The Fire: Campfire Tales

Chapters

Introduction
Little Embers
Campfire Tales: I
Campfire Tales: II
Epilogue

Introduction

Over the crashing of a waterfall can be heard gleeful young shouts as two pegasi roar into view, racing the glittering chromatic mist of a rainbow that ends in the azure of a river below.

The turquoise pony lands behind her pink rival, but the latter’s hooves, slick from the watery descent, skid on smooth rocks, depositing her in the river with an unceremonious splash, and she disappears into the churning deep blue of the plunge pool. The former also slides but is more sure-hooved, barely stopping at the edge of the bank; she flicks the wet green of her mane from her face and looks into the roiling waters.

With a splash, a pink muzzle emerges a little way down-river, as the ‘winner’ finds her footing in the current of white-flecked rapids. Eventually, like a salmon, she flops herself ashore, draped in her blue mane, panting from the exertion. Her friend is waiting for her and chuckles musically, “Well, I have you beat for style anyway, Firefly.” She offers a hoof.

“Stupid slippery rocks!” Firefly takes the proffered blue-green hoof and hauls herself up. “You were right behind me, Medley—how come you didn’t fall in?” she complains, before spreading her wings and shaking herself, duck-like, wetting her companion.

The two banter back and forth and trot along the river until a shadow falls on them from above and both look up. A pale pink pegasus glides easily down away from the mist from the waterfall — her feathers light and fluffy, unlike the sodden down of the pair on the ground. Beneath the blue of her tail ribbon, a starred compass symbol states that she is a fated explorer, just as the turquoise pony’s musical notes speak to harmony and the pink pony’s thunderbolts to energy.

“I think I saw a clearing up ahead where you can dry those wings while we set up camp. I’ll guide from the air,” the mare calls down to Medley and Firefly, who thank her in turn, calling her 'North Star'.

The trio weave away from the river and into the surrounding forest. Soon, North Star’s hooves are brushing the deep greens of a summer canopy, while Medley and Firefly are pushing through underbrush, wet green and blue manes becoming tangled with foliage. Eventually, however, the grounded ponies are halted by a thicket. The two cry for help, but the voice and wing beats of their aerial companion have already disappeared, leaving only the crunch of hooves on leaf litter, chirps of birds and creaking of forest trees stirred by the early morning breeze.

As the two try to find a way through, their ears prick up as something large appears from an unfamiliar direction, obscured by the brush and trees of the forest. They whinny in shock as a sudden piercing whistle sounds closer to them than expected.

The noise comes closer. “This is why playtime proceeds from work concluded,” sounds a matter-of-fact voice, seemingly without an owner until its source manifests out of the greenery: a light-blue, high-held head accompanied by piercing orchid eyes. The mare sports a mane of salmon-pink, pulled tight to her nape. “These woods are unfamiliar and if I had been a hungry wolf…” she chides.

The damp duo follow the pony through a hitherto unperceived gap in the thicket, still bantering with each other as the other, whom they call ‘Wind Whistler’, trots tight-lipped in the lead.

In another part of the forest can be heard piercing shrieks, whoops of laughter and the cawing of startled birds in response. Underneath the canopy are blurs of green, orange and white, which gallop and leap merrily through spacious undergrowth skirting a wide path through the forest. With a start, two of the ponies fall back, eyes flitting to something above which seems to drop like a stone, while the teal unicorn continues unawares. There is a momentary hush as the latter’s hoof-step falters, before the shape cries, “Surprise!”.

The creature's wings flare, revealing to the astonished ponies on the ground that it is a startlingly white pegasus!

Shocked, the teal unicorn wickers and rears up, wind-milling her forehooves as her pink-gemmed eyes glint in the midday sun; her four-tone light/dark pink, green and white mane is momentarily silhouetted before she keels over and rolls down a mossy incline, ending up in a ditch next to the path. The orange and white earth ponies who had fallen back previously prance after her, giggling, to help her up, while the teal unicorn gives a little huff and pokes her tongue out at her assailant. As she does so, her horn lights up and a stream of bubbles flies towards Surprise, the assault causing the pegasus to loose her balance, whereon she too slides into the ditch, colliding with the others, to more laughter.

As they dust themselves off, they chatter, each competing with the other for excitement.

"Last one at the camp is a rotten egg!" the teal unicorn, whom they call 'Fizzy' shouts.

The white earth pony calls out, “Applejack!” to her orange earth companion, before the other, engrossed in a conversation about pies with Surprise, trots into a low hanging tree branch.

“Thanks, Sundance!”

Merry fates mark the teal, white and orange flanks of these four ponies: sodas on Fizzy, balloons on Surprise, pink petals on Sundance and apples on Applejack.

Later that day, as the summer sun is leaning westward towards afternoon, a babble of voices rises from a large forest clearing, punctuated by rhythmic thuds. The glade is filled by dozens of ponies, above which rears a bipedal creature, a ginger-haired, ruddy-skinned and freckled human boy who wields the source of the sound — a small axe, which he is using to strike a felled log. This is being steadied at either end by a burly, light-orange earth pony and a white, orange-maned pegasus with striking green eyes.

A unicorn mare, dark-pink fur stained from recent exertions, is standing beside a recently erected tent, looking over it with an expression of one satisfied with a job well done. Content, she turns her penetrating ruby-gemmed eyes, which are set in a head framed by a red, pink and white mane, towards the trio. “Need a hoof?” she offers, breathlessly.

The boy pauses, wipes his brow and shakes his head, before returning to work. He puts extra heft into his next strike, and the two holding the log cheer as it is cleaved in two.

“We’re building the fire here, Cherries Jubilee,” instructs the dark-pink unicorn, pointing towards a partially formed ring of stones.

“No problem, Galaxy,” the hefty earth pony responds as she rears onto her hind hooves, forehooves free to roll the heavy log. The white pegasus tries to copy her, but hers does not budge.

Galaxy shakes her head. “It’s too big, Paradise—Danny!" She gestures to the human. "Help us, please.” Together, the three manage to roll the log to the fire, positioning it against the tip of Cherries’ log, forming the beginnings of a ring of log-seats around the makeshift firepit.

“Excellent, thank you," Galaxy pants. Suddenly, she yelps and skips to the side as a tent pole clatters down on the spot where she had been standing.

“Sorry, Galaxy!” yells a white unicorn who is holding a teetering tent frame in her hooves.

“Gusty! I told you to hammer the pegs!” cries a golden-yellow pegasus above the tent, trying to steady it.

Picking up the pole, Galaxy hurries to help. Once the tent is stable, the pegasus flies a canvas over the frame and the dark turquoise and pink-streaked mane of the white pony disappears inside to tie it. The olive-emerald gemmed-eyes of the golden-yellow pegasus carefully survey the tent canvas from within the tousled frame of her teal, light blue, green and olive mane. Once satisfied, she lands, and all three peg it down.

“Good job, Masquerade,” Galaxy says to the pegasus, before turning to the unicorn and adding, “You too, Gusty, but try to be more careful next time.”

This group of industrious ponies wear varied fates: the log-rollers, Cherries Jubilee and Paradise, have cherries and a tropical scene respectively, while those working on the tent, the unicorn Gusty who dropped the tent pole and the pegasus, Masquerade, have leaves and masks, while the helper, Galaxy, has stars.

At the same time as the aforementioned work, at the other end of the clearing, a ring of soft-coloured ponies are watching the antics of foals, who are squealing and shouting.

“My turn on Molly!” the little ones chorus, as they clamber over the pink-clothed legs of a small, blond female human who is seated on the ground. She lifts each in turn and gives them a spin, to chirrups of foalish delight from her playmates.

Among the onlookers is a blue unicorn with a majestic white ribbon on her tail, matching the fate on her flank, as well as a warm neon blond mane streaked with a playful orange. Her careworn muzzle crinkles and green eyes narrow with concern as she sees a seemingly innocuous patch of empty ground behind the girl. She calls out, but her soft voice is lost in the noise. Her brows furrow with concentration as she focuses on one of the mares, a green-maned, yellow earth pony with a magic wand on her flank. As her horn sparkles a soft blue, echoing sparkles dance over the yellow-furred head of the other mare, who immediately ceases her activity of braiding daisies into the mane of her companion.

The braider looks towards the ribboned unicorn, nods, and gives the braidee, a yellow earth mare with a pink mane and flowered mark, a nudge; this latter, in turn, gently prods the pink star-marked unicorn next to her, who rises quickly to her hooves, nostrils flaring and two-tone white/purple-streaked mane swishing.

“Baby North Star!?” she calls out, loudly, in a voice full of concern.

The others in the circle go quiet.

“What is it, Twilight?” Molly asks, and soon she and the foals are joining in the call for the missing baby. None, however, turn towards that one exploratory babe, whose unsteady hooves have taken herself now all the way to the underbrush at the edge of the clearing.

The blue, white-ribboned unicorn rises to her hooves, searching the late afternoon blue of the sky above her, until they find a shocking white pegasus—the merry pony from before: Surprise. In a second, the unicorn's horn lights up again and Surprise stops mid-flight and waggles her silly head, before flapping over and joining the calls. Just as the light pink hooves of the little foal disappear into the forest, Twilight, noticing the tiny hoof-prints, shouts and points towards the wayward infant.

Once the foal is safely returned, the happy play resumes.

The unicorn trots up beside the two yellow earth mares who resume their activity. "That little one gave me such a fright. Are you okay, Magic Star?" she asks the green-maned pony with the wand symbol, who nods.

She turns to the pink-maned, yellow, rose-marked mare. "And you, Posey?"

"Yes, Ribbon," the two reply, demurely.

Some time later, the dipping sun paints the sky orange over the heads of the ponies in the clearing. Paradise and Cherries Jubilee, Gusty and Masquerade, and Danny, led by Galaxy, have assembled a large pile of chopped wood next to the ring of logs. Another human, like Molly, though bigger, is gently petting the pink mane of Sundance with one hand, while her other is gesticulating at the boy.

“You can’t build the fire until you clear the ground and make a ring of stones.”

"'Course you can, Megan!" Danny shakes his head impatiently. "It’s getting late. Let's get the fire going!"

The dispute prompts various responses from the ponies, who gather round them.

"C'mon! I'm freezing my fur off!" complains Firefly, the pink, racing pegasus, whose mane is ruffled after her dunking in the waterfall earlier.

"Yeah! Some of us are only wearing ribbons," huffs Gusty, the white unicorn who had previously dropped a pole on Galaxy.

Danny gives Megan a smug look. However, the girl is soon joined by a chorus of pony voices supporting her view.

"What Megan proposes is the logical order of things," comes the firm tones of Wind Whistler, the pegasus scout who had escorted the two racing pegasi back from the forest.

"And clearly the safest course," adds Ribbon, though her soft voice barely carries over the noise of the discussion.

"Don't be so impractical, girls. If the fire were to spread, we would have far more to complain about than a little chill," warns Galaxy, the gem-eyed unicorn who was helping with the tent and fire assembly.

The latter's wisdom carries a number of ponies, who murmur their assent.

Megan raises a quizzical eyebrow at Danny, who scowls, but does not immediately respond.

During this, unbeknownst to the debaters, Fizzy, the teal gem-eyed unicorn from among the giggling ponies on the path earlier, had gone to whisper something into the upraised ear of her shocking, white-furred friend, Surprise, who now chuckles, nods and flaps over to Megan. After taking in the excitedly gabbled idea, she nods.

Megan stands, making a gesture to Wind Whistler who, with a shrill blast, calls for silence. "Listen, everyone! If we just pitch in together, then the task will be a breeze," she addresses the perky ears and sparkling eyes of the herd. "All that's needed is to collect rocks to form a ring around the fire, and for the area around the fire to be cleared of any leaves or twigs or anything else that might burn."

"Sounds borrring!" Danny heckles.

"Yeah!" Gusty and Firefly cry in unison, prompting disapproving tuts from Ribbon, Galaxy and Wind Whistler.

Megan raises her hands for quiet. "But it needn't be a chore; as a little birdie just told me—" She winks at Fizzy, who blushes. "—it can be a game! Using your pony-tails, sweeping can be a dance!" she explains to upturned quizzical pony faces, with a little twirl to illustrate.

"Yeah, well I've got four left hooves, so that's me out," grumbles Cherries Jubilee, the burly earth pony who had been rolling logs. This complaint is echoed by a number of the bigger, louder ponies. The suggestion is, however, greeted by a soft murmur of agreement from Ribbon and the quieter ponies in the group.

"Or," Megan continues, "stone-collecting could be a race!"

This suggestion is greeted with more enthusiasm, until Danny caterwauls again. "You're just tricking us into doing chores!"

Irritated, the girl stomps her foot and shoots him a look. "There will be prizes."

This is met with general approbation, and just as Danny is about to continue barracking his sister, he is interrupted.

"Come on slow-pony, or we'll never catch Firefly!" Surprise shrills, giggling, gesturing at the fast-disappearing, blue tail-ribbon of the competitive pegasus.

"I'll show her!" Danny growls, and sets off running, joined by Cherries Jubilee, Gusty and a number of other louder, more high-spirited ponies.

Once they have gone, Ribbon turns to Medley. "Not chasing after her?"

The pegasus looks ruefully after her bestie's receding withers. "Nah, the prize is as good as hers. Anyway, I'd rather stay."

Ribbon nods. "Please could you sing for us, while we dance?" The sentiment is echoed by a number of the others.

Medley smiles and nods. As she begins to sing her favourite song, the notes on her flank shimmer. Megan, familiar with the tune, joins in with her own strong, young voice, and soon the two are soaring together.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow..."

The motherly unicorn unties her tail ribbon and leads the dance, twirling the white fabric in the dusk to the melody. Eventually, all the remaining ponies, even the quiet Magic Star and Posey, are swaying, brushing the floor with their long tails.

Little Embers

"C'mon, guys!" Danny calls out for help building the fire. Gusty nods eagerly and canters towards the surrounding forest to collect kindling.

The boy looks hopefully to Firefly, but she shakes her head, her mouth full of her toffee-apple prize. Masquerade reluctantly rises to her hooves, giving the sitting ponies a huffy look, but she makes no comment as she trots over to assist.

Danny produces a knife, picks up a pair of smooth sticks and enters the ring of stones. He whittles a groove in one of the sticks, watched curiously by multi-hued eyes that glint in the early evening sun. While he is doing this, the two helpers deposit underbrush kindling in a mound near him. Then, he places some dried leaves and grasses in the notch he has made and, pausing every so often to explain the process and respond to questions, attempts to light the kindling matchlessly, using the friction method.

After repeated attempts, during which Gusty has grown the kindling pile considerably, Danny achieves a little smouldering whiff of smoke which, to a collective groan from the assembled ponies, almost immediately burns out. Freckled cheeks pinkening, he grunts in frustration and redoubles his efforts.

“Danny?” Masquerade tries to get the attention of the distracted boy as she eyes a kindling pile now almost as large as her. “Is the pile big enough?” But the boy just grunts in response.

Masquerade pouts and looks around for guidance, but finds none among the seated ponies, most of whom are chattering idly about the day’s fun and do not look up. With a frustrated ‘hmmph’ the golden-yellow pegasus shrugs and sits heavily on one of the logs, gazing hungrily at Firefly, who is still munching on her winnings.

Gusty, meanwhile, continues to gather kindling with characteristic energy. The sparkles from her horn add to the crepuscular rays to create a halo around her eager white-furred face. She grins as she drives the underbrush before her with winds that define her magic and mark her fate.

As Danny continues to struggle, ponies begin to shout encouragement.

“You can do it!” shrills the bubbly, gem-eyed unicorn, Fizzy, joined by her friends Sundance and Surprise. The infectious enthusiasm of these ponies quickly spreads to the others until there is a general clamour of support.

One such voice, belonging to Twilight, the pink, star-marked unicorn who had spotted Baby North Star earlier, entreats softly, “Oh, I do so wish it would work this time!” She repeats the phrase with increasing fervour until a flurry of sparkles appears around her horn. “I wish it would light! I Wish!”

There is a sudden ‘whoosh’ and flames seemingly burst from Danny’s hands as the stick that he is holding lights up. Danny whoops with delight, along with many in the crowd, including Fizzy and Twilight.

The spark, fanned by the still-swirling winds from Gusty’s horn, jumps and crackles through the dry leaves and twigs of the oversized kindling pile. There is a collective ‘aah’ as the formerly dark equine shapes seated on the logs around the fire-pit are lit up orange-tinted and bathed in warmth.

