FEB 15 Friday.

I look over the letter I received a few days ago and think about the information in it.

After a few days of thought and calming down after healing that poor colt, I've had more time to think about the offer I was given, and I'm torn on yet another choice. Mostly because after writing it down and thinking about it this seems weird, mostly because of how plain off it feels.

I did get some information from Clear Water though, that would be the letter I'm once again reading through. It's nothing extremely detailed but it gives some context that makes everything seem more reasonable than my paranoid mind first thought it was.

At first, I thought about the fact that this was probably somewhere remote and the odd fact that I'd never heard of it. Sure a lot of smaller incidents like this don't become big news but I'd still expect to hear something about it, especially if it's been going on for a while and will take weeks to solve.

The letter I got was just bland information with a few things missing, obviously whatever was written was removed before I got it and from what I can tell that information is mostly about what the guard is doing. It's not surprising Clear Water can get this information, it's also not surprising that she'd have to block some information out if it is from the guard directly.

This entire mess is centered around a town named Shores Shore, by magic do Pony names mess with me. The information I found on the town listed it as a smaller fishing town with a small population and a remote location. Blocked in by mostly rugged coasts, bad water currents, and a few mountains, it is not very well known.

The town is also in a lot of wilderness and because of the fact it is located on the upper north coasts of Equestria, near the border with the snowier regions and Yak territory. And because of the terrain, the town is isolated, which makes the problem they have all the more messy.

A few weeks back a few Ponies in the town went out to forage for herbs and other things in the woods, something they do often in Spring. And they all came back injured in some way, mostly small but problematic things like cuts on limbs and small stab wounds. Nothing that would kill them, let alone kill them quickly, but also enough to need bed rest and time to recover from it.

Now there were some guards there and they tried to solve the problem, but they also came back injured. And so they called for help, more guards proved to be enough as in a larger group they weren't attacked. But they also couldn't find what was causing it, because nopony knows.

The report was pretty vague about this part but they did confirm there was something attacking others, and they claim to know it's not somepony but instead something. That somewhat helps with the fear I have of Changelings somehow being involved, but the report is simply not clear enough to really be sure, then again this wouldn't make much sense for Changelings.

The odd thing is that they also state that nopony has seen a cause yet, I don't know why the attacks are happening but I find that to also stand out a lot. Anyway, beyond that weirdness is where the real problem comes in, they have no idea how to make it stop.

They know it's there, and it's apparently still attacking and wounding smaller groups and yet they don't know how to stop it. They can't find the cause and with the location they are in, tracking it down is proving to be time-consuming, this is why they want a healer out there.

I don't know how Clear Water got contacted, maybe an old friend? Or just something she heard about and volunteered for? But with the wounds still piling up and them taking time to heal the guards are in a bind. They sent out over thirty guards originally but they can't all search the area in big groups so they get attacked when searching in smaller groups and then they are down for a week or two, and they can't just do nothing.

Thankfully nopony has died from this but nothing is being solved and getting more guards out there would help but would also increase the number of injured. It doesn't help that the remote location makes resupply and communication hard and time-consuming. Still, they are trying to solve this mess quickly.

That was the extent of the context I got, and a lot of that was from reading between the lines and making some firm guesses. The real information I got is the same with less context and this is the best I've been able to sort out myself. This leads me to what I'd be doing on this trip.

I'd be joining Clear Water and twenty more guards that would be traveling there to both resupply and reinforce them, while we are coming along to make sure they can actually do their jobs and not just be confined to a bed. This has all given me a lot to think about over the last few days.

On one hoof it seems like they need help, and not the help of another guard but a healer's help. And while Clear Water can probably handle it on her own, me coming along would help a lot as well. I'm just not sure if I want to dive into what is quickly becoming a very clear mess.

The main thing to worry about is a simple lack of information about everything going on, I don't even know what the threat is and I'm not sure the guard really knows either. On top of that, my role while being there would be as a healer and I wouldn't be going in with full armor and equipment.

I'd love to but that's just not a possibility considering what I'm going to be doing. Still, even with the risks it does sound both interesting and like something I can actually help with. Although it might not really be a good vacation, then again my last vacation had me fighting dragons and living with them for a month.

It's not like I'd be alone either, I'd be with a Master Rank spell caster and sixty other guards along with being in a small town. That doesn't mean I'd agree without reason and that doesn't mean I won't try to learn more about the situation. It might not be a massive thing, but it seems big enough that Celestia should at least be aware of it.

