Tending the Flock

Chapters

Prologue in Canterlot (Final Edit)
Exodus (Final Edit)
Farewell and Hello (Final Edit)
Learning (Final Edit)
It's Mostly Safe at Night ... Mostly (Final Edit)
Long Roads
What Kind of Hotel is This?

Prologue in Canterlot (Final Edit)

Prologue in Canterlot

Celestia was standing on the balcony behind her throne, sighing contentedly with a smile on her face. Before her levitated a small picture she had received from her niece Cadence. On the picture, a black and white ultrasound image had been printed. On it, Celestia could see the outline of Princess Cadenza's partially developed foal: the hooves, the head, the wings, and the ever so slight and telltale lump on the forehead that would later develop into a horn. The powerful magic that allowed an alicorn to be conceived was the same that had saved Canterlot from the changelings: love.

The sound of steady controlled hoofsteps reached Princess Celestia’s ears as Princess Luna walked up beside her. "What dost thou think upon sister?"

"Your parents and mine," Celestia said. "They loved each other so much. I remember my father, Clover the Clever, how he taught me to use magic the first time, and my mother, bless her, she always took the time to take me on long walks along the earth pony fields."

"Chancellor Puddinghead did love to wander about." Luna nodded. "I am, however, surprised at how well Rainbow Dash portrayed my father at the pageant. Fiery and spirited."

Celestia smiled. "I always pick the pageant players based on how well they portray our founders, regardless of gender. Do you remember when your mother taught you magic?"

"Oh, yes." Luna giggled. "Princess Platinum insisted on teaching me herself, much to the chagrin of her father."

Another quartet of hooves sounded behind the royal, fictive sisters, and a blue-maned adjutant stepped towards the two sisters and bowed. "Princesses Celestia and Luna, your guest has arrived for his audience."

Celestia closed her eyes in thought and spoke. "Very well, send in King Sarkal."

Celestia and Luna walked to their thrones and seated themselves. Through the door stepped a creature that possessed a novel trait for the sisters: a height equal to their own. Nearly seven feet tall, four legs, with two ending in an eagle's claw and two with a lion's paw. The creature shifted his wings as he walked forward to the dais. He did not bow; mortal as he was he was still royalty and his regal red and purple feathers that showed through his armor reflected that truth. The Gryphon King spoke.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna," King Sarkal began. He switched to a bipedal stature and adjusted the sash laying over his pristine ceremonial armour. "As you are no doubt aware, the Diamond Dog Khanate of the Blood Fangs has commenced hostilities with the Draconic kingdoms... again."

"We are aware of this," Luna stated.

"And you are also aware that the dragons now seek to begin a campaign to indiscriminately wipe out the Diamond Dogs, Blood Fang Khanate or otherwise," King Sarkal added.

Princess Celestia shifted in her seat before giving her reply, "And as the Gryphon Kingdom is allied with certain Diamond Dog clans, this situation is one which would warrant your own military intervention."

"Correct,” the gryphonic monarch said, “however, the dragons have agreed to hold a summit on neutral grounds to set forth which clans they shall wage war against freely. My requests, and in light of what will happen should they not be met should not be taken lightly, are twofold." Celestia and Luna did not move; they knew the statement was no threat, only a statement on the collateral damage that would occur if war broke out in the north. "First, that you allow the summit to be held near the pony city of Stalliongrad, and second, that you send a mediator to act as a neutral party in the negotiations." King Sarkal concluded his speech and stoically gazed at the goddesses of the sun and moon.

Princess Celestia thought for a moment. Stalliongrad was far in the north, but geographically close to the Dragon and Gryphon kingdoms. As for the mediator, Celestia had an idea, but needed to discuss it first with Luna. She turned to her sister and leaned over, whispering so softly that even the King's keen ears could not pick up the specifics.

"What do you think, Luna?"

"We feel that we would best be served by agreeing to the location. And yourself?"

"I am in complete agreement," Celestia replied before continuing to ask, "But what of the mediator? Who do you think would be best suited?"

"We haven't the foggiest, as we are still uncertain who among our diplomats is best suited to bringing down these tempers." Luna frowned for a moment; thousands of lives potentially depended on this.

"If I may make a suggestion of somepony outside your group of diplomats," Celestia said. When Luna pressed closer, the white alicorn continued. Luna's eyes widened in shock and then nodded her head in understanding.

"Yes, he is well suited for the task when one thinks about it, but is that the only reason you want to send him?" the dark blue-sapphire alicorn asked of the white.

"Not at all," Celestia replied. "You've seen how different he is from when we first met him; he's a recluse, and this could be an opportunity for him to reach out again, somewhere far from where politics has sullied his reputation." Luna gave one last nod and the two sisters looked back to King Sarkal.

"We have decided," Princess Luna began, "to agree to your proposal. Preparations shall be made to hold a summit at Stalliongrad.

"And the mediator?" the gryphon king pressed.

"We have decided that the mediator shall be our nephew, Prince Blueblood," Luna replied.

The gryphon king lowered himself back to four legs and scoffed, "With all due respect to your family, even my people have heard of his boorish and aloof attitude."

Celestia answered, "You did ask for a neutral mediator, but the very act of mediating in an event which will, in fact, have ramifications to my people renders that point moot." Celestia paused for a moment; there was no need for subtlety with the candid king. Indeed gryphons rarely beat around the bush on any matter. "I can assure you that any reputation Prince Blueblood has established for himself stems not from genuinely not caring, but not desiring to become bogged down in petty social squabbles." The gryphon tilted his head slightly. "And furthermore, he has prior experience: he did, after all, serve in war alongside your people and the Dragons several hundred years ago."

Sarkal lifted an armoured claw to his beak and stroked it. "You make a good point, and a certain uncaring manner would better convey neutrality on the issue. This is acceptable."

"We shall begin preparations immediately. You will hear word from us regarding when the summit will be prepared in a few days," Celestia said.

"In the meantime, I shall return to my kingdom and prepare a delegation team for the summit," King Sarkal concluded, and set off outside the hall. He returned to his entourage and was soon flying with them to his capital.

Celestia turned to Luna. "Do you think this will work?"

"The peace treaty? Of course," Luna replied.

"I meant the other part of my plan. Bringing Prince Blueblood out of his shell so to speak," the white sister stated.

"On that note, I am still uncertain, though if we are to succeed, we should begin by informing him of this arrangement," Luna said.

Celestia smiled and looked back to the balcony, still brightly illuminated in the midday sun. "I'll go inform him. You could do with the experience running the day court. Enjoy the Cloudsdale proposal to add cyan to the rainbows."

Luna withdrew her head and deadpanned, "You are most fortunate that we have run out of pink fur dye."

"Pity, pink is my favorite color. It reminds me of mother."

Exodus (Final Edit)

Exodus

"I say, auntie, this is completely uncalled for!" spoke the indignant tones of Prince Blueblood as he walked down the hallway with Celestia. "This is simply vulgar! How could you expect me to go all the way to the back woods of Stalliongrad just to play politics with some dogs, birds and lizards?"

"Because you have prior experience and a certain diplomatic flair," Celestia answered. I hope we find a room to talk in soon, translating his 'Snobbish' is getting a little old.

"Oh, auntie, you're too kind! But what about my retinue? Hang on a moment, in here." Prince Blueblood gestured to a side door and opened it to a reveal a small waiting room, completely devoid of outside observers. "Ahem," Blueblood spoke once he had closed the door.

The room was respectably spacious. If Celestia had felt so inclined she could have walked about with wings outstretched, but she did not. The books lining the shelves constituted a healthy mix of all topics, from the innocent to the amorous to the macabre. Nestled on the left wall was a long unlit fireplace and to the right was a small washroom with a toilet and shower. The walls were a deep maroon and a full-size window gave a respectable view of the Canterlot Gardens, its position and facing also meant that the eye-sore of Discord's statue was not visible.

"You'll be going by carriage with just the drivers, nopony else," Celestia replied.

"Alright 'Tia." Blueblood allowed his facade to slide off, referring to the sun goddess by her nickname. "But seriously, which pony are you planning on introducing me to this time? I've told you already that I'm not interested in having you play matchmaker. Cadence may have appreciated the effort with you making her Twilight's foal-sitter; but I can't take it anymore, after all my comrades died hundreds of years ago, every mare you've suggested just ... never clicked. Not to mention, auntie Luna's prank with that gelding didn't help at all."

"And why didn't any of these mares 'click', as you say?" Celestia inquired with genuine curiousity. She had thousands of examples of mortals on which to base her judgments, but only a hoofful of gods to choose from.

"After the war, nopony knew what it was like. War... conflict, being pushed away from one's afternoon of relief and thrust into suffering, nopony could... understand me, nor I them," Blueblood responded, his left hoof shuffling.

"And that is why I want you to go to this summit, to get away from the center where everypony is perfectly happy, to go out and find somepony who does know what it means to suffer, so you can come together and create something beautiful," Celestia said, a bright grin shining through with a cheery and encouraging tone soaking her voice.

"So you mean to tell me that nopony else is going to be in that carriage when I get on it? Nopony is going to show up on the road from some bush you had them camp in for a week before my arrival?" Blueblood asked incredulously.

"Now, nephew, you're being cynical." Celestia brought a forehoof to her chest, hoof guard disturbing the preened fur. "I swear upon my divinity, I have done absolutely nothing to arrange for anypony to meet you save those you meet in the course of performing your royal obligations. Anypony you meet shall be the result of serendipity."

Blueblood nodded slowly. Casting a glance around the room, Blueblood liked what he saw. "You know, I like this room, it has a certain cozy feeling."

