Luna. The Nightgrasp is back. He's going to attack Dodge Junction."

Rainbow's groan filled the room. "Again? Has it even been a month?"

Tempo rolled onto her feet and stood up. "Mom? Rainbow? Is it time for you to fight the bad guy again?"

Aunt Twilight kneeled down in front of her. "I'm sorry, Tempo, but you know we have a duty to Equestria. We'll be just fine, I promise."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, head to the next town, blast the Nightgrasp, come home. Why does he even bother?"

Aunt Twilight frowned. "Rainbow, despite how often we've had to defeat him, the Nightgrasp is still very dangerous and we need to take the utmost care in handling him."

With a wave of her hoof, Rainbow said, "Just like every other time. At least it's not on the other end of Equestria tonight."

"Tempo will still get to spend some time with you," Aunt Twilight said, "which I'm certain she'll enjoy."

Mom walked over. "Well, Tempo was planning on painting a figurine for her new friend before spending the afternoon at his house."

"Yup!" Tempo said.

Aunt Twilight's face lit up. "You made a friend? How wonderful! What's his name?"

"Dapple Coat!"

Aunt Twilight tilted her head.

"Who?"

Preparing for the Worst

The sound of the bedroom door closing distracted Rainbow Dash from her very important lounging in the Boutique. Rarity descended the stairs, with a stack of papers in her magical grasp.

Rainbow looked up. "Finished the dumb business stuff?"

"Yes, I have." Rarity reached the bottom step and dumped the papers on the table. "I was hoping to get started on some designs before we had to leave for Dodge Junction. However, it seems that the more frustrated I am, the louder I get. As a result, I have been evicted from Tempo's bedroom."

After a sigh to match her frustration, Rarity said, "I suppose that being a good mother who was a part of her daughter's life was nice while it lasted."

"Come on." Rainbow climbed off the couch and walked over to her wife. "You're still 'Mom' and she still loves you."

Rarity looked at the scattered drawings. "I know. It still feels like I've put far too much responsibility on your shoulders. If you truly are her favorite, at least you've earned it."

"Don't talk like that, babe. You do all the cooking."

"You do the cleaning. And the dishes."

Rainbow snuggled against her. "We both know you get all the spots I miss. And you pull in way more bits than I do. The Wonderbolts might as well be a hobby. And we do both save the world."

"Speaking of, I should tell the Cakes that they're babysitting tonight." Rarity walked towards the door.

"Hey, wait up." Rainbow hurried in front of her, wings spread. "Let me take care of this. You work on those dresses."

Rarity moved to go around. Rainbow moved to block her. "Rainbow, we just talked about responsibility. I insist that I handle this."

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow walked forward until she was nose-to-nose with her wife.

"Indeed," Rarity said, not breaking eye contact.

Rainbow took another step, moving her head to the side so their cheekbones touched. Tilting her snout up, she whispered into Rarity's ear, "You wanted more time with Tempo. You should stay."

"I wanted to be more responsible," Rarity whispered back. "I should go."

"Then I guess I don't have a choice."

Rainbow dropped her head to Rarity's shoulders, planting a kiss. She continued kissing her wife, working her way across the light gray fur and up Rarity's throat. Rarity stumbled back, but Rainbow was undeterred. Her lips found the underside of Rarity's jaw before she finally pulled back.

After one final kiss on the lips, Rainbow turned around and flicked her tail. "Love ya." She launched herself out the door and into the sky.

She chuckled to herself on the way across town.

A short flight brought Rainbow to Sugarcube Corner. The bell above the door jingled as she walked in.

A small pale yellow colt bounced up to her, his pink mane wobbling on his head. "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, Auntie Rainbow! What tasty treat can I get you?"

"Hey, squirt," Rainbow said to Li'l Cheese. "Are Pound and Pumpkin home?"

He looked down at the floor, face screwed up in concentration. His eyes went back and forth. Then he turned around and called, "Mommy, Auntie Rainbow wants to know if Pound and Pumpkin are home!"

Pinkie Pie appeared through the door to the kitchen. In a flash, she closed the distance, swept up Li'l Cheese, and deposited him on her back. "Hey, Rainbow! It's Bring Li'l Cheese to Work Day!"

Every day was Bring Li'l Cheese to Work Day.

Rainbow looked between Pinkie and her son. "Yeah, sure. Are the twins home?"

"I'll check!"

Pinkie trotted up the nearby stairs, Li'l Cheese hanging on like his mother was a mechanical bull.

Moments later, Pumpkin Cake came down the stairs. "Oh it's you. Hang on, I'm working on my mind reading spells."

Pumpkin closed her eyes and put her hoof to her forehead. Her horn lit up. "I'm sensing... that there's a scary monster attacking Equestria... and you need me and Pound to babysit Tempo while you're away... overnight." She opened her eyes. "I get it?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Amazing. You'll be stealing Princess Celestia's secrets in no time."

"Well Pound is off in New Cloudsdale with Dad for the weekend. There's some dumb weather workshop he had to go to. He had to find a 'casual suit' and everything."

Pinkie Pie trotted back down the stairs, Li'l Cheese clinging to her tail. "I couldn't find Pound Cake."

Turning around, Pumpkin told her, "Pinkie, I've told you four times now, he's in New Cloudsdale."

"Oh yeah!" She gasped and looked behind her. "Cheesy, do you know where New Cloudsdale is?"

Li'l Cheese paused, still attached to his mother's tail. "Up?"

"Up!" Pinkie jumped and flicked her tail, launching her son into the air. She caught the giggling toddler and carried him into the kitchen.

Pumpkin blinked. "So yeah. It's just me tonight. But I can handle Tempo no problem."

"Cool. She'll be at her friend's house for most of the day. The big one by itself near the forest, can't miss it. But once Rarity and I head out, you can chill at the Boutique until she gets home. She's supposed to be home by sunset, but she's always late. Give her an hour or two before you go looking for her."

"You got it." Pumpkin turned away. "You wouldn't happen to know the applications of Starswirl's Second Law of Stellar Alignment, would you?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Never heard of it."

"Figures." She ascended the stairs back to her room. "Miss Cheerilee always giving us the hard stuff over the weekends..."

"Thank you!" Rainbow called behind her.

She left Sugarcube Corner and took to the skies again.

Rainbow looped twice, popped up through a hole in the cloud layer, and let herself fall backwards onto its top.