However, as the fire continues to build in intensity, Masquerade calls out in alarm. “It’s spreading too fast!”

The feathers of the pegasus are ruffled by the current of air drawn in by the fire. Danny leaps back as flames lick at his white trainers, leaving sooty lines on the material.

“Aah!” he exclaims, retreating as the flames make short work of the large heap of underbrush.

“Awesome!” chant Gusty and Firefly in unison, eyes dancing.

A current of uncertainty flows through the other ponies as the fire begins to tower above them, and whinnies of fear break out from the timid forms of Posey and Sundance.

“Danny, make it stop! It’s too much!” they wail.

As Gusty and Firefly’s cheers die down, fierce currents of warmed air begin to swirl around the crest of the blaze, which wears a crown of sparks. The now howling fire raises its head and, with a final roar, the currents become strong enough to carry the still-burning underbrush high into the darkening sky.

“Eeeh!” a startled high-pitched squeal comes from Paradise, who leaps into the air, bucking madly as her white-furred body is stung by a falling ember. She is shortly joined by the others, who flee in a panic from the burning rain.

“At least we cleared the ground,” grumbles Masquerade to Danny, referring to Megan’s earlier measures. However, he doesn't respond as he is focused on the sky.

The boy's is gazing at vivid orange sparks floating serenely against the gloaming dark. With a gulp, he turns to the site of their descent, a nearby tent which is lit softly from within.

Across the glade, Ribbon's soft voice is just wrapping up a magical tale for the baby ponies, their last before bed. Most are already snoring, including one little one whose softly-breathing form cuddles a fluffy duck.

“And then the snow-white princess banished the evil jet-black monster to the dark side of the moon!” she finishes, to gasps from the few among her audience who are still awake, and a small quack-like snore from the sleeping filly.

“Did they all live happily ever after?” asks a little yellow muzzle, framed by a jolly four-tone mane of navy, yellow, red and green.

“Yes, Baby Tic Tac Toe, there were no more monsters to disturb the peace of the ponies of Equestria.”

Next, the blue unicorn embarks on calming the little ones enough to get them to sleep.

First, she addresses herself to her own foal, Baby Ribbon, identical to herself in every way, though smaller. Only a gesture is needed for the well-behaved youngling to immediately climb onto her ribbon-festooned camp-bed.

'Good girl, sleep tight,' she transmits, telepathically.

"Night, night, mama," the infant replies out loud, with her own tiny horn sparkling, sending a fuzzy imitation of the message back to her parent's mind.

Moving on, Ribbon smiles down at the purple, pink-maned form of an earth pony, Baby Ember, who is cuddled up with Molly, the latter stroking the little pony’s mane.

“Now-now, girls, separate beds,” she chides.

“Aw, please…” Ember pleads, pouting.

Ribbon shakes her head and, with a last pet from Molly, the little pink baby earth pony curls up in her own camp-bed. As Ember settles, her ears flick as she hears a too familiar whine, like a keening dog, sounding behind her. “What’s the matter, Fifi?” She grimaces, knowing the likely cause.

“Fwuffy gone!” the babe blubbers.

Ribbon turns around, her face having adopted a more gentle moue. “I’m sure Fluffy will be round here somewhere.” She drops her muzzle to look under the bed, whereon she alights on a little pink dog plush. “Here she is!” She holds up the toy, for which the misty-eyed, diminutive, light-blue, white-maned foal stretches out her little hooves.

In the heavy atmosphere, scented by talcum powder and gently lit by a night-light, Ribbon surveys the settling foals, lingering over her own, and thanking Majesty, greatest of the unicorns, for granting her wish. A tug on her tail interrupts her reverie. Looking down crossly, she sees three foals out of bed. Besides the ribbon-puller, revealed to be Tic Tac Toe, is an energetic little yellow pegasus who fidgets and prances, while a lavender pink-maned earth pony looks up, hopefully.

“Bouncy, Lickety Split and Tic Tac Toe! It’s bed time!” Ribbon scolds. The pegasus flinches, while the earth baby's eyes fall, but Baby Tic Tac Toe looks defiantly back up at her.

“But we want another story!” The pugnacious foal stomps her little hoof.

“Yeah, I can’t sleep!” adds Baby Bouncy.

“Um… please?” Baby Lickety Split offers.

Ribbon sighs. “No, girls. It’s far too late for little ponies to be up — the stars are almost out, and you know the little pony tales about the Mare on the Moon, don’t you? If you stay up past your bedtime she’ll gobble up all your nice dreams and leave you only nightmares!”

The impressionable little ponies scurry back to their beds.

“But if you’re good and sleep like you should, her sister—Queen Zephyr Zither,” Ribbon improvises, “will carry the most wonderful dreams to you from her palace in the sky.”

The unicorn smiles as her vignette has the desired effect and soon furry heads are on soft pillows. With a chuckle, she takes one of her many white ribbons and flutters it over them.

“That’s probably her now! I can smell the scents from the flowers of her sky palace on the breeze,” she murmurs, as the eyelids of the three begin to droop.

Ribbon, an experienced foal-sitter, stays looking at the rambunctious trio awhile, before turning to leave the tent, satisfied. But on the way out she notices an empty bed. Biting down on an exclamation, she searches for its occupant: the little compass-marked pegasus, Baby North Star, whose earlier attempted expedition out of the forest clearing caused such panic.

This time, fortunately, she does not have to look far. The little one is framed in the tent entrance, gazing up at the sky. Frowning, Ribbon leans down to the foal’s silly pink head. “Baby North Star!” she hisses, trying to keep her voice low so as not to wake the others. “I’m surprised at you, young filly.”

But the filly ignores her. Taken aback, Ribbon adds, crossly, “Really! I’ve half a mind to tell your mommy to fly you right back to Paradise Estate this instant!”

“Sorry, Ribbon, but I think Queen Zephyr might have made a mistake,” the foal quavers, bemusing the adult.

Before she can respond to the seemingly bizarre statement, she hesitates, her nostrils flaring.

Baby North Star continues, “These dreams look pretty, but smell wrong.”

Ribbon isn't listening, however, having noticed the rain of embers which are beginning to catch on the tents around her. “Fire! Help!” she yells, but her voice cracks, becoming a shrill whinny.

Seeing the normally calm pony so distressed, Baby North Star joins her in panic and startles back, windmilling her hooves and flapping her little wings and shrieking with all the ear-splitting force of young filly-lungs.

In another part of the clearing, Megan, Wind Whistler, Galaxy and Cherries Jubilee are finalising preparations for dinner. Applejack is putting the last of her steaming apple tarts into a makeshift oven.

“Nice job,” compliments the burly Cherries Jubilee, causing her friend to blush.

“Whoa, careful now.” Galaxy steadies the tray which had snagged on the opening.

Megan, her tasks done, looks over to the other side of the clearing. “Danny should have got the fire going by now,” she wonders idly.

Wind Whistler looks to the firepit, ears flicking up as she hears a squeal.

The pegasus turns to Megan. “Did you hear that?”

Megan shakes her head, but Galaxy, next to her, stomps her hoof in alarm. “Something’s wrong! Follow me, girls!”

Wind Whistler trots up to the human. "I suggest we survey from the air." The girl nods but does not immediately jump on, as she would with one of the horses back at her parents' farm.

"I consent.” The pegasus bows and lowers her wings for Megan to jump on. Once astride, the experienced rider leans into the powerful neck for balance as they take off.

From her vantage point, Megan sees the blazing fire, much brighter and larger than it should be, and feels a shudder under her as terrified youngling squeals reach her steed’s ears. With another pony, Megan would have crooned and petted, but she refrains from doing so — mindful of the mare's pride.

Instantly, both turn in the direction of the baby ponies' tent, seeing the faint glows of dull orange scattered about it. “How could it be spreading to the tents?” Megan wonders.

“The embers must have been carried by the breeze.” The vibration of the panting mare's voice can be felt against the girl's chest.

“We’ll need water to put it out and soak the tents, but we don't have nearly enough to douse them all and put out the fire...”

“Indeed. I will summon Medley to retrieve a raincloud.”

Megan gives the sky-blue coat a relieved pat, having overlooked that whimsical possibility.

Everyone stampedes towards the tents — timid, ditzy, practical and scout ponies alike, all desperate to avert the danger.

“Muzzles and manes—the baby ponies!” Magic Star and Posey wail.

“Molly!” cries Danny.

Firefly is the first to arrive, followed shortly after by Gusty and Danny.

“Are you alright? Where’s it catching?” The three gabble to Ribbon, their speech almost lost in the din of voices behind them.

Ribbon looks for others, but not seeing wiser muzzles, engages them. “Wait! You’ll panic them. First, I will remove the little ones to safety. The smell is coming from over there.”

The three peer in the direction indicated. Meanwhile, the blue unicorn turns her sparkling horn towards the tent, from which emerges Molly and the baby ponies, including a, now pacified, North Star. They are scared, but under Ribbon’s calm command, they trot or walk beside her without demur, bearing their various cuddly toys. The quietude of the infants contrasts with the panic of the herd of adults now milling around the tents.

Once these retreat, the trio spring into action. Gusty, before anypony can stop her, ignites her unicorn magic in an attempt to blow out the flaming rain, horn blazing as she summons a powerful wind. The cinders — whose dull glow has begun to pile at the base of the tents — flutter into the air. Some of these darken as their bodies cool in the early night air, but others flare brighter. Worse still, parts of the singed tent begin to join the bright oranges of the embers.

“Stop!” Firefly and Danny shout out in dismay as they see the sparking embers alight on nearby tents.

The unicorn hesitates and the wind abates.

“Don’t blow on them! Stomp! Use your hooves! Quickly!” Danny yells.

Gusty and the rest of the herd, now caught up, race to do as directed.

Unfortunately, in the gloom, the difficulty of navigating the guy rope strewn ground between the tents, combined with the smoke thrown up from the singeing fabric and the aerial bombardment of painful embers, results in general confusion.

“Ow!” Surprise yelps and leaps into the air, shocked by an ember landing on her hindquarters.

“Oof, what the—“ Paradise takes a white hoof to her muzzle from Surprise.

“I can’t see!” complains Magic Star and Posey as their heads are smothered by the wings of the now upturned pegasus.

Suddenly, a piercing whistle sounds from the air, causing everyone to look up. Above the tangle of feathers and pony limbs, the light of a lantern can be seen swaying, held tightly by Megan.

“EVERYONE STOP!”

Wind Whistler takes charge. “Medley and Firefly, to me,” she directs, pointing to the two sooty-hooved, pink and turquoise pegasi, who nod and fly up to her.

“Where’s North Star?” the latter wonders aloud.

They are greeted by a voice from above. “Here!” the aerial scout replies, and all look up. “It was so confusing on the ground, I thought I'd fire-spot from the sky.”

Frowning, Wind Whistler gestures for the three to pay attention.

“You see that cloud?” She points upward to a few wisps, and the three nod. “Medley, use it to put out the fire. Firefly and North Star, assist her.”

They race off in the direction indicated — the pink, blue-maned pegasus in the lead as usual, with her turquoise friend close behind.

"I'll help on the ground. Set me down near the others, please," Megan requests.

After dismounting, with a flurry, the pegasus leader takes off after her scouts.

“Danny, Megan, Masquerade, Paradise, Gusty and Cherries Jubilee, to me!” calls Galaxy. “The rest of you, seek the safety of the forest’s edge, but do NOT go into the forest.”

Various shapes untangle themselves from the melee near the tents while Applejack, ears a little flat, holds up a foreleg in the manner of many indecisive quadrupeds. “Are you sure I can’t help?”

Galaxy shakes her head. “It’s tricky ground in the dark. You could twist a fetlock.”

Sighing, the earth pony sets off to the edge of the clearing.

The humans and four most practical ponies assemble around Galaxy.

“If we pour water on the tarp it’ll just slide off. Any suggestions?” the unicorn asks.

“I saw a programme about firefighting once, which was really interesting and—“ Danny begins, but is interrupted by a raised hoof from Galaxy.

“Quickly!” she interjects.

“—and they soaked blankets, which they placed on furniture to stop it burning!”

Galaxy nods. “Great idea. I’ll wink over to the water canteens. You ready the blankets.”

With order restored, everyone works efficiently on their various tasks. The two pegasi push the raincloud into the campfire's plume of smoke, whereon Medley jumps on it, releasing a dark mist of rain that makes short work of the wayward blaze.

While the vulnerable or untrained members of the herd huddle away from the action, Galaxy and her team efficiently traverse the spaces between the tents, hopping nimbly — as if in a dressage performance — over guy ropes. Soon sopping blankets sooth the angry orange of the stray cinders, restoring the peace of the gloaming dark.

With the fires out, the group fumble towards each other in the gloom, giving friendly nuzzles, hugs, and licks—where patches of fur had been singed.

In short order the foals are settled once more, sodden detritus is pushed to the edge of the clearing, and broom-wielding pegasi brush the sludge from the firepit, before Danny carefully re-lights it and Cherries Jubilee sets out a buffet dinner.

Before settling down, though, there is a reckoning. The pale-blue pegasus, Wind Whistler, dewy fur glittering in the moonlight, perches imperiously on a log, addressing the herd. She points down at Twilight, the pink, star-marked unicorn whose two-tone white/purple mane hangs over her head, which is bowed low. Gusty, the white, leaf-marked unicorn and Danny join her.

“It wasn’t Twilight’s fault for her Wish, it was my fault,” Danny says, head low. “The fire was my responsibility, and I should have been paying more attention. I’m sorry.”

“No, it was my fault. I stacked the kindling way too high. I’m sorrier,” Gusty contradicts, in a martyred tone.

Wind Whistler nods. “Twilight, you are excused. Your Wish was not responsible for the fire.”

Twilight gives a relieved sigh, rises to her hooves, nods to Wind Whistler, and moves to re-join the herd who have assembled around the now-dark firepit.

“As for you two.” She turns to Danny and Gusty. “I accept your culpability in this matter.”

“Windy!” Megan exclaims.

The pegasus hesitates. “But, of course, we forgive you both. Don’t we, girls?”

“Naturally,” soothes Ribbon, leading off nods and murmurs of assent around the herd.

“Turning to the matter of their sentence—” Wind Whistler begins, but stops, uncertain of what to suggest.

“Washing up duty would be most appropriate, I think,” Megan offers with a wink, to nods from judge, defendants and audience alike.

Campfire Tales: I

Now that furry stomachs are full, thoughts are beginning to turn to the final activity before bedtime: campfire tales.

“Paradise! Please tell us a story. Last time I had the most wonderful dreams about that place—" a husky voice begins to say, originating from a pale blue, muffin-marked earth pony. “Um...where was it again?”

“Oh yes! It was Marlot, Sweet Stuff, but Paradise didn't write that one — it was by Tarpan Hackney,” Magic Star answers. “Just like the story about poor Tessie — that was wonderful, too!” she shrills, remembering the tales which had so enchanted her, her enthusiasm contrasting with her usual soft manner. "And that's why Paradise's originals are so wonderful, because she reads so many amazing stories."

“Yeah, your yarns are better than any of ours,” Cherries Jubilee adds, admiringly, nudging Paradise who stifles a grin of pleasure at receiving the compliment, knowing the gruff earth pony did not give them lightly.

Paradise absorbs this praise with an expression of equinamity. “Thanks, gals. I would love to. But maybe someone else should go first,” she says, winking at Masquerade, whose eyes sparkle in return.

Thus redirected, the attention of the story-hungry ponies turns to others.

“Megan. I did so enjoy the story you told us about that funny mare, Bathsheba,” Sundance encourages, muzzle resting on the girl's lap.

The girl stifles a yawn, tired from the busy day and recent events. “I don’t know if I can, right now, Sunny. But, I would like to hear one of your tales about the Brighthouse.”

In another part of the log-seat ring, an unlikely request is made by the dignified Wind Whistler. “Ribbon, I do find your stories about Equestria to be quite excellent—" she begins, but is cut off by a snigger from Firefly.

“The bed-time story for foals! You, like that? Seriously?” she challenges.

Ribbon gives the latter a wry smile, as her horn lights up. “Oh yes!” she says, in a sugary sweet tone. “Fairy tales are just for little foals, unlike Danny’s ‘She-Mare fights Skeletor’ comic which is for big, strong warriors!”

Firefly blushes as the telepathic abilities of the unicorn reveal her secret. “No fair,” she grumbles.