In some lucky timing, today is the next day we are meant to meet up and I'd be heading to the palace shortly now for a nice meeting. Overall though I'm leaning on the side of joining Clear Water, and not just because I can help, but also because this can teach me a lot.

My base goal in learning to heal others was to prepare for an uncertain future, I may have grown to enjoy the role and the craft, but that was why I started. And this would be one of the few opportunities I may have to really learn what it's like in the field, at least before things really kick off in a few years.

With the Changeling war still ongoing it would also be good practice to prepare if anything were to need me to get into a full battle. I sigh and shake my head a little as the thoughts threaten to derail me a little too much. It will be good to talk to Celestia though, she's always a good adviser.

In the end, I can also just decline, things will be solved eventually, I hope, and it doesn't absolutely need me to be involved. I leave the thoughts alone for now and stand up from my desk after looking the letter over again and folding it up before putting it in my saddlebags.

I did also get a list of supplies from Clear Water and I think I'll shop for it all even if I don't end up going. Everything on there makes a good travel kit and I wouldn't mind having it ready anyway. I leave my workroom and head over to my bedroom to check on Entropy.

The past few days have had Spring come in full force and finally, the last bits of Winter cold have faded. It really did last a while this year, but with Spring comes the rains, and with so much, I've spent more time indoors. Something Entropy and I have taken advantage of.

I've been helping her try to improve her ability to control shadow magic mainly. I walk into the room quietly and see Entropy sitting down with shadow mist from her body gently floating over and condensing into a single thread, something Celestia recommended. The thread sits in midair and twitches on one end every few moments.

Changing the shape of what her shadow mist condensed into turned out to be easy enough for her, and making it stay longer was also pretty easy for her. She just needed to add more magic into it and it lasted longer, but it also turns out her control still needs practice.

She was able to form the string and keep it stable by moving some mist to it slowly to keep it there, along with adding some more of her magic. It seems that there are three main components to how her shadow creations fall apart, lack of magic, lack of mist, and lack of control.

The magic part is also easy, much like me with my Special Constructs as long as she gives her creations magic they are stable and stay in place. Even better, hers don't need more and more magic to keep stable over time, whereas my Spatial Constructs take more and more the longer I hold them.

The second problem is her mist and control over it. Due to her still imperfect control some of the shadow mist escapes her control and disappears quickly, meaning she needs to add more back to the construct to keep it there. So those two things are what she's working on at the moment.

Another thing she's trying to work on but hasn't gotten the hang of is controlling the shadow constructs themselves. Trying to move them and such, but that's proven to be too much at the moment and she can only really make it twitch around a little. And that's with a basic one-foot thread.

I walk over to her with a smile and she stops her practice to turn over to me. "How is it going? Still having trouble with moving it?" I ask knowing full well she is, but sometimes asking can help in its own way. She cawed back, sounding a little frustrated, "Hmm, well, we need to go anyway, how about we go relax with friends instead?" I offer and she quickly perks up at that.

She teleports onto my back and bobs her head excitedly. "Yes, please! Friends make things better." She states and I chuckle a little at the innocent but true statement. "Take painting?" She asks and points to one sitting on the desk she uses. I look over and smile more as I see she's finished her newest piece.

It's much like the one she made me, but with more detail work. It's still very rough but she's made progress in the last month. "Sure, we'll need to wrap it though, is it dry?" I ask and she looks at it closely before nodding. "Alright, I think I still have some wrapping paper left."

I take the painting with me back to my workroom and start wrapping it while Entropy rides along. The painting is a simple one of Celestia lying down in a grass field with Philomena on her, it may be rough and simple but I know Celestia will love it. However, I need to wrap it up as that seems like a stupid thing to carry around with me in the palace.

I bring it back to the main room and she looks at it while standing on my back. "Gift, look good. Give gift for... Long happy night." She eventually comes up with a word and I raise a brow slightly before realizing she means Hearths Warming. "Go now?" She asks excitedly.

I spend a moment checking my saddlebags before nodding to her. "Yup, mailroom if you please," I say and a second later we are both gone from my apartment. I blink in the Void and reappear inside the mailroom of the palace. I wait a moment to let Entropy activate her band before walking out the door and heading for the gardens.

It was the place she said to meet her and while normally that would be tricky I can already sense where she is and finding my way around shouldn't be too hard with my senses. It takes me a few minutes to get outside and I take a deep breath as I step out into the lush gardens.