Time passed as the sun soaked Rainbow's belly. If she was going to fight for the ponies of Dodge Junction, it was crucial to be well-rested. As much as she hated to admit it, Twilight was right and the Nightgrasp was dangerous. And a total jerk for keeping her away from her kid.

She shook the thought out of her head. It was time to relax, not time to be mad. Rainbow took a deep breath and let it out. She crossed her hind legs and gently kicked the air. Everything was going to work out. It always did.

After a thorough sunning, Rainbow rolled off the sheet of cloud and glided back home.

She entered the Boutique to find Rarity waiting for her.

"Ah, dearie," Rarity said, "I've been waiting for you to get back. Did you inform the Cakes?"

"Just Pumpkin tonight, actually." Rainbow walked past as casually as she should.

"One moment, dearie." Rarity turned and called up the stairs, "Tempo! Can you be a dear and come down for a minute?"

A few seconds later, the bedroom door opened and their daughter came downstairs. "What is it, Mom?"

Rarity levitated an outfit from behind the table.

Grinning, Rarity said, "Rainbow has decided that she would like to play dress-up today!"

Rainbow looked at the dress. The bright turquoise one with all the gems and frills, of course.

Tempo's laughter over the next half hour made it worth it.

Rainbow, Rarity, and Tempo stood at the train platform. Nearby, Li'l Cheese was crying.

"Mommmyyyyy don't goooooo!" Tears ran down his face as he clinged to his mother.

"I don't wannaaaaa!" Pinkie's face matched her son's.

Rainbow cleared her throat. "So. Kid. We're uh, off to save the day."

"Yup." Tempo was clearly trying to not look at the other mother-daughter separation.

"You got your present for Dapple?" Rainbow looked at the small box at Tempo's feet.

After looking at it for a second, Tempo said, "Oh yeah! I'm going to go straight to his place and finish the painting! You're going to love it!"

"I'm sure we will," Rarity said. "But not as much as we love you." She kissed Tempo's forehead.

Looking across town, Rainbow said, "It's just Pumpkin babysitting you tonight. Be home before sundown so she doesn't worry. Dapple can finish the painting tomorrow if he has to."

"Okay," Tempo whined.

Both of Tempo's parents reached down to hug her. "Don't give Pumpkin too much of a hard time," Rarity said.

"I won't."

Rainbow stood up and walked into the train. She turned and called, "Pinkie, pry yourself away from your kid or you're walking there!"

With great reluctance, Pinkie left her son behind. "I'll miss you!" she cried from the train.

Before long, all the elements of harmony, along with Spike, were en route to Dodge Junction.

Rainbow settled into the seat next to her wife. "Odds of Tempo being home by sunset?" Rainbow asked.

"Negligible," Rarity said.

"The painting's of her, isn't it?" Rainbow looked out the window at the edges of the Everfree Forest going by, the train taking a long circle around it on its way to Dodge Junction.

"She must be there for Dapple to paint it, so that much is clear."

Rainbow settled down, laying her wing across Rarity's back and snuggling their sides together. She felt her wife's chest move as she breathed.

"If he puts half the care into it as the one he did of her eye," Rainbow said, "it'll be quite the portrait. That colt's talented. I wonder if he has a cutie mark yet."

"You couldn't tell?"

"I didn't get a very good look at him."

The landscape went by, with only the quiet conversations elsewhere in the car and the clacking of the train's wheels as background noise.

Rainbow shifted to get more comfortable against the warmth of Rarity's body. "Dodge Junction's pretty close to Ponyville. I wonder why Twilight couldn't teleport us."

"You could ask her."

"I'm too comfy. You ask her." Rainbow set her head on the window sill and closed her eyes.

Rarity stood up.

"Ugh," Rainbow groaned at the sudden lack of a warm, loving pony to lean against. "I didn't mean it." She turned her neck to watch.

Rarity walked over to where Twilight and Fluttershy were sitting. "Twilight, darling," she started, "not to sound ignorant or ungrateful, but Dodge Junction is so close to Ponyville, especially in a straight line through the Everfree. Whatever reason did you have for taking the train instead of sweeping us there with your magic?"

Twilight looked at her. "While it's true that I have enough magical energy to teleport us across such a distance, it would still take several spells to traverse the length of the forest. Sending all of us would significantly deplete my reserves. I would much rather take the train there so I can face him at my full strength."

"You see, Rainbow," Rarity said, turning back to her. "It's strategic. Twilight isn't being lazy at all."

"Hey!" Rainbow said back. "I didn't call her lazy!"

"Yet," Rarity finished with a smile.

Rainbow sighed and looked out the window at the lengthening shadows. "Let's just blast this guy and get back home."

The sun touched the western horizon beyond Dodge Junction.

"Spike." Twilight nodded. "Watch the entrance to the Badlands. Make sure the torches at the gate stay lit and—"

"—yeah yeah, big flame into the air if I see anything." He walked away.

"As for you, Twilight," Applejack said, "I suppose it's time to do your thing."

"Right." Twilight took to the air and flew out over the center of town.

"Here it comes," Fluttershy said, wincing away.

"Creatures of Dodge Junction," Twilight's voice boomed out over the area. "I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, and your town is in danger. Soon, a creature known as the Nightgrasp will attack. Remain calm and get to your homes. Light the brightest lights you can, and do not venture into any dark areas, especially outdoors. Those with the ability to cast light spells..."

"Sounds like she has it memorized by now," Rainbow said as Twilight's warning continued. She turned to Rarity. "What do you think, one repeat or two?"

Rarity scratched her chin. "Dodge Junction is a small town, but she does tend to loop when she sees somepony not paying attention. Remember Baltimare?"

Rainbow chuckled. "Oh, right, the time she went on so long the attack happened during the speech. That was fun."

"I repeat, creatures of Dodge Junction..."

"In any case, I will say this is the only one," Rarity said.

Kicking the dirt, Rainbow said, "Shoot, I was going to bet on one."

Rarity kissed Rainbow's cheek. "Great minds think alike, dearie."

"Can we focus?" Applejack asked. "The sun's just about set and I'd rather not get nabbed by him or one of his friends 'cause you two were getting all kissy-kissy."

"Oh, Applejack," Rarity replied, "you haven't seen us get kissy-kissy."

After a second repeat and matching disappointment from Rainbow and Rarity, Twilight returned to her friends. The last sliver of sunlight disappeared below the horizon.