Celestia smiled, with Blueblood once more taking on his snide tone, she knew the conversation in the candid was over. "I'll have it ready for you when you return."

~~~

Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo, or, as she had come to be known by coworkers and villagers alike, simply 'Derpy Hooves', was walking towards the mail chief's office. She had just returned two minutes earlier after having barely managed to keep up with her schedule to deliver five hundred and sixty-four pieces of mail in the one hour time slot she had been given as one of only a hoofful of mail-mares. Her back and wings ached and her vision swam from the exertion, and her left eye had started to drift off on its own course.

"Hey! Derpy!" a voice called out. The grey mare closed her eyes at the name, the voice’s possessor having no knowledge of how much it hurt her. "How are you doing? I totally had a horrible workday, do you know how many pieces of mail I had to deliver in like, an hour? Thirty-seven, isn't that just like, totally ridiculous?"

Ditzy opened her good eye and looked over at the creme earth pony trotting up beside her. "Sorry to hear that, Bonbon, but I need to see the boss, he just called me over the intercom."

"Oh, that's alright, talk to you again soon Derpy!" With that the mare trotted down a hallway to the cafeteria, humming as she went.

Ditzy opened her other lid to see if her eye was obedient. Sadly, it was not and she was faced with images that did not mesh together and she had to stop to wait for the episode to pass. When her sight lines settled, she was bumped from behind and sent sprawling.

The two interns, Snips and Snails, turned to the mare. "What are you doing standing in the hallway? Our dad was asking for you! Go on, get!" the orange one said before hurrying off with his brother in tow. Ditzy observed that down the hall they ran into Lyra, and the two began a profuse set of apologies to the mint-green unicorn. Ditzy sighed and rounded the corner to her boss' office door.

Imprinted on the door, in large, friendly letters, was the name and title of Ditzy's small, unfriendly boss. 'Pressing Order, Chief of Ponyville Mail'. Ditzy grabbed the the door handle in her mouth, and twisted it, pushing inward she let herself into her boss' office.

"Derpy, don't drool on the handle, and don't bite down on it either! It's solid brass, and I don't need your insurance policy paying for dentures!" Ditzy released the handle and tried to spin around out of the closing door's path, but was smacked across the rump by the door.

"Sorry, Pressing Order, sir," Ditzy said.

"Don't apologize! Don't do it again! Now sit!" the petite, grey-green stallion instructed, pointing with a hoof to the bare wooden seat opposite his own, spacious cushioned office chair. Obliging, Ditzy sat and looked up at her employer.

"Do you know why you're here?" Order asked.

Ditzy shook her head. "All I know is that you called for me on the intercom when I got in."

"I got a special assignment for you kid, long distance delivery," Pressing Order spoke before continuing. "Got a package that needs delivery to Stalliongrad, shipment of, uhhh, sandals. Need to get it there in a week."

Guess he got tired of me and wants me out of his mane for a bit, the grey mare thought. Not the first time.

"Okay, sir, I'll do it, but—" Ditzy felt her eye stray again and shut her eyes tight, not wanting to be seen by her boss in that state.

"What is it? Talk!" Pressing Order yelled.

Ditzy cowed and whispered timidly, "I'd like to make arrangements for my daughter first."

"What's that? I didn't quite catch that."

"I said I would like to find a foal-sitter for my daughter before I go on the delivery," Ditzy said in a level tone.

"It's hard to catch what you're saying with your eyes closed, personal habit of mine and all that," the green stallion said to her.

Ditzy opened her eyes and looked at her boss, and the framed photo of the post office to the left.

"Ah, you're having another episode, fine, take the day off. You're out of sick days until April now, though. I expect you to pick up the package to deliver tomorrow morning, five o'clock sharp." As the blonde maned pegasus turned to leave, Pressing Order spoke up again, "And Derpy, don't go losing the bag in a pile of snow."

~~~

"In nine-sixty-three after banishment, the Diamond Dog clan Vulpex signed a non-aggression treaty with the gryphons. This agreement later evolved to free-trade agreements and finally a military alliance against the Platinum Claws in nine-eighty-four, a situation that has lasted until this day." A knocking sounded at the door and Blueblood lowered the book 1000 Years of Diamond Dog History onto a pile on top of 1000 Years of Draconic History and Everything you need to Know about Gryphons. Blueblood put on an irritated tone and called out, "What is it?"

A royal pegasus guard stepped into Blueblood's chamber and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, I came here to inform you that the carriage is prepared to take you to Stalliongrad anytime you so desire."

"I shall be there for seven AM tomorrow, now if you don't mind, I was busy." Blueblood lifted a copy of Playcolt from a separate pile of magazines he kept for just such an occasion. The guard hastily excused himself when he saw a yellow mare with her rear stuck in the air upon the magazine cover.

"Now I can get back to my real work." Blueblood gave a slightly disgusted grunt as he tossed the bawdy magazine away and replaced it with historical anthologies he had gathered. His bags were packed, several with excessive dress clothes that he had no intention of wearing. The stallion shifted position and finally set the book down as he finished the chapter. It was ten o'clock at night and the journey would be long.

"Might as well shower. I can read during the trip," the prince muttered to himself.

Blueblood stood up from his lounge chair and used his magic to unfasten his jacket buttons, letting the jacket fall off as he stepped towards the en suite. His ivory coloured wings finally freed themselves of their trappings as he flapped them gently. It wasn't a secret that he was an alicorn by any means, but the magazines over the years had begun referring to him as 'The Prince of Unicorns'. He was thought by some as a mortal, and a terrible one at that; it made keeping his distance from others much easier.

The alicorn turned the knobs of his bath and let the warm water soak into his fur and feathers. Stepping out of the shower, he dried himself off and preened, setting his feathers straight. Anypony who was a pegasus or royalty would have noticed the congruence and symmetry of his primaries was askew, even after his self grooming. Blueblood stepped to his bed and at the magazine he had cast aside, it was open to the image of a grey mare with a blonde mane, a pegasus, her cutie mark an empty wine glass.

"Looks a bit like Vigil," Blueblood muttered, before lifting the magazine and dropping it into his fire place.

~~~

"Dinky! Mommy's home!" Ditzy called out to her basic apartment. It was quiet, but the pegasus could hear the soft muttering of her child coming from the living room. The grey mare walked into the room and looked at her six-year-old filly. Ditzy smiled warmly at the joy of her world. Ditzy walked to her daughter. Dinky had the same mane and coat colour, and the same eyes as her mother, except she did not have a lazy eye.

The filly was rocking back and forth on the floor, a book open in front of her. The filly was muttering as her horn glowed softly, turning the page of the book. "Lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, francium...."

"Dinky," Derpy spoke softly so as to not startle the filly.

The filly stopped rocking back and forth and looked at her mother, a wide grin spread on her face. "Mommy!" The grey foal leaped at her mother and hugged her. "Guess what I learned today!"

"What did you learn, sweetie?"

"I learned about the periodic table of elements! I'm busy trying to memorize it, I almost have all the names down!"

"That seems a little advanced, what did the other students have to say about learning that?" Ditzy asked her daughter.

"Oh, they didn't learn it. I spent my lunch break reading inside, and I found the chapter in a grade seven textbook and it was just so fascinating!" The filly was bouncing around now and waving her fore hooves in the air.

"Dinky, dear, you still ate your lunch I hope?" With that question the filly fell down and looked at the floor.

"No..."

"Well, go grab it and eat. You know I don't like it when you forget to have your lunch." Ditzy looked at her daughter and nuzzled her.

"I don't know where it is," Dinky said dejectedly.

"Did you leave it at school?" Derpy asked.

The filly shook her head. "Some pony at school took it."

Ditzy drew her head back, shocked that anypony, even a child, would steal from her daughter. "Dinky, do you know who it was?"

Dinky had started crying. "No! I mean, I recognize them but I can't remember their name!"

"Describe them, sweetheart," Ditzy instructed her daughter.

"She was grey, and she had a white mane, and she's always wearing glasses, she has a two week old scuff mark on her left front hoof from when she slipped while carving soapstone, she spends her time with a pink filly and–"

"Silver Spoon," Ditzy interrupted, knowing the filly well. The blone-maned mare had spoken with her father and mother several times. She was dismissed and told that their daughter would never do such a thing. Cheerilee had been more receptive, and had caught Silver Spoon bullying Dinky; Diamond Tiara never too far away. Ditzy was glad she had somepony else to make sure her daughter was safe, but Cheerilee was only one teacher.

"I'll talk to Cheerilee about it before I leave," spoke Ditzy.

"You're leaving again?" Dinky sobbed. "How long will you be gone this time?"

"One and a half weeks. Don't worry, honey, I'll be back before you know it."

Dinky ran to her room and screamed, "NO! I don't want you to leave, I want you to stay!"

Ditzy sighed and went to the kitchen, her daughter needed some time before she would calm down. The grey mare opened a cupboard and easily picked out a loaf of bread. She didn't have much money to spare, but the grey pegasus made sure her daughter never went to sleep hungry, even if some nights the pegasus did. Ditzy made a simple peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwich. Setting it on a plate she carried it over to the fridge where she poured out a glass of milk. She made her way to Dinky's room and sat beside her on the bed. The young filly was screaming into her pillow.

Ditzy began nuzzling her daughter, grooming her mane that had become unkempt from her frustrated thrashing. "I know its not fair honey, but we need the money. I'll let you choose the foal-sitter this time. How does Lyra sound?"

"Her stories give me nightmares," Dinky responded.

"Berry Punch?"

"She never talks to me," the unicorn filly replied.

"Applejack?"

"She's too far away from the library, and besides, Applebloom hates me."

"Don't be ridiculous, how could Applebloom hate you?" Ditzy asked.

"When Applejack let me sleep in Applebloom's bed, I wet it."

"Oh, sweetheart, what happened?" Ditzy began stroking her daughter's mane with a hoof.

"I had another nightmare that night," Dinky said.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" the mare asked. When Dinky shook her head the grey pegasus lifted her head from her daughter's head, the mane now parted neatly around her horn.

Where would she be happy? Wait, she mentioned the library. An idea formed in Ditzy's mind. It was a long shot, but the studious unicorn had developed a reputation of always helping out the townsfolk of Ponyville. "Dinky, would you like to try a different foal sitter?" The grey unicorn nodded her head. "I want to see if Twilight Sparkle would be willing to foal-sit you." Dinky's eyes brightened at the suggestion.

"Miss Sparkle's nice! She always helps me find books!" Dinky declared. Noticing the sandwich, the grey filly floated it over with her magic and took a big bite and swallowed.

"Chew dear, and I'm glad you like the idea. We can go see if she agrees after you finish eating." Ditzy stipulated her terms and her daughter eagerly accepted.

~~~

Twilight Sparkle was reading a book on the reproductive cycles of cordyceps fungi when she heard a knocking at the library door. "Come in!" the purple mare called out. The door opened and a grey unicorn filly was guiding a grey pegasus with closed eyes inside.

"Hi Ditzy! And hello to you Dinky, are you looking for another book?" the lavender unicorn asked. She stood up and hopped off her couch.

Dinky looked to the ground and prodded her mother's leg.

"Twilight, I came here to ask you a favor," Ditzy began.

"Hang on, Ditzy, why are your eyes shut? Is your strabismus acting up again?"

With a sigh, Derpy opened her eyes, a vision of Twilight Sparkle and her daughter's faces meshing together. "Yes."

"I'm sorry about that. What was it you wanted to ask?" Twilight questioned.

Shutting her left eye, Ditzy focused on the purple unicorn. "I was wondering if you could foal-sit Dinky for me, I have to go away for a while on work."

Twilight was taken aback. "Work? Don't you work at the post office?"

"My boss sends me to deliver long distance packages every so often," Ditzy replied. The pale pegasus twitched her left eye beneath the lid in an attempt to get it to cooperate. "I need the extra money, and my boss doesn't really like it if I refuse."

"What about her father?" At this, Dinky backed away from Twilight and started trembling. "Or relatives?" Ditzy shook her head.

"I understand, Twilight, we'll find somepony else." The grey mare turned and nuzzled her child to walk in front.

"Wait! I'm not refusing. It's just, why would you want me as a foal sitter?" The purple mare looked at Ditzy as she turned back, amethyst eyes met topaz..

"Well, you have experience taking care of children don't you?"

"With Spike? Yeah, but that's kind of unconventional, you could have asked Pinkie Pie if you wanted experience, she's great with kids."

Dinky spoke up, "Pinkie is too loud, she makes a lot of noise and I can't concentrate around her."

"Besides," Ditzy began, "she loves being here at the library and well... Is it okay if Dinky looks at some of the books?" Twilight nodded confusedly at the non sequitur and followed Ditzy to a corner as Dinky headed towards the fantasy novels. Ditzy began in a hushed whisper, "Dinky has special needs, and I thought if you could handle a baby dragon, you could take good care of her."

Twilight tilted her head. "Special needs? How so? She seems bright to me. I've never seen a foal who loves to read as much as she does, except, uh, maybe me when I was little... okay, I still do," Twilight chuckled.

Ditzy shook her head. "She does fine in class, but she has problems socializing. She's really shy and she gets bullied sometimes. She also has night terrors and wets the bed sometimes."

