Night Glimmer's horn glowed with a promise. "Leave my friend alone!"

Dawn trembled as he stood up on his hooves. He tried not to cower under their stare, but his wings were shaking as well.

Star flinched at the sounds, looking up at the group of bullies around them. "None of you want to get in trouble. The teacher looked a bit grumpy."

The large filly shoved Star back. "Ugh, you're not wrong. But you're not right either. We'll settle this when school's out." She turned away from them. "C'mon."

"Wait up for us, Sally!" Her two cohorts trotted after her, both of them giggling with glee at what they had done.

Star shuddered, watching them leave. "We can't let them chase us out."

Merry snorted in their leaving direction. "Don't let them bother you none. If they wanna wrestle so bad, ah'll show 'em what's fer!" She flexed, looking away after the mean trio.

Dawn sat down with a sigh of relief. "Thanks Merry. I can fight my own battles." He looked down, frowning. "But I don't like fighting." He worried his hooves together. "Sorry you all had to see that."

Star poked at the side of her head, horn glowing gently. "We are the eclipse born. We don't abandon each other."

Dawn smiled nervously. "Not since that first one."

That struck them all quiet, except Merry. "What first one?" But they weren't ready to answer that.

When the teacher called, they rose to their hooves

***

The day passed in relative calm, though Night, Star, and Dawn all kept casting wary looks around them. They made it through their lessons without much incident. The teacher was calling a dismissal, and the three were walking out towards their tree again.

"There you are." Sally, that large filly, came marching up to cut them off. "School's out, that means we get to take care of things properly this time."

"Sorry. We have to go home." Star stepped around the foal, her head low as she walked away from Sally.

Sally snorted in her direction. "It'll be quick, I promise." She shoved into Star's side, almost knocking her over. "And I didn't say we were asking."

Star stumbled, but righted herself. She turned back to face the foals, backing away slowly. "I really think we should just all get along. We don't need to fight."

Dawn landed beside her, his wings twitching anxiously. "S-stop it."

"Make me." Sally pointed past Dawn. "Right there, by the old well. We'll have our privacy."

They were pushed along towards a small shack. It had been abandoned for a while now, though it still stood solid. Behind it was an old wooden well that looked like it might fall over at any moment.

Star leaned in towards the other. "Where'd Merry go?"

Night sighed as he circled, glaring at the hostile fillies. "She said her dad told her to get home right after school. She didn't stop the moment the class was ended."

Dawn rolled his ears back. "We're on our own."

Sally rolled her eyes at the sight. "You need some other pony to stand up for you, huh? What a scaredy-colt you are."

"I'm not scared," Dawn muttered quietly. He shuddered and looked away from her.

Sally snorted, stomping a hoof down. "Well then prove it!"

Dawn didn't hesitate, launching himself forward. It was hardly a very coordinated attack, more of a flailing of wings and hooves. She pushed through them and caught Dawn by the chest, slamming them down into the ground. With a pained wheeze, his breath left him.

Star charged Sally, head tucked in. She shoved hard against Sally, sending her tumbling off to the side.

"You're gonna regret that!" Sally got onto her hooves again quickly. Her face contorted with rage as she leapt back at Star.

"Dawn! Star! Where are the lot ah ya?" Ma Sweep's calls were impossible to miss, even over their fighting, and it was getting closer.

Sally sneered with a low laugh. "Saved by your nanny. Whatever. We'll finish this some other time. Girls, let's go." She turned around and marched off with the other two following on her heels.

Star hurried over to Dawn. "Are you okay?" She helped pull him back onto his hooves, but he was still winded.

Night scowled at the departing bullies. "You did good, Da—"

"There you are." Ma charged at them as she caught eye of them. "What are you doin' over here? That well's no good for nopony no more."

"We got chased over here." Night kicked a rock aside with a grumble.

Dawn shook himself free from Star. "It's nothing to worry about." He puffed out his chest, trying to look tough.

Sweep frowned at the sight of him, spotting a patch of ruffled feathers. She spread her arms. "Y'all come this way. Don't know what trouble yer gettin' yerself into, but it stops now." Taking no arguments, she ushered them away and towards home.

Dawn kept a tight smile on as he flew alongside the others. "Thanks for that. We're not hurt though, honest." He tried to sound cheerful, but his wings were drooping. His head was down as well, looking ashamed of himself.

"I can see it clear enough," Sweep said in a soft voice, nudging Dawn along. "Thought it was good, too good. Y'all gettin' in school without a lick ah trouble or nothin'." She let out a soft sigh. "Didja finish yer class?"

"Yeah, it went great!" Dawn smiled at her, landing on the ground again. "We learned about planting and good manners." His wings fluffed up and down. "But I wasn't paying enough attention."

Night snickered at that. "I took notes. You can read them when we get home."

Dawn landed on Night's back, hugging. "You're the best!"