Twilight took a deep breath and illuminated her horn. Within seconds, her horn was blazing bright, creating a large puddle of light around the group.

"All right," Twilight said, motioning towards the outskirts. "We circle the town, then check the interior. Be on your guard, and stay close."

Rainbow followed Twilight as they started their patrol. She stared into the darkness, looking for any sign of the Nightgrasp.

Only the stars above and the various torches flickered in the night. Time passed as the group moved around the perimeter.

After a slow lap around the town, they returned to their starting point.

Twilight led them through town, down the streets, up and down alleyways. There were no ponies out in the darkness, and no Nightgrasp.

They circled the town again.

And a third time. They found the whistling of the wind, the mutters of indoor ponies, and the creaking of the boughs of the Everfree, but not their foe.

"Where is he?" Applejack was the first to ask.

"Something's wrong," Fluttershy said. "He's never waited this long."

"He's clever," Applejack replied. "You know that. He could be hiding, hoping we leave. Or mess up. Twilight, how's the light holding up?"

"Not a problem. I can sustain this all night if I have to."

Applejack scowled. "You just might have to—what's that sound?!"

The pitter-patter of feet running on dirt echoed in the otherwise silent night.

All six ponies spun to face the source.

"Careful," Twilight said. "It might be a distraction."

Rainbow opened her wings and lowered her stance at the approaching footsteps.

The creature reached the light.

"Spike?!" Twilight said.

"Check his eyes," Applejack ordered. "We don't need a repeat of that mare in Whinnypeg."

Rainbow grabbed Spike's head and started inspecting it.

"Twilight!" Spike struggled in her grasp. "It's Luna... she..."

"Hold still!" Rainbow said, holding his face to Twilight's light. "First I look, then you talk."

"But—"

"Spike," Twilight said, "you know how this works. We need to be sure we can trust you. The rest of you, eyes up. Make sure there's nothing else nearby."

Rainbow looked deep into Spike's eyes, searching for any trace of the Nightgrasp's influence. First his pupils, then his irises, then a close examination of his whites.

She let him go. "He's clear."

Spike staggered a few steps backwards.

"Now what were you thinking?" Twilight asked. "Why were you running through the darkness like that? Don't you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

Spike held up his right hand, which clutched a parchment. "Luna sent this..."

Twilight's magic took the page from him. She looked it over. "It's from Princess Luna all right."

She read it aloud:

Twilight Sparkle,

I have urgent tidings!

I do not know how, but I have been deceived. I swear to you, my vision of the Nightgrasp was in Dodge Junction, but I know now that it was false. The Nightgrasp's attack tonight will fall upon—

Twilight lowered the letter.

"Ponyville."

Pinkie trembled. "Ch... Cheesy?"

Rainbow's and Rarity's eyes locked on each other.

"Tempo!"

Friendship

Tempo watched the train with her parents round the corner and disappear from sight. Nearby, Li'l Cheese's father did his best to console his son.

Leaning over, Tempo picked up her present for Dapple and walked towards town.

A walk soon became a brisk trot, her excitement growing by the step. Passing by a small house, Tempo reminded herself that the present had to wait until Dapple's painting was done.

Before long, she was at his front door. She reached up and knocked three times.

Less than ten seconds later, it opened an inch and Dapple's eye appeared. Upon seeing her, he opened the door the rest of the way, stepping backwards to keep his body hidden.

"Hi, Tempo."

Tempo bounced in. "Hey! Is it time to finish the painting?" She set the package down on the small table next to the door.

"Uh-huh." Dapple cracked a small smile. "But you'll have to hold still for me to get all the details." He glanced at the package. "What's that?"

"It's a surprise! I mean a secret!" Tempo said with a giggle. "A surprise secret! You'll see! Hey, isn't your Dad gone? Where's your babysitter?"

"I don't have one. Because... you know, they'd have to look at me. Dad says I'm responsible enough to have the house to myself if I follow the rules. Go ahead and lay down."

After settling down on the couch, Tempo assumed the same pose she had every previous day. At the edge of her vision, she saw Dapple drag the easel from its spot next to the wall to where it too had been every day.

As he set about mixing the paint, she did her best not to vibrate in anticipation.

Soon Dapple's brush was on the canvas. His head often poked around the edge, and Tempo could see his legs move as he went from area to area.

Outside, the setting sun touched the horizon.

Inside, the bright chandelier provided the only light, the thick clouds blocking the light of the rising moon.

After the light outside had faded completely, Dapple set down his brush and stepped back. "I think I'm done."

Tempo sprang up from the couch like it was a catapult. "Let me see, let me see!" She rushed around to the painted side of the canvas. On it was an image of her, laying on that couch. Every crease of her body, every strand of her mane, the glint in her eyes, all was there in the oil paint.

She gasped. "I love it!" Tempo turned and hugged Dapple tight. Under the unexpected weight, he collapsed to the floor. Standing over him, Tempo said, "Thank you thank you thank you!"

"Y-you're welcome. It was really good practice."

Dapple's body was laid out on the floor, all in Tempo's view. She scrambled back and turned away. "Sorry! I was really excited and I forgot!"

"It's fine."

Her ears dropped. "And... while you were painting... I could see your legs. And all the spots on them. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to bother you. I should have said something. You could have—"

"I know."

Tempo moved her head a little in his direction. "You knew?"

"On the second day of painting, I realized that you could see my legs. But I did my best not to think about it. To think about painting you instead. And... after a while I didn't mind." He took a breath. "I think you can look at me when you need to. For just a little bit at a time." Dapple paused. "I should set this aside to dry."

Dapple carefully returned the easel and wet painting to the corner of the room.

"Oh!" Tempo bounced to the table by the door. "I can give you this now!"

Dapple walked up. "What is it?"

"Your surprise secret present!"

Dapple took the small box and carefully unwrapped it. Then he opened it, lifted out the tiny figurine, and set it on the table. It was a pegasus a few inches tall, a brush in one hoof, and an easel with an incomplete painting in front of her.

"Is that Feather Brush? It's amazing."

"It is! Happy birthday!"

Dapple looked over the figurine. "My birthday's in the winter."

"Sorry! I'm just so excited to finally give you this!" She pranced in place.

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

"You're super welcome!"

Tempo looked out the windows at the darkness. "Uh-oh. I'm pretty late. Pumpkin's gonna be mad. I gotta go. Rainbow and I can pick up the painting tomorrow. Goodnight!" She opened the door and hurried out into the black.