“Anyway, while I would adore regaling you all with a pony tale, after the day’s events I just couldn’t do it justice,” Ribbon declines, with an apologetic look to Wind Whistler. “However, Posey was telling me such a delightful tale about her garden on the way here,” she suggests, volunteering the meek fellow foal-sitter beside her.

Thanks to the suggestions from Ribbon and Megan, the attention around the fire turns to Sundance and Posey, who — as Paradise continues to be reticent — are soon being entreated on all sides. However, both shy ponies wilt in the heat of their interest.

Sundance is the first to demur, mumbling into Megan’s green, dress-suited lap that she can’t think of a story.

Megan leans over the pile of pink mane on her lap and whispers into a furry, white ear. “Go on, I know you can do it, and we’d all love to hear it!”

But the bundle merely shakes its head, and she feels the frightened filly tremble.

“Oh, Sunny," Megan sighs, looking a little crestfallen, an expression shared by Fizzy and a number of other furry faces around the fire, but she doesn’t press the issue.

As Posey continues to hesitate, the girl offers another suggestion to divert them from the trembling pony in her lap.

“How about the first pony with a story to tell goes first? I s—” Before she completes her sentence, a pink pegasus with a three-tone blue, green/red mane excitedly raises her hoof.

“Me! Me! Mememe! I have one! Yes-yes I do-I do! Got a story right here—thought of it during dinner—you’ll all really enjoy it. It’s for all ages-'n'-all genres!”

The enthusiasm of the proposer is not matched by the others — though the herd is generally tolerant, there are a few groans from the more boisterous ponies.

“Are you sure, Whizzer? Don't you want a little more time to think? I believe—” Galaxy is also cut off.

"Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes! I'm ready!" Whizzer nods furiously and leaps to her hooves, eager to begin. Megan shares a worried look with Galaxy but eventually assents.

“Thank you, well—" the girl begins to say, but gives up with a sigh, since the pegasus was already storming along. "Oh, well, off you go, then."

Whizzer starts well enough, setting out ideas that had come to her while they were engaged in putting out the fire earlier. The ponies on the log-seats lean in and prick their fuzzy ears to catch the words spilling from the eager pegasus.

It soon becomes apparent, however, that the ambition of the tale is grander than any mere campfire yarn as the filly hurries the herd at break-neck speed through a cast of no less than twenty characters. She is at pains to point out that certain of these, not all of whom are named directly, or consistently, are not ponies. She describes two as ‘Zardichars’ who breathe fire and have scaly wings, while another cluster are ‘Squirt-Eels’ and yet are also somehow ‘Tortoise-Blasters’ who breathe water and have hard shells. To this core cast are added cameo appearances of many more characters, some of whom are creatures with mystical powers — from storm-wielding ‘Chu-Chu Picks’ to wind-blasting ‘Sparrow Spikes’.

After this introduction, which she manages to cram in in just a couple of minutes, Whizzer embarks on a plot which mixes elements of high fantasy, detective story, drama, fairy-tale and romance. Each of the themes is associated with a different villain — five in all.

As the third sub-plot of the second alternative ending is embarked on in as many minutes, a hum of confused questions breaks out.

“Is Rapunzel the rabbit, or is that Roger?” Fizzy wonders.

“So... did they defeat the dragon with the horn of the basilisk, or the basilisk with the dragon’s horn?” North Star ponders.

“Did Hamlet kill Rosencanter and Guilded-Hooves, or was it MacBess?” Medley muses.

“Was it that Juliet poisoned herself because she found Poneo with Marecutio?” asks a pegasus in pyjamas, Heart Throb, trying to get Whizzer's attention with a white-slippered hoof.

As the confused murmurs increase in volume, the storyteller, becoming agitated, raises her voice and speeds up, leading cyclically to more noise and so on until Whizzer can barely be heard above the din.

Eventually, Surprise, one of the few ponies to keep up with Whizzer’s story, but who had become visibly more and more confused, leaps to her hooves.

“Make it stop! Won’t someone please make it stop!” she yells, before raising a hoof to her brow and flopping backwards over her seat and landing in a feathery heap.

As she does so, the other sillier ponies, Applejack, Fizzy and Sundance, burst into fits of laughter. Soon, general mirth breaks out around the campfire, until even Megan and the more mature mares of the herd are struggling to keep a straight face.

Wind Whistler, however, ever a paragon of self-control and sensitive to Whizzer's crestfallen expression, rises sternly, hushing them. “This is most uncouth. Surprise! Apologise to Whizzer.”

Surprise rises, still giggling a little, and approaches the other pegasus contritely, stuffing her mouth with her wing-feathers to avoid further outbursts. Once she is close, with a hiccupping guffaw, she skips forward and cuddles the motor-mouth affectionately.

Wind Whistler turns to address the herd. “Thank you for the story. It was a—a..." She tails off, the precise mare struggling to adequately sum up the chaos that she had just heard.

"—wonderful effort,” Ribbon finishes, and the pegasus nods gratefully.

“Yes... thank you, Whizzer,” a few chorus, politely.

“Mmmf—!” the storyteller tries to say that she isn’t finished, but her mouth is suddenly full of Surprise’s blond mane as the smaller pegasus’s poufy curl pushes into her face.

Whizzer gently pushes the huggy little pegasus away to continue her story, however, as she does so, she feels a pull at the base of her tail. Too late does she realise that the mischievous pony has turned the hug into a game of ‘steal the tail ribbon’.

“Hey!” Whizzer squeaks, as she feels her ribbon come away.

“Catch me, if you can!?” teases Surprise in a sing-song voice, leaping into the air, giggling, waggling the scrap of white fabric in her hoof.

Always up for an aerial chase, the speedster streaks into the darkness and is soon abreast of her much slower opponent, but the slippery pickpocket whisks away at the last moment. As Whizzer's manic pace causes her to overshoot, the chase continues, with Surprise wriggling, eel-like, in the smoky night air, her own red ribbon fluttering enticingly atop her receding withers.

A few shout encouragement to the pursuer, while wiser heads shake their heads at the silliness.

“But what did Kash Etchem do next?” wonders Twilight, gazing up at them, wanting to see the tale to its end.

In the lull, Ribbon nudges Posey, who starts nervously. The flickering faces of the ring of ponies turn towards her.

“Um, if you’re sure she’s finished,” Posey quavers, looking down at her hooves.

The audience grow restive. A few ponies yawn from the day’s exertions, and the less sensitive among them, notably Cherries Jubilee and Paradise, begin to grumble about the delay.

Firefly, less than thrilled by the suggestion that the gentle gardener deliver a tale, whispers something in Medley’s ear, prompting the other to roll her eyes. Both of them steal sly glances at the unfortunate earth pony, causing her to shrink down onto her log-seat in a state of involuntary percipience, struggling to collect her thoughts.

“I-I, I…” she stutters, helplessly, a tightness in her chest causing the words to sound at a pathetic high pitch.

Unable to bear the attentions of the ponies before her, Posey looks away from the circle into the blackness of the forest around her. Suddenly, the scene before her seems to dissolve, replaced by an image of her garden bower at sunrise.

Ribbon, who had conjured the image with her unicorn power of telepathy, sounds her voice in Posey's mind, ‘Deep breaths now.’

Posey steadies herself, releasing her constricted chest. The muttering ceases as she decisively clears her throat, forgetting the audience as she commits to the images of her plants, which form the basis of her tale. The ponies lean in as the soft-spoken, pink maned pony begins to speak.

“My tale begins with a group of gentlefolk, who live in a forest clearing, much like this one.” Posey gestures to the rustling, dim shapes of the creaking trees around them. “Now, this group was led by the proud Rose family, supported by the sister families of hefty Heather and bountiful Berry...”

Gaining confidence as the long-dwelled upon characters of her plants rise in her mind’s eye, she goes on to explain that this happy collective was threatened by three crooked families of brutes: the nasty Nettles, brash Buttercups and back-sliding Brambles.

As Posey gets into her stride, she rises from her crouched position to stand boldly on her log-seat. “Birch is known for his beauty,” she says, directing the gazes of the ponies to the delicate white of the distinctive tree-trunks, just visible in the moonlight. “While Ash is known for his gentle strength.” She points towards a cluster of the respective trees, but their identity is lost in the dim arboreal purlieu.

“Um, Night Light, please could you use your unicorn power to—?” she asks. The respective trees are lit up by the glowing horn of a deep-blue star-marked unicorn. “Thank you, dear.”

She continues to describe how Birch and Ash try to help Rose’s family, while ferocious Fir and cruel Cypress support Nettles’ brood.

"Master Nettle takes Madame Rose hostage and demands that she and the leaders of the Heather and Berry families leave the clearing. Mrs Heather, desperate to free Madame Rose, approaches an evil witch who gives her a poison to use against the Nettle family." Posey grimaces as she thinks back to the many invasions staged against her innocent vegetables by this particular garden bully.

“Mrs Heather gingerly holds the poison bottle in her strong hooves.” Her voice is heavy with real emotion as she nears the climax of her tale. "Its evil scent sickens her, and she almost throws the corrupt brew away, but thoughts of Madame Rose trapped and unable to bud—" Posey hesitates. “I mean, um, unable to breathe," she corrects. "—drive her to approach Nettle’s estate, which borders her own.”

Posey explains that Nettle estate was choked with his numerous brood, who peek out at the dignified Mrs Heather from the chaos of polluted soils and broken glass which they choose to live in. "In the midst of this baleful scene—"

A few around the fire look uncertain.

"—it means deadly or threatening harm," Paradise cuts in.

"Oh, yes, um. Anyway, in the midst of this dreadfulness is Madame Rose, tied up next to the ugly gargoyles of Nettle Manor, but Master Nettle himself is nowhere to be seen."

A hush descends and ears prick forward in anticipation.

“Beautiful Madame Rose sees what straits Mrs Heather has been driven to.” The earth pony's voice shakes with anxiety for her characters and the plants of her garden, remembering the tough decision she had recently had to make when weeding.

“Even though she was captive and might die, Madame Rose held up her head, brilliant red mane blazing, and said—" Posey clears her throat. "No!” Her feathery voice attempts to imitate a regal tone befitting, in her view, her garden's 'queen'.

Posey explains that Madame Rose would prefer to remain in Master Nettles’ grip than see Mrs Heather harm another on her behalf. "Mrs Heather is conflicted and hesitates and just at that moment, Master Nettle, who had been informed by his spies of Mrs Heather’s incursion, clatters into Nettle Manor in his carriage! With his wiry strength, he seizes the poison from Mrs Heather!"

"Oh nooo!" gasps Magic Star.

“With a sly grin, he gloats over Mrs Heather.” Posey attempts a low, monster-like voice. “Grr, I am evil and I will hurt your family. Grr!”

The poor impression causes a few winces, and Medley gives a sarcastic snort in response to a whisper from Firefly. But Posey is too wrapped up in the story to notice that her impression has not been entirely well received.

"Master Nettle drives immediately round to Mrs Heather’s house and upends the poison upon it." She blinks back tears. "Almost immediately Mrs Heather’s bountiful family begins to wither, growing thin and pale. Over the next days it seems like all of the Heather clan would pass away," she sniffles.

"Poor Heather, she was only trying to do what's right!" Magic Star cries.

"Buck up, it's just a story." Cherries Jubilee shakes her head at the melodrama.

Recovering herself, Posey continues, “Everyone expected Master Nettle to finish Heather off and throw all the good families out of the clearing. But he had not been careful with the weed-killer—" She checks herself. “—poison, I mean, and you see, you must always be careful where the water is draining, if you have to resort to such brutish methods.”

"Wait, what?" Cherries Jubilee furrows her brow. Other ponies also look perplexed, momentarily uncertain whether they were hearing a campfire tale or a lecture on gardening.

"Sorry?" Posey returns, her mind on the practicalities of weeding, and not immediately understanding their confusion.

“What happened to Master Nettle?” prompts Twilight, her light-pink face earnest.

“Oh! Yes, sorry. Well, under Heather’s home the soil was all sandy, because that’s where Heathers like to make their homes. And all this time the vial of cursed poison had been passing through the sandy soil and into Nettle’s home which surrounded hers!” She shakes her head sadly.

“Soon, the Nettle family became so sick that they had to relinquish Rose. Not only that, but—” Posey glows with pride, thinking about her own patch of hard-grown, healthy heathers. “—the hardy Heathers were able to overcome the poison and soon they were all just as healthy as ever!” She skips happily on her log-seat, and Magic Star similarly gives a pleased chirrup, a moiety of her glee for the story, but the greater share for her friend’s happiness.

"The magnanimous Rose family was not bitter towards Master Nettle and his brood and allowed the Nettles, Brambles and Buttercups to live on the edge of the clearing. And sometimes Madame Rose even allows her children to play with little Miss Buttercup, even though she's an ally of the Nettles. Buttercups are a lot nicer without brutish Nettles about—provided they are kept in check, or they get everywhere,” she finishes, prompting a friendly whicker of laughter from Ribbon.

“The end,” Posey sighs. “Thank you for listening.”

Magic Star leads the applause, which is loudest from those who are usually quietest. “You care about your characters almost as much as you do about the plants in your garden! It was wonderful.”

“A good story, but I—” begins Wind Whistler, who had been wearing a look of concern during the latter part of the tale, but she stops. Despite feeling that Posey's story suffered from more than a few logical inconsistencies, her pink eyes had discerned at the last moment the subtly shaking heads of both Ribbon and Megan, neither of whom feel that the sensitive earth pony was quite ready to face criticism. “I—er—did not want it to end.”

“Thank you, Wind Whistler,” Posey smiles. “That means a lot!”

Megan and Ribbon both give Wind Whistler a grateful nod.

Posey turns to Ribbon, gives her a special smile and thinks hard. ‘Thank you for before.’ she sounds in her mind, conjuring a picture of a bouquet of roses with a white ribbon around them.

The unicorn smiles, puts her hoof to her heart, and nods, her horn sparkling. ‘You’re very welcome; it was a wonderful story, and they’re beautiful,’

As the modest clopping-applause dies down, a few ponies — particularly Firefly and Medley, whose enthusiasm for the gentle, garden-based story had been the least — resume badgering Paradise.

Danny and Gusty, who have by now rejoined the circle, after completing their chores, loudly join in, hoping to have returned in time for one of the palm-marked pegasus's famous tales.

Paradise nods to Masquerade and both rise, prompting a murmuring crescendo. "Parade, Parade, Parade!" The chant is taken up around the log-ring, the nickname for the pair of besties.

“Ponies, humans, countrymares, lend us your ears,” they begin in unison. The crowd hushes, eyes sparkling, tails tucked in for the show.

***

Over the previous weeks, while the other ponies at Paradise Estate were preparing the camping trip, the pegasus and her golden companion had been planning their performance. The others had looked on curiously as one-by-one Masquerade had approached them with strange requests. Many a pony had wondered what she was up to, but she had just sparkled her green-gemmed eyes at them and told them to ‘wait and see’. Danny and a few others with larger roles understood that she was making a play, but only now does everyone fully realise that she wanted them to help her dramatise one of Paradise’s tales.

***

Paradise narrates that the location of her tale is the exotic, fantastical Kingdom of Saddle Arabia. "An oasis in the lonely desert where for miles and miles all that could be heard was the rushing of the dry wind over the endless dunes."

Masquerade signals to Gusty, who summons a magical wind, which the golden pegasus flexes her wings against — as the zephyr fights her feathers they vibrate to create an eerie 'whooshing' sound.

"But our tale truly starts in the grand throne room of the Saddle Arabian king," continues Paradise.

Medley and Megan join their voices to sing a choral passage. Masquerade gestures for Danny to sit on the log-seat and drapes a piece of tarp around his shoulders as a makeshift cloak.

"The ponies of the kingdom have come to petition the king to save their property from destruction by an evil dragon, but rather than request that the beast be slain, they blame the dragon's attentions on the activities of a unicorn pony called 'Vista Star' and demand that she be exiled. This Vista had done nothing wrong to summon the dragon, but her artistic talent was so great—" Paradise winks at Masquerade. "—that every time she completed a project, the dragon would devastate the kingdom to steal the artwork."

At a direction to Whizzer, an impression of a hubbub of angry, accented ponies is created. Masquerade holds up a roughly whittled horse’s head, courtesy of Danny, as an example of a 'sculpture' and a few of the ponies clop their hooves in admiration.

"The fearsome black-coated and bearded king sits on his majestic throne of glass, as he listens to royal petitions with a grim frown."

