MAR 24 Friday.

I watch as Canterlot comes into view through some trees as the train continues down its tracks.

The past three days have been both interesting and boring, just like many other days. After stealing the crow I just slept like normal and went about the next day as planned. I left Feather Falls with the others and we used a pair of carriages to make good time, it only took us from morning until evening to reach the smaller town with the nearest train station. From there it only took a little longer for us to leave on a train back home.

I've neither seen nor heard anything from anyone about the crow I took and by this point, I'm an entire continent away from anyone who'd care. As I've thought about it over the past three days I've come to a conclusion on my feelings about stealing this crow, I feel it's a fair turnabout.

Honestly, for her trying to steal the closest thing I have to family, also a literal sentient being even if she didn't know, I think my actions were pretty tame all things considered. I only took a single bird from someone who has the money and resources to get another pet, I will admit I do feel a tad bit bad over taking her pet though.

I'm not sure what emotional connection she had with this crow, but with the way she talked about Entropy, I'm leaning to the side of her probably being more mad she got tricked than anything else. But it leaves me with the new problem I've been thinking about, what to do with this crow?

I don't know much about the crow, but they have been behaving well all things considered. They aren't anywhere as smart as Entropy, they don't seem to trust me all that much as they don't know me though. But they are trained enough to at least behave around a stranger like me and let me feed them, and clean their cage.

I've mostly kept them in their cage and occasionally let them out to play a bit and walk around, but I'd probably have to tie a string to them so they couldn't just fly off when they get curious. They don't let me touch them much beyond pets but I'm able to take proper care of them so far. It does make me resolute in one thing, I don't want to keep this crow.

It was one of the solutions, but I just don't have the mental energy to take care of another pet, especially one who can't communicate with me. I thought about just letting them go into the wilds, but I would feel bad taking them from a life like they had and throwing them into the wilds.

That leaves me with limited options, but I have two good ideas. One, find a new owner. Two, drop this crow off at some type of pet store or pet sanctuary. I personally would prefer finding them a new home myself, so I guess I'll be asking my friends after I settle back in.

I might have to keep them with me for a few weeks but that's doable. I wonder if I can get Entropy to help take care of them? I leave my thoughts as the train stops at the busy train station. I grab my saddlebags and Entropy slips into my shadow as I pick up the crow still in its cage with the cover over it, and finally a thickly packed box of documents.

I cast the spell I made to let foals sleep in the cage so the crow could have some quiet. I move through the busy crowds of ponies and make my way back to my apartment without too much difficulty, the streets are as busy as always and despite the noise, it's good to be home. I spend a moment checking my mail before ascending the stairs and opening my apartment door.

I asked Daisy to take care of my plants just like last year but I'll get my key back from her later. I set down my saddlebags and smile as Entropy steals a small wooden ball from a pocket and flies off happily, "Don't hit the window, I can and will ground you, literally." I threaten her a bit and she nods vigorously at that.

The wooden ball is one of the two things I found in the black market, all it does is return to you when you throw it. I watch as Entropy whips her head and throws the ball before watching it return to her with the same speed a moment later to be caught and thrown again. I'm definitely looking into the spell behind that enchantment later.

I set the box down and left the cage on my countertop. I lay down and start to open the two letters I'd received over my trip, the first is from Avalon asking about how I'm doing and how my trip went. I smile as included in the letter is a drawing from a high building in an unknown city.

It's been about a month since we sent the prosthetic spell to Celestia, and considering production times it shouldn't be more than a month or two until it is released to the market. A week or two after that I expect I'll be getting a rather frantic letter from my nervous friend.

I smile at the letter and snort a little. That should be fun. I stop as my new responsibility chirps a little from inside their cage. I stare at the cage for a moment before getting an idea. I grow a few fresh berries and put them in a bowl before taking the cover off and placing the bowl in the cage.

"Caw." The crow calls out to me a few times before seeing the food and digging right into it. I do hope this one will find a good home, I really rather it not stay with me too long. Before I go down that rabbit hole of ideas I open the second letter I got, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see it's from Twilight.

I open the letter with a wide smile.

Dear Shade.

Sorry it's taken me so long to send a letter, the trip has been beyond amazing. I and my dam spent nearly three days inside of the city library in New Trotten, they have so many books about the ocean. It's admittedly not as impressive as the Canterlot Library, or the Royal Library for that matter, still, it was fun.