"Good night," Dapple said from the doorway.

Tempo was soon approaching the town. Above, the clouds blocked the light of the moon, with only the occasional beam finding a gap to the landscape below. Lights burned from various windows ahead and a slight breeze brought a chill to her skin.

She heard a shout in the distance.

Steps slowing, Tempo listened.

A distant "Help! Help me!" sounded out from the same direction. Then silence.

The mane on the back of her neck stood up.

Somepony screamed.

Tempo ran towards her home. From around the town, ponies wandered out of their houses. More shouts and screams filled the air, closer to her.

She circled around the growing crowd, only wanting to get home. Tempo approached the other edge of town and the darkness beyond.

Another pony screamed, very close this time.

Just as she rounded a building, an adult stepped out in front of her.

"Hey, little filly, what's the hurry?"

Tempo looked up. In the way was a mare, light pink with a green mane. In the dim light, Tempo saw that instead of normal pony eyes, this mare had inky blackness, with twinkling stars, like holes leading into the night sky. Tempo's blood ran cold at the sight.

Motion behind the mare allowed Tempo to tear her gaze away. Spread across the ground in the broken moonlight was a thick ooze, as black as the eyes of the adult standing in front of Tempo. More screams rung out.

Tempo staggered away from the mare. She noticed tiny stars embedded in the ooze, which shifted as the black mass undulated in the darkness around Ponyville.

"You look lost, you poor thing," the mare said. "But it's okay. There's nothing to worry about. I don't worry anymore, not since I made a new friend. And he's looking for more friends all the time, and one new one in particular."

She leaned down, the stars in her eyes twinkling. "Would you happen to know a filly by the name of... Tempo Reprise?"

Tempo stood stock still, paralyzed with fear. Beads of sweat ran down her sides.

A nearby door burst open and light flooded out. A panicking stallion ran into the night. The mare with the starry eyes recoiled from the light, clamping her eyes shut.

Her legs finally obeying her, Tempo sprinted away through a gap in the ooze. Her hooves pounded the grass as she ran towards the Boutique. Ahead, she could see a small light through the ground floor windows.

As she approached, she saw the ooze sweep ahead and surround her home. Tempo skidded to a stop and stared, rooted to the spot. As she watched, the ooze climbed up the building's sides. She heard the snapping of wood and the top of the structure shifted. The light in the windows went out.

Tempo's mind raced. Her home wasn't safe. The town wasn't safe. The grownups weren't safe. She tried desperately to think of anywhere she could go.

An idea coming to mind, Tempo turned and ran, towards what light remained in town. She panted in the cool air. Concentrating, she cast a light spell on her horn, leaving a tiny pool of light around her as a shield against the darkness and whatever may have been lurking in it.

Just as she reached a building, the same mare as before rounded a corner in front of her. Tempo could see more starry-eyed ponies in the town beyond.

"Now I know you! You're Tempo!" the mare said. "The Nightgrasp would love to meet you. He's my new friend. And he wants you to be his new friend, too."

Tempo held up her horn, casting her light as hard as she could.

The starry-eyed mare slowly shook her head. "Oh, Tempo, you poor dear. That's not nearly bright enough."

The mare lunged at her.

The world stopped.

Tempo's light went out.

The silhouette of the mare hung motionless in the darkness. The ooze was frozen in place. Tempo took a few steps backwards, then ran past her and the other starry-eyed ponies.

She tried to re-cast the light spell, but her horn wouldn't respond. Tempo ran for the only remaining sanctuary she could think of, holding the world in place as long as she could.

Minutes went by as the only thing in the world still moving ran across town. Her strength began to ebb, not from the exertion, but from something else. Tempo's legs stumbled in their attempt to keep her moving.

Unable to hold it back anymore, Tempo let the world start again. Her horn glowed in the night once more.

She reached the door of Dapple's house. Jerking on the handle, she found it unlocked and ran into the dimly lit entryway.

"Dapple! Dapple!" she called between breaths.

His bedroom door opened and his head appeared. "Tempo? What's wrong?"

"I don't know! There's ponies with stars in their eyes, and—and there's this goo, and—the light!"

Tempo turned and pushed the lever on the wall. With a flash of magic, the candles of the chandelier lit, flooding the room in bright light. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath, letting her own light spell go out.

"Dapple," she panted, "please, come out here. Get in the light."

He slowly descended the stairs. "It's a monster attack?"

"One of them said the Nightgrasp's here. The thing Mom and Rainbow and my aunts went to fight."

Tempo walked farther into the room, away from the darkness outside. "And it's really scary and I don't know what to do, but they don't like light. I think we're okay in here. We can stay here."

As she caught her breath, she looked at her shaking foreleg. She'd never stopped the world for that long before. Her strength had returned since she started it, but only a little. Tempo didn't understand.

There was a knock on the door. Tempo jumped at the sound.

"Tempo?" Pumpkin Cake called from the other side. "Are you in there? Something really weird is going on outside and I want to make sure you're safe."

"It's Pumpkin! She'll be okay in here, too." Tempo called back, "I'm here! Just a second!"

She opened the door. Just past the edge of the chandelier's light stood Pumpkin Cake.

"There you are, Tempo!" Pumpkin said. "Come on, let's get you home." The twinkling lights of the chandelier reflected in her eyes.

Tempo's mouth moved for a second before she found the words. "Is it going to be okay?"

"Of course!" Pumpkin smiled. "I won't let the Nightgrasp get you."

Walking to the doorway, Tempo thought to ask. "Where are we going again?"

Pumpkin looked into the darkness and took a few steps. "Your home at the Boutique, of course. You'll be safe there, I promise."

"But the... the goo..." She looked at the back of Pumpkin's head. "Pumpkin... I think we should stay here."

"We don't have time for this, Tempo. Do what I tell you and go home. Now." Pumpkin turned back towards her. Tempo could see the flickering lights of the chandelier still in her eyes. Tempo looked up at the front of the house. She wondered how the lights could reflect in Pumpkin's eyes if it wasn't shining on her.

"P-Pumpkin? Can... can you please come into the light first?"

Pumpkin scowled. "I don't need to play your silly games, Tempo."

Tempo slowly backed up. "I-I'm serious. Just step inside for a second."

Pumpkin paused, then shook her head. "And I was so close."

The whites of her eyes and her irises turned black, leaving only the glittering stars. Tempo's breath caught in her throat.