With this, Twilight gave a determined nod. "Okay, I'll do it."

Ditzy lifted up onto her hind legs and embraced Twilight in her fore hooves. "Thank you so much, Twilight, I'll pay you once I get back from Stalliongrad." The mare stepped away from the Element of Magic and called to her daughter. "Dinky! Find anything?"

"Not yet!"

"Well, you can keep looking tonight. We have to pack. I have to leave early tomorrow."

"Okay!" Dinky galloped to her mother and the two stepped back outside.

Twilight was left in the library by herself, smiling softly at the touching scene. "I better set up the guest room and find Spike to tell him the news."

Farewell and Hello (Final Edit)

Farewell and Hello

Ditzy looked at the town clock and noted the time was a quarter to five. The night before, she had packed for both herself and her daughter. Dinky was now sleeping peacefully in Twilight's library and Ditzy was set to begin her delivery job. Pressing herself to the door the grey mare opened the door to the post office and walked to her boss' office. In front of the door to Pressing Order's office she saw a bag with a note on it.

Derpy, here are the sandals to deliver to Stalliongrad. Best of luck, and don't drop them.

-Pressing

With a sigh, Ditzy tucked the package into her saddlebag, nestling it amongst a scarf she had packed for when she got to the colder climes of the Stalliongrad frontier. Stepping back outside, she scanned the skies. Above her the sky had taken a grey overtone that matched her coat. The town was quiet in the predawn hours, and a gentle breeze blew through the houses creating a gentle whistling sound. The pegasus put one hoof in front of the other, and was off into the air with a leap.

~~~

Prince Blueblood was sitting outside the carriage as his servants were packing his bags onto the roof of the carriage. One servant was pressing himself against a bag. Blueblood had recalled storing stationery in that particular trunk. Exertion showed clearly on the colt's wiry frame and he pushed himself against the bag trying to move it a few more inches. Gathering his magic, Blueblood gave the bag a nudge, sending it the last few inches over the rail and giving the wiry colt a break. Before the colt could glance around, Blueblood buried his nose deeper into his book, and adjusted the distracting magazine that concealed it.

A few minutes later the carriage driver, a large brown earth pony, walked to the Prince and bowed. "Your Majesty, all your bags are aboard, we are ready to depart when you are."

With a huff, Blueblood stood up and entered the carriage. Given no additional input, the driver hitched himself to the carriage beside his three teammates and began up the road north out of Canterlot.

~~~

Dinky awoke with a yawn. The library was relatively quiet, but the young filly could hear shuffling downstairs. She stood up and stretched her legs before hopping down from the guest bed. The grey filly walked down the hall to the stairs, noting several bookshelves of Twilight's personal collection. Glancing over to a mahogany shelf, she gasped in delight as she saw her favorite series of books, The Smartiepants Adventures; the foal began gathering the books with her magic and walked down the stairs. The unicorn filly could hear a sizzling sound coming from the kitchen. Dinky plucked a book out of the literary bolus she had formed and began reading.

The door to the kitchen opened and Spike stepped out with some toast on a plate; seeing the pile of books, the purple dragon spoke. "Hey, Twilight, shouldn't you set down those books while you're reading?"

Stepping out from behind the couch that had obstructed his view, Spike stared at what he saw. There, in the middle of the floor was Dinky, gently rocking back and forth as she read Twilight's favorite childhood collection of books. Over the years, the Ponyville librarian had gathered every single one of the books: all one hundred and thirty seven of them, each a small novela meant to be read to fillies and colts of age five through seven rather than read by the little ones themselves.

"Uh... Dinky?" Spike stated confusedly. Woah, I've only ever seen Twilight bother hauling that many books at once with magic.

Dinky continued reading until she reached the end of her page. By then, the large mound of books had been organized into a single stack. Dinky then performed an action which elicited Spike to scream: she folded the page’s corner to mark where she was in the book.

"WAH! Don't do that!" Spike yelled.

With a start, Dinky released her magical hold on her tower of books and the literary ziggurat fell a full foot from midair, causing the stack to cascade outwards in a pile. Seeing the mess she had caused, Dinky looked up at Spike and started tearing up.

"What's wrong? W-why did you yell at me?" the foal asked.

"Yelling? I wasn't yelling–" Spike tried to speak but then Dinky began to cry fully, lowering her head and continuing her lamentations. Spike heard a panicked clopping down the stairs and Twilight saw Dinky crying next to her entire Smartiepants Adventures collection.

"What happened?" Twilight asked frantically.

"She was reading books, and then she dog-eared a page, and when I asked what she was doing she started crying!" Spike responded, worry for the filly and himself clearly showing on his face.

Twilight trotted up to the filly and lowered her head so her eyes were level with Dinky's. "Shh... Dinky, its alright, nopony is angry with you."

The unicorn filly sniffed and looked up at the purple mare. "You're not? But why did he yell at me?"

With this, Twilight turned to Spike with eyebrows raised in curiosity. Spike spun a foot in a circle over the floor as he responded. "I may have raised my voice a little bit, but I was just worried about the book being damaged."

Twilight turned to Dinky and picked up a book that was separate from the others; sure enough, a page had been folded inwards. "Dinky, you shouldn't fold the pages of a book like that," Twilight said, in as a calm a voice as she could muster.

"I'm sorry," was all Dinky could say.

Levitating over a bookmark Twilight continued. "Here, take this, you can use it to keep your place in your book." Dinky raised her head to see the laminated slip of paper, adorned with the Equestrian flag.

"Thank you," Dinky said.

"Now, I'll just gather up these other books and put them back upstairs. When you want another book, you can put that one back and get another one, okay?" the purple mare offered and Dinky raised her head.

"Can I help clean up?" the filly inquired.

"Certainly Dinky. Here take this book and carry–" Twilight was interrupted when a magical field enveloped the book she had indicated and was lifted up by Dinky. Smiling, Twilight said, "Thank you," and turned around. Twilight gave a gasp when she saw the pile of books behind her was floating as well. Dinky walked by and the respectable literary haul followed neatly behind her, as Twilight followed with her mouth ajar. Dinky set the pile beside the bookshelf and then began lifting items out individually, sliding them into the shelf. The lavender mare walked up to Dinky and sat beside her. "Dinky..."

Dinky slid in one more book and looked at Twilight. "Yes?"

"How often do you carry that much weight?"

"All the time, sometimes I rearrange furniture so mommy's less likely to hurt herself when her strabismus acts up."

"She makes you move couches and tables!?" Twilight gasped.

"No, I do it because I want to help her. She doesn't make me," Dinky replied.

"But doesn't it hurt to move that much weight at once?" the purple unicorn asked of the grey.

"No," Dinky replied and continued sliding books into the shelf. Twilight noticed the books had no order to their arrangement and winced.

When Dinky was finished she stood up and asked Twilight, "Can I have breakfast now?"

"Of course Dinky, I'll be right down." As the blonde-maned filly went downstairs, Twilight was left with her thoughts. No wonder Ditzy wanted me to take care of Dinky, she's got more magic than I thought. Wait... she didn't even stumble over saying strabismus. With that thought in mind, Twilight stepped downstairs and found Dinky eating her toast eagerly in the kitchen.

Sitting across from her Twilight asked Dinky, "Dinky, you know that word you used when we talked earlier? Strabismus?"

"Yes?"

"Where did you learn it?"

"I read it in a book mommy gave me, and I heard you use it when her eyes went funny last night."

Twilight levitated a bowl, spoon, cereal and milk over to herself, all she could say was, "huh." As Twilight prepared her cereal, all she could think of was how difficult it must have been for Ditzy to raise a unicorn such as Dinky.

*~~~*

Prince Blueblood had half his reading done by the afternoon. The alicorn stallion placed his book to the side and looked out the window. Ah, much prettier than Las Pegasus. Less ponies too.

Blueblood stared at the sheer cliff face that was looming over the side of the carriage, reaching up to the sky above to a sharp spire. They were on a soft incline heading to the high altitude steppes of northern Equestria. The heavens were a clear blue; whatever the light of the sun touched became slightly warmed, including Blueblood's cheek.

"Driver!" Blueblood called out in a flat, non-pompous voice. "How are we coming along?"

The brown lead stallion turned his head and yelled back, "We'll reach Edmaneton in the late evening. We can find an inn there, Your Majesty."

"That sounds quite fine." Blueblood withdrew his head back into the carriage slightly and smiled as he returned to enjoying the scenery.

All around him, foothills covered with pine forests stretched as far as the eye could see. This was a beautiful place, Blueblood knew. What he did not know was that had he chosen to look out the other window, he might have noticed a grey and blonde dot streaking slowly across the sky.

~~~

Ditzy was gliding at a swift pace, the noonday sun was high overhead; she had caught a thermal, a column of warm rising air, and was lifted an extra hundred feet into the air. She wiggled slightly to adjust her saddle bags; at this rate she would make it to Edmaneton by late afternoon. At least being a pegasus means I can fly to Stalliongrad, provided my lazy eye doesn't act up. Ditzy scanned the trees far below, keen eyes temporarily able to distinguish individual branches. Her vision swept over the view below and came to note a carriage on a road far to her left. The dull-colored pegasus could make out that it was fancy and large, with white paint and highlights of various pastel colors. Without paying it any heed, Ditzy turned her head back to the horizon; her left eye however, was quite enamored with its position and kept its lock on the carriage.

This alone would have left Ditzy irritated, as she would have to land until the episode passed. Northern weather near the mountains was a fickle thing, however, and a powerful cross breeze flipped the mare over and destroyed any semblance of orientation she had. Trying to right herself, Ditzy closed an eye and started basing her movements on just the one that was left open.

Without depth perception though, the grey pegasus had new problems to contend with. She strained her wing muscles to level herself out and attempt to escape the powerful aerial currents. The wind buffeted the mare as she began losing altitude and nearly entering a freefall. Wincing in concentration, she finally exited the cross wind that had blown her off course. She opened both eyes just in time to be dashed into a road. She fell unconscious to the sound of earth ponies yelling.

~~~

Blueblood was enjoying the view when the carriage leader shouted. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop, and momentum slammed Blueblood's head to the door frame as his hooves lost their grip. When the passing dizziness settled, he opened the carriage door and leapt out.

"What is the meaning of this? I demand to know why we have stopped!" The prince stopped when he saw a grey, blonde maned pegasus lying prone on the ground, her wing bent at an unnatural angle. Grey coat, blonde mane? And a pegasus no less, no arrangements to send a mare to meet me indeed. Blueblood huffed and sat glaring at the mare as two of the carriage pullers started tending to her.

The leader walked up to Blueblood and gave an answer to the prince's former inquiries. "We were just going along when this mare slammed into the ground just in front of the carriage, full kilter. Near as I can tell, she's lucky its just her wing that was broken."

"Hey, boss!" a colt called out from beneath the carriage, "the front axle is broken!"

"Oh, fie! Begging your pardon, Your Highness, but let me see if I can fix it." Casting his glance upwards before leaving, the stallion added, "Might be a good time for a snack if we're stopped."

Prince Blueblood returned his gaze to the grey mare, who had begun to stir. When she tried flexing her wing, the pegasus cried out in pain. The voice is different, auntie 'Tia is slipping, Blueblood thought. If Celestia did send this mare, she wouldn't have had her crash that badly; auntie would never willingly hurt her subjects. No ridiculous clothes either, not a lady-in-waiting.