The herd rustle uncomfortably at the description, until Sundance pipes up. "Is the king a pony?"

Paradise, who had paused so the ponies could digest the description, immediately responds affirmatively that he is a unicorn.

"But he sounds like a monster?" Sundance replies, to nods of agreement from various rainbow-coloured faces.

Danny looks baffled, but his sister immediately understands. "They don't have dark coats here! Not like on the farm," she explains, noticing his confusion.

Paradise resumes, "It is common for the Saddle Arabians to be dark as night."

Once the exclamations and murmurs of disquiet die down, Paradise continues, "But, just like the night, their gemmed-eyes sparkle like stars."

The reference garners appreciative smiles from Galaxy and Fizzy and the other gem-eyed ponies.

The storyteller reminds the audience that the king is frowning down at his subjects who are petitioning him.

Danny screws up his face frownily, causing giggles from Fizzy and the sillier ponies in the audience. “Your King hears you," he intones, in as deep and manly a voice as he can manage. "And he is moved by your petition. The mare known as Vista Star is hereby banished from Saddle Arabia.”

On cue, sounds of approval are simulated around the campfire circle.

Wind Whistler gives a whistle of approval, as quietly as she can manage out of respect for the foals sleeping elsewhere in the campsite.

“Hear Hear!” Cherries Jubilee rumbles.

“Woo hoo!” Fizzy chirrups. She mimics a champagne toast by adding a mouth pop with her hoof and fizzing the water in her canteen with her unicorn power.

Paradise goes on to describe that, while most are approving, two ponies towards the back, a grey earth pony and sky-blue pegasus, are dismayed.

“Poor Vista! You don’t think she meant to draw the dragon down on everyone, do you, Petal Swirl?” Paradise voices one of the dissenting characters, mimicking Surprise’s high pitch, before turning to Masquerade.

“No, Mousefur. This punishment is quite illogical,” the golden performer replies, in role as the other dissenter, passably mimicking the logical pegasus Wind Whistler’s measured tones, setting off giggles throughout the audience, and even earning a rare smile from the mare herself.

Paradise narrates that Vista and her two friends try to contest the finding before the king’s most trusted advisors, the Council of Furbobs.

Masquerade places Heart Throb's fluffy white heart slippers, lent to her for the occasion, one on each hoof, and holds them up like puppets, to more giggles.

“Oh, wise Bob,” Paradise begins, in her high pitched Mousefur voice.

“No,” Masquerade replies in a masculine voice of pugnacious staccato, flexing a white slipper and pushing it into Paradise’s muzzle, which she wrinkles.

“Let her speak!” Masquerade immediately follows up in another, similar but more feminine voice, flexing her other slippered hoof so that it clutches at the first ‘puppet’ to draw it back.

“Oh, wise Bobbess.” Paradise maintains her voice through the slipper in her face, while also trying not to smirk at the silliness of the scene and to ignore the tickly sensation on her muzzle. “Please advise the king not to banish our friend Vista Star!”

“I agree!” replies the 'Furbob' that is currently not assaulting Paradise.

“No!” Masquerade bounces her other slippered hoof up and down on Paradise’s red mane, simulating the bob angrily jumping on Mousefur.

There is a surge of laughter as the scene grips the audience, the mirth infectious.

“Double yes!” The golden pegasus slides her other hoof up to Paradise’s head as she mimes the genial bob attempting to restrain the angry council-bob.

“Ow!” Paradise squeaks.

“Triple no!” Masquerade makes a gnashing sound as her furbob ‘puppet’ clutches Paradise’s furry white ear, simulating it biting Mousefur.

“Quintuple yes!” The 'bobess' replies and the performer mimes dragging the angry bob away. The laughter crescendoes, with some of the sillier ponies doubling up and banging their log-seats, delighted by the antics.

The scene over, Masquerade returns the prop to Heart Throb, to whistles and stomps of applause.

The golden pegasus waits for the noise to die down before continuing. “We are getting nowhere with these council-bobs,” she says as Petal Swirl. The deadpan statement sends many over the edge again, and Paradise has to wait before delivering her line.

“That big one bit me!” ‘Mousefur’ huffs — Paradise raises a hoof to her ear, which sends the ponies into another giggle-fit.

"Ah-ah!" Fizzy cries breathlessly, tears of laughter streaming down her muzzle. "No more!"

After pausing for calm, the storyteller explains that the two friends leave defeated, complaining about the behaviour of the Bobs. "Unable to prevent it, Vista Star is cast out into the desert, with nobody allowed to see her, on pain of joining her fate, for fear that the dragon would punish the kingdom further. But Mousefur and Petal Swirl were determined to see their friend, in defiance of the cowardly king’s edict, so they travel to Vista’s new home — a distant cave in the shifting wilderness of the desert sands."

Gusty resumes the desert sound-effect and a pink earth pony, whose faded pink tail conceals a seated flank of ice-cream cones, adds a soft wolf-howl, as of a distant wolf-pack.

“Oh, Vista Star! We will miss you so,” 'Mousefur' exclaims, squeakily.

“Mine own dearest Mousey,” Masquerade says in an exaggerated theatrical version of her own voice, before turning to her side and adjusting her features.

“I too will miss you,” 'Petal Swirl' replies. The smooth, much practiced, transition between the two characters draws admiring noises from around the circle.

Masquerade and Paradise approach each other and hug, prompting 'awws'. Paradise hides her white muzzle in Masquerade’s luscious two-tone greens while Masquerade noses herself under the former’s cherry mane. Faces thus obscured, they shake to simulate crying.

Seeing her cue, Heart Throb adds a tearful sound-effect. The plaintiveness of the tender pony’s sobs, and the high emotional moment, causes sniffles to break out around the log-seats. Indeed, the moment proves to be too much for a few, including the pony providing the wolf howl, Lickety Split, who falters.

Before everyone starts crying, Masquerade gestures to Heart Throb, who stops abruptly.

Paradise, through sniffles, explains that the three friends part company with hugs and sad goodbyes. She pauses for a moment to allow emotions to settle, before continuing, "Mousefur and Petal Swirl return to Vista’s home after many weeks have passed to find she has been kidnapped!"

“Oh, no! What’s this!?” 'Mousefur' exclaims, pointing her golden hoof at the ground near the fire, where Masquerade had previously drawn a paw print. “It must be wolves! They have taken her and eaten her all up!”

The revelation brings foalish gasps from Sundance and Fizzy.

“A reasonable deduction, but there is a crucial flaw in your reasoning—there is no sign of a struggle,” ‘Petal Swirl’ replies.

Paradise narrates that the two ponies track down the wolf pack, ready to fight, but hoping that there might be another explanation. "The wolves turn out to be friendly."

The pink ice-cream marked pony who had previously been providing the wolf-howl sound effect, having recovered, now yips happily. “Smelled dragon ruff! At pony home. Take pony.” She buries her head in her hooves, flattens her ears and adds a keening canine whine to give a scared doggy impression, which draws ‘awws’ from the softer ponies.

Paradise, a better storyteller than actor, rolls her eyes and squeals out her shock. “Ohhh… nooo!”

Masquerade simply hangs her head as 'Petal Swirl' reacts to the sad news, avoiding the temptation to overact.

The melancholy is broken by the perky voice of the pink ‘wolf’. “Help ponies find friend, ruff ruff!” The pony sits upright, faded pink mane falling about her face, and adds tongue-lolling and tail-wagging for good measure.

“Thank you, dear wolf.”

Forgetting that Mousefur is meant to be sad, Paradise leans forward and pats the actor's pink muzzle. “Good girl, Lickety Split!” she jests, prompting laughs throughout the audience.

Paradise continues the narration, relating that Mousefur and Petal Swirl are led by the friendly pack to the lair of the dragon. "The two companions' battle-gear clanks as they trot into the mountain’s depths to face the terrible foe."

At a signal from Masquerade, Galaxy, Applejack and Cherries Jubilee make a clattering sound by banging their canteens together.

Paradise leans forward, flames dancing across her snowy, cherry-framed visage and hazel eyes, as she describes the two friends entering the dragon’s lair. The more impressionable ponies in the audience, Fizzy and Sundance among them, already on the edge of their log-seats, hold each other’s hooves. Surprise, next to them, nibbles her wing-feathers anxiously. On the other side of the campfire, Ribbon is petting Posey who has buried her face in her fetlocks. A bold contrast is presented by the pink and turquoise forms of Firefly and Medley, who are drumming their hooves in eager anticipation of the dragony confrontation.

"The companions trot breathlessly onward through claustrophobic caves stinking of sulfur. Eventually, the close passages open out into a glorious, glittering cavern dominated by the dragon’s horde of gold, silver and artistic treasure. Among these they recognise something that makes their hearts leap — sculptures from the talented hooves of their captured friend, Vista Star!" As Paradise pauses for effect, Danny holds up a now half-whittled horse-stick ‘sculpture,’ eliciting admiring murmurs.

"Above the horde, sitting on a huge throne of glass, towers a monstrous, red dragon!" the storyteller crescendos.

The reveal, after the build-up, draws squeaks of fear from the softer parts of the log-ring, and shrill ‘oh noes!’ from sillier quarters. The hard-nosed Cherries Jubilee just grunts at the impractical nature of glass seating.

‘Awesome!’ exclaims a grinning Firefly, nudging North Star, but she doesn’t respond. The explorer is looking longingly upward, wings shifting restlessly with the ever-present itch to fly.

“Yeah, this is gonna be good,” Medley returns, giving a wry smile at their fellow scout's mute, upturned muzzle. She reaches past the smaller pegasus to wing-tap her bestie.

Paradise, who had been taking in the various reactions with the humble inner-smile of a proud craftsmare, presses on.

"At the base of the dragon’s foot-long claws, is the tiny form of Vista. She is manacled, but unharmed," she explains, to relieved sighs. "As Mousefur and Petal Swirl peer closer, it becomes apparent that the pony has her sculpting tools out and is being forced to work for her captor."

“What can we do!?” 'Mousefur' whimpers.

“Well, thinking logically, what are our options?” replies 'Petal Swirl'. Even in the tense moment, the phrase is so reminiscent of Wind Whistler that both Firefly and Medley snort with laughter.

Paradise narrates that the two ponies huddle back into the passageway to debate their approach.

“We are not fast or ferocious like our pony pal, Fire Feathers,” bemoans 'Mousefur'. Paradise winks at Firefly, who grins back.

“Nor as strong as my workmate, Cherry Beam!” Masquerade smirks at Cherries Jubilee, who flexes a bulging foreleg.

“Nor as magical as our friend, Wand Withers.” Magic Star blushes and shakes her head, looking down.

"After further debate, the friends recognise that violence is not the answer, because Vista could be hurt." This conclusion draws approving nods from the majority, the herd being generally violence-averse, with a few notable dissents from feistier characters.

“Boooring!” grumbles Gusty.

Paradise describes how the friends effect the plan of action. "Firstly, Mousefur sneaks up on Vista."

Masquerade beckons with her hoof but, strangely, no one responds. The audience gaze round in confusion and there is an awkward silence. Masquerade’s poised features are just beginning to show worry when she is startled by a loud noise.

"Surprise!"

The ponies’ spin round to look at the sudden source of the shout, which proves to be a mint-green, pink-maned earth pony on the opposite part of the fire who is grinning triumphantly down at the now upturned and giggling form of the white pegasus. Normally the perpetrator of astonishment, Surprise's shocked expression demonstrates that the soft-hooved assailant has given her a taste of her own medicine.

“Ya got me, Minty! Good one!” she titters from the ground.

The mint-green pony holds up her hooves proudly by way of explanation for her extraordinary sneakiness, displaying the thick, mismatching socks on all four that had muffled her approach.

Paradise, looking testily at Minty and Surprise for the improvised additions, explains that Mousefur has sneakily scuttled across the horde, wearing socks, just like Minty did.

“But Mousefur and Vista did not say ‘surprise,’ because that would have alerted the dragon,” she scolds, tutting at the still-giggling pair.

“Unlike some ponies who have more socks than sense,” Masquerade adds, gems flashing at Minty.

“Also, Vista did not fall about giggling like a silly feather-brains.” Paradise wags a hoof at Surprise.

The two ponies are far from cowed by these admonitions — at her first opportunity, Surprise mounts a feathery tickle-assault. With a squeal of laughter, Minty is soon rolling about in the dark on the dry earth behind the log-seats, at the other's mercy.

The sillier ponies, led by Fizzy, join in the giggles, but are swiftly shushed.

"Enough now." Cherries Jubilee easily separates the two, ushering them back to opposite sides of the fire.

Masquerade gives the impromptu usher a thankful nod and, with a quiet *ahem*, Paradise resumes the story, reminding the ponies that Mousefur had just approached Vista Star.

“Bobbins and bodkins!” Masquerade stage-whispers in her ‘Vista Star’ voice. “Do mine orbs discern in the flickering shadow beneath this scaly tyrant, the shape of mine own boon companion, Mousefur? Oh, how this sight stirs me to bitter joy, for thou hast put thyself in great danger on account of this poor artist.”

Paradise explains that Vista’s manacled hind-hooves prevent her coming any closer to Mousefur, who is cowering between the dragon’s huge, clawed feet.

“Ew, I hope they smell better than mine.” An audible mutter is heard from among the audience, causing titters.

"Minty, Minty, Minty!" A pink, balloon-marked pony tuts nasally, holding her muzzle, addressing the green pony next to her who has now removed her thick woollies and is engaged in speculatively sniffing them.

"Oh-err!" she starts, goofily. "Um... you didn't hear that."

"I wish I didn't smell it, either..." Pinkie shakes her head.

Ignoring the interruption, Paradise explains that Mousefur does not approach, fearful of exciting the dragon’s notice. "She gives a whispered greeting from her hiding place and gabbles out an outline of her plan, terrified of the beast above her. Vista pretends to work on her sculpture all the while, until the dragon becomes suspicious. She thinks a moment, tinkering away, the little grey Mousefur peering out at her from beneath the throne, gemmed-eyes twinkling wonderingly... but eventually Vista's mind is made up. Heart in her mouth, she hails the dragon."

“Oh, majestic Dragon lord!” 'Vista Star' declaims. Masquerade nods to Danny, cueing him in.

The boy squints at his lines, dimly lit by the firelight, before replying in a deep, throaty ‘monster’ voice, “Yes, my jewel, how goes the work?”

“The wonder of thy visage requires gems of such magnificence that this humble subject’s unworthy and pitiful orbs discern none that are suitable among thy mighty horde.”

At another signal, a blood-curdling roar causes whinnies of fear from the timid ponies in the group, and even the normally unflappable scouts swivel their eyes around in alarm looking for the ‘monster’. The diminutive Surprise, the inexplicable origin of the sound, coughs, pats her chest and returns their incredulous looks with a tongue-poke.

Paradise explains that the dragon is angered by the delay.

“My horde contains the greatest treasures for a thousand leagues! If nothing exists that is so magnificent as to compare with the true article—” Danny pauses for Paradise to explain that the vain dragon preens into a huge crystal mirror above him. “Then you must make do. And, if you refuse to finish, I will crush you like an ant.”

Paradise narrates that the monster raises up one of its great feet, as if to stomp on Vista, causing Mousefur, who had been hiding behind the dragon’s legs, to scuttle further away, behind the throne.

“Oh, great Wyrm, I have heard of wonderful jewels of viridescent emerald that lie in the belly of the mountain of the phoenixes. Only these are capable of capturing the radiance of your eyes,” 'Vista Star' proposes.

The ‘dragon’, having finished reading his lines, sits down on his log-seat.

Paradise explains that the beast ultimately accepts Vista’s suggestion, which appeals to his vanity. "But the friends' plan meets a hitch when he taps the gigantic crystal mirror with his mighty staff which, with a flash of magic, summons the image of a hooded pony. Rather than abandon his lair to acquire the gem, as the friends had expected, the dragon commands this servant to search for him!"

Around the log-ring little furry muzzles murmur discontentedly as they share the disquiet of the fictitious friends. "To think! A pony helping a brute like that!"

"Just like that rogue, Knight Shade," Ribbon hisses, prompting growls, many still angry about that pony's actions in service to his shadowy master.

Paradise raises her hooves to quieten the murmurs and goes on to explain that the third part of the plan, unshackling Vista, would have to wait.

"There is nothing that Vista or Mousefur can do, so she returns to Petal Swirl, tail between her legs."