Sweep looked at each one with concern clear in her gaze. "Well, don't let me stop you." She got out a carrot from her apron and started munching away. "Let me know if ya need anything. When we get home, already got dinner mostly done. Jus' gotta get it into bowls for the lot of you. Eat up, then finish any assignments yer teacher gave."

Star nodded at that. "I'm not sure what we'd have done without you, Miss Sweep." She smiled brightly as they made their way into their home. "I hope you're right about everything going better soon."

Sweet ruffled Star's head. "It's a new thing yer all doin'. Give it time. Just be patient and try to learn a few thin's while you're at it." She held the door open for them all to scurry in, the scent of fresh vegetable stew powerful with her blend of spices.

The foals settled down around their dining table, each with a bowl of hot veggie stew. Ma swept ladles out of the steaming pot with practiced ease, only stopping after each had one, and one for herself. "Eat up."

Dawn nibbled at his food, looking nervous still.

Star nudged into him, rocking her chair to do so. "We'll do better tomorrow, promise." She took a big slurp and regretted it, panting to calm the heat in her snout. "Ahh!"

Sweep giggled at that, patting her gently on the back. "Don't hurt yer mouths, now. I got dessert for y'all too."

Night smiled around his spoon at her. "You're the best, Ma." He turned an ear back. "Um, can I ask a question?"

"You sure can." Sweep took an easy sip from her bowl, not even bothering with a spoon. "What's on yer mind?"

Night set his spoon down. "How did you decide you were ready for us?"

Sweep smiled warmly, leaning back in her seat. "Well, I knew I wasn't ready. But I saw that you needed someplace to stay." She folded her arms over her chest. "And when a bunch of lonely foals give ya that look, don't know how the others even thought about sayin' no. So, pulled up my belt and gathered you all in out of the cold." Not that she was wearing a belt, but she made the motion as if she had been.

Dawn looked up from his bowl. "I'm glad you decided to do it."

"Me too!" said Star.

"Me three!" Night did a little happy wriggle in his seat. "I like it here, with you."

***

Celestia nodded as a guard scurried away. "Sister, you've left quite the mess for me." She kept half an ear on an advisor going into great detail about what was working and what wasn't throughout her nation.

"Your Majesty." A guard dropped into a bow before her. "The prisoner relocation from Ivy Terrace is complete."

Celestia drew a silent breath. "Good. Any complications I should be aware of?"

The guard glanced away nervously. "There was one escape, but that was short-lived."

Celestia frowned at that news. "Good to hear you recaptured the criminal." She glanced around the throne room, spotting a young pegasus who had her attention fixed on them. "Is there something we can help you with?"

The pegasus squeaked and backed away. "Sorry!"

"Don't be scared." Celestia approached the colt curiously. "Did you lose your parents? Little foals shouldn't be wandering the castle alone."

The colt looked around and took a step away, only to have her guard clear his throat and give him a stern look. "No, your majesty. But my parents said to go find you so you could take us to see the bad pony."

Celestia blinked at that. "I see. But they really should come see me directly." She placed a hoof on the lightly quivering foal. "You don't even know who the 'bad pony' is. I bet they do, and I am willing to hear their request, from their lips."

"Please," said the foal, "my parents are good ponies. They just wanna know what she looks like."

Celestia sighed gently and turned to her advisor. "I'll resume this conversation in the morning." As the advisor backed away, she turned her attention to the foal. "She? Do you know who they are then?"

"The bad pony?" The colt nodded quickly, his head bobbing. "Yeah. My parents talk about her. Is it true she's the bad guy?"

Celestia brought a wing down over the foal, shielding them from the room's activity. "Does she have a name, little one? That would make it easier for me to answer that question."

The foal nodded. "Luna."

Celestia sighed. She didn't answer immediately. "She was, and still is, my sister. She made a mistake." She closed her eyes. "She's paying the price for that mistake. But I do not think she is a bad pony. We can all make a mistake." She sighed as another guard rushed towards her. "Some simply are harder to get past."

The guard bowed. "Princess, we've received word from one of our outposts."

Celestia nodded slowly, glancing at her new companion. "You have my full attention."

The guard took a deep breath. "Peace with the griffons holds steady, for now, Ma'am. Your overtures appear to have had an effect."

Celestia's wing squeezed tighter around the foal. "It's good to hear that the war is over. I'm glad you brought me this news." Her attention shifted back to the foal, who seemed quite confused. "You should find your parents, little one. Tell them you found me, and that I am not upset with you. I would rather speak with them directly, however."

He nodded, backing away from her as her embrace was released. "I will!" He darted off, wings buzzing to propel his tiny form faster.

Celestia watched him leave, a smile on her face until he vanished from sight, then she closed her eyes. "Trying times." Not for the first time, she wished her sister were still around. But such fancies did little in the face of what was going on. "Guard." She returned her attention to the first. "You mentioned they were recaptured. Who should I thank for that?"

Author's Note

Could have gone better. Could have gone worse.

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