Behind Pumpkin, starry goo flowed towards the house. Within seconds, the entire lawn was covered. Only the light spilling out the opened door held it at bay.

"You know, Tempo," Pumpkin said, the thick goo oozing around her legs. "The Nightgrasp took all my fears and my worries away." She smiled, her black eyes glittering with stars. "My class, my homework, my babysitting, my brother, everything. I'm not worried anymore. He can take your worries away too, if you'll be his friend."

Tempo couldn't find the words to respond. She stumbled back through the doorway.

"It was worth a try." Pumpkin turned away, effortlessly wading through the starry goo.

Trembling, Tempo got back to her hooves. In the darkness, more starry-eyed ponies approached. She looked between them.

Dapple spoke up, "W-What do we do?"

"I don't know."

Directly ahead outside the door, a shape rose out of the goo, taking the form of a stallion covered in stars. Two bright pinpricks of light appeared where his eyes should have been.

"Tempo Reprise," the pony-shaped goo said in a distant, otherworldly voice. "I have been waiting for so long to finally visit Ponyville, to finally meet the foal of an Element of Harmony. Two Elements, no less. It is an honor to meet you, Tempo. It would be a greater honor to be your friend."

Tempo stood rooted to the spot, her whole body shaking.

The Nightgrasp wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to be in Dodge Junction. Tempo was sure that Aunt Twilight said he was in Dodge Junction. Mom and Rainbow and the others went to Dodge Junction to fight him and beat him and save the day.

Tempo didn't understand how any of this could be happening. Mom and Rainbow couldn't save the day if they weren't fighting him.

"I've made lots of new friends tonight," the Nightgrasp went on, "But I want to be your friend most of all."

Silence.

"I went through so much trouble to give us this privacy." The Nightgrasp looked at the Everfree Forest before turning back to Tempo. "A strand of myself, so very thin, stretching so very far, all the way to Dodge Junction, just enough to fool the Princess of Dreams. It was such an effort, but oh so worth it."

The Nightgrasp took a single step forward. "You have such a lovely home, and I searched all through it without finding you. But I did find another new friend. And she told me so much, because that is what friends do. Pumpkin Cake is such a good filly, to share with me like that. I would never have known where to look without her help. I'm very proud of her."

In the darkness, Pumpkin stood tall and puffed her chest out.

He continued, "Be a good filly and become my friend, too, Tempo Reprise. I don't want ponies to worry, and I can make sure you never worry again."

"I-I'm not coming out!" Tempo forced out. "You're a bad guy!"

"That's not a very nice thing to say about your next friend."

"Your friend," the starry-eyed ponies repeated.

The Nightgrasp looked into her eyes. "Just step outside, and I can get to know everything about you."

"No. You're... a bad guy."

The Nightgrasp's eyes went down, just a little. "I am a reasonable pony. I will offer you a deal. Observe."

The wood of the house creaked and groaned. Dapple backed up, wings clamped to his sides, until his rear hit the wall.

Suddenly a cacophony of snapping wood resounded from one end. The crash of falling glass and metal soon accompanied it. A burst of dust came through the hallway in the same direction. As it settled, Tempo could feel a draft blow through. The flames of the chandelier danced in the breeze.

"The kitchen!" Dapple shouted.

"It would be a shame if I had to continue," the Nightgrasp said.

There was a loud thud and the entire house swayed, accompanied by the groaning of wood.

Dapple shouted. Tempo looked over. A large statue by the wall had tipped and was falling towards him.

The world stopped.

Tempo ran over, but she could feel her strength being sapped again. She tried to push the floating statue, but it wouldn't budge.

Fear was frozen on Dapple's face, and Tempo felt weaker by the second.

She pushed her way between Dapple and the wall, then braced her forehooves against Dapple's flank and her hind hooves against the wall. She pushed with everything she had. Dapple slid across the floor.

Tempo fell to the floor as the world started. The statue crashed to the ground and shattered inches away from them both.

She got to her hooves, and found she could barely stand. She licked her lips, trying to get some semblance of moisture in her mouth.

Dapple, laying on his side, looked up at her. "H-how did you do that?"

"I'll..." She gasped for breath, not even caring that she was looking at him. "I'll tell you later."

"I mentioned a deal," the Nightgrasp said, "and you can choose to take it. If you remain there, I will dismantle this beautiful house until the light goes out and I will befriend you both. If you be my friend willingly, if you give me your worries, the colt can keep his."

The groan of wood surrounded the foals. Tempo's eyes got a little wider.

"Step outside, Tempo Reprise," he said. "Step outside and the colt will not become a friend of mine."

She looked back at Dapple, who was still flat on his side next to the pieces of the fallen statue.

"Dapple," she said. "I... Mom and Rainbow are heroes. They do everything they can to save ponies. I need... I need to be like them. I need to be a Big Pony."

"Tempo..." Dapple said.

Tempo stepped towards the darkness, forcing her legs to move.

"You... you have that really nice painting of me. You can look at it all you want. And-and the figurine."

She passed through the door and stopped at the edge of the light outside. "I'm glad I got to be your friend."

Tempo set her hoof in the goo.

Immediately, it sucked her into the darkness. Within seconds, it was up to her chest and she was face to face with the Nightgrasp.

"There," the Nightgrasp said, "was that so hard?"

The goo turned Tempo around towards the house. She could see the starry goo covering it, but it retreated as she watched. One end of the house had been torn away. The clouds broke just long enough for a column of moonlight to illuminate the damage. Shards that used to be cabinets and countertops littered the ground, along with pots, pans, jars large and small, knives, forks, spoons, and other unidentifiable objects.

In the lit doorway she could see Dapple's silhouette.

"Ponies are so predictable," the Nightgrasp said. "Walking into your doom to save another from his. But I am a stallion of my word. Your friend will not be mine. He is free to watch, and to worry."

Tempo felt the cold goo travel up her neck. It turned her back towards the Nightgrasp.

He looked her in the eyes. "Unlike you, my new best friend."

Shouts rang out in the distance. The Nightgrasp turned to face the town.

"Oh? It seems we have company. I've danced to this tune before."

The starry-eyed ponies turned and ran towards town through the goo. Tempo heard more shouting, punctuated by purple magical blasts.

Tempo looked towards the noise. "M... Mom? Rainbow?"

"Hmm," the Nightgrasp said, turning back towards her. "A change of plans then. Yes, this is a better idea."