At the high emotional moment, Paradise declares an interlude.

Masquerade and Paradise rise, to raucous applause and stomping.

Megan approaches them, her eyes gleaming. “It's going wonderfully, Paradise! I feel so sorry for Vista, and you do such a good job of bringing everything to life, Masquerade.”

Nuzzling the girl thankfully, Paradise scents something delicious. Giving a delighted horsey snort, she discovers the two toffee apples the girl had been keeping as prizes for the best story. After tossing one of the treats to her bestie, they retire together to their log-seats, receiving many an appreciative pat as they pass.

Campfire Tales: II

In a quiet part of the log-circle, Magic Star addresses her friends over the babble of similar conversations around the fire.

“Mousefur was so brave to stand by her companion when the bad king condemned her,” the soft yellow pony observes, “but she can’t go against her king any more than poor Vista can. Maybe he will change his mind about exiling Vista Star when he sees how upset she is?”

Ribbon, Posey and Twilight, who are sitting near to her, nod sadly in response.

***

Across the fire, squeals of mirth can be heard from a collection of silly ponies.

“Those Bobs were hilarious!” giggles out Surprise.

“No they’re not,” returns Fizzy, mimicking a disagreeable ‘Bob’.

“Oh, yes they are!” Applejack joins in.

“They so are!” Sundance agrees, breaking the sequence.

“Nuh uh!” Surprise adds. “I mean—“ She hesitates, then snorts, realising she been wrong-hoofed.

The entire group dissolves once again into horsey laughter.

***

Drawing the occasional concerned look from Megan, two pegasi — one pink, the other turquoise — are in the middle of a heated argument about the story-play, fiery eyes glaring at one another.

“Dragons aren’t scary — the ponies in that kingdom are just cowards.” Firefly snarls and thrusts her muzzle into Medley's, her pink nostrils flaring.

“That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard!” the turquoise pegasus strikes back, leaning away unphased, head held high. “Well, at least since I heard a silly pony sploosh into a plunge pool earlier this morning, but really it would be hard to sound sillier than that.” Medley meets the intense purple orbs of her temporary foe with the cool power of her own blues.

Firefly is about to respond, when another pegasus, North Star, who is sitting between the warring parties, pipes up. “I think if I were a dragon, all lonely in a cave, I’d probably want to take all the interesting things from every other creature. It’d cheer me up no end to read all their books and admire their sculptures.”

The statement is met by silence, as the combatants are briefly lost for words.

Medley is the first to recover. “You should be called Dragon Star!” she sniggers.

“The only dragon who’s afraid of fire!“ Firefly adds, referring to her friend's reluctance to become embroiled in the melee of fire-fighting earlier.

However, North Star doesn't respond, her eyes having glazed over as she day-dreams about Paradise's world.

With a chuckle at the whimsical nature of their companion, they return to their argument.

***

Adding to the fireside chatter, the human, Danny, mug of root-beer in hand, declaims enthusiastically to Galaxy, Gusty and Cherries Jubilee. “But couldn’t Vista Star simply wink out of the manacles?” he challenges, gesturing to the two unicorns.

"Good point," notes Gusty. As she says this, her horn sparkles and she disappears and reappears in place. Referred to as ‘winking out,’ most of the grown unicorns of the herd have the ability.

The storyteller, Paradise, who is munching on her toffee apple, listens with trepidation, watched by her companion, the playwright, Masquerade.

“But, isn't it impossible to wink through solid objects?” offers the earth pony.

“That’s true, except—” Galaxy begins, only for Danny to jump in.

“I know that unicorns can’t wink through things, like a net, but Vista Star wasn’t trapped like that.”

“Her fetlocks were manacled though, and unicorns are unable to escape when they are tied up,” Cherries Jubilee responds, practically.

Galaxy furrows her brow. “Yes, that’s right.”

Danny thinks for a second, stroking his freckled chin and narrowing his eyes, the way that crafty humans do when they puzzle through things. After a moment, he snaps his fingers. “Galaxy, have you got two spare guy-ropes? I have an idea."

The unicorn sighs and takes the requested items from her saddlebag, which she gives to him.

Danny turns to Gusty. When she realises what he means to do, she snorts and shakes her head. "I ain't being tied up."

He turns to Galaxy, who nods reluctantly.

"Now, hold out your hoof.”

She holds up a curled foreleg.

“Your hind hoof, Galaxy,” he clarifies.

When she hesitates, he adds by way of explanation, “Vista Star’s hind-legs were manacled.”

Galaxy sighs and turns around. As she feels his hand on her hind-leg she startles, prompting the human to back off.

“Easy, girl,” he soothes, instinctually treating the unicorn as he would the ponies back on the farm at home.

She steadies herself, overriding her horsey desire to kick, and does as asked.

Danny takes her fetlock and places it on his lap. His practiced hands quickly bind the proffered limb in an improvised guy-rope ‘manacle,’ and with the other rope quickly binds both legs.

“There, now try to—” he starts. With a brief scintillation of her horn, she winks out, leaving both guy-ropes to fall to the floor.

“It seems I was able to slip out of them,” Galaxy observes, reappearing.

“That proves it!” Danny crows triumphantly, to Paradise’s dismay.

Cherries Jubilee brings a hoof to her chin and muses awhile before observing, “But the dragon is probably pretty smart — it might have prepared for that.”

The boy stomps his sneakered foot in frustration. “But how!?”

Galaxy flashes her eyes at Masquerade, before saying in a strange, ominous tone, “Look into my gems, human, and I shall inform you.”

Danny, taken aback, does as she requests. He sees the flames of the campfire dance in the many facets of the glittering rubies. Unlike his own eyes, or those of most of the herd, he sees no pupils, only points of fractured light, as she is a gem-eyed pony. As he focuses, she swishes her head from side to side to create a flash of dark-red that rises from the periphery of both gems and swirls outward, briefly dazzling his vision, causing him to stumble back.

“It’s magic!” she grins,

Danny shakes his head to clear the sparkles and huffs, unimpressed.

Paradise rises to her hooves. “Hah! True enough. Isn’t that right, Masquerade?” she avers, having by now finished munching, offering a wing-up.

With a smile to Galaxy, the pegasus takes her friend's wing, gemmed-eyes twinkling. “Surely. Now, let’s get back to the 'magic'!”

As the pair rise and return to their log-seat 'stage', the babble of fireside conversation swiftly fades.

To resume, Paradise briefly explains that the two ponies, Mousefur and Petal Swirl, are huddled together in the passageway leading to the dragon’s cave.

“Oh, whatever shall we do!?” Paradise stage-whispers in the squeaky, Surprise-like voice used for Mousefur. “I just knew this would be a disaster—we’ll never save our friend now!”

“Now, now, dear Mousefur, do not lose hope,” Masquerade replies, in her reasonable, Wind Whistler-esque ‘Petal Swirl’ voice. “First, let me clarify a few things.”

Paradise sits on her hind haunches like a school-filly, looking up at Masquerade, as 'Mousefur' awaits the other's pearls of wisdom.

“You say Vista is not in immediate danger?” 'Petal Swirl' questions, sternly.

Paradise nods her white head. “He only threatened her when Vista said she wouldn’t work for him.”

“So she is safe for now — for she has the most creative mind of anyone I know. And you say that a pony was assisting the dragon?”

“Yes! What kind of pony would help a big, mean old dragon?”

“I am not sure, but where there is a problem there is also an opportunity.” Masquerade strokes her downy chin thoughtfully and draws her hoof below it, as if she had a wispy goatee.

Paradise smiles, pleased by the delivery of the line, which she had found in an old pony tale.

As this is going on, Danny and Galaxy whisper excitedly to each other, discussing what the characters could be planning — the boy, using logical human syllogism, argues that the fictional friends must fight the dragon, while the unicorn, using instinct and intuition, defends her view that it would be most sensible for the characters to find someone to help them.

Paradise occasionally glances over to this pair during the dialogue, pleased with their engagement but wanting them to follow her story.

"So,the plan is... um, err—" she stops, groping for the line.

A few ponies look up expectantly. Masquerade, worried, mouths it.

"Oh, yes, to...um? Wait, that's not—"

Sensing a theatrical emergency, the performer realises she will have to improvise to help Paradise out. With a flash of inspiration she suddenly leaps to her hooves. “Eureka!” she shouts and goes in for a hug.

The display of emotion and sudden shout shocks the audience, so consistent had Masquerade’s portrayal of the sober character been. An intrigued gasp goes up around the fire, most of whom then lean in, in suspense as to the meaning of the outburst, other than Applejack who was so surprised that she fell off her log-seat.

“Eeeeyah!?” squeaks Paradise, genuinely astonished, her pitch naturally imitating the high tones of her character.

“I apologise for the outburst,” begins 'Petal Swirl', “but I believe I have formulated a plan which will surely achieve our goal.” The golden pegasus pauses significantly.

“C’mon!” Danny and Galaxy mutter together, anticipating the revelation, both hoping to be proved right.

“To prevent the dragon’s spies overhearing—” Masquerade arches an eyebrow at the pair. “—it is safest to whisper.” Burying her muzzle in Paradise’s ear, she murmurs, "Pretend like I'm setting out the plan!"

Paradise, who had frozen, barely manages to choke out, “Oh, my!” playing along by instinct.

The audience relax, relieved that the awkward moment has passed, most assuming the whispering to be part of the act.

"I think it's working! Say, 'You don't say', or something, like a panto," Masquerade whispers.

“You don’t say!?” 'Mousefur' declaims. Paradise, attention diverted from the pair by her friend's warm proximity, relaxes and leans into the pantomime aspect of the improvised scene.

Danny and Galaxy drum hand and hoof respectively against the bark of their rough-hewn seats in their eagerness to see their speculations confirmed. A few other ponies, notably the curious Twilight, are caught up in the anticipation and join the others in fidgeting.

"Whisper, whisper, whisper, okay, time for another silly response," Masquerade murmurs.

“But what if he locks us away and throws away the key?” Paradise moans dramatically, hoof to her brow.

Galaxy, though normally one of the less skittish ponies, ceases drumming and rises to her hooves to pace back and forth, prancing restlessly as she wonders what 'Petal Swirl' could be saying.

After a few more mouthings, Masquerade withdraws from her friend's ear.

“Petal Swirl, you're a genius!” Paradise declares, prompting a wry smile from Ribbon, amused by the latter’s indirect praise for her friend.

The fidgeting unicorn and the boy cease their activity as they listen eagerly for the revelation.

Masquerade, pleased to see the performance back on the rails, raises her golden head triumphantly. "Then no more talking. You know what to do, so let's save our friend!" She flashes her eyes at Galaxy, just as the other had done previously to Danny.

"Just tell us!" the boy huffs. Twilight and a few others also look non-plussed.

Turning back to Galaxy, Danny tries to resume their argument, but as he leans in, her ear flicks.

“Let's just wait and see what they have planned,” she suggests, sitting herself back down and forcing herself to be patient, earning a thankful nod from storyteller and playwright alike.

Paradise describes the two friends leaving the mountain.

"Mousefur, the earth pony, travels the ground around the dragon's lair, searching for something."

She trots around the log-seat ring, her fur barely lit up by the glow of the campfire, which has now dimmed. As she swishes by the furry bodies, she mimes exploring — peering every so often at the ground, the log-seats and the audience. Some, like Firefly, look back with a grin, while others blush and look down. As Paradise comes to Fizzy, the bubbly pony giggles.

“I think I heard a noise over here!” 'Mousefur' squeaks. “I wonder if someone could be hiding inside this tasty looking fizzy-fruit tree? I better shake it to see if they fall out.”

With a chuckle, Paradise extends a wing to tickle the unicorn, who tries to wriggle away.

“Aah! Nooo!” Fizzy squeals.

Her neighbours, Surprise and Applejack, laugh delightedly as they treacherously join in.

The writhing teal pony activates her unicorn power to protectively bubble herself, poking out her tongue at the would-be assailants, who are pushed back by the translucent shield.

Applejack, not expecting it, and naturally clumsy, falls on her blond tail as a result. She licks her muzzle ruefully and returns to her log-seat, defeated for now.

Paradise, apprehending both the practical and narrative necessity of desisting, calls off the attack.

“No one there. I better keep looking…”

Surprise, however, not to be deterred, springs at Fizzy to burst the bubble. At the last moment a hard look from the bulky form of Cherries Jubilee makes her reconsider, so she decides to wrap her hooves around it in a bear hug.

The interposing film flexes, but holds.

“Hugs?” Surprise pouts, pushing her muzzle against the sinuous material.

Fizzy blows a raspberry. “Only if you promise no more tickles!” Her voice echoes inside her bubble-shell.

The pegasus nods solemnly and makes a gesture, sticking her hoof into her eye and crossing her heart. Fizzy, satisfied, dissipates the bubble with a sparkle of her horn.

Paradise looks at them incredulously, shaking her head. “The trees around here sure are spoony…”

“Petal Swirl, the pegasus, searches the skies…” the storyteller continues. Masquerade, on cue, springs into the night air.

As she takes off, North Star follows. During the last scene, she had been engaged in applying a costume supplied by Sundance. She now wears a silver party hat on her forehead, which juts out like a horn, and sports a coating of silver glitter on the underside of her pink wings and furry tummy. The glitter catches the fireilight as she climbs over the upturned heads of the audience, graceful as a bird. In moments, she has become just another point of light in the speckled shroud.

Megan, who had been following the costuming with interest, pets Sundance. “Excellent job—she looks beautiful! Wherever did you find the ‘horn’?”

“Thanks.” The white earth pony nuzzles the girl's hand. “It’s from my costume, from when I play unicorns and pegasi with Shady.”

The little white pony looks up with doe eyes, her blues seeking Megan's, who smiles down at her favourite, melting internally, suppressing the desire to coo and fuss in front of the others.

Above the ring of fiery upturned faces, Masquerade and North Star continue to ascend on smoky thermals until they are high above the campfire, whereon she hovers while the scout rises further, just out of view of the audience.

The ponies below squint upwards. With a gesture to Night Light, the golden performer is lit up by the unicorn's power which performs the role of a spotlight.

Paradise explains that Petal Swirl's search has taken her to the volcanic land of the phoenixes, where she is surprised to find something else in the air with her.

"The plumes of noxious steam that are constantly being thrown up from the roiling lava below her, make the pony unsure whether the form denotes a pegasus like herself, or a monster."

“Hail!” Masquerade calls out, casting an eye beneath her to be sure that the audience has heard.

Paradise explains that the mysterious figure does not respond.

North Star’s blurred shape, just visible as a shadow against the star-flecks, bobs and weaves a few pony-lengths above the lit-up form of the other flier.

“Be you friend or foe?” 'Petal Swirl' calls out, again.

With a powerful flap of her wings, Masquerade reaches out to the lavender tail. The audience 'ooh' appreciatively as they apprehend the elaborate costume, illuminated by the spotlight; the approbation draws a delighted blush from Sundance.

Paradise narrates that the strange being is a 'Star Unicorn,' which resembles both a pegasus and a unicorn, and has a silvery, ethereal form.

North Star smiles, but points to her mouth and shakes her head.

"Star Unicorns do not speak the common tongue," the storyteller explains. "Therefore, they must communicate using charades."

North Star raises a pink, glittery, foreleg in a gesture to the stars above her, which she follows up with a hoof-tap to her chest.

Masquerade shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders. “Um… your name is Starlight? No, that can't be right.”

The 'star unicorn' tries again. This time she points to the sky and then presses her foreleg to her face and closes her eyes in a recognisable ‘sleeping’ mime.

'Petal Swirl' once more shakes her head in confusion. “Err… you sleep on the moon?”

“She’s saying she’s a sleepyhead!” calls out Fizzy.

“Or that she has a headache?” suggests Magic Star.

“I hope she’s saying something about fighting a dragon,” Firefly groans, holding out her hoof for Medley to bop, which the she duly does, with an apologetic look to Paradise, who rolls her eyes at them.

North Star points once again to the moon and draws her hooves in a square shape, before bringing them together to form a triangle to convey a house.

“From that, I deduce that your herd live on the moon." Masquerade makes a similar gesture, pointing to the ground, prompting the 'star unicorn' to nod.

"I am on a quest to find someone,” 'Petal Swirl' continues. “Tell me, have you seen another pony like me, here?” As the costumed pony mimes incomprehension, Masquerade makes a ‘thinking’ gesture, scratching her head exaggeratedly so that the remote audience can see. Eventually, she makes a circling motion at her head, the pony-charade equivalent of ‘similar to’, and then points to her chest.