Prince Blueblood stood up and walked over to the mare and looked at her. "You, peasant. What is your name, and from where do you hail?"

"Ditzy Doo, I'm from Ponyville." The grey mare opened her eyes and saw Prince Blueblood standing over her, the very picture of noble fury. Oh no, I can't get delayed for my delivery! Dinky is counting on me! "I'm sorry about delaying you, sir, but I really have to make this delivery." Ditzy stood up and her saddlebag rubbed against her broken wing. "Agh!" The mare yelled, slipped out of the straps in a panic and ran face first into Blueblood's chest.

The earth pony crew gave a collective gasp. This lout had just delayed their prince, and then struck him! They turned to Blueblood, expecting an outburst from the prince.

All he did was stare at the grey mare and ask, "Do you know who I am?"

"Uhhhhhh.... no?"

Blueblood looked to the earth ponies and stated flatly, "Give her some water, and get the carriage fixed."

With that the white stallion walked back to the carriage where the lead driver was still looking at the axle. Noticing the prince out of the corner of his eyes, the stallion sidled out from underneath the trashed axle. "Its torn to pieces sir, if I'm going to make a repair, I'd have to find a sapling that's the right shape. I don't have the tools to craft an axle from just any tree."

"Find one and have the carriage fixed by tomorrow. We can make camp for tonight, and we still have plenty of time to get to Stalliongrad." Blueblood sighed, shaking his head. He then lifted his head again. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Old Trail, sir," the stallion replied.

"Good luck, Old Trail, come back soon," the prince said.

Old Trail nodded, but when he turned around a confused expression spread on his face. Were those... manners? From the prince? Shaking his head slightly the earth pony set off to his task, scanning the forest for a suitable sapling.

Prince Blueblood walked to the rest of the group. He saw the mare had finished drinking and was nursing her injured wing.

"You, mare, what were you doing out here?" he asked.

"I was delivering a package to Stalliongrad."

Blueblood's ears flipped back. Auntie is getting clever with her arrangements, but she wouldn't have had crashed that badly if it wasn't an accident.

Blueblood turned to a colt. "Check her bags."

Obliging, the colt rummaged through the contents: scarf, some food and spare bits, water, map, and a sack with the city name 'Stalliongrad' printed on it. The colt brought the bag over and emptied its contents, and several pairs of sandals rolled out.

Ditzy gave a sigh of relief when the last one stopped moving on the ground, not one pair managed to roll away and become lost.

Sandals? In the cold north? Blueblood thought. That doesn't make sense. Genuine injury from the crash. Making a delivery, but of an utterly useless item.

Ditzy raised her head and asked, "Can I, uh... gather up the sandals? Uh...?"

"Prince Blueblood, nephew to Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia," Blueblood said, intuiting the mare’s question, "and yes, you may."

With that, Ditzy glanced around before gathering the sandals. With a momentary pause, she went behind the carriage. Blueblood turned around without a second thought. Then he heard the snap of bones being set and a muffled cry. When Blueblood went to look at the mare, she was unconscious again, her wing set straight.

No daughter of Canterlot would do that. She's no recommendation from auntie, Blueblood thought.

Learning (Final Edit)

Learning

With her breakfast finished, Dinky was walked to school by Twilight. The purple mare was deeply concerned for the filly. No father, a mother who is a pegasus, and a proclivity for magic that lets her do things that most foals her age would have found impossible? Then there was her seeming overreaction to Spike's innocent outburst. The grey unicorn was something of an enigma to Twilight, and the studious mare intended to find out how she could help.

Taking a breath, Twilight asked her first question. "Dinky, do you practice magic?"

"Not really, why?"

Twilight bit her lip. Magic could be dangerous if left untrained. The experience of turning her own parents into cacti had enforced that lesson in Twilight firmly. "Do you have any unicorn friends at school? Did anypony teach you how to lift all that stuff?"

"No."

This is going nowhere. Maybe I need a different approach, thought Twilight. "Do you know what most other ponies are able to do at your age with magic?"

"They use it for flipping pages on books mostly, and writing."

"Does Cheerilee know you can carry that much stuff with magic?"

"I don't do stuff like that at school."

"Why not?"

"Other ponies call me a show off, but I'm not! I just like to carry all my stuff with magic!"

"Surely your friends don't think you're a show off."

"I don't have any friends."

Twilight stopped and stared, the statement had been made so matter-of-factly. She had gone most of her childhood without friends. In retrospect, however, she saw how much better life was with ponies to share it with.

"Why don't you have any friends, Dinky?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know..." Dinky's voice quivered slightly. "Ponies tease me all the time, call me a cry-foal and take my lunch. Cheerilee tries to stop them but she's only one mare. I try to stay inside during recess and read, but sometimes Cheerilee has to send me out so she can teach the older foals." When Dinky noticed Twilight had stopped following her she turned around and looked at the purple unicorn. "What is it?"

"Dinky, don't feel you have to tell me this, but what else do the other foals say about you?"

"Bedwetter, nerd, egg-head, dweeb, know-it-all, show-off, meanie, dolt." The filly lay down and sniffed, painful memories surfacing in her young mind.

Twilight walked over to Dinky and sat beside her. Bedwetter. Ditzy mentioned that she had night terrors, and somepony at school must have found out. Show-off. She does have an amazing latent talent. Nerd, egg-head and dweeb. Maybe they're envious, she did talk about her mother's medical condition without stumbling over the words. Meanie and dolt... "Dinky, what happens when or before ponies call you a meanie or a dolt?"

Dinky nestled into Twilight's side as she whispered, "They say I don't care about their feelings, that I don't understand what any of them are trying to say when they talk to me."

That doesn't make sense, Twilight thought to herself. She had to think on this. For the time being, she needed to get Dinky to school. The two continued trotting along and made it with plenty of time to spare, and Twilight and Dinky bid eachother farewell. Classes would begin in twenty minutes. Dinky opened up a school book and began reading intently.

~~~

"Thank you! Pencils down, everypony! Please hand in your quiz on division," Cheerilee called out as she gathered various papers from her students. Going to the front desk, Cheerilee gathered some more papers. "Now let's see how everypony did on the homework. Sweetie Belle, good job. Snips, Snails, try to work a little harder next time. Dinky, you did wonderfully." Dinky looked at her work and smiled: sixteen out of seventeen questions had been marked correct.

"Yes!" the foal whispered to express her joy. Looking up, she saw Snips glaring at her and she lowered her head quickly.

"Okay then, everypony! School’s out! Take care and I’ll see you all tomorrow!" Cheerilee called out, and all the foals cheered at the news, trotting outside with haste.

Dinky gathered her bags and started outside. Trotting up beside her Scootaloo called out. "Hiya Dinks'! How ya doin'?"

"I'm doing fine. I did well on my homework, how did you do... uh?" The grey filly responded, never once turning her head to look at Scootaloo, confused as she couldn't remember the pegasus' name.

"Ugh ... I barely passed. How do you do it, Dinky? Cheat?"

"NO!" Dinky screamed indignantly.

"Sheesh, no need to fly off the handle Dinky, take a chill pill." With that the orange filly galloped off, eager to put distance between herself and the overreacting filly.

Dinky looked down on the ground. Her mother had told her about how some ponies joked like that, and that it was just a way of showing how impressed they were. But every time, the young filly thought that they genuinely believed she was a cheater.

Dinky continued onward when the orange colt Snails, followed by his chubby compatriot and brother Snips came around a tree. "Heya, cry-foal!" Snails grinned leaning into towards the filly. Dinky tried to run but was blocked off by Snips.

"Nuh-uh, we ain't done with you yet!" the green colt spoke slowly.

"Please, just leave me alone!" Dinky cried out, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"What are you going to do? Use your fancy magic on us? Nerd! Teacher's pet!" The words cut into Dinky and she started bawling and shut her eyes. She felt a hoof connect with her side as Snails continued. "Look at ponies when they talk to you, dolt!" With a laugh, the two colts disappeared and Dinky was left on her own. Tending her bruise, she got up and walked back to the library. She opened the library door and saw Twilight reading on a couch, with Spike napping on the other.

"Welcome back, Dinky," Twilight said.

Dinky trotted over to Spike and hopped up beside him, laying down and looking at Twilight who was entirely absorbed in her book. The dragon was muttering in his sleep when his left leg shot out, hitting Dinky in her bruised side.

"Eep!" Dinky called out, trying to get a handle on the pain as her eyes teared. Twilight looked over and saw this.

"Dinky, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm fine—" Spike's leg shot out again and Dinky screamed out in pain.

"Wahhuh?" the purple dragon spoke out as he woke up. He saw Twilight lift Dinky away from him with her magic, and set the now once-again crying filly on the couch beside her.

"Shh, Dinky, tell me where it hurts." the purple mare asked. Dinky indicated her side and Twilight saw a well formed bruise underneath the thin grey coat. "That was too fast for a bruise to form, Dinky, did something happen today?"

"Some bullies kicked me today."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know their names, they're all mean!" Dinky replied. "One was a light blue, chubby unicorn with an orange mane and scissors for a cutie mark, the other one was a light orange with a teal mane and a snail for a cutie mark, and he's really skinny, too."

Twilight lifted her head up. Dinky couldn't remember the names, yet she had a near perfect description for Snips and Snails? Opening her mouth, Twilight began to speak. "It's okay, Dinky. I know who you're talking about, and I'll go talk to their parents right now. Spike?"

"Coming..." The purple dragon walked in from the kitchen with a bag of ice with a hand towel. "Here, Dinky. I'm sorry I hurt you." At this, Twilight smiled and mouthed a word of thanks to her number one assistant. Sniffing, Dinky accepted the bag with her magic lowered it onto her aching side.

"Spike, if you could watch over Dinky while I go have a discussion with Snips and Snail's father, I'd be very grateful," the lavender mare asked.

"Sure thing, Twi!" the purple dragon responded before turning to the grey filly beside Twilight. "Again, Dinky, I'm sorry. I was dreaming, I guess."

"It's okay," Dinky said.

Confident that things had settled down, Twilight stood up and went through with her intention of facing Pressing Order, father of Snips and Snails.

~~~

Twilight coughed to clear her throat. In front of her was the office door of Pressing Order, chief of the Ponyville postal service, father of the two colts who had hurt her charge, Dinky. Twilight raised her hoof and knocked on the office door.

"Come in!" a voice called, Twilight opened the door and there was the green stallion. He looked up at the mare and asked, "What do you want?"

"Good afternoon, Pressing Order. I'm Twilight Sparkle—"

"Fascinating, now what do you want? I got a post office to run."

"I am Dinky Hooves' foal-sitter while her mother is away on work, and I have an issue I'd like to bring up with you."

"That being?"

"Dinky came back from school today with a bruise on her side. When I asked how she got it she said that your sons, Snips and Snails, had bullied her."

"Preposterous! My sons would never do something so low brow! That filly is just trying to get them in trouble," Pressing Order yelled out, the livid color of his outrage plainly showing even through his dark fur.

"Then how do you explain the bruise I found?" Twilight asked, nonplussed.

"She probably ran into something like that wall-eyed mother of hers always is!"

"I don't honestly think Dinky would lie about that, if we could just talk to Snips and Snails and disc—"

"I've had enough of this!" Pressing Order shouted. "You come into my office and accuse my children of hurting a filly who for all likelihood hurt herself for some attention and then start demanding I do something about it? OUT!"