My sire took Spike to the beach so many times he started to leave sand everywhere he went. Do you know how hard it is to get sand out of fur?! It's absurd! But, I'll admit the ocean is beautiful, especially during the evening. I think my favorite though is the view from the top of an old bell tower we went to.

I'm writing to ask if you still want to meet after my trip? Our trip is probably going to be over by the time you get this letter so we'll most likely be home in a few days, maybe a week actually, my dam wants to stop and see a few places on our way back. Either way, how are you doing? Is your work going well?

I hope things have been well, and I am sorry for taking so long to write to you. I do want to meet up though, maybe at the library? Regardless please write back with a date soon. Sorry! My dam just reminded me I need to catch up on my schoolwork! But that should only take a week or two and we can definitely meet up after, if that's fine with you?

Signed Twilight Velvet Sparkle.

A chuckle makes its way out of my muzzle and I smile at the letter. I never knew that was her middle name, I guess she got that from her mother. It's good to hear from her either way, and I'm happy to know she still feels up to a meeting after thinking it over on her trip. I also remember the very bell tower she talked about, I wonder if I still have that drawing?

I smile and place the letters to the side. Twilight's letter was longer than her last two and is more like the letters she sent me before I had that talk with her, still not completely the same but it's a promising sign. I spend a few minutes getting lunch ready for all three of us and then have Entropy take me to Gaia's Eden, I have some things to catch up on.

time skip

MAR 27 Monday.

I chuckle as Blaze sits down at the table and I enjoy the company of my friends. "But where did you go?! You can't just run off for three weeks, longer than normal, and not tell me. I gave you that extension! you owe me." Daisy complains for the tenth time today as Maple looks amused and Blaz settles in with us.

Blaz huffs at that. "She's got you there Colt, you don't get to just drop off of the face of the world for a few weeks and not say anything, that's just rude. Although I do agree with not telling her, it's funnier that way." He chuckles as Daisy shifts her glare over to him. Today is my first day back to work and it's nice to see my friends again.

I spent the weekend catching up on things and making sure everything was in proper order. When I went to Gaia's Eden I had to do a few chores, I had a full barrel of gold dust that I decided to store for later use and replace with an empty barrel. I also found a note on the message board from Celestia asking for more wood to carve with.

I grew and left the requested wood beside her home and spent the rest of my time tending to any plants that needed it. The only other large thing of note is that I sent a letter to both Twilight and Avalon. I asked Twilight to focus on her work and send me a letter with a date and location when she has time, and I talked about my trip in a response letter.

I sigh exaggeratedly after a moment. "I wanted to save my amazing adventures for game night. But fine, if you're that determined." I say sarcastically. I finish the rest of my food quickly and think about what to say. "Where to start?" I ask myself with a teasing tone.

Daisy looks happy that I finally gave in to her insistent demands. "How about where you went? You know, what I've been asking you, all day!" She says in a tone just as sarcastic as mine. Blaz just sits at the side with Maple and listens silently.

I laugh for a moment and drop the sarcastic tone. "Fine, ruin my fun, will you? I went to a city-state in the Eastern continent called Feather Falls." I can already see Daisy wants to ask something so I put her spoon into her muzzle with my field. "No questions until I'm done unless you want me to stop every minute?" I ask, raising a brow as she takes the spoon out and glares a bit again.

one vague story later

"And the last two days have been the trip back here." I finished my story. I left out a lot of details and watered down a lot of things for the sake of time as we are on the clock and I have to hide things. "Now, questions?" I ask while looking at them as Blaz finishes the last of his food and stands up.

He smiles. "Sounds about right for a colt like you, but I got nine books to rebind so I'll bother you for details another day. Also, you better have gotten me a souvenir, I'd be hurt if you didn't." He jokes with a nod to us and walks off with a slightly tired expression. He seemed pretty tired during the entire lunch actually.

Daisy sees my confusion and speaks up. "A pretty big book order came in and he's been pretty busy. Still, you are probably tired yourself after traveling across two continents, again. Feather Falls, right?" I nod as she looks thoroughly intrigued. "A city both underground and on the surface? Now that's something worth traveling to see, you better have drawn at least one good sketch." She smiles and I know I'll be getting many more questions about it as we work.