North Star nods and gestures to the party-hat 'horn' on her forehead.

“Oh—my—hoofness! A unicorn has visited here!” Masquerade stage-whispers with pantomime surprise.

Paradise explains that Petal Swirl was shocked to hear that the other pony was a unicorn, because in Saddle Arabia there were very few — only Vista Star, the King and a couple of others.

“Who could the dragon’s assistant be?” 'Petal Swirl' continues the whispered monologue, the performer contorting her face to convey as much surprise and consternation as the logical character allows for the benefit of those below. “Where are they now?” she asks aloud, as she simultaneously mimes the question by placing a fetlock to her brow and gazing about like an explorer.

The 'star unicorn' nods, then blinks and clops her hooves together.

“He winked away, of course!”

Masquerade notices furrowed brows of confusion on some of the upturned faces of her audience. 'Tough scene', she sighs — she had advised against performing in the sky when they were planning the story-play, but Paradise had insisted. As she swoops back down to earth, the storyteller explains that Petal Swirl, after miming a hoof to heart gesture of thanks to the Star Unicorn, rushes back to the dragon's lair.

North Star, her part over, looks down at the rippling fire and the orange-hued ring of ponies, before raising her gaze to see over the tops of the rustling trees of the now-black forest canopy, to the horizon. The dim shapes of mountains and the glistening skin of a moonlit lake in the distance call to her, but tonight her heart is set on destinations that are even further away.

The pegasus raises her eyes again so that she is facing directly upwards. In the unimaginable distance is the familiar Big Dipper, the constellation depicted by Galaxy’s mark. Free from the obscuring illumination on the ground, the stars loom large and, as she was often wont to do while night-flying, she traces the line of the sparkling ‘club’ of the Dipper to the two bright orbs at its tip, and then through the blackness in-between, to her own heart’s star: Polaris. Against the midnight pitch of the forest, this shines bright, like a diamond, filling her with longing. Her always-active mind whirs as she imagines the home of the legendary 'star unicorns,' a paradise of nebulae and supernova, just out of reach.

'It's so close! I must find it. I'll be the first pony to discover them and see where they go during the day...' As if on their own, North Star's wings fan, gathering the firey thermals and she shoots upwards into the night, hooves curling under — earth is forgotten as her sky-borne heart takes control.

Back on the ground, Masquerade gently descends into the firelight, to a smattering of applause for the scene. However, Galaxy, her horn sparkling, senses something is amiss; she furrows her brow, peering into the smoke for a glimpse of the missing scout. With an abrupt shout, she calls a halt to the play and everyone turns to her.

“Where is North Star?” Galaxy rises to her hooves, her rubies flashing with concern.

The herd murmur confusedly, gazing about the clearing. Most had assumed that North Star would be with Masquerade.

Firefly and Medley, North Star's companions, immediately leap into the air with a kick, seeking their comrade, but are called back by an angry whistle.

"Back, girls," states Wind Whistler in a tone that brooks no argument. "Don't be so hasty."

“It's a dragon!” moans Sundance fearfully, burying her face in Megan’s lap. “Come to steal us away and turn us into monsters, just like Tirac!”

Similar, though less hysterical, thoughts run through the minds of the others, many of whom have felt the trauma of monster incursion.

In other parts of the circle, more considered ideas are forming. Danny, who had been musing upon the abilities of unicorns during the play, is suddenly struck by an idea.

“Ribbon, can your unicorn power reach her mind?”

The motherly blue unicorn’s initially doubtful expression gives way to a thoughtful pout. “That is possible, Danny,” she agrees, giving the boy a respectful nod.

With a scintillation of her horn, her mind reaches out to the errant pegasus. The image that forms is full of stars and nebulae and is oblivious to communication, rather like the 'Star Unicorn' that North Star had recently been portraying.

Danny, seeing Ribbon’s horn sparkling, waits patiently for her insight, while all around, voices rise in panic.

‘Oh, she’s as bad as her foal!’ she broadcasts to him telepathically, with a shake of her head. ‘She’s star-struck.’

“Star-struck?” he wonders, bemused.

Galaxy's ears perk up at Danny's exclamation — as understanding dawns, she sighs and her rubies show spiraling sparkles, the gem-eyed pony equivalent of rolling one’s eyes.

“That feather-brain—of course! She sometimes tries to fly to the stars. In Dream Valley she can get pretty close, but no matter how many times we tell her she'll never catch those skittish star unicorns, she's always chasing after them.”

“Stars aren’t unicorns, they’re made of—” the boy begins, but is interrupted by Galaxy clopping her hooves for quiet.

“North Star is safe, but she is star-struck and needs to be brought back before she flies too high or draws the attention of a monster. Can any of you—” The unicorn gestures to the pegasus scouts. “—fly as high as her?”

All the scouts, bar Firefly, shake their heads. Medley, seeing this, tuts at her friend. “You might be faster than her, but none of us can go the distances Northie can.” Firefly looks about to argue, her pink head held high, but she catches the hard blues of the latter's gaze and her pride falters. With a sigh, she lowers her head and joins the others in defeat with a dispirited disavowal.

However, one, quiet voice from a formerly dozing pegasus, affirms that she is capable. It comes from a milky, light-yellow coated pony with a long blond mane. In contrast to the mare’s meekness, her physicality almost equals that of Cherries Jubilee. On her flank are stars which surround a hot air balloon.

Galaxy eyes the pony critically, before nodding with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Lofty. You should be able to catch her.”

The other pegasi sigh enviously as the great pegasus spreads wings that fan almost a pony-length on either side as, with beats heavy enough to cause the fire to flare, the albatross of the herd sets off.

As the thud of the Lofty’s flight recedes, Paradise resumes her tale, stating that Mousefur and Petal Swirl hurry back to the dragon's mountain.

She picks up a rope in her mouth, in character once more. “Mmmf mmf, mmmf mmmmf!” A few giggle and the tension around the fire due to the interruption eases a little.

“Mousefur, dear, please,” Masquerade states, patiently. “I cannot hear what you are saying.”

Paradise spits it out. “I said that this vine will be perfect!”

As the less practically minded ponies look on intrigued, a knowing look comes into Galaxy and Danny’s faces.

Paradise narrates that Mousefur weaves the vines into a lasso, explaining that her subtle earth pony mouth and deft hooves are equal to the difficult task. This draws an appreciative smile from Sundance and a few of the other earth ponies.

“Now that the lasso is finished, where should we spring our trap?” 'Mousefur' wonders.

“In the tunnel, where he or she won’t be able to wink away to escape.” Masquerade’s eyes glitter and she allows the serious character only the slightest of victorious smirks. The revelation is accompanied by ‘aahs’ of understanding from most of the listeners, who had been in the dark as to the designs of the two protagonists. Danny and Galaxy, however, who had already figured this out, grin at one another.

Paradise hops up and down, seeing in her mind’s eye her creation’s excited little grey form dancing with glee. There is a collective wince from the audience as they see the ungainly storyteller gallumph about.

"Is she pretending to be a pelican or somethin'?" Gusty mutters, smirking, prompting chuckles, which Paradise assumes to be in response to her character's performance, and so keeps going.

Masquerade pinkens. “Yes. In the tunnel. So we'll trap him there. Quickly, Mousefur!" she emphasises, an edge to her voice.

The repetition also serves to clue in some of the slower and more easily distracted ponies. “Oh, they were trying to find the dragon’s assistant the whole time!” Applejack blurts out. “Now it makes sense!”

Paradise shrugs and stops cavorting. “The two ponies lurk around a bend in the passageway until—” she pauses, waiting for a cue.

Girlish giggles break out as Danny, who has risen from his seat, bends to the ground awkwardly, dropping to all-fours. (Seeing the bipedal creature thus transformed into an ungainly, unbalanced ‘pony’ always delighted the herd— foal, filly and mare alike.)

Surprise, unable to contain herself, flutters onto Danny’s back, sitting astride him.

“Giddy up, Danny!” she chortles, squeezing him with her milk-white hind-legs.

“Neeigh!” He rears back, galloping his hands like a startled pony.

The silly sound causes the crowd to laugh even harder. Most assume it to be merely a human noise, and not an imitation of the horses of Danny’s homeland, but Firefly, who has visited the world over the rainbow, recognises it and guffaws.

She nudges her friend. “I told you, Medley, that’s the sound they make there.”

The turquoise pony snorts. “Hah! Well you wouldn’t catch memaking such a silly noise.”

Masquerade and Paradise, expecting the display and anticipating the effect it would have on the crowd, wait indulgently for their audience to return to them. But when the mirth does not subside, Masquerade — mindful of the late hour — clops her hooves together in an attempt to bring the diversion to an end.

The performers, however, are in no mind to comply.

“Such a good horsey!” Surprise, enjoying the laughs and oblivious to Masquerade, continues her improvised routine. “Do you want a carrot?” She mimes holding a carrot to his mouth which he pretends to chomp on, provoking more giggles.

“Ahem!” Paradise coughs, trying to support Masquerade's efforts to move things on.

Ignoring this, Danny, enjoying being the centre of attention, turns to the laughing group and makes a nickering and snorting noise.

Surprise leans in towards his face, as if she’s trying to understand him. “Oh, if only they could talk like us? What could be in their silly heads?” she quips, winking, to more laughs.

Paradise tries to catch Cherries Jubilee’s attention, but she is too caught up in the fun to notice. Megan, though, more familiar with, and less diverted by, her brother’s antics, and similarly concerned by the lateness of the hour, decides that enough is enough.

“Quit fooling around!” she snaps, summoning a pretend anger, knowing that anything less would not be sufficient.

The laughing herd quietens, abashed. “I was only—” Danny begins.

Surprise, looking dismayed, dismounts. “Sorry, Megan.”

The human gives the rambunctious pegasus a stern look, causing her ears to droop. Megan never liked disciplining the ponies, but she knew that the excitable filly would only exhaust herself and, moreover, work up the others. She maintains the facade until Surprise is once more seated.

Paradise gives Megan a grateful nod. “So, as I was saying…” She explains that Petal Swirl and Mousefur crouch tensely as they hear the unmistakable clippety-clop of hoof-steps coming towards them, echoing in the quiet of the tunnel.

Masquerade adds the sound effect to this description, bringing her forehooves together as Danny makes his way towards her on all fours, imitating the heavy tread of the dragon’s mysterious pony helper. Some risible ponies join in, so that each ‘step’ is echoed by tens of similar clops from around the clearing, along with numerous sniggers.

Paradise, shaking her head at the buffoonery, perseveres, and once Danny is next to her, she shouts out, “Now!” in the squeaky ‘Mousefur’ voice.

Suddenly, Masquerade throws a rope over the boy who rears up and thrashes his arms about like a pony fighting the rein.

To Paradise's satisfaction, she notes that the turn towards action grips her audience, whose laid-back ears during the silliness have flicked forward intently.

“Mousefur—pull it taut!” 'Petal Swirl' urges, the calm tone contrasting with the tense scene.

Paradise picks up the ends of the rope and draws it tight, so that it knots around Danny’s waist like a lasso; as she does so she explains that once the mysterious pony is trapped, they find out that it is indeed a unicorn, a male. "Petal Swirl approaches the gloomy form apprehensively, unable to make out its features," she intones, darkly. “He seems to her to have midnight-black fur.”

The revelation provokes shocked murmurs from the colourful pony crowd.

“Unnatural!” mutters Ribbon, disquieted.

Paradise continues, saying that as the two friends approach the tied up unicorn and lift his travelling cloak, they are shocked to find that they recognise him.

“It cannot be!?” hisses 'Petal Swirl'.

“By Merlin’s beard!” squeaks 'Mousefur'.

“The unicorn assisting the dragon is… the King himself!?” they cry in unison.

The revelation astonishes those of the herd following the tale, provoking gasps and mutters all around.

“But why would he betray his subjects?” muses Galaxy.

“What a traitor, huh!” Gusty scoffs, unimpressed.

“But... they trusted him.” Posey’s reedy voice rises tremulously, almost lost in the din.

Suddenly, the ropes unwind and lift up. The earth ponies and pegasi 'aah' in surprise, and a few manes swish back and forth, looking for the secret to the trick. The unicorns, however, collectively grin, recognising the telekinetic magic of Buttons — a few gesture to her gently scintillating lavender horn, which protrudes through light red and blue curls.

“The King’s unicorn power is telekinesis, and he has unwound the rope restraining him,” Paradise explains.

Gusty grins across the fire at her playmate; Buttons winks back as she continues to levitate the rope.

“The treacherous King attacks by lifting Mousefur into the air with his unicorn power!” With a nod to her magical assistant, the storyteller is surrounded by sparkles as the lavender pony’s power levitates her. Steadying herself with her wings, she continues, “And then he throws the rope at Petal Swirl!”

The unicorn, now panting with exertion, sparkles the rope over to Masquerade, where it hangs limply on her muzzle.

The display of magic meets with a few clops of applause from the audience, led by Gusty.

“And he winks away!” the pegasus announces, gracefully gliding back to her log-seat.

The audience turn to Buttons, but she shakes her head.

Masquerade coughs repeatedly, gesturing at Gusty to cue her. Eventually, she gives up. “Gusty will play the part of the escaping king,” she announces, frowning testily at the windswept mare, who turns and laconically rises to her hooves.

“All hail king Gusty!” cries Sundance, teasingly, prompting an un-lady-like snort of amusement from Megan, who had already had a few run-ins with the highly strung ‘alpha mare’ of the herd.

Suddenly, with a flash of her green eyes, the wild unicorn appears on the opposite side of the fire, near Paradise. The pegasus makes to throw the rope, in character as Mousefur, but by the time it lands, Gusty has already winked away.

“Noo! He’s escaped,” 'Mousefur' squeaks.

The unicorn cackles as she reappears on the other side of the fire next to Sundance, who smiles nervously at her, ears pinned back submissively.

“Boo!” The mare grins down at the earth pony, summoning a wind to ruffle her pink mane.

“Eek!” Sundance flinches, before giggling, relieved that Gusty hadn’t taken the earlier tease the wrong way.

“Cease and desist,” Masquerade bellows, leaping over the log-seat next to Sundance to cast her rope once more. The crowd gasp, only to sigh as Gusty winks away again.

As the unicorn winks back and forth, pursued by Masquerade, Paradise explains that the King was too constrained by the tunnel to make good his escape, but also too quick to be caught.

“The two friends find themselves in a frustrating stalemate between hunter and hunted.” She gestures to Masquerade, whose heavy breathing and increasingly weak wing-flaps were not entirely an act as she tries to keep up with Gusty. “While Petal Swirl can anticipate the King, she lacks the dexterity to capture him, and while Mousefur can throw the lasso expertly, she struggles to predict the king’s movements, and therefore neither are able to trap him.”

“They need to work together!” shout a few ponies.

Paradise narrates that just as the king looks like he is going to escape, Petal Swirl calls out to Mousefur, suggesting a new tactic.

“Mousefur! Aim it here,” Masquerade calls out, pointing to a seemingly empty space.

“B-but—” Paradise begins, before opening her eyes wide. “Sure thing, Petals!” She launches the rope.

Gusty obligingly winks into its path, lowering her horn expertly so that it hangs at the tip, to a few clops of applause.

Masquerade gingerly approaches the unicorn, intending to knot the rope on the latter’s horn, but is checked as the other turns, lifts her head and shifts her weight forward. Those near the temperamental mare recognise the signs of an impending buck, and move to one side, but Gusty controls the urge. With a nicker, she faces Masquerade, bowing once more.

Paradise explains that the lasso expertly catches around the King’s horn and that Petal Swirl fixes it in place so he cannot escape.

The long anticipated revelation brings a pleased thigh-slap from Danny and squee of satisfaction from Galaxy, whose earlier whispering had chanced upon this means of restraint.

“Thank you, Gusty. I will play the part of the King from here.” Masquerade pants, relieved that the scene is over.

Gusty nods and hoofs the rope to the pegasus, before returning to her seat.

Masquerade ties the rope around her neck and her expression shifts to a scowl, in role as the treacherous king.

Paradise, in turn, pins her ears back and trembles her lip, a picture of betrayed trust. “H-how could you do this to us!?” she squeaks.