"Now you're being unreasonable. Dinky shows no signs of her mother's strabismus, and to suggest that Dinky would—!"

"GET OUT!" Pressing ordered yelled, standing up and turning over a pile of papers, leading the stallion to curse. "Damn it! look what you made me do!"

Twilight glared at Pressing Order before turning to leave. The stallion refused to listen to reason. Deprived of one choice to resolve the issue, Twilight would have to pursue another course of action.

~~~

Spike was watching Dinky carefully. He had already managed to cause the filly to cry twice within twenty four hours of meeting her; the young dragon felt it as a personal failing that decried his own character. He was eager to make amends, and although he had already apologized and Dinky had accepted, he still did not feel like it was enough.

"Dinky," the purple dragon finally spoke out.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry again for hurting you. Twilight said that I kicked you in the side. I didn't mean to, honest. I was dreaming and sometimes I act out what I'm doing when asleep. Applejack says Winona does the same thing."

The grey filly lifted her head and looked at Spike; when he tried to look her in the eyes to gather some indication of her emotional state, she averted her own eyes. "What were you dreaming about?"

"I was, uh ... it was... lemme think for a sec." Spike tried to remember the dream: he was running, that much was apparent, but where? Ah, right! I was in the quarry with Rarity, trying to catch up. "I was dreaming I was helping Rarity find gems."

"Okay," the filly said, and lay her head back down.

There's gotta be something I can do to set this right, she won't even talk to me! Wait a second... An idea formed in Spike's mind. It hadn’t been long since his last trip to the quarry with Rarity, and he still had a few gems left. "Dinky, follow me. I want to show you something."

Wordlessly, Dinky obliged and followed Spike to his bed inside Twilight's bedroom. Shifting the cushion, Spike reached underneath it and pulled out a small cardboard box. The dragon scanned the contents and settled on a basic diamond nestled among several fire rubies, and on top of a yellow topaz. "Here, take this."

"Why?" Dinky asked.

"It’s a gift, to show how sorry I am," Spike replied.

"Okay, thank you." The filly took the sizable gem with her magic and simply went on looking at the details around the room.

It was then that Spike heard the library door slam open and shut. Spike went downstairs to see what was wrong. There stood Twilight levitating a piece of paper and quill, scribbling out some notes.

"Twilight? What are you doing?" Spike asked.

Noticing her assistant, Twilight gave a quill and paper to Spike, instructing, "Take down a checklist for me, Spike."

Spike stepped to a nearby desk and grabbed a quill and paper. "Ready."

"One, create checklist. Two, create list of items I need." Spike took out a separate sheet of paper for the coming inventory. "Three, inform Cheerilee of my plan. Four, gather supplies. Five, Go with Dinky to school to make sure she isn't bullied."

"Wa-huh? I thought you resolved that?" Spike interjected.

"I tried, Spike, but Snips and Snails' father wouldn't listen, and he's convinced that they didn't do anything. Here's what I'll need: a lunch, a camera, paper and quill, and a copy of The Geological Formation of the Dragonguard Mountains."

"Aaaand done! Wait, what's the book for?" Spike queried.

"Reading material so I can get some studies done."

"Right, gotcha."

Twilight was satisfied with her course of action. It was direct, and not subtle. She had doubted her plan slightly, but when she thought about it, had Spike ever been hurt by somepony she wouldn't have let him out of her sight. She had already decided she wouldn't be right next to Dinky the whole time, just waiting outside and keeping a watchful eye. She was nothing if not vigilant in whatever task she set herself to.

It's Mostly Safe at Night ... Mostly (Final Edit)

It's Mostly Safe at Night ... Mostly

The sun was beginning to set and the carriage crew had built a fire, and a large, plush, pink and gold trimmed cushion had been set on the ground for Prince Blueblood. Just off to his right was Ditzy, still blacked out from the pain of having set the bone in her broken wing herself. Blueblood had instructed that the mare be placed there, dumbfounding the crew who thought for certain he would order her chained to the carriage like an uncouth beast. Blueblood had other plans.

His years in Canterlot had been spent surrounded by ponies who for all intents and purposes, led an easy life. That meant that Blueblood had little chance to genuinely help ponies in a manner that did not require befriending them. But as he lounged beside Ditzy, he was helping her. Alicorns were possessors of all three magics of the pony races: the unicorn's spells, the pegasi's flight and weather manipulation, and the earth pony's subtle aura that let everything around it grow and heal faster.

The swelling in Ditzy's wing had lowered somewhat. The mare had begun to stir, softly whispering, "Dinky."

When Ditzy finally gained consciousness, the first thing she noticed was that her eyes had once again gone on their wayward paths. All the same, she tried to gather where she was; she saw a fire, three earth ponies, and to her left, Prince Blueblood.

Blueblood had noticed the change in her breathing and asked, "Are you awake?".

"Yes," Ditzy responded, not looking at Blueblood and keeping her eyes shut, nor raising herself from the ground.

She's either very weak or groveling, and my magic should have made the former impossible, Blueblood thought before sighing. Royal protocol be damned, he hated being groveled over.

"You're allowed to look at me, you know. You won't go blind," Blueblood stated, figuring some humor would set the mare at ease.

Ditzy merely shook her head; she didn't like it when anypony saw her eyes like they were, it always led to ridicule and mockery.

"Very well. Then answer my question: why did you crash, and why will you not look at me when granted to do so?"

Ditzy raised herself onto her hooves, noting that the pain in her wings had subsided. No hiding it now, I’ve been asked by royalty to answer a question. She opened her eyes. Her left eye was straying to the fire while the other looked at Blueblood.

The prince flinched slightly before nodding. "Ah, I understand."

An uncomfortable silence began. Compelled to break it, Blueblood spoke. "You are heading for Stalliongrad, correct?" Ditzy nodded, closing her eyes again.

"With that wing broken, you won't be able to fly, but you may accompany us, for we are traveling to Stalliongrad, as well."

With this Ditzy's eyes snapped open. She was being permitted to travel with royalty? He probably thinks I'd make a good court jester. The grey mare's ears wilted at the thought.

~~~

"Damnable old forests, two hours and I still haven't found a sapling the right size," grumbled Old Trail, the earth pony leader of the carriage crew.

He had served as a carriage puller for the Canterlot family for twenty years. He had come to know every road in Equestria, and a few outside of it as well; it was his special talent, navigating roadways. His cutie mark was a map with a large red X planted in the left corner. Always confounded my parents with how I was able to get through the corn maze with absolutely no problems.

He looked up to the forest around him. Immense pine trees cracked the earth around him and shot up to the vaulted ceiling of Equestria itself. The sun was lowering and Luna's night was spreading across the expanse of the heavens, individual lights becoming visible as time went on.

"I better just head back, no sense trundling about in the dark like a foal. Boss is going to have my hide for this," Old Trail mumbled to himself.

Turning around, the stallion saw something that had escaped his notice before: a tree that could easily be carved by hoof into a spare axle.

"Oh, thank Celestia," Old Trail sighed.

The brown earth pony reached for the ax he had slung across his back and gripped it firmly in his mouth. He swung the ax at the tree and a satisfying thunk, accompanied by a fresh gouge in the wood, made Old Trail smile with the ax in his mouth.

Continuing to work at the tree, the brown stallion didn't notice that a few hundred feet away, barely visible through the trees, was an Ursa Major in its ghostly, ethereal state. The celestial bear sniffed at the air, noticing an unfamiliar scent. Turning its head towards the source it could make out the sound of something marking its territory, gouging out one of his trees. The Ursa prowled towards the stallion, ethereal paws making not a sound until it willed the clawed clubs to enter a corporeal state.

With a satisfied final swing, the stallion felled the sapling. The Ursa Major felled a three hundred and sixty four year old pine, toppling it towards the hapless steed just as he shifted position where he was standing to put away his ax. The tree missed by exactly one and five sixteenths of an inch.

Looking behind him, the stallion's eyes contracted to pins as millions of years of equine evolution bid him perform one action... run.

~~~

Ditzy was fading off to peaceful slumber when a yell sounded in the distance. It was yelling for help and Ditzy raised her head, ears swiveling to pinpoint the sound. Prince Blueblood had done the same seconds earlier; he looked into the forest and saw Old Trail running towards them.

The stallion reached the camp and started taking huge gasps of air.

"What happened?" Blueblood demanded. "What is it?"

Old Trail tried to explain between breaths, adrenaline still coursing through his veins and screaming that he keep running "It's a... It's a..."

"Calm down, and then speak," Blueblood instructed. Just then, a thundering sound became audible.

"URSA MAJOR!" the stallion screamed when the sound reached his ears.

The cosmic Ursa crested the top of a hill, knocking over a tree and roared. It charged toward the road and sunk out of sight again. The carriage crew and Ditzy were running about, not sure which direction to take. The earth ponies ran up the road, but Ditzy ran to the carriage and hid underneath.

Blueblood stood his ground, waiting for the Ursa to appear again. The Ursa entered Blueblood's sight to his left and the alicorn began charging his magic. The Ursa looked at the carriage and saw Ditzy huddled underneath. Taking a tentative step, the Ursa lifted a paw to swipe the carriage away, or it would have, had a bolt of magic not collided with the limb, bending it back till bones snapped.

The predacious creature turned to Blueblood, horn glowing as he set up another spell. This one struck it squarely in the jaw; the monstrosity could see stars, and not the ones in the sky or on its body either. Stumbling about the creature shook its head. When it saw it was facing away from its hoofed assailant, it began running away as fast as it could, a pitiful pace with its near severed limb.

Ditzy had her eyes shut the whole time, terrified of the end. She only opened them when she heard a voice speak, “It’s gone."

The mare opened her eyes and saw Blueblood looking at her. She scuttled out from underneath the carriage and looked at the white stallion. "Thank you."

"It was nothing," Blueblood said quickly. "Now, lets find those blasted drivers."

Ditzy grabbed her saddlebag in her mouth and they set off down the road. Soon, they saw the earth ponies gathered on the next hill. Blueblood and Ditzy trotted to them and Old Trail and the others bowed.

"Your Majesty, please forgive us, had we known you weren't behind us—"

"Stop," Blueblood commanded, his voice leaving little room for any other interpretation. "It’s obvious that fixing the axle is out of the question with Ursa Majors and Celestia knows what else prowling about. We walk."

"But, sir, I found a tree that would—!" Old Trail was cut off by the distant sound of a wounded animal and a pained snarl echoing in the distance. Old Trail turned to the others and gave out his own instructions. "Get the Prince's bags, when we get to Edmaneton, we can arrange for the carriage to be salvaged and take a train to Stalliongrad."

The four earth ponies went back to the carriage, and Blueblood called out, "The two green ones can stay behind." With that, he looked to Ditzy, who was simply looking at him. Same coat color, same mane, eye color, even that, just like Constant Vigil.

Ditzy spoke, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stopped, I should have run."

Blueblood shook his head, realizing he had begun to stare. "You're right, you should have."

Minutes later, the four earth ponies returned with bags in tow and the six set off down the trail.

~~~

Twilight lifted her hoof to the door of Cheerilee's home. She needed to talk to the teacher pony about her intended course of action. What if I'm going too far? I mean, watching over Dinky while she has recess? She took a deep breath: that was what she was here for, and Spike had seemed accepting of the idea once she had explained it. Still, a third opinion wouldn't hurt. Images of Twilight’s incident with the ‘Want it, Need it’ spell ran through her mind. Don’t want to end up with something like that again. The purple mare shuddered before knocking on the door.