"W-what are you going to do to them?" Tempo shivered as much as the goo's grip allowed.

"You'll see, little foal. But rest assured, this will not take long."

Minutes passed before Tempo's parents and aunts reached them. The Nightgrasp held Tempo, submerged up to her head, behind himself.

On the other side of the Nightgrasp, Tempo saw the flickering glow of Aunt Twilight's light spell. She heard Aunt Twilight gasping for breath. Aunt Twilight's friends stood by her, themselves breathing heavily.

"Good evening," the Nightgrasp said to them. "Did you enjoy your trip to Dodge Junction?"

"Nightgrasp!" Aunt Twilight shouted. "Release Ponyville from your thrall!"

"What's this?" The Nightgrasp tilted his head. "The Princess of Friendship telling me to not have friends? I'm shocked. And Princess, you look exhausted. Did you teleport all the way here?"

"Where's Tempo!?" she heard Rainbow shout.

The goo shifted, and Tempo was brought around to the Nightgrasp's side. It lifted her up to eye level, still covering her up to her neck.

Her parents and aunts gasped.

"Tempo!" Mom shouted. "Hang on!"

Rainbow stepped forward, but Aunt Applejack raised a hoof to block her. "Keep your head on your shoulders, Rainbow."

Aunt Twilight was visibly straining. She breathed through gritted teeth and beads of sweat ran down her face. The light coming from her horn flickered and dimmed before brightening again.

"Help..." Tempo breathed. She repeated louder, "Help me... Please, help me. Mommy, Rainy. Mommy! Rainy! Help me!" Her eyes filled with tears.

The Nightgrasp spoke, "Now, little Tempo here agreed to be my friend, to let me take her worries away. Would you really make a liar out of this poor, worried filly?"

"Mommy! Rainy!"

"But," the Nightgrasp went on, "I am willing to make a deal. Her worries for one of yours. So, who wishes to save this filly?"

Through her tears, Tempo saw Aunt Applejack turn to Aunt Twilight. "If he gets any of us, we're out of luck."

"We can't let him take her!" Rainbow told Aunt Twilight.

"Well?" the Nightgrasp asked. He moved Tempo forwards a few inches. "Or perhaps you'd rather hear my offer from her lips instead."

"I'll do it," Rainbow said.

"What?!" Aunt Fluttershy replied. "You can't!"

Rainbow jabbed Aunt Fluttershy's front. "What I can't do is leave my daughter! Twilight, you're a smart pony. You'll find a way to beat him without the Elements."

"No!" Mom stamped her hoof. "I'll go. You're more a part of her life. She needs you more than she needs me."

"Rarity, not this again—"

"Rainbow Dash!" Mom screamed. "You are more of a mother to her than I will ever be! You are the light of her life, the one she looks forward to seeing every day, the one she enjoys the company of more than any other pony." She choked up. "Let me... let me do this one thing for Tempo. Let me make her happy."

"Rarity..." Rainbow raised a hoof, then slowly lowered it and closed her eyes. "I love you."

Mom turned to kiss her. "I love you, too, my dear Rainbow."

Mom stepped forward into the goo, which brought her to Tempo's side.

"Excellent," the Nightgrasp said, "excellent. Once you are mine, I will release your child."

Sniffling, Mom looked at Tempo.

"Tempo, my beautiful daughter. You mean more to me than all the world." The goo enveloped her body and climbed up her neck. "I love you, Tempo. So, so much."

She struggled to turn her head. "Tempo, as your mother, I have one last request of you."

Tempo fought to get the words out. "Y... yes, M-Mommy?"

"Turn away. I don't want you to see this." Mom turned back to the Nightgrasp, lowering her head to his. "Please, Tempo. Turn away. Turn away and close your eyes."

Tempo tore her tear-filled gaze away from her mother.

"Now," the Nightgrasp said, "just relax, let the stars fill your mind, and feel your worries drift away."

There was silence. Tempo squeezed the tears from her eyes.

For just an instant, she heard the sound of her mother's horn casting a spell.

There was a loud bang and everything turned a brilliant white. The Nightgrasp screamed.

The goo evaporated and Tempo tumbled to the ground. She looked up, then squinted against the blinding light emanating from Mom's horn. Above, even the cloud layer was lit up. Ahead, a light blue shape rushed towards her.

She felt hooves grab her. Just as she left the ground, Rainbow's grasp slipped and Tempo fell back, rolling and tumbling until she hit a wall.

"How?" The Nightgrasp's voice sounded much fainter.

"Because,"—Mom's voice dripped with contempt—"darling, you dared to come between me and my daughter!"

"Then I'll take her with me!"

Mom's light spell faded. From the side, Tempo saw the ooze rush towards her.

"Now!" Aunt Twilight shouted. "Now!"

Just as the stars filled Tempo's vision, they turned a multitude of hues and burst, obliterating the goo and leaving behind only drifting sparkles, backlit by a brilliant rainbow.

A bit of motion caught Tempo's eye. She saw a small blob of ooze, no bigger than her hoof. It darted away across the ground, towards the Everfree. Her eyes widened at the realization.

The world stopped, with the blinding light of the Elements of Harmony hanging in the air. Tempo got to her aching feet. She stumbled over to the nearby hole in the wall, to the contents of the kitchen that the Nightgrasp had spilled earlier.

Tempo found a large jar.

Dragging her hooves and gritting her teeth, she forced her weakening legs to push the jar towards the frozen blob.

"I'm a Big Pony," she breathed. "A hero like Mom and Rainbow. A Big Pony."

She collapsed next to the blob. Bracing the jar against the ground, she carefully scooped the ooze into it. Holding the jar against her ribs, she methodically screwed the lid on with the last of her strength.

The world started again. The jar bounced off her chest and rolled, coming to rest against the house.

Too weak to move, Tempo could only gasp for breath as the rainbow faded.

"Where'd she go?" a distant voice asked. "There!"

Strong hooves grabbed her. Tempo saw Aunt Applejack's face. "Let's get her in the light, quick."

Tempo found herself being dragged towards the front door of the house, its chandelier still lit.

Aunt Applejack set her down. Immediately, Rainbow grabbed the sides of her head and stared into Tempo's eyes. Her eyes flicked back and forth, desperately searching for something.

Rainbow released her, then instantly locked her into a tight hug. Rainbow's chest heaved as she sobbed.