Masquerade snarls and whisks her head about, as if trying to dislodge the rope. In response, Paradise bites down on it and pulls, forcing the performer's head forward. The golden pegasus mimes reluctance, skidding her hooves as she is yanked along. Once she has been reeled in, she calms and raises her head to face the audience, who gasp in shock when they see that her normally sparkling emerald eyes, so full of life, are strangely blank and empty.

The audience recoils at the eerie sight of the inert gems.

“I can’t see her eyes! Where has her twinkle gone!?” Magic Star cries, horrified. “Stop it, Masquerade… I don’t like it!”

Posey, next to Magic Star, cuddles against her friend, similarly disturbed. “Please...” she joins in.

“Ew, freaky. Talk about nightmare fuel.” Gusty grimaces, less perturbed than the rest, but still flustered.

Danny, though, is more bemused than afraid. “What do they mean? ‘Her twinkle?’” he asks Galaxy, whose own gemmed eyes are unusually cloudy. But she doesn't reply. Surprised, he looks round the other gem-eyed ponies, seeing the same malaise upon all of them, with even Fizzy’s normally sparkling quartzes being downcast.

However, one pair of particularly brilliant, pink sapphires seem to be unaffected. Her gems are set among fiery white, golden, yellow, orange, and red stripes of mane—their iridescent light almost eclipses the campfire’s glow. She explains, softly: “When we joined the herd, our gems were dark like that because we had been kept underground. We couldn’t see very well and couldn’t escape until we harnessed the light in our eyes — our ‘twinkle’. I, Bright Eyes, was the first to do so.”

With a shake of her head, Bright Eyes's gems glow to a dazzling white. The spark travels to Galaxy’s rubies, then to Fizzy’s warm pink quartzes and finally to the deep emeralds set in the gold of Masquerade. The performer, her gems still flickering with the past, gives the other gem-eyed pony a brief smile, before turning to Paradise, waiting for her next cue.

Paradise puts a comforting hoof to Masquerade's shoulder as she draws her audience once more into her story. She explains that once the king is tied up, they strip him of his robes and possessions, including the gems he was sent for. “The gems glow with the golden fire of the land of the phoenixes, captivating Mousefur and Vista Star as they stand huddled in the dragon tunnel.” Suddenly, she pushes Masquerade forward towards the fire, causing her face is light up from below by the firelight.

“Behold! For mysterious Muse has revealed the Phoenix Gems to us!” she declaims, grandly, pointing to her friend's emeralds. The gemmed-eyes form dancing canopies or grassy plains as the reflections of the rippling flames play across their surface. “Their beauty is too much for me.” The snow white pegasus casts a fetlock over her face. “I may faint!”

Masquerade blushes as the audience turns to gaze at her face. Many ponies gasp as, under the influence of the story, they seem to catch glimpses of the unearthly beauty of the 'phoenix gems' reflected in the many facets of her eyes. Leaning into her role, she gently turns her head, twinkling her viridescence onto the onlookers like twin crystal balls.

Paradise smiles at Masquerade's beauty as she continues to narrate that the companions reverentially replace the priceless items in their pouch and then tie the treacherous king up. "Petal Swirl dons the former king’s robes and trots into the lair in disguise, looking to get close to Vista and somehow aid her friend’s escape."

Masquerade drapes a large, fluffy, white dressing gown, courtesy of Heart Throb, over herself and then flourishes a purse — provided by Megan — as an improvised gem-pouch which she holds above her head. She trots slowly over to Danny, crouching in a servile manner as she does so.

A roar sounds from the incongruous form of Surprise, prompting squeaks of discomfort from the group and startling a few of the sleepier ones awake.

Danny, in his role as the dragon, stands and glowers at the robed supplicant suspiciously. Suddenly, twin jets of bubbly steam appear behind him, catching the firelight and creating a vaporous halo. Behind him, in the mist, almost obscured, is the teal form of Fizzy, the source of the bubbles. The spectacle draws gasps of surprise from the listeners.

Masquerade continues to approach with the pouch aloft, breathing deeply to mime fear.

“Something seems different about you, my servant...” Danny growls in as deep and threatening a voice as he can manage.

Her green gems glint in the fire under her dressing gown 'robe' as she takes her time, savoring her audience's reaction to the tense moment: Posey and Magic Star clutch each other’s hooves tightly, Twilight fidgets with her log-seat and Sundance again buries her head into Megan’s lap.

After a momentary pause to build suspense, Paradise continues, saying that Petal Swirl approaches the base of the dragon’s grand throne where Vista Star is still chained and working on a sculpture for the foul beast. "As the pegasus approaches with the pouch held aloft, the Thespian unicorn is shocked to discern the fair fur of her friend poking out from under the cloak, but that the quick-witted pony swallows her amazement, to avoid blowing the other’s cover."

Masquerade cowers in front of Danny, head lowered and hooves outstretched, before opening the purse, as if displaying the gems inside.

After another dramatic pause, in which the tension electrifies the ears of every pony, Danny rears his head, takes a deep breath and opens his mouth. Posey and a number of the more delicate cover their eyes with their fetlocks, anticipating Petal Swirl’s demise by dragon-fire. However, Masquerade does not flinch, and holds the ‘gems’ high as jets of steamy bubbles form from behind Danny’s head. These cascade about the pegasus, evoking contemplative smoke, rather than an aggressor's stream of flame.

Danny nods and peers at the 'gems'. “Yes, that will do, my servant. Present them to the slave,” he booms, menacingly.

The ponies around the campfire all breathe a sigh of relief.

“Petal Swirl makes a show of passing over materials to Vista, and whispers into her friend’s ear,” the white pegasus explains.

“Where is the key to the manacles?” 'Petal Swirl' hisses, the stage-whisper cutting across the hushed audience.

Masquerade alters her features to Vista Star. “Mine freedom, the victim of these ill-begotten, draconic chains, lacks such a savior.” Drawing a fetlock over her brow, she continues, “Verily, my bonds are the product of a magick most foul.”

“Do you know what spell maintains them?”

“More than that, my would be knight in shining armour. In mine dreadful captivity, after the clawed Artemis captured this sacrificial lamb, our own Thesmothete imprisoned me. Both the chains and our liege are now creatures of the same arcana! The cause of this wickedness is the swirling crystal that crests the beast’s foul staff.” Masquerade delivers Paradise’s eldritch script with gusto, hissing and crackling like a crone and waggling her ears maniacally.

Many, however, look lost, unable to follow the references in the mini-soliloquy, which leaves even Megan — an avid reader — confused.

Paradise explains that Vista means that both the manacles on the pony and the king are controlled by the dragon's staff, which leans against his throne. The revelation prompts intrigued ‘oohs,’ especially from the storyteller’s practically-minded companions.

“That must be why the king’s sparkle had gone! Because the dragon’s magic was controlling him,” Galaxy whispers to Cherries Jubilee, who nods.

Masquerade pauses for her audience to digest the developments before continuing. “So, we break the staff.” The incongruity of the terse and straightforward explanation, after the floweriness of Vista Star, is met with a couple of giggles, despite the tension.

“Quite so, my clear-sighted companion. While labouring in this sulphurous pit, mine eyes oft strayed to the staff; without my sensitivities, one may suspect it to be invulnerable, but I have found a flaw. I who have shaped knotted branches from the giant redwoods of the south and stripped the sickly corrupted barks from the willows of the Eastern marshes. This same master-craftspony has discerned that the wood of the dragon’s staff shrinks from the crystal as doth flesh from a suppurating wound.” Masquerade's voice sinks to a growl.

Paradise clarifies that Vista Star's message means that the dragon's staff is rotten near the top and that if a pony were to crest the throne and somehow avoid the dragon, they might be able to buck the crystal off.

“I shall take this news to—” 'Petal Swirl' begins, but is cut off by a roar from Surprise.

“Leave now! Lest the creature divines that you are not subject to its magick!” Masquerade wails, her hoof raised dramatically to point at Danny.

Paradise describes that Petal Swirl grimaces and trots out of the chamber, imitating the mechanical gait of a possessed pony. "Once there, she explains the situation to Mousefur."

“Soon the dragon will realise that his servant is no longer under his control! We must destroy that dragon's staff now,” 'Petal Swirl' urges.

“B-but how?” ‘Mousefur’ splutters.

“I shall fly in there and—” she begins, but is cut off.

“No! You’ll be spotted and cooked alive by his fiery breath! I should go—”

“Don’t say that! I couldn’t bear to lose you too.” 'Petal Swirl' interrupts, sobbing, to the surprise of the audience, so used to the character’s Wind Whistler-like calm and logical delivery. Masquerade's eyes glisten with real emotion as she imagines losing her snow white bestie.

The outburst is met by sniffles around the campfire, particularly from the yellow forms of Posey and Magic Star.

“Nor me, you, mon cher,” Paradise lilts warmly, moving beside Masquerade, taking her hoof and entwining her red tail in the luxurious green weave of her companion. They hang their heads together emotionally, their manes dangling over their eyes.

Paradise is the first to break the embrace. “Be logical...” 'Mousefur' soothes, as Paradise strokes Masquerade’s golden-furred cheek with a pale hoof, a twinkle in her eye. “Your big clumsy hooves would alert the dragon to your presence in a second, while I can sneak up to that scaly monster and buck its stupid staff before it knows what has happened!”

“Yeah! You go filly!” Applejack calls out, wrapped up in the moment, joined momentarily by an echoing ‘woo!’ from Fizzy, Sundance and Surprise.

“Oh, Mousefur,” Masquerade chokes in a voice full of sadness. Ribbon, who is sitting next to Posey, gives her a squeeze as the delicate pony struggles with the tender scene.

In another part of the circle, Firefly pokes her tongue out. “Eww, yuck,” she whispers to Medley.

“Tell me about it,” the other responds, coolly, although her glistening eyes betray her.

Paradise explains that the two companions formulate a plan whereby Mousefur will creep up to the throne to destroy the staff, whereon Vista Star will wink to safety and Petal Swirl will distract the dragon to allow Mousefur to escape. "With one last look into her companion’s eyes, Mousefur begins the rescue."

Paradise leans back significantly on her log-seat, her creamy coat glowing in the fading embers of the now dim campfire, taking in the rapt expression of her audience, before continuing.

“With sock-soft hooves—” she begins, pausing as she is interrupted by a squee from Minty, “—Mousefur skitters across the dragon’s lair unseen and shimmies up one side of its enormous throne.”

“I can’t look!” Sundance moans, her head returning to the safety of Megan’s lap where, for good measure, she also covers her ears.

“Finally!” Firefly nudges Medley, her purple eyes sparkling with anticipation of the coming action.

Paradise explains that the dragon doesn’t spot the little pony, even as she climbs nimbly up the legs of his throne. "The beast’s eyes are glued to the iridescent phoenix gems adorning Vista’s sculpture."

The storytelling pegasus rises to stand on her log-seat, spreading her wings. The audience hush as they sense the nearing climax of the tale. “Mousefur ascends to the armrest of the dragon’s throne; all around lie the tyrant’s riches, like a golden mountain range,” she breathes. “The staff leans against one of these armrests. To approach it, she will have to use the creature’s own scaled bulk as cover....”

The attentive members of the audience hold their breath. Even the normally unflappable Medley finds herself seeking the pink of Firefly’s hoof and they sit entwined. The latter — similarly worked up — extends a salmon-pink wing and wraps it around her love.

“Mousefur gingerly creeps towards the staff, as slowly as she dares, trying not to draw the gaze of the monster, whose sulphurous smoke lies all about as a putrid fog, burning her with each... shallow... breath."

Paradise counts to three in her head, trying to build suspense, a technique passed on to her by Masquerade.

"Her eyes sting and her fur is soaked with sweat as she inches along the narrow armrest, averting her gaze from the cavern floor, far below…”

The reference to the threat of falling draws anxious glances from the earth ponies, and compassionate ‘awws’ from the pegasi.

“Mousefur draws ever forward, till the dragon’s staff towers above her, the arcane magic in the great apex crystal crackles and buzzes, like a storm...”

The clearing is silent except for the quiet shifting of the ashy logs and occasional pop from the fire. Suddenly a grumbling roar sounds from Surprise, which once more elicits shrieks from the more skittish of the herd.

Paradise explains that Mousefur cowers at the dragon's roar, fully expecting to become its next meal.

In the pause, a collective gasp goes up around the clearing.

"But miraculously the earth pony finds that she is not eaten. Risking a quick look back, she sees that the beast was merely clearing its throat."

The ponies sigh as one.

"Bodkins and bows!" Ribbon puts a hoof to her palpitating chest.

"Her heart in her mouth, Mousefur backs towards the dragon's staff, heading to where the wise Vista had indicated — the rotten wood underneath the crystal. Time seems to slow down for her as she unleashes and..." Paradise pauses again.

"Spit it out." Cherries Jubilee complains, eager to find out what happens and becoming exasperated by the theatrics.

"—it first creaks, then totters and finally begins to fall..."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Posey whimpers, biting her hooves.

"—and, with a crash, it shatters on the cavern floor!”

As Surprise takes a deep breath, everyone anticipates a loud roar. However, before she unleashes, a feather tickles her throat and she squeals with laughter. Fizzy, wielder of the feather, tongue-pokes cheekily.

The pegasus prepares to leap, but a thunderous look from both Paradise and Masquerade checks her.

Fizzy, realising that she has interrupted an important moment for the creative pair, shrinks back, feeling guilty. “Gotcha back,” she hisses.

Paradise describes the furious dragon bellowing with anger and swiping at Mousefur with its razor-sharp, meter-long claws. While Gusty, Firefly and Medley’s ears prick up with interest, most look uncomfortable at the visceral description of a predator attacking a fellow pony. Magic Star, who is holding Posey’s hoof, adopts a particularly tight-lipped expression.

Paradise, with a sigh, reassures her audience that Mousefur is perfectly okay, since she nimbly darts out of the way and slides down one of the glass legs of the throne.

“Go, Mousefur!” various ponies hoot.

“But before she can leap to safety, the dragon wraps his huge body around the throne to prevent her escape!” she adds, to a collective gasp.

Paradise explains that Vista Star now comes to her rescue. "The unicorn's magical manacles had fallen to the ground when the dragon’s crystal had smashed, and the artistic unicorn, though she could wink away in an instant, was loathe to leave her friend behind."

Masquerade advances on Danny. “Foulsome wyrm!” she roars as Vista Star, glowering.

As she does so, he reluctantly hands her the horsehead he had been whittling and she casts it into the campfire, wherein its passably whittled head begins to blacken and burn.

"Not horseface!" exclaims Applejack, piercing the solemn moment with her chuckleheadery.

Between this, the late hour, and the previous interruption, a few ponies' begin to titter and chatter among themselves.

Paradise hurriedly explains that, in order to distract the dragon and save her friend, Vista Star casts down the beautiful sculpture she had been working on, smashing the priceless piece and shattering the phoenix gems.

"With a blood curdling scream, the dragon turns from Mousefur to Vista and leaps, its fangs outstretched and grasping,” the pegasus booms, lurching her wings forward, at which a few in the audience flinch back.

The storyteller pauses as she notes with satisfaction that she has regained their full attention.

“C’mon, Paradise!” Firefly shrills.

However, the storyteller does not continue. Instead, with a smug look, she wags her hoof at the eager pink pegasus. “You’ll have to wait and see, because I need to tell you what Petal Swirl has been doing all this time.”

Paradise explains that as the dragon’s crystal explodes into fragments, the Saddle Arabian king returns to his senses.

“Petal Swirl! My most loyal subject. Untie me!” Danny commands, now using his ‘king’ voice.

“But Petal Swirl does not immediately help him. While she understands that the king is no longer ensorcelled, her ears are full of the roars of the dragon and her heart throbs with concern for her friends.” Paradise pauses, and many heads bob up excitedly, hopeful for action. “But she resists the urge to charge in to the fray, as she senses that the king might prove to be a valuable ally.” The heads sink back down.

"Ugh, what a tail-tease," Firefly grumbles.

Paradise continues to say that Petal Swirl unties the king. "Once freed, he is determined to storm into the dragon’s lair and confront the beast there and then, but the level headed pegasus advises against — resisting her instinct once more — she reasons that an attack without a plan would be too dangerous."

The sentiment draws solemn nods of approval from Megan, Galaxy and Wind Whistler, all familiar with the need to put their feelings to one side so as to keep their minds clear in order to better care for those who rely upon them.

'Petal Swirl' cups a hoof to 'the King's' ear and whispers, in response to which he nods, judiciously. “You understand, Sire,” she enunciates.