Cheerilee's singsong voice came out, "Coming!" The door opened and the dark magenta earth pony was standing there. "Oh, hello, Twilight! Did you want to talk about Spike's education?"

"No, Miss Cheerilee, I came here to talk to you about one of your students," Twilight replied. Cheerilee nodded, stood to one side, and let the lavender mare into her abode.

The living room was painted a soft sky blue and several lounge chairs were arranged around a central table. To the right, an open door led to the small kitchen, and to the left, a hallway that Twilight guessed would terminate in a bathroom or a bedroom.

The two mares sat on two of the chairs and Twilight began, "It's about Dinky Hooves, Ditzy Doo's daughter."

Cheerilee nodded at this. "She's been bullied again, hasn't she? I try to keep an eye out for all my students, but... I have to teach every grade in Ponyville and..."

It was now Twilight's turn to nod and the purple mare interrupted, "I understand, which is why, with your permission, I'd like to come to the school playground tomorrow and keep an eye out on Dinky, and everypony else."

Cheerilee lifted her head at this. "You'd do that? What about your studies?"

"I can bring some of my books from the library. There's one more thing." Twilight levitated a camera out of a saddle bag. "I tried talking to the bully's father, but he didn't listen to me. If I see anypony bullying Ditzy, I'll take a picture and show it to the parent." The element of magic lowered her head and cast a glance at Cheerilee. "That doesn't seem excessive to you, does it?"

Cheerilee brought her hoof around Twilight's shoulder. "It might anger some ponies, but if this is what's needed for Dinky, and others, to learn in a safe environment, I can accept that. I couldn't think of a pony to trust more with such a weighty issue, just..." Cheerilee thought for a moment.

"Try and be discreet." Twilight nodded after she finished Cheerilee's thought.

~~~

It was night time. Twilight had returned home to the library and explained her plan to Dinky. The grey filly had at first been worried about what bullies might try to do if they found out Dinky now had a watchful guardian if she was ever left alone, but she had accepted Twilight's offer.

Now Dinky was in bed, breathing quietly. On the nightstand, the diamond Spike had given her caught small amounts of moonlight. The light refracted within the gem and cast a pattern reminiscent of the night sky around the room. The scene was tranquil, but inside Dinky's mind, all was unsound.

"Derpy! I'm home!" A blue coated earth pony walked into the house and stumbled. He eyed Dinky, who was sitting on the carpeted floor of the living room. "Heya darling, where's yer mother?"

"I'm right here." In the hallway, Ditzy was standing there, staring at the stallion.

The blue earth pony sidled over to Ditzy and began rubbing her chin. "Hello there, my sweet little darling, show me your pretty lil' eyes."

"You're drunk, and you know my strabismus doesn't work like that," Ditzy stated.

"Now Derpy, I've been working hard today and I thought I'd have a special treat." The stallion breathed the moist scent of alcohol onto the pegasus mare. "I think you should work me hard now."

He reached a hoof over Ditzy's flank and brought it down hard. Ditzy gave an indignant cry before scowling. "Not in front of our daughter!"

The stallion turned to Dinky and ordered flatly, "Stay."

The two adult ponies left Dinky to her studies. She had hardly noticed the exchange, reading a book about the jungles of Zebrica. When she closed the book at the end of the chapter, she walked to her parent's room and knocked.

"Mommy, I'm hungry, can you make me something?" Dinky called out.

There was a brief pause before Ditzy's voice hissed. "Not now, Happy Hour, our daughter comes first!"

"Oh, no, the brat can wait, you look starved yourself, c'mere, I got something for ya."

Dinky called through the door, "If mommy's hungry she can make something for herself, too. Do you want anything dad?"

At this, a curse word sounded from the door and the sound of four hooves stomping came towards the door. When it opened Happy Hour, Ditzy's husband, Dinky's father, and enraged earth pony came out with his backside covered in a fuschia quilt. Dinky laughed at the sight despite herself, her daddy was wearing pink!

"You think it's funny what you're doing?” the blue stallion’s voice raised slightly and he glared at his daughter.

Dinky cowed her head and started shaking it. Soon a tremor formed over her body as her father continued to stare down at her. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Happy Hour pressed.

"I don't know," Dinky replied.

"How can you not know!?"

Tears started forming at the edges of Dinky's eyes. "Please don't yell, daddy."

The blue stallion took a deep breath and whispered. "This isn't yelling. THIS IS YELLING!!!"

Dinky was now crying and sobbing. Ditzy appeared in the doorway behind her husband. "Honey, there's no need to do that, you scared her!"

Happy Hour slammed the door shut leaving Dinky to bawl outside her parent's bedroom. Inside Ditzy's cries of protest could be heard. After that night, Dinky had learned to always keep on the tip of her tongue two little words she thought would placate her father.

"I'm sorry."

Dinky's eyes snapped open and she shifted her position in bed. Immediately, the small draft felt much too cold. Sniffing, Dinky wretched at the smell, and at her body's incontinence.

~~~

Twilight awoke to the sound of a sink running. That's strange, Twilight thought as she sat up in her bed. She got up from bed and carefully plodded to her door, careful not to wake Spike, and walked to the bathroom where the sound was coming from. The lavender mare opened the door and there sat Dinky in front of the sink. Filling a bucket with steaming water, behind her a pile of sheets was cast in a pile. Part of a slightly yellow stain showing on a corner.

"Dinky," Twilight called softly.

The grey unicorn flinched, looking over and turning the tap off quickly. "I'm sorry!"

"It's okay. Did you have a nightmare?" Twilight smiled warmly at the filly, noticing Dinky had gathered some detergent and soap before hoof.

Dinky nodded her head gently, avoiding eye contact and rolling back and forth on her haunches.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Dinky shook her head. When Twilight got close she sniffed. Dinky was a little ripe. "Let's get you cleaned up first."

Twilight went over to her tub and turned on the water. She put a few inches of the lukewarm liquid into the tub before bidding Dinky to enter. The young unicorn obliged and Twilight levitated a cup into the bathtub. She took a scoop of water and poured it over Dinky slowly, careful not to get any in the filly's eyes.

"Dinky, if I tell you something secret, will you tell me about your nightmare?" Twilight asked..

Dinky squinted her eyes in concentration, then said, "Okay."

"When I was fifteen, I was really nervous about failing a test I was going to take; I studied so much, I was so tired the night before the test I drank three cups of coffee to try and stay up so I could study some more. When I fell asleep, I dreamed I had failed the test. Do you know what happened then?" Twilight grinned at the filly, she had only ever told Fluttershy about this before.

Dinky shook her head.

"I was so scared that I wet the bed! At fifteen! Hahaha!" Twilight chuckled and took a breath. "So you see, Dinky, you don't have to be sorry, your body will stop doing things like this, you just have to be patient."

Dinky smiled. The thought of Twilight as some panicked teenager struck a chord with the filly, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to imagine.

"So, can you tell me what you dreamed about now?" Twilight asked.

"I dreamt about my dad."

Twilight lifted her head. Dinky's night terrors are about her dad? "What happened in the dream?"

"He yelled at me." Dinky started rocking in the tub as Twilight squirted some shampoo into Dinky's mane.

"Why?"

"I don't know, he was angry, but he never told me why." Tears were forming again in the young filly's eyes.

Twilight turned on the shower head and started rinsing Dinky, not pressing the matter any further. Tears mixed with soapy water and washed down the drain. Left in the tub was a clean filly that stood up. Twilight levitated a towel over and dried Dinky. Soon, the grey unicorn was outside the tub and her horn glowed, the bucket in the sink lifted up and settled on the floor.

"It's okay, Dinky, I can wash those in the morning, let's get your bed made with some fresh sheets," Twilight said, nudging the filly with her muzzle.

Twilight and Dinky stepped into the guest room where they saw Spike tugging at the last corner of a sheet. He turned around and saw the two unicorns looking at him.

"Oh, uh, hey guys," Spike said, shifting nervously.

"And here I thought you were the heavy sleeper," Twilight giggled.

"Well, it's pretty hard to sleep with a waterfall going on the next room over," Spike deadpanned, tilting his head and shrugging.

Twilight chuckled for a few seconds. Dinky simply smiled until Spike looked at her; the grey filly stopped and mouthed 'I'm sorry' to Spike.

"It's alright." Spike smiled and stepped back into the hallway. The purple dragon yawned and stepped to his bed once more. At least I get the library to myself tomorrow.

Dinky hopped onto the bed and Twilight tucked her into bed. "Good night, Dinky."

"Good night, Miss Sparkle."

Long Roads

Long Roads

It was early morning, and Ditzy, Blueblood, and the earth ponies were packing up the camp they had made after walking for another hour the previous night. The earth ponies had taken turns keeping watch, all hoping that no other creatures would rise from the forest. Ditzy was trying to grab a flint and tinder box one of the earth ponies had put to the side after making the fire, but her strabismus was acting up again and she instead bit down on a dusty rock.

"Phah!" Ditzy spat out the pebble and shut her left eye and leaned down once more to pick up the tinder box. Succeeding this time, she walked over to Old Trail and deposited the Tinderbox in the bag of supplies he kept.

"Thanks," Old Trail said, eyeing a map in front of him.

Blueblood walked by and gave the map a quick once over before he spoke up. "If we leave in twenty minutes, we'll get to Edmaneton by high noon. Chop chop!"

Old Trail scrutinized the map and frowned for a moment. His eyebrows then lifted and he began to nod. "So we will..." he muttered. The stallion looked around and noted that everything else had been packed. "Alright! Let's get moving!"

The group traveled forward, Blueblood leading the way, and Ditzy taking up the rear. The sun rose and as the group moved on, the steady incline of the mountain range led them past forest-covered hills and to a large, flat plateau. Blueblood slowed his pace until he was by Old Trail's side.

"Lead the way, I grow tired setting the pace," Blueblood told the brown stallion.

Blueblood slowed more until he was beside Ditzy. "I am curious, what are you doing delivering something like sandals to a northern settlement like Stalliongrad?"

"My boss gave me the task, and now I have to do it," Ditzy answered, keeping her eyes forward.

"Must be a fashion statement in the north, it’s been a long time since I've been there," Blueblood responded.

"One and a half years, haven't been here since I..."

"Since you what?" Blueblood asked.

"Since I left my husband, or more appropriately, he left me," Ditzy responded. He was royalty, who was she to refuse his questions?

Married previously? One less point for her being a suggestion from Celestia, it's final, she's legit, Blueblood thought. He owed his auntie a big apology after doubting when she had promised. But where does that leave me? I can't rightly project the feelings I had for Constant Vigil on this mare, still... Blueblood noticed that Ditzy's eye had wandered to look at him, she almost immediately shut it tight.

"Why are you so ashamed of that? It's nothing you can change," Blueblood asked.

"Because I get ridiculed for it, I can't see properly whenever this happens and I bump into things, drop things, if it lasts long enough I get a migraine." Ditzy's voice was trying to keep level, but a slightly irritated intonation had worked its way in.

"Sounds like something ponies in Canterlot would do," Blueblood commented.

"You disagree with it, then?" the grey pegasus asked.

"Completely, it’s simply vulgar to have to point out the flaws in others to feel good about oneself, it’s all those ministers and aristocrats ever seem to do when they're around me."