"She's..." Rainbow choked. "She's okay. She's okay."

Tears fell on Tempo's back.

"Tempo's okay."

Daylight

Rainbow Dash sat on the highest balcony of Twilight's castle, feeling the cold breeze blow through her feathers. Ahead of her, the sun peeked above the horizon, sending light and shadow cascading across Ponyville.

A soft groan behind her got her attention. Immediately Rainbow turned and rushed to the bedside where her daughter was waking up.

"Mm." Tempo's eyes opened. "Rainbow?" She yawned.

"Morning, kid." Rainbow sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

Tempo sat up. "Sore. Hungry."

Rainbow chuckled. "I can help with one of those. Spike took the train home overnight. He's making waffles downstairs now."

She paused.

"We found the jar. Twilight thinks that's him, so good job." She propped her elbows on the bed. "You saved the day. Who knows how long it would have taken for us to figure that out. Or how many more times he'd have tricked Princess Luna."

Looking around, Tempo asked, "Where's Mom?"

"She's looking after the—" Rainbow stopped herself from saying 'victims'. "After the friends. She wanted me to stay here until you woke up."

Tempo looked at Rainbow. "Are they going to be okay?"

"Yeah, of course." Rainbow stood up. "We've dealt with his friends a bunch. Just... not this many at once. The Nightgrasp's magic, it uh... sorta messes up the mind. But they'll be moving around in a few days and ready to go home in about a week and a half. They'll be themselves again before you know it."

"Wait, where's Dapple?"

Rainbow motioned her head towards the door. "He's downstairs. Fluttershy took him to one of the back rooms away from everypony else."

Tempo's eyes widened.

Raising a hoof, Rainbow quickly added, "No no, the Nightgrasp didn't get him. Just his house got damaged and the inspectors will have to make sure it's safe." She rubbed the back of her head. "Our house too. It looks like it got nearly caved in. We'll probably have to tear it down and rebuild it." She paused. "Oh, yeah, you know that painting that Dapple made of you? Rarity got it moved into the castle storeroom. I haven't seen it yet, but she says it's pretty good."

Tempo looked at the sheets covering her body. "I wish I wasn't so scared. I wish I was brave enough to fight like you did. You weren't scared at all."

Rainbow sat at the bedside and took her daughter's hooves in her own. "Tempo. Tempo, I was terrified."

Tempo held her mother's hooves tight. "But you... you didn't cry for your Mommy or, or..."

"Rainy." Rainbow smiled at her. "Your Rainy. That's a name I thought I'd never hear again."

"I'm a Big Pony. I'm not supposed to call you that anymore." Tempo turned her head away.

Reaching over, Rainbow turned her child's head back towards her. "I don't mind. And you are a Big Pony. A big, very brave, wonderful pony who saved the day. I am so, so proud of you." Rainbow stroked Tempo's mane before wiping away a tear.

Tempo's stomach growled.

Rainbow smiled and stood up. "Guess we did miss dinner last night, didn't we, kid?" She walked towards the door. "How about I find Rarity and get us those waffles? You can have breakfast in bed. Try not to spill the syrup."

As she reached for the handle, she heard Tempo behind her. "Rain—Rainbow!"

Rainbow turned around.

"Please... please don't go. I don't want to be alone right now." Tempo gripped her sheets and looked down.

Returning to her daughter's side, Rainbow said, "All right, all right. I'll sit right here then. Spike or Rarity will be by at some point and they can get our breakfast."

Rainbow shoveled the waffle into her mouth. On the other side of the bed, Rarity picked up a knife to cut a piece off hers. Between them, syrup dripped from the waffles on the way to Tempo's mouth.

Tempo swallowed. "Mom? Is something wrong? You're not using magic."

"Ah." Rarity set down the fork. "My display last night was rather... strenuous."

"Was quite the light show," Rainbow said through her waffle.

Tempo turned to Rarity. "How did you make it so bright?"

Rarity chuckled. "First of all, the light was Pinkie Pie's idea, then Twilight suggested some enhancements. As soon as we arrived in Ponyville, she transferred almost all of her alicorn magic to me. She left so little for herself I was starting to worry that she wouldn't be able to hold off the Nightgrasp's friends, much less the creature himself if anything went wrong. Fortunately, everything went to plan. Twilight's power plus my own were more than enough to free you and put him in a position to be vanquished."

Rainbow pointed a waffle-covered fork at Rarity. "Cut it close, though. And don't think I didn't hear what you said to me about Tempo."

"Well, dearie, a good heroic sacrifice requires an appropriate degree of drama." Rarity tossed her mane. "Don't read too much into it."

They ate in silence. Before long, the waffles had been consumed.

"How's the gang been doing?" Rainbow asked, gathering up the plates.

"Fluttershy's holding up," Rarity said. "As well as she usually does after an attack. Going around caring for the ponies has kept her distracted. Most of the Apple family in town was caught. Applejack's put on a brave face and kept working, but I can tell she's quite shaken. Pinkie Pie's family managed to escape, thank goodness. They went home just a little bit ago. And the last time I saw Twilight, she was casting every sealing spell she knew on that accursed jar, and looking up more, besides."

Taking a breath, Rarity went on, "As for myself, my burst of alicorn magic has left my horn terribly sore." Her horn flickered and she winced. "It also granted me a splitting headache. I daresay I won't be casting anything for a while." She turned to Rainbow. "Finally, I gather you haven't left Tempo since last night, and I do appreciate you keeping her company so I can help take care of the, ah, ex-friends."

"But enough about me." She leaned over to Tempo. "How have you been doing?"

"I've been... good." Tempo looked at Rainbow. "I talked with Rainbow a bunch. She said I did good."

Briefly opening her wings, Rainbow said, "Kid, you did great. I mean, I save the day with Rarity and the girls on a regular basis, but you did it without even being told how. You're amazing! You know what, once Arctic Stone is herself again, I am getting you an ice cream sundae the size of your head."

"However," Rarity said, "before Rainbow threatens you with the worst case of brain freeze in your life, is there anything we can do for you in the shorter term?"

Tempo paused. "Can I talk to Dapple? I want to make sure he's okay."

"Sure, why not?" Rainbow looked up at Rarity. "Is his dad back yet?"

Rarity took a breath. "It took all night just to search Ponyville. We had to find out who managed to hide or flee, and who was..." She glanced at Tempo. "And who didn't, and gather them up. My point is that we've only a few hours ago managed to spare enough ponies to send word out. For example, I doubt that Pound and Carrot Cake even know yet."