Maple stands up and smiles a small bit. "Sounds nice, might be a bit dark though. Did you enjoy it?" Maple speaks in her normal blunt and level tone.

I think about that for a moment before nodding. "Yes. A few ups and downs, but it was an entertaining trip if nothing else." I answer honestly and she nods before walking off to get to work. I look up at a clock on the wall and speak before Daisy can ask more questions. "Come on, you can interrogate me as we work." I joke a little as she rolls her eyes with a smile.

time skip

I close the door behind me and sigh a little. Daisy is a great friend but she can be a very curious sort and she can also be very persistent about getting answers to her questions. I left Entropy at home for the day to look after our new friend and feed them both if need be, I guess I should head home and make sure they are alive.

As I make my way through the streets I take a deep breath and relax in the nice spring weather. The rainy season is now in full swing but we still get nice and sunny days like today. The wind is blowing slowly and the sun beams down through a few trees on the street side.

Canterlot is the best this time of year, the plants are in bloom, and even in a large city like this it seeps into every nook and cranny of the stone and bricks. Weeds and grass cling to the streets and building sides as the seemingly endless and titanic rivers of life magic flow through the earth below my hooves.

It's something I noticed a long time ago but never gave much thought to. The flows slow during winter and speed up with spring and the new growth. But I have no real idea what they are, they flow both near the surface and so far down I can't sense them in the least.

The flows form complex rivers and streams that wind through the earth, they seem to start nowhere and end nowhere. So much life magic flows through them, some seeps down from plants and animals to join the flows while other bits of the rivers flow off and rise to help the life above it.

It is a structure and a part of the ecosystem that so very few will ever see, and it is beautiful. To sit before something so much larger than one's self is humbling in a way, but it also lights this fire in my heart and a near-endless determination in my mind. Because all of this could end.

I don't know what would happen if magic was removed from this world, but I know these flows that seemingly spread and sustain life on this world would most likely collapse. I don't know what these flows do or how they affect the world, but their being gone doesn't seem like a good thing no matter how you think about it.

The blade still hangs above me, doesn't it? No matter how much I distract myself with the day-to-day of my life I can never truly run from what I know could happen. But hope keeps me going, always hope. Sure the future looks grim, but it is not completely black and there are things going for us.

But I think I take comfort in a simple grim fact, life will endure it all. I know that life in this world is very similar to Earth's, and Earth went through more than one extinction-level event, several in fact. Even if it is just the tiniest smallest speck of life, it will endure and grow anew.

That is all grim, but it is a hope of its own, the simple hope that this will never truly end, even if no one is there to see it. I find myself standing in front of my apartment door for a few minutes, silently pondering questions I shall never have answers to.

What finally breaks me out of my thoughts is the sound of something in my home falling over with a soft thud. I can feel the life magic of both Entropy and Philomena inside and I sigh before opening the door to three loud birds. The unnamed crow is still in their cage but is cawing out while acting excited and watching Entropy fight Philomena.

The two magical birds are fighting over a toy like normal, but the toy in question is the magical ball I bought on my trip. My slightly somber mood is replaced by feelings of amusement and love. The two birds attempt to throw the ball out of each other's reach only for the other to teleport and try to catch it, all while the ball flies around sporadically as the enchantments fail to track the teleporting birds properly.

I close the door behind me and lock it before laughing at the two as a wooden bowl sits overturned on the floor. "I knew leaving you alone was a bad idea. Did you at least take care of our friend here?" I ask humorously while taking the ball from both of them and stopping the fight. They both look a little annoyed with me but I put the ball in my saddlebags.

Entropy looks at me and then the nameless crow. "Yes. Feed, berries. Play." She caws out with a bit of pride to her words.

I smile down at the two and shake my head. "You two clean yourselves up, and I'll make a late lunch." I offer and Entropy happily flies off to her bird bath with Philomena not far behind her. I take a moment to feed the unnamed crow a treat to calm them down and get to work on the food.

Life may look grim, but it sure is beautiful.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :}
Current year is 995

I was a bit pressed for time so this one is mostly just set up for later. Also, sorry if there are more errors then normal. I also will be busy most of the day so sorry if this is posted at an odd time or I'm not able to get to fixing mistakes and responding to comments until a few hours later then normal, I should be able to respond for a bit through.

I hope you like this smaller chapter.