“I do,” 'the king' replies, gravely, before turning to the fire. “Onwards! For Saddle Arabia!”

“For Mousefur and Vista Star!” 'Petal Swirl' enjoins.

"At last!" Firefly grunts and leaps athletically into the air. Masquerade, who had been just about to cue the pegasus in, stops mid-gesture, awkwardly.

The pegasi grin, understanding that the expert flier of the group was about to put on a show.

Masquerade, meanwhile, gestures to Gusty and Fizzy, and excited murmurs bubble up from the audience as the two unicorns position themselves next to each other. While the ponies wonder what is about to happen, Paradise explains that before the dragon can land its strike on the static form of the proud Vista Star, Petal Swirl bravely charges it, driving her lance down onto the beast’s cavernous maw.

"Wait, where did she get the lance from?" wonders Wind Whistler, tiredly.

Paradise, overhearing, blushes hotly, having lost track of the item when drafting her script. 'Too late to correct that now' she thinks to herself, and presses on. “Vista Star! Wink to safety! We shall save Mousefur. Go!” 'Petal Swirl' calls out.

“The dragon turns to meet the new attack, surprised by the sudden presence. Its monstrous heart knew fear in that moment, but it still has its greatest weapon…” Paradise explains, and then pauses, ominously.

With a whoosh from Gusty’s horn and a zipping-popping sound from Fizzy’s, a stream of bubbles flies out towards Firefly, glowing orange in the reflected firelight. The beam streaks towards the aerial-ace who avoids it. A chorus of thumping applause and wolf-whistles breaks out from the log-seats as she loops away from it with a winged-backflip, flexing her shoulders and galloping her legs.

“The dragon unleashes a torrent of fire at its adversary!” Paradise booms, marveling at the impressive effect created by the combined unicorn powers of her friends. She goes on to say that when the dragon pauses for breath, Petal Swirl does not press her attack to close with the beast, but rather stays ready, awaiting its next move.

The noise from the clearing rises as Gusty and Fizzy unleash volley after volley, strafing into the sky. As she does so, the aural talent of Whizzer provides a whooshing noise, as of a blast of steam. As the pink pony skips forwards through the starlit smoke of the night sky, Firefly always seems to be just ahead of the bubbles.

At a gesture from Masquerade, Firefly, Gusty and Fizzy reluctantly pause.

“While she is unharmed, Petal Swirl is soon scorching hot, her fur is soot-stained and her ears are deafened by the bellows from her implacable foe,” Paradise imparts, darkly. “The dragon grins and his snake-like tongue flicks with the anticipation of tasty pony flesh, before releasing another torrent of flame; each time it does so, the cavern comes alive with flame and shadow, as the great crystal mirror above scatters the light from the blasts.”

The reference to 'flesh' causes sickly looks on a few soft faces. Magic Star's already tight expression from the earlier violence, becomes queasy. Ribbon shoots an angry look towards the 'stage' before turning to comfort the caring pony, as well as Posey, who is visibly trembling. Paradise bites her lip and flops an apologetic ear.

At a gesture from Masquerade, Gusty and Fizzy alter their behaviour — they now unleash bubbles in a torrent, aiming this time at the sky above Firefly so that soon the air is full of bubbles. The pegasus twists about in the air, trying to avoid them, but inevitably many pop against her pink fur or blue tail. After a short while, she returns to the ground and alights on her seat, giving a characteristic satisfied tail-whip and receiving a round of stomping applause.

Medley punches her shoulder. "Show off." But she is grinning, and she sneaks a peck on her marefriend's cheek as Firefly sits down.

Once the noise dies down, Paradise resumes, grimly, “The dragon’s flames surround Petal Swirl, so she can no longer dodge the fiery blasts. Though she is but moments from defeat, she does not betray fear — not even as her nostrils fill with the stench of her own scorched fur.”

"Paradise!" Ribbon scolds, before turning to nuzzle her whimpering friend. "There, there. It's okay, Posey."

The storyteller winces. "Sorry, Posey. Don't worry, there's no more ickiness, I promise." After clearing her throat, she continues, “Petal Swirl alights in the one portion of the cavern that is not aflame, an area near the throne, where the dragon’s most precious sculptures and art-pieces lie, many of them hoof-drawn compositions by Vista Star.”

Masquerade picks up a piece of fire wood and holds it in one fetlock as a makeshift shield, facing the audience solemnly.

Danny addresses the pugnacious form in his most monstrous voice, “Puny little pony! You had no hope of defeating me!” He completes the act with a passable villainous laugh.

With a nod to Gusty and Fizzy, a torrent of bubbles is unleashed upon the pegasus.

“Nooo!” Megan and Wind Whistler gasp. Paradise is inwardly delighted that her tale has managed to sway even these most level-headed members of the herd.

Masquerade raises the ‘shield’ which blocks the bubbles, but she groans in pain as if the fierceness of the attack was overwhelming her. So convincing is her performance that many leap to their hooves to help, before blushing and sitting back down.

“The brave pegasus’ shield staves off the dragon’s onslaught—” Paradise informs the group, to sighs of relief, “—but her fetlock is seared and she begins to falter.”

“My liege...Vista Star…Mousefur...I...failed...you.” Masquerade gurgles gutterally and slumps to the ground, mouth open and tongue lolling. Every eye is glistening, and more than a few cry as they imagine the fall of the brave character.

However, at the same moment, the bubbles suddenly stop. To yells of surprise, Fizzy and Gusty disappear under Heart Throb's dressing gown which had been levitated there by Buttons’ telekenesis. This act is accompanied by a crashing sound, produced by Whizzer.

“Wh-what happened!?” Fizzy cries, muffledly, from under the fabric.

Paradise explains, over the exclamations of the audience, that the great mirror that the dragon had affixed to the cavern ceiling had come crashing down upon its head, ending its evil life in one, fell blow. “Standing behind the monster’s corpse and upon its throne is the king, his great horn glowing with effort. For brave Petal Swirl had not been attacking the dragon, but was rather distracting him!”

Murmurs break out among the audience as well as cheers from the more martial ponies, such as Firefly, and sighs of relief from the herd's softer members, including Sundance, who finally removes her hooves from her ears.

“With the monster gone, the ponies of Saddle Arabia are free!” Paradise pauses to let the audience digest the developments before continuing.

“What a dangerous plan! Poor Mousefur and Petal Swirl...” Galaxy frets, her pleasure at the defeat of the dragon tempered by her contemplation of the cost.

“Did you see the way I dodged those bubbles?” Firefly boasts.

“Ding dong the dumb dragon is dead,” Gusty snorts and yawns, ready for bed.

“Crushed by the weight of his own vanity,” scoffs one, sarcastically — a pink pony with a two-tone red/white mane.

“Good one, Moon Shadow,” giggles a snow white pony with a tri-tone orange/pink/purple mane, the sparkles of a heart on her flank.

“Thanks, Light Heart.”

“Petal Swirl will be okay won’t she, Megan? Paradise wouldn’t…” Sundance trails off, fixing the human with glistening light-blue eyes.

Megan turns and pets the pink mane of the little earth pony, deeply touched. “Of course she will, Sundance, she’s way too smart and fast to let a big dumb brute like that defeat her.”

“A tremendous story, but the hour is getting rather late...” Ribbon reminds Paradise, eyeing the pale blue form of Wind Whistler, whose proud head, focused all day on the safety of the herd, had been dipping at various points during Paradise’s long tale, only kept upright by concern for the feelings of the two performers.

In the quiet, the ever-curious Twilight asks the question many are thinking. “But what happened to Mousefur and Petal Swirl?”

Paradise begins to wrap up her tale. She explains that the singed but unharmed body of Mousefur emerges from under the throne. Then, with a look to Magic Star, she adds that the little grey pony gallops to her friend Petal Swirl’s side and, with special Saddle Arabian magic, kisses her all better. "The triumphant trio and their liege return to the kingdom, alongside the friendly wolf-pack, who are overjoyed to hear of the demise of the dragon."

“Awoo! Well done—wuff, wuff!” Lickety Split yelps, reprising her role as wolf, prompting muffled laughter from Fizzy, who is still engaged in removing the dressing gown from her head, it having snagged on her horn.

“When they arrive back in the kingdom, the trio are treated like the heroes they are, but the king — who served the dragon, even though unwillingly — is ashamed.” As Paradise says this, she rises and lifts something from a box that had lain at her hooves throughout the performance. As Masquerade sees what’s inside, her eyes light up. Paradise gives this to Danny, who holds the object up so that it is illuminated by the firelight, which reveals it to be a tiara made of woven, golden passion-flower. The living ‘crown,’ a gift from Posey, was picked earlier in the day and kept secret till this moment. It had been chosen because the green and golds of the vine and petals match Masquerade’s colouring.

Paradise explains that the king has decided in his shame that he must abdicate the throne to make way for another unicorn, and that in the absence of another heir, and in recognition of her astonishing achievements, there was only one choice. “From this day forth, Saddle Arabia shall have a new queen! Arise, Vista Star!” Danny booms in his most regal-sounding voice as he places the circlet on Masquerade’s head.

Blushing, the golden performer gazes around the circle, her emeralds sparkling. Applause breaks out spontaneously as everyone takes a moment to recognise her effort to entertain them and bring the story to life.

Once the applause dies down, Paradise continues, "Petal Swirl is made captain of Queen Vista Star’s guard, while Mousefur is appointed Chancellor — the first task being to distribute the evil dragon’s remaining wealth!" she says to laughs and cheers. "And they all lived happily ever after. The end.”

The gathering, as one, rises for a standing ovation — Danny joins with the most boisterous ponies to stomp his approval, while Megan and the quieter ones clap.

“That was amazing!” Fizzy chirrups.

“Best yarn yet, Paradise. I don’t know how you do it!?” exclaims Galaxy.

“Bravo! What an excellent diversion,” a weary Wind Whistler states, her voice sounding so much like Masquerade’s impression of ‘Petal Swirl’ that it causes many to double-take.

Paradise and Masquerade rise to stand on their log-seat and gesture to Danny, Lickety Split and North Star, the acting roles, to take their place beside them, whereon all bow. The acclamation goes on for some time with loud ‘bravos’ and whistles. The din rises into the night sky along with the smoke of the fire, filling the clearing till — alarmed by the possibility of little ears hearing the noise — Ribbon and the other baby-pony-sitters shush them.

Once the appreciative noises relent, Masquerade points to the sound-effects team and those with non-speaking roles: Buttons, Night Light, Heart Throb, Surprise, Minty, Fizzy, Whizzer, Galaxy, Applejack, Gusty, Firefly and Cherries Jubilee. These rise in turn to receive clops of applause which single out the superlative performances of Whizzer, Buttons, Firefly, Fizzy and Gusty.

Then, story time over, the ponies sleepily rise to their hooves to head for their camp-beds; the fire hisses as Firefly pours water over it, and the clearing goes dark.

Eventually, almost everyone disperses to their tents — the glow of unicorn horns lead some, while others are guided by firefly lanterns held firmly in the hooves of pegasi and earth ponies. The dimly-lit groups murmur animatedly about the story they have just heard.

Masquerade, Gusty, Danny, Cherries Jubilee and Paradise head to the largest tarpaulin structure, while Fizzy, Surprise, Sundance and Applejack trot to a tent which sports streamers and balloons. Ribbon, Posey, Twilight and Magic Star sashay towards an elegant pavilion adjacent to the baby ponies, while Wind Whistler, Firefly, Medley and North Star stride towards a roughly-erected shelter at the edge of the clearing.

The tents are briefly lit up from within by horn or lamp, before going dark. The high moon of a clear Ponyland midnight soon shines upon a glade containing glistening, dewy, tarpaulin mounds.

Megan and Galaxy stay outside a little while longer in the dark, silently working together to restore the clearing, brushing campfire embers away from the log-seating and clearing away stray dishes. Both occasionally glance towards the tent of the baby ponies as they do so, ears cocked for sounds within. Eventually, with a last look around the clearing — encompassing the opaque blackness of the surrounding trees to the still-rising steam from the fire — the two are satisfied that all is well, and even these two sentinels are ready for bed. They say goodnight with an embrace.

“Sleep tight, Galaxy,” Megan murmurs into the unicorn's furry ear, her arms clutching the powerful neck and pressing herself against the large head.

“And you,” Galaxy murmurs, sleepily.

Megan hears her friend’s soft hoof-steps retreat and her eyes follow the glow of the horn as it approaches the largest tent in the clearing.

“I wish the horses at home were like this,” she sighs.

With a last, lingering, look round the peaceful, moon-lit clearing, Megan enters her own, elegant abode, stepping softly around the gently breathing form of Ribbon before making her way to bed.

Epilogue

“—making her way to bed. The End. Tune in next week, for ‘The Fire II: Wildfire‘.” The audio from the TV is grainy, as if the VHS tape had degraded.

“Oh, thank Sol!” moans Discord. “That was excruciating. Please let’s just skip to Firestorm.”

Fluttershy looks shocked. “I thought it was wonderful! I loved Masquerade, she reminded me—"

“But it’s sooo boring. I wouldn’t have suggested we watch it if I thought you’d want all the—” He gags. “—backstory.”

Fluttershy turns to her sofa-companion earnestly. “But how can anyone get invested in an adventure if they don’t see them get to enjoy a nice day out first?”

Mismatched yellow eyes narrow. “Look, my dear, if you let me skip this dross, I promise I’ll clean up when we watch ‘Happy Pony Tree Friends’ at yours next week. Deal?”

Fluttershy considers, one hoof to her muzzle. As she does so, unnoticed, a clawed talon detaches and wriggles over to her other hoof, which it shakes vigorously.

“Then it’s settled!” Discord jumps up and, with a click of a paw, a VHS appears on Fluttershy’s lap whose cover displays a scarred, broken-horned unicorn grimacing at a tearful Fizzy. Flames engulf them both, kept at bay by a protective bubble.

‘THE FIRE III: FIRESTORM’

But the pegasus shakes her head, shooing away the detached limb.

“Ugh! Fine…” Discord turns to you. “Just so you know, by ‘cleaning up’, I mean stopping the smoozinator engulfing Equestria.

“Oh, don’t talk to them — you know they don’t like it, and I know perfectly well what you mean, thank you very much.”

With a grumble, Discord restores his detached claw.

Fluttershy gives him a meaningful look, pointing a hoof towards the VHS waiting patiently on the TV stand.

‘THE FIRE II: WILDFIRE’

Not done yet, he bulges his eyes and pouts his toothy pony-face, whose yellow pupils glisten pathetically.

“But it’ll be so bo’wing that it will make poow ole’ me all saddy waddy.”

Her eyes moisten.

“Aw… there, there,” she coos, reaching across to pet him. “I know you find it hard to sit still through the long parts.”

Discord sucks a pawed thumb.

She perseveres. “Part II is an adventure! Firefly and Medley and everypony against an evil, magical fire-monster!”

She frowns as he continues sucking and decides to change tack.

“But I believe you are a big boy—” In a flash, he is toddler sized. ”—err, grown-up draconnequus. That’s why we’re friends, because I am a grown mare and I know you can be one too.”

Eris, Discord’s female form, grins back at her, smiling slily.

“You know what I mean.”

With a sigh, he concedes defeat, returning to normal.

“You’re no fun.”

“Au contraire, Mister — by taking you on, I’m the only fun you have.”

“Touché, Pinkieshy.”

She picks up the VHS tape on the TV stand. On its cover, Firefly and Medley hold hooves next to an extinguished campfire. An empty bucket sits next to the feisty pegasus, who grins at it triumphantly, while Medley is turned to the burning forest behind her, blue eyes wide.

“Those two look so nice. I just know they’ve got so many tales to tell.”

“Yes, aren’t they just awful! I’m glad she d—”

“Discord! No spoilers.”

“—develops her character.” He gives you a wink. “Anyway,” he says, turning back to Fluttershy, “you’ve already seen it twice.”

“No, I mean for them.” She points to you.

“Oh, right. Can I at least tell them about Tempest Shadow?”

“Discord… she's in Firestorm. That’s Part Three!”

“Spoilerific job, my dear.” He winks and she blushes.

The grey head swivels round, eyeing you. “No more spoilers — just a riddle.”

“If you must. But only a little one — they have enough to read as it is.”

***

How to make a fire?

Secondly, dances the fuel a jig,

Lastly, pursues the stygian heat,

'Feed,' calls mother to the air.

Author's Note

Coming 2025!