"Sounds like you don't have a taste for politics." Ditzy had started to smile, her eyes still closed. The road was straight, so she had yet to stray far from the center.

"Mostly just the sycophants and the ones who don't speak candidly; I guess I prefer to navigate in a much more literal sense," Blueblood replied, smiling and looking at the surroundings. Mountains stretched in the distance, and the road was very much flat with only a few dips in the distance.

"What do you mean?" Ditzy asked. With this, Blueblood stopped. Uh oh, asked a royal what they meant, guess that's taboo, the grey pegasus thought.

Blueblood looked behind his shoulder and used his magic to lift a corner of his jacket, a depiction of the cardinal directions was on his flank. "Always had a way for getting around things when I was younger, could find the quickest path from point A to point B without too much trouble."

"So that's your special talent?" Ditzy asked, relieved that she had not offended.

"Yes, guidance, in the most literal sense, used to be called the God of Safe Passage."

"What happen—!" Ditzy shut her mouth, realizing that her next question may well have been going too far.

"I'd... rather not talk about it right now," Blueblood answered morosely.

The Prince began trotting back to the head of the group and walking beside Old Trail. It had been a while since Blueblood had thought about his past. Now he realized that tangentially, marginally, he had something in common with the stallion beside him. He looked out to the steppes all around and the wide sky fringed by snowcapped mountains far away. Wind blew over the flat plains and cast a waving pattern in the grass like waves on the ocean.

"Sweet Celestia, this place is flat!" called out a colt from behind. "Do the ponies here know what up and down are?"

"Head Start, pipe down, no complaining about the job," Old Trail called back.

"It ain't the job, it's the scenery! It's worse than Manehattan! Sure, it had buildings everywhere, but at least it had that park in the middle of it!" the young colt responded.

Old Trail opened his mouth to protest when Blueblood lifted a hoof to his shoulder. "No need, he'll pipe down once Edmaneton is in sight, then, it’s a train ride to Stalliongrad."

"What about your clothes, sir? The ones in the bags we left?"

"I can always buy more at Stalliongrad, pick up the ones we left on the way back," Blueblood responded.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?"

Blueblood lifted his eyebrow before nodding. "Granted."

"I've never seen you act so... relaxed before." Old Trail hesitated. When Blueblood gave him an inquisitive, but understanding look, the earth pony continued. "It’s just that, with everything that's happened, I thought you would be fuming."

Blueblood chuckled at this. "I guess I was craving a little excitement, and it's been granted."

"Excitement, eh? Well, that sounds more like the prince we know and love."

Blueblood turned his head away. I'm letting ponies get close to me! I can't do that! What if I lose them?! What if I can't get them all to Stalliongrad and back... His thoughts turned to his cousin, Princess Cadence, she had been going through similar thoughts. She was worried that when her husband Shining Armour died, she'd begin to doubt that the love she felt was worth it. A few months after that, with a distended belly full of the next addition to the Royal Family, she had told him something.

"It will be painful, yes, but the joy is worth it in the end," Blueblood muttered under his breath.

"Hey, hey! Look over there!" the colt Head Start yelled.

Over in the distance, Blueblood could make out the outline of their waypoint. Edmaneton, sometimes called the gateway to the north, was a distinctive town, surprisingly cosmopolitan despite being so far from Canterlot. From it, extended a series of rail lines travelling east and west. Blueblood gave a satisfied sigh. Perhaps he could let himself appreciate some leisure, looking back at Ditzy again, he noted that her eyes were open, guiding her properly.

~~~

Twilight was sitting at the top of a hill. In the valley below, she could see the Ponyville Schoolhouse; the neat red building was quiet for the moment, and Twilight was content to read her book. Glancing up occasionally, the unicorn took in the scenery: beside her was a tree, its verdant green leaves soaking up the sun and leaving Twilight in a comfortable shade. In the distance, the Whitetail Woods were visible in one direction. In another direction, she could see Sweet Apple Acres' barn. The blue cloudless sky oversaw a quiet pristine landscape.

The quiet, however, was disturbed when the younger foals started trotting out the school door for a recess period. The purple unicorn looked around and saw Dinky step outside with a book gripped in her magic. She sat next to a sandbox and opened the book. Twilight observed the grey filly from a distance, looking down at her own book occasionally.

Soon, Cheerilee appeared in the school doorway and called out that recess was over. Twilight noted that Dinky was the first inside with an eager smile on her face. With her observation finished, the unicorn devoted herself entirely to reading until a soft grumble emanated from her stomach. Twilight took her body's cue to tend to it and levitated a daisy-and-dandelion sandwich out from her saddle bag. She took a bite out of it and smiled at the bittersweet taste. Next, she brought out an apple, and bit into it. The purple unicorn smiled at the prospect that Dinky was very likely inside the school eating her own lunch.

When Twilight had finished eating, she began reading again. She was fascinated to learn that the Dragonguard Mountains, by comparison to those near Ponyville, were largely devoid of gemstone deposits near the surface.

"I'm sure that would make life hard for Rarity." Twilight chuckled before she noticed the door to the school open again and all the school children flood out.

School was out for the day, but many ponies gathered with their groups of friends and talked for a time. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo went off for Sweet Apple Acres. Snips and Snails went off to the Whitetail Woods. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were walking off, heads held high and stomping towards Ponyville. Pipsqueak and Rumble were doing Celestia knows what, bucking at imagined foes and fantasizing about treasure, no doubt.

Then there was Dinky; she had trotted out of the door last and looked around the playground. She then started galloping towards Ponyville. Twilight stood up, gathered her things and went down the hill to Dinky.

Dinky had slowed to a canter when Twilight reached her; the grey filly beamed at the purple unicorn.

"Thank you for being here to walk me back to the library, Twilight," Dinky said happily.

"You're welcome, Dinky. Did you learn anything new in school today?" Twilight asked.

"We practiced a lot of different types of math today: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. It was fun!" The blonde maned unicorn's eyes almost seemed to glimmer in the afternoon sun. "Did you learn anything new today, Twilight?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Twilight responded. "You know where your mother is traveling to right now? I learned all about the mountains near it."

"Neat!"

Twilight gave a contented sigh, glad she didn't have to intervene in anything on today... but still, something bothered her.

"Dinky," Twilight began.

"Yes?"

"You told me the other day that you don't have any friends. Wouldn't you like to have friends?" Twilight asked, lowering her head slightly.

"It'd be nice, but whenever I talk to anypony they get angry at me, or I get angry at them."

Twilight's ears flicked up of their own accord to listen intently. "Give me an example, if you can think of any."

"Well, a few weeks ago I was talking to, uuuuhhh..." The grey filly winced, "White coat, unicorn, purple and pink mane, blank flank..."

"Sweetie Belle?" Twilight offered.

"Yeah! She was talking about how much she liked singing, then I told her that I didn't really like music ‘cause it was annoying and distracting. We got in an argument about how you should just keep mean thoughts to yourself," the grey filly concluded.

Sounds like the kind of bluntness Applejack would display, Twilight thought to herself.

"And then just a few days ago, I was talking to... Scootaloo, I think. Orange coat, purple mane, goes around in a scooter all the time?" Twilight nodded to the grey unicorn foal before Dinky continued. "I was talking about the math test I got a high score on, sixteen out of seventeen questions, she asked me if I was cheating and I yelled at her; she said she was just joking. I know she really was just joking, but at the time, I just..."

Twilight was running over all the things she knew about Dinky. Bullied at school, unpleasant experiences with her father, studious in school to the point of self isolation, highly selective memory, bed-wetting, minimal social skills, intriguingly high level of magical ability. Ditzy wasn't kidding when she said her daughter had special needs. The two unicorns reached the library and Twilight let Dinky and herself inside.

The purple unicorn prepared an afternoon snack for Dinky and then sat on her couch in thought. How to help her... well, she definitely needs help making friends.

Twilight chuckled as she voiced her next thought. "Hopefully helping Dinky with that doesn't involve sending my brother to the moon."

She looked to a calendar and noted that tomorrow was the day for Rarity's tea party and get-together with the rest of the girls. Maybe I can talk to Rarity and Applejack to convince their sisters to give Dinky a chance?

Dinky stepped out of the kitchen and let out a small burp. "Excuse me," Dinky said, looking down to the floor.

Twilight laughed. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Spike normally can't stand my cooking, though it doesn't help that my oven doesn't have a 'priceless gem' setting."

This teased a giggle out of the foal. "Thank you, Twilight. What are we going to do tomorrow?"

"Well, I was considering letting you and Spike do what you two wanted to do. I'm having friends over and I'd like to talk with them tomorrow."

"Okay!" Dinky said, rather compliant to spending time with the dragon.

Most ponies experienced a bit of trepidation when first meeting Spike. A warranted reaction given the somewhat greedy and violent tendencies adult dragons had been recorded showing. What confused Twilight, however, was that despite two occasions where Spike had caused Dinky to cry, the filly was willing to forgive.

The purple mare set to her work of organizing the A-D section of the library. Spike's gift to Dinky, one of the diamonds he had intended to eat, must have had the right impact.

What Kind of Hotel is This?

What Kind of Hotel is This?

Prince Blueblood was leading the way through Edmaneton, Ditzy and the others trailing behind, when he stopped at a nearby fountain and sat, waiting for the others to catch up. When Old Trail reached the fountain, he got the bag he was carrying off his back and walked to his leader.

"Sir, I'll find accommodations for us for the night, spared no expense for your tastes."

"Right, right, do that. Let the others rest for a while," the royal alicorn responded, looking at Ditzy again. He shook his head; he couldn't stop making glances at her. It wasn't just her physical appearance, Celestia had tried setting him up with dozens of pegasi, earth ponies and unicorns with various permutations of appearance. Blueblood was still impressed by this mare for having set her own wing without so much as a second thought. She was so determined to get that package to Stalliongrad, but why?

Ditzy walked to the fountain and lifted her forehooves into the cool water. Normally, if she had traveled that far a distance, she would have flown, but with her wing broken, she had to walk. At least it had been with other ponies.

Blueblood looked over his shoulder to Ditzy and asked, "Why are you so determined to get that package to Stalliongrad? It's not like it’s that important to whoever is going to receive it."

"It's not about the importance to the client, I need this job," Ditzy replied, lifting her hooves out of the relieving waters.

The grey mare dug into her saddle bags and fished out a photo. On it, Blueblood could see a grey, blonde maned unicorn foal, smiling in the hooves of Ditzy.

"That's my daughter. It's tough, getting enough money to support the two of us. With my lazy eye, almost nopony in my town will hire me, and those that do end up firing me when they get the chance." Ditzy let out a sigh before turning. She spoke again, "Thank you for letting me travel with you, but I need to get to Stalliongrad, and with this wing, I've got a long trip."

Ditzy started walking away and Prince Blueblood cried out, "Wait!" Ditzy turned to him and gave him an inquisitive look. "I intend to take a train the rest of the way to Stalliongrad, you could come with... us?"

Ditzy turned back around. To the pony who was looking, one might have noticed her tail tuck in between her legs as she shifted them closer together. "Why would you want me to hang around? I caused your carriage to break down."

"Auntie, er, Celestia tells me that it is good to get to know one's subjects on occasion and I figured that seeing as how we've already met, I'd like to try out her advice." Blueblood tilted his head. Oh, auntie, please let her agree. She's right, her trip would be long, and dangerous. I can't just let her go like this.

Ditzy's eyebrows lifted slightly and she nodded.

Blueblood sighed with relief. For the first time in centuries, he felt a connection to somepony. Ditzy was willing to do what was necessary, pushing her limits, to ensure those she cared for remained safe, no matter the distance.

Old Trail walked back then and bowed to the prince. "Sir, I've found a hotel for us to stay at. They have a royal suite and a variety of services for you to make use of."

Not thinking on the matter Blueblood spoke. "Sounds agreeable. Lead us to the hotel. Once I am settled, you can send a telegram back to Canterlot and inform Celestia of what has happened."

"Right this way, sir." Old Trail led Blueblood and the others down the street and into the hotel.

Blueblood was talking with Ditzy, and so neither noticed the sign marking the establishment. Blueblood had frequented places like it before, but always alone, and always to the purpose of spreading ill repute about himself across higher social circles. The sign read: 'The Jewel, Gentlestallion's Club'.