"Pumpkin." Tempo got a distant look in her eyes, before turning back to Rainbow. "Can I see Pumpkin, too?"

Rainbow's eyes met Rarity's. "Tempo," Rainbow answered, "I told you she was going to be okay. And she will be, I promise. But she's not okay right now."

"But she—"

Rarity cut her off. "Pumpkin and her mother need their rest right now. When she's recovered, you can, ah, invite her to share that sundae with you and Dapple!" She smiled. "Don't you think she'd like that more?"

"I guess so."

"Come on," Rarity motioned towards the door. "Let's talk to your friend. I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you again."

Tempo climbed off of the bed and followed her parents into the castle hallway.

Closing the door behind them, Rainbow whispered to Rarity, "Nice save. So how many, total?"

"About a third of the town," Rarity whispered back. "Spike's been writing to Celestia, and she's going to ask for volunteers to help care for them until they're well." She trotted ahead and turned a corner. "This way, Tempo!"

After a circuitous route that Rainbow suspected was plotted to avoid the main areas of the castle, they reached a small door.

"Fluttershy brought him here, away from the others," Rarity said. "She has an incredible talent for finding secluded locations."

Tempo rushed up to the door, then turned around and scowled at her parents. "No looking!"

She opened the door and peeked inside.

"Dapple!"

"Tempo!"

Tempo slipped in. Rainbow gently pushed the door closed. "Let's give them their privacy."

A somber-sounding conversation, muffled by the door, drifted past.

Rarity sighed, laid her hoof across her forehead, and fell onto her hindquarters. "My heart burns for the day that I shall finally lay eyes on this mysterious stallion. Is he handsome? Is he dashing? Is he rugged? I fear I shall never know. Tell me, my dearest Rainbow, you have gazed upon his visage, have you not? Is he an appropriate suitor for our most precious child?"

Leaning against the wall, Rainbow said, "Just once, and I didn't get that good of a look."

"You do know, and you are keeping such vital information a secret from your very own wife? I am hurt, wounded, Rainbow." Rarity closed her eyes and raised her head, hoof still against her horn.

"Sorry, babe, I don't make the rules. And 'suitor'? She's a little young to be dating."

Rarity set her hoof down and looked at Rainbow. "I will have you know that I had my first crush when I was six. Then he flicked a booger at me and that was that."

The foals' conversation turned excited. Dapple said something and Tempo laughed for the first time that day.

"That said," Rarity went on, "our baby filly is absolutely much too young to think about such things."

There was a thump, followed by laughter from both foals.

"You know," Rainbow said, "that makes this twice that Tempo's saved Equestria. And it sounds like she's getting her money's worth out of the power of friendship."

Rarity wound her mane around her hoof. "We shall have to cancel Empress Tempo's coronation ceremony. A pity, I had such an elaborate design planned for her gown. Perhaps Flurry Heart will be interested when she is older."

With a shrug, Rainbow said, "As long as I can still be Tempo's court jester, it's cool."

The door opened just wide enough for Tempo to stick her face out. "Mom, Rainbow, where's that figurine I made? Is it still at Dapple's house?"

Rarity answered, "Ah, I had it put in the storage room with the painting."

"Can we get it?" She glanced back. "Dapple wants to see it again."

"Of course. It would be a shame for it to languish in a dusty room." Rarity stood up and escorted Tempo and Rainbow down the hallway.

As they walked, Rainbow looked behind her at her daughter. Tempo trailed behind them, her clear eyes on the path ahead. Rainbow looked back ahead. Her mind flashed back to the night before. She shook the image out of her head.

She looked back again. Tempo looked up, her eyes catching Rainbow's. Rainbow flashed a smile before turning ahead again. She deliberately slowed down, letting Tempo's little hoofsteps pass her. Tempo gave her a look as she went by, but Rainbow motioned down the hallway with her head.

Rainbow watched her daughter walk. Her conscious, free, safe daughter. Who was still able to walk and talk and laugh and eat waffles and play with her friend and make figurines. Unlike Pumpkin, unlike the others, who were as still as statues, unable to even think, whose parents and families would stress and worry for days.

Tempo walked ahead, a little bounce in her step, and Rainbow watched.

They reached the storage room. Within were piles of old books, caked in dust, and more recently added were an assortment of personal items from ponies across town, including a large painting propped up in a corner.

"There's the painting!" Tempo pointed at it. "It was kinda hard to sit still that long for Dapple, but I like it."

Rainbow performed a short flight over. On it was a very detailed rendition of her daughter lounging on some kind of couch. "This is pretty cool. That colt's real talented, you know that, kid? He even got your cutie mark right. Not a bad pose, either. I think I saw it in a magazine once."

She looked behind herself at Rarity. "Hey babe," she called, "we gotta take Tempo home with us once everything's fixed up."

"Where's the figurine?" Tempo asked.

"Found it!" Rarity said.

Rainbow hurried over to the ceramic figure of a pony and her canvas. "You made this, kid?" She leaned in and squinted at the tiny pony. "You're improving. No wonder Dapple wanted it again."

"I'll carry this for you, dear." Rarity carefully wrapped the figurine in the tissue paper it was sitting on and set it in its bag.

"Go on ahead, Rarity," Rainbow said, "there's something I want to sort out with the kid."

Rarity took the figurine with her out of the storeroom, glancing back as she closed the door behind her.

Tempo sat down, dipped her head slightly, and pointed her bright starless eyes at Rainbow, all of her own free will. "Is this about last night?"

Rainbow sat down next to her daughter and wrapped her wing around Tempo's body. "Yeah. I uh, never actually said that I'm glad you're okay. That you're here."

Holding her tight, she went on, "And I don't just mean here, now. That you're a part of the world, of my life. My daughter. My Tempo."

She turned and wrapped her Tempo in a hug. "I am so, so, grateful that I can say that." She felt Tempo's leg reach up and hug her back.

"I'm... I'm happy, too, Rainbow."

"I love you, Tempo. I always have. I always will. And nothing can ever, ever change that." She sniffled away a tear.

She laid her head on Tempo's shoulders.

"You're my child, Tempo Reprise. And I will always be thankful you are."

They held each other for a moment before Rainbow stood up.

"Come on, kid, let's get back to Rarity and your friend."

Author's Note

Thanks for reading.