Spring really is in full swing as it seems just about everything is either blooming or getting ready to. I make good time as I work my way through the winding paths and it only takes a few wrong turns before I finally arrive at the correct area, a small section walled in on all sides by a hedge wall and with a dozen guards around that.

Two guards look at me as I walk past but they don't even stop me and I walk into the secluded area easily. Inside is an area I feel like I've seen before, a nice grassy area with a few trees for shade, a water fountain, and a few flowerbeds. I smile as I see Celestia sitting under one tree on a blanket.

She is still in her regalia but she seems relaxed and is reading a book as I walk over. "Anything interesting?" I ask and she turns to me with a smile as I sit in the grass a few feet away. "Hello to you too Philomena," I say as the bird in question chirps at me from a tree branch above us.

Celestia chuckles a little as Philomena drops down without opening her wings and lands on my back. She's a little heavy but I stay strong and just glare a little at her as she gets comfortable in her new spot. "Hello, Shade, it's good to see you. I hope things are well? Last I heard you were going to talk to your friend. And just something on gems." She starts the conversation off.

I sigh as the two birds on me start chirping back and forth, so after a moment I just lay in the grass. "Well, very well actually. I have something of a work partner, at least to a degree, he's still learning a lot." I did really like working with Avalon, it's something I don't think I'll do constantly but I might start seeing him more often. "And you?"

Her smile deepens and she nods. "Good to hear, maybe I'll be seeing some more creations from you soon then." I shrug as I'm honestly not sure. "Regardless, it is good your friends are all true to you, and having an apprentice can be very interesting as well." She adds with a teasing tone.

I tilt my ears at that. "I'm not sure he counts on that, he's a friend before anything else." I reason and she gives me a knowing look. "What? He is? The only reason I teach him is because I like it and he's passionate about my craft, it's nice to see." I add it as a defense.

She just starts giggling and shaking her head. "I think that is the best explanation of apprentice I have ever heard." I look back and just sigh after a moment while she smiles in victory. "I am doing much better, and things have remained calm, although we are very likely to have a meeting with Queen Chrysalis in the coming months." She adds with some slight seriousness.

Her tone is light so I just nod in thought, realizing that might conflict with my trip. "Hmm." She raises a brow and I notice her eyes go to the painting I still have with me. I look at it and Entropy, "Right, words later, first, Entropy has something for you." I say with a smile and see Entropy's head snap over to me as I look back at her. "Well? Go on." I encourage her.

Entropy happily hops off of my back and grabs the painting in her talons before teleporting a short distance to be in front of Celestia. Celestia looks amused and happy as she moves her tea set and book to the side. "Well now, brought me a gift? How kind." She says gently.

Entropy pushes the painting closer to the blanket and caws excitedly. "Made for you, make friend happy!" She caws out adorably and watches closely as Celestia giggles and opens the gift. Once it's open and Celestia looks at the painting, Entropy gets even more excited. "Like? LIKE?!" She asks.

Celestia looks confused for a moment before showing a beaming smile and surprisingly reaching out with both hooves to hug Entropy. It's not a full hug but Entropy seems to be thrilled about it from the way she hugs back. "I love it, thank you, dear Entropy." Celestia has a kind and happy tone. "I think I have just the place for it as well." She adds.

Entropy caws several times and starts to hop around. "YES! Friend like!" She hops over to me and I start to pet her. "See? Friend like!" I nod and smile widely as well while Celestia watches on looking beyond pleased with the turn of events. "Other friend! Give you gift next." She says to Philomena and hops over to the side in the grass where Philomena is to start playing again.

I keep my smile and look over at Celestia, who is looking between the painting and me curiously. "I got her painting supplies for her birthday. She has been over the moon for it ever since." I use a phrase I haven't used in a long time but I move my ears back a bit as I notice the wording. "Sorry, bad wording." I quickly say.

She waves it off, seemingly too happy to care. "No need, interesting phrase though." She looks down at the painting and I see her place it under her wing, to wherever she puts things. "It's good to see as well, I think I'll cherish this quite a bit. Thank you." She sounds, content, it's nice to hear.

I nod and remember my own painting. "I can't take credit actually, all her this time, and I know the feeling. The first one she made was of me, and I got the pleasure of hanging that one up myself." I remember it fondly even with it only being a few weeks ago. She gives me another knowing look and I roll my eyes. "No, I get enough of that from my other friends," I say deadpan.

She just smiled back like she wasn't planning to tease me. "As long as somepony is reminding you, that's enough." I glare a little and she keeps her expression. "Now, you had something to say?" She thankfully changes the subject and I nod in agreement while taking the letter out of my saddlebags.