~~~

Sworn Gem, hotel owner and proprietor, was looking over his account book, scribbling with a fountain pen into his book.

"Six hundred bits for electricity, nine hundred bits for water and sewage, three thousand bits in food costs for the mares, one thousand bits for the restaurant food, two hundred bits to pay the barkeeps, one hundred fifty bits for the porter," the earth pony mumbled. "And fifteen thousand bits in total revenue. Fan-bucking-tastic!" the earth pony concluded, smiling triumphantly and spitting his quill into his inkpot.

His brown vest covered his back and chest, but left his cutie mark of a large amethyst in full view against his spotted white and black coat. Just then a knock sounded at his door.

"Yeah? What is it?" Sworn Gem yelled. The door opened, revealing his barkeep Hacksaw the unicorn. The unicorn was built like a Clydesdale but could whip up a spell for any kind of situation security called for.

"I got two pieces of news, sir. Which do you want first: the good or the bad?"

"I'll take the bad news first. Very little could put me in too foul a mood right now," the earth pony replied.

"Well, you see, you know all that trouble that's been going down over in Stalliongrad?" Hacksaw asked.

"Yeah, the diamond dogs have been barking at the lizards again, what about it?"

"The Stalliongrad line is down, sir. Turns out some diamond dogs were doing some illegal mining, dug right underneath the foundations for one of the bridges. Train drove over it and the whole thing came toppling down, not many survivors." Hacksaw lowered his head, examining a red hoof.

"News like that is bad for drinks, but great for selling the company of fine mares. You should know that news is neutral at worst. Still best to take advantage of the situation; I'll make an announcement soon. Now what's this good news?" The black and white stallion looked over to his barkeeper and bodyguard, smiling.

"Prince Blueblood's just come in."

At this Sworn Gem immediately brightened. "Fan-bucking-tastic! That boy's always good for the brothel he visits! Hires two or three mares, then does nothing with them. Leaves em' nice and fresh for a second customer right away, if my cousin is to be believed."

The hotel owner trotted to the door before donning a serious expression. "Now to tell the customers the bad news, and make a few suggestions to everypony's favorite playcolt."

~~~

Blueblood was sitting at a private table, as Ditzy had declined and instead was sitting at a separate table by herself, insisting on eating alone. Blueblood was willing to oblige; he would have plenty of time to talk with her on the train ride. Just then, from a staircase leading upwards to a balcony overlooking the restaurant, the sound of hoof steps echoed across the lower floor. A black and white earth pony with a large gem on his flank was standing over the crowd that was now looking up at him.

"Mares and Gentlecolts," the earth pony began.

"I am Sworn Gem, owner and proprietor of this fine establishment; and I have an announcement to make. Just recently I have learned that there has been a terrible accident on the rail line to Stalliongrad." Sworn Gem paused to let the muttering die down.

"There were many deaths, yes, let us take this moment to be thankful for the brief span of time we have to enjoy in the embrace of others." Another pause. "Ah, yes, and in honor of the victims, the mares' services are twenty percent off for the evening."

This last statement shocked Blueblood out of his thoughts, and he looked around and noticed that most of the mares in the club were acting rather suggestively towards the customers. ‘Buck!’ was all Blueblood could think. Just then, two mares, a black earth pony and a white one, sat at his table.

"Hi!" The white said. "I'm Yin, and this is my sister Yang, what brings you here, big colt?"

"Nothing you can help with, now if you'll excuse me."

"Hang on a minute!" Yang reached out a hoof. "I'm sure there's something we could do for you... to you?"

"Yeah, how can we be of... assistance?" Yin asked.

Blueblood looked over and saw Ditzy being approached by a stallion with an unbuttoned jacket and a slight stumble to his step.

"You can help me by leaving me—"

"Prince Blueblood! Pleasure to meet you! Sworn Gem, owner and proprietor of this fine establishment, and I see you've already met Yin and Yang, very nice mares if I do say so myself—"

Prince Blueblood shoved a hoof into the owners mouth when he saw Ditzy buck the drunk customer in the chest as she leaped from her chair and bolted out of the hotel. Wasting no time, Blueblood chased after her. She was dashing along the streets, weaving between ponies and stalls.

He was trying to...! I can't believe I let myself fall for some fancy-mouthed stallion again! Ditzy thought to herself before taking a sharp right. Out of the corner of her eye as she turned, she saw Blueblood, which compelled her to put even more effort into her hooves.

IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT! Blueblood mentally reprimanded himself as he galloped after Ditzy. Nearly bowling over several ponies, Blueblood shouted. "Ditzy, wait! Let me explain!"

"Leave me alone!" she screamed back.

Ditzy knocked over a fruit stand and an orange splattered itself across her eyes. She squinted and tried to see, but between the stinging in her eyes and the returning pain in her hooves, she couldn't focus. She made a blind left turn, cutting off a pegasus couple cantering down the street. A faint double image swam across Ditzy's vision, then she started shaking her head, shutting her left eye and continuing to gallop. She took a right and charged past a trash dumpster, not noticing the garbage bag on the ground in front of her and tripping, tumbling head over hooves for twelve feet, bashing her bad wing and setting the bone askew once more. Ditzy lay on the ground crying as Blueblood rounded the corner. She stared up at him with indignant fury in her eyes.

"So is this what you do to get to know your subjects?" she yelled, "What were you planning to do to me? Slip something in my drink? Get me drunk, do your business with me and then leave me here? Are you just going to take me here and now? Tell me!" She was screaming at this point.

The grey mare's tears fell to the ground in anguish for having been betrayed, pain from her broken wing, and sorrow that she had failed to keep herself out of harm's way for Dinky.

Blueblood walked up to her and sat down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen," he began, as Ditzy continued glaring at him. "Like I said before, back on the road, I don't like the ponies at Canterlot. So I just act like a slob, pretend to sleep around, gamble, drink, that kind of stuff. That way, nopony ever tries to get close to me."

A hoof reached out and struck him on the face and Blueblood looked at Ditzy, who now cowered in fear, immediately regretting what she had done.

"I suppose I deserve that, I haven't been doing a good job at ensuring safe passage." Blueblood inclined his head to Ditzy's wing. "You asked me what happened when I was... when I still reached out to others. I'd like to tell you what happened now," Blueblood stated.

Ditzy looked up at him, his eyes were watering up. She decided to give him a chance, and nodded.

“Seven hundred years ago, when Nightmare Moon was still banished. The diamond dogs invaded the province of Stalliongrad. It was then that an alliance of ponies, gryphons, and even dragons allied against the khanate that had been formed.

“With Auntie Celestia having to tend to the kingdom it was my duty to lead the pony divisions. I lost a lot of good mares and stallions on the long march in the dead of winter. But through all of it, I was able to keep myself together with the help of one mare, Constant Vigil. We were together, but we agreed to wait, with the war going on... there... there wasn’t a time after the war, I...”

Ditzy extended of hoof to Blueblood. “If you don’t want to tell me what happened to her, it can wait. Celestia knows there are things in my past I’d rather not have others know.”

"After that, I just started slipping. When all my friends who were still alive at the end of it all started dying of old age... I swore I wouldn't let any pony close," Blueblood concluded. He looked at Ditzy who was staring at him.

"This Constant Vigil, what was she like?" Ditzy asked.

"She was like you, I suppose, tolerant of pain to a fault, always doing what was necessary for those she cared for." Blueblood let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Ditzy continued, her voice’s tone less infuriated than it used to be.

"But you didn't know that about me when you first talked to me. What led you to open up?" the grey mare asked.

"Well... my cousin, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? She married the captain of the royal guard recently. She had a bit of a crisis of faith herself and it just got me thinking and..." Blueblood winced a little at this point.

"And what?" Ditzy asked, the anger in her voice no longer present.

"You... look like she did, Constant Vigil, I mean." Blueblood shut his eyes. Please don't think I'm shallow.

The next feeling Blueblood felt surprised him, and made him open his eyes. Ditzy was laying her head over his neck, both eyes closed happily.

"You're not angry anymore?" Blueblood asked.

"A little concerned that you've acted this way for so long, but... what about... I'm hardly anypony important." Ditzy opened her eyes, her strabismus gone for the moment.

"Well, there isn't really any precedent to break, Auntie Celestia and Luna never married, and Cadence is a first." Blueblood smiled, no doubt dozens of Canterlot families would think he was defying convention, but in truth there was none.

"What about my daughter?"

"Again, no tradition to follow, save Auntie Celestia's tendency to take on pupils. I suppose I could do the same. You'd both be welcome at Canterlot castle." Blueblood shifted his head out from underneath Ditzy's and looked at her. "But first..."

"You have to settle your business in Stalliongrad." Ditzy then smiled, "And I have my boss's package to deliver."

"You'll hardly need to—" Blueblood was interrupted by the grey mare.

"I know, but now that everything's going to be alright, I can at least leave that crab of a boss of mine on good terms. A final insult to show he didn't break me. Besides, I've left Dinky in good hooves, Twilight's a good sort."

Twilight? Auntie's pupil? The one whose friend I met at the gala? Well, that's going to be awkward. Blueblood smiled briefly, then looked at Ditzy's wing. "Do you want me to do it or shall I?"

Ditzy looked at him. "You may."

Blueblood's horn glowed a soft white that encompassed Ditzy's wing. "Fast or slow?" he asked.

"Fast, no point in dilly-dallying."

Focusing on the fracture, Blueblood set the bone again and Ditzy grunted, but remained conscious. Her breathing was steady and she closed her eyes, laying her head against Blueblood.

Just then, Old Trail rounded the corner and exclaimed. "Oh, thank Celestia! What happened?"

Blueblood looked to Ditzy and whispered, "Just a minute."

The white stallion walked up to his carriage driver and took him back around the corner.

"Old Trail, I understand that you thought I wanted that kind of excitement, and I forgive you." Blueblood spoke flatly. "So realize what I say next is only to instill upon you the gravity of my request." The God of Safe Passage leaned in an inch. "If you ever book me in a place like that again, I'll do to you what that Ursa Major would have. Understand?"

"Yes, sir, sorry sir, I thought that what with what you said, that is—!"

"It's alright, just ... don't do that again, find a different hotel." Blueblood said.

"Separate rooms." Turning, the two stallions saw Ditzy standing by the alley entrance. Looking at Blueblood, she continued. "I'd like to take this slowly, if you don't mind."

Blueblood nodded. "All the time in the world."