"Yup, my luck once again strikes, at least it's not directly this time." I make a joke out of it as honestly, it's kind of ridiculous. "Although I can still back out, I did want to ask about it though." I pass her the letter and she narrows her eyes a bit. "Relax, it's nothing too serious, definitely interesting though," I reassure her as it is already being handled.

She takes a minute to read the letter thoroughly, focusing quite a lot on it, while I take my time to set up my old chess set. I'm still working on my new one and need to come up with more ideas. Eventually, she puts the letter down with a very thoughtful face.

"Hmm, I remember this." I perk my ears up and look back at her. She looks relaxed but focused, "The authorization was given already as it didn't need my direct approval, but I saw the report on it a few days ago." she goes back into thought and I let her recall it is silence.

She passes the letter back after making a copy, something I raise a brow to. "Just to be thorough. This is... You really do somehow get involved in so much." She mumbles slightly and shakes her head. "I'd have to look over the report, but from what I remember this is accurate and contains mostly the same information."

I nod in appreciation. "I'd like that, I would rather be well informed. I am curious as to why this is so, small? Sure it's not massive, but still." I trail off a bit, hoping for an answer. I do understand she might not be able to say though, there are limits to what I should know.

She nods and moves a piece on the board while passing me some well-made tea. "The truth is this all started happening a few weeks ago. We only got news about it two weeks ago as a report, it seems the guard has acted fast in contacting Master Clear Water." She reveals and that actually does help me.

If that's right then I got the information only slightly behind them. "So not enough time to really learn much about what is actually happening then?" She nods. "Any idea what it could be? Something like this, it's just downright weird." I ask as it seems very out of place, even in a world of magic.

She thinks for a moment longer and moves another piece. "Well, we are keeping it quiet for now because the village is a bit contested with a lord in Yak territory. It's not a massive problem, but it is a point of contention that has and can flare up." That makes me stop and think. It is close to the border and while I don't have context that does complicate things, and this was recent. "As for theories? Possibly an aberrant? It does seem rather deliberate though, Changelings?"

I tilt my head back a bit at that and shake it. "No, they don't fit here, wounding and not killing doesn't help them stay hidden or win. Then again, some animals act like that, but to this degree? I'm no expert though." She shrugs a little as well. "Do you think this would conflict with a meeting though? I'll admit I am thinking about the offer and it seems worthwhile." I don't sugarcoat it and be blunt.

She looks at me for a long moment and sighs before giggling a bit. "Why would I expect anything else? And no, the meeting would be after you return at its earliest." She answers me and asks something to herself. "Are you also planning to go on a hunt?" She makes a fairly dark joke by Ponies standards and I can't help but snort at that. "That was not a joke." She says bluntly.

I stop and see the slight concern in her eyes before smiling at her. "I'll admit, I get into trouble a fair bit." She just gives me an unsurprised stare. "And I maintain that's not my fault, most of the time. But I know not to be stupid, and I know where I'm best needed. I'd be a healer first, everything else second." I say seriously while keeping my calm tone.

She nods slowly after a beat of silence. "My answer remains the same as before, you may make your own decisions. Even if they are... Stupid." She looks ready to use a more eloquent word but instead is just blunt. "I'm sending more guards with you." She states flatly.

I almost protest as it seems like a bit much, but the look she gives me shuts me right up. "You said it yourself, you will be going as a healer, and healers need protection." She leaves no room for argument but sounds a little happy about making me have protection this time. I just nod and she smiles more, "Good, although I wish you would take a vacation for once." She teases a bit and things mostly seem settled.

I do appreciate that she's sticking to her promise of letting me do as I want, even if she's adding some guards to the mix. I can tell it worries her less than the trip to the Dragon Lands, plus I won't be alone and I think that's a big reason she agreed so easily. I smirk, "Well, I think this counts. A nice trip to engage in my hobby somewhere new." I reason as it doesn't sound bad to me.

She glares at me a little. "I'm adding another guard just for that." She says bluntly and I open my muzzle only to be silenced by a glare. "I can and WILL add a personal guard as well." she threatens and I quickly decide to drop the subject. "Now, about that prank on my niece, it's ready."

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :]
Current year is 997

Here you go. happy valentines day.

PS, I might get busy, not for long but for a week at most. I'll try to keep my schedule but I might miss a day or two, hopefully not though. I'll give warning as best I can